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THE REGIONAL NEWS Named best small weekly in Illinois five times by the Illinois Press Association

Thursday, December 28, 2017

Serving Palos, Orland and Worth townships and neighboring communities

Stagg AD suspension not enough for lawyer of fired cheer coach

By Jeff Vorva Staff Writer

Consolidated High School District 230 officials suspended Stagg Athletic Director Terry Treasure for two days without pay for a violation of professional conduct on Friday and the lawyer for recently fired Stagg cheerleading coach Bridget Guzior claims that

was too light of a punishment.

Attorney Tom Skallas called the decision “just sad” and that Guzior must “seek justice in a court of law.’’

Guzior was fired after a special D230 meeting on Dec. 12 for violations including using a profanity in a text message to a student.

In August, she was suspended and subsequently filed a sex-

ual harassment charge against Treasure in September with the Illinois Department of Human Rights. Guzior signed it on Dec. 13 after the firing.

The 29-year-old Orland Park resident made claims against Treasure that included him calling her “hot” and “someone who knows how to take care of a man.” Guzior also claimed he hugged her tight

76th Year, NO. 52 • 2 Sections

and kissed her on the head.

Attempts to reach Treasure were unsuccessful. The District had no comment other than to provide a copy of a letter dated Friday from Superintendent James Gay to Photo by Jeff Vorva Treasure regarding the suspension.

The letter said Treasure did not District 230 Superintendent James Gay is shown during a special meeting on Dec. 12 in which the board fired Stagg cheerleading coach Bridget violate sexual harassment policy Guzior. On Friday, Gay sent a letter to Stagg Athletic Director Terry Treasure See STAGG, Page 2 suspending him for two days.

ORLAND PARK

Board to discuss if video gaming referendum should be put on ballot

By Dermot Connolly The Orland Park Village Board is holding a special meeting at 5:30 p.m. today (Thursday, Dec. 28) to discuss, and decide whether the issue of allowing video gaming in town should be put to a referendum on the March 20 ballots.

The meeting will be in the Village Hall, 14700 S. Ravinia Ave. Video gaming is currently banned in Orland Park, since

the Village Board voted to do so in 2009, when it was legalized in Illinois. But the makeup of the board has changed since then, and the issue has been a hot topic of discussion since village officials floated the idea of lifting the ban in November. The issue has been discussed at several village board meetings, and two town hall meetings since then.

One more town hall meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. Jan. 8in the Orland Park Civic Center, 14750

S. Ravinia Ave. But Village Manager Joe La Margo acknowledged this week that because any possible referendum has to be approved 90 days before the election, the board had to hold the special meeting before the last town hall.

The referendum the village board will be deciding on will ask voters “whether the village of Orland Park should approve and license video gaming within the village with certain conditions.”

“We don’t know how the vote will go yet,” La Margo noted.

At village board meetings, as well as the first town hall on Nov. 27, several residents opposed to video gaming said the issue is important and voters should be allowed to decide it by referendum.

As many as 23 of the restaurant and bar owners in town have also been lobbying for a reversal of the ban on video gaming, arguing they are losing customers to See ORLAND PARK, Page 2

Photo by Jeff Vorva

Wrestling icon Jim Craig stands at attention during the “Star Spangled Banner” before a January match at Shepard in which he was honored.

Local wrestling legend Craig dies

By Jeff Vorva Sports Editor

One of the biggest names in amateur wrestling history, Dan Gable, was speaking at the University of St. Francis in Joliet in 2002.

This legend had the attention of everyone in the room, including Oak Lawn resident Jim Craig’s.

Eisenhower’s Bryan Barham, who coached with Craig in the past, said that Gable’s focus after the speech was on Craig.

“What was amazing to me is that when it was over, everyone was trying to go see Dan Gable and Dan was leaving the other side of the gym to get to Jim Craig,” Barham said in January. “I think that shows the legendary criteria and all that he has accomplished in his outstanding career. But his accomplishments pale to what a

great person he is.’’

Craig died on Sunday at age 80.

He retired in February after 64 years in the sport, including 55 as a coach. His last job was as a Shepard High School assistant from 1993 through February.

Craig was honored for his retirement during a home match in January and kids who were several generations removed from Craig sang his praises.

“He’s the best of the best,” then-Astros senior Robert Muhammad said to the crowd.

“Without him, I wouldn’t be the person I am today. He’s like a father figure.’’

A couple of the coach’s traditions were to hand out sticks of gum after his wrestlers competed and to always wear suits to matches. He said he owns 50 suits

Photo by Anthony Caciopo

Bundled up for the cold-weather in an open-air hay wagon, riders lift their voices in song as they tour the streets of Palos Heights. Flashlights were needed to read the sheets of music in the dark.

Hay wagon riders sing, celebrate under the stars

By Anthony Caciopo Regional News Editor

Spirited holiday revelers rode through Palos Heights the evening of Dec. 8 aboard a hay wagon, singing Christmas carols and enjoying the sights of decorated houses and street scenes.

“It’s awesome,” said Duygu Omur-Ortac, seated on a bale of hay with her six-month-old son, Lucca, in the hands of her mother, Gunay Omur who rode a wooden bench facing her.

“It’s our first,” said Omur-Ortac of the ride through town.

“I can’t wait until next year when it comes again.”

Ken and Deborah Massey climbed aboard the first of two wagon rides.

“It’s kind of a tradition for us,” said Ken. “I wait for it every year,” said Deborah. “I signed up back in August.”

Newbies and well-seasoned waggoneers paid a small fee to travel through Palos Heights from Lake Katherine and back under the stars. Some people sang carols, some chatted and some…well, at least one…had an idea he knew would add to his enjoyment of the night out.

See WAGON, Page 2

See LEGEND, Page 2

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2 Thursday, December 28, 2017

The Regional News

Police seek help finding robber The Orland Park Police Department is seeking the public’s help in finding the man who robbed Vitamin World, 15627 S. LaGrange Road, at about 3:45 p.m. Dec. 13.

Police said the offender wore “a black neoprene mask similar to a jogging mask” and posed as a customer.

He “inquired about some products for sale and then approached

the employee at the register, where [he] produced a silver revolver and demanded cash from the register,” police added in a statement.

The employee complied, and the robber ran out of the store, southeast. Police did not say how much money was stolen.

The robber was described as a white man about six feet tall and 150 pounds. He also wore a black

Adidas coat with a black Adidas logo embroidered on the left chest, faded blue jeans, and worn-looking black shoes.

The offender carried the cash in a white plastic shopping bag.

Anyone who can assist the police with identifying the offender is asked to call OPPD at (708) 349-4111.

Police to step up against drunk drivers Local police departments will partner with the Illinois Department of Transportation and the Illinois State Police in a year-end Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over enforcement—now through Jan. 2.

“Now through New Year’s Day, motorists will notice increased enforcement watching closely for anyone who is driving impaired,” said Palos Heights Deputy Police Chief William Czajkowski. “It is vital that we keep our travelers safe, not just at the holidays, but every day. That’s why we’ll arrest anyone who chooses to drive impaired by alcohol or drugs.

“Orland Park’s police department will increase their patrol

units to monitor for alcohol and drug-impaired drivers now until the New Year,” said Village Trustee Pat Gira, newly named chair to the village’s Public Safety Committee.

“The goal is always to keep drivers and passengers safe, and to ensure all drivers are wearing safety belts.”

Officers will also be conducting several roadside safety checks for seat belt violations. Illinois law states that all passengers must wear a seat belt, regardless of where someone is seated in the vehicle.

Drunk and drug-impaired driving is deadly. Last year, 37,461 people were killed in motor vehicle traffic crashes in the United States.

Of those killed, 28 percent (10,497)

died in crashes in which a driver had a blood-alcohol concentration (BAC) over the limit of 0.08. Of those killed, 315 people died in drunk-driving crashes in Illinois.

Impaired driving offenders often serve jail time, lose their driver’s licenses, are charged higher insurance rates and pay unanticipated expenses ranging from attorney fees, court costs, car towing, repairs and lost wages. The ultimate cost of impaired driving is causing a traffic crash that injures or kills.

Those who feel they are too impaired to drive are urged to call a friend or arrange a ride through a cab or a ride share app.

POLICE BLOTTER: PALOS HEIGHTS Suspended license Christian West, 22, of Elkhart, Ind., was charged with driving with a suspended license after his car was struck in a traffic crash at 4:48 p.m. Dec. 13, at 135th Street and Ridgeland Avenue. Police said he was also cited for driving without insurance. Court information was not available.

Andrew R. Fletcher, 28, of Oak Lawn, was charged with driving with a suspended license following a traffic stop at 8:09 a.m. last Thursday, in the 12600 block of South Ridgeland Avenue. Police

said he is due in court on Jan. 11.

Henry S. Obasiolu, 27, of Chicago, was charged with driving with a suspended license following a traffic stop at 6300 block of West 127th Street at 10:08 p.m. last Thursday. Police said he was also cited for driving without insurance and only one working headlight.

He is due in court on Jan. 11.

Dec. 16, in the 12500 block of South 69th Avenue. Police said he violated zero tolerance laws and was also cited for having only one working headlight.

Weapons charge

Photos by Anthony Caciopo

Above: Twenty-five people were aboard each of two hay wagon trips from Lake Katherine around Palos Heights and return. The second ride is seen here on 123rd Street west of Harlem Avenue. Below: Arlene Weil preferred to hunker down, rather than sing out, during a chilly ride aboard a hay wagon that was pulled through town.

Wagon

Continued from Page 1 “I want some hot cocoa!” said Mike Panos, 9, at the front of the hay wagon behind the chugging John Deere tractor that pulled the riders.

Indeed, hot cocoa awaited Mike back at the Lake Katherine Nature Center, where riders warmed up after the ride and enjoyed a variety of German and Mexican snacks, as well as the opportunity to make crafts.

“We try to do something international (with food offerings),” said Barb Killelea. She, Marian Sinkus and Brenda George run education programs at Lake Katherine and are in charge of the annual hayrides and taste treats, an event they estimate has been taking place for at least 20 years.

“Last year, we did the Old West,” Killelea said of the cuisine.

“One year, we roasted a goose, a Bob Cratchit–kind of thing,” referring to the fictional character in the Charles Dickens novel “A Christmas Carol.”

“We take two or three days be-

A juvenile was charged with unlawful use of a weapon following a traffic stop at 10:33 p.m. Dec. 18, in the 7500 block of Route Underage drinking 83. Police said a loaded handgun Dante Onseuz, 19, of Alsip, was was found in the glovebox. The issued an ordinance violation for juvenile was held for bond court Continued from Page 1 underage consumption of alcohol and the driver was issued a citation and sometimes he brought hats following a traffic stop at 3:14 a.m. for an equipment violation.

— including cowboy hats — to wear during the action.

“When I started out back in 1959, coaches wore ties and suits,” Craig said in January. “I wore a was a passenger in a vehicle that was stopped for bow tie back then, by the way.

Charged with unlicensed driving equipment violations and turned over a small bag Wrestling is such a tough sport.

Daoud Diab, 70, of Oak Lawn, was charged with driving without a license following a traffic stop at of marijuana when police questioned the occupants It gets a hard rap sometimes. If I can literally dress it up a little 4:35 p.m. Dec. 19, at 121st Street and Southwest about the smell of cannabis in the car. bit, I feel it’s important. Dress up Rebecca L. Kovel, 18, of Hodgkins, was issued a Highway. Police said he was also cited for improper and step up.’’ local adjudication ticket for possession of cannabis passing of a school bus that was unloading passengers.

Prior to coaching at Shepard, following a traffic stop at 2:58 p.m. Dec. 19, in the He is due in court on Feb. 1.

12200 block of South 104th Avenue. Police said Craig was a head coach and dean Ticketed on cannabis rap she was carrying about 10 grams of cannabis. Her of students at Oak Lawn High Gabriel Ziyad, 20, of Bridgeview, was issued a local passenger, Kayla Jean Hendrix, 22, of Milan, Ill, was School and helped build up grade adjudication ticket for possession of 2.3 grams of issued a local adjudication ticket for possession of school wrestling in the area. He cannabis following a traffic stop at 10:03 p.m. Dec. drug paraphernalia, after a gold marijuana grinder also was a D218 board member.

He has had an impact on thousands 14, at 86th Avenue and 127th Street. Police said he was reportedly found in her possession. of people over the years.

“Basically, kids are the same but they have some adjustments they have to make to me because I don’t adjust real well,” Craig reportedly said he had received nuwas wanted on five warrants, two said. “They have to understand I’m Charge two with DUI merous text messages from AT&T of which relate to forgery charges. doing this because of them, not Orland Park police charged Law- noting that changes had been made Both Lawrence and Hall were due rence M. Booth, 59, of Tinley Park, to his account, which he did not at a bond hearing the following day. with DUI after he allegedly backed request. Phelps was due at a bond his car into a police vehicle in the hearing the following day.

Mom left baby alone Continued from Page 1 parking lot of Home Depot, 7300

Legend

POLICE BLOTTER: PALOS PARK

POLICE BLOTTER: ORLAND PARK

W. 159th St., at 5:43 p.m. Nov. 16.

The car was towed and impounded, and Booth is scheduled to appear in court in Bridgeview on Jan. 8.

Tinley Park resident Andrew P. Sebastian, 24, was charged with DUI and improper lane usage after police curbed his pickup truck near 151st Street and Lakeview Drive at 3:29 a.m. Nov. 23. The truck was towed and impounded, and Booth was expected to appear in court in Bridgeview on Dec. 13.

Say man stole Louisiana’s man identity Police charged Brandon J. Phelps, 20, of Kirkland, Illinois with identify theft after he allegedly used the personal information of a 63-year-old Louisiana man to purchase a $989 iPhone from the Apple Store in Orland Square Mall at 3:42 p.m. Nov. 26. When contacted by police, the Louisiana man

Orland Park Continued from Page 1

competitors in neighboring communities.

Opponents fearful of video gaming changing the character of the village argued that several “less important” issues have been put to referendum in the past, and this should be, too. One of the referenda on last April’s ballots asked voters whether the village should sign a contract with Waste Management to make the “At Your Door” electronics and hazardous waste removal program available in Orland Park. Another asked whether the village should go into partnership with local sports organizations to build a multipurpose sports facility.

None of the trustees or Mayor Keith Pekau has come out definitively for or against video gaming yet. But because of declining sales

Charged with passing fake hundreds

in SUV, police say

Chicago residents Ketta J. Lawrence, 40, and Lamont W. Hall, 26, were charged with forgery after they allegedly passed counterfeit $100 bills at Buy Buy Baby, 290 Orland Park Place, at about 4:40 p.m.

Nov. 24. Police stopped their veHall hicle near 159th and LaGrange Road because they matched a description given by store employees, according to the police report. Police added that they found $1,225.10 cash in Lawrence’s bra and $933 in her purse—all of which they confiscated. They also seized $427 cash they found on Hall. While Hall was in custody, police learned he

Lockport resident Michelle A. Rohde, 34, was charged with child endangerment after she allegedly left her one-year-old daughter alone in her SUV as it sat parked near Buy Buy Baby, 290 Orland Park Place, at about 3 p.m. Dec. 2. Responding to call from a shopper, police said they found the infant in a car seat, and that the rear hatch of the vehicle was open.

The caller said she had waited 10 minutes before calling police, and police added that they waited 10 minutes after they arrived before Rohde walked up. She reportedly said she did not want to disturb her sleeping daughter and ran in the store to do a quick exchange of merchandise. She said she was unaware that the hatch was open.

The child was turned over to a relative, and Rohde is set to appear in court in Bridgeview on Feb. 1.

tax revenue, they are looking into it as a possible alternative revenue source.

Finance director Annmarie Mampe said during a hearing on the village budget at the Dec. 18 Village Board meeting that roughly $1.2 million in sales and home rule taxes have been lost by the village over the past year. Many communities are dealing with similar issues, due largely to increase online buying, which cuts down the amount of sales tax allocated to communities.

“The state is going to start charging us to collect the home rule tax,” said Trustee Patricia Gira.

“We have been able to keep the tax levy flat for six years. And we are not raising it (for 2018) either,” said Trustee Carole Ruzich. “We’ve been able to do it because of sales tax, but if that is changing,” other options will have to be looked at.

However, Ruzich said at the Dec. 18 Village Board meeting that she was encouraged to hear that sales revenue at Orland Mall was up 3 percent this year, The board members do agree that any ordinance allowing gaming would have to include a lot of restrictions. These include having no video gaming cafes, monitoring of the areas in bars and restaurants where it is allowed, and limiting signage as much as possible.

Trustee Mike Carroll pointed out that flashing lights are not allowed on any business signs already. “We’re not going to have a little Las Vegas here.”

Pekau said after the first town hall that he would not be in favor of a referendum.

“I agree with them that those other issues shouldn’t have been put to a referendum either,” he added. “We get elected to make these hard decisions.”

Stagg

but did violate policy for professional conduct.

In the letter Gay said that Treasure admitted he made comments about her appearance and “sidehugged” her.

“In explaining your actions, you said you did not intend to offend Ms. Guzior, but rather to show your support, demonstrate empathy and improve her morale — especially on the occasion where she confided in you that she was separated from her husband and worried she would remain single,” Gay wrote. “Following guidelines established by the courts, the investigation considered the totality of the circumstances including the frequency of your conduct, the severity of your conduct, whether the conduct was physically threatening or humiliating or a mere offensive utterance and whether the conduct unreasonably interfered with Ms. Guzior’s job performance.

Based on these guidelines, the investigation determines your conduct did not violate (the board’s policy on sexual harassment)…it was found to have violated (the policy for professional conduct).’’

Gay said he considered Treasure’s 25-year employment with no previous discipline, and called this a “lapse in judgment” and warned that future similar behavior could call for termination.

Treasure has a right to a hearing to argue the suspension.

Skallas is not convinced the punishment is enough.

“District 230 officials sent a strong message to students, parents, its faculty and the community they serve,” he said. “In this period of history where women continue to bravely come forward against their harassers, District 230 officials just showed you what will happen if someone comes forward in their schools. The victim is fired and the harasser gets a slap on

cause we have to find specialty places (for supplies) and to cook.

It’s been in progress for about a month; getting the recipes, finding the crafts, etc.,” Killelea said.

After shaking off the cold and enjoying his hot cocoa, Mike Panos and his brother, Peter, 11, worked on crafts as their mother, Meredith, shared her thoughts about the hay wagon ride.

“I thought it was great,” she said. “It was so much fun. It was an experience and I’m glad we did it.”

Jerry Dolan, a Lake Katherine Nature Center volunteer, drove the tractor—which had a warm, enclosed cab, he didn’t mind pointing out—on an informal route through town that wound around. The trips traveled along 125th Street, 75th Avenue, 70th Avenue, 122nd Street, 123rd Street across Harlem Avenue and many other streets that boasted some well-decorated houses. On 122nd Street, motorists in a car stopped to greet the wagon-riders and exchange holiday greetings.

“Compared to the last couple years, more people were singing,”

said co-organizer Brenda George who rode one of the wagons and distributed sheet music.

Not only are children interested in the wagon rides, but a lot of adults are, too, according to George.

“They’re craving that old-fashioned experience,” she said, “like the mom with the little baby. She’s trying to find something to start with her new one.

“Everything is so commercial, and this is something simple,” George said. “It’s teaching children that you can have fun doing simple things. It doesn’t have to be all bells and whistles.”

CRAIG’S LIST: JIM CRAIG’S CAREER HIGHLIGHTS 1955: Finished second in the state as a high school wrestler in Iowa 1959: Was an NCAA champion at 177 pounds for the University of Iowa 1962: Coached Britt High School to an Iowa state championship 1974: Coached Oak Lawn High School to a second-place state finish 1980 and 1983: Was named wrestling official of the year by South Inter Conference Association 1983: Named event coordinator of the 1983 Junior World Freestyle Championship 1987: Inducted into Illinois Coaches Association Hall of Fame 1996: Honored as the Illinois High School Association grand marshal of the state tournament 1996: Became assistant competition director of the 1996 Olympic games in Atlanta 2002: Inducted into the National Coaches Hall of Fame

because of me. I enjoy working with them.’’

He is not only a local and regional icon, he has made an impact on national and international wrestling as a referee and official.

He was a site coordinator for the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta and was presented with a rare banner

that was at the Olympic facility. He donated the banner to Shepard and it is in the Palos Heights school’s gym. The only other banner of that kind is in Turkey.

Details on his wake and funeral arrangements were not available at this paper’s deadline.

the wrist. Today’s decision only affirms the fact that Coach Guzior was discriminated and victimized and that she must seek justice in a court of law.’’

In an interview with Guzior six days before Treasure’s suspension, she apologized for using the word “bitch” in a text message to describe a situation, but felt that given her track record and success that it was not an offense that deserved termination.

Skallas said that the punishments were inconsistent. “(The decision by District 230) officials is just sad,” he said. “In their infinite wisdom, they decided that a two-day suspension was appropriate for Terry Treasure, who has now admitted to harassing coach Guzior. These are the same

officials that recommended and carried through coach Guzior’s dismissal over a text. The decision to suspend coach Guzior took days and the investigation into Terry Treasure took months, yet this is the outcome for each.

“In reaching their decision, they cite Mr. Treasure’s service to District 230 and the fact that he has no history of prior incidents,” Skallas said. “Not surprisingly, they failed to acknowledge that coach Guzior brought success to Stagg High School’s cheerleading program and has also never been disciplined in the past. In fact, it was Terry Treasure himself, who recommended that she be retained as recently as in March of this year.’’

The Regional News

Thursday, December 28, 2017

3

Two District 230 teachers receive national awards

By Dermot Connolly

The District 230 School Board at its meeting last week recognized two faculty members who received national awards.

Dr. Stacey Gonzales, director of curriculum for the district, was named among the top 30 education technology leaders in the United States by the Center for Digital Education, a national research and advisory institute specializing in K-12 and higher education technology trends, policy and funding.

She was a leading force behind the district’s ongoing technology program, which has provided every student with a Chromebook laptop computer this year and more teacher training on how to get the best use out of the technology in the classroom.

The CDE called her one of the 2017 “Top 30 Technologists,

Gonzales

Wendelin

Transformers and Trailblazers,” education and technology leaders who are “transforming the education landscape through the use of digital tools.”

During the “Digital Learning Program,” update she gave at the meeting last Thursday, Gonzales said all students now have the computers, and they are a hit with students and teachers alike. Now in Phase 3 of the program, this was the first semester that students in all four years have the computers.

“It has been a really smooth

semester so far,” said Gonzales.

“It has been a really busy year, but so far, so good. Students have told me they would rather be using the $179 Chromebooks than the $1,200 desktop computers they have at home.

“This has not been a top-down thing,” she said, “All 140 teachers have been involved from the beginning. That is the key to success.”

Gonzales and other district officials are now getting involved in webinars, helping other districts roll out similar programs.

According to the CDE, the 2017 Top 30 winners were selected based on their efforts to improve education through effective implementation of technology-rich solutions; their impact on student outcomes; and their overall initiative, creativity and leadership skills. Gonzales is one of only

two recipients from Illinois this year. The other is Linda Ashida, a teaching and learning facilitator at Elk Grove High School.

Christopher Wendelin, who teaches Advanced Placement English to freshmen, along with senior-level English at Stagg High School in Palos Hills, was also honored for being named a Top Ten 2017 Claes Nobel Educator of the Year by the National Society of High School Scholars. Formed in 2002 by James W. Lewis and Claes Nobel, members of the family that established the Nobel Prizes, the NSHSS is aimed at recognizing academic excellence at the high school level and helps to advance the goals and aspirations of high-achieving students.

He was nominated for the award by a student, at least in part for The Voice of Witness class he and fellow teacher Lisa

Thyer created last year. The 60 students in the class published a book called “111th and Roberts: Where Our Voices Intersect.” The process they went through was the subject of a documentary by a University of Illinois College of Media Instructor and his journalism students entitled “Voices of Stagg.”

“I feel very indebted to the people around me,” said Wendelin at the meeting last Thursday, referring to the board members and the district leadership who allowed him to create “a learning environment with student-centered classes, where success is shared and creativity is encouraged.”

He said he wants to provide education that is “long-term and nonlinear.”

“Students and teachers should see themselves and each other as works in progress, using every

setback, success, and query as a stepping stone to improvement and believing that everyone can grow and learn with hard work and grit.”

Wendelin’s nominating student wrote, “He has gone above and beyond making learning fun along with co-teaching a one of a kind class dedicated to the Voice of Witness program while willingly giving up his plan period to help students and make sure they succeed.”

“Chris has always shown himself to be an excellent teacher. He is a genuine individual, whose caring personality coupled with humor and humility allows him to form meaningful connections with students, helping each one believe that not only that they can learn, but also that they deserve to be successful,” said Stagg Principal Eric Olsen.

Mail ballots now available for suburban Cook County

File photo by Steve Metsch

Thanks to a new law, popular scenes like the elephant wash at the Carson & Barnes Circus (shown here at Toyota park earlier in 2017) are a thing of the past in Illinois.

Illinois bans circus elephants and other new laws for 2018

By Steve Metsch

It wouldn’t be the new year without dozens of new laws on the books in Illinois.

Here’s a look at some of the more interesting laws that take effect on Monday, Jan. 1.

After each is the corresponding House Bill or Senate Bill number.

More people in need of transplants pay benefit as drivers who are 16- and 17-years-old will have the option of agreeing to be organ or tissue donors when they apply for their driver’s licenses. Previously, you had to be 18 to agree to help save lives. HB 1805 If you are going through a divorce, there’s more to consider than who gets the china. When pets are considered marital assets, divorce proceedings can now include which partner gets custody of Fido, Tabby or the fish. SB 1261.

It won’t be the same going to the circus. Illinois is the first state to ban the use of elephants in circuses and other traveling exhibitions. The only place you can see elephants will be in non-traveling institutions and zoos. SB 1342.

If you’ve ever driven through rural parts of the Land Lincoln, you won’t be surprised to know that corn is now the official State Grain of Illinois. Sources say the soy bean boosters were not amused.

HB 470.

A new law prohibits motor vehicle dealers from allowing a driver to leave the premises in a vehicle with any type of signs or decals on windows that would obstruct the driver’s view. Insert your own “Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby” joke. HB 733.

In a serious note, each law enforcement agency is now required to develop a written policy to have for the investigation of criminal sexual assaults that involve officers. HB 270.

In a nod to more students having babies, public and charter schools now have to provide reasonable breastfeeding accommodations.

HB 2369.

Crimes that are committed on the grounds of a religious facility will be defined as hate crimes, and courts will be allowed to impose a fine based on how severe the crime and damages are, by ending the cap of $1,000. HB 2390.

Intimidation, stalking, cyberstalking and transmission of obscene messages are seen now as possible hate crimes and under a new state law that creates a civil penalty for such crimes. HB 3711.

We’ve all heard of people dying years after they’ve suffered serious injuries in a vehicle accident.

A new law removes the statute of limitation on prosecution for aggravated driving under the influence cases that result in death.

HB 3084.

You can change the gender designation on your birth certificate without undergoing gender transition. HB 1785.

While we’re not sure how one gets expelled from preschool — perhaps by eating too much paste?

— early childhood programs will need to find services for young children, helping them resolve their problems instead. HB 2663.

Victims of domestic violence will no longer have pay off or break their cell phone contracts, and they can keep their numbers when they leave their abusers. The new law permits them to keep their number and save on related costs of creating a new account. SB 57.

You no longer have to honor the dead in secret as a new law will provide the Department of Natural Resources to establish rules for the safe and appropriate ways to scatter cremated remains in a state park.

No word on what to do about the 2017 Chicago Bears and Soldier Field. SB 1586.

Dogs and cats that have been used in research may have new homes. A new law provides that research facilities make reasonable efforts for the adoption of such animals. SB 1884.

If you’ve seen packs of feral cats roaming around, help may be on the way. A new law allows county animal control agencies to use funds for the trapping, neutering, and vaccination of feral cats.

SB 614.

Anyone who’s had a bad meal at a restaurant and wrote about it on-line will be safe from legal woes. A new law protects the right of customers to leave negative reviews on-line by prohibiting the enforcement of non-disparagement clauses. SB 1898.

Those with food allergies may have safer dining experiences. A new law requires managers of specified restaurants to undergo accredited food allergen awareness and safety training within 30 days of being hired. And they must be re-certified every three years. And, at least one manger who’s been trained must be on duty when the doors are open. HB 2510.

Customers will no longer need play a guessing game when it comes to prices at hair salons, barbers, dry cleaners and tailors, which are now required to provide a price list upon request. SB 298.

Finally, who doesn’t like birthday cake? We can all enjoy a piece on Aug. 4 when Obama Day is celebrated, marking the birthday of our 44th President, Barack Obama.

SB 55.

Suburban Cook County voters may now apply for mail ballots for the March 20 Gubernatorial Primary Election, Cook County Clerk David Orr announced recently.

Any registered suburban Cook County voter may request a mail ballot using the online application at cookcountyclerk.com/VoteByMail. Ballots will be mailed beginning in early March.

“Applying for a mail ballot online has become increasingly popular in every election since its inception in 2014,” Orr said.

“With record-breaking results from recent elections, it is clear that suburban Cook County residents enjoy the convenience of requesting their ballot and making their election choices from the comfort of their own home.”

Suburban Cook voters cast 31,409 ballots by mail in the March 2016 Presidential Primary — an election where nearly 80 percent of all mail ballot requests came through the use of the Clerk’s online request tool.

The deadline to apply for a mail ballot is March 15. Ballots must be postmarked no later than Election Day, March 20, and received at

the Cook County Clerk’s office within 14 days of Election Day. The mail ballot application can be completed on either computers or smartphones/tablets.

From your internet-connected device, simply visit cookcountyclerk.com/VoteByMail. Click “Apply Online,” read the instructions and then click “Continue.”

Applying online can take less than a minute — it is the most efficient method for voters and the Clerk’s Elections Division. To complete an online mail ballot application, you will need: • Email address. (An email will be sent to confirm your application before processing can be completed.)

• Illinois driver’s license or state identification number.

• Last four digits of your Social Security Number.

• The address where you would like your ballot mailed.

The virtual mail ballot application is also available in Spanish, Hindi and Chinese, per the requirements of the Federal Voting Rights Act. After clicking “Apply,” voters may select their preferred language for the application and may request the

same for their ballot. However, not all ballot styles are available in every precinct.

While applications will be accepted online, ballots must be delivered by U.S. mail and cannot be distributed or received electronically. An exception is allowed for overseas voters and members of the military.

Voters whose registration does not currently include their driver’s license/state ID and/or Social Security Number may need to contact our office to update their registration before using the online application.

Voters may also download, print and sign a paper application and send it to: Cook County Clerk’s office, Mail Voting Unit, 69 W. Washington St., Room 500, Chicago, IL 60602.

Suburban Cook County voters can always check their voter registration status and other voter information at cookcountyclerk. com/VoterInfo.

Suburban Cook County Voters with questions should contact the Clerk’s Mail Voting team at 312.603.0946 or mail.voting@ cookcountyil.gov.

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4 Thursday, December 28, 2017

City Dems knotted on 2018 races

The last time Rep. Dan Burke (D-1st) had a serious primary opponent, in 2010, the longtime Southwest Side legislator won by just 579 votes over activist Rudy Lozano. It could’ve been a closer race had two Latino “candidates” not been put on the ballot to siphon away almost 400 votes from the progressive activist Lozano.

At the moment, the age-old Chicago machine practice of running fake primary candidates designed to draw votes away from opponents is on hold while a federal judge takes a look at a lawsuit filed by Speaker Michael Madigan’s vanquished 2016 primary opponent. Madigan is alleged to have put two do-nothing candidates with Latino surnames on the ballot to draw votes away from Jason Gonzales. That never used to be considered a crime. Unfair and maybe unethical, but not illegal. Whatever it is, it’s now under judicial scrutiny.

This time around, Rep. Burke is going one-on-one with Aaron Ortiz, a teacher and head soccer coach at Back of the Yards College Prep.

What makes this race one to watch is that Ortiz has been endorsed by Cook County Commissioner Jesus “Chuy” Garcia, a 2015 Chicago mayoral candidate and Bernie Sanders’ top guy in the city in 2016, who is now running for Congress with the support of the retiring incumbent, U.S. Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-4th).

Rep. Burke is a member of Speaker Madigan’s leadership team, and his brother Ed is a powerful Chicago alderman. Those guys take care of their own. If Rep. Burke is willing to wage an all-out street fight, then that’s what will happen.

So, two rival Chicago political factions – the regulars and the progressives - are gearing up for battle on several fronts while some are attempting to cut a deal that clears a path for people on both sides.

Commissioner Garcia and his allies are supporting Alma Anaya for Garcia’s county board seat. Anaya has run Garcia’s district office. Sen. Martin Sandoval (D-11th) is supporting his daughter, Angeles Sandoval, for that same county board spot. Sen. Sandoval, who has one of the strongest remaining political organizations in the city, and Sen. Tony Muñoz (D-1st) have each contributed $55,000 to Angeles Sandoval’s campaign. Sen. Muñoz is a top contender for Illinois Senate President whenever incumbent John Cullerton decides to retire. Ms. Sandoval should therefore have little trouble raising money from special interests.

Sens. Sandoval and Muñoz and Rep. Burke and their allies want Chuy Garcia to pull his support from Ortiz and Anaya, clearing the path for Rep. Burke and Ms. Sandoval.

In exchange, the “regular Democrats” will stay out of the Garcia’s “progressive” campaign for Congress. If not, they may back someone like Sol Flores, the only woman in the race to replace Congressman Gutierrez. Flores was just endorsed by EMILY’s List.

So, that may be why a Public Policy Polling survey was released last week showing Garcia getting 53 percent in the Democratic primary. Everybody else was in single digits, including Flores who was at three percent. Garcia could wind up cruising to victory, so why not stick to his guns on the other campaigns?

Well, few people like to work more than they absolutely have to, and nothing is ever a 100 percent bet in politics. So, we’ll see where this one goes. A lot of maneuvering appears to be ahead.

A couple of small pieces have already fallen into place.

Lourdez Laura Ramos, who was backed by Congressman Gutierrez, withdrew from the 3rd Illinois House District Democratic primary against Rep. Luis Arroyo (D-Chicago). Rep. Arroyo had been supporting Richard Gonzales in the 4th Congressional District primary against Gutierrez, but Arroyo will now reportedly withdraw his backing and word is Gonzales may get out of the race. Gutierrez and Arroyo have been waging a bitter battle over the future status of Puerto Rico.

Alex Acevedo, the son of former Rep. Eddie Acevedo, recently dropped out of the Cook County commissioner race to replace Garcia and endorsed Angie Sandoval. Acevedo and Sen. Sandoval are longtime allies.

However, state Rep. Theresa Mah (D-2nd) told me last week she is backing Alma Anaya for county board, which puts her at odds with her state senator, Tony Muñoz. But, she said, she is not supporting the Chuy Garcia-backed candidate against Rep. Burke, Aaron Ortiz.

Rep. Mah has her own primary opponent, Francisco Rodriguez, who is apparently backed by former Rep. Acevedo, who is now running for county sheriff. So, there may be another knot to untangle before this is all done.

Got all that? Just your usual Chicago intrigue.

Rich Miller also publishes Capitol Fax, a daily political newsletter, and CapitolFax.com.

OPINION

The Regional News

RICH MILLER

Technology was supposed to help us, not rob us When I got my first computer in 1980, a Coleco Adam, it was exciting. And then I upgraded to the IBM PC Jr a few years later, and it was amazing.

These computer companies sold us computers on the promise that it would help us better use our lives and spend less time with menial tasks. The computer would do all the work.

They said we would never need paper anymore and that would save the trees.

But oh, how it would help us stay in touch with the world through the Internet, which was opening up right about that time, too.

Of course, today, nothing could be further from the truth.

Instead of saving us time, it makes us waste time so we have less time to spend with our families.

Instead of saving the environment, it has created an environmental hazard of silicon diodes and circuit boards that can’t be easily recycled or disposed. Many communities that once touted computer recycling have shut them down because they are so costly.

The trees are dying because computers have created a massive paper production industry that spits out paper at one page per second.

The worst part, of course, is that it is helping to break up families by forcing everyone to spend time on their own.

Everyone in the family has to work now because computers are so expensive.

They have become “necessary” and “mandatory.” If you want to survive in this

RAY HANANIA world, you need a computer. The costs of computers are so great that we have to work twice as hard to earn enough money to purchase the technology, which continues to change so fast that before you bring a computer home, it’s outdated and no longer supported.

And when we talk about computers, we are also talking about cellphone technology. And cellphone companies are the real thieves of the computer industry.

I laughed when Sprint asserted I can get four phones for $100 a month. I dumped Sprint after 11 years because my monthly bill for four phones was $239 a month.

I switched to T-Mobile, at only $170 a month, which is still higher than my heating bill.

The worst offender is Apple, the company founded by Steve Jobs in his garage.

Apple was built on a culture of providing things we didn’t have but needed. Apple was supposed to symbolize all that society could achieve. Instead, Apple symbolizes all the profit it can squeeze out of consumers.

Earlier this year, Apple released new

updated cellphones. I have the iPhone 6, which cost me about $360. The new iPhone 8 and the iPhone X are a costly $999 and $1,150 each.

Weeks after the new releases, my iPhone 6 started to slow down and have problems.

The more I spoke with Apple Tech, the more I suspected they were lying. They kept trying to force me to purchase the new phones that cost three times as much.

This was intentional. They wanted me to toss my technology so I could go out and spend more money on new technology. I wrote about that in my online column at TheDailyHookah.com. When I spoke to Apple Techs online, they insisted it was not true.

But this week, we learned that in fact it was true. Apple forced all previous iPhone owners to update their software making them run slower, claiming that the batteries they had were old and might shut the phone down. Very few phones were shutting down. But everyone was experiencing the slow performance. Basic iPhone Apps like Messenger, Text Messaging, emails and voicemails on old iPhones were not working right.

The truth is Apple and the computer Industry is driven by greed. They don’t care about the social value of their products.

They only care about profit.

Ray Hanania is an award-winning columnist, author and former Chicago City Hall reporter. Email him at rghanania@ gmail.com.

READERS WRITE Help seniors stop financial exploitation As many as 17 percent of Americans 65 and older report being the victim of financial exploitation, according to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Estimates of annual losses are in the billions of dollars.

One factor that may play a role is mild cognitive impairment, a condition that can be a precursor to dementia and can diminish an older person’s abil-

ity to make financial decisions.

Isolation may also play a role. If no relatives live nearby and no friends regularly check in, it’s easy for strangers to step in and befriend an elderly person for financial gain.

People who have ill intentions may exploit the isolation and loneliness of many seniors who are open to making a connection with anyone.

Pay attention to new friendships or relationships a parent makes, that can be a door in

that can lead to exploitation.

Here are some questions and answers about older people and fraud: • Are older people at risk for fraud only if they are wealthy?

Scam artists know that many older people have fixed incomes, which may make them vulnerable to fraud because they are open to hearing about ways to make money and pay their bills.

• Where can I learn more about protecting an older per-

son from fraud? The National Council on Aging offers tips on avoiding fraud at EconomicCheck.org. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau offers a “Money Smart” guide for older adults and other resources on its website.

• What should I do if I think an older person has been a victim of financial fraud? You should report it to the local police Joe Miller Palos Park Chief of Police

INSIDE THE FIRST AMENDMENT

The lazy person’s guide to being a good citizen

Owned and operated by Southwest Regional Publishing Co. Mark Hornung, Chief Operating Officer

By Lata Nott

You sometimes suspect that you’re not as well-informed as Donna Brown, Sales Director Anthony Caciopo, Editor you should be. When you read Monica Cotter, Finance Director Dermot Connolly, Reporter about that study that found that Debbie Perrewe, Classified Manager Jeff Vorva, Sports Editor middle school kids were unable Mike Russell, Production Director Lauren Ziemann, Art Director to distinguish paid advertiseBonnie Hesik, Pre-press Manager Chuck Ingwersen, Designer ments from news stories, you shook your head sadly — then Southwest Regional Publishing secretly wondered if you would 12243 S. Harlem Ave. Palos Heights, IL 60463 do much better.

You’ve heard that most Phone: (708) 448-4000 people are so entrenched in Fax: (708) 448-4012 their own beliefs that even Website: www.theregionalnews.com indisputable facts can’t change email: TheRegional@comcast.net their minds, and would really Office hours: Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. like to believe you’re different Deadlines from most people. (But doesn’t Editorial: Noon, Saturday • Advertising: 5 p.m., Monday everyone think that?) You have, on at least a couple of occaSubscription rates: Local, delivered by mail, $48 a year in advance. Out-of-State, $58 a year. Single copies, $1. Postmaster: Send address changes to THE REGIONAL NEWS, sions, pretended that you were familiar with a subject you 12243 S. Harlem Ave., Palos Heights, IL 60463 and additional post offices.

The Regional News cannot be responsible for the return of unsolicited material. USPS actually barely understood.

You are, in other words, a 419-260 Periodical postage paid at Palos Heights, IL 60463 and additional post offices. person living in the world.

Entered as periodical mail at the Post Office at Palos Heights, IL, 60643 and additional post offices under the Act of March 3, 1879.

According to the Pew Research Center, 64 percent of Ameri© Entire contents copyright 2015 Southwest Regional Publishing cans say that fabricated news This newspaper is dedicated to the memory of stories have caused them a those who gave their lives to protect America’s great deal of confusion about freedom of the press, whenever and however it the basic facts of current issues may be threatened. and events. A survey conducted The Business Side

The News Side

by the Annenberg Public Policy Center found that the majority of Americans are poorly informed about the basic structures of their own government.

And this year’s “State of the First Amendment” survey revealed that the majority of Americans prefer news that aligns with their own point of view, demonstrating their firm commitment to their own filter bubbles. Unsurprisingly, none of this is good for democracy.

As Thomas Jefferson said, “An educated citizenry is a vital requisite for our survival as a free people.”

But enough hand wringing!

You don’t want to let the ghost of Thomas Jefferson down. You want to be media literate and fair-minded and well-informed.

You want to be the kind of person who knows how many congressmen there are and can explain what the Electoral College is. You want to be a good citizen. It’s on your list of New Year’s resolutions, somewhere between “exercise get more” and “floss regularly.”

It’s not that you’re lazy. It’s

just that you have a job, and loved ones, and a very limited amount of free time.

Or maybe you are just lazy.

That’s OK too.

Regardless — what are you to do? Let’s be realistic: You don’t need a list of best practices for media literacy and civic engagement. You need a list of good-enough practices.

You need the equivalent of those individual floss picks. (To any dentists reading this: I am aware that floss picks are not a perfect substitute for regular dental flossing. But they are a vast improvement over the nothing I was doing before I started using them.)

Get (re)acquainted with civics. Most of us either took civics a long time ago, or didn’t take it at all. If you no longer remember what the branches of the government are, know that you’re not alone and that you need not waste time wallowing in shame.

There are resources out there for fully-fledged adults.”Civics 101” is a great podcast if you like listening to things. Khan

Academy has an “American Civics” YouTube series if you’d rather watch something. But if you want a crash course in the least amount of time possible, I’d recommend spending a little time skimming the review sheets intended for immigrants studying for their American citizenship exams.

Think about where your news comes from. You probably have your own way of staying up to date with current events, whether it’s a newspaper, a TV show, a favorite podcast, or your Twitter feed.

There’s no shortage of information in today’s world. The challenge is being able to separate the real from the fake, the facts from the opinions, and the Facebook posts from your crazy uncle from the Facebook posts paid for by the Russian government.

As a lazy person, you may balk at the idea of analyzing and fact-checking every story that comes up in your Facebook feed. But becoming a better news consumer can be Continued on page 5

BUSINESS

The Regional News

FINANCIAL FOCUS

Time for New Year’s financial resolutions We’ve reached the end of another year — which means it’s just about time for some New Year’s resolutions. Would you like to study a new language, take up a musical instrument or visit the gym more often? All these are worthy goals, of course, but why not also add some financial resolutions?

Here are some ideas to think about: • Increase contributions to your employer-sponsored retirement plan. For 2018, you can contribute up to $18,500 (or $24,500 if you’re 50 or older) to your 401(k) or similar plan, such as a 403(b), for employees of public schools and some nonprofit groups, or a 457(b) plan, for employees of local governments. It’s usually a good idea to contribute as much as you can afford to your employer’s plan, as your contributions may lower your taxable income, while your earnings can grow tax-deferred.

At a minimum, put in enough to earn your employer’s matching contribution, if one is offered.

• Try to “max out” on your IRA. Even if you have a 401(k) or similar plan, you can probably still invest in an IRA. For 2018, you can contribute up to $5,500 to a traditional or Roth IRA, or $6,500 if you’re 50 or older. (Income restrictions apply to Roth IRAs.) Contributions to a traditional IRA may be tax-deductible, depending on your income, and your earnings can grow tax-deferred.

Roth IRA contributions are not deductible, but earnings can grow tax-free, provided you don’t start taking withdrawals until you are 59-1/2 and you’ve have had your account at least five years. You can put virtually any investment in an IRA, so it can expand your options beyond those offered in your 401(k) or similar plan.

• Build an emergency fund.

Try to build an emergency fund containing three to six months’ worth of living expenses, with the

Thursday, December 28, 2017

COMINGS & GOINGS

Matthew Van Howe Edward Jones

money held in a low-risk, liquid account. This fund can help you avoid dipping into your long-term investments to pay for unexpected costs, such as a new furnace or a major car repair.

• Control your debts. It’s never easy, but do what you can to keep your debts under control. The less you have to spend on debt payments, the more you can invest for your future.

• Don’t overreact to changes in the financial markets. We’ve had a long run of rising stock prices — but it won’t last forever. If we experience a sharp market downturn in 2018, don’t overreact by taking a “time out” from investing.

Market drops are a normal feature of the investment landscape, and you may ultimately gain an advantage by buying new shares when their prices are down.

• Review your goals and risk tolerance. At least once in 2018, take some time to review your short- and long-term financial goals and try to determine, possibly with the help of a financial professional, if your investment portfolio is still appropriate for these goals. At the same time, you’ll want to re-evaluate your risk tolerance to ensure you’re not taking too much risk — or possibly too little risk — with your investments.

Do your best to stick with these resolutions throughout the coming year. At a minimum, they can help you improve your investment habits — and they may improve your financial picture far beyond 2018.

This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor.

Photo by Bob Bong

Quick India Inc. is now open at 16707 S. Oak Park Ave. in Tinley Park.

New Indian eatery is now open in Tinley Park Fans of Indian cuisine, either at home or on the run, have a new place to get their fill in Tinley Park.

Quick India Inc. opened earlier this year at 16707 S. Oak Park Ave., in the space adjacent to the Citgo station at 167th Street and Oak Park.

The site has been home to a number of restaurants over the years including Just Joe’s hot dogs and Willie’s Wee-Nee Wagon a couple of times.

Now it’s a combination Indian fast-food restaurant and an Indian store, according to its owner Brabet Nair. Customers can eat in, take it home or take ingredients home for cooking.

The menu includes Indian fare such as samosas, chicken tikka kebabs and butter chicken. The store sells a variety of items

BOB BONG includes coconut, turmeric, and other spices.

The store is open from 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday to Sunday.

For more information, call (708) 407-8707.

Burger King is open again The Burger King at 95th Street and Roberts Road in Hickory Hills has reopened after undergoing a complete face-lift and remodeling job.

Vintage Scripts Pharmacy coming to South Holland

Mokena Mart is open again

A new pharmacy is under construction in South Holland that combines modern medicine with holistic healing.

Vintage Scripts is expected to open in the spring at 162nd Street and South Park Avenue.

It will offer a combination of traditional medicine, ancient remedies, natural alternatives, and holistic healing.

Owners Robin Brown and Alan Alston plan to have health supplements, an organic coffee and juice bar, and a healthcare team.

If successful, they plan to expand Vintage Scripts into Chicago’s Englewood and Bronzeville communities.

A convenience store at 19464 S. LaGrange Road in Mokena is open again after being shuttered for a number of years.

Mokena Mart reopened earlier this year.

Store hours are from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday to Thursday, from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Friday, from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Saturday, and from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sunday.

For more information, call (708) 478-4696.

If you see a new business in town or wonder what happened to an old favorite, drop me a line at bobbong@hotmail.com.

Orland Township helps residents with tax appeals Orland Township Supervisor Paul O’Grady and the Board of Trustees will host a seminar for township residents seeking to appeal their 2017 property tax assessments.

The hour-long session is co-sponsored with Cook County

Board of Review Commissioner Dan Patlak, who will explain the appeal procedure at the Board of Review and educate taxpayers on how to file a successful tax appeal.

Taxpayers will also have an opportunity to work with staff from the Board of Review to address their

specific questions and concerns.

This event is free to the public and no registration is required.

The seminar will be held Wednesday, Jan. 3 at the Orland Township Office, 14807 S. Ravinia.

There is no fee to appeal at the Board of Review. Appeal forms

also may be picked up at the Board of Review located at 118 N. Clark St., Room 601 in Chicago or at the Orland Township Office, 14807 S. Ravinia. Taxpayers may also file an appeal online by visiting the Board of Review website: cookcountyboardofreview.com.

AREA PROPERTY TRANSFERS

zalez Miguel, 90 Old Creek Rd, Ln, Unit #13465, $345,000.00; Following are the property 7951 Chateau Ct, $514,000.00; Sherman Brian to Zalko transfers in the area, according Muhr Diane Trust to Rivera $470,000.00; to the latest report, as received Eric L, 17802 Cameron Pkwy, Vaida, 12407 McVicker Ave, Muhr Richard Trust to Gifrom the Cook County Recorder $215,000.00; $255,000.00; giel Bronislaw, 11553 Autobahn Khouri Hanadi to Sadek of Deeds Office. The Regional Helwig Barbara L to SokolowsNews does not attempt to correct Ahmed, 16402 Paw Paw Ave, ki John, 12554 S 76th Ave, Drive East, Unit #11553101, will serve as a welcome for 2018 errors made by that office. $165,000.00; $390,000.00; $328,000.00.

President Renee Crews and the Zambuto Antoinette R to Bialka Dwyer Joseph F Tr to Culnew board of directors.

Kenneth L, 10534 Texas Ct, Unit Palos Park Orland Park len Deborah, 9350 W 120th St, Lepore Fred to Kozol Kath- #192, $210,000.00; Tickets are $40 each, $290 for Hodges Deborah A Tr to Gon- $585,000.00.

Deisinger Kathryn C to Khaa reserved table of eight. There erine M, 14837 Pine Tree Rd, sawneh Faris, 9252 Cliffside, Unit will be a cash bar. For details, $566,000.00; Kernwein Maria M Tr to Hydzik #61B, $174,500.00; phone (708) 349-2972.

Jb Real Estate Fund Llc Series Joanna, 15771 S Lake Hill’s Ct, 7505 to Owens Bridget, 7505 TifUnit #157112S, $183,000.00; Waitches Dominic to Matari- fany Dr, Unit #2D, $110,000.00; Intercounty Judicial Sales Corp yeh Jamil N, 7729 157th St, to Ali Nabil, 15043 Castlebar Ln, $255,000.00; McCarthy Michael J to Banks $178,000.00; objectively.

First Midwest Bank (as of December 18) Wenerski Edward J to Johnson Gerri M, 14788 Montgomery Dr,

RATES APR POINTS You don’t have to have an Shannon Lee, 10240 Huntington 30-year fixed 4.000 4.045 0 opinion about everything. Form- $182,000.00; Petersen Christine Adm to Ct, $235,000.00; 15-year fixed 3.500 3.555 0 ing your own opinions takes a Mraz Michael to Rosati Linda, Wlosik Artur S, 14645 Westwood 30-year fixed Jumbo 3.865 3.920 0 good amount of your time and 15506 Orlan Brook Dr, Unit #251, United Trust Bank (as of December 18) mental energy. The only way a Ave, $250,000.00; Chicago Title Land Trust Co $121,500.00; lazy person can manage it is by

RATES APR POINTS Apter John R to Ahlert MiTr to Rook Catherine H Tr Trust, 30-year fixed 3.990 4.004 0 being generally informed about 9702 W 163rd St, $282,000.00; chael H Tr, 16302 Chickadee 15-year fixed 3.625 3.625 0 current events, but selective Stoskus Brian Tr to Alhalabi Cir, $309,000.00; 10-year fixed 3.625 3.625 0 about the things they really Bonick Lawrence A Tr to Mohammad, 15426 Hollywood stand for.

Prospect Savings Bank (as of December 20) Shabani Dashmir, 11840 Bates Dr, $225,500.00; Otherwise, you’ll have no

RATES APR POINTS Feducik Christine to Susinski Ct, $490,000.00.

30-year fixed 3.875 3.988 0 choice but to adopt other 20-year fixed 3.625 3.781 0 peoples’ opinions, which is the Martin, 14011 Norwich Ln, Unit Palos Heights #301, $200,000.00; 15-year fixed 3.125 3.323 0 kind of thing that eventually Ranjbar Rarhad to Csma Marth Enterprises Inc to Kahleads us to take hard, intractaCNB Bank & Trust, N.A. (as of December 26) le William J Tr, 11249 167th St, Blt Llc, 12513 McVicker Ave, ble stances on issues we never

RATES APR POINTS $223,000.00; $453,500.00; gave much thought to in the 30-year fixed 4.125 4.2048 0 Kraus Kenneth F Tr to Dellorto Smolenski Kurt to Baez Kim20-year fixed 3.875 3.986 0 first place. berly R, 10227 Hilltop Ave, Edward A Jr, 6700 W 131st St, 15-year fixed 3.5 3.6425 0 It’s alright to say you don’t $249,000.00;

know enough about a subject to $201,000.00; First Midwest Bk Tr to First Chicago Title Land Trust Co All rates subject to change daily. Equal opportunity lenders. weigh in on it. It’s better than Tr to McCauley Thomas V Tr, Midwest Bk Tr, 13465 Turtle Pond alright — in a world where people are constantly pretending to be more knowledgeable than they actually are, it’s downright heroic. If you reach a is here to consult with you point where you must form an opinion on something — there’s OUR PRACTICE ENCOMPASSES an election coming up, or your friends are asking you to join a General Dermatology • Skin Cancer/Mohs Surgery movement or protest — see my SRT Options for Treatment of Skin Cancer previous point.

Stop sharing links to news COSMETIC SERVICES INCLUDE stories you haven’t read.

Botox • Chemical Peels • Microdermabrasion According to a 2016 study by Fillers • Sclerotherapy • Laser Hair Removal computer scientists at ColumLaser Skin Rejuvenation bia University and the French National Institute, 59 percent of links shared on social media are never actually clicked.

Resist the urge. If you’re too lazy to read it, then please be too lazy to share it.

18425 West Creek Dr. • Dr. Vivek Iyengar • Dr. Manuel Mesirow Suite F • Tinley Park • Dr. Raymond Vahl • Dr. Arlene Ruiz deLuzuriaga Lata Nott is executive director of the First Amendment • Dr. Eduardo Moioli 13401 S. Ridgeland Ave. Center of the Newseum Insti• Trina Brucato PA-C • Michelle Ovando PA-C Palos Heights tute. Contact her via email at lnott@newseum.org, or follow (708) 444-8300 | Fax (708) 444-8301 | www.mydermdocs.com her on Twitter at @LataNott.

Orland Chamber sets gala The Orland Park Area Chamber of Commerce will host its 2018 Member Awards and Board Installation Gala from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 25 at Silver Lake Country Club, 14700 S. 82nd Ave., Orland Park.

Among other things, the event

INSIDE THE FIRST AMENDMENT Continued from page 4 as simple as asking yourself two questions: Who wrote the thing you just read, and why did they write it? If you read a story about the amazing anti-aging properties of grapefruit, and then you learn it was written by a spokesman for the National Council on Grapefruits and sponsored by the Grapefruit Farmers of America...well, that should give you pause. It doesn’t necessarily mean the story is false, but it does mean you should probably look for a second opinion before buying stock in grapefruits.

Form your own opinions.

You don’t have to have an opinion on everything, but you will probably want to have an opinion on issues that directly impact you or your loved ones, or on matters that you find interesting. The path of least resistance is to adopt someone else’s opinion — to echo what your political party endorses, what your friends think, or what your favorite writers and TV pundits put forth.

We all do this, often without even being aware that we’re doing it. But if it’s an issue you really care about, you owe it to yourself to delve a little deeper and come to your own conclusions.

Here’s a good “recipe” for forming opinions from writer Kinsey Bluestein: At least one “liberal” news source At least one “conservative” news source.

At least one international news source (because these tend to write about news from a nonpartisan viewpoint) Combine and let rest until you have a viewpoint you can defend

5

Mortgage Rates Around the Area

Skin care concerns?

Our medical staff

6 Thursday, December 28, 2017

The Regional News

DEATH NOTICES Robert Clarke

Robert “Bobby” A. Clarke Jr., 59, a former Palos Park resident, died Dec. 11 at his home in Imbler, Ore. Mr. Clarke was a self-employed registered investment advisor. A graduate of St. Christina Elementary School and St. Laurence High School, Mr. Clarke received an economic degree at Lake Forest College and an MBA from Case Western Reserve University. He was also an avid single handicap golfer, hiker and woodworker.

Survivors include his wife, Dr. Stacey J. (nee Todd); mother, Patricia (nee O”Brien); sisters, PJ Paetow, Loretta Krydynski, Susan Harty and Therese Arado; brother, Dan Clarke; and many nieces and nephews.

Services were Dec. 18 from Schmaedeke Funeral Home to Our Lady of the Woods Church.

Interment was private.

Timothy J. Drozd

Palos Heights resident Timothy J. Drozd, a Marine Corps veteran, died Dec. 14. He was 56 years old.

He was the father of Timothy and Joseph, son of Hilda and the late Joseph, brother of Susan (Doug) Holgate, Carole (John) Martin, Joseph (Debbie), and David. Mr. Drozd also was the uncle of Heather (John) Gordon, Carrie (Kevin) Diederich, Kevin Holgate and John (Chastity) Martin, and great-uncle of John, Alec, Luke, Levi, Hannah, Michael and Alexie.

Funeral was last Thursday from the Becvar & Son Funeral Home, Crestwood, to a Mass at Incarna-

tion Catholic Church. Interment was at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery.

Kay Nietzel

Kay L. Nietzel (nee VanderWoude), 66, a former Palos Park resident, died Dec. 14 at the William J. Riley Memorial Residence in Munster, Ind. Mrs. Nietzel was a retired registered nurse who worked at Hinsdale Hospital and Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn.

Survivors include her husband, Donald F. Nietzel Sr.; daughter, Louise Worley; sons, Jamie Kostelyk, Jason Kostelyk and Cornelius Kostelyk; brother, Larry VanderWoude; and 10 grandchildren.

Services were Dec. 19 at Colonial Chapel in Orland Park.

Interment was private.

Rosemary Nolan

Palos Park resident Rosemary Nolan (nee Moran) died Dec. 17 at age 94.

Mrs. Nolan is survived by her children, Linda (Raymond) Busch, Susan (Edward) Shilkaitis, Catherine (Michael) Simonek and Robert J. (Wendy) Nolan.

She was grandmother of 10 and great-grandmother of 13.

Services were Dec. 22 from Thornridge Funeral Home, Orland Park, to a Mass at Our Lady of the Woods Church. Interment was at Queen of Heaven Cemetery.

Robert Sypniewski

Robert J. Sypniewski, 83, a resident of Palos Heights, died Dec. 11 at Palos Hospital.

Mr. Sypniewski, who also lived in Boca Raton, Fla., was a retired

electrician. He was the founding member of the of the electrician’s Oracle Social Club of the Chicago area. He was also a member of the Eugene Simpson Committee to build the Palos Heights pool.

He was a volunteer at the Boca Raton golf course.

Survivors include his wife of 59 years, Arlene; daughters, Joy and Jill; son, Robert; a grandchild, Amy; and many nieces and nephSupplied photo ews.

Breakfast club members gather around Bill Smith (seated, center) for a group photo, more than a thousand meals A Memorial Mass will be held after they started. at 10 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 6 at St. Alexander Church, 7125 W. 126th St., Palos Heights. Interment was private. The family requests no flowers.

Seventeen members of the group’s founding members.

The church extends “a welWednesday Men’s Breakfast Club In addition to the weekly break- coming hand to Christians of all of the Presbyterian Church in Or- fasts and discussions, the group denominations who share a desire Stewart Vander Woude Stewart S. Vander Woude, 91, land Park celebrated the 30th year coordinates and provides the Easa Palos Park resident, died Dec. anniversary of the club earlier this ter morning breakfast and writes to worship, pray, serve and find 19 at Manor Care-Palos Heights month at the Original House of weekly outreach cards to friends answers,” according to a church Pancakes, 152nd and LaGrange and members of the congregation. statement. “Our commitment to East in Palos Heights.

PCOP began life in 1976, and Jesus Christ is communicated Mr. Vander Woude was a re- Road.

The men meet every Wednesits first home was the little, white tired principal with over 42 years through worship, education, felin education, including Chicago day year-round, totaling more than steeple church on 143rd Street in lowship, mission outreach and Christian High School in Palos 1,300 breakfasts since 1987, ac- Old Orland Park. PCOP moved to Heights and 21 years at Southwest cording to Bill Smith, one of the a larger facility in the fall of 1990. personal involvement.”

Presbyterian men celebrate anniversary

Chicago Christian School in Oak Lawn. He was an Army Air Corps veteran in World War II. Survivors include his wife, Carolyn D. Vander Woude; daughters, Cheryl Marcus and Marcia Kooger; sons, James and John; 14 grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.

Services are at 9:30 a.m. today (Thursday, Dec. 28) at Palos Heights Christian Reformed Church, 7059 W. 127th St., Palos Heights. Arrangements were made Colonial Chapel.

PICK OF THE LITTER

Life hangs in the balance for young Lab JOHN FLEMING

Lipinski honors senior citizens

U.S. Rep. Dan Lipinski (D-3rd) announced the winners of the 2017 Senior Citizen of the Year Award during a recent program yesterday in Hickory Hills. The winners were chosen based on their contributions to their communities in the Third Congressional District. Winners are Phyllis Adams, Palos Park; Art Arellano, Romeoville; Adrian Mary Charnick, Riverside; Dr. Vernon Crawley, Orland Park; John Devona, Western Springs; Raymond Hodson, Justice; Jerry Hoenig, Palos Hills; Edward McLaughlin, Chicago; Patricia Pastore, Lockport; Toni Piccirillo, Chicago; Grace Pluhar, Oak Lawn; Russell Pluhar, Oak Lawn; and Cynthia Salvino of Cicero.

Get rid of old medications, Sheriff says

DVM • Prairie StateVet.com Dear Readers, We are hoping for a good Christmas for a seven-month-old Labrador Retriever who decided to jump up on the kitchen counter and feast on 28 ibuprofen tablets.

I couldn’t believe my ears when Tracy told me that they come candy-coated.

Bob came to us on Thursday with Sadie because she wouldn’t eat and was acting too quietly. He told me that late Monday night Sadie ate the ibuprofen and they took her to a 24-hour specialty practice (the first thing he should have done was to make her vomit by administering hydrogen peroxide before heading to the ER).

Sadie was decontaminated and administered IV fluids over the rest of the night with instructions to come by us immediately Tuesday morning when we opened our doors.

On Tuesday morning, instead of coming by us, they took her to a low-cost place north of here and were told by their veterinarian that the results of a blood test they performed showed that Sadie would be OK and that no further treatment would be needed.

Thus, all day Tuesday Sadie received no IV fluids to support her kidneys. Same for Wednesday.

It takes a couple of days for the kidney values to rise.

On Thursday, when she started to crash, they showed up on our doorstep. We ran some blood work and found that Sadie was in Stage IV renal failure. There are only four stages. One of her kidney values was so high, our Piccolo could not read it.

We gave Bob the option of going back to the original facility that first treated her, since they could provide 24-hour care. He said they had already quoted him $1,000 per day for treatment. He couldn’t afford it. I told him he could get the best care at Purdue for less cost, most likely.

At Purdue we have one of the top nephrologists around. The third option I gave him was to leave her with us for daytime fluids and at nighttime transfer her over to Mokena ER to continue the steady IV fluids. He and Barbara choose to leave Sadie with us.

Ibuprofen has been around since 1974 and is one of the top causes of acute kidney injury (AKI) in dogs (along with leptospirosis, Addison’s disease, ureteral stones, Lyme disease, raisins and chicken jerky from overseas). It is available as a generic and under the trade names Advil, Motrin and Nuprin.

Don’t ever give these to your

Supplied photo

Meet Sadie and Ashley, one of her nurses.

pets, especially to a cat. Ibuprofen is an NSAID (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug) which blocks cyclooxygenase, which screws up the production of the good prostaglandins needed for normal body function. As an end result of a very complicated physiological cascade, blood flow to the stomach and kidneys is compromised.

These are bad things.

Ibuprofen has a very narrow margin of safety in dogs. Only a few pills can be toxic. Sadie had eaten 28. The first level of toxicity involves ulceration of the stomach leading to black stools and vomiting blood. If the stomach goes ahead and ruptures it’s Katie bar the doors. The second level of toxicity is kidney failure.

Kidney failure due to ibuprofen toxicity is a metabolic disaster with numerous aspects needing to be addressed. That is why I wanted Sadie in the care of the kidney specialist at Purdue. If Sadie survives, damage to her kidneys may be permanent.

Time will tell. The final level of toxicity is neurologic. At very high doses we see tremors, seizures, and ultimately coma.

NSAIDS are definitely a twoedged sword. We use veterinary-specific NSAIDS a lot, especially in the management of chronic arthritic pain in dogs. Recently we have been introduced to a veterinary NSAID approved by the FDA for three day’s use in cats post-surgery.

Supplied photo

We attended a pain management CE conference last Wednesday and listened to Dr. Harvey.

It seems that many vets nationwide are beginning to use this particular NSAID, off-label, with informed owner consent, long term, in the old painful arthritic cat.

It is estimated that 90 percent of old cats have chronic pain from osteoarthritis, and the use of this drug will be a welcome addition to what we can currently offer. If your old cat is reluctant to jump up anymore or moves around less, it may be more than old age. It may be painful to move around.

Send some of that stuff to me for my back and knees!

Do you want to know who you are? Don’t ask. Act! Action will delineate and define you.

— Thomas Jefferson

Cook County Sheriff Thomas J. Dart is encouraging the public to clear out their old medications through safe disposal to reduce the chance of poisoning, abuse and pollution.

With more than 80 take-back sites in Cook County, the Sheriff’s Prescription Take Back Program provides residents with a method to safely dispose of expired, unused and unwanted prescription medications.

“Much like checking smoke detector batteries around daylight saving time, we should be using the end of the year to properly dispose of unused prescriptions,” Dart said. “Safe disposal of prescription medication reduces the chance of accidental poisoning or abuse and helps keep our drinking water safe.”

When taken without a prescription or medical supervision, pharmaceuticals can be as harmful as street drugs, heightening the importance of keeping unwanted medication inaccessible to those who may seek to abuse or sell it.

Given that water treatment facilities cannot remove the minuscule concentrations of chemicals found within prescription meds, flushing pharmaceuticals can pollute residential water and endanger aquatic life.

Local sites for drug take-backs include Palos Heights City Hall, 7607 W. College, Palos Park Police Department, 8999 W. 123rd St., and Orland Park Police Department, 15100 S. Ravinia.

The Sheriff will announce the results of the take back efforts in the new year.

The Sheriff’s Prescription Drug Take Back Program began in 2012 through a partnership with the DEA and expanded in 2016 with a grant from the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago.

The Sheriff’s Office operates a

St. Mark Lutheran Church

11007 S. 76th Ave., Worth (708) 448-6555

COME CELEBRATE THE JOY OF CHRISTMAS WITH US! Saturday, December 23

Birthday Party for Jesus Children’s Event

Sunday, December 24, Christmas Eve

8:00 a.m. Family Communion Service 7:00 & 11:00 p.m. Communion Candlelight Services

Monday, December 25, Christmas Day Service at 10:00 a.m.

Monday, January 1, New Year’s Day Services at 8:00 a.m. & 10:00 a.m.

Rev. Jay Trygstad • www.stmarkworth.org

toll-free hotline, which the public can call for more information or with any questions regarding

safe disposal of prescriptions: 1-84-GOT USED RX? (1-844688-7379).

LEGAL NOTICE

The Regional News

Thursday, December 28, 2017

7

CROSSWORD PUZZLE

Supplied photos

Above: Shepard High School athletic director Curry Gallagher and his wife, Carrie, and their children watch and listen as author and illustrator Gene Ha demonstrates drawing technique at the book fair at the Barnes and Noble Store in Orland Park on Sunday, December 3. The store donated a portion of sales to Pop Culture Classroom, a charity that provides free class sets of books to schools that serve impoverished areas. Below: Shepard High School students Shane Bart (left) and Nick Adkins wrap gifts at the book fair at the Barnes and Noble Store in Orland Park on Sunday, December 3.

Shepard students help needy Shepard High School teachers Eric Kallenborn and Jason Nisavic, along with a group of students, recently teamed with the Barnes and Noble Store in Orland Park on a book fair to support Pop Culture Classroom, a charity that provides free class sets of books for schools that serve impoverished people nationwide.

The event included story time for children with Elsa from the Disney movie “Frozen”; five illustrators signing graphic novels and giving free demonstrations, and discounted books.

Students from Gaming Club at Shepard volunteered to gift wrap any purchased items for free.

Across 1 “I Love Lucy” airer 4 Search, in a way 9 “I Love Lucy” role 14 Caucasian native 15 Havens 16 __ football 17 Detergent in a red container 18 Kind of curl 19 More miffed 20 O 23 Inca __: Peruvian soft drink 24 Taxing people?

25 Meet at the poker table 26 Twitter follower, usually 28 Horseshoe-shaped boat part 32 O 37 Garden pond fish 38 Crook’s invention 39 Meteor tail?

40 Ancient Greek physician 42 Author Deighton 43 O 46 Angles for iron users 48 Course for newcomers: Abbr.

49 “... __ the set of sun”: “Macbeth” 50 Seven-film franchise 52 Smooth over 56 Site of confused activity, and a hint to 20-, 32- and 43-Across 61 Stockpile 62 Sportscast analysis 63 “Rumour __ It”: 2011 Adele hit 64 First sign 65 In need of change?

66 Spacewalk initials 67 Brief copy?

68 Spoke Abyssinian?

69 “L.A. Law” actress Down 1 It’s always dated 2 Grand Canyon animal 3 Spiral-shelled creature

certification. Class is held on one day for nine hours and includes a certification examination at the end of the course. Course dates include Feb. 9, March 9, April 21 and May 7. The fee is $189.

• Those who are caregivers for family members can enroll in new courses offered in partnership with PLOWS Council on Aging that help families handle such issues as legal and financial concerns, Alzheimer’s, and caregiver health and stress. The classes are offered April 11, April 18 and April 25.

The fee is $10 each.

• Ethical Hacking is a two-day, advanced online course for those wanting a stronger understanding of common attacks used to exploit systems. Students will

have access to hands-on labs to discover the hackers’ perspective and methodology, and will view a live demonstration of techniques that show how to create, pack and deploy malware in a realistic network environment. The course is offered March 12 and 13. The fee is $790.

Registration is underway. To enroll, visit morainevalley.edu/ccce/ register, call (708) 974-2110 or go to the Registration Office in Building S, Room S103 on the main campus, 9000 W. College Parkway, Palos Hills. For more information about the classes and additional offerings, call (708) 974-5735.

St. Xavier University of Advancement ‘Adopts-A-Family’ during holidays The St. Xavier University of Advancement helped to make the holidays brighter by participating in the St. Vincent DePaul Society’s Adopt-A-Family Program, an organization that provides food and gifts for approximately 100 families each holiday season.

Through the St. Mary of Gostyn Parish chapter, the office “adopted” a family of five from a sister parish in Joliet. The staff members provided gifts of winter jackets for the two adults in the family, as well as winter clothing, hats and fleece blankets, and toys for the three children ages 9, 14 and 17 months. Altogether, SXU’s University Advancement delivered a

total of 19 boxes, including: boxes of toys/gifts, boxes of food, as well as gift cards to purchase perishables for their Christmas meal.

Taking part in wrapping the gifts were Sharon Panozzo, gift and record processor; Jennifer Kenyeri, director of special events; Marie Kelly, executive director of annual and special giving; John Bass, associate vice president for University Advancement; Wendy Doherty, executive assistant for University Advancement; Kelly Murphy, manager of media relations; Nancy Condreva, administrative assistant to the executive director of annual and special giving; and Julie Grisolano, di-

rector of prospect research and gift planning.

University Advancement staff who also contributed were Maribel Acevedo, assistant director/postaward manager of corporate, government and foundation relations; Jeannette Boudos, executive director of special events; Jean Gainer, executive director of alumni and donor relations; Erin Mueller, executive director of corporate, government and foundation relations; Anna Simons, executive director of advancement services; and Brandon Swanson, associate director of alumni relations.

(Answers on page 8)

The object of the game is to fill all the blank squares with the correct numbers.

Each row of 9 numbers must include all digits 1 through 9 in any order.

Each column of 9 numbers must include all digits 1 through 9 in any order.

Each 3 by 3 subsection of the 9 by 9 square must include all digits 1 through 9.

(Answers on page 8)

STUDENT NEWS Incarnation School to host

Marist announces Illinois State Scholars

Twenty-one Palos-Orland students are among 70 teens recently named Illinois State Scholars at Marist High School in Chicago.

Illinois State Scholars represent approximately the top ten percent of high school seniors from 738 high schools across the state. Illinois State Scholars possess strong academic potential and are chosen based on a combination of exemplary ACT or SAT test scores and sixth semester class rank.

Orland Park residents Natalie Davidson, Jack Feldner, Kaylee Harris, Elizabeth Hermann, Michael Lawlor, Michelle Lenz, Kyle McNamara, Jacob Mozdzen, Jason Park and John Shanahan were recognized.

Palos Heights residents Jack Anderson, Madeline Carmody, Catherine Hynes, Anna Kloehn, Samantha Reidy, Kiley Ross, Abigale Rosynek and Patrick Stevens were also recognized as Illinois State Scholars.

Three Palos Park students were The St. Xavier University of Advancement worked with the St. Vincent de Paul Society’s Adopt-A-Family Program also recognized: Kaitlyn Meyer, to assist a family in need for the holidays. Taking part in wrapping the gifts were (from left) Sharon Panozzo, Nicole Mischak and Emily Ruby. gift and record processor; Jennifer Kenyeri, director of special events; Marie Kelly, executive director of annual and special giving; John Bass, associate vice president for University Advancement; Wendy Doherty, executive assistant for University Advancement; Kelly Murphy, manager of media relations; Nancy Condreva, administrative assistant to the executive director of annual and special giving; and Julie Grisolano, director of prospect research and gift planning.

silhouette 35 YouTube clips, for short 36 RR schedule listing 41 More capable 44 Hungarian wine region 45 Widely criticized 1985 product introduction 47 Rude sort 50 Bedroom noise 51 Warmly lit 53 Yearned 54 Polished 55 SAT part that’s judged 56 Wielder of Mjšlnir 57 Perfect 58 Grating sound 59 SALT topic 60 More than annoyed

SUDOKU

MVCC offers variety of courses Moraine Valley Community College’s noncredit courses this spring focus on dozens of topics ranging from professional training and caring for an elderly family member, to food service sanitation and how to thwart off a cyberattack.

• CPR for Health Professionals, designed for those in the health care industry requiring training in CPR, barrier device, automated external defibrillator, or choking, can choose a one-day class offered Jan. 9, Jan. 11, Jan. 20, Jan. 26, Feb. 7, Feb. 10 or March 8. All required materials are included in the $89 fee.

• The Food Service Sanitation course is for restaurant owners and managers needing the Self-Serve

4 View from the Qilian Mountains 5 Coming down 6 Muppet in a can 7 Strips off 8 “Outside the Lines” airer 9 Hidden DVD features 10 Garden tool 11 Sub 12 U.S. dept. with a windmill on its seal 13 Escapade 21 Classic 20-Across 22 Genesis name 27 Was supervised by 28 R.E.M.’s “The __ Love” 29 St. with a panhandle 30 “Fargo” director 31 Warmhearted 32 Undisguised 33 Toast topping 34 Word seen under a deer

Bourbon Street fundraiser Incarnation Parish and School families will be hosting a fundraising event for the school from 2 to 7 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 7 at 115 Bourbon Street, Merrionette Park.

Proceeds from the fundraiser will be used to rebuild Incarnation School and to lessen the deficit of the current school year.

Tickets are $35 in advance and $40 at the door. Advance tickets can be purchased through Give Central at givecentral.org/ location/156/event/14417. Those purchasing tickets in advance qualify for an entry into a raffle for a 55-inch TV. The cost of admission gives the ticket hold a food buffet and alcoholic beverages, dancers from the Lavin School of Irish Dance,

a performance by the Bagpipers and Drums of the Emerald Society, and entertainment by the Superfly Redneck Band.

The event will also include raffle baskets, a Cork Pull wine raffle with such prizes as Disney Park Hopper passes, 4-day Lollapalooza passes and more. Sponsorships and donations are also being accepted by Incarnation School.

Donations can be sent directly to the school, 5757 W. 127th St., Palos Heights, 60463. For more information on what is needed visit sites.google.com/view/incarnationschoolpalosheights/home.

For more information on the event, call (708) 385-6250, or email IncarnationPC.events@ yahoo.com.

Orland Park teens are Illinois State Scholars Two Orland Park teens are among 34 Mother McAuley High School students named Illinois State Scholars this year.

Kathleen Larkin and Grace Trippiedi earned the honor at the Chicago school.

The Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC), the state agency committed to helping make college accessible and affordable for Illinois families, confers the recognition to top Illinois high school students. This year, more than 20,000 outstanding honorees join the other top state students honored for their academic achievements since the designation was first introduced in 1958.

Illinois State Scholars represent approximately the top 10 percent of high school seniors from 738 high schools across the state. Illinois State Scholars possess strong academic potential and are chosen based on a combination of exemplary ACT or SAT test scores and sixth semester class rank.

Photo by Joe Boyle

WHATIZIT? The clue for this week’s Whatizit photo quiz (above) is: Hills school.

Due to the upcoming New Year’s Day holiday, responses with your name and hometown should be sent by noon Saturday to thereporter@comcast.net.

One reader had the right response to last week’s photo quiz. This quiz was a little more difficult than some of our readers realized.

The correct answer was the Nativity scene that can be found at the northeast corner of 95th Street and Cook Avenue in Oak Lawn.

Oak Lawn resident Steve Rosenbaum had the correct answer. The quiz was more difficult because there are a variety of Nativity scenes in the southwest suburbs. Many of those scenes marking the arrival of Christmas can be seen in Oak Lawn and in neighboring communities.

8 Thursday, December 28, 2017

The Regional News

Two local women cash in lottery winnings Two local women are a bit wealthier this holiday season after cashing in winning Illinois Lottery tickets.

Orland Park resident Nancy Bojan played an Illinois Lottery Million $$ Match ticket and instantly won a $100,000 prize.

Bojan has lived in Orland Park for 45 years. She bought her winning ticket at Thorntons, 7600 W. 159th St., Orland Park, and took it home to scratch. She plans to

share the windfall with her four grandchildren.

Thorntons received a $1,000 bonus, one percent of the prize amount, for selling the winning ticket.

Million $$ Match is a $30 instant ticket featuring three top prizes of $5 million, five prizes of $1 millions and 14 prizes of $100,000. One of the top prizes, three of the million-dollar prizes, and six of the $100,000 prizes

have not been claimed.

Palos Heights resident Beverly Dudnick scratched a Crossword ticket and instantly won a top prize of $75,000.

“This is great! I’m going to buy a new car and invest the rest,” she said when she presented her ticket at the Illinois Lottery Prize Center in Des Plaines.

Dudnick buys an instant lottery ticket two or three times a month. She was at Hawks Tobacco

and Liquor, 5752 Monee Manhattan Road, Monee, when she bought and scratched her $75,000 winning ticket.

The retailer received a $750 bonus, equal to one percent of the prize amount, for selling the winning ticket. Crossword is a $5 instant ticket offering 42 top prizes of $75,000, nine of which have not been claimed.

Supplied photo

Bojan holds the ticket that brought a smile to her face.

CLUB ACTIVITIES riencing in dealing with the death of a spouse because they’ve all been there.

The Southwest Suburban WidSome of the group’s activities ow/Widowers Social Club will include, monthly general meetmeet from 7 to 9 p.m. Friday, ings, monthly games, discussion, Jan. 5 at Zion Lutheran Church, 17100 S. 69th Ave., Tinley Park. interaction meetings, newcomers’ Beverages and snacks are served “get acquainted” meetings, orgaat the monthly meetings. There nized restaurant outings, dances, will be entertainment provided trips, theater events and more.

For more information, call on most months. The club offers support to widowed of all faiths Danell Chmura at (630) 728and ages. Club members know 9368 or Bill Dolehide at (708) what the newly widowed are expe- 342-6820.

Widowed club to host meeting

Supplied photo

Library Friends give gift to OPPL

Friends of the Orland Park Public Library Treasurer Mary Ann Ahl recently presented Library Director Mary Weimar with a check for $9,000 to be used for adult programming. Every year, the Friends organization gives the Library a gift with funds raised through their Recycled Reads program and their annual fall book sale.

LIBRARY NOTES Palos Heights Public Library sets kids’ slate

advance because space is limited.

Several activities for the week ahead have been announced at the Palos Heights Public Library, 12501 S. 71st Ave. For more information or to register for a program, call (708) 448-1473.

• A children’s winter reading program starts Saturday, Dec. 30 and runs until Feb. 17. Anyone who completes the reading log will be entered in a drawing for Chicago Wolves hockey gear.

• “Cocoa & Crafts for Kids” starts at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 2.

The event is for children ages 3-8.

Enjoy chocolate milk while creating your own winter masterpiece.

• “School’s Out, Glue’s Out” is a craft activity that begins at 2 p.m.

Wednesday, Jan. 3 for children of all ages • “Bedtime Math” starts at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 3.

Children can listen to math-themed stories and play with counting, sorting, matching manipulatives to develop early math skills.

• “Shake, Rattle and Roll Story Time” for children of all ages begins at 10 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 4.

• For adults, author Richard Lanyon will discuss why and how the building of a canal to reverse the flow of the Chicago River was needed to save the city from disease, floods and pollution--and how critical it was to the future of Chicago. The hour-long event starts at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 9.

• Several clubs meet each Tuesday at the library, including the Needle Club (for knitting and crocheting) from 10 a.m. to noon, Scrabble Club from 1 to 3 p.m. in the Conference Room and the Mahjong Club from 1 to 4 p.m.

Participants are asked to register in

Orland Park Public Library invites kids, families

Answers

Puzzle on Page 7

Several events are coming up at the Orland Park Public Library, 14921 S. Ravinia Ave. For more information or to register for this or any other program, call (708) 428-5100.

• “Once Upon A Time Family Storytime” begins at 10 a.m.

Thursday, Jan. 4. Children of all ages are invited drop in for stories, music and finger-plays to build pre-reading skills.

• “Night Owl Storytime” is set for 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 4.

Children ages birth-47 months with a parent or adult caregiver are invited.

• “Buenas Noches” starts at 6:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 5. Children ages 4 years and up with a parent or adult caregiver are invited. Drop in and learn basic Spanish through stories and songs during the interactive storytime.

• “Bright Starts Family Storytime” is scheduled for 10 a.m.

Saturday, Jan. 6. Children of all ages and their families are invited.

Participants will help with Interactive stories in which children participate by repeating words or phrases or making animal sounds.

The book used enforce vocabulary, word recognition, rhythm and rhyme.

• “eBooks, eMagazines, eReaders, Oh My!” begins at 10 a.m.

Monday, Jan. 8. Adults, too many devices to learn? Can’t remember what app you need? Drop by the Adult Services reference desk for a one-on-one lesson with an available librarian. Please be sure to bring your device(s) with you and have your account log-in information on hand so we can best assist you. No appointments necessary

Sudoku

Puzzle on Page 7

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SPORTS The Regional News • The Reporter

Ken Karrson, Sports Editor • sports@regionalpublishing.com Jeff Vorva, Sports Editor • sports@regionalpublishing.com

Southwest Section Southwest • Section•2, Page 1 2, Page 1

Thursday, December 2017 Thursday, March 28, 5, 2015

THE REGIONAL/REPORTER TOP 10 AREA SPORTS STORIES OF THE YEAR

Tears, cheers and champs mark 2017

Queen of Peace players (left photo) listen to “The Star-Spangled Banner” during the last sporting event in the school’s gym ever in January. The school closed and St. Laurence opened its doors to girls. Many of the Peace players went to St. Laurence and (right photo) listened to “The Star-Spangled Banner” in the first girls home basketball game at the school at the end of November.

I

By Jeff Vorva • Sports Editor

n 2016, some of the killer stories in area sports were of a national scope including, Mother McAuley winning multiple mythical national championships in girls volleyball, a Super Bowl champion in Orland Park native and Denver Broncos starting offensive lineman Michael Schofield, and former Richards star Dwayne Wade returning home to play with the Bulls. • Well, a lot has changed in 2017. • McAuley lost to Marist in the supersectional (more on that later), Schofield is now with the Los Angeles Chargers and Wade is now teammates with LeBron James again — this time in Cleveland. • As for the area? Don’t worry about that. There have been plenty of great stories on a local, state and even national level that happened. Here are the top 10 Regional/Reporter stories for 2017:

1.

Marist volleyball players hug and celebrate their Class 4A state title in November.

Moraine Valley women’s basketball player rejoice after qualifying for nationals for the first time since 1989.

Delilah DiCrescenzo, a former worldclass runner who took a few years off from running, won the 10th Southwest Half Marathon in Palos Heights in May.

Photos by Jeff Vorva

Queen of Peace closing

This is a story that started in January and hung around for the whole year.

Officials announced the all-girls school was closing after the school year and that caught a lot of people off guard — especially student-athletes. Toward the end of January the basketball team, which was experiencing one of its best seasons in school history, played the final sporting event in the gym and tears flowed freely.

There were a lot of other “lasts” at the school, including the final sporting event held at the Burbank school — a regional softball game on May 27.

The fifth-seeded Pride was 9-20 and took on fourthseeded De La Salle. De La Salle had beaten the Pride 11-4, 8-7 and 16-6 during the season. Coach Kelly Small was relieved of her duties in early May and her replacement, Stephanie Ruvalcaba, took over but she had a family function and couldn’t coach that day. So JV coach Andy Schindel, the Pride’s third coach of the month, took over and Peace came up with a stunning 10-3 victory.

“This game was very memorable and everyone is going to love it,” said Amber Anderson, a senior who transferred to the school after her first school, Mt. Assisi, closed after her freshman year.

Meanwhile, St. Laurence officials made the bold decision to allow girls to come to their school next door, and from August through now, there have been a ton of “firsts” for its athletic program — and that will continue into the spring.

2.

Dylan Jacobs’ fast times

Sandburg senior Dylan Jacobs opened eyes all over the country on Sept. 29 when he ran 13 minutes, 57.50 seconds in a regular-season meet over the Detweiller Park Course in Peoria. It was the fifth best-time in Illinois history and was the top time in the nation at the time.

Although a viral infection helped prevent him from winning the Illinois High School Association Class 3A title (he finished sixth) and soggy conditions prevented him and race winner Danny Kilrea of Lyons Township — or anyone else — from testing Craig Virgin’s 1972 state record of 13:50, Jacobs made up for it earlier this month.

The running star won the Foot Locker National Meet in 15:19 (on a 5K course) in San Diego on Dec. 9.

Two-time Foot Locker national champion and former Sandburg star Lukas Verzbicas was holding up the finish-line banner. Sandburg became the first high school to boast two Foot Locker national champs.

3.

Marist wins state and national volleyball championship

Marist’s girls volleyball team won the IHSA Class 4A state championship on Nov. 11, knocking off Minooka 22-25, 25-22, 25-15 at Redbird Arena in Normal.

To get there, however, the RedHawks had to beat

Sandburg’s Dylan Jacobs, front, ran a sub-14 minute time at Detweiller Park in Peoria during the cross country season and won a national championship at the Foot Locker race in San Diego.

defending state champ Mother McAuley, 25-21, 25-16, at McAuley in front of 2,500 fans in supersectional play. It snapped a seven-match losing streak against the Mighty Macs and the RedHawks (41-1) avenged their lone loss of the season.

FloVolleyball.com gave its mythical national championship to the RedHawks a few weeks later.

4.

College March Madness

There was a wild stretch in March when St. Xavier runner Ellie Willging won an NAIA Division II national indoor championship the 5K, the Cougars’ women’s basketball team finished second in the nation, and Moraine Valley’s women’s basketball team qualified for the National Junior College Athletic Association national tournament for the first time since 1989.

The Cyclones finished in the top 12 in the nation among Division II teams after finishing 1-2 in the tournament.

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See TOP 10, Page 3

2

Section 2 Thursday, December 28, 2017

The Regional News - The Reporter

A few favorite sports photos from an exciting 2017

By Jeff Vorva Sports Editor

OK — self-indulgence time.

It’s that time again to look back at

photos from the year in area sports and pick out a few favorites.

It’s always fun to look back and remember some things that, I’ll admit, I forgot about even though they happened

this year.

This year’s batch includes some crying, some celebrating, some action and even a little blood.

When you take hundreds of photos

Evergreen Park jumper Briana Parker and all of her braids try to clear the bar at the University High Class 2A Sectional in May.

at one event and tens of thousands of photos in the span of a year, there are an overwhelming amount that never see print and many are immediately deleted from the camera’s memory card.

But there are a few that survive the cut, and out of those are a small amount that I really enjoy for one reason or another — mostly because they are unusual.

So, here are a few favorites from 2017:

St. Laurence’s Tim Molloy was all smiles for a team photo in June despite suffering facial cuts during a dogpile celebration after the Vikings’ 2-1 victory over Brother Rice in the sectional championship.

Marist middle hitter Abby Callahan reacts after the last play of a supersectional victory over heated rival Mother McAuley in November. The RedHawks advanced to the state semifinals and went on to win the Illinois High School Association Class 4A girls volleyball state championship.

Even though New Trier is not a local team, this was a fun photo as the Trevians’ baseball team was getting beat soundly by St. Laurence in the IHSA Class 4A state third-place game in June and there was little to cheer about until pitcher Jack French (holding the ball) caught a hot line drive in the dugout with his bare hand and his teammates went crazy.

The final game ever at Queen of Peace in late January was sad (left photo), but things were a lot happier at the historic first girls basketball game at St. Laurence on Nov. 28 (right photo).

When the Chicago Fire signed international superstar Bastian Schweinsteiger in March, the team held a huge press conference at its Chicago training facility and the real Basti took the stage with the larger-than-life Basti displayed in the background.

Photos by Jeff Vorva

The Regional News - The Reporter

Thursday, December 28, 2017 Section 2

3

Cider and flowers were among my favorite moments of 2017 T o quote the great minds of the longtime broken-up rock group Oingo Boingo, we close our eyes and another year has come and gone.

And that means it’s time for me to open my eyes and publish my moment of the year.

I sort of stole this idea from a local daily paper I used to work at. The bosses wanted the writers to pick their favorite behind-the-scenes story of the year, whether it was humorous or touching or whatever. I wrote about everything from a Cubs relief pitcher belching really loud while the press was talking to Sammy Sosa to writing a story in the Cubs’ dugout to save time so I could watch my son’s All-Star game.

Since coming to the Regional/Reporter, I modified it to the top moment that I experienced in a calendar Making the year.

This year I have two. A Extra Point tie.

The first came during the early stages of our Top Sports Story of the Year — the closing of Queen of Peace.

It was on Jan. 26 against Kennedy. It was senior night for the basketball team, which was going to play in its final game ever in that gym.

The wounds from the news of the closing of the school were still fresh and emotions were running high.

Before the game, Pride coach George Shimko walked toward the middle of the court with flowers in his hands.

So, I figure he’s going to present the flowers to his players and everyone would have a good cry and we can get on with the game.

Well, Shimko wasn’t giving his players the flowers. These were for Kennedy seniors Sabrina Ricci and Patty Kapusciak.

I thought that was a pretty special moment, although I was a little late jumping on that train. Shimko said he’s been presenting visiting seniors with flowers on his team’s senior night for years.

I’ve seen a lot of senior nights from when I was a senior in high school to now, when some people try to give me senior citizen discounts (Hey, I’m not that old!) and I can’t recall the visitors receiving flowers.

Favorite moment No. 2 came Nov. 5. It was supposed to rain like heck that day and I was ready to cover Moraine Valley’s noon women’s soccer battle at home with Waubonsee. The winner was to go to the nationals in Florida. There was a lot on the line.

So the weather was cooperative until noon, and it was raining hard in Palos Hills. And the wind was kicking up. And I was having trouble taking photos and keeping the camera dry. I might have uttered a few dark oaths at that point, despite the fact I had gone to church a few hours prior.

JEFF VORVA

Photo by Jeff Vorva

Queen of Peace coach George Shimko hands out flowers to the opposing team — Kennedy — during the Pride’s senior night festivities.

10.

Continued from Page 1 Willging, by the way, also won the 10K outdoor national championship in late May.

Legends lost/retired

Brother Rice wrestling coach Bill Weick died at age 85 in August. He had coached a state title at Tilden Tech in 1949. He took over at Brother Rice and coached the school’s first state champ, Rudy Yates, in 2013. Under his watch, 41 Crusaders qualified for state.

Former Richards football coach Gary Korhonen died Dec. 2. He had coached the Bulldogs to a pair of state championships and had 315 career victories. When he retired, he had the most victories in IHSA history.

Shepard assistant wrestling coach Jim Craig (55 years coaching wrestling) died on Sunday, 10 months after retiring. He made a huge mark nationally and internationally as a wrestler, coach and referee.

Legends who retired this year included Oak Lawn assistant girls basketball coach Mark Kleeman (42 years coaching various sports), Chicago Christian track coach Jim Kwasteniet (36 years), and Sandburg water polo/swimming coach Jim Caliendo (38 years).

7.

Never in the history of IHSA baseball has any team won three straight state titles until Providence Catholic won the Class 4A titles in 2014, 2015 and 2016. In all three years, the Celtics were far from the favorites to even get to the Final Four and did not win conference championships in the Chicago Catholic League Blue those three seasons.

But they had some magic in the postseason for three years and were able to claim another regional title before running into Sandburg. The Eagles snapped the Celtics’ 23-game postseason winning streak with a 12-10 victory on May 31 at the Homewood-Flossmoor Sectional.

Andrew Tennison had two homers for the Eagles in the historic win.

Photo by Jeff Vorva

BRIDGEVIEW

SPORTS SALES

Photo by Jeff Vorva

R.J. Collins, shown during his playing days at Shepard, was a singer on “The Voice” this year.

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Hey there Delilah

The Southwest Half Marathon turned 10 in May and the women’s winner was a big name in running as well as a big name in musical trivia.

Former Queen of Peace athlete Delilah DiCrescenzo, who was a world-class runner and steeple-chase athlete, finished the Southwest race in 1:38.52 after taking a few years off of competitive running.

She was also the subject of the 2006-2007 mega-hit “Hey There Delilah” by the Plain White T’s.

9.

Sandburg’s baseball players go crazy after snapping Providence Catholic’s 23-game postseason winning streak.

Bait Shop • Guns • Ammo

In a two-week span in February, two area bowlers had bigtime performances.

Richards senior Alexandra Wozniak rolled a 300 in sectional play at Palos Lanes in Palos Hills on Feb. 11. It was the first perfect game of her career.

The following week, Sandburg junior Sophia Jablonski became the first IHSA state champion in the wheelchair division.

8.

Sandburg ends Providence Catholic’s baseball streak

Friesen’s anxious 48 hours

Chicago Christian’s Ben Friesen shocked the track world when he ran a :49.75 in the 400 on May 27 to finish first in the IHSA Class 1A State Track and Field prelims in Charleston after coming into the race with the sixth-best sectional time.

Class 1A athletes have the next day off and resume for the finals on Saturday so he had two days to think about the finals. He went to prom on May 26 and the next morning headed back to Charleston where he finished fourth in the state in the long jump. Four hours and one nap by a tree later, he was able to win the 400 with a :48.65.6 and became the first Knights state champ since Bob Warnke won the 200 in 1993.

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6.

From TDs to Alicia Keys

Former Shepard football player RJ Collins’s first year out of high school didn’t find him playing college football on TV on Saturday afternoons, but he was on television on a Tuesday — March 13 — when he sang on “The Voice.”

Judge Alicia Keys gushed, “We need beautiful black men on my team,” while judge Adam Lambert proclaimed, “That’s the winning voice right there.’’

That didn’t happen, as Collins was beaten in the second round a week later.

Photos by Jeff Vorva

This was not a day on which I was expecting any special moments.

Well, at halftime the rain stopped and Morraine was in the process of beating Waubonsee, 5-2, and I was looking forward to some postgame celebration photos. This was going to be the third year in a row the Cyclones qualified for nationals and — darn the luck — I was on one side of the field when the final horn sounded and the players were celebrating way on the other side. By the time I got close enough for decent shots, they had dispersed.

I might have uttered a few more dark oaths at that point and I was thinking that I might have to go back to church for the 6 p.m. mass to offset my mutterings.

After congratulating the opponents and receiving a few awards, the Cyclones then brought out some boxes and proceeded to have a champagne celebration. Well, it was actually a sparkling cider celebration, but at the time I didn’t know that. When I saw one of the players take a swig, I thought, “Uh, oh — someone could get in trouble for this.’’

But it was cider, and after watching the comedy of some of the players and coaches trying to bite the tops off the bottles, it was party time and these players were spraying each other like they had just won the World Series. It was a really neat moment watching the liquid and the laughs fly.

One note: Cyclone Claire Collevy somehow suffered a bloody nose in the celebration and blood was all over the top of her jersey, but her smile indicated she wasn’t in too much misery.

Again, I was a little late on this one. They had started the cider tradition a year before, but this was the first time I saw it.

The Cyclones lost two matches at nationals but they will always have that memory of celebrating with cider.

So will I.

Top Ten

5.

Moraine Valley women soccer players bite the tops off the sparkling cider bottles after beating Waubonsee, 5-2 to qualify for the national tournament. Below: The cider sprays all over as Moraine celebrates a women’s soccer national bid for the third year in a row.

H

73rd Pl. 74th St. 74th Pl.

75th St.

The Regional News - The Reporter

Thursday, December 28, 2017 Section 2

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IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION WILMINGTON TRUST, NA, SUCCESSOR TRUSTEE TO CITIBANK, N.A., AS TRUSTEE, F/O/O THE REGISTERED HOLDERS OF STRUCTURED ASSET MORTGAGE INVESTMENTS II TRUST 2007-AR6, MORTGAGE PASS-THROUGH CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2007-AR6 Plaintiff, -v.MICHAEL CLANCY, JOANNA CLANCY, BMO HARRIS N.A. F/K/A HARRIS N.A., UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, GREEN OAKS CONDOMINIUM ASSOCIATION, GEORGE N REVELIOTIS, D/B/A REVELIOTIS LAW, P.C. F/K/A LAW OFFICE OF GEORGE N REVELIOTIS, P.C., UNKNOWN OWNERS AND NON-RECORD CLAIMANTS Defendants 16 CH 09881 10033 SOUTH WALNUT TERR 115 PALOS HILLS, IL 60465

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION

FEDERAL NATIONAL MORTGAGE ASSOCIATION (‘’FANNIE MAE’’), A CORPORATION ORGANIZED AND EXISTING UNDER THE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA Plaintiff, -v.BRIDGEVIEW BANK AND TRUST, AS TRUSTEE UNDER TRUST AGREEMENT DATED FEBRUARY 29, 2000 AND KNOWN AS TRUST NUMBER 1-2828, VILLAGE OF OAK LAWN Defendants

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON FKA THE BANK OF NEW YORK, AS TRUSTEE FOR THE CERTIFICATEHOLDERS OF THE CWABS, INC., ASSET-BACKED CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2007-1 Plaintiff, -v.HAFEZ AMIN, MYSSA AYASH A/K/A MYSSA AYESH, A/K/A MYSSA R AYESH, PORTFOLIO RECOVERY ASSOCIATES, LLC Defendants

WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A. Plaintiff, -v.FRANK PENSA Defendants

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION DITECH FINANCIAL LLC Plaintiff, -v.AMAL MUZYED A/K/A AMAL M. MUZYED, TAREQ A MUZYED, ARROW FINANCIAL SERVICES, LLC, CAPITAL ONE BANK (USA), N.A., VILLAGE OF ORLAND PARK Defendants 10 CH 40503 13601 SOUTH 85TH AVENUE ORLAND PARK, IL 60462

NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on October 25, 2017, an agent for The Judicial Sales Corporation, will at 10:30 AM on January 26, 2018, at The Judicial Sales Corporation, One South Wacker Drive, CHICAGO, IL, 60606, sell at public auction to the highest bidder, as set forth below, the following described real estate: Commonly known as 10033 SOUTH WALNUT TERR 115, PALOS HILLS, IL 60465 Property Index No. 23-11-301-006-1008.

The real estate is improved with a residential condominium.

Sale terms: 25% down of the highest bid by certified funds at the close of the sale payable to The Judicial Sales Corporation. No third party checks will be accepted. The balance in certified funds/or wire transfer, is due within twenty-four (24) hours. The subject property is subject to general real estate taxes, special assessments, or special taxes levied against said real estate and is offered for sale without any representation as to quality or quantity of title and without recourse to Plaintiff and in AS IS condition. The sale is further subject to confirmation by the court.

Upon payment in full of the amount bid, the purchaser will receive a Certificate of Sale that will entitle the purchaser to a deed to the real estate after confirmation of the sale.

Where a sale of real estate is made to satisfy a lien prior to that of the United States, the United States shall have one year from the date of sale within which to redeem, except that with respect to a lien arising under the internal revenue laws the period shall be 120 days or the period allowable for redemption under State law, whichever is longer, and in any case in which, under the provisions of section 505 of the Housing Act of 1950, as amended (12 U.S.C. 1701k), and subsection (d) of section 3720 of title 38 of the United States Code, the right to redeem does not arise, there shall be no right of redemption.

The property will NOT be open for inspection and plaintiff makes no representation as to the condition of the property. Prospective bidders are admonished to check the court file to verify all information.

If this property is a condominium unit, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale, other than a mortgagee, shall pay the assessments and the legal fees required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/9(g)(1) and (g)(4). If this property is a condominium unit which is part of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/18.5(g-1).

IF YOU ARE THE MORTGAGOR (HOMEOWNER), YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN IN POSSESSION FOR 30 DAYS AFTER ENTRY OF AN ORDER OF POSSESSION, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 15-1701(C) OF THE ILLINOIS MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE LAW. You will need a photo identification issued by a government agency (driver’s license, passport, etc.) in order to gain entry into our building and the foreclosure sale room in Cook County and the same identification for sales held at other county venues where The Judicial Sales Corporation conducts foreclosure sales.

For information: Visit our website at service. atty-pierce.com. between the hours of 3 and 5pm.

McCalla Raymer Leibert Pierce, LLC, Plaintiff’s Attorneys, One North Dearborn Street, Suite 1200, Chicago, IL 60602. Tel No. (312) 416-5500. Please refer to file number 8879.

THE JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION One South Wacker Drive, 24th Floor, Chicago, IL 60606-4650 (312) 236-SALE You can also visit The Judicial Sales Corporation at www.tjsc.com for a 7 day status report of pending sales.

McCalla Raymer Leibert Pierce, LLC One North Dearborn Street, Suite 1200 Chicago, IL 60602 (312) 416-5500 E-Mail: pleadings@mccalla.com Attorney File No. 8879 Attorney Code. 61256 Case Number: 16 CH 09881 TJSC#: 37-9698

Houses For Sale IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION NEW PENN FINANCIAL LLC D/B/A SHELLPOINT MORTGAGE SERVICING Plaintiff, vs.

RICHARD BRAUN; CITY OF PALOS HEIGHTS, AN ILLINOIS MUNICIPAL CORPORATION Defendants, 17 CH 6403 NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above entitled cause Intercounty Judicial Sales Corporation will on Tuesday, January 30, 2018 at the hour of 11 a.m. in their office at 120 West Madison Street, Suite 718A, Chicago, Illinois, sell at public auction to the highest bidder for cash, as set forth below, the following described mortgaged real estate: P.I.N. 24-30-131-006-0000.

Commonly known as 12202 South 68th Court, Palos Heights, IL 60463.

The mortgaged real estate is improved with a single family residence. If the subject mortgaged real estate is a unit of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by subsection (g-1) of Section 18.5 of the Condominium Property Act. Sale terms: 10% down by certified funds, balance, by certified funds, within 24 hours. No refunds. The property will NOT be open for inspection.

For information call Sales Department at Plaintiff’s Attorney, Manley Deas Kochalski, LLC, One East Wacker Drive, Chicago, Illinois 60601. (614) 2205611. 17-021548 F2 INTERCOUNTY JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION Selling Officer, (312) 444-1122 I3071471

2017 CH 03821 9359 RIDGELAND AVENUE OAK LAWN, IL 60453

16 CH 11319 10512 FOREST LANE CHICAGO RIDGE, IL 60415 NOTICE OF SALE

NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on October 23, 2017, an agent for The Judicial Sales Corporation, will at 10:30 AM on January 24, 2018, at The Judicial Sales Corporation, One South Wacker Drive, CHICAGO, IL, 60606, sell at public auction to the highest bidder, as set forth below, the following described real estate: Commonly known as 9359 RIDGELAND AVENUE, OAK LAWN, IL 60453 Property Index No. 24-05-302-074-0000.

The real estate is improved with a single family home with an attached two car garage.

Sale terms: 25% down of the highest bid by certified funds at the close of the sale payable to The Judicial Sales Corporation. No third party checks will be accepted. The balance in certified funds/or wire transfer, is due within twenty-four (24) hours. The subject property is subject to general real estate taxes, special assessments, or special taxes levied against said real estate and is offered for sale without any representation as to quality or quantity of title and without recourse to Plaintiff and in AS IS condition. The sale is further subject to confirmation by the court.

Upon payment in full of the amount bid, the purchaser will receive a Certificate of Sale that will entitle the purchaser to a deed to the real estate after confirmation of the sale.

The property will NOT be open for inspection and plaintiff makes no representation as to the condition of the property. Prospective bidders are admonished to check the court file to verify all information.

PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on February 8, 2017, an agent for The Judicial Sales Corporation, will at 10:30 AM on January 23, 2018, at The Judicial Sales Corporation, One South Wacker Drive, CHICAGO, IL, 60606, sell at public auction to the highest bidder, as set forth below, the following described real estate: Commonly known as 10512 FOREST LANE, CHICAGO RIDGE, IL 60415 Property Index No. 24-18-219-012-0000.

The real estate is improved with a single family residence.

Sale terms: 25% down of the highest bid by certified funds at the close of the sale payable to The Judicial Sales Corporation. No third party checks will be accepted. The balance in certified funds/or wire transfer, is due within twenty-four (24) hours. The subject property is subject to general real estate taxes, special assessments, or special taxes levied against said real estate and is offered for sale without any representation as to quality or quantity of title and without recourse to Plaintiff and in AS IS condition. The sale is further subject to confirmation by the court.

Upon payment in full of the amount bid, the purchaser will receive a Certificate of Sale that will entitle the purchaser to a deed to the real estate after confirmation of the sale.

The property will NOT be open for inspection and plaintiff makes no representation as to the condition of the property. Prospective bidders are admonished to check the court file to verify all information.

If this property is a condominium unit, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale, other than a mortgagee, shall pay the assessments and the legal fees required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/9(g)(1) and (g)(4). If this property is a condominium unit which is part of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/18.5(g-1).

If this property is a condominium unit, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale, other than a mortgagee, shall pay the assessments and the legal fees required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/9(g)(1) and (g)(4). If this property is a condominium unit which is part of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/18.5(g-1).

IF YOU ARE THE MORTGAGOR (HOMEOWNER), YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN IN POSSESSION FOR 30 DAYS AFTER ENTRY OF AN ORDER OF POSSESSION, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 15-1701(C) OF THE ILLINOIS MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE LAW.

IF YOU ARE THE MORTGAGOR (HOMEOWNER), YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN IN POSSESSION FOR 30 DAYS AFTER ENTRY OF AN ORDER OF POSSESSION, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 15-1701(C) OF THE ILLINOIS MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE LAW.

You will need a photo identification issued by a government agency (driver’s license, passport, etc.) in order to gain entry into our building and the foreclosure sale room in Cook County and the same identification for sales held at other county venues where The Judicial Sales Corporation conducts foreclosure sales.

You will need a photo identification issued by a government agency (driver’s license, passport, etc.) in order to gain entry into our building and the foreclosure sale room in Cook County and the same identification for sales held at other county venues where The Judicial Sales Corporation conducts foreclosure sales.

For information: Visit our website at service. atty-pierce.com. between the hours of 3 and 5pm.

McCalla Raymer Leibert Pierce, LLC, Plaintiff’s Attorneys, One North Dearborn Street, Suite 1200, Chicago, IL 60602. Tel No. (312) 416-5500. Please refer to file number 259127.

For information: Visit our website at service. atty-pierce.com. between the hours of 3 and 5pm.

McCalla Raymer Leibert Pierce, LLC, Plaintiff’s Attorneys, One North Dearborn Street, Suite 1200, Chicago, IL 60602. Tel No. (312) 416-5500. Please refer to file number 253659.

THE JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION One South Wacker Drive, 24th Floor, Chicago, IL 60606-4650 (312) 236-SALE You can also visit The Judicial Sales Corporation at www.tjsc.com for a 7 day status report of pending sales.

THE JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION One South Wacker Drive, 24th Floor, Chicago, IL 60606-4650 (312) 236-SALE You can also visit The Judicial Sales Corporation at www.tjsc.com for a 7 day status report of pending sales.

McCalla Raymer Leibert Pierce, LLC One North Dearborn Street, Suite 1200 Chicago, IL 60602 (312) 416-5500 E-Mail: pleadings@mccalla.com Attorney File No. 259127 Attorney Code. 61256 Case Number: 2017 CH 03821 TJSC#: 37-9607

McCalla Raymer Leibert Pierce, LLC One North Dearborn Street, Suite 1200 Chicago, IL 60602 (312) 416-5500 E-Mail: pleadings@mccalla.com Attorney File No. 253659 Attorney Code. 61256 Case Number: 16 CH 11319 TJSC#: 37-10672

Houses For Sale

Houses For Sale

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION BANK OF AMERICA, NA; Plaintiff, vs.

FRANK C. LIVIGNI AKA FRANK LIVIGNI; FIRST MIDWEST BANK FKA STANDARD BANK AND TRUST COMPANY AS TRUSTEE UNDER TRUST AGREEMENT DATED 16 NOVEMBER, 1999 TRUST NUMBER 16418; Defendants, 17 CH 4856 NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above entitled cause Intercounty Judicial Sales Corporation will on Tuesday, January 23, 2018 at the hour of 11 a.m. in their office at 120 West Madison Street, Suite 718A, Chicago, Illinois, sell at public auction to the highest bidder for cash, as set forth below, the following described mortgaged real estate: P.I.N. 23-13-103-037.

Commonly known as 7956 West Tiffany Court, Palos Hills, IL 60465.

The mortgaged real estate is improved with a single family residence. If the subject mortgaged real estate is a unit of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by subsection (g-1) of Section 18.5 of the Condominium Property Act. Sale terms: 10% down by certified funds, balance, by certified funds, within 24 hours. No refunds. The property will NOT be open for inspection.

For information call Sales Department at Plaintiff’s Attorney, Manley Deas Kochalski, LLC, One East Wacker Drive, Chicago, Illinois 60601. (614) 2205611. 17-012119 F2 INTERCOUNTY JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION Selling Officer, (312) 444-1122 I3070757

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION FIFTH THIRD MORTGAGE COMPANY; Plaintiff, vs.

EDITA GRIGALIUNIENE; VYTAUTAS GRIGALIUNAS; FIRST AMERICAN BANK; UNKNOWN OWNERS AND NON RECORD CLAIMANTS; HERITAGE CONDOMINIUMS OF PALOS HILLS; Defendants, 16 CH 3935 NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above entitled cause Intercounty Judicial Sales Corporation will on Monday, January 22, 2018 at the hour of 11 a.m. in their office at 120 West Madison Street, Suite 718A, Chicago, Illinois, sell at public auction to the highest bidder for cash, as set forth below, the following described mortgaged real estate: P.I.N. 23-22-200-086-1005.

Commonly known as 9029 West 111th Street, Apartment 2A, Palos Hills, IL 60465.

The mortgaged real estate is improved with a condominium residence. The purchaser of the unit other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments and the legal fees required by subdivisions (g) (1) and (g)(4) of Section 9 of the Condominium Property Act Sale terms: 10% down by certified funds, balance, by certified funds, within 24 hours. No refunds. The property will NOT be open for inspection.

For information call Sales Department at Plaintiff’s Attorney, Manley Deas Kochalski, LLC, One East Wacker Drive, Chicago, Illinois 60601. (614) 2205611. 16-006119 F2 INTERCOUNTY JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION Selling Officer, (312) 444-1122 I3070718

PUBLISHER’S NOTICE 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.” Familial status includes children under the age of 18 living with parents or legal custodians, pregnant women and people securing custody of children under 18.

This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. Our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis. To complain of discrimination call HUD toll-free at 1 (800) 669-9777. The toll-free telephone number for the hearing impaired is: 1 (800) 927-9275.

10 CH 31488 22 NORTH WOODLAND TRAIL PALOS PARK, IL 60464 NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on December 16, 2011, an agent for The Judicial Sales Corporation, will at 10:30 AM on January 26, 2018, at The Judicial Sales Corporation, One South Wacker Drive, CHICAGO, IL, 60606, sell at public auction to the highest bidder, as set forth below, the following described real estate: Commonly known as 22 NORTH WOODLAND TRAIL, PALOS PARK, IL 60464 Property Index No. 23-26-206-029-0000.

The real estate is improved with a brown brick one story single family home with a two car detached garage.

Sale terms: 25% down of the highest bid by certified funds at the close of the sale payable to The Judicial Sales Corporation. No third party checks will be accepted. The balance in certified funds/or wire transfer, is due within twenty-four (24) hours. The subject property is subject to general real estate taxes, special assessments, or special taxes levied against said real estate and is offered for sale without any representation as to quality or quantity of title and without recourse to Plaintiff and in AS IS condition. The sale is further subject to confirmation by the court.

Upon payment in full of the amount bid, the purchaser will receive a Certificate of Sale that will entitle the purchaser to a deed to the real estate after confirmation of the sale.

The property will NOT be open for inspection and plaintiff makes no representation as to the condition of the property. Prospective bidders are admonished to check the court file to verify all information.

If this property is a condominium unit, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale, other than a mortgagee, shall pay the assessments and the legal fees required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/9(g)(1) and (g)(4). If this property is a condominium unit which is part of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/18.5(g-1).

IF YOU ARE THE MORTGAGOR (HOMEOWNER), YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN IN POSSESSION FOR 30 DAYS AFTER ENTRY OF AN ORDER OF POSSESSION, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 15-1701(C) OF THE ILLINOIS MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE LAW. You will need a photo identification issued by a government agency (driver’s license, passport, etc.) in order to gain entry into our building and the foreclosure sale room in Cook County and the same identification for sales held at other county venues where The Judicial Sales Corporation conducts foreclosure sales.

For information: Visit our website at service. atty-pierce.com. between the hours of 3 and 5pm.

McCalla Raymer Leibert Pierce, LLC, Plaintiff’s Attorneys, One North Dearborn Street, Suite 1200, Chicago, IL 60602. Tel No. (312) 416-5500. Please refer to file number 856.

NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on October 24, 2017, an agent for The Judicial Sales Corporation, will at 10:30 AM on January 25, 2018, at The Judicial Sales Corporation, One South Wacker Drive, CHICAGO, IL, 60606, sell at public auction to the highest bidder, as set forth below, the following described real estate: Commonly known as 13601 SOUTH 85TH AVENUE, ORLAND PARK, IL 60462 Property Index No. 27-02-115-017-0000.

The real estate is improved with a white brick single family home with an attached two car garage.

Sale terms: 25% down of the highest bid by certified funds at the close of the sale payable to The Judicial Sales Corporation. No third party checks will be accepted. The balance in certified funds/or wire transfer, is due within twenty-four (24) hours. The subject property is subject to general real estate taxes, special assessments, or special taxes levied against said real estate and is offered for sale without any representation as to quality or quantity of title and without recourse to Plaintiff and in AS IS condition. The sale is further subject to confirmation by the court.

Upon payment in full of the amount bid, the purchaser will receive a Certificate of Sale that will entitle the purchaser to a deed to the real estate after confirmation of the sale.

The property will NOT be open for inspection and plaintiff makes no representation as to the condition of the property. Prospective bidders are admonished to check the court file to verify all information.

If this property is a condominium unit, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale, other than a mortgagee, shall pay the assessments and the legal fees required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/9(g)(1) and (g)(4). If this property is a condominium unit which is part of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/18.5(g-1).

IF YOU ARE THE MORTGAGOR (HOMEOWNER), YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN IN POSSESSION FOR 30 DAYS AFTER ENTRY OF AN ORDER OF POSSESSION, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 15-1701(C) OF THE ILLINOIS MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE LAW. You will need a photo identification issued by a government agency (driver’s license, passport, etc.) in order to gain entry into our building and the foreclosure sale room in Cook County and the same identification for sales held at other county venues where The Judicial Sales Corporation conducts foreclosure sales.

For information: Visit our website at service. atty-pierce.com. between the hours of 3 and 5pm.

McCalla Raymer Leibert Pierce, LLC, Plaintiff’s Attorneys, One North Dearborn Street, Suite 1200, Chicago, IL 60602. Tel No. (312) 416-5500. Please refer to file number 11789.

THE JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION One South Wacker Drive, 24th Floor, Chicago, IL 60606-4650 (312) 236-SALE You can also visit The Judicial Sales Corporation at www.tjsc.com for a 7 day status report of pending sales.

THE JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION One South Wacker Drive, 24th Floor, Chicago, IL 60606-4650 (312) 236-SALE You can also visit The Judicial Sales Corporation at www.tjsc.com for a 7 day status report of pending sales.

McCalla Raymer Leibert Pierce, LLC One North Dearborn Street, Suite 1200 Chicago, IL 60602 (312) 416-5500 E-Mail: pleadings@mccalla.com Attorney File No. 856 Attorney Code. 61256 Case Number: 10 CH 31488 TJSC#: 37-11022

McCalla Raymer Leibert Pierce, LLC One North Dearborn Street, Suite 1200 Chicago, IL 60602 (312) 416-5500 E-Mail: pleadings@mccalla.com Attorney File No. 11789 Attorney Code. 61256 Case Number: 10 CH 40503 TJSC#: 37-10084

Houses For Sale

Houses For Sale

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF Cook County, Illinois, County Department, Chancery Division.

Fifth Third Bank Mortgage Company Plaintiff, vs.

Steven J. Malmborg; Terri A. Malmborg; Fifth Third Bank (Chicago); Citizens Bank, N.A. F/K/A Charter One Bank N.A.; Unknown Tenants; Unknown Owners and Non-Record Claimants Defendants, Case #17CH4234 Sheriff’s # 170242 F17050184FT FITH Pursuant to a Judgment made and entered by said Court in the above entitled cause, Thomas J. Dart, Sheriff of Cook County, Illinois, will on January 19th, 2018, at 1pm in room LL06 of the Richard J. Daley Center, 50 West Washington Street, Chicago, Illinois, sell at public auction the following described premises and real estate mentioned in said Judgment:

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION BAYVIEW LOAN SERVICING LLC A DELAWARE LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY; Plaintiff, vs.

TODD W. BEAN; SHANA G. JOHNSON; UNITED STATES OF AMERICA; SECRETARY OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT; UNKNOWN OWNERS AND NONRECORD CLAIMANTS; Defendants, 16 CH 8497 NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE is hereby given that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure entered in the above entitled cause Intercounty Judicial Sales Corporation will on Thursday, January 25, 2018, at the hour of 11 a.m. in their office at 120 West Madison Street, Suite 718A, Chicago, Illinois, sell to the highest bidder for cash, the following described mortgaged real estate: P.I.N. 27-15-212-015-0000.

Commonly known as 15157 Royal Georgian Road, Orland Park, IL 60462.

The mortgaged real estate is a single family residence. If the subject mortgaged real estate is a unit of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by subsection (g-1) of Section 18.5 of the Condominium Property Act. Sale terms: Bidders must present, at the time of sale, a cashier’s or certified check for 10% of the successful bid amount. The balance of the successful bid shall be paid within 24 hours, by similar funds. The property will NOT be open for inspection.

For information call Mr. Stephen G. Daday at Plaintiff’s Attorney, Klein, Daday, Aretos & O’Donoghue, LLC, 2550 West Golf Road, Rolling Meadows, Illinois 60008. (847) 590-8700.

INTERCOUNTY JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION Selling Officer, (312) 444-1122 I3070911

Common Address: 8549 Lawler Ave, Burbank, Illinois 60459 P.I.N: 19-33-405-047-0000 Improvements: This property consist of a Single Family Home.

Sale shall be under the following terms: payment of not less than ten percent (10%) of the amount of the successful and highest bid to be paid to the Sheriff by cashier’s check or certified funds at the sale; and the full remaining balance to be paid to the Sheriff by cashier’s check or certified funds within twenty-four (24) hours after the sale.

Sale shall be subject to general taxes, special assessments.

Premise will NOT be open for inspection.

Firm Information: Plaintiff’s Attorney ANSELMO, LINDBERG OLIVER LLC 1771 W. DIEHL., Ste 120 Naperville, IL 60563 Sales Department foreclosurenotice@fal-illinois.com 866-402-8661 fax 630-428-4620 For bidding instructions, visit www.fal-illinois.com This is an attempt to collect a debt pursuant to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act and any information obtained will be used for that purpose.

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4

The Regional News Call 448-4000 Deadline 5 p.m. Monday Hours M-F 9 to 5 For Sale

5 ACRES RT. 45 IN PEOTONE 600 ft. frontage x 400 ft. deep 40 ft. x 60 ft. pole barn CALL 815-450-0004 Houses For Sale IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION FEDERAL NATIONAL MORTGAGE ASSOCIATION (‘’FANNIE MAE’’), A CORPORATION ORGANIZED AND EXISTING UNDER THE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA Plaintiff, -v.UNKNOWN SUCCESSOR, AS TRUSTEE UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF A DECLARATION OF TRUST DATED SEPTEMBER 8, 2005, AND KNOWN AS THE JAMES B. KRATOVIL LAND TRUST, JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., VILLAGE SQUARE OF ORLAND CONDOMINIUM ASSOCIATION II, CONDOMINIUMS OF VILLAGE SQUARE OF ORLAND CONDOMINIUM ASSOCIATION II, JAMES KRATOVIL, JR., AS HEIR OF JAMES B. KRATOVIL, DEBORAH FALSTAD, AS HEIR OF JAMES B. KRATOVIL, KIMBERLY KRATOVIL, AS HEIR OF JAMES B. KRATOVIL, KATHIE SAMSON, AS HEIR OF JAMES B. KRATOVIL, UNKNOWN HEIRS AT LAW AND LEGATEES JAMES B. KRATOVIL, WILLIAM P. BUTCHER, AS SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE OF THE ESTATE OF JAMES B. KRATOVIL, UNKNOWN OWNERS AND NON-RECORD CLAIMANTS Defendants 16 CH 16251 15633 ERIN LANE, UNIT C6 Orland Park, IL 60462 NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on October 27, 2017, an agent for The Judicial Sales Corporation, will at 10:30 AM on February 5, 2018, at The Judicial Sales Corporation, One South Wacker Drive, CHICAGO, IL, 60606, sell at public auction to the highest bidder, as set forth below, the following described real estate: Commonly known as 15633 ERIN LANE, UNIT C6, Orland Park, IL 60462 Property Index No. 27-15-301-028-1019 Vol. 146.

The real estate is improved with a single family residence.

The judgment amount was $109,778.18.

Sale terms: 25% down of the highest bid by certified funds at the close of the sale payable to The Judicial Sales Corporation. No third party checks will be accepted. The balance in certified funds/ or wire transfer, is due within twenty-four (24) hours. The subject property is subject to general real estate taxes, special assessments, or special taxes levied against said real estate and is offered for sale without any representation as to quality or quantity of title and without recourse to Plaintiff and in “AS IS” condition. The sale is further subject to confirmation by the court.

Upon payment in full of the amount bid, the purchaser will receive a Certificate of Sale that will entitle the purchaser to a deed to the real estate after confirmation of the sale.

The property will NOT be open for inspection and plaintiff makes no representation as to the condition of the property. Prospective bidders are admonished to check the court file to verify all information.

If this property is a condominium unit, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale, other than a mortgagee, shall pay the assessments and the legal fees required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/9(g)(1) and (g)(4). If this property is a condominium unit which is part of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/18.5(g-1).

IF YOU ARE THE MORTGAGOR (HOMEOWNER), YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN IN POSSESSION FOR 30 DAYS AFTER ENTRY OF AN ORDER OF POSSESSION, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 15-1701(C) OF THE ILLINOIS MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE LAW. You will need a photo identification issued by a government agency (driver’s license, passport, etc.) in order to gain entry into our building and the foreclosure sale room in Cook County and the same identification for sales held at other county venues where The Judicial Sales Corporation conducts foreclosure sales.

For information, contact Plaintiff’s attorney: JOHNSON, BLUMBERG & ASSOCIATES, LLC, 230 W. Monroe Street, Suite #1125, Chicago, IL 60606, (312) 541-9710 Please refer to file number 16-4179.

THE JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION One South Wacker Drive, 24th Floor, Chicago, IL 60606-4650 (312) 236-SALE You can also visit The Judicial Sales Corporation at www.tjsc.com for a 7 day status report of pending sales.

JOHNSON, BLUMBERG & ASSOCIATES, LLC 230 W. Monroe Street, Suite #1125 Chicago, IL 60606 (312) 541-9710 E-Mail: ilpleadings@johnsonblumberg.com Attorney File No. 16-4179 Attorney Code. 40342 Case Number: 16 CH 16251 TJSC#: 37-10376 NOTE: Pursuant to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, you are advised that Plaintiff’s attorney is deemed to be a debt collector attempting to collect a debt and any information obtained will be used for that purpose.

I3069746

Houses For Sale IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A. Plaintiff, vs.

ADELA PEDROZA; THE CITY OF CHICAGO, A MUNICIPAL CORPORATION Defendants, 16 CH 466 NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above entitled cause Intercounty Judicial Sales Corporation will on Tuesday, January 30, 2018 at the hour of 11 a.m. in their office at 120 West Madison Street, Suite 718A, Chicago, Illinois, sell at public auction to the highest bidder for cash, as set forth below, the following described mortgaged real estate: P.I.N. 23-26-310-014-0000.

Commonly known as 12533 SOUTH IROQUOIS ROAD, PALOS PARK, IL 60464.

The mortgaged real estate is improved with a single family residence. If the subject mortgaged real estate is a unit of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by subsection (g-1) of Section 18.5 of the Condominium Property Act. Sale terms: 10% down by certified funds, balance, by certified funds, within 24 hours. No refunds. The property will NOT be open for inspection.

For information call Sales Department at Plaintiff’s Attorney, Manley Deas Kochalski, LLC, One East Wacker Drive, Chicago, Illinois 60601. (614) 2205611. 15-036310 F2 INTERCOUNTY JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION Selling Officer, (312) 444-1122 I3071465

5

Section 2 Thursday, December 28, 2017

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Houses For Sale

Houses For Sale

Houses For Sale

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION DITECH FINANCIAL LLC F/K/A GREEN TREE SERVICING LLC Plaintiff, -v.DARRIN COLLINS, LISA COLLINS, ILLINOIS HOUSING DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY Defendants 17 CH 007252 14426 S. 87TH AVENUE ORLAND PARK, IL 60462 NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on October 23, 2017, an agent for The Judicial Sales Corporation, will at 10:30 AM on January 25, 2018, at The Judicial Sales Corporation, One South Wacker Drive, CHICAGO, IL, 60606, sell at public auction to the highest bidder, as set forth below, the following described real estate: Commonly known as 14426 S. 87TH AVENUE, ORLAND PARK, IL 60462 Property Index No. 27-11-107-004-0000.

The real estate is improved with a single family residence.

Sale terms: 25% down of the highest bid by certified funds at the close of the sale payable to The Judicial Sales Corporation. No third party checks will be accepted. The balance in certified funds/or wire transfer, is due within twenty-four (24) hours. The subject property is subject to general real estate taxes, special assessments, or special taxes levied against said real estate and is offered for sale without any representation as to quality or quantity of title and without recourse to Plaintiff and in “AS IS” condition. The sale is further subject to confirmation by the court.

Upon payment in full of the amount bid, the purchaser will receive a Certificate of Sale that will entitle the purchaser to a deed to the real estate after confirmation of the sale.

The property will NOT be open for inspection and plaintiff makes no representation as to the condition of the property. Prospective bidders are admonished to check the court file to verify all information.

If this property is a condominium unit, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale, other than a mortgagee, shall pay the assessments and the legal fees required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/9(g)(1) and (g)(4). If this property is a condominium unit which is part of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/18.5(g-1).

IF YOU ARE THE MORTGAGOR (HOMEOWNER), YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN IN POSSESSION FOR 30 DAYS AFTER ENTRY OF AN ORDER OF POSSESSION, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 15-1701(C) OF THE ILLINOIS MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE LAW. You will need a photo identification issued by a government agency (driver’s license, passport, etc.) in order to gain entry into our building and the foreclosure sale room in Cook County and the same identification for sales held at other county venues where The Judicial Sales Corporation conducts foreclosure sales.

For information, examine the court file or contact Plaintiff’s attorney: CODILIS & ASSOCIATES, P.C., 15W030 NORTH FRONTAGE ROAD, SUITE 100, BURR RIDGE, IL 60527, (630) 794-9876 Please refer to file number 14-17-06311.

THE JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION One South Wacker Drive, 24th Floor, Chicago, IL 60606-4650 (312) 236-SALE You can also visit The Judicial Sales Corporation at www.tjsc.com for a 7 day status report of pending sales.

CODILIS & ASSOCIATES, P.C. 15W030 NORTH FRONTAGE ROAD, SUITE 100 BURR RIDGE, IL 60527 (630) 794-5300 E-Mail: pleadings@il.cslegal.com Attorney File No. 14-17-06311 Attorney ARDC No. 00468002 Attorney Code. 21762 Case Number: 17 CH 007252 TJSC#: 37-9829 NOTE: Pursuant to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, you are advised that Plaintiff’s attorney is deemed to be a debt collector attempting to collect a debt and any information obtained will be used for that purpose.

I3070201

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS TRUSTEE FOR TBW MORTGAGE-BACKED PASSTHROUGH CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2006-3 Plaintiff, -v.LINDA DANET, CITIMORTGAGE, INC., WEDGWOOD COMMONS UNIT II ASSOCIATION, INC. Defendants 17 CH 008316 13971 BERKHANSTED CT ORLAND PARK, IL 60462 NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on October 2, 2017, an agent for The Judicial Sales Corporation, will at 10:30 AM on January 22, 2018, at The Judicial Sales Corporation, One South Wacker Drive, CHICAGO, IL, 60606, sell at public auction to the highest bidder, as set forth below, the following described real estate: Commonly known as 13971 BERKHANSTED CT, ORLAND PARK, IL 60462 Property Index No. 27-02-308-002-0000.

The real estate is improved with a residence.

Sale terms: 25% down of the highest bid by certified funds at the close of the sale payable to The Judicial Sales Corporation. No third party checks will be accepted. The balance in certified funds/ or wire transfer, is due within twenty-four (24) hours. The subject property is subject to general real estate taxes, special assessments, or special taxes levied against said real estate and is offered for sale without any representation as to quality or quantity of title and without recourse to Plaintiff and in “AS IS” condition. The sale is further subject to confirmation by the court.

Upon payment in full of the amount bid, the purchaser will receive a Certificate of Sale that will entitle the purchaser to a deed to the real estate after confirmation of the sale.

The property will NOT be open for inspection and plaintiff makes no representation as to the condition of the property. Prospective bidders are admonished to check the court file to verify all information.

If this property is a condominium unit, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale, other than a mortgagee, shall pay the assessments and the legal fees required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/9(g)(1) and (g)(4). If this property is a condominium unit which is part of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/18.5(g-1).

IF YOU ARE THE MORTGAGOR (HOMEOWNER), YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN IN POSSESSION FOR 30 DAYS AFTER ENTRY OF AN ORDER OF POSSESSION, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 15-1701(C) OF THE ILLINOIS MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE LAW. You will need a photo identification issued by a government agency (driver’s license, passport, etc.) in order to gain entry into our building and the foreclosure sale room in Cook County and the same identification for sales held at other county venues where The Judicial Sales Corporation conducts foreclosure sales.

For information, examine the court file or contact Plaintiff’s attorney: CODILIS & ASSOCIATES, P.C., 15W030 NORTH FRONTAGE ROAD, SUITE 100, BURR RIDGE, IL 60527, (630) 794-9876 Please refer to file number 14-17-06104.

THE JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION One South Wacker Drive, 24th Floor, Chicago, IL 60606-4650 (312) 236-SALE You can also visit The Judicial Sales Corporation at www.tjsc.com for a 7 day status report of pending sales.

CODILIS & ASSOCIATES, P.C. 15W030 NORTH FRONTAGE ROAD, SUITE 100 BURR RIDGE, IL 60527 (630) 794-5300 E-Mail: pleadings@il.cslegal.com Attorney File No. 14-17-06104 Attorney ARDC No. 00468002 Attorney Code. 21762 Case Number: 17 CH 008316 TJSC#: 37-9229 NOTE: Pursuant to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, you are advised that Plaintiff’s attorney is deemed to be a debt collector attempting to collect a debt and any information obtained will be used for that purpose.

I3070275

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION HSBC BANK USA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION AS TRUSTEE FOR DEUTSCHE ALT-A SECURITIES, INC. MORTGAGE LOAN TRUST, SERIES 2007-1, MORTGAGE PASS-THROUGH CERTIFICATES Plaintiff, -v.MANAL KANAAN, MALIK KANAAN, LORENZ APPLIANCE, INC., STATE OF ILLINOIS, PORTFOLIO RECOVERY ASSOCIATES, L.L.C., DISCOVER BANK, UNKNOWN OWNERS AND NONRECORD CLAIMANTS Defendants 15 CH 002926 8841 W. 100TH PLACE PALOS HILLS, IL 60465 NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on February 17, 2016, an agent for The Judicial Sales Corporation, will at 10:30 AM on January 17, 2018, at The Judicial Sales Corporation, One South Wacker Drive, CHICAGO, IL, 60606, sell at public auction to the highest bidder, as set forth below, the following described real estate: Commonly known as 8841 W. 100TH PLACE, PALOS HILLS, IL 60465 Property Index No. 23-10-401-079-0000.

The real estate is improved with a single family residence.

Sale terms: 25% down of the highest bid by certified funds at the close of the sale payable to The Judicial Sales Corporation. No third party checks will be accepted. The balance in certified funds/ or wire transfer, is due within twenty-four (24) hours. The subject property is subject to general real estate taxes, special assessments, or special taxes levied against said real estate and is offered for sale without any representation as to quality or quantity of title and without recourse to Plaintiff and in “AS IS” condition. The sale is further subject to confirmation by the court.

Upon payment in full of the amount bid, the purchaser will receive a Certificate of Sale that will entitle the purchaser to a deed to the real estate after confirmation of the sale.

The property will NOT be open for inspection and plaintiff makes no representation as to the condition of the property. Prospective bidders are admonished to check the court file to verify all information.

If this property is a condominium unit, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale, other than a mortgagee, shall pay the assessments and the legal fees required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/9(g)(1) and (g)(4). If this property is a condominium unit which is part of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/18.5(g-1).

IF YOU ARE THE MORTGAGOR (HOMEOWNER), YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN IN POSSESSION FOR 30 DAYS AFTER ENTRY OF AN ORDER OF POSSESSION, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 15-1701(C) OF THE ILLINOIS MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE LAW. You will need a photo identification issued by a government agency (driver’s license, passport, etc.) in order to gain entry into our building and the foreclosure sale room in Cook County and the same identification for sales held at other county venues where The Judicial Sales Corporation conducts foreclosure sales.

For information, examine the court file or contact Plaintiff’s attorney: CODILIS & ASSOCIATES, P.C., 15W030 NORTH FRONTAGE ROAD, SUITE 100, BURR RIDGE, IL 60527, (630) 794-9876 Please refer to file number 14-15-02450.

THE JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION One South Wacker Drive, 24th Floor, Chicago, IL 60606-4650 (312) 236-SALE You can also visit The Judicial Sales Corporation at www.tjsc.com for a 7 day status report of pending sales.

CODILIS & ASSOCIATES, P.C. 15W030 NORTH FRONTAGE ROAD, SUITE 100 BURR RIDGE, IL 60527 (630) 794-5300 E-Mail: pleadings@il.cslegal.com Attorney File No. 14-15-02450 Attorney ARDC No. 00468002 Attorney Code. 21762 Case Number: 15 CH 002926 TJSC#: 37-10989 NOTE: Pursuant to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, you are advised that Plaintiff’s attorney is deemed to be a debt collector attempting to collect a debt and any information obtained will be used for that purpose.

I3071118

Houses For Sale IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION ALAN RAPOPORT Plaintiff, -v.ABDULZAHI ABUKATAB A/K/A ABDUL ABUKATAB, THE CHICAGO TITLE LAND TRUST COMPANY AS TRUSTEE U/T/A #8002365388, WORLD BUSINESS LENDERS LLC, STOUT STREET FUND I LP, UNKNOWN OCCUPANTS, AND NON-RECORD CLAIMANTS Defendants 15 CH 5779 8300 PALOMA DR. Orland Park, IL 60462 NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on October 24, 2017, an agent for The Judicial Sales Corporation, will at 10:30 AM on January 25, 2018, at The Judicial Sales Corporation, One South Wacker Drive, CHICAGO, IL, 60606, sell at public auction to the highest bidder, as set forth below, the following described real estate: Commonly known as 8300 PALOMA DR., Orland Park, IL 60462 Property Index No. 23-35-402-013-0000.

The real estate is improved with a single family residence.

The judgment amount was $225,642.79.

Sale terms: 25% down of the highest bid by certified funds at the close of the sale payable to The Judicial Sales Corporation. No third party checks will be accepted. The balance in certified funds/or wire transfer, is due within twenty-four (24) hours. No fee shall be paid by the mortgagee acquiring the residential real estate pursuant to its credit bid at the sale or by any mortgagee, judgment creditor, or other lienor acquiring the residential real estate whose rights in and to the residential real estate arose prior to the sale. The subject property is subject to general real estate taxes, special assessments, or special taxes levied against said real estate and is offered for sale without any representation as to quality or quantity of title and without recourse to Plaintiff and in AS IS condition. The sale is further subject to confirmation by the court.

Upon payment in full of the amount bid, the purchaser will receive a Certificate of Sale that will entitle the purchaser to a deed to the real estate after confirmation of the sale.

The property will NOT be open for inspection and plaintiff makes no representation as to the condition of the property. Prospective bidders are admonished to check the court file to verify all information.

If this property is a condominium unit, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale, other than a mortgagee, shall pay the assessments and the legal fees required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/9(g)(1) and (g)(4). If this property is a condominium unit which is part of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/18.5(g-1).

IF YOU ARE THE MORTGAGOR (HOMEOWNER), YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN IN POSSESSION FOR 30 DAYS AFTER ENTRY OF AN ORDER OF POSSESSION, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 15-1701(C) OF THE ILLINOIS MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE LAW. You will need a photo identification issued by a government agency (driver’s license, passport, etc.) in order to gain entry into our building and the foreclosure sale room in Cook County and the same identification for sales held at other county venues where The Judicial Sales Corporation conducts foreclosure sales.

For information, contact Plaintiff s attorney: Kurtz & Augenlicht LLP, 123 W Madison St, Ste. 700, Chicago, IL 60602, (312) 265-0106 THE JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION One South Wacker Drive, 24th Floor, Chicago, IL 60606-4650 (312) 236-SALE You can also visit The Judicial Sales Corporation at www.tjsc.com for a 7 day status report of pending sales.

Kurtz & Augenlicht LLP 123 W Madison St, Ste. 700 Chicago, IL 60602 (312) 265-0106 E-Mail: mkurtz@kalawchicago.com Attorney Code. 46376 Case Number: 15 CH 5779 TJSC#: 37-9781 NOTE: Pursuant to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, you are advised that Plaintiff s attorney is deemed to be a debt collector attempting to collect a debt and any information obtained will be used for that purpose.

Houses For Sale IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION DLJ MORTGAGE CAPITAL, INC. Plaintiff, vs.

HEA SOOK SHIN, CHICAGO TITLE AND TRUST COMPANY AS TRUSTEE UNDER TRUST AGREEMENT DATED DECEMBER 22, 2004 AND KNOWN AS TRUST NO. 1114017, ARIES INVESTMENTS, INC., UNKNOWN OWNERS, GENERALLY, AND NON-RECORD CLAIMANTS Defendants, vs.

HAFIDA MRABET Intervenor, 15 CH 2946 NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above entitled cause on January 25, 2017 Intercounty Judicial Sales Corporation will on Tuesday, January 16, 2018 at the hour of 11 a.m. in their office at 120 West Madison Street, Suite 718A, Chicago, Illinois, sell at public auction to the highest bidder for cash, as set forth below, the following described mortgaged real estate: P.I.N. 27-13-202-037-0000.

Commonly known as 15240 Heather Court, Orland Park, IL 60462.

The mortgaged real estate is improved with a single family residence. If the subject mortgaged real estate is a unit of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by subsection (g-1) of Section 18.5 of the Condominium Property Act. Sale terms: 10% down by certified funds, balance, by certified funds, within 24 hours. No refunds. The property will NOT be open for inspection For information call Mr. Anthony Porto at Plaintiff’s Attorney, Kluever & Platt, L.L.C., 65 East Wacker Place, Chicago, Illinois 60601. (312) 236-0077.

INTERCOUNTY JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION Selling Officer, (312) 444-1122 I3069863

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The Regional News • The Reporter

Thursday, December 28, 2017

Southwest • Section 2, Page 6

O&A MOVIE REVIEW

BROADEN YOUR HORIZONS

‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi’ is big but overinflated

Bridge Teen Center to ring in 2018

“Star Wars: The Last Jedi” is perhaps the most divisive film in the entire franchise cannon, with some making bold claims that it’s the best entry in the saga since “The Empire Strikes Back” (1980, directed by Irvin Kershner), and others saying it ranks below George Lucas’s largely misbegotten prequel series.

The truth: The Last Jedi makes bold decisions as to where this saga’s new and old characters are headed, but is ultimately handicapped by clanging tones, too many characters and one fundamental misunderstanding of the movies that precede it.

This is a tough movie to talk about without spoiling, so I’ll keep plot points at things you’ve already seen in the trailer: Rey (Daisy Ridley) has found Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) and tries to goad the old Jedi into training her as the next generation.

Skywalker has no interest after his last protégé, Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) turned to the Dark Side.

Meanwhile, Leia (Carrie Fisher) and Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac) try to lead a caravan of Resistance fighters away from the First Order’s warships. Also, Finn (John Boyega) and a new friend, Rose (Kelly Marie Tran), must track down a hacker to disable the First Order’s ability to trail the Resistance.

Sounds like a lot, huh? Almost like there’s too much going on? Writer/director Rian Johnson has overstuffed “The Last Jedi.” If I were to guess, Johnson was trying to use the large canvas of players to create an epic. Instead, the individual storylines feel like a really flabby episode of a TV show – not a cinematic space opera -- with an A plot, a B plot and a C plot that we all know will be wrapped up by the episode’s end in a neat and tidy bow.

With the exception of the Rey and Kylo Ren storyline – Ridley and Driver are both talented performers – the other major storylines introduce basic themes and follow them through in a way that you can see coming less than half-way through this movie’s daunting and unnecessary two and a half-hour run time.

The most pointless and fruitless of these is Finn

BRIAN LAUGHRAN and Rose’s storyline. It has an irritating resolution, meant only to please the fanboys, and takes time away from more interesting goings on.

Now we arrive at my biggest issue with the movie: Luke Skywalker. I have no problem with Hamill’s performance. I actually think you could watch this movie and think: Why hasn’t Hamill’s cinematic career been more fruitful since the original trilogy?

(I know he’s done a lot of brilliant voice work since then.)

However, Johnson makes a choice in filling in gaps in Luke’s backstory that not only feels wrong, but spits in the face of the character’s entire history in the saga – particularly the major lesson he learns in “Return of the Jedi” (1983, directed by Richard Marquand).

The moment – which I will not spoil for those who desire to see the movie – was so incongruous with the character that it ruined the entire Luke plot.

It angered me in a way that I had not anticipated.

And, in many ways, the movie was lost from that revelation on.

Still, let’s acknowledge the positives: Johnson is a brilliant visual stylist. From a strictly visual standpoint, this movie cannot be faulted. The cast is uniformly great, and helps the weaker written material move and breathe naturally. The movie also makes the smart move of adding Laura Dern and Benicio Del Toro to the story, because why not?

Nothing was ever made worse by adding Laura Dern or Benicio Del Toro.

RATING: C-

VIDEOVIEW BY JAY BOBBIN NOTICE: Ratings for each film begin with a ‘star’ rating — one star meaning ‘poor,’ four meaning ‘excellent’ — followed by the Motion Picture Association of America rating, and then by a family-viewing guide, the key for which appears below.

STARTING THIS WEEK:

“THE MOUNTAIN BETWEEN US’’: The concept of uniting vastly different characters — and actors — in a crisis scenario remains potent, as proven by this teaming of Kate Winslet and Idris Elba in an effectively tense survival story. They play a photojournalist and a doctor who become passengers aboard a plane that crashes on a snowy mountain, forcing them to work together (despite initial discord) to survive as they make their way through harsh conditions to seek help. Though the film logically gives the lion’s share of its running time to the two central stars, Dermot Mulroney and Beau

Bridges also appear. DVD extras: three “making-of’’ documentaries; deleted scenes; photo gallery. *** (PG-13: AS, P, V) (Also on Blu-ray and On Demand) “FLATLINERS’’: With co-star Kiefer Sutherland (in a different role here) as its most obvious link to the original 1990 version this melodrama updates the story of medical students who experiment with dying and then being revived, with Ellen Page and “The Vampire Diaries’’ alum Nina Dobrev among the cast members now taking that test. A cyberspace component has been added this time, and once the subjects are brought back to life, their reality is altered a bit by something each brings back from their past — and not in a good way.

Though the first edition remains the better one, this reboot has the benefit of good performers who also include Diego Luna, Kiersey Clemons and James Norton. DVD extras: two “making-of’’ documentaries. *** (PG-13: AS, P, V) (Also on Blu-ray and On Demand)

“JEEPERS CREEPERS 3’’: Though the title of this many-yearslater thriller (which has had telecasts on Syfy) suggests a sequel to the first two movies in the horror franchise — and is that to a degree — it’s actually set between those two films. Lawmen try to eliminate the fearsome, homicidal Creeper for good, and you can tell how well they fare by the fact that the events of “Jeepers Creepers 2’’ followed this story in the series’ timeline. Still, for faithful fans, this serves up more of what’s expected ... including a return appearance

by Gina Philips as heroine Trish.

Gabrielle Haugh plays one of the targets here, with Meg Foster as her mother. Those who are devoted to the “Saw’’ chillers are likely to appreciate the variety of gruesome traps depicted here. ** (Not rated: AS, P, V) (Also on Blu-ray) FAMILY-VIEWING GUIDE KEY: AS, adult situations; N, nudity; P, profanity; V, violence; GV, particularly graphic violence.

The Bridge Teen Center, 15555 S. 71st Ct., Orland Park, offers several free events for teens in seventh through 12th grade.

For more information, call (708) 532-0500. These are free events for youths in seventh through 12th grade.

• New Year’s Eve Party (RSVP required) starts at 9:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 31. Students are invited enjoy all the staples of a New Year’s party: decorations, goofy

MEDITERRANEAN BEEF RAGOŽT Makes 8 servings • 2 pounds trimmed stewing beef, cut into 1-inch cubes and patted dry • 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided • 2 onions, chopped • 4 cloves garlic, minced • 2 tablespoons ground cumin • 1 teaspoon dried thyme • 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest (optional) • 1/2 teaspoon salt • 1/2 teaspoon cracked black peppercorns • 1 cup beef stock • 1/2 cup dry red wine

• 1 14-ounce can no-saltadded diced tomatoes, including juice • 2 bay leaves • 2 roasted red bell peppers, thinly sliced, then cut into 1-inch pieces • 1/2 cup sliced pitted green olives • 1/2 cup finely chopped parsley leaves 1. In a skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add beef, in batches, and cook, stirring, adding more oil as necessary, until browned, about 4 minutes per batch. Transfer to slow cooker stoneware as completed.

2. Reduce heat to medium. Add onions and garlic to pan and cook, stirring, until onions are softened, about 3 minutes. Add cumin, thyme, lemon zest, if using, salt, and peppercorns and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add beef stock, wine, tomatoes with juice, and bay leaves and bring to a boil. Add to slow cooker and stir well.

3. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or on high for 3 hours, until mixture is bubbly and beef is tender. Stir in roasted peppers, olives and parsley. Cover and cook on high for 15 minutes, until peppers are heated through. Discard Mediterranean Beef Ragožt bay leaves.

Students will learn how to create texture and effects in watercolor painting.

• Create a Wooden Candle Holder with Rockler Woodworking is scheduled for 4 to 6 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 4. Associates will teach students how to build a wooden candleholder, using industrial tools and techniques.

• Belgian Waffles & Trivia runs from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 4. Students are invited to enjoy Belgian waffles while playing trivia.

VARIETY

TV Review: ‘Psych: The Movie’

By Maureen Ryan “Psych: The Movie” is exactly what I thought it would be. That is a good thing.

Why would anyone mess with the formula of a show that was successful for eight seasons? It’s been off the air for a few years, but I still miss its particular blend of pop-culture obsessiveness, camaraderie and escapism. Even more motivation to keep “Psych” essentially the way it was: A whole new generation of fans — including my teenage son — discovered it when it (temporarily) found new life on a streaming platform, thus increasing the number of fans who will come to the new movie wanting the expected array of quippy shenanigans and nothing too heavy or deep.

The show’s tone, execution and goals have not changed, which is a good thing. If nothing else, one reason to keep the “Psych” gang wrapped up in familiar, light stories is because the world needs something fun. There’s more than enough darkness around these days, on TV screens and in life.

If you’re coming to “Psych” for a challenging exploration of the grimiest corners of the human soul, well... don’t do that.

As far as the plot of the “Psych” movie goes — oh, come on. Honestly, who cares? All you need to know is that the script, by star/ producer James Roday and creator Steve Franks, knits together low-stakes action, haunted-house scares, a kidnapping plot, and a romance storyline reasonably well. It’s all just a framework to hang the usual “Psych” escapades on, and as such, the workmanlike core storylines get the job done.

The actors certainly appear to be having a good time doing the things you expect their characters to do: Gus (Dulé Hill) and Shawn (Roday) spar and squabble and rejoice in being best friends who truly get each other and love to run down hallways together. The romance between Shawn and Juliet (Maggie Lawson) keeps perking

Start the year off on a Mediterranean foot Peppers play a significant role in the Mediterranean diet, providing nutrients such as vitamin C and potassium while also giving meals a fresh boost of flavor. Long touted for its health benefits, the Mediterranean diet has piqued the interest of men and women looking to get healthy. Those who want a meal with a little Mediterranean flare can try the following recipe for “Mediterranean Beef Ragožt” from Judith Finlayson’s “The Healthy Slow Cooker (Second Edition)” (Robert Rose).

hats, confetti blast, a toast, friendship and good times. Students will also receive a free, limited edition t-shirt. Free food samples will be provided by Giordano’s, Sparkling Ice and Nothing Bundt Cakes.

• Project Serve: Thrift Store runs from 2 to 4 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 2. Students will volunteer at The Bridge Thrift store. Tasks include sorting, cleaning and shelving donated items.

• Watercolor Techniques with Lyndsey will be held from 4:15 to 5:15 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 3.

George Bridges/MCT

Actors Dule Hill, left, and Corbin Bernsen try to get images of U.S. athletes in short track speedskating on Saturday, February 13, 2010, during the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia.

along, and it’s nice to see that much of the central story revolves around Lawson, who is game for any action scenario, emotional moment or silly escape plan. The premise of the show — that Shawn fakes being a psychic in order to help out the police — isn’t even relied on too heavily in this briskly paced movie, which contains homages to past “Psych” episodes and running gags.

Kirsten Nelson, Corbin Bernsen and Timothy Omundson do their dependably good jobs as various authority figures in Gus and Shawn’s orbit, and Zachary Levi turns up as a bottle-blond villain from England. The character’s accent and hair are both a little ridiculous, but, as is the case with so much of “Psych,” the goofiness is more or less intentional. Around the edges, skilled actors like Jimmi Simpson and Kurt Fuller add welcome comedic grace notes.

Exasperation is a running theme in “Psych”: Shawn frustrates many of those around him, but his lively energy makes their tolerance of his

occasional obnoxiousness understandable. Gus and Shawn correct each other’s pop-culture references and critique each other’s life choices, but Hill and Roday effortlessly convey the pair’s unabashed enthusiasm for each other. The bad guys and characters in dream sequences offer up commentaries on various dastardly plans and other events, but the “Psych” team injects the usual amount of glee into the film’s meta references.

It’s entirely possible that there are some who simply don’t get “Psych” or enjoy its loopy doings.

Its brand of zany, self-referential comedy isn’t for everyone. But those who enjoyed the USA series in the past will likely revel in more of the same in this fizzy outing, in part because the main characters actually care about each other, and the cast does a fine job of conveying that.

Speaking of pop-culture references, if USA were to make careening, enjoyably silly “Psych” movies an annual holiday affair — a la “Doctor Who” — they’d get no argument from me.

HOROSCOPES ARIES - Mar 21/Apr 20 You may be operating on some false information, Aries. ItÕs better to get the facts before going forward in the coming days. You may end up changing directions midweek.

TAURUS - Apr 21/May 21 Taurus, if you are feeling upset because someone is getting more attention than you, you may need to focus your thoughts elsewhere.

Think of what makes you special.

GEMINI - May 22/Jun 21 Your emotions may be all over the map in the coming days, Gemini. The secret is to surround yourself with people who will guide you in the right direction.

CANCER - Jun 22/Jul 22 Cancer, there is a time for joking around and a time for being serious. This week you may have to lean toward the latter. Others may not share your joviality right now.

LEO - Jul 23/Aug 23 Running yourself ragged, especially early in the week, will cause all of your energy stores to fizzle out, Leo. You need to learn to pace yourself better for the long haul.

VIRGO - Aug 24/Sept 22 You are always one to lend a helping hand, Virgo. But now you may need to call in some favors of your own. Don’t be afraid to ask for help this week.

LIBRA - Sept 23/Oct 23 Libra, think financial decisions through before acting. Patience is a friend when making important financial decisions, and it’s time to take such matters more seriously.

SCORPIO - Oct 24/Nov 22 Scorpio, try something outside of your wheelhouse in the coming days. You have a knack for teaching yourself new skills, and you are a fast learner.

SAGITTARIUS - Nov 23/ Dec 21 Sagittarius, you might be seeking answers in the wrong places.

Refine your parameters and look in a new direction, especially if a resolution is taking awhile.

CAPRICORN - Dec 22/Jan 20 Capricorn, if family life is taking over and tiring you out, shift your gears in another direction.

You need to recharge and let your other interests take over for awhile.

AQUARIUS - Jan 21/Feb 18 Aquarius, words shared at work may have you worried you’ve burned some bridges. It’s not the case. Others still look to you for help and guidance and value your input.

PISCES - Feb 19/Mar 20 It’s common to make life assessments throughout the year, Pisces.

Jot down some easy changes you can make for the future.

The Regional News • The Reporter

Thursday, December 28, 2017

Section 2

7

An expert weighs in on pros cons of waiting to start a family

By Amy Cavalier

Human growth hormones might turn back the clock — at a price

By Jackson A. Thomas Dave Dix admits he had unrealistic expectations coupled with mixed results when he started taking testosterone at age 49.

“I had this idea that guys like Lance Armstrong took these drugs, and then it all became easy for them,” says Dix, now 54, a PR specialist in Austin, Texas.

“No, that’s not it at all. It gave me a little extra energy, helped me sleep a bit better, and also improved my mood. But I found that I could triple those benefits if I used the testosterone to work out and build muscle.”

Similar to using testosterone to boost bone and muscle health as well as improve sexual health, some men also turn to human growth hormones in the hopes it may keep them feeling fit and looking young.

Breaking down HGH

Human growth hormones are small proteins made by the pituitary gland that are secreted into the bloodstream, says urologist Dr. Jeremy Kaufman of Urological Associates of Bridgeport in Trumbull, Connecticut.

Although Dix says he still takes testosterone, he hasn’t taken HGH. But he warns not to overtake either because it may be counterproductive.

“I’m certainly not an expert, but

it’s just not a magic bullet,” he says, adding that using more than necessary of either could “totally defeat your original purpose.”

HGH production “rises during childhood, peaks during puberty and declines from middle age onward,” Kaufman says. “In children and adolescents, it stimulates the growth of bone and cartilage. In people of all ages, HGH boosts protein production, promotes the utilization of fat, interferes with the action of insulin and raises blood sugar levels.”

HGH is taken by an injection, while testosterone can be administered by a cream, injections, gels or patches. Urologists and endocrinologists use both hormones in andropause (male menopause treatment) and for treatment of sexual dysfunction in men and women.

“The other benefits to men include increase in libido and sexual performance, increased muscle mass, decrease in fat, increased energy levels and less fatigue,” says Christopher Metzler, president of FHW Fitness in Florida, which focuses on hormone replacement.

Performance enhancers?

HGH is available as a prescription drug, but is usually meant for children and adults with HGH deficiency, Kaufman says.

Experts are on the fence about the benefits and whether men should take supplements, mainly

because not all HGH uses are approved by the FDA. Some guys use the hormone, along with other performance-enhancing drugs, to build up muscle and improve their athletic performance. But some research has shown that HGH’s effect on athletes isn’t known.

“Although it appears that human growth hormones can increase muscle mass and reduce the amount of body fat in healthy older adults, the increase in muscle has not been shown to translate into increased strength,” Kaufman says. “This unfortunately does not stop many athletes from using it.”

HGH also might cause carpal tunnel syndrome, swelling in the arms and legs, joint and muscle pain and enlargement of breast tissue in men, he says.

Because the body’s HGH levels naturally decrease with age, some experts have speculated that HGH products might reverse age-related body deterioration. But such claims are unproven, as research shows using HGH for anti-aging is not entirely FDA-approved.

Metzler says although HGH is directly related to aging, the hormones aren’t a catchall for reversing it.

“As we age, the HGH levels go down,” Metzler says. “Body changes occur because of this.

Wrinkling of the skin, low energy, fat accumulation and sexual drive can all be part of low HGH levels.”

Devices can affect your family’s health

By Karen Marley How much time do you spend on your phone?

According to Flurry Analytics, makers of a tool that tracks user data, the answer for the average American is five hours a day. Do the math. That comes to just over 75 days per year that we are glued to our personal screens.

A deeper look into the data reveals that 50 percent of that time is spent on social, messaging, media and entertainment applications. And the lines between categories continue to blur. Sites like Snapchat provide a space for people to communicate for the sole purpose of entertainment.

Findings such as these and the implications concern people like Dr. Jerid Fisher, PhD, ABN, a forensic neural psychologist and Teisha Maldonado, a school social worker at Irondequoit Central School District.

“Inventors have tapped into an element of human addiction that is as serious as smoking or drinking,” Fisher says.

“Kids have a really hard time disconnecting,” Maldonado says.

“This has a direct impact on their everyday life.”

Social costs

Fisher believes such extreme levels of dedicated interaction with an electronic device have definitive consequences on society and individuals.

For starters, we have come to expect immediate gratification without any sense of pausing and delaying. The simple act of sending a text is one example. Typically, when you send a text you expect an immediate response.

Your interpretation of not receiving that response leads to assumptions about your own self-worth or the other individual. These are toxic thoughts.

An impatient society has another cost: increased narcissism.

Fisher says with more emphasis on self, you are prone to feeling irritable, angry or depressed if you don’t receive responses in the form of texts, likes or shares.

You feel isolated.

“Delay is good for brain development,” Fisher says. “We are depriving a generation from learning delayed gratification, and it is leading to increased anxiety and impatience. There is a higher incidence of depression and anxiety for those who are on social media all the time. People are more vulnerable to mood disorders due to that isolation.”

Today’s children are vulnerable in other ways.

“Many school conflicts that I see are connected to social media,” says Maldonado. “It used to be that if a child had a problem at school they could get away from it at home. They could be part of an activity outside of school that offered respite. But today, students know what’s going on

with everyone at a county-wide level. There is no escape.”

Why do we do it?

Fisher points out that constantly interacting with your device is an addiction. There is a positive reinforcement to constantly checking your social profiles, inbox and messaging apps. You can post that you just had a glass of lemonade.

You get 15 likes. Those likes are validation and they feel good.

“Descartes said ‘Cognito ergo sum,’ I think therefore I am,” says Fisher. “The modern version is, ‘I post therefore I am.’”

Ultimately, your judgement is impaired by the immediate need to be connected and engaged.

“Your device fills the void of loneliness, but the irony is that it makes you more alone,” Fisher says. To avoid this, Maldonado has some advice: “Parents are giving kids a smart phone at young ages. I recommend keeping your kids off social media for as long as possible.”

Lisa VerWeire didn’t plan to become a mother in her early 40s. It’s just the path life led her down.

“Everyone hopes to wait until the perfect time, but there is no perfect time,” says VerWeire, a Rochester mother.

After falling in love with the man she wanted to marry, the couple began trying for their family.

“My clock wasn’t just tick-ing anymore,” she says.

“It was gonging at that point. We were committed to each other and I knew he would be a good dad, so we figured we ought to get on the train before it left the station.”

VerWeire is not alone. Statistically speaking, more women are waiting to start families. In 2016, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found more women ages 30 to 34 had babies than women ages 25 to 29, an age demographic which has had the highest birth rate for the past three decades.

“I’m not an expert as to why people have children when they do, but that seems to be the narrative — that people are taking time to finish degrees and get settled into jobs,” says Dr. Loralei Thornburg, director of maternal/fetal medicine at the University of Rochester Medical Center. “Delaying childbearing is something that comes with that.”

In 1970, the average age for women to have babies was 21. By 2006, it was 25. And now many women are waiting until their 30s and 40s to start a family.

“Some of it has to do with women making decisions to be in the workforce,” Thornburg says.

“People are waiting until they get married, until they’re more financially stable.”

Preparing for pregnancy

Waiting until you’re older to start a family is largely safe, but the fertility rate does decline as women age, while the risk of complications increases.

“Some women who decide to get pregnant later in life may find they need assistance getting pregnant,” Thornburg says.

With age comes a greater chance of developing diseases like higher blood pressure and diabetes or struggling with auto-immune disorders or other underlying health conditions, which can create challenges for women looking to get pregnant. An OB-GYN specialist in high-risk pregnancies, such as Thornburg, can work to adjust medications or optimize disease control to ensure the healthiest pregnancy possible.

“Certainly as our eggs get older, the risks of having an extra chromosome increase, and so women who are having babies, especially in their 40s, may elect for additional screening,” Thornburg says.

While no woman is immune to the possibility of birth defects, those who wait until they are older to conceive also have a higher chance of developing high blood pressure or gestational diabetes during their pregnancy and may even be at higher risk of

miscarrying, she adds. The most important thing women can do is to plan their pregnancy in order to ensure they are in the best possible health.

“Sometimes it can be as simple as going in for a check-up, taking prenatal vitamins or making sure you’re up to date on shots and vaccinations,” Thornburg says.

Transition to motherhood

Being an older mother can mean more financial, career and emotional stability.

“I think that women who come to see me in their 40s are often the best informed, researched and planned as far as their pregnancy, and one of the keys to having a healthy pregnancy is planning,” Thornburg says. “Planned babies are healthy babies.”

Along with the statistics showing more women are delaying pregnancy until they are older, the size of the American family is also shrinking. In 1976, the percentage of mothers with four or more children was 40 percent. In 2014, the percentage of women with four children was 14 percent, and the percentage of those with two children was 41 percent.

Delaying pregnancy until your 40s can mean having retired parents who can provide assistance with childcare. Conversely, Dr. Thornburg says, a woman whose parents were older when they had her, and who waited to have children herself, may wind up caring for both their children and their parents.

Although VerWeire says she didn’t have many peers her age just starting a family, there were some advantages to being an older parent.

“Life has been such an amazing journey and through the years I have acquired numerous and various skills with which to navigate motherhood,” she says. “I’m grateful for that. Our son is our sunshine and life is good.”

Experts weigh in on oil pulling benefits

By Jackson A. Thomas It lasted just a little longer than a week. Three years ago for 10 days, Jennifer Beckinsale woke up each morning, poured a tablespoon of coconut oil into her mouth and swished it around for 20 minutes.

“Oil pulling was catching on like wildfire back in 2014, with people talking about a wide range of benefits from improved skin to whiter teeth,” says Beckinsale, 34, a Chicago-area graphic designer and blogger. “In reality, oil pulling has been around for quite some time, so it seemed like maybe there was some legitimacy to people’s claims.”

Beckinsale learned about oil pulling from a fellow blogger, who asked her to do a 10-day challenge with her. “I figured, why not?” she says.

And it worked — at least to some extent, Beckinsale says. “As far as benefits go, I did notice that my teeth were slightly whiter,” around day five. Also, the more than 20 allergies Beckinsale has (including nickel, polyester, tree pollen, cats and dogs), and her contact dermatitis — a form of eczema — seemed to clear up.

Although it might not be the most pleasant experience at first, some evidence shows that this ancient dental practice should be embraced. But many experts argue against the claims that it’s a worthwhile practice for whiter and brighter teeth, healthier gums and better-smelling breath.

Behind the swishing

Oil pulling began in India as a natural, holistic healing practice falling under the practice of Ayurveda. Ayurveda is a system of medicine developed 3,000 to 5,000 years ago, says Dr. Gigi Meinecke of the Academy of General Dentistry, who has a private dental practice in Potomac, Maryland.

“Sunflower and sesame oils were some of the first oils used,” she says. “The Ayurvedic practitioners believed oil pulling had both oral and systemic benefits ranging from curing headache,

asthma, diabetes, bleeding gums, tooth decay, bad breath, dry lips and even straightening teeth.”

Ayurvedic literature calls the technique by two names: “Gandusha” or “Kavala Graha,” and it advises using a vegetable oil, such as sesame. “The practice is recommended to be performed daily and on an empty stomach,” Meinecke says. “The Ayurvedic theory is that this process will attract and pull other fat-soluble toxins from the surfaces of the oral cavity.”

Some advocates have claimed swishing around any type of oil in the mouth daily may whiten teeth, reduce bacteria, boost gum and jaw health, improve the skin and clear sinuses.

“Oil pulling is a great oral detoxification procedure that’s simply done by swishing a tablespoon of oil in your mouth for 10 to 20 minutes,” says Dr. David Friedman, a naturopathy physician and nutritionist in Wilmington, North Carolina. “Bacteria and acid can hide along the gums, between the teeth and in crevices of the mouth.

And this technique literally pulls out unwanted bacteria and fungi.

It also helps prevent tooth decay and combats bad breath.”

Because oil pulling can remove bacteria that cause bad breath, it may also be used in place of mouthwash, Friedman says, for those who want to go a more natural route for their oral hygiene.

“Mouthwash is actually counterproductive,” he says. “Most mouthwashes contain alcohol.

While this ingredient does kill germs that cause bad breath, it can dry out the mouth, creating a breeding ground for even more

bacteria to form.”

There’s plenty of interest in oil pulling because of the many claims of curing ailments, removing toxins and curing cavities, says Dr. Corbin Brady, a dentist in Des Moines, Iowa.

“The only benefits that can be verified, however, are the antibacterial properties of fatty acids like linoleic acid and lauric acid” that are in coconut oil, Brady says.

According to the American Dental Association, currently “there are no reliable scientific studies to show that oil pulling reduces cavities, whitens teeth or improves oral health and wellbeing.” Based on the lack of scientific evidence, the ADA “does not recommend oil pulling as a dental hygiene practice.”

Meinecke, Friedman and Brady all agree that oil pulling shouldn’t fill in for brushing and flossing.

“It’s a complementary addition to your oral hygiene routine,” Friedman says. “Oil pulling can be a great adjunct to a holistic, healthy lifestyle.”

According to Meinecke, common sense should dictate restrictions. “Anyone who is either too young or incapable of holding oil in their mouth without swallowing it is not a candidate for this practice,” she says, adding that people who have shortness of breath or shallow breathing shouldn’t attempt oil pulling.

Push and pull

Beckinsale gave up her oilpulling routine and hasn’t returned to it since those 10 days in 2014.

“The major drawback is that it’s See OIL PULLING, Page 8

8 Section 2

Thursday, December 28, 2017

The Regional News • The Reporter

Photos by Waldemar Reichert

From left: Smith Crossing resident Don Walters gets to know other residents over dinner. Ruth Watson immediately joined the resident choir when she moved to Smith Crossing. Smith Village resident Pat McQuillan invites grandchildren to participate in book discussions and other events.

Smith Senior Living provides engaging lifestyle designed to diminish isolation Ruth Watson moved to Smith Crossing in Orland Park last August and immediately joined the life plan community’s resident choral group. “I went to a rehearsal the night after I moved in,” said the former Tinley Park resident who for 30 years sang with the choir at Flossmoor Community Church.

At a November 2017 concert, Watson stood before a packed Smith Crossing Community Hall, as her three children and their families listened. “My family was happy to hear me singing again,” she said. “Before I moved here, they worried I was alone too much after my husband passed away.

I think they could see, I’m very happy here.”

Watson still drives and socializes with her former neighbors, lifelong friends and members of her church, but her choice to move to Smith Crossing points to one of the most significant benefits of living in a life plan community.

Having a buffer against isolation is essential for everyone, according to Kay Thurn, who recently was elected chairman of the board for Smith Senior Living, sponsor of Smith Crossing and Smith Village in Chicago’s Beverly Morgan Park neighborhood.

“Older adults face many challenges younger people do not,” said Thurn, a licensed clinical psychologist with a private practice in Hinsdale. “For some, retirement results in less contact

Oil pulling

Continued from Page 7 anything but convenient,” she says.

“I would recommend it to people who want their teeth a little whiter but are allergic or sensitive to the usual whitening methods.”

If you want to give it a try, the actual process is rather simple. “You stick a tablespoon of oil in your mouth and swish it around, then spit it out,” Beckinsale says. “I’ll admit it doesn’t taste great. It has a very mild taste and pretty much just tastes like fat. I pur-chased the oil at a local grocery store. It was about $7 for a big jar.”

Having oil in your mouth for that length of time can be quite the workout on the jaw, too, she says. “I’m rarely quietly sitting around for 20 minutes, so I had to figure out the right time to do this every day, which ended up being in the shower,” Beckinsale says.

Remember not to spit the oil into your sink or shower drain when you’re done because it’s fat, after all, and will harden when it cools down, possibly damaging the drains.

Friedman says you should also try to go organic when buying oils.

“The last thing you want to do is to put more chemicals and impurities into your mouth,” he says.

“People can do oil pulling daily. I personally do it every other day.”

Dr. Jeff Dalin, a St. Louis dentist, doesn’t see any harm in people partaking in oil pulling if they desire to. He also concurs that daily brushing and flossing must take precedent over it.

“If they feel their teeth look and feel better, as long as they are still performing regular brushing along with it, then I place the decision to use oil pulling in their own hands,” Dalin says.

with people. Also, as we age, our friends pass away. Spouses pass on. Many seniors struggle with health challenges that keep them from getting out and doing the things they once enjoyed. But even when seniors are very fit, isolation can pose a real challenge for some.

It can leave them vulnerable to depression and chronic illness.”

“We can learn about ways to minimize isolation from seniors who choose life plan communities like Smith Village and Smith Crossing,” said Thurn, a registered nurse with a master’s degree in psychiatric nursing and a doctorate in psychology. “Their lifestyle offers distinct psychological and health advantages over living alone at home.” .

Smith Crossing and Smith Village bring residents together in a variety of ways—through engaging activities, field trips, volunteer opportunities and onsite entertainment. “Residents can participate as much or as little as they want.

What’s most beneficial, however, is they have many opportunities throughout the day to be with people,” Thurn said.

Smith communities also provide onsite movie theaters, wellness centers and spas, libraries and plenty of common spaces suited for playing games and socializing.

In many instances, family members and friends are encouraged to participate in activities.

Smith Village resident Pat

McQuillan, a retired high school teacher, joined the women’s book club soon after moving from her home in Alsip in January 2017.

The group invited her grandson, Finn McGee, to join the discussion of The One and Only Ivan, a book about a gorilla forced to live in a shopping mall. Other grandchildren have attended family events, including an Easter egg coloring party with Smitty, the resident therapy rabbit.

Both Smith communities offer meals prepared by executive chefs. By reserving private dining rooms, residents host family dinners, something they may not have felt up to doing while living alone.

In June 2017, Don Walters moved to Smith Crossing from the Green Castle subdivision nearby.

Almost immediately he joined the men’s book club. As he began attending resident council meetings and concerts, he started making new friends. He also began inviting his three children and their families for dinner.

Dinner in the main dining room on each campus offers a daily opportunity for Walters and other residents to socialize and learn more about each other.

A retired bank officer, Walters makes a practice of wearing a nametag issued to new residents, “to help people get to know me better,” the Peotone native said.

He especially appreciates the opportunity to talk with new people

over evening meals. “Here, I’m much more socially involved,” said Walters. “I’ve met more people in the last five months than I have in the last five years!

I find the people here very nice and interesting.”

Smith residents and their loved ones also appreciate the added security of daily well-being checks.

Each morning, residents press check-in buttons located in their apartments. Those who haven’t checked in by an appointed time are telephoned by a receptionist to make certain all is well. If there’s no response, staff knock on the resident’s apartment door and summon aid if needed.

About Smith Senior Living

Smith Senior Living, a notfor-profit organization serving older adults, sponsors two life plan communities located in the Southwest sector of Metropolitan Chicago: Smith Village in Chicago’s Beverly neighborhood and Smith Crossing in Orland Park, Ill. An innovative leader providing the finest services and care for seniors, Smith established its first community in 1924, on the same city block where Smith Village Kay Thurn, chairman of the board of trustees for Smith Senior Living, says living in a life plan community gives seniors the health and psychological stands today. benefits of regular contact with others.

Both LPCs provide spacious independent living residences, programs for residents and others help seniors enjoy their retireand apartments for assisted liv- who have had surgery or a medi- ment, contact Smith Crossing at 708-326-2308 or SmithCrossing. ing, as well as memory support cal incident.

For more information about org, and Smith Village at 773-474and skilled nursing care. In addition, they offer short-term rehab how Smith Senior Living can 7303 or SmithVillage.org.