High School Basketball & Wrestling Players of the Year: SPORTS
REPORTER
THE Volume LVII, No. 2
Serving Chicago Ridge, Evergreen Park, Hickory Hills, Oak Lawn, Palos Hills and Worth
Progress in Worth, Chicago Ridge
$1 Newstand 2 SECTIONS 18 PAGES
Thursday, March 31, 2016
Prostitute who killed Brother Rice teacher gets 15 years By Dermot Connolly A prostitute was sentenced last Thursday to 15 years in prison for the second-degree murder of Brother Rice High School teacher Al Filan in his Orland Park home. Alisha Walker, 23, was convicted of the crime Jan. 14 in the same Bridgeview courtroom of Judge James Obbish. At most, she could have been sentenced to 20 years. Filan, 61, taught at Brother Rice for nearly 40 years, heading the school’s business studies department, and coaching basketball and soccer. He also had coached soccer at Andrew High School for more than 10 years. Following the sentencing, people posting on a Facebook page entitled Remembering Al Filan, argued that Walker got off easy. She will be credited with the two years she has already served since being arrested in a Fort Wayne, Ind., motel soon
Growth highlighted by mayors in ‘State of Villages’ luncheon By Dermot Connolly Worth is experiencing a resurgence in home sales, and Chicago Ridge is looking forward to welcoming the band Survivor back to Ridgefest this summer. Those were just two of the tidbits of information revealed by the mayors of both villages during talks at the Chicago Ridge Worth Chamber of Commerce luncheon on March 23. Both mayors highlighted growth and development plans in their respective communities. “We’re enjoying a resurgence in home sales,” said Werner. “There are three or four home sales every week, and many have been empty for over two years. ”We have absolutely surpassed number of building permit fees for this fiscal year too. It’s looking really good. Our neighborhoods are improving,” added Werner Addressing chamber members at Jenny’s Steakhouse in Chicago Ridge, Werner added that, “the growth in population of the village (means) both elementary schools in the village, and Worth Junior High School, are rapidly inching toward maximum capacity. “ In other positive economic news, Werner also said Worth is now part of the Cal-Sag Enterprise Zone, a state-supported program aimed at encouraging development. Toward that end, developers working within the zone are entitled to property tax rebates for five years. “Work permit fees have also be cut in half for developers,” she said. Werner said the village has also embarked on a transit-oriented development plan, taking a long-range look at ways to improve the area within a half-mile radius of the Metra train station at 110th and Depot Road. The mayor noted that the January opening of the Windy City Cannabis medical marijuana dispensary at 11425 S. Harlem Ave. was also good for the village. See PROGRESS, Page 7
USPS 118-690
after Filan’s body was found in his home on Jan. 18, 2014. Walker also will be entitled to dayfor-day credit toward her sentence. “Only 15 years for murdering another person. Where is the justice in this? She will be out in six to seven years. Our justice Walker system does not value life anymore,” Bill Dekker commented. According to testimony given at her trial, Walker stabbed Filan 14 times after they argued inside his home in the 9400 block of Georgetown Square. She and Filan met through the website Backpage.com, and had previous sexual encounters. See MURDER, Page 4
Oak Lawn officials OK plans to create monthly newspaper By Dermot Connolly
That’s a lot of Bull!
Photo by Jeff orva
Bulls forward Taj Gibson, all 6-foot-9 of him, stands with Chicago’s Christian Flowers, 6, at Advocate Children’s Hospital in Oak Lawn on March 22. Benny the Bull was also on hand to provide entertainment for some of the sick kids. For more details and photos, see Sports.
Oak Lawn officials have followed through on a proposal made at a village board meeting in February to create a monthly newspaper to keep residents up to date with all the goings-on in town. The idea of having a village newspaper printed and mailed to every household was first brought up at the Feb. 23 village board meeting, where John Fanning, of Fanning Communications, explained how his company produces a monthly publication for the village of Crestwood. Fanning proposed having a 20page paper, with 80 percent of any advertising revenue generated by the publication going to the village and 20 percent going to his company. Mayor Sandra Bury and most of the trustees spoke favorably about the idea, saying the newspaper would be a good way to provide information about what is going on in the village, with the government, park district and library providing content. Local schools could provide stories, too.
Bury and Village Manager Larry Deetjen said that many people, especially those without access to the Internet, are not receiving information about projects and activities going in Oak Lawn. The plan is to have Fanning solicit advertising for the publication, which proponents say will soon pay for itself and even provide a profit for the village. But at the March 22 meeting, the board voted 5-1 to adjust the village budget to make about $35,000 available to cover start-up costs the first year. “We’re counting on that advertising revenue to start coming in (and cover any costs),” said Bury. Village Attorney Patrick Connelly explained that the village still must solicit bids for the printing of the newspaper, and the first issue might come out in May. Trustee Bob Streit (3rd) was the only dissenting vote, asserting that there is no need for a village newspaper. See OAK LAWN, Page 7
Former Evergreen Park official celebrates 99th birthday and active life By Sharon L. Filkins Evergreen Park resident Anthony “Tony” Yukich celebrated his 99th birthday on March 17. How does one celebrate the passage of 99 years? If you do it Tony’s way, you have a week of parties — and sometimes two in one day. “We have had so much cake, we don’t know what to do with it,” Yukich’s longtime companion, Virginia Wrobel, said with a smile. Mayor James Sexton started the birthday ball rolling at the March 7 village board meeting where he honored Yukich for his 57 years of service to the Village. “He is a political ‘Godfather’ to me, a mentor and a friend,” Sexton said. Yukich began his political journey when he joined the United Home Owners in 1959. Early on, he served as president and is currently still a member. In 1964, he was appointed to
the village’s zoning board, which he served on until 1967. He has served under three mayors: Henry Klein, Anthony Vacco, and Sexton. “Klein and I didn’t get along,” said Yukich. “In one meeting, he called me a young punk because I questioned one of his decisions. When I questioned him again in another meeting, he addressed me the same way. I told him if he called me that again, he wouldn’t be sitting in the mayor’s chair at the next election.” True to his word, Yukich worked the campaign to get Vacco elected mayor, a position he held for more than 30 years until he retired due to poor health. During those years, Yukich ran Vacco’s campaigns in each election year. When Sexton ran for mayor in 2000, Yukich campaigned for him. “I had known Jim’s dad for many, many years and I was happy to help in his campaign,” he said. “He’s a
great mayor and very proactive in bringing economic development to our village.” Elected a village trustee in 1967, Yukich served three full terms until 1979. In 1995, he responded to a request from Vacco to run for trustee again, and he served a second term of office, from 1995 to 2001. On Yukich’s 95th birthday, in 2012, the village honored him with a proclamation for his five decades of service throughout the majority of the 20th century, and into the 21st century. The proclamation reflected a deep affection for Yukich. It read in part, “We refer to our friend Tony lovingly as ‘the Godfather’ and as ‘The Dean Martin of Evergreen Park.’ He has been a friend, colleague, strategist, and mediator and has always done so with a twinkle in his eye, a smile on his face and an outstretched hand See YUKICH, Page 7
Former Evergreen Park official Anthony “Tony” Yukich looks at his birthday cake accompanied by Evergreen Park Mayor James Sexton. Yukich celebrated his 99th birthday during a special party held in his honor on March 17. Submitted photo