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R EPORTER Reporter
THE The
3 SECTIONS 28 PAGES
Volume LIV No. 28
Serving Chicago Ridge, Evergreen Park, Hickory Hills, Oak Lawn, Palos Hills and Worth
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Thursday, September 19, 2013
Disorder on the courts
While Oak Lawn grapples with its hoops controversy, two area THEcommunities have long ago eliminated outdoor basketball courts
R EPORTER
By Bob Rakow Correspondent
2 SECTIONS 22 PAGES
EP erases 10-0 halftime deficit Volume XLVII No. 50 to beat Oak Lawn See Sports What happened when boyfriend took vodka from Worth woman? Page 2
Or...
Ice cream-like soil not sweet to Shepard HS construction By Jessie Molloy Correspondent
More Woofstock photos on Page 4
Photo by Jeff Vorva
More disorder on the court
index Police News.....................2 School...........................5 Our Neighborhood..........4 Sudoku...........................4 Commentary...................6 Consumer....................7 Crossword......................8 Calendar........................11
columnists Jeff Vorva........................3 Dee Woods....................12
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Removing basketball hoops from Little Wolfe Park in Oak Lawn hasn’t garnered significant support from park district officials, but it’s a move other area communities have made to combat unsavory behavior. Serving Chicago Ridge, Evergreen Park, Hickory Hills, Oak Lawn, Palos Hills and Worth Thursday, March 1, 2007 Oak Lawn Trustee Carol Quinlan has called on the Oak Lawn Park Board to remove the basketball hoops at the park, 107th Street and Laramie Avenue, following an Aug. 14 fight that led to two arrests. She said the fight was not an isolated incident. Instead, it’s not uncommon for large groups of older teens and adults to use the court and park their cars along both sides of Laramie Avenue. The activity has deterred area residents from using the park, which also features a playground, she said. Photo by Jeff Vorva Basketball courts were removed several years ago in Evergreen To hoop, or not to hoop? Two of the six area communities have eliminated public outdoor basketball courts and some Oak Lawn Park and Palos Hills. The Chicago residents are clamoring that their village do the same. Ridge Park District, meanwhile, is considering moving courts out Park basketball courts, but noth- said. to residential areas, and hom- Basketball courts were reof Freedom Park—the home of a ing too serious, King said. Plans Basketball courts were re- eowners complained about the moved in Palos Hills several years splash pad—and relocating them call for hoops to be added to Me- moved 20 years ago from all Ever- foul language, littering and public ago as well after some residents in another park in the community, nard Park where an existing court green Park parks after residents urination that occurred near the complained about after-hours use said director Kevin King. is frequently used, he said. cried foul over the behavior of courts, Sexton said. and the conduct of some play The Chicago Ridge Park District The Freedom Park courts are those using the courts, Mayor The courts were transformed ers, said Palos Hills Ald. Pauline has received occasional complaints in bad shape and repairing them Jim Sexton said. Parks in Ev- into sand volleyball courts, the Stratton. The courts, which were regarding conduct at the Freedom is not a worthwhile move, King ergreen Park are located close mayor said. (Continued on page 7)
Nella, a dog owned by Chicago Ridge’s Lauren Kopitke, relaxes at Oak Lawn’s Woofstock event on Saturday
Tim Hadac’s images from GOP picnic and Monarch Butterfly Festival Page 9
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Mother McAuley fans joined their team on the court in celebration of a 25-11, 25-15 win over neighboring rival Marist Tuesday night. The match drew an estimated 2,000 fans at McAuley. McAuley’s JV team and two freshmen teams sweated out exciting three-game victories over Marist on the night. For more photos and information on the varsity match, see the Sept. 26 sports section in the Reporter.
Parking woes don’t cross up plans for new Chicago Ridge restaurant By Bob Rakow Staff Reporter Plans for a new restaurant and bar in Chicago Ridge gained momentum Tuesday night when the village board approved business and liquor licenses for the establishment. Trustees approved licenses for the Crossing Bar and Grill, 102nd Street and Ridgeland Avenue, which was previously Bearhawks Sports Bar and Grill. But trustees continued to voice concerns about a lack of sufficient parking at the restaurant, which is located in a small strip mall. Bar owners told the board they were willing add 16 parking spaces to a location behind the bar, which is adjacent to Gen
Hoe Chinese Restaurant. There are a limited number of parking spaces in front on the strip mall, but not nearly enough to accommodate a busy restaurant and bar, officials said. Owners said they have been unsuccessful contacting the owner of Penny Lane School, which owns a parking lot adjacent to the strip mall. Mayor Chuck Tokar suggested contacting the school’s owner about leasing parking spaces to the new establishment. Trustees two weeks ago delayed granting a business license for the restaurant until the owners could determine if Penny Lane would agree to lease some of its parking spaces. Trustees are concerned that bar patrons will park in the resi-
The slow progress of the Alan B. Shepard science wing construction was an issue of concern at the Community High School District 218 board meeting Monday. The project, originally planned for completion in early fall, hit a major delay this summer and may not be complete until spring due to poor soil conditions which were discovered when digging began for the new foundation. Superintendent John Byrne said initial soil samples indicated that the ground would have problems and funds were allotted for it in the budget but the extent of the problem was not foreseen. “It looks like chocolate-vanilla swirl ice cream,” Byrne said. “There is a silty, clay-like material that runs through the good soil on the property. We weren’t sure how much of it there was and we happened to hit a giant swirl of it when we started digging.” Board members described the material as spongy clay, which absorbed and held the ground water, making the area difficult to build on. This situation caused a six-week delay in construction. Sump pumps and the sun were used to dewater and dry out the clay-filled soil
Byrne said he was happy that in the last two weeks the progress was “multiples better” than in previous weeks. The main entrance and office reconstruction on the building’s first floor were not subject to as many delays and are still scheduled to be completed sometime in October.
Code of conduct tabled
The board voted to table the approval of the district’s new athletic code of conduct after receiving parental complaints that the document was not representative enough of the students it applies to. The proposed code was penned this summer by the athletic directors from Shepard, Richards, and Eisenhower and lays out specific punishments to be given to athletes who fail to keep grades up or who are caught breaking the law or school rules. Some parents however, felt the writers of the policy did not have enough appreciation for the situations of some of the student athletes, particularly those of Hispanic and African American backgrounds, and requested the policy be reviewed and possibly amended with parental input. This suggestion was supported (Continued on page 3)
dential neighborhood adjacent to the tavern if sufficient parking is not provided. “That’s going to be a problem — like I told you before — if you’re successful,” Trustee John Lind said. Lind said he wants the bar to succeed but not at residents’ expense. He said Tuesday that he would talk to the owner of Penny Lane on the restaurant’s behalf. Photo by Jeff Vorva Tokar said he also would favor additional parking behind the bar or in the Penny Lane lot. “Either of the (parking) options would certainly help,” the mayor said. Employees of the restaurant A fire that destroyed a Worth pancake house Monday night is will park in a mechanic’s lot under investigation by the North Palos Fire Protection District. For across Ridgeland Avenue. more information, read Bob Rakow’s report, page 2.
Fire destroys Worth pancake house