Saint Genesius Productions presents ‘Into the Woods’
Memorial Day in Villa Park
Local theater company Saint Genesius Productions (SGP) will present Stephen Sondheim’s “Into the Woods” this week at Willowbrook High School. Performances in the school’s auditorium will begin at 7 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 2 and Saturday, Aug. 3. SGP gave its first two presentations of the musical last week. Tickets cost $20 for adults and $15 for children, and are available at the SGP website—saintgenesiusproductions.com. The cast and crew includes Willowbrook High School graduates, as well as current Willowbrook students. Each performance is expected to run 2 hours, 30 minutes. The musical intertwines the plots of several famous Brothers Grimm fairy tales, including “Cinderella,” “Jack and the Beanstalk,” “Little Red Riding Hood” and “Rapunzel.” In this production at Willowbrook, audience members are seated on the stage, just a few feet from the performers.
377325 Villa Park Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 2801 held its Memorial Day service on Monday morning at Cortesi Veterans Memorial Park. Post Commander Jim Blankshain is pictured bowing his head as Willowbrook High School students Lily Hendrickson and Anna Seelbach sound taps at the end of the ceremony. The post’s 2020 Memorial Day event was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. This year’s observance included a reading of the names of the Post 2801 members who have recently died. That list included World War II veteran Charles “Sid” Bergh, who served as the master of ceremonies of the post’s annual Memorial Day service for several years. A veteran of the U.S. Navy, Bergh died in October 2020. He was 94 years old. Bergh was the post’s last surviving World War II veteran.
CHRIS FOX PHOTO Villa Park Review
CHRIS FOX PHOTO Villa Park Review
Man, 38, found shot to death in unincorporated Lombard
Early last week, a 38-year-old man was shot to death in unincorporated Lombard near 16th Street and Meyers Road.
The victim, identified by the DuPage County corner, is Alaa Ghnimat, a husband and father of three originally from Pakistan who had immigrated to the United States around 20 years ago.
The DuPage County Sheriff’s Office said sheriff’s deputies responded to reports of a
shooting at around 9:30 p.m. Monday, July 22. Upon arrival, they discovered the victim with a gunshot wound, unresponsive inside a vehicle parked in the driveway of his home.
The Sheriff’s Office said the scene was promptly secured, and the investigation was turned over to sheriff’s investigators. The coroner removed the victim from the scene, and the vehicle was towed for further examination.
According to an ABC-7 Eyewitness News
report, Ghnimat’s son was on the phone with him when the son heard gunshots. He went outside and discovered his father inside the car.
“He turned off the car, and I was just talking with him,” his son, who did not want to be identified, told ABC-7. “He was laughing, and then I just heard, I thought it was firecrackers. But, I go outside to check on him, and I see that. I told my mom to go inside, and I tried to call the police as fast as
I can.”
Ghnimat’s brother-in-law said the victim was a mechanic and lived in the home with his family. The family bought the home two years ago. “All he wanted to do was work and come home and be with his family,” his brotherin-law said. “And it’s just a shame how somebody will come and take his life.”
See SHOT, Page 7
Juvenile charged with setting fire at Jefferson Pool in Villa Park
DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin and Villa Park Chief of Michael Rivas announced last week that a Villa Park juvenile had been accused of breaking into Jefferson Pool, 341 N. Harvard Ave., and setting fire to a desk located in the office portion of the facility.
The juvenile, a 15-year-old male, appeared at a detention hearing on July 24. Judge Demetrios Panoushis ordered that he be detained until at least his next court appearance. He was charged with one count of arson (Class 2 felony), one count of burglary (Class 2 felony), one count of criminal damage to government supported property (Class 4 felony) and one misdemeanor count of obstructing a peace officer.
On July 24, at approximately 12:46 a.m., officers with the Villa Park Police Department went to Jefferson Pool after a surveillance camera captured an individual, later identified as the defendant, allegedly swinging an object at the window.
15-year-old male suspect reportedly broke a window, entered the building after midnight and set fire to a desk See FIRE, Page 7
Upon their arrival, officers set up a perimeter around the building and observed the glow of a fire and saw the juvenile inside the building. According to police, the juvenile subject, who had applied black paint to his face, was wearing a black hoodie and a face covering.
Officers entered the building and found the defendant allegedly hiding inside a locked bathroom stall. It is alleged that the juvenile was in possession of a lighter, as well as a backpack that contained a hammer, a hatchet, a pry bar, three pairs of scissors, tin snips, and a small dumbbell with rope tied to it.
It is alleged that the juvenile used the dumbbell with the rope tied to it to break a window and gain access to the building. It is alleged that once inside the building, the juvenile set fire to a desk, damaging the desk, a computer keyboard, paper, and the carpet.
More Illinois Democrats, including Pritzker, endorse Harris for president
By Andrew Adams and Peter Hancock CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS
Illinois Democrats, after initially being split on whether to immediately endorse Vice President Kamala Harris’ bid to replace President Joe Biden, began rallying around her early last week.
Gov. JB Pritzker, along with Illinois’ U.S. Sens. Tammy Duckworth and Dick Durbin, added their names to the growing list of Democrats backing the vice president one day after Biden announced he would no longer seek reelection.
They join all of Illinois’ Democratic U.S. House members in supporting Harris.
Pritzker has frequently been mentioned as a possible fill-in for Biden, especially in recent weeks following Biden’s jarring showing during a debate with former President Donald Trump late last month.
But in a statement Monday, July 22, Pritzker said he “spent hours yesterday talking to fellow leaders in our Party getting and giving input about the road to victory in November”— including a conversation with Harris.
“Vice President Harris has proven, at every point in her career, that she possesses the skills, strength, and character to lead this country and the vision to better the lives of all Americans,” Pritzker said. “She represents our Party’s best chance to defeat Donald Trump in November, and I will work my heart out to help her do that.”
Pritzker’s endorsement follows those of other Democratic governors whose names have also been floated as possible replacements for Biden on the Democratic ticket, including Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear. All of Illinois’ congressional Democrats have now pledged to support Harris as she vies to clinch the Democratic nomination ahead of the party’s convention in Chicago next month. Five of Illinois’ 14 Democratic representatives called on Biden to drop out prior to Sunday’s announcement.
U.S. Rep. Eric Sorensen, D-Moline, was among those calling on Biden to drop out and one of the
See HARRIS, Page 7
Joining the police department
The Villa Park Police Department welcomed a new officer last week. Officer Francisco Silva was sworn in on July 24. Villa Park Village Clerk Hosanna Korynecky presided over the swearing-in ceremony. Pictured (left to right) at the ceremony are Deputy Chief of Operations Dan McCann, Chief Michael Rivas, Silva and Deputy Chief of Administration Todd Kubish.
VA has now granted benefits to 1.1 million veterans and their survivors in fiscal year 2024, surpassing all-time record
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs recently announced that— three-quarters of the way through the fiscal year—it has granted benefits to 1.1 million veterans and their survivors, an all-time record.
All told, VA has awarded $137 billion in benefits, including $127 billion in compensation and pension benefits, to veterans and survivors this year. To reach this milestone, VA has processed more than 2 million claims in 2024—another all-time record, on pace to surpass last year’s record by more than 27 percent.
The grant rate for these claims is 64.6 percent and the average overall disability rating granted to Veterans this year to-date is 70 percent, equating to over $20,000 per year in disability compensation.
President Joe Biden made supporting veterans a key pillar in his Unity Agenda for the nation, noting that we have a sacred obligation to care for veterans and make sure they get the benefits they have earned.
VA has been able to deliver more care and more benefits to more Veterans than ever before largely thanks to the PACT Act, which was signed into law by Biden in August 2022 and represents the largest expansion of Veteran care and benefits in generations.
Of the claims granted so far
in FY2024, 655,808 were PACT Act-related.
“Our goal is to make sure every veteran and every survivor gets the benefits they’ve earned for their service to this country,” said VA Under Secretary for Benefits Joshua Jacobs. “These veterans and survivors are now receiving monthly payments for the conditions that followed them home from war or took the lives of their loved ones—and there is nothing, nothing more important than that.”
Overall, VA is now delivering more care and more benefits to veterans in a variety of ways:
• More veterans are using VA health care: VA is on pace to deliver approximately 127 million health care appointments in 2024, surpassing last year’s all-time record of 120 million appointments.
This is partly a result of VA expanding access to VA care for these Veterans and decreasing wait times by offering more night clinics, weekend clinics, and appointment slots.
• More veterans are enrolling in VA health care: 412,867 veterans have enrolled in VA care over the last 365 days, an increase of 27 percent year over year—and the most since 2017. In total, since the PACT Act was passed, more than 710,000 veterans have enrolled in VA health
DuPage County Health Department partners with swimming Olympic medalist to promote water safety
On Protect Swimmers Day (held July 18), the DuPage County Health Department (DCHD) brought together, organizations, businesses, swimming facilities, and Olympic medalist Kaitlin Sandeno to raise awareness of child and adolescent drowning risk factors and preventive strategies to keep children safer near water.
Sandeno is a USA swimming Olympian who earned four medals during the 2000 and 2004 Olympic Games. In 2004, she played a pivotal role in Team USA’s gold medal victory in the 4×200-meter freestyle relay, breaking a 17-year-old world record by over two seconds.
DCHD’s Protect Swimmers 10M (PS10M) initiative works to prevent child drowning through education and enforcement strategies.
The Villa Park Review is published every Thursday by Rock Valley Publishing, LLC, 240 N. West Avenue, Elmhurst, IL. 60126.
Legislation initiatives championed by Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias aimed at preventing the theft of catalytic converters and improving road safety were recently signed into law by Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker.
Sponsored by state Rep. Jay Hoffman (113th District-Belleville) and state Sen. Michael Hastings (19th District-Frankfort), HB4589 makes it more difficult for thieves to sell
stolen catalytic converters.
The law requires recyclable metal dealers to keep a record of the vehicle identification number (VIN) and the catalytic converter itself. In addition, the seller of a catalytic converter must now provide a copy of the certificate of title or registration indicating ownership of the vehicle from which the catalytic converter was removed, making it easier for law enforcement to investigate po-
care, which represents a more than 34 percent increase in veterans enrolling compared to an equivalent period before the legislation was signed.
• More veterans are applying for VA benefits than ever before: Thanks to the largest outreach campaign in VA history, veterans submitted 2,433,729 claims applications in 2023—an all-time record and 39 percent more than in 2022.
Thus far this year, Veterans are on pace to submit even more claims— outpacing last year’s record by 2.9 percent.
• More veterans report trusting VA: Veteran trust in VA has reached an all-time high of 80.4 percent—up from 55 percent when the survey began in 2016. This is based on a survey of veterans who use a wide range of VA services, including health care, disability compensation benefits, memorial affairs, the GI Bill, home loans, and more.
• When veterans apply for benefits, they are more likely to have their claims granted: Whenever a veteran applies for benefits, our goal is to work with them to gather the evidence to get to yes.
Due to this approach, VA has been able to grant benefits for 64.6 percent of claims, including 75 percent of PACT Act related claims, a sharp increase from previous years.
tential crimes.
“Illinoisans should feel more confident that their vehicles are better protected when parking on the street or in parking garages,” Giannoulias said. “This legislation will deter thieves by requiring scrap metal dealers to keep detailed records when purchasing them and give police more tools and resources to de-
“This past year, the PS10M initiative has expanded outreach statewide and has provided funding to 5 Illinois swimming facilities, where hundreds of children ages 3-5 are receiving free swimming lessons, said Adam Forker, executive director, DuPage County Health Department. “This work is truly important in ensuring children’s safety near water and building a foundation for a healthy, active life.”
Drowning continues to be a leading cause of unintentional death for children aged 1-14. Younger children are more likely to drown in backyard pools, while older children are more vulnerable in open water including ponds, rivers, and lakes.
Drowning can occur during swimming time and during non-swimming time when access to water is unexpected. Adult caregivers are urged to practice the following water safety steps to prevent drowning:
• Teach children to swim, ensuring they learn vital skills like floating, surfacing for rescue breaths, propelling forward, and exiting water safely.
• Ensure pools and hot tubs have VGBA-compliant suction outlet drain covers and remind swimmers to stay away from suction drains and pipes.
• Prevent unsupervised access to water with 4-foot fencing, self-locking gates, door alarms, and pool motion sensors.
• Use life jackets when boating or swimming in open water.
DCHD’s Protect Swimmers 10M initiative is grant-funded through the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission’s (CPSC) Pool Safely Grant Program. In 2023, our agency received its third two-year grant, allowing DCHD to expand outreach statewide.
Visit dupagehealth.org for more information.
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Opinion
Slices of life
What if
When my kids were little, they often came to me with “what ifs.”
What if the school bus starts to fly?
What if we ate dessert first?
What if God never invented rabbits? Or ice cream? Or trees? Or bikes? Or the rain?
What if my hair turned into spaghetti noodles?
What if all the grass turned purple?
What if broccoli tasted like candy and candy tasted like broccoli?
What if the person we see in the mirror isn’t the same as the person everyone else sees?
Attending to these what ifs often proved difficult because they were, for the most part, unanswerable and not based in reality. Spaghetti noodle hair? Purple grass? A mirror that reflects the real you?
I still hadn’t figured out what to make for supper or how I was going to make it to parent-teacher conferences by 7:30.
Those were the what ifs on my mind at the time.
Still I did my best to attend to my kids’ questions, while (if I am honest) sometimes admonishing them that mommy didn’t have time for what ifs right now
As much as I loved their creativity and free-thinking, all their what ifs, while imaginative and even sometimes fun, were a challenge for a busy mom. Until now.
Listen closely while I contradict all I tried to teach my kids over the years with my very own set of what ifs. Because you know what I’ve learned over the years? Maybe the questions we ask ourselves, even if they are silly or a drain on time, sometimes lead to bigger thoughts and bigger things than we ever thought possible.
What if what ifs aren’t necessarily unnecessary, but beneficial? What if they can provide a whole new perspective on things?
Let’s start there. And then:
What if every mistake we make is an opportunity to learn something new?
What if every detour we encounter provides the chance to explore new scenery?
What if every goodbye opened the door for a new hello?
What if you understood that your past doesn’t need to define your future?
By JILL PERTLER Columnist
What if all the bumps in the road helped you to hone your maneuverability?
What if a setback was seen as simply a chance to regroup, rethink and re-align?
What if you completely failed at half of everything you did? And what if you choose to focus the other 50 percent?
What if failure was necessary to bring you to the doorway for what was next?
What if failure was only a word, and didn’t impact your hopes for the future at all?
What if failure could only lead to something better?
What if every sunset came with the promise of a sunrise?
What if death was merely a rebirth?
What if everything really did happen for a reason?
What if we had complete trust in the universe?
What if we had complete trust in ourselves?
What if we dared eat dessert first?
What if we looked in the mirror and knew, for sure, that the person looking back was the face that other people see?
What if none of this is true?
What if all of it is?
My kids used to posit me with what ifs and I felt I was a bit above that stage in life. How silly I was. How much I have learned from them over the years.
When we are children, we have most of it figured out, and then most of us listen to the grownups and forget the truth of what it really means to question and to explore. If you’ve forgotten, do your best to remember. Pursue the what ifs.
Keep asking. Keep thinking. Keep wondering. What if?
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.
Put the brakes on vehicle theft
By David J. Glawe PRESIDENT AND CEO, NATIONAL INSURANCE CRIME BUREAU
Now that we are in the summer months, temperatures are not the only thing on the rise.
Vehicle thefts historically surge during summer months and peak during the month of July. Last year, more than one million vehicles were reported stolen, which accounted for an increase of about one percent nationwide compared to 2022, with theft rates rising steadily since 2019. Illinois was fifth in the nation for vehicle thefts with 41,528 vehicles stolen in 2023.
Vehicle theft is a persistent threat to public safety and economic wellbeing, with thousands of vehicles stolen each day across the United States. While it is often considered a standalone crime, vehicle theft has far-reaching implications that extend beyond just property loss. The ripple effects of this crime directly contribute to other illegal activities in addition to the financial burdens placed on individuals and insurance companies.
appearance and ability to blend in with legitimate traffic. In addition to their utility in property crimes and organized criminal activities, stolen vehicles are often used to facilitate violent offenses.
Carjackings, for example, involve the theft of a vehicle through force or intimidation and can result in serious injury or even death to the vehicle’s occupants. Stolen cars may also be used as weapons in ramming attacks or as tools for transporting weapons and explosives in the planning and execution of terrorist acts.
• Use anti-theft devices: Consider installing additional security measures, such as steering wheel locks, wheel clamps, or a kill switch that disables the ignition system.
• Hide valuables: Don’t leave valuable items visible in your car, as they can attract thieves. If you must leave items in your vehicle, store them in the trunk or out of sight.
• Don’t leave spare keys inside: Avoid leaving spare keys inside your car, as thieves can easily find them and steal your vehicle.
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Stolen vehicles are often used for drug trafficking, robbery or even acts of terrorism. Thieves may employ stolen cars as getaway vehicles for burglaries, robberies, or other heists, allowing them to quickly evade law enforcement and escape the scene of the crime. The speed and mobility offered by stolen vehicles make them valuable assets for criminals seeking to maximize their efficiency and minimize the risk of apprehension.
Stolen vehicles frequently play a role in more organized criminal operations such as drug trafficking and human smuggling.
Criminal organizations rely on stolen cars to transport contraband and illicit goods across borders or between distribution points, taking advantage of their inconspicuous
Addressing this issue requires a multifaceted approach that encompasses prevention, enforcement, and community engagement. To combat this nationwide epidemic, the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB), the nation’s leading not-for-profit organization dedicated to identifying, investigating, preventing, and deterring insurance fraud and crime, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration have joined forces as part of National Vehicle Theft Prevention Month to raise awareness, promote education, and encourage collaboration between law enforcement and vehicle owners.
A combination of common sense, technology, and proactive measures can help deter would-be thieves.
• Lock your vehicle: Always lock your car, even if you’re just leaving it for a short period. This includes closing all windows and sunroofs.
• Park in safe areas: Choose welllit, populated areas to park your vehicle, especially at night. Parking in a garage or a secure parking lot with surveillance cameras can deter thieves.
• Install an alarm system: An audible alarm can scare off potential thieves and alert nearby people if someone tries to break into your vehicle.
• Use a GPS tracker: Consider installing a GPS tracking device to help locate your vehicle if it’s stolen, increasing the chances of recovery.
• Be vigilant: Pay attention to your surroundings and report any suspicious activity to the authorities. Thieves often scout potential targets, so being vigilant can deter them.
• Secure your license plates: Use security screws or bolts to secure your license plates, as thieves may steal them to avoid detection.
• Use common sense: Finally, trust your instincts. If something feels off or unsafe, it’s better to be cautious and find another parking spot or location.
Prevention starts with awareness. By taking proactive measures and following these tips, vehicle owners can fight back and avoid becoming just another statistic.
David J. Glawe is the president and CEO of the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB), the nation’s leading not-for-profit organization exclusively dedicated to combating and preventing insurance crime.
NICB membership includes more than 1,200 property-casualty insurance companies, vehicle rental companies, auto auctions, vehicle finance companies and self-insured organizations.
The District 87 newsletter sent to my home boasts that District 87’s four high schools are ranked in the top 22 percent of Illinois schools, by U.S. News and World Report. There are about 800 Illinois High School Association high schools in Illinois, so I guess Glenbard West being 24th and South 48th is a big deal. But bragging that North is 100th, and East 147th? Why is this not a surprise that the two Glen Ellyn schools are miles apart from the other two? And now with this huge $183 million referendum looming over our heads, will East and North get the lion’s share of improvements to bring up their rankings? Somehow I think not, unfortunately. That has been my experience with any of their referendums while my own children attended East. It irks me that so much of my property tax dollars to District 87 goes to these other schools.
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I imagine this issue of our paper has several Biden and Harris bashing comments. Go ahead; we’ve heard it all before. Biden was a good president and will finish his term with pride. At this writing Kamala is not guaranteed the top spot, but I hope she will be our next president. Leave it to Trump to bash Biden in less than an hour, when Biden had called him to wish him well after the attempted assassination. If you are a Republican, you still can realize that MAGA is not good for America. You, hopefully, will be one of millions of Republicans who say Trump is your guy, but actually vote Democratic in your private voting booth.
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In addition to criticizing Trump, Democrats frequently criticize his supporters. Did anyone else notice what happened after the assassination attempt, or what did not happen?
No riots. No looting. No arson. No destruction of businesses or public property.
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The person who wrote the Speak Out note in the July 18 issue on the dope deal gone bad is obviously smoking DuPage County’s finest. To find fault with the DuPage County clerk is just wrong. The clerk did not make the dope deal tax. I hope people like you move out of DuPage County to Cook County. You will fit right in. All I can say you’re probably profiting of the sad state of Democratic leadership and you are too ashamed to admit to it. For Deb Conroy to go after the DuPage County clerk on the dope deal gone bad tax collection problem and the high cost of elections is morally, ethically and a vagrant violation of trust of her constituents. These so-called elected people have a trillion-dollar responsibility within this state are morally, fiscally, and intellectually ignorant. Keep on electing idiots. I would really like to know what were all the costs involved in the vote by the mail syndicate and where the money from the dope deal gone bad went. Attacking Jean Kaczmarek is just wrong.
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I do thank Joe Biden for his years of service, and am glad he made the right decision. We can still defeat MAGA, as more and more people are checking out the Project 2025 plan which takes us into a dictatorship and takes away so many rights and deports tens of thousands of immigrants, even legal ones. I have no trouble deporting illegal immigrants, but MAGA is going too far. Check it out! Everyone has so much to lose with MAGA, except our “dictator” Trump.
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After three and a half years, it’s about time the Democrats realized
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they picked the wrong puppet to execute their propaganda. The party has lost a lot of us because of promises not kept and no positive progress for America.
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This is for all of you who think that the Democratic Party is the worst of the two parties. I highly recommend that you look into the Republican Party’s Project 2025. This is a real wakeup call as to what they really are.
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Kamala Harris skipped Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech to Congress so she could address a sorority event in Indianapolis. That’s what I call leadership and setting your priorities straight.
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While I like the improvements done to Park Avenue where the concert for the Lombard Cruise Nights is, I’m left wondering why the clock had to be removed. I continue to turn to look what time it is every single time I’m at a Cruise Nights, and it’s disheartening to me that it’s removed. That clock has been a staple here. And if there’s a petition or something we can do to get it back up, let’s do so. It’s a Lombard icon in my opinion. And we moved in here in 1971.
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I’m relieved that the almighty Obamas have emerged from their mansion on Martha’s Vineyard to coronate Kamala. Now that King Barack and Queen Michelle have spoken, MAGA extremists don’t have a chance!
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Coming events
Autumn Affair gala Sept. 7
The Elmhurst Memorial Hospital (EMH) Foundation’s 20th annual Autumn Affair gala will be held Saturday, Sept. 7, at the Four Seasons Hotel Chicago, 120 E. Delaware Place in Chicago. The event will begin at 6 p.m. with cocktails and a silent auction, followed by dinner, a live auction with auctioneer Chris Hensley and dancing with music provided by The DJ Firm. The Autumn Affair is the Foundation’s largest fundraiser of the year and supports Endeavor Health Elmhurst Hospital programs and services that directly impact patients. A variety of sponsorship opportunities are available, tables of ten or individual tickets can be purchased and individuals and businesses can donate items for the silent and live auctions, which will include an array of unique experiences, including travel, sports and dining. For more information about purchasing tickets, becoming a sponsor or donating items for the auctions, visit www.EMHFoundation.org/autumnaffair or contact the Foundation at (331) 221-0388.
Golf outing Aug. 10
Join Trinity Lutheran Church for our annual Jim Van Ewyk Memorial Golf Outing on Saturday, Aug. 10, at Sugar Creek Golf Course. Contact margaret@trinityvp.com for details.
Memory Care Support Group meets Wednesdays
A Memory Care Support Group for caregivers and families meets the first Wednesday of each month from 10:30-11:30 a.m. Epiphany Church,
Trump had a brush with death, and now the Never Trumpers are making an issue that the wound was only superficial. The people making those statements should get jobs in the circus.
* * *
Is it any wonder that Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle was asked to resign? U.S. Rep. Nick Langworthy, and others in a hearing, lambasted her, rightfully so, over the assassination attempt on former President Trump, calling for her resignation. While she took responsibility for the failure of the Secret Service to prevent the assassination attempt, she skirted around a question posed to her, asking if Trump’s people had been denied a request for extra protection prior to the event. Instead of answering “yes” or “no,” she said at the hearing, “There were no requests that were denied.” How generic is that? She made the excuse that the building where the shooter was, was “outside the perimeter” of the protected area. This was all the tip of the security iceberg. Cheatle avoided several questions with a direct answer by saying she didn’t have relevant information in front of her.
No matter one’s opinion of Donald Trump, this needs to be investigated down to its core.
* * *
So FBI Director Christopher Wray is questioning if Trump really was hit by a bullet? And U.S. Rep Dan Goldman, a Democrat from New York, called that testimony “noteworthy,” then said, “We have not seen any medical records. We have not had an
314 W. Vallette, Elmhurst: Aug. 7, Oct. 2, Dec. 4. St. Paul Church, 545 S. Ardmore, Villa Park: Sept. 4, Nov. 6. Call or text Jamie at 312-543-5158 for more information. Space is limited.
Blood drive Aug. 6 at Plum Library
The Helen Plum Library is hosting a Versiti blood drive on Aug. 6 in the Plum Meeting Rooms, 411 S. Main St., Lombard. Appointments are appreciated; walk-ins will be welcome. All attempting donors will be entered for a chance to win a two-night stay to Wilderness Resort. To schedule, go to www.versiti.org/IL, load the Versiti Donor app or call (800) 7TOGIVE. A photo ID is required.
Veggie Fest in Lisle Aug. 10-11
For everyone of all ages, come celebrate Veggie Fest with family and friends.
The festival will be held at Danada South Park at Navistar Cir, Lisle, IL 60532. There will be food, music, speakers, a children’s tent, yoga and meditation tents, vendors and more. Don’t forget to sign up for updates at https://veggiefestchicago.org.
ZooBrew on Tap at Brookfield Zoo Chicago Brookfield Zoo Chicago’s annual ZooBrew, a unique 21-and-over beer-tasting event, takes place on Saturday, Aug. 17, from noon to 5 p.m. at the zoo’s pavilions. During the event, beer novices and aficionados will have the opportunity to sample more than 80 beers, ales, pilsners, IPAs, canned cocktails and seltzers
independent doctor other than a hyper-partisan, elected member of Congress comment on what happened.” God help us all.
* * *
I read a story in the Chicago SunTimes about how Kamala Harris called JB Pritzker to discuss him being a possible running mate. I really hope he is her VP! Then the entire nation will see how Illinois has taken a nose dive under Pritzker. Kamala was once a California U.S. Senator. GovTrack ranked her the most liberal member of the U.S. Senate in 2019. Pritzker is one of the most liberal governors in the country. People are moving out of Illinois in droves, and more people plan to leave California in 2024 than any other state. (My source: calcoastnews.com) Let’s not forget that Pritzker and Kamala are both disciples of the religion of abortion on demand. Their radical leftist policies aren’t going to fly in a general election. *
I wanted to comment on a newsletter I received from Glenbard Township High School District 87 in the mail the other day. The thing that really grabbed my attention was the back page. Six administrators were listed— the superintendent David Larson, and then some other assistant superintendents and executive directors for this, that and the other thing. My favorite is the Executive Director for Teaching and Learning, Curriculum and Pathways. What? I got a big laugh out of that title, but one look at my property taxes, and I know who always gets the last laugh—these school districts!
while also taking in wildlife and nature. Ticket packages offered are:
-General admission costs $65 a person for access to the event from 1 to 5 p.m.
-Level up to the $100 VIP experience, which gives access to the Pavilions beginning at noon as well as Discovery Center, where attendees can relax and meet some of the Zoo’s animal ambassadors. This package also includes two complimentary snacks and one entree ticket.
-Designated driver tickets are also available—$45 for general admission and $60 for VIP experience. This event is for adults ages 21 and over only. Children will not be allowed. Tickets are limited. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.BrookfieldZoo.org/ZooBrew.
Lombard Service League meets Aug. 8
Members and guests of Lombard Service League will meet on Aug. 8 at 7 p.m. at the Lombard Historical Society Carriage House on Maple Street. The theme of the meeting will be “Glitz and Sparkle” which is the theme of their upcoming fundraising luncheon on Dec. 1. The members of the club will finalize plans for the luncheon and begin preparations for it. Lombard Service League is a member of the General Federation of Women’s Clubs and the Illinois Federation of Women’s Clubs. Our membership is open to anyone interested in serving Lombard and those in need. For more information go to info@lombardserviceleague.org , like us on Facebook, or call 630-988-0625.
out& about Jane Charmelo
‘Street organization’ combating homelessness
Guardian Corps of America founder honors his mother’s life of service to others
Anthony La Piana narrated that his mother was once homeless in her native Italy—and when she moved to the United States, she spent her life helping the homeless.
La Piana said he grew up going on supply-gathering missions with her, and after she passed away, he asked himself, “What should I do in her honor?”
In 2012, he founded the Guardian Corps of America (GCA), now a 501(c)(3) charity that collects needed items for homeless veterans and other individuals. The nonprofit received a State of Illinois proclamation in January, signed by Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias and Gov. JB Pritzker, in recognition of its service as a direct outreach organization.
A life of service passed along
La Piana explained that his mother, at age 14, lost her home during World War II, and the family moved into a school building that was transformed into a shelter for displaced families.
Later, when she met and married La Piana’s father, an American military police officer, the couple moved to the United States.
“My mother dedicated herself to helping homeless veterans, homeless citizens and children at risk,” La Piana recounted.
“She took it [up] on her own because of her homelessness,” he continued. “She was always out there helping people. I grew up with that.”
“She took me by the hand and went door to door,” La Piana said, when they lived in Berwyn and Melrose Park. “[When] I was getting older, I would come home from school and she would say, ‘Anthony, we’re going out and collect for the poor.’ ”
She donated items to local churches, orphanages and shelters, La Piana recalled. “I don’t remember my mother ever missing a day.”
The mission continues
The Lombard-based GCA is “one of the very few organizations with boots on the ground,” he noted. “We’re on the streets every day.”
“DuPage County is our primary base,” he continued, but GCA also serves Kendall, Cook, Kane and Will counties. The organization supports shelters for homeless veterans and also donates food and clothing to various shelters.
La Piana said he has about 18 working volunteers who are on the streets assisting the homeless. He even has a volunteer who trains people to crochet plastic sleeping mats out of plastic bags.
The volunteers work Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and are on call Saturday and Sunday. They also assemble hygiene kits, organize food drives, prepare brown-bag lunches, make phone calls, work with centers and communities to raise awareness, and assist the homeless in making the transition from living on the street to permanent housing.
La Piana highlighted that volunteers also organize “search and rescue” missions each week to bring supplies to homeless individuals, and “My service dog Sergeant Babe is with me all the time wherever I go.”
How you can help
Donations come from veterans’ organizations, corporations, businesses, church groups and more, but donations are always welcome, and all donations “go directly to homeless veterans and homeless citizens in the five different
The Guardian Corps of America (GCA) has “boots on the ground” when it comes to offering assistance to homeless veterans and others, by meeting them where they live—on the streets. In one photo (above), volunteers crochet sleeping mats out of plastic bags. In another photo (below), GCA volunteers help at a service table during an event for homeless veterans. Also pictured (bottom right) is GCA Executive Director Anthony La Piana, with his “sidekick,” Sergeant Babe, at a GCA conference for veterans.
counties we serve,” La Piana emphasized.
GCA is in need of a variety of items such as new only socks (men’s size 10-14 and women’s any size), T-shirts (size L, XL and XXL) and underwear (size M to XL), and new or gently used and clean coats and jackets (X and XXL only).
La Piana also said GCA collects extra large sleeping bags (6 ½ feet long by 3-4 feet wide), tents for two people, hygiene products for both men and women and plastic bags to make sleeping mats.
Non-perishable food items are also on La Piana’s list of donations, including canned meats such as chili, mac and cheese, beef stew, chicken and tomato soups, crackers, peanut
butter (creamy) and jelly, nutrition bars, boxed raisins, small bottled water, Gatorade and fruit juices.
He also noted that GCA is in need of storage space, such as a small warehouse with a loading dock, or a similar space, which he said would “be used strictly for storage and administrative use only.”
Just a minute into talking with La Piana about GCA, and it is obvious that he has a tireless passion for helping the homeless. While he said he has held other day jobs, “This was primary, always, no matter what.”
“It’s a great feeling that you help people who are the most vulnerable in our society … to fill that void,” he concluded.
For more information on how to make a monetary or supplies donation, email info@ usaguardian.org or visit www.usaguardian.org.
ANTHONY LA PIANA PHOTOS Rock Valley Publishing
Democrats who did not initially endorse Harris. He instead waited until Monday morning to announce that he was backing the vice president via a post on social media.
“We need a Democratic Presidential nominee who will lead with passion, empathy, and fire,” Sorensen said. “Vice President Kamala Harris is that person.”
Sorensen faces one of the toughest reelection bids in Illinois this November, when he will face off against Republican Joseph McGraw, a retired state judge. The district is on the National Republican Congressional Committee’s list of 37 districts it will try to flip in 2024.
The rush of endorsements Monday, July 22, also included one from Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton, one of the highest-ranking Black women in Illinois politics.
“Today, I am dreaming of the future I want my daughters to inherit,” Stratton said. “Kamala Harris is the best person to take us there.”
Illinois’ state party chair and state Rep. Lisa Hernandez, D-Cicero, also endorsed Harris on Monday after not mentioning her in a statement Sunday, July 21.
“The Democratic Party of Illinois is fully committed to mobilizing our communities in support of Kamala Harris,” Hernandez said in her Monday statement. “We recognize the historic significance of her candida-
• Fire
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Officers placed the defendant in handcuffs and took him into custody. It is further alleged that while he was being escorted out to the squad car, the juvenile attempted to pull and run away from officers, but was unsuccessful.
“The allegations that a 15-yearold boy disguised himself and broke into a popular government-owned facility and set fire to a desk and office equipment are extremely disturbing,” Berlin said. “Thankfully, Villa Park authorities were alerted to the situation very early before the fire had a chance to spread and possibly cause extensive damage to the facility. I thank the Villa Park police and fire departments for their quick response to this matter.”
“The alleged actions of the ac-
• Shot
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The DuPage County Sheriff’s Office said the investigation of the shooting is ongoing. Anyone with information is urged to contact the DuPage County Sheriff’s Office detective line at 630-407-2343.
“The DuPage County Sheriff’s Office extends its deepest condolences to the family and friends of the victim and is committed to uncovering the circumstances surrounding this tragic event,” the office said in a statement.
A GoFundMe campaign titled “Show Love & Support: Help Alaa Ghnimat Children in Crises” aims to raise $100,000 to provide counseling services, educational support, and financial aid for basic necessities.
cy and profound impact her leadership will have on our state and our country.”
Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch, D-Hillside, also backed Harris on Monday, tying his support to the historic nature of Harris’ candidacy as a woman of color. Welch said there is “no greater celebration of Black excellence” than nominating Harris.
Many are now watching Chicago as it prepares to host the Democratic National Convention Aug. 19-22.
“Here in Chicago, our mission remains the same,” convention chair Minyon Moore said in a statement. “During the convention, we will have an opportunity to show the country and the world who Democrats are and what we stand for.”
Many of the details of the convention are now up in the air as national Democrats determine, procedurally, how to handle the shift at the top of the ticket.
“In the coming days, the party will undertake a transparent and orderly process to move forward,” Democratic National Committee Chair Jaime Harrison said in a statement.
“This process will be governed by established rules and procedures of the party. Our delegates are prepared to take seriously their responsibility in swiftly delivering a candidate to the American people.”
But as far as the ballot goes,
cused are indeed alarming,” Rivas said. “We must always reject the notion that damage to a government building is acceptable. We must also reject the notion that the incident be minimized because the incident was caused by a juvenile. The charges are serious and are justified. We thank the extraordinary work done by the Villa Park officers and investigators.
Biden’s decision to drop out will have no immediate impact on the ongoing process, according to state election officials, because the names that appear on the ballot won’t be officially determined for several weeks.
Illinois State Board of Elections spokesperson Matt Dietrich said in an interview the names won’t be determined until the Democratic Party formally nominates its candidates at the convention. After that, Dietrich said, it will send those names to state election officials. The Illinois board will meet Aug. 23 to certify those names for the Illinois ballot.
Illinois held what is officially known as a “presidential preference primary” on March 19, and Biden, who faced no serious challenge for the nomination at that time, won that race with 91.5 percent of the vote.
Dietrich noted, however, that in such a primary, voters do not actually cast ballots for a candidate but, rather, for a slate of delegates who pledge their support for a particular candidate. Biden’s decision Sunday to bow out of the race released his delegates from that pledge.
Republicans, meanwhile, have been reacting to the change at the top of the ticket as well, including by branding Harris as Biden’s “border czar,” accusing the party of covering up Biden’s mental decline and questioning his fitness to continue to lead the nation.
We also want to thank the Lombard Police Department for their timely assistance in this incident. We also want to acknowledge the quick and efficient work of the Villa Park Fire Department in minimizing the damage caused.”
The juvenile’s most recent court appearance took place earlier this week in front of Judge Panoushis.
Personal Price Plan™
“It’s been clear that President Biden cannot serve four more years, but serious concerns remain about whether he can fulfill his duty over the next four months,” U.S. Rep. Darin LaHood, R-Peoria, said in a statement on Sunday, July 21. “No matter
Obituary
BARBARA JEAN BIDDLE, 95
who the Democrat Party installs in Chicago next month, Americans are not buying the open-border, soft-oncrime, and out-of-touch policies they are selling.”
Capitol News Illinois Hannah Meisel contributed to this story.
Stolper Insurance Agency Inc
Brian Stolper, President 447 N York Street Elmhurst, IL 60126-2003
Barbara Jean (nee Phillips) Biddle, age 95, passed away suddenly Friday evening, July 26, 2024, after spending her final day surrounded by her family. She is survived by her children Scott, Michael, Jane (Teresa), and Robert (Raffaella); her eight grandchildren Bryan (Shab), Darren, Ally-
son, Hansel, Spencer, Giana, Analise, Chiara; great grandson Liam; and her grandpuppy Ebony. She is preceded in death by her dear husband Bill, and beloved daughter Sherry. Barbara led a rich life as a world traveler, bridge and pinochle player extraordinaire, expert seamstress, devout Catholic, caring grandmother, and so much more.
Services were held.
Memorials to National Multiple Sclerosis Society or St. Pius X Catholic Church appreciated.
Coming event
AM Connect Aug. 2
“Using CRM to Sell More” is the theme for AM Connect on Aug. 2 at the Fairfield Inn & Suites, 645 W. North Ave., Lombard, from 7:30- 9a.m. Every business, and even an individual doing networking, needs an easy-to-use database to track their relationships. That system is the Customer Relationship Management (CRM) System. This presentation focuses on how to use that system to sell more and improve customer service. Visit lombardchamber. com to register.
Man sentenced to 26 years for robbing at gunpoint two DuPage County cell phone stores
Second robbery committed while defendant was out on bond on electronic monitoring
DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin has announced that a former Schaumburg man has been sentenced to 26 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC) for robbing at gunpoint a Wheaton Sprint store in 2019 and a Hinsdale Verizon Wireless store in 2022.
The state had asked for a sentence of 60 years in the IDOC. Stephon Little, 31, who has since changed his name to Isa Al Ahad, appeared at his sentencing hearing in front of Judge Joseph Bugos, who handed down a 21-year sentence on the Wheaton
Local comedian in golf series
Villa Park resident and Lombard native comedian Matt Kissane (right) and Ron Malchiodi pose during their comedy video shoot for the new upcoming comedy golf video series called GOLF MADE EASY! The instructional golf videos will drop online later this summer for $97. The videos are being produced by Anthony Malchiodi and will be helpful for anyone interested in taking up golf as a sport or hobby.
• Giannoulias
termine where the part came from.”
The sentences will be served concurrently.
On Nov. 27, 2019, Little appeared in Bond Court charged with robbing a Wheaton Sprint store of $40,000 worth of merchandise in late 2019. Bond was set in this case at $375,000 with 10 percent to apply. On Dec. 16, 2019, Little posted $37,500, the necessary 10 percent and was released from custody.
Stephon Little robbery and a 26-year sentence on the Hinsdale robbery.
On June 22, 2022, Little again appeared in Bond Court where he was ordered to be held without bond following allegations that on June 16, 2022, while out on bond and on electronic monitoring, he robbed at gunpoint a Hinsdale Verizon store. He has remained in custody since that time at the DuPage County Jail.
On Feb. 28, Little entered a plea of guilty to two counts of armed robbery with a firearm, a Class X Felony. Because the crimes were committed with a gun, Little faced an automatic 15-year enhancement resulting in a sentencing range of between 21 to
90 years in the IDOC. The state had requested a sentence of 60 years. On Feb. 13, Little’s co-defendant in the Wheaton case, Denzel Furance, 25, formerly of Calumet City, was sentenced to 23 years in the IDOT after previously entering a plea of guilty to one count of armed robbery with a firearm.
At approximately 8:08 p.m., Nov. 8, 2019, Wheaton Police officers responded to a call of an armed robbery at the Sprint store located at 212 Danada Square West. Officers began an investigation and learned that at approximately 7:45 p.m. that evening, Little and his co-defendant arrived at the store in a car driven by Little.
Furance then entered the store armed with a semi-automatic gun supplied to him by Little and wearing a ski mask, medical gloves and a hooded sweatshirt. Once inside the store, Furance ordered two employees at gunpoint to a back storage room where a third employee was located along with products and the store safe.
Furance ordered one of the victims
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“For too long Illinois residents from Chicago to Metro East have been the targets of the theft of catalytic convertors because the parts have simply been too easy to sell,” Hoffman said. “This legislation ensures that all catalytic converters sales to recyclable metal dealers are conducted by the legitimate owner of the vehicle and its parts.”
“This legislation will serve as a strong disincentive to those considering stealing, selling or buying crucial vehicle parts,” Hastings said. “Illinois families should not have worry about facing the unexpected and unacceptable cost of replacing a catalytic converter stolen from their primary means of transporting their children to school, their groceries from the store and completing other day-to-day tasks.”
Catalytic converter theft is a crime that leaves victims facing hundreds
to thousands of dollars in unexpected vehicle repairs. In recent years, the values of platinum, palladium and rhodium, the precious metals found in catalytic converters, has skyrocketed leading to a larger incentive for theft.
The catalytic converter theft spike during the COVID-19 pandemic amounted to a 288% increase from 2020 to 2022, according to Illinois Motor Vehicle Hijacking and Motor Vehicle Theft Prevention and Insurance Verification Council’s 2023 Annual Report. This bill makes it more difficult for recyclable metal dealers to purchase stolen catalytic converters and easier for law enforcement to investigate.
House Bill 5370
HB5370, sponsored by Hoffman (113th District-Belleville) and state Sen. Celina Villanueva (12th District-Chicago) enhances “Scott’s
at gunpoint to bind the wrists and ankles of the other two employees with duct tape. Furance then bound the wrists and ankles of the third victim with duct tape. He then ordered the employees to open the safe containing electronic devices.
Once the safe was open, Furance placed more than one hundred items from the store worth approximately $120,000 into garbage bags he had brought with him. He then covered the mouths and eyes of the three employees with duct tape and exited the store, inadvertently dropping some items on his way out.
Furance returned to the store several minutes later to retrieve the items he had previously dropped and then fled the scene in a vehicle driven by Little. Little was taken into custody on Nov. 24, 2019. After bonding out, on June 16, 2022, Little, armed with a pistol, entered the Verizon Wireless store located at 34 E. First Street, Hinsdale wearing a black ski mask, gloves and a hooded sweatshirt. Once inside the store, Little ordered the clerk at gunpoint to fill a bag with approximately 60
Police Reports
The Villa Park Police Department recently reported the following arrests and citations. 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. Persons charged with domestic battery are not named in order to protect the privacy of victims. Juveniles age 17 or younger are not named.
July 23
A complainant in the 700 block of N. Princeton reported at 7:16 a.m. that their vehicle was stolen. The vehicle was later recovered.
A complainant at a store in the 400 block of W. North reported that a suspect stole their cell phone.
A complainant in the 700 block of N. Yale reported an unsecured vehicle was rummaged through, but nothing appeared to be missing.
Apple products including iPhones, iPads and watches.
Little then fled the store with the merchandise. Little was taken into custody the same day in Ford Heights without incident. Little is currently serving a 15-year sentence for three armed robberies of cell phone stores in Cook County that he committed after posting bond in his DuPage County case.
“The fact that Mr. Little committed four additional armed robberies while out on bond is outrageous,” Berlin said.
“His complete and utter disregard for the rule of law and terrorizing those who were just trying to make a living has finally caught up with him. Violent gun crimes have no place in society and my office will continue to prosecute anyone who commits this type of brazen criminal conduct. We are all thankful none of the employees were physically injured and it is my hope that the survivors of this crime and the community will feel a little safer knowing that the man who terrorized them is now behind bars.”
the 1-100 block of W. Terrace at 2:43 a.m.
A complainant in the 100 block of W. Plymouth reported at 1:31 p.m. that a suspect battered them.
A complainant in the 200 block of E. North reported at 9:48 p.m. there was an unknown subject in the parking lot with a ski mask and a gun. Police made contact with the subject, but did not locate a gun.
July 19
Akindele O. Bassett, 34, of Maywood, was charged with DUI and no insurance near Ardmore and the Illinois Prairie Path at 5:09 p.m.
A complainant in the 400 block of S. Riverside reported at 11:54 p.m. that a suspect battered them. The complainant did not want to pursue complaints.
Law,” making Illinois roads safer for all users.
Scott’s Law, also called the “Move Over” law, requires motorists approaching a stopped emergency vehicle to proceed with caution and yield the right of way by moving out of the lane adjacent to the emergency vehicle. If that’s not possible—such as if the road only is two lanes—drivers are expected to reduce speed as they pass the scene.
This new legislation will ensure that individuals operating a vehicle yield the right-of-way by making a lane change AND reducing their speed when approaching the scene of an accident, emergency or construction zone.
This requirement to both make a lane change and reduce speed will result in safer road conditions for Illinois emergency responders, construction workers and all Illinois residents that depend on safe roads.
A complainant in the 100 block of N. Myrtle reported an unknown suspect removed a package that was delivered to their front porch.
July 22
A 34-year-old Villa Park man was charged with two counts of domestic battery in the 400 block of S. Riverside at 10:06 a.m.
July 21
A complainant in the 700 block of N. Yale reported an unsecured vehicle was rummaged through, but nothing appeared to be missing.
July 20
Police said Nicholas Edward Kaczmarek, 26, of Westchester, was found to be wanted on an in-jurisdiction warrant near Ardmore and Adams at 5:48 a.m.
A 21-year-old Villa Park man was charged with two counts of battery in
July 18
A complainant at Jefferson Pool reported at 6:33 a.m. that an unknown suspect sprayed a fire extinguisher all over the patio and bathrooms.
A complainant at the Iowa Recreation Center reported at 6:39 a.m. there was damage to a wall.
A vehicle was damaged while parked in a secured lot in the 1-100 block of S. Ardmore at 1:10 p.m.
July 17
A complainant at a fitness center in the 300 block of W. North reported their bag was removed from their locker. The bag was located a short time later, but the complainant’s keys were missing.
Identity theft, fraud
According to information provided by the Villa Park Police Department, police reported one incident of identity theft or fraud.
SUBMITTED PHOTO Rock Valley Publishing
Costa Howard calls for strengthening protection for homeschooled children
Child welfare chair said she was spurred to act by news reports of state’s lax oversight
By Beth Hundsdorfer and Molly Parker
CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS
District 42 State Rep. Terra Costa Howard, who heads a child welfare committee, said the state must strengthen its laws and policies to protect homeschooled children facing inadequate education, abuse and neglect.
Howard, the chair of the Adoption and Child Welfare Committee in the Illinois House, called for action following a Capitol News Illinois and ProPublica investigation, which revealed little accountability for parents who pull their kids from school and then fail to ensure they receive an education.
In the worst cases, the investigation found, parents isolated and mistreated their children.
“We cannot turn a blind eye to children who are not being educated,” Costa Howard said in an interview with Capitol News Illinois. Costa Howard, a lawyer with extensive experience in juvenile court, said she supports homeschoolers but that the article made clear the state needs to make changes.
While regulations on homeschooling are minimal across the nation, Illinois is among a small number of states with virtually no rules about homeschooling: state authorities can’t compel proof of teaching methods, attendance, curriculum or testing outcomes; homeschool teachers don’t need a high school diploma or GED; and parents aren’t required to notify anyone if they remove their kids from school.
The Democrat from suburban Glen Ellyn, whose district includes parts of Lombard, said that “at a bare minimum” the state should mandate that parents must notify a school district or other governmental entity when they choose to homeschool. This is a requirement in 39 states and Washington, D.C., but is entirely optional for parents in Illinois. “We need to know these kids exist,” Costa Howard said.
Past efforts in Illinois to implement regulations on homeschools have faced strong resistance, including against a bill in 2011 to require registration and another in 2019 to enact inspections and curriculum reviews of homeschools. In both instances, the outcry was so intense that Illinois lawmakers swiftly withdrew the bills from consideration.
That resistance persists today, as evidenced by the numerous emails that reporters received from homeschool families and their advocates in response to the article. They argued that public schools, despite being heavily regulated, can also subject children to abuse and inadequate instruction.
“Most public schools in Illinois are not doing a good job,” wrote Steven Durfey, of Bartlett, a village 35 miles west of Chicago, whose children were homeschooled. In other states, recent efforts to bolster homeschool regulations have failed in the face of similar opposition from families who homeschool and the groups that represent them.
Michael Mobley, who worked as a truancy officer for eight years in south-central Illinois until his retire-
State Rep. Terra Costa Howard, D-Glen Ellyn, is calling for stronger homeschool laws following reporting about the state’s lax oversight. She’s pictured in a file photo on the House floor.
ment in 2018, has experienced this backlash firsthand. Illinois law says that homeschools must provide an education equivalent to what is taught in public schools, and if they don’t, those children would be truant – in violation of Illinois’ mandatory education laws. Around 2013 he proposed a system to verify whether homeschools were meeting this mandate, but homeschool advocates protested his proposal. And Mobley said he didn’t find much support from state officials either.
“Homeschooling is the third rail of politics in Illinois. The legislature, the Illinois State Board of Education, which are all politically appointed, will not do anything,” said Mobley. “I hope that this renewed attention to this problem brings change. But I can tell you first-hand that any legislative attempt to regulate homeschooling will be met with swift and certain opposition.”
But in the wake of the reporting,
the governor and other key lawmakers also signaled a willingness to engage in discussions about what changes might be needed, although they offered few specifics. Spokespeople for Senate President Don Harmon and House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch said both legislative leaders were interested in hearing more from experts and advocates, including officials from the Department of Children and Family Services and the Illinois State Board of Education, to find “best solutions” and “address problems.”
Alex Gough, a spokesperson for Gov. JB Pritzker, said the governor supports parents’ rights to choose homeschooling for their kids’ education, but also “believes every child deserves to be protected during their educational experience.” He said the governor is “open to input and feedback from the General Assembly on this issue.”
The June news article highlighted cases involving two children who had been removed from public schools to homeschools. One child was beaten and given little to eat while he received almost no schooling, according to police records and court testimony; on his 11th birthday in December 2022, he was taken into state protective custody, where he remains. That same month, a 9-year-old boy accidentally shot himself with a gun he found in the home while his mom was running errands. Instead of alerting police, she hid the body. Seven months passed before police, responding to a concerned call from a friend, found the child’s body in a garbage can in the garage.
Homeschool groups that oppose changes in the law say cases of abuse among homeschooled children are tragic but rare.
But the June reporting highlighted another issue with the state’s oversight of homeschooling: Schools may offer protection and stability to children in a volatile home environment, but there is
often poor coordination between education departments and DCFS.
Decades ago, DCFS was able to open an investigation into educational neglect if a homeschool family was accused of failing to provide an adequate education to their children or neglected to register them for school or ensure their regular attendance. But in 1989, lawmakers voted to remove that authority from DCFS and place it with regional offices of education, which oversee truancy intervention.
The two entities do not coordinate their investigations or share results of their findings.
Costa Howard plans to convene meetings in the coming months between state child welfare and education officials. And she plans to call on DCFS to improve its data collection about the schooling status of the children it investigates.
The DCFS Office of Inspector General is required to review the agency’s actions when a child dies while in the custody of the state, or whose family was investigated within a year of their death.
The reports do not generally include whether the child who died was regularly attending school, chronically truant or homeschooled, but Costa Howard believes they should.
Other child advocates also welcomed changes in the law.
Dr. Veena Ramaiah, a board-certified child abuse pediatrician, said homeschooling is sometimes a red flag.
“I completely understand that abusive parents who ‘homeschool’ and are trying to hide their children are a small minority but I wonder if the thousands of parents who are sincere would ever be willing to compromise a little on oversight in order to save that handful of children who are being abused and hidden,” she said. “I would hope that the safety of even one child would trump the minimal effect on parental rights that more oversight would provide.”
Diana Hartmann, superintendent of Regional Office of Education 44 in upstate McHenry County, north of Chicago, said offices like hers feel like they have little authority to intervene if there are allegations of inadequate homeschooling, such as in cases where parents pull a child from school to evade responsibility for truancy. She also welcomes legislative action.
“I’m wholeheartedly ready to align with others that would like to introduce legislation to clean up the abuses of withdrawing students for homeschooling,” she said.
Hartmann took exception to a statement that ISBE provided reporters, included in the June story,
See COSTA HOWARD, Page 10
• Costa Howard
saying that regional education offices can take action under existing truancy laws. Families who homeschool, she noted, are not required to maintain any records of their activities; therefore, “without proper legislation to close the loophole, there is nothing we as an ROE can do besides ask.” And asking, she said, “will have no benefit” be -
(Continued from page 9)
cause “there is nothing to do after they say no.” In response to questions seeking clarification on the agency’s position, ISBE noted that while ROEs have authority to investigate truancy, the law does not provide “explicit authority to an ROE to verify the adequacy of a homeschool program; thus, when a family that
is suspected of truancy claims to be homeschooling, an ROE’s ability to intervene can be limited.”
For its part, ISBE said it stands ready to help find solutions.
“We are committed to working with lawmakers and regional offices of education on this issue to ensure student safety and wellbeing are protected,” the agency said.
Ben Bedford: folk singer - Music on Maple Concert Aug. 9
The Lombard Historical Society (LHS) presents folk singer Ben Bedford in Concert as part of the Music on Maple Concert series Friday Aug. 9 at 7 p.m.
Worship Services Directory
Evangelical Lutheran Church 547 N. Main St., Lombard, IL 60148 630-627-2435 Lent and Easter Services at 7 p.m.
Sunday Worship at 10:15 am
“The Crucial Hours”
Sunday School & Bible Study 9 am Saturday, August 24 Game Night at 4 pm
Second Lenten Service March 9, 2022
Rev. David Ernest “Satan Has Asked to Sift All of You” Jerusalem Lutheran, Morton Grove Matthew 27:15-26
Everyone is Welcome!
Third Lenten Service March 16, 2022
All services are live streamed. Watch on our website or on Facebook. sainttimothy.org
Rev. Paul Spaude “What to Remember When Your are St. Matthews, Niles Seized with Remorse” Matthew 27:3-4
Fourth Lenten Service March 23, 2022
This concert will be in the William J. Mueller Gazebo at 23 W. Maple St. Please bring a chair. This is a free outdoor concert. Tickets are suggested and available on the website LombardHistory.org. For more information about this event, or the Lombard Historical Society, visit lombardhistory.org, email info@lombardhistory.org, or phone 630-629-1885.
In July of 2010, Bedford was named one of the “50 most significant folk singersongwriters of the past 50 years” by Rich Warren of WFMT-Chicago.
The list also included Bob Dylan, Townes Van Zandt, Anais Mitchell, Joni Mitchell, and Danny Schmidt. In May of 2018, Bedford was named one of the six Grassy Hill Kerrville New Folk winners at the Kerrville Folk Festival in Texas. He has toured extensively over the past 15 years in North America and western Europe.
In January of 2023, he released his sixth studio album, Valley Of Stars, engineered and mixed by David Sinko (Yo-Yo Ma, Punch Brothers, Edgar Meyer) and featuring Ethan Jodziewicz (Aoife O’Donovan, Maya de Vitry, Milk Carton Kids) on bass, Chas Williams (Nanci Griffith) on second guitar, and Kari Floyd on harmony vocals.
Rev. Jonathan Bergemann “I Will Keep the Passover” Good Shepherd, Downers Grove Matthew 26:18
Fifth Lenten Service March 30, 2022
Rev. Tom Nicholson “They Bound Him” Resurrection, Aurora John 18:12
Sixth Lenten Service April 6, 2022
Rev. Phil Schupmann “The Semblance of Legality” Resurrection, Aurora Luke 22:66
6:30 a.m., April 17
Breakfast 8 a.m., April 17
Festival 10:15 a.m., April 17
Weekend Masses:
Saturday: 4 PM (Vigil) Sunday: 7:30, 9:30 & 11:30 AM and 6 PM
Daily Masses: Monday—Friday: 6:15 and 8:15 AM Saturday: 8:15 AM
Confessions: Saturday: 3-3:45PM
Adoration:
Available in Our Lady Mother of the
Ben Bedford
SUBMITTED
PHOTO Rock Valley Publishing
October 5
The Planets & Star Wars
HOLST The Planets
WILLIAMS Star Wars Suite
November 10
Beethoven, Brahms, and Barton Pine
ROSSINI Barber of Seville Overture
BRAHMS Violin Concerto
BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 7
January 19
The Four Seasons
VIVALDI The Four Seasons
PIAZZOLLA The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires
March 16
A Grand Tour
PRICE Concert Overture No. 1
MOZART Violin Concerto No. 4 (1st Mvt)
SAINT-SAËNS Odelette
BORNE Fantasy on Themes from Bizet’s Carmen
MENDELSSOHN Symphony No. 4 (“Italian”)
May 3
Brass Brilliance
GERHSWIN An American in Paris
PERKINSON Sinfonietta for Strings
GERSHWIN I Got Rhythm
Variations
MUSSORGSKY Pictures at an Exhibition
Lombard Historical Society presents Leaping Lizards! Little Orphan Annie’s birthday week this week in her hometown of Lombard
The Lombard Historical Society is excited to announce a week-long celebration honoring the 100th anniversary of the beloved character Little Orphan Annie.
Join us through Saturday for “Little Orphan Annie’s Birthday Week,” filled with fun activities, special events, and appearances by some iconic characters.
Annie’s Birthday Week promises to be brimming with excitement and activities for the whole family. Here’s what you can look forward to:
Thursday, Aug. 1—Behind the Exhibition: Leapin’ Lizards! 100 Years of Little Orphan Annie at 7 p.m. Dive into the fascinating process of curating the Little Orphan Annie Exhibition with our exclusive behind-the-scenes program. Join us for an insider’s look at the dedication and creativity involved in celebrating the 100th anniversary of this beloved icon.
Friday, Aug. 2—Music on Maple Street at 7 p.m. Enjoy a musical evening with Angela James. Her rich, crooning voice is inspired by singers from her upbringing in Tennessee. Her style is reminiscent of artists like Hazel Dickens and Neko Case. Join us for a delightful night of music on Maple Street.
Saturday, Aug. 3—Annie’s Birthday Bash at noon. Celebrate the grand finale of Little Orphan Annie’s Birthday Week at 23 W. Maple St. with a fun-filled day starting at noon. Enjoy Annie-themed activities, face painting, and a slice of birthday cake. The West Suburban Humane Society will also join us with adorable furry friends available for adoption. And of course, the day wouldn’t be complete without appearances by Annie and Daddy Warbucks.
About Little Orphan Annie
Little Orphan Annie, the brainchild of Harold Gray, has been a source of inspiration and entertainment for people of all ages.
Gray resided in Lombard when he first breathed life into this iconic character, and it is our honor
to commemorate his extraordinary contribution to the world of comics and storytelling.
The Little Orphan Annie comic strip first appeared in syndication in The New York Daily News on Aug. 5, 1924. Of the more than 40 comic strips running at the time, Little Orphan Annie became the fourth to feature a female in a prominent role.
Defying gender stereotypes, Annie quickly became a beloved and unexpected heroine, known for her many adventures solving crimes alongside her dog Sandy—often persevering through dangerous situations. By the 1930s, Little Orphan Annie was one of the most popular strips in syndication.
“Purely as a character, there is a lot to admire and love,” said Lombard Historical Society Executive Director Alison Costanzo. “That is the mere tipping point for Annie’s relevance and why we created ‘Annie’-Versary. There is much to recognize historically and throughout popular entertainment. We hope to showcase the broad reach of Annie throughout the decades.”
Gray was masterful at using Annie to embed his own conservative, political viewpoints, making Little Orphan Annie the first nationally syndicated comic with a political perspective. 1930 brought about another first when Little Orphan Annie became the first comic strip to be adapted for radio and first to be aired coast to coast.
Written for children and drawing in six million young listeners, Little Orphan Annie became the biggest and most profitable children’s program of its time. Gray illustrated the comic strip until his death in 1968, after which it was continued by other cartoonists until its final installment on Sunday, June 13, 2010. The success of the comic strip spawned two film adaptations in the 1930s, a 1977 Broadway musical, a 1982 film adaptation of the Broadway musical, a 1999 made-for-television adaptation, and the 2014 film Annie produced by Jay-Z and Will Smith.
FALL BASEBALL
SOFTBALL
Youth Baseball & EYB Cougars Softball House League registration is NOW OPEN! Register NOW to be a part of the fastest growing baseball & softball program in the Western Suburbs!
The Fall Baseball and Softball Leagues are a non-competitive league focused on training and player development. It is a 5 or 6 week program scheduled to start in September and conclude in October with all practices and games taking place on the weekends.
Games are scheduled for each Saturday with practice prior to each game. If there is a rain-out then the game/practice may be rescheduled for Sunday. Elmhurst Youth Baseball is open to boys and girls ages 4 to 20. The EYB Cougars softball program is open to girls ages 4 to 18. Fall ball allows for players to begin practicing and playing in divisions that they may qualify for in the following Spring season or to continue their development in the divisions they currently compete.
PUZZLE Page
SUDOKU
Fun by the Numbers
Like puzzles? Then you’ll love sudoku. This mind-bending puzzle will have you hooked from the moment you square off, so sharpen your pencil and put your sudoku savvy to the test! Here’s How It Works: Sudoku puzzles are formatted as a 9x9 grid, broken down into nine 3x3 boxes. To solve a sudoku, the numbers 1 through 9 must fill each row, column and box. Each number can appear only once in each row, column and box. You can figure out the order in which the numbers will appear by using the numeric clues already provided in the boxes. The more numbers you name, the easier it gets to solve the puzzle!
CLUES ACROSS
1. Spiritual leaders
7. A solution
13. Fortified wine
14. Edible mollusk
16. Blood group
17. A way to compare
19. Gov’t lawyer
20. Actor Ciaran
22. Calendar month
23. Very willing
25. __ ex Machina
26. Satisfies
28. Type of berry
29. Distinctive practice
30. Popular pickup truck model
31. Dekagram
33. Naturally occurring solid material
34. Company officer
36. Villains
38. Cricket frogs
40. German founder of psychology
41. Endured
43. A female domestic
44. A situation you can be in
45. Cigarette (slang)
47. Fiber optic network (abbr.)
48. Belgian composer Walter
51. Employee stock ownership plan
53. Belonging to the bottom layer
55. Musical or vocal sound
56. Yankees’ great Judge
58. Dickens character
59. Beloved late sportscaster
Craig
60. South Dakota
61. Exposing human vice or folly to ridicule
64. Atomic #79
65. Former Braves pitcher Julio
67. Humor
69. Shawl
70. Hospital unit
CLUES DOWN
1. Animal disease
2. Commercial
3.
6. A way to greet in a friendly way
7. Bulged downward 8. “A Day Without” singer 9. Lay about 10. Intestinal 11. Negative
12. Caused to be loved
13. Prominent in Islamic eschatology
Sincere
Not in
Number above the line in a fraction 24. Bill Murray chased one
Pouch
Swedish krona
Start over
Wild white or yellow flower
Fourteen
AMUSEMENTS
TICKETS
37. Visual way of interacting with a computer (abbr.)
38. Up-to-date
39. Campaigns
42. Touch lightly
43. “Boardwalk Empire” actress Gretchen
46. Violent seizure of property
47. One who supports the Pope
49. Malaise
50. Body fluid
52. Inauthentic person
54. Title of respect
55. Chilean city
57. Central Japanese city
59. Garment
62. Draw from 63. Automobile 66. The man
68. Top government lawyer
SUBMITTED
Thunder wins tournament title
The Lombard Thunder 12-U fastpitch softball team won the Bronze Division championship in the 2024 North American Fastpitch Association (NAFA) Midwest Nationals, which took place July 10-14 in Rockford. The Thunder opened bracket play with a 7-0 win over the Wasco Diamonds. The Thunder then beat the Rockford Xtreme 9-7 to advance to the championship game against Wisconsin’s Team Heat Tri-State team. The Thunder prevailed 13-7 in the title contest. Pictured (left to right) are: Monroe Brumm, Maia Klafeta, Sammi Tajak, Abby Rodriguez and Mia Milano; (back row) Coach Kevin Klafeta, Abigail Bates, Tessa Burritt, Marissa Rodriguez, Meara Sutton, Claire Betts, Coach Joe Milano and Coach Justin Bates.
A day of cycling in Lombard
The 2024 Lombard Cycling Classic took place in downtown Lombard last week. The July 23 event featured a full day of races on a course with a start/finish line on St. Charles Road near Park Avenue. Cyclists sped east on St. Charles, south on Main Street, west on Michael McGuire Drive and north on Elizabeth Street before turning east onto St. Charles. Each of the day’s races featured several laps around the course. One photo (top left) shows Shayna Powless raising her arms in victory after she won the 75-minute women’s pro race. Another photo (above) from the women’s pro race shows cyclists turning from Elizabeth onto St. Charles. The final race of the day—the men’s pro race—began at 6:45 p.m. That race was also scheduled to run for 75 minutes, but was canceled when dark skies and rain arrived at about 7 p.m. The photo from the men’s race (bottom left) shows cyclists as they turn onto Main Street from St. Charles Road. Last week’s cycling event in Lombard was part of the 10-day Chicago Grit (formerly know as the Intelligentsia Cup) series, which ran from July 19-28. The cycling series began in West Dundee on July 19 and visited Glen Ellyn, Winfield and Mundelein before arriving in Lombard. The series continued in Brookfield, Northbrook, Elgin and Lake Bluff before concluding with a day of racing in Chicago’s Fulton Market District on July 28.
Waves compete in conference dive meet
The Lombard Waves competed in the DuPage Swim and Dive Conference’s conference dive meet, which took place in Bloomingdale on July 16. Bloomingdale won the team title in the three-team event. Bartlett placed second in the team results, while Lombard finished third. Lombard’s Declan Townsend (pictured above left) delivered a first-place finish in the meet’s 11-12 boys division. Elena Lee (pictured above right) of the Waves placed second in the 13-14 girls level. Paige McEneely of Lombard tied for second in the 10-and-under girls division. Emily Goosman of the Waves added a fourth-place finish in the 10-and-under girls level. Lombard’s Cooper Wedel and James Logan placed fourth and fifth, respectively, in the 10-and-under boys division. Charlie Bolotin of the Waves contributed a fourth-place effort in the 13-14 boys level. This year marked the return of the Waves’ dive program, which hadn’t competed since before the COVID-19 pandemic.
CHRIS FOX PHOTOS Rock Valley Publishing
CHRIS FOX PHOTOS Rock Valley Publishing
Dance camp at Willowbrook
Willowbrook High School’s dance team held a camp for kids (ages 4-13) at the school last week. The five-day camp featured three theme days—Beach Day, Disney Day and Olympic Day. The 45 children who attended the camp concluded the event
by performing for their families during Friday morning’s showcase in the school’s main gymnasium. The Willowbrook team also performed during the showcase.
Waves finish their season
The Lombard Waves concluded their 2024 season by competing in the DuPage Swim and Dive Conference’s White Division ‘A’ Meet in Woodridge on July 20. Itasca won the team championship in the four-team meet. Woodridge placed second, while Bartlett claimed third. Lombard finished fourth in the meet’s team standings. The Waves will compete in the conference’s Red Division next season. Lombard’s Molly Gierman (pictured) won two individual events in the White Division ‘A’ Meet. Competing in the 9-10 girls level, she won the 50-yard freestyle in a first-place time of 30.88 seconds. Later in the meet, she swam to a victory in the 100-yard freestyle, which she finished in 1 minute, 10.13 seconds. Adam Hollis of the Waves also earned an individual win in the July 20 meet in Woodridge. He won the 15-18 boys level’s 50-yard freestyle, which he completed in 22.76 seconds.
CHRIS FOX PHOTOS Rock Valley Publishing
CHRIS FOX FILE PHOTO Rock Valley Publishing
Riding the course
Last week’s Lombard Cycling Classic featured a full day of bicycle races on a criterium course. The downtown course’s start/finish line was on St. Charles Road at Park Avenue. The course proceeded eastbound on St. Charles to Main Street, south on Main to Michael McGuire Drive, west on Michael McGuire Drive to Elizabeth Street, north on Elizabeth to Main, and east on St. Charles. The July 23 event included a family and community ride, which took place after the 75-minute women’s professional race. The final race of the day—the men’s professional race—began at 6:45 p.m., after the conclusion of the family and community ride. The men’s professional race was supposed to last for 75 minutes, but less than 15 minutes after it began, the skies darkened and rain swept through the area, forcing that race to be canceled.
CHRIS FOX PHOTOS Rock Valley Publishing
Classifieds
Elmhurst Office (630) 834-8244 In-Print and Onlne at www.TheIndependentNewspapers.com
Announcements
CLASSIFIED IN-COLUMN ADS cannot be credited or refunded after the ad has been placed. Ads canceled before deadline will be removed from the paper as a service to our customers, but no credit or refund will be issued to your account.
DISCLAIMER NOTICE This publication does not knowingly accept fraudulent or deceptive advertising. Readers are cautioned to thoroughly investigate all ads, especially those asking for money in advance.
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.
Furniture
NEW LIVING ROOM SOFA FOR SALE, $500. 630-267-7890
Music/ Instrumental FOR SALE:
Campers and RVs
LEGAL NOTICE
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN by the Board of Education of School District 45, DuPage County, Villa Park, Illinois, that a tentative legal budget for said School District for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2024 (Fiscal Year 2024-2025), will be on file and conveniently available for public inspection in the Administration Center at 255 West Vermont Street, Villa Park, from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on the 7th day of August, 2024, and ending on the 17th day of September, 2024.
NOTICE IS FURTHER HEREBY GIVEN that a public hearing on said tentative budget will be held at 6:30 p.m. on the 17th day of September, 2024, at the District Office, 255 West Vermont Street, Villa Park, Illinois, in this School District.
After the Board of Education takes final action to approve the budget for Fiscal Year 2024-2025, the budget will be posted on the School District 45, DuPage County, Internet website at www.d45.org.
Dated this 1st day of August, 2024
Board of Education
School District 45, DuPage County DuPage County, Illinois
Al Legutki, Secretary
(Published in the Addison Independent, Bensenville Independent, Villa Park Review & the Lombardian Aug. 1, 2024) 458890
ORDINANCE NO. 1030-24
ESTABLISHING MEETING DATES
BE IT ORDAINED by the Board of Trustees of the Bensenville Community Public Library District, DuPage and Cook County, State of Illinois;
That the regular meeting of said Board of Trustees shall be held on the fourth Monday of each month at the hour of seven o’clock p.m. in the library building located at 200 South Church Road, in the Village of Bensenville, DuPage County, Illinois. Exceptions to this rule occur in the months of May and December when the fourth Monday of the month occurs on or near a major holiday. During these months in the 20242025 fiscal year, library board meetings will be held on the third Monday of the month.
FURTHER that this Ordinance shall be in full force and effect from and after its enactment as provided by law.
ENACTED by the President and Board of Trustees of the Bensenville Community Public Library District, DuPage County, Illinois this 22nd day of July, 2024.
APPROVED:
/s/ Linda Weiss
Linda Weiss, President
ATTEST:
/s/ Mandi Zalewski
Mandi Zalewski, Secretary
State of Illinois ) SS
County of DuPage )
CERTIFICATION OF AUTHENTICITY
I, Mandi Zalewski, hereby certify that I am the duly qualified and acting Secretary
LEGAL NOTICES
of the Board of Trustees of the Bensenville Community Public Library District, DuPage, Illinois and as such I am the custodian and keeper of the records and files of said Library District.
I do further certify that the attached is a true and correct copy of an Ordinance adopted on the 22nd day of July, 2024, at a meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Bensenville Community Public Library District. I further certify that the Ordinance will be published within the August 1st edition of the Bensenville Independent.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto affixed by official signature and the corporate seal of the Bensenville Community Public Library District, DuPage County, Illinois, this July 22nd, 2024.
/s/ Mandi Zalewski Mandi Zalewski, Secretary Bensenville Community Public Library District (Published in the Addison Independent, Bensenville Independent & Villa Park Review Aug. 1, 2024) 459212
ORDINANCE NO. 1029-24
DETERMINING TO LEVY AN ADDITIONAL TAX OF .02% FOR 2024 TAX YEAR
WHEREAS, the Illinois Public Library District Act, specifically Section 16/35-5 thereof, authorizes the Board of Trustees to levy a special tax in addition to the annual public library district tax for the purchase of sites and buildings, for construction and equipment of buildings, for the rental of buildings required for library purposes, and for maintenance, repairs and alterations of
library buildings and equipment, and
WHEREAS, the amount of said special tax as set forth in said Section 16/35-5 is .02% of the value of all of the taxable property in the District as equalized or assessed by the Department of Local Government Affairs; and
WHEREAS, the Board of Trustees deems it advisable and necessary to levy said special tax for the 2024 tax year for the purposes hereinbefore set forth; and
WHEREAS, the Board of Trustees has determined to levy said special tax;
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED AND DETERMINED by the Board of Trustees of the Bensenville Community Public Library District that for the purpose of sites and buildings, for the construction and equipment of buildings, for the rental of buildings required for library purposes, and for the maintenance, repairs, and alterations of library buildings and equipment, a special tax of .02% of the value of all taxable property in the District, as equalized and assessed, shall be levied from taxes to be collected for 2024.
FURTHER, a copy of this Ordinance shall be published in The Bensenville Independent on August 1st 2024, after the date of enactment in the form provided by law.
FURTHER, this Ordinance shall be in full force and effect from and after its enactment as provided by law.
ENACTED this 22nd day of July, 2024.
APPROVED:
/s/ Linda Weiss Linda Weiss, President
ATTEST:
/s/ Mandi Zalewski Mandi Zalewski, Secretary
PUBLIC NOTICE
Print and Online
Secretary Bensenville Community Public Library District
(Published in the Addison Independent, Bensenville Independent & Villa Park Review Aug. 1, 2024) 459213
LEGAL NOTICE PUBLIC NOTICE
Notice is hereby given by the Board of Trustees of the Bensenville Community Public Library District, Cook and DuPage Counties, Illinois, that the Tentative Budget and Appropriation for said Library District for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2024 and ending June 30, 2025, is on file at the Library, 200 South Church Road, Bensenville, Il for a period of thirty day public inspection, beginning on August 1, 2024 and that a public hearing on said Budget and Appropriation will be held at 7:00 pm on Monday, September 23rd, 2024 at the aforementioned building.
Mandi Zalewski
Secretary, Board of Trustees
(Published in the Addison Independent, Bensenville Independent & Villa Park Review Aug. 1, 2024) 459214
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: Jacquelyn Paige Peters Case Number
There will be a court date on my Request to change from Jacquelyn Paige Peters to the new name Jacquelyn Cagney Peters. The court date will be held: September 17, 2024 at 9:00 a.m at 505 N. County Farm Road, Wheaton, IL in Courtroom 2007.
Public Notice is hereby given that, by Ordinance enacted on the 22nd day of July, 2024 the Board of Trustees of the Bensenville Community Public Library District determined by ordinance to levy an additional tax of .02% of the value of all the taxable property in the District, as equalized or assessed by the Department of Local Government Affairs, for the purpose of sites and buildings, for construction and equipment of buildings, for the rental of buildings required for library purposes, and for maintenance, repairs and alterations of library buildings and equipment, said tax levy to be effective for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2024 and ending June 30, 2025 from taxes to be collected for 2024. The text of said Ordinance is set forth below.
The question of the enactment of said Ordinance shall be submitted to the electors of the District if a petition is filed with the District signed by at least 940 voters asking that the question of levying such a .02% tax be submitted to the electors of the District. Said petition must be filed within 30 days after publication of this notice. The next date on which a prospective referendum could be held is November 5th, 2024.
/s/ Mandi Zalewski Mandi Zalewski, Secretary Bensenville Community Public Library District
State of Illinois ) SS County of DuPage )
CERTIFICATION OF AUTHENTICITY
I, Mandi Zalewski, hereby certify that I am the duly qualified and acting Secretary of the Board of Trustees of the Bensenville Community Public Library District, DuPage, Illinois and as such I am the custodian and keeper of the records and files of said Library District.
I do further certify that the attached is a true and correct copy of an Ordinance adopted on the 22nd day of July, 2024, at a meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Bensenville Community Public Library District. I further certify that the Ordinance will be published within the Bensenville Independent on August 1st 2024
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto affixed by official signature and the corporate seal of the Bensenville Community Public Library District, DuPage County, Illinois, this July 22nd, 2024. /s/ Mandi Zalewski
/s/ Jacquelyn Paige Peters Dated July 1, 2024
Candice Adams Clerk of the Circuit Court 8085-944342
(Published in The Lombardian July 18, 25, Aug. 1, 2024) 458645
LEGAL NOTICE
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN by the Board of Education of School District 45, DuPage County, Villa Park, Illinois, that a tentative legal budget for said School District for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2024 (Fiscal Year 2024-2025), will be on file and conveniently available for public inspection in the Administration Center at 255 West Vermont Street, Villa Park, from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on the 7th day of August, 2024, and ending on the 17th day of September, 2024.
NOTICE IS FURTHER HEREBY GIV-
EN that a public hearing on said tentative budget will be held at 6:30 p.m. on the 17th day of September, 2024, at the District Office, 255 West Vermont Street, Villa Park, Illinois, in this School District.
After the Board of Education takes final action to approve the budget for Fiscal Year 2024-2025, the budget will be posted on the School District 45, DuPage County, Internet website at www.d45.org.
Dated this 1st day of August, 2024
Board of Education School District 45, DuPage County DuPage County, Illinois Al Legutki, Secretary
(Published in the Addison Independent, Bensenville
Lombardian Aug. 1, 2024)
Mandi Zalewski,
WATCH ALL GAMES HERE!
Indulge in our New Vegan and Dessert food items
H DAILY DINE IN ONLY SPECIALS H
SUNDAYS
50¢ Boneless Wings LIMIT 12 (with side purchase)
$5 Sausage & Peppers ‘Wich (with side purchase)
$9 Pasta Marinara (add $2 for Vodka, Meat, Carbonara or Alfredo)
$10 Bacon Wrapped Pickle Spears
$10 Vegan Pasta Marinara
$4 Mimosa - $6 Tito’s Bloody Mary
$4.50 Miller Lite or $6 Import 22 oz. Drafts
$17 Bottles of Woodbridge House Wine
H H H
TUESDAYS
$2 Beef/Pulled Pork Taco
$3 Chicken - Fish - Pork Belly - Steak
$4 Vegan Tacos - Impossible Meat - Chicken - Pork
$4 Cilantro Lime Rice or Seasoned Black Beans
$10 BACON Nachos
$4 Modelo Draft
$6 Don Julio Margaritas
$7 Don Julio Frozen Margaritas
$20 Any Mexican Beer Buckets
H H H
WEDNESDAYS
Half Price Bottles of Wine $25 or More FREE Bar Bingo/Kids eat free 10 and Under - Ask server for more details
$5 Gourmet Cheeseburger (with side purchase)
$10 BACON Wrapped Mushrooms
$8 Impossible Burger (with side purchase)
$5 U Call Its $8 and Under Wine/Liquor ONLY
THURSDAYS
We’re Now Pouring 394 Bourbons, Scotches and Whiskeys. 1/2 Off $20 or more pours. 90 to Choose from.
$5 Pulled Pork ‘Wich (with side purchase)
$10 BACON Wrapped Mozzarella Sticks
$8 Vegan Chicken Parmesan ‘Wich (with side purchase)
$4 Drafts $8 and Under
H H H
FRIDAYS
$5 Pepper & Egg ‘Wich (with side purchase)
$15 Fish & Chips (1/2 Pound Alaskan White Fish)
$10 Bacon Stuffed Avocado
$8 Vegan Burrito (with side purchase)
$5 Stella Draft
$5 Crown or Titos
$25 High Noon Buckets
H H H
SATURDAYS/UFC
$5 1/2 Lb BLT ‘Wich (with side purchase)
$10 BACON Croquettes
$8 Vegan Buffalo Chicken ‘Wich (with side purchase)
$5 Sam Seasonal Draft
$5 Proper Twelve Shot
$5 Absolut or Jameson
$22 Modelo Buckets
H H H
CLOSED - MONDAYS
FRIDAY
Come, Sing and get a chance to go to our finals. Cash and prizes for top 3 winners on the first Fridays of the month.
Watch the Paris Olympic Games Here!
Try Our New Non-Alcoholic Cocktails!
36 Drafts & 394 Bourbons, Scotches & Whiskeys
HAPPY HOUR
Tuesday-Friday 3pm-6pm
99¢ Chicken Tenders ~ SLIDERS ~
$2 Grilled Chicken - Meatball - Pulled Pork
$3 Burger - Fish - Pork Belly
$4 Vegan Chicken or Impossible Slider
$5 Italian Beef ‘Wich
$8 Medium Cheese Pizza - $3 Full Toppings
$12 XL Cheese Pizza - $4 Full Toppings
$4 Well Gin, Rum, Tequila, Vodka & Whiskey
$4 House Wine (Woodbridge)
$5 Blue Moon Drafts
$15 Domestic Buckets - $20 Import Buckets
$8 Jefferson Old Fashioned
$5 Jefferson 1.25 oz. Pour
How to Honor a Life
It’s about bringing those you love together, at a time of loss. It’s a natural thing to do, and over time, has become a socially-expected practice. More importantly, a funeral or memorial service, whether traditional, or contemporary, is the first step in healing.
You can have your service anywhere, and any way, you want. Your choices include the place of celebration, day of the week, and time of day; the musical selection, what prayers will be said or songs you’d like sung. We can arrange to have doves, butterflies, or balloons released at the close of the service. Keepsake gifts of wildflower seeds or a tree seedling can be given. We’re here to help you create the most memorable and meaningful service to honor your loved one.
