By GREGG VOSS Contributing Reporter
Finding out wh at ’s going on in Rivers ide School District 96 will g et a whole lot easier for parents thanks to i ts new mobile app that will officially launch by month’s end . The app has already been soft-launched, and is available via the Apple App Store and GooglePlay. It can also be downloaded from the district website.
Among its features is a district news feed, the official district calendar, forms, events
By TRENT BROWN Staff Reporter
Following an inconclusive discussion in November, Riverside trustees have agreed that the village should educate residents about the option to engage community solar programs on their own without officially endorsing or promoting them.
At their Feb. 6 meeting, trustees once again discussed the possibility of promoting community solar programs, which grant savings to subscribed households on their electricity bills through credits generated by a solar farm, in addition to the village’s electric aggregation program. While the subscription generates a second electricity bill that residents receive, the combined total of both bills is ultimately lower than a single bill without a solar subscription.
At the meeting, for mer Village Clerk Ethan Sowl said staf f had confer red with the Citizens Utility Board, a nonprofit that advocates for the rights of utility customers, and Oak Park’s sustainability and resilience office to create a list of pros and cons for community solar.
The pros, he said, included saving money on electric bills, supporting local renewable energy sources and increased choice for consumers on how they want to get electricity.
The cons included the potential for waitlisting due to limited solar farm availability, for residents to become confused at how solar programs interact with the electric aggregation program or at how the two electric bills operate together, and the potential for thirdparty solicitors to scam residents by spreading misinformation about the programs.
For example, in Oak Park, he said, only 318 of about 1,000 households that signed up for the village’s community solar program had made it off the waitlist.
In November, trustees had asked about the rate for Riverside to hire a community solar
consultant who could answer residents’ questions about the program. Sowl said hiring such a person would cost about $50 per hour and that he and Assistant Village Manager Ashley Monroe estimated they would employ the consultant for 100-200 hours of work over the course of a year at a total cost of $5,000 to $10,000.
He said most solar consultants are tied to specific community solar programs. Engaging them would come at no financial cost to Riverside but would require the village to promote only their program, he said.
Village President Doug Pollock asked if a consultant would be available to answer questions in real time, but Sowl said residents would likely be directed to a voicemail box to await a callback from the consultant with information. In Oak Park, he said, the consultant’s number is an 800 number rather than a village number, so Oak Park staff still receive calls from residents with questions about the solar programs anyway
“I’m not thrilled with the idea of residents who need help having to call and get a voicemail and having to wait for a call back. They miss the call back, and now they’re frustrated before they even get a chance to talk to some-
Lourdes Nicholls
Development Manager Mary Ellen Nelligan
Circulation
jill@oakpark.com
body,” Pollock said. “That’s usually not the way we provide village services.”
Village Manager Jessica Frances said that, if the board elected to do both community solar and electric aggregation, they would likely need a unique consultant.
“We would still need a consultant to provide the overlay of the questions that we’re going to get from the community solar and the aggregation once we do both,” she said.
“If we stick with aggregation, we don’t need someone to explain how to navigate [both] Once we start adding on the layers, we just don’t have the capacity.”
Trustee Elizabeth Kos clarified that, regardless of the board’s decision, Riverside residents can already choose to sign up for a community solar program. For that reason, she said, she felt Riverside ought to not involve itself with community solar and allow residents to decide for themselves.
Trustees Cristin Evans, Jill Mateo and Aberdeen Marsh-Ozga all agreed that Riverside should stick with its aggregation program and educate residents about community solar when the village sends out materials about aggregation without necessarily endorsing any particular solar program.
Chair Eric Weinheimer Treasurer Nile Wendor f Deb Abrahamson, Steve Edwards, Judy Gre n, Horacio Mendez, Charles Meyerson, Darnell Shields, Audra Wilson HOW TO REACH US ADDRESS 141 S. Oak Park Ave., Oak Park, IL 60302 PHONE 708-442-6739 ■ FAX 708-467-9066
By LUZANE DRAUGHON and TRENT BROWN Staff Reporters
Voting is one way Brookfield and Riverside residents c an make their vo ices heard and enact change on the local leve l during the April 2025 local elections
This year’s election takes place April 1, or voters can get out early to cast a ballot in March. Residents will choose the outcome of positions including village presidents, seats on the village boards of trustees, and local school and library boards.
F irst-time eligible voter s, those looking to change their re gistration address or anyone looking to d ouble check they ’re set for E lection Day c an do so at https://www.cookcountyclerkil.gov/ elections/voter-reg i stration.
To vote in I llinoi s, you must turn 18 years old on or before the date of the c onsolidated election. You must be a United States citizen and live in your election precinct at least 30 days prior to the E lection Day. You c annot be servin g a jail or prison sentence and c annot have claimed the right to vote anywhere else. Fo r the April 1 election, voters c an re gi ster online, in person or by mail.
Wi th an I llinois drive r’s license or state ID, you c an re gister through the I llinois State Board of E lections at https://ova.elections.il.gov/ by March 16. You c an also fill out a fo rm on that we bsite by printing and signing it and mailing it in by March 4.
To re gister in person, suburban Cook County residents can go to one of the Cook County Clerk’s locations, a village clerk, an Illinois Secretary of State’s driver’s license facility or deputy re gistrars.
Individuals wanting to re gister to vote during early voting can do so by bringing two pieces of identification, one with a current address, to their voting site. You can also re gister on Election Day at your home precinct or an Election Day Vote Center.
Suburban C ook C ounty voters c an c ast their b allot ahead of April 1 at Brookfield Vi llage Hall, 8820 Brookfield Ave. While there are no early voting locations in Rive rside, voters c an also c ast early b allots at the Pavek C ommunity C enter in Berwyn, 6501 31st St., and Lyons Vi llage Hall, 4200 Lawndale Ave. Suburba n residents seeking to vote early c an do so at any early voting location.
Other early voting locations can be found on the Cook County Clerk’s website.
Ea rly voting is available from March 17-31. Polling locations will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p. m. Mond ay s through Saturdays and from 10 a.m. to 4 p. m. on S undays during this period.
Local voters c an also apply for a mailin ballot, wh ich must be mailed by April 1 using a USPS mailbox, de p osited at
Voting is open for the c onsolidated municipal elections from 6 a.m. to 7 p. m. April 1. Brookfield Vi llage Hall is not a p olling place on Election Day. Instead, residents can find their designated polling place at https://www.cookcountyclerk. gov/elections/your-voter-information.
Brookfield
Village President (one seat open)
■ Michael Garvey (Incumbent)
Village Trustee (three seats open)
■ Jennifer Hendricks (Incumbent)
■ Kit Ketchmark (Incumbent)
■ Kyle Whitehead
Village Clerk (one seat open)
■ Michael Melendez
Linda Sokol Francis Brookfield Library (four seats open)
■ Natalie DeJonghe
■ Priscilla Grote
■ Tristan Gunn
■ David Jakubiak
■ Alan Miller
■ Karl Olson
■ Michelle Parker (Incumbent)
■ Phil We glarz
Village President (one seat open)
■ Douglas Pollock (Incumbent)
Village Trustee (three seats open)
■ Joseph Fitzgerald
■ Elizabeth Kos (Incumbent)
■ Aberdeen MarshOzga (Incumbent)
Riverside Public Library (three seats open )
■ Amy Bilow
■ Tracy Bohrer
■ Mickey Novak
Brookfield-LaGrange Park School District 95 (four seats open)
■ Jacqueline Jordan (Incumbent)
Riverside School District 96 (four seats open)
■ David Barsotti (Incumbent)
■ Stephanie Basanez Gunn (Incumbent)
■ Daniel Hunt (Incumbent)
■ Matt Olech
Riverside-Brookfield High School District 208 (three seats open)
■ Nicholas Caputo
■ Lorena Gasca (Incumbent)
■ Ryan VenHorst (Incumbent)
■ Eric West
■ Patrick Williams
Garages set in front of homes could threaten landmark status, but the board did not take nal action
By TRENT BROWN Staff Reporter
Riverside’s village board has directed its preservation and planning and zoning commissions to consider amendments to the village code that would encourage residents to build detached garages rather than attached, forward-facing ones and require forward-facing garages to be set five feet behind the front of houses to stave off potential threats to the village’s landmark status
At the board’s Feb. 6 meeting, Village Planner Anne Cyran asked trustees to consider two text amendments that would limit the maximum allowed width of attached garages compared to detached garages and require
attached, front-facing garages to be set back from the front facade of the home
Village President Doug Pollock clarified the board was being asked to give direction on if the two village commissions should discuss the amendments and noted they would return to the board for final review before the village code is affected
Pollock said the discussion had come about originally in 2017, when members of the state historic preservation commission warned village officials that the increasing number of front-facing garages being built in Riverside could threaten the village’s landmark status in the future. Riverside’s status is predicated in part on Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux’s original open, green design for the village that these garages could disrupt, he said.
Trustee Elizabeth Kos questioned why setting new attached garages five feet behind the front of a home would help maintain the village’s landmark status in the future. Pollock and Cyran said the currently permitted width of attached garages promotes an “autocentric” image within the village over Olmsted’s “bucolic” design
“When you think about it from a visual
impact of our green spaces, if every house on a block has a front-loaded garage, and they’re utilizing their driveway in front of their garage, that changes the views in Riverside and the experience,” said Village Manager Jessica Frances
Trustee Megan Claucherty said she worried Riverside could be overly cautious about threats to the landmark status and potentially cause strife for residents with restrictive requirements.
“Modern life has vehicles and has garages, and in modern construction, people do prefer to have their garages attached,” she said. “I like the idea of doing things that encourage people to design in a way that facilitates our goals around our landmark designation.”
Kos added that she felt pushing newly built garages further back from the street, which requires more pavement to connect the garage to the street, could contradict Riverside’s environmental goals
“I feel like we need to balance this issue against some of our environmental concerns that we have for the village as well. When we start down this road, more impervious surface has to be built in order to accommodate a driveway that goes all the way to the back
of a house, and that has a big impact on our village as well,” she said.
Trustee Jill Mateo said Riverside now allows pervious pavement options for driveways, so new residents wouldn’t have to resort exclusively to asphalt.
After more discussion about the previous discussions on the subject from 2017 through 2020, Claucherty said she felt being too restrictive could affect residents with abnormal property lots.
“When we make very prescriptive rules, we’re trying to make rules that fit across a variety of properties and funny-shaped lots that we have in this wonderful village, right?” she said. “I’m very aware that the people of the future who want to build a garage, or who are adjusting their property, are going to have to live within whatever we agree to here, and I don’t know if that 5 foot [setback] is a problem.”
Ultimately, the trustees agreed to have both commissions weigh in on the amendments and issues at hand, with the preservation commission being asked to look into just how much setting back front-facing garages by five feet would help maintain Riverside’s status as a landmark village.
Did you know special customized Walking Tours of Riverside are always available? Our Olmsted Society docents will work with you to design a tour that suits your needs in terms of what you would like to see and for how long. They are experienced in leading tour groups from around the world. $30 per person. A pre-arranged deposit is required. Contact tours@olmstedsociety. org. Plan a tour for your group today!
With Cantata’s continuum of care, you can live your best life today, tomorrow and into the future. You can count on our century of expertise dedicated to your lifestyle and healthcare needs.
t’s true. The needs of academically gifted & talented students can easily fall through the cracks as continued priorities on testing drive schools to teach to a standardized grade level response. The phrase genius denied refers to those who will suffer a profound gap between their fullest potential and what little is asked of them, particularly when one size just doesn’t fit all.
Perhaps this is part of the reason why schooling for the gifted and neurodivergent can be a boring and isolating experience.
Ask a neuro-atypical child what it’s like to learn with peers who learn differently, and the common reply will relate to waiting. Waiting for the other students to understand; waiting to be challenged more; waiting for answers to higherlevel questions; waiting for something to inspire a desire to achieve; waiting… for someone to notice.
Summer enrichment programs for intellectually like-minded students provide inspiring opportunities for both academic and social growth. And quite often, a life defining experience. The Summer Gifted and Talented Program is hosted on the beautiful campus at Dominican University, where our classrooms are buzzing with ideas because we know that talent must be nurtured and fed to fully develop. For us, summer is the highlight of the year. It’s a time when we can feel free to be ourselves, motivated by the energy that comes with the joy of inspired learning.
(SGAT) challenges and inspires highly motivated, academically gifted and talented students entering grades 2-8 in the fall with academic and social enrichment in Math,Science, Writing/Humanities, and Fine/ Performing Arts.
For program information, summer courses and application details, visit: www.dom.edu/summergifted
Questions?
Visit dom.edu/summergifted for more details about SGAT at Dominican University. Spring Registration is around the corner soon! Inspired Minds. Amazing Possibilities.
(SGAT) challenges and inspires highly motivated, academically gifted and talented students entering grades 2-8 in the fall with academic and social enrichment in Math,Science, Writing/Humanities, and Fine/ Performing Arts.
For program information, summer courses and application details, visit: www.dom.edu/summergifted
Questions?
Contact Program Director (remote): Janie Wu, jwu@dom.edu Or SGAT Assistant (on-campus): Lauren Somers, lsomers@dom.edu
Serving the gifted and talented community since 1987.
Serving the gifted and talented community since 1987.
Dominican University’s Summer Gifted and Talented Program (SGAT) challenges and inspires highly motivated, academically gifted and talented students entering grades 2-8 in the fall with academic and social enrichment in Math, Science, Writing/Humanities, and Fine/Performing Arts.
For program information, summer courses and application details, visit: www.dom.edu/summergifted
School of Education
7900 W. Division Street, River Forest, Illinois 60305
Questions? Contact off-campus Program Director
Janie Wu at jwu@dom.edu, or on-campus SGAT Assistant
Janette Torres Arellano at jtorresarellano@dom.edu.
Contact Program Director (remote): Janie Wu, jwu@dom.edu Or SGAT Assistant (on-campus): Lauren Somers, lsomers@dom.edu
Serving the gifted and talented community since 1987.
Serving the gifted and talented community since 1987.
Dominican University’s Summer Gifted and Talented Program (SGAT) challenges and inspires highly motivated, academically gifted and talented students entering grades 2-8 in the fall with academic and social enrichment in Math, Science, Writing/Humanities, and Fine/Performing Arts.
For program information, summer courses and application details, visit: www.dom.edu/summergifted
School of Education
7900 W. Division Street, River Forest, Illinois 60305
Questions? Contact off-campus Program Director Janie Wu at jwu@dom.edu, or on-campus SGAT Assistant Janette Torres Arellano at jtorresarellano@dom.edu.
Serving the gifted and talented community since 1987.
School of Education
7900 W. Division Street, River Forest, Illinois 60305
listing and the ability to email specific teachers. A user can also enable notifications to rece ive up-to-date info rm atio n on the go.
A nother feature allows users to watch on YouTube or Facebook a live f eed of school b oard meeting s. Th e app’s launch will also not eliminate the district’s School Messenger c ommunications tool.
“We all hear more and more, ‘We’ re getting information from our phone,’” said Superintendent Dr. Martha Ryan-Toye “A phone is more tailored and concise. We work hard on pushing out our communications, and we’ve been working to improve our social media presence.”
Ryan- Toye said official c ommunications to parents re ga rding the app will go out this week.
Don Tufano, District 96 director of technology and innovation, said that the district moved last summer to a new web hosting solution called Appteg y, and the app is a component of that company’s service line.
“Not only did we g et a refresh of our we b presence, their target market is education,” Tufano said. “They look at the c ontent that parents want quick acc ess to, and they put that in the ap p.
He added that the app isn’t a direct reflection of the website. It’s more of a curated view of what the website of fers
Ryan-Toye said that valuable input was received from the district’s Family and Community Partnership Action Team.
“We asked them to vet it for us,” she said. “They gave us some nice f eedback about the impor tance of the ap p. ” District personnel also provided ke y input, Tufano said.
“The way we approached the ap p, wh at do parents want quick access to?” he said. “They want school c alendar s, the lunch menu and other news.”
District apps, along with apps fo r municipalities, b oth of wh ich Arkansas-based Appt eg y specializes in, are becoming more common, Tufano said.
“When they changed the standard to HTML5 technolo gy, it adapted to the p hone or tablet, so you c ould navig at e it on a smaller devic e, ” he said. “It’s serving a different purp ose.”
It eliminates the frustration that ca n c ome with t rying to navig ate a co nventional we bsite on the smaller screen of a phone or tablet.
“We told our staf f about it and go t some f eedback on it,” he said. “We’d rather have it in folks’ hands and we wanted to fine-tune it a little.”
Future enhancements are TB D, bec ause there are things School Messenger c an do that Appt eg y ca n’ t at the moment, Tufano said, necessitating the ongoing use of both technolo gies
But for now, the c ommunity and staf f f eedback has shown that there is a need for the app and what it of fers
“I would tell you most p eople have a pretty pragmatic view, ” Ryan- Toye said. “The school c alendar is impo rtant, the lunch menu is impor tant. ”
The app is not only for parents, she added.
“Grandma wants to follow along,” she said, “or the baby sitter needs to check the lunch menu.”
By TRENT BROWN Staff Reporter
After three years, it’s once again time for Riverside to appoint a new village clerk.
Village Clerk Ethan Sowl has resigned from his position after accepting an offer to become assistant village manager for Elm Grove, Wisconsin, a village in Waukesha County with a population of about 6,500.
A new clerk is expected to be appointed by Village President Doug Pollock with the village board’s approval at their meeting Thursday. Village Manager Jessica Frances told the Landmark she will take on the clerk’s duties herself until then so residents don’t experience disruptions to service.
“Our team is extremely proud of Ethan,”
she said at the board meeting on Feb. 6, Sowl’s last day of employment, where she announced his departure. “Our leadership team and village board have come to rely on Ethan for many things, and we will miss him terribly. Ethan, congratulations on your new position, and remember that you had a role in Riverside’s achievements, not only today, but you’ve also set us up for the future.”
“I have the utmost respect for Ethan. You’ve done a tremendous job for this village,” Pollock added. “I’ve spent my career in local government, mostly in the Chicago area, and it really feels good to see a young professional such as Ethan who’s going to lead in our profession of public administration for many years to come.”
Frances identified Sowl’s replacement as Emily Stenzel, who, according to her LinkedIn profile, has worked at the village since May 2023. Stenzel started as an intern before being promoted to administrative assistant in
December 2023 and again to fiscal assistant in February 2024. Alongside that role, she has also served as a management analyst since January. Frances said Stenzel will serve as both clerk and a special assistant to administration and finance like Sowl did.
Frances did not respond to a follow-up question over email about Stenzel’s salary in her dual role by the time of publication.
According to LinkedIn, Stenzel has a bachelor’s degree in history and legal studies from Illinois State University and earned a master’s degree in public administration from University of Illinois Chicago last year.
“The new person stepping into this role, while they were an internal candidate, and we did a competitive process, she did a fabulous job during the interview process and the assessment process that was required during our recruitment,” Frances said.
Et han So wl’s last da y as Riverside’s clerk was Feb. 6.
Despite Stenzel’s qualifications, Frances said Sowl’s departure is a loss for the village. See CLERK on page 12
Brookfield p olice chased a speedin g drive r Fe b. 14 who ultimately eluded g etting ticketed
Around 4:43 a.m., an officer was driving southeast on the 3300 block of Grand Boulevard when they saw a white car heading northwest at 44 mph in the 25-mph zone. The officer made a U-turn and attempted to speed up to the car, but the squad car’s transmission stalled while moving from first to second gear, which slowed the officer down.
After activating their car’s emergency lights, the officer c ontinued to follow the speeding vehicl e. T he officer followe d the car north onto Cl eveland Avenue, bu t by the time they made the turn, the ca r was turning east onto 31st Street.
W hen the officer made it to the i ntersection, the car was no longer in sight. According to p olice, the officer b eli eved the vehicle fled north i nto L aGrang e Pa rk , so the village ’s p olice department was notified. After returning to the Brookfield Police Department, the officer attempted to p ull the car’s license plate number from squad car d ash ca m and village c amera footage, but was unable to make it out. Ultimately, no one was ticketed or ar rested
Riverside police arrested a man Feb. 9 for speeding and driving with a revoked license
Around 3:10 a.m., an officer on patrol on the 0-100 block of E ast Burlington Street obser ve d a vehicle heading west at 52 mph in the 25-mph zone. T he officer p ulled the car over after it turned north onto L ongcommon Road and then east onto Herrick Road
T he officer spoke with the drive r, wh o was only able to provide a picture of hi s drive r’s license. After r unning the man’s info rm ation, the officer learned his lic ense had b een revo ke d d ue to charges of fleeing or eluding a p olice officer. Whil e they we re talking, the officer smelled alc ohol on the man’s breath, and the man
admitted to drinking two b eers earlier in the night, police said.
T he officer asked the man to exit hi s vehicle and perform sobriety field tests, to wh ich he ag reed. A ccording to p olice, the officer noticed “some indicators” that the man was impaired by alcohol “but not enough to fo rm probable c ause” to charge the man with driving under the influence.
T he officer ar rested the man for speeding and driving on a re vo ke d license. After the man was transported to c entral lockup in Berwyn and processed on hi s charge s, he was released and given a ride to a family member ’s home in Rive rside
Brookfield p olice ticketed a Brookfield teenager Fe b. 10 for speeding.
Around 8:11 p. m ., an officer was on patrol heading east on the 8700 block of Washington Avenue when they obser ve d a black car heading west at 51 mph in the 25-mph zone
After making a U-turn, the officer p ulled the vehicle over at the i ntersection with Prairie Avenue. After the officer explained why they stopped the 16-year- old boy, they i ssued him a ticket for speeding and set a c ourt date fo r March 11 before letting the teen go on his way.
These items we re o btained from the Riverside Po lice Department re ports date d Feb. 9 and the Brookfield Po lice Department re ports dated Feb. 10-17; th ey re present a portion of the incidents to wh ich police responded. Anyone named in thes e re ports has only b een charged with a c rime and cases ha ve not yet been adjudic ated. We re port the ra ce of a suspect onl y wh en a s erious crime has b een c ommitted, the suspect is still at la rge and police ha ve provided us with a detailed physical des cription of the suspect as th ey seek th e public’s help in making an ar re st . Compiled by Trent Brown
Frances (“Fran”) Roach, 93, died after a brie f i llness on Fe b. 5, 2025, sur rounded by her children, returning to her great love and partner, Frank Roach MD, from whom she had b een w idowe d nearly 39 year s. Born on Au g. 19, 1931 in Chicago to John and Mary Kelley, she was fourth of five children in a close-kni t f amily, each sibling having pre-deceased Fran: Timothy (Mary) Kelley, Ruth (Al) Bertels, Mary Eileen Kelley, and Kitty (Harry) P ric e. A 50-year resident of Oak Pa rk , she and her husband, Frank, raised seven children in Oak Park , all of whom attended local schools, including OPRF High School.
S he gr aduated from St. Gertrude’s gr ade school and I mmaculata High School in Chicag o. Encouraged by Monsignor John J. Egan and other s, she spent the following four years as a labor org anizer for the Young Catholic Wo rker s, tr aveling to Chicag o, To ronto, Detroit, and S an Francisco S he earned a scholarship to the Unive rsity of Chicago, where she was i ntroduced to Francis L. Roach. T hey married in 1957 and we re blessed with a rich, loving mar riage, cut short by Frank’s c ancer and death in 1986. S he mourned his loss the rest of
her l ife, but ke pt busy “organizing” — children instead of labor unions
S he and Frank we re among the founders of Alcuin Montessori School, still operating tod ay. Her b eef stews we re coveted by the g ood souls of PA DS, fo r whom she c ooked for year s. A longtime member of St. Edmund Parish, she was an early supporter of the Oak Pa rk Housing Authority and an early b oard member of the Oak Pa rk Far mers Market. After Oak Pa rk , she live d in Rivers ide for 10 years and spent her final five years in T he Birches A ssisted Living in C larendon Hills
Fran is survive d by her children, Cathaleen (John Filosa) Roach, Timothy Roach, Erin (John) Hup p, Daniel (Tammy) Roach, St ep hen Roach, A nne ( Tim ) Adams, and Paul (Me g an) Roach MD; her 12 gr andchildren, Ciara (Jack) Behm, Daniel (Jess Pe re z) Hup p, Paul Hup p, Frank (Rosalyn) Filosa, Neil Filosa, Helen Roach, Maeve Roach, Fiona Roach, Margot Roach, Nate Roach, Mollie Adams, and Grace Adams; and a legion of c ousins, nieces, nephews and their children, whom she also adored. Her wit and wisdom, her love for the outdoors and tr avel, and her warm, g enerous s pirit will be missed
Services are scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 22 at St. Edmund Church in Oak Park, 9:30 visitation and 10:30 funeral Mass.
S he will be buried on Washington Island with her husband. In lieu of flowers, contributions to the Washington Island WICHP (Washington Island Community Health Program) or the Oak Park Conservatory botanical garden are appreciated Funeral services we re ar r anged by Hitzeman Funeral Home & Cremation Services in Brookfield
It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Casimer “Casey” Kubisztal, 94, a longtime resident of North Riverside, who departed this life on Feb. 7, 2025. Born in Chicago on Jan. 12, 1931, the son of Polish immigrants, Franciszek “Frank” and Antonina (nee Zasowska) Kubisztal, he was a proud veteran, who honorably served in the U.S. Air Force from 1950-1954. After completing his military service, he attended DePaul University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science de gree in accounting. He then went on to a distinguished career as an accountant and auditor for the state of Illinois. He was also a proud member of the St. Vincent DePaul Society and the Holy
See OBITUARIES on page 12
February is American Heart Month, a time to focus on cardiovascular health and the steps we can take to maintain a strong heart. At Cantata Senior Living, we recognize the importance of heart health, especially for older adults. Here are some easy ways to prioritize cardiovascular wellness:
Stay Active – Engage in light exercise like walking, chair yoga, or stretching to keep your heart strong.
Eat Heart-Healthy Foods – Enjoy meals rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins while limiting sodium and processed foods.
Manage Stress – Practice deep breathing, meditation, or social activities to reduce stress and support heart health.
Monitor Your Health – Keep up with regular check-ups, blood pressure screenings, and medications as prescribed.
Stay Hydrated – Drink plenty of water to help maintain circulation and overall health.
Stay Connected – Engage in social activities to boost mental and emotional well-being, which benefits the heart.
This February, take simple steps toward a healthier heart. Let’s embrace wellness together— because a healthy heart is a happy heart!
Visit Cantata.org for more senior living advice or call (708) 387-1030.
Please contact Ken Trainor by e-mail: ktrainor@wjinc.com, before Monday at noon. Please include a photo if possible.
from page 11
Name Society of Mater Christi Church.
On June 10, 1961, he married the love of his l ife, Jeanette (nee Ru dnicki), in Chicago. To g ether, they built a l ife filled with love, laughter and cherished memorie s. His kind and warm personality touched the lives of many, including his sisters and brothers-in-law, nieces and nephews and c ountless friend s. He had a p assion for g olf and enjoyed bowling and fishing . C asey was the husband of Jeanette; the father and gr andfather of Philip (June) Ku bisztal and children Ava and Zacha ry Ku bisztal, Karen (Rich) Schoewe and children Kevin, Matthew and Christopher Schoewe, and St ep hen (Carrie) Ku bisztal and children A shley and Ky le Ku bisztal, Paxson (K ay ley) and Macy Bentz and Madison (Ryan) Sc ep ansk y. He was preceded in death by his parents and four brothers, Wally, Matt, Te d and Eddie Vi sitation was held at C onboy-Westches-
Wisconsin bound
from page 9
“You have someone that has institutional knowledge since 2021, and a person coming in will have to build all of that knowledge Even though they were an internal hire, [Sowl] had been with the village longer.”
The village clerk’s duties include responding to Freedom of Information Act requests, filing election records and referendum information with the county, keeping records for business and liquor licenses, maintaining records on elected and appointed officials’ Open Meetings Act training and compliance, taking minutes at village board meetings and signing of f on resolutions and ordinances passed by the board.
Sowl first started at Riverside as an intern in June 2021 while pursuing a master’s de gree in public administration at Northern Illinois University. He was hired full-time Jan 1, 2022, as the village’s management analyst and appointed clerk five days later following the retirement of for-
ter Funeral Home in Westchester on Feb. 12, until 8 p.m. On Feb. 13, a Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated at Mater Christi Church (St. Paul VI Parish), 2401 S. 10th Ave. in North Riverside. Interment, with military honors, followed at Resur rection Cemetery. Arrangements were handled by the Original Kuratko Family, Brian D. Kuratko-Director.
HVAC ser vice coordinator
Vincent James Monaco, 60, of North Riverside, died on Feb. 15, 2025 in Maywood. Bor n on July 13, 1964 in Berwyn, he was a service coordinator for an HVAC company.
Vincent was the husband of April Marie (nee Skupa) Monaco; the father of Vincent Anthony (Carolyn) Monaco, Christopher Steven Monaco, and the late Christina Marie Monaco; the son of the late Vincent L. and Leona G. (nee Mingroet) Monaco; the brother of the late Steven V. Monaco.
Visitation will be held on Thursday, Feb. 20, from 3 till 8 p.m. at Kuratko-Nosek Funeral Home, 2447 S. Desplaines Ave., North Riverside. T he f uneral service will take p lac e
mer Clerk Cathy Haley. Sowl served in both roles until last year, when he was promoted to become a special assistant to administration and finance while continuing to serve as clerk.
Haley was Riverside’s first full-time clerk, also serving as an executive secretary. Before her appointment in 2012, Riverside had a part-time clerk who did not serve in any other roles. Riverside clerks were elected until 2004, when residents passed a referendum to make the position an appointed one due to difficulties finding candidates to run for the office.
Frances said she thought Elm Grove, Wisconsin, was for tunate to have Sowl as a new administrator.
“Residents were very familiar with him because he was at all of our board meetings, and if someone needed assistance with a special event application or just had questions … he would certainly step in and try to assist in any way he could,” she said. “We’re very excited for him and this next phase of his life. We’re happy that we were able to set him up, from a professional development standpoint, for success, and I think he’ll do great things in his new community because he did great things here in Riverside.”
on F riday, Fe b. 21 at 9 a.m. f uneral servic e at the f uneral home. I nterment at Queen of Heaven Cemeter y. Online c ondolences, memories and p hotos may be shared with the f amily at www Ku ratkoNosek.com.
Alberts
I wanted to express my appreciation of the recent ar ticl e by Bill S tone about Rive rsideBrookfield High School’s wrestling re gional results. Th e article was well w ritten and info rm at ive. Howeve r, the re po rter might want to d ouble-check names before going to print.
Junior Joe Alberts (285) wo n his hard-fought matches and move d on to sectionals, not “Matt” Albe rt s. S tudent athletes have wo rked ve ry hard and long at their sport and deser ve the reco gnition they have earned
Jane M. Alberts Editor’s note: Landmark apologizes for the error. Go, Joe!
2024 state runner-up at 113 back at 120; Riverside’s Burns also quali es
By BILL STONE Contributing Reporter
Riverside Brookfield High School senior Edgar Mosquera is making his third trip to the Class 2A individual boys wrestling state meet with a challenging but wellconstructed plan. After becoming the Bulldogs’ first boys wrestling state finalist since 1983 by taking second at 113 pounds, Mosquera wants to capture the program’s first state title since that season.
“I’m feeling good and feeling like I’m going to win the state championship,” Mosquera said. “I have a game plan for state. Last year I was kind of experimenting at my sectionals and re gionals, but now I know what I’m going to use so it seems like I’m pretty well prepared.”
Now at 120 pounds, Mosquera returns to state Thursday in Champaign among the top-six, all-state favorites after placing second at the Class 2A Hinsdale South Sectional.
Mosquera (34-5) won the three matches he wrestled with two major decisions and pin to easily advance with a topfour finish. For the championship, Mosquera took an injury default to Montini sophomore Mikey Malizzio (37-8) to rest a minor injury to his right knee.
“It was just something that surfaced, but it’s going away now,” said Mosquera, who continues making strides from going 0-2 at state freshman year. Like last year, Mosquera has gained momentum since losing in the re gional final to Kennedy senior Victor Alvarado (36-5), who finished fourth Saturday.
Mosquera’s other losses are to Class 3A opponents.
“He’s really put an emphasis on being more offensive [this season],” RBHS coach Nick Curby said. “He did a very nice job of being a defensive wrestler and being very good on top and this year he’s really working on expanding his leg and offensive attacks.”
RBHS seniors Ricky Blanco (29-14 at 144) and Jacob Godoy (23-15 at 132) and junior Miles Russell-Barnes (8-10 at 113) were 2-2 and came one backdraw victory from advancing to state.
In their state-qualifying backdraw matches, Blanco lost 2-1, Godoy lost 12-1 and Russell-Barnes lost by technical fall 17-2 in his first full varsity season.
Blanco was defeated by Glenbard South junior Jin Tai (37-7) on a third-period reve rsal with 57 seconds left after also losing to Tai 12-9 at the Upstate Eight Conference Meet Jan. 25.
“The guys that pour so much into it for four years, it’s heartbreaking, especially so close. You really feel for [Blanco],” Curby said. “Just to f all short of your goals is tough.”
Riverside-Brook eld’s Edgar Mosquera w restles Kennedy’s Victor Alvarado at 120 pounds dur ing the IHSA 2A Boys Regional at Riverside-Brook eld High School Saturday, Feb. 8, 2025 in Riverside
Junior Nicholas O’Connor (30-12 at 175) also was 2-2. Seniors Matt Elzy (27-10 at 190) and Max Strong (22-18 at 165) and sophomore Tony Lombardo (21-17 at 138) were 1-2 and senior Ethan Rivas (15-9 at 157) and juniors Joey Alberts (14-21 at 285), Tony Miranda (5-5 at 150) and Steven Guzman (8-11 at 106) were 0-2. Rivas qualified for state last year at 157. Guzman defaulted his second match because of illness.
Fenwick senior Aiden Burns of Riverside qualified for 2A state by taking second at the Crystal Lake Central Sectional Saturday.
Burns (41-7) was edged 8-7 for the title by St. Ignatius senior Nate Sanchez (35-4) after two victories by technical fall. Burns had defeated Sanchez 14-3 to win the DePaul Re gional.
By BILL STONE and MELVIN TATE Contributing Reporters
Lyons Township High School seniors Emmy Bertucci, Dahlia Highland and Ava Hepokoski had the ultimate dream this season of competing at their first girls gymnastics state meet with their team. They are enjoying the next best option together.
The three qualified as at-large individuals based on their performances at the Hinsdale Central Sectional, Feb. 10. Bertucci advanced on balance beam and floor exercise, Highland on vault and Hepokoski on beam. State prelims are Friday afternoon at Palatine High School with individual state finals Saturday.
“That was the goal, to get all three seniors [to state],” LTHS coach Brittany Milovanovic said. “When we had such a strong start, [our team] was the goal at the beginning. But with (sophomore allarounder Brynn Krantz) having her injury, we knew the next best thing would be to get the three of them there.”
Top-five sectional finishers automatically advance to state. The LTHS trio advanced at-large by being among the 12 best remaining scores from the state’s four sectionals. For beam, Bertucci, who tied for eighth at sectionals (9.1), shared the No. 4 at-large score and Hepokoski (8.9, 12th) was No. 11. The scores Bertucci on floor (9.1, 11th) and Highland on vault (9.25, 12th) equaled the cutoffs.
Because the Hinsdale Central Sectional was the first, and the last one was postponed until Friday, the trio had a long week of practicing while wondering if they would advance. On Friday, the at-large cuts remained unchanged as only one gymnast advanced by tying the cutof f.
“[The] week was very stressful,” Milovanovic said. “With Emmy, we sort of knew was pretty solid for beam but Emmy really wanted to be on floor as well. Dahlia and Ava were sweating and checking the [other] sectionals. After Thursday, when they were on the very bottom, was very nervewracking.”
The Lions’ hopes of at least a third straight sectional team berth were hampered after Krantz was diagnosed with a stress fracture in her foot in late December. Krantz, however, received medical
ship Re gional to compete on uneven bars. Krantz qualified for sectionals, where she finished 33rd (6.95) after an impressive 8.775 at re gionals.
“I didn’t even think I was going to get cleared,” Krantz said. “I was really thankful to do [regionals]. I had a really good routine personally, probably one of my best all season.”
In their other sectional events, Hepokoski was 16th in all-around (34.725), 19th on uneven bars (8.325) and tied for 26th on vault (8.65), Bertucci tied for 17th on uneven bars (8.4) and was 18th in all-around (34.45) and Highland tied for 18th on floor (8.85), was 20th in all-around (34.025), tied for 22nd on beam (8.3) and was 25th on floor (8.6) and 29th on uneven bars (7.875).
The Lions’ second-place 138.275 re gional finish to top-rated Downers Grove co-op missed the last at-large team sectional berth by 1.425 points. Also competing at regionals were junior Clare Byrne on three events, freshman Jomie Santos on two and sophomore Katherine Tucker and freshman Mia Kosensky on vault.
Riverside Brookfield sophomore Paige Phelan returned to the Hinsdale Central Sectional displaying yet another new skill. Phelan tried – and landed – a tuck Tsukahara vault for the first time in competition. That first of two attempts received a 9.05, her highest event score of the meet.
“I wasn’t sure if I was going to do it, but in warmups it was pretty good so I decided to do it. The first one was OK. I stuck it,” Phelan said. “I basically just decided and [RBHS coach Karyn Domzalski] was all for whatever I wanted to do.”
The performance was among the many strides this season Domzalski cited as she went through Phelan’s events. Phelan previously had been competing a Yurchenko timer with a half twist.
“We trained [the tuck] for the last five days straight and it was going to be a gametime decision,” Domzalski said. “She did two in warmups and then it was gorgeous on the first one (in sectionals). That was definitely the highlight.”
In her two qualifying events, Phelan was
23rd in all-around (33.20) and tied for 28th on floor (8.525). The floor routine was someaffected by tweaking her ankle landing her second vault. Last season, Phelan for sectionals in those two events and beam. At the Hinsdale South Re gional 2, Phelan’s 8.15 on beam with a fall just missed advancing.
“I think that I’m proud of just improverall and getting my scores up and I’m proud of the team for working together and helping our team scores too,” said Phelan, who was the leader of a lineup of non-seniors at re gionals, where the Bullre third (123.975).
Also competing were junior Natalia Maruska and freshman Cora Rosenfeld as all-arounders, freshman Elly Dickerson ents, freshmen Antonia Bacik on two and freshmen Aaliyah Noel, Renee and Sophie Dickerson on one each. looking forward to next season. a few more eighth graders coming in and so a lot of them showed up today to watch so that’s huge,” Domzalski said.
rside Brookfield (20-9) reached the rk with a 54-23 victory over Elgin, Friday, behind Danny Loftus (18 points, 6 rebounds), Cameron Mercer (9 points, 6 rebounds), Mantas Sleinys (9 points) and Vince Dockendorf (7 points).
Lyons Township (12-15) moved to 4-7 in the West Suburban Silver by beating shorthanded Oak Park and River Forest 64-47 Saturday to snap a four-game losing streak.
Senior Ian Polonowski (20 points, 16 rebounds) had a huge double-double, followed by Timmy Sloan (12 points, 6 assists), Owen Carroll (7 points, 5 rebounds), Marshaun Russell (6 points), Josh Gutierre z (5 points, 7 rebounds, 5 steals) and Danny Janiszewski (4 assists).
“Huge [win]. With our league, the schedules that we play, you can’t have a bad night,” LTHS coach Tom Sloan said. “We’ve played four straight games against really good competition and not gotten over the hump so it was really nice for the kids to get their confidence going.”
The Lions lost to Downers Grove North 44-32 Friday. Polonowski (11 points), Sloan (9 points) and Ryder Hilding (6 points) were the Lions’ top scorers.
All real estate advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Fair Housing Act, which makes it illegal to advertise any preference, limitation or discrimination based on age, race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status or national origin, or intention to make any such preferences, limitations or discrimination.
The Illinois Human Rights Act prohibits discrimination in the sale, rental or advertising of real estate based on factors in addition to those protected under federal law.
This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. All persons are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised are available on an equal opportunity basis.
Restrictions or prohibitions of pets do not apply to service animals.
To complain of discrimination, call HUD toll free at: 1-800-669-9777.
GROWING COMMUNITY MEDIA
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN by the President and Board of Trustees of the Village of North Riverside, Cook County, Illinois, that sealed bids will be received for the following improvement:
2025 GREEN ALLEY IMPROVEMENTS
MWRD GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM
The proposed improvement includes the reconstruction of three (3) alley locations with Green Infrastructure improvements, consisting of: pavement removal, concrete curb removal, combination curb and gutter removal, driveway pavement removal, sidewalk removal, earth excavation, aggregate base course construction, P.C. concrete alley paving, combination concrete curb and gutter, P.C. concrete sidewalk, P.C. concrete driveway, permeable paver block installation, HMA pavement patching, restoration, and all other appurtenant construction.
Said bids will be received up to the hour of 10:00 a.m., on the 7th day of March, at the office of the Village Clerk, Village of North Riverside, 2401 S. Des Plaines Avenue, North Riverside, Illinois 60546, and will be publicly opened and read at that time.
Plans and proposal forms are available for download only from QuestCDN via the Novotny Engineering website, http:// novotnyengineering.com, “Bidding” tab, for a non-refundable charge of $40.00. Please contact Novotny Engineering (630-887-8640) to obtain the QuestCDN password. The Engineer has been authorized to refuse to issue Specifications and Proposals to any person, firm, or corporation that he or she considers to be unqualified. Proposals must be submitted on the forms provided. No Proposals will be issued to Bidders after 12:00 Noon on the 6th day of March. All proposals or bids must be accompanied by a Bid Bond, Cash, or Certified Check made payable to the Village of North Riverside in the amount of not less than five percent (5%) of the total amount of the Proposal as a guarantee that if the Proposal is accepted, a Contract will be entered into and the performance of the Contract is properly secured.
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 North Riverside for a period of forty-five (45) days after the scheduled time of closing bids. APPLICABLE FEDERAL REQUIREMENTS
1. Equal Employment Opportunity - as provided under 41 CFR Part 60 as amended and supplemented.
2. Davis-Bacon Act, as amended (40 U.S.C. 3141-3148) and supplemented.
3. Copeland “Anti-Kickback” Act (40 U.S.C. 3145) and as supplemented.
4. Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards Act (40 U.S.C. 3701-3708 and as supplemented.
5. Rights to Inventions Made Under a Contract or Agreement under 37 CFR § 401.2 (a).
6. Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 74017671q.) and the Federal Water
Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1251-1387), as amended.
7. Debarment and Suspension (Executive Orders 12549 and 12689)
8. Byrd Anti-Lobbying Amendment (31 U.S.C. 1352)
9. Small and Minority Businesses, Women’s Business Enterprises, and Labor Surplus Area Firms (2 C.F.R. § 200.321)
10. Domestic Preferences (2C.F.R. § 200.322)
11. Recovered Materials (2 C.F.R. § 200.323)
12. Record Retention (2 C.F.R. § 200.334)
13. Prohibition on Certain Telecommunications and Video Surveillance Services or Equipment (2 C.F.R. § 200.216)
The successful Bidder for the construction of the improvement will be required to file a Performance Bond equal to one hundred percent (100%) of the bid, with sureties to be approved by the President and Board of Trustees, which Performance Bond shall be conditioned upon proper and faithful performance by the Contractor of the work specified in accordance with the Plans and Specifications therefore, according to the time and terms and conditions of the Contract; and also that the Bidder and Contractor shall properly pay all debts incurred by the Contractor in the execution of the work, including those for labor and materials furnished.
The Contractor shall be required to furnish sufficient insurance or guaranty of indemnity to Village of North Riverside, Illinois, and the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRDGC), against any and all claims which might arise for damages to persons or property due to the negligence of the Contractor or Subcontractor(s), or their officers, agents, employees or servants, during the construction of said improvement and until the said improvement has been finally accepted as complete by the President and Board of Trustees of the Village of North Riverside, the right to reject any and all Proposals or Bids is reserved.
Dated at North Riverside, Illinois, this 19th day of March.
PRESIDENT AND BOARD OF TRUSTEES VILLAGE OF NORTH RIVERSIDE
By: Joseph Mengoni (s) President
A T T E S T:
By: Kathy Ranieri (s) Village Clerk
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION
WILMINGTON SAVINGS FUND SOCIETY, FSB, NOT IN ITS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY BUT SOLEY IN ITS CAPACITY AS OWNER TRUSTEE FOR OCWEN LOAN ACQUISTION TRUST 2023-HB1 Plaintiff, -v.-
UNKNOWN HEIRS AND DEVISEES OF RICKY WILSON, DECEASED, UNKNOWN CLAIMANTS AND LIENHOLDERS AGAINST THE ESTATE OF RICKY WILSON, DECEASED, UNKNOWN CLAIMANTS AND LIENHOLDERS AGAINST THE UNKNOWN HEIRS AND DEVISEES OF RICKY WILSON, DECEASED, UNKNOWN HEIRS AND DEVISEES OF ALLIE MAE WILSON AKA ALLIE M. WILSON, DECEASED, UNKNOWN CLAIMANTS AND LIENHOLDERS AGAINST THE ESTATE OF ALLIE MAE WILSON AKA ALLIE M. WILSON, DECEASED, UNKNOWN CLAIMANTS AND LIENHOLDERS AGAINST THE UNKNOWN HEIRS AND DEVISEES OF ALLIE MAE WILSON AKA ALLIE M. WILSON, DECEASED, BONNIE M. WILSON, JOHN LYDON, AS SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE OF RICKY WILSON, DECEASED, WILLIAM P. BUTCHER, AS SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE OF ALLIE MAE WILSON AKA ALLIE M. WILSON, DECEASED Defendants
18 CH 07072
643 S. 19TH AVENUE
MAYWOOD, IL 60153
NOTICE OF SALE
PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on December 17, 2024, an agent for The Judicial Sales Corporation, will at 10:30 AM on March 18, 2025, at The Judicial Sales Corporation, One South Wacker, 1st Floor Suite 35R, Chicago, IL, 60606, sell at a public in-person sale to the highest bidder, as set forth below, the following described real estate: Commonly known as 643 S. 19TH AVENUE, MAYWOOD, IL 60153
Property Index No. 15-10-322017-0000
The real estate is improved with a single family residence. The judgment amount was $205,161.17.
Sale terms: 25% down of the highest bid by certified funds at the close of the sale payable to The Judicial Sales Corporation. No third party checks will be accepted. The balance, in certified funds/or wire transfer, is due within twenty-four (24) hours. The subject property is subject to general real estate taxes, special assessments, or special taxes levied against said real estate and is offered for sale without any representation as to quality or quantity of title and without recourse to Plaintiff and in “AS IS” condition. The sale is further subject to confirmation by the court.
Upon payment in full of the amount bid, the purchaser will receive a Certificate of Sale that will entitle the purchaser to a deed to the real estate after confirmation of the sale.
The property will NOT be open for inspection and plaintiff makes no representation as to the condition of the property. Prospective bidders are admonished to check the court file to verify all information. If this property is a condominium unit, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale, other than a mortgagee, shall pay the assessments and the legal fees required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/9(g)(1) and (g) (4). If this property is a condominium unit which is part of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/18.5(g-1).
IF YOU ARE THE MORTGAGOR (HOMEOWNER), YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN IN POSSESSION FOR 30 DAYS AFTER ENTRY OF AN ORDER OF POSSESSION, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 15-1701(C) OF THE ILLINOIS MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE LAW.
You will need a photo identification issued by a government agency (driver’s license, passport, etc.) in order to gain entry into our building and the foreclosure sale room in Cook County and the same identification for sales held at other county venues where The Judicial Sales Corporation conducts foreclosure sales.
For information, contact HEAVNER, BEYERS & MIHLAR, LLC Plaintiff’s Attorneys, 601 E. William St., DECATUR, IL, 62523 (217) 422-1719. Please refer to file number 323264.
THE JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION One South Wacker Drive, 24th Floor, Chicago, IL 60606-4650 (312) 236-SALE
You can also visit The Judicial Sales Corporation at www.tjsc. com for a 7 day status report of pending sales.
HEAVNER, BEYERS & MIHLAR, LLC 601 E. William St. DECATUR IL, 62523 217-422-1719
Fax #: 217-422-1754
E-Mail: CookPleadings@hsbattys. com
Attorney File No. 323264
Attorney Code. 40387
Case Number: 18 CH 07072 TJSC#: 44-3268
NOTE: Pursuant to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, you are advised that Plaintiff’s attorney is deemed to be a debt collector attempting to collect a debt and any information obtained will be used for that purpose.
Case # 18 CH 07072 I3260849
Chelsea Goolsby-Eberhar nut-free, gluten-free, vegan, and keto-friendly treats — plus a commitment to communit
BY RISÉ SANDERS WEIR
Contributing reporter
There’s a new place where you can have your cake and eat it too. CrumbCrusher bakery opened in January at 805 South Blvd. in Oak Park. The shop is bright, colorful and welcoming.
Sure, it is next door to Spilt Milk, but Berwynite owner and baker Chelsea Goolsby-Eberhart has a twist on baking that she feels adds to the block rather than competes with it.
“Oak Park was where I wanted to be situated with my inclusive treats,” Goolsby-Eberhart said. “We are 100% peanut and tree nut free, and we also offer other options for people who have other dietary restrictions, such as gluten-free, ve gan, sugar-free, and even some keto.”
The chef has a system for keeping every ingredient in its place in the kitchen.
“We always make sure that we handle our glutenfree things first. We make sure the kitchen is completely cleaned up and ready to prep all of our glutenfree batters,” she said.
Each morning, cases in the store are filled with freshly baked cupcakes, custom cakes, multiple flavors of croissants, and bagels – imported weekly from New York. While staring at gooey treats, like deep dish cookie pie, take notice of the color code for allergen awareness
“I developed a system based on plates. I specifically bought plates in different colors with the mindset that the gluten-free was always going to be red plate
because that was just like a No. Don’t touch. Don’t contaminate,” said Goolsby-Eberhart. Her passion for inclusion started early in her culinary journey
“I worked for Chicago Public Schools while I was in college, and I always would bring goodies to my class. I was the art and computer teacher. Students knew, if they were going to come to Miss Chelsea’s computer lab, they would have a snack before we started class But it got to the point where a lot of my kids had allergies. And you know, it’s kind of upsetting when you’re the only kid in the classroom who doesn’t get something. So, I vowed that I was going to crack the code on how to have inclusive treats and make sure that no one is ever left out,” said Goolsby-Eberhart. Next came a job in IT operations, but her love for baking has never flagged. While moonlighting making masks early in the Covid pandemic, Goolsby-Eberhart would include pre-packaged treats with orders Customers asked if she sold the sweets too
more like a collage, and that’s because with those, I get to incorporate technology a lot more,” Goolsby-Eberhart said. “I’ve invested in edible printers, 3D printers using sugar. If somebody tells me they want a cookie with their dog’s picture in the shape of their dog, we can make it happen.”
With the storefront open in Oak Park, the cake creator invites people in to relax and enjoy
“We love kids. We love making it a kidfriendly, mom-friendly space. I have a 7-yearold myself and there were times when I would go to places that looked friendly and inviting and colorful, and I’d get in and I’d feel so tense and awkward like I have to make sure that my kid is on his Ps and Qs ,” she said.
Customers seem to like what she is put-
ting out there.
“I was in last week. I had kids with me. erybody got something different and evrybody said theirs was really tasty,” said customer Anna Prescott. “I got a mystery box with chocolate chip cookies.”
What’s a mystery box? It’s Goolsby-Eberhart’s dedication to zero waste. For $5 or $10 you can buy a box filled with yesterday’s treats. Win-win.
The one thing that Goolsby-Eberhart says she is still working on is coffee
“If you want black coffee, I’ve got you! If you want good tea, I’m a tea snob. I’ve got an extensive tea collection,” she said.
In the shop, there is an extensive selection of packaged tea, candies, snacks, and cool school supplies that extend the animethemed vibe of the art on the walls
For CrumbCrusher to be a place for a snack, a custom cake, or a long chat with friends is just what Goolsby-Eberhart ordered.
Landmark, Februar y 19, 2025
Submit events and see full calendar at rblandmark.com/events
Two local musical prodigies are to be featured at the 26th annual Handel Week Festival.
By GRACE HARTY Contributing Reporter
The Handel Week Festival is an annual festival now entering its 26th year. It celebrates George Frideric Handel and his music. It was modeled after Evanston’s Bach Week Festival. The Oak Park event is organized by Dr. Dennis E. Northway and Charles Chauncey Wells. Northway is very proud of his organization, as he believes that Handel Week, Inc. is “absolutely committed to assisting in bringing forth another generation of artists to make the world more beautiful, one musical note at a time!”
This year, Handel Week Festival is recognizing Henry Griffin, 25, and Norah Lougachi, 18. Griffin and Lougachi are two tal-
ented musicians who have been dedicated to their craft from a young age. Their commitment has led to a world of new opportunities and successes
Griffin, a versatile conductor and rising baritone in the world of opera, graduated from the Manhattan School of Music and is currently studying at the Eastman School of Music as the Robert P. Fountain Fellow in conducting.
The Oak Park native was raised in a musically rich environment. His father, David Griffin, is a Chicago Symphony Orchestra musician, and his mother, Susan Wagner, is a clarinetist in the Lyric Opera orchestra.
Griffin played the trumpet in the band and jazz ensemble when he was a student at Oak Park and River Forest High School. He also studied piano with local teacher Hannah Voigt and sang in the Chicago Children’s Choir for eight years.
About his participation, Griffin is grateful for the opportunity
“I am so grateful to Dennis Northway and the Handel Week Festival for this opportunity to conduct these Baroque gems and to
collaborate with such fantastic artists — in my hometown,” Griffin said.
Griffin has been named the Mark & Randi Ravitts Conducting Fellow for the Festival -- an honor for a gifted musician. He will conduct two pieces at the prestigious festival. Griffin is at Concert I on Sunday, Feb. 16 with Northway.
“I am delighted to share the podium with him on our first concert,” Northway said.
Another OPRF product to perform at the Handel Festival is Norah Lougachi. Lougachi, an OPRF senior, is an aspiring professional opera singer
Since she was four, Lougachi has studied piano with Dr. Sally Sloane in Oak Park. She has since performed in multiple ensembles at OPRF, including the Chamber Choice and A Cappella Choir.
Like Henry Griffin, Lougachi’s roots run deep in Oak Park. She has sung in six different choirs at her school, performed in the chorus of the Joffery Ballet’s Nutcracker in Chicago, and participated in another choir under John Williams and the Boston Pops at the prestigious Tanglewood Festival.
Lougachi will sing with the Handel Week Festival Chorus at Concert III on Sunday, March 1.
Lougachi has been awarded the Suzanne and Charles Wells Choral Scholarship from Handel Festival Week along with a scholarship toward further music study at Northwester n University this fall.
According to Northway, Lougachi was “the clear exceptional candidate and compelling choice” due to her “maturity of musicianship and excellent sight-reading skills, along with her beautiful Soprano voice.” After she graduates in June, she plans to double major in Voice and French. Henry Griffin and Norah Lougachi both have things in common: they will perfor m at the Handel Week Festival and graduate from their respective schools this year. As fellow Oak Park natives, it is only appropriate for the neighborhood to take pride in their hard work and dedication during this exciting time
The festival will take place at Pilgrim Congregational Church, 460 Lake St. in Oak Park.
