Village Free Press_102820

Vol. IV No. 44 Teachers file complaint against D209, PAGE 8

Westchester Food Pantry seeks new home Nonprofit eyeing storefront at 1938 S. Mannheim Rd. in Westchester

OCTOBER 28, 2020

theVillageFreePress.org

Maywood, River Forest draw closer, PAGE 8

SURVIVORS: Six women with ties to Proviso Township shared their breast cancer survival stories. Standing, left to right: Tonya Taylor, Jophelia Boston and Tasha Polk. Sitting, left to right: Tracy Markey, Sharon Howell and Samantha Redmond at Berkeley Park in Berkeley on Oct. 14.

Read more on page 4.

By MICHAEL ROMAIN Editor

The Westchester Food Pantry is at an inflection point in its roughly 25-year history. Amid a historic pandemic and resulting economic recession, the pantry’s services have never been more needed. And yet, its existence may be as fragile as ever, as it seeks to locate to a new home and raise capital to fund the transition.

The pantry has identified a possible space to operate in the future after learning that they’ll lose their current space inside of Westchester Village Hall, 10300 Roosevelt Rd. In Westchester, once the village moves its municipal functions to a new facility next year. For years, the village has allowed the pantry to utilize space inside of Village Hall at no charge.

The small storefront the pantry is eyeing See FOOD PANTRY on page 7

SHANEL ROMAIN

Indoor dining suspended again starting Oct. 28, governor says State, local officials say new restrictions come amid fresh resurgence of COVID-19 cases

By MICHAEL ROMAIN Editor

State and local officials announced on Oct. 26 new restrictions amid a resurgence of COVID-19 cases. Starting at 12:01 a.m., on Wednesday,

Oct. 28, all indoor dining and bar service will once again be prohibited, all outside gaming, casino and services will close by 11 p.m., and social gatherings will be limited to fewer than 25 people or 25 percent of overall

room capacity, among other restrictions.

In a statement released Oct. 26, Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s office explained that Region 10, which includes all of suburban Cook County, saw “sustained

increases” in COVID-19 cases that “exceed the thresholds set for establishing mitigation measures under the state’s Restore Illinois Resurgence Plan.”

Dr. Rachel Rubin, the co-lead See RESTRICTIONS on page 10

2

thevillagefreepress.org

Village Free Press | October 28, 2020

the village free press Editor & Publisher Michael Romain Senior Sales & Strategic Consultant Kamil Brady Editorial Designer Andrew Mead Advertising Design Support Debbie Becker, Mark Moroney 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 thevillagefreepress.org 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. © 2020 Village Free Press We’re proud to partner with Growing Community Media, NFP. Publisher Dan Haley

“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

Community members march against violence in Maywood

The Oct. 17 march was organized by Noble Knights and P.O.E.T.

By MICHAEL ROMAIN Editor

As he stood outside of Irving Middle School, 805 S. 17th Ave. in Maywood, DeAndre Hawthorne, the poet and activist who also goes by the name of Blaq Ice, said the names of gun violence victims in Maywood while live-streaming on his phone.

Hawthorne was among roughly two dozen people who gathered outside of the school on Oct. 17 before marching roughly 12 blocks to 5th Avenue and Fred Hampton Way, where they indulged in spoken word poetry and other activities. Hawthorne heads up People of Extraordinary Talent (P.O.E.T.), one of the organization’s that helped organized the march.

“We’re trying to inspire the youth,” said Hawthorne, who helped organize the event in order to bring attention to what he and others at the march described as an epidemic of Black-on-Black violence.

Hawthorne said he’s helped organize

Shanel Romain

MARCH FOR PEACE: The march organized by Noble Knights and P.O.E.T. started in front of Irving Middle School in Maywood.

and the calls for police justice and accountability,” Hawthorne said. “We do need that, but we also need to be accountable for us killing us.”

Aaron Janovsky, the founder of Noble Knights and one of the event’s coorganizers, said that the march was an effort to inspire young people in the Black community and impact culture.

“We need to unite our culture,” he said. “It’s time our to get culture together.

We need to look in the mirror.

We’ve got to recognize that Shanel Romain the only way we MAKING A STATEMENT: Community members who participated in move forward is if we unite the demonstration on Oct. 17 said that they wanted to speak out our culture and against violence rampant in Black communities like Maywood. get our youth involved in programs, and marches across Chicago before taking make sure our government officials are part in the Maywood march on Saturday. giving us resources we need to uplift our “We’re going to keep marching youth.” anywhere there’s violence, anywhere Before the march started, Fred Hampton where our people are killing each other,” Jr., the son of slain Black Panther Fred he said.

Hampton, reminded the participants of The week before the event, a 35-yearthe significance of the event’s staging old man was gunned down just up the area. Hampton Sr. attended Irving as a street from the Maywood school, near the child. intersection of 17th Avenue and Madison The school was located just across the Street. street from his childhood home, where “This march is something, in addition Hampton Jr. currently resides. The son to the Black Lives Matter movement has turned the house into a living homage

to his father and the legacy of the Black Panther Party.

Hampton said history is a powerful antidote to the violence that is rampant in Black communities like Maywood.

“Knowing our history trickles down to how we view ourselves,” Hampton Jr. said. “It’s important that children, in particular, know about the contributions of organizations [like the Black Panthers]. Before schools had free lunch programs, the Black Panther Party had free lunch and medical centers.”

State Rep. Emanuel “Chris” Welch (7th) said to those gathered on Oct. 17, that the violence in Maywood “is symbolic of the lack of opportunity, the lack of economic investment we see around the community right now. If we’re going to put a stop to the violence, we’ve got to provide some kind of opportunities to get these guys off the streets.”

Welch said that the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus’ current effort to address systemic racism at the state level by introducing a variety of proposed laws will help realize that opportunity.

Local activist Phyllis Duncan, the founder of Mothers of Murdered Sons, said that the focus also has to be on healing from trauma.

“My concern is the lives of our young people who are affected by the many murders in our community, because these are family members, fathers, uncles cousins,” she said. “The trauma that comes from this is in the household. We don’t know how this is affecting people.

Healing has to start.”

CONTACT: info@vfpress.news

thevillagefreepress.org

Village Free Press | October 28, 2020

3

Berkeley and Hillside studying potential of key corridor Villages partnering with CMAP on plan that explores redeveloping Prairie Path and Taft Avenue corridor

By IGOR STUDENKOV Contributing Reporter

The villages of Berkeley and Hillside are working with the Berkeley Park District and the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) to figure out the best way to develop the area around the portion of the Illinois Prairie Path that runs through both villages and the portion of Taft Avenue, between the path and Elm Avenue.

The Prairie Path was originally the Chicago Aurora & Elgin electric interurban train line that used to run between Aurora and downtown Chicago. After the line shut down in 1961, Illinois converted most of it into a walking and biking trail that goes as far east as Forest Park.

Berkeley and Hillside see this connection as a major asset that could attract visitors and businesses, and officials from those towns are trying to figure out the best way to take advantage of it.

CMAP, which has been providing technical assistance for the planning process, presented its Existing Conditions Analysis

to the Berkeley Board of Trustees during a meeting on Oct. 2. CMAP will be gathering public input throughout the fall and working with a steering committee to draft a final plan.

The initial recommendations are expected to be released in February and the final plan is expected to be ready by June 2021.

The CMAP analysis also studied the surrounding area bound roughly by the Tri-State Tollway in the west, by Warren Ave. in the south, Wolf Rd. in the east, and Hawthorne and Burr Oak avenues in the north.

Rudy Espiritu, Berkeley’s village administrator, said that the villages and the park district thought that having the corridors reach their full potential would benefit everyone.

“What we’re trying to do together is basically look at the Taft corridor and [see] how we can leverage resources to improve it for both of our communities,” he said.

“We know that the Prairie Path is heavily used and we want to know what kind of businesses would be good in this area for those who’d want to use Prairie Path.”

As the CMAP presentation noted, while some of the information was gathered before the pandemic, much of the information was collected this year. CMAP noted that the pandemic is likely to have long-term impact on those statistics, though it was too early to

tell what that impact would be.

“We anticipate changes over time to data related to demographics, economic development and transportation in the study area.” the presentation stated.

The study noted that none of the commercial properties along Taft Avenue, the only commercial corridor within the study area, are vacant. The average rent in the area is $12.85 per square foot.

In comparison, the retail vacancy rate is 5.2 percent in Berkeley and 8.2 percent in Hillside, and their average retail rent is $13.96 per square foot and $15.07 per square foot, respectively.

This is notable, because there are several properties that could be redeveloped as retail, including the former site of Pet Celebrations at 1812 Taft Ave., the Berkeley – Hillside Presbyterian Church site at 5207 Ridge Ave., and the vacant property at 1758 N. Taft Ave. Based on the analysis of retail sales and existing demand, CMAP found that there was demand for restaurants, and clothing and accessories stores.

Looking at transportation, the study found that only six people who live in the study area also work within the study area, while 1,138 people work outside the study area and 116 people work in the study area, but live outside it.

About a quarter of commuters work in

Chicago while the rest work elsewhere in Hillside, as well as Elmhurst, Melrose Park and Oak Brook.

While there are transit options in the area, none of them serve the study area directly.

The closest Metra station to the study area is the Union Pacific West Line’s Berkeley station at the village’s northern border.

Pace Route 311 serves St. Charles Road north of the corridor, linking commuters to several Metra stations further west and the Austin/Lake Green Line ‘L’ station, while Route 310 serves Butterfield Road further south and links the villages to the Forest Park Blue Line ‘L’ station.

The Prairie Trail is a useful amenity for bicyclists and pedestrians, and it has relatively low traffic levels, which could provide an opportunity for businesses that can take advantage of the bicycling/ pedestrian traffic, the study explains.

But the study also found some safety challenges in the area, particularly at the intersection of Taft and Electric avenues, which parallel the trail in Berkeley. There were two accidents involving bicycles at that intersection between 2010 and 2016, and some portions of Electric Avenue lack sidewalks.

The study also recommended increasing open spaces and adding green infrastructure to reduce flooding.

CONTACT: info@vfpress.news

Bitty Basketball held on Saturdays, September 12-December 19, 9am to 12pm for young aspiring basketball players. This years’ focus is on skills & drills while adhering to CDC guidelines.

Registration fee of $55 is being accepted in person at Eisenhower Community Center in Hillside.

Questions, Call (708) 547-3900 x4 Memorial Park District Fall Special Events: Scarecrows on Parade display along the path & trails in Hillside on the Eisenhower Community Center campus. T-Frames will be available October 1st and all displays will be removed November 30th. Register $15. per T-Frame at Eisenhower Community Center in Hillside. Questions, Call (708) 547-3900 x4 Halloween Drive Thru bring your child by car and your goblins will receive a treat bag! For children in costume up to 9 years of age. Saturday, October 31, Noon to 2pm while treats last at Stevenson Center Park 3105 Washington Blvd, Bellwood. Questions, Call (708) 547-3900 x4

4

thevillagefreepress.org

Village Free Press | October 28, 2020

Proviso Township breast cancer survivors share their stories

‘Something told me to just go and get the exam done’

By SHANEL ROMAIN Contributor

Earlier this month, six women gathered at Berkeley Park, 1200 Lind Ave. in Berkeley, for a photo shoot in commemoration of Breast Cancer Awareness month. The women talked about their diagnoses, their paths to recovery and other experiences. These are their stories in their own words.

Tasha Polk, 42, Bellwood Age of diagnosis: 41 Stage: Zero (the earliest stage of diagnosis) At the time, I didn’t have insurance, because I wasn’t working, which delayed the process of getting the diagnostic and ultrasound done. However, I Googled some places that offered assistance with getting mammograms done. The hospital supplied financial assistance that I applied for and I was approved.

The radiologist scanned the mass, and they found calcification. The breast surgeon told me the breast cancer was due to the radiation I received while getting treated for Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. I was shocked that I had not been told that the treatment would lead to other cancers.

The first week, I cried. I asked, ‘How can this be? How could this be happening again?’ The good this is that I was diagnosed at stage zero. The doctor told me had I waited until my annual exam, which I

was scheduled to get this year, the cancer would have progressed to stage one. I got a double mastectomy to avoid going through radiation again or risking breast cancer developing in my other breast.

I got my mammogram in October 2019.

Since it was breast cancer awareness month, some hospitals offer the exams for free.

Something told me to just go ahead and get the exam done at that point and not to wait until 2020.

Tonya Taylor, 49, Broadview Age of diagnosis: 39 Stage: Two Most of the time, they tell you not to get a mammogram until you’re 40 years old.

I just happened to touch my breast and felt something abnormally hard. God put my hand right on my breast, because I usually don’t touch my breasts and didn’t do self-examinations. I also didn’t have any symptoms or anything protruding outside of my body. If I hadn’t touched my breast, I would not have known. I went through 10 rounds of chemotherapy for five months and three months of radiation.

Samantha, 52, Hillside Age of diagnosis: 47 Stage: Zero I was self-diagnosed. I felt a lump. I’m steady with my mammogram, so it was caught early. The earlier the better. If I had waited to get my mammogram the following year, who knows what would have happened.

Thankfully, it didn’t make it to my lymph

HEALING CIRCLE: Six women who gathered for a photo shoot in Berkeley on Oct. 14 in commemoration of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

EARLY DETECTION KEY: Tasha Polk, 42, of Bellwood, tells her story to the other give ladies who met each other for the first time at Berkeley Park in Berkeley on Oct. 14. nodes.

Once I grasped the knowledge, I went into prayer mode. I gradually told family members. I told everyone, ‘If you can’t pray for me, don’t be looking at me all sad.

I just need people to pray for me. I started reaching out to people at my church who I knew would pray for me, as well.

Jophelia Fletcher Boston, 57, Bellwood Age when diagnosed: 45 Stage: Zero I was diagnosed through a routine mammogram. I had skipped getting one the previous two years leading up to my diagnosis, actually. That was a crazy year. I had lost one of my brothers in a tornado, so getting an exam was not at the top of my list.

We have dense breasts in my family, so I usually have to go for a more in-depth mammogram. And they saw some changes in my breasts from the previous two years.

I received a less invasive treatment, since I was diagnosed at stage zero. I only had to have radiation treatments for two months. If you must have it, that’s the stage you want to get it. Early dection is key. When you’re in denial, it doesn’t make it not true.

Tracy Hart Markey, 51, Westchester Age diagnosed: 40 Stage: Two Eleven years ago, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I had to go through seven rounds of chemotherapy.

I was in the shower, when the doctor called and told me. I sat in the shower and cried until I drained the hot water tank. When the water got cold, I got out and decided I would never shed another tear for breast cancer. I prayed to Jesus more than I had ever done.

I’d always been a Christian, but my faither became so much stronger during that time.

My faith blossomed after dealing with that.

Early detection is key. Yes, a mammogram can hurt, but it will only be for a few seconds.

You can be afraid, but just know that with the knowledge and equipment that they have, if they catch it early enough you’ll be fine. You’ll be a survivor along with the rest of us. There is a way to live through breast cancer and beat it. You know how your body feels and if something doesn’t feel right, check it out.

Sharon Howell, 68, Franklin Park (grew up in Maywood)

Age diagnosed: 63 Stage: Zero Even though I was diagnosed at stage zero, there’s something about that word cancer that makes you fearful and you go through a lot of ups and downs, because of it.

At the time I was diagnosed, little did we know that my oldest sister Joyce was in her final stages of breast cancer. She died on my last day of radiation. So, my journey has been kind of up and down, because on the day I should have been celebrating -- ringing my bell [a traditional ceremony that happens on the last day of cancer treatment] -- I got news that my sister had lost her battle. So, that put added stress on my recovery, because I didn’t know whether I should be celebrating or mourning. It was any oxymoronic day.

I tell every sister -- white, Black, Brown, blue -- get your mammogram. Get them regularly. I believe that’s what saved my life. I was able to have that mammogram every year. And when the technician looked at my breasts and saw a slight chance that I had breast cancer, they went into action.

So, I didn’t have to take chemo. Breast cancer treatment has come a long way and the cancer is no longer a death sentence.

Because of that treatment, I’m living today.

CONTACT: info@vfpress.news

For more information on Breast Cancer and how to perform a self-examination, please visit www. nationalbreastcancer.org/breast-self-exam.

For anyone without insurance, Loyola University Medical Center provides free mammograms to women in need. Call (708) 216-9000 for more details.

If you or someone you know are going through Breast Cancer, in the area, Pink Divas and Gents are available for support. They can be reached at: pinkdivasandgents@gmail.com.

For those who are interested in a free wig contact Dianne Syrovatka, email her at konsultant@att.net.

Maywood man murdered on mayor’s block Open.

Trusted.

Here to Help.Open.

thevillagefreepress.org

Village Free Press | October 28, 2020

‘We don’t need this,’ Mayor Perkins says after man fatally shot on her block Oct. 22

By MICHAEL ROMAIN Editor

Maywood Mayor Edwenna Perkins spoke out against violence in the village and took the local police to task on Oct. 22, after having to call the authorities about a shooting on her own block. According to emergency dispatch reports, a young man was shot in a car on the 1400 block of 12th Avenue in Maywood, where Perkins lives.

The mayor said that she heard the gunshots herself and called the police soon afterwards. She said the incident happened after she came from a town hall meeting earlier in the evening. According to dispatch records, the shooting happened sometime after 7:30 p.m. First-responders reportedly arrived to find a man unresponsive who had apparently been shot in the head.

The man, later identified as Roynal Coleman, 49, died later that evening from multiple gunshot wounds, according to the Cook County Medical Examiner’s office.

In a statement released Oct. 23, Maywood

Police said that detectives from the department are still investigating the shooting. Anyone with information should contact the department’s Investigations Unit at (708) 450-4471, extension 4307. Residents who want to assist anonymously with the investigation should call the Maywood Tip Line at (708) 450-1787.

Mayor Perkins said that she called the first number soon after hearing the gunshots.

“I did hear the gunshots and I called the 450-4471 number and was told that if I hear the shots again, call back,” Perkins said, adding that she knew the victim, who has lived on her block for years.

“He’s a nice young man,” Perkins said. “I hope everything is well with him.”

The recent incident of gun violence is just the latest in a slew of reported incidents that have happened in the last several weeks. On Oct. 21, police responded to reports of gunshots at the corner of 4th Avenue and Washington Boulevard, at around 10:30 p.m. According to dispatch and a video taken by a Maywood resident, police apprehended at least one man in connection to the shooting.

Perkins said that the recent crime seems to have gotten beyond the ability of the Maywood Police Department and Police Chief Valdimir Talley, in particular, to handle.

“I don’t feel that the police chief has a handle on the violence, because if he did, we would not be having these problems,”

Trusted.

Open.

Trusted.Here to Open.

Here toHelp.

Perkins said, adding that on her way to town hall meeting on Oct. 22, a neighbor told her that the Family Dollar at 1019 Madison St. in Maywood had been robbed at gunpoint.

“My neighbor just missed being part of that robbery today,” Perkins said. “This was right down the street from us. She just missed that. She said, if it had been a minute sooner, she’d have been there. And now, her neighbor has gotten shot. That young man has lived on my block for years. I know him and his momma. I’ve been here for 60 years and this has never happened on my block.”

Perkins said that she’s been calling for more police in the village for months, but doesn’t feel that they have a presence in the village or that the chief has a plan for addressing the crime.

“Residents should go to the board meetings and ask the chief, ‘What are you doing? How are you going to take care of this? What’s the plan to take care of the problem? That’s the question,” Perkins said. “We don’t need this.

This we do not need.”

Talley could not be reached for comment last week. Perkins said that there will be a town hall meeting on the issue of policing in Maywood on Oct. 29, 6:30 p.m., inside Council Chambers at 125 S. 5th Ave. in Maywood.

CONTACT: info@vfpress.news

As always, we’re here for you — open, trusted and ready to deliver a superior behavioral healthcare experience.

Help.

Trusted.

Here to Help.

If you or someone you know is in need of mental health treatment, call us or 708-209-4181 As always, we’re heretoday. for you open, we’re here for you — open, As —always, visit our website trusted and ready to deliver a superior trusted and ready to deliver a superior behavioral healthcare experience.

708-209-4181 behavioral healthcare experience. riveredgehospital.com riveredgehospital.com If you or someone you know is in need of mental health treatment, call us or visit our website today. If you or

someone you know is in need 708-209-4181 of mental healthriveredgehospital.com treatment, call us or With limited exceptions, physicians are not employees or agents of this hospital.

708-209-4181 visitassistance, our website today.and the non-discrimination notice, visit our website.

For language disability accommodations 203216-4487 7/20 riveredgehospital.com

With limited exceptions, physicians are not employees or agents of this hospital.

For language assistance, disability accommodations and the non-discrimination notice, visit our website.

5

6

thevillagefreepress.org

Village Free Press | October 28, 2020 SPONSORED CONTENT

Don’t let the COVID crisis become an eviction crisis Can’t pay your rent due to COVID? Oak Park Regional Housing Center is here to help!

By Athena Williams Executive Director

While you may not think about the Oak Park Regional Housing Center as a great resource for help on rental assistance, eviction mediation, we’ve pivoted fast to meet what is a critical need whether you live in Oak Park, on the West Side or in Proviso.

Finding housing, keeping people in their housing is what we do and we’re ready to help you.

C

OVID-19 has challenged us to reexamine all the different parts of our lives.

We’ve spent the year quarantining at home, we’re wearing masks and keeping our kids focused on learning is now an extra job, assuming we’ve kept our real jobs.

Maybe, though, the biggest and most immediate worry is not being able to make the rent. And it’s confusing sorting out the different eviction moratoriums the state and the federal government have rolled out.

Athena Williams, Executive Director

OAK PARK REGIONAL HOUSING CENTER

While you may not think about the Oak Park Regional Housing Center as a great resource for help on rental assistance, eviction mediation, we’ve pivoted fast to meet what is a critical need whether you live in Oak Park, on the West Side or in Proviso.

Finding housing, keeping people in their housing is what we do and we’re ready to help you.

As the Housing Center’s executive director, I am intimately familiar with the struggles people are facing in making ends meet right now and I know people don’t

Sharon Eckhoff is the voice you hear when you call the Oak Park office of the Housing Center.

ALEX ROGALS/Staff Photographer

Something that people don’t realize is how critical keeping folks in their homes is, especially right now.

When people are evicted the most common recourse is to lean on others for housing support. That might work in a pandemic-free world but with COVID-19 this creates optimum conditions for spread. Removing people from their homes now would force people to pile into small spaces or couch surf around the community, exposing more people than necessary to COVID-19. The more people evicted means more COVID cases, which leads to more people getting ill, more people not being able to work, and if the rate of infections increases too much, we may be looking into shutting down again. Whether living alone, with roommates, or with your family, it’s a matter of public health safety to keep people contained in their current living arrangements.

OPRHC’s Emergency Rental Assistance Program is designed to help both tenants and property owners. Our efforts help facilitate conversations to temporarily The Housing Center has offices in both Oak Park and Austin. Anita Bailey, housing counselor , works in the lower monthly rental costs for Austin office on Lake Street near Austin Blvd. tenants facing financial hardship.

ALEX ROGALS/Staff Photographer As unemployment and job loss are plaguing our community, it’s necessarily know where to turn for help. OPRHC is a understandable that people need help navigating their resource, as our newest rental assistance program was finances right now, but that extends to our community’s initiated to help both tenants and landlords explore a landlords, too. They have mortgages that need paying. middle ground for rent payments during this COVID-19 We’re finding that both parties are usually open to creating pandemic. Renters have options, and they need to know a solution that works for everyone. that.

The full staff of the Austin office of the Housing Center includes Deboorah Williams, program coordinator; Anita Bailey, housing counselor;, Karen Barragan, secretary and Wilane Boone, senior housing counselor.

ALEX ROGALS/Staff Photographer

The Center for Disease Control’s eviction moratorium, effective Sept. 4 to Dec. 31, 2020, will prevent landlords from evicting non-paying tenants for up to six to eight months, when under normal circumstances landlords can evict in just 60 to 120 days. This time extension puts Mom-and-Pop landlords — building owners who use rent payments to cover the cost of their own housing — in incredibly difficult situations. OPRHC’s intention is to make sure landlords are still receiving at least some rent money during the six to eight months tenants are at risk of eviction.

We have always helped our community with rental housing assistance, whether it be credit debt management sessions or lease amendments, but our current focus on rent status mediation is a pivot to help answer the problems COVID-19 has created. So if you and yours are fighting to make it, reach out and we’ll do everything we can to find a solution. Our phone is 708-848-7150.

thevillagefreepress.org

FOOD PANTRY

Seeking a new home from page 1

is at 1938 S. Mannheim Rd. in Westchester.

Pantry officials said that before they move into the space, the village has to approve a text amendment to allow a nonprofit food pantry to operate as a special use in the B-2 Restricted Business District.

The village’s Plan and Zoning Commission is scheduled to hold a hearing on the proposed text amendment on Nov. 2, where commission members will hear presentations from pantry officials, village staffers and community members before making a recommendation that the Westchester Village Board will consider before it makes a final decision on the text amendment.

In a petition created earlier this month, pantry officials stated that on Oct. 9 village staffers “informally stated they would not recommend approving the rezoning.” In the petition, pantry officials added that, “at this point, without this rezone, the Pantry will have to close its doors early next year.”

As of Oct. 24, the petition had garnered 239 signatories.

Amanda Grant, the pantry’s executive director, said on Oct. 23 that the petition

Village Free Press | October 28, 2020 was started after she and her colleagues learned about staff ’s intentions. Grant said that Westchester Community Development Director Melissa Headley informed her that staff was advising against the text amendment, but did not go into detail.

Grant, who is also a Proviso Township High Schools District 209 board member, said she was worried that village staff ’s disapproval of the text amendment might sway the commission to recommend against the amendment, too. That, in turn, could result in the Village Board voting the proposed text amendment down and dooming any chances of the pantry securing the Mannheim storefront, opening the possibility of the pantry closing down its operations or moving out of Westchester.

Headley could not be reached for comment last week, but Westchester Village Manager Paul Nosek said on Oct. 23 that the Village Board seems poised to vote in favor of the pantry’s request despite staff ’s initial recommendation. Nosek said that staff ’s recommendation was based on the fact that the pantry is a nonprofit and the storefront is in a business district.

“That’s why their initial recommendation was to say this probably isn’t the best place for the pantry, not knowing what the board wanted to do,” Nosek said. “But obviously Trustee Frank Perry pledged his support to do the rezoning, so that’s likely what is going to happen.”

Perry posted his support for the pantry

moving to the storefront on his Facebook page. He could not be reached for comment on Saturday.

Grant, however, said that despite Perry’s pledged support, she and her colleagues aren’t taking anything for granted.

“We are still very much treating this as though it’s not a done deal,” Grant said. “If people don’t know we’re a valuable resource to this community, they sure as heck will find out on Nov. 2.”

Demand for the panty’s services have markedly increased compared to this point last year. According to the pantry’s website, the organization provided food to 1,011 families from July through September — a 65 percent increase.

“So far in October, 250 families have been served,” pantry officials stated. “At the beginning of this month, we surpassed the total number of clients served all of last year.”

The pantry serves residents in eight Proviso Township communities, including Bellwood, Berkeley, Broadview, Hillside, La Grange Park, Westchester and Western Springs. The pantry distributes food every Friday night, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., at Westchester Village Hall.

Grant said that the pantry has also started a GoFundMe campaign with the goal of raising $100,000. So far, the campaign has raised close to $10,000. The money will help fund the pantry’s transition to a new space by early next year.

7

Grant said that the funding will help retrofit any future space to the pantry’s specifications, which include installing proper refrigeration and making the space ADA accessible, among other things.

She said that the pantry chose the Mannheim storefront, because of its proximity to PACE bus routes, which is something the Greater Chicago Food Depository, the entity that supplies food and other supports to the pantry, requires of its partner agencies.

Grant said the storefront will require some renovations, such as HVAC improvements and tuck pointing, before the pantry can inhabit it. Funds from the capital campaign will go a long way toward ensuring that those renovations happen.

She said that the pantry has been making alternative plans just in case the organization does not secure the storefront, but none involve a permanent location.

“Someone mentioned a space to us that’s a little off the beaten path in Westchester, but not too far off a bus route. That would need a lot of renovation to make it work. If push comes to shove, we’d want to get that space in a couple of months. But we’d be renting it out and it would only be available to us for a maximum of two years. We’d still be kicking the can down the road. So much is riding on this,” Grant said, of the pantry’s proposed move to the storefront.

CONTACT: info@vfpress.news

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

8

thevillagefreepress.org

Village Free Press | October 28, 2020

Maywood, River Forest ‘Covenant’ takes shape

Community members from both towns met Oct. 17 to flesh out Twin Villages Covenant

By MICHAEL ROMAIN Editor

This past summer, the village boards of Maywood and River Forest each unanimously approved the Twin Villages Covenant, which commits the neighboring suburbs “to the principles of humanity, equity and inclusion,” according to a draft of the document. “The covenant will guide the overarching spirit of our distinct towns to think as one and to interact in more collaborative ways.”

On Oct. 17, community members and elected officials from both suburbs gathered at Maywood Fine Arts, a nonprofit arts organization in Maywood, to talk about what that Covenant looks like in practice.

Roughly 30 people were broken into groups of around five or six each to brainstorm ideas for collaboration and how the Covenant can become reality. The list of programmatic possibilities seemed endless — from a Broadway-style musical produced by members of both communities to joint Juneteenth celebrations to parades in honor of war casualties that would process through both villages.

“I like the concept of examining our presuppositions always,” said River Forest resident Johann Buis. “Tied to that is

the Covenant.

“This is a historic moment for River Forest,” Adduci said. “We’re really excited.”

Shakana Kirksey, an Oak Park and River Forest special education teacher who grew up in Maywood with Trustee Jones, her younger brother, said that the Covenant will allow both villages to build some mutuality after years of alienation.

“We went to church in Forest Park, but even just driving through you always felt uneasy coming through [River Forest] and you shouldn’t feel like that,” said Kirksie, who now lives in La Grange. “There’s so much that can go on between the two communities.”

Maywood resident Dan Perkins, a member of the village’s Chamber of Commerce who has been working with Bachner and Jones to flesh out the JOINING FORCES: Community members in Maywood and River Forest meet at Maywood Fine Covenant, drew a tentative outline of how the Covenant might be institutionalized.

Arts in Maywood on Oct. 17 to talk about making the Twin Villages Covenant a reality.

He said each village would create a Provided task force responsible for developing a preliminary list of ideas and concepts. humility — mutual humility. As somebody the initiative over the summer in the wake Those task forces would then merge into a once said, ‘Think more highly of someone of civil unrest following George Floyd’s joint task force that would hone in on more else than yourself.’” murder in Minneapolis. concrete and final ideas for collaboration Buis and others said that for the Covenant The local officials said Saturday that The task forces would present to the village to work in practice, the relationship between getting buy-in from residents in the boards of Maywood and River Forest from the suburbs that it helps build must be community will be critical to its success. time to time, he said. based on honest and open communication, “Although I spearheaded this, this is not “The trustees of River Forest and Maywood transparency and democratic (“coming something I want ownership over,” Jones would hear the concepts, review the concepts together as friends and neighbors, not based said. “What will make this sustainable is us and ultimately, with the necessary revisions, on a hierarchy”). getting buy-in.” support those initiatives going forward,” River Forest Trustee Erika Bachner Maywood Mayor Edwenna Perkins and Perkins said. worked on the Covenant with Maywood River Forest Mayor Cathy Adduci were both Trustee Miguel Jones, who conceived of in attendance and expressed enthusiasm for CONTACT: info@vfpress.news

Proviso teachers’union files unfair labor suit against D209 Teachers say Supt. Henderson forcing them back to unsafe school buildings

By MARIA MAXHAM Forest Park Review

On Oct. 20, the Proviso Teachers’ Union filed an Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) charge and a grievance against District 209 after being forced to return to what they say are unsafe school buildings despite an agreement with Superintendent James Henderson to allow them to continue to teach from home.

Almost 300 teachers were forced to return to the Proviso Math and Science Academy (PMSA), Proviso East and Proviso West on Oct. 20, in what the union said in a press release “was in direct violation of an agreement signed in August by the superintendent and the union, which allows teachers to provide instruction from remote locations while students are not in the

buildings.”

In the release, union President Maggie Riley is quoted as saying, “We had no choice but to take action. Not only has the superintendent violated our agreement allowing remote instruction, when we complied with his illegal directive to work on site, we found that building conditions are not just unsafe, they’re inhumane.”

According to the press release, heat is not working at Proviso East, and temperatures in some rooms were reported to be as low as 56 degrees. Proviso East and West “have inadequate hot water for hand washing and cleaning.” PPE wasn’t readily available, and rooms had not been sanitized during the closure, according to the union.

Additionally, multiple questions about the ventilation system have still not been answered, said the press release.

The release also mentions high positivity

rates in areas neighboring the schools, in some cases as high as 16.4 percent.

“Our union will not give up our reasonable demand to continue to teach safely from remote locations as the district assured us we could do,” said Riley. “This pandemic is worsening, not improving. Returning to buildings – especially ones that are not properly heated or cleaned – is dangerous and unwarranted. We will not tolerate the district’s apparent lack of concern for our safety.”

The union is awaiting a response from the district.

Nicole Wilson, Director of Communications for D209, said the following in a statement on Oct. 20: “We are focused on providing the highest quality education to all our students. Because our teachers have been working remotely, with limited resources, teachers will return

to the classroom where they have access to administrative support, professional development and enhanced technology that increases student engagement and improves student outcomes. We will continue to work in tandem with our teachers to ensure our students’ success.”

In related news, D209 student Yirenny Cordero started a change.org petition urging the district to allow teachers to teach from home. As of 4:30 p.m. on Oct. 20, 692 people had signed it.

“While the risk for contracting COVID-19 from being in the buildings is minimal due to precautions being taken, the risk outweighs the benefit,” reads the petition. “The quality of our education isn’t changing in any way and may in fact be negatively affected.”

CONTACT: info@vfpress.news

thevillagefreepress.org

Village Free Press | October 28, 2020

9

PLCCA’s range of programs available to Township Maywood nonprofit has suite of services for Proviso Township residents to utilize

By TOM HOLMES Forest Park Review

The Forest Park Review sent out a poll by email to 50 Forest Park residents asking, “Yes or No. Do you know what PLCCA is?” Everyone who responded answered, “No.” PLCCA (Proviso Leyden Council for Community Action) at 411 Madison St. in Maywood is just a 10-minute walk from Empowering Gardens in Forest Park, yet few residents in town know that the nonprofit, with a focus on the low-income residents of Proviso Township and with a $7.1 million annual budget, even exists.

Here is just a sample of the 30 programs the agency offers:

Children The Debra Ann Porter Childcare Center serves children up to 12 years old of low-income working parents and is open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Early Head Start (age 0-3) and Head Start (age 3-5) are federally funded, providing comprehensive child development programs for families within the income guidelines.

Youth

Affordable housing

Hunger

The Illinois Youth Investment Program for ages16 to 24 accommodate 25 participants who want to become security guards. The training begins on Nov. 2 and will be led by instructors from a professional security training school.

Claudette Harrell, PLCCA’s executive vice president said, “This program is great because at the end of the training the participants get jobs, and hopefully some will be on a path to becoming police officers.”

PLCCA maintains four properties with a total of 54 units to offer affordable transitional housing for clients on the path to home ownership. The nonprofit also took the lead in the development, construction and sale of 23 single-family homes along the bike path in Maywood known as Pepper’s Path. The homes were sold at around $135,000.

The Phoenix Homes is a 73-unit high-rise at 401 Green St., built by PLCCA 20 years ago.

Since it was funded by HUD’s Section 202 Supportive Housing for the Elderly program, residency is usually restricted to households earning 50 percent of the Area Median Income or less and with at least one member age 62 or over. Tenants pay either 30 percent of their adjusted monthly income or 10 percent of their unadjusted income or the housing portion of their welfare assistance.

Every day of the week since June, according to Harrell, an 18-wheeler pulls into the parking lot across from the Proviso Missionary Baptist Church at 1116 S. 5th St., filled with fresh vegetables, fruit, meat and dairy products to be distributed to thousands of community members as a way to blunt the effect of the coronavirus.

The daily distribution of food illustrates how the PLCCA model works. Harrell said that most of the funding for her nonprofit’s services come from federal and state government or from charitable organizations.

In the case of the daily food distribution, World Vision provides the funding and the delivery of the food and PLCCA, a 501c3 organization, takes care of the delivery of services.

Bishop Claude Porter is the founding father of the Maywood nonprofit. Since 1968 it has grown to an organization that serves 30,000 individuals and families every year.

The organization’s credo is “Providing a hand up, not a hand out,” which succinctly states Porter’s philosophy. A PLCCA information sheet explains, “PLCCA firmly believes the end result of our efforts will mean a family and community largely self-determined and therefore self-sufficient.”

Go to www.plcca.org or call 708-450-3500 for more information.

CONTACT: info@vfpress.news

Addressing violence PLCCA’s literature describes the Silence the Violence program as “a collaborative effort to address the problem of violence in our communities through a behavioral health approach. PLCCA provides clinical services while partners provide alternative resources for mentoring, enrichment and recreational activities.”

Special needs The Kidz ‘N’ Klubs Golf Academy is a summer program that provides minority, handicapped, economically disadvantaged and at-risk youth (age 8-17) from Proviso Township — in which Forest Park is located — with the opportunity to participate in a positive, enjoyable, and disciplined game of golf. The program will enhance their knowledge and skills, build their self-esteem, self-control, and self-motivation.”

Re-entry for ex-felons Re-Entry Services at PLCCA assist people recently released from incarceration and transitioning back into the community with behavior management, general case management, mental health, substance use education and social services.

Behavioral health Programs are available for substance abuse and include group or individual therapy sessions.

10

thevillagefreepress.org

Village Free Press | October 28, 2020

RESTRICTIONS Rising cases from page 1 and senior medical officer with the Cook County Department of Public Health, stated on Oct. 26 that the county has “seen eight days of increases in test positivity and seven days of increased hospital admissions.”

Rubin added that the positivity rate in suburban Cook County is “now 7.7% up from 7.2% last week.”

On Oct. 25, the state reported 4,000 new cases of COVID-19 in a 24-hour period, said Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle in a statement released on Oct. 26.

“The numbers are very concerning and a wake-up call as we head into colder weather, flu season and the holidays,” Preckwinkle said. “We are all experiencing COVID fatigue, but we must remain vigilant and continue practicing the commonsense strategies that have been proven to slow the spread of COVID-19 and save lives.”

Rubin said that the county’s data has shown higher infection rates among people under 30 years old.

“Everyone is at risk, including young people,” she said. “While they tend not to get as sick from COVID-19, they can still become seriously ill and spread the infection to their grandparents, co-workers, family and

friends.”

County health officials referenced studies that “have shown when people gather indoors to drink and eat at parties, bars or restaurants they are more likely to become lax in following physical distancing and masking guidelines.”

The following mitigation measures listed

by Pritzker’s office take effect Oct. 28:

Bars § No indoor service § All outside bar service closes at 11:00 p.m. § All bar patrons should be seated at tables outside § No ordering, seating, or congregating at bar (bar stools should be removed) § Tables should be 6 feet apart § No standing or congregating indoors or outdoors while waiting for a table or exiting § No dancing or standing indoors § Reservations required for each party

SHAKESPEARE General Contracting

enochshakespeare.es@gmail.com ROOFING // SIDING // GUTTERS // TUCK-POINTING // DRYWALL & PAINTING // HARDWOOD FLOORS // SANDING & VARNISHING SIDEWALKS & DRIVEWAYS // CONCRETE & ASPHALT TREE REMOVAL // SNOW PLOWING

§ No seating of multiple parties at one table

Restaurants No indoor dining or bar service All outdoor dining closes at 11:00 p.m.

Outside dining tables should be 6 feet apart No standing or congregating indoors or outdoors while waiting for a table or exiting § Reservations required for each party § No seating of multiple parties at one table § § § §

Meetings, Social Events, Gatherings § Limit to lesser of 25 guests or 25 percent of overall room capacity § No party buses § Gaming and Casinos close at 11:00 p.m., are limited to 25 percent capacity, and follow mitigations for bars and restaurants, if applicable

CONTACT: info@vfpress.news

Cook County reopens Housing Choice voucher waiting list During a news conference held Oct. 19, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle announced that the Housing Authority of Cook County has opened its wait list for Housing Choice vouchers for the first time in 18 years. She said that the program will be open to 10,000 applicants, who will be determined at random.

Residents have until Nov. 2 to apply. Applications can be accessed at: https://myportal.thehacc.org/.

“In the most recent report published by the DePaul Institute for Housing Studies, over 180,000 households across Cook County are facing housing instability,” Preckwinkle said on Oct. 19. “This means that they’re paying more than 30 percent of their total household income just toward rent. In many cases, that percentage is larger. This is unacceptable.”

Richard Monocchio, the executive director of the Housing Authority, said that his agency had already seen high demand for the applications.

“At 10:30 a.m., we had 6,000 applications already,” he said. “We are going to take applications and will cut the list off on Nov. 2, and randomize it to make a list of 10,000. Those 10,000, we hope to be able to house within the next four years.”

Monocchio said that eligible applicants must be at 50 percent of the area median income or below.

“For a family of four that means income can’t exceed $45,500,” he said. “For a one person household, it’s $31,850.”

thevillagefreepress.org

Village Free Press | October 28, 2020

11

VILLAGES perspectives Four stars for Maywood Fine Arts On Oct. 12, I attended the Maywood Fine Arts’ Goes to the Movies “Drive In” event in the parking lot adjacent the NOW Arena in Hoffman Estates.

Many years ago I received a Bachelor of Science in Film History Theory and Criticism at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale. Based on what I experienced, I felt the need to blow a rather thick coat of dust off a faded diploma to offer the following assessment of this well-attended event.

Sitting in a car, three adjectives came immediately to mind: tremendous, spectacular and inspirational. The movie opened with a traveling wide angle lens camera and intrinsically well-timed choreography. It was Stanley Kubrick meets Bugsby Berkley (MGM).

The movie elevated my mood instantaneously, demonstrating a “sense of place” to promote the masterful arts education that is Maywood Fine Arts. It paid homage to Hollywood and celebrated the movie-going experience. And the commercial inserts performed by young students memorialized that all-too American experience of the “concession stand”.

The movie offered numerous vignettes of dancing and musical talent. It was the cinematic version of what many of us have experienced attending the great MFA live stage productions. But this movie promoted all the aspects of the vast curriculum Maywood Fine Arts offers — from tumbling acrobatics to singing and musical instrument education.

Parents offered poignant vignettes to express their appreciation of their children’s efforts and achievements. Solos by staff member Kim Johnson and student alumni Chazz Banks, along with his two sisters Charlyse and Charlyne, demonstrate the organization’s quality instruction.

This event was a perfect out-of-the-box response to the environmental obstacles of Covid-19. The idea of honking horns in lieu of audience applause was so apropos!

Yet, there was audience interaction when instruction was given to get out of the car and dance. And dance they did!

It is clear that creativity runs out of Maywood Fine Arts like Niagara Falls.

I have always felt that culture is the primary driver of economic development.

The diamond that is MFA contributes to that possibility or should I say probability.

Kudos to the Baumans, Heidi Renteria, Katherine Bus and the entire Maywood Fine Arts teachers and staff. And bravo to the production companies for producing an essential proof to the ancient Chinese proverb a “moving” picture is worth a thousand words!

Four Stars!!!

— Michael Dawson, Maywood

The basics of the Fair Tax Readers have doubtless heard about the

SILVER SCREEN DEBUT: Dancers with Maywood Fine Arts brought their talents to the big screen on Oct. 12 in a film that Maywood film buff Michael Dawson gives four stars.

Michael Romain

Fair Tax Constitutional Amendment on the November 3 ballot. The proposal is simple; it would permit Illinois income to be taxed at different rates, with higher incomes taxed at higher rates and lower incomes taxed at lower rates. The League of Women Voters of Oak Park and River Forest offers the following facts for voter consideration.

State Spending: For decades, under multiple administrations, the state has kicked the can down the road, piling up billions in unpaid bills despite serious funding cuts. Since 2000, spending cuts on core services (education, healthcare, human services, and public safety) have exceeded 20 percent, and cuts to higher education have approached 50 percent.

The state cannot further cut its way out of the deficit without undermining core state services and placing additional burdens on local governments and school districts. The state’s failure to shoulder its share of the cost of preK-12 education has led to high local property taxes and huge inequities in the quality and adequacy of education between zip codes.

Under the rates set by the legislature to go into effect if the constitutional amendment passes, the state will gain around $3 billion a

year in new revenues, by raising taxes only on the top 3 percent, with incomes above $250,000, and for small businesses, raising taxes ONLY when pass-through profits exceed $250,000 per owner.

These new revenues will be used to meet state obligations and improve education equity, while easing pressure on property taxes.

Middle Class Income Tax Our current flat tax system exacerbates income inequality and racial wealth gaps, by shifting wealth from low-income households, especially households of color, to the wealthiest, mostly white households. Changing the constitution to allow a graduated rate income tax is the best tool to spread the total burden of state and local taxes more fairly.

Today, high income earners have just half the tax burden of the lowest 20 percent of earners as a share of their income, making Illinois one of the most regressive states. The constitutional amendment and higher tax rates for the wealthy will help balance this inequity and strengthen poorer communities through greater healthcare access, improved education funding and workforce development.

If the constitutional amendment does not pass, revenues will likely be raised through the flat income tax, hitting low- and middleincome families hardest.

Retirement Income: The legislature has the authority today to tax retirement income; nothing in the constitution prohibits it. Illinois is one of just a dozen states that has chosen not to collect income tax on any retirement income such as 401(k), IRA, pension or Social Security benefits.

The Fair Tax amendment doesn’t change that. AARP of Illinois, the Illinois Alliance for Retired Americans, and Jane Adams Seniors in Action all support the Fair Tax. The Fair Tax is not a panacea or a quick fix, but it is sound tax policy. Moving Illinois from a flat tax to a graduated one, like that used by a majority of states and the federal government, is a prudent and necessary step in building a stronger financial foundation for Illinois. Please look for it near the top of your ballot and vote yes.

— Beverly Graham, president, League of Women Voters of Oak Park and River Forest

CONTACT: info@vfpress.news

12

Village Free Press | October 28, 2020

thevillagefreepress.org