MARCH 22, 2018 VOL. 62 ISSUE 24
DALEY FAMILY LEGACY RUNS DEEP IN ILLINOIS, CHICAGO SEE PAGE 4
CALENDAR
Calendar Events Upcoming events in your community SEE PAGE 11
SPORTS
Senior moment Senior all stars shine at annual event SEE PAGE 5
BUSINESS Dave Says Tighten life when in debt SEE PAGE 8
FORUM SPOTLIGHT
DALEY LEGACY
NEWS
THURSDAY, MARCH 22, 2018 | BUGLENEWSPAPERS.COM
CITY NEWS >> PARK RIDGE
Organizations get proactive on opioid crisis Groups seeks to have education programs, treatment policies in place BY IGOR STUDENKOV Bugle Staff @BugleNewspapers nweditor@buglenewspapers.com
As Geri Silic, a social worker with the Park Ridge Police Department, put it to the Bugle, her employer and several other area organizations didn’t form the Opioid Advisory Group because of anything in particular that was happening in Park Ridge. The opioid addiction is becoming a growing issue in municipalities large and small, urban and rural; and there was no reason to think that Park Ridge is somehow immune from it. Instead of waiting for something bad to happen, the members of the advisory group want to educate as many people as possible about what opioids are, how they can avoid addiction and how addiction can be treated. And they hope to address the stigma surrounding addiction, since it gets in the way of people discussing the issue openly, finding information they need and reaching out for help. Silic told the Bugle that the advisory group was formed as the result of a discussion at a meeting of the Park Ridge Health Commission some time last fall. “It was in one of our meetings, we talked about how police could get more involved in fighting the opioid epidemic,” she recalled.
The Park Ridge Police Department and the Health Commission reached out to Dr. Teri Collins, the Executive Director of Maine Community Youth Assistance Foundation (MCYAF), a non-profit organization that works to prevent drug addiction in Maine Township area youth, and she suggested putting together a group that would look at the way to address opioid abuse. Representatives from Maine Township government’s MaineStay Family Services, the Maine Township’s Recovery Connections program and others joined in as well. All and all, the advisory group currently has seven members. “We decided, as a group, we know that the problem is national, and we want to be ahead [of it],” Silic said. “We want to be progressive. We want to have awareness, because we know it’s happening. We don’t want to act blind to it.” Awareness of what opioids are is key, Silic said, noting that, even though she is a social worker, there were many things even she wasn’t aware of. “When someone says the word ‘opioid’ they usually think of heroin only,” she said. “They don’t understand – I didn’t - how [widespread] opioids, what they are. [It’s important] to find out that it’s Vicodin, that it’s Oxycontin, that it’s common prescriptions, to find out that com-
mon prescriptions given to you by a doctor, that they’re so addictive. And to find out that it can happen to people in all social-economic environments.” And teaching residents how to decrease the chances of opioid addiction is another important part of what the group plans to do. “What we’re trying to accomplish is to get [families] to understand, and educate families – one home at the time sort of thing – so there’s less access [to opioids] and the risk for addiction is reduced,” Silic said. “So [either] you don’t keep medicine, ‘just in case’ painkillers, or you lock them up safely. We’re trying to bring
awareness about how to dispose of them, so they’re not sitting around the house.” She emphasized that addiction can happen anywhere; and addiction to opioids is no different than any other type of addiction in that regard. “That is the goal, to help families, so instead of saying – ‘it can’t be me,’ [they say] ‘I don’t want it to be my family, my child.’” Silic said. “Addiction can happen to everyone. You need to reduce access to drugs that are cause drug addiction, and eliminate it.” The advisory group had its first meeting in November 2017. Since
then, most of its meetings have been about gathering ideas from organizations, treatment facilities and recovering addicts. In March 9-10, it did its first major outreach event distributing prescription drug disposal kits. As Silic explained, they reached out to Washington D.C.-based Addiction Policy Forum, which, to her surprised, decided to make Park Ridge one of the pilot sites for its project to distribute prescription drug disposal kits. Although they had less than a week to set up the event, they were able to accomplish it. Their next big event is going to take place on April 18 at 6 p.m. in front of the Park Ridge City Hall. “We’re going to have community service providers, local agencies that specialize in addiction,” Silic said. “We’re going to have a table set up where people in the community will have access to prevention resources, education resources” The advisory group is also working on a program where drug users can come to Park Ridge police station to dispose of opioids or seek treatment without worrying about getting arrested. They will be putting together an informational video to educate residents about prescription drug use, the risks of addiction and how to property dispose of such medicine. And the group is planning to do even more events throughout the year. “We’re going to have opportunities to educate people, as oppose to just handing [the kits] out where they would [just] go into someone’s bag,” Silic said.
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NEWS
THURSDAY, MARCH 22, 2018 | BUGLENEWSPAPERS.COM
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VILLAGE NEWS >> NILES
Cycling Classic may happen after all Village turns to Notre Dame as possible site for summer race BY IGOR STUDENKOV Bugle Staff @BugleNewspapers nweditor@buglenewspapers.com
After the Niles Park District denied the Village of Niles a permit to hold the Niles Cycling Classic in Oak Park, it looked like the event would not happen this year. But during the March 14 meeting of the Niles General Government Committee, Ross Klicker, the Niles Economic Development Coordinator, said that the village has been talking with the nearby Notre Dame College Prep about holding the event there. The new race route would wind its way through the few blocks to the south of the school. While he was optimistic, he said that some details had to be worked out, and Intelligentsia Cup, which the Classic would be a part of, would need to sign off on the new course.
As previously reported by the Bugle, the first Niles Cycling Classic was in 2017. It was part of Intellegentsia Cup series, a multi-day racing championship across the Chicago area. The previous course circled Oak Park, with bleachers and food vendors set up in the park itself. The permit for that event was approved before the village and the park district wound up in dispute over the latter’s decision to built a baseball diamond at the northeast corner of Oak Park The neighbors went to the village board to complain that they weren’t given any notice about it being put in place, and that it would hurt their property values and have adverse impact on traffic. While the park district operates Oak Park, it leases the land from the village. In July 2017, Niles village attorney Danielle Grcic issued a “notice of default”
“We have a verbal agreement with Notre Dame for the proposed [new] race route. We believe we’ll have a better situation than we had last year. They will have [food] concessions and more visibility from Dempster [street].” - VILLAGE SPOKESPERSON MITCH JOHNSON
to the park district, saying that it violated the lease. And, when it was found that the permits were issued after the field was actually installed, the village revoked them. After months of discussions, the park district wound up tearing the field down. When the village applied for a permit for the 2018 Cycling Classi, the Niles Park District Board of Commissioners voted 2-1 to deny grant the permit, with commissioners Julie Genualdi and Dennis O’Donovan abstaining. Out of the two commissioners who voted against, Commissioner Ray Czarnik told the Bugle that he was responding to
residents’ safety concerns, while Commissioner Chris Zalinski cited the baseball field controversy as a reason. The village asked the park district to remove the baseball field because it was used for “active recreation.” A bike race, Zalinski said, was active recreation as well, and the village couldn’t have it both ways. Niles M ayor Andrew Przybylo subsequently pushed back against that argument. In a Letter to the Editor published on March 7 in Niles Journal, he argued that the lease only applied to permanent structures, and because the race didn’t involve anyone putting up any permanent structures, that clause
doesn’t apply to the race. When the park district rejected the permit, village spokesperson Mitch Johnson told the Bugle that Niles had no choice but to cancel the event. But during the March 14 meeting, Klicker said that the village has been looking for an alternative site. “We have a verbal agreement with Notre Dame for the proposed [new] race route,” he said. “We believe we’ll have a better situation than we had last year. They will have [food] concessions and more visibility from Dempster [street].” According to the proposed map provided to the Bugle, the racecourse would start near Notre Dame’s football stadium, on Ozark Avenue. Cyclists would proceed south on Ozark, then turn west on Lee Street, less than a block west from Oak Park, and turn north on Ozanam Street before turning west on Greenleaf Street, then north again on SEE CYCLING PAGE 9
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GUEST COLUMN
Daley family legacy runs deep in Illinois, Chicago BY JOHN CARPENTER CHICAGO SUN-TIMES About 20 years before a certain territory along the eastern banks of the upper Mississippi became a state, a man named Maurice Daly tied his ass and cart to a fence in the little Irish town of Dungarvan and set off for America. He added an “e” to his last name along the way — and the die was cast for the most powerful political brand in Illinois’ 200-year history. The Daleys of Chicago ran the state’s largest city for more than 40 years, watching from the fifth floor of City Hall as the city grew from a thriving but unpolished Midwest railroad hub to a sprawling global metropolis. Whether it’s the skyscrapers that Richard J. Daley so dearly loved, or the wrought-iron fences and European-style greenery pushed by his son, the legacy of the city’s two longest-serving mayors is impossible to avoid. There are also things not seen, of course. Like Meigs Field, the quirky lakefront airport that the younger Daley brazenly — and illegally — bulldozed in the middle of the night in 2003. And then there’s a trail of Daley pals either shamed or jailed for various corruption schemes, part of a long-tolerated, wink-and-nod “Chicago way” of doing city business. The elder Mayor Daley struggled to reconcile his neighborhood tribalism with the growing civil rights movement and anti-war protests. And his son watched grand plans for his city spiral into sweetheart deals and crippling budget deficits. But the Daley Machine also saw Chicago’s fortunes grow while other Rust Belt cities declined. And they helped elect two Democratic presidents while wielding the kind of statewide clout in Springfield that a small army of Machine-bred representatives and senators can make possible. Richard J. Daley, great-grandson of Maurice, was born in the city’s Bridgeport neighborhood in 1902, not far from where he lived when he died 74 years later. He rose through the ranks of Democratic politics by building a reputation as both an old-school ward heeler and
Daleys in Illinois DALEY TIMELINE 1902 – Richard J. Daley is born. 1942 – Richard M. Daley is born. 1946 – John Daley is born. 1948 – William Daley is born. 1955 – Richard J. Daley is elected to his first term as mayor. 1960 – The Daley Machine is credited with delivering key votes to secure the election of John F. Kennedy as president. 1968 – Chicago erupts in what would later be described as a “police riot” during the Democratic National Convention. 1976 – Richard J. Daley dies in office after serving for more than 21 years. 1989 – Richard M. Daley is elected
nimble numbers cruncher. Lacking the oratorical flourish of so many politicians of the day, he prided himself on getting things done. “Good government is good politics,” he liked to say. And he correctly surmised that few would mind if city payrolls were stocked with Daley Machine foot soldiers, so long as the trash got collected and the streets got plowed. When he arrived at his desk in City Hall every morning, he was greeted with a list of the names of new city workers, along with their political sponsors. His ride home in the evening often took a wandering path, stopping at various wakes and retirement parties, each visit cementing that particular family’s multigenerational allegiance to the Democratic Party. While the husband was running the city, his beloved wife, Sis, was raising a growing brood of seven children. Little Richie, the first-born son, came along in 1942. Then came Michael, a prominent lawyer and the only son who stayed away from politics (unless, ahem, you count helping clients win city zoning cases political). Then there was John, a former state senator and state representative who is still a Cook County Commissioner. He is also the 11th Ward Democratic Committeeman, a job that has been in the Daley family since the 1940s. William Daley, the youngest son, is the only one to have officially stepped onto the national political stage, serving as both U.S. commerce secretary under President Bill Clinton, and White House
to his first term as mayor. 1992 – John Daley is elected to the Cook County board of commissioners, after serving in the Illinois state legislature. 1997 – William Daley is named U.S. Secretary of Commerce under President Bill Clinton. 2010 – Richard M. Daley serves his 7,917th day as Mayor, passing his father as the longest to serve in the job. 2011 – William Daley is named White House Chief of Staff under President Barack Obama. 2011 – Richard M. Daley’s wife, Maggie, dies after a long battle with cancer. 2011 – Rahm Emanuel is sworn is as Mayor, ending Richard M. Daley’s 22-year, six-term run in office.
chief of staff under President Barack Obama. In 2013, Daley briefly ran for Illinois governor, only to drop out of the race a few months after entering it, citing personal reasons. But it was Richard M. Daley who made the family name synonymous with big city clout, eclipsing even his father’s run on the fifth floor. Even as business-hub suburbs like Naperville and Schaumburg sprouted gleaming corporate headquarters, Daley presided over continued growth downtown. And Millennium Park, his crown jewel, remains a source of civic pride, perhaps allowing the memory of his failed Olympic bid to fade. His administration also was marked by a series of scandals, including the “Hired Truck” scandal, in which the city government leased hundreds of privately owned dump trucks that did little or no work, wasting $40 million a year. SunTimes reports about the program fueled a swift-moving federal investigation that led to the indictments of 49 people on public corruption-related charges. All were convicted, except for one individual who died after being charged. Editor’s note: The weekly Illinois Bicentennial series is brought to you by the Illinois Associated Press Media Editors and Illinois Press Association. More than 20 newspapers are creating stories about the state’s history, places and key moments in advance of the Bicentennial on Dec. 3, 2018. Stories published up to this date can be found at 200illinois. com.
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THURSDAY, MARCH 22, 2018 | BUGLENEWSPAPERS.COM
PREP SHOOTOUT NORTH TEAM SETS GIRLS’ SCORING MARK BY RANDY WHALEN For the Bugle www.buglenewspapers.com
As the only senior starter for the Benet Academy girl basketball team, Tsimba Malonga knew she was capable of scoring. But after suffering a hyperextended knee and missing a few weeks in the middle of the season, she didn’t always get that opportunity. So playing in her final high school game, the University of Denver recruit showed what she is capable of. Malonga poured in all 21 of her points in the second half to easily help her North squad double up the South team 88-44 in the Voyager Media Girls Basketball All-Star Shootout, on Sunday, March 18 at the University of St. Francis in Joliet. This was the ninth year of the girls game. Malonga is the sec-
ond Benet player to win the MVP award. Emily Eschoo won it in 2015. “In the first half of the game, I wanted to get a feel for it,” Malonga said, “Then when I did, my shot was just falling and I just kept shooting. It was just a lot of fun wearing my Benet jersey one more time.” The 21 points were tied with Plainfield Central’s Hennessey Handy (‘16) for the second most in the girls all-star game. Plainfield East’s Gabby Williams (‘13) holds the record with 24 points. When Malonga was notified in the final minutes that she was close to the record, she did what many of the great players do. She passed to another player. As the game went, it hardly mattered as the North led 28-13 at half SEE GIRLS PAGE 6
BENET’S TSIMBA MALONGA GIRLS’ MOST VALUABLE PLAYER
PHOTOS BY JOHN PATSCH/FOR THE BUGLE
Fiona Spuria represented Maine South as the North team broke the scoring record.
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6 SPORTS
THURSDAY, MARCH 22, 2018 | BUGLENEWSPAPERS.COM
PREP SHOOTOUT
South nips North All-Stars in close contest BY RANDY WHALEN For the Bugle www.buglenewspapers.com
The purpose of an all-star game is to have fun. There was no doubt that the players on the court during the Voyager Media Boys Basketball All-Star Shootout, on Sunday, March 18 at the University of St. Francis in Joliet, had fun. But in the end the South squad had a little more fun. That’s because they rallied to win. Led by a game-high 25 points from MVP Ryan Saunders from Joliet Central, the South rallied in the second half to come away with a 120-116 victory in the 10th annual event with showcases some of the areas seniors. It was the sixth straight season that the game was held at USF and this was certainly one of the most entertaining. While not quite as high scoring as the previous seasons 134-122 North win, the game went down to the final minute before the South came away with the win. “I was not expecting it,” Saunders said of winning the MVP.
GIRLS FROM PAGE 5 time and then scored 60 second half points to easily break the girls record for most points in a game. The previous mark was 81 points by Team Taylor — under a different format — in 2015. The Valley View School District - 365U was well represented with talent on the North team. Fresh off of leading Bolingbrook to its first sectional title since 2013, Jahari Smith (16 points), Gabby Smith (15 points) and Lynese Johnson (2 points) combined for 33 points. “I had a lot of fun,” Gabby Smith said. “It was amazing to do. There were some amazing players out here.” Romeoville’s Brittany Osborne (13 points) also had a nice game as she nailed a trio of 3-pointers. Also scoring for North was Krystina Wayne (5 points) and Kelle Knopp (4 points) from Plainfield North. “It was fun playing with different teammates,” Knopp said. “It was fun putting on the jersey again. We have been done for about three weeks now, so we were all joking about if the jersey still fit.”
“We were just out there having fun and it was an exciting game.” He’s uncommitted to college at this time, but after losing 94-91 in double overtime to Bolingbrook in the Romeoville Sectional semifinal, he and his two teammates certainly liked being in the AllStar game. His 25 points was the fourth highest individual total for a guy in the All-Star game. Ryan Crow from Plainfield North holds the record with 42 points in 2009. Saunders Steelmen teammates chipped in some too as Cameron Blackmon (7 points) and Don Joachim (6 points) had some key points. But no one was more key than Saunders. The North led 103-96 when Eddie Creal had an alleyopp slam, one of a few in the game for the Romeoville star, with 7:26 to play. Paging Dr. Saunders. The South then went on a 13-2 burst, with Saunders scoring 11 of those points. He capped it off with eight straight points, including a rebound bucket with 3:46 to play for a 109-105 lead. The North took one last lead
at 111-110 on a layup by Romeoville’s Kahlil Blakney with 1:59 left. But Blackmon got a layup and Plainfield North’s Brady Miller mashed a slam for a 114-11 lead. Bolingbrook’s Kaleb Thornton tied it at 114-114 on a 3-pointer. But with just over a minute remaining Joliet West’s Michael Smith hit a free throw and Plainfield Central’s Matthews Morganfield (9 points) followed that with a pair of free throws to put the South ahead for good at 117-114. After a North miss, Miller got the clincher and capped his basketball career in grand fashion. He grabbed a rebound about 6-feet from the basket, but dribbled back out 15-feet to the left corner. From there he let the shot fly and his game-clinching 3-pointer got nothing but net with 38 seconds to play. Blakney added one last basket 10 seconds later, but the South hung on to win. “It was a big shot and I had to step up and hit it,” Miller said of the 3-pointer. “It was just awesome and fun to play with these guys. As the game wound down, the intensity went up.”
Miller scored 14 points in the game, which will be his last organized basketball one. A threesport standout, including being quarterback of the football team, he will continue his college career as a pitcher at at Western Michigan. “I’m going to miss it a lot ,” Miller said of basketball. “But I’m looking forward to an awesome baseball career at Western Michigan.” Lockport’s Deondre Cooper (4 points) and a trio of players from Minooka - twins Keegan (3 points) and Kyle (2 points) Graebner. along with Brandon Hill (11 points). Charles McKinney (19 points) led four players from Joliet West that wee on the South team. The others were Smith (7 points) along with Derron Williams (7 points) and Darren Williams (6 points). Early on in the game, the North team jumped out to leads of 6-0 and 11-2. The South squad rallied to lead 25-19, but a 22-6 spurt put the North ahead 41-31 and it extended to a 71-57 halftime lead. Creal led the North team
with 24 points and his teammate - Blakney, added 12 points. Bolingbrook had a trio of players in uniform for the game and they all contributed big by combining for 43 points for the North team. Thornton, who missed a few weeks in the season with a had injury, made sure his last high school game was a good one with 17 points. Joey Saracco (14 points) and Isaiah Clemons (12 points) also scored for the Raiders. Mychale Hyland was the longrange specialist as he drained four 3-pointers and had 14 points for the North team. “I had fun getting the jersey on one more time and showing out,” Hyland said. His Downers Grove North teammate - Jake Rozema, added six points. Benet had two players - Jacob Petrovic (5 points) and David Buh (4 points) score. Clyde Singleton (4 points) represented Niles West and Devin Tincu (4 points) represented Lisle. “This is a lot of fun,” Tincu said. “It is a no pressure game and a completely different environment from the season.”
Natalie Takahashi (4 points) from Lisle, Hayley Semple (4 points) from Maine South, Jen Masello (2 points) from Downers Grove South, and Sydney Pardy (2 points) from Westmont. Fiona Spuria from Maine South was also on the North roster. Pardy and Takahashi were representing the Class 2A schools and enjoyed the chance to show their skills. “It was super fun,” Takahashi said. “I was a little nervous at the beginning, but once I got to know my teammates, I had fun. None of us wanted to lose. We wanted to break the scoring record of 81 and we were happy to do that.” The game started slowly, with both teams missing their first few shots. The South had an 8-7 lead on a 3-pointer by Lockport’s Destiny Davis. But Jahari Smith scored back-to-back baskets to put the North squad ahead for good. Up 15-12 the North team closed the half on a 13-1 run for the 15-point halftime lead and cruised from there. Joliet West’s Sarah Gersch is now into softball season and will go onto play that sport in college
at Saginaw Valley State University. But she made an impact not only on the court, but also off of it for the Tigers. That’s why basketball coach John Placher nominated her for the annual Voyager Media Award for her display of character, class and sportsmanship on and off the court. That was the Jeremy Izzo Character Award, which is named after the former Joliet Catholic Academy boys basketball coach, who passed away in 2010. Gersch was this years recipient an was presented the award after the game. “Yes, my coach [Placher] told me,” Gersch said of winning the award. “That [qualities of the award] is just what I do. I’m not out looking for an award, but it was nice. “I played three years on varsity basketball and it was fun. I’m playing softball in college, so it was just fun to be out there playing basketball one more time.” Gersch had seven points in the game. Her teammate - Dasia Norris was one of the co-scoring leaders of the South team with eight points. The other co-scoring leader for the South team had
quite the tale to tell of getting to the game. That was Plainfield East’s Olivia Jenkins, who also had eight points. Jenkins, however, only played in the second half. That’s because she arrived at the game with seconds to play in the first half and literally wanted to spring into action as she jumped over a chair to take her place on the South bench. Why was Jenkins late? “I was attending a musical at my school,” she said of an afternoon event at Plainfield East. When I got out of there I put St. Francis in my GPS and followed the directions.” There was one problem with that, the GPS brought up the directions to get to St. Francis High School in Wheaton. Getting there and realizing her mistake, Jenkins had to double back and get to the University of St. Francis in Joliet. So a drive that should have taken 20 minutes or so, instead turned into an hour long adventure. But being the good natured person she is, Jenkins laughed it off. She will attend Xavier University in Ohio in the fall to play soccer. But she hasn’t given up on basketball yet as she might play both sports
in college. But either way, her favorite part of the All-Star game was playing one last time with teammate Maiya Creal. “It was nice to play with Maiya one last time,” Jenkins said. “We didn’t expect to lose when we did [62-55 to Lockport in the Class 4A Oswego East Regional semifinals]. So we weren’t ready to say goodbye then. This gave us one more game together.” Creal scored six points in the game. Destiny Davis (7 points) and Taylor Hopkins (3 points), who helped Lockport to its first regional title in 11 years, also contributed. Emily Vollmer (4 points) from Joliet Central and Sam Lordan (1 point) from Plainfield South also scored. Deericka Martin from Joliet Central and Taylor Shingler from Lockport also played on the South squad. “It felt good to be in this game and be out there to play,” said Hopkins, who was sidelined for about three weeks during the season with a hip flexor injury. “I was glad to get back from the injury and it was just fun to play with everyone. There was a lot of talent.”
BUSINESS + REAL ESTATE
NEWS ABOUT LOCAL BUSINESSES IN YOUR COMMUNITY THURSDAY, MARCH 22, 2018 | BUGLENEWSPAPERS.COM
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COLUMN >> DAVE SAYS
Tighten life when in debt DEAR DAVE, I received a call the other day from a company saying it could negotiate the balance on my credit cards to a lesser amount. The caller also said they could get me a zero-percent interest rate until the debts were paid off, and then the accounts would be closed. I’m kind of starting over again financially, because I sold a company I had run for almost 15 years, then got into real estate and lost almost everything. I’m making just enough to squeeze by, and my credit card debt totals $40,000. Would this be a good idea? BILL DEAR BILL, No, this is not a good idea. You’re looking at two major problems with a company such as this one. One, they will absolutely destroy whatever credit you may have. Their plan is to take your cash, and spend some time beating down the credit card companies until they agree to accept a lesser amount. Then, they use your cash to settle loans you will have — by that time —defaulted on. This will
put you in a situation very similar to if you had filed Chapter 13 bankruptcy. Stay away from these people. You have an income crisis, in addition to a debt crisis, at this point. For starters, I want you to start living on a tight, written, monthly budget. I’m talking rice and beans, no vacations, and no eating out until you pay off this debt. Where your income is concerned, maybe you should consider getting back into the kind of business you ran previously for a while. Look for a managerial or supervisory position in that area, at least until you’re able to get
back on your feet and save some cash. Finally, cut up the credit cards, close the accounts, and put as much money as you can spare toward paying off that debt using
the debt snowball system. Never go back into debt again! —DAVE DEAR DAVE, My husband and I are in our forties. We have no children, and we bring home $95,000 a year combined. We’re also debt-free except for our home. We owe just $10,000 on the house, and can take care of that in a few months. Would it be okay to rearrange the Baby Steps a bit, and pay off our home before getting serious about saving for retirement? NAN DEAR NAN, I don’t usually give folks any wiggle room when it comes to sticking with the proper order of the Baby Steps. But if you’re that close to being completely debt-
free, I don’t see anything wrong with paying off the house first. Most people I talk to still have anywhere from $100,000 to $300,000 left on their mortgages. This is a little bit different story, however, and you two are obviously managing your money well. Knock out that mortgage, and start pouring at least 15 percent of your income into retirement. You’re going to love the feeling — and the freedom — that comes with being completely debt-free! —DAVE * Dave Ramsey is CEO of Ramsey Solutions. He has authored seven best-selling books, including The Total Money Makeover. The Dave Ramsey Show is heard by more than 13 million listeners each week on 585 radio stations and multiple digital platforms. Follow Dave on the web at daveramsey. com and on Twitter at @DaveRamsey.
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S TAY I N F O R M E D W I T H L E G A L L I S T I N G S THURSDAY, MARCH 22, 2018 | BUGLENEWSPAPERS.COM CYCLING FROM PAGE 4 Merrill Street. The cyclists would then turn east on Crain Sreet, taking it back to the starting line. Klicker said that he hopes that the village would be able to get a go-ahead from Intellegensia Cup in time to allow the village board to approve the necessary event permits at its March 27 meeting.
Formation of Veteran Affairs Commission proposed Niles Trustee George Alpogianis, who chairs the Niles General Government/IT Committee, asked the members and village staff who attended the March 14 meeting to think about establishing the Veteran Affairs Commission. The commission would discuss any concerns the village veterans might have and look for ways the village can help them. Alpogianis noted that Niles has several veterans on staff, the village has a Veterans of Foreign Wars post and a memorial where it regularly holds Veterans Day and Memorial Day ceremonies, and the commission would build on that. He encouraged members of his committee to think of ways a Veteran Affairs Commission could help veterans and bring back their ideas to the next General Government Commit-
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tee meeting, which is currently scheduled for April 11, at 8:45 a.m. Niles committees and commissions are formed and dissolved at the Niles mayors’ discretion. Mayors have the power to appoint members, but any appointment must be confirmed by the Village of Niles Board of Trustees. Alpogianis explained that he only had a very general idea of what the new commission would actually do – but he felt it was important that the village put something in place. “We are who were are in this great country because of blood and sweat of those [veterans],” he said. “i think there is a lot of good we can do in this committee.” He said that it wouldn’t have to meet monthly – like the Niles Human Services Committee, it might only need to meet quarterly. One of the ideas Alpogianis proposed was setting up a program that would make it easier for veterans to get access to service animals. But ultimately, he said that what he really wanted was to hear from everybody else. “[I want to see] if everybody can come up with at least one idea that may or may not work,” he said. Like all public village meetings, April 11 meeting will be open to the public, so residents can come in and suggest their ideas as well.
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TAKE 5
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SENIORS CALENDAR Through MARCH 25 Asia in Bloom: The Orchid Show. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Chicago Botanical Garden, 1000 Lake Cook Road, Glencoe. Look for sun-lit orchids under colorful handmade parasols, listen for the trickle of water from a bamboo spout, and take in a Japanese-style dry garden surrounded by burnt cedar in the shou sugi ban tradition. The Chicago Botanic Garden’s Orchid Show is an homage to the rich culture of Asia and its stunning array of native orchids. See 10,000 orchids in bloom. chicagobotanic.org.
MARCH 24 Spring Bird Walk. 7:30 a.m. at the
Chicago Botanical Garden, 1000 Lake Cook Road, Glencoe. Join bird expert Alan Anderson to explore the best spots in the Garden for locating late-winter bird residents and the early migrants of spring. Each walk is approximately one to two hours long. Dress for the weather, and bring binoculars and a field guide, if you have one. chicagobotanic.org.
MARCH 29 Post-Orchid Show Plant Sale. 2
p.m. at the Chicago Botanical Garden, 1000 Lake Cook Road, Glencoe. Ready to buy an orchid? The Garden
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Shop sells several varieties and miniorchids, and vendors sell them at the Orchid Marketplace on weekends. Don’t miss the post-Show Plant Sale. Many of the plants featured in the Show will be for sale at bargain prices. chicagobotanic.org.
900 Romeo Rd. Romeoville. Includes games, dinner, drinks, dessert, project, picture, and entertainment. Pre-registration is required. When registering online, please register the son (not mother). REGISTER BY APRIL 2. romeoville.org.
APRIL 17 Spring Containers at the Garden. 10 a.m. – noon or 6:30 – 8:30
APRIL 21 Best New Annuals for 2018. 1
p.m. at the Chicago Botanical Garden, 1000 Lake Cook Road, Glencoe. Tour the Garden’s spring containers and collect ideas for your own. Then create a container with plants that can tolerate the varying spring temperatures and a full-sun to partialshade location. Pansies, forced bulbs, and other spring treasures may be used. A spray of branches gives them a finishing touch. Please bring gloves. chicagobotanic.org.
APRIL 20 Maine Township’s ”Swing into Spring” Senior Expo. 9 a.m. at the
Golf Mill Shopping Center in Niles. Designed to link seniors who need services with vendors who provide them, the Swing into Spring Senior Expo has grown in attendance for six straight years and is expected to continue the trend in 2018. Mom And Son Night Out. 6 p.m. at the Romeoville Recreation Center.
p.m. at the Chicago Botanical Garden, 1000 Lake Cook Road, Glencoe. It’s going to be a banner year for annuals. This course presents many new cultivars, along with several wonderful yet underutilized species for both container and in-ground plantings in sun and shade. chicagobotanic.org.
APRIL 28 and 29 Malott Japanese Garden Spring Festival. 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. at the
Chicago Botanical Garden, 1000 Lake Cook Road, Glencoe. Learn about children’s celebrations in Japan during this special weekend of activities. Listen to koto harp and shakuhachi flute music, enjoy traditional folk tales, and watch a tea ceremony. Kids of all ages can make projects—design a kimono-clad paper doll, create a miniature carp kite, construct an origami samurai helmet, and more at family-friendly, hands-on stations. chicagobotanic.org.
MAY 6 Friends of the Library Book Sale.
Noon at Park Ridge Public Library, 20 S. Prospect Avenue, Park Ridge. Half Price Sale Incredible bargains and treasured finds will be available at this semi-annual event. Gently used hardcover, paperbacks, videos, CDs, cassettes and more.
MAY 17 Grapevines & Wines. 6–8 p.m. at
the Chicago Botanical Garden, 1000 Lake Cook Road, Glencoe. Have a crush on wine? Make an evening of it at the Garden’s spring tasting event. In the idyllic setting of the McGinley Pavilion, sample wines from around the world. Indulge your senses with the range of bouquets. Light fare will be available for purchase as well as wine by the glass. chicagobotanic. org.
EASTER SERVICES
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