Niles 2-11-16

FEBRUARY 11, 2016 VOL. 60 ISSUE 19

Maine South is no. 6 seed in sectional

see Page 7

Featured Sports

girls hoops pairings out

NEWS District 63 brand

D63 considers new slogan, branding

see Page 3

NEWS appeal Dropped Park Ridge drops Talcott lawsuit appeal

see Page 4

FORUM Come to order

Now is a great time to organize tax paperwork

see Page 5

SENIORS tax help

Center of Concern launches tax assistance program

see Page 13

SCHOOLS open house

St. John Brebeuf celebrates Catholic Schools Week

see Page 15

Photo by Igor StuDenkov | bugle Staff

P age 2 | Th u rsd ay, F e b r u a r y 1 1 , 2 0 1 6 | n i lesbugle. c om

T h ur sday, February 11, 2016 | ni lesbug le.com

education >> District 63

3

news >> Park Ridge

District develops new slogan, brand Library develops renovation plans Staff will work with stakeholders to develop plan further

Workshop offers patrons first look at proposed upgrades

By Igor Studenkov

By Igor Studenkov

Bugle Staff

Bugle Staff

nweditor@buglenewspapers.com @NilesILNews

Staff at East Maine School District 63 is working with parents and community members to develop a new slogan and an overarching brand for the district.

Janet Spector Bishop, the district’s director of communications and community relations, presented the board of education with an update on what staff has developed so far during its Feb. 3 meeting.

According to Bishop, the branding initiative has been in the works for much of the past year. She talked to members of the parent teacher organizations, families, teachers, officials from the communities the district serves and other stakeholders to get a sense of how they see the district.

“We’ve been sort of digging down to see what people think, what their perceptions are and whether they think it’s accurate,” said Bishop.

From there, the staff worked to develop a brand. She said developing a brand would allow the district to have a unified message that would let everybody know what the district is and define its strengths. It would also help the district decide where it should focus its efforts. A tagline would bolster the message, according to Bishop. And since it would be shorter than a mission statement, it could be placed on logos.

“Our mission statement is a ‘why’ – why do we exist at all,” said Bishop. “We can look at the strategic plan as a ‘how’ – how are we going to do it. The brand is a ‘what’ – what kind of organization is going to achieve those plans.”

A brand, she said, would allow the district to build value, credibility and recognition; help the district stand out; improve its engagement with the community; help grow community support; and help set direction for the board and the staff.

Bishop said the brand should emphasize the district’s strengths but should also be grounded in reality. It needs to be something

nweditor@buglenewspapers.com @NilesILNews

Photo by Igor Studenkov | Bugle Staff

District 63 communications director Janet Spector Bishop outlines the branding plan. built with community input; something that the community can believe in. She added that it should serve the interests of all groups within the district and its communities.

The brand would have several components. First, it would have a branding statement that would sum up its main idea.

Based on feedback she’s received, Bishop proposed the following statement: “East Maine District 63’s diverse learning environment supports each student’s unique pathway to success within a caring, connected community.”

Based on the statement, staff developed several potential “key messages,” or ideas that the district wanted to convey through its statements and actions. They included the district’s commitment to “teaching excellence that provides all students with the specific opportunities they need to succeed,” its focus on “the whole child,” celebration of diversity found in the district’s student body and its engagement with the community.

Bishop emphasized that it wasn’t a “rigid script” that has to be repeated verbatim in everything the district releases. For example, when a principal welcomes students, he or she should mention that the school has students who originally came from 15 different countries.

Bishop also said the branding would shape what the district events and activities. For example, the district might take part in an international festival because it fits the “celebration of diversity” branding statement.

Finally, branding included creating new taglines. Bishop proposed three – one based on the district’s existing mission

statement (“Empowering student success”) and two created from scratch (“A world of learners” and “Success without boundaries”).

The branding would include changing the district logo and making some tweaks to the existing logos of its schools.

Board members were largely pleased with what Bishop outlined.

Sheila Urban said she liked both new tagline options.

“My particular preference is ‘success without boundaries,’” she added. “It can apply to everyone, no matter where they are on the learning continuum.”

Angelo Scarsella wondered whether the district would have to only be involved with events and causes that fit its brand.

“Not at all,” replied Bishop.

“Sometimes, our resources are limited, and we need to pick one [option]. And sometimes, the best way is to see which one fits our brand.”

Board member Alexandra Brook said she hopes that the branding would bring more exposure to District 63, which she feels often gets overshadowed because it isn’t tied to any municipality in particular, with its boundaries encompassing parts of Niles, Morton Grove, Glenview and unincorporated sections of Maine Township.

“I’m just very excited, because it really sounds like we’re ready to take the next step, to shout out to the world how good we are,” said Brook.

Staff will now work with parents, community members and other stakeholders to figure out what the branding would actually look like, develop a communication plan, and determine how the plan would affect district and school logos and graphics.

Park Ridge Library gave residents their first glimpse of what the city library may look like in three years.

In November 2014, Park Ridge voters approved a referendum that increased the library tax levy for the next four years. In return, the library promised to use the extra revenue to reverse previous service cuts and make building repairs and upgrades.

The library board contracted Chicago-based Studio GC to make the repairs.

On Jan. 27 and Feb. 5, Studio CG Library Study Director Rick McCarthy and Design Director Michael Mackey gave presentations outlining their vision for the renovated library. The presentations were designed to gage residents’ response to their vision and give them a chance to share what sort of things they would like to see in a renovated library.

The more concrete plans will be developed in the coming months, and the library board will have to approve them before they are implemented.

Library Director Janet Van De Carr said the renovations are expected to be completed sometime during the spring or summer of 2018.

McCarthy started the Feb. 5 meeting by explaining what sort of direction the renovations would take. He said changes in technology, such as the widespread use of laptops, smartphones and tablets would change the function of the library in the future.

“According to a 2011 Pew study, only 37 percent of people came to [the library] to check out books, 41 percent used the library materials and 22 percent checked out [non-book] materials,” said McCarthy. “So why do we design libraries like they’re still all about books?”

While McCarthy stressed that the plan doesn’t call for the library to get rid of books, he stated that the vision calls for more programming and more events, as well as creative amenities that libraries don’t traditionally provid. These include audiovisual editing equipment and machines that can create objects.

McCarthy also said the library should offer more amenities for patrons who work from home and may be looking for an alternative space, which could also double as a space geared toward teenagers.

“We did a demographic study, and we learned that this [area] has more self-employed people than ever,” he said. “What if we can design a space that, during the day, can optimize for selfemployed people and, in the afternoon, it could turn into a teen space.”

The library could also potentially feature concessions, such as tea and coffee. And, in a significant departure, the library wouldn’t be as quiet as they are traditionally expected – though quiet rooms would be built for people who wish to read or study in without distractions.

Because more people own laptops and portable devices that they did as recently as a decade ago, the library wouldn’t have as many desktop computers.

McCarthy added that because about 9 percent of Park Ridge population can’t afford to have broadband access at home, some desktop computers would still need to be retained. In response to a resident’s question, he said the library could potentially allow patrons to borrow laptop computers and tablets while they are inside the building.

Another major change outlined in the plan would be a trend toward using less staff, especially when it comes to check-out services.

“Every tax dollar that goes into the library is going to pay for something, and staff service is the most expensive,” McCarthy said.

Switching to self-checkout machines would be more convenient for many residents

see library | page 13

4

Thursday, February 11, 2016 | ni lesbug le.com

Park Ridge >> News

City votes to drop appeal of Talcott ruling Residents consider filing a lawsuit against the developer

By Igor Studenkov Bugle Staff

nweditor@buglenewspapers.com @NilesILNews

The Park Ridge City Council voted unanimously to drop an appeal of a Cook County Circuit Court ruling requiring the city approve a mixed-use development at 400 W. Talcott Road.

The decision comes less than two months after aldermen voted 4-3 to appeal the court’s initial ruling. On Jan. 14, the law firm representing the developer told the city that if the lawsuit proceeded,

it would seek damages.

During the city council’s Feb. 1 meeting, Acting Mayor Marty Maloney told reporters that aldermen were concerned that this would drive up the costs of an appeal.

However, residents who live near the controversial development aren’t giving up just yet. Several residents who spoke at the meeting said they were considering filing their own lawsuit against the developer.

In 2014, developer John O’Flaherty applied for permission to build a mixed-use building at the corner of Talcott Road and Vine Avenue – a lot currently occupied by an abandoned gas station. The project calls for a four-story building that would include commercial spaces on the

first floor, indoor parking spaces and 22 condominium units.

Neighborhood residents objected, saying they had concerns about the building’s size, the impact on local traffic and the type of of residents it would attract.

In September 2014, the Park Ridge Planning and Zoning Commission voted to reject the proposal.

O’Flaherty sued to have the decision overturned, arguing that his application followed the Park Ridge zoning code, which at the time permitted residential units in B-1 commercial districts if the units are above first-floor commercial spaces. Judge Kathleen Pantle sided with the developer, ordering the city council to approve the application. Under the city’s municipal code, the planning and zoning commission has the final

authority to deny applications, while the city council has final authority to approve them.

After the city moved to appeal the ruling, O’Flaherty’s attorney stated that he would file a motion arguing that the appeal was frivolous and merely existed to harass his client. If the judge ruled in O’Flaherty’s favor, the developer would be allowed to seek damages.

During the Feb. 1 meeting, City Attorney Julie Tappendorf said it was hard to predict exactly how much it would cost Park Ridge but noted that it would be significantly more than her original estimate of between $5,000 and $7,500.

Tappendorf’s updated estimate included O’Flaherty’s attorneys’ fees for the appeal, potential damages due to delays and profit

losses.

“Their attorney fees would at least be as high as ours,” she said.

Tappendorf also noted that, because this was an appeal, the city wouldn’t be able to introduce any new evidence.

In the lead-up to the vote, many residents who live near the proposed development urged the city council to continue the appeal.

“Given that it’s important to the community, it’s something that should be carried out, even if there’s a small chance of success,” resident Eryk Wachnik said.

Karen Sloma argued that dropping the appeal would set a dangerous precedent and open Park Ridge up to a slew

The following items were compiled from the official reports of the Niles, Park Ridge and Morton Grove police departments.

Appearing in the police blotter does not constitute a finding of guilt, only a court of law can make that determination.

St., Chicago, was arrested at 10:35 a.m. Jan. 26 in the 13800 block of Forest in Dolton for credit card fraud.

see lawsuit | page 13

village news >> niles

Village report makes recommendations on police, fire pension contributions

By Igor Studenkov Bugle Staff

nweditor@buglenewspapers.com @NilesILNews

The village of Niles won’t have to spend as much on the police pension fund as expected, but would spend more on its fire pension fund.

During the board of trustees’ Jan. 26 informal consideration meeting, Jessica Fain, an accountant for Warrenvillebased Laurebach & Amen LLP, presented a report on the current financial status of the police and fire pension funds. She also outlined the firm’s recommendations on how much the village should contribute to each fund during this pension contribution year. The numbers are based on information as of April 30, 2015 – the last day of the last contribution year.

The report recommended that the village contribute $3,194,848 – $61,651 less than the previous contribution year.

The decrease is due to what Fain described as demographic changes that include the

number of officers on the force, the number of retired officers, how many passed away, and whether or not any of the officers that passed away had a surviving spouse. A new officer was hired, but two officers retired. At the same time, one retiree passed away, and the retiree’s spouse passed away, as well.

Additionally, salary increases turned out to be higher than the firm originally projected.

While this means that the police officers would contribute more, it would also mean that their benefits would be larger once they retire. The market value of pension assets and actuarial value of pension assets increased, but the return on the market value of the assets was lower than projected. This drove up the projections for the unfunded pension liability, according to Fain.

The firm determined that the two sets of numbers balanced each other out, and the village contribution could be decreased.

On the other hand, the report recommended that the village

contribute $3,130,127 to the fire pension fund – $415,232 more than last year. Fain said the fire department had two new hires, one retirement and terminated two firefighters during the year.

As with the police pension fund, the salary increase were larger than previously projected and return on market values was lower than expected.

Fain explained that the difference between the police pension and fire pension trends wasn’t surprising.

“Police officers have a higher mortality rate,” she said.

“The firefighters are living a lot longer. It’s wonderful for firefighters, but it costs more.”

In both cases, the report noted that the contributions were higher than the statutory minimum contributions set by the state of Illinois. The report noted that contributing at that level would hurt the pension funds in the long run.

“When contributions are lowered in the current years, the resulting contributions in future years can increase more

see pension | page 13

Niles

David W. Bailey, 41, 1920 Hampton Drive, Wheaton, was arrested at 10:50 a.m. Jan. 27 in the 2000 block of Irwin for suspended license, uninsured motor vehicle, leaving the scene of an accident and following too closely.

Robert D. Hegbloom, 54, 2100 block of Main, Muskegan, Michigan, was arrested at 9:30 a.m. Jan. 31 at Nottingham and Jonquil for battery and disorderly conduct.

James D. Angus, 46, 150 Central Ave., Wood Dale, was arrested at 1:06 a.m.

Jan. 27 in the 400 block of North Wood Dale Road in Wood Dale for a warrant.

Man H. Park, 49, 8700 block of Gregory Lane, Des Plaines, was arrested at 12:12 a.m. Jan. 31 in the 6900 block of Oakton for DUI.

Jeremy T. Carey, 18, 407 S. Delphia, Park Ridge, was arrested at 8:51 p.m.

Jan. 27 in the 100 block of Elmore for possession of cannabis.

Peter S. Hoffer, 25, 1300 block of Prospect, Park Ridge, was arrested at 11:19 p.m. Feb. 1 in the 7300 block of Waukegan for domestic battery, criminal damage to property and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Luis J. Barrezueta, 39, 2808 N. 75th Court, Elmwood Park, was arrested at 12:22 a.m. Jan. 29 in the 1200 block of Cumberland for DUI, disobeying red light, no valid insurance and driving with license suspended.

Jeanette Y. Soberanis, 20, 500 block of Kathleen, Des Plaines, was arrested at 1:06 a.m. Feb. 1 in the 8300 block of Dempster for driving while license suspended.

Park Ridge Sanela Meskic, 39, 8815 W. Golf, Niles, was arrested at 9:35 p.m. Jan. 25 in the 8800 block of Greenwood for no valid driver’s license.

Shermar T. Graham, 20, 1416 W. 72nd

Morton Grove Zeeshan M. Ali Tejani, 31, Glenview, was arrested Jan. 31 at Dempster and Austin for DUI. Bijan A. Pounaki, 24, Gurnee, was arrested at Jan. 31 in the 8800 block of Birch for DUI. Jonathan A. Cortez-Rodriguez, 28, Chicago, was arrested Feb. 1 at Polk County Jail in Iowa for residential burglary.

Send us your feedback at nweditor@buglenewspapers.com

T h ur s day, February 11, 2016 | ni lesbug le.com

5

come to order >> column

Now is a great time to organize your tax paperwork editorial

By Sue Becker | For The Bugle

assistant editor

aNdREa EaRNESt aearnest@buglenewspapers.com

815.436.2431 ext.118

production

LauRa KatauSKaS • MaRK GREGORy • IGOR StudENKOv

advertising

JuLIE aLhERt

Ready or not, tax season will be upon us sooner than we may like. Did you have to frantically search for your financial paperwork last year? Did you have to forego some deductions you deserved because you couldn’t find the supporting paperwork? Did you have to pay your tax preparer an additional amount to sort out the jumble of information you dumped in his or her office at the last minute?

Here are some tips to make this year more organized. There are many ways to organize paperwork, so choose the ideas that resonate with you and adjust the system to fit your needs.

First, choose a container to hold your documents. Several things to consider when deciding what container to use include: where you will keep it, how easy it is to put papers in it and retrieve papers from it, how secure it will allow your papers to be, and whether or not you’re a “visual” person who would prefer a somewhat open container.

To simplify the remainder of this discussion, I’ll assume you’re using a file cabinet. However, my comments are relevant no matter what type of container you use.

Next, create broad categories to group papers. If your categories are too

FEBRUARY 12

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Niles, Morton Grove, Des Plaines & Park Ridge

advertising deadlines. Space and copy deadlines for display and classified ads is at noon the Friday before date of insertion. Email classifieds@buglenewspapers.com | Legals, obituaries and happy ads are due at noon Friday.

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facebook.com/thebuglenewspapers twitter.com/buglenewspapers instagram.com/buglenewspapers EdItOR’S NOtE: the opinions expressed in guest columns, editorial cartoons and letters to the editor belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the the Bugle or its staff.

POWer eMPLOyMeNT WOrKshOP. 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Park ridge Public library, 20 S. Prospect ave. this is a comprehensive workshop led by professionals from the Illinois Worknet Center. It includes resume and cover letter guidance, job search techniques, interviewing skills and connecting through social media. for more information, visit www.parkridgelibrary.org.

VaLeNTINe’s ParTy WITh The aNIMaLs. 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Wildwood nature Center, 529 forestview ave., Park ridge. Show your love for the animals!

Create handmade valentines for our cuddly friends. Spend some time with the critters feeding, petting, playing and learning about them. then enjoy a valentine snack and receive a valentine from the animals to you!

LITTLe LadIes WINTer daNCe. 7 to 9 p.m. at howard leisure Center, 6676 howard St., niles. It is that time of year again for niles Park District’s Winter Dance. girls, 3-12 years, ask that favorite man in your

CoMe to order by Sue beCker

specific, you’ll have too many places to search for information. For example, rather than create separate categories for doctor’s bills, prescription receipts, and medical insurance, you might want a category called “Medical.” Be sure to name the categories the way you think of them. For example, you may prefer to call the category “Health,” rather than “Medical.”

Use hanging file folders to contain each broad category. Place the folders inside the filing container, and put a well-labeled plastic file tab on the front of the each file. Use a bold, black marker to write the labels, or print them with your computer or a label maker – this will make the file names stand out and easy to read.

You should also use manila folders inside the hanging folders. If any particular category has a lot of papers in it, manila file folders can help you create sub-categories. For example, for the hanging file folder labeled “Medical”

life for an evening of fun, dancing, games, prizes and refreshments. fee is $32/couple resident and $42/couple non-resident.

Call 847-967-6633 for more information.

FEBRUARY 14

sWeeThearT sKaTe aT ICeLaNd. 8:15 to 9:45 p.m. at Iceland, 8435 ballard.

Celebrate valentine’s Day by skating with your sweetie to love songs on the indoor ice rink. fee: $5; $3 skate rental. seCONd suNday: LOs herMaNOs esCaMILLa TrICK rOPe shOW. 2 to 3 p.m. at niles Public library, 6960 oakton, niles. you won’t believe your eyes! enjoy amazing feats of rope work called “floreo de Soga,” traditionally known as the national sport of Mexico. Watch “floreadores” defy gravity and re-think what you know about physics! this program is part of ¡viva! Coming together in Skokie and niles township, focusing on latino heritage.

Pick up free tickets in kidSpace 30 minutes ahead of time. Seating is limited.

ThOse Were The days—radIO PLayers. 2 p.m. at the the Morton grove

three manila folders inside could be labeled “Insurance,” “Prescriptions,” and “Doctor’s Bills.”

The beauty of doing it this way is that all the medical information is in the same general location so you don’t have to hunt through your files for each subcategory.

Put the most current papers in the front of each folder. This will make the information used most frequently easy to find.

Additionally, consider using colored file folders to distinguish various categories. For example, all of the “Financial” files (e.g., Investments, Taxes, Bank Accounts, etc.) can be in green folders, while all of the “House” files (e.g., Mortgage, Maintenance, etc.) can be in blue folders, etc. This will allow you to easily zoom in on the appropriate section of your file cabinet and quickly find the file you want.

Although properly setting up your files may be quite time consuming, you’ll reap the benefits for years to come.

Sue Becker is a Certified professional organizer in Chronic disorganization who helps individuals and businesses discover the simplicity, harmony, and freedom of being organized and productive. She also speaks to companies and organizations about how to get organized and make the most of their time. Sue can be reached at www.pilestoSmiles.com or 630-373-7400.

historical Museum education Center, 6240 Dempster St., Morton grove. Join as we return to an era when people gathered around their radios and thrilled in the magic that came right into their own living rooms! the radio Players West troupe will take us back in time to 1930’s and 1940’s radio. their performances will include selections from favorite love stories of yore including “the Shop around the Corner” and “My favorite husband.” admission is free, but space is limited so contact the museum to register at 847-964-0203.

FEBRUARY 15

bubbLe aNd sQuaWK COOKbOOK dIsCussION. 7 to 8 p.m. at niles Public library, 6960 oakton. ever wonder if a cookbook is right for you? Choose a recipe from a book selected, make the recipe and bring the completed dish to the discussion. the night of the discussion we will sample the dishes and discuss the recipes and the book. Participants must bring a dish to participate. Copies will be available at the third floor adult Services desk. this month is Sheet Pan Suppers by Molly gilbert.

FoR wHeN you wANT To TAKe 5 MINuTeS FoR youRSelF Thursday, February 11, 2016 | ni lesbug le.com

Aries

mARCh 21 To APRiL 20

Ambitions are achieved by demonstrating unflagging determination. You can use your education to attain your heart’s desire in the week ahead. The lessons you learned in your younger years could serve you well.

gemini

m Ay 2 2 T o j U N E 2 1

Some bridges are made of stone and can’t be burned.

Old friends can hamper your progress this week by loading you down with excess baggage. To overcome potential criticism honor your past promises and obligations.

leo

j U Ly 2 3 T o A U G U S T 2 1

Fame is the name of the game. In the week ahead you can make the most of your reputation by mixing with people in public places. You could be enriched by a passing opportunity if you wisely accept it.

Across

Down

1 CommANd fRom A BAiLiff 5 CiRCLE CALCULATioN 9 ThEy SmELL 14 LiKE miNi CooPERS 15 PoNd CRoAKER 16 SWiNE SqUEALS 17 GAvE ThE oNCEovER 18 PARTiCULARLy WELComE CASiNo viSiToR 20 ALPiNE SoNG 22 EAR-SPLiTTiNG 23 CoURT CASE ThAT GENERATES A mEdiA fRENzy, SAy 30 hANdSomE God 32 GET REALLy ANGRy 33 GRANAdA GoLd 34 iRRiTATE 37 “CSi” fACiLiTiES 38 TEE SizES, foR ShoRT 39 “NiCE joB!” ...

ANd, iN ANoThER SENSE, A hiNT ABoUT ThE fiRST WoRdS of 18-, 23-, 52- ANd 60-ACRoSS 42 GEESE foRmATioN 43 LEAfy vEGGiE BAKEd foR ChiPS 45 BiTTEN By BEES 46 ANGLEd PiPE fiTTiNG 47 hANdSomE God 50 __ RAidERS: CoNSUmER AdvoCATES 52 ABE LiNCoLN NiCKNAmE 55 PRiNCiPAL RoLE 56 diET food PhRASE 60 iRRiTATE To ThE BREAKiNG PoiNT 66 ShREddEd 67 CoNSTRUCTioN BEAm fASTENER 68 foRmER SoUTh KoREAN LEAdER SyNGmAN __ 69 GoLf CLUB USEd foR ChiPPiNG 70 BLiSSfUL SETTiNGS 71 jEdi GURU 72 SmALL ChANGE

1 do AS diRECTEd 2 Toy WiTh A SPooL 3 dELETEd, WiTh “oUT” 4 LoUiSiANA mUSiC STyLE 5 oLymPiCS fiG. 6 fRENCh moNARCh 7 oNE BELoW BiRdiE 8 SPECiALizEd, CommiTTEE-WiSE 9 BiT of PASTA 10 fRyiNG LiqUid 11 NBC ShoW SiNCE 1975, BRiEfLy 12 BARELy mANAGE, WiTh “oUT” 13 UKR. oR LiTh., oNCE 19 fEELS REmoRSE ovER 21 BoChCo LEGAL SERiES 24 foREARm BoNE 25 SomE dvd PLAyERS 26 SiNUoUS SWimmER 27 LESS CoWARdLy 28 iNSURGENT GRoUP 29 ‘50S foURWhEELEd fLoP 30 16Th-CENTURy SPANiSh fLEET

31 hoi __: ThE mASSES 33 hERoiC SChiNdLER 35 GiANTS hALL of fAmER mEL 36 BREWERS hALL of fAmER RoBiN 40 PEST iN A SWARm 41 UTAh CiTy NEAR ThE GoLdEN SPiKE 44 PhoTo BLoWUP: ABBR. 48 SEA SPoTS? 49 BLUEPRiNT dETAiL, foR ShoRT 51 SEXy 53 CABLE GUy of ComEdy 54 ThE GEm STATE 57 WARNiNG fRom A dRivER? 58 ELviS __ PRESLEy 59 No-fRiLLS ShELTER 60 hiP-hoP dR. 61 fREE (of) 62 “__ ChANGEd my miNd” 63 CARACAS’ CoUNTRy, To ThE ioC 64 AThENS : omEGA :: LoNdoN : __ 65 ASSENTiNG voTE

librA

SEPTEmBER 24 To oCToBER 23

Turn on the voice mail and tune out distractions. Don’t let a loved one’s possessiveness or thoughtlessness disturb your serenity. This week you will be successful by being more self-disciplined and efficient.

sAgittArius

NovEmBER 23 To dECEmBER 22

Insecurities can make you cautious, but that is a good thing. As this week unfolds you may face a choice between acting on past precedents and acting on principle. Hold off on making crucial decisions.

AquArius

jANUARy 21 To fEBRUARy 19

The New Moon in your sign this week might mark the beginning of a new phase in your personal attitudes.

Focus on being proactive with financial matters rather than insisting on following traditions.

Sudoku

tAurus

A P R i L 2 1 T o m Ay 2 1

Safety before sensitivity. You yearn for security and have a tendency to take a cautious approach in the week ahead. You may put duty before pleasure and can do well with any task that requires discrimination.

cAncer

j U N E 2 2 T o j U Ly 2 2

Overlook unavoidable embarrassing moments in the week to come. When someone says the wrong thing or a coworker makes a silly mistake it is best to simply ignore it.

Group activities could squeeze your wallet.

virgo

AUGUST 22 To SEPTEmBER 23

Practice being flexible when challenged by changing times. Don’t turn your back on someone who rebels against your wishes. There may be a temporary upset this week that makes you want to run for cover.

scorpio

oCToBER 24 To NovEmBER 22

You might thrive in the middle of a herd. It is easy to make a wide range of new contacts in the week ahead when you exude sincere friendliness. Your energy and initiative is best used with creative projects.

cApricorn

dECEmBER 23 To jANUARy 20

You can appreciate great art even if you aren’t an artist.

Just because you don’t possess a talent or skill doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the beautiful things in life that other people provide. Develop appreciation this week.

pisces

fEBRUARy 20 To mARCh 20

A relationship might fit like a glove. If you are looking for love you could find it in all the right places. Even the most self-absorbed person will not be able to resist your charms and enticements this week.

Jumble

Tribune Content Agency, LLC. 2016

PreviouS Puzzle’S anSwerS

PreviouS Puzzle’S anSwerS

PreviouS Puzzle’S anSwerS

Jumbles:

• EXPEL • GUESS • CANKER • BUTTER

Answer:

WhEN hiS WifE viSiTEd ThE foRTUNE TELLER, ThE TAiLoR SAid ShE WAS A -- SEER SUCKER

Thursday, February 11, 2016

page 7

girls hoops pairings out Gymnastics, wrestling and girls bowling regionals held last week

By Scott Taylor sports editor

staylor@enterprisepublications.com @Taylor_Sports

The girls basketball Class 4A IHSA state pairings were released Friday with the three local schools all in the same sectional, the New Trier Sectional.

Maine South is the No. 6 seed in the sectional and will host its own regional where it will open play at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 16 against the winner of No. 11 Prospect and No. 22 Steinmetz.

A win puts the Hawks in the regional championship game against likely No. 3 Trinity.

Maine East is the No. 10 seed in the Evanston Regional and opens play at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 17 against rival No. 7 Maine West.

A win would put the Demons in the regional final Feb. 19 at 7 p.m. against most likely No. 2 Evanston.

Niles West is the No. 13 seed and will begin play at 6 p.m. Feb. 15 against No. 20 Mather.

A win sets the Wolves up against No. 4 Glenbrook South at 6 p.m.

Feb. 16 with the regional final stated for Feb. 19 at 7 p.m.

The sectional semifinals are Feb. 23 with the sectional final Feb. 18 at 7 p.m. •In Class 3A, Resurrection is the No. 3 seed in the St. Viator Sectional and will open in the Senn Regional against the winner of No. 14 Northside and No. 18 Senn at 6 p.m. Feb. 16. The regional final is slated for Feb. 18 at 7 p.m.

The sectional semifinals are Feb. 23 with the sectional final at 7 p.m.

Feb. 25.

GYMNASTICS Maine South placed second in its own regional with a 138.45 total.

Junior Alysa Chiovatero was an automatic sectional qualifier in the all-around (top 5) by placing fifth with a 34.5.

In the floor exercise, Caleigh Pistorius (9.15) and Cristina DeFilippis (9.025) advanced, while Chiovatero (8.85) and Carly Berns qualified in the balance beam (8.825).

Junior Sara Ignoffo won the vault with a 9.3 score, while Pistorius (9.1) and Erin Clements (8.825) also advanced.

see regional | page 9

photo by mark gregory

Julia Sirvinskis and Maine South are the No. 6 team in the New Trier Sectional.

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T h ursday, February 11, 2016 | ni lesbug le.com regional | from page 7 Pistorius also advanced in the all-around as an at-large entry, while Chivoatero advanced in vault and floor and Berns and Micayla Paterno advanced in bars.

Niles West placed third in the New Trier Regional and had an automatic advancer in freshman Jasmine Dirks on the parallel bars with a 9.125.

At-large qualifiers included Dirks and Haley Aichholzer in the all-around and vault, Elviss Santiago and Aichholzer in the bars, Dirks in the beamand Claire Embil, Aichholzer and Dirks on the floor.

GIRLS BOWLING Resurrection dominated the field at its own regional, winning the title by nearly 1,000 pins with a 6,042 six-game total.

Senior Olivia Canova took home the individual championship with a 1,416. Lauren Gawlinski (1,223) and Meredith Nowotarski (1,166) also rolled six games.

Maine South junior Victoria Odarczenko advanced individually out of the Palatine Regional, finishing second overall with a 1,285.

WRESTLING Notre Dame took home the Maine East Regional title with 197.5 points.

Sectional qualifiers (top 3) for

the Dons were Andy Poniatowski at 120-pounds (1st), Michael LoBianco at 126 (2nd), Jake Barzowski at 138 (1st), Vincent Spedale at 145 (2nd), Josh Barzowski at 152 (3rd), Dino Gutierrez at 160 (2nd), Tom Renoir at 170 (3rd), Nick Prozansk at 182 (2nd), Tom Simon at 220 (2nd) and Matt Bernal at 285 (2nd).

Maine South finished in fourth place with 125 points.

Advancing for the Hawks were Jacob Bess at 132 (2nd), Matthew Schnieder at 145 (3rd), James Bartell at 160 (3rd), John Halvorsen at 170 (2nd), Michael Milito at 182 (3rd) and Ibrahim Nasir at 220 (1st).

Maine East was fifth with 115.5 points.

The Demons got qualifiers from John Yousef at 106 (1st), Cedrick Teves at 113 (1st), Maurice Rihani at 145 (1st), Mario Rihani at 152 (1st) and Jose Gonzales at 195 (3rd).

Niles West took sixth with 69 points and had qualifiers from Scott Pechter at 132 (1st) and Neil O’Shaughnessy at 138 (2nd).

OAKTON Two Oakton Community College women’s basketball players were named NJCAA Division II Region IV players of the week on Monday, Feb. 1, for their performances against McHenry County College and College of Lake County last week. Mallory Gonzalez (Mount

Prospect, Prospect) and Atorena “T” Michael (Lincolnwood, Niles West) are the first Oakton Owls to earn region player of the week accolades in 2016. Rebecca Bartnicki (Chicago, Guerin Prep) earned the honor Dec. 7, 2015.

“The best part about these two receiving recognition for this week’s efforts is that they just started playing,” said Oakton Head Coach Melissa Rauschenberg.

Gonzalez, a freshman returning to action from a broken finger, scored 16 points and grabbed nine rebounds against McHenry Jan. 26. She scored 16 more with nine rebounds and six steals against CLC two days later.

“Mallory has been out with a broken finger, and these were her first two games back,” said Rauschenberg. “She never stopped working hard in practice and on the bench and has continuously been a tremendous leader and motivator to both her teammates and coaches. She is definitely most deserving of this honor, and we are extremely excited to have her back.”

A newcomer this semester, Michael scored 19 points against the Scots to lead the Owls last Tuesday. The freshman added seven points, nine rebounds and five assists Thursday night against the Lancers in a narrow 43-42 loss. “ ‘T’ just joined us a few weeks ago and has taken on the point guard roll and big minutes,” Rauschenberg said of Michael.

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News about local businesses in your community T h ur sday, February 11, 2016 | ni lesbug le.com

Dave Says >> guest column

Table budget talk on the first date Dear Dave, I’ve been following your plan, and I’ve finally gotten out of debt and feel I have control of my finances.

I’m also single, and I was wondering if you have any tips for how to gracefully mention financial topics and budgeting when you’re on a date.

Paula Dear Paula, Well, I don’t recommend bringing it up on a first date. If I’m a guy on the initial date with a girl and the first thing out of her mouth is about finances and handling money, that’s going to be pretty strange.

Now, if the first date turns into another and another and another, then you might start talking about the deeper things in life and where you both stand.

As you start talking about more serious subjects, you’ll begin to learn if there’s enough of a basis for a real relationship.

But the first date is just sort of an introduction, right? You’re both seeing if there’s any initial, mutual compatibility.

Asking someone how much they make, or where they are on their debt snowball in this scenario is officially weird – even by my standards.

In other words, use manners and tact.

They may be old-fashioned

dave says by dave ramsey

words these days, but in most cases they work well.

—Dave Dave Ramsey is America’s trusted voice on money and business, and CEO of Ramsey Solutions. He has authored five New York Times best-selling books. The Dave Ramsey Show is heard by more than 11 million listeners each week on more than 550 radio stations and digital outlets. Dave’s latest project, EveryDollar, provides a free online budget tool. Follow Dave on Twitter at @DaveRamsey and on the web at daveramsey.com.

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Upcoming events for Seniors in the community T h ur sday, February 11, 2016 | ni lesbug le.com

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community >> seniors

Center of Concern launches income tax assistance program The Center of Concern announced last week that it has begun an income tax assistance program designed to help seniors and people with low incomes or who are disabled earning $60,000 or less a year.

Community volunteers are trained to help eligible taxpayers with credits such as the Earned Income Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit and Credit for the Elderly, as well as processing their returns.

A sliding-fee-scale to determine financial assistance is based on the family or individual’s income and family size.

lawsuit | from page 4 of lawsuits from developers whose applications were rejected by the planning and zoning commission.

“The judge didn’t have the authority to usurp the legal authority of the [commission] and transfer the authority to the city staff,” she added.

pension | from page 4 rapidly, with the risk of becoming unmanageable,” the report stated.

“The Securities and Exchange Commission in 2013 used the phrase ‘Statutory Underfunding’ to describe situations where

The sliding-fee is based on the Federal Poverty Guidelines.

“Thanks to help from community volunteers and Maine Township, the Center of Concern can provide this service to seniors, low-income and the disabled who need income tax assistance,” said John McNabola, executive director of the Center of Concern.

To make an appointment or inquiry about the Center of Concern Income Tax Assistance Program, call 847-823-0453 or visit www.centerofconcern.org/ programs/community-services/ income-tax-assistance.

Taxpayers need to present some or all of the following items to have their returns prepared: - Photo ID - An Individual Taxpayer Identification Number assignment letter if an individual, spouse or dependent does not have a Social Security number - Proof of foreign status if applying for an ITIN - Birth dates for every person on the tax return - Wage and earning statements from all employers - Interest and dividend statements from banks (Forms 1099) - A copy of last year’s federal and state returns, if available - Total amount paid for daycare services and daycare provider’s tax identifying number - Forms 1095-A, Affordable Health Care Statement, if applicable - Copies of income transcripts from IRS and state, if applicable

Not every resident who addressed the city council argued against dropping the appeal.

Jim Smith, a former Third Ward alderman, said the potential financial fallout wasn’t worth the risk.

“I think it’s fiscally irresponsible to go forward with the appeal,” he said.

Resident Tom Harris cited

Illinois Municipal Code Section 11-13-15, which allows residents who live within 1,200 feet of a building that allegedly doesn’t conform to the zoning code to sue the developer. The residents would need to prove that they were “substantially affected” by the development in question, but they wouldn’t have to show that they would suffer “any specific,

special or unique damages to himself or his property or any adverse effect upon his property from the alleged violation.”

Harris added that residents would not immediately sue the developer.

“We’d need the city to establish a building permit to establish that the zoning violation is imminent,” he said.

contributions appear to be more manageable in the short-term, but set up future contribution requirements to be less likely to be manageable.”

As of April 30, 2015, the unfunded pension liability for the police pension fund was $41,346,937,

while the unfunded liability for the firefighters pension fund was $36,162,512. This means that the police pension is 42.15 percent funded, while the firefighters pension is 43.5 percent funded.

In November, the board voted 4-1 to increase the tax levy by

3.9 percent to go toward funding pensions and the village’s waste removal services.

At the time, trustee Joe LoVerde said Niles also had $17 million in reserves and that some of that money was originally intended for pension contributions.

Studio GC has previously renovated the Morton Grove Public Library, which had its grand reopening in May. The renovations included rearranged book stacks, new spaces with video conversion equipment and photo-editing software, and a newly created lounge area, which doubles as a periodicals section where patrons can buy coffee and tea.

At the same time, both McCarthy and Mackay stressed that there were limitations to any plan Studio GC would develop. According to the library’s website, the project would cost around between $1.5 million and $2 million. Because the project only involves interior renovations, Studio GC wouldn’t be able to add any new space, and the building’s load-bearing walls limit just how extensive the interior renovations could be.

The residents who spoke during

the presentation offered some suggestions, including recruiting staff members who could help patrons with technology issues and using art from the library archives.

Resident Christine Allen said she wanted to make sure the library’s design aesthetic doesn’t get lost in the process.

“One of the things that’s appealing about [the library] is that it’s traditional and cozy,” she said.

Van De Carr said the library specifically choose a contractor that understood the importance of a cozy feel for its patrons.

McCarthy said he and Mackey will keep the feedback in mind.

“We always want to hear suggestions,” he said. “It doesn’t mean you’ll get what you are asking for; it all will be added into the mixing bowl of planning.”

library | from page 3 who have errands to run and little time to spare, he added.

Van De Carr said the library already has one self-checkout machine, but it hasn’t been getting much use.

“It’s slightly less than 3 percent of circulation,” she said, explaining that CDs and DVDs can’t be checked out that way because patrons still need staff to open plastic cases. Switching to RFID technology would take care of that problem, Van De Carr added.

Some of the less notable changes would include more flexible spaces, with shelves and furniture that could be most easily moved, as well as “bookstore style” displays where the books are grouped together by theme and positioned with cover rather than the spine facing outward.

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Upcoming events for Seniors in the community T h ur sday, February 11, 2016 | ni lesbug le.com

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St. John Brebeuf celebrates Catholic Schools Week

Submitted Photo

Students and parents join Principal Elise Matson, Rev. Mike Meany, John Jekot of the SJB Men’s Club and Chicago Wolves mascot Skates at the ice rink for a blessing.

Event featured a blessing of the school’s outdoor ice rink by Rev. Michael Meany Catholic Schools Week at St. John Brebeuf in Niles got off to a rousing start with its annual open house on

Jan. 31.

The event featured a blessing of the school’s outdoor ice rink by Rev.

Michael Meany. Later, a “shoot the puck” contest was held in the gym due to the warm weather and a lack of ice.

The contest was held with the assistance of “Skates,” the official mascot of the Chicago Wolves professional hockey team.

Skates also visited classrooms, posed for photos with students and families, signed autographs, and presented a Wolves jersey to Julia Gutzman, a student who won the raffle drawing.

When weather permits, the outdoor rink will be flooded and made available to the community during daylight hours.

A contest to name the ice rink was held for weeks prior to the event in conjunction with The Niles Bugle.

Entries were submitted via email and printed entry forms.

Judges named Braeden Manogura, a fifth grader at SJB, the first-place winner with his entry “The Guardian Angel’s Ice Castle.”

Lee Fitzgibbons of Niles won second place with the entry “Polar Ice Cap.” Manogura received a $100 gift certificate to Sports Authority, and Fitzgibbons won a $50 certificate from Kappy’s Restaurant in Niles.

New families and current families also got a chance to visit classrooms, meet teachers and tour the school.

Catholic Schools Week is celebrated throughout the Archdiocese of Chicago. At SJB, the week included teacher and student appreciation days, dress down days and a kick-off to the annual school appeal.

For more information, visit www. sjbschool.org.

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