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ForestParkReview.com Vol. 109, No. 42

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Members of the team Dead Last participate in the annual Forest Park Casket Races last year. TINA HARLE

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2026

Casket Races

OCTOBER 21, 2026

Maxham resigns as commissioner, pulls out of mayoral race

ICE sighted in Forest Park

Forest Park resident Maria Maxham cites family matters, requests privacy

Local activist Betty Alzamora says ICE presence is increasing, as village officials discuss updated welcoming resolution and ICE-free zones

By JESSICA MORDACQ Staff Reporter

Maria Maxham was absent from the last village council meeting on Oct. 13, and the village clerk did not say her name during roll call, as is typical when a commissioner misses a meeting. Earlier that day, Maxham posted on her Facebook page that she resigned as commissioner of accounts and finance and would no longer pursue running for Forest Park mayor in the April 6 election. “Deeply personal family matters demand my full attention and, after careful reflection and discussion with my family, we have agreed that stepping back from public life is the right decision at this time,” Maxham wrote on Facebook. “Serving the residents of Forest Park has been one of the greatest honors of my life, and there are not enough words to ex-

By JESSICA MORDACQ Staff Reporter

FILE PHOTO

See MAXHAM on page 10

14th Annual

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers have been spotted in Forest Park, as recently as Oct. 13 — Forest Park resident Betty Alzamora said at a village council meeting held that evening. “As early as this morning, we had confirmed presence of ICE in Forest Park,” Alzamora said during public comment. She’s a volunteer advocate with PASO West Suburban Action Project, co-leading the rapid response team, and is colead for the near west suburbs for the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights. “We had two abductions in River Forest in late September. Last weekend, I personally worked in two cases of abductions in the Melrose Park area, See ICE SIGHTING on page 10

Maria Maxham during a public forum on Nov. 7, 2022.

IN Crime . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 THIS ISSUE Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Classified . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

A look back in time: Election in Harlem, 1896 PAGE 20

Tom Holmes: When surrendering is winning PAGE 19

Forest Park Review, October 21, 2026

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Forest Park Review, October 21, 2026

Rush Oak Park parent looks to Endeavor Health merger

commitment to advancing excelProposed hospital system shared lence in health sciences education, quality innovation.” would be among the careTheandmerger would combine Rush’s widely respected academic medical training calargest in Illinois pability with Endeavor’s financial strength

By BILL DWYER Staff Reporter

Rush University System for Health, the corporate parent of Rush Oak Park Hospital, announced last week that it is planning to merge with Endeavor Health to form what would be a health-care powerhouse in Northern Illinois. If approved by federal and state regulators, the Rush-Endeavor combination would create one of the largest hospital groups in the state, with 12 hospitals and more than 400 health-care sites, from the northern suburbs through Chicago and out to the western suburbs. “Together, Rush and Endeavor Health have an opportunity to create a stronger, more connected health system that sets a new standard for how care is delivered and experienced across our communities,” said Gerald “J.P.” Gallagher, president and CEO of Endeavor Health. Dr. Omar Lateef, president and CEO of Rush University System for Health and Rush University Medical Center said the proposed health-care system “will embody and expand the foundational values for which both systems are known: excellence, access and health equity, backed by a leading university that drives research and trains our future health-care leaders.” Lateef said the proposed system “will expand upon the work Rush has done on the West Side of Chicago to strengthen our impact in communities across the region to ensure more patients benefit from the expertise, innovation and compassion that define us.” The proposed health-care system would operate under the Rush name, which both parties say reflects “the brand’s strong national reputation and position as a leading academic institution, and reinforcing a

and broad geographic presence. It would also help assure what one professional observer said was a more seamless healthcare experience within the new health-care group. Endeavor Health said it would provide $1 billion in incremental investment in the new hospital system. A “significant portion,” they say, “will be dedicated to community partnerships addressing social determinants of health and creating a sustainable infrastructure to support the underserved.” Elyse Cutler, an Oak Parker whose background includes work in health-care mergers and acquisitions, gave the proposal a thumbs up, saying, “It makes a ton of business sense. It fills in the market geography.” Cutler said the merger would fill in Endeavor’s geographic gaps, including the absence of a presence of a teaching hospital in the city of Chicago. Endeavor has hospitals in eight municipalities, including Evanston, Glenview, Highland Park, Skokie, Arlington Heights, Elmhurst, Naperville and Chicago (Swedish Hospital), as well as Linden Oaks Behavioral Health Hospital in Naperville. Besides Rush Oak Park, there are Rush hospitals in Chicago and Aurora. Rush University is comprised of Rush Medical College, the College of Nursing and the College of Health Sciences. It is ranked among the top hospitals in the nation by U.S. News & World Report, and a Top Teaching Hospital by The Leapfrog Group. “The community hospitals Endeavor brings to the table are really strong,” said Cutler. She praised Rush’s medical academics “for what they’ve done and what they’ve built. I think they do a good job.” Cutler said the merger has a potential to improve outcomes for people, “especially

PROVIDED

Rush Oak Park Hospital those who might divide their (health)care across the two institutions right now, to improve outcomes meaning make their care easier and more convenient.” “It would definitely make things easier for patients and improve access,” she said. She said that a system that made it easier for patients to access different but related medical services would also make it easier for the health-care system “to ensure people get the preventative care that they need.” Nothing can happen, of course, until regulators approve the merger. Cutler said the merger process will generally play out in two parts, official approval and then long-term integration. “You still need to go through an antitrust review,” she said. “So they can’t just merge. They need permission from the (Federal Trade Commission) and that’s called a Hart-Scott-Rodino Review. I’d guess next summer is when they would close the merger.” The second part would be the likely the biggest challenge, said Cutler, who likened hospital groups to battleships, saying, “they’re big and complicated.” “The integration of the entities will take a long time, getting the IT systems to talk to one another, getting all of its administrative infrastructure to get integrated can take several years.” Regulatory approval for health-care mergers isn’t guaranteed. Back in Sep-

tember 2014, Endeavor’s precursor, NorthShore University Health System, applied unsuccessfully to merge with Advocate Health Care. In December 2015 the FTC and the Illinois Attorney General filed a lawsuit to block the deal, arguing it would give the combined system control over 50 percent of general acute care inpatient hospital services in northern Cook and Lake counties. It would also, regulators argued, have enough market power to force insurance companies to accept price increases as high as 8%. After a federal judge granted an injunction in March 2017, Advocate and NorthShore abandoned their application. NorthShore eventually merged with Edward-Elmhurst Health to become Endeavor Health. And Advocate Health Care merged with Aurora Health Care in April 2018. Endeavor’s Gallagher said their intent with the proposed merger is to create the best health-care system possible. “Our teams know how to keep people healthy,” he said, “and our vision for true community health expands access to quality care, reduces life expectancy gaps and achieves measurable progress in advancing health and well-being across the region. We take seriously our responsibility to every community, patient and team member who interacts with our system, and we are committed to doing our very best for everyone we serve.”

Forest Park Review, October 21, 2026

Fire dept. to hire firefighters on rolling basis New trial process aims to address burnout by increasing firefighter staffing By JESSICA MORDACQ Staff Reporter

The Forest Park Fire Department will start hiring firefighters on an ongoing basis in an effort to become fully staffed and decrease burnout. At the Oct. 13 village council meeting, commissioners unanimously approved to change the process the village uses to hire firefighters to one that’s on a rolling basis. The passed ordinance approved the hiring of Standard & Associates, a consulting firm specializing in employee testing and assessment systems, to help the village for a trial period of about half a year. Historically, the village has administered firefighter tests as needed, and the list of those who passed the test remained active for two years or until everyone on it was hired — then the village would host another test, since they can only hire from the list. “The old way that we were doing it was not cost effective because there’s this national firefighter shortage,” Fire Chief Lindsey Hankus told the Review. Years ago, she said there would be dozens of firefighters on the list, but that’s not the case anymore. “The old way of testing is a months-long process, and once the list is established, there might only be like six people on the list,” since some might not have proper qualifications or have already been hired by another fire department. The new rolling process allows the village

to collect applicants about every 30 days and hold a test for those applicants. Those who meet qualifications will be added to the list the fire department hires from. They will still be eligible to be hired off the list for two years. “Hopefully, there’s a few candidates that we can still capitalize on because we’ll always be accepting applications,” Hankus said. “We won’t miss opportunities.” The Forest Park Fire Department is fully staffed at 27 firefighters and currently has 23. The village recently hired two new firefighters, and another will be retiring at the end of the month. But even a fully staffed fire department might not be enough to address the burnout that the Forest Park Fire Department is currently facing right. “Right now, the overtime is so overwhelming for them that they’re 100% burned out,” Hankus said. “Once we get to 27 [firefighters] and the guys aren’t working so much overtime, I feel like we could take a couple months and reassess. …We definitely do need increased staff, we just don’t have the money to do it.” Since the Northern Illinois Transit Authority replaced the Regional Transit Authority in September, the Cook County Sheriff ’s Office is now leading a task force where its deputies patrol Chicago-area trains daily. Hankus said their presence on the CTA caused the Forest Park Fire Department’s call volume to drop a little initially. “I think for a whole week we didn’t go to the CTA, but now it’s kind of picking up,” Hankus said. Last year, the Forest Park Fire Department made over 600 calls to CTA stations. With NITA now overseeing the CTA, the village will be reimbursed over $1 million for responding to those calls.

IGOR STUDENKOV

The Forest Park fire station

Fire station renovations This summer, the village received an OSHA complaint from multiple firefighters who reported respiratory ailments, headaches and skin irritation after spending at least 24 hours inside the fire station. The symptoms were attributed to a degrading fiberglass duct liner in the HVAC system above their sleeping quarters, so firefighters moved beds into the station’s two TV rooms and an office. The Illinois Department of Labor visited the station in July to sample air in multiple rooms and analyzed the results. While Hankus said the air quality was satisfactory, the tests didn’t include fiberglass. So Hankus requested the village approve a separate air quality test, which she still hasn’t seen results from. “Once I got the results from the state, I left it up to them,” Hankus said of letting firefighters choose where to sleep. She

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said some have returned to the bunk room, while others still sleep in the office or TV rooms. The fire station’s bunk room hadn’t been updated since it was built in the 1970s as an addition to the 120-year-old firehouse. The Forest Park Fire Department has received a $1.5 million grant from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity that will help finance a remodel of the station’s second floor, including the bunk room. But the village can’t use that money until the spring. The Forest Park Fire Department still needs a new fire engine, and it will be getting a new fire truck next month. After they secure the truck, they will need to install decals and equipment, then have all firefighters train with it. “Even though we will have possession of it, there’s still going to be some work that needs to be done before it goes into service,” Hankus said.

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Forest Park Review, October 21, 2026

No Kings protest promotes early voting

participation: We are bringing our Early voting in suburban voter community together to make a plan to vote early and ensuring every eligible voter unCook County runs derstands their options for how to vote and has the opportunity to make their voice through Nov. 2 heard.”

By JESSICA MORDACQ Staff Reporter

Every few months around the country, local communities gather for No Kings protests, which reject the idea that politicians and billionaires are above the law. The latest nationwide No Kings protest was held on Oct. 17, when a rally was held in Forest Park at 7510 Roosevelt Rd. from 10 a.m. to noon. The focus of the event was to publicize the start of early voting. “Unlike previous No Kings actions, No Kings: Vote Early, is not purely a protest,” according to Indivisible — an organization working to stop authoritarianism in the United States. “It’s a day of nonpartisan

Early voting has already started for the Nov. 3 election. Through last week, Cook County residents could vote in-person at one of six locations. The closest to Forest Park was the Maywood Courthouse at 1311 Maybrook Square. Now through Nov. 2, early voting will be available at 56 suburban locations, including the Maywood Courthouse; the Maywood Public Library District, 121 S. 5th Ave.; Oak Park Village Hall, 123 Madison St.; the Cicero Community Center, 2250 49th Ave.; and the Berwyn Pavek Community Center, 6501 31st St. These early voting locations are open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sundays.

TODD BANNOR

No Kings protesters at the Bulk Mail postal facility on Roosevelt Road on Oct. 18, 2025. The Cicero PSO Building, 5410 W. 34th St., is open as an early voting site from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. from Oct. 26 through 30, plus on Nov. 2. According to Indivisible, the Oct. 17 No Kings protest brought “community together to turn people power into voter power.

This rally is about making sure every eligible voter is informed, prepared, and ready to participate.” The first No King protests in Forest Park took place in June 2025. There were also No Kings protests last October and earlier this year in March.

Correction An article titled “Maria Maxham to run for mayor” in the Oct. 7 issue of the Forest Park Review incorrectly gave filing dates for the April 6 election. The last day for mayoral candidates to file nomination papers and their candidacy statement is Nov. 23. We apologize for the error.

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Forest Park Review, October 21, 2026

New Austin restaurant a heady mix of flavors and cultures

‘My food is not the same as anybody else’s, anywhere,’ said Mary Proietti, owner of the new bohemian-style restaurant By JESSICA MORDACQ Staff Reporter

A new restaurant in Austin will open by the end of the month to serve cuisine inspired by several cultures around the world. The bohemian-style restaurant Potluc had a ribbon cutting on Oct. 9. at 6004 W. North Ave. Owned by chef Mary Proietti, Potluc will have its reservation-only soft opening by the end of this month and grand opening next month. Proietti defines bohemian-style as something influenced by several different cultures. “My food is not the same as anybody else’s, anywhere,” Proietti told Austin Weekly News. And the cuisine is accompanied by eclectic decorations and multicultural music. “It’s going to be a place of good energy and connection. …Everything is going to all meld together. I want people to come in and have this feeling, that joy and comfort and peace.” Potluc’s menu includes food inspired by Africa, India, the Caribbean, Mediterranean and American South. There will also be regional Italian food in honor of Proietti’s late husband, who was from Rome, and her mother-in-law, who was from the northern Italian region of Lombardy. For Potluc’s soft opening, Proietti is planning to cook Jamaican meat patties with tamarind sauce and plantain; grilled lamb sausage with harissa, Moroccan spice, preserved lemon and goat sauce; Moroccan chicken with coconut rice; and oxtail with African and Caribbean spices, butter beans, collard greens and polenta. Proietti is also planning to serve red snapper escabeche — a Jamaican dish with sizzling red and green peppers, onions, garlic, oil and vinegar, poured over fish — and a plate of foie gras sausage, South Carolina red grits, a broken tomato sauce and purple yams. One of the menu’s more expensive dish-

es will be Bistecca Fiorentina, or bone-in steak that originated in Tuscany. But there will also be less expensive options. “Everybody’s favorite is my collard greens because they’re southern, they’re Indian, they have all these different spices in them, and they’re African,” Proietti said. For many meals, customers will be encouraged to eat without cutlery. “Dishes that are meant to be eaten with hands will be eaten with hands, and we will give you something to clean your hands. I want you to get into it and really feel the food,” Proietti said. “People need to start being more sensory and perceptive and not just use a fork.”

Potluc is still waiting for its liquor license and plans to sell wine, beer and mixed drinks. The restaurant’s drink menu also includes a wide range of herbal teas from around the world, and Proietti plans to host high tea on Sunday afternoons. After opening, Proietti plans to host cooking classes at Potluc. “I think I can show people how to use spice, because a lot of people are afraid to [use] it,” she said. She plans to incorporate the health benefits of spices and teas into her cooking classes. Potluc will be open Wednesday through Sunday. On Sundays, the restaurant will

MICHAEL LIPTROT/BLOCK CLUB CHICAGO

Mary Proietti, center, and local officials at a ribbon cutting for Potluc on Oct. 9. Much of Proietti’s culinary influence is from her upbringing. She describes her father as bohemian and her mother as more conservative, with an African and American Indian background. Her father, who was multiracial and had Indian heritage, took her to restaurants “that served only crazy animal things, like rhinoceros,” she said. And throughout her life, Proietti has surrounded herself with friends from different cultural backgrounds. “My food is going to have a little bit of everybody in it,” she said. Proietti plans to create seasonal menus and cook most of the dishes herself, with help from her sous chef. She is looking to hire more line cooks and servers before the soft opening.

only serve a fixed-price meal, backed by praise music and inspired by Proietti’s mother. “Her Sunday dinners are legendary, so I’ve been racking my brain trying to go through the ones that I especially love,” Proietti said. “Every dime we get from that will go to feed someone or help someone in the community.” With Potluc, Proietti aims to create a multi-sensory experience that inspires customers after they depart from the restaurant. “I hope when they leave, they feel something,” she said. “I want them to feel sourced. I want them to know that God is in this place. I want them to be moved spiritually, to get to know their neighbor, to be

kind and generous and feed people — not only food, but food for their soul.”

Journey to Potluc Born on the West Side, Proietti has envisioned opening a restaurant since she was a child. After studying art and psychology in college, and working in the corporate sector for years, Proietti attended Kendall College in Chicago for culinary school. One of her instructors became a friend, and the pair opened fine dining restaurant Bel Sogno in Ravenswood in 1994. Two years later, Proietti started her high-end catering company, Feast Your Eyes. “The feather in my cap is that I did all the events for Halle Berry when she won for ‘Monsters Ball,’” Proietti said. At the 2002 Academy Awards, Berry won Best Actress — the first African American woman to win the award. “She ate my food and took it all with her, everything that was left over.” After Proietti’s husband died, she worked to turn their 200-year-old historic home in Galena into an Airbnb, where she served food in the dining room. Around the time of the Covid-19 pandemic, Proietti’s cousin told her about then-Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s Invest South/West initiative to reinvigorate neighborhoods on the South and West Sides of Chicago. “He said, ‘They need a real fine dining restaurant, which you know how to do,’” Proietti said of what her cousin told her about Austin. “There’s money in Oak Park, but there’s money in Austin too,” Proietti said, adding that she still wanted her menu to have more affordable options, too. “I didn’t want to open something and then price myself out of it. I want everyone to come and eat.” Proietti’s cousin took her to visit 6004 W. North Ave., where Kohn’s clothing store used to be. Proietti said many people commented on the space’s transformation during the Oct. 9 ribbon cutting. “They were like, ‘What? We would never think that this would happen because how are you going to put a restaurant in that little place?’ And I said, ‘There’s a lot of space in here,’” Proietti said. She added, “I wanted an intimate space.” But it took much longer than expected to transform the old clothing store into a bohemian-style restaurant. See POTLUC on page 8

Forest Park Review, October 21, 2026

POTLUC

Eclectic cuisine

Enjoy The Moments: A Lifetime of sunday Valuable Lessons October 25th sunday sunday SUNDAY 25th @October 3:00pm October 25th

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“The bank that I chose, Dogwood State Bank, I’m still fighting with them because they didn’t want me to open the restaurant,” Proietti said of the North Carolina-based institution. “They took all my money. They took everything out of all my accounts, and we’re still fighting with them now. I was called a n*****.” Building out Potluc was supposed to take about eight months, but the contractor who was working on it took closer to 20 months. Proietti said she tried working

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with the Dogwood State Bank to fire him and hire another, but they wouldn’t let her. “They took every penny I had saved for my equipment,” Proietti said. In March, she asked the bank for a little more funding to open and said she was told she couldn’t get a loan until construction was finished. But when Proietti finished Potluc’s building inspections and licensing in June, the bank still wouldn’t give her money. So she sold her house in Florida to help finance Potluc’s opening. “I never believed it because it never happened to me,” Proietti said of experiencing racial discrimination from a bank. “Once this is done, I want to have some type of group or association with women so that we can arm people and understand what you have to go through.”

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sign for Potluc, and her cooking will inspire the fixed-price meals Proietti plans to host at Potluc on Sundays.

Potluc’s opening was also financed by a $247,000 grant from the Chicago Department of Planning and Development’s neighborhood opportunity fund. The grant financed the restaurant’s interior and exterior renovations, plus a rooftop dining area, according to a statement from Mayor Brandon Johnson’s office. Johnson said in the statement, “This opening represents the kind of investment we want to see in our neighborhoods — one that supports local entrepreneurs, strengthens our commercial corridors and creates new amenities for the community.” Make a reservation for Potluc at https:// potlucrestaurant.com/.

Forest Park Review, October 21, 2026

C R I M E

Forest Home Cemetery mausoleum crypt vandalized By JESSICA MORDACQ Staff Reporter

On Oct. 12, a woman called police to report damage to her son’s grave. She said her son, who was killed in Chicago in 2024, is buried in the community mausoleum crypt at Forest Home Cemetery. She said a family member visited the grave about a week ago and sent pictures of the vandalized crypt, so she called the cemetery the day after and hadn’t heard back. The crypt is missing a copper vase from its wall and a cameo image of her son. The woman said the person she thinks killed her son is the one who vandalized the crypt, though he wasn’t charged with his murder. According to the police report, police called the cemetery, and its director said the stolen items are personal items and not covered by the cemetery but through a homeowner’s insurance policy. This marks the fifth instance of stolen pieces from mausoleum doors at Forest Park cemeteries this year. In August, two people were arrested for stealing brass mausoleum doors in Forest Park. Because of recent thefts, Forest Home Cemetery has amended its visiting hours to 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., a change that over 1,000 locals have signed a petition against.

Missing person On Oct. 18, police were dispatched to the 800 block of Thomas after a woman called to report her cousin missing. The cousin said she hadn’t spoken to the missing woman since Oct. 16, and that the woman doesn’t drive or work and has been experiencing memory loss recently. The woman is Black, about 175 pounds and 5-feet, 2-inches. She has black hair and a burn mark on her chest that runs up to her chin. The woman’s front door was unlocked, and police reported that there was no sign of forced entry or a struggle. Police contacted neighbors, who hadn’t seen the woman, and she wasn’t at nearby hospitals.

Assault ■ On Oct. 17, a woman reported that, two weeks ago, she was assaulted by a customer at Elements Massage on Madison Street. A woman came into the massage business to cancel her husband’s membership. The woman working there told her that, by policy, there would be one more charge when cancelling a membership and free gift cards for massages owed. The employee said she was sitting behind a desk, and the woman threatened to go over the counter. When the employee picked up the phone, the woman left the business but has been calling to harass staff multiple times a day. Police told the woman to stop calling or visiting Elements Massage. ■ On Oct. 16, police responded to Play It Again Sports on Madison Street after an employee said a man assaulted him. When police arrived, they attempted to separate the two and speak with the suspect outside, but he refused and became irate, according to police. The employee told police that a man came in with a bike and demanded a refund but could not provide a receipt. The man then threatened to jump over the counter and kill the employee. The employee provided police with a recording where the man threatens to brandish a firearm inside the business. Police took the man into custody, and he was charged with assault. They made contact with his neighbor, who said the man, who is diagnosed with Schizophrenia, gave him $270 to buy a bike lock and bike, which had a loose chain. The neighbor told police he’d email a copy of the receipt for the bike.

These items were obtained from Forest Park Police Department reports dated Oct. 12 - 18 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.

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Forest Park Review, October 21, 2026

MAXHAM

Commissioner resigns from page 1 press thanks for everyone who has supported me. I ask for privacy during this time.” Maxham told the Review she was running for mayor earlier this month. Nov. 23 is the last day for mayoral candidates to file nomination papers with their candidacy statement and signed petition sheets. Village Administrator Rachell Entler told the Review that the village council has 30 days to appoint a commissioner to replace Maxham. They need to agree on a new commissioner, who must have the same qualifications as if they were elected for the role. The accounts and finance commissioner position will be up for reelection April 6, along with the mayoral seat and three other commissioner roles. Commissioner Ryan Nero mentioned Maxham’s resignation during his commissioner’s comment at the Oct. 13 meeting. “Obviously, there’s a vacancy right here. I learned not too long ago that Commissioner Maxham submitted her resignation as com-

missioner here in town, as well as hung up her [hat] and terminated her mayoral [campaign]. I was quite surprised by that. Being an elected official can bring a lot of stress during your campaign, and certainly while you’re up here as an elected official,” Nero said. “I enjoyed serving with Maria, and I wish her and her family all the best.” “I also want to thank Commissioner Maxham for her service to our village,” Commissioner Michelle Melin-Rogovin said during her commissioner’s comment. “I’ve served with Commissioner Maxham for the last four years, and I think everyone who steps up to serve the village in public office deserves respect, and everyone here wants to contribute and make the village a better place for all of us. I’ve respected her work, appreciated her commitment to public service, I’ve appreciated working with her, and send her and her family all my best. I’ll be reaching out to her soon to express my personal appreciation.” During her comment, Commissioner Jessica Voogd said: “I too was shocked, as I’m sure many of you were, to hear that Commissioner Maxham has resigned. I’m sure this was an incredibly difficult decision to make. I hope she receives the privacy she had requested, and I wish her and her family well.”

FILE PHOTO

Maria Maxham during her swearing in as commissioner.

ICE SIGHTING

Increasing activity from page 1

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and this is on top of the continued presence that we see across the city, on the northwest side and in the far south suburbs.” Alzamora shared the information as a way to advance her discussions with Forest Park government officials about updating the village’s welcoming resolution language and adding signage in the village that restricts ICE from certain areas. Alzamora and other Forest Parkers created a petition asking for those updates in August. “I don’t want to sound like an alarmist here. I just want to continue to remind everybody that we need the urgency of your actions to accelerate any progress for Forest Park, sooner rather than later,” Alzamora said. “The activity is increasing, as I mentioned to you the last time I was here. Even though it may not seem as public to all of you, we are seeing an accelerated rate of abductions across the Chicagoland area, and that’s a nationwide trend.” At the last council meeting on Sept. 28,

Alzamora said, “In the last two weeks, I’ve had reports of two encounters, both of which were documented, of ICE presence in the village of Forest Park. Both families were very rattled by the situation. As we have said before time and again, it’s not a question of if, it’s a question of when.” Village Administrator Rachell Entler addressed Alzamora’s comment during her report at the end of the Oct. 13 council meeting. It was Entler’s first council meeting in about six weeks, as she has been on medical leave. Entler said she met with Police Chief Dan Pater to review the language Alzamora provided for an updated welcoming resolution and signs for ICE-free areas in Forest Park. “I have some comments to send back to the elected officials,” Entler said of her discussions with Pater. “I also got some information from Commissioner [Jessica] Voogd that I need to look over as well, and so we’re certainly working on it. I got on it as quickly as I could, so hopefully we’ll get some feedback from the commissioners and the mayor in the next week or so, and we’ll be able to really start kind of honing in on what we want to accomplish here.” Alzamora is also an elected member of the Park District of Forest Park board.

Forest Park Review, October 21, 2026

A Special Conversation with Wright Stewards

Photos: James Caulfield

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to live in a Frank Lloyd Wright-designed home? Join the Frank Lloyd Wright Trust for a special evening with author Kristine Hansen (Frank Lloyd Wright’s Illinois), in conversation with homeowners about their stewardship of Frank Lloyd Wright homes in Oak Park and Highland Park, IL. Hear fascinating stories from the homeowners about their experiences living in a historic Wright home, and how they care for and preserve them. This event is free for Trust Members; $10 general public Tuesday, October 27 Reception at 6 pm; Program: 6:30 pm to 8:15 pm Nineteenth Century Club 178 Forest Avenue, Oak Park, IL 60301 flwright.org

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Forest Park Review, October 21, 2026

O U R

Q U I E T E S T

N E I G H B O R S

The Spencers, art and penmanship, for ‘the joy of it’

hen it opened in the 1870s, Forest Home Cemetery was designed to be park-like, following a new trend in cemetery design — the rural cemetery movement, or “Garden Cemetery.” Many naturalistic monuments in the cemetery, such as carved tree trunks and logs, reflect this return-to-nature aesthetic. Sara Spencer Sloan and Junius Sloan’s monument, a large, rough-hewn, red-granite boulder inlaid with a metal plaque, par ticularly stands out as an ideal reflection of the beauty of nature. Sara was the daughter of the famous Platt Rogers Spencer who, in the 1840s, developed a new style of penmanship, the Spencerian script. Spencerian script enabled writers to keep their pen on the paper longer by connecting the strokes of letters. The script was designed to make writing both quicker and more legible than previously elaborate styles of penmanship like English roundhand script. In particular, this new style was meant to make business correspondence more efficient while still being pleasing. Platt was said to have been inspired by objects in his environment such as pebbles in streams, or rounded seeds. Platt started a school to train teachers and calligraphers in order to promote this new style of writing across the United States and abroad. President James Garfield was an advocate of Spencerian script, saying it had been inspired by the “lines of beauty as drawn by the hand of nature,” and that it was “the pride of our country and the mod-

AMY BINNS-CALVEY

el of our schools.” While Platt’s sons are often credited with making Spencerian script popular, his daughter, Sara (said to have been the finest female penman at the time), was instrumental in establishing the script in America. She had a particularly close relationship with her father and is believed to have been more knowledgeable about his methods than her brothers. Spencerian script was widespread until 1925 when the Palmer Method, thought to be simpler, eclipsed it. Around that time,

Spencerian script was also no longer preferred for business correspondence as typewriters had become more popular and prevalent. Already established as a teacher in the Spencerian method, Sara met and married Junius Sloan in 1858 in Kewanee, Illinois. Junius was a self-taught painter who began his career as a sign-painter and portrait artist. Like Sara’s father, Junius was inspired by nature. Growing up, Junius had been a neighbor of the Spencers. Platt recognized Junius’ artistic talents early

and encouraged him to pursue them. As a young man, Junius traveled extensively in the eastern United States looking for “heads to paint.” At one point, he opened a portrait studio in Princeton, Illinois saying that the prospects were good because “there is wealth, taste, and a lack of pictures,” but soon he was back on the road, even working in a New York City studio for several months. Around this time, Junius was an associate of Robert Duncanson, an AfricanAmerican painter in the Hudson River School style of painting. Junius also began painting landscapes of the east coast. Once Sara and Junius wed, the couple briefly stayed in Kewanee, but were soon back on the move to Oberlin, Ohio; Erie, Pennsylvania; New York City; the Catskills; and Chicago. While they trav-

Forest Park Review, October 21, 2026

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eled, Sara continued to teach the Spencerian method, bringing in a second income. During a stint in the Midwest, Junius began painting the prairie landscape around him. Junius’ prairie landscapes are said to be the first serious depictions of the flat, open Midwest. Prairies were not a common subject matter at the time. His works are often described as having an “American look.” Not done with traveling, Junius and Sara returned to New England where Junius painted more traditional eastern landscapes, but in 1873 they returned to Chicago and Junius opened a studio. He gradually phased out painting portraitures to focus exclusively on landscapes. Junius’ works were displayed at several museums including the Art Institute of Chicago. Over the years, as the buying public’s preference changed, and large, detailed panoramas of landscapes fell out of style, Junius took on students to supplement his income. His style evolved from oils to watercolors, as he aged and fashions changed. Junius continued to work on landscapes

Q U I E T E S T

N E I G H B O R S

AMY BINNS-CALVEY

Junius Sloan’s painting, “Cool Morning on the Prairie” until his death in 1900. The Brauer Musuem of Art in Valparaiso has over 400 of Junius’ works, including sketchbooks and correspondence. You can also find his work at the Chicago History Museum. Sara lived another 23 years, dying at the age of 91. The Spencerian script that she taught can still be seen in the logos of Coca Cola and Ford. The large boulder over Sara and Junius’ graves beautifully reflects their sensibilities and love of nature, as well as their dedication to artistry and design. Particularly poignant is the epitaph: “These

PROVIDED BY AMY BINNS-CALVEY

From the Spencerian Compendium

two visioned and created beauty for the joy of it.” References: American Forests, Argus Leader, Art in America, Chicago Tribune, Daily Art Magazine, Demystifying the Copperplate-Spencerian Script Enigma, Junius Sloan: In Quest of Beauty (Kewanee Memory Lane YouTube Channel), The Kewanee Voice, New Spencerian Compendium of Penmanship, M. Christine Schwartz Collection, Questroyal Fine Art, Script and Scribble: The Rise and Fall of Handwriting, Zanerian.com

Forest Park Review, October 21, 2026 Legal Notice

H H H cookcountyclerk.com

H H H

OFFICIAL NOTICE OF ELECTION, SPECIMEN BALLOTS, REFERENDA/QUESTIONS OF PUBLIC POLICY & POLLING PLACES Aviso oﬁcial de elección, balota de muestra, referéndums / preguntas de política pública y lugares de votación

OFFICIAL NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, by

Monica Gordon, Cook County Clerk that the General Election will be held in Suburban Cook County on: que la elección general se llevará acabo en los suburbios de Cook County en:

Tuesday, November 3, 2026 Martes, 3 de Noviembre 2026

The General Election will be held in election precincts under the jurisdiction of the Election Division of the Cook County Clerk's Ofﬁce. La eleccion general tomara acabo en precintos de eleccion bajo la jurisdicción de la división de eleccion del Cook County Clerk's Ofﬁce.

The Polls for said General Election will be open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Locations are subject to change as necessity requires. Las urnas para tal eleccion general estarán abiertas de las 6 a.m. hasta las 7 p.m. Localidades están sujetas a cambio por necesidad.

At the General Election the voters will vote on the following contests and referenda questions. Referenda/Questions of Public Policy will be voted upon in those precincts of Cook County under the jurisdiction of the Cook County Clerk in which a Unit of Local Government has requested the County Clerk’s Ofﬁce to place said referenda/questions of public policy on the ballot. En la eleccion general los votantes votaran por los siguientes puestos y cuestiones de referendo. Referendos/Cuestiones de Política Pública serán votadas en aquellos precintos de Cook County bajo la jurisdicción del Cook County Clerk en la cual una unidad de gobierno local le ha pedido a la oﬁcina del County Clerk que provea dicho referendo/cuestión de política pública en la boleta.

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OFFICIAL NOTICE OF REFERENDA/QUESTIONS OF PUBLIC POLICY

OFFICIAL NOTICE OF POLLING PLACES

The voting will be conducted at the following polling places for each of the aforesaid election precincts selected by the Cook County Clerk. Las votaciones tomaran lugar en cada de los antedichos precintos de elección seleccionados por el Cook County Clerk. TWP 8900001 8900002 8900003 8900004 8900005 8900006 8900007 8900008 8900009 8900010 8900011 8900012 8900013 8900014 8900015 8900016 8900017 8900018 8900019 8900020 8900021 8900022 8900023 8900024 8900025 8900026 8900027 8900028 8900029 8900030 8900031 8900032 8900033 8900034 8900035 8900036 8900037 8900038 8900039 8900040 8900041 8900042 8900043 8900044 8900045 8900046 8900047 8900048 8900049 8900050 8900051 8900052 8900053 8900054 8900055 8900056

PollingPlaceName TownshipName LINCOLN SCHOOL PROVISO LINCOLN SCHOOL PROVISO HILLSIDE COMMUNITY CENTER PROVISO LEXINGTON SCHOOL PROVISO MATER CHRISTI CHURCH PROVISO WESTCHESTER PRIMARY SCHOOL PROVISO CONCORD PLACE PROVISO FIELD STEVENSON SCHOOL PROVISO MC KINLEY SCHOOL PROVISO MELROSE PARK SCHOOL PROVISO MELROSE PARK SCHOOL PROVISO BULGER PARK HALL PROVISO WESTCHESTER PARK DISTRICT COMMUNITY CENTER PROVISO OUR LADY OF MOUNT CARMEL SCHOOL PROVISO SHARP MEMORIAL PARK DISTRICT PROVISO LIND PARK PROVISO JANE ADDAMS SCHOOL PROVISO LINCOLN SCHOOL PROVISO ROOSEVELT MIDDLE SCHOOL PROVISO MEMORIAL PARK DISTRICT EISENHOWER COMMUNITY CENTER PROVISO BEVERLY CENTER PROVISO MC KINLEY SCHOOL PROVISO BETHLEHEM WOODS VILLAGE @ ASCENSION LIVING PROVISO PARK JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL PROVISO LA GRANGE PARK PUBLIC LIBRARY PROVISO VILLAGE OF LA GRANGE PARK PROVISO VILLAGE OF BROOKFIELD PROVISO WESTCHESTER PRIMARY SCHOOL PROVISO VILLAGE OF BROOKFIELD PROVISO HILLSIDE VILLAGE HALL PROVISO LINCOLN SCHOOL PROVISO GROSS SCHOOL PROVISO BROADVIEW VILLAGE HALL PROVISO SCHROEDER PARK PROVISO MAYFAIR RECREATION CENTER PROVISO PROVISO EAST HIGH SCHOOL PROVISO LEXINGTON SCHOOL PROVISO BROADVIEW VILLAGE HALL PROVISO MEMORIAL PARK DISTRICT EISENHOWER COMMUNITY CENTER PROVISO GARFIELD SCHOOL PROVISO ROOSEVELT MIDDLE SCHOOL PROVISO VILLAGE OF LA GRANGE PARK PROVISO MAYWOOD FIRE STATION PROVISO ROOSEVELT SCHOOL PROVISO IRVING SCHOOL PROVISO MC CLURE JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL PROVISO IRVING SCHOOL PROVISO ST THOMASSYRO MALABAR CATHEDRAL PROVISO PROGRESSIVE LIFE GIVING CATHEDRAL PROVISO WESTCHESTER MIDDLE SCHOOL PROVISO WESTCHESTER MIDDLE SCHOOL PROVISO WASHINGTON SCHOOL PROVISO WASHINGTON SCHOOL PROVISO PLYMOUTH PLACE PROVISO VICTORY CENTRE PROVISO PROVISO EAST HIGH SCHOOL PROVISO

Address City ZipCode 811 W CHICAGO AVE MAYWOOD 60153 811 W CHICAGO AVE MAYWOOD 60153 1 N LIND AVE HILLSIDE 60162 415 W LEXINGTON ST MAYWOOD 60153 2401 S 10TH AVE NORTH RIVERSIDE 60546 2400 DOWNING AVE WESTCHESTER 60154 401 W LAKE ST NORTHLAKE 60164 925 BELOIT AVE FOREST PARK 60130 3317 BUTTERFIELD RD BELLWOOD 60104 1715 W LAKE ST MELROSE PARK 60160 1715 W LAKE ST MELROSE PARK 60160 1601 HIRSCH ST MELROSE PARK 60160 10201 BOND ST WESTCHESTER 60154 1114 N 22ND AVE MELROSE PARK 60160 1609 N 36TH AVE MELROSE PARK 60160 1200 LIND AVE BERKELEY 60163 910 DIVISION ST MELROSE PARK 60160 3420 JACKSON ST BELLWOOD 60104 2500 OAK ST BELLWOOD 60104 700 SPEECHLEY BLVD HILLSIDE 60162 3031 S 25TH AVE BROADVIEW 60155 3317 BUTTERFIELD RD BELLWOOD 60104 1571 W OGDEN AVE LA GRANGE PARK 60526 325 N PARK RD LA GRANGE PARK 60526 555 N LA GRANGE RD LA GRANGE PARK 60526 447 N CATHERINE AVE LA GRANGE PARK 60526 8820 BROOKFIELD AVE BROOKFIELD 60513 2400 DOWNING AVE WESTCHESTER 60154 8820 BROOKFIELD AVE BROOKFIELD 60513 425 N HILLSIDE AVE HILLSIDE 60162 3420 JACKSON ST BELLWOOD 60104 3524 MAPLE AVE BROOKFIELD 60513 2350 S 25TH AVE BROADVIEW 60155 2600 S 13TH AVE BROADVIEW 60155 10835 WAKEFIELD ST WESTCHESTER 60154 807 S FIRST AVE MAYWOOD 60153 415 W LEXINGTON ST MAYWOOD 60153 2350 S 25TH AVE BROADVIEW 60155 700 SPEECHLEY BLVD HILLSIDE 60162 1514 S 9TH AVE MAYWOOD 60153 2500 OAK ST BELLWOOD 60104 447 N CATHERINE AVE LA GRANGE PARK 60526 1220 S 17TH AVE MAYWOOD 60153 1927 S 15TH AVE BROADVIEW 60155 805 S 17TH AVE MAYWOOD 60153 WESTERN SPRINGS 60558 4225 WOLF RD 805 S 17TH AVE MAYWOOD 60153 5000 SAINT CHARLES RD BELLWOOD 60104 4500 FRONTAGE RD HILLSIDE 60162 1620 NORFOLK AVE WESTCHESTER 60154 1620 NORFOLK AVE WESTCHESTER 60154 1111 WASHINGTON BLVD MAYWOOD 60153 1111 WASHINGTON BLVD MAYWOOD 60153 315 N LA GRANGE RD LA GRANGE PARK 60526 1800 RIVERWOODS DR MELROSE PARK 60160 807 S FIRST AVE MAYWOOD 60153

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WESTCHESTER INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL PROVISO LINCOLN SCHOOL PROVISO WESTCHESTER INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL PROVISO HILLSIDE VILLAGE HALL PROVISO GRANT WHITE SCHOOL PROVISO GRANT WHITE SCHOOL PROVISO BEVERLY CENTER PROVISO ST THOMASSYRO MALABAR CATHEDRAL PROVISO GARFIELD SCHOOL PROVISO HOWARD MOHR COMMUNITY CENTER PROVISO GARFIELD SCHOOL PROVISO HOWARD MOHR COMMUNITY CENTER PROVISO HILLSIDE COMMUNITY CENTER PROVISO WESTCHESTER INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL PROVISO BERKELEY PUBLIC LIBRARY PROVISO PARK DISTRICT OF FOREST PARK PROVISO FIELD STEVENSON SCHOOL PROVISO WESTCHESTER INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL PROVISO LA GRANGE PARK PUBLIC LIBRARY PROVISO BETSY ROSS SCHOOL PROVISO WEST SUBURBAN CHURCH OF CHRIST PROVISO HOWARD H ROHDE POST 888 THE AMERICAN LEGION PROVISO SCHROEDER PARK PROVISO VILLAGE OF STONE PARK PROVISO BEVERLY CENTER PROVISO MC KINLEY SCHOOL PROVISO ROOSEVELT MIDDLE SCHOOL PROVISO MAYFAIR RECREATION CENTER PROVISO WESTCHESTER PARK DISTRICT COMMUNITY CENTER PROVISO ROOSEVELT SCHOOL PROVISO STEVENSON SCHOOL PROVISO GROSS SCHOOL PROVISO GROSS SCHOOL PROVISO

10900 CANTERBURY ST WESTCHESTER 60154 3420 JACKSON ST BELLWOOD 60104 10900 CANTERBURY ST WESTCHESTER 60154 425 N HILLSIDE AVE HILLSIDE 60162 147 CIRCLE AVE FOREST PARK 60130 147 CIRCLE AVE FOREST PARK 60130 3031 S 25TH AVE BROADVIEW 60155 5000 SAINT CHARLES RD BELLWOOD 60104 543 HANNAH AVE FOREST PARK 60130 7640 JACKSON BLVD FOREST PARK 60130 543 HANNAH AVE FOREST PARK 60130 7640 JACKSON BLVD FOREST PARK 60130 1 N LIND AVE HILLSIDE 60162 10900 CANTERBURY ST WESTCHESTER 60154 1637 TAFT AVE BERKELEY 60163 7501 HARRISON ST FOREST PARK 60130 925 BELOIT AVE FOREST PARK 60130 10900 CANTERBURY ST WESTCHESTER 60154 555 N LA GRANGE RD LA GRANGE PARK 60526 1315 MARENGO AVE FOREST PARK 60130 5141 ST CHARLES RD BERKELEY 60163 241 E NORTH AVE NORTHLAKE 60164 2600 S 13TH AVE BROADVIEW 60155 1825 N 32ND AVE STONE PARK 60165 3031 S 25TH AVE BROADVIEW 60155 3317 BUTTERFIELD RD BELLWOOD 60104 2500 OAK ST BELLWOOD 60104 10835 WAKEFIELD ST WESTCHESTER 60154 10201 BOND ST WESTCHESTER 60154 1927 S 15TH AVE BROADVIEW 60155 1630 N 20TH AVE MELROSE PARK 60160 3524 MAPLE AVE BROOKFIELD 60513 3524 MAPLE AVE BROOKFIELD 60513

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NOTE: The letter (N) following the polling place address denotes that the polling place itself is not accessible to the handicapped although other parts of the facility may be accessible. An exemption has been granted by the State Board of Elections and signs are posted indicating if the whole building is accessible or if there is a special entrance. NOTA: La letra (N) después de la dirección de un lugar de votación indica que el lugar de votación en sí mismo no es accesible para personas discapacitadas, aunque otras partes del edificio pueden ser accesibles. La Junta Electoral del Estado ha concedido una exención y hay carteles publicados que indican si todo el edificio es accesible o si hay una entrada especial.

Dated at Chicago, Illinois this 21st day of October 2026

Monica Gordon

Cook County Clerk cookcountyclerk.com

Forest Park Review, October 21, 2026

OPINION

When surrendering is winning

n our American culture surrender is viewed as a sign of weakness. Last Dec. 20, the Chicago Bears were trailing the Green Bay Packers 16-6 with two minutes left in the game, but apparently the word “surrender” was not in the Bears’ vocabulary because they came from behind in overtime to defeat the Cheeseheads 22-16. Gen. George Custer is viewed as a hero by many because he died fighting at the Battle of Little Big Horn. President Trump called John McCain a loser because he surrendered to the North Vietnamese when his plane was shot down. In contrast, the Betty Ford Foundation says this about surrendering: “We Surrender to Win.” People who enter treatment for their substance abuse are often told to surrender. To clarify, surrender means to stop fighting, to stop resisting everything in life. Within the context of the Twelve Steps, a person has to tear down all the emotional and philosophical walls they built up: No more fighting the program. No more fighting to do everything alone. And no more fighting Higher Powers and past resentments. Just let things be and let things flourish within. Surrender makes room for other things to grow and allows room for other systems of belief. Surrender is to accept that life has been messy and perhaps miserable because of addiction. Surrender is to accept that the solution exists outside a person’s own mind because “My best thinking got me here.” Then a person can make room for the Steps, and let go of selfish and self-defeating behavior, and they can start to live in the solution.

We Are Reborn in Death. The deconstruction of the addicted identity is never an easy task. In fact, it was an early member of Alcoholics Anonymous who said that the Steps are an exercise of uncovering, discovering and discarding that takes place over the entirety of life. In treatment centers and Twelve Step meetings all across the country, people are quick to repeat that they “leave claw marks” on everything they have let go of. Anne Wilson Schaef in When Society Becomes an Addict argues that “We live in an addiction-prone culture filled with many invitations to become addicted.” In a summary of the book, Patricia Morgan wrote, “Schaef explores how addiction is not just an individual issue but a cultural condition. She proposes that we live in a system that normalizes avoidance of pain, truth, and emotional experience, and promises quick fixes. In this environment, addictive patterns go beyond substances into work,

TOM HOLMES

consumption of stuff, and even relationships, making dysfunction behavior appear ordinary and even rewarded.” She wrote about two main addiction categories: Process Addictions include activities such as computer use, sex, shopping, chasing money, gambling, hoarding objects, religion, and television viewing. Consumption Addictions include food, sugar, nicotine, alcohol, prescription drugs, and illegal drugs. At the same time, Wilson Schaef emphasizes that healing begins with awareness [i.e. surrender]. By recognizing how we participate in these systems, we can begin to reconnect with our emotions, face reality more honestly, and move toward authentic well-being. Wilson Schaef calls for bringing unconscious patterns into consciousness, choosing compassion over criticism, and creating a deeper sense of spirituality and connection as ways to move out of an addictive culture. She said, “Our work as human be-

“To clarify, surrender means to stop fighting, to stop resisting everything in life. Within the context of the Twelve Steps, a person has to tear down all the emotional and philosophical walls they built up: No more fighting the program. No more fighting to do everything alone. And no more fighting Higher Powers and past resentments. Just let things be and let things flourish within.”

S W E N L A C O L FRESH&

Need a helping of

ings in this life is to bring as much as we can of our unconscious so that we know what we’re dealing with and we have the opportunity to heal it.” Richard Rohr wrote, “Death and life are two sides of the same coin. Each time you surrender, each time you trust the dying, your faith is led to a deeper level and you discover a Larger Self underneath. You decide not to push yourself to the front of the line, and something much better happens in the back of the line. You let go of your narcissistic anger. You surrender your need to control your partner, and each time it is a kind of dying. It seems we only know what life is when we know what death is.” Author John Keller writes that at the root of addictive behavior is an infantile sense of omnipotence and egocentricity. Another term which has been applied to a current politician is narcissism. Keller reported that recovering alcoholics often use the term surrender to explain what set them on the path to recovery. What was surrendered was the omnipotent ego. “She accepted the reality of powerlessness and human limitation. Human reality includes finiteness, the inability to attain perfection, invulnerability, or omnipotence.” In the campaign ads we are watching in the run up to the November election we will hear blaming of opponents as limited and claims of perfection for preferred candidates. Keller calls it “moralistic shouldism.” “Inherent in such a need is the preservation of its own self-delusion, self-justification, self-comfort, and self-security. Moralism seeks and points to scapegoats. Moralism is blaming behavior.” Check out Tom’s ongoing substack posts about the fictional life of Pastor Walter Mitty at https://tomholmes10.substack.com.

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Forest Park Review, October 21, 2026

F O R E S T PA R K

REVIEW General Manager Max Reinsdorf Editorial & Audience Strategist Matthew Schwerha Staff Reporters Jessica Mordacq, Hector Cervantes, Bill Dwyer, Jackie Pisano Contributing Editor Donna Greene Contributing Reporters Tom Holmes, Robert J. Lifka Columnists Alan Brouilette, Tom Holmes Editorial & Digital Design Lead Javier Govea Design and Production Associate De Sergio Villalona Visual Designers Susan McKelvey, Darby Godman Senior Media Strategist Lourdes Nicholls Marketing & Advertising Associate Emma Cullnan Development Manager Mary Ellen Nelligan Circulation Manager Jill Wagner Operations Associate Susan Liss Babin Social Media and Digital Coordinator Maribel Barrera Senior Advisor Dan Haley HOW TO REACH US ADDRESS: P.O. Box 6670, River Forest, IL 60305 PHONE: (708) 613-3300 EMAIL: dhaley@newswellchicago.org CIRCULATION: Jill@oakpark.com ONLINE: ForestParkReview.com Forest Park Review is published weekly by NEWSWELL Chicago. Periodicals postage paid at Oak Park, IL (USPS No 0205-160). Forest Park Review NEWSWELL Chicago is located at 1011 Lake Street St 307, Oak Park IL 60301. The newspaper is available at newsstands for $1. Annual subscription rate in Cook County is $48 and $82 outside of Cook County. Advertising rates available by contacting our office. POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to Forest Park Review, NEWSWELL Chicago P.O. Box 6670 River Forest IL, 60305. © 2026 NEWSWELL

L O O K

B A C K

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T I M E

Election in Harlem, October 1896

he Harlem Post was a local weekly newspaper printed in German for the local German population. Its first edition was published on Sept. 12, 1895. With this year’s mid-term election coming up, I thought it would be interesting to share some news from the paper’s Oct. 22, 1896 edition about the upcoming elections at that time: Political News from Proviso Township: Next Tuesday, October 27, is registration day. Harlem has two polling places, with Madison Street as dividing line. All those living North of Madison will cast their vote in the upcoming election at Village Hall. The current polling place for the precinct South of Madison Street is at the waterworks. Both places are open next Tuesday for voter registration from 9:00 in the morning to 4:00 in the afternoon. All residents wishing to cast their vote in the next election must therefore ensure that their names are on the electoral roll by the specified date if they wish to avoid the trouble of registering on election day. In entertainment news, the Harlem Gymnastics Club advertised their Big Prize Kegel Tournament. “Kegeln” is an older traditional European game similar to bowling, but using only nine smaller, string-attached pins arranged in a diamond shape and smaller balls without finger holes. The Big Prize Kegel Tournament was going to start on Saturday, Oct. 24 at Gaden’s double lanes and wrap up on Sunday, Nov. 1 with the awards ceremony and a gymnastics exhibition.

Translated by Uli Leib

Forest Park Review, October 21, 2026 21 HOURS: 9:00 A.M.– 5:00 P.M. MON–FRI • Deadline: Monday at 5 p.m.

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PUBLIC NOTICES

NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS

PUBLIC NOTICE

Notice is hereby given to potential Bidders that the Memorial Park District will be receiving sealed bids for the Site Improvements at Frost Park located on South Roberta Avenue in Melrose Park, IL 60160. IDNR Project # OS 26-2703. The Project is being financed, in part, with funds from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, “Open Space Lands Acquisition & Development” (OSLAD) grant program.

SECTION 00 11 16

Section 4. Pursuant to 75 ILCS 5/3-4, notice is hereby given that if a petition requesting a referendum signed by 1,096 or more registered voters of the Village of Forest Park is filed with the corporate authorities of the Village of Forest Park on or before November 20, 2026, which is thirty (30) days after the date of publication of this Resolution, then the question whether this Resolution shall become effective and said tax imposed shall be submitted to the electors of the Village of Forest Park at a general or special election to be held in accordance with the election laws of the State of Illinois in force at the time of such election. The Village Clerk is hereby directed to provide a petition form to any individual requesting one.

The scope of this project is as follows: Demolition/Removal, Grading/Drainage/Water Service, Concrete Work, Basketball Court, Play Area Development, Synthetic Turf Surfacing, Site Furnishings, Shelter, and Landscape Plantings & Restoration Specifications may be obtained beginning at 10:00 AM on October 21, 2026 through the BHFX planroom, https://www.bhfxplanroom.com between the hours of 9:00 A.M. and 5:00 P.M., Monday through Friday. A non-refundable fee will be charged for each requested bid package. See BHFX’s planroom for the cost of both a printed copy and PDF download, or $65.00 for only a PDF download. Each bid must be placed in a sealed envelope clearly marked “Sealed Bid: Frost Park” and addressed to the Memorial Park District, 3501 Washington Boulevard, Bellwood, IL 60104, Attention: Mark Flores, Executive Director. Bids will be received until 2:00 P.M. on November 6, 2026, at which time the bid proposals will be publicly opened and read aloud at 3501 Washington Boulevard, Bellwood, IL 60104. The Work of this Project is subject to the Illinois Prevailing Wage Act, 820 ILCS 130/0.01 et seq. A prevailing wage determination has been made by the Park District, which is the same as that determined by the Illinois Department of Labor for public works projects in Cook County. A Certified or Cashier’s check payable to the Owner, or a Bid Bond in an amount equal to Ten Percent (10%) of the total bid amount must accompany each bid. In addition, each Bidder shall submit a proof of insurance demonstrating the Bidders insurability. MBE/FBE PARTICIPATION The Memorial Park District encourages minority contractors to submit bids for this project. The successful contractor is encouraged to utilize minority businesses as sub-contractors for supplies, equipment, services, etc. Questions will be answered in the form of written addenda and provided to all Bidders, as per State of Illinois statutes. Submit questions regarding the bid in writing to lori. vierow@jsdinc.com, no later than 3:00 p.m. on October 30, 2026. Published in Forest Park Review October 21, 28, 2026

ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS Notice is hereby given that the West 40 Intermediate Service Center #2 is accepting sealed bids for the Lexington School Roof Replacement located in Maywood, Illinois. Lump Sum Bids will be received, publicly opened, and read at the District Administration Office, 415 W Lexington St, Maywood, IL 60153, at 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, November 18, 2026. Bids received after the designated time and date of bid opening will not be considered. Bidders must comply with all of the requirements set forth in the Project Manual. Bidding Documents will be available on October 26, 2026. To view and obtain bidding documents, please visit Best Imaging Solutions’ planroom at http://www. bestimagingplanroom.com/jobs/ public. Bidders are strongly encouraged to attend a pre-bid conference on November 4, 2026, at 12:00 p.m., at Lexington School, located at 415 W Lexington St, Maywood, IL 60153. All Contracts for the Construction of Public Works are subject to the Illinois Prevailing Wage Act (820 ILCS 130/1-12) Board of Education West 40 Intermediate Center #2

Service

Published in Forest Park Review October 21, 2026

RESOLUTION NO. R-103-26 A RESOLUTION PROVIDING FOR THE LEVY OF AN ADDITIONAL LIBRARY TAX FOR BUILDING AND MAINTENANCE BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the Village of Forest Park, Cook County, Illinois, as follows: Section 1. The Board of Library Trustees of the Village of Forest Park, by Resolution dated September 21, 2026, has requested the corporate authorities of the Village of Forest Park to levy an additional 0.02% tax for the maintenance, repairs and alterations of library buildings and equipment, pursuant to 75 ILCS 5/3-4, in order to include the sum of $76,168.00 in the Village’s 2026 tax levy ordinance as the 0.02% Library Building and Maintenance levy. Section 2. The corporate authorities of the Village of Forest Park hereby determine and propose to levy such additional 0.02% tax for the year 2026, subject to the provisions of 75 ILCS 5/3-4. Section 3. The Village Clerk is hereby authorized and directed to publish a copy of this Resolution in the Forest Park Review, a newspaper with a general circulation within the Village of Forest Park, said publication to occur within fifteen (15) days of the adoption of this Resolution.

Section 5. In the event no petition is filed with the corporate authorities within thirty (30) days from the date of publication of this Resolution, then this Resolution shall be effective and the additional library tax shall be levied accordingly, and included in the Village’s levy ordinance for library purposes. ADOPTED by the Council of the Village of Forest Park, Cook County, Illinois this 13th day of October, 2026. AYES: Hoskins, Voogd, Nero

Melin-Rogovin,

NAYS: None ABSENT: None APPROVED by me this 13th day of October, 2026. /s/ Rory E. Hoskins Rory E. Hoskins, Mayor ATTESTED and filed in my office, and published in pamphlet form this 13th day of October, 2026. /s/ Carla Taylor Carla Taylor, Village Clerk Published in Forest Park Review October 21, 2026

REAL ESTATE FOR SALE

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION U.S. BANK TRUST NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, NOT IN ITS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY BUT SOLELY AS OWNER TRUSTEE FOR RCAF ACQUISITION TRUST Plaintiff, -v.SANDRA MATTHEWS, STATE OF ILLINOIS - DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE, UNKNOWN HEIRS AND LEGATEES OF CLEO MATTHEWS, SHAKIRA JADE MATTHEWS, KIMBERLY JOYCE MATTHEWS, NICOLE DENISE ROSS A/K/A NICOLE MATTHEWS, DIAMANTE DAVIS, DESTINY DAVIS, UNKNOWN OWNERS AND NONRECORD CLAIMANTS, JOHN LYDON, AS SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE FOR CLEO MATTHEWS (DECEASED), PARADISE MARIE MATTHEWS Defendants 2024CH05104 1831 S 8TH AVE 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 January 28, 2025, an agent for The Judicial Sales Corporation, will at 10:30 AM on November 9, 2026, 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 1831 S 8TH AVE, MAYWOOD, IL 60153 Property Index No. 15-14-301008-0000 The real estate is improved with a single family residence. Sale terms: If sold to anyone other than the Plaintiff, 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 POSSESSION FOR 30 DAYS AFTER ENTRY OF AN ORDER OF POSSESSION, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 15-

1701(C) OF THE ILLINOIS MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE LAW. You will need a photo identification issued by a government agency (driver’s license, passport, etc.) in order to gain entry into our building and the foreclosure sale room in Cook County and the same identification for sales held at other county venues where The Judicial Sales Corporation conducts foreclosure sales. For information, examine the court file, CODILIS & ASSOCIATES, P.C. Plaintiff’s Attorneys, 15W030 NORTH FRONTAGE ROAD, SUITE 100, BURR RIDGE, IL, 60527 (630) 794-9876 THE JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION One South Wacker Drive, 24th Floor, Chicago, IL 60606-4650 (312) 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. 14-24-02921 Attorney ARDC No. 00468002 Attorney Code. 21762 Case Number: 2024CH05104 TJSC#: 46-2187 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 # 2024CH05104 I3295320

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 15-1701 (C) OF THE ILLINOIS MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE LAW. For information, contact Plaintiffs attorney: Diaz Anselmo & Associates, LLC (630) 453-6960 please refer to file number 6710-217934. 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. 6710-217934 Case Number: 2025CH04803 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. I3294941

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION UNITED WHOLESALE MORTGAGE, LLC, Plaintiff, -v.JUAN M. ORTIZ; SANDRA GARCIA; Defendants. 2025CH04803 441 Geneva Ave., Hillside, IL 60162 NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on 8/6/2026, an agent of Auction. com, LLC will conduct the Online Only auction at www.auction.com, with the bidding window opening on 11/16/2026 at 10:00 AM CDT and closing on November 18, 2026 at 10:00 AM subject to extension, and will sell at public sale to the highest bidder, as set forth below, the following described real estate. Commonly known as 441 Geneva Ave., Hillside, IL 60162 Property Index No. 15-08-432020-0000 The real estate is improved with a Single Family Residence. The judgment amount was $150,015.28 Sale Terms: Full Sale Terms are available on the property page at www.auction.com by entering 441 Geneva Ave. into the search bar. If sold to anyone other than the Plaintiff, the winning bidder must pay the full bid amount within twenty-four (24) hours of the auction’s end. All payments must be certified funds. No third-party checks will be accepted. All bidders will need to register at www. auction.com prior to placing a bid. 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

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION Wintrust Bank, N.A., Plaintiff Vs Jeronimo Maldonado; City of Chicago; Unknown Owners and Non-Record Claimants, Defendants. Case No. 2026CH00837 Property Address: 3412-3416 W. North Ave. Stone Park, IL 60165 NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure entered in the above entitled cause on September 23, 2026, and order authorizing the Receiver, Ryan McNaughton of Ryan McNaughton Holdings, LLC, to enter into a listing agreement with George Toscas of ACO Commercial, as the Court Appointed Selling Officer (“Selling Officer”), entered September 23, 2026, Selling Officer has listed for sale, and is seeking offers to purchase, the following described mortgaged real estate property: Parcel Identification Numbers: 1504-106-046-0000; 15-04-106052-0000; and 15-04-106-0530000. Commonly known as: 3412-3416 West North Ave., Chicago, IL 60614 The mortgaged real estate consists of a commercial building used by defendant/mortgagor as a recording studio.

REAL ESTATE FOR SALE The court has directed that the real estate be sold via traditional sale. The Property will be available for inspection and will be listed and marketed for sale. The Property will be sold AS IS/ WHEREAS WITH NO REPRESENTATIONS For more information, or to schedule a tour, contact: AOC Commercial George Toscas (312) 638-9950 George.Toscas@acocommercial. com October 29, 2026 I3295200 IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION HSBC Bank USA, N.A., as Trustee on behalf of ACE Securities Corp. Home Equity Loan Trust and for the registered holders of ACE Securities Corp. Home Equity Loan Trust, Series 2006-HE3, Asset Backed Pass-Through Certificates Plaintiff, -v.Yolanda Pozos; Jaime Pozos; Defendants. 2026CH03524 412 Buckthorn Lane, Hillside, IL 60162 NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on 7/21/2026, an agent of Auction. com, LLC will conduct the Online Only auction at www.auction.com, with the bidding window opening on 11/16/2026 at 10:00 AM CDT and closing on November 18, 2026 at 10:00 AM subject to extension, and will sell at public sale to the highest bidder, as set forth below, the following described real estate. Commonly known as 412 Buckthorn Lane, Hillside, IL 60162 Property Index No. 15-08-326023-0000; 15-08-326-024-0000 The real estate is improved with a Residential Property. The judgment amount was $255,674.72 Sale Terms: Full Sale Terms are available on the property page at www.auction.com by entering 412 Buckthorn Lane into the search bar. If sold to anyone other than the Plaintiff, the winning bidder must pay the full bid amount within twenty-four (24) hours of the auction’s end. All payments must be certified funds. No third-party checks will be accepted. All bidders will need to register at www. auction.com prior to placing a bid. 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

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22 Forest Park Review, October 21, 2026 HOURS: 9:00 A.M.– 5:00 P.M. MON–FRI • Deadline: Monday at 5 p.m.

Let the sun shine in...

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BY PHONE: (708) 613-3360 | BY E-MAIL: EMAIL@GROWINGCOMMUNITYMEDIA.ORG

REAL ESTATE FOR SALE

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 15-1701 (C) OF THE ILLINOIS MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE LAW. For information, contact Plaintiffs attorney: CODILIS & ASSOCIATES PC (630) 794-5300 please refer to file number 14-26-01494. 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. 14-26-01494 Case Number: 2026CH03524 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. I3295338

‘’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 POSSESSION FOR 30 DAYS AFTER ENTRY OF AN ORDER OF POSSESSION, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 15-1701(C) OF THE ILLINOIS MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE LAW. You will need a photo identification issued by a government agency (driver’s license, passport, etc.) in order to gain entry into our building and the foreclosure sale room in Cook County and the same identification for sales held at other county venues where The Judicial Sales Corporation conducts foreclosure sales. For information, contact JOHNSON, BLUMBERG & ASSOCIATES, LLC Plaintiff’s Attorneys, 30 N. LASALLE STREET, SUITE 3650, Chicago, IL, 60602 (312) 541-9710. Please refer to file number 26 2045. THE JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION One South Wacker Drive, 24th Floor, Chicago, IL 60606-4650 (312) 236SALE You can also visit The Judicial Sales Corporation at www.tjsc.com for a 7 day status report of pending sales. JOHNSON, BLUMBERG & ASSOCIATES, LLC 30 N. LASALLE STREET, SUITE 3650 Chicago IL, 60602 312-541-9710 E-Mail: ilpleadings@johnsonblumberg.com Attorney File No. 26 2045 Attorney Code. 40342 Case Number: 2026CH02988 TJSC#: 46-1878 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 # 2026CH02988 I3295621

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION LAKEVIEW LOAN SERVICING, LLC, Plaintiff, -v.ROSA ADELIZ ROJAS RODRIGUEZ; ANGELICA ADALIZ RUIZ RODRIGUEZ; SECRETARY OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT; CROWN ASSET MANAGEMENT, LLC; STATE OF ILLINOIS, Defendants. 2026CH02640 2025 SOUTH 8TH AVENUE, 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 8/26/2026, an agent of Auction. com, LLC will conduct the Online Only auction at www.auction.com, with the bidding window opening on 11/30/2026 at 10:00 AM CDT and closing on December 2, 2026 at 10:00 AM subject to extension, and will sell at public sale to the highest bidder, as set forth below, the following described real estate. Commonly known as 2025 SOUTH 8TH AVENUE, MAYWOOD, IL 60153 Property Index No. 15-14-317-0090000 and 15-14-317-010-0000 The real estate is improved with a Single Family Residence. The judgment amount was $156,738.14 Sale Terms: Full Sale Terms are available on the property page at www.auction. com by entering 2025 SOUTH 8TH AVENUE into the search bar. If sold to anyone other than the Plaintiff, the winning bidder must pay the full bid amount within twenty-four (24) hours of the auction’s end. All payments must be certified funds. No third-party checks will be accepted. All bidders will need to register at www.auction.com prior to placing a bid. 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

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION NEWREZ LLC D/B/A SHELLPOINT MORTGAGE SERVICING Plaintiff, -v.THEODORE LARKIN, FATIMA BOLO LARKIN, SECRETARY OF VETERAN AFFAIRS, MV REALTY OF ILLINOIS, LLC, SERVICE EXPERTS HEATING & AIR CONDITIONING LLC Defendants 2026CH02988 2251 S 10TH AVENUE BROADVIEW, IL 60155 NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on August 11, 2026, an agent for The Judicial Sales Corporation, will at 10:30 AM on November 17, 2026, 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 2251 S 10TH AVENUE, BROADVIEW, IL 60155 Property Index No. 15-22-207-0070000 The real estate is improved with a single family residence. The judgment amount was $239,552.25. Sale terms: If sold to anyone other than the Plaintiff, 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

REAL ESTATE FOR SALE

AFTER ENTRY OF AN ORDER OF POSSESSION, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 15-1701 (C) OF THE ILLINOIS MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE LAW. For information, contact Plaintiffs attorney: McCalla Raymer Leibert Pierce, LLP (312) 346 9088 please refer to file number 25-25999IL. 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. 25-25999IL Case Number: 2026CH02640 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. I3295966

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 15-1701 (C) OF THE ILLINOIS MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE LAW. For information, contact Plaintiffs attorney: MDK Legal (312) 651-6700 please refer to file number 25-026001. 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. 25-026001 Case Number: 2025CH11622 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. I3296065

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION Huntington National Bank Plaintiff, -v.Martin Ocampo; Unknown Owners and Non-Record Claimants; Balmoral Condo Association, Inc. Defendants. 2025CH11622 1351 Balmoral Avenue, Unit 1N, 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 8/18/2026, an agent of Auction.com, LLC will conduct the Online Only auction at www.auction.com, with the bidding window opening on 11/30/2026 at 10:00 AM CDT and closing on December 2, 2026 at 10:00 AM subject to extension, and will sell at public sale to the highest bidder, as set forth below, the following described real estate. Commonly known as 1351 Balmoral Avenue, Unit 1N, Westchester, IL 60154 Property Index No. 15-21-101-2771027 The real estate is improved with a Single Family Residence. The judgment amount was $132,329.17 Sale Terms: Full Sale Terms are available on the property page at www.auction. com by entering 1351 Balmoral Avenue, Unit 1N into the search bar. If sold to anyone other than the Plaintiff, the winning bidder must pay the full bid amount within twenty-four (24) hours of the auction’s end. All payments must be certified funds. No third-party checks will be accepted. All bidders will need to register at www.auction.com prior to placing a bid. 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

REAL ESTATE FOR SALE

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Forest Park Review, October 21, 2026

DON’T GET SPOOKED BY THE MARKET. Moving doesn’t have to be scary. Let’s prepare your home now for an easier sale this spring.

Steve Scheuring

REALTOR® & Local Residential Expert 708.369.8043 steve.scheuring@bairdwarner.com 1037 Chicago Ave, Oak Park, IL 60302

14 th Annual Casket Races

October 21, 2026

Members of the team Dead Last participate in the annual Forest Park Casket Races last year. TINA HARLE

14th Annual 2026

Casket Races

October 21, 2026

14 th Annual Casket Races

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October 21, 2026

14 th Annual Casket Races

How to celebrate Halloween in Forest Park Four things to do to get in the spirit for All Hallow’s Eve By JESSICA MORDACQ Staff Reporter

ERICA BENSON

Elfego and Luanna Roman of Forest Park walk the Candy Land trail during last year’s trunk-or-treat event at the Park District of Forest Park

TODD BANNOR

Team Dead Last in the parade of caskets prior to the Forest Park Casket Races on Oct. 18, 2025

Forest Park is starting to show signs that Halloween is approaching. Houses are adorned with spooky decorations, and dozens of scarecrows are staked in front of homes and businesses. Though trick-or-treating on Oct. 31 has been from around 3 to 7:30 p.m. in previous years, there are a handful of spooky events around Forest Park, leading up to All Hallow’s Eve

Casket races - 10/24, 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. In honor of the village having more dead residents than living ones, the Forest Park Chamber of Commerce hosts the casket races every year — where costumed teams of four push decorated caskets on wheels down Beloit, aiming to get the fastest or slowest time (That’s right, there’s an award for the “dead last” team, too.) For the 14th annual race this year, the Forest Park Review will have a team participating for the first time since 2017. Come see me dressed as a newsboy — and how we decorated our casket — at the annual Halloween celebration. The races are free to watch and start at 11 a.m. The parade of caskets begin at 10:30 a.m. After the casket races, there is trick-or-treating down Madison Street until 2:30 p.m.

Scarecrow bike ride - 10/25, 10 a.m. The Historical Society of Forest Park is hosting a free bike ride tour again this year. The route will pass by over 70 scarecrows in the village, decorated for the annual Invasion of the Scarecrows fundraiser. Funds go toward the historical society and Forest Park Arts Alliance. This year’s bike ride will start at the Roos Recreation Center parking lot at 10 a.m. Amy Binns-Calvey, who writes a column for the Review, will lead the tour. Bring your own bike! RSVP for the bike ride, and vote for your favorite scarecrows, at https://www.forestparkhistory.org/.

Habakkuk Halloween - 10/25, 6 to 9 p.m. The weekend before Halloween, Robert’s Westside is hosting its own little party with a DJ, raffles and costume contest. Tickets start at $12.51 and are available at https:// www.eventbrite.com/e/habakkuk-halloween-tickets-1999090916746.

PROVIDED

Kate Henneberry and Anna LaFaire with MacDaddy Salon’s 2025 scarecrow, inspired by Moira Rose’s character in “Schitt’s Creek”

Trunk-or-Treat - 10/31, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. On Halloween, the park district will host a trick-or-treat event out of the trunks of decorated cars at the parking lot at 7501 Harrison St. Participation is free, but registration is required for those handing out treats. Register at https://www.pdofp.org/ events/trunk-or-treat.

ERICA BENSON TODD BANNOR

Teams Alice in Wonderland and Extreme Realty at the start of their heat at the Forest Park Casket Races on Oct. 18, 2025

TODD BANNOR

Team Toy Story in the parade of caskets prior to the Forest Park Casket Races on Oct. 18, 2025

Emilia Desai of River Forest picks candy out of the hood of a car during last year’s trunk-or-treat event at the Park District of Forest Park

October 21, 2026

14 th Annual Casket Races

Leaf collection assistance available

hether it is time to rake leaves in the fall or shovel snow in the winter, Oak Parkers are encouraged to look for opportunities to help neighbors who may need assistance. For the third straight year, leaves will no longer be raked directly into the street this fall. With one option for discarding leaves being to place them in yard waste bags and/or rigid containers in the parkway, property owners can tap into their neighborly instincts by helping those in need of support. The Village also coordinates an online portal where Oak Parkers can request leaf collection assistance. Visit www.oak-park. us/leafcollection and ﬁll out the form under the leaf collection assistance section to request help raking leaves. Fall leaf collection collectionThe page also includes a link program expands stance available to a sign-up form for anyone ther it is time to rake leaves in to eight pickups interested in volunteering to e fall or shovel snow in the Village’s fall leaf collection ak Parkers are encouraged rake leaves.he For more inforprogram is scheduled for Oct. or opportunities to help 26 – Dec. 18, withcollection eight pickups mation about leaf s who may need assistance. scheduled for each section of hird straight year, leaves will assistance, contact NeighOak Park. Rather than placing r be raked directly into the leaves directly into the street, s fall. With one option for borConnect@oak-park.us residents can choose from a g leaves being to place them variety of leaf collection options or 708.358.5410. aste bags and/or rigid

rs in the parkway, property an tap into their neighborly by helping those in need of The Village also coordinates portal where Oak Parkers est leaf collection assistance. w.oak-park.us/leafcollection ut the form under the leaf n assistance section to help raking leaves. The o includes a link to a orm for anyone interested eering to rake leaves. For ormation about leaf n assistance, contact rConnect@oak-park.us 58.5410. ollection

introduced in 2024 to improve safety

Fall leaf collection program expands to eight pickups

he Village’s fall leaf collection program is scheduled for Oct. 26 – Dec. 18, with eight pickups scheduled for each section of Oak Park. Rather than placing leaves directly into the street, residents can choose from a variety of leaf collection options introduced in 2024 to improve safety and help the environment: Leave the leaves…The most sustainable option! Oak Park residents are encouraged to consider raking leaves into garden beds or leaving them on the lawn to promote soil health. This option offers an opportunity to support regional biodiversity and save money on fertilizer by allowing leaf litter to decompose naturally. It also aligns with the Village’s Climate Ready Oak Park plan. Compost leaves…Residents who participate in the Village’s CompostAble program can discard leaves in their 96-gallon gray organics cart along with food scraps and other yard waste throughout the year. Find more information about the program and sign up to participate at www.oak-park. us/compost. Residents can also compost in place by running a mulching mower over leaves and leaving them in their yard to decompose and fertilize the soil.

and help the environment: Leaf collection block parties…To support Leave the leaves…The most the community-minded spirit of assisting sustainable option! Oak Park residents are encouraged to consider neighbors, the Village is again allowing raking leaves into garden beds or leaving on the to promote each block tothem host anlawn extra leaf collecsoil health. This option offers an tion block party during weekends in Noopportunity to support regional biodiversity and save money on vember. Visit www.oak-park.us/leafcolfertilizer by allowing leaf litter to Place leaves in a bag or bin...Fallen leaves naturally. It also aligns lection todecompose request a leaf collection block with the Village’s Climate Ready Oak can be placed in yard waste bags and/or rigid party. AllPark theplan. rules for traditional block containers and left in the parkway as close to Compostincluding leaves…Residents parties apply, the requirement who participate in the Village’s the curb as possible for pickup. Eight pickups to includeCompostAble a petition signed by at least program can discard leavesaddresses in their 96-gallon on gray the organics are planned for each section of the Village 10 separate block. This dection for block Oct.parties… cart along with food scraps and other ort the community-minded on the scheduled pickup dates indicated yard waste throughout the year.neighbors an ickups initiative is intended to give assisting neighbors, the Find more information about the again block chance to gather while also making on the map. Green yard waste stickers are on ofallowing each extra program and sign up to participate n extra leaf collection block acing at www.oak-park.us/compost. NOT required during the eight-week Fall it easier to collect fallen leaves. For more ring weekends in November. Residents can also compost in place treet, w.oak-park.us/leafcollection Leaf Program, and residents may C T I O Collection N MAP information, contact 708.358.5700 orLE A F CO L LE by running a mulching mower over st a leaf collection block m a leaves and leaving them in their yard put out an unlimited number of bags and/ the rules for traditional publicworks@ oak-park.us. to decompose and fertilize the soil. options rties apply, including the rigid in the parkway on their Place leaves in a bag or bin...Fallen leaves can be placed inor yard waste containers bags ent to include a petition prove safety and/or rigid containers and left in the parkway as close to the curb as possible collection day. The Village’s waste y at least 10 separate designated nt: for pickup. Eight pickups are planned for each section of the Village on the addresses on the hauler Lakeshore Recycling Systems (LRS) scheduled pickup dates indicated on the map. Green yard waste stickers are block. This most initiative is NOT required during the eight-week Fall Leaf Collection Program, and residents will transport the leaves to a compost facility. intended to give may put out an unlimited number of bags and/or rigid containers in the parkway Park on their designated collection day. The Village’s waste hauler Lakeshore neighbors an Commercial properties and large multifamily d to consider Recycling Systems (LRS) will transport the leaves to a compost facility. extra chance to buildings Commercial properties and large multifamily buildings with six or more with six or more units do not particin beds orgather while also units do not participate in the Village’s refuse program and have always been making it easier pate in the Village’s refuse program and have n to promote responsible for their own leaf collection and disposal. For more information to collect fallen about fall leaf collection, visit www.oak-park.us/leafcollection, call 708.358.5700 fers anleaves. For more always been responsible for their own leaf or email publicworks@oak-park.us. information, contact egional collection and disposal. For more information 708.358.5700 or Be sure to remind landscapers…Residents who utilize landscape services are oneypublicworks@ on asked to remind their landscaper that fallen leaves should not be placed in leaf collection, visit www.oak-park. about fall the street but should instead be mulched, placed in yard waste bags or hauled litteroak-park.us. to us/leafcollection, call 708.358.5700 or email away. A handout with information about the leaf collection process in both also aligns English and Spanish is available at www.oak-park.us/leafcollection. publicworks@oak-park.us.

ction ands ups

e Ready Oak

ents lage’s can discard gray organics aps and other he year. bout the participate mpost. post in place ower over in their yard ze the soil.

Be sure to remind landscapers…Residents who utilize landscape services are asked to remind their landscaper that fallen leaves should not be placed in the street but should instead be mulched, placed in yard waste bags or hauled away. A handout with information about the leaf collection process in both English and Spanish is available at www. oak-park.us/leafcollection. L E A F CO L LE C T I O N M AP

October 21, 2026

14 th Annual Casket Races

Halloween is all kinds of fun in Forest Park

TINA HARLE

TODD BANNOR

TINA HARLE

TODD BANNOR

TINA HARLE

TODD BANNOR

TINA HARLE

SURE, I TAUGHT TO THROW STICK ATBUT FIRST I WAS AHIM LITTLE TAKENAABACK 21, 2026 B7 14 Annual Casket AND NOW HANGING OUT October WITH HIM BYRaces THE WHOLE PEEING STANDING UP THING. IS ITHE BESTHIM PARTTOOFTHROW MY DAY.A STICK BUT TAUGHT AND NOW HANGING OUT WITH HIM IS THE BEST PART OF MY DAY. — EINSTEIN th

adopted 12-09-10 — EINSTEIN adopted 12-09-10

TODD BANNOR

TINA HARLE

TODD BANNOR

October 21, 2026

14 th Annual Casket Races