Riverside-Brookfield Landmark

Visitors to the Brookfield Zoo this summer will probably see the lions, penguins and primates they expect, but they may be surprised to meet the zoo’s newest residents: dozens of life-sized dinosaur animatronics. Ranging from a 65-foot-long brachiosaurus to a nest of hatching Edmontosaurus eggs, the animatronics were featured in a special “Dinos after Dark” event.

Lyons Village President Chris Getty will apparently be the only independent candidate on the 4th Congressional District ballot in November. Hearing officers for the Electoral Board of the Illinois State Board of Elections are recommending that independent candidates Chicago Alderman Byron Sigcho-Lopez and Mayra Macias be removed from the ballot for not submitting enough valid signatures to get on the ballot.

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Residents said “Oui, oui” last week to Brookfield’s first ever French market. The village debuted the first of six French artisan markets the evening of Wednesday, July 8, from 4-7 p.m. on Broadway Avenue near Eight Corners. The French market will take place each Wednesday until Aug. 12.

Rosemarie Szwajkart (nee Danek), 90, of Brookfield, died on July 4, 2026. She was the wife of John Szwajkart; the mother of Marian (Gary Stevenson) McCanless and Barbara (John) Mitrovic; the grandmother of Cameron (Tati) McCanless, Connor (Brittney Williams) McCanless, Dijana Mitrovic and Sonja Mitrovic; the sister of the late Elaine Klenck; and the aunt of many nieces and nephews. Visitation was held on July 10 at Hitzeman Funeral Home Ltd., 9445 31st St., Brookfield.

The Share Food Share Love food pantry in Brookfield brought back its successful initiative from last year to push shopping carts in the village’s Fourth of July parade, though leaders say it didn’t make as big of a splash this year. “Last year, we had almost 20 full shopping carts full of food, but this year, I think we didn’t hit the mark,” said John Barnett, the pantry’s communications and marketing director.

In the wake of storms that left three children dead and wreaked havoc through the area of Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, on Friday, July 3, the Riverside Lions Club is accepting donations that will help the Lake Geneva community recover. “We had two disasters, if you will, that took place on that day. One was the boating tragedy, and the second was the storm that went through,” said Bill Kingsley, the president of the Lake Geneva Lions Club.

2026 may be the last year Brookfield has an active beautification commission before the group sunsets. A proposal to phase out the commission was one of the main discussion points of the group’s most recent meeting on Tuesday, July 7. The next day, Village Trustee Katie Kaluzny, who is the village board’s liaison to the group, said many of the commission’s duties have “evolved over time” until the commissioners found themselves without much to do.

Gertrude “Kassy” Polivka (nee Luzar), 90, of Brookfield, died on July 5, 2026. She was the wife of the late Frank J. Polivka; the mother of Christine Polivka-Rohrer and Frank (Tammy) Polivka; the grandmother of Megan Polivka and Melanie Polivka; the sister of Ruth (Joseph) Abbate, Viola (the late Donald) Waryanka, Martin Luzar, William (Karen) Luzar, Virgina (Ronald) Stepinsky, the late Mary (William) Plassio, and the late Zella (Tom) Adams; and the aunt of many nieces and nephews.

Several Brookfield alleys have already been paved and this was paid for by residents in partnership with the state. The cost to homeowners was approximately $100 per linear foot of lot width or $4,000. These homeowners should not be forced to pay a second time for the paving of their alleys.