9 - 11 a.m. | Monday, November 11 White Pines Golf Club 500 W. Jefferson Street, Bensenville In-District veterans, their spouses, children or widows are complimentary. Advance registration required by Nov. 4 by calling 630-766-7015.
The Bensenville Park District announced that Major General Matthew Baker (Ret.) will speak at the annual Veterans Day Breakfast honoring U.S. Armed Forces veterans on Monday, Nov. 11 at 9 a.m. at the White Pines Golf Club, 500 W. Jefferson. Lt. Colonel Sean Sullivan (Ret.) and Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs Director Terry Prince will also provide remarks during the program, which honors in-district veterans and their immediate families with a free breakfast.
Major Gen. Baker served as commanding general for the 88th Readiness Division (U.S. Army Reserve), headquartered at Fort Snelling, Minn., and Fort McCoy, Wis. He assumed command on July 30, 2022, retiring in July 2024. He was previously the commander of the 416th Theater Engineer Command, Darien, Ill. Major General Baker held numerous command and staff positions throughout the United States Army Reserve, including platoon leader, executive officer and commander of the 233rd Engineer Company in Marseilles, Ill. He also served as engineer staff officer for 38th Infantry Division Detachment in Chicago; as liaison officer for 404th Rear Operations Center in Machesney Park; as intelligence officer for the 244th Army Liaison Team in Machesney Park; as a task force engineer, Task Force Mountain in Bagram, Afghanistan; and as observer controller trainer with the 85th Training Division in Fort Sheridan. Major General Baker also served as aide-de-camp, executive officer, and PSO to Major General Heine, Director of Operations, Iraq Reconstruction Management Office for Multi-National
tiring honorably as a lieutenant colonel in Sept. 2012. He was a senior prosecutor responsible for Marine Corps investigations/prosecutions into alleged violations of the Law of Armed Conflict (war crimes) in Iraq and Afghanistan (2006-12) as well as being responsible for Marine Corps investigations/prosecutions into allegations of bribery and contracting fraud in Iraq and Afghanistan (2007-11). He earned three Meritorious Service medals, a Legion of Merit Awarded for Service as Senior Prosecutor for U.S. Marine Corps from June 2006 through July 2012 and Combat Ac -
tion Ribbon awarded for service in Iraq (Sept. ‘04-April ‘05).
Director Prince joined the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs in April 2021 and leads a team of 1,200 professionals to provide beneficial services for nearly 600,000 veterans and their families across the state of Illinois. A veteran of the U.S. Navy, he completed his 31-year career in 2017 as the Force Master Chief of Navy Medicine and Director of the Navy Hospital Corps. Before joining IDVA, he was the Superintendent of the Ohio Veterans Homes. The event will also feature band
and choral performances from Fenton High School, winners of the Fenton Defending Freedom Essay Contest and participation of state and local elected officials. Although the event is free for in-district veterans and their families, pre-registration is required by Monday, Nov. 4, at the Deer Grove Leisure Center, 1000 W. Wood St., or by calling (630) 766-7015. Other members of the community, including non-resident veterans, are welcome to attend the breakfast for a fee of $15.
Visit BvilleParks.org for more information.
Force Iraq in Baghdad. Sullivan, a senior partner at Del Gado Law Group, served more than 20 years of active duty with the U.S. Marine Corps as an infantry officer and judge advocate, re -
Editor’s note: The following is a list of candidates running for federal, state and DuPage County offices who will appear on the Nov. 5 ballot, as well as a list of referenda and propositions. Candidates who are running unopposed are not listed. This list is specific to voters who reside in Lombard, Villa Park, Addison, Bensenville, Oakbrook Terrace, Elmhurst and Wood Dale. Registered voters can find a list of candidates, propositions and referenda specific to their individual address in DuPage County by visiting dupagecounty.gov.
President and Vice President of the United States Vote for 1
Kamala D. Harris (Tim Walz) Democratic
Donald J. Trump (JD Vance) Republican
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (Nicole Shanahan) Independent
U.S. Congress
Third Congressional District
Vote for 1
Delia Ramirez Democrat
John Booras Republican
Fourth Congressional District Vote for 1
Jesus “Chuy” Garcia
Democrat
Lupe Castillo Republican
Ed Hershey Working Class Party
Sixth Congressional District Vote for 1
Sean Casten Democrat
Niki Conforti Republican
Eighth Congressional District Vote for 1
Raja Krishnamoorthi
Democrat
Mark Rice Republican
State Representative
45th Representative District Vote for 1
Martha “Marti” Deuter
Democratic
Dennis M. Reboletti
Republican
46th Representative District Vote for 1
Diane Blair-Sherlock
Democrat
Robert “Rusty” Stevens Republican
48th Representative District Vote for 1
Maria C. Vesey Democrat
Jennifer Sanalitro Republican
77th Representative District Vote for 1
Norma Hernandez Democrat
Anthony Airdo Republican
DuPage County offices
Circuit Court Clerk Vote for 1
Candice Adams Democrat
Jeremy “Jaye” Wang Republican
County Auditor Vote for 1
William “Bill” White Democrat
Bob Grogan Republican
Coroner Vote for 1
Judith Lukas Democrat
Richard Jorgensen
Republican
Recorder
Elizabeth (Liz) Chaplin Democrat
Nicole Prater Republican
County Board District 1
Vote for 1
Maria Sinkule Democrat
Cindy Cronin Cahill
Republican
County Board District 2
Vote for 1
Andrew Honig Democrat
Laura Hois Republican
County Board District 4
Vote for 1
Lynn LaPlante Democrat
Annette Corrigan Republican
Forest Preserve District 4
Vote for 1
Jeff Gahris Democrat
Jeff Castle Republican
Third Appellate Court (Lytton)
Vote for 1
John Anderson Democrat
Kenton Skarin Republican
Third Appellate Court (O’Brien)
Vote for 1
Linda Davenport Democrat
Jason Helland Republican
Third Appellate Court (Schmidt)
Vote for 1
Lance Peterson Democrat
John F. Costello Jr.
Republican
18th Judicial Circuit
3rd Subcircuit (Kinsella)
Vote fore 1
Leah Danielle Setzen
Democrat
Hope F. Mercado Republican
18th Judicial Circuit
2nd Subcircuit (Davenport)
Vote fore 1
Jennifer Barron Democrat
Jae Kwon Republican
18th Judicial Circuit
1st Subcircuit (Brennan)
Vote fore 1
Chantelle Porter Democrat
No Candidate Republican
Marshall J. Subach
Independent
Referenda and propositions
State of Illinois
Vote yes or no
Should any candidate appearing on the Illinois ballot for federal, state, or local office be subject to civil penalties if the candidate interferes or attempts to interfere with an election worker’s official duties?
Vote yes or no
Should the Illinois Constitution be amended to create an additional 3% tax on income greater than $1,000,000 for the purpose of dedicating funds raised to property tax relief?
Vote yes or no
Should all medically appropriate assisted reproductive treatments, including, but not limited to, in vitro fertilization, be covered by any health insurance plan in Illinois that provides coverage for pregnancy benefits, without limitation on the number of treatments?
DuPage County
Vote yes or no
Forest Preserve District of DuPage County proposition to increase the limiting rate to maintain and improve woodlands, wetlands and prairies in DuPage County.
Shall the limiting rate under the Property Tax Extension Limitation Law for the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County, Illinois, be increased by an additional amount equal to 0.0350% above the limiting rate for levy year 2023 for the purpose of preserving, restoring, and maintaining forests, open spaces, and water quality; acquiring lands to protect rivers, watersheds, and wildlife habitat; planting trees; enhancing flood control and drainage; maintaining and improving forest preserve woodlands, wetlands and prairies; providing nature education and outdoor opportunities for all ages; increasing forest preserve access and safety; improving recreational amenities such as multi use trails and campgrounds; and for other purposes of the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County and be equal to 0.1033% of the equalized assessed value of the taxable property therein for levy year 2024?
Addison Township
Vote yes or no
Proposition to abolish the Road District of the Township of Addison Shall the Road District of the Township of Addison be abolished with all the rights, powers, duties, assets, property, liabilities, obligations, and responsibilities being assumed by the Township of Addison?
York Township
Vote yes or no
Shall York Township levy an annual tax of not to exceed 0.05% for the purpose of providing community mental health facilities and services for the person with a developmental disability, mental health disorder, or substance use disorder?
Elmhurst Park District
Vote yes or no
Proposition to issue
$89,950,000 park bonds
Shall the Elmhurst Park District, DuPage and Cook Counties, Illinois, improve, equip and maintain parks and park facilities, including (a) replacing the Joanne B. Wagner Community Center by building and equipping a new community center with a walking/jogging track, courts for pickleball, basketball and volleyball, a multisport indoor artificial turf field, and space for gymnastics, dance, early childhood/ preschool and other programming; (b) constructing a bandshell with year-round heated restrooms at Wilder Park; (c) constructing yearround heated restrooms at Eldridge and Crestview Parks and on parkland along the Illinois Prairie Path; and (d) converting a grass athletic field to an artificial turf field at Berens Park, and issue its bonds to the amount of $89,950,000 for the purpose of paying the costs thereof?
Salt Creek School District 48
Vote yes or no
Proposition to issue
$48,000,000 school building bonds
Shall the Board of Education of Salt Creek School District Number 48, DuPage County, Illinois, improve the sites of, build and equip additions to, and alter, repair and equip the Salt Creek Elementary, Stella May Swartz Elementary and Albright Middle School Buildings, including installing safety and security improvements, constructing secure entrances, increasing accessibility under the Americans with Disabilities Act, renovating bathrooms, adding classrooms and improving traffic flow at Salt Creek Elementary School, and replacing the gymnasium at Albright Middle School, and issue bonds of said School District to the amount of $48,000,000 for the purpose of paying the costs thereof?
Results from the Nov. 5 election cannot be published in time for next week’s paper (Nov. 7 issue) due to press deadlines. However, DuPage County will post updated election results online starting on election night, Nov. 5. The website address is: www.
Try edible insects, win a prize
After Halloween, Fischer Farm is encouraging visitors to step outside their culinary comfort zones with its Eat a Bug Challenge, a free event running Nov. 1-30. As 80 percent of countries worldwide include insects in their diets, Fischer Farm invites
the local community to join this global trend by sampling seasoned crickets or mealworms—nutritious, sustainable protein sources. Participants can drop by Fischer Farm’s gift shop and try one of these edible bugs.
Those who accept the challenge will not only expand their palates but will also receive a prize as a re-
ward for their adventurous spirit.
“Bugs are an abundant and eco-friendly protein source that many cultures enjoy daily,” said Christine Shiel, manager of Fischer Farm. “We hope the Eat a Bug Challenge will spark curiosity and provide a fun, unique way for people to rethink what food can be.”
The Fischer Farm shop is open
from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily, and Fischer Farm grounds are open from dawn to dusk.
The facility is closed on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 28. For more information about Fischer Farm, visit BvilleParks.org/ FischerFarm or follow on Facebook and Instagram at @BvilleFischerFarm.
On Saturday, Oct. 19, the Bensenville Park District held an information session to discuss the Capital Improvement Projects planned at Fischer Farm, Sunrise Park and Veterans Park. Guests were able to view maps of the proposed plans and learn about new things such as the community’s first dog park coming to Veterans Park. Plans for Sunrise Park include an accessible playground, a pollinator-butterfly area and several new courts and fields for sports.
Cement mixers play a part in the new construction happening at various locations throughout the Bensenville Park District, where facilities are undergoing approximately $4 million in renovations.
Garcia
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It was a serious day in the garden. Various vegetables gathered to witness the muchanticipated criminal fraud case against corn. Corn had filed a countersuit claiming defamation of character and vegetative discrimination. These historic proceedings would hopefully answer the question that had plagued the human and plant kingdoms since the dawn of time: Is corn a grain or vegetable?
Corn entered the courthouse amid chants of, “Grain, grain, grain,” from the other vegetables in attendance. Broccoli and cauliflower threw quinoa at him.
The bailiff, a head of iceberg, entered and asked everyone to be seated. “Let us start this mess,” he said.
In opening arguments, corn, who represented himself, argued that although technically a grain by standard definition, he deserved the title of vegetable based on his longstanding position next to mashed potatoes on the dinner plate. “Everyone knows you only include one starch with a meal,” he said. “That makes me the vegetable by default.”
The rest of the vegetables, not possessing a grain of intelligence of their own, called an expert witness to the stand. Dr. Bunsen Honeydew, of Muppet fame, testified under oath that corn has been associated with politically incorrect terms.
“Words like high fructose, saturated fat and processed food products are not language worthy of vegetables,” he said.
At that moment, celery went limp and fainted. He was carried out by a large family of zucchini who had arrived late and couldn’t find a space to sit.
Corn objected to Honeydew’s testimony, saying the doctor’s obvious fruity family history, not to mention surname, disqualified him as a vegetative expert. Corn then went on to highlight the nutritional and health benefits of himself. He was over-ruled. During the commotion, kale lost his cool and let out a series of expletives. After a heated exchange, jalapeno hauled him out of the courtroom, but kale later made bail.
Beet testified he believed corn was beat, even though the ruby red root had previously made a covert contribution to corn’s legal expenses with a note that read, “Give me some sugar.” The two, at a much later date, became the sweetest of friends.
Cabbage corroborated beet’s statement and added information that sounded a little roughage
By Jill Pertler Columnist
around the edges.
Next, onion took the stand and provided layers and layers of testimony that made everyone cry. Artichoke was particularly choked up.
Throughout the process, corn was all ears.
Not all vegetables were so outspoken. Beans sat on the fence stating they didn’t give a toot about the matter while pumpkin made funny faces throughout the day. Carrot remained silent during the proceedings, afterward reporting to the press he “didn’t care at all.”
Brussels sprouts were unable to join the discussion, as they spoke no English and their translator was lost in translation.
Finally, in the midst of broccoli’s heady and flowery testimony, a teary-eyed tomato stood up and made an announcement. “I’m not who you think I am,” he said. “I’ve been living life as a vegetable, but since the day I sprouted I’ve always known I am a fruit!”
A hush went over the crowd. The peas were not pleased and rolled off in a huff. They’d planned for months to announce their status as seeds and now tomato had stolen the limelight Meanwhile, eggplant embraced tomato muttering through his sobs, “I’ve never felt like myself either. Perhaps I’m a fruit as well.”
Iceberg demanded order, but chaos ensued, as one by one, vegetables became fruits. Taking advantage of the hullabaloo, corn slipped quietly out the back door. He was met there by butter and salt, who’d been waiting, as planned, with a get-away vehicle. The three drove off into the sunset, never to be seen again, or at least not for a week or two.
The moral of the story? It may sound corny, but it doesn’t matter what other people call you as long as you’ve got good friends. That, and corn goes best with a little butter and salt. You might want to try it.
Jill Pertler is an award-winning syndicated columnist, published playwright and author. You can read more and follow her column on the Slices of Life page on Facebook. This is a classic column originally published in 2014.
Attend concerts, plays at local high schools; you’ll enjoy it
I am a school bus driver. Many people ask me “how are the kids?” I drive high school, middle school, and elementary school children. My answer is—they are great. But this letter is to address the terrific programs that you can enjoy from your local high schools’ music and theatre programs.
I have attended last spring’s performances at two of my local high schools and found them very enjoyable and professional, and would highly recommend that you consider attending one of their concerts. The price is extremely reasonable, they are local, and there are no parking fees.
Additionally, I was privileged to drive the Willowbrook High School theatre group to the state finals last year in Sterling, and watched the most outstanding schools plays and kids that performed. What an uplifting event!
Your local high school offers these presentations a couple times per year. You would really enjoy attending these productions. You can find all of this information on your local high school’s website, typically listed under “Fine Arts.” Enjoy!
Support your local community by supporting your local kids who participate in these programs (I pick them up every morning at 6 a.m. to attend their practices), your teachers, your schools and your neighbors. Jim Reed Lombard
This is a rebuttal to Sean Casten’s newsletter to constituents on Monday, Oct. 21 (titled: Project 2025, what you need to know.)
Folks, if you don’t get this email from Rep. Casten, look it up. I’m sure it’s public record.
Project 2025 was composed by the
Heritage Foundation. Yes, it’s a conservative think tank, but not connected to Trump, the Republican Party or any government conservative organization. I’m really getting tired of the left’s efforts to disillusion the public about what the “plans” are if Trump gets re-elected. Trump has never aligned himself or his future administration with this document.
Criminalizing abortions: Trump has made very clear that he supports abortion policy to each individual state, as NOWHERE in our Constitution does it support abortion as a federal right.
And please, spare me the oratory about the taxation issues. Trump enacted viable tax breaks for middle class, which Biden is very willing to let expire. Billionaires and the top one percent, as you should know, pay most of the federal taxes already. Corporations need tax relief to be successful in business in this country.
Harris’ “unrealized capital gains tax” and proposed gargantuan increase in corporate taxes are ludicrous, as any practical economist will attest to.
Bottom line: I know you like to throw out these non-truths, especially around election time. Myself and so many others are just tired of “I did this, and I did that” claims from our elected officials in their emails and op-eds, puffing up their chests and bloviating, when really all that is accomplished is more division and the further fleecing of your working class constituency through further taxation, regulation and oppression towards the working families to deflate the American Dream—all on the taxpayer’s dime, with a goal of two classes: the elites and the poor.
I voted first thing Monday (Oct. 21) at the Villa Park Library. I did not vote for you.
Please be truthful, adopt some humility and encourage your colleagues to do the same (on both sides of the aisle). I think people are waking up and beginning to reject oppressive restrictive policies, and realizing that they are smart enough to act on their
own, embrace capitalism without government interference and know they have the right per our Constitution to pursue life, liberty and happiness.
Robert Byrne Villa Park Trump has ‘uncanny ability’ to ‘stir up discontent and irrationality’
How did we ever get to where there are so many people attracted to Donald Trump? I know I won’t change the views of any of Trump’s followers, but in good conscience, I want to speak up.
For a book I wrote about an artist who was gassed at Dachau, I did a lot of research to figure out why otherwise fine Germans fell under the spell of a guy who wanted to rule the world.
Four things stood out to me. First, that guy started by stirring up discontent in the Germans about their country. The truth was that Germany did have some big problems at that time. Germans were upset about losing the first world war. They got hit by gigantic reparations bills, and the democratic process they tried to initiate had too many political parties. Hitler took advantage of this by blaming a group of people (mainly the Jews) for bringing about the country’s supposed downfall.
While stirring up discontent, he showed himself to be a master of marketing. He got his followers wearing special clothes (brown shirts) and using unique gestures (the upraised arm) to give them a sense of belonging to something bigger than themselves. He used all kinds of propaganda like posters, recordings of himself, and vehement rallies that stoked his followers’ emotions. Most importantly, he propagated the view that he alone could solve all of Germany’s problems.
Compare this to Trump’s activi-
Hello, Lombard. I was reading through Speak Out last week and the week before and I noticed so much national political information being shared and I think we really need to take a step back and look at what’s going on with us locally. We are affected minimally by national politics, but we are affected a lot more with our local candidates. We need to look at our county board. We need to look at school boards. We need to look at our trustees. We need to look at the park district, the library. Those are the ones that will affect us immediately. The national election is something that brings a lot more voters in. So make sure you research your local candidates and that includes judges also. Thank you.
Yes, this is Villa Park calling. I’m just wondering why your sports department is not covering anything with the girls’ flag football team at Willowbrook, when they are such a winning team and maybe going to the state championship. I haven’t seen anything about them in your paper since the season started and would like to see it. Thank you.
Editor’s note: The paper has published stories and photos on the Willowbrook flag football team periodically throughout the season, including a front-page photo of the team in the Oct. 24 issue of the Villa Park Review. * * *
Don’t you wish you had Election Day off like the public schools, county and state courthouses, and driver’s license facilities do? None of them should have the day off, especially the public schools. Just what these schools need—another day off when only 35 percent of Illinois students statewide can read at grade level. Either go vote before you go to work, go vote after work or vote early, like the rest of us do. You don’t need a day off to vote. This is ridiculous!
listen to what he says and he says he doesn’t lie, so he really means he will destroy our democracy. Please think before you vote.
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* * *
Here we go again with the county clerk’s office, and again at the taxpayers’ expense—to pay for her defense team (which supposedly involved two firms) in a countersuit against the county, which is suing her. Remember, it was her office that somehow didn’t make sure documents reached the state to get the county’s share of cannabis sales taxes within the last several years, and rather than accept responsibility, she pointed fingers everywhere but her office. Now, because she and the county board are at odds over the procedures for how and from what funds to pay bills—with somewhere over $300,000 owed for election-related expenses—we taxpayers are having to pay her attorney fees. I, for one, am tired of this apparent incompetence and wish the board would find a way to get rid of her; if nothing else because she has not even attended board meetings to explain her actions, and she arrogantly behaves as if she is in a position of power that is immune to scrutiny This is not responsible, transparent government.
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Less than five days until the election by the time this is printed. So much at risk, not just for the U.S., but for our world. Do most of us realize that the U.S. keeps the peace and feeds people all over the world? Do we realize we are the most diverse country in the world? We are the largest democratic country in the world! What we do and who we elect matters to our world. Trump again said he wants to eliminate CBS, ABC, NBC, Google and Facebook. He wants to use the U.S. military to prosecute us—that’s you and me—for anything and everything we do that he doesn’t like. He spews hate and is already encouraging his “followers” to “rise up” as he says the election is rigged if he doesn’t win. But yet, many people, yes, local people, don’t see through him and ignore his thousands of lies. Please
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• The views expressed by callers are their own.
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If Trump wins the election, I urge my leftist friends who voted for Mamala not to get too down in the dumps or depressed. You already live in a state that’s a thriving leftist socialist utopia, thanks to JB Pritzker and all the socalled progressive state representatives and senators you keep sending back to Springfield. I call them regressive. Thanks to their regressive leftist laws and policies, we have the second-highest property taxes in the country, the second highest gas taxes in the country, the second highest corporate tax rate in the country, one of the highest unemployment rates of any state in the country and the largest unfunded pension liability of any state in the country. Last, but not least: Illinois is the abortion on demand capital of the Midwest, where minors don’t need parental consent to have an abortion. It doesn’t get any better than this! Why would anyone want to leave this state?
* * *
Sunday, Oct. 20, approximately 2 p.m., Westmore/Madison. I suppose not seeing past a line of left-turners was too much to bear. So you decided to bicycle across four lanes against the light. One second. One second sooner and you would have been hit. An oldstyle bike with fenders, a man with a dark ball cap and gray hair (no helmet of course). I could understand some dopey kid doing this. What is it with you people?
* * *
Hi, this is a resident who lives around Madison Meadow in Lombard. I’m so glad that the post office has their website that shows what mail you’re supposed to receive. We were supposed to receive four pieces yesterday and five pieces today, and we have not received any mail at all. Where are those nine pieces of mail? And some of them are not junk mail. They’re important mail. Thank you very much, and post office, let’s get on the ball here. Bye.
* * *
As you enjoy the autumn colors and the exercise the colorful leaves provide, remember the shade of the trees’ umbrella we’ve had all summer. If we planted more trees in the spring and fall, we would cut down global warming and flooding in the future. Trees shade Mother Earth just as an umbrella shades you on a beach. The tree roots lower the ground’s water table and cut down flooding. Common sense?
* * *
It seems that some Americans want to make the presidential election a pop-
ularity contest. It is a contest; a contest for the health and viability of our republic. Comments like mentally ill, snake oil salesman, do not add anything to who the best person is to guide the nation. Our country is not doing well. How healthy is a nation where its youth are shot and killed in the street? Americans are raped and murdered by illegal immigrants. There’s a wholesale burglary of businesses. Corrupt politicians avoid any criticism by referring to speech as racist. Foreign gangs are taking over apartment complexes in Colorado. Thousands of illegals crossing our nation’s border, in some cases are given cell phones, food, housing, medical care and in some cases a credit card. This happens while our citizens languish in the streets. We’ve got problems. We need a strong, capable person to handle them. You have to decide who can do the job, definitely not who you like or is popular but who can do the job.
* * *
The gated community that’s going to go up, is that taking over the York Center Co-op? Thank you.
Editor’s note: The Pinnacle at Meyers is a separate development, and is not taking over the York Center Cooperative.
* * *
Yes, speaking about Harris running for president and the Democrats. I hate to say it, I was a Democrat. I’m voting Republican from now on and here’s why. All the past three-an-a-half years Harris and Biden didn’t do anything about the economy. They didn’t do anything about crime, they didn’t basically do anything. But now that she’s running for president, oh, let’s talk about crime, let’s talk about the economy, let’s talk about price gouging. You had three-and-a-half years to do something. You couldn’t do it then; what makes you think we’re dumb enough to think that you’re going to do it now? While Trump is the lesser of two evils for president, America is in a sad shape. We should all hang our flags upside down because America is in distress. Thank you.
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Vote Nov. 5 for policy versus personality. The best way to vote is a candidate’s past performance, not promises for the future.
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Regardless of who wins the presidency on Nov. 5, you can count on the Democrats to continue name-calling. Thank you.
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Last week’s Speak Out must have been the shortest one it’s ever taken me to read. I choose not to read any of those dealing with national politics
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because most people just don’t know what they’re talking about. So there was one from a person moaning about a gas station opening and another about skeletons. I bet I was done in 40 seconds.
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No matter who wins the presidency after Nov. 5 (and at this point I only lean toward Trump because I don’t trust that Harris can handle our potential foreign enemies), the vitriol will continue here in Speak Out. I think if we want to get our voices heard, we will need to vote for the right congresspersons and senators to speak for us. They will be the backbone in Washington, D.C., to represent us. And likewise, vote for the state representatives and senators who will speak for us in Springfield. JB Pritzker certainly doesn’t speak for me. * * *
I’m glad this election season is coming to an end. I’m tired of hearing all the nonstop paranoid fearmongering from the left about Donald Trump. He’s a fascist, he’s going to lock up his political opponents if he gets elected, blah, blah, blah. The accusation that really takes the cake was made by Hillary Clinton, who’s never gotten over losing to Trump. She claims that the rally Trump is having on Sunday (referring to Oct. 27) at Madison Square Garden was going to be a reenactment of a Nazi rally that was held there in 1939. Do us all a favor, Hillary, and go away.
In last week’s Independent (GoFundMe page set up for Del Fischer, Page 2), it was incorrectly stated that Del Fischer owns the Fischer Farm. The Bensenville Park District has owned the farm since 2022 and has operated the farm since the early 2000s. The Independent regrets the error.
(Continued from page 4)
ties. He began his political career by saying the United States is in terrible shape and that only he can Make America Great Again. The truth was that many of us felt the U.S. was pretty darn good at the time. He went on to blame the immigrants for supposedly ruining America even though when a good immigration bill finally came before Congress, he told his minions not to vote for it so that he could keep talking about how the migrants are all bad people who are poisoning our society.
A master marketer like Mr. H, he came out with his Make America Great red hats to give his newfound followers a sense of belonging and identity. And he, like that power-hungry German guy, is an expert at roiling up his followers at his rallies where he bewails the demise of America and calls his opponents “sick,” “stupid,” and “retarded” among other things.
Donald Trump is not a book smart guy, but he has an uncanny ability to get attention and stir up discontent and irrationality just like that little guy with the moustache 80 years ago. When will we ever learn?
Gail Tanzer Lombard
A Lombard man has been sentenced to 18 years in federal prison in a plea agreement for trafficking fentanyl and attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham, also known as ISIS.
On three occasions in 2019, Jason Brown provided $500 in cash to an individual with the understanding that the money would be wired to an ISIS soldier engaged in
terrorist activity in Syria.
Unbeknownst to Brown, the individual to whom he provided the money was confidentially working with law enforcement, and the purported ISIS fighter was actually an
undercover law enforcement officer.
Also in 2019, Brown illegally possessed several loaded handguns in furtherance of his drug trafficking activities and trafficked fentanyl and other drugs from California to the Chicago suburbs—three parcels were addressed to an address in Bellwood and two were addressed to an address in Lombard.
In the plea agreement, prosecutors said Brown “knew that one of the three packages addressed to Bellwood, Illinois contained approximately 993 blue pills stamped ‘M30’ and had a total weight of approximately 107.3 grams of fentanyl.
“The defendant also knew that the other two packages addressed to Bellwood, Illinois contained approximately 1875.7 grams and 1863.2 grams respectively of marijuana.
The defendant knew that the packages addressed to Lombard, Illinois contained approximately 1.9
kilograms each of marijuana.”
All five packages were intercepted by law enforcement before reaching their final destinations, according to prosecutors. Brown, 42, pleaded guilty last year to one count of attempting to provide material support to ISIS, one count of distributing fentanyl, and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. U.S. District Judge Mary M. Rowland imposed the sentence on Oct. 16 during a hearing in federal court in Chicago. Brown has been in law enforcement custody since his arrest in 2019.
Substantial assistance was provided by the Illinois State Police, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Homeland Security Investigations, the Lombard Police Department, the Addison Police Department, and FBI Field Offices in Atlanta, Los Angeles, and San Diego. Brown will have to serve at least 85 percent of the sentence.
‘Where the Wild Things Are’ at Glenbard South Join Glenbard South High School for a performance of “Where the Wild Things Are” adapted by student Kaitlyn Urbanowicz, from the original children’s book by Maurice Sendak. Performances will be Oct. 31 at 7:30 p.m., Nov. 1 at 4:30 p.m. and Nov. 2 at 2 p.m. 23W200 Butterfield Road in Glen Ellyn. Please enter through Door 9 (theater entrance) near Abruzzo Lane. All seats are $5 general admission. Tickets in advance at https://glenbardsouthhs.seatyourself.biz/ or at the door. Cash/check will be accepted at the door. Credit card purchases must be made in advance online; online/credit card sales close six hours before each show. The run time of the show is approximately 30 minutes.
On a sunny Saturday, Oct. 26, Trinity Lutheran School’s parking lot was the site of a “trunk or treat” event for families to enjoy games and activities, and to go trick or treating at different “trunk” stations. In one photo, Kelsey Yahoudy, 3, sits in the back of a pickup truck containing “Scooby Snax.” In another photo, Phil Doerries stands next to his trunk display and a bucket-toss game for the kids.
Stop by Montini Catholic this Sunday; proceeds go to Make-A-Wish Foundation, Lurie Children’s Hospital and Montini Catholic
Neysa Bianco of Lombard is having her wish granted from the MakeA-Wish Foundation of Illinois.
A sophomore at Montini Catholic High School, Neysa was born with a rare neurological condition called tuberousclerosis complex (TSC). After recovering from brain surgery this past summer to relieve chronic seizures caused by TSC, Neysa wished to start her own cookie business.
On Sunday, Nov. 3, her bakery, Cookies & Crumbs, will officially launch.
Neysa acquired her interest in baking from her mom, Marisa, who developed the recipes when she was in high school. Although many people have asked through the years for the recipe, Marisa never shared it.
Marisa said, “I always knew I’d do something with these cookies and I couldn’t think of a better way than this. To be able to pass a passion of mine on to my daughter and start something for such a good reason really is a wish come true.”
Neysa’s mission for this business is quite simple: to spread joy.
“So many people have brought joy and happiness to my life,” Neysa said. “My passion is baking and that is how I show love and spread joy. I have always wanted to study pastry arts and my goal for this company is to give back to the Make-A-Wish
Neysa Bianco Foundation, Lurie Children’s Hospital and Montini Catholic High School since they have all changed my life!” Cookies & Crumbs’ official launch is open to the general public and will be held at Montini (19W070 16th St., Lombard) on Sunday, Nov. 3, with a 2 p.m. open house.
Stop by, and check out Neysa’s new website and Instagram (@cookiesandcrumbsil) and sample cookies and ice cream—compliments of her corporate sponsor, Blue Bunny.
Trinity Lutheran School was founded in 1860 by 12 farm families, who pooled their resources to hire a teacher and build a one-room school. Later buildings and additions came in 1946, 1975 and 1990. Currently, Trinity Lutheran School claims students from 17 different ZIP codes. Visit trinitylutheran.org for more information. See photo on Page 1.
Affordable health screenings coming to Elmhurst on Nov. 12, sponsored by Froedtert South
Residents living in and around Elmhurst can learn about their risk for cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, diabetes, and other chronic, serious conditions with affordable screenings by Life Line Screening. American Legion THB Post 187 will host this community event on Tuesday, Nov. 12. The site is located at 310 W Butterfield Road in Elmhurst.
Screenings can check for:
• The level of plaque buildup in your arteries, related to risk for cardiovascular disease, stroke and overall vascular health.
• HDL and LDL cholesterol levels
• Diabetes risk
• Kidney and thyroid function, and more Screenings are affordable and convenient. Free parking is also available.
Special package pricing starts at $159, but consultants will work with you to create a package that is right for you based on your age and risk factors.
Call 1-877-237-1287 or visit the website at www. lifelinescreening.com. Preregistration is required.
‘Smashing pumpkins’ not just a musical phenomenon
By Jane Charmelo fOr THE InDEPEnDEnT
While this time of year pumpkins decorate front porches and stoops— and often provide a snack for local critters to gnosh on—disposing of them after Halloween has proven to create a scary scenario for landfills.
That’s according to Addison-based SCARCE (School & Community Assistance for Recycling and Composting Education), with Chief Operating Officer Beverly Jaszczurowski first setting the scene when she described that an average pumpkin “is about 10 pounds and about 92 percent water.
A gallon of water weighs a little over 8 pounds.”
So, with every pumpkin that ends up in a landfill, close to 9 pounds of water are wasted, she continued.
“You never get that back.”
And consider, Jaszczurowski said, that when that water leaches into the soil, “That is not water we want.”
The University of Illinois Extension—in a release that echoes (and specifically mentions) SCARCE— explains that pumpkins are organic waste and when they decompose in the soil without oxygen, they produce the greenhouse gas methane.
The Extension notes that Illinois is the top producer of pumpkins, so “There are a lot of pumpkins piling up and filling up landfills across the state.”
The alternative to having pumpkins end up in landfills is to hold “pumpkin smashes,” Jaszczurowski said, and related that SCARCE actually started doing them in 2014.
However, she continued, “We first
had to change a law in order to do it,” because Illinois law considered pumpkins to be food waste: Now they can be categorized as food scraps that are eligible be composted.
Jaszczurowski said that the SCARCE-initiated pumpkin smash “has gone nationwide,” citing 20 events in New York and five in Michigan as examples, and “We just found out that Houston has been doing it for three years!”
She also mentioned that in 2023, the United Kingdom contacted SCARCE with an interest in how the process works.
According to SCARCE figures, since 2014 pumpkin smashes have composted over 1,253.6 tons of pumpkins, reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 926.9 tons of carbon dioxide and diverted nearly 270 gallons of water from landfills.
There are going to be a number of pumpkin smash events on Nov. 2 in Elmhurst and Villa Park, and Nov. 9 in Lombard and Addison (SCARCE). Jaszczurowski said the pumpkins will be going to a commercial composter, which will be putting “water and nutrients back into the soil.”
While a household might have only a few pumpkins, if everyone participates in a pumpkin smash, there will be what Jaszczurowski called a “collective impact” on the environment, for which she hopes to collect more data.
“Every little thing adds up,” she concluded.
To find a nearby location, visit www.scarce.org/pumpkins.
Shawn Smith
DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin has announced that a Chicago man accused of supplying a fatal dose of heroin/ fentanyl to a Naperville man has been sentenced to 12 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections.
Shawn Smith, 33, entered a plea
of guilty to one count of drug induced homicide, a Class X felony. Judge Daniel Guerin handed down the sentence.
On Nov. 30, 2023, Judge Margaret O’Connell issued an arrest warrant for Smith. On Dec. 7, 2023, he appeared in First Appearance Court where Judge Joshua Dieden granted the state’s motion to detain Smith pre-trial.
On Nov. 27, 2022, the victim, a twenty-three-year-old male, was
Court grants state’s motion to detain pre-trial
DuPage County State’s Attorney
Robert Berlin and Naperville Chief of Police
Jason Arres have announced that Judge Joshua Dieden granted the state’s motion to deny pre-trial release for a Naperville man accused of killing the family dog and threatening to kill his two stepdaughters.
Nathan Gonzalez, 36, appeared in First Appearance Court and was charged with one count of aggravated cruelty to animals, a Class 4 felo-
The Addison and Bensenville police departments recently reported the following arrests and citations. Persons who are charged with domestic battery are not named in order to protect the victim’s privacy. Readers are reminded that an arrest does not constitute a conviction, and that suspects are considered innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law. Juveniles age 17-or-younger are not named.
Oct. 12
Tiffany M. Costantini, 45, of Addison, was charged with DUI-drugs and improper lane usage in the 400 block of W. Lake at 2:45 p.m.
A 19-year-old Addison man was charged with two counts of domestic battery in the 1-100 block of E. Blecke at 11:08 a.m.
A 31-year-old Addison woman was charged with two counts of domestic battery in the 600 block of N. Lincoln at 1:15 a.m.
Oct. 10
Michelle Feria, 39, of Addison, was charged with identity theft at 10 a.m.
Oct. 9
A 29-year-old Addison woman was charged with two counts of domestic battery in the 600 block of N. Rozanne at 4:25 p.m.
Bensenville
Oct. 22, 10:49 a.m. in the 1000 block of N. Route 83, Taru M. Frank-
ny, and two counts of misdemeanor endangering the health or life of a child.
Additionally, Judge Dieden granted the state’s motion to detain Gonzalez on unrelated misdemeanor domestic battery charges alleging he struck his wife with a baseball bat on Oct. 2.
On Sept. 29 at approximately 5:58 a.m., Naperville police dispatch received a 911 call from a 14-yearold female juvenile stating that her stepfather, later identified as Nathan Gonzalez, had allegedly killed their family dog and was threatening to kill her and her 11-year-old stepsister. Upon their arrival, officers found the two girls at home; however, Gonzalez and the family dog Rocco, a black and white Shih Tzu, were missing. Through the course of their investigation into the matter, authorities learned that Gonzalez and
lin,47, of Crewe, Virginia, had officers responding to a motor vehicle theft, which was in fact a company repossession of a semi-truck from the driver. Police said officers discovered the suspect was in violation of unlawful use of weapons statute, possession of firearm by a felon. He was transported to the station for processing, issued complaints, a court date and transported to DuPage County Jail.
Oct. 20, 2:03 a.m. near Irving and Eastview, Stanley Gallardo, 23, of Des Plaines, was stopped for traffic violation. Gallardo was arrested for DUI and other traffic violations. He was transported to the station and was later released.
Oct. 20, 1 a.m. in the 100 block of W. Irving, Tyler C Duce, 26, of Elk Grove Village, was stopped for leaving the scene of property damage crash. Duce was arrested for DUI and other traffic violations. He was transported to the station and was later released.
Oct. 18, 10:21 a.m. in the 500 block of Country Club Dr., a company reported one of their trailers was stolen from their parking lot.
Oct. 18, 11:17 p.m., a vehicle vs. pedestrian/bicyclist crash occurred in the 100 block of Grand Ave. A pedestrian was transported to the hospital. The driver, Humberto Garcia, 49 (residence not given), was arrested for leaving the scene of a personal injury crash, DUI and other traffic offenses. Further charges may be pending after MERIT Crash Unit Investigation.
An autopsy determined fentanyl, heroin, diphenhydramine and trazodone toxicity as the cause of death. The victim was prescribed trazodone. Diphenhydramine is an over-the-counter antihistamine commonly referred to as Benadryl.
“Judge Guerin’s 12-year-sentence today sends a message of deterrence to any would-be drug
found deceased in a bedroom of the family residence. Through the course of an investigation conducted by the Naperville Police Department, authorities identified Smith as the source of the illegal narcotics that led to the victim’s death. Naperville undercover police officers contacted Smith and arranged to purchase illegal drugs from him on Dec. 5, 2022. On Dec. 5, 2022, officers pulled Smith over as he was driving to the pre-arranged meeting. He was taken into custody without incident at this time.
dealers that if you supply illegal drugs that result in the death of another person, you will be arrested, charged and face a significant amount of time behind bars if found guilty,” Berlin said.
“This young man’s tragic death is yet another stark reminder of the deadly consequences of illegal narcotics.”
Smith will be required to serve 75 percent of his sentence before being eligible for parole.
his wife were out for the evening but had a dispute and took separate rides home with Gonzalez arriving at the home first.
After the pair split, Gonzalez allegedly called his wife and told her he was going to kill Rocco. When she arrived home, she allegedly found Gonzalez at home, but Rocco was missing. An argument ensued between the two during which Gonzalez allegedly told his wife that he had killed Rocco and dumped his body in a construction site. Gonzalez then left the home. Several hours
later, officers received a phone call advising that Gonzalez had returned home. When officers arrived, they learned that Gonzalez had fled the area on foot. He was found a few blocks away hiding behind a dumpster. The following day, Naperville Animal Control officers found Rocco at a construction site. A necropsy found blunt force trauma to the head as the cause of death.
“It is alleged that following a disagreement with his wife, Nathan Gonzalez violently killed Rocco, the family dog, and threatened the life of
his two stepdaughters,” Berlin said. “These allegations, that Mr. Gonzalez killed the family dog following a dispute with his wife, are simply unconscionable. This type of conduct will not be tolerated and will be met with the full force of the law. Because of his alleged actions, Mr. Gonzalez is now facing a serious felony charge.”
Gonzalez’s next court appearance is scheduled for arraignment on the aggravated cruelty to animals case on Nov. 18 in front of Judge Joseph Bugos.
On Thursday, Oct. 24, District 88 was named the recipient of the 2024 Community Changemaker Award by the DuPage County Health Department (DCHD) and the DuPage County Prevention Leadership Team (PLT) for leading the way in prevention efforts to protect youth in DuPage County by making positive change in the community. District 88 superintendent Dr. Jean Barbanente accepted the award at the PLT’s 10-year celebration at College of DuPage. Pictured are (from left) DCHD community initiatives coordinator Jordan Esser, District 88 director of community relations
Brink, Dr.
DCHD director of community initiatives Mila
and DuPage Regional Superintendent Amber Quirk.
Gratas Zvirblis
DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin and Lombard Chief of Police Thomas Wirsing announced last week that Judge Joshua Dieden granted the state’s motion to deny pre-trial release for an Elmhurst man charged with fleeing from police and injuring an officer during his arrest.
Gratas Zvirblis, 21, of the 900 block of Spring Road, appeared in First Appearance Court on Friday, Oct. 25, and was charged with one count of aggravated fleeing and eluding a police officer (a Class 4 felony), one count of resisting a police officer causing injury (a Class 4 felony) and more than a dozen misdemeanor and petty traffic offenses including DUI and leaving the scene of an accident
involving damage to an attended vehicle.
Zvirblis currently has an outstanding warrant for his arrest for aggravated assault and disorderly conduct charges.
On Thursday, Oct. 24, at approximately 9:17 p.m., Lombard police officers responded to a hit-and-run crash on I-88 involving a gray BMW that had allegedly fled the scene and was last seen traveling eastbound on Butterfield Road. An officer located the BMW, allegedly driven by Zvirblis, eastbound on Butterfield Road and Meyers Road. The vehicle was being driven on just one of its rims. It is alleged that Zvirblis failed to stop after officers activated their emergency lights and siren.
Oak Brook police reportedly placed tire deflation devices near Butterfield Road and Midwest Road. Zvirblis allegedly continued to drive after hitting those devices. Accord-
ing to police, he waved one of his hands out the window as he continued to drive.
It is alleged that Zvirblis continued eastbound on Butterfield before turning northbound onto Spring Road in Elmhurst, where he rear-ended another vehicle near Harrison Street, causing damage.
It is further alleged that Zvirblis continued to flee, but then exited his vehicle near his home and began running westbound in the 900 block of Spring Road, between Harrison Street and Van Buren Street. The officer continued pursuing Zvirblis on foot. It is alleged that as Zvirblis attempted to jump over a fence, the officer grabbed him, causing both men to fall to the ground. It is further alleged that Zvirblis resisted the officer’s attempts to handcuff him and that during the struggle, the officer injured his left elbow. It is alleged that when Zvirblis was taken into
Glenbard District 87 students were recently selected for the Illinois Music Education Association’s District IX Honors Music Festivals.
Each student was chosen from the more than 1,000 students across the west suburban area who submitted audition recordings consisting of prepared musical selections and scales.
Chorus: Glenbard East students Grace Boddy, Avery Corral, Serge Dulang, Liv Gómez, Taylor Kowalis, Karli May, and Olive Turner;
Glenbard West presents ‘The Addams Family’
Glenbard West Theatre will present its fall musical, “The Addams Family,” at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 31 through Nov. 2 in the auditorium at Glenbard West High School, 670 Crescent Blvd. in Glen Ellyn. Tickets are $14. Purchase tickets at https://search. seatyourself.biz/webstore/accounts/ glenbardwest/buy-tix.
‘Mollie’s War’ with Cyndee Schaffer at LHS Nov. 9
The Lombard Historical Society presents Cyndee Schaffer and Mollie’s War Saturday, Nov. 9, from 2-3 p.m. Why did an average American woman become a WAC during World War II and place herself in peril? Cyndee uses excerpts from her mother’s letters written home during WWII to provide a romantic yet frightful glimpse into the life of a woman in uniform during this crucial time in history. This event is free but space is limited and requires tickets which are available at lombardhistory.org. For more information, check the website (lombardhistory.org), email info@ lombardhistory.org, or phone 630629-1885.
Glenbard North students: Zakary Krush, Gianna Nascimento; Glenbard South students: Danielle Allaway, Kate Costello, Erin Egan, Allie Rupp, and Riven Wisniewski; and Glenbard West students Paige Brondyke and Cole Lisook.
Treble Chorus: Glenbard East students: Keira Alcantara, Lucia Johnston, Maxine Pascasio, and Allie Piña; Glenbard North students Emma Kedziora and Kate Orozco; Glenbard South students Olivia Abbott and Evi DeLaCruz; Glenbard West student Sophia Kennedy. Band: Glenbard East students Trevor Dunham, Dylan Hagansee, Anthony Macrito, Diana Urquiza, and Aidan Walsh; Glenbard North student Becca Marney; Glenbard South students Sophia Assaf, Grace Bittlingmaier, Abigail Edwards, and
Milo Mufich; and Glenbard West student Simon Ellis.
Orchestra: Glenbard East student Samantha King; Glenbard North student Julianna Easton; Glenbard South students Sarah Goodin, Kaitlyn Haas, Leo Obrill, and Simone Witort; and Glenbard West student
Chloe Kim
Vocal Jazz Ensemble III: Glenbard East students Liv Gómez and Karli May
Vocal Jazz Ensemble II: Glenbard East students Serge Dulang and Erik Vazquez
Vocal Jazz Ensemble I: Glenbard East students Grace Boddy and Olive Turner.
Jazz Ensemble II: Glenbard North student Drake Pope
Jazz Band I: Glenbard East student Axel Capetillo
custody near his home, he had an odor of alcohol, bloodshot eyes and slurred speech.
“The allegations that Mr. Zvirblis not only fled from police in his car and through a residential neighborhood on foot, but then fought with the officer as he was being placed under arrest, causing injury to the officer, are outrageous,” Berlin said. “Equally upsetting is the fact that at the time of his arrest, Mr. Zvirblis was facing an active arrest warrant regarding allegations of aggravated assault following a road rage incident. The type of conduct alleged against Mr. Zvirblis in both these cases will not be tolerated in DuPage County. Again, I urge all motorists, if you see flashing lights behind you, pull over. I thank
the Lombard Police Department for their outstanding efforts on this case and wish the injured officer a full and speedy recovery. I also thank the Elmhurst, Oak Brook and Oakbrook Terrace police departments for their assistance.”
“On behalf of the Lombard Police Department, we would like to thank the Elmhurst, Oak Brook and Oakbrook Terrace police departments for their assistance apprehending this dangerous suspect,” Wirsing said. “We would also like to thank State’s Attorney Bob Berlin and his staff for their assistance.”
Zvirblis’ next court appearance is scheduled for Nov. 18, for arraignment in front of Judge Margaret O’Connell.
By Hannah Meisel CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS
On a hot Tuesday in July 2017, then-Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan met with then-Chicago Ald. Danny Solis at the speaker’s law offices in a high rise building at the heart of downtown Chicago.
The two were preparing for a larger meeting in which Solis, who chaired the City Council’s all-important Zoning Committee, would introduce a pair of real estate developers to Madigan and his longtime law partner to pitch the developers on hiring the speaker’s firm for property tax appeals work for its apartment project in Chicago’s booming West Loop neighborhood.
But little did Madigan know, he’d
already fallen into the FBI’s trap.
Solis was secretly recording the meeting. And on Oct. 21 in a federal courtroom, a jury in the ex-speaker’s corruption trial saw a portion of the video that has for years been teased in legal filings as the feds’ sprawling criminal investigation unfolded around Madigan.
The former speaker, who left office under growing pressure related to the investigation in early 2021, faces 24 counts of racketeering, bribery, extortion and wire fraud. Prosecutors allege he used his political power and various offices—including as a partner in his law firm—as a “criminal enterprise” to protect and enhance his power while enriching himself and his allies.
In the grainy video, played by the Madigan’s defense team as part of opening statements in the long-awaited trial, the speaker’s hands are the first thing that come into view, punctuating his speech as they so often did when Madigan made his rare public appearances in Springfield. When Solis’ body-worn camera settled on the speaker’s face, Madigan was admonishing the alderman not to use the phrase “quid pro quo” as he had in a phone call discussing the project a few weeks earlier.
“You shouldn’t be talking like that,” Madigan said. “You’re just recommending our law firm because if they don’t get a good result on their real estate taxes, the whole project will be in trouble. Which is
779 S. York Street
Elmhurst, IL
630-834 -6700 www.visitationparish.org
Lutheran Church
547 N. Main St., Lombard, IL 60148
630-627-2435
Sunday Worship at 10:15 am
Lent and Easter Services at 7 p.m.
Sunday School & Bible Study 9 am
“The Crucial Hours”
Ladies Bible Fellowship Mondays at 6:30 pm
Second Lenten Service March 9, 2022
Wednesday Service at 7pm
Rev. David Ernest “Satan Has Asked to Sift All of You” Jerusalem Lutheran, Morton Grove Matthew 27:15-26
not good for your ward, so you want high quality representation.”
In her nearly two hours of opening statements, Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Streicker characterized the speaker’s admonishment as giving Solis a “false story”—even though both men knew the developer understood its project approvals from Solis and the Zoning Board were contingent on them hiring the speaker’s law firm.
“Solis had a huge amount of influence over these developers,” Streicker said of Solis’ position as zoning board chair. “Madigan understood this and exploited it to try to get business for his law firm.”
But Madigan’s lawyers sought to recast the exchange in a different light after playing the video in their opening statements. Defense attorney Tom Breen called Madigan a “soft, gentle person,” playing up his preference for quiet exercise of power instead of aggressive confrontation.
“He’s not even confrontational when Solis used the word ‘quid pro quo’ on the phone,” Breen said. “I guess the government thinks Madigan should’ve punched him out or something … No, Mike doesn’t talk that way, he doesn’t act that way.”
Throughout the hours of opening statements, Madigan sat at the head of his defense table in the wood-paneled courtroom wearing a scowl, taking occasional notes on a yellow legal pad.
His expression only lightened briefly when Breen introduced him to the jury, walking behind the former speaker’s chair and patting him on the shoulders.
house lobbyist, solicited from electric utility Commonwealth Edison and telecom giant AT&T in the form of jobs and contracts for his political allies. A jury last year already convicted McClain and three other former ComEd executives and lobbyists for the scheme, while a jury last month deadlocked in a similar, smaller trial of AT&T Illinois’ former president.
Often, the recipients of the jobs and contracts did little to no work for the companies, but Streicker said the companies understood they had to make the hires in order to grease the wheels for their desired legislation in Springfield. In describing this “stream of benefits,” Streicker used the phrase that her fellow prosecutors used in closing statements at last year’s ComEd trial: “Madigan wanted, ComEd gave and ComEd got,” Streicker said. “That’s what the evidence will show”
Expanding the lens beyond ComEd, Streicker said Madigan violated the public’s trust by using his political power to form a criminal enterprise and agreed “over and over and over again to corrupt public office for private gain.”
Breen, for his part, did not seek to refute Streicker’s presentation line by line, but rather insisted that by the end of the trial, the jury’s understanding of the evidence would compel them to acquit—and be “proud” to vote “not guilty.”
Adult Bible Study Wednesdays after Service Everyone is Welcome!
Madigan’s focus never broke during Streicker’s presentation to the jury, outlining alleged bribes he and his co-defendant Mike McClain, a longtime friend and State-
“These are tapes of other people talking,” Breen said of the more than 200 recordings expected to be played at trial. “People may have a motive. But they don’t have authority to speak for Michael Madigan. He doesn’t talk that way, he doesn’t act that way. He’s never made a demand on anyone. If someone is saying he made a demand on someone, that’s bull. Just bull.”
Third Lenten Service 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” Good Shepherd, Downers Grove Matthew 26:18
The History of the Jingle Dress Monday, Nov. 11. at 6 p.m. Kim Sigafus, an Ojibwa author, speaker and Illinois Humanities Road Scholar Speaker, invites you into the world of Native American women and gives a history of the jingle dress, regalia worn for powwows and dancing. Register at helenplum. org or by calling (630) 627-0316.
Fifth Lenten Service March 30, 2022
Rev. Tom Nicholson “They Bound Him” Resurrection, Aurora John 18:12
Weekend Masses: Saturday: 4 PM (Vigil) Sunday: 7:30, 9:30 & 11:30 AM and 6 PM
Daily Masses:
Sixth Lenten Service April 6, 2022
Rev. Phil Schupmann “The Semblance of Legality” Resurrection, Aurora Luke 22:66
Monday—Friday: 6:15 and 8:15 AM Saturday: 8:15 AM
Holiday Plants Wednesday, Nov. 13, at 6:30 p.m. Learn ways to keep flowering holiday plants like poinsettias and amaryllis looking their best long after the season. This program is presented by horticulturist Sharon Yiesla, owner of “Sharon Yiesla, Horticultural Services.” Register at helenplum.org or by calling (630) 627-0316.
Chamber Pop-Up lunch Nov. 8
Confessions: Saturday: 3-3:45PM
Maundy Thursday Communion 7 p.m., April 14
Good Friday Tenebrae 7 p.m., April 15
Easter Sunrise 6:30 a.m., April 17
Adoration:
Pop Up Lunch - Penn Station – Friday, Nov. 8. Penn Station East Coast Subs, 801 E. Butterfield Road, Lombard, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Visit lombardchamber.com for information.
Easter Breakfast 8 a.m., April 17
Easter Festival 10:15 a.m., April 17
Available in Our Lady Mother of the Eucharist Chapel 24/7
Call Brenda at 630-834-4450 or Betty at 630-627-7010
St. Pius X School’s cross-country teams place at IESA
The St. Pius X Parish School girls and boys cross-country teams competed in the 2024 IESA state finals on Saturday, Oct. 19, at Maxwell Park in Normal. The event featured 1,800 runners from 330 schools. The girls team finished second in Class 1A, while the boys team placed seventh.
Comptroller’s office suspending payments to south suburb for delinquent financial reports
Capitol news illinois
Illinoisans can now renew their driver’s license and state ID cards at the grocery store.
The Illinois Secretary of State’s office unveiled this week 15 “DMV kiosks” at Mariano’s, Jewel-Osco and other grocery store locations around the state.
The kiosks, which look like blue ATMs, offer ID renewals and vehicle registration stickers in English and Spanish during this pilot phase, although the office will consider adding services and other languages if the program expands.
“This is a big step in our ongoing effort to modernize the office and enable Illinoisans to obtain more services online and remotely without having to visit a DMV,” Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias said in a news release.
Giannoulias, who took office in early 2023, has launched several programs as part of that modernization push, including adding online services, revamping the secretary of state website and requiring appointments for most driver services.
He also rebranded many of these
offerings to be part of the state’s “DMV” services. For many years under previous Secretary of State Jesse White, the office resisted the use of the phrase DMV, instead using phrases such as “driver services” and “secretary of state facilities.”
There are six kiosks in the city of Chicago, six in the Chicago suburbs and one location each in East Peoria, Springfield and Fairview Heights.
Illinois drivers typically receive a mailing when they need to renew their license or ID with a unique barcode and access number. Those looking to use the kiosks will need that number to use these kiosks.
The kiosk project does not include any new costs to taxpayers, according to Giannoulias’ office, although Intellectual Technology Inc., the company that operates the machines, will collect a $4.95 fee and any applicable credit card processing fees.
Intellectual Technology Inc. operates similar self-service kiosks in 17 other states.
weekly newspaper will be emailed to you every Thursday. The digital version of the newspaper can be read on a computer, laptop or tablet. For an eSubscription, visit rockvalleyenews.com or call 627-7010.
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!
CLUES ACROSS
1. __ Spumante (Italian wine)
5. Highly impressed
11. Pronoun to identify something specific
12. Uttered in an impassioned way
16. Outfits
17. “Westworld” actor Harris
18. Stewed game casserole
19. Indignities inflicted on others
24. Blood type
25. Says beneath one’s breath
26. Taxis
27. Transmits genetic information from DNA to the cytoplasm
28. NFL great Randy
29. Where college students live
30. Brief Yankees sensation
Kevin
31. Condiment
33. -frutti
34. Polish city
38. Astronomy unit of distance
39. Romanian village
40. Bears first overall pick Williams
43. Irritated
44. Clothing for sale has them
45. One-time world power
49. When you anticipate arriving
50. Farm building
51. Organize thoughtfully
53. Detective
54. One who reduces
56. Nursemaids
58. Partner to “Pa”
59. World’s longest river
60. Commemorates
63. Compound
64. The Lannisters and Starks fought for one
65. Email function
CLUES DOWN
1. Open-roofed entrance
Japanese religion
Dancer’s garments
Distributes
Yemeni port
Spanish doctors
7. It cools your house
Engine variant
Makes more manageable 10. Days (Spanish) 13. Milliliter
14. Spread out from
15. With two replaceable hydrogen atoms
20. Respectful title for a man
21. Equally
22. Scarlett’s home
23. Big Blue
27. Subway dwellers
29. One-tenth of a liter
30. Central European river 31. Distress signal 32. Expression of sympathy
Bar bill
Football equipment
Dance music
36. Russian river
37. Mary __, cosmetics
38. Gym class
40. Autos
41. Fourth and honorable name in ancient Rome
42. Defeats (abbr.)
44. A way to color
45. Planet
46. Form of humor
47. Taken without permission
48. Go over again
50. Auto parts manufacturer
51. Detective’s source
52. Home of the Flyers
54. Short official note
55. Emit coherent radiation
57. In the year of Our Lord 61. Atomic #18
62. Not from, but…
Areas
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•
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OPPOSE CHICAGO BAILOUTS
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Find out what a Lasallian education at Montini Catholic is all about! Meet with our administration and faculty, visit our Kazma Innovation Center, classrooms and more. Families will have the opportunity to meet with coaches, student-athletes, club moderators and students involved in our many extracurriculars. REGISTER at: www.montini.org/openhouse
Plan on taking your Placement Test at Montini! Students excelling on our December Placement Test are eligible to receive up to $10,000 towards tuition over four years. (Practice Test - Wednesday, December 4th at 7PM) REGISTER at: www.montini.org/incomingfreshmen
Montini Catholic
A Lasallian College Preparatory High School
Katie (Doll) Hubeny ‘96, Admissions Director 19W070 16th Street • Lombard, IL 60148 630-627-6930 x179 • khubeny@montini.org
Montini runs its winning streak to five games by beating Saint Laurence; the Broncos begin IHSA Class 3A playoffs this week
The Montini Catholic football team completed its regular season with Friday’s 28-3 triumph over Saint Laurence in a Chicago Catholic League (CCL) White Division game in Lombard. The Broncos extended their winning streak to five games with their victory over the Vikings, who dropped to 6-3.
After winning its first two games of the season, Montini suffered two straight losses. The Broncos then won five straight games to close the regular season with an overall record of 7-2.
Montini will open up the IHSA Class 3A playoffs with this Saturday’s first-round contest against Chicago’s North Lawndale Charter School (7-2). The game will start at noon at Knute Rockne Stadium in Chicago.
The Broncos should win their first-round game. They will then likely face undefeated Byron in the second round.
Montini and Byron met in the semifinal round of last season’s IHSA Class 3A playoffs. Byron defeated the Broncos 26-20 in Lombard on its way to winning the 2023 Class 3A state championship.
Montini scored on its first two offensive drives of Friday’s game to take a 14-0 lead by the end of the first quarter. After forcing Saint Laurence to punt on the Vikings’ opening drive, the Broncos’ offensive unit delivered a six-play, 92-yard scoring drive. Sophomore quarterback Israel Abrams fired a 30-yard touchdown pass to junior CJ Harkins to complete the drive and give Montini a 6-0 lead. Senior Owen Berberich made the extra-point kick to move the lead to 7-0 with 6:47 left in the first quarter.
Abrams connected with senior Isaiah Mason on a 27-yard touch-
The Montini Catholic football team ended its regular season with Friday’s 28-3 victory over Saint Laurence in Lombard. The Broncos finished their regular season with a 7-2 record. Sophomore quarterback Israel Abrams completed 21 of 24 pass attempts for 247 yards and three touchdowns in the game. Abrams (No. 7) is pictured (above left) near the goal line during his 1-yard touchdown run in the second quarter. One more photo from the game shows senior Nick Irion (No. 9 - above right), who contributed to the Broncos’ strong defensive effort by making eight tackles. Montini finished its regular season with five consecutive wins. The Broncos will open the IHSA Class 3A post-season with this Saturday’s first-round game against Chicago’s North Lawndale Charter School. The contest will start at noon at Knute Rockne Stadium in Chicago. Montini should win that game. The Broncos would likely face Byron in the second round. One year ago, Byron defeated Montini 26-20 in the semifinal round of the Class 3A playoffs. Byron went on to win the 2023 Class 3A state title with a perfect 14-0 record.
down pass on Montini’s next offensive drive, which covered 56 yards. Berberich added the extra-point kick to push the Broncos’ lead to 14-0 with 2:01 remaining in the opening quarter.
Abrams provided a 1-yard touchdown run with 6:45 left in the second quarter. The extra-point kick from Berberich raised the lead to 21-0. Saint Laurence scored its only points
of the game on a short field-goal kick in the final minute of the first half to cut the Broncos’ lead to 21-3 by halftime.
Abrams launched a 12-yard touchdown pass to Mason with 8:32 to play in the third quarter. The extra-point kick from Berberich extended Montini’s lead to 28-3 and closed out the scoring for the night.
“This was a really good win,” said
Montini coach Mike Bukovsky after Friday’s victory over the Vikings, who are bound for the IHSA Class 4A playoffs. “It puts a great cap on our regular season. We’re playoff ready. We’ve just got to keep on building and keep on getting better every week.”
Abrams completed 21 of 24 pass attempts for 247 yards and three touchdowns in Friday’s victory. Har-
kins provided six receptions for 114 yards and one touchdown. Senior Santino Florio contributed eight receptions for 67 yards. Mason supplied two receptions for 39 yards and two touchdowns. Senior Jeremiah Peterson gained 81 rushing yards on 11 carries.
Junior Isaac Alexander of the Broncos intercepted two Saint Laurence passes during the third quarter.
The Montini Catholic girls volleyball team finished its regular season with last week’s three-game victory over Providence Catholic. The Broncos defeated the visiting Celtics 25-16, 22-25, 25-17 in the Oct. 24 contest. Montini completed its regular season with a record of 13-20. “We’ve come a long way over the course of the season,” said Montini coach Erik Vogt after the team’s win over Providence Catholic. “I think we’re playing our best volleyball right now. I’m pretty excited to see how this senior class finishes out.” Senior Izzie Evenson (No. 10 - bottom left) bashed eight kills and served two aces for the Broncos in last week’s win over the Celtics. Freshman Micaela Haggerty connected for six kills for the Broncos, while senior Sienna Skarda pounded five kills. Junior Francesca Lorenzo supplied five kills and three blocks. Montini held a 17-14 lead in the decisive third game. Providence Catholic won the next three points to even the score at 17-17. The Broncos then called a timeout and proceeded to win the next eight points to close out the match. Skarda served the last seven points of the match, which marked the final Montini home contest for the team’s six seniors. As freshmen, Evenson and Skarda were members of the Broncos’ team that won the 2021 IHSA Class 2A state title. The four other seniors on this year’s team are Jamie Loftus (No. 5-pictured at right while receiving a serve), Autumn Schumerth, Hannah Bushati and Payton Atkins. The Broncos opened the IHSA Class 3A playoffs earlier this week. Montini will likely face Hinsdale South in tonight’s championship match at the Hinsdale South Regional. The winner of that regional will advance to the Saint Laurence Sectional.
Glenbard East starts Class 8A post-season play with this Friday’s home game against Curie
The Glenbard East football team wrapped up its regular season with Friday’s 42-19 Upstate Eight Conference East Division win at Riverside-Brookfield. The Rams, who have won seven straight games, completed their regular season with an overall record of 8-1.
Glenbard East, which won the title in its division with a perfect 6-0 record, is one of four division teams that qualified for the 2024 IHSA post-season. The Rams are playing in the Class 8A level.
Glenbard South, West Chicago
and Fenton also advanced to the playoffs. Each of those three teams finished the regular season with a 6-3 record. West Chicago will compete in the 7A level. Glenbard South and Fenton will play in the Class 6A level. Each of the state’s eight classes in the IHSA’s football playoffs includes 32 teams.
The Rams will open the post-season with this Friday’s home game against Chicago’s Curie Metro High School (5-4). The game will start at 7 p.m. in Lombard. If Glenbard East prevails in the first-round contest, it
will meet either Stevenson or Sandburg in the second round.
Glenbard East senior Amonte Cook scored his team’s first touchdown of Friday’s game at Riverside-Brookfield (which finished its season 4-5 overall and 2-4 in the division). Cook hauled in a 51-yard touchdown reception from junior quarterback Michael Nee less than two minutes into the first quarter.
Senior Chris Renford of the Rams intercepted a pass and raced 77 yards for a touchdown later in the first quarter. Renford scored another
touchdown in the opening quarter on a 46-yard reception from Nee. Glenbard East led the Bulldogs 21-0 at the end of the first quarter.
Junior Lucas Freese delivered an 80-yard touchdown reception in the second quarter. He caught Nee’s pass of about 20 yards and raced down the field and into the end zone.
Nee added a 2-yard touchdown run in the closing seconds of the first half to help the Rams to a 35-0 halftime lead.
Renford’s 2-yard touchdown reception with about seven minutes left
in the third quarter helped the Rams raise their lead to 42-0. That lead of at least 40 points generated a running clock for the rest of the game.
Nee completed 12 of 15 pass attempts for 312 yards and four touchdowns. Cook made four receptions for 94 yards and one touchdown, while Renford snared four receptions for 81 yards and two touchdowns. Freese made one reception—his 80-yard touchdown in the second quarter. Junior Muhammad Musleh hauled in four receptions for 57 yards.
Both teams will run in this Saturday’s Class 1A Lisle Sectional
The Montini Catholic girls and boys cross-country teams competed in Saturday’s IHSA Class 1A regional at Harvest Christian Academy in Elgin. The Broncos’ girls team won the regional title. Montini’s boys team earned a second-place finish. Both teams advanced to this week’s Lisle Sectional. The Broncos’ girls team won the regional title in Elgin with its total score of 64. Regina Dominican (76) finished second, while Harvest Christian Academy (77) placed third.
Montini junior Sydney Gertsen finished second in the regional’s girls race. Junior Ashlynn Lindt of the Broncos ran to a third-place finish. Gertsen completed the 5-kilometer (3.1-mile) race in 18 minutes, 35.98 seconds. Lindt delivered a finishing time of 19 minutes, 22.10 seconds.
Westmont junior Kyla Babb won the regional’s individual title. She finished the race in a first-place time of 18:11.05.
Senior Annalee DeFeo of Montini posted a 15th-place time of 22:01.36. Sophomore Rosie Callaghan (22:10.07) placed 21st for the Broncos.
Freshman Gia Csoke (23:33.07; 40th) completed Montini’s scoring lineup.
Freshmen Kayli Gergen (23:39.71; 42nd) and Amelia Sherman (23:40.87; 44th) also ran for the Broncos at the regional.
Ferris places second in the regional’s boys race
Northridge Prep of Niles won the Harvest Christian Academy Regional’s team title in boys action with its total of 32. Montini compiled a second-place score of 47. Harvest Christian Academy (78) finished third.
Senior Nolan Ferris ran to a second-place finish for the Broncos at the regional. Ferris completed the 5-kilometer race in 16 minutes, 24.41 seconds. He finished less than four seconds behind the regional’s individual champion—Johnsburg freshman Grady Smith—who raced to victory in a winning time of 16:20.68.
Sophomore Nino Pesola (16:31.15) provided a fourth-place finish for the Broncos. Senior Conor Kaefer (17:25.38; 12th), sophomore Gavin Conway (17:32.18; 14th) and sophomore Adriel Garcia (17:36.14; 15th) completed Montini’s scoring lineup.
Junior Sean Buckley (17:52.00; 17th) and sophomore Graham Reiser (18:23.47; 25th) also represented the Broncos at Saturday’s regional.
Montini Catholic High School’s girls and boys cross-country teams competed in Saturday’s IHSA Class 1A regional at Harvest Christian Academy in Elgin. The Broncos’ girls team won the regional championship. Montini earned a second-place finish in the regional’s boys event. Both teams are pictured after the regional races. Montini’s girls and boys teams advanced to this Saturday’s Lisle Sectional, with hopes of qualifying for the IHSA Class 1A state meets. Those Class 1A girls and boys state meets will take place in Peoria’s Detweiller Park on Saturday, Nov. 9.
Glenbard East’s girls cross-country team competed in Saturday’s IHSA Class 3A Lyons Township Regional in Western Springs. The Rams did not advance to this week’s Hinsdale Central Sectional as a team, but two members of the team earned individual sectional berths. Freshman Teigan O’Donnell (No. 634 - left) completed the 5-kilometer (3.1-mile) regional race in a sixth-place time of 19 minutes, 38.72 seconds. Senior Elena Kosorog (No. 632 - right) of the Rams finished in an eighth-place time of 19:54.12. The regional’s top five runners who weren’t members of sectional-qualifying teams advanced to the sectional as individuals. O’Donnell and Kosorog posted the two fastest finishing times of the quintet of regional runners who earned individual berths in the Hinsdale Central Sectional.
Willowbrook will open post-season with this Friday’s Class 7A game at Hononegah
The Willowbrook football team finished its regular season with Friday night’s 44-6 West Suburban Gold Conference victory over Leyden in Northlake. The Warriors ended their regular season with five straight wins. Willowbrook moved to 6-3 overall and 5-1 in the conference with its win over the Eagles.
Downers Grove South won the West Suburban Gold Conference championship with a perfect 6-0 record. The Warriors finished alone in second with their 5-1 conference mark, while Addison Trail placed third with its 4-2 record. Those three teams will all represent the conference in the IHSA post-season. Willowbrook and Addison Trail will both compete in the Class 7A playoffs, while Downers Grove South will battle in the Class 8A level.
The Warriors will open the Class 7A playoffs with this Friday’s game (starting at 7:30 p.m.) at Rockton’s Hononegah High School. The Indians of Hononegah finished their regular season with an 8-1 record. One year ago, Hononegah beat Willowbrook 44-0 in a Class 7A second-round game.
The Warriors led Leyden 10-0 after one quarter and 30-0 at halftime of Friday’s game.
Willowbrook junior quarterback Jahonise Reed threw four touchdown passes in Friday’s contest. Reed connected with senior Jordan Pate on three touchdown passes. Reed also tossed a scoring pass to junior KJ Rhodes. Senior Aidan Kuehl and junior Anthony Leo provided one rushing touchdown each. Senior Dean Romano added a field-goal kick.
Willowbrook’s football team finished its regular season with Friday’s 44-6 West Suburban Gold Conference win at Leyden. The Warriors completed their regular season with five straight victories. Willowbrook went 6-3 overall and 5-1 in conference play. The Warriors finished second to Downers Grove South in the conference standings. The Mustangs posted a perfect 6-0 conference record. Willowbrook junior quarterback Jahonise Reed (No. 11 - above left) threw four touchdown passes in Friday’s win over the Eagles, who ended the season at 4-5 overall and 2-4 in the conference. Senior Jordan Pate (No. 12) provided three touchdown receptions for the Warriors. He is pictured (above right) during his first touchdown reception of the game. Willowbrook senior KJ Rhodes added one touchdown catch. The Warriors clinched an IHSA post-season berth with their victory at Leyden. Willowbrook will open the Class 7A playoffs with this Friday’s first-round game at Rockton’s Hononegah High School. The game will start at 7:30 p.m. The Indians of Hononegah finished their regular season with a record of 8-1. One year ago, Hononegah beat Willowbrook in the second round of the 2023 Class 7A playoffs.
The Willowbrook and Glenbard East boys cross-country teams joined nine other full teams to participate in Saturday’s IHSA Class 3A Lyons Township Regional in Western Springs. Willowbrook finished fourth in the regional’s team standings and advanced to this week’s Hinsdale Central Sectional at Katherine Legge Memorial Park. The Rams ran to a seventh-place finish in the event and did not earn a team berth in the sectional. Two Glenbard East runners, however, did secure individual sectional berths. One photo from Saturday’s regional shows Willowbrook senior Adriano Quintero (No. 695 - left), who delivered his team’s fastest finish. Quintero completed the 5-kilometer (3.1-mile) race in a sixth-place time of 15 minutes, 57.93 seconds. Junior Miteku Branch (No. 689middle) of the Warriors finished in a 15th-place time of 16:29.83. Junior Mason Hephner (No. 621 - right) led the Rams at the regional by posting a 13th-place time of 16:21.06. Hephner and Glenbard East senior Gavin MacDonald (not pictured) claimed individual sectional berths. berths. MacDonald finished the regional race in a 35th-place time of 17:17.71.
What parent doesn’t want that for their kids? Ensure your kids form good habits by stressing the importance of brushing and flossing everyday and seeing their dentist regularly.
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE EIGHTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT DuPage County, Illinois
ESTATE OF RITA FREDRICKSON, DECEASED. CASE NO. 2024PR000479
Notice is given of the death of the abovenamed decedent. Letters of office were issued to Norma Irwin and Sharon Isaacs, of 509 S. Oakland Avenue, Villa Park, IL 60181, as Independent Executors, whose attorney of record is Chris J. Aiello, P.C., of 322 S ARDMORE AVE, VILLA PARK, IL 60181; DuPage County attorney No.: 21072; phone No.: 630-833-1122.
The estate will be administered without court supervision, unless under section 5/28-4 of the Probate Act (Ill. Compiled Stat. 1992, Ch. 755, par. 5/28-4) any interested person terminates independent administration at any time by mailing or delivering a petition to terminate to the clerk.
Claims against the estate may be filed in the office of the DuPage Circuit Court Clerk, 505 N. County Farm Road, Wheaton, Illinois, or with the representative, or both, on or before April 28, 2024, or, if mailing or delivery of a notice from the representative is required by section 5/18-3 of the Probate Act of 1975, the date stated in that notice. Any claim not filed on or before that date is barred. Copies of a claim filed with the clerk must be mailed or delivered by the claimant to the representative and to the attorney within 10 days after it has been filed. E-filing is now mandatory for documents in civil cases with limited exemptions. To e-file, you must first create an account with an e-filing service provider. Visit http://efile. illinoiscourts.gov/service-providers.htm to
learn more and to select a service provider. If you need additional help or have trouble e-filing, visit http://www.illinoiscourts.gov/ FAQ/gethelp.asp.
(Published in the Addison Independent, Bensenville Independent & Villa Park Review Oct. 17, 24 & 31, 2024) 462980
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE EIGHTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT DuPage County, Illinois
ESTATE OF NANCY M. MASTERSON, DECEASED. CASE NO. 2023PR000690
Notice is given of the death of the abovenamed decedent. Letters of office were issued to Charlene M. Masterson, of 807 E. South Broadway, Unit B, Lombard, IL 60148, as Independent Executor, whose attorney of record is Chris J. Aiello, P.C., of 322 S ARDMORE AVE, VILLA PARK, IL 60181; DuPage County attorney No.: 21072; phone No.: 630-833-1122.
The estate will be administered without court supervision, unless under section 5/28-4 of the Probate Act (Ill. Compiled Stat. 1992, Ch. 755, par. 5/28-4) any interested person terminates independent administration at any time by mailing or delivering a petition to terminate to the clerk.
Claims against the estate may be filed in the office of the DuPage Circuit Court Clerk, 505 N. County Farm Road, Wheaton, Illinois, or with the representative, or both, on or before April 28, 2024, or, if mailing or delivery of a notice from the representative is required by section 5/18-3 of the Probate Act of 1975, the date stated in that
notice. Any claim not filed on or before that date is barred. Copies of a claim filed with the clerk must be mailed or delivered by the claimant to the representative and to the attorney within 10 days after it has been filed. E-filing is now mandatory for documents in civil cases with limited exemptions. To e-file, you must first create an account with an e-filing service provider. Visit http://efile. illinoiscourts.gov/service-providers.htm to learn more and to select a service provider. If you need additional help or have trouble e-filing, visit http://www.illinoiscourts.gov/ FAQ/gethelp.asp.
(Published in the Addison Independent, Bensenville Independent & Villa Park Review Oct. 17, 24 & 31, 2024) 462981
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING SCHOOL DISTRICT 2
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a public hearing will be held at 6:30 p.m. local time on November 20, 2024, at the Lifelong Learning Center of the Educational Administration Center, 210 S. Church Road, Bensenville. The hearing will consider a proposed transfer of $5,000,000 from the District’s Education Fund to its Operations
& Maintenance Fund.
Dated this 31st day of October, 2024.
Jacqueline Dye, Secretary BOARD OF EDUCATION SCHOOL DISTRICT 2 COUNTY OF DUPAGE, STATE OF ILLINOIS
(Published in the Addison Independent, Bensenville Independent & Villa Park Review Oct. 31, 2024) 463591
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: Mitchell Kaczmarczyk Case Number 2024MR000624
There will be a court date on my Request to change my name from Mitchell Kaczmarczyk to the new name of Mieczyslaw Kaczmarczyk. The court date will be held: 12/02/2024 at 9:00 at 505 N. County Farm Road, Wheaton, IL in Courtroom 2007.
/s/ Mitchell Kaczmarczyk
Dated 10/7/2024
Candice Adams Clerk of the Circuit Court 8085-947141
(Published in The Lombardian Oct. 17, 24 & 31, 2024) 462736
MECHANIC’S LIEN NOTICE
This notice is to enforce a Mechanic’s Lien pursuant to Chapter 770 ILCS 45/1 et seq., and 90/1 et. seq., against: Robert Heitz, Melissa Heitz, 333 Ridgewood Dr., Bloomingdale, IL 60108. Make, Model and Year: 2006 Lexus IS250. VIN number: JTHCK262662002875, for the amount owed of $1,288.34. A sale will be held at Route 64 Auto Repair, 8 W. North Ave., Villa Park, IL 60181 after 11/28/2024, unless redeemed by owner within 30 days of the date of the first publication of this notice.
(Published in the Addison Independent, Bensenville Independent & Villa Park Review Oct. 31, 2024) 463627
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Memory Gardens 3045 WI-67, Lake Geneva, WI 53147. This is a private sale. Contact Randy, the seller at randy@slpublishers.com.
To complain of discrimination call HUD tollfree at 1-900-669-9777. The toll-free tele phone number for the hearing impaired is 1-800-927-9275. EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY
Senior overcomes an early stumble to win the
in impressive
Senior Amelie Ojeda of Willowbrook High School’s girls cross-country team won the individual title in Saturday’s IHSA Class 3A Lyons Township Regional in Western Springs. Ojeda won the 5-kilometer (3.1-mile) race in convincing fashion, posting a first-place finishing time of 17 minutes, 53.25 seconds. She crossed the finish line nearly 36 seconds ahead of the regional’s second-place runner—Downers
Grove North senior Alayna Todnem (18:29.18).
Ojeda stumbled and fell to the ground in the opening seconds of Saturday morning’s race, which took place in sunny, cool and calm conditions on Lyons Township’s south campus. She immediately rose to her feet after falling in the congested start and quickly built a sizable lead.
The regional’s top six teams advanced to this Saturday’s Class 3A
Hinsdale Central Sectional at Katherine Legge Memorial Park. Ojeda led the Warriors to a fifth-place finish in the regional. Downers Grove North easily won the regional’s team title with its score of 21. The Trojans posted five of the meet’s top seven finishes to earn their 21-point total (2+3+4+5+7). The team’s two other regional runners finished ninth and 10th, respectively.
Mother McAuley (93) placed
Thursday, November 14th 11:30-1:30 pm Enjoy a complimentary lunch & refreshments, meet new friends, and discover what 55+ Active Adult Overture Yorktown’s community has to offer!
second in the regional, while Lyons Township (96) claimed third. Chicago’s Jones College Prep and Willowbrook both posted team scores of 133. Jones won the tiebreaker, which was determined by the finish of the teams’ sixth-place runners. The sixth-fastest finisher from Jones placed 47th in the race, while the Warriors’ sixth-fastest finisher placed 48th. Jones claimed fourth, while Willowbrook earned fifth. Whitney Young (162) secured a sectional berth with its sixth-place finish in the regional.
Willowbrook senior Holly Harris delivered a 25th-place finishing time of 20:56.46 at the regional. Junior Mariangela Popoca of the Warriors earned a 26th-place finish with her time of 21:04.16.
Sophomore Bethany Yurich (21:51.83; 40th) and freshman Juliet Oddo (21:53.38; 41st) completed Willowbrook’s regional scoring lineup. Sophomore Genevieve Kling (22:28.04; 48th) and junior Allyson Stefani (23:29.09; 55th) rounded out the Warriors’ regional competitors.
O’Donnell and Kosorog earn individual sectional berths
Glenbard East’s girls team joined Willowbrook and several other teams to compete in Saturday’s Class 3A Lyons Township Regional. The Rams finished ninth in the event’s
team standings and did not advance to this week’s Hinsdale Central Sectional at Katherine Legge Memorial Park. Two Rams—freshman Teigan O’Donnell and senior Elena Kosorog—earned individual berths in the sectional. O’Donnell completed the regional in a sixth-place time of 19 minutes, 38.72 seconds. Kosorog (19:54.12) ran to an eighth-place finish. The regional’s top five runners who weren’t members of sectional-qualifying teams advanced to the sectional as individuals.
Willowbrook’s boys team will run at this week’s sectional in Hinsdale
The Willowbrook boys cross-country team advanced to the IHSA Class 3A Hinsdale Central Sectional by finishing fourth in Saturday’s Lyons Township Regional.
The regional’s 5-kilometer boys race began at 11 a.m. The girls race started one hour earlier at 10 a.m. Lyons Township’s boys team won the regional title on its home course.
The Lions posted a first-place total of 53 to edge second-place Downers Grove North (57) in the battle for the regional’s team championship. Morton (73) placed third. Willowbrook landed in fourth place with its total of 102. Riverside-Brookfield
See REGIONAL , Page 26
Senior Amelie Ojeda (No. 707 - above left) of the Willowbrook girls cross-country team won the individual title at Saturday’s IHSA Class 3A Lyons Township Regional in Western Springs. Ojeda completed the 5-kilometer (3.1-mile) regional race in a first-place time of 17 minutes, 53.25 seconds. Ojeda stumbled and fell after colliding with one of her teammates in the race’s hectic opening seconds. She quickly rose to her feet and established a decisive lead. “I couldn’t dwell on it,” said Ojeda of the fall at the start of the race. Ojeda, who had never experienced a similar fall during a competition, wound up finishing the race almost 36 seconds ahead of the second-place runner.
One week earlier, on Oct. 19, Ojeda won the West Suburban Gold Conference Meet in even more dominant fashion, finishing nearly two minutes before the second-place competitor crossed the finish line. Ojeda and the Warriors will run in this Saturday’s Hinsdale Central Sectional. One week later, Ojeda should be running at the IHSA Class 3A state meet in Peoria’s Detweiller Park. Ojeda ran to a 37thplace finish in the 2023 Class 3A state meet. “Right now I think I have more in me,” said Ojeda, who is reducing her weekly mileage as the big meet approaches. “I’m still tapering until I hit state. I should hit my peak at state.” Senior Holly Harris (No. 701 - above right) was Willowbrook’s second-fastest runner at the regional. She completed the race in a 25th-place time of 20:56.46.
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GPS program Nov. 7
The GPS Parent Series: Navigating Healthy Families will present “The Price You Pay for College: An Entirely New Road Map for the Biggest Financial Decision Your Family Will Ever Make” with author Ron Lieber at noon and 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 7, via Zoom. Go to the GPS Parent Series website for information and the links to these webinars.
Please share information about these events with friends and relatives.
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.
The fall Village of Lombard blood drive is being held Tuesday, Nov. 12, in the Versiti coach parked by the lower level near Von Maur from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.; and at First Church of Lombard, 220 S. Main St., Lombard, from 1:30-7 p.m. Walk-ins are welcome but appointments are appreciated. Bring a photo ID. Call 800-7TO-GIVE or visit www.versiti.org/IL to schedule.
Symphony concert Nov. 10
The Elmhurst Symphony Orchestra announces an unforgettable concert featuring the timeless masterpieces of Beethoven and Brahms, with a special performance by renowned violinist Rachel Barton Pine. Join us on Nov.10, at 3 p.m. at Elmhurst Christian Reformed Church, 149 W. Brush Hill Road, Elmhurst. For tickets and more information, please visit ElmhurstSymphony. org or call the ESA office at 630-941-0202 (Monday through Friday, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.). To hear the concert pieces ahead of time visit ElmhurstSymphony.org.
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(105) wound up fifth, while Whitney Young (159) claimed sixth.
Senior Adriano Quintero of the Warriors battled to a sixth-place finish at the regional. He completed the race in 15 minutes, 57.93 seconds. Willowbrook junior Miteku Branch (16:29.83) placed 15th, while senior Kasen Blain (16:50.01) and freshman Legend Alka (16:58.47) finished 22nd and 25th, respectively.
Senior Jake Skibbie (17:17.21) placed 34th to complete the Warriors’ scoring lineup. Sophomores Haydn Wolter (17:22.50; 37th) and Ryan
Quinney (17:24.42; 39th) also represented Willowbrook at the regional, which featured 10 full teams in the boys race.
Glenbard East posted a seventh-place total of 175 in the regional’s team competition and did not advance to the Hinsdale Central Sectional. Junior Mason Hephner and senior Gavin MacDonald earned individual sectional berths for the Rams. Hephner ran to a 13thplace finish at the regional, completing the race in 16:21.06. MacDonald (17:17.71) landed in 35th place.
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