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Vol. 39, No. 6

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Also serving North Riverside

February 7, 2024

Des Plaines River Trail project restarts PAGE 8

@RBLandmark

Restaurants fight homelessness PAGE 10

The Loft in Brookfield extends mental health services to preteens Middle schoolers 12 and up can now access the clinic’s free services

Fresh start

By TRENT BROWN Staff Reporter

Preteens who are struggling with their mental health can now receive the same help that teenagers in Brookfield get.

Starting Thursday, Feb. 1, The Loft at Eight Corners opened its doors to seventh and eighth graders ages 12 and up. The free mental health clinic, located on Monroe Avenue, had first geared its services solely toward high schoolers.

Riverside church houses migrant family BOB SKOLNIK REPORTS, PAGE 3

BOB SKOLNIK

See LOFT on page 7

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The Landmark, February 7, 2024

The Landmark, February 7, 2024

Riverside Presbyterian Church offers housing to migrant family said Session member Mary Beth Wynn. to either church.

A couple and their Wynn said that providing a place to live The manse is part of the church building and is on two levels. Pastors of the church for the family fits the church’s mission. daughter are expected have not lived there for about 25 years af- “This is part of our mission,” Wynn said. ter parsonages lost favor among Protes- “We are a Matthew 25 church trying to folto move into former tant ministers who preferred to own their low Christ’s word that when you do things for the least of thee you do them for him.” to build up equity. ministers’ housing before homes Because the church is located in an area Doug Asbury, 74, a retired Methodist the end of February minister, has lived in one room of the par- zoned residential village officials had no

By BOB SKOLNIK Contributing Reporter

A couple with a four-year-old daughter who are recent migrants from Venezuela will be moving into the parsonage of Riverside Presbyterian Church later this month.

The goal is for the family to move into their new living quarters by Feb. 23. The parsonage, or manse, as Presbyterians call it, is part of the church building but has a separate entrance.

The family now lives at one of the shelters in Oak Park, which has taken steps to house groups of migrants who had been staying at or outside a police station in the Austin neighborhood of Chicago until they were brought to the village hall on Halloween.

The family will be supported by the Riverside Area Refugee Resettlement Team, a local group that was founded in 2021 and grew up of joint work of the Riverside Presbyterian Church and Ascension Lutheran Church in Riverside. It has helped settle and support refugees in the Chicago area for about a decade.

“The two churches have worked together now for a dozen years on refugee resettlement,” said Lynda Nadkarni, a leader of the Riverside Area Refugee Resettlement Team and the Coordinator of Children’s Ministries for Riverside Presbyterian Church. Some members of the Riverside Area Resettlement Team are not connected

sonage since he retired from his position as the minister at Riverside United Methodist Church in 2014. Asbury will stay in his one room and will share the kitchen with the new family.

“We’ll figure out something about using the kitchen space,” said Asbury, who also is a member of the Riverside Area Refugee Resettlement team.

The family’s living space will consist of two, second-floor bedrooms and a dining room, as well as use of the kitchen on the first floor.

Upon arriving at Oak Park Village Hall on Halloween, migrants were briefly housed at Good Shepard Lutheran Church in Oak Park before moving on to the Carleton Hotel and the West Cook YMCA. But the migrants must leave those spaces by the end of the month. Good Shepard Rev. Kathy Nolte contacted Ascension minister Chris Honig about possibly housing a family. Ascension no longer has a parsonage, but passed on the information to Riverside Presbyterian.

In late January, Riverside Presbyterian’s governing board, called the Session, approved housing the family in the manse, although some members of the Session had reservations. But the majority of the Session supported the idea, and the decision to house the family was announced to the congregation at services Jan. 28.

“We have strangers here in need of shelter and we are welcoming them into our home,”

problems with the arrangement.

Nadkarni said that the family will be allowed to live in the manse until the end of the 2024-25 school year so that the little girl can complete her kindergarten year next year in a stable residence.

The resettlement team will provide mentoring and financial support for the family as they adjust to life in the United States.

“We have collected donations in the form of gift cards for various stores and the mentors will be working with them to take them to Aldi and take them to Walgreens and the like,” Nadkarni said.

Nadkarni said that the cost of hosting the family should be minimal, mostly limited to a small increase in the utility bill.

Furniture has also been donated to furnish the living space. Much of the space in the manse has been used for storage over the past two decades.

The family was not made available for an interview with the Landmark and little personal information about the family so far has been released.

Nadkarni said that the family is applying to stay in the United States.

“This family is on a legal path to stay in the United States and we are going to support them in this journey,” Nadkarni said.

Volunteers will be busy the next few weeks clearing out and furnishing the rooms that are now used for storage.

“We’ve got a lot of cleaning to do,” Nadkarni said.

Read it online at www.rblandmark.com

IN THIS ISSUE Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Crime . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Classified . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 Obituaries. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13 Editor Erika Hobbs Staff Reporters Trent Brown, Amaris Rodriguez Digital Manager Stacy Coleman Digital Media Coordinator Brooke Duncan Design/Production Manager Andrew Mead Editorial Design Manager Javier Govea Designer Susan McKelvey Sales and Marketing Representatives Lourdes Nicholls, Ben Stumpe Business & Development Manager Mary Ellen Nelligan Circulation Manager Jill Wagner EMAIL jill@oakpark.com Publisher Dan Haley Special Projects Manager Susan Walker

BOARD OF DIRECTORS Chair Judy Greffin Treasurer Nile Wendorf Deb Abrahamson, Gary Collins, Steve Edwards, Darnell Shields, Sheila Solomon, Eric Weinheimer

HOW TO REACH US ADDRESS 141 S. Oak Park Ave., Oak Park, IL 60302 PHONE 708-442-6739 ■ FAX 708-467-9066 E-MAIL erika@growingcommunitymedia.org ONLINE www.RBLandmark.com The Landmark is published digitally and in print by Growing Community Media NFP. The newspaper is available on newsstands for $1.00.

A one-year subscription costs $45 within Cook County and $65 outside the county. Advertising rates may be obtained by calling our office. Periodical rate postage paid at Oak Park, IL (USPS 0019-585). Postmaster send address corrections to Landmark, 141 S. Oak Park Ave., Oak Park, IL 60302. © 2024 Growing Community Media NFP.

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The Landmark, February 7, 2024

BIG WEEK

Investing Basics Monday, Feb. 12, 7 p.m., Linda Sokol Francis Brookfield Library Do you want to invest but you don’t know how?

Brookfield’s own financial advisor and Chamber of Commerce member, Jessica O’Neal, will review the fundamentals of investing next Monday for those itching to know. O’Neal will be discussing core strategies that even the largest institutional investors rely on to help them navigate the choppy waters of investing. Don’t miss this opportunity! 3541 Park Ave.

February 7-14 Love the Library: Card Making

Lego Free Build

Friday, Feb. 9, 4:30 p.m. - 5 p.m.

Linda Sokol Francis Brookfield Library Valentine’s Day is steadily approaching! Join the library for a special Valentine’s Day crafting event with Youth Services. Create homemade Valentine’s Day cards dedicated to books and libraries with materials we provide. Take them home or leave them with us to be displayed for the holiday. There is no need to make an appointment or call ahead: Walk-ins are always welcome. Get into the spirit of love month and visit the library Friday. 3541 Park Ave.

Wednesday, Feb. 7, 4 p.m. - 5 p.m., North Riverside Public Library Lego Club is back this Wednesday for a free build session. Do you hate being told what to do? Better yet, do you hate being told what to *build*? No problem! The North Riverside Public Library has your back. Kids of all ages are welcome to Lego Club where they can build whatever their hearts desire. They can build a robot planning to take over the play area or they can build a big skyscraper: the sky’s the limit … literally. Children under the age of 8 must be accompanied by an adult. No registration is necessary, just drop in and get building.

2400 S. Desplaines Ave.

RBHS Solo and Ensemble Festival Saturday, Feb. 10, 8 a.m. – 2 p.m., Riverside Brookfield High School Calling all music lovers: Saturday is the Solo and Ensemble Festival at Riverside Brookfield High School. Come out and support the local, young musicians as they perform their masterpieces. 160 Ridgewood Rd.

Miniature Stocking Hat Bling Monday, Feb. 12, 6 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

Linda Sokol Francis Brookfield Library Stop what you’re doing and read on if you’d like to participate in a fun, creative craft to decompress you from life’s stresses! The Library’s Maker Studio is putting on a miniature stocking hat bling craft for everyone to enjoy. Participants will learn how to make the mini stocking hats with yarn. It’s all up to you: you can either register to attend session 1 at 6 p.m. or session 2 at 7:30 p.m. All supplies are provided by the library. Registration for all classes and events can be completed at www. lsfbrookfieldlibrary.org, by phone at 708-485-6917 or in person at the library! However, walk-ins are welcome. 3541 Park Ave.

LIZ BERG ANNA GILLAN

SAVE THE DATE: A Taste of Ireland Comes to Brookfield Friday, March 1, 8 p.m. - 11 p.m. , Pub 78 Anna Gillan of Riverside and Liz Berg of Lyons are bringing a taste of Ireland to Brookfield! Gillan and Berg have formed a very successful duo, Galway Gals, that specializes in Irish music. The duo name is a play on the Steve Earle song called, “Galway Girl.” They will be joined by Greg Campbell and Lucas Gillan to comprise their larger band, Galway Group, and will be bringing their show. The duo will also be appearing on WGN TV News for an in-studio performance and interview March 6 during the 11 a.m. hour to promote their performance schedule. I will be covering this event again during the week of March 1st to remind you, but get a jump start and put it in your calendars now! 3733 Grand Blvd.

Compiled by Grace Harty Contributing Reporter

CALENDAR EVENTS ■ If you would like your event to be featured here,

please send a photo and details by noon of the Wednesday before it needs to be published.

We can’t publish everything, but we’ll do our best to feature the week’s highlights.

Email calendar@wjinc.com.

The Landmark, February 7, 2024

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Brookfield fire destroys house Owners Tim Field and Shelly Field of Doggy-AGoGo were unharmed, but they lost six of their dogs in the fire

By TRENT BROWN Staff Reporter

A fire on the 9000 block of Sheridan Avenue in Brookfield Wednesday destroyed a house, killing six dogs.

According to Fire Chief Jim Adams, all residents were out of the house at the time of the fire and were unharmed.

In an email, Adams wrote the fire department first heard word of the fire at 10:50

a.m. Wednesday, when it was reported the family’s dog walker was met with heavy smoke after opening the back door. Two Brookfield fire engines were dispatched to the fire with support from the fire departments of La Grange, La Grange Park and McCook. Additional units from Riverside and Lyons were later dispatched to the house. Fire crews remained on the scene until around 4 p.m. to ensure the fire was extinguished.

Two of the family’s dogs ran out of the house when the dog walker first opened the back door, Adams wrote. The fire crew later recovered the bodies of the family’s other six dogs, which were all found within the home.

According to Adams, the fire appeared to have started in the house’s kitchen, and fire investigators believe the cause was accidental. Adams described the fire as

TRENT BROWN

9038 Sheridan Ave., Brookfield “deep-seated,” having burnt through the kitchen floor, and wrote it caused “severe fire and smoke damage” to the home, rendering it uninhabitable.

A GoFundMe fundraiser created Thursday, Feb. 1, said homeowners Tim and Shelly Field of Brookfield lost everything in the fire except for “the clothes on their

back” and their two pet dogs who escaped.

The fundraiser, organized by Brookfield resident Krista Lapiana, also said that Shelly Field is the owner of Doggy-A-GoGo, a professional pet grooming business in Riverside.

To donate to the fundraiser, visit https:// gofund.me/437c40fb.

Presented by

Brookfield Chamber of Commerce Business Spotlight

I

Finding Hidden Art in Brookfield

began making art as soon as I could hold a pencil, though my creative journey took a pause in 1991 when I learned I was going to be a mom. Embracing my new role, I switched to what I believed was a more practical major. To provide for my son, I temporarily set aside my paints and focused on building a career in marketing.

In 2020, the challenges of being both an agency executive and a homeschooling parent during the pandemic brought me back to my original vocation. I began doing my daughter’s asynchronous art lessons

Carla Riseman Thunder Moon Studio Brookfield, IL

thundermoonstudioart@gmail.com www.thundermoonstudio.com Instagram + Facebook: @ThunderMoonStudio

alongside her as a way to take a breath and find joy and calm through an activity we both loved.

I soon immersed myself in drawing and painting to relieve stress. My friends took notice and suggested I open an online shop to showcase my art. Further encouraged by a wonderful friend and fellow Brookfield business owner–Kate Wolicki of Bright Practical Fabric Art, I started applying for art festivals and sold prints and original pieces.

In 2023, Skillshare invited me to join their teaching community. They provided me with valuable coaching and support, and I launched my first class in September followed by a second in December. Both were very fulfilling experiences, and the reviews I received validated all the blood, sweat and (at times, literal) tears I put into my classes.

Local festivals and markets are my favorite venues for selling my art. I enjoy meeting

people and talking about art – theirs, mine, and everything in between. In 2024, I will be focusing on bringing larger original pieces to these events. I will also be launching six new Skillshare classes and exploring opportunities to teach live, in-person classes locally.

However, my absolute favorite thing to do is making and hiding art for my Brookfield neighbors. Starting in February, I hid a piece of original 5x7 art in town every day for 100 days. I enjoyed the project as a means of highlighting the businesses and places that make Brookfield a wonderful place to live. In December 2023, I made painted glass votive holders and placed them (with flameless tealights) underneath our tree on Christmas Eve. Making and hiding art in Brookfield is a habit I will never break–keep your eyes peeled because I love to celebrate and share art with my town.

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The Landmark, February 7, 2024

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P O L I C E

R E P O R T S

Broadview man trespasses at ex-wife’s home in Brookfield Jan. 29 – Feb. 5

A Broadview man was nearly arrested Jan. 30 for trespassing at an unoccupied house on the 9400 block of Monroe Avenue owned by his ex-wife after he viewed the inside of the home with the Brookfield woman’s realtor.

Police said the woman first reported that morning that her ex-husband was in her home with her realtor and that she did not want him there. After arriving at the home, officers said they talked to the realtor, who said she did not know the man was the homeowner’s ex-husband because he had only given his first name.

After asking him why he was in the home, officers said the man responded he was interested in buying the home and took photos of the inside. However, after talking to him further, police said the man was “evasive” about why he had come to view his ex-wife’s house.

Eventually, police said, the man left the house, and at the homeowner’s request, officers told him he would be arrested for trespassing if he did not stay off the property. Police said the man continued to take photos of the outside of the house and of the officers on the scene while outside before leaving without being charged or cited.

Later, the homeowner arrived at the house and conducted a walkthrough, but nothing appeared out of the ordinary to her, police said. Given “previous orders of protection” — restraining orders — against the man, police said they suggested the homeowner seek another order of protection against him. They also told her a police watch would be instated for the house and to contact the police again if her ex-husband makes further unwanted contact with her.

Runaway elementary schooler brought back by parents A Brookfield student who tried to run away from school Feb. 1 was caught by his parents and returned to school the same day.

According to police, the boy’s elementary school first reported him missing around 8:40 a.m., 10 minutes after the school’s first bell rang. The school told police the boy had dropped his backpack in the field.

Later, police said, the boy’s father called them to say they were both back at home.

According to police, the father was still near the school in his car when the boy ran away from teachers as he was first entering the school that morning, so he was able to catch his son and get him back in the car.

According to police, when an officer visited the home, the student’s parents said they were working with school staff about their son not wanting to go to school. The parents told the officer they would bring their son back to the school and walk him inside themselves, police said.

Ticketed for driving with suspended registration A Chicago man was ticketed Jan. 30 for driving a car with a suspended registration.

An officer was stopped behind the car at a red light on Ogden Avenue and, after running the car’s license plates, found its registration was suspended for having no insurance. The officer pulled the man over at the intersection of Maple Avenue and Sahler Avenue and issued the citation there.

These items were obtained from the Brookfield Police Department reports dated Jan. 29 – Feb. 5 and represent a portion of the incidents to which police responded. Anyone named in these reports has only been charged with a crime and cases have not yet been adjudicated. We report the race of a suspect only when a serious crime has been committed, the suspect is still at large, and police have provided us with a detailed physical description of the suspect as they seek the public’s help in making an arrest.

Compiled by Trent Brown

The Landmark, February 7, 2024

Happy Valentine’s Day From: The Landmark To You!

TRENT BROWN

Middle schoolers now have expanded access to mental health services.

LOFT

Expanding services from page 1 Loft Coordinator Adrian Cardenas said Thursday that the conversation around expanding the Loft’s programming to include younger students started in August, just months after the clinic opened its doors last March.

“As we were looking at those who were utilizing our programming in high school, [there were] a lot of our freshmen and sophomores,” he said. “At the same time, too, we had a lot of inquiries in the beginning of if eighth graders are able to participate, and we had to unfortunately turn them away.”

He said the Loft had also heard from nearby schools that the clinic’s services “would be a much-needed resource” for their middle school students.

The Loft, a collaboration involving Pillars Community Health and NAMI Metro Suburban, offers myriad services to the teenagers who walk through its doors as well as their families. The Loft’s biggest piece of programming is its group support meetings, where teens — and, now, seventh and eighth graders — can come together to talk about, learn about, and build skills to support their mental health. Since the Loft is open seven days a week from 1-8 p.m., it offers multiple group meetings each day, usually in the evening so

students can attend after school.

Outside of those group meetings, the Loft offers family support services for family members of participants to ask questions, learn, and build their own skills to use within their families. The clinic also provides one-on-one meetings with its recovery support specialists, trained staff members that Cardenas described as “young adults living well in their mental health recovery” who can share their own experiences with mental health with the Loft’s participants.

While much of the Loft’s programming will be available for everyone, Cardenas noted that the clinic’s group support meetings are where things will differ by age.

“Middle schoolers will have their own groups at their own times, and then high schoolers will have their own groups at their own times,” he said. “We will never really mix the two just because, developmentally, they’re on different levels, and we’re wanting to really keep them all within their same age group.” As a result, the programming calendar on the Loft’s website specifies which events are for middle schoolers and which are for high schoolers.

Ultimately, Cardenas said, “prevention” is the Loft’s biggest goal in expanding who can receive its services.

“Whether or not [youth] are struggling with their mental wellness … we want them to come in to utilize our services so that they have skills to put into their toolbox,” he said.

“If things do arrive, they then know how to handle those situations.”

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The Landmark, February 7, 2024

Brookfield moves ahead with Des Plaines River Trail extension project New funding from the Cook County Department of Transportation and Highways permits the project to restart

COURTESY OF THE CHICAGO METROPOLITAN AGENCY FOR PLANNING

Maps from the Des Plaines River Trail South 2018 planning study show the 6.5-mile gap in the trail (left) and the study area for the project.

By TRENT BROWN Staff Reporter

Early last year, Brookfield stopped work on the Des Plaines River Trail South, an engineering project looking to study gaps in the Des Plaines River Trail and eventually fill them in. Last week, the village officially restarted work on the project.

At its Jan. 22 meeting, the village board entered into an intergovernmental agreement with Cook County’s Department of Transportation and Highways, which will pay up to $300,000 to restart the project and see it through its first phase.

The Des Plaines River Trail runs for 55 miles through Lake and Cook counties, from its northern terminus near the Illinois-Wisconsin border to its southern terminus in the Jerome Huppert Woods, a

forest preserve in River Grove. There is a 6.5-mile gap in the trail from that point to where the trail picks up on Ogden Avenue in Lyons. From there, it runs south for another mile and a half until it stops at the Chicago Portage National Historic Site.

According to the project’s planning study, published in 2018 by the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, its goal is to first study the gaps in the trail and identify potential routes the trail could take, specifically in the area between West 26th Street, which marks the northern bounds of Brookfield and Riverside, and Ogden Avenue. Later phases of the project should see the trail extended within that area.

Ideally, filling in the trail there would al-

Happy Valentine’s Day

low for similar extension projects further north, with the eventual goal of connecting Lyons’ segment of the trail to the contiguous 55-mile stretch.

Work on the project first began in 2020.

Brookfield took charge, working with the villages of Riverside, Lyons and La Grange Park as well as the Forest Preserves of Cook County, which manages and preserves nearly 70,000 acres of forest across the county. They originally agreed that the project would cost nearly $600,000, of which 80% was paid through federal grant funding. The four villages and the FPCC paid for the rest of the project’s estimated costs.

However, over the three years that the project was active, project leaders identified

additional necessary tasks — wetland delineations, tree surveys and more — that would incur additional costs to complete the project’s first phase. At the village board’s Jan. 22 meeting, Brookfield President Michael Garvey said the village had “exhausted the existing funding” in 2023, leading to its decision to stop work on the project.

Still, Garvey and members of the village board seemed enthused about the project’s future at that meeting.

“We all know that this trail is such an important, kind of no-brainer issue that should be done, but we also have come to know that there’s nothing that’s easy,” Garvey said at the meeting. “We got to just keep working our way through it.”

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The Landmark, February 7, 2024

Are you on Brookfield Zoo’s name-a-cockroach list?

Entries for the fundraiser are closed but names will be revealed on Valentine’s Day

By HECTOR CERVANTES Contributing Reporter

Instead of buying roses for Valentine’s Day this year, try naming a cockroach.

Brookfield Zoo Valentine’s Day tradition of letting the public name cockroaches after exes and loved ones continued this year – and officials are hoping the event will be bigger than ever before.

Through Feb. 5, anyone could name a Madagascar hissing cockroach in honor of a special (or not-so-special) person in their life on this day dedicated to love.

For a $15 donation to the Brookfield Zoo, donors could name a cockroach and it will be featured on a live board called the Cockroach Board.

Participants also will be provided with a certificate of naming that includes a donation receipt. This dubious distinction – sorry, cockroach lovers – can be shared or displayed on a wall.

Brookfield Zoo will unveil the Cockroach Board Feb. 14 and will share pictures on social media, permitting participants to easily locate the names they chose.

Brookfield Zoo’s Donor Society’s manager Ethan Chapin said Brookfield Zoo started this campaign in 2020.

Read it online at www.rblandmark.com

COURTESY OF CZS/BROOKFIELD ZOO

“We saw some nice response during that initial launch and we decided to give it a go in 2021 and it grows in popularity each year,” Chapin said.

Chapin noted that the original Name a Cockroach event had a slow rollout. The first year, about 300 people participated. In the second year, participation nearly doubled.

“We wanted to keep that momentum going. We had 768 people participate in it last year,” Chapin said.

When asked about the inspiration and motivation for putting the Name a Cockroach at Brookfield Zoo to life as an annual tradition, Chapin responded that it was a fun way to engage with the community and poke fun at how Valentine’s Day isn’t a fun holiday for everyone, especially if someone went through a breakup.

Those who are engaging in this cam-

paign will be contributing to the Brookfield Zoo annual fund, which serves as a crucial source of funding for the zoo “This support provides the zoo with the financial flexibility necessary to address emerging financial challenges and obstacles as they arise. Curing the animals, preserving conservatism efforts worldwide and responding to challenges and seizing opportunities as they arise,” Chapin said.

Chapin also said Brookfield Zoo is also doing its first printable Valentines. For a $15 donation that supports the zoo, participants will receive a link in their donation receipt to 12 exclusive, family-friendly, printable valentines that captures photos of the beloved animals at the zoo.

For more information, visit https:// www.czs.org/Cockroach.

YOUR

BEST

LIFE

with Lisa Capone Get Moving Staying active is key to health and well-being at any age…but even more so as we grow older. It can be difficult to get motivated when you’re on your own. However, with their range of fitness programs, senior living communities make it easy to start— and stick to—a workout routine.

Low-Impact Activities. Walking, chair aerobics and cycling are gentle on your joints but still provide excellent cardiovascular benefits when performed properly.

Strength Training. You don’t need to lift heavy weights to reap the rewards of strength training. Using your own body weight, resistance bands or light dumbbells can help you maintain muscle mass and bone density as you age.

Flexibility. Yoga, Pilates and Tai Chi do more than increase your range of motion. They also improve hand-eye coordination and balance, which helps prevent falls.

Even when it’s cold outside, you can stay active when you live in a senior living community that offers fitness classes, exercise programs and workout equipment just steps from your living space.

Visit Cantata.org for more senior living advice or call (708) 387-1030.

Independent Living•Assisted Living•Memory Support Short-Term Rehab•Long-Term Care•Home Care

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The Landmark, February 7, 2024

Brookfield restaurants help fight homelessness Proceeds from the 12th annual ‘Soup and Bread’ fundraiser will support housing services and homelessness prevention

By TRENT BROWN Staff Reporter

Several Brookfield restaurants and breweries came together over the weekend with the greater community to help the homeless.

The Irish Times, Mary’s Morning MixUp, Imperial Oak Brewing, and Tischler Finer Foods were among the vendors supporting the 12th annual “Soup and Bread” fundraiser, which took place 3-7 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 4, at the Holiday Inn West, 6201 Joliet Road, in Countryside. The fundraiser was organized by and benefited BEDS Plus,

a La Grange-based organization that works to prevent homelessness and provides homeless people with housing and emergency services.

At the fundraiser, attendees were able to sip hearty soups provided by 20 restaurants from across southwest suburban Cook County. The Irish Times brought corned beef and cabbage soup, while Mary’s Morning Mix-Up served cream of roasted jalapeño soup. Imperial Oak Brewing and Tischler Finer Foods were among eight vendors providing beer, wine, and cocktails.

There was live music from local acts for attendees to enjoy. According to the

Happy Valentine’s Day R�ses are red, violets are blue,

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schedule, folk singer Mark Dvorak took the stage from 3-5 p.m. Charles and Company, a band that plays a wide variety of music, played from 3:30-6:30 p.m. Finally, acoustic

duo Crows of Furey rounded the show out, playing from 5-7 p.m. There was also a magician named Marko for kids (and adults!) to watch.

THE MACLEAN HOUSE AT CALEDONIA SENIOR LIVING.

They will never forget the feeling of being loved.

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Opinion THE LANDMARK VIEW

Slow work of trailblazing

“T

here’s nothing that’s easy,” says Michael Garvey, Brookfield’s village president. In this case he was describing the fits-and-starts reality of moving forward, filling in the local gaps in the Des Plaines River Trail extension project.

If 2023 was a “fit,” as funding for planning on the project ran dry, 2024 may be another “start” as the village signed on to another intergovernmental agreement to fund another phase of planning.

This trail runs for 55 miles, starting in Lake County and down through much of Cook. Right now the continuous flow ends in River Grove and skips all the way to Ogden Avenue in Lyons.

Brookfield has chosen over time to take the local lead. Since 2020 it has worked with Riverside, Lyons and LaGrange Park to keep some momentum going.

Like fixing up an old home, planning a trail along the river has been slowed by add-ons that cost money and take time. Wetland delineations and tree surveys have been among the necessary impediments.

But Brookfield’s village board and staff keep at it. Grant by grant, inch by inch, as they shepherd this worthy project off the drawing board and into life.

The Landmark, February 7, 2024

11

LETTERS

State’s Attorney candidates debate Thursday

A perfect 50th wedding anniversary party

Thank you for publishing former Riverside Police Chief Tom Weitzel’s op-ed “Public safety in the balance” [Opinion, Jan. 31]. The former chief spells out quite clearly the problems in the State’s Attorney’s Office currently. He also makes a point of telling voters to get informed about the new candidates running for this important office.

One great way to do this is to watch ABC’s and Univision’s State’s Attorney debate that will be streaming live at 7 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 8. The stations will also rebroadcast this event. Check your local listings. The news stations have solicited questions from various community groups.

It is a great opportunity to see and hear from the candidates.

Finding the perfect venue for an anniversary party is always one of life’s great joys. My wife and I recently celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary by inviting our assorted adult children and grandchildren, and some other relatives and neighbors, 25 in all.

We decided on the “Little Owl Social Pub” here in Brookfield. A great time was had by all. The grandchildren played shuffleboard and pinball, the men watched sports on the TVs, and the women socialized. All the guests even found parking. Wow!

Mike Robinson

Brookfield

Jan Goldberg

Starting early on mental wellness

The stigma around mental health is slowly lifting. Thankfully. It’s too late for many people who have buried pain and shame within families and communities, unable and unwilling to address the simple truth that liberation can be won from this yoke.

One of the shifts we are grateful for is understanding that an early start in taking on mental-health issues is always the right course. And so the news from The Loft at Eight Corners in Brookfield that it will expand its care to include seventh- and eighth-graders is more than welcome. We understand that this program — a partnership of Pillars Community Health and NAMI Metro Suburban — needed time to become established in serving those in high school.

Also, it is obvious that the developmental differences between a seventh- and 12th-grader are substantial, and more targeted sessions and support are necessary. The Loft, set in a storefront at Eight Corners, has a casual approach that encourages young people to walk in and join in support groups and possibly bring their families along.

Adding programs for middle-school students is a strong step forward for this valued program in these communities.

Riverside

OBITUARIES

Mary Alice DeMauro, 69 A regular at Rivers Casino Mary Alice DeMauro, 69, of North Riverside, died surrounded by her family on Sunday, Jan. 28. Her unexpected lung cancer diagnosis took her quickly after a wonderful holiday season spent with family. She grew up in Cicero and started her career nearby in banking where she was loved by all of her customers. She married her husband, Louis DeMauro, and had two daughters, Katie (Nate) Molby and Kelley DeMauro. Later, she proudly became known as “Nana” by her granddaughters, Kinley and Adalyn Molby and her four legged grand-dog, Henry.

She treasured spending time with family and friends, which included having the family over for dinner and playing games around the

table with lots of laughter. Those who knew Mary Alice well, knew she never missed a week going to the casino with her husband.

She would say “Rivers” and Louis knew she wanted to be on her way.

Mary Alice was the daughter of the late Leo and the late Catherine Kotor; sister of the late Leo J. Jr. (Betty) Kotor and the late Barbara Ann (late Harry II) Andler; aunt of Leo Jr. (Jennifer) Kotor and Harry III (Katie) Andler; and great-aunt, cousin, and friend to many.

A celebration of life was held on Feb. 1 at Ivins/Moravecek Funeral Home, 80 E. Burlington St., Riverside. A funeral service was celebrated on Feb. 2 at Mater Christi Church, followed by interment at Queen of Heaven Cemetery.

See OBITUARIES on page 12

12

The Landmark, February 7, 2024

OBITUARIES continued from page 11

Joseph Caruso, 86 Bricklayer Joseph F. Caruso, 86, of Brookfield, formerly of Cicero and Melrose Park, died on Jan. 25, 2024. Born on Aug. 12, 1937, he was a bricklayer who worked in construction.

Joseph was the husband of the late Darlene (nee Gorniak) Caruso; the father of Deborah (Paul) Schomer; the grandfather of Nicholas (Braunty) Schomer and Christopher (Lauren) Schomer; the great-grandfather of Lorenzo Schomer; the brother of Fran (late Louie) Marcuccilli; and the uncle of De-

Dominican University Performing Arts Center

Way Back Inn, a local nonprofit organization treating individuals seeking recovery from gambling and substance use disorders, is seeking potential bids for a backup generator for our Oak Park recovery home located at 412 Wesley Ave, Oak Park, IL 60302.

nise (Emilio) Dorado and Steve (Andre) Marcuccilli.

Memorial visitation will be held on Sunday, Feb. 11, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Johnson-Nosek Funeral Home, 3847 Prairie Ave., Brookfield, with a memorial service 2 p.m.

Memorial donations to Angels for Hospice Charities, 445 W. Erie St., Suite 203, Chicago, IL 60654 would be appreciated.

Online condolences, photos and memories may be shared with the family at www.

JohnsonNosek.com.

Mary Nulick, 105 Telephone company secretary Mary W. Nulick (nee Majka), 105, of Brookfield, died on Feb. 4, 2024. She worked as a secretary for the telephone company Mary was the wife of the late Raymond C. Nulick; the mother of Diane (Kevin McPartlin) Nulick; and grandmother of the late Raymond McPartlin.

She predeceased all of her siblings and their spouses, Valvi (Alfred), Adeleine (William), Stanley (Dorothy), Edward (Maxine), Alfreda, Eric and Elmer (Bertha). She was the aunt and great-aunt of many nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be held on Thursday, Feb. 8 from 3 to 8 p.m. and Friday, Feb. 9 from 9 to 9:30 a.m. at Hitzeman Funeral Home Ltd., 9445 31st St., Brookfield, IL 60513. A funeral Mass will be celebrated at St. Louise de Marillac Church, LaGrange Park at 10 a.m., with interment Queen of Heaven Cemetery in Hillside.

If you wish to send a sympathy card to the family, please feel free to send it to Hitzeman Funeral Home, 9445 31st Street, Brookfield, IL 60513, c/o the Mary W. Nulick family. We will gladly forward it on to the family.

Please contact Anita Pindiur, Executive Director 708-345-8422 ext. 125 • anitap@waybackinn.org

This is a Federally funded project, with the money coming from Oak Park Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds and thus is subject to all applicable Federal rules, regulations, and guidelines, including Davis-Bacon and Related Acts. Preference is given to qualifying Minority- and Women-Owned Business Enterprises (MWBE).

To run an obituary Please contact Erika Hobbs by e-mail: erika@growingcommunitymedia.org, before Monday at noon. Please include a photo if possible.

Sports

The Landmark, February 7, 2024

13

Bulldogs dominate regional, advance 12 to sectionals Six individual champions lead way as RBHS takes team title

By BILL STONE Contributing Reporter

Riverside Brookfield High School junior boys wrestler Ethan Rivas isn’t hampered in daily life by the pain in his left shoulder.

“Not really, maybe when I’m putting on my backpack,” Rivas said. He also has overcome the challenge on the mat.

On Saturday, Rivas was among six champions as the Bulldogs won the Class 2A RBHS Regional and advanced 12 individuals to the Hinsdale South Sectional with top-three finishes.

Seniors Josh Gonzalez (38-9 record at 144 pounds) and Mateo Gonzalez (22-13 at 106) and juniors Jacob Godoy (27-16 at 132), Ricky Gutierrez (22-11 at 138) and Nathan Stanard (20-15 at 126) joined Rivas (21-11 at 157) as regional champions.

Seniors Jacob Noe (30-17 at 150) and Cade Tomkins (23-9 at 165), junior Edgar Mosquera (34-6 at 113), and sophomore Jayden Tulian (19-14 at 120) were second.

Juniors Matt Elzy (24-8 at 190) and Anthony Esposito (16-25 at 215) were third.

Finishing fourth, one victory from advancing, was junior Avery Siemplinski (8-24 at 285).

Rivas recently was diagnosed with a torn left rotator cuff and labrum stemming from a December match, yet he won both regional matches with pins, including the final in 24 seconds. The righthanded Rivas chose not to compete this time with a protective brace.

“Coming back here, battling hard, I think it was just a wow moment for me. I’m excited to see what we can do [at sectionals],” Rivas said. “I’ve just got to make sure I’m mentally prepared to go. You can’t really think much of [the injury], especially with all of the adrenaline going on.”

Josh Gonzalez qualified for state last year at 138. Mosquera reached state at 113 in 2022. At last year’s regional, Josh Gonzalez, Tomkins and Mosquera were second and Noe, Rivas and Elzy were third to advance.

“I’m just excited for the six champs that

STEVE JOHNSTON

Riverside-Brookfield’s Mateo Gonzalez wrestles Kennedy’s Josuè Tankson at 106 pounds during the 2A Regional at Riverside-Brookfield. Gonzalez defeated Tankson due to an injury, Saturday, Feb. 3, in Riverside. we did have. To have 12 qualify for sectionals (out of 14 classes), that’s the main objective,” RBHS coach Nick Curby said.

In their championship matches, Stanard and Gutierrez-Blanco won with pins in 48 seconds and 1:41, respectively, Josh Gonzalez won by technical fall (16-0), Godoy won 4-3 and Mateo Gonzalez won by injury default.

“This is the first tournament I’ve ever won in my high school career,” GutierrezBlanco said. “Today I came to wrestle. I came to get this first place.”

Coming off his state season, Josh Gonzalez continues to have higher aspirations. “[Regionals is] just part of the process.

The goal is always going to go down to state and place at state,” he said. “[This

season] I should have won some matches, placed higher in tournaments. That’s OK. The mistakes make me better.”

Improved conditioning has helped Stanard successfully transition from 145 as a freshman to 138 last season when he was fourth at regionals.

“I still came to the sectionals to support my team. But I wanted to be out there wrestling so it’s definitely been a big motivator for this year,” Stanard said.

In his final, Godoy entered the third period leading by one and rode his opponent the entire time.

“I don’t even think I’ve gone a whole two minutes wrestling on top of a guy. Not something you really train for, but I had to do it,” Godoy said. “My forms were giving out but I knew as long as I held out for one more second, that’s all it took.”

Mateo Gonzalez was about to get a takedown for a 9-8 lead in the final when his opponent stopped because of a knee injury.

“I wish I had won without any injury.

But I’m still happy I got the win,” Mateo Gonzalez said.

In their finals, Mosquera lost 4-2, Tomkins lost 12-3, Noe lost by technical fall (16-1) and Tulian was pinned in 1:46.

Noe just returned from illness that, he said, affected his stamina. Tomkins was just medically cleared to return after being sidelined by a rib injury.

“It’s hard to work back to what I would have been if I didn’t miss the month, but I feel like I’m going to get there and place high in sectionals and make it downstate,” Tomkins said.

In their third-place matches, Elzy (1:06) and Esposito (4:46) won with pins. Esposito entered the third period in a scoreless tie. He chose to start down and got a contested escape in the first seven seconds.

“I tried to get out as quick as possible. It felt really good hearing that ref slapping that [mat],” Esposito said. “I was thinking the whole time, ‘No one’s taking this from me.’”

With their title, the Bulldogs also advanced to the 2A Brother Rice Team Sectional Feb. 20.

14

S P O R T S

The Landmark, February 7, 2024

Lions’Walker thinks big, reaches state on uneven bars Bulldogs’ Janusz, Phelan achieve first sectional berths

By BILL STONE Contributing Reporter

After a personal-best 9.275 on the uneven parallel bars to win regionals, Jan. 31, Lyons Township High School senior Emily Tucker couldn’t help but think about her last chance at reaching her first state meet during the Hinsdale Central Sectional on Monday.

Maybe even too much.

“I honestly was overthinking but at the same time I knew I could do it, my teammates knew I could do it, my coaches knew I could do it,” Tucker said. “They pushed me so I did the same thing I did at regionals. I kept my head high. I had a positive mindset. I just went for it and ended up sticking it.”

With help from her now comfortable double back flip dismount, Tucker landed with a slight step and scored a 9.2 to finish fourth and automatically advanced to the state preliminaries, Feb. 16 in Palatine,

with a top-five sectional finish.

The all-arounder and fourth-year varsity gymnast had to wait until the final rotation to perform uneven bars.

“Bars is my favorite event, my last event and I did the best,” Tucker said. “Looking at the [leader] board, I saw fifth place was 8.9. I compared that to my regional score. I was like, ‘OK, I can easily do that.’”

“That’s awesome, especially since it’s her senior year. She’s been wanting to go to state so bad,” LTHS coach Brittany Milovanovic said. “It was a clean routine. [Her double back] was something she was never really confident in, but now I think she figured it out.”

As a team qualifier, the Lions finished fifth with 138.40 points, just shy of their 138.975, Jan. 31, the program’s highest score, which gave them their first regional title since the fifth-place 2015 state finishers.

LTHS juniors Emmy Bertucci, Dahlia Highland and Ava Hepokoski, freshman Brynn Krantz and senior Elle Rockrohr and Riverside Brookfield freshman Paige Phelan and sophomore Kayla Janusz also were individual sectional qualifiers.

Some of them may also reach state atlarge by being among the 12 highest re-

maining scores from the four sectionals, which conclude Thursday.

Krantz tied for seventh on vault (9.15), Bertucci finished 10th on beam (8.95) and Bertucci and Rockrohr (8.8) tied for 11th on floor.

The last two years the beam at-large state cuts have been 8.9 and 8.875.

“I’m going to be stressed beyond belief [waiting],” said Bertucci, the LTHS Regional beam champion with a personal-best 9.35. “Whether I make [state] or not, I know I did amazing this year individually and the team did amazing together. I’m never disappointed. I’m always proud of us.”

Among other top-20 LTHS finishes, Bertucci (34.55), Krantz (34.375) and Highland (34.10) were 13th, 14th and 16th in allaround, Highland tied for 14th on vault (8.95) and tied for 16th on uneven bars (8.55), Krantz was 15th on floor (8.675) and Hepokoski (8.475) was 17th and Krantz (8.45) tied for 18th on beam.

RBHS girls In their sectional debuts, Phelan was 16th on beam (8.5), tied for 25th on vault (8.375) and was 27th in all-around (32.95) and Janusz tied for 26th on vault (8.5).

“It motivated me a lot because I look at

the other girls and what I can do to get up there and really make it to state next year.

That’s the ultimate goal,” Janusz said.

RBHS coach Karyn Domzalski said Janusz landed one of her best handspring full vaults, which she learned this season.

Phelan added two components on floor, most notably a front handspring and front layout tumbling pass, and made them both.

“Today was one of the best meets they’ve had,” Domzalski said. “We’ve been seeing [Janusz’s vaults] in the gym, but we really haven’t seen a good one like that at the meets.

“Paige just had one of her best meets.

She was very tight and steady. We really changed up floor. And her bar routine was even cleaner than she’s done all season.”

The Bulldogs agreed they gained energy and confidence from a practice Saturday joined by their varsity teammates, even though their seasons had officially ended.

“I wasn’t sure if I was going to make [the new tumbling pass] but I just went for it anyway. I tried not to overwork it [in warmups] and then I was just praying in competition that I would make it,” Phelan said.

“This really motivates me. Just being here was really fun and just seeing what it was like for next year.”

Cicic reaches 1,000-point mark in Bulldogs’ victory Girls hoops hot streak continues; Rosa wins title at SPC Meet

By BILL STONE Contributing Reporter

In just two seasons, 7-foot center Stefan Cicic has made quite an impact on the Riverside Brookfield High School boys basketball program.

On Friday, Cicic scored his 1,000th point with the Bulldogs during their 55-47 home victory over Westmont.

The Bulldogs (22-4) also clinched outright the Metro Suburban Conference title with a 5-0 record. They can complete an undefeated run Friday by beating Ridgewood (1111, 2-2).

Cicic had another double-double with 28 points on 11-for15 shooting and 13 rebounds as well as five blocked shots.

The transfer from Niles Notre Dame has more than 1,200 points for his high-school career.

Danny Loftus added 15 points by hitting 6 for 6 field goals and 3 for 3 on free throws and three assists. Steven Brown had nine assists and four steals.

The seven-game winning streak ended Sunday as RBHS

lost to De La Salle 75-66 at the Sunday Showcase in Evergreen Park. RBHS trailed 41-34 at halftime after being outscored 21-9 in the second quarter.

Brown (21 points with 2 threes, 3 assists), Cicic (17 points, 13 rebounds), Mehki Austin (12 points, 3 steals) and Loftus (9 points) paced RBHS. The Meteors made 25 of 52 shots and led 10-5 in threes and 17-4 in transition points.

The Bulldogs defeated visiting Leo 62-54, Jan. 31, behind Brown (22 points with 2 threes, 6 rebounds), Cicic (20 points, 14 rebounds), Austin (16 points with 2 threes) and Sam Shelven (5 rebounds, 3 steals).

RBHS girls basketball The Bulldogs (15-13) are the No. 6 seed in the Mother McAuley Sectional. They are home for the RiversideBrookfield Regional and open against No. 11 Reavis, Monday, with the winner playing No. 3 Kennedy or No. 14 Proviso East, Feb. 16, for the regional title.

RBHS has won eight of its last nine games. The MSC

champions improved to 5-0, Friday, by beating visiting Westmont 59-43 and can complete a perfect conference season, Feb. 9, by beating Ridgewood (6-18, 1-4).

Emily Organ had 27 points in 26 minutes played on 11for-17 shooting, plus 11 rebounds and four steals, followed

by Julia Madera (9 points) and Alyssa Morris (6 points, 9 rebounds), Amanda Buckley (8 rebounds) and Mayan Covarrubias (7 rebounds, 5 assists).

The Bulldogs also beat Hinsdale Central 63-48 Jan. 30, Willowbrook 54-48 Jan. 24, Westmont 59-37 Jan. 22, and lost to Richards 52-41 Jan. 27.

Organ (18 points, 8 rebounds), Buckley (11 points, 4 steals) and Niamh Larson (10 points, 5 rebounds) reached double figures against Hinsdale Central.

Covarrubias (3 threes, 10 rebounds) and Organ (7 rebounds) each had 17 points against Willowbrook, with Morris adding 10 points and four assists and Arianna Hudson grabbing nine rebounds.

Organ (17 points, 5 steals) and Morris (10 points, 8 rebounds) led RBHS against Richards.

The Landmark, February 7, 2024 15

Let the sun shine in...

HOURS: 9:00 A.M.– 5:00 P.M. MON–FRI

PUBLIC NOTICES

Deadline: Monday at 5 p.m.

PUBLIC NOTICE STATE OF ILLINOIS VILLAGE OF BROOKFIELD Notice of Public Hearing Village of Brookfield Planning and Zoning Commission February 22, 2024, at 7:00 PM

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BY PHONE: (708) 613-3333 | BY FAX: (708) 467-9066 BY E-MAIL: EMAIL@GROWINGCOMMUNIT YMEDIA .ORG

PUBLIC NOTICES

PUBLIC NOTICES

PUBLIC NOTICES

PUBLIC NOTICES

PUBLIC NOTICES

PUBLIC NOTICE NOTICE TO BIDDERS Sealed separate bids will be received by the Board of Education, Oak Park Elementary School District 97 (the “Board”) for the following project:

to make an award that in the Board’s sole opinion is in the best interest of the District.

PUBLIC NOTICE Notice is hereby given by the President and Board of Trustees of the Village of River Forest, Cook County, Illinois, that sealed bids will be accepted for:

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING Notice is hereby given to all interested persons that a public hearing before the Planning and Zoning Commission of the Village of Riverside will be held on Wednesday, February 28, 2024 at 7:00 p.m., or as soon thereafter as the business of the Planning and Zoning Commission may permit, in Room 4 of the Riverside Township Hall, 27 Riverside Road, Riverside, Illinois, to consider an application from the Village of Riverside to review and consider various changes to the standards for adult-use cannabis business establishments and medical cannabis dispensing organizations as set forth in the Riverside Zoning Ordinance.

PUBLIC NOTICE STATE OF ILLINOIS VILLAGE OF BROOKFIELD

OAK PARK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL DISTRICT 97 SD97 – JULIAN MS GENDER NEUTRAL TOILET ROOMS OAK PARK, IL 60302 BID GROUP 1 – GENERAL TRADES, ELECTRICAL, MECHANICAL, PLUMBING Bids will be received until 2:00 p.m.

CST on Thursday, February 8, 2024, at the Oak Park Elementary School District 97 Administrative offices, 260 Madison Street, Oak Park, IL 60302, and will be read at 2:15 p.m. CST on that date. Bids shall be submitted in an opaque sealed envelope clearly marked: Oak Park Elementary School District 97 260 Madison Street, Oak Park, IL 60302 Attention: Bulley & Andrews Project: SD97 – JULIAN MS GENDER NEUTRAL TOILET ROOMS Bid Opening will be held at 2:15pm CST within the board room: Scope of work for Bid Group 1 generally includes: GENERAL TRADES, ELECTRICAL, MECHANCIAL, AND PLUMBING All bids must be submitted in accordance with the bidding instructions contained in the Bidding Documents for the project. Bid security in the form of a bid bond in an amount equal to ten percent (10%) of the base bid amount shall be submitted with the bid. Should a bid bond be submitted, the bond shall be payable to the Board of Education, Oak Park Elementary School District 97, 260 Madison Street, Oak Park, IL 60302. All documents and information required by the bidding instructions contained in the Bidding Documents for the project shall be submitted with the bid. Incomplete, late or non-conforming bids may not be accepted.

No bids shall be withdrawn, cancelled or modified after the time for opening of bids without the Board’s consent for a period of ninety (90) days after the scheduled time of bid opening.

The Bidding Documents for the project (which include the bidding instructions for the project and other related documents) will be available Friday January 19, 2024 and are available for viewing/ download online without cost or purchase on the Bulley & Andrews, LLC Google Drive, located at the following link. No username or password is required. https://drive.google.com/ drive/folders/19k -upj1_k5Y_Qo2IvAw VDuSHWladZCdZ The Board reserves the right to reject any or all bids or parts thereof, or waive any irregularities or informalities, and

The site will be available for visits by appointment to be coordinated with Bulley & Andrews, LLC. Interested parties may inspect the existing conditions. Schedule an appointment with Michael Damato of Bulley & Andrews in advance if you wish to visit the sites.

All bidders must comply with applicable Illinois Law requiring the payment of prevailing wages by all Contractors working on public works. If during the time period of work, the prevailing wage rates change, the contractor shall be responsible for additional costs without any change to the contract amount. All bidders must comply with the Illinois Statutory requirements regarding labor, including Equal Employment Opportunity Laws.

For additional information on the project, contact Michael Damato of Bulley & Andrews, LLC at mdamato@bulley. com or 847-602-9512.

Dated: 1/19/24 Michael Damato Bulley & Andrews, LLC Published in Wednesday Journal January 24, 31, February 7, 2024

PUBLIC NOTICES PUBLIC NOTICE OF COURT DATE FOR REQUEST FOR NAME CHANGE STATE OF ILLINOIS, CIRCUIT COURT COOK COUNTY. Request of Dana Louise McKinzie Case Number 2023 CONC 001444 There will be a court date on my Request to change my name from: Dana Louise McKinzie tto the new name of: Dana Louise Allen.

The court date will be held: On March 8, 2024 at 10:30 a.m.at in Courtroom # 12, Zoom link: https://circuitcourtofcookcounty. zoom.us/j/95894921843?pwd=S1RCcmlCZjFpRnVIQUpZU25lRzJFUT09 Meeting ID: 958 9492 1843 Passcode: 226532 Published in Wednesday Journal January 24, 31, February 7, 2024

911 Dispatch/Fire Department RTU #3 Replacement This project includes the replacement of RTU #3 and any roofing, curb, sheet metal, electrical and other associated work required for the proper installation and function of the unit.

The bidding documents will be available for download starting Monday, February 12, 2024 at: www.vrf.us/bids Bids must be submitted by Tuesday, March 19, 2024, at 11:00 a.m. at: Village of River Forest 400 Park Avenue River Forest, IL 60305 The bid proposals will be publicly opened and read at that time. Proposals will be considered not only on the basis of cost, but also on past performance, experience, and ability to perform the work.

No bid shall be withdrawn after the opening of the Proposals without the consent of the President and Board of Trustees of the Village of River Forest for a period of thirty (30) days after the scheduled time of the bid opening.

The Village of River Forest reserves the right in receiving these bids to waive technicalities and reject any or all bids.

Published in Wednesday Journal February 7, 2024

PUBLIC NOTICES NOTICE TO BIDDERS Dairy Products, Vending Machine Supplies and Commercial Food Products The Northern Illinois Independent Purchasing Cooperative (NIIPC) will be receiving Offers on its Request For Proposals for: Dairy Products, Vending Machine Supplies and Commercial Food Products. RFP’s must be received by Thursday, March 21, 2024 at 9:00 AM, in the Business Office, Room 270A, of The Oak Park and River Forest High School, 201 North Scoville Avenue, Oak Park, Illinois. RFP documents may be obtained by contacting Micheline Piekarski at niipcinfo@gmail.com or (708) 434-3142. RFP’s should be placed in a sealed envelope marked: Dairy Products, Vending Machine Supplies, or Commercial Food Products ATTENTION: Micheline Piekarski, Food Service Director.

Published in Wednesday Journal February 7, 2024

Application No.: PZ 24-0001 Petitioner: Village of Riverside Proposed Text Amendments: Various changes to the Village of Riverside Zoning Ordinance relative to adult-use cannabis business establishments and medical cannabis dispensing organizations.

The affected section(s) include, but may not be limited to, Section 106-2 (Use Standards). Among the changes being considered include amending the hours of operation for adult-use cannabis dispensing organizations.

The above application is available for inspection at the office of the Village Clerk, 27 Riverside Road, Riverside, Illinois 60546. During the Public Hearing the Planning and Zoning Commission will hear testimony from and consider any evidence presented by persons interested to speak on these matters. Persons wishing to appear at this hearing may do so in person or by attorney or other representative and may speak for or against the matters being considered. Communications in writing in relation thereto may be filed at such hearing or with the Planning and Zoning Commission in advance by submission to the Village’s Community Development Department at 27 Riverside Road, Riverside, Illinois prior to 4:00 p.m. the day of the public hearing.

The Public Hearing may be continued from time to time without further notice, except as otherwise required under the Illinois Open Meetings Act. Dated this 7th day of February, 2024.

Jennifer Henaghan, Chairperson Planning & Zoning Commission Published in RB Landmark, February 7, 2024

Notice of Public Hearing Village of Brookfield Planning and Zoning Commission February 22, 2024 at 7:00 PM NOTICE is hereby given that a public hearing will be held by the Planning and Zoning Commission of the Village of Brookfield on Thursday, February 22, 2024 at 7:00 PM in the Edward Barcal Hall located at 8820 Brookfield Avenue, Brookfield, Illinois to consider applications from Nikola Vasiljevic for a special use permit to operate a Commercial Vehicle Repair and Maintenance Business and for a special use permit for accessory outdoor storage related to the most northern parcel associated with 8800 47th Street (PIN 1803423050).

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 meeting to: Village of Brookfield, Planning and Zoning Commission c/o Kate Portillo, 8820 Brookfield Avenue, Brookfield, IL 60513, kportillo@brookfieldil.gov, or 708-485-1445. Oral or written public 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 24-04.

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 accommodations to participate in any meeting may contact the Village of Brookfield at (708) 485-7344 prior to the meeting. Wheelchair access is available through the front and side (south and east) entrances of Village Hall.

NOTICE is hereby given that a public hearing will be held by the Planning and Zoning Commission of the Village of Brookfield on Thursday, February 22, 2024 at 7:00 PM in the Edward Barcal Hall located at 8820 Brookfield Avenue, Brookfield, Illinois to consider a request from Rojo Restaurant Group, LLC, to amend the text of the Village of Brookfield Code of Ordinances, Chapter 62 Section 216 Station Area Use Table to include “Business support service” as a permitted use in the SA-2 Neighborhood Mixed-Use District.

Typical “Business support service” uses include employment agencies, copy and print shops, delivery/ courier service drop-off locations for consumers, caterers, and photo developing labs.

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 meeting to: Village of Brookfield, Planning and Zoning Commission c/o Kate Portillo, 8820 Brookfield Avenue, Brookfield, IL 60513 and at kportillo@brookfieldil.gov. Oral or written public testimony may be given during the public hearing.

The application may be viewed at the Village of Brookfield Village Hall during normal business hours. 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 accommodation in order to participate in any meeting may contact the Village of Brookfield at (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 February 7, 2024

REAL ESTATE FOR SALE IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION NAVY FEDERAL CREDIT UNION; Plaintiff, vs.

DONNA EUDOVIQUE AKA DONNA D. EUDOVIQUE; UNKNOWN OWNERS AND NONRECORD CLAIMANTS; Defendants, 23 CH 7029 NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above entitled cause Intercounty Judicial Sales Corporation will on Tuesday, February 27, 2024 at the hour of 11 a.m. in their office at 120 West Madison Street, Suite 718A, Chicago, Illinois, sell at public auction to the highest bidder for cash, as set forth below, the following described mortgaged real estate: P.I.N. 15-08-409-001-0000.

Commonly known as 501 48th Avenue, Bellwood, IL 60104.

The mortgaged real estate is improved with a single family residence. If the subject mortgaged real estate is a unit of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by subsection (g-1) of Section 18.5 of the Condominium Property Act. Sale terms: 10% down by certified funds, balance, by certified funds, within 24 hours. No refunds. The property will NOT be open for inspection.

For information call The Sales Department at Plaintiff’s Attorney, Diaz Anselmo & Associates, P.A., 1771 West Diehl Road, Naperville, Illinois 60563. (630) 453-6925. 7020194122 INTERCOUNTY JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION intercountyjudicialsales.com I3236657

Published in RB Landmark February 7, 2024

Let the sun shine in...

Public Notice:

Your right to know...In print • Online Available to you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, every day of the year OakPark.com • RBLandmark.com • ForestParkReview.com • AustinWeeklyNews.com PublicNoticeIllinois.com

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The Landmark, February 7, 2024

2 1 E . B U R L I N GTO N R OA D, R I V E R S I D E | 70 8 . 4 47.72 07 NG MI O C

ON SO W NE

273 Maplewood Rd, Riverside

302-306 River Oaks Dr, Calumet City $300,000

G TIN LIS

W NE

G TIN LIS

2321 Scoville Ave, Berwyn $380,000

4408 S Talman, Chicago $339,000

1526 W Ohio, Chicago $975,000

T LA F 4-

AT FL 2

O ND O C

3122 Wisconsin Ave, Berwyn $650,000

116 E Quincy St, Riverside $425,000

69 Longcommon Rd, Riverside $189,900

1516 S Wabash Ave, #902, Chicago $435,000

622 Robinhood Ln, LaGrange Park $2,800/mo

When it comes to selling and buying homes... experience, results and ties to the community make all the difference.

Curious about the current real estate market and the impact on your home’s value? Thinking about selling, but need to find your next home first? Can’t find your dream home in this competitive market? Contact one of our local market experts for a free, confidential consultation.

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