Wi th an eye on i ts p ast and i ts f uture, Rive rside has move d to lessen the visual impact of newly c onstructed ga rages in the village. A new ordinance approved by the village b oard March 20 encourages residents buildin g new ga rages to build d etached ga rages rather than attached, street-facing ga rages wh i le reducing the visual impact of attached ga rages from the street. T he action followe d c oncerns raised seve r al years ag o by a state preservation official about the number of tear-
Maywood resident brings ‘old-school’ apothecary to Brook eld Shops
Rites of Wellness o ers herbal wellness products from tinctures to teas
By TRENT BROWN Staff Reporter
Whether you’re seeking a personal consultation about holistic wellness or just want a custom blend of tea leaves, look no further than Rites of Wellness, one of six businesses announced for the Brookfield Shops retail incubator program opening in June this year
The apothecary’s owner and sole proprietor, Maywood resident Lea Afia Bempah, a certified clinical herbalist and member of the American Herbalist Guild, describes the store as a “one-stop shop for herbal or natural remedies” like herbs, balms, tinctures, teas and other natural goods. With a bachelor’s degree in biology and a focus on spiritual herbalism, Bempah said she brought the business to life as a way to “tap back into natural healing.”
“I was always on the path of wellness and care,” she told the Landmark. “I was going through my own illnesses, allergy stuf f, digestive issues. I went to those apothecaries; they deeply supported me, and then I said, ‘OK, I know I have it in me to continue this and learn more.’ I was really intrigued, and, easily, it became a passion of mine, and here we are.”
She started the business in 2017 in New York under the name Toussaint Tinctures, mainly focused on pop-up appearances and online sales. She moved back to Maywood in 2020 to take care of her mother, who contracted COVID-19, and brought the business with her
While in Chicagoland, Bempah completed an apprenticeship in herbalism before rebranding to Rites of Wellness in 2022, which gave her the energy to promote her brand and do more pop-up appearances like in New York. She had a breakthrough in 2024 when she became a member of the Berwyn Shops retail incubator.
“That was my first brick-and-mortar space, and it was wonderful to have that,” she said. “I knew I needed it for my business, and people really loved having a place where they can actually come to, and not just see me at some pop-up and never know
when they’ ll see me again. It was better for me, too, to have a stationary space, because I want to offer products that are healthier, so [I’m] trying to stay away from too much plastic and be more into glass.”
She said having a dedicated space to operate out of allowed her to increase her offerings – more kinds of wares alongside new consultations and workshops – and eased the physical burden of carrying her goods to and from markets around the area.
“Inside of a brick-and-mortar space, I can make custom blends for people, and that’s one of the bigger things that people came to the Berwyn Shops to get last year: custom teas, custom baths, things like that. And I can’t do that at a pop-up,” she said. S he said the experience prep ared her to have another physical location, as she had to g et shared kitchen and c ottage food licenses so she c ould sell ingestible products. S he said she also learned through having her own store how to market her c onsulting services to c ustomers who stopped in to buy g oods and that she needs another person staffin g the store alongside herself
“I had to go through all of that last year with Berwyn, and I was, like, pulling my hair out because I had no idea what I was doing,” she said. “I knew at the beginning of this year that I was applying to this program, and I knew that there was a good chance that I would get in, so I started that [licensing] process in January.”
Bempah said she had her eye set on Brookfield due to its proximity to her hometown.
“Maywood is one town over from Brookfield, so for me, it is ideal to be in my neighboring community, where even people from Maywood can access this type of medicine,” she said. “It’s not out in this direction. You’ re not going to find a — I want to say a ‘real’ apothecary — but like true, old-school, vintage type apothecaries where you will find all these different types of things in one space, it’s not really of fered out this way.”
While she said she was nervous for her five-minute presentation before the selection jury of community members, her experience pitching Rites of Wellness to the jury in Berwyn helped prepare her.
“You could tell I was nervous the whole time, and then we had a question and answer [portion] after, and I think that that’s
where they really got to connect with me and my brand and my passion, versus me just giving them my spiel,” she said.
The five-minute limit helped Bempah “zero in” on exactly what she wanted to say without worrying about filling extra space, she said.
When she got the call that she had been chosen as a vendor for Brookfield’s inaugural retail incubator program, she described her reaction as “a really deep exhale.”
“I know that this could really work here. I’m really confident that this could go over well. I want another space before I get ready to commit to a long-term lease,” she said. “I was very pleased. I was very excited and ready to get to work.”
So far, she said, she’s appreciated the level of organization and preparation that Brookfield staff have shown to the vendors as they prepare to open their shops in June. She said she’s looking forward to learning even more about the ins and outs of running a business and receiving advice directly from the community development department.
But ultimately, she has her eyes on the million-dollar question:
“I’m hoping to learn if Brookfield can be Rites of Wellness’s new home — if it makes sense for me to open up a storefront there that’d be my flagship store,” she said. “I have other things I want to do, too, under Rites of Wellness, but I want a stationed flagship apothecary, and I’m looking for a home for that.”
e Riverside Brook eld Junior Bulldogs h grade Blue basketball team won the feeder teams state championship March 23 in Champaign. Celebrating are (front row) Shae Plungis, (middle row, from le ) players Ryan Nesler, Sebastian Torres, Henr y Zib, Tyler Reingruber, Xander Plungis, Joey Pilch and Rocco DeNapoli, (back row) head coach Alex Plungis and assistant coach Carney DeNapoli, Player Lachlan McQueeney is not pictured
First state championship for feeder program of RBHS boys basketball
By BILL STONE Contributing Reporter
Xander Plungis celebrated exuberantly while also crying. Plungis and his Riverside Brookfield Junior Bulldogs fifth-grade Blue basketball teammates had just captured their historic state championship, 4231, over downstate Highland Black in the Silver Division of the Feeder State Championships, March 23, at the University of Illinois Champaign.
“I was really happy that we won it all and did wh at we we re t rying to do,” Plungis said. “It f elt kind of relieving.
But also kind of sad because I’m probably not going to pl ay with these k ids again. Eve ry k id tried their b est and that’s wh at we needed. It j ust f elt diffe rent and better to do it with the kids I did it with. I’ve neve r won anything li ke that before and to be one of the best teams in I llinois is a great feeling.”
Team members are Ro cco DeNapoli , Lachlan McQueeney, Ryan N esler, Joey Pilch, Plungis, Tyler Re in gr uber, Seb astian To rres and Henry Zi b. T hey are c oached by A lex Plungis and assistant c oach Car ney DeNapoli . This is the first state title in the tournament’s eight-year history for the Junior Bulldogs, the high school feeder program started in 2002 by director and RBHS varsity boys basketball coach Mike Reing ruber.
Riverside simplifies property transfer paperwork
Certi cate of Compliance documents will only list essential information for fastest turnaround
By TRENT BROWN Staff Reporter
Riverside’s village board has directed staff to simplify the property transfer documents issued to buyers of residential property in town before closing to avoid overloading potential residents with information.
At their March 20 meeting, trustees agreed the paperwork should include only the required information, certifying a seller’s outstanding debts have been collected and that the building permits are finalized, and exclude additional information about the property that will be communicated to buyers after a sale is final. The document, called a certificate of compliance, is issued by Riverside to property sellers, who share it with the buyer at the time of closing, according to village documents
The excluded information, which was previously required to be included, consists of general facts about the property, such as whether it falls into a flood zone, has been granted landmark status by the village, is enrolled in the residential rental registration program or has extra curb cuts that could be removed when Riverside next resurfaces the street. Buyers would also learn whether their property has been granted any special uses that are not normally allowed, non-conforming uses that cannot be re-established if the property is redeveloped or variations
from the village code
Additionall formation about amount of coverage than on the pre-sale paperw Village that including this extra property tion would Riverside pliance, dents unnecessaril
Trustees perwork a ce moving the need to inspect proper a sale c calling the document require record the documents with the Clerk’s Offic six months to create the cu
“We c that lega
The b 20 meeting, trustees direct staf ty inspections when needed rather than sale. She said the work for of code violations that need to be enforce before the sale can go through.
BEN STUMPE
Riverside board previews climate action and resilience plan
Trustees are expected to adopt the plan later this month
By TRENT BROWN Staff Reporter
Rive rside is g earing up to approve a climate action and resilience p lan later this month.
At their March 20 meeting, village trustees previewed an 80-page draft of the plan, developed by sustainability strateg y firm Nutter Consulting. Principal Melanie Nutter walked the board through the plan’s table of contents, which includes a yet-unwritten letter from village officials, the effects Riverside and the sur rounding area will experience from climate change, an inventory
a list of 45 strategies with 127 specific actions across eight general cate gories.
T he village board did not take any fo rmal action. Trustees are expected to c ons ider adopting a final draft of the p lan at a meeting in April
Those categories include efficient buildings and green energy, clean transportation, waste reduction, healthy green spaces, sustainable village operations, water and wastewater, community resilience, and social cohesion and equity, each with four to seven “umbrella strategies” that include actions Riverside can take now and over time to further each goal.
T he listed actions r ange in size and scope as well as the p otential to reduce greenhouse g as emissions, the c ost, and the timeframe over wh ich they c an occu r. Specific actions include i tems li ke promoting financial incentives for ener gy efficiency progr ams, c ollaborating
is risk assessment matrix, developed by Nutter Consulting, ranks how severely and likely di erent impacts of clim ate change w ill a ect Riverside now and in the future, from 1 meaning negligible impact to 5 meaning extreme impact.
c essible pedestrian infrastructur e, educating residents on the public health impacts of idling cars and more and even encouraging residents to shop local.
Nutter said Riverside’s list of actions was adapted from the Cross-Community Climate Collaborative (C4) framework document, put together by members of Riverside’s C4 team, including trustees Aberdeen Marsh-Ozga and Cristin Evans alongside Assistant Village Manager Ashley Monroe and resident volunteers, over the course of 2023. Riverside joined the C4 initiative in 2022.
S ome actions also c ame from the Metropolitan Mayo r’s C aucus Greenest Region C ompact Climate Action Plan fo r the Chicago Re gion (GRC 2).
“The C4 list and the GRC2 list we re much large r, so a lot of the wo rk that we did was r eally condensing strat eg ie s, dropping some strat eg i es or actions tha t really we re not going to have a lot of impact,” Nutter said.
“It c annot be overstated that i mmediate action is not required from the village for every recommended action, ” Monroe wrote in a memo to the village
b oard. “A p lan identifies c ritical info rmation and p rioritizes the most impo rtant i ssues for our municipality to address. It is a living document that will be u pdated every five year s. ”
S he emphasized that nearly half of the identified actions are “in some pa rt already in motion at the village or withi n the community.”
N utter said the next steps will involve inco rp orating any f eedback from trustees i nto the p lan as well as creating a priority action list.
“You’ve got 45 strategies, 127 actions You can’ t do all of those at once, so, really, where do you start?” she said. “The priority action list is something that we are for mulating right now, and that’s going to be a much shorter list of recommended priority actions that the village can pursue in the next two to three years.”
S he said many of these i tems will be tangible projects led by Rive rside that will target relative ly large reductions in greenhouse gas emissions
Brookfield adopted i ts own sustainability plan last April
COURTESY OF NUTTER CONSULTING
Ovation Academy expands into Forest Park
Musical theater group will be able to accommodate more classes, rehearsals and community engagement
By HECTOR CERVANTES
Contributing Reporter
Ovation Academy for the Performing Arts is expanding into a new studio space at 7419 Madison St. in Forest Park.
Founded in 2014 by Tina Reynolds, the Oak Park-based academy offers musical theater training for all ages. While Ovation Academy remains the anchor tenant at Madison Street Theater, the new space will provide additional room for classes, rehearsals, private lessons and summer camps. The storefront, for merly home to Centuries and Sleuths bookstore, had been vacant for over six months before Ovation secured the space.
A growing demand for musical theater programs post-COVID has driven Ovation Academy to seek a new, permanent space. After years of searching, which began in 2022, they found a location in Forest Park, aligning with their goal of expanding within the community and providing greater access to the arts for local children, while fostering connections with neighboring organizations.
“We found a really good place. It’s a storefront, so we’re excited to be right on Madison Street,” Reynolds said. “We’re also excited to welcome new people to Ovation and to expand, giving us a little more
Madison Street Theater, where we are the anchor tenant.”
Madison Street Theater, a nonprofit performing arts venue, houses Ovation Academy, its educational program. As the theater expands and launches a new arts season, Ovation Academy has outg rown its current space.
To accommodate its growth, the academy’s new location will allow for additional rehearsals, classes and private lessons. The new space will support a wider range of musical theater programs, including Broadway Academy productions. This expansion aims to enhance arts education and provide more opportunities for aspiring performers in the community.
“We produce around 11 to 14 musicals per year,” she said. “During that time, we also run a program called the Junior Theater Festival Company Members Experience, which is a more intimate and intensive group for performers ages 8 to 18. They participate in a musical theater festival, allowing us to expand and hold additional rehearsals. This gives us greater flexibility, and we’re really excited to be in Forest Park.”
When asked about the impact Ovation Academy will have on the art scene in Forest Park and the surrounding Oak Park area, Reynolds responded that she sees as contributing to community
building and prioritizing a safe inclusive environment that gives students a sense of belonging and empowers them beyond their after-school activities.
“It’s a place for everyone, a place for people to find their voice. Within that community, we offer classes for kids and adults as well. We have a very popular adult musical theater class that takes place on Mondays, which is essentially musical theater for grownups. We’re excited to bring quality arts experiences to Forest Park and create a little bit of magic,” Reynolds said.
The new studio space, with its full dance studio and two smaller rooms, provides versatile opportunities for music classes and solo rehearsals
“With productions like Le gally Blonde, the Musical Junior and Sweeney Todd coming up, the new space will help tremendously in preparing students for these shows,” Reynolds said. “We’re so excited for this expansion, especially since our Sweeney Todd cast has 50 high school students and Le gally
Blonde has 55 middle school students. Fitting that many students together at Madison Street Theater can be a real puzzle, so the new space will make planning much easier,” Reynolds said.
This summer, the academy is expanding its offerings at Forest Park, including camps for younger and less experienced students The new space allows Ovation to provide its full range of programs to younger and newer families, something that was previously impossible due to limited capacity at the Madison Street location.
“We’ re super excited to eng age with the Forest Park community and I hope everyone comes to Madison Street Theater to see Le gall y Blonde at the end of April. Then, of course, there’s Sweeney Todd, which is especially exciting because it’s an all-high school cast. I know there are great programs at neighboring high schools, but these kids are truly the best of the best, and it’s going to be outstanding,” Reynolds said.
ERICA BENSON
River Forest resident Alice Bath and Ovation Academy Ballet Instructor Chloe Jancosek use the new studio space in Forest Park.
Apartment for Rent
Apartment for Rent
downs in Rive rside and the impact of multi-car ga rages and on the character of the village Trustees voted to a ments to the village code, new attached, street-facing be set back by at least fi front facade of a single-fami incentivize the construction of detached ga rages b ehind new homes lowing extra building co
T he amendments also limit the of ga rage d oors that are visible from the street to nine f eet, meaning tw ga rages that c an be seen have two d oors rather than a d oor longer than nine feet.
Additionally, all new side will have to match the style of home they belong to with the same or similar materials, roof
Vi llage Planner A nne Cyran said the amendments o riginated with a visit from the State Historic fice to Rive rside in 2017. at a meeting in Fe bruary that the ments c ame from a member of historic preservation commission.
demolished home (top) to the one built in its place (bottom) with an emphasis on the space taken up by the dr iveways and more prominent garage.
“SHPO staf f expressed concer the number of d emolitions in the village and the number of new houses with front-loaded, attached ga rages with w ide curb c uts, wh ich they f elt we re out of character for Rive rside,” she said. “Thi s t ype of development creates more pavement in front ya rd s, and they give vehicles and vehicle storage more visual prominence in the street.”
S he clarified that Rive rside ’s national historic landmark status, wh ich S HPO staf f said c ould be threatened by “the c umulative effect” of c ontinued ga ragec entric development, is re g ulated by the National Pa rk Service rather than S HPO
Cyran told trustees the concerns arose after Rive rside saw six homes d emoli shed and seven new front-loaded garages built in 2015. After 2016 and 2017, wh ich each saw three d emolitions and two new front-loaded ga rage s, two or fewe r homes have b een d emolished each year in Rive rside, and no new front-load-
ed ga rages have been built, she said. At the meeting, members of the village b oard praised Cyran for her dilig ence in finding specific info rm atio n about how and why the initial c oncerns, wh ich trustees discussed in Fe bruar y, c ame about.
“You literally found the exact individual who spoke with us eight years ago. I want to reiterate my fervent belief that we have the best staf f in the state,” Trustee Me g an Claucherty said. “I appreciate [your] going another level deeper to understand that the comments were made by a different governing body and really seeing it all the way through and then fully presenting the comprehensive 10 years’ of data showing the trend.”
Early voting totals jump across suburban Cook County
Early voting is up across the suburbs compared to 2023’s suburban elections.
By BRENDAN HEFFERNAN Staff Reporter
Ea rly voting totals across suburban Chicagoland surged c ompared to the turnout in 2023’s s pring municipal elections, a ccording to the C ook C ounty C lerk’s Of fic e.
Every other year, elections are held for local governments in Illinois, including races for municipal, school, park, library, township leadership posiions. While 57,400 Cook Country residents voted early ahead of April 4, 2023’s election, 97,696 did so ahead of April 1’s suburban elections, according to election statistics.
Early voting began the morning of Monday, March 17 and ended at 5 p.m. Monday, March 31. Here’s how the early voting numbers at west suburban polling places turned out compared to stats from 2023’s spring municipal election:
■ Brookfield Village Hall: Up to 2,156
from 1,651 in spring 2023.
■ Oak Park Village Hall: Up to 2,470 from 1,407 in spring 2023.
■ Maywood Public Library: Up to 1,060 from 578 at the Maywood Courthouse in spring 2023.
■ Pavek Community Center: Up to 978 from 513 at Berwyn City Hall in spring 2023.
■ Elmwood Park Recreation Center: Up to 1,347 from 835 at Elmwood Park Village Hall in spring 2023.
■ Lyons Village Hall: Up to 1,034 from 757 in spring 2023.
■ Cicero PSO Building: Down to 688 from 702 in spring 2023.
■ Cicero Community Center: Down to 507 from 521 in spring 2023
Students care about their neighbors in need. Ending hunger by
We started in a local church basement Our first year we provided food to 860 neighbors in need. Then we became a separate non-profit charity. We moved into a former factor y building that we now own and are restoring. And last year, we served 4,937 neighbors in need But here’s the thing about all of that
“Stigmatizationisacommunicabledisease .”
Students care about their neighbors in need.
Students care about their neighbors in need.
“Stigmatizationisacommunicabledisease .”
— RBHS Student / Social Media Post
Students care about their neighbors in need.
Students care about their neighbors in need.
We started our food pantry to alleviate hunger in our suburban region. But our bigger goal is to end the causes of hunger in our region.
Hunger is a local problem.
Students care about their neighbors in need.
In the 15 villages we serve , there are over 7,000 people living below the poverty line. Tens of thousands more people are living in low-income households *
With the suppor t of volunteers , strategic partners , and donors , our strategies for change have begun to work . Those strategies include a grocery store format where neighbors choose the food they need. Including nutritionally- guided food inventories . An earlychildhood supplies center. And a Resource Hub where neighbors can get help to escape the causes of their hunger
In the months building up to our 10th, we will repor t to you our progress on these and other fronts And we will bring for ward the voices of our neighbors in need Because it ’s not the longevity of our food pantry that we celebrate this year. It is our neighbors in need, and their stories of hope , that we honor and celebrate.
* Poverty is defined by the U.S. Census Bureau as family income less than 100 percent of the federal poverty threshold, as determined by the U S Census Bureau Low income is defined as family income less than 200 percent of the poverty threshold. The current poverty threshold in Illinois is $32,150 for a family of four.
Student / Social Media Post We' reallneighborshere . Todossomosvecinosaqui .
That tells us we need to do better. We' re all neighbors here . Todos somos vecinos aqui .
We' reallneighborshere . Todossomosvecinosaqui .
We' reallneighborshere . Todossomosvecinosaqui .
We' reallneighborshere . Todossomosvecinosaqui .
We' reallneighborshere . Todossomosvecinosaqui .
.org
sharefoodsharelove .org
sharefoodsharelove .org
.org Get the facts about hunger in our area...
sharefoodsharelove .org
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LIFE with Lisa Capone
Senior Living: The Sooner, The Better
Moving to a senior living community may not be your first choice, but delaying the decision has drawbacks. Your well-being is at stake—senior communities provide essential services that enhance physical, emotional, and social health. Waiting too long could mean missing out on support that improves your quality of life.
Additionally, postponing the move can make the transition more difficult. Moving is a big step, and delaying it may lead to unexpected challenges. By making the move earlier, you can adjust at your own pace and fully enjoy the community’s amenities.
Social connections are vital at any age, and senior living offers a built-in network of friendships. Procrastination could mean missing out on meaningful relationships that bring joy and companionship.
Ultimately, moving sooner allows you to embrace a more comfortable, engaging, and fulfilling lifestyle—why wait to enjoy all that senior living has to offer?
Visit Cantata.org for more senior living advice or call (708) 387-1030.
Spring 2025 Design Trends Are Blooming at Divine Consign
Spring 2025 is all about light, livable luxury, and Divine Consign has the pieces to bring these trends home. is season, interiors are leaning into so curves, natural textures, and calming color palettes. ink muted pastels, organic shapes, and breezy linen fabrics that invite comfort and relaxation.
Mixed materials like marble and wood are making a strong statement, especially in co ee tables, consoles, and accent chairs. Woven details, rattan accents, and vintageinspired lighting are also trending, adding charm and texture to every room. Multifunctional furniture continues to shine, with compact dining sets, nesting tables, and stylish storage solutions perfect for creating space-savvy homes.
Visit our expansive 20,000+ SF showroom located at 1800 S. Harlem Ave. in North Riverside, IL or shop online to nd the perfect pieces to elevate your home.
Kellie Scott, Owner
Divine Consign
‘Dripping black substance’
an engineering firm to re p lace the building’s exterior envelope to eliminate the ongoing problem.
In an unfiled for mal le g al c omplaint the l ibrary b oard approved March 19, the l ibrary alle ged the problem was created by professional negligence in the d esign and construction of the new library
In the c omplaint, wh ich has not b een filed with C ook C ounty c ourts, the library claimed Chicago-based architecture firm Product Architecture and Design (PA D) and Elgin-based c onstruction firm IHC C onstruction C ompanies LL C breached their c ontracts and failed to prevent or we re negligent in preventing
Subcontractor firms L.J. Morse Construction Co. and BOFO Waterproofing LLC also signed the tolling ag reement alongside material supplier W.R. Meadows, Inc.
According to the complaint, the substance oozing from the library’s facade is the result of the use of W.R. Meadows’ AirShield liquid membrane, MaxLife Industries’ ArmorSeal sealant and its ArmorWall NP sheathing product line, which was discontinued in 2021 after MaxLife was acquired by DuPont. At high temperatures, which the library alle ged PAD’s design induced in the wall system due to “[in]sufficient air space,” the materials are known
KIM COUGHRAN
to liquefy in contact with each other.
In early 2025, the library hired engineering, architecture and materials science firm Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associated, Inc. According to the complaint, the firm tested samples of the dripping substance and found it included all three materials.
Coughran said library employees noticed the black substance “more or less as soon as the building project was complete” in July 2021. She declined to comment on the record as to why the library did not initiate le g al action until this year
At the March 19 meeting, the l ibrary b oard also approved a request for q ualifications from engineering firms to rep lace the l ibrary’s exterior envelope so the black substance is eliminated. Th e request gives i nterested firms until May 2 to submit info rm ation, and the b oard will pick one firm after doing i nterviews on May 19.
C oughran said the new wo rk would be d one to the building’s exterior but that l ibrary officials do n’ t yet know how it c ould affect the l ibrary’s operations. Sh e said she expected the wo rk to be c omp leted in 2026.
In Fe bruary 2020, nine days after the l ibrary b oard awarded IHC i ts c ontract, Cicero-based ALL C onstruction Group submitted a for mal protest with the b oard over i ts decision. Through i ts attorney, the group said it was the lowest
responsible bidder for the project. It claimed the l ibrary’s owner ’s re presentative, Dan E allonardo, should have rec used himself from recommending the award to IHC because he wo rked for the fir m for 16 year s.
T he protest also argued the l ibrary b oard did not c omply with a local law requiring them to provide a f ull list of reasons why ALL C onstruction was p assed over d ue to a state gr ant the l ibrary had rece ived for the project.
T he l ibrary b oard’s attorney, Ro ge r Ritzman, told the Landmark at that time that ALL C onstruction’s bid did not meet the library’s standards for the project.
In March 2020, ALL C onstruction’s attorney a ddressed an appeal letter to Illinois State L ibrary Director Greg McCo rm ick, claiming E allonardo provide d IHC with an inde p endent estimate of the project c osts before the l ibrary sought c ompetitive bids.
Ritzman responded that E allonardo had reached out to IHC and another firm, wh ich declined the request, to ask for second opinions about cost estimates provided by a consultant in June 2019.
An Illinois State Library re presentative said T hursday the Landmark would need to make a public records request to learn what outcome, if any, resulted from the letter. IHC ultimately handled the new Brookfield library’s construction.
COURTESY OF LINDA SOKOL FRANCIS BROOKFIELD LIBRARY
Taxes done by a CPA
State champs from page 4
“That’s definitely the best feeling I’ve had in my career,” Tyler Re in gr uber said. “It was j ust crazy with all of the p eople I’ve seen throughout the year s in Junior Bulld og s and all of the teams, that we we re the first team to ever win a state championship. ”
Teams must win state-qualifying tournaments to participate at state. In their feeder/school teams division, the Bulldogs beat the Orland Park Eagles 45-36 in the semifinals and the Hillsboro Hilltoppers 39-32 and Taylorville 32-26 in pool play.
Most Bulldogs were part of three 2024 fourth-grade state teams. T hey were a combined 1-11 with many on teams that were winless
“It’s a big accomplishment (one year later) and they worked really hard for it. It was relief, it was joy and it was a lot of tears,” Alex Plungis said. “There was something special where I don’t think they were going to lose or it was going to take monumental ef fort to beat us.”
Mike Reingruber began the Junior Bulldogs with 18 players and one seventh- and eighth-grade team. There now are more than 150 players on 15 teams ranging from eighth to third grade, which has included second g raders at times.
Last year, the eighth-grade Blue team reached the finals but lost to Oswe go East.
“[Our fifth graders] have grown up in our gym, in my house, in our locker room. They breathe RB basketball. That’s what is so special,” said Reing ruber, Tyler’s father “I’m super-g rateful for all of our coaches and players. Our fifth-grade coaches from all three teams (Plungis, DeNapoli, TJ Johnson, Kris Kaczmarzcyk, Kevin Sherman and Mikey Berscheid) as well as every single player on the Black and White teams contributed to this state title. They push the kids every single day in practice.”
Tyler Reingruber (13 points, 6 rebounds), Zib (10 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists) and Xander Plungis (9 points) paced the Bulldogs in the title game. At halftime, the Bulldogs trailed by four points.
“Everyone was kind of mad, but we came back with the same energy,” Xander Plungis said. “The energy, hustle, defense, passing, I feel, were the best we’ve done all year and I feel li ke it came at the best time possibl e.”
With the Bulldogs only up one, Reingru-
ber delivered 3 three-pointers in the final two minutes. The third came just after a Highland timeout.
“It’s just a great feeling and then to have my teammates there with me, we all contributed,” Tyler Reingruber said. “The [shooting] work that I put in throughout the season, the offseason, just helped me reach that goal.”
Season leaders were Reingr uber (9.4) and Plungis (8.9) in scoring averag e, Torres (244) in rebound s, Reingr uber (81) and Zib (71) in assists, Reingr uber (49) in three-pointers and Torres (60), Reingr uber (57), Zib (56) and Nesler and Plungis (54 each) in steals.
The Bulldogs’ 32-18 record also included winning the CYBN West Suburban Winter League and seven other tournaments. Their schedule includes AAU all-star teams besides other feeder/school programs. Alex Plungis, who moved to Riverside from La Grange, has coached with DeNapoli the past three seasons.
“I c ould n’ t imagine doing it with anybo dy else because I’m d emanding in terms of prep aration,” he said. “For me, it ’s j ust joy for the k ids but more impo rtantly all of those families that have given us the o pportunity to spend so much time to teach them the g ame and to be young men and good teammates.”
Players agreed the support of parents, friends and other Bulldogs teams at the championship game contributed to the victory.
Zib attended last year’s eighth-grade finalist, which included friends of his brother
“They pl ayed their hearts out. I think we really avenged it and won it fo r them,” Z ib said. “Our ener gy was super high and everybo dy gave their f ull ef fo rt . I think I’m going to remember p utting in my ef fo rt and to neve r stop p ushing as hard as I can.”
“Our Junior Bulldog program is truly a family,” Mike Reingruber added. “Seeing all the parents and kids from many of our other teams and grade levels who stuck around to watch the state championship and cheer these kids on was just an unbelievable feeling. It is absolutely incredible to have such a strong parent and player support network.”
They led the storming of the court after the victory. Among the first to congratulate Xander Plungis was his friend Owen Bloom from the fifth-grade White team.
“When he came and hugged me, I couldn’t tell if it was real or not because I was so happy. We were all so happy,” Plungis said. “I’m so thankful for all of the people who stayed [to support us]. I’m so happy that we got the win.”
PO LICE REPO RT S
Hit-and-runner ees police in residential Riverside
Riverside police arrested a man March 23 after he struck another vehicle, fled and evaded arrest.
Three officers were dispatched around 3:53 p.m. to the 3200 block of Harlem Avenue on a report of a hit-and-run with a car fleeing into Riverside after rear-ending another car. While en route, one officer located a car matching the description of the one that fled with front damage. After pulling the car over near the intersection of East Quincy Street and Riverside Road, the officer spoke with the driver while a BNSF train went by.
According to police, the man fled north in his car once the train passed, going around the gates that remained lowered due to another approaching train. As police followed, the car drove through the stop sign at East Burlington Street and Longcommon Road before turning right and going east.
Another officer found the car pulling over in front of Riverside Foods before it accelerated away as the officer approached in their squad car. The officer tried to block the man’s car from leaving, but it went around the squad car into the oncoming lane to get ahead. The officer followed the car to the corner of East Burlington Street and Cowley Road, where it once again ignored a stop sign before turning right and heading south. The car again drove around the lowered gates at the railroad crossing before ignoring another stop sign and turned left onto East Quincy Street to continue east.
The officer tried to pass the man’s car in order to slow down and stop it, but the car continued to weave into oncoming traffic. The car turned right to head south down Herbert Road; the officer continued east to try and block the car at the intersection of Delaplaine and Lawton roads but learned from another officer that the car had ignored the stop sign at the intersection of Lawton and Herbert roads before crashing into a tree.
Residents in the area told police the driver had fled south on foot through residential yards to Olmsted Road before heading east and turning south onto Delaplaine
Road and east onto Blackhawk Road. An officer made contact with the man on the 400 block of Blackhawk Road; the officer saw the man had his hands in his pockets and threatened to tase the man if he did not get on the ground and place his hands behind his back.
Police arrested the man and found the keys to the crashed car on his person. The officer smelled alcohol on the man’s breath before police transported him to central lockup in Berwyn. While there, the man declined to take field sobriety tests and told police he did not know why he was being arrested and that he had not been driving.
Police charged the man with 17 citations for speeding, reckless and unpredictable driving, fleeing a crash, driving drunk, ignoring the lowered train gates, disre garding the stop signs, driving an uninsured vehicle and resisting arrest. They released him with a March 31 court date.
These items were obtained from the Ri verside Police Department re ports dated March 23; they re present a portion of the incidents to which police responded. Anyone named in these re ports has only been charged with a crime and cases have not yet been adjudicated. We re port the race of a suspect only when a serious crime has been committed, the suspect is still at large and police have provided us with a detailed physical description of the suspect as they seek the public’s help in making an arrest.
Compiled by Trent Brown
Oak Park activists host local ‘Hands O !’ protest Saturday
Gathering in Scoville Park opposes Trump and Musk e orts
By DAN HALEY Senior Advisor and Interim Editor
When Americans turn out Saturday to protest the actions of the Trump Administration during the nationwide Hands Off! event, Oak Park will be represented. Local critics of President Donald Trump and of his counterpart, Elon Musk, will gather at noon at Scoville Park, Oak Park Avenue and Lake Street.
Cynthia Breunlin, an Oak Park activist for a good long time, is more than ready to lead the protest but decided last week that she and other older activists in the village were not up for the trip to the Loop protest.
“Several of us who are older realized we could not get to the Federal Plaza,” said Breunlin, 77. So, spontaneously, she reached out to MoveOn.org, an organizer of the national event, sought its OK
through its “Plan Your Event” feature and 24 hours later was recruiting a crowd. As of Monday morning, more than 250 people had re gistered to take part.
“We hope to fill the park,” said Breunlin. “And we might wind up marching to Harlem.”
Four years ago, Breunlin and others organized Congregations Networking for Social Justice. It is now about 100 members strong and represents lay members of faith organizations in Oak Park, Forest Park and River Forest. That group is the sponsor of Saturday’s Hands Off! protest.
“This is not along political lines,” said Breunlin. “But about our rights around our democracy, which are being taken away.” She offered a lengthy list of issues protesters want Trump and Musk to steer away from.
“Our libraries, public lands, Medicare, Medicaid, VA benefits, the Education Department and our public schools, our bodies, Social Security,” she said.
Also joining in support of Hands Off! is the non-partisan Oak Park-River Forest League of Women Voters. So while reminding members in its March newsletter that
“the league is about positions, not politicians or political parties,” it asked its members not to wear “league paraphernalia” while protesting either in downtown Chicago or at Scoville Park
Breunlin, who worked in housing programs for the village of Oak Park for 10 years, has been involved in fair housing issues across the metropolitan area for decades.
Asked why people who may feel over-
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whelmed by the news coming out of Washington should turn out on Saturday, Breunlin said, the protest “empowers people to have a voice. We don’t need to educate people about the issues, but we do need to respond with moral outrage. In these times we must take action.”
And, she made the point, “Retirees should not retire.”
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It’s the people—our clients, our team, and the relationships we’ve built along the way. Watching our team grow in skill and purpose while helping clients protect and improve their homes gives us a deep sense of fulfillment. At PACC, we’re not just building homes—we’re building trust, relationships, and a lasting legacy.
(Mark) Domeier, Tom (Christy), Katie (Tim) Selover, and Lizzy (Sean) O’Brien; the grandmother of Bobby (Cathleen), Katie (Alex), Tricia, Tommy, Kelly (Joe), Jim, Rosie (Nate), Marc, Molly, Johnny, Megan, Jack, Matt, Tim, Dan, Owen, Finn, Colin, Cavan, Elizabeth, Peter, Shannon, Luke, Ben, and the late Danny and Mary Carole McGovern; the great-grandmother of Heidi, Claire and Paisley; the sister of the late Jack (Dorothy) Cunningham, late Gerald Cunningham, late Marita (late Ed) Spirko, and the late Bernard Cunningham; and the aunt of many.
Rosanne McGovern, 89
Girls Little Leag ue co-founder, La Leche leader
Rosanne McGovern (nee Cunningham), 89, of Riverside, died on March 21, 2025. Bor n on Feb. 25, 1936, she was a resident of Riverside where she raised her family and a devoted member of St. Mary Church. She was a foster mother to many, a Riverside Park District Board member, a La Leche leader since 1961, a Girl Scout leader, and an advocate for fathers in the delivery room. She helped make girls Little League to reality and was an inspiration to many. She loved children, babies, books, history and art.
Rosanne was the mother of Mary (late Tom) Ilich, Meg (Scot) Crowell, John (Joanne), Maureen (Tricia Sulita), Rita
Visitation will be held at Conboy-Westchester Funeral Home, 10501 W. Cermak Road, Westchester on Friday, April 4 from 3 to 8 p.m. On April 5 at 12 p.m. a funeral Mass will be celebrated at St. Mary Church, 126 Herrick, Riverside. Inter ment private at Queen of Heaven Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorials are appreciated to Cantata, St. Mary Church, and to an organization that supports women.
Joe Falbo, 56
Jazz musician, Bible student
Joseph A. Falbo Jr., 56, of Riverside, died on March 1, 2025. Joe graduated from RiversideBrookfield High School in 1987 and became a certified network computer technician for several years. He then became a certified ultrasound technician, a certified nuclear medicine technologist, a certified MRI technologist, and worked at several hospitals
He was a huge Chicago Blackhawks hockey fan and had a big heart for animals like cats and dogs. He had a passion for shooting
guns at the range, gun safety, and was very meticulous about cleaning them. Having stimulating conversations and great fellowship with many friends at Tony’s Restaurant in Brookfield was one of his favorite things to do. He was a very talented jazz organist, pianist, and keyboard player and loved performing at Milt Treniers and Andy’s Jazz Club in downtown Chicago with his younger brother Rick, as well as doing digital audio mastering for musicians. He would later become an ophthalmic eye technician and spent four
years working for a private ophthalmologist in Glenview, then three years at Hines Hospital serving veterans, whom he loved and respected.
He graduated from Concordia University River Forest with a double major in theology and psychology, studied ancient Greek, modern Greek, and first century Koine Greek at the Socrates Greek School in Chicago and was the lead teacher of a small house church. His greatest passion was studying God’s holy word and sharing his knowledge with others.
Joe was the son of Jose ph A. and the late Catherine “K ay ” (nee Lachnit) Falbo; the brother of Richard J. Falbo; the ne phew of Gloria (Richard) Rossi and the late Betty L ou Batson, Beve rly and the late Fe rdinand Lachnit, the late Francis “Fritz” Lachnit, Marie (Tony) Mandarin o, and Ve ra and the late James Vi tti; and the cousin of many.
Visitation was held at Conboy-Westchester Funeral Home, 10501 W. Cermak Road, Westchester on March 9. Interment at Queen of Heaven Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers donations may be made to www.whisperingponiesranch.com.
Ar r angements we re handled by the O riginal Ku ratko Family, B rian D. Kuratko-Director
CO RRECTI ON
Cor rection: An article titled “Brookfield buys 2 properties near Congress Park station” that ran in print March 26, 2025, included a graphic that misrepresented the properties Brookfield purchased and included private property. A corrected graphic is available online at rblandmark.com. The Landmark apolo gizes for the er ror.
To run an obituary
Please contact Ken Trainor by e-mail: ktrainor@wjinc.com, before Monday at noon. Please include a photo if possible.
Sports
RBHS volleyball back on court with another large senior group
LTHS tries for third straight state trip a er reaching 2024 quarter nals
By BILL STONE Contributing Reporter
Senior all-conference middle hitter Alec Oltrogge finds strength in the Riverside Brookfield High School boys volleyball team’s experienced roster.
“My encouragement comes from the
drive I get from within my teammates,” Oltrogge said. “We have a lot of great guys with all different experiences that are just really hungry for victory. I think it’s just really awesome to see such incredible people that I get to play with in the most teamcentered sport there is. And I’m encouraged to do my best.”
With eight seniors, the Bulldogs have a veteran group from last year’s 13-24-1 team that lost to Sandburg 25-21, 25-21 in the Sandburg Regional semifinals. Now in the Upstate Eight Conference, the Bulldogs won their final Metro Suburban Conference season with a 3-1 record after capturing their first conference title ever in 2023 with a perfect 7-0 record among eight MSC teams
The Bulldogs (4-2) won their season opener 25-12, 25-22 over visiting Morton on March 26 and went 3-2 at the Marist Invite Friday and Saturday.
“We want to compete for the conference championship always and four quality tournaments. We want to be competitive in those,” RBHS coach Dan Bonarigo said. “Just play hard, be in every game, give ourselves a chance to win.”
Oltrogge was among the Bulldogs’ three 2024 All-MSC players after being third on the team with 111 kills and a team-best 48 blocks.
“He’s been a mainstay for us. He’s a good leader, good blocker, good hitter,” Bonarigo said. Seniors James Long (104 kills), Jack Schejbal (97 kills), Cole Rubio (55 kills, 17 aces), Liam Keohane (275 assists, team-best 22 aces, 113 digs) and TJ Austin (109 digs) also saw significant time among the Bulldogs’ numerous starting lineups.
Senior Jesus Jimenez also is a returning letter winner. Newcomers are senior Nick Rivera, juniors Noah Beals, John Bielobradek and Quinn Shipley and sophomore Giancarlo Crancich.
“We’re a very offensive-focused team,” Oltrogge said. “We’ve got a lot of big guys that can really put the ball down and great passers in our back row that can just move very quickly and get almost every ball.”
In the opener, the Bulldogs’ starting lineup was Oltrogge, Long, Rivera, Rubio, Schejbal and Crancich with Austin at libero and Keohane, Bielobradek and Jimenez subbing in the back row. Crancich takes over at setter from the junior varsity.
“He’s doing a nice job, getting used to setting these guys. I think our outsides [Rubio and Schejbal] have really improved,” Bonarigo said.
“Serving and passing [are our keys]. When we kind of let [Morton] back in the game, our passing broke down and we couldn’t run our of fense. We served well and then we missed three times in a row and then it was a close game.”
Another key is how rapidly the 6-foot-5 Rivera develops. The football and basketball player is in his first volleyball season after nearly considering the sport as a freshman.
Continued on next pa ge
STEVE JOHNSTON
RBHS’s Cole Rubio (10) follows through on a spike against Morton’s Kyle Park (7) during a nonconference game March 26 in Riverside
STEVE JOHNSTON
RBHS’s Alec Oltrogge (17) and Jack Schejbal (13) go up for the block attempt against Morton during a nonconference game March 26, in Riverside.
New hopes, new conference for experienced RBHS tennis
2024 2A doubles all-stater Sweigard returns to singles for LTHS
By BILL STONE Contributing Reporter
Riverside Brookfield High School senior Nathaniel Smolarek is working on improving his serve this tennis season. For his fourth season and third on varsity, there’s still a feeling of starting anew, especially with the Bulldogs joining the Upstate Eight Conference.
“I’m excited to practice with my friends, as well as hopefully get more matches with the new conference. And hopefully win some matches,” said Smolarek before the Bulldogs’ 3-2 season-opening victory March 21.
“I’ve had some pretty good records over the years. Last year was a little rough. [But] losses are just lear ning experiences for the future.”
The Bulldogs have just three seniors but seven returning starters — Smolarek, projected to play No. 3 singles this season, sophomore Humza Ahmad (No. 1 singles), sophomore Linden Leander and junior Charles DeButch (No. 1 doubles), junior James McKinney (No. 2 singles), sopho-
Continued from previous pa ge
“He’s an incredible athlete. I think he could pick up any sport and play it really well,” Oltrogge said. “We’re very senior heavy this year but it’s good because especially on the floor, we’ve been playing with each other since freshman year and developed a really strong bond.”
LTHS boys volleyball
After back-to-back trips to the state finals, the Lions are clearly focused going into this season. Last year, the Lions lost in the state quarterfinals 25-20, 22-25, 25-15 to third-place Glenbard West after finishing a program-best second in 2023.
more Jake Carollo (No. 2 doubles) and senior Matthew Mohica (No. 3 doubles).
Junior Gavin Armstrong and sophomores Maxwell Kaplan and Jack Sandusky are key newcomers.
They were without a conference in 2024, but the Bulldogs now have a three singlesfour doubles dual format with the UEC.
“We have great depth this year, which will be key for conference,” RBHS coach Sam Weiss responded. “[Our goals are] win conference, be aggressive, improve tennis IQ, play the percentages. [Our keys are] consistency and improving our match strateg y and mental toughness.”
Ahmad and Leander played No. 1 doubles much of 2024. At the 2A Lyons Township Sectional, they won their first match 7-6 (9), 6-3 before losing in the round of 16.
“The biggest thing I’m looking for this year is impr ovement,” Ahmad said. “I’m j ust excited to improve my ser ve, my ground strokes and j ust become a b etter pl ayer. And hopefully the results will follow. ”
“[State] was a fantastic experience. The fact that over half of this year’s team got to be a part of that first-hand really helped set the standard for this year,” LTHS senior Vaughn Guilfoile said. “We learned that making a deep state run is a very possible outcome. Every team thinks they have a chance, but now we know exactly what it takes to make it there.”
T he Lions graduated several key players from their 34-6 season but six returnees also saw action in that state quarterfinal — Guilfoile, seniors Tyler Chambers, Cooper Komsthoeft and Gavin Monckton and juniors Brody Lee-Caracci and Owen Carroll. Also back from the postseason roster are seniors Patrick Ahrens, Brenik Griffin, Tobey McLaughlin and Matthew Rife. Newcomers are juniors Weston Aram, Michael
Also returning this season is Ahmad’s father, Umer Ahmad, who works as a volunteer assistant coach.
“He’s really helping out the program and everyone wants to succeed with him,” said McKinney, personally going after his first winning record. “We’ve got a lot of improvements, everyone wanting to try their best.”
With the expanded lineup, others like Armstrong are trying to make the most of their first varsity chances.
“I feel like everyone on the team likes each other so that makes it easier to play,” Armstrong said. “I’ll want to win most of my matches and I want to be competitive.”
LTHS boys tennis
After earning Class 2A all-state doubles honors in 2024, Lyons Township junior Shay Sweigard most likely is headed back to singles.
“I’m definitely better at singles than doubles,” Sweigard said. “I just enjoy playing doubles. In doubles overall it’s easier to win at state.”
Sweigard, junior Rohan Nagale and senior Fred Chen return from last year’s lineup, which finished fifth in 2A (19 points), 7-2 in duals and second to state champion Hinsdale Central in the West Suburban Conference Silver Division and the LT Sectional.
Seniors Quentin Bourgeois, juniors
Becker, Jack Hartman, Sebastian Myers, Roy Piagnarelli and Brady Schlichter.
“The expectation for the program has continued to grow with our success,” LTHS coach Brad Skendzel said. “Our strengths this year is our depth and camaraderie. We have multiple players who have the ability to step in. Our consistency and defense will be factors in our success.”
T he Lions are 2-0, beating Wheaton Warrenville South 25-23, 23-25, 25-22
T hursday and Brother Rice March 25. Returning libero Guilfoile (259) and the 6-5 Chambers (68) led the 2024 Lions in digs and blocks, respectively. Brody-Caracci (184) and Chambers (104) were third and fourth in kills and Komsthoeft was second in aces (30) along with 118 digs.
“There is talent everywhere on our
Jackson Albee and Manny Gonzalez and seniors Aidan Schilling and Aidan Hahn also are returning letter winners. Freshman Mateja Nokic is among varsity newcomers.
“[Sweigard, Nagale and Chen] are leaders and hard workers who help motivate the entire team to improve and have success,” said second-year LTHS coach Clint Buetikofer. The Lions graduated the 2024 state runner-up doubles lineup of Jack McLane and Mason Mazzone.
Sweigard tied for seventh in state doubles with Luke Howell, who also graduated, with a 19-6 overall record. That has Sweigard returning to singles, where he qualified for state as a freshman, going 2-2, after also playing No. 1 singles.
“I mostly just hit two hours after school every day,” Sweigard said. “[My keys are] conditioning, staying healthy. It’s a lot of matches.”
Nagale played singles at last year’s sectional, winning one match and coming one victory from state before losing 6-0, 6-0 in the quarterfinals. At last year’s Silver Meet, Sweigard-Powell (No. 1 doubles) and Chen-Mazzone (No. 2 doubles) were champions. Nag ale was second at No. 2 singles.
“[Our keys are] hard work and staying mentally tough in difficult situations Also seeing which new players [in the varsity lineup] will step up and excel,” Buetikofer said.
team, but I think this team has chemistr y like no other,” Guilfoile said. “This is my last shot. Me and a lot of guys in the same situation are gonna put it all out there to meet those expectations.”
Chambers (Nor ther n Illinois) and Komsthoeft (Case Western) were standout twoway linemen for the football team who will play collegiately. Chambers suf fered a pre-season ankle injury.
“Being able to go down to state (in volleyball) really helped us learn when it takes to be a top competing team,” Komsthoeft said.
“I feel that one of our biggest strengths is our team camaraderie. A lot of us have been playing either club or high school for four years, which has led us to be a very tight group.”
JAMES MCKINNE Y NATHANIELS MOLAREK
REAL ESTATE FOR SALE
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION
LAKEVIEW LOAN SERVICING, LLC
Plaintiff vs. CHRISTOPHER RAY ETHERTON AKA CHRISTOPHER ETHERTON; JEANNE ETHERTON AKA JEANNE STEARNS AKA JEANNE SCHEMONIA; VILLAGE OF MELROSE PARK; UNKNOWN OWNERS AND NON-RECORD CLAIMANTS
Defendant 24 CH 2755
CALENDAR
NOTICE OF SALE
PUBLIC NOTICE is hereby given that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure entered in the above entitled cause Intercounty Judicial Sales Corporation will on May 5, 2025, at the hour 11:00 a.m., Intercounty’s office, 120 West Madison Street, Suite 718A, Chicago, IL 60602, sell to the highest bidder for cash, the following described mortgaged real estate: P.I.N. 15-03-413-007-0000. Commonly known as 1301 N. 12th Avenue, Melrose Park, IL 60160. The real estate is: single family residence. If the subject mortgaged real estate is a unit of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by subsection (g-1) of Section 18.5 of the Condominium Property Act. Sale terms: At sale, the bidder must have 10% down by certified funds, balance within 24 hours, by certified funds. No refunds. The property will NOT be open for inspection. Prospective bidders are admonished to check the court file to verify all information. For information call Sales Department at Plaintiff’s Attorney, Diaz Anselmo & Associates P.A., 1771 West Diehl Road, Suite 120, Naperville, IL 60563. (630) 453-6960. 6706-200451
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION
WINTRUST MORTGAGE, A DIVISION OF BARRINGTON BANK & TRUST COMPANY, N.A. Plaintiff, -v.-
ARMANI GRIFFIN
Defendants 24 CH 04949 2501 SOUTH 18TH AVENUE
BROADVIEW, IL 60155
NOTICE OF SALE
PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on February 10, 2025, an agent for The Judicial Sales Corporation, will at 10:30 AM on May 13, 2025, at The Judicial Sales Corporation, One South Wacker, 1st Floor Suite 35R, Chicago, IL, 60606, sell at public in-person sale to the highest bidder, as set forth below, the following described real estate:
REAL ESTATE FOR SALE
Commonly known as 2501 SOUTH 18TH AVENUE, BROADVIEW, IL 60155
Property Index No. 15-22-124015-0000
The real estate is improved with a single family residence.
Sale terms: 25% down of the highest bid by certified funds at the close of the sale payable to The Judicial Sales Corporation. No third party checks will be accepted. The balance, in certified funds/or wire transfer, is due within twenty-four (24) hours.
The subject property is subject to general real estate taxes, special assessments, or special taxes levied against said real estate and is offered for sale without any representation as to quality or quantity of title and without recourse to Plaintiff and in “AS IS” condition. The sale is further subject to confirmation by the court.
Upon payment in full of the amount bid, the purchaser will receive a Certificate of Sale that will entitle the purchaser to a deed to the real estate after confirmation of the sale.
The property will NOT be open for inspection and plaintiff makes no representation as to the condition of the property. Prospective bidders are admonished to check the court file to verify all information.
If this property is a condominium unit, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale, other than a mortgagee, shall pay the assessments and the legal fees required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/9(g)(1) and (g) (4). If this property is a condominium unit which is part of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/18.5(g-1).
IF YOU ARE THE MORTGAGOR (HOMEOWNER), YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN IN POSSESSION FOR 30 DAYS AFTER ENTRY OF AN ORDER OF POSSESSION, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 151701(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.
MCCALLA RAYMER LEIBERT PIERCE, LLC Plaintiff’s Attorneys, One North Dearborn Street, Suite 1200, Chicago, IL, 60602. Tel No. (312) 346-9088. THE JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION
One South Wacker Drive, 24th Floor, Chicago, IL 60606-4650 (312) 236-SALE
You can also visit The Judicial Sales Corporation at www.tjsc. com for a 7 day status report of pending sales.
MCCALLA RAYMER LEIBERT PIERCE, LLC
One North Dearborn Street, Suite 1200
REAL ESTATE FOR SALE
Chicago IL, 60602
312-346-9088
E-Mail: pleadings@mccalla.com
Attorney File No. 23-16277IL
Attorney Code. 61256
Case Number: 24 CH 04949
TJSC#: 45-520
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 # 24 CH 04949 I3263630
PUBLIC NOTICES
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: M25000281 on March 5, 2025 Under the Assumed Business Name of COOPERATIVE PHYSIOTHERAPY with the business located at: 949 GARFIELD ST, OAK PARK, IL 60304. The true and real full name(s) and residence address of the owner(s)/partner(s) is: MARA HUTTON 1108 MARENGO, FOREST PARK 60130, USA.
Published in Forest Park Review March 19, 26, April 2, 2025
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING FISCAL YEAR 2026 BUDGET
The Village of River Forest will hold a public hearing on Monday, April 14, 2025 at 7:00 p.m. in the 1st floor Community Room of the Village Hall, 400 Park Avenue, River Forest, Illinois concerning the Village of River Forest proposed budget for the fiscal period starting May 1, 2025 and ending April 30, 2026
A copy of the proposed budget is available for public inspection at the Village Hall during regular business hours or on the Village’s website at www.vrf.us. For more information, please contact Finance Director Rosemary McAdams at 708-366-8500
Published in Wednesday Journal April 2, 2025
PUBLIC NOTICES
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that on 21 April 2025, at 7:00 P.M. in the Council Chambers of the Village Hall, 517 Desplaines Avenue, Forest Park, Illinois, the Planning and Zoning Commission will conduct a public hearing to consider a conditional use permit and site plan review to allow the construction of a selfserve vacuum facility in the B-2 Community Shopping District on the following described properties(s):
Parcel 1:
Lot 15 (except that part described as follows: beginning at the Southeast corner of said Lot; thence South 89 Degrees 11 Minutes 56 Seconds West (assumed) 5.00 feet along the Southerly line of said Lot; thence North 44 Degrees 11 Minutes 47 Seconds East 7.07 feet to the Easterly line of said Lot, said Easterly line being also the Westerly right of way of Harlem Avenue; thence South 00 Degrees 48 Minutes 23 Seconds East 5.00 Feet along said right of way to the point of beginning) in Block 1 in South Addition to Harlem, being a Subdivision of the East 1/2 of the West 1/2 of the South East 1/4 of Section 13, Township 39 North, Range 12 East of the Third Principal Meridian, in Cook County, Illinois.
Parcel 2:
Lot 16 in Block 1 in South Addition to Harlem in Section 13, Township 39 North, Range 12 East of the Third Principal Meridian, in Cook County, Illinois.
Commonly known as 7201 Lexington Street, Forest Park, IL PINs: 15-13-407-026-0000, 1513-407-034-0000
The applicant is CellTech, LLC
Signed:
Marsha East, Chair Planning and Zoning Commission
Published in Forest Park Review April 2, 2025
VILLAGE OF RIVERSIDE, ILLINOIS NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
Notice is hereby given to all interested persons that a public hearing before the Planning and Zoning Commission of the Village of Riverside will be held on Wednesday, April 23, 2025 at 7:00 p.m., or as soon thereafter as the business of the Planning and Zoning Commission may permit, in Room 4 of the Riverside Township Hall, 27 Riverside Road, Riverside, Illinois, to consider an application from the Petitioner, Patrick T. Leone, for a four (4) lot subdivision for property located at 28-30 East Burlington Street, Riverside, Illinois, in the B2RC Central Business District – Retail Core District. The application proposes combining the four subject properties.
Application No.: PZ25-0002
Petitioners: Patrick T. Leone Property Commonly Known As: 28-30 East Burlington Street, Riverside, Illinois PINs: 15-36-109-028-0000, 1536-109-029-0000, 15-36-109076-0000, and 15-36-109-0790000
Legally Described As: LOT 689 (EXCEPT THE SOUTHERLY 16 FEET THEREOF) IN BLOCK 5 IN THE 3RD DIVISION OF RIVERSIDE, BEING A SUBDIVISION IN THE WEST ½ OF SECTION 36, TOWNSHIP 39 NORTH, RANGE 12, EAST OF THE THIRD PRINCIPAL MERIDIAN, IN COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS; LOT 690 (EXCEPT THE SOUTH 16 FEET THEREOF COVEYED TO THE VILLAGE OF RIVERSIDE BY WARRANTY DEED RECORDED AS DOCUMENT NUMBER 10734538) IN BLOCK 5 IN THE THIRD DIVISION OF RIVERSIDE IN SECTION 36, TOWNSHIP 39 NORTH, RANGE 12 EAST OF THE THIRD PRINCIPAL MERIDIAN IN COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS; LOT 5 IN MILLER’S RESUBDIVISION OF ALL LOTS 688 AND 772 OF LOT 2 IN OWNERS’ RESUBDIVISION OF LOT 771 (EXCEPT THE SOUTHERLY 16 FEET OF SAID LOT 771) ALL IN BLOCK 5 IN THE 3RD DIVISION OF RIVERSIDE, BEING A SUBDIVISION IN THE WEST ½ OF SECTION 36, TOWNSHIP 39 NORTH, RANGE 12, EAST OF THE THIRD PRINICIPAL MERIDIAN, IN COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS; AND LOT 773 (EXCEPT THAT PART LYING WESTERLY OF A LINE DRAWN PERPENDICULAR TO THE NORTHERLY LINE OF SAID LOT, THROUGH A POINT 167.31 FEET EASTERLY OF THE NORTHWESTERLY CORNER OF SAID LOT) IN BLOCK 5 IN 3RD DIVISION OF RIVERSIDE, IN SECTION 36, TOWNSHIP 39 NORTH, RANGE 12, EAST OF THE THIRD PRINCIPAL MERIDIAN, IN COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
The above application is available for inspection at the office of the Village Clerk, 27 Riverside Road, Riverside, Illinois 60546. During the Public Hearing the Planning and Zoning Commission will hear testimony from and consider any evidence presented by persons interested to speak on this matter. Persons wishing to appear at this hearing may do so in person or by attorney or other representative and may speak for or against the proposed subdivision. Communications in writing in relation thereto may be filed at such hearing or with the Planning and Zoning Commission in advance by submission to the Village’s Community Development Department at 27 Riverside Road, Riverside, Illinois prior to 4:00 p.m. the day of the public hearing.
The Public Hearing may be continued from time to time without further notice, except as otherwise required under the Illinois Open Meetings Act.
Dated this 2nd day of April, 2025.
Jennifer Henaghan, Chairperson Planning and Zoning Commission
Published in RBLandmark April 2, 2025
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