Niles 12-24-15

DECEMBER 24, 2015 VOL. 60 ISSUE 12

NEWS Water Pump Fail

Village officials review response to pump failure

see Page 4

FORUM Common Traditions

Unraveling the origins of Christmas traditions

see Page 5

NEWS Morton Grove TIF

Review board looks at three active TIFs

see Page 10

NEWS Budget and Levy

Morton Grove approves budget, tax levy

see Page 10

BUSINESS Moretti’s Restaurant Tax incentives approved for restaurant coming to area

see Page 11

SPORTS Holiday Hoops

Maine South, Notre Dame look for tournament success

see Page 7

SUBMITTED PHOTO

A volunteer mentor with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metropolitan Chicago works with a student.

P age 2 | Th u rsd ay, d e c e mb e r 2 4 , 2 0 1 5 | n i lesbugle. c om

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cover story

Finding positive role models Volunteer mentors will meet with students twice a month

By Igor Studenkov Bugle Staff

nweditor@buglenewspapers.com @NilesILNews

The Maine Township’s MaineStay Youth & Family Services are joining forces with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metropolitan Chicago to launch a youth mentoring program.

The program will launch in February. It is designated to help kids find positive role models and avoid risky behaviors. The program is open to elementary school students in grades 4-6 who attend school within the Maine Township.

Volunteer mentors will meet with students twice a month at the Maine Township Town Hall. They

will take part in group activities and one-on-one mentoring sessions.

At the moment, the organizers are focused on recruiting mentors.

Once they have a decent number, they will start recruiting youth.

According to Erica Owens, Director of Customer Service and Processing at Big Brothers Big Sisters, the organization looked into establishing a program in northwestern suburbs because they felt there was a demand.

“Our organization serves all of Chicagoland,” she said. “Over the past year or so, we started receiving calls from families and volunteers. We thought ‘there’s enough of an interest in communication – could we start a mentoring program in the area?’”

“One of the things we always say is that we never get enough volunteers...We always want to shoot for the moon and get as many individuals as possible.”

Erica Owens, Director of Customer Service and Processing at Big Brothers Big Sisters

The organization looked at organizations that provided similar services. MaineStay was already running a number of program geared toward helping the youth, including anger management group and a peer mentoring program. Owens said the organization reached out to Richard Lyon, MaineStay’s director.

“The timing was great, because we wanted to do a program like this for a while,” Lyon told the Bugle. “And it would up a great partnership opportunity.”

MaineStay and Big Brothers Big Sisters decided to handle different aspects of the mentoring program.

Big Brothers Big Sisters “What we’re really good it as developing curriculum for programs, doing screening and recruitment for volunteers and the staff,” said Owens. “MaineStay is taking a lead on identifying the youth. And what we gather from MaineStay is what the needs are.”

According to a MaineStay press release, the topics that will be discussed during the program include academic success, avoiding risky behavior, relationship building and increasing confidence. The group will have a total of 20 people, and the mentors and students won’t meet outside the regularly scheduled meetings, which will take place twice a month.

When the mentors meet with their charges, Big Brothers Big Sisters staff member, known as a

see role model | page 14

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village news > Morton Grove

Village officials review response to Morton Grove water pump failure Before giving an all-clear, the village collected 32 water samples for testing

By Igor Studenkov Bugle Staff

nweditor@buglenewspapers.com @NilesILNews

A little over a week after most of western Morton Grove found itself without water, Village Manager Ralph Czerwinski gave the village board a report on what happened and village efforts to resolve the situation.

On Dec. 5, a water pumping

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.

Niles

station west of the North Branch of the Chicago River suffered a mechanical failure.

The malfunction was fixed three hours later, but it took a few more hours before the system was fully operational. In the meantime, the village tried to keep the residents informed, relying primarily on volunteers to answer residents’ questions and get the word out.

Czerwinski explained that the

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Andrea M. Livingston, 28, 4600 block of Luna, Machesney Park, was arrested at 9 p.m. Dec. 16 in the 8500 block of Golf Road for retail theft.

Adrian Gomez, 18, 4700 block of North Albany, Chicago, was arrested at 12:28 a.m. Dec. 10 at Harts and Franks for reckless driving and a warrant.

Park Ridge

Arnold J. Paster, 59, 200 block of Northbrook, was arrested at 6 p.m. Dec. 12 at Golf Mill Shopping Center for retail theft.

Roman Balabushka, 30, 2900 block of Rosemont, Chicago, was arrested at 12:19 a.m. Dec. 13 in the 6900 block of Milwaukee for battery.

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Jason A. Repika, 34, 8800 block of Northshore Drive, Des Plaines, was arrested at 4:06 p.m. Dec. 13 at the Golf Mill Shopping Center for retail theft.

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Gabriel Valle, 37, 8900 block of Robin, Des Plaines, was arrested at 2:38 p.m. Dec. 14 in the 8800 block of Dempster for criminal trespassing.

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Paul E. binder, 58, 1700 block of Harrison, Glenview, was

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see failure | page 14

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17 11 16

19 12 21 14 22

23

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18

9

2

3

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Margaret K. Prokopiuk, 29, 5100 block of West Montrose, Chicago, was arrested at 2:55 p.m.

Dec. 16 at Golf Mill Shopping Center for retail theft and possession of drug paraphernalia.

used the Reverse 911 service to send out automated messages to as many households as possible.

The staff and volunteers also hung informational paper hangers on house doors throughout the village.

While the mechanical issues were fixed by 11 a.m., it took a few more hours before the western Morton Grove fully got their water back.

“The system of this magnitude needs to be filled slowly,” said

“We didn’t know how widespread it was.”

Czerwinski said that, because it was Saturday morning, the staff members that would normally be there to answer calls weren’t available. The village recruited volunteers to fill in the gap.

The staff’s first priority was figuring out what was going on.

They coordinated with Morton Grove fire and police departments and pumping station workers.

Once some information came in, he crafted a message for volunteers to read. The village staff

arrested at 8:05 p.m. Dec. 16 in the 8600 block of Golf for no valid driver’s license.

Robert D. Hegbloom, 54, 2155 N. Mann St., Muskegan, Michigan, was arrested at 8:04 a.m. Dec. 10 in the 1000 block of Civic Center for criminal damage to property.

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failure was due to one of the pumps breaking down. This put the strain on the remaining pumps, leading to a chain of malfunctions that left the western Morton Grove homes and businesses with little or no water pressure.

The village officials got the word about the breakdown at 8 a.m.

Czerwinski explained that, once they got the word, they decided they would rather be safe than sorry until they had a better idea of what happened.

“Initially, we issued a boil order for the entire community,” he said.

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Kaitlin M. Mclaughlin, 23, N. Northwest Highway, Chicago, was arrested at 12:45 a.m.

Dec. 9 at Cumberland and Rosemont for failure to reduce speeding, leaving scene of accident and driving under the influence.

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Morton Grove

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Gloria De Dios Salvatierra, 48, Mexico, was arrested Dec. 4 at TJ Maxx, 7250 Dempster, for retail theft.

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and Birch for driving while license suspended.

Antonio F. Soto, 24, Chicago, was arrested Dec. 14 at Beckwith and Neenah for driving while license suspended.

Douglas F. Johnson, 33, was

Auger L. Malik-Ismail, 52,

Bahawer Mirza, 23, Skokie, was

Hermes Dervishi, 21, Chicago, was arrested Dec. 5 at Church and Lehigh for driving while license revoked.

Lazerick A. Smythe, 18, Chicago, was arrested Dec. 9 at Dempster and Central for driving while license suspended.

Karin Melkonian, 56, Northbrook, was arrested Dec. 5 at TJ Maxx, 7250 Dempster, for retail theft.

16 was arrested Dec. 10 at TJ Maxx, 19 arrested Dec. 11 in the 9200 22 Niles, was arrested Dec. 15 at

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Xin Zeng, 21, Morton Grove, was arrested Dec. 6 in the 9200 block of Nagle for attempted murder.

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Dawana A. Barry, 27, Chicago,

18 arrested Dec. 11 at Dempster 21

Dempster and Waukegan for DUI.

7250 Dempster, for retail theft.

block of Sayre for disorderly conduct.

Gunther S. Jimenez, 35, Glenview, was arrested Dec. 10 in the 9500 block of Washington for burglary.

20 arrested Dec. 12 in the 6100 23 arrested Dec. 15 at Dempster

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Emil Aliyev, 24, Glenview, was

block of Golf for DUI.

Jose Castro, 27, Waukegan, was

and School for driving while license suspended.

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commentary

Unraveling common Christmas traditions EDITORIAL

What are the origins of frankincense, myrrh, mistletoe and noel?

By Phil Besler | Bugle Staff

ASSISTANT EDITOR

ANDREA EARNEST aearnest@buglenewspapers.com

815.436.2431 ext.118

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Christmas carols and holiday television specials and stories are filled with traditions that may be lost on us in the 21st Century. Where did these customs, traditions and legends come from?

If you’ve heard of frankincense and myrrh, it’s probably thanks to the biblical account of the birth of Jesus.

The book of Matthew says Magi, or wise men, followed a bright eastern star to Bethlehem, the place where Christians believe Jesus was born. There, these wise men saw the young child with Mary, his mother, and presented gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh to the child.

We all know what gold is, but what are frankincense and myrrh? Both frankincense and myrrh are derived from the gummy sap that oozes out of the Boswellia and Commiphora trees, respectively, after their bark has been cut. The leaking resin is allowed to harden and is scraped off the trunk in tear-shaped droplets; it may then be used in its dried form or steamed to yield essential oils.

Both substances are edible and often

chewed like gum. They are also extremely fragrant, particularly when burned, with frankincense giving off a sweet, citrusy scent and myrrh producing a piney, bitter odor.

These items were considered extremely valuable in the ancient world and standard gifts for a king or deity. Gold is a valuable precious metal, frankincense was used as perfume or incense, and myrrh was used as anointing oil. Other accounts from the ancient world that detail these items being presented as gifts include King Seleucus II Callinicus offering to the god Apollo at the temple in Miletus. The Book of Isaiah also mentions these gifts. During Jerusalem’s restoration, it was said that nations and kings would come and “bring gold and frankincense.”

Another tradition during Christmas is to hang mistletoe in one’s house.

Mistletoe is a plant that grows on willow and apple trees, and the tradition of hanging it in the house goes back to the times of the ancient druids.

According to mythology, mistletoe possesses mystical powers that bring good luck to households where it is hung and wards off evil spirits. It was also used as a sign of love and friendship in Norse mythology. Interestingly, some of the first Christians who came to Western Europe tried to ban the use of mistletoe in churches. However, many Christians continue to hang the plant to this day.

York Minster Church in the UK used to

hold a special Mistletoe Service in the winter, where wrongdoers in the city of York could come and be pardoned.

England also gave us the custom of kissing under mistletoe. In the original custom, a berry was picked from the sprig of mistletoe before the person could be kissed. Once all the berries had gone, there could be no more kissing.

Christmas carols are an important part of the holiday. A favorite of carolers this time of year is “The First Noel,” but what does “noel” mean? In French, joyeux noel means “Merry Christmas.” Our modern English word comes from the Middle English nowel, which Webster’s Dictionary defines as “a shout of joy or Christmas song.”

The roots of the word are the French noel “Christmas season,” which may come from the Old French nael, which in turn, is derived from the Latin natalis, meaning “birth.” Since Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Christ, it was natural for people to refer to the celebration as the “nativity” or the “birth.”

Another possible root for noel, also from the French, is the word nouvelles, meaning “news.” As the popular carol says, “The first noel the angels did say / Was to certain poor shepherds. . . .”

The meaning of “news” certainly makes sense in that context. However, the early usage and definition of noel seem to focus more on the idea of birth and that is probably the more accurate meaning.

letter to the editor

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Be a parent, not a friend It is important for parents to know how to keep their kids safe over the holidays As you know, the holidays are approaching quickly. This time of year is one to celebrate, meet with friends and family and have fun in a relaxing environment.

However, it is also a time that kids have off from school with not much to do. They may be inspired to have fun through drinking or doing drugs.

As high school students, we feel that it is important for parents to know how to keep their kids safe over the holidays. We have come up with some precautions that parents can take to make sure that their kids are safe

and accounted for over the holidays, as well as for the rest of the year. We hope that you will share them in your newspaper.

One way to make sure that your kids aren’t getting into any trouble is by talking to other parents. Be sure to know who your child is hanging out with and get in contact with their parents. This way, you can easily keep track of where they are and what they are doing.

Lock up your liquor cabinet! If your alcohol is locked away and hard to get to, then your teens will have a much harder time getting into trouble.

Don’t support parties. Believe it or not, there are parents who support and allow their kids to hold parties at their house. It doesn’t make you or your kids any cooler. In fact, you are just inviting people to take advantage of you.

Know that as a parent, you are held

responsible for the kids at your house.

Taking car keys to try and prevent teens from driving under the influence doesn’t always help. Parents will be held responsible if someone gets hurt.

Remember that the consequence are not worth the risks.

Talk to your kids about drinking and doing drugs. Sometimes, kids use drugs or alcohol as a cry for attention or help.

By talking to them, you are letting them know that you care and that you would rather have them safe.

Check in with you kids. Make sure your kids tell you when they leave the house. Ask them where they are going, who they are going to be with and how long they are going to be out.

Don’t be afraid to be a parent and not a friend.

Happy holidays to you and your families!

Maine Community Youth Assistance Foundation Teens from High School District 207 Amanda Anton, Melissa Corea, Emily Kracik, Jillian Saget, Frank Scavelli and Emerson Uhlig

For wHeN you waNt to taKe 5 miNuteS For yourSelF Thursday, decem ber 24, 2015 | ni lesbug le.com

Aries

MARcH 21 TO APRIL 20

Too many holiday cheers can put your energy levels in arrears. In the week to come you may find that you enjoy being with some people, but other ones eat up too much of your time.

Balance work with play.

gemini

M AY 2 2 T O J u N E 2 1

Your head may be buzzing with new ideas in the week ahead. Creative and imaginative mental images can be applied in practical ways. You may enjoy making some handicrafts or homemade holiday treats.

leo

J u LY 2 3 T O A u g u s T 2 1

Peer pressure can push your buttons. With a holiday on this week’s calendar you may be required to attend one too many social gatherings. Some business matters are top priority and will not withstand passing distractions.

Across 1 PREdIcAMENT 5 *1-/9-AcROss 9 MuTuAL fuNd cHARgE 13 uP TO IT 14 PREfIx wITH PLAsM 15 2013 PREsIdENTIAL MEdAL Of fREEdOM REcIPIENT 17 NOcTuRNAL cRITTER 18 sOuRcE 19 AdAMs’ “NIxON IN cHINA,” fOR ONE 20 HANdLEd vEssEL 22 POucHEs 24 ORcH. sEcTION 25 sITE Of uNExPEcTEd cHANgE? 27 dIdN’T TRIcK, MAYbE 29 sEE 62-dOwN 32 wITH 49-AcROss, bAd bREAK ...

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ANNOYINg LITTLE fRIENd 69 INfLIcT ON 70 1985 cHEMIsTRY cO-NObELIsT JEROME 71 “AvATAR” RAcE 72 ALwAYs 73 “EAsY TO bE HARd” MusIcAL 74 *73-/75-AcROss 75 busINEss

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1 OvERduE, As PAY 2 INsTRuMENT TO wHIcH AN ORcHEsTRA TuNEs 3 busHELs 4 PITcHERs’ PLAcEs 5 wHITE-fAcEd cATTLE bREEd 6 ROxY MusIc cOfOuNdER 7 sTIRs 8 KNIsH fILLINg 9 uNfAsTENs 10 uP ANd dOwN, sAY: AbbR. 11 “gIvE IT __” 12 PuccINI’s “vIssI __” 16 sTERN 21 LIKE “LA vIdA” IN A RIcKY MARTIN HIT 23 fRENcH vINEYARd 26 gALLIc gIRLfRIENd 28 JANE EYRE’s

cHARgE 29 *1-/53-dOwN 30 dEcLARE 31 wHERE TO fINd A HERO 33 PLAY wITH, IN A wAY 35 IRRITATEs 37 cHEEsE HOLdER 38 IdéE sOuRcE 39 *16-/64-dOwN 42 RussIA-cHINA bORdER RIvER 43 NuMIsMATIsT’s fINd 46 RELIANT sOuL 48 cAsTINg AId 50 cONsTELLATION NEAR scORPIus 51 bINd 53 cONvERsE 54 wEsT INdIAN fOLK RELIgION 55 __swEET: AsPARTAME 57 fRIENd Of cHE 60 wHERE gOLIATH wAs sLAIN 62 wITH 29-AcROss, bALKAN cITY ON THE dANubE 63 RTE. THROugH HOusTON 64 REAcTOR PART 66 wILL sMITH TITLE ROLE 68 dIII dOubLEd

librA

sEPTEMbER 24 TO OcTObER 23

A holiday outing in the week ahead might act like magic bullet that revives your spirits. It isn’t the opinion of parents, family or a sweetheart that counts but the verdict of the person staring back at you in the mirror.

sAgittArius

NOvEMbER 23 TO dEcEMbER 22

Ask for advice if you want something nice. This week your bank account may shrink under a barrage of bills and last minute gift giving. However, someone’s wise counsel can make you a bundle if you listen closely.

AquArius

JANuARY 21 TO fEbRuARY 19

You will wonder where the money went when you come home from shopping and it is all spent. As this week unfolds you can find a very good use for your savvy business and financial skills. Balance your checkbook.

Sudoku

tAurus

A P R I L 2 1 T O M AY 2 1

Your creative talents may be best displayed when teamed up with another person. In the upcoming week you may be attending several social functions where you can display your people skills and flair for the artistic.

cAncer

J u N E 2 2 T O J u LY 2 2

You may have some clout if you get out and about.

Sitting home watching TV won’t bring you the attention or the enjoyment that you crave. In the week ahead head off to public functions with your special someone.

virgo

AugusT 22 TO sEPTEMbER 23

You may flirt until it hurts as this week unfolds. People will be delighted with your aptitude for good, clean harmless fun. Working, doing things, or going places with congenial companions is at the top of your to-do list.

scorpio

OcTObER 24 TO NOvEMbER 22

It’s the thought that counts. If your aim is to impress, attending to someone’s needs is a much better option than mere money or token gifts. In the week ahead you may tune in on what your partner really requires.

cApricorn

dEcEMbER 23 TO JANuARY 20

You may inadvertently put your foot in your mouth early in the week. However, forgiveness is easy to find. Get in touch with relatives at a great distance or friends close at hand to display your generosity.

pisces

fEbRuARY 20 TO MARcH 20

Holiday entertainments are odds with efficiency.

During the week ahead you may be tempted to take a long lunch or to go home early. You will have to make up for it with extra effort somewhere along the line.

Jumble

Tribune Content Agency, LLC. 2015

PreviouS Puzzle’S anSwerS

PreviouS Puzzle’S anSwerS

PreviouS Puzzle’S anSwerS

Jumbles:

• KNEEL • MIRTH • THROAT • PLENTY

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THE cIRcus HIREd THE fAMOus TIgHTROPE wALKER bEcAusE HE wAs -- TOP Of THE “LINE”

Thursday, December 24, 2015

page 7

>> INSIDE: Niles West returns to Pontiac page 8

basketball

holiday hoops Maine South, Notre Dame look for tournament success

By Mark Gregory sports reporter

mark@buglenewspapers.com @Hear_The_Beard

After suffering its first loss of the season at the Benedictine Shootout, Maine South looks to get back on track at the Hinsdale Central Holiday Classic.

The Hawks will open play at 5:15 p.m. against Urban Prep Englewood.

The Lions are paced by freshman guard Fred Cleveland II, the son of coach Fred Cleveland and is heralded as one of the best guards in the class of 2019.

On the other side of the bracket is DePaul Prep and St. Charles East. The losers will play at 12:30 p.m. on Dec. 28, while the winners will play at 7 p.m.

Maine South is paced by senior Jon Arenas, the only returning starter back from last year’s team.

He is joined this season by 6-foot, 11-inch center Brad Perry.

They will be joined by other top players in the tournament, such as Jaylan Catledge (6-1, junior, Richards) who averaged 17 points and 8 rebounds per game last season and Marquan Williams (5-9, sophomore, Perspectives MSA). He averaged 21.3 points and 4.6 as a freshman playing on varsity last year and is the best prospect to come out of Perspectives since NBA All-Star

Anthony Davis.

Defending state champion Stevenson has a pair of top players in Rodney Harrington and Justin Smith.

Harrington, a 6-2 senior guard is a transfer from Whitney Young who played in all 34 games of Whitney Young’s state championship team in 2013-14, as a sophomore.

Smith, a 6-7 junior forward, was a starter as a sophomore on Illinois state championship team last year, averaging 10 points per game.

The tournament also will feature Dwayne Rose (6-2, junior, Crete-Monee), the nephew of Chicago Bulls guard Derrick Rose.

The Hinsdale tournament does not only feature teams and players from outside of Illinois.

De’Anthony Melton, a 6-4 senior guard from Crespi Carmelite paced the team with 15.5 points and 9.2 rebounds for the California Interscholastic Federation State Champions.

He is committed to University of Southern California.

•Notre Dame is at the Wheeling Hardwood Classic. They opened play Monday against Dundee Crown with the winner taking on the winner of Waukegan and Buffalo Grove.

The final round of the tournament is Saturday, Dec. 26 with the championship game at 8:45 p.m. and the third place game at 7:15 p.m.

photo by mark gregory

Nick Foldvary and Maine South compete at the Hinsdale Central Holiday Classic this year.

twitter: For up -to-the-minute coverage of upcoming local sport events going on in your area, follow @VoyagerSport

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Thursday, decem ber 24, 2015 | ni lesbug le.com

basketball

FEATURiNG

Ammar Becar

NOTRE DAME BASKETBALL

What do you use Twitter for?

I love reading about basketball and knowing what is happening in the area. I use it to contact coaches and recruiting.

How often are you on Twitter?

I definitely check it regularly.

How often do you tweet?

Not much, there isn’t much to update unless I tweet out about a game but that is pretty much it.

What account do you like to follow?

I like to follow Prep Illinois and EYBL. I like the circuit a lot.

FILE PHOTO

Jojo Rios and Niles West return to the Pontiac Holiday Tournament.

JJC wolVES BASEBAll @JJCBASEBAll “The Wolves would like to welcome IF Anthony Agne, (Plainfield North) to the family! Another member of our recruiting class! #keepreloading” BARSTool SPoRTS @BARSToolSPoRTS “The Sixers’ Richaun Holmes threw down a dunk of the year on the Hawks’ Al Horford” RoBERT BRoST @BRooKHooPS “22-15-8-2? What is that you ask? That would be Ben Moore’s stat line for SMU last night! #impressive Now that’s a stat stuffer!”

FRANK KAMiNSKY iii @FSKPART3 “Every drop of sweat gets me closer to my dreams.

Thanks again to @SpeedStick for being with me every step of the way #defythedoubt #ad”

Niles West looks for success at pontiac tournament

By Mark gregory sports reporter

mark@buglenewspapers.com @hear_the_Beard

In what is widely considered the top tournament of all the holiday tournaments, several Voyager Media teams will square off with some of the state’s best at the 85th annual Pontiac Holiday Tournament.

Peoria Manual is the No.1 seed in the tournament and the No. 4 team in the state of Illinois according to ChicagoHoops.com.

The No. 2 seed goes to Curie, the No. 5 team in Illinois, while

Simeon is the third seed and No. 3 team in Illinois. Curie comes out of the Public League Red-Central and opened the season 4-0 and Simeon is 2-1 in the CPL RedSouth after a loss to Morgan Park.

Simeon will feature the likes of Evan Gilyard, Josh Thomas, Zach Norvell and 6-foot, 7-inch Ben Coupet.

Benet, 7-0 out of the East Suburban Catholic Conference, earned the No. 4 seed in the tournament after opening the season with seven straight wins.

The Redwings feature seniors Dan Sobolewski, James Dockery

and Jason Malonga. Sobolewski was an honorable mention AllTournament team member last season, helping Benet to a secondplace finish.

Benet opens play Dec. 28 with a 7:30 p.m. tip-off against home team Pontiac.

“We are looking forward to playing in one of the best tournaments in the state,” said coach Gene Heidkamp. “Pontiac in the first round will is a tough match-up. They have a good team, and I am sure it will be a

see poNtIac | page 9

INSTAGRAM: Readers, attending a game in your area? Take a photo and tag @buglenewspapers for a chance to be featured!

T h ur s day, Decem ber 24, 2015 | ni lesbug le.com

education

Oakton Community College signs American Campuses Act on Climate Pledge Oakton agrees to identify programs and products that improve efficiencies Oakton Community College joined more than 200 universities and colleges in signing the American Campuses Act on Climate Pledge.

Sponsored by the White House, the pledge demonstrates support for strong climate action after the recent meeting of world leaders during the United Nations Conference on Climate Change in Paris “We are delighted to show our unity with the White House’s agenda for addressing climate change and making our planet safer for future generations,” said Oakton President Joianne L. Smith.

“Addressing these challenges, and continuing to reduce our carbon footprint, demonstrates the college’s commitment to sustainability.”

In signing the pledge, Oakton agrees to identify programs and products that improve efficiencies and work towards carbon neutrality; complete a greenhouse gas assessment that examines current energy resources and consumption; and devote resources to renewable energy opportunities such as its existing solar water heating system and 23.6 kilowatt photovoltaic (PV) array and to the planned 25 kilowatt PV array at the Skokie campus.

Oakton also agrees to maintain

pontiac | from page 8 great environment for a game. We are going to have to play very well to advance.”

Win or lose, Benet will face either Joliet West or Plainfield North. The winners would play at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 29, while the losers play at 6 p.m.

Plainfield North (3-4) features senior Kevin Krieger, one of the top players in the Joliet area.

“We’re going to try and go out there and win it,” Krieger said.

“It will be a little different this year but I think we have a shot if we play together and play good defense.

Joliet West (6-1), winner of its own Thanksgiving tournament has a young, but experienced team led by juniors Teyvion Kirk and Trevian Bell.

“Our first round game is against

“Colleges have a responsibility to serve as leaders and teach students and the community how to make a difference in impacting the environment.”

- Oakton Sustainability Specialist Debra Kutska

and restore the natural areas of its campuses to protect ecosystem functions, sequester carbon and support habitats for wildlife, as well as promote and expand composting opportunities to remove contributed food waste from landfills.

“Climate change is the biggest threat to our environment,” says Oakton Sustainability Specialist Debra Kutska, who co-wrote the college pledge with Director of Software and User Services Renee Kozimor. Both are members of Oakton’s Green Committee.

“Colleges have a responsibility to serve as leaders and teach students and the community how to make a difference in impacting the environment,” she added.

Recently, the Margaret Burke Lee Science and Health Careers Center (Lee Center), designed

by Legat Architects and built by Turner Construction, earned the prestigious LEED Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. The rating system honors “best-in-class” building practices that “save money and resources and have a positive impact on the health of occupants, while promoting renewable, clean energy.”

The Lee Center, a 93,000 square-

footbuildingthathousesthecollege’s anatomy, biology, chemistry, earth science, medical laboratory technology, nursing, physical therapist assistant, physiology and physics programs, marks Oakton’s first LEED Gold certified facility, and places the college in a very limited company of Illinois higher education institutions that have achieved the designation.

New plans for being green are still rolling out. Solar panels will be installed at the Skokie campus

by February to reduce the need for energy from utility companies. The college is exploring opportunities for diverting food waste from landfills through zero-waste events and a pilot composting program.

Community members are invited to learn more during Oakton’s annual week-long Earth Day celebration scheduled for April 18 - 22, at both campuses.

Learn more about the college’s green initiatives at www. oakton.edu/about/strategic/ sustainability/index.php.

Plainfield North. They are a good team that is well coached,” said Joliet West coach Nick DiForti.

“Our goal is to win at least three games and come out with much experience. The hope is that the experience helps in regards to the rest of the season and beyond. This tournament is completely stacked with well-coached teams to programs with much tradition.”

The two teams with the Tiger nickname were both in the Joliet West tournament but did not play each other, so this is the first time this season DiForti will face Plainfield North, the place he began his coaching career.

Niles West (3-5) will open play in Pontiac at 4 p.m. against Oak Park-River Forest (3-4).

The Wolves are led by 6-foot, 4-inch senior Evan Hines a Minnesota State-Moorhead

recruit.

“We are excited to be in the best and oldest Holiday Tournament in the state,” said Niles West coach Bob Williams. “We hope to improve our level of play by meeting the challenge of playing great teams every round. Our first round match-up is no exception. Oak Park River Forest has an excellent team and they are well coached year after year.

We will need to rebound at both ends and play great defense to be competitive.”

A win for the Wolves would likely get them a match-up with top-seeded Manual.

Lastly for local teams is Lockport, who will open the tournament at 9 a.m. Dec. 28 against Danville.

It will be the Porters’ first trip to Pontiac under new head coach Brett Hespell.

9

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Thursday, Decem ber 24, 2015 | ni lesbug le.com

village news > Morton Grove

Morton Grove TIF is a mixed bag Waukegan Road TIF ended last year with a deficit

By Igor Studenkov Bugle Staff

nweditor@buglenewspapers.com @NilesILNews

Over the last two years, two of Morton Grove’s older Tax Increment Financing districts have seen some activity, but only one has seen major projects.

On Nov. 10, the Joint Review Boards for all three currently active TIFs looked at how the TIF funds were spent in 2013 and 2014. While the Lehigh/Ferris TIF has been fairly active, ending 2014 with a surplus, the Waukegan Road TIF ended last year with a deficit and the Dempster/Waukegan TIF didn’t collect any money at all. But village officials expect that the situation would change as the Dempster/ Waukegan TIF gets some new development within the next few years.

When a TIF is created, the amount of money Morton Grove and other taxing bodies collects is frozen.

The properties within the district are still taxed at the same rate, but the money the taxing bodies don’t collect gets deposited into a TIF fund.

Lehigh/Ferris TIF covers the blocks around the Morton Grove Metra Station. Unless it is extended, the district will expire in 2023.

In 2013, the Lehigh/Ferris TIF collected a total of $2,304,077.

Morton Grove spent $2,609,396 on various projects. $279,182 went into various development related

studies and services. $8,650 was used to pay a marketing consultant. $1,403,294 was used to buy the 6415 Dempster St. property – a vacant lot that the village has since agreed to sell to Moretti’s restaurant. $5,475 went into the environmental assessment of the Pequod’s Pizzeria site. $16,167 was spent on the last phase of the Lehigh resurfacing project. $58,673 went toward the construction of Homestead of Morton Grove senior housing facility. According to the village board documents, the developer asked for financial assistance to cover some development related expenses.

In 2014, the Lehigh/Ferris TIF collected a total of $2,097,981.

Morton Grove spent $1,319,232 on various projects. $512,076 was spent on professional services, $9,750 was spent on marketing and $797,403 was spent on financingrelated costs. The village also made a $174,434 payment to owners of the Homestead of Morton Grove.

Between 1998 and 2014, the Lehigh/Ferris TIF collected a total of $43,189,311, and the Equalized Assessed Value within the district went up from $14,743,872 to $29,638,210. As of the end of 2014, the actual fund balance was $4,465,337.

But because the remaining balance is allocated toward the village’s bond obligations, the village technically can’t use that money for anything else.

The Waukegan Road TIF is the oldest TIF in Morton Grove. It covers a section of the eponymous street between Dempster and Golf Road – an area that, at the time of the TIF’s creation, was infamous for low-end

courtesy of the village of morton grove’s website

The Waukegan Road Tax Increment Financing (TIF) Redevelopment District was created in 1995 and is intended to encourage redevelopment and improvement of the Waukegan Road commercial corridor. The District will expire in 2017. motels. Unless its extended, the TIF will automatically expire in 2017.

In 2013, the Waukegan Road TIF collected a total of $474,880, and the village spent $851,349 from the total fund balance. In contrast to the Lehigh/Ferris TIF, those expenses were mostly routine - $1,186 on professional services, $850,161 on financing-related costs. Morton Grove spent a total of $849,733.04

to cover the cost of loads from MB Financial Bank and the Bank of New York.

In 2014, the TIF collected a total of $545,632, with the village spending $862,252. The expenses were similar to the previous year’s - $500 on professional services, $861,662 on financing-related costs and a total of $860,857.74 on repaying the loans to the banks.

Between 1995 and 2014, the Waukegan Road TIF collected a total of $7,312,811, and the EAV within it increased from $12,221,759 to $16,943,175. As of the end of 2014, the fund had a $2,084,392 deficit.

During the public comment period, resident Eric Poders asked whether it would be possible to move money from the Lehigh/ Ferris TIF to the Waukegan Road TIF to cover the deficit.

Attorney Bob Rychlicki, who advises Morton Grove on TIF issues, replied that money could be moved between TIFs so long as they are “contiguous.” While these two TIFs are located near each other, they are separated by the Cook County Forest Preserve.

The Dempster/Waukegan TIF is Morton Grove’s newest district.

It was created in 2012, and it primarily covers commercial and office lots around the intersection of Dempster and Waukegan Road.

Since the TIF was created, the area lost one of its largest retailers as all Dominick’s grocery stores were closed.

Unlike the other TIFs, the Dempster Waukegan TIF didn’t collect any money between its creation in 2012 and the end of 2014. But that didn’t mean it was completely inactive – in 2013, the village spent $8,650 in marketing.

According to the report, EAV within the district actually went down from $30,579,764 to $28,263,879.

But this may change within the next couple of years.

Community and Economic Development Director Nancy Radzevich said that the longdiscussed condominium project at 8700 Waukegan Road was getting off the ground. “[The developers] just filed their initial plans,” she said. “We expect that to go to full board in January.”

village news > Morton Grove

Morton Grove approves budget, tax levy Village Administrator Czerwinski said that it isn’t much larger than last year’s budget

By Igor Studenkov Bugle Staff

nweditor@buglenewspapers.com @NilesILNews

The Morton Grove Village Board of Trustees approved next year’s budget and the tax levy during its Dec. 14 meeting.

The 2016 budget is set at $66,992,178, with $3,313,035 going to the Morton Grove Public

Library, $7,372,625 going toward covering pension obligations and $997,611 going toward economic development.

That it isn’t much larger than last year’s budget, said Ralph Czerwinski, Morton Grove Village Administrator.

“The expenses are flat, almost zero change,” he said. “Overall, the budget is up about 4 percent.

“The expenses are flat, almost zero change.

Overall, the budget is up about 4 percent. Most of it is due to bond payments, pension oblations, staff costs and contractual obligations.”

- Ralph Czerwinski, Morton Grove Village Administrator Most of it is due to bond payments, pension oblations, staff costs and

contractual obligations.”

The board also voted to authorize raising the Morton Grove Library portion of the tax levy by 3 percent, which is expected to bring in a total of $3,209,135. For the village itself, the board voted to levy of $13,439,130, but they also voted to abate the $2,970,856 designated for debt service. This means that, instead of using regular property tax revenue to pay for debt service, it would use funds from Morton Grove’s Tax Increment Financing districts.

When a TIF is created, the amount that the village collects in property taxes is frozen. Property owners still pay the same tax rates as everybody else, but the extra money gets deposited into a TIF fund. So while Morton Grove will still be using property tax revenue to pay for debt obligation, abating the funds allows the village to keep the 2016 levy at 2015 levels.

This, in turn, means that while the library portion of the tax levy will go up, the village portion will remain flat.

News about local businesses in your community T h ur sday, Decem ber 24, 2015 | ni lesbug le.com

community

Morton Grove approves tax incentives for Moretti’s Restaurant Chicago-based chain plans to open local location at 6415 Dempster St.

By Igor Studenkov Bugle Staff

nweditor@buglenewspapers.com @NilesILNews

The Morton Grove Board of Trustees gave its final approval to the economic incentive agreement between the village and Moretti’s Ristorante and Pizzeria.

As previously reported by the Bugle, the Chicagobased chain plans to open a Morton Grove location at 6415 Dempster St., a village-owned lot that used to be home to Maxwell’s Restaurant.

The village board held the first vote during a Dec. 7 special meeting. On Dec. 14, it held a second and final vote.

Under the terms of the agreement, Moretti’s would buy the land from Morton Grove using a 100 percent mortgage. The village will reduce the principal and interest on dollar-for-dollar basis for every dollar generated in one of the two ways. First, it would take into account the increases in property tax revenue generated from the restaurant site between 2016 and 2023. Second, it would use 65 percent of food and beverage tax and sales tax

revenue generated over the next 15 years or however long it would take to pay off the mortgage in full – whichever is sooner.

Mark Hoffmann, the Vice President of Moretti’s parent company, attended the Dec. 14 meeting. After the vote was cast, Mayor Dan DiMaria said he was happy to have the restaurant in the village.

“Welcome to Morton Grove,” he said. “We wish you our best. I can tell you this is great [development] for Morton Grove.”

On his part, Hoffmann said that he was impressed with Morton Grove.

“Never have I felt more welcome in the community than you made me feel in Morton Grove,” he said. “I’m so excited to be a part of a progressive [redevelopment] plan.”

He said that Morton Grove’s approach to recruiting him was a major reason why he decided to open the location in the village – though a personal connection didn’t hurt, either.

“I’ve lived in this area my whole life and I think I’m part of the family,” said Hoffmann.

11

Dave Says

Avoid the last-minute shopping trap Planning ahead always reduces stress when it comes to financial matters but you can find some great Dear Dave, deals if you’re willing to do I woke up this morning two things: pay cash and and realized I haven’t walk away. Once you get in started Christmas the habit of approaching shopping yet. I’ve been purchases this way it will listening to you for a long become second nature— time, and I don’t want to and fun! fall in the trap this year of Finally, there are great paying outrageous prices Dave Says money advice by websites out there like for things just because dave ramsey eBay and coolsavings.com.

I have waited until the Thinking differently and last minute. Can you give me some tips on how to save on changing your gift-buying behaviors may be a little tough at first, but Christmas gifts and not overspend?

Ali trust me, it’s worth the effort. Merry Christmas, Ali! Dear Ali, —Dave My first piece of advice is for next year. Decide now how much you want to spend on Christmas gifts Business license and then divide that number by 12. for a seasonal job?

Set aside that amount each month starting in January, and then you Dear Dave, won’t be in a panic when Christmas I’m starting a side business of rolls around next year. Planning putting up Christmas lights for ahead always reduces stress when it people. Will I need to get a business comes to financial matters. license?

As for this year, my advice is to Jason be aware of last-minute shopping traps. Many stores understand that Dear Jason, people start getting desperate as You might be getting a late start Christmas draws nearer, and their with a business of this type, but if prices reflect that. Also, stay away you manage your time and work from the malls. Some folks may hard you can still brighten people’s think I’m un-American for saying lives and make a little extra cash. that, but I don’t care. Our culture Most towns don’t require a formal has become one of shoppers who business license for this kind of run to the mall, pay 120 percent of thing, but you might want to check retail for something, and think they with your local municipality to be got a bargain because there was a sure. It’s just quick seasonal work sign that said SALE hanging over the where you show up for a couple of table. hours and hang lights for someone, Also, don’t be afraid to negotiate. right? But if you started hiring It may not be comfortable at first, people or doing something year

“Many stores understand that people start getting desperate as Christmas draws nearer, and their prices reflect that. Also, stay away from the malls.

Some folks may think I’m un-American for saying that, but I don’t care.” round, you’d probably need a formal business license.

Regardless, make sure you have a separate checking account so you can keep track of the income and expenses associated with your work.

Merry Christmas, Jason!

—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.

12

T h u r s d ay, D e ce mb e r 2 4 , 2 0 1 5 | ni le s b ug le .co m Business & Private Party Classified Ads: $16 per week, 20 words or less. Weddings, Births & Engagements: Black & White - $25, Color - $35. Obituaries: $35.

Upcoming events for Seniors in the community T h ur s day, Decem ber 24, 2015 | ni lesbug le.com

Pawelek Frances M. Pawelek, nee Grabowski; beloved wife of the late Stanley; loving daughter of the late Donna Ascenzi;

Skiba Bronislawa Skiba, nee Kozek, age 86, beloved wife of the late Ignacy; loving mother of Joseph (Barbara), Maria Dagley (Richard Hanzel), Augustyna (Ted) Godek, Krystyna (Jim) Kaczmarek, John (Caryn)

13

cherished grandmother of Jessica (Matthew) Gordon; dear sister of the late Leo Grabowski, Joseph Grabowski, Bernice Schmidt, Stanley Grabowski and the late Helen Oszakiewski; and fond aunt of Christine Oszakiewski.

Visitation was Dec. 14

from 9 a.m. until a 10:30 a.m. service at the Skaja Terrace Funeral Home, 7812 N. Milwaukee Ave., Niles, to St. John Brebeuf Church for 11 a.m. Mass. Entombment at St. Adalbert Mausoleum.

Frances was a member of the St. John Brebeuf Golden Ager’s Club.

and Michelle (Jim) Davison; cherished grandmother of Jennifer (Robert) Castle, Kathleen (Przemek) Zajac, Steven (Kasey) Godek, Diana Godek, Thomas (Clare) Kaczmarek, Laura Kaczmarek and Michael Skiba; great grandmother of Remy, Ryder and Fisher and Castle,

Andrew and Samuel Godek.

Visitation was at the Skaja Terrace Funeral Home, 7812 N. Milwaukee Ave., Niles, on Dec. 14 from 4 to 9 p.m.

The funeral was Dec. 15 at 9:15 a.m. to Our Lady of Ransom Church for 10 a.m.

Mass. Interment at Maryhill Cemetery.

For more information, call 847-966-7302 or sign the guestbook at www.skajafuneralhomes.com.

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14

Thursday, Decem ber 24, 2015 | ni lesbug le.com

DECEMBER 31

New Year’s Eve Celebration.

5 to 8 p.m. at Centennial Fitness Center, 1515 W. Touhy Ave., Park Ridge. Ages: 2 and up. $18 per person. Enjoy together a fantastic dinner and dessert buffet, DJ entertainment, inflatables, tot play area, miniature golf, and a countdown to midnight (8 p.m.). This is a family oriented event; alcohol is not permitted. Fee is per person and all children must be accompanied by an adult. Everyone attending must be registered. Registration deadline: Dec. 20. For more information, visit prparks.org.

failure | from page 4 Czerwinski.

Before giving an all-clear, the village collected 32 water samples from across the village. Evanston water filtration plant was able to analyze it over the weekend. The village also alerted the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency of the situation, just in case.

role model | from page 3 coordinator, will run the activities.

The coordinator will also do periodic checks on both the mentors and the youth to see how they feel about the program and whether or not there are concerns that need to be addressed.

Before the program stars, mentors will undergo a background check, and they’ll go through an extensive interview. If they are cleared, they will receive training. Each mentor will be matched with a student of the

New Year’s Eve Skate. Noon to 2 p.m. at IceLand, 8435 Ballard.

Celebrate New Year’s Eve at IceLand.

Fun music, hats, noise makers and games for the kids. Countdown and toast at “midnight.” Fee: $5, skate rental $3.

JANUARY 7

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, screening. 7 p.m. at the Pickwick Theatre, 5 S. Prospect Ave., Park Ridge. The theatre will celebrate the 50th anniversary of Sergio Leone’s The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly (1966). This showing will start at 7 p.m. with prelude music by organist Jay Warren at 6:30 p.m. Admission $10, $7 for

seniors.

JANUARY 21

Family Spirituality. 7 p.m. at St. John Brebeuf Church, 8307 N. Harlem Ave., Niles. This free event is part of the SJB 2015-16 Speaker Series, held in the Rev. Thomas P. May Ministry Center. Speaker: Rev. Pawel Komperda. For more information, call 847-966-8145 or visit www.sjbrebeuf.org.

JANUARY 31

Synod of Bishops in Rome regarding Family Issues. 7 p.m. at St. John Brebeuf Church, 8307 N. Harlem Ave., Niles. This free event is part of the SJB 2015-

16 Speaker Series, held in the Rev. Thomas P. May Ministry Center.

Speaker: Dr. Daniel J. Olsen, PhD. For more information, call 847-9668145 or visit www.sjbrebeuf.org.

FEBRUARY 18

Teen Years, Family Life. 7 p.m. at St. John Brebeuf Church, 8307 N. Harlem Ave., Niles. This free event is part of the SJB 2015-16 Speaker Series, held in the Rev. Thomas P. May Ministry Center. Speaker: Dr. John Mayer, PhD. For more information, call 847-966-8145 or visit www.sjbrebeuf.org.

Justice. 7 p.m. at St. John Brebeuf Church, 8307 N. Harlem Ave., Niles.

This free event is part of the SJB 2015-16 Speaker Series, held in the Rev. Thomas P. May Ministry Center.

Speaker: Elena Segura. For more information, call 847-966-8145 or visit www.sjbrebeuf.org.

APRIL 12

Immigration, Working for

Holy Land, Life of Christ. 7 p.m. at St. John Brebeuf Church, 8307 N. Harlem Ave., Niles. This free event is part of the SJB 201516 Speaker Series, held in the Rev. Thomas P. May Ministry Center.

Speaker: Rev. James McIlhone. For more information, call 847-9668145 or visit www.sjbrebeuf.org.

MARCH 17

Czerwinski said that, overall, he was proud with how the village handled the incident.

“I do believe lesser communities may not have performed in the same manner, and we would’ve had a truly difficult situation for our residents.”

However, Czerwinski also said that he understood why residents would feel it wasn’t quick enough.

“In this particular case, an hour or two hours can feel like a day,” he said.

Czerwinski also said that the village would look into ways to improve its public outreach in situations like that. “[We will study] what we could do to better handle incoming calls,” he said.

One of the big issues that became

apparent during the incident, said Czerwinski, was that the Reverse 911 service uses landline phone numbers – which is becoming increasingly less practical as more and more residents get rid of their landlines in favor of using only cellphones. The village could add cellphone numbers to the directory, but wouldn’t know what they are unless the residents

provide them.

“Residents can sign up for emergency communication alerts by email and by phone,” Czerwinski said. “You can go on [the village] website, you can click on emergency alert and you can fill it in.”

He added that any residents who would rather not use the website can call the village staff for help.

same gender.

Owens said that the process is very thorough, which is usually enough to ensure that both parties are good matches for each other, but they may rematch the mentor to a different student, if necessary.

Owens and Lyon said that the program is currently expected to run for 12 months, between February 2016 and February 2017.

“Our goal is to get the program to meet for full year,” said Owens.

“What ended up happening with

other programs is that mentors and [students] stay together for two years, and that’s what we ideally push for.”

“That’s our vision for the program as well,” added Lyon.

“We would like continue for many years in the future.”

For now, the organizers are focusing on recruiting as many potential mentors as possible.

“One of the things we always say is that we never get enough volunteers,” said Owens. “We find that, after an individual goes through interview process, they

realize – we may not have time for this, or isn’t a good fit. We always want to shoot for the moon and get as many individuals as possible.”

That said, if they managed to get a large group of volunteers, Owns said they would consider running a second program on different nights – something that Lyon said he would be happy to see.

Once they get enough mentors, MaineStay will start recruiting students.

“In January [2016], we’ll start reaching out to local school

districts and advertising through press releases,” said Lyon, adding that MaineStay will also reach out to other community organizations it has worked with in the past.

So far, the response to the program has been positive.

“We got interest from the community,” said Lyon. “We got a lot of support from community organizations. Almost everyone I talk to, I run into someone who was in Big Brothers Big Sisters themselves and understand the value [of the program].”

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15

community

Managing the costs of assisted living Assisted living homes blend independence, other amenities As individuals age, various circumstances have to be reassessed. A current living situation may not be meeting the needs of a senior who may be having difficulty caring properly for himself or herself.

Families often consider senior residences to provide welcoming and safe environments for their loved ones during the golden years of their lives. These facilities may range from independent living homes with minimal care offered to nursing homes that provide more intensive care when needed.

Somewhere in the middle lies assisted living homes, which blend the independence of personal residences with other amenities, such as the housekeeping, medication reminders or meal services.

Assisted living can be a viable option when a person can no longer live alone, but such facilities come with a price.

According to a Market Survey of Long-Term Care Costs conducted

by MetLife, the national average for assisted living base rates was $3,550 per month in 2012.

In the 2015 Cost of Care Survey conducted by Genworth Financial, the assisted living, national-median monthly rate was now $3,600 — and it’s only expected to grow. Affording these homes and apartments can be challenging for those with fixed incomes, but there are some strategies that can help.

The payment method that serves you best will depend on your unique circumstances, but there are options available.

Long-term care insurance Long-term care insurance is

specialized insurance that is paid into and may cover the cost of assisted living facilities and other medical care, depending on the policy. The American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance says that only roughly 3 percent of Americans have this type of insurance, but it is something to consider during working years.

Personal savings Some people have the means to pay for assisted living with their own savings and retirement nest eggs. However, it’s easy for savings to become depleted when facing a $40,000+ per year bill.

Life insurance A financial advisor may advocate to pay for assisted living with a life insurance policy.

Some companies enable you to cash out for “accelerated” or “living” benefits, which usually is a buy-back of the policy for 50 to 75 percent of the face value.

Other third parties may purchase the policy for a settlement of a lump sum, again roughly 50 to 75 percent of the policy’s face value, according to Caring.com, an online source for support and information about the needs of aging people.

Location Costs of assisted living facilities vary depending on location.

It’s possible to get a lower monthly rate simply by choosing a facility in a different state.

Negotiation Not all prices are set in stone.

Speak with a manager at the facility and see if there is any price flexibility or move-in incentives.

You also may be able to get a lower rate by negotiating certain a-la-carte costs against allinclusive pricing.

Perhaps you do not need laundry or shopping services, and family members can fill in the gaps, reducing your bill.

Veteran’s benefits Many veterans are eligible for care benefits that can offset the cost of assisted living care.

Rooms Opting for a smaller room or sharing a space can keep costs down as well. See if shared rooms are a possibility.

P age 16 | Th u rsd ay, D e c e mb e r 2 4 , 2 0 1 5 | n ilesbugle. c om