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Vol. 103, No. 18

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APRIL 29, 2020

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D209 extends supt. search after finding three finalists Board reopens application process, taking new applicants until June 5

By MICHAEL ROMAIN Staff Reporter

The District 209 school board has restarted its search for a candidate to succeed outgoing Supt. Jesse Rodriguez, who is leaving in June to take the superintendent position at Zion-Benton Township High School District 126.

With the help of executive search firm Ray and Associates, the district had whittled a nationwide pool of roughly 45 applicants down to three finalists before suspending the search process and going back to the drawing board, according to Ned Wagner, the outgoing school board president.

Board member Rodney Alexander will replace Wagner as board president in May. Member Claudia Medina was elected board vice president while Amanda Grant was elected secretary. The board elected new officers at its regular meeting on April 14.

“After our last round of interviews, we let it gestate in our collective mind and we realized we didn’t find anyone who is a perfect fit and so we reopened the application process,” Wagner said on April 25. Wagner said the position was reposted on Monday and applications will be accepted until June 5.

Wagner declined to go into detail about why the board started the process over again, but he said that input from community leaders, staff members and families “had a lot to do with us deciding to extend the search.”

Wagner said the extended search process does not change Rodriguez’s June 30 exit date. The board is expected to appoint an interim superintendent at its meeting in May.

ALEX ROGALS

COVERED

Masks must be worn in some public places in Forest Park, required by a directive signed last week by Mayor Rory Hoskins and effective as of April 24.

Masks now required in Forest Park State requirement goes into effect May 1

By MARIA MAXHAM Staff Reporter

People in Forest Park are now required to wear masks or face coverings in some public settings, according to a directive signed by Mayor Rory Hoskins and effective Friday, April 24.

IN Crime . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 THIS Big Week . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 ISSUE Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Classified . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Hoskins used the authority granted to him during a declared state of emergency to sign the directive, which, as stated in the official document, is based on the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and U. S. Surgeon General recommendation that all individuals wear cloth face coverings in public settings and “is issued to protect the health, safety, and welfare of persons within the village.”

Face coverings are defined in the di-

Pandemic’s impact on reassessments PAGE 6

rective as being made “of cloth or other material that is reasonably designed and made to inhibit, filter, or restrict the breath, sneeze, cough, or other exhaling from one’s nose and mouth.”

The directive does not recommend medical grade masks, as those “should be reserved for use by health care providers and first responders.”

Masks or face coverings must be used during the following activities in See MASKS on page 8

COVID-19 updates PAGE 13

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Forest Park Review, April 29, 2020

KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATION UPDATE Originally, we had asked families to begin calling Betsy Ross and Garfield schools May 1, 2020 to register their child or children for Kindergarten. However, since the schools are now closed the remainder of the year that is not a viable option.

If you have a child who is currently enrolled in preschool and will be 5 years old prior to September 1, 2020, they may be enrolled in Kindergarten.

Beginning Friday, May 1, 2020, you may now email either Betsy Ross or Garfield to set up a screening and registration appointment for August 2020. Please do not try to call the school offices as no one will be in the buildings to answer the phones.

Families who reside south of 290 will email and attend Betsy Ross School – contact Patricia Marino at pmarino@fpsd91.org. Families who reside north of 290 will email and attend Garfield School – contact Diane Rice at drice@fpsd91.org.

Your email to either school should include the following information: • Student name • Current address • Student’s date of birth • Full name of parent or guardian • Phone number of parent or guardian Your child will need to attend the appointment with you as they are screened for instructional planning purposes. If your child has an IEP, information about next school year will be discussed at the Annual Review meeting which is scheduled with each individual family.

Once we receive permission to begin the Kindergarten registration process, we will email or call families with the official dates and times for registration.

keep up to date at www.fpsd91.org

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Forest Park Review, April 29, 2020

I

We’ve got this, Forest Park

was scheduled to retire on Aug. 15, but due to the current crisis, I shut down my detective agency last week.

I’m proud that our Forest Park business survived for 56 years! Only a small percentage of businesses have this kind of longevity. Several are here in Forest Park: Ferrara Pan, Mohr Oil and our timeless cemeteries come to mind.

Retiring was a priority for me because the men in my family have a poor track record. My dad was still working full-time, when he passed away at 74. My brother Dan never got a chance to retire and my brother Edward only enjoyed one year.

The first step to closing down my company was to cancel my private detective insurance. It was a million-dollar policy that I was required to have but never used. Next, I notified some of my clients. One lawyer was shocked. We had worked together since she graduated law school. Now she is head of a major firm.

The next step was my exit interview with Human Resources (aka my wife). We went over my retirement package. It included no bonus, pension, or future earnings. It’s called the “Not Another Dime” plan. HR, though, did sign me up for Social Security.

The promise of monthly checks is prompt-

ing many business owners in my age range to make the same decision.

Then I thought about how hard it is for younger entrepreneurs to survive this crisis. As I’ve said, my heart breaks for our local business owners. We’ve done what we can to support our restaurants, but curbside is a poor substitute for dine-in customers.

Then I thought back to an earlier time when the Great Recession caused our local businesses so much financial pain. My company was among them. I lost 75 percent of my income in 2008. The financial hardship wasn’t the worst part. It was the endless empty days without work. Kind of like the days we currently endure.

Forest Park businesses remained open, but many of us could no longer afford to patronize them. My company was struggling but it managed to stay afloat. Finally, after a long ordeal, my volume of business returned to pre-recession levels. In fact, 2019 was my best year in over a decade.

Maybe my little company is a microcosm of the resilience our town has always shown.

Forest Park survived the Spanish Flu pandemic, which killed 50 million worldwide.

We endured the Great Depression, during which unemployment peaked at 25 percent. We even made it through Prohibition,

JOHN RICE

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L O O K

B A C K

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F O R E S T PA R K

which crippled the village’s finances. Many of our businesses also survived the recent recession. I credit this to Forest Park’s ideal location, business-friendly environment and indomitable spirit.

That spirit shows in our response to the current crisis. Most are respecting social distancing and other safety measures. Villagers are helping in any way they can, making masks, donating plasma and writing letters to isolated seniors. Our dedicated teachers continue to stay in contact with their students through remote learning.

This could be the worst crisis we’ve ever faced, a combination of deadly disease and economic disaster. I’m confident, though, we will overcome it and that our businesses will again prosper. Recovery may be slow but it will be steady. Meanwhile, we can use this current “time-out” to re-evaluate our priorities and find what is truly important.

I believe in the future of Forest Park. The landscape may look different after the virus passes but the soul of our village will remain intact. “We’ve got this, Forest Park!” isn’t just a slogan. It’s how we’ve always responded to tough times.

■ John Rice is a columnist/private detec-

tive, 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 . . .

REVIEW Editor Maria Maxham Contributing Reporters Tom Holmes, John Rice, Bob Skolnik, Jackie Glosniak, Robert J. Lifka Columnists Alan Brouilette, Jill Wagner, Tom Holmes, John Rice Senior Editor Bob Uphues 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 Front Desk Carolyn Henning, Maria Murzyn

Publisher Dan Haley Business Manager Joyce Minich 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 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: $25 per year. $42 for two years, $58 for three years.

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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 This friendly meat market may look vaguely familiar to those who shop at Ed’s Way. This photo was featured in the April 25,1957 Forest Park Review when the newly remodeled self-service meat department opened at the White Way Food Mart, located at Beloit Avenue and Harvard Street.

It would be another three years before the grocer planned expansion to 942 Beloit Ave., the former home of Malwitz Bakery.

The White Way grocery store name goes back to the 1930’s, but when the local Nutley family purchased the store in 1991, they named it after Ed, co-owner, who is still filling the shelves nearly every day.

Jill Wagner

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.

@ForestParkReview

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Forest Park Review, April 29, 2020

PPP LOANS: Dan Watts, president of Forest Park Bank, is working to assist businesses and organizations affected by the pandemic.

Intensive care for small businesses Forest Park Bank approves 105 PPP loans

By TOM HOLMES Contributing Reporter

To use a medical metaphor, the U.S. economy is in the intensive care unit, at least as far as the many small businesses in Forest Park are concerned.

Karen Mills, a Senior Fellow at the Harvard Business School, said small businesses in general have around 27 days of cash on hand and restaurants in particular have on average just 17 days. “If you run out of cash,” Mills said, “you’re dead.”

The National Federation of Independent Businesses estimates that because of the lock down of businesses in response to COVID-19 “half of small businesses could be out of business in two months and another third in three to six months.”

Lynn Sorice, who owns several Forest Park establishments, said, “What is scaring many of us is wondering how long it will take to get demand back to an acceptable level of normalcy. Discretionary spending is habitual and can be fickle. In the long run, all of us who are qualified will eventually get a PPP loan. Even with that loan all of us are not going to survive and that scares me.”

And, when small businesses are not open for business, employees are laid off and don’t get paychecks — 22 million workers

nationwide have filed for unemployment since social distancing took effect.

To continue with the medical analogy, that’s why the small business loans provided by the federal CARES Act like the PPP (Paycheck Protection Plan) in the amount of $349 billion can be, like ventilators for people infected with the coronavirus, the difference between life and death for hundreds of businesses in Forest Park.

And that’s why there is a palpable sense of urgency in the local business community.

Businesses are making haste to apply for the lifesaving “transfusion” of cash. Loan officers in the two local banks have been working overtime to get the needed financial injection to them.

Dan Watts, president of Forest Park Bank, reported that as of April 20, 150 businesses and organizations had applied or shown interest in the PPP loans and 105 had already been approved by the bank and sent to the Small Business Administration (SBA) for a final green light.

The loans have ranged in amount from the smallest at $5,000 to the largest at $1.5 million.

He said the PPP stimulus can be critical to the Forest Park economy by noting that small businesses are “the backbone” of our economy and if small businesses remain open, their employees keep their jobs.

When they get regular paychecks they can afford to pay their rent and their landlords have enough revenue to pay their mortgages and everyone is able to buy things at the retail shops in town.

“Our economy,” he said, “is like a complicated machine with many component parts.

When one of those parts gets jammed up, it has an effect on the whole machine.”

Watts said the roll out of the programs created by the CARES Act has not been flawless as President Trump boasted shortly after he signed it into law on March 27. But given the short time between then and now and the massive number of applications which the Small Business Administration and Treasury Department have been inundated, what has been accomplished is “amazing.”

As in the roll out of Obamacare, Watts said, there have been delays and glitches.

As of April 9, two weeks after the CARES Act was signed into law, Forest Park Bank had 105 loans all set to go but they had not yet gained access to the SBA system.

Once that happened, Watts credits his three commercial lenders who worked right through the Easter weekend and late into many nights to get the loans processed so the money could flow to local small businesses. Watts said the first loan was funded on April 16.

When asked if he was competing with the U.S. Bank branch at the corner of Madison and Desplaines for business, the president of the Forest Park Bank replied that in this situation it’s a case of all hands on deck and banks are working together to get the loans out as quickly as possible.

Another unanticipated hold up had been that the SBA ran out of money to fund more loans. The $349 billion which the CARES Act provided had already been exhausted by

April 16, which meant that until Congress reloaded the PPP with additional funding last week, lending institutions including Forest Park Bank were not accepting applications until more money was made available.

Watts expressed some frustration with Democrats in Washington for holding up the PPP reload by insisting that additional funding for hospitals and local governments be added to the bill. “That’s not to say,” said Watts, “that the economy doesn’t need those additional programs, but to tie that discussion to this successful program is going to be detrimental to many businesses.”

The way the CARES Act is written loans made under the PPP can in effect become grants if after eight weeks of receiving their loans businesses can show that at least 75 percent of the money received was used for wages.

The problem with that eight week stipulation, Watts said, is that restaurants in town, for example, aren’t paying wages to their employees during the lockdown so if they receive funding on April 17 and they aren’t allowed to reopen until late May a big portion of the loan will not qualify for forgiveness. That’s why he is hoping that Congress will pass an extension to the eight-week requirement.

“The PPP program is working,” said Watts. “It’s amazing. Everything from trucking companies to tool and die shops to restaurants to churches have applied. We’ll see if this stimulus is enough to keep businesses going and people employed.”

Forest Park Review, April 29, 2020

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Gun found in convicted felon’s car

A man was charged with aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, unlawful use of a weapon, unlawful possession of firearms and firearms ammo, expired driver’s license, and speeding on April 23. Around 7:15 p.m., the reporting officer observed a car speeding down Harlem Avenue past Thornton’s, where the officer was monitoring traffic. While following the vehicle, the officer ran the registration and discovered the owner of the car was not only driving on a license expired for almost a year, but also had over 17 previous arrests, including some for “dangerous drugs.”

The officer requested backup, and the two police cars pulled the vehicle over on Harvard just east of Dunlop Avenue.

An officer asked the driver for identification and noticed signs of nervousness from the driver, as well as what the officer thought to be the man turning in such a manner as to hide the center console area from view. He asked the driver to step out of the car, which he did. When asked if he had any weapons, the driver said why he would be driving the way he was if he had a weapon on him.

Since the vehicle was going to be impounded due to the expired license, and because the officer found the gun answer suspicious, he began to search the car and found a black Smith and Wesson semiauto-

matic 40-caliber handgun with nine rounds in the gun’s magazine.

The man, who did not have a FOID card on record and is a convicted felon, was arrested.

Vehicle stolen A vehicle was stolen from the 300 block of Desplaines Avenue sometime between 11:30 p.m. on April 24 and 10 a.m. on April 25. A woman called to report that unknown offenders had taken her car from the parking lot without her permission. She still had the keys in her possession and did not remember if she had locked her car or not. No broken glass was observed in the parking lot, and police will check with the condo president to see if there is video surveillance.

Car burglarized Police were called to the 800 block of Beloit Avenue at 12:03 p.m., April 25 when a man discovered his car had been burglarized.

The car, parked at the rear of the residence, was not damaged, but approximately $80 in cash and coins was missing. The owner was not sure if the vehicle was locked when he parked and exited it the previous day.

Another car ransacked A car was burglarized on the 7300 block of Harrison Street, April 25. Police were called

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at 9:47 p.m. to the parking pad in the alley at the rear of the residence. The owner, who believed his vehicle was left unlocked, said he discovered the center console and glove box were open and had been ransacked. His wallet, which contained credit cards, bank cards and approximately $1 in cash, was missing.

Unauthorized person at Currie Motors Officers were called to Currie Motors, 8401 Roosevelt Road, on April 26 at 5:21 a.m. when a man not authorized to be on the lot was walking around trying to open car doors. When police arrived, the man was exiting a silver vehicle with the radio at a very high volume. He left the vehicle and began to walk away from officers, who detained and handcuffed him.

Bicycles stolen from garage Three bicycles, valued at $600 each, were stolen from an unlocked garage on the 900 block of Lathrop between April 19 at 5 p.m. and April 20 at 9 a.m. The bicycles were a silver Electra Townie 21, a white Schwinn Voyageur GS and a red Giant brand 10-speed.

Man accuses 70-year-old of animal cruelty A man called the cops, then held a 70-year-

old man on the ground until they arrived on the 200 block of Marengo Avenue, April 20 at 12:25 p.m. The caller said he was out walking when he saw the old man beating his dog. According to the caller, the alleged abuser kicked the dog in the face and then hit its nose with an open hand. He followed the man and dog while dialing 911.

The alleged abuser denied kicking the dog and explained that he did use his open hand on the dog, but to move the dog’s head away, not hit it. According to the police report, he “adamantly stated he does not abuse his dog.”

He brought the dog outside so the officer could check the dog’s welfare. And he added that he was hit twice by the caller and wanted that fact documented in the report.

These items were obtained from police reports filed by the Forest Park Police Department, April 20-26, 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

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Forest Park Review, April 29, 2020

Reassessments will account for pandemic’s impact For townships already reassessed, adjustment will come after appeals

By LACEY SIKORA Contributing Reporter

W

hen Fritz Kaegi won the election for Cook County Assessor in November 2018, he pledged to change the way the office did business. As he works his way through his agenda, his second year has been marked by an unprecedented shutdown due to COVID-19. And, that has necessitated a pivot in how the office handles re-assessments.

Kaegi says that with the economic shutdown because of the pandemic, it rapidly became apparent that his office needed to make changes. His office recently issued a press release regarding the decision to reassess all properties in the county later in the year.

“We’re already seeing the effects of this global health crisis on hiring, income, and construction -- all of which dovetail with real estate values,” Kaegi said in the release. “Property owners should know we’re taking these circumstances into account.

It’s the right thing to do.”

During a Zoom interview with Wednesday Journal last week, Kaegi cited the recession of 2008 as a period in which then-Assessor James Houlihan made a downward adjustment in assessment for the entire county.

Kaegi says the details of the downward adjustment are still being determined, but he said the adjustment will be based on data, including pricing and numbers of transactions for local property sales, as well as models of unemployment and how that relates to those categories. Kaegi says they will also look at how municipalities were impacted by previous crises, such as 9/11 and the recession 10 years ago.

Oak Park Township Assessor Ali ElSaffar noted the assessor’s COVID-19 changes will affect Oak Park, Riverside, River Forest, Calumet and Palos Townships differently than other municipalities.

Cook County reassesses properties on a triennial basis, and those townships were reassessed in January 2020 and were in the midst of the appeals process when the virus hit.

Other townships in the west and south of Cook County, including Proviso and Lyons townships, will be reassessed later this year.

ElSaffar, who noted that his office has already processed more than 2,000 appeals for Oak Park’s roughly 15,000 residential property owners, said that it did not make sense to go through the appeals process now only to have properties reassessed in the late fall or winter.

“They will work on our appeals, which

are now due May 1, as normal and then ap- for the job as county assessor, during which ply the adjustment factor to those post-ap- he spoke to people around the country who are involved in proppeal values,” ElSaferty assessment. far said.

“What we were doElSaffar said that ing is not what they in 2009, Oak Park’s do in other places,” residential properKaegi said. “We have ties saw a downward a lot to learn from adjustment of 7 perother places. Some of cent, but that did our peers had probnot apply to other lems like ours and property classes, and they’ve fixed them.” other municipalities When he started saw different adjusthis job in 2019, upments. dates were sorely He also cautioned needed. that any downward “There was one adjustment will have whole city block [in little effect on tax the county building] bills. from Randolph to “This is more of Washington full of a sound bite than a boxes with no filing change in reality,” system other than ElSaffar said. date received,” Kaegi Municipal governsaid. “It symbolized a ments, school dissystem that was dystricts and other agencies determine how functional.” much money they He appointed 25 need to fund their new senior execuoperations, and those tives, including peotax levies will not ple with expertise Cook County Assessor change. in assessments from Kaegi confirmed other parts of the that the levies set by local taxing bodies will country. He set about automating an outdatbe the same in spite of his COVID-19-based ed system, implementing many technologiadjustment and that the adjustment is try- cal innovations. ing to make sure that the levies are divided Appeals and exemptions can be filed onup in the fairest way. line, and the office also instituted a new In Riverside Township, Assessor Fran call system, new Freedom of Information Sitkiewicz said that the township’s appeals Act process and a new website. In addition, process has been very robust in spite of the office put in place an online RPIE (Real COVID-19. As in Oak Park, the Riverside Property Income and Expense) form, which Township assessor pivoted after the shut- allows commercial property owners to subdown to assist residents with appeals over mit rent and income information before the the phone. As of April 15, Sitkiewicz says her office has worked with roughly 1,500 of Riverside Township’s more than 5,000 residential property owners in Riverside, Brookfield and North Riverside.

She says that because of changes made in the county assessor’s office under Kaegi, it has been easier for her office to help the ever-increasing numbers of residents seeking to appeal, since the process can now be completed online.

“We do appreciate the changes Kaegi is making to make the process accessible and to help us do things online,” Sitkiewicz said. “At least we’ve now gotten through the process and gotten our appeals filed. Now, we’ll have to see what the answer is to those appeals.”

FRITZ KAEGI

Ripe for reform After his primary victory in spring of 2018, Kaegi says he had 10 months to prepare

assessment process.

A legislative change, making the senior exemption renew automatically each year, will also ease the process for seniors.

When asked about the perception that the assessment process was rife with corruption, Kaegi says that perception reflects the point of view of many in Cook County.

“By design or by accident, our system has been extremely regressive,” he said. “It’s done great damage economically and politically to our community.”

Kaegi says it’s part of his job to upend that perception of corruption, noting the reforms he has already put in place that include an ethics ordinance, which prohibits contributions to the assessor from Cook County Assessor Office employees, a published visitor log and an outside auditor.

Kaegi also expressed an interest in making the typical triennial reassessments more transparent.

“The assessment process has been difficult,” he said. “A lot of key numbers have been hidden. We want to show them and be accountable.”

To that end, the office is now publishing township-level reports on its website for each reassessed township to help property owners understand its methodology, and also created “explainers” online so that people can gain a better understanding of the property tax system.

They also redesigned assessment notices and other communications from the office to make them easier to read.

Kaegi acknowledged that Cook County property taxes are some of the highest in the nation and advocates a two-pronged approach to relief.

“We need more federal support of K through 12 education, and we need to bring back the SALT (State and Local Tax) deduction,” he said.

Forest Park Review, April 29, 2020

Food pantries reveal effect of COVID-19 on society Community Center still collecting, serving

By TOM HOLMES Contributing Reporter

Karen Dylewski is the director of Forest Park’s Mohr Community Center where the community food pantry is located. “Our pantry has seen a lot of people in the last month and I believe we will see more in the coming months,” she said. “We are getting more than normal and a lot of them are new.”

The fact that she is getting calls from people who have never signed up before is an indication of how far reaching the effect of unemployment and the stay at home orders have been.

Teri Miller at Beyond Hunger — formerly the Oak Park River Forest Food Pantry — reported similar statistics. “We’ve seen increased usage as high as 35 percent in any one week. We’ve had a 150 percent increase in first time visitors to the pantry in this past month. We have also seen a 19 percent increase of Oak Park residents, and our Home Delivery program has tripled in the past month.”

Both Miller and Dylewski were unable to share detailed personal stories from the people coming for food, because a commitment to social distancing prevents staff from having long conversations with clients.

The Community Center is going to great lengths to minimize social contact during the crisis. Dylewski described how the food is handed out. “The boxes are packed and rolled on a cart and put out the door when some-

one comes. We are not in contact with anyone. They roll the cart to their car and return it to the door where we disinfect it and bring it in for the next box.

“Clients do not need to call ahead but can so we can be ready for them when they get here.”

Dylewski and Miller both said in contrast to people who are hoarding commodities, the people they talk to are grateful that the pantries essential services have remained open.

The Forest Park Pantry relies on donations from individuals and businesses to keep the pantry stocked. “We are so grateful to our Forest Park residents and businesses for always looking out for our food pantry.”

Miller went into more detail regarding how Beyond Hunger accesses the food it provides. One source is the Greater Chicago Food Depository. Another is local food stores and restaurants. The Beyond Hunger website said it works with these community partners to “divert safe, edible food from landfills and provide it to people in need. In 2019, food donations to our pantry account for 48 percent of the food that is distributed to the monthly 1,400 families who rely on our services.”

Dylewski is aware the need in Forest Park is not just for food but for emotional support as well.

“I know our mental health is just as important as our physical health. It is such an uncertain time for so many and a very scary time for everyone. We are all in this together and if we have to be in it there is no place I would rather live than Forest Park.”

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CTA parking lot project out for bid, despite reservations Lack of green infrastructure cause for debate

By MARIA MAXHAM Staff Reporter

The CTA Blue Line parking lot north of Van Buren Street will get a makeover, the village voting to go out to bid on the project, which will be funded by a recently unfrozen 2014 Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) grant. But the decision was not unanimous and was met with prolonged discussion about the possibility of adding green infrastructure into the project.

Commissioner Jessica Voogd, who has proven to be a proponent of environmental concerns during her time in office, acknowledged that the project was originally bid on in 2014, prior to green construction being as important as it’s become in the years since. But she said she wanted to know what the village could do to incorporate more environmentally friendly concepts into the project rather than simply using the original plan.

“It’s shocking to me that [the current plan] is just tearing up the asphalt and putting it back down,” said Voogd.

Village Administrator Tim Gillian said the grant was awarded in 2014, at which time the village actually went out to bid.

The project, however, was halted when the grant was frozen. In 2020 the money was released, but the same amount as in 2014 with no additional given for inflation or extra costs.

Gillian said he spoke to Jim Amelio of Christopher B. Burke Engineering, the village’s engineering firm, about adding green space, including plants and bushes, to the parking lot.

“It’s not as good as an entirely green lot,” said Gillian, but brick pavers, for example, would add around $750,000 to the project, more than doubling the DCEO funding amount of $480,000, money that would come from the village’s general fund.

“When starting [a project] from scratch, we will add more green infrastructure,” said Gillian, who went on to say that for this particular project, given the limited grant amount and necessity to do this quickly before the money is potentially frozen again, it’s not a prudent decision to hold up the project now to add in green elements. He also said beginning work on the project now, when the CTA lot is almost empty during the days, would make the work easier to accomplish.

For this project, Gillian said he’d ask Amelio to create a “down and dirty” landscape plan to add as an addendum to the project specifications.

Voogd made a motion to table the discussion until the next meeting, giving Amelio and the village time to sit down and see what green elements could be added. She said an entirely new plan wasn’t necessarily what she was looking for, but she hoped for something a little more comprehensive so the village isn’t “just tacking trees on the backend.”

“I would like to see it done in a thoughtful manner,” said Voogd.

But the vote to table the discussion only had two votes, hers and mayor Rory Hoskins’, and the vote was made to go out to bid now.

“Going forward,” said Hoskins, “it would be nice to see alternatives. We have a lot of potential in Forest Park.” He urged Gillian to communicate with the commissioners, especially Voogd (Commissioner of Public Property) and Ryan Nero (Commissioner of Streets and Public Improvements), on green initiatives for future projects.

Gillian said he would but added that “for this project, there are not a lot of options.”

Need a helping of

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Forest Park Review, April 29, 2020

Village hall takes to social media Local government will have its own Facebook page

By MARIA MAXHAM Staff Reporter

The village of Forest Park is planning to offer its own Facebook page to share announcements and pertinent information with residents.

At the April 27 village council meeting, Mayor Rory Hoskins and commissioners Joe Byrnes, Ryan Nero and Jessica Voogd voted in favor of entering into a marketing and social media services agreement with Darien Marion-Burton, a Forest Park resident who does business as D.M. Burton. Commissioner Dan Novak voted against it.

The service will cost the village $375 per month for the first year and $425 a month after that. There is no long-term contract, and the village can cancel at any time with 30 days’ notice to the contractor.

In a somewhat unexpected and lively back-and-forth, Hoskins and the commissioners discussed whether spending money at a time like this, when the village is in crisis and revenue is scarce, is a good idea.

Novak stated that with the financial status of the village being what it is and layoffs a possibility, hiring a third-party consultant to do something potentially done in-house is not, perhaps, the best idea.

Village Administrator Tim Gillian acknowledged Novak’s concerns, stating that it’s a “difficult pill to swallow at this point in time.” But he said the village has given CodeRED 30 days’ notice of cancellation, which will save Forest Park $12,000 a year.

With the robo-call service no longer available, and with Facebook a platform seen by more people, it makes sense to work with a contractor who will be considerably cheaper.

Additionally, Gillian added that the contractor is equipped to archive social media posts, preserving essential communications in case information is requested under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) in the future. This, he said, is an important difference between having someone already employed by the village setting up and regularly updating a Facebook page.

Finally, said Gillian, if the con-

tractor isn’t working out and the village isn’t happy with the service, it can be canceled at any time.

“But we get slammed all the time for not having a platform to get stuff out,” said Gillian.

Byrnes raised the question of whether the service should have gone out to bid.

Hoskins replied that it’s not a large expense. Additionally, the contractor comes recommended by the Forest Park Chamber of Commerce, which uses him.

“Sometimes proposals come unsolicited,” said Hoskins, adding that since it’s a local provider with a good reputation, and the contract isn’t for a high dollar amount, it makes sense to act now.

Hoskins added that the Facebook page will have a focus on coronavirus-related information right now, and since some pandemic expenses can be recouped, that might help offset the cost.

Voogd agreed that acting quickly is a good idea. “Time is of the essence,” she said. Nero noted the Facebook contract “is not a bad idea given there’s no long-term contract.”

Initially, the Facebook page will be set up exclusively to push information out to residents, not a platform for asking village-related questions or hosting discussions.

Resident Chris Harris, former village commissioner and former mayoral candidate, shared his comments about the social media consultant.

Harris forwarded to the Review an email with comments he’d hoped would be read at the Zoom meeting.

However, despite sending the email at 6:30 p.m. on April 27, the deadline for public comments to be emailed to the village, his comments were not shared during the public comments portion of the meeting.

In his email he stated: “Nothing against the person being considered for the social media job, I do not know them, but I would also urge that the process of hiring this person be more transparent. No-bid contracts are never a good idea. And as the owner of a media company it would be nice to bid on any job of that nature — but ultimately my advice would be to save money and do it in-house. I’d also be a bit concerned that the person being hired is not an LLC or Corporation; this puts a great legal and financial responsibility on them as the contracted mouthpiece for the village.”

Hoskins will serve as Biden delegate at DNC in August Event pushed back, scaled down

Hoskins, although he also said there’s some uncertainty about and changes planned for the Milwaukee event in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

By MARIA MAXHAM Originally scheduled for July Staff Reporter 13, the Democratic convention will now begin on August 17, a Mayor Rory Hoskins has ofweek before the Republic conficially been elected as a 7th vention in Charlotte. There has congressional district delegate been some talk about a virtual for presidential candidate Joe convention, but Politico reportBiden, beating former Illinois ed April 2 that DNC sources governor Pat Quinn and Metand a Biden campaign memropolitan Water Reclamation ber “would like to have a live District (MWRD) board comevent as long as it can be done missioner Marcelino Garcia, safely.” among others.

However, according to PoAlso elected as Biden dellitico, the DNC is scaling back egates from the 7th district original plans. “People are goare Emma Mitts, Chicago ing to be hurting,” a DNC ofFile 37th Ward alderman; Patricia ficial was reported as saying.

Dowell, Chicago 3rd Ward al- ELECTED: Mayor Rory Hoskins will “It’s not a time to be lavish.” derman; Barbara McGowan, The original July date alrepresent Biden at the DNC in MWRD vice president; and lowed Democrats to hold the Brendan Reilly, Chicago 42nd Milwaukee this August. convention before the 2020 Ward alderman.

Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Claudia Moreno-Nunez, Dominique Coronel, according to CNN. But when the Olympics were and Miguel Bautista were elected as Sanders del- delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the sumegates. mer opened up for rescheduling.

Hoskins, who has organized fundraisers for Talks had begun in March about rescheduling Biden in the past, said he’s honored to have been but never took off until Biden spoke up, pushelected and was pleased when he heard the re- ing for the event to be held later than originally sults, which were announced last week. planned.

“It’s nice to be part of the process,” said

MASKS

Safety measure from page 1 Forest Park: • Working at or patronizing essential businesses that are open to the public or when employees have contact with the public. This includes customers and employees at places such as grocery stores, restaurants, hardware stores, banks, laundromats, auto repair shops, and landscaping businesses or activities. It also requires employees who are delivering food or providing curbside service.

• Engaging in essential activities such as shopping, visiting a health care professional, or seeking medical supplies or medication.

• Riding on public transportation, taxis or ride share vehicles.

• This directive does not apply to persons: • Engaging in outdoor activity while practicing social or physical distancing of at least 6 feet from others.

• Riding alone in a personal vehicle.

• Who are alone or with household members in a separate single space.

• While eating or drinking.

Under this directive, a business owner has the right to refuse admission or service to a customer who isn’t wearing a face covering. Those who refuse to follow the directive can be issued a warning by the police department. A second offense can result in a citation or arrest.

But according to Hoskins in an interview, “The purpose of this is not to create more police interaction or arrest people; the purpose is to make sure everyone is protected, including essential workers who have regular contact with the public.”

Hoskins also said that social distancing is still recommended; wearing facial coverings does not replace the need to stay a safe distance away from others.

As the directive states: “Social and physical distancing is still the first, best, and required practice to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Last Thursday, Governor J.B. Pritzker announced that the state of Illinois will require masks beginning May 1. According to the order, “individuals will be required to wear a face-covering or a mask when in a public place where they can’t maintain a six-foot social distance. Face-coverings will be required in public indoor spaces, such as stores. This new requirement applies to all individuals over the age of two who are able to medically tolerate a face-covering or a mask.”

Forest Park Review, April 29, 2020

Heroes Work Here ALEXA ROGALS/Staff Photographer

TAKING ROOT: Park district employees and the village’s public works department planted a tree at the park district in celebration of Arbor Day on April 24.

Village quietly celebrates Arbor Day Big celebration postponed for now

By MARIA MAXTHAM Staff Reporter

A new tree, planted in celebration of Arbor Day on April 24, graces the park at Harrison Street and Beloit Avenue.

The bur oak tree, donated by McAdam Landscaping and planted by Forest Park’s public works department and the Park District of Forest Park, represents the last step in the village’s pursuit of official designation by the National Arbor Day Foundation as a Tree City USA, a national recognition that’s been around since 1976.

Commissioner Jessica Voogd has worked with Village Administrator Tim Gillian and Director of Public Works John Doss to complete the steps of the application process.

The Arbor Day Foundation lists four standards a village must meet in order to receive recognition: having a tree board or department, putting into place a tree care ordinance, a community forestry program with an annual budget of at least $2 per capita, and an Arbor Day proclamation and observance. The village council voted to adopt a tree care ordinance in October 2019 and issued an official proclamation of Arbor Day at a January 2020 meeting.

According to Voogd, the April 24 Arbor

Day celebration was planned as a much bigger event, involving the village, the park district and District 91. But the timing of this year’s Arbor Day, which is held annually on the last Friday of April, makes it impossible to bring everyone together as originally planned due to COVID-19 social distancing.

“For now, that bigger celebration is being postponed,” said Voogd.

A notice from the village to residents addressed Arbor Day and the disappointment felt by many that a big celebration couldn’t happen at this time.

“The village, the park district, Forest Park School District 91, McAdam Landscaping, along with Forest Park resident and Tree City expert Kurt Hansen spent several months planning a big Arbor Day celebration,” reads the memo.

Part of the celebration would have included a tree being planted at each school, in addition to the one at the park district. McAdam Landscaping is still donating the trees for the schools, but they will be planted at a later date in the fall.

Despite the big celebration being postponed, Voogd said the tree planting, which she attended, “was pretty great.”

“As a village, we want to celebrate trees and take care of them,” said Voogd, who said the designation might help with grant applications in the future. “Getting the Tree City USA designation puts us on the map with other cities that have it.”

Thank You Caledonia Senior Living Heroes and thank you to all the essential workers in our community.

2800 Des Plaines Avenue, North Riverside, IL 60546 (708) 477-5092 | CaledoniaSeniorLiving.org

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Forest Park Review, April 29, 2020 SPONSORED CONTENT

Oak Park Regional Housing Center and why we “Live in Oak Park”

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any people are aware that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was a leader in the Civil Rights movement, however, not too many know he played a large role in the Fair Housing movement. In the early 1960s, Blacks were systematically stripped of opportunities to live in certain communities. It was this discrimination, a core component of injustice that still happens today, that forced Black people to live in segregated neighborhoods.

Beginning in 1965, Dr. King led the Chicago Freedom Movement, which was the campaign to address housing (and other Athena Williams, Executive Director issues) in OAK PARK REGIONAL Chicago, the HOUSING CENTER most racially segregated city in the United States. This campaign pushed for “open housing” and the right of Blacks to buy homes and live anywhere they wanted. Black home seekers in the city and surrounding suburbs were effectively barred from middle-class, predominantly white neighborhoods and prevented from freely seeking housing.

While there were a few victories from the Chicago Freedom Movement, it was not until seven days after Dr. King’s assassination that Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Fair Housing Act of 1968.

This flurry of open housing progress had a snowball effect that arrived in Oak Park in the late 1960s. The Oak Park Housing Center was founded in 1972 by Roberta “Bobbie” Raymond. I had the opportunity

to speak with Bobbie several times during my time here at OPRHC. She made it clear that “we need to be open to Blacks coming into the community while instilling the values of this community.” Bobbie, concerned about racial integration and fair housing, became active in Oak Park, and was instrumental in passing Oak Park’s groundbreaking 1968 Fair Housing Ordinance.

Fair housing was promised to everyone in America through the passage of the Fair Housing Act of 1968. We are still a long way from realizing Dr. King’s dream of fair housing for all.

Unfortunately, Black and Hispanic families continue to remain twice as likely to live in poverty and continue to fall victim to discriminatory housing practices. Even today, in 2020, the consequences of social, economic and geographic inequality are becoming greater and more urgent. For example, the typical Black or Hispanic renter seeking housing is shown 11 percent fewer apartments than a white renter with similar qualifications, according to a 2012 HUD survey.

This is why we Live in Oak Park. The Oak Park Regional Housing Center promotes affirmatively furthering Fair Housing, which is a legal requirement that federal agencies and federal grantees further the purposes of the Fair Housing Act. At OPRHC, in partnership with the Village of Oak Park, our landlord partners, and community members, we create a housing market that is open, inclusive, and fulfills the diverse needs of all community residents.

Fair housing reconnects neighborhoods by ensuring access to quality housing, regardless of race, gender, religious views, familial status, or disability. All citizens have the opportunity to live in close proximity to high-achieving schools, employment opportunities, transportation options,

APRIL, NATIONAL FAIR HOUSING MONTH, increases efforts to end housing discrimination and raises awareness of fair housing rights. April is also the time to remember the assassination of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in 1968 and his contributions to the Civil Rights Movement. banking services, grocery stores and retail, public services, and public space.

Local government reaps benefits from promoting integration by lowering costs for social services, improving revenues through strong property values, and providing a desirable community where households and businesses can thrive.

Our work is intentional. We are needed at a time like this to maintain and continue to promote racial integration as we move the legacy forward to embrace the values of the community especially inclusion and equity.

We are here today because we are tired.

Now is the time to open the doors of opportunity.

- Dr. King, 1966, Chicago Solider Field Stadium as part of the Chicago Open Housing Movement.

Schuman brothers, long-time Housing Center backers, sell buildings to ResCorp

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he Schuman brothers, Russ and Kevin, bought their first apartment buildings on Oak Park’s east side some 30 years ago.

Over the decades they have focused on Oak Park values of quality multi-family housing units at affordable prices with a strong eye on racial diversity.

And that is why, says Athena Williams, executive director of the Oak Park Regional Housing Center, that the Schuman buildings, mainly on Austin Boulevard but also on Washington Boulevard, have been so integral to the properties represented by the Housing Center.

In late March, the Schuman brothers sold their last six Oak Park multi-family buildings to the Oak Park Residence Corporation, a non-profit housing partner of the Village of Oak Park.

David Pope, executive director of both ResCorp and its companion Oak Park

Housing Authority, is enthused about the sale. He hails the retiring Schuman family for “working under the radar but always advancing integration, affordability and quality units in an area we have always had concerns about maintaining.” Pope touted their long support for the Housing Center.

“They have been great partners with the Housing Center. They are huge fans of the work of the Housing Center,” he said.

That partnership will continue, Pope said, as all Residence Corporation units are listed with the Housing Center.

The purchase of the six buildings is the single largest purchase ever made in the 54 year history of ResCorp. Adding the Schuman properties and their 170 apartments increases the total number of apartment units it owns from 459 to 629, a 37 percent hike.

The Fair Housing Act protects people from discrimination when they are renting or buying a home, getting a mortgage, seeking housing assistance, or engaging in other housingrelated activities. The Federal Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in housing because of: • Race • National Origin

• Religion • Sex

• Familial Status • Disability

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Forest Park Review, April 29, 2020

These are some of our proud partners who support These are some of our proud partners. the Homebuyer and Financial Education initiatives of our West Cook Homeownership Program!

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e d

Fabiola Candlish

ay ed. to of ty.

fabiola.candlish@usbank.com

mortgage.usbank.com/fabiolacandlish usbank.com

ns e

ts

he

g 0 er o

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Cynthia McDowell

475 East 162nd Street South Holland, IL 60473 2203 45th Street Highland, IN 46322 8007 Calumet Avenue Munster, IN 46321

CRA Loan Specialist Chicago & Indiana Mortgage NMLS # 347295

Ahkeem Henderson Mortgage Loan Officer NMLS # 224387

3019 South Wolf Road, Westchester, IL 60154 Ahkeem.K.Henderson@huntington.com

Jeanette Vigil Assistant Vice President CRA Residential Loan Officer/ Residential Lending

1647 West 18th Street Chicago, IL 60608 Jeanette.Vigil@AssociatedBank.com NMLS # 435499

Cell: 847.651.4688 Fax: 773.594.5075

cynthia.mcdowell@53.com Cell: 773.742.7875 Fax: 844.227.3088

Cell: 773.567.5799

Field Open ment.

n

1000 East 111th Street MK-IL-7149 Chicago, IL 60628

Senior Loan Originator NMLS # 119377

Reginald Little Loan Officer NMLS # 515654

Jason Mitchell

6400 West North Avenue, Chicago, IL 60707

Mobile: 708.466.2017 Fax: 888.987.9341

150 E. Butterfiled Rd. Elmhurst, IL 60126

Loan Originator NMLS # 444186

rlittle@oldsecond.com

JMitchell@WintrustMortgage.com

www.rlittle.oldsecond.com

www.JasonMitchellMortgages.com

Direct: 773.804.4435 Cell: 773.230.6909 Fax: 773.804.3609

Direct: 630.598.2302 Cell: 630.728.9483 eFax: 630.594.7902

OAK PARK REGIONAL HOUSING CENTER’S RESPONSE TO COVID-19 Out of concern for the health and well-being of our clients and employees as well as careful consideration of the recently announced national emergency in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, our offices will only be accessible by phone and email until the state and or local “shelter in place” order has been lifted. Because we are accessible, providing emergency and

essential housing related services, please note that we have implemented additional health and hygiene protocols that include enhanced daily office cleanings, adding hand sanitizers at the entrance to our offices, practicing social distancing, and educating employees as well as clients on the latest CDC recommendations to help prevent illness.

We ask everyone - please be wise, sanitize. Use this protocol when entering your home:

1

When you arrive home try not to touch anything

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20ml bleach + 1 litre water Prepare a disinfectant solution

2

3

Remove your shoes

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Put on gloves and wash your mobile phone and glasses with hot soapy water or alcohol (disinfectant)

Leave your bag, purse, keys, etc in a box at the entry of your home

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Clean all the surfaces of whatever you bought from outside with the bleach solution, before storing it.

4

9

Remove your clothes and place them in a bag to be washed

Carefully remove and dispose of your gloves, then wash your hands

5

10

Take a shower.

If you can’t, wash all exposed areas.

Hands, wrists, arms, neck, nails, etc.

Remember, it is not possible to carry out complete disinfection.

The goal is to minimise the risk of infection.

1041 South Boulevard, Oak Park, IL 60302 • 708-848-7150 5934 W. Lake St., Chicago, IL 60644 • 773-887-5187 Hours vary by location and season, please call ahead before you plan your visit!

The Oak Park Regional Housing Center is a 501c3 nonprofit, HUD approved agency. OPRHC is the home of: the Live in Oak Park Program, providing rental matching to affirmatively further fair housing; and the West Cook Homeownership Program, providing homebuyer education, all areas of housing counseling, and a financial education initiative to help people enhance their financial skills and create positive banking relationships The opinions and views presented in this section are not the opinions or views of any of our sponsors or funders.

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Forest Park Review, April 29, 2020

April 29 – May 3

Our Community Needs Community Journalism It’s not just about crime reports and board meetings. We also need inspiring, funny, heartwarming and, at times, heartbreaking stories about our friends, neighbors and children. Perhaps now, more than ever.

Let's build community!

Read and Support the Forest Park Review.

BIG WEEK May Day Virtual Tour The Historical Society of Forest Park welcomes you to join us in our Haymarket Martyrs Monument and Radical Row Tour, virtually! Our in-person tour was offered for a requested donation of $10. We are offering our virtual tour for a donation of any amount you’d like. Once you purchase your ticket you will be emailed a link to the tour. The tour is 45 minutes long available to be watched any time after May 1. Tickets are available here: eventbrite.com/e/may-day-virtual-tour-tickets-102027958370

Virtual 3k to Benefit the Food Pantry Looking to get out and run for a great cause? Join the Park District of Forest Park for the Go The (Social) Distance Virtual 3K! Register at bit.ly/GoTheDistance3kPDoFP, run a 3K at your leisure between now and May 2, enter your time (instructions can also be found at the link above), and snap a photo before, during, or after your run and share it with us with the hashtag #GoTheSocialDistance!

All participants will receive a Go The (Social) Distance t-shirt, and all proceeds from the 3K will benefit the Forest Park Food Pantry.

Need Support?

Partner with us.

Donate at GrowingCommunityMedia.org

Growing Community Media NFP is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization

The Illinois Department of Human Services’ Mental Health Division has launched a free-of-charge emotional support text line, Call4Calm, for Illinois residents experiencing stress and mental health issues related to COVID-19. Individuals who would like to speak with a mental health professional can text “TALK” to 5-5-2-0-2-0, or for Spanish, “HABLAR” to the same number: 5-5-2-0-2-0.

Call4Calm is free to use, and individuals will remain anonymous. Once a resident sends a text to the hotline, within 24 hours they will receive a call from a counselor employed by a local community mental health center to provide support.

The Forest Park Public Library is offering free virtual appointments with social work intern Raqueal Pullums, a student at Loyola University School of Social Work. You can email her to set up an appointment at socialworkintern@fppl.org.

Need other assistance? Contact the Library and we can try to connect you with the resources you need. Call us M-F from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 708-366-7171 or email at askus@fppl.org.

Recommendations from the Library Staff Looking for something good to read, watch or listen to? Staff from the Forest Park Public Library have recommendations for you! These recommendations are from the library’s digital collection as well as outside platforms. Check out their suggestions at fppl.org/2020/04/03/ staffrecs/

Forest Park Review, April 29, 2020

60 cases of COVID-19 in Forest Park Two deaths so far, according to county

By MARIA MAXHAM Staff Reporter

According to the Cook County Department of Public Health, as of 6 p.m. on April 27, Forest Park had a total of 60 positive COVID-19 cases, a rate of 424 cases per 100,000 people.

The rate is essential in order to put into perspective how widespread the illness is since populations vary significantly from municipality to municipality Other nearby towns, listed by rate per 100,000 people, are below. The data is current as of April 27 at 6 p.m.: • River Forest: 24 cases or 215 out of 100,000 • Berwyn: 399 cases or 704 out of 100,000 • Maywood: 182 or 756 out of 100,000 • Broadview: 71 cases or 895 out of 100,000 • Bellwood: 201 cases or 1054 out of 100,000 • Melrose Park: 273 cases or 1074 out of 100,000 In both Bellwood and Melrose Park, more than 1 percent of the population has tested positive for COVID-19, according to the data from the county.

Cook County COVID-19 information can be found at

GET

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10 confirmed COVID-19 cases and one death at Aperion Five new cases reported since last week

By MARIA MAXHAM Staff Reporter

ccdphcd.shinyapps.io/covid19/ and includes all cases under the jurisdiction of the Cook County Department of Public Health. It excludes Chicago, Evanston, Oak Park, Skokie, and Stickney Township.

Another website at maps.cookcountyil.gov/medexamcovid19/ lists deaths related to COVID-19 by municipality. As of April 27, the website reported that Forest Park had two deaths, one on March 30 and one on April 6. Both deceased were males.

@ IT.

community news. calendar. weekend events. restaurant reviews. real estate resources. local schools. shopping. police reports. opinions.

Aperion Care Forest Park, 8200 Roosevelt Rd., has 10 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and one death, according to an Illinois Department of Public Health website reporting on long term care facilities and outbreaks among residents and staff.

The data, which is updated weekly, is current as of April 27.

Last week’s numbers according to the same website were five cases and one death.

In total, Cook County has 2,035 cases and 333 deaths in long term care facilities.

The website address for more information is dph.illinois. gov/covid19/long-term-care-facility-outbreaks-covid-19.

According to the website, the information provided “is provisional, subject to change, and updated weekly. Facilities report data to their local health departments, which in-turn report to IDPH, so lag time and discrepancies are to be expected.”

forestparkreview.COM

State of emergency extended Declaration valid until next council meeting

By MARIA MAXHAM Staff Reporter

The village council and Mayor Rory Hoskins voted at an April 27 meeting to extend the declared state of emergency in Forest Park. The extension is valid through May 11 or the adjournment of the next regularly scheduled village council meeting.

On March 23, the village first officially declared a state of emergency in light of the COVID-19 pandemic and gave temporary executive power to the mayor. On April 13, the village extended the state of emergency.

Hoskins and the commissioners, Joe Byrnes, Ryan Nero, Dan Novak and Jessica Voogd voted unanimously on the issue.

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Forest Park Review, April 29, 2020

OPINION O U R

V I E W

209 starts over

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omentum is important. That’s especially true in Proviso Township High Schools, where District 209 spent a decade in full reverse gear before a grassroots revolution five years back began a comeback that has touched students, families, teachers, failing facilities and Proviso communities, which had been failed by these miserable schools.

The news of recent months that Supt. Jesse Rodriguez, the architect of much of the progress, would decamp for a leadership position in Zion has been painful. And that increases the urgency for this board to find the next great leader.

So word over the weekend that the school board walked away from three finalists for the superintendent’s post and will start from scratch on its search takes a moment to absorb. An interim superintendent will be appointed in May and it resurrects flashbacks to the dismal days when the same interim superintendent was recycled multiple times during chaotic years.

We have much higher expectations for this school board and we believe all of Proviso is united in forward progress. It brings us to our most often repeated advice to the school boards across districts we cover: Hiring a superintendent is the single most important decision a school board ever gets to make. If none of the three finalists made this board’s collective heart flutter, then walking away was most certainly the right decision.

Disappointed and worried? Sure, some. But also proud that this board made this hard choice to begin anew.

Arbor Day’s step to the future

It is more than a tree that got planted by the village government last week at The Park to celebrate Arbor Day. The bur oak at Harrison Street and Beloit is a symbol of a Forest Park newly dedicated to our endangered planet.

There is a surge of environmental stewardship rising in Forest Park and it is a wonder to watch. Happily there is powerful grassroots organizing at work here. Now more fully coupled with support from village hall, fine things are happening. Tim Gillian, village administrator, has long been a proponent of projects like the community garden. John Doss in public works has also been a positive force. Now there are allies on the village council, especially Commissioner Jessica Voogd. Together they are applying to the National Arbor Day Foundation for designation of Forest Park as a Tree City USA. This is not just a logo to put up on the village website. It declares that our natural world will not simply heal itself. We need, even this small burg at the edge of the big city to actively affirm that we will act intentionally to make wise choices.

The pandemic limited the scope of Arbor Day celebrations.

There were to be, and someday there will be, trees planted at each school. All of these trees are being donated by McAdam Landscaping, one of Forest Park’s most community-minded businesses.

In dark days such as these, Arbor Day represents a happy step to the future.

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Stay strong and stay well

heltering-in-place can be challenging to say the least, and with another month ahead of us, it can be downright stressful. What’s interesting are the unique ways in which people are coping and, dare I say, actually finding some joy. Ridiculous family rituals, silly sing-alongs, drive-by birthday parties, and zesty Zoom meetings are, and should continue to be, part of the new norm. But it’s not all fun and games.

We have our unique challenges, but we’re getting through it and making memories — and what better place to shelter in place than Forest Park!

We have an amazing library. If you’re not following them on Facebook, you should be.

You can read as many books as you like on any device through fppl.org/tumblebooks. Free access to an endless list of professional courses taught by industry experts is available on Lynda.com. Don’t have a library card? Go to their website and sign up for a temporary one. If you prefer the experience of holding a book in your hand, reach out to Augie at Centuries & Sleuths for your next “read.”

Our park district is keeping it lively with activities like the Going the (Social) Distance 3K. Be sure to keep up to date on what they’re doing.

Managing to stay fit is difficult in the best of times. Evidently the statement “I’d exercise if I had more time” is not true (at least not for me), but Core

Strength Personal Training makes it easy. Virtual yoga, core and “ass” classes are easy to book online at cspersonaltraining.com.

While most of us are forced to try our hand at cutting and coloring our own hair, we can now leave grooming our pets to the professionals. Pet Emporium will be open for business as of May 1, so make your appointment now.

Retail therapy is always a necessity.

You can shop online at Team Blonde, Jayne, Girlicious, Takara and Todd & Holland. ABC Auto & Electronics has remote starts, security and sound systems for all vehicles, and Grand Appliance can take care of all your appliance needs.

With more time to tend to your garden, it’s bound to be even more beautiful this year. New guidelines allow garden centers to be open for delivery and pickup, so check out what’s growing at McAdam’s Nursery and Garden Center and Empowering Gardens.

There are still so many amazing choices of great food available for pickup or delivery from local restaurants. It’s very likely that mom is in need of a break from cooking, so don’t forget to place your order for Mother’s Day. Keep up-to-date on restaurant, service and wellness businesses at forestparkstrong.com — and stay strong!

LAURIE KOKENES

L E T T E R S

More Spritzers with Pritzker On April 15, the Review published a Forest Park cocktail recipe created by resident Kimberly Adami-Hasegawa of #spritzerswithpritzker fame. We asked for other readers to submit their Forest Park cocktail creations.

Here’s one from resident Amy Binns-Calvey:

The Rebel Girl Buried near the Haymarket Monument in Radical Row This one is sweet and packs a punch: 2 ounces of Prairie Sunshine (from Quincy Street Distillery in Riverside) 2 ounces of maraschino cherry juice 4 ounces of ginger ale Splash of orange bitters Serve over ice

Forest Park Review, April 29, 2020

Send letters Forest Park Review 141 S. Oak Park Ave., Oak Park, IL 60302 E-mail: ktrainor@wjinc.com Fax: 708-524-0047 Please include name, address and daytime phone number for verification.

To run an obituary Please contact Ken Trainor by e-mail: ktrainor@wjinc.com, or fax: 708/524-0447 before Monday at noon.

Please include a photo if possible.

T

15

Hubris, facts and submission

hat image of President Trump and Dr. Fauci standing next to each other as they give briefings on COVID-19 is certainly a study in contrasts.

Mr. Trump embodies a character trait the ancient Greeks referred to as “hubris.”

“Hubris is thinking you can do anything better than everyone else, including the gods,” one source told me.

Another source said that hubris “often indicates a loss of contact with reality.” Still another described it as “an overestimation of one’s own capabilities, especially when the person is in a position of power.”

Dr. Fauci, in contrast, is very conscious of the limits of his capabilities as a human being to understand what is real and what is not. That’s why he submits himself to a discipline called the scientific method which the Science Council defines as a “systematic methodology based on evidence.”

Fauci changes his view of reality to fit the facts. Trump changes the facts to fit his view of reality.

The genius of the scientific method is that it is better at obtaining reliable factual data than are tradition, religion and superstition. The limitation of the scientific method is that it is objective and therefore ethically neutral.

Science, for example, collected data on the “curve” of the virus in China and used that to project how it would behave in this country.

Then leaders at all levels of government had to decide what is more important, public health or the nation’s GDP? A judgment call that science is not equipped to make.

The facts science comes up with are necessary but not sufficient to move our village or our nation in the direction it needs to go.

In addition to the briefings by Mr. Trump and Dr. Fauci, I’ve seen many interviews on TV of frontline health-care workers like nurses, ER docs and EMTs. All of them know the facts, yet they choose to behave in ways that are not in a sense reasonable. Their risk-taking seems to be based on a view that transcends rational, empirical verification.

This month all three of the Abrahamic religions — Judaism, Christianity and Islam — are observing major holy days. In Passover, Holy Week, and Ramadan the faithful in each tradition acknowledge at least two things: the limits of their power as humans to discern what is good and to do it, and the need for submission to the One who has the power to guide us into the shalom we all long for.

I’ve been told that the meaning of Islam is “submission.” There’s a joke that dates back to the time before the use of GPS and goes like this: The reason the people of Israel wandered for 40 years in the wilderness instead of going straight to the promised land was because they were led by men who wouldn’t stop at a gas station to ask for directions.

Mr. Trump isn’t the only one who resists submitting to outside authorities. Most of us, I daresay, don’t like submitting either. We reso-

nate with the lines in a poem by William Ernest Henley, “I am the master of my fate. I am the captain of my ship.”

Douglas John Hall in Lighten Our Darkness contends that what our society needs is a new “imago,” a new image of what it means to be human, which rejects the illusion of mastery.

Maybe the most important lesson to be learned from what we are going through is that we are not masters of our own fate, at least not to the degree we had imagined.

Maybe “returning to normal” would be a tragic missed opportunity.

Many of us, for example, have lived with the illusion that medical science would save us from most everything.

COVID-19 has turned out to be a power greater than even medical science. Another joke: The doctor says to her patient, “I have some bad news for you and some good news.

The bad news is that you are over medicated. The good news is that we have a pill for that!”

We thought we were masters over nature. We build domed stadiums where we can play “outdoor” sports when it’s raining or below zero outside, but it turns out that our delusions of mastery have led us into an environmental crisis as threatening to human life and civilization as the coronavirus.

That is, unless we submit to the reality that we humans are part of nature, not lords over it, repent of our hubris, and begin limiting our “unnatural” mastery.

We often bought the illusion that we as individuals are each at the center of the universe. Individual rights trump (pun intended) social obligations. What we find ourselves celebrating during these challenging times, however, are the countless acts of empathy and caring which reveal the attitude that “your needs are as important as mine.”

We stand outside hospitals applauding health workers as they change shifts.

Perhaps to our surprise, we have discovered that giving up a few individual freedoms and rights in submission to the needs of the community has made the quality of our lives better instead of worse. Maybe, when this health crisis is in the rear-view mirror, the younger generation will “get” the need for things like an individual mandate at their temporary expense so that everyone will have access to affordable health care and the old will “get” the need for less expensive or even free higher education at the expense of somewhat higher taxes.

Years ago I complained to our congregational president, Andre Hines, that God always blesses me but never the way I want him to.

She looked at me in a reprimanding way and replied, “That’s because he’s smarter than you are.”

Perhaps, we will learn from what we are now going through and adopt a new and healthier imago that will free us to let go of the illusion of mastery and submit to our being part of nature and community.

TOM

HOLMES

YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.

Drechsler, Brown & Williams Funeral Home

YOUR NE WS .

Since 1880

YOUR WEBSITE.

Family Owned & Operated

WWW. FORESTPARKRE VIE W.COM

Charles Williams, Owner/Funeral Director 203 S. Marion St. Oak Park 60302 708/383-3191

16

Forest Park Review, April 29, 2020 paid advertisement

These local restaurants are all OPEN during the current shelter-in-place order Check out their menus online, call them for delivery, carry-out, or curbside pick-up.

Now is the time to support local business!

Barclay’s American Grille

1120 Pleasant St., Oak Park Classic American cuisine: burgers, BBQ ribs, fresh seafood, steaks and chops Our Menu: Barclaysamericangrille.com/wp-content/ uploads/to-go-menu-02.12.20.pdf Call 708-848-4250 for Curbside Pick-up Delivery is available through Grubhub and UberEats 4pm - 8pm, Tuesday through Sunday

Blackout Baking Co. (office) 842 N Harlem Ave, River Forest Bite-size gourmet cookies Our Menu: Blackoutbakingco.com Order from our website for FREE local delivery or nationwide shipping. Always accepting orders.

Delivery and ship day every Tuesday.

Call 872-222-9519 Local PERK! 20% OFF our new DIY Cookie Box with code ‘FOOD2GO’

Buzz Café 905 S. Lombard Ave, Oak Park Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner + Sweets, Snacks & Desserts served ALL DAY! Our Menu: Thebuzzcafe.com For Carry Out, Curbside Pick-up or FREE Delivery call 708-524-2899 Deliver also available with Uber Eats 7am - 7pm, 7 days a week

Counter Coffee Air Roasters

7324 Madison Street, Forest Park countercoffee.com FRESH Coffee, Eco-Friendly, Air Roasted each day in store, hand crafted beverages, and pastries (gluten free & vegan options available). Whole bean coffee and single use pods roasted for you when you order!

Mobile order online at Countercoffee.com, call ahead, and walk-in available. We can ship coffee to all 50 states. 708-689-8896 Open daily from 7am - 4pm

Cucina Paradiso 814 North Blvd, Oak Park Italian Menus: Cucinaoakpark.com For Pickup, call 708-848-3434, curbside pickup is available For Delivery go to DoorDash or Grubhub Every night 4pm – 9pm

Eastgate Café 102 Harrison, Oak Park

La Notte Ristorante Italiano 118 N Marion St, Oak Park

Q-BBQ 124 N. Marion St, Oak Park

American Comfort Our Menu: Eastgatecafe.net For Curbside Pick-up and Delivery, call 708-660-9091 Delivery is also available on Grubhub 12pm - 8pm; closed Monday

Fine Authentic Italian Our Menu: LaNotte-op.com For Pick-up and Delivery, call 708-948-7576, or text 773-817-2858 or order online Delivery also available on UberEats and Doordash 2pm - 9pm daily Limited time offer -$100 Gift Certificates for just $80

BBQ Our menu: Q-bbq.com For Pick-up and Delivery, call 708-628-3421 or order online. Open every day 11am - 8pm Delivery available with ChowNow and DoorDash NOW OFFERING FAMILY PACK SPECIALS! Go online or call for more info

George’s Restaurant

145 S. Oak Park Avenue, Oak Park Our Menu: Georgesoakpark.com/menu Serving breakfast and lunch for pick-up. One soup per day. All items won’t be available. Call ahead for availability.

For Pick-up call 708-848-4949; Delivery available through Door Dash and Postmates 8am - 3pm Monday - Sunday

Grape Leaves Restaurant 129 S Oak Park Ave, Oak Park Mediterranean, Moroccan and Lebanese cuisine Our Menu : Grapeleaves.us For Pick-up and Delivery, call 708-848-5555 We also partner with Grubhub, UberEats, Postmate.

Sunday - Thursday 12-8pm Friday and Saturday 12-9pm

Happy Apple Pie Shop

226 Harrison, Oak Park happyapplepie.com Sweet and savory pies, special orders Our menu is posted on our Facebook page and Instagram, or call us.

Call 708-606-0037 to arrange for No touch take-out, Curbside Pick-up, and Free Delivery Wednesday-Friday 11:30am to 6pm, Saturday Noon5pm.

Jerusalem Café

1030 Lake St., Oak Park Our Menu: Jerusalemcafeoakpark.com/menu Middle Eastern cuisine For Pick-up and Deliver call 708-848-7734 Delivery is also available through Uber Eats and DoorDas. 11am – 9pm Daily

Kettlestrings Tavern

800 S. Oak Park Ave Contemporary American Our Menu: Kettlestringstavern.com/eat For Curbside Pick-up, call 708-613-5044 Delivery is available through GrubHub Mon 3pm - 8pm; Tues - Thurs 3pm-8pm; Fri - Sat 11am–8pm; Sunday 10am-8pm

Mexican Republic Kitchen

7404 Madison St., Forest Park Mexican Cuisine Our Menu: Mexicanrepublickitchen.com/s/order For Curbside Pick-up order online at our website or call 708-689-0850 Delivery available via Uber Eats, Grubhub or Doordash. Tuesday- Sunday 3:00pm-8:00pm Daily Specials Everyday

Old World Pizza 7230 W North Ave, Elmwood Park Pizza, Burgers, Pasta Our Menu: Originaloldworldpizza.com For Pick-up, Curbside Pick-up, Delivery and Contact-less Delivery call 708-456-3000, or fax 708-456-4580 Mon 3:30pm – 9pm; Tues – Thurs 11am –9pm; Fri & Sat 11am – 10pm; Sun 11am – 9pm

O’Sullivan’s Public House 7244 W. Madison Street, Forest Park Modern American/Pub Food Our Menu: Osullivanspublichouse.net Call 708-366-6667 to order Carry-Out and Local Delivery (No Delivery Fee) Daily Specials posted on Facebook @osullivanspublichouseFP Delivery also available on GrubHub Available Daily 11am – 10pm

Puree’s Pizza & Pasta 1023 Lake St, Oak Park Pizza, pasta, sandwiches, panini, wraps Our Menu: Pureespizzaandpasta.com/ For Curbside Pick-up, take-out and Delivery, call 708-386-4949 Available Daily 11am – 9pm

Scratch Restaurants Scratch Kitchen & Lounge 733 Lake Street • 708-434-5643 District Kitchen & Tap 220 Harrison • 708-434-5289 American/burger/sandwich/salad/mac n cheese Our Menu: Scratchfp.com For Pick up/curbside (rear entrance), call 708-434-5643 Sun - Thurs 11am - 12am; Fri - Sat 11am - 1am

The Little Gem Café 189 N Marion St. Oak Park American Bistro Our Menu: Thelittlegemcafe.com/menu For Pick-up and Delivery, call 708-613-5491 Tues - Sun 3pm - 9pm (closed Mon) Delivery is also available from Doordash

Trattoria 225

225 Harrison Street Our Menu: trattoria225.com Italian/ Vegetarian/ Seafood For Pick-up and Delivery call 708-358-8555 or use Grubhub 5pm – 8pm Monday- Saturday

Tre Sorelle Ristorante 1111 Lake St., Oak Park Homemade Pizza, Italian cuisine Our Menu: Tresorelleoakpark.com For Curbside Pick-up and Delivery call 708-445-9700 Delivery also available with Grubhub, Uber Eats Mon - Thu 11am - 9pm; Fri 11am - 10pm; Sat 3pm - 10pm; Sun 3pm - 9pm

Starship Restaurant 7618 Madison St., Forest Park Gourmet sub sandwiches, homemade soups, catering and individually wrapped items for safe distribution Our Menu: Starshiprestaurant.com For pick-up and delivery, call 708-771-3016 or order online Mon thru Sat. 8am - 9pm, Sunday 11am - 6pm

Each of these restaurants paid a very nominal fee to participate in this ad. Thank you for supporting these local businesses!

Forest Park Review, April 29, 2020

FORESTPARKREVEIW.COM New local ads this week

WEDNESDAY

CLASSIFIED

YOUR WEEKLY AD

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

17

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.ForestParkReveiw.com/ClassiďŹ ed/

BY PHONE: (708) 613-3333 | BY FAX: (708) 467-9066 | BY E-MAIL: CLASSIFIEDS@FORESTPARKREVEIW.COM SUBURBAN RENTALS

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708/574-3891

THERAPY OFFICES FOR RENT Therapy ofďŹ ces for rent in north Oak Park. Rehabbed building. Nicely furnished. Flexible leasing. Free parking. Free wiďŹ ; Secure building; Friendly colleagues providing referrals. Shared waiting room; optional Conference. Call or email with questions. Shown on Sundays.

Lee 708.383.0729 drlmadden@ameritech.net

ROOMS FOR RENT AUSTIN CLEAN ROOM With fridge, micro.

Nr Oak Park, Super Walmart, Food 4 Less, bus, & Metra. $116/wk and up.

773-637-5957

OFFICE SPACE FOR RENT DOWNTOWN OAK PARK SUBLEASE We are looking to sublease our beautiful, spa-like ofďŹ ce. Our ofďŹ ce is already set up and is available for sublease in downtown Oak Park.

This ofďŹ ce is perfect for a physician, anesthetist, masseuse, and/or acupuncturist. Space is available immediately. Please contact us for pricing and to schedule a tour of the ofďŹ ce.

Ask for NikI. 708-613-4417 Nikimoreno33@gmail.com www.ForestParkReveiw.com

ITEMS FOR SALE LENOX CHINA 5 piece place settings Lenox china, Tuxedo pattern IRISH CARDIGAN Men’s size large.

WATERFORD GLASSES Colleen pattern, 2 water goblets, 2 wine glasses, 5 double old fashioned glasses 708-386-6160

WANTED TO BUY WANTED MILITARY ITEMS: Helmets, medals, patches, uniforms, weapons, ags, photos, paperwork, Also toy soldiers – lead, plastic – other misc. toys.

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SUBURBAN RENTALS

M&M

property management, inc.

708-386-7355 • www.mmpropmgt.com 649 Madison Street, Oak Park Contact us for a complete list of available rentals throughout Oak Park and Forest Park.

Apartment listings updated daily at:

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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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Our 73rd Year

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LANDSCAPING

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Advertise in Wednesday Classified. Call 708/613-3342

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Call the Experts Before You Place Your Legal Ad! Publish Your Assumed Name Legal Notice in Journal/Review/Landmark/ Austin CLASSIFIED! Call 708/613-3342

Fast & Neat Painting/Taping/Plaster Repair Low Cost

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LEGAL NOTICES PUBIC NOTICE KEYSTONE PARK BALL FIELD BACKSTOP/SIDELINE FENCE PROJECT Sealed written bids for the River Forest Park Districtâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 2020 Keystone Park BallďŹ eld Backstop/Sideline Fence Project shall be received until 10:00 a.m. local time, May 8, 2020, at which time they will be publicly opened and read aloud.

SpeciďŹ cations may be obtained electronically by contacting Michael Sletten at msletten@rfparks.com Published in Wednesday Journal 4/29/2020

Illinois Classified Advertising Network WANTED TO BUY

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Call 312-598-1758 or visit RefrigerantFinders.com

18

Forest Park Review, April 29, 2020

FORESTPARKREVEIW.COM

live local?

PUBLIC NOTICES

PUBLIC NOTICES

REAL ESTATE FOR SALE

REAL ESTATE FOR SALE

REAL ESTATE FOR SALE

work local.

Find your local job here!

On Forest Park Review’s Local Online Job Board.

Search our ads today at ForestParkReview.com/classified

To place an ad, contact Mary Ellen Nelligan (708) 613-3342 • maryellen@oakpark.com

Forest Park Review, April 29, 2020

INC., REALTOR

19

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

9346 LANDINGS LN

317 ELGIN

1338 MARENGO

Bright two bed two bath on 4th. fl. with balcony in gated community w 24 hr. security guard. Ceramic tile fl. in kit and dinette.

Complex offers outdoor swimming pool, tennis courts and clubhouse.

Elevator building w/inside heated garage. coin laundry on 1st.fl. In Des Plaines, close to shopping, schools and highway.....................$149,900

2,450 S.F. OF LUXURY! Center unit! 4 floors of living!

Enormous master with a soaking tub and enclosed shower, walk in closet, and a private balcony. 2nd fl. offers 2 additional large bedrooms, walk in closet, storage, and full bath. 1st fl is all oak flooring, living room with a fireplace and eating area, and an eat in kitchen. Bedroom #4 is located in the fully finished basement with a family room area, and full bathroom. 1 space garage. This is the LARGEST TOWNHOME on the market IN FOREST PARK!! ....................................................................................................$389,000

First floor apartment completely remodeled with 2 bedrooms and duplex 3rd. bedroom and half bath and family room in the basement.

Second floor is two bedrooms and one bath. Outside parking for 4 cars.

Projected rent for 1st floor between ...............................$1375 & $1450

D L SO

D L SO

D L SO

Dear Oak Park Residents and Surrounding Community, This year we are giving back to you with an amazing one time offer (in celebration of our 25th anniversary)!

Perfect for children, teens, and adults!

Language and Music Summer Camp!

Spanish Immersion no Spanish experience necessary.

Our Summer Camp’s waitlist has been eliminated, with all the space we have at the new Mansion!

Special 2020 Offer!

Preschool Group (ages 2-4) Kindergarten through 2nd Grade Group (ages 5-8)

$248 per month

$199 for the first month!

Private Lessons in ANY subject we offer!

3rd-5th grade group (ages 9-11)

All Languages, All Instruments, All Subjects for Academic Tutoring! All AGES!

Monday through Friday 9:30am-2:30pm, choose your weeks $250 per week.

Before and after care available.

Two-week minimum, 8-week recommendation for language acquisition.

Don’t forget to ask about our other programs and offerings: • Before and Afterschool “Homework Cafe” at The International Mansion • Language and Fine Arts Preschool and Elementary School (Homeschool-style in School) • Our Recording Studio • Translations and Interpretations

The Language and Music School At International Mansion

509 N. Oak Park Ave., Oak Park, IL 60302 info@internationalmansion.com • (708) 524-5252 • InternationalMansion.com

20

FPSD91 Coronavirus Update 2 ad (FPR) 042220.pdf

Forest Park Review, April 29, 2020

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