Raising the curtain
By KATHERINE FRAZER Contributing Reporter
Recent updates to the weight room at Riverside Brookfield High School will improve students’ athletic experiences this year thanks to funding from the school’s Sports Boosters.
Jennifer Hepker Royer, president of RB Sports Boosters, said that $26,340 was donated toward new equipment for the school’s weight room. Before the donation, the most recent renovations to the weight room took place about 15 years ago in 2009.
“The school reached out to see what Boosters might be able to contribute, since it was a project that really needed to be done,” Royer said. “We wanted to try to be as generous as we possibly could, and we were excited to support a project that actually, for sure, supported the athletes, but certainly had a broader impact at the school, because all of the students can use the weight
Rotary Club, food pantry unveil Brookfield’s first community fridge
Share Food Share Love will host the fridge at its food pantry for anyone who cannot a ord perishables
By TRENT BROWN Staff Reporter
The Rotary Club of Brookfield Riverside and Share Food Share Love food pantry have come together to help anyone in need of perishable food items.
On Friday, Sept. 13, both groups hosted a ribbon cutting for Brookfield’s first community refrigerator. From 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day, anyone will be able to access the fridge at the Share Food Share Love food pantry, located at 9030 Brookfield Ave.
While the pantry is providing the space, members of the Rotary Club will be responsible for maintaining the fridge. Friday morning ahead of its first day being open to the public, Rotary members stocked it full of eggs, dairy products and fresh produce, as well as frozen goods in the freezer.
Juan Silva, a Rotary Club member and co-owner of Brookfield’s Beach Avenue BBQ, told the Landmark his idea for a community refrigerator was inspired by his past work.
“Before I started Beach Avenue BBQ, I used to be a social worker in Little Village and other low-income neighborhoods, and the Love Fridge was a thing that existed in those communities,” he said. “I wanted to bring that to Brookfield because I knew that there was a need.”
The Love Fridge is a mutual aid group that operates and maintains 22 community fridges in areas around Chicago.
While Rotary Club members fully stocked the fridge Friday, Silva said it will mostly run based of f donations from Brookfield residents or any other charitable people. People who wish to donate unexpired food can access the fridge at the same time it’s open to those in need.
Silva said he had approached the Rotary Club with his idea for the fridge three years ago. They were able to raise funds for the initiative but quickly hit roadblocks in the form of village code compliance.
Juan Silva (center) of the Brook eld Rotary Club and John Dumas (center right), administ rative director of Share Food Share Love, stand with others to cut the r ibbon on Brook eld’s rst community refrigerator.
“Our idea was just to put it outside somewhere where people can access it, but we realized that there’s a lot more behind the scenes that goes into it,” he said. “Finally, we brought the idea to John from Share Food Share Love, and he agreed to host the refrigerator.”
John Dumas, the food pantry’s administrative director, said his team was in favor of the initiative immediately.
“Everybody was on board right away, because this really does fill a gap for us. There’s nothing more heartbreaking than [when] we get a call on Wednesday morning after we’ve been open on Tuesday, and somebody says, ‘I’m desperate for food,’ and we say, ‘Come Saturday,’” when the food pantry is open next, he said. “This is great for us because [we can say], ‘Hey, come by, grab something out of the fridge and then come back on Saturday and get your full complement of food.’”
Dumas said the pantry originally thought to keep the fridge accessible at all times, but Brookfield police advised against it for security reasons, so they ag reed on the 16hour daily window instead. He said Share Food Share Love also upgraded its door alarms, installed cameras and fixed it so the door locks itself at 10 p.m. each night.
Aside from that, though, he said there were few barriers to getting the fridge up and running once Share Food Share Love was involved.
“The Rotary, obviously, played a huge part in it, and the village was very supportive. The Chamber [of Commerce] was very supportive. Everybody that we’ve approached about it has just thought it was a great thing,” he said. “We actually ended up having an extra refrigerator, so it was just a question of pushing it out into the lobby.”
Dumas and Silva both said they hope Brookfield will embrace the community refrigerator.
“I would encourage the community not only to use [the fridge] if they need food but also to bring food,” Dumas said. “The pantry will be doing some stocking, but we’re really counting on the community to keep it filled.”
“There’s a food pantry over by Eight Corners, and [people in need] have [Share Food Share Love], but there’s nowhere for them to get perishables, such as eggs, dairy, things like that, maybe some fresher produce that we can keep in the refrigerator,” Silva said. “We’re just hoping to give them [some] more options other than the boxed and canned items.”
PROVIDED BY BOB UPHUES
BIG WEEK
September 18-25
Legopalooza
Saturday, Sept. 21, 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Riverside Public Library
Arrive at the library on Saturday and Le-go of all your problems. Let your Lego building skills ow at the Riverside Public Library’s monthly meet-up. Legopalooza is for all ages, so everyone is welcome. No registration is required, walk right on in. 1 Burling Road
Share Food, Share Love: An Acoustic Evening with Mark Dvorak
Monday, Sept. 23, 7 p.m., Linda Sokol Francis Brook eld Library
Join award-winning folk artist, Mark Dvorak, for a live acoustic concert. Listeners are encouraged to bring non-perishable food items and toiletries, or to make a cash donation to the Share Food, Share Love food pantry. This concert is in partnership with the Share Food, Share Love food pantry and Music & Potlucks. 3541 Park Ave.
Adult Sunday Crafternoons
Sunday, Sept. 22, 1 - 4 p.m.
Linda Sokol Francis Brook eld Library,
Stop by the Maker Studio for an afternoon of peaceful crafting. Bring a personal project or work on a craft prepared by librar y sta . This event is par t of Brook eld Reads 2024, a library initiative that focuses on reading and self-care activities as a means of nding peace and fostering community. Learn more at lsfbrook eldlibrary.org/brook eldreads. Register for all classes and events online at lsfbrook eldlibrary.org, by phone at 708-4856917, or in person at the library. Walk-ins welcome, where applicable. All events will be held at the librar y unless otherwise speci ed. 3541 Park Ave.
Teen Craft: Mini-Banned Books
Wednesday, Sept. 25, 4 p.m.
Linda Sokol Francis Brook eld Library
Celebrate the right to read and the freedom found in books during Banned Books Week with this teen craft. Create mini-versions of popular banned books like The Perks of Being a Wall ower by Stephen Chbosky, 1984 by George Or well, and Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews. Banned Books Week is an annual nationwide event that draws attention to the harms of censorship and highlights the value of free and open access to information. 3541 Park Ave.
Talk with Caroline Woods, author of ‘ The Mesmerist’
Tuesday, Sept. 24, 7 p.m., Riverside Public Library
Join Riverside author, Caroline Woods, at the Riverside Public Library for a discussion about her new novel, The Mesmerist. Full of strong female characters, spiritualism, and true crime ripped right from the headlines, this book will transport you to 1890s Minneapolis. The Mesmerist was released Sept. 10 by Doubleday Books.
Caroline will be in conversation with Library Trustee and resident Courtney Greve Hack. Woods holds an M.F.A. in ction from Boston University. She is the author of the novels The Lunar Housewife and Fräulein M., and she has taught ction writing at Loyola University Chicago, Boston University, and the Boston Conservatory. Raised in Delaware, she now lives in Riverside with her husband and two daughters. Registration is required by calling 708-442-6366 or visiting riversidelibrary.org. 1 Burling Road
Teen Craft: Tea Light Jars
Monday, Sept. 23, 4 - 5 p.m.
Riverside Public Library
If you love everything autumn and cozy, you’ll love making a fall-inspired tea light holder after school at the Riverside Public Library. This craft night is for teenagers from grades 6 to 12. Registration is required by calling 708-442-6366 or visiting riversidelibrary.org. 1 Burling Road
Compiled by Grace Har ty
MARK DVORAK
Riverside weighs the costs of ‘discretionary projects’ amid 2025 capital fund de cit
Trustees authorized sta to spend $144K on a plow chassis while deliberating touching $1.7M in IRMA reserves
By TRENT BROWN Staff Reporter
As Riverside looks ahead to next year’s budget, trustees have already had to make tough calls on which projects may receive funding in the face of a budget deficit in the village’s capital projects fund.
At the village board’s Sept. 5 meeting, Riverside Finance Director Yvette Zavala presented Riverside’s capital improvement plan for fiscal years 2025-2034 to begin the village’s budgeting process for the upcoming year. She mentioned one important highlight — Riverside is set to complete an estimated $4 million in lead service line replacements next year — before diving into a more pressing matter.
“At the end of this year, the current fund balance in the capital projects fund is expected to be $49,000 … Our estimated unassigned balance in the general fund this year is $507,500,” Zavala said. “The total needed to fund the capital projects expenses this year is $1,250,128. This chart here estimates that [if] we use half of our unassigned fund balance in the general fund to transfer over to capital projects, even with that transfer, we are still unfunded by $864,426.”
Village Manager Jessica Frances asked the board to consider drawing down a portion of cash reserves the village has with the Intergovernmental Risk Management Agency as a way to fund a portion of the capital projects.
Village staf f provided trustees with a list of the seven most “discretionary projects” to consider including in or removing from next year’s CIP. Altogether, staf f expect the seven projects to cost $378,576, meaning if trustees ag ree to nix all of them, Riverside
will still need to come up with $485,850 to meet planned expenditures.
In a phone interview Thursd 12, Village President Douglas Pollock said Riverside is not actually facing a financial deficit; rather, the village board must de cide from where to pull funding to co the costs of projects as it looks ahead.
“Even though we have to use terms like ‘deficit’ and ‘withdrawal’ and all those terms, this is all cash that we have. It’s all revenue we have, and it’s just how much of our revenue that we want to plan to spend next year,” he said.
In the same interview, Frances said Riverside tends to be “super conservative” with its revenue projections so it can avoid budgeting for a higher surplus than it will record at the end of the year.
The list of “discretionary” village projects included items like a re placement of a fire department SUV costing $80,000, a skid-steer plow for sidewalk snow removal priced at $60,000, gateway and wayfinding signage outside business districts estimated at $45,000 and the village’s strategic planning process costing $25,000. The most expensive item on the list was a new chassis for a new street pl ow that will re place a 16-year-old public works vehicle; the chassis will cost $143,576 from the general fund, with an equal amount coming from the sewer and water fund.
Trustee Megan Claucherty quickly pointed out that cutting all seven projects from the budget would not free up enough funding to cover the deficit. Frances said she and staf f had already reviewed every item within the CIP.
“Those were items that were highlighted that we could remove. [Of] the items within the CIP for 2025, we have certain items that we’re contractually obligated to [pay for] on an annual basis,” Frances said. “There are certainly items that, if the board elected, we could certainly cut, but for longterm purposes, it may not make financial sense, in my professional opinion.”
Some of those items could be, for exam-
DEFICIT Prioritizing
from page 5
ple, $25,000 invested in reforestation ef for ts or $15,000 to treat village trees for damage from spongy moths, Frances said.
Riverside’s reser ve funds
However, there is another option. Since 2013, Frances said, Rive rside has buil t up nearly $1.7 million in r eser ve f und s at the I ntergove r nmental Risk Management Agenc y. I RMA is a municipal ris k p ool in northeastern I llinois that man y c ommunities, including Rive rside and Brookfield, use to manage financia l risks and stabilize c osts, similar to an i nsurance poli cy.
Frances said Riverside makes an annual contribution to IRMA, determined by its actuaries. The risk pool uses the money from every member to both make investments and pay out claims. At the end of each year, IRMA reviews the past five years of activity to determine how much money it should return to the member pool and what propor-
tion of that each community receives Frances said “a number of different factors” can impact how much Riverside and other municipalities get back each year, including how well IRMA’s investments perform and how many claims it receives compared to the actuary’s estimate. Communities that keep their returned money at IRMA rather than withdrawing it earn additional interest. Before Frances joined Riverside in 2012, she told trustees, the village withdrew its excess IRMA reserves at the end of each year to balance its budget rather than accumulating funds.
“More or less, the philosophical question is, ‘At what point are we going to use that?’” Frances said at the meeting. “If we need to withdraw it, we can. However, if we perform well with dif ferent projections beyond the [$507,000 general fund balance] that we’re conservatively looking at, then perhaps we don’t need to take out as much from IRMA.”
In the course of discussion, Trustee Cristin Evans identified the wayfinding signage as an item that could be deferred to a future year. Trustee Jill Matteo said she would like more information about strategic planning before ag reeing to keep
See DEFICIT on pa ge 16
Brookfield Chamber of Commerce Business Spotlight
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708-979-1804
3400 West Stonegate BLVD Suite 254-128
Arlington Heights, Illinois www.chromapainters.com
In the face of unprecedented challenges brought on by the pandemic, we found ourselves reevaluating our career paths and exploring new opportunities. When I lost my job in property management due to the economic downturn caused by COVID-19, it was a difficult time for my family. The uncertainty surrounding employment and financial stability weighed heavily on us, especially with a baby to care for.
Recognizing my husband’s exceptional painting skills, I saw an opportunity to turn
Starting a Family Business: A Journey of Resilience and Creativity
his talent into a business venture. With my background in property management, I had valuable insights into the real estate market and customer service that could help us succeed.
This challenging period sparked an idea that led to the birth of our company.
In the Summer of 2020, we started CHROMA Painting & Remodeling. A familyowned, woman-owned business serving the Chicagoland area and Wisconsin.
We offer interior and exterior painting services for residential and commercial properties.
We moved to Brookfield exactly two years ago and love it here! It is a welcoming community with a rich history and an array of amenities that make it an ideal place to call home. We developed great relationships with business owners in the
downtown area and enjoyed all local events and activities.
Owning a business as parents of three kids brings immense rewards that extend beyond financial gain; it fosters flexibility, personal growth, passion pursuit, financial independence, quality family time, and community support!
COURTESY OF THE VILL AG E OF
Trustee Megan Claucherty
Presented by
The Rodriguez family
HOMEC O MIN G
PROVIDED BY STEVE JOHNSTON
Riverside-Brook eld’s head coach Sam Styler and his Bulldogs get ready to take the eld for the game against Ridgewood Friday, September 13, 2024 in Brook eld.
RiversideBrookf ield’s Marching Band member Ky le Haas enters th e stadium befo re the Bulldogs take on Ridgewood Fr iday, Septembe r 13, 2024 in Brookf ield.
Riverside-Bro ok field’s Poms te am ente rtains dur ing half time of their game against Ridgewood Fr iday, September 13, 2024 in Brookf ield.
Riverside-Bro ok field’s Danc ing Divas do a rout ine dur ing half time of their game against Ridgewood Fr iday, September 13, 2024 in Brookf ield
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Senior living communities also free residents from the burdens of home maintenance and chores. Housekeeping, laundry services, and meal preparation are typically included, giving residents more time to enjoy their hobbies and interests.
Moreover, senior living communities often provide various levels of assistance, from independent living to full-time care, allowing residents to age in place comfortably This flexibility ensures that as needs change, the appropriate level of care is always available.
Visit Cantata.org for more senior living advice or call (708) 387-1030.
Riverside-Bro ok field’s stude nt section cheers on th e Bulldogs dur ing their game against Ridgewood Fr iday, September 13, 2024 in Brookf ield.
Hop Stop celebrates beer and Riverside
Tickets sell out, so get to it
By RISE SANDERS-WEIR Contributing Reporter
Downtown Riverside is centered on the train station. In the fall for the past seven years, the depot transforms into Hop Stop – a festival of beer, cider and other beverages This year the fest is on Sept. 28 from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Tickets are $60 for adults, $5 for children who want access to the Pocket Circus or free for children under 12 without that. An adult ticket comes with a commemorative tasting glass for sampling from more than 20 brewing and distilling vendors.
The idea for the event took shape when Peter Boutsikakis became more involved with his family’s grocery business, Riverside Foods. The store was established by his grandfather in 1981, but when Boutsikakis joined management there were trends, like craft beer, that he wanted to explore.
“We elevated the beer selection here with early brands like Bell’s and Founders,” Bout-
sikakis said. “And there was always this ide of doing some sort of Oktoberfest.”
Since the beginning Hop Stop has been the primary fund raiser for Riverside’s msted Society.
The organization is dedicated to sustaining the vision famed architect Fredrick Law Olmsted had for Riverside. He designed public parks in New York, Boston and across the northeast, but Riverside is a unique Olmsted creation.
“Riverside is the only suburban landscap that he designed,” Dan Murphy, president of the Olmsted Society, said. “He was all about promoting interaction between people.”
T he winding streets and many gr eenspaces in Rive rside we re d esigned to promote leisur e.
Hop Stop makes good use of greenspace next to downtown. Guthrie Park is pa of the event with an expanded picnicking area this year.
“It provides such a good third space neighbors, friends and people to come and meet up with each other,” Boutsikakis said.
See HOP STOP on page 9
at www.hitzemanfuneral.com/120 so that we can plan accordingly for Food & Beverages by
If you would prefer not to fill out an electronic form, please call us at 708-
PROVIDED
HOP STOP continued
said. “Opportunities which are unfortunately few and far between these days.”
Participants can spread a blanket in the park, get some food from Beach Ave BBQ or Carey Corn hand popped popcorn, and circulate between sampling and eating. There is also more space this year for kids to run and play
The event is zero waste
“We’re being very conscious of using compostable and recycling services,” Boutsikakis said. “We ask any food vendors to use compostables as well. And the majority of our brewers are pouring out of a draft system. So as their tanks are emptied out, they take them back and refill them.”
The event takes place in the afternoon, which enhances its family-friendly profile.
“It is designed, so that patrons can enjoy our downtown afterwards. We have wonderful restaurant selections and a couple of bars. I’m very proud to say that after our event, the downtown seems full.”
Tickets have sold out five years in a row, so jump on board as soon as you can.
riversidehopstop.com olmstedsociety.org
Weightier: e RBHS weight room
ROOM
Last renovated in 2009 from page 1
room, and all the gym classes use the weight room.”
Most of the funding raised by RB Sports Boosters came from spirit wear sales, selling concessions, online raffles and membership drives. Royer said RB Sports Boosters was happy to be in a position to update the weight room and give back to students and the school.
Superintendent Kevin Skinkis said that after meeting with coaches, administration and the athletic department at the end of the last school year, the decision was made to upgrade the weight room, largely due to an increase in the level of student participation on the school’s various sports teams.
“We we re able to d etermine the amount in the budg et that we c ould p ut towards that pr ogr am, wh ich was r oughly about $25,000,” Skinkis said. “We went to the b ooster c lub and asked if they would li ke to split the project with us, and lo and b ehold, the b ooster c lub was kind enough and came back and actually paid for all the we ight equipment that was going to be updated.”
Skinkis said the district is looking into using the initial funding they had allocated toward equipment updates to re place the weight room’s floor.
With new equipment, students in physical education classes will have more opportuni-
ties to spend time using the weight room, and more after-school sports teams can train.
“Both the physical education depa rtment and head c oaches we re involved in identifying wh at equipment needed to be re p laced, or new equipment that needed to be purchased,” Skinkis said. “By having this new equipment, we ’ve expanded some o pportunities to g et more students down there to g et the strength training that they need, b oth in physical education c lasses and for their after-school team spor ts.”
Samuel Styler, the head football coach at RBHS, said that having the additional equipment and space in the weight room is exciting as football season arrives.
“A s more and more evidence is coming out about science-based wo rkouts and making sure that our a thletes are prepared before the season and even durin g the season, we ight training is becoming c ritical in pretty much eve ry high school sport,” Styler said. “Making sure that we have a facility that b est fits the needs of our athletes is hug e. ”
For the football team, the additional space allows for the athletes to stay active and fine-tune muscles that help with injury prevention on the field. The team goes to the weight room twice a week during football season, and Styler said the students are excited about the updates
“With the additional weight racks that we have down there, the additional open space that we have down there, our athletes are able to do workouts that better cater to their specific needs and their specific sports,” Styler said. “It’s definitely big for us and we’re excited.”
Brookfield recognizes softball champions
Brook eld celebrated its 11U and 12U Little League so ball District 9 champions with personalized ce rti cates at its v illage board meeting on Sept. 9. Here, 11U players Molly Beattie, Leila Chavez, Ellie Chase, Olive Costello, Brooklyn Depke, Mallor y Faught, Elizabeth Lentz and Annabelle Villasenor stand with team manager Andy Righeimer and coaches Joe Lentz, Erin Depke and Jon Depke. Players Amelia Johnson, Luci Jareczek and Fiona Stenson could not attend.
FRESHLOCAL
Like the 11U team, the 12U players won the District 9 t they also went on to be runners-up at the state championship. ers Lea Becker, Justina Costello, Kallie Hickey, Vivien Kowy nia, Mari Lyla Pigoni, Josie Swanson, Maeve Toland and Yannis Villamil stand with coaches Ed Kowy nia and David Campbell and manager Michael Melendez. Players Ema Beattie, Grace Campbell and Jose Stremski and coach P.R. Pigoni were not present. lifetoday,tomorrowandintothefuture.We’vebeen here,rightacrossfromtheBrookfield Zoo,formorethan a centurypassionatelyservingtheneedsoflocalseniors.
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TRENT BROWN
TRENT BROWN
Brook eld buys former Brook eld Theater building
e village hopes to redevelop the ‘notable’ and ‘seminal’ property on Grand Boulevard
By TRENT BROWN Staff Reporter
Brookfield hopes to redevelop an iconic downtown property, and it wants your input.
T he village announced Tuesday it acquired the for mer Brookfield T heater building at 3723 Grand Blvd. on Sept. 5. Now, the village intends to seek proposals to redevelop the property in a way that will “complement the vibrant Grand Boulevard Business District and promote economic development.”
C ommunity Development Director Libby Po povic told the L andmark F riday that the village purchased the buildin g for about $275,000 “ via an assignment, ” wh ich is a real estate term for when someone who has a c ontract for a property sells the rights to that c ontract to another entity, whether that’s someone else or, in this case, Brookfield Popovic said the building’s previous owner had worked for the owner before her and inherited the property, which had been in a trust, when he died about two years ago. Popovic said the owner before last had used the property mainly to store cars and furniture.
“[The previous owner] didn’t have any specific plans for it,” she said. “It’s a building that has a lot of things that need to be fixed on it, code issues. It’s an overall project.”
While the property’s future is not settled, Popovic said she thought it likely the village would work to preserve the building in some form
Brookfield is looking for feedback from residents on what kind of development they would like to see go in at the for mer theater’s location. The first public meeting about the property will take the form of a discussion at the village board’s next committee of the whole meeting on Monday, Sept. 23, where the village invites residents to give trustees their thoughts.
T he meeting is scheduled for 7 p. m. , b ut Brookfield will have a re g ular village board meeting at 6:30 p. m. The committee of the whole meeting will not begin until all b usiness from the village
b oard meeting is finished
Popovic said she and other village staffers have already heard feedback from some residents who suggested putting in a restaurant, a brewery, a bowling alley or even an indoor recreation center. Re gardless of what goes in, she said, Brookfield is looking for a real investment in its downtown.
Because 3273 Grand Blvd. is located in one of the village’s four tax increment financing districts, any growth in the property’s value — and, therefore, in the amount of property tax collected by the village — after it is sold and redeveloped will allow Brookfield to invest that extra revenue into further improving the area.
“We are looking for it to be revenuegenerating, so tax revenue-generating, because TIF funds [were] used to purchase
it, so we need to be able to continue that,” Popovic said. “We’re looking for meaningful development that’s going to be able to have some [revenue] generation back into the village and into the community.”
She stressed that the village is seeking serious proposals for development that would fit Brookfield’s character while conforming to its sustainability and comprehensive plans.
According to the village, the Brookfield Theater was built in 1915 and later was called the Strand. From its inception until it closed in 1952, the theater showed movies and hosted vaudeville performances and other live entertainment. According to a 2006 Landmark editorial, the theater charged only 25 cents for admission up until it closed.
In 1953, an affiliate of the Chicago Air Filter Company took over the building, and the front of the building was later converted into office space while the rest was used for storage
While she c ould n’ t say for certain, Po povic said she thought it was unli ke ly the Brookfield T heater building would be d emolished to make way for an entirely new development.
“There have been community members who have voiced that they would like to have the architectural integrity preserved, which would be nice, if that’s what the village wants. I don’t necessarily foresee it being demolished. I think the plan would be someone who could refurbish it and use that structure, because it’s a cool looking structure,” she said.
PROVIDED BY THE VILL AG E OF BROOKFIEL D
Brook eld recently acquired the former Brook eld eater building at 3723 Grand Blvd.
PO LICE REPO RT S
Drunk driver charged with felony for sleeping in his car at Riverside gas station
Rive rside p olice ar r ested a man Sept . 10 for driving drunk after he f ell aslee p in his ca r.
Around 5:12 p.m., a Riverside officer was dispatched to the Shell gas station at 539 Longcommon Road, at the intersection with Harlem Avenue, for a wellbeing check on a man who had fallen asleep in his car. The gas station clerk told police the man did not respond when he called out to him. According to police, the man’s vehicle was parked in a way that prevented other drivers from accessing the gas pumps.
When the officer arrived, a Riverside police sergeant had already started speaking with the man. When the sergeant asked the man to exit the vehicle, the officer noticed the man was “extremely unbalanced” and smelled of alcohol. The man leaned on his car for balance while he spoke to police. When asked if he had drunk alcohol, the man said he had had four beers. When police asked the man if he would take field sobriety tests, the man declined and said he thought he would fail them. He also declined to take a portable breath test.
Based on the man’s behavior, admittance of having drunk alcohol and insistence he would not pass sobriety testing, police arrested the man for driving under the influence. Later, when they inventoried the man’s car, police found at least one open alcohol container inside it. After police took him to be booked, the man had trouble getting out of the squad car and getting his flip-flops on.
After Mirandizing the man, police asked him where he thought he was when they arrested him; he said he had been in Cicero, according to police. He also said he thought the date was Oct. 9 rather than Sept. 10. The man said he had pulled into the gas station because he was too drunk. When charging the man, police learned his driver’s license had expired in 2018, so they sought to upgrade his DUI charge to a felony. The man was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol, illegally
transporting alcohol and driving without insurance in addition to the felony charge of aggravated DUI. Police later released him after setting a Sept. 17 court date.
Cited for driving uninsured car with revoked plates
Brookfield police arrested a 25-year-old Chicago man Sept. 11 for driving an uninsured vehicle.
Around 3:17 p.m., an officer on patrol was driving west on Sahler Avenue behind the man’s car near the stop sign at Park Avenue. After running the vehicle’s license plates through the police database, the officer lear ned the re gistration for the man’s car had been revoked due to a lack of insurance, so they pulled the man over onto the 4500 block of Park Avenue.
After the officer made contact with the man, they asked for his driver’s license and proof of insurance. The man said he was a Venezuelan migrant who had never received a driver’s license and that he did not have insurance.
The officer ticketed the man for driving on a revoked re gistration, with no license and with no insurance. The officer also filled out paperwork to seize the man’s car and have it towed. The officer cited and released the man at the scene and sent him on his way with an Oct. 8 court date.
These items were obtained from the Riverside Police Department re ports dated Sept. 10 and the Brookfield Police Department reports dated Sept. 9-16; 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
Welcome to Worship 2024
YOUR LOCAL RELIGION GUIDE
Find Your Family at Cornerstone Community Church of Brookfield
Cornerstone Community Church of Brookfield (Brookfield Baptist Church) has been in Brookfield for over 100 years. We are excited about our new Pastor, Brandon Siwula and our vision for Cornerstone and ministries we can offer the community. A church should be a family to you and we have great people that make up our family. None of us are perfect, we are all sinners saved by grace. As a church we
would like to help you grow in your relationship with Jesus.
We have an Adult Bible Study at 9 am, Morning Service at 10:30 am and a Prayer Service in the evening at 6 pm. There are also 2 Women’s Bible Study Groups and a Men’s Bible Study Group that meet during the week. Please check out our website for more info about us and upcoming events (www.cornerstone-grow.org).
Cornerstone Community Church of Brookfield
Cornerstone Community Church of Brookfield
Sunday Services:
Sunday Services:
Adult Bible Study at 9:00 a.m.
Adult Bible Study at 9:00 a.m.
Morning Service at 10:30 a.m.
Morning Service at 10:30 a.m.
Evening Prayer Time at 6:00 p.m.
Evening Prayer Time at 6:00 p.m.
We offer child care during the service for ages 0 - 5th grade
We offer child care during the service for ages 0 - 5th grade
Weekly:
Weekly:
Wednesday at 10 a.m. - Ladies Bible Study starting February 28
Wednesday at 10 a.m. - Ladies Bible Study
Wednesday at 7 p.m. - Men’s Bible Study
Wednesday at 7 p.m. - Men’s Bible Study
1st & 3rd Saturday at 8:30 a.m. - Mugs & Hugs Ladies Bible Study
1st & 3rd Saturday at 8:30 a.m.
- Mugs & Hugs Ladies Bible Study
Cornerstone Community Church of Brookfield 9008 Fairview Ave., Brookfield, IL 60546 708-485-8730
Cornerstone Community Church of Brookfield 9008 Fairview Ave., Brookfield, IL 60546 Telephone: 708-485-8730
E-Mail: cornerstonebrookfield@outlook.com www.cornerstone-grow.org
cornerstonebrookfield@outlook.com www.cornerstone-grow.org
Opinion
THE L ANDMARK VIEW
New life at old theater
Walking down Grand Boulevard, the decre pit, long-ignored building at 3723 is both a blight and a full stop in the od d momentum that a commercial strip ought to be creating Wi th its essentially boarded up façade, it is an unidentifiabl e space on a street boasting some good energy as a destination for locals and visitors.
But this space was onc e, 99 years ago, a hub of Brookfield life known as the Brookfield Theater. It not only showe d movies but hosted vaudeville perfor mances and other live acts. It later changed its name and became Th e Strand. After 37 year s, the building’s life as a movie palace faded to black in 1952. The following year its ignominious future be g an as an office and warehouse for the Chicago Air Filter Company.
Fast forward to 2024 and we cheer as the village of Brookfield has now b ought the proper ty through a third pa rt y, paid for it with TIF fund s, and is welcoming ideas from Brookfielders to reimagine it. The first person wh o suggests storing air filters there will be banished from town.
Libby Po povic, Brookfield’s community development chief, said staf f has already heard suggestions from residents that the space be used as a brewer y, a restaurant, a bowling alley, or a recreation facility. These ideas are good ones and reflect the fundamental goal of turning an inert eyesore i nto new life on a live ly Grand Boulevard. If it offers a nightlife aspect, all the better
While the future use of the building is uncer tain, we are encouraged to hear Po povic say the expectation is that the village will entertain offers that restore the curr ent building rather than lead to its demolition. E xactly right.
A couple of thoughts: Some sincere people are critical when local gover nments purchase proper ty. They see it as an intrusion into the private marketplac e. And we ’ve seen communities that overdid it, becoming the de facto developer of choice by buying every property in sight.
As a strat eg ic matter, however, there are moments when local gove r nment is the absolute best bu ye r. And this is such a case. A ke y parcel. Underused for decades. No w stuck in a trust fund after an owner ’s death. This purchase is wh at TIFs were made fo r.
We are excited to watch what happens next to the for mer Brookfield Theater.
A fridge grows in Brook eld
It took collaboration and, likely some compromise, but Brookfield is now home to a community fridge, a new wrinkle to remedy food insecurity. The simple concept is growing in many communities. Provide a source of fresh food to those without by way of a public refrigerator kept stocked with donations from people with plenty or, at least, enough to share.
The local Rotary Club has teamed with the Share Food Share Love food pantry to open the fridge at the food pantry’s site. It is open daily from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Brookfield Avenue.
Another small, positive, community-building project for Brookfield.
LETTERS
From Hear t’s Haven to heaven
At the cusp of the 21st century (1998), Jerry Buttimer attempted to drag Riverside out of the 19th. His improbable change agent? Patriotic-colored petunias. Riverside was solidly red and whit e, but adding a blush of blue was beyond the pale. After much lecturing and nativist hectoring about the narcissistic tendencies of petunias, the village board censured Jerry and ordered the aliens to be uprooted and removed. Undeter red, Jer ry went on to found the Riverside Improvement Party (RIP) and so much more. His af finity for flowers elevated Jer ry to viral fame as the quixotic field marshal of the Great Petunia War. But then, he was the master of Heart’s Haven.*
With many thanks – RIP, Jerry.
* “Heart’s Haven” is the name given to Jerry’s home at 268 Scottswood Road.
OBITUARIES
Mary Ellyn Movrich, 80 Force of nature
Mary Ellyn Movrich (nee Schendel), 80 of Brookfield, for merly of L aGrang e, died on Se pt. 12, 2024, making a gr aceful exit.
W hen you merge an incredible love of l ife, with a kindness that saw no end and the joyf ul playfulness of a child, you g et a b eautif ul force of nature. Wi th a fl ower in her hai r, she showe d everyone that a smile still holds brightness, a touch still holds hop e, and a wo rd c an still make the wo rl d a b etter p lac e. This force of nature will live foreve r in everyone she touched. We ’ ll pack a sandwich for you!
Mary leaves b ehind her husband, Wayn e Movrich; her children, Jennifer (Boris ) Vu kovic, Daniel (Liz) Movrich, Maureen Movrich, J ason Movrich, C amilla (Chris ) Wi se and Patrick Movrich; her gr andchildren, A melia, Danielle, A lexandria, Quinn, Mar y, A ddison, E lla, and Joseph; her gr eatgr andchildren, Lu cy, Mae, Harrison, Wi lliam, Berkley, Oaklynn, Harlow and E lodie; her siblings Denise (Ray) Carney, David (K aye) Schendel, Katie (Gordon) Schendel, Michael Schendel and the late Jim Schendel; and many nieces and ne phew s.
Memorial visitation was held on Se pt. 15 at Johnson-Nosek Funeral Home, 3847 Prairie Ave., Brookfield, followe d by a Celebration of Life at Irish Times in Brookfield . Online c ondolences, p hotos and memories may be shared with the f amily at www. j ohnsonnosek.com.
In bribery trial, AT&T lobbyists detail contentious meeting with Madigan ally
Feds allege AT&T boss bribed Madigan with contract for political ally Eddie Acevedo
By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois
On an afternoon in late April 2017, rec ently r etired state Re p. Eddie Aceve do was c alled to a meeting in the state Capitol in Springfield
T he 20-year veteran lawmaker had joined his sons’ lobbying firm and was looking for wo rk . Meeting with a t rio of lobbyists for telecommunications giant AT &T I llinois was a major step forwar d in Aceve do ’s new lobbying career
But Acevedo grew agitated when the lobbyists of fered him $2,500 per month, rais-
DEFICIT
Prioritizing
from page 6
In the c ourse of discussion, Trustee Cristin Evans identified the wayfindin g signage as an i tem that c ould be defe rr ed to a f uture year. Trustee Jill Ma tteo sai d she would li ke more info rm ation about strat eg ic p lanning before ag r eeing to ke ep it in next year ’s budg et. Trustee Aberdeen Marsh-Ozga suggested defe rring some of the “ discretionary” i tems until Rive rside c an secure gr ant f undin g for them, wh ich Frances said the village c ould do
C laucherty said she f elt strongly about the b oard’s need to identify i tems to eliminate from the budg et in r esidents’ b est i nterest d espite Frances havin g g one through it already.
“I view this as one of the, if not the, most important thing that we do as thi s b oard, and I think it is a tremendously
ing his voice to express that he was worth more, according to testimony Friday in the federal bribery trial of for mer AT&T Illinois president Paul La Schiazza.
Retired AT&T lobbyist Steve Selcke, who was testifying under immunity from the feds, recalled that he’d tried to calm Acevedo by suggesting he “sleep on it.”
“I recall his response being, ‘no I’m not interested, I’m not gonna do it at that amount,’” Selcke said. “Then the meeting ended.”
Top AT&T contract lobbyist Tom Cullen remembered the same on the witness stand Friday and described a phone call with Acevedo shortly after the meeting ended.
“F--- AT &T, they can kiss my ass ,” Cullen recalled Aceve do telling him. “I beli eve he said something li ke, “ I’m looking for $5,000 a month. ”
But j ust a few days later, Aceve do c hanged his tune and be g an c ollecting monthly c hecks for the r est of 2017, totaling $22,500. But prosecutors alle ge
important obligation that we b ear to be prudent stewards of this public capital, so from my seat, I think we need to chip aw ay at that $864,000 c onsiderably, ” she said. “ I’m ve ry open to I RMA. I f alter a little bit at the idea of taking aw ay a third of our IRMA balance in one year without a little bit more diligence on our pa rt .”
About that costly new plow
As the b oard discussed, the topic turned to the largest “ discretionary” c ost on next year ’s budg et: nearly $150,000 slated for half the c ost of the street pl ow chassi s. Public Wo rks Director Dan Tabb sai d the c ost is only for the chassi s, and the village will need to pay in the f uture for the bo dy of the new vehicl e, wh ich will make up a third of the village ’s snowpl ow force once it is fully built.
Tabb said that, if the board chose not to buy the chassis next year, its production of the full vehicle would be delayed. He had already worked with a manufacturer to secure a chassis for Riverside that would be built in “Q4 2024,” but the village
Aceve do neve r did any wo rk for the money, and they c laim AT &T i ntentionally h id those pay ments to Aceve do in a longstanding c ontract with C ullen – all in service of bribing powe rful I llinoi s
House Speaker Michael Madig an.
In exchang e, the feds say, AT &T finall y won i ts prized legislation that pave d the way to ending i ts expensive obli ga tion to maintain i ts aging landline system so it c ould i nstead invest more in c ellular and i nternet servic e. A ttorneys for La Schiazza maintain the c ompany wo n i ts legislative battle after years of har d wo rk on a sophisticated lobbying strateg y – none of wh ich hinged on gr anting a small contract to Aceve do
During his two decades in the General A ssembly, Aceve do had risen throug h the r anks and became a top de p uty fo r Madigan, in a ddition to leading the House’s Latino C aucus – a c onstituency the speaker was keenly i nterested in as
would not have to pay until January 2025.
“That is an ag r eement that Peterbil t has extended to us. If we fore go that, we g et slotted at the end of the line, wh ich is Q4 of 2025 at the earliest,” he said.
During discussion, C laucherty a dvocated for c utting eve ry “ discretionary” project from the budg et, including the c hassi s, to p osition Rive rside to withdraw as little from i ts I RMA r eserves as p ossibl e. Ho wever, Evans said she w ould wish to ke ep the chassis in the budget.
Ta bb said the c hassis manufacturer c ould not ke ep Rive rside ’s p lace in line if the b oard did not direct to ke ep it in the budg et and c ommit to purchasing the chassis at its next meeting
“I have a handshake ag r eement with Peterbilt,” he said. “I f the board decide s tonight that we ’r e c utting that [full] list, I’m c alling Peterbilt tomor row and giving aw ay our spot. ”
If the 15-year- old pl ow set to be rep laced fail s, Ta bb said the public wo rk s department would take longer to salt the r oads and up to three hours longer to c lear them of snow, as it would have
his p olitical powe r b ase on Chicago’s southwest s ide gr ew increasingly Latino over the year s.
Cullen, who’d himself been a top Madig an staffer for years until becoming a lobbyist, described Acevedo as “very loyal” to the speaker. But as for how Madigan would describe Acevedo, Cullen testified: “That he was a loyal member b ut not, you know, a serious member.”
Cullen’s testimony continues this week.
Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit , nonpartisan news service cov ering state go ve r nment. It is distributed to hund re ds of newspapers, r adio and TV stations s tatewide. It is funded primarily by th e I llinois Press Foundation and the Ro bert R. McCo rm ick Foundation, along with major contributions from the Illinois Broadcaste rs Foundation and Southe rn I llinois Editorial Association
only two plows to do the wo rk of three He said he c ould not predict how long the 15-year- old pl ow set to be re p laced will survive as it will c ontinue to see use this winter
Trustee Elizabeth Kos said the loss of the existing pl ow would leave the r oad s less safe during snowfall as the village ’s two plows wo rk to c lear them. As the b oard discussed, Trustee A lex Galle g os made it c lear they c ould not take the risk of r esidents g etting injured to avo id paying the c ost for the pl ow c hassi s. C laucherty said the b oard must fin d ways to make cuts in the budget.
In response to a head count from Pollock, the board voted 5-1 to keep the chassis in the village’s 2025 budg et, with Claucherty voting no. According to Pollock, at the next board meeting, village staf f will bring for th a list of other projects trustees could consider cutting from the budg et, though as Frances noted, these projects will be even less “discretionary” than those the board already considered.
Sports
LTHS edges Hinsdale Central
RBHS loses on Homecoming
By BILL STONE Contributing Reporter
Lyons Township High School starting senior defensive back Jack Grigus was injured most of the 2023 football season.
“I re-broke my collar bone. It wasn’t fully healed. I played a couple of games, came back early,” Grigus recalled. “But this year I was in the weight room, put on 30 pounds. I really put in the work and I think it’s paying off. I’m just really glad I can help this team out.”
Grigus had a big hand in the Lions’ 21-16 nail-biting victory at rival Hinsdale Central in Friday’s West Suburban Conference Silver Division opener. Actually, make that a fist.
On the final play, Grigus broke up the Red Devils’ fourthdown pass in the end zone from the 14-yard line that would have overcome the Lions (3-0) after they led 21-7 with 5:23 remaining.
“You build chemistry. You build trust. I trusted all of my boys and just found my role,” Grigus said. “They threw it my way. I got my fist in there and knocked the ball out and celebrated with my boys. That’s what chemistry does, all of us together.”
This was the Lions’ third straight victory over the Red Devils (1-2), reminiscent of the 10-7 victory at Hinsdale in 2022: holding on with a late interception near the goal line.
Senior linebacker and captain Shane Harris has been a part of all three.
“It’s a great feeling. I really think this one is the best, senior year, finishing it out against our rivals,” Harris said. “It’s really the best feeling we could get right now, but looking forward to next week.”
The Lions seek their second 4-0 start in three seasons, Saturday afternoon, with their Homecoming game against Glenbard West (0-3), which has lost to two 3-0 opponents.
“I’m just so proud of the kids, and for our seniors it means a lot. The way we did it, our backs to the wall like that, I’m so proud of their grit and fight,” LTHS coach Jon Beutjer said. “But hats off to Hinsdale. They had a good game plan.”
The Lions took a 7-0 lead 1:06 before halftime when linebacker Pat Cheney blocked a 40-yard field-goal attempt and Mack Long picked up the ball and raced 69 yards for a touchdown. The Red Devils responded with a 23-yard TD pass and the game was tied 7-7 at halftime.
Running back Danny Carroll (120 yards on 20 carries) scored on the opening possession of the second half with a 4-yard run. Quarterback Dom Pisciotti (9-for-13 passing, 99 yards) found tight end Tucker King free at the 20 to complete a 35-yard TD pass play
“They gave us middle field open all game,” King said. “I saw the middle of the field wide open. I looked at [Pisciotti]. We
Riverside-Brook eld’s Jacob Retana (9) tries to get past Ridgewood’s Justin Panaguiton (77) during an Upstate Eight Conference game Sept. 13, in Brook eld
gave each other that look and everything speaks for itself.”
The Red Devils closed to 21-16 with 1:47 left on a 1-yard TD run after the Lions stuffed them twice. The two-point conversion pass failed.
Regaining possession with 1:10 left, the Red Devils converted fourth-and-15 from their 17. Back-to-back penalties for targeting and pass interference advanced the ball to the 14.
Harris deflected the first-down pass and forced a hurry on second down. Travis Stamm broke up the third-down slant pass across the middle at the goal line.
Then came the fourth-down game winner
“It seemed like the ball was in the air forever,” Beutjer said. “We’ve never lost to Hinsdale, the class of 2025,” Grigus said.
Defensive leaders included Cheney and JD Mahoney (9 tackles each), Harris (6 tackles) and Stamm (interception). Ayman Soltan, Lou Ratcliffe, Grigus and Mahoney combined on five tackles for loss.
“It’s great for our defense,” Harris said. “We really worked hard in practice. Late in the game, it translated to the red-zone
See FOOTBALL on page 18
STEVE JOHNSTON
RBHS all-state swimmer Vlcek sees great state for team
Bulldogs poised to contend for multiple state berths, especially relays
By BILL STONE Contributing Reporter
Riverside Brookfield High School junior Maria Ellis remembers barely missing qualifying for her first girls swimming and diving state meet last year
At the 2023 Hinsdale Central Sectional, Ellis achieved a significant personal-best 2:10.54 for the 200-yard individual medley relay, yet was .29 from the state cut.
“It’s my full driving force and all I could think about during the offseason,” Ellis said. “It’s what I’ve been working toward ever since.”
As senior Hailey Vlcek, the only all-state swimmer in program history, works toward higher state finishes, she very well could be joined by multiple teammates at the FMC Natatorium in Westmont Nov. 15-16.
While earning first-team all-state honors in the 200-yard freestyle the past two state meets, Vlcek has been the Bulldogs’ lone representative in all of her three state trips
“It’s definitely a big possibility and that’s the goal. I honestly really see [more qualifiers] happening this year,” said Vlcek, an Illinois recruit. “It definitely helps me, having all of these girls. We’re pushing ourselves every day. We keep each other motivated.”
Seniors Liv Dobbe, Sophie Ivan, Clare Rus-
FOOTBALL
from page 17
defense that we had, the stops on the goal line. Practice really correlated to our game this week.”
RBHS football
Riverside Brookfield sophomore quarterback Giancarlo Garcia threw for 158 yards and ran for 22 in the second half, Friday, while contributing to two touchdowns. But after just 52 total yards of offense in the first half with a lost fumble and interception,
Riverside-Brook eld’s Hailey Vlcek during the 200 Yard Freestyle at the RB Girls’ Sw im Invite Saturday, September 14, 2024 in Riverside.
ka and Audrey Simpson; sophomores Maggie McCoy and Isabel Rosa; and sophomore divers Brynn Gizewski and Paige Phelan also return. Key newcomers include freshmen Bea Ryan, Lizzie Ryan and Charlene Wang and sophomore Annie Hector.
The Bulldogs will compete in the Upstate Eight Conference after previously participating at the Suburban Prairie Conference.
“We’re looking at competing in our new conference, getting relays to state and qualifying more kids,” RBHS swim coach Mike Laurich said.
Last season, Vlcek was third at state in the
the Bulldogs were playing catchup throughout their 31-14 homecoming loss to undefeated Ridgewood Friday — also their debut in the Upstate Eight Conference East Division.
When Garcia scored on an 8-yard run with 11:55 left, the Bulldogs (1-2) were down 24-7 after trailing 17-0 at the half
“Just little mistakes. You start of f a little flat. Homecoming’s obviously a big week and sometimes you get caught in the festivities a little bit,” RBHS coach Sam Styler said. “You’ve got to give all the credit to Ridgewood. We made a couple of mistakes early and it was tough to get ourselves out of that hole.”
The Bulldogs received the opening kickoff of the second half and drove to the 23-yard
200 free (1:51.05), the highest finish by any RBHS swimmer or diver ever, after taking fourth in 2022 (1:52.30). She was an honorable mention all-state 14th in the 100 free (14th, 51.75).
In the state prelims, Vlcek improved her school records in the 200 free (1:50.50) and 100 free (51.49).
She’s reached state three times in the 200 free, twice in the 100 free and in the 500 free as a sophomore.
Vlcek also holds school records for the 50 free (24.22), 100 butterfly (59.08), and 200 individual medley (2:10.00). She improved her 100
line but were stopped on fourth-and-4
RBHS scored on its next two possessions with Garcia’s run and a 39-yard TD pass to Nick Caputo, who caught the ball at the 28 and maneuvered around a downfield block by receiver Jayden Karas.
“We’re capable of [those drives]. Every guy we have, on both sides of the ball, is a great athlete. It’s just a matter of whether we can execute at important times,” Styler said.
Garcia rushed for 52 yards and was 16-for26 passing for 160 yards with top targets Caputo (7 catches, 78 yards), Karas (3 catches, 42 yards) and Nick Rivera (4 catches, 37 yards).
Tackle leaders were Max Strong (12 with 8 solos) and Warren Mason (7 with 5 solos).
Just before halftime, the Rebels failed to
fly record of 59.14, Sept. 10 at York
“I want to go for some best times and hopefully place better,” she said. “I don’t know exactly what my [postseason] events are going to be. We’re still trying to figure that out, but I’m really excited for that.”
Ellis received a pre-season lifts from Vlcek and the 200 IM state-qualifying standard at sectionals being increased to 2:10.54, exactly her sectional time in 2023.
“But I would love to see us get some relays to state,” Ellis said.
“[Vlcek is] really motivating, especially during practice because she just works so hard. It makes you want to work hard, and she’s also really good at teaching other people. She’s helped me so much with preparing myself before races. It makes me want to be a better version of myself.”
On Saturday, the Bulldogs finished fifth of 10 teams at their annual home invitational (149 points).
Vlcek won the 200 free (1:53.30) and 500 free (5:09.47) by 2.36 and 3.27 seconds and Ellis won the 200 IM (2:13.57) by 5.83 seconds
The 200 free relay of Maggie McCoy, Maria Ellis, Lizzie Ryan and Vlcek was second (1:43.76). Ellis (100 fly in 1:01.86), McCoy (100 free in 55.94), and the 400 free relay (Ellis, Lizzie Ryan, McCoy, Vlcek in 3:47.10) were third. Gizewski was fourth (199.20 points)
At last year’s sectional, the 200 and 400 free relays with Vlcek, Ellis and McCoy and the 200 medley relay with Simpson, all finished third.
“We’ve been working to get the state relay time, any relay really,” McCoy said. “I’ve been working on my free and backstroke and feel like I’ve gotten better since last year.”
score after John Evans broke up a third-down pass in the end zone from the 27.
Luke Ferguson blocked a 22-yard field-goal attempt with 3:11 left.
“[Our players] didn’t stop fighting. We just dug ourselves a little bit too big a hole,” Styler said.
On F riday, the Bulld og s visit Elgin (03), wh ich has lost to two 3-0 opponents.
“Losing on homecoming and after (losing) last week, too, it ’s not f un but we ’ve g ot to stick to g ether in times li ke these,” Styler said. “We’ve still g ot quite a bit of a season left and if we start giving up now, it ’s going be a long rest of the way. I think our guys are going to be able to get back on track.”
STEVE JOHNSTON
NOTICE TO BIDDERS
VILLAGE OF NORTH RIVERSIDE
2024 MFT/ARPA STREET RESURFACING
MFT SECTION NO.
24-00095-00-RS
TIME AND PLACE OF OPENING OF BIDS: Sealed proposals for the improvement described below will be received at the office of the Village Clerk, Village of North Riverside, 2401 S. Des Plaines Avenue, North Riverside, IL 60546, until 2:00 p.m. on September 30, 2024, and will be opened and read publicly at that time.
PROPOSED IMPROVEMENTS:
Consists of HMA surface removal; curb & gutter removal & replacement; sidewalk removal & replacement; HMA & concrete driveway removal & replacement; pavement patching; surface patching; strip reflective crack control treatment; HMA surface course installation; pavement markings; drainage structure adjustments; topsoil/sod restoration; and all appurtenant construction.
LOCATIONS: Various locations throughout the Village of North Riverside
BIDDER INSTRUCTIONS:
1.Plans and proposal forms are available for download only from QuestCDN via the Novotny Engineering website, http://novotnyengineering. com, “Bidding” tab, for a non-refundable charge of $40.00. Please contact Novotny Engineering (630887-8640) to obtain the QuestCDN password.
2. IDOT prequalification is required. The 2 low bidders must file within 24 hours after the letting an “Affidavit of Availability” (Form BC 57), in duplicate, showing all uncompleted contracts awarded to them and all low bids pending award for Federal, State, County, Municipal and private work. One copy shall be filed with the Awarding Authority and one original with the IDOT District Office.
3. The Awarding Authority reserves the right to waive technicalities and to reject any or all proposals as provided in BLRS Special Provision for Bidding Requirements and Conditions for Contract Proposals.
4. The following BLR Forms shall be returned by the bidder to the Awarding Authority:
a. BLR 12200: Local Public Agency Formal Contract Proposal
b. BLR 12201: Schedule of Prices
c. BLR 12230: Proposal Bid Bond
d. BLR 12325: Apprenticeship or Training Program Certification
e. BLR 12326: Affidavit of Illinois Business Office
5. The Contractor will be required to pay Prevailing Wages in accordance with all applicable laws. By Order of:
By: Kathy Ranieri,
Clerk
NOTICE TO BIDDERS
Notice is hereby given by the President and Board of Trustees of the Village of Brookfield, Illinois that bid proposals will be received for the following project:
PRESCRIBED BURN AT SOUTH KIWANIS PARK
VILLAGE OF BROOKFIELD, ILLINOIS
This project includes performing a prescribed burn at South Kiwanis Park located in the Village of Brookfield.
Sealed bids will be received up to the hour of 11:00 A.M. on Wednesday, the 2nd day of October 2024, in the Village Hall located at 8820 Brookfield Avenue, Brookfield, Illinois. All sealed bids received will be publicly opened and read at 11:00 A.M. on the same day, Wednesday, the 2nd day of October 2024, at the Village Hall.
Electronic copies of bidding doc uments, consisting of the bid pro posal, project specifications, and project plans are available from the Edwin Hancock Engineering Co., 9933 Roosevelt Road, Westchester, Illinois 60154. Bidding documents can be requested by emailing info@ ehancock.com. No bidding docu ments will be issued after 4:30 P.M. on Friday, the 27th day of Septem ber 2024. A non-refundable fee of Fifteen dollars ($15.00) will be re quired to obtain bidding documents. Proposals will only be accepted from bidders that have obtained bidding documents from the Edwin Hancock Engineering Company
All bid proposals offered must be ac companied by a bid bond, cashier’s check or certified check in an amount not less than Five Percent (5%) of the total amount of the bid, as a guarantee that if the bid proposal is accepted, a contract will be entered into and the performance of the con tract properly secured. Checks shall be made payable to the Order of the President and Board of Trustees of the Village of Brookfield. No bid proposal shall be considered unless accompanied by such bid bond or check.
PUBLIC NOTICE
Any bidder in doubt as to the true meaning of any part of the bidding documents may request an interpretation thereof from the Village. The bidder requesting the interpretation shall be responsible for its prompt delivery At the request of the bidder, or in the event that the Village deems the interpretation to be substantive, the interpretation will be made by written addendum issued by the Village.
In the event that a written addendum is issued, either as a result of a request for interpretation or the result of a change in the bidding documents issued by the Village, a copy of such addendum will be emailed to all prospective bidders. The Village will not assume responsibility for receipt of such addendum. In all cases it will be the bidders’ responsibility to obtain all addenda issued.
The Contractor and Subcontractor shall comply with all regulations issued pursuant to Prevailing Wage Act (820 ILCS 130), and other applicable Federal Laws and regulations pertaining to labor standards.
The Village of Brookfield reserves the rights to determine the lowest, responsive, responsible bidder, to waive irregularities, and to reject any or all bid proposals.
BY ORDER THE PRESIDENT AND BOARD OF TRUSTEES VILLAGE OF BROOKFIELD, ILLINOIS
Published in RB Landmark September 18, 2024
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PUBLIC NOTICE
Notice is hereby given, pursuant to “An Act in relation to the use of an Assumed Business Name in the conduct or transaction of Business in the State,” as amended, that a certification was registered by the undersigned with the County Clerk of Cook County. Registration Number: G24000482 on September 13, 2024 Under the Assumed Business Name of HARMONY TREE YOGA with the business located at: 1249 DEERFIELD PKWY, BUFFALO GROVE, IL 60089. The true and real full name(s) and residence address of the owner(s)/partner(s) is: MEGAN BRANCATO 1249 DEERFIELD PKWY APT 303 BUFFALO GROVE, IL 60089, USA
Published in Wednesday Journal September 18, 25, October 2, 2024
Public Notice is hereby given to all persons concerned that on the 11th day of September, 2024, the Board of Fire and Police Commissioners of the Village of River Forest, Illinois, voted to amend its Rules and Regulations. Printed copies of the Rules and Regulations, as amended, may be obtained from the Office of the Village Clerk, 400 Park Avenue, River Forest, Illinois. The Rules shall be effective as of September 28, 2024, or 10 days from the date of publication of this notice, whichever date is later.
Published in Wednesday Journal September 18, 2024
NOTICE OF
AVAILABILITY OF AUDIT REPORT OF RIVER FOREST TOWNSHIP
River Forest Township hereby provides public notice that an audit of its funds for the period April 1, 2023 through March 31, 2024 has been made, and that a report of such audit dated May 31, 2024 performed by IL NLP Audit and Tax LLP has been filed with the County Clerk of Cook County, in accordance with 30 ILCS 15/0.01 et seq. The full report of the audit, including of the component unit River Forest Civic Center Authority, is available for public inspection at the Township Office located 8020 Madison St, River Forest, IL 60305 during regular business hours plus available on the Township website under “Audited Financials > Fiscal Year 2024” at: riverforesttownship. org/townships-meetings-andfinancials.
Published in Wednesday Journal September 18, 2024
PUBLIC NOTICE
PUBLIC NOTICE OF COURT DATE FOR REQUEST FOR NAME CHANGE
STATE OF ILLINOIS, CIRCUIT COURT COOK COUNTY.
Request of Robert Mulloy Thompson Case Number 2024CONC001473
There will be a court date on my Request to change my name from: Robert Mulloy Thompson to the new name of: Jack Mulloy Thompson
The court date will be held: On January 9, 2025 at 9am via Zoom. Meeting ID 92302509713 Password 709022 Court room 1707.
Published in RB Landmark September 11, 18, 25, 2024
CERY DIVISION US Bank Trust National Association, Not In Its Individual Capacity But Solely As Owner Trustee For VRMTG Asset Trust Plaintiff vs. Anne S. Hiter; James C. Hiter; USAlliance Federal Credit Union d/b/a USAlliance Financial; TD Bank USA, N.A.; Unknown Owners and Non Record Claimants Defendant 22 CH 3421 CALENDAR 60 NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE is hereby given that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure entered in the above entitled cause Intercounty Judicial Sales Corporation will on October 15, 2024, at the hour 11:00 a.m., Intercounty’s office, 120 West Madison Street, Suite 718A, Chicago, IL 60602, sell to the highest bidder for cash, the following described mortgaged real estate: P.I.N. 16-17-328-003-0000. Commonly known as 1154 South Lombard Avenue, Oak Park, IL 60304. The real estate is: single family residence. If the subject mortgaged real estate is a unit of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by subsection (g-1) of Section 18.5 of the Condominium Property Act. Sale terms: At sale, the bidder must have 10% down by certified funds, balance within 24 hours, by certified funds. No refunds. The property will NOT be open for inspection. Prospective bidders are admonished to check the court file to verify all information. For information call Sales Department at Plaintiff’s Attorney, The Wirbicki Law Group LLC, 33 West Monroe Street, Suite 1540, Chicago, Illinois 60603. (312) 360-9455. INTERCOUNTY JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION intercountyjudicialsales.com I3251240
