Village Free Press_090121

SEPTEMBER 1, 2021

Vol. V No. 35 Mask mandate, PAGE 3

vfpress.news

Bellwood buzzing with construction projects New gas station, banquet hall, jazz café, industrial facility among projects currently in the works

On Sunday, the Proviso Bills returned to the local gridiron for the first time this season. Last year, the organization, which fields four teams in different age groups, played in Indiana due to the pandemic restrictions in Illinois.

The team’s four games on Aug. 29 took place on the practice fields at Proviso West High School, 4701 Harrison St. in Hillside.

More photos on page 8.

Michael Romain

“We’re not happy”

By MICHAEL ROMAIN Editor

Earth movers have taken temporary residence all over Bellwood, where multiple economic development projects are brewing.

During an interview last week, Bellwood Mayor Andre Harvey outlined many, if not most, of those projects, all of which are located near either Mannheim Road or 25th Avenue — the suburb’s main commercial corridors.

On Mannheim Road, Harvey said, an earth mover sits on the site of what used to be an auto body shop. Construction crews are making way for what will soon be the parking lot of a new live jazz cafe. The mayor said the cafe will be located near MannSee BELLWOOD on page 5

Choose an account you can rely on.

Tutoring center coming to Hillsaide, Page 4

Proviso mayors respond to property tax hikes

By MICHAEL ROMAIN Editor

In the wake of significant increases in property tax bills across Proviso Township, the mayors of some of the township’s hardest hit suburbs are responding.

During a regular meeting on Aug. 23, Hillside Mayor Joe Tamburino said property taxes on his own home increased by $2,000 this year.

“We’re not happy with it,” Tamburino told constituents at the meeting. “In my 40 years, I’ve never seen such a screwed up tax system. It is absolutely a joke. It’s an outright joke.”

According to a report released by Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas’ office, six suburbs in Proviso Township were among the top 12 suburbs in Cook County where homeowners will see the biggest increases in the median tax bill.

In Hillside, the median residential property tax bill for the 2020 tax year jumped by $1,364 (good for fifth-highest in the county) while the median commercial property tax bill in the village increased by $849.

Tamburino said he has been meeting with other Proviso Township mayors about the significant tax increase. He said he’s also met with Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi.

Tamburino said the Proviso Township Assessor’s office will hold a property tax appeal workshop on Tuesday, Sept. 21, from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., at a location that has not yet been determined.

Bellwood Mayor Andre Harvey, whose suburb experienced the highest property tax increase in all of Cook County, said he’s also met with his fellow mayors and Assessor Kaegi.

“I’ve talked to every mayor around ProSee TAX HIKE on page 13

GET

$

300

1

Only $100 required to open.

WHEN YOU OPEN OUR MOST POPULAR CHECKING ACCOUNT enroll in online banking, activate e-statements, and have at least monthly occurring direct deposits totaling $500 or more for the 2 consecutive calendar months following the month of account opening.2

Stop by our two Proviso Township branches, or make an appointment with a banker today at 708-483-0030.

1759 N. Mannheim Rd. | Stone Park 1111 W. Madison St. | Maywood 708-483-0030 | provisobank.com

Proviso Community Bank is a branch of Hinsdale Bank & Trust Company, N.A. 1. Total Access Checking Bonus Information. This Total Access Checking account bonus offer is valid for new accounts opened January 1, 2021 through December 31, 2021. This Total Access Checking account bonus offer is not available to existing or closed checking account customers of WTFC and its subsidiaries or its active employees. Limit 1 bonus payment per customer, regardless of the number of accounts opened. If you qualify for this Total Access Checking account bonus offer, you are ineligible to receive this Total Access Checking account bonus offer from any other Wintrust Financial Corporation (‘WTFC’) location. If you qualify for any other WTFC savings offer it may be combined with this Total Access Checking account bonus offer. Your new account must be open, in the same product, and have a balance greater than zero to receive the bonus payment. Balance is determined as of the end of each Business Day as the funds currently in your account including deposits and withdrawals made in the Business Day. The $300.00 bonus payment is subject to IRS 1099-INT reporting and may be considered income for tax purposes for the tax year in which the bonus was paid. 2. Total Access Checking Bonus Qualifications. (i) Open a new Total Access Checking account; (ii) tell us you are aware of this Total Access Checking account bonus offer at account opening; (iii) have at least monthly occurring direct deposits totaling $500.00 or more each month made to your new account for 2 consecutive calendar months after the calendar month your new account was opened (‘Qualification Period’). For example, if you open your new account in January, you would need to have “Direct Deposits” made to your new account in February totaling $500 or more and in March totaling $500 or more; and (iv) enroll in online banking and activate e-statements within the Qualification Period.

A direct deposit is defined as any payment made by a government agency, employer, or other third-party organization that is made via an electronic deposit. A direct deposit does not include teller/ATM/mobile or remote deposits, wire transfers, online banking/telephone transfers between accounts at WTFC, external transfers from other accounts at other financial institutions or ATM/debit card transfers and deposits. After you have completed all the above bonus qualifications, we will deposit the bonus payment into your new account within 30 calendar days after the Qualification Period. BANKER INSTRUCTIONS: Enter offer code WFC00DMAP300 during account opening.

2

vfpress.news

Village Free Press | September 1, 2021

OUT & About the village free press Editor & Publisher Michael Romain Senior Sales & Strategic Consultant Kamil Brady Editorial Designer Andrew Mead Advertising Design Support Mark Moroney, Javier Govea HOW TO REACH US Village Free Press c/o Wednesday Journal 141 S. Oak Park Ave. Oak Park, IL 60302 PHONE: 773-626-6332 FAX: (708) 467-9066 vfpress.news Twitter: @village_free Facebook: @maywoodnews The Village Free Press is published weekly

by Michael Romain. It is distributed free of charge at locations throughout Maywood. © 2021 Village Free Press We’re proud to partner with Growing Community Media, NFP. Publisher Dan Haley

On Aug. 29, Pink Divas & Gents hosted Summer Fun Day, a free event that featured vendors serving food, spiritual inspiration, fitness, resources and art. The event, sponsored by Proviso Community Bank - A Wintrust Community Bank, happened on the grounds of Christian Unity Church, 2140 Washington Blvd. in Bellwood.

Photos courtesy John Wicks/Facebook

“To learn to be human is to develop through the give and take of communication an effective sense of being an individually distinctive member of a community.”

—John Dewey

vfpress.news

Village Free Press | September 1, 2021

3

Masks mandated indoors in Illinois Gov. Pritzker also announces that vaccines will be required for teachers, healthcare workers

By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois

SPRINGFIELD – The statewide mask

est vaccination rates are the regions where

input on a potential response amid the new

and physician’s offices,” Pritzker said at a

there are fewer hospitals, and lower hospital

COVID-19 wave.

news conference in Chicago.

capacity,” Pritzker said. “And those hospi-

But, according to the letter which his of-

“Effective Sept. 5, individuals working in

tals are sometimes the least well equipped

fice shared with members of the media,

these settings who are unable or unwilling

to handle cases as they become more acute.”

Durkin said he received a breaking news

pitals, nursing homes, urgent care facilities

to receive their first dose of vaccine will

He added, “We are continuing to rely

brief shortly after the phone call which out-

be required to get tested for COVID-19 at

on experts at the (U.S. Centers for Disease

lined Pritzker’s planned announcement for

least once a week, and IDPH and (the Illi-

Control and Prevention) and (Illinois De-

the Thursday news conference.

nois State Board of Education) may require

partment of Public Health), but you don’t

“I will reiterate my plea on our call yes-

more frequent testing in certain situations,

need to be an epidemiologist to understand

terday to please make your experts available

like in an outbreak,” he said.

what’s going on here. This is a pandemic of

to the General Assembly so that we can ex-

Illinois Department of Public Health Di-

the unvaccinated.”

amine their data and plans, review the re-

mandate indoors is back, and educators and

rector Dr. Ngozi Ezike said the state is see-

The current vaccination rates – nearly 53

sults of your many previous mandates and

health care professionals will be required to

ing 220 hospital admissions per day, a num-

percent of the state’s population is vaccinat-

together plot a course of action that will

receive the COVID-19 vaccine, Gov. JB Pritz-

ber on par with a surge in May. Pritzker said

ed – “are not enough to blunt the ferocity of

work,” Durkin said in the letter. “You have

ker announced last week amid an ongoing

98 percent of cases, 96 percent of hospital-

the delta variant,” which has led to hospi-

the authority to call for a special session of

surge in the pandemic that first arrived in

izations and 95 percent of deaths since Jan-

tals “again fighting the battle that we had

both chambers to address this very critical

Illinois in March 2020.

uary have been among unvaccinated people.

hoped would be behind us by now.”

Beginning Aug. 30, people will be required

While vaccines are the best defense, Ezike

Republicans, meanwhile, continue to call

to wear masks indoors, Pritzker announced.

said, “wearing a mask continues to be one

on the governor to further involve the Gen-

The vaccine requirement, which goes into

of the simplest, cheapest ways to reduce the

eral Assembly in his COVID-19 response.

effect Sept. 5, will apply to “all P-12 teachers and staff, all higher education personnel, all higher education students, and health care workers in a variety of settings, such as hos-

spread of COVID-19.”

Intensive care bed availability in southern Illinois is at 3 percent, he said.

“That’s because the regions with the low-

House Republican Leader Jim Durkin, of Western Springs, shared a letter he sent

issue, and I am imploring you to do so immediately.”

Pritzker said he’s “always been available” to GOP leadership and rank-and-file members, and “when the legislature talks to me, I listen.”

to Pritzker on Monday, noting he got a call from the governor Wednesday night seeking

CONTACT: info@vfpress.news

PLCCA AND FREE COVID CARE GIVING FREE RAPID TESTING Free Rapid Testing will be given daily at PLCCA, 411 West Madison Street in Maywood Monday thru Friday from 8 AM to 6 PM. No insurance or appointments needed.

PLCCA Y COVID CARE GRATIS DANDO PRUEBAS RÁPIDAS GRATIS Los exámenes rápidos gratuitos se realizarán todos los días en PLCCA, 411 West Madison Street en Maywood, de lunes a viernes de 8 A.M. A 6 P.M. No se necesita seguro ni citas.

4

vfpress.news

Village Free Press | September 1, 2021

Local pastors to open tutoring center in Hillside Byron and Keisha Wicks will open NextGen Resource Center at 10 N. Elm St.

By MICHAEL ROMAIN Editor

A new nonprofit tutoring center is poised to open for young people in the Proviso Township area.

During a regular meeting on Aug. 23, the Hillside Board of Trustees voted unanimously in favor of a series of zoning measures necessary for Byron and Keisha Wicks to open NextGen Resource Center inside of space at 10 N. Elm St. in Hillside.

The new center may be poised to open in the coming weeks and months, but Keisha Wicks said she and a small team of educators have been providing tutoring services for roughly a dozen young people since January.

She said the need arose while children were learning remotely due to the pandemic restrictions. She added that while there were many food giveaways happening; the food drives, while necessary, didn’t address another lack — that of quality educational

we really need to train up the next generation.”

The Wicks — who live in Hillside and co-pastor a Next Generation Church-Proviso, which worships each week at the old Lexington School, 415 Lexington St. in Maywood — said they noticed educational needs in their own children.

“Our children’s school didn’t even do MAP [Measure of Academic Progress] testing last year because of the pandemic, so we don’t even know what their aptitude was,” Keisha said.

“Many of the kids in the community did Byron and Keisha Wicks conducting an not even show up for online learning and online service for their Next Generation so they’re behind in reading and behind Church Proviso. in math,” Wicks said. “And not all families Courtesy Next Generation Church Proviso/Facebook have $200 per program to go to Sylvan and Huntington. We’re the church but we also know we have a commitment to meet the instruction among children in Proviso subneeds.” urbs.

The Wicks aren’t strangers to meeting “We just knew that it was part of our mispeople’s needs where they are. Before startsion to love, empower and equip all genering their church three years ago, the Wicks ations and education is a way that we do were well-known for leading Parkside Sunthat,” Keisha said on Aug. 23.

“We felt like there was a need for empow- day school, an outreach ministry that proerment,” she explained. “There was a ton vided Christian instruction for young people in local parks. of charity, but I feel like if there’s a ton of Keisha said she pays a small team of charity and no empowerment, then you’re teachers stipends to conduct tutoring sesempowering people to be entitled. I believe

sions in mainly math and reading, although they often incorporate other subjects, such as music. The sessions are divided into 5-month semesters, with participants paying $100 a month. The programming runs Monday through Friday, 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.

When it started, the tutoring program, which caters to young people from kindergarten to sixth grade, was conducted online by way of Zoom. The next session may start again in September, the Wicks said.

Once they start instruction inside of the new space at 10 N. Elm, in-person enrollment will be capped at 15 students, but there will be virtual options with more capacity, Byron said.

“As the program grows, we plan to extend services to junior high and high school students,” he added.

The Wicks said they hope to have a soft launch of their new tutoring center space in late September.

Meanwhile, if anyone is interested in the program, they can visit parksidesundayschool.org. They can also email info.nextgenchurch@gmail.com or call (708) 202-9227.

CONTACT: info@vfpress.news

vfpress.news

Village Free Press | September 1, 2021

5

New gas station coming to Bellwood

QuickMart to be built across the street from Thornton’s

By MICHAEL ROMAIN Editor

Another gas station is going to be built in Bellwood — right across the street from one of the busiest fueling stations in the Proviso Township area, Bellwood Mayor Andre Har-

least eight pumps for diesel fuel,” Harvey said.

“QuickTrip is a Fortune 100 company based in the South. We’ll be the first location they build inside of the urban Chicagoland market. They have another fueling station in the state on the Illinois/Missouri border,” he added.

Harvey said despite the QuickTrip’s location right across the street from Thornton’s, the village’s busiest gas station, the new

fueling station will differentiate itself by

catering to trucks in the area and by offering a “state-of-the-art store and restaurant component that” will include hot food and coffee items.

“I call it Thornton’s on steroids,” Harvey said, adding that residents shouldn’t confuse the new development with a truck stop.

“I tell people, this is not a truck stop, this is not for overnight trucks to stop there and spend the night and hang out,” he said. “It’s for truck fueling.”

vey confirmed in an interview on Aug. 24.

The mayor said he doesn’t anticipate ma-

Harvey said QuickTrip, a corporate chain

jor truck traffic congestion once the new fu-

of convenience stores and gas stations

eling station is built.

based in Oklahoma, is planning to open its

“I don’t think there will be more trucks

second location in Illinois on several parcels

fueling there,” he said. “This will be a big

of land at 1040 25th Avenue in Bellwood.

opportunity for them to capitalize on the

The mayor said the new QuickTrip will be

trucks that are already coming through our

built on a 3- to 5- acre site that’s currently

community — from Amazon, United Parcel

home to warehouses that have been vacant

Service, Windy City Bus, you name it.”

for a number of years. Demolition on those

Harvey added that QuickTrip officials

facilities is expected to start sometime this

explained to the village that the prospect of

month, Harvey said.

“They’re taking all of those businesses and turning that site into not only a gas station, but a fueling station that will have at

BELLWOOD Building Up from page 1 heim and Twining.

“We’re trying to revitalize Mannheim and this is the start of that revitalization,” Harvey said.

Up the street, the old Moose Lodge at 4013 Butterfield Rd., which is directly behind the Mr. Submarine on Mannheim, will soon become a new sports bar and banquet hall, Harvey said.

“It’s going to be a really nice place,” the mayor said. “The plans have been approved and they’ve already started demoing the inside. They should start doing work on the outside next week.”

On 25th Avenue, a new gas station will be built on several parcels of land at 1040 25th Avenue, right across the street from the Thornton’s fueling station.

The new gas station, QuickTrip, will offer diesel fuel pumps and dining. The mayor said demolition of the current warehouses should be starting any day now and construction of the new QuickTrip may take between a year and 16 months, he said.

Further north on 25th Avenue, Duke Realty is quickly closing in on the completion of a 300,000-square-foot industrial facility on the site of roughly 19 acres of land at 110 N.

The future site of QuickTrips (where the brown building is at), as seen from Thornton’s, which is across the street.

File

the stations eating into each other’s market base is not a major concern, since QuickTrip

traffic coming on and off nearby I-290 entrance and exit ramps to accommodate two service stations.

The mayor said that the QuickTrip service station will not be getting any revenue from Tax Increment Financing (TIF) funds and that he anticipates revenue from property, sales and motor fuel taxes to be substantial.

“We’re going to get some good money from taxes,” Harvey said. “I don’t know the exact number, but I can say that Thornton’s is the highest tax generator in Bellwood. They pay a significant portion in property taxes. With QuickTrips, we’re talking about that business taking over five to six properties that were once vacant. So, there will be a substantial amount of property taxes coming back to Bellwood.”

Harvey said the new QuickTrip may bring between 25 and 35 “good-paying jobs with good benefits” for community members.

The project may take between a year and 16 months to complete, he said.

Representatives with QuickTrips could not be reached immediately for comment.

will offer specialized services distinct from Thornton’s offerings and there’s enough car

CONTACT: info@vfpress.news

stretch of vacant land directly behind the health care, including immediate care,” the 25th Ave. in Bellwood.

“Projects like this accommodate potential Cement Mason’s Institute at 739 25th Ave., mayor said. tenants’ requirements for new warehouse Harvey said the Cement Mason’s Local 502 Harvey said a groundbreaking ceremony space close to airports, interstate highways, is building an urgent care facility for union is scheduled to take place sometime in Sepand rail yards in a community with a romembers. bust talent pool,” Susan Bergdoll, said Duke “This will be a facility where union mem- tember.

Realty’s senior vice president and regional bers and their families can go and receive CONTACT: info@vfpress.news leader for the firm’s operations in Chicago, Minneapolis and Indianapolis.

In a statement released in May, the company explained that the new facility “facility will boast 36’ clear height, 30 dock doors and two drivein doors, 85 trailer spaces and 345 parking spaces.”

The development should be complete

by December, Duke Realty officials said.

Mayor Harvey said work on the facility “is moving really fast,” adding that the site will “probably be leased before they put The site of what will become an urgent care facility for union members behind the Cement Mason’s Institute in Bellwood. the first wall up.”

Going back south File on 25th Avenue, on a

6

vfpress.news

Village Free Press | September 1, 2021

D209 presents tentative budget

Federal pandemic relief for district was up substantially this year, prospect of funding equity officer broached

By MICHAEL ROMAIN Equity Editor

During a regular meeting on Aug. 10, the Proviso Township High School District 209 school board voted unanimously to display a tentative budget for the 2022 fiscal year. A public hearing for the estimated budget is scheduled for Sept. 14.

Total projected revenue in the FY 2022 budget is $117.5 million while total projected expenses in FY22 amount to $129.3 million.

During his presentation of the tentative budget, Leonard Moody, D209’s coordinator for accounting and finance, said federal revenue sources were up substantially over 2021, going from $7.2 million to $23.7 million.

Moody said that $18 million of that federal funding is related to pandemic stimulus assistance.

“We project revenues conservatively. We try to make sure we don’t overestimate what we think we’re going to get, so we try to be conservative about that,” Moody said.

“This projection preserves healthy fund balances,” he said. “We’ll also be able to maintain the Financial Profile rating [an increased financial designation the district received from the state in recent years] and it takes full advantage of those stimulus funds.”

The most substantial increases in revenue from the last fiscal year were due to transportation, and costs related to operations and maintenance. Transportation costs went from $1.5 million in 2021 to a projected level of $6 million in FY 22 while operation and maintenance costs are projected to go from $8.5 million in FY 2021 to $14.9 million in FY 2022.

The district is expected to cover the bulk of capital expenses that aren’t covered with existing revenues through the fund balance based on a gradual drawdown plan that was put in place when the Facilities Master Plan was created in 2019.

The district’s fund balance for FY 2022 is projected to be $77.9 million, down from

SHAKESPEARE General Contracting

FALL ROOFING SALE: 30% OFF ALL SHINGLED ROOFS

enochshakespeare.es@gmail.com

ROOFING // SIDING // GUTTERS // TUCK-POINTING // DRYWALL & PAINTING // HARDWOOD FLOORS // SANDING & VARNISHING SIDEWALKS & DRIVEWAYS // CONCRETE & ASPHALT TREE REMOVAL // SNOW PLOWING

A public hearing for District 209’s estimated budget is scheduled for Sept. 14.

File

$89.8 million in 2021.

“Even though we’re projecting a lower fund balance, there’s a rational financial reason for that,” Moody said. “Our fund

balance is still very healthy. The board instituted a policy that requires the fund balance to remain above 33% of expenses and even taking the balance down to support the FMP, we will still be well above that mark.”

Moody said the district plans on spending grant money on a “new instructional framework, so grade level principals and coaching are things that can be supported through grants.”

Moody said that those funds may also support the “addition of an equity officer, so we won’t have to use local funds for that new initiative. We’re stretching those revenue dollars.”

During the regular meeting, D209 board President Rodney Alexander said the district’s budget reflects a funding structure that “we’ll be utilizing long-term, after the grant money is gone,” adding that the district has planned for future expenses related to food services, curriculum and transportation, among other spending areas.

The 2022 fiscal year runs from July 1, 2021 through June 20, 2022. The board is expected to approve the final budget on Sept. 30.

CONTACT: info@vfpress.news

vfpress.news

Village Free Press | September 1, 2021

7

State eviction moratorium stands despite SCOTUS ruling Gov. Pritzker signed another extension on Aug. 20

By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois

SPRINGFIELD – While the U.S. Supreme Court vacated a federal eviction moratorium on Aug. 26, a recently-extended state stay on residential eviction enforcement remains in effect at least until Sept. 18.

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention exceeded its authority in issuing the federal moratorium, and a future extension of the moratorium would have to come from Congress. But the order does not affect a state’s ability to initiate such a moratorium, which is what Illinois has done.

Gov. JB Pritzker signed that extension Friday, Aug. 20, when he issued his latest 30-day disaster declaration, a practice he has done monthly since March 2020. The moratorium cannot exceed the length of the 30-day declaration, so it is possible it gets extended again when it comes time for the governor to issue another 30-day declaration in September.

As it stands now, law enforcement agencies “are instructed to cease enforcement of orders of eviction for residential premises entered against a Covered Person, unless that person has been found to pose a direct threat to the

health and safety of other tenants or an immediate and severe risk to property,” per the order.

Covered persons include those who expect to earn less than $99,000 individually or $198,000 in a joint filing household, if they’ve experienced financial hardships due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The tenant must also certify they are making “best efforts to make timely partial payments that are as close to the full payment” as “circumstances permit.”

Any covered person must submit a declaration form through the Illinois Housing Development Authority certifying that they fit the categories within the order. The most recent order gave landlords the authority to challenge such a declaration.

Evictions are allowed in cases initiated prior to March 2020 and for health and safety reasons.

The state has made rental assistance available through money it received from various federal stimulus packages. Thus far, according to the Illinois Housing Development Authority, 98,806 applications have been received, and 26,434 have been funded for a total of nearly $228.5 million.

While the IHDA portal has closed, rental assistance may still be available through certain providers coordinated by the Illinois Department of Human Services at illinoisrentalassistance.org/providers. Information is available at that website based on the applicant’s region.

Tenants seeking legal help can receive free

assistance through Eviction Help Illinois by visiting evictionhelpillinois.org/ or by calling 855-631-0811.

While the governor’s order halts eviction enforcement for covered persons, an Illinois Supreme Court order allows for filings in evictions cases but temporarily stays all judgements and trials on eviction cases pertaining to covered persons. The court has not yet extended this “triage” period for evictions cases, which is set to expire Sept. 1.

For the Neighborhood Building Owners Alliance, which is an alliance of several small Chicagoland area property owner groups, allowing for the cases to move forward is a step in the right direction.

“Just because we can evict doesn’t mean we want to,” Michael Glasser, president of the NBOA, said in a news release. “Housing providers don’t want to go through the long and painful legal process of eviction, especially when they have the opportunity to receive rental assistance. However, having the ability to evict is an important tool. Often, invoking the eviction process brings a tenant to the table, resulting in productive negotiations.”

One issue facing housing providers, according to the NBOA, is the fact that assistance is available only to current tenants at the time of filing. So if someone didn’t pay rent for several months but moved out prior to filing a declaration, a landlord could not apply for assistance for that tenant.

As well, a poll of NBOA members showed that for the applications filled out by landlords, about a third of them did not receive confirmation by tenants.

Other landlord groups have warned that while the governor’s order protects those earning up to $99,000, assistance is available to only those earning 80 percent of the Area Median Income, which equates to $38,000-$52,000 depending on the region.

In Cook County, where the NBOA is centered, assistance can be found at chicookilrenthelp.org.

The NBOA also noted cases often take months to come to a final eviction decision, so the eviction enforcement the current moratorium is halting would likely not occur for months anyway.

Bob Palmer, policy director of Housing Action Illinois, said his affordable housing advocacy organization is lobbying for an extension of the Supreme Court’s triage period. But even if it expires after Sept. 1 as is scheduled, he’s not expecting a wave of judgements.

Several county courts are providing mediation services for renters and landlords in eviction proceedings, Palmer said, noting that the pending September launch of a court-based rental assistance program is another reason to extend current orders.

Loyola School Based Health Center at Proviso East

Are you up to date on your vaccinations?

Did you complete your school physical for the school year?

Come Get Your School Physical and Vaccines at Loyola School Based Health Center Call 708.499.9522 to register

CONTACT: info@vfpress.news

8

vfpress.news

Village Free Press | September 1, 2021

The Proviso Bills took to the field on Aug. 29 after a year away from football fields in Illinois due to the pandemic. The organization played four games at Proviso West High School’s practice fields in Hillside.

vfpress.news

Village Free Press | September 1, 2021

NEWS briefs Woman shot outside of Forest Park Walmart Aug. 29 expected to survive

One person dead in fatal Maywood shooting Aug. 25

A woman who suffered a gunshot shot outside of Walmart, 1300 Desplaines Ave., late on Aug. 29 is expected to survive, Forest Park police said in a press release issued Monday morning.

Around 11:10 p.m., shortly after the store’s closing time, police received multiple 911 calls reporting shots fired outside Walmart.

Officers reported locating a number of shell casings at the scene as well as a “bullet-riddled” vehicle in a ditch east of the store.

Police reported finding a woman, a passenger in the vehicle, who had been shot one time. The driver of that vehicle, reportedly a man, apparently had fled the scene before police arrived. It is unknown whether the driver had been wounded.

There is limited information at this time, but it appears the shots may have been fired from another vehicle, which police described as a white Chevy Impala or Malibu with tinted windows.

Sunday’s incident is the second shooting outside of the business in the past month.

No one was apparently injured in the first, which happened on the afternoon of Aug. 4 in the parking lot north of the store.

Anyone with information on the Aug. 29 shooting is asked to contact Forest Park Police at 708-366-2425 or detectives@forestpark.net.

According to the Cook County Medical Examiner, one person died from multiple gunshot wounds during a shooting that happened on Aug. 25.

The examiner’s office said the incident took place at 8:37 p.m., on the 1100 block of S. 7th Ave. in Maywood.

The victim’s name was not identified in the examiner’s report, but the office said the person was a 31-year-old Maywood man.

The man was pronounced dead from multiple gunshot wounds at 9:13 p.m.

Maywood Police could not be immediately contacted for comment on the case.

Maywood man dies after Aug. 28 shooting A Maywood man is dead after a shooting that took place on Aug. 28, at around 5 p.m., on the 1200 block of Orchard Avenue in Maywood.

According to the Cook County Medical Examiner’s office identified the victim as 38-year-old Onasus Lloyd, who lived where the shooting occurred. Lloyd was pronounced dead at 5:15 p.m.

Witnesses reported that a gray or silver vehicle may have been involved in the shooting. They said two possible subjects — males both wearing black hoodies and black masks — were seen at the scene and were possibly heading eastbound on Legion.

According to records, one possible subject, a Black male wearing a white t-shirt, black pants and burgundy underwear, walked to the nearby gas station on 1st Avenue and Wilcox Street, and asked to use someone’s phone before heading back to the scene of the shooting. Police reported having detained a “man that fit that description.”

At 7:30 p.m., law enforcement officials still had the portion of Orchard Avenue, from Legion to Wilcox, taped off while they investigated.

A Maywood Police spokesperson was not immediately available to comment on Saturday evening.

Pregnant woman found in Lake Michigan was Bellwood native

Yarianna G. Wheeler, 19, whose body was found in Lake Michigan after she was reported missing, was from Bellwood, authorities say.

Provided

A pregnant woman whose body was found floating in Lake Michigan near Waukegan on Aug. 15 has been identified as 19-year-old Bellwood native Yarianna G. Wheeler, according to multiple media reports.

“Wheeler was living in Chicago at the time of her murder but was originally from the 3200 block of West Wilcox Street in Bellwood,” WGN 9 reported.

Wheeler’s body was discovered by a fisherman who then altered the Coast Guard.

Law enforcement officials said Wheeler, who was roughly six months pregnant at the time, had been in the water “for no more than seven to 12 days.”

According to Fox 6 Milwaukee, an autopsy conducted at the time found that Wheeler “had multiple stab wounds, and police are conducting this as a homicide investigation.”

They added that “sheriff ’s detectives continue investigating Wheeler’s death and anyone with any information is encouraged to call Lake County Sheriff ’s Detectives at 847-377-4148.”

See NEWS BRIEFS on page 10

9

10

vfpress.news

Village Free Press | September 1, 2021

NEWS briefs Prairie Fest returning to Westchester

postponed again due to pandemic

The annual Prairie Fest, hosted by the Save the Prairie Society, is returning to Westchester in September.

The Fest will take place on Sept. 11, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., on the grounds of the historic Prairie House, 11225 Constitution Drive in Westchester.

The Fest will feature cold-blooded animals, crafters and artists selling a wide variety of handmade items and live music from various acts, including the Dulcimer Players (on the front porch of the Prairie House in the afternoon) and Shannon Adams’ band (on the house deck).

There will also be food, drinks and a raffle.

In addition, unique quilts will be on display, along with a spinning wheel demonstration.

The Prairie House, which dates back to the 1850s, will also be open for tours.

“Take a tour of the best mesic prairie east of the Mississippi River,” according to information from organizers. “Learn how to become a Wolf Road Prairie volunteer by visiting the volunteer tent.”

If it rains on Sept. 11, then the Fest will happen on Sept. 18 (same time and location).

The annual Maywood Bataan Day Memorial Service, which is held each September to honor the memory of men from Maywood who died on the battlefields of Bataan in the Philippines during World War II, has been postponed for the second year in a row due to the pandemic, organizers have announced.

The Bataan ceremony, which would have been on Sept. 12, has now been postponed until next year. The ceremony is slated to take place at 3 p.m. on Sept. 11, 2022, in Maywood Veterans Park, located on 1st Avenue and Oak Street in Maywood.

“Due to many circumstances not under our control and the possibility of additional pandemic restrictions, the Maywood Bataan Day Organization has decided to take this action out of an abundance of caution,” the organization’s representatives said in a statement.

“As he did last year, [Bataan Day Organization President Col. Richard A.] McMahon suggests that those who wish to honor the memory of the men from Maywood and surrounding suburbs who fell on the battlefields of Bataan in the Philippines, as well as those who suffered and died during the infamous Death March or subsequent captivity should visit the MBDO website and

Maywood Bataan Day memorial service

browse through hundreds of stories of the men from Maywood, as well as thousands of photos from memorial events in the past, both in Maywood and in the Philippines.”

The organization’s website is: mbdo.org.

Westchester Food Pantry helping eligible residents file to receive Child Tax Credit While the Child Tax Credit has been expanded to reach children in Illinois, many are in eligible families that don’t know that they qualify or how to claim their funds.

If you qualify for the Child Tax Credit but have not received any funds, the Westchester Food Pantry can help Residents can also find out more information about the credit, if they qualify and how to get it at GetCTC.org. The Westchester Food Pantry is helping connect families with the Child Tax Credit via appointment.

Applicants will need to bring the following documentation: • • • • •

Full name Current Mailing Address Email Address Date of Birth Social Security Numbers OR Identity

Protection Personal Identification Number (IP • PIN) OR Individual Tax Identification Number (ITIN) • Bank account number, type and routing number if you have one Please email the Westchester Food Pantry (WestchesterFoodPantry@gmail.com) with any questions.

Child Tax Credit Fast Facts Under a recent federal law, almost every family can receive money from the Child Tax Credit.This includes families that haven’t filed a tax return and those without recent income.

Each qualifying household is eligible to receive up to $3,600 for each child under 6 years old, and $3,000 for each child between 6 and 17 years old.

Families can receive half of the payments in 2021 and the other half in 2022.

Anyone who has a child with a Social Security number is eligible, even if they do not have a Social Security number themselves.

The credit is not a loan.

CONTACT: info@vfpress.news

vfpress.news

Village Free Press | September 1, 2021

11

VILLAGE perspectives

On the secular importance of churchgoing

By MICHAEL ROMAIN Commentary

When the Pew Research Center conducted its most recent Religious Landscape Study back in 2014, it found that while 76% of adults in the Chicago metro area considered religion at least somewhat important in their lives, only 29% reported attending a religious service at least once a week.

Pew discovered that while the percentages of adults who say they believe in God, pray daily, and attend religious services regularly declined only modestly in recent years, this modest decline was driven significantly by “the nones.”

The “nones” are “the growing minority of Americans, particularly in the Millennial generation, who say they do not belong to any organized faith.”

The “nones” accounted for 23% of the adult population in the U.S. in 2014, up from 16% in 2007, according to Pew. “And, as the ‘nones’ have grown in size, they also have become even less observant than they were when the original Religious Landscape Study was conducted in 2007,” Pew officials wrote. “The growth of the ‘nones’ as a share of the population, coupled with their declining levels of religious observance, is tugging down the nation’s overall rates of religious belief and practice.”

I approach this social reality from the standpoint of the narrator in Philip Larkin’s 1954 poem “Church Going,” who can never resist the impulse to stop inside of an empty house of worship and wonder “when churches will fall completely out of use, what we shall turn them into.”

When churches become obsolete, we should all worry — regardless of what, or whether, we believe. That’s because religious spaces (and I’ll reference the Christian church, in particular, since that’s the one I’m most familiar with) are actually important binding agents in the civic glue that holds together our secular society. At their best, churches, the Black church in particular, helped build American democracy.

As the political scientist Robert D. Putnam wrote 20 years ago in his famous book Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community, churches are one of those places that help build social capital, which Putnam defines as the “connections among individuals’ social networks and the norms of reciprocity and trustworthiness that arise from them.”

In Change: How to Make Big Things

Happen, the communications scholar DaTwelve years before the 1955 Montgomery mon Centola disputes some of the received Bus Boycott, Parks worked to investigate inopinions we’ve come to have about social stances of Black men falsely accused of rape networks in the age of Twitter, Facebook, — a common pretext for lynching — and Instagram, TikTok and YouTube. While so- Black people sexually assaulted by whites. cial networking is dominant, actual social The historian Danielle L. McGuire docunetworks are fraying. ments this overlooked aspect of Parks’ biAs Centola writes, social networks are ba- ography in At the Dark End of the Street: sically the totality of people’s relationships, Black Women, Rape, and Resistance — A which may and may not be (more New History of the Civil Rights likely not) the same as Facebook Movement from Rosa Parks to friendships. the Rise of Black Power.

Networks “include everyone Too often, when we learn about we talk to, collaborate with, live historical figures and successful near, and seek out,” Centola people, their social networks get writes. “Our personal network obscured. We tend to see them as makes up our social world.” if they sprang fully formed into If we want to do more than the world. But this isn’t how make a dance go viral on Tikchange works in reality, CentoMICHAEL ROMAIN Tok, if we want to create a la argues. movement to protect voting rights, for in“Social networks are the coordinating stance, we need to rely on what Centola calls sinews that allow large numbers of regular strong-tie networks, as opposed to weak-tie people from many different walks of life to act together,” he writes. “When people act as networks.

“The geometry of weak-tie networks looks a coordinated whole, then any one person’s a lot like a fireworks display,” the author action — that of Rosa Parks, for example — carries with it a mass of anonymous people. writes. “Each person is at the epicenter of their own ‘explosion,’ and their weak ties That is how revolutions are sparked.”

So, as Centola explains, if we want to see reach out randomly in every direction. Each tie jumps to a different, sometimes faraway how change really works, the first step is place. There is very little social redundancy “to stop looking for the special people in the in weak ties. These people tend not to be con- network and instead start looking for the special places.” nected to one another’s friends.

Places like Holt Street Baptist Church, “The geometry of strong-tie networks looks more like a fishing net,” he adds. where King and other local leaders at the time met to strategize and stage the Mont“These networks have the appearance of an interlocking sequence of triangles and gomery bus boycott. Today the historic rectangles. This pattern, often referred to church, sadly, sits abandoned. as network clustering, is distinctive for its When I think of our present crisis of abundance of social redundancy. People are churchgoing, I think of my own church, a connected to one another’s friends.”

Baptist congregation in Maywood going The Black church, working in tandem through its own challenges. with other civic binding agents like the NaOur pastor of some five decades died a few tional Association for the Advancement of years ago. Eventually, we’ll be tasked with Colored People (NAACP) are what created selecting his permanent successor. I don’t the strong-tie networks responsible for the attend services very regularly, but I still conCivil Rights Movement. sider myself a member. This church, after Rosa Parks “was effective because she was all, was where I grew up, was nurtured, and not alone,” Centola writes, echoing Putnam. where I developed.

“She was part of a massive social network Sundays were a production, from morning of citizens who coordinated their efforts to until late in the evening, when I’d often fall protest segregation in the American South.” asleep on the pews, often under the sound of For instance, before she became famous relatives preaching (my grandfather, stepfor sitting on a bus (an act that ultimately father, grandmother and a great-aunt were paved the way for the massive misconcep- all ministers, assigned based on a rotating tion of Parks as a mere domestic servant schedule, to deliver a sermonette on any givwith tired feet who was passively foisted en evening). into history), she was one of the NAACP’s Before those late-night Vespers services, best sexual assault investigators. as they were called, a small group of us

would gather for what was called Baptist Training Union or BTU, for short. This was roughly an hour in a room picking through Bible scriptures before convening to sing

hymns and share testimonies.

The experience, much like Sunday school some 10 hours earlier, has stayed with me.

I realize now that it helped build character, provided reading and comprehension lessons, and wove around me a strong-tie network that I don’t think I could have gotten anywhere else.

One of my Sunday school teachers was Don Williams, who was also a minister at my church. Williams, the father of Cook County Clerk Karen Yarbrough, was the second Black mayor of Maywood (Maywood’s first Black mayor, Joe Freelon, was the longtime chairman of our church’s deacon board).

Williams was also once the leader of the Maywood branch of the NAACP, where he discovered a bright, charming and enthusiastic young student-leader and decided to appoint the teenage boy to be the civil rights organization’s local youth leader. That boy was Fred Hampton.

Various

institutional

nodes,

whether

churches or civic organizations like the NAACP, often interconnect, creating amplifying effects. Don Williams, Joe Freelon, Fred Hampton. I feel their cumulative influence intimately within me and that sense of history and tradition feeds my own sense of purpose.

It’s a powerful thing knowing that you aren’t alone in the world, that you’re part of a community of people who have been before you; who live, struggle and have their being beside you; and who will come after you.

What happens, as Larkin asked many years ago, when these binding institutions wither and die (“a shape less recognizable each week, a purpose more obscure”)?

I trust Larkin’s answer. Humans will be compelled to recreate them, “since someone will forever be surprising a hunger in himself to be more serious.”

Whether or not it’s possible, in our lonely TikTok and Twitter age, to create alternative institutions that are as effective at weaving social networks strong enough to spark the moral revolutions the world desperately needs right now is another question.

CONTACT: info@vfpress.news

12

Village Free Press | September 1, 2021

vfpress.news

vfpress.news

Village Free Press | September 1, 2021

TAX HIKE

Looking for solutions from page 1 viso Township and we’re planning to have a mayor’s meeting to talk more about this,” Harvey said. “I’ve sat down with the assessor in a closed door meeting. I have a good relationship with the assessor, so he and I sat down and talked.”

Bellwood experienced a median residential property tax increase of $1,900 over the 2019 tax year while its median commercial tax fell by $614.

Harvey said his conversation with the assessor helped him put the increase in some context.

The mayor said property taxes in the village have skyrocketed despite the village voting for 0% tax levy increases each year for at least the last 10 years.

One reason for the tax increases, Harvey said, is the fact that property values all across Proviso Township have increased year-over-year.

In 2019, the total assessed value of residential property in Proviso Township was $840,722,771. According to the Cook County Assessor’s Office 2020 assessment, the total was $933,751,542. After factoring in the final assessment level determined by the Cook County Board of Review, the total was lowered to $923,907,837 — a difference of about 10% from the assessor’s total valuation.

Residents can see how the assessments changed from the 2019 tax year to the 2020 tax year by visiting the assessor’s data dashboard at: www.cookcountyassessor.com/ township-av-2020.

“When you go from your property being worth $100,000 in 2019 to $170,000 in 2020, that’s a 60% increase in your property value,” Harvey said, citing hypothetical numbers that he said were exemplary of how significantly homes were rising in value across the village.

“The formula is the formula,” the mayor said, referencing the relatively complicated method by which the county and state calculate property taxes.

When he ran for office, Cook County Assessor Kaegi campaigned on reforming the way property taxes are calculated in order to redistribute the tax burden from homeowners to commercial property owners.

Kaegi has explained that his office would be able to more accurately calculate the value of commercial properties by requiring their owners to provide his office with his accurate income and expense data.

But multiple attempts by the assessor to push state lawmakers to pass a bill requiring commercial property owners to hand over that information have failed.

What’s more, Kaegi has said his office’s commercial property tax valuations have been undermined by the valuations of the Cook County Board of Review, the 3-person body that often modifies assessments after people appeal the assessor’s office value determination.

Kaegi has long criticized the review

13

board’s process as being beholden to well-heeled tax attorneys working on behalf of wealthy and powerful commercial property owners who can leverage their resources to reduce the size of their tax bills to a level lower than what they probably should be.

The review board has defended its method of assessing property evaluations by explaining that it’s case-by-case process of handling tax appeal requests is different from the assessor’s duty to determine property val- Hillside Mayor Joe Tamburino during a village board meeting in Hillside on Aug. 23. uations for the near 2 million parcels in Cook County.

File The Board of Review’s final 2019 total over the last year, which is factored into the profit IFF, built 12 units of affordable housassessed valuation huge tax increase. ing in Maywood in 2020, the deal with the for non-residential property Proviso Town“It’s a seller’s market right now,” he said. village resulted in no tax revenue collection, ship was $436,332,739.

Kaegi’s office increased that total signifi- “Homes don’t stay on the market in Bell- Booker said, adding that the developer’s cantly to $605,074,437 in the 2020 tax year, but wood long at all.” most recent plans to build 20 more units of Other mayors in Proviso suburbs that the Board of Review’s total of $480,946,537 housing in Maywood will result in tax revfor the 2020 tax year was much lower than have been taxed heavily have also responded enue. to the high tax bills. the assessor’s total 2020 valuation — a 26% Maywood Mayor Nathaniel George Book“Not only will all 20 units generate tax difference.

In Bellwood, while the median residential er posted on Facebook a photo from a recent revenue, but we will also be receiving $22K property tax jumped by 45%, the median meeting with Assessor Kaegi about proper- annually directly to the Village of Maywood commercial property tax for 2020 actually ty taxes. for the previously built 12 units that were “Thank you Assessor Fritz Kaegi for comdecreased by 5% — from $13,573 in tax year paying $0,” the mayor wrote in a Facebook ing to the Village of Maywood from the Cook 2019 to $12,959 in tax year 2020. post last week.

“Myself and other mayors in Proviso are County Assessor’s Office to discuss our Harvey also pointed to economic developstrategizing and meeting to figure out what property taxes. We are amongst the highest increases and Cook County Government ment, such as the coming development of a the next step is in our effort to bring more will be coming to our Maywood Tax Talks relief to our residents,” Mayor Harvey said, new QuickTrip fueling station and the conbefore pointing out an often overlooked fact meetings,” Booker wrote. struction of a 330,000-square foot industrial “We look forward to sitting with Assessor about the steep rise in residential property facility, as critical sources of commercial Kaegi addressing our highest taxes through taxes — not everyone’s tax bill is going up. taxes that will help lighten the residential Although the taxes on 4,201 of Bellwood’s community advocacy, legal engagement, 5,890 parcels increased, the taxes on 1,560 and changes in County/State/Federal legis- tax burden.

“These are the kinds of things we do to parcels decreased. Another 129 parcels were lation.”

Booker, who made the village’s high prop- keep from raising taxes,” Harvey said. either brand new or experienced no change erty taxes central to his mayoral campaign in the amount of taxes billed on them.

But a structural solution to the plight of Across Proviso Township, 64% of residen- earlier this year, was influential in pushing property taxpayers in Proviso Township, tial properties were taxed higher in tax year the village board to vote for a 0% tax levy where most of the suburbs are predomi2020 than in tax year 2019, with 36% of those increase in December 2020, echoing Bellnantly minority, may take more than private properties hit with tax increases between wood’s no levy increase stance. development activity, Harvey said.

The flat levy, critics have said, makes the $1,000 and $2,500.

“I’m looking for a solution and I don’t A chart detailing the number of residen- village’s already precarious financial conditial and commercial properties that were tion even more fragile and jeopardizes the think anybody has given me one yet,” the hit with higher property taxes and by how suburb’s ability to fund for basic services mayor said. “I am open to suggestions. We’ll much. The chart is featured in the Pappas and pay for emergency expenses. have a town hall meeting soon and if we report, which also provides breakdowns by Booker has argued that the village have to go to Springfield and march and figsuburb. “should do more to discipline its spending ure out what we can do to better accommo“What’s devastating about that, which I and to improve the services it already prodate Black and Brown communities, then so had not realized until recently, is that if my vides,” according to previous Village Free [equalized assessed valuation] goes up by Press reporting. be it, because we’re getting hit real hard.” $50,000 and my neighbor’s EAV goes down Booker has also touted his administraby $50,000, then my taxes go up and his go tion’s work with ensuring that a nonprofit CONTACT: info@vfpress.news down,” the mayor said. “ developer of affordable housing contributes Harvey said he knows the housing market to the tax base. in Bellwood has heated up tremendously When the developer, Chicago-based non-

14

vfpress.news

Village Free Press | September 1, 2021

Madison Street bar’s liquor license revoked by mayor Forest Park Mayor Rory Hoskins continued hearing on matter of Pioneer Tap, 7445 Randolph St.

By IGOR STUDENKOV Contributing Reporter

Forest Park Mayor Rory Hoskins revoked the liquor license of the Forest Park Tap Room, 7321 Madison St., Aug. 26 based on an alleged incident on July 30 of serving alcohol after hours. The revocation though is based, he said, on an ongoing series of local ordinance violations at the bar.

Hoskins is also considering suspending the liquor license for Pioneer Tap, 7445 Randolph St. Hoskins, who serves as the village liquor commissioner, said he revoked the Tap Room’s liquor license because this was the third time it came before the liquor commission in the past year. Tap Room previously had its liquor license suspended on April 3 and June 9 due to multiple violations of

local ordinances, with the previous suspension imposed because it stayed open past closing hours. On July 31, it was charged with allegedly staying open past closing again – which, Hoskins said, was the last straw.

The Aug. 26 hearing was also originally supposed to address a complaint against Pioneer Tap over a July 30 incident, when a fight inside the bar allegedly escalated into an attempt to run a person over with a car, which resulted in a car crash. That hearing was postponed, with Hoskins saying the new hearing date hasn’t been scheduled as of Aug. 26. He declined to comment on the incident.

On July 31, Forest Park police cited the Tap Room for allegedly having the bar open over an hour past closing time. Under the village’s liquor regulations in force at the time, bars had to close by 11 p.m., and all patrons had to be out of the bar. According to the police report, an officer on patrol on Madison Street saw “4-5” patrons eating at the table “adjacent to the bar” and several patrons standing in the middle of the bar at 12:02 a.m. Bar co-owner Hansel Law told the officer that all patrons were bar employees,

but the report notes that none of the employees were working that day. An administrative hearing was scheduled for Sept. 8 at 5 p.m.

Tap Room previously had its liquor license suspended on June 19 for 10 days for staying open past closing hours, and on April 3 for nine days due to what the village described as multiple ordinance violations over the preceding 12 months, including open alcohol, theft, excessive noise, patrons in the bar after hours, and other violations of local ordinances.

Hoskins said that, while the July 31 incident contributed to his decision, “the reason why the license was revoked was due to repeated violations,” citing the previous suspensions.

Tap Room’s owners didn’t immediately respond to calls and e-mails seeking comment.

Pioneer Tap was featured in a July 30 incident when Forest Park police officers were dispatched to the scene near Randolph and Circle at about 10:30 p.m. to respond to a crash involving two vehicles after which one of the drivers allegedly pulled out a gun.

Witnesses told police a 2008 Acura accelerated at high speed out of the parking lot of

nearby Submarine Tender and appeared intent on striking a man walking in the street. The Acura missed the pedestrian but crashed into a 2005 Honda Accord, which was westbound on Randolph Street.

The driver of the Acura, who was wearing a white shirt, then reportedly exited the vehicle, displayed a handgun and then ran away north on Brown Avenue. The man matching the description of the Acura driver was involved in a fight at Pioneer Tap at 10:20 p.m.

In his complaint, acting Forest Park Police Chief Kenneth Gross alleged that Pioneer Tap violated Section 3-3-13B of the Forest Park Municipal Code, which requires liquor license holders to “employ sufficient agents or employees on the premises in order to maintain the peace” and requires the bar to “immediately notify the police department” if an agent or employee observes “any type of criminal activity or fighting.” The municipal code states that violations of the section are grounds for liquor license suspension or termination, and/or fines. Hoskins has the discretion to decide on the exact penalty.

Hoskins declined to comment on the matter, saying it was an ongoing case.

vfpress.news

Village Free Press | September 1, 2021

REAL ESTATE FOR SALE

REAL ESTATE FOR SALE

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION U.S. BANK TRUST NATIONAL ASSOCIATION AS TRUSTEE OF CABANA SERIES III TRUST; Plaintiff, vs.

HOLLY S. HUNTER; J ANDRE WOOLEY AKA JUNIOUS WOOLEY; UNKNOWN OWNERS AND NON RECORD CLAIMANTS; Defendants, 20 CH 3308 NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above entitled cause Intercounty Judicial Sales Corporation will on Monday, October 4, 2021 at the hour of 11 a.m. in their office at 120 West Madison Street, Suite 718A, Chicago, Illinois, sell at public auction to the highest bidder for cash, as set forth below, the following described mortgaged real estate: Commonly known as 2106 South 7th Street, Maywood, Illinois 60153.

P.I.N. 15-14-325-015-0000.

The mortgaged real estate is improved with a single family residence. If the subject mortgaged real estate is a unit of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by subsection (g-1) of Section 18.5 of the Condominium Property Act. Sale terms: 10% down by certified funds, balance, by certified funds, within 24 hours. No refunds. The property will NOT be open for inspection For information call Ms. Mary E. Spitz at Plaintiff’s Attorney, Sottile & Barile, LLC, 7530 Lucerne Drive, Middleburg Heights, OH 44130.

(440) 572-1512. ILF1904002 INTERCOUNTY JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION intercountyjudicialsales.com I3174885

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION TOWD POINT MORTGAGE TRUST 2018-1, U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS INDENTURE TRUSTEE; Plaintiff, vs.

JAVIER MARTINEZ; MARIA F. MARTINEZ; UNKNOWN OWNERS AND NON RECORD CLAIMANTS; Defendants, 19 CH 5855 NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above entitled cause Intercounty Judicial Sales Corporation will on Tuesday, September 28, 2021 at the hour of 11 a.m. in their office at 120 West Madison Street, Suite 718A, Chicago, Illinois, sell at public auction to the highest bidder for cash, as set forth below, the following described mortgaged real estate: P.I.N. 15-10-101-053-0000.

Commonly known as 124 N. 23RD AVE., MELROSE PARK, IL 60160.

The mortgaged real estate is improved with a single family residence. If the subject mortgaged real estate is a unit of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by subsection (g-1) of Section 18.5 of the Condominium Property Act. Sale terms: 10% down by certified funds, balance, by certified funds, within 24 hours. No refunds. The property will NOT be open for inspection.

For information call Mr. Ira T. Nevel at Plaintiff’s Attorney, Law Offices of Ira T. Nevel, 175 North Franklin Street, Chicago, Illinois 60606. (312) 357-1125. 19-00339 INTERCOUNTY JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION intercountyjudicialsales.com I3174372

EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY

All real estate advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Fair Housing Act, which makes it illegal to advertise any preference, limitation or discrimination based on age, race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status or national origin, or intention to make any such preferences, limitations or discrimination.

The Illinois Human Rights Act prohibits discrimination in the sale, rental or advertising of real estate based on factors in addition to those protected under federal law.

This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. All persons are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised are available on an equal opportunity basis.

Restrictions or prohibitions of pets do not apply to service animals.

To complain of discrimination, call HUD toll free at: 1-800-669-9777.

REAL ESTATE FOR SALE

REAL ESTATE FOR SALE

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION DEUTSCHE BANK NATIONAL TRUST COMPANY, AS TRUSTEE FOR NOVASTAR MORTGAGE FUNDING TRUST, SERIES 2007-1 NOVASTAR HOME EQUITY LOAN ASSET-BACKED CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2007-1 Plaintiff, -v.STEVE W. WILLIAMS, SANDRA WELK WILLIAMS, UNKNOWN OWNERS AND NONRECORD CLAIMANTS Defendants 2020CH03553 2317 SOUTH 13TH AVENUE BROADVIEW, IL 60155 NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on June 28, 2021, an agent for The Judicial Sales Corporation, will at 10:30 AM on September 30, 2021, at The Judicial Sales Corporation, One South Wacker Drive, CHICAGO, IL, 60606, sell at a public sale to the highest bidder, as set forth below, the following described real estate: Commonly known as 2317 SOUTH 13TH AVENUE, BROADVIEW, IL 60155 Property Index No. 15-22-212-0210000 The real estate is improved with a single family residence.

Sale terms: 25% down of the highest bid by certified funds at the close of the sale payable to The Judicial Sales Corporation. No third party checks will be accepted. The balance, including the Judicial Sale fee for the Abandoned Residential Property Municipality Relief Fund, which is calculated on residential real estate at the rate of $1 for each $1,000 or fraction thereof of the amount paid by the purchaser not to exceed $300, in certified funds/ or wire transfer, is due within twenty-four (24) hours. No fee shall be paid by the mortgagee acquiring the residential real estate pursuant to its credit bid at the sale or by any mortgagee, judgment creditor, or other lienor acquiring the residential real estate whose rights in and to the residential real estate arose prior to the sale. The subject property is subject to general real estate taxes, special assessments, or special taxes levied against said real estate and is offered for sale without any representation as to quality or quantity of title and without recourse to Plaintiff and in “AS IS” condition. The sale is further subject to confirmation by the court.

Upon payment in full of the amount bid, the purchaser will receive a Certificate of Sale that will entitle

the purchaser to a deed to the real estate after confirmation of the sale.

The property will NOT be open for inspection and plaintiff makes no representation as to the condition of the property. Prospective bidders are admonished to check the court file to verify all information.

If this property is a condominium unit, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale, other than a mortgagee, shall pay the assessments and the legal fees required

by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/9(g)(1) and (g)(4). If this property is a condominium unit which is part of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/18.5(g-1).

IF YOU ARE THE MORTGAGOR (HOMEOWNER), YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN IN POSSESSION FOR 30 DAYS AFTER ENTRY OF AN ORDER OF POSSESSION, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 15-1701(C) OF THE ILLINOIS MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE LAW. You will need a photo identification issued by a government agency (driver’s license, passport, etc.) in order to gain entry into our building and the foreclosure sale room in Cook County and the same identification for sales held at other county venues where The Judicial Sales Corporation conducts foreclosure sales.

For information, examine the court file, CODILIS & ASSOCIATES, P.C. Plaintiff’s Attorneys, 15W030 NORTH FRONTAGE ROAD, SUITE 100, BURR RIDGE, IL, 60527 (630) 794-9876 THE JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION One South Wacker Drive, 24th Floor, Chicago, IL 60606-4650 (312) 236-SALE You can also visit The Judicial Sales Corporation at www.tjsc.com for a 7 day status report of pending sales.

CODILIS & ASSOCIATES, P.C. 15W030 NORTH FRONTAGE ROAD, SUITE 100 BURR RIDGE IL, 60527 630-794-5300 E-Mail: pleadings@il.cslegal.com Attorney File No. 14-20-02875 Attorney ARDC No. 00468002 Attorney Code. 21762 Case Number: 2020CH03553 TJSC#: 41-1068 NOTE: Pursuant to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, you are advised that Plaintiff’s attorney is deemed to be a debt collector attempting to collect a debt and any information obtained will be used for that purpose.

Case # 2020CH03553 I3174712

REAL ESTATE FOR SALE

REAL ESTATE FOR SALE

15

REAL ESTATE FOR SALE

g n a H in e ther od o w y a M We are here for you!

Get local news and stay in touch at www.vfpress.news thevillagefreepress.org Twitter: @village_free Facebook: @maywoodnews

141 S. Oak Park Ave., Oak Park, IL 773.626.6332 | VFPress.news

Village Free Press

Global Business Center has the solution for your business needs:

• Coworking spaces • Conference room • Wi-fi, and more!

We’re located at 840 S 17th Avenue Maywood, IL 60153 For more information, go to www.globalbizctr.com

16

vfpress.news

Village Free Press | September 1, 2021

Help is available to navigate back-to-school stress We are here to help parents, guardians and teachers cope Many teachers and families of school-age children are experiencing new levels of anxiety this school year. They are faced with managing their own responsibilities while also supporting their children’s needs.

Things you can do to take care of yourself so you can provide social support to others: • Pay attention to your physical health.

• Take breaks and do things that you enjoy.

• Keep socially connected and avoid isolation through phone calls, video chats and positive online engagement.

• If you need to speak to someone, consider reaching out to your doctor, counselor, clergy or mental health professional.

We are here to help parents, guardians and teachers who are feeling overwhelmed and overburdened.

Call our admissions office at 708-209-4181. or visit riveredgehospital.com to learn more about how we can help.

We are all in this together and we can help you through this.

Services we offer include: • No-cost 24/7 assessments, available virtually from home • Inpatient treatment • In-person or virtual outpatient services • Remote tele-psychiatry services

8311 W. Roosevelt Road Forest Park, Illinois 60130 riveredgehospital.com

For language assistance, disability accommodations and the non-discrimination notice, visit our website. Physicians are on the medical staff of Riveredge Hospital, but, with limited exceptions, are independent practitioners who are not employees or agents of Riveredge Hospital. The facility shall not be liable for actions or treatments provided by physicians. Model representations of real patients are shown. Actual patients cannot be divulged due to HIPAA regulations. 211429-2314 8/21