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Forest Park Review | 2021

GROWING COMMUNITY MEDIA, NFP ForestParkReview.com Vol. 104, No. 13

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REVIEW F O R E S T PA R K

MARCH 31, 2021

Meet et D91 school board rd candidates PAGE 4

D2099 providing SAT boot camp PAGE 13

Village has plan in place to address safety in town

HELLO, SPRING

Focus is on bars, building owners, and bigger police presence

A participant picks up treats at the Park District of Forest Park’s egg hunt on March 27

By MARIA MAXHAM Editor

“Better policing of Madison Street and protecting businesses and residents” is part of Forest Park’s plan to respond to a seeming increase in violence over the past few weeks, according to Mayor Rory Hoskins in a video message to residents on March 25. The video, posted on the village’s Facebook page, was prompted by the March 24 death of Tony Smith, a resident who was shot by police after allegedly displaying a gun inside and then in front of Jimmy John’s, 350 Circle Ave. “This young man, Tony Smith, was known to Forest Park police,” Hoskins said. “We regret his loss of life as we regret any loss of life in the village.” The village last week sent letters to four property owners and the bars which rent the properties labelling them as nuisance properties. Hoskins mentioned two other recent shootings. The most recent was on March 20 near Harlem Avenue and Circle Avenue, in which the driver of a vehicle was fatally shot by the driver of another vehicle, who has since been caught and is in custody awaiting charges. Hoskins also referred to the incident on Feb. 27 at Madison Street and Lathrop Avenue in which two juveniles were shot, but not killed, in a drive-by shooting. See VILLAGE RESPONDS on page 8

ALEX ROGALS/Staff Photographer

Forest Park police fatally shoot man who allegedly displayed gun in restaurant Illinois State Police investigating March 24 incident outside sandwich shop By MARIA MAXHAM Editor

The Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office has identified the man shot and killed by police Wednesday night out-

IN Big Week . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 THIS Crime . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 ISSUE Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Classified . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

side Jimmy John’s, 350 Circle Ave., as 35-year-old Tony Smith, of Forest Park. According to the medical examiner report, Smith died of multiple gunshot wounds. The Illinois State Police Integrity

Suspect arrested in March 20 shooting PAGE 7

Task Force is investigating the shooting, which occurred on March 24 at about 7:50 p.m. Both a patrol sergeant and patrol ofSee SHOOTING on page 8

Three candidates in Triton race PAGE 13

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Forest Park Review, March 31, 2021

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Forest Park Review, March 31, 2021

Nothing beats bliss

any are searching for their bliss during this pandemic. I have several friends who are finding their bliss by making pottery. I experience bliss by playing nightly concerts on my keyboard. I’m thankful that I started piano lessons at 50 and can play jazz and rock classics. Richard Sladek, a professional musician who has lived in Forest Park since 1995, found his bliss at a slightly younger age. He started piano lessons in his native Berwyn, when he was 7. Sladek has since fashioned a successful musical career. He has over 30 years’ experience as a soloist, accompanist and ensemble player. He plays concerts, weddings and musical theater productions. His most famous venture, though, is playing with the Beatles tribute band American English. He calls himself the “fifth Beatle” and doesn’t wear a wig or costume. He also doesn’t sing and jokes that they pay him not to sing. Sladek uses his keyboard to play all the instruments the Beatles didn’t play, like strings and horns. He also does all the orchestrations, so they can perform Beatles songs note for note. His bandmates refer to him as “genius boy.” Sladek developed his love for the Beatles and gift for playing the piano, while growing up in a musical family. His parents

were amateur pianists who played the family’s upright piano. He studied with a piano teacher but his musical education was interrupted when his family moved and had to leave the old upright behind. When he was 12, they bought a new piano. Sladek found that he still knew the fundamentals and resumed playing with even greater passion. He later enrolled at Roosevelt University, where he earned his degree in Piano, graduating in 1987 and launching his career. Sladek generated income playing daytime and evening gigs. He played piano at the Nordstrom and Von Maur department stores and also played background at restaurants and hotels. He said there is no shame in playing “ambient” music because there’s always one person listening. Although he preferred performing to teaching, Sladek began giving piano lessons to a wide range of students. He has taught students as young as 7 and as old as 90. He has a number of adult students and believes adults need activities that improve their mental health. Playing an instrument, he said, “thrills the brain cells.” The pandemic caused a drop-off in Sladek’s teaching and performing, but he has found innovative ways to keep his career going. It helps that he has steady gigs playing for church services in Down-

JOHN RICE

L O O K

B A C K

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ers Grove and Elk Grove Village. He also continues to play for American English, who never stopped touring during the lockdown. Besides live concerts, he has quite an online presence. He posts live concerts and church services on his Facebook page. Last summer, he played impromptu concerts on his backyard patio. His immediate neighbors loved it, while others caught the concerts on their computers. He also maintains a website called chicagopianist.com. Apart from performing in public, Sladek sees a great value in people like me playing for their own pleasure. Beauty is in the ears of the beholder and many amateurs like the way they sound. They improve and evolve as they learn more pieces. He has built an extraordinary repertoire ranging from classical to ragtime to jazz. He has a great love for musical theater and has played for more than 70 productions. When he’s playing, Sladek has to be fully committed to the piece. There must be an emotional component. When we reach this level of emotional pleasure, we call it bliss. And nothing beats bliss.

■ John Rice is a columnist/private detective, who has seen his business and family thrive in Forest Park. He thoroughly enjoys life in the village and still gets a thrill smelling Red Hots, watching softball and strolling through cemeteries. Jrice1038@aol.com

T I M E . . .

‘ROSIES’ OF FOREST PARK After President Franklin D. Roosevelt declared a national emergency in September 1939, the country had a need to produce ordnance materials for national defense. The Secretary of the Navy selected Chicagoland, specifically the former Harlem Race Track and Harlem Golf Course at Roosevelt Road from Hannah Avenue to Desplaines Avenue as the location. The U.S. Naval Ordnance Plant, known as Ameritorp, would produce torpedoes, mainly the Mark 13 and Mark 15, as well as spare parts and tools. By 1943, Ameritorp employed over 6,000 people, both men and women. The plant was managed by the private company, the American Can Company, until 1945 when the contractor-operated facility switched to a Navy operated facility. Production of torpedoes drastically declined by 1964, and the name of the plant was changed to Naval Ordnance Station. The station closed in 1970 and was converted into the Forest Park Mall.

The Ameritorp factory employed hundreds of “Rosie the Riveters,” accounting for one-third of its workforce. Photo courtesy of Village of Forest Park and “Images of –Jill Wagner America: Forest Park” by Ken Knack

F O R E S T PA R K

REVIEW Editor Maria Maxham Senior Editor Bob Uphues Contributing Reporters Tom Holmes, John Rice, Bob Skolnik, Jackie Glosniak, Robert J. Lifka Columnists Alan Brouilette, Jill Wagner, Tom Holmes, John Rice Food Editor Melissa Elsmo Staff Photographer Alex Rogals Design/Production Manager Andrew Mead Designers Debbie Becker, Mark Moroney Sales and Marketing Representatives Lourdes Nicholls, Marc Stopeck Sales & Development Mary Ellen Nelligan Circulation Manager Jill Wagner Publisher Dan Haley Business Manager Joyce Minich GROWING COMMUNITY MEDIA Board of Directors Chair Judy Greffin Treasurer Nile Wendorf Deb Abrahamson, Gary Collins, Darnell Shields, Sheila Solomon, Eric Weinheimer HOW TO REACH US ADDRESS 141 S. Oak Park Ave., Oak Park, IL 60302 PHONE 708-366-0600 ■ FAX 708-467-9066 EMAIL forestpark@wjinc.com CIRCULATION Jill@oakpark.com ONLINE ForestParkReview.com TWITTER @FP_Review Postmaster: Please send address changes to: Forest Park Review,141 S. Oak Park Ave., Oak Park, IL 60302-2901. Periodical rate postage paid at Oak Park, IL (USPS No 0205-160) In-county subscriptions: $28 per year. $42 for two years, $58 for three years. Out-of-county subscriptions: $36 per year. Forest Park Review is published digitally and in print by Growing Community Media NFP. © 2020 Growing Community Media NFP. F O R E S T PA R K

REVIEW Share photos on Instagram using #fpreview or email alexa@oakpark.com. All photos become property of Forest Park Review for possible future use in print or digital capacities.

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Forest Park Review, March 31, 2021

District 91 school board candidates

Despite April 6 local elections in Forest Park being uncontested this spring, the Review reached out to candidates in the two school board races: Forest Park Elementary School District 91 and the Proviso Township High Schools District 209. None of the D209 candidates, Rodney Alexander, Amanda Grant, Della Patterson or Sam Valtierrez responded.

L’erin S. Cross L’erin Cross grew up in the Kansas City, Missouri area. Several learning disabilities have been the driving force for her to make sure every child has the opportunity to thrive. She attended the University of Central Missouri where she received a bachelor’s degree in art education, with a double emphasis in painting and sculpture. She had the opportunity to teach in both rural and urban Missouri, although her L’ERIN CROSS favorite was working at the Kansas City Middle School of the Arts. After moving out of state, she volunteered for a position to co-create a church curriculum for children ranging in age from 0 to 8, which provided her the opportunity to learn more about the younger developmental stages. During this position she managed purchasing and classroom design, doing diligent research when buying supplies so as not to be wasteful of money. L’erin has attended conferences every few years on child development and learning and volunteered to help make manipulatives for the Read by 3rd (M.A. Rooney Foundation and Cummins Foundation sponsors) pilot in Columbus, Indiana. The pilot, which was a great success, took the approach of using the Gillingham Method for the entire classroom. L’erin has two children, a son in fifth grade and a daughter in Kindergarten. “They are some of the coolest people I know,” said L’erin. It is because of her children that she has been involved with the South PTO for two years. “The reason I ran for a position on the D91 board is because of the amazing people in Forest Park,” said L’erin. “When you move here you quickly learn that many people you meet are actively serving in the community. This is an inspiration that pushes me to also serve the community.” What are some of the unique challenges and opportunities that will face a brand-new superintendent and a board with three new members? The most unique challenge with a newer board and superintendent is the unknown. We don’t know how the board and superintendent will work together; it’s a learning opportunity. The biggest opportunities are fresh ideas, drive, and energy. A criticism of the D91 school board

has been its lack of communication, including videos and meeting minutes not being posted to the website. How can communication between the D91 Board of Education and the residents of Forest Park be improved? Communication has incrementally improved since our family first started attending the board meetings in early 2018. It used to be difficult to find meeting times and locations. Now they are posted and easy to find on the website. Zoom/Video conference has helped immensely. I would like to see the upcoming meeting agenda posted sooner. After COVID, I would like to see the continuation of the meetings in Forest Park Middle School and video feed for everyone unable to attend in person. I would also like there to be a way for community members who don’t have children in the district to opt-in to email updates so they can stay aware of what’s going on. What are some of the biggest challenges facing the D91 school district right now, and what steps can the board take to help address these difficulties? In a normal year I would say we need more action and communication from the district’s office. I have watched the board and district only react to situations but have failed to take a pro-active approach. This year I believe the two biggest challenges we have are a young school board and a new superintendent. We will have to figure out how to work together to help support our teachers and students. We have to make up for over a year of learning loss due to COVID. We need to find a way to bridge the students’ learning gap and help them thrive academically. What are some improvements you’d like to see in the district within the next three years? 1 - Superintendent invested in the students 2 - Improve testing results (by this I mean not teaching to the test but improving actual fluencies in the fields of study) 3 - Forward thinking and investment in math and reading programs that work

John Lyons John W. Lyons III is a Forest Park homeowner who has been in the community for over seven years on the south side of town. He is married to Kristen Marie Lyons and has a daughter in the fifth grade at Field Stevenson Elementary School. John grew up in Springfield, Ohio, and is currently the vice president of sales at two medium-sized manufacturing firms, one in Lombard and the other in Pilwaukee, Wisconsin. When not working, he spends time volunteering for various community organiza-

tions like the Park District of Forest Park Softball Tournaments, Kiwanis Peanut Days, and other local events and charities. In his leisure time, he enjoys spending time with his family, cooking, and perfecting his grilling and BBQ techniques. John is excited about running JOHN LYONS for the Forest Park school board and wants to be a positive change in our kids’ educational experience. What are some of the unique challenges and opportunities that will face a brand-new superintendent and a board with three new members? Three new board members, a returning board member, and the addition of a new district superintendent, I feel District 91 is at a crossroads to make positive changes that will have a lasting impact on our district for years to come. In the next four years, I hope to change the perception of how our “customers view our District,” the taxpayers and parents of Forest Park. The D91 school board needs to look at the core of our district curriculum and ensure this curriculum is in place to enrich our students. We, as a board, will have to get serious in our strategic planning, with the keystone of driving to a worldclass curriculum; this should influence all decisions as a board. If we can accomplish this solid curriculum, all other initiatives become a bi-product of our core value, a solid curriculum. A criticism of the D91 school board has been its lack of communication, including videos and meeting minutes not being posted to the website. How can communication between the D91 Board of Education and the residents of Forest Park be improved? This will be my first time on the school board, and when I ran in 2019, communication was an issue then and has been an ongoing issue since. D91 has the right tools and software to address communication but is not utilizing these tools to reach parents and others in our community in the most effective manner. Communication starts from the top down, as the superintendent and board need to be speaking the same language and using the resources we have at our fingertips. For example, on two occasions this past school year I used the district website for important school closing dates. I checked our district calendar for the school closing

date, and the district calendar did not state the students were out of school for the day, but my daughter’s teacher sent an e-mail that no classes were in session this day. This is just one of many examples of miscommunication and how it does not flow from the top down and not using the right tools our district currently already has. What are some of the biggest challenges facing the D91 school district right now, and what steps can the board take to help address these difficulties? We have many challenges facing the district at this time. The most pressing is having the curriculum for D91 up to par with surrounding school districts, keeping families in our community, attracting families to the community/school system, and finally, communication. All are linked, and improvements in one area will lead to improvements in the others. During my time living in Forest Park, we have lost great families to surrounding communities, and the reason for them leaving Forest Park is the D91 schools. The school board’s goal should be keeping the families we have and attracting more families because of our schools. I want to turn the tide and have the Forest Park school district be considered a premier school district to keep and attract families. This can be accomplished if the board gets their arms around the district’s communications to the families and sets forth clear plans to get information flowing. As a board, we need to get data points every six months to understand if what we are doing is effective, review what is working and what is not, and then adjust our plan if needed. What are some improvements you’d like to see in the district within the next three years? As stated prior, the communication needs to improve. Also, I would like to see the resources for students and parents shared in a more equitable way to address all students’ needs. The district needs to ensure resources are being used in a precautionary manner for students, not just a reactionary manner. Since a new superintendent is starting, this is a perfect time to review, analyze, and review all the district’s resources and the curriculum.

Steven M. Rummel Steve Rummel was born and raised in New York. He served on active duty in the U.S. Marines for six years, mostly overseas, after which he moved to Illinois to attend Parkland Community College and the University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana, where he met his wife, Bridgett. He graduated with a degree in finance, passed the CPA exam and moved to Chicago

Forest Park Review, March 31, 2021 to work as an accountant and financial analyst. In 2006, he and Bridgett moved to Forest Park and started a family. They have two children who have attended District 91 schools since they were old enough to do so. Steve has been working as a data scientist for the last several years and finished his masSTEVEN M. RUMMEL ter’s degree in data science at DePaul University in April 2019. His priority in running for school board is to help the district make the best use of its resources to serve the students, faculty and staff, and community at large. He has made a career out of designing and implementing solutions to complex financial, operational, and governance-related problems, while ensuring all stakeholders understand the elements and trade-offs of the solution and have their concerns heard and addressed. What are some of the unique challenges and opportunities that will face a brand-new superintendent and a board with three new members? The new superintendent will have to face the same issues Dr. Cavallo has faced — declining enrollment, consistent academic achievement across all grades and schools, poor communication and financial governance, as well as the new challenges of three new board members and recovery from a pandemic, with all the accompanying financial, operational and personal challenges those entail. The new superintendent is, however, a veteran of CPS and an experienced educator with a long track record of achievement and leadership. She is familiar with the dynamics of a diverse school district like D91. Like the rest of the community, I watched the selection process with great interest, as there were both individuals who were well-known to the community and newcomers in the candidate pool. Given the high caliber of the candidates considered and her ultimate selection, I am confident in Dr. Alvarez’s ability to take on these challenges, and I look forward to supporting her and her team in any way I can during her tenure. A criticism of the D91 school board has been its lack of communication, including videos and meeting minutes not being posted to the website. How can communication between the D91 Board of Education and the residents of Forest Park be improved? I am new to the board, but have attended board meetings for several years, and this communications issue is one I have publicly and privately raised for almost all of the time I have attended the meetings. I have asked Dr. Cavallo about this specifically via email and in person, and while he has been

extremely forthcoming and honest in his answers, I disagree with his position and policies on communication. Specifically, the district does not post complete minutes to their website, they post highlights with no detail and no supporting documentation (presentation materials, etc.). While such materials have been readily available upon request from Dr. Cavallo’s team, someone who could not attend the meeting might never know such materials exist. This matter is at the top of my list to discuss with the new superintendent when she takes office. Specifically, I would like to see at a bare minimum all meeting minutes include a summary of the discussion held and link to files presented at meetings with sufficient content to ensure individuals reviewing them understand the context in which they were presented. I also would like the district to issue formal press releases to the media and public about significant discussions, policy changes, etc. that present the district’s position, reasoning, priorities and perspective. It is not appropriate for a board to micromanage a superintendent, but communications policy, or lack thereof, is a governance issue and should be addressed by the board. With the new superintendent, it would be appropriate to collaborate with her on any such policy changes and I look forward to doing so. What are some of the biggest challenges facing the D91 school district right now, and what steps can the board take to help address these difficulties? Recovering from the impact of the pandemic, especially for students who may have already faced challenges previously, is our first and largest challenge. Ensuring every child can meaningfully access and take advantage of the educational opportunities they have a right to is our second largest challenge. Guaranteeing effective teaching and resourcing is our third largest challenge. The board has been addressing the first already, so what remains is to ensure the new superintendent has the resources needed to continue current efforts and monitor performance. The second is a question of engagement, which is also already a priority for the district, but which I have not seen reported on in a way that tells me enough about current efforts. The board can require reporting on policies and ongoing initiatives to engage with every student and every family and address their challenges and concerns, and should do so. Additionally, the board can ensure the superintendent has the resources she needs to continue to develop programs to address such outreach and engagement. As for effective teaching, based on presentations by Dr. Cavallo at prior board meetings covering standardized test scores — which are a coarse and not very accurate representation of overall student achievement — it is clear that there are specific gaps in the district that have not been addressed adequately. While it is the superintendent’s job to work with teachers on performance, the board can and should require periodic reporting, espe-

cially on areas where performance lags, to ensure the superintendent has the tools and resources she needs to address the underlying causes and remediate the issue. Declining enrollment has been cited as a challenge for several years. I cannot opine on how to remediate this issue without understanding the cause first, and while many hypotheses have been publicly discussed, I have yet to see any support for such hypotheses that have any backing in data. I look forward to addressing this in more detail with the board and superintendent during my tenure. What are some improvements you’d like to see in the district within the next three years? I would like to see the implementation of an effective public communications policy as noted above. I would also like to see a specific, defined reporting cycle implemented covering performance metrics for employees, student progress, operational and financial controls, and public engagement. While it is inappropriate to micromanage the superintendent in her oversight of employees, it is entirely appropriate to require reporting on and accountability for the performance of all who report to her and the efficacy of key processes and controls. Without such specifically defined reporting, the district will be unable to identify and address areas of concern which will in turn directly impact our educational and public stewardship missions. Some of this reporting exists already. I would like to see the cadence formalized and key performance and risk indicators defined and included in such reporting, along with root cause analysis, remediations recommended or in-place, and related progress reporting and follow up.

Kyra Tyler Kyra Tyler has been a resident of Forest Park since 2012 and has a child in the district. Her tenure on the District 91 school board began as an appointment in summer 2016. She was then elected to her seat in 2017 and became president in 2019. Kyra is an educational consultant and graduate of both Northwestern and Harvard universities. When she’s not participating in school board work or her actual job and we’re not in a pandemic, she prioritizes spending time with her parents, friends KYRA TYLER and other family, watching live theater and concerts, co-leading a Girl Scout troop of phenomenal young women and trying to find a streaming show she can stick with.

What are some of the unique challenges and opportunities that will face a brand-new superintendent and a board with three new members? A. The challenges that our new board and superintendent face center mostly around finding our new normal regarding in-person school attendance for our students and staff. There is no perfect solution, so finding the most palatable one that resumes operations safely is our biggest challenge. B. In terms of an opportunity, any time you are able to introduce a fresh perspective can be a profound experience. And bringing in Dr. Alvarez, plus three new members, allows us the chance to do so. We’re so appreciative of Dr. Cavallo’s leadership over the last decade and a half, and I’m thrilled to see Dr. Alvarez implement some of her ideas, with the support and guidance of the administration, staff and board. A criticism of the D91 school board has been its lack of communication, including videos and meeting minutes not being posted to the website. Was this a conscious decision that the board made, and if so, why? How can communication between the D91 Board of Education and the residents of Forest Park be improved? No, this wasn’t a conscious decision made by the board. I believe that in the flurry around the pandemic and while the board was trying to find its footing conducting meetings in a virtual setting, some of the duties like posting minutes and other communication weren’t fully executed. When asked for more information, the board always complies, provided it is within our legal boundaries to do so. But I would like to see more consistency and transparency around some of the ways the board communicates and will continue to investigate solutions to do so. What are some of the biggest challenges facing the D91 school district right now, and what steps can the board take to help address these difficulties? Everything is up for grabs around public education, as we move out of the pandemic. So in addition to getting back to school better than we left it in March 2020, I’d like us to think big about a few things, including: the way our student’s days are scheduled, less screen time but a continued appreciation for ways in which technology can work for our families and staff, and increasing our enrollment. There are many more, but these are top-of-mind as I think about moving out of the pandemic. What are some improvements you’d like to see in the district within the next three years? Increased enrollment, more parent participation in our schools when it’s safe, and assessment scores that are more in line with the brilliance of our students.

Forest Park Review, March 31, 2021

March 31 to April 7

BIG WEEK

Hike and Craft at Trailside Museum

Summer Camp at the Park District

On April 3 and 4, visit the Trailside Museum of Natural History, 738 Thatcher Ave. in River Forest, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. to walk a short trail while reading a posted nature story. Afterward, stop by the museum to pick up a related craft and activities bag to continue the adventure! All participants are required to wear masks and practice social distancing. Call 708-366-6530 or visit fpdcc.com/event/childrens-storytrail-and-craft/2021-04-04/ for more information.

Summer Camp registration at the Park District of Forest Park is quickly approaching! Resident registration begins Wednesday, April 7, and nonresident registration begins Monday, April 12. Email DayCampReg@pdofp.

Cross-stitch with the Forest Park Public Library Celebrate National Library Week by learning to crossstich! The library is offering basic cross-stitch kits, including skeins of floss, a needle, fabric, a pattern and instructions. What will you be creating? The bright, happy FPPL logo! Show your FPPL pride, get your fingers moving on a creative project, and brighten your life with the vibrant colors. Supplies are limited. You can call to have one put aside for you at 708-366-7171.

Vaccine Resources at the Library Got questions about the COVID-19 vaccine? Visit the Forest Park Public Library’s vaccine resources page at fppl.org/vaccineresources/ to learn more.

Puppets, Pajama Party, and a Girl Scouts Adventure Join the library on April 3 from 3 to 3:30 p.m. for a virtual event to make puppets together and hear the book “Here Come the Girl Scouts!” about Juliette Gordon Low, the founder of the organization, in honor of the anniversary of the first Girl Scout meeting. Grown-ups and kids will be able to ask questions from our guests. Puppet-making bags are available to pick up if materials are needed. Learn more at fppl.org/events.

Forest Park Review, March 31, 2021

Woman robbed at gunpoint

A woman walking to a friend’s house reported being approached at the corner of Marengo Avenue and Lexington Street at around 3:30 a.m. by a man with a gun who said, ‘Gimme all you got, or you’re gonna get hurt.” He took about $185 from her pocket and fled southbound on Marengo.

Man chases woman around car in parking lot Police heard loud yelling at the Forest Park parking lot near Circle Avenue and Madison Street on March 24 at 12:25 a.m. and saw a man chasing a woman around a vehicle and yelling at her. The security guard from Forest Park Tap Room was telling the man to keep it down and trying to intervene when police arrived. The reporting officer ordered the man to stop chasing the woman to no avail. The officer told the man at least once more to stop, at which point the man pushed the officer in the chest with both hands. The officer grabbed the man, ordered him to put his hands behind his back, and arrested him for battery to a police officer. At the station, the subject said he and the woman were in a verbal altercation, but it never got physical. He said he hadn’t meant to push the officer. He said he merely wanted to “bogart [his] way past” the officer. While talking to everyone else involved, it came to light that the woman who’d been chased by the man had provided an alias to hide the fact that she had warrants in Wisconsin, Indiana and DuPage County.

Woman drinking beer in front of library

A woman known to the reporting officer “from numerous previous contacts” was stopped in front of the Forest Park Public Library, 7555 Jackson Blvd., for drinking a 12 oz. Pabst Blue Ribbon beer in a can on March 24 at 11 a.m. She was given a local ordinance citation for an open container.

Car window smashed; bank bags stolen On March 23 at 7:23 a.m., police responded to a resident on the 1000 block of Dunlop Avenue who discovered an unknown person had broken her passenger side window and had removed two empty bank bags from the passenger seat. A large rock and hammer were found outside the vehicle and the passenger door looked like someone had tried to pry it open.

CTA train defaced A CTA train was defaced with graffiti on March 27 at 711 Desplaines Ave. An employee called police to report that around 3 a.m. she discovered the damage, which was done by unknown offender(s).

Deck chair found near window Officers responded to the 200 block of Circle Avenue on March 27 at 7:45 a.m. to talk to the homeowner about an attempted residential burglary. The homeowner said the gate to her back yard was closed at 10:30 p.m. the previous night, but when she exited

Suspect in March 20 fatal shooting in custody Joel Sandoval of Chicago arrested

cago’s northwest side at around 7:30 p.m. on March 22, driving the vehicle used in the shooting of Mendez. Sandoval refused to stop for police and recklessly fled from them in his car, accordBy MARIA MAXHAM ing to the release. Editor Police chased him through Chicago and several suburbs for about half an hour until A suspect in the fatal March 20 shooting he crashed into another vehicle of Israel Mendez from Maywood near Foster and Nagle in Chihas been apprehended, accordcago. With a pistol in his hand, ing to a press release from the he then fled his car. Forest Park Police Department He and a female passenger (FPPD) on March 24. were caught. According to the Joel Sandoval of the 1600 press release, Sandoval, armed, block of N. Parkside Avenue in actively resisted arrest. Chicago was arrested and was Forest Park police detectives charged with armed violence, and WESTAF are continuing unlawful use of a weapon by with the investigation of the a felon, aggravated fleeing to March 20 homicide. Anyone elude, possession of a controlled JOEL SANDOVAL with information that might substance, and aggravated drivhelp with the investigation is ing while license revoked. He asked to contact the FPPD at 708-366-2425 or attended a bond hearing on March 25. detectives@forestpark.net. Investigators observed Sandoval on Chi-

her house in the morning the gate was open and a chair, which had been removed from the deck in her yard, had been placed under her bedroom window. Police did not observe any damage to the window screen, and there were no visible signs of fingerprints in the undisturbed dirt along the windowsill and frame. Officers also checked the back door and adjacent windows and saw no signs of attempted entry. They recommended installing cameras and motion lights as well as securing the deck chairs with a cable lock as added

protection. They also said they would do extra patrols of the area and her home in the evenings. These items were obtained from police reports filed by the Forest Park Police Department, March 22-28, and represent a portion of the incidents to which police responded. Unless otherwise indicated, anybody named in these reports has only been charged with a crime. These cases have not been adjudicated.

Compiled by Maria Maxham

Forest Park Review, March 31, 2021

SHOOTING

Resident killed from page 1 ficer fired at Smith, who was holding a gun outside Jimmy John’s, 350 Circle Ave., according to a press release from the Forest Park Police Department. Part of the Illinois State Police investigation is to determine whether Smith first fired at the police officers. According to the police press release, officers were called to Jimmy John’s after a man entered the restaurant and dropped a pistol on the floor. That person, now identified to be Smith, reportedly then began waving the gun around and saying, “Please don’t make me do this now” before walking out of the restaurant with the gun in his hand. According to a police report, “Officers arrived and made contact with the subject. Shots were fired.” Officers reportedly performed lifesaving measures until paramedics arrived and transported the man to Loyola University Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 8:23 p.m. No officers were physically injured. The two officers involved directly in the shooting have been placed on administrative leave. According to reports obtained from Forest Park police, Smith was known along Madison Street and had been involved in prior incidents at bars on the street. The night before he was shot, police had removed Smith from Duffy’s, 7513 Madison St., after he allegedly trying to start a fight with other patrons. A Review reporter was at the bar when the incident occurred and witnessed Smith, who had with him a live reptile wrapped in a towel, yelling at another bar patron, repeatedly telling him to go outside so they could fight, and calling him names. Smith refused to leave the bar until police arrived. Officers were seen talking to Smith outside the bar, one of them holding his reptile, which appeared to be a bearded dragon, and stroking it on its head. Smith has been involved in altercations with police in the past. In addition to the incident March 23 at Duffy’s Tavern, there are at least two more police reports involving Smith over the course of the past year. In March 2020, he was charged with aggravated assault and unlawful use of a weapon after a woman reported that Smith, with whom she’d had previous encounters, approached her and another resident

in the 200 block of Circle Avenue. After a verbal exchange, Smith allegedly pulled out a knife and pointed it at her and the person with whom she was speaking. She reported backing up, and he continued to approach, saying, “Man, I’ll ****ing kill you.” When police later located Smith, the police report states the responding officer “immediately recognized [Smith] from previous encounters” including a “previous experience with Smith carrying knives on his person while intoxicated.” Smith was reportedly holding a large knife when the reporting officer got out of his squad car. At gunpoint, the officer ordered Smith to drop the knife, but instead Smith allegedly raised it up and to the side. Eventually Smith dropped the knife, according to the report, and the arresting officer reported finding another knife on Smith’s person after handcuffing him. On Aug. 4, 2020, police again charged Smith with aggravated assault after he allegedly threatened people inside Short Stop Lounge, 7400 Madison St. A bar employee said Smith had come in and was trying to hug patrons, despite their rebuffs. Smith refused to practice social distancing and was asked by an employee to leave, at which point he allegedly pulled out a knife, pointing it in the employee’s direction. According to the police report, a witness said that when police were called, Smith pulled out a second knife and left both on a barstool, saying, “I don’t need these knives” before exiting the bar. Officers located Smith outside the bar, where he allegedly became belligerent, yelling at the police and using obscenities. The police report says that the responding officer recognized Smith “from numerous prior contacts” and was known “to carry multiple knives on his person.” Mayor Rory Hoskins, who plans to post a recorded message on the village’s Facebook page regarding the March 24 shooting, gave a statement to the Review. “The village of Forest Park regrets any loss of life and we’re saddened that a village resident, in possession of a gun, was fatally shot by our officers. We want residents and businesspeople here to feel safe. We will increase the police presence on Madison Street, and we are exploring whether we can hire part-time police officers to supplement our existing force.”

VILLAGE RESPONSE

nuisance activity, according to village code. In cases such as these, the building owner, not just the tenant, will be held responsible for what happens on his or her property. In other words, the property owner, not just a bar owner who may be from page 1 renting that property, can get in trouble for what happens on the premises. Hoskins pointed out that although those two parChronic nuisance activities include disorderly ticular crimes occurred in Forest Park, none of the conduct, public indecency, and illegal consumption victims nor the attackers were from Forest Park. or possession of alcohol. “So what I’m saying to you is that one of the three Last week, the village issued letters to four proprecent shootings did involve a Forest Park resident, erty owners, stating that recent conduct on their but it does not seem like there’s any new criminal element specific to Forest Park that is resulting in properties place them in violation of the village’s shootings,” Hoskins said. Crime Free Property and Nuisance Property AbateHe addressed plans village authorities are makment ordinance. In all four cases, the property owning to attempt to er was told that the curb gun violence location is already – and violence in considered a nuigeneral – in town. sance property but The first part has not yet reached of addressing the level of chronic violence is with nuisance property, “aggressively enthe level at which, forcing local oraccording to the dinances along letter, the property Madison Street,” owner will begin to Hoskins said. This receive citations involves stopping and fines. people for excesThe property sive noise, for posowners of 7321 session of alcohol Madison St. (locaon the street, for tion of Forest Park public intoxication Tap Room), 7445 and for public uriRandolph St. (lonation. cation of Pioneer Hoskins said the Tap), 7505 Madivillage will look son St. (location of into hiring part Slainte) and 7425 time police officers Maria Maxham Madison St. (locato make sure the tion of Shortstop) overnight presence REMINDER: A sign on Madison Street is a reminder of the all received such near bars is suffi- village’s noise ordinance. letters. cient. He reminded residents that the Forest Park Police Department Third, and as a quicker way to address more seis supplemented by the Illinois Law Enforcement vere issues that may arise, village code also allows Alarm System (ILEAS), which sends in police per- for the director of public health and safety or chief sonnel from additional communities, including of police to suspend any license other than liquor River Forest, Oak Park, Elmwood Park, Berwyn licenses at any time that “there is good cause to beand Maywood to respond to emergencies. lieve that either the public health or public safety But the village will also crack down on business- will be endangered by continuance of any licensed es, and landlords of businesses, that are responsi- business operation,” according to village code. In ble for behavior that violates village code. such a case, notice of suspension would be given According to Village Administrator Tim Gillian to the business licensee and to the village council. a hard look is being taken at current village ordi- An “immediate emergency hearing by the village nances and how they can and will be applied in an council” would be held, and the council would deeffort to ensure the safety of residents and decorum cide the length of suspension and/or revocation of in the downtown business district. the license. There are three ways in which the village plans “We’re going to continue to aggressively patrol to keep control of the bars in Forest Park using enMadison Street and the other bars,” Hoskins said forcement of village code. in his video message. Part of the focus on patrolFirst, as liquor commissioner, the mayor, has the ling bars is that there have been multiple incidents power to enforce fines or suspend or revoke licensat them recently, including drinking on the streets, es if a business is in violation of local law. “We have indicated to the liquor license hold- fights, and public urination. But Hoskins also said that he was informed that ers in very strong terms, that they need to better on the night Smith was killed, he had been in at communicate with the Forest Park Police Department,” Hoskins said in his statement. And he urged least one bar, displaying a handgun. Bar managers residents to notify the police department any time kicked Smith out but never called the police to rethey see something that seems or makes them feel port the incident, which is why, said Hoskins, better communication between bar owners and police unsafe. Second, the village may decide to take action is integral. “We want everyone in Forest Park to feel safe,” against properties deemed to be “chronic nuisance properties,” those which within a six-month period Hoskins said. “We want everyone to enjoy a certain have three or more citations for offenses defined as quality of life.”

Mayor speaks out

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March 31, 2021

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schools in the city and suburbs. A strong core curriculum challenges children academically while high expectations and appropriate supports help students achieve their best. The faculty includes a full-time resource teacher. Students of all ages learn about God’s word every day and are encouraged to live out their faith through service. Students participate in art, music, library, P.E., and German classes. Band and orchestra are also available. After-school enrichment classes offer a variety of fun and creative learning experiences. Grace sports teams are open to all and include basketball and volleyball for grades 5–8. Track and cross country teams are open to students in grades 3–8. Extended care is available until 6pm for all children. Before-school care opens at 7am. For more information or to schedule a personal tour call the school office (708-366-6900) or click on School at GraceRiverForest.org.

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March 31, 2021

E D U C AT I O N & E N R I C H M E N T G U I D E

Special Advertising Section

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In addition to hosting public events that build awareness about the importance of early childhood care and education, the Collaboration works to improve outcomes for Oak Park and River Forest children in their ﬁrst ﬁve years of life. Using an equity lens, we work with local partners to support the families, educators, health professionals and systems leaders that care for our children and help them to thrive. The Collaboration’s work falls into

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If you are new to Oak Park or River Forest and have young children (-- or are expecting to! --) contact the Collaboration by visiting www.collab4kids.org/contact or calling 708-613-6122. Take a look at the Collaboration’s Early Childhood Resource Directory on our website to see listings of child care centers, music, art, and other enrichment opportunities for children in Oak Park and River Forest. Oak Park and River Forest provide free, high-quality preschool to children whose families meet eligibility criteria such as veteran status, income level, or if their child has a disability or developmental delay. If you believe you may be eligible for public preschool, reach out to us and we will help you with next steps.

Join the fun in the Early Childhood Program at the River Forest Community Center!

he River Forest Community Center provides an age-appropriate curriculum designed to encourage positive group interaction as well as foster individual growth. Our teachers thrive on creating a safe and fun learning environment through play in which children are encouraged to explore and develop their cognitive, language, social-intellectual and motor skills. Our mission is to provide a hands-on approach to learning which allows the children to explore their environment while enhancing their social, emotional, cognitive and motor development. Classes start as young as 15 months of age. The Early Childhood Programs include: • Munchkins • Playschool • Preschool (Half-Day & Full-Day) • Pre-Kindergarten (Half-Day & Full-Day)

• Before & After School Programs The River Forest Community Center is located at 8020 Madison Street in River Forest. For more information about the Early Childhood Programs, call 708-771-6159.

E D U C AT I O N & E N R I C H M E N T G U I D E

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March 31, 2021

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March 31, 2021

E D U C AT I O N & E N R I C H M E N T G U I D E

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Special Advertising Section

By Discovery (formerly Beye Discovery) was founded in 2011 by Jocelyne Adkins, MAAE, School of the Art Institute, Chicago. She has devoted the past nine years to developing after school art enrichment activities as By Discovery’s Program Director and Lead Educator. Jocelyne has 19 years of teaching experience and is enthusiastic about her work with children. Stacey Grieff, MSEd, Early Childhood

Education, joined By Discovery in 2019 as a Lead Educator. She emphasizes that creating something with your hands can build conﬁdence, expand problem solving skills and ﬁlls one’s heart with joy. Safety considerations, both physical and emotional, guide all of our interactions and activities. Our program closely adheres to all Covid-safety measures as guided by the CDC. Please visit bydiscovery.org to learn more and to register for summer camp and/or our after school art enrichment programs for the 2021/22 school year.

By Discovery is an after school enrichment program of the Beye & Lincoln PTOs, developed by By Discovery, LLC. Distribution of information by a community group in accordance with District 97 policy does not imply, directly or indirectly, that the group’s program(s), event(s) and/or service(s) is sanctioned, sponsored or endorsed by the district, the Board of Education or the superintendent.

Forest Park Review, March 31, 2021

Three running in race to fill unexpired term on Triton board

Lisa Bickel, Carolyn R. Wilhight and Norma Hernandez look to serve last two years of former trustee Donna Peluso’s term By MICHAEL ROMAIN Staff Reporter

The race to complete the last two years of former Triton trustee Donna Peluso, who resigned in 2020 after serving on the board for 28 years, is between Lisa Bickel, Carolyn R. Wilhight and Norma Hernandez. Bickel, who was appointed to Peluso’s seat in September 2020, said she’s still getting acclimated to the position, but said she’ll look to continue focusing on issues at the community college from the perspective of an educator. Bickel, who grew up in Melrose Park and currently lives in Elmwood Park, has been teaching at Maywood-Melrose ParkBroadview District 89 for seven years. “I look forward to bringing my teaching perspective to the board,” she said recently. “I don’t think there’s been another teacher on the board.” Bickel, 35, said she’s taken classes at Triton College herself and is impressed by the college’s upgrades and improvements since she was a student there more than a decade ago.

“I’m just excited to be on the board,” said Bickel, who is on the board’s finance committee. “I don’t have a lot to say with my limited time on the board, but I’m just excited to be part of this. I want to give back to the community, which is why I’m a teacher. I want to continue to make Triton a great place for education for students well into the future.” Norma Hernandez, 30, attended Proviso East High School in Maywood and studied at Triton before going to Aurora University and securing a degree in social work in 2016. In 2019, she completed an urban planning master’s degree at the University of Illinois at Chicago and currently works as a community development planner at

LISA BICKEL

NORMA HERNANDEZ

UIC’s Great Cities Institute. Hernandez said as a student at Triton not that long ago, she’s witnessed the institution’s challenges firsthand. “I spent the first two years at Triton doing prerequisites that didn’t garner college credit,” she said. “There were also the hurdles of having counselors tell me, ‘Are you sure you want to finish college?’” Hernandez said the college can do more to help its Black and Brown students feel more welcoming and empowered. She said this reality is, in part, due to the lack of racial and cultural diversity among staff and administrators. “They’re not giving people who are qualified the opportunity do good work,” Hernandez said, adding that she’s had discussions with Triton faculty members who have complained to her about hiring practices. Hernandez, who currently lives in Melrose Park, said if she’s elected, she’ll use her background in policy and planning, which she’s already deployed in helping Chicago students understand participatory democracy, at the board table. Carolyn Wilhight, 55, is a certified public accountant who has 30 years in the financial industry. She served two terms, from 2011 to 2019, on the District 92.5

CAROLYN R. WILHIGHT

school board in Westchester, where she lives. Wilhight said she wants to bring her prior board experience, which includes stints as board president, vice president and secretary, to the Triton board. “In Westchester, we did retreats and went back to start from the basics,” she said, referencing her time as board president during critical moments, such as disputes between the administration and the union. “What is our role in terms of governing? We setup policies and procedures. We monitor, manage and make sure they are being sustained. We started there to create better relationships and secondly, we connected with the respective union leaders and inviting them in to have open, transparent conversation as to what they saw.” Wilhight said she became deeply interested in Triton after her daughter took advanced science courses at the community college while in high school before going off to a university to study pharmacy. Wilhight said that, if elected to Triton’s board, her priority would be working to ensure that more Black students in Triton’s district know about the gem “north of Westchester.”

SAT ‘boot camp’ offered free for D209 students Juniors and seniors to take test on April 13 By MARIA MAXHAM Editor

A special SAT prep and bootcamp has been approved for all students in the Proviso Township high schools after a March 16 school board vote at a special meeting. The program will be available at Proviso Math and Science Academy, Proviso East and Proviso West. Students wishing to participate in this free training should reach out to their school principal. The SAT will be offered to juniors and

seniors in the district on April 13; students with special accommodations will take the test over two days, completing the exam on April 14. According to Nicole Wilson, D209 communications director, the state of Illinois requires juniors to take the SAT, but because of the pandemic, some current seniors missed the test last year, and the state is waiving taking the SAT as a graduation requirement for this year only. But Wilson said, “While the SAT is no longer required for seniors graduating this year, we highly encourage them to take it in April.” The district will offer an intensive boot camp, including test taking tips and

review ideas. This free training will be open to around 500 juniors and seniors. To promote participation, the district will give $100 as a credit toward school accounts for all those who sign up and attend at least 80 percent of the sessions. This could help toward future registration costs. Originally, the board was supposed to vote on a similar program on March 9 but tabled the discussion so the program could be broadened from 240 students to over 500. The district has contracted with Academic Tutoring for $236,970 for the program, which will bring in experienced instructors for all three D209 schools. In 2019, the district paid only $84,355 for test prep programs, but this

is a more focused and concerted effort to bring training to more students. A presentation to the board during the meeting showed that across the district students who participated in SAT test prep activities did significantly better than those who did not, 126 points higher overall during the 2019 school year. Previously, individual schools have been involved in a variety of test prep activities, many interwoven into classroom activities and projects. During the meeting, board president Rodney Alexander said, “This is the direction we want to start going into aggressively when we talk about changing scores. Access is equity, and equity is opportunity.”

Forest Park Review, March 31, 2021

OPINION O U R

V I E W

The death of Tony Smith

here is an investigation underway of the death last week of Forest Park resident Tony Smith. H`e was shot and killed by Forest Park police outside the Jimmy John’s on Circle Avenue. Details are limited as the investigation was rightly transferred immediately to the Illinois State Police. That probe will take some time. What we do know is what has been reported to us by the Forest Park police. Smith allegedly was waving a handgun first inside the sandwich shop and then on the sidewalk outside. He was confronted by two Forest Park officers, one a sergeant. Shots were fired by both police officers. Unclear at the moment how many shots or if Smith fired his weapon. The Medical Examiner’s Office reports that Smith, 35, died of multiple gunshot wounds. The two Forest Park officers have been placed on administrative leave pending results of the state investigation. We don’t know the race of the two officers. We do know that Smith was Black. That’s relevant to the discussion in this moment in America. We also know, based on reporting and police reports, that Smith was well known to Forest Park police officers and to Madison Street bar owners for a series of aggressive altercations in bars and with officers. In fact on the night before he died, Smith was involved in an incident at a Madison Street bar where he attempted to start a fight with a patron, prodding him repeatedly to go outside to fight. Police responded, took Smith outside and engaged with him, even going so far as to hold the live reptile Smith had with him and, according to a Review reporter who witnessed the encounter, stroking the reptile’s head. What does all this tell us? It’s unclear. But it suggests that both the investigation and the village’s response need to explore Mr. Smith’s mental health and the varied responses Forest Park police brought to two encounters with him in just 24 hours. One seemingly led to a calming outcome, the other to a conclusion that is certainly a horror for each person involved. It can’t be overlooked that the Forest Park Police Department has had an unusual number of shots fired by officers in recent years. The circumstances were varied, for certain. The immediate response by the village to inevitable public worry over safety after two deaths by gunfire took place on village streets in a week was a plan to hire part-time police officers and to amp up patrols and regulation of Madison Street bars. We understand these will be former full-time officers, which is good since Forest Park has a mixed history with its auxiliary police force. More fundamentally we hope that, in both the state’s investigation and in the village’s response, wider issues of policing are also considered.

This Lutheran boy’s reflections on gun violence

un violence has been in the news a lot lately, both in the national media and here locally in the Review. I think a Lutheran point of view might inform our thinking about what is happening and how to respond.

Lutherans are informed by facts

Unlike my brothers and sisters in some other denominations, Lutherans tend to take facts and science seriously. Climate change is real. The election was not rigged. Wearing face masks and social distancing are practices that reduce COVID-19 infections. If statistics reveal that background checks and limits on assault rifles reduce murders, especially mass shootings, we accept that as a fact. The availability of guns — almost 400 million in the U.S. — seem to increase the chances of persons who are off the rails killing other people or themselves.

Lutherans are informed by the Bible

sible. The White Witch is the embodiment of evil in the Chronicles of Narnia and in Star Wars it’s Darth Sidious. In those so-called fantasies, evil is not only real but it is stronger than mortals can handle. In each there is a someone or a something that is a power greater than mortals can conjure up which can save them. In Lord of the Rings, Valar sends Gandalf, Aragorn and Samwise Gamgee to Middle Earth. In Hogwarts it’s a vague power of unconditional love and friendship. In Narnia, Aslan comes as a savior, and in Star Wars it’s the Force. A fantasy, like a myth, can be defined as a story that is fun to hear but isn’t really real; or it can be understood as a story that is not historical in the strictest sense but reveals truths that are inaccessible to reason and can only be expressed in the language of paradox, metaphor. Douglas John Hall in Lighten Our Darkness argues that we children of the Enlightenment have been deceived by the myth of Mastery, i.e. the illusion that we humans are or can be in control. We Lutherans don’t buy that, at least not in an ultimate sense. As we view life through both our scientific and biblical lenses, we see that we can be in control of many things, but there are real forces over which we will never have complete control and, to be saved from bondage to these forces, we need the help of a benevolent power greater than ourselves. Regarding gun regulation, Lutherans like me are informed by facts generated by empirical observation but also by insights not verifiable by the scientific method. What we see when the issue is viewed bi-focally, is a problem that can be mitigated by background checks, an assault rifle ban and buybacks and the like, but also a fundamental flaw in our human nature, which Barack Obama referred to as “humanity’s core contradiction” in his 2016 speech in Hiroshima. Yet in the image of a mushroom cloud rising into these skies, we are most starkly reminded of humanity’s core contradiction. How the very spark that marks us as a species also gives us the capacity for unmatched destruction. What is required from my Lutheran point of view in the middle of Holy Week is common-sense gun legislation, together with owning our own complicity in the evils that torment us, repentance and turning to a power greater than ourselves who can restore us to sanity. Or, to quote Gandalf in The Return of the King: “Other evils there are that may come. … Yet it is not our part to master all the tides of the world, but to do what is in us for the succour of those years wherein we are set, uprooting the evil in the fields that we know, so that those who live after may have clean earth to till. What weather they shall have is not ours to rule.”

TOM HOLMES

We Lutherans also tend to be bifocal — one of our lenses is good at seeing facts and the other lens focuses on realities that are invisible to the naked eye. That’s why when I visit the Grand Canyon, one part of me responds by thinking, “Isn’t it interesting how the Colorado River has cut through all these layers of rock revealing millions of years of geological evolution?” And another part of me wants to erupt in praise singing, “My God, how great thou art!” Now concerning gun regulation, I’ve noticed that the media and the experts they interview never use terms like evil or sin or repentance when they are attempting to understand gun violence and how to reduce it. They cite statistics about mental health, social media, and the availability of guns — all of which are valid. That perspective is necessary to understanding gun violence but it is not sufficient because it is mono-focal. “Depth perception,” according to a post by the American Academy of Opthalmology, “is the ability to see things in three dimensions. … For accurate depth perception, you generally need to have binocular [two-eyed] vision.” We say we want to explore things “in depth,” but it seems to me there is a plausibility structure (Peter Berger), an aspect of cognitive bias (Amos Tversky and Daniel Kahneman), which is so embedded in our so-called “modern” minds, that any use of language referring to things unseen is cancelled by a culture so secular that such talk is relegated to the realm of fantasy. What is ironic to me is that in this secular culture some of the most popular fantasy/science fiction consumed and loved by us moderns takes realities like evil seriously. Harry Potter has Lord Voldemort. Tolkien found it necessary to create Sauron to make his fantasy world plau-

Forest Park Review, March 31, 2021

L E T T E R S

Ensuring community safety

n recent weeks, news in Forest Park has been focused on shootings in town. Two teenagers suffered non-fatal gunshot wounds during a drive-by shooting near Madison Street and Lathrop Avenue. In another incident, a Maywood man was fatally shot by an offender in a passing car. Most recently, the Forest Park Police Department used deadly force on a man displaying a weapon. The deceased had several encounters with our police department. After reflection, this incident further underscores the need for increased mental health services. This violence in our town creates a sense of danger in and around our community, and village leaders are working hard to support the police officers and integrate other village departments into a concerted effort to stop gun violence and keep Forest Park safe. First, the Forest Park Police Department is working diligently with police departments from surrounding communities in an effort to prevent violence. Our police department has mutual aid agreements with all of our surrounding communities, and all work collectively to ensure the safety of our citizens. Second, to the greatest extent possible and within our staffing capabilities, the police department is increasing patrols in and around our business community. It is our hope that a strong police presence will help to mitigate this senseless violence. Third, village leadership is taking steps to curb unruly behavior on Madison Street. Many residents and business owners have noticed inappropriate behavior of some bar patrons within the downtown business district. This behavior includes loud noise, open alcohol on the street, public intoxication, public urination and in general rowdy activity not consistent with the atmosphere we as residents and business owners demand and deserve. This environment can also contribute to violence. Police Chief Tom Aftanas has directed all supervisors and patrol officers to strictly enforce any and all local ordinance violations for these offenses. Over the last month, scores of local ordinance violations have been issued to people exhibiting this behavior. In other efforts to stem this recent behavior in our business district, the village is actively cracking down on nuisance properties. We have let property owners know that we expect them to ensure that their tenants are following local ordinances and abiding by the rules. Penalties could include revocation of business licenses. In cases where this behavior starts at an establishment operating under a liquor license, the liquor commissioner has the ability to either suspend or revoke that liquor license. In fact, a letter dated March 18 was sent

to all Forest Park liquor license holders reminding them that by failing to respect our community’s established norms, they may subject themselves to fines, license suspension, or revocation. If a license holder proves unwilling to operate in a safe and responsible manner, I will not hesitate to use that authority to ensure a safe and pleasurable downtown business district. In closing, please know that I and all of the elected officials along with the chief of police and the entire police department share your concerns and are working diligently with every tool we have to create the community we all desire. The Forest Park Police Department made an arrest and the alleged offender is in custody. I will do my best to communicate further efforts we as a community can and will take in the future. Rory Hoskins is mayor of Forest Park.

RORY HOSKINS One View

Tony Smith’s life matters Increasing police presence, as Mayor Rory Hoskins advocates, will not keep Forest Park residents safe. I ask Mayor Hoskins, which residents? Police did not keep Tony Smith safe. The Mayor’s statement expresses an urgent reaction to Smith’s murder while continuing to enforce the policies, practices, deficiencies, deficits, and institutions that created the space and conditions to murder Tony Smith. Explicitly naming an increase in policing also covers up the Mayor’s silences on holistically naming, with complexity and at the roots, what contributed to Smith’s murder. I want to live in a Forest Park where murdering Tony Smith would be an impossibility. What are the institutions and resources that could have kept Smith safe? Do they exist? Are they accessible? Safety is impossible when people’s needs are not met. The police, certainly, are not trained to, could not, and did not meet his needs. There are many alternatives to policing — mental health hotlines and responders, conflict mediation trainings, de-escalation trainings — that could begin addressing the conditions that led to the situation and/or de-escalate spaces. Police, especially while carrying lethal weapons, do not de-escalate spaces. These alternatives are meant as a starting point for a broader conversation about which residents matter, what those residents’ needs are, and how Forest Park public, private, community resources, and institutions can give rise to a village that is safe for all.

Kathleen Watson

Something we can be enthused about?

s a Forest Park property owner, I was happy to hear of plans to redevelop the site of the former Pines Restaurant. But as someone who lives on the same block, just a few houses south of that site, I was disappointed in the plan posted on the village’s website and presented by developers on March 1 for neighborhood review. The developers are seeking several variances, including: ■ Reducing the number of resident/guest parking spaces from the required 114 to 68. Though the site is within walking distance of the Blue Line, and ride-share programs are increasingly popular, is there really any place in Forest Park where adequate parking is not an issue? ■ A variance to eliminate the required corner setback from 5 feet to zero. The developer pointed out that the sidewalk and parkway provide setback, but I believe the code already recognizes that. Corner setbacks help with sightlines for drivers and pedestrians. People going to and coming from the park and pool — especially children and folks with strollers — already face the challenge of drivers who ignore the stop signs and speed limit on Harrison Street. Bringing the corners of the building right up to the sidewalk would only add to existing safety concerns at the Thomas Avenue and Hannah Avenue intersections. Also, it wasn’t clear if a cited traffic study, conducted a couple years ago, accounted for increased traffic around the park during the summer. ■ A variance to reduce the required lot area per unit from 1,250 sq. ft. to 485 sq. ft. — a 61% reduction. It’s disappointing to see the design call for a structure that takes up virtually every available square foot of space on the lot. Despite the roof deck, a terrace, and individual balconies on many units — welcome amenities all — both the building and the neighborhood would benefit from the inclusion of actual onsite green space, the park across the street notwithstanding. The developers pointed out that their plan calls for a building of only four stories, though code allows five. However, what would have been the fifth floor is actually a rooftop deck to be shared by all the building’s residents. Most of the units are one-bedrooms and studios. Such smaller apartments tend to have relatively frequent turnover and are less likely to attract long-

term residents who might become more connected to the neighborhood. Larger apartments could reduce the building’s density and also accommodate families and people working from home (a growing trend that is likely to continue beyond the pandemic.) Density may be good for profit, but in the long run, is it best for the neighborhood? Projected rents look to be higher than others in the neighborhood. Forest Park has professed a commitment to diversity and, generally speaking, I would hope that a large development of this kind would house a mix of tenants of various ages and diverse socio-economic backgrounds. When asked if any of the units would be marketed to low-income residents or be eligible for rent subsidies, however, the developer’s response was, “No. The village doesn’t require that.” A disappointing answer, especially when there is a shortage of affordable rental housing in the Chicago area. Storm water detention is part of the plan, but more needs to be said about the impact of all those kitchens, bathrooms and washing machines on the sanitary sewer system. Naturally, we who have had nearby flooded basements in recent years are concerned. More attention to noise and light spillover, alley repairs, accommodations for snow removal, and traffic reconfiguration on Thomas would also be appreciated. In no way do I wish to “drive this developer out” or discourage his effort. Nor do I presume to tell him how to run his enterprise. I would very much like to see the site redeveloped successfully for everyone involved. But a project like this should be able to succeed while conforming more closely to our existing codes, ordinances, and Comprehensive Plan. Furthermore, the site in question presents a rare opportunity, not just for economic gain but also for some level of innovation. The proposal pushes the limits of regulation, but (dare I ask?) what could it do in terms of innovative concept, design, and infrastructure, i.e. solar and/or geo-thermal systems, bike storage, garden space, etc.? Instead of being, as the project consultants claim, “slightly superior to the typical competition,” it could actually be a model for other such developments. Let’s have something we can all get enthused about. Mark Maroney is a Forest Park resident.

MARK MARONEY One View

Forest Park Review, March 31, 2021

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Forest Park Review, March 31, 2021 New local ads this week

YOUR WEEKLY AD

REACHES SIX SUBURBAN COMMUNITIES: OAK PARK, RIVER FOREST, FOREST PARK, BROOKFIELD, RIVERSIDE, NORTH RIVERSIDE, AND PARTS OF CHICAGO

WEDNESDAY

CLASSIFIED

HOURS: 9:00 A.M.– 5:00 P.M. MON–FRI

Deadline is Monday at 5:00 p.m.

Please Check Your Ad: The publisher will not be responsible for more than one incorrect insertion. Wednesday Journal Classified must be notified before the second insertion. The newspaper reserves the right to edit or reject any advertisement.

Place your ad online anytime at: www.ForestParkReview.com/Classiﬁed/

BY PHONE: (708) 613-3333 | BY FAX: (708) 467-9066 | BY E-MAIL: CLASSIFIEDS@FORESTPARKREVIEW.COM HELP WANTED

HELP WANTED

BUDGET & REVENUE ANALYST The Village of Oak Park is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Budget and Revenue Analyst in the Police Department. This position will Serve the public with professional administrative and analytical duties in the areas of budget preparation, purchasing, payroll, data analysis and process improvement. Provides, prepares and maintains records, and financial and statistical reports and analysis which assist in the Village’s ability to improve business processes and gain efficiencies through better use of technology. Budget duties include assisting in the development, analysis and application of performance measures with regard to Village services and resources; preparing, modifying, tracking and monitoring Village expenses and transfers; and conducting budget-related research and analysis. Applicants are encouraged to visit the Village of Oak Park’s website http://www.oak-park. us/jobs. Interested and qualified applicants must complete a Village of Oak Park application. First review of applications April 12, 2021.

VILLAGE OF RIVERSIDE SEASONAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

CUSTOMER SERVICE & EQUIPMENT SUPPORT PART TIME Manufacturer of commercial food service equipment in McCook seeks an experienced customer service professional with a mechanical, gas & electrical technical support background. Please email resume to: marketing@keatingofchicago.com EQUIPMENT OPERATOR The Village of Oak Park is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Equipment Operator in the Public Works Department. This position will operate construction and maintenance equipment in a variety of street activities including loading, hauling, and related operations. Applicants are encouraged to visit the Village of Oak Park’s website http://www.oak-park.us/jobs. Interested and qualified applicants must complete a Village of Oak Park application. First review of applications April 6, 2021. LICENSED ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PRACTITIONER The Village of Oak Park is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Licensed Environmental Health Practitioner in the Health Department. This position will perform a variety of duties including education and enforcement activities for the promotion and protection of the public health environment. Applicants are encouraged to visit the Village of Oak Park’s website http://www. oak-park.us/jobs. Interested and qualified applicants must complete a Village of Oak Park application no later than April 16, 2021.

SERVER WANTED PAPASPIROS RESTAURANT 708-358-1700

The Riverside Department of Public Works is seeking energetic and motivated applicants who enjoy working outdoors. This is a parttime, seasonal position lasting from approximately April-September. Applicants will be expected to work up to 40 hrs. per week or as scheduled by staff. Primary tasks will include, but not limited to: cutting grass, general facilities maintenance, ﬂushing hydrants, reading meters, assisting full-time employees, and other duties as assigned. Applicants must be 18 years old, possess a valid Illinois driver’s license and high school diploma or equivalent. Applicants will be subject to a criminal background check, pre-employment physical and drug/ alcohol screening. Applications can be downloaded from the Village website at www. riverside.il.us or picked up at the Riverside Village Hall located at 27 Riverside Rd, Riverside, IL 60546. Completed applications should be submitted to the Riverside Village Hall or the Riverside Public Works Department, 3860 Columbus Blvd, Riverside, IL 60546. Applications will be accepted until all positions are ﬁlled. Pay rate is $15/hr. The Village of Riverside is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

SUBURBAN RENTALS STUDIO APARTMENTS BROADVIEW Studio apartments for rent. $600/mo and up, all utilities incl. $25 credit application fee. 9200 W. Cermak Broadview 708-715-7292 OAK PARK: ROOSEVELT/ OAK PARK AVE. CORRIDOR 2BR 4RMS close to blue line. On site laundry, parking, heat & water incl. $1200/ month 708-383-9223

CEMETERY LOT

OFFICE SPACE FOR RENT

WOODLAWN CEMETERY LOT 1 lot for sale. Woodlawn Memorial Park Cemetery. CALL 727-688-7209

LOCATION LOCATION LOCATION FOREST PARK HIGHLY VISIBLE OFFICE/STORE AVAILABLE FOR LEASE 1350 SF w/ AC & HIGHLY VISIBLE MADISON STREET EXPOSURE. 7607 Madison Street. Village parking lot next door. Bright, clean ofﬁce. Great Madison Street exposure! Call Francis 708-383-8574.

AUTOS FOR SALE 2008 FORD CROWN VIC INTERCEPTOR 62K MILES. $5500, 2013 FORD TAURUS INTERCEPTOR 140K MILES. $5500.

ITEMS FOR SALE

2005 HONDA CIVIC EX 5 SPD, 170K MILES. $3500.

ANTIQUE HALL TREE Antique American Hall Tree, solid oak. Excellent condition. 29”w x 78”h x 11”d, with covered shelf and mirror. $159.00. 708-488-8755

1986 CAMARO Z28 5 SPD, 73K MILES. $4500. Many new parts on all Call Pearson 773-540-7650.

FRUITWOOD FINISH SIDE TABLE Solid wood side table, fruitwood ﬁnish. 1 drawer and 1 bottom shelf. 15”d x 24”w x 24”h. $59.00 708-488-8755

WANTED TO BUY

MUSIC Music: piano scores, concertos, piano trios, ﬂute music violin music. Variety of composers. $3.00 each. 708-488-8755

WANTED MILITARY ITEMS: Helmets, medals, patches, uniforms, weapons, ﬂags, photos, paperwork, Also toy soldiers – lead, plastic – other misc. toys. Call Uncle Gary 708-522-3400

NEW BIKES FOR SALE TANDEM BIKE with all the bells and whistles. Best offer. THREE WHEELER with 2 baskets and all the bells and whistles. Best offer. Price negotiable. 708-447-1762

Lost & Found, Items for Sale, and To Be Given Away ads run free in Wednesday Classified. To place your ad, call 708-613-3342

SUBURBAN RENTALS

STUDIOS, 1, 2 & 3 BR Best Selection & Service

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MMpropMgmt.com

Apartment listings updated daily at:

Find your new apartment this Saturday from 10 am – 4pm at 35 Chicago Avenue. Or call us toll free at 1-833-440-0665 for an appointment. Wednesday Classified 3 Great Papers, 6 Communities To place an ad, call: 708/613-3333

CEMENT

MAGANA

HANDYMAN Mike’s Home Repair

C O N C R E T E C O N S T RU C T I O N

Drywall H Painting H Tile Plumbing H Electric H Floors Windows H Doors H Siding Ask Us What We Don’t Do

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708.442.7720 '5,9(:$<6 )281'$7,216 3$7,26 67(36 &85% *877(56 6,'(:$/.6 612: 3/2:,1* 67$03(' &2/25(' $**5(*$7( &21&5(7( FREE ESTIMATES LICENSED, BONDED & INSURED

ELECTRICAL Ceiling Fans Installed

ELECTRICAL

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708-409-0988 • 708-738-3848 Sr. Discounts • 30 Yrs. Exp. Servicing Oak Park • All surrounding suburbs • Chicago area

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Phone: 708-556-5540 Email: adinstubc@yahoo.com Reasonable Pricing!

PETS

OFFICE & RETAIL SPACE FOR RENT RIVER FOREST–7777 Lake St. * 1116 sq. ft. * 1400 sq. ft. Dental Office RIVER FOREST–7756 Madison St. * 960 sq. ft. OAK PARK–6142-44 Roosevelt Rd. * 3 & 5 room office suites FOREST PARK–7736 Madison St. *2500 sq. ft. unit Strand & & Browne Strand Browne 708-488-0011 708-488-0011

CEMENT

While you’re away, your pets are okay . . . at home

cat calls

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Daily dog exercising Complete pet care in your home )PVTF TJUUJOH t 1MBOU DBSF Bonded References

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FLOORS KLIS FLOORING INC.

New hardwood ﬂooring installation & pergo. Sanding, re-ﬁnishing, staining. Low prices, insured. Call: 773-671-4996 www.klisflooring.com

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Drywall Repair • Painting Fans Installed • Carpentry Trim Gutter Cleaning • Window Repair

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HAULING BASEMENT CLEANING

Appliances & Furniture Removal Pickup & Delivery. 708-848-9404

HEATING/ AIR CONDITIONING HEATING AND APPLIANCE EXPERT Furnaces, Boilers and Space Heaters Refrigerators Ranges • Ovens Washer • Dryers Rodding Sewers Lic/Bonded 25 yrs experience

FREE SERVICE CALL WITH REPAIR AND SENIOR/VETERAN DISCOUNT.

708-785-2619 or 773-585-5000 Attention! Improvement pros! Don’t be caught short… reach the people making the decisions… Advertise your home improvement business in Wednesday Classified. Call 708/613-3342

Forest Park Review, March 31, 2021

LANDSCAPING

Public Notice: Your right to know In print • Online • Available to you 24/7/365 ForestParkReview.com | PublicNoticeIllinois.com

BRUCE LAWN SERVICE Spring Clean-Up Aerating, Slit Seeding Bush Trimming, Lawn Maintenance brucelawns.com

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PAINTING & DECORATING CLASSIC PAINTING Fast & Neat Painting/Taping/Plaster Repair Low Cost

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PLASTERING

PUBLIC NOTICES

PUBLIC NOTICE Notice is hereby given, pursuant to “An Act in relation to the use of an Assumed Business Name in the conduct or transaction of Business in the State,” as amended, that a certiﬁcation was registered by the undersigned with the County Clerk of Cook County. Registration Number: Y21006278 on March 15, 2021 Under the Assumed Business Name of H & C RENTALS with the business located at:705 W 115TH ST., CHICAGO, IL 60628. The true and real full name(s) and residence address of the owner(s)/partner(s) is: ANDREA COLLINS 705 W 115TH ST., CHICAGO, IL 60628, USA

Oak Park Township is seeking a creative, qualified freelance graphic designer, design firm, or agency to create a strong graphic logo for our organization that represents and encompasses our organization’s diverse social and civic services. We are accepting proposals through April 23, 2021. Please see the RFP at https://oakparktownship.org/ employment-and-volunteer-opportunities/ for details and submission requirements. If you wish to find out more about Oak Park Township and its offerings, please visit www.oakparktownship.org.

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING REGARDING THE VILLAGE OF RIVER FOREST’S FISCAL YEAR 2021/2022 BUDGET AND APPROPRIATIONS (MAY 1, 2021 THROUGH APRIL 30, 2022)

Notice is hereby given by the President and Board of Trustees of the Village of River Forest, Cook County, Illinois, that sealed bids will be accepted for:

Published in Wednesday Journal 3/24, 3/31, 4/7/2021

McNulty Plastering & Stucco Co.

Small & big work. Free estimates. Complete Plaster, Stucco & Re-Coating Services

708/386-2951 • ANYTIME Work Guaranteed

Licensed, Bonded, Insured, & EPA Certified Expert craftsmanship for over 50 years

PUBLIC NOTICES PUBLIC NOTICE Notice is hereby given, pursuant to “An Act in relation to the use of an Assumed Business Name in the conduct or transaction of Business in the State,” as amended, that a certiﬁcation was registered by the undersigned with the County Clerk of Cook County. Registration Number: Y21006206 on March 11, 2021 Under the Assumed Business Name of AMERICAN DREAMS CLEANING COMPANY with the business located at:1025 PLEASANT PLACE, APT. 2G, OAK PARK, IL 60302. The true and real full name(s) and residence address of the owner(s)/partner(s) is: JEFFREY RUSSELL COLLINS 1025 PLEASANT PLACE APT. 2G OAK PARK, IL 60302, USA. Published in Wednesday Journal 3/17, 3/24, 3/31/2021

PUBLIC NOTICE Notice is hereby given, pursuant to “An Act in relation to the use of an Assumed Business Name in the conduct or transaction of Business in the State,” as amended, that a certiﬁcation was registered by the undersigned with the County Clerk of Cook County. Registration Number: Y21006244 on March 12, 2021 Under the Assumed Business Name of CHAMBERS ADVERTISING with the business located at: 414 GENEVA AVE, BELLWOOD, IL 60104. The true and real full name(s) and residence address of the owner(s)/partner(s) is: FOSTER CHAMBERS, 414 GENEVA AVE, BELLWOOD, IL 60104, USA. Published in Forest Park Review 3/17, 3/24, 3/31/2021

PUBLIC NOTICE OF COURT DATE FOR REQUEST FOR NAME CHANGE STATE OF ILLINOIS, CIRCUIT COURT COOK COUNTY. Request of Mercedes De La PazBuck Case Number 20214000895 There will be a court date on my Request to change my name from: Mercedes De La Paz-Buck to the new name of: Cedes Delapaz Buck. The court date will be held: On April 27th, 2021 at 9:30 a.m. at 1500 Maybrook Drive, Maywood, Cook County, IL in Courtroom #0111. Published in RB Landmark 3/17, 3/24, 3/31/2021

Classifieds @ForestParkReview.com

LEGAL NOTICE The Village of Oak Park will receive sealed bids from qualified contractors at the Public Works Center, 201 South Boulevard, Oak Park, Illinois 60302 Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. local time until 3:00 p.m. on Thursday, April 22, 2021 for the following:

Published in Wednesday Journal March 31, 2021

OAK PARK TOWNSHIP NOTICE OF ANNUAL TOWN MEETING Please join meeting from your computer, tablet or smartphone. https://global.gotomeeting.com/ join/540393325 You can also dial in using your phone. United States: +1 (669) 224-3412 (For supported devices, tap a onetouch number below to join instantly.) - O n e - t o u c h : tel:+16692243412,,540393325# Access Code: 540-393-325

Village of Oak Park Valve Actuator Replacement Project Number: 21-124

New to GoToMeeting? Get the app now and be ready when your ﬁrst

Bid documents may be obtained from the Village’s website at http://www.oak-park.us/bid. For questions, please call Public Works at (708) 358-5700 during the above hours.

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN to the legal voters, residents of the Township of Oak Park, County of Cook, and State of Illinois, that the Annual Town Meeting of said Township, will take place on Tuesday, April 13, 2021 at the hour of 6:30 p.m., for the transaction of the business of the Township; and a Moderator having been elected, will proceed to hear and consider reports of ofﬁcers, and decide on such measures as may, in pursuance of law, come before the meeting, following this agenda:

Published in Wednesday Journal March 31, 2021

ADVERTISEMENT FOR RFQ PROPOSAL The Board of Education of Oak Park Elementary School District #97 will receive sealed copier equipment and the installation of said equipment RFQs at the Administrative Office located at 260 Madison Street – Oak Park, IL, 60302, until 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday, April 14, 2021. Copies of specifications may be secured at the Oak Park Elementary School District #97 District Office, 260 Madison Street, Oak Park, IL 60302, but only able to be received by emailing Michael Arensdorff (marensdorff@op97.org) to schedule a time, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Responses mailed or delivered shall be marked to the attention of: Oak Park School District 97 Attn. Mr. Michael Arensdorff 260 Madison Street Oak Park, Illinois 60302 The front of the envelope should be clearly marked “District 97 Copier RFQ”. Additional information may be obtained by contacting Mr. Michael Arensdorff at (708) 524-3015 or marensdorff@op97.org. Faxed or electronically submitted RFQs will not be accepted. Any faxed or electronically submitted RFQ will disqualify vendors. Responses Due Date: Wednesday, April 14, 2021 at 3:00 P.M. Only those responses complying with the provision and specification of the response will be considered. The Board of Education reserves the right to waive any informalities, qualification or irregularities and/or reject any or all responses, when in its opinion, such action will serve the best interest of the Board of Education of Oak Park Elementary School District 97. Sheryl Marinier Board Secretary Published in Wednesday Journal March 31, 2021

I. Call to Order II. Pledge of Allegiance III. Procedures for Meeting IV. Supervisor’s Annual Financial Statements V. Election of Moderator VI. Resolutions to Come Before the Electors VII. Adjournment All interested citizens, groups, senior citizens and organizations representing the interests of senior citizens are encouraged to attend. Oak Park Township does not discriminate on the basis of handicapped status in the admission or access to, or employment in its programs or activities. Those needing special accommodations are asked to provide 48 hours notice. Given under my hand in the Town of Oak Park, County of Cook, State of Illinois, this 11th day of March, 2021. Gregory P. White Oak Park Township Clerk Published in Wednesday Journal March 31, 2021

Starting a New Business?

Call the experts before you place your legal ad! Publish your assumed name legal notice in • Wednesday Journal • Forest Park Review • Riverside/Brookfield Landmark • Austin Weekly News Call Mary Ellen for details: 708/613-3342

The Village President and Board of Trustees of the Village of River Forest (“Village”) will conduct a public hearing to consider the proposed budget and appropriations for the Village’s fiscal year 2021 / 2022, for the period of May 1, 2021 through April 30, 2022, on April 12, 2021, at 7:00 p.m., in the Community Room located in the River Forest Village Hall, 400 Park Avenue, River Forest, Illinois 60305. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the public’s access to, and participation at, this public hearing shall be as follows: (a) Physical attendance at the public hearing is limited to 10 individuals, with priority given to Village officials, Village staff and consultants; (b) The public is encouraged to stay at home and watch and listen to, and participate in, the public hearing via electronic means; (c) Public comments and any responses will be read into the public hearing record; (d) Written public comments may be submitted either by email to sphyfer@vrf.us, or by delivery to Village Hall, 400 Park Avenue, River Forest, Illinois 60305, in advance of the public hearing, by 5:00 p.m. on April 12, 2021; and (e) You may listen to, and participate in, the public hearing by dialing in to a telephone conference call. The telephone conference call number and access code will be made available at https://www.vrf.us/events/ event/1884 on or before April 1, 2021, and by emailing sphyfer@ vrf.us. Copies of the proposed budget and appropriations are available for inspection by the public at the Village Clerk’s Office at River Forest Village Hall, 400 Park Avenue, River Forest, Illinois 60305 and on the Village’s website at http://www.vrf.us. The proposed budget and appropriations have been available at the Clerk’s Office since at least April 1, 2021. The above public hearing restrictions are authorized by the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention directive that no more than 10 persons be in physical attendance at the public hearing, and by Section 7(e) of the Illinois Open Meetings Act, 5 ILCS 120/7(e). If you have questions, please contact Village Finance Director Rosemary McAdams at 708-366-8500. VILLAGE OF RIVER FOREST Kathleen Brand-White, Village Clerk Published in Wednesday Journal March 31, 2021

PUBLIC NOTICE Notice is hereby given, pursuant to “An Act in relation to the use of an Assumed Business Name in the conduct or transaction of Business in the State,” as amended, that a certiﬁcation was registered by the undersigned with the County Clerk of Cook County. Registration Number: Y21006371 on March 23, 2021 Under the Assumed Business Name of THE PERIWINKLE PEACOCK with the business located at: 59 WASHINGTON BLVD, OAK PARK, IL 60302. The true and real full name(s) and residence address of the owner(s)/partner(s) is: BRIEANNE MARIE MALDONADO-CRUZ, 59 WASHINGTON BLVD, OAK PARK, IL 60302, USA. Published in Wednesday Journal March 31, April 7, April 14, 2021

NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS

2021 Street Improvement Program This project includes the replacement of curb and gutter, sidewalk and driveway aprons, hot-mix asphalt surface removal, frame/lid adjustment, resurfacing, and other associated work. The bidding documents are available for download starting Thursday, March 25, 2021 at: www.vrf.us/bids Bids must be submitted by Monday, April 19, 2021 at 10:00 a.m. at: Village of River Forest 400 Park Avenue River Forest, IL 60305 The bid proposals will be publicly opened and read at that time. Proposals will be considered not only on the basis of cost, but also on past performance, experience and ability to perform the work. No bid shall be withdrawn after the opening of the Proposals without the consent of the President and Board of Trustees of the Village of River Forest for a period of thirty (30) days after the scheduled time of the bid opening. Bidders shall be prequaliﬁed by IDOT for: HMA Paving The Village of River Forest reserves the right in receiving these bids to waive technicalities and reject any or all bids. Published in Wednesday Journal March 31, 2021

REAL ESTATE FOR SALE IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT CHANCERY DIVISION DEUTSCHE BANK NATIONAL TRUST COMPANY AS TRUSTEE FOR HIS ASSET SECURITIZATION CORPORATION TRUST 2007OPT1, MORTGAGE PASSTHROUGH CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2007-OPT1; Plaintiff, vs. CHARLES T. GRANT; JUANITA J. GRANT AKA JUANITA LACOURT; PRAIRIE PLACE AT 6436 ROOSEVELT CONDOMINIUM ASSOCIATION; UNKNOWN OWNERS AND NON RECORD CLAIMANTS; Defendants, 19 CH 14415 Calendar 56 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, May 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: UNIT 311 AND P-30 IN PRAIRIE PLACE AT 6436 ROOSEVELT CONDOMINIUM, AS DELINEATED ON A SURVEY OF THE FOLLOWING DESCRIBED PROPERTY: LOTS 19 TO 28 BOTH INCLUSIVE, IN THE SUBDIVISION OF BLOCK 3 IN THE SUBDIVISION OF THE SOUTHEAST QUARTER OF LOT 6 IN B. F. JERVIS SUBDIVISION OF SECTION 18, TOWNSHIP 39 NORTH, RANGE 13, EAST OF THE THIRD PRINCIPAL MERIDIAN (EXCEPT THE WEST HALF OF THE SOUTHWEST QUARTER

REAL ESTATE FOR SALE

OF SAID SECTION 18), IN COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS THE WEST 1/2 OF VACATED ELMWOOD AVENUE LYING EAST OF AND ADJOINING LOT 19 IN SUBDIVISION OF BLOCK 3 IN SUBDIVISION OF THE SOUTHEAST 1/4 OF LOT 6 IN B. F. JERVIS SUBDIVISION OF SECTION 18, TOWNSHIP 39 NORTH, RANGE 13, EAST OF TH E THIRD PRINCIPAL MERIDIAN, (EXCEPT THE WEST 1/2 OF THE SOUTHWEST 1/4 THEREOF), IN COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. THE EAST 1/2 OF VACATED GUNDERSON AVENUE LYING WEST OF AND ADJOINING LOT 28 IN SUBDIVISION OF BLOCK 3 IN SUBDIVISION OF THE SOUTHEAST 1/4 OF LOT 6 IN B. F. JERVIS SUBDIVISION OF SECTION 18, TOWNSHIP 39 NORTH, RANGE 13, EAST OF THE THIRD PRINCIPAL MERIDIAN, (EXCEPT THE WEST 1/2 OF THE SOUTHWEST 1/4), IN COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS, WHICH SURVEY IS ATTACHED TO THE DECLARATION OF CONDOMINIUM RECORDED AS DOCUMENT 0617416044, AS AMENDED FROM TIME TO TIME, TOGETHER WITH AN UNDIVIDED PERCENTAGE INTEREST IN THE COMMON ELEMENTS. “MORTGAGOR ALSO HEREBY GRANTS TO THE MORTGAGEE, ITS SUCCESSORS AND ASSIGNS, AS RIGHTS AND EASEMENTS APPURTENANT TO THE ABOVE DESCRIBED REAL ESTATE, THE RIGHTS AND EASEMENTS FOR THE BENEFIT OF SAID PROPERTY SET FORTH IN THE DECLARATION OF CONDOMINIUM” “THIS MORTGAGE IS SUBJECT TO ALL RIGHTS, EASEMENTS, COVENANTS, CONDITIONS, RESTRICTIONS AND RESERVATIONS CONTAINED IN SAID DECLARATION THE SAME AS THOUGH THE PROVISIONS OF SAID DECLARATION WERE RECITED AND STIPULATED AT LENGTH HEREIN.”. P.I.N. 16-18428-043-1019 & 16-18-428-0431064. Commonly known as 6436 Roosevelt Road, Unit 311, Oak Park, IL 60304. The mortgaged real estate is improved with a condominium residence. The purchaser of the unit other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments and the legal fees required by subdivisions (g)(1) and (g) (4) of Section 9 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 Law Clerk at Plaintiff’s Attorney, The Wirbicki Law Group, 33 West Monroe Street, Chicago, Illinois 60603. (312) 3609455. W18-0641 INTERCOUNTY JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION intercountyjudicialsales.com I3166129 IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT CHANCERY DIVISION QUICKEN LOANS, LLC Plaintiff, -v.DRIKO DUCASSE, UNKNOWN OWNERS AND NONRECORD CLAIMANTS Defendants 2019CH08452 1226 N AUSTIN BLVD OAK PARK, IL 60302 NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on December 17, 2019, an agent for The Judicial Sales Corporation, will at 10:30 AM on April 27, 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 1226 N AUSTIN BLVD, OAK PARK, IL 60302 Property Index No. 16-05-127-027-

REAL ESTATE FOR SALE

0000 The real estate is improved with a multi-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(g1).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) 236SALE 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. 14-19-06429 Attorney ARDC No. 00468002 Attorney Code. 21762 Case Number: 2019CH08452 TJSC#: 41-167 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. I3166321

Forest Park Review, March 31, 2021

INC., REALTOR

(708) 366-8989 7342 MADISON ST, FOREST PARK, ILLINOIS 60130

SOLD!

928 S. Kenilworth Ave. Oak Park ....................$275,000

SOLD!

Property has been owner occupied by the same family for 50+ years. 1st fl has spacious living rm and dining rm, kitchen and 1/2 bath. 2nd floor has three bedrooms and full bath. Stucco exterior and 2 car detached garage. Great location in south west Oak Park. Needs some updating but livable as-is. 935 Elgin Avenue, Forest Park ........................$489,000 This is a money maker! This early 1970s brick four flat houses two one bedroom apartments on the top floor, a large three bedroom two bath apartment on the first floor, and a large two bedroom two bathroom apartment in the lower level. Tandem parking for 8 cars. Meticulously maintained by the current owner for several decades. The numbers work! This one really won't last long.

SOLD!

ASSISTED LIVING • SHELTERED CARE • MEMORY CARE • SKILLED NURSING

Now safely moving new residents to our small, wooded campus.

337 Marengo Avenue, Forest Park ......................$275,000 Fantastic location alert!! Just a stones throw from Madison Street shopping, restaurants, and night life makes this a very desirable piece of real estate! This is two flat is ready for some love and attention. Just stuck in time is all. Or a fantastic de-conversion to single family! So bring your decorating ideas, and be prepared to fall in love!

SOLD!

New This Year! 2021-2022 Online Registration for all returning students begins Monday, May 17, 2021

A safe & smart choice. Choosing a community you can trust has never been more difficult.

All students must register each year and parents and guardians must provide three proofs of residency. More information will be forthcoming after spring break. Stay informed. Visit www.fpsd91.org for details and updates.

Our community has an impeccable record of safety during the COVID-19 crisis and we will stop at nothing to make sure it continues. We would be honored for your family to be part of ours.

CONTACT US FOR AN OUTDOOR VISIT 2800 Des Plaines Avenue, North Riverside, IL 60546 (708) 477-5092 | CaledoniaSeniorLiving.org

This 3 BR, 2.1 BA home has not been available in over 55 years. It has been meticulously maintained within the same family for that time. This home offers two first floor good sized bedrooms and a large second floor master. Each floor has a full updated bathroom. The first floor living room, with it's vaulted ceilings, fill with sunlight pouring from the front foyer windows.

1117 Marengo Avenue, Forest Park .......................$263,500 What a great opportunity to get into Forest Park at an affordable price! This home offers four total bedrooms, two on the second floor and two on the first floor. The home is in perfect condition! Living room, dining room, and eat in kitchen, plus a finished basement. Huge deck off the back of the house and a very large two car garage!

SOLD!

1028 Beloit Forest Park ....................$289,000

Limited availability!

Forest Park Review, March 31, 2021