Record-setter
STORY BY BILL STONE, PAGE 13
‘Hope is an action’
Locals see 2025 as an opportunity for growth and connection
By GREGG VOSS Contributing Reporter
It’s the age-old question.
At the beginning of a new year, what’s more important – looking back, or looking forward?
Looking back can be full of messy hindsight, while looking ahead provides a modicum of hope for what’s possible.
So what are locals’ best hopes for 2025?
“Hope is an action,” said Ann Filmer, new executive director of the Riverside Arts Center, 32 E. Quincy St. “You do something about it. For me, it’s about engaging directly with my community, and I think art, for me, has always been the place to connect with neighbors and friends and people I don’t know and don’t share beliefs with.”
In summary: “You c an c onnect with something that moves you. ”
A couple of blocks away, at the Riverside Public Library, director Janice Foley pointed to two major milestones that are sure to be high points for the new year
“The fact that the village is celebrating its 150th year, and the library is celebrating its 95th, there is a sense of a history combined with the present and that we celebrate our past and enter into the future,” said Foley, who has worked at the library for 30 years.
Though Foley lives in River Forest, she’s been around long enough to realize businesses like Riverside Foods and Riverside Plumbing continue to play an integral role in the community, while the library has worked to evolve. That includes updating technology to 2025 standards and providing new avenues for patrons to explore, like its Maker’s Space.
There’s an element of fun, too. The second edition of the board
STEVE JOHNSTON
Lyons Township’s Nora Ezike (25) drives to the basket dur ing her 40-point performance, putting her over the 1,000 point mark for her career at LT during the 15th Annual Montini Christmas Tournament, Dec. 26, in Westmont.
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WithCantata’scontinuumofcare,youcanliveyourbest lifetoday,tomorrowandintothefuture.We’vebeen here,rightacrossfromtheBrookfieldZoo,formorethan centurypassionatelyservingtheneedsoflocalseniors.
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Riverside looks to ban gas-powered leaf blowers in future
e village will pursue an education campaign this year; earliest ban could be in 2026
By TRENT BROWN Staff Reporter
Rive rside is p lanning to b an g as-powered leaf bl owers in town within the next couple of year s.
At their Nov. 21 village b oard meeting, trustees discussed whether the village should b an the landscaping tools, wh ich create loud noise that residents have c omplained about to officials
While trustees Elizabeth Kos and Me ga n C laucherty we re absent, the other four trustees ag reed to pursue an educational c ampaign next year with the i ntention to p hase g as-powe red leaf bl owers out of use through 2026 and 2027, although the b oard did not take any for mal action.
At the meeting, A ssistant Vi llage Manager A shley Monroe asked the b oard whether Rive rside ought to b an the equipment and, if so, if it should then require landscapers to become re gistered in town so staf f c an track equipment usage and enforce the ban. Re ga rdless of whether the village pursues some fo rm of re gistration, there may be challenges with enforcing the ban, at least at first, she said.
Monroe also asked if the b oard would li ke to modify the existing landscaping hours in town, but trustees ag reed to leave them unchanged. L andscapin g is allowe d in Rive rside from 7 a.m. to 8 p. m. on weekd ay s, 8 a.m. to 8 p. m. on Saturdays and 9 a.m. to 8 p. m. on S und ay s. C ommercial landscaping is b anned on S und ay s, meaning those hours appl y only to residents
Trustee Aberdeen Marsh-Ozga sai d she would suppo rt b anning g as-powe re d leaf bl owers in Rive rside, but she reco gnized that doing so i mmediately c ould ne gative ly impact business owners.
“I think, in terms of b oth the incredi-
bly high decibels of noise that these leaf bl owers g enerate [ and] the pa rt iculates that they push out, wh ich are a dif ferent matter alto g ether from the emissions, the C O2 emissions, that there’s a lot of public health reasons to be c oncerned about g as-powe red leaf bl ower s, ” she said. “They are on the way out. They are reco gnized as kind of a health hazard, frankl y, and it would b ehoove us, I think, to be on the front end of this movement” to ban them.
“For s pring and f all cleanups and fo r emergency storm situations, I would say that g as-powe red equipment should be allowe d,” she a dded. “Otherwise, we, in being fair, should wo rk towards a b an. We should n’ t b an it outright now, because the businesses aren’t ready. T hey ’r e not that agil e. T hey re p lac e equipment as they c an, but I think enc ouraging a p hase-out over time to wo rk toward an eventual b an would be the b est approach.”
Marsh-Ozga suggested developin g an educational c ampaign for 2025 and p otentially drafting an ordinance that would b an the use of g as-powe red leaf bl owers by 2026 or 2027.
Trustee Jill Mateo said she ag reed with phasing the leaf blowers out over time
“I ag ree with, at least for no w, allowing leaf cleanup to stay g as until such time as the technolo gy improves, and then they can make that switch,” she said.
S he asked how long other municipalities that have b anned g as-powe red leaf bl ower s, li ke Glencoe, Oak Pa rk and Evanston, took to p hase them out before b anning them alto g ether. Oak Pa rk b anned g as-powe red leaf bl owers in March 2023, but the b an will not go i nto ef fect until June 1, 2025.
Trustee Cristin Evans said she also supported p hasing a b an in over two or three year s. S he asked about an existing list of c ontractors the village c ould use for outreach ef fo rt s.
Monroe said Rive rside had a list of c ontractors who have already b een lic ensed and that she has created another list of p otential c ontractors to notify. S he said village staf f c ould ask residents
who they contract with or simply search for contracting businesses in the area as a way to grow the list.
“Even if we ’re not re gistering them, if we ’re c onnecting with them — we ’re at an a djacent house next d oor doing an i nspection — we c an certainly note wh o it is and t ry to a dd that,” she said. “I t would c ome to g ether over time. It ’s not the same as requiring them to re gister by a certain point, but I feel comfor tabl e star ting with something li ke that.”
Evans said she would n’ t want the village to inco nvenience residents searching for a landscaper by p lacing the bu rd en on residents to info rm c ontractor s of a re gistration requirement.
“I think a more organic list that we grow on our own would be the least intrusive on residents,” she said. “People hire different contractors for all sorts of reasons. I definitely wouldn’t want to just have a set of licensed contractor s, and residents can only choose from them.”
Trustee A lex Galle g os said he suppor ted the education c ampaign, but that battery-powe red leaf bl ower s, the alternative to those r unning on ga s, may not yet be suf ficient for contractors’ use.
“Even though batteries are g etting b etter and b etter, we ’r e j ust not there yet, and horsepowe r also lacks,” he said. “Commercial landscapers that I have talked to have said they would be c harging up all day long and would n’ t be able to g et the wo rkload d one that they would need.”
He said p hasing the g as-powe re d equipment out by 2026 or 2027 may be “too ag gressive at this point” but that he still favo red “taking baby ste p s” toward that g oal wh i le educating residents and c ontractor s.
After further discussion among the board on requiring contractors to re gister within Riverside, including the yet unbudgeted cost of staf f time to enforce the ban on gas-powered leaf blowers, Marsh-Ozga suggested returning to the topic around budget season in fall of 2025 so the village board can then decide whether to re gister landscaping contractors.
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What new Illinois laws have taken effect in 2025?
Pay transparency for jobs, g membership cancellations made easie and mobile ID driver’s license
By LUZANE DRAUGHON Staff Reporter
In 2025, almost 300 new Illinois or Chicago-area have gone into effect, including pay transparency easier gym membership cancellations and mobile ID driver’s licenses.
A bill signed by Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker in 2023 now requires employers with 15 or more employees to include pay scale and benefits info rmation in job posting to provide increased transparency in hiring ef plaints about postings without that salary and benefit information can be filed with the Illinois Department of Labor within one year.
Illinois is also making it easier for residents in 2025 to gym memberships. Now, residents can cancel gy ships via email or on their gym’s website, as opposed to having to cancel in person or other methods often found unnecessarily difficult.
Another state law now in effect is one allowing residents to have a digital version of their driver’s license or state ID, instead of a physical one. However, according to CBS News, when required by law or requested by a police officer, one might still have to show a physical ID.
Despite national turmoil over reproductive rights, in Illinois, a new law prohibits discrimination based on reproductive health decisions, including those related to abortion, fertility treatment, birth control, miscarriage care, or pre- or post-natal care
“To anyone who intends to come take away the freedom, and opportunity, and dignity of Illinoisans, I would remind you that a happy warrior is still a warrior,” Pritzker said at a news conference in Chicago after the 2024 general election. “You come for my people, you come through me.”
Similarly, HB 2350 requires Illinois companies that provide insurance to cover annual prostate cancer screenings or cervical smears for all those insured, regardless of gender.
The Chicago Sun-Times reported in June 2023 that more than 17,000 catalytic converters were stolen from 2019 until then, and the thieves are almost never caught.
But now, a new law requires metal or scrap dealers to
records of the vehicle identification number s here catalytic co nverters we re remove d. It these d ealers to acquire a copy of a seller ’s wnership of the vehicle in catalytic co nverter trans-
This is i ntended, according to CBS News, to eves from selling catalytic co nverter s, thus reducing enticement to steal them.
enters c oncerned about retaliation from the landlord has a new saf eg uard, too. P ritzker signed the etaliation Act, wh ich g uarantees that landlords cannot penalize a renter for repo rt ing code violaving conditions or ille g al activit y.
means a landlord cannot knowingly increase rent, threaten a lawsuit or terminate a lease in response olice officers or members of self-insured fire protection districts, or spouses of those individuals, will now have inccess to mental health therapy services. HB 4460 rensurance companies to provide coverage. Similarly, a olice officer now cannot be fired for a mental or physical disbility that is the basis for their benefits application. et another new law requires businesses that offer a free trial, such as a streaming subscription service, to notify customers at least three days before the automatic renewal at a paid rate. This only applies, according to ABC7 Chicago, to subscriptions longer than 15 days
Other new laws include requirements for school districts to provide students at least 20 minutes a week for relaxation activities, waiving fees for veterans to adopt a dog or cat from an animal shelter, and all state-owned buildings must have an adult changing station.
The Illinois Municipal League outlines other laws taking effect in 2025 related to the environment, municipal governance, property taxes, public works and utilities online
State could adopt ‘kin- rst’ approach to foster care
e measure passes the Senate unanimously, awaits House action
By AMALIA HUOT-MARCHAND Medill Illinois News Bureau for Capitol News Illinois
Illinois lawmakers could soon make it easier for children in foster care to live with their relatives or other people close to them.
Child welfare experts have long touted the benefits of foster children staying with kin. Advocates say those arrangements offer children more stability, decrease the trauma they experience, improve their mental health and reduce the number of times the child is moved from home to home.
But both state and federal law often made those placements impractical. To get paid to support the children, rel-
atives had to follow the same stringent rules that apply to other foster parents. They go through a rigid home inspection with bedroom size requirements, as well as restrictions on the number of people and gender of individuals who can sleep in the same bedroom. Prospective parents also go through lengthy classroom training.
In 2023, though, the federal government decided to allow states to use separate standards for relatives of children in foster care than for other foster parents, in an ef fort to pair more children with relatives.
Now, Illinois lawmakers are moving forward with a plan to do just that, along with making other changes that will encourage the placement of children with relatives. The Illinois Senate unanimously approved the measure, known as the Kinship in Demand, or KIND Act, in the fall. But the House must sign of f on the changes by the time it adjour ns in early January, otherwise the bill must go through the entire le gislative process again to reach the gover nor’s desk.
“I think it’s really important that we reckon with how
unjust our systems have been in foster care,” said state Sen. Mike Simmons, D-Chicago, one of the bill’s 15 cosponsors in the upper chamber. “It’s an excellent step forward in terms of respecting the integrity of the families these kids come from, that includes their immediate family but also their extended kin that love them.”
Illinois’ record
Close to 10,000 children – or more than half of the total number of kids in the care of the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services – live with family members. But more than 60% of those families are not eligible for monthly foster care payments, annual clothing vouchers, or foster care support groups according to the ACLU of Illinois. “Support for kin, for relatives who have not received the same kind of support that foster parents do, for example
See FOSTER on page 12
García says protecting immigrants, social programs are priorities in new Congress
‘I want to reassure the immigrant
he said. “There aren’t enough [immigration] agents to carry this out.”
community
that they’re not alone, ’ he tells the Landmark
By TRENT BROWN Staff Reporter
Heading into the 119th Congress Friday, Rep. Jesús “Chuy” García of Illinois’ fourth congressional district, including Brookfield, Riverside and North Riverside, named protecting immigrants and stopping social safety programs — social security, Medicare, Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act — from being cut as two of his top goals
He said his other priorities included addressing housing affordability, protecting access to nutrition across the district, defending women’s rights, “especially as it relates to reproductive health care,” and avoiding what he called costly “unnecessary forever wars.”
The Congressman said advocating for immigrants in the area will remain a focus of his. Last month, his office posted a video of him in Spanish offering resources and advice to constituents who are immigrants
“First, I want to reassure the immigrant community that they’re not alone, that there are people in Congress who care and want to protect and defend them,” García told the Landmark Friday. He said there are organizations within the district “preparing to protect them as well” by providing “know-your-rights workshops” and legal services
He underscored the importance of protecting immigrants against mass deportation, a campaign promise of President-elect Donald Trump, by pointing out the realities surrounding the legal process
“To undertake the massive deportation that [Trump] promised is costly,” he said. “It’s estimated that just to deport a million people, it would cost $88 billion per year. That’s not in any budget at this time.”
He added that the legal system may not be prepared to handle the case load associated with mass deportations and that immigrants have the Constitutional right to due process
“There aren’t enough immigration judges,”
García said he will work to safeguard against alternative measures to deportations to protect immigrants
“We will be very vigilant to protect against the creation of detention centers or camps that sort of beckon memories of World War II and how Japanese Americans were interned,” he said.
Congress cannot end birthright citizenship, which is guaranteed by the 14th Amendment, he added: “It requires a Constitutional amendment, which is a long, drawn-out process.”
For a new amendment to become part of the Constitution, it must first be approved by a two-thirds majority in both the Senate and House of Representatives or by a national convention called by Congress, though this method has never occurred. Then, 38 states must each ratify the amendment through their state legislature or a state convention.
García said protecting his constituents against increased taxes goes hand-in-hand with protecting immigrants against mass deportations. He said that lower tax rates across the board from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 are set to expire at the end of 2025, which could increase the United States’ budgetary deficit even further
If the cuts are allowed to sunset as scheduled, “That will be telling, because many working-class voters ... voted for Donald Trump because he was going to bring inflation under control and address their priorities as it related to the cost of living,” García said. “This would be a betrayal of those campaign promises.”
In the same vein, he said, mass deportations of immigrants would only worsen inflation and the cost of living, as immigrants contribute more than $360 billion in federal and state taxes.
“I’m heartened to hear the governor, the county board president in Cook County and the mayor reiterate their support for immigrants, given the role that they play in agriculture, in the meat packing industry, taking care of children and the elderly,” García said. “If you do anything to disrupt their participation in the economy, the effects will be felt by all of us in the form of higher costs, the availability of important services, and it would be very detrimental to the country.”
hen employers hire people with disabilities or make their business accessible to employees and customers with disabilities, they may be eligible for certain tax benefits. These tax benefits encourage employers to hire qualified people with disabilities and offset some of the costs of providing accommodations.
Disabled Access Credit
The Disabled Access Credit is a non-refundable credit for small businesses that have expenses for providing access to people with disabilities. An eligible small business is one that earned $1 million or less or had no more than 30 full-time employees in the previous year. Small businesses claim the 50% credit for eligible access expenditures by filing Form 8826, Disabled Access Credit. The business can claim the credit each year they have access expenditures. For details on access expenditures, see Form 8826.
The architectural barrier removal tax deduction encourages businesses of any size to remove architectural and transportation barriers that helps people with disabilities and the elderly get around more easily. Businesses may claim a deduction of up to $15,000 a year for qualified expenses on items that normally must be capitalized. Businesses claim this deduction by listing it as a separate expense on their income tax return. The tax return must be filed on time.
Businesses may use the Disabled Access Credit and the architectural tax deduction together in the same tax year if the expenses meet the requirements of both benefits.
By Linda Sokol Francis. E.A.
Vernon Ave. home sales for $657,500
The following property transfers were re ported by the Cook County Clerk from November 2024. Where addresses appear incomplete, for instance where a unit number appears missing, that
1 injured in Brook eld
‘domestic-related’ shooting
e shooting took place Jan. 5 around 8:30 p.m. on the 4600 block of Custer Avenue
By TRENT BROWN Staff Reporter
One person was injured non-fatally in a shooting on the 4600 block of Custer Avenue in Brookfield around 8:30 p.m. Sunday. According to a posting by the village on X, there was no public safety concern as
HOPE
e year ahead
from page 1
game Riversideopoly debuted just before Holiday Stroll on Dec. 6. The new version, which is $30, includes all the businesses that part icipated in the first edition in 2008, plus virtually all new businesses. In other words, it’s a unique way to eng age with the village.
Over in Brookfield, sentiments about 2025 we re by and large the same: c autious optimism.
Doug Cooper, the village’s finance director, said infrastructure improvements alone are something to look forward to
“That includes a 2025 local road program, as well as a lead service line removal project, and water main replacement,” Cooper said, adding that the majority of the $20 million cost for those projects will be covered through low- or zero-interest loans and grants – not taxpayer dollars.
Another plus is the Brookfield Business Incubator that will launch in 2025 at Eight Corners. There are six sheds located there, and a panel of judges will determine what businesses should be incubated in those locations, which will energize that area.
Over at the Brookfield Metra station, Saturday morning was bustling with the regulars that patronize Loca Mocha, owned by Maria Verduzco. She and her husband, Gabe, a real estate agent, are born optimists and
of 10:44 p.m. Sunday
ABC7 Chicago reported that police officers from multiple municipal departments responded to the scene, including Lyons police, though little is known about the circumstances of the shooting.
Brookfield Police Chief Mike Ku ruvilla told the Landmark the victim is expected to recover and that police are still investigating what he called a “domestic-related shooting” as of Monday morning. No one has yet been ar rested or charged in connection to the shooting
This is a developing story. More information will be published as it becomes available.
very observant.
Admittedly, the majority of those regulars, Gabe said, “don’t like how the election results ended, but we’re going to be positive anyway.”
The Linda Sokol Francis Brookfield Library has plenty to look forward to in 2025, according to Iris Overstreet Strupp, youth services assistant and a Brookfield resident. For example, home literacy calendars are coming, which parents can work on at home with children to promote literacy skills. Readalong books for kids will also be hot.
But there’s more.
“Taking of f my library hat, I am hopeful for the opportunity to see our community continue to come together,” she said. “I think in 2024, there was a lot of upheaval in general, a lot of unprecedented events in our lives. Some people kind of ended the year feeling uncertain, there are going to be a lot of changes coming. But I think for myself, (I’m) trying to frame it instead of worrying, it’s opportunities.”
Small business owners like Mike Doerr, chief executive drummer at A Sound Education, 9433 Ogden Ave., said he’s hopeful the national economy turns around
“The more I believe we crawl out of COVID, the more people are shopping brick and mortar.” Doerr said. “That’s what I’m hopeful for.”
North Riverside resident Larry Lembcke added that in addition to a stronger economy, lower interest rates and village parks and recreation improvements, he’s got one other hope, related to Riverside-Brookfield High School.
“A 2025 RB football conference champions, and a state title,” he said.
Ending hunger by connecting the four corners of our community
by connecting the four corners of our community...
If only we could SNAP our fingers
If only we could SNAP our fingers
...
The SNAP program is working.
The SNAP program is working.
The federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), is a proven way to address hunger. But as is often the case among our general population, nutritional practices by recipients are often lacking Partly because even with SNAP support , healthier food choices are often costprohibitive compared to routinely available , highly caloric food choices
The federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), is a proven way to address hunger But as is often the case among our general population, nutritional practices by recipients are often lacking. Partly because even with SNAP support , healthier food choices are often costprohibitive compared to routinely available , highly caloric food choices .
Women are the meal makers .
Women are the meal makers .
At our food pantry, women registrants outnumber men by a factor of two -to -one. In our food pantry ’s service region, over 4100 women live below the poverty line. And over 1,000 of those women are single mothers reliant on SNAP Women are the meal makers . They are the meal planners . But even when helped by SNAP support , they are confronted by an unfair choice
At our food pantry, women registrants outnumber men by a factor of two -to - one. In our food pantry ’s service region, over 4100 women live below the poverty line And over 1,000 of those women are single mothers reliant on SNAP Women are the meal makers They are the meal planners But even when helped by SNAP support , they are confronted by an unfair choice.
Nutritional
Nutritional food is everyone's right .
food is everyone's right .
SNAP recipients are two times more likely to die from cardiovascular disease than non-recipients They are three times more likely to die from diabetes than nonrecipients . And meanwhile , obesity is a broad societal problem. The prevalence of obesity in Illinois is 33.4%.*
SNAP recipients are two times more likely to die from cardiovascular disease than non-recipients . They are three times more likely to die from diabetes than nonrecipients And meanwhile , obesity is a broad societal problem The prevalence of obesity in Illinois is 33.4%.*
“ The more healthy food is , the more expensive it is . Why is that ? It ’s easy to get all this food that 's high saturated fat A lot of people are just trying to stretch the bad food and don' t even look at the healthiness in it . But if you can change that with healthy food, that 's an excellent thing In the long run, you're eating healthy You feel healthy. It keeps you away from the doctor.” SFSL Neighbor in need
“ The more healthy food is , the more expensive it is Why is that ? It ’s easy to get all this food that 's high saturated fat . A lot of people are just trying to stretch the bad food and don t even look at the healthiness in it . But if you can change that with healthy food, that 's an excellent thing. In the long run, you're eating healthy. You feel healthy. It keeps you away from the doctor.” SFSL Neighbor in need
Sources : SFSL Registration Database ; 2021 U.S. Census ; Tufts University Food is Medicine Initiative ; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Sources : SFSL Registration Database ; 2021 U S Census ; Tufts University Food is Medicine Initiative ; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Get the facts about hunger in our area...
Get the facts about hunger in our area...
Ending hunger
& FRESHLOCAL
Flu, RSV cases spike as respiratory virus season in Chicago hits ‘full swing’
Positivity
rates for
in uenza and RSV in sick Chicagoans are on a “deep upslope,” while COVID-19 cases are also trending up
By MACK LIEDERMAN Block Club Chicago
T he we ather turned c old and flu season has ar rive d.
Chicago has seen a s pike in respiratory i llness c ases over the p ast month, a ccording to data ke pt by the Chicag o Depar tment of Public Health.
Among Chicagoans tested for flu-like symptoms, 18.3 percent were positive for influenza, 14.1 percent for respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, and 4.9 percent for COVID-19, according to the data as of Friday.
“Flu and RSV are b oth significantl y elevated in Chicago right now, and COVID levels are increasing as well,” city health department spokesperson Jaco b Martin said in a statement. “Respirator y virus season is in full sw ing.”
Local hospitals have elevated masking requirements for the seasonal s pike in c ases. As of Dec. 23, Unive rsity of Chicago Medicine is requiring all staf f to wear masks in patient areas, a ccording to an internal memo.
OSF Healthcare, wh ich includes Little C ompany of Mary Medical C enter, 2800 W. 95th St. in Ever green Pa rk , is temporarily limiting hospital and hospice visitors to two adults per patient at a time, “with exceptions for special circumstances,” spokesperson C olleen Re ynolds said in a statement.
Michael Lin, an infectious disease physician and professor at Rush Medical C enter, said the “deep upslope” in c ases
is typical for this time of year
“Respiratory viruses tend to s pike in the winter months, primarily when p eople are gathering indoor s, spendin g more time to g ether and p ossibly spreading viruses,” Lin said.
Va ccines to protect people through the winter season are rolled out in the f all, but it ’s not too late to get a flu shot or an u pdated COVID-19 b ooster if you have n’ t already, Lin said.
RSV vaccines are recommended fo r adults 75 years and older and those 6074 years old with increased risk, a ccording to the CDC. Fo r infants — who face greater risk of seve re RSV — there is a maternal vaccine given during pr eg nancy or an RSV antibo dy given to infants after bir th.
T he g olden r ule: If you f eel sick, stay home, Lin said.
“Going to events a little bit i ll ca n c ause a lot of spread,” Lin said. “I f your child is sick, ke ep them aw ay from other children. Do what ’s practical. ”
Lin recommends masking in crowde d areas for p eople with underlying c onditions that c ould make respiratory i llnesses more seve re. Fo r other s, masking is “really a personal preference after that,” Lin said.
At-home testing kits for respiratory illnesses are increasingly available, Lin said.
While COVID-19 is not as c ommon as the flu and RSV at the moment, it ’s unclear when those c ases may s pike, too, Lin said.
“It’s becoming one of the c ommon res piratory viruses, but it hasn’t settled i nto a pattern seasonally yet. It ’s harde r to predict when it ’s going to strike, ” sai d Lin, who noted there was a surge in COVID-19 last summer. “It’s not b ehavin g yet li ke a classic respiratory virus.”
Much is still unknown about the longter m effects of COVID-19, Lin said.
Peak season for respiratory i llnesses usually f alls of f by late April or early May, Lin said.
Riverside hosts opening ceremony for 150th anniversar y celebrations
e v illage w ill lig ht up the water towe r at 4:45 p.m. Jan. 15 to star t the year o
By TRENT BROWN Staff Reporter
2025 is set to be a year f ull of c elebration in Rive rside as the village will recog nize the 150th annive r sar y, or sesquic entennial, of its inco rp oration in 1875.
Officials are j umping to it, with the first ceremony not even two weeks aw ay.
On We d nesd ay, Jan. 15, Rive rside will host i ts S esquicentennial Opening Ce remony at 4:45 p. m. at C entennial Pa rk , where the village will light the Historic Water Towe r with the village ’s sesquic entennial logo alongside music from the Rive rside Brookfield High School marching b and. T he ceremony will last until 5:30 p. m. and be followe d by a reception at 6 p. m. at the Rive rside Publi c L ibrary, wh ich will include p oetry reading and desser t.
Rive rside officials have b een pr ep aring for the year of 150th annive r sary c ele brations since last year. In May, the village board approved new street signs fo r the entire village to mark the year. Th e new signs feature black text on wh it e with a tree branch moti
T he retired sign s, with wh i te text on brown, will be available in two round s of online auctions starting at $300 each.
T he first round of the auction will take an. 20 through Fe b. 3 with 48 street signs from 18 streets availabl e. Details, including how to sign up for the auction, are available on the village ’s we bsit e.
Three retired street sign s — one each for Rive rside Road, E ast Burlington Street and Olmsted Road
— we re available at the Holiday Stroll in December.
Wi nners we re selected by ra ff le, with tickets c osting only $5 each.
Funds raised from the sale of retired street sign s will help cove r the village ’s
c osts associated with sesquicentennial
pr ogr amming throughout the year.
The signs up for auction on Jan. 20 include:
■ Arlington Road (one sign)
■ Barrypoint Road (five signs)
■ Blackhawk Road (one sign)
■ Bloomingbank Road (five signs)
■ Burling Road (one sign)
■ Coonley Road (three signs)
■ Fairbank Road (three signs)
■ Haas Avenue (one sign)
■ Lafayette Road (one sign)
■ Lawton Road (one sign)
■ Lindberg Road (one sign)
■ Lionel Road (three signs)
■ Millbridge Road (three signs)
■ Miller Road (one sign)
■ Ogden Avenue (two signs)
■ Riverside Road (six signs)
■ South Delaplaine Road (two signs)
■ Scottswood Road (eight signs)
How Much Cash Is Hiding Around Your Home?
Consigning your furniture and home decor is a smart and rewarding choice. It’s also the ultimate support of a local business because the suppliers are local, the shoppers are local, and the sta is local too!
Let’s unpack other advantages of consignment to see if this might be for you.
One signi cant advantage is the opportunity to declutter and refresh your living space, making room for new, exciting pieces. How many people have visited your home and commented on a sofa, dining room table or a fabulous piece of decor? If you have great taste, other people are looking to create the same look in their homes.
By consigning, you reduce waste, contributing to sustainability and promoting a circular economy. It sounds trite to say you’re saving the land lls, but well, you actually are!
Financially, consigning allows you to earn money from items you no longer need or want. So it’s a win-win situation: buyers get high-quality items at a fraction of the cost, and you gain extra cash.
Leveraging the expertise of consignment professionals can help your items sell quicker and for a higher price than DIY marketplaces. Top notch Consignment Stores have websites, utilize the power of LIVE video selling and work with marketing agencies so your pieces gain national exposure. ey have arrangements with shipping companies so your items don’t just sell locally, they sell nationally.
Kellie Scott is a past year Top 10 Power Player of Chicago. She owns Divine Consign, a multi-time winner of the Best of the Best Awards for Furniture Consignment Stores. Kellie makes the consignment process easy and hassle free. Start with the online pre-approval form at: divineconsign.com/ consign-form/
Kellie Scott, Owner Divine Consign
Stolen car found parked in Berwyn with damage
Brookfield p olice responded to a delaye d re po rt of a car theft on Dec. 30.
Around 2:20 a.m., an officer spoke with the husband of the car’s owner, who sai d he had heard noises outside and notice d his wife ’s car was missing when he went to check. T he c ouple told p olice they had last seen the car around 9:30 a.m. the prior day when the woman had left it pa rked on the street.
Using village c ameras with license plate reader s, p olice found the car had last b een seen tr aveling north on F irs t Avenue near 31st Street around 3:36 a.m.
On Jan. 5 around 7 a.m., Berwyn p olice notified Brookfield p olice that they had recove red the car after finding it pa rked and unoccupied on the 3400 block of Wi sc onsin Avenue. T hey infor med Brookfield p olice the steering c olumn had b een d amaged and the car was inoperable.
Police searched and processed the ca r but did not find “any i tems of evidentiary value.” T he owner was infor med of the d amage to the car and told she c ould retrieve it at her co nvenienc e.
Arrested for DUI
Rive rside p olice ar rested a man Dec 30 for driving high and with no lights on the ca r.
An officer was on patrol heading south on Harlem Avenue around 9:20 p. m. when they obser ve d the man’s car did not have i ts headlights or taillights on wh i le it was da rk out. T he officer also saw the car’s driver- s ide wheels p ass over the yellow median lines i nto the oncoming traf fic lane
After p ulling the car over, the officer approached the drive r and smelled c annabis as they explained the reason for the stop. T he man provided a vali d drive r’s license and proof of i nsuranc e, but he slur red his wo rds wh i le he spok e. According to p olice, the man said he had smoked c annabis about 4-5 hours prio r and denied drinking alcohol.
T he man ag reed to take field sobriety tests, but he was not of fered seve r al of
the standard tests d ue to having a broken foot and walking with crutches. Th e officer obser ve d indicators of impairment wh i le testing the man’s eyes fo r nysta g mus. T he man ag reed to take a preliminary breath test, but he provide d multiple insufficient samples
Police ar rested the man for drivin g under the influence and took him to be processed for the charge as well as fo r improper traffic lane usage and for failing to have his headlights and taillights on. T he man was later released with a Fe b. 7 court date.
Driving with a re voked license
Riverside police arrested a man Dec. 28 for driving with a revoked driver’s license. Around 4:18 a.m., an officer on patrol was tr aveling south on Harlem Avenue when they obser ve d a car driving in the same direction with expired license plates. After p ulling the car over near Olmsted Road, the officer explained the stop to the drive r.
Upon being asked for his driver’s license and proof of insurance, the man said he believed his license had been revoked and that he did not have proof of insurance. The man of fered his Illinois ID as an alternative form of identification.
A search of the man’s info rm ation in the p olice database revealed his license had b een revo ke d and that he had a warr ant out of K ankakee. T he officer arrested the man and processed him at the c entral b ooking location before releasing him with a Fe b. 21 court date
Gaming winnings stolen
Brookfield police on Jan. 2 responded to Phil’s Sports Bar and Grill after a customer complained that someone stole her potential winnings from a g ame machine.
Around 12:36 a.m., an officer spoke with the woman, who said she was g ambling on one of the bar’s g aming machines when she left the bar for a
ci ga rette and left a sign indicating the machine was being used. W hen she c ame back i nside, the woman said nearly $260 had b een c ashed out from the machine S he said she didn’t know who c ould have taken the money. A bartender told police that c ameras recorded the i nside of the bar but that none of the employees on shift had access to them.
On Jan. 4, an officer returned to Phil’s to meet with a manager and reco ve r video footage. On the c ameras, the officer saw two men talking, one of whom was using a slot machine next to the woman’s. After the woman g ot up, one of the men reached over to the machine and ret rieve d a cash voucher before handing it to the other. Th at man was seen walking out of the bar around 12:12 a.m. before the other man exited around 12:20.
Using village c ameras, the officer saw one of the men g et i nto the drive r’s seat of a car around 12:15 a.m. wh i le the other man and a third subject also g ot i nto the ca r, wh ich then dr ove of f. T he officer looked up the car’s license plates and found the owner ’s drive r’s license p hoto appeared to match the image of one of the men in the videos .
T he p olice did not ar rest anyone in c onnection with the theft.
These items we re o btained from the Riverside Po lice Department re ports date d Dec. 28-30, 2024, and the Brookfield Po lice Department re ports dated D ec. 30, 2024, to Jan. 6, 2025; th ey re present a portion of the incidents to wh ich police re sponded Anyone named in these re ports has onl y been charged with a crime and case s ha ve not yet b een adjudicated. We re port the ra ce of a suspect only wh en a serious crime has b een c ommitted, the suspect is still at-la rge, and police ha ve provided us with a detailed physical description of the suspect as th ey s eek the public’s h elp in making an arrest
Compiled by Trent Brown
OBITUARIES
Alice Mickie, 100
Mater Christi parishioner
Alice M. Mickie (nee Strojny), 100, of North Riverside died on Dec. 23, 2024. Born on April 3, 1924, she was the wife of the late Walter Mickie; the sister of the late Eugene (Mary) Strojny; the aunt of Kathleen Strojny, Teri Strojny, and Colin Strojny; the great-aunt of Kyle, Stephanie and Jennie.; and the greatgreat aunt of Charlie, Emma, Conor, Lucy, and Nova
A memorial Mass was celebrated on Jan. 3 at Mater Christi Church in Nor th Riverside. Arrangements were handled by KuratkoNosek Funeral Home. Online condolences, photos and memories at www.kuratkonosek.com.
Barbara Buscemi, 76
Av id Cubs and Bears fan
Barbara J. Buscemi (nee Al labrastro), 76, of Yorkville, for mer ly of Brookfield and Berwyn, die on Dec. 24, 2024. A purchasing agent in the medical field, she was known as “Grand ma Barb” to lots an avid Cubs fa and Bears f an and loved spending time with her family
Charles Ippolito, 93
Marine veteran and generous tipper
Charles J. “Muzzy” Ippolito, 93, of North Riverside, has died. A proud U.S. Marine Corps Veteran, he was a generous man who always gave more than he received. His mantra was “let the good times roll” and he enjoyed living life to the fullest. He loved Las Ve gas and going to the casino, was a generous tipper and loved to take family and friends out to breakfast. Most of all he loved spending time with his loved ones.
she was given the nickname “Babe.” She met her husband Jim in a bowling league for Ceco Steel, where they were both employed. They married and moved to Brookfield to raise a family. She worked at home as a typist and later worked part time for many years as a cashier for Fischer’s Pharmacy and then CVS. Her favorite job of all was loving and sharing her many talents with her four children, two granddaughters and four great-grandchildren.
Kay was preceded in death by her husband, James; her son, James J.; and her sisters. She is survived by her sons, David Radocha and Edward (Michele) Radocha and her daughter, Laura (Peter) Hirt; her grandchildren, Melissa (Nate) McFeters and Emily (Corey) Kline; her great-grandchildren, Kaitlyn Pomeroy, Lily, Jace and Owen McFeters; and many nieces and nephews.
Barb was the wife of the late Joseph Buscemi; the mother of Phillip (Vicki) Buscemi, Bryan Buscemi, Jeffrey (Julie) Buscemi and Moreen (William) Butterwor th; the grandmother of Emma Buscemi, Aiden Buscemi, Hannah Buscemi, Annie Butterwor th, Jimmy Buscemi, Griffin Butterwor th, Olivia Buscemi, Joey Buscemi, Quinn Butterwor th and Anthony Buscemi; the sister of Diane Allabastro and the late Russell Allabastro Jr.; and the aunt of many nieces and ne phews.
Visitation was held on Jan. 3 at Hitzeman Funeral Home & Cremation Services, 9445 31st St., Brookfield, IL 60513. The funeral Mass was celebrated on Jan. 4 at Mater Christi Church in North Rive rside Inter ment was private Information at 708-485-2000 or www HitzemanFuneral.co m
Muzzy was the husband of Helen (nee Lamendola) for 71 years; the father of Susanne (Larry) Dolezal, Kathleen (Robert) Andersen and Charles B. (Glenda) Ippolito Jr.; the grandfather of Kevin (Catherine) Dolezal, Luke Dolezal, Andrew Dolezal, Spencer, Lorelei and Madeline Andersen, Rachel and Michael Ippolito; and the greatgrandfather of Louie and Jack Dolezal. He was preceded in death by his siblings Joseph (late Theresa) Ippolito and Diana (late Dennis) Pechnick. He was the uncle of many nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews.
Services were held on Jan. 6 at Mater Christi Church, followed by interment at Mt. Carmel Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorials to Tunnel to Towers (www.t2t.org) are appreciated.
Arrangements were handled by the Original Kuratko Family, Brian D. Kuratko, Funeral Director.
Kay Radocha, 93
Cashier at local pharmacies
Katherina “Kay Radocha, 93, of Brookfield, died on Dec. 31, 2024. Born on April 9, 1931, she enjoyed a happy childhood in Berwyn with her three sisters Ann, Hermine and Frances As the youngest,
Visitation was held on Jan. 7 at Johnson-Nosek Funeral Home, 3847 Prairie Ave., Brookfield, followed by interment at Queen of Heaven Cemetery, Hillside. Online condolences, photos and memories may be shared with the family at www. johnsonnosek.com.
Sheri Trent, 70
Lyons
res
Sheri Lynn Trent (nee Tomaszkiewicz), 70, of Lyons, died on Dec. 22, 2024 at her sister’s home in Oswego Born on May 28, 1954 in Chicago, she worked in finance and banking.
Sheri was the daughter of Lucia (nee No vakovich) and the late Richard Tomaszkiewicz; Richelle (Gary) Schuenemann, Richard (Lauren) Tomaszkiewicz and Luci (Ray) the aunt of Christopher lery (Alex) Woodworth and Danny and the mother to her Pandora, Annie, Little Bits, Merlin and Munchin.
Visitation was held on Dec. 28 at JohnsonNosek Funeral Home, 3847 Prairie Avenue, Brookfield Memorials to Cat Nap from the Heart, www catnapfromtheheart.org, in memory of Sheri would be appreciated. Online condolences, memories and photographs may be shared with the family at www.JohnsonNosek.com.
Franco Bustos, 65
Lyons resident
Franco Bustos, 65, of Lyons, died on Jan. 3, 2025. Born on Dec. 17, 1959, he was the husband of Gloria Bustos-Salgado; the father of Joel (Zoraida) Bustos, Yuri (Jose Santos) Bustos, Nancy (Timothy) Donahue and Eduardo Bustos; and the grandfather Julian Mariscal, Victoria Bustos, tos, Christian Santos and Nicholas Santos
Visitation will be held on Tuesday, Jan. 7, from 4 until 8 p.m. at Johnson-Nosek Funeral Home, 3847 Prairie Ave, Brookfield. Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. on Jan. 8 at St. Pius X Church, Stickney, with interment at Queen of Heaven Cemetery. Online condolences, photos and memories may be shared with the family at www.johnsonnosek.com.
Bill Paganis, 75
Ow ned Basili’s Hair Salon
Vasili “Bill” Paganis, age 75, of North Riverside has died. He was the longtime owner of Basili’s Hair Salon in Riverside
Bill was the husband of Kathleen (nee Cecconi) Paganis; the father of Frank (Tammy) Paganis, Alisa Paganis and Carole (Frank) Porro; the son of the late Frank and Katherine (nee Economopoulos) Paganis; the grandfather of Billy, Gianna, Alexandra, Ava, Vincenzo, Luca and Miabella; the great-grandfather of Antonio, the brother of Jimmy Paganis and Pota, Pota (the late Dionysi), the late George (late Eleni) Paganis and the late Leo (Effie) Paganis; and the uncle of many nieces and nephews.
Services were held on Dec. 31, 2024 at Assumption Greek Orthodox Church, followed by interment Queen of Heaven Cemetery.
Ar rangements were handled by the Original Kuratko Family, Brian D. Kuratko - Director
– I’m talking about monetary support – I think is a very important component of dealing with the amount of time a child spends in the custody of DCFS. We want to make sure they get back to a home environment as fast as they can, and this is a way to encourage that,” said Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, a Democrat, in a news conference on Dec. 11.
Casey Family Programs, the nation’s largest foundation focused on foster care, states that prioritizing relative care givers decreases sibling separation, reduces the risk of abuse and gives a higher chance of achieving per manency.
Placing foster children with relatives could also help Illinois do a better job in finding permanent homes for children in its care. Illinois’ foster care system ranked in the bottom third of states in 2019 for children placed in permanent homes, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Between 2017 and 2021, the number of children who were placed in a permanent home decreased by 7.8%, according to the 2021 Child Welfare Outcomes Report to Congress.
KIND Act’s changes
The KIND Act would allow DCFS to pursue additional federal funding in order to apply a kin-first approach. DCFS would use the federal money to put more effort into finding families of foster children, notifying them and improving support services, as well as doing background and identity checks
“By promoting kinship care and addressing systemic issues with a long length of time to
ter care, the KIND Act aims to improve safety, stability and the well-being of children in DCFS care,” state Sen. Mattie Hunter, DChicago, a primary sponsor of the bill, said during a November Senate Judiciary Committee hearing.
Payments for relatives particularly impact Black children, who are overrepresented in the foster care system.
In Illinois, as of October, more than 18,000 children were in the DCFS system; more than 8,000 of them were Black. In terms of proportional representation, Black children have a 250% higher chance of being placed in DCFS care, according to the School of Social Work at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
The poverty rate for Black Illinoisans is 27.7% compared to 8.5% for white Illinoisians Preventing these families from accessing government subsidies for foster care adds on additional hardships and repeats the cycle of poverty they face, according to the University of Alabama Institute for Human Rights
“We know that the vast majority of kids who are coming in are overrepresented, and the KIND Act is removing financial barriers for relatives being able to care for kids,” said Nora Collins-Mandeville, director of systems reform policy at the ACLU of Illinois, in an interview.
“Relatives who are coming forward have considerably less resources than a foster parent would. And so the fact that we’re not even, in our current system, paying those relatives the same amount that we pay a stranger to care for a child, it’s pretty frustrating,” she said.
Under the KIND Act, there would also be a different criminal background criteria for relatives and foster parents. The federal government allows DCFS to waive “non-safetyrelated licensing” for relative caregivers on a case-by-case basis. Relatives would be subject to a personal analysis assessing their criminal record and its potential impact on the child. The bill would allow DCFS to conexample, the overrepresentation of
minorities in the prison system, especially for minor drug felonies
The foster care legislation would also require courts to oversee DCFS’ implementation of the kin-first approach. Courts would have a larger role in family-finding efforts like monitoring whether DCFS complies with notifying relatives that a child has been removed from its parents’ custody within 30 days. Plus, courts would be able to expedite emergency placements of children with relatives who are waiting for a custody hearing.
Contentious history
The bill’s sponsors called the measure historic because of the collaboration between DCFS and the ACLU, which have long fought each other over the state’s care of foster children. In 1988, the ACLU sued DCFS in B.H. v. Johnson. Three years later, both parties entered a consent decree to reform DCFS to provide safer homes, reduce the caseload per employee, protect DCFS funding, allow more supervision and accountability, and improve caseworker training
These efforts ran into severe obstacles through the years.
A two-year budget stalemate between Democrats in the General Assembly and Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner that ended in 2017 had a major impact on DCFS funding. It forced the agency to close many group homes throughout Illinois. This led to children under DCFS care being housed in places not designed to accommodate children in the long-term, including psychiatric hospitals, juvenile detention centers and shelters and even DCFS offices.
Since then, DCFS struggled to recover from the loss of funds in 2017 and hasn’t implemented changes spelled out in the consent decree
In light of those shortcomings, in 2018, the court appointed a special master to DCFS in order to ensure significant action was taken and to mitigate tensions between the ACLU and DCFS,
Pritzker, who defeated Rauner in the 2018 election, campaigned on the promise to reform the system. Since 2019, the DCFS budget nearly doubled from $1.22 billion to $2.03 billion, mostly to hire more staff and caseworkers. Despite these improvements, a Cook County judge continuously held DCFS director Marc Smith in contempt of court in 2022 for failing to find adequate placements for foster care children, some of whom were still residing in psychiatric hospitals. An appellate court later vacated the contempt citations, and Smith stepped down at the end of 2023. He was the 13th DCFS director in 10 years.
“For a good period of time, there wasn’t stability in the agency’s leadership at all. We had turnover every year. It wasn’t up until the Pritzker administration that we had a director there for multiple years. And so that can be really challenging. You have different priorities for every leader who comes in,” Collins-Mandeville said.
Despite the turnover at the top and the agency’s ongoing court battles, DCFS reduced the number of youths in care from 50,000 in 1995 to 16,000 in 2023. The number, however, has risen in the past year to 18,000.
“Today marks a day that we had long hoped to see: the ACLU and DCFS are in alignment on a piece of landmark legislation that offers an essential opportunity to reform Illinois’ foster care system,” Collins-Mandeville said in her testimony to the Senate committee.
Amalia Huot-Marchand is a graduate student in journalism with Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications, and a Fellow in its Medill Illinois News Bureau working in partnership with Capitol News Illinois.
Capitol News Illinous is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service that distributes state government coverage to hundreds of news outlets statewide. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation.
Lions’ Ezike named MVP, achieves milestones at Montini Sports
Stanford re cruit scores school-record 40 points, reaches 1,000 for career
By BILL STONE
Contributing Reporter
In 2023, senior Nora Ezike missed the Lyons Township High School girls b asketball team’s entire holiday tournament schedule with a memorable t rip visiting relatives in Nigeria. Ezike and many others wo n’ t soon forg et wh at the 6-foot-2 S tanford recr uit achieved durin g the Lions’ return to the 16-team Montini Christmas Tournament.
S he was named Most Valuable Playe r after achieving a single-game, school-record 40 points, reaching 1,000 career va rsity points and helping the Lions finis h third with a 3-1 overall record .
“I was really excited to rece ive that. I feel like I had a few good g ames and I played pretty consistently, which I’m proud of,” Ezike said. “I’m just disappointed we didn’t win the tournament but overall I feel like the tournament helped us a lot and it’s something we’ ll look toward that’ll help us improve as a team.”
T he Lions (16-1) defeated Marist (14-4) for third 72-50 on Dec. 28 after sufferin g their first loss of the season 71-58 to eventual champion Benet Academy (15-1) in the Dec. 27 semifinal after winning their first meeting. LTHS beat Prospect (12-4) in the Dec. 26 quarterfinal 71-58 behind Ezike’s 40-point g ame and St. Laurence 69-40 in the Dec. 23 opener as junior Gwen Smith scored a personal-best 24 points
“This tournament had some really great and talented athletes, and for Nora to be reco gnized by all coac hes for bein g above and beyond speaks to her abilit y to impact the g ame on b oth ends and the t ype of person she is,” LT HS c oach Me g han Hutchens said.
Ezike amassed 109 points for the tournament with a team-best 32 rebound s and 22 deflections. Other standouts we re j uniors E mma O’Brien (63 points with 8 three-pointer s, 27 rebound s, 21 assists,
Lyons Township’s Avery Mezan (20) tries to knock the ball away from Prospect’s Angelina Falls (12) during the 15th Annual Montini Christmas Tournament, Dec. 26, in Westmont.
15 steals), Smith (70 points, 24 rebound s, 9 assists) and Ave ry Mezan (14 points, 14 rebounds), senior Tess Bernson (13 reb ound s, 8 assists) and freshman Syd ney Munson (4 points).
“[ We learned about] b ouncing back from a loss. Benet’s a great team and we knew it wasn’t going to be easy playin g them again,” Hutchens said. “[It ’s ] j ust learning from our mistakes. We ’ ll watch some film and learn wh at we need to do.”
Against Prospect, Ezike’s 40 points c ame on 15-fo r- 19 shooting (0-fo r- 2 on threes) and 10 for 10 on free throws, breaking the record of 39 points by 2005 gr aduate Mallory Heydo rn L ast season, Ezike scored 32 points against Glenbard West. O’Brien scored 33 ag ainst Lane Te ch No v. 27.
Ezike reached 40 on two free throw s with 2:35 left for a 66-50 lead after her fourth co nventional three-point pl ay of the g ame. S he had a 13-point fourth q uar ter following nine points in each of the first three.
“I was impressed with how much she g ot to the b asket. Scoring 40 points is not easy. Going 10 for 10 from the line is not easy,” Hutchens said. “She’s explosive to the b asket. S he’s really hard to stop and I think she pr oved a pr oved a poin t there, especially in the fourth quar ter.”
N eeding six points, Ezike reached 1,000 career points against Benet on her f ast-break b asket with 3:48 left in the first q uarter that gave the Lions a 12- 9 lead. T he g ame was stopped momentarily as the Lions c ommemorated the mo-
ment with a p oster and p hoto of Ezike with teammates and coaches.
“Coach kind of ke pt it a little bit of a surpris e, ” Ezike said. “I was really excited to g et that. I knew I was somewhere around [1,000].”
After that, the Re dw ings enjoyed most the c elebrating. LT HS trailed 49-46 entering the fourth q uarter and closed within three points two more times bu t the Re dw ings scored b askets on three straight p ossessions to lead 62-53. Th e Lions had beaten Benet 77-67 in the Nov. 19 season opener in Lisle. T he Re dw ings defeated Fremd 67-64 in the championship g ame and overtook the Lions as the No. 1 team in the Chicago area.
Ezike (23 points, 6 rebounds), Smit h (18 points, 6 rebounds) and O’Brien (11 points, 11 rebounds) all reached d ouble figure s, b ut the Lions also c ommitted 17 turnove rs and c ould n’ t take advantage their c onsiderable 39-24 reboundin g vantage, scoring j ust five points directly from 15 of f ensive boards
T he Lions responded well against Marist. T hey ended the second q uarter with a 10-3 r un, including eight points and two threes from O’Brien, for a 45-36 halftime lead. T hey c ontinued with the first eight points of the third q uarter, si x from Ezike, to lead 53-36.
Ezike (30 points, 9 rebounds) and O’Brien (24 points with 4 threes) led the charge.
“I think we learned a lot from the loss. I definitely think it helped us come out with more energy [against Marist]. I shot better as the tournament went on. They (Marist) were definitely giving me more space.”
To help g enerate ener gy, Hutchens said she had the Lions begin with and use primarily man-to-man defense instead of their usually ef fect ive 1-3-1.
“[Hutchens] wanted us to start out going hard and in a zone it ’s hard to do that. In man, we j ust wanted to pick up the i ntensity,” Mezan said. “I think we did a really g ood job sharing the b all most of our g ames. A lso from the Benet loss we learned more about our zone def ense and how to perfect it.”
STEVE JOHNSTON
Bulldogs’ Loftus continues scoring spree at Tosh tourney
Senior guard builds upon 44-point game; Bulldogs nish 1-3 at York
By BILL STONE
Contributing Reporter
Riverside Brookfield High School senior guard Danny Loftus experienced pure basketball joy, Dec. 17.
“In all honesty, it was one of the best nights of my life,” Loftus said. “That was definitely the best game I’ve ever played, not just for points — rebounds, everything.”
Loftus scored a career-high 44 points in the Bulldogs’ 77-56 Upstate Eight Conference home victory over Elmwood Park by hitting 18 of 24 shots, including one three, and 7 of 10 free throws, along with five rebounds and three steals in 29 minutes
“I felt like everything when I touched the ball was going in, but so much of that is giving credit to my teammates,” Loftus said. “All of the opportunities I had were due to them and [RBHS coach Mike Reingruber].”
Unfortunately for the Bulldogs (8-7), Loftus and that teamwork were tested more than ever during York’s 32-team Jack Tosh Tournament. The Bulldogs played the final 10 quar-
ters without injured junior guard Cam Mercer, their other returning starter
The Bulldogs finished 1-3, losing their finale 70-58 to Lemont, Dec. 30. They won their first game without Mercer, 64-59 over Andrew, Dec. 28, after losing to Glenbard West 66-55 on Dec. 27 and Christ the King 63-54 in the Dec. 26 opener
The tournament used a 35-second shot clock.
“I think we’re a better basketball team than we were a week ago. There’s still things we need to improve on,” Reingruber said. “We’ve played a monster of a schedule. [That] is only going to make us better in the long run. Maybe our record’s not where we want it right now but there’s definitely been improvement.”
Loftus collected team bests of 98 points and 31 rebounds with eight assists. Other standouts included seniors Vince Dockendorf (46 points with 10 three-pointers, 13 rebounds, 9 assists) and Mantas Sleinys (32 points, 17 rebounds), juniors Ben Biskupic (9 points, 19 rebounds, 10 assists), Colin Cimino (14 points with 4 threes, 8 rebounds) and Liam Enright (7 points, 11 rebounds, 19 assists) and senior Brycen Grove (6 points, 10 rebounds).
Loftus scored 27 points against Lemont, and Andrew and had a double-double against Christ the King with 25 points and 12 rebounds.
“I was really happy with all of my performances. I really do wish we got more wins.
Honestly, that’s all I care about but I was really happy with my shooting percentage,” Loftus said.
While the Bulldogs’ lineup gained valuable experience playing without Mercer, Loftus continued his offensive success even without that scoring option, though he was not named to the 20-player all-tournament team.
“If he doesn’t make it because of our record, he certainly gave an all-tournament perfor mance,” Reingruber said after the Lemont game. “Danny’s a great basketball player Danny’s got a knack for scoring. Danny plays super hard every possession. He’s tough to guard because he never stops moving. He’s been great for us.”
Prolific on scoring and defense, Mercer sprained his right ankle in the first minute of the second quarter against Glenbard West after driving the right baseline with a leaping one-handed shot.
Mercer already made two threes against Glenbard West after eight points against Christ the King. Mercer remained optimistic to return Tuesday against Ridgewood “Obviously I want to go out there and help them,” Mercer said.
“I saw a lot of confidence, experience [from my teammates]. I saw a lot more opportunity to showcase what they could do. I saw some problems in our defense, but I saw really good
things coming together, being together and playing as a basketball team.”
Loftus, Dockendorf, Sleinys and Biskupic were joined by Enright in the starting lineup Dockendorf scored in double figures three times and Sleinys twice with seven rebounds against Christ the King (10-5).
Enright had five assists and five rebounds against Glenbard West (11-4) and Andrew (69). Grove had five rebounds against Andrew
“You saw some of those guys give us some really good contributions this week, which is going to make us better in the long run,” Reingruber said.
Speaking of runs, that continues to be the Bulldogs’ nemesis. Glenbard West took an 11-0 lead, pulling ahead 32-15. After RBHS closed to 45-44 entering the fourth quarter on Loftus’ inside bucket, the Hilltoppers scored 10 straight.
Against Lemont (11-4), RBHS trailed 32-26 at halftime before Lemont scored on 11 of its first 14 possessions of the second half for 26 points. That included a 7-1 run to end the third quarter for a 56-41 advantage
“A lot of [our losses] have been carbon copies. We need to do a better job of limiting teams’ runs and playing four full quarters,” Reingruber said. “We’ve got the ability to hang with some of the top teams but we need to start winning some of those games.”
Bulldogs’ Vaia, Evans move forward at Sandburg tourney
RBHS winless in four tight games
By BILL STONE Contributing Reporter
Claire Evans continues making progress as a starter for the Riverside Brookfield High School girls basketball team as a freshman.
“I’ve been playing basketball for a long time, all throughout [Hauser] Middle School and starting in second grade,” Evans said. “It’s very different because I’ve been playing with the same girls my whole life but now I’ve moved up [to varsity]. Sometimes having somebody else like [returning senior starter Alyssa Morris] lead the team, is really fun because you just listen to her. Everyone has their role. Playing up with the varsity girls is a huge opportunity that I really enjoy.”
Collectively, the Bulldogs (4-15) are working
on getting over the hump. Although they were winless in their four games at the Sandburg Holiday Tournament, the losses were by a combined 16 points and RBHS twice led in the second half
RBHS lost 41-36 to Richards for 15th place, Dec. 28, after losing to Downers Grove South 45-43 on Dec. 27 and Plainfield East 51-45 and Romeoville 52-49 both on Dec. 26.
“We get really close to winning all of these games, and I hope we can push harder and get enough stamina to win more games,” junior guard Addie Vaia said. “I’m hoping that we continue to put the work in and then see more success.”
Vaia was consistent with a team-best 59 points over the four games, with 8 three-pointers, two in each game, and 11 rebounds.
Other key contributors included foreign exchange student Gaby Graupera (31 points, 28 rebounds, 9 assists), seniors Morris (19 points, 13 rebounds, 11 steals, 9 assists), Bella Perez (28 points with 5 threes, 25 rebounds, 9 steals)
and Abbey Tyler (6 points, 7 rebounds), Evans (19 points, 21 rebounds) and junior Abby Weinert (9 points, 20 rebounds, 8 steals).
Evans hopes to continue improving on rebounds and converting when she gets them.
“It can be kind of difficult because I’m not as big as some of the other girls or I don’t weigh as much. I just need to work on being more confident and strong, but the team helps me too,” Evans said.
Against Richards (4-8), the Bulldogs led 10-4 after six minutes, trailed 29-17 at halftime after a three-point second quarter and then almost prevailed even after Graupera, their standout from Barcelona, Spain (5 points), was sidelined by a knee injury late in the first quarter and Morris (6 points, 5 rebounds) fouled out with 5:40 left and RBHS trailing 37-28.
Back-to-back threes from Evans (8 points, 8 rebounds) and a Weinert free throw closed the gap to 38-34 with 1:13 left while Richards missed nine consecutive free throws in the bo-
nus. RBHS, however, missed its last five shots, including 4 good-look threes
With the Bulldogs down 39-36 with 7.6 seconds left, their full-length inbounds pass for a game-tying three went out of bounds. Richards missed two more free throws but rebounded the second for a last-second bucket.
“They were poised. They were relaxed They followed the game plan. It was an intense game, very physical game and we fought through it,” RBHS coach Jordan Mack said.
“[Without Graupera and Morris] next person up. They know they’ve got to count on each other as a team. Almost got through, didn’t, but we’ll get better in the season. I’m very proud of their ef fort. It was a very physical game. They were able to step up to the challenge.”
With 11 points, Vaia reached double figures in all four games. The sectional qualifier cross country runner played the entire 128 minutes except for roughly half a quarter.
“You just have to do your role
Essential Civics
PUBLIC NOTICE
STATE OF ILLINOIS
VILLAGE OF BROOKFIELD
Notice of Public Hearing Village of Brookfield Planning and Zoning Commission
January 23, 2025, at 7:00 PM
NOTICE is hereby given that the Village of Brookfield Planning and Zoning Commission will conduct a public hearing on Thursday, January 23, 2025, at 7:00 p.m. in the Edward Barcal Hall located at 8820 Brookfield Avenue, Brookfield, Illinois for the purpose of considering a request from by the Village of Brookfield, as petitioner, to Amend the text of the Village of Brookfield Zoning Ordinance Chapter 62 Zoning, Article II Districts, Section 62.217 Station Atrea Districts, General Design. The public is invited to attend the public hearing and present oral and/ or written comments. Written comments may be provided prior to 4:00 PM on the day of the public hearing to: Village of Brookfield, Planning and Zoning Commission c/o Libby Popovic, 8820 Brookfield Avenue, Brookfield, IL 60513, lpopovic@brookfieldil.gov, or 708485-1113. Oral or written testimony may be given during the public hearing. The application may be viewed at the Village of Brookfield Village Hall during normal business hours. Please reference PZC Case 25-02. Public hearings may be continued from time to time without further notice except as otherwise required under the Illinois Open Meetings Act. Individuals with disabilities requiring a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in any meeting should contact the Village of Brookfield (708) 485-7344 prior to the meeting. Wheelchair access is available through the front (South) entrance of Village Hall. By the Order of Chuck Grund, Planning and Zoning Commission Chairman.
Published in RB Landmark January 8, 2025
Notice of Public Hearing
Village of Brookfield Planning and Zoning Commission
January 23, 2025, at 7:00 PM
NOTICE is hereby given that the Village of Brookfield Planning and Zoning Commission will conduct a public hearing on Thursday, January 23, 2025 at 7:00 p.m. in the Edward Barcal Hall located at 8820 Brookfield Avenue, Brookfield, Illinois for the purpose of considering a request from Jennifer Del Giudice / Luxxe Honor for Special Use Permit from §62.30 in order to allow a massage establishment for property located at 3745 Grand Boulevard , Brookfield, Illinois 60513 (PIN 15-34-421-043-0000)
Legal Description: PARCEL 3 LOT 21 AND LOT 15 (EXCEPT THE EAST 47.58 FEET THEREOF) IN BLOCK 18 IN CROSSDALE, AS SUBDIVISIN BY S.E. GROSS OF THE SOUTHEAST QUARTER OF SECTION 34, TOWNSHIP 12 EAST OF THE THIRD PRINCIPAL MERIDIAN, IN COOK COUNTY ILLINOIS. IN COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
The public is invited to attend the public hearing and present oral and/ or written comments. Written comments may be provided prior to 4:00 PM on the day of the public hearing to: Village of Brookfield, Planning and Zoning Commission c/o Libby Popovic, 8820 Brookfield Avenue, Brookfield, IL 60513, lpopovic@brookfieldil.gov, or 708485-1113. Oral or written testimony may be given during the public hearing. The application may be viewed at the Village of Brookfield Village Hall during normal business hours. Please reference PZC Case 25-03. Public hearings may be continued from time to time without further notice except as otherwise required under the Illinois Open Meetings Act. Individuals with disabilities requiring a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in any meeting should contact the Village of Brookfield (708) 485-7344 prior to the meeting. Wheelchair access is available through the front (South) entrance of Village Hall. By the Order of Chuck Grund, Planning and Zoning Commission Chairman. Published in RB Landmark January 8, 2025.
Published in RB Landmark January 8, 2025
PUBLIC NOTICE
STATE OF ILLINOIS
VILLAGE OF BROOKFIELD
Notice of Public Hearing
Village of Brookfield
Planning and Zoning Commission
January 23, 2025 at 7:00 PM
NOTICE is hereby given that the Village of Brookfield Planning and Zoning Commission will conduct a public hearing on Thursday, January 23, 2025 at 7:00 p.m. in the Edward Barcal Hall located at 8820 Brookfield Avenue, Brookfield, Illinois for the purpose of considering a request from Paul Castelbuono / Castle Motors for variations from §42- 86 Permanent Sign Regulations in order to allow a third wall sign on the property that exceeds the maximum height and sign area and an awning sign that is mounted below the minimum clearance, exceeds the 30% coverage and two lines of text maximums for property located at 9000 Ogden Avenue, Brookfield, Illinois 60513 (PINs 18-03-210-062-0000 & 1803-210-063-0000).
Legal Description: LOTS 19, 20, 21, 22, 23 AND 24 IN BLOCK 83 IN S.E. GROSS 3RD ADDITION TO GROSSDALE, BEING A SUBDIVISION OF PART OF SECTION 3, TOWNSHIP 38 NORTH, RANGE 12, EAST OF THE THIRD PRINCIPAL MERIDIAN, IN COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
The public is invited to attend the public hearing and present oral and/ or written comments. Written comments may be provided prior to 4:00 PM on the day of the public hearing to: Village of Brookfield, Planning and Zoning Commission c/o Libby Popovic, 8820 Brookfield Avenue, Brookfield, IL 60513, lpopovic@brookfieldil.gov, or 708485-1113. Oral or written testimony may be given during the public hearing. The application may be viewed at the Village of Brookfield Village Hall during normal business hours. Please reference PZC Case 25-01. Public hearings may be continued from time to time without further notice except as otherwise required under the Illinois Open Meetings Act. Individuals with disabilities requiring a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in any meeting should contact the Village of Brookfield (708) 485-7344 prior to the meeting. Wheelchair access is available through the front (South) entrance of Village Hall. By the Order of Chuck Grund, Planning and Zoning Commission Chairman. Published in RB Landmark January 8, 2025.
Published in RB Landmark January 8, 2025
LEGAL NOTICE
The Village of Oak Park will receive sealed bids from qualified contractors at the Public Works Center, 201 South Boulevard, Oak Park, Illinois 60302 Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. local time until 3:00 p.m. on Friday, January 24, 2025 for the following: Village of Oak Park 2025 Village Utility Pavement Patching Services Bid Number: 25-110 Bid documents may be obtained from the Village’s website at http://www.oakpark.us/bid. For questions, please call Public Works at (708) 358-5700 during the above hours.
Published in Wednesday Journal January 8, 2025
