Landmark 060524

From le to right, Natalie O’Callaghan, Mar y O’Callaghan, Monica O’Callaghan and Alex Alfaro-Gonzalez pose with White Sox pitcher Tanner Banks (center). Monica O’Callaghan’s two daughters and physical therapist accompanied her onto the eld May 26 to help MLB celebrate Lou Gehrig Day.

e village now estimates construction will be done in November

By TRENT BROWN Staff Reporter

Brookfield has taken another step forward in its project to renovate the southwest corner of Ehlert Park.

At the village board’s May 28 committee of the whole meeting, Parks & Recreation Director Luke Gundersen presented trustees with an update on the timeline and final design for the renovations

Under the new timeline, construction on Ehlert Park should start around July 22 assuming a contract is awarded at the board’s July 8 meeting, Gundersen

Brookfield Chamber of Commerce Business Spotlight

Celebrating 120 Years of Excellence!

One Family — One Name

Father to Son – Five Generations

Hitzeman Funeral Home & Cremation

Services

Celebrates Anniversary

For 120 years, Hitzeman Funeral Home & Cremation Services has been honored to serve the community during the most difficult times of family’s lives.

Hitzeman Funeral Home was founded in Chicago, by Frederick H. Hitzeman, a German immigrant who entered the funeral business in 1904. The firm made it’s new home in Brookfield, IL. in 1963.

Owned by fifth-generation funeral director Charles “Chuck” Hitzeman and his wife Danielle, the funeral home remains focused on taking care of every funeral detail for the families they serve.

As his father (Todd Hitzeman) before him, Chuck grew up in the industry. “I started out, cutting the lawn, washing cars and assisting where I could”, Chuck said “it also gave me the opportunity to see how families were impacted by the services we of-

fered and how we made a difference. I knew early on this was my future.”

“We do our very best to exceed each family’s expectations. I am truly grateful when a family tells us everything was just the way they wanted, that we made everything stress free, we went above and beyond and they appreciated everything we did for them. That is what our services are about, that is what makes us different: knowing that we were able to make somebody’s life a little easier during a very difficult time,” Chuck stated.

Hitzeman Funeral Home & Cremation Services offer contemporary amenities and offerings with traditional founder based charm. In today’s ever-changing industry, families need guidance when it comes to their loved one’s care. Whether they can assist with planning in advance, an immediate need, personalization of services or helping to celebrate a life lived, the Hitzeman family and staff are there when and

if you need them providing every family with peace of mind.

“We make our families, friends and neighbors feel comfortable before, during and after their time of need. Many families utilize our services because my grandfather or my dad was good to them and it is my intention to do the same for generations to come,” Chuck said.

This year marks their 120th year in business. “We know our longevity is due to the community’s trust in us, and for that we are forever grateful and we are honored to serve”, Chuck said.

To learn more about Hitzeman Funeral Home, Ltd., visit their website at www.HitzemanFuneral.com

Brookfield installs traffic bollards at Eight Corners

solution’ was installed to improve safety at the roundabout

By TRENT BROWN Staff Reporter

If you’ve driven through Eight Co rners in Brookfield this week, you may have noticed new yellow b ollards directing the fl ow of traf fic.

Brookfield Public Wo rks Director Vi nc ent Smith said 32 traffic b ollards, also c alled d elineators, we re i nstalled Monday, May 20, at the roundabout, four at each i ntersection. T he village ’s g oal is to improve safety after three motorists since December have struck the memorial fountain, wh ich it rededicated to veterans last summer.

“We we re assessing the c ondition of that i ntersection and the hazards that lied within. We had discussions with the crossing g uards, and they expressed c oncerns with c ommuter s, especially in that school area with the children, with individuals driving erratically, ” Smith sai d

ager Timothy Wiberg and Police Chief Michael Kuruvilla, assessed the area near Eight Corners and settled on the traffic bollards as an immediate way forward.

“We wanted to t ry and create a lowc ost, engineered solution that would improve the safety of that circle. It ’s a ve ry challenging area without c ommitting initially to some ve ry large infrastructure improvements,” Smith said. “We thought that if we implemented some engineered solutions in there that we re at a reasonable c ost … we c ould create the outcome or the d esire we wanted to improve the traffic fl ow and the safety within that circle.”

While Brookfield paid for the traffic bollards itself, as opposed to receiving outside funding, “It was relatively a low impact financially to us,” Smith said. “I believe it was under $2,500 to purchase these.”

S ome residents may wo r ry about the p ossibility of the b ollards being b ent or broken by drive rs using the roundabout, but Smith said Brookfield had purchased enough of them to have backups.

“They do g et knocke d down. We do have extras; we ’ ll re p lace those as needed,” he said. “Wi th the high fl ow of traf -

t ypically take p lace at night, j ust d ue to the volume of traffic and t rying to c ontrol the wo rk environment.”

He said one goal of the traffic bollards was to “create a pathway” for motorists entering the roundabout.

“A s they ’re approaching that i ntersection, it guides them in the direction of the circle,” he said. “People had a tend ency to drive the wrong way in the ci rcl e, so this will help to c ontrol the fl ow of that traf fic.”

While the b ollards have only b een installed since the start of the week, Smit h said the village has already noticed them having a positive ef fect .

“We have b een monitoring them as we ’re out on site, and we have noticed an improvement in the c onditions out there. People are more c autious. T hey are slowing down, and they ’re more mindful as to the fl ow of traffic and the direction that they ’re taking. It ’s definitely p ushing traffic i nto the right direction,” he said. “We f eel that, as of right now — it ’s only b een a week — that this low -cost, engineered solution has improved the traf fic conditions at the circle.”

Editor Erika Hobbs

Staff Reporters Trent Brown, Amaris E. Rodrigue z

Digital Manager Stacy Coleman

Digital Media Coordinator Brooke Duncan

Design/Production Manager Andrew Mead

Editorial Design Manager Javier Govea

Designers Susan McKelvey, Vanessa Garza

Sales and Marketing Representatives

Lourdes Nicholls, Ben Stumpe

Business & Development Manager Mary Ellen Nelligan

Circulation Manager Jill Wagner EMAIL jill@oakpark.com

Publisher Dan Haley

Special Projec ts Manager Susan Walker

BOARD OF DIREC TORS Chair Judy Gre n Treasurer Nile Wendor f

Deb Abrahamson, Gary Collins, Steve Edwards, Darnell Shields, Sheila Solomon, Eric Weinheimer HOW TO REACH US

ADDRESS 141 S. Oak Park Ave., Oak Park, IL 60302 PHONE 708-442-6739 ■ FAX 708-467-9066

E-MAIL erika@growingcommunitymedia.org ONLINE www.RBLandmark.com

The Landmark is published digitally and in print by Growing Community Media NFP. The newspaper is available on newsstands for $1.00. A one-year subscription costs $45 within Cook County and $65 outside the county. Adver tising rates may be obtained by calling our o ce. Periodical rate postage paid at Oak Park,

DEPUT Y POLICE CHIEF TERRY SCHREIBER

BIG WEEK

June 5-12

Riverside Farmers Market Opening Day

Wednesday, June 5, 2:30 - 7 p.m. Centennial Plaza

At tention all Riverside folks: the Farmers Mark is back and better than ever. It kicks off on Wednesday, June 5. Stop by the water tow a wide variety of different vendors this season. S tar t the season off right by picking up y locally gro wn fruits and veggies, bath and body necessities, and more. 10 Pine Ave.

Storytime & Picnic

Wednesday, June 5, 10 a.m., Twenty-Sixth Street Woods

Come out and enjoy the nice summer weather with your favorite librar y at Stor ytime & Picnic. Attendees can be of all ages but those under the age of 7 must be accompanied by an adult. This event is BYOS so make sure you stack your picnic basket with every snack and drink you may want. What better location for a stor ytime than in nature? Other activities will take place as well. No registration is required, just show up with your own goodies. 26th Street, East of South 25th Ave.

Listing your event

WHAT?! That ’s in Illinois?

Wednesday, June 12, 7 - 8 p.m.

LSF Brookfield Library

Myster y Quilt Project

Monday, June 10, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. Nor th Riverside Public Library

Can you keep a secret? Well, you are going to have to with this upcoming event at the Riverside Librar y. Star ting this Saturday, participants can grab a bag with a mystery quilt square that you must sew and return to the library before Aug. 1. For every square returned, you will receive a prize and rights to see what your contribution helped make on Aug. 17. Remember, secrets are so fun, unless you don’t share with everyone (or however that rhyme goes). 2400 S. Desplaines Ave.

Dungeons and Dragons Campaign for

6th - 8th Graders

Wednesdays, June 12 - July 24, 1 - 2:30 p.m. (no session on July 3) Riverside Public Library

Kids entering 6th - 8th grade can join in on a daring quest to retrieve a wizard’s missing spell book

Items such as paper, pencils, dice, and charac te r sheets will be loaned out to par ticipants, but registrants are more than welcome to bring their o wn dice. Because this is a small campaign with a limited number of spots available, participants m ust register and attend a minimum of 4 of the 6 sessions. W hen you register for the June 12 date, you will be automatically enrolled for the other sessions on June 19, June 26, July 10, July 17 and J uly 24. 3541 Park Ave.

■ If you would like your event to be featured here, please send a photo and details by noon of the Wednesday before it needs to be published. We can’t publish everything, but we’ll do our best to feature the week’s highlights. Email calendar@wjinc.com. Compiled by

Come listen to Celeste Brown as she recounts her adventures with wildlife and using GPS on her travels to many of Illinois’ state parks. You may think Illinois is boring and doesn’t have much to o er but Brown aims to prove you wrong. In fac t, she is quali ed to speak on behalf of Illinois’ geodiversity because she has visited 101 out of the 150 state parks. 3541 Park Ave.

LT trims construction plans amid cost increases

Higher costs for 2024 work on South Campus forces delays in some plans for North Campus

By BOB SKOLNIK

Bids for the planned work at South Campus came in 25% higher than anticipated this spring, leading the Lyons Township High School District 204 Board of Education to cut back its expectations.

The board voted 6-1 May 20 to direct the school’s architectural firm, DLA Architects, to create bid specifications for 2025 work that is projected to cost of $10 million to $12 million. Board member Michael Thomas cast the lone dissenting vote.

The 2025 work is expected to focus on LT’s North campus after $30.5 million in upgrades are done this summer at LT’s

South Campus. This summer’s South Campus includes a new cafeteria and music wing, accessibility and safety upgrades, replacing the lights in the South Campus field house and swimming pool, adding additional air conditioning, and mechanical renovations to the building’s HVAC system. Cost increases in that work forced the board to trim North Campus work.

Th at wo rk , wh ich is expected to begi n in 2025, will be limited to a dding additional a ir c onditioning to the No rt h C ampus main building, renovating restrooms, and re p lacing an old elevator. It might also include renovating the two bathrooms at the North C ampus Fieldhouse at a cost of $500,000.

Classroom modernization work at North Campus which had been projected to cost $6.6 million is being defer red. Another project that is being deferred is the installation of a turf field at the West Field which had been anticipated to cost about $3.5 million. Plans to add another elevator at Nor th Campus have also been deferred.

Board member Michael Thomas voted against authorizing the bid specifications because he opposed delaying the work on moder nizing classrooms at North Campus.

“What I’m opposed to is that the scope of this project changed from what we originally saw in Phase 1 with the modernization of classrooms being part of Phase 1,” Thomas said explaining, his no vote.

Board member Jill Beda Daniels said that expectations had to be scaled back cause of the increased costs of the South Campus work

“The costs have far exceeded what our expectations were, so our dream list had to come back down,” board member Jill Beda Daniels said. “We’re doing boring stuf f.”

Daniels added that the school board must begin considering how to find the funds to fund the extensive facilities improvements that are still needed. She said that she is uncomfortable with reducing the school’s still hefty cash reserves to less than 47% of the annual operating budget, adding that the board should again talk about selling

the property it owns in Willow Springs, a subject that had been temporally taken of f the table after for mer school board president Dawn Aubert resigned from the school board on April 2. Daniels said that a bond referendum is another option to raise money for facilities improvements.

“It’s like the elephant in the room, between the land and, you know, a referendum,” Daniels said.

DLA ARCHITEC TS

Rendering

Weishaar leaves RBHS for Hinsdale South

served for 10 years

By BOB SKOLNIK Contributing Reporter

Dave We i shaar industrial arts teacher and head boys track c oach at Rive rside Brookfield High School is leaving RB to take a job at Hinsdale South High School next year.

We i shaar taught nine classes at during the p ast 10 year s, r anging from automotive classes to pre-engineerin and pre-architecture classes.

“This decision c omes after ten incredibly rewarding years at RBHS,” We i shaar wrote in his resignation letter. “I’ve b pa rt icularly proud of collaborating with Patty Sarkady and Patti Farlee in the plied Arts Department in my tenure. g ether, we fostered a c ollaborative s pirit that led to significant achievements: grow ing our progr ams, establishing credit o pportunities with T riton C olle ge, and i nte gr ating industry credentials i nto the cur riculum. ”

Farlee retired last year

We i shaar was so ve rsatile that the school has p osted two openings to rep lace him, one for an automotive teacher and one for a technolo gy teacher

“He has built such a rapport with the students,” Sarkady said. “He treats his classroom like a workplace environment.”

We i shaar also ser ve d as the head boys track c oach for the p ast six year s. His teams have won or shared four c onsecutive c onference championships.

We i shaar told the L andmark that he expects to c oach track in some capacity at either Hinsdale S outh or Hinsdale C entral next year.

Park Specialist

Summary: The Park Specialist is responsible for assisting the Superintendent of Parks with the maintenance operations of the Park District grounds, facilities, and equipment. The work includes, but not limited to:

Landscape maintenance operations for the Park District.

Custodial maintenance of all Park District facilities.

A full Job Description is available at: www.rfparks.com/job-opportunities

Interested candidates shall submit an application by email to John Beto at jbeto@rfparks.com Help Wanted:

DAVE WEISHAAR

said. Construction should reach “substantial completion” by Oct. 30 before being finished by Nov. 15 as long as there are no delays.

The project has remained mostly on track since the board last heard about the renovations in March, when the village partnered with architectural firm Wight & Company to design them.

At that time, a village memo said staf f planned for the project to go out to bid for construction in May before the board would approve the contractor in June and ground would break in July. While the project is now set to go out to bid on June 2, construction is still set to begin in July following board approval. The same memo said the village’s goal then was to complete the project by March 2025.

New playground features

Alongside the timeline for the project, one of the biggest updates Gundersen gave trustees was about the final layout for the renovated playground, which is designed to be fully accessible with pour-in-place rubber surfacing, like the kind at Candy Cane Park.

Outside of the classic swing set and slide, the playg round will feature accessible elements like a universal swing, an inclusive orbit, a sensory rail and more. One such element is called the 360 loop; it’s a slide with a wide platform attached to the bottom that leads to an incline kids can walk, crawl or pull themselves up, allowing them to get back on the slide.

“It’s fully accessible and provides in-

dependent play for somebody who’s in a wheelchair,” Gundersen said at the meeting. “They would go down the slide and then scoot across, and then they can crawl back up that area.”

The playground will feature a raised ramp path that wraps around the southern half of the area to allow children to enter the main portion of the structure, about 32 inches of f the ground, without climbing or using stairs. There will also be a wheelchair-accessible entrance to the playground structure at ground level.

Kids in town will be excited to learn about the addition of a gaga ball pit. For those unfamiliar, gaga ball is similar to dodgeball. Players within the octagonal pit must use their hands to hit a ball around the area; any player who is touched by the ball below the knee is out. The last player standing wins that round.

Gundersen said a group of Brookfield students wrote to the village with sugg estions for what they’d like to see in the new playground.

“It was Hollywood School. The secondgrade elementary students wrote letters to us. They had a lot of creative ideas in there. Some weren’ t practical for the space, but the gaga pit was one that we could” include, he said.

“A gaga b all pit was one of the big things they wanted to see in the pa rk ,” said Daniel Wi lson, a landscape architect at Wi g ht, at the meeting. “They are kind of i nexpensive to a dd, and we have the budget to be able to add that in ther e to show the k ids that we actually listened to them, to include it in the pa rk for them. ”

Residents were able to give their feedback on the pl ayground layout at an open house held May 9. Attendees voted on two potential plans for the playground with different inclusive features; the version Gundersen ultimately presented to trust-

ees rece ived 39 votes out of 50, he said.

Other changes

Aside from the redone pl ayground , changes c oming to E hlert Pa rk will affect the pa rk ’s memorial ga rden p laza, soccer field and baseball diamond . T he memorial p laza will be shifted over “maybe five or 10 f eet west and a little bit south” from i ts cu rrent location, Wi lson said. T he p lanter in the m iddle of the memorial will be remove d, though there will be two benches as well as new landscaping and p lants in the area around it.

“We are taking out that center area, just because, in our experience at Wight & Company, we’ve done memorial gardens. Having that center island, the plant ve getation never really thrives well, so we’re just going to have that all as brick pavers,” Wi lson said.

Trustee Kit Ketchmark raised c oncerns about re p lacing the memoria l bricks at the p laza, many of wh ich have names i nscribed on them, but Wi lson clarified that those bricks will be reused after the renovations

“Our p lan is to have the c ontractor clean those up and reseal them, and then they’ll go right back i nto that memoria l ga rden,” he said.

The soccer field is getting spectator seating and new portable goals, which will be left out seasonally and stored in sheds nearby during winter. The field will also be re graded to improve drainage.

Like the soccer field, the baseball infield is getting redone to improve drainage.

“It’s not j ust going to be the cl ay infield,” Wi lson said. “It’s a sandy cl ay mi x that allows water to move through that really easily.”

T he infield will be marke d with b ases and b ase paths b oth 60 and 70 f eet aw ay

agers ali ke can pl ay on the diamond

T he b aseball field is also g etting a “concrete walk” p ut in b ehind home b ase, wh ich will enable a ccessible spectator seating in the fo rm of benches and bleachers. T he c oncrete will also act as a b ase for two dugouts, each with a pair of a ccessible entrances and exits. New eight-foot-tall f encing will be i nstalled in front of the dugout and spectator area alongside a new backstop. T he f encin g will extend about 20 f eet p ast the dugouts, but it wo n’ t envelop the outfield so that space c an c ontinue to be used fo r f

Parks and recreation Director Luke Gundersen presented this nalized plan for the Ehlert Park renovations to v illage trustees. e plans include a new, fully accessible playground and a new dugout for eld.

Riversider’s new venture aims to provide essentials to families in need

AFTER A DISASTER, AFFECTED TAXPAYERS MAY QUALIFY FOR TAX RELIEF

Tax relief is available for people living in areas that are declared disasters by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. To find out whether an area qualifies for federal disaster relief, taxpayers should check DisasterAssistance.gov.

Affected taxpayers have more time to file and pay: If taxpayers live at an address in an area that qualifies for IRS disaster tax relief, they automatically get extra time from the IRS to file returns and pay taxes.

Casualty loss tax deduction: If people have damaged or lost property due to a federally declared disaster, they may qualify to claim a casualty loss deduction and get a larger refund. They can claim this on their current or prior-year tax return.

Rebuild lost records with a tax return transcript: If people have lost their tax records, they can request a tax return transcript and a copy of their tax return from the IRS.

Taxpayers can get tax return transcripts online or request mail delivery with Get Transcript. Taxpayers can also file Form 4506-T, Request for Transcript of Tax Return.

To get a copy of a tax return, taxpayers can file Form 4506, Request for Copy of Tax Return. The IRS waives the fees and expedites these requests for people who need to apply for disaster-related benefits or file amended returns to claim disaster-related losses.

To speed up the process, taxpayers who file Forms 4506-T or 4506 should:

• Write on the form that the request is disaster-related.

• Indicate the type of disaster and the state where it occurred.

Her new nonpro t wants to bridge the gap between families and nonpro ts to help forge service-based learning opportunities for kids

By JACKIE PISANO Contributing Reporter

Ever since she was a child, Riverside native Audrey Connelly has had a strong pull toward a life dedicated to meaningful work with children and families.

An innate desire, perhaps.

Growing up in a family of five siblings, Connelly was continually immersed in countless ‘round-the-clock familial adventures, alongside kid-centered activities through her roles over the years as a babysitter, camp counselor, coach and tutor.

So, after graduating from Riverside Brookfield High School in 2020, it was a no-brainer her next move would be heavy on the emphasis of early childhood education.

In tandem with her college studies, in the summer of 2021, Connelly launched her first nonprofit, NannyNonProfit, providing opportunities for children and families to get involved with other Chicago-area nonprofits through volunteering and donating essential goods to families in need.

NannyNonProfit, as Connelly envisioned, acted as a bridge between families and nonprofits to help forge service-based learning opportunities and inspire children to live a life of service and lead with a heart of compassion. Through the venture, partnerships included collecting new and gently used baby items to Share Our Spare, a Chicago organization helping families living in poverty; donations and volunteering for New Moms, a Chicago and Oak Park-based organization partnering with young moms facing housing instability; and the Chicago Period Project,

Connelly stops for a photo at the Riverside Public Library with a group of children she’s cared for. She led an event for making anksgiving cards for residents at Brook eld’s Cantata senior living facility.

distributing menstrual products to area shelters, schools and crisis support networks

Three years later, Connelly’s vision of helping children and families remains the same, though her platform goals have evolved.

Enter Nannies for Non-Profits.

In the early stages of development, Nannies for Non-Profits is set to be a “matured nannying platform,” or a care network focused on civic engagement through partnership with local nonprofits to educate families, care givers and children about social initiatives and how they can get involved in their communities.

According to Connelly, the premise of the platform is to build strong relationships on the foundation of both shared social values and care perspectives as a means to educate families on the understanding that the way we take care of our families should be modeled on caring for others as well, demonstrating positive behavior from adults as caregivers that they hope to pass on to the children in their care.

“The way we take care of our families is the way we take care of our world,” Connelly explained. “The people who take care of our children should be people we trust, those who

By Linda Sokol Francis. E.A.

Linda Sokol Francis, E.A.

How to eat well using the weeds in your yard

Skeptical? is professional forager wants to show you how

By RISÉ SANDERS-WEIR Contributing Reporter

S ummer is here and native p lants ar p oking up everywhere: in ya rd s, and in s idewalk cracks. Most p eople never wonder, “Can I eat those weeds?

Now you can.

Each month this summer, fora ging expe rt Dave O dd kicks of f one-hours tour from Ca rn ivo re in Oak Pa rk . His express i ntent is to g et you to c onsume the land scap e. According to O dd, he is the onl f ull-time professional fora ger in the Chicago area. He has b een at it for than 20 year s.

T he first tour of the season started in a weedy pa rk ing lot next d oor to Ca vo re and ended in Mills Pa rk . In a radiu of two blocks O dd identified more than 50 edible and medicinal plants.

Many p eople know that d andelions leaves are e dible. But did you know that every pa rt , except the fluf f is? Before the fl owers open the leaves are g ood as a peppery lettuc e. Buds are a decent substitute for capers. Fl owers are b est lightly battered and fried or made i nto wine Roasted roots c an be ground i nto a co ff ee alternative and if you roast them da rker, a chocolate powder substitute T here is a difference b etween e dible and enjoyable, but it all dep ends on your reason for eating, said tour guide O dd. Many p lants identified on the t rip are ones dined on or used medicinally by Native Americans, he said.

symptom reliever. It is a cure.”

N on-native p lants, i ntroduced to b eaut ify the landscap e, are e dible as well, such as the ve ry c ommon tiger lily. Al l parts of the lily are e dible: the fl ower, the leave s, the roots

T here are seve r al p lant f amilies that f all into wh at Odd called the 90% r ule.

“Most anything in the viola, rose, lily f amily, as well as stone fruit, clover s, mustards, are edible.”

One particularly useful plant is plantago, a native that has many health benefits.

“This p lant is li ke magic for bug bites, b ee sting s, eczema, sunburn,” O dd said. “Take one of the leave s, smash it up, pu t it directly over the affected area and hold it on there. Put down a piece of tape or a Band-Aid or wh atever. It will stop the pain i mmediately. It is not j ust a

“My favo rite wild mustard of the region is c alled p oor man’s peppe r, ” he a dded. “This is a ve ry c ommon Chicago area alley weed. Because before yo u c ould go to the grocery store and bu y peppe r, p eople would use these seeds as a re p lacement. ”

T here we re 10 curious souls on the tour, including three Japanese entomologists visiting the state to experience the

historic cicada emergenc e. One is even wo rk ing on a book about edible insects

Of c ourse, not every p lant is safe to eat at eve ry stage of growth. Ta ke po keweed for i nstanc e, it is fine in the early s pring.

But, he said, “later on in the summer, it ’s going to g et real tall, with bright magenta string of p earls berries on it . Th at ’s when it ’s poisonous.”

Odd emphasized that most everything can be tested for potential allergies or poison by eating a piece of it about the size of your finger nail, wait a few hours, “If you feel fine, then it’s probably edible.”

At the end of the trek, Carnivore offered a foraged lunch. Chefs served a seasonal appetizer, tempura fried cicadas. Looking at the bowl filled with tater totsized nuggets was daunting, but the taste was mostly oil and salt, with a slightly nutty addition that was not unpleasant.

T he main c ourse was a s pring p asta medley with i tems O dd had fora ged the day before. It included wild onions, asparagu s, and nettles. Dessert was a milkshake fl avored with rhubarb and mint.

Ca rn ivo re ’s owner Brad K naub said he f eels there is a connection betw een wh at O dd does and his butcher shop.

“He d oes a c ool thing with food that’s

hyperlocal. And we do a thing with food that’s hyperlocal too.”

In the pre-carnivore past, both Knaub and co-owner Erik Williams worked for Odd, foraging materials for other local chefs.

“A nytime you we re out of wo rk , yo u would j ump i nto Dave’s 18-passenger church van ride down by Joliet and pick r amps all day long,” Knaub said.

It made ends meet.

“Foraging is something that Eric and I b oth have d one for f un and for profit most of our careers. So, it ’s a nice ti e in,” said Knaub.

Odd offers tours throughout the Chicago area, is available for private outings, and also conducts more extensive classes If you ca n’ t g et enough fora ging on a tour, O dd also operates the “Land of O dd,” billed as a nature retreat and survival c amp in Beave rville, I llinoi s, near K ankakee. T here you c an take longer tours and even c amp overnight.

WIKIPEDIA

Executive Driver Needed

More than 2/3 of RB seniors graduate with honors under new system

It’s the rst year of the Latin Honors system

By BOB SKOLNIK Contributing Reporter

For the first time in decades, the top 10 students in Riverside Brookfield High School’s graduating class, ranked by grade point average, were not called to the stage and given medals.

More than 100 RB students graduated summa cum laude

Lindquist said.

That’s because in 2020, at the recommendation of Principal Hector Freytas, the school board voted 6 to 1 to eliminate class rank and switch to a Latin Honors system that is more commonly used at colleges and universities. School board member Laura Hruska cast the only vote against the change.

This year, those graduating summa cum laude, with GPAs of 4.0 and above; magna com laude, with GPAs of 3.5 to 3.99; and cum laude, with GPA’s of 3.0 to 3.49, were recognized by being asked to stand at their seats for a moment during the ceremony.

Lindquist said that the high number of students graduating with honors is also a result of the switch in education toward what is called mastery learning. In mastery learning, students are often permitted to retake tests and redo assignments until they demonstrate a mastery of the subject matter being taught.

Summa cum laude graduates wore gold tassels, magna cum laude graduates wore silver tassels, and cum laude graduates wore bronze tassels.

Just more than 67 % of the Class of 2024 graduated with some kind of honors with 101 students graduating summa cum laude, 98 at magna cum laude and 73 with com laude.

“It’s a nice way to reco gnize more kids,” said Assistant Principal for curriculum and instruction Kylie Lindquist of the Latin Honors system.

Lindquist said that the high number of students graduating summa cum laude is a result of the system of weighted grades, in which grades in honors and Advanced Placement classes get a numerical boost.

“I think weighted grades obviously plays in as a factor,” Lindquist said. “I think one of things that it speaks to for sure is the open access we have to our AP program.”

Lindquist said that RB offered more than five sections of AP Statistics class.

“I think it speaks to the rigor of the programs that our kids elect to go into,”

“I think education in general now is trending towards students having opportunities to relearn, students having opportunities to demonstrate learning at dif ferent times,” Lindquist said. “We also are developing a culture of when students try something and they don’t get to the benchmark that they wanted to hit or the goal that they have set for themselves or that their teacher has set, that they can continue to try and build that mastery. So, I think you see across the board you see a lot less failures in education I think than you used to and I think you see a lot more students learning that you can try more than one time to reach success if you need to, and schools are o.k. with that now. That’s not seen as something negative.”

Eliminating class rank was also seen as a way to reduce stress for students who sometimes engaged in some gamesmanship to boost their grade point averages. In past years, being at the top on the class came down to how many AP and honors classes a student took because a number of students typically graduate from RB having never received a grade lower than an A.

BOB SKOLNIK

Riversider with ALS throws first pitch at White Sox game

Monica O’Callaghan took the plate May 26 in honor of Lou Gehrig Day

By TRENT BROWN Staff Reporter

For many people, throwing the first pitch at your favorite Major League Baseball team’s home game sounds like a dream. That dream came true for Riverside resident Monica O’Callaghan, who took to the diamond Sunday, May 26, at Guaranteed Rate Field, alongside her daughters and physical therapist, to help the White Sox celebrate Lou Gehrig Day.

The holiday, celebrated by teams on or around June 2 since 2021, is MLB’s way of raising awareness for ALS, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. The incurable terminal illness, which affects people’s nervous systems and causes a progressive loss of muscle control, halted the career of legendary Yankees player Lou Gehrig in 1939 before he died from it in 1941. Since then, ALS has frequently been associated with Gehrig and is sometimes known as Lou Gehrig’s disease

O’Callaghan was diagnosed with ALS in 2022 after she started having trouble speaking the year before. Since then, the disease has progressed to affect her fine motor skills and mobility, requiring her to use leg braces and a walker.

“But she’s generally very positive,” said her daughter, Natalie O’Callaghan.

Because of Monica O’Callaghan’s difficulty speaking, her daughter often spoke on her behalf or clarified what she was saying during a joint interview with the Landmark on May 24.

Natalie O’Callaghan said the chance for her mom to throw the first pitch for the White Sox arose around March through I AM ALS, a “patient-led community” for those with ALS that she and her mom got connected with last year.

“I AM ALS put out on their social media channels that they needed volunteers to help with Lou Gehrig Day … for a whole bunch of different teams, and the White Sox was listed,” Natalie O’Callaghan said. “We’ve always been White Sox fans. My late father, Monica’s late husband, was a huge White Sox fan, so I jumped on it and got connected with the folks I knew over there.”

Monica O’Callaghan was one of several ALS patients present at the White Sox game to recognize Lou Gehrig Day. Others attended the game through other ALS organizations such as the Les Turner ALS Foundation, ALS United Greater Chicago and the Muscular Dystrophy Association, Natalie O’Callaghan said. Altogether, people living with ALS handed over the game ball and lineup cards at the game in addition to throwing the first pitch and yelling, “Play ball!”

Natalie O’Callaghan said she “voluntold” her mom for the opportunity even though her mom was hesitant at first.

“I was like, Mom, if we were at a Sox game two years ago when you first got diagnosed, and I saw a mom and her two daughters go out on

Monica O’Callaghan and her daughters, Natalie and Mary O’Callaghan, smile together while she prepares to throw a baseball.

the [field], it would bring me so much peace in knowing, too, that even though this is an awful disease with no cure and really limited treatment options, that life goes on,” she said. “It looks different, but you can still do different things.”

S he a dded that her f amily ’s experience wo rk ing with the White Sox was “so wonderful. ”

“They might not be winning a lot of games, but they are a class act of an organization, truly,” she said.

With only a couple days until the game, Monica O’Callaghan said she felt happy about getting to throw the first pitch

“It’s not for me, it’s for everyone and awareness,” she said herself Natalie O’Callaghan said Lou Gehrig Day and ALS Awareness Month, which is celebrated in May, are important for raising awareness about the “misunderstood disease” and the different ways it can manifest.

“It progresses so differently. So many people will experience symptoms that start in their limbs, and their speech stays fine for a long time, and then you have people like my mom, where it starts with their speech, but they can still walk with a walker and do different things,” she said. “We all remember the ice bucket challenge from a while ago, but since then, there hasn’t been a lot of large-scale fundraising and awareness efforts.”

The ice bucket challenge, wherein celebrities poured buckets of ice water over their heads to raise awareness for ALS, went viral on social media in 2014.

Monica O’Callaghan agreed that ALS awareness is important because anyone can develop it at any stage of life.

“Because it’s a rare disease, it gets ignored, but it’s increasing and it can strike at any age,” she said using a text-to-speech device. “Oftentimes, it strikes those that are physically fit.”

According to I AM ALS, about one in 300 people will be diagnosed with the disease in their lifetime and only about 10% of patients have a family history with ALS.

While patients with ALS have access to accommodations to improve their quality of life, like mobility devices, text-to-speech technology and home modifications, progress on treatment is not always steady.

O’Callaghan is now a member of a drug trial at Northwestern Medicine after one of her medications, Relyvrio, was pulled from the market in April. There is still no known cure for ALS

“It’s one of those things that kind of shakes up your world, and you don’t know how to deal with it,” Natalie O’Callaghan said. “But through a good community, you can get through it, I think.”

Make Your Home Show Ready YOUR BEST LIFE with Lisa Capone

You’ve decided to move to a senior living community, now what? If you have a home to sell, get it show ready by following these easy steps.

• Declutter, Depersonalize & Deep Clean. Help home shoppers focus on the house and not who lives there. Remove framed photos, bulletin boards and personal items, and get rid of anything dirty, dusty or smelly.

• Go Neutral. Buyers often can’t see past your décor so paint over any bright colors. Stick with whites, light gray, beige, or greige shades, they make spaces seem larger and more welcoming.

• Light It Up. Make sure all lamps and light fixtures have working bulbs and rooms are bright and well lit.

• Fix It Up. Repair small and large issues to present a home that’s been well cared for. If a project is too large to do it yourself, hire a handyman.

Remember, you only have one chance to make a great first impression with potential home buyers.

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

2024 CHIC AG O WHITE SOX/MACKENZIE HUDSON

RB students hold online protest after fired

emails obtained by the Landpublic records request show fered the option to resign. indicated she wanted to know what onsequences of not resigning, ut chose not to resign incredibly fortunate to work with ts educators at RBHS,” Turk andmark in an email. “I appreciate all that they do to generate safe and creative for students. The students at RBHS are oung adults who made my job enevery day.”

vin Skinkis declined to elaborate was dismissed.

“She was non-tenured so she was nond,” Skinkis said. “We cannot go into wish Ms. Turk the best of luck in her future in education.”

tion’s authors wrote online. “Known for her patience, understanding, and dedication to her job, she is more than just an educator — she is a mentor and a guiding light for many students in Illinois.”

They said that Turk’s ability to connect with students on a personal level sets her apart, and claim that she has “consistently demonstrated excellence in her role, earning the respect and admiration of both students and parents alike.”

“We cannot afford to lose someone as valuable as Mrs. Turk after 2024,” they said.

Sophomore Sophie Fingerhut spoke out against Turk’s dismissal during the public comment portion of the District 208 school board meeting May 14, saying that Turk was the reason that a lot of students took art classes.

“I understand that, you know, people get fired and that’s just how it is,” Fingerhut said. “But Ms. Turk was a teacher that really inspired a lot of students here.”

ho had 13 years of teaching experiwas credited only with three years of seniority for salary purposes hired in 2022. A year later, RBTV teacher Matt Holdren was credited his seniority earned at Homewoodlossmoor High School when he was hired in 2023. Skinkis told the Landmark that RB does not have a for mal policy about crediting seniority teachers accumulate at other districts, but typically gives one year of seniority for each three years worked at other districts, except for hard-to-fill positions, such as the RBTV teacher position.

Skinkis said she was not dismissed because she had questioned her compensation and seniority.

School board president Deanna Zalas said that the decision to dismiss Turk, which was approved by the school board by a 6-0 vote at the March 12 school board meeting, was a result of declining enrollment in visual arts classes.

The number of students who registered for visual arts classes next year declined by 232 students to 435, according to district records. School officials said that enrollment in visual arts classes were inflated in 2023-24 because many students who could not get into a culinary class due to lack of space enrolled in a

TODD A. BANNOR

Annual Pride Month is in full swing

Celebrations of identity and selfexpression invigorate the West Suburbs and Chicago

By ALEX GOLDSTEIN Contributing Reporter

As June marks a month of celebration in LGBTQ+ communities nationwide, the Western suburbs and West Side are no strangers to the festivities.

Looking to celebrate? Here are concerts, parades, scavenger hunts and other events you don’t want to miss.

Oak Park/River Forest

Wednesday Matinee Film Series: “Pride”

Wednesday, June 12, Oak Park Public Library Veterans Room, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

This film screening highlights a friendship between a mining community in Wales and a group of London-based queer activists. Re gistration is limited

Grandad’s Pride Parade & Craft

Monday, June 17, Oak Park Public Library outside plaza, 11 a.m. to noon

This craft hour will start with a reading of “Grandad’s Pride” outside the main library. Afterward, staff will scatter ribbons throughout Scoville Park for participants to find to create their own rainbow wands.

Pride Shake, Rattle & Read with Oak Park Public Library

Tuesday, June 20 , Lindberg Park, 10 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.

This storytime session features books, songs and games centered around identity, self-expression and love Weather permitting, the event will feature a visit from the Oak Park Book Bike, OPPL’s mobile library where patrons can learn about services and programs, check out books and apply for a library card.

2024 Oak Park Pride Party

Saturday, June 22, Village Hall South Lawn, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Participants should bring their rainbow-themed outfits

for this family-friendly celebration. Hosted by the Village of Oak Park, it will feature ice cream, face painting, a DJ, games, a bounce house and a magician.

Brunchin’ Beauties drag show

Saturday, June 29

Two shows at Kettlestrings Tavern, 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.

Sponsored by the OPRF Chamber of Commerce, this year’s event features two drag shows, up from one due to popular demand, along with drinks, mocktails and a fourcourse meal.

Forest Park

Pride Kite Kits

June 1 to June 17, Forest Park Public Library

Starting on the first day of Pride Month, the library will distribute make-your-own kite kits to library patrons for pride-themed decoration. Participants must return their kite by June 17 for display at the library and a chance to win an Escape Factor gift card.

The winner will be drawn July 5. Participants who wish to be entered in the raffle must include their name somewhere on the kite. Re gistration is limited

Rainbow Dance Party Pride Storytime

Thursday, June 20, Forest Park Public Library Austin Room, 11 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

Celebrate love and self-expression with a morning of music and movement at the Forest Park Public Library. The event is designed for children ages six and under, accompanied by a parent. Re gistration is limited

Forest Park Annual Pride Fest

Friday, June 21, Constitution Court, 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Co-hosted by the Oak Park Area Lesbian and Gay Association (OPALGA+), Play it Again Sports and Robert’s Westside, admission is free to this evening of drag performances, live music, food and drinks.

Pisco 4 Pride

Friday, June 21, Table and Lain, 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Featuring cocktails, appetizers, a live DJ, dancing and a drag show, all proceeds from ticket sales for this community party will go towards OPALGA+ fundraising.

Riverside/Brook eld and Ber wyn

Teen Craft: Rainbow Bookmarks

Wednesday, June 12, Linda Sokol Francis Brookfield Library, 3 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Library patrons are invited to make their own rainbow bookmarks. Re gistration is required and limited, but walkins are welcome to observe.

Fifth Annual Berwyn Pride Walk

Saturday, June 24, Beginning at Stanley Av enue and Gunderson Av enue, noon. to 2 p.m.

T he Pr ogr ess and P ride L GBTQ+ Youth A dvo cate P anel will precede the parade at noon at Youth Crossr oad s, w here youth activists will welcome pa rt icipants and provide i nsights on c hallenges and t riumphs in the community.

T he parade starts outside Youth Crossroads at 1 p.m., loops around Proksa Park and ends at 2 p.m. with a Juneteenth celebration.

West Side/Chicago

Film screening: The Kids Are Alright

Wednesday, June 5, Chicago Public Library

— Austin Branch, 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

This romantic comedy is a tale of commitment and the emotional flows of raising children in a queer relationship. It’s a part of the Chicago Public Library’s Community Cinema program.

West Side Chicago Gay/LGBTQ+ Ride

Sunday, June 23, Starting at 2 p.m. at Joey G’s Mac n’ Cheese, Augusta Boulevard. and Western Av enue

This event is tailored to enthusiasts of bikes, motorcycles, scooters and other two-wheeled contraptions. Joey G’s Mac n’ Cheese organized the ride through Chicago’s West Side as a celebration of love, identity, diversity and the community for med around riding in groups. Participants are free to don their pride-themed gear, and no prior re gistration is required

Film screening: Bros

Thursday, June 27, Chica go Public Library — Austin Branch, 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.,

This coming-of-age film follows a gay c ouple’s journey from attraction to commitment as they expose their vulnerabil-

Garland Flowers

itie s. It ’s shown as a pa rt of the Chicago Public Library’s Community Cinema progr am.

Pride Picnic — Chicago Urban Pride

Sunday, June 30

ginning at Jackson Park from noon to 8 p.m. with an after party at The Promontory from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m.

This free and family-friendly picnic will feature live DJs, entertainment, giveaways and food. The after party is limited to patrons 21 and over.

PRIDEChicago’s Chicago Pride rade

Saturday, June 30, Starting at West SheriRoad and North Broadway at 11 a.m.

On the last Sunday of June for more than 50 years, the organization PRIDEChicago has topped of f the month of celebration with a procession through Lakeview and Lincoln Park. It’s one of the city and couns most widely known and well-attended pride events, and one of the world’s largest neighborhood parades.

This year’s parade features 150 re gistered entries including community organizations, businesses, government officials and individual community members. It’s decked out with floats, outfitted vehicles, marching bands and perfor mance groups.

WIKIPEDIA

Pride is ‘loving who you are,’ Angel LeBare says

Forest Park’s famous drag queen shares insights into their life behind the stage

By JACK HELBIG Contributing Reporter

Angel LeBare, Forest Park actor, ballroom dancer, drag queen sublime, used to host shows for five years at the late, lamented Oak Park branch of Hamburger Mary’s, but now hosts at the original Hamburger Mary’s in Andersonville.

LeBare also hosts events throughout the suburbs and is one of the forces behind the Forest Park Pride Celebration Friday, June 21, that was founded three years ago by Forest Park business owner and resident, Erich Krumrei, LeBare, and their partner, Dan Walsh.

T he event includes Pride Drag Perfor mance at 7 p.m. at the Constitution Cour in downtown Forest Park, which LeBare, naturally, hosting. T he event also includes a retinue of other performers: Fox E. Kim, Andromeda, Alex Kay, Akasha Voyer, Elle Bowz, Britney Taylor, and London BaCall. After the event, an after party with additional drag performances will be held at the 2nd floor of the nearby Scratch Public House

We recently caught up with Angel to discuss their life and career. The conver sation has been lightly edited for clarit style and length.

Re porter: You have been performing drag for how long?

Angel: 15 years.

Re porter: What do you like best about performing drag?

Angel: Things I like most to perform in drag are impersonations or female artists I like to pay homage to their looks and perfor mance styles. I do impersonations of Dolly Parton, Katy Perry, JLo, Cher, and Pink. I also enjoy doing cosplay and character drag, perfor ming various superheroes, cartoon characters, and Disney characters. I have costumes for almost every Disney Princess, superheroes and villains. Every Halloween my perfor mance troupe does a Hocus Pocus tribute. I play Winnifred.

Re porter: Who were the perfor mers you idolized growing up?

Angel: The Spice Girls, Judy Garland, Charlie’s Angels

Re porter: Who, other than yourself, is your favorite performer?

Angel: Beyonce

Re porter. If you could meet anyone in history, who would you meet and why?

Angel: Judy Garland. I am a huge Wizard of Oz fan.

Re porter: What was the last movie or TV that really touched you?

Angel: I am currently entrenched in watching Bridgerton. The storyline is great and the costuming is sublime.

Re porter: How did you get into performing?

Angel: I have been a perfor mer my whole life. I have always been a natural performer. I have studied theater, music,

and dance and am also ballroom instructor and musical theater teacher.

Re porter: So, you were, like, a theater growing up?

Angel: I did plays and musicals growing up. Roles I have played outside or drag include Paul in “A Chorus Line,” The Beast in “Beauty and the Beast,” Emmett in “Legally Blonde,” Judas in “Jesus Christ Superstar,” The Tin Man and The Lion in “The Wizard of Oz,” The Scareow in “The Wiz,” and Skimbleshanks and Munkustrap in “Cats.”

Re porter: How did you get into drag? Angel: I got into drag when I pl ayed the role of Angel in a production of onathan Larson’s iconic musical) ENT. Side note: Angel is an ambiguous haracter in RENT who some beli eve is a drag queen, others a transgender oman, and others read as genderfluid; the author neve r specified. The piece tself is incredible, and I felt honored to be able to be a pa rt of telling that story. he perfor mance as Angel inspired my drag career and will always hold a ve ry special place in my hear t.

While performing as Angel, I entered a local drag c ompetition and won. Th at led to c ompeting the following month. ontinued to win, wh ich led to me being of fered a host p osition. While pe rrm ing there, various other ve nues approached me about performing for them and things just sort of took of f.

Re porter: Where have you performed? An ge l : I have performed extensively throughout the Chicagoland area, I was a hostess at the Hamburger Mary’s in Andersonville for 8 years and the Oak Park location for 5 years. I’ve also perfor med at every other perfor mance venue in Chicago’s Boystown, as well as The Office in Rockford, LaCa ge in Milwaukee, and Club Icon in Kenosha. I have also perfor med at venues in New York, Texas, Florida, and Hawaii.

Re porter: How long does it take you to get ready for a show?

Angel: It really depends on the look I am

doing and how extensive the make-up and/ or costuming is. Generally, about 2 hours.

Re porter: Do you become someone different when you become Angel, or is Angel just another side of your real life personality?

Angel: Angel is absolutely an extension of me, Angel is a very extroverted version of me.

Re porter: What do you like to do when you are not on stage?

Angel: I like to play video games and enjoy time with my par tner and pets. I have two Pomeranians, a Shiba Inu, and two Persian cats.

Re porter: Are you developing something special for the show in Forest Park in June?

year we are adding more. The community really seems to love it so that is why it has continued into year three.

Reporter: What does Pride mean to you?

Angel: Loving who you are and striving to be the best person you can be.

Re porter: What does Pride mean in Forest Park?

A safe place to find understanding and support for all families, friends, allies and members of the LGBTQIA+ community

Serving the Oak Park area for 22 years

We meet on the 4th Sunday • First United Church of Oak Park 848 Lake St., Oak Park (at Kenilworth) 3 pm - 5 pm This is a place of confidentiality.

Angel: I have created three new looks for the Forest Park Pride Performance and the after party at Scratch Public House. I am looking forward to presenting them.

Re porter: This is not your first Pride event in Forest Park. What is it about this event that keeps you coming back?

Angel: This has been a project my partner and I helped to build and create from the ground up three years ago and we are very proud and honored of what we have built and hope everyone will join us. Our first year was a trial, setting up the event with the village. It went well, so the next year we added some elements and this

Angel: I can only speak for what Pride means to me, but I would assume the feelings would be similar for the village of Forest Park — Pride in oneself and pride in the community.

Re porter: As a Forest Parker, do you find the community welcoming? A good place to live? Open to the LBGTQIA+ community?

Angel: Yes, I do. I have been a part of various Pride events in Forest Park, Oak Park and Berwyn, and have always felt that the general populace is welcoming and inclusive

Re porter: How do you create energy and a sense of community in your shows? Or is it just something you have always been able to do?

Angel: I don’t really think about it to be honest. Once the show starts it just sort of naturally happens. I am a people person and I try to make everyone at my shows feel welcome and a part of it.

LEBARE

How to change your gender on Illinois state IDs

A new law permitting this went into e ect in April — what does that mean for nonbinary residents?

By ELIZABETH SHORT Contributing Reporter

As of April 1, I llinois residents now have three g ender options, “M,” “F,” and g ender- neutral “X,” on drive r’s licenses and state identification documents. By doin g thi s, Illinois joins 21 other states with similar policies.

A 2019 law allowe d g ender- neutral marke rs on I llinoi s ID s, but it wasn’t until this s pring that residents had the o pportunity to select the g ender- neutral option fo r ID s, because the Secretary of State’s office needed to u pdate its card issuance system.

S hortly after the new p oli cy c ame i nto effect, Christop her Jensen, board member of LAGBAC , Chicago’s LGBTQ+ bar association, went to the DMV to chang e their ID. Jensen uses he and they pronouns and was the first openly nonbinary member on the board.

“I was excited,” they said. “I wanted it so badly. I was just really excited to have it, for it to accurately reflect who I am…It’s a really powerful affirmation from the state, and it takes a step towards taking away that erasure, giving people their identities back, hearing their voices.”

The National Center for Transgender Equality’s 2022 U.S. Trans Survey Early Insights report showed that 22% of respondents had been “verbally harassed, assaulted, asked to leave a location, or denied services” after showing an ID with a name or gender that did not correspond with their presentation.

with lowe r attempts of attempted suicide.

“For p eople who are g etting it, it ’s a p eace of mind,” sai d Jensen. “There is a c omfort in knowing that the state acknowledges that we aren’t male or female and that’s okay. ”

Jensen also said that having docu mentation of nonbinary residents in Il linois c ould help to create new progr ams for nonbinary and transg ender residents

“I think if they noticed that there is a sign ificant enough amount of the population then they can say this is a community that needs to be addressed,” they said.

Gender incong r uent identificatio n c an result in d enial of employment, housing, and b enefits and bring harassment and violenc e, a ccording to the NCTE’s 2015 National Transgender Discrimin ation Su rve y. Accurate and c onsistent identification is necessary to open b ank a ccounts, starting jobs, enrolling in school, and traveling Fo r transgender and nonbinary individuals, affirmation of g ender and pronouns can also be life-saving and vital in suicide prevention. According to the Trevor Project, respecting g ender identity among young transg ender and nonbinary people is consistently associated

wever, some people are hesitant to identify as nonbinary on IDs. T he trans ommunity experiences high levels of violence, especially transgender people of color and Black transgender women. According to the 2015 U.S. Transgender Survey Illinois Stat e Re port, 69% of respondents who interacted with police or other law enforcement who knew they were transgender re ported experiencing mistreatment. Especially for those with additional identities targeted by police violence, the “X” marker as an automatic signifier of a trans identity brings some concer ns “I’ve talked to a lot of p eople about this and a lot of them are oncerned about the fact that it is going to be a signal i mmediately to a olice officer that they ’re trans,” Jensen said. “Just by handing over their ID. S ame for TSA securit y, bars checking I Ds… I think there’s some personal safety c oncerns that p eople have about sharing that info rm ation with everyone they encounter.”

S ome p eople have a dvo cated for an elimination of g ender alto g ether on identification documents.

“While including a g ender- neutral option on identity documents is a step in the right direction, it would be b etter to eliminate g ender from I Ds alto g ether. It ’s not

relevant anymore since the p hoto ID became prominent,” St ep hanie Skora, executive director of Br ave Space A llianc e, a Black- and Trans-led L GBTQ c enter on the South Side, told the Chicago Sun-Times in 2019. Fo r p eople who do choose to change the g ender on their ID, the nonbinary option c an bring securit y, c omfo rt , and af firmation.

“The most important thing is for affirmation of individual p eople’s g ender identity,” said Jensen. “For me, having a state ID that says a ccurately wh at my g ender is, rather than being forced to pick b etween one of two things that do n’ t apply, there’s a ps ychological b enefit to that for individuals.”

To ensure that this new p oli cy is p ositive, re g ular trainings c ould be essential. “A nybo dy that i nteracts with the public, as a gove r nment official, should have some kind of training on how to have a respectful c onve rsation with p eople that you may not understand or even ag ree with,” Jensen said. “It’s still none of your business. You still have to treat them with as much respect as you do anyone else.”

Since April 2022, United States citizens also have been able to choose the nonbinary “X” gender on passports The gover nment has resources for nonbinary international travelers: https://ow.ly/SIIf50S7gzm

Illinois residents wanting to change their gender can go to the DMV and complete a gender designation change form. The fee for a new dri ver’s license is $5 and for a new state ID card is $10.

Planned Parenthood has a comprehensive guide on how to change gender and name markers in Illinois: https:// ow.ly/b0GO50S7gI2

To find more information on different states’ policies on ID documents and gender, visit transequality.org/documents

Brook eld opens registration for 2024-25 STARS program Junior Bulldogs football players selected for Chicagoland all-star team

e village runs the before- and a er-school program in D95 and D103

By TRENT BROWN Staff Reporter

Brookfield has opened re gistration for STARS, its before- and after-school care program, for the upcoming school year Short for Students Together in an Active Recreation Setting, the program allows parents to drop of f their elementary students early or pick them up late for a monthly fee. The schools will watch enrolled students from 6:30 a.m. until school starts and from when school ends until 6 p.m.

For students at Brook Park Elementary School in Brookfield-La Grange Park School District 95, the program takes place at Brookfield’s village hall. Transportation between STARS and the school is provided as part of the program.

For students in Lyons-Brookfield Elementary School District 103, the prog ram takes place at each elementary school.

This year, there is a $125 registration fee due at the time of enrollment. Monthly prices for the program vary depending on when in the day and how many times per week a family needs to use it, from $75 for three days of before-school care to $270 for five days of both before- and after-school care For more info rmation or to re gister your student for STARS, contact Youth, Athletic and STARS Recreation Supervisor Nick Ma gro at nma gro@brookfield gov or 708-485-1528.

Sponsored by Riverside Township

Sponsored by Riverside Township

Sponsored by Riverside Township

Sponsored by Riverside Township

Sponsored by Riverside Township

Saturday, June 8th 9:00 am –Noon

Saturday, June 8th 9:00 am –Noon

Saturday, June 8th 9:00 am –Noon

3 players will go to the all-Chicagoland Youth Football League game

By TRENT BROWN Staff Reporter

Three players from the Junior Bulldogs youth football program have been selected as all-stars by The Chicagoland Youth Football League to represent Jr. Bulldogs in the All-TCYFL game, which will be played July 13th at Mundelein High School.

David DeLeon and Vi ncent O’Keefe of

Brookfield and Daniel McComb of C ount ryside will all be eighth gr aders in area schools next year. O’Keefe and McComb will re present the Va rsity division wh il e DeLeon will re present the Lightweigh t division. DeLeon was a member of the champion M iddleweight Jr. Bulld og team last year.

TCYFL is the largest independent youth football league in the country, comprised of 38 member communities across Chicagoland and southeastern Wisconsin. Jr. Bulldogs provides opportunities for more than 300 area athletes, from kindergarten through eighth grade, to participate in football and cheer programs.

Riverside Masonic Lodge parking lot 40 Forest Avenue, Riverside

Saturday, June 8th 9:00 am –Noon

Riverside Masonic Lodge parking lot 40 Forest Avenue, Riverside

Riverside Masonic Lodge parking lot 40 Forest Avenue, Riverside

Saturday, June 8th 9:00 am –Noon

Riverside

This FREE event is only for Riverside Township residents and only for personal, confidential documents No business shredding, magazines, or junk mail. Each household is restricted to no more than 3 boxes of paper.

Riverside Masonic Lodge parking lot 40 Forest Avenue, Riverside

This FREE event is only for Riverside Township residents and only for personal, confidential documents. No business shredding, magazines, or junk mail. Each household is restricted to no more than 3 boxes of paper.

This FREE event is only for Riverside Township residents and only for personal, confidential documents. No business shredding, magazines, or junk mail. Each household is restricted to no more than 3 boxes of paper.

This FREE event is only for Riverside Township residents and only for personal, confidential documents. No business shredding, magazines, or junk mail. Each household is restricted to no more than 3 boxes of paper.

This FREE event is only for Riverside Township residents and only for personal, confidential documents No business shredding, magazines, or junk mail. Each household is restricted to no more than 3 boxes of paper.

Your documents will be securely destroyed on site by American Mobile Shredding and Recycling.

Your documents will be securely destroyed on site by American Mobile Shredding and Recycling.

Your documents will be securely destroyed on site by American Mobile Shredding and Recycling.

As always, this will be a contactless, drive-up event. No need to get out of your car; place the documents in your trunk, follow the signs at the event and then simply pop the trunk. We will remove the documents from your vehicle and shred them for you.

Your documents will be securely destroyed on site by American Mobile Shredding and Recycling.

As

As always, this will be a contactless, drive-up event. No need to get out of your car; place the documents in your trunk, follow the signs at the event and then simply pop the trunk. We will remove the documents from your vehicle and shred them for you.

Your documents will be securely destroyed on site by American Mobile Shredding and Recycling.

Please bring a non-perishable, unexpired food item to donate to the Riverside Township Food Pantry!

As always, this will be a contactless, drive-up event. No need to get out of your car; place the documents in your trunk, follow the signs at the event and then simply pop the trunk. We will remove the documents from your vehicle and shred them for you.

For more event info, call Riverside Township at (708) 442-4400 or visit our website: www.riversidetownship.org

Please bring a non-perishable, unexpired food item to donate to the Riverside Township Food Pantry!

As always, this will be a contactless, drive-up event. No need to get out of your car; place the documents in your trunk, follow the signs at the event and then simply pop the trunk. We will remove the documents from your vehicle and shred them for you.

Please bring a non-perishable, unexpired food item to donate to the Riverside Township Food Pantry!

For more event info, call Riverside Township at (708) 442-4400 or visit our website: www.riversidetownship.org

For more event info, call Riverside Township at (708) 442-4400 or visit our

Please bring a non-perishable, unexpired food item

THE MACLEAN HOUSE

SENIOR LIVING.

Escape, Relax, Recharge.

SENIOR

We understand the challenges of caregiving!

SUMMER RESPITE SPECIAL

Whether you need relief while managing personal commitments or planning a vacation, our expert healthcare team is here for your loved one.

SUMMER RESPITE SPECIAL

We understand the challenges of caregiving!

We understand the challenges of caregiving!

SENIOR LIVING

SUMMER RESPITE SPECIAL

Whether you need relief while managing personal commitments or planning a vacation, our expert healthcare team is here for your loved one.

Whether you need relief while managing personal commitments or planning a vacation, our expert healthcare team is here for your loved one.

We understand the challenges of caregiving!

We understand the challenges of caregiving!

Let us provide the care they need, so you can recharge and find peace of mind!

SUMMER RESPITE SPECIAL

We understand the challenges of caregiving!

Whether you need relief while managing personal commitments or planning a vacation, our expert healthcare team is here for your loved one.

We understand the challenges of caregiving!

Whether you need relief while managing personal commitments or planning a vacation, our expert healthcare team is here for your loved one.

Let us provide the care they need, so you can recharge and find peace

Whether you need relief while managing personal commitments or planning a vacation, our expert healthcare team is here for your loved one.

Let us provide the care they need, so you can recharge and find peace of mind!

Whether you need relief while managing personal commitments or planning a vacation, our expert healthcare team is here for your loved one.

Let us provide the care they need, so you can recharge and find peace of mind!

Let us provide the care they need, so you can recharge and find peace of mind!

Let us provide the care they need, so you can recharge and find peace of mind!

Call Our Senior Living Experts Today! (708) 387-1030

Call Our Senior Living Experts Today! (708) 387-1030 info@cantata.org Scan here to visit our website!

Let us provide the care they need, so you can recharge and find peace of mind!

Call Our Senior Living Experts Today! (708) 387-1030 info@cantata.org

Call our Senior Living Experts Today! (708) 387-1030 info@cantata.org

info@cantata.org

Call Our Senior Living Experts Today! (708) 387-1030

Personalized service is kind of our thing.

Photos to pull from Marketing Hub image library 2:1

Personalized service is kind of our thing.

Personalized service is kind of our thing.

Personalized service means having a financial advisor who understands you and what you’re trying to achieve, and helps to create a unique strategy based on your needs and circumstances.

Personalized service means having a financial advisor who understands you and what you’re trying to achieve, and helps to create a unique strategy based on your needs and circumstances.

We’re ready when you are. Contact us today.

Personalized service means having a financial advisor who understands you and what you’re trying to achieve, and helps to create a unique strategy based on your needs and circumstances.

We’re ready when you are. Contact us today.

We’re ready when you are. Contact us today.

Personalized service is kind of our thing.

Steven C Langworthy, CFP

Steven C Langworthy, CFP

Scan here to visit our website!

Scan here to visit our website!

Personalized service means having a financial advisor who understands you and what you’re trying to achieve, and helps to create a unique strategy based on your needs and circumstances.

Personalized service means having a financial advisor who understands you and what you’re trying

9136 Broadway Brookfield, IL 60513 708-485-8291

We’re ready when you are. Contact us today.

Scan here to visit our website!

We’re

Steven C Langworthy, CFP

Financial Advisor

9136 Broadway Brookfield, IL 60513

708-485-8291

Steven C Langworthy, CFP

Broadway Brookfield, IL 60513

708-485-8291

UCHICAGO MEDICINE SPECIALTY CARE CLOSE TO HOME.

As a national leader in whole-person care, AdventHealth connects you to the renowned specialty care of UChicago Medicine. That means nearby access to leading-edge care for cancer, heart surgery and pediatric specialty care, along with the latest clinical trials. When you need advanced care, we are near. Learn more at: HealthyChicagoland.org

June, 2024

Dear North Riverside Water Customer:

The Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) rule requires all community water systems to provide reports to their customers on the quality of their drinking water. The Village of North Riverside, in conjunction with the City of Chicago and Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA), is providing the required information pertaining to source water monitoring for the period January 2023 through December 2023.

The Village of North Riverside has provided water that meets all the requirements of the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) drinking water standards. The following reports are being provided to help you better understand the quality of the water you consume and use on a daily basis. Consumers with medical conditions may use the water quality analysis provided or request a City of Chicago complete water analysis, to consult with their family doctors. Others may learn ways to better protect their children from the effects of lead in our environment, or how to conserve water in our daily lives. A well-informed consumer is the best ally the Village has in providing clean, safe water to its customers. If there are any questions, or if additional information is needed, please contact Matt Kerke, Water Operator, at (708) 762-5892.

Sincerely,

Matt Kerke Water Operator

Water Supply:

The Village of North Riverside purchases Lake Michigan potable water from the City of Chicago via the Brookfield-North Riverside Water Commission. City of Chicago water treatment facilities chemically treat and filter the water from Lake Michigan. Once the Water Commission receives the potable water, the water is rechlorinated to safeguard its quality. As a potable water supplier, the City of Chicago constantly monitors water quality and publishes laboratory results. Copies are public record and can be requested. For more information, water quality reports can be obtained from the City of Chicago, the Brookfield-North Riverside Water Commission and the Water Department of the Village of North Riverside. Water Commission meetings are conducted every second Wednesday of each month at the Water Commission Offices located at 8636 Brookfield Avenue, Brookfield, Illinois 60513. Information can be obtained by contacting Matt Kerke, Water Operator or Vince Ranieri, Director of Public Works. Copies of this report will not be mailed to each customer but are available by telephoning the Water Department at (708) 762-5885 or online at https://www.northriverside-il.org/570/Water-Quality-Reports .

Water Quality:

The Illinois EPA considers all surface water sources of community water supply to be susceptible to potential pollution problems. The very nature of surface water allows contaminants to migrate into the intake with no protection only dilution. This is the reason for mandatory treatment for all surface water supplies in Illinois. Chicago’s offshore intakes are located at a distance that shoreline impacts are not usually considered a factor on water quality. At certain times of the year, however, the potential for contamination exists due to wet-weather flows and river reversals. In addition, the placement of the crib structures may serve to attract waterfowl, gulls and terns that frequent the Great Lakes area, thereby concentrating fecal deposits at the intake and thus compromising the source water quality. Conversely, the shore intakes are highly susceptible to storm water runoff, marinas and shoreline point sources due to the influx of groundwater to the lake. Throughout history, there have been extraordinary steps taken to assure a safe source of drinking water in the Chicagoland area. From the building of the offshore cribs and the introduction of interceptor sewers to the lock-and-dam system of Chicago’s waterways and the city’s Lakefront Zoning Ordinance. The city now looks to the recently created Department of the Water Management, Department of Environment and the MWRDGC to assure the safety of the city’s water supply. Also, water supply officials from Chicago are active members of the West Shore Water Producers Association. Coordination of water quality situations (i.e., spills, tanker leaks, exotic species, etc.) and general lake conditions are frequently discussed during the association’s quarterly meetings. Also, Lake Michigan has a variety of organizations and associations that are currently working to either maintain or improve water quality. Finally, one of the best ways to ensure a safe source of drinking water is to develop a program designed to protect the source water against potential contamination on the local level. Since the predominant land use within Illinois’ boundary of Lake Michigan watershed is urban, a majority of the watershed protection activities in this document are aimed at this purpose. Citizens should be aware that everyday activities in an urban setting might have a negative impact on their source water. Efforts should be made to improve awareness of storm water drains and their direct link to the lake within the identified local source water area. A proven best management practice (BMP) for this purpose has been the identification and stenciling of storm water drains within

LEGAL NOTICE

VILLAGE OF NORTH RIVERSIDE CONSUMER CONFIDENCE REPORT Public Water Supply For The Monitoring Year 2023

a watershed. Stenciling along with an educational component is necessary to keep the lake a safe and reliable source of drinking water.

Village Testing;

The Village of North Riverside tests the water supply for chlorine content on a daily basis to maintain the optimum levels for the consumers’ needs. On a monthly basis, bacteriological samples are taken. On a yearly basis, samples are submitted for Total Trihalomethane (TTHM) Analysis. Samples are also provided for lead and copper monitoring on a schedule established by the IEPA. All testing and reports are performed according to the requirements of IEPA. A copy of the IEPA Water Quality Report for the Village of North Riverside and City of Chicago are included later in this report.

Violations:

The Village of North Riverside Water Supply met all standards set by the EPA. No violations occurred during this period.

Educational Information:

1) Drinking water, including bottled water, may reasonably be expected to contain at least small amounts of some contaminants. The presence of contaminants does not necessarily indicate that water poses a health risk. More information about contaminants and potential health effects can be obtained by calling the EPA’s Safe Drinking Water Hotline (1-800-426- 4791).

2) In Order to ensure tap water is safe to drink, EPA prescribes regulations which limit the amount of certain contaminants in water provided by public water systems. FDA regulations establish limits for contaminants in bottled water which must provide the same protection for public health

3) Some people may be more vulnerable to contaminants in drinking water than the general population. Immuno-compromised persons, such as persons with cancer undergoing chemotherapy, persons who have undergone organ transplants, people with HIV/ AIDS or other immune system disorders, some elderly, and infants can be particularly at risk from infections. These people should seek advice about drinking water from their health care providers. EPA/CDC guidelines on appropriate means to lessen the risk of infection by Cryptosporidium and other microbial contaminants are available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline (1-800-426-4791).

4) If present, elevated levels of lead can cause serious health problems, especially for pregnant women and young children. Lead in drinking water is primarily from materials and components associated with service lines and home plumbing. Village of North Riverside is responsible for providing high quality drinking water, but cannot control the variety of materials used in plumbing components. When your water has been sitting for several hours, you can minimize the potential for lead exposure by flushing your tap for 30 seconds to 2 minutes before using water for drinking or cooking. If you are concerned about lead in your water, you may wish to have your water tested. Information on lead in drinking water, testing methods, and steps you can take to minimize exposure is available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline (1-800426-4791) or at http://www.epa.gov/safewater/lead.

5) The Village of North Riverside recommends their customers follow the water conservation recommendations of the IEPA on sprinkling restrictions and restrict sprinkling to the hours between 6:00 am to 12:00 noon and 4:00 pm to 10:00 pm during the period of May 15 to September 15.

Sources of Contamination;

The sources of drinking water (both tap water and bottled water) include rivers, lakes, streams, ponds, reservoirs, springs, and wells. As water travels over the surface of the land or through the ground, it dissolves naturally occurring minerals and, in some cases, radioactive material, and can pick up substances resulting from the presence of animals or from human activity.

Contaminants that may be present in source water include:

• Microbial Contaminants, such as viruses and bacteria, which may come from sewage treatment plants, septic systems, agricultural livestock operations and wildlife.

• Inorganic Contaminants, such as salts and metals, which can be naturally-occurring or result from urban storm water runoff, industrial or domestic wastewater discharges, oil and gas production, mining or farming.

• Pesticides and Herbicides, which may come from a variety of sources such as agriculture, urban storm water runoff and residential uses.

• Organic Chemical Contaminants, including synthetic and volatile organic chemicals, which are byproducts of industrial processes and petroleum production, and can come from gas stations, urban storm water runoff, and septic systems.

• Radioactive Contaminants, which can be naturally occurring or be the result of oil and gas production and mining activities.

In order to ensure that tap water is safe to drink, the EPA prescribes regulations that limit the amount of certain contaminants in water provided by public water systems. Food and Drug Administration regulations establish limits for contaminants in bottled water, which must provide the same protection for public health.

Chicago Regulated Contaminants Detected in 2023 (collected in 2023 unless noted) Microbial Contaminants

Total Coliform Bacteria 5% of monthly samples are positive

Lead and Copper

Definitions:

Action Level (AL): The concentration of a contaminant which, if exceeded, triggers treatment or other requirements which a water system must follow. Action Level Goal (AGL): The level of a contaminant in drinking water below, which there is no known or expected risk to health. AGL’s allow for a margin of safety.

Water Quality Test Results

Definitions: The following tables contain scientific terms and measures, some of which may require explanation.

Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL): The highest level of a contaminant that is allowed in drinking water MCL’s are set as close to the Maximum Contaminant Level Goal as feasible using the best available treatment technology

Maximum Contaminant Level Goal (MCLG): The level of a contaminant in drinking water below, which there is no known or expected risk to health. MCLG’s allow for a margin of safety. mg/l or ppm: milligrams per litre or parts per million or one ounce in 7,350 gallons of water. ug/1 or ppb: micrograms per litre or parts per billion or one ounce in 7,350,000 gallons of water, na: not applicable.

Avg: Regulatory compliance with some MCL’s are based on running annual average of monthly samples.

Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level (MRDL): The highest level of disinfectant allowed in drinking water.

Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level Goal (MRDLG): The level of disinfectant in drinking water below, which there is no known or expected risk to health. MRDLG’s allow for a margin of safety.

RegulatedHighest Level Range of Levels Unit of Measurement MCLGMCLViolationLikely Source of Contaminant

Disinfectants & Disinfection By-Products

Inorganic Contaminants (Collection Date: 2023)

of natural occurring deposits; used in water softener regeneration Sampled: 2023

Discharge of drilling wastes; Discharge from refineries; Erosion of natural deposits. Sampled. 2023

Erosion of natural deposits; Water additive which promotes strong teeth; Discharge from Fertilizer and aluminum factories. Sampled: 2023

No Runoff from fertilizer use; leaching form septic tanks, sewage; Erosion of natural deposits. Sampled: 2023

• Note: The state requires monitoring of certain contaminants less than once per year because the concentrations of these contaminants do not change frequently. Therefore, some of this data may be more than one year old Not all sample results may have been used for calculating the Highest Level because some maybe part of an evaluation to determine where compliance sampling should occur in the future

LEGAL NOTICE

VILLAGE OF NORTH RIVERSIDE CONSUMER CONFIDENCE REPORT Public Water Supply For The Monitoring Year 2023

UNREGULATED CONTAMINANT MONITORING

Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level (MRDL): The highest level of disinfectant allowed in drinking water. Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level Goal (MRDLG): The level of disinfectant in drinking water below, which there is no known or expected risk to health. MRDLG’s allow for a margin of safety.

RegulatedHighest Level Range of Levels Unit of Measurement MCLGMCLViolationLikely Source of Contaminant

Disinfectants & Disinfection By-Products

Chlorine1 1-1 ppm MRDLG =4 MRDLG =4

Total Haloacetic 16 6-26.9

microbes Collection Date 2023

Date: 2023

TTHM’s (Total Trihalomethane) 3216-51 ppm No goal for total 80 No By-Product of drinking water chlorination. Collection Date: 2023

Not all sample results may have been used for calculating the Highest Level Detected because some results may be part of an evaluation to determine where compliance sampling should occur in the future

• Note: The state requires monitoring of certain contaminants less than once per year because the concentrations of these contaminants do not change frequently. Therefore, some of this data may be more than one year old Not all sample results may have been used for calculating the Highest Level because some maybe part of an evaluation to determine where compliance sampling should occur in the future

NORTH RIVERSIDE WATER SUPPLY ADDITIONAL MONITORING

Our water system has sampled for a series of unregulated contaminants. Unregulated contaminants are those that don’t yet have a drinking water standard set by EPA. The purpose of monitoring for these contaminants is to help EPA decide whether the contaminants should have a standard. As our customers, you have a right to know that these data are available. Below are the results of the first of four samplings we have for the per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances sampling which looks into the frequency of 29 different per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and Lithium in the nation’s drinking water systems. The Village is set to sample again in May 2024, August 2024, and November 2024. Because of the turnaround on results; the May, August, and November results will not appear until next year’s Consumer Confidence Report. For more information on the UCMR5 Rule, please visit https://www.epa.gov/dwucmr/fifth-unregulated-contaminant-monitoring-rule.

UCMR5 (Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule 5)

Contaminants

SOURCE WATER ASSESSMENT SUMMARY

Source Water Location

The City of Chicago utilizes Lake Michigan as its source water via two water treatment plants. The Jardine Water Purification Plant serves the northern areas of the City and suburbs, while the Sawyer Water Purification Plant serves the southern areas of the City and suburbs. Lake Michigan is the only Great Lake that is entirely contained within the United States. It borders Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Wisconsin, and is the second largest Great lake by volume with 1,180 cubic miles of water and third largest by area.

Source Water Assessment Summary

The Illinois EPA implemented a Source Water Assessment Program (SWAP) to assist with watershed protection of public drinking water supplies. The SWAP inventories potential sources of contamination and determined the susceptibility of the source water to contamination. The Illinois EPA has completed the Source Water Assessment Program for our supply.

Susceptibility to Contamination

The Illinois EPA considers all surface water sources of community water supply to be susceptible to potential pollution problems. The very nature of surface water allows contaminants to migrate into the intake with no protection only dilution. This is the reason for mandatory treatment of all surface water supplies in Illinois. Chicago’s offshore intakes are located at a distance that shoreline impacts are not usually considered a factor on water quality. At certain times of the year, however, the potential for contamination exists due to wet-weather flows and river reversals. In addition, the placement of the crib structures may serve to attract waterfowl, gulls and terns that frequent the Great Lakes area, thereby concentrating fecal deposits at the intake and thus compromising the source water quality. Conversely, the shore intakes are highly susceptible to storm water runoff, marinas and shoreline point sources due to the influx of groundwater to the lake.

Further information on our community water supply’s Source Water Assessment Program is available by calling DWM at 312-7422406 or by going online at http://dataservices.epa.illinois.gov/swap/factsheet.aspx

2023 VOLUNTARY MONITORING

The City of Chicago has continued monitoring for Cryptosporidium, Giardia and E. coli in its source water as part of its water quality program. No Cryptosporidium or Giardia was detected in source water samples collected in 2023. Treatment processes have been optimized to provide effective barriers for removal of Cryptosporidium oocysts and Giardia cysts in the source water, effectively removing these organisms in the treatment process. By maintaining low turbidity through the removal of particles from the water, the possibility of Cryptosporidium and Giardia organisms getting into the drinking water system is greatly reduced. In 2023, CDWM has also continued monitoring for hexavalent chromium, also known as chromium-6. USEPA has not yet established a standard for chromium-6, a contaminant of concern which has both natural and industrial sources. Please address any questions or concerns to DWM’s Water Quality Division at 312-744-8190. Data reports on the monitoring program for chromium-6 are posted on the City’s website which can be accessed at the following address below:

https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/water/supp_info/water_quality_resultsandreports/city_of_chicago_emergincontaminantstudy.html

For more information, please contact Patrick Schwer At 312-744-8190

Chicago Department of Water Management 1000 East Ohio Street Chicago, IL 60611

Radioactive & Synthetic Organic Contaminants

• Note: The state requires monitoring of certain contaminants less than once per year because the concentrations of these contaminants do not change frequently. Therefore, some of this data may be more than one year old Not all sample results may have been used for calculating the Highest Level because some maybe part of an evaluation to determine where compliance sampling should occur in the future

Turbidity - Regulated at the Water Treatment Plant - Information Statement: Turbidity is a measurement of the cloudiness of the water caused by suspended particles. We monitor it because it is a good indicator of water quality and the effectiveness of our filtration system and disinfectants.

The percentage of Total Organic Carbon (TOC) removal was measured each month and the system met all TOC removal requirements set, unless a TOC violation is noted in the violations section.

LEGAL NOTICE

VILLAGE OF NORTH RIVERSIDE CONSUMER CONFIDENCE REPORT Public Water Supply For The Monitoring Year 2023

North Riverside Regulated Contaminants Detected in 2023 (collected in 2023 unless noted) Disinfec-

North Riverside Regulated Contaminants Detected in 2023 (collected in 2023 unless noted)

Lead

Definitions:

Action Level (AL): The concentration of a contaminant which, if exceeded, triggers treatment or other requirements which a

Date Sampled

water system must follow.

Action Level Goal (ALG): The level of a contaminant below which there is no known or expected risk to health. ALGs allow for a margin of safety.

Erosion of natural deposits; Leaching from wood preservatives; Corrosion of household plumbing systems.

Water Quality Test Results

Definition The following tables contain scientific terms and measures, some of which may require explanation

Ave: Regulatory compliance with some MCLs are based on running annua average of monthly samples

Level 1 Assessment: A Level 1 assessment is a study of the water system to identify potential problems and determine (if possible) why total coliform bacteria have been found in our water system.

Level 2 Assessment: A Level 2 assessment is a very detailed study of the water system to identify potential problems and determine (if possible) why an E. coli MCL violation has occurred and/or why total coliform bacteria have been found in our water system on multiple occasions.

Maximum Contaminant Level or MCL: The highest level of a contaminant that is allowed in drinking water. MCLs are set as close to the MCLGs as feasible using the best available treatment technology.

Maximum Contaminant Level Goal or MCLG: The level of a contaminant in drinking water below which there is no known or expected risk to health. MCLGs allow for a margin of safety.

Maximum residual disinfectant level or MRDL: The highest level of a disinfectant allowed in drinking water. There is convincing evidence that addition of a disinfectant is necessary for control of microbial contaminants.

na: not applicable.

mrem: millirems per year (a measure of radiation absorbed by the body)

ppb: micrograms per liter or parts per billion - or one ounce in 7,350,000 gallons of water.

ppm: milligrams per liter or parts per million - or one ounce in 7,350 gallons of water.

Treatment Technique or TT: A required process intended to reduce the level of a contaminant in drinking water

ESSENTIALS

conduct themselves with good decisions in and outside of the home. This platfo rm is about modeling behavior and being the change we want to see. It all starts with children and one small set of hands.”

N annies for N on-Profits is a servic e that C onnelly said would begin as a networking platfo rm for care give rs and f amilies to c onnect with one another, and allow for o pportunities to exchange info rm ation for nannying and childcar e need s, as well as maintain c ontact as they see fit. T here is no matchmaking for individualized services or h iring of nannies. E ssentially, C onnelly hopes fo r the organization to ser ve strictly as a networking venture.

“The [Nannies for N on-Profits] platfo rm would partner with a new Chicag o nonprofit organization every q uarter and educate members about their mission,” she said. “We’d share ways to ge t

involved, offer volunteering or servic e o pportunities, and emphasize the impo rtance of their social value and wh at it means on a broader scale.”

Building her platfo rm from the ground up, Connelly is now looking for help in monetary form for everything from purchasing and building a website domain, business consulting and professional mentorship, working with a brand-kit designer, securing photo and video equipment to document work and re gistering as an LLC and ongoing maintenance costs. Her hope is to launch the platfo rm by December, when she is set to graduate from the University of Illinois Chicago with a de gree in educational psycholo gy and human development and learning with a minor in nonprofit management.

One example of a months-long sponsored organizational partnership through Nannies for Non-Profits would be back with her previous partner, Share Our Spare Through her group ’s i ntervention, f amilies and care give rs in the N annies for N on-Profits network would be enc ouraged to learn about the organization, increase social literacy through i ntroducing the children in their care

to b ooks with c onc ep ts similar to wh at S hare Our Spare d oes and discuss the impor tance of conc ep ts li ke giving, family and empat hy, and then parents and care give rs would then promote N annies for N on-Profits sponsored events, d onations or group volunteer o pportunities for the c ause, all wh i le helping children with their social/emotional skills through the progr ams wh ich provide b oth c ommunity eng agement and exposure to new concep ts and literature.

Wi th N annies for N on-Profits, C onnelly said that her mission is simple: to bridge wh at she c onsiders the 21st-century social disconnect of the distribution of quality child and family care .

“We tend to make our households private, but there is a shift in reliance on outside care and childcare suppo rt ,” she said. “I b eli eve we all want to do g ood in the wo rl d and make our mark. In thi s way, c onnecting g enerations to embark on their j ourney of service will allow fo r broader, continual impact.”

A lhough C onnelly now lives in Chicago ’s Lo g an Square neighborhood, she hopes that L andmark-area readers see the value in her startup nonprofit be -

Sources of Contaminants

Water additive to control microbes.

By-product of drinking water disinfection.

By-Product of drinking water disinfection

Village of North Riverside Water Supply is proud to report no violations occurred during the 2023 monitoring period .

c ause of the local importance she witnessed grow ing up of the joy it brings to the lives of children and f amilies when a tight-knit c ommunity c omes to g ether to take care of one another

“I was born and raised in Riverside and I am lucky to know so many f amiliar faces and neighbors that have established my strong roots here,” she said. “Everywhere I go, I am guaranteed to bump into someone I know and have a conversation with them. I believe we all want to do good here and give our children the best for ms of care and education. ”

Passionate about building authenti c c ommunities and championing socia l j ustice c auses, C onnelly coins herself as “not a person who will ever j ust do one thing.” Her f uture g oals alongside building up the N annies for N on-Profits network include wo rk ing in f amily and women’s services public sector p ositions — and of course, being a mom.

To g et in touch with C onnelly, lear n more about her startup g oals and donate, visit I nsta gr am.com/nanniesfornonprofits or her GoFundMe page at gofundme .com/f/nannies-fo r- nonprofi ts-startup-costs

Opinion

THE L ANDMARK VIEW

Roundabout roulette

We’ve never been fans of roundabouts, those traffic whirligigs where you fly into moving traf fic, ne gotiate an exit route and then spin out of a pedestrian crossing.

What could go wrong?

Well at Eight Cor ners, the iconic roundabout in Brookfield, you just might crash into the memorial fountain, which is the hub of the entire experience. Three motorists have accomplished that feat just since last December. And remember, the fountain area was rededicated to veterans only a year ago.

Now, with full respect to the brain trust, the public works chief, police chief and village manager, have had 32 traf fic bollards — really colorful plastic sticks — installed in an effort to guide drivers through this anxiety-producing circle.

The good news is that said bollards are so cheap, the village has a stack of re placements in reserve because they know motorists will flatten them soon.

We know this roundabout isn’t going anyplace soon. We understand that the village does not want to contemplate major infrastructure investments to straighten out, so to speak, this circle.

We might suggest slowing down, but it is our impression that it’s the tentative drivers who cause the most trouble once you’ve committed to the roundabout. So just be alert, and keep your insurance up to date.

Parking, as expected

Riverside has a 37-car parking lot on Quincy Street and is working, with not great success, to make those prime spaces work for three different groups of drivers. Right now, 20 spaces are reserved for commuters with permits. A dozen spaces are set aside for staf f members in nearby businesses. And the final five spots are designated for use by First American Bank on Riverside Road.

It all seems logical and well considered. Now, as the lot is about to be rebuilt this summer as a “g reen” parking lot, the village has been counting cars and discovered less than half of the 12 spaces for employees are typically used while just one in five of the bank’s spots is in use

T hese are the sort of challenges that turn the hair of municipal staffers white. That’s because there isn’ t a right answer. Business employees are always going to park in front of their business if they can get away with it. Doesn’t matter that they are sucking up the best parking spaces of their prime customer s. And carving a 37-car lot into three specific uses is some pretty fine, and potentially confusing, hair-splitting

We admire the deter mination, the counting, the hope. But we’re not hopeful for a perfect solution.

OBITUARIES

Jeremy Kolasa, 24 Loved helping people

Jeremy Thomas Kolasa, 24, of Brookfield died on May 23, 2024. Born on April 7, 2000 in Hinsdale, he graduated from Olivet Nazarene University in 2022 with a Bachelor of Social Work degree. His favorite band was Red Hot Chili Peppers and he loved collecting records. He had a big heart and wanted to help people as much as he could. A “gentle giant,” he loved playing Pokémon and video games.

Jeremy was the son of Thomas Edward and Alicia Ann (nee Brockel) Kolasa; the brother of Dylan Michael Kolasa and the late Thomas Michael Kolasa; and the grandson of Michael I. and Delia M. Brockel and Thomas F. and Dreama K. Kolasa.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, June 8, 2024, from 1 to 5 p.m. at Johnson-Nosek Funeral Home, 3847 Prairie Ave., Brookfield, followed by a service of remembrance at 4 p.m. Memorial donations to a homeless shelter of your choice would be appreciated. Online condolences, memories and photographs may be shared with the family at www.JohnsonNosek.com.

Paul Braun, 69

Electr ician

Paul F. Braun, 69, of Brookfield, died on May 31, 2024. He worked as an electrician.

Paul was the husband of Helen Kay-Braun; the

for mer husband of Marianne Meyers; the father of Elizabeth (James) Dempsey, Lauren Braun, and Matthew Braun; the grandfather of James Dempsey Jr.; and the brother of Debbie Braun.

Services are private.

Arrangements were handled by Hitzeman Funeral Home & Cremation Services, 9445 31st Street, Brookfield, IL 60513.

Info rm ation 708-485-2000 or www.HitzemanFuneral.co m

If you wish to send a sympathy card to the family, please send it to Hitzeman Funeral Home, c/o the Paul Braun family. We will gladly forward it.

Naomi Sweet, 97 Registered Nurse

Naomi Marie Sweet (nee Warren), 97, of Brookfield, died on May 25, 2024. Born on Jan. 5, 1927, she was a Re gistered Nurse before retiring.

Naomi was the wife of the late Donald Sweet; the sister of the late Reneda (Kevin) Parker, the late Dr. Judith R. Sweet PhD, and the late Holly (Douglas) Funk; the grandmother of 9 and great-grandmother of 9.

Vi sitation was held on May 31 at Johnson-Nosek Funeral Home, 3847 Prairie Ave., Brookfield, followe d by the f uneral service on June 1 in the chap el at Johnson-Nosek Funeral Home and i nterment at Queen of Heaven Cemetery in Hillside.

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

To run an obituary

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

Riversider arrested for DUI after striking tree, parked car

Police ar rested a Riverside man May 25 for driving under the influence after his car struck a parked car and a village tree

Around 10 a.m. that day, two of ficers responded to a re port of a crash on Eastgrove Road. According to police, the officers saw that the parked car had damage on the front left side. The officers saw a black car leaving the scene, which witnesses and the owner of the parked car identified as the one involved in the crash.

T he officers followe d the ca r, wh ich went north onto Kent Road before c ontinuing east onto Lindberg Road, where the drive r p ulled i nto a driveway before exiting his ca r. Police said the car had d amage on the front left and front right s ide s, wh ich was c onsistent with the d amage sustained by the pa rked car and tree. While speaking with the man, an officer smelled alcohol on his breath and saw he had glassy eyes

T he man told p olice he had heard the p olice siren as he left the scene but did not see the p olice ca r. W hen asked, he said he had not drunk alcohol that day. T he man ag reed to take field sobriety tests, during wh ich he struggled with his b alance and had to be co rrected on how to properly take the tests. T he man declined to take a po rt able breath test.

Police ar rested the man around 10:20 a.m. After being handcu ff ed and p laced in the squad ca r, the man told p olice he had b een driving home to drop of f hi s car so he c ould return to the scene of the crash in another ca r.

T he man was transported to the police station for processing. At the station, he declined to take a second breath test before hearing and signing his M irand a warning. While talking to p olice, the man said again he had not b een drinking that day. W hen asked how he struc k the pa rked ca r, the man said he b eli eved something in his car had distracted him.

T he man was b ooked on seven charge s, including driving under the influence of alcohol, failing to decrease speed to avo id a c ollision and failing to stop at a stop sign. He was released to his mother and a Ju ly 5 cour t date was set.

Pro-Trump flags put up near Metra railroad

A Brookfield officer responded to the Metra railroad crossing on Prairie Avenue around 2:30 p. m. on May 27 on a re po rt of p olitical signs that had b een taped over c onstruction sign s. No one was ar rested

According to p olice, the officer did not see any c onstruction signs that had b een tampered with; i nstead, freestanding fl agpoles we re “embedded i nto the railroad parkway. ” Each fl agpole bore seve r al fl ag s, wh ich c onsisted of A meric an fl ags as well as fl ags in suppo rt of for mer President Donald Trump and the Second A mendment’s g uarantee of the right to b ear arms. One of the fl agpoles was zip-tied to a construction signpost.

T he officer spoke with a man who was sitting in the parkway on the north s ide of the train trac ks. The man said he had t ried to org anize a pro-Trump r ally at the railroad crossing but that no one showe d up. T he man told the officer he p lanned to stay out with his fl ags until 4 p. m. that day.

T he officer told the man that he needed to remove the z ip-ties c onnecting the single fl agpole to the c onstruction signp ost so the fl agpole stood alone. T he officer told him Brookfield police would not take the fl ags down but that the Metr a Police Department had b een notified of the fl ags d ue to their proximity to the B NSF line and may take action.

T he officer left the scene after the man removed the zip-ties. Shortly after, the officer was alerted by the dispatch center that Metra police were en route to remove the flags. Later that day, the officer observed the man and his flags to be gone from the railroad crossing, police said.

Collisions in Riverside

Police responded to a tw o -car collision at the i ntersection of 31st Street and F irst Avenue around 10 a.m. on May 24. No one was ar rested

According to police, the responding offers saw a maroon car and a wh i te ca r we re blocking southbound traffic on F irst Avenue, so they shut down traffic in that direction. Both drive rs declined medical attention from p olice and provided valid drive r’s licenses and proof of insuranc e.

T he officers first spoke with the drive r of the maroon ca r, who said the other drive r was at f ault. S he told p olice the other drive r disobeyed the red light, c ausing her to strike the s ide of the wh i te car head-on.

T he drive r of the wh i te car told p olice that her car was struck by the maroon car after she drove through the red light. A witness at the scene said he saw the wh i te car drive through the red light, co rroborating both drive rs’ storie s.

Police drove the maroon car’s drive r home wh i le the wh i te car’s drive r was taken to the Rive rside p olice station to wait for a ride from family.

Police responded to another c ollision, this one b etween a car and a bicycle, around 8:15 a.m. on May 29 at the intersection of Bartram Road and No rt h Delaplaine Road. W hen officers arrive d, the cycli st and drive r b oth said they we re uninjured. Neither was ar rested

T he drive r of the car told p olice she had b een driving east on N Delaplaine Road when she c ame to the i ntersection and wave d through two bicyclists heading west, who turned left onto Bartram

Road. S he said she looked to the right at the bicyclists as she c ontinued through the i ntersection; when she looked back to the road, there was a third bi cyclis t making the turn. T he drive r said she slammed on her brakes but still struc k the bicyclist with the front of her ca r.

T he bicyclist’s story was largely similar. She told police she was heading west on North Delaplaine Road and mad e the left turn after she saw the other bicycli sts we re wave d through when the dr iver proceeded through the i ntersection and struck her bicycle. S he sai d she didn’t f all or hit her head but had scraped her right hand and left ankle

A ll four individuals involved in the two c ollisions we re i nstructed by p olice about how to obtain their crash re po rt s.

These items were obtained from the Riverside Police Department re ports dated May 24-29 and the Brookfield Police Department re ports dated May 27 to June 3; 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

Reporters on the ground. Editors on the desk. The most local news.

Here’s our most fundamental message. Genuine local news with real reporters, editors backing them up, a design and digital team are all essential to crafting actual news that’s important to you. And it costs money.

We’re asking you to support our nonprofit newsroom by becoming a member of Growing Community Media.

Right now, we have a $10,000 Match provided by members of our board of directors. Help us meet this match by June 12 and you’ll be directly supporting our reporters and editors. If local news is important to you now is the moment to support the reporters and editors who do this work. With thanks.

Help us make this match. Invest in our newsroom at RBLandmark.com/donate

We’re growing community, one story at a time

Erika Hobbs, Editor

Stacy Coleman, Digital manager Javier Govea, Editorial design manager Ken Trainor, Viewpoints editor

Amaris Rodriguez, Reporter

Jessica Mordacq, Reporter Luzanne Draughon, Reporter Trent Brown, Reporter

Sports

Lions book return trip to state volleyball tourney

Kostic, Culver, Ruiz lead LTHS to back-to-back state berths

By BILL STONE Contributing Reporter

For senior Luka Kostic and other Lyons Township boys volleyball players, many surroundings and feelings were similar in this second straight trip to the state finals at Hoffman Estates High School.

“The same building, the same gym, the same mentality,” Kostic said. “We didn’t let emotions get in the way of us. We’ve got a lot of people returning, the same coaches. Pretty much the same to me with the same goal in mind, too.”

The Lions even drew a familiar opponent, defending state champion and West Suburban Conference Silver Division rival Glenbard West. This time, the Lions lost 25-20, 22-25, 25-15 in the quarterfinals after losing to the Hilltoppers in the 2023 championship match 25-18, 25-20.

Kostic had a single-match season-high 16 kills in 36 attacks along with four digs for the Lions (34-6). Also contributing were seniors Tommy Culver (35 assists, 6 digs), Zaccary Ruiz 9 kills, 4 digs) and Timothy Shepard, juniors Gavin Mockton (4 kills, 2 total blocks), libero Vaughn Guilfoile (8 digs, 3 assists), Tyler Chambers (3 kills, 2 blocks) and Cooper Komsthoeft and sophomores Brody Lee-Caracci (8 kills) and Owen Carroll.

Glenbard West (39-3) finished third, beating Loyola 27-29, 25-18, 25-22 Saturday.

“Watching the film, we knew who they were,” Kostic said. “We came into the game confident. We honestly thought we could beat them and pretty much knew what we were g etting coming into the game.”

The Lions continued showing who they were as a program. The 2023 second-place state finish is the program’s highest. This season’s berth marked just the second time the Lions reached the state quarterfinals in back-to-back seasons other than 2002-03.

“It’s absolutely amazing [getting back],” Culver said. “A lot of other teams at the beginning of the season were saying, ‘You guys aren’t as good as last year.’ Everybody was predicting our downfall. But we came back here. I’d like to say LT is like a home to me, a family. Our chemistry is absolutely amazing so I think that’s a big part why we succeed as a program.”

Kostic, Culver and Ruiz excelled as the lone returnees from the 10 Lions who played in the 2023 state championship match.

This season, Kostic led the Lions with 294 kills and 36 service aces along with 35 blocks and 154 digs. He was among 15 players named first-team all-state by the Illinois Volleyball Coaches Association and will play club volleyball at Miami (Ohio). Second-team all-state Culver had a

Lyons Township’s Luka Kostic (6) goes up for a kill against Oak Park and River Forest dur ing the Sandburg Sectional championship Tuesday, May 28, 2024 in Orland Park

team-best 678 assists and 119 digs. Last year’s libero, Ruiz was third-team all-state and collected 198 kills and 124 digs. They now will be teammates at Augustana.

“This senior class has been great to coach with their dedication, consistency, work ethic, commitment and dedication to the program,” LTHS coach Brad Skendzel said. “They kept the season positive and made this season their own. They never talked about or focused on the past and played in the moment which contributed to our success this year.”

The only past the Lions focused on with Glenbard West was playing better than in the 25-22, 25-23 loss May 14 in Glen Ellyn. In the second set Friday, the Lions opened leads of 16-8 and 19-14. The Hilltoppers closed to 23-22 but LTHS held with a Kostic kill for set point.

In the third set, the teams exchanged sideouts through a 6-6 tie before the Hilltoppers pulled ahead 9-6. Another run soon followed for a 15-7 lead. The Lions scored just two points serving in the set. The first was an ace by Carroll, but by that time Glenbard West led 19-11.

“In that third set, we had that one rotation that just went on and on. I think we were just a little tense in that moment,” Skendzel said. “Especially those first two sets (Friday) and even the third set, those first few points, we were trading points back and for th. Defensively, I thought we matched up well. I think we did a good job.”

Another difference was Culver and Ruiz said they returned to state with much more confidence. This time, seven others made their state debuts.

“I was real scared last year. But for this year I was a little more calm and collected,” Ruiz said. “I was ready to go. I was ready to play.”

That mentality helped the Lions reach state. They won the Sandburg Sectional 25-23, 22-25, 25-12, May 28, over Oak Park and River Forest, third in state in 2023. The Huskies had beaten the Lions 25-23, 25-23 on April 9.

“It was a great feeling. It was a really loud environment, too,” Kostic said. “We felt like obviously we could be back [at state]. We lost a lot of talent but the guys on our team really stepped up and filled those roles really well.”

STEVE JOHNSTON

Nazareth’s strong softball run ends at 3A super-sectional

Brook eld’s Barnes helps Roadrunners win rst sectional since 2017

By BILL STONE Contributing Reporter

Junior catcher Emme Barnes, of Brookfield, wanted to earn a downstate berth with the Nazareth Academy softball team Monday. Older sister Monica was a member of the Roadrunners’ only state qualifier, which finished third in Class 3A in 2017.

T he Roadrunners battled but were edged by Fenwick 2-1 in the 3A Benedictine University Super-Sectional in Lisle. Nazareth (16-20) had seven hits but stranded four r unners in scoring position. Both teams scored in the first inning before Fenwick (17-9) took the lead on a fourth-inning home run.

T he Roadrunners return a strong corps, including Barnes, All-East Suburban Catholic pitcher Annabella Rychetsk y, and center-fielder Kennedy Joe, all threeyear varsity players. T hey graduate five starters, including All-ESCC pitcher/in-

fielder Catie Luzzi

This season, Barnes made catcher her primary position after often being used as a utility infielder. With the Roadrunners’ new uniforms, she switched to No. 64, the number worn by older brother Noah as a starting of fensive lineman for Nazareth’s 2022 state championship football team.

“We left it all out there and played until the very end,” Barnes said. “[Our seniors] left as a sisterhood. How close we were helped us get here and all of the passion and love we have for each other and the game.”

T he F riars scored with their first two hitters on an er ror and r un-scoring double. Junior Joe led of f the Nazareth first with a double and scored on a wild pitch.

“We knew it was going to be a really competitive game. I think we hit the ball hard but unfortunately we couldn’t punch through enough base hits to string together and score,” Nazareth coach Vicki Sobol said. “We played solid all around. They just maxi-

mized on the little mistakes we made.”

Fenwick also got clutch pitching from Sophie Stone, (5 strikeouts, 3 walks). One of three four-year players, Stone will play at Oberlin Colle ge.

Nazareth beat Fenwick 2-1 on March 22 with 15 strikeouts. Rychetsky had 11 Monday with no walks while allowing si x hits. On F riday, she had an RBI single and threw a two-hitter with 11 strikeouts as Nazareth beat St. Laurence for the first time 1-0 to win the Hinsdale South Sectional, its first sectional title since 2017.

“[Monday’s game] was stressful to say the least. I felt like it was a roller coaster of emotions that eventually evened out and allowed me to play my g ame,” Rychetsky said.

“We’ve taken the lessons that the seniors have given us and I feel we’re going to implement them really well next year.”

Fenwick is making its second state trip and first since finishing fourth in Class AA in 1998. Senior Ellie Kolb and junior

Molly Mullen are Riverside residents. Firstyear head coach Valerie Jisa also lives in Riverside. Kolb joins Stone and third baseman Maddie Entler as four-year varsity players. Kolb was Stone’s courtesy runner Monday after her second-inning double.

“Awesome. It’s just a great way to end the four-year streak of softball here,” Kolb said. “I think we all came here amped up, ready to win and that’s what happened.”

In her third varsity season, Mullen pl ayed first b ase on Mond ay and Saturday, when she walked in the F riars ’ three-run sixth that p ulled out the Glenbard S outh Sectional final 5-3 over E lmwood Pa rk . After S tone g ot a strikeout with the b ases loaded to end the Tigers’ sixth, heavy rains in the seventh forced the game to be called

“It’s a great feeling,” Mullen said Monday. “It’s definitely due to our coaching We’re all relaxed in the dugout and we all want to be here.”

Nazareth baseball’s epic senior class for the ages

Six Division I recruits contribute to two state titles, 132 victories

By BILL STONE Contributing Reporter

As one of six freshman starters on varsity in 2021, senior John Hughes realized quickly he was going to be part of significant Nazareth Academy baseball history.

“We came in, won 27 games, made a sectional. That year, all of the freshmen contributed,” Hughes said. “We knew for sure we had a special group of guys. The coaches knew. Everyone knew. I think we capitalized on it pretty well.”

The incredible run by the seniors and the Roadrunners came to an end Friday with a 5-3 loss to Mt. Carmel in the Class 4A Reavis Sectional final. Nazareth (37-1) hoped to pull off yet another state title in this season’s move to 4A after back-to-back state championships in 3A.

The season’s end was made tougher by saying goodbye to six Division I four-year varsity seniors — Hughes (North Carolina), Cooper Malamazian (Indiana), David Cox (Illinois

Chicago), Nick Drtina (Louisville), Luca Fiore (Illinois Chicago) and Cole Reifsteck (Belmont). There were 14 seniors on the roster, including Danny Gentile of Riverside

“This class is going to go down as one of the greatest classes in the history of the state,” Nazareth coach Lee Milano said. “As good as they are as baseball players, they’re even better people.”

The only loss of the season also ended streaks of 46 straight victories and 17 straight in playoff action. In all, the fouryear seniors combined for 132 victories (2734-34-37). This was the Roadrunners’ most victories in any season.

“I don’t know how many classes have that many wins in state history. It’s a once-in-alifetime group,” Milano said.

“We’ve had probably the craziest four years any class has had in the state,” Malamazian said. “Obviously you want to come out on top every game. We’re thankful for the last four years we’ve had. Especially right now you feel the emotions, but it’s baseball.”

The Roadrunners nearly had another victory Friday against Mt. Car mel (22-15). Nazareth tied the game 3-3 on Malamazian’s 353foot home run over the left-field scoreboard.

But the Caravan hung tough behind sophomore pitcher Jake Matise, who threw more than 100 pitches over his six innings, along with big defensive plays. Then they scored runs in the sixth on a wild pitch and the seventh with a single, sacrifice and single. Providence beat Mt. Carmel 3-2 in Monday’s Crestwood Super-Sectional at Ozinga Field.

“It was a good game. [Mt. Carmel] flat-out beat us,” Milano said. “It’s a one-game playof f every playof f game. You play enough games, it’s not going to go your way and today just wasn’t our day.”

Nazareth had six hits but just one after the third. The Roadrunners took a 2-0 lead in the first on a two-out, two-run double by Drtina after Malamazian walked and junior Jaden Fauske doubled. Fauske and Malamazian each had two hits

Malamazian singled with one out in the seventh after leadof f hitter Luca Fiore was robbed by center-fielder Kolin Adams’ diving catch. Hughes pitched the first three innings, followed by Andrew Kouris and Malamazian (2 innings each).

“It’s baseball and that’s why baseball’s great because anything can happen on any given day,” Hughes said. “We were on the wrong end of it today, but we’ve been on the right end of it a lot of times. Luck runs out sometimes.”

In the sectional semifinals, May 29, Nazareth beat St. Ignatius 5-0 as Cox (6 strikeouts in 6 innings) and Kouris combined on a four-hit shutout. Junior catcher Chuck Roche had three doubles

“[I’ll remember] practicing, the games. The state championship games,” Malamazian said. “I won’t forget any of these four years of my life, the impact that this team has had on me, Coach Milano, all of the other coaches. It’s special.”

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, June 26, 2024 at 7:00 p.m., or as soon thereafter as the business of the Planning and Zoning Commission may permit, in Room 4 of the Riverside Township Hall, 27 Riverside Road, Riverside, Illinois, to consider an application for a Special Use permit to allow a Private School to operate at 53 Northgate Rd in the R1-A Zoning District.

Application No.: PZ 24-0004

Petitioner: Richard and Milagros Andrews for Intiraymi Montessori House Inc.

Address: 53 Northgate Rd

PIN: 15-25-302-008-0000

Requested Special Use: Private School

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

The Public Hearing may be continued from time to time without further notice, except as otherwise required under the Illinois Open Meetings Act.

Dated this 5th day of June, 2024.

Jennifer Henaghan, Chairperson Planning & Zoning Commission

Published in RB Landmark June 5, 2024

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, June 26, 2024 at 7:00 p.m., or as soon thereafter as the business of the Planning and Zoning Commission may permit, in Room 4 of the Riverside Township Hall, 27 Riverside Road, Riverside, Illinois, to consider an application for Variations related to a new development.

Application No.: PZ 24-0005

Petitioner: Star Buds

Property Owner: Village of Riverside Addresses: 3320 S Harlem Ave and 363-369 E Burlington St

PINs: 15-36-212-013-0000 and 1536-212-012-0000

Zoning District: B1-TOD

The variations sought include, but may not be limited to, variations from the following sections of the Riverside Zoning Ordinance:

1. 10-9-6, to allow fewer interior landscape medians than required.

2. 10-6-2(C), to allow a portion of the landscape median next to the drive-through lane to be less than 10 feet wide.

3. 10-8-4(A)1 to allow the drivethrough lane to be 12 feet wide in areas.

4. 10-5-6(D)1, to allow the building to have public entrances at locations other than the primary street frontage.

5. 10-5-6(E)2 to allow Lexon paneling as a building material.

6. 10-5-6(B)2, to allow the ground floor windows of a commercial building to have a transparency of less than 50 percent.

7. 10-7-2(B), to allow light to shine on the public-right-way and to allow light intensity to exceed 1-foot candle at the property line.

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

The Public Hearing may be continued from time to time without further notice, except as otherwise required under the Illinois Open Meetings Act.

Dated this 5th day of June, 2024. Jennifer Henaghan, Chairperson Planning & Zoning Commission

Published in RB Landmark June 5, 2024

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, June 26, 2024 at 7:00 p.m., or as soon thereafter as the business of the Planning and Zoning Commission may permit, in Room 4 of the Riverside Township Hall, 27 Riverside Road, Riverside, Illinois, to consider an application for a Variation to allow the entire length of a 31 foot, 7-inch-long driveway providing access to an attached garage to be widened to 12 feet, 8 inches wide.

Application No.: PZ 24-0003

Petitioner: Christopher Begbie Address: 162 Northgate Rd PIN: 15-25-300-037-0000

Requested Variation: To allow the entire length of a 31 foot, 7-inch-long driveway providing access to an attached garage to be widened to 12 feet, 8 inches wide.

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

The Public Hearing may be continued from time to time without further notice, except as otherwise required under the Illinois Open Meetings Act.

Dated this 5th day of June, 2024.

Jennifer Henaghan, Chairperson Planning & Zoning Commission

Published in RB Landmark June 5, 2024

LEGAL NOTICE

The Village of Oak Park will receive bids from qualified contractors at the Public Works Center, 201 South Blvd., Oak Park, IL 60302 Mon thru Fri, 7:30 am to 4:00 pm local time until 10:00 am on Mon, June 24, 2024 for the following: Village of Oak Park Building Maintenance Services Proposal Number: 24-122 Issuance Date: 6/5/24

There will be a mandatory pre-bid meeting at the Public Works Center, 201 South Blvd., Oak Park, IL on Mon, June 10, 2024 at 8:30 am. Bid documents may be obtained from the Village website at http://www.oak-park.us/bid For questions please call Public Works at (708) 358-5700.

Published in Wednesday Journal June 5, 2023

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, June 26, 2024 at 7:00 p.m., or as soon thereafter as the business of the Planning and Zoning Commission may permit, in Room 4 of the Riverside Township Hall, 27 Riverside Road, Riverside, Illinois, to consider an application for a Special Use.

Application No.: PZ 24-0007

Petitioner: Star Buds

Property Owner: Village of Riverside

Addresses: 3320 S Harlem Ave and 363-369 E Burlington St PINs: 15-36-212-013-0000 and 1536-212-012-0000

Zoning District: B1-TOD

Requested Special Use: To allow a retail sales establishment with a drive-through facility in the B1-TOD District per Section 10-5-9.

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

The Public Hearing may be continued from time to time without further notice, except as otherwise required under the Illinois Open Meetings Act.

Dated this 5th day of June, 2024.

Jennifer Henaghan, Chairperson Planning & Zoning Commission

Published in RB Landmark June 5, 2024

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION MORTGAGE ASSESTS MANAGEMENT, LLC F/K/A REVERSE MORTGAGE SOLUTIONS, INC Plaintiff, -v.-

ANDREW C. CRAWFORD, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA - DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

Defendants 2021 CH 05362 827 N. GROVE AVE OAK PARK, IL 60302 NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on March 22, 2024, an agent for The Judicial Sales Corporation, will at 10:30 AM on June 24, 2024, 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 827 N. GROVE AVE, OAK PARK, IL 60302

Property Index No. 16-06-305-0200000

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. Where a sale of real estate is made to satisfy a lien prior to that of the United States, the United States shall have one year from the date of sale within which to redeem, except that with respect to a lien arising under the internal revenue laws the period shall be 120 days or the period allowable for redemption under State law, whichever is longer, and in any case in which, under the provisions of section 505 of the Housing Act of 1950, as amended (12 U.S.C. 1701k), and subsection (d) of section 3720 of title 38 of the United States Code, the right to redeem does not arise, there shall be no right of redemption. 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 Con-

dominium 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, examine the court file, CODILIS & ASSOCIATES, P.C. Plaintiff’s Attorneys, 15W030 NORTH FRONTAGE ROAD, SUITE 100, BURR RIDGE, IL, 60527 (630) 794-9876 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. CODILIS & ASSOCIATES, P.C. 15W030 NORTH FRONTAGE ROAD, SUITE 100 BURR RIDGE IL, 60527 630-794-5300

E-Mail: pleadings@il.cslegal.com Attorney File No. 14-20-03979 Attorney ARDC No. 00468002 Attorney Code. 21762 Case Number: 2021 CH 05362 TJSC#: 44-840

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 # 2021 CH 05362 I3244734