Landmark 032223

to lease Harlem Avenue site

Star Buds, which opened its rst Illinois dispensary in January, in talks

By BOB UPHUES Editor

Last December, when Dr. Milad Nourahmadi terminated his sales contract with a cannabis dispensary company for the property at 2704 Harlem Ave. in Riverside, he figured he’d get no other offers from cannabis firms.

In February, however, Nourahmadi’s real estate broker was approached by Star Buds IL, a company that recently opened its first Illinois location in Burbank, to lease the Harlem Avenue property to operate a recreational use cannabis dispensary there.

“I had put the whole thing to rest,” Nourahmadi told the Landmark.

Brook eld o ers steering wheel locks to Kia, Hyundai owners

By BOB UPHUES Editor

If you live in Brookfield and own a Kia vehicle manufactured between 2011 and 2021 or a Hyundai vehicle manufactured between 2016 and 2021, you are eligible to receive a free steering wheel lock to prevent your car from being stolen.

Police Chief Michael Kuruvilla says the police department received a shipment of 96 steering wheel locks from Kia, whose parent company is Hyundai, to combat a wave of thefts of those vehicles in recent months.

In order to be eligible to receive a free steering wheel lock, you must be a Brookfield resident and the re gistered owner of one of the Kia or Hyundai vehicles listed above. Police request you bring the vehicle and re gistration with you to the police department, 8820 Brookfield Ave. to pick up one of the devices.

They are available at the front desk of the police station on a first come, first served basis Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Owners of Kia and Hyundai vehicles that have push button ignition are not eligible to receive a steering wheel lock, because thieves are specifically targeting

models with keyed ignition.

Thefts of Kias and Hyundais exploded in 2022 in response to a social media “challenge” that demonstrated how someone could steal them using a simple USB cord. Thefts of the vehicles have been re ported throughout Chicago and the suburbs, including Brookfield, Riverside and North rside.

While Kia and Hyundai apparently have been willing to give police departments steering wheel locks upon request, they appear to be actively reaching out to those connections.

Kuruvilla said a resident suggested Brookfield initiate a steering wheel lock giveaway after seeing a news article about Oak Park doing so. Kuruvilla said an inquiry sent to a general Kia email didn’t get a response, but he was able to contact a police officer in East Providence, Rhode Island, who had success getting steering wheel locks from Kia.

A Brookfield detective using contact information obtained from the Rhode Island police officer was able to reach someone at Kia, which then sent the steering wheel locks to Brookfield.

Kia and Hyundai are also now offering free theft deterrent software updates for their keyed ignition vehicles. According to a February press release from the National Highway Traf fic Safety Administration, the update extends “the length of the [theft] alarm sound from 30 seconds to one minute and requires the key to be in the ignition switch to turn the vehicle on.”

For information on the free software update, Kia owners are asked to call 800-3334542 while Hyundai owners are asked to call 800-633-5151.

However, the press release indicates Kia and Hyundai will roll out the software updates in phases over several months.

In the meantime, a steering wheel lock may be a better deterrent.

Swinging Bridge overhaul set to start in late March

Riverside

Township

Board will seek to issue up to $500,000 in bonds

By BOB UPHUES Editor

A long-awaited project to overhaul the painted surfaces of the Swinging Bridge will likely star t in late March after Riverside Township trustees voted 4-0 on March 14 to approve an ordinance announcing their intention to issue up to $500,000 in alter nate revenue bonds to fund the work.

Earlier that day, Riverside Township Supervisor Vera Wilt signed a work contract with Capital Industrial Coatings LLC of Hammond, Indiana, which submitted the lone qualifying bid for the job last Se ptember

While township trustees had acce pted the $433,833 bid at that time, Capital Industrial Coatings had ag reed to delay official signof f until spring 2023 as township of ficials mulled funding options and so work would not have to be inter rupted during the winter. T he company also ag reed to hold their bid price until 2023.

T he scope of work includes completely removing all of the lead paint remaining on the 210-foot-long suspension bridg e, which was constructed in 1940 and rebuilt in 2002. It will then be re painted, and officials expect that the surface should hold up for the next three decades or so.

T he bridge’s surfaces were last painted in 2011, a job that was also supposed to hold up for about that long. In less than a decade, the paint be g an failing, leaving large areas of r usted steel exposed to the elements

T he coating failures were the result of poor surface preparation for the last paint job, according to a 2020 re port done by the township’s architectural consultant.

Once the work commences, it should take about eight weeks to complete. The pedestrian bridg e, which connects Riverside and unincor porated Riverside Lawn just east of the Riverside Township Hall, will be closed to the public while it is being overhauled

It’s taken more than two years for township of ficials to g et to this point. The township sought bids twice for the job in early 2021 and failed to attract any bidders. T hey then directly approached companies and rece ived two responses –one of fering a paint job similar to the one completed in 2011 and the other coming in at $725,000.

A third round of bidding in the second half of 2022 resulted in just one qualified bid from Capital Industrial Coatings

Because the township doesn’t have $433,833 on hand to fund the project out of pocket, trustees decided to issue alternate revenue bonds. According to Wilt, the ter m of the bonds will be five years and that the township’s general operating fund ought to be able to handle the debt service.

Wilt on March 15 also submitted an application to the county for an Invest in Cook grant in the amount of $200,000 to help pay for the work Cook County is expected to announce grant awards in May.

Last year’s Invest in Cook grant request for $500,000, based on the previous higher bid, was not successful.

All alter nate revenue bonds are backed by property taxes, which are abated annually if that alter nate revenue source – in this case general operating funds – is sufficient to cover the debt

If that alter nate revenue source is not suf ficient, a property tax will be levied to cover the debt service. Based on the amount being issued, township of ficials estimate that such a tax levy would amount to about $7 on a proper ty tax bill of $5,000.

Before the bonds are issued, the township by law must allow for a 30-day period during which a petition may be filed to force the bond issue to referendum, a process known as a backdoor referendum.

Any such petition would require roughly 900 signatures of township voters in order to force such a referendum. The township posted notice of the bond issuance in the March 22 edition of the Riverside-Brookfield Landmark. The last day for filing a petition is April 21.

If no petition is filed with the township clerk, trustees are expected to approve the bond issuance on May 9, with the actual sale taking place later that month.

Decosola appointed to ll Riverside Township trustee vacancy

The newest member of the Riverside Township Board of Trustees is no stranger to the position.

On March erside trustee pointed a to cancy board by the of Trustee ane Blauw Januar Decosola, was sw and took place board i mmediatel following vote. nominated Vera Wi to interview special on March 9.

Wilt said she received six letters of interest from township residents seeking to be appointed township trustee in response to her of ficially announcing the vacancy on Feb. 14.

In addition to Decosola, the township board interviewed Nor th Riverside resident Jose ph Inigue z and Riverside residents Gianabelle Chapp, Der rick Mancini and Otto Miller on March 9.

Decosola served as a Riverside Township trustee from 2007 until 2013, when he ran for and won election to seat on the Nor th Riverside Village Board. Decosola ran again to be a Nor th Riverside trustee in 2019, but he was unsuccessful in that bid.

When he served as a township trustee Wilt served as township clerk. The two served alongside each other as Nor th Riverside trustees from 2013-17.

“Matt’s a very easy going yet very good trustee,” Wilt said. “His passion is all about service, and that above all is what clinched it for him. ”

Editor Bob Uphues

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Business & Development Manager

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EMAIL jill@oakpark.com

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BOARD OF DIREC TORS

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MAT THEW DECOSOL A

BIG WEEK

Easter Basket Raffle

The St. Paul VI Parish Holy Name Society hosts its 3r Annual Easter Basket Ra e, which will be livestreamed virtually on April 2 at 3 p.m.

Thirty- ve baskets containing spiral-cut ham, smoked sausage, rye bread, houska, a dozen eggs and an egg-coloring kit, an Easter lamb cake and more will be ra ed o . There will also be a split-the-pot ra with thousands of dollars in cash prizes

Eash entry is $5 with a two-entry bonus with each $20 purchase for either ra e. The deadline to buy tickets is March 31. The drawing will be livestreamed via a link at stpaulviparish.org. Call 708-602-1927 with

Two new shows at RAC

Riverside Arts Center, 32 E. Quinc y St., hosts opening receptions for two new exhibitions

“One Ends and Another Begins” featuring the work for Regin Igloria and “Over the Rainbow, One More Time,” featuring the work of Laura Kina, on March 26 from 3 to 6 p.m. Afterwards join RAC for a happy hour across the street at Quincy Street Distiller y.

Regin Igloria, “Untitled,” 2023, Ink on paper, 11 x 14 inches

Recreating old time radio

The Riverside Township Radio Players per form two more classic shows from Radio’s Golden Age on March 24 at 7:30 p.m. in the auditorium of the Riverside Township Hall, 27 Riverside Road in Riverside

The troupe will recreate the episode “Tobias, the Terrible” from “The Damon Runyon Theater” and “Colony” from the show “X Minus One.”

Free and open to the public.

Visit riversidetownshipradioplayers.com for more.

The joy of native plants

Join the Frederick Law Olmsted Society and Adrian Ayres Fisher, board member of the West Cook Wild Ones, for “Native Plants and Living Soil and the Joys of Complexity in the Garden,” at the Riverside Public Library, 1 Burling Road on March 23 at 7 p.m.

Hear what makes native plants native, why they belong in every garden and how using them can bring new complexity to your garden and joy to your life.

Register to attend at riversidelibrary.org/events.

Juniors host ‘Brews, Blues & BB Q’ fundraiser

Tickets are now on sale for Riverside Junior Women’s Charity’s “Brews, Blues & BBQ” fundraiser at the Riverside Swim Club, 100 Bloomingbank Road, on April 22 from 2 to 6 p.m.

Brookfield Native Seed Exchange

Both exhibitions continue through May 6. Galler y hours are Thursday-Saturday from 1 to 5 p.m. Visit riversideartscenter.com for more.

Proceeds go to support local charities Tickets (21-older only) are $80 per person ($100 includes whiskey tasting) and include a sampling glass, 40 beer samples, pig roast (vegetarian/nonpork options) and live music. Ticket sales close April 5.

To buy tickets, visit riversidejuniors.org/brewfest.

And more

ging Care Connections, 111 W. Harris Ave. in LaGrange, esents Pride Café, a monthly in-person and virtual program providing space for LGBT+ seniors who are interested -related or LGBT+ related topics, discussion and social tunities, on March 25 at 11 a.m. This month’s topic is auma and Resilience. Contact Hanah Sebek at 708-6032270 or hsebek@agingcareconnections.org to get the Zoom link or with questions

The Linda Sokol Francis Brook eld Library, 3541 Park Ave., in partnership with the Brookeld Conser vation Commission and Brook eld Garden Club has grown a seed library and invites you to a seed exchange to learn more about the initiative on March 25 at noon. Register to attend by calling 708-485-6917, ext. 130 or at brook eld.evanced.info/signup.

■ North Riverside Park Mall, 7501 Cermak Road, hosts a Kids Club Bunny Bash Easter Celebration on March 25 from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the mall’s center court, featuring a scavenger hunt, crafts, the Bunny Hop and more.

■ Friends of the Chicago Portage present “Mapping the Chicago Portage: 17th Century Explorations by Jolliet, Marquette, LaSalle and Joutel” by scientist and author Richard Lanyon on March 25 at 1 p.m. at the Lyons Public Library, 4209 Joliet Ave. Free and open to the public. For more, visit chicagoportage.org.

ADRIAN AYRES FISHER

Residential burglaries in Riverside, North Riverside

Riverside police responded to a home in the 600 block of Selborne Road on the evening of March 11 after a resident called to report that the residence had been burglarized.

The homeowners told police that they had left the house around 11 a.m. and that when they returned just prior to calling police at 8:20 p.m., they observed it to have been ransacked. After determining that no one was still inside the home, police processed the scene and collected evidence.

The manner of entry into the home and what items were taken were redacted from the police report

■ North Riverside police say someone burglarized a unit inside a multifamily building in the 2200 block of Desplaines Avenue after apparently kicking in a door leading to a common vestibule sometime on March 15.

A postal service employee called police at about 12:35 p.m. to report the forced entry into the vestibule, where parts of the door frame were found on the ground. In another common area police reported locating a purse with its contents strewn about the stairwell.

That purse belonged to a tenant, who told police it had been removed from her unit. Also

taken was a ring and an unknown amount of cash. There were no signs of forced entry into the victim’s unit, police said.

Softball equipment stolen from car

A resident of the 4600 block of Vernon Avenue, Brookfield, went to police on the morning of March 20 to report that someone had burglarized her vehicle sometime after 3 p.m. the previous day.

According to the victim, the vehicle had been left unlocked in her building’s rear parking lot. She returned to the vehicle the next morning and the trunk was ajar and about $500 in softball equipment was missing.

Aggravated battery

A 20-year-old Chicago man faces two felony charges of aggravated battery to a police officer after allegedly fighting with two off-duty police officers working as private security guards at North Riverside Park Mall, 7501 Cer mak Road, on the afternoon of March 18. The incident transpired in a hallway outside the family bathroom near the mall food

court around 4:45 p.m., when a mall security guard intervened in a fight between Joshua Mendez and an unidentified woman.

According to the police report, Mendez and his girlfriend had been inside the family bathroom and became upset when a woman who needed to use the bathroom with her young daughter pounded on the door.

When the woman reportedly accused the two of having sex in the bathroom, the verbal altercation became physical. When a security guard intervened, Mendez allegedly tackled him, got on top of him and began striking him.

Another off-duty police officer working as a security guard then intervened, with Mendez also allegedly striking him, before he could be placed into handcuffs.

DUI crashes

■ Riverside police charged a 62-year-old Morrisville, Vermont, woman with driving under the influence of alcohol after she reportedly crashed her gray Volkswagen into a gray Toyota that was parked in the 3400 block of Harlem Avenue at around 10:05

p.m. on March 13.

According to the police re port, both vehicles sustained heavy damage and although the driver of the Volkswagen was not seriously injured, paramedics transported her to MacNeal Hospital in Berwyn for treatment.

At the hospital, the woman re por tedly failed field sobriety tests, which she underwent while sitting in a wheelchair. She re por tedly said she became tired while driving and only remembered her vehicle striking the parked car.

■ Brookfield police charged a 27-year-old Riverside resident with driving under the influence of alcohol after his 2017 Land Rover drove into an unoccupied vehicle parked on the south side of Gerritsen Avenue just east of Maple Avenue after being awakened by a police officer on patrol at about 3:05 a.m. on March 14.

According to the police report, an officer observed the Land Rover, which was running, had its headlights on and the rear hatch completely open, stopped and facing east on

See POLICE REPORTS on pa ge 18

Newly released plan focuses proposed floodwall impact

Alignment would require removal of several structures, trees and, possibly, a residence

By BOB UPHUES Editor

Newly disclosed U.S. Ar my Corps of Engineers’ engineering drawings of the alignment of a proposed floodwall along the east bank of the Des Plaines River south of Forest Avenue indicate some measure of its impact on West Avenue property owners who now enjoy unobstructed access to the riverbank.

In at least one instance, the floodwall’s proposed alignment appears to imperil a residence, a portion of which appears to sit within a required 15-foot easement on either side of the floodwall.

A family member representing the owner of the property at 8 West Ave. told Riverside trustees at their meeting on March 16 that the family opposed the floodwall’s construction.

According to David Bartel, the property is not in a flood zone and has never flooded in the more than 30 years its owner has lived there. The property includes a main residence at the front and another, small residence at the rear.

That smaller rear building, at 8½ West Ave., has been a residence since at least December 1989, when the owners used it as an in-law apartment, according to a 1990 article published in the Riverside Landmark.

The rear wall of 8½ West Ave. would appear to fall within the floodwall easement. The alignment of the floodwall would also require the removal of a shed on the owner’s property and a covered deck that predates the present owner that sits astride the riverbank.

The wall alignment also would appear to require the removal of a shed and deck on the property to the north at 14 West Ave. and a section of parking lot behind 22 West Ave. Many trees, including several mature trees, particularly in and around 8 West Ave., would also need to be removed from either side of the floodwall easement.

“The wall that is projected to be built would destroy access to the river, destroy a covered deck that the owners enjoy and their extended family, a shed, and could potentially, depending on exactly where it’s placed, could potentially actually be within 15 feet of the house at the back of 8 West Ave., therefore mandating its removal,” Bartel told Riverside trustees

“It would also destroy quite a number of trees on the property,” he added. “It would obviously affect the property value of 8 West Avenue.”

Bartel said that while he was aware of a previous proposed floodwall alignment, which stretched from east to west further from the buildings and tied directly into the railroad embankment, the new alignment came as a surprise.

That plan was revealed during a March 2 presentation by the new U.S. Ar my Corps of Engineers team assigned to the Riverside project. Not part of the Ar my Corps’ for mal presentation, the “back up slides,” as they were labeled on a PowerPoint file, were shown in response to Trustee Edward Hannon’s request for more information.

The Riverside-Brookfield Landmark filed a public records request following

the March 2 meeting with both the village and the Ar my Corps to obtain the back-up slides. The village provided the document on March 10.

“I just got the map [showing the latest alignment] a week after the [March 2] meeting,” Bartel told the Landmark during an interview at 8 West Ave. on March 17.

To clarify the exact proposed floodwall alignment an Ar my Corps of Engineers surveyor is slated to physically mark the alignment and note the height of the floodwall on April 4. The floodwall alignment could still change, Ar my Corps and village officials have noted

While Bartel acknowledged that properties at lower elevations to the north of 8 West Ave. as well as West Avenue itself are impacted by flooding, the proposed alignment of the floodwall will particularly impact the

owners of 8 West Ave.

PROVIDED

In addition to the north-south section of the floodwall running through the backyard, the floodwall bends south, apparently well within the private property line, in order to tie into high ground

“The new configuration of the wall really takes out at least a quarter of the property and, really, the beauty of the property,” Bartel said. “I can’t see how it doesn’t affect the house. All the trees on the west side of the wall, all that is gone Some of these are oaks, quite a few hor nbeams, spruces.”

The potential loss of the rear residence is a particular concer n.

“Somehow it hasn’t shown up on the Corps of Engineers’ stuff and has been transmitted to the village that there’s a house back here,” Bartel said. “I’m not sure what they think this is.”

Newly released engineering plans for a proposed oodwall along the Des Plaines River in Riverside prov ide a clearer picture of the wall’s proposed alig nment and how it might impact residential properties along West Avenue

cookcountyclerkil.gov

OFFICIAL NOTICE OF ELECTION, CONTESTS,REFERENDA/QUESTIONS OF PUBLIC POLICY & POLLING PLACES

AVISO OFICIAL DE ELECCIONES, CONTIENDAS ELECTORALES, REFERENDOS/CUESTIONES DE POLÍTICA PÚBLICA Y LUGARES DE VOTACIÓN

OFFICIAL NOTICE: IS HERBY GIVEN, by Karen

A. Yarbrough, Cook County Clerk

that the Consolidated Election will be held in Suburban Cook County on:

Tuesday, April 4, 2023

Martes 4 de Abril 2023

The Consolidated Election will be held in election precincts under the jurisdiction of the Election Division of the Cook County Clerk's Office. La Elección consolidada se llevará a cabo en distritos electorales dentro de la jurisdicción de la División de Elecciones de la Oficina del Secretario del Condado de Cook.

The Polls for said Consolidated Election will be open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Locations are subject to change as necessity requires. En dicha Elección consolidada se podrá votar entre las 6 a.m. y las 7 p.m. Los lugares de votación están sujetos a cambios según la necesidad.

At the Consolidated Election the voters will vote on the following contests and referenda questions. Referenda/Questions of Public Policy will be voted upon in those precincts of Cook County under the jurisdiction of the Cook County Clerk in which a Unit of Local Government has requested the County Clerk’s Office to place said referenda/questions of public policy on the ballot.

En la Elección consolidada, los votantes emitirán su voto en las siguientes contiendas electorales y preguntas de referendos. Los referendos/cuestiones de política pública serán votados en aquellos distritos electorales del Condado de Cook dentro de la jurisdicción del Secretario del Condado de Cook en los cuales una Unidad de gobierno local le haya solicitado a la Oficina del Secretario del Condado que incluya en la boleta dichos referendos/cuestiones de política pública.

TOWNSHIP OF RIVERSIDE

OFFICIAL NOTICE OF REFERENDA/ QUESTIONS OF PUBLIC POLICY

OFFICIAL NOTICE OF POLLING PLACES

The voting will be conducted at the following polling places for each of the aforesaid election precincts selected by the Cook County Clerk. Las votaciones tomaran lugar en cada de los antedichos precintos de elección seleccionados por el Cook County Clerk.

NOTE: The letter (N) following the polling place address denotes that the polling place itself is not accessible to the handicapped although other parts of the facility may be accessible. An exemption has been granted by the State Board of Elections and signs are posted indicating if the whole building is accessible or if there is a special entrance.

NOTA: La letra (N) después de la dirección de un lugar de votación indica que el lugar de votación en sí mismo no es accesible para personas discapacitadas, aunque otras partes del edificio pueden ser accesibles. La Junta Electoral del Estado ha concedido una exención y hay carteles publicados que indican si todo el edificio es accesible o si hay una entrada especial.

Dated at Chicago, Illinois this 22nd day of March 2023

Karen A. Yarbrough Cook County Clerk

cookcountyclerkil.gov

Riverside socked with 39% hike for paramedic services

PSI awarded contract a e submitting lower of two proposals

By BOB UPHUES Editor

With independent paramedic service providers staffing shortages and increasing paramedic salaries in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the village of Ri side has prepared to spend a lot more for the six paramedics they employ through Paramedic Services of (PSI).

On March 16, village trustees awarded PSI a new threeyear deal, with two two-year renewal options, to provide two paramedics around the clock in Riverside.

In the first year of the deal, which begins April 1, Riverside will pay $671,256 to PSI, a 39% increase over the $482,874 the village paid for final year of the contract that ends March 31.

For the second and third years of the new contract, PSI will increase its fee by 3% annually, meaning Riverside will pay $712,128 for paramedic services in 2025-26. If the village opts for one or two of the two-year extensions, the fee will increase by 4% annually.

PSI submitted the lower of two proposals Riverside received in response to a request for proposals the village announced last December. The fee proposed by the other fir m, Metro Paramedic Services, was substantially higher than PSI’s, with the first year coming in at $845,893.

The contract calls for all PSI paramedics assigned to Riverside to also be certified firefighters in the state of Illinois. If the company assigns a paramedic to Riverside who is not a certified firefighter, the village will arrange

for that paramedic to be assigned to the next available fire academy. PSI bears the cost of that training, said Riverside Public Safety Director Matthew Buckley.

According to Buckley, all of the PSI firefighter/paramedics assigned to Riverside carry fire gear and breathing apparatuses in their ambulance and do join firefighting crews in the event of a fire.

“Their primary duties are as paramedics,” Buckley said. “If there is a fire in Riverside, then yes, they will assist with that. But if there’s a patient, their primary concern is the patient.”

PSI has been Riverside’s paramedic service provider since 2018, when the company acquired Public Safety Services of Illinois (PSSI), which had been Riverside’s paramedic service provider since 1996.

Also on March 16, village trustees awarded a three-year contract to PSI to provide emergency medical billing services to the village. The terms of the billing contract run concurrently with the paramedic service contract.

During the three-year contract, the village will pay PSI a monthly rate of 3.5% of billing revenue collected, which is estimated at around $760 per month. PSI has been providing billing services to Riverside since 2017 and had been charging between 4% and 4.5% of collections, so the new contract reflects a reduction in that percentage.

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D102 candidates make their case during online forum

Five

of six running for school board voice

priorities, challenges

By BOB SKOLNIK Contributing Reporter

Five of the six candidates running for four seats on the LaGrange-Brookfield School District 102 Board of Education in the April election met during a Zoom candidate forum last week sponsored by the LaGrange area chapter of the League of Women Voters.

The candidates who participated included were incumbents Bessie Boyd, who came on halfway through the hour-long forum due to technical difficulties, and Tiziana Lambert, along with first time candidates Molly Knott, Catherine Murphy and Kathryn McQuiston.

Theresa O’Sullivan did not participate in the forum. O’Sullivan also has not retur ned the Landmark’s candidate questionnaire

The forum revealed few differences among the candidates, and all the candidates live in LaGrange except for Knott, who lives in Brookfield. District 102 serves the southwest quarter of Brookfield.

Knott teaches science in Berwyn Elementary School District 100, but she also taught fourth grade and talent development in District 102 for nine years, seven at Congress Park School in Brookfield and two at Cossitt School in LaGrange.

Knott, whose two daughters attended Congress Park School and Park Junior High and now attend Lyons Township High School, believes her perspective as both a for mer teacher in the district and as a parent would be valuable on the school board.

“I know that the schools in District 102 are remarkable places filled with most eager students and the most passionate staff,” Knott said. “As a board member, I want to challenge

students and staff to think critically, feel empowered with knowledge and appreciate the diversity of thinking within our schools.”

In an interview with the Landmark a couple of months ago and at the forum, Knott said she believes the district is in a good place but can always improve.

“I think that investing in teachers is really important, student growth and accountability as well and then I think there is a lot of work that can be done with equity in the district,” Knott told the Landmark.

Boyd, a retired elementary school principal, is running for her second ter m on the District 102 school board.

“I want voters to know that I will continue to be prepared for the board meetings, continue to ask the hard questions, continue to voice my concer ns about what it best for students,” Boyd said.

Boyd, who attended Congress Park School as a child, said the district has some facility challenges ahead. She said that the district needs more classroom space as student enrollment increases

“There is a need, particularly right now at Bar nsdale [School], because of the growth

for early childhood, that we will need to look at other areas of building classrooms and making room for new students coming into the district,” Boyd said.

Lambert, who was appointed to the school board in 2021, teaches reading to students with disabilities at Lyons Township High School. She said that she is excited to continue her work on the school board. Lambert, who was born in Italy and came to the United States as a 3-year-old, is passionate about inclusion.

Prior to becoming a member of the school board, Lambert was a member of the District 102 Committee on Equity and Minority Achievement.

Lambert takes an expansive view of student achievement, as did the other candidates

“As a reading specialist, of course, academics are a first priority for me, but I also feel that having students belong and feeling that sense of inclusion, and really looking at those in classroom assessments that teachers are providing is a measure of achievement,” Lambert said. “Teacher feedback is essential.”

Murphy, who has lived in LaGrange for almost 13 years and works as an advertising sales representative, is the mother of a sixth grader and a third grader with special needs.

“I have firsthand experience and knowledge and opportunities that our schools face,” Murphy said.

Murphy says giving all children a sense of belonging and inclusion is vital. She said she sees the pain when her special-needs child is left out of an activity.

“It’s our responsibility as board members to ensure that all children can thrive, both socially and academically,” Murphy said.

McQuiston, a sales excellence manager and member of the LaGrange Community and Economic Development Commission, is the mother of a 3-year-old. She and her husband moved to LaGrange in 2016.

“I am motivated by my desire to make a difference and serve my community,” McQuiston said.

She said that she is collaborative and strategic and can work with various stakeholders.

“One of the things I’m passionate about is community engagement,” McQuiston said.

Unlike past years, the District 102 Delegate Assembly did not meet and endorse candidates, so all the candidates are running on their own.

BESSIE BOYD TIZIANA LAMBERT MOLLY KNOTT CATHERINE MURPHY KATHRYN MCQUISTON

LTHS school board candidates square off at forum

Interpreting student performance data a point of contention

By BOB SKOLNIK Contributing Reporter

Get back to basics That was a constant refrain from three of the seven candidates for the Lyons Township High School Board of Education during an 80-minute online forum hosted by the League of Women Voters of the LaGrange Area on March 13.

Frank Evans, David Her ndon and Tim Vlcek spoke often about academic performance at LTHS, saying it has declined in recent years.

They noted that only 49 percent of seniors were ranked as proficient in English Language Arts and just 53 percent were considered proficient in math based on the statemandated SAT exam they took last spring as reported in the most recent Illinois State School Report Card

“It’s just not acceptable, and we need to rethink everything we’re doing and how do we get that up,” said Her ndon, who served on the LaGrange District 105 Board of Education for 12 years before being defeated when he ran for a fourth ter m in 2021. “We need to focus on our lowest-level lear ners. They are really struggling. And how do we differentiate in the classroom. How do we set them up for success.”

Like most schools, LTHS’s academic perfor mance declined after a more than a year of remote and hybrid lear ning during the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2019, before the pandemic, 59.9 percent of LTHS juniors were considered proficient in ELA and 64.4 percent were considered proficient in math.

LTHS’ scores last year were still much higher than the state averages, where only 29.8 percent of public high school juniors were considered proficient in ELA and 29 percent in math.

“Our scores actually at LT now put us in the top of 11 percent of proficiency,” said school board President Kari Dillon, who along with fellow incumbent Jill Beda Daniels and school administrators Tim Albores and Justin Clark are the four other candidates in the race for three seats on the school board. “Does that mean we have room for improvement, absolutely, and I think talking about doing a growth-level approach and looking at how our students grow from year to year is really another good way to look at doing that.”

Clark, who is the associate principal at

Richards High School, said student growth and improvement should be the focus, not just proficiency.

Evans, Her ndon and Vlcek put much of the blame for declining test scores on the grading system, which has since been modified, that was adopted a few years ago which didn’t count homework toward a final grade and allowed nearly unlimited retakes of tests

“Just get back to the basics of things that made LT a top tier school for many, many years,” said Evans, who owns and runs CBA Pensions, a financial risk management fir m in Chicago. “I understand the past couple of years have been difficult for the school, been difficult for a lot people, but that’s over and we need to move on. We need to make sure that these kids are being prepared.”

This year, homework does count toward a student’s final grade and test retakes are limited, but not eliminated.

Vlcek, a 1978 graduate of LTHS, said that the school is not doing as good a job of preparing students for college and other post-high school opportunities as it did when he and his four children attended LTHS

“I’ve talked to many students that who have graduated over the last two to three years and I’ve also talked to a lot of parents and, unfortunately, a lot of these students are not ready for college, they’re not ready for the next step,” Vlcek said. “They don’t know what it’s like to have to do homework. They don’t know

what it is like to be prepared for a test.”

Albores, who is a director of student services at Plainfield District 202, said LTHS must do a better job aligning its curriculum to the SAT, but he also said that he didn’t think SAT results necessarily reflected how much student lear ning was going on.

Evans, Her ndon and Vlcek also made much of LTHS’s 28.1% rate of chronic absenteeism last year. Chronic absenteeism is defined as students missing 10 percent or more the school days a year.

Absences were up across the state last year The pandemic was apparently still a factor as was a new state law giving all students the right to take five mental health days as excused absences

LTHS’s chronic absenteeism rate was actually slightly lower than the state average of 29.8 percent, but it was more than double the rate during any time at LTHS in the past five years and more than four times the 6.4 percent rate of 2021.

Differences among the candidates were apparent on some other issues In response to a question about fostering a sense of inclusion for all students, particularly minority students, Daniels praised the hiring of Jennifer Rowe two years ago as the school’s first director of equity and belonging, calling it one of the biggest successes in her two years on the school board.

“She brings a really neat perspective to all of us, to lear n from her and to engage the staff and the students,” Daniels said. “And what I like about it is that she sits at our board table and she brings a lens, an equity lens, to all.”

Evans said all students should be given the resources to succeed without regard to race or ethnicity. He wanted to see evidence that Rowe’s hiring has made a positive impact.

“Just hiring somebody doesn’t mean that’s a success,” Evans said. “Spending money is not working. Now what I do know though is there has been a change in the culture at LT that has created more tension versus lowering tensions, and I’d like to explore why that happened and advocate for change where it is needed.”

Clark said that he hasn’t seen evidence of improvement in the test scores of minority students

“I have not been able to find any data that shows that what people are trying to do in regards to making it more equitable is paying off in regards to the growth data, at least when it comes to the data point of SAT,” Clark said.

All the candidates said they supported social-emotional lear ning, but Evans wanted to see more evidence and information about SEL. Vlcek, who is the director of plant operations for Weinstein Wholesale Meats and a volunteer in the LTHS InCubator business program, said SEL is critical.

“I think our students today, probably somewhat related to COVID, have a lot of anxiety, isolation and depression and I think we need to be aware of that,” Vlcek said. “And I think we need to maybe work on teaching coping skills to get past some of the problems that they have.”

All the candidates opposed book banning, but Evans said that he would like to see a review of the books assigned at LTHS.

“I would like a review of what is offered as well as community and parent engagement,” Evans said.

In her closing statement Dillon, who was elected to the school board four years ago as something of an outsider, defended her record on the school board.

“I helped navigate through a pandemic, changes in grading practices and social unrest, and in the face of all that we established the first-ever equity statement, expanded our student services, adopted LT’s first-ever strategic plan and completed a facilities study with community input,” Dillon said.

The entire 80-minute forum can be viewed at tinyurl.com/4kj5zyxd

FRANK EVANS

K ARI DILLON

DAVID HERNDON JILL BEDA DANIELS JUSTIN CLARK

TIM VLCEK TIM ALBORES

LTHS discloses it rejected $60 million bid for Willow Springs land

Second o er from ProLogis ‘not consistent’ with school board’s terms and conditions

By BOB SKOLNIK Contributing Reporter

Lyons Township High School’s administration revealed on March 20 that the school board had rejected a $60.5 million offer for the undeveloped land it owns in Willow Springs

T he offer was made to LTHS on Feb. 17 by Prologis, a company that builds warehouses and distribution centers, in a letter to District 204’s business manage r, Brian Stachacz, dated Feb. 17.

T he offer came a little more than three weeks after the LTHS school board voted 6-0 on Jan. 23 to reject bids of $55 million by industrial developer Industrial Bridge and a $46.5 million offer from Prologis that were submitted in January. T he second, higher offer from Pro-

logis had not been disclosed previously.

According to a press release issued on the afternoon of March 20 in advance of that night’s school board meeting, the District 204 Board of Education, through its attorney, opened a dialo gue with Prologis after receiving its second bid, which exceeded the minimum price of $55 million that the board had set in January.

“Ultimately, the terms and conditions, presented by ProLogis were not consistent with those of the Board,” the press release stated School board president Kari Dillon did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

District 204 Superintendent Brian Waterman in an email of fered a little more detail about the proposal, saying Prologis expressed a desire

to bring in an addition partner and proposed a different timeline.

“Those two items just weren’ t consistent with the board’s terms and conditions,” said LTHS Superintendent Brian Waterman.

T he LTHS school board has been criticized since January for trying to sell the wooded approximately 70-acre tract of land it has owned for more than half a century by those living near the land and who send their children to an elementary school next the land.

T he parcel is currently zoned for single-family housing, retail or senior housing and the village of Willow Springs made clear in January that it would not change the zoning

On March 10, the LTHS Board of Education publicly announced that the Willow Springs land had been taken of f the market.

Local chef has experienced the healing power of food

• Are you or a family member facing a new diagnosis?

• Do you suffer from a chronic condition that, despite everything you have tried, just won’t go away?

• Have you or a family member been told to reduce the inflammation in your body but you don’t know where to begin?

• Do you do you want to get started immediately but you just don’t have the time to research and do it right?

Chef William Blackburn, professionally known as Chef Beau, resolved his own neurological issues by changing his diet. Chef Beau says that “Eating an antiinflammatory diet puts the right nutrients into the body at the right time and focusing on Gluten Free, non GMO, antiinflammatory foods improved the quality of my life and my relationships.”

The mission of his company, Chef Beau’s Klean Kitchen, is to demonstrate that choosing “Klean”, whole foods is not

just a delicious choice but is also a viable and sustainable alternative to relying on pharmaceuticals for the management of chronic diseases. Chef Beau and his team are dedicated to empowering individuals and communities to take control of their health through nutrition.

Clients can engage the services of Chef Beau’s Klean Kitchen for weekly meal service, hosting private events and purchasing prepared products. “It all has to do with understanding the types of food that gives us gut issues,” he says. “I’ve learned to make recipes by substituting

ingredients. Instead of butter and cream, I use olive oil and coconut cream, which are flavorful and good for you.”

Their commercial kitchen is 100% gluten free, lactose free, and free from all food that is government subsidized. All meats used in Chef Beau’s dishes are pastureraised and certified humane. All seafood is either wild-caught or open-water farmed, and never any kind of dairy from a cow. They do offer some delicious cheeses from sheep, goats and buffalo, all of which are lactose free. Baked goods are made with brown rice and sorghum flours, all stock is organic and all seasonings are pure and natural.

Chef Beau’s weekly meal service plans are seasonal, chef-curated and change weekly. They rotate over 500 menu items including Bulgarian sheep-feta burgers, smothered roasted garlic pork chops, grain-free, plant-based lasagna and Buddha Bowls. Each main entrée is paired with a vegetable and a starch. Clients can pick-up from their kitchen or delivery is

Lyons Tow nship High School has ow ned a 72acre parcel of land in Willow Springs, shown above inside dotted line, for 60 years.

available as far north as Highland Park, west to Naperville and south to Interstate 55. Online ordering is available, and orders must be placed by noon on Thursday for the following week.

For more information about Chef Beau’s Klean Kitchen, call 708-354-4844, email Info@ChefBeausKleanKitchen or visit www. ChefBeausKleanKitchen.com.

GOOGLE MAPS

After wine bar gets OK, North Riverside neighbors vent

Residents decry lack of communication before trustees approved liquor licens e

By BOB UPHUES Editor

Residents from the 2500 block of Hainsworth Avenue turned out at the March 20 meeting of the North Riverside Village Board, decrying the approval two weeks earlier of a liquor license for a wine bar to be located at 8700 26th Street.

Village trustees voted 4-2 to approve the liquor license for Ava’s Café, whose owner describes the concept as a pet-friendly wine ba r. Trustees Marybelle Mandel and H. Bob Demopoulos voted against granting the liquor license for a tavern at that location, saying it was too close to residential properties on Hainswor th Avenue.

“I love this concept,” said Demopoulos prior to voting on March 6. “It’s modern, it’s hip, it’s all-inclusive. I just don’ t like the location. ”

Mandel prior to casting her no vote in the license predicted the wine bar would create parking problems for nearby homeowners and criticized the fact that the wine bar will also accommodate video g ambling terminals, concluding that its primary purpose was a g aming establishment.

T here is a small chain of standalone video g ambling parlors operating under the Ava’s Café name in the Chicago suburbs, but it doesn’t appear to be related to the North Riverside venture.

Re gardless, neighboring property owners blasted village officials March 20 for approving a liquor license at a locatio n where a bar has never operated without info rming them of the application.

“I didn’t hear about it until the meeting on [March 6],” said Hainswor th resident Sue Meadows. “We should have been notified.”

Meadows also said a bar would create parking problems for residents and questioned whether village officials had

done their due diligenc e, pointing to Cornerstone Montessori School just a couple of doors to the west. T he village code requires bars to be at least 100 feet from schools.

Rick Anderson, another resident, also criticized the village for not looping homeowners in on the prospect of a bar at the end of their block.

“I really am disgusted by the fact that this was a vote without any communication for the neighbors,” Anderson said. “The neighbors need to know what was going to happen here. … This is not any other typical business, this is a bar.”

Maureen Rush, who applied for the liquor license and is the business owner, told the Landmark in a phone interview that her establishment was not connected to the other Ava’s Café businesses and that her wine bar is named after her dog, who died recently.

T he property is owned by a co rporatio n called MRE Portfolio One LLC , which purchased the for mer dry cleaners on the northwest corner of 26th Street and Hainsworth Avenue last June for $250,000.

T he manager of MRE Portfolio One is listed in Illinois Secretary of State records as Harbor Smith Business Services, a Delaware corporation. Howeve r, a man named Jeff Rehberger is listed as a contact for the property owner on an Illinois State Fire Marshal permit applicatio n last October to remove a heating oil tank on the proper ty

Jeff Rehberger is also the name of the chie f executive officer of Lucky Lincoln Gaming LLC, which is a licensed video g ambling machine operator in Illinois. A message left at the phone number listed for Rehberger on the tank-removal permit application was not retur ned

Both taver ns and video g ambling parlors are allowed by right in that particular zoning district. In December 2020, the village board voted unanimously to allow those uses in a vote to amend the zoning code at that time.

T he village board granted Ava’s Café a late-night Class A-1 liquor license, which permits the sale of beer, wine and spirits

See WINE BAR on pa ge 18

CANNABIS

from page 1

While Nourahmadi, who also owns the strip mall at 2720 Harlem Ave. where his Shining Smiles dentistry practice is located, said that lease negotiations were still in the preliminary stages, one of Star Buds IL’s partners told the Landmark he’s optimistic the deal will happen.

“It’s all going really well. It should hopefully work out,” said Mousa Joudeh, one of Star Buds IL’s partners, reached by the Landmark at the Burbank dispensary, which opened its doors on Jan. 7. “We’re 90 percent there.”

Joudeh confirmed that Star Buds IL had already met with Riverside officials to introduce them to the company and talk about potential building plans at 2704 Harlem Ave., which started its life as various fast food restaurants and later housed a Sara Lee Bak ery outlet store and a title loan business. For the past three years, its has served as a COVID-19 testing site.

The issue that sank the last deal with Mint IL LLC was that the building was too small to house a cannabis dispensary. However, Joudeh indicated that Riverside officials appear open to Star Buds expanding the building’s footprint.

Joudeh said Star Buds would like to do in Riverside something similar to what they did in Burbank, where they bought a shuttered restaurant and completely renovated it.

“We have no issue doing that,” Joudeh said. “We want to do the same there in Riverside.”

According to Joudeh, Star Buds IL is affiliated with a company of the same name which started in Colorado in 2013 and now has 31 dispensaries in five states and one in Jamaica.

Star Buds is one of 10 brands owned by the Denver, Colorado-based cannabis company Schwazze, which acquired Star Buds’ Colorado dispensaries in 2020 and 2021.

Last October, the Illinois Department of Agriculture awarded a cannabis craft grow license to Star Buds IL. That operation is located in Rockford and will grow the cannabis for Star Buds’ Kaviar label products, according to Joudeh.

Should Nourahmadi be able to secure a deal with Star Buds, it would also trigger the sale of the commercial property at 2710 Harlem Ave., which is owned by the village of Riverside, to Nourahmadi, who wants to convert 2710 Harlem Ave. into a parking lot to be shared by the cannabis dispensary and the strip mall.

The village has had a sale contract with Nourahmadi pending since November 2021, but it was dependent on Nourahmadi selling 2704 Harlem Ave. to Mint IL LLC, which had been negotiating to purchase it

The village extended the sale agreement three times, with the latest set to expire March 31.

The sale to Mint IL LLC fell through, but with a new cannabis dispensary company in lease negotiations with Nourahmadi, village trustees on March 16 voted 6-0 to extend Riverside’s sales agreement on 2710 Harlem Ave. until Oct. 1.

According to the amended terms of the sale agreement, Riverside would sell 2710 Harlem Ave. to Nourahmadi once a dispensary is open for one month.

BOB UPHUES/Editor Star Buds IL opened its rst Illinois location (above) in January in the 7800 block of South Cicero Avenue in Burbank.

‘Going really well’

Brook eld Zoo formally unveils plans for new primate habitat

2.15-acre indoor/outdoor space expected to open in 2025

By BOB UPHUES Editor

Construction fencing is up and preliminary site work has begun on a planned 2.15-acre indoor/outdoor habitat for primates at Brookfield Zoo that will wrap around the west and north sides of Tropic World, which the zoo’s primates have called home since 1983.

The project, estimated by Chicago Zoological Society President and CEO Dr. Michael Adkesson last fall at $50 to $60 million, will create four new outdoor habitats along the north side of Tropic World that will extend about halfway into the West Mall.

Habitats will serve as the new outdoor homes for two gorilla troupes, a family unit and a bachelor group, for the zoo’s orangutans and for several species of South American monkeys.

The habitats will have naturalistic features such as running water, climbing structures, grasses and vines. Zoo patrons will be able to get up close and personal with the primates through two-story tall glass windows separating them.

The outdoor exhibit will also be planted up with 75 new trees, 500 new shrubs and several pollinator gardens, according to a press release issued by Brookfield Zoo on March 20.

“Seeing our gorillas and orangutans come outside, some for the very first time, will be an unforgettable moment as they experience natural grass under their feet and sunlight shining on their faces,” said Adkesson in the press release. “The new habitats will also allow guests to connect with these amazing charismatic animals in a whole new way. Our mission is to eng age our guests in caring about wildlife and nature. From that connection, we can then inspire people to incorporate conservation-minded activities into their daily lives.”

In addition to the new, expansive outdoor habitats, the project also includes the construction of a new Gorilla

Newly released renderings give a sense of how spacious and naturalistic the new outdoor primate habitats at Brook eld Zoo will be, and just how close zoo visitors w ill be able to get to the animals, sepa rated only by panes of thick glass.

Conservation Center, which the zoo describes as a “state-of-the-art learning space for the public and a dedicated home for the Chicago Zoological Society’s King Conservation Leadership Academy, in which high-school age students participate in science programming with an emphasis on career and colle ge readiness.”

First re ported by the Landmark last November, the new primate habitats and Gorilla Conservation Center are slated to be completed in 2025, with animals being introduced into the new spaces that year and into 2026.

The primate project is just the first of several major

changes to Brookfield Zoo envisioned over the next decade as the institution nears its 100th birthday in 2034.

Some of the smaller improvements include creating a new aviary immediately south of Tropic World to showcase North American wild birds. There are also plans to create a Blanding’s and box turtle habitat at the Hamill Family Nature Plaza south of Tropic World and a seasonal habitat for Macaws nearby

“You can some in the South Gate and you can walk all the way down to the Living Coast and not see anything other than a peacock,” Adkesson said of the planned improvements last fall. “One of the things we’re trying to change is to bring some animals back into this space.”

A more ambitious plan to reimagine the northwest corner of the zoo campus into a large, inte grated African safari habitat is still years down the road.

Zoo of ficials are planning to host a for mal groundbreaking for the new primate habitats and Gorilla Conservation Center this fall when it also plans to announce its Next Century Campaign to fund those other improvements.

CZS/BROOKFIELD ZO O

CZS/BROOKFIELD ZO O

Brookfield awards contract for 2023 side street improvements

$2.7 million project could get started as early as mid-April

By BOB UPHUES Editor

Road construction season is just weeks away in Brookfield after village trustees on March 13 awarded a $2.7 million contract to Cicero-based J. Nardulli Concrete to resurface about one mile of residential side streets this year.

Nardulli’s bid was the lowest of three submitted for the work and about 8% lower than the village engineer’s estimate of roughly $2.95 million.

Streets to be improved this year include Jefferson Avenue, from Kemman to Madison; Arthur Avenue, from Lincoln to Southview; and Park Avenue, from Ogden to Shields. The contract also includes about $100,000 in concrete and asphalt pavement patching to be done at various locations in Brookfield.

Work is expected to kick off as early as April 15, though it could be delayed depending on construction scheduling.

The improvements include widening the streets by 3 feet to make them all 25-feet wide, replacing all curbs and gutters and any driveway aprons disturbed by construction. Crews will also repair any deteriorated sections of combined sewer and repair or replace deteriorated drainage structures

The work also includes installing handicapped-accessible sidewalk ramps at intersections and alleys. The existing street pavement will be milled off and repaved with asphalt and disturbed areas of the parkway will be restored with sod.

Streets to be improved were deter mined by virtue of their condition, outlined in the village’s 2021 street pavement survey, conducted after a $22 million street improvement campaign between 2016 and 2021 following a bond referendum approved by voters.

During those years, Brookfield improved about 15.3 miles of residential side streets, roughly 37% of the village’s 41 miles of streets.

Brookfield taxpayers will continue to fund the debt incurred by that referendum through 2030, with some of the burden lifting as some of the bonds, which were issued in three phases, retire in 2026 and 2028.

Washington Ave. bike lanes coming

In addition to the work approved by the village board on March 13, the village of Brookfield will complete a pair of col-

lector route improvements in 2023, both of which were approved and originally scheduled to be completed last year

Star ting in April or May, Washington Avenue from Prairie Avenue to Kemman Avenue will be resurfaced, along with spot sewer, curb and gutter re placement.

After the roadway gets its new asphalt surface, bike lanes will be marked on both the north and south sides of the street – the first-ever for mal bike lanes in Brookfield, implementing a recommendation in the village’s Complete Streets Plan.

While the roadway won’t be resurfaced between Prairie Avenue and Golf Road, the new bike lane markings will extend down the entire length of Washington Avenue in Brookfield

In addition, crews will complete work star ted last year on Shields Avenue between Custer Avenue and Maple Avenue.

Concrete work, sewer re pairs and pavement patching was completed on that stretch in 2022. Be ginning probably in April, the asphalt roadway in that section of Shields Avenue will be milled and resurfaced.

Opinion

THE L ANDMARK VIEW

Not a great look

While there are certainly plenty of establishments that serve alcohol in Nor th Riverside –a handful of taver ns which have been operating at their present locations for decades, local institution bar/restaurants, chain restaurants in the Harlem/Cer mak corridors – the appearance of a new establishment, especially in a location where such a use has never before existed is something of a unicorn for the village.

If not a unicorn, it certainly is a rake in danger of being stepped on if you are a public official tasked with approving a liquor license for such a place.

First, let’s get a couple things out of the way:

Yes, the building at 8700 26th St. is zoned such that someone could open a bar or restaurant serving alcohol or a gambling parlor serving alcohol by right. A December 2020 amendment to the zoning code specifically allows it.

At this time, we are taking at face value the village’s and business owner’s statements that the newly approved wine bar called Ava’s Place at 8700 26th St. will be just that, a wine bar serving a limited menu of food items, featuring a dog-friendly outdoor beer garden and a room for gambling machines, which are not the main revenue source for the business

Whether or not that turns out to be the case is something the village will need to monitor. For one, there is a cap on the number of gambling parlors in the village, and North Riverside is at its allowable limit. Second, if the business does turn out to be more of a gambling-centric operation, the annual liquor license cost will jump from about $3,600 to $15,000. That’s not insignificant.

Regardless of all of that, approving a liquor license for a wine bar at a location that for decades has served as a sleepy dry cleaning business and which sits directly across the alley from singlefamily homes without letting the neighbors know this application was in the works was naïve at best.

Of course neighbors should have been told what was likely in the offing, whether the use is allowed by right or not. The matter should have been a subject at a public meeting – either a special committee or as new business at a regular board meeting – where no board action would take place.

While that may not have placated anyone who lives near the place, at least officials could have avoided the appearance that they were slipping one over on residents, who may not regularly check village board meeting agendas (a practice that officials ought never to assume).

It also would have given neighbors a voice and a way to meet the business owner and to negotiate some concessions, for example with regard to parking and noise and proposed hours of operation.

Instead, there’s anger and damage control and distrust that could have been mitigated by being open from the start.

KOSEY CORNER

Riverside looks forward to its 150th anniversar

Where does the time go? Here we are in 2023 looking ahead to 2025 when Riverside will celebrate 150 years, also known as the sesquicentennial.

Can it be that it has been nearly 50 years since we celebrated Riverside’s centennial?

At that time, the late Don Clawsen was chair man of the celebration. Clawsen was a cigar smoker and always chewed the end of a cigar. Assisting him was the late Ed Meksto. Yours truly was also a member of the committee.

JOANNE KOSE Y

It was quite a celebration with a huge parade, picnic at Indian Gardens, hot air balloon, and ended with a dinner dance. There were also commemorative souvenirs for sale, like pewter plates, T-shirts, pencils, charms and an Olmsted patch to name a few.

Most memorable was the pageant, an original perfor mance titled “The Bend in the River.” There was a centennial song, also. The pageant had a large cast, with the musical leads being Bruce and Janet Perryman. The musical performed to sold-out crowds at the RiversideBrookfield High School auditorium. The whole celebra-

OBITUARIES

Susan J. Diaz, 54 Lyons resident

Susan Joanne Diaz (née Schaef fer), of Lyons, died March 7, 2023.

Ms Diaz was born Se pt. 3, 1968, the daughter of Joanne (nee Prochaska) and the late Richard Schaeffer

She was the sister of Joe Schaef fer; the mother of Joey Schaef fer, Destiny Stewart, Autumn Miller, Frankie Stewart and James Stewart; the grandmother of twins, D’Asia and D’Lani Tart; the aunt of Krystal Klans; and the great aunt of Karina Klans. She was faithfully devoted to her service do g and companion, Princess

At restful peace, reunited with her loving father and other loved ones

tion was quite memorable

yI was also on the committee of the 125th celebration, but of course it was not as big as the 100th. I do remember T-shirts and coffee mugs. Don’t remember much else. I’m sure some of you out there will remind me

So now the 150th. Aberdeen Marsh-Ozga and Alex Gallegos, both village trustees, have volunteered to be on the steering committee as has yours truly. (Why miss a Riverside party?)

They are looking for more people to participate since there will be various committees to serve on to help this be another Riverside anniversary to put in the books

At the present, there are no definite plans nor has a date been set. Ideas are always welcome and, according to Gallegos, they are looking into a few concepts. Assured it will not be as big as the 100th anniversary, well maybe, half as big.

Those who are interested in being a part of the celebration can email your info to the Gallegos at agallegos@riverside.il.us.

Let’s get ready to celebrate good times in Riverside and lear n more about our town. Join us!

Edward R. Rosiar Jr., 68

Retired re ghter paramedic

Edward Robert Rosiar Jr., 68, of Wilmington and for merly of Brookfield, died March 4, 2023.

Mr. Rosiar was born Se pt. 8, 1954 and was retired from a career as a firefighter/paramedic for the city of Berwyn and Pompano Beach, F lorida.

He was the son of Lora Renella and the late Edward Rosiar; the brother of Nancy (Gary) Kollner, Laura (late Frederick) Hosteny and the late Richard Rosiar; and the uncle of Matthew Hosteny, Kristy Kollner, Kelly Hosteny, Nicole Kollner, Michael Hosteny and the late Stephanie Rosiar

Memorial visitation is on Saturday, March 25 from 3 p.m. until time of memorial service at 5 p.m. at Johnson-Nosek Funeral Home, 3847 Prairie Ave., Brookfield.

Online condolences, memories and photo graphs may be shared at JohnsonNosek.com.

Safeguard First Amendment’s ve freedoms

The First Amendment has five freedoms embedded in it.

Americans have the freedom to complain (and loudly).

We have the freedom to go to the worship service of our choosing or to avoid it altogether

We have the freedom to look our politicians in the eye and tell them we disagree with them.

If enough of us disagree, we can gather and make a movement!

The Landmark and its peers can cover this without censure.

The freedoms in the First Amendment, like all of those in the Constitution, are not static. They sit there on paper, but it is through our actions that they live. The First Amendment needs lovers of liberty, because there are those who look at the First Amend-

ment and want to put fetters on it.

This isn’t new. And it runs through our history. The ink was not even dry on the Bill of Rights when in 1798 the Sedition Act made it illegal to speak against the gover nment. The Comstock Laws were used to suppress education about women’s health. Eugene Debs went from receiving almost a million votes as a presidential candidate to being sent to prison in 1918 for speaking against U.S. involvement in the war in Europe. Doctor King and his allies faced dogs and firehoses in Selma.

Freedom continues to need its defenders. We are in a period where those who

are pushing against those five freedoms in the First Amendment – those who want to chain our freedoms, those who see a bird and want it caged – are gaining power.

Through false pretexts, they are happy to squeeze and constrain to intimidate those they fear and hate. And it is not just Florida; it is everywhere, where the loudest want to leverage their momentum so that others are quiet. From trans bans to drag bans to book bans, it’s spreading widely. Lovers of liberty must all stand against those who want to see our rights taken away Thankfully, leaders in the Illinois Legislature hear the call of those who want to make sure the First Amendment is protected. For

example, House Bill 2789 is set to make Illinois the first state in the nation to mandate open access to materials through legislation. We can help by contacting our representatives to voice support for HB 2789.

It’s not just the legislatures. We all have a role to play. I am running for re-election to the library board because I want to use my skills and experience to help the Linda Sokol Francis Brookfield Library be as well run as possible and to meet the needs of the community.

But that desire is driven by these larger ideals as a lover of liberty and justice. I hope the voters of the village of Brookfield allow me to continue pushing for this liberty guaranteed by the five freedoms for all of us

J. Edgar Mihelic is a candidate for the Linda Sokol Francis Brookfield Library Board of Trustees.

New establishment will change neighborhood

Congratulations to the North Riverside board for approving yet another gambling establishment. This one’s a bit different, however. It is to be located at the cor ner of 26th and Hainsworth, a residential neighborhood.

I understand the hours for the Ava’s Cafe will be 7 a.m. until 2 a.m. This place will be selling alcohol.

I’m afraid this is a blatant money grab for our village. There must be other sources of revenue without hobbling people who can least afford gambling, let alone the potential for problems with alcohol abuse and its attendant issues

The addition, this place will definitely change our quiet street and not for the better

Rick Andersen, North Ri verside

Impor tant to put LTHS pro cienc y data into context

Leading up to the District 204 School Board election, I’ve noticed candidates campaigning around Lyons Township High School’s proficiency scores, which appear low (53% math, 49% reading). I’d like to provide some context around these numbers

All proficiency percentages in this piece come directly from www.illinoisreportcard.com, and all rankings in this piece come directly from www.publicschoolreview.com. Illinoisreportcard.com is the state’s official source for infor-

WINE BAR

from page 12

from 7 a.m. to 2 a.m. daily. T he annual fee for such a license is $3,653. A full liquor license for standalone gambling parlors, defined in the village code as a place where revenue from the sale food/drinks account for no more than 49% of annual gross sales, costs $15,000 annually.

Both Rush and Mayor Joseph Mengoni said Ava’s Café was a business where food and drink would account for the majority of its annual revenue.

Mengoni explained to upset residents on March 13 that the village would open itself up to a discrimination lawsuit if it refused to grant a liquor license to a business that’s permitted at 8700 26th St. and exists

mation about public schools across Illinois. Publicschoolreview.com provides rigorous analysis of public schools with public data sets from federal and state education agencies.

First, LT’s proficiency vastly outperfor ms state averages, better than 89% of other Illinois high schools. LT’s reading proficiency is 19.6 points higher than state average and math is 24.3 points higher.

Second, regarding proficiency numbers being higher in the past, in 2016-17, the state of Illinois started requiring every student to take the SAT. For a student to be deemed “proficient” they need a minimum SAT score of 540 for both math and English.

Anything lower is considered not proficient, regardless of whether a student was planning a career in the military, trades or simply didn’t need an SAT score for their college of choice

For comparison, the College Board considers a 480 in English and 530 in math to be college ready. When this change was implemented, Illinois schools’ proficiency rates went down, but LT’s proficiency rankings improved. So, when you see a rate of math proficiency at 53%, that does not mean 47% of students failed the test. It just means 47% of students did not get 540 or higher on the math portion of the SAT.

Since 2017, including during COVID and during changes in grading policy, LT’s proficiency rankings have remained steadily among the top 15% of all Illinois high schools.

The truth is that there is a reasonable explanation and context behind the numbers. Weaponizing proficiency scores, especially for those who should understand that context, is something I disagree with.

Test scores are not the only way we should measure student success, but when we place these numbers into context, we actually can see that LT is moving in the right direction, up.

They aren’t done yet. They are aware of the work that needs to be done closing the achievement/opportunity gap to ensure the success of all students. It would be shortsighted to change out a school board that has made huge strides bring-

elsewhere in places near residential districts

Plans for Ava’s Café filed with the village show that there will be a bar seating eight people and three twotop tables in the main area. A separate gaming space will be located along the west front of the business Behind the building, plans show an outdoor beer garden with more seating. Rush said that outdoor area will be the “pet-friendly” aspect of the business.

“We’re incorporating the outdoor area to be a very relaxing, calming atmosphere,” Rush told the Landmark.

The beer garden was a particular problem for Meadows, who noted it was just across the alley from her home

“[It’s] right in our backya rd, literally right where we slee p there’s going to be a beer garden for a wine bar,” Meadows said.

ing LT into the 21st century by adding computers for every child, air conditioning and social-emotional learning into the curriculum.

I want my children to attend a school that supports educating the whole child, brings LT infrastructure up to par with that of comparable schools and continues its upward academic trajectory.

Ricardo Mar tinez, Wester n Springs

Boyd deser ves re- elec tion to D102 school board

Working eight years with Bessie Boyd on the LaGrangeBrookfield District 102 board’s advisory Committee for Equity and Minority Achievement (CEMA) allowed me to witness her level of commitment and courage to speak her mind Her important perspective opened up discussion to points of view many of us in the group hadn’t considered. Bessie’s attention to detail allowed the board of education to create better policies She has character and is a respected leader in the community. And she is a Congress Park Elementary School and District 102 alum.

Strong candidates with experience in the education system are needed always, but especially with D102’s new superintendent and with the district’s continued implementation of its 8-plus year DEI initiative

Understanding what that means is essential and Bessie has proven she is up for the challenge. In two years, the board will change over again, which will make for a very green school board. No lear ning curve needed nor any agenda here except the best interests of students.

Bessie is the real deal and an ear nest person. Please consider voting for Dr. Bessie Boyd for D102 school board. Nanc y Bramson, Brookfield

POLICE REPORTS

from page 5

Gerritsen at Madison Avenue

At first no one appeared to be inside the vehicle, police reported. On further investigation, police reported observing a man sleeping in the driver’s seat. The man woke up after police knocked on the window and he looked at police for a few seconds before the car started rolling forward slowly. The Land Rover “appeared as if it was unmanned” police reported as it rolled past Madison and Arthur avenues before striking the parked vehicle and coming to a stop. The driver declined to take sobriety tests but reportedly admitting to having drunk alcohol before getting behind the wheel.

In addition to DUI, the driver was cited for three traffic violations

■ A 54-year-old Maywood man faces DUI charges in addition to hit-and-run citations after he allegedly drove his gray Infiniti into the rear end of a Honda Fit stopped at a red light on First Avenue

at the Canadian National railroad tracks on May 19 at about 11:30 p.m.

The impact of the crash left the Honda inoperable and resting on the railroad tracks. The driver of the Infiniti allegedly proceeded to flee the scene despite his vehicle leaking fluids and the hood of his car so damaged it obscured his view of the road. Police located the vehicle a little further north of the train crossing on First Avenue

Police said the offending driver denied having drunk alcohol prior to driving, but he appeared intoxicated and could not perform field sobriety tests In addition to DUI, he was cited for leaving the scene of a crash and for failure to render aid or give information following a crash.

These items were obtained from police re ports filed by the Ri verside, North Ri verside and Brookfield police departments, March 11-19, and re present a portion of the incidents to which police responded. Unless otherwise indicated, anybody named in these re ports has only been charged with a crime. These cases have not been adjudicated.

— Compiled by Bob Uphues

Sports

Riverside girl to play in youth hockey national championships

Hauser’s Wunderlich plays for Darien 14U travel team

By BILL STONE Contributing Reporter

When Molly Wunderlich of Riverside joined the Girls Darien Hawks 14-and-under A traveling team last ice hockey season, she wanted uniform No 42 from her first days of playing in-house in Oak Park

She now wears No. 73 proudly

“I kind of just got randomly selected with it. I guess it’s the year both of my parents were born,” Wunderlich said.

The eighth grader at Hauser Junior High School and her teammates have had the number of many opponents again this season.

Playing at the AA level, the 14UA Hawks have a 45-4-4 record, captured their second consecutive Amateur Hockey Association Illinois state title March 4 in Mt. Prospect and are No 7 in the latest national rankings. Next stop for the Hawks is the USA Hockey Girls Tier II 14U 2A National Championships in Anaheim, California, later this month.

Wunderlich began playing hockey five years ago after watching older cousins play the sport.

“I love being with the team and team bonding,” Wunderlich said. “I love shooting, stick handling around people.”

Roughly half of the Hawks’ players retur n from 2022, when they qualified for the top division at nationals in West Chester, Pa., and won one of three games

In winning state this season, the Hawks went 3-0 in round-robin play and beat the St. Jude Knights 2-0 in the final after winning two of their previous four meeting with one time.

“It was really exciting to achieve,” Wunderlich said. “That one [in 2022] was a lot more exciting because we never really thought we ever could. We didn’t see it coming. We just didn’t expect our team to be as good as we were.”

This season, Wunderlich has made the transition from right wing to left wing and helped the Hawks out scor opponents 213-48. They had a 19-game unbeaten streak from Sept. 18 to Nov. 13 and another 29-game streak be fore Sunday.

“I pass it a little more than I shoot,” Wunderlich said.

At Hauser, Wunderlich has played basketball in eighth and seventh grade. Friends occasionally watch her play hockey, often at the Darien Sportsplex, the team’s home rink.

Her favorite National Hockey League team is the Washington Capitals, mainly because of veteran right winger T.J. Oshie, who was part of their 2018 Stanley Cup championship team.

“He’s really funny,” Wunderlich said. “He’s just always messing around. It’s always fun to watch clips of it.” Wunderlich plans to continue playing hockey into high school. She’s excited about the continued growth of women’s hockey, fueled by the U.S. Women’s national team reaching the finals of the last four Winter Olympic and winning the gold in 2018.

“I know it’s getting a lot better,” Wunderlich said. “Pla ers like [Kendall Coyne Schofield] are trying to make women’s professional league. There’s only a couple of teams right now but I’m sure by the time I’m at that age, there will be more.”

Molly Wunderlich

PROVIDED

With 6 returning starters, RBHS softball thinking sectional title

Senior second baseman Lianna Noel is among six retur ning star ters and 10 retur ning letterwinners for the RiversideBrookfield High School softball team.

By BILL STONE Contributing Reporter

Add three consecutive re gional titles and 2022 All-Metro Suburban Conference selections Zoe Levine, Emily Org an and Ellie Me g all, and the Bulldogs’ high expectations include what would be their first-ever

sectional championship.

“We’ve always come close, but not quite gotten there yet. I believe that it’s possible for us to do as long as we push ourselves and help each other get better each day,” Noel said. “I think we have a lot of strengths, including leadership and motivation. Staying positive and having a good attitude under any circumstance help motivate not

only yourself but others around.”

The Bulldogs finished 14-11 last season and 4-4 in the MSC. They lost to eventual state runner-up Marist 3-1 in the Class 4A Marist Sectional semifinals after beating Downers Grove South 7-1 for a regional title There was no 2020 postseason because of COSee SOFTBALLon page 20

Bulldogs o ense the team’s strength heading into 2023

After graduating 15, RBHS badminton in rebuild mode

DeJesus is lone player returning from 2022 sectional squad

By BILL STONE

Contributing

Reporter

Only junior Katie DeJesus remains from the Riverside-Brookfield High School badminton team’s 2022 six-player sectional lineup.

She’s come back a better player and leader

“As a returning varsity player, I like to teach my teammates things I’ve learned in prior years and things I’ve worked on outside of school,” DeJesus said. “I have improved in singles a lot since last season. I play at Victory Badminton Academy [in Oak Brook] and that extra training definitely helps me g et ahead during the of fseason.”

T he Bulldogs graduated 15 seniors from last season’s 15-7 team, including their other five sectional players who combined

for at least one victory each at both singles and doubles entries.

DeJesus finished 2-2 in Hinsdale Central Sectional doubles with graduated Zona Evans.

Senior Robyn Ruvoli and junior Emilia Orszulak also return from the re gularseason lineup. Key newcomers include sophomores Luna McNally and Clare Ruska.

“Our goal is to be at least .500 during the season and just g et better every time we take the court,” RBHS coach Dan Herbeck said. “The keys to a successful season will be re placing the senior leadership that we lost. We firmly believe that our best players have to be our hardest workers to set a good example for the younger pl ayers.”

T he Bulldogs opened the season March 14 beating Argo 9-6 and losing to Reavis 15-0 on March 16. Singles winners against Argo were DeJesus, juniors Hannah Frank and Bella Annoreno, Ruska, McNally and Ruvoli, who prevailed 21-19, 20-22, 21-18. Doubles winners were DeJesus-Orszulak, Ruska-McNally and senior Delilah Luna Del Castillo and junior Jessica Voth.

Local basketball players earn all-state recognition

Postseason honors for RBHS boys, Naz girls, LTHS boys and girls

By BILL STONE

Contributing Reporter

Riverside-Brookfield High School junior center Stefan Cicic was named to the Class 4A all-state second team by the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association and received honorable mention on the Associated Press all-state team.

Senior Arius Alijosius and junior Will Gonzalez were IBCA special mention.

Lyons Township High School senior Nik Polonowski was 4A IBCA second-team all-

LTHS badminton

Senior Elle Ownby returns from the Lions’ four 2022 state qualifiers and senior Aggie Driscoll also was part of the sectional lineup.

Ownby and graduated Marris Carli (1214) lost both of their state doubles matches after taking second at the Lincoln-Wa Central Sectional. They became the Lions’ No. 1 doubles team halfway through the season.

Driscoll was one sectional doubles victory from state, losing with graduated Andja Vojinovic 10-21, 21-15, 21-7.

Junior Julia Senffner, senior Sofia Garcia and junior Ellin Zhang also are returning starters. Key newcomers include sophomores Simone Brown, Mia Graziano and Audrey Shell.

“Last season’s success led to a few of the girls continuing their training outside of school at local clubs,” LTHS coach Sue McClenahan said. “[Our goals are] be competitive within [the West Suburban Conference Silver], continue to improve and have fun. The key will be to stay healthy and keep working hard.”

SOFTBALL

from page 19

VID-19 restrictions.

Katie DeJesus

(1.477).

Organ batted 417 with 27 RBIs and a 473 OBP and led the team with 37 runs scored and seven triples. Megall batted 368 with 20 RBIs, a 427 OBP and two homers and eight doubles

state and AP honorable mention. Senior Jackson Niego was IBCA third-team allstate.

In girls basketball, LTHS senior Alli Cesarini was 4A IBCA special mention and AP honorable mention.

For Class 3A state champion Nazareth Academy, senior Grace Carstensen was AP first-team all-state and IBCA second-team all-state.

Junior Amalia Dray was AP second-team and IBCA third-team. Junior Olivia Austin was AP honorable mention all-state. Austin, junior Danielle Scully and freshman Stella Sakalas were IBCA special mention all-state.

The IBCA has first, second and thirdteam all-state teams with special mention. The AP has first and second-team all-state teams with honorable mention.

“Mental toughness is going to be key,” RBHS coach Doug Schultz said. “If we can roll with the punches and handle the mistakes that happen in most games we will be a tough team to beat.”

Junior shortstop and Bradley recruit Organ, junior catcher Levine and sophomore third baseman Megall often set the offensive tone. They only struck out 21 times combined.

Levine led the Bulldogs in batting average (.468), runs batted in (36), home runs (8), doubles (12), extra-base hits (21), on-base percentage (.528) and on-base plus slugging

Noel (.314, 13 RBIs, 15 runs), senior left fielder Luna Lloyd (.314, 2 HR, 15 RBIs, 19 runs) and junior center fielder Julia Madera (.317, 10 RBIs, 427 OBP) also are returning starters.

Other returning letterwinners are junior right fielder/infielder Kelley Tyler (.275, 8 RBIs), senior catcher/ second baseman Paige Fudacz, senior utility player Mia Gonzalez and senior first baseman/outfielder/pitcher Ellary Hastings.

It’ll be a new pitching staff, with freshmen Trinity Stevenson and Abby Weinert, who both will also play infield. Sophomores Tali Herrera and Ella Jurgens also are varsity newcomers.

ELLIE MEGALL ZOE LEVINE

PART-TIME ELECTRICIAN’S HELPER

Call for more info.

708-738-3848

VILLAGE OF RIVERSIDE SEASONAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

The Riverside Department of Public Works is seeking energetic, responsible, and motivated applicants who enjoy working outdoors. This is a part-time, seasonal position lasting from approximately May through September. Applicants will be expected to work up to 40 hrs. per week or as scheduled by staff. Primary tasks will include, but not limited to: cutting grass, maintaining athletic fields, general facilities maintenance, flushing hydrants, reading water meters, installing water meters, cleaning/televising sewers, assisting full-time employees, and other duties as assigned.

Applicants must be 18 years old, possess a valid Illinois driver’s license and high school diploma or equivalent. Applicants will be subject to a criminal background check, pre-employment physical and drug/ alcohol screening.

Applications can be downloaded from the Village website at www. riverside.il.us or picked up at the Riverside Village Hall located at 27 Riverside Rd, Riverside, IL 60546. Completed applications should be submitted to the Riverside Village Hall or the Riverside Public Works Department, 3860 Columbus Blvd, Riverside, IL 60546. Applications will be accepted until all positions are filled. Pay rate is $18/hr.

The Village of Riverside is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

COLLECTIVE IMPACT MANAGER

The Village of Oak Park is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Collective Impact Manager in the Village Manager’s Office. Under the general direction of the Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Officer, the Collective Impact Manager will be responsible for building and assessing racial equity impact needs and developing a strategic plan to support those needs. This includes driving the initiatives focused on the Racial Equity Action Plan through community assessments, community engagement, data functions, and overall internal and external functions. Applicants are encouraged to apply online at https://secure.entertimeonline. com/ta/6141780.careers?ApplyToJob=537117711 or visit the Village of Oak Park’s website at http://www. oak-park.us/jobs. Interested and qualified applicants must complete a Village of Oak Park application. Open until filled.

SEASONAL FARMER’S MARKET ASSISTANT

The Village of Oak Park is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Seasonal Farmer’s Market Assistant in the Health Department. This position will provide administrative support to the Farmer’s Market Manager to allow growers and producers of food to sell directly to the public within established guidelines. This position requires work in inclement weather conditions; some heavy lifting of up to 50 pounds; walking or standing for sustained periods of time. Applicants are encouraged to visit the Village of Oak Park’s website at http://www.oak-park.us/jobs.

Interested and qualified applicants must complete a Village of Oak Park application. Open until filled.

Property Manager sought by 425 West St James LLC in Chicago, IL to pln & dir apt vwngs & leasng of resdntl real est proprts. Reqs HS

Dipl/GED or equiv & trvl to prprts w/ in Chicagoland area as needed. Mst hv perm auth to wrk in US. Snd rsm & cvr lttr to 1145 W Drummond Pl, Chicago, IL 60614.

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

CHURCH MUSICIAN Church Musician IS Available for church services. Experienced, professional, with music degree. Can teach adults and children. Reads music and plays by ear, Hymns, praise & worship anthems, spirituals, contemporary, etc. Call: 312-909-0381.

CARS WANTED

CLASSICS WANTED

CLASSICS WANTED

Restored or Unrestored Cars & Vintage Motorcycles Domestic / Import Cars:

Restored or Unrestored Cars & Vintage Motorcycles

Mercedes, Porsche, Corvette, Ferrari’s, Jaguars, Muscle Cars, Mustang & Mopars $$ Top $$ all makes, Etc. Collector James • 630-201-8122

Domestic / Import Cars:

Mercedes, Porsche, Corvette, Ferrari’s, Jaguars, Muscle Cars, Mustang & Mopars

$$ Top $$ all makes, Etc.

CLASSICS WANTED

Collector James 630-201-8122

Restored or Unrestored

Cars & Vintage Motorcycles

Domestic / Import Cars: Mercedes, Porsche, Corvette, Ferrari’s, Jaguars, Muscle Cars, Mustang & Mopars

$$ Top $$ all makes, Etc.

Collector James 630-201-8122

PUBLIC NOTICE

SUMMONS (Family Law)

CITACIÓN (Derecho familiar)

CASE NUMBER (NÚMERO DE CASO): HF22130927

NOTICE TO RESPONDENT (Name): AVISO AL DEMANDADO (Nombre): ANGELO C GALLARDO

You have been sued. Read the information below and on the next page.

Lo han demandado. Lea la información a continuación y en la página siguiente.

Petitioner’s name is: Nombre del demandante: MERCEDITA M. GALLARDO

You have 30 calendar days after this Summons and Petition are served on you to file a Response (form FL-120) at the court and have a copy served on the petitioner. A letter, phone call, or court appearance will not protect you.

If you do not file your Response on time, the court may make orders affecting your marriage or domestic partnership, your property, and custody of your children. You may be ordered to pay support and attorney fees and costs.

For legal advice, contact a lawyer immediately. Get help finding a lawyer at the California Courts Online SelfHelp Center (www.courts.ca.gov/ selfhelp), at the California Legal Services website (www.lawhelpca.org), or by contacting your local county bar association.

Tiene 30 días de calendario después de haber recibido la entrega legal de esta Citación y Petición para presentar una Respuesta (formulario FL-120) ante la corte y efectuar la entrega legal de una copia al demandante. Una carta o llamada telefónica o una audiencia de la corte no basta para protegerlo.

Si no presenta su Respuesta a tiempo, la corte puede dar órdenes que afecten su matrimonio o pareja de hecho, sus bienes y la custodia de sus hijos. La corte también le puede ordenar que pague manutención, y honorarios y costos legales.

Para asesoramiento legal, póngase en contacto de inmediato con un abogado. Puede obtener información para encontrar un abogado en el Centro de Ayuda de las Cortes de California (www.sucorte.ca.gov), en el sitio web de los Servicios Legales de California (www.lawhelpca.org) o poniéndose en contacto con el colegio de abogados de su condado.

NOTICE—RESTRAINING ORDERS

ARE ON PAGE 2: These restraining orders are effective against both spouses or domestic partners until the petition is dismissed, a judgment is entered, or the court makes further orders. They are enforceable anywhere in California by any law enforcement officer who has received or seen a copy of them.

AVISO—LAS ÓRDENES DE RESTRICCIÓN SE ENCUENTRAN EN

LA PÁGINA 2: Las órdenes de restricción están en vigencia en cuanto a ambos cónyuges o miembros de la pareja de hecho hasta que se despida la petición, se emita un fallo o la corte dé otras órdenes. Cualquier agencia del orden público que haya

recibido o visto una copia de estas órdenes puede hacerlas acatar en cualquier lugar de California.

FEE WAIVER: If you cannot pay the filing fee, ask the clerk for a fee waiver form. The court may order you to pay back all or part of the fees and costs that the court waived for you or the other party.

EXENCIÓN DE CUOTAS: Si no puede pagar la cuota de presentación, pida al secretario un formulario de exención de cuotas. La corte puede ordenar que usted pague, ya sea en parte o por completo, las cuotas y costos de la corte previamente exentos a petición de usted o de la otra parte.

1. The name and address of the court are (El nombre y dirección de la corte son): SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, 24405 AMADOR STREET, HAYWARD, CA 94544 - FAMILY LAW DIVISION

2. The name, address, and telephone number of the petitioner’s attorney, or the petitioner without an attorney, are: (El nombre, dirección y número de teléfono del abogado del demandante, o del demandante si no tiene abogado, son): SATNESH S. PRASAD, 607 LONGWOOD AVE., HAYWARD, CA 94541

Date (Fecha): OCT 21, 2022

CHAD FINKE, Clerk, by (Secretario, por) SARAH GOUVEIA, Deputy (Asistente)

[SEAL]

Published in the Wednesday Journal March 1, 8, 15, 22, 2023

PUBLIC NOTICE Notice is hereby given, pursuant to “An Act in relation to the use of an Assumed Business Name in the conduct or transaction of Business in the State,” as amended, that a certification was registered by the undersigned with the County Clerk of Cook County. Registration Number: Y23010231 on February 23, 2023

Under the Assumed Business Name of BTE MOBILE NOTARY SERVICES with the business located at: 5927 W. CHICAGO AVE, CHICAGO, IL 60651. The true and real full name(s) and residence address of the owner(s)/partner(s) is: ERIN WILLIAMS 5927 W. CHICAGO AVE, CHICAGO, IL 60651

Published in Wednesday Journal March 8, 15, 22, 2023

PUBLIC NOTICE NOTICE OF NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING

Date: Thursday, April 6, 2023

Time: 7 pm to 8:30 pm

Location: Dole Branch/Dole Center, Oak Park Library, 255 Augusta St., Oak Park, IL 60302

Subject Property Address(es): 505 N. Ridgeland, Oak Park, IL

Proposed Development: 5-story apartment building with parking

Purpose of Meeting: Pre-Planned Development Submittal Discussion

Contacts: Ambrosia Homes, Tim Pomaville, 312-437-8292, tim.pomaville@gmail. com

Published in Wednesday Journal March 22, 2023

PUBLIC NOTICE

Notice is hereby given, pursuant to “An Act in relation to the use of an Assumed Business Name in the conduct or transaction of Business in the State,” as amended, that a certification was registered by the undersigned with the County Clerk of Cook County. Registration Number: Y23010313 on March 14, 2023

Under the Assumed Business Name of AADEL ISTAMBULE with the business located at: 1500 ROBIN CIRCLE #212, HOFFMAN ESTATES, IL 60169. The true and real full name(s) and residence address of the owner(s)/partner(s) is: AADEL ABDALMONEAM ISTAMBULE 1500 ROBIN CIRCLE #212, HOFFMAN ESTATES, IL 60169

Published in Wednesday Journal March 22, 29, April 5, 2023

PUBLIC NOTICE

Notice is hereby given, pursuant to “An Act in relation to the use of an Assumed Business Name in the conduct or transaction of Business in the State,” as amended, that a certification was registered by the undersigned with the County Clerk of Cook County. Registration Number: Y23010328 on March 16, 2023 Under the Assumed Business Name of MADAM STYLES with the business located at 2545 W. CATALPA AVE. APT 4C, CHICAGO, IL 60625. The true and real full name(s) and residence address of the owner(s)/partner(s) is: TOTIANNA POLK 2545 W. CATALPA AVE. APT 4C, CHICAGO, IL 60625

Published in Wednesday Journal March 22, 29, April 5, 2023

PUBLIC NOTICE

ADVERTISEMENT OF BIDDING

Request of bids for the Park District of Oak Park’s Barrie Park Renovations, 1011 S. Lombard, Oak Park.

Owner: Park District of Oak Park 218 Madison St, Oak Park, IL 60302

The Park District of Oak Park will accept sealed bids for the Barrie Park Renovations., Oak Park. The project consists of new playgrounds, surfacing, site demolition, grading, landscaping, drainage, shade structures, fitness equipment, and more. The Park District of Oak Park will receive individual sealed Bids until 10:00 a.m. (Central time) on Friday, April 14th , 2023, at 218 Madison St., Oak Park, IL. The bidding documents and requirements will be available on the link below as of 5:00 pm Wednesday, March 22, 2023. A non-mandatory on-site pre-bid meeting for contractors will be held at 10:00 am on April 6th at 1011 S. Lombard St, Oak Park. Bid bonds will be required by bidding contractors. Copies of the bidding specifications are available via this link: https://www.demandstar.com/ app/buyers/bids/410256

For additional information, contact Chris Lindgren at chris.lindgren@ pdop.org or (708) 725 2050. Only the bids prepared in compliance with the bidding documents will be considered. This project must adhere to the Prevailing Wage Act of 2022. The Park District of Oak Park strongly encourages minority and women owned business firms to submit bids for this project.

Park District of Oak Park

By: Chris Wollmuth, Secretary Park District

of Oak Park 218 Madison

St. Oak Park, IL 60302

Published in Wednesday Journal March 22, 2023

PUBLIC NOTICE Notice to Bidders Village of Forest Park

Time and Place of Opening of Bids:

Sealed proposals for the improvement described below will be received at the office of the Village Clerk, Village Hall, 517 Des Plaines Avenue, Forest Park, Illinois 60130, until 10:00 o’clock A.M., March 30, 2023.

Bids will be accepted ONLY through QuestCDN.com via their electronic VirtuBid online bid service. A virtual bid opening will be held at the day and time of the bid closing.

Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web. zoom.us/j/81803711678?pwd=RXpHRFBVSTdSdnloTzRRY24rWWQ0Zz09

Meeting ID: 818 0371 1678

Passcode: 178991

Description of Work:

Name: 2023 Alley Improvements

Location: 900 Block Alley Dunlop-Lathrop, 1100 Block Alley Circle-Marengo

Proposed Improvement: Reconstruction of alleys with Portland Cement Concrete Pavement, subbase granular material, storm sewer and drainage structures, driveway, curb and sidewalk removal and replacement.

Bidders Instructions:

The bidding forms and documents are available from Christopher B. Burke Engineering, Ltd., at www. questcdn.com using login #8427030, upon payment of the sum of Fifty and 00/100 DOLLARS ($50.00), which is not refundable. A QuestCDN login will be required. Contact QuestCDN. com at 952-233-1632 or info@questcdn.com for assistance. Contractors must purchase bid documents and be shown on the Bidder’s Planholder List in order to bid. Bids received from contractors who are not in the Bidder’s Planholder List will be rejected.

By Order of: Village of Forest Park, Vanessa Moritz, Village Clerk, (Awarding Authority)

Published in Forest Park Review March 22, 2023

PUBLIC NOTICE

Notice to Bidders Village of Forest Park

Time and Place of Opening of Bids:

Sealed proposals for the improvement described below will be received at the office of the Village Clerk, Village Hall, 517 Des Plaines Avenue, Forest Park, Illinois 60130, until 10:00 o’clock A.M., March 30, 2023.

Bids will be accepted ONLY through QuestCDN.com via their electronic VirtuBid online bid service. A virtual bid opening will be held at the day and time of the bid closing. Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web. zoom.us/j/81803711678?pwd=RXpHRFBVSTdSdnloTzRRY24rWWQ0Zz09

Meeting ID: 818 0371 1678

Passcode: 178991

Description of Work:

Name: 2023 Water Main Replacement

Location: Ferdinand Ave/ from Roosevelt Rd. to Harrison, Wilcox Avenue from RR to Des Plaines Ave.

Proposed Improvement: Watermain replacement, water service replacements, storm sewer removal and replacement, sewer structure adjustments.

Bidders Instructions: The bidding forms and documents are available from Christopher B. Burke Engineering, Ltd., at www. questcdn.com using login #8428089, upon payment of the sum of Fifty and 00/100 DOLLARS ($50.00), which is not refundable. A QuestCDN login will be required. Contact QuestCDN. com at 952-233-1632 or info@questcdn.com for assistance. Contractors must purchase bid documents and be shown on the Bidder’s Planholder List in order to bid. Bids received from contractors who are not in the Bidder’s Planholder List will be rejected.

By Order of: Village of Forest Park, Vanessa Moritz, Village Clerk, (Awarding Authority)

Published in Forest Park Review March 22, 2023

PUBLIC NOTICE

Annual Town Meeting

Notice is hereby given to the legal voters of the Town of Riverside, in the County of Cook, and the State of Illinois, that the Annual Town Meeting of said town will take place on Tuesday, April 11, 2023, being the second Tuesday of the month, at the hour of 6:01 pm, at 27 Riverside Road, Riverside, IL, for the transaction of miscellaneous business of the said town; and after a Moderator having been elected, will proceed to hear and consider reports of the officers, and decide on such measures as may, in the pursuance of the law, come before the meeting; and especially to consider & decide on the following:

Call to Order, Pledge of Allegiance, Election of the Moderator, Oath of the Moderator, Approval of the Minutes from the Last Annual Town Meeting, New Business, Township Reports, Setting the date for the next Annual Town Meeting, and Adjournment.

Jay Reyes Clerk, Riverside Township

March 14, 2023

Published in RB Landmark

March 22, 2023

PUBLIC NOTICE

Riverside Township Budget and Appropriation Ordinance and Public Hearing

Notice is hereby given to the legal voters of Riverside Township that the Township Board has drafted a Tentative Budget and Appropriation Ordinance for the 2023 - 2024 fiscal year. Copies of said Budget and Ordinance are available for inspection during regular business hours, Monday through Thursday, 9:00 am to 4:00 pm, Friday 9:00 am to 3:00 pm, in the Township Office at 27 Riverside Road, Riverside, IL 60546. A Public Hearing on the Budget and Ordinance will be held on Tuesday, May 9, 2023, at 6:45 pm in Room 4 of the Riverside Town Hall, 27 Riverside Road, Riverside, IL.

Jay Reyes Clerk, Riverside Township

March 14, 2023

Published in RB Landmark March 22, 2023

NOTICE

The Riverside Township will hold a public hearing on Tuesday, April 11, 2023 at 7:00 p.m. in its Board Room at 27 Riverside Road, Riverside, IL 60546. The purpose of the hearing will be to receive comments on the proposal to sell the following bonds:

Not to exceed $500,000 General Obligation Bonds (Alternate Revenue Source), Series 2023 to pay the costs of maintenance, including painting, of the H. Wallace Caldwell Bridge, also known as the Riverside Township Pedestrian Bridge, over the DesPlaines River.

At the public hearing, the Township will explain the reasons for the proposed bond issue and permit persons desiring to be heard an opportunity to present written or oral testimony within reasonable time limits. The hearing may be adjourned to another date without further notice other than a motion to be entered upon the minutes fixing the time, place, and date of the reconvened meeting.

JAY REYES, Township Clerk

Published in RB Landmark March 22, 2023

PUBLIC NOTICE RIVERSIDE TOWNSHIP, COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS ORDINANCE NO. 2023-2

AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE OF NOT TO EXCEED $500,000 GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS (ALTERNATE REVENUE SOURCE), SERIES 2023 OF RIVERSIDE TOWNSHIP, COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS

WHEREAS, Riverside Township, Cook County, Illinois (“Township”), is a duly organized and existing Township created under the provisions of the laws of the State of Illinois, and operates in accordance with the provisions of the Township Code (60 ILCS 1/1-1, et seq.), the Omnibus Bond Acts (5 ILCS 70/8), and the Local Government Debt Reform Act, as amended (30 ILCS 350/1, et seq.) (collectively, the “Act”); and

WHEREAS, the Township is authorized under the provisions of §235-10 of the Township Code to levy a tax for all Township purposes in an amount not to exceed 0.25% (“Corporate Tax Levy”), which qualifies as a revenue source as defined in §3 of the Local Government Debt Reform Act; and

WHEREAS, the Board of Township Trustees (“Board”) has considered and determined that it is advisable, necessary and in the best interest of the Township to pay the costs of maintenance, including painting, of the H. Wallace Caldwell Bridge, also known as the Riverside Township Pedestrian Bridge, over the DesPlaines River (“Project”); and

WHEREAS, the estimated costs of the Project, including legal, financial, underwriting, capitalized interest, if any, bond discount, printing and publication costs, and other expenses is not less than $500,000, and there are insufficient funds on hand and lawfully available to pay such costs; and

WHEREAS, it is necessary and for the best interests of the Township that the Project be undertaken and in order to finance the cost thereof, it will be necessary for the Township to borrow not to exceed $500,000

and in evidence thereof to issue alternate bonds, being general obligation bonds payable from the Corporate Tax Levy (“Pledged Revenues”), as authorized to be issued at this time pursuant to the Local Government Debt Reform Act (“Alternate Bonds”); and

WHEREAS, if the above-mentioned Pledged Revenues are insufficient to pay the Alternate Bonds, ad valorem property taxes upon all taxable property in the Township without limitation as to rate and amount are authorized to be extended to pay the principal of and interest on the Alternate Bonds.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED by the Board of Township Trustees of Riverside Township, Cook County, Illinois, as follows:

Section 1. Incorporation of Preambles. The Board hereby find that all of the recitals contained in the preambles to this ordinance are true, complete and correct and hereby incorporate them into this ordinance by this reference.

Section 2. Determination to Issue Bonds. It is necessary and in the best interests of the Township to provide for the Project as hereinabove described, and there is hereby authorized to be issued and sold the Alternate Bonds in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $500,000. The alternate revenue source to pay debt service on the Alternate Bonds is the Corporate Tax Levy.

Section 3. Publication and Notice. This Ordinance, together with a notice in statutory form (“Notice”) shall be published once within ten days after passage in the Riverside-Brookfield Landmark, being a newspaper of general circulation in the Township, and if no petition, signed by 905 electors of the Township, the same being equal to 7.5% of the registered voters within the Township, asking that the question of the issuance of the Alternate Bonds in the amount not to exceed $500,000 be submitted to referendum is filed with the Township Clerk within 30 days after the date of the publication of this Ordinance and the Notice, then the Alternate Bonds shall be authorized to be issued. A petition form shall be provided by the Township Clerk at the principal office of the Township located at 27 Riverside Road, Riverside, IL 60546.

Section 4. Additional Ordinances.

If no petition meeting the requirements of applicable law is filed during the petition period hereinabove referred to, then the Township Supervisor and Board of Trustees may pass additional ordinances or proceedings supplementing or amending this Ordinance, providing for the issuance and sale of the Alternate Bonds, so long as the maximum amount of the Alternate Bonds, as set forth in this Ordinance is not exceeded and there is no material change in the Project or purposes described herein. Such additional ordinances or proceedings shall in all instances become effective in accordance with applicable law. This Ordinance, together with such additional ordinances or proceedings, shall constitute complete authority for the issuance of the Alternate Bonds under applicable law.

Section 5. Severability and Repealer. If any section, paragraph, clause or provision of this Ordinance shall be held invalid, the invalidity of such section, paragraph, clause or provision shall not affect any of the other provisions of this Ordinance. All ordinances, resolutions or orders, or parts thereof, in conflict with the provisions

PUBLIC NOTICES

of this Ordinance are to the extent of such conflict hereby repealed.

Section 6. Effective Date. This Ordinance shall be immediately in full force and effect after passage.

PASSED: March 14, 2023. /s/ VERA

A. WILT, Township Supervisor

ATTEST: /s/ JAY REYES, Township Clerk

NOTICE OF INTENT TO ISSUE

BONDS AND RIGHT TO FILE PETITION

Notice is hereby given that pursuant to Ordinance No. 2023-2 passed March 14, 2023 (“Ordinance”), Riverside Township, Cook County, Illinois (“Township”), intends to issue its general obligation alternate revenue bonds (“Alternate Bonds”) at one time or from time to time as funds are needed up to the amount of but in any event not to exceed $500,000 in aggregate principal amount, in order to pay the costs of maintenance, including painting, of the H. Wallace Caldwell Bridge, also known as the Riverside Township Pedestrian Bridge, over the DesPlaines River.

It is expected that the Alternate Bonds will be paid from the Corporate Tax Levy, and alternatively from ad valorem taxes levied without limitation as to rate or amount upon all taxable property in the Township.

Notice is hereby given that if a petition signed by not less than 905 electors of the Township, the same being equal to 7.5% of the registered voters within the Township, asking that the question of the issuance of the Alternate Bonds in the amount not to exceed $500,000 be submitted to referendum is not filed with the Township Clerk within 30 days after the date of the publication of this Ordinance and the Notice, then the Alternate Bonds shall be authorized to be issued for the Project. Any such petition must be filed with the Township Clerk not later than the close of business on April 21, 2023. Should a petition be so filed, the Township Supervisor and Board of Trustees would cause the question to be submitted to the electors of the Township at the Presidential Primary Election to be held on March 19, 2024. A form of petition is available to any person requesting one in the Township Clerk’s office at 27 Riverside Road, Riverside, IL 60546.

/s/ Jay Reyes, Township Clerk

Published in RB Landmark March 22, 2023

REAL ESTATE FOR SALE REAL ESTATE FOR SALE REAL ESTATE FOR SALE REAL ESTATE FOR SALE

PUBLIC NOTICE

FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF BROOKFIELD NOTICE OF SPECIAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS

Notice is hereby given that, pursuant to call of its directors, a special meeting of stockholders of First National Bank of Brookfield (the “Bank”) will be held at the Bank’s main office located at 9136 Washington Avenue, Brookfield, Illinois, on April 19, 2023, at 2:00 p.m. to consider and vote whether an agreement and plan of reorganization, whereby a holding company, to be named Brookfield Bancshares, Inc., located in Brookfield, Illinois (the “Company”) would be created, making the Bank its wholly-owned subsidiary under the provisions of the laws of the United States, shall be ratified and confirmed, and to vote upon any other matters as may properly come before the meeting. A copy of the agreement and plan of reorganization, approved by a majority of the directors of the Bank and the proposed holding company, is on file at the institution and may be inspected during business hours.

First National Bank of Brookfield

Phillip Richard President and Chief Executive Of-

ficer

Published in RB Landmark March 15, 22, 29, April 5, 2023

PUBLIC NOTICE

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING OAK PARK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL DISTRICT 97, COOK COUNTY, IL

PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN by the Board of Education (the “Board”) of Oak Park Elementary School District Number 97, Cook County, Illinois (the “District”), that it will hold a public hearing on the 11th day of April, 2023, at 7:00 p.m. at the District Office, 260 Madison Street, Oak Park, Illinois, 60302, to receive public comments concerning the intent of the Board to transfer $3,800,000 from the Tort Immunity Fund to the Operations and Maintenance Fund of the District, pursuant to Section 17-2A of the Illinois School Code (105 ILCS 5/17-2A).

Any interested person may appear at the hearing and will be heard regarding this matter. After the adjournment of the hearing, the Board may consider a resolution directing the School Treasurer to make such transfer of $3,800,000 from the Tort Immunity Fund to the Operations and Maintenance Fund of the District.

Lonya Boose Secretary Board of Education Oak Park Elementary School District 97

Dated: March 22, 2023

Published in Wednesday Journal March 22, 2023

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION

HSBC BANK USA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS TRUSTEE FOR MERRILL LYNCH MORTGAGE INVESTORS, INC., MORTGAGE

PASS-THROUGH CERTIFICATES, MANA SERIES 2007-OAR4

Plaintiff,

-v.ELLEN C. SCHNACK, RANDALL C. SCHNACK

Defendants 19 CH 14891 626 NORTH TAYLOR AVENUE

OAK PARK, IL 60302

NOTICE OF SALE

PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIV-

EN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on October 4, 2021, an agent for The Judicial Sales Corporation, will at 10:30 AM on April 19, 2023, at The Judicial Sales Corporation, One South Wacker, 1st Floor Suite 35R, Chicago, IL, 60606, sell at a public sale to the highest bidder, as set forth below, the following described real estate:

Commonly known as 626 NORTH TAYLOR AVENUE, OAK PARK, IL 60302

Property Index No. 16-05-319-0080000

The real estate is improved with a single family residence. The judgment amount was $417,344.71.

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, including the Judicial Sale fee for the Abandoned Residential Property Municipality Relief Fund, which is calculated on residential real estate at the rate of $1 for each $1,000 or fraction thereof of the amount paid by the purchaser not to exceed $300, in certified funds/or wire transfer, is due within twenty-four (24) hours. No fee shall be paid by the mortgagee acquiring the residential real estate pursuant to its credit bid at the sale or by any mortgagee, judgment creditor, or other lienor acquiring the residential real estate whose rights in and to the residential real estate arose prior to the sale. 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 The sales clerk, LOGS Legal Group LLP Plaintiff’s Attorneys, 2121 WAUKEGAN RD., SUITE 301, Bannockburn, IL, 60015 (847) 291-1717 For information call between the hours of 1pm - 3pm.. Please refer to file number 19-092500.

THE JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION

One South Wacker Drive, 24th Floor, Chicago, IL 60606-4650 (312) 236SALE

You can also visit The Judicial Sales Corporation at www.tjsc.com for a 7 day status report of pending sales.

LOGS Legal Group LLP

2121 WAUKEGAN RD., SUITE 301 Bannockburn IL, 60015 847-291-1717

E-Mail: ILNotices@logs.com

Attorney File No. 19-092500

Attorney Code. 42168

Case Number: 19 CH 14891

TJSC#: 43-1045

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 # 19 CH 14891

I3216043

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 Law Clerk at Plaintiff’s Attorney, The Wirbicki Law Group, 33 West Monroe Street, Chicago, Illinois 60603. (312) 360-9455. W22-0188 ADC

INTERCOUNTY JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION intercountyjudicialsales.com

I3215203