DECEMBER 31, 2015 VOL. 60 ISS UE 13
COMMUNITY Landmark status
Park Ridge recognizes World War II-era home
see page 3
FORUMN thinking health
Public pressure may make hospitals safer
see page 5
NEWS healthy mind
Niles family services works to address mental health issues see page 10
SPORTS
top sports stories of 2015 Voyager Media looks back on the year’s memorable moments see page 7
Thursday, Decem ber 31, 2015 | ni lesbug le.com
T h ur sday, Decem ber 31, 2015 | ni lesbug le.com
community > park ridge
‘war home’
gets recognized
World War II-era home is one of many that housed aviation workers By Igor Studenkov Bugle Staff
nweditor@buglenewspapers.com @NilesILNews
The Park Ridge City Council unanimously approved a resolution granting landmark status to one of the city’s War Homes. During World War II, the Douglas Aircraft Company plant at what is now O’Hare International Airport was busy building C-54 Skymaster transport planes for the U.S. Air Force. To house the people who worked there, the federal government built a number of “war homes” in Park Ridge. Many of those homes have survived to this day. On June 3, Margaret Hall, the current owner of a war home at 122 N. Delphia Ave., applied for the city landmark designation. According to Fourth Ward Ald. Roger Shubert, this is the first time an owner of a war home tried to apply for the designation. The application cleared the Park Ridge Historic Preservation Commission Nov. 4. The Park Ridge City Council unanimously approved it during the first reading Dec. 7, and it received final approval during the Dec. 21 meeting. According to the application documents, when Douglas opened its plant, many workers commuted from Chicago, but thousands of workers who arrived out of state tried to settle somewhere closer. Park Ridge and other nearby suburbs soon ran out of available housing. Because metals and lumber were restricted for war product, there was no way to build new homes. In October 1943, the federal government authorized the
construction of 3,100 new worker homes. 126 of those homes were allowed to be built in Park Ridge. While architects had some leeway when it came to design, the houses had to meet material conservation directives and size limits set by the U.S. War Production Board. Those rules were designed to ensure that materials critical for the war effort were used as little as possible and as efficiently as possible. Along other things, buildings couldn’t have metal windows or sub-flooring, nor could they use any copper. Lumber lengths had to be shorter, and builders were encouraged to use lumber and metal substitutes whenever possible. The War Production Board had to sign off on all designs before the construction could start. The war home at 122 N. Delphia Ave. is a Georgian-style two-story townhouse built with common brick and a low-pitched pyramidlike roof. A small staircase led to a simple door on the west side of the front wall. The building is mostly plain, with some ornamentation along the front-facing corners and around the door. The roof has some detailing that, according to the application, may not have been part of the original design. According to the January 2015 Park Ridge Spokesman newsletter, most of the War Homes in the city were built in a similar style. The application indicated that the Delphia Avenue home was built in 1944. Its first resident was John Bonham, an aluminium fabricator and assistant foreman who moved from Broadview Heights, Ohio, with his wife, Eleanor. According to the Historic Preservation Commission meeting notes, Hall moved into the building in 1990 and has lived there ever since. Shubert told the Bugle that, in 2014, the city tried to encourage war home owners to apply for historic landmark designation, and that it tried to spread the word through the city newsletter and website.
With the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II approaching, the city wanted to recognize homes that played a part in the war effort. The alderman said efforts didn’t generate the response the city hoped for. But in her application, Hall specifically cited the city newsletter to support her argument that her home was eligible for historic designation. Photos Courtesy of Historic Preservation Commission
(Right) Display ad from the Chicago Daily Tribune (1923-1963) that ran on March 12, 1994 highlighting positions at the Douglas war post. (Below) 122 N. Delphia Ave.
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Thursday, Decem ber 31, 2015 | ni lesbug le.com
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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. 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.
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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.
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JANUARY 21
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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 847-966-8145 or visit www.sjbrebeuf.org.
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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.
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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
Teresa Kozlowska, 45, 5600 block of Austin, Chicago, was arrested at 12:45 p.m. Dec. 17 in the 7200 block of Melvina for no valid driver’s license.
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Mahir Dzelil, 22, 7500 block of Damen, Chicago, was arrested at 11:51 p.m. Dec. 18 in the 8700 block of Olcott for suspended driver’s license.
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for
no
valid
driver’s
license.
Park Ridge Alexandra Wardell, 24, 740 N. Northwest Highway, Park Ridge, was arrested at 4:46 p.m. Dec. 17 in the 200 block of South Vine for unlawful visitation interference.
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Mario F. Henderson, 36, 29 N. Dryden Place, Arlington Heights, was arrested at 8:30 p.m. Dec. 17 at the residence for violation of order of protection.
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Carlos M. Amaya, 40, 4720 N. Central, Park Ridge, was arrested at 5:42 p.m. Dec. 17 at Devon and Prospect for no valid driver’s license and no valid proof of insurance.
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and Austin for driving while license suspended. Gabriel Torrez, 21, Glenview, was arrested Dec. 17 at Dempster and Menard for DUI.
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Erik Bautista-Hernandez, 30, Niles, was arrested Dec. 17 at Oakton and Lehigh for driving while license suspended.
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Steven P. Femrite, 41, Round
14 Lake Beach, was arrested Dec. 17 at Harms and Golf for DUI and obstructing. Vasa Vanich, 76, Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin, was arrested Dec. 19 in the 6300 block of Oakton for retail theft.
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Rayan O. Niederbrach, 32,
Armando Soto, 49, 3200 block of Whipple, Chicago, was arrested at 5:54 p.m. Dec. 18 in the 8500 block of Golf Road for retail theft.
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Kissia L. Skippings, 29, 10000 block of Linda Lane, Glenview, was arrested at 2:28 p.m. Dec. 20 in the 9000 block of Golf Road for retail theft.
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Aurel block was arrested in the 7900
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Fujer, 57, 8700 of Wisner, Niles, at 3 a.m. Dec. 21 block of Milwaukee
Irving Cortes-Rojas, 23, 8268 W. Dempster, Niles, was arrested at 3:18 p.m. Dec. 20 at Manor and Dee for improper use of turn signal and no valid driver’s license.
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Morton Grove Jacek
Radkiewicz,
35,
10 Chicago, was arrested Dec. 8 in the 8800 block of Mango for an outstanding warrant.
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Bill B. Stefanis, 31, Skokie, was arrested Dec. 16 at Beckwith
16 Aurora, was arrested Dec. 18
at Dempster and Ferris for driving while license suspended. Adrian Adamski, 27, Buffalo Grove, was arrested Dec. 18 at Dempster and Central for DUI and speeding.
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T h ur s day, Decem ber 31, 2015 | ni lesbug le.com
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Thinking About Health
Public pressure may make hospitals safer EDITORIAL
By Trudy Lieberman Rural Health News Service
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Medical Center in Omaha. Medicare also penalized the Cleveland Clinic and a couple of hospitals in the Mayo Clinic Medicare has just announced system in Minnesota. Both it is penalizing more than 700 of the Clinic and Mayo are heavy the nation’s hospitals because promoters of their brand in an they have higher rates of effort to build a national patient patient safety mishaps, which Thinking base. Some big advertisers in the government and patient About Health By Trudy my home state of New York also advocacy groups have been Lieberman showed up on the government’s trying for years to prevent. list. What are those incidents that But as government data show, spending have resulted in a one percent cut in a hospital’s Medicare payments over the big bucks to promote the hospital brand year? They are mistakes you wouldn’t doesn’t necessarily mean the hospital has want to have happen to you or a family a better safety profile. This is the second year the government member, things like infections caused by incisions made during colon surgeries has released safety penalties that were and hysterectomies, by urinary catheters authorized by the Affordable Care Act. As and by central lines inserted into a large you browse through the list of hospitals, vein to draw blood and administer fluids you’ll see that more than half of those penalized this year also were penalized and medicines. Those infections cause thousands of last year. The ACA requires that onedeaths each year. Most are preventable quarter of the hospitals that can be and they account for three-fourths of penalized (VA, children’s and critical Medicare’s safety score. The rest of the access hospitals cannot be) will receive assessment is based on eight other some penalty even if all the hospitals complications such as collapsed lungs, improve. Penalizing those in the bottom broken hips, surgical tears, and wounds quarter is a way to encourage continuous quality improvement, explained Jordan that opened. What’s significant is not that so many Rau who reports on the topic for Kaiser hospitals apparently are still not taking Health News. And that, of course, brings up the steps to prevent these common and well-documented harms to patients, but obvious question: Why are so many that so many of the hospitals are stars in hospitals this year making the same their communities advertising for local medical mistakes they made last patients. Others are marquee names year especially since the errors are that advertise their medical prowess preventable? The answer is complicated and calls nationally. As I read down the state-by-state roster into question a hospital’s commitment of those facilities that were penalized, to safety, a subject I have explored several I found hospitals well-known in their times with Ashish Jha, professor of public regions: Cedars-Sinai Medical Center health at the Harvard School of Public and the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Health and one of the country’s experts Center in Los Angeles; the Denver Health on patient safety. He told me there has been “clear Medical Center; Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago; Indiana University progress” with reductions in surgical site Health in Indianapolis; and the Nebraska infections and central line infections,
which are down 40 to 50 percent nationally. Yet he said that as many as half all hospitals are not using a simple checklist that calls for four steps including hand washing and wearing sterile gloves to cut down on infections. “The field of patient safety is full of stories about amazing interventions that can save patients’ lives but do not end up getting widely adopted,” he explained. “Why?” I asked. “It really isn’t anyone’s priority except maybe the patient’s,” Jha said. “How many times have you heard stories about hospital CEOs getting fired because of the hospital’s infection rates? I haven’t.” He added there’s also no evidence that high infection rates or high mortality rates have any effect on CEO salaries. So what does affect hospital CEO salaries? Is it all those advertising dollars that bring in gobs of new patients and brand recognition? I have no evidence one way or other, but I do know I’ve interviewed enough families whose relatives suffered harm in a hospital to know that someone should be paying closer attention to preventing preventable infections. The government’s list opens a window into the world of hospital safety. If the public looks through that window, takes notice of the penalties and asks what their local hospitals are doing to correct their deficiencies, that’s a start at cleaning up the problem. What has been your experience with hospitalacquired infections? Write to Trudy at trudy.lieberman@gmail.com. The Rural Health News Service is funded by a grant from The Commonwealth Fund and is distributed through the Nebraska Press Assn. Foundation, Colorado Press Assn., South Dakota Newspaper Assn., Hoosier (IN) State Press Assn. Foundation, Illinois Press Foundation, Wyoming Press Assn. and California Newspaper Publishers Assn. Foundation.
FoR wHeN you wANT To TAKe 5 MINuTeS FoR youRSelF Thursday, decem ber 31, 2015 | ni lesbug le.com
Aries
maRCh 21 TO aPRIl 20
You can’t always talk your way out of a jam. A passing confrontation may put you on the defensive and you may be tempted to tell a little white lie. In the week ahead you will find that honesty is the very best policy.
gemini
m aY 2 2 T O J u N E 2 1
The sharper the wit the deeper the wound. You might be involved in a conversation that entails pointed comments that cut to the quick. Focus on being thrifty, organized, and responsible about bill paying in the week ahead.
leo
J u lY 2 3 T O a u g u S T 2 1
Live to serve. Your sympathy and compassion may get a workout in the workplace. A creative idea might be put on the back burner. In the week ahead you may offer your services to someone in an effort to fill an imagined need.
Across 1 “ThE alPhabET SONg” OPENINg 5 ClOSEd 9 POSTPONE 14 lEmONY IN TaSTE 15 “__ lISa” 16 OvERJOY 17 *haNdY TOOl TO havE WhEN YOu’RE OuT Of lOOSE-lEaf PaPER 19 REd-SuITEd REINdEER dRIvER 20 ChINa’S ZhOu __ 21 fORmINg a quEuE 23 mEmORY aId, SuCh aS “hOmES” fOR ThE gREaT lakES 26 amOuNT PaId 29 *amulET 34 SCh. IN ThE SmallEST STaTE 35 T-ShIRT SIZES, fOR ShORT 36 SOuNd PORTION Of a mOvIE 37 *PRImE ballPaRk aCCOmmOdaTION 39 *aRChITECTuRal STYlE fEaTuRINg gEOmETRIC ShaPES 41 amaZEd 42 REgRET 43 “__ mISéRablES” 44 *STaNd-uP vENuE 48 fRENCh faThER 49 kIdS’ ShOW hOST WITh a “NEIghbORhOOd” 51 “WIll YOu maRRY mE?” IS ONE 55 fluSTERS 59 dECEIvEd 60 OSTRaCIZE ... aNd WhaT ThE fIRST WORdS Of ThE aNSWERS TO STaRREd CluES COmPRISE 63 SubmIT Tax RETuRNS ONlINE 64 aCTOR lugOSI 65 Sulk
66 Small aNd uNImPORTaNT 67 ChEESE fROm ThE NEThERlaNdS 68 WINTER fall
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librA
SEPTEmbER 24 TO OCTObER 23
You may look for love and only find friends. Your heightened sense of romance is best expressed through high quality possessions and apparel in the week ahead. Your romantic overtures may fall somewhat flat.
sAgittArius
NOvEmbER 23 TO dECEmbER 22
In the week to come a poker face can come in handy. Play your cards close to your chest. Take no unnecessary risks and don’t antagonize anyone. Use discrimination and precision to tackle emerging problems.
AquArius
JaNuaRY 21 TO fEbRuaRY 19
Steady as she goes. You may be on the edge of your seat and filled with anticipation of something more exciting as this week unfolds. However, you will be better off sticking to routines. Avoid stirring the pot.
Sudoku
tAurus
a P R I l 2 1 T O m aY 2 1
You are fit for friendships. Your friendly demeanor can attract new friends and make old friends sit up and take notice. In the week ahead you can profit from the good judgment and wisdom of a long term partner.
cAncer
J u N E 2 2 T O J u lY 2 2
You could feel like a bird in a gilded cage. As this week unfurls you might feel guilty for missing a deadline or for handing in slipshod work. Make every effort to do your best so you aren’t held in check by disapproval.
virgo
auguST 22 TO SEPTEmbER 23
Avoid sharp words and steer clear of sharp objects in the early part of the week. You take pride in being efficient and may go too fast in an attempt to uphold your public image. Don’t try to juggle too many tasks at a time.
scorpio
OCTObER 24 TO NOvEmbER 22
You’re walking in sunshine. Those golden rays may only be in your mind, but will keep you warm on a cold winter’s day. In the week to come you may be inspired or uplifted by positive thoughts and images.
cApricorn
dECEmbER 23 TO JaNuaRY 20
Pull with both oars. In the week to come you will get further and make the most progress by working in tandem with others. You may run into obstacles or cause friction by trying to perform your duties all alone.
pisces
fEbRuaRY 20 TO maRCh 20
Get your hands dirty; mold clay into a pitcher or a bowl. You can take basic ingredients and turn them into something useful if you use your imagination. In the week ahead listen to your creative muse.
Jumble
Tribune Content Agency, LLC. 2015
PreviouS Puzzle’S anSwerS
PreviouS Puzzle’S anSwerS
PreviouS Puzzle’S anSwerS
Jumbles:
• JETTY • STOOP • INTENT • PERSON
Answer:
WhaT hIS WIfE dId aNd WaS WhEN ShE ShOPPEd all daY - SPENT aNd SPENT
Thursday, December 31, 2015
page 7
top stories of 2 0 1 5
Niles West gymnast leads the way for top story of the year By Scott Taylor sports editor
staylor@enterprisepublications.com @Taylor_Sports
It was an eventful year for the Niles area. Here are the top stories of 2015 for the area.
Gymnast wins state Niles West sophomore Nomondali Jamiyankhuu didn’t get medical clearance to compete in gymnastics this season until April and even then, he was supposed to only compete in four events at the sectional meet. He, however, competed in all six events and qualified for the all-around for the state tournament. There, he posted a score of 52.7 and won the state title in the all-around. In the all around, Jamiyankhuu posted a 9.1 on floor, a 9.05 on pommel horse, a 7.70 on rings, a 9.20 on vault, an 8.45 on parallel bar, an 9.2 on high bar, for an average of 8.783. Jamiyankhuu said coming back from his injury to compete this season was never a question. “I love gymnastics. I have been doing it for nine years now,” he said. “When I was out, I would go to the gym and see the other kids out there and that gave me more motivation to go out there and do it. They are improving and I was sitting there injured with a broken back. Seeing that motivated me to come back and get better.”
Loyd goes pro Fans of Notre Dame women’s basketball who may have been hoping All-American Jewell Loyd would exercise a small window of opportunity to reconsider her decision to declare for last week’s WNBA draft were undoubtedly left disappointed. Loyd, a former prep AllAmerican under coach Tony Konsiewicz at NilesWest, followed through on being drafted, and was chosen the first overall pick by the Seattle Storm, becoming the first player in Notre Dame history to be selected No. 1. She was followed in the draft by 6-foot-5 Swedish native Amanda Zahui B., a red-shirt sophomore at Minnesota who was taken by the Tulsa Shock. Although Loyd and Zahui B. are underclassmen, they were eligible for the WNBA draft because they will both turn 22 this year. The 5-10 junior guard announced that she would go into the draft one day after the Irish lost to Connecticut in the NCAA championship game for the second straight year, thus passing up her final year of eligibility at Notre Dame.
Ochal 2nd in state Notre Dame’s Tom Ochal did just about everything he could do at the state tournament over the weekend at St. Clair Bowl in
see 2015 | page 8
file photo
Niles West’s Nomondali Jamiyankuu won the all-around at the state meet.
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 31, 2015 | ni lesbug le.com
FeAtuRiNG
Erin Eulitz
PlaINfIelD CeNtRal VolleYBall
What do you use Twitter for? I use it to promote people to come to high school events and the themes for football games. of course to let people know when volleyball games are. Who do you like to follow on Twitter? Mostly my friends and teammates. I follow the Big 10 and NCAA
Volleyball and my college, Presbyterian college. How often are you on Twitter? Maybe 30 minutes to an hour a day. Mostly at night after homework. How often do you tweet? More during school season than club because I have more time to be social.
roBert BroSt @BrookhoopS “one of the best parts of coaching is the relationship our players, both current & former, have with my kids!”
Photo By miKe Bennett - LiGhthouse imaGinG
niles West alum Jewell Loyd was drafted no. 1 in the WnBa draft.
MAtt yustiN, JR. @JRdRAFtscout “I like Antonio Morrison a lot. I think he will be a good Ilb at the next level. He has good speed sideline to sideline” tHe PNHs PRowLeR @tHe PRowLeRPNHs “Artificial turf to be installed on D. 202 physical ed./ athletic stadiums” Jw GiRLs’ BBALL @JwGiRLsBBALL “TVarsity brings home 3rd place from the bbcHS tourney! Nicole Gal and Sarah Gersch @Gersch19 recognized as all tournament players! #dowork”
2015 | from page 7 O’Fallon except shoot a 300 and win the tournament. Those accomplishments went to Harlem’s Jacob Nimtz, who shot a pair of 300s and won the title with a state-record 3,011, a 250.9 average. However, Ochal was next best, taking second place by 41 pins with a 2,756 total, a 229.7 average. “I was just making sure I had the same speed and hit the same spot on the lane every time,” Ochal said. “I didn’t think about any other teams, I just thought about my own shots and the team.”
Ochal’s performance made him all-state, which goes to the top 12 individuals. Ochal went 60 for 60 Friday, not leaving a frame open the whole day. That put him in great shape with a 1,471, good for second place. On the final day he was able to hold on to his spot thanks to games of 195, 221, 244, 190, 232 and 203.
doNs PusH cHAMPs to BrInk Stevenson’s Jalen Brunson was as good as advertised in a
Waukegan Class 4A sectional semifinal game versus Notre Dame, but the Patriots needed every one of his 41 points to hold off the upset-minded Dons and post a 78-77 victory. Notre Dame, the No. 4 seed, trailed 66-52 early in the fourth quarter, yet the Dons refused to succumb to the Patriots and went on a 10-0 run, pulling to within four of Stevenson, 66-62, with 3:41 left on a putback basket from Joe Mooney. Brunson didn’t hit a single shot
See 2015 | 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 sday, Decem ber 31, 2015 | ni lesbug le.com 2015 | from page 8 from the floor during the fourth quarter—in fact, Stevenson managed just one basket over the final eight minutes—but the senior All-American calmly sank eight straight free throws over the next three minutes … just enough to keep Notre Dame at bay. The Dons had one last chance to tie with 4.8 seconds left. They were hoping to get either Mooney or junior Ammar Becar an open look at a three-pointer, but weren’t able to do so. Junior Anthony D’Avanzo, who led Notre Dame with 24 points, did score on a layup with three seconds to go, but the Dons didn’t have any timeouts remaining and Stevenson was able to let the clock run out without having to inbound the ball. The Patriots went on to win the state title.
Doubles team repeats success Expectations were high for Kamila Czosnyka and Marti Wind after the duo finished in the top eight of state last year. The Maine South duo performed well at state again this year with
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another top eight finish. They opened play with four wins. They beat Champaign Centennial 6-0, 6-1, Libertyville 6-3, 6-3, Oak Park-River Forest 6-2, 6-1 and Barrington 1-6, 7-6, 6-4. They finished Friday with a 7-5, 6-1 loss to Hinsdale Central. They came back to beat Guilford 8-2 before losing to New Trier 8-4.
Boys track medals Before this season, Northridge Prep High School in Niles had never had a field event earn a medal at the state meet. That all changed in O’Brien Stadium on the campus of Eastern Illinois University when senior Forest Moses became the first field event medalist in the 39-year history of the school. Moses cleared 6-feet, 6-inches in the high jump and placed seventh in the 1A state meet becoming only the second medalist in school lore and first since Jim Kestler placed ninth in the 3200-meter run in 2002. Maine East also had a state medalist, as junior Torrain Haughton finished fifth in 1:53.76.
file photo
Notre Dame’s Tom Ochal finished second in the state in 2015.
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Thursday, Decem ber 31, 2015 | ni lesbug le.com
News > Niles
healthy mind
healthy community Niles family services works to address mental health issues By Igor Studenkov Bugle Staff
nweditor@buglenewspapers.com @NilesILNews
Over the past year, the village of Niles has significantly expanded its efforts to address mental health issues in the community. The Department of Family Services’ Mental Health Awareness Campaign is made up of three prongs. The department expanded its outreach to the community to try to identify more kids, adults and senior citizens who would need its help. It trained all village staff, including firefighters and police officers, on how to recognize signs of mental health problems and other issues that may require assistance from family services. Finally, it worked with Niles fire and police departments to help first responders reduce stress and get whatever support they may need to address problems in their own lives. Tony Hollenback is the director of the family services department. He said he was happy with the progress his department made over the past year and the campaign, which has also earned praise from Niles Public Library Director Susan Lempke and the Niles Police Chief Dennis McEnerney. In a report to the Niles Village Board, Hollenback said that over the past two years, he has been trying to do more to respond to the community’s needs. A big part of that has been finding ways to catch potential issues early, before they escalate. In May 2014, family services and District 63 agreed to pool together funding to hire a social worker that would split her time between the district’s schools
that are located in Niles and the Niles Teen Center. Throughout 2015, family services have been working to expand that effort. In September, the department’s staff teamed up with Gemini Middle School staff to screen students for signs of suicide. During his report, Hollenback told the board that 25 students were identified as high-risk. Hollenback told the Bugle that family services has been looking to do similar programs with other school districts that serve Niles. The department has also increased its presence in community events and gave presentations to area community organizations. “Municipalities are responsible for reviewing cases involving minor offenses that take place in [their borders],” Hollenback explained. “For youth, it can include curfew violations, alcohol or drug use, peer conflict, community disturbances, etc. The village legal team and family services have created a comprehensive collaborative approach to reduce repeat offenders and identify youth – or adults – in need of more support.” Efforts to help individuals start with offering them with an evaluation at family services and determining what their specific needs are. “This can include substance abuse services, in which case NFS will refer the [client] to a local community partner to provide this service, counseling, etc,” Hollenback said. He added that family services also keeps track of whether the residents who wind up in court and give the court regular updates on their status. During the Nov. 18 Niles Public Library Board of Trustees meeting, library director Susan Lempke said that she was impressed with the way family services provided assistance to individuals that needed help. “[Family services staff] helped
us with one particular patron who was causing problems but who was very much in need,” she told the board, adding that she was impressed that they were able to handle a potentially volatile situation peacefully. The other major part of the campaign is training the village staff to recognize signs of mental health issues both in residents and fellow staff members. Family services kicked off the training in May 2015, holding 14 sessions as of October 2015. One of the major goals of the training, Hollenback told the board, was to dispel myths about mental health. Family services also worked to get more employees to take advantage of the village’s employee assistance program – a counseling service program for employees and their families. Hollenback said that, over the past year, the utilization of the program increased by 75 percent.
The final aspect of the Mental Health Awareness Campaign deals with helping Niles first responders reduce stress. “[When] there’s an increase in stress, there is an increase in depression and increase in alcohol and drug abuse,” Hollenback told the Bugle. He explained that family services staff attends roll call sessions. In September 2015, they started providing staff reduction support, maintaining a presence during all shifts. “Given the nature of what these departments do, our approach has been designed to decrease work related stress, provide education on ways [family services] can support these teams and create a wellness approach to give officers the support they need before a crisis situation emerges,” said Hollenback. Like all other village employees,
police officers and firefighters can take advantage of the EPA counseling sessions. If the first responders don’t want to get counseling on village property, they can visit one of the two offsite locations – the Cabrini Retreat Center, of unincorporated Maine Township, and Techy Retreat Center, in Chicago. Family Services also runs a weekly 12-step program for first-responders. McEnerney told the Bugle that he thought the campaign has been helpful. “I think it takes some stress out of our job,” he said. Hollenback said he felt that a campaign could become a model for a new approach that could be applied throughout country. “Other communities are calling the family services, asking about models they’re using,” he said. “The model family services is cultivating could be used as a natural model.”
News about local businesses in your community T h ur sday, Decem ber 31, 2015 | ni lesbug le.com
Dave Says
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Keep holidays with difficult family simple and on the surface If family members ask for help, maybe you could insert some gentle wisdom Dear Dave, I haven’t spoken to my mom and sister in more than six months. Over time, I realized we have a real Dave Says clash of moral money advice by dave ramsey values that has led to arguments and hard feelings. Lately, with it being Christmas season and a new year just around the corner, I’ve found myself wanting to navigate things a little better and stop avoiding them. It’s been mostly just between myself and them, so my wife and kids are pretty insulated from the ugliness. Do you have any advice for handling situations such as these? Dave Dear Dave, Well, the good news is it doesn’t sound like you’ve had to spend a lot of time with them. So their influence over you and your household has been minimal. Still, things like this are painful. These are people you love, even if they are hard to get along with or understand. I’m not a family counselor, but my initial advice would be don’t try to change them. And don’t take discussions too deep. If you get together, just keep things simple and on the surface. To the extent they try to invade your family, that’s where you have to put up a good solid boundary. You have to protect your family and try your best to keep bad influences at a distance. But I don’t think you’re going to fix them. Probably the best thing you can do is model sanity and reason in front of them.
Nichols Edward F. “Bud” Nichols, age 82, beloved husband of Kathleen, nee Hytry; loving father of Edward W. Nichols (Frances Brady) and Ellen (Jake) Sanderson; cherished grandfather of Jack; dear brother of Roy (Mary Ellen) Nichols; and fond uncle of Brian (Lisa) Nichols and Colleen (Karl) Peterson. Visitation was Dec. 18 from 3 p.m. until 9 p.m. at Skaja Terrace
A friend of mine who has some crazy in-laws says he adopts the bobblehead deal. He just sits there like a bobblehead and smiles and nods, no matter what craziness is swirling around. And that’s not a bad idea when you think about it. You don’t want things getting ugly if you can help it, plus the chances of you changing a lifetime of toxic behaviors in one brief interaction are very small. Pray for them, too, Dave. Then, if they ask for help, maybe you could insert some gentle wisdom. Don’t tell them what they’re doing is wrong or that they’re bad people. Just describe things you and your family have done and how you’ve handled similar situations. But until they bring it up, I wouldn’t go there. —Dave
Structure things intelligently Dear Dave, I work as a software developer, and recently a co-worker approached me about starting a side business together. We would create apps for the legal community with advice from my wife, who is a lawyer. The only problem is that we’re in the middle of Baby Step 2 of your plan, and we still have some debt to pay off. Do you think starting a business would be too risky at this point? Jeremy Dear Jeremy, It sounds to me like this is the kind of idea that would require more in the way of brain sweat and time than money. I would just think of it as a part-time side job and go for it. However, make sure you have a clear understanding of exactly how much — if any — financial support would be required. Set
Funeral Home, 7812 N. Milwaukee Ave., Niles. Funeral was Dec. 9 at 10:15 a.m. to St. John Brebeuf Church for 11 a.m. Mass. Interment Maryhill Cemetery. Edward was the secretary of the Wilson Sporting Goods Retirees. In lieu of flowers, memorials to a charity of your choice would be appreciated. For more funeral information, call 847-966-7302 or visit www.skajafuneralhomes. com.
these financial boundaries, and also be clear on when you expect the business to make money. One thing I would warn against is ending up in a partnership if this thing becomes a success. Partnerships are bad news in the business world, so I’d advise you to figure out a way to structure things where you each own different parts
— something more along the lines of a joint venture. But in terms of doing some side deals, creating some cool new apps, and making money in the process? Absolutely, I would do that. Just figure out an intelligent way to structure the business and finances so you don’t get pinched! —Dave
Dave Ramsey is America’s trusted voice on money and business and CEO of Ramsey Solutions. He has authored five New York Times best-selling books. The Dave Ramsey Show is heard by more than 11 million listeners each week on more than 550 radio stations and digital outlets. Dave’s latest project, EveryDollar, provides a free online budget tool. Follow Dave on Twitter at @DaveRamsey and on the web at daveramsey.com.
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Upcoming events for Seniors in the community T h ur sday, Decem ber 31, 2015 | ni lesbug le.com
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community > Maine Township
Senior expo earns award for innovation Program coordinator for MaineStreamers, was named Senior Staff Member of Year At the Dec. 22 Maine Township Board meeting, Supervisor Carol A. Teschky announced four awards won by Maine Township at the November conference of Township Officials of Illinois. They were for Innovative Senior Program, Best Photo of the Year, Best Township Newsletter, and Senior Staff Member of the Year. “Thanks in great part to the dedication of our elected officials and township staff our work is regularly recognized by our peers around the state for being innovative and of high quality,” Teschky said. “We are very proud of the work we do for our residents and the community.” Singled out for recognition from among more than 1,400 Townships across Illinois, Monika Jaroszewicz, program coordinator for MaineStreamers, was named Senior Staff Member of the Year by the Illinois Township Association of Senior Centers Services Committee during the same ceremonies “Monika is a true asset to our department and dedicates herself to serving our 4,000 members of MaineSteamers,” says Mary Swanson, Director of the Senior
Department at Maine Township. “Her empathy, intelligence and cheerful demeanor are always in demand and appreciated by the people she serves by organizing trips and special events such as the Senior Spelling Bee, 90+ Birthday Party and much more.” ITASCSC also named the Township’s Annual Senior Expo as its Innovative Program of the Year. Teschky commented that, “the Swing into Spring Senior Expo, in one innovative day, connects businesses, organizations, government and entertainment for a population that needs this kind of convenience.” The Mighty Message Awards given by TOI reflect quality in communications done by Townships. For the third time, a photo taken by Dick Barton who handles public information duties was named Best Photo of the Year. The Township’s newsletter, Mainely
News, won for Best Newsletter of the Year. The Best Photo was an image of a private vendor displaying his wares at the Township’s Annual Garage Sale. The judges felt the photo truly showed the scope and vitality of the event, according to Bryan Smith, TOI’s Executive Director. Mainely News is published three times a year and circulated to all households in Maine Township. The 8-page color publication provides news and updates on township programs, events and community involvement along with important information on how residents can access the many township services.
Submitted Photo
Shown here, l to r, are Trustee Peter Gialamas, Clerk Gary K. Warner, Assessor Susan Moylan Krey, Trustee Laura Morask, Teschky, Trustee Walter Kazmierczak, and Trustee Kimberly Jones. Not shown is Highway Commissioner Robert Provenzano.
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Thursday, decem ber 31, 2015 | ni lesbug le.com
pA r K r i D G e
A look the top stories of 2015 from the sudden death of a respected leader to major decisions on future commercial development and infrastructure, 2015 was in many ways a watershed year for Niles, park ridge and Morton Grove. Here is our list of the year’s top stories.
CoM M U N it Y
Morton Grove, Niles and park ridge look at water supply options municipalities considered joining together to issue bonds for infrastructure Throughout 2015, Morton Grove, Niles and Park Ridge continued looking at an alternative water supplier. In May, consulting firm WRB LLC recommended changing water suppliers from Chicago to Evanston. Bill Balling, managing director of the WRB LLC, explained that it would be cheaper than getting water from Chicago, even when the costs of building new infrastructure are taken into account. In order to get the water, the three municipalities considered joining together to issue bonds and raise money for the necessary infrastructure. The plan called for building a pipeline that would largely follow Oakton Street and connect to pipes that run between Evanston and Skokie. Niles and Morton Grove decided to proceed with the proposal, officially launching negotiations in June. However, Park Ridge hesitated.
City officials were concerned that the initial expenses involved would outweigh the savings. They also worried that the changeover would cost Park Ridge its back-up water supply. Chicago currently has two pipelines feeding into Park Ridge, while the Evanston connection would only have one. On Oct. 12, the Park Ridge City Council considered joining the negotiations in order to get a better sense of what the project would entail. But before aldermen could vote on the matter, Balling informed the city that Niles and Morton Grove wanted to investigate an alternative delivery method that would require less
new construction. While this new method could potentially meet those two village’s needs, it may not have enough capacity to supply water to Park Ridge. In response, Park Ridge decided to hold off joining the negotiations until city officials had a better idea as to what the alternative would entail. Morton Grove Village Administrator Ralph Czerwinski told the Bugle that, if the alternative doesn’t pan out, the two villages would be happy to work with Park Ridge.
BuGLe fiLe Photos
(Left) mayor David schmidt, 57-years-old, died suddenly march 4. (right) third Ward ald. robert Wilkening died from an undisclosed illness aug. 4, less than three months into his first term.
park ridge Mayor, alderman die in office Seventh Ward Ald. Marty Maloney named acting mayor This year, Park Ridge tragically lost not one, but two city officials. Mayor David Schmidt died suddenly March 4. As the Bugle reported at the time, the 57-year-old mayor was doing pro bono work with a client at his home when he needed to be rushed to the hospital due to a “sudden illness.” He was taken to Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge, where he was pronounced dead just before midnight. The City Council voted 5-1 to appoint Seventh Ward Ald. Marty Maloney as acting mayor. Then-First Ward Ald. Joseph Sweeney voted against the appointment, because Maloney chose to keep his seat, and vote, on the city council – one of two options given to mayoral appointees under state law. The acting mayor
will serve out the remainder of Schmidt’s term, which will end in May 2017. Exactly five months later, the city council faced another tragedy. Third Ward Ald. Robert Wilkening died from an undisclosed illness Aug. 4, less than three months into his first term. Before he was elected alderman, he served two four-year terms on the Park Ridge-Niles District 64 Board of Education. Maloney appointed a fivemember commission to select Wilkening’s replacement. Ultimately, the commission recommended Richard Van Roeyen, a special education teacher who ran against Wilkening in the 2015 municipal election. The city council approved the appointment 5-0, with Maloney abstaining. Van Roeyen will serve until the 2017 election. At that time, voters will be able to elect a Third Ward alderman, who would then serve the remaining two years of Wilkening’s term.
Mor e Y e A r i N r e V i e W s t o r i e s o N pA G e 1 5
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N i L e s V i L L AGe B oA r D
election sweep opposition from board
A look the top stories of 2015 C o N t i N U e D f r o M pA G e 1 4
Two trustees that opposed a number of Mayor Andrew Przybylo’s proposals were swept out of office in April by Niles Forward Party candidates. Three out of the six trustees on the board – Joe LoVerde, Rosemary Palicki and Chris Hanusiak – tried retaining their seats in the
DeVeLopMeNt
election. LoVerde ran as part of the Niles Forward Party slate, which also included former Niles Chamber of Commerce and Industry Executive Director Denise McCreery and recently retired Niles police chief Dean Strzelecki. Hanusiak and Palicki didn’t formally join any slates, but Hanusiak decide to run on a joint platform with another candidate, attorney David Carrabotta. Over the past two years, Hanusiak and Palicki repeatedly clashed with Przybylo on issues such as hiring a liquor commissioner, choosing the inspector general and the fate of the Leaning Tower of Niles. Hanusiak also expressed skepticism about the Touhy Triangle redevelopment plan that was championed by the mayor, and he opposed granting
tax credits to companies on a number of occasions. The Niles Forward Party positioned itself as a slate that would bring much-needed improvements to Niles and end what they describe as a “divisive atmosphere” on the board. Hanusiak and Carrabotta ran on the platform of fiscal restraint, while Palicki positioned herself as a candidate who would listen to residents and improve village services. Since the Niles Forward Party was elected, the number of unanimous votes increased significantly – though there have been occasional divided votes. Most notably, the board split on the village tax levy, and a Sept. 22 vote on a village signage study ended with Przybylo having to cast a tiebreaking vote.
L i Br A rY N e Ws
Year of controversies for Niles Library Board Niles works to redevelop touhy triangle In August, trustees approved the creation of the Gross PointTouhy tax increment In August 2014, the village of Niles unveiled a “vision” for the trianglelike section of Niles between Touhy Avenue, Gross Point Road and Lehigh Avenue. That plan included a business-class hotel, a convention center, an expanded park around the Leaning Tower of Niles and a Metra station. In 2015, Niles Village Board took several steps to bring that vision closer to reality. In August, trustees approved the creation of the Gross Point-Touhy tax increment financing district, which includes the Touhy Triangle and several lots to the north and west of the area. By creating the TIF, the village would be able to use property tax revenue collected
within its boundaries to cover development-related costs and incentives. On Nov. 17, the board unanimously asked the Leaning Tower YMCA if it would be interested in selling the Leaning Tower of Niles to the village. Niles has been leasing the iconic structure since 1995, handling maintenance and repairs. The YMCA agreed to sell the tower for the token sum of $10. During the same meeting, the village board also approved a $548,200 contract with Morton Grove-based Design Installation Systems for repairs to the tower. Both moves were part of Przybylo’s efforts to turn the Leaning Tower of Niles into a major tourist attraction. He also expressed hope that the purchase would allow the structure to qualify for a National Historic Landmark designation. Not everything went quite according to plan, however. In February, Lakhani Hospitality,
owners of the Travelers Inn motel, announced that it would demolish the building and replace it with a Holiday Inn Express. The Holiday Inn Express hotels primarily cater to business travelers and would be located only a few blocks west of the Touhy Triangle’s outer edge – close enough to make a businessclass hotel within the triangle redundant. The construction started in May and expected to be completed by summer 2016. Under the original Touhy Triangle “vision,” the businessclass hotel was supposed to be located on the west corner of the triangle, on the lot formerly occupied by America’s Best Hotel. On March 21, the village board agreed to allow North Shore University Health System to build medical offices on the site.
This year, the Niles Public Library Board of Trustees repeatedly found itself in the news. On March 12, then-Board President Morgan Dubiel held a special meeting to establish special procedures for any vote that would change the library retirement benefits. The board would need to hold a total of four readings during four regular meetings to make the change, and it must hold three readings in order to make any change to the procedures. Dubiel originally proposed the rules during the board’s February meeting, only to face backlash from trustees Linda Ryan, Karen Dimond and Barbara Nakanishi. The three trustees were absent during the March 12 meeting, and the change was approved without opposition. The April election saw Dubiel and trustee Chris Ball lose their seats to newcomers Tim Spandoni and Patti Rozanski, and Ryan became the new board president. Over the course of
the summer, the new board held three readings of a proposal to remove the special procedures approved in March. The move led to public backlash, as several residents expressed concerns that it would pave the way for a switch to the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund – a public pension fund for municipal government employees. Current retirement benefits are structured similarly to a 401(k), which some residents felt was a better fit for the library. However, votes related to retirement benefits weren’t the only source of controversy. On Nov. 30, the board voted 5-2 to raise the library’s tax levy for the first time in the past three years. During the hearing on the levy, a large number of residents who came to speak forced the library to move the meeting to its main event space. With the exception of one resident, everyone who spoke at the hearing urged the board not to go through with the increase.
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