Pioneer Tap reopens after 7-day suspension
By JESSICA MORDACQ Staff Reporter
David Hooper, who lives on Desplaines Avenue just north of Madison Street, testi fied at the March 24 village council meeting on his and his neighbors’ concerns about public safety around Pioneer Hooper said, on several occasions, he and his neighbors have picked up trash and drug paraphernalia outside the business at Desplaines and Randolph. They’v seen Pioneer Tap patrons who a intoxicated drive away or behave disruptively.
“It’s not just impacting Forest It’s also affecting our local communities If someone’s going on I-290, zipping of downtown, they’re hammered. There ar ramifications to that,” Hooper said.
The Forest Park Police Department filed 24 police reports this year involvin Pioneer Tap or its patrons, which we tained by the Review through a Freedom of Information Act request. The re cite the bar for eight noise complaints and patrons for a DUI, three fights, plus se parking complaints and cases of open alcohol outside
With such recent charges, Forest Pa
By AMARIS E. RODRIGUEZ porter
she called a “roller coaster ride,” Nicole “Molly Bee” Molinaro officially secured the last open seat on the Proviso Township High School District 209’s Board of Education followification of votes on Tuesmarks the second election where the ept all seats. ified results in the April 1 wed Molinaro surpassed opposing candidate Candice Ross, who ran on the 209 Student First slate, by 14 votes. d 6,604 votes to Ross’ 6,590. “It’s been an honor to be elected to District 209
MOLINARO on pa ge 7 See PIONEER TAP on pa ge 4
From cozy mysteries to YA, this Forest Parker solves life’s riddles
Manansala combines food, Filipino culture, with oh-so-many murders
By JESSICA MACKINNON Contributing Reporter
Mia Manansala has gained critical acclaim and legions of fans for her series of Tita Rosie’s Kitchen cozy mysteries. Combining crime, humor, family and food — with a heavy emphasis on the joy of eating — Manansala’s books focus on amateur sleuth Lila Macapagal’s ef for ts to solve murders occurring in her small town of Shady Palms, Illinois.
Lucky for readers, folks there have been dropping like flies since 2021, when Manansala debuted the series with Arsenic and Adobo.
Like many cozy mysteries, or “Hallmark movies for dead bodies,” as she affectionately refers to them, Manansala’s books revolve around a young woman who left town to pursue her dream — and returned when that dream went awry, only to be confronted with a shocking murder she is hell-bent on solving. But unlike many authors of the cozy genre, Manansala is a woman of color.
Manansala grew up in a large multi-generational Filipino-American family on Chicago’s northwest side. Her home served as a way station for immigrants — relatives, by blood or family connection — settling in the U.S. The kitchen table was the epicenter of family gatherings, with her father serving as cook, and food provided an essential connection to her Filipino heritage.
She now lives in Forest Park.
As a child, Manansala was a voracious reader —mysteries were her family’s favorites. She watched Matlock and Perry Mason and Murder She Wrote with her grandparents and was the eager recipient of her mother’s passed-down Mary Higgins Clark mysteries.
“Whatever book was in the house was fair game, not just books for kids ,” Manansala said. “My mom and I buddy-read the
Hannah Swensen series by Joanne Fluk which combined our two favorite things — mystery and food.”
Manansala decided to try her hand writing mysteries in 2015, after returning home from teaching English in South rea for several years.
“I had my quarter-life crisis — I was almost 30 years old, living at home with parents again and suffering their inter gations every time I left the house,” Manansala said, laughing.
Remembering how much she lo write as a kid, she enrolled in a one-da mystery-writing workshop led by winning crime fiction author Lori Rader Day. The idea for her first book, Death Comes to Comic Con, was sparked the workshop. And, while Rader-D was president of the Midwest chapter Mystery Writers of America, proclaimed her a natural mystery writer, and the finished book received some positive buzz, it was ultimately rejected by publishers.
Manansala believes some of that rejection was due to racial bias and discrimination.
“One publisher said that I had a great voice but no one was going to read me. Another said that the traditional mystery was for older white women and suggested I write young adult books because there was more diversity in that g enre,” Manansala said.
Manansala persevered, building a writing community by attending professional meetings and connecting with writers who had established careers and those, like her, who were just starting their writing journeys. During this process, she met Kellye Garrett, multiple award-winning writer of the Detective by Day series, co-founder of Crime Writers of Color and for mer board member for Sisters in Crime. Garrett became an invaluable mentor.
“Because I had this community behind me, I wasn’t deter red by rejections. I met people who didn’t owe me anything but took the time to cheer me on, to read and critique my work and give me advice. Their encouragement ke pt me going,” Manansala said.
She hit it out of the ballpark with her next book, Arsenic and Adobo, which
sprang from an idea she had while riding the Blue Line to work. The book, which was published in 2021, rece ived the Agatha Award for Best First Novel, the Reference and User Services Association (RUSA) Award and star red reviews from Library Journal, Publishers Weekly and Booklist. Perhaps most importantly, it earned her a three-book contract from Berkley/Penguin Random House and became the first of her Tita Rosie’s Kitchen series.
Four more books came in quick succession, Homicide and Halo-Halo, Blackmail and Bibingka, Murder and Mamon, and Guilt and Ginataan in 2024. Each of the books includes a glossary of Filipino words as well as recipes for delicacies mentioned in the novel.
Alas, the series is coming to an end later this year, with the publication of Death and Dinuguan in November. The book revolves around a series of attacks on women-owned businesses — this time the dead body is found inside the Choco-Noir chocolate shop.
However, fret not, dear readers — Manansala has tried her hand at the Young Adult (YA) genre. Death in the Cards will be released on May 13. The book focuses on a teenage tarot card reader and amateur sleuth and the impact an ominous reading may have had (or not) on a classmate who
disappears shortly after the reading.
“I want to pursue ideas other than cozy mysteries — without deadlines. I will never be like the money doesn’t matter, because I need to pay the bills like anyone else, but I want to write what I want to write,” Manansala said.
Surprisingly, the YA genre is typically darker than cozy mysteries. Think Hunger Games. Titles explore coming-of-age themes such as identity, self-discovery and intense relationships. Manansala said that she enjoyed being able to include some swear words.
“I’m not trying to sound like a teenager because, at 39, I would sound ridiculous. I don’t want to be an old person trying to sound young. Besides, the slang would be outdated by the time the book came out. But it’s important to give the reader the feeling of what it’s like to be a teen, when everything is so heightened and personal and you feel so misunderstood,” she said. Manansala will be reading from and signing Death in the Cards on Thursday, June 19 at 6 p.m. at The Pile Bookstore, 7117 Roosevelt Rd., Berwyn. The event is co-sponsored by the Forest Park Public Library, where Manansala once worked in the youth services department. Word on the street is there will be Filipino snacks and tarot card reading.
TODD BANNOR
Author Mia Manansala with some of her books at the Pile Bookstore on April 18.
Why have residential zoning code updates been stalled?
Six months
a er it
was introduced, amendments await questions about density and stormwater management
By JESSICA MORDACQ Staff Reporter
Ryan Nero, commissioner of public health and safety, once again called for the village’s residential zoning code updates to be put back on a council agenda at the April 28 meeting.
“Whether you like the way the zoning was presented or not does not matter,” Nero said. “It is holding back projects in town that will generate revenue that helps to support the services that you like That’s real. Arguing over this, that, the other thing, is not.”
Forest Park commissioners were presented with changes to Title 9, Chapter 3 of the village’s zoning code at a council meeting last October. With unanswered questions about amendments to the village’s R1, R2 and R3 zoning districts – low, medium and high-density residential areas, respectively – and how that would affect density and stormwater management, commissioners voted to table
PIONEER TAP
7-day suspension served from page 1
liquor commission is taking action.
On April 17, Mayor Rory Hoskins, who is also the village’s liquor commissioner, sent a notice to Pioneer Tap to immediately cease alcoholic liquor sales because of village code violations. The bar was ordered to remain closed until Hoskins held a hearing on April 24 to determine the status of its liquor license
At the April 24 hearing, Hoskins determined the bar would reopen that evening after serving its seven-day suspension. He fined Pioneer Tap $650 and entered into an order that Pioneer Tap’s owner, Marty Sorice, would develop a corrective action plan for the bar.
Sorice did not respond to a request for com-
the vote approving the updated code. Over six months later, there’s been no movement on changes to the code
Jessica Voogd, public property commissioner, said at the April 14 village council meeting that her questions about the code changes remain unanswered.
“I have some very specific questions and requests, and I don’t feel like those have been met over the past few months,” Voogd said. She called for community outreach to educate and get feedback from residents about potential changes to residential zoning and how that would impact issues of stormwater management.
“We’re kind of languishing here, and we should bring it back and have that conversation. But I still do have two concerns,” Voogd added. She said she’s specifically worried about the proposed changes in lot coverage and minimum lot sizes in R2 and R3 zones, saying they could potentially increase density and affect flooding in Forest Park
The new code proposes that R3 districts can have 80% lot coverage, instead of the current code’s 40%. The proposed code also defines no minimum setback to the front, side or rear of an R3 property
Residential zoning code updates would also increase maximum impervious lot coverage in the R1 low-density residential district from 40% to 50% to reflect the village’s current land use practices – an area that’s no bigger
ment by the time of publication.
According to the April 17 emergency closure notice, Pioneer Tap threatens the health and welfare of the village. Listed examples include complaints from nearby residents about large gatherings of people consuming alcohol and fighting outside the bar, and little supervision of those exiting the bar – who have repeatedly violated village ordinances through reckless driving after leaving, public urination, consuming alcohol outside, and noise violations
The notice also cites a police report alleging that a Pioneer Tap patron discharged a firearm multiple times minutes into 2025 (police found casings in a nearby alley), plus allowing patrons to stay at the establishment past closing hours on at least two occasions last year (the village code says patrons can’t be in an establishment that sells alcohol past 1 a.m.). After Sorice failed to appear at Pioneer Tap’s hearing following one of those occasions, he was fined $750.
According to Title 3, Chapter 3 of the vil-
than a two-car garage
And in the current version of the village code, two-family dwellings can be in R2 and R3. The updated code would allow them in R1.
This would bring into conformity and eliminate future zoning relief for 673 houses in Forest Park that were built on 25-foot lots.
While these properties started as singlefamily homes, many became two-flats during World War II, when workers who came to Forest Park to build torpedoes at a factory on Roosevelt Road were put up in local residences
Steve Glinke, the village’s director of health and safety, told the Review that bringing these properties into compliance with the zoning code would help home and business owners make improvements on their properties, contribute to local GDP and increase property values in Forest Park, facilitating future development throughout the village
While including two-family houses in R1 districts might encourage single-family homeowners to add a dwelling on their property, Glinke said at the October council meeting that this isn’t likely. He added that the most probable applications would be for a homeowner to rent out their basement as a second dwelling, 90% of which have ceilings of less than 8 feet tall.
Plus, a new zoning code wouldn’t necessarily make it possible for all single-family dwellings to convert to two-flats, or all future R3 developments to cover 80% of the
lage code, a liquor license holder is required “to maintain the premises in a peaceable and orderly manner so as not to allow any employee, patron or member of the public to commit any act … so as to alarm or disturb another or to provoke a breach of the peace.”
The code continues to say that this means a liquor establishment requires a sufficient number of employees to keep the peace, and that employees immediately notify police of criminal activity or fighting
An establishment’s liquor license can be revoked for repeated violations of the village’s liquor code, local ordinances or state laws The liquor commissioner decides whether to impose a penalty.
“It’s a privilege, not a right,” Village Administrator Rachell Entler told the Review about holding a local liquor license. “You have to maintain order and be a good neighbor in order to keep your liquor license.”
This isn’t the first time there’s been complaints about Pioneer Tap.
In October 2021, there was a liquor commis-
lot or have zero setbacks. New construction will still have to go through the permitting process, which requires a grading plan or engineering assessment to determine where stormwater drains on the property, according to Glinke.
“After the council makes their recommendation, there’s a whole new set of hoops to jump through in terms of the building code,” Glinke told the Review.
Building code assessments aside, Glinke said stormwater management has more to do with best engineering practices throughout the village as a whole, rather than on a lot-bylot basis.
Glinke said, 40 years ago, when it rained an inch in Forest Park, everybody’s basement flooded. Now, he gets virtually no complaints about flooding. He chalks that up to blocklong repairs to water infrastructure and sewers, and at least 15 years of public flood grants that finance homeowners who want to install check valves on their properties.
“If we need some kind of stormwater ordinance, that’s fine, but it has no place in the zoning code,” Glinke told the Review. “Zoning is not something that should be looked at in a vacuum. Zoning is about building community.”
It’s difficult to identify exactly who is re-
See ZONING on pa ge 9
sioner hearing to determine whether Pioneer Tap could keep its liquor license. The hearing came after an incident that July, when after a fight at the bar, a man tried to hit a pedestrian with his car. According to the village code, Pioneer Tap’s liquor license could have been revoked or suspended because the bar didn’t have adequate security and didn’t immediately notify the police of the fight.
Sorice and his attorney reported the bar was fully staffed on July 30, a man tried to throw a punch but failed to connect, then bar staff immediately removed those involved in the incident.
Hoskins, acting as liquor commissioner, determined that the village couldn’t prove alleged charges and declared no sanctions for Pioneer Tap. The last time Hoskins took away a business’ liquor license was that of the Forest Park Tap Room, which was revoked in 2021. Hoskins also temporarily revoked Lanter n Haus’ license that same year, reinstating it after the bar’s owner sued Forest Park.
Arbor Day tradition grows at Betsy Ross
e elementary school hosted Forest Park’s annual tree planting ceremony this year
By JESSICA MORDACQ Staff Reporter
Forest Park Recreation Board members, Forest Park School District 91 students and village residents gathered at Betsy Ross Elementary School on Friday to plant an Autumn Gold Ginko tree for the village’s annual Arbor Day celebration.
Arbor Day, April 25 this year, is a nationally recognized day to plant trees – which are vital to reducing water runoff, bettering air quality, and as habitats for animals and bugs
To recognize the holiday, public works staff planted the Autumn Gold Ginko on Marengo Avenue. The type of tree planted was chosen by Betsy Ross Elementary School staff from a list presented by Sal Stella, public works director for the village
At the tree planting event, Field-Stevenson Intermediate Elementary School’s Sharks Choir gave a performance. And Betsy Ross students read original poems about trees and the environment.
“Having our students take part in these community events helps them see their role in shaping a better future,” Betsy Ross principal Tinisa Huff said in a statement. “This tree will grow alongside our students as a lasting reminder of care and connection.”
Also at the Arbor Day celebration, attend-
ees posted paper leaves to an interactive tree display, sharing ideas and hopes for a greener future. Geoff Binns-Calvey – husband of Amy Binns-Calvey, president of the rec board –made the painted wooden tree for the community art project. In past years, children have written poems on their paper leaves or about what trees mean to them.
“Planting a tree is a commitment to the future, which is why it is so meaningful to have our local students helping to lead this celebration,” Jessica Voogd, village commissioner, said in a statement.
Forest Park has celebrated Arbor Day since 2020 to show its commitment to sustainability and honoring the village’s natural environment. Forest Park’s Arbor Day also recognizes its young students, the next generation of community stewards
The first year the village planted a tree, it was at the at the Park District of Forest Park during the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. In 2021, the village planted a China Snow Peking Lilac tree by the public works department, and the following year, it was an Autumn Blaze Maple tree along the Hannah Avenue playground.
2023 was the first year the village’s recreation board organized Arbor Day and planted a cherry dogwood tree at the Forest Park Public Library And last year, the board planted a beech tree at Reiger Park
“Our commitment to the care and growth of our urban forests is as important as nurturing our relationships within the village,” added Voogd, who’s the liaison between the recreation board and the village council. “Just as trees grow taller and stronger when they stand together, our community grows and prospers when we unite our efforts and resources.”
TODD BANNOR
Above: Forest Park Public Works sta plants a Ginkgo sapling.
Personalized Summer Camp
Man pepper-sprays CTA employee, police at Blue Line station
By JESSIC A MORDACQ Staff Reporter
Police were dispatched to the CTA Blue Line station in Forest Park on April 26 after someone sprayed a CTA employee with pepper spray. When police arrived, a man started walking toward them aggressively with his hands in his pockets, according to the police report. After the man ignored multiple demands to stop and remove his hands, an officer tried to grab his ar m, and the man sprayed him with pepper spray. The man was also holding a shar p metal object that he swung at another officer.
Police conducted an emergency takedown, but as the offender continued to resist, an officer tased him to place him in handcuffs. The CTA employee told police that, after he asked the man to stop smoking in the train car, the man stubbed out his cigarette, then became angry and pepper sprayed him. In a detention cell at the police department, the man kicked the cell door, causing $2,300 of damage. He was moved into a holding cell, where he yelled, and threw his feces and provided food
over his cell. He was charged with two counts of aggravated battery, two counts of aggravated assault, four counts of resisting an officer, criminal defacement of property and criminal damage to government property
Aggravated assault
On April 25, police responded to Portillo’s just before midnight for a disturbance. The man who called police told them he was walking across Roosevelt Road when a woman in her car started honking at him. The man told police that they exchanged words, then she got out of her car, got a machete from the trunk, and walked toward him while unsheathing it. She then got back in her car and drove off. The man said he’d sign complaints if the woman was located, and police have her car’s vehicle identification number.
On April 27, police were dispatched to the CTA Blue Line parking lot for reports of a teenager brandishing a knife at CTA employees. When police arrived, three victims identified the young man. Police placed him
in handcuffs after the young man resisted arrest multiple times by tensing and twisting his body CTA employees told police they saw the teenager hop the tur nstile When they approached him telling him he needed to pay, he yelled and waved a knife at them aggressively, threatening to stab them. At the police station, police got in contact with the young man’s mother, who asked him to be transported to the hospital for a mental health evaluation. He was charged with three counts of aggravated assault and two counts of resisting an officer
Missing persons
Police were dispatched to Riveredge Hospital on April 28 after two patients fled the premises. According to the police report, the program director told police that the two men exited the back door just before 5 p.m. and headed east down Roosevelt Road. The program director said that both are sex offenders at risk of reoffending. A missing person report was filed for both men.
Retail theft
Police were dispatched on April 21 to the 7-Eleven on Harlem and Randolph for retail theft. The store’s clerk told police that a young man and woman stole about $15 worth of food and drinks Police found two subjects matching the clerk’s description in a nearby alley They ran their names through their system and found one was reported missing from Glendale Heights and the other from Chicago. Both were retur ned to their guardians and charged with retail theft and violating curfew.
These items were obtained from Forest Park Police Department reports dated April 21 - 28 and represent a portion of the incidents to which police responded. Anyone named in these reports has only been charged with a crime and cases have not yet been adjudicated. We report the race of a suspect only when a serious crime has been committed, the suspect is still at large, and police have provided us with a detailed physical description of the suspect as they seek the public’s help in making an arrest
MOLINARO A clean sweep in D209
from page 1
school board and I’m humbled by the support,” Molinaro told Forest Park Review. “I will be devoted to our students and our district.”
Initial re ports on Election Day had put Molinaro behind Ross, who ran on the same slate as for mer board member Arbdella “Della” Patterson. Ross had initially closed out the day with a 40-vote lead over Molinaro.
Ross was not able to be reached for comment.
“The work begins now, not only for our students and the district, but for the entire township,” Molinaro said. She said she hopes to work on increasing voter turnout and eng agement for future elections. “We just increase voter turnout and eng agement well above 20%. … let’s flip that 20% to 80% and get a true majority voice through voting.”
votes and Fisher received 6,805 votes. Patterson, who lost her seat following two terms on the board, received 5,459 votes, putting her behind slate mate Jerry L. Jenkins’ 6,194 votes. Zihualpilli Hernandez, who also ran on the Student First slate, received 4,767 votes. Candidates were not able to be reached for comment.
Molinaro’s slate mates had held out hope their running partner would secure a seat following the counting of mail-in ballots.
According to the Cook County Clerk’s Office, ballots had to be validated by April 15 and results certified by April 22.
“We are truly grateful and excited to have Molinaro join us on the board,” Smith said. “We thank the community for voting for change and prioritizing students, families and teachers over politics. We look forward to collaborating with [Sandra] Hixson, [Jennifer] Barbahen and [David] Ocampo, as we strive to elevate the district to new heights.”
According to the Cook County Clerk’s office, voter turnout was 19.40%. Molinaro’s slate mates, Rolandra Morris, William Fischer and Ebony “Nicki” Smith had secured seats on the board on April 1 while the fourth seat teetered between Ross and Molinaro.
Since Election Night, Morris has sat in the lead, receiving the majority of votes out of the eight candidates.
Certified results show Morris received 7,496 votes, while Smith received 7,050
Hixson, Barbahen and Ocampo ran in the 2023 election as slate mates on the Proviso 209 United ticket.
Molinaro said she is ready to get to work, challenging community leaders to work together to increase voter education for future elections.
“We must do better at a local level to increase our civic eng agement,” she said. “We must mentor without self-interest. We must meet our voters where they are within each community. This is my commitment to District 209 and Proviso Township. I am a servant to democracy.”
The next D209 Board of Education meeting will be held on Tuesday, May 13 at Proviso Math and Science Academy.
An intergenerational celebration
A couple of years ago, I attended some Celebrating Seniors Week events out of mild curiosity. I left with a full heart and a new “cookie lady” to use for special events. That’s the magic of this weeklong series.
Events like “Love, Loss, and Lifelong Learning” or “Pet Pals in the Park” might sound small, but they open doors to real connection and shared stories. This year, I’m especially excited about the digital resilience workshop as I can use more technology assistance. I am also looking forward to singing along with a fun entertainer.
We all benefit from stronger intergenerational ties. Whether you’ re a senior, a care giver, or just someone who believes in a more connected community, this is your invitation.
Take an hour. Bring a neighbor. Try a trivia night or a community lunch. You just might come away feeling better about the world. Full event listings are at celebratingseniors.net/events.
NICOLE MOLINARO
Maureen Rafa Forest Park
OUR VIEW
The mayor’s curious remove
Second week running, and we’re asking, where’s the leadership one would logically expect from a mayor on a key issue?
Last week, we reported on Forest Park village commissioners rising up at a public meeting and demanding that Mayor Rory Hoskins set a date for a board meeting focused on the future of the village-owned land at the Altenheim. It was an extraordinary moment of rebellion. And it was met by Hoskins’ extraordinary response that he had been encouraging commissioners to have side meetings among themselves and come to some general consensus on how to use the last major piece of open land in the village. He did say he didn’t want them to violate the Open Meetings Act. So that’s good. Otherwise, it’s a troubling suggestion when the obvious solution, as it has been for years, is to have a council meeting — with the Altenheim as the single topic. This week, the Review is reporting on just what happened to the long-studied and finally-put-down-on-paper revisions to key portions of Forest Park’s residential zoning code. The revisions were tabled by the council last October because at least two commissioners had questions they wanted answers to. One commissioner, Michelle Melin-Rogovin, seems to have now gotten the answers she wanted. Fellow Commissioner Jessica Voogd says she is still waiting for her questions to be answered. But she is ready for the topic to return for further board discussion.
Meanwhile, Commissioner Ryan Nero on Monday repeated once more his request for Hoskins to bring the zoning code back to a council agenda. This time, Hoskins’ response to the Review was that he can only do that if the commissioners who voted to table the topic ask him to un-table it We are not parliamentarians. Maybe that is exactly what Mr. Roberts wanted when he wrote his Rules of Order. But there is nothing stopping the mayor from actively discussing these options with his fellow elected officials and using his powers of persuasion to restart this critical discussion. For decades, we have reported on Forest Park’s screwy residential zoning. Updates to this part of the code would bring 673 homes into conformance. Many of these homes were converted into two-flats or coach houses, which sprung up in the dead of night after WWII. It makes no sense to have this large a percentage of a town’s housing stock in zoning limbo. If we asked Mayor Hoskins to list his five top priorities for Forest Park, we would hope that making a plan for the Altenheim and fixing the zoning code would make that list. It is time he started to take action.
OPINION
Pope Francis would have felt at home here
Iget the impression that the now late Pope Francis would have felt comfortable living in a brick bungalow on Beloit Avenue here in Forest Park. I say that because his “sensibility” and what I observe as the moral sense and sensitivity of my neighbors here in town seem to have a lot of overlap.
A wood co n and meeting in a barn
Pope Francis, who died a week ago Monday, chose to be buried in a rather plain wood coffin. Meanwhile, the annual meeting of the Forest Park Chamber of Commerce is held in what amounts to a barn owned by McAdam Landscaping.
HOLMES
Pope Francis had a certain unpretentious humility about him that endeared him to people from all economic/social strata. Half of the adults in Forest Park have a bachelor’s degree or higher, but most don’t wear that status on their sleeves.
Speaking the truth in love
That phrase first appeared in Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians 2,000 years ago, but Pope Francis embodied it. A PBS segment which aired on the day Francis died gave the following example:
“Francis upheld church teaching opposing abortion and echoed his predecessors in saying that human life is sacred and must be defended,” according to a PBS report, “but he didn’t emphasize the church’s position to the extent his predecessors did, and said women who had abortions must be accompanied spiritually by the church Francis also allowed ordinary priests — not just bishops — to absolve Catholic women who had intentionally ter minated a pregnancy.”
I understand that your sense of truth about abortion might not be the same as Catholic Church teaching, but my point is that Francis was not an ideologue. He wasn’t uncompromising and dogmatic
Once again AI to the rescue. “Speaking the truth in love means being honest and direct [about abortion or LGBTQ+ issues] while also being kind and compassionate It involves expressing your thoughts and feelings clearly and respectfully, focusing on building up the relationship rather than tearing it down.”
During his pontificate, the Vatican reversed itself and said transgender people could be baptized, serve as godparents and witnesses at weddings, and approved same-sex blessings.
I think the church’s insistence that some truths are not only foundational but necessary for an accurate understanding of reality is a healthy protest to the ethical nihilism and relativism held by so many from President
Trump to some of my friends.
Speaking the truth with humility and love is not a transactional exchange.
One of those truths is that God is both loving and just. Love without justice is naïve Justice without love is judgmental and cruel. Another foundation truth is that we humans are both created in God’s image and fallen. Without both held in tension, our view of human nature devolves into either cynicism or naivete.
Change at the speed of church
Some felt he didn’t go far enough on that issue while others accused him of going too far.
The mission of the church, in my opinion, is not to try to be relevant by adapting to every cultural wind of change. Part of the church’s mission is to maintain, uphold and refer every issue to unchanging, foundational truths, which is counter-cultural to the current view held by many that all truth is relative.
It wasn’t the earthquakes that killed people in Turkey, and recently Myanmar. What killed people were buildings that did not comply with “code” and therefore collapsed when their foundations were shaken.
You get the metaphor
Forgive me for telling this joke one more time. The airplane pilot gets on the intercom and tells her passengers, “I have some bad news and some good news. The bad news is that we are lost and the good news is that we are making real good time.”
The watchword is don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good. Attempts by imperfect humans to create perfect societies, especially those promised to materialize quickly on day one, tend to cause more harm than good.
Dr. King, in my opinion, had it right. He acted with urgency but at the same time he knew that changing hearts and minds was an ongoing, generational process
Unpretentious Forest Park
This village, to my delight, doesn’t see itself as a city on a hill, a model for everyone in this endangered nation to follow. We’ll never be canonized as saints, but we will look before we leap.
First things first. We need to keep checking our ethical GPS to make sure we are not getting nowhere fast, and maybe keep a picture of Pope Francis in our wallets to remind ourselves that “moving at the speed of church” can be the most progressive pace, even when it is frustrating. But we in this village with small-town charm already intuitively know that.
A LOOK BACK IN TIME
When Chicago swallowed up Austin
The Harlem Post was a local weekly newspaper printed in German for the local German population. Its first edition was published on Sept. 12, 1895. The paper’s April 1899 edition contained the following news:
■ The general mood among politicians in Austin is sor row. That’s because in Tuesday’s election, Austin was annexed to Chicago with a majority of 182 votes.
■ We heard that the architect H.G. Fiddelke is working on a plan for a $3,000 home for Mr. von der Lehr in River Forest; also for a home for C. Ingalls in Austin.
■ A number of children in River Forest are currently sick with scarlet fever.
Also: L. Zimmermann, located at N. 34 Franklin Street in Harlem advertised “Modern Spring Hats for Ladies and Girls.”
Translated by Uli Lieb
ZONING
Amendments stalled
from page 4
sponsible for the next step in the residential zoning code updates.
“I don’t know that everyone has had their concerns met,” Mayor Rory Hoskins told the Review. “Procedurally, it requires the same commissioners who voted to table it to bring [it back].”
Voogd moved to table the vote at the October council meeting, and Commissioner Michelle Melin-Rogovin seconded the motion. Commissioner Maria Maxham said she’d vote to support the code changes but agreed to table the vote. Nero voted to pass the updates
In his commissioner’s comment April 28, Nero said the code amendments can’t come off the table until they’re voted off. But that can’t happen until the updates come onto the council agenda again.
“I just ask, please, please, at the next meeting, I’m not saying we’re going to vote on it, Mayor, but if we could just have it as old business so it could come off the table,” Nero pleaded. He added that commissioners could figure out together what the path forward is, whether that’s engaging the community about their thoughts or having additional discussion.
“I know that I have shared my questions and concerns, and provided some reference materials to explain my concerns, but I
haven’t received an update,” Voogd told the Review earlier this month about concerns regarding flooding and what local feedback might be to a potential change in residential density
Late last year, Village Administrator Rachell Entler reached out to the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago to see how its water management ordinance aligned with any changes an updated code would make to stor mwater management. She said she still hasn’t yet gotten an answer from MWRD.
Glinke said he has gotten no negative feedback from residents after holding three public meetings last year with the Planning and Zoning Commission, which recommended that the village council approve the residential zoning updates
Although no residents shared public comments at those meetings, there have been about five complaints at village council meetings since – including multiple from Forest Park resident Thomas Kovac.
“I am absolutely, strongly opposed to the proposal to amend the zoning code for the three residential districts,” Kovac said at an October council meeting. He called the amendments “hideous” and “horrible,” saying those living next to R3 districts could experience the construction of 60-foot-high buildings with no minimum setback from the property line.
“There’s very little R3 in Forest Park,” Glinke told the Review. Most of Forest Park has an R1 zoning designation, and most of the R2 district is in the village’s northeast corner
“That’s so tightly built, you’d have to assemble properties and demolish them. There’s no market for that,” Glinke told the Review of that R2 section. “We just don’t have the scale that I think people are imagining in ter ms of available land.”
During her commissioner’s comment at the April council meeting, Melin-Rogovin said she recently asked Nero and Glinke additional questions about zoning code changes.
“That was helpful for me to understand how the process works now and what would change,” Melin-Rogovin told the Review about the zoning code’s background and information she received about the role of the village’s engineers. “Director Glinke’s experience and knowledge is a very important asset to the village.”
“These conversations are an important part of how we help each other understand where we’re coming from and how we need to work together to make decisions as a group,” Melin-Rogovin added. “In order to come together, we have to make sure that we have a basis of understanding. I’ve been trying to make sure I’ve done my part of facilitating that basis of understanding.”
Hoskins told the Review that he’ll put the zoning code updates back on the agenda once all the commissioners weigh in on what they want to do
Melin-Rogovin said she’s ready for the code to be reintroduced to the village council as a whole.
“There are things that we’re still talking about, but I think the rest of the conversation will happen at the council meeting,”
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IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION NEWREZ LLC D/B/A SHELLPOINT MORTGAGE SERVICING
Plaintiff,
-v.-
JOSE G. ROMERO, GEMA A. ROMERO, BYLINE BANK, SUCCESSOR BY MERGER TO COMMUNITY BANK OF OAK PARK RIVER FOREST, CROWN ASSET MANAGEMENT, LLC, LVNV FUNDING, LLC Defendants 2023 CH 02946
812 HUGH MUIR LN MAYWOOD, IL 60153
NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on June 10, 2024, an agent for The Judicial Sales Corporation, will at 10:30 AM on May 13, 2025, at The Judicial Sales Corporation, One South Wacker, 1st Floor Suite 35R, Chicago, IL, 60606, sell at public in-person sale to the highest bidder, as set forth below, the following described real estate: Commonly known as 812 HUGH MUIR LN, MAYWOOD, IL 60153 Property Index No. 15-02-322016-0000
The real estate is improved with a single family residence.
The judgment amount was $183,864.65.
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, in certified funds/or wire transfer, is due within twenty-four (24) hours.
The subject property is subject to general real estate taxes, special assessments, or special taxes levied against said real estate and is offered for sale without any representation as to quality or quantity of title and without recourse to Plaintiff and in “AS IS” condition.
The sale is further subject to confirmation by the court.
Upon payment in full of the amount bid, the purchaser will receive a Certificate of Sale that will entitle the purchaser to a deed to the real estate after confirmation of the sale.
The property will NOT be open for inspection and plaintiff makes no representation as to the condition of the property. Prospective bidders are admonished to check the court file to verify all information.
If this property is a condominium unit, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale, other than a mortgagee, shall pay the assessments and the legal fees required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/9(g)(1) and (g) (4). If this property is a condominium unit which is part of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/18.5(g-1).
IF YOU ARE THE MORTGAGOR (HOMEOWNER), YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN IN POSSES-
SION FOR 30 DAYS AFTER ENTRY OF AN ORDER OF POSSESSION, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 151701(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, contact CHAD LEWIS, ROBERTSON ANSCHUTZ
SCHNEID CRANE & PARTNERS, PLLC Plaintiff’s Attorneys, 205 N. MICHIGAN SUITE 810, CHICAGO, IL, 60601 (561) 241-6901. Please refer to file number 22-087686. THE JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION
One South Wacker Drive, 24th Floor, Chicago, IL 60606-4650 (312) 236-SALE
You can also visit The Judicial Sales Corporation at www.tjsc. com for a 7 day status report of pending sales.
CHAD LEWIS ROBERTSON ANSCHUTZ
SCHNEID CRANE & PARTNERS, PLLC
205 N. MICHIGAN SUITE 810 CHICAGO IL, 60601 561-241-6901
E-Mail: ILMAIL@RASLG.COM
Attorney File No. 22-087686
Attorney ARDC No. 6306439
Attorney Code. 65582
Case Number: 2023 CH 02946 TJSC#: 45-910
NOTE: Pursuant to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, you are advised that Plaintiff’s attorney is deemed to be a debt collector attempting to collect a debt and any information obtained will be used for that purpose.
Case # 2023 CH 02946 I3264296
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION
U S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS TRUSTEE FOR CITIGROUP MORTGAGE LOAN TRUST INC., MORTGAGE PASS-THROUGH CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2006-WF1, Plaintiff, -v.-
ERICA TWYMAN; PRESCOTT SQUARE TOWNHOME ASSOCIATION, Defendants. 17 CH 05787 11448 PRESCOTT LANE, WESTCHESTER, IL 60154 NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on 11/14/2024, an agent of Auction.com, LLC will conduct the auction in person at 12:00 PM on June 4, 2025 located at 100 N LaSalle St., Suite 1400, Chicago, IL 60602, and will sell at public sale to the highest bidder, as set forth below, the following described real estate.
Commonly known as 11448 PRESCOTT LANE, WESTCHESTER, IL 60154
REAL ESTATE FOR SALE
Property Index No. 15-30-204010-0000
The real estate is improved with a Multi-Family. The judgment amount was $523,431.11 Sale Terms: 20% down of the highest bid by certified funds at the close of the sale payable to Auction. com, LLC, No third party checks will be accepted. All registered bidders need to provide a photo ID in order to bid. The balance, in certified funds/or wire transfer, is due within twenty-four (24) hours. (relief fee not required) 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)(l) and (g)(4).
If this property is a condominium unit which is part of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by the Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/18.5(g-1).
IF YOU ARE THE MORTGAGOR (HOMEOWNER), YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN IN POSSESSION FOR 30 DAYS AFTER ENTRY OF AN ORDER OF POSSESSION, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 151701 (C) OF THE ILLINOIS MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE LAW.
For information, contact Plaintiffs attorney: McCalla Raymer Leibert Pierce, LLC (312) 346-9088 please refer to file number 20-06140IL. Auction.com, LLC 100 N LaSalle St., Suite 1400 Chicago, IL 60602 - 872-225-4985 You can also visit www.auction.com.
Attorney File No. 20-06140IL Case Number: 17 CH 05787
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.
I3265352
REAL ESTATE FOR SALE
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION
CARRINGTON MORTGAGE SERVICES LLC
Plaintiff, -v.-
ROBERT JONES JR., BERNICE L.
DAVIS JONES, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA - COMMISSIONER OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVEL-
OPMENT
Defendants
2024 CH 08540 3519 MONROE ST BELLWOOD, IL 60104
NOTICE OF SALE
PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on February 28, 2025, an agent for The Judicial Sales Corporation, will at 10:30 AM on May 30, 2025, at The Judicial Sales Corporation, One South Wacker, 1st Floor Suite 35R, Chicago, IL, 60606, sell at public in-person sale to the highest bidder, as set forth below, the following described real estate: Commonly known as 3519 MONROE ST, BELLWOOD, IL 60104
Property Index No. 15-16-103029-0000
The real estate is improved with a 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, in certified funds/or wire transfer, is due within twenty-four (24) hours.
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.
Where a sale of real estate is made to satisfy a lien prior to that of the United States, the United States shall have one year from the date of sale within which to redeem, except that with respect to a lien arising under the internal revenue laws the period shall be 120 days or the period allowable for redemption under State law, whichever is longer, and in any case in which, under the provisions of section 505 of the Housing Act of 1950, as amended (12 U.S.C. 1701k), and subsection (d) of section 3720 of title 38 of the United States Code, the right to redeem does not arise, there shall be no right of redemption.
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
REAL ESTATE FOR SALE
the foreclosure sale, other than a mortgagee, shall pay the assessments and the legal fees required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/9(g)(1) and (g) (4). If this property is a condominium unit which is part of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/18.5(g-1).
IF YOU ARE THE MORTGAGOR (HOMEOWNER), YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN IN POSSESSION FOR 30 DAYS AFTER ENTRY OF AN ORDER OF POSSESSION, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 151701(C) OF THE ILLINOIS MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE LAW.
You will need a photo identification issued by a government agency (driver’s license, passport, etc.) in order to gain entry into our building and the foreclosure sale room in Cook County and the same identification for sales held at other county venues where The Judicial Sales Corporation conducts foreclosure sales.
For information, examine the court file, CODILIS & ASSOCIATES, P.C. Plaintiff’s Attorneys, 15W030 NORTH FRONTAGE ROAD, SUITE 100, BURR RIDGE, IL, 60527 (630) 794-9876
THE JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION
One South Wacker Drive, 24th Floor, Chicago, IL 60606-4650 (312) 236-SALE
You can also visit The Judicial Sales Corporation at www.tjsc. com for a 7 day status report of pending sales.
CODILIS & ASSOCIATES, P.C. 15W030 NORTH FRONTAGE ROAD, SUITE 100 BURR RIDGE IL, 60527 630-794-5300
E-Mail: pleadings@il.cslegal.com
Attorney File No. 14-24-05347
Attorney ARDC No. 00468002
Attorney Code. 21762
Case Number: 2024 CH 08540
TJSC#: 45-674
NOTE: Pursuant to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, you are advised that Plaintiff’s attorney is deemed to be a debt collector attempting to collect a debt and any information obtained will be used for that purpose.
Case # 2024 CH 08540 I3265368
EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY
All real estate advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Fair Housing Act, which makes it illegal to advertise any preference, limitation or discrimination based on age, race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status or national origin, or intention to make any such preferences, limitations or discrimination. The Illinois Human Rights Act prohibits discrimination in the sale, rental or advertising of real estate based on factors in addition to those protected under federal law. This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. All persons are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised are available on an equal opportunity basis. Restrictions or prohibitions of pets do not apply to service animals. To complain of discrimination, call HUD toll free at: 1-800-669-9777. GROWING COMMUNITY MEDIA
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that on Monday 19 May 2025, at 7:00 P.M. in the Council Chambers of the Village Hall, 517 Desplaines Avenue, Forest Park, Illinois, the Planning and Zoning Commission will conduct a public hearing to consider a conditional use permit and site plan review to allow the construction of a self-serve vacuum facility in the B-2 Community Shopping District on the following described properties(s):
Parcel 1:
Lot 15 (except that part described as follows: beginning at the Southeast corner of said Lot; thence South 89 Degrees 11 Minutes 56 Seconds West (assumed) 5.00 feet along the Southerly line of said Lot; thence North 44 Degrees 11 Minutes 47 Seconds East 7.07 feet to the Easterly line of said Lot, said Easterly line being also the Westerly right of way of Harlem Avenue; thence South 00 Degrees 48 Minutes 23 Seconds East 5.00 Feet along said right of way to the point of beginning) in Block 1 in South Addition to Harlem, being a Subdivision of the East 1/2 of the West 1/2 of the South East 1/4 of Section 13, Township 39 North, Range 12 East of the Third Principal Meridian, in Cook County, Illinois.
Parcel 2:
Lot 16 in Block 1 in South Addition to Harlem in Section 13, Township 39 North, Range 12 East of the Third Principal Meridian, in Cook County, Illinois.
Commonly known as 7201 Lexington Street, Forest Park, IL
PINs: 15-13-407-026-0000, 1513-407-034-0000
The applicant is Lex 7201, LLC dba Crystal Car Wash
Signed: Marsha East, Chair Planning and Zoning Commission
Published in Forest Park Review April 30, 2025
Notice of Public Meeting
Proviso Township High School (PTHS) District 209, located at 8601 N. Roosevelt Rd, Forest Park, IL, will hold a “timely and meaningful consultation” virtual public meeting on Tuesday, May 13, 2025, from 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM. The purpose of this meeting is to discuss the district’s plans for providing special education services to students with disabilities who attend private or parochial schools or are homeschooled within the district for the 2025-2026 school year. Parents of homeschooled students residing within the boundaries of PTHS District 209 who have been or may be identified with a disability are encouraged to attend. This meeting is being conducted in compliance with Illinois State Board of Education regulations. To receive a Microsoft TEAMS invitation to participate in the meeting, please email rfleming@ pths209.org. For questions or additional information, please contact: Ms. Ramonda Fleming, Ed.S District Coordinator (708) 497-4650
Published in Forest Park Review April 9, 16, 23, 30 and May 7, 2025
Advertisement for Bid 2024 or 2025 Pick Up Truck
Forest Park Schools District #91 will be accepting sealed bids for a 2024 or 2025 Pick-Up Truck with a plow.
Sealed bids will be publicly opened and read at 12:00 P.M., on May 14, 2025 (Wednesday), at the District Office, 424 DesPlaines Avenue, Forest Park, IL in the Board Room. Bids received after this time and date will not be considered.
Specifications can be obtained by contacting Mr. Bob Laudadio, Supt. of Buildings and Grounds at 708-366-5700 x3313 or at blaudadio@fpsd91.org.
Published in Forest Park Review April 30, 2025
Submit events and see full calendar at forestparkreview.com/events
Your News. Your Community.
FOREST PARK REVIEW
Growing Green
Discover the wildlife from the Des Plaines to the West Side Page B6
Want to play to your strengths? Get composting
Oak Park’s composting e or ts reach new heights
By MARTHA BRENNAN Contributing Reporter
The sun is shining, birds are singing, and the warmth is upon us, which means one thing: it’s composting season. Well, this may be the case in any other town. But in Oak Park, it’s always composting season.
In 2024, the village won the Pathfinder Award from the Illinois Recycling Foundation. Erica Helms, environmental services manager in Oak Park’s public works de par tment, said the award praised Oak Park’s “successful year-round residential food scrap collection.”
T he award noted Oak Park’s ef for ts provide “excellent guidance for other communities.”
But how does Oak Park do it? It goes back 12 years.
The village has demonstrated its ability to unite in protecting the Ear th since 2013, when Oak Park implemented a “villagewide” composting ef fort, according to the Chicago Tribune The program provided par ticipants – who pay a monthly fee that be g an at $14 and now sits at $16.31 in 2025 – with a 96-g allon container to be placed adjacent to trash and recycling bins.
Twelve years later, the program still stands. Only now, in 2025, there are fewer obstacles than in previous years, making the composting process easier than ever
This is thanks to the construction of Whole Ear th Compost, a facility whose existence allows for cer tainty that all of Oak Park’s compost has a final destination, where it can then be tur ned into soil.
The facility is located on Chicago’s
See COMPOSTING on pa ge B4
Organic Lawn Care Since 2007
Compost tea soil feedings
Natural techniques for pest control
Biochar & microbiological soil amendments
Yard Drainage Solutions
Sustainable Landscaping
Native Pollinator Gardens
Vegetable Gardens
We are the ONLY Green Shield Certified
Growing Green 2025
OPRF’s geothermal system to be completed this summer
$12.5 million heating and cooling system, under the football eld, expected to save the distric and reduce carbon emissions
By HOPE BAKER Contributing Reporter
The installation of a geother mal heating system under the football field at Oak Pa Forest High School is expected to be c summer, in advance of the start of football practic
“The status of the project is actually going considering the cold winter that we had,” said mann, OPRF’s director of construction.
Geother mal heating and cooling systems earth’s stable temperature to ef ficiently heat buildings. The system will provide 100% of cooling, and ventilation for the high school’s education facilities, known as Imagine OPRF new facilities are currently being built in wing of the building.
An analysis comparing the geother mal system to a more traditional boiler-and-chiller system found that geothermal will save the district roughly $385,000 per year while reducing CO2 emissions by an amount equivalent to driving an average passenger car 504,984 miles
“There are big savings in the utility costs,” Bergmann said.
The $12.5 million geother mal project began in November 2024, with the removal of the turf. Since then, the instillation of 240 geother mal wells, each descending 500 feet into the earth, has been underway.
There are only 25 wells left to drill, according to Bergmann, so that portion of the project will be completed by the first week of May, with expectations that the system will be
UNDERGROUND: e geothermal system draws energy from 500 feet below ground.
fully installed in July.
The system is being installed by Veregy, a self-described provider of energy-efficient solutions Once the wells are complete, the contractors will start working on horizonal piping that will connect the wells.
Once the project is completed, the 240 geother mal wells will all contain fluid. Electric pumps will circulate that fluid in and out of the school. In the summer, heat from the
school will be transferred into the ground. During the winter, heat will be extracted from the ground and transferred nto school.
Project 2, which is part of a long-ter m capital projects lan, includes a new pool, multi-use gyms, locker rooms, PE classrooms and a weight room. The expected completion date of Project 2 is summer 2026.
“The geother mal field that we’re installing now is only designed to heat and cool Project 2,” Bergmann said.
Of the $12.5 million cost of the project, approximately $10.5 million is being spent on the actual installation, while the remaining $2 million will go toward replacing the drainage and the turf on the field. However, this cost does not inlude what are expected to be significant federal rebates.
The geother mal system aligns with District 200’s ambitious Sustainability Policy, which includes reducing greenhouse gas emissions to 45% of 2012 levels by 2030 and 100% by 2050. Geother mal is more ef ficient than gas or electric heat and emits no greenhouse gases.
“Hopefully we’ll be able to do another project like this in the future for a different part of the building,” Bergmann said.
The final part of the system’s installation will entail putting the turf back on the field, which Bergmann said will take three or four weeks.
“That’s anticipated to be a big project,” Bergmann said. Since the football team begins practice at the beginning of August, Bergmann said it’s important that construction of the geother mal system is complete by the July deadline.
“We should be in great shape at the end of July for when the kids come back and football practices start,” he said.
CO
Growing Green 2025
COMPOSTING
southeast side and is built on top of a for mer landfill. conclude the composting process, the facility processes composted items that have been collected by Lakeshor Recycling Systems and transfer red to a transfer station in Maywood.
Once compost arrives at the facility, it gets divided i two categories: “green” and “brown.” The “brown” category includes yard waste and “dry material”, while “green” primarily includes “wet” items, such as food scraps Helms explained the positive impact this facility on Oak Pa rk’s composting ventures
“In the past, it has been that there weren’ t that many places to take composting, but now there’s been a lot of funding and legislation that supports that,” she said.
This bodes well for the future of Oak Park’s composting ef forts.
“We’ re able to expand our progr ams and then make sure it gets composted,” said Helms.
Oak Park’s compost successes owe to the village’s multiple drop-off sites. These sites allow residents to avoid paying the $16.31 compost pick-up fee and still take part in the community’s composting ef forts.
Currently, there are five drop-off locations, but Helms is
optimistic about adding more. They are located at 1010 N. Ridgeland Ave., 1125 Ontario St., 720 North Blvd., 102 N. Lombard Ave., and 207 Garfield St.
Helms said the village is also wo rk ing on holding future partnerships with the two school districts, D97 and D200, to encourage students to c ollaborate in an ef fo rt to “beautify” the drop-off sites in order to increase c omp osting pa rt icipation.
Oak Park will celebrate International Compost Awareness Week, which runs from May 4-10. This will most likely be highlighted the following week at the village’s board meeting on Tuesday, May 13, according to the village clerk’s office.
Composting harvests tremendous environmental benefits, such as its contribution to reducing methane emissions, one of the most harmful greenhouse gases.
“When your trash goes to the landfill, it all just gets, like, compacted down and into an anaerobic environment that causes more methane to be released,” said Helms. “If you divert your compost to a facility that aerates it, it breaks down properly. There is much, much, much less methane coming of f of it.”
Helms made a call to action.
“The more people we get signed up and the more compost we divert from the landfill, the less methane will be released,” she said.
For information on how to get involved, and updates on Oak Park’s composting journey, visit https://www oak-park us/ Services-Parking/Waste-Recycling/Compostable-Program
Earth Day,
more than a day but a way of life
Re ections on protecting our world all year round, and advice to check out OP’s many sustainability events
ell before most scientists about climom was onserving water, ring the thermostat, the amount of plastic rything from her make-
he was a registered nurse and an avid , but in another life, she could have ved lear n-
ry episode of the PBS documentary with the intensity of a bio major cramming
PROVIDED
Germaine Caprio’s mom understood the fragility of the earth well before others paid attention. She’s seen here with Germaine’s brothers.
sneak into the kitchen to remind us not to run the water. “Kids, don’t use clean water to rinse dirty dishes,” she’d say. “Someday water will be a pricey commodity and we’ ll be fighting to save it.” Then she’d grab one of the dirty pots, place it in the sink, fill it with water and swish the dirty dishes and silverware through it before loading them into the dishwasher.
Running the faucet was no longer an option, and it still isn’t in my house
I am too young to remember the first Earth Day in 1970, but as the years went on, I remember my mom saying, “It’s great they created one day to honor our Earth, but we need to take care of it every day. They should declare an Earth Month and take more time to educate people on what’s happenrld.”
she was stealthily schooling us on preserving ecosystems and saving endangered species before we even knew what Ear th Day was “Kids,” she always started that way, “did you know they’re leveling a beautiful prairie just west of the city to build some awful strip mall?” We’d shrug our shoulders and scoop another spoonful of Cheerios. “Where will all the creatures tha live there go? All the butterflies, bumble bees and frogs, not to mention the birds, foxes and other wildlife that called that field home?”
We’d never thought about them before...but to this day, I can’t pass a construction site without thinking the same thing. After dinner, we’d stack the dishes in the sink when she’d
I’m pretty sure my mom would be thrilled to w that’s exactly what the Village of Oak ’s Sustainability Office and its local tners are doing. Over this month and in celebration of Earth Month, there have been at least nine nearby events to teach and inspire all of us to take care of our planet.
They have included an Eco-Extravaganza at the Oak Park Public Library to a Clean Energy Open House. The Trailside Museum showed people how to create pollinator pockets in their own yard by making a seed bomb. Currently, the One Ear th Film Festival is underway with films on how to reform school lunches and many other topics. w my mom would have been at every one of these events, urging us to go with her, because she knew by protecting our planet, she protected the ones she loved.
Come join us, bring your kids and become their stealthy science teacher, because these are the lessons that will stay with them forever.
Spring Prep Alert
As you are well aware, we experienced a very unseasonable winter: total snowfall of 16 inches, coupled with large variations in warm and cold temperatures.
To add insult to injury, spring has gotten off to a cold start. Because of this, here are some things to be on the lookout for:
Perennials – the cold start has delayed emergence of many perennials and ornamental grasses. It will take time and warmth to encourage them to begin their spring growth. Be patient before assuming they did not survive the winter.
Groundcover – we have seen significant dieback to groundcover, especially those that are evergreen/semi-evergreen, due to the lack of snow cover and multiple freeze/thaw events.
Turf – even with little snow cover, there has been evidence to suggest that winter fungal diseases have caused damage, dependent on conditions. Shady, less-ventilated areas may be showing more signs of damage. Insects – we anticipate more insect pests for the upcoming growing season due to lack of extended cold and longduration freeze. Be on the lookout for pest damage on plants and turf.
Unfortunately, we are at the weather’s mercy, so paying close attention to your landscape will help ensure you recognize problems early and take proper action so your landscape can thrive in 2025.
Scott McAdam Jr.
ese pins show gardens/landscapes that feature native plants and suppor t w ildlife on the West Side and near west suburbs.
Wildlife corridor stretches from the Des Plaines to West Side
Native plants bring bees and butter ies, woodpeckers and warblers
wildlife corridor is a strip of habitat that wildlife can use to get from one natural area to annonprofit West Cook Wild Ones decided to create a wildlife corridor bes West Side and the Des Plaines
A decade later, more than 200 people throughout rest and Forest Park have gardens as part of that
in a heavily urban environment with a lot of ildings and roads, so it would a continuous strip of green ve steppingstones,” said Laura Hartwell-Berlin, president of the group. “It’s like bitat patches between the West Side of r.”
is one composed of plants which are raphic re gion. These plants
have evolved to thrive in the local climate, soil, and wildlife interactions, creating a diverse and self-sustaining ecosystem. Locally, West Cook Wild Ones promotes native gardening through education and advocacy
According to Hartwell-Berlin, the reason it’s important to plant native plants as opposed to non-native plants is because native plants and native insects have evolved together for thousands of years. As a result, they have a close relationship. In many instances, native insects that eat plants can only use native species as their host plants.
“Most insects that eat plants don’t reco gnize non-native plants as a food source, which I know seems bizar re, but it’s true,” said Hartwell-Berlin. “So native plants help feed the native insects and then the native insects feed the rest of wildlife, like birds, small mammals and amphibians.”
Hartwell-Berlin said the Wildlife Corridor project is mainly focused on flying creatures, since they need to be able to get from one patch to the next.
“Unfortunately, this is not a very friendly environment for amphibians,” she said.
Examples of plants that are native to the area and help wild-
CREDIT: WILD ONES WEST COOK
Growing
WALK THIS WAY: A front yard native garden in Oak Park attracts bees and butte
life thrive are Purple Coneflowers, Browneyed Susans, Wild Bergamots, Milkweed and Prairie Dropseed. A native tree, the Bur Oak, is a great start for providing a
Stephanie Walquist, a founding member of West Cook Wild Ones, didn bees or butterflies when she first mo Oak Park in 2011, so she set out to do somewildlife corridors so decided to create this corridor linking oods to Columbus Pa
7443 Madison St, Forest Park (708) 657-4230
Wild Ones adds the addresses of the new participant to the organization’s Wildlife Corridor map.
“Our mission as an organization is to have thriving native plant communities surrounding us,” Hartwell-Berlin said.
A decade later, Walquist oflant gardens and parkways that een turned into refug es throughout the com-
I see lots of different kinds
Walquist said. “Over seemed to be a
Specific creatures she has of since the project monarch butterfl
vity and making a difference,” Walquist said “You can see, on the map, how your individual patch makes an impact. It’s kind of empowe
To learn more about the Wildlife Corridors project and to view their map, westcook.wildones.org/wildlife-corridor/
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Growing Green 2025
