Nearly 300 new Illinois laws take effect in 2025
They
By Ben Szalinski CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS
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Time to study up, Illinois. After the clock hit midnight on New Year’s Day, 293 new state laws took effect.
Those include some of the defining bills of the 2024 legislative session and others that will change how people get IDs, evaluate job postings and even cancel gym memberships.
In addition to the laws taking effect on Jan. 1, the state’s minimum wage will rise to $15 to complete a ramp up initiated during Gov. JB Pritzker’s first month in office in 2019.
Digital driver’s licenses
The secretary of state can begin creating a process to issue digital driver’s licenses and state IDs beginning in the new year after Pritzker signed House Bill 4592. Residents will still be required to receive a physical ID and agencies or private entities will not be required to accept digital IDs in place of physical IDs.
Providing a phone to police to show a digital ID also doesn’t give police consent to search a person’s cell phone.
Salary transparency
Employers with 15 or more employees must include information about benefits and the salary range on job postings, according to House Bill 3129. The law will also apply to businesses hiring for remote work positions in Illinois.
“When employers aren’t transparent about pay, gender and racial wage gaps widen, costing women and people of color valuable compensation,” Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton said in a news release. “Illinois’ new Pay Transparency law is a resounding win for the working people who call our state home.”
‘Junk’ health insurance
Short-term, limited duration health insurance plans will be illegal in Illinois beginning Jan. 1. The plans, often called “junk insurance” by critics, do not meet the minimum standards of the federal Affordable Care Act.
The ban outlined in House Bill 2499 was part of Pritzker’s health insurance overhaul that lawmakers passed in the spring. It was aimed at reducing barriers to care for patients and making health care more affordable by expanding coverage requirements for insurance companies.
digital driver’s licenses, salary transparency and health insurance changes
Short-term insurance plans are typically for people who have a lapse in health insurance coverage such as when they lose or change jobs, but they are different from COBRA benefits, which most employers are required to offer under federal law. Supporters of the bill argued the plans are deceptive and stick consumers with huge out-ofpocket costs, but others said the plans provide consumers with an affordable option to fill a gap in coverage.
Caregiver discrimination
House Bill 2161 adds family responsibilities to the list of categories protected from discrimination and retaliation in the workplace. The new law prevents employers from taking adverse action against employees because of their responsibilities as a caregiver for a family member, which could cause them to miss work.
Bill sponsor Rep. Will Guzzardi, D-Chicago, told a House committee in April that pregnant women are a good example of who the bill is designed to help. He said pregnant women shouldn’t be passed up for a promotion or face other consequences at work in anticipation that they will be taking time off to care for their baby. Guzzardi stressed the bill does not protect employees who fail to meet job performance requirements.
AI regulations
New laws governing artificial intelligence take effect Jan. 1. It will be illegal to generate child pornography using AI, according to House Bill 4623 Supporters of the bill, including the Illinois Attorney General’s Office, said it is becoming more difficult to distinguish between real and AI-generated images. They said updating Illinois’ child pornography laws was a necessary to step allow law enforcement to identify and prosecute child pornography cases.
House bill 4875 also adds new protections to prohibit using AI to recreate a person’s voice, image or likeness for commercial purposes without the person’s consent. Recording artists can seek damages for violations of the law.
Politics and religion at work
Employees can’t be required to sit through work meetings discussing religion or politics starting Jan. 1. Senate Bill 3649, an initiative of the Illinois
AFL-CIO, creates new protections for employees who skip out on such meetings and prevents employers from retaliating against them.
The law does not prohibit discussing religion or politics at work, but employees are not required to participate in the discussions if such activities are not part of their job. The law excludes non-profit and advocacy groups where politics or religion may be part of job.
Coming later in 2025
Pritzker’s signature health reform package goes into effect on Jan. 1, but most provisions don’t have to be implemented until the beginning of 2026.
House Bill 5395 bans “step therapy,” which requires patients to try and fail treatments preferred by insurance companies before they can receive the treatment recommended by their doctor.
It also bans insurance companies from requiring prior authorization for emergency in-patient mental health treatment, requires insurers to keep up-
to-date lists of in-network providers and expands the power of the Illinois Department of Insurance to regulate premium rates.
Many hotels in Illinois will no longer be allowed to provide customers with single-use plastic soap and shampoo beginning July 1 under Senate Bill 2960
The move is designed to cut down on waste from single-use products. The Illinois Hotel & Lodging Association supported the change. Hotels with fewer than 50 rooms have until 2026 to make the change.
Other new laws
NIL money: Student athletes at NCAA universities can earn name, image and likeness money directly from their universities. House Bill 307 was an initiative of the University of Illinois.
Hearing aids: Insurance providers must cover medically prescribed hearing aids for all people under House Bill 2443. Coverage was pre-
viously only required for those under 18.
Gym memberships: House Bill 4911 requires gyms and fitness centers to accept multiple ways for people to cancel their membership. Physical fitness locations also must now allow customers to cancel their membership by email or online. Customers will also be allowed to submit written notice for canceling their membership by mail.
Subscription renewals: Businesses that offer a free trial or promotional period for their product or service must notify customers at least three days before the subscription automatically renews at a paid rate under Senate Bill 2764. The law only applies to subscriptions longer than 15 days.
Crime victim DNA: DNA evidence collected from a person who is the victim of a crime to aid a criminal investigation cannot be entered into a DNA database, according to House Bill 1168.
Man involved in 2023 residential burglary in Oak Brook is shot and killed in Florida
Subject, who was reportedly released on parole in Illinois in November, broke into home on Dec. 26; homeowner then shot the subject, who died the next morning
A South American man who was the getaway driver in a residential burglary in Oak Brook nearly two years ago was shot and killed last week after he allegedly committed a home invasion in Florida.
Jorge Nestevan Flores-Toledo, 27, was reportedly shot by a homeowner in Bradenton, Florida, on the evening of Dec. 26. Flores-Toledo died the next morning. His accomplice was arrested a few blocks away from the home.
According to the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, Flores-Toledo also went by the name of Anibal Miller-Valencia, with a date of birth of 2001. The subject was known by that name when he was charged with felony counts of home invasion and residential burglary for his role in the 2023 crime in Oak Brook.
On Jan. 13, 2023, at about 6:40 p.m., officers with the Oak Brook Police Department responded to a call of a home invasion on Luthin Road. Officers arrived at the scene and spoke to a juvenile female, who was home alone at the time of the incident.
According to the DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office, Miller-Valencia and two accomplices drove to a nearby forest preserve parking lot and parked their car before the home invasion in 2023. The two accomplices then left the vehicle and went to the Oak Brook home on Luthin Road. The two subjects reportedly broke a rear glass door and entered the home. When they entered the residence, the juvenile female hid behind a door. A short time after entering the home, the two subjects reportedly fled into a nearby wooded area.
Officers investigating the incident
in Oak Brook found Miller-Valencia in the forest preserve parking lot, sitting in the driver’s seat of a running vehicle. He was arrested at that time.
The Manatee County Sheriff’s Office related that Miller-Valencia served four months in jail in Illinois for his role in the January 2023 crime in Oak Brook before being released on parole in November 2024. He had an active warrant for parole violation at the time of his death, and was considered armed and dangerous, added the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office.
An online report stated that Miller-Valencia was sentenced to four years in the Illinois Department of Corrections for taking part in the home invasion and residential burglary in Oak Brook in January 2023, but that he was released on parole on Nov. 22, 2024.
Last week, on Dec. 26, two masked subjects were captured on a homeowner’s video surveillance system entering the rear of an occupied home in Bradenton, Florida, at around 9 p.m.
A statement from the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office noted that the homeowner fired multiple rounds, hitting one of the intruders, while the other intruder fled the scene.
Manatee County Sheriff Rick Wells stated during a Dec. 27 news conference that the homeowner in Bradenton was alerted by his cameras that there was motion on one side of his home. He then told his wife to find a safe place in the residence.
The homeowner then retrieved his firearm—a legally owned semiautomatic 9mm handgun—and went into an office/bedroom.
According to Wells, the home-
owner was then confronted by Miller-Valencia, who was already inside the home. The homeowner fired at least three shots at Miller-Valencia, Wells said.
The other subject, who was halfway through a window when the homeowner entered the room, retreated and was later found about four blocks away. Deputies used K9 units to track down that suspect.
The injured intruder—Miller-Valencia, also known as Jorge Nestevan Flores-Toledo—was transported to Sarasota Memorial Hospital, where he died from his injuries at about 7 a.m. on Dec. 27.
Wells said his office was working with the US Border Patrol to try to validate the identities of both suspects in the Dec. 26 incident in Bradenton. He said the suspect who was apprehended near the home is of Chilean descent, and came to California a few months ago. His visa was supposed to expire in September, but he never returned to Chile, Wells related.
Wells said he had no information on why the suspects chose to enter the occupied home in Bradenton. Wells said the suspects used a large screwdriver-type pry bar to break in to the home.
“The bottom line is, this is the state of Florida,” said Wells. “You want to break into someone’s home; you should expect to be shot.”
Wells went on to commend the homeowner for his actions.
“I praise this husband for doing what he needed to do to protect his home and protect his family,” said Wells. “And if you’re going to be that brazen to come into my home, once again, you should expect that you’re going to be shot.”
Pacific Retail Capital Partners and Synergy Construction
break ground on redevelopment at Yorktown Center
Former Carson’s being demolished to create an integrated lifestyle hub upscale specialty grocer
Pacific Retail Capital Partners, one of the nation’s premier retail operating groups, and Synergy Construction (“Synergy”), a Chicago-based privately held development and construction firm, have announced that they have broken ground on their transformational redevelopment at Yorktown Center
PRCP and Synergy are now in the process of demolishing the former Carson’s anchor box store, which will serve as the centerpiece of the dynamic, integrated lifestyle hub that they are developing on the 12-acre parcel.
PRCP and Synergy said they are pleased to have broken ground at Yorktown “which will ultimately result in multiple multifamily buildings and The Square, and are deeply appreciative of the support The village has provided us throughout this process”
PRCP and Synergy have carefully crafted a strategic vision for the vacant department store that will entail adding housing to address the supply constraints in the area and an open green space for residents and the community to enjoy. The redeveloped site will feature a 1+-acre green space/community park known at The Square that is
The Fresh Market to anchor revitalized neighborhood district
surrounded by approximately 600 residential units and thousands of square feet of new exterior-facing shops and restaurants.
The Square will connect the new development at Yorktown with the center itself, creating a vibrant link between retail and residential life. PRCP and Synergy worked closely with the Village of Lombard to carry out the design and strategy that the village envisioned for this project.
“We are pleased to have broken ground at Yorktown which will ultimately result in multiple multifamily buildings and The Square, and are deeply appreciative of the support The village has provided us throughout this process,” said Jonathan Rood, executive vice president of Development at Pacific Retail Capital Partners. “Our expertise lies in reimagining our properties as essential, vibrant hubs that serve their communities for decades to come, and redevelopment is core to this vision. Our approach uniquely maximizes the inherent value of our real estate, creating lasting impact for both communities and investors. We believe Yorktown will serve as a mod-
el for other mixed-use projects around the country.”
The evolution of Yorktown from a traditional enclosed mall to a vibrant mixed-used destination was a catalyst for attracting several high-profile retailers which have already opened or will do so in the coming months. They include upscale specialty grocer The Fresh Market, Tapville Social, Empire Burgers + Brew, Dave & Buster’s and Ancho & Agave, among others.
PRCP and Synergy are on track to complete Phase 1 of the project by the summer of 2026, which will include full demolition of the Carson’s space, commencing construction of the residential towers and the opening of the park/green space.
The Yorktown redevelopment aligns with PRCP’s broader strategy to evolve real estate for the next generation by leveraging its redevelopment expertise and deep relationship with leading construction firms like Synergy to transform retail assets into thriving mixed-use destinations that meet evolving community needs.
Philip Domenico, principal at Synergy Group, said, “Malls around the
Food drive for the holidays
Employees from Lombard-based Total Quality Logistics (TQL) recently delivered several carloads of non-perishable food items to the York Township Food Pantry. The donation came in perfect timing to be distributed to families in need for the holidays. York Township Supervisor John W. Valle said, “I would like to thank everyone at Total Quality Logistics for thinking about our residents during the upcoming holiday season. November and December are two of the toughest months for our food pantry clients. Families struggle to afford all the expenses of the holidays while making ends meet everywhere else–higher heating bills, new winter clothes for growing kids and basic food and personal care items. We are extremely grateful for the continuous support from the employees at Total Quality Logistics year after year. Our community depends upon the kindness and generosity of local companies and agencies to support those in need.” Pictured (left to right) are TQL Group Sales Manager Alex Beres, Valle, Madeline Edwards, Katie Justin, Group Sales Manager Don McCarver and York Township Food Pantry Director Angela Tanner.
country are increasingly adding residential components to their site plans because the demand for housing is at an all-time high, especially in well-located mixed-use neighborhoods where everything consumers and renters need is within walking distance.
“Once complete, our Yorktown project is really going to redefine what the live, work and play environment is all about. We envision it becoming the preferred destination in the market for young- and middle-aged adults and retirees to reside because of all it will have to offer.”
About Pacific Retail Capital Partners
Pacific Retail Capital Partners (PRCP) is one of the nation’s premier retail operating groups of large openair and enclosed shopping centers, with more than $3 billion in assets under management across the United States. Based in Southern California, the company’s portfolio totals 25 properties encompassing over 20 million square feet.
With a highly experienced team that has a proven track record of generating value to its stakeholders, PRCP is dedicated to evolving real estate for the next generation by working with the communities it serves to design master plans that transform its assets
into high-performing mixed-use destinations. The vertically integrated company provides end-to-end sourcing, assessment, underwriting, valuing, developing, marketing, design and asset management services. To learn more visit pacificretail.com or follow on social media at: Facebook: @PacificRetailCapitalPartners and Instagram: @ PacificRetail.
About Synergy Construction
Founded in 2009, Synergy Construction is a privately held development and construction firm based in Chicago. Over the past 15 years, Synergy has designed, developed, and constructed hundreds of successful projects in Illinois as well as in Florida, Texas, Colorado, Indiana, and Michigan. With over $100 million in annual revenues, Synergy principals are actively engaged with their team of over 50 employees in the daily management of the firm.
Projects include the development and construction of over 1,100 market rate luxury multi-family units, single-tenant medical buildings for Oak Street Health and the $74 million tax-credit financed redevelopment of the former Ravenswood Hospital in Chicago into a 193-unit Elderly Independent and Supportive Living Facility.
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out& about Jane Charmelo
Looking back on 2024
It’s that time of year when “Out and About” looks back on stories that made the headlines over the last 12 months. Following are highlights from some of the featured people, places and events.
Blood drives
The Village of Lombard renewed its commitment to save lives through village and partner-hosted blood drives.
There were 28 drives that yielded 633 units of blood, which was up from 25/592 last year.
Each unit can save up to three lives.
Recognition
Lombard resident Don Clelland was featured in February after he
was inducted into the 2023 White Castle Craver Hall of Fame. Not only did he propose to his future wife Monika at a White Castle, but during the COVID-19 pandemic, they frequented the fast-food restaurant and on Valentine’s Day decorated their home for the occasion.
Girl Scouts from Troop 55355 spent some 200 hours on a project to collect feminine hygiene products to donate to clients at DuPagePads, which earned them a Silver Award.
They collected over 2,500 feminine hygiene products, 1,500 hand sanitizing wipes and over 1,500 feminine wipes, along with other products, totaling over 400 packs.
Jill Metzger, a first-grade teacher at Pleasant Lane Elementary School in Lombard, was awarded Teacher of the Year from both district and state VFW organizations.
She has created a number of programs that focus on patriotism to help her students learn more about military service to our country— and to help instill a spirit of patriotism.
The Outreach House in Lombard received a grant from the DuPage Foundation of just over $15,950, as part of its Community Impact program.
The Lombard nonprofit was one of 52 organizations in DuPage County to receive a portion of
$940,000 in grant money. Oct. 17 was named Rita Schneider Day in Lombard, in honor of the longtime member and former president who retired from the Lombard Historic Preservation Commission. Her involvement in Lombard organizations goes back as far as the 1960s, when she worked with other volunteers to form a committee to celebrate Lombard’s 100 th anniversary in 1969.
Students from the Prairie School of DuPage were recognized after successfully “lobbying” for the giant puffball (Calvatia gigantean) to be named the state mushroom.
Saying ‘goodbye’ and ‘hello’
Funeral director John Brust retired after 34 years as president and CEO of Brust Funeral Home Ltd. His father, John “Jack” Brust, opened the funeral home in 1952, where John’s grandfather also worked until the 1970s.
Brust passed the torch to his son Ted.
“I’m ready for the next generation to take over,” he said, but “I’m not going to be completely gone from town.”
The Rev. Dave Price returned to Faith United Methodist Church in Lombard, where he had previously served from 1998 to 2005.
Also serving as senior pastor at First United Methodist Church in Glen Ellyn, Price brings with him a ministry of music, which he said “ties people together.”
Books
Butterfield Elementary School’s All School Book Club made reading a family affair when it chose “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” for its annual read-aloud event.
As has been customary, staff members dressed up as characters from the book.
Kim Curtis, widow of Tom Cur-
tis, wrote a book about his career as a chef and caterer, called “A Chef’s Life by a Chef’s Wife.”
The book outlines his career as a caterer to celebrities around Chicagoland, and also includes some of his favorite recipes.
David Lasaine has written a number of books, including several that feature adventures of his emotional support dogs, Bailey and Bambaloo.
The Addison resident said he wrote about them because “dogs are characters and they have their own little stories.”
Helping the community Sky Centers Martial Arts owner George Matejovksy held a self-defense seminar to help women become empowered to deal with a potentially violent interaction; and to help them become more self confident.
“Prevention is the best cure,” he said.
Feral Fixers hosted a workshop on trap, neuter, return, or TNR, to help the community work together to reduce the feral cat population.
In addition to offering tips for trapping the cats for a TNR, the nonprofit also educated residents/ caretakers on caring for outdoor feral cats during cold weather.
The Village of Lombard began offering a drug take-back program that allows residents to safely dispose of unneeded medications.
Based on the concept of an annual drug take-back day, the police department wanted to offer residents more opportunities to dispose of medications.
The Outreach House expanded its services to give senior citizens their own food pantry day, then added military veterans to the Thursday shopping time.
Other resources have been made available to guests, such as visits from the University of Illinois Extension to provide nutrition information; and access to Narcan, as well as fentanyl testing strips, thanks to Serenity House.
The Lombard Fire Department, with support from the local union #3009, launched Project Fire Buddies, which brings happiness and smiles to a critically or terminally ill child, through visits to the fire department or to their home, and also providing birthday and holiday gifts.
It is now one of over 100 chapters in nine states.
As of October, the program had connected with three children. When it comes to the community, “Out and About” will be on the lookout for more people, places and events to feature in 2025. In the meantime, Happy New Year to our readers!
I am not much of a football fan, nor do I know much about the game, but it seems to me that so much blame has been cast on the Bears coaches and management, but I have to ask, what about the players? I have not heard much talk about their responsibility in the broad scheme of things. I mean, if their playing is lousy, no amount of coaching can fix that, or am I fumbling at the goal line here?
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Hello Speak Out. Wondering if anybody remembers a time that there were two left turn lanes from northbound Highland onto westbound Roosevelt Road? That sure made sense. Not sure why. They went away several years ago.
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My family and I went to Lilacia Park recently and thought it was so stunning and beautiful. It improves every year. One suggestion to make for next year if you could put lights right on the railings near the steps that go down; either from the top that go down toward the pond in the park, and by the ones that lead down to the sidewalk that lead to the parking lot. That would help a lot because it’s pretty dark in by those steps and having some bright lights or something would really help a lot. Thank you.
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Did anyone else see the DuPage County Health Department’s notice about the flu vaccine in this paper (Dec. 12 issue)? The notice urged people to get the flu vaccine and stated that getting vaccinated against the flu can also help protect others, including children younger than 5 years old and pregnant people. “Pregnant people?” Is someone offended by the words “pregnant women?” We can assume the county health department has been taken over by woke leftists. If the health department wants to diminish its credibility, using left-wing
terms like “pregnant people” is a good place to start.
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I was shaking my head on a recent trip home from out of state, and it was raining hard, reducing visibility to a few car lengths. So many people did not have their lights on. It is the law.
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Hi, this is Lombard calling. I worked for the Secretary of State for well over 25 years. I am very upset about these latest changes that Alexi Giannoulias is making. To renew a driver’s license at the grocery store is dangerous. People will be driving when they need glasses. When they used to come into the Secretary of State facility, they were given a vision test. If they didn’t pass it, they were given a vision specialist report to take to an eye doctor and get their eyes examined. People will come in who had a stroke and were unable to drive the car, but wanted to renew their license. They were given a medical report to take to their doctor to see if they were able to drive; now all these people will be able to go to the grocery store, renew their license and get behind the wheel of a car. People who need glasses, people who are physically impaired who should not be driving will be on the road. This is not progress. This is dangerous and nobody thought this through. Obviously no one on the staff has ever worked at a facility to see the day-today operations and how things work.
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Hi, a big thank you to the Lombard Park District, and its employees for the fantastic job they did on creating a beautiful display of Christmas lights in Lilacia Park. I was there on Dec. 19 with my niece and her family and thoroughly enjoyed the festive atmosphere. Well done, Lombard. Thank you.
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• The views expressed by callers are their own.
• All calls are checked by four editors. If a consensus of editors believes a particular call is deemed to be in poor taste, erroneous, inaccurate, libelous, doesn’t make sense, or if claims stated in a call cannot be verified, the call will not be published.
• With regard to calls of a political nature, it is not possible to have an equal balance of calls with liberal and conservative viewpoints during any given week. The editors of Speak Out don’t have control of who calls in, what their political leanings happen to be, and the topic(s) they want to discuss.
• If you have further questions about Speak Out, email: news1@ rvpublishing.com.
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Poor President Biden. Our Democratic establishment is keeping him in office to finish his term when they know he has cognitive problems. He is being blamed for letting in illegal immigrants and giving over 1,500 felons amnesty. It makes one wonder if someone isn’t getting paid off. There’s no other logic. The party is making a lot of people switch parties.
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Happy holidays. I’m very upset because the only reason I get your newspaper is for the Sudoku and last week you didn’t have a Sudoku in there and the paper was like 16 pages long and it’s still 75 cents. So no Sudoku, what am I going to do? Okay, let’s not let this happen again. Bye.
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To Ron, who wrote “It was a pleasure talking with you. I was buying my daughter early Christmas gifts. God brings nice people into one’s life
Opinion
Slices of life
when they don’t expect it. God bless you and Merry Christmas.” I do not know what I said or did to deserve such kindness. Thank you. Please know it is greatly appreciated. I will try to pay the kindness forward.
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I saw a video clip from Saturday Night Live when the audience cheered after Luigi Mangione’s name was mentioned. Many in the audience sounded like squealing star-struck teen-age girls. It was disgusting to hear them fawning over someone charged with committing calculated, cold-blooded murder.
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I wish Donald Trump would stop making ridiculous statements about retaking the Panama Canal, annexing Canada and buying Greenland. I know I’ll offend many in Speak Out who think Trump walks on water and can do no wrong, but I’m sorry. He looks and sounds foolish when he
goes off on these tangents.
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I noticed Joe Biden got quite a bit of praise from Catholic Church leaders for commuting the sentences of 37 prisoners on federal death row to life imprisonment without parole. Among them was the Archbishop of Washington D.C. and the U.S. Bishops conference president, who made the remark that Biden, quote, “Shows respect for human life.” Then there’s Pope Francis. He has said the death penalty is, quote, “One more link in the awful loss of public respect for human life itself.” Interesting. I wish the pope and these church leaders would get as worked up over Biden and pro-abortion Catholics in Congress who don’t show respect for unborn human life as they do about showing respect for the lives of heinous criminals who have viciously taken the lives of their innocent victims.
Old should be a badge of honor
Old things are often valued.
An old house is called midcentury modern. Old cheese is aged. Old furniture is antique. Old dishes are Depression glass. Old cars are classic.
And we all know wine only gets better with age.
But old people?
They are just old. (Or seniors, at best.)
So why do we attribute favorable terms to old things, but not people?
The word itself is pretty simple. Just three letters. One syllable. A vowel and two consonants. It can’t get any easier than that, can it?
But, old is so much more than a three-letter word. The older you get, the more you realize: old is a concept. It defies definition because its definition changes with time.
At least this was my hypothesis, which I took to the streets—or more aptly, random acquaintances, friends and family.
I don’t think anyone wants to get old. Young is the preferred adjective. So much so that we go to great lengths to hold onto young and hold off old.
We allow ourselves to be Botoxed, tummy tucked, suctioned, peeled, filled, dyed and lifted - all in the name of holding onto the concept of young.
We count our age in numbers, and I was interested if there was a number that defines old. I asked people from age 4 to 84 what age they thought constituted old and as expected, answers varied greatly.
In general, it seems that old is roughly 20 years beyond the number that indicates your current age. When you are four, old is 17. At age 6 it is 32. My daughter, who happens to be 32 believes old is 80. My son, age 26 says, it is age 70.
My oldest respondent, age 84, believes old begins at 100. He is a friend I met playing wallyball and his goal is to continue playing until he’s 91. I should be so lucky. (And sure hope he is as well.)
By JILL PERTLER Columnist
So, based on my very scientific surveys, old begins anywhere between 17 and 100.
I wasn’t surprised that people had varying ideas of the age of old. I was surprised at their thoughtful responses to the overall question. It was almost like they’d thought about the topic previously. Like they’d pondered growing old on their own, without any prompting. (Sarcastic tone optional.)
In general, these contemplative and philosophical folks had similar thoughts:
Old may be defined, on the outside, by the age of your skin and your bones, but that isn’t what makes a person old in the true sense of the word. A person can be old in years, but young at heart. People can be old on the outside, but interesting and relevant and fun on the inside and those three things elevate them beyond old.
And the older the respondent, the more they’d thought about the question. And, the more hesitant
they were to put a numerical value on the term.
I guess that makes sense. It also makes sense that the closer we get to the cultural definition of “old” the more our own definition changes. No one wants to be old, even those people who many of us believe have clearly reached this milestone. And that’s kind of sad. Old should be a badge of honor. It should be a milestone we seek to attain. It should be a cause for celebration.
It should be mid-century modern in the human sense. It should be antique and classic. It should be something to celebrate because when you reach the stage of old you have made it!
You have lived longer than most people. You are still walking, breathing and fighting the good fight. You have kept on keeping on. You have beat the odds.
And that is to be celebrated. Some people might think you are old. They might even tell you so. Let them.
They don’t know what they’re missing.
Jill Pertler is an award-winning syndicated columnist, published playwright and author. Don’t miss a slice; follow the Slices of Life page on Facebook.
Addison Trail names
December recipient of 88’s Best recognition
Krishna Mistry, pictured at right with Addison Trail Principal Jack Andrews, has been named as Addison Trail’s December recipient of 88’s Best recognition for his outstanding academic accomplishments. Mistry, a senior, was recognized during the Dec. 9 District 88 Board of Education meeting. To watch his 88’s Best presentation, and for more about Mistry, go to https://www. dupage88.net/site/page/16577). District 88 values the hard work and achievements of students and wants to make sure students are honored and recognized for their accomplishments. The District 88 Board of Education and administration created the 88’s Best award to highlight students’ success. That award recognizes nine Addison Trail and nine Willowbrook students each school year for reaching their personal best in various areas. Recipients are honored during a District 88 Board of Education meeting in one of the following areas: academics, highly improved performance, extracurricular activities, service work or performing arts/electives. They receive an 88’s Best glass sculpture and a certificate to a local restaurant.
District 88 launches new ‘88 in 88’ video segment to keep stakeholders connected and informed
District 88 has introduced a new communication piece—a video segment called “88 in 88.”
These videos feature about 88 seconds of news and highlights from District 88 to share important information to help keep stakeholders connected with and informed about the district.
The newest “88 in 88” episode focuses on the district’s strategic plan and online data dashboard, which now reflects data from the 2023-24 school year.
The updated plan was approved this past June, and the online dashboard displays the content of the plan visually—with statistics, charts and graphs.
The plan consists of three overarching areas of focus, or “pillars.” Each pillar has three goals, and each goal is measured by corresponding
Court grants state’s motion to deny pre-trial release for Chicago felon
accused of illegally possessing a loaded handgun
metrics. The updated strategic plan truly reflects the depth and breadth of the district’s work and serves as a living document that forms the foundation on which it operates, and District 88 invites stakeholders to check out the online dashboard to review data about the district.
To watch the segment, go to https://www.dupage88.net/site/ page/16585).
The current segment shares information about District 88’s commitment to providing multiple and flexible pathways for students to ensure they are college and career ready.
As students prepare to select courses for first semester of the 2025-26 school year, the district will discuss the various classes and opportunities that are available. To view previous videos, go to www.dupage88.net/ VideoSegment.
DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin and Elmhurst Chief of Police Michael McLean have announced that Judge Joshua Dieden has granted the state’s motion to deny pre-trial release for a Chicago convicted felon accused of possessing a loaded handgun.
Daniel Medina-Guerrero, 27, appeared at First Appearance Court and was charged with one count of armed habitual criminal (Class X felony), one count of unlawful use of a weapon by a felon (Class 2 felony) and multiple misdemeanor and petty traffic offenses.
On Dec. 23 at approximately 3:30 p.m., detectives with the Elmhurst Police Department were conducting
surveillance at a location in the 600 block of West Lake Street awaiting the arrival of the defendant, later identified as Medina-Guerrero, who was a suspect in an alleged fleeing and eluding incident on Dec. 15.
It is alleged that Medina-Guerrero drove to the Lake Street location and exited the vehicle at which time detectives took him into custody for driving while license revoked. Upon conducting a search of the vehicle, officers located a stolen, loaded, SAR-9 9mm handgun, which was immediately accessible to the driver, underneath the driver’s seat of the vehicle.
Following further investigation, officers learned that the handgun was reported stolen out of Dayton, Ohio, in January, 2023.
“The law is crystal clear, as a convicted felon, Mr. Medina-Guerrero has forfeited his right to legally possess a firearm,” Berlin said.
“I commend the Elmhurst Police Department whose continued efforts on a fleeing and eluding case led to the removal of an illegal weapon from our streets and serious charges against the man who was allegedly in possession of that weapon.”
“The Elmhurst Police Department will not tolerate criminal activity in our community,” McLean said. “We will be relentless in our investigation of those that flee the police and convicted felons who seek to possess firearms in violation of our laws. I commend the actions of the alert patrol officer that first spotted this vehicle and the Elmhurst tactical officers and detectives who located the suspect and safely took him into custody.”
Medina-Guerrero’s next court appearance is scheduled for Jan. 21 for arraignment in front of Judge Brian Telander.
Two Cook County women and two juveniles charged with retail theft/burglary from Oak Brook Sephora
One minor defendant allegedly threatened police officer and his family
DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin and Oak Brook Chief of Police Brian Strockis have announced that two Cook County women and two male juveniles have been accused of stealing merchandise from the Oak Brook Sephora store located at 104 Oakbrook Center.
Marisol Ocampo, 35, appeared in First Appearance Court and was charged with one count of contributing to the delinquency of a minor (Class 1 felony), two counts of burglary (Class 2 felony) and one count of retail theft (Class 3 felony).
Ocampo’s codefendant, Deysi Villalobos, 32, of Melrose Park, also appeared in First Appearance Court and was charged with one count of contributing to the delinquency of a minor, three counts of burglary and three counts of retail theft.
Two male juveniles who were with the women, one 17-year-old and one 15-year-old, both appeared at a detention hearing, and each was charged with one count of burglary (Class 2 felony), one count of aggravated battery (Class 3 felony) and one count of retail theft (Class 3 felony).
In addition, the 17-year-old juvenile is charged with one count of threatening a public official (Class 3 felony). Both juveniles were released and placed on GPS monitoring.
It is alleged that on Dec. 22 at approximately 5 p.m., the defendants entered the Sephora store and selected numerous items of merchandise valued at more than $300 and left the store without paying for the merchandise.
It is further alleged that both Ocampo and Villalobos directed one of
the juveniles to steal merchandise from the Sephora. It is further alleged that the juveniles struck a store employee during the commission of the retail theft and that one of the juveniles also threatened an Oak Brook police officer stating “I am going to get your a** killed, boy … I know your family. I know your brother. You better watch out.”
It is further alleged that on Dec. 20 at approximately 5:59 p.m., Ocampo and Villalobos entered the same Sephora store and selected numerous items of merchandise valued at more than $300 and left the store without paying for the merchandise.
The next court appearance for Ocampo and Villalobos is scheduled for Jan. 21for arraignment in front of Judge Brian Telander. The next court appearance for the juveniles is scheduled for January 10, 2025.
Kick off the new year in the Bensenville Park District Youth Futsal League
Grand Subaru sponsors league in inaugural season
The Bensenville Park District is now enrolling for its upcoming Youth Futsal League, sponsored by Grand Subaru.
This exciting eight-week program, running Jan. 27 through March 23, invites young athletes ages 4-13 to sharpen their skills, boost their endurance and deepen their understanding of the game in a fastpaced and energetic environment.
Futsal, a small-sided indoor version of soccer, is played on a hardwood floor, emphasizing ball control, agility and quick decision-making. This dynamic sport is an excellent training ground for soccer players looking to elevate their game.
With the guidance of a USSF-A licensed and FIFA-recognized coach, participants will build confidence, improve technical abilities and develop teamwork skills that translate seamlessly to outdoor soccer.
The league is organized by age groups (4-5, 6-7, 8-9, 10-11 and 12-13) and includes weekly one-hour practices and games. Each participant will receive a Bensenville uniform kit featuring a jersey, shorts and socks.
“Our futsal league is a fantastic way for kids to grow their soccer skills while having fun and staying active during the winter months,” said Ty Beshiri, recreation supervisor at the Bensenville Park District. “Thanks to Grand Subaru’s generous sponsorship, we’re able to offer a high-quality program that enriches our community’s youth.”
“We are thrilled to sponsor the Bensenville Park District Youth Futsal League and be part of this exciting opportunity to help kids grow and develop through sports,” said Grand Subaru General Manager Ryan Drouin.
“The park district does so much for the community, and we’re proud to support their efforts in providing programs that make a positive impact.”
Parents and guardians are encouraged to register soon, as spots are limited. Volunteer coaches are welcome! The registration deadline is Jan. 10.
For more information, consult the park district’s Winter-Spring Program Guide, visit BvilleParks.org or call 630-766-7015.
SUBMTTED PHOTO Rock Valley
Daniel Medina-Guerrero
Kenny named 88’s Best for December
Willowbrook High School senior Hannah Kenny was recently honored as her school’s recipient of the 88’s Best award for the month of December. Kenny was recognized during the District 88 Board of Education’s Dec. 9 meeting. She is pictured (right) at that meeting with Willowbrook Principal Dan Krause (left). Krause noted during the meeting that Kenny was days away from graduating from Willowbrook. After graduating from high school in December 2024, Kenny is heading to the University of Louisville in January 2025 to continue her academic and athletic careers. During the Dec. 9 board meeting, Krause read comments from some Willowbrook staff members as he described Kenny’s successes at the school. Those staff members praised Kenny as a hard worker who is dedicated, self-motivated, kind, collaborative and conscientious. Kenny excelled academically at Willowbrook. She is an Advanced Placement (AP) Scholar with
Distinction and an Illinois State Scholar. She was named to Willowbrook’s Distinction Honor Roll during each semester of her time in high school. Kenny is a member of the National Honor Society, the National English Honor Society, the National Math Honor Society and Willowbrook’s social studies honor society— Civitas. In addition to excelling academically, Kenny enjoyed a spectacular athletic career as a Warrior. She was a four-year starter on Willowbrook’s girls volleyball team. In her junior season, she helped the team win conference, regional, sectional and supersectional titles on its way to earning the program’s first ever berth in the IHSA state semifinals. The Warriors’ 2023 girls volleyball team won the third-place trophy in that year’s IHSA Class 4A state tournament. Kenny (No. 6) is pictured (above) while celebrating with some of her teammates after Willowbrook defeated Barrington in the Class 4A state tournament’s third-place match in Normal on Nov. 11, 2023. Kenny demonstrated her allaround athletic talent as a freshman at Willowbrook, when she earned All-Conference recognition in basketball and softball. She concentrated on volleyball during her final three years of high school, setting numerous records and earning All-Conference, All-State and All-American recognition. Kenny will be a member of the University of Louisville’s standout women’s volleyball program, which recently finished second in the 2024 NCAA Division I Tournament. Penn State University defeated the Cardinals in the national-championship match on Dec. 22. Kenny plans to study business or finance.
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Weekend Masses:
Saturday: 4 PM (Vigil)
Sunday: 7:30, 9:30 & 11:30 AM and 6 PM
Daily Masses: Monday—Friday: 6:15 and 8:15 AM Saturday: 8:15 AM
Confessions: Saturday: 3-3:45PM
Adoration: Available in Our Lady Mother of the Eucharist Chapel 24/7
St. Timothy Evangelical Lutheran Church 547 N. Main St., Lombard, IL 60148 630-627-2435
Lent and Easter Services at 7 p.m.
Sunday Worship at 10:15 am Sunday School & Bible Study 9 am
“The Crucial Hours”
Second Lenten Service
Ladies Bible Fellowship Mondays at 6:30 pm Wednesday Service at 7pm
March 9, 2022
Rev. David Ernest “Satan Has Asked to Sift All of You” Jerusalem Lutheran, Morton Grove Matthew 27:15-26
Third Lenten Service
Adult Bible Study Wednesdays after Service Saturday, January 25, Game Night at 4 pm Everyone is Welcome!
March 16, 2022
Rev. Paul Spaude “What to Remember When Your are St. Matthews, Niles Seized with Remorse” Matthew 27:3-4
All services are live streamed. Watch on our website or on Facebook. sainttimothy.org
Fourth Lenten Service
March 23, 2022
Rev. Jonathan Bergemann “I Will Keep the Passover”
Coming events
Elmhurst Symphony Orchestra Concert Jan. 9
The Elmhurst Symphony Orchestra invites you to a breathtaking winter concert, featuring
timeless masterpieces that explore the seasons of the year in vivid musical detail. Under the baton of Music Director and Conductor, Stephen Alltop, the orchestra will
perform Antonio Vivaldi’s “The Four Seasons” and Astor Piazzolla’s “The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires.” The performance is dedicated to the memory of Keith
Olson, a beloved supporter of the Elmhurst Symphony Orchestra.
3 p.m. (Pre-Concert Talk at 1:45 p.m.) Location: Elmhurst Christian Reformed Church, 149 W. Brush Hill Road, Elmhurst. Visit https://elmhurstsymphony.org/thefour-seasons or call 630-941-0202 (Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.) for ticket information. For further inquiries, please contact the Elmhurst Symphony Association at 630-941-0202 or via email at contact@elmhurstsymphony.org.
Boy Scout Troop 51 seeks photos for anniversary
To help celebrate their 100-year anniversary, Boy Scout Troop 51 is asking all Troop 51 Scouts, Leaders and Committee Members (past and present) for their favorite scouting picture. Please email the photo, a brief description and the date to: troop51.lombard.100years@gmail. com.
Lombard recycling
Free light recycling now through Jan. 15: Recycle your old or unwanted holiday lights, extension cords and scrap wiring this holiday season. The Village of Lombard has partnered with Elgin Recycling to offer residents holiday light through Jan. 15, 2025. A collection bin will be located in front of the Public Works building and will be accessible at any time. Please remove any plastic ornamentals and bags from the lights and chords to prevent entangling in
the processing machinery—similar to curbside recycling.
Free holiday tree pickup: Residents may place holiday trees, free of tinsel and decorations, at their curbsides, Jan. 6-17, for free disposal.
GPS program Jan. 9
The GPS Parent Series: Navigating Healthy Families will present “Bright Kids Who Couldn’t Care Less: Tools for Tackling Motivation” with psychologist and learning expert Ellen Braaten at noon and 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 9, via Zoom. Braaten is executive director of the Learning and Emotional Assessment Program at Massachusetts General Hospital, associate professor of psychology at Harvard Medical School and a visiting professor at Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic. Go to the GPS Parent Series website for information and the links to these webinars. To be placed on a reminder list for GPS events or submit a question in advance, contact Gilda Ross, Glenbard District 87 student and community projects coordinator, at gilda_ross@glenbard.org or 630-942-7668.
SCARCE open houses
Tuesday, Jan. 14, 1-3 p.m. and Wednesday, Jan. 15, 9:30-11:30 a.m. Come learn about SCARCE and all that we do. Get a behindthe-scenes tour of our facility at 800 S. Rohlwing Road in Addison. Visit ww.scarce.org.
Let there be lights
Lilacia Park became aglow in lights and colorful displays on Saturday, Dec. 7, as part of Lombard’s Jingle Bell Jubilee celebration, when holiday lights throughout the park were turned on just after 5:30 p.m.—with throngs of visitors onhand to witness the dazzling spectacle. According to the Lombard Park District, employees began decorating in October, transforming the park into a winter wonderland made up of 900,000 lights. In one photo (above - left to right) are park visitors Ruthann Janis, Heather Kroll and Melissa Rocha. The free annual holiday lights display concluded on New Year’s Day.
JANE CHARMELO PHOTOS Rock Valley Publishing
LEGAL NOTICES
NOTICE
CERTIFICATE NO. 79584 was filed in the office of the County Clerk of DuPage County on DECEMBER 13, 2024 wherein the business firm of LUXE LOFT, 44 W. OGDEN AVENUE, DOWNERS GROVE, IL 60515 was registered; that the true or real name or names of the person or persons owning the business, with their respective post office address(es), is/are as follows: Lakeshia Jones, 717 S. Clark Unit 805, Chicago, IL 60605.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and Official Seal at my office in Wheaton, Illinois, this 13TH day of DECEMBER, A.D. 2024. Jean Kaczmarek DuPage County Clerk (Published in The Lombardian Dec. 26, 2024, Jan. 2 & 9 2025) 466031
PUBLICATION NOTICE OF COURT DATE FOR REQUEST FOR NAME CHANGE
iN THE STATE OF ILLINOIS CIRCUIT COURT COUNTY OF DU PAGE 2024MR000768 CASE NUMBER
My current name is: Geoff Edward Strauss.
I wish my name to be changed to: Jess Elwood Strauss.
The court date for the Request is scheduled on: March 3, 2025 at 9:00 a.m. in Courtroom 2007, 505 N. County Farm Rd., Wheaton, IL 60187..
/s/ Geoff Edward Strauss
Geoff Edward Strauss
(Published in The Lombardian Dec. 26, 2024, Jan. 2 & 9, 2025) 465976
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE EIGHTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT DU PAGE COUNTY, ILLINOIS PUBLICATION NOTICE OF COURT DATE FOR REQUEST FOR NAME CHANGE
Request of: Karl Alexander Hildner Case Number 2024MR000710
There will be a court date on my Request to change my name from Karl Alexander Hildner to the new name of Lyra Fyxe Fanchon. The court date will be held: February, 13, 2025 at 9:00 at 505 N. County Farm Road, Wheaton, IL in Courtroom 2007.
Dated 12/17/2024
Candice Adams Clerk of the Circuit Court 8085-949009
(Published in The Lombardian Dec. 26, 2024, Jan. 2 & 9, 2025) 466171
NOTICE
CERTIFICATE NO. 79594 was filed in the office of the County Clerk of DuPage County on December 23, 2024, wherein the business firm of Artistic Flooring, 1110 JUDSON ST., BENSENVILLE, IL 60106 was registered; that the true or real name or names of the person or persons owning the business, with their respective post office address(es), is/are as follows: PHILIP NIEMCZYK, 1110 JUDSON ST., BENSENVILLE, IL 60106.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and Official Seal at my office in Wheaton, Illinois, this 23RD day of December, A.D. 2024.
Jean Kaczmarek DuPage County Clerk
(Published in the Addison Independent, Bensenville Independent & Villa Park Review Jan. 2, 9, & 16, 2025) 466284
Rock Valley Publishing Can Publish Your Legals. Call 815-877-4044 Or email your legals to legals@rvpublishing.com 425131
Coming event
Tree care series
Illinois Extension’s Community Tree Care Series is back and ready to help everyone learn how to support tree health in their local landscapes. The hybrid series is a training opportunity for individuals performing tree care work and looking to build on their knowledge. Topics range from tree basics to identification, health
assessment, and pruning techniques. The hybrid model provides two forms of training, which offer online webinars and in-person workshops. First are six winter webinar sessions from 9 to 10:30 a.m., spanning two Wednesdays a month from January through March. Each webinar covers two main topics per date. The cost is $10 for general access to all sessions
and $50 for those seeking Continued Education Units for access to all sessions. Registration is required, and individuals can attend one, some, or all sessions. One hour of CEUs is available per session to Illinois Arborist Association certified arborists who qualify. During registration, please specify attendance as a certi-
fied professional seeking CEUs. To register, visit go.illinois.edu/TreeCareSeries. If you need a reasonable accommodation to participate in this program, contact Emily Swihart at eswihart@illinois.edu, 217-3331677. Early requests are strongly encouraged to allow sufficient time to meet your access needs.
SUDOKU
Fun by the Numbers
Like puzzles? Then you’ll love sudoku. This mind-bending puzzle will have you hooked from the moment you square off, so sharpen your pencil and put your sudoku savvy to the test! Here’s How It Works: Sudoku puzzles are formatted as a 9x9 grid, broken down into nine 3x3 boxes. To solve a sudoku, the numbers 1 through 9 must fill each row, column and box. Each number can appear only once in each row, column and box. You can figure out the order in which the numbers will appear by using the numeric clues already provided in the boxes. The more numbers you name, the easier it gets to solve the puzzle!
Answers on page 12
Sports
Rams suffer narrow losses at York’s holiday tournament
Glenbard East drops three competitive games in three days; Nee sidelined after being injured early in the team’s first game in Elmhurst
The Glenbard East boys basketball team played three games in three days at the 50th annual Jack Tosh Holiday Classic, which began on Dec. 26 at York High School in Elmhurst. The Rams turned in competitive performances in all three games, but they wound up losing all three contests.
Glenbard East’s overall season record dropped to 6-6 after its losses to St. Patrick, Batavia and Hinsdale South at the holiday tournament. The Rams completed play in York’s 32team event by playing one additional game earlier this week.
In its first game at the 2024 Jack Tosh Holiday Classic, the Rams lost 73-60 to St. Patrick on Dec. 26. The Rams jumped out to a 7-0 lead in the game. They held a 26-22 lead over the Shamrocks after a back-and-forth first quarter. Glenbard East led St. Patrick 39-34 at halftime. The Shamrocks rallied to take a 52-49 lead by the end of the third quarter. St. Patrick pulled away in the fourth quarter, outscoring the Rams 17-8 in the game’s final six and a-half minutes.
All of the games at the tournament in Elmhurst featured a 35-second
shot clock.
Junior Danny Snyder made six 3-point shots and scored a team-leading 19 points for the Rams in their loss to St. Patrick. Junior Sam Walton, who made six of seven shots from the field, added 12 points for Glenbard East. Junior Norman Loechel made a pair of 3-point baskets to contribute six points. Junior Jacob Marynowski also scored six points. Junior Michael Nee—the Rams’ leading scorer this season— made a 3-point shot in the first quarter and scored five points in limited action. While playing defense, Nee took a forearm to the face from a St. Patrick player early in the second quarter. He missed the rest of the game and did not play in Glenbard East’s next two games at the tournament.
One day after losing to St. Patrick, the Rams returned to Elmhurst and lost 53-42 to Batavia. Glenbard East and the Bulldogs were tied at 8-8 at the end of the first quarter. Batavia led the Rams 24-21 at halftime. The Bulldogs went on a 21-12 run during the third quarter to open up a 45-33 lead with eight minutes to play.
Glenbard East senior Devin Kraft made all six of his attempts from 2-point range and scored a team-high 15 points in his team’s loss to Batavia. Snyder added seven points. Junior Muhammad Musleh made two shots from 3-point territory to provide six points. Walton also scored six points, while junior Abdul Musleh supplied five points.
Hinsdale South edged the Rams 52-48 in overtime in Saturday’s contest in Elmhurst. Glenbard East led the Hornets 14-11 after one quarter and 24-23 at halftime. Hinsdale South held a 37-35 lead at the end of the third quarter. The two teams were deadlocked at 45-45 after four quarters. The Hornets then outscored the Rams 7-3 in the four-minute overtime period.
Marynowski, who made all seven of his 2-point attempts in Saturday’s game, scored a team-high 17 points and grabbed 11 rebounds in the Rams’ overtime loss to the Hornets. Kraft provided 15 points and seven rebounds. Snyder added 11 points. Muhammad Musleh made a 3-point shot to contribute three points. Walton scored two points.
Rams win one of four games at the Sandburg Holiday Classic
Glenbard East closes the event with a win over Richards and a loss to Downers Grove South
The Glenbard East girls basketball team played four games at the 16-team Sandburg Holiday Classic, which took place at Sandburg High School in Orland Park from Dec. 26-28. The Rams won one of their four tournament games and placed 14th in the event.
Glenbard East’s overall season record stood at 9-8 at the end of the tournament.
The Rams opened the three-day event by playing two games on Dec. 26. In its first game of the day, Glen-
bard East lost 60-26 to Nazareth Academy. In their second game of the day, the Rams lost 44-39 to Warren.
Freshman Olivia Nee sank two 3-point shots and scored eight points for the Rams in their loss to Nazareth Academy. Senior Erin Brown and junior Nora Opila provided six points each. Sophomore Lilly Carver added four points. Sophomore Teagan Murphy contributed two points.
The Roadrunners of Nazareth Academy went on to win the tournament title. After beating the Rams, they defeated Yorkville and Lincoln-Way East to advance to the championship game against Sandburg. Nazareth completed its 4-0 performance in the tournament by beating Sandburg 74-51 in the title
contest on Saturday, Dec. 28. Brown scored a team-leading 16 points in the Rams’ loss to Warren on Dec. 26. Carver supplied eight points. Opila and Murphy provided five points each. Nee scored three points by connecting on a 3-point shot in the fourth quarter. Senior Veronica Witt and junior Haley Greenfield added one point each.
Warren led the Rams 10-7 at the end of the first quarter. Warren held an 1817 halftime lead. Its lead grew to 33-27 by the end of the third quarter.
Glenbard East defeated Richards 42-19 on Friday, Dec. 27. The Rams completed the tournament at Sandburg
See RAMS, Page 12
Broncos win two of three games at holiday tournament in Westmont
Montini Catholic High School’s boys basketball team won two of its first three games at the 12-team IC Catholic Prep/Westmont Christmas Classic, which began on Dec. 23.
The Broncos opened the event with a 45-42 loss to Chicago’s Taft High School on Dec. 23 at Westmont High School. Montini completed pool play in the tournament with a 54-49 victory over Unity Christian Academy of South Holland on Dec. 26 in Westmont. The Broncos returned to Westmont High School on Saturday and routed the Westmont Sentinels 51-21.
The Broncos’ overall season record stood at 7-6 after Saturday’s win over Westmont.
Montini played its fourth and final
game of the tournament earlier this week at IC Catholic Prep in Elmhurst.
The Broncos trailed Taft 8-0 early in last week’s contest. Montini cut Taft’s lead to 10-6 by the end of the first quarter. Taft led the Broncos 2415 at halftime and 31-26 at the end of the third quarter.
Montini senior Jack Barrett made a 3-point shot to cut Taft’s lead to 31-29 early in the fourth quarter. A short time later, senior Max Bell of the Broncos sank a 3-point shot to reduce Taft’s lead to 33-32. Junior Michael Kavanagh delivered a 3-point play to give Montini a 35-33 lead with less than six minutes to play.
The Broncos held a 37-33 lead in the fourth quarter, but Taft scored nine
Broncos compete in their own holiday event
Montini Catholic High School’s girls basketball team competed in its own 16-team Christmas tournament, which took place from Dec. 23-28. The Broncos won two of four games and placed sixth in the extremely competitive event. In its first game of the tournament, Montini defeated Neuqua Valley 40-30 on Dec. 23. Senior Nikki Kerstein made three 3-point shots and scored a team-high 18 points for the Broncos in their win over the Wildcats. Senior Peyton Farrell contributed 12 points for Montini, while senior Audrey Kinney added six points. Seniors Lauren Mellish and Lily Spanos provided two points each. The Broncos lost their next game of the event, dropping a 53-41 decision to Marist on Dec. 26. Kerstein (above - No. 1) scored 15 points for Montini in its loss to the RedHawks. Senior Natalie Gartlan (below - No. 42) made three 3-point shots and supplied 13 points for the Broncos. Farrell added seven points. Spanos contributed three points with a 3-point basket in the third quarter. Kinney scored two points, while Mellish tallied one point. The Broncos won their next game in the holiday tournament, beating York 4842 on Friday, Dec. 27. Kerstein made three 3-point shots and poured in a team-leading 23 points in her team’s win over the Dukes. She scored eight points in the fourth quarter by supplying one 2-point basket and sinking six straight free-throw attempts. Spanos, who made a pair of 3-point baskets, provided 10 points. Farrell and Kinney scored eight and four points, respectively. Gartlan added two points, while Mellish scored one point. Montini trailed York 17-13 after one quarter and 25-23 at halftime. The Broncos led York 37-32 at the end of the third quarter. Montini completed the tournament with Saturday’s 67-51 loss to Prospect in the fifth-place game. Kerstein, who was named to the event’s All-Tournament First Team, scored 14 points. Spanos made three 3-point shots and provided 11 points. Farrell supplied 10 points, while Gartlan contributed eight points. Montini’s overall season record stood at 10-5 at the end of the tournament. Benet Academy edged Fremd 67-64 in Saturday night’s championship game at Montini’s event. Lyons Township defeated Marist 72-50 in Saturday’s third-place contest.
straight points to take a 42-37 lead. Taft made six free throws in a span of 16 seconds during that 9-0 run. Senior Drew Church of Montini drained a 3-point shot with 33 seconds left in the game to trim Taft’s lead to 42-40. Barrett made two shots from 3-point range and scored 10 points in the Broncos’ Dec. 23 loss. Kavanagh provided seven points. Church and junior Henry Herold supplied six points each. Bell and senior Dillon Bagley scored five points each.
In its Dec. 26 game against Unity Christian Academy, Montini owned a 13-10 lead after one quarter and a 2019 advantage at halftime. The Broncos
CHRIS FOX PHOTOS Rock Valley Publishing
Warriors win their last two games at Wheaton North’s holiday tournament
After opening the event with two losses, Willowbrook defeats Elgin and Schaumburg
The Willowbrook girls basketball team won two of four games at the 16-team Bill Neibch Holiday Classic, which took place last week at Wheaton North High School. The Warriors’ overall season record stood at 4-12 at the end of the holiday tournament.
Willowbrook led West Aurora 1710 after one quarter of last week’s tournament game. The Warriors led the Blackhawks 26-24 at halftime. West Aurora delivered a 22-9 run in the third quarter to take a 46-35 lead with eight minutes to play.
Senior Kristin Woods scored 13 points for the Warriors in their loss to West Aurora. Senior Kendall Meding-
Willowbrook began the event with a 62-40 loss to West Aurora on Dec. 23. The Warriors then lost 44-40 in overtime to De La Salle Institute on Dec. 26. Willowbrook closed the tournament with a 58-56 win over Elgin on Dec. 27, followed by a 55-44 victory over Schaumburg on Saturday, Dec. 28.
er made three shots from 3-point range and added 10 points. Senior Ayaani Gusman provided nine points, while senior Loralai McIntyre contributed six points.
The Warriors trailed De La Salle 22-18 at halftime and 30-24 after three quarters of the Dec. 26 contest. The two teams were tied at 35-35 at the end of the fourth quarter. Willowbrook led De La Salle 35-32 late in the fourth quarter. The Meteors sank a 3-point shot to even the score at 35-35
Warriors battle in nearby holiday tournament
with about 30 seconds left in regulation.
The Meteors outscored the Warriors 9-5 during the four-minute overtime period to earn their 44-40 win.
Gusman scored 19 points in Willowbrook’s loss to De La Salle. Woods added nine points.
Willowbrook held a 30-29 halftime lead over Elgin in the Dec. 27 matchup at Wheaton North. The Maroons owned a 48-40 lead by the end of the third quarter.
14 seconds left in the game to give the Warriors a 57-56 lead. Medinger added a free throw with 3.7 seconds to play.
Willowbrook’s boys basketball team won its first two games at the 12-team IC Catholic Prep/Westmont Christmas Classic, which began last week and continued through Dec. 30. The Warriors opened the event with a 52-50 victory over Providence St. Mel in Westmont on Dec. 23. Three days later, the Warriors defeated College Preparatory School of America (CPSA) 70-50 at IC Catholic Prep in Elmhurst. The Warriors completed pool play in the tournament with Friday’s victory over CPSA of Lombard. Willowbrook advanced to the semifinal round of the tournament with its 2-0 record in pool play. The Warriors faced IC Catholic Prep in Saturday’s semifinal contest in Elmhurst. The Knights beat Willowbrook 68-48. The Warriors’ overall season record dropped to 5-5 after Saturday’s loss to IC Catholic Prep. Willowbrook played its fourth and final game of the holiday tournament when it battled in the event’s third-place game earlier this week. Junior Jaylen Griffin scored a team-leading 22 points for Willowbrook in last week’s win over Providence St. Mel. Senior Mark Murrell provided 11 points for the Warriors, while senior Jaden Royal contributed seven points. Senior Jesus Gomez added three points for Willowbrook. Sophomore Michael Garner supplied two points and nine rebounds. Providence St. Mel scored a basket with about 10 seconds to play to cut the Warriors’ lead to 51-50. Murrell made one of two free throws with 1.5 seconds on the clock. Providence St. Mel then missed a desperation shot from well behind the halfcourt line at the buzzer. Junior Otis Powell scored a team-high 21 points for the Warriors in Friday’s victory over CPSA. Griffin (No. 1 - top left) delivered 11 points and seven assists. Junior Antwain Walker scored nine points, while Garner contributed eight points and seven rebounds. Junior Matthew Ciesinski added five points and eight rebounds for the Warriors. Gomez and senior Feim Alka scored four points each. CPSA senior Hamzah Shouman (No. 5top right) led all scorers in the game with 31 points. Powell scored 27 points in Saturday’s loss to IC Catholic Prep. Murrell (No. 3left) and Griffin scored nine and five points, respectively.
Coming events
Lombard blood drive Jan. 14
The Village of Lombard will hold a Versiti blood Drive Tuesday, Jan. 14, from 1:30-7 p.m. at First Church of Lombard - Fellowship Hall, 220 S. Main St., Lombard. Radon test kits will be handed out free while supplies last to all donors during the First Church blood drive. The drive will also be held in the Versiti mobile coach at the lower level Von MaurMall Entrance Circle, 203 Yorktown Shopping Center, Lombard, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Appointments appreciated; walk-ins welcome. To schedule, go to www.versiti.org/IL, load the Versiti Donor app, call 800-7TOGIVE.
Chamber board installation luncheon Jan. 16
Join the Lombard Chamber Jan. 16 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. for the 2025 January Board Installation Luncheon, as we celebrate and support our newly installed and returning board members for 2025, at the Westin Chicago Lombard, 70 Yorktown Shopping Center, Lombard. Visit lombardchamber.com for details.
GPS program Jan. 9
The GPS Parent Series: Navigating Healthy Families will present “Bright Kids Who Couldn’t Care Less: Tools for Tackling Motivation” with psy-
McIntyre sank a 3-point shot to tie the game at 50-50 with 5:24 to play in the fourth quarter. Gusman added a basket that completed a 10-0 run and gave Willowbrook a 52-50 lead with about five minutes remaining. Elgin then scored four straight points to take a 54-52 lead.
Gusman made two free throws to even the score at 54-54 with 1:16 on the clock. The Maroons delivered a steal and basket with less than 25 seconds to play to take a 56-54 lead. Gusman then drained a 3-point shot with
Gusman poured in 23 points in Willowbrook’s win over Elgin. She scored 13 of those points during the fourth quarter. Woods supplied 14 points in the victory. McIntyre, who made a pair of 3-point shots during the game, provided 11 points. Medinger scored six points, while sophomore Jada Langston contributed four points. Willowbrook owned a sizable 3514 halftime lead over Schaumburg. The Saxons cut the Warriors’ lead to 44-30 by the end of the third quarter.
Gusman scored 17 points for Willowbrook in Saturday’s win over Schaumburg.
Medinger made five 3-point shots to supply 15 points. Langston added 11 points. Junior Joely Maciejewski scored five points. Woods and McIntyre tallied four and three points, respectively.
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with a 38-34 loss to Downers Grove South on Saturday, Dec. 28. Murphy made a pair of shots from 3-point range and scored 10 points for Glenbard East in its win over Richards. Nee contributed nine points in the victory, while Witt delivered eight points. Brown scored four points. Carver added three points. Greenfield, sophomore Sarah Crocker and sophomore Ally Amrhein scored two points each. Junior Kathleen Nevels and sophomore Bridget Crocker tallied one point each for the Rams, who led Richards 12-7 after one quarter, 22-12 at halftime and
36-16 after three quarters. Murphy connected on three 3-point shots and scored 13 points for the Rams in their loss to Downers Grove South on Saturday. Nee drained three 3-point shots in the second half, including two in the fourth quarter, to score nine points. Brown provided six points. Carver and Witt added four and two points, respectively. Downers Grove South led the Rams 11-4 after one quarter and 19-10 at halftime. The Mustangs led Glenbard East 29-22 at the end of the third quarter.
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extended their lead to 40-31 by the end of the third quarter.
Bagley made two 3-point shots and scored a team-high 14 points for the Broncos in their win over the Phoenix of Unity Christian Academy. He sank both of his 3-point baskets in the third quarter. Bagley made five free throws during the fourth quarter.
Junior Robert Sansone connected on three 3-point shots and provided 11 points in Montini’s Dec. 26 victory. Bell contributed nine points. Juniors Colt Ashton and Angelo DeSensi tallied six points each. Barrett and Church added five and three points, respectively.
Montini held a 13-8 lead after one
quarter of Saturday’s game against Westmont. The Broncos’ lead grew to 29-12 by halftime. Montini led the Sentinels 48-17 at the end of the third quarter.
Sansone duplicated his scoring output from Montini’s previous game in Saturday’s contest. For the second straight game, Sansone made three 3-point shots and scored 11 points. He netted eight of his 11 points against Westmont during the third quarter, when he drained two 3-point shots and one 2-point attempt. Church made two 3-point baskets and scored 11 points in the Broncos’ win over Westmont. Ashton provided nine points. Senior Jake Maquet contributed six points.
chologist and learning expert Ellen Braaten at noon and 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 9, via Zoom. Braaten is executive director of the Learning and Emotional Assessment Program at Massachusetts General Hospital, associate professor of psychology at Harvard Medical School and a visiting professor at Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic. Go to the GPS Parent Series website for information and the links to these webinars. To be placed on a reminder list for GPS events or submit a question in advance, contact Gilda Ross, Glenbard District 87 student and community projects coordinator, at gilda_ross@glenbard.org or 630-942-7668.
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