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ForestParkReview.com Vol. 104, No. 43

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REVIEW OCTOBER 27, 2021

The Foundry set to make Madision Street debut Page 14

Ferrara hit by ransomware attack Page 14

@FP_Review @ForestParkReview

Gross picked as permanent chief of police

Deputy chief promoted without external search By ANDY VIANO Editor

Deputy Chief of Police Kenneth Gross, who has been acting police chief since the retirement of Tom Aftanas in September, will be nominated as the city’s top cop at an upcoming village council meeting, Mayor Rory Hoskins said Monday. Gross, 52, is a 21-year veteran of the Forest Park Police Department and has worked in a number of roles during his law enforcement career. Gross’ nomination must be approved by the village commissioners before it becomes official, something that could happen as soon as Nov. 8. “I look forward to the challenges that the position’s going to bring,” Gross said of being nominated. “This is a great department. I look forward to leading this department and serving the community as I have for 20-plus years.” Hoskins touted Gross’ experience and history in Forest Park in explaining his pick for chief of police and said he was not inclined to disrupt a department that, he said, “is a well-oiled machine.” “I believe there’s value in continuity and Ken has been with the department a long time,” Hoskins said. “He’s well-respected by his peers and I’m comfortable with him.” Gross was appointed at the recommendation of Aftanas, who named Gross his deputy chief in October 2019. “I guess flattering would be the word,” Gross said of receiving Aftanas’ recommendation. “When I started, See POLICE CHIEF on page 5

SHANEL ROMAIN/Contributer

LOOK LIVELY: The Addams Family team won the Dead Last Award during the 9th Annual Casket Races, and they didn’t seem to mind one bit.

Caskets draw a crowd Annual casket races attract record audience after COVID hiatus By ANDY VIANO Editor

Hordes of the living jammed Beloit Avenue on a picturesque Saturday morning as the village awoke from a 19-month slumber to celebrate Halloween in distinctly Forest Park style at the

IN Big Week . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 THIS Crime . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 ISSUE Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Classified . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

ninth annual Casket Races, hosted by the Forest Park Chamber of Commerce and Development. The event, a nod to the village’s many cemeteries and their thousands of dead residents, was canceled in 2020 as the COVID-19 pandemic raged, and Saturday’s gathering felt like a coming-out

party for living residents who had endured countless disruptions and cancellations since last March. As always, the costumes were clever and the caskets were rolling, but it was the crowd that stole the show. Laurie Kokenes, the chamber’s execuSee CASKETS on page 10

John Rice: Lending a hand to help the healing

Tom Holmes: Hanging out in a graveyard

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Forest Park Review, October 27, 2021 F O R E S T PA R K

REVIEW Editor Andy Viano Senior Editor Bob Uphues Equity Editor/Ombudsman Michael Romain Digital Publishing & Technology Manager Briana Higgins Contributing Reporters Tom Holmes, John Rice, Bob Skolnik, Jackie Glosniak, Robert J. Lifka Columnists Alan Brouilette, Jill Wagner, Tom Holmes, John Rice Food Editor Melissa Elsmo Staff Photographer Alex Rogals Design/Production Manager Andrew Mead Editorial Design Manager Javier Govea Designer Susan McKelvey Sales and Marketing Representatives Lourdes Nicholls, Marc Stopeck Development Manager Mary Ellen Nelligan Development & Sales Coordinator Stacy Coleman Circulation Manager Jill Wagner Publisher Dan Haley Business Manager Joyce Minich

Board of Directors Chair Judy Greffin Treasurer Nile Wendorf Deb Abrahamson, Gary Collins, Darnell Shields, Sheila Solomon, Eric Weinheimer HOW TO REACH US ADDRESS 141 S. Oak Park Ave., Oak Park, IL 60302 PHONE 708-366-0600 ■ FAX 708-467-9066 EMAIL forestpark@wjinc.com CIRCULATION Jill@oakpark.com ONLINE ForestParkReview.com TWITTER @FP_Review Postmaster: Please send address changes to: Forest Park Review,141 S. Oak Park Ave., Oak Park, IL 60302-2901. Periodical rate postage paid at Oak Park, IL (USPS No 0205-160) In-county subscriptions: $30 per year. $44 for two years, $60 for three years. Out-of-county subscriptions: $38 per year.

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Lending a hand to help the healing apart in precise rows on a polo field. Joe and Sandy Byrnes bought two. One honored Santora, the other a New York police officer named Maurice Berry. Berry had been on the 45th floor of tower one, escorting workers to a stairway. He was ordered to leave but was still guiding workers when the tower collapsed. One of the speakers at the Healing Field ceremony recounted how Berry had led him to safety. Joe and Sandy later donated Berry’s flag to our police department and Santora’s flag to our fire department. When Matousek visited the firehouse and saw the flag honoring Santora, he got goosebumps. He couldn’t get over the coincidence of Joe Byrnes purchasing the flag of a young man he had been memorializing for two decades. Ever since 9/11, Matousek had felt a kinship with New York firefighters. On April 21, 2002, he helped host a reception for members of FDNY Engine Co. 55 at our firehouse. They had lost five of their own on 9/11. Faustino Apostal was no longer assigned to their firehouse but died helping his former comrades. The New Yorkers told stories of other fallen friends, while they feasted on Italian food at the firehouse. Then they accompanied their hosts to Molly Malone’s for a fundraiser. The New Yorkers entertained the crowd by singing their theme song “In My Life.” A boot was passed for donations and raffle tickets were sold. Matousek presented them with a plaque, “To honor and cherish their fallen comrades.”

merica needs healing. Fortunately, there are organizations and individuals who are promoting this process. They include Commissioner Joe Byrnes and retired Forest Park firefighter Tom Matousek. Through a remarkable coincidence, they experienced a sense of unity by honoring a young New York firefighter who fell on 9/11. In 2002, Matousek purchased a commemorative bracelet bearing the firefighter’s name, to raise funds for families who lost loved ones on 9/11. Matousek didn’t care which firefighter the bracelet honored but promised he’d wear it forever. He received a bracelet that honored FDNY firefighter Christopher Santora. Santora was a 23-year-old assigned to Engine Co. 54. He was home after his shift when he learned of the terrorist attack. He immediately rushed to the World Trade Center. He ran into the north tower to help with rescue efforts and was killed when the tower collapsed. Matousek was wearing Santora’s bracelet in 2017 when he and his wife Denise attended the Healing Field ceremony in Oak Brook. The display honored the 2,977 victims of 9/11 with American flags, bearing biographies of each victim. He found the flag for Santora and photographed it with the bracelet, side-by-side. He purchased the flag and displays it annually on 9/11. This year’s Healing Field was a stirring sight, displaying American flags on 7-foot poles. Volunteers placed them exactly 5 feet

JOHN RICE

L O O K

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PROVIDED

A flag and bracelet honoring firefighter Chris Santora, who died at the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001. This same sentiment was expressed at the Healing Field ceremony. It was a tribute marking the 20th anniversary of 9/11. After the flags were displayed, Sept. 8-12, visitors purchased them for $40 to raise money for families of victims. Seven hundred motorcyclists rode there from Woodstock and donated $50 apiece. The Healing Field is the brainchild of Jerry Christopherson, who founded the True Patriots Care Foundation. The organization is “dedicated to recognizing and supporting those who served their communities as first responders and as members of the armed services.” The Healing Field event raised over $42,000, which was distributed to 11 charities. The flag honoring Santora will be on permanent display at the firehouse. It’s a powerful reminder of the spirit of unity many Americans felt following 9/11.

T I M E

The Harlem Race Track The Harlem Race Track (originally called the Harlem Jockey Club) was opened in 1894 at Hannah and Roosevelt Road (then known as Collier and 12th Street) in Harlem (now Forest Park). The track ran along Roosevelt with the grandstand near Hannah on an 80-acre property. It was sold to the Chicago World Fairgrounds Association, and it was managed by “Blind” John Condon who would eventually own the track. The track was controversial at the time, as the public outcry against gambling delayed its scheduled opening by a few years. In a 1899, an injunction against the Harlem jockey club and associates stated “5,000 people congregate at that the track every day … the worst of disorderly and criminal classes … [they] loiter and loaf around the Village of Harlem … and many disreputable resorts have sprung up throughout the Village of Harlem.” Serving horseracing fans far beyond the boundaries of Harlem, there was an express train from the Loop that would help people get to the track and back, called the “race track special.” In 1900, Isaac Lewis, the 17-year-old who won the 1887 Kentucky Derby, had moved to Harlem and was as a groom at the track, and was one of the notable African Americans from Kentucky who lived in Proviso and worked at the track. Although the track was used for horse racing, as early as 1902 the track was also hosting automobile racing. By 1905 horse rac-

PROVIDED

This 1901 photograph shows the grandstand of the Harlem Race Track and part of the stables. Later the land was converted to a golf course, U.S. Naval Ordnance Plant and Naval Reserve Center, mall and now is a shopping plaza and home of Living Word Ministries. ing and gambling were banned but the track continued to host automobile races at least through 1910 while it was converting to a golf course.

Forest Park Review, October 27, 2021

NOVEMBER 1 - DECEMBER 25, 2021 TRACK YOUR RECEIPTS WITH THE ENCLOSED ENVELOPE

[[Dia de los Muertos art]]

Forest Park Review, October 27, 2021

October 27-November 3

BIG WEEK

Dia de los Muertos Spanish Storytime Kids ages 3 to 6 are welcome to log on to this virtual celebration of the Mexican holiday hosted by the Forest Park Public Library and The Language Labs Tuesday, Nov. 2 from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Registration is required and open now at fppl.org. The first 16 registrants, and their families, will receive an activity kit to help follow along.

NaNoWriMo young writer’s workshop Budding young writers are invited to join the Forest Park Library’s own new novelist Mia Manansala for an in-person crash course on the journey from concept to the page with National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) right around the corner. This is an in-person event, although remote accommodations will be made on request. The workshop runs from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 29 and will be held in the library at 7555 Jackson Boulevard. MIA MANANSALA NaNoWriMo is a nonprofit organization that encourages young writers to put a full 50,000-page novel into words during the month of November, providing them with workbooks and guided instruction, both of which will be available at this event. For more information, contact Mia Manansala at mmanansala@fppl.org.

Trunk or Treat Turn your car into a destination for young ghouls and goblins, or just browse to grab up your own tasty delights, at this year’s Trunk or Treat at Roos Recreation Center Saturday, Oct. 30. The event, organized by the Park District of Forest Park, runs from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 7329 Harrison Street. Pre-registration is required for those who want to decorate and stock their vehicles full of goodies. The event is free to attend both as a treat-giver or treat-collector. More information at pdofp.org.

Fallin’ for Our Stars fundraiser The West Suburban Special Recreation Association is hosting its annual fundraiser, this time virtually, on Friday, Oct. 29. The event includes a silent auction that is already underway, numerous raffle prizes, and virtual roulette, blackjack and craps games Friday night from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. The silent auction closes at 10 p.m. The WSSRA offers year-round recreation opportunities for people with disabilities in Forest Park, Oak Park, River Forest and several surrounding communities. More information is available at wssra.net.

Cherie Salerno gallery The work of Cherie Salerno will be on display at Forest Park National Bank into the first week of November thanks to the Oak Park Area Arts Council. Salerno, who was trained at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, says “color uplifts my art like love uplifts a person,” and this gallery features “uplifting colors and exciting movement,” the council says. Forest Park National Bank at 7348 W. Madison St. is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, and from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday.

SUBMIT YOUR EVENT ■ Have an event we should feature in the Big Week? Email event details (photo, time, place, cost & a brief

description) to Andy@forestparkreview.com. The deadline for submissions is Friday at noon.

Into the Woods virtual storytelling Prepare for a virtual haunted walk through the woods at this online event from Illinois Storytelling Inc. with tales of ghouls, ghosts and frights on tap. The event is spooky enough that only adults are welcome, with the stories beginning after bedtime — Friday, Oct. 29 at 9 p.m. Registration is required at storytelling.org, with a $15 or pay-what-you-can price of admission.

Forest Park Review, October 27, 2021

State mandates vaccine for day care workers Order from Gov. Pritzker will cover 55,000 professionals statewide By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois

SPRINGFIELD — Gov. JB Pritzker announced an executive order Friday that will add day care personnel to the list of professions that must either be vaccinated against COVID-19 or submit to weekly testing. The governor’s office said it expects the order to affect 55,000 individuals in the state, although many of them may have already received a vaccine. “Vaccinations offer life-saving protection for the people who receive them and make the community safer for the people who can’t — including the babies, toddlers, and young children not yet eligible for the vaccine,” Pritzker said in a news release. “By extending vaccine-or-test requirements to those who work at licensed day care centers, we are adding another level of protection for our youngest residents and preventing outbreaks in daycare centers as more and more parents return to work.” Children under 12 are not yet eligible to receive any of the approved vaccines in the U.S., although Pfizer has asked federal regulators to approve its vaccines for children aged 5 to 11. Children 12 years of age and older are currently eligible for that vaccine. Day care professionals will be required to receive their first dose by Dec. 3, and their second by Jan. 3. Those not fully vaccinated by Dec. 3 will have to submit to weekly COVID-19 testing until they are fully vaccinated, according to the governor’s office.

There are 2,872 day care centers in Illinois that are licensed through the Department of Children and Family Services, the governor’s office said in a news release. Since August, the governor’s office has mandated the same vaccine or testing requirements for health care professionals, teachers and staff at Pre-K-12 schools, higher education personnel and students, and a number of state workers. Last week, the governor’s office announced it had reached an agreement with a fifth state employee union, bringing the number of union employees covered by vaccine agreements to nearly 2,100. The latest agreement with the Teamsters union covers equipment operators and maintenance workers at the Illinois Department of Human Services and Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs, about 100 workers in total, according to the governor’s office. They join the VR-704 union, the Illinois Nurses Association, the Illinois Federation of Public Employees and Illinois Trade Unions as those covered in agreements with the state. Per those agreements, employees will receive an additional personal day, and may be compensated at their regular pay for the time taken to receive the vaccine if none is available off work hours. Vaccinated employees may also receive paid time off if they contract COVID-19. Those employees had an Oct. 26 deadline for their first vaccine, while the second dose

must be received by the end of November. Negotiations are ongoing with the state’s largest public employee union, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Council 31, or AFSCME. That union represents 39,000 state workers – including about 20,000 covered by the executive order. The governor’s vaccine mandates were first issued in late August amid a surge of the COVID-19 delta variant that has Gov. JB Pritzker proven about twice as transmissible as the first wave of the virus. On Aug. 26, when the governor issued the order, the rolling case positivity rate for COVID-19 tests was 5.4 percent. Virus transmission rates have ticked downward since that time, and the case positivity rate sat at 2 percent as of Friday. That number is still well above the mid-June lows of 0.6 percent. As of Friday, 63.4 percent of the state’s age 12 and over population had been fully vaccinated. Hospitalizations for the virus have ticked downward as well. As of Thursday night, there were 1,277 individuals hospitalized

FILE PHOTO

with COVID-19 in Illinois, down from a stretch of several days above 2,300 in September during the most recent surge. There were 323 intensive care unit beds in use by COVID-19 patients, down from more than 560 in September. That included 152 ventilators in use by COVID-19 patients, down from more than 340 in September. Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service covering state government and distributed to more than 400 newspapers statewide. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation.

POLICE CHIEF

Gross tabbed for top job from page1

F O R E S T PA R K

I expected to be here for 20-plus years and I expected to be a sergeant at some point. I never thought I’d be where I’m at now. It’s flattering that people had the faith in me to run a police department.” Aftanas announced he would be stepping down in late June and even at that time Hoskins told the Review that he was likely to recommend Gross as the permanent chief. No search was conducted outside the department and Hoskins said no such search is required by village code. “There’s no set process,” Hoskins said. “If we wanted to do an external search we could; we’re not required to.” Aftanas took a similar route to the job, eventually spending 30 years with the department, including a stretch as deputy chief before ascending to the top job in 2015. Aftanas’ last day on the job was Sept. 17.

REVIEW Visit us online ForestParkReview.com ALEX ROGALS/Staff Photographer

Kenneth Gross stands for a photo outside of the police station on Monday, Oct. 25, 2021, at the Village of Forest Park.

Forest Park Review, October 27, 2021

Attention All Non-Profits Season of Giving is Coming Up! Now in its seventh year, this campaign promotes awareness of, and year-end donations for local non-profits. By participating, your agency will be highlighted across Growing Community Media’s digital and print publications covering Chicago’s West Side and near west suburbs.

Reserve your space today! Contact Marc Stopeck at 708.613.3330 • marc@oakpark.com OR Contact Lourdes Nicholls at 708.613.3329 • lourdes@oakpark.com

Presented by Growing Community Media and Sponsored by the Oak Park-River Forest Community Foundation and Byline Bank

Forest Park Review, October 27, 2021

Attempted carjacking ends with crash on I-290

A robbery and attempted carjacking in downtown Forest Park Friday afternoon,ended with a crash involving a Forest Park Police Department squad car. According to the FPPD, officers were called to the area of Madison Street and Hannah Avenue a little after 1:45 p.m., Friday, shortly after a group of people allegedly confronted a woman in the 400 block of Hannah, stole her keys and a cellphone, and attempted to steal her vehicle. The woman told police she parked her car and was walking northbound on Hannah when three people got out of a gray Cadillac SUV and robbed her, telling her to “give us everything.” The suspects then allegedly ordered her to drop her phone and turn over her vehicle’s key fob, which she did. The suspects were unable to steal the vehicle, however, and instead left the scene in the Cadillac, which officers later determined had been reported stolen. An officer spotted the SUV a short while later in the 600 block of Elgin Avenue and attempted to instigate a traffic stop. The vehicle did not stop and instead entered the eastbound Eisenhower Expressway, followed by Forest Park police. The suspect colided with the squad car near Independence Boulevard. Acting Chief of Police Ken Gross said the squad car was “salvageable” despite the collision. Three of the suspects then allegedly “bailed out” of the vehicle on foot and were captured with the help of Chicago police. Two of those apprehended were juveniles. The adult, 19-year-old Ethin Julian, of Chicago, has been charged with felony vehicular hijacking. A fourth suspect remains at large.

Posing as sheriff, man pulls gun on passing motorist A 39-year-old Forest Park man, posing as a member of the Cook County Sheriff ’s Office, was arrested after allegedly pointing a gun and throwing cat food at a man who was driving through his neighborhood in the early hours of Oct. 20. Forest Park police responded to the 100 block of Elgin Avenue around 1:40 a.m. after they were told a man wearing a “police jacket” had threatened another man with a firearm. The alleged victim told police he had been driving through the area looking for his girlfriend’s house when a man walked out of a yard, confronted him in the alley and warned him to slow down because he nearly struck his cat. The man then threw what appeared to be cat food and swiped a set of keys at the vehicle. Approximately 15 minutes later, the victim returned to the area and saw a Lexus

L O C A L Forest Park flu, COVID vaccine clinic, Nov. 2 Residents can receive their annual influenza vaccine, along with the COVID-19 vaccine or a booster dose on Tuesday, Nov. 2 at the Howard Mohr Community Center at 7640 Jackson Blvd. The event will run from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Insurance will be billed through Walgreens, but those who are uninsured or underinsured can receive their vaccinations free of charge. The clinic is being run by the village of Forest Park in conjunction with the Illinois Department of Public Health. Shots will be distributed on a firstcome, first-served basis. Masks are re-

pointed the wrong way on a one-way street. The Lexus then began following him, eventually pulling up next to him in the alley. The driver of the Lexus was wearing a blue jacket with a badge-like emblem on it and identified himself as a “sheriff,” then told the man to “be safe” and pointed a handgun at him. Later, the man in the sheriff ’s jacket returned to the area once more, this time on foot, and had a confrontation with the man and his girlfriend’s mother, who identified herself as a member of the Cook County Sheriff ’s Office. Police apprehended the suspect shortly after arriving on scene and noted he was “highly intoxicated” at the time. He told officers he did not point a gun, nor did he own a Lexus, but a Lexus matching the suspect’s vehicle description was located at his residence with a paintball gun on the front passenger seat. Officers also confiscated the man’s sheriff ’s jacket and an empty gun holster. Acting Chief of Police Ken Gross said he did not believe the suspect was a member of law enforcement.

Panhandler arrested after slamming woman’s head into window Police arrested a 36-year-old Chicago woman after she allegedly assaulted another woman who refused to hand over spare cash on an inbound Blue Line train, Oct. 18. Forest Park police arrived at the CTA station at 711 Desplaines Ave. a little after 2 p.m. and talked to a woman who said she was on an inbound train when another

woman approached her, asking for money. When the woman said she didn’t have any to spare, the suspect allegedly grabbed her by the head and slammed her head against the train window. The woman had redness and swelling to her head and cheek, police said, but refused additional medical attention.

Turning up loud music as soon as cops leave Forest Park police returned to a dispute between neighbors, and cited a music lover for cranking up his speakers shortly after the cops warned him to keep it down. Officers were initially called to the 1300 block of Circle Ave. around 11:15 p.m. on Oct. 18 by the building’s landlord who said his tenant and upstairs neighbor didn’t listen when he asked him to turn his music down. The tenant told police it was the fault of a “cheap speaker” that he’d bought earlier that day but agreed to turn down his volume. Officers warned that he would be cited if they were called to return. Shortly after leaving, officers were indeed summoned back to the house and were told the music was turned back up as soon as the police left. This time they did issue a citation. These items were obtained from police reports filed by the Forest Park Police Department, Oct. 15-21, and represent a portion of the incidents to which police responded. Unless otherwise indicated, anybody named in these reports has only been charged with a crime. These cases have not been adjudicated.

Compiled by Andy Viano

R O U N D U P

quired for all attendees. For more information, call 708-771-7737.

Arts Alliance hosting annual meeting The nonprofit Forest Park Arts Alliance (FPAA) will celebrate the past and prepare for the future at its annual meeting on Thursday, Oct. 28 at 7 p.m. at the Fraternal Order of the Eagles building, 446 Hannah Ave. in Forest Park. The group is asking attendees to brainstorm their own suggestions and ideas for the young organization, which began in 2017 with the Cover Our Rust initiative that turned the neglected Circle Avenue bridge walls into works of art. The FPAA

says “group input will be important” for planning out the alliance’s next several years. Refreshments will be served and the event is open to the public with no cost to attend.

Village trick-or-treating time set Trick-or-treaters in Forest Park will have from 3 to 7:30 p.m., Sunday, to accumulate as many Halloween goodies as possible, per guidelines set by the village. Last year, the village reduced trick-ortreating hours because of the COVID-19 pandemic and outlined a series of healthrelated guidelines, like distributing

candy from outside the home or trick-ortreating with household members only. There are no such restrictions in place this year, other than a set of recommendations from the state health department. The Illinois Department of Public Health released those recommendations earlier this month, reminding Illinoisans to remain vigilant to limit the spread of COVID-19, especially with vaccines not approved for most children, at least as of Oct. 25. The state recommends trickor-treating outdoors in small groups and said Halloween masks, no matter how much of one’s face is covered, are not a substitute for the types of face coverings still required indoors in Illinois.

Forest Park Review Staff

Forest Park Review, October 27, 2021

LEGAL NOTICE Annual Treasurer’s Report Village of Forest Park Fiscal Year Ending April 30, 2021 (Unaudited) Revenue Property Tax Sales Tax Utility Taxes Income Tax Replacement Tax Use Tax Other Taxes Grants Licenses, Permits, and Fees Ambulance, Fire and Police Water Sales Refuse, Yard Waste and Recycle Fines Rentals Pension Contributions Interest Income and Dividends Community Center Activities Charges for Services Investment Gains (Losses) Miscellaneous Total Revenue

320,174 18,584,088

Major Funds 917,308 1,785,211 987,089 120,000 50,563 3,860,171

Expenditures

19,158,013

2,462,929

810,046

(573,925) 1,397,242 1,622,128 (2,940,454) (542,855) 12,823,019 505,348 11,279,807

145,958 (412,840) 1,539,687 1,272,805

Net Increase/(Decrease) in Fund Balance/Net Position Transfers and Other Sources Previous Year End Fund Balance Current Year Ending Fund Balance

General 5,093,809 3,329,803 1,326,255 1,719,624 182,141 637,332 231,558 953,587 1,410,080 780,063 1,014,117 815,585 173,998 6,369 217,540 372,053

Disbursements Greater than $2,500 – May 1, 2020 – April 30, 2021 34 Publishing Inc: 3,600; Action Transmission & Auto: 17,635; Administrative Consulting Specialists LLC: 8,000; AEP Energy: 27,854; Air One Equipment Inc: 46,943; Alliance Pension Consultants LLC: 18,750; Allied Benefit Systems: 2,850; Altorfer Industries: 5,560; Amalgamated Bank of Chgo.: 716,860; Amalgamated Bank of Chicago: 287,514; Amazon Capital Services: 15,422; American Express: 3,234; AMS Electric Inc: 13,905; Arigianas Associates INC: 3,500; AT&T: 38,391; Atlas Bobcat LLC: 6,849; B&F Construction Code Service: 37,064; Bailey II, James M: 7,704; Baker & Taylor: 46,415; BC Body Craft Inc: 13,543; Berwyn Garage: 8,305; Blue Cross-Blue Shield of Ill: 1,493,282; BP: 3,890; Christopher Burke Engineering LTD: 611,680; C.G.Professional Services Inc: 3,496; Caliber Collision: 9,773; Capers: 26,000; Capital One Bank: 24,318; Cargill Salt Road Safety: 57,591; Case Lots Inc: 10,430; CDC Enterprises Inc: 23,528; CDS Office Technologies: 84,784; CellTech LLC: 4,000; Centurion Plumbing Company: 99,055; Certified Fleet Services Inc: 12,264; Chicago Salt Company Inc.: 25,711; Chicagoland Paving Contractors Inc: 479,961; City of Chicago: 1,818,467;

Non-Major Funds Enterprise 796,177 22,751 44,984 1,206,436 7,026,730 60,474 6,639 5,883 24,979 956,004 8,239,049

(4,026) 13,314,890

Library 1,833,256 31,831 27,896 3,857 6,372 13,652 1,916,864

6,880,414

4,701,505

1,486,782

1,358,635 1,765,044 14,776,563 17,900,242

8,613,385 36,405,785 45,019,170

430,082 1,568,030 1,998,112

Clear View: 15,395; Com Ed: 84,612; Comcast: 16,520; Commercial Tire Service: 20,376; Constellation Energy Services Inc: 57,581; Cook County Dept of Public Health: 17,700; Core & Main LP: 34,299; Crowe LLP: 64,500; Currie Motors: 33,878; Currie Motors Chevrolet: 6,349; Darien Marion-Burton: 5,400; Davis Tree Care: 19,265; Dearborn National Life Ins.: 9,833; Demco: 3,628; Ebsco Information Services: 3,874; Elevator Inspection Services: 4,886; Factory Motor Parts Co: 31,738; Fidelity Security Life Ins Co.: 8,210; Fire Service Inc: 5,660; Firefighters Pension Fund: 15,530; First Ayd Corp.: 3,153; Fleet Safety Supply: 2,792; Forest Printing: 17,018; GCC Company LLC: 32,323; Genco Industries Inc: 160,835; GPG Strategies LLC: 24,000; Grand Appliance, 7436-40 Madison St LLC: 5,894; Greenline Environmental Solutions LLC: 2,625; Growing Community Media NFP: 3,445; Guardian - Appleton: 82,383; Health Endeavors SC: 10,348; Hoppe, Jim: 2,500; HR Source: 4,540; IL Dept of Healthcare and Family Services - GEMT: 7,117; Illini Power Products: 4,215; Illinois Communications Sales Inc.: 17,202; Illinois Counties Risk Management Trust: 63,394; Illinois Environmental Protection Agency: 26,729; Illinois EPA: 6,000; Illinois State Police: 18,794; ITsavvy LLC: 8,555; It’s a

Fiduciary 2,451,827 557,069 10,310,020

Sign: 6,990; Johnson, Sherracia: 3,874; Kane McKenna and Assoc: 13,225; Kanopy: 3,703; K-Five: 3,762; Kimball Midwest: 4,389; Konica Minolta Premier Finance: 10,679; Koral Maintenance: 24,171; Lauterbach & Amen, LLP : 8,200; LeahyWolf: 2,692; Lewis University: 4,251; Lexipol LLC: 4,530; Libraries of Illinois Risk Agency: 14,039; Lindahl Brothers Inc: 393,458; Lindco Equipment Sales Inc.: 9,637; Linkedin Corporation: 4,500; L-K Fire Extinguisher Service-No. 2: 3,210; Local 701 Welfare Fund, Automobile Mechanics: 16,484; Local 705 I.B of T. Health & Welfare: 316,890; Lyons Pinner Electric Co: 105,063; Mabas Division XI: 10,000; McAdam Landscaping: 15,680; McCann Industries Inc.: 4,689; Mckesson Medical: 4,978; Mesirow Insurance Services: 4,454; Metro Mortuary Transport: 9,540; Metro Paramedic Services Inc: 439,666; Metro Reporting Services LTD: 3,107; Midwest Tape: 30,006; Mohr Oil Company: 133,545; Municipal Emergency Services Inc: 3,436; Municipal Systems LLC: 64,200; Muse Community + Design: 22,587; N G Plumbing Inc: 22,800; National Salt Supply Inc: 17,411; Nelson Systems Inc.: 4,274; Nicor: 10,792; NIU Center for Governmental Studies: 23,300; North East Multi-Reg. Training: 5,600; Nu Toys: 11,726; Nunley LLC: 8,636; Office 8: 2,519; Overdrive, Inc.: 8,331;

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Ray O’Herron Co Inc.: 9,137; Paramedic Services of Illinois: 3,807; Petrakis, Peter: 3,000; Petty Cash-Village Hall: 2,849; Pitney Bowes: 24,694; Police Pension Fund: 14,261; Praxair Distribution INC: 2,593; Pulltarps Mfg: 2,744; Quill: 16,515; Recorded Books, Inc.: 3,768; Republic Services #551: 798,236; Robert R. Andreas & Sons Inc.: 4,900; Roy Strom Refuse Removal: 9,609; Rydin Decal: 7,823; S&D Prime Maintenance: 6,268; S & S Electric Service Inc: 9,002; Saber-Toothed Computing: 8,230; Schauers Hardware: 3,462; Seiler Instrument & Mfg Co Inc: 7,118; SEPS INC.: 3,756; Smithereen Pest Mgmt Services: 14,956; Springbrook Holding Company LLC: 35,431; Stanard & Associates Inc.: 3,535; Standard Equipment Co.: 21,955; State of Illinois Treasurer: 9,660; State TreasurerIDOT: 14,120; Stefl Inc., Tim: 2,577; Sterling Codifiers Inc: 3,551; Storino Ramello & Durkin: 155,024; Suburban Laboratories Inc: 4,513; Suburban Mailing Services Inc: 15,568; Swallow Construction Corporation: 3,952,552; SWAN: 35,027; T & M Plumbing: 2,850; Techno Consulting Inc: 87,084; Telcom Innovations Group LLC: 5,517; Thomson Reuters-West: 3,715; Today’s Business Solutions, Inc.: 4,723; Total Parking Solutions Inc: 47,680; Trans Chicago Truck Group: 4,224; Traynor, Raymond: 22,275; Triangle Environmental 6,575; Uline: 3,267; United States Postal Service Headquarters: 15,500; Uno Construction Co Inc: 188,046; Verizon Wireless: 17,639; Vigilant Solutions LLC: 3,050; Village of Forest Park: 207,992; Walsh & Associates Inc, R.E.: 3,625; Ward, Christopher: 13,920; Wesley, Shavon: 9,405; West Central Municipal Conf: 21,984; West Cook County Solid Waste: 233,920; West Suburban Cons Dispatch Center: 482,593; West Town Mechanical: 20,255; Wholesale Direct Inc.: 3,977; Xerox Financial Services: 22,543; Zeigler Ford North Riverside: 12,418; Zoll Medical Corp.: 27,788 Disbursements less than $2,500: 258,977 Salaries – May 1, 2020 – April 30, 2021 $25,000 and Under: Betancourt, Brandon; Bolton, Donald; Byrnes, Joseph; Cano, Diego; Carlson, Ann; Carter, Randy; Clarke, Patrick; Curtis, Luther; Decosola, Joseph; Dudek, Daniel; Finlay, David; Fluker, Michael; Garz, Michael; Goelzer, Andy; Herscovitch, Raissa; Horyn, Carolyn; Jimenez Cruz, Brenda; Jurado, Rebecca; Kempka, Mitchell; Kuipers, Zachary; Manansala, Mia; Marrocco, Donna; Moore, Brian; Morales, Amy; Moravec, Christopher; Moreno, Ivan; Neri, Sandra; Nero, Ryan; Novak, Daniel; O’Mara, Sean; Pitts, Gloria; Popelka, Scott; Ryan, Dylan; Stamatakos, Paul; Tang, My; Tsaganos,

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Forest Park Review, October 27, 2021

St. Luke School celebrates 100 years Principal says Forest Park ‘area of growth’ in wake of merger with St. Bernardine By ANDY VIANO Editor

The next century at St. Luke School could start with a period of large-scale change if officials are able to realize their newly revealed plan to modernize the 100-year-old parochial school’s curriculum, facilities and extra-curricular programs. School and church leaders celebrated the school’s centennial Saturday night in front of a crowd of around 275 people, beginning the evening with a mass before inviting alums and school families to take a tour of the last 100 years through decorated classrooms, each one signifying one decade of the school’s past. Later, second-year principal Andrew DiMarco gathered the crowd and outlined a three-pronged plan for the school’s future: state-of-the-art curriculum and learning materials for teachers and students; upgrades to the building’s aging facilities, including an expansion of its early childhood center; and enhancing extra-curricular options for students, including an update to the school’s gymnasium and lobby area. “Putting those three pieces together could be a good foundation,” DiMarco said. The fundraising effort for the projects is already underway through a campaign that officials plan to finance through “parishioners, school families and some of our community friends,” and not tuition, said Sheila Price, the church’s director of stewardship and development. St. Luke School opened in 1921, 34 years after the adjacent church was founded. The building that houses the school at 519 Ashland Ave. has not undergone a major renovation since it was rebuilt in 1956.

Jill LoBianco-Bartalis/Jill Lobianco-Bartalis Photography

Nearly 300 alumni, families and supporters of St. Luke School gathered to celebrate the school’s 100th anniversary Saturday, Oct. 16 in River Forest. Enrollment at St. Luke was as high as 725 students when the new building opened but those numbers have fallen in the decades since, down to just 265 students between prekindergarten and eighth grade in the 2020-21

Jill LoBianco-Bartalis/Jill Lobianco-Bartalis Photography

Principal Andrew DiMarco addresses the crowd at the St. Luke School 100th anniversary celebration Saturday, Oct. 16 in River Forest

school year. That number jumped this year, up to 300 total students, an increase Price believed was connected to the school’s decision to offer in-person learning despite the pandemic last school year. “St. Luke, along with all Catholic schools, was open for face-to-face education and in my opinion knocked it out of the park for what we offered families,” Price said. Growing enrollment beyond its current level is, indirectly, part of the future vision, and the efforts are focused on the school’s youngest students. Price said they are interested in building a solid base at the youngest grades in the hopes of keeping those students within the school through the remainder of their elementary and middle school years. “We are definitely looking to grow enrollment, especially when it comes to early childhood, because we do feel that we can create some great foundations for the families to understand what we are offering here,” Price said. “If we can grow that, and I think that is one of the goals we want to focus on, then we would be super thrilled that we can offer this type of education to a lot of families.” Expanded enrollment could also come as a byproduct of the decision last year by the Archdiocese of Chicago to merge St. Luke parish with St. Bernardine in Forest Park.

St. Bernardine continues to hold regular mass, but the operational offices have been combined at St. Luke, a transition that is ongoing, Price said. St. Bernardine has not operated a school in recent years and DiMarco said St. Luke already has a significant number of students from Forest Park (only River Forest residents make up a larger portion of the student body), but growth from families previously connected to St. Bernardine remains a goal. “We’re going to use the relationship to come together as a parish and continue to use that,” DiMarco said. “We look at Forest Park as an area of growth.” DiMarco said he foresees the planned upgrades at St. Luke beginning within the next two to four years, calling the project a “foundation to move the school forward for many decades to come,” charting a path ahead after a Saturday night party to celebrate the past. “It’s a huge milestone to make it 100 years, especially when we’re in a community that has great schools as well,” Price said. “Everybody is very excited about the future of St. Luke School. It has stood the test of time.” More information on the St. Luke School centennial is available at stluke100.com.

Forest Park Review, October 27, 2021

CASKETS Back to life from page 1 tive director said this year’s event boasted “for absolute sure” a record turnout, with

as many has 1,000 people lining the full block of curbs and sidewalks several bodies deep. And the hundreds of costumed girls, boys and grown-ups stayed downtown after the racing was over, trick-or-treating down Madison Street and filling area restaurants. “It’s a big part of the reason we do these events,” Kokenes said. “If we can bring people to Forest Park, to see the businesses

that are here and patronize the businesses, that is a win-win. … We couldn’t have had a better day.” “It was really nice to see the community together,” Mayor Rory Hoskins, who rode in a casket pushed by the four village commissioners in addition to conducting his mayoral duties Saturday, said. “It’s just another example of how we can all partner together;

SHANEL ROMAIN/Contributer

The Park District of Forest Park celebrate their first place finish.

SHANEL ROMAIN/Contributer

Forest Park police race with great conviction.

EVERY MORNING SHE SNORES EVERY MORNING MYMYMORE HUMAN SHAVES OFF HUMAN SHAVES OFF THAN I DO, BUT I STILL FACEFUR, FUR,HE’S HE’S HISHISFACE LOVE MY HUMAN. FUNNYLIKE LIKETHAT. THAT. FUNNY — BANDIT

—TUCK adopted 11-26-09 —TUCK adopted 05-04-11 adopted 05-04-11

the business community, the advocates for the business community. It was just a really nice community event.” Hoskins was making his debut as a casket race participant, riding in the village’s Steeple Chase casket, designed in homage to the long-shuttered Forest Park Amusement Park. The ride itself, however, was a slow one, with Commissioner Ryan Nero quip-

Forest Park Review, October 27, 2021 ping to the crowd as the casket walked along that, “government doesn’t move fast.” The rest of the 16-casket field drew from a wide array of pop-culture and local-interest themes, like a rolling hot dog titled, Never Ketchup; a Carole Baskin-led Tiger King casket with the eponymous Tiger King, Joe Exotic, riding inside; and coffins inspired from across the film spectrum, including

Dodgeball, Ghostbusters, The Addams Family and 101 Dalmatians, among others. “I think the creativity was over-the-top this year,” Kokenes said. “It was just fabulous.” As for the racing itself, most caskets sped the 585 feet from start to finish, although a handful of teams opted to “race” for dead last, with a few placating the crowd by toss-

SHANEL ROMAIN/Contributer

The Forest Park Public Works Department took home 2nd place in the casket race last Saturday.

ing goodies toward the curbs. After two heats, it was the Addams Family-inspired team that secured the coveted dead-last honor with a time of nearly two minutes. Meanwhile, the Park District of Forest Park claimed the top prize with a secondheat time of 19.87 seconds. Forest Park Public Works took second and the Forest Park

Police Department, also a first-time entrant, was third. The Frighteningly Funny honor went to Never Ketchup — whose hot dog casket, ridden by a sport pepper and topped by a dash of celery salt, was piloted by a tomato, pickle and mustard, but, of course, not its tomato-based cousin — while team Dead Last and its elaborate Max Max-ian design earned Creepiest Casket. The chamber also awarded a top house party honor this year, recognizing the many neighbors who have turned the Casket Races into an annual excuse to get together on their front lawn, giving the trophy to Nell Reisner and John Hogan. In the aftermath of the unprecedented success of Saturday’s races, Kokenes said the resulting feelings are a mix of relief and satisfaction. “You’re not sure when you’re planning an event. Businesses have had a tough time over the last I don’t know how many months,” she said. “Getting the competition, getting the audience, the generosity of sponsors … we’re just looking forward to getting back on track with evSHANEL ROMAIN/Contributer erything.” “We’re back rocking and rollForest Park residents cheer on their teams, even the ing instead of trying to reinvent slow ones. everything.”

ChurchJazz Ensemble will ‘Jazz It Up’ at Grace Lutheran

By TOM HOLMES

to embrace, empower, and engage people who experience disabilities The ChurchJazz En— and their families semble will present a — in their discipleship piece composed by the walk with Christ.” group’s leader, Andy TecOne example of what son, called “Jazz It Up” at Voice of Care does is Grace Lutheran Church what their website rein River Forest on Nov. fers to as “Jesus Time,” a 5. Proceeds from the conministry in which voluncert will go to Voice of teers go to facilities for Care, a “ministry by and people who have disabiliwith people with disabilities and tell Bible stories, ties.” pray, and lead songs. The The ChurchJazz Ensite notes that “this is semble website states that often the only Christian the 9-piece group “has celministry available at ebrated the gift of God’s these facilities.” music with congregaVoice of Care advises tions and audiences for congregations on how FILE 34 years.” Their reperto make their buildings toire includes “The Jazz Grace Lutheran Church, River more accessible, proPassion,” “The Chicago Forest vides training to conJazz Mass,” “The Jazz gregations on how to Psalms,” “Jazz Nativity,” serve the disability comand several more. munity, presents Disability Awareness Days Voice of Care is a Recognized Service in schools and much more. Organization of the Lutheran Church, MisGood Shepherd Lutheran Church in Oak souri Synod, established in 1976, which de- Park has been doing Jazz Prayer on the scribes itself as “equipping the local church third Friday of every month for years. Contributing Reporter

For those who find jazz a strange musical genre for religious music, Good Shepherd’s pastor Kathy Nolte explained, “It’s said that jazz happens in the spaces between the notes that are played. The same can be said for our spirituality. The connection to the Divine happens between the words that we speak. In both cases, our ability to hear both what is spoken or played, and what is perceived in the silence becomes a deeper connection.” Andy Tecson has led the ChurchJazz Ensemble since 1982. He composed “The Jazz Psalms,” “The Chicago Jazz Mass” and set more than a hundred hymns for jazz band and congregational singing. The ChurchJazz band has been heard internationally on the BBC, nationally on CBS, and performed at numerous churches and church assemblies throughout the United States. While studying at the Ludwig Maximilian University in Munich, he toured with jazz and pop bands throughout Germany, including Munich, Berlin, Hamburg, Hanover, Stuttgart and Bayreuth. Upon returning to Chicago, he performed with Steve Goodman, Howard Levy and Jump in the Saddle. “The Jazz Passion” has been performed in Chicago, New York, Leipzig, Berlin and Slovakia. Nancy Hagen obtained her master’s degree in oboe performance, studying with then principal oboist of the Chicago Sym-

To attend Friday, Nov. 5 at 7 p.m. – doors open at 6:30 Grace Lutheran Church, 7300 Division St., River Forest General admission tickets are $40. All tickets are on sale at voiceofcare.org

phony Orchestra, Ray Still. She is a freelance musician, recording and performing on oboe and piano with orchestras and other ensembles. She was the principal oboist of the Park Ridge Civic Orchestra and is married to Andy Tecson. Ken Jandes plays soprano, alto, tenor and baritone saxophone. In addition to having taught saxophone at the American Conservatory of Music in Chicago, he has performed extensively as both a jazz and classical saxophone player. A former superintendent of schools, he is currently academic dean of the American College of Education and a passionate advocate for linking professional practice to student achievement.

Forest Park Review, October 27, 2021

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just a 21st century phenomenon, either. Adam Heyer, for example, was a member of The theme of Halloween Chicago’s North Side Gang is death, a subject most who was killed in 1929 in don’t like to deal with exwhat has come to be known cept when making a chaas the St. Valentine’s Day rade of it, like placing Massacre. The shootings Styrofoam gravestones in were the result of a conflict our front yards or holding between gangs run by mobcasket races. Residents here sters George Moran and Al joke about the town having Capone, according to the 50 times as many dead resiChicago Tribune. dents as living ones. Another reminder of perBut most of us visit those sistent, ongoing violence in dead neighbors only when this country is the Haymarwe are saying goodbye to ket Martyrs’ Monument JILL WAGNER a loved one or are driven which commemorates four This United Ancient Order there in a hearse. Cemlabor leaders who were coneteries are associated with of Druid section of Forest victed and executed under death, of course — a subject Home Cemetery features dubious circumstances afwe tend to avoid. grave rows in a circle ter a violent confrontation Amy Binns-Calvey, how- around this statue. between police and workers ever, loves going to Forest in Chicago in 1886. Home Cemetery for another Binns-Calvey noted that reason. For her, it is a walk the cemetery also docuthrough American history. A leader of tours ments some of the diversity in this country. through Forest Home for five years, she For example, a section of Forest Home borpointed out how the gravestones “encapsu- dering Desplaines Avenue called Our Lady late all of the historical trends” in America. of Guadalupe is the final resting place of For example, there is a statue of two little many local Latino residents. boys, both of whom died of diphtheria, a The section reserved for members of the once widespread disease that was especially Independent Order of Odd Fellows recalls dangerous to children before a vaccine was a time during the 19th and 20th centuries invented in the 1920s. Another epidemic, when Americans were joiners. According the so-called Spanish Flu, killed over half a to a booklet published by the Historical Somillion Americans in the late 1910s. ciety of Oak Park and River Forest, almost “One of the themes repeated in the cem- half of all Americans belonged to fraternal etery,” Binns-Calvey noted, “are the things organizations at one time. that kill our youth.” The publication reports that, “The IndeBinns-Calvey acknowledged that grave- pendent Order of Odd Fellows was the first stones usually don’t state the cause of American fraternal order to offer its memdeath, so they are not historically accurate bers financial relief benefits for sickness, in that sense, but when you see an increase burial of deceased members, and assistance in markers that reveal death at an early age, to orphans.” it is a concrete reminder of what we read in Less well known is a section, also along the history text books in high school. Desplaines Avenue, containing many Roma What saddens her are the graves of so graves. Graves of groups even less well many children and young people who pre- known are in sections for deceased memsumably died of diseases like consumption, bers of the United Ancient Order of Druids, cholera, flu and AIDS, which we now have and the International Alliance of Bill Posteither vaccines or medications to treat. ers and Billers. In the section west of the Des Plaines Binns-Calvey always has mixed feelings River are the graves of young men who have in response to what she sees in Forest Home. died in recent years, but also in their teens On the one hand her heart breaks at the loss and 20s. Again, the cause of death is not she feels regarding what could have been for noted on the tombstone, but the high num- those who died too young. ber of graves of young men could testify to a On the other hand, “When you go, it gives modern epidemic of violence, Binns-Calvey you an opportunity to focus on what we have said. and the chance to realize how many chalBinns-Calvey noted that violence is not lenges we’ve overcome in the past.” Contributor

Choosing communityyou you Choosing aa community can trust has never been can trust has never been more important. more difficult.

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A Halloween stroll through history

Forest Park Review, October 27, 2021

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Forest Park Review, October 27, 2021

The Foundry set to make Madison Street debut Longtime building owner wants new entertainment space to be a community asset By MELISSA ELSMO Food Editor

Linda Cibula and her niece Emmeli Blackall are anxious to join the eclectic group of independent businesses on Madison Street in Forest Park. The duo is poised to launch The Foundry at 7503 Madison St., a boutique entertaining space focused on art- and foodrelated experiences. “This building has been and always will be the gathering place for my family,” said Cibula. “We are a known family in the community, and we think it is important that The Foundry is a family-run business. We have every intention of running The Foundry as efficiently and ethically as possible.” Cibula purchased the Madison Street building in 2013 and added a second floor, including two apartments and a rooftop deck, in 2015. She noted the building has had “a couple of lives” since she took ownership. She first used the space as a showplace for her own stencil technique before the building transitioned to a mixed-use office space and ultimately housed Urban Pioneer Group, which operated an entertainmet space. When the most recent lease came to an end, Cibula became focused on breathing new life into the property. She has partnered up with her niece, Blackall, to make her vison for her property a reality. “This partnership is based on love, trust

MELISSA ELSMO/Food Editor

Linda Cibula (left) and Emmeli Blackall are opening The Foundry in Forest Park. and mutual respect,” said Cibula. “We are on the same page about what we want to do here. This is a building that breeds creativity.” “I have always looked up to my Aunt Zsa Zsa,” said Blackall referencing Cibula’s family nickname. “She knows I always have her best interest at heart.” Blackall brings a wealth of experience to The Foundry. The former teacher-turnedevent planner fell in love with all things

food-related during her travels throughout Europe and has ties to Bleeding Heart, West Town and Red Hen bakeries. She has a private event space in Chicago and works closely with two chefs who will bring elevated fare to thoughtful gatherings at The Foundry. According to Blackall, one of the chefs cooked at The Heritage when it was open in Forest Park and the other has ties to Schwa in Chicago. “We want The Foundry to be a venue that is embedded in the community — a place where people can celebrate important milestones, host a business meeting or enjoy cooking class,” said Cibula. “I love entertaining. The experiences you have when you invite people in to share your space are just priceless.” Cibula and Blackall are clear, however, that anytime there are guests at The Foundry, whether it is for a business meeting or a milestone celebration, there will be staff on site and security measures in place to keep everyone safe and ensure all property rules are being followed. Additionally, the space will always close at 11 p.m. “This isn’t the type of space people can rent and be left on their own,” said Blackall. “We are not a bar, and we don’t want to be a bar. The experiences offered at The Foundry will not be centered on drinking.” Cibula and Blackall envision the flexible space being used for charitable fundraisers, private gatherings and artisan mar-

kets. They also hope to use the first floor as a classroom or studio for chefs, artists and photographers. Both businesswomen are committed to working with organizations including Misericordia, Opportunity Knocks and Empowering Gardens, and look forward to collaborating with local businesses. Cibula and Blackwell have been overseeing significant cosmetic changes to the space to lighten and brighten the first floor and cultivate a sense of togetherness. A former commodities trader, Cibula went on to earn a degree in architectural interior design. She indicated the changes are intended to foster a sense of cohesion between the second floor apartments she designed in 2015 and the first floor gathering space. The duo has embraced a copper and turquoise color palate to complement the exposed brick walls. The have also added a half dozen chandeliers to soften the space. “We want the Foundry to be a space the community can use; we want to host experiences that included activities that bring the community together in a positive way,” said Cibula. “We are deeply committed to making The Foundry an asset to Forest Park and the surrounding communities. We want to be here to stay.” Cibula and Blackall are hosting a community open house at The Foundry on Thursday, Nov. 18 from 5-8 p.m.

Candy production impacted by ransomware attack Ferrara Candy targeted weeks before Halloween; company says distribution centers operating ‘near normal’ By ANDY VIANO Editor

A ransomware attack directed at the makers of Brach’s Candy Corn and dozens of other candy and cookie brands has impacted production at Ferrara Candy’s factories just ahead of Halloween, according to a statement released by the company. A company spokesperson would not release details on the attack or the extent to which production has been impacted but indicated that all of Ferrara’s factories were operating “in a limited capacity” and “progressing toward full operations” as of Oct. 22. The ransomware attack was detected Oct. 9. “Upon discovery, we immediately responded to secure all systems and commence an investigation into the nature and scope of this incident,” the company wrote. “Ferrara is cooperating with law enforcement and our technical team is working closely with third-party specialists to fully

restore impacted systems as expeditiously and as safely as possible.” Ransomware attacks are designed to hold network-based systems hostage, with the attackers encrypting certain files before demanding the attack’s target pay a ransom to regain access to the system. Ferrara confirmed that some of its systems had been encrypted in the attack. Despite the production interruption, Ferrara said all nationwide distribution centers were operating “near normal” and the company “assure(s) customers that Ferrara’s Halloween products are on shelves at retailers across the country.” The Ferrara Candy Company was based in Forest Park from 1959 to 2012 before merging with Catterton Partners and its broad portfolio of brands in 2012. That company was then acquired by Italian chocolate and candy giant Ferrero Group in 2017. The company still maintains a production facility and retail outlet location at 7301 Harrison St. in Forest Park.

FILE PHOTO

Ferrara Candy Company’s Forest Park production facility.

Forest Park Review, October 27, 2021

West tops East in Proviso rivalry game Panthers pull away, spoil homecoming with 58-34 win By JILL WAGNER Contributor

It’s a tradition going back more than 60 years — the Proviso East vs. Proviso West high school football game. This year’s matchup, played Saturday, Oct. 23 in Maywood, was East’s homecoming game but saw the Panthers come away with a 58-34 win.

The players grinded on the field on a cool sunny day with the Pirate marching band carrying the crowd in “On Proviso!” every time the Pirates scored. The stadium was abuzz with alumni, and grills packed the north end of the stadium for reunions and kindred spirits. The West Panthers took the lead in the first half, scoring four rushing touchdowns and outpacing the Pirates at the half, 36-20. After halftime shows from the Pirates cheerleaders, the talented and athletic Pirateers, and the field performance of “Now That We Found Love” by Heavy D from the march-

ing band, the Pirates took the field with renewed spirit in the second half. Early in the third quarter, the Pirates got back on the board with a scoring pass to Tyler Thomas, narrowing the lead to 10, before the Panthers pushed back with a rushing touchdown and two-point conversion to close the quarter. The Pirates scored again to open the fourth quarter but it was the Panthers who found the opportunities late, completing both a passing and rushing touchdown to close out the win.

JILL WAGNER

Proviso East court of honor, Homecoming Prince, senior Cesar Hernandez, Homecoming Queen, senior Karina Gutierrez, Homecoming Princess, junior, Isabel Galvan and Homecoming Princess, sophomore, Mariah Mell.

Jeremiah Williams runs against the Panther defense at the high school homecoming game.

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Jaylan Madison drives down the field, pushing past Panthers at the homecoming game on Saturday.

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Forest Park Review, October 27, 2021

OPINION O U R

V I E W

A day to celebrate

Forest Park’s Casket Races are always a highlight of the village’s event calendar, but this year’s edition has long felt like it carried a little extra weight. In the last however many months since COVID-19 arrived and shoved nearly everything off course, Forest Park has used its days not fretting over the virus to get bogged down in increasingly acrimonious battles over bad behavior, public safety, and finances, at a time when the whole country’s divisive nature is only getting worse. There was hope before Saturday that the admittedly silly scene of Forest Parkers sprinting alongside garish death boxes would provide some measure of healing, a gross underthinking of the complex issues underlying any of our local or national tension, but still a testament to the optimism of those who wished for a day filled with smiles and laughter instead of bitterness and finger-pointing. And for a few hours at least, the Casket Races did just that. “We needed it,” Forest Park Chamber of Commerce and Development Laurie Kokenes said Tuesday morning. “I really think people wanted to have fun.” Saturday was indeed what we needed — a chance to exhale deeply, then take a big, deep breath of fresh air, and not just because it happened to fall on a sunny summer-like October day. Many of the hundreds, if not thousand-plus people who got together on Beloit Avenue recognized what happened there as a feeling both foreign and familiar. There were giggling children, gregarious adults and a sense of cheering for the same thing — the caskets to make us chuckle, we suppose? — that we very much had been missing. And there was the reality that people were standing, or sitting, shoulder-to-shoulder for one of the few times in recent memory, and doing it without immediately fretting over social distance, especially if you happened to be among the vaccinated in Saturday’s crowd. It all felt normal, like something we’d done before, but couldn’t quite place precisely when or where that was. It was from the before-times, an oddly apt way to consider the intersection of life and death being mocked by the fast-moving coffins. That is not to say, however, that the COVID-19 pandemic is over. It most assuredly is not. And it is also not to say that any of the woes plaguing our nation, or this village, should be ignored, no matter how easy that would be. It is dangerous and diminishing to act like the ills around us don’t exist because it soothes our conscience. There is great privilege in being able to laugh and smile while knowing some others are in pain. But sometimes it is all right to forget for a moment, all right to allow a bit of joy and light to sneak through, and allow ourselves to re-center and recharge for whatever is to come. Our familiar, comfortable escapes — things like sports, books, movies and, yes, racing caskets — are good for the soul and rejuvenating at a time when it can sometimes feel like things are spiraling the other way. So sure, racing caskets is kind of weird, and definitely silly, and not a cure for all our ills. But it sure was nice to pretend.

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Hanging out in a grave situation

bout twice a month, weather permitting, Melanie and I hang out in a quiet spot in the Forest Home Cemetery. We pick up caramel macchiatos at Kribi Coffee, find a secluded place near the bridge over the Desplaines River, and read for two or three hours. We go there because it is the closest thing to a natural setting within the village limits of our town. Lots of trees. Geese honking overhead on their way to the river. Especially during the spring and fall migrations, lots of birds. About half the time we see deer. I used to hike in Thatcher Woods, but my neurological disability won’t allow me to do that anymore, so the winding lanes in Forest Home provide a doable alternative. I realize that cemeteries freak some people out because death is not a pleasant topic with which to engage. On Halloween we do bring up the subject of death but in a childish way, like how when I was 8 years old, my friends and I would play army. When as a 19-year-old I served as a pall bearer for my friend “Den Den” Belonger who was killed in Vietnam, my naïve, heroic illusions were put to rest forever. One reason Melanie and I choose a cemetery for a quiet place to retreat is that neither of us see death as an enemy anymore. We don’t see it as a friend exactly but more as a next-door neighbor whom we’ve known for a long time. My dad died suddenly at the age of 50, a very real, upsetting shock. My mom died at the age of 99, a passing that felt sad and at the same time a relief. As my mom got close to the bottom of her slow downward trajectory, her death was almost something she and I looked forward to. Certainly not an enemy. Melanie has also had her share of losses, so we tend to be on the same page when it comes to comfort with death. We’ve never seen ghosts or goblins or monsters at Forest Home. They only exist, after all, in scary movies and in the form of kids in costumes while trick-or-treating. Maybe they represent our fears of the unknown. The unknown, as all of us know, is scary only as long as it remains unknown. So we hang out under the shade of an oak tree, frequently looking up to share something we’ve read or to simply drink in the beauty of God’s creation. The iced coffee, of course, doesn’t spoil the time there at all. We hardly ever see any other Forest Parkers hanging out in that beautiful, quiet setting. I won-

der why. One reason might be that most of us are scared to death of death. Fifty years ago, Ernest Becker wrote a bestseller titled, The Denial of Death, in which he begins with the proposition that, “The idea of death, the fear of it, haunts the human animal like nothing else: it is a mainspring of … activity designed largely to avoid the fatality of death, to overcome it by denying in some way that it is the final destiny of man.” He notes that “primitives” celebrate death because they see it as the “ultimate promotion … to a higher form of life, to the enjoyment of eternity in some form,” but most people these days have trouble believing that because it seems to the rational mind to be wishful thinking, as Sigmund Freud contended. “Most modern Westerners have trouble believing this anymore,” wrote the Pulitzer Prize winner, “which is what makes the fear of death so prominent a part of our psychological make-up.” Now, some of my friends would counter that they have faced their mortality and accepted it, which may be true for them, but I think Becker is correct when it comes to our society in general. The behavior of millions of our fellow citizens who are into vaccine hesitation during the pandemic in many ways supports, I think, Becker’s argument. Check out the National Retail Federation’s estimate of what Americans would have spent on the charade we call Halloween back in 2020 — $8 billion with 58% of the people planning on celebrating. The irony is that for centuries little kids did not dress up like Harry Potter and Hermione but went to church with their parents on All Hallows Eve or in the morning on All Saints Day, where they focused on death in general and specifically on praying for loved ones who had recently died. Scott Kiser in the New Existentialists, lamented our cultural avoidance of death because “quite tragically we don’t recognize the mystery of Existence, namely, that limiting boundaries enhance our freedom; gains and growth are achieved through loss; new beginnings only arise from the ashes of endings; negations underlie our affirmations, and our finite nature points to our inseparable union with the Infinite. New and greater life only emerges from the death of old and outlived forms.” This Sunday hang out in one of our cemeteries for a while, or if nothing else, drive slowly through one of them. It won’t be fun, like the casket races are, but it might be a blessing on a much deeper level.

TOM HOLMES

Forest Park Review, October 27, 2021

L E T T E R S

Support businesses that keep us safe As a physician who has helped navigate a hospital through the COVID pandemic, I would like to commend the local business Exit Strategy in Forest Park for being the first local restaurant that my wife and I have visited that is requiring proof of COVID vaccination to enter. As we continue to navigate the unknown, it is so reassuring to see a local business do everything they can to keep their customers and employees safe. I would add that on our several recent visits to Exit Strategy, they have been busy — with no pushback from those entering. I am hoping that other local restaurants and other businesses consider following their lead, and that Wednesday Journal and others in local media publicize these businesses, and that local citizens then patronize those businesses to show our appreciation for taking this step to help keep us safe. Bravo and thank you, Exit Strategy.

Bruce McNulty, MD

Chief Medical Officer, Swedish Hospital Oak Park resident

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Forest Park Review, October 27, 2021

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Budget and Revenue Analyst The Village of Oak Park is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Budget and Revenue Analyst. This position will Serve the public with professional administrative and analytical duties in the areas of budget preparation, purchasing, payroll, data analysis and process improvement. Provides, prepares and maintains records, and financial and statistical reports and analysis which assist in the Village’s ability to improve business processes and gain efficiencies through better use of technology. Budget duties include assisting in the development, analysis and application of performance measures with regard to Village services and resources; preparing, modifying, tracking and monitoring Village expenses and transfers; and conducting budget-related research and analysis. 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 November 1,2021. PART-TIME WAREHOUSE Local company looking for part time driver/warehouse. Must be drug free & have valid IL DL. Must be able to lift 75lb. $14/hr Email resume to HR@sievertelectric.com Community Service Officer The Village of Oak Park is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Community Service Officer in the Police Department. This position will perform a variety of public service, customer service and law enforcement related duties and responsibilities that do not require the services of a sworn police officer; and to perform a variety of administrative duties. Applicants are encouraged to visit the Village of Oak Park’s website http://www.oakpark.us/. Interested and qualified applicants must complete a Village of Oak Park application no later than October 29, 2021.

LEGAL SECRETARY The Village of Oak Park is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Legal Secretary in the Law Department. This position will perform a variety of responsible and advanced legal secretarial and clerical duties in support of the Law Department; perform complex clerical duties within the assigned work unit; and provide secretarial and administrative support to Law Department staff. Applicants are encouraged to visit the Village of Oak Park’s website at http://www.oak-park.us/jobs. Interested and qualified applicants must complete a Village of Oak Park application no later than October 22, 2021. CHILDCARE WORKER The Village of Forest Park has immediate openings for before and after school program. Part-time hours are M-F 2-6 p.m. Must be at least 18 years old, have a driver’s license and pass drug screening and background check. $11.00/Hour. Apply in person at Howard Mohr Community Center, 7640 Jackson Blvd., Forest Park. 708-771-7737. FULL-TIME BUS DRIVER The Village of Forest Park has immediate opening for a responsible full-time PACE Bus Driver to transport senior citizens, disabled residents and school children. Must have a valid Illinois C Class CDL license and attend PACE training. In addition, must be physically fit and submit to criminal background check, annual physical exam and drug and alcohol testing. M-F Days Full Benefits. Apply in person at Howard Mohr Community Center, 7640 Jackson Blvd., Forest Park. 708-771-7737. POLICE DESK CLERK FOREST PARK, IL The Forest Park Police Department, seeks a Full-Time Police Desk Clerk. Eligible candidates will be required to pass an aptitude test and an extensive background check. Qualifications include computer skills, the ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines, good knowledge of English language, general office skills, including handling non-emergency calls and walk-up customer service, and good verbal and written skills. HOLIDAY, EVENING AND OVERNIGHT HOURS ARE MANDATORY. Starting salary $31,222 annually. Open until filled. Applications are available at Village Hall, 517 Desplaines Ave. or at www.forestpark. net and should be returned Attn: Vanessa Moritz, Village Clerk, Village of Forest Park, 517 Des Plaines Avenue, Forest Park, IL 60130. Email: vmoritz@forestpark.net

HELP WANTED

PARKING ENFORCEMENT OFFICER FOREST PARK, IL The Forest Park Police Department, seeks a Full-Time Parking Enforcement Ofﬁcer. Eligible candidates will be required to pass an aptitude test and an extensive background check. Qualiﬁcations include high school diploma (or equivalent), a valid driver’s license, knowledge of basic parking regulations, and good verbal and written skills.

EVENING AND OVERNIGHT HOURS ARE MANDATORY. Starting salary $31,222 annually. Open until filled. Applications are available at Village Hall, 517 Desplaines Ave. or at www.forestpark.net and should be returned Attn: Vanessa Moritz, Village Clerk, Village of Forest Park, 517 Des Plaines Avenue, Forest Park, IL 60130. Email: vmoritz@forestpark.net. 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. Part-Time Civilian Information Management Call Taker The Forest Park Police Department, seeks a Part-Time Civilian Information Management Call Taker. Pay is $17.19/hr. Eligible candidates will be required to pass an aptitude test and an extensive background check. Qualifications include high school diploma (or equivalent), good verbal and written skills, working knowledge of the computer and Windows, ability to type accurately, a good working knowledge of the English language, the ability to treat customers and co-workers in a polite manner and the ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines. Data entry skills and experience answering telephones/operating a switchboard are preferred. EVENING AND OVERNIGHT HOURS ARE MANDATORY. Open until filled. Applications are available at Village Hall, 517 Desplaines Ave. and should be returned Attn: Vanessa Moritz, Village Clerk, Village of Forest Park, 517 Des Plaines Avenue, Forest Park, IL 60130. Email: vmoritz@forestpark.net. CROSSING GUARD The Forest Park Police Department is seeking qualified individuals for the position of Crossing Guard. This position requires flexible hours during days when schools are in session. A background investigation and drug screening will be conducted prior to consideration for the position. Applications available at Village Hall, 517 Desplaines Avenue or on-line at www.forestpark.net and should be returned to Vanessa Moritz, HR Director, at Village Hall. For additional information, contact Dora Murphy at 708-615-6223 or write dmurphy@forestpark.net. Applications accepted until position is filled. EOE.

Outstanding Local JOBS: 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 We are seeking to fill the following positions, all in Galewood, no travel. Full time, Part time, Flex hours for working parents or students. We train, no travel, work in Galewood. Open to any backgrounds. Excellent pay, salary, benefits, friendly caring management. National Accounts Rep, Production Manager or Trainee, Packaging Specialist trainee Display frame Production trainee, Office/Bookkeeping Assistant trainee. Visit www.fastchangeframes.com/careers for more details 6460 W Cortland St Chicago, IL 60707 Manufacturing

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Forest Park Review, October 27, 2021

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MARKETPLACE 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

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

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Forest Park Review, October 27,2021

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In print • Online • Available to you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, every day of the year ForestParkReview | PublicNoticeIllinois.com PUBLIC NOTICES

PUBLIC NOTICES

PUBLIC NOTICES PUBLIC NOTICE NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that on Monday 15 November 2021 at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers of Village Hall, 517 Desplaines Avenue, Forest Park, Illinois, the Zoning Board of Appeals will conduct a public hearing to consider a text amendment to Title 9 of the Forest Park Zoning Ordinance to clarify the use regulations and district restrictions related to restaurants and liquor licensees in the Neighborhood Business District (B-1). The applicant for this petition is the Village of Forest Park, 517 Desplaines, Forest Park, Illinois. Signed: Kerry McBride Zoning Board of Appeals Chairperson Published in the Forest Park Review October 27, 2021

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PUBLIC NOTICE NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ON THE VILLAGE OF RIVERSIDE’S PROPOSED BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2022 NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN to all interested parties that the President and Board of Trustees of the Village of Riverside, Illinois will hold a public hearing on Thursday, November 4, 2021, at 7:00 p.m. in Riverside Township Hall Room 4, 27 Riverside Road, Riverside, Illinois, 60546 on the Tentative Annual Budget for the 2022 ﬁscal year of the Village of Riverside, Illinois, commencing January 1, 2022, and ending December 31, 2022. Public comments on the Proposed Annual Budget are welcome at the public hearing. Emailed comments may be sent to Village Clerk Cathy Haley at chaley@riverside.il.us. Written comments may be submitted to the attention of the Village Clerk at 27 Riverside Road, Riverside, Illinois. Emailed or written comments should be submitted prior to 5:00 on November 4, 2021. While emailed or written comments are strongly encouraged, comments may also be made in person. Physical spacing will be observed, and public access to the physical meeting site may be limited due to the ongoing public health emergency, but public commenters will be accommodated. The Proposed Annual Budget will be available for public inspection on and after, October 15, 2021 at the Finance Department of the Village of Riverside, Illinois, 27 Riverside Road, Riverside, Illinois, 60546 from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, except for any day being a legal holiday. Disabled persons needing assistance to attend said hearing should contact the Ofﬁce of the Village Clerk before the hearing by calling (708) 447-2700. Said hearing may be continued without further notice except as required by the Illinois Open Meeting Act. The tentative annual budget may be further revised and passed without any further notice or hearing. PRESIDENT AND BOARD OF TRUSTEES VILLAGE OF RIVERSIDE, ILLINOIS By: Cathy Haley Village Clerk Published in RB Landmark October 27, 2021

Forest Park Review, October 27, 2021

INC., REALTOR

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

7618 Marengo Avenue

629 Harlem $309,000

$409,000

Brick bungalow 2-flat in the heart of Forest Park. Steps from transportation and downtown shopping and nightlife. 1st flr unit is duplexed into basement. Expansive LR and formal DR, 2 BRs both large enough for king sized beds, an eat-in kitchen, and three season porch. Finished basement has large study, deep walk-in closet, fam rm, second full BA, and third large BR. Basement laundry room has two sets of washer/dryers, one for each unit. Top flr 2 BR unit has been rented since 2006. The 2 ½ car garage has room for parking/storage. Tenants park on the driveway off the front. A flood control system keeps the basement dry. Great starter home, regular investment, or a perfect place to retire!

621 Elgin Avenue $423,000 Beautifully built and well cared for 2-flat. Two 2 BR units, fully occupied building for the next year, makes for a great investment. Rents cover the mortgage, taxes, utilities, and insurance. Large open living rms, formal dining rms, eat-in kitchens, and good sized BRs. Parking for four cars minimum up to 6 if needed! Great location just a few steps away from the transportation and downtown Forest Park.

1039 Troost Ave, Forest Park $350,000

One of Forest Park’s hidden gems. 2-flat. Each unit has a large open formal dining room and 2 large BRs. The front living rms have eight windows and a brick faux fireplace. The rear BRs on each floor are tied into a tandem rm often used as a large closet and/or an office. Well maintained Kitchens and BAs. Basement is wide open for your first floor duplex ideas! Separate utilities each unit. Parking pad fits six cars. Next to the community gardens and a beautiful hidden gem of a park! Located 100 feet from the blue line. This opportunity will not last long. SOLD AS IS.

UNDER CONTRACT

Huge three bedroom home in need of rehab. Three car plus garage! Enormous 75 foot lot.

813 Beloit Avenue $259,000 One of Forest Park’s largest bungalows is hitting the market! Classic layout with living rm, dining rm, and 3 BR,1 BA. The original ceiling height under the drop ceiling will measure out to 9 feet high! The basement was at one time an apartment but can be gutted and adjoined with the first floor, or left as is for storage. Very large partially heated attic is ready for your expansion ideas. Located 100 feet from the FP Park District baseball diamonds, skate park, tennis courts, playgrounds and pool. A couple blocks to the Desplaines L entrance. This home is ready for your decorating and updates!

7314 Randolph, Forest Park $179,000 This two bedroom and two bathroom unit is ready to sell! While dated, it is in impeccable condition. Sixth floor facing East gives that beautiful morning sunshine coming over the treetops! Great building and management. This unit does have garage parking.

S W E N

! H S LA

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Forest Park Review, October 27, 2021