Vol. IV No. 43 Car crashes into Bellwood apartment, PAGE 6
D209 teachers directed to return to classrooms
OCTOBER 21, 2020
theVillageFreePress.org
Sample Ballots, PAGES 7-11
HISTORIC WAIT: People stand outside of Bellwood Village Hall in Bellwood to vote early on Oct. 19, the first day of early voting across suburban Cook County.
Supt. James Henderson said teachers expected to show up Oct. 19 Shanel Romain
By MARIA MAXHAM Forest Park Review
Teachers in Proviso Township High Schools District 209 were ordered to return to classrooms on Oct. 19, despite the Proviso Teachers’ Union and dozens of educators in the district speaking against the decision at the Oct. 13 meeting of the Proviso Township High Schools board of education. According to many of the teachers, a memo of understanding was presented to them by Superintendent James Henderson early in the school year allowing them to have the option of returning to their classrooms or teaching from home, since all education is still remote. But Henderson changed his mind and issued a directive about two weeks ago, demanding that teachers teach from the school buildings, where Promethean boards See D209 on page 4
‘The absolute election of our lives’ Hundreds wait in long lines to vote early in Proviso Township
By MICHAEL ROMAIN Editor
Leandre Jones, of Bellwood, woke up on Oct. 19 — the first day of early voting across all of suburban Cook County — with the intentions of casting his ballot at Bellwood Village Hall, 3200 Washington Blvd. in Bellwood. But when he saw the line, which was wrapped around the village’s municipal complex just after the polls opened at 8:30 a.m., Jones made other plans.
He drove a few miles east to the Whitcomb Building near the Maywood Courthouse at 1311 Maybrook Square in Maywood. There, the line, while long, was much shorter than the one in his hometown. “It’s really important that we get out and voice our opinion,” Jones said. “I vote every election, anyway; but we need somebody right now who is going to lead the country and right now we don’t have that. I always vote Democratic, but now all the way down ballot. This time, though, I’m going down
ballot and taking my time, because I think the Senate is important, too.” Jones is among hundreds who trekked to the three main early voting locations in Proviso Township on the first day of early voting. The lines are consistent with scenes happening all across the country as election experts project what could be record turnout this year. But with the turnout comes unprecedented challenges unique to a See EARLY VOTING on page 2