Flooding at the community center and pump station, as reservoir over ows
A public work computer failur overwhelmed th water reservoir unde the Howard Community Cen
By JESSICA MORD Staff Reporter
Around 2 a.m. on May 15, a resident living near the Howard Mohr Community Center at Jackson called the police department about water spilling out of the building.
The Forest Park Police Department alerted the village’s public partment, said its director, Sal Stella, who was awakened in the ear of the morning. He got to addressing the streams flowing from the million-gallon reservoir – the undergr holds Forest Park’s drinking water.
Stella says the flood was caused computer failure at the department, which resulted in a valve tur ning to let in too much water
‘Let’s Talk’: Proviso
Supt. Mohip hopes to address a longtime community concern
By AMARIS E. RODRIGUEZ Contributing Reporter
“This is a possible solution to a problem that I encountered during my time here and that is that we as a district are not responsive to our community in an effective manner,” said Superintendent Krish Mohip during the May District 209 meeting of the Proviso Township High Schools board.
Mohip was refer ring to his recommendation that the board approve the implementation of K12 Insight’s Let’s Talk, a platform that will to better connect district families, staff,
Your News. Your Community.
Mixed feelings on Memorial Day
Vietnam veteran Mike Mohr looks back
By TOM HOLMES Contributing Reporter
Michael “Mike” Mohr will have mixed feelings this Memorial Day as he always does on the last Monday of May.
On the one hand, the Vietnam vet will feel proud: proud that he served his country, proud that he did his duty, proud that he served with the storied 101st Airborne Division.
But also in his emotional mix will be nightmarish memories.
“I try not to think about my time there,” he said, “but if I watch a war movie, especially Vietnam war movies, it triggers something. I wake up in the middle of the night. I’ve been home for over 50 years, but if I see something on TV I actually get sick to my stomach.
“I’m still proud to have served,” he said,
LETTER
“but once I got there, I thought I had made a mistake. I’ll never forget, when 250 of us new recruits got of f the big 747 in Saigon, 250 soldiers who had just served there were waiting to board the plane to go home. We could see on their faces that they had just gone through hell, and they could see on our faces that we had no idea of what we were g etting into.”
It was 1969, and the conflict that began in 1954 would drag on for six more years. During that war, which the Vietnamese call the American War, 2 million civilians, 1.1 million North Vietnamese soldiers, over 200,000 South Vietnamese soldiers and almost 60,000 members of the U.S. armed forces would die.
Mike explained that he could have gotten a II-S de-
“
My grandfather, my father and my uncles had all served, and they passed down that sense of duty to me.”
MICHAEL MOHR
ferment by going to colle ge, and he admitted that it wasn’t a sense of grand purpose that motivated him, like in World War II when soldiers were fighting to defeat Hitler or in the Civil War to preserve the union.
His best friend had been killed in the war in 1967 and his motivation for going was as simple as “I wanted to go there and set foot on the hill where he had died.” Also, he explained, “I just felt that they had the draft and it was part of our duty as a citizen. My grandfather, my father and my uncles had all served, and they passed down that sense of duty to me.”
After basic training he was sent to artillery school and was stationed in fire bases during his tour, firing big
OBITUAR Y
Jordan Ri s, 79 Lawyer for the underdog
You’re an angel
To the woman who found my wallet on May 12:
Whoever you are, I thank you from the bottom of my heart! You found it on the counter at the service window in the Forest Park municipal building, where I had stupidly left it in a rush to get to a local golf course. I’m told you immediately turned it in to the kind folks who work behind the glass, who then handed it over to the police. An officer called me shortly afterward, and assured me that my money, ID’s and credit card were all still in the wallet. You’re an angel, and I wish you all the very best. Again, many thanks!
Tom Conway Forest Park
Jordan B. Rifis, Esq., 79, died on Feb. 20, 2025. Born in Chicago on March 26, 1945 to Albert and Edith Rifis, he was educated at Austin High School, and attended Roosevelt University for his undergraduate studies, focusing on literature, writing, and law, receiving his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1968. He then went on to attend DePaul University for Law School, earning his Juris Doctorate in 1971.
His legal career began in insurance for 10 years; then he found his true passion, fighting for the underdog. He did this largely in family law, workers’ compensation and personal injury matters. He never retired, working until the very end, totaling over 50 years. He frequently took clients who had been rejected by other attorneys, and found great pride in leveraging the power of the law and legal system on their behalf. As he once wrote, laws are the rules established and accepted by society for the benefit of the people. He will be remembered as an advocate for the underprivileged and every person who found themselves battling against insurance
howitzers at first and then one millimeter mortars in support of the infantry.
“When we were being attacked, which was mainly at night and which would happen five or six times a month,” he recalled, “I would be called on my phone, which I ke pt next to my bunk. They would be shelling us and you could hear the rounds coming in. Everyone would be diving for cover.
You never knew where they would land.
“I would at times think about dying.”
And Mike was able to visit the hill where his friend had died, right on the DMZ near what would be called Hamburger Hill.
While serving in Vietnam he was not aware of the protests going on back home. It was after he returned that he began to see occasions of people spitting on Vietnam vets and calling them “baby killers.”
As Mike lined up to board the 747 in Saigon to go home, he looked at the new recruits in their new unifor ms who had just gotten of f the plane and now it was his turn to feel sorry for them, partly because they had no idea what they were g etting into.
companies, fighting for custody of their children, or needing to ensure the financial security of their families or businesses
He will be dearly missed by many friends, including the Tuesday Golf Club, monthly poker night, and the Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Oak Park. These groups were full of friends who brought him great joy.
He agreed with his favorite actor, Humphrey Bogart, who said, “When you’re dead that’s it, you’ve got to press on because life is for the living.” But he also believed, more emblematically, “Love is the one emotion which can relieve, as is ever possible, the essential loneliness of it all.” He loved his family, friends, clients and most others with all his heart.
He spent his last weeks enjoying the company of his wife of 37 years, Paula Cox; his sister and brother-in-law, Lana and Al Kushinsky; his daughter, Jennifer Meng (and her family, husband Mark and grandchildren Jordyn and Nicholas); his son, Justin (wife Elizabeth and granddaughters Quinn and Zoe); and his son Jared (wife Morgan and grandson Hudson).
A ceremonial service will be held on Saturday, June 21 at 2 p.m. at Elizabeth F. Cheney Mansion, 220 N. Euclid Ave. in Oak Park
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the charity of your choice. One of Jordan’s favorites was Parenthesis, an organization that is now a part of New Moms, which provides housing, paid job training, college success, and family support for young moms and their children.
Spring cleaning time
Forest Park’s recreation board hosted the 5th annual spring clean-up e ort around the village
Have you noticed there’s less trash around town than there was last week?
Those responsible include more than 50 Forest Parkers and members of the village’s recreation board. At 9
a.m. on May 17, they started cleanup ef for ts at Roos Recreation Center Pavillion before breaking of f into groups to pick up trash around the rest of Forest Park
The community clean-up marks the fifth year of the biannual event, where, in the spirit of spring cleaning, locals help Forest Park to look its best.
GCM spells victory at adult spelling bee
Robert’s Westside hosts charity event to bene t
the Imagine Foundation
By TRENT BROWN Staff Reporter
As a newspaper reporter — that is, someone who writes for a living — I like to pride myself on my command of the English language. Spelling, grammar, syntax; you name it, I love it
I had the opportunity to put my spelling knowledge to the test last Thursday at the first-ever “Spell Yeah!” adult spelling bee at Robert’s Westside in Forest Park. As part of the team representing Growing Community Media, NFP, the nonprofit parent of the Forest Park Review, I was joined by two members of our board of directors, Charlie Meyerson and Deb Abrahamson, as well as
Oak Parker Ginger Yarrow
Proceeds from the event benefitted the Imagine Foundation, a nonprofit working to fundraise for capital projects at Oak Park and River Forest High School.
The event operated like a mix between your middle school spelling bee and a night of bar trivia. As the rounds progressed, each team of four was given a word to spell, with 20 seconds to discuss among themselves and come to a consensus. In a philanthropic twist, teams that got their word wrong were given one chance to donate $100 and buy their way back into the competition.
We started with so-called intermediate words — those used every day, but with spellings that could trip up an unobservant speaker or a speller who relies on phonetics. Our team was asked to spell words like “leopard,” “stethoscope,” “debauchery,” “plaintiff ” and “mnemonic.”
As the rounds went on, the words became longer, more obscure and much trickier Our team was asked to spell words I had
never encountered before, like “xerophyte,” “ebullience,” “absquatulate” and “sesquipedalian.”
That last one means, “characterized by the use of long words,” according to Merriam-Webster: a fitting choice for the event.
Many of the words given had French origins, and having minored in French in college, I thought I would be la creme de la creme in spelling those words. I was sorely disappointed when I learned from another group that “connoisseur” is spelled differently in English than in French, and again when I realized I wasn’t sure how to spell “hors d’oeuvres.” A big “Merci” to my team for filling in the gaps!
As teams started to drop like flies, after a tense three-way standoff, we found ourselves as one of the top two teams and the only team that hadn’t bought back into the competition — we hadn’t made a single mistake on the way.
In the top two, the rules got more complicated. To win, one team would have to
correctly spell a word the other team misspelled before spelling a new word. After three rounds, the rules called for a tie, but both teams asked for one more round to deter mine the victors.
We were first given the word “xanthosis” — an abnor mal yellow discoloration of the skin, distinct from jaundice — which, while tricky, we managed to guess correctly. After a long streak of success, the other team was tripped up by the word “myrmecology,” meaning the study of ants
After three hours, several drinks and a pizza delivered to the bar, we were declared the winners and given spelling bee medals to mark our victory.
It was a fun night of community benefitting an important local charity. I’ ll never forget the rush of spelling a word from memory — fittingly, the one that sticks out to me is “mnemonic” — and hearing the judge declare we were correct and had thwarted elimination for another round
Jessica Mordacq
Director of Public Works Sal Stella holds up a zone map for volunteers.
Ashley Brow n and her son Jack (above) and other volunteers pick up trash along Harrison Street.
Photos by TODD BANNOR
Twice each year, we ask readers to invest in our newsroom
It’s our Spring Campaign and we’re looking to raise $150K
When I was a kid, going to Mass on Sunday was not the highlight of week. With all respect and affection for Pope Leo XIV, I was falling away before falling aw was a thing.
It just didn’t make a lot of sense to me. And the sermons. Drowsy.
Except for one Sunday each year when Monsignor Fitzgerald — I suppose he had a first name — stood up in the pulpit of Oak Park’s Ascension Church and talked money. My head would snap to attention as he talked about how much money Ascension had, what it needed from the people crowded in the pews (“more money”), how the school, which I attended, needed a new roof.
He was very direct, stern but candid. “We need $35,000 and we need it by June 30 if God’s children are going to ve warm milk in little waxy cartons come fall,” he would y, in so many words.
I sat quietly, as children did in those days, but I wanted to rise from my pew, stand on the kneeler, and exhort my fellow Ascensionites, “Come on, people. Let’s come through for the old guy. He needs $35K. And he needs it now!”
Well now I’m the old guy and twice a year, along with all of us at Growing Community Media, we turn to our readers and make the case for why we need your direct financial support and what we’ve done to earn that support.
Right now, we’re into our Spring Campaign. And GCM, the nonprofit publisher
of Wednesday Journal, Austin Weekly News, Riverside-Brookfield Landmark and the Forest Park Review, is working to raise $150,000 by June 30. That’s what we need to invest in our newsroom in the fiscal year, starting July 1.
We’ve been around for 45 years but became a nonprofit newsroom just five years ago. Our business model had cratered just as it had for the entire print media world. To go forward, to keep publishing authentic, independent local news, we had to ask readers to start paying for our work.
And we’ve succeeded for five years. Tomor row, though, is not promised.
The good news is that GCM has a new leader in Max Reinsdorf, our executive director. After all these years, I’ve happily stepped to the side. For the moment I’ve stepped into the role of interim managing editor and am excited by the work of our reporters and freelancers in crafting re porting that is fact-based, close to the ground in
each community and connects our readers with these neighborhoods and villages. Right now, Max and I and our colleagues are working to raise this money by June 30. While we are actively seeking larger gifts, our ask to you is simple and doable. If you value this work, especially in a moment when a free press is at risk in America, we ask that you become a monthly donor to GCM. Ten dollars a month, multiplied out, is of great and predictable value to this newsroom — $25 a month is more valuable, if you follow the math. Our future is only secured by our readers. You. Right now. Go to forestparkreview.com/donate and keep building the future with us.
With gratitude from each of us.
P.S. If you still read the Trib, look for a story coming up about nuns who love the new pope. Among those likely to be quoted is my sister, Sister Jeanne. Not all of the Haleys fell away.
“Quality, A ordable, Independent Housing for Seniors”
Our beautiful 6-story building provides quality, a ordable, independent housing for seniors. We o er 75 studio and onebedroom apartments. Amenities include an award winning interior landscaped atrium, central meeting room, library, laundry facilities, computer learning center, internet access, electronic key entry system, parking, onsite management, and 24/7 emergency maintenance service. e Oaks is funded by the Department of Housing and Urban Development through HUD’s Multifamily Housing Program. Monthly rent is based on the resident’s income, with individuals paying approximately 30% of their monthly income toward rent.
114 South Humphrey, Oak Park, Il 60302
For more information, please visit us at www.oakparkha.org or contact us at 708-386-5812.
You trust us to report the news.
Do you trust us to make the donuts?
This Saturday, May 24, Growing Community Media, the nonprofit publisher of Forest Park Review, will make the donuts at the Oak Park Farmers Market.
Members of our staff and board will be joined by dozens of volunteers to make thousands of plain, powder sugar and cinnamon donuts.
Turn out to say hello, pick up a paper, hopefully decide to support our hardworking newsroom.
Growing community. One box of powder sugared at a time.
students and community members. The decision came during the May 13 board meeting.
“Many parents, staff members, and community partners have expressed frustration over delayed or inconsistent replies to emails, phone calls, and other inquiries,” Mohip said via agenda documents. “I want to acknowledge those concerns -- and affir m that I take them seriously.”
The platform will serve as a “single, unified platfor m” where questions, concerns, ideas and requests for assistance can be submitted 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The platform will also have multiple language options to better serve the diverse Proviso community
All inbound communication with the district will tur n into a “unified service desk,” said Ellie Brown, a representative from K12, who presented to the board of education.
All three Proviso campuses will be able to use the platform within that “unified service desk.”
“Everything is going to be routed to the correct person in the district who will be able to answer that question or that comment or concern in a timely manner,” Brown said.
Let’s Talk will increase the efficiency and accountability of district communication, allowing for the request to receive a confirmation that it was received as well as tracking the progress of the inquiry
“This is one solution where we can track the questions that are coming in, who they are coming in to and how quickly they are responding,” Mohip said. “The expectation is that each question that comes in there is
going to have a response within 24 hours. We don’t have to solve that problem in 24 hours but we have to at least acknowledge it.”
The item was approved unanimously as part of the consent agenda.
Part of the mission of bringing Let’s Talk to Proviso D209 is implementing it as a “strategic solution” to help the district build trust.
Jennifer Barbahen, school board president, said the platform is going to be used to improve responsiveness and transparency between the district and the families of the community
“We want to make it easier for students, families and staf f to get the answer, to raise concer ns and to be heard in real-time,” Barbahen said.
Let’s Talk will also have a chatbot option that will help streamline questions
“It is generative AI,” Brown said, adding that it will not provide answers it doesn’t know but rather turn the submission into a form that is forwarded to the district.
According to district agenda documents, the K12 Let’s Talk platform will cost the district $38,227 for one term, ending in May 2026.
“When families and staff feel ignored, issues can escalate, leading to grievances, formal complaints or reputational damage,” district administrators said via agenda documents. “By tracking and responding to concerns early, the district can mitigate these risks and improve overall stakeholder satisfaction.” FILE
Local Art?
Maximizing Flowering Shrub Impact
As we move through spring to the start of summer, the landscape has come alive with colorful blooms of flowering trees and shrubs. When it comes to flowering shrubs, not all are created equal, and to maximize flowering through this season, and especially for next, proper timing of pruning is crucial.
A few examples:
� For plants such as lilac, viburnum, bigleaf hydrangea or azalea, prune immediately after flowering in late spring to early summer. Since these plants bloom from old wood (previous season’s growth), they will begin to set their flower buds for next season by mid-summer. Pruning these plants in late summer or fall will remove the flower buds and significantly decrease flower production for next spring.
� For plants such as panicle and smooth hydrangea (think Annabelle!�, Knockout Roses and butterfly bush, prune any time with only short-term reductions in blooms if pruned while in flower. By blooming from new wood (current season growth), if they are pruned back to reduce size in spring, you will not impact the upcoming season’s bloom. If pruned after flowering, no worries: you will not be removing flower buds for next season.
By understanding flowering on new vs. old wood, you can ensure your shrubs remain bright and colorful each growing season!
Scott McAdam Jr.
Sponsored Content
Celebrating Older Americans Month
In 1963, President John F. Kennedy designated that May as “Senior Citizens Month,” at a time when only 17 million living Americans were 65 or older. In May 2025, as we celebrate “Older Americans Month” (renamed by President Jimmy Carter), over 59 million Americans are 65 and older, and this number will only continue to rise. The 2025 theme for the month is “Flip the Script on Aging,” with a focus on continuing to change how American society discusses and approaches aging as a general topic. Stereotypes regarding aging have tended to focus on decline and limitations, whereas “Flip the Script on Aging” seeks to focus on the vitality and wisdom that older adults provide society.
A fun way for individuals and communities to engage with this theme is through activities that promote intergenerational connections and lifelong learning. Community events,
focused on education, games, and music, can provide the means for older adults to share experiences and talents. Intergenerational connections, which bridge generational gaps and promote mutual understanding, can also come from pen pal initiatives and other collaborative projects.
digital inclusion enhances their quality of life, in large part because it empowers them to remain active participants in society.
Embracing technology also plays a crucial role in supporting older adults and in bridging potential gaps with other generations. Initiatives that teach older individuals to use digital tools help them stay connected with friends and family, but they also allow them to engage in online communities, as well as to access healthcare services. This
The “Flip the Script on Aging” theme also highlights the importance of challenging agerelated stereotypes in all aspects of life, including in the workplace. The promotion of age-friendly policies and practices benefits all people, regardless of age, by ensuring that older adults have equal opportunities to contribute their skills and experiences. Aside from fostering a more inclusive and diverse environment, these skills and experiences strengthen society as a whole.
Older adults absolutely face challenges that younger generations have not yet faced, but initiatives such as Older Americans Month provide an occasion to honor their resilience and determination even as they receive required support. Older Americans Month serves as a reminder to celebrate the contributions of older adults, and it also inspires us to create a society that values and supports individuals at every stage of life. By flipping the script on aging, we can build communities where the experiences, talents, and perspectives of older generations can benefit everyone.
Contact FirstLight Home Care of Oak Park at 708-665-3325 to learn more about how our caregivers can assist older Americans in our community as they seek to age in their homes and to maintain their independence.
River Forest Memorial Day parade celebrates a milestone anniv
Business Bash added to Keystone Park fun
By MICHAEL DRAKULICH Contributing Reporter
This year’s River Forest Memorial Day parade carries special significance. Besides honoring village residents who have served in the military, past and present, the village celebrates the parade’s 100th anniversary. And for this centennial anniversary, the parade brings a few changes.
This year, there will be a slight change to the parade route on May 26. The route has been shortened by a block. It will start at the corner of Iowa Street and Ashland Avenue and move south on Ashland, then turn right on Lake Street, ending at Keystone Park.
But the most significant change is at the end of the parade route. Parade organizers have partnered with the Oak Park-River Forest Chamber of Commerce to create the River Forest Business Bash. The Business Bash will be a street fair in Keystone Park meant to highlight local businesses.
The traditional community picnic will also continue post parade in the park.
Karen Stille, superintendent of recreation at the River Forest park district, has served as parade director for over 15 years. She said the chamber approached the parade organizers and asked if they could be part of the festivities. So organizers and the chamber came up with the Business Bash to give local businesses exposure.
However, Stille wants to emphasize that the focus is on the veterans. “That purpose is what motivates me,” she said. “We want to make sure that all who are involved are mindful of the parade’s meaning.”
Another aspect of the parade Stille says she enjoys is the selection of the Grand Marshal. This year’s GM is Frank Bertolli, a veteran himself, and owner of Bertolli’s Pizza in River Forest.
The village will issue a brochure prior to the event that highlights 10 residents currently serving in the military, as well as over 200 for mer honorees. The brochure will be available on the village website on May 16.
Also having a significant role in parade planning is Michael Sletten, the park dis-
trict’s executive director. This is Sletten’s 18th year helping organize the event, and he is well-versed in the parade’s history. Originally, the River Forest Service Club took the lead in organizing the parade. But as the club’s membership dwindled, the park district took on more responsibility for organizing. The park district took over the main responsibilities about 15 years ago, Sletten said. The service club dissolved about three years ago, he said. Since then, the Kiwanis Club has stepped in to help provide information about veterans who live in the village
Sletten says the parade is important to him because of the rich history of residents serving in the military, during both war and peacetime.
“I have been doing this for 18 years and it’s important to me, and many in the village, to honor our veterans and all those who have given service to the countr y. This parade is a terrific way to celebrate and recognize such service.
Rick Gillis, treasurer for the Kiwanis Club of River Forest -- Oak Park, said Kiwanis got involved right after the River Forest Service Club dissolved after the 2019 parade. Because of Covid, there were no parades in 2020 or 2021. But Kiwanis became involved in the 2022 parade, gathering information about service members as needed. Kiwanis has been involved ever since.
Gillis said that Robert Zeh, a for mer member of the River Forest Service Club, has been instrumental in helping the Kiwanis in its role in the parade. When the Service Club dissolved, Zeh joined the Kiwanis Club and has helped gain infor mation about service members from the village who are active in the military.
“It’s interesting to see all the new names that have popped up among the active service members.” Gillis said. We have a list of names from past wars and conflicts who were killed in the line of duty and we put up those names on the sides of the fire trucks in the parade to honor them.”
There is a personal element to Gillis’s involvement in the parade organization. His son, Christian, is a helicopter crew chief
for the Marines. And Christian’s wife, Danielle Gillis, is an Ar my reservist.
The parade begins Monday, May 26 at 9:30 a.m. Parade lineup begins at 9 a.m. on Ashland Avenue, between Division and Iowa streets. Local Boy Scouts will have a massive flag display at the end of the route.
For more information on the event, visit https://rfparks.com/memorial-daycelebration. More information on the River Forest Business Bash can be found at https://www.oprfchamber.org/events/details/river- forest-memorial-day-businessbash-vendor-registration-only-42990
Oak Park marks Memorial Day
Oak Park will mark Memorial Day on Monday, May 26 at the “Peace Triumphant” monument in Oak Park’s Scoville Park at 11 a.m. The event is an annual traditional Memorial Day ceremony -- dignified and reflective
This Memorial Day marks the 80th anniversary of V-E day, the end of World War II in Europe. Remarks will remember the service and sacrifices of those who made this happen, including our women.
More broadly, the ceremony will recog-
nize and honor all of our veterans, especially those who lost their lives in service to our country.
Illinois Senate President Don Harmon and Village President Vicki Scaman have been asked to give welcoming remarks. Officers from the Oak Park Police Honor Guard will post the Colors and offer a rifle salute.
The History Singers will lead us in patriotic singing; a bugler will play Taps as wreaths are laid. And a local pastor will deliver an invocation and benediction.
FLOODING
Computer failure
from page 1
“When the computer failed,” Stella said, “the valve that the computer maintains, which is the valve that brings in the water from Chicago, went all the way open and was allowing all this water to come into our reservoir that was already full.”
“Because the computer failed, we didn’t get any alarms sent to us,” Stella added.
The overflowing water flooded both the community center and the pump station, which sends water from the reservoir around the village.
To start cleanup ef forts, Stella said the village first claimed the flood on its insurance. Then, public works staf f cleaned out the pump station and helped community center staf f do the same.
While the tiled part of the community center is salvageable, the portions that are carpeted – like staf f offices and the area where the center holds day camps for children – will have to be torn up, fanned out and re-floored. In the meantime, Stella says day camps will be hosted on the tiled portion of the building.
The reservoir underneath the community center has increasingly been at the forefront of village council conversations, since a structural analysis at the end of 2023 revealed that the reservoir’s ceiling was deteriorating. While emergency buttresses and monitoring devices were installed in the reservoir, the village council has discussed whether to re pair the reservoir or build new ones
This year, commissioners seem to lean toward constructing new reservoirs and have discussed with Burke Engineering
about doing so on one of two village-owned plots: the Blue Line station parking lot or the Altenheim.
Though no decisions have been made about whether to build new reservoirs, Stella said he was unsure whether Thursday’s flooding affected the deteriorating reser
integrity of the ceiling that was collapsing, we the coming weeks,” Stella said.
WATER, WATER EVERY WHERE: A
computer failure ooded the Forest Park Community Center and the pump station (right). e excess water was last seen heading down Despl aines Avenue (below).
WALKING TOUR MAY 25
2-4 pm - Docent-led tour explores Riverside’s history and its architecture north of the tracks. See website for more details or email tours@olmstedsociety.org
PRESENTATION/TOUR/DINNER JUNE 14
• “Eat the Neighborhood” with David Odd
• 1:30 pm - Free Presentation at the Riverside Public Library
• 2:30 pm - Foraging Walk ($35 per person)
Meet in front of Riverside Public Library
• 5:30 pm - Meal at Chew Chew Restaurant ($40 per person) 33 E. Burlington St. Stewards of the land and Olmsted’s Plan
Forest Park police help catch men in aggravated carjacking
By JESSICA MORDACQ Staff Reporter
While monitoring the radio May 17 just before 10 a.m., Forest Park police heard that Illinois State Police were pursuing a car in the area that was stolen in an aggravated hijacking around 3:30 a.m. Forest Park police went to the area the car was reported to be approaching and saw it crash on the shoulder of the road near I-290 and 1st Avenue. Police reported that four males exited the car and hopped over the barbed wire at the ComEd facility before police from Forest Park, Maywood, Berkeley and state police helped place the men in custody and recovered two guns from the stolen car. The suspects were given to the state and Chicago police for processing, according to the police report
Burglary
Police responded to Marengo Avenue after 8 p.m. on May 10 after a caller reported a man breaking into the building. Upon arrival, police said they saw the man leave the location carrying several crossbody bags. The man told police that he owned the Marengo Avenue building, went to retrieve the lease from squatters living in the property’s coach house, and was attacked by people living in the coach house and main building. Police stayed with the suspect while other officers went to interview occupants of the coach house, who told police the man was their landlord and neighbor and tried to enter the coach house without warning, while shouting, kicking and pushing the door Police made contact with the property’s listed landlord, who told them the suspect man doesn’t live there. The landlord said the man entered the building through an exterior storm door, then smashed a glass pane to an interior door to unlock it. The man said he had a brief physical altercation with the intruder before the suspect left and approached the coach house The officer who stayed with the offender told him to put his hands behind his back, but the suspect started running and ignored multiple demands to stop. In the man’s bags, police found suspect meth, cocaine, two knives and a loaded gun, which was later found to be stolen. The man was charged with residential
burglary, home invasion, battery, resisting an officer, possession of a controlled substance, possession of meth, intent to deliver meth, and unlawful possession of firearms
On May 14, a man called police to report a burglary at his Troost Avenue residence. He said, on May 12, someone gained access to his apartment and stole a hat, coins and jewelry. He said someone broke in two days later by taking off his window screen and entering through the window but is unsure what they took. No one has been charged.
Battery
Police responded to the CTA Blue Line station in Forest Park for a battery report A man told them he was riding in an Uber and, when he told the driver he missed an exit, the driver pulled over, got out of the car, and slapped the man. A CTA employee who witnessed the interaction corroborated the story. The man said he wants to pursue criminal charges against the driver, which police identified through his car’s registration. The man wasn’t yet charged at the time the police report was written.
Police arrived at 7610 Roosevelt Road on May 14 after getting a call that two women were fighting. Upon arrival, a woman told police that, while shopping, she saw another woman try to return something as she yelled at store employees and knocked over merchandise. The woman said the offending woman approached her, pushed and hit her. Two witnesses independently corroborated the victim’s story. Police made contact with the offending woman before she left the parking lot and put her in custody. She was charged with battery.
These items were obtained from Forest Park Police Department reports dated May 10 -17 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
Proviso D209 wants students to have a safe summer
Summer Initiative program at Proviso continues
By AMARIS E. RODRIGUEZ Contributing Reporter
Proviso Township District 209 will continue its community partnership with the Safe Summer Initiative program into this upcoming summer, providing families with free events to encourage safe activities.
“We all know that summer months can be very critical as it relates to our young people having positive productive activities they can engage with during the summer months,” said Maywood Trustee Isiah Brandon, who presented the program as part of the consent agenda during the high school district’s May 13 board meeting.
The program partnership was approved by the board of education.
The goal of the program is to ultimately provide “safe” and positive activities for students to engage with without bar riers.
Brandon said it is an ef fort from various community stakeholders who team up to address any “gap” students might face during the summer.
“We know the makeup of our township, there are a lot of single parent households,” he said. “We know when young people don’t have positive things to engage with, they engage in ne gative activities.”
District administrators analyzed the recommendation, saying in agenda documents that the partnership would offer “structure, supervised and engaging programs” to promote “safe, learning and positive social interactions.”
In Summer 2024, students who participated in the program were able to attend a Family Day at Brookfield Zoo, a Chicago White Sox game and a family movie night held at Proviso East.
Many of those same “signature events” are being planned for this summer
Brandon said they have identified four “signature” events they hope to plan across Proviso Township including a “Movie on the Field” day to be held at Proviso East High School.
Program organizers are also looking into other events including a family bowling day at a local bowling alley.
“We have identified different cost factors and are working to look into making sure we have identified potential sponsors for those events as well,’ Brandon said.
The Family Day at Brookfield Zoo will also be included in the Safe Summer Initiative calendar.
“We have been in contact with our Cook County commissioners as it relates to making sure we elevate the experience of this particular event,” Brandon said.
According to Brandon, over two busloads of students participated in the baseball event last year.
Superintendent Krish Mohip said the program is a “limited cost” for the district.
A key part of the program is family engagement and their participation in the activities as well.
“When families are invited to participate in or co-host events like cultural celebrations, family nights, athletic tournaments or informational workshops, they experience deeper bonds with family and community,” district administrators said via agenda documents
These events are a key way to “build
Our Community Needs Community Journalism
trust, visibility and accessibility” between the schools and the community.
“They allow families to see the district
as a supportive and collaborative partner invested in the success of the whole child,” said district administrators.
NBC5’s Goudie overcomes patchy documentation to deliver the verdict on Accardo
Two mobsters: River Forest’s Accardo vs. Oak Park’s Giancana
By BILL DWYER Contributing Reporter
Any critique of the two-part NBC 5 expose, “Who Killed Momo?” must come with a caveat.
The criminal case into the murder of deposed Chicago mob leader Sam “Momo” Giancana is technically an open case. So both Oak Park and federal law enforcement will not officially release any documentation related to it.
But for years there has been a slowly growing body of public facing documentation released through official and unofficial channels. Veteran investigative re porter Chuck Goudie took all that and added a small cache of documentation he gleaned from outside sources and interviews with mob insiders, to reach a strong, if not legally definitive conclusion on the murder.
The two-part special was a mixed bag, with Wednesday’s offering largely replated leftovers. Thursday night, however, Goudie served up a genuine market special for the entree
Like any good re porter — or criminal investigator — Goudie went where the facts led, and when he had pieced all the documentation and interviews together, he concluded those facts led not to decades long prime suspect Dominic “Butch” Blasi, Giancana’s chauffeur and gopher, but to none other than the Boss of Bosses, Anthony “Big Tuna” Accardo.
that they’d solved 18 mob murders.
“What they didn’t say is that they’d actually solved many more murders … and one of them was the Giancana murder,” Goudie told Sirott.
Goudie’s re porting is an important reminder of what organized crime is really
The history of organized crime, ich benefitted a tiny minority of people atever race and ethnicity, was and still is, underneath all the glitz (“bling” in modern terminology) a dreary tale of eed and cruelty. It is the story of people willing to kill and cor rupt to maintain the r to generate massive profits.
Accardo, a River Forest resident who routinely had people killed with a nod or wave of his hand, apparently had decided he wanted to handle the recalcitrant and unstable Giancana himself. Though 69 years old then, Accardo was just two years older than Giancana, who was recovering from a blood clot after gall bladder removal surgery. He was also one of the few people Giancana would allow inside his home.
Giancana was brutally murdered in the basement of his southwest Oak Park home. He was shot seven times in the head.
Goudie’s presentation wasn’t proof beyond a reasonable doubt, but it was proof by a preponderance of the evidence. On Bob Sirott’s WGN Radio show Wednesday, Goudie acknowledged as much, saying the planned segment was originally intended to be a “review” of the Giancana case on the 50th anniversary of his murder.
But he quickly realized that the feds had “buried the lead,” as the journalistic term goes — or more likely, intentionally hid it — when they announced 20 years ago during the watershed Family Secrets trials
“There’s nobody to prosecute,” Goudie said of Giancana’s killer. But the criminal behavior shown and often glorified in film and song lyrics persists to this day. om the roaring twenties that saw Italian, Irish and Jewish thugs battle viciously control of bootleg booze, gambling and labor unions, through the rise of African American street gangs in the 1960s that controlled the urban retail distribution of deadly drugs, to the equally violent and greedy Hispanic gangs that continue to make urban streets their battle ground for control of lucrative robbery, theft, burglary, extortion and drug trafficking, the core reality has always been that money is all that matters, and might makes right.
Goudie’s re porting makes it reasonably clear, if not beyond a reasonable doubt, that 50 years after he started making his street re putation as a violent and merciless teenage killer, Tony Accardo, wealthy, well dressed and polished, was still, under it all, like every other gangster, a thug willing to kill anyone who displeased him or threatened his interests.
Sam Giancana with his wife, Angelina, and his daughter, Antoinette.
PROPER TY TR ANSFERS
Oak Park home sells for $1,450,000
The following property transfers were re ported by the Cook County Cler February 2025. Where addresses appear incomplete, for instance appears missing, that information was not provided by the c
159 N. Elmwood Ave., Oak Park
OUR VIEW
Flood zone
Anyone remember when the Chicago River started draining into basements and interlocked tunnels beneath the Loop? It was a spring morning in 1992. According to Wikipedia, a crew sinking new pilings for the Kinzie Avenue bridge did not know about an abandoned utility tunnel under the river and breached its wall.
By the time the hole was plugged, 250 million gallons of river water were pulsing through subterranean Chicago. Settling all the claims cost a reported $2 billion.
Why does this come to mind in Forest Park, 33 springs later? Last week, on another early spring mor ning, a computer failed at the public works building in town. That snafu left the valve that controls the flow of Chicago-provided drinking water into the decrepit Forest Park water reservoir under the Howard Mohr Community Center set to wide open.
So the already topped off reservoir just kept getting more inflow until, and excuse our lack of infrastructure expertise, it began overflowing into the community center and then it flowed right out the front door. Luckily a neighbor was awake at 2 a.m., saw the cascade and knew something just wasn’t right. They made a call to the cops.
And the cops called Sal Stella, Forest Park’s public works chief. He knew enough to get the valve shut. And to file an insurance claim. And to sponge out the waterlogged community center and adjacent pumping station.
Computers fail. You’d hope there’d be a backup system. Given the shape of Forest Park’s physical and technological infrastructure, it is not surprising that there was not.
Most immediately, the village will need to reinspect the ceiling of the reservoir to see if more damage was done to an already badly deteriorating facility
All of this needs to spur the village forward in making plans to build a new reservoir soon and to assess its computer systems
D209 promises to listen
Lack of communication. Lack of accountability. Lack of access. Lack of community.
That pretty much sums up the mindset of the Proviso Township High Schools’ approach to listening and responding to each and every subset of its constituencies in recent years.
Difficult to ask a question. Hard to find information. Painful to ever get an answer. And that’s whether you are a parent, a teacher, a student, a taxpayer or a reporter
So just because fixing this dismal situation is low-hanging fruit does not mean that Superintendent Krish Mohip’s move to install a new system that funnels all inquiries to a single platform is not a great start to listening and learning and acting.
The District 209 school board quickly approved the minor cost of installing a third-party platform called Let’s Talk. All incoming questions, concer ns, ideas and requests for help will now come to the district in a unified location. An outbound response, even if just acknowledging receipt, is promised within 24 hours.
Likely there will be bugs and hiccups. But the intention of actually listening is an essential change.
OPINION
We are the fourth check and balance
If I organized a No Kings Rally demonstration in Constitution Court, would you participate? Would you help me organize it?
Here’s why I ask: The framers of the Constitution had just fought a war to gain independence from Great Britain, and the last thing they wanted was a king as the executive, so they built checks and balances into the Constitution.
The idea was that if the executive tried to exert too much power — like a king or autocrat for example — the legislature could rein him or her in through impeachment, not passing the executive’s legislative agenda or not funding it. Similarly, the Supreme Court could order the president to “turn the plane around.”
HOLMES
The problem we have now, of course, is that Donald Trump seems to control all three branches of the federal gover nment, effectively eliminating any checks and throwing the whole system off balance.
So what are we, who believe that he is exceeding his constitutional authority, to do? Wring our hands, pray and hope that our democratic system doesn’t crash and burn?
Well, I’m all for praying. Ironically, “In God we trust” is printed right there on our paper money, which we often trust more than God to save us
But there is something that we the people can do
When we think of checks and balances we tend to think of the executive, legislative and judicial branches of the federal gover nment, but a month ago on the PBS Newshour David Brooks reminded me that there’s a “fourth branch of gover nment” which can act as a check and balance. It’s called We the People
He said that “We” have to get together and form “one big civic movement.” He argued, “And if you look down through history, there have been social movements, these kinds of civic uprisings that have succeeded They have banded together across sectors. They have a clear, simple message that appeals to a lot of different people. They use things like lawsuits, protests, boycotts, all sorts of things, strikes, anything they can do
“And the one turning point, if you look even at the Civil Rights Movement, when you do a nonviolent protest and the people on the other side attack you with violence, that tends to weaken them. And then suddenly you’re dividing them — some, obviously.
“And so this is the kind of way we have to think, that it’s time not just to think, ‘well, maybe he will look at the other guy.’ It’s time we’re all involved, we’re all in this together, and we’re going to amass power
together.”
When I heard Brooks’ argument, I thought, “Here, here! What we need is a Dr. King, a Nelson Mandela, a Mahatma Ghandhi, a charismatic someone to rally the troops and pull off this ‘big civic movement.’”
And while I was thinking that noble thought, I heard Rosa Parks say to me, “You do it.”
“But, but,” I protested, “I have a neurological disorder and people have trouble understanding my speech.”
And Ms. Parks replied, “Do you remember Moses, Pastor Holmes? God called him from the burning bush to lead the people of Israel to freedom from slavery in Egypt, and Moses came up with one excuse after another as to why he was not the man for the job, one of which was that he couldn’t talk right!”
I have a book titled, Anyway, the Paradoxical Commandments, one of which goes, “The biggest men and women with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest men and women with the smallest minds. Think big anyway.”
“But, but my voice is so small,” I protested.
This time it wasn’t Rosa Parks but Pete Seeger’s voice that troubled my reluctant, placid waters.
One man’s hands can’t tear a prison down
Two men’s hands can’t tear a prison down
But if two and two and fifty make a million
We’ ll see that day come round
We’ ll see that day come round
“But, but what if we fail?”
This time it was Rev. Cliff DiMascio’s voice that adjusted my attitude.
“Tom, do you remember back in 1992 how a bunch of us pastors decided that we needed to do something to help homeless people? How we put the word out and had a meal and bedding all set to go at my church, and how on the first night nobody came? Do you remember? That seed sprouted into Housing Forward.”
Maybe the 11th paradoxical commandment should read, “If you try to do something to make the world a better place (tikkun olam), you might fail. Try to make the world a better place anyway.”
My faith tradition believes that washing people’s feet, the job of a servant, may paradoxically be one of the most transformational acts we can do. You guessed it. Let’s do small things like maybe 10 of us holding a fun demonstration in Constitution Court anyway If you are interested, my email is tomholmes10@ gmail.com.
A LOOK BACK IN TIME
Forest Park’s WWII Honor Roll
Asnapshot of life in Forest Park during World War II is captured in the issue of the April 12, 1945 Review and Forest Parker. The lead photo is of “Forest Park’s first Honor Roll,” which had 1,500 names of men from Forest Park who were serving in World War II, with space for an additional hundred. The sign was made by Ed Lasch of Suburban Sign Service, and the materials were paid for by the Chamber of Commerce.
In this edition of the paper, good news was re ported by the family of Pfc. Harold Nordbrock (428 Thomas), who had been missing in action and was found safe in a German Prison camp. Additionally, Lt. Ralph P Grabow (622 Ferdinand) of the 7th Ar my was hit by shrapnel in Germany and was flown from France to a hospital in England to recover. Corp Fred Gaden, (7718 Monroe) was in the southwest Pacific convalescing from a concussion in a battle on Iwo Jima. The Forest Park American Legion Post 414 received a captured German flag with a large Swastika in the center, by Sgt. Ray Liedeke who was on the Western Front. He proudly wrapped the captured flag in the December 7th copy of the Review and Forest Parker and sent it back home
Letters from servicemen around the world were published, including C. Johnson S1-C in the East Indies, Sgt. Louis Cacagno in France, Pvt. Wm. Flight in Texas, and Cpl. W. Wilkes, somewhere in France.
This six-page paper also had re ports on local honors awarded in the past week to local men. This included a commendation for:
■ A.Salzbrenner of the 14th Armored division, seventh armory in France.
■ Lt. Odell Simmons (600 Ferdinand) of the 8th Air Force 446th Bombardment Group, who was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and the third Oak Leaf Cluster
■ Thomas McGrath, whose sister lived at 144 Marengo, received a Silver Star medal for “meritorious service as a commander of a rugged destroyer in the D-Day operations,” in spite of being struck by a torpedo and having the stern ripped away, the Nelson sank two U Boats to complete her mission.
■ Sgt. Fredrick R. Prehn spent a 25-day furlough at his home, 932 Thomas, after completing his missions as a waist gunner for the 15th Air Force in Italy.
■ Thomas Wiley of 1320 Elgin was commissioned to the U.S. Naval Reserve.
■ Cpl. Don Johnnson, 532 Desplaines, was stationed at MacDill Field near Tampa, Florida, training as a flight engineer
■ Sgt. Robert Schulz, son of Frank Schulz, 1124 Lathrop, was assigned to the combat crew of an Italy-based 15th AAF B-17 Flying Fortress.
Jill Wagner
Interim
Executive Director Max Reinsdorf
Sta Repor ter Jessica Mordacq
Digital Manager Stacy Coleman
Digital Media Coordinator Brooke Duncan
Contributing Editor Donna Greene
Contributing Reporters Tom Holmes, Robert J. Li a
Columnists Alan Brouilette, Jill Wagner, Tom Holmes
Design/Production Manager Andrew Mead
Editorial Design Manager Javier Govea
Designers Susan McKelvey, Vanessa Garza
Senior Media Strategist Lourdes Nicholls
Development Manager Mary Ellen Nelligan
Circulation Manager Jill Wagner
Operations Associate Susan Babin
Special Projec ts Manager Susan Walker Senior Advisor Dan Haley
Board of Directors
Chair Eric Weinheimer
Treasurer Nile Wendorf Deb Abrahamson, Mary Cahillane Steve Edwards, Judy Gre n, Horacio Mendez, Charles Meyerson, Darnell Shields, Audra Wilson
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: $38 per year. $70 for two years, $93 for three years. Out-of-county subscriptions: $58 per year.
Notice is hereby given, pursuant to “An Act in relation to the use of an Assumed Business Name in the conduct or transaction of Business in the State,” as amended, that a certification was registered by the undersigned with the County Clerk of Cook County. Registration Number: M25000461 on April 30, 2025 Under the Assumed Business Name of SHANA’S NAME BANNERS with the business located at: 2500 S. 12TH AVE, BROADVIEW, IL 60155. The true and real full name(s) and residence address of the owner(s)/partner(s) is: SHANA LYNN EVERAGE 2500 S. 12TH AVE, BROADVIEW, IL 60155, USA.
Published in Forest Park Review
May 7, 14, 21, 2025
STATE OF ILLINOIS, CIRCUIT COURT COOK COUNTY.
Request of Laura Cadden to change the name of Minor Child Case Number 20254000863
There will be a court date on a Request to change the name of the minor child from: Aisha Omar to the new name of: Aisha Mairead Cadden-Ocampi.
The court date will be held:
On June 17, 2025 at 11:00 a.m. at the Maywood Courthouse, 1500 Maybrook Drive, Maywood, Illinois 60153 in Courtroom # 0111
Published in Forest Park Review May 7, 14, 21, 2025
PUBLIC NOTICE
VILLAGE OF RIVERSIDE
In accordance with the Open Meetings Act, this is to advise you that the next Riverside Township Mental Health Board meeting will be held on May 21, 2025, at the Riverside Township Hall, 27 Riverside Road, Riverside, Illinois at the hour of 6:30 p.m.
Accordingly, the following future monthly meeting dates for 2025/2026 are as follows:
May 21, 2025
June 18, 2025
July 2025 - no meeting
August 2025 – no meeting
September 17, 2025
October 15, 2025
November 19, 2025
December 2025 – no meeting
January 21, 2026
February 18, 2026
March 18, 2026
April 15, 2026
May 20, 2026
June 17, 2026
Published in RB Landmark May 21, 2025
PUBLIC NOTICES
Advertisement for Bids
Sealed bids will be received on or before 2:00 pm prevailing time on Tuesday May 27, 2025 by Bellwood School District #187 for the following bid package: Asbestos Abatement Work for Summer 2025 Renovations Marshall Elementary School
Bid proposals received for this project at the scheduled time of receipt of bids will be publicly opened at that time.
A pre-bid meeting and walkthrough of the project work will be held on Thursday May 22, 2025 at 3:30 pm, prevailing time, at Marshall Elementary School 2501 Oak Street, Bellwood, Illinois 60104.
All bidders shall attend this meeting which will also be attended by the Owner and the Project Consultant.
Bid security in the form of a bid bond, certified check or cash in an amount equal to 5 percent of the total bid amount shall be submitted with the bid. The successful Contractor shall include payment and performance bonds for the work.
Bids shall be submitted in an opaque sealed envelope addressed to:
Bellwood School District #88 640 Eastern Avenue Bellwood, Illinois 60104
SEALED BID – ASBESTOS ABATEMENT AT MARSHALL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SUMMER 2025 RENOVATIONS
Bellwood School District #88 reserves the right to reject any or all bids, or parts thereof, or any irregularities or informalities.
All bidders must comply with applicable Illinois Law requiring the payment of prevailing wages by all contractors working on public works.
Bidding documents and specifications may be obtained any time on or after May 19, 2025, by contacting TEM Environmental, Inc. representative Daniel Juneau (djuneau@tem-inc.com) or may be obtained from TEM Environmental, Inc.’s office located at 174 N. Brandon Drive, Glendale Heights, Illinois 60139.
Published in Forest Park Review May 21, 2025
PUBLIC NOTICES
BID NOTICEINVITATION TO BID
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN by the Board Members of L’Arche Chicago, Cook County, Illinois that sealed bids will be received for the following improvements: Solar Panels Installation at 541 Ferdinand Avenue, Forest Park, IL 60130. A walk-through for prospective bidders will be held on May 30, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. CST.
Bids will be received up to the hour of 2:00 p.m. CST, on June 5, 2025, at L’Arche Chicago, located at 7313 Madison Street, Forest Park, IL, 60130 and will be publicly opened and read at that time. All bids must be submitted by U.S. mail or hand delivered. No bids that are emailed, texted or provided by other methods will be accepted.
L’Arche Chicago’s Executive Director has been authorized to refuse to issue plans, specifications and proposals to any person, firm or corporation that he considers to be unqualified. Proposals must be submitted by bidders in their entirety.
Bidders are specifically advised that L’Arche Chicago is a Subrecipient of the County of Cook of a grant pursuant to the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974, as amended, pursuant to an agreement entered into between the County of Cook and L’Arche Chicago. Payments to the contractor will be made by L’Arche Chicago and reimbursed by Cook County’s CDBG Program in accordance with the terms of the aforesaid agreement.
For additional information regarding this project and Bid Notice contact Mic Altena, Executive Director, at property@ larchechicago.org.
Published in Forest Park Review May 21, 2025
NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING
On Thursday, May 29th at 12:00p.m.-2:00p.m. a meeting conducted by Brookfield-LaGrange Park School District 95 will be taking place at S.E. Gross Middle School, 3524 Maple Ave. in Brookfield, in the 2nd Floor Conference room.
The purpose of this meeting will be to discuss the District’s plans for providing special education services to students (who reside within the boundaries of Brookfield-LaGrange Park School District #95), with disabilities who attend private and home-schools for the 2025-2026 school year.
If you have further questions pertaining to this meeting, please contact Dean Pappas, Director of Student Services, at 708-5888863 or dpappas@district95.org
Published in RB Landmark May 21, 2025
PUBLIC NOTICE STATE OF ILLINOIS
VILLAGE
OF BROOKFIELD
Notice of Public Hearing
Village of Brookfield Planning and Zoning Commission
June 5, 2025, at 7:00 PM NOTICE is hereby given that the Village of Brookfield Planning and Zoning Commission will conduct a public hearing on Thursday, June 5, 2025, at 7:00 p.m. in the Edward Barcal Hall located at 8820 Brookfield Avenue, Brookfield, Illinois for the purpose of considering a request from by the Village of Brookfield, as petitioner, to Amend the text of the Village of Brookfield Zoning Ordinance Chapter 62 Zoning, to include Electric Vehicle Charging.
The public is invited to attend the public hearing and present oral and/ or written comments. Written comments may be provided prior to 4:00 PM on the day of the public hearing to: Village of Brookfield, Planning and Zoning Commission c/o Libby Popovic, 8820 Brookfield Avenue, Brookfield, IL 60513, lpopovic@brookfieldil.gov, or 708485-1113. Oral or written testimony may be given during the public hearing. The application may be viewed at the Village of Brookfield Village Hall during normal business hours. Please reference PZC Case 25-10. Public hearings may be continued from time to time without further notice except as otherwise required under the Illinois Open Meetings Act. Individuals with disabilities requiring a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in any meeting should contact the Village of Brookfield (708) 4857344 prior to the meeting. Wheelchair access is available through the front (South) entrance of Village Hall. By the Order of Chuck Grund, Planning and Zoning Commission Chairman.
Published in RB Landmark May 21, 2025
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: 1-800-6699777.
GROWING COMMUNITY MEDIA
NOTICE TO BIDDERS
Sealed bids will be received by the Park District of Oak Park for the following project:
The New Field Center GROUND UP CONSTRUCTION OAK PARK, IL 60302
Bids will be received until 11 AM Central Time on June 20, 2025 at the Park District of Oak Park Administrative offices, 218 Madison Street, Oak Park, IL 60302, and will be publicly opened and read at 11:15 AM Central Time on that date. There will be no virtual opening of the bids. Contractors are welcome to be present for the bid opening.
Bids shall be submitted in an opaque sealed envelope clearly marked:
Park District of Oak Park 218 Madison Street, Oak Park, IL 60302
Attention: Bulley & Andrews
Project: PDOP The New Field Center
Trade Package # Name of Submitting Contractor
Scope of work for Bid Package generally includes, but is not limited to: Site and selective demolition; cast-in-place concrete; metal fabrications; cross laminated and glue laminated timber; rough carpentry; architectural woodwork and plastic laminated cabinetry; roofing; insulation; doors/frames/ hardware; structural sealant glazed curtainwall; drywall installations; flooring installations; bathroom specialties; fabric curtains; roller shades; stabilized rammed earth construction; fire suppression; plumbing; HVAC; electrical installations; fire alarm installations; earthwork; concrete paving; permeable pavers; stabilized aggregate paving; decorative metal fences & gates; site utilities
All bids must be submitted in accordance with the bidding instructions contained in the Bidding Documents for the project. Bid security in the form of a bid bond in an amount equal to ten percent (10%) of the base bid amount must be submitted with the bid, payable to the Park District of Oak Park, 218 Madison Street,
Oak Park, IL 60302. All documents and information required by the bidding instructions contained in the Bidding Documents for the project shall be submitted with the bid. Incomplete, late or non-conforming bids may not be accepted.
No bids shall be withdrawn, cancelled or modified after the time for opening of bids without the Board’s consent for a period of ninety (90) days after the scheduled time of bid opening.
The Bidding Documents for the project (which include the bidding instructions for the project and other related documents) will be available May 27, 2025 on Bulley & Andrews Building Connected Website. Contractors wishing to gain access to the bid documents can email Tom Sampey (Tsampey@bulley.com) or Mike Cottick (Mcottick@bulley. com) and you will be invited to the project website to download the bid documents.
The Board reserves the right to reject any or all bids or parts thereof, or waive any irregularities or informalities, and to make an award that in the Board’s sole opinion is in the best interest of the District.
A non-mandatory site will be coordinated with Bulley & Andrews, LLC. Interested parties may inspect the existing conditions and site logistics. Site visit will be held on June 12, 2025 at 2pm.
All bidders must comply with applicable Illinois Law requiring the payment of prevailing wages by all Contractors working on public works. If during the time period of work, the prevailing wage rates change, the contractor shall be responsible for additional costs without any change to the contract amount. All bidders must comply with the Illinois Statutory requirements regarding labor, including Equal Employment Opportunity Laws.
For additional information on the project, contact Tom Sampey (@ 312.610.3637) or Michael Cottick (@ 847.989.9650).
Published in Wednesday Journal May 21, 2025
Submit events and see full calendar at forestparkreview.com/events
MAY IS MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH
WE ALL HAVE MENTAL HEALTH
Whether you are struggling with a temporary challenge or if you are living with a chronic condition, your mental health is just as important as your physical health.
50%
More than 50% of Americans will be diagnosed with a mental illness or disorder at some point in their lifetime.
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
GROWING CRISIS AMONG YOUTH
America’s youth mental health crisis is been worse since the COVID�19 pandemic.
1/3rd of OPRF High School students reported feeling so sad or hopeless that they stopped doing some usual/regular activities.
Source: 2024 Illinois Youth Survey
INVESTING IN OUR FUTURE
The Community Mental Health Board of Oak Park Township �CMHB� and the River Forest Township Mental Health Committee invest in a continuum of mental health care that is responsive to our unique and evolving community needs. Together, we provided over $1.6M last year to help local organizations and schools offer prevention, early intervention, treatment, and quality-of-life services to Oak Park and River Forest residents. Our grants resulted in:
COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH BOARD OF OAK PARK TOWNSHIP
� Over 7,900 Oak Park residents accessing services
� Nearly 10,000 units of mental health treatment for Oak Park residents
� Over 270 Oak Park residents living with an intellectual or developmental disability recieved services.
� Over 750 Oak Park high school students trained in suicide prevention
In fiscal year 2025, CMHB provided over $1.4M in funding for mental health, substance use, and intellectual/developmental disability services. To learn more about our work in this area, visit oakparktownship.org/CMHB.
RIVER FOREST TOWNSHIP MENTAL HEALTH COMMITTEE
� Over 17,000 hours of services provided to River Forest residents
� Nearly 500 hours of educational presentations on mental health to River Forest residents
� Over 900 River Forest high school students trained in suicide prevention
In fiscal year 2025, RFT provided over $225,000 in funding for mental health, substance use, and intellectual/developmental disability services. To learn more about our work in this area, visit www.riverforesttownship.org/mental-health.
