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 Copyright © 2023 Shaw Local News Network Sheriff’s Police Conducting Traffic Safety Checkpoint in Morton Grove (Cook County IL) – Cook County Sheriff’s Police will be conducting a roadside safety checkpoint in Morton Grove in partnership with the Morton Grove Police Department is scheduled for the evening of May 9 near Harlem Avenue and Dempster Street Officers at the checkpoint will ensure drivers are complying with Illinois driver’s license and registration requirements as well as with the state’s seat belt and child restraint laws They will also be on the lookout for impaired driving The aim of these routine checkpoints is to emphasize roadway safety and help reduce the number of vehicle crashes in Cook County The checkpoint is funded through a grant from the Illinois Department of Transportation Sheriff’s Police Conducting Traffic Safety Checkpoint in Morton Grove Log in to leave a comment The Chicagoland Journal is the premiere news source of the Greater Chicagoland area That's how Morton Grove storyteller Anne Shimojima described her parents’ and grandparents’ experiences in World War II internment camps With photos from her family and the National Archives the retired educator turned storyteller and workshop presenter gave “Hidden Memory: An American Story” on Tuesday She was guest speaker at the Aurora Area Retired Teachers Association bimonthly membership luncheon Shimojima recounted how during World War II forcibly relocated and incarcerated about 120,000 people of Japanese descent — about two-thirds were U.S Internees were not afforded due process of law Camps were operated by the War Relocation Authority (WRA) mostly in the western interior of the country These actions were initiated by Executive Order 9066 her relatives and other internees were prohibited from taking more than they could carry into the camps Many internees were given two weeks to sell some or all of their property With overcrowded barracks with minimal furnishings the camps were surrounded by barbed wire and patrolled by armed guards Supreme Court decision rescinded the exclusion orders and nine of the 10 camps were shut down by the end of 1945 President Ronald Reagan signed the Civil Liberties Act of 1988 which officially apologized and authorized a payment of $20,000 to each former detainee who was still alive when the act was passed The legislation admitted that the government’s actions were based on “race prejudice Shimojima said “Hidden Memory” developed out of her decision to create a photo book about the incarceration camps she interviewed her 91-year-old aunt about her experiences in a camp which Shimojima presents with photos from her family and the National Archives An award-winning elementary school library media specialist of 35 years she first discovered the power of story with her students using storytelling to enrich and expand the curriculum and develop a deep emotional connection with her listeners Shimojima taught graduate courses in storytelling for National-Louis University and for eight years served on the board of the Wild Onion Storytelling Festival in Chicago she received the Circle of Excellence ORACLE Award from the National Storytelling Network given to storytellers who are recognized by their peers to be master storytellers who set the standards for excellence and have demonstrated a commitment and dedication to the art of storytelling she was awarded the Order of the Rising Sun conferred by His Majesty the Emperor of Japan for promoting Japanese culture in the United States and promoting friendly relations and mutual understanding between Japan and the United States Other highlights of her storytelling career include a week as Teller-in-Residence at the International Storytelling Center in Jonesborough 2024) and performing at the National Storytelling Festival Talk Story Storytelling Festival in Honolulu Hans Christian Andersen Statue in Central Park sharing her family's World War II story as a guest of the government of Japan Her CD “Sakura Tales: Stories from Japan” was awarded a Storytelling World Resource Honor Award in 2019 Her repertoire includes folk tales from around the world and historical pieces that help audience members find their place in the world today Aurora-based Aurora Area Retired Teachers Association is a nonprofit social-service group that includes about 350 retirees from Fox Valley school districts Membership luncheon meetings are held at 11:30 a.m October and December at Lincoln Inn Banquets in Batavia call (630) 921-1307 or email aurorartdtchrs@outlook.com 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. 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 Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. 2024 at 5:02 pm CT.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Morton Grove attorney Eric Sander faces a disciplinary hearing before the Illinois Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission after four-count complaint was filed against him on Aug IL — A local attorney accused of using thousands of dollars of his clients' money for his own personal and business expenses faces a disciplinary hearing before state regulators has been licensed to practice law in Illinois since 2012 A complaint filed last month on behalf of the administrator of the Illinois Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission alleges four counts of misconduct involving three real estate transactions and record-keeping failures The allegations include instances of misusing client money from an interest on lawyer trust account which attorneys are required to use to hold clients' funds separately from their own while representing the seller of a home in Lake in the Hills Sander took a $7,500 check from a buyer to hold as earnest money until the deal closed the account balance dropped by about $1,780 even though the money had not been disbursed and the closing had yet to take place which alleges that Sander used the money for unauthorized personal or business expenses money supposed to be held in escrow to be released under the terms of a proration agreement pending the release of a tax bill before any of the escrowed funds had been disbursed Sander's account balance had dropped by about $2,680 state attorney regulators allege that Sander used the money for his own improper ends A third real estate transaction described in the Aug. 22 complaint involves the purchase of a home in Arlington Heights a client of Sander's gave him $5,000 for the purchase of the house But when the time came to close in March 2023 Attorney regulators also allege that Sander failed to properly maintain required records for his IOLTA account during the period in question — April 2022 and March 2023 — in violation of another Supreme Court rule in addition to the one that forbids "conduct involving dishonesty Sander admitted misappropriating his clients funds from the IOLTA account because he needed money to pay for his suburban single-family home and private school for his two children "I was in a tough spot and had to borrow money from my IOLTA to pay my mortgage and kid’s tuition," Sander said in an email It is not possible to legally "borrow" money from an interest on lawyer trust account Sander blamed a client's lack of money for triggering the discovery of his misconduct "One check that was deposited into my IOLTA on behalf of a client bounced which threw the balance off and caused a second check to bounce and cause this situation," he said "Every last dime was returned to the account and not a single person was harmed." Sander has not yet filed an answer to the ARDC request for hearing before a disciplinary panel where findings will be made and disciplinary action He is entitled to present a defense during the proceedings he remains licensed to practice law in Illinois Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. 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 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. Quinn of Morton Grove gave his final Irish goodbye at his home Saturday night November 30th He was the beloved husband of Barbara; loving father of Becky (partner Dan Toledo) Modena Katy (Ken) Napolitano and Pam (Brad) Alper; cherished grandfather of Erynn and Rae; dear brother of James (Debra) and the late Patrick (Jolene); brother in law of Bud (Debbie) Berger and Bonnie (Gary) Eiffes Visitation at Simkins Funeral Home 6251 Dempster St until the time of the funeral service at 12:00 noon Tim was a member of the Morton Grove Legion Post #134 Cougars Drum and Bugle Corps and the Chicago Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps donations to Gift of Hope 425 Spring Lake Dr Rosina Schwager passed away peacefully on February 5 She was the beloved wife of the late Joseph; loving mother of Maria (Richard) Toth and Robert (Laura) Schwager; dearest Oma of Elise and Daniel Schwager; loving sister-in-law of the late Frank and Rosina Schwager and the late Elisabeth and John Zieger Rosi will be remembered as a fabulous baker whose favorite treats to bake were luscious Tortes and petite She spent her free time stitching elaborate cross-stitch pictures and reading historical books and novels in both German and English Martha's auditorium chapel 8523 Georgiana Ave until the time of the funeral mass at 11:00 a.m 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 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. beloved wife of the late Casimiro; loving mother of Noel (Regina) Magsino and Anna (Ronald) De Jesus; dear grandmother of Elizabeth (Andrew) Sandiego and Aiden De Jesus; fond sister of Zenaida Azucena Funeral from Simkins Funeral Home 6251 Dempster St The Third District Appellate Court of Illinois has affirmed the 36-year sentence of a man for the armed carjacking of a pregnant woman’s car from her driveway in December 2019 In his petition seeking a new sentencing hearing, Emanuel Embry, 25, formerly of Chicago, claimed that the trial court considered improper factors in aggravation resulting in an excessive sentence, according to a DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office news release About 2:27 p.m. Dec. 13, 2019, Downers Grove police responded to a carjacking on Hawkins Street. An investigation found that the victim, a pregnant woman, was sitting in her car in her driveway when she was approached by two masked, armed individuals, one of whom was later identified as Embry, according to the release. The men ordered the woman out of her car and drove off with it. A friend of the victim saw the carjacking and followed the stolen vehicle. When the stolen vehicle was stopped in traffic, the victim’s friend approached the car at which time the occupants exited and fled. As the victim’s friend moved the victim’s vehicle off the roadway, one of the offenders entered the victim’s friend’s car and drove away, according to the release. Authorities arrested Embry on Dec. 17, 2019, in Chicago. Further investigation into recent carjackings found that he was involved in a previous armed carjacking in Warrenville on Dec. 13, 2019. Following a hearing on a motion to reconsider the sentence, the court reduced Embry’s sentence to 36 years. In its analysis, the Appellate Court disagreed with Embry’s assertions that the 36-year sentence imposed upon him was excessive. The court noted that the trial court “considered the nature and circumstances of the offense and the history and character of defendant. The court was aware of and discussed defendant’s youth. It took the time to consider the evidence in aggravation and mitigation, including defendant’s upbringing.” The Appellate Court further noted that “A sentence that falls within the statutory range is not an abuse of discretion unless it is manifestly disproportionate to the nature of the offense or greatly at variance with the spirit and purpose of the law” and consequently the trial court did not abuse its discretion as the “Defendant’s 36-year sentence was within the applicable range.” 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. 2024The sixth annual Assyrian Food Festival returns August 17 and 18 to the Morton Grove Park District.MORTON GROVE (WLS) -- The sixth annual Assyrian Food Festival returns August 17 and 18 to the Morton Grove Park District The two-day celebration is a rich expression of Assyrian pride and culture The festival is open on Saturday from 2 p.m A two dollar donation is recommended for admission Doris Koob (1932 – 2024) formerly of Morton Grove the middle of three daughters of Frank and Clara Boemmel She raised four sons with Hubert (Bud) Koob her husband of 32 years who died in 1984; Michael (Sherie) of Frederick IL and Thomas (Laura) of Arlington Heights She is survived by 11 grandchildren; Elena She is also survived by sisters Joan (the late Vince) Kopinski and Nancy (Bob) Morrison of Morton Grove sister in law Marilyn (Bob) Callaghan of Naperville Doris graduated from Niles Township High School They took their sons on memorable trips to Wisconsin and Michigan and later to the great national parks of the American west towing a camper pop up trailer Doris ran the billing from her kitchen table for John Welter Florist of Wilmette She subsequently was a teller at The First National Bank of Morton Grove and drove a school bus for several years after that she traveled all over the USA in Airstream Caravans and to rallies She traveled to many places around the world Bud and Doris traveled with a German couple she worked with at the bank who had immigrated after the war they experienced the way working folks lived She was a member of Saint Martha Catholic Church and in her retirement community in Sun City She was generous with her fantastic chocolate chip cookies She was always ready to pop a pizza in her oven for her grandkids She crocheted and enjoyed playing cards and other table games until the time of the funeral mass at 10:00 a.m donations to The American Cancer Society P.O beloved mother of Nicole; loving Gigi of August Riley; dear daughter of Esmeralda and the late Homero Sr.; fond sister of Melissa Garcia and the late Jose Homero Garcia; cherished life partner of Dan Balzano Memorial visitation at Simkins Funeral Home 6251 Dempster St until the time of the memorial service at 8:00 p.m ExpandJodi Nordmann Harap (from left) and Debbie Anderson-Phillips members of EQuality Downers Grove leadership join other members of the organization and guests at a previous One Book One Town event at Cadence Kitchen & Co in Downers Grove A novel about family and parenting is the selection for this year’s One Book One Town initiative presented in March by EQuality Downers Grove in collaboration with the Downers Grove Public Library and their five children as they navigate the complicated journey of the youngest child who announces at the age of 5 he wants to be a girl named Poppy The author is the mother of a transgender child Co-chairing the third annual community-wide reading initiative are EQDG board members Debbie Anderson-Phillips and Jodi Nordmann Harap before its subject became such a hot topic Anderson-Phillips said of the selection process it’s a really good book,” Anderson-Phillips said the library staff suggested the activities lineup encompass not just book discussions but should incorporate events tied to the book’s themes to broaden the appeal for different audiences A book discussion at the library will kick off the lineup from 7 to 8 p.m led by a librarian joined by a noted local fiction writer Downers Grove Public Library teams with EQuality Downers Grove in One Book inclusion and kindness in a story told with humor and heart “[The author] will add his input and insight,” Nordmann Harap said We want to appeal to the entire community and pull them in to connect over the themes in this book One of the themes has to do with finding community and finding connection.” That segues into the second event – “Come Together: Coffee, Conversation and Connection” – from 10 a.m. to noon March 8 at The Morton Arboretum in Lisle People are invited to enjoy a Saturday morning sipping coffee and munching pastries with others who have loved ones in the LGBTQ+ community It’s described as a wonderful way to connect get support and share resources with others in a friendly and warm environment Jessica Lapinski will present “From Awareness To Action: Issues Around Gender-Affirming Care” from 7 to 8 p.m March 10 in the First United Methodist Church “We are bringing in a medical expert in gender-affirming care who will be able to share factual information and dispel some of the myths and misinformation that’s been floating around,” Nordmann Harap said noting inflammatory comments tend to stir fear distrust and hatred toward the LGBTQ+ community and transgender people in particular “The goal of this program is to provide people with the facts … and to avoid dehumanizing the transgender community.” The Downers Grove Public Library teams with EQuality Downers Grove in One Book A virtual opportunity to meet novelist Laurie Frankel takes place from 7 to 8 p.m “We are very excited we have the author herself … who will be joining us virtually to discuss the book and answer questions from the community,” Nordmann Harap said, adding that people can submit questions in advance via the event signup link on the EQDG website will present “The Power of Storytelling: Helping Kids Cope” from 7 to 8 p.m It shares a creative way to help children deal with challenging emotions and stressful situations a licensed clinical professional counselor and education director of Alder Grove Counseling teaches how to use storytelling to help children process and cope with difficult feelings “We are looking to link all of the themes,” Nordmann Harap said of the program lineup “One of the major themes is that it’s hard to be a parent We ask ourselves if we’re doing the right things – worry about our children incessantly uses these fantastical bedtime stories to help his children process difficult issues we thought it might be useful to use storytelling as a way to connect with parents in the community,” Nordmann Harap said She said the program’s focus is on how to use storytelling as a tool to deal with challenging emotions brought about by events that are stressful or hard to understand “This doesn’t necessarily have to pertain to anything about the LGBTQ+ community – families struggle with a lot of events,” Nordmann Harap said citing anything from severe illness to a grandmother’s death One Town will be the Literary Party & Grand Raffle with “fabulous prizes,” unfolding from 7 to 10 p.m Celebrating the Downers Grove community as a whole “wonderful food” and a specialty cocktail based on a theme of the book One hundred percent of raffle proceeds will go directly back to EQDG to fund its education and social outreach programs “We are very excited about the week of events,” Nordmann Harap said “We think there is something for everyone here We picked this book because it does deal with a very relatable family It does deal with an issue that unfortunately right now is a hot-button topic We think it will garner a lot of interest.” She said it’s important to be able to listen to each other in a respectful environment One Town is a community conversation,” Anderson-Phillips said What better way than over the shared experience of reading a wonderful book “The goal of the program is to bring the community together to discover that we have more in common than we do things that divide us.” Downtown Downers Grove businesses have been very supportive of efforts to unite the community and to increase empathy and connection EQDG received a Nicor grant to help cover author fees and other costs Anderson-Phillips said it allows all raffle proceeds to support EQDG “We are extremely grateful to Nicor … for valuing our program as much as we do,” Nordmann Harap said To learn more and to register for events, visit eqdg.org Renee TomellCovering the arts and entertainment scene in northern Illinois, with a focus on the Fox River Valley.