Businesses in Downers Grove and Woodridge were targeted during a string of overnight break-ins early Sunday morning Four Downers Grove businesses in two locations were hit Downers Grove police said the affected businesses were La Michoacana Ice Cream and Fruits and Illusion Musical Officers responded to a report of a commercial burglar alarm at approximately 4:34 a.m a second alarm was triggered at the 75th Street property A check of surrounding businesses revealed burglars had broken into businesses at each location the offenders forced entry through glass doors Woodridge police responded to a commercial burglar alarm at about 4:57 a.m Officers discovered multiple businesses appeared to have been broken into Woodridge officers located additional apparent burglaries on the 1900 block of West 75th Street The businesses targeted were New Chinese Kitchen and FMB Grocery An attempted break-in was also discovered at Shanahan's Both Downers Grove and Woodridge police reported that no one is in custody Police are investigating and request anyone with information to call Downers Grove police at (630) 434-5600 and Woodridge police at (630) 719-4740 Gary Duncan is a freelance photographer and contributor to Shaw Local ExpandHope's Front Door Program Director Kathy Nazzarini sorts through boxes donated backpacks and school supplies that were distributed as part of the organization's school supply drive (Sandy Bressner - sbressner@shawmedia.com) Hope’s Front Door is already looking ahead to the next 25 years However, the local nonprofit, which offers both emergency assistance and long-term programs to help those most in need in DuPage County is taking some time out to honor two of its community partners that help make what the organization does possible The Downers Grove Junior Woman’s Club and the First Congregational United Church of Christ in Downers Grove were honored as recipients of the 2025 Stars of Hope Award The awards were presented April 29 at a luncheon, sponsored by GreenState Credit Union and Midwestern University, at Seven Bridges Golf Club in Woodridge. “On our 25th anniversary, we want to acknowledge these two groups who saw the value of Hope’s Front Door,” said Janell Robinson, the organization’s executive director. “They have gone above and beyond. They were among the first to support us with money and volunteer time,” she added. For a quarter of a century, both organizations along with a long list of other community partners and individual volunteers have been instrumental in supporting the mission of Hope’s Front Door to provide hope and vital resources to individuals and families facing financial and health crises in DuPage County. It’s an undertaking that it is set on continuing into future especially because, “we are seeing more people come through our doors” in need of assistance, Robinson said. In fact, during the last several months, Hope’s Front Door has added 45 new households to its list of those in need. “It is still a tough time for folks” in terms of food, medication and transportation, she said. “The Downers Grove Junior Woman’s Club is proud to continue supporting Hope’s Front Door and the amazing work they do for those in greatest need in our community,” said Meghan Jacobson, president of the Downers Grove Junior Woman’s Club. “Every summer, our members look forward to jumping in to help with their Back-to-School Drive—collecting supplies and volunteering at the event to help families get what they need for the school year. It’s always a meaningful reminder of the real impact we can make when we come together. We love giving back and teaming up with nonprofits like Hope’s Front Door who are truly making a difference.” Last fall’s school supply drive helped about 340 DuPage area children. The event was created after a mom came to the Hope Front Door’s office nearly 20 years ago looking for school supplies, Robinson said. Without any on hand, the staff gave the mom their own office supplies. A founding member of Hope’s Front Door, First Congregational Church, was pivotal in establishing the organization in 2000. Laura Hoglund, a First Congregational Church pastor, served as the first Hope’s Front Door chairperson. The Rev. Scott Oberle, senior pastor at First Congregational Church, said prior to Hope’s Front Door those in need would go from church to church for assistance. The idea was to work together and have a place where those struggling could go, he said. When it opened, Robinson said, the organization quickly found the level of need in the community was higher than anticipated. People in need in DuPage County can go unnoticed, she said. “There is a feeling that DuPage County is affluent, but we do have neighbors struggling with food insecurity and housing stability,” Robinson said. Since DuPage County is “so spread out” transportation is a “lifeline,” Robinson said. “Without access to a bus card or a gas card you can’t find or maintain work or your health,” she said. Today, Hope’s Front Door provides safety net services including emergency assistance to individuals in need. The organization also provides food and transportation vouchers, medication assistance, toiletry items, infant care items and access to dental and eye exams. It also provides assistance to individuals through “pathways” programs that address long-term issues such as financial skills, employment and physical and mental wellbeing. Financial literacy is important because between 40% to 50% of people across the country don’t have $500 in savings for an emergency need such as car repairs or an increase in utilities, Robinson said. “About 40% of our clients have a chronic illness such as diabetes or high blood pressure,” she said. “We do a lot of education on what it’s like to eat healthy on a budget or how to be active without the finances to belong to a gym.” “We see firsthand if people are sick,” Robinson said. “They can’t work, and it becomes a slippery slope of becoming unhoused or unemployed.” Copyright © 2023 Shaw Local News Network Downers Grove and Woodridge police are investigating several commercial burglaries that occurred in both communities in the early morning hours Sunday, authorities said. About 4:57 a.m., Woodridge police responded to a commercial burglar alarm at 1001 W. 75th St. Police located several businesses that had been burglarirized. The businesses are: About 15 minutes later, police located additional commercial burglaries at 1999 W. 75th St. The businesses burglarized are: About 4:34 a.m., Downers Grove police responded to a commercial burglar alarm in the 6300 block of Woodward Avenue. Ten minutes later, a commercial burglar alarm was received in the 1600 block of 75th Street, police said. Two commercial burglaries took place at each location. Offenders forced entry through the glass doors of the businesses, police said. Downers Grove police are asking anyone with information about the incidents to contact 630-434-5600. Anyone with information about the Woodridge burglaries can contact Woodridge police at 630-719-4740. The views expressed here are the author's own The nationally and locally acclaimed Pequod's Pizza is coming to you on Friday Note that pizzas will be PAR BAKED with Pequod’s world-famous caramelized crust and cheesy garlic bread on the menu this time around for delivery Pequod's was just named the "Best Pizza in the US" by Yelp But don't wait until the last minute to place your order Home delivery will take place between 2:00 - 6:00pm We’re delivering this restaurant event to Wheaton, Clarendon Hills, Downers Grove, Elmhurst, Glen Ellyn, Hinsdale, La Grange, Lombard, Oak Brook, Oak Park, Addison, Itasca, Wood Dale, Elk Grove Village, and Roselle/Medinah. Learn more about our delivery zones here Each month, we bring Pequod's to the suburbs for home delivery and pickups. Click here to learn more about different events coming your way View menu + order: https://dwell.social/3RyV59G Tuesday, 7:00 pmHinsdale-Clarendon Hills, IL Wednesday, 4:00 pmWestmont, IL ExpandClass 4A Sectional Final Championship game Downers Grove North's Brady Schallmoser (15) looks at his fly ball during the 2024 Class 4A sectional championship game between Downers Grove North and Waubonsie Valley (Gary E Duncan Sr for Shaw Local News Network) The Downers Grove North baseball team is one victory shy of the 20-win mark 9-3 West Suburban Silver) can hit the traditional stated mark of a solid season with a win over Glenbard South on Tuesday After winning a combined 62 games the last two seasons the Trojans are relishing their status as one of the best programs in the conference.” “Winning 20 games in a season usually means you’ve done something right,” Downers Grove North coach Kyle Briscoe said “The 20-win mark has been a constant the last few years for us But this year’s team is more of a true baseball team We’ve had some really good players in the past but this team is grinding it out as a team.” One area the Trojans have been terrorizing teams is via the basepaths “We have been playing team ball,” Briscoe said “Our recipe for success this season has been we’re able to move runners successfully over We’re not hitting the ball all over the place We’ve been able to glove it and gotten good pitching We’re playing with a selfless attitude and not worried about stats hit and run and we’re not afraid of giving up a swing or a strike to move runners over.” a Wabash College recruit who drove in 37 runs last season is a three-year starter who remembers the 32-win team from 2023 “This team is definitely deeper than last year and there is talent throughout every position and less of alphas leading the team,” Schallmoser said “I’ve tried to lead by example because if you lead with your voice the things you say don’t have any effect.” who belted a home run in a victory over Glenbard West last week said he prepared for his senior season by focusing on improving his body Schallmoser is batting .403 with 22 doubles and two home runs faster and stronger because my skills have always been there but the weight room elevates those skills,” Schallmoser said “That strength has definitely shown throughout the year.” Russ Oros (.368 average) and Emilio Gandarilla (.412) have been consistent performers for the Trojans “Russ is a three-year starter along with Brady and they’ve both been through the battles when they were sophomores and we had George Wolkow,” he said “Brady has been a consistent bat in the middle of the order and been very steady He was a guy we knew about defensively that he could glove it at shortstop The 6-foot-6 righthander tossed a complete game against Glenbard West striking out six and scattering four hits in the win Doyle has a 1.90 ERA with 43 strikeouts over 32⅓ innings “Colin has eaten up innings,” Briscoe said “He’s been able to shut teams down for the most part He’s a competitor and has playoff experience from the basketball team That has translated onto the mound this season who has a fastball that ranges between 84 to 87 miles per hour made a quick transition to a varsity go-to pitcher after playing on the freshman team for most of last season I was unsure of how big my role would be this year,” Doyle said I also learned new things about my mechanics Playing basketball also really helped me by giving me experience and confidence to play on the varsity level.” Doyle said his main pitches are a four-seam fastball He started working on adding a slider to his mix this past year and credits the effectiveness for helping him this spring “I think getting off to a good start to the year really helped me because I gained lot of confidence and that has kept me going,” Doyle said “Jack Romsey has done a great job catching this year Riverside-Brookfield is still in the running to win the Upstate Eight Conference 7-2) have a vital two-game series against division leader Glenbard East (13-8 “We’re battling for a conference championship but we have two tough weeks ahead of us,” R-B coach Mark Ori said “We recently lost to Lincoln-Way West playing them at Northwestern We lost a pitcher’s duel in the seventh inning against Bartlett but we just beat two sectional opponents in Fenwick and Reavis.” Several players are stepping up for the Bulldogs this season outfielder Ethan Smith (.471 average and 24 stolen bases) shortstop/pitcher Sean Campbell (team-high .507) and junior hurler Aiden Polich (3-1 “Michael continues to dominate on the mound,” Ori said “Ethan continues to set the tone in the leadoff spot Sean is leading us offensively and Aiden has been performing great.” Bob Narang is a contributing sports reporter to Shaw Local News Network 2025 at 5:20 pm CT.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Patch recently obtained the names of the 20 businesses that were burglarized in one morning in Downers Grove (Downers Grove Police Department)DOWNERS GROVE IL — Patch recently filed a FOIA to obtain the names of the 20 businesses that were burglarized in a matter of hours in Downers Grove on the morning of April 7 The majority of the smash-and-grab burglaries took place around 3:40 a.m Ogden Avenue and Finley and Butterfield Roads "While officers were responding to the burglaries along Finley Road and Butterfield Road more burglar alarms were triggered along Ogden Avenue," one police report said $400 was stolen from a cash register and cartons of cigarettes were taken The burglar(s) broke glass to gain entry to the pizzeria and stole cash from the register A window was shattered and drinks were stolen from the restaurant A glass door was shattered and a cash register containing $100 was stolen The burglar(s) broke the building's glass door to gain entry and stole a cash register and a cash register was "compromised," a police report said Someone shattered the salon's glass to gain entry and stole a cash register A glass window was shattered and the shop's register was "disturbed," with the total loss estimated at $1,088 one cash register was taken and another was emptied The total amount stolen was estimated at $300 Someone shattered a window and emptied the restaurant's cash register A glass door was shattered and a cash drawer containing $250 was stolen Police say someone shattered the pizzeria's door to gain entry and stole $310 from the register Police reported that "no evidence of note was located on this scene to be collected." Two registers were stolen after the burglar(s) shattered a window to gain entry Someone shattered a window and damaged a door during a burglary at Fannie May Candy A safe and a cash drawer were stolen after a glass door was shattered at Cedar Grill Police say the deli's front door and a booth were damaged The store's front door was smashed and $200 was stolen from a cash register Several of the burglary reports indicated that a rock or other blunt object had been used to smash the business's glass Police received surveillance footage from some of the businesses that had been burglarized but as of April 16 no suspects had been identified This rash of burglaries came shortly after three businesses in the village were burglarized in 24 hours in late March. Anyone with information is encouraged to call the Downers Grove Police Department at 630-434-5600 Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. ExpandDowners Grove South senior Kailee Rodeck Starting in 2023, Downers Grove South senior Kailee Rodeck has continued to have higher hopes for pole vault ‘I want to get all four records for my school,’ so that’s been my goal since sophomore year,” Rodeck said At the Downers South Invitational April 12 Rodeck completed the task when she won with an all-time school-record 12 feet/3.66 meters Rodeck impressively cleared 12 feet on her second attempt after making 10-0 11-6 and 11-9 on a combined seven attempts The previous record was 11-3 by Megan Rossi in 2003 “That was pretty nice I will admit,” said Rodeck about also winning her final home invite “(But) I was exhausted for one because I started kind of low I was completely tired but it was quite exciting.” At the indoor West Suburban Conference Gold Division Meet March 15 Rodeck and Downers South senior Rebecca Snouffer cleared an indoor school-record 11-6 and broke the indoor Gold record along with Hinsdale South senior Anya Patel Rodeck achieved the frosh-soph school records indoors (10-0/3.05m) followed by another 10-0 outdoors in winning the varsity title at the Gold Meet Rodeck again cleared 12-0 in winning Lockport’s Christine Marszalek Invite Her flight was moved inside because of weather conditions Only five Illinois girls have cleared 12-0 outdoors so far. That also includes Wheaton North senior Emerson Smith Rodeck was 17th in prelims (10-8) and just missed the 15-vaulter finals cutoff of 11-1 3/4/3.40 m Smith (11-1 3/4) was 11th in finals based on misses I’m definitely going to get up higher in the 12s and I have a good shot.” Downers South sophomore Nia Ortega’s 10:48.51 for 1,600 meters during her 1-mile section broke the 10:49.59 frosh-soph outdoor school record by Brenna Cohoon in 2018 Sophia McInerney has the all-time and varsity outdoors school record of 10:29.74 from 2022 “One of my goals is definitely to break a school record because I want to be able to leave a mark and bring our school’s name up,” said Ortega the top finisher for the Mustangs’ state-qualifying cross country team “I think cross country really helped me build up my confidence Running is more of a mental sport and I crossed the barrier I’m getting out of my head so I think it’s really helped me.” Downers Grove North junior Philip Cupial has the state’s No 1 documented time this outdoor season for the boys 800 (1:52.97) from the St Morton’s 4x800 of Orlando Sandoval Glenbard South junior pole vaulter Kyle Quaid-Bowman is No In girls, Glenbard West’s 4x800 relay is No. 4 (9:30.51 April 17). Wheaton North sophomore Sophia Dalrymple (300 low hurdles in 44.29 April 19) shares No. 4 and Westmont junior Kyla Babb is No 5 in the 1,600 (4:52.77 at Distance Night) Senior Finn Richards made Benet boys cross country history Nov winning Class 2A as its first state champion Now the Vanderbilt recruit chases track school records from roughly 50 years ago Richards’ 4:19.39 for 1,600 meters in his 1-mile barely missed the converted 4:19.1 from Don Imhof’s 1-mile manual time in 1976 Richards’ 9:22.43 for 3,200 at the 2024 Distance Night threatened that 1976 converted Imhof record of 9:18.6 The IHSA state meet began using meters in 1980 “I’ve been (chasing Imhof) for the past two seasons,” said Richards 21st in the 3,200 at the 2024 3A state meet (9:22.98) “I’ve just got a lot more confident (from state cross country) but I kind of go in knowing I’m one of the big dogs now so I’ve got to represent a little more.” Willowbrook senior Amelie Ojeda again broke her all-time 3,200 school record at Glenbard West’s Sue Pariseau Invite April 26. Her 11:00.07, which won by 29 seconds, still was bittersweet. “It’s OK. For the whole season, I was like, ‘sub-11:00, sub-11:00. I want my 10-something,’ ” said Ojeda, the Northern Illinois recruit whose previous best was 11:03.92 indoors. “I’m an ambitious kid so I’ve always tried to reach as far as I could. Roughly 10:30 is my ultimate goal within high school.” ExpandDowners Grove South's Addison Yurchak hits a two-run triple during a 2024 softball game against Oswego at Oswego High School Addison Yurchak plans to attend college at one of the country’s elite academic institutions The Downers Grove South junior also has designs to keep playing softball the Mustangs’ starting shortstop who sports a 4.56 weighted GPA and tested a 35 on her ACT She announced in February that she was committing to the admissions process at MIT for academics and softball Yurchak attended a camp on the Boston campus in the fall players and the city itself fit Yurchak like a glove She’s thinking she’ll study biology or chemistry for a career as a doctor “I was always looking for a high academic school knowing my goals for the future,” Yurchak said Yurchak has been a fixture for Downers Grove South’s varsity softball team since she was a freshman finding her way into the lineup three games into high school ball Yurchak is batting .442 with a .483 on-base percentage 19 RBIs and 16 runs scored through 16 games for the Mustangs (9-7 “She’s a great kid,” Downers Grove South coach Jim Cushing said “She’s come a long way since freshman year Yurchak’s grandfather played softball back in the day against former Downers Grove South coach Ron Havelka Yurchak got a feel for varsity softball as a freshman She got a few opportunities and found a starting position at third base what Cushing calls probably the hardest position in the game “I was able to own the position and adapt to new circumstances I felt really supported by coaches and teammates,” she said “It gave me a lot more confidence in my abilities gave me a lot more leadership in the infield as well.” Cushing considers Yurchak a relatively quiet kid outside the lines Yurchak agrees that she can be introverted “She has that quiet fire in her,” Cushing said She fits into our team so well with the camaraderie.” maybe not 16 great players but 16 good kids a group that consistently cheers for each other With some more hard work I feel like we can have a strong end to the season,” Yurchak said It’s always fun to go to practice surrounded by best friends.” Wheaton Warrenville South (12-3 3-1 DuKane Conference) has had a busy week The Tigers beat Glenbard North 4-0 and Lake Park 3-0 Charles North 3-0 and beat Glenbard West 13-5 Junior Presley Wright has been stellar in the circle posting a 10-2 record with a 1.18 ERA and 87 strikeouts over 77 innings Senior Abby Mease leads the offense with a .489 batting average and .529 on-base percentage with 13 runs scored and 22 hits Junior Becca Chaney is batting .438 with a team-high 12 RBIs and junior Nelia Kirichun is batting .424 with 14 runs scored Westmont is currently 7-5 and freshman Gwyneth Jindra is a big reason why The pitcher/shortstop is batting .625 with eight homers and is 4-2 in the circle with 58 strikeouts over 39 innings Sophomore catcher Grace Detente is batting .433 with 26 runs scored and nine stolen bases and junior shortstop Reagan Kelly is batting .417 with 16 RBIs Joshua WelgeI am the Sports Editor for Kendall County Newspapers, the Kane County Chronicle and Suburban Life Media, covering primarily sports in Kendall, Kane, DuPage and western Cook counties. I've been covering high school sports for 24 years. I also assist with our news coverage. 2025 at 6:51 am CT.css-79elbk{position:relative;}On May 10 the Downtown Downers Grove Farmers Market will return to the Main Street Train Station for its 2025 season IL — The Downtown Downers Grove Farmers Market will return to the Main Street Station May 10 to kick off its 2025 season The market will take place on Saturdays from 7 a.m with over 60 vendors slated to participate on a rotating basis The offerings include artisanal soaps and body care items baked treats and locally sourced fruits and veggies Vendors can click the link to apply for a spot at the Downtown Downers Grove Farmers Market area artists will play live music during market hours Funds help aid initiatives and programs for Indian Boundary YMCA The 2025 season will come to a close on Oct Six people are in custody after Downers Grove police say a woman was the victim of an armed robbery Tuesday night Police began their investigation just after 8:30 p.m when a woman reported four men approached her car while it was stopped near the intersection at Forest and Prairie avenues and began yelling at her That woman was able to drive away and report the incident to police another woman on the 4900 block of Forest Avenue said she was approached by three men who demanded money and grabbed her purse off her shoulder The woman told investigators one man lifted his shirt and revealed a “multicolored handgun” tucked into his waistband The woman gave the men cash from her wallet and they fled the area officers conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle on the 3200 block of Highland Avenue with six occupants inside Police located a sweatshirt matching the description of what was worn by the offender who displayed the handgun and then found a multicolored handgun in the center console of the vehicle A Downers Grove South High School teacher has been charged with sexually abusing a student of the 1300 block of Hughes Avenue in Downers Grove is charged with aggravated criminal sexual abuse and criminal sexual assault she is accused of having sexual contact with a 15-year-old boy in December 2023 Formella and the boy had a sexual encounter in a classroom one day in December 2023 according to a prosecutor’s petition to detain Formella She had been a coach for his soccer team the year before The alleged relationship was discovered Friday when the boy’s mother bought him a new phone and signed in to his iCloud account She found messages between the boy and Formella about sexual activity and a relationship Prosecutors said investigators found additional evidence corroborating the relationship Judge Joshua Dieden granted Formella pretrial release Monday She is to have no contact with the boy or anyone under the age of 18 and is prohibited from entering the high school Formella received her teaching license in 2017 for language arts and as a learning behavior specialist The school district has put her on paid administrative leave Principal Arwen Lyp sent an email message to parents Monday morning stating Formella has been a teacher in the special services department since the fall of 2020 Formella was a volunteer soccer coach in 2020 and has coached boys and girls soccer since August 2021 and our community is reeling,” Lyp wrote “An adult has been charged with the most serious of violations Our team is here to support students who are impacted by this terrible news.” Downers Grove police are seeking the public’s help in solving an armed robbery Friday evening Two men were held up at gunpoint by a masked man about 8 p.m A preliminary investigation indicates the suspect pointed a firearm at the two The offender took off on foot heading south across 75th Street He had shoulder length dreads with yellow/gold highlights No one is in custody yet and police are asking anyone with tips to call (630) 434-5600 IL — Downers Grove Police responded to their second armed robbery in less than a week when two men were robbed at gunpoint on Forest Avenue Friday Police say a man approached two pedestrians The suspect was described as a Black male with a muscular build with shoulder-length dreadlocks that had yellow and gold highlights He was last seen wearing a black sweater with a hood Six men were arrested Tuesday after a woman was robbed by three men on Forest Avenue four men had surrounded a car near the intersection of Forest and Prairie and started yelling at the woman inside That woman drove off "without further incident," per Downers Grove police no one was in custody in connection with Friday's armed robbery Anyone with information may call the Downers Grove Police Department at 630-434-5600 2025 at 9:13 am CT.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Six men were arrested after an armed robbery in the 4900 block of Forest Avenue Tuesday night (Downers Grove Police Department )DOWNERS GROVE IL — Six men are in custody after an armed robbery in the 4900 block of Forest Avenue in Downers Grove Tuesday night Police say three men surrounded a woman on Forest Avenue around 8:30 p.m. police pulled a car over in the 3200 block of Highland Avenue for a traffic stop they reported finding "a backpack containing a sweatshirt matching that worn by the offender who possessed the handgun during the robbery," a news release said Also on Patch: These 20 Businesses Hit By Burglars In Same Day In Downers Grove Officers also reported that a "multicolored" gun was found in the car's center console Six men were arrested after the traffic stop no charges were filed amid an ongoing investigation Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Downers Grove Police Department at 630-434-5600 Sophia Barofsky homered to lead off the top of the eighth inning and the Trojans went on to the West Suburban Silver win in Glen Ellyn Samantha Lehnherr was 3 for 5 with three doubles a run scored and three RBIs for the Trojans Winning pitcher Sophia Lawson struck out 10 in the complete game Alexa Trybus homered and drove in two runs and Olivia Salerno struck out 12 for the Hilltoppers Avery Kanouse had a two-run double and Emily McNichols a two-run single in the Dukes’ five-run third and they went on to the West Suburban Silver win in Elmhurst Gabriella Georganas was 4 for 4 with a run scored for Hinsdale Central Reagan Crosthwaite hit a two-run homer in the third inning for the game’s lone runs and Hannah Wulf struck out four in a complete-game five-hit shutout for the Falcons Crosthwaite was 3 for 4 with a run scored and two RBIs while Makayla Grantz was 3 for 4 with a run scored Benet’s Sophia Rosner struck out seven and allowed just four hits but Bradley-Bourbonnais got the walk-off win with two out in the ninth Kayla Buckels-Meen was 4 for 4 with a double two runs scored and two RBIs for the Hornets and Alex Kuhlman was 2 for 4 with a double and two runs scored Riverside-Brookfield’s Amelia Pytel struck out 16 in a complete-game four-hitter two runs scored and two RBIs for the Tigers but the visiting Saints scored three in the fifth and two in the seventh to come back from a 2-0 deficit Presley Wright struck out eight for WW South four runs scored and an RBI for the Warriors The Hilltoppers scored two runs in the bottom of the fifth and went on to the West Suburban Silver win Winning pitcher Joey Lewison struck out six and allowed two runs on three hits over five innings with Jack Waiti throwing two innings of shutout relief Max Bakken was 2 for 2 with two runs scored Jimmy Reilly struck out five over six innings for Downers Grove North and Emilio Gandarilla doubled and scored a run Shea Glotzbach struck out nine over six innings allowing one unearned run on four hits and Zane Schneider was 2 for 3 with a double three runs scored and an RBI and Reece Franks was 4 for 4 with a run scored and four RBIs for the Tigers Jacob Kurtz was 3 for 4 with two doubles and three runs scored for the Falcons Jesus Torres had a double and four RBIs and Jake Bonino a double and drove in three for the Warriors We use cookies and similar technologies that may collect information about you and your activities on our websites and share it with third parties as described in our Privacy Policy and Ad & Cookie Policy you agree to our use of cookies and similar technologies Declawing is a cruel surgical procedure to remove the last bone in a cat's toes the Downers Grove Village Council passed an ordinance which is supported by the Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF) Cat declawing is an invasive surgical operation that is akin to cutting off the last knuckle of a human finger Declawing can cause lifelong medical issues for cats “Cats’ claws are essential to their overall health and declawing — which is only medically necessary in rare circumstances — can cause chronic injury and lifelong pain,” said ALDF Strategic Legislative Affairs Manager Alicia Prygoski “We are grateful to the Downers Grove Village Council for protecting cats by prohibiting cruel cat declaw surgeries.”  “A cat’s health and well-being should not be jeopardized for owner convenience especially when so many humane alternatives to safely control scratching exist” said Downers Grove Commissioner Sadowski-Fugitt cruel practice that has no place in our community.”  Declawing can cause many adverse behavioral effects in cats because it removes their ability to use their claws to scratch Issues with litterbox use and inappropriate marking are common in declawed cats and some declawed cats resort to biting — which can lead to infection in humans — to defend themselves because they no longer can with their claws All these behavioral issues can make it more likely that cats are surrendered to shelters There are many humane alternatives to control scratching behavior and behavioral training.    In June 2024, ALDF released poll results revealing 70 percent of veterinary professionals oppose cat declawing The poll also found that half of the veterinarians interviewed report that their practice does not perform any declawing procedures due to policy or no veterinarians willing to perform the procedure in addition to several other municipalities nationwide have already banned declawing cats with narrow exceptions for a cat’s health and Virginia has banned the procedure with limited exemptions Join the Animal Legal Defense Fund's email list to stay up to date on lawsuits The Downers Grove South High School teacher accused of sexually abusing a student wrote what police called a “memoir” about the matter on her phone Portions were cited in the request from prosecutors to detain Christina Formella is charged with one felony count of criminal sexual assault and two felony counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse She is accused of having sexual contact with a 15-year-old boy in December 2023 including an encounter before school in a classroom She is free on pretrial release and returns to court on April 14 The boy’s mother discovered text messages between the two She reported the texts to police on March 14 Downers Grove police searched Formella’s phone and found a “memoir” in the Notes app Formella accused the victim of cheating on her later telling police she meant emotionally authorities say she wrote that she had texted the victim repeatedly that they should break up until after he graduated Documents said she wrote that the victim “gaslit” her I'm the best thing you'll ever have even with all of my mistakes,” the note said Detectives say they found another entry from November 2024 that said the two would connect again soon and “get the closure we need in order to move on in a healthy way We will be able to be a part of each others lives forever.” The petition states Formella denied having sexual contact with the victim and that she told police she knew the relationship was wrong but she was unable to stop it because she cared about him Police said they found text messages on the victim’s phone including one they believe is from Formella stating Formella told police the victim had taken her phone deleted it from her phone and saved it to blackmail her She told police the notes were an outlet for her anxiety but that any reference to sex was about her husband ExpandDowners Grove native Rich Kulovany continues to recover from COVID-19 contracted in the first year of the pandemic In the five years since the U.S. first reeled from COVID-19, leaving no one unscathed, the novel coronavirus has remained all too familiar to one Downers Grove native “Family became so much more important after all of this,” Kulovany said “They gave me something to fight for and something to get back to.” 10 grandchildren and his first great-grandchild whose third birthday he recently celebrated with his heightened sense of thanksgiving Following 99 days in hospitals and extended reliance on a ventilator for every breath even as he continues to improve from long-lasting repercussions of the virus After falling ill in early December 2020 after exposure at his workplace 11 at Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital in Downers Grove with a fever topping 103 degrees and worsening pneumonia instead of the common isolation of hospitalized COVID patients his wife was able to visit him because she also had COVID and she spent three different nights in the same ward as her father his oxygen level had dropped to 62% (anything below 92% is cause for alarm) Downers Grove native Rich Kulovany lies in a medically induced coma after contracting COVID-19 in the first year of the pandemic intubated me and put me on a ventilator,” he said once you wake up you have to start fighting This one has been the toughest and longest fight of my life his family gathered with him remotely on a Zoom call “All thought they were saying goodbye to me that day it broke my heart to think what my family was going through at that time.” his family encouraged the hospital staff: “My dad’s a fighter,” one son told them Kulovany said he contracted COVID a month before the newly developed vaccine became available to the public instead of only health care professionals and first responders He’s taken advantage of the vaccines ever since “That disease caused so much damage,” he said “I know there are side effects to vaccines and I don’t minimize that but … when a disease takes you to death’s door he was put on a feeding tube and underwent a tracheostomy which kept him from speaking for about two months The more serious of two COVID-related strokes affected his peripheral vision “The damage to my hands and feet was caused by a combination of nerve impingement and oxygen deprivation to my extremities,” he said noting he required carpal tunnel surgery on both hands among various repair procedures to his body “This has been quite a journey,” he said of the many symptoms and complications “I didn’t realize how much my muscles had atrophied,” he said “It took two people to get me up out of bed [I took] three baby steps forward and three baby steps backward and collapsed on the bed and I was done for the day.” actually getting out of the hospital room door – that was a big deal," he said “Even when I was able to walk down the hall [it was with] IVs on one cart and the ventilator on another cart.” Kulovany served as a Downers Grove village commissioner from 2019 to 2023 and remembers participating by phone from his hospital bed for three meetings before arriving back in person to a warm welcome A smile says it all as Downers Grove native Rich Kulovany makes progress toward recovery after contracting COVID-19 in the first year of the pandemic but frequently is back in his hometown and stays deeply involved with the Downers Grove Historical Society serving as one of nine directors and on its events committee as well as assisting the Downers Grove Historic Home Program presented by the society and the Downers Grove Museum Kulovany believes he benefited from his philosophy of “taking care of yourself.” He had a fitness routine five days a week “I’m also an advocate for going to a doctor sooner than later if I have a medical issue,” he said comparing it to hearing a noise from the car brakes and choosing to either turn the radio on or get it fixed early Something he took from the experience is an even greater belief in the importance of making a difference “in whatever you’re doing small or large,” he said “Because hundreds of people were praying for me all around the country I believe my recovery was in a big part [an] answer to prayer.” Kulovany still looks back at social media posts his family made during his hospitalization Downers Grove native Rich Kulovany is welcomed back by family after surviving COVID-19 contracted in the first year of the pandemic “It was humbling … it just touches my heart." Renee TomellCovering the arts and entertainment scene in northern Illinois, with a focus on the Fox River Valley. When the futures of rare natural habitats and historic homes were threatened stepping up to strengthen the ranks of volunteer preservationists were members of the Pierce Downer’s Heritage Alliance They are taking a breather after decades of service to Downers Grove and are passing the torch of community activism Leading up to its incorporation as a nonprofit in 1996 the roots of the organization named after the village founder date back to the 1980s and the imperiled cause to save Lyman Woods from development “The folks who founded the Pierce Downer’s Heritage Alliance were essential in insuring that Lyman Woods was preserved,” said Ken Lerner of Downers Grove who chaired the organization from 2010 until it formally dissolved this year Lerner’s about to be honored by the Downers Grove Historical Society as the 2025 Historian of the Year at the annual event In a farewell letter on the Pierce Downer’s Heritage Alliance website treasurer and newsletter editor; and directors Marge Earl and Rich Kulovany “It has been our privilege to serve the Downers Grove community as an advocate for the preservation of natural and historic resources,” they wrote it has been a labor of love by an organization that brought together people whose varied skills and expertise were paired with the requisite passion and patience to fight many a battle fraught with setbacks before progress was achieved the group amassing an impressive track record along the way The Downers Grove Park District describes Lyman Woods as 150 acres of oak woods prairie and marsh habitats that support more than 300 species of native plants It includes glacially deposited hills and a 19-acre oak woods that has remained undisturbed since its purchase by the Lyman family in 1839 Another project helped save Belmont Prairie at Gelwicks Park one of the last original prairies in Illinois said his family has called Downers Grove home for six generations “I didn’t even know that Belmont Prairie was there; it (was) a somewhat hidden gem,” Kulovany said adding the heritage alliance would go on to arrange naturalist-led nature and wildflower walks at both the Lyman and Belmont sites And members could be found each quarter cleaning up Lyman Woods property between 31st and 39th streets as part of the Adopt-a-Highway program The Pierce Downer’s Heritage Alliance raised substantial funds for the Wonder Woods (formerly Little Sprouts) program a partnership between the park district and Downers Grove Grade School District 58 that creates a full-day field trip to Lyman Woods for first- through third-graders to build an appreciation for natural heritage notes the Downers Grove Historical Society in describing Lerner’s and the heritage alliance’s contributions The organization also assisted the village in securing grant funding for environmental projects and helped revitalize its Environmental Concerns Commission An annual Arbor Day planting would teach first-graders from Whittier Elementary School how to plant a tree at Patriots Park “The preservation of trees was always a big emphasis,” he said “The group would meet with the village forester in Downers Grove One of the projects was to actually drive through various neighborhoods in Downers Grove to spot locations to plant parkway trees.” Kulovany said he and fellow director Marge Earl pushed for a parkway tree protection ordinance “The best has come most recently in the last three years,” Lerner said “The village decided to implement the Greenest Region Compact in a most robust way that’s going to set the tone for many years to come in terms of implementing environmental initiatives on the part of the village It’s been very encouraging and gratifying to see the support this has gotten from the village council.” Goodman hopes that significant natural areas will continue to inspire future volunteers “They require constant attention and protection,” Goodman said “(It’s) an important component that each new generation needs to discover and appreciate.” Kulovany and Goodman remain involved with numerous Downers Grove causes When it comes to architectural preservation Lerner recalls the positives that followed a failed effort to preserve the 1898 Edwards House Its champions had included alliance members who raised money for the cause which they turned over to the newly formed Friends of the Edwards House a nonprofit that continues to work for historic preservation in Downers Grove He said the controversy over the Edwards House directed a lot more public attention to the issue of historic preservation the village appointed an ad hoc committee to review (the) historic preservation program,” Lerner said “It made some changes to the ordinance to make it easier to landmark your home … Now we have 34 or 35 landmarks in town.” The Pierce Downer's Heritage Alliance was an advocate for preservation of the 1846 Blodgett House an early residence of Israel and Avis Blodgett that was a stopover point on the Underground Railroad And they volunteered to help with the village’s Architectural and Historical Survey The Pierce Downer's Heritage Alliance announced it will give its remaining resources to three area environmental groups: The Conservation Foundation which presented the heritage alliance the 2015 Best Community Advocate award the Pierce Downer's Heritage Alliance currently continues to maintain its website a treasure trove of historical facts about the organization’s tireless efforts Goodman’s detailed history of all it took to save Lyman Woods is just part of its archives “There is no part of our work that’s being dropped it’s just being handed over to other people,” Kulovany said For the 2025 Northeastern Illinois Envirothon competition more than 145 students on 29 teams from 19 Northeastern Illinois high schools competed on the topics of aquatics wildlife and this year’s current issue: “Roots and Resiliency: Fostering Forest Stewardship in a Canopy of Change.” The Morton Arboretum Thornhill Education Center in Lisle was our gracious host site Congratulations to the Northeastern Regional winner Lane Tech College Prep in Chicago They persevered in a first-ever tiebreaker in this region The Northeastern Illinois Future Farmers of America division winner was Downers Grove North High School These teams will advance to the state competition at the 4-H Memorial Camp and Retreat Center in Monticello on May 5-6 State winners will go head-to-head in Alberta with the winning team receiving scholarships problem-solving event is coordinated by soil and water conservation districts nationwide challenging students in areas of environmental concern though written and laboratory tests • to test environmental knowledge and understanding of natural resource issues of today and into the future; • to cultivate future careers in environmental fields; • to hone team building and enhance communications skills Adlai Stevenson High School Team 1 took second place overall Glenbard West High School took overall third Northeastern Illinois Regional county winners are: Batavia High School (Kane) Plainfield South High School (Will) and Durand High School (Winnebago) all of the regional counties fielded teams The 2025 Northeastern Illinois Envirothon was coordinated by soil and water conservation districts from Boone This year’s sponsors included the Morton Arboretum For more information on Envirothon to plan for 2026 or to become a sponsor, visit kanedupageswcd.org/kd/envirothon 2025 at 8:42 am CT.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Democrats prevailed by wide margins in Downers Grove Township races in Tuesday's election IL – Downers Grove Township Democrats broke the Republican stranglehold on township offices in Tuesday's election It was the same GOP-controlled township that stayed publicly silent last year when a township trustee accused African American children of attacking whites in schools Democrat Kim Savage defeated Republican incumbent Paul Coultrap with 59 percent of the vote The four-member township board of trustees is changing to all-Democrat Richard Friel and Kevin Szczerba prevailed with wide margins over Republicans Theresa McClear defeated Republican David Smith with 58 percent (Chlystek was previously a Democrat.) And Democrat Amanda Roudebush cruised past Republican Jashmine Fuentes in the clerk's race with 59 percent DuPage County has moved to the Democratic column in recent elections as has been the case in suburbs across the country the GOP had held on to many of DuPage County's township governments chairman of the DuPage County Democratic Party claimed victory in 48 out of 49 contested partisan races in township elections He called it a "seismic shift" in local politics "Voters have made it crystal clear that they want leaders who will bring transparency and forward-thinking solutions to local government," McCollum said In March 2024, Downers Grove Township Trustee Kristina McCloy posted on the "Concerned Parents of Hinsdale" Facebook page about a DuPage County high school where she said an assailant stomped on a victim She said the victim was knocked unconscious "Black children on white children attacks are frequently trending on social media," said McCloy whom the board appointed the previous year parents and towns have been downplaying and even hiding it." "It isn't racist to call out what you are blatantly seeing," said McCloy who decided against running in the election "Society should be outraged if any race/gender was perpetually being targeted for brutal attacks Any adult complicit in letting this behavior persist provided no specific data on the race of attackers and victims in school incidents When Patch reported on McCloy's post last June McCloy also did not return messages for comment townships have three mandatory jobs – assess properties for tax purposes maintain roads in unincorporated areas and provide "general assistance" to the poor in limited circumstances Townships often have assumed other duties as well Downers Grove Township includes all or parts of Darien Editor's note: A previous version of this story wrongly stated Tom Chlystek ran as a Democrat Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. Downers Grove police are investigating an armed robbery that took place Friday on 75th Street. About 8:01 p.m., Downers Grove police responded to the 1600 block of 75th Street for a report of an armed robbery. An investigation indicates that two men were robbed by a male offender who pointed a firearm at them. The offender stole cash and two cell phones, police said. The victims described the offender as about 6 feet tall with a muscular build. He was wearing a black hooded sweater, black pants and a ski mask. He had shoulder-length dreads with yellow/gold highlights, authorities said. The offender left on foot traveling southbound across 75th Street. Police continue to investigate. Anyone with information about the robbery is asked to contact 630-434-5600. 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public radio’s first one-hour radio show and podcast dedicated to investigative reporting A weekly program presented by the New Yorker magazine’s editor killer beats and the edgiest new talent in storytelling come together for a weekly show that straps audiences into an audio rollercoaster Radiolab is known for its deep-dive journalism and innovative sound design Created in 2002 by former host Jad Abumrad the program began as an exploration of scientific inquiry Over the years it has evolved to become a platform for long-form journalism and storytelling Radiolab is hosted by Lulu Miller and Latif Nasser Laura Hois stands in Fishel Park in Downers Grove where she said she was prohibited from talking about her campaign for the DuPage County board last July Free speech zones proliferated on university campuses in the 1980s and 1990s to limit where protesters could demonstrate But the zones faded away in the 2000s after a series of court rulings determined such restrictions on public spaces violated the First Amendment Municipalities and schools could not legally place blanket bans on free speech in public areas — especially in parks that are considered community forums That’s why Laura Hois was surprised last July when she saw a 15-by-15-foot “free speech zone” marked in a corner of Fishel Park in Downers Grove She came to the park to promote her candidacy for the DuPage County Board before a concert But a Downers Grove Park District employee told her that she couldn’t mingle and talk politics with attendees She could only do so in the “free speech zone.” Photos of Fishel Park shows the 15-by-15-foot “free speech zone” in its southwest corner Civil rights groups agree with Hois that the Downers Grove Park District is overstepping in its attempt to restrict speech in its parks The First Amendment requires the municipalities govern free speech “with a scalpel director of public advocacy for the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression His group is demanding the park district change its ordinance that limits free speech in eight public spaces is the idea that the government can convert a traditional public forum into a non-public forum by fiat,” FIRE said in a March 6 letter to the park district “Under well-settled First Amendment doctrine The group is demanding a response from the park district which says it will reply by a March 20 deadline said the free speech zones were created last year out of a concern for safety The ordinance was made in response to national protests during President Donald Trump’s first term He pointed specifically to concerns about protesters and counter-protesters during a 2017 Toby Keith concert at Rib Fest in Naperville Free speech zones were also designated in McCoullum Park in Downers Grove Price said the ordinance is lawful because it only restricts free speech during park district programming such as soccer games or concerts “All we’re trying to do is guide you to the right places for a pop-up demonstration,” Price told the Sun-Times Terr said the ordinance is not clear if speech is allowed outside of free speech zones when park activities are not happening “The main problem with the ordinance is it claims no part of a public park is a public forum unless the government says so,” Terr said senior supervising attorney for ACLU Illinois said she found it “particularly disturbing” that the ordinance could be applied to a single person distributing literature in a park “That is a very unobtrusive type of speech that should be allowed in virtually every area of a public park unless there’s some particular reason why some area is unsuited for it,” Glenberg said In 2020, a federal judge struck down an ordinance in Chicago that limited speech in large parts of Millennium Park Several students from Wheaton College had sued the city of Chicago saying a municipal ordinance unconstitutionally prevented them from passing out religious materials An area akin to a free speech zone was created outside the Democratic National Convention last summer when the city confined protests and speeches to a park just north of the United Center “Generally we tend to look with disfavor on that,” Glenberg said Hois said she hopes the Downers Grove Park District ordinance is repealed She often walks around her hometown speaking with who she can about politics She said she thinks the ordinance targets conservatives such as her who are the minority in the western suburb “We can’t be silent about the expansion of the idea that free speech zones will be a thing now — that you’ll have to stand in a box to speak your mind.” Terms of Use • Privacy Notice • Cookie Policy • Terms of Sale While the case of a Downers Grove South High School teacher accused of sexually abusing and assaulting a student has garnered global attention don’t expect to see photos of her taken inside the courtroom DuPage County Judge Mia McPherson said “no” April 18 to The Daily Mail’s request to have a photographer take pictures and videos of the court proceedings regarding Christina Formella McPherson agreed with objections from Formella’s attorney and DuPage County prosecutors she was concerned because it is a sexual-crimes case and the complainant is a juvenile If the Daily Mail had been allowed to take photographs they would have had to share them with other media outlets per the state’s rules on photography in courtrooms “These videos and photographs will undoubtedly make its way to other media outlets whose main interest is to appeal to the salacious appetite of a certain segment of the population who has a bizarre fascination with the facts of this case,” two prosecutors argued in a written response to the Daily Mail’s request Defense attorney Todd Pugh wrote that tabloid reporters had harassed Formella and her neighbors He argued allowing photography would create a “heightened media spectacle” that could prejudice potential jurors The Daily Mail has photographed and video-recorded Formella outside of a family business a Daily Mail photographer did take video of Formella walking into the courthouse in Wheaton is charged with criminal sexual assault and two counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse of a then-15-year-old boy in 2023 The boy’s mother discovered text messages between the two in March The federal prosecutor who put away the man described as the world’s most prolific online drug dealer is now back at the U.S Boutros took the oath of office April 7 as the interim U.S attorney for the Northern District of Illinois “I am committed to working alongside old and new colleagues to tackle the important problems that face our district,” Boutros said I look forward to working with our law enforcement partners to continue the office’s long-standing tradition of pursuing justice on behalf of the citizens of the Northern District of Illinois.” It’s official: The Batavia Police Department’s comfort dog took her oath of office at a city council meeting Monday night The red fox Labrador retriever joined the department last August and has been busy undergoing obedience training She already has been to some community events and recently comforted a child during a stressful police call “She is probably one of the most popular city employees I have ever seen,” Mayor Jeff Schielke said “I think it (having a comfort dog) is going to have some magic moments.” since the department is housed beside the Fox River River was pretty chill throughout the ceremony stretching out as if prepared to take a little nap She will work with Community Policing Officer Liz Webb It’s bad enough when you go to a park or forest preserve and see litter — the U.S has had an anti-littering campaign for nearly 75 years Kane County Forest Preserve Police noted in their monthly report of March activities A witness called 911 to report seeing somebody back a rental truck up to the Fox River via a boat launch at Kenyon Farm Forest Preserve in South Elgin The person then threw trash into the river plastic bags and a “significant amount” of broken glass An officer located the truck several miles away and issued a citation for dumping The matter also was reported to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and community spirit as the Downers Grove Historical Society rolls out a full lineup of exciting events for FoundersFest 2025 swing into the festivities with a golf outing at the historic Belmont Golf Club and a “Night at the Tivoli,” featuring none other than Historian of the Year Ken Lerner Also see a documentary on the legendary Dr a Downers Grove resident and famed Manhattan Project scientist The Belmont Golf Club and the Downers Grove Historical Society are teaming up to bring you the 47th annual Pine Hollow Open from 11 a.m are eligible to compete in this nine-hole stroke play event Cost is $27 for residents and $31 for non-residents Call (630) 963-1306 for more information and to register On Saturday, April 26, help the Downers Grove Park District keep the parks clean and free of litter from 10 a.m. to noon. Join Greener Grove in picking up trash, spreading mulch, and more. Gloves will be provided. It is for ages 12 or older. Register via www.greenergrove.org. On Sunday, April 27, join the Downers Grove North High School’s Environmental Club as they host a tree planting event at Lyman Woods Interpretive Center, 901 31st St. It will be 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. For more information or registration, visit tinyurl.com/544cfmpu The annual fundraiser, “A Night at the Tivoli!,” will be 6 to 9:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 30, at the Tivoli Theatre, 5021 Highland Ave. Tickets are $10 via dghistory.org/event/night-at-the-tivoli-2025/ It kicks off with an organ performance by Taylor Trimby followed by a presentation on the history of the Tivoli Theatre by Steven Margison The Downers Grove Historical Society will be presenting the 2025 Historian of the Year award to Ken Lerner who is being honored for his decades-long involvement in preserving the village’s natural and architectural heritage “Historian of the Year” is an award that the historical society uses to recognize individuals who have significantly promoted and preserved Downers Grove History Attendees will then be among the first to see a new Downers Grove documentary The Historical Society is partnering with Jim Toth of Node Films to premiere his new documentary titled “Change: A Warming Warning” which tells the fascinating life story of one of Argonne National Laboratory’s renowned scientists This compelling film follows the life of this 102-year-old Downers Grove resident including his escape from Nazi Germany as a teenager to being recruited to the World War II Manhattan Project and how he ended up working at Argonne and settling in Downers Grove This documentary culminates with his groundbreaking contributions to the next generation of solar power come to a special Downers Grove FoundersFest presentation about the Edith Farnsworth House a Ludwig Mies van der Rohe-designed glass and steel house along the Fox River in Plano The Friends of the Edwards House will host “Hidden Histories of the Farnsworth House” from 7 to 8:30 p.m executive director of the Edith Farnsworth House will share some of the lesser-known details behind this iconic example of International Style architecture Doors open at 6:30 p.m. with light refreshments. The presentation begins at 7 p.m. Cost is $15. Sign up via dghistory.org start your day with the Family Bike Ride at the southeast corner of Fishel Park Join in this slow bicycle ride around the historic neighborhoods of Downers Grove All ages are welcome for this free family-friendly event part of the annual Downers Grove FoundersFest celebration This free event is hosted by Downers Grove Park District Additional parking is available at the new Civic Center parking lot (one block north of the museum) or at Lincoln Center (two blocks west of the museum) For a full schedule and details, go to dghistory.org/foundersfest/ 2025 at 11:26 am CT.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Downers Grove residents can buy barrels in various sizes to catch and conserve rainwater IL — April showers bring rain barrel sales back to the Village of Downers Grove for the 2025 spring season The rain barrels can help conserve water that can be tapped from a spout to repurpose for watering flowers the barrels can also help reduce residents' water bills according to a post on the village's website an overflow spout with threading for a garden hose and a bug screen Available sizes and prices are as follows: Customers who choose home delivery will be charged an additional fee Compost containers and barrel totes are also available Mail-in orders must include check payment and be received by June 12 Payment should be sent to Upcycle Products The deadline for online orders is June 15 The rain barrels will be available for pickup on June 19 between 3 p.m at the Downers Grove Public Works Facility Click the link to browse rain barrels for purchase ExpandDowners Grove North’s Ava Flynn wins the 100-meter hurdles during the Palatine girls track and field invitational on Saturday (Joe Lewnard/jlewnard@dailyherald/Joe Lewnard/jlewnard@dailyherald) PALATINE – The Palatine Invite brought out the best in girls track and field athletes Saturday afternoon under some pretty cool weather conditions Palatine senior Aisha Kazeem seized the moment by winning the 100-meter dash with a school record time of 12.29 seconds Kazeem is the defending Class 3A state champion in the 300-meter hurdles and she also won the 200-meter dash Saturday with a school record time of 25.08 seconds “I wasn’t even trying to get the school record and I think I can break 12 seconds in the 100 and 25 seconds in the 200,“ said Kazeem “The goal is to break the state record in the 300 (hurdles) and I just have to go out fast and finish strong.” “She (Kazeem) set two school records today and she has six varsity outdoor school records (100/200/100 hurdles/300 hurdles/long jump/4x100),” said Palatine coach Kevin Conway whose team will host the fabled Palatine Relays next weekend “Today was about getting all of our athletes a chance to compete on a Saturday with unlimited entries for all events.” winning five field events and four on the track In the field events, Downers Grove North teammates Caroline Phillip (4-11.75 in high jump) Anna Grapenthien (4.86 meters in long jump) Maya Nicholson (10.19 meters in triple jump) and Rylie Marshall (10.89 meters in shot put 34.45 meters in discus) all took first place DGN’s Ava Flynn was the 100-meter hurdles champion (16.25 seconds) while teammate Victoria Ingram (1:01.82) won the 400-meter run and Aniya Hubbard won the 4x200 in 1:49.76 “I thought Anna Grapenthien had a great day She is a freshman and she won the long jump and she took third in the 200,” said DGN coach Matt Maletich “Victoria (Ingram) looked good in the quarter and Rylie Marshall had a PR in the discus so she was excited about that.” Cary-Grove’s Alexandra Santoyo runs toward a victory in the 3,200-meter run during the Palatine girls track and field invitational on Saturday Wheeling got first-place finishes from Isabel Delgado (2:33.27) in the 800-meter run and freshman Sierra Kuhlman (50.24 seconds) in the 300-meter hurdles Wheeling junior state high jump qualifier Lindsay Kane is out for the season due to a torn ACL during the volleyball season “Isabel (Delgado) has been a joy to coach this season and she loves running the relays as well,” said Wheeling coach Alex Brown and she’s been dropping times like crazy in the 100 and 300 hurdles.” Libertyville’s 4x800 squad of Violet Young The Wildcats also got a first place from Francesca Crovetti (2.90 meters) in the pole vault Cary-Grove freshman Alexandra Santoyo won both the 1,600 (5:35.61), and 3,200-meter runs (12:20.74). Many of the top distance runners where held out of the meet so they could compete in the powerful Palatine Distance Night on Saturday night. Search autocomplete is currently not responding The annual Memorial Day Parade will be held on Monday The parade will travel south on Cass Avenue through downtown Westmont before heading east on Richmond Street and.. Steve Nero was sworn in as the new Mayor of Westmont Nero has served Westmont for the last 14 years as a Village Trustee Illinois – Date Issued: April 30 The Westmont Special Events Corporation and the Creative Arts Network initiative are excited to announce the Summer Window Mural Program The Village of Westmont hosted a special Planning & Zoning Commission meeting on April 23 to review proposed comprehensive updates to the Westmont Zoning Ordinance the Village has had internal discussions regarding the need for a new fire department headquarters,” said Village Manager Steve May “The conversation was put on hold as we focus.. The Westmont Public Works Department has scheduled an Open House for Saturday not-for-profit organization that oversees coordination of Taste of Westmont The Westmont Police Department provides a wide range of services for our citizens Below are just a few of the services available SAFE EXCHANGE ZONEThe Police Department has a designated Safe Exchange Zone (.. The Westmont Police Department and Dunkin will again participate in the annual Cop on a Rooftop campaign This year’s event is scheduled for Friday Illinois – Date Issued: March 21 The Westmont Lions Club invites everyone to Ty Warner Park in Westmont over Memorial Day weekend for the Spring Fling Festival The Spring Fling is a free event complete with live music the annual Race to the Flag 5K benefitting People’s Resource Center (PRC) will take place Memorial Day Weekend Illinois – Date Issued: April 21 Westmont is always busy with various economic development projects Once a project has reached a stage in which up-to-date reporting is available then the Village shares this information with the .. the Village of Westmont held a small group meeting with area homebuilders and developers to solicit feedback regarding perceptions of Westmont’s development and permitting process DuPage County recently announced the launch of Text-to-911 a vital emergency communication tool allowing residents to send text messages directly to 911 when calling is not possible Illinois – Date Issued: April 25 Westmont Chief of Police Jim Gunther made his final 10-42 sign-off to conclude his official tenure with the Westmont Police Department Mayor Ron Gunter presented recognition awards to two dedicated public servants: Village Manager Steve May and Trustee Harold Barry III At the annual Westmont Community Awards Dinner held at the Hilton Chicago/Oak Brook Hills Resort on April 14 Joseph Moffa was named the 2024 Westmont Citizen of the Year Illinois – Date Issued: April 17 At the Westmont Community Awards Banquet on April 17 Michael Bueser was named the Westmont Public Servant of the Year.  “Mike has been a great asset to our Public Works team,&amp.. Illinois – Date Issued: April 11 Updated garbage collection and water distribution fees will go into effect on May 1 Water distribution rate increases are related to various factors including fee adjustments by the DuPage W.. The Westmont Tree Planting Incentive Program encourages residents to plant trees on their private properties The intent of the program is to increase Westmont’s tree canopy cover and species divers.. the Westmont Fire Department received a call that a pedestrian was struck by a westbound METRA BNSF commuter train near the Westmont Train Depot The Westmont Fire Department arrived at .. The Westmont Village Hall and Village Department offices will be closed to the public on Friday Normal business hours for the Village Hall and Village Departments wi.. Following their very successful fundraising campaign in 2024 the Westmont Police Department is planning to host a number of upcoming events to support and benefit Special Olympics Illinois.&nbs.. Illinois – Date Issued: February 19 and organizations are able to sign up and participate in the Adopt-A-Planter Program The program invites citizens to get involved with the design and maintenance of villa.. Illinois – Date Issued: March 20 The Westmont Park District has scheduled several Springtime events that offer fun and recreation for all ages  Following are several upcoming events: and other community improvement projects are important and beneficial for the entire community they can be a challenge for both pedestrians and motorists At the March 3 Environmental Improvement Committee (EIC) meeting Jim Kleinwachter from The Conservation Foundation talked about the programs and mission for their organization as well as provided specific .. Homeowners and professional excavators in Illinois are reminded to contact JULIE at 8-1-1 or JULIEBeforeYouDig.com before every digging project As an official Dementia-Friendly community and other public agencies continue to promote education and awareness opp.. Illinois – Date Issued: January 31 the Village of Westmont will again be accepting grant applications for the Downtown Incentive Program The purpose of the program is to provide grants to owners of do.. The Village of Westmont Environmental Improvement Committee is once again partnering with eWorks and DuPage County to give the community and area citizens an op.. and the Creative Arts Network initiative have announced their Spring Window Mural Program Illinois – Date Issued: February 12 The Westmont Environmental Improvement Committee (EIC) will host various guest speakers throughout the year at their monthly meetings which are now held at the Westmont Public Library in the Kw.. Downers Grove Township serves a total of 10 communities including the majority of Westmont residents which is the location for senior services and programs Illinois – Date Issued: March 25 “This is a significant moment for our Village in terms of community development,” said Community Development Director Joe Hennerfeind “While updates and changes to code are always ongoing based on evolving c.. Illinois – Date Issued: February 5 the Village of Westmont Environmental Improvement Committee (EIC) and the Westmont Public Works Department are working together to coordinate their annual tree seedling gi.. Westmont Public Library is hosting its annual Gardening Expo on Saturday The event will include local gardening vendors educational groups sharing information an.. Illinois – Date Issued: March 12 The Westmont Police Department will once again participate in the annual National Drug Take Back Day sponsored by the United States Drug Enforcement Administration The Taiwanese American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Chicago (TECO) and the New Era Culture and Education Foundation are hosting a special cultural event featuring a rare and exciting performance by the in.. partnering with area business Cutting Edge Document Destruction will co-host two paper shredding events in 2025 to benefit Special Olympics Illinois The Westmont Chamber of Commerce will be hosting the annual Westmont Community Awards Dinner at the Hilton Chicago/Oak Brook Hills Resort on April 14 This event honors the recipients of the numerous a.. Political and other corrugated plastic and cardboard yard signs will be collected for recycling at the Westmont Electronics & More Recycling Event on Saturday Illinois – Date Issued: February 6, 2025 Village Manager Steve May announced his intention to retire from the position of Village Manager on June 1 of this year Illinois – Date Issued: February 28 Registered voters will have the opportunity to vote in the Spring Consolidated Election on April 1  Following are some of the local elections that will be on the ballot: our efforts to protect the habitat of local pollinators have gone well,” said Environmental Improvement Committee (EIC) Chair Bruce Barker Illinois – Date Issued: January 8 The Westmont Fire Department is once again hosting its Citizens Fire Academy (CFA) this spring The classes will be held in person at the Johanik Fire Station Headquarters The Westmont Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Bureau has announced its 9th annual Westmont Restaurant Week to be held Thursday Illinois – Date Issued: February 21 2025 Village of Westmont Administration/Finance Committee meeting Westmont Fire Chief Steve Riley and staff recognized Fire Department personnel for their excellent service... At the February 6 Westmont Public Safety Committee Meeting the Westmont Police Department (WPD) recognized several individuals for outstanding service WPD Employee Of The YearRecords Coordinator Natalie .. Illinois – UPDATED - Date Issued: February 12 Illinois – Date Issued: November 24 The Village of Westmont coordinates snow removal operations and strives to ensure that village roads are plowed and safe fo.. Illinois – Date Issued: February 7 the Westmont Police Department (WPD) was recognized by Special Olympics Illinois with the Flame of Hope Award the Village Board discussed the authorization for Westmont to continue to collect a grocery sales tax of 1% that was previously collected automatically by the State of Illinois after a comprehensive study of Village water system needs the Village Board approved a new water rate billing structure that create.. Illinois – Date Issued: October 29 As part of an official Dementia-Friendly community and other public agencies continue to promote education and awareness opportunities to .. Illinois – Date Issued: December 10 Illinois – Date Issued: October 11 The Village of Westmont is once again teaming up with Elgin Recycling to provide a holiday lights recycling collection in the Village of Westmont Collection containers will be placed at two loca.. Illinois – Date Issued: December 6 Flood Brothers has indicated that there will be a limited service interruption today  Alley pick-ups for the following stree.. Illinois – Date Issued: October 30 Flood Brothers will be providing holiday tree pickup service from December 26 Holiday trees should be put out to be collected for composting along with your other .. the holidays can be the most difficult time of the year A 2021 survey showed that 60% of all Americans feel their mental health is negatively impacted by the holidays Illinois – Date Issued: December 12 The Westmont Park District will host its annual Winter Beer Fest on Saturday Last year’s event featured numerous craft beer selections.. Illinois – Date Issued: January 10 Mayor Ron Gunter and the Village Board as well as friends and family of Virginia “Jinny” Szymski celebrated her 28 years of elect.. 2025 Environmental Improvement Committee meeting at the Westmont Public Library it was announced that the Village of Westmont has earned the SolSmart Silver status Illinois – Date Issued: November 11 Village of Westmont offices will be closed to the public on various holidays over the next several months  Following is the holiday schedule through the end of February 2025 the City of Chicago will be making changes in their water treatment program that addresses the goal of reducing lead levels in water Good communication is important to the Village of Westmont and timely information for our citizens is vital to the success of our community Illinois – Date Issued: December 18 The Village of Westmont would like to remind residents about the importance of proper and responsible salt use during snow and ice removal  According to a report from the Ill.. Illinois – Date Issued: November 20 The holiday season is approaching and that means many people will be working overtime in their kitchens According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and National Fire Incident R.. With more than 1300 fire hydrants in the community the Westmont Fire Department is asking residents to help them remove snow around hydrants the Village of Westmont and the Westmont Chamber of Commerce seek nominations for the Westmont Citizen of the Year Award  The award is given to a resident who has demonstrated exempla.. Mayor Ron Gunter and Trustee Marie Johanik-Guzzo swore in Lieutenant Stephanie Grimm to the rank of Captain Grimm started her career with the Westmont Fire.. Illinois – Date Issued: December 20 Westmont Police Chief Gunther and the Westmont Police Department were recognized for achieving reaccreditation with the Illinois Law Enforcement A.. The Westmont Police Department had another record-breaking year fundraising for Special Olympics Illinois in 2024 “I want to thank everyone involved with this year’s effort,” said Sgt Illinois – Date Issued: September 27 The DuPage County Community Services Department as administrator of the Energy Assistance Program in DuPage County has announced that funds are available to assist income-eligible households .. Illinois - Date Issued: December    4 Citizens are encouraged to keep their homes and property safe by following the 9 P.M  The routine reminds residents to make sure they follow a s.. Illinois – Date Issued: December 26 The water boil order for properties affected by this water main break and repair was lifted on Tuesday All properties affected received a direct notification from .. the Village Board reviewed a report from Raftelis regarding a comprehensive rate study and recommendation to sustainably fund the Village’s wa.. Members of the Village of Westmont municipal organization were recently recognized for their years of service "We thank all of our staff for their service and dedication to the community," said.. “While the holidays are a wonderful time of year for friends and families it is important to remember to be vigilant regarding fire safety,” said Westmont Fire Chief Steve Riley The Westmont Fire Department will once again be helping with the coordination of the Toy Express program The Toy Express Collection was created in 1990 to make sure that area children in need would receiv.. Illinois – Date Issued: November 27 The Village of Westmont contracts with Flood Brothers to provide various services including brush pick-up These programs go on hiatus during the winter mon.. Illinois – Date Issued: November 12 The Village of Westmont has recently begun using a new online credit card processor credit card information from the previous vendor will not be shared with the new.. Holly Days is a month-long celebration of fun for the whole family hosted by a variety of Westmont organizations and public agencies The highlight of the season is the Frosty & Friends Parade followed by.. Illinois – Date Issued: November 6 The Westmont Special Events not-for-profit organization and Creative Arts Network window mural program is gearing up for the winter Dozens of businesses and local artists have participated in th.. Illinois – Date Issued: December 3 The Westmont Board of Fire and Police Commissioners is accepting applications now through Monday for Lateral Transfer Police Officers (sworn officers who are elig.. Residents are encouraged to recycle their used vegetable cooking oil on the Saturday after Thanksgiving  To prepare your used oil for recycling local businesses on West Quincy Street in downtown Westmont will be offering specials and entertainment for the new eve.. As part of the contract between the Village of Westmont and Flood Bros. there will be free leaf collection beginning Monday and DuPage County to give the community and area citizens an opportunity to properly di.. The Village of Westmont Environmental Improvement Committee (EIC) and Flood Brothers Disposal are partnering to create the 2024 Green Business & Residential Recycling Contest Illinois – Date Issued: October 22 Grant funds remain in the Village of Westmont Downtown Incentive Program and applications are still being accepted Up to $50,000 is available for individual grants The Village of Westmont contracts with Flood Brothers to provide a variety of services including a seasonal Brush Pickup Program which runs approximately April through mid-December.  The Westmont Dark Sky Grant Program is intended to incentivize Westmont residents and businesses to consider changes to their properties that will reduce or even eliminate unnecessary light pollution Illinois – Date Issued: September 17 To help prevent flooding and clogged sewers residents are asked to help keep all excess fallen leaves cleared from their yards Maintaining your property and raking leaves .. Illinois – Date Issued: August 14 Flood Brothers became the official garbage disposal and recycling collection vendor for the Village of Westmont Flood Brothers provides a variety of services for the community .. In an effort to improve the customer experience the Village of Westmont is moving to a new credit card processor for online bill payments Illinois – Date Issued: September 10 The next Westmont Special Events and Creative Arts Network window mural program theme will be ‘FALLing In Love With Art’ DuPage County and the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) are hosting an open house for the DuPage County Safety Action Plan The open house will take place at the Bensenville Community Public .. As part of the Wicked West Fest Celebration Westmont Special Events is coordinating its annual Halloween Home & Business Decorating Contest If you or someone you know has decorated your home or busine.. The Westmont Village Hall and Village Department offices will be closed on Monday  Normal business hours for the Village Hall and Village Departme.. Illinois – Date Issued: October 16 the Village of Westmont promotes Halloween recommendations in an effort to help ensure citizen safety while trick-or-treating Following are this year’s guidelines there were several Wicked West Fest events including the Trick-or-Treat Trail and Casket Races held in downtown Westmont The weather was perfect and the event ha.. Illinois – Date Issued: October 21 is a voting location in DuPage County for the Fall 2024 election  Eligible DuPage County voters may vote early at this location from Mon.. the Village Board approved their annual audit for the fiscal year 2024 covering the period May 1 “This is a required audit that comprehensively.. Mark your calendars and get ready for Wicked West Fest 2024 Wicked West Fest is a month-long celebration of Fall and Halloween events and activities  Following are some of this year’s hig.. 2024The 2024 Fall General Election is scheduled for Tuesday The DuPage County Clerk/Election Division oversees all aspects of voting in DuPage County elections At the October 17 Westmont Public Safety Committee Meeting the Westmont Police Department recognized several individuals for outstanding service as well as swore in five new officers Illinois – Date Issued: August 15 and other public agencies continue to promote education a.. The Westmont Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Bureau recently celebrated their 50th Anniversary The Westmont Chamber was incorporated on September 5 and has played an important role in the communi.. the Westmont Village Board approved a National Suicide Prevention + Action Month Proclamation (N.S.P.A.M.P.) declaring September as National Suicide Prevention Month in the V.. Westmont Public Works is hosting an Oak-toberfest on Friday 2024 at NEAT Kitchen + Bar from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m This event is for any resident who would like to receive ONE free Oak tree seedling.. Westmont Village Hall and Village Department offices will be closed  Normal business hours for the Village Hall and Village Departments will resume on Tuesday Metra recently installed a new Ticket Vending Machine (TVM) at the Westmont train station The TVM allows passengers the opportunity to purchase tickets prior to boarding the train and will reduce cash coll.. The Westmont Police Department will be offering two community outreach programs each with the goal of creating positive interactions with the public and sharing information regarding the duties and respons.. The purpose of the program is to provide grants to owners of downtown properties.. The Village of Westmont is now offering online express permitting for certain residential roofing and window/door replacement projects “One of the goals for the Village is to improve efficiency in regard to .. The Westmont Fire Department has scheduled its Annual Open House Event for Saturday partnering with local business Cutting Edge Document Destruction will co-host a paper shredding event to benefit Special Olympics Illinois on Saturday The Village of Westmont uses the Downers Grove Sanitary District as one of two wastewater treatment centers The Downers Grove Sanitary District is hosting an Open House on October 5 DuPage County Stormwater Management and the Elmhurst History Museum will be offering an opportunity for a public tour of its Elmhurst Quarry Flood Control Facility on Saturday Westmont Public Library (WPL) is once again hosting their annual Monarch Festival This year’s event will take place Saturday 10 a.m to Noon at Ty Warner Park in the main pavilion o.. The Westmont Police and Fire Departments encourage everyone to quickly call 9-1-1 whenever there is an emergency situation people hesitate before calling 9-1-1 because they are questioning their .. The Westmont Police Department will be hosting their second annual golf outing fundraiser to support Special Olympics Illinois on Friday The event will be held at Village Greens of Woodridge The Westmont Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Bureau will host the annual Pets in the Park event on Saturday Westmont Village Hall and all Village Department offices will be closed on Labor Day  Normal business hours for the Village Hall and Village Departments will resume on Tue.. The Village of Westmont regretfully announces the passing of Trustee Frank Brady Brady was very active in the community for almost three decades since moving to Westmont in 1996 Westmont emergency services were dispatched to Westmont Manor Nursing Home Ogden to respond to an activated fire alarm at 4:34 a.m DuPage County recently announced their Veterans Resource Fair in the first floor auditorium of the JTK Administration Building at 421 N “We’ve been talking about the idea of creating more public spaces in the downtown for some time now,” said Trustee Bruce Barker chair of the Environmental Improvement Committee (EIC) The DuPage County Health Department (DCHD) has confirmed several mosquito traps tested positive for West Nile Virus (WNV) this year in DuPage County The Village of Westmont is currently working on a water main improvement project on north Warwick Avenue from Burlington Avenue to Naperville Road the independent not-for-profit organization that hosts Westmont Cruisin’ Nights and other community events would like to remind participants of Cruisin&.. The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline offers 24/7 call and chat access to trained crisis counselors who can help people who are experiencing concerns with suicide businesses and government agencies to join the Cool DuPage effort to reduce energy consumption we can help DuPage County reduce greenhouse gasses through.. With the Taste of Westmont coming to town this weekend WGN’s Spotlight Chicago reached out to the Westmont Special Events organization to help promote the event and some of our local restaurants The Village of Westmont contracts with Clarke Mosquito Management to help control adult mosquito populations As part of Clarke’s comprehensive mosquito management program The Westmont Park District has scheduled several Movies Under The Stars and Concerts In The Park events for this Summer Dementia Friends Illinois is encouraging everyone to sign up and be a dementia friend on June 20 which is the summer solstice and the longest day of the year Dementia Friends encourages people to bring awar.. The Village of Westmont is accepting applications for the positions of Firefighter/EMT-B Firefighter/Paramedic and Emergency Management Agency volunteers for the Westmont Fire Department According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) fireworks started an estimated 12,264 fires in 2021 the Village of Westmont and the Westmont Special Events Corporation (WSEC) organize a Community-Wide Garage Sale event encouraging residents to hold their garage sales during the same weekend to p.. The Village of Westmont is dedicated to providing residents and businesses with a dependable supply of safe drinking water the Village of Westmont publishes the Consumer Confidence Repor.. The Westmont Police Department has scheduled their National Night Out event for Tuesday at Ty Warner Park in the southwest pavilion on Burr Oak Drive At the June 13 Westmont Fire Public Safety Committee Meeting Fire Chief Steve Riley recognized Fire Department personnel for their excellent service  Several members of the Westmont Fire .. The schedule for the 2024 Taste of Westmont has been confirmed the Taste of Westmont will be held July 11 13 & 14 on Cass Avenue in Downtown We.. An Illinois Law Enforcement Accreditation Program (ILEAP) evaluation team is scheduled to comprehensively assess the Westmont Police Department's policies DuPage County is seeking feedback from residents regarding County programs and initiatives. The results of the online survey will assist the County in determining budget priorities the Westmont Fire and Police Departments will host one Kids Safety Camp This will be the first time that the camp will be a 3-day program The Westmont Finance Department was recently notified that they have earned the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting by the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) for the fi.. co-hosted by the Westmont Park District and the Village of Westmont will be held at Ty Warner Park on Thursday many people will set goals and begin to make plans to update their homes and businesses  The Village appreciates these updates and wants to be sure they are done in .. VILLAGE OF WESTMONT31 W. Quincy StreetWestmont, IL 60559630-981-6200 It wasn’t quite Dean Smith and the four corners but Downers Grove North slowed the pace of Tuesday’s Class 4A Benet Academy sectional semifinal against Bolingbrook just enough and upset the top-seeded Raiders 29-26 to advance to Friday night’s championship game against the winner of Wednesday’s Benet Academy-Waubonsie Valley matchup The Trojans routinely went more than a minute without shooting throughout the contest That kept the high-powered Bolingbrook offense on the defensive side of the ball hit a 3-pointer from the left wing with 4:13 remaining to tie the game at 24 Neither team scored again until the 1:32 mark when Richtman connected again from the left wing for a 27-24 lead had a quick answer with a short jumper in the lane with 1:20 left to pull the Raiders (29-5) to within 27-26 Bolingbrook’s Trey Brost forced a turnover The Raiders ran the clock down to 12 seconds before Thompson began a drive into the lane and North’s Jack Crowley grabbed the rebound and was fouled with 5 seconds left He made both free throws — the only free throws the Trojans shot all night — and Brady Pettigrew’s 3-point attempt at the buzzer missed sending the sizable Downers North student section streaming onto the floor in celebration “Our offense wasn’t much different than it has been all year,” Richtman said “We want to make sure we have the best shot and not force any shots we have been just going out there and having fun and staying loose “We don’t worry about makes or misses as long as we are getting the best shot.” Richtman had good shots all night as he went 4 of 6 from 3-point range Fellow senior Crowley finished with nine points and Nolan Hurter added six points to offset a scoreless night from Bobby Grganto after the Wisconsin-Stevens Point commit went for 20 in Friday’s regional title win over West Aurora which started as a 2-3 zone and morphed into man-to-man at times and the kids executed very well,” Downers Grove North coach Jim Thomas said “This was all about the seniors stepping up We have 11 of them on the team this year and a lot of them sat behind a good group last year They got their chance this year and have taken advantage To win a game like this without Bobby scoring says a lot about the rest of the team “I don’t think we talked about offense all week at practice Bolingbrook is very physical on defense and very fast to rotate It’s hard for us to even simulate that in practice We were more concerned with slowing down their three studs [Thompson Brady Pettigrew and Valparaiso commit JT Pettigrew] Bolingbrook got a pair of deep 3-pointers from Thompson in the first quarter to move out to a 10-2 lead but Richtman drained a 3-pointer at the buzzer to close it to 10-5 The Raiders opened the second with three free throws by Kendall Cutler and a 3-pointer by Brady Pettigrew to take a 16-5 lead but North got a putback basket by Hurter and a steal and layup by Crowley to close to within 16-9 at halftime The Trojans opened the third quarter with four straight points getting a basket each by Hurter and Crowley to make it 16-13 before Brady Pettigrew scored for Bolingbrook to make it 18-13 Crowley answered with a 3-pointer with 3:04 left in the third but JT Pettigrew converted an old-fashioned three-point play to make it 21-16 A free throw by Brost put Bolingbrook ahead 22-16 before Richtman hit a 3-pointer just before the end of the quarter to make it 22-19 entering the fourth A basket by Hurter with 7 minutes to play pulled North to within 22-21 before Thompson scored on a nifty baseline drive for a 24-21 Bolingbrook lead “Give Downers Grove credit,” Bolingbrook coach Rob Brost said We had our chances and got some good looks We had chances when we were up six that would have put us up eight 2025 at 1:40 am CT.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Christina Formella pleaded not guilty to felony charges in connection with accusations that she sexually assaulted a student at Downers Grove South High School (DuPage County State's Attorney's Office)DOWNERS GROVE IL — A woman accused of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old student during a tutoring session at Downers Grove South High School has pleaded not guilty entered a not guilty plea Monday to felony charges of aggravated criminal sexual assault criminal sexual assault and aggravated sexual abuse in connection with the December 2023 incident Formella was arrested during a traffic stop on March 16 Formella shared text messages with the boy that were later found by his mother The DuPage County Children’s Advocacy Center began an investigation after the mother reported the alleged incident to them Formella are extremely disturbing,” DuPage County State's Attorney Robert Berlin said in a statement after Formella's arrest Community High School District 99 told Patch Formella had been placed on administrative leave After the charges were made public in March Downers Grove South Principal Arwen Lyp shared the following statement with Downers Grove High School parents and staff Formella had been granted pretrial release but is prohibited from going into Downers Grove South High School or interacting with anyone younger than 18 years old Court records show the case has been continued until June 17 2025 at 3:30 pm CT.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Crews are set to begin work on an Andy's Frozen Custard that aims to open by the end of summer in Downers Grove (Downers Grove Economic Development Corporation)DOWNERS GROVE it's anticipated that Downers Grove residents will be lining up to cool off with treats from Andy's Frozen Custard Crews recently broke ground for the custard shop which will be located at Washington and Ogden “This is one of the more exciting developments on Ogden Avenue in a while," Downers Grove Economic Development Corporation President and CEO Bryan Gay told Patch "Everybody’s excited about ice cream and the opportunity to go there.” Gay said the team behind Andy's Frozen Custard anticipates the Downers Grove shop will be among the top five or ten locations from its roster of more than 300 stores Related: Council OKs Special Use Permit, Rezoning For Andy's Frozen Custard Developers and village officials donned hard hats on March 25 for the ceremonial groundbreaking kind of an eyesore in our Ogden Avenue corridor," Gay said the site was home to a building that housed engineering offices Crews demolished those buildings in early March to begin bringing the Andy's Frozen Custard building to life Gay said the development has been "one of those projects that we had worked on as a team for the better part of 18 months." “To finally see the ceremonial shovel go into the ground and have that big exhale and seeing it move forward is really exciting for us." The 1,960 square foot restaurant will feature a two-lane drive-thru to accommodate more customers as they choose from concretes, sundaes, banana splits, take-home pints and other goodies featured on the Andy's Frozen Custard menu Gay said he's looking forward to indulging in the shop's vanilla custard once it opens He might even add some of the Andy's Frozen Custard caramel toffee crunch to celebrate the occasion It's anticipated the Andy's Frozen Custard will be open by mid- or late August ExpandPeople vote Tuesday at the DuPage County Fairgrounds in Wheaton (Brian Hill/bhill@dailyherald.com/Brian Hill/bhill@dailyherald.com) Incumbent Chris Gilmartin was joined Tuesday by newcomers Rob Roe and Tammy Sarver in gaining seats on the Downers Grove Village Council With nearly 100% of the ballots tabulated, Chris Gilmartin garnered 6,322 votes, according to unofficial results from the DuPage County County Clerk’s office. Sarver was second with 5,629 votes followed by Roe, who garnered 4,835 votes, according to unofficial results. The race was rounded out by Matthew Novak, who has captured 2,897 votes; Paul Drabik, who picked up 2,757 votes; and Thomas Cawthorne, who has received 2,016 votes, according to unofficial results. ExpandPaul Drabik (Photo provided by Paul Drabik ) Occupation and employer: Financial Data Sales I am a current Downers Grove Human Services Commission member I have held an elected position as a Republican Committeeman Campaign Website: https://www.pauldrabik.com/ Education: Bachelor’s of Science, Organizational Development - Eastern Illinois University Master’s of Science, Communication - Northwestern University Community Involvement: F3 - Men’s wellness group. We are a workout group specific to men. We workout in parks like McCollum in the early mornings. We also do charity work and raise money for groups like VET Service Dogs, and collect food and donations for food pantries and similar organizations. Marital status/Immediate family: I have a wife and 2 children. I’m a lifelong resident of DuPage County. I grew up next door in Westmont. My mother is an avid reader and even worked at Anderson’s Book Shop when I was a young boy. She used to take me to the library in Downers Grove before Westmont upgraded their library. My wife is a lifelong resident of Downers Grove and I was happy to follow her here to start, and raise, our family here. I am a father and an active member of the community. I’m uniquely positioned to be a representative of the community given my background in public service. Growing up in Westmont I worked in public works for 5 summers. Taking on work like concrete, blacktop, sewer maintenance, brush cleanup amongst other things I learned the value of hard work. I also learned not to take for granted our streets and village infrastructure and especially the people who maintain it. I am also a member of a men’s wellness group in Downers Grove. We focus on physical fitness and charity work. It is mostly made up of fathers in the community. It is a good source of networking and understanding the family makeup of our community. On top of this I have served with both the American Legion and VFW over the years. Lastly, I have been a member of the Downers Grove Human Services Commission since 2022. Our mandate is to help the Downers Grove Social Worker advocate and provide awareness to the community on the different social services available to the public. This has been a wonderful opportunity for me to get involved and understand the variable needs of Downers Grove citizens. My professional background in data has also afforded me an analytical lens through which to view the world. I believe my diverse background and commitment to public service uniquely suits me to represent the community. I would put up my record of service against any candidate in this race. I do support this concept. I don’t pretend to have the authority to enforce this myself. As an elected public official I would vote in favor of such an ordinance or piece of legislation. I have an open door policy. I would speak to anyone that wishes to have a conversation. I do have a day job but my goal would be to speak to everyone who wishes to engage me in conversation. ExpandDowners Grove North players including Bobby Grganto clebrate the Trojans’ 52-45 victory over West Aurora during the Class 4A Downers Grove South regional final on Friday DOWNERS GROVE – Bobby Grganto, Jack Crowley and Downers Grove North’s senior class have lived in the shadows of the last two classes to come through the program but not much was expected of the Trojans this season after back-to-back sectional championships nobody thought we were going to do too much,” Downers Grove North coach Jim Thomas said “This was their opportunity to prove their worth.” As Thomas stood on the ladder in front of his team whipping the regional net before hanging on the empty rim Crowley hit big shots to help the Trojans pull away in the third quarter and Downers Grove North locked down defensively to beat West Aurora 52-45 to win the Class 4A Downers Grove South Regional title “Every day we just came to work,” Crowley said “We have a plaque on our board that says ‘win the day.’ Day by day we’re focused on one day and one day at a time and it’s a blast playing with each other.” He tag-teamed with fellow post Aidan Akkawi to score 18 of Downers Grove North’s 25 points in the first half and finished with 20 points and five rebounds Akkawi had eight points and nine rebounds for the Trojans (25-8) he has a really strong body – he is going to be a hell of a player up at Stevens Point," Thomas said “Any time you get the ball in his hands around the rim Downers Grove North's Bobby Grganto makes a strong move to the basket between West Aurora's Terrence Smith and Travis Brown during the Class 4A Downers Grove South regional final on Friday which saw starting post Gabe Gonzales pick up two quick fouls who shot 8-for-14 with his makes all coming at the rim which entered Friday riding a 16-game winning streak since the return of Iowa football recruit Terrence Smith matched it early in a back-and-forth first half Sophomore guard Travis Brown and Kael Adkins each hit two 3s in the first half taking West Aurora into the break down 25-23 managed just seven points and three field goals over the first 12 minutes of the second half Back-to-back Grganto baskets ballooned Downers Grove North’s lead to 47-30 with 4:16 left “They’re a tough defense to crack with their zone that they play,” West Aurora coach Mike Fowler said “You have to make sure that when you get the opportunity They make you search for shots for a long time.” Downers Grove North's Aidan Akkawi dives for a loose ball between West Aurora's Gabriel Gonzales and Kael Adkins during the Class 4A Downers Grove South regional final on Friday added a third 3 during a 9-0 run that pushed the lead to double figures and luckily I caught two on the wing and let it fly,” Crowley said “They are so good defensively; you can’t beat them with one pass started on the inside and in the second half we found our rhythm from the outside.” West Aurora picked up its pressure defense late to make a late charge and Smith scored six of his 10 points in the fourth quarter But Downers Grove North kept distance by hitting five free throws late who Thomas noted also won a regional back in 2019 at Downers Grove South advance to face top-seeded Bolingbrook on Tuesday at Benet in a rematch of last year’s sectional final “All year we have been doubted,” Grganto said but we played through it and got a regional championship.” Adkins scored 15 points and Brown nine for West Aurora dropped their last two games of December and then ripped off their 16-game win streak that included an Upstate Eight Conference title “It was a crazy rollercoaster,” Adkins said 2025 at 10:59 pm CT.css-79elbk{position:relative;}With more than 99 percent of votes tabulated Sarver and Roe were poised to win the race for seats on the Downers Grove Council IL — With more than 99 percent of votes tabulated Chris Gilmartin was set to retain his seat on the Downers Grove Village Council and Tammy Sarver and Rob Roe were poised to win the other two open seats for the 2025 consolidated election in Illinois Here's a look at the Downers Grove Village Council unofficial race results as of 10:28 p.m. Chris Gilmartin (incumbent): 6,322Matthew J Drabik: 2,757Rob Roe: 4,835Tammy Sarver: 5,629Thomas Cawthorne: 2,016 Chris Gilmartin serves on the Downers Grove Village Council and is a member of the Downers Grove Economic Development Corporation he served as a member of the Downers Grove Human Services Committee Gilmartin's priorities include expanding the village's social services supporting measures that encourage active mobility and supporting diverse business developments His campaign website states that Gilmartin "has revitalized blighted areas and championed a vision for a pedestrian-first Village that prioritizes safety Chris’s gratitude for the Village that welcomed him drives his passion to continue improving Downers Grove for all residents." Novak has been awarded a Cook County Sheriff Law Enforcement Medal of Valor and a Life Saving Award He currently serves as chairman of the Downers Grove Traffic and Parking Commission I have developed critical skills of compassion I operate my daily life to treat others as I want to be treated and focus on the needs of the community as a whole During my service as Chair of the Downers Grove Traffic and Parking Commission I have experienced the value of contributing to the safety of our community for all who live or visit our village I've seen the incredible work that our staff does on a daily basis to keep the village running efficiently I want to continue to be a part of helping the village thrive for everyone who visits or calls our village home." Drabik is a member of the Downers Grove Human Services Commission He also serves as a member of the local VFW and American Legion Drabik's priorities include a "citizens first" approach "We have too much evidence that our representatives are captured by special interest and not representing the people stand in firm opposition to that style of governance and will always seek to represent the people." Rob Roe is an attorney who has been in private practice since 2012 He formerly served on the Board of Directors for El Hogar del Nino in Chicago Roe's campaign priorities include improving street and sidewalk safety expanding social services for senior citizens and fostering economic development along with a balanced budget compassion and empathy to the Betty Cheever Council Chamber that I employ in my practice and throughout my career I will treat everyone with respect and attack each issue with a result driven transparent approach focused on preventing waste." Tammy Sarver is an attorney who teaches college-level political science Her priorities include environmentally conscious development evidence- and research- based decision-making and equality and inclusivity "I am running for this position because I want to ensure that our village continues to be a place where families thrive businesses flourish and everyone feels connected." In a campaign video Sarver says she is "committed to making thoughtful informed decisions that prioritize both long-term planning and immediate needs." Thomas Cawthorne is a CPA who has lived in Downers Grove since 2002 and works at a financial services firm He formerly served on the Downers Grove Liquor Commission "Attention to detail is critical to being a good public servant." In Cawthorne's campaign video "I want to ensure that the village continues down the path of good fiscal responsibility and also providing excellent core services." 2025 at 4:41 pm CT.css-79elbk{position:relative;}The April 1 election will determine who will snag one of three seats on the Downers Grove Village Council IL — Six candidates vying to fill three seats on the Downers Grove Village Council in the April 1 consolidated election The field includes one incumbent candidate Here's how the race will appear on the ballot for Downers Grove voters you'll find some information about each candidate for city council member Chris Gilmartin Matthew J. Novak Paul F. Drabik "We have too much evidence that our representatives are captured by special interest and not representing the people.stand in firm opposition to that style of governance and will always seek to represent the people." Rob Roe Rob Roe is an attorney who has been in private practice since 2012 Tammy Sarver Thomas Cawthorne Residents can click the link to see if they are registered to vote in DuPage County Below is a list of polling places in Downers Grove: Click the link to see the full list of Election Day polling places in DuPage County 2025 at 3:11 pm CT.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Here's our roundup of the best Easter brunch options in and around Downers Grove IL — If you want Easter brunch and don’t want to cook it several Downers Grove restaurants will open Sunday Here's where to enjoy Easter brunch in and around Downers Grove Cadence Kitchen The Easter Brunch at Cadence Kitchen offers seatings until 3 p.m The Easter menu will feature special that include short ribs eggs benedict roasted leg of lamb and hand-carved glazed ham The Capital Grille The Capital Grille is serving up a two-course Easter brunch that starts with freshly baked blueberry bread and your choice of field greens New England clam chowder and cold-smoked salmon on avocado toast Guests 21 and older can enjoy mimosas and bloody marys Chuck's Southern Comfort Cafe 8025 S $55 for adults; $20 for kids ages five to 12; no charge for kids four and under Chuck's Southern Comfort Café will serve up a brimming buffet that features breakfast The breakfast selection includes bananas foster french toast There will be a carving station offering peppercorn pork tenderloin smoked salmon with mango salsa and smoked ham with pineapple glaze Lucille Restaurant at Drury Lane $115 per adult; $40 for kids ages five to 12 years old Diners can indulge in a brunch buffet at Lucille Restaurant that features nine stations Head to the appetizer station for smoked salmon before loading up on prime rib leg of lamb and other meats at the carving station Top it all off with pastries and cookies from the dessert station Call 630-530-8300 or click the link to reserve a spot for Easter brunch at Lucille Restaurant it’s a good idea to call ahead to make sure the chain locations near you are open Senior outside hitter Aiden Akkawi is unquestionably Downers Grove North’s best player But the Trojans are more like an army than a one-man gang and we just all can bring something to the table,” Downers North senior outside Zachary Baker said We’re one of those teams that can do it all.” 25-17 nonconference victory over visiting Riverside-Brookfield But the Trojans (9-2) also got seven kills Illinois Wesleyan-bound senior middle Dylan Quinn added five kills and three blocks while senior Quinn Leahy and junior Aaron Grey added four kills each “It’s a nice attack,” Downers North coach Mark Wasik said That makes the powerful Akkawi even more effective because they can’t just gear up on him,” Wasik said and there’s no one guy that we expect to have to carry the load.” That’s exactly what happened in the first set Five players had at least one kill during a 7-2 run that gave the Trojans a 15-8 cushion Grey and Baker strung kills together to put the game out of reach Downers North setters Ethan Weiner and Jude Caldwell combined for 28 assists with Weiner leading all players with 11 service points “We started to get some touches in the second set but they are a very powerful offense,” Riverside-Brookfield coach Dan Bonigro said “I was trying to get our guys to be a little bit more aggressive offensively but we just started staring at that big block too and I think we competed for a good stretch but it’s tough when they’re just cranking on you.” The Trojans had a 31-14 edge in kills and were consistently the aggressor Jack Schejbal had six kills and James Long four for the Bulldogs who did put a better battle in the second set but Akkawi answered with consecutive kills Akkawi did it again after the Bulldogs pulled within 18-15 but I’m not at all unhappy with how we played,” Bonigro said “I’m the type of guy that every type of ball that comes over the net but the reality is there’s not a lot of people who are going to get that many of those balls up.” But the Trojans got plenty of digs when they needed to in the second set “I feel like my defense was really key tonight,” Baker said “I was getting some balls in that I didn’t really think I could get normally “I think that’s really my strength — that I’m really scrappy and I can just reach out for balls that normally someone else wouldn’t get and he just puts himself in a position to be successful because he works hard every day That could lead to a memorable season for the Trojans I think we can be heavy state contenders,” Baker said “I’m really lucky to have this group,” he said 2025 at 1:12 pm CT.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Attendees will receive a copy of Handler's most recent book "I'll Have What She's Having" at the Feb (Chelsea Lauren/Shutterstock)DOWNERS GROVE IL — Comedian and writer Chelsea Handler will headline Comedy for Cancer Handler will take part in a comedic conversation and share copies of her most recent book Proceeds from the show will benefit Basic Science Cancer Research the event will feature standup sets from Brian Hicks and Vince Carone Emcees are Meteorologist Cheryl Scott and Chicago Spotlight Host Ji Suk Yi Tickets to Comedy for Cancer are $95 per person and include a copy of "I'll Have What She's Having," in addition to refreshments and bites from area eateries. Click the link to buy a ticket to Comedy for Cancer Sponsor opportunities are also available, for donations of $250 or more. Follow the link to learn more about becoming a sponsor What: Comedy for Cancer Featuring Chelsea Handler Winning pitcher Colin Doyle struck out seven over six innings and Russ Oros was 2 for 3 with three RBIs as the Trojans (9-1 2-0) took the second game of a three-game series to clinch the series win Emilio Gandarilla was 2 for 2 with a double and an RBI JD Cumbee was 3 for 4 and Jack Romsey had two RBIs for Downers Grove North two runs scored and three RBIs and the Rams scored seven runs in the fourth and went on to the Upstate Eight Conference win Drew Church was 3 for 4 with two runs scored and an RBI Jackson Simek 2 for 4 with two runs scored and Nick Sheeran 2 for 4 with three RBIs for Montini Alyssa Savenok’s two-run single with two outs in the top of the seventh drove in the go-ahead runs to cap a four-run rally for the Falcons (9-1) Savenok was 3 for 5 with a run scored and Reagan Crosthwaite homered for Wheaton North Emersyn Willits hit a solo home run in the top of the seventh to tie it Kaleigh Kozlowski doubled with two outs and Malia Kuo drove her in with a walk-off hit for the Red Devils Vince Cabay eight kills and Aris Maurukas and Reed Hefley seven each for Benet ExpandDowners Grove North High School senior is a recipient of the Chick Evans Scholarship which is awarded to golf caddies (Courtesy Dittoe Public Relations) Several friends worked as caddies at local golf courses ”It was a toss-up between being a caddy and a lifeguard. I chose to be a caddy and it ended up changing my life,” Finn, 18, of Downers Grove said Little did he know when he started that all those loops – the term used to describe a round of golf carrying clubs – would pay such a great dividend Finn is one of the chosen few caddies who get full rides in college when they are named Chick Evans Scholars 83 Chicago-area students were awarded the Western Golf Association’s Chick Evans Scholarship a full housing and tuition college scholarship for golf caddies Finn, who has carried countless golf bags the past three years at Hinsdale Golf Club, will be heading to the University of Illinois for a free college education. ”It’s very exciting,” Finn said in a recent phone interview. After he graduates from Downers Grove North High School, Finn will spend his fourth summer as a caddy at Hinsdale Golf Club. “I love being outside on the course, being with other guys, being able to talk with and meet new people, hearing all their stories. It’s so interesting to me,” Finn said. “I’ve never been someone who can sit inside and work at a desk. ... I just like being outside and moving around. It’s the best job I can think of. That includes soggy days. Those guys at Hinsdale, they’ll go out rain or shine. I’ve caddied many times in downpours. If there’s no lightning siren, they’re out there.” Finn began thinking about the Evans program early in his caddy career. ”I started getting familiar with it when I was meeting some of the caddies who were Evans Scholars and also talking with some of the [club] members,” he said. ”It was to the point where I’d meet a new member and they’d ask me if I was applying [for the scholarship.] They were so encouraging. I thought then maybe I could do that.” Finn especially enjoys the Hinsdale Golf Club. ”It’s short. The layout of it is tough, though. The fairways are really narrow. The rough is really long. It’s not a long course by any means. They’re landlocked, but it’s super nice. I love caddying there,” he said. He said his scholarship application was assisted with letters of recommendation from his caddy master, a club member and his cross country coach. Finn learned he was a finalist in mid-November. He joked his parents, Kristen and Kevin, may be more excited. ”I was in first period. My mom texted me and said, ‘Check your email.’ I was so excited. I had a test the next period and I couldn’t focus,” he recalled of being a finalist. When he’s not working as a caddy, Finn enjoys playing golf. ”It goes along with caddying. Being able to get outside. Fresh air. Walk around. Being with some friends. Let loose a little bit. Just have some fun,” he said. Being a caddy “for sure” has improved his golf game, he said. ”After I caddy a round, I’m like, ‘I want to golf now.’ I’ve also learned a lot from the golfers there,” Finn said. “There’s always something that keeps you coming back.” His best score is 43 for nine holes and 90 for 18 holes. The latter was at one of the Cog Hill courses. It was not Dubsdread, former home of the Western Open, but “that’s on my bucket list.” In college, he plans to major in sports management but also is considering medicine and physical therapy. “It just seems like a really cool job, manage a golf course or work for a professional sports team,” he said. Asked for his favorite story, Finn fondly recalled his first round. ”I was terrified,“ he said. ”I was a small little kid. All I could think about was going home. We’re walking down the first hole. He could tell I was shook up. He told me he was a caddy when he was a kid and it was the best job I could have and that I was going to have the best time doing it. ”He gave up his round, took me through the motions, taught me when to talk, where to stand and what to do and not to do. ... I got back to the caddy shack and made sure I was free the next week to go out,” he said. And Finn made sure he’s available to caddy ever since. Caddies earn the scholarship by meeting its four selection criteria: A strong caddie record, excellent academics, demonstrated financial need and outstanding character, according to the WGA. Currently, a record 1,190 caddies are enrolled at 24 universities across the nation as Evans Scholars. More than 12,285 caddies have graduated as Evans Scholars since the program was founded by famed Chicago amateur golfer Charles “Chick” Evans Jr. This year, an estimated 360 caddies are expected to be awarded the Evans Scholarship. Funds for the Evans Scholarship come mostly from contributions by more than 36,000 supporters across the country who are members of the Evans Scholars Par Club program. Evans Scholars Alumni donate more than $15 million annually, and all proceeds from the BMW Championship, the penultimate PGA Tour playoff event in the PGA Tour’s FedExCup competition, benefit the Evans Scholars Foundation. This year, the BMW Championship will be Aug. 12-17 at Caves Valley Golf Club near Baltimore, Maryland. Chick Evans was a prominent American amateur in the 1910s and 1920s. Evans, who won the 1910 Western Open, became the first amateur to win both the U.S. Open and U.S. Amateur in one year in 1916. He won the U.S. Amateur again in 1920 and was runner-up three times. Evans competed in a record 50 consecutive U.S. Amateurs in his long career. He achieved all of it while carrying only seven hickory-shafted clubs. A former caddy, he founded the Evans Scholars Foundation.