Pardon the q uestionable gr ammar, but being named an exemplary school by the state ain’ t easy
But it ’s an apple on the d esk for Rive rside-Brookfield High School Dist rict 208 to do it two years in a row, the result highlighted by annual I llinois Re po rt Card 2023-24 that was made public Oct. 30.
Exemplary schools are those that r ank in the top 10% of the state, wh i le “commendable” schools r ank in the next 67%. RBHS scored 91.98, j ust over the “exemplary” threshold. In 2023, RBHS scored 92.20.
Th at score in and of itself left principal Hector Fr eytas beaming, bu t he wasn’t one to take full credit
“Ten percent of the schools a ccording to the I llinois re po rt card achieved thi s, and it ’s difficult,” he said, noting that success is a team ef fo rt from the school b oard, superintendent, teachers and suppo rt staf f. Everyone contributes.
Clockw ise: Douglas Pollock, Aberdeen Marsh-Ozga, Joseph Fitzgerald, Elizabeth Ko s
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Riverside Caucus announces president and trustee slate
e RCC endorsed 3 incumbents and 1 newcomer; no comment on Claucher ty’s re-election
By TRENT BROWN Staff Reporter
T he Rive rside C ommunity C aucus has endorsed two incumbents and a new face in village p olitics to r un for a trustee seat alongside the cu rrent village presid ent for the upcoming b oard of trustees c onsolidated election next spring.
Vi llage President Doug Pollock and trustees Aberdeen Marsh-Ozga and Elizabeth Kos will r un to retain their seats on the b oard alongside resident Joseph Fitzgerald, the RCC announced Oct. 21. Marsh-Ozga will seek her second f ull term on the b oard wh i le Pollock and Ko s are making a first r un for their respective p ositions. Both we re appointed to their seats last November in the aftermath of for mer Vi llage President Joseph Ballerine’s resignation. Pollock, a trustee at the time, was chosen to re p lace Ballerine wh i le Ko s, then the chair of the Rive rside Parks and Re creation Board, was swor n in to fill Pollock’s seat. Fitzgerald, a n ewcomer to the b ehindthe-scenes of Rive rside, is a for mer president of b oth the Rive rside Art C enter and the Pav YMCA, wh ich ser ve s the village, North Rive rside and other near by c ommunities. He is also a p ast member of the A. F. A mes E lementar y School PTA.
Nick Fournier, a for mer Riverside Chamber of Commerce board member, also sought the RCC’s endorsement but dropped out of the race in the first week of October.
Trustee Me g an C laucherty, a firstterm b oard member whom the RCC endorsed in 2021, was notably absent from i ts slate of endorsements this year. In response to an email from the L and -
mark, C laucherty declined to c onfir m if she will seek re-election. Rive rside ’s municipal code allows members of the village b oard to hold their seats for up to three c onsecutive terms, so C laucherty is eligible to run ag ain.
T he RCC’s endorsed c andidates traditionally r un as a slate, wh ich makes the signature-collecting and p etitionfiling process simpler, but they are not required to. Residents whom the c aucus has not endorsed c an seek to r un indep endently, but the L andmark has not identified any such candidates
Fitzgerald told the L andmark he had b een c onsidering a r un for trustee over the last c ouple year s, but he f elt i nspired to run this year by the community.
“I had a number of the cu rrent incumb ent trustees infor mally reach out, and then the c aucus for mally reached out. S ome of my neighbors are in the c aucus, and some of the business owners [who] are in the c aucus would p ull me to the s ide and say, ‘A re you ready this year?’ ” Fitzgerald said in an i nterview. “I do n’ t want to say p eer pressure, but there was a lot of suppo rt .”
He said members of the board and the RCC g ot to know him naturally as hi s f amily became in gr ained in the Rivers ide c ommunity since moving to town in 2017.
“I’ve t ried always to make myself active in the c ommunity. I have a 12-yearold, so over the p ast seven years sinc e we ’ve b een here, I’ve b een doing stuf f with Little League and the pa rk s. Even though it was infor mal, we meet the p eop le that are there, ” he said. “I r un a lot, so I always see them walking down the street, and we stop and talk. ”
He said he was also f amiliar with trustees as a for mer president of the Rive rside Art C enter, wh ich the village b oard had eng aged during his tenure.
After participating in the RCC’s community forum on Oct. 6, the same day he said he and the other candidates learned Fournier had dropped out, Fitzgerald said he was glad to earn the caucus’s endorsement.
“I was happy. I was relieved. It’s nice to know that you were able to put your
thoughts out to the caucus and the g eneral public and then have some really good discussion afterwards,” he said. “I think the meat and potatoes of what happened was, after speaking with people that are very involved in the community and that want to be invested, I think they want to see people who are going to be as invested as they are at the table for them.”
He said that aspect of the p osition — listening to Rive rsiders — was one he prioritized as a potential new trustee
“You have to invest the time to go out in the c ommunity and p ut your ear to the ground and listen or proactive ly ask some q uestions,” he said. “People want to be invested in the c ommunity, but maybe they ’re not going to make it to the meeting s, or they ca n’ t make it to a c ommittee, or maybe they do n’ t even know it exists. How do you bring some of those outside vo ices to the table?”
Kos did not respond to the L andmark’s requests for c omment about her endorsement by the time of publication.
Pollock and Marsh-Ozga said they we re p leased to learn the RCC had endorsed them to retain their seats
“A s a cu rrent trustee, I ve ry much appreciate the RCC’s endorsement. T hey know my q ualifications, they know my long history of service to the c ommunity, and they’ve seen how I i nterac t with village staf f, residents and our broader c ommunity,” Marsh-Ozga said. “I think that there’s a lot we c an a ccomplish when we wo rk to g ether, and I look forward to the o pportunity to ser ve Riverside for a second term r unning with Doug and Joe and Elizabeth. ”
“I have a great appreciation for the c aucus. T hey g ot me involved in Riverside village gove r nment way back in 2012, and I know from experience in other municipalities that it ’s sometimes hard to find g ood p eople for village offic e. T hey ser ve that f unction of not only recr uiting but also vetting c andidates,” Pollock said. “A s far as this year ’s proc ess, I’m honored they have the faith in me to suppo rt me for a f ull term as village president. ”
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BIG WEEK
November 6-13
Bluey Tree Trim
Saturday, November 9, 11:30 a.m., Brook eld Zoo
The Linda Sokol Francis Brook eld Library invites families to join them at the Brook eld Zoo Chicago’s annual Tree Trim event on Saturday, Nov. 9 at 11:30 a.m. Families will help the library decorate their tree with ornaments inspired by the popular animated television series Bluey, which follows the adventures of a blue heeler puppy named Bluey. Decorations will be provided by library Sta at the zoo during the event. There is a limited number of Tree Trim passes available for pick-up at the Youth Services desk, so register to secure your spot as soon as possible! Families are welcome to enjoy a day at the zoo after the Tree Trim event ends. Children ages two and under may enter for free. For more information or to register to attend, please contact the library at 708-485-6917 x 140, or visit www.lsfbrook eldlibrary.org. 8400 31St St
Book Talk by Riverside Author
Rober ta Har tling Gates
Monday, November 11, 6 p.m.
LSF Brook eld Library
Meet Riverside author Roberta Har tling Gates and learn about her gripping historical novel, Number 12 Rue Sainte -Catherine: And Other Stories. In a series of collected Stories, Gates examines the life and crimes of Klaus Barbie, a mid-level Gestapo chief during World War II who ruled Lyon, France, like a medieval tyrant. What prepared him for his role as the so-called Butcher of Lyon, and what happened to him after the war? Learn the answers to these questions and more during this fascinating book talk. 3541 Park Ave
Brook eld Women’s Club Youth Entrepreneur Market
Cultivating Space: Two New Books About Architecture and Landscape
Tuesday, November 12, 7 p.m.
Riverside Public Library
Two Chicago authors and educators will o er new perspectives about trees and buildings: Ron Henderson will present his 30 Trees: And Why Landscape Architects Love Them (2024) and Riverside resident Michelangelo Sabatino will present his The Edith Farnsworth House: Architecture, Preservation, Culture (2024). Together, the authors re ect on the ongoing and sometimes challenging dialogue between nature and the built environmen Books will be for sale and signed during the event. 1 Burling Rd
Sunday November 10th, 1 p.m. - 4 p.m., SE Gross School in Brook eld Shop local - there’s something for everyone on your holiday list! Come join in for this unique event featuring more than 50 kids from Brook eld and surrounding communities in grades 4th - 12th. Bring cash to shop and enjoy an afternoon meeting the artists and exploring their handmade crafts, delicious food, and amazing creativity. The Brook eld Women’s Club is committed to supporting the growth and development of women and children. This Young Entrepreneurs Market is intended to both encourage and support budding entrepreneurs in a real life setting where they can earn money and get feedback as they develop their business. (Parking lot and entry o Broadway). 3524 Maple Ave.
Introducción a la Biblioteca
Martes, 12 de noviembre, 7 p.m.
LSF Brook eld Library
¿Quieres saber lo qué ofrecemos en la biblioteca? Ven a conocer más sobre todo que ofrecemos. Un miembro del personal que habla español guiará esta introducción a los recursos, clases y eventos de la biblioteca. 3541 Park Ave.
Compiled
Riverside’s rst haunted house is a spooky success
Parks and recreation took to the Scout Cabin a er 4 years of drivethru scares
By TRENT BROWN Staff Reporter
If you took a trip through Riverside Parks and Recreation’s haunted house on Saturday, Oct. 26, you were in for a ride of thrills and chills, especially in the final stretch, which featured a crazed killer wielding a chainsaw.
That crazed killer, also known as Parks and Recreation Director Ron Malchiodi, said the community embraced the haunted house more than the department was expecting
“We thought, overall, it was successful, especially for a first-year venture,” he said in a phone interview Oct. 28. “We’re excited about next year already.”
This year’s haunted house was Riverside’s first attempt at putting on the real deal, but Malchiodi said the department wasn’t totally in uncharted territory. Starting in 2020 through last year, parks and rec staffers had put on a drive-thru haunted house in town, initially as a way to keep the spooky spirit of Halloween alive during lockdown in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. But this year, it was time to up the ante.
“We saw, while the outdoor drive-thru was still popular, numbers had gone down a little bit,” Malchiodi said of the department’s decision to change formats. “We were really taking a chance with the weather when it was outside. It was a ton of set-up because, basically, the entire block on Fairbank [Road], we would set up with decorations and scenes, [which] required a little more personnel and time to set up. If it would have rained on any of those days, it would have canceled the event.”
He said the Scout Cabin, to the west of Fairbank Road near Indian Gardens, was an obvious choice to host the haunted house
“We figured we had the perfect setting with the cabin tucked in the woods. It gets kind of dark back there, so we said, why don’t we just move this inside and create a legitimate haunted house?”
Malchiodi said parks and recreation staff had some experience already from putting on the drive-thru haunted houses in the previous four years.
“We knew that some of the characters worked. We knew what got the reaction out of people outside, so now when you’re putting that inside [with a] darker atmosphere, a little more unknown, chopped up into rooms, we knew those elements would be more scary in a contained environment,” he said. “As you’re driving down the street, you can kind of see what’s coming next, whereas you can’t once you’re inside.”
He said they knew they needed to have a clown room and a chainsaw-wielding scare actor at the end and that the indoor space allowed them to set up other themed rooms, including one with creepy dolls and another featuring a mad scientist.
“As far as props and lighting and atmosphere, we were able to do a lot more inside.”
The department’s largest hurdle, Malchiodi said, was splitting up the relatively small cabin so each room had enough space to breathe
“Every member of staff has been to a haunted house, so we knew the elements we wanted to incorporate, but it’s not the biggest of buildings,” he said. “Obviously, we want it to be scary and entertaining, but it also needs to be safe. That was probably the biggest challenge, trying to figure out all these elements of a traditional haunted house into a limited area.”
The money earned from the sale of tickets at $5 a pop will go toward deferring the village’s costs to put the haunted house on, Malchiodi said.
The department ran two versions of the haunted house: a less scary one, which emphasized the scary atmosphere of the rooms and characters, and a scarier one, where the actors did their best to spook guests
While Riversiders surely felt the scare factor, Malchiodi said the haunted house’s scare actors were comprised of parks and recreation staff and resident volunteers rather than professionals. While some cast members rotated in or out of the four-and-a-half-hour attraction, Malchiodi said there were 11 scare actors roaming the house at its peak, including himself
Malchiodi said the department has already
See HAUNTED on pa ge 16
Ending hunger by connecting the four corners of our community
Hunger is a local problem
So we're taking a localized approach.
Hunger is a local problem...
So we're taking a localized approach.
The causes of hunger in our 15-village region vary enormously. But as we have learned, many of our neighbors in need do not know what kinds of help are available to them. Meanwhile , on a national level, billions of dollars dedicated to ending food insecurity go unspent . Not for lack of need, but for a lack of awareness .
A localized portal to getting help.
The causes of hunger in our 15-village region vary enormously. But as we have learned, many of our neighbors in need do not know what kinds of help are available to them. Meanwhile , on a national level, billions of dollars dedicated to ending food insecurity go unspent Not for lack of need, but for a lack of awareness .
A localized portal to getting help.
One of the ways our food pantry is helping is by establishing a localized online services directory. A comprehensive database of the many local, county, state , and federal resources that are available to our neighbors in need A directory that can be explained and guided by pantry staff, or accessed independently online.
We're all neighbors here .
One of the ways our food pantry is helping is by establishing a localized online services directory. A comprehensive database of the many local, county, state , and federal resources that are available to our neighbors in need. A directory that can be explained and guided by pantry staff, or accessed independently online
We're all neighbors here .
Ending hunger is a big idea But so is the power of communication and the collaboration of caring communities . In our 15-village region, the resources for addressing the causes of hunger start locally. And you can help in many ways .
Our food pantry ’s long-term goal is to alleviate the causes of hunger in our assigned region. This requires that we bring together all regionallyinvested neighbors . Including those in need, volunteers , donors , and strategic partners . And one way to answer that community-rooted problem is by recognizing that we are all neighbors in the effort .
"It will help people. You can help change mindsets . You're all looking for programs that can better help people. That can help you get a job, or if you have a job, you can get food. So, I'm loving this idea that you are coming up with."
Our food pantry ’s long-term goal is to alleviate the causes of hunger in our assigned region. This requires that we bring together all regionallyinvested neighbors . Including those in need, volunteers , donors , and strategic partners . And one way to answer that community-rooted problem is by recognizing that we are all neighbors in the effort .
"It will help people. You can help change mindsets . You're all looking for programs that can better help people. That can help you get a job, or if you have a job, you can get food. So, I'm loving this idea that you are coming up with."
– Neighbor in need
– Neighbor in need
Ending hunger is a big idea. But so is the power of communication and the collaboration of caring communities . In our 15-village region, the resources for addressing the causes of hunger start locally. And you can help in many ways . Ways to donate...
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REPORT
from page 1
“There is no way you c an do it yourself,” he said. “We have to wo rk to g ether to d elive r the b est servic e and best education to our students.”
Riverside-Brookfield enrolled 1,637 students in 2023-24, 51.8% male and 48.1% female. About 45.4% were white, while 43.2% were Hispanic and 5.4% were Black. Seventeen percent were Asian.
Freytas said the graduation rate is 50 % of a school’s score, and at this, Riverside-Brookfield achieved 94.9%, well ahead of the state mark of 87.7%. That was a full percentage point ahead of 2023.
Why?
“We have a le gacy of great teaching and instruction,” Freytas said. “I always had a belief in it. I knew our numbers were similar to last year. T he target moves somewhat, but our teaching and learning and love for students hasn’t changed.”
About 13.2% of students scored at Level 4 in E LA, wh ich exceeds proficiency, down from 18.1% in 2023. S tudents achieving Level 4 in math dropped to 7.4% from 12.4% in 2023.
“We want g ood tests scores, and some things have changed in standardized testing,” Freytas said. “We’ve g one from paper testing to digital testing. We ’re reviewing our curriculum to improve in that area.”
In overall proficiency, wh ich includes multiple assessments, li ke the SAT and DLM (dy namic learning maps), RBHS dropped slightly in ELA to 41% from 47.9%. Math also f ell slightly to 39.1% from 44.4%. But science jumped to 65.5% from 57.9%.
A nother area that showe d c onsistency was ninth gr ade on track, wh ich stood at 97%, almost a f ull percentage point ahead of 2023. T here are seve r al reasons for that, Freytas said.
“I would say we have strong feeder schools, preparing their kids to be on track,” he said. “Our student service department, they knew students that struggle and our teachers are flexible. T hey want their students to learn to master the content. Some kids need three or four opportunities.”
Like a lot of districts in wester n Cook County, chronic absenteeism continues to be a challenge for RBHS, where the district posted 19.9%, up slightly from 19.2% in 2023. It’s consistent, but Freytas said, “I want my students here at RB. When a student is absent, it ’s wor risome.”
Freytas said each student has five mental health days they c an take throughout a school year, wh ich are c ounted against a student, much li ke sick days. Freytas d oesn’t necessarily li ke that approach, but he sai d that he b eli eves mental health matters as much as physical health.
He a dded that after two c onsecuve days missed, school staf f and c ounselors follow up with the stud ent and parents
“If it’s mental health, it’s important,” he said. “If you’ re not healthy to be in school, stay home and re gain your brain.”
Another potential area of concer n was the junior class’s SAT results. The SAT is an admission test accepted by all U.S. colle ges and is intended to determine a student’s level of colle ge readiness in the academic subjects of English/language ar ts and math.
Teacher retention rate sat at 96.7%, up almost three percentage points from 2023 (93.9%). T he ke y there, Freytas said, is that “staf f members love wo rk ing here, they want to wo rk here. p eople are well treated and supported. We love giving autonomy to our teachers fo r progr ams they want to implement. ”
While there was a lot to li ke in the data for Freytas, he also made it clear that ongoing improvement is a must. To that end, there are a lot of q uestions that need to be addressed in any given year for any school.
“Your job as a school is to g et them gr aduated and ready for c olle ge and careers, ” he said. “That’s hug e. S tandardized testing is important, are you providing in-school practice fo r the SAT? Is it embedded in the cu rriculum?
“Freshmen on track you have to monitor. Math and English, wh at are you doing to suppo rt the understanding and mastering of those areas? What are you doing for those linguistically dive r se students? Are you providing ce rt ified teachers that are bilingual?”
Brookfield eyes
8 Corners for new retail incubator program
O cials aim for June 15 start date
By TRENT BROWN Staff Reporter
Brookfield officials are looking to emulate the success of Berwyn Shops with the village’s own temporary incubator program for local retail businesses. If all goes according to plan, a first cohort of about six shops will open in June in Progress Park at Eight Cor ners.
Community Development Director Libby Popovic told village trustees Oct. 28 the Brookfield Shops program would operate similarly to Berwyn’s incubator program and the Boardwalk Shops in Batavia, which feature a number of small shed-like buildings where local residents can experience running their own shop.
Although the Berwyn Shops have allowed Brookfield residents to set up shop there this year, this would be Brookfield’s first attempt at running its own program.
The plan as it now stands is for the shops to open June 15, 2025, and run through Dec. 15, 2025. The shops would be open on Fridays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Sundays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Popovic said village staf f thought six or seven shops, each about 15 feet by 15 feet, “could fit comfortably” in Progress Park, which the village would lease from the First National Bank of Brookfield for three years for just $1 per month.
“Progress Park is a perfect location because there’s a lot of traffic that goes through,” she said. “There’s a lot of small businesses. It fits right in with the entire vision.”
When the shops get up and running, Popovic said tenants would pay $500 in monthly rent to Brookfield to simulate a real business’s costs. Altogether, this will generate about $18,000 for the village across each annual cohort, which Brookfield can reinvest into the shops the next year.
“It’s intended to be sustainable for at least three years, if not longer,” Popovic said.
The project’s estimated budget is $85,000, excluding any potential sponsorships Brookfield could secure. The sheds themselves would each cost about $12,000 to $15,000, Popovic said. After the first year, once the sheds and selection process are in place, she said staf f estimated the program would cost about $8,000 to $10,000 per year.
“One of our [economic development] commissioners with the Bank of Brookfield has indicated that the bank would be willing to sponsor at least one of these sheds,” Popovic told trustees. “We’d like to ideally get at least two sponsors for the sheds. That would increase our budget and allow us to do some of the additional landscaping and other items that we need.”
Popovic said the goal is for Brookfield to finalize the lease for Progress Park and the project’s overall budget by December so construction can start before January. By the end of January, the village should launch its marketing campaign, which will explain the program to residents and potential applicants, and start accepting applications.
Popovic said Brookfield should also assemble a committee in January to decide which applicants will get to open a shop; the jury will be composed of Brookfield residents, excluding village staf f and anyone involved with village government, like trustees or commissioners.
She said the second phase of the project will run from February through April, with the jury selecting a cohort, the village hosting training and classes, and construction reaching its final steps, like the installation of utilities.
The classes for vendors “would entail everything from walking them through how to physically put together their site to what is a business plan, how do they account for their overhead, CAM [common area maintenance] charges and so for th,” she said.
In response to a question from Trustee Julie Narimatsu, Popovic said staf f would handle the trainings at first but seek to hire a third-par ty educator for future co-
See INCUBATOR on pa ge 16
Brookfield seeks 4.13% levy raise for 2024 tax year
82% of funds levied will go to the v illage, 18% to the library
By TRENT BROWN Staff Reporter
Brookfield will seek to extend its property tax levy for 2024 by 4.13%.
Illinois law limits increases in annual property tax extensions to the consumer price index’s inflation rate or to 5% if the rate is higher. The CPI for 2024 is 3.4%.
The village estimates the total levy for this year will be roughly $16.3 million, up from about $15.6 million last year.
Of that number, about 82%, or $13.4 million, is proposed for Brookfield’s combined levies, an increase of 4% over last year’s levy of $12.9 million. T he remainder, about $2.9 million, is for the Linda Sokol Francis Brookfield Library; this amount is about 4.69% higher than the
2023 levy of $2.7 million.
Brookfield is requesting 3.4% in acco dance with the law alongside an additional 0.6% to capture new growth in the village overall property value as determined Cook County as a basis for property taxes, known as the equalized assessed value.
At the village board’s Oct. 28 committee of the whole meeting, Finance Director Doug Cooper explained that the village must seek the additional levy for new growth this y or it would lose the ability to earn property tax revenue on that portion of its EAV fore
About half of Brookfield’s combined levies, roughly $6.7 million, would go to the village’s general fund while another 22%, about $293,000, is for its special recreation and debt service funds. The remaining 28%, about $384,000, is split 2-to-1 toward the po lice pension and firefighter pension fund Trustees approved a resolution esti mating the total tax levy Oct. 28. A public hearing for the tax levy is scheduled for the village ’s b oard’s re g ular meeting Dec. 9 at 6:30 p. m.
UNDERSTANDING THE CREDIT FOR OTHER DEPENDENTS
Taxpayers with dependents who don’t qualify for the Child Tax Credit may be able to claim the Credit for Other Dependents. They can claim this credit in addition to the Child and Dependent Care Credit and the Earned Income Credit. Here’s more information to help taxpayers determine whether they’re eligible to claim the Credit for Other Dependents on their 2022 tax return.
The maximum credit amount is $500 for each dependent who meets certain conditions. This credit can be claimed for:
• Dependents of any age, including those who are age 18 or older.
• Dependents who have Social Security numbers or Individual Taxpayer Identification numbers.
• Dependent parents or other qualifying relatives supported by the taxpayer.
The credit begins to phase out when the taxpayer’s income is more than $200,000. This phaseout begins for married couples filing a joint tax return at $400,000. A taxpayer can claim this credit if:
• They claim the person as a dependent on the taxpayer’s return.
• They cannot use the dependent to claim the child tax credit or additional child tax credit.
• The dependent is a U.S. citizen, national or resident alien.
• Dependents living with the taxpayer who aren’t related to the taxpayer.
BEN STUMPE
By Linda Sokol Francis. E.A.
Riverside requests 4.17% tax levy hike for 2024
e amount includes a 9.23% increase to the general levy
By TRENT BROWN Staff Reporter
Riverside will seek to extend its 2024 property tax levy by 4.17%.
The law in Illinois limits the property tax extension increases that municipalities can request to the consumer price index’s inflation rate or to 5% if the rate is higher. The CPI for 2024 is 3.4%.
Rive rside estimates the total property tax levy for 2024 will be about $8.3 million, up from last year ’s tax extension of roughly $8 million.
Of that number, about 82%, or about $6.8 million, is proposed for Riverside’s tax levy while the rest, about $1.5 million, is for the Riverside Public Library’s levy.
About 5.5% of the village’s levy, $377,500, would be extended toward the village’s debt service and mission. The majority of about $6.45 million, is comprised of corporate and special pu
Riverside estimates the rate levy, including the library’s po will be $7.8 million, up 9.23% from the 2023 levy of $7.2 million. At the hearing on the levy, held Oct. 17, Director Yvette Zavala said that estimate included new tive property value as assessed County, also known as the sessed value.
She said it also included additional enue that w provements if 2024 tax levy which would allow Ri 9.23% hike in the first plac vote to deny of the levy associated with it will be moved from the estimated amount.
After holding the side trustees are expected to adopt the tax levy hike at their Dec
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GCM’s reader supported newsroom turns to you for support
With focus on democracy, GCM launches its biggest fundraiser ever
Election Day and the launch of Growing Community Media’s largest ever fundraiser do not intersect by accident.
Democracy is on the line this minute and it has never been clearer that local news is essential to salvaging and strengthening our democracy – whether that is across this great country or in the villages and neighborhoods we have covered for decades.
That’s why in our reader supported newsroom we focus on the Essential Civics and why democracy is at the top of our list of five virtues for local news. Democracy. Accountability. Equity. Connection. Civility. That’s the list.
Between now and Dec. 31 we aim to raise better than $300,000 from readers in our communities. We have a good head start toward that hefty goal thanks to the dozens of MatchMakers who have already offered their financial support.
In the coming weeks, we’ll use those funds to double your investment in the newsrooms which publish Wednesday Journal of Oak Park & River Forest, Austin Weekly News, Forest Park Review and Riverside-Brookfield Landmark.
If you believe that our reporters nurture democracy with every local municipal meeting we cover, every school budget we explore, each candidate we profile, then we ask you to invest in those reporters by becoming part of our newsroom.
We need hundreds of supporters who either renew their investment or decide for the first time that genuine, independent local news coverage deserves their support right now.
Making a donation to GCM is simple. So please consider signing on as a $10 recurring monthly donor, make a single annual donation at a level that works for you or let’s sit down and talk about your more substantial investment in this newsroom.
With your support we’ll be here, we’ll grow and we’ll deepen our coverage of every town we are honored to serve.
Democracy needs news. And news needs you.
With gratitude in advance.
Dan Haley Publisher Growing Community Media
Our fall fundraiser is
Screenings can detect cancer at an early stage and provide a greater chance for treatment success. And if you are faced with a diagnosis, where you receive your care is one of the most important decisions you’ll ever make.
As a national leader in whole-person care, AdventHealth in the western suburbs offers connections to the renowned cancer care experts at UChicagoMedicine. Find a dedicated partner for your individual cancer journey just down the road.
To schedule a cancer screening go to ChicagolandCancerCare.com.
Study shows how Riverside can best maintain roads through 2034
e study intended to show how to prevent a ‘worst- rst, reactive approach’ to road improvement
By TRENT BROWN Staff Reporter
Rive rside has approved the findings of a new study of the q uality of i ts road s, wh ich will help village staf f in decidin g wh ich roads need to be improved next.
At the Oct. 17 meeting, Rive rside trustees voted to adopt the pavement study, the village ’s first since 2014, after hearing a presentation from Vi llage Engineer Tracy Wa is of Christopher B. Burke Engineering, Ltd., who conducted the study. S he presented the b oard with three c ost options for annual road maintenance progr ams through 2034, bu t trustees we re not asked to settle on one
“A pavement management progr am is really important to maximize the pavement’s useful l ife, p ostpone expensive pavement rehabilitations and reconstructions, improve the ride q uality of the roadway system and provide a c osteffect ive way of protecting the village ’s pavement infrastructur e, ” she said.
Wa is explained that she i nspected 30 miles of roadway throughout the firs t half of the year in order to give each road a pavement c ondition index, or PCI, rating out of 100 re presenting i ts c ondition. Roads rated 90 to100 we re in excellent c ondition, meaning they had li ke ly j ust b een reconstr ucted; from there, each stratum of 10 re presents a lowe r q uality of roadway, from “ve ry g ood ” at 80 to 89 through “serious” at 20 to 29. Any road rated 19 or b elow has already failed and needs total reconstr uction to become useabl e.
“The roadways we re rated by a visual i nspection, looking for p otholes, cracks, other signs of distress and overall rideabilit y, ” Wa is said. “ Typically, roadways start needing to be scheduled to be re -
surfaced after they are [rated] lowe r than the PCI of 70. ”
Roads rated 70 to 79 are c onsidered in “good” q uality wh i le those rated 60 to 69 are only “satisfactory. ”
Wa is said the roads she evaluated had an average rating of 75. While that average is similar to the average rating in 2014, she said Rive rside had actually improved i ts roads since then. In 2014, most roads we re rated “good” or “satisfactory;” this year, there was a much more even distribution of roads rated “good” or above, but there we re also more roads found to be in “fair” (in the 50s) or “poor” (in the 40s) condition.
S he said the village performs two for ms of maintenance on streets to extend their l ifetimes: pavement rejuvenation application, a s pray that increases a road ’s flexibility to prevent cracking, and crack sealing, where an adhesive is sealed i nto cracks to prevent moisture from infiltrating and expanding the cracks when it free ze s. Both method s c an a dd about 3 to 5 years of “useful l ife ” to a road, but they are most effect ive when a road is c onsidered to be in “ver y g ood” condition.
Wa is presented the b oard with three options for Rive rside to manage the q uality of i ts roads over the next decade, each at a different c ost. S he sai d implementing any of the management progr ams would allow Rive rside to prevent a “worst-first, reactive approach” to road improvement, wh ich can become cyclical over time, and i nstead f all i nto a more cost-ef fect ive rhy thm for ke e pin g streets in good condition.
At $800,000 each year, the village ’s roads will f all to an average rating of about 64 in 2034, with most roads considered “fair” or “poor.” At $1 million pe r year, the roads will average about 70 by then, with most c onsidered “good” or “ve ry g ood.” At $1.5 million annually, the average rating in 10 years will be about 76, with two-thirds of roads rated “good ” or b etter, a majority of wh ich would be c onsidered “excellent. ”
S he recommended the $1.5 million option, wh ich would set the village up the b est to maintain its roads beyond 2034.
“The distribution of the different categ o ries is a lot more even than it was in the other two, ” Wa is said. “That’s ultimately the g oal. W hen you have even dist ributions, you c an forecast b etter and have a plan moving forward. ” In response to q uestions from Trustee Jill Mateo, Wa is and Public Wo rks Director Dan Tabb said the pavement reju venation and crack sealing have improved the q uality of Rive rside ’s roads since the village started applying them in 2019.
Tabb said the rejuvenation c osts about $50,000 each year wh i le the crack sealing c osts about $10,000 in a ddition to staf f time, as the public wo rks department has done that wo rk since 2021.
Tabb said public wo rks will use the re po rt to p lan out wh ich roadways need to be improved first after redoing road s that need to have wo rk d one underneath them for sewe r- or water-related i ssues, li ke re p lacing lead service lines
He ag reed that Rive rside should ai m for the $1.5 million annual maintenanc e progr am but said staf f would “do the b est we c an to maintain the level that we c an af ford” if Rive rside c annot fin d enough funding.
Vi llage Manager J essica Frances said Rive rside now f unds street re pairs through re ve n ue g enerated from the motor f uel and non-home-rule sales taxes. S he said Rive rside c an c onservative ly assume it will rece iv e $250,000 each year from the motor f uel sales tax, a lo we r n umber than in previous year s because of the increasing popularit y of electric vehicles, wh i le non-homer ule sales tax brings in about $300,000 or more each year
If voters pass Rive rside ’s 2024 tax le vy referendum, the village will earn about $260,000 extra each year to improve streets, Frances said, bringing projected f unding for street improvements to about $800,000 per year
Vi llage President Douglas Pollock lauded Wa is for her wo rk on the study.
“This is an excellent report This is exactly what the village needs,” he said. “I think it shows that we’ve done pretty well with limited funding for our streets, but it also shows that we should be doing better.”
Stay Healthy This Fall YOUR BEST LIFE with Lisa Capone
As temperatures dip and the air turns crisp, seniors need to take extra steps to stay healthy and comfortable through the colder months. Fall brings beautiful scenery but also an increase in flu and seasonal illnesses. Staying healthy during colder months is all about a proactive approach to wellness. Here are a few simple tips to help keep you feeling your best this season.
First, consider scheduling a flu vaccine. The flu can pose serious health risks, especially for seniors, and getting vaccinated reduces your chances of severe illness.
Staying active is also key. While outdoor walks might be brisk, indoor activities like stretching, gentle yoga, or using light hand weights are great ways to keep muscles strong and joints flexible. Even 15-20 minutes a day can boost energy and mood!
Finally, focus on seasonal foods that support immunity. Fall’s harvest —pumpkins, squash, and apples—are packed with vitamins that can help your body fend off seasonal bugs. Adding warm soups and stews with these ingredients provides both comfort and nutrition.
By taking these steps, you can enjoy the beauty of fall while staying well and thriving all season long!
PO LICE REPO RT S
Driver ticketed for heavily tinted windows
Riverside police ticketed a man Oct. 28 whose car’s front windows were heavily tinted While on patrol, an officer saw the man’s car near the intersection of Harlem Avenue and Blackhawk Road and pulled him over for the tinted windows. After telling the driver the reason for the stop, the officer asked for his driver’s license and proof of insurance. The man provided an Illinois ID card and said he could not find his insurance card.
T he officer searched the p olice datab ase and found the man did not have a valid license, so they asked the man to step out of the car and ar rested him. Another officer staye d b ehind to ensure the car was towe d wh i le the officer took the man to be booked .
At the station, the officer learned the man’s license had been suspended Police cited the man for driving with a suspended license, driving without i nsurance and having unlawfully tinted
wind ow s. He was then released
Resident’s steering wheel stolen
Brookfield p olice Oct. 28 investi gated a complaint of a stolen steering wheel. Th at morning, an officer responded to the 9100 block of Plainfield Road to speak with a resident who re ported hi s wo rk truck had b een broken i nto. Th e man told the officer that sometime between Oct. 24 and then, someone had broken the drive r’s s ide d oor lock and stripped the steering c olumn on the truck. He said there was no other d amage and nothing else was missing.
T he officer p hoto gr aphed the scene and dusted the stripped steering column to look for finger prints but found none.
T he proper ty owner told the officer that a camera system there li ke ly had n’ t captured the theft b ased on where the truc k was pa rked. Police c ould not find more info rm ation, and no one was ar rested
Arrested for failing to appear in court
Riverside police arrested a man Oct. 26 who had a warrant out due to missing court. At around 2:50 a.m., an officer on patrol was told to look for a man wearing a black hoodie, as he had been involved in a “domestic disturbance” and left heading east from Pine Avenue along the train tracks.
The officer found a man matching the description who was wearing a black sweater and turning east on foot onto East Burlington Avenue from Herbert Road. When asked, the man gave a different name from that of the man in question.
Terra
After running the man’s information through the database, the officer learned the man had a warrant out for failure to appear in court in 2019 for a DUI charge out of the Village of Justice. The officer arrested the man and transported him to be booked. At the station, the man posted
These items were obtained from the Riverside Police Department reports dated Oct. 26-28 and the Brookfield Police Department reports dated Oct. 28 to Nov. 4; they represent a portion of the incidents to which police responded. Anyone named in these reports has only been charged with a crime and cases have not yet been adjudicated. We report 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
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Opinion
THE L ANDMARK VIEW
Building a retail incubator
On the list of interesting things the energized economic development folks in Brookfield are taking on is a retail incubator program.
Just plain cool.
Modeled after similar projects in Berwyn and Batavia — do only the “B” towns get this program? — this will comprise a batch of six or seven small indie shops gathered in Progress Park starting next June. They will be housed in colorful sheds, open three days each week and run by entrepreneurs interested in figuring out if their dreams can translate into a semi-bricksand-mortar retail world.
Entrepreneurs will be recruited by Brookfield, chosen by a special committee and then supported through their first year with ongoing training about all aspects of getting a shop up and running.
Best-case scenarios are that a shed-retailer could grow into a permanent storefront retailer in town and also that it creates an intriguing destination for local shoppers looking for hand-crafted and unique products and gifts.
Good for the village for funding this project, to the Bank of Brookfield for a potential sponsorship, to the Chamber of Commerce for seeing this as an opportunity for greater retail vitality and not a threat.
Mike Garvey, Brookfield’s village president, is among the enthused. He thinks the village will be looking for a larger location and more sheds this time next year. He may well be right.
Better roads through maintenance
Digging a failed street down to the dirt for rebuilding is more dramatic, more expensive and more annoying for drivers but Riverside has figured out that investing in streets well before they fail is worth finding the money to do.
The village’s engineering firm presented village trustees with an updated assessment of its streets, based on an actual engineer eyeballing 30 miles of local roadways early this year. She was looking for cracks, potholes and “other signs of distress,” explained the methods of rating the streets, and said that ongoing investments have had a positive impact on the streets.
The key is finding the funds — $1.5 million was the top tier being suggested — to do the sealing and pothole patching steadily and widely in the village. This sort of street maintenance, she said, can add 3-5 years to the life of an expensive public asset.
This is the stuf f of good governance.
We’ll know soon if Riverside voters approved the street referendum which would add about $250,000 to the annual pot of road money. Some of that could go to this smart maintenance ef fort
Shoutout to RB
It is not easy to place in the top 10% of high schools in the state. Now Riverside-Brookfield High School has done it for the second straight year.
The state measures several things in its ranking of schools, including the graduation rate, absenteeism and test scores. At RB, graduation rates are rising, teacher retention is very strong and, in a post-COVID world, absenteeism is still a challenge. Overall, a lot of good news in this report. Based on a lot of hard work at the school.
Ed Gregurich, 68
Ow ned Monico Construction
Au 2024 s brother and Hospic e, after a shor t but brutal battle with c ancer. Bor n on March 4, 1956 to the late Lad and A nne (Anderson) Greg u rich, he grew up in Brookfield. He attended A rizona State Unive rsit y, then went on to master ca rp entr y. His wo rk ethic and d etermination led hi m to fo rm his own c ompany, Monico C onstruction In c. Monico executed projects in Chicag o, LA, and the Bay Area. Wo rk included framing single-family homes, buildings fo r Goo g le and Appl e, and the i nstallation of seismic retrofits. He took great pride in applying creativit y and style as well as providing value in the execution of the projects German Sh ep herds and motorcycles we re the threads r unning through his l ife. T hey symbolize d Ed’s strength and ener gy. He race d Motocross and Enduro, beginning in the 1970s, and c ontinued bikin g on and of f road his whole l ife. Always a dog love r, his favo rite breed was German Sh ep herd, and he had one beside him most all of his life
A skillful and prolific photographer, he worked with models, here and in Europe, and mastered large format shooting. His home is a showcase of photos of his worldwide journeys, friends, architectural ideas, and of course, German Shepherds. He love d to tr avel and read, b oth of wh ich added to his broad knowledge and i nsightful perspect ives,
on wh ich he was more than happy to expound. He was i nspired to c onsider new ideas and p laces and didn’t let co nventions restrict him. He trekked in the mountains of Morocco, explored China, and spent c onsiderable time in Europe. But his cherished p laces we re the many mountain trails and lakes not fa r from his Au bu rn home, as well as the forests and lakes in norther n Wi sconsin where he spent time as a youth.
Always an i nteresting co nversationalist, d ue to his breadth of knowledge, experienc e, clever sense of humor, and his appreciation of the absurdities of l ife, he did not allow himself to be defined by anyone but himself
Survivors include his brother, Don Gregurich, and his ne phew and niece, Ryan and Allison Gregurich. Ed will be buried at the Bohemian National C emetery in the town of Neva, Wi sconsin. No services will be held. A C elebration of L ife will be held in the future.
Lana Hoover, 68
Patient care tech at Loyola Hospital
L ana Jean Hoove r, 68, a longtime resident of Brookfield, die d p eacefully on Oct. 31, 2024, surrounded by love d ones. Born on Fe b. 9, 1956, in E ast St. L oui s, she dedicated over 20 years of her career to Loyola Hospital, where she
See OBITUARIES on pa ge 16
from page 15
worked as a patient care technician in the burn unit. Known for her compassion and dedication, she brought c omfort and strength to c ountless patients and f amilies in their most challenging moments Her colleagues remember her as a steadf ast friend and care give r, whose empathy and warmth left a lasting impact Her love extended to animals, especially dogs. S he was known for saving dogs in need and taking in those she c ould , giving them a loving home. W hether offering suppo rt to her f amily, friend s, or neighbors, her kindness and selflessness we re constants
INCUBATOR
from page 7
horts once the budget allows for it. She said staf f would run the trainings based on recommendations from the Berwyn Shops. She said Brookfield will work with the chosen vendors to finalize the decor of each shop by the end of April, “either by giving the shop owners a small stipend to help them out or giving them specific direction, because this is intended to be very uniform.”
Lana is survived by her mother, Leona K. Hunter; her daughters, Venus M. Hoover and Sally J. Moore (spouse Mike D. Moore); her son, Jesse J. Episcopo; her grandchildren, Michael A. Hurd II, Anthony J. Hurd (spouse Stephanie Lupo), Destiny N. Hurd, Matthew A. Hurd (spouse Hope Hurd), Cole S. Hurd, Michael W. Moore, Tyler D. Moore, Jessica A. Mancione, and Kaitlin P. Episcopo; her great-grandson, Hayden J. Hurd; her siblings, Glenda R. McDonald, Anna Sebesta, Kay Welsch, and Cheryl Russette; and her nieces, nephews, cousins, many friends, and extended family.
A c elebration of L ana’s l ife will be held on Nov. 10 at L aGrange Bible C hurch, 850 7th Ave., L aGrang e, IL 60525, with a re -
As the program runs throughout the second half of 2025, Popovic said Brookfield would conduct performance evaluations of each vendor so they can hone their craft and see how they like running a business.
“It’s really intended to be an incubator program to help small businesses and entrepreneurs with their business, to try it out, test it out in a small brick and mortar and then make the decision [of if] they want to expand that.”
Popovic said the Brookfield Chamber of Commerce had “given its blessing” to the Brookfield Shops project and may join forces with the village after the “trial run”
started discussing next year’s haunted house each year, he said planning for this year’s attraction started in full in March. He said seeing all of that work come to fruition was his favorite part of the experience.
from page 5
“There’s so many months of logistics, and meetings, and the creativity that goes into it, and the research and making sure
ception starting at 12:30 p. m ., followe d by a service from 2:30 to 3:30 p. m.
Robert Conner ty, 76
Vietnam veteran, pipe tter
Ro be rt J. C onnerty, 76, of North Riverside, died on Oct. 28, 2024. A Vi etnam ar my veteran, he wo rked as a gove rnment pipefitter.
Robert was the husband of Patricia Connerty (nee Sherry); the father of Brian (Amy) Connerty, Shannon Connerty, and Sean (Heather) Connerty; the grandfather of Ava, Noah, Paig e and Lily; the brother of Laura (the late Cecil) German, Thomas
of the first year
In response to another question from Narimatsu, Popovic said the sheds are “completely transferrable” once the lease on Progress Park is up if Brookfield finds a better location or wants to expand the number of shops.
Trustees discussed whether the shops should face outward toward the street to attract business or inward toward each other to foster a sense of community among the vendors. Each orientation would come with its own set of pros and cons: while shops facing outward would be more accessible, those facing inward might be safer for shoppers.
that safety is a priority. Night of, when you’ve gone through and you see the reactions, that’s really the payoff for us,” he said. “I was the last person you encountered as you went through the haunted house. For me, I really got the culmination of [seeing] people go through, and they just
(Terry) Connerty, and Maureen (Jens) Borchert; and the uncle of many nieces and ne phews.
Visitation was held on Nov. 3 Hitzeman Funeral Home & Cremation Services, 9445 31st St., Brookfield, IL 60513.
I nterment was pr ivat e.
Info rm ation: 708-485-2000 or www. HitzemanFuneral.com.
Trustees didn’t come to a final conclusion on orientation, but the board members ag reed it was an exciting prog ram for Brookfield.
“I see us needing a bigger site in the future. I think this is going to be so big, but this is the place where we’ll say it got started,” said Village President Michael Garvey.
“When I first heard about the idea, I loved it, and I’m glad that the [economic development commission] and staf f have been able to move it forward,” he added. “I know it’s a very ambitious timetable, because you guys have a lot going on [with] holidays and everything else … but I love the aggressive schedule.”
had the relief, they were done with it, [or] they were laughing, they liked it, ‘I want to go again’ … I think, in general, for us, any special event takes so much work on the front end that people don’t see, that the end result is really the reward.”
Sports
RBHS volleyball sets higher standards in br out season
Bulldogs lose tight regional nal a er 24-win season, UEC East title
By BILL STONE Contributing Reporter
Riverside Brookfield High School senior Sofia Owens fought back tears Thursday after a flood of achievements.
The four-year starter’s high school career ended, but the Bulldogs’ 25-23, 25-19 loss to York in the Class 4A York Regional final also marked their first time reaching a regional final since 2019 in 3A.
“Personally I’m proud of getting 200 kills this year and then I’m proud of our team for winning the first round of regionals,” Owens, with 209 kills, said. “At least we made it to the final this year.”
The Bulldogs (24-12), seeded No. 7 in the Willowbrook Sectional, nearly went further in a season that redefined program expectations. They had just five seniors and 11 varsity players but many underclassmen already have multiple years as varsity standouts
Their best season since the last regional championship in 2016 included victories over regional champions Oak Park and River Forest, Wheaton Warrenville South, 3A St. Viator and 2A power Timothy Christian.
“I hope that my players know that we are a
Riverside-Brook eld’s Claire Cameron (3) and So a Owens (4) go up for the block attempt against York during the Class 4A York Regional nals ursday, Oct. 31., in Elmhurst, Illinois.
conquer anything we put our minds to. We need to continue to build on this season,” said RBHS coach Caitlin Staib-Lipinski
“We wanted to get to state but our goal was to get people to see us as a threat and I think we did that. This was the first time people wanted film on us. We had teams scouting us. To me, I think it shows the impact of how these girls have changed the program.”
The Upstate Eight Conference East Divi-
senior libero Aimee DiBattista and juniors Claire Cameron and Lucy Boyle on the allconference team.
Against No. 2 seed York (26-11), RBHS was tied 19-19 in the first set with four straight points served by sophomore Mackenzie Sloger after leading 10-8 before York’s six-point serving run.
The Bulldogs led the second set 8-5 before York’s three-point run to lead 10-4. Another
-run point run opened a 22-15 advantage. Match leaders included Boyle (5 kills, 6 er (3 kills, 4 aces, 10 service points, ameron (10 assists), Owens (4 blocks) and DiBattista (9 digs).
as the overall match, I’m not disappointed. I think we pl ayed O K,” taib-Lipinski said. “I think we c ame We j ust gave up too many points in a row and then ed catch-up and that’s hard because our ener gy ’s there [to rally].” Owens led the Bulldogs in overall kills and blocks (62), Cameron led in assists (614), digs (190) and aces (64) and Boyle had a team-high 448 serve rece ptions. Other strong totals came from Owens (61 aces), Boyle (183 kills, 174 digs), Sl oger (189 dig s, 151 kills, 373 serve rece ptions) and DiBatve rece ptions).
Owens finishes No. 6 in RBHS histor y career aces (149) and No. 7 for career
osted the program’s No. 2 totals for assists in one season and one match and is ranked No. 3 in career assists (1,150) and No. 9 in career aces (135).
“We wo rked to g ether, a lot of us grew well to g ether and everyone wanted to pl ay this year. We have a lot of p eople in g ood p ositions this year,” Boyle said. “We had a lot of ke y c omponents that really built up and helped to p ush thi s team to be better.”
Nazareth’s Lewis, Fenwick’s Gamboa also return as Class 2A quali ers
By BILL STONE Contributing Reporter
Riverside Brookfield High School senior boys cross country runner Brady Norman
finished just 2.03 seconds from top-10, allsectional honors over 2.9 miles at the Class 3A
Hinsdale Central Sectional Saturday.
Norman hopes the time is on his side as he goes for top-25, all-state honors at the state meet Saturday, Nov. 9 at Peoria’s Detweiller Park.
“Normally, there’s kind of a switch inside of you that flips and you just go. You start kicking,” Nor man said. “Today, I didn’t really that but hopefully I can find a way to have that [at state] and I can hopefully kick my way to an all-state finish.”
Norman finished 13th (14:39.60) and earned an individual state berth as the
first of the 10 highest finishers not among the advancing teams.
The Bulldogs were 15th (377) after four consecutive team trips to the IHSA state meet, the first three in 2A that included their 2022 state championship.
Senior Asa Kahle (31st, 14:55.02) was the 11th individual candidate, three places and 3.25 seconds from the final qualifier. Other RBHS finishers were sophomore Aiden O’Brien (105th, 16:16.38) and juniors Emmitt Olson (132nd, 17:05.07), Clayton Dusek (136th, 17:24.13) and Quinn Hendricks (138th, 17:48.57).
This will be the third state trip for Norman, who in 2003 (106th, 15:28.51) was the Bulldogs’ No. 2 state finisher behind graduated threetime all-stater Cooper Marrs.
“Today was more about executing and saving it for state, which is where all of the marbles are,” Norman said.
Top-10 rated Lyons Township (112 points) earned its 16th consecutive IHSA state trip by finishing second to No 1-ranked and defending 3A state champi-
STEVE JOHNSTON
Hillman, LTHS football team open 8A playo s with shutout
Defending 5A state champion Nazareth starts with shutout of Payton
By BILL STONE Contributing Reporter
Junior Jimmy Hillman of Brookfield has returned as a starting offensive guard for the Lyons Township High School football team bigger, better and wearing his favorite uniform number
“I feel like my pulls and footwork [have improved]. Give it to [offensive line coach Jerry Rigo] and our coaching staff,” said the 6-foot, 260-pound Hillman.
“Last year, I was scared [as a sophomore]. I would stand still in the hole and clog it up sometimes. They gave me drills and put hours in the summer to elevate my game. I’ve been able to pull right away and make holes for [senior running back Danny Carroll]. It’s one of the big reasons we’ve been able to rush so well.”
Carroll and the offensive line enjoyed another big ground game and the defense recorded its second shutout Friday as the undefeated Lions roared past Joliet West 38-0 in
continued from page 17
on Downers Grove North (38).
Seniors Ben Wuggazer (14:16.62 for 2.9 miles) and John O’Halloran (7th, 14:31.97) were all-sectional, followed by junior Tyler Gantt (25th, 14:50.42), senior Charles Ciesla (40th, 15:06.88), junior Patrick Collins (45th, 15:13.49), senior Tate Pavelka (48th, 15:19.46) and freshman Brennan Monohan (80th, 15:41.24).
Wuggazer (67th), O’Halloran (99th), Ciesla (151st) and Pavelka (70th) return from last year’s state lineup, which finished fourth (207) but graduated two all-staters.
“Our goal is definitely top five We’re hunting for a trophy (top three),” Wuggazer said. “I think it’s in sight, especially after today.”
Wuggazer was beaten only by Downers North junior Philip Cupial (14:07.37) and senior Grant Schroder (14:10.76), who were seventh and 10th at state last year. They did not run at the LT Regional, where the Lions won 53-57 over the Trojans
“I was going to go out there and try to stay
their of the Class 8A state playoff opener in Western Springs
LTHS (10-0), the No. 2 seed, plays host to Downers Grove South (8-2) at 7 p.m. Friday with a chance to advance to the quarterfinals for the second time in three years and only third time ever. LTHS is No. 3 in the Associated Press 8A state rankings.
“It was just a blast,” said junior linebacker Lou Ratcliffe, a first-year starter who had 3.5 of the team’s six sacks. “Luckily, we had a hot start so I was not too nervous. It’s just super fun being out there in front of a good crowd.”
The offensive line boasts three returning starters – Hillman and senior tackle Tyler Chambers, a Northern Illinois commit, and senior center Cooper Komsthoeft. Seniors Colin Dunnebeck, Brady Ryan and Jalen Stevens and junior Roman Sosnovyy also start or are part of the re gular rotation.
Carroll rushed for 157 yards on just 10 carries with four touchdown runs of 7, 2, 1 and 3 yards. He now has 15 rushing TDs for the season.
“It gives me a lot of pride with [Carroll] running behind me and the boys. Basically, it’s like a dream come true having a special group like this. I’m going to remember this for a while,” Hillman said.
“[Chambers and Komsthoeft] are just really great leaders. They really push me and pus the entire team, always telling us to lock in at
as close to them as possible,” Wuggazer said.
“Hopefully [at state] I’m going to prove what I could have done last year for this year.”
O’Halloran also has made strides since 2003. He even led at the start of Saturday’s race for roughly 150 meters.
“I’ve never been in the lead like that so I was a little bit thrown off. And then Ben comes over and he’s like, ‘Let’s go Johnny.’
That really boosted me, helped me keep position,” O’Halloran said.
“I’ve been running for so long. Finally to cap it off, going to state senior year and then on top all-sectional, that couldn’t mean anything without the team.”
In the girls race, LTHS junior Mya Coglianese (32nd, 18:20.23) qualified for her first state meet individually as the No. 8 finisher not among the advancing teams
The all-conference performer sat out regionals to rest an Achilles injury
“I told myself no matter how much pain I’m going to be in, I need to run sectionals. I just needed to fight through it and I did,” Coglianese said.
practice, that we have to work hard. I look up to those two. I want to be like them.”
The Lions scored their points on the No. 31 Tigers (5-5) all in the first half
On their opening possession, senior AJ Vavrik kicked a 26-yard field goal after senior Joshua Gutier re z returned an interception to the 15-yard line. Senior quarterback Dom Pisciotti (8-for-11 passing, 110 yards) increased the lead to 31-0 with a 36yard TD pass play over the middle to wideopen senior Tucker King.
“The defense played well and got us some turnovers and great field position and then we got the ground game running. Our offensive line did a really nice job of creating big holes for Danny [Carroll],” said LTHS coach Jon Beutjer. “The message continues to be 1-0, continue to get better each week.”
T he Tigers p unted on their second p ossession after Ratcliff e’s third-down sack.
A lso a defensive lineman, Komsthoeft recove red a f umble at the Tigers’ 48 on the third possession.
Patrick Chlopek, Sosnovyy, Murd Elfaki, George Vergara and Danny Kienzle also contributed to LTHS sacks. Miko Zecevic also had an interception and JD Mahoney, Will Tobin, Shane Harris and Komsthoeft added tackles for loss
“The coaches put me in a lot of good spots to make a lot of good plays,” Ratcliffe said.
“I feel like I’ve worked really hard all season so I’m really glad I was able to qualify. I didn’t think I’d be able to do it, but I did it so I feel real accomplished.”
As an individual qualifier, RBHS junior Addie Vaia was 62nd (19:02.54) with a huge time drop on the same course from Sept. 7 (19:34.90) in her first full cross country season.
“That’s what I was aiming for, early 19:00s I went out very hard and maintained that for the majority of the time. Very happy with how I did,” said Vaia, who last year split competing with sophomore volleyball.
“I was kind of nervous because I haven’t really done a full cross country season. I love it. I kind of feel like I’m in my element now.”
T he LT HS girls we re 10th (240), 56 points from seventh, with other finishers j unior A nnika McDonnell (45th, 18:36.41), sophomore A melia Ludde n (51st, 18:49.42), j unior A ddison Powe rs (71st, 19:13.96), freshman Evelyn T homas (73rd, 19:16.06) and j uniors Ainsley Grove (79th, 19:25.44) and Grace Rhoten (106th, 20:10.31).
“It’s fun just flying around. The adrenaline of a playoff game, a good [home] crowd. The linemen did a good job filling gaps. It was pretty easy from there.”
Hillman was thrust onto varsity and the 2023 starting lineup following the season-opening loss at Prospect. This year, he’s switched from No. 66 to 52, the number he wore in youth football from fifth through eighth grade because of NFL pass rusher Khalil Mack, who was traded to the Chicago Bears during the 2018 season.
On Friday, the Lions also brought out their special all-yellow unifor ms by the urging of the seniors. Captains Travis Stamm, Chambers, Komsthoeft and Harris made the final call.
“Ever since I was a kid, I’ve been watching LT football. I’ve always loved the yellow uniform, always dreamed of wearing them,” Hillman said.
Nazareth/Fenwick
Nazareth Academy junior Dan Lewis (21st, 15:24.50 for 2.9 miles) qualified again for state individually in the boys race and the Nazareth and Fenwick girls teams qualified as teams at the Class 2A Hinsdale South Sectional Saturday.
Lewis, a Brookfield resident, was at 160th (16:27.15) state in 2023.
Nazareth (6th, 153) and Fenwick (7th, 176) were the last two girls teams to advance.
Fenwick sophomore Juliana Gamboa of Riverside (7th, 17:33.18) and Nazareth freshman Kathleen Hardy (9th, 17:38.24) were all-sectional. Gamboa was an all-state 14th (17:47.33) in 2023.
Other Nazareth finishers were sophomores Allie O’Halloran (28th, 18:47.24) and Sophia Towne (29th, 18:51.80), senior Sarah Owen (41st, 19:38.50), sophomore Julia Parkes (51st, 19:55.57), senior Alayna Plahm (61st, 20:15.69) and sophomore Ashley Kenna (67th, 20:27.97).
JIMMY HILLMAN
Essential Civics
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Deadline: Monday at 5 p.m.
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: G24000600 on October 25, 2024 Under the Assumed Business Name of B-THE BEAT with the business located at:6250 S. ARCHER AVE SUITE #5, CHICAGO, IL 60638. The true and real full name(s) and residence address of the owner(s)/ partner(s) is: LAURA A. CRUZ CONCHA 612 RANDOLPH ST, OAK PARK, IL 60302, USA.
Published in Wednesday Journal October 30, November 6, 13, 2024
PUBLIC NOTICE
THE LAW OFFICE OF LINDA EPSTEIN Attorney for Petitioner 722 W. Diversey Parkway, Ste. 101B Chicago, IL 60614
STATE OF ILLINOIS, COUNTY OF COOK, ssCircuit Court of Cook County, County Department, Domestic Relations Division
In re the Marriage of: Tigist Samuel Zeleke, Petitioner, and, Amdemichael Lidetu Tariku, Respondent, Case No. 2024D007809
The requisite affidavit for Publication having been filed, notice is hereby given to you, Amdemichael Lidetu Tariku, Respondent, that a Petition has been filed in the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois, by the Petitioner, Tigist Samuel Zeleke, for Dissolution of Marriage and that said suit is now pending.
Now, therefore, unless you, the said Respondent file your Appearance and Response electronically to said Petition with the Office of the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois, on or before November 27, 2024 default may be entered against you at any time after that day, and a Judgment for Dissolution of Marriage Entered in accordance with the prayer of said Petition.
IRIS Y. MARTINEZ, Clerk.
Published in Wednesday Journal October 30, November 6, and November 13, 2024.
Public Notice
Notice is hereby given that Oak Park Elementary School District 97 is soliciting proposals from qualified providers for turn-key installation of a rooftop solar photovoltaic project pursuant to Section 19b of the Illinois School Code, 105 ILCS 5/19b-1 et. Seq. Sealed proposals shall be received at the district office, 260 Madison Street, Oak Park, IL 60302 no later than 12PM local time on December 16, 2024. Mandatory site walkthroughs will begin at Longfellow Elementary School, 715 South Highland Avenue, Oak Park, IL 60304 at 12PM local time on November 14, 2024. All firms wishing to respond to this Request for Proposals must be present at the mandatory site walkthroughs. Direct questions regarding this Request for Proposals to Dr. Sheila Johnson, Assistant Superintendent of Finance & Operations, sjohnson1@op97.org and John Pahlman, Senior Director of Buildings & Grounds, jpahlman@ op97.org.
Published in Wednesday Journal November 6, 2024
PUBLIC NOTICE
ADVERTISEMENT OF BIDDING For: HVAC service contract for various buildings for the Park District of Oak Park.
Owner: Park District of Oak Park 218 Madison St., Oak Park, IL 60302
The Park District of Oak Park seeks bids for a service contract for the HVAC of our various buildings. The Park District of Oak Park will receive sealed Bids until 10:00 am (Chicago time) on Tuesday, December 3rd , 2024 at 218 Madison St., Oak Park, Illinois. The bidding documents and requirements will be available on the Park District’s website as of 12:00pm on Wednesday, November 6th, 2024. A mandatory pre-bid walk-thru of the facilities will be held on Tuesday, November 19th and Wednesday November 20th at 9:00am starting at the John Hedges Administration Building, 218 Madison St., Oak Park. Copies of the bidding specifications are available via the Demand Star website at: https://www.demandstar. com/app/buyers/bids/480671/details For additional information, contact Nelson Acevedo at nelson.acevedo@pdop.org or 708-725-2053. This service contract must adhere to the Prevailing Wage Act of 2024. Only the bids in compliance with the provisions of the bidding specifications will be considered. Minority and Women Owned businesses are strongly encouraged.
Park District of Oak Park
By: Sandy Lentz, Secretary Park District of Oak Park 218 Madison Oak Park, IL 60302
