Landmark_102225

Riverside couple goes big with Halloween decor

Spooky decor bu s will reco the home of Rich an Laura Du

By TRENT BROWN Staff Reporter

W hen Rich Duf f r uns

Rive rside resident during his job Loyola Unive rsity Medical has an easy way to identify himself

“ I’m li ke, ‘ Oh, I’m from Ri T hey go, ‘Where do you li live on Delaplaine,’” he told the mark. “ ‘I’m the Hallow T hey ’re li ke, ‘You’ re that guy?!’” Rich and L aura Duf f are the b ehind one of the village pressive Halloween decoration dis pl ay s. Each year, they create spook l ife-size dioramas in their front with a c ast of skeleton models playin dif ferent roles

In previous year s, the Duffs sai they’ve held a frightening and a wicked we dding, b they’ve created a monstrous musi c

See HALLOWEEN on page 6

Rich (le ) and Laura Du are the couple behind one of Riverside’s big gest Halloween displays each year.

‘Done deal’: Rodriguez Auto Repair at 8916 Fairview Ave. will become a community theater and arts space

By TRENT BROWN Staff Reporter

A new space dedicated to community theater and other artistic endeavors is coming to Brookfield’s downtown area.

The Brookfield Theater Corporation will purchase the building at 8916 Fairview Ave., which now operates as Rodriguez Auto Repair, to turn

See THEATER on page 7

RBHS volleyball makes statement with Silent Set

Bulldogs heighten awareness for hearing community with quiet points

By BILL STONE Contributing Reporter

As a fourth gr ader during the COVID-19 p andemi c, Rive rside Brookfield High School sophomore Demetra Foster ke pt busy by being the teacher for her imaginary classroom.

During that time, she learned A meric an Sign Language

“With my fake kids, one of them was deaf so I learned sign to communicate with him,” Foster said. “I was like, ‘I really like it and I’m going to ke ep doing it.’”

Now a setter for the varsity volleyball team, Foster shared that knowledge with her teammates and the volleyball c ommunity Mond ay.

She played an inte gral part in the Bulldogs’ first Silent Set, which raised awareness for those with hearing loss or impairment, as they played their nonconference home match against St. Francis.

Temporary silence be g an with Foster, RBHS senior teammate Chloe Borkowicz and RBHS senior Sarah Smith performing the national anthem in sign language

Other than the pl ayers on the c ourt, the match be g an in silence until one team reached nine points.

“We learned (the anthem) in bits and piece s, ” said Borkowicz, who learned sign language to help with the event.

“I think it was a really special event because it teaches you how to c ommunicate in different ways and it shows p eople there is n’ t j ust one way of c ommunication. I thought it was important to raise awareness for the p eople wh o do n’ t c ommunicate in a traditional way. ” Silent Set was created by for mer Penn State women’s volleyball player Jonni Parker, who has hearing loss. While players on the court still talked as usual, those

Riverside-Brook eld’s bench raise their hands and wave them rather than cheering during their Silent Set against St. Francis Monday, Oct. 20, 2025 in Riverside.

on the benches and spectators remain silent until one team reaches nine points in honor of Parker’s No. 9 uniform jersey.

As it turned out, the maximum 17 points we re needed to break Mond ay ’s silenc e. W hen the Spartans took the 9- 8 lead, the teams quickly c ongratulated each other to thunderous applause and c ontinued the match.

St. Francis prevailed 25-18, 18-25, 25-21.

T he Bulld og s (18-14) have captured their second straight Upstate Eight C onference East Division title with a perfect 6-0 mark. T hey begin C lass 4A pl ayof f action T uesd ay, Oct. 28 at the Yo rk Regional as the No. 10 seed in the Lyons Township Sectional.

“I really enjoyed ( Silent S et). My aunt’s d eaf so I’ve definitely b een around that c ommunity,” RBHS senior l ibero A shlee

Wu di said.

“I thought it was ve ry powe rful. Fo r the first time doing it, hearing about it, I thought it went so great and I would love to continue seeing this. ”

RBHS coach Caitlin Staib-Lipinski learned about the Silent Set and added the idea among this season’s themes for home matches. Staib-Lipinski often works with hearing impaired students through her teaching at Hauser Junior High.

“ In my four years as the c oach, I realized I have n’ t heard any sports teams at RB have a g ame that c onnects to the hearing loss c ommunity so I thought this would be a unique o pportunity,” said S taib-Lipinski. “When I proposed this to St. Francis c oach, Lisa S ton she

See VOLLEYBALL on page 11

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D96 board recommends Blythe Park playground option

Fully fenced site, ‘sort of a hideaway in the trees,’ heads to village review

By GREGG VOSS Contributing Reporter

An up gr aded pl ayground near Blythe Pa rk E lementary School took a ste p closer to reality Oct. 15 when the Riverside District 96 b oard of educatio n recommended the second of two d esign options presented by D LA Architects to the village of Rive rside.

T he second d esign option would exp and the existing pa rk footprint and a ccommodate up to 135 children ages 2-5 and 5-12, with a f eel that’s uniqu e c ompared with other school distric t pl ayground s. Th at includes rock outcropping elements that are made of c oncrete, for example, and log climbers that re p lace steel posts

“It’s made to f eel li ke you’ re in nature, ” said Ryan Kelley, DLA Architects associate principal, who presented to the board that evening. “How ca n we make it f eel more organi c, sort of a h ide aw ay in the trees?”

Kelley said the b oard’s d esign recommendation for the f ully f enced pl ayground will now go before seve r al village entities in November – landscap e advisor y, parks and rec b oard, preservation c ommission and the village b oard, though the village i tself d oes not have to approve the final design .

Board president Wesley Muirhei d said the project would go out for bid after that, with a bid choice li ke ly in Januar y. Th at should allow the distric t to have a c ontractor in p lace do the installation in summer 2026.

“They have d one some really neat design s, ” Muirheid said of DLA, a ddin g the second option was “atypical for us We have more of that standard pl ayground climbing equipment, my pe rsonal o pinion. It kind of fits with the

Blythe Pa rk area.

“I hope the village and the other stakeholders really li ke it. My ow n k ids and their friends (are like), ‘Let’s go to this pl ayground, because they have this thing or that thing.”

T he first design option was more traditional, Kelley said. It would rest in the existing footprint and would have a f eel similar to playgrounds at Central, Ames and Hollywood elementary schools. It would also double the capacity of the existing playground to 125 students, about half the population of nearby Blythe Park elementary school.

Superintendent Martha Ryan-Toye said that typically half of the school’s 250 children utilize the current playground during one lunch period, with the other half coming out over the second.

Kelley presented two renderings of the second option – one including a full fence, and another showing a partial fence that would seal of f Blythe Road from wandering children and wayward balls.

The fenc e prov ided the impetus fo r discussion among board member s.

“A s a mom, when I’ve had young ones, I know that I’ve appreciated when pl aygrounds are f enced in,” said b oard member S alina Clap s. “You c an have your eyes of f the children a little less when they are pl ay ing and relax. Obviously, I think we ’re also a c ommunity of p eople who loves the idea of wideopen spaces.”

Fellow b oard member Dan Hunt li ke d the idea of a pa rt i al fenc e.

“Honestly, I think the older boys would be r unning outside that area anyw ay,” Hunt said. “I do n’ t know if that re presents a safety problem or not. A large open space with a lot of trees, that’s where my son g oes. Th at, and the tennis cour t. ”

Ryan- Toye said the second option will meet many need s, b oth at Blythe Pa rk school and for the community.

“It’s a little bit bigge r, and it inco rp orates the kind of equipment we heard in our c ommunity eng agement sessions,” she said.

Riverside tables land acknowledgment

A trustee criticized the statement for its vagueness on the history of colonialism

By TRENT BROWN Staff Reporter

A proposed statement acknowledging the pre-colonial Native American tribes who inhabited the land within Riverside’s village borders has been tabled after it drew criticism for being vague about the violent history of westward expansion in the United States.

Riverside trustees unanimously agreed to defer a vote of approval for the statement on Oct. 2, though Trustee Joseph Fitzgerald was absent. The item could return to the board for possible acceptance at a future meeting, though it was not on the agenda at trustees’ Oct. 16 meeting

The proposed statement reads, “We sincerely acknowledge the Native Peoples on whose ancestral homelands we gather. We hope to honor their legacy by living in harmony with and protecting green spaces, the river, and the beneficial flora and fauna therein,” according to documents from the meeting.

Cathy Maloney, a member of the village’s historical commission, created the acknowledgment and presented it to the board, alongside two pages of more detailed explanation, after researching the history of Native American tribes — including the Ojibwe, Ottawa and Potawatomi nations of the Three Fires Confederacy, several nations of the Illinois Confederation, and other groups — that lived in and moved through the area for thousands of years before European settlers colonized and ethnically cleansed it

“A lot of times, we, and myself, for sure, tend to think of only the Olmsted period, which is, of course, what we’re landmarked for, but there were thousands of years before then, where other peoples were here in Riverside, so it’s important to acknowledge that,” Maloney told trustees. “A number of commissioners worked on researching it; I simply compiled and put the thing together.”

She said the commission’s goal was to create a relatively simple statement capturing the essence of the area’s history, which she described as “in flux” due to ongoing academic study, while the longer notes with cited sources could go on Riverside’s website for

those who wish to learn the nitty-gritty

Maloney said Jasmine Gurneau, the director of Native American and Indigenous affairs at Northwestern University, described her own office’s land acknowledgment as an “evergreen” living document.

Gurneau and other area experts “suggest[ed] being thoughtful about how and when you use the statement so that it doesn’t become rote, so that it becomes something that you can really live by,” Maloney said.

The wording of the proposed statement has two parts, she added.

“There’s the actual acknowledgment that we know that we didn’t just arrive on this land, and it was ours to start with, and Frederick Law Olmsted created a whole world that was never here before, but also a commitment to do something about it,” Maloney said. “I think this commitment is consistent with what we do and how our various commissions are set up to honor the green space and to honor that to which we’ve been entrusted.”

While Trustee Cristin Evans said she found the statement “beautiful” and Trustee Aberdeen Marsh-Ozga described it and the underlying research as “thoughtful and thorough” and successful at honoring the “transient” nature of the area’s pre-colonial Native American population, Trustee Elizabeth Kos moved to table the board’s vote for approval.

“I feel very strongly that an important component of any land acknowledgment is the reconciliatory nature of it: the acknowledgment that this land belonged to somebody prior to European people coming into the area, and that the purpose of a land acknowledgment is to say that that land was taken from them, and the Native peoples were removed from the land,” Kos said. “There were people living here prior to Olmsted, prior to European settlement, prior to other people coming from all over. We need to acknowledge the fact that they were forced off their land where they were living.”

Trustee Alex Gallegos seconded the motion, and Evans and Trustee Jill Mateo voiced their support for Kos’s explanation.

Before the five present trustees all voted in favor of tabling the discussion, Village President Doug Pollock said he would ask them each to submit possible edits before it would return for further consideration.

“It’s obvious that everybody’s in agreement with the spirit of this. It’s more a question of what exactly we want to say, and given that, I think we should table it,” he said. “It’s not a thing we can figure out discussing at a board meeting.”

By Linda Sokol Francis. E.A.

UNDERSTANDING RENTAL PROPERTY DEPRECIATION: PART I

Depreciation is the gradual decline in an asset’s value due to wear and tear, age, and obsolescence. For rental properties, it creates a tax deduction that owners use to recover some of the cost of their investment over time.

Rather than deducting the entire allowed amount in the years you’ve bought a property, the IRS requires spreading this deduction across what it considers the property’s useful life.

Depreciation of rental properties has evolved since its 1913 introduction in th U.S. tax code. While owners initially estimated their property’s useful life, the 1981 Economic Recovery Tax Act standardized depreciation periods. The current system was established in 1986.

Using depreciation for rental properties reflects a fundamental principle in tax law, namely that rental properties generate income over many years and their costs should be allocated across those years. While properties often appreciate over time, depreciation is recognized for tax purposes given the ongoing costs of aging structures and mechanical

systems, even in rising markets.

Eligibility Requirements for Rental Property Depreciation

To be eligible, the IRS states that a property must meet specific criteria:

• The Property owner must own the property outright, including if it’s subject to a mortgage. Renters, lessees, and property managers don’t qualify for depreciation deductions.

• The property must be used in a business or income-producing activity, such as rental operations. Personal residences or vacation homes used primarily by the owner aren’t eligible unless they meet strict rental use requirements.

• The property must have one or more permanent structures. Land can’t be preciated because it doesn’t wear out.

HALLOWEEN

Du apalooza returns from page 1

f estival and dubbed it Duf fap alooza.

Rich Duf f said he and his w ife started their tradition after they move d to Brookfield more than 10 years ago next d oor to Laura Duf f’s parents. Her father, he said, is the one who ignited thei r spark for spooks

“When we did first move in, he gave us a c ouple pieces to start our Halloween displ ay, and then it took of f from that,” Rich Duf f said. “We do n’ t c ompete, bu t we do go back and for th. He d oes help us with our displ ay, as we help him with hi s, but we ’re kind of k ids at heart, me and her father. We go back and for th on who’s going to have the better displ ay.”

But the scale of their ef for ts has really taken of f since 2020, when they “kind of went overboard,” Rich Duf f said, to the point where Fox 32 Chicago even did a news se g ment on their displ ay. Since then, the Duffs have c ontinued to p our more ef fo rt i nto their annual showcases, wh ich also include a second one themed around Christmastime

“It’s for the k ids. It becomes the k ids ’ pl ayground,” Rich Duf f said. “E ve ry day, after school, k ids are r unning around here. It ’s fun. We li ke it.”

“They’ ll tell you wh at ’s missing,” Laura Duf f a dded.

This year ’s Duf fap alooza displ ay f eatures seve r al smaller scenes within, wh ich the Duffs encourage p eople to walk around and take p hotos in. T here are pa rt iers bumping it to a DJ set, imbibers by the ba r, a crowd of f ans en-

joying the headlining 12-foot-tall skeleton — said was the first piece they —acting as securit lounging a medical tent, all skeletons the the occasion.

Rich Duf each year to fill out the roster of decora tions, b etween seasons, to bring their visions to l ife, including found at Good

“We wanted the sold out within a minute. b and this [Facebook] Mar went to Lo kind of c ause T he many October

“The neighbors ha really stop a lot of here and be, b year, or-treater hit 1,000” this y

Despite all the ef the decorations and set up the scenes the Duffs say they ha their

“That is our big thing, that the enjoy more dogs, dog pictures,” that he and his w ife often watch visitor s through their front wind ow so they ca n c ue up dramatic musi c. “It’s f un to have them come in and enjoy themselves.”

THEATER

Cars to the Bard

from page 1

it into a community arts center with a focus on theater.

John Dumas, who operates the group and has led its quest to establish a permanent theater space in Brookfield, said the deal is all but done.

“The terms are all settled. The two attorneys are now working out all the legal details, but that’s going very well,” Dumas told the Landmark. “We have a binding letter of intent for both parties, so there’s not going to be any backing out or anything, unless something horrible where the building turns out to [have] problems structurally, or if there’s some financial thing, or something or other, but, other than that, it’s a done deal.”

Dumas, on behalf of the corporation and the local Glaser Players theater troupe, led the charge last year to suggest the historic Theater Building, 3723 Grand Blvd., be renovated into a community theater space. The group made one of the two offers for the property when it went up for sale last fall but lost out to Brookfield, which purchased the building and has since decided to demolish it and a neighboring villageowned home in order to seek new development downtown. He said the new space will be named the Strand Theater, after a name the Theater Building operated under at some point before its closure in 1952.

While the location is new to the group, their plans for it are not, Dumas said.

“It’s going to be a community building. We’re going to, hopefully, encourage a lot of people to do theater or music. We already have a group that has asked me about [doing] their own version of [radio variety show] ‘A Prairie Home Companion,’ where they’re going to have music and spoken word,” he said. “We have dance troops that have asked … A Sound Education, I’ve talked to them. They’re thinking about maybe doing some open nights.”

Dumas said he also hopes to partner with nearby businesses downtown to supplement the Strand’s shows.

Financing a theater

The Corp will finance its purchase with assistance from the First National Bank of Brookfield, Dumas said.

“They’re a lot more community-based, but bigger banks and other banks, they

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don’t have that connection with the community, so it’s very difficult to borrow money” as a nonprofit organization, he said.

But that’s not all. The group will also solicit investment from members of the community through Semble, an online service that allows people to use their personal funds to invest in local nonprofits.

“They can even invest pension funds or 401k funds,” Dumas said. “If they want to be involved in this, if they want to share their support for the arts in Brookfield, this is a way they can do that.”

Todd Tarbert, the founder and CEO of Semble, said the business works exclusively with nonprofits to enable community investment so that much or all of the necessary capital for a project or purchase is raised before, in some cases, going to a bank to secure a loan for the remainder.

“It really is designed so the people that are supporting it are, historically, people that have a relationship with the organization. In the theater, it could be people that have made charitable gifts in the past. It could be patrons. It could be actors; people that just have a heart and passion for the arts,” Tarbert said. “This is not about a charitable capital campaign where people are making gifts. We’re creating an opportunity where people can be a little more in-

tentional on where they’re allocating some of their investment capital and to consider directing some of it over toward the funding of this loan.”

Once a project receives enough funding and progresses to the point where it generates revenue, some funds will be given back to the investors who initially supported it

“The advantage is really letting people, based on their relationship with the [organization and] their financial situation, determine at what rate they’re willing to participate,” Tarbert said. “The loans are secured by the real estate, and we do the loan servicing for the organization, so we take the administration out of it. Frankly, it operates like a bank loan, so the organization makes a monthly loan payment, and then quarterly distributions are made out to the investors. We’ve done hundreds of these over the years, and, to date, we’ve never had a loss on any of our mortgage-backed loans.”

In the near future, Dumas said, a website should go live where anyone interested can invest in the acquisition of the property for the new Strand Theater.

“We are a 501(c)(3), so we can always take donations,” he said, “but there’s also this way that people can actually say, ‘I’m part of this group. I’m part of this project. I’m part of this community.’”

CO RRECTI ON

An article titled “Improvements could come to railroad crossings in Riverside” that ran in print on Oct. 15, 2025, misrepresented how the researchers found there was a need to improve grade crossings. They evaluated safety and operations data for highway and rail systems in addition to seeking public input. The Landmark re grets this er ror.

Autumn brings crisp air and colorful leaves — but also new safety risks. A few simple steps can help keep you and your loved ones safe at home:

Clear outdoor paths: Sweep or rake wet leaves from steps, driveways, and walkways to prevent slipping.

Improve lighting: Replace dim bulbs, add motion-sensor lights outside, and keep indoor hallways and entryways well lit. Secure floors inside: Remove clutter, tuck away cords, and use non-slip pads under rugs. Wear safe footwear: Choose shoes with firm, non-skid soles instead of socks or loose slippers.

Use support when needed: Keep railings sturdy and add grab bars in high-risk areas like bathrooms.

Taking these precautions helps reduce fall risks and keeps your home safe and welcoming all season long.

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

Veteran Senior Care Bene ts Presentation

Brook eld woman arrested for DUI after crashing into home

Brookfield police arrested a 41-year-old Brookfield woman on Oct. 6 for driving under the influence.

Around 3:11 p.m., an officer responded, on a report of a vehicle that had crashed into a home, to 9500 Jackson Ave., where they saw the car had driven over the curb and struck the northeast side of the house, creating a “large hole” in its exterior and damaging the fence in the backyard.

As the officer approached the car, the driver got out; when questioned, she said she had “hit the wrong pedal” while driving and denied consuming any alcohol or medication. After further questioning, the woman admitted she had consumed alcohol “earlier,” police said, but remained vague as to when and how much.

The officer told the woman she would need to take a preliminary breath test. She initially declined but then complied and took the test, which showed .195 blood alcohol content. The woman also ag reed to take further standardized field sobriety tests, during which the officer noticed multiple indicators that she was impaired.

Another officer later found several canned margarita drinks in the woman’s vehicle while inventorying it before it was removed from the home it had struck.

Police p laced the woman under ar rested for driving under the influence and transported her to the Brookfield Police Department. After a 20-minute observation period, the woman provided another breath sample, wh ich showe d . 193 blood alcohol content.

Police processed the woman on two DUIrelated charges as well as for driving on the sidewalk and improper lane usage and set a Dec. 19 court date. The woman asked police to contact her ex-husband to ensure their child was picked up from school, as before the crash, she said, she had been on her way to pick them up. Police released the woman, and she went on her way after calling an Uber.

Report of disturbance

Brookfield p olice on Oct. 6 ar rested a 38-year- old Brookfield man for ag gr avated assault.

Around 4:20 p. m ., officers responded to the area of Deyo and Ogden avenues

on a re po rt of a disturbance from a man who c alled p olice and said he was havin g a “ve rbal dispute” with a man who had threatened him with a knife, police said. It was relaye d to the officer that the man with the knife was throw ing things out of his backpack and last seen headin g south in the alleyway b etween Deyo and Dubois avenues on the 4100 block.

T he officer proceeded to Ro chester Avenue and i nterce p ted someone matching the d escription of the man with the knife. T he man told p olice he had b een involved in an argument but that he did not displ ay a knife, and it did not escalate i nto a physical altercation. He sai d the other man was making it up to ge t him in trouble. T he man c onsented to a physical search, and the officer did not find a knife

As more officers arrive d on the scene, the officer met with another who found a large knife at the entrance to the alleyway near Ogden Avenue matching the d escription the c aller had given of the knife wielded against him. T he c aller identified the knife as the one the other man had used and identified the man p olice interce p ted as the one who threatened him.

Police p laced the second man under ar rest and transported him to the p olice station, where he invo ke d his right to remain silent and did not speak to p olice Officers i ssued the man two citations for assault and p ossession of an unlawf ul we apon and set a Nov. 3 a djudicatio n date. Police told the man to avo id the man he had threatened and released him.

These items we re o btained from th e Brookfield Po lice Department re port s dated Oct. 6-13; th ey re pre sent a portio n of the incidents to wh ich police re sponded. Anyone named in these re ports ha s only b een charged with a crime and case s ha ve not yet been adjudicated. We re port the ra ce of a suspect only wh en a s erious c rime has been c ommitted, the suspect is still at la rge and police ha ve provided us with a detailed physical description of the suspect as th ey seek the public’s h elp in making an ar re st

Compiled by Trent Brown

Riverside approves baseball eld renovations

Indian Gardens and Big

Ball Park w ill see work, courtesy of Riverside Little League

By TRENT BROWN Staff Reporter

Rive rside is partnering with the village ’s Little League chapter to u pdate b aseball fields at Indian Gardens and Big Ball Pa rk

T he wo rk will see minor improvements and re gr a ding to the softball field at Big Ball Pa rk and more extensive repairs, including a f ull infield sod re gr ading and maintenance to the mounds and home plates, to the two baseball fields at Indian Gardens.

Rive rside trustees on Oct. 16 approved an ag reement with Mi dwest Field S olutions for the wo rk T he project will c ost $78,250 in total, with Little League covering $67,250 and the village on the hook for the remaining $11,000.

A nother firm, Sportsfield s, q uoted

Don’t miss out on the final Riverside Spooktacular tour on October 25! The very popular tours have been sellouts. The final Walking Tour of the season is Sunday, October 26 and the last Landscape Workday is November 8. Find details on our website. We will have tools from an electrician and an IT specialist: hand tools, fiberglass ladders, shovels, networking patch cables, AV cables, keyboards, mice, network switches, and much more.

Rive rside about $50,000 in total for the project, but Little League recommended Mi dwest Field S olutions d ue to a b elief it would “provide a higher q uality result, ” a ccording to agenda documents from the village board meeting

Trustees also approved a memor andum of understanding with Little League to for malize the c ost-share and codify b oth groups’ d esire to suppo rt active recreation in town.

The ag reement is the latest shared effort between the village and Riverside Little League due to a “longstanding” field maintenance ag reement between them that was created in 2014, said Ron Malchiodi, Riverside’s director of parks and recreation, at the village board meeting. He said Riverside’s parks and recreation board unanimously approved the project before it came to the village board.

“Keeping the fields safe and in good shape is the primary goal of the department, and they were also highlighted in our master plan,” Malchiodi told trustees. “These projects will not only enhance our current ef for ts; they will address some potential safety issues and update the field to current trends and appearances.”

Rental registration moves ahead in Brook eld

Shared buildings could be subjec t to annual registrations and common area inspections

By TRENT BROWN Staff Reporter

Brookfield is considering a new ordinance that would require owners of rental properties to re gister them with the village.

Deanne Adasiak, Brookfield’s business and economic development coordinator, presented the program to trustees at the village board’s committee of the whole meeting on Oct. 13. She said the implementation of such an ordinance would allow the village to be proactive in managing health and safety issues, enforcing standards outlined in the municipal code and collecting data on who owns each property.

While trustees were generally supportive of the ef fort, including the costs to property owners, the item will return to the committee of the whole for another discussion to iron out the finer details before it could be put up for a vote of approval.

As proposed by village staf f, the ordi-

OBITUARIES

Joan Wert, 93

Real estate agent

Joan We rt (nee Damore), 93, of Rivers ide, died on Oct. 18, 2025. Born in Riverside on Dec. 15, 1931, she was a gr adu-

nance would go into effect on Jan. 1, 2026, and require rental owners to re gister their properties each year by March 1, incurring a re gistration fee of $125 for buildings with four or fewer units or $225 for those with five or more. Common areas of each property would be inspected annually, while inunit inspections would be required every three years.

The village would also be able to inspect individual units should a tenant come forward with a complaint of a potential code violation, which Adasiak said staf f now cannot do.

Property owners who failed to re gister by the deadline would have to pay an additional $100 fine, up to $750 imposed through an administrative hearing for continued non-compliance.

New developments would be exempt from the re gistration program for three years.

Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning data shows 7,656 occupied housing units in Brookfield, 1,570 of them — about 20% — are inhabited by renters, according to documents from the meeting agenda.

Other nearby municipalities like Riverside, North Riverside and Oak Park have similar programs, Adasiak said, with varying details on which buildings must be inspected and how often as well as the costs to property owners.

Adasiak said there was disagreement be-

ate of Hauser Junior High and Rive rside Brookfield High School (Class of 1949).

S he raised three children, mostly on her own, and her f amily grew to include 10 gr andchildren and 12 great-gr andchildren.

She worked as a real estate agent at Burlington Realty — still dabbling well into her 90s — spent time in electronics sales and was also a hall monitor at Morton West High School.

Her roots ran deep. Her mother, T heresa Latoria Damore, was the eldest of 20 children and were honored at the 1933 World’s Fair as the “World’s Largest Living Italian Family.” Her brother, John Damore, played for the Chicago Bears. Outside of work and family, she could be found on the golf course or laughing over a good game of Farkle with her dear friends.

In a recent interview, she reflected on her life in Riverside with her trademark warmth: “It’s been a wonderful life here.

tween Brookfield’s economic development commission, which reviewed the program in April and again in September, and village staff on some elements of the program.

“They were supportive of the program, but they did not want us to implement fees or annual inspections,” she said of the EDC.

“Staff recommends having the program with an administrative fee to recoup costs for having staff resources used for the program. We do want to implement inspections.”

Trustee Kit Ketchmark, the village board’s liaison to the commission, underscored the members’ perspectives.

“They felt it was an additional tax. [They were] concerned about the tremendous burden on staf f in terms of inspections.

With 1,570 units, that’s 1,570 yearly inspections for the common areas,” he said, on top of the roughly 500 properties each year that would have dwelling units inspected.

“This could lead to the owners [being] hesitant to re gister or not re gistering, tenants not wanting to rent here because they’re going to have their living quarters inspected and owners not wanting to locate here because they’re going to have to go through the inspection process.”

He said the commission did support re gistration g enerally to ensure the village has up-to-date info rmation on who owns which properties should there be a need for accountabilit y.

It’s a wonderful place to raise a family.”

Joan was the mother of Lawrence (Julia) Wert, Terri (Kevin) Tabor and Scott (Lina) Wert; the grandmother of Christopher (Becky) Tabor, Kathryn (Thomas) Cronin, Stephen (Emily) Tabor, Kristina (Matthew) Moheban, Bryan (Caitlyn) Tabo r, Sara We rt , Joanne ( Nick) Falk, C harles (Alicia) We rt , Gianna We rt and Ava We rt ; the great-gr andmother of 12; the sister of John (Joyc e) Damore; and the aunt of many. S he was preceded in death by her siblings, S ally (late John) Jeske, Rose (late Lewis) C asassa, Ro chelle (late Clifford) Faust and Linda (late Ross) Patten. Vi sitation will take p lace at C onboyWestchester Funeral Home, 10501 W. Cermak Road, Westchester on F riday, October 24 from 3 to 8 p. m. On Saturday, Oct. 25, a f uneral Mass will be c elebrated at St. Mary C hurch, 105 Herrick Road , Rive rside at 10 a.m. I nterment Queen of Heaven Cemeter y.

In response to questions from trustees, Adasiak and Village President Michael Garvey said the inspections would likely be performed by B&F Construction Code Services, Inc., Brookfield’s contracted inspection firm, as the village’s sole inspector on staff would not be able to handle the workload alone.

Trustee Jennifer Hendricks said she supported inspecting the common areas of properties annually to proactively tackle health and safety issues that could cause emergencies if left alone, though she felt in-unit inspections could be too invasive.

“I’m definitely a proponent of the inspections, although I would be in favor of making them less often,” she said. “This could keep people safe.”

Trustee Kyle Whitehead ag reed, calling in-unit inspections a “renter’s penalty.”

“We don’t go into a single-family home on a re gular basis. There could be all sorts of life/safety issues, but we respect their private property,” he said.

Garvey asked what proportion of “significant” health and safety violations are found within dwelling units in other municipalities, which Adasiak said she would research.

The board agreed to have her bring the discussion back at their next committee meeting so trustees can reach a consensus on the details before it is put up for a vote at a regular village board meeting down the line

Regina Lukes, 71

Co-owned Comic Collectors

Regina Julia Lukes, 71, of Berwyn, died on Oct. 12, 2025. She and her husband Rich owned Comic Collectors in Riverside for over 38 years. She was an avid collector, movie buff and never stopped walking.

In addition to her husband, Regina is survived by her sister, Theresa Gierlowski (Chris Cummins); her nieces and nephews, Alina Kordesch, Sean Cummins (Olivia Stallard), Nora Cummins and Kyle Lukes; her brotherin-law, Ken Lukes; and she was preceded in death by her sister, Elizabeth GierlowskiKordesch (Martin Kordesch).

A memorial gathering will take place at Ivins-Moravecek Funeral Home, 80 E. Burlington, Riverside, on Sunday, Nov. 2, from 2 until 6 p.m., with a service at 5 p.m. Donations to West Suburban Symphony, P.O. Box 565, Hinsdale, IL 60522, would be greatly appreciated

SILENT SET: In appreciation of those with hear ing loss, RB’s volleyball team played in silence for the rst portion of the set on Oct. 20.

VOLLEYBALL

Respectful

silence

from page 3

thought it was awesome and wanted her pl ayers to be involved.”

Special warmup T- shirts we re wo rn by b oth teams. Handouts showe d spectators how to cheer in sign language and included info rm ation on Pa rker and her C hasing Greatness org anization.

Foster c onstructed an ASL i nterpretation of the national anthem and c oordinated the presentation with Borkowicz and Smith through videos

“(Many p eople) have hearing a ids so they c an experience sound but we do n’ t really experience silence a ton,” Foster said. “It’s g ood to kind of sense and f eel how others go through something that you would n’ t really expect at a volleyball g ame. It ’s normally really loud.”

Borkowicz ’s pa rt icipation was pa rtially i nspired because she hopes to pu rsue a career related to speech patholo gy. S taib-Lipinski reached out to Smith, who was a special g uest as a student on the Bulld og s’ bench.

“ I’m hard of hearing so it was nice to g et awareness from other p eople,” Smit h said. “I’ve neve r really had awareness of my hearing loss. It made me feel good.” Silent or not, there was p lenty to cheer

about. T he third set was tied 18-18 before St. Francis (20-12) went ahead 20-18 and used kills for its final four points.

L eading the Bulld og s we re senior s

Lu cy Boyle (5 kills, 16 dig s, 3 aces, 22 service rece ptions, 9 service points), C laire C ameron (27 assists, 13 dig s, 2 kills), Kate Zobel (5 kills, 4 total blocks) and A shlee Wu di (12 dig s, 21 service rece ptions, 2 kills), j uniors Mackenzie Sl og er (7 kills, 3 aces, 19 service rece ptions, 7 service points) and A sha Ponnappan (5 kills) and sophomore C laire Evans (3 kills, 2 aces).

On S enior Night Oct. 14, C ameron set the single-match school record with 41 assists in a 22-25, 25-15, 25-18 loss to 3A powe r Fenwick (21-10). Boyle (16 kills) and Sl og er (15) led the Bulld og s’ 44 kills and .304 attack percentage

T he for mer record was 40 by Kary Law. in 1988.

“I wasn’t expecting (any record), ” C ameron said. “(Staib-Lipinski) j ust told us at practice the next day. ”

The Bulldogs play No. 6 York (23-10) in the regional semifinals. The winner probably plays No. 4 Lyons Township (21-9) in the Oct. 30 regional final. RBHS lost to York in last year’s York Regional final. LTHS beat York 24-26, 25-15, 25-23 Oct. 14.

“We’ re all great in our own ways, especially when we all wo rk to g ether,” Wu di said. “We c an be a really powe rful team. I wish we saw that more and I think we saw it (a ga i nst St. Francis) a lot. ”

Undefeated RBHS football goes after UEC East title

Now 8-0, Bulldogs visit defending champion Glenbard East

By BILL STONE Contributing Reporter

Senior Xavier Mrozik-DeJesus and his undefeated Riverside Brookfield High School football teammates faced a challenge Friday from visiting West Chicago in the third quarter. The Wildcats had just tied the game and Mrozik-DeJesus, the Bulldogs’ leading receiver for their high-scoring offense, still hadn’t caught a pass.

But he felt the chances were coming.

“There wasn’t any change in our game plan. We knew we had to step up on both sides of the ball,” Mrozik-DeJesus said. “I talked to safety Warren Mason and he said, ‘I fight for you, you fight for me and we win this game.’ The defense knew they had to give up less points, make stops. The offense knew we had to score points every time we got the ball.”

That’s what happened. Mrozik-DeJesus had receiving touchdowns on the Bulldogs’ next two possessions and they rolled to a 31-14 victory by scoring 17 unanswered points, all in the fourth quarter.

RBHS (8-0) moved to 5-0 in the Upstate Eight Conference East Division to set up a winner-take-all showdown for the championship, Oct. 24, at defending champion Glenbard East (7-1, 5-0) in the re gular-sea-

son finale.

“To come down to a Week 9 true conference championship game, it’s something we’re really looking forward to,” RBHS coach Sam Styler said. “We know they’re going to be a tough team, but it’s a great test for us to get ready for the playoffs as well. We know West Chicago’s going to be a playoff team, so for our guys to really have that feeling of what playoff-type football is like is really exciting.”

The Bulldogs are seeking their first conference title since 2009 and first undefeated regular season since 2001. Glenbard East won last year’s season-ending matchup 42-19 to take the UEC East at 6-0 and leave the 4-5 Bulldogs out of the playoffs.

“We didn’t have the season we wanted last year. Nothing’s better than winning a conference championship,” Xavier-Mrozik said. “We want this game because it means a lot to the program and to a lot of us. I think the boys are ready.”

Mrozik-DeJesus began Friday’s scoring deadlock on the first play of the fourth quarter. He caught a 22-yard fly pass down the left sideline from junior quarterback Braeden Novak for a touchdown and 21-14 advantage.

After the defense forced the first punt by the Wildcats, Mrozik-DeJesus caught a third-and-17 Novak pass at the 29 and turned

it into an 83-yard TD pass play, his longest scoring play with the Bulldogs, for a 28-14 lead

When the defense got a West Chicago turnover on downs, Novak opened with a 32-yard run to the Wildcats’ 17. Senior John Bielobradek delivered a 27-yard field goal.

RBHS scored on five of its six possessions for the game. Novak was 7-for-10 passing for 183 yards and Garcia rushed for 85 yards.

In the first half, West Chicago kept the defense busy with its triple-option offense that ran 39 plays with only one pass attempt. That was a dropped roll-out screen on fourth-and-4 at the RBHS 9, which ended the game’s opening drive

“When they’re able to [run the ball] effectively they can be dangerous. Our guys did enough to hold them to 14 points and came up with big stops when we needed,” Styler said.

“Our offense didn’t have a whole lot of opportunities, but every time they were out there, they were able to capitalize.”

Defensive leaders included Bryan Rimpila (8 total tackles), Luke Ferguson (6 tackles), Damian Nieves (sack), Jayden Lee (tackle for loss) and John Evans Jr. and Lee (pass breakups).

Nieves’ first-down, 2-yard sack and Lee’s tackle for a 7-yard loss on a broken pitch play

helped stop West Chicago’s two drives after RBHS led 21-14.

The Bulldogs turned their first possession into a TD after a 72-yard run by junior running back Giancarlo Garcia to the 19. After a 13-yard pass from Novak to Nico Caputo, Jacob Retana scored on a 3-yard run for a 7-0 lead.

West Chicago answered with a 20-play, 80yard TD drive but missed on the two-point run to keep RBHS ahead 7-6 at halftime

The Bulldogs opened the second half with Retana’s 1-yard TD run, two plays after Xavier-Mrozik’s first catch for 12 yards to the 1. But the Wildcats answered with a 62-yard TD drive and two-point pass to tie the game 14-14.

With recently returned Michael Kallas sidelined again by injury, Xavier-Mrozik also stepped in as the long snapper.

Two plays before the Bulld ogs went ahead 21-14, right tackle Charlie Jicha recovered a fumble at the 36 and Retana followed with a 14-yard run.

During his 83-yard TD, Xavier-Mrozik said receiver Nico Caputo kept potential tacklers distracted by completing his pass route.

“If it wasn’t for Nico, that would not have been a touchdown at all,” Mrozik-DeJesus said. “He is such a great team player, one of the best teammates I’ve ever played with.”

Newer Bulldogs achieve All-UEC cross country honors

RBHS soccer wins 2A regional opener; LTHS ag football loses in sectional

By BILL STONE Contributing Reporter

Riverside Brookfield High School freshman girls cross country runner Elia Bursua achieved multiple goals at the Upstate Eight Conference Meet Saturday at Elmwood Park She had plenty of company.

Junior Bella Limoges, seniors Addie Vaia and Rebecca Dosek and freshman Natalie Moran joined Bursua as All-UEC runners with top 25 finishes. With multiple personal-best times, the Bulldogs also finished second (59 points) to South Elgin (37) in the 13-team field after taking third in their 2024 UEC debut.

“I was really happy for my whole team

working so hard during the season and I think we all deserved the award,” Bursua responded. “Being all-conference was a goal of mine. I was really determined to reach my full potential, and I was really happy with the results. I think this was one of the best races of my life and I ran my goal of under 20 minutes.”

Limoges finished a team-best sixth (18:38.1 for 3.0 miles). Vaia (10th, 19:17.7) also was top 10 and Moran (12th, 18:35.9), Dosek (13th, 19:36.9) and Bursua (18th, 19:52.1) were top 20.

“[All-conference] was a really fun accomplishment because we were able to work together and improve as a team over the season,” Moran said. “This was the best race

for me because I got a [personal record] and felt really good during the race. It was also the meet that brought our team together and really helped our spirit because we all had great races.”

This is the first high school cross country season for Limoges, who previously has competed in track.

Last year, Vaia and Dosek also were AllUEC by taking ninth and 24th, respectively. Dosek was all-conference at the 2023 Metro Suburban Conference Meet, which Vaia missed as she was also playing volleyball at the time

At the boys UEC Meet, RBHS sophomore Huffman earned his first varsity all-confer-

ence honors by taking 22nd (16:59.3). Huffman was seventh in last year’s sophomore race. Senior Emmitt Olson (36th, 17:24.6) also was in the top 40 for the eighth-place Bulldogs (184). At the West Suburban Conference Silver Division Meet, Lyons Township seniors Mya Coglianese and Tyler Gantt repeated their top-16, all-conference honors Saturday at Proviso West. Both the boys (120) and girls (141) finished sixth. Coglianese was ninth in the girls race (19:11.80 for 3.04 miles) after being 14th in 2024. Junior Amelia Ludden was 29th (20:22.54).

“I felt pretty good. I’m fine with the time and everything and I’m happy with what place I got because I placed better than last

LTHS football responds late, prevails over Downers North

Kuhlman’s second TD in nal seconds helps Lions overcome blocked punt

By BILL STONE Contributing Reporter

Junior EJ Kuhlman doesn’t mind his often heavy workload as running back for the Lyons Township High School football team. He thrives on it.

“I feel like throughout the game my confidence definitely increases. It feels a lot easier to run,” Kuhlman said. “The O[ffensive] line does a great job the entire game. Especially wearing down the D[efensive] line makes it a whole lot easier.”

With the game on the line Friday, Kuhlman had more than enough energy for his 31st and final carry. The 1-yard touchdown run with 15.1 seconds left gave the Lions a wild 24-20 victory over Downers Grove North in Western Springs just after the Trojans moved ahead 20-17 with 2:43 to play by returning a blocked punt for a touchdown.

“Getting down in the last three minutes, coming back, was a great feeling for sure,” said Kuhlman, who had two TDs and

year,” Coglianese said. “I’m just waiting for re gionals and sectionals.”

Gantt took 10th (16:07.47 for 3.04 miles) in the boys race after achieving the 16th and last all-conference spot in a breakthrough 2024 race. Sophomore Benjamin Radtke (23rd, 16:51.72), senior Patrick Collins (26th, 16:58.88) and junior Colin Shea (28th, 17:01.51) also were top 30.

“Last year I barely snuck in. This year my goal was to be top 10, top five,” Gantt said. “There were a few times where I was just trying to gain positions, move up. It’s very mental. We did good and we’re getting ready for [regionals].”

RBHS and LTHS compete Oct. 25 at the Class 3A Lyons Township Regional with hopes of advancing to the Hinsdale Central Sectional Nov. 1.

Boys soccer

In his final home game, senior Logan Wilson had three goals and an assist as RBHS defeated Chicago Noble/Bulls 5-0, Saturday, in the opening round of the Class 2A Timothy Christian Regional.

The Bulldogs (5-12-2), seeded No. 14 in the

gained 151 yards. “I think this is probably one of the best wins this season besides Joliet Catholic (24-14 in Aug. 29 opener). I think we were deciding between running and passing, but Rusk is a great guy to run behind and coach was pretty confident running behind Brady and the big guys up front. It was great to see the hole open up and get into the end zone.”

On their final drive, the Lions (6-2, 3-2 in West Suburban Conference Silver Division) covered 63 yards on 10 plays. Quarterback Jack Slightom was 5 of 8 passing with 57 of his 155 passing yards, including four completions for 44 yards to junior Tyler Stamm.

“It’s pretty sweet. I knew we were going to do something special that drive because every Thursday we have the two-minute drill,” Slightom said. “We executed on the last drive. It’s pretty electric. [Stamm] got open seriously every time.”

The g ame ended with sophomore Ian Collins making his third interception of the g ame and the Lions’ sixth takeaway

De La Salle Sectional, played the No. 3 host Trojans in the regional semifinals Tuesday. Michael Panduro and Ruben Briceno had a goal and assist and Luis Alvarez had two assists. Earning the shutout was the starting defense of Austin Castilla, Liam Wallace, Jacob Gonzalez, Max Kaplan and goalie Eros Valadez.

RBHS finished seventh in the UEC East with an 0-4-2 record and beat East Aurora 1-0 in the UEC crossover round, Oct. 14. Luis Alvarez scored with an assist from Briceno RBHS lost to the Tomcats 1-0, Sept. 6.

In 3A, Lyons Township (15-4-2) is the No 2 seed to Morton in the Hinsdale Central Sectional. The Lions played No. 15 Curie in Wednesday’s Downers Grove Regional semifinals with hopes of reaching Saturday’s regional final most likely against No. 6 Downers North (11-12-1), which LTHS defeated 2-1 in overtime Sept. 23.

LTHS girls ag football

Senior center Jax Tamburello and her LTHS girls flag football teammates welcomed the expected challenge from Kenwood in the Hinsdale South Sectional semifinals,

in beating the Trojans (6-2, 4-2) for the seventh year in a row. The Lions play host to York (6-2, 4-1) in the re gular-season finale

“It was crazy. It was a great g ame. I’m just happy we came out with a win,” Collins said. “The momentum totally shifted but we trust our defense, our offense. Our offense went down, scored and then we just shut it down.”

The Lions led 7-5 at halftime appeared in control after opening a 17-5 lead with 5:24 left on a 36-yard field goal by Ryland Avants. But the Trojans answered with an 80-yard TD drive behind quar terback and Minnesota recr uit Owen Lausu and then scored on the blocked punt followed by a two-point conversion.

The winning drive also included a 14yard catch by Grant Smith (6 catches, 65 yards) and Slightom’s 5-yard scramble to the 1.

“I couldn’ t feel any bone in my body,” Slightom said. “I was just cruising. But everyone else was, too.”

Tackle leaders were Lou Ratcliffe (nine),

Oct. 13.

“The whole season we were a pretty good team. Playing a game where we were up against someone that had skills; it was fun,” Tamburello said.

The Lions, however, couldn’t overcome a frustrating first half and lost 19-0 with all of the points scored in the first half.

Top-seeded LTHS (17-4) was shut out for the first time after scoring at least 20 points in 14 victories and at least 30 in 10 of those, including 38-7 to beat Reavis for the Hinsdale South Regional title, Oct. 8.

Against Kenwood (20-5), the Lions got inside the red zone twice in the second half

“We had a slow start but the second half we settled in and were making some big plays. We just couldn’t get quite to the goal line,” LTHS coach Meghan Hutchens said.

“They were super-fast in rushing. We made the adjustments defensively. Offensively we did as well but we just weren’t quite able to get a touchdown.”

In the second season of IHSA-sanctioned girls flag football, the Lions again won regionals with a roster of 13 seniors and many returnees.

Seniors Anna Bigenwald, Char Ebeid,

Pearson (five) and four each by Patrick Cheney (tackle for loss) and Cole Harris, who had a third-quarter interception.

The defense ended other drives with Collins interceptions at the 1 and 24 just before halftime, a lost fumble recovered at the 2 by Anthony Pearson and Brady Koren’s forced and recovered fumble at the 4 at the end of a pass play from the LTHS 43. The Trojans also missed a 27-yard field goal on their second possession after converting a 29-yarder on their first for a 3-0 lead

“[The defense] played absolutely spectacular. There was nothing more they could have done,” Slightom said. “Six turnovers, changes of possession, just put our offense in a great position. They, for the most part, won us that game.”

Kuhlman’s first 1-yard TD gave the Lions a 7-3 lead in the first quarter but a high shotgun snap resulted in a safety 9:48 before halftime. Sam Froelich caught a 5-yard TD pass from Slightom in the third quar ter for a 14-5 lead.

Teya Magajne and Kennedy Campbell, junior Megan Robinson and sophomore Taylor Hoffenberg earned All-WSC Silver honors in the first year of conference play

Ebeid had around 400 completions in her second season as the starting quarterback Bigenwald (18 touchdowns, 135 catches, 11 interceptions), Hoffenberg (12 TDs, 191 combined runs/catches), Robinson (17 interceptions, 71 flag pulls), Magajne (42 flag pulls, 9 interceptions) and Campbell (78 flag pulls, 10 TDs) were among category leaders.

The Lions also lost to state champion Maine South 8-7 in overtime, Glenbard West 12-7 for the Silver title and Hillcrest 20-13. Third-place Willowbrook beat Hillcrest 20-14 in Friday’s quarterfinals.

“We didn’t finish how we wanted to, but we competed how we wanted to,” Hutchens said.

Tamburello, a Brookfield resident, returns to weightlifting on her own.

“I’d qualify that as a sport. But I miss being on a team. I miss having people by my side,” Tamburello said. “We tried our best to train the younger girls and underclassmen so they can get as much playing time as they can.”

the sun shine

Legal Notice

Village of River Forest Development Review Board River Forest, Illinois

Public notice is hereby given that a Public Hearing will be held by the Development Review Board of the Village of River Forest, County of Cook, State of Illinois, on Thursday, November 6, 2025, at 7:30 p.m. in the Community Room of the River Forest Village Hall, 400 Park Avenue, River Forest, Illinois on the following matter:

Application # 25-0012: The Applicant seeks to install lights to illuminate the tennis courts at the River Forest Tennis Club

The address of the property is as follows: 615 Lathrop Avenue, River Forest, IL 60305.

The applicant is: River Forest Tennis Club

Legal Description:

BLOCK 15 IN COUNTY CLERK’S DIVISION OF BLOCK 15 IN QUICK’S

SUBDIVISION OF PART OF THE NORTHEAST ¼ OF SECTION 12, TOWNSHIP 36 NORTH, RANGE 12 EAST OF THE THIRD PRINICIPAL MERIDIAN, IN COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS

All interested persons will be given the opportunity to be heard at the public hearing, the purpose of which is to take evidence on the Application for the Development Review Board and Village Board to consider. A copy of the application and meeting agenda will be available to the public at the Village Hall, 400 Park Avenue, River Forest, or at www.vrf.us.

Clifford Radatz

Secretary Development Review Board

Published in Wednesday Journal October 22, 2025

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: M25000943 on October 1, 2025 Under the Assumed Business Name of MANAGING HORIZONS PRESS with the business located at: 907 SOUTH BLVD UNIT 5, OAK PARK, IL 60302. The true and real full name(s) and residence address of the owner(s)/partner(s) is: GIL HERMAN, 907 SOUTH BLVD UNIT 5, OAK PARK, IL 60302, USA.

Published in Wednesday Journal October 8, 15, 22, 2025

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING VILLAGE OF OAK PARK ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS

CALENDAR NUMBER� 23�25�Z

HEARING DATE� November 12, 2025

TIME� 7�00 p.m. or as soon thereafter as the Agenda permits

LOCATION OF HEARING� Room 201 �Council Chambers), Oak Park Village Hall, 123 Madison Street, Oak Park, Illinois, 60302

APPLICATION� The Zoning Board of Appeals (“ZBA”) will conduct a public hearing on an application filed by the Applicant, 427 Madison, LLC, seeking a special use permit from Section 8.3 �Table 8�1� Use Matrix) of the Zoning Ordinance of the Village of Oak Park to construct a four �4� unit, 3-story plus penthouse townhouse development at 427 Madison Street, Oak Park, Illinois, Property Index Number 16�18�206� 014�0000 �“Subject Property”) in the MS Madison Street Zoning District.

In addition, the Applicant seeks the following variances from the requirements of Table 5�1 of the Zoning Ordinance:

1. A reduction of the rear yard setback from a required 25’ to 18’�7.5”, inclusive of the alley, along the west lot line; and

2. An increase in maximum height from 35’ to 40’.

A copy of the application and applicable documents are on file and are available for inspection at Village Hall, Development Services Department, 123 Madison Street, Oak Park, Illinois 60302, Monday through Friday between 8�30 a.m. and 5�00 p.m.

All interested persons will be given an opportunity to be heard at the public hearing. Interested persons may also sign up to participate inperson in the hearing to cross examine the applicant and its witnesses by submitting a cross-examination form or by emailing Zoning@oakpark.us before 5�00 PM on the day prior to the public hearing.

The public hearing may be adjourned by the ZBA to another date without further notice by public announcement at the hearing setting forth the time and place thereof.

Published in Wednesday Journal, October 22, 2025

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: M25000963 on October 7, 2025 Under the Assumed Business Name of BETSY’S BASEMENT with the business located at: 8641 PARKVIEW AV, BROOKFIELD, IL 60513. The true and real full name(s) and residence address of the owner(s)/partner(s) is: ELIZABETH L SNYDER 8641 PARKVIEW AVE, BROOKFIELD IL, 60513, USA

WENDY S. MCINERNEY 114 S. ASHLAND AV., LAGRANGE, IL 60525, USA

Published in RB Landmark October 15, 22, 29, 2025

STATE OF WISCONSIN CIRCUIT COURT PORTAGE COUNTY

JOHN M. NOEL AND PATRICIA D. NOEL AS TRUSTEES OF THE JOHN M. NOEL AND PATRICIA D. NOEL JOINT REVOCABLE TRUST DATED JANUARY 4, 1996, AS AMENDED 4501 State Highway 66 Stevens Point, WI 54482

Plaintiff,

v.

EUGENE STAPLES 7222 Cermak Road Suite 403 North Riverside, IL 60546

Defendant.

Case No.: 2025CV000208 Case Code: 30303

SUMMONS FOR PUBLICATION

THE STATE OF WISCONSIN, to each person named above as a defendant:

You are hereby notified that the Plaintiff named above has filed a lawsuit or other legal action against you.

Within forty (40) days after October 22, 2025, you must respond with a written demand for a copy of the Complaint. The demand must be sent or delivered to the Court, whose address is Portage County Courthouse, 1516 Church Street, 2nd Floor –Courthouse, Stevens Point, WI, 54481 and to Plaintiffs attorney whose address is Krekeler Law, S.C., 26 Schroeder Court, Suite 300, Madison, WI 53711. You may have an attorney help or represent you.

PUBLIC NOTICE IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLNOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT, PROBATE DIVISION Estate of GENEVIEVE WRIGHT, Deceased Case No. 2025 P 0049545

That the Order Admitting Will to Probate and Appointing Representative in the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois was granted on September 3, 2025 for the Estate of GENEVIEVE WRIGHT, Deceased and that KEITH WRIGHT was appointed as the Independent Executor and letters of office have issued.

This ad requests that any unknown heirs make themselves known to the attorney herein.

This ad will serve as a notice to creditors that they have 6 months from the date of filing of this petition to submit their claims.

Atty Name: Matt Leuck Attorney for Petitioner 2318 Elmwood Ave Berwyn, IL 60402 708-243-6270 xkrinkles@aol.com Atty No. 11017

Published in RB Landmark October 22, 2025

If you do not demand a copy of the Complaint within forty (40) days, the Court may grant judgment against you for the award of money or other legal action requested in the Complaint, and you may lose your right to object to anything that is or may be incorrect in the Complaint. A judgment may be enforced as provided by law. A judgment awarding money may become a lien against any real estate you own now or in the future and may also be enforced by garnishment or seizure of property. A copy of the Summons and Complaint has been mailed to you at the address above.

Dated this 6th day of October, 2025.

KREKELER LAW, S.C. Attorneys for Plaintiff

By:/s/ Noah T. Rusch Noah Rusch State Bar No. 1113201

ADDRESS

26 Schroeder Ct., Ste. 300 Madison, WI 53711 (608) 258-8555 (608) 663-0287 (fax)

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