HP_122817

® 

making a plan Highland Park pens 

memorandum with Park District, Page 3 

fresh start Highwood Library cuts the 

ribbon on renovated library space, Page 12 

The giving spirit This week’s editorial 

examines holiday generosity and its effects, Page 13 

TM 

Highland Park & highwood’s Hometown Newspaper HPLandmark.com • December 28, 2017 • Vol. 4 No. 45 • $1 

A 

Publication 

,LLC 

New District 112 

superintendent looks 

to implement long-term 

plan, Page 4 

Michael Lubelfeld, the new District 112 superintendent, will start on July 1, 2018. He is currently the superintendent of Deerfield District 109. Photo Submitted 

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2 | December 28, 2017 | The highland park landmark calendar 

hplandmark.com 

In this week’s 

Landmark 

Police Reports6 

Pet of the Week8 

Editorial13 

Puzzles16 

Faith Briefs18 

The Scene18 

Home of the Week22 

Athlete of the Week25 

The Highland 

Park Landmark 

ph: 847.272.4565 

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Editor 

Xavier Ward, x34 

xavier@hplandmark.com 

Sports Editor 

Brittany Kapa x35 

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Teresa Lippert, x22 

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Elizabeth Fritz, x19 

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Jess Nemec, 708.326.9170, x46 

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Legal Notices 

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Eric DeGrechie, x23 

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Megan Bernard, x24 

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Andrew Nicks 

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POSTMASTER: Send address changes to 

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Published by 

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THURSDAY 

Grow Your Own Herb 

Garden 

1-2 p.m. Dec. 28, Highland 

Park Public Library, 

494 Laurel Ave., Highland 

Park. Children ages 7-10 

are invited to start their 

own herb gardens right 

here at the library. Each 

child will plant and bring 

home four different herbs 

and instructions for how to 

care for them. Registration 

is required. For more information, 

visit hplibrary. 

org. 

Noon Years Celebration 

10 a.m.-2 p.m. Dec. 28, 

West Ridge Center, 636 

Ridge Road, Highland 

Park. Celebrate the coming 

new year a little early. 

Intended for children aged 

5-7. Registration cost is 

between $55-$65. For 

more information, visit 

pdhp.org. 

friday 

Reptiles and Amphibians 

10-10:45 a.m. Dec. 29, 

Highland Park Public Library, 

494 Laurel Ave. 

Kids will compare and 

contrast reptiles and amphibians 

through handson 

activities. They’ll also 

discover how specialized 

body parts help local reptiles 

and amphibians grow 

and survive. This program 

is presented by the Lake 

County Forest Preserve. 

For more information, visit 

hplibrary.org. 

SUNDAY 

NYE ‘Red Hot’ Balloon 

Drop 

4-7 p.m. Dec. 31, Michael’s, 

1879 2nd Street, 

Highland Park. The $30 

ticket includes a drink 

ticket, appetizers, deserts 

and kiddie cocktails. There 

will also be a DJ and dancing. 

For more information, 

visit michaelshotdogs. 

com. 

Tuesday 

Full Moon Campfire 

7-8:30 p.m. Jan. 2, Heller 

Nature Center, 2821 

Ridge Road, Highland 

Park. Cross-country skiing 

if there is enough snow. 

Otherwise attendees will 

hike. $10 registration cost. 

For more information visit 

pdhp.org. 

Wednesday 

New Year, New Tech 

Gadget? 

2-3 p.m., Jan. 3, Highland 


494 Laurel Ave. If you 

recently got a new piece 

of technology and need 

to know how to work it, 

drop in and learn all about 

essential things you can 

do with your new smartphone, 

tablet, computer, 

eReader, and other tech 

devices. For more information, 

visit hplibrary.org. 

UPCOMING 

Basic Animal 

Communication 

9 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Saturday, 

Jan. 20, Infinity Foundation, 

1280 Old Skokie 

Road, Highland Park. Join 

animal communicator, 

Carol Schultz, for a two 

day workshop and discover 

ways to be open to 

and experience animals’ 

viewpoints and perceive 

the world from their perspective. 

Cost is $220. For 

more information, or to 

register, visit infinityfoun 

dation.org. 

Reiki Certification Training 

Level One 

12:15-2:15 p.m. Fridays, 

Jan. 19, 26 and Feb. 

2, Infinity Foundation, 

1280 Old Skokie Road, 

Highland Park. Reiki promotes 

an inner state of 

deep relaxation and fosters 

the body’s capacity to 

heal. Gain insights into the 

history of Reiki and its application 

for yourself and 

others in this three session 

class. Cost is $130. For 

more information, or to 

register, visit infinityfoun 

dation.org. 

ONGOING 

Gyrokinesis Method 

Movement 

10:30-11:30 a.m. Mondays, 

Highland Park Senior 

Center, 54 Laurel 

Ave., Highland Park. 

Freedom Home Care is 

sponsoring a Gyrokinesis 

Method Movement that 

focuses on opening energy 

pathways, stimulating the 

nervous systems and increasing 

range of motion. 

The fee is $15 for senior 

center members or $35 for 

non-members. To sign up, 

call (847) 432-4110. 

Women’s Care Group 

Trinity Episcopal 

Church, 425 Laurel Ave., 

Highland Park. A Safe 

Place invites you to a 

women’s care group, 

where participants will 

receive support by learning 

about unhealthy relationships 

and behaviors, 

recognize the impact this 

can have on you and your 

children, and explore new 

coping skills for a happy, 

healthier life. If you are in 

immediate need of help, 

please call our 24-hour 

Help Line at (847) 249- 

4450. For meeting times 

and more information, call 

(847) 731-7165. 

Tai Chi Sessions 

12:30-1:30 p.m. 

Wednesdays, Recreation 

Center of Highland Park, 

1207 Park Ave. Work 

on balance and serenity 

through this Chinese tradition 

of gentle, flowing 

movements performed in 

a slow, focused manner 

with deep breathing. For 

more information, call 

Lisa Hamilton at (847) 

579-4048. 

Cardio Tone Light 

11:30-12:30 p.m. 

Wednesdays, Recreation 


1207 Park Ave. W. Improve 

your flexibility and 

overall daily function! The 

class combines low impact 

cardio, core and stretching 

(no seated exercises). For 

more information call Lisa 

Hamilton at (847) 579- 

4048. 

Balance & Tone 

11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. 

Tuesdays, Recreation Center 

of Highland Park, 1207 

Park Ave. W. Increase 

muscular strength, joint 

stability, range of motion 

and functional skills 

through a variety of standing 

exercises and barre 

work. For more information, 

call Lisa Hamilton at 

(847) 579-4048. 

Chair Yoga 

Noon–1 p.m. Tuesdays 

and Thursdays, Recreation 


1207 Park Ave. West. Improve 

your health with the 

support of a chair (seated 

and standing) so you can 

receive yoga’s healing 

and restorative benefits. 

For more information, call 


579-4048. 

Gentle Yoga 

Noon–1:15 p.m. Mondays, 

Recreation Center 

of Highland Park, located 

at 1207 Park Ave. W. Curious 

about yoga but scared 

to try something new? 

This is a great class for 

beginners or anyone interested 

in a gentle practice. 

For more information, call 


579-4048. 

Restorative Yoga 

6:15–7:30 p.m. Tuesdays, 

Recreation Center of 

Highland Park, 1207 Park 

Ave. W. Want an activity 

to help you wind down 

after a full day? Relax 

your body and muscles, 

slow, lengthen and deepen 

your breath and calm your 

mind. For more information, 

call Lisa Hamilton at 

(847) 579-4048. 

Book Nook Book Sale 

10:30-4:30 p.m., Thursdays 

and Saturdays, Highland 


494 Laurel Ave. Come for 

a book sale at the library. 

Contact Jayme Oldham at 

(847) 432-0216. 

Rotary Club 

11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m., 

Mondays, Highland Park 

Country Club, 1201 Park 

Avenue West. The Highland 

Park Rotary Club 

meets every Monday for 

lunch. Discover what 

Rotary has to offer, hear 

from fascinating speakers, 

make new friends and 

colleagues. Walk-ins welcome. 


contact Larry at (847) 

831-3622. 

Highland Park City Council 

7:30 p.m., second and 

fourth Monday every 

month, Highland Park City 

Hall, 1707 St. Johns Ave. 

Come out to City Hall for 

the Highland Park City 

Council meeting. For more 

information, visit www. 

cityhpil.org. 

Highwood City Council 

7 p.m., first and third 

Tuesdays every month, 

Highwood City Hall, 17 

Highwood Ave. Come out 

to City Hall for the Highwood 

City Council meeting. 


visit www.cityofhigh 

wood.com. 

To submit an item for the 

community calendar, contact 

Editor Xavier Ward at 

xavier@hplandmark.com or 

(847) 272-4565 ext. 34. Entries 

are due by noon on the 

Thursday prior to publication 

date.

hplandmark.com news 

the highland park landmark | December 28, 2017 | 3 

City pens memorandum with Park District 

Margaret Tazioli 

Freelance Reporter 

After a lot of uncertainty 

surrounding the future of 

the Highland Park Country 

Club’s golf course, the City 

of Highland Park and the 

Park District of Highland 

Park have negotiated some 

steps toward a solution. 

In a formal agreement 

both government bodies approved 

last week, the Park 

District is set to acquire the 

golf course property, which 

it has been leasing from the 

city, for $500,010 to design 

a nature preserve with 

walking trails. 

The sale price is roughly 

a quarter of the property’s 

appraised value of $1.9 

million. 

“The City felt they should 

be compensated for the land, 

and ultimately we agreed to 

purchase it for $500,010,” 

Park District Board President 

Brian Kaplan said. 

The Park District didn’t 

agree to more than a halfmillion 

dollars since it 

plans to invest $1.4 million 

to convert the golf course 

to a nature preserve. 

Since the Park District 

will officially purchase the 

land before April 2018 to 

begin converting it to a nature 

preserve, golf will officially 

cease at the Highland 

Park Country Club Sunday, 

Dec. 31. 

The Park District says it 

will plan for the nature preserve 

project in 2018 and 

complete it in 2019. 

A big question is whether 

the Legacy Club’s homeowner’s 

associations will 

choose to accept a portion 

of the land from the City 

that runs adjacent to the 

neighborhood. 

Until now, Richard Cash, 

president of the Legacy 

Club’s umbrella homeowner’s 

association, has 

said their associations have 

no interest in owning these 

lots. 

However, their board 

will Tuesday, Dec. 26 to 

discuss its options. 

At this point, Cash is 

primarily concerned about 

how their neighborhood 

will be able to manage the 

cost of maintaining what 

amounts to three golf holes. 

“You have to maintain it, 

insure it and pay taxes on 

it. So, it is an additional expense. 

It’s not like they’re 

just giving you some land,” 

Cash said. 

However, City Manager 

Ghida Neukirch said the 

City is offering the land to 

the Legacy Club in an effort 

to allow them to preserve 

that green space in a 

satisfactory way. 

Another big question has 

been about the future of 

banquet operations. 

“The intention is that 

there will always be—in 

the long term—banquet 

operations [at the country 

club],” Elizabeth Gongola, 

a Park District spokesperson, 

said. 

It is likely the Park District 

will continue overseeing 

banquet operations in 

the short term until the city 

is ready to take them over 

at some point in the future, 

Gongola said. 

According to their agreement, 

the City will keep 

ownership of the Country 

Club facility but the Park 

District will be responsible 

for banquet operations at 

least until Dec. 31, 2018. 

“Through extensive public 

input and analysis, coupled 

with a strong partnership 

with our colleagues, 

the City and Park District 

have entered into an MOU 

that responsibly meets the 

needs of the entire community,” 

Highland Park Mayor 

Nancy Rotering said. 

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District 113 fills vacant board seat 

Submitted by Township 

High School District 113 

The Township High 

School District 113 

Board of Education has 

appointed Gayle Byck to 

fill the seat vacated by 

Julie Gordon in November, 

according to a press 

release from the district. 

In accordance with 

Board Policy 2-70, the 

vacancy was filled following 

a public vote 

at the Monday, Dec. 

11 Board of Education 

Meeting. Gayle Byck 

will serve on the Board 

until the next election in 

spring 2019. 

Byck was an active 

member of the Deerfield 

Parent Network, has volunteered 

as a coach for 

multiple seasons, is a 

mentor through College 

Bound Opportunities and 

was an advocate with 

CLEAR 113 and CARE 

113 for the 2011 and 

2013 referenda, the press 

release read. 

She has served on 

the District 113 School 

Board Caucus, most recently 

as a member of the 

executive board. 

Byck is the founder and 

principal advocate of In- 

Tune Health Advocates, 

focusing on helping patients 

and their family 

members navigate a complex 

healthcare system. 

She is a 22-year Deerfield 

resident and a parent 

of two Deerfield 

High School alumni and 

a current DHS freshman, 

according to the press release. 

“Dr. Gayle Byck has 

served the District in 

various capacities over 

the years and has been a 

true leader in our community,” 

Board President 

Michelle Culver stated. 

“We welcome Gayle and 

believe her expertise and 

background will complement 

those currently 

serving on the Board. We 

know that together, we 

will continue to provide 

our students with the necessary 

supports to succeed 

in our schools.”

4 | December 28, 2017 | The highland park landmark news 


New D112 superintendent wants to hit ‘reset’ 

Xavier Ward, Editor 

Amid school closings 

and border disputes, North 

Shore District 112 can 

cross finding a new superintendent 

off its to-do list. 

At its Dec. 12 meeting, 

the School Board unanimously 

approved the appointment 

of Michael 

Lubelfeld. He starts with 

the district July 1, 2018. 

Among his list of things 

to address, Lubelfeld said 

that reestablishing trust 

between the residents and 

district will be paramount. 

The district recently decided 

to close Elm Place 

School and Lincoln Elementary 

School, consolidate 

the dual-language 

program and shifted its 

borders to accommodate 

the students whose schools 

had closed. 

Prior to his appointment, 

the District operated without 

a superintendent. 

“I have been concerned 

about the impact of (not) 

having a superintendent 

and board transition without 

a superintendent for 

the past year,” he said. 

Lubelfeld said he sees 

the district’s shift in border 

as a necessary short-term 

fix, and effecting longterm 

change and goals will 

be a big part of his role as 

superintendent. 

Lubelfeld said he takes a 

“united approach to education.” 

“I would love to present 

a plan to the community 

that takes elements of everyone’s 

high points or requests,” 

he said. 

Part of establishing 

trust, Lubelfeld said, is 

establishing a line of communication 

between the 

District and residents. 

He presently serves 

as the superintendent of 

Michael Lubelfeld sits at a table before the School Board at his appointment. Lubelfeld was approved unanimously 

by the board at its Dec. 12 meeting. Photos submitted 

Deerfield Public Schools 

District 109, where he’s 

been since 2013. 

He said when he first 

arrived there, Deerfield 

had similar problems with 

trust, and he feels he was 

able to restore that trust. 

“I really do have a vision, 

I really do have a 

plan,” Lubelfeld said. “I’m 

going to spend the transition 

learning.” 

Lubelfeld said he plans 

to bring in teams of people 

to build the long-term plan 

that will put the District 

in the position to perform 

at the highest standard of 

education. 

“I believe that all students 

can learn together,” 

he said. 

Often working with district 

residents means working 

with people who you 

disagree with, but if you 

listen to and acknowledge 

the concerns of the district 

instead of being defensive, 

it can work out, he said. 

“Work together with 

honest answers,” he said. 

Emotions were high at 

the November meeting 

where solutions were discussed. 

“Given we haven’t come 

to decisions about some of 

the reconfiguration issues 

(such as where the early 

childhood and administration 

are going to go 

and the density of limited 

English proficient students 

at Northwood),” said Dan 

Jenks, a board member, at 

the Nov. 7 school board 

meeting. “I would be in 

favor of doing something 

very simple this year: 

moving all of Lincoln to 

Indian Trail and all of Elm 

Place to Edgewood. Then, 

as we have more information 

next year, we can revisit 

this.” 

Assistant Superintendent 

Ed Rafferty expressed 

some frustration with community 

engagement. 

“We will take whatever 

direction the community 

gives us, whatever direction 

the board gives us,” 

Rafferty said at the same 

meeting. “But I guarantee 

you, as soon as we [decide 

to] move this little neighborhood 

or street, someone 

is going to be upset. 

We’ve even had people 

who don’t want to move 

their kids from Lincoln to 

Indian Trail because their 

property values are going 

down.” 

Time will tell if Lubelfeld’s 

plan will go smoothly, 

but he added that he doesn’t 

have the luxury of time. 

“I’m trying to take a holistic 

approach to education 

and leadership.” 

New North Shore District 112 Superintendent Michael Lubelfeld fields questions from 

School Board members at a Dec. 12 meeting.

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Police reports 

22ND CENTURY MEDIA is looking 

for local FREELANCE REPORTERS 

and PHOTOGRAPHERS to cover events, 

meetings and sports in the area. 

Aggravated DUI reported in Highland Park 

A Chicago man was arrested 

on a litany of traffic 

charges after being stopped 

by police in Highland Park 

around 9:01 a.m. Dec. 16. 

Anthony Thomas, 43, of 

Chicago, was arrested and 

charged with aggravated 

driving under the influence, 

aggravated driving while 

license revoked, driving 

while license revoked, 

open transportation of alcohol, 

disobeying a traffic 

control device and improper 

lane usage. 

In other police news: 

Dec. 17 

• Siyabonga Mafa, 29, of 

the 900 block of Central 

Avenue, Highland Park 

was arrested and charged 

with driving under the influence, 

squealing of tires, 

disobeying a traffic control 

device and improper lane 

usage after being stopped 

by police near Park Avenue 

West and Skokie Valley 

Road. Mafa was released 

on a personal recognizance 

bond with a court date of 

Jan. 19 in Waukegan. 

• Suzanne Hennessy, 50, 

of Morton Grove, was arrested 

and charged with 

retail theft after proceeding 

past the last point of sale 

without paying for items 

at a business 2900 block 

of Skokie Valley Road. 

Hennessy was released on 

a personal recognizance 


Jan. 4 in Park City. 

• Juan Cruz, 31, of Chicago, 

was arrested and charged 

with driving while license 

suspended, uninsured motor 

vehicle and improper 

lane usage after being 

stopped by police in the 

1500 block of Old Skokie 

Road. Cruz was released 



Jan. 14 in Park City 

Dec. 16 

• Achour Zaya, 28, of 

Skokie, was arrested and 

charged with driving under 

the influence and possession 

of cannabis after 

being stopped by police in 

the 2500 block of Skokie 

Valley Road. Zaya was released 


bond with a court 

date of Jan. 12 in Waukegan. 

Dec. 14 

• Six unknown subjects 

entered a retail business in 

the 600 block of Central 

Avenue, cut security cables 

on five women’s Canada 

goose coats and ran from 

the business. 

Dec. 7 

• Police received a delayed 

report of a residential burglary 

that occurred on at a 

residence in the 700 block 

of Old Trail. Cash was reported 

missing. 

EDITOR’S NOTE: The Highland 

Park Landmark’s Police 

Reports are compiled from 

official reports emailed from 

the Highland Park Police 

Department headquarters 

in Highland Park and the 

Highwood Police Department 

headquarters in Highwood. 

Individuals named in these reports 

are considered innocent 

of all charges until proven 

guilty in a court of law. 

Interested individuals should send 

an email with a resume and any clips to 

jobs@22ndcenturymedia.com 


CHICAGO SOUTHWEST 

CHICAGO NORTHSHORE 

MALIBU 

Molly Maid benefits domestic violence victims 

Submitted by Molly Maid 

Each December, Molly 

Maid of Highland Park 

ensures the child victims 

of domestic violence have 

something to open on 

Christmas morning. December 

2017 was the 21st 

year of participating in the 

national anti-domestic violence 

program by the Ms. 

Molly Foundation, according 

to a press release from 

Molly Maid. 

Nationwide, each Molly 

Maid office donates a portion 

of each house cleaning 

to domestic violence relief 

charities in the area around 

that franchise, according to 

the press release. 

The Highland Park franchise 

chose A Safe Space, 

a shelter with locations in 

Zion and Waukegan, according 

to the press release. 

The shelter sets up a 

“Christmas store” that allows 

mothers to pick out 

toys for their kids, according 


“All too often, families 

impacted by domestic violence 

are forced to flee their 

homes with nothing but the 

clothes they are wearing,” 

Robert Dillon, owner of 

Molly Maid, said. 

Since its founding, Molly 

Maid has raised more 

than $3,000,000 and have 

continued to support hundreds 

of shelters across 

North America. 

For more information 

on how to participate or to 

contribute to the foundation, 

contact Molly Maid 

at (847) 681-1800 or visit 

mollymaid.com.

hplandmark.com highland park 


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Family Shorts & Environmental Expo 

$8 film ticket, $20/family of 4, 

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Perkins 

The Paley Family, of Highland Park 

It may be a few days past the holiday, but Perkins 

is feeling the spirit nonetheless. 

To see your pet as Pet of the Week, email editor Xavier 

Ward at xavier@hplandmark.com 

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THE GLENCOE ANCHOR 

Community mourns sudden 

death of 16-year-old 

Glencoe resident 

“This little light of mine, 

I’m gonna let it shine, Let 

it shine, Let it shine, Let it 

shine.” 

With those gentle lyrics 

in their ears, the men, 

women and children who 

had crowded into Winnetka’s 

Sacred Heart Parish 

on Wednesday, Dec. 

20, were sent forth into the 

night after celebrating the 

life of Sofia “Sofi” Troglia, 

the 16-year-old Glencoe 

teen and New Trier special 

education student who had 

illuminated so many of 

their lives. 

Troglia was pronounced 

dead on Dec. 15 after experiencing 

what Superintendent 

Paul Sally described 

as “a medical emergency” 

in a letter to parents. 

Sacred Heart was a 

beautiful setting. Three 

large pictures of a smiling 

Troglia were placed in the 

front of the church facing 

the congregation and four 

lighted Christmas trees 

flanked the altar. 

During the service, on 

the last page of the hymnal, 

the four family members 

wrote a farewell message 

that read in part: “You 

came into this world with 

your own challenges. But 

over time, you taught us 

not to be sad for you. Rather, 

you taught us to love 

unconditionally and to celebrate 

the incredible gift 

we received with you in 

our family. From a beautiful 

baby to a teenager, your 

light was always so bright. 

... You have no idea what 

a profound impact you had 

on the lives of so many. 

“Everyone here with us 

celebrating your life will 

forever remember your 

love and the lessons you 

taught us all.” 

When the Mass was 

ending, Troglia’s schoolmates 

at New Trier handed 

members of the congregation 

purple ribbons. Purple 

was chosen because it was 

Troglia’s favorite color, it 

is the color of Advent and 

it is the color of the organ 

donor group to which her 

parents donated her organs. 

Reporting by Neil Milbert, 

Freelance Reporter. Full 

story at GlencoeAnchor.com. 

THE WINNETKA CURRENT 

Winnetka Youth 

Organization participates 

in collection for the 

homeless 

Despite their own hectic 

holiday schedules, a group 

of compassionate local 

teens took time to participate 

in the Winnetka Youth 

Organization’s gathering 

of goods for The Night 

Ministry on Dec. 16, making 

sure the less fortunate 

don’t go without this holiday 

season. 

The group met at the 

Winnetka Community 

House after weeks of 

gathering items such as 

bandages, toothbrushes, 

candy, hand lotion, hand 

warmers, tissues and deodorant, 

packing the items 

into thoughtfully decorated 

stockings. 

Christina Gikas, executive 

director of the Winnetka 

Youth Organization, 

explained the day of goodwill 

has been an annual 

tradition for the past 10 

years, benefitting participants 

and recipients alike. 

“The Night Ministry is 

an organization that helps 

those struggling with 

homelessness,” Gikas 

said. “The goods the kids 

have gathered will go a 

long way in helping someone 

who is less fortunate. 

I believe activities like this 

one are so beneficial to the 

kids; it expands their world 

view, helping them see 

that there are people, not 

that far away, who don’t 

have access to many of the 

everyday, basic items we 

take for granted.” 

Sophie and Lillie Krajewski, 

of Kenilworth, 

said they were searching 

for a social service activity 

to participate in during the 

holidays. 

“We wanted to do something 

to help others, especially 

around the holidays, 

so we were really happy 

to be part of this event 

today,” Sophie Krajewski 

said. “Even our younger 

brother at [Joseph Sears 

School] helped gather 

items too.” 

Reporting by Alexa Burnell, 


story at WinnetkaCurrent. 

com. 

THE WILMETTE BEACON 

Packed house debates D39 

tax levy 

While the United States 

Congress is considering 

tax reform legislation, the 

Wilmette School District 

39 Board has been having 

a tax discussion of its own. 

Nearly 30 people from 

the community spoke during 

the board’s tax levy 

public hearing in front of a 

packed house on Monday, 

Dec. 18 at the Mikaelian 

Education Center. Seventeen 

individuals spoke in 

favor of the levy, while 12 

people spoke against it. 

In the end, the board 

voted to approve the 

$53.9 million levy by a 

6-1 vote. The 2017 levy 

is a 4.36 percent increase 

over last year’s extension. 

The $53.9 million levy includes 

$40.7 in the educational 

fund, $9 million in 

the operations and maintenance 

fund, $635,800 

in the transportation fund, 

$85,000 in the working 

cash fund, $342,120 in the 

Illinois Municipal Retirement 

Fund, $1.2 million in 

the Social Security fund, 

$281,047 in the tort immunity 

fund, $309,147 in the 

special education fund and 

$1.3 million in the bond 

and interest fund. 

The Property Tax Extension 

Limitation Law limits 

the revenue growth from 

the property tax for school 

districts to the rate of inflation 

plus an allowance 

for new property. During 

2016, the Equalized Assessed 

Value of property 

within the District’s taxing 

boundaries was $1.8 

million. The District’s 

projection is that Equalized 

Assessed Value will 

remain flat at $1.8 million 

for 2017. However, when 

the county clerk extends 

the taxes, it’ll be based on 

the actual 2017 Equalized 

Assessed Value plus new 

property growth. 

Reporting by Todd Marver, 


story at WilmetteBeacon. 

com. 

THE GLENVIEW LANTERN 

Ice center renovation to 

appear on March ballot 

A $17 million bond referendum 

to finance renovation 

of the 44-year-old 

Glenview Ice Center and 

make improvements at 

The Grove will appear on 

the March election ballot. 

By a 5-2 vote, the Glenview 

Park District Board 

accepted the recommendation 

of the 28-member 

Citizen Task Force at its 

Thursday, Dec. 21 meeting 

The estimated annual 

tax impact of the bond 

measure would be $35.69 

for a $500,000 home, or 

approximately $2.97 per 

month. 

Board President Bob 

Patton and Commissioner 

Dan Peterson voted against 

Please see NFYN, 12



Please contact me 

if you are thinking of buying or selling. 

I will walk through the process 

with you step by step. 

Hoping the new year brings you and 

your family good health and happiness. 

847.910.8905 

susanb@atproperties.com 

recent recipient of the core 

value award recognizing 

the strive for excellence



From the City 

Happy holidays from the 

mayor 

Often, as one year ends 

and another begins, we 

talk about gratitude and 

what we hope to achieve 

in the New Year. 

Thank you for your 

time and thoughtful input 

throughout the year, focusing 

on issues that matter to 

all of us. We are fortunate 

to live in a caring and inclusive 

town. Together, we 

continue to work to create 

the community we desire 

both for today and for future 

generations. 

Regardless of success or 

challenge, we have created 

a culture where neighbors 

work together, care deeply 

about each other, and support 

those in need. In the 

spirit of giving, please 

consider putting these core 

principles into action. 

Let’s continue to care 

for our neighbors in need. 

Consider donating nonperishable 

food to the Moraine 

Township Food Pantry 

at 777 Central Ave. 

Our Fire Department is 

collecting new toys during 

their Annual Toys for 

Tots drive through December 

18 and new or gently 

used children’s winter hats, 

gloves, and scarves for their 

cold weather clothing drive 

through February 1, 2018. 

Collection boxes are located 

in the lobby of Fire Station 

33 at 1130 Central Avenue. 

The City has also partnered 

with the USO to 

collect books, games and 

toys to support families 

of US Armed Forces service 

members. Donations 

can be dropped off at City 

Hall, 1707 St. Johns Avenue 

through December. 

As the saying goes: 

Many hands together make 

light work. If everyone 

contributes, we can make 

a difference. Together, 

we can give our neighbors 

peace of mind and so 

much more. Join me. Happy 

Holidays! 

Highland Park Mayor Nancy 

Rotering 

Highland Park police 

emphasize holiday safety 

The holidays are a special 

time of year where 

friends, family and neighbors 

come together to celebrate. 

As parties are scheduled 

and travel spikes, 

there is an increased risk 

for youth — including 

those students returning 

home from college for the 

holiday break. The rate of 

high-risk drinking, including 

under-age drinking, is 

alarmingly high. Statistics 

cited by the Substance 

Abuse and Mental Health 

Services Association indicate 

that nearly 400 

people under the age of 21 

die from alcohol-related 

causes every month. 

Parents and guardians can 

help to prevent adolescents 

from consuming alcohol 

during the holidays by: 

Be mindful of your own 

drinking behaviors which 

provide a model for youths. 

Keep track of where 

your children are and what 

they are doing. They may 

be in the family room with 

their guests, but stopping 

in occasionally to be sure 

they are not drinking is a 

good idea. 

Ask relatives to respect 

your family rules if necessary. 

As families and friends 

gather to celebrate, please 

be reminded that it is unlawful 

to host a party 

where alcohol is provided 

and or consumed by those 

under 21. It is also important 

to use designated drivers 

or taxis if you plan to 

drink at a party. 

Driving a vehicle when 

sober is already a challenging 

proposition in bad 

weather. Imagine the difficulty 

when attempting 

to do so when affected by 

alcohol or drugs. 

‘Sharrows’ projected for 

2018 

In September 2012, the 

City adopted the Highland 

Park BikeWalk 2030 Master 

Plan. 

The BikeWalk Plan ensures 

pedestrian and bicycle 

connectivity with 

new proposed paths to 

connect existing paths and 

enhanced safety. 

Part of the BikeWalk 

2030 plan calls for striping 

on City streets called 

“sharrows” which stands 

for “share the road arrows” 

as well as metal signs that 

remind motorists to “Share 

the Road” along with wayfinding 

signs to provide 

information such as location 

and distance to select 

destinations. 

The City received grant 

funding to complete the 

“sharrows” and signage 

project. The grant included 

a requirement for the 

number of “sharrows” and 

signs to be placed in locations 

throughout the City. 

The striping and signage 

project is scheduled to be 

completed by Spring 2018. 

From the City is compiled 

from the City of Highland 

Park’s eNews 

HP Park District awarded for 

excellence in financial reporting 

Submitted by The Park District 

of Highland Park 

The Government Finance 

Officers Association decided 

the Park District of Highland 

Park’s annual financial report 

deserved recognition – as it 

has for the past 27 years, according 

to a press release. 

The achievement award 

given to the Park District is 

the highest award given by the 

government association, the 

press release read. 

“This means that residents 

can have confidence that the 

Park District of Highland 

Park [Certificate of Excellence 

in Financial Reporting] 

is thorough and provides the 

information required for a full 

assessment of the district’s financial 

strength. It shows we 

have done what is required by 

the [Government Finance Officers 

Association] and have 

met their high standards,” Park 

District of Highland Park Executive 

Director Liza McElroy 

said in the press release. 

The Park District of Highland 

Park certificate was 

judged by a panel and meets 

the standards of the program 

including demonstrating a constructive 

“spirit of full disclosure” 

to clearly communicate 

its financial story and motivate 

potential users and user groups 

to read the certificate, according 


The certificate program was 

established by the government 

finance group in 1945. 

It was instituted to encourage 

all governments to prepare and 

publish an easily readable and 

understandable financial report, 


For more information visit pdhp. 

org. 

Highland Park releases Net Neutrality statement 

Submitted by The City of Highland 

Park 

The City of Highland Park has 

been actively monitoring the Federal 

Communications Commission’s 

(FCC) vote to repeal net 

neutrality rules, allowing Internet 

Service Providers (ISP) to block 

apps, slow websites and charge 

fees to control public online access. 

The City is working with 

other local government entities; 

along with the Illinois Municipal 

League and the Northwest Municipal 

Conference in monitoring 

the potential impact to residents 

and determine what can be done 

to protect consumers as a result of 

the net neutrality repeal and the 

commissions’s desire to further 

preempt state and local authority, 

according to a press release from 

the City. 

“Net neutrality is essential to 

ensuring a fair and accessible Internet. 

It is essential to our democracy, 

freedom of expression, and 

free speech,” Highland Park Mayor 

Nancy Rotering said. “Rolling 

back these protections means Internet 

providers would be able to 

charge people more for faster service, 

and even block certain parts 

of the Internet. That’s wrong and 

harmful to residents. The City will 

work to protect resident rights and 

wallets.” 

“Individually or collectively, 

municipalities have a public duty 

to regulate the right-of-way and 

telecommunications facilities 

within their communities. Illinois 

law specifically provides extensive 

discretion to city’s and towns 

with respect to permitted uses and 

land use variances,” City Manager 

Ghida Neukirch said in the 

release. 

“Preempting state and local 

authority for the deployment of 

wireless facilities would be harmful 

and create a one size fits all approach 

would be regulated by the 

federal government,” Neukirch 

continued. 

The FCC recently repealed neutrality 

for service providers. Net 

neutrality was originally enacted 

in 2015 by the Obama administration. 

It mandated that service 

providers not charge host websites 

such as Facebook and Twitter 

more money for the amount of 

bandwidth they use. Thus disallowing 

charging consumers more 

for simply using these services. 

The FCC order preempts any 

state or local law if the law conflicts 

with federal policy regarding 

broadband Internet service, 


Information and contacts for 

state and federal elected officials 

may be found by utilizing 

the Community Portal, an online 

service, according to the press release. 

The City encourages residents 

to contact these officials to express 

concerns regarding the 

FCC’s repeal of net neutrality and 

the preemption of local government 

authority over the deployment 

of wireless facilities.



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Highwood 

unveils new 

library features 

Submitted by The Highwood 

Public Library 

Dozens were in attendance 

at Highwood Public Library’s 

grand opening and ribbon cutting 

celebration Nov. 5, according 

to a press release from The 

Highland Park Library. 

Student musicians from the 

Midwest Young Artists Conservatory 

performed at the event 

and therapy dogs from K9 Reading 

Buddies of the North Shore 

kept the patrons company. 

Conversations among the Library 

Board of Trustees of making 

library renovations started 

in 2010. 

The process started by replacing 

carpeting in the main building 

and ultimately renovating 

the East Building, which, over 

the years, had housed both a 

used book store and thrift shop. 

To obtain funds to renovate 

the space, the Board had submitted 

yearly applications to 

the Illinois State Library’s Live 

and Learn Grant program, and 

upon its third try was awarded 

a $50,000 grant for building improvements. 

Using the money from the 

An outside shot of the Highwood Public Library, which recently unveiled a number of renovations it 

funded through a State library grant. Photo submitted 

grant and funds raised by other 

means, the Board contracted 

FWC Architects, a local Highwood 

architectural firm, to renovate 

the East Building, create 

a community room, build multistall 

bathrooms and build an 

employee break room, according 


“With this new addition to our 

footprint, we can fulfill our mission 

of Enriching and Nurturing 

Our Community,” President 

Lucy Hospodarsky said, the 

press release read. 

In addition to a number of 

new physical functions of the library, 

it will also begin sending 

email reminders about overdue 

books. Patrons can register for 

the service online. 

The library’s first event was 

a showing of The Polar Express 

on Dec. 21. 

For more information visit High 

woodLibrary.org. 

NFYN 

From Page 8 

the proposal after Patton’s 

recommendations attaching 

strings to the operation 

of a renovated ice center 

were voted down 5-2. 

“The president’s recommendation 

combines two 

very, very simple recommendations,” 

Patton said. 

“The first recommendation 

is that if the referendum 

passes and the Ice Center is 

ultimately built/renovated, 

the new ice center should 

be managed and operated 

in a manner where it will 

at least break even. The 

second recommendation 

is ... if a new ice center is 

constructed and has built 

up adequate financial reserves, 

any annual profits 

should be returned to the 

taxpayers through reducing 

portions of the bond 

and interest levy.” 

Commissioner 

Dave 

Dillon noted that no strings 

were attached to the renovation 

of the golf course 

and other facilities. 

“I appreciate the concerns, 

but remember this 

is for kids,” Dillon said. “I 

want the referendum.” 

Reporting by Neil Milbert, 


story at GlenviewLantern. 

com.. 

THE NORTHBROOK TOWER 

Dairy Queen owner smiles 

even in adversity 

Shortly before 11 a.m. 

on Nov. 30, Jennifer 

Schubert Spencer received 

an unwelcome visitor in 

the front dining room area 

of her Dairy Queen. That 

visitor came in the form of 

Lexus SUV, which plowed 

through the storefront of 

the family-owned and -operated 

spot located at 2720 

Dundee Road. 

“It literally sounded like 

a bomb went off in the 

front of my store,” Spencer 

said. 

Spencer and her husband, 

Brent, were in the 

back room of the restaurant 

when the accident occurred. 

“No one was hurt, and 

thankfully so, because it 

was right before the lunch 

hour,” Spencer said. “And 

luckily, no one was walking 

by because it’s always 

pretty busy in our shopping 

mall. I was so grateful.” 

Spencer, a naturally positive 

person, even in the 

face of adversity, has been 

battling stage 3 breast cancer 

since March. 

“When I look at everything 

now, I may have been 

given cancer, which is unfortunate, 

but it opens your 

eyes to so many things,” 

Spencer said. “By being 

grateful, you can see the 

positives in everything.” 

Spencer’s middle sister 

was also diagnosed with 

stage 1 breast cancer a 

month after her. Her sister 

is now cancer-free. Spencer’s 

mother is at Mayo 

Clinic awaiting hip surgery, 

while her uncle was 

also recently diagnosed 

with stage 4 cancer. 

Reporting by Richard Bodee, 


story at NorthbrookTower. 

com 

The Lake forest leader 

$192K paid to lobbying 

costs for Amtrak stop 

without City Council 

approval 

Earlier this month, the 

Lake Forest City Council 

learned $192,911 was 

spent toward lobbying efforts 

to bring an Amtrak 

stop to Lake Forest, without 

City Council approval. 

The disclosure of the large 

amount of money spent 

prompted the City Council 

to meet in an executive 

session following the City 

Council meeting on Monday, 

Dec. 18. 

“Various questions have 

arisen regarding lobbyist 

expenses incurred to 

secure an Amtrak stop in 

Lake Forest and secure 

funding from various federal 

agencies for a pedestrian 

underpass at the west 

Lake Forest station,” Lake 

Forest Mayor Robert Lansing 

said. “City Council 

members have asked to 

enter into an executive session 

for fact finding purposes 

on personnel matters 

related to this lobbyist expenses. 

At the conclusion 

of business agenda tonight, 

the Council will enter into 

executive session at which 

no formal actions will be 

taken tonight.” 

Lansing also said when 

fact finding is complete, 

any recommendations will 

be brought back to the City 

Council as soon as the Jan. 

16 City Council meeting. 

During the Dec. 4 City 

Council meeting, Lansing 

reported the City of 

Lake Forest received a 

letter from Joe McHugh, 

Amtrak’s vice president, 

stating Amtrak’s support 

for an Amtrak stop in 

Lake Forest. Lansing also 

shared that the City spent 

$192,911 in lobbying 

costs, which he believed 

helped Amtrak support the 

stop in Lake Forest. 

The public, along with 

some City Council members, 

had no prior knowledge 

of the lobbying cost 

prior to the Dec. 4 meeting. 

Reporting by Alyssa Groh, 

Contributing Editor. Full 

story at LakeForestLeader. 

com.

hplandmark.com sound off 


Social snapshot 

Top stories: 

From hplandmark.com as of Tuesday, 

Dec. 26 

1. Wrestling: Unfinished business: new Giants 

coach fueled by personal experience 

2. 10 Questions with Kirby Bartlestein, Giants 

girls basketball 

3. $125 for 100 lets kids do their own 

shopping 

4. Youth: Centennial figure skaters qualify to 

compete at U.S. National championships 

5. Boys Swimming: Vorobev takes lead for 

Giants, team finishes seventh at county 

meet 

Become a member: hplandmark.com/plus 

On Saturday, Dec. 23, Downtown Highland 

Park posted this photo with the caption 

“Tis the season... for giving! The year 

is winding down and now is the time to 

donate to the Highland Park Community 

Foundation. 

In 2017, the Highland Park Community 

Foundation awarded nearly $183,000 to 

35 agencies that support the needs of our 

community and expand opportunities for 

all Highland Park and Highwood residents” 

Like The Highland Park Landmark: facebook.com/hplandmark 

On Dec. 20, the City of Highland Park 

tweeted : If your car gets stuck in the snow 

consider turning your wheels from side to 

side a few times to push snow out of the 

way, and for non-emergency assistance 

please call 847.432.7730” 

Follow The Highland Park Landmark: @hparklandmark 

From the Editor 

Holiday giving without 

permanence is meaningless 

Xavier Ward 

xavier@hplandmark.com 

go figure 

1.9 

$1.9 

The holidays are 

often looked at as 

time when all are 

happy, cheerful and generous. 

However, without 

sustaining the ‘giving 

spirit,’ holiday giving is 

no more than a chance to 

feel good while effecting 

no actual change. 

Statistics show that 

around the holidays, more 

people give to charity than 

any other time of year. 

According to Giving 

USA’s 2015 annual report, 

72 percent of that year’s 

charitable giving was 

done during the holidays. 

It’s good-natured, sure, 

but it fails to address real 

issues such as sustained 

poverty relief. 

Holiday charitable giving 

offers no more than 

a Band-Aid for a bullet 

wound. If you wish to effect 

real change, there are 

ways to do so. 

There’s not anything 

inherently wrong with being 

more generous around 

the holidays, but if it’s the 

only time of year you do 

anything charitable for 

others, don’t call yourself 

a philanthropist. 

According to a research 

poll from Public Religion 

Research Institute, 

77 percent of Americans 

who responded to the 

poll selected “agree” or 

“completely agree” that 

nonprofits are not large 

enough to adequately 

address the needs of impoverished 

citizens. Additionally, 

a majority (53 

percent) of poll responses 

indicated the government 

was not adequately doing 

its job. 

Assistant Professor 

of Public Policy at City 

University of New York 

Heath Brown wrote in 

The Hill, “The issue is not 

obviously that the nonprofit 

sector is too small. 

Recent data suggests that 

nonprofits contribute 

$800 billion to the U.S. 

economy and pay $320 

billion in wages.” 

Instead, it may be a 

false impression that this 

An intriguing number from this week’s edition 

million is the approximate value 

of the country club land the City 

purchased for $500,010. Read about 

it on Page 3. 

is enough. Recall, newly 

elected President George 

W. Bush’s first executive 

order was to create the 

Office of Faith-Based and 

Community Initiatives. 

The executive order read: 

“Faith-based and other 

community organizations 

are indispensable in 

meeting the needs of poor 

Americans and distressed 

neighborhoods. Government 

cannot be replaced 

by such organizations, but 

it can and should welcome 

them as partners.” 

I’m inclined to agree. 

The simple truth is, 

under our economy, there 

will always be winners 

and losers. 

The harder truth is that, 

unlike many other economies 

world-wide, there’s 

not much of a safety net 

for income-constrained 

individuals or families. 

This brings us to a bit 

of a gridlock. How can we 

help others without bleeding 

our own coffers dry? 

Don’t abandon hope, 

as Brown wrote in The 

Hill. Governments (local, 

state or national) should 

continue to work hand-inhand 

with nonprofits. But 

there’s a little more to it. 

It doesn’t require a fat 

sack of cash to help drive 

change. 

If you want to make 

a difference for local 

impoverished individuals, 

get involved with local 

politics and public policy. 

Write your officials, 

push for programs that 

will help provide a safety 

net for these people. If 

you have a gripe with 

something, see what you 

can do to fix it. I’m sure 

your local officials would 

love to hear from you. 

Providing a holiday 

meal and some toys to put 

under a Christmas tree is 

a nice gesture, but in the 

grand scheme, it is impermanent. 

The Highland Park Landmark 

Sound Off Policy 

Editorials and columns are the opinions of the author. Pieces from 

22nd Century Media are the thoughts of the company as a whole. The 

Highland Park Landmark encourages readers to write letters to Sound 

Off. All letters must be signed, and names and hometowns will be 

published. We also ask that writers include their address and phone 

number for verification, not publication. Letters should be limited 

to 400 words. The Highland Park Landmark reserves the right to edit 

letters. Letters become property of The Highland Park Landmark. 

Letters that are published do not reflect the thoughts and views of 

The Highland Park Landmark. Letters can be mailed to: The Highland 

Park Landmark, 60 Revere Drive St. 888, Northbrook, IL, 60062. Fax 

letters to (847) 272-4648 or email to xavier@hplandmark.com. 

visit us online at hplandmark.com

14 | December 28, 2017 | The highland park landmark highland park 


Happy New Year! 

Wishing you a Happy and Healthy New Year from 

your Baird & Warner Highland Park office! 

BAIRD & WARNER HIGHLAND PARK | 920 SHERIDAN ROAD | 847.432.0500 | BAIRDWARNER.COM

the highland park landmark | December 28, 2017 | hplandmark.com 

Hittin’ the town 

Blazin’ Babes holds cancer benefit at 

Highland Park salon, Page 21 

Highland Park Public Library 

celebrates Star Wars, Page 17 

The Force is with brother and sister Lucas Hobbler, 9, and Lexie 

Hobbler, 7, both of Highland Park, as they take part in a lightsaber 

duel. Claire Esker/22nd Century Media

16 | December 28, 2017 | The highland park landmark puzzles 


north shore puzzler CROSSWORD & Sudoku 

Glencoe, Glenview, Highland Park, Highwood, Northbrook, Wilmette, Kenilworth, Winnetka, Northfield, Lake Forest and Lake Bluff 

Crossword by Myles Mellor and Cindy LaFleur 

Across 

1. Poem section 

7. Animation 

10. Alpine runner 

13. Scar tissue 

14. Winkle or meter 

preceder 

15. Convent dweller 

16. Pact 

17. Makes angry 

18. Have a balance 

19. Mandela org. 

20. Postal postings 

21. Card game 

22. Web address, familiarly 

24. Spoke up 

26. Skip over 

27. Sonny boy 

28. Person of wealth 

29. Successor to Ramses 

I 

30. Degree requirement, 

sometimes 

32. Oldest outdoor music 

festival in the US 

35. Ballerina’s attire 

37. Healing houseplant 

38. Designer of the Wilmette 

Golf Course 

41. Albania’s capital 

45. Marineland performer 

46. Source of lacquer, 

varnish, or tannin 

49. It might react negatively 

50. ___ limits (election 

issue) 

51. Lawn enrichment 

52. Its building blocks are 

nucleotides 

53. Sensitive subject, to 

some 

54. Bright-colored 

55. Angry 

57. Marbles shooter 

58. “That was ___ of 

fun!” 

59. Of the base of the vertebral 

column 

62. Binary digit 

63. Plain and simple 

64. Ground corn mixture 

65. Symbol of punishment 

66. Be inquisitive 

67. City of Syria 

Down 

1. Predecessor of 

rock steady 

2. Sleuth, slangily 

3. Mayor with judicial 

powers 

4. High time for 

Gary Cooper 

5. Atomic number 

40 

6. Contribute, as to 

the conversation 

7. Spinal column 

bone 

8. Galled 

9. Regret the loss of 

10. Winter creations 

11. Dinar spender 

12. Subject of the 

first law of motion 

14. It requires many 

keys 

20. Barbecue treat 

22. The previous 

mo. 

23. Inspiring word 

25. Shells and 

elbows 

26. Wickerwork rod 

31. Get boiling mad 

33. Basilica feature 

34. Phone convenience 

36. Distasteful 

38. Spinner 

39. Seasoning herb 

40. Fastened with 

threads 

42. Delivery by 

parachute 

43. Lead-in to sense 

or fiction 

44. Collection, of 

sorts 

47. Combine 

48. Campaign 

weapon 

51. Ryun or Coe 

54. Act seductively 

56. Teen affliction 

59. Where robes 

might be worn 

60. It may be Swiss 

or Italian, e.g. 

61. Constellation 

with the star 

Regulus 

HIGHLAND PARK 

The Panda Bar 

(596 Elm Place, (847) 

433-0589) 

■Every ■ Friday: Live 

Music 

HIGHWOOD 

210 

(210 Green Bay Road, 

(847) 433-0304) 

■7 ■ p.m. Thursday, Dec. 

28: Tom Holland and 

the Shuffle Kings 

■9 ■ p.m. Friday, Dec. 

29: American English 

■9 ■ p.m. Saturday, Dec. 

30: Terrapin Flyer 

Toadstool Pub 

(327 Waukegan Ave. 

(847) 748-8658) 

■8:30 ■ p.m. Saturday, 

Dec. 30: The Wads 

Buffo’s 

(431 Sheridan Road, 

(847) 432-0301) 

■7 ■ p.m. every Monday: 

Trivia 

GLENVIEW 

Johnny’s Kitchen 

(1740 Milwaukee Ave. 

(847) 699-9999) 

■7:30 ■ p.m. every Friday 

and Saturday: Live 

Music 

The Rock House 

(1742 Glenview Road 

(224) 616-3062) 

■6 ■ p.m. Friday, Dec. 

29: Family Night and 

Karaoke 

■10 ■ a.m. Saturday, 

Dec. 30: Piper Phillips 

Acoustic 

■10 ■ a.m. Sunday, Dec. 

31: Owen Hemming 

■Noon, ■ Sunday, Dec. 

31: Sean Heffernan 

Curragh Irish Pub 

(1800 Tower Drive, 

(847) 998-1100) 

■7:30 ■ p.m. every 

Wednesday: Trivia 

Oil Lamp Theater 

(1723 Glenview Road, 

(847) 834-0738) 

■Through ■ Dec. 30: It’s 

a Wonderful Life — A 

Live Radio Play 

To place an event in The 

Scene, email chris@Glen 

viewLantern.com. 

answers 

How to play Sudoku 

Each Sudoku puzzle consists of a 9x9 grid that 

has been subdivided into nine smaller grids of 

3x3 squares. To solve the puzzle each row, column 

and box must contain each of the numbers 

1 to 9. 

LEVEL: Medium 

Crossword by Myles Mellor and Susan Flanagan

hplandmark.com life & arts 


Highland Park library kicks off Star Wars mania 

Hilary Anderson 


The Force was with dozens 

of children and their 

families as they gathered 

at 10 stations throughout 

the library on Dec. 18 to 

celebrate the release of 

“Star Wars: The Last Jedi.” 

Getting assigned a Star 

Wars name was first on the 

list of things to do. Reece 

Luczkowiak, 8, became 

known as Darth Eseluc 

and Silas, 5, was Las Luc. 

Their sister, Sofia, 2, was 

there, too, but did not seem 

interested in choosing an 

alias. 

“Sofia makes the rounds 

but devotes her energy to 

running after the boys and 

attempting to do whatever 

they are doing,” her father, 

Matt Luczkowiak, said. 

“Do not underestimate her. 

She is strong.” 

Their mother, Jen Luczkowiak, 

was there with a 

host of other parents keeping 

track of their young 

Star Wars fans. 

“Tattooine,” original 

Star Wars hero Luke Skywalker’s 

home planet, was 

in the lower lobby where 

attendees could get a Star 

Wars tattoo. Even some 

adults, like Leah Saleh, 

took advantage of the 

craft. She brought daughters, 

Evie and Hannah, to 

the event. 

“Yes, I am getting a Star 

Wars tattoo, she said. “I 

have no idea why, other 

than it just looks cool.” 

Over by the fireplace, 

library volunteer Joan 

Green hosted the popular, 

“Attack the Death Star” 

game. 

One especially popular 

activity was Lightsaber 

Training. Youngsters 

“duel” with each other using 

a pool noodle and balloons. 

“If you are coming from 

the “dark side,” attack the 

black balloons,” said Jedi 

Master Allison Blaetz, also 

known as the children’s librarian. 

“The blue balloons 

are Druids who you want to 

save, and please, try not to 

pop the balloons.” 

The activity soon became 

full particularly with 

siblings taking opposing 

sides. 

“Time to transition to 

a new activity,” Blaetz 

called out when the dueling 

sometimes became 

intense. “It is time for another 

group of lightsaber 

trainees to take a turn.” 

On to the next activity 

which was “Storm Troopers 

Bowling.” 

There were storm 

trooper “pins” set up like 

regular bowling pins in 

the front of the auditorium. 

The object was to roll a 

ball similar to a beach ball 

down the center aisle and 

knock over as many storm 

troopers as possible. 

Anna Koerner, 3, rolled 

the ball down the aisle and 

knocked over almost all of 

the storm troopers. 

Their grandma, Rita Ori, 

was with them. 

“I used to take their 

mom and her sister to 

these library program,” 

Ori said. “There are lots of 

memories here.” 

Jacob Meyer (left), 5, and Cole Rasmussen, 5, both of Highland Park, prepare to have 

a green-screen photograph taken, transporting them to the world of Star Wars on 

Dec. 18 at the Highland Park Public Library. Claire esker/22nd century media 

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An event attendee boy learns how to use 

a lightsaber as he battles balloons with 

the face of Darth Vader. 

Reece Luczkowiak, 8, of Highland Park, 

throws a beanbag at a Death Star target 

at the library’s Star Wars event. 

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18 | December 28, 2017 | The highland park landmark faith 


In Memoriam 

Anthony James Schumacher 

Anthony James Schumacher, 

56, of Highland 

Park, died Dec. 7. 

Loving son of Patricia 

Anne Schumacher (nee 

O’Donovan) and the late 

Vincent J.; devoted brother 

of Suzette (Charles) 

Gilchrist, Vincent Jr. (Diane), 

Dawn (Frank) De- 

Filippis, James, Kimberly 

(William) Filan; cherished 

uncle of Michael, Ashley, 

Frank, Justin, Liam, and 

Stacy; dear nephew of Kay 

and John Collins, Maureen 

Coughlin, and Colleen 

and Mike Breslin, and 

the late Daniel and Joanne 

O’Donovan. Friend to all 

animals, including his treasured 

dog, Jada. Interment 

at All Saints Cemetery, 

Des Plaines, Ill. In lieu of 

flowers, donations may be 

made to Immaculate Conception 

Church, 770 Deerfield 

Rd., Highland Park, 

IL 60035, or to the American 

Heart Association, 208 

S. LaSalle St. Suite 900, 

Chicago, IL 60604. 

Sylvia Rae Smith 

Sylvia Rae (nee Deats) 

Smith, 69, of Round Lake, 

formerly Highland Park, 

died Nov. 22. A lifelong 

Christian, Sylvia was born 

in Sonyea, New York, and 

lived in New York, Texas, 

and Illinois. She loved her 

family, including her loyal 

dog, Mac, and enjoyed 

traveling. She served in 

many volunteer capacities, 

including president of her 

church council. She is survived 

by her siblings David 

(Janice) Deats and Valerie 

(Harry) Feuersanger; 

her children, Stephanie 

(Tom) Garrity, Sean (Sonia) 

Langford, Sharlene 

(Lester Stepien) Langford 

and Don (Marilyn) Smith; 

her cherished grandchildren, 

Joseph Stramel, 

Collin Garrity, Sean Garrity, 

Ashley Stramel, 

Aidan Langford, Derick 

(Becca) Smith and Kyle 

Smith, Mike Smith, Chad 

(Stephanie) Smith, Brian 

(Amanda) Smith and Justin 

Smith. She is preceded 

in death by husband Ronald 

D. Smith, granddaughter 

Alyssa Stramel, and 

parents Russell C. Deats 

and Lyola Weed. Interment 

Ascension Cemetery, Libertyville. 

Robert Austin 

Robert Austin, 93, formerly 

of Chicago and 

Highland Park, died Dec. 

22. Austin was born in 

Chicago and graduated 

from Highland Park High 

School. He spent one year 

at Purdue University before 

volunteering for the 

Army’s 100th Anti-Tank 

Division. His unit spent 

six months in combat. 

When the war ended, he 

was one of ten soldiers selected 

to attend the American 

University at Biarritz, 

France. Back in the United 

States he enrolled again 

at Purdue, earning a B.S. 

in Electrical Engineering. 

There he met the love of 

his life, Marty. They married 

in 1947, the same 

year he began his career at 

AT&T. In 1960, they settled 

in Mariemont, Ohio, 

where they lived until retirement 

and they moved 

to the Dupree House. 

Among his pleasures were 

acting as supernumerary 

with the Cincinnati Opera 

and taking his dog, Kirby, 

to a Jewish hospital as a 

therapy dog. He loved everything 

to do with trains. 

Austin is survived by his 

wife, Marty; four children, 

Ellen (Bob) Jackson, 

Christy Bartlett, Joan 

Bartlett and Rob (Linda); 

and five grandchildren. 

Visitation will be at Knox 

Presbyterian Church, 3400 

Michigan Ave., Hyde Park 

on Thursday, Dec. 28 at 

10 a.m., followed by services 

at 11 a.m. the same 

day. In lieu of flowers, the 

family requests donations 

to Honor Flight Network 

or to Knox Presbyterian 

Church. 

Have someone’s life you’d 

like to honor? Email 

b.kapa@22ndcenturymedia. 

com with information about 

a loved one who was part of 

the Highland Park/Highwood 

communities. 

Faith Briefs 

Congregation Solel (1301 Clavey Road, 

Highland Park) 

Torah Study 

9:15-10:15 a.m. Saturday 

mornings. There 

will be a Torah study at 

Congregation Solel. You 

can come in the morning 

to kick off your weekend 

with a Torah study and 

then stay throughout the 

morning at Solel for subsequent 

activities and fun. 

For more information, go 

to www.solel.org, or call 

(847) 433-3555. 

North Suburban Synagogue Beth El 

(1175 Sheridan Road, Highland Park) 

Jewish Laws of Daily 

Living Class 

Join the Synagogue for 

breakfast and study of 

the Shulhan Arukh – the 

basic code of Jewish law 

— from 8:00–8:30 a.m. 

Wednesdays. Each week 

the class reads and translates 

a short chapter, exploring 

its impact and on 

the way we, as Conservative 

Jews, interpret it for 

our time. This is an ongoing 

class, but no experience 

is required and new 

members are welcome at 

any session. This free class 

meets year-round. For 

more information, contact 

meskin@nssbethel.org or 

(847) 926-7903. 

Job Network Meeting 

Beth El Job Network is 

in business. The Network 

meets every Friday morning 

at 9 a.m. in the library. 

If you are unemployed, 

under-employed, changing 

jobs, entering or re-entering 

the work force please 

join us. For more information, 

call Dr. Eli Krumbein 

at (847) 432-6994 or 

email JoAnne Blumberg 

at JoAnneB1729@gmail. 

com. 

Two Faiths, One Roof 

Two-FOR is a group for 

Jewish-Christian families 

for learning and fellowship. 

Childcare is provided 

so parents can engage in 

their own learning and 

conversation, while children 

can hear a story and 

make a craft for their own 

experience. For more information, 

contact Rabbi 

Ari at arim@interfaith 

family.com. 

Trinity Episcopal Church (425 Laurel 

Ave., Highland Park) 

Holy Eucharist in Chapel 

8 a.m., 10 a.m. Sundays 

in St. Michael’s Chapel 

9:30 a.m. Wednesday, 

with healing 

Holy Eucharist with Music 

10 a.m. in Main Sanctuary 

Fellowship 

8:45 a.m., 11 a.m. Sundays 

Adult Forum and Church 

School 

9 a.m. Sundays 

Submit information for 

The Landmark’s Faith 

page to Brittany Kapa at 

b.kapa@22ndcenturymedia. 

com. The deadline is noon on 

Thursday. Questions? Call 

(847) 272-4565 ext. 35. 

Friends, for your health 

Friends for health celebrates a decade of helping others 

Three board members of Friends For Health (left to right) Ellen Gussin of Highland 

Park, Doug Warren of Lake Bluff, Carol Spielman of Highland Park, at the group’s 

September event. Lee A. Litas/22nd Century Media



$125 for 100 lets kids do their own shopping 

Hilary Anderson 


Heartwarming surprises 

come in many ways, and 

Antonio Padilla, a 10-year 

old member of the Boys 

and Girls Club of Lake 

County, did something 

that touched many hearts. 

The fifth grader was one 

of around 100 children 

chosen to receive Target 

gift cards for $125 courtesy 

of the Capitis Media 

Foundation in its recently 

established $125 For 100, 

a holiday gift-buying program. 

Padilla and the other 

invited children showed 

up at the Highland Park 

Target store, received their 

gift cards and went shopping. 

A high school volunteer 

accompanied each child 

$125 for 100 

For more information: 

Web: CapitisMediaFoundation.com 

Web: 125for100.com 

and their family around the 

Target store helping in the 

selection of gifts. 

While most chose 

toys and clothes, Padilla 

thought about someone 

else. 

“I got a gallon of glue, 

modeling clay and some 

other things to make 

slime,” he said. Slime is 

a popular kids item made 

by combining, borax, glue 

and water. 

Padilla said he planned 

to make slime for his 

neighbor Juliana, who has 

cancer. He said she can 

have fun with it, despite 

her chemotherapy treatments. 

A volunteer encouraged 

Padillo to get something 

for himself. He finally did 

and chose a Legos set and 

a navigator drone. 

The $125 for 100 event 

was the brainchild of 

Highland Park’s French 

Family. 

They created the program 

after talking about 

what they personally could 

do to help children who 

might not have Christmas 

or holiday presents because 

of circumstances beyond 

their control. 

“We wanted to create a 

way to give back and not 

just send a check,” said 

Tony French. “We wanted 

an interactive method of 

helping children in need.” 

He remembered that a 

company once gave money 

to a nonprofit organization 

so many of the young 

people it served could buy 

themselves something 

special for the holidays. 

French and his family researched 

the possibilities 

and came up with the idea 

of $125 for 100. 

Tony French, a partner in 

Capitis Media, established 

a nonprofit foundation — 

a 501C3 — whereby businesses 

or individuals could 

donate to the cause and 

receive a tax deduction as 

allowed by the IRS. 

Ava Guzman, 9, found 

jeans with a unicorn on 

them and an UNO game. 

Julissa Bautista, 8, added 

a doctor Barbie Doll to 

her collection along with a 

unicorn sweater. 

“I want to be a doctor 

when I get older,” she said. 

“The kids are so grateful, 

always saying thank 

you,” high school volunteer 

Izzi Cashman said. 

“It was fun connecting 

with the kids,” Highland 

Park High School Junior 

Jake French said. “The 

boys I shopped with still 

like Mario and Pokemon. 

No different than when we 

were their age.” 

Most of the children 

at the event came from 

the Boys and Girls Club 

of Lake County. Teachers, 

neighbors and friends 

nominated other children, 

aged 6-12, on the $125 for 

$100 website. Capitis Media 

Foundation members 

selected the others. 

Staff from the Boys and 

girls Club of Lake County 

nominated the others 

based on need, behavior 

and leadership qualities at 

the club. 

“This $125 for 100 was 

such a great opportunity 

for our kids to buy things 

they both need and like,” 

said Donna Funk, Boys 

and Girls Clubs of Lake 

County-Resource Development 

Director. “We are 

grateful to those individuals 

and corporate donors 

who helped make this 

event possible. You brightened 

the children’s holiday. 

They are so happy.” 

visit us online at www.hplandmark.com 

InsIde every Issue 

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Storytelling. 

The foundation of each issue are sharp, original features 

built to inform, influence, and inspire. Read about politics, 

business, technology, public policy, and society from 

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Unique storytelling is why Chicagoly is celebrated by critics 

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Windy City Senior 

Basketball League

20 | December 28, 2017 | The highland park landmark Highland park 

hplandmark.com



Submitted by Blazin’ Babes 

Blazin’ Babes gathered 

Nov. 15 for a night of wine, 

hors d’oeuvres and networking 

at Highland Park’s 

Salon Vole, 1783 St. John’s 

Ave., Highland Park. 

Pam Levy Gross, a 

Blazin’ Babes member and 

owner of The Bread & The 

Buddha Kitchen supplied 

most of the food along with 

other local restaurants, 

while female speakers 

from the Northshore spoke 

to the crowd on topics such 

as proper nutrition, self 

love and the importance of 

health and wellness. 

Graziela Kaufman of 

Graziela Gems, is a highend 

jewelry designer who 

Blazin’ Babes 

gives back at 

Salon Vole 

creates unique pieces for 

Hollywood red carpet 

events, donated two pieces 

of jewelry to the event. 

Proceeds were donated 

to Bright Pink in honor of 

women who have been affected 

by cancer. 

Blazin’ Babes is a women’s 

professional networking 

organization. To learn 

more about Blazin’Babes 

or to become a member, 

visit BlazinBabes.org or 

email them directly at 

info@blazinbabes.org. 

RIGHT: Event attendees 

(left to right) Allison 

Barnett, of Chicago, Elle 

Lohn, of Chicago, and Jen 

Luby, of Highland Park. 

Photos submtited 

Josie Volpentesta (left), of Highland Park, and Renata 

Merino Bregstone, of Glencoe, at Salon Vole. 

www.daniafurniture.com 

1001 Skokie Blvd, Northbrook, IL 60062 

847.205.9910

22 | December 28, 2017 | The highland park landmark Real Estate 


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24 | December 28, 2017 | The highland park landmark classifieds 


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Athlete of the Week 

10 Questions 

with Isabelle Michaels 

Isabelle Michaels is a senior at Highland 

Park High School and she is a captain on 

the girls gymnastics team. 

How did you get started in 

gymnastics? 

I started freshman year. It was kind of a 

last-minute thing. It was supposed to be in 

between poms. They don’t let you try out 

for poms freshman year, they make your 

try out sophomore year. I ended up liking 

it much more so I kept going with it for 

four years. 

This Week In … 

Giants Athletics 

Boys Basketball 

■Dec. ■ 28 - at York vs. St. Laurence, 3:30 

p.m. 

Editorial 

From Page 31 

Heights. I’ve seen Coyne 

play in person, and coach 

a hockey clinic for girls in 

Orland Park. As someone 

who plays the sport, to 

watch them excel at it in 

a way I never could is 

inspiring. 

I started playing hockey 

seven years ago, and to 

watch the sport grow for 

women in that time has 

been a joy. These women, 

just like Matthews and 

Murray, work extremely 

hard at their craft and in 

recent years’ women’s 

hockey has gained positive 

media attention. 

Recently, local news 

station WGN did a piece 

on the rise of girls playing 

the sport. They traveled to 

Vernon Hills to talk to girls 

at Glacier Ice Arena about 

how they got into the sport, 

how long they’ve been 

playing and what it has 

been like breaking into a 

sport that is predominately 

■Dec. ■ 29 - at York Holiday Tournament, 

TBD 

■Dec. ■ 30 - at York Holiday Tournament, 

TBD 

male dominated. I’m hoping 

from this point it only 

grows. 

It is women like Murray, 

and young girls like 

Matthews, who make me 

thankful that hockey is 

a growing sport. I love 

seeing people who have 

an intense passion for it 

and who use the sport as a 

platform to help others. 

Matthews and Murray 

have a special story, and 

I personally think it’s an 

important one to tell. 

Why do you love the sport? 

I think it’s a lot of the amount of work 

that you have to put into it. I like working 

hard and I felt like it was more of a 

challenge for me than anything else. Just 

getting any type of skill was very selfassuring 

and it made me feel good about 

myself. It made me feel good about being 

a part of a team. 

What is the most challenging part 

of the sport? 

I think it’s probably the mental challenge. 

There are days where I’m not hitting 

the routine or I’m not doing the best 

I [could be] doing, but I still have to keep 

powering through at practice or a meet. If 

I fall on one event I have to pick myself 

back up and do well on the next one. 

What is your favorite event to 

compete in? 

I really like competing floor, but I really 

like practicing beam work. Beam is very 

stressful to compete, but I like beam and 

floor the best. 

What is your favorite skill to do? 

I was always really good at turns, so I 

really like my triple turn in my floor routine. 

What are your goals for the rest of 

the season? 

My goal for the rest of the season is just 

to clean up routines and really kind of do 

the best that I can for the rest of the season. 

I want to work really hard and help 

push the team as a whole to maybe move 

up in conference. 

What is a song that gets your 

ready for competition? 

“Lush Life,” by Zara Larsson. That’s 

how I time a lot of my routines. So that 

helps me. 

What is your favorite food? 

It would probably be pizza. 

Photo Submitted 

Where is the coolest place you 

have ever travelled to? 

I think probably Mexico is pretty cool, 

in Playa del Carmen. 

If you won a million dollars, what 

would you do with it? 

The first thing I would do would to put 

half a million of it into my college fund 

because I want to go to medical school. 

Then I would probably give a little bit 

away to charity and then put a little bit 

away for savings. 

Interview by Sports Editor Brittany Kapa 

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26 | December 28, 2017 | The highland park landmark Highland park 


DEAR FRIENDS 

As the holidays approach, I have been 

reflecting on this past year when we 

have witnessed some of the greatest 

humanitarian crises of our time. Between 

devastating hurricanes to the south and 

wildfires on the west coast, so many lives 

have been affected. And many have lost 

everything – yet need to find the strength 

and courage to carry on. 

I have been blessed with a wonderful 

family, loyal staff and clientele. I would like 

to invite you all to participate with me in 

donating to the charity of your choice to help 

those around the world. 

We at Pascal pour Elle are giving a percentage 

of our proceeds to help those in need. Please 

visit our website at www.pascalpourelle.com 

and choose a charity you wish to help support. 

From our Pascal pour Elle family to yours, 

have a wonderful, happy and healthy holiday 

season, and a new year in which we all do 

our part to make the world a better place. 

368 Park Avenue 

Glencoe, Illinois 60035 

847.501.3100 

pascalpourelle.com

hplandmark.com sports 


Highland Park resident Howard Labow poses for a photo in November after being 

inducted into the Niles West High School’s Hall of Fame. Photo Submitted 

Local man, former Olympian earns 

entry into Niles West Hall of Fame 

Submitted by Larry Labow 

Howard Labow, of 

Highland Park, was a 

three-time All American 

and Olympic fencer who 

was recently inducted 

into the Niles West High 

School Hall of Fame in 

Skokie. 

While at Niles West 

High School, he was All- 

State in 1972 and 1973 

and was state champion 

runner-up in 1973. 

From there, Labow 

moved onto the University 

of Maryland where he was 

named All-Atlantic Coast 

Champion in 1976. He was 

a three-time All-American 

runner up NCAA Champion 

in 1976. 

Labow was a member 

of the 1980 Israel Olympic 

team for the Moscow 

games. He was ranked 

15th in the world at the 

time and was thought to 

be on track to garner Israel’s 

first fencing Olympic 

medal. Unfortunately, the 

Israel team boycotted the 

Olympics that year. 

“ 

Loved your magazine! 

Well done!” 

—jan c., of lake forest 

SOS 

From Page 30 

Seizures. That doesn’t include 

the people that have 

committed to donating, but 

want to donate in a lump 

sum at the end of the season. 

“She didn’t really feel 

comfortable presenting 

this to the team,” Kim 

Matthews said. “It just 

turned out that there is a 

girl on her U14 team who 

has a brother on Sarah 

Matthews’ Bantam team. 

“It was that parent, 

when they were away at 

their first tournament and 

the team had two shutouts, 

who asked, ‘Why aren’t 

we doing the Shutouts 

for Seizures here?’ Then 

told some other parents 

about it and they actually 

said to Sarah that they really 

wanted to do it on this 

team. It’s been a great response 

from the families.” 

That type of enthusiasm 

is why Murray is thankful 

she has individuals like 

Sarah Matthews who believe 

in her cause. 

“It really is people like 

Sarah and little goalies that 

I’m meeting at camps here 

and there that are going 

to take this thing places,” 

Murray said. “Really, the 

domination amount is so 

small. It can be $1 it can 

be $10, it doesn’t really 

matter. Every little bit goes 

towards fighting epilepsy 

awareness.” 

Sarah Matthews has 

quickly become one of 

Murray’s biggest advocates 

and friend. Recently, 

while home for the holiday 

break, Murray went to 

Sarah Matthews’ Bantam 

game Dec. 17 at Lake Forest 

Academy to support 

her and the team. 

“I think it’s incredibly 

amazing and honestly inspiring,” 

Murray said. “I 

hope that other people hear 

about her crazy dreams to 

help me with this. She is 

one of the pioneers of this 

with me.” 

Celebrated by critics and readers, the depth and strength 

of Chicagoly’s storytelling is unmatched in this city. 

Don’t miss another issue. 

Subscribe today. 

Chicagolymag.com/subscribe 

a 22nd century media publication

28 | December 28, 2017 | The highland park landmark sports 


Landmark writer named to hall of fame 

Michael Wojtychiw 

Sports Editor 

Lou Boudreau, Dan Issel, 

George Mikan, Isiah 

Thomas and Jerry Sloan. 

Those five Illinois basketball 

greats have all 

been inducted into the Illinois 

Basketball Coaches 

Association Hall of Fame, 

but now they’ll have to 

move over to welcome a 

new member to the group: 

longtime sports and current 

22nd Century Media 

reporter, Loyola football 

beat writer, and Wilmette 

resident Neil Milbert. 

Earlier this month, the 

association announced its 

2018 hall of fame class, 

which includes Milbert, 

who will go in as one of 

seven media members 

during a May 5 banquet 

at Illinois State University 

in Normal. Milbert is being 

honored thanks to his 

many years at the Chicago 

Tribune and the last seven 

years of writing for 22nd 

Century Media. 

“The body of work led 

me to getting the nomination 

to the hall of fame 

and it’s humbling because 

it’s a big honor. It was unexpected,” 

Milbert said. 

“I got a lifetime achievement 

award from the National 

Turf Writers Association 

a few years ago, 

but this one means more 

because there’s more basketball 

writers in Illinois 

than there are racing writers 

in the entire country.” 

The sport of basketball 

has been a favorite of 

Milbert’s going back to 

a young age. As a child, 

Milbert was diagnosed 

with the rheumatic flu one 

summer, causing him to 

spend an entire summer in 

bed and really knocking 

him out from any sporting 

activities for two to three 

years. 

That, in a way, turned 

out to be a blessing in disguise. 

“I became a student of 

sports as a child because, 

when I was in bed that 

summer, I knew every 

player in baseball,” he 

said. 

After graduating from 

Marquette University in 

1961, a paper in Ottumwa, 

Iowa, hired the Iowa 

native to work on its news 

side, but he was only there 

for a couple months due to 

being drafted and enlisting 

in the Marine Corps. 

After six months of active 

duty and then serving four 

and a half years in the reserves, 

Milbert joined his 

college roommate in New 

Jersey and worked the 

sports desk at The Jersey 

Journal in Jersey City, 

New Jersey, beginning in 

September of 1962. 

Milbert worked his way 

up to the St. Peter’s College 

beat in 1965. He held 

the beat for three years, 

and witnessed some incredible 

moments, including 

a couple big upsets. 

“I got these guys when 

they were sophomores,” 

Milbert said. “When they 

were juniors, the [National 

Invitation Tournament] 

was a big tournament because 

the NCAA field was 

much smaller. They got 

invited to the NIT and got 

blown out by Southern Illinois. 

So low and behold, 

the next year they managed 

to get back to the 

NIT and their first game 

they win against Marshall. 

Second game, they play 

Duke, which was No. 4 in 

the country, and I thought, 

‘St. Peter’s is going to get 

blown out again,’ because 

Duke had been upset in 

the ACC Tournament and 

therefore didn’t qualify 

for the NCAA Tournament. 

Low and behold, St. 

Peter’s upset Duke. 

“Those were my first 

experiences covering college 

basketball.” 

After coming to the 

Chicago Tribune in the 

early ’70s, Milbert had 

few opportunities to cover 

basketball. He mainly followed 

high school state 

playoff games when the 

paper would have its staffers 

cover regional and sectional 

games. At the time, 

Milbert was a Blackhawks 

beat writer, as well as the 

paper’s main horse racing 

reporter. 

That was until the mid- 

’80s, when he was assigned 

the Northwestern 

men’s basketball beat. 

“One [team I’ll remember] 

was a really good 

Northwestern team that 

had a bunch of guys transfer 

out. This new group 

came in as freshmen and 

Ricky Byrdsong came 

in [for] his first year as 

head coach,” Milbert said. 

“They went undefeated 

in nonconference play 

but struggled in conference 

play. To make it to 

the NIT, they needed to 

go .500 and had one game 

left, against Michigan, 

who had four of the Fab 

Five remaining. It was 

a terrible matchup, but 

Northwestern took them 

to overtime, upset them 

and went to the NIT. 

“That was monumental 

and was a thrill for me to 

see how far these guys 

had come.” 

Milbert would follow 

that up with covering 

the University of Illinois 

at Urbana-Champaign 

team that would make the 

NCAA title game, as well 

as sitting right in front of 

Bryce Drew when he hit 

an iconic 3-pointer to beat 

Ole Miss in the first round 

Neil Milbert poses for a photo at his desk in his Wilmette home; he will be inducted 

into the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame in May 2018. Michael 

Wojtychiw/22nd Century Media 

of the 1998 NCAA Tournament. 

“I was sitting there, 

thinking, ‘Oh boy, not 

enough time, three seconds,’” 

Milbert added. 

“I see this guy wind up, 

throw the long pass the 

entire court, one of the 

Valpo players set it up to 

Bryce Drew and he hit 

the shot right in front of 

me. It was an incredible 

moment, I’ve never seen 

anything like that.” 

Milbert left covering 

college basketball after 

leaving the Tribune and 

started writing for 22nd 

Century Media’s North 

Shore papers in 2010. One 

of his first assignments 

was a summer league 

basketball game between 

Glenbrook South and 

Loyola Academy. 

He has a few high school 

basketball games he’ll always 

remember covering. 

“A memorable team 

is Steve Weissenstein’s 

GBS girls team when they 

played in a tournament 

in Schaumburg,” Milbert 

said. “They struggled there, 

but Steve said, ‘Oh, we’re 

going to be good at the end 

of the year. These are all inexperienced 

girls and I like 

some of the things I saw. I 

wouldn’t want to play us in 

February.’ 

“And he was right. They 

turned it around and really 

had a good year. That to 

me was a mark of a good 

coach.” 

Milbert noted that one 

of the major differences 

between covering high 

schools and colleges is 

that high school reporters 

have to do many things 

themselves. When covering 

college teams, reporters 

get stats handed 

to them and can request 

players and coaches to 

talk to through the media 

relations employees at the 

schools. High schools are 

a different story. 

“I’ve always had a respect 

for high school 

writers because in the old 

days, they always had to 

find a phone, to plug their 

computers in, and it’s always 

been more difficult 

because of that aspect,” 

he said. “As far as the 

game, the no shot clock. If 

a team gets the lead in the 

fourth quarter, they’ll sit 

on the lead. It’s a different 

game than college. 

“I’ve only done a handful 

of professional games, 

but I like the high school 

game better. I like the 

coaches strategizing, 

things like that. I feel like 

there’s more coaching 

on the high school level, 

maybe not more than college 

but more than in the 

pros. Coaches can have a 

greater impact.” 

The hall of fame banquet 

will be May 5 at Illinois 

State’s Redbird 

Arena and will include 99 

new inductees.



Sports performance training gives high-school athletes extra edge 

Brittany Kapa, Sports Editor 

EFT Sports Performance, 

and founder Elias 

Karras, are making a difference 

in how athletes 

perform in competition. 

Karras, a former body 

builder and power lifter, 

realized that he wanted 

to help others achieve 

the same goals he had. In 

1994, his goal was to start 

a gym where he could help 

people. 

“I was driving around in 

my car with my little sister 

hanging (promotional) flyers 

out of the mailboxes,” 

Karras recalls. “We put 

them in the mailboxes 

originally and then we got 

a letter from the postmaster 

general saying that was 

a federal offense.” 

After the flyers in the 

mailboxes didn’t work out, 

Karras resorted to posting 

them on flag poles. 

“I picked up my first client 

that way,” he said. 

Twenty-three years later, 

Karras’ business model 

has shifted a bit, and while 

he still offers corporate 

adult training he also offers 

group classes and 

personal training to high 

school athletes. The EFT 

North site, 1630 Old Deerfield 

Road, in Highland 

Park, has a large dedicated 

space that houses every 

type of workout equipment 

needed to give athletes an 

extra edge. 

Karras saw the value of 

training high school athletes 

after helping a friend 

in 1998. 

Yianny Caparos asked 

Karras to help train his 

Chicago FC United U17 

soccer team. 

“Yianny Caparos had a 

soccer program that was really 

successful and he gave 

me all of his team to train,” 

Karras said. “I think of the 

18 kids on the team, 14 of 

them went Division 1.” 

EFT now works with 

area high schools, including 

Lake Forest Academy, 

and has installed full-time 

programs for the athletes. 

Carmel Catholic High 

School, in Mundelein, was 

the pioneer school for the 

program. 

“I have a full staff there 

in the mornings and in 

the afternoons and on 

weekends,” Karras said. 

“We train all the teams in 

strength training, speed 

and agility, performance 

and what have you. Functional, 

strength and postrehabilitation 

training and 

even pre-physical therapy 

training, basically you 

name it we do it.” 

After Karras saw success 

with the Carmel program, 

area schools, like 

Lake Forest Academy and 

even Highland Park High 

School, have used EFT 

and their services to varying 

degrees. 

“Our first year at Carmel 

Catholic, like three years 

ago, we had a reduction in 

soft-tissue injuries by like 

60 percent,” Karras said. 

“It’s all based on participation 

though. The better the 

participation, the better the 

results are going to be.” 

Highland Park High 

School doesn’t have a 

full program installed at 

the school from EFT, but 

sports like basketball do 

preseason training. 

“We work with the 

Highland Park basketball 

team every year,” Karras 

said. “We work with the 

boys and girls program. 

In the fall, we get them 

ready for their season, so 

we work with them in September 

and October until 

the beginning of November 

when they start basketball.” 

Karras clears out the 

gym for the Giants during 

their scheduled time, and 

the team runs through conditioning 

exercises with 

EFT staff members. 

“It’s so cool, in just the 

eight weeks that they’re 

here, the progress that they 

make,” Karras said. “It’s 

neat because they really 

push each other.” 

General Manager Jordyn 

Gaza, who has worked 

at EFT for a little under 

two years, said she has 

been constantly impressed 

with how the high school 

athletes form a bond with 

the trainers at the gym. 

“One of the biggest parts 

that I am most inspired by 

is watching how our guys 

interact with the kids,” 

Gaza said. “Especially this 

day and age, I feel like so 

many high school kids are 

just trying to figure it out. 

To have a figure that is not 

just a teacher, they’re not a 

coach, but you can have a 

different kind of relationship 

with these kids. They 

really do look up to our 

trainers.” 

Gaza also believes that 

this type of training goes 

beyond just the physical 

gains and teaches these 

athletes life lessons. 

“Even though they’re 

young, you have to set the 

precedent that hard work is 

going to get you where you 

want to go,” Gaza said. 

Motivation to do more 

John Deering, a senior at 

Lake Forest High School 

and running back for the 

football team, has seen 

what hard work and dedication 

can do in the output 

of physical performance. 

“I don’t mean to be 

mean, but I was a fat, slow, 

uncoordinated guy,” Deering 

said. “The only thing I 

could play was downhill. I 

could only run and tackle 

people.” 

Deering started training 

Lake Forest High School’s John Deering (front) and EFT Sports Performance trainer 

Kerry Neal work out together Thursday, Dec. 21 at EFT Sports Performance Training 

in Highland Park. Photos by Brittany Kapa/22nd Century Media 

at EFT with Kerry Neal 

when he was transitioning 

from his sophomore to junior 

year of high school. 

“Coming here, working 

with Kerry, I noticed an increase 

in lateral quickness, 

speed, and overall power,” 

Deering said. “I started to 

be able to lift heavier, lift 

faster and it just came out 

on the field. 

“I was able to stay with 

wide receivers, running 

backs, and move around 

linemen instead of having 

to run through them. 

That’s just the difference 

in your game and the difference 

in high school and 

college football.” 

Deering, despite having 

an injured shoulder and 

being post-surgery, was 

back in the gym, working 

with Neal Thursday, Dec. 

21. 

“It’s all about modification,” 

Neal said. 

Neal designed a workout 

program that doesn’t 

require Deering to use 

any upper-body strength 

but keeps him conditioned 

during his recovery. 

Scott Daly, Notre Dame long snapper, works on his aim 

at the gym. 

“That is the biggest 

thing, as soon as he got 

hurt, I texted him right 

after his surgery,” Neal 

said. “Our biggest focus is 

training his lower body. A 

lot of kids get hurt and sit 

on ice for six months or six 

weeks, or however long 

their recovery process is. 

“That just prolongs everything 

when they come 

back. As soon as we can 

get these kids back, get 

them up and get them 

moving again it’s going to 

be a faster recovery presence.” 

Deering, a University of 

Chicago commit for next 

season, appreciated that 

Neal could design something 

that would allow him 

to keep working despite 

the injury. 

“That’s why I kept coming 

back,” Deering said. 

“This is where I like to 

be. ... They’re able to text 

me two weeks out (of surgery), 

when I’m really not 

even allowed to be in a car 

for all that long because of 

the shaking, and they’re 

able to put a full workout 

together for me where I 

don’t have to move my 

shoulder at all, I can stay 

in shape so that’s really 

nice.”

30 | December 28, 2017 | The highland park landmark sports 


Local youth goalie commits to helping epilepsy nonprofit 

Brittany Kapa, Sports Editor 

A shutout is defined as a 

game in which the losing 

side fails to score. 

In hockey, it’s a rare 

accomplishment that is a 

product of teamwork. 

Sarah Matthews, a 

Highland Park native, 

found a way to make shutouts 

even more impressive 

last season. 

“I was at a goalie camp 

over the summer [of 2016] 

for a week and [Amelia 

Murray] was one of the 

instructors there,” Matthews 

said. “One of the 

things we did after lunch, 

we would talk about different 

things hockey related. 

(Murray) talked about 

what her [nonprofit organization] 

was and how 

she just started it because 

(a family member) was 

diagnosed with a seizure 

disorder.” 

While at a Goalie 

Development Institute 

camp, Matthews listened 

to Murray’s presentation 

about her nonprofit 

organization, Shutouts 

for Seizures. Murray, a 

former Chicago Young 

Americans goalie and current 

Union College goalie, 

explained that Shutouts 

for Seizures was a way 

to raise money for epilepsy 

research. On every 

team Murray has played 

for, she asked both players 

and parents to donate 

a monetary value per shutout 

earned during the season, 

with all funds going 

to epilepsy research. 

Murray’s message hit 

home with Matthews. 

Matthews, who currently 

plays on the Falcons 

U14 and Bantam NIHL 1 

travel team, presented the 

idea to her U14 team last 

season, whose practice 

home is at Hot Shot Ice 

Arena in Lake Bluff. With 

families that hail from 

Highland Park, Lake Forest 

and Deerfield, Matthews 

presented the idea 

of donating to the organization 

after every shutout. 

“We had her present it 

to the team last year, and 

this year, and people were 

very enthusiastic and excited 

about it,” Sarah’s 

mother, Kim Matthews, 

said. “A lot of parents 

commented that they 

loved that there was an 

opportunity for their kids 

to realize that something 

they’re doing was helping 

other people.” 

Now, each family has 

$5 on hand in the hopes 

that at the end of the game 

they will be able to donate 

the money to Shutouts for 

Seizures. 

“She always takes it 

upon herself to find things 

that she can do to reward 

good play,” Falcons’ U14 

coach Bill Polovin said. “I 

think she found it.” 

By the end of last season 

the team totaled nine 

shutouts and had raised 

$500 for Shutouts for Seizures, 

which donated the 

funds to Citizens United 

for Research in Epilepsy. 

“I thought it was be nice 

to help this organization 

out because it was just 

starting,” Sarah Matthews 

said. 

The Falcons U14 team 

agreed to continue donating 

to Shutouts for 

Seizures for every shutout 

this season as well. 

Currently, the team has 

seven shutouts, combined 

between Sarah Matthews 

and the other goalie, for 

the season. 

“The team kind of got 

behind her, especially 

coming down to the end 

Shutouts for Seizures 

Founder: Amelia 

Murray 

For more information ... 

Web: facebook.com/ 

ShutoutsforSeizures 

Email: 

shutoutsforseizures@ 

gmail.com 

(of a game) they’re really 

pushing harder to make 

sure it happens,” Polovin 

said. “They think it’s 

funny when they go in the 

lobby and all the parents 

get their $5 bills out and 

hand them to Sarah Matthews. 

The kids get a big 

kick out of that.” 

Shutouts are often rare 

in hockey, especially 

in really competitive 

leagues. Polovin thinks 

that Shutouts for Seizures 

has helped give the girls 

that little extra push to 

give each game their all. 

“[A shutout] is really 

dependent on a team effort 

as opposed to an individual 

effort,” Polovin 

said. “In a shutout while 

the goalie is primarily responsible 

for not letting 

goals in the net, she has 

five players in front of her 

that kind of help.” 

While Polovin doesn’t 

have statistics to back up 

his theory, but he thinks 

that Shutouts for Seizures 

does help motivate the 

girls to play to the best of 

their ability. 

“I think that they do 

know in the back of their 

head that it’s there,” he 

said. “I think as the game 

goes on, and the goalies 

are closer to getting a 

shutout, that little extra effort 

does show up.” 

This season, the U14 

has amassed seven shutouts 

and they’re only halfway 

through the season. 

Sarah Matthews poses for a photo last season, fall 

2016, with the Shutouts for Seizures collection box that 

she created to look like a hockey puck. Photo Submitted 

A familial foundation 

“I had a close family 

member who was diagnosed 

with epilepsy almost 

11 years ago now,” 

Murray said. “At the time 

I had no idea what epilepsy 

was or what seizures 

were.” 

The lack of information 

struck a cord in Murray, 

who then started Shutouts 

for Seizures. The name 

is a double-edged sword, 

and is not only significant 

to the hockey community 

but is also a way to ask for 

help. 

“(The name) also created 

the acronym SoS,” 

Murray said. “Which is 

partly what we really 

wanted and at the same 

time being a goalie was a 

big part of it. 

“I have taken it to another 

level, a shutout is 

so much more than what 

your goalie can do. You 

can’t get a shutout if your 

defenseman isn’t blocking 

shots for you, your 

forwards need to be getting 

out to the point and 

chipping the puck out. It’s 

really a collective team effort 

and I think that needs 

to be more known in the 

hockey community.” 

Murray has high hopes 

that little-by-little, and 

with help from young 

hockey players like Sarah 

Matthews, that her message 

will spread. 

“On the youth end, I 

think it’s important to just 

spread the message to as 

many teams as possible,” 

she said. “It’s not limiting 

in the fact that any 

team can do it. A house 

team, a travel team, girls 

or boys team, it really 

doesn’t matter. Whoever 

would like to get involved 

can. It doesn’t really take 

much more than going out 

there, playing hockey and 

spreading the word.” 

Epilepsy is a bigger 

concern than one might 

think, and Murray didn’t 

know just how big until it 

hit home. 

“The epilepsy community 

is so small with 

who knows about it, and 

the knowledge we have, 

it’s really something that 

needs to grow because 

one in 26 Americans has 

a seizure disorder,” she 

said. “It’s actually a lot 

more common than people 

think.” 

Murray started the 

nonprofit six years ago, 

and to date, Shutouts for 

Seizures has raised right 

around $30,000. Murray 

isn’t stopping there in her 

efforts either. 

Union College, where 

Murray plays Division 1 

hockey, has a combination 

of both players and 

parents who donate a 

monetary value for each 

shutout earned. Currently 

the team has one shutout 

for the season, which occurred 

Nov. 4 in a game 

against Merrimack College. 

“Our plan right now is 

to get the entire league, 

which is 12 teams, involved,” 

she said. “Right 

now my team is involved 

and I will be speaking at 

a press conference for the 

league soon. 

“From there I would 

love for it to spread to all 

of collegiate hockey, that 

is the hope and maybe 

catch the attention of 

some NIHL teams.” 

Extending the Shutouts for 

Seizures family 

Sarah Matthews, who 

also plays on the Falcons 

Bantam NIHL 1 travel 

team, has inspired yet another 

team in her efforts to 

help Murray. 

“We didn’t plan on doing 

it with [the Bantam 

team] but some of them 

heard about it and they 

wanted to join us too,” 

Sarah Matthews said. 

Currently the Bantam 

team has five shutouts for 

the season. In total, between 

both teams, Sarah 

Matthews has collected 

$1,000 for Shutouts for 

Please see sOS, 27



From the Sports Editor 

A reflection: The best parts about reporting sports 

1st-and-3 

Photo Submitted 

The Importance 

of Giving 

1. Sarah Matthews. 

Highland Park 

resident Matthews 

(far right) is 

pictured with her 

team, Falcons 

Bantam NIHL 1, 

who have agreed 

to donate funds 

to Shutouts for 

Seizures after 

every shutout. 

2. The Explanation. 

Shutouts for 

Seizures donates 

any funds raised to 

organization that 

research epilepsy. 

3. The Importance. 

One in 26 

Americans have a 

seizure disorder, 

according to 

the Epilepsy 

Foundation. 

Epilepsy is also 

the most common 

neurological 

disorder. 

Brittany Kapa 

b.kapa@22ndcenturymedia.com 

If you only read one 

story out of this entire 

issue, please let it be 

the story on pages 28 and 

29. 

Now, I would hope that 

you would read everything 

but I know not everyone 

reads every word of the 

paper. 

For those that do, thank 

you, because a lot of hours 

of hard work went into 

talking to people, writing 

their stories and editing the 

article for you to enjoy. 

Over the last few months 

I’ve gotten to know this 

town, its people and the 

athletes of the town. A 

little back story here, the 

reason I wanted to get into 

sports is mainly because I 

love seeing the progression 

of athletes throughout the 

season – especially in high 

school. 

In any sport, there are always 

ups and downs. The 

best part of covering high 

school sports is watching 

a team come together and 

overcome a challenge. Ask 

any sports reporter, those 

Sarah Matthews (front right) and her 2017-28 Falcons Girls U14 team take a photo on 

the ice; the team donates $5 per shutout to a local charity. Photo Submitted 

are the best moments of 

any game. You can see the 

excitement spread across 

their faces when they’ve 

accomplished a seasonlong 

goal. That elation is 

also evident in the interview 

after. 

My favorite part of these 

interviews is right after I 

ask an athlete how they felt 

after accomplishing either 

a personal or a team goal. 

They take a moment, smile 

to themselves and then you 

can hear how proud they 

are but at the same time 

thankful that their team 

could come together as 

one and achieve a common 

goal. Those are the 

interviews that I love, and 

that is why I think being 

a sports editor is such an 

important job. 

My job allows me to 

focus in on those stories 

that larger media outlets 

wouldn’t necessarily tell. 

These stories highlight locals 

in our community that 

are taking those important 

steps to help others. 

This is the type of story 

you will read on pages 28- 

29. The story highlights 

Sarah Matthews, 13, of 

Highland Park, who plays 

for the Falcons U14 team 

and the Bantam NIHL 1 

travel team, which houses 

athletes from area towns 

like Lake Forest and Deerfield 

as well as Highland 

Park. Let me just say that 

I’m already impressed 

by what she has accomplished 

on and off the ice. 

Matthews saw the value 

in a non-profit organization 

created by Amelia 

Murray. Murray, a Union 

College goalie, created 

the organization Shutouts 

for Seizures after a family 

member was diagnosed 

with epilepsy. Matthews 

aligned with the goals 

Murray has set for the 

organization and is helping 

her achieve those goals. 

If you read my introduction 

editorial a few months 

back, you will know that 

I play hockey as well. 

However, I didn’t have the 

advantage of starting the 

sport when I was younger. 

In the early 1990s, hockey 

didn’t have the following 

like it does today – at 

least not here in Chicago. 

My dad played when he 

was younger, coached 

after that, and when him 

and my mother started 

a family, and I was old 

enough to don ice skates, 

he was done with the sport. 

I remember them asking 

my younger brother if he 

wanted to play, but it never 

occurred to me that women 

played the sport. At least 

not until I was in my early 

20s. 

Now, thankfully, that has 

changed. Matthews plays 

not only on an all-girls 

team but is the only girl on 

the Bantam travel team, 

color me impressed. Murray 

is a Division 1 goalie 

at Union College in New 

York. Matthews and Murray 

are good, and better 

than I’ll ever be. Murray 

played for the Chicago 

Young Americans when 

she was younger and stuck 

with the sport through high 

school and into college. 

Thankfully, there are 

even opportunities after 

college for women to play 

hockey. The National 

Women’s Hockey League, 

made up of four teams 

on the East Coast, was 

established just a few years 

ago and pays their players 

a modest salary. It’s not 

much, but it’s a start. 

Then, if you’re extremely 

talented, there is 

the USA Hockey National 

Women’s team, which 

houses some local Illinois 

players like Megan Bozak, 

of Buffalo Grove, and 

Kendall Coyne, of Palos 

Please see Editorial, 25 

Listen Up 

“I was driving around in my car with 

my little sister hanging flyers out of the 

mailboxes.” 

Elias Karras — owner of EFT Sports Performance, on how 

he started his business 23 years ago 

tune in 

Boys Basketball 

Highland Park continues their journey at the annual York 

Holiday Tournament. 

• Giants at York Holiday Tournament, Dec. 29, TBD, in 

Elmhurst. 

Index 

28 - Hall of Fame induction 

25 - Athlete of the Week 

Fastbreak is compiled by Sports Editor Brittany Kapa. Send 

any questions or comments to b.kapa@22ndcenturymedia. 

com.

The highland Park Landmark | December 28, 2017 | HPLandmark.com 

Pinnacle 

Performance 

Local gym helps area 

athletes reach top athletic 

conditioning, Page 29 

Hard work 

paying off 

Landmark reporter 

honored with hall of fame 

induction, Page 28 

Highland Park teen, hockey team helps raise money for epilepsy awareness, Page 30 

Sarah Matthews (left), goalie for the Falcons U14 girls team and Bantam NIHL 1 team, and Amelia Murray, Union College hockey player, pose for a photo at Lake 

Forest Academy, Dec. 17, before Matthews’ game. Photo Submitted

HP_122817

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