Goddess and the Baker, a fast-casual cafe with five Chicago locations, is planning its first suburban location in Wilmette, according to statements made during a recent Wilmette Village Board meeting and information on the Goddess and the Baker website.
Neither representatives from the business nor WS Development, the plaza’s owner, returned messages from The Record by press time.
But Brad Dumont, senior vice president of development for WS Development, told Wilmette trustees on May 27 that Goddess and the Baker is on its way to the plaza. And while is unclear exactly when the new business will make its debut, its website features a page for a Wilmette location and it says, “Opening late summer 2025. We are excited too!”
Goddess and the Baker launched as a sister company with Goddess and the Grocer but has since separated and is its own entity.
Goddess and the Baker is open for breakfast and lunch (typically closing by 4 p.m. at its Chicago locations) serving coffees, juices and teas and sandwiches, scrambles, salads, bowls and more.
According to its website, “We set out to create a warm and inviting meeting place where guests could enjoy a good coffee, breakfast, sandwich (or salad), and dessert then leave with a smile on their face.”
WS Development purchased Edens Plaza in late 2021 and has since largely transformed it with a series of new businesses and designs throughout. The large-scale mixed-use developer has recently announced plans for an additional four new businesses at the center: Club Studio, Uncharted, Flamant Nail Boutique and Just Salad.
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Highwood planning and zoning commissioners gathered in May to vote on a local music conservatory’s plans to build a new concert hall on a vacant four-acre plot of land near the Fort Sheridan neighborhood.
The commission, however, ultimately ran out of time to deliberate on the Midwest Young Artists Conservatory’s petition to get its build site properly rezoned after nearly three hours’ worth of public commentary about the development — and more community members were waiting to be heard when the meeting adjourned at 10:40 p.m.
Individuals opposing the proposed 728-seat concert hall with a 23,000-square foot footprint adjacent to MYAC’s headquarters are set to clash again with the nonprofit music school when the Highwood Planning and Zoning Commission meets at 6 p.m. on June 18 in Oak Terrace Elementary School.
MYAC President Allan Dennis said, among other benefits, the concert hall would provide sorely needed rehearsal and performance space for its numerous student ensembles that no other venue in the North Shore can accommodate.
“This is a win-win for everybody,” Dennis told The Record. “There’s no reason why those students shouldn’t have the very best opportunity to have a concert hall. It’s not as though they’re taking anything from anybody else. They only need something and it’s not just them; the community needs it.”
The proposed MYAC concert hall would have a total floor area of 41,702-square-feet over four stories, but sit on a 23,000-square-foot footprint at the same height as the music school’s adjacent 13,256-square-foot headquarters located at 878 Lyster Road. | Image by Booth Hansen
But members of Friends of Historic Fort Sheridan, a volunteer group, believe the plan bears too many unresolved issues, like the potential to add traffic congestion to an already densely populated city and compromise the unique visual character of Fort Sheridan, a national historic landmark district.
“This is not about residents versus a music school; this is about preservation,” said John Mellen, an executive committee member of the group, of the Fort Sheridan neighborhood. “Everybody here, 503 homes in this place, everybody moved here because of what had been preserved.”
If the planning commission votes in favor of rezoning the lot from residential to commercial on June 18, Highwood City Council will then vote on giving MYAC’s petition final approval on a later date.
‘This should be a slam dunk’
First established in 1993, MYAC moved into Fort Sheridan’s former stockade building in 2000.
Today, it sees approximately 450 students every weekend during the academic school year as its 40-plus staff members conduct rehearsals for six different classical music orchestras, three jazz bands, three choral ensembles and more than 40 chamber music groups.
While Dennis said MYAC offers its 900 total enrollees an “unequaled” learning experience, the headquarters’ existing two rehearsal rooms reportedly cannot accommodate its 100-plus student orchestras or big bands on stage.
This restriction requires MYAC to rent offsite venues at Ravinia Festival or Northwestern University. But MYAC won’t be able to rent from Ravinia moving forward and NU’s Pick-Staiger Concert Hall only offered the school one open date last spring, Dennis said.
He added that other nearby venues like the Gorton Center or the Writer’s Theatre do not provide the backstage-space needed for multiple performances.
Fighting for limited availability creates challenges for students who must then frequently travel to other venues, sometimes as far as downtown Chicago or Waukegan. Working around unbending venue schedules also forces students to perform weeks sooner than they’re typically ready for, Dennis said.
MYAC Administrative Director Karen Dennis in the nonprofit’s headquarters, which only boasts two recital halls that she said cannot stage its orchestras or big band jazz ensembles. | Photo by Samuel Lisec/The Record North Shore
The school long had plans to expand with a bigger performance hall of its own, Dennis said, so when the U.S. Navy posted four acres of land by the nonprofit’s headquarters for sale, MYAC bought it in 2013.
A public forum that year indicated positive community support, Karen Dennis, Allan’s wife and MYAC’s administrative director recalled. But after revealing a prior seven-floor blueprint, the nonprofit undertook multiple feedback meetings and revisions between 2021 and 2024 to arrive at its current plan.
“I’m not going to say we have everything perfect,” Dennis said. “But we are willing to work with the city and do what we need to do to make it happen right and we certainly have adjusted to what’s being suggested by everybody.”
“We’re not looking to accommodate much more,” Dennis continued. “We’ve spent hundreds of thousands of dollars accommodating to this point. We need to start using our energies to raise the money and stop having to get through this step, which should be a slam dunk.”
To prevent traffic coming through Fort Sheridan, the redesigned MYAC campus will create a new access road directly off Sheridan Road, curb off Westover and Prall’s Loop roads, and put gates on Westover and Lyster roads along the Fine Arts Studio of Rotblatt-Amrany access road.
An aerial site map of the proposed MYAC concert hall, which would be located just outside of Fort Sheridan’s national historic district boundary line and is designed to face west to Sheridan Road. | Image Submitted
MYAC estimated that 15,000-20,000 people visit its current campus every year. In the event all of its full-capacity shows in the new concert hall sell out, MYAC estimated that the new maximum total number of people visiting its campus every year would be 24,000.
The school has committed to only holding 30 half-capacity events and 18 full-capacity events a year and refrain from scheduling them on the same day as local festivals, of which Highwood has plenty.
MYAC also plans to contract Highwood police officers or parking attendants to assist with traffic flows before and after shows.
Assuming cars arrive with an average of three people per vehicle, the campus’s 287 total parking spaces would exceed Highwood’s parking code requirements, Dennis said.
An April 2024 traffic study, one of several commissioned by MYAC, ultimately concluded that the area’s “roadway system has sufficient reserve capacity to accommodate the traffic projected to be generated by the expanded campus.”
In terms of its appearance, the concert hall is sunk into the ground so its four-floor ceiling will match the height of MYAC’s nearby headquarters. The four-acre lot, which is technically outside of Fort Sheridan, can gain a boundary of trees to obscure it from view inside the fort, Dennis said.
Dennis argued the venue could raise the value of nearby homes by creating a hub for performances from other schools and professional orchestras, and noted MYAC is waiting for Highwood City Council’s official approval to begin its five-year fundraising plan for the project estimated to cost between $29-40 million. MYAC won’t begin construction until it secures all of its funding.
MYAC President Allan Dennis says the proposed venue would only stage classical, choral and jazz music performances; it would not become an entertainment space for rock concerts. | Photo by Samuel Lisec/The Record North Shore
‘We’re not going to stop’
Susan Lazar first moved to Fort Sheridan in 2022 and learned about the proposed concert hall last August. When Fort Sheridan’s Homeowners Association inquired if residents wanted to obtain more info about the project, she helped form Friends of Historic Fort Sheridan and was voted president.
In October, her email account crashed after receiving so many questions and concerns about MYAC’s plan, Lazar said.
While Lazar affirmed she and other group members are strong supporters of music and education, she argued the community has other nearby concert halls and that a recent population surge in Highwood means another large venue with weekly late-night events would overwhelm local traffic and parking.
A former marketing research consultant, Lazar outlined five active residential real-estate developments, such as the Hotel Moraine high rise, that she estimated collectively stand to add 598 people and 498 cars to Highwood’s already dense population.
With approximately 5,400 people currently residing in Highwood’s 0.71 square miles, Lazar said she’s held focus groups and met with area business owners who are concerned traffic generated by MYAC concerts could make it difficult for people to easily access main street shops.
Audience members raise their hands in opposition to the MYAC plan during the Highwood Planning and Zoning Commission meeting on May 21. | Photo submitted by Susan Lazar
Likewise, Lazar noted Fort Sheridan boasts two nature preserves often busy on weekends when concerts would occur and expressed skepticism MYAC’s visitors wouldn’t still drive through the neighborhood, potentially leading to more noise, garbage, light pollution, security concerns and obstructions to local EMS access.
The City of Highwood was drafting its comprehensive plan in 2013 when MYAC bought the lot near its headquarters, and the plan outlines the city will support improvement to the school’s facilities, “provided that improvements or expansions do not negatively impact residential neighborhoods.”
Lazar argued numerous other issues exist in MYAC’s proposal — like a lack of an environment study or outlined maintenance plan, unclear financial viability, the loss of potential Highwood tax revenue on a lot that could fit 15 homes, the look of a “huge” commercial venue outside a community of historic late-19th century buildings — that prove its risks far outweigh its proposed benefits.
Dennis said he intends to clear up misconceptions people may have about the concert hall at the upcoming June 18 commission meeting, which he hopes will provide penultimate approval to the development now 10-years in the making.
But Lazar and Mellen said they intend to continue organizing against MYAC’s development and are pleased with the amount of messaging they’ve distributed so far.
On May 16, Lazar submitted a petition to the city that held 701 signatures in opposition to the venue. City staff later received more than 100 written public comments on May 21, and 64 of them repeated the concerns MYAC will put “undue stress” on the Highwood community and “should find another location.”
“We made a commitment that we’re in this until the end,” Mellen said. “There’s a process, we’re involved with this process wherever it ends and we’re not going to stop.”
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The Lake County Democrats organization will be leading a “No Kings” rally and food drive in downtown Highland Park on Saturday, June 14, to demonstrate against President Donald Trump’s administration.
The rally is set to run from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. outside Highland Park City Hall, 1707 St. Johns Ave.
Lauren Beth Gash, chair of the Lake County Democrats, said she is confident the protest will be peaceful and well attended in light of recent other demonstrations the group has held.
“The protest this Saturday will continue our momentum,” Gash said. “People across the country are saying we’ve had enough and we don’t have kings in the United States, and Trump may want to be a dictator, but we don’t have that in the United States.”
Joan Zahnle, one of the main organizers for the Highland Park rally, encouraged people to bring food donations, which will then be collected and distributed to Lake County food pantries like the Wauconda Island Lake Food Pantry or Moraine Township Food Pantry located in Highland Park.
Numerous No Kings rallies are scheduled on Saturday across the nation to coincide with a military parade set to take place in Washington, D.C., on the Army’s 250th anniversary and Trump’s birthday.
But the No Kings rallies now also come after Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids sparked ongoing protests in Los Angeles this week. On Tuesday, Trump deployed 700 Marines to join the now 4,000 National Guard troops in that city.
As of Wednesday, approximately 400 people had already signed up to attend the No Kings rally in Highland Park, but Gash believed many more will attend. An April 19 Highland Park protest she expected 300 to attend ended up drawing between 1,000 to 2,000 people.
A February rally outside a Tesla dealership in Libertyville reportedly drew nearly 600 people, and a co-sponsored “Hands Off” rally in Gurnee on April 5 drew 3,000,” she said. The volunteer, grassroots organization then started holding rallies every other week starting in early May.
Lake County Democrats will also be holding their annual Democrats Defending Democracy Reception from 5-7 p.m. on Saturday at Ravinia Green Country Club in Riverwoods. There, Heidi Kitrosser, a Northwestern constitutional law professor, will give a keynote address.
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Longtime Wilmette Parks commissioner Mike Murdock reportedly is the subject of an investigation into his residency after allegations again surfaced that he does not live in the Village of Wilmette.
Murdock brought up the investigation during the Park Board’s regular meeting on Monday, June 9, asking about its progress.
Park Board President Patrick Lahey provided information into the investigation after Murdock mentioned it at Monday’s meeting.
Lahey explained that shortly after he was elected the Park Board’s president in May he had “multiple conversations” with residents who claimed that Murdock does not live at his stated address in Wilmette.
“There were questions in the community about the residency and the eligibility of Commissioner Murdock,” Lahey said. “Those concerns were made to the board and we looked into a third party counsel to investigate them.”
He said that an “expert law firm” will be selected to conduct the investigation into Murdock’s residency, but beyond that, the investigation has not moved forward.
“What we’re really trying to do is protect the board (and) more importantly, protect Mike in that he’s a valid commissioner,” Lahey said, adding that Murdock has been “great about” working with the board’s inquiry.
According to a portion of the Illinois Park District Code, “No person shall be eligible to serve as park commissioner unless that person is a qualified elector of the park district and has resided therein at least one year prior to election or appointment.”
Murdock denied allegations that he no longer lives in Wilmette and said he hopes the investigation is concluded quickly.
“Let’s go ahead and get it done,” he said. “I’m very comfortable with my residency, but do whatever we need to do. Let’s get it resolved and the sooner the better.”
Recent confusion
Murdock speaking with the Zoning Board of Appeals in Wilmette.
Part of the recent residency concerns stem from comments Murdock made to Wilmette’s Zoning Board of Appeals on Wednesday, June 4. Murdock is seeking zoning relief for a garage on his Wilmette property in Kenilworth Gardens.
The Record viewed the recording of that meeting, and under questioning from Zoning Commissioner Brad Falkof as to whether Murdock currently lives in the home, Murdock said the situation is “complicated.”
He explained to the ZBA that another family is temporarily living in a home on his property while the home is under construction, but he stated that he has “exclusive use of part of the property, and they have exclusive use of part of the property, and then we have some shared use.”
Due to construction delays, the family temporarily living in his home reportedly has stayed longer than expected, but Murdock said “my expectation is that I’ll be back in the house within the next month.”
When Falkof asked where Murdock is currently living, he said that he was unsure if that was a “relevant” question before saying, “I’m entitled to stay in the house whenever I want and I have family in town and so it’s been a little quirky, to be honest with you.”
History of questions
Murdock speaking in February 2025 on a local South Bend television program about his business in that community.
Murdock’s residency in Wilmette has been questioned before.
Murdock did not return messages from The Record; however, in a 2023 interview with The Record, when Murdock was seeking a third nonconsecutive term on the Park Board, he talked about previous criticism of his residency by listing a number of streets he’s called home in his time living in Wilmette.
He also spoke about his affiliation to South Bend, Indiana, which at the time he called a second home. His wife, Eileen Murdock, works in the development office at the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, according to Mike Murdock.
Mike Murdock also owns a business in South Bend: The Hideaway at the LaSalle, a cocktail bar within an apartment complex. On 2022 business documents, he is listed as the bar’s primary contact along with a South Bend residential address.
In the 2023 interview, Mike Murdock told The Record that he likes to spend “as much as I can” in South Bend but spends “many, many more nights” in the Wilmette area.
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One of North Shore School District 112’s elementary dual-language school buildings will eventually close and consolidate with another dual-language school if School Board members vote later this month in favor of the district administration’s recommendation.
A “staggering decline in Spanish-speaking students” enrolled in dual-language classes at Red Oak and Oak Terrace elementary schools indicates the board should vote for a multi-phase plan to fully house the program in Oak Terrace starting in the 2027-2028 school year, said D112 Superintendent Dr. Michael Lubelfeld during a June 10 board meeting.
The latest recommendation comes in light of feedback from local parents and students who oppose consolidation and think the administration should better support the longstanding dual-language program and after the board hired an outside consultant to evaluate the measure.
The board of education will vote on the program’s proposed consolidation at its next special meeting, scheduled for 7 p.m. on June 26 at Northwood Middle School in Highland Park.
D112 Board Member Lori Fink broke from the administration and other board members on Tuesday by arguing that enrollment projections appear unreliable and that the recommendation represents a pivot from past administration communication on why closing Red Oak is necessary.
“I cannot support a decision of this magnitude, one that disproportionately impacts our Spanish-speaking and our low-income families without a fully developed, transparent and community-informed plan,” Fink said.
Lubelfeld outlined various recommendations informed by Dr. Sonia Soltero, the outside consultant the district hired to evaluate the program, that would accompany consolidation.
These recommendations include creating a task force to “prioritize English learner needs” and address school climate after consolidation. Starting in October, the task force would meet monthly and consist of parents, teachers, board members and other school leaders.
Falling enrollment
The superintendent also recommended hiring a third party to evaluate redesigning the dual-language program from a 50-50 model to 80% of instruction in Spanish and suggested that all dual-language kindergarten classes would enroll at Oak Terrace starting in the 2026-2027 school year.
Total enrollment in D112’s dual-language program has dropped by 24% — or from 695 students to 523 — between the 2020-2021 and 2024-2025 school years, school data shows.
D112’s June data anticipates enrollment will continue to drop with a total of 509 dual-language students in the upcoming 2025-2026 school year. D112 projects a consolidated dual-language program would house 457 students at Oak Terrace in the 2027-2028 school year.
Enrollment dropped at Red Oak from 260 dual language students in 2020-2021 to 225 this last fall. Oak Terrace had 435 dual language students in the 2020-2021 school year and 298 this fall.
When dual-language cohorts get too small, students can’t find peer groups and the program becomes unbalanced, D112 Board Vice President Melissa Itkin said on Tuesday.
Local parents rallied support of Red Oak Elementary School in light of discussions to close it during an Oct. 8, 2024 District 112 School Board meeting. | The Record File Photo
Even though there may be enough kids in the schools today, Itkin added that the administration should get ahead of ongoing enrollment decreases to create a stronger program in the future.
“To me it comes down to just the simple fact that we don’t have the (English-learner) enrollment to maintain two schools any longer, and we need to represent all of our constituents and our community and our fiduciary duty,” board member Lisa Hirsh said.
“So I support the recommendation but I also want to support Lori, and I want you to know that I hear you and I hear the rest of the community that you represent and I want you to know you don’t represent just the people in this room but everybody in the community, so keep that in mind too.”
After Hirsh finished, several people in the board meeting’s audience spoke up and criticized her remarks.
During past meetings, parents argued dual-language enrollment declined because families are hesitant to enroll in a program that appears to lack committed support from the administration, and that the district has repeatedly underestimated enrollment by relying on capped pre-kindergarten numbers or information skewed by the pandemic.
“If consolidation is moving forward, the bare minimum is to plan based on facts, not outdated or flawed projections,” said Lacey Kornick, a D112 parent, during the public comment portion of Tuesday’s meeting.
“That means enough classrooms, appropriate ratios for our highest-need students, enough teachers and investment because if the projections are wrong again, and they very well may be, the system will fail the students who rely on it most.”
“But more importantly, I ask this board to demand full transparency from management,” Kornick continued. “You deserve a complete, honest picture, not filtered or curated information meant to support a predetermined conclusion.”
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Ellie Bornhoeft is a senior attacker for the Trevians. Bound for Cornell, she is New Trier’s all-time leader in draw controls and she scored the game-winning overtime goal in this year’s state championship.
1. Do you have any pregame rituals or superstitions?
I don’t really have any superstitions. I try to eat a good meal with protein and stay very hydrated.
2. Why is Cornell a good fit for you?
I really wanted high academics. When I met the team, the overall culture brings me so much excitement and I’m looking forward to being a part of the Cornell team next year.
3. What is your dream job?
To be honest, maybe starting my own business. I’m just inspired by people who start their own clothing business or are just entrepreneurs.
4. If you could try another sport, what would it be?
Probably soccer. I played soccer but had to quit because it’s in the same season as New Trier lacrosse. It’s just a really fun sport and I feel like it’s similar to lacrosse.
5. If you could travel anywhere, where would you go?
I want to go to the Amalfi Coast in Italy. Summer time on the coast is such a beautiful scene and I think it would be really fun.
6. If you could have dinner with any celebrity, who would it be?
Honestly, Michael Jordan maybe. He’s just very inspiring in the sports world … and with his mindset. And I think he’s just really cool.
7. What is your favorite thing to do off the field?
Hang out with friends at the beach or doing water sports and enjoying the sun.
8. If you are in Walgreens with a couple bucks, what are you buying?
Probably nail polish or some sort of candy, maybe Nerds (Gummy) Clusters.
9. What is something people don’t know about you?
I write lefty but play lacrosse righty. All sports I play righty. I just write lefty.
10. How would you summarize your championship-winning senior year?
It was really a dream of mine and I’m so happy. Since it formed in March I just knew this was a team. We call ourselves legacy team now. All these people are my best friends. We have such a close bond, and because we love each other, it helped us get to where we are. We all believed we would get here as a team. … I can’t believe it’s over but think it’s the best way to go out. (Lacrosse) has been the part of New Trier for me and I’m just so grateful.
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Another year, another lot of fresh faces ready to take on the world.
North Shore high schools celebrated their graduates with moving and momentous commencement ceremonies this spring, and we gathered them all up for you in this Record Roundup.
More than 850 students went from New Trier High School seniors to alumni during commencement ceremonies Sunday, June 1, at Now Arena in Hoffman Estates.
In his final graduation ceremony as superintendent, Dr. Paul Sally asked the graduates to let their hard work, values and commitment to others guide them.
Grammy-nominated musician Cody Fry (class of 2008), a Northfield native, was the event’s guest speaker, introducing himself to the graduates by reciting his order at Homer’s Ice Cream: cheese fries and an Oreo milkshake.
Fry encouraged the class of 2025 to find themselves after they leave New Trier.
“That’s what this next stage of your life is for,” he said, later adding, “Figure that out and the rest will fall into place.”
Seniors Caden Adrianopoli and Kira Friedel led a presentation on the senior class’s gift: a service project they named Serve with Dignity.
Through the project, the class of 2025 raised approximately $55,000 for two veteran-focused nonprofits: Midwest Veterans Closet and Salute, Inc.
In her commencement address, New Trier’s Winnetka Campus Principal Denise Dubravec noted the impact the class made.
“You leave here with more than knowledge, you leave here with experiences, experiences of belonging to a proud Trevian community that values hope, curiosity, kindness and the power of lifting others up,” she said. “You’ve seen how genersoity and service strengthen the bonds between people. Class of 2025, you’ve made a meaningful impact on veterans and their families and you’ve done so with dignity and grace.”
Neil Sanderson was selected as the senior class speaker and talked about his pride in being a Trevian and how he hopes his classmates take advantage of their opportunities.
“Make the most of the minutes you have,” he said. “… As one door closes, another one opens and I know that next door is wide open.”
Highland Park High School
Highland Park High School seniors at Ravinia Festival on May 28 for their graduation. | Photo from Highland Park High School
“The class of 2025 is a beautiful mosaic of ambitiously talented, creative and brilliant young adults,” Dr. Chala Holland, the superintendent of Township High School District 113, said May 30 as she addressed a crowd of 422 Highland Park High School seniors gathered at Ravinia Festival in their blue graduation gowns.
The ceremony began with music from the Highland Park orchestra while the graduates and their friends and family filed into the venue hall. The matriculating students had made the “House on Vine” into a home, one that will never be the same again, Dr. Holland said, before Principal Holly Fleischer highlighted notable awardees.
School faculty voted for Charles Scott III to receive the 117th Highland Park Medal of Honor; Dylan Dominguez and Madison Reitmayer were recognized as the class’s salutatorians; Julian Kolthammer, Emily Hsu, Jayla Marcus, Magnolia Mariano and Dominguez were recognized as its valedictorians.
Fleischer also acknowledged the class’s Highland Park Scholars; those who earned a Seal of Biliteracy or Seal of Dual Language; those joining the armed forces; and three staff members — Paul Harris, Robin Gapinski and Antonio Scintu — who are retiring after decades of service to the district.
Class President Lucy Millman and class Communications Chair Maya Schwartz presented the class gift, a new “club hub” space for students to connect and organize events.
Giving remarks in both English and Spanish, graduation speaker Genelle Fesalvo advised her peers to fail forward and don’t sweat the small stuff: “Be that beam of light in your own life to shine upon your success. Use it to inspire others and most importantly, inspire yourself.”
Then, one by one, each student walked across the stage, received their diploma, and together turned their tassels.
Loyola Academy
Members of Loyola’s class of 2025 at the graduation ceremony May 24 in Evanston. | Photo from Loyola Academy
Thousands packed into Northwestern’s Welsh-Ryan Arena on May 24 for Loyola Academy’s 115th commencement exercises, during which 493 graduates were recognized.
Principal Tim Devine welcomed the class of 2025 and their families and friends and encouraged the graduates to take time to reflect.
“It is good for us to pause together for a few moments; to focus our hearts and minds for what is to come in your forthcoming journeys in life,” he said. “For today, friends, you are on the threshold of your past and your future.”
In his final words to the class of 2025, Devine had heartfelt request:
“Congratulations on all you have become and all you are about to do. We are proud of you. We are with you. We love you. And, in our Ignatian words: Ite, inflammate omnia — go, set the world on fire.”
Devine also honored graduates Sofia Cabrales and Tommy Grant, the 2025 recipients of the school’s Graduate at Graduation Award, which according to Loyola is annually given to two seniors “who exemplify the Jesuit ideal of a well-rounded, faith-filled graduate.”
According to the school, Cabrales was praised as an “omnipresent Rambler” and “a selfless, empathetic leader who leads a true Ignatian life,” while Grant was described as “a friend-to-all Rambler who is talented, curious, ethical, and sincere.”
Other honors included:
• St. Michael’s Medal (grads entering military service): Georgia Andrew (Naval Academy), Ellen Gundlach (Naval Academy), Charlie Daly (Military Academy), Thomas Ghislandi (Military Academy Prep), Patrick Kraft (Reserve Officer Training, University of Michigan), Sophia Malan (Reserve Officer Training, Emory University), Finn Miller (Reserve Officer Training, University of Kansas), Sam Thompson (Military Academy) and Gavin Vradenburg (Military Academy Prep).
• Educator of the Year: Carol Danstrom (math department)
Class valedictorian Jack Ehlert, who was in New Jersey competing with Loyola’s crew team, joined the ceremony via video. Bound for Yale University, Ehlert spoke of how Loyola enabled growth for him and his classmates.
“At Loyola, we were not only taught as students but formed as people,” he said. “We had our perspectives challenged. We had discussions that changed the way we saw the world, we argued about ideas, and we learned how to disagree.”
He concluded, “Class of 2025, let us ground ourselves in the values of our Loyola education, hold tight to the people we have met here, and savor this moment!”
Regina Dominican High School
Regina graduates ready for their moment during the commencement on May 21. | Photo from Regina Dominican
The 2025 graduating class of Regina Dominican was urged to speak their truth and be brave during a graduation ceremony on May 21 at the Wilmette school.
Alumna Dalila Argaez Wendlandt (1987), associate justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, was the event’s keynote speaker who, according to a release from the school, shared five powerful life lessons: speak your truth — show your identity; be brave, not perfect; assign yourself; “effortlessness” is a myth; and use your voice to change the world.
“What you say, what you write, what you think — it matters,” Wendlandt said during the ceremony. “There are real consequences to inaction and silence in the face of injustice. By asking questions, learning and using your voice, you can actively shape the direction of history. Justice is not a passive outcome but requires conscious effort.”
The class of 2025, which earned $11.41 million in scholarships the school reported, was represented at the microphone by student speaker Allison Buck, who reportedly spoke about the lifelong sisterhood shared by the class of 2025.
Graduating Regina seniors had a hand in founding the schools first robotics team, the “Regina Riveters,” and also helped break numerous school records in athletics.
Along with commencement, Regina hosted its convocation ceremony to honor the achievements of a number of graduates. Among the honorees were: Nora McCabe (athlete of the year), Nicole Nuñez-Arteaga (service award) and Cecilia Palumbo (school spirit award).
The school also awarded the Regina Dominican Medal to students for academic excellence and leadership in a subject area. The medals went to: Nuñez-Arteaga (art and Spanish), Julia Martin (biology), Theresa LaFramboise (chemistry), Abigail King (dance), Claire Blasko (English), Charlotte Knoll (Latin), Buck (math), Deidre Murphy (music-choral and music-instrumental), Amanda Kroepfl (physics), Kate Foley (social studies), Sarah Anichini (theater) and Sophie Goby (theology).
NSCD graduate Daisy Stone rings the school bell to close North Shore Country Day’s 106th commencement ceremony on June 6. | Photo from North Shore Country Day
North Shore Country Day celebrated its graduates on June 6 on its Winnetka campus during its 106th commencement ceremonies.
Josh Sanders was the senior class speaker and spoke about growth, authenticity and community.
“North Shore has given us the space and support to grow beyond what we thought was possible for ourselves,” he said. “We all are leaders — motivated and prepared. All we need to do is just keep being who we are and we will make it far in life.”
The class selected NSCD’s Upper School English teacher Kathy McHugh as the faculty speaker, and McHugh reflected on the power of hope, imagination and community, a release from the school said.
“Take your marvelous imagination combined with your can-do spirit and believe in audacious hope,” she urged.
Head of School Tom Flemma spoke about the value of wisdom and concluded the ceremony by encouraging the graduates to develop that wisdom.
“Wisdom is built on knowledge but is more defined by experience and skill — the ability to discern, consider and cut through noise to chart a course of action with creativity and integrity,” he said.
Wilmette trustees unanimously approved an economic incentive policy on Tuesday with the goal of supporting economic development within the village.
The policy, which was approved at the Village Board’s regular meeting on June 10, was created following a request for economic incentives from Danny Shamoon, who plans on opening Buttermilk Café at 200 Skokie Blvd, a property that has been vacant since the 2019 departure of Bakers Square.
According to the June 10 board packet, the policy was drafted by the village’s Finance Committee following Shamoon’s requests in March and April of this year.
Prior to Shamoon’s request, the village also agreed to financial-assistance agreements with EvaDean’s Bakery and Cafe and Residence Inn Wilmette.
The policy, according to village documents, will provide support to projects that will improve the village’s economic base, “leading to increased business activity, development of job opportunities, enhanced property values and revenues, and will serve to improve the health, safety, and general welfare of the businesses and residents of the Village.”
Requests will be reviewed by the village’s Finance Committee and the Village Board. Requirements for the program include that the request comes from a business that generates sales, home rule or hotel tax; aligns with the Village’s policies and long-term goals, and meets construction and occupancy milestones.
Other considerations will include that the business is at least three years old with “a documented record of success,” or how it will be successful and add value to the village.
Incentives can be used for substantial improvements excluding minor or routine repairs and maintenance, such as significant interior remodels; making a building compliant with ADA; installation of fire sprinkler systems; and signage or landscaping.
Deal terms can be between three and 10 years, and the incentive structure includes 100% reimbursement, 50/50 reimbursement, and cost reimbursement.
Trustees made one change to the agreement at Tuesday’s meeting at the suggestion of Village President Senta Plunkett. Initially, the proposed policy required a property to be vacant for three years to qualify to be involved in the program, but Plunkett said she would rather see that as a consideration instead of a requirement.
“While I think a long vacancy can certainly be a factor in the consideration, I think there could be some flexibility,” Plunkett said. “A vacancy alone might not be the only reason why you would want to give an incentive.”
In addition to the overall economic incentive policy, trustees also unanimously approved an economic incentive agreement with Buttermilk Café, which, as part of the agreement, will receive up to $150,000 in sales tax revenue remittance over a maximum of 10 years. The Village will receive the first $20,000 in sales-tax dollars, Buttermilk the next $30,000, and then the sales-tax revenue will be split, documents show.
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Wilmette could join a group of area municipalities that advocates for less aircraft noise coming from O’Hare International Airport.
The Village Board received a presentation from a representative of the O’Hare Noise Compatibility Commission, an advocacy group formed in 1996, during its regular meeting on Tuesday, June 10.
In recent years, Village Manager Mike Braiman said the village has seen an increase in noise complaints for aircraft from both O’Hare and Chicago Executive Airport. Village staff recently attended an O’Hare Noise Compatibility Commission meeting to learn what options the village may have when it comes to noise reduction, and he believes it would benefit Wilmette to join the commission.
“I think there’s a lot of value that we can find in it, in having a seat at the table and ensuring that our residents’ concerns have an outlet,” Braiman said.
Maura El Metennani, executive director of ONCC, said the organization was formed in 1996 through an intergovernmental agreement and currently has 60 members: 34 municipalities, two counties, six Chicago wards and 18 school districts.
“Our focus is on cooperation and collaboration as opposed to confrontation, which is very unique in the industry,” she said. “We’re frequently held up by the (Federal Aviation Administration) as the gold standard of community roundtables.”
The ONCC’s mission is to reduce the impact of aircraft noise by using sound insulation and advocating for quieter aircraft operations, according to El Metennani.
“We work closely with government agencies like the FAA, aviation experts and community leaders to protect the quality of life of those living near O’Hare,” she said. “And the ONCC also oversees the Fly Quiet Program at O’Hare, which encourages pilots to use designated nighttime runways and flight routes to reduce aircraft noise over residential areas, with guidance provided through a regularly updated manual.”
Committees within the ONCC review and set policies, which are then recommended to the airport.
The group also oversees 43 permanent noise monitors and receives a monthly report on them, and provides educational opportunities for members.
Trustee Michael Lieber asked if Wilmette would be welcome as a member, given that the village isn’t as close to the airport as other communities.
“We obviously don’t have the issues that a Wood Dale or a Bensenville does,” he said.
El Metennani said that there are other member communities that aren’t close to O’Hare, such as St. Charles, South Barrington and Hinsdale.
“It hasn’t been an issue in the past, that I’m aware of,” she said, while adding that the current membership votes on adding new communities. “We’re all working towards the same thing.”
Village President Senta Plunkett asked El Metennani what the benefits of being an ONCC member would bring to Wilmette. She responded that educational opportunities would be one.
“In my eyes, the benefit is the education, the information to be able to pass on to your residents, offering that forum, providing airfield construction updates,” she said, adding that other benefits include “collaboration, having a seat at the table, having that open line of communication with the FAA and the (Chicago Board of Aviation).”
Braiman said an intergovernmental agreement between the village and ONCC is expected to be on the next Village Board agenda.
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Mike Nystrand was still in high school when he started as a volunteer with the Village of Northfield emergency response team.
Fifty years on, Nystrand will retire in 2025 as the Village’s fire chief of 37 years.
The Village of Northfield announced Nystrand’s pending retirement in a June 6 news release, which also said Nystrand plans to remain in his role until the Village finds his replacement.
“It truly has been a great honor to serve the residents of Northfield and our neighboring communities over the decades,” Nystrand said in the news release.
Nystrand moved from a high-school volunteer to an on-call medical technician for the Village and then an employee with the Public Works Department. His experience as a first-responders and public works staffer sparked his promotion to the dual position of fire-rescue chief (in 1988) and director of public works, a unique role in which he still serves today.
“It is impossible to quantify the number of lives saved and bettered through the steadfast dedication of Chief Nystrand,” Village Manager Patrick Brennan said in a statement. “His commitment to serving the needs of our residents is unmatched.”
Village President Tracey Mendrek called Nystrand a friend for more than 30 years and she will be sad to see him go.
“While we knew this day would eventually come, it doesn’t make it any easier to accept that Mike is retiring,” she said in the release.
Nystrand will become another longtime Northfield official to depart the Village ranks in recent years.
