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4 on the 4th course mark falls on day of records

It was a record-setting Fourth of July celebration this year at the 19th Elmhurst Running Club 4 on the 4th. Chicago newcomer Chandler Gibbens, 23, set the tone early, breaking away from a strong field in cloudy but humid conditions, and cruising to a four-mile course record of 18 minutes, 52 seconds, a pace of 4:43 per mile.

“ I knew what the course record was going in and I wanted to break it.”

– Chandler Gibbens, Chicago newcomer

Gibbens, a recent graduate and distance running star at Kansas University, had competed in the Olympic trials 10,000 meters 13 days earlier in Eugene, Oregon, finishing 11th. He broke the previous 4 on the 4th record, set in 2021 by Phillip Reid of San Luis Obispo, California by 14 seconds. Gibbens moved

441915

These two little girls, along with their mother, are in the right spirit for the holiday in their beautifully festooned dresses at this year’s 19th annual Elmhurst Running Club’s 4 on the 4th race. The overcast skies on the morning of 4th of July made running more pleasant.

to Chicago less than a week before the race.

“I knew what the course record

was going in and I wanted to break it,” Gibbens said. “This was my first hard effort since the trials so I felt ready to run fast. I was more exhausted afterward than I expected to be, and I think part of that was just some lingering exhaustion from the trip and race in Eugene.”

Marks also fell for total registrants in the four-mile and one-kilometer kids races (1,413) and total finishers in the four-mile (1,160). Participants came from 130 Illinois municipalities and 21 states, also records.

“It was a banner day for the 4 on the 4th and the City of Elmhurst,” race director Bob Richards of the Elmhurst Running Club said.

Men’s runner-up was Jaime Marcos, 25, of Champaign, in 19:19, and third place went to Elmhurst’s Jeff Luka, 19, in 19:34.

Women’s four-mile winner was Margaret Connelly, 32, of Glen Ellyn, in a time of 22:10. She also won the event in 2021.

was third in 23:02.

There were 152 finishers in the Kids 1K (ages 5-12) with Isabella Gutierrez, 11, of Chicago coming in first overall in 3:39. Boys winner was Maksimas Dowdell, 12, of Chicago in 3:43.

Kristin Dailey, 42, of Elmhurst was second overall woman in 22:17 and Britney Romero, 33, of Chicago

The Platinum race sponsor this year was Molex LLC of Lisle. Gold sponsors were Fleet Feet Elmhurst, Calle Cantina restaurant in Hins-

McGrath

and

The events started and finished on Prospect Ave. between Elmhurst University and Wilder Park with the four-mile going through residential neighborhoods and the City Centre. For more results, photos and a listing of all sponsors, go to www.4on4th.run.

DEE LONGFELLOW PHOTOS Elmhurst Independent

The Chicago Area Runners Association (CARA) is always on hand at Elmhurst’s annual 4 on the 4th race.

dale,

Elmhurst Toyota

Pilot Pete’s Coffee and Treats in Elmhurst.

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4 on the 4th race has banner day in Elmhurst

“It was a banner day for the 4 on the 4th and the City of Elmhurst,” race director Bob Richards of the Elmhurst Running Club said. Marks fell for total registration in the 4-mile and 1-kilometer kids races (1,413) and total finishers in the 4-mile race (1,160). Participants came from 130 Illinois municipalities and 21 states, also records. In the race starting photo (above), race winner Chandler Gibbens can be seen at the far right in a red shirt with a white cap on backwards. He is wearing bib #1666.

SUBMITTED PHOTOS Elmhurst Independent

Part of the parade

Villa Park Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 2801 held its annual Independence Day Parade last week. The parade in central Villa Park on the morning of July 4 featured an array of vehicles, including the fire engine that served Elmhurst from 1921 until the 1950s. The engine then spent several years in a private fire apparatus museum in Wisconsin. A private collector in St. Louis purchased the engine in 1995. Elmhurst Firefighters Local 3541 returned the engine to Elmhurst in 2003.

CHRIS FOX PHOTO Elmhurst Independent

Police beat

The Elmhurst Police Department recently reported the following arrests and citations. Persons charged with domestic battery are not named in order to protect the privacy of victims. Readers are reminded that an arrest does not constitute a conviction, and that subjects are considered innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law. Juveniles age 17 or younger are not named.

Criminal damage, trespass to property

July 3

Michael Pape, 42, of La Grange Park, was charged with criminal damage to property in the 200 block of W. Butterfield at 10:18 p.m. Police said Pape was found to have damaged the victim’s door.

June 28

Brittany Robertson, 28, of Lombard, was charged with criminal trespass to property at Maple Tree Court at 11:14 p.m. Police said officers responded to the above location for the report of an unknown subject who had entered the victim’s home. Upon an officer’s arrival, Robertson was located in the victim’s residence, according to police.

Domestic battery, domestic incident, disorderly conduct, disturbance, dispute

June 28

A 33-year-old Elmhurst woman was charged with two counts of domestic battery in the 800 block of Hawthorne at 4:47 p.m. Police said the victims told police the suspect had struck them.

DUI, DUI-drugs,

transportation of open alcohol, possession of open alcohol, consumption of alcohol by a minor

July 4

Diego Pedra Mercado, 28, of Elk Grove Village, was charged with DUI, no valid license, improper lane usage, illegal transportation of alcoholic liquor and no insurance subsequent to a traffic stop near Route 83 and St. Charles at 11:35 p.m.

Jonothan Alex Rivera Salazar, 33, of Bellwood, was charged with DUI, no valid driver’s license and improper lane usage subsequent to a traffic stop near North and Oaklawn at 12:29 a.m.

Fabiola Uribe De Delgado, 45, of Bellwood, was charged with DUI, illegal transportation of alcoholic liquor and improper lane usage subsequent to a traffic stop near Roosevelt and I-294 at 12:37 a.m.

June 29

Edmond Clemons, 50, of Chicago, was charged with possession of open alcohol by a driver, improper lane usage and no insurance subsequent to a traffic stop near St. Charles and Arlington at 10:36 p.m.

Daniel Suarez, 20, of Elmhurst, was issued a citation for consumption of alcohol by a minor near York and Cayuga at 1:28 a.m.

June 28

Raymond Kudra Jr., 58, of Elmhurst, was

charged with DUI in the 500 block of S. York at 5:01 p.m.

George Rojas, 37, of Berkeley, was charged with DUI, driving on the wrong side of the road, improper lane usage and illegal transportation of open alcohol subsequent to a traffic stop near Grand and Church at 11:02 p.m.

Fleeing, eluding

According to information provided last week by the Elmhurst Police Department, police reported one incident of fleeing and eluding during which the driver of a vehicle fled the scene after being stopped for a traffic stop by police.

Harassment, threats

June 29

A complainant at a bank in the 200 block of N. Addison reported that a suspect had verbally harassed her following a confrontation at an ATM.

Identity theft, fraud

According to information provided by the Elmhurst Police Department, police reported seven incidents of identity theft or fraud.

Possession of cannabis in a vehicle

According to information provided last week by the Elmhurst Police Department, police reported four incidents of possession of cannabis by either the driver of a vehicle or a passenger: Jesus Zaragoza, 22, of Chicago, near York and Diversey at 7:35 p.m. July 1; Katherine Suarez, 21, of Chicago, near North and Myrtle at 1:21 a.m. July 2; Isaac Ortiz, 24, of Chicago, near Lake and Walnut at 3:52 a.m. July 3; and Javier Celis, 23, of Franklin Park, near Melrose and North at 8:59 p.m. July 4.

Possession of a controlled substance

June 28

Leslie Vasquez, 31, of Burbank, was charged with possession of a controlled substance, driving while license suspended, no valid registration and no insurance near North and Berteau at 4:31 p.m. According to police, while on patrol, a reporting officer observed a vehicle that was reported stolen. Police said a traffic stop was conducted and Vasquez was found to be operating a vehicle with registration that belonged to a stolen vehicle, driving while license suspended, and in possession of a controlled substance.

Suspicious incident

June 29

According to police, an officer responded to the 300 block of W. Lake at 3:40 p.m. for a

report of a subject who shot a raccoon. Police said Kenneth J. Miller, 74, of Elmhurst, admitted to shooting the raccoon with an air gun and was charged with discharge of an air gun in city limits.

Kayshanda Outlaw, 24, of Zion, was issued citations for speeding, reckless driving, passing a vehicle while on the shoulder, failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident, improper lane usage, damage to a city parkway and no valid driver’s license near Butterfield and Prospect at 3:46 p.m.

Theft, retail theft, burglary, attempted theft or burglary, forgery, deceptive practice, obstruction, robbery

July 4

A victim in the 200 block of N. Highland observed two males wearing hoods and masks walk down his driveway at 5:47 a.m. The suspects fled the scene in a white Alfa Romeo. Multiple items from his truck and garage were stolen. While investigating this burglary, the reporting officer was notified of a related burglary to a motor vehicle in the 300 block of N. Indiana. The driver’s side window of the victim’s vehicle had been broken out; however, nothing of value was taken.

July 3

A victim in the 100 block of N. York told police they received an alert of an attempted use of her credit card. A responding officer went to the suspect’s home and observed the victim’s credit card inside the suspect’s vehicle. The suspect’s vehicle was towed to the police station.

July 2

Jose N. Martinez, 23, of Chicago, was charged with obstructing identification, expired driver’s license (more than one year), no seat belt and no registration displayed subsequent to a traffic stop near Industrial and Larch at 5:35 p.m. Police said Martinez provided an officer with a false date of birth.

Jamie Navarro, 33, of Chicago, was charged with driving while license revoked, obstructing a police officer, possession of cannabis, no valid registration, failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident and no insurance near Route 83 and St. Charles at 6:30 p.m.

A victim in the 500 block of W. North told police that the rear license plate of her vehicle was stolen by an unknown suspect(s) at the above location. The license plate was entered into LEADS as missing.

July 1

A complainant at a store in the 600 block of W. North complainant observed an unknown male suspect concealing merchandise in his pocket and waistband. The suspect checked out but did not pay for all the items. The complainant approached the suspect who admitted to taking unpaid merchandise and left the scene.

June 28-June 29

Police said a victim reported missing jewelry and cash after receiving treatment at Elmhurst Hospital.

June 27-June 28

A victim in the 600 block of W. Lorraine told police that an unknown suspect(s) entered his garage and took property.

June 27

A complainant at a store in the 600 block

of N. York reported two unknown female suspects grabbed two bottles of liquor and exited the store without paying. The female suspects left in an older model vehicle, last seen heading southbound on York Road.

March 8

A complainant at Elmhurst Hospital told police that a laptop issued by Elmhurst Hospital was taken from her office.

Warrant arrest

June 27

Police said that subsequent to a traffic stop in the 200 block of S. Route 83, Wilson Maldonado, 27, of Bensenville, was found to have an active warrant out of the DuPage County Sheriff’s Office. Maldonado was charged with expired registration, improper display of registration and no insurance.

June 28

Police said John M. Montalbano, 41, of Riverside, turned himself in on a warrant on June 28. According to police, a complainant at business reported the suspect fraudulently used the company’s credit card to complete several purchases. This case is pending investigation. Montalbano was charged with identity theft, identity theft over $100,000, theft and theft $100,000-$500,000.

Court grants state’s motion to detain pre-trial Chicago teenager charged with

Elmhurst armed robbery

Suspect allegedly committed armed robbery of victim who offered him a ride to Elmhurst

DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin and Elmhurst Chief of Police Michael McLean announced on Sunday that Judge Jeffrey MacKay granted the state’s motion to deny pre-trial release for a Chicago teenager accused of robbing a man at gunpoint outside an Elmhurst apartment complex. Bennie Gates, 19, appeared in court on Sunday and was charged with one count of armed robbery with a firearm, a Class X felony.

On Friday, July 5, at approximately 7:09 a.m., Elmhurst officers on patrol in the area of Berkley Avenue and St. Charles Road were flagged down by an individual who told the officers he had just been robbed by a man with a gun. The suspect was later identified as Gates. Through the course of their investigation into the matter, officers learned that the victim had offered Gates a ride to Elmhurst for $40 after picking him up from the Greyhound bus station in Chicago.

It is alleged that when the victim dropped Gates off at the Elmhurst Terrace Apartments, Gates exited the vehicle, walked around to the driver’s side, pulled out a handgun from his waist band and told the victim, “You didn’t know I had a gun did you?” It is alleged that he demanded his fare back from the victim and instructed the victim to get his suitcase from the trunk, which he did.

It is further alleged that Gates then left the area, walking east on Fellows Court. Several hours later, while surveilling an apartment where police believed Gates was inside, an Elmhurst detective observed an Uber arrive at the apartment and what appeared to be a female with long hair in a bomber jacket and

Bennie Gates

Two women charged with burglary at Oak Brook Macy’s

Driver of vehicle also faces aggravated fleeing and eluding charges

DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin and Oak Brook Chief of Police Brian Strockis have announced that the court denied the state’s motion to detain pre-trial two Zion women accused of stealing more than $1,400 worth of merchandise from the Oak Brook Macy’s department store, located at 1 Oak Brook Center. Asia Wallace, 32, and Kayshanda Outlaw, 24, appeared in First Appearance Court and were each charged with one count of burglary (Class 2 felony) and one count of retail theft (Class 3 felony). Additionally, Outlaw is charged with one count of aggravated fleeing and eluding a police officer (Class 4 felony).

On June 29 at approximately 3:41 p.m., officers with the Oak Brook Police Department responded to Macy’s at Oak Brook Center for a call of a retail theft in progress. It is alleged

Asia Wallace Kayshanda Outlaw

that Wallace and Outlaw selected numerous items of children’s clothing and exited the store without paying for any of the items. It is alleged that Outlaw exited with merchandise valued at approximately $839.15 and Wallace exited with merchandise valued at approximately $625.50.

It is alleged that both women entered a silver Hyundai Sonata, with Outlaw driving, and attempted to flee the scene. It is further alleged

that when Oak Brook officers used a marked squad car to attempt to block the defendants, Outlaw side-swiped the squad car as she sped to the exit of the parking lot. Officers activated their emergency lights and sirens and initiated pursuit of the defendants northbound on Route 83.

It is further alleged that Outlaw exited Route 83 and continued to flee eastbound on Butterfield Road where she lost control of the vehicle and crashed into another vehicle at Butterfield Road and Prospect Avenue. It is alleged that during the pursuit, Outlaw reached speeds of approximately ninety mph. It is further alleged that after crashing into the other vehicle, both women fled the vehicle on foot but were both taken into custody after a brief foot pursuit. The driver of the impacted vehicle was transported to the hospital with

minor injuries.

“The allegations that in the middle of the afternoon these two defendants stole more than $1,400 worth of merchandise from the Oak Brook Macy’s and then side-swiped a squad car before leading authorities on a highspeed chase are extremely disturbing,” Berlin said. “To make matters worse, it is alleged that Ms. Outlaw not only crashed her car into an innocent motorist’s car, sending the driver to the hospital with minor injuries, but she did so in a largely residential area in front of a school. We are all thankful that the motorist was not seriously injured and that no other innocent motorists or pedestrians were injured or killed. I commend the Oak Brook Police Department for their outstanding efforts that led to the apprehension of the defendants and for their continued work in keeping our

neighborhoods safe.”

“This is another example of criminals having the false belief that there are no consequences for their criminal actions when they flee from the police,” Strockis said. “That may be true in other areas, but it’s certainly not the case in Oak Brook and DuPage County. The fact that this offender attempted to ram a squad car to make good on an escape after committing a burglary just shows her utter disregard for law enforcement and for public safety. I’m grateful that no one was seriously injured in this incident and I would like to thank our officers for their continued efforts in keeping Oak Brook safe and sending a strong message of pro-active policing here in Oak Brook.”

The next court appearance for both women is scheduled for July 29 for arraignment.

Carol Stream man charged in shooting following road rage altercation

DuPage Coun-

ty State’s Attorney Robert Berlin and Carol Stream Chief of Police Don Cummings have announced that Judge Susan Alvarado has granted the state’s motion to detain pre-trial a Carol Stream man accused of shooting another man following a road rage altercation.

Carlos Sanchez, 26, appeared in First Appearance Court and is charged with one count of aggravated battery—discharge of a firearm (Class X felony) and one count of

• Robbery

misdemeanor endangering the health or life of a child.

On June 27 at approximately, at approximately 8:15 p.m., Carol Stream patrol units responded to Lowes Home Improvement, located in the 400 block of W. Army Trail Road, for a report of a person with a gun and a male on the ground.

Upon their arrival, officers located a male on the ground suffering from an apparent gunshot wound to his leg. The victim was immediately transported to a local hospital for medical attention and is in stable condition.

Following an investigation into the shooting, it is alleged that Sanchez and the victim got into a road rage

(Continued from page 6)

a beanie allegedly exit the apartment and get in the Uber.

The detective followed the Uber and effected a traffic stop. Upon making contact with the passenger, the detective identified him as a male wearing a wig. It is alleged that the male, later identified as Gates, ran from the detective, crossing six lanes of traffic. Using a helicopter, K-9 officers and drones, authorities located and apprehended Gates hiding in a nearby detached garage.

“It is alleged that Mr. Gates robbed at gunpoint an innocent man who had just given him a ride back from Chicago,” Berlin said. “It is further alleged that once Mr. Gates became aware that law enforcement was looking for him, he attempted to flee the scene in an Uber while disguised as a woman. Thanks to the vigilance and outstanding, heads-up work of the Elmhurst Police Department, Mr. Gates’ attempt to disguise himself as a woman did not fool anyone. Thankfully, the victim in this case was not injured. I thank the Chicago Police Department for helicopter air support, the Elmhurst Police Department for drone air support as well as the Bloomingdale Police Department, the DuPage County Sheriff’s Office and the West Chicago Police Depart-

ment for K-9 support. I also thank the Villa Park, Oak Brook, Oakbrook Terrace and Addison Police Department for their assistance. The collaborative work of these law enforcement agencies sends the message that in DuPage County we will use every tool available to us to ensure public safety. I also thank Assistant State’s Attorneys Michael Pingaj and Philip Ungar for their work in preparing a strong case against the defendant.”

“This arrest is a testament to the diligence of our police officers, who work tirelessly to protect the community,” McLean said. “The fact this individual remained in hiding for approximately ten hours while detectives maintained watch over the search area demonstrates their unwavering commitment to safeguard Elmhurst from dangerous criminal activity. Thank you to the officers involved in this case for their vigilance and our partners in the community who notified police when they saw suspicious activity in their neighborhood. I also thank State’s Attorney Bob Berlin and his staff for their continued support.”

Gates’ next court appearance is scheduled for July 29, for arraignment in front of Judge Ann Celine O’Hallaren Walsh.

incident near Army Trail Road and Kuhn Road. It is alleged that when the victim entered the Lowes parking lot, Sanchez followed him. It is further alleged that both individuals exited their car and following a verbal and physical altercation, Sanchez pulled out a gun and shot the victim in his leg.

It is alleged that on at least two occasions Sanchez told the victim “I’m going to shoot you.” It is alleged that following the shooting Sanchez fled the scene. It is further alleged that Sanchez’s 6-year-old son was in the car with him at the time. Carol Stream police took Sanchez into custody a short time later from his home without incident.

“It is alleged that following a road

rage incident, Carlos Sanchez followed his victim into a parking lot and after a brief verbal and physical altercation, pulled out a gun and shot his victim in the leg,” Berlin said. “This complete disregard for public safety will not be tolerated. I urge anyone who may find themself involved in a road rage incident to take a deep breath and do not let your emotions get the best of you. Road rage incidents can escalate quickly and lead to violence, as alleged in this case. Thankfully, the victim in this case does not appear to have sustained life-threatening injuries and is expected to recover. I also find it particularly disturbing that Sanchez’s 6-year-old son was allegedly with him the entire time to witness not

only a road rage altercation but also this alleged shooting.”

“Road rage is a serious and growing concern on our streets,” Cummings said. “It endangers lives and creates a hostile environment for all drivers. A moment of anger can have lifelong consequences. In addition to the exceptional job performed by our responding officers and investigators, I would like to thank the Hanover Park, Winfield, Bloomingdale and Darien police departments as well as the DuPage County Forest Preserve Police and the DuPage County Sheriff’s Office for lending resources to effect an arrest.”

Sanchez’s next court appearance is scheduled for July 20 in front of Judge Ann Celine O’Hallaren Walsh.

Court grants state’s motion to detain pre-trial man accused of violently beating girlfriend and kidnapping her at knifepoint

DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin and Bartlett Chief of Police Geoffrey Pretkelis announced that Judge Jeffrey MacKay granted the state’s motion to detain pre-trial a Hoffman Estates man accused of violently beating his girlfriend and kidnapping her at knifepoint.

Christopher Krontiris, 25, appeared at First Appearance Court and is charged with one count of aggravated kidnapping (Class X Felony), one count of home invasion—dangerous weapon (Class X felony) and one count of aggravated domestic battery (Class 2 felony).

On June 29, the victim, a 24-four-year-old female, was reported as missing by her family. Following an investigation into the disappearance, it was learned that the victim and Krontiris were at a bar in Hanover Park when the two of them got into a verbal altercation. Hanover Park police respond -

ed to the altercation at the bar and removed Krontiris from the bar while the victim left and returned to a home in Bartlett where she was housesitting.

It is alleged that when the victim returned to the home in Bartlett, Krontiris, who had let himself into the home through an unlocked door, was waiting for her. It is alleged that once the victim was inside the home, Krontiris physically attacked her. It is alleged that Krontiris pushed her into a wall several times, struck her multiple times, choked her twice and dragged her along the floor of the house causing extensive bruising on the left side of her body.

It is further alleged that Krontiris armed himself with a nine-inch kitchen knife, held it to his victim’s neck and head and cut her on her forehead and back.

It is alleged that after the attack, Krontiris took his victim’s cell phone and forced her at knifepoint into her vehicle which he then drove to Michigan and later to Michigan City, Indiana.

It is alleged that during the incident, Krontiris repeatedly told the

victim that he should kill her and threatened to stab her, rape her, kill her, break her legs, and put her body in a river. Authorities ultimately located Krontiris and his victim in Michigan City, where Krontiris was taken into custody. Krontiris waived extradition from Indiana.

“The allegations against Mr. Krontiris are shocking,” Berlin said. “The violent beating, choking, threatening at knifepoint and abduction, as alleged in this case, of an innocent woman will not be tolerated and will be met with the full force of the law.”

“I want to extend my deepest gratitude to all of the members of the Bartlett Police Department and the other law enforcement agencies who worked together to ensure the victim’s safe return,” Pretkelis said.

“Their unwavering commitment, coordination, and relentless pursuit of justice were instrumental in bringing this investigation to a successful conclusion.”

Krontiris’ next court appearance is scheduled for July 22 in front of Judge Mia McPherson.

Christopher Krontiris

Carlos Sanchez

Viewpoint

Slices of life Young on the inside

A very good friend shared a written message regarding thoughts on aging with me. It was about growing old, but not feeling like you are growing old. It gave me pause to ponder.

Your hair may be graying. Your skin thins and sags. Laugh lines (aka wrinkles) provide evidence of the happiness you’ve experienced. Medical issues may be more prevalent and demand more of your attention than in the past.

All around you, your body shows obvious signs of aging, but inside you’re still the same you— youthful and young.

Isn’t that the truth?

We all grow old, on the outside; but don’t we feel young on the inside?

I know I do.

Do we ever change from that young, energetic spirit that once embodied our bodies into the old, wrinkled self that our bathroom mirror now houses?

I know I don’t want to—or plan to.

Time changes our physical beings. But it doesn’t change all the rest: our character, our sense of humor, our wisdom, our knowledge, our sense of adventure, our free spirit, our sassiness, our love for life, our soul.

We are so much more than the skin on our bones. We are so much more than the cells that make up our bodies. We are so much more than wrinkles and gray hair, sagging jowls and sagging—well, I won’t go there.

Would’t it be cool if there were a mirror that could see us from the inside, as we see ourselves? As we truly feel? As we truly are?

Sigh. There are no magic mirrors.

Our eyes, and our mirrors, are constrained to the visual rules of Mother Earth’s three-or-so dimensions. It’s only when we leapfrog over these facts that we see things not as they physically are, but as they truly are.

All too often, that knowledge comes with the lessons of time. And by the time we learn this, youth has often been spent.

It’s at this point, you look in the mirror and realize the only one who sees who you really are— still—is you, and perhaps (if you are lucky) those who have watched the calendar turn, year after year, with you, alongside you.

Those who have known you

By JILL PERTLER Columnist

– inside and out – for decades. Since band class in junior high. Since sophomore year in high school. Since then, whenever that was, when youth was easy and undeniable and under-appreciated and so very there for the taking. But then, like sands through the hourglass …

Youth fades. Along the way— through the days and months and years and decades—it gives way to time and time creates not only wrinkled skin but the cloak of invisibility. It comes upon us gradually—much like age is said to creep up on us.

In our culture, youth is shiny and bright and very visible. Aging is not. So as the calendar turns over each year and our age number increases by one, we become less youthful and a little less visible to those who merely see what is in front of them.

We don the cloak of invisibility. But perhaps invisibility isn’t so bad. Perhaps it is even under-rated. Perhaps it can be your secret. Our secret.

Because in the end, it doesn’t really matter what the mirror reflects back upon you. It doesn’t matter what other people see, or think they see when they meet you face to face.

Because you know. You. Know. Age is a gift, and in such, this is written in truth. In some regards, increasing age brings with it decreasing visibility within the norms of this physical world. But that is okay. It is more than okay.

The beauty of youth gives way to the beauty of age. And if you learn to see that, really see that, you are truly bestowed.

Growing old is inevitable. Becoming old is a choice. What you see in the mirror is your decision—at any age. And that, my friends, is truly magic.

Jill Pertler is an award-winning syndicated columnist, published playwright and author. Don’t miss a slice; follow the Slices of Life page on Facebook.

After

9

months, state data

begins to detail new pretrial detention system

But

researchers say despite new 75-county data trove, it’s still too early to judge bail reform law

By Jerry Nowicki CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS

Nine months after cash bail ended in Illinois, the state is taking its first steps in publishing the data that crafters of the bail reform law saw as essential to judging its effectiveness.

The data shows that judges in the 75 counties served by the Illinois Supreme Court’s Office of Statewide Pretrial Services had collectively issued failure-to-appear warrants in just 5 percent of more than 28,000 court dates as of Friday. Judges had approved about 63 percent of petitions to detain a defendant pretrial that were sent to them by prosecutors.

The OSPS, launched in 2021 to provide things like pretrial safety assessments and electronic monitoring for 75 of Illinois’ 102 counties, published the data in a new dashboard this week. It represents a key – but still early and incomplete – step in tracking Illinois’ progress as the first state to fully end cash bail through a wide-ranging criminal justice reform known as the SAFE-T Act.

Some state’s attorneys, sheriffs and other law enforcement organizations were staunchly and publicly opposed to the law when it passed – launching several lawsuits that ultimately delayed cash bail’s elimination by nine months. But retired Cook County Judge Cara Smith, who now leads the OSPS, said she believes the data shows everyone is taking their

responsibilities under the SAFE-T Act “very seriously.”

“I think judges and the other stakeholders—everyone, regardless of what their position might have been on the policy behind the SAFE-T Act—that everyone’s doing their job,” she told Capitol News Illinois.

For David Olson, co-director of the Loyola University of Chicago’s Center for Criminal Justice, or CCJ, the data demonstrates the complexities of tracking a reform as large as the SAFE-T Act in a state as geographically diverse as Illinois.

“Everyone wants to know: ‘How’s it going in Illinois?’” Olson said in an interview. “Well, which of the 102 Illinois(es) do you want to hear about? There’s 102 counties, and every one’s a little bit different.”

New pretrial detention system

The SAFE-T Act included a provision known as the Pretrial Fairness Act that ended the use of cash bail in Illinois, meaning a person cannot be jailed while awaiting trial simply because they can’t afford a dollar amount assigned by a judge. After litigation forced a delay in implementing the PFA, cash bail was officially eliminated on Sept. 18, 2023.

It created a replacement system in which prosecutors can petition judges to detain an individual based on the seriousness of the alleged crime and

the defendant’s dangerousness or risk of fleeing prosecution. Before a judge can order detention, the state must prove “by clear and convincing evidence” that the defendant committed the crime, poses a specific threat to a person or the community and that no other pretrial conditions can mitigate the defendant’s risk.

The law also gives defendants a right to legal representation at their first court hearing, with the intention of making hearings more deliberative when an individual’s freedom is at stake as they await a full trial.

OSPS had completed more than 16,600 pretrial investigations since cash bail ended as of Friday, with just over 10,200 of them for defendants accused of a felony. As part of those investigations, the OSPS provides individual reports about a defendant to judges, public defenders and prosecutors prior to a first appearance in court. The investigations usually include an interview with the defendant, a detailed criminal history, employment information and more. The data showed that about 52 percent of cases that were subject to an OSPS pretrial investigation contained at least one offense considered “detainable” under the SAFE-T Act. As of June 28, prosecutors had petitioned the court to detain the defendant in 62 percent of

Council Capsules

Despite emotional outpouring by public, map amendment for 292 S. Arlington approved

By Dee Longfellow FOR THE ELMHURST INDEPENDENT

The following are recent actions taken by the Elmhurst City Council at its meeting held Monday, July 1.

By a vote of 12 yeas, 1 nay and 1 absent, the City Council approved a Map Amendment from R1 Single-Family Residence to RE Resi-

dential Estate at the property known as 292 S. Arlington Ave. This issue brought out several neighbors concerned about the new property owner’s plans to demolish the home, which has stood since the 1800s.

Although it was an emotional topic for those who spoke at public forum, ultimately, the City felt it had

City Clerk clarifies

‘written communication from the public’

Public encouraged to submit letters on meeting agenda items

By Dee Longfellow FOR THE

INDEPENDENT

At the beginning of every City Council meeting, just before public forum, the mayor asks City Clerk Jackie Tamer if there are any written letters from the public.

After Mayor Scott Levin’s request at the July 1 meeting, Tamer took a few minutes to explain what exactly “written communications” refers to and how it is handled through the Clerk’s office. She said she was concerned that some people may have been confused about how it works.

“I just want to make sure that everybody who wants their voices to be heard gets to be heard,” Tamer said. “ ‘Written communications’ is an agenda item that allows the public to submit a letter to the City Council, usually regarding a certain agenda item for a specific council meeting. It’s a way for people to let their aldermen know how they feel about a certain issue. It is also a way to express an opinion without appearing in-person at public forum.”

Most of all, Tamer said, she needs to know to which specific council meeting your letter pertains, and whether or not the submitted letter should be posted on the City’s web

site.

She said in the past, there were a few occasions when something was posted that a resident didn’t want posted; likewise, someone wanted their comments posted and they were not.

“I never want anything like that to happen,” she said, “but most of all, I want to be sure that everyone is heard.”

Citizens are welcome and encouraged to write letters of communication to the City Council on any agenda item. Letters can be submitted to the City Clerk’s office in person or through the City’s web site. Just be sure to put on your communication what meeting it pertains to and if it’s supposed to be posted on the web site—or not.

Letters must be received by the City Clerk by 5 p.m. on the day of the meeting to be included. Levin pointed out that, while 5 p.m. is the deadline, it is best to submit communications earlier.

“If it’s submitted at 5 p.m. and the meeting starts at 7:30, we’re often doing other things and may not always have time to read it thoroughly before the meeting,” he said. “Submitting written communications is better sooner than later.”

to do the right thing, which was to honor the property owner’s rights. The owner plans to erect two single-family dwellings on the site.

Zoning issues

• The DPZ Committee also requested the following in Case 24 P 08: Conditional Use Permit for a Preliminary and Final Planned Unit Development (PUD) for service bay and parts additions; Conditional Use Permit for a Preliminary Planned Unit Development (PUD) for indoor vehicle delivery addition, new front façade, and new signage; one site development allowance to allow the installation of wall signage from ceiling of building overhang; and Conditional Use Permit for Pylon sign at the property commonly known as 300 W. Grand Ave., also known as Honda on Grand.

• The Development, Planning and Zoning (DPZ) Committee requested

a variation from a side-yard setback from 5 feet to 0.67 feet at the property at 370 N. Addison Ave.

• A resolution passed rejecting all construction bids for the Elmhurst History Museum’s planned public performance space. The project was put out to bid and while three bids were received from potential contractors, even the lowest bid came in at more than the budgeted amount. Revised construction dates in the fall will be chosen and a second request for bids will be issued.

Other business

• An extended term agreement was made between MC Squared Energy Services, LLC and the City for electrical power.

• A bid was accepted from the company Perfect Cleaning System, Inc., for the custodial maintenance of parking decks and pedestrian tunnels including the Addison, Adelaide,

Hahn, Larch, and Schiller parking decks; the pedestrian tunnels at North and Myrtle avenues, North and Emroy avenues; and at the METRA station pedestrian tunnel, platform, and grounds. This will be a threeyear contract in an amount not to exceed $156,912.

• Susan Sadowski, Ingrid Becton and William Ryan were reappointed to the Elmhurst Public Library’s Board of Trustees.

• There was a referral to the Finance, Council Affairs & Administrative Services (FCAAS) Committee to consider a program that would provide free or discounted vehicle stickers to veterans, reservists and active-duty residents of the U.S. military.

• A permit was approved for the Jackson Elementary School PTA’s cornhole tournament fundraiser scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 28 from 4-11 p.m.

• Detention

(Continued from page 8)

those cases.

The fact that judges approved 63 percent of those petitions, Smith said, was evidence the system was working.

“If we would have seen 99 percent of detention petitions are granted, that would have been a red flag,” Smith said.

Smith also stressed that the statewide data only tells part of the

story—county- and circuit-level data is just as important. The various circuit courts within OSPS’ jurisdiction had detention petition approval rates ranging from 48 percent to 84 percent as of Friday, though Smith pointed out percentages can be misleading, especially in smaller counties with low case volumes.

Four large counties that are not part

of the OSPS—Cook, DuPage, Kane and McHenry—report some level of pretrial detention data individually.

Detention petitions as of June 28 were granted at a 38 percent rate in Kane County, 41 percent in DuPage and 40 percent in McHenry Cook County, which has the highest volume of cases of any jurisdiction by far, broke down its data further,

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reporting that detention was granted for 61 percent of 93 petitions filed for misdemeanor cases as of June 8, 41 percent of 1,485 domestic violence cases, and 70 percent of 2,641 felony cases.

‘We didn’t see any sort of knee jerk’ Judges as of June 28 had issued failure-to-appear warrants in only 5 percent of 28,416 court dates in the 75 OSPS counties since cash bail was eliminated. But Olson, whose CCJ has been studying pretrial detention since before the SAFE-T Act’s passage, cautioned that those numbers could increase, as failure-to-appear warrants are most accurately accounted for once a case has concluded.

subject to an OSPS investigation— and not those whom an officer has simply cited and released.

Olson pointed to one example of how the numbers can be skewed in any individual county based on its practices. He said Loyola CCJ researchers were told by officials in southern Illinois’ Williamson County that all arrestees are held in jail at least overnight prior to appearing before a judge. As a result, the OSPS conducted investigations on all of those individuals, even if their offense was low-level. Thus, only 36 percent of individuals subject to an investigation in that county were detainable, per the dashboard.

“The (failure to appear) rates will likely increase as more of these cases have more time to have hearings missed,” Olson said.

However, both Smith and Olson also noted the number is likely driven downward by the SAFE-T Act’s instruction to judges not to rely on such warrants as a first remedy for a non-appearance.

“And really, the reason for that is a lot of defendants previously who had warrants issued just, basically, they forgot about court,” Olson said.

In neighboring Franklin County, meanwhile, Olson said officials reported they jail only those individuals they believe are detainable, resulting in 59 percent of investigated cases containing a detainable offense.

There’s also a lot of county-tocounty variance on the percentage of detention petitions granted, Olson added.

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Fourth Lenten Service March 23, 2022

Other means of assuring a defendant’s appearance in court, Smith said, include simply sending text message reminders.

“And it really illustrates what we suspect is going to happen, and that’s there’s going to be a lot of variation from circuit to circuit and county to county, just based on local practices, priorities, discretion that’s given to prosecutors and who they seek to detain,” he said.

‘So has it increased crime?’

Rev. Jonathan Bergemann “I Will Keep the Passover” Good Shepherd, Downers Grove Matthew 26:18

Fifth Lenten Service March 30, 2022

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“We send about 200 court date text message reminders a day,” she said. “So that has been shown—just like it is when we get a haircut or have a doctor’s appointment—to be an effective way of keeping important appointments at the forefront of people’s minds.”

Another major function of the OSPS is to oversee electronic monitoring of individuals subject to home confinement in its 75 counties from a centralized location in Springfield. The OSPS now absorbs the cost of electronic monitoring – which, in many counties, was previously passed on to defendants.

Smith said OSPS has plans to add electronic monitoring data to a future version of its dashboard, and she added the agency has enrolled about 1,100 people in electronic monitoring.

While both Smith and Olson said the dashboard is just an early step in the data-gathering process, Olson added there’s a lot more information to be gathered in the coming years before the end of cash bail can be fully evaluated.

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142 E. Third St. Elmhurst, IL ImmanuelElmhurst.org 630-832-1649

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“I was very afraid of an explosion in the use of electronic monitoring after Sept. 18,” Smith said. “We have not seen that. The program has steadily grown, but it’s grown sort of organically … we didn’t see any sort of knee jerk.”

Olson echoed that point, noting that the OSPS made electronic monitoring—and pretrial services in general—available in counties where it was never previously an option. But some counties may be reluctant to order electronic monitoring even though it is free to them, he said, because they’d have to expend potentially sparse personnel resources to enforce it.

‘A lot of variation’

While the OSPS data is useful in understanding how certain counties are handling pretrial detention in addition to examining broader trends, Olson said, it further demonstrates the disparities across jurisdictions.

The detainability data specifically applies to individuals who have been

“I think that the biggest question people are going to want to know is, ‘So has this increased crime?’” he said. “That’s still too early to know.” Olson added that it’s important to differentiate between longstanding cyclical crime increases—such as more crime occurring in warmer weather—and actual effects of the policy. He also advised against extrapolating judgments about the system from any single instance of an individual being released from custody and going on to reoffend— because that also happened under cash bail.

“It’s still too early to say empirically, but there will likely be plenty of folks that talk about it anecdotally,” he said of cash bail’s effectiveness.

Olson’s CCJ also noted the law has had its intended effect of adding scrutiny to decisions affecting an individual’s liberty.

Bail hearings generally lasted about 4-6 minutes in four counties observed by the CCJ prior to Pretrial Fairness Act, according to a March CCJ report After it passed, observed pretrial hearings averaged about 4-7 minutes – except in cases when detention was requested. Those hearings had median lengths of 10-30 minutes, with some lasting nearly an hour.

“That’s actually one of the positive things that we’ve we found is everybody in the courtroom, including the defendant, knows exactly why the judge is reaching the decision,” he said.

Meet Diane Kilcommons, Center Director of Huntington of Elmhurst

Huntington Learning Center helps every student become the best academic version of him/ herself. Diane Kilcommons has a master’s degree in education and has taught for 40 years, including home educating her four children. Diane and her husband, Mark, have owned Huntington Learning Center for the past fourteen years. Huntington Learning Center helps children improve their foundational skills in reading, writing, spelling, math, study skills, and phonics. They also help students prepare for college with their individualized ACT/SAT programs. Higher test scores mean more opportunities.

Many students have not become efficient learners due to the challenges they have experienced in their educational journeys. Huntington Learning Center helps every student become the best academic version of him/herself. When our students master skills, the direct result is higher confidence and motivation for learning.

LEARNING LOSS HUNTINGTON ADVANTAGE!

Besides managing a learning center, Diane was very active in raising her children. Her oldest daughter, Lauren, has a master’s degree from Loyola and is a school psychologist in the Denver public school system. Her second daughter, Julia has a master’s degree in nursing from DePaul and is a nurse practitioner in the western suburbs. Diane‘s youngest, twin sons, Patrick and John were able to benefit greatly by attending Huntington Learning Center themselves. Pat and John graduated from Dartmouth College and are gainfully employed on the West Coast.

Our Huntington Advantage program is tailored to your student’s needs and designed to

their

confidence and

No two programs are alike, but every program is intended to give students an edge—the Huntington Advantage goes beyond the basics to get your

From left to right: Patrick, Lauren, Mark, Diane, Julia, Dan, and John Kilcommons.

FAMILY OWNED & OPERATED BUSINESSES

Honored To Be Elmhurst Chamber of Commerce Business of the Year for 2023

At Alan Energy Services Air Conditioning and Heating Company, we do things differently. As a family owned and operated third generation business, we devote more time and attention to each customer and every job. Alan Energy Services on Spring Road in Elmhurst is headed by Eric Weech. Through his leadership, we place a high value on the relationships we have with our customers, and we pride ourselves on customizing different options to fit each person’s unique needs so they can enjoy optimum comfort.

When Eric is not working, he and his wife Tammy enjoy their kids and grandkids, often hosting gatherings in their backyard. They are grandparents to 6 grandkids and you can often see them partaking in Spring Road events. In addition, Eric loves dogs and prefers rescuing his pets from local animal rescue organizations. In 2022, Eric rescued Hope, his black Labrador retriever, but he would say that Hope rescued him by bringing so much love and joy to his family. Furthermore, for the past 12 years, Eric and Tammy have hosted three baseball players from the Schaumburg Boomers minor league baseball team and attend 99% of the home games to cheer them on to victory.

Eric firmly believes it is important to be involved in the community you serve. He is a member of the Elmhurst Chamber of Commerce and the President of the Spring Road Business Association (SRBA). As a member of the SRBA, Eric is a big supporter of all the events on Spring Road. Eric and Tammy organize Winter Fest, participate in the St. Patrick’s Parade, volunteer at the Pet Parade and sponsor the concerts in the park, ”Music at the Gazebo” series on Spring Road.

As we celebrate 75 years of helping homeowners, we are here for anyone in Elmhurst and the surrounding areas that are looking for higher quality service, meticulous craftsmanship, top-of-the- line HVAC and air quality systems with exceptional value. It’s common for us to enjoy 30+ year relationships with clients. The key to Eric’s success for the past 42 years is his business philosophy: Do what you say when you say you’re going to do it. Always offer a fair value to your clients. And if a hiccup happens along the way--just handle it for the client. Eric instills these same values into the company’s employees. No gimmicks, just great service and fair pricing you can count on!

•

•

G.M. SMITH & SON REALTORS was the 1st real estate office to open in Villa Park, established in 1920. We are a family owned business with the experience, knowledge and dedication needed to provide you the results you want when buying and selling real estate. We are in our 4th generation and continue to provide the same honest and professional service that we have since 1920. If you are looking to make a move call the real estate office with 104 years of experience.!

As Edward Jones advisors, we believe it’s important for us to understand the goals you’re working to achieve. We partner with you and work together to help with planning for retirement, life insurance and annuities, college savings, estate planning or preparing for the unexpected. We can closely monitor your progress to help you stay on track and respond to life changes or unforeseen changes along the way. Throughout your financial journey we’re dedicated to providing you with hands on, customized client service.

Mark Miceli is a graduate of Elmhurst University and Keller Graduate School of Management. Mark and his wife Linette have been married for 37 years and reside in Villa Park. He has 3 adult boys, 2 grandchildren and one on the way. He is passionate about providing the best service possible for his clients in financial planning.

Matthew Miceli joined his father in the business in 2022 after over 10 years in Healthcare Management. He is married and the father of two young children. Matt is dedicated in helping young families plan now to protect their future, as well as those in or near retirement manage their wealth and income needs.

Both Mark and Matt are avid golfers and serious hockey enthusiasts.

Feel free to stop by and meet Mark or Matthew Miceli in their Elmhurst office at: 112A S. York Rd., Elmhurst, IL 60126 Office: 630-530-2422

S. Villa Ave.

Not valid with any other offer. Expires 8/31/2024

Patrick and Jennifer Wagner continue the

legacy of K&T Colors in Elmhurst

K&T Colors has a long Elmhurst history. It came to Elmhurst as “Art’s Colors”, a second location of a paint and wallpaper store. When Kay and Ted took over the ownership, K&T Colors was born and custom picture framing and art supplies were added. That store was located at York St. and Butterfield for 25 years. Maryann Gorski and her parents Ed and Loretta Kalina bought K&T Colors in 1986 and relocated it to the current location, 568 S. York Street. As picture framing and the selection of art materials increased, they made a decision to concentrate only on Custom Framing and Artist Supplies.

In 2010, K&T doubled the size of the store and acquired a totally updated new look. They expanded to offer many selections of frame choices for any prints, canvas paintings or pictures large and small. These services are still available for their customers today.

In June 2019, Jennifer and Patrick Wagner bought K&T Colors from Maryann and Loretta. Jen and Pat are both lifelong residents of Elmhurst. Where they have raised their four daughters and continue to watch their family grow with the addition of 2 Grandchildren. They are very excited about keeping K&T just as it is and continue K&T’s legacy of safekeeping memories.

Lezza is celebrating 9 years in Elmhurst and 119 years in Chicagoland. It all started with a very special spumoni created and lovingly produced by Lezza Spumoni & Dessert, Inc. The origin of this spumoni is Naples, Italy and the recipe came to Chicago’s West Side with Salvatore Lezza in 1905. The recipe has been in the family for over a century.

Salvatore handed down the secret of genuine spumoni to his son Victor. Today, third and fourth generations of the Lezza family--the founder’s grandson Edward, and great grandson Louis -- successfully run the company with that same old world flair. Now, over 100 years and 4 generations later, one thing that has stayed the same is the love and quality that has been put into all of their products from the very beginning.

The secret of spumoni wasn’t the only masterpiece passed down through the generations. Hundreds of recipes have been preserved and perfected keeping the Lezza tradition alive and flourishing. Quality is the key characteristic of Lezza Spumoni & Desserts and it’s fully visible in every product they create. See for yourself.

The Lezza family is proud to be a part of the Elmhurst community and providing their fine Italian desserts, Gelato and Italian ice. Be sure to stop by after hours for a scoop of your favorite Italian ice.

Two Brothers from Italy Ristorante & Pizzeria

In the heart of downtown Elmhurst, Two Brothers from Italy Ristorante & Pizzeria continues to carry on the rich tradition of Italian cuisine since it opened its doors. In 1976, Angelo Battaglia and his wife, Rosalia, purchased an Elmhurst storefront to start their restaurant. Serving up authentic Italian dishes and pizza that is beyond praise, this little “ma and pa” restaurant became a quick neighborhood favorite and has since quadrupled in size. Now in its 48th year of business, the family restaurant is run by Angelo’s daughter, Joanne and her husband, Sam. “We still are using those favorite recipes from 48 years ago,” Joanne states.

Visit Two Brothers for a relaxing meal. Start off with a glass of wine or one of our signature cocktails, and you’ll quickly forget about a rough workday. Next, enjoy our food! We make classic Italian appetizers such as Bruschetta and Fried Calamari and our entrees can be cooked in the styles Parmigiana, Piccata, and Marsala. We also have seafood and sandwiches. For pasta lovers, select from 1 of 10 pasta noodle options and a variety of different sauces.

Craving some delicious pizza? Make it a family pizza night out at Two Brothers. Choose from thin crust, pan pizza, or stuffed pizza with 29 different topping options to satisfy everyone’s cravings. Everything is homemade.

Carry out, Delivery & Catering Available 630-833-0414 or 630-833-0415

THURSDAY, JULY 11, 2024

Bring your lawn chair or blanket and enjoy an evening of musical entertainment as the sun sets for the day!

We have, Yuriy’s Klezmer Band & Chorus of DuPage play tonight! Enjoy Eastern European folk music plus acapella singers.

NEXT CONCERT IS JULY 18TH

We have music by Karla & The Phat Cats. Enjoy their soulful renditions of pop and rock music, along with original songs.

alcoholic beverages in the park is not permitted per Elmhurst Park District policy. * For more information go to:

New legislation to improve license process for immigrant drivers

Change will make Illinois roads safer and reduce stigma and discrimination

Undocumented immigrants living in Illinois can now apply for standard driver’s licenses thanks to a new law championed by Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias aimed at making Illinois roads safer and eliminating instances of discrimination.

Illinois lawmakers passed legislation in 2023, which takes effect on July 1, replacing Temporary Visitor Driver’s Licenses (TVDLs) with four-year standard driver’s licenses that have the wording “Federal Limits Apply” printed on them.

Immigrants who have current TVDLs cannot use them for identification, making it difficult to perform routine tasks like filling prescriptions, opening a bank account or applying for an apartment. In addition, TVDLs include the wording

“Not Valid for Identification” and a purple-colored banner signaling that the holder is undocumented—even though many have lawful status— which can lead to discrimination. As a result, many motorists have opted not to obtain a license and drive illegally without insurance.

“This is an important step forward in reducing the stigma that our immigrant population is forced to face,” Giannoulias said. “It will also make our roads safer by ensuring that more motorists can legally drive—having to pass written and behind-the-wheel driving tests and show proof of insurance—like all other licensed Illinois drivers.”

House Bill 3882 was sponsored by state Rep. Barbara Hernandez (50th District – Aurora) and state Sen. Ram Villivalam (8th District – Chicago).

“At a time in which anti-immigrant attitudes are regrettably growing in this country, allowing non-citizens to use standard IDs removes an unnecessary and demeaning distinction which too often leads to discrimination against people new to our communities,” said Hernandez. “This is a major step forward for the equity of non-citizens in Illinois.”

“Starting today [July 1], immigrant families will no longer face restricted access to basic services and endure the stigma associated with the TVDL purple banner,” said Villivalam. “Offering standard driver’s licenses to these individuals prevents discrimination while keeping our roads and communities safe.”

“My constituents will no longer have to live with the stigma of having a Temporary Visitor Driver’s License and will be less vulnerable to discrimination because of their status,” said U.S. Rep. Jesús “Chuy” García (4th District). “Laws like this show why Illinois is a welcoming state, make our roads safer, and create more equitable systems for all.”

“Thank you Secretary Giannoulias for your leadership in getting this driver’s license legislation passed last year, and ensuring that this new law is being implemented promptly,” said Fred Tsao, Senior Policy Council for the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant Rights (ICIRR). “We look forward to continuing to work with you to enable qualifying Illinois motorists to quickly and easily get a standard license – the same license that millions of other Illinois resi-

dents have and use every day.”

Giannoulias is encouraging current TVDL cardholders to “Be the First” to make the switch to a standard driver’s license. Applicants seeking to re-

new or replace their existing TVDLs can apply online at www.ilsos.gov/ TVDL or visit a DMV facility. Firsttime applicants must visit a DMV facility to present the required doc-

uments. Applicants must follow the same process as applying for a TVDL. Those eligible for a standard driver’s license must have lived in Illinois for

more than a year and provide a passport or a consular card, proof of residency and proof of insurance. Appli-

See DRIVERS, Page 19

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Sport S

York girls lacrosse players Daniel and Specht named all-state

Dukes ranked in top five in state for fourth year in a row

By Mike Miazga CORRESPONDENT

The York girls lacrosse team’s success this spring spilled over into the postseason awards category. Dukes standouts Elizabeth Specht and Hayden Daniel earned all-state honors, while Specht and Daniel were joined on the all-sectional team by teammates Bricelyn Daniel and Kayla Mirante. York finished the 2024 season 16-3 overall and went 5-1 in West Suburban Conference play, finishing second.

The WSC honors were abundant for the Dukes with seven players — Specht, Mirante, Bricelyn Daniel, Hayden Daniel, Maggie Rennick and Sophia Kogan — earning all-conference accolades. York also enjoyed great playoff success once again, defeating Hampshire 19-3, Montini 9-6 and Downers Grove North 16-7. The win over Downers North gave York a sectional title and a final-eight finish in the state.The Dukes lost 12-6 to Hinsdale Central in the supersectional round of the state playoffs.

York also ranked in the top five in the state for a fourth year in a row. The Dukes’ only losses this season were to Hinsdale Central (twice, 12-8 and 12-6) and St. Ignatius (1110 loss). Hinsdale Central went on to finish third in the state. “Our defense and goaltending came a long way since the start of the season,” York coach Ryan Walz said. “We knew these were areas we had to focus on and the girls really put in the work to get better and they were a key to our success late in the season.”

SUBMITTED PHOTOS Elmhurst Independent York junior middie-attacker Bricelyn Daniel had 37 goals and 25 assists and earned all-sectional and all-West Suburban Conference honors. Daniel’s efforts helped York win a sectional title and earn a berth as one of the final eight teams in the state (supersectional round).

Statistically, Specht and Hayden Daniel led the team in scoring. Specht, a sophomore, finished the season with 66 goals, 47 assists and 113 points. Hayden Daniel, also a 10th-grader this past season, ended with 59 goals and 28 assists for 87 points. Junior Bricelyn Daiel finished with 37 goals and 25 assists (62 points), while sophomore Morgan Navarre had 34 goals and 22 assists (56 points). Mirante, yet another sophomore, had 33 goals and 13 assists (46 points). Junior Sarah Marek had 12 goals and nine assists, while senior Carly Palermo had seven goals and 12 assists. Specht also led the team in groundballs with 62

and was tops in caused turnovers with 18. Hayden Daniel had 27 groundballs and 13 caused turnovers, while Navarre had 31 groundballs. Bricelyn Daniel had 23 groundballs. Marek had 16 groundballs and senior Sophia Kogan had 13 groundballs. Hayden Daniel led York with 108 draw controls and also was credited with 137 draw wins. York’s sophomore goalie duo of Hallas Jasani and Lola Finke combined for a 5.9 goals-against average. Jasani averaged 5.00 goals against and made 37 saves, while Finke had a 7.00 goals against average and made 44 saves.

“We were very resilient on the field,” Walz said. “We had a great group of players that seemed to really get along this year. We focused on a lot of team bonding from the start of the season and I feel like it paid off in the end.”

York sophomore middie Hayden Daniel scored 59 goals and added 28 assists on her way to an all-state girls lacrosse selection this past season. Daniel helped York to a 16-3 mark and a top-five ranking for a fourth year in a row.

Kerrigan steps down from IC Catholic Prep girls volleyball coaching position Alum recorded 244 wins, led 2022 and 2023 teams to pair of Class 2A state runner-up finishes

By Mike Miazga

One of IC Catholic Prep’s alltime coaching greats is calling it a day. Knights girls volleyball coach Nancy Kerrigan, an alum and standout volleyball player at the school, announced July 2 she is stepping down from the position after more than two decades as a coach in the program, the last 10 as its head coach.

“IC volleyball has been an integral part of my life journey, affording me the privilege to collaborate with exceptional coaches, many of whom I’ve had the honor to mentor as program alumni,” Kerrigan said. “Coaching and guiding more than 500 student-athletes has been incredibly rewarding, witnessing their subsequent successes in various

facets of life. Hearing from former players each year and learning how their experiences in the program have shaped their lives and aspirations, reaffirms the value of the sacrifices I have made as a coach.”

Kerrigan said a number of factors led to her decision to step away. “The landscape that drives youth and high school sports has certainly evolved over the years,” she explained. “Each year, I try to thoughtfully and carefully consider how these changes impact my ability to coach in an environment that aligns with my fundamental beliefs. I then evaluate if the shifting demands are equitable to the substantial effort required to lead a successful program. There were several reasons that have contributed to my decision, and in the end, I have de-

termined these reasons outweigh the sacrifices I have to make in order to continue to lead the girls volleyball program at IC Catholic Prep. I have decided now is the time to return my focus to the things that bring me the post fulfillment — my children, my partner, family, friends, travel and continued professional growth.”

According to Illinois High School Association records, Kerrigan sported a 244-111 mark in 10 seasons as the Knights’ head coach. Her 2022 and 2023 teams finished second in Class 2A, while her 2014 team reached a Class 2A supersectional. Kerrigan’s 2021, 2019, 2018 and 2016 teams won sectional titles, while her 2020 and 2022 teams won Metro Suburban Conference titles.

Kerrigan, a 1985 IC graduate and an inductee into the school’s athletic

hall of fame for her volleyball, basketball and track accomplishments, was an assistant coach on ICCP’s 2013 Class 2A state title team and was an assistant coach under Field from 2002 through 2013 before taking over the program in 2014.

Kerrigan heaped praise on retired legendary ICCP girls volleyball coach Jean Field for whom she played for and later coached with at the school. “I owe much to my mentor Jean Field and the invaluable lessons learned from my former IC teammates and coaches,” she said. “Beyond scores and accolades, it’s the relationships and camaraderie cultivated during my time at IC that hold the most significance.”

Kerrigan thanked her children Delaney (2014 graduate of ICCP who went on to play college volley-

ball at NCAA Division I St. John’s New York) and Devin, “for supporting me while I pursued my passion and for all the sacrifices that they have had to make throughout this journey.”

Kerrigan said her intention is to take a year “to refocus on these things before I consider seeking other coaching opportunities that align more closely with my knowledge, experience and fundamental beliefs,” she said. “I am grateful to all who have positively supported the culture of the IC volleyball program, a foundation that has guided so many gifted young women for more than 40 years.”

Kerrigan’s last three teams at ICCP won 30 or more matches (9914) and seven teams won 20 or more matches.

The York girls lacrosse team finished the 2024 season 16-3 overall and advanced all the way to an IHSA supersectional game (final eight teams in the state). The Dukes also took second in the West Suburban Conference with a 5-1 mark.

First mosquitoes test positive for West Nile Virus in DuPage County

IC Catholic Prep graduate

The DuPage County Health Department (DCHD) has confirmed the first mosquito batches to test positive for West Nile virus (WNV) this year in DuPage County.

health officials encourage residents to take steps to protect themselves from mosquito bites and the risk of contracting WNV.

tice the “4 Ds of Defense”:

Leslie headed to Le Moyne

Will play volleyball for Division II school

The first WNV-positive pools of mosquitoes were collected in Bartlett on June 18 and then in Wood Dale on June 27. Now that WNV-positive mosquitos have been identified for the first time this season, county

By Mike Miazga

CORRESPONDENT

I feel like I would be so bored without it because it has been such a big part of my life.”

This year, there have been no reported human cases of WNV in DuPage County to date. However, the identification of positive mosquito pools is associated with an increased risk of WNV in people.

Leslie said she has plenty of memories from IC Catholic Prep’s coach Nancy Kerrigan’s program.

To fight the bite this summer, prac-

• Drain: Drain those items that collect standing water around your home, yard, or business. Scrub and refill pet water dishes and birdbaths regularly.

• Defend: Use an insect repellent containing DEET when outdoors and reapply according to directions.

• Dress: Wear long pants, long sleeves, and closed-toe shoes to cov-

er the skin when outside.

• Dusk to dawn: Wear EPA-registered insect repellent outdoors during these prime times for mosquito activity.

DCHD’s Personal Protection Index (PPI) provides residents with a real-time snapshot of WNV activity in the county, which ranges from zero to three, zero meaning there is no risk, and three announcing a high

level of risk with multiple confirmed human cases of WNV.

DCHD recently announced the PPI is moving from risk level zero to risk level one—Drain and Defend. The Health Department monitors WNV activity by collecting and testing mosquitoes in traps located throughout the county. The PPI widget is updated by 3 p.m. each Wednesday throughout the WNV season.

Newly hatched Humboldt penguin thriving at Brookfield Zoo

Recent IC Catholic Prep graduate Bella Leslie wanted to head east for college.

A Humboldt penguin chick hatched at Brookfield Zoo Chicago on May 28 is thriving thanks to the care of a veteran pair of penguin foster parents.

Her landing spot ended up being at NCAA Division II Le Moyne College where the former Knights volleyball and soccer standout will continue her volleyball career at the Syracuse, New York school as libero.

In a true example that “it takes a village,” Brookfield Zoo Chicago penguins, Divot and Rosie, incubated the egg and cared for the chick after it hatched. The egg, originally laid at Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, was transferred to Brookfield Zoo Chicago in a specially designed incubator last month after the Ohio zoo’s care team removed the egg to be placed with suitable foster penguin parents.

• Drivers

strative of the extent zoos go to in order to save vulnerable and endangered species. Divot and Rosie were chosen as surrogates given their track record of successfully raising their own chicks in 2021 and 2022 as well as fostering another pair’s chick in 2023.

lessly adopted the new egg upon its arrival.”

The collaborative effort is demon-

“I loved playing there,” she said. “I probably enjoyed school volleyball more than club because I love my team and the coaching staff was very supportive on and off the court. It made it a really good environment to be in. Coach (Kerrigan) was great. I have known her for a while. When I was little, I did all the little kids camps, and her daughter was in my brother’s grade at IC.”

“In preparation for the egg’s arrival, Divot and Rosie were offered artificial eggs to incubate, a method used to acclimate them to the task of fostering since penguins cannot distinguish between their eggs and others,” said Cody Hickman, associate director of avian conservation and care at Brookfield Zoo Chicago. “The pair seam-

The collaboration between Brookfield Zoo Chicago and Columbus Zoo is part of the Association of Zoos Aquariums’ Species Survival Plan, which focuses on enhancing the genetic diversity and sustainability of wildlife.

In addition to the chick being fostered by Divot and Rosie, two other chicks hatched at the Zoo on May 19 and February 19.

The chicks’ biological parents are part of the penguin colony at Brookfield Zoo Chicago, but also needed foster parents to increase their chances of successfully hatching. In the wild, Humboldt penguin parents typically stay and care for their chicks until the young are about 70 to 90 days old. The adults then leave the breeding ground and go off to sea, leaving their young to fend for themselves.

(Continued from page 17)

cants must also pass vision, written and behind-the-wheel driving tests.

The legislation also restricts the sharing of driver information by prohibiting the use of data for immigration enforcement purposes.

“All of the schools I was looking at were on the East Coast,” Leslie told the Independent last week. “I visited Le Moyne and really liked it. It reminded me of high school because it was a small school, and in a smaller school you will know a lot more faces than if I would have gone to a bigger school. The campus there is really pretty. It sits on big hill and the scenery around it is great. Everything is pretty close together. They have very nice facilities. The volleyball program has good workout facilities and a nice locker room. I liked how modern it was.”

Leslie said she will miss plenty about IC Catholic Prep. “I will miss how close knit of a community it was,” she said. “I knew everybody at the school. It will be weird going on campus and not knowing all the faces. I’ll miss those close connections with the coaches and teachers. It will be weird for the first year or so.”

office has implemented additional safeguards to ensure that immigrant motorists cannot obtain a REAL ID or be added to the voting rolls.

“We are proud to participate in such a critical conservation effort,” Hickman said. “The successful fostering and subsequent growth of this chick underscores the importance of zoo community cooperation to maintain healthy wildlife populations.”

– Bella Leslie

TAILORING

The Home Of Quality

Immigration agents must provide a court-issued warrant, order or subpoena to request the personally identifying information. Giannoulias’

Leslie plans on studying nursing at Le Moyne. “They have a good nursing program,” she said. “As far as what kind of a nurse I want to be, I’m not quite sure yet.”

Leslie played volleyball and girls soccer at IC Catholic Prep all four years. She was a center-midfielder on the Knights soccer team.

Leslie’s volleyball journey started in the fifth grade, the first year she could play the sport at IC Grade School. She’s been playing club volleyball since seventh grade, most recently with the Chicago Elite group that practices out of Scores in Willow Springs and Montini High School in Lombard.

“I’m really excited to be able to play volleyball in college,” she said. “It gives me something to do.

Leslie said pandemic life hasn’t been overly exciting, though her club volleyball team has started practicing again. “We have been practicing two or three times a week,” she said. “We are going to be starting tournaments again. Before that I haven’t been doing anything because senior soccer season and the club volleyball season were cancelled. We were supposed to go to a few club volleyball qualifiers in Grand Rapids and Louisville. This summer, we have some tournaments planned over the next few weekends. They are little tournaments with all of the local clubs. Nothing large and really local. Other than that, I have been trying to work out a lot and stay in shape. I’ve been running a lot, so I got into that. I try and run every day.”

Additional staff training has been conducted to allow the office to offer applications for this new standard license at all of its non-express DMV facilities statewide. Application processing was previously limited to

been cancelled due to the pandemic. “I will probably leave Aug. 10-11 because it’s a far drive,” she said. “We had Zoom call with the team recently and they said they should have an answer about our season in the next 7-10 days. They talked about three scenarios and what could happen like if we start the season and someone gets sick and we have to stop and go. That’s one of the reasons why they are looking at moving the season to the spring. Right now the plan is to have a season, but we won’t know until the next 7-10 days.”

just 10 facilities. Illinois was one of the first states to begin issuing TVDLs in 2013 to ensure that all drivers on state roads have passed a stringent behind-thewheel driving test and provided proof of vehicle insurance regardless of their citizenship. Since then, the office has issued more than 300,000 TVDLs, making Illinois roads safer.

Thank you to all my customers for supporting me for the past 14 years. I look forward to serving you from my new location: 15 E. Park Blvd., Villa Park, IL 60181 630-833-5633

Leslie said she is scheduled to report to Le Moyne in the Aug. 1215 timeframe, but noted preseason volleyball activities already have

(Continued from page 18)

They lost to West Chicago on think an own goal in the last five minutes. That was against the state champs in the sectional finals. That’s hell of a season if you ask me.”

But if all systems are a go, Leslie can’t wait to take her skills as a libero to the next level with the Dolphins. “I feel like being a libero you have to be really quick and that is typically what I am good at. I have really good reaction time,” she said. “I like diving on the floor and saving balls. It’s a really good feeling when you make a save. The position fits my personality, too. You have to be the loudest one on the court. I have a loud personality. You have to be pretty loud if you want to be a libero. I think I match that description.”

huge rah-rah person. I’m a little bit more of an individual players’ coach. I will pull kids to the side at practice and games and teach them.”

ble and transparent and communicate with everybody.”

Emeralds win championship

Stopka will teach Spanish at York. He taught Spanish and one math class at St. Pat’s. “My philosophy is I am more of a players’ coach,” he said. “I have been a big Liverpool soccer supporter ever since 2015 when Jurgen Klopp came over and he’s known as a players’ coach. He’s kind of my coaching idol. I want to related to the players and form bonds with them. am more light-hearted and smiling. I like to have fun and joke with the kids. The goal is understanding where each player can be successful and the provide the best way possible to convey the knowledge they need at the position they play. I am not big at yelling at the group, and I’m

Stopka noted York has been doing conditioning drills and said the plan as of earlier last week was to start summer camp pending District 205 approval. “I have probably been able to meet 60 to 70 percent of the players so far,” he said. “If it does get approved that would be the start of our contact days with four days a week for three weeks straight. And even though the IHSA waived the blackout dates before the school year, we won’t take advantage of that. I’m pretty sure families have plans to do things before school starts. I’m the new guy and I’m not going to say you can’t go with your family. Go do it and enjoy it. This is a crazy and goofy time. You have to be accessi

As far as the future, Stopka wants York competing at a high level on a consistent basis. “The short-term goal is to restock and build up the team,” he said. “A large portion of last year’s team was seniors, especially the starting 11. We have to make sure the now juniors are up to the speed of the varsity level and are ready to contribute. We want to keep that pipeline going with the younger groups of players. We want to make sure we are not only competitive, but that we are competing for regionals, sectionals and supersectionals. It starts for me with this junior class that is coming in. We want them ready to go and setting the standard for these other classes that come in so they can also contribute right off the bat.”

proudly presents YORK HIGH SCHOOL PLAYER OF THE WEEK

ELIZABETH SPECHT YORK GIRLS LACROSSE

The Elmhurst Emeralds 11-U softball team recently won the Northwest Suburban Travelers League championship. The Emeralds defeated the Barrington Fillies 8-3 in the title contest in Rosemont on June 27. Pictured left to right are: (front row) Emily Overfield, Presleigh Younglove, Ava Mostardi, Lauren Piper and Tessa Jones; (back row) Coach Kerry Doucet, Hadley Morrow, Allie Conroy, Lily Doucet, Penelope Moen, Taylor Thies, Coach Scott Nelson, Mira Nelson and Coach Mike Morrow.

Specht put up NHL-like numbers for the York girls lacrosse team this past season, registering 66 goals and 47 assists (113 points) on her way to all-state, all-sectional and all-conference honors. Specht, a

PHOTO COURTESY OF REBECCA JONES Elmhurst Independent

• Stopka

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Burial Needs

7 CEMETERY PLOTS Willing to sell as a group or individually. Located at Roselawn Memory Gardens 3045 WI-67, Lake Geneva, WI 53147. This is a private sale. Contact Randy, the seller at randy@slpublishers.com.

Elmhurst Public Library programs

Friday, July 12

2-4 p.m.

Friday Features:

My Fair Lady (1964)

Enjoy an afternoon at the movies. Find each week’s featured film at elmlib.org/Friday.

No registration required.

Saturday, July 13

10 a.m.-noon

Canasta: Open play

Join us for a friendly game of Canasta every week. Prior experience is required.

Live in-person. No registration required.

Monday, July 15

6:30-7:30 p.m.

The Benefits of Meditation Meditation brings about a sense of calm and balance that benefits both your emotional and physical well-being. Join Zelma Chamberlain, M. Ed., for this lively and engaging workshop, then practice together.

Live in-person and on Zoom. Registration required.

Monday, July 15

7-8:30 p.m.

Ciao Italia

Improve your Italian language skills while exploring a different aspect of Italian culture each month. All skill

LEGAL NOTICES

NOTICE

CERTIFICATE NO. 79460 was filed in the office of the County Clerk of DuPage County on JUNE 21, 2024, wherein the business firm of GRACEFUL BEATS BEAUTY LOCATED AT 205 E. BUTTERFIELD ROAD STE 261, ELMHURST, IL 60126 was registered; that the true or real name or names of the person or persons owning the business, with their respective post office address(es), is/are as follows: NAME OF PERSON(S) MYA WILLIAMS, HOME ADDRESS 260 E. BUTTERFIELD ROAD APT 405, ELMHURST, IL 60126.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and Official Seal at my office in Wheaton, Illinois, this 21ST day of JUNE, A.D. 2024.

JEAN KACZMAREK

Jean Kaczmarek

DuPage County Clerk (OFFICIAL SEAL)

(Published in The Elmhurst Independent June 27, July 4 & 11, 2024) 457746

NOTICE

CERTIFICATE NO. 79458 was filed in the office of the County Clerk of DuPage County on JUNE 17, 2024, wherein the business firm of LAW OFFICES GERSTNER & GERSTNER LOCATED AT PO BOX 1087, ELMHURST, IL 60126 was registered; that the true or real name or names of the person or persons owning the business, with their respective post office address(es), is/are as follows: NAME OF PERSON(S) AND HOME ADDRESS: MARY ANNE SPELLMAN, 175 S. KENMORE AVE., ELMHURST, IL 60126; MARY ANNE SPELLMAN GERSTNER, 175 S. KENMORE AVE, ELMHURST, IL 60126; MARY ANNE GERSTNER, 175 S. KENMORE AVE., ELMHURST, IL 60126.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and Official Seal at my office in Wheaton, Illinois, this 17TH day of JUNE, A.D. 2024.

JEAN KACZMAREK

Jean Kaczmarek DuPage County Clerk (OFFICIAL SEAL)

(Published in The Elmhurst Independent June 27, July 4 & 11, 2024) 457460

levels are welcome. Live in-person and virtually on Zoom. Registration required.

Tuesday, July 16

7-8:30 p.m.

Coloring for Mindfulness

Choose from beautiful designs and become absorbed in the joy of coloring. No registration required.

Tuesday, July 16

7-8 p.m.

Vintage Kitchens

Becky Brillon, author of The Generations Cookbook, takes us back to a time before microwaves, cake mixes, and instant food. Learn about the invention of Jell-O, why sliced bread was so great, and what people ate during The Great Depression and the period of rationing in World War II.

Live in-person and on Zoom. Registration required.

Wednesday, July 17

1:30-3:30 p.m.

American mahjong: open play

Gather every Wednesday for American mahjong, a game of skill, strategy, calculation, and a certain amount of chance. Live in-person. No registration required.

Wednesday, July 17

7-8 p.m.

The Origins of Sports

Actor Terry Lynch portrays ancient athlete Discus Meter to lead you back in time to the beginnings of today’s sports. Live in-person and on Zoom. Registration required.

World War II vet 101 years young

On Monday, July 1, York Township Supervisor John W. Valle and the V.F.W. Lilac Post #5815 surprised Art Hrabec (standing behind cake) with a party to celebrate his 101st birthday. With decorations galore, cake, cookies and coffee were offered in the auditorium after a delicious lunch in the Senior Nutrition Center. Valle said, “I am blown away by Art’s kindness and young spirit. With over 10 decades of bringing knowledge, love and compassion to the world, he is truly an inspiration to us all. I hope he has an amazing birthday and I wish him continued good health, good fortune and happiness for many more years to come.”

SUBMITTED PHOTO Elmhurst Independent