Forest Park Review 102622

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Council may shift more stimulus funds to suppor t business

Forest Park Chamber could get more marketing funds, abilit y to hand out small biz grants

By IGOR STUDENKOV Staff Reporter

Forest Park village commissioners want to consult with the recently hired village grant writer before fully committing to spending federal American Rescue Plan Act funding that hasn’t already been allocated. The village received a little over $1.86 million in stimulus funds. It has until 2024 to decide exactly how to spend it, and until 2026 to actually spend it. While Village Administrator Moses Amidei originally shared a proposal for spending the stimulus money during a June 27 budget meeting, the commissioners didn’t commit to spending anything but a few items. An Oct. 24 special meeting, which was held an hour before the re gularly scheduled 7 p.m. meeting, was the first time they discussed all of the proposed spending items.

During the meeting, commissioners advocated spend-

See ARPA on pa ge 6

Hurr y Hurry Hippos

SHANEL ROMAIN/Sta Photographer

Residents share concerns, offer support at town hall on backyard chickens

No rm timeline for when ordinance might go before village council

By IGOR STUDENKOV Staff Reporter

Some 30 people attended the Oct. 18 backyard hens town hall meeting, which featured detailed questions and occasional accusations of pro-chicken bias.

Maria Maxham, village commissioner of health and safety, held a hearing to share her research on how other towns handle backyard chickens and to try to g auge whether the majority of Forest Parkers would even support le g alizing raising chickens in their backyard. She brought in Jennifer Mur tof f, an urban chicken raising consultant, to answer resident questions

While residents have been asking about the possibility of allowing back yard chickens for years, Maxham said that a larger group of people asked the village to at least investigate it. She said there is no fir m timeline for when the issue might go before the council, saying several times that the ordinance hasn’t even been written.

The town hall saw a similar share of suppor ters and opponents, as well as several residents who said that they were simply in favor of exploring it. The suppor ters argued that other towns allowed residents to raise chickens without any issues and said that it would make the village more sustainable by allowing residents to get eggs on their own. Opponents wor ried that the chickens would attract rats and predators, and some questioned whether the village had the resources to re gulate backyard chickens to ensure chickens remain healthy.

A number of Chicago area suburbs star ted allowing backyard hens over the past 20 years. In the wester n suburbs, that includes Berkeley, Berwyn, Brookfield, Oak Park, Riverside and Westchester

Several residents in attendance brought up the fact that, a few weeks ago, the village busted a homeowner for raising chickens ille g ally, and wondered why that

person hasn’t been punished. Steve Glinke, the village’s health and safety director, said that, while the village issued a citation, the

a mess.”

There is also a risk of chickens attracting coyotes, but Maxham said that her re-

backyard chicken owners about the ins and outs of raising chickens, and the Forest Park Garden Club is interested in providing assistance as well.

venthal wondered if enough staf f to handle the inspections. Glinke said that, ile the village had “1.5” building inspecd that it would be enough. residents’ questions, Murn suburbs have veterinarian clinics that can treat chickens. She gs react to chickens desuch as do g breed and its

DiGilio brought a handwing that most of his 7000 block of Monroe against allowing back yard among several opponents presentation was “exbecause it seemed to back yard chickens, t witness supporting which led Maxham to an anti-chicken exper t

ho are exper ts on chickbut the nature of that, en,” she said. “I don’t find an anti-chicken exemphasized that this was by no means decided.

won’t be an exception. Contrary to popular beliefs, hens lay eggs with or without roosters – it’s just that, without a rooster, the egg is not fer tilized and can’t become a chick. Hens don’t make as much noise as roosters, and, at 60-70 decibels, their noise is at about the same level as a human conversation. Chickens can catch diseases, and chicken fecal matter can attract rats – though Mur tof f later said that it’s more due to rats being interested in eating fecal matter than chicken fecal matter specifically.

“[Chickens] can be smelly and messy,” Maxham said. “If you don’t clean up after them, like any animal, there is going to be

4 and 6. The towns also usually require a minimum of two chickens per yard, because “chickens get lonely.” Maxham said that, if Forest Park does le g alize back yard hens, she would want it to be limited to single-family homes and have the permits attached to the individual homeowners rather than the property itself

All towns require re gular coop inspections. Some towns require permit applicants to notify their neighbors that they are planning to get chickens and/or get their neighbors’ consent.

Maxham said that the Forest Park Public Library already reached out to her about holding free classes educating would be

“For me, it’s not just – yay, let’s get chickens,” she said. “It’s – if you get back yard chickens, we’re going to do it very carefully.”

When asked about the timeline for the process, Maxham said, “I don’t have a timeline in mind.”

“I don’t want to rush something,” she said. “I want to take the time and see a. what the majority of people want and b. we’re addressing the concer ns the majority of people have.”

Glinke said he hopes that such town halls will serve as a model for how the village handles contentious issues

“I hope this becomes a re gular part of public eng agement,” he said. “I have some subjective opinions about chickens, and that has no place here. This is where we have a rational discussion.”

Igor Studenkov/Sta Repor ter

Mike DiGilio makes his presentation opposing live poultr y in Forest Park.

BIG WEEK

Field Trip - Haunted Places

Thursday, Oc t. 27, 4-5 p.m., Forest Park Public Librar y

Through the magic of Zoom, this will be a tour of favorite haunted locations. Spec tators are invited to share stories of scar y sights they ’ve seen. For ages 9 and up. Disclaimer: “di erent people are OK with di erent levels of spookiness.” G wnups are encouraged to attend.

Author Discussion & Signing With Michael A. Black

Saturday, Oc t. 29, 2-4 p.m., Centuries & Sleuths

The author will be discussing his latest novel, Devil’s Vendetta, which is the fth in a series of militar y thrillers he’s penned. 7419 Madison St., Forest Park

Hephzibah Halloween Fun Run/Walk

S unday, Oc t. 30, 8:30-11:30 a.m., Constitution Park Hephzibah Oak Park Auxiliar y is hosting the rst- ever Halloween Fun Run/Walk and will wind through the neighborhoods surrounding Constitution Park in River Forest for 1.5 miles. Costumes are encouraged, and ever y registrant will receive a goody bag Rain or shine. 7715 Green eld St., River Forest.

Fall Bird Walk

S unday, Oc t. 30, 9 a.m., Join us on a guided bird walk. All welcome, binoculars available to loan.

Registration required: 708-366-6530 or trailside museum@cookcountyil.go 738 Thatcher Ave., River F

Monster Mash Dance Part y

Monday, Oc t. 31, 10 -11 a.m., Oak Park Public Librar y Little kids and caregivers. can dance with the witches, ghosts and goblins at this Halloween dance a air The Mash also equires The Mask for par tygoers 2 years old and up. 834 Lake St., Oak Park.

Park Distric t of Forest Park Trunk or Treat

Saturday, Oc t. 29, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Roos Pavilion

Kids, ages 2-10, can trick- ortreat in a safe environment from the trunks of decorated cars at the Park Distric t of Forest Park ’s Trunk or Treat event. Car owners will come dressed up and pass out candy from their vehicles. 7329 W. Harrison Street, Forest Park

Horror, Halloween & Holly wood

Monday, Oc t. 31, 1:15 p.m., Nineteenth Century Charitable Organization

Author and local theater critic Doug Deuchler will examine 1930s horror movies, par ticularly from the stable of Universal Pic tures. The program will be presented in the second oor ballroom, as well as livestreamed on Zoom. Free, but a voluntar y suggested donation of $15 is requested for non-members. 178 Forest Park, Oak Park.

Starship, a sandwich classic, turns 45

Celebrating an out-ofthis-world, sub-slinging partnership

By MELISSA ELSMO Oak Park Eats Editor

Since 1977, Starship Restaurant and Catering, 7618 Madison St. in Forest Park, has fed Chicago’s unending need for sandwiches Now, 45 years later, Paul McKenna and Henry Laskowski, co-owners of Starship, are poised to celebrate a milestone anniversary on Nov. 4.

“We’ re just two hardworking guys trying to make a great sandwich at a reasonable price,” said McKenna.

The business par tners met as young teens when worked as stock boys at Elliot’s Dairy in Harwood Heights. They instantaneously worked well to gether and for med a fast friendship that stood the test of time In 1977, the best friends were whipping up sandwiches in a Forest Park apar tment when they noticed a “for rent” sign in the front window of the business across the street.

Before long the sub sandwich loving duo had signed on the dotted line and committed to pay $350 per month in rent for their soon-to-be sandwich shop Thanks to deep sea Naval ships, other notable sub shops in the 70’s were looking underwater to drive their concepts, but the business par tners “went up into space” and Starship Restaurant was born. The duo each put up $3,500 to kick of f the endeavor and had absolutely no restaurant experience They each took home just $50 per week in the first six months Starship was open for business.

“We were always making sandwiches and I would joke that we should

sell them,” said Laskowski. “I just thought we’d be here 45 years later

“Yeah, I gave myself five years said McKenna with a hear ty laugh. bor rowed a meat slicer and rented maker. A friend painted a mural wall and another hung macrame front window. It was like a community bar n-raising opening this place.”

Throughout the 45 years, the been loyal to crafting a core menu cold sandwiches including the Starship, La Nasa, Crazy Club and est Pork of ferings. The central sand are suppor ted by a and evolving ar ray of salads and entrée specials day Starship has a rotating ray of 150 soups, but this soup obsession star ted in 1977 when the weather on their opening day was so cold that Mc Kenna wor ried no one would want to eat a cold sandwich. He decided they should compensate by of fering chili. French Onion joined chili on the menu shor tly after and Laskowski, who oversees soup production, expanded varieties steadily over the next 45 years. Borscht and Lobster Bisque are 2022 additions to the Starship soup re per tory and 80 varieties are available in the grab and go fridges every day. The business is

evenly split between restaurant customers and catering orders Starship is no stranger to large scale catered events, corporate picnics and school lunch programs. The shop’s catering ar m star ted in 1985 when the Chicago Bears won the Super Bowl and sales of par ty subs skyrocketed

Thanks to a unique combination of consistency and a willingness to adapt, Starship’s profits have always made a steady climb with a few notable exptions. Starship saw a dip in business in 2001 following the Se pt. 11 attacks, in 2008 after the housing market collapsed, and again in 2020 result of the global Covid pandemic. McKenna is clear, wever, that 2021 was Starship’s best year ever and 2022 is on track to be even stronger.

“We’ve built our business the belief that our customer’s best interest is our best interest,” said McKenna. “We treat our customers right and we treat our employees right.”

That simple philosophy has paid of f. According to conservative calculations,

over the 45 years Starship has been in business they have sold approximately 3,931,200 cups of soup and 11,466,000 sandwiches. Laskowski and McKenna are proud to say six employees on their team have been with them for more than 30 years.

McKenna had a hip re placement, Laskowski is always putting on his glasses and both are admittedly a little hard of hearing, but the par tners are clear the trust they have built between them is exactly the same as it was when they opened the doors to Starship 45 years ago.

“I still think it’s weird that we have customers that get of f an airplane and come straight here for a Starship,” said Laskowski. “It makes me proud that we’ve built this all on trust and it has become both a sandwich and a destination.”

“I am most proud of the last sandwich I made,” said McKenna. “I love making someone’s day. I do that one sandwich at a time, day in and day out.”

Though the duo is looking to retire their goal is to find a buyer who can help Starship remain strong, vibrant and healthy for years to come In the meantime, McKenna and Laskowski are inviting the public to celebrate their 45th anniversary on Friday, Nov. 4. They will have free cake for the first 250 customers and give aways throughout the day.

ALEX ROGALS/Sta Photographer

STARSHIP ENTERPRISE: Co-owners Henr y Laskowski, le , and Paul McKenna in a galaxy not so far away

ALEX ROGALS/Sta Photographer

Space walker, at Starship on Madison Street in Forest Park.

ARPA Funds to support business

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ing more on business development, whether it’s more marketing funds for the chamber or more business improvement grants. And there was a broad ag reement that they wanted to see whether there were grants that can be used to cover some of Amidei’s suggestions, freeing up stimulus funding for other purposes While the next meeting hasn’t been scheduled by this issue’s print deadline, the commissioners ag reed that they wanted to at least figure out the spending for this fiscal year as soon as possible.

The spending is spread over three fiscal years, with $664,091 tentatively allocated for this, 2022-2023 fiscal year

Several items deal with the Mohr Community Center, with $32,091 allocated to replace the first of its three air conditioning units The plan also allocates money to replace the remaining two units over the next two fiscal years. $150,000 is allocated to replacing community center playground equipment and $21,000 is allocated toward reservoir cleaning and replacement. One of

the two village reservoirs is located under the aforementioned playground.

Mayor Rory Hoskins said the community center improvements were a major priority for him because “this is a [village] facility that serves the most vulnerable residents of Forest Park.”

The village fire station is another major priority. $125,000 was allocated toward replacing its leaking roof, with another $10,000 used to cover engineering consulting costs that would otherwise be covered through the village’s general fund. $45,000 will be used to replace the station’s air conditioning units, which can be done now that the roof is re paired.

$176,000 would be used to replace two police squad cars and one police administrative vehicle. $25,000 would go toward evaluating the existing conditions of municipal buildings. $5,000 is used to help pay a portion of the recently hired grant writing consultant’s fee to cover ARPA-related consulting, with the rest of the fee coming from the village’s general fund. $30,000 is allocated toward staf f retention – in other words, covering salary increases, bonuses and benefits that would encourage staf f to stay on board.

But the discussion mostly centered around economic development. Amidei proposed spending $25,000 on marketing assis-

tance for the Forest Park Chamber of Commerce – less than the $40,000 the chamber originally requested – and $20,000 toward business incentive grants.

Commissioner Maria Maxham argued that the chamber should get the full marketing assistance amount they requested, since the chamber serves as the village’s de facto economic development ar m.

Commissioner Joe Byr nes said that, while he ag reed with that, he would want the chamber to give re gular reports of what that money is used for.

Commissioner Jessica Voogd argued that the village should instead increase the amount going to the business incentive grants, since local businesses “weathered the stor m with us.” And she ag reed with Byr nes’ suggestion about the re ports.

Amidei suggested issuing the marketing funds as reimbursements, which would take care of the accountability portion.

In ter ms of business incentive grants, the village administrator suggested issuing them for exterior and interior refurbishments, and possibly repairing and replacing things like HVAC systems or kitchen equipment. Amidei said the grants could be 50/50 matching grants to help stretch out the money

The commissioners discussed the possi-

Stimulus projects update

During the meeting, Amidei also shared some updates about the ARPA spending the village already authorized throughout the summer and fall. The fire station roof is being repaired. Amidei said that, while the village ordered the AC units for both the fire station and the community center, the supply chain issues af fected delivery. The village is currently looking for similar units from other suppliers. As for the playground equipment, he explained that he didn’t take some of the bid requirements that are dif ferent between the commissioner form of gover nment and the council-manager form of gover nment into account, so he had to restart the process again.

The police cars have been ordered as well, but the inflation raised the costs to around $207,000.

bility of having the chamber administer the business improvement grants – which, Amidei said, would allow for more flexibility for how the grants can be used.

Pace proposes pulling plug on suspended suburban routes Budget would

make Pace transfers free, allow Pace to accept CTA passes

By IGOR STUDENKOV Staff Reporter

Pace suburban bus agency is poised to finally pull the plug on 69 routes that have been indefinitely suspended since May 2020, including several routes that served the wester n suburbs

This is part of Pace’s proposed 2023 budget, which was previewed during the Se pt. 21 meeting of the Pace Board of Directors and of ficially released on Oct. 19. The budget also calls for making pandemic-era service reductions that haven’t already been reversed per manent, and leaves the fate of venue express buses, such as the Route 779 express bus that used to run between Hillside and Wrigley Field during the Cubs g ames and all three Brookfield Zoo summer express buses, in limbo

The budg et also calls for eliminating the $0.30 transfer fee, allowing riders to use the cur rently CTA-only 1-Day and 3-Day passes

on Pace buses, and lowering the price of CTA/Pace 7-Day pass from $25 to $20.

Pace Board of Directors is expected to adopt the budg et on Nov. 6. In the meantime, the transit agency is holding a series of public hearings to collect resident input. The Chicago public hearing will be held vir tually on Oct. 25 at 5 p.m., and the in-person Cook County public hearing will be held at on Oct. 28 at 2 p.m. at Forest Park’s Mohr Community Center, 7640 Jackson Blvd.

In 2020, Pace suspended 75 routes and reduced service on 25 more in order to free up buses for busier routes and allow more social distancing. The transit agency has since retur ned some of the routes to service and reversed some of the schedule cuts, but the rest remained in limbo and until the Se pt. 21 board meeting, Pace declined to comment on their future.

The suspended routes include routes

320, 327 and 757. Route 320 provided direct service between the Forest Park Blue Line CTA ter minal and Maywood District circuit cour thouse, 1500 Maybrook Dr., in Maywood. During rush hour, the route continued east on Madison Street between Des Plaines Avenue and Austin Boulevard, filling in the service gap on the stretch of Madison Street that goes through Oak Park.

Riders who wish to get to the circuit cour t can currently take Pace bus routes 303, 310 and 317 as far as 1st Avenue, but they must walk the rest of the way. While Route 318 follows the same path as Route 320 did during rush hour as far east as Harlem Avenue, there is no other service on the Oak Park portion.

Route 327 provided the rush hour service between Forest Park ter minal and the industrial businesses along Industrial Drive. Pace bus routes 301, 305 and 308 can get

riders as far as Roosevelt Road, but they’d need to walk the rest of the way.

Route 757 is among the majority of suburb-to-suburb commuter express services that were suspended during the pandemic. This particular route picked up passengers in the mor ning at the Green Line Harlem/ Lake ter minal and the Forest Park ter minal, took I-290 expressway to reach Bensenville, and dropped of f passengers at of fice towers, shopping centers and other destinations in nor thwest suburban Elk Grove Village, Arlington Heights and Schaumburg. Route 757 took five trips each way, with the trip taking between 60 to 90 minutes de pending on traf fic conditions.

Any rider wishing to make the same trip today needs to make at least three transfers between Pace buses, CTA buses and el trains

Food Writer

Photo worthy meals at Gringo and Blondie

Enjoy this feast for the eyes!

Everything at Gringo and Blondie tastes as good as it looks

Taking inspiration from Mexican street food, Gringo and Blondie, 7514 W. North Ave. is a standout in Elmwood Park because the masterminds behind the family-owned restaurant prioritize the details in every dish. Diners should expect well-balanced flavors and textural interest to star in every item on the menu.

Elements like ruffly slaws, sliced chilies and magenta hued pickled onions elevate the offerings in this diminutive North Avenue spot and leave guests craving more.

The Restaurant Row standout, brought to life by Massa Café Italiano owner, Angelo Lollino and his wife and business

continued on page 8

Scan

e Blondie Burrito from Gringo and Blondie, Elmwood Park

Carne Asada Tampiqueña from Gringo and Blondie comes with a side of warm tortillas. e colorful o ering is the Elmwood Park taqueria’s take on one of the most recognizable dishes in Mexican cuisine.

Cemita Milanesa: Gringo and Blondie’s Cemita Milanesa features crispy breaded chicken cutlet on a fresh sesame seed roll, avocado spread, chipotle cream, sliced tomato, pickled onion and Oaxacan cheese.

Burrito Bowl: A vegetarian burrito bowl is a colorful option for veggie diners at Gringo and Blondie.

Namesake tacos: e Gringo features tender slow roasted barbacoa beef, pickled onion, cilantro, and cotija cheese.

Ravioli

Penne Alla Spizzico

Mussels Marinara

Pastas

Served with a side salad, bread & butter

mushrooms, pancetta, & peas in our light cream sauce $14.49

partner Giovanna Lollino, offers a confident array of colorful Mexican-inspired dishes. Recent menu standouts included the Blondie Burrito, Carne Asada Tampiqueña, Baja Pescado Tacos and Pozole Roja.

plum tomatoes, fresh garlic, & parsley in extra virgin olive oilserved over linguine $17.99

Artichoke & Shrimp Angel Hair

special pesto sauce $15.99

Spinach Manicotti

Stuffed with a 4-cheese spinach blend in our tomato cream sauce $13.49

Penne Alla Vodka

tomato vodka cream sauce $13.49

Vegetables with Angel Hair

Artichoke hearts, mushrooms, broccoli, onions, roasted red peppers, & fresh garlic in our homemade marinara sauce $13.49

Gnocchi Alla Spizzico

dumplings, shrimp, black olives, & tomatoes in our special pesto cream sauce $15.99

Mostaccioli with Sundried Tomatoes

Andchopped marinated grilled chicken breast in our special pesto sauce $15.49

Linguine with Calamari

homemade marinara sauce $16.99

Gnocchi

dumplings in our homemade marinara or meat sauce $12.49

Fettuccine Alfredo

homemade cheese sauce made fresh to order $14.49

Linguine Frutti Di Mare

The Blondie Burrito, a vegetarian delight, is thoughtfully griddled on the exterior and brimming with portobello mushrooms, red peppers, poblano peppers, epazote and both queso fresco and cotija cheeses. The dinner-entrée sized, Carne Asada Tampiqueña offers a diversity of textures and flavors with a convenient DIY element. Expect chargrilled skirt steak and a cheese enchilada to meet Mexican rice, refried beans, warm corn tortillas and a blistered jalapeno in the popular dish.

clams, squid, shrimp, fresh garlic, & parsley in our light plum tomato sauce $19.49

Rigatoni Primavera

broccoli & fresh garlic in extra virgin olive oil $13.49

Lasagna

Layeredwith4 Italian cheeses topped with mozzarella, baked in our homemade marinara or sauce $13.49

Homemade Stuffed Shells

Stuffed with a blend of 4 Italian cheeses in our homemade marinara or meat sauce $13.49

Aglio e Olio

garlic sautéed in extra virgin olive oil served over angel hair $12.49

or meat filled in our homemade marinara or meat sauce $13.49

Tortellini

or meat filled in our homemade marinara or meat sauce $13.49

Marinara

choice of mostaccioli, spaghetti, linguine, angel hair, rigatoni, or fettuccine in our homemade marinara or meat sauce $11.49

Parmigiano

Pozole perfection: Pozole rojo is among the most popular brunch o erings at Gringo and Blondie.

Pastas

Served with a side salad, bread & butter

Penne Alla Spizzico

With mushrooms, pancetta, & peas in our light cream sauce $14.49

Mussels Marinara

With plum tomatoes, fresh garlic, & parsley in extra virgin olive oilserved over linguine $17.99

Artichoke & Shrimp Angel Hair

In our special pesto sauce $15.99

Spinach Manicotti

(3) Stuffed with a 4-cheese spinach blend in our tomato cream sauce $13.49

Penne Alla Vodka

In our tomato vodka cream sauce $13.49

Even the Baja Pescado tacos benefit from the smart inclusion of Modelo beer in the batter used to fry a generous portion of cod to golden brown before being topped with a vinegar-forward Mexican slaw and jalapeno crema. Brunch lovers should venture to try the Pozole Rojo at Gringo and Blondie. The rich brothy soup boasts tender braised pork, toothsome hominy and red chilies. A garnish tray allows guests to customize each bowl with an assortment of garnishes including onions, cilantro, cabbage and dried seasonings.

choice of chicken, veal, or eggplant served over linguine topped with mozzarella, baked in homemade marinara or meat sauce $16.49

Baked Cheese Rigatoni

Ricotta & mozzarella, baked in our homemade marinara or meat sauce $14.49

Dine-in

Serves 2-3 $15.39 Medium 12” Cheese Serves 3-4 $19.09

Large 14 Cheese Serves 4-5 $22.99 X-Large 16” Cheese Serves 5-6 $26.69

Ingredients

Anchovies, Artichoke Hearts, Bacon, Fresh Basil, Black Olives, CrumbledBlue Cheese, Bocconcini, Broccoli, Canadian Bacon, Capicola, Extra Cheese, Chorizo, Feta Cheese, Fresh Garlic, Hot Giardiniera, Green Olives, Green Pepper,Ground Beef, Jalapeño, Kalamata Olives, Mushroom, Onion, Pepperoni, Pineapple, Portobello Mushroom, Imported Provolone, Ricotta, Roasted Red Pepper, Sausage, Spinach, Sliced Tomato

Small +$1.59 Medium +$1.79 Large +$2.09 X-Large +$2.29 Family +$2.59 each Double Dough, Marinated Grilled Chicken Breast, Genoa Salami, Shrimp, & Sliced Italian Beef an additional charge

SpecialtyPizzas

Mouthwatering combos to entice any pizza enthusiast! Choose your style.

After several visits it is abundantly clear the chefs at Gringo and Blondie take considerable pride in colorful presentations and won’t shy away from bold flavors. The menu, including both brunch and lunch offerings, demonstrates creative flair while maintaining a deep respect for tradition. Check out the timeless and photo-worthy dishes waiting for you at Gringo and Blondie!

Spizzico

Gringo and Blondie is open Sunday through Thursday from 11a.m. to 9 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 11a.m. to 10 p.m. They also have a catering menu with options designed to feed as few as 12 guests and ways to build a menu for larger gatherings. Check out the menu at gringoandblondie.com.

Fresh Vegetables with Angel Hair

Artichoke hearts, mushrooms, broccoli, onions, roasted red peppers, & fresh garlic in our homemade marinara sauce $13.49

Gnocchi Alla Spizzico

Potato dumplings, shrimp, black olives, & tomatoes in our special pesto cream sauce $15.99

our special pesto sauce $15.49

our homemade marinara or meat sauce $12.49

$14.49

our light plum tomato sauce $19.49

$13.49

Layeredwith4 Italian cheeses topped with mozzarella, baked in our homemade marinara or meat sauce $13.49

Homemade Stuffed Shells

(5) Stuffed with a blend of 4 Italian cheeses in our homemade marinara or meat sauce $13.49

Pasta Aglio e Olio

Fresh garlic sautéed in extra virgin olive oil served over angel hair $12.49

Check out our Spizzico menu & combine your orders

Check &

Village lets administrator OK entertainment licenses

Applicants can appeal decision to v illage council

By IGOR STUDENKOV Staff Reporter

Forest Park bars and restaurants will no longer need to wait for village council meetings in order to get approval for in house events

The Forest Park Village Council voted unanimously on Oct. 24 to change the municipal code to make the approval of enter tainment licenses the village administrator’s responsibility. If the village administrator rejects the application, the applicant can appeal that decision to the village council.

In 2021, the village council took the more hands-on approach to enter tainment li-

censes amid concer ns about rowdy behavior at some Madison Street bars. At one point the council imposed an event moratorium as it tried to sor t out the le g al requirements But, since then, the concer ns have died down, and several commissioners argued the close council supervision was no longer necessary

The village has a long-standing requirement that liquor license holders that want to “sponsor, conduct, or permit enter tainment” must apply for an enter tainment license. The provision was seldom enforced until mid-2021. The village council imposed a moratorium on issuing enter tainment licenses to give the village time to update the language The moratorium ex-

pired before any changes were passed, but the council did approve more up-to-date language on Oct. 12, 2021, and it made a few other changes in recent months.

The village council ke pt the provisions requiring all indoor enter tainment to stop no later than 11 p.m., and the ban on entertainment on sidewalk cafes The licenses are still valid for only one month -- but now, because they are not tied to council meetings, which take place every second and fourth Monday of the month, the village can respond faster.

While the council was scheduled to consider two enter tainment licenses – one for a private event at Exit Strate gy Brewing, 7700 Madison St., and one for a DJ to pro-

vide evening musical accompaniment at Fiore Pizzeria and Bakery, 7407 Madison St. – but the commissioners ag reed to let village administrator Moses Amidei handle them.

As the ordinance came up for a vote, Commissioner Ryan Nero, who previously pushed Mayor Rory Hoskins to act quic ker on the enter tainment license re gulations, made the point of explaining exactly what the changes entailed and asking if he understood it cor rectly.

“That is correct, thanks to your constant prompting,” the mayor re plied.

“Thanks for the clarification,” Nero responded.

Volunteers working to bring community fridge to Forest Park

District 91 won’t place fridge at Grant-White, citing liability issues

By IGOR STUDENKOV Staff Reporter

Forest Park’s public elementary schools declined a request to host a community fridge, a refrig erator where anyone can pick up and leave free food, on the GrantWhite Elementary school property, 147 Circle Ave. But Maria Maxham, village commissioner for health and safety, told the Review that volunteers behind the ef fort have already secured another site

The concept gained popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic, which deepened already existing food insecurities. In the west suburbs, Suburban Unity Alliance put up three fridges in Oak Park and one in Maywood. Maxham said that she and the group of residents inspired by the group’s ef for ts set out to bring a fridge to Forest Park.

During its Oct. 13 meeting, the District 91 board of education ag reed that, while they suppor ted the community fridges as a concept, they felt a school district building was the wrong place for it because it might give the community the impression that it’s strictly for students, and because the district might be held liable if some-

thing goes wrong. Maxham said the Forest Park Public Library “very, very graciously declined” their request, but they were able to find an alter native site. She said that the ef fort is still in the very early stages – the group secured a working fridge, but it still needs to get donations to build a shelter the fridge would be stored in and figure out the lo gistics of kee ping it stocked – but they hope to have it up and running as soon as possible

While the ef fort to bring a community fridge to Forest Park involves some village of ficials, it doesn’t use any village resources or funding. Maxham said that, aside from herself, Rachell Entler, Mayor Rory Hoskins’ executive secretary, and Mohr Community Center director Karen Dylewski are on board. Most of the volunteers –who are tentatively calling themselves the Forest Park Fridge Volunteer Group – are fellow Forest Park parents and residents who expressed interest on Facebook.

Maxham said that, while they have been discussing putting a community fridge in Forest Park for years, what spur red them into action was the realization that inflation-driven grocery cost increases were making food scarcity more of an issue than

ever

During the Oct. 13 meeting, D91 board president Kyra Tyler said that Maxham reached out to the district after the Se pt. 8 board meeting, asking if the village could place a community fridge at Grant-White. Supt. Dr. Elizabeth Alvare z said she wanted to run the request by the board before responding.

Tyler said that “as much as we ag ree with the idea, it’s not very feasible for us to host it here on our facility.”

“It just seems as – as much as school is a place for a community, I believe there’s better, more hospitable places to place a community fridge other than a school,” she added.

Tyler said her major concer n was that the district “would be [leg ally] liable if anything happened on our property.”

“While there haven’t been any issues [at other community fridge locations], that’s not something we necessarily want to enter tain or to have happen,” she said. “Our hope is that the community fridge will find another location in Forest Park There are cer tainly other community par tners that would be wor th asking and, as I said, more appropriate hosts We’re excited to open up

our building, but we just felt like the idea of the community fridge doesn’t necessarily fit right now with our facility and its usage.”

Alvarez said she personally shared the liability concer ns Board member Kathryn Valleau said that having a community fridge at the school might give Forest Parkers an impression that it’s only for students.

“If it’s for the community, of f-site from the building is, I think, a better way to make it more accessible to the entire community.” she said.

Maxham said the group recently secured a site, but she wanted to hold of f disclosing it for the time being. She said the group still needs to raise money to build a “shelter” for the fridge. They also plan to reach out to local businesses to raise funds to keep the fridge stocked, and they want to work with the local food pantries.

Maxham hesitated to put an estimate on how long it would be before the fridge is up and running, but she said she is eager to see that happen.

“This is a project that I’m very, very excited about,” she said.

10th Annual Ca sket Races

Clockwise from le : Walking slowly, Richard Bachman & Associates highlighted Stephen King’s horror masterpieces and earned the “Dead Last” trophy; the park district’s Golden Ghouls pushed the Shady Pine’s casket into the top spot, earning the rst place trophy; Mrs. Bogdan, principal of Field Stevenson, sat in the driver’s seat of the D91 Magic School bus which was pushed by faculty and administration; families, friends and pets lined Beloit with costumes then headed to Madison for trick-ortreating at businesses.

PHOTO S BY SHANEL ROMAIN/Sta Photographer

Disbursements Greater than $2,500 –May 1, 2021 – April 30, 2022

34 Publishing Inc: 32,00.00, AA Rental Center: 2,630.80, Abbey Paving & Sealcoating Co: 4,300.00, ABC Automotive Electronic: 3,081.65, Action Transmission & Auto:

13,749.14, Administrative Consulting Specialists LLC: 8,000.00, AEP Energy: 38,970.37, Air One Equipment Inc: 8,068.84, Aladtec Inc: 2,547.00, Alliance Pension Consultants LLC: 20,235.00, Allied Benefit Systems:

2850.00, Amalgamated Bank of Chicago:

1,003,922.00, Amazon.com: 3,332.96, Amazon Capital Services $24,617; American Express: 2,559.70, AMS Electric Inc: 14,805.00, Animal Care League: 4,000.00, Aries Charter Transportation Inc: 13,969.78, Artistic Engraving: 49,03.19, AT&T: 27,484.17, AT&T $6,885, Atlas Bobcat LLC: 2,709.37, Axon Enterprise Inc: 2,901.72, Baker & Taylor $115,580, B&F Construction Code Service: 25,455.44, BC Body Craft Inc: 28,010.05, Berwyn Garage: 12,137.97, Blue Cross-Blue Shield of Ill: 1,517,360.81, BP: 5,326.77, Broadway

In Chicago: 3,465.00, Burke Beverage Inc:

6,286.08, Christopher Burke Engineering

LTD, 672,228.52; Burke LLC: 25,000.00, Caliber Collision: 16,118.49, CAPERS North America: 13,000.00, Capital One Bank:

$28,735, Carranza, Jose: 23,530.00, Case Lots Inc: 9,044.72, CDC ENTERPRISES INC: 46,977.56, CDS Office Technologies:

13,456.28, CellTech LLC: 3,000.00, Cengage Learning, Inc $4,565, Centurion Plumbing Company: 108,900.70, Cerniglia Co: 11,290.00, Certified Fleet Services Inc:

4,474.84, CFA Software INC: 7,300.00, Chicagoland Paving Contractors Inc: 139,309.68, City of Chicago: 2,092,600.13, Clear View:

104,184.44, Com Ed: 76,708.20, Comcast:

LEGAL NOTICE

14,432.79, OTM Water Services: 13,200.00, OverDrive, Inc $3,000, Petty Cash-Center: 3,000.00, PHS Locksmiths: 5,714.00, Pioneer Engineering & Environmental Services LLC: 4,105.00, PITNEY BOWES: 24,378.96, POLICE PENSION FUND: 67,435.28, Quill: 22,073.51, R. Eck & Son Inc.: 3,430.00, Reliable Fire & Security: 2,703.85, Republic Services #551: 845,756.48, Republic Services

$4,688, Rework $3,235, Robert R Andreas & Sons Inc: 21,820.00, RUSH TRUCK CENTER: 84,923.09, RUSSO POWER EQUIPMENT: 4,188.93, Rydin Decal: 6,494.67, S & S Electric Service Inc: 11,432.94, Schaeffer Mfg Co: 3,302.84, SCHAUERS HARDWARE:

6,218.48, S&D Prime Maintenance $8,742, SEPS Inc: 77,45.30, Service Spring: 4,607.88, Shales McNutt Construction $11,000, Shellback Tactical LLC: 2,519.94, Sherwin Williams: 3,699.48, Smithereen Pest Mgmt Services: 16,047.90, SNI Solutions: 7,120.00, Southside Truck Service Inc: 3,645.05, Special T Unlimited: 4,318.75, Springbrook Holding Company LLC: 39,912.55, Stanard & Associates Inc: 16,672.79, Standard Equipment Co.: 9,285.77, State Treasurer-IDOT:

Manansala, Taylor Matthis, Maria Maxham, Justin McCormick, Elmer McKissic, Michael Miller, Amy Morales, Christopher Moravec, Ivan Moreno, Albert Natase, Jesus Navraez, Sandra Neri, Ryan Nero, Daniel Novak, Ly Nyugen, Anthony Okal, Sean O’Mara, Barbara Pellettiere, Nicole Petrey, Gloria Pitts, Christine Poreba, Ray Pough, Lauren Quinlan, Toni Rice, Cristina Robles, Dylan Ryan, Angelica Sanches, Nancy Schultz, William Shanahan, Michael Sinisi, Valerie SivelsJones, Kailyn Slater, Latessa Smith, Karl Solms, Jerome Stainback, Paul Stamatakos, James Thompson, Georgia Tsaganos, Dana Valentino, Jessica Voogd, Henry Wagner, Courtney Walton, Marie Weinbrecht, Karen Wiebe, Tracy Wilson, Pamela Woods, Pollyann Zagar

$25,000 to $49,000

13,984.17, Comcast $3,357, Commercial Tire Service: 18,720.71, Compass Minerals America: 65,411.59, Constellation Energy Services Inc: 48,905.40, Cook County Dept of Public Health: 20,100.00, Core & Main LP:

59,236.14, Crunch Inc: 45,815.00, CURRIE

MOTORS: 71,887.00, Currie Motors Chevrolet: 16,495.26, Dandan, Tariq: 5,570.00, Darien Marion-Burton: 5,100.00, Davis Tree Care: 30,274.00, Dearborn National Life Ins.: 10,621.04, DELL MARKETING LP: 18,711.61, Demco $11,541, Digitech, Advanced Data Processing INC: 12,122.21, Drury Lane:

2,979.66, Easypermit Postage $3,449, EBSCO Information Services $3,242, Elevator Inspection Services: 3,618.00, Entertainment Management Group: 9,600.00, EnvisionWare, Inc $4,844, ESO Solutions Inc: 9,398.04, Esurance Property and Casualty Insurance Company: 2,885.00, Factory Motor Parts Co: 15,288.96, Fidelity Security Life Ins Co:

7,862.10, Findaway World LLC $3,179, Fire Service Inc: 42,627.33, Firefighters Pension Fund: 70,385.18, First Ayd Corp.: 2,612.63, Fleet Safety Supply: 11,053.22, Flores, Jose: 3,780.00, Forest Printing Company:

17,291.70, Forest Printing $19,723, Freeway Ford Sterling Truck: 8938.98, Frontline Public Safety Solutions: 4000.00, GCC Company LLC: 19,420.28, Genco Industries Inc:

20,6715.00, GPG Strategies LLC: 24,000.00, Grand Appliance, 7,436.40 Madison St LLC: 8,074.18, Greenwood Transfer LLC:

8,708.38, Griffon Systems Inc: 89,801.25, Growing Community Media NFP: 3,287.00, Guardian: 93,091.38, Health Endeavors SC:

11,748.00, HOME DEPOT CREDIT: 3,743.69, IL Dept of Healthcare and Family Services

- GEMT: 172,701.30, HR Source $4,345, Illinois Communications Sales Inc: 6,878.50, Illinois Counties Risk Management Trust:

10,4719.41, Illinois Environmental Protection Agency: 17,231.69, Illinois EPA: 6,000.00, Infrasearch Inc: 9,800.00, ITsavvy LLC: 31,030.83, J.G. Uniforms: 4,911.24, Julie Inc:

2,595.90, Kamm Insurance Group, Inc $3,138, Kane McKenna and Assoc: 15,987.50, Kanopy, Inc. $4,128, K-Five Hodgkins LLC:

5,086.62, Kimball Midwest: 4,356.84, Klein, Thorpe & Jenkins $6,270, KLF Enterprises: 668,823.89, KMI Force $31,021, Konicka Minolta $12,292, Kuusakoski US LLC:

6,379.42, Larry Roesch Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram: 9,222.95, Lauterbach & Amen LLP: 31,250.00, Lauterbach & Amen, LLP $8,420, Lexipol LLC: 4,677.00, Libraries of Illinois Risk Agency $15,475, Lindco Equipment Sales Inc: 7,552.45, Linde Gas North America LLC:

3,423.16, Linkedin Corporation $4,500, Local 701 Welfare Fund, Automobile Mechanics:

17,861.00, Local 705 I.B of T. Health & Welfare: 316,680.00, Lyons Pinner Electric Co: 172,015.07, MABAS DIVISION XI: 10,000.00, Mando Languages $2,536, McAdam Landscaping: 45,137.11, McAdam Landscaping $3,354, McCann Industries Inc: 6,448.12, Meade Electric Co: 5,359.00, Mesirow Insurance Services: 14,943.00, Metro Mortuary Transport: 7,730.00, Metro Paramedic Services Inc: 305,168.48, Metro Reporting Services LTD: 3,976.45, Mid American Water: 3,023.44, Midwest Fence: 8,542.20, Midwest Tape $41,282, Mobile Beacon $4,015, Mohr Oil Company: 197,172.11, Motorola Solutions Inc: 105,314.87, Muse Community + Design: 16,219.50, N G Plumbing Inc: 7,500.00, National Power Rodding Corp: 13,597.50, National Salt Supply Inc: 18,867.00, Nelson Systems Inc: 4,402.42, NICOR: 8,037.00, NICOR $10,101, NIPSTA: 4,095.00, North East MultiReg Training: 5,905.00, Nunley LLC: 7,846.24, Office 8: 2,776.24, O’Herron Co Inc, Ray:

12,526.15, Stefl Inc, Tim: 5,320.59, Sterling Codifiers Inc: 3,468.76, Storino Ramello & Durkin: 191,340.96, Suburban Laboratories Inc: 4,005.00, Suburban Mailing Services Inc: 15,663.79, Swallow Construction Corporation: 323,089.82, SWAN $36,689, T & M Plumbing: 17,450.00, Techno Consulting Inc: 66,630.52, TechSoup $12,504, Tecorp Inc: 595,650.00, Telcom Innovations Group LLC: 5,723.52, The Estate of Nicholas Kozak: 12,933.48, Thomson Reuters-West: 6,559.07, Today’s Business Solutions Inc. $4,925, Total Parking Solutions Inc: 78,760.00, Tower Works: 5,520.00, Traffic Control & Protection: 11,525.10, Traynor, Raymond: 21,285.00, Triangle Environmental $7,915, ULINE: 4,622.57, Uno Construction Co Inc: 1,088,797.40, Rotary Lift: 25,391.91, Verizon Wireless: 14,110.83, Vermeer-Illinois Inc.: 2,525.42, Vigilant Solutions LLC: 3,050.00, Village of Forest Park

$198,608, Wesley, Shavon: 8,621.25, West Central Municipal Conf: 28,314.97, West Cook County Solid Waste: 190,643.02, West Suburban Cons Dispatch Center: 582,610.18, West Town Mechanical: 22,234.06, Wholesale Direct Inc.: 5,067.83, Williams Architects $8,166, Witmer Public Safety Group: 4,237.76, Xerox Financial Services: 23,643.96, Zarnoth Brush Works Inc.: 3,537.15, Zeigler Ford North Riverside: 36,809.42.

Disbursements less than $2,500: $352,150

Salaries – May 1, 2021 – April 30, 2022

$25,000 and Under: Kathryn Alexander, Keith Banaszak, Camille Barger, Joyce Bingham-Walker, Donald Bolton, Joseph Byrnes, Diego Cano, Randy Carter, Ajah Crittenden, Luther Curtis, Gerald Dillon Jr, Jessica Dylewski, Johnny Edwards, David Finlay, Michael Fluker, John Gemmel, Janet Ghanayem, Timothy Gillian, Ana Goelzer, Alana Gray, Cara Guzman, Joella Harris, Kevin Hedrick, Grayson Hendrix, Raissa Herscovitch, Maya Hill, Carolyn Horyn, Cory Howard, Anthony Jamison, Brenda Jimenez Cruz, Maria Jimenez Cruz, Jamica Jones, Rebecca Jurado, Douglas Key, Heather King, Kenneth Knack, Marie Kurby, Kayla Macedo, Mia

Joseph Aftanas, Tina Aliasi, Christie Bassaloff, DeAires Blackwell, Urszula Blonska, Robert Bryant, Matthew Cline, Tanzla DavisRodriguez, John Doss, Casey Dougherty, Matthew Dowdle, Meghan Dowdle, Daniel Dudek, Rachell Entler, Morna Flanagan, Maribel Fuentes, Rory Hoskins, Wendy Keohane, Francis Lane, Claire Manor, Frank Marasco, Daniel Michaels, Kathryn Murphy, Sandra Nutley, Sharon O’Shea, Jon Pankey, Amilicar Perex, Scott Popelka, LaShan Riggins, Margaret Wilkinson, Joel Zavala

$50,000 to $74,999

Thomas Aftanas, James Becker, Brandon Betancourt, Patrick Braniff, Claudia Corzine, Joseph Decosola, John Ryan Doss, Susan Farnum, Vito Gabino, Alicia Hammond, Deborah Harris, Nicholas Kozak, Skye Lavin,Michael Marasco, Brenda Powers, Rafal Radomski, Paul Richards, Patrick Scollard, Danylle Stark, Regina Townsend

$75,000 to $99,999

Timothy Adams, Jesus Arroyo, Mohammad Awad, Richard Barger, Steve Brhel, Timothy Conrad, Karen Dylewski, Jose Flores, Stephen Glinke, Thomas Grams, Mitchell Kempka, Steven Knysch, Richard Lovett, Benito Marti, Dora Murphy, Kyle Piotrowski, George Prescott, Daysi Riglos, Pilar Shaker, Salvatore Stella, Antonio Torres, Ryan Winkoff

$100,000 to $124,999 Moses Amidei, Lauren Battistoni, Andrea Caines, Zachary Calamus, Thomas Cannon, Louis Davini, Nicholas Defors, Scott Frey, George Hickey Jr, Kenneth Hriensaitong, Robert Kendall, Arleta Kochan, Scott McClintock, Vanessa Moritz, Travis Myers, Michael O’Connor, Laura O’Donnell, Letitia Olmsted, Nicholas Petrovic, Brendan Reilly, Joseph Schick, Anthony Villasenor, Andrew Weber

$125,000 and over Phillip Chiappetta, Christopher Chin, Phillip Damato, Kenneth Gross, Tom Hall, Lindsey Hankus, Aaron Hannan, Jarlath Heveran, Michael Kinder, Mark Maylath, Daniel Miller, Peter Morrissette, Daniel Pater, Bobby Reid, John Reilly, Timothy Ryan, Humberto Soto, Michael Spagnolo, Adam Stasinopoulos, William Toth, Brian Valtman, Steven Zanoni

Second best in rst time out

Proviso East Pirates beat OPRF, get clobber Willowbrook as girls ag football ends r

By BOB SKOLNIK Contributing Reporter

The inaugural girls flag football season for Proviso East came to an end the same way that it be g an; with an overwhelming loss to Willowbrook. But in between those two losses the Pirates (5-2) won five straight g ames and finished second in the first season of girls flag football in the West Suburban Conference On Friday night the Pirates fell to unbeaten Willowbrook 32-0 in the first ever West Suburban Conference championship g ame That came immediately after the Pirates defeated Oak Park and River Forest High School 14-8 in a semifinal g ame to advance to the championship g ame which was held at Oak Park Stadium.

“We just weren’ t good enough,” said Proviso East coach Diana Johnson after losing to Willowbrook.

Johnson said she thought her team was a bit intimidated by Willowbrook which started the g ame with strong ar med quar-

Kari and the rest of the lowbrook jumped out to team.

“My girls just got afraid them,” Johnson said.

Willowbrook (7-0) has team it has played this only one touchdown in its Oct. 29 Willowbrook will ons of the Chicago Public team from a Rockford League held at the Chicago Bears at Lake Forest.

Johnson was emotional but was also looking ahead to next year.

“We had a goal, we didn’t get there, but we’re coming back next year,” Johnson said. “I feel real good about finishing second. People didn’t think we were going to finish second. They had counted us out.”

In the semifinal win over Oak Park (4-3) the Pirates scored on a long pass Peace Thompson in the first hal

fense shut out Oak Park in the second half stopping the Huskies about 20 yards shor t

This was first season of girls flag football. Teams from Willowbrook, Proviso

APRIL ALONSO/Photographer BREAK AWAY: Pirates defeated the OPRF Huskies and nished second in the West Suburban Conference during the debut season of girls ag football.

MARK REGAN/Photographer

Hephzibah at 125 years

Hephzibah is celebrating its anniversary with a series of stories about the children and families whose lives were transformed by our programs and services, as well as some of the “Hephzibah Heroes” who help make our mission possible.

This month, we’re featuring for mer Executive Director Mary Anne Brown, who led Hephzibah Children’s Association with vision and creativity for more than 40 years, from 1976 until her retirement in 2017.

Fueled by her passion for helping

trailblazer helped transform He phzibah from a small day care center with an annual budget of $100,000 into a nationally reco gnized child welfare agency with a comprehensive ar ray of services and a $9 million annual budget.

In this article, Brown reflects on the changing needs of children and families during her four-decade tenure—and shares some of the ways that Hephzibah’s passionately committed staff and board met those needs with the support of a caring ommunity.

atch for more 125th-anni versary stories in the months to come. We hope you find them as inspiring as we do!

A Champion for Children and Families

In 1976, Mary Anne Brown followed her heart to Hephzibah Home and began a 41-year jour ney that would bring hope and healing to thousands of children and their families.

When Brown—an Oak Park wife and mother with a master’s degree in child behavior and development—left her previous post as director of the South Austin Community Day Care Center to lead Hephzibah into its next chapter, society was going through some seismic shifts.

“Hephzibah was at a crossroads,” she recalls. “More women were entering the workforce— and the need for quality, affordable day care had surpassed the need for a children’s home. Two years before I ar rived, Hephzibah had suspended its residential program for the first time since the agency’s founding in 1897 to redirect its resources to day care for working parents.”

During her first year on the job, Brown did a lot of listening. What she heard was that there was a pressing need for more before- and after-school day care programming—as well as a full-day summer camp—to provide recreation and enrichment for Oak Park elementary schoolers while their parents were at work.

“At the time, our program was tiny,” Brown notes. “We were serving 20 children on the first floor of Hephzibah Home. The need for nurturing, enriching day care far exceeded our available space—and our waiting list was growing longer by the day.”

Constrained by the program’s meager budget, Brown began searching for creative solutions.

“We approached the Oak Park school district with a proposal to provide day care on site at the village’s elementary schools. The district gave us

See MARY ANNE on pa ge 14

MARY ANNE BROWN

Former Hephzibah executive direc tor

PROVIDED

Mary Anne Brown and children from the Hephzibah a er-school daycare program posing for the annual agency holiday card.

PROVIDED

MARY ANNE

from page 13

the go-ahead, and we piloted our schoolbased day care program at Oak Park’s Lincoln and Mann elementary schools in 1976. We continued to roll out additional sites until we were providing day care on a sliding scale for more than 600 children annually at every elementary school in Oak Park and one summer camp location.”

This alliance between Hephzibah and District 97 was the first of many fruitful partnerships that would be forged over the next four decades to help children thrive and families flourish. But Brown soon realized that Hephzibah’s founding mission to care for society’s most vulnerable children could not be accomplished with day care alone.

issues such as unemployment, housing insecurity, chronic health problems, substance abuse or domestic violence, we realized that some children needed foster care,” Brown explains “But, at the time, children at risk of harm from neglect or abuse were transported out of our community to a centralized Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) intake center and placed in foster homes throughout the Chicago area.”

That troubled Brown, who hoped to minimize the disruptions in the lives of these children by keeping them in the Oak Park/River Forest community

Picture originally published in Wednesday Journal announcing Mary Anne Brown as new director of Hephzibah.

“There were day care kids who needed help, and their families needed help,” she states. “So we began to work with the social workers at the police department to provide emergency services for day care families in crisis.”

That infor mal arrangement with the Oak Park police set the stage for Hephzibah’s Day Care Social Services Program, which continues to enhance the lives of hundreds of day care families each year with crisis intervention services and referrals for medical and mental health services, housing, vocational support and legal assistance, as well as direct assistance such as bus passes, grocery store gift certificates, clothing, school supplies and other family needs.

Community-based foster care was a relatively new concept in Illinois at the time. But Brown firmly believed that children were better of f in the familiar environs of their own neighborhoods, where they could attend their own schools and maintain relationships with their teachers, neighbors and friends. So she began to lay the groundwork for a community-based foster care program.

It was an ambitious goal. But, where some people saw obstacles, Brown saw opportunities. In 1980, Hephzibah launched one of the first community-based foster care programs in Illinois to keep children close to home while protecting them from neglect and abuse

Retired executive direc tor

It also paved the way for Hephzibah Foster Care.

“As we became more involved with day care families that were struggling with

Soon, a new need emerged as the first cases of what would later become known as AIDS were re ported in the U.S. From the onset of the epidemic through 1994, an estimated 14,920 HIV-infected infants were born in the U.S. (“Pediatric HIV/AIDS in the United States,” https://www pedaids.org/pediatric-hiv-aids-united-states/) —and Hephzibah pivoted to meet an unprecedented need.

“In the early 1980s, DCFS contacted us

Brown and sta member Jean Clements sor ting through holiday donations in the early 1980’s at Hephzibah Home.

PROVIDED

Brown and former Oak Park Village President, Anan Abu-Taleb, at Hephzipaloozah - a street festival in Oak Park in 2017 organized by Hephzibah to honor Brown as she retired.

“There were daycare kids who needed help, and their families needed help.”

MARY ANNE BROWN

about HIV-positive babies in need of foster care for reasons unrelated to their HIV status,” recalls Hephzibah Foster Care Specialist Davida Williams, who retired in 2013.

After visiting the quarantined babies—who were being housed in an isolation unit at a DCFS children’s shelter and closely monitored by three Chicago children’s hospitals— Williams conferred with Brown and Hephzibah’s board of directors. Their response was unanimous and unequivocal: “These babies were vulnerable and needed the care of loving families. Hephzibah would meet that

took to help these babies because none of us could stand the thought of these tiny humans being housed in a secluded isolation ward,” says Williams. “We began reaching out to our foster families to see if they were willing to care for HIV-positive infants. A handful of these families instantly said, ‘We’re in.’ These were mostly older parents who were willing to take the risk because they had already raised their children and had empty nests.”

With half a dozen Hephzibah foster families on board, Williams met with DCFS to work out the details.

“I remember sitting around

education. So we worked with the medical experts from DCFS and Cook County Hospital to educate our foster families about caring for these infants.”

According to Williams, Hephzibah’s foster families were prepared to love and nurture the HIV-positive babies to their dying days. But then a surprising thing happened

“The majority of these foster babies— who tested HIV-positive at birth because they still had their mothers’ antibodies in their systems—seroconverted to HIVnegative status during their first year of life,” she recalls. “We then developed permanency plans for the babies, who were eventually reunited with family members or placed in loving adoptive homes.”

“Hephzibah was one of two agencies in the state of Illinois that stepped forward without hesitation to care for these HIV-positive babies,” notes Brown today. “Thanks to the courage and dedication of Davida Williams and some truly amazing foster parents who took on the risks and unknowns of caring for these children, many are now healthy adults living productive and happy lives.”

The launch of Hephzibah’s foster care program sparked a period of unprecedented growth as the organization expanded its mission to include a full complement of child welfare services

Over the next two decades, Hephzibah

opened one of the state’s only diagnostic treatment centers to assess the physical, emotional and psychological needs of neglected and abused children; established a residential treatment program to provide long-ter m, therapeutic interventions for children who had been severely traumatized by chronic abuse or neglect, failed adoptions or abandonment; launched an adoption program to provide safe and loving forever homes for children who could not return home to their biological families; and introduced a comprehensive array of services for families in crisis

Yet, as Hephzibah continued to serve more children in substitute care, Brown noticed a disturbing trend. Many of the children at Hephzibah Home—and in group and foster homes across the nation—were lagging far behind their peers academically due to the many disruptions in their lives.

Brown believed that education was the ticket to a successful and fulfilling life, so she recruited some of the community’s most accomplished educators to serve on an Academic Advisory Board in 1999. Together they began brainstor ming about ways to help close the achievement gap. That same year, they piloted a Summer Reading Academy in partnership with Dominican University to boost the children’s reading and literacy skills.

PROVIDED

Brown and a young visitor at an ag ency holiday party for foster families.

PROVIDED

Brown and Peter Bear form the Peninsula Chicago Hotel visiting the children at Hephzibah Home with Halloween treats.

“

We were prepared to do whatever it took to help these babies...”

DAVIDA WILLIAMS

Retired foster care specialist

MAKE A GIFT

For 125 years, Hephzibah Children’s Association has helped children thrive and families ourish. Your donation today will make a di erence in a child’s life and allow us to continue to help children heal and families succeed. Please give a gift at www. hephzibahhome.org/donate-now/

MARY ANNE

from page 15

In the years that followed, Hephzibah launched an After-School Academy powered by an all-volunteer force of Homework Helpers to provide afterschool tutoring for the children living at Hephzibah Home; recruited local artists to open doors to dance, painting, music and other artistic pursuits through the Colorful Days Arts Academy; and introduced One Book, One Hephzibah—a 12-week summer prog ram designed to take the solitary struggle out of reading and make it fun by engaging the children in group activities and field trips related to each week’s featured book.

In 2003, Brow tackled another troubling issue: At the time, 75 percent of all children in substitute care separated from their siblings in different group or foster homes. It was often the final—and most devastating blow for children who were already g rieving the loss of their homes, schools and communities.

To help mend these broken bonds, Brown and her team piloted Camp HepSIBah—a summer camp experience for children se parated in the child welfare system. Nearly every summer since then—with a hiatus during the COVID-19 pandemic—sibling groups have reconnected at a r ustic woodland camp to share childhood adventures and form deep emotional bonds that will support and sustain them throughout their lives.

Hephzibah pioneered many other innovative programs during Brown’s tenure. But she is quick to point out that none of these programs would exist without the input, creativity and flexibility of Hephzibah’s staf f and board of directors.

“Our program directors, social workers,

therapists and child care workers—who were out on the front lines every day and often the first to perceive a need came up with the ideas for many of Hephzibah’s most innovative programs,” Brown stresses. “We were able to pivot quickly to put their ideas into action because our board was infor med and responsive—and our staf f members were always willing to say, ‘Okay, we can try that.’”

Growth takes commitment, which Brown and her staf f had in spades. But it also takes resources—and this was where Brown’s gift for spreading the word about Hephzibah’s mission came in

“We had a collective vision of what children and families needed to be successful,” she says. “Whenever we communicated those needs to our friends and supporters, they responded with extraordinary generosity to make our mission possible.”

Although Brown is now five years into retirement, people still seek her out to share their “Hephzibah stories.” Some recall how grateful they were as young, cash-strapped parents to have access to nur turing, af fordable day care. Others remember the hope and help that Hephzibah gave them when their families were in crisis. And then there are the children who found a safe haven and a place to heal at He phzibah Home—all grown up now—with smiles on their faces and gratitude in their hear ts.

PROVIDED

For Brown, the feeling is mutual.

“I can’t imagine my life without the children and families I grew to know and love during my 41 years as executive director—and the incredible community that was always there to support our ef forts,” she muses today. “Whenever there was a need, people came together and we found a way to meet it.”

Article statistics sourced from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Brown and Juanita, an adopted child ser ved by Hephzibah.

CRIME

Residence burglarized, car stolen while tenant out of town

The tenant of a building in the 600 block of Harlem Avenue had his apar tment burglarized and his car stolen while he was in Arizona to attend a wedding.

The victim’s neighbors discovered the burglary when they returned home on Oct. 22 around 1:55 a.m., and noticed the front door was open. They knew the victim was out of town as of Oct. 21 and, upon checking fur ther, saw that the apar tment had been ransacked. When the police of ficers ar rived on the scene, they saw evidence the front door was pried open. A green crowbar that the victim said wasn’t his was recovered at the scene Subsequent investigation also revealed that the victim’s two pet pit bulls were picked up by animal control and the victim’s car, a silver 2011 Acura MDX, was stolen from the driveway. The burglar took the victim’s car keys from a dresser

When contacted via FaceTime, the victim said he had a friend house-sit and do g-watch his apar tment. The friend said he left the apar tment around 11 p.m. Police estimate that the burglary took place

between then and 12:30 a.m., when the pit bulls were picked up

The victim said that, while he wouldn’t be able to take a full inventory of what was missing until he retur ned home, based on what he saw through FaceTime, he believed around $30,000 wor th of glassware was missing, most of it custom products of his own design. The Acura has been fla gged as stolen.

Battery

A man was attacked at the Forest Park Blue Line CTA ter minal on Oct. 22 around 6:45 p.m.

Police found the victim at the ter minal’s nor th bus bays, lying on his back and bleeding from the mouth. He said he had no idea who attacked him, and that he was drinking before the attack happened

Of ficers questioned the witness and a CTA clerk said an unknown female witness told her “a bunch of juveniles” attacked the man then headed nor th on Desplaines

Avenue

Because of his head injury and intoxicated state, the victim was transpor ted to Loyola Medical Center for treatment.

Socker

Two soccer clubs who play at the Park District of Forest Park soccer field, 7501 Har rison St., got into a fight after one of the teams objected to a referee’s call.

Two over-48 suburban soccer clubs — the Round Lake-based Connection and Schaumburg-based Royal Cracovia — played a g ame on the mor ning of Oct. 23. The confrontation re por tedly star ted around 9:14 a.m., when the Connection players got upset with the referee’s call, and one Connection player re por tedly grabbed the back of the referee’s shirt The referee threatened to end the g ame if the players didn’t calm down, but the player re por tedly ke pt riling up his teammates. The referee followed through on his threat and one of the Connection players alle gedly tried to punch the

OB ITU ARIES

Geraldine Leninger, 86 Longtime member of St. Bernardine

Geraldine “Geri” M. Leninger (nee Gembicki), 86, a longtime resident of Forest Park, died peacefully on Oct. 14, 2022, in LaGrange. Bor n on March 14,1936, in Chicago, she grew up in Chicago and was a graduate of Austin High School. She worked for Prudential, where she met her husband, Richard.

A caring and devoted mom, she raised her family in Forest Park, where she enjoyed going for walks, gardening, doing puzzles, playing cards, and singing and dancing with friends She was a proud member of the Polish American Cultural Club and a longtime member of St. Ber nardine Catholic Church in Forest Park. Geri was the wife of the late Richard Leninger for 44 years, whom she mar ried on June 14, 1958. She was the mother of Terence (Dawn) Leninger,

Kathleen (the late Bob) Brown, Diane (Colin) Chin, Patti (Chuck) Chow, and Richard Leninger; the grandmother of Kristin (Mark) Robins, Tyler (Jess) Leninger, Taylor (Anderson) Whipp, Cullen Chin, and Jacob, Luke and Hana Chow; the great-grandmother of Roy Trevino, Avery and Vera Whipp, and Finn Robins; the daughter of the late Edward and Ber nice Gembicki; the sister of the late Priscilla (the late Dan) Ar ndt and the late Dorothy Gembicki; and the aunt, cousin and friend of many.

Visitation will be held on Friday, Oct. 28 from 4 to 8 p.m. at Woodlawn Funeral Home, 7750 W. Cer mak Road (cor ner of Cer mak and Desplaines Ave.), Forest Park

A funeral Mass will be celebrated at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 29, at St. Ber nardine Catholic Church, 7246 Har rison St., Forest Park.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Geraldine’s memory may be made to: Rush Alzheimer’s Disease Center (www.rush. edu/giving).

referee but missed and hit a Royal Cracovia player who tried to protect the referee

By the time the police of ficers ar rived, Royal Cracovia players had sur rounded the referee to try to protect him.

The referee declined to make a criminal complaint but asked to have the incident documented so he could make a re port to Metropolitan Soccer League’s over-48 division. The Connection players were asked to disburse. The police of ficers escor ted the referee to his vehicle and escor ted his car to the Eisenhower Expressway to ensure that he left Forest Park safely.

These items were obtained from police reports filed by the Forest Park Police De partment, Oct. 18-23, and re present a portion of the incidents to which police responded. Unless otherwise indicated, anybody named in these re ports has only been charged with a crime. These cases have not been adjudicated.

Compiled by Igor Studenkov

Dianne Eggers, 76 Banker, lifelong Forest Parker

Dianne L. Eggers, 76, a lifelong resident of Forest Park, died on Oct. 19, 2022. Bor n in Oak Park on Nov. 29, 1945, she graduated from Proviso East High School in 1963 and continued on to Souther n Illinois University, graduating in 1970. She ear ned her MBA from Rosary Colle ge in 1983 and spent the majority of her career in the banking industry, working at the First Bank of Oak Park, Midwest Bank & Trust and most recently the Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago, where she retired as an assistant vice president.

Dianne is survived by her son, Marc (Amy) Rossi, and her grandchildren, Samuel, Isabel, Cecilia, Hazel Anne, Jonathon and Esther Lynn. She was preceded in death by her father, Edward; her mother, Cora; her brother, Gary; and her sister, Donna. She treasured every moment she could spend with her grandchildren. Visitation was held on Oct. 25 at Zimmer man-Har nett Funeral Home, 7319 W. Madison St., Forest Park, IL. Family and friends will meet at 9:45 a.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 26, at St. Ber nardine Catholic Church, 7246 W. Har rison St., Forest Park, IL, where a Mass of the Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m., followed by inter ment at Queen of Heaven Cemetery in Hillside

Took a while, but Kribi Coffee opens in Oak Park

South Blvd. location second spot for Forest Park entrepreneur

By MELISSA ELSMO Oak Park Eats Editor

After being plagued by construction delays, Kribi Coffee’s highly anticipated Oak Park location is now open to the public It is inside Cross Function Flexible Workspace at the Boulevard Arcade building, 1033 South Blvd. It took more than a year to get Kribi’s Oak Park shop up and running and owner Jacques Shalo is transparent about the toll the extended timeline took on both business and his own mental health.

“Do you know where I was when we opened Oak Park?” asked Shalo with a just a hint of a laugh. “I was sleeping. I was there until 1 a.m. the day before making sure we were as close to done as we could be I went home and slept for the first time in I don’t know how long. It was a sound sleep that felt like a deep

sigh of relief.”

The yearlong runway to opening day was “mind-boggling” according to Shalo who could not get his contractor to see the job through to completion on a reasonable timeline As the project dragged on Shalo began calculating the financial impact of the delays When he realized his exposure was closing in on $200,000, he drew the line and the individual disappeared altogether.

In response to the frustrating situation, he called upon people he knew to get the project across the finish line He looked to Forest Park businesses, Tim Stefl Inc., and Kinetic Electricity to steward the shop to completion.

“The Village of Oak Park knew about our bad situation and were also really helpful,” said Shalo. “They helped expedite inspec

tions and gave us very clear instructions.”

Shalo is thrilled with the positive response to the shop opening and looks forward to welcoming commuters into the shop. Kribi’s

Cross Function location is currently open to the public from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily. Regular hours, 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. are scheduled to begin Oct. 31.

ALEX ROGALS/Sta Photographer

OPINION

Calming down Madison St.

That progress has been made lowering the temperature on Madison Street after nearly two years of late-night tur moil is evident in the village council’s unanimous decision to stop micro-managing g ranting per mission for bars and restaurants to host various for ms of in-house enter tainment on their premises. An ordinance, long on the books and long ignored, required local businesses to apply for an entertainment license before hosting live music, bringing in a DJ or other types of business boosting attractions

After a small handful of Madison Street bars got re gularly rowdy after COVID shutdown restrictions were eased, the village council used that ordinance to crack down on such enter tainment and required that every license application be voted on by the village council

As par t of a broader ef fort to shut down specific of fenders, the tactic worked.

Now though, responsibility for reviewing and signing of f on such requests for entertainment has rightly been given to the village administrator. If the administrator declines to approve a license, a business owner may appeal the decision to the village council

Seems right.

Other provisions of the enter tainment ordinance will remain in ef fect. So there are limits on hours for live music and DJs, outside enter tainment is not allowed on sidewalk dining spots

All reasonable steps and precautions

It was a long, hard road to re gaining calm on the street. There were bumps and miscues along the way. But, for now, Madison Street remains a worthy destination for dining, drinking and gathering.

Here’s

help on judicial ballot

Selecting judges to vote for is, for most of us, an invitation to feel inadequate as active citizens of Cook County. Very hard to know who these people are, what are their views on the role of judges within a system most of us have doubts about. Maybe we see passing references to endorsements by various local bar associations.

And then most of us vote blindly or we skip voting for judges entirely. Doesn’t feel good.

So we’re proud this week to be par tnering with Injustice Watch, an outstanding nonprofit newsroom, and including its 2022 judicial election guide in all of our print editions across the Greater West Side. That’s Wednesday Jour nal of Oak Park & River Forest, Austin Weekly News, Forest Park Review, Riverside-Brookfield Landmark, and the Village Free Press which covers Proviso Township.

Here is a link to the digital version of the Injustice Watch guide: www.injusticewatch.org/interactives/judicial-electionguide/2022-general/en/

Sweet candy and make-believe …or soul food?

I’m willing to bet that if I asked our middle-school students who Martin Luther was, most would re ply he was a famous civil rights leader. While many of the kids in town will be dressing up as Harry Potter, Mirabel, Mandalorian, or ghosts, and parents will be shepherding them around in their search for candy, I’ ll be reading the chapter in Roland Bainton’s biography of Luther, Here I Stand, in which he tells the story of the Augustinian monk nailing 95 theses — or topics for debate — on the door of a church in Wittenberg, Ger many 505 years ago: Oct. 31, 1517.

Yawn?

HOLMES

Well, actually Luther’s story is kind of exciting. It’s about a solitary guy who took on the two most powerful institutions of his day — The Holy Roman Empire and the Catholic Church — and dared to speak truth to power. The 95 theses were about the corrupt practice of indulgences, granting forgiveness of sins if the penitent paid an amount of money to the church.

In the 16th century church doors were the social media app of that day, and all Luther wanted to do was to have an “online” discussion about the topic. Well, the 95 theses went “viral,” and both the emperor and the archbishop decided to nip this troublemaking social media thing in the bud. What they did was command Luther to explain himself at a meeting in the town of Worms, Ger many.

“Take back everything you’ve written and said,” they demanded of the monk standing before them, “and we’ ll let you of f easy.”

To which Luther famously replied, “Unless I am convinced by Scripture and plain reason — I do not accept the authority of the popes and councils, for they have contradicted each other — my conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and I will not recant anything, for to go against conscience is neither right nor safe.”

Sounds very moder n, doesn’t it? Sounds like Dr King and Nelson Mandela and Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Oscar Romero. Sounds like Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger and all those Republicans who testified at the Jan. 6 hearings.

In reality, Luther was a complicated spirit. In him, on the one hand, we see the dawning of individualism, a very moder n phenomenon, and on the other hand, he was quite conservative and medieval in his piety. He never wanted to divide the Church, much less destroy it. The unintended consequence, however, was that the Church was divided, and bloody wars were

fought between Protestants and Catholics

In other words, Luther was a progressive conservative. He wanted to reform the Church, not by starting something new but by going back to the roots, which in his case was the Bible. The English word “radical” comes from the Latin word radix or “roots”.

We often picture radicals as folks who want to innovate but, etymologically at least, it means going back to the source, the foundation, the origin.

No one — neither Catholic nor Protestant — has lobbied to canonize Luther as a saint. His was, let’s say, a salty personality, and oversensitive translators, for example, render the Ger man word scheisse, which the refor mer often used, into the English word “dung.” That’s not the exact sense of the word!

As we approach Halloween this year, I think the world needs a little less sugar in the form of candy and escaping into fantasy worlds and more stories about people like Martin Luther and, now that I think of it, his namesake Martin Luther King.

Like Dr. King, the church refor mer knew how to throw out bathwater without throwing out the baby, i.e. he valued tradition and didn’t innovate for the sake of innovation. He understood that the most radical, foundational change happens by going back to the roots.

He wasn’t a drain-the-swamp, anti-gover nment, libertarian, but at the same time he was not blindly obedient to authority, not even the authority of the Bible.

But along with his theological insights, the reason I resonate with Luther so much is that he was a genuinely human person with whom I can identify. He had strengths and weaknesses just like me. Following are some quotes that illustrate some of his many sides.

■ I have so much to do that I shall spend the first three hours in prayer.

■ My heart, which is so full to overflowing, has often been solaced and refreshed by music when sick and weary.

■ Beer is made by men, wine by God.

■ Be a sinner and sin boldly, but believe and rejoice in Christ even more boldly.

■ God writes the gospel not in the Bib le alone, but on trees and flowers and clouds and stars.

■ Let the wife make her husband glad to come home and let him make her sor ry to see him leave

■ Where the battle rages, there the loyalty of the soldier is proved

Repor ter Igor Studenkov

Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Michael Romain

Senior Editor Bob Uphues

Digital Publishing & Technology Manager

Briana Higgins

Contributing Repor ters Tom Holmes, John Rice, Bob Skolnik, Jackie Glosniak, Robert J. Li a

Columnists Alan Brouilette, Jill Wagner, Tom Holmes, John Rice

Big Week Editor James Porter

Staff Photographers Alex Rogals, Shanel Romain

Design/Production Manager Andrew Mead

Editorial Design Manager Javier Govea

Designer Susan McKelvey

S ales and Marketing Representatives

Lourdes Nicholls, Marc Stopeck, Kamil Brady

Business & Development Manager

Mary Ellen Nelligan

Donor Relations Manager/Food Editor

Melissa Elsmo

Development & Sales Coordinator

Stacy Coleman

Circulation Manager Jill Wagner

Editor and Publisher Dan Haley

Special Projects Manager Susan Walker

Neglected life skills addressed here

This is an updated version of a column that ran in 2015:

Welcome to the University of Life, where the old lear n from the young and vice versa. Here is a list of our upcoming courses:

Offline Shopping: Our veteran instructor will introduce students to the concept of making purchases from local shops. Students will lear n how shopping at these businesses recycles revenue back into their community. Some walking, talking and standing required.

Mastering the Smartphone: Our team of teenage instructors provides tutoring to seniors who don’t know what an app is and are constantly taking pictures of their ear Course only available to students who have completed “Remote Control 101.”

Common Decency: Our professor emeritus will conduct a review of the “magic words” and students will lear n how to compose and mail “Thank You” cards. Knowledge of cursive needed. There will also be instruction in Online Etiquette, introducing students to the “Reply” option when they receive an email.

Beyond Bar Soap: Grad students

Board of Directors

Chair Judy Gre n

Treasurer Nile Wendorf

Deb Abrahamson, Gary Collins, Darnell Shields, Sheila Solomon, Eric Weinheimer

grossed out by the thought of washing with a bar of soap introduce early-seniors to liquid hand soap, body wash and facial scrubs. Students will also receive instruction in the use of a loofah.

Non-Google Research: etired librarian will lead students to a local library, where they will be introduced to books printed on paper and heavy olumes known as dictionaries and encyclopedias. Note-taking and knowledge of the alphabet a must.

Text Lingo: Advanced-age students will lear n chat acronyms such as: BRB (be right back) L8R (later) OIC (Oh, I see) and STBY (sucks to be you). This will enable them, to understand what their kids are texting and may cause them to laugh out loud (LOL!).

Commuting Unplugged: Classes will be conducted on buses and trains. Students not allowed to have any electronic devices. They will lear n alter natives such as newspaper reading, staring out the window and chatting with their seatmate. This exercise can lead to students booting their personal super computer, previously known as the brain.

Eating Well: Seniors accustomed to cooking with corn oil will experience the

Unwelcome apples

After a night of trick-or-treating, suspicious apples with razor blades were tur ned in to the Forest Park police in 1971, which made front page news The person who tur ned in the suspicious loot, unnamed in the Review ar ticle, also brought in a suspicious “candy bar which was not in an original wrapper.”

For the next few years trick-or-treating was banned in town and Halloween parties became the nor m. By the end of the ’70s, the park district was well known for its annual Spookhouse, the Halloween par ty at the library was very popular, many participated in the costume contest at the mall, and a car nival was hosted at Field Stevenson School

Jill Wagner

wonders of gluten-free, organic and ve getarian cooking. They will lear n the value of choosing free-range chicken and socially conscious lettuce. Course especially challenging for those living on fixed incomes

Seeking Human Interaction: Veteran professor will show students the value of walking past the ATM to the teller window and going into restaurants instead of driving thru. Conversation coaches available to teach eye contact, gestures and ice-breakers, such as, “I really like your uniform.”

Exploring Social Media: Young instructors living virtual lives will introduce seniors to the matrix of social media. Students will lear n how to post photos, send invitations, and gather a group for a smash-and-g rab. Emphasis will be on leaving no thought unexpressed and showing friends and family we have a better life than they do

Fresh Air Fun: After undergoing extensive background checks, seniors will lead kids in outdoor exercises such as playing sports, hide-and-seek and snowman-building. They will also experiment with freerange activities, allowing age-appropriate children to walk to the store, the park and the library. Some knowledge of kick-thecan, hopscotch and double-jump required.

We urge young and old to re gister soon. Otherwise, we might have to cancel “NonGoogle Research.”

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

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

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

A safe & smart choice.

A safe & smart choice.

A safe & smart choice.

Choosing a community you can trust has never been more difficult.

Choosing a community you can trust has never been more important.

Choosing a community you can trust has never been more difficult.

Our community has an impeccable record of safety during the COVID-19 crisis and we will stop at nothing to make sure it continues.

Our community has an impeccable record of safety during the COVID-19 crisis and we will stop at nothing to make sure it continues.

Our community has an impeccable record of safety during the COVID-19 crisis and we will stop at nothing to make sure it continues.

We would be honored for your family to be part of ours.

We would be honored for your family to be part of ours.

We would be honored for your family to be part of ours.

Immediate availability in our Memory Care Assisted Living Small House

Growing Community Media

HELP WANTED

Class specifications are intended to present a descriptive list of the range of duties performed by employees in the class.

Specifications are not intended to reflect all duties performed within the job.

DEFINITION

To perform various network/system administration, computer support, and operational activities for the Village including computer system setup, configuration, and testing.

SUPERVISION RECEIVED AND EXERCISED

Reports directly to the Information Technology Services Director.

EXAMPLE OF DUTIES:

Essential and other important duties and responsibilities may include, but are not limited to, the following:

Essential duties and responsibilities

1. Ensure that best in class customer service is provided to both internal and external customers and also embrace, support, and promote the Village’s core values, beliefs and culture.

2. Configure, test, and deploy network systems, such as, firewalls, routers, switches, wireless equipment, network servers and storage arrays.

3. Configure, test, and deploy system servers, such as, file, print, Internet, e-mail, database, and application servers.

4. Configure, test, and monitor server and end-user systems for security, such as, user accounts, login scripts, file access privileges, and group policy management.

5. Configure, test, and deploy end-user systems, such as, workstations, laptops, mobile devices, printers, and software.

6. Test, configure, deploy, and support security systems, such as, facility access system, video & audio system.

7. Monitor and auditing of networks, systems, and user activities to ensure security and efficiency of systems. Create scripts and reports of detail activities for regular review.

8. Perform and participate in disaster recovery activities, such as, backup procedures, data recovery, and system recovery planning.

9. Assist end-users with computer problems or queries. Troubleshoot systems as needed and meet with users to analyze specific system needs.

10. Ensure the uniformity, reliability and security of system resources including network, hardware,

software and other forms of systems and data.

11. Prepare, create and update user/technical procedure documentations and provide computer training.

12. Assemble, test, and install network, telecommunication and data equipment and cabling.

13. Participate in research and recommendation of technology solutions.

Other important responsibilities and duties

1. Train users in the area of existing, new or modified computer systems and procedures.

2. Participate in the preparation of various activity reports.

3. Travel and support remote facilities and partner agencies.

4. Operate, administer and manage the Village and Public Safety computer systems, including E-911 center, in-vehicle computer systems.

5. Prepare clear and logical reports and program documentation of procedures, processes, and configurations.

6. Complete projects on a timely and efficient manner.

7. Communicate effectively both orally and in writing.

8. Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.

9. Perform related duties and responsibilities as required.

QUALIFICATIONS

Knowledge of:

Principals and procedures of computer systems, such as, data communication, hierarchical structure, backups, testing and critical analysis.

Hardware and software configuration of. computers, servers and mobile devices, including computing environment of Windows Server and Desktop OS and applications, Unix/Linux OS, VMware, iOS/Android.

Network protocols, security, configuration and administration, including firewalls, routers, switches and wireless technology. Cabling and wiring, including CAT5/6, fiber network, telephone, serial communication, termination, and punch-down.

Telecommunications theory and technology, including VoiP, serial communication, wireless protocols, PBX, analog, fax, voicemail and auto-attendant.

Principles and methods of computer programming, coding and testing, including power shell, command scripting, macros, and

VB scripts. Modern office procedures, methods and computer equipment. Technical writing, office productivity tools and database packages.

Ability to:

Maintain physical condition appropriate to the performance of assigned duties and responsibilities, which may include the following:

- Walking, standing or sitting for extended periods of time

- Operating assigned equipment

- Lift 50 pounds of equipment, supplies, and materials without assistance

- Working in and around computer equipped vehicles

Maintain effective audio-visual discrimination and perception needed for:

- Making observations

- Communicating with others

- Reading and writing

- Operating assigned equipment and vehicles

Maintain mental capacity allowing for effective interaction and communication with others. Maintain reasonable and predictable attendance. Work overtime as operations require.

Experience and Training

Guidelines

Experience: Three years of network/system administration in the public or private sector, maintaining a minimum of 75 Client Workstation computers. AND Training: Possession of a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with major coursework in computer science or a related field. Certifications in Microsoft Server Administration, Networking, Applications and Cisco Networking.

Possession of a valid Illinois Driver License is required at the time of appointment. Vaccination against COVID-19 strongly preferred.

WORKING CONDITIONS

Work in a computer environment; sustained posture in a seated position for prolonged periods of time; continuous exposure to computer screens; work in and around computerized vehicles outdoor and garage facility; lifting heavy equipment, communication cabling and wiring into walls and ceilings.

YOGA SIX FITNESS SALES ASSOCIATE

exceed weekly and monthly sales goals established by the General Manager

ACCOUNT CLERK II

The Village of Oak Park is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Account Clerk II. This position performs a variety of accounting clerical duties involving financial record keeping and/or transactions including accounts payable and receivable and to provide a variety of accounting support to the Development Customer Services Department. Applicants are encouraged to visit the Village of Oak Park’s website http://www.oakpark.us/jobs. First review of applications November 4, 2022.

NURSERY SUPERVISOR AND CHILDCARE COORDINATOR

Unity Temple Unitarian Universalist Congregation is looking for a warm, welcoming and experienced Nursery Supervisor and Childcare Coordinator to work with the youngest among us on Sunday mornings in the nursery as well as coordinate babysitting for congregational events outside of Sunday mornings. This is one job with two different roles. As Nursery Supervisor, this person will provide a compassionate and consistent presence in caring for our babies and toddlers during the Sunday morning worship service times, supervise, train and schedule other nursery staff, maintain the nursery as a safe and clean environment, welcome and orient new families to the nursery, and build relationships with and communicate effectively with parents. The nursery hours are Sundays from 9:30–11:30am, and approximately one hour outside of Sunday morning worship service.

You can find more information about the position at https://unitytemple. org/job -postings/. To apply, send a cover letter and résumé to jobs@ unitytemple.org indicating “Nursery Supervisor / Childcare Coordinator” in the subject line.

PART-TIME

ELECTRICIAN’S HELPER

Call contracter for more info. 708-738-3848

If you are passionate about health and fitness, enjoy connecting with people and thrive in an environment that encourages you to exceed personal and team goals - this is the role for you! Our ideal candidate brings at least a year of sales experience along with a good understanding of prospecting leads through telemarketing, phone sales, and member referrals. If you are interested in starting or growing your sales career in the dynamic fitness industry, apply today!

Fitness Sales Associate duties include working closely with current and potential customers to recommend classes and membership options based on their wellness goals, answer their questions about the studio and help resolve customer concerns.

The Fitness Sales Associate is responsible for appointment booking and ensuring first time visitors to studio have an overwhelmingly positive experience. The successful Sales associate will stay up-to-date with sales promotions, maintain the studio’s visual appearance in high standards, and strive to exceed individual and studio sales goals.

Responsibilities

-Customer experience: welcome visitors and members to the studio, answer phones and assist customers at the front desk with various administrative tasks. Handle member issues professionally and objectively, seeking to resolve them through exceptional customer service. Build productive trust relationships with customers.

-Sales: Support the sales process by contacting sales prospects via telephone and text messaging, setting up appointments, and reviewing membership options with new visitors to the studio. Assess customers needs and provide assistance and information on studio features, class offerings and membership options. Meet and

-Prospecting: support in and out of studio events to generate new sales prospects (health fairs, community events, marathons, etc.) Support studio marketing and social media activities.

-Member engagement: Conduct studio tours with new prospects to build rapport to facilitate sales; set new members up for success, support members with class selection and participate/lead member appreciation events

-Operations: Maintain a high degree of cleanliness and studio presentation for current and potential customers. Assist in maintaining a safe environment for all.

-Self Management: Assumes responsibility for developing selling skills, reviewing training materials and participating in staff meetings to support achievement of personal and studio goals. “Go the extra mile” to drive sales and deliver exceptional customer service

-Other duties as assigned

Skills

- Proven work experience as a Retail Sales associate, Sales representative or similar role (i.e. Orangetheory fitness, Gym or health club front desk, Gap, Victoria’s Secret)

-Basic understanding of sales principles and customer service practices

-Proficiency in English

-Excellent phone skills

-Solid communication and interpersonal skills

-A friendly and energetic personality with customer service focus

-Ability to perform under pressure and address complaints in a timely manner

-Availability to work flexible shifts

-BS degree in Marketing or related field would be a plus https://yogasixoakpark.applytojob. com/apply/8VFe6DzMAT/FitnessSales-Associate

Custom Frame Company Clean,

Software Engineer II sought by Coyote Logistics, LLC in Chicago, IL. Telecommuting is permitted. Apply at jobpostingtoday.com Ref# 37465.

PART-TIME ASSISTANT FACILITIES MANAGER

First United Methodist Church of Oak Park

324 N Oak Park Ave, Oak Park

First United Methodist Church is seeking a part-time Assistant Facilities Manager to work the following hours:

- Sunday mornings 8:00 AM to 1:00 PM

- Two Mondays per month from 6:00 PM to 9:30 PM

- Every Wednesday evening from 6:00 PM to 8:30 PM

The position will also cover additional hours for weekdays and occasional weekend hours as needed.

Responsibilities of this position include:

- Opening and closing procedures on Sunday mornings and at the end of other church or guest events.

- Locking and unlocking appropriate doors for each event

- Overseeing the loading and unloading of bulky items through church doors

- Setting up and breaking down tables

- Directing guests to legal parking options

- Providing security for church events

- Contacting emergency medical, police or fire personnel when required

- Ensuring snow removal contractors arrive in time to clean sidewalks, or removing snow on private sidewalks if needed

- Accessing items in storage as needed, such as power strips, proper tape

- Handling minor repairs and contacting the Facilities Manager, Trustees or directly calling contractors when necessary

- On occasion there is some cleaning required of spaces used

This individual must present himself/ herself to the public in a professional

Manufacturing

Top rated firm, Alpina Manufacturing LLC, founded in 1992, locally owned beautiful campus in Galewood, near Mars candy, 3 blocks north of Oak Park. We build and sell display framing systems to customers nationwide including Wal-Mart, Verizon, Circle K, Hospitals, CTA. Apply in person M-F 8am to 4pm • Alpina • 6460 W Cortland St Chicago, IL 60707

www.fastchangeframes.com

River Forest Public Schools

River Forest School District 90 is seeking On-Call Substitute Teachers and Teacher Aides, $130-$150 per day!

FLEXIBLE Schedule between the hours of 7:50a - 3:20pm

Work one day a week or up to 5 days a week, half days or full days

Responsibilities:

The On-Call Substitute will work in place of the individual he/she will be temporarily replacing during the scheduled day. This individual may also be asked to perform other duties as required in relation to the substituting assignment.

Qualifications:

One of the following licenses:

• Professional Educator License (PEL)

• Substitute Teaching License (Bachelor’s degree required; beginning January 2023 enrolled in an IL approved educator program & have completed 90

semesters hours of coursework)

• Short-term Substitute License (Associate’s degree or at least 60 college credit hours)

• Educator License with Stipulations

• Paraprofessional License (Associate’s degree required)

• Short-term Paraprofessional License (High School Diploma w/3 years to work towards obtaining Paraprofessional license.)

Apply online at: www.district90.org/about/employment

HELP WANTED

manner as a representative of our church.

May fill in when needed for the Facilities Manager or the Custodian

This position reports to the Facilities Manager, Trustees or the Pastor as needed. Must be willing to serve on rotation for emergency response from our Burglar system or the Fire Department.

Successful completion of background checks must be completed prior to work. Covid vaccinations are required.

Pay - $20 an hour. Resumes can be sent to LKMasters47@gmail.com.

GRANTS COORDINATOR

The Village of Oak Park is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Grants Coordinator in the Development Customer Service Department. This position assists the Village’s Grant Supervisor in developing, coordinating, and administering various grants programs for the Village of Oak Park. Applicants are encouraged to visit the Village of Oak Park’s website http://www.oakpark.us/jobs. Interested and qualified applicants must complete a Village of Oak Park application.

PARKING ENFORCEMENT OFFICER

The Village of Oak Park is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Parking Enforcement Officer in the Police Department Field Services Division. This position will perform a variety of duties and responsibilities involved in the enforcement of Village parking regulations; and to provide general information and assistance to the public. Applicants are encouraged to visit the Village of Oak Park’s website http://www.oak-park.us/. Interested and qualified applicants must complete a Village of Oak Park application.

MARKETPLACE

GARAGE SALE

Grandmothers clock, towels, hardware, fishing equipment, trolling motor, fans, home goods, frames, pictures, gardening, CDs, DVDs, antique cookbooks, books, small furniture, table/chairs, stools, boom boxes, mini-stepper, clothes Ladies 6-16 & Men’s L-XXL, boy christening outfit, macrame plant hangers, Xmas tree-houses-outdoor décor, so much more!

EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE COORDINATOR

OFFICE/RETAIL FOR RENT

OFFICE/RETAIL FOR RENT

RIVER FOREST–7777 Lake St.

*

The Village of Oak Park is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Emergency Preparedness and Response Coordinator in the Health Department/ Village Manager’s Office. This position will coordinate disaster response, crisis management and medical countermeasure dispensing/ distribution activities for the Village of Oak Park, provide disaster preparedness training, and prepare emergency plans and procedures for natural (e.g., floods, earthquakes), wartime, or technological (e.g., nuclear power plant emergencies, hazardous materials spills, biological releases) or disasters. This single class position is also responsible for the complex administrative duties required for state, federal and local response processes and grant management. Applicants are encouraged to visit the Village of Oak Park’s website http://www.oak-park.us/ jobs. Interested and qualified applicants must complete a Village of Oak Park application. First review of applications will be August 5, 2022. 708-38

CLASSICS WANTED

Porsche, Corvette, Ferrari’s, Jaguars, Muscle Cars, Mustang & Mopars

$$ Top $$ all makes, Etc. Collector James 630-201-8122

WANTED TO BUY

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

Call Uncle Gary 708-522-3400

PUBLIC NOTICES PUBLIC NOTICES

Division.

In re the marriage of RAMIA SALEH KASSIM, Petitioner and MAHDI AHMED MOHAMMED GHALEB, Respondent, Case No. 2022D007467.

The requisite affidavit for publication having been filed, notice is hereby given to you, the above named Respondent, that a Petition has been filed in the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois, by the Petitioner, for Dissolution of Marriage and for other relief; and that said suit is now pending.

back of Card B after the Judicial Retention Candidates.

For all in-person voters, the touchscreen ballot is approximately 20+ pages and any local referenda questions will be at the end of the ballot after the Judicial Retention Candidates.

A specimen ballot is included with this notice on page 11 .

PUBLIC NOTICE

Notice is hereby given, pursuant to “An Act in relation to the use of an Assumed Business Name in the conduct or transaction of Business in the State,” as amended, that a certification was registered by the undersigned with the County Clerk of Cook County. Registration Number: Y22009773 on October 20, 2022

Under the Assumed Business Name of INFINITE HEALING TINCTURES

Village of Oak Park

PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD for the:

Community Development Block Grant Program Year 2021

LEGAL NOTICE

PUBLIC NOTICE

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN by the Board Of Education of the Oak Park and River Forest High School, Consolidated High School District 200, Cook County, Illinois, 201 North Scoville Avenue, Oak Park, Illinois, 60302, that the District will be applying for the following Application:

Waiver or Modification of the Illinois School Code Section 27-24 (105 ILCS 5/27- 24.3). We are re-applying for this waiver to allow 18 hours of practice driving in a simulator system in lieu of 3 hours of instruction in a dual controlled car. This request is based upon fulfilling the intent of the Driver Education Mandate in a safer, efficient and innovative way for our student drivers, as well as improving student performance.

NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN that a public hearing on said waiver application will be held within the Business Section of the Regular Meeting of the Board of Education beginning approximately at 7:30 p.m. (immediately following the closed session) on Thursday, November 17, 2022 in the Board Room, Room 2163 at Oak Park and River Forest High School.

Published in Wednesday Journal October 19, 26, 2022

PUBLIC NOTICE

Notice is hereby given, pursuant to “An Act in relation to the use of an Assumed Business Name in the conduct or transaction of Business in the State,” as amended, that a certification was registered by the undersigned with the County Clerk of Cook County. Registration Number: Y22009744 on October 12, 2022 Under the Assumed Business Name of INTENTIONALBREATH with the business located at: 1414 BONNIE BRAE, RIVER FOREST, IL 60305. The true and real full name(s) and residence address of the owner(s)/ partner(s) is: MARY LISA WAHLFELDT1414 BONNIE BRAE, RIVER FOREST, IL 60305.

Published in Wednesday Journal October 19, 26, November 2, 2022

PUBLIC NOTICES

LAW OFFICES OF MALIKA T. ASSAR, P.C.

Attorney for Petitioner

420 West Huron Street, 1st Floor Chicago, IL 60654

LEGAL NOTICE

STATE OF ILLINOIS)

COUNTY OF COOK )ss

Circuit Court of Cook County, County Department, Domestic Relations

Now, therefore, unless you, the said Respondent, file your Appearance to said Petition and Response electronically to said Petition with the Office of the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois, on or before November 18, 2022, default may be entered against you at any time after that day, and a Judgment for Dissolution of Marriage entered in accordance with the prayer of said Petition.

Iris Y. Martinez, Clerk.

Published in Wednesday Journal October 19, 26, November 2, 2022

LEGAL

NOTICE STATE OF ILLINOIS) COUNTY OF COOK )ss

Circuit Court of Cook County, County Department, Domestic Relations Division.

In re the allocation of SHANNON JEAN FITCH, Petitioner and JOHN EASDALE BARCLAY, IV, Respondent, Case No. 2022D008089.

The requisite affidavit for publication having been filed, notice is hereby given to you, the above named Respondent, that a Petition has been filed in the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois, by the Petitioner, for Temporary and Permanent Sole Allocation of Parental Responsibilities, Child Support, and Contribution to Child-Related Expenses; and that said suit is now pending.

Now, therefore, unless you, the said Respondent, file your response to said Petition or otherwise make your appearance therein, in the Office of the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois, Room 802, Richard J.Daley Center, 50 West Washington Street, in the City of Chicago, Illinois, on or before November 18, 2022, default may be entered against you at any time after that day, and a judgment for Temporary and Permanent Sole Allocation of Parental Responsibilities, Child Support, and Contribution to Child-Related Expenses entered in accordance with the prayer of said Petition.

DOROTHY A. BROWN, Clerk.

Published in Wednesday Journal October 19, 26, November 2, 2022 PUBLIC NOTICE OAK PARK TOWNSHIP NOTICE OF NOVEMBER 8, 2022

ELECTION

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN to the legal voters, residents of the Township of Oak Park, County of Cook, and State of Illinois, that the General Election is scheduled for November 8, 2022. All voters who request a paper ballot, will receive or should have received two ballot cards (Card A & Card B). The local referenda questions will be on the

DaToya

Burtin-Cox Oak Park Township Clerk

Published in Wednesday Journal October 26, 2022

PUBLIC NOTICE Notice of Public Hearing Park District of Oak Park November 3, 2022, 7:30 p.m. 2022 Tax Levy

Notice is hereby given that the Board of Commissioners of the Park District of Oak Park will conduct a public hearing concerning the adoption of the Park District’s 2022 Property Tax Levy on November 3, 2022, at 7:30 p.m. at the Hedges Administration Center, 218 Madison St, Oak Park, IL, during the Board of Commissioners’ committee of the whole meeting.

By: Commissioner Chris Wollmuth Secretary, Board of Commissioners Park District of Oak Park

Published in Wednesday Journal October 26, 2022

Public Notice

ADVERTISEMENT OF BIDDING

Request of bids for the Park District of Oak Park 228-230 Lot Restoration, 228-230 Madison St., Oak Park.

Owner: Park District of Oak Park 218 Madison St, Oak Park, IL 60302

The Park District of Oak Park will accept sealed bids for the 228-230 Madison Lot Restoration, 228-230 Madison St., Oak Park. The project consists of removal of sidewalk, asphalt, curb and gutter; grading, new driveway approach, paving, sidewalk, masonry, drainage, pavers, striping, bike racks and more.

The Park District of Oak Park will receive individual sealed Bids until 2:00 p.m. (Central time) on Friday, November 18th, at 218 Madison St., Oak Park, IL. The bidding documents and requirements will be available on the link below as of 5:00 pm Friday, October 28th, 2022. A non-mandatory pre-bid walk-thru is scheduled for Tuesday, November 8th at 9:00 a.m. at the 228-230 Madison St., Oak Park, IL 60302. Bid bonds will be required by bidding contractors. Copies of the bidding specifications are available via this link: https://rb.gy/ yoqnmo For additional information, contact Chris Lindgren at chris.lindgren@pdop.org or (708) 725-2050.

Only the bids prepared in compliance with the bidding documents will be considered. This project must adhere to the Prevailing Wage Act of 2022. The Park District of Oak Park strongly encourages minority and women owned business firms to submit bids for this project.

Park District of Oak Park

By: Chris Wollmuth, Secretary

Park District of Oak Park 218 Madison St. Oak Park, IL 60302

Published in Wednesday Journal October 26, 2022

AND CO. with the business located at: 7000 WEST FOREST PRESERVE DR. #1061, NORRIDGE, IL 60706. The true and real full name(s) and residence address of the owner(s)/partner(s) is: TENNILLE TENARD 1543 FRANKLIN AVE UNIT B RIVER FOREST, IL 60305, USA.

Published in Wednesday Journal October 26, November 2, 9, 2022

PUBLIC NOTICE

Notice is hereby given, pursuant to “An Act in relation to the use of an Assumed Business Name in the conduct or transaction of Business in the State,” as amended, that a certification was registered by the undersigned with the County Clerk of Cook County. Registration Number: Y22009754 on October 18, 2022

Under the Assumed Business Name of WRAPTHATUP with the business located at: 4232 EDGEWATER AVENUE, HILLSIDE, IL 60162. The true and real full name(s) and residence address of the owner(s)/partner(s) is: STEEVE KIDD 4232 EDGEWATER AVENUE HILLSIDE, IL 60162, USA

Published in Wednesday Journal October 26, November 2, 9, 2022

CONSOLIDATED ANNUAL PERFORMANCE AND EVALUATION REPORT

Date of Publication: November 9, 2022

Village of Oak Park, 123 Madison Street Oak Park, IL 60302, (708) 383-6400

PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD

Notice is hereby given that the Village of Oak Park Program Year 2021 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Draft Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report (CAPER) will be available for public review beginning Wednesday, November 9, 2022. The CAPER is the City’s annual CDBG report to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). It will reflect the Program Year 2021 results, which began October 1, 2021 and ended September 30, 2022.

The Village of Oak Park invites comments on the CAPER. The public comment period will begin November 9, 2022, and end

November 25, 2022 at 5:00pm CST. The report will be available by visiting the Village of Oak Park, 123 Madison Street, Oak Park, IL 60302 and at: www.oak-park.us/ cdbg.

Written comments can be sent to the address to the attention of Development Customer Services, CDBG Department or may be emailed to grants@oak-park.us.

Reasonable accommodations will be made for persons with disabilities and non-English speaking persons, as needed. Any public comments will be submitted with the CAPER to the Village Board and HUD.

Published in Wednesday Journal, October 26, 2022

The Village of Oak Park will receive sealed bids from qualified contractors at the Public Works Center, 201 South Boulevard, Oak Park, Illinois 60302 Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. local time until 2:00 p.m. on Friday, November 11, 2022 for the following:

Village of Oak Park 2022 – 23 Calcium Chloride & Salt Brine Purchase Bid Number: 23-102

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

Published in Wednesday Journal October 26, 2022

LEGAL NOTICE

The Village of Oak Park will receive sealed bids from qualified contractors at the Public Works Center, 201 South Boulevard, Oak Park, Illinois 60302 Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. local time until 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, November 9, 2021 for the following:

Village of Oak Park Stone & Sand Materials Bid Number: 23-103

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

Published in Wednesday Journal October 26, 2022

PUBLIC NOTICES

EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY

All real estate advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Fair Housing Act, which makes it illegal to advertise any preference, limitation or discrimination based on age, race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status or national origin, or intention to make any such preferences, limitations or discrimination.

The Illinois Human Rights Act prohibits discrimination in the sale, rental or advertising of real estate based on factors in addition to those protected under federal law.

This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law.

All persons are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised are available on an equal opportunity basis.

Restrictions or prohibitions of pets do not apply to service animals.

To complain of discrimination, call HUD toll free at: 1-800-669-9777.

GROWING COMMUNITY MEDIA

REAL ESTATE FOR SALE

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHAN-

CERY DIVISION

ILLINOIS HOUSING DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY; Plaintiff,

vs. KATHRYN CASSIDY AKA KATHRYN J. CASIDY AKA

KATHRYN J. CASSIDY AKA KATIE

CASSIDY; KATHRYN

CASSIDY AKA KATHRYN J. CASIDY AKA KATHYRN J.

CASSIDY AKA KATHIE CASSIDY AS TRUSTEE UNDER THE KATIE CASSIDY LIVING TRUST DATED

SEPTEMBER 1, 2006, AS LIVING

TRUST; UNKNOWN OWNERS AND NONRECORD CLAIMANTS; MAJESTIC CONDOMINIUM ASSOCIATION; Defendants, 22 CH 1952

NOTICE OF SALE

PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIV-

EN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above entitled cause Intercounty Judicial Sales Corporation will on Tuesday, November 22, 2022 at the hour of 11 a.m. in their office at 120 West Madison Street, Suite 718A, Chicago, Illinois, sell at public auction to the highest bidder for cash, as set forth below, the following described mortgaged real estate:

Unit 428-2-E in the Majestic Condominiums as delineated on a survey of the following real estate:

P.I.N. 16-07-419-029-1011.

Commonly known as 428 South Euclid Avenue, Oak Park, IL 60302.

The mortgaged real estate is improved with a condominium residence. The purchaser of the unit other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments and the legal fees required by subdivisions (g)(1) and (g)

(4) of Section 9 of the Condominium Property Act Sale terms: 10% down by certified funds, balance, by certified funds, within 24 hours. No refunds. The property will NOT be open for inspection.

For information call Sales Department at Plaintiff’s Attorney, Manley Deas Kochalski, LLC, One East Wacker Drive, Chicago, Illinois 60601. (614) 220-5611. 22-004739

F2 INTERCOUNTY JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION intercountyjudicialsales.com

I3204933

REAL ESTATE FOR SALE REAL ESTATE FOR SALE REAL ESTATE FOR SALE

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION SELENE FINANCE LP Plaintiff, -v.-

LARSENIA HORTON, NEIL SMITH, ASSURANCE RESTORATION & CONSTRUTION, INC., PRAIRIE HOUSES OWNERS ASSOCIATION, UNKNOWN OWNERS AND NON-RECORD CLAIMANTS

Defendants 18 CH 12736

14 DIVISION STREET, # 14

OAK PARK, IL 60302

NOTICE OF SALE

PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIV-

EN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on December 16, 2019, an agent for The Judicial Sales Corporation, will at 10:30 AM on December 7, 2022, at The Judicial Sales Corporation, One South Wacker, 1st Floor Suite 35R, Chicago, IL, 60606, sell at a public sale to the highest bidder, as set forth below, the following described real estate:

Commonly known as 14 DIVISION STREET, # 14, OAK PARK, IL 60302

Property Index No. 16-05-127-0480000

The real estate is improved with a brown brick, three story townhouse, attached one car garage.

Sale terms: 25% down of the highest bid by certified funds at the close of the sale payable to The Judicial Sales Corporation. No third party checks will be accepted. The balance, including the Judicial Sale fee for the Abandoned Residential Property Municipality Relief Fund, which is calculated on residential real estate at the rate of $1 for each $1,000 or fraction thereof of the amount paid by the purchaser not to exceed $300, in certified funds/or wire transfer, is due within twenty-four (24) hours. No fee shall be paid by the mortgagee acquiring the residential real estate pursuant to its credit bid at the sale or by any mortgagee, judgment creditor, or other lienor acquiring the residential real estate whose rights in and to the residential real estate arose prior to the sale. The subject property is subject to general real estate taxes, special assessments, or special taxes levied against said real estate and is offered for sale without any representation as to quality or quantity of title and without recourse to Plaintiff and in “AS IS” condition. The sale is further subject to confirmation by the court. Upon payment in full of the amount

REAL ESTATE FOR SALE REAL ESTATE FOR SALE

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.

MCCALLA RAYMER LEIBERT

PIERCE, LLC Plaintiff’s Attorneys,

One North Dearborn Street, Suite 1200, Chicago, IL, 60602. Tel No. (312) 346-9088.

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.

MCCALLA RAYMER LEIBERT PIERCE, LLC

One North Dearborn Street, Suite 1200 Chicago IL, 60602 312-346-9088

E-Mail: pleadings@mccalla.com

Attorney File No. 20-04687IL_613739

Attorney ARDC No. 61256

Attorney Code. 61256

Case Number: 18 CH 12736 TJSC#: 42-1079

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 # 18 CH 12736 I3204167

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION FIFTH THIRD BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION

Plaintiff, -v.-

HENRY K. CUSHING, MARY KAY O’GRADY, MARGUERITE HOLDING, THE HUNTINGTON NATIONAL BANK

Defendants 2022 CH 02884 115 S RIDGELAND AVENUE OAK PARK, IL 60302

NOTICE OF SALE

PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on July 18, 2022, an agent for The Judicial Sales Corporation, will at 10:30 AM on November 18, 2022, at The Judicial Sales Corporation, One South Wacker, 1st Floor Suite 35R, Chicago, IL, 60606, sell at a public sale to the highest bidder, as set forth below, the following described real estate:

Commonly known as 115 S RIDGELAND AVENUE, OAK PARK, IL 60302

Property Index No. 16-07-405-0180000

The real estate is improved with a residence.

Sale terms: 25% down of the highest bid by certified funds at the close of the sale payable to The Judicial Sales Corporation. No third party checks will be accepted. The balance, including the Judicial Sale fee for the Abandoned Residential Property Municipality Relief Fund, which is calculated on residential real estate at the rate of $1 for each $1,000 or fraction thereof of the amount paid by the purchaser not to exceed $300, in certified funds/or wire transfer, is due within twenty-four (24) hours. No fee shall be paid by the mortgagee acquiring the residential real estate pursuant to its credit bid at the sale or by any mortgagee, judgment creditor, or other lienor acquiring the residential real estate whose rights in and to the residential real estate arose prior to the sale. The subject property is subject to general real estate taxes, special assessments, or special taxes levied against said real estate and is offered for sale without any representation as to quality or quantity of

title and without recourse to Plaintiff and in “AS IS” condition. The sale is further subject to confirmation by the court.

Upon payment in full of the amount bid, the purchaser will receive a Certificate of Sale that will entitle the purchaser to a deed to the real estate after confirmation of the sale.

The property will NOT be open for inspection and plaintiff makes no representation as to the condition of the property. Prospective bidders are admonished to check the court file to verify all information.

If this property is a condominium unit, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale, other than a mortgagee, shall pay the assessments and the legal fees required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/9(g)(1) and (g)(4). If this property is a condominium unit which is part of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/18.5(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) 236SALE

You can also visit The Judicial Sales Corporation at www.tjsc.com for a 7 day status report of pending sales.

CODILIS & ASSOCIATES, P.C. 15W030 NORTH FRONTAGE ROAD, SUITE 100 BURR RIDGE IL, 60527 630-794-5300

E-Mail: pleadings@il.cslegal.com

Attorney File No. 14-22-02626

Attorney ARDC No. 00468002

Attorney Code. 21762

Case Number: 2022 CH 02884

TJSC#: 42-2725

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 # 2022 CH 02884

I3204837