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Vol. 39, No. 7

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Also serving North Riverside

February 14, 2024

Brookfield police enhance emergency responses PAGE 7

@RBLandmark

District 96 hires DEI consultant PAGE 10

D103’s English Language Services director lives in Texas

Grappling with glory

Guadalupe Vander Ploeg flies to the district one week a month. Who pays?

By BOB SKOLNIK Contributing Reporter

REPORT BY BILL STONE, PAGE 13 STEVE JOHNSTON

A high-ranking administrator in charge of overseeing English language services at Lyons School District 103 lives nearly 1,500 miles away from her local office.

That administrator, Guadalupe Vander Ploeg, lives in Texas.

The LinkedIn and Facebook profiles for Vander

Lyons Township’s Gunnar Garelli wrestles Glenbard West’s Collin Carrigan at the Class 3A Hinsdale Central Sectional, Feb. 10, in Hinsdale.

See VANDER PLOEG on page 3

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The Landmark, February 14, 2024

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The Landmark, February 14, 2024

VANDER PLOEG Very remote worker from page 1 Ploeg, the district’s Director of English Language Services, show she lives in El Paso.

It is not clear how her hiring situation came about. Former school board member Tom Weiner raised the issue with the board in November after reading a Facebook posting about Vander Ploeg’s unusual working arrangement.

“She lives in Texas but only comes up here once a month if the district is lucky,” Weiner said during the public comment portion of the school board meeting.

Later, Weiner told the Landmark that Supt. Kristopher Rivera told him that SCREENSHOT Vander Ploeg mostly works remotely but comes to the district for a week once every Dr. Guadalupe Vander Ploeg LinkedIn profile four weeks. Weiner also said that Rivera told him that Vander Ploeg does much of “residency requirements for school ad- equitable practice; trust and open comher work directing the district’s services ministrators are generally permissible munication; collaboration, collective effifor students, who are not native English and left to the discretion of the district.” cacy, and continuous individual and orgaspeakers, by Zoom.

The district board’s policies do not appear nizational learning and improvement.” It Weiner added that Rivera told him that to address staff or teacher residency re- is not clear how administrators can meet District 103 pays for Vander Ploeg’s airfare quirements. such standards with a one-week visit in for her trips to Chicago. The Landmark has Under the law, the federal person each month. filed a public records request Departments of Education and According to her LinkedIn profile, asking for copies of all invoices Justice require public schools Vander Ploeg earned a bachelor of science or reimbursements for travel with English language learners degree in elementary education from Govexpenses for Vander Ploeg. The to ensure they can participate ernors State University in University Park; district has not responded to meaningfully and equally in ed- a master of science degree in educational the request by publication and ucational programs. They also administration from Purdue University within the five business day pegive schools the flexibility to Northwest in Hammond, Indiana, and a riod mandated by law. choose programs for them that doctoral degree in education from PepThe Landmark also called the are educationally sound. perdine University in Malibu, California. district’s administrative offices The National Policy Board It also shows that she works as an adjunct to speak with Vander Ploeg. for Educational Administra- professor of education at Virginia-based GUADALUPE VANDER tion, a trade group focused on Liberty University. Her LinkedIn profile Later, Vander Ploeg sent a message on LinkedIn stating that all PLOEG research and best practices, has shows that she worked as a project managmedia inquiries should go to Rideveloped a set of professional er for payroll management firm ADP, and vera. Rivera did not respond to subsequent standards for educational leaders. It calls as an academic manager for the Hudson requests by phone and email for comment. for, among other things, that leaders act Global Scholars program, where she superVander Ploeg also did not respond to an ad- sensitively to students’ interactions, and vised 32 online teachers at private schools. ditional LinkedIn message or an email sent create a culture of care and support for stu- Vander Ploeg also has extensive experito her by the Landmark. dents. That includes creating and sustain- ence working in online education, having Vander Ploeg was hired in 2022 at an ing a school environment in which each worked for 15 years for K12 a for-profit priannual salary of $121,540 to serve the dis- student is known, accepted and valued; vate education company that specializes in trict where at least 36% of students are promoting adult-student, student-peer, online learning. She holds a Professional classified as English Language Learners, and school-community relationships; and Educator License in Illinois. state records show. According to the state, cultivating student engagement in school Weiner was appointed to the school 10.5% of the district’s ELL students met or and positive student conduct. Under the board in 2018 to replace Coleen Shipbaugh exceeded state standards in English Lan- guidelines, for teachers and staff, admin- who was removed from the school board guage Arts. In math, only a scant 0.2% of istrators are expected to “establish and for not attending meetings. Weiner was dethose students met state benchmarks. sustain a professional culture of engage- feated a few months later after he ran for a Most public-school administrators live ment and commitment to shared vision, full term in 2019 when a faction supported near where they work — certainly closer goals, and objectives pertaining to the by the Lyons village president swept all than 1,500 miles. A spokesperson from the education of the whole child; high expec- four seats up in the school board election Illinois State Board of Education said that tations for professional work; ethical and and took control of the school board.

IN THIS ISSUE Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Crime . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 Classified . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 Obituaries. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 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.

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The Landmark, February 14, 2024

BIG WEEK

Senior Haircuts Wednesday, Feb. 14, 4 p.m.

North Riverside Parks & Recreation With Valentine’s Day arriving, don’t you want to look spick and span for your friends and family? Well, seniors, you’re in luck! Luanna and the North Riverside Parks and Recreation are offering discounts to seniors who would like haircuts. Book the 14th for your haircut before your special Valentine’s Day date with your significant other or special friend! It is important to note that walk-ins are not accepted. Instead, appointments are required by calling the Parks & Rec Department at 708- 442-5515. Haircuts are only $11 (tipping is optional). 2401 Des Plaines Ave.

February 14-21

Native Plants Seed Exchange Saturday, Feb. 17, 1 p.m.

Linda Sokol Francis Brookfield Library For all those plant guys and girlies out there! The Brookfield Native Plants Club will be hosting a Native Plants Seed Exchange Saturday. This is a great opportunity to find and share native plant seeds for your garden or plant collection. Native plants help increase Brookfield’s biodiversity and improve curb appeal. All seeds will be exchanged for free; walk-ins welcome. 3541 Park Ave.

Valentine’s Day Open Mic Night Wednesday, Feb. 14, 8 - 11 p.m., Pub 78

Calling all slam poets, singers, rappers, and artists of the community! Attend Pub 78’s this Wednesday for their Valentine’s Day Open Mic Night, hosted by Kelly Ott. Pub 78 urges members of the community to come together and listen to each other’s masterpieces. This is the best opportunity for those who have been too nervous to put on a show for their friends and families. Come together with other artists of the neighborhood and enjoy everyone’s talents.

Bring your partner, husband, wife, or special someone to sing your heart out to them! You could even dedicate a poem to them —perhaps one of your own. Show them you love them (wink, wink). 3733 Grand Blvd.

Intro to the Cricut Maker Saturday, Feb. 17, 2:30 p.m. , Linda Sokol Francis Brookfield Library

Bridgerton Tea Party & Author Julia Quinn Tuesday, Feb, 20, 6:30 p.m., Linda Sokol Francis Brookfield Library Do you love Bridgerton? Come celebrate your love for all things Bridgerton at this fun watch party. Enjoy light refreshments and Bridgerton-inspired teas in the Library’s Meeting Room while watching a virtual interview of best-selling author, Julia Quinn. This event is sponsored by Illinois Libraries Present, a statewide collaboration among public libraries offering premier events. Walk-ins welcome. 3541 Park Ave.

Stop by the Maker Studio for this beginner-friendly class with the Library’s new Cricut Maker 3, a precision-cutting machine that can be used in a variety of crafting projects. Make custom decals for apparel, design calligraphy for your wedding stationary, or create beautifully crafted posters for baby showers and other events—the sky’s the limit once you learn how to operate this incredible machine. Walk-ins welcome. 3541 Park Ave.

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 14, 2024

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Brookfield moves ahead TAX PLANNING DOESN’T STOP AFTER with project to identify A TAXPAYER FILES A TAX RETURN: PART II J every tree in town

By Linda Sokol Francis. E.A.

ust because a taxpayer filed a tax return doesn’t mean they should forget taxes until next year.

What a taxpayer does now may affect the tax they owe or the refund they may receive next year.

Work will begin immediately and be completed by June

“I think it’s great,” Hendricks said.

Brookfield’s tree inventory project first got momentum in October 2022, when the village applied for funding from the Morton Arboretum, which offers grants to local units of government in Illinois specifically for public tree inventories

By TRENT BROWN and other arboreal needs. The arboretum Staff Reporter awarded Brookfield $18,500 in grant fundBy this summer, Brookfield will know ing for the project last January.

When Brookfield advertised the project the species and address of each and every in December 2023, it received proposals village tree.

At its Feb. 12 meeting, the Brookfield from two companies. Great Lakes Urvillage board awarded a $40,000-contract to ban Forestry Management submitted a Great Lakes Urban Forestry Management, proposal for $39,995, which Brookfield an arboricultural consulting ultimately accepted. About firm based in Batavia, for $31,000 of that amount is a project to take an invenjust for identifying each tory of every tree on public tree, while the rest is for land within the village. the creation of an additionAccording to the agreement, al planting space inventory Brookfield will have a list of and of the urban forestry the GPS coordinates, street management plan. CN address, species, diameter, Utility Consulting, a firm possible defects and more based in Des Moines, Iowa, VICTOR JANUSZ for each tree by June 1; vilsubmitted an incomplete Brookfield arborist lage officials currently estiproposal for $32,895 to idenmate there to be about 8,500 tify each tree in town, but trees in town. The project did not include the prices will also involve taking an for the other parts of the inventory of potential locaproject. tions to plant more trees.

“Being in forestry specifically, I want All of this information will be presented to know where the trees are,” Janusz to Brookfield in the form of an urban forsaid at the meeting. He added the urban est management plan, which the consultforestry management plan will enable ing firm will be responsible for creating. him and other members of the village’s This plan will also allow the village and its Forestry Division to keep a record of inhabitants to group Brookfield’s trees by which trees are being inspected and species, ward, condition and more using serviced most often. the village’s online geographic informa“We can have a detailed history of all tion system. the trees in the village,” Janusz said. “If “So, for example, if someone wanted to we can see a potential habit of tree damsearch to find out what the tree in their age — we see a tree that’s consistently front yard was, in the parkway?” Village being serviced — we can then take that Trustee Jennifer Hendricks asked at the information and make the appropriate meeting.

“Yes,” Brookfield Arborist Victor Janusz direction, whether we have to remove it or if there’s something we can do to save responded. “They’d be able to get an idea the tree.” of what species it is.”

“We can have a detailed history of all the trees in the village.”

Here are some more tax planning pointers for all taxpayers.

Check withholding. Since federal taxes operate on a pay-as-you-go basis, taxpayers need to pay most of their tax as they earn income. Taxpayers should check that they ‘re withholding enough from their pay to cover their taxes owed, especially if their personal or financial situations change during the year. To check withholding, taxpayers can use the IRS Withholding Estimator. If they want to change their tax withholding, taxpayers should provide their employer with an updated Form W-4.

Make address and name changes. Notify the United States Postal Service, employers and the IRS of any address change. To officially change a mailing address with the IRS, taxpayers must compete Form 8822, Change of Address, and mail it to the correct address for their area. For detailed instructions, see page 2 of the form. Report any name change to the Social Security Administration. Making these changes as soon as possible will help make filing their tax return easier.

Save for retirement. Saving for retirement can also lower a taxpayer’s AGI. Contributing money to a retirement plan at work and to a traditional IRA also reduces taxable income.

Linda Sokol Francis, E.A.

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Riverside trustees eye renovations for youth center, fire stations A 2018 study revealed facilities issues that still need addressing

By TRENT BROWN Staff Reporter

The village of Riverside is looking for ways to improve its police and fire stations, as well as its youth center, and it wants to hear from residents about what they’d like to see there.

The Riverside Board of Trustees spent nearly an hour at its Feb. 1 meeting discussing the crumbling infrastructure and space issues the village is facing with its police department, fire stations and youth center. In 2018, the village partnered with Williams Architects, a firm based in Itasca, to have them evaluate the facilities and identify issues facing each structure.

To start the discussion off, village Manager Jessica Frances provided a summary of Williams’ findings for the board, as only one current board member was on the board when the study was conducted.

Of the facilities, Frances spoke the most about the issues facing Riverside’s Fire Station 2, the biggest of which was a lack of both space and spaces for the paid on-premise firefighters who stay there overnight.

Overnight firefighters — three or four of them work the shift — sleep in a shared room with “maybe two feet” between the bunkbeds they sleep on, Frances said, meaning only one firefighter can occupy the space between all four beds at a time. Some firefighters choose to sleep in recliners in the shared room, which measures nine feet by 26 feet and also acts as a common space and kitchen, to avoid dealing with these space issues, Frances said.

There is also no shower or space to build one at Fire Station 2, and only one shower at Fire Station 1, meaning all of Riverside’s firefighters must take turns washing themselves at the facility after they’re called out to a fire, Frances said.

Frances also addressed the need for a new youth center building in Riverside.

The youth center houses Riverside TV, which records each board meeting, as well as administrative offices for the fire department and document storage space

for multiple village departments, but its crumbling infrastructure has immediate needs the village must address — including new windows, the removal of tiles that have glue containing asbestos and more — unless they plan on tearing it down and replacing it.

At the meeting, village President Douglas Pollock provided five potential paths forward to address the needs of these facilities. While each option had different pros and cons, the board of trustees seemed to lean toward replacing Fire Station 1 with a consolidated and improved fire station in the first phase before dealing with the youth center as a second phase. The trustees all agreed that these facilities needed to be addressed so Riverside’s firefighters and residents have access to the best spaces possible.

“It just strikes me that our facilities are inconvenient, they’re dingy, they’re dirty,” trustee Jill Mateo said at the meeting. “But more importantly, they’re not safe, and we can’t postpone [improvements] any longer.”

The trustees also agreed that they want to hear from Riverside residents about these facilities so they can take advantage of the opportunity to create new spaces for the village, such as adding a basketball court to the youth center.

“I am interested in how we plan to increase community awareness around the issue,” trustee Megan Claucherty said at the meeting. “I have done some polling of people I see around town. I think people are largely unaware of the issue.”

In the end, the board agreed to have Frances reach out to Williams Architecture to see if they could mock up images of some potential changes to the facilities so the village would have something to show residents.

Ultimately, Pollock said at the meeting, the most important goal for the project right now is to make sure Riversiders know about it.

“A concurrent objective, last meeting and this meeting and going forward, is to get this issue into the public realm, let people know we’re talking about this, make people aware of it,” he said. “So that when we do have to decide and spend money, our residents, our community will have had the chance to think about it.”

The Landmark, February 14, 2024

YOUR

BEST

LIFE

with Lisa Capone Get Moving

COURTESY OF THE BROOKFIELD POLICE DEPARTMENT

A police officer diverts traffic onto Blanchan Avenue as investigators process the scene of a vehicle vs. motorcycle crash in the 9500 block of Ogden Avenue in 2021.

Brookfield police join suburban network to enhance emergency response Municipal agencies can call on this emergency services team for ‘highrisk,’ ‘tactical’ missions

By TRENT BROWN Staff Reporter

The village of Brookfield is moving full steam ahead on joining a mutual aid network for suburban municipal police departments that will permit it to call upon neighboring villages’ departments for extra support when the Brookfield Police Department cannot handle an emergency on its own.

At its Feb. 12 meeting, the Brookfield village board entered into a mutual aid agreement with the Northern Illinois Police Alarm System, which approved the agreement in a January executive board meeting. According to the agreement and NIPAS’ website, as a member agency of NIPAS, the Brookfield Police Department will be able to call on the network to provide up to 50 additional officers during any “emergency situation” that “exceeds [its]

stand-alone physical and organizational capabilities.” In exchange, Brookfield must offer up its own officers to provide support to other member agencies, which number over 100 across five counties, whenever they call upon the network. According to village officials, all of the municipalities surrounding Brookfield are already NIPAS member agencies.

According to the agreement, all member agencies are allowed to decline sending officers when the network is activated if “local conditions prohibit response.” Member agencies must pay an annual $5,500 fee to participate in NIPAS. NIPAS also offers the services of its emergency services team to its member agencies. According to NIPAS’ website, the EST is akin to a SWAT team, able to respond to “high-risk” incidents like hostage scenarios, search and rescue missions and others. Over time, the EST has expanded its equipment to include a fully equipped mobile command vehicle, an armored rescue vehicle and more.

According to NIPAS’ website, for member agencies to call on the EST, they must identify a qualified officer from their own police department who can join the team after passing a “careful screening pro-

cess.” According to village officials, the Brookfield Police Department has identified such an officer from the village who they expect to join the EST. Brookfield will pay about $25,000 to outfit the officer with equipment before they can join the EST, including ballistic gear, a rifle, a radio, medical equipment and more.

In addition to the EST, NIPAS also offers its member agencies access to its mobile field force “when a major civil disturbance occurs.” According to NIPAS’ website, the mobile field force is deployed in response to civil disorder, public demonstrations, union conflicts and other events involving “unruly crowds.” Like the EST, the mobile field force requires member agencies to provide an officer to join its ranks before they can call on it in times of civil disturbance.

NIPAS was founded in 1983 by 15 member agencies after severe flooding had stretched each agency’s resources thin the year before. According to its website, a “governing board consisting entirely of police chiefs directs NIPAS and approves its annual budget,” which is composed of the annual fees that member agencies pay.

It is not clear how often or where NIPAS is deployed.

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.

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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.

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The Landmark, February 14, 2024

Riverside approves third green parking lot Thankful & Thriving on Our 45th Anniversary Roughly 20% of small businesses fail within their first year of opening, 50% by the end of year five, and 70% are finished by year 10. Only 5% survive longer than 30 years.

As we celebrated our 45th anniversary on January 29th, we Scott reflected on those McAdam Jr. statistics—and the keys to our growth and longevity as a business and within the community.

Since 1979, it has all stemmed from a tenacious passion, pride and drive to not only survive but thrive long after our founders have gone.

Throughout these many years, we have learned, developed, and re-strategized to persevere, even in tumultuous times. Surviving the 1979 energy crisis, multiple recessions, and a global pandemic has required creative thinking, strong leadership, and a dedicated staff.

Our business has become a part of the community’s fabric. We recognize that we are only as strong as the communities that surround us; we are grateful to all of you for entrusting us to service, design, and build beautiful outdoor spaces that can be enjoyed every day--and for years to come.

Permeable pavement will come to the lot just south of the railroad along East Quincy Street by 2025

By TRENT BROWN Staff Reporter

The Village of Riverside is moving forward with efforts to go green and better manage stormwater by agreeing to repave one of its parking lots by the end of the year.

At its Feb. 1 meeting, the Riverside Board of Trustees entered into an intergovernmental agreement with the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago. The organization, which promised to reimburse the village for just less than 60% of the cost of the project up to a cap of $256,000, authorized its own involvement in the agreement last June as part of its Green Infrastructure Partnership program.

With the money, Riverside will bring permeable pavement to Village Lot 8, located behind the buildings at 12-40 East Quincy Street, immediately south of the Metra train tracks that bisect the village. Riverside will be responsible for designing, constructing, and operating the green parking lot, as well as maintaining it for at least 25 years after construction is complete.

At a board meeting last July, Riverside partnered with Christopher B. Burke Engineering, a firm based in Rosemont, for $71,000 worth of design and construction services for the project. At the same meet-

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Riverside and the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago have entered into an intergovernmental agreement to upgrade Village Lot 8 (shown above) south of the railroad tracks using permeable pavement by the end of the year. ing, village officials estimated the project’s total cost at about $513,000.

Permeable pavement is designed to promote the absorption of rainwater and snowmelt into the ground beneath it. By allowing water to absorb directly into the earth, permeable pavement reduces the amount of water that flows into sewers through storm drains or nearby bodies of water like the Des Plaines River, reducing the risk of flooding during heavy rain or after significant snowfall. According to the agreement, Village Lot 8’s roughly 14,000 square feet of permeable pavement will be able to capture at least 72,400 gallons of stormwater at a time.

The MWRDGC will reimburse Riverside for construction costs in four equal chunks of $64,000, which will be disbursed one-by-

one when construction reaches the 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% complete milestones.

The village must submit all reimbursement invoices by Dec. 31, meaning construction must finish before the end of the year or Riverside will risk having to pay out-of-pocket or acquire additional funding to cover the MWRDGC’s portion.

Once the project is complete, Village Lot 8 will become Riverside’s third green parking lot. In 2018, Riverside and the MWRDGC entered into a similar agreement to update the village’s main commuter lot, at the intersection of Barrypoint Road and Bloomingbank Road, with permeable pavement; work on the lot finished in 2019. The village’s first green parking lot, at 61-63 East Burlington Street, was constructed in 2012.

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The Landmark, February 14, 2024

P O L I C E

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R E P O R T S

Woman who drove into oncoming traffic charged with DUI A woman was arrested Feb. 3 in North Riverside for driving under the influence of alcohol after a Riverside police officer on patrol observed her driving into oncoming traffic on the wrong side of the road.

At around 2 a.m., the officer saw the woman driving north on South Harlem Avenue between Longcommon Road and Lindberg Road. Police said the officer first saw both of the car’s driver-side wheels touch the double yellow lines, at which point the officer, who had been driving south, made a U-turn and followed the woman in her car.

Then, police said, the officer witnessed the car drive into the left turn lane at the intersection at West 26th Street before continuing north into oncoming traffic without turning. The officer watched a southbound car swerve to avoid the woman’s car as she drove on the wrong side of the median. The woman’s car merged back onto the right side of the road after the median ended at the intersection at West 25th Steet. The officer pulled the woman over at the intersection of South Harlem Avenue and West 24th Street in North Riverside, police said.

The woman provided a valid license and proof of insurance before consenting to the officer’s field sobriety tests. According to police, the woman struggled with her balance throughout the tests and was unable to count backwards from 63 to 39. The woman later refused a handheld preliminary breath test.

After observing multiple “indicators of consumption and possible impairment” in the woman during her sobriety tests,

chines within the business with a crowbar, damaging one of them. Two minutes after he entered the bar, police said, camera footage showed the man leaving without taking anything from the business. He was last seen on the camera walking north through Blue Water’s parking lot before heading east through an alleyway.

Arrested for driving without a valid license the officer arrested the woman for driving under the influence of alcohol. She was brought back to the station and charged after refusing a chemical test. A court date was set for March 15.

Break-in and burglary attempt at Blue Water Lounge Police were called just before 5 a.m. Feb. 5 to the Blue Water Lounge on 31st Street in Brookfield after a neighbor saw an unidentified man kick the bar’s glass front door in. According to police, officers who arrived on the scene noticed the front door was severely damaged and one of the gambling game machines inside was also damaged. Nothing else inside the bar appeared to be damaged, police said.

Camera footage of the incident showed the man forcing his way into the lounge according to police. The man then attempted to open several of the gambling game ma-

A man was arrested Feb. 3 in Riverside after he was pulled over by an officer on patrol and provided an expired Venezuelan driver’s license.

According to police, the officer pulled the man over after being stopped behind his car at a red light in one of the center lanes at the intersection of South Harlem Avenue and Ogden Avenue. The officer witnessed the man making a right turn when the light turned green even though there is a dedicated right turn lane at the intersection.

After the officer pulled the man over at the intersection of Ogden Avenue and Haas Avenue, the man provided the expired license from Venezuela and an active insurance card, so the officer arrested him, police said. The man’s female passenger, who said she did not have a driver’s license, accepted a ride to the police station when the officer brought the man in. The man’s car was later seized.

The man was charged with making an improper turn and driving without a valid driver’s license.

Arrested for driving with a suspended license A man was arrested Feb. 2 in Riverside at the intersection of South Harlem Avenue and Ogden Avenue after a police officer on patrol pulled him over and discovered his driver’s license was suspended.

When police asked the man for his driver’s license and proof of insurance during the stop, he provided them with a copy of his social security card alongside his proof of insurance, police said. After running the man’s information through the police database, the officer learned his license was suspended and arrested him.

The man’s passenger, who provided a valid driver’s license when asked, was given the vehicle as a driver when the officer brought the man in for booking, police said.

These items were obtained from the Riverside Police Department reports dated Feb. 1-8 and the Brookside Police Department reports dated Feb. 5-12; they 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

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The Landmark, February 14, 2024

D96 hires DEI consultant, expected to add social worker to rolls

Ivette Dubiel, the DEI consultant, has worked with other area schools

By BOB SKOLNIK Contributing Reporter

Riverside Elementary School District 96 is contracting with a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion expert to work with students and staff over the next year.

At the Feb. 21 meeting, the District 96 Board of Education is expected to formally approve a contract paying Ivette Dubiel, CEO of Systemic Educational Equity in Illinois, $12,800 to work with the district.

During the past five months, Dubiel, who also works with Riverside Brookfield High School, has worked with the D96 administrative team to provide DEI training for which she was paid $2,700 for three, multihour sessions.

Dubiel will hold four sessions with teachers and other staff beginning April 26 and

running through Feb. 14, 2025. The four sessions for staff will include sessions of Equity 101: An Overview, Understanding Implicit Bias, Microaggressions/Modern Day isms and Dimensions of isms. Sessions will last from two to three hours.

In December, Dubiel will work with fifth to eighth grade students, meeting with students at their schools to spend about 90 minutes with each grade level. The purpose of the student sessions will be to elicit students opinions about their schools and educational experiences, asking students questions such as what do you like about your school, what do you wish was different about your school, in what ways does your school do a good job of making you feel safe and welcome and in what ways does your school need to improve to make you feel safe and welcome.

“It’s not delving in specifically around a diversity, equity and inclusivity lens, but that’s part of what we’re hoping to better understand,” said Supt. Martha Ryan-Toye.

Ryan-Toye said that she has been impressed with Dubiel’s work with the district’s administrative team.

“She’s really sharp,” Ryan-Toye said. “She’s

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very easy to listen to. She’s not judgmental, she’s interesting, she’s well informed. She makes you think.”

RBHS school board president Deanna Zalas participated in a session Dubiel held for school board members last fall and said she was impressed.

“She is considered certainly an expert in educational circles,” Zalas said.

Dubiel has worked with RBHS since 2021 and has also worked with the LaGrange Area Special Education cooperative and the Berwyn South school district.

“Her name is well known in our area,” Ryan-Toye said.

Dubiel also works as an adjunct professor at Aurora University and at Lewis University.

She is the former executive director of equity and professional learning for the DuPage Regional Office of Education and the former director of educational equity at Indian Prairie Unit School District 204. She is also a former teacher in Oswego. Before she became a teacher, she worked as an investigator for the State of Illinois and the Chicago Police Department’s Office of Professional Standards.

Dubiel has a doctorate degree in education

from Lewis University. She holds three master’s degrees, two in education from Aurora University and one in public administration from Illinois Institute of Technology. She earned her bachelor degree majoring in organizational communication from Northern Illinois University in 1997.

D96 will hire an additional social worker next year In other action, the board is likely to approve hiring an additional social worker at the administration’s request next year, meaning that there will be a social worker stationed at each of the district’s four elementary schools.

The district has six full time social workers, three at L.J. Hauser Junior High School, one each at Ames and Central, and one shared by Blythe Park and Hollywood.

Next year, each school will have one social worker, but the social worker at Hollywood School, the district’s smallest school, will also work with students and families in the district’s early learner program, which is based at Ames School.

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Opinion THE LANDMARK VIEW

Wait, D103 leader lives where?

J

ust how peculiar can the District 103 Lyons elementary schools get?

How unaccountable can they make these schools? How actively non-transparent can they be?

Well, this week we have the latest example of a school district run in the interests of anyone but the kids who are trying to learn something, the parents doing their best, and taxpayers who keep paying the freight.

Right now, our Bob Skolnik reports, taxpayers are paying Guadalupe Vander Ploeg a salary of $121,540 as the district’s English Language Services director. That’s fine. In a district where 36% of students are listed as English Language Learners, a strong ELS program is essential.

However, Skolnik quotes a former district board member who says Supt.

Kristopher Rivera acknowledges that taxpayers are also paying for Vander Ploeg’s monthly flights from her home in El Paso.

Why does she live in El Paso? Why does she reportedly spend just a week a month in Lyons? Why? Why? Mind your own business is the clear message the Landmark received, as usual, from the district when we began asking questions. Vander Ploeg did not respond to our questions and directed us to Rivera who, as usual, did not respond to our phone or email inquiries.

And as is typical of this politically-driven school district, it has not responded to the Landmark’s FOIA requests for any documents related to Vander Ploeg’s travel reimbursements.

State report card data reports that only 10.5% of the district’s English Language Learners meet state academic standards. A stunning .2% meet the math standards. We all know, post-COVID, that remote learning is a poor alternative to in-person instruction or staff training.

So why did D103 hire a leader who lives in Texas?

Explain it to us. We’ll wait.

D96’s inclusive DEI training Riverside’s District 96 elementary schools continue to make investments in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion training for its board, staff, and soon its middle-school students.

Later this month the school board is expected to ink a $12,800 contract with Systemic Educational Equity to continue providing training and expertise.

Ivette Dubiel, CEO of the organization, has been working in D96 for several months with an initial focus on work with the administrative team. Martha Ryan-Toye, the superintendent, says of Dubiel, “She’s really sharp. … She’s not judgmental, she’s interesting, she’s well informed.

She makes you think.”

In a moment when the effort to discredit DEI work is pervasive and so politically cynical, it is good to see D96 moving forward thoughtfully with training that is specific to its audiences, respectful of difference, and hopeful in creating change.

The Landmark, February 14, 2024

11

OBITUARIES

Tom Osberg, 76 A life of boundless curiosity Thomas (Tom) Theodore Osberg, 76, died on Jan. 27, 2024, in Los Angeles, California, with family and friends at his side. Born on Feb. 15, 1947 in Berwyn, to Ted and Mable Osberg, He spent his childhood in the nearby town of Riverside. At an early age, he developed a fascination for science and technology, converting his parents’ basement to a makeshift laboratory where he conducted numerous research experiments. An inquisitive reader, he amassed a vast collection of books, and he could always enrich a conversation with his trove of interesting insights.

Young Tom wasn’t always cooped up in his laboratory or behind a book though. Fond memories linger of summers spent swimming at the Osberg family lake house in Pistakee Bay with his sister, Anne, and their cousins, and winter days ice skating on the Des Plaines River or hurtling down the toboggan run nearby.

His academic pursuits led him to Knox College where he was introduced to computer programming. He later transferred to the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, where he earned his BS in Industrial Administration. He graduated with honors and was a proud member of the Beta Gamma Sigma business honor society.

His interest in programming led him to several summer jobs and a management position, upon graduation, at Hart, Schaffner & Marx clothier in Chicago. He later earned his MBA in Finance and Economics from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business by taking night classes while working, which inspired his sister to do the same.

Soon after, he moved to San Francisco to work in architectural design of enterprise systems and software, assuming leadership roles at ADPAC Computing Languages, Central Computer Systems, and Bank of America. An avid skier and San Francisco Ski Club member, he frequented Lake Tahoe and enjoyed sharing the experience with his son, Chris, embarking on countless adventures on the slopes. He also passed down his love for baseball and football as they cheered on the Oakland A’s, San Francisco Giants, and 49ers.

After accepting a job at General Motors Acceptance Corporation (GMAC), he moved to Northville, Michigan, where he embraced the automotive culture and learned to ride a motorcycle. Later,

he worked at Applied Technology Solutions before eventually returning to Los Angeles, California to be closer to family and working for Kaiser Permanente until retirement.

In an unconventional form of continuing education, stemming from a passion for viticulture in his early 20s when he made his own wine in Riverside, he spent several years earning a certificate in Wine Education and Management from UCLA. Coupling his interest in wine with culinary classes, he loved sharing his enthusiasm for gourmet food and wine with friends and family.

In later years, though he lived with primary progressive aphasia, he delighted in making others laugh, being mischievous, and staying active with long walks. True to his nature, he continued to stay on top of current events and enjoyed imparting his knowledge to those around him.

Tom is survived by his son, Chris Osberg; his sister, Anne Osberg; his aunt, Fran Osberg; and many beloved cousins.

His life was a testament to boundless curiosity and joyful generosity. He will be dearly missed and forever loved.

He rests in peace alongside his parents at Bronswood Cemetery in Oakbrook.

In lieu of flowers, his family asks that you support Tom’s efforts to further research into aphasia.

Donations can be made to University of California San Francisco’s Neurosciences Memory and Aging Center, where Tom actively participated in aphasia studies: https://tinyurl.com/ucsftom.

Arrangements were handled by Sullivan Funeral Home, Hinsdale, 630-323 0275 or www.sullivanfuneralhomehinsdale.com.

Eva Hofman Kafka, 72 North Riverside resident Eva Hofman Kafka, 72, of North Riverside, died on Feb. 4, 2024. Eva was the wife of Jerry Kafka, the mother of Ivan (Danielle) Svestka, the grandmother of Logan Svestka and Lana Svestka, the sister of Hana (Ludek) Krejci, the aunt of Ludvik Krejci and Kathy Krejci, and the greataunt of Colin Smith, Holden Smith, Adam Smith, Veronica Krejci and Ian Krejci. Private cremation.

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

12

The Landmark, February 14, 2024

Sports

RBHS boys wrestling gets trio to qualify for 2A state Returnees Mosquera and Gonzalez, plus Rivas step up at sectional

By BILL STONE Contributing Reporter

Riverside Brookfield High School junior Edgar Mosquera worked hard to qualify for the Class 2A boys wrestling individual state meet as a freshman. After not advancing last year, advice and help from older brother Ernesto helped him work even harder.

“I knew that if I put enough in, I was going to get a lot out,” Mosquera said. “If you train and work really hard, you can do just about anything.”

On Saturday, Mosquera joined senior Josh Gonzalez and junior Ethan Rivas in earning top-four finishes at the Hinsdale South Sectional to advance to the state meet Thursday through Saturday in Champaign.

Mosquera (38-6) won the 113-pound championship in dominating fashion. Gonzalez (40-10) finished second at 144, and Rivas (24-12) admirably overcame continuing shoulder and labrum injuries for fourth at 157. Six of the Bulldogs’ 12 sectional qualifiers lost in the consolation semifinals — one victory from state berths.

In 2022, Mosquera advanced to state by taking fourth at sectionals but was 1-2 at the 2023 sectional.

“I knew I had to do something so I called my brother and asked him what are some diets because he knew a lot of that,” Mosquera said. “He paid for my [LA Fitness] membership. I ran every single day. It was a big motivation to not qualify for state [last year] but now I’m here.”

Gonzalez also has top-six all-state aspirations after qualifying for state in 2023 at 138 by taking fourth at sectionals after losing his first match. Both assured themselves of qualifying by advancing to Saturday’s championship match.

“The nice thing is if they had pressure [to qualify again], you couldn’t tell. They were very calm and cool,” RBHS coach Nick Curby said.

In the sectional final, Mosquera defeated Kennedy’s Victor Alvarado 12-4 to avenge his 4-2 loss in the RB Regional final Feb. 3. Mosquera won his three earlier sectional matches by technical fall, pin and major decision.

Gonzalez beat his division’s other two state qualifiers, including one by pin, before losing 12-2 in the final to St. Rita senior Sean Larkin (18-2), ranked No. 2 in the state.

“This is a little bump in the road, but the goal is still to be all-state,” said Gonzalez, ranked No. 11. “I’m already used to the big lights [at state], the platform, higher tempo.

I would like to say mentally [I’ve progressed most] because I’m more prepared. I feel like I believe in myself, confidence. Wrestling is 99 percent mental.”

In his qualifying match, Rivas nearly looked as though

STEVE JOHNSTON

Riverside-Brookfield’s Edgar Mosquera (right) wrestles Lyons Township’s Caeden Cooper at 113 pounds in 2023. he would have to take an injury default after expending all of his allotted 90 seconds with a back injury with 1:16 left in the second period.

“I was just happy to get back on my feet and keep wrestling,” Rivas said. “It was now or never so I had to go no matter what.”

Losing 8-6 to Brother Rice senior Pat Gilhooly (21-12) at that point, Rivas got a third-period takedown to pull ahead 10-9 with 45 seconds left. Two late near-fall points sealed the victory before being reversed just before the buzzer.

“It felt amazing. I was just happy to get back and pull through with the victory even with a bad shoulder,” said Rivas, who forfeited the third-place match. “That match just took all of my heart. I left it all out there on the mat.”

“To have that [injury] happen and still battle back and the whole weekend the way he was with the shoulder. To have him accomplish this goal for him was very satisfying as a coach,” Curby said.

In the consolation semifinals, senior Mateo Gonzalez (23-15 at 106) lost 15-13 in overtime, juniors Jacob Godoy (29-18 at 132) and Ricky Gutierrez-Blanco (23-12 at 138) lost 5-0 and 6-1, respectively, sophomore Jayden Tulian (22-16 at 120) lost 15-6 and seniors Cade Tomkins (26-11 at 165) and Jacob Noe (32-19 at 150) were pinned. Junior Nate Stanard (21-17 at 126) was 1-2 and juniors Matt Elzy (24-10 at 190) and Anthony Esposito (16-27 at 215) were 0-2.

Leading 12-11 late, Mateo Gonzalez lost after his opponent allowed an escape and got a takedown with six seconds left to force overtime.

“To have guys come that close and not make [state], it’s heart-wrenching as a coach and I feel how they feel, but a couple of them are underclassmen,” Curby said. “This is their fuel now for the next 12 months.”

The Bulldogs also have the 2A team Brother Rice Sectional Feb. 20. They must beat Hinsdale South and Brother Rice or Oak Forest for a downstate berth in Bloomington.

S P O R T S

The Landmark, February 14, 2024

13

Lions’ Garelli returns to state with high hopes 2023 all-stater among contenders for 3A title at 165 pounds

By BILL STONE Contributing Reporter

Lyons Township High School senior allstate boys wrestler Gunnar Garelli returns to the Class 3A boys wrestling individual state meet with payback and history on his mind.

“I’m going to go out there and wrestle to the best of my ability but I definitely expect to come out of this weekend with the bracket board [for winning],” Garelli said.

In the 165-pound weight class, Garelli will try to become the Lions’ first state champion since Anthony Castillo in 2000 and first multiple all-stater with top-six finishes since Johnny Mologousis in 2016-17.

Garelli’s second place on Saturday at the Hinsdale Central Sectional earned his third straight state berth with a top-four finish as the Lions’ lone state qualifier.

If he makes the finals, Garelli (44-2) most likely will need to avenge his sectionaltitle loss to Glenbard West senior Collin Carrigan (42-1), who prevailed 5-3 in their third meeting Saturday. They are currently the state’s No. 2- and 3-ranked wrestlers in their class.

In the quarterfinals, Garelli most likely

gets undefeated and top-rated Quincy senior Owen Uppinghouse (51-0), who beat Garelli in the 2023 third-place state match at 160 with a pin in 1:37.

“He’s wrestling great, just a competitive match [with Carrigan] that didn’t go our way but he’ll be ready to go next week,” LTHS coach Griff Powell said.

Garelli beat Carrigan 4-3 in the Glenbard West Regional final Feb. 3. Carrigan won the first meeting 7-5, Jan. 20, for the OPRF High School Invite title. He never led on Saturday, closing to 3-2 with an escape, but Carrigan followed with his second takedown of the match in the third period.

Following another escape, Garelli nearly executed a single-leg attack in the final 15 seconds for a takedown that would have forced overtime.

“It’s nice to qualify for state, kind of get that over early [by reaching the finals]. I expect to win it,” Garelli said. “I’m kind of disappointed in the result of the [sectional] final, not necessarily the effort because I gave it everything I have. There’s just a few changes that need to be made and I should get the job done [at state].”

Junior Jack Kutchek (22-15 at 132) came one victory from reaching state. Senior Sam Costello (29-19 at 285) was 2-2, junior Mickey Ahrens (19-23 at 157) was 0-2 and sophomore Griff Powell (34-6 at 120) had to medically retire after suffering an elbow injury during the third period of his opening match and losing 3-1. As a freshman, Powell was 35-7 at 106 and was one section-

STEVE JOHNSTON

Lyons Township’s Gunnar Garelli wrestles Glenbard West’s Collin Carrigan at 165 pounds during the 1st Place Match at the Class 3A Hinsdale Central Sectional Saturday, Feb. 10, in Hinsdale. al victory from reaching state.

“Two tough years,” wrestler Powell said.

“The most proud is just knowing I can wrestle with all of these kids who are top in state.

I just don’t get to show it right now.”

Kutchek was pinned in his state-qualifying match after an exhilarating pin of Glenbard West’s Ulises Rojas in the previous round.

“I’m really looking forward to next year.

I’m going to be back here and with a different result,” Kutchek said.

Kutchek trailed Rojas 7-1 when he used a “cement mixer” move for a pin at the buzzer.

Without the pin, Kutchek would have lost 7-6.

“It was crazy. That was probably the high-

light of my season,” Kutchek said. “I stood up and all of my family and friends were there in the corner, up in the stands. It was just so fun, seeing everybody (celebrate).”

Costello improved upon his 30-16 junior season at 220 and an 0-2 record at sectionals. Costello plans to wrestle in college and at freestyle and Greco-Roman nationals in Fargo, N.D. for the third straight summer.

“I did good (this season) but I could have done better. It was a tough weight class and a tough sectional,” Costello said.

“He was very undersized for heavyweight (this season),” coach Powell said. “You never doubt Sam’s effort. His effort is 100 percent every time he steps on the mat.”

Down 13, Bulldogs roar back for regional victory RBHS girls in regional final; boys complete perfect MSC season

By BILL STONE Contributing Reporter

Since the start of the new year, the Riverside Brookfield High School girls basketball team has enjoyed incredible success.

The victory Bulldogs pulled off Monday was a perfect example.

They advanced to the Class 4A RB Regional final with a 66-62 come-from-behind thriller over Reavis after entering the fourth quarter trailing 55-42.

“We’re all very happy. At first [the deficit] was in our heads but we came together as a team and pushed through,” said senior Julia Madera, who had 12 points with three

3-pointers.

“It’s a very relieving feeling. We finally came together and made it happen.”

“I’m just so happy with this team. We all came back. We all fought,” said senior Maya Covarrubias, who scored all nine of her points in the fourth quarter in spite of foul trouble.

“We didn’t give up. There were some times where it felt like we wanted to. But everybody on the bench just helping us get back into the game, it’s just amazing. I’m so proud of everybody.”

Senior Emily Organ (14 points, 6 reSee BASKETBALL on page 14

14

The Landmark, February 14, 2024

S P O R T S

Bulldogs’ Aphay achieves third straight trip to state Program’s first state qualifier finishes fourth at sectional

By BILL STONE Contributing Reporter

Senior Eleanor Aphay became the first regional champion in Riverside Brookfield High School girls wrestling history, Feb. 3, by pinning Naperville Central freshman Dezi Azar in the final.

Aphay’s much tougher rematch at the Schaumburg Sectional Saturday had even greater implications.

With a 10-8 comeback victory at 125 pounds, she clinched a top-four finish and her third straight trip to the state meet next week, Feb. 23-24, in Bloomington.

“It means a lot to me. It lets me know all of the work I’ve put on in the last two seasons brings me back to state and I hope I have good results this year,” said Aphay (18-4), who finished fourth with a 2-2 sectional record.

“I definitely think it is more pressure, more expectations [to qualify] because I’ve gone before and it’s my last year.

For a senior, you want to end your high school career on a good note.”

Aphay is going for top-six, all-state honors. Last season, she was 21-7 overall and 1-2 at state. In 2022, she became the program’s first state qualifier and was pinned in both of her state matches to finish 17-9.

The focused Aphay was tough. Falling

BASKETBALL Comeback kids from page 13 bounds) had 10 points in the fourth quarter for the Bulldogs (17-13) before fouling out late. Seniors Niamh Larson (9 points, 6 rebounds) and Amanda Buckley (8 points, 6 rebounds, 5 steals, 4 assists), junior Alyssa Morris (10 points) and sophomore Arianna Hudson (4 points, 8 rebounds, 2 blocks) contributed to the rally and the strong start — a 29-13 lead midway through the second quarter before a 29-point turnaround for No. 11 Reavis fueled by senior guard Isabel Lopez (33 points with 4 threes).

The Bulldogs, the No. 6 seed in the

behind 5-0 and still trailing Azar (275) entering the third period Saturday, Aphay used takedowns from a neutral start to prevail.

“I knew the match was very winnable but I knew obviously it was more difficult because it was the blood round to go downstate,” Aphay said.

“I barely got there but I worked very hard for it. I wanted to make sure I went downstate.”

This was the first year in which the growing sport added regionals. Top-six finishes were needed to advance to sectionals.

RBHS sophomore Danely Villagomez (22-7 at 140), a 2023 state qualifier at 135, was 0-2 at sectionals and pinned twice.

Junior qualifier Frankie Abasta (18-8 at 110) did not compete because of injury.

Villagomez felt she improved upon last season’s 25-9 finish but her new weight class was tough at sectionals. Eleven of the 12 entries had at least 22 wins. Four had between 29 and 41.

“I’m going to go back down to 135 and build some muscle,” Villagomez said.

“I could feel the difference between the two weight classes. I knew the people that were good and it got into my head.

This offseason, I’ll work on not worrying about how they are, the records or anything like that.”

FILE

RBHS wrestler Eleanor Aphay (top) battles Ridgewood’s Desi Martinez during a tournament in 2023.

Mother McAuley Sectional, seek their first regional title since 2020 and only second since 2011 at 7 p.m. Thursday at home against No. 3 Kenwood (23-8). The winner advances to the sectional semifinals at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday.

The Bulldogs have won four straight and 10 of their last 11 games since Jan. 9 after a 5-11 start. They completed an undefeated 6-0 run to the Metro Suburban Conference title with a 62-23 victory at Ridgewood Friday.

“They believed in themselves. They relaxed, they calmed down and then we were able to play our game,” RBHS coach Jordan Mack said.

“Very proud of the girls. They were able to persevere. We definitely wouldn’t have won that game in the beginning of the year, so it shows they’ve locked in. They’re ready

to keep it going.”

RBHS scored the first 10 points of the fourth quarter to close to 55-52. When Organ scored inside and on a fast break and Covarrubias drilled a three, the Bulldogs had scored on seven straight possessions to lead 62-58 with 2:05 to go.

Still ahead 62-61, Covarrubias sealed the victory by going 4 for 4 from the free-throw line over the final 1:09 after RBHS was 5 for 14 in the half. Hudson was an intimidating inside presence with five rebounds and two blocks in the quarter.

“I’m proud of the way I stayed in the game mentally. I didn’t play that much in the second or third [quarters],” Covarrubias said. “I’m just glad I stayed ready and was hyped out there and helped get done what we needed to do.”

RB boys basketball The Bulldogs (24-4) are the No. 3 seed in the 4A RB Sectional. They play No. 14 Argo in the Hinsdale Central Regional semifinals, Feb. 21, with the winner facing No. 6 Simeon or No. 10 Hinsdale Central in the Feb. 23 regional final.

RBHS completed a perfect 6-0 MSC title run by beating Ridgewood 70-65 Friday behind Stefan Cicic (25 points, 9 rebounds), Mehki Austin (19 points with 2 threes, 5 assists), Steven Brown (14 points, 6 rebounds) and Danny Loftus (7 points, 6 rebounds).

The Bulldogs also won 68-64 at Oak Lawn Saturday. Leading the way were Brown (18 points, 13 rebounds, 6 assists), Austin (14 points with 2 threes, 5 assists, 3 steals), Loftus (16 points), Cameron Mercer (12 points) in his return to action and Cicic (8 points, 6 rebounds).

The Landmark, February 14, 2024 15

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Notice is hereby given by the President and Board of Trustees of the Villages of River Forest and Forest Park, Cook County, Illinois, that sealed bids will be accepted for: 2024 Permeable Paver Maintenance This project consists of 23,750 SF of permeable paver restorative maintenance and 5 sy of permeable paver removal and replacement to restore the stormwater conveyance and filtering capability of the pavement cross-section.

The bidding documents are available for download starting Thursday, February 8, 2024 at: www.vrf.us/bids Bids must be submitted by Wednesday, February 28, 2024 at 10:00 a.m. at: Public Works Department, 2nd Floor Village of River Forest 400 Park Avenue River Forest, IL 60305

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 4:00 p.m. local time until 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday, March 13th, 2024 for the following: Village of Oak Park 2024 Surface Hot Mix Asphalt Purchase Bid Number: 24-118 Bid documents may be obtained from the Village’s website at http://www.oak-park.us/ bid. For questions, please call Public Works at (708) 358-5700 during the above hours.

Published in Wednesday Journal February 14, 2024

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No bid shall be withdrawn after the opening of the Proposals, without the consent of the ruling body from each participating Village, for a period of thirty (30) days after the scheduled time of the bid opening.

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

Published in Wednesday Journal, February 14, 2024

PUBLIC NOTICES PUBLIC NOTICE OF COURT DATE FOR REQUEST FOR NAME CHANGE STATE OF ILLINOIS, CIRCUIT COURT COOK COUNTY. Request of Maribeth Fromm Case Number 2024 4000810 There will be a court date on my Request to change my name from: Maribeth Gunger Fromm to the new name of: Maribeth Gunger.

The court date will be held: On April 16, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. at Fourth Municipal Court House Maywood at 1500 Maybrook Drive, Maywood IL 60153 in Courtroom # 0112.

Published in Wednesday Journal February 14, 21, 28, 2024

PUBLIC NOTICES PUBLIC NOTICE WAITING LIST OPENING Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) Program Housing Authority of the Village of Oak Park

NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS

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 4:00 p.m. local time until 3:00 p.m. on Friday, March 8, 2024 for the following: Village of Oak Park 2024 Redi Mix Concrete Purchase Bid Number: 24-119 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 February 14, 2024

Public Notice is hereby given to persons interested in applying for the Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) Program (HCVP) in Oak Park that effective 8:30 a.m. on Monday, March 4, 2024 through 3:00 p.m. Friday, March 15, 2024, pre-applications will be accepted electronically on the Oak Park Housing Authority (OPHA) website: www.oakparkha.org.

During this time, pre-applications will be accepted 24 hours a day through March 15, 2024 at 3:00 p.m. The purpose of the pre-application is to obtain names of interested persons who may be eligible to receive an application for rental assistance through the Housing Authority of the Village of Oak Park’s Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) Program.

PUBLIC NOTICES

PUBLIC NOTICES

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The Housing Authority of the Village of Oak Park will close its HCVP waiting list at 3:00 p.m. on Friday, March 15, 2024. The OPHA expects to receive an ample number of preapplications to service applicants for at least the next two (2) years.

The OPHA will randomly select 150 eligible pre-applications to be placed on the HCVP waiting list.

The OPHA gives preference to very low-income households who are: • Legal residents of the Village of Oak Park; or • Currently employed 30 hours or more in the Village of Oak Park; or • Hired to work 30 hours or more per week in the Village of Oak Park.

To apply: Please go to the OPHA website: www.oakparkha.org to access, complete and submit the online pre-application.

If you are a person with disabilities or elderly and require reasonable accommodations in completing the online pre-application, please call: 708-386-1464 during normal business hours Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. March 4, 2024 through March 14, 2024 and on Friday, March 15, 2024, 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Published in Wednesday Journal, February 14, 2024

REAL ESTATE FOR SALE

REAL ESTATE FOR SALE

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION U.S. Bank Trust National Association, as Trustee of the SCIG Series III Trust; Plaintiff, vs.

GAD IKEANUMBA AKA GAD C. IKEANUMBA; 1030-32 NORTH AUSTIN CONDOMINIUM ASSOCIATION AKA 1030 -32 N. AUSTIN CONDOMINIUM ASSOCIATION AND HENRY SILVERMAN LIVING TRUST U/A/D AUGUST 26, 1996; Defendants, 11 CH 33740 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, March 5, 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. 16-05-314-031-1001.

Commonly known as 1032 N. Austin Blvd., Unit 1N, Oak Park, IL 60302.

The mortgaged real estate is improved with a condominium residence. The purchaser of the unit other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments and the legal fees required by subdivisions (g)(1) and (g) (4) of Section 9 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 Ms. Mary E. Spitz at Plaintiff’s Attorney, Sottile & Barile, LLC, 7530 LUCERNE DRIVE, MIDDLEBURG HEIGHTS, OHIO 44130.

(440) 572-1511. ILF1810025 INTERCOUNTY JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION intercountyjudicialsales.com I3237038

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION US BANK TRUST NATIONAL ASSOCIATION AS TRUSTEE FOR CABANA SERIES V TRUST; Plaintiff, vs.

FORREST K. JOHNSON; WYANETTA JOHNSON; 929 OAK PARK CONDOMINIUM ASSOCIATION; UNKNOWN OWNERS AND NONRECORD CLAIMANTS; Defendants, 23 CH 317 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, March 5, 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. 16-18-307-034-1002.

Commonly known as 929 S. Oak Park Ave., Oak Park, IL 60304.

The mortgaged real estate is improved with a condominium residence. The purchaser of the unit other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments and the legal fees required by subdivisions (g)(1) and (g) (4) of Section 9 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 Ms. Mary E. Spitz at Plaintiff’s Attorney, Sottile & Barile, LLC, 7530 LUCERNE DRIVE, MIDDLEBURG HEIGHTS, OHIO 44130.

(440) 572-1511. ILF2203044 INTERCOUNTY JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION intercountyjudicialsales.com I3237044

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The Landmark, February 14, 2024

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ON SO W NE

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G TIN LIS

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G TIN LIS

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