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Indoor service at bars, restaurants shut down Pritzker imposes additional mitigations starting today By MARIA MAXHAM Editor
Beginning at 12:01 a.m. today, Oct. 28, all indoor service for Forest Park bars and restaurants is suspended, as Governor J.B. Pritzker announced resurgence mitigations in Region 10, which encompasses suburban Cook County. According to an Oct. 26 press release from the state, Region 10 has had eight straight days of increases in COVID-19 positivity rate and seven days of increased hospitalization admissions, surpassing “warning levels in two categories simultaneously.” “Region 10 … is the first region in Illinois to earn additional mitigations not because of its positivity rate alone, but because its positivity rate and its COVIDrelated hospitalizations have both seen a sustained increase over the last 10 days,” said Pritzker in the press release. Forest Park Village Administrator Tim Gillian said he’s worried about the effect the inevitable closures will have on business in town. “This news is not unexpected but extremely sad,” Gillian said. “There’s no end in sight for these small businesses, and I’m concerned that many of them will not survive. This shutdown could change the face of Forest Park for years to come.” Marty Sorice, owner of several bars and restaurants in town, said, “As much as it will hurt my family and my coworkers, this is the right thing to do. I also am urging all my coworkers to apply for unemployment immediately. We will do all we can to get through this.” See CLOSINGS on page 8
ALEX ROGALS/Staff Photographer
Mohammad Awad, a Muslim of Palestinian descent, is one of Forest Park’s newest police officers.
Devout Muslim, professional police officer, all American FPPD hires first Muslim officer By TOM HOLMES Contributing Reporter
In a village like Forest Park in which diversity seems to be a widely held cultural
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value, the hiring of a Muslim of Palestinian descent as a police officers is notable. Mohammad Awad grew up on Chicago’s northwest side. His mother was raised in Chicago, and his father immigrated here in his early twenties. The 22-year-old police officer, whose first day with the local force was Aug. 24, is a person whose temperament and character seem to be a good fit for the police
Voting tips for election day PAGE 4
department in particular and the whole village in general. His story begins in Chicago where his entire experience as a student was in the Chicago Public School system. He said that he had moments while growing up in which he felt excluded or the butt of ethnic jokes because of being an See NEW OFFICER on page 9
Special ed teachers, parents work together PAGE 11
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Forest Park Review, October 28, 2020
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The day they saved Halloween
Dateline: Halloween t was late-October and Forest Park Private Detective Sam Diamond sat in his shabby Madison Street office. Business was slow, due to the pandemic. He was pleased, though, with his new mask, which featured his agency’s logo. When Diamond heard his buzzer, he quickly slipped it on. The visitors were a middle-age mother and her 12-year-old son. Blanche and Tommy were wearing masks. “Mr. Diamond, I really like your mask,” Tommy exclaimed, “But it looks like you have three eyes.” “Yeah,” Diamond said pointing at his mask, “But this one doesn’t blink. What do you folks need?” Blanche opened her purse and pulled out a paper, “Someone put this inside our pumpkin.” Diamond read the simple message, “To save Halloween, you must come to the circle!” “I don’t understand. What’s wrong with Halloween?” “We can’t go door-to-door trick-or-treating,” Tommy complained, “and my parents wouldn’t let me go to a haunted house because it was too crowded.” “Are there any other restrictions?” “Yeah, we have to wear a mask under our Halloween mask.” “That sounds uncomfortable. What are you going as?” “A surgeon, what else?” “I feel bad for you, Tommy, but what am I supposed to do about it?” “Oh, Mr. Diamond,” Blanche implored, “We thought if anyone in town could figure out what this note means, it would be you.” “OK, I’ll take the case,” Diamond agreed. “If you can’t afford my fee, you can pay me in peanut butter cups.”
The next morning, Diamond set off to save Halloween. The only clue in the note was “circle” so he headed to the Circle Bridge. Not only was it closed for repairs, it didn’t have any Halloween decorations. He next walked into the Circle Inn. It was too early for a beer but not too early for a question. “Do you guys have any plans to save Halloween?” The bartender looked at him sadly. “We barely saved St. Patrick’s Day. How are we supposed to save Halloween?” Diamond crossed the street to Circle Lanes. He asked the guy behind the counter if they had any special plans for Halloween. They were putting up some decorations but that was about it. “No scary stuff?” “We’ve had some customers get really scary splits on Halloween.” “Really – the 7-10 split?” “Worse than that – the 4-6-7-10 split.” “Grandma’s teeth?” Diamond recoiled in horror. “You’re giving me chills.” After exhausting his circle leads, Diamond called Blanche to see if she had any ideas. “Maybe that note wasn’t meant to scare you. Do you have any really nice people on your block?” “Oh yes, we have the nicest couple. We don’t even ask him, but Mr. Hain snowblows our sidewalk. His wife knits blankets for everyone on the block. She plays the accordion at our block parties. Every Halloween, she gives out big boxes of Lemonheads. Diamond found Sam Hain’s address and parked near their house on Halloween. He watched Sam and Ruth loading the trunk of their car. Diamond could see they were up to too much good. They filled their car with jack-o-lanterns, candy and two brown choir robes. Diamond followed them to Forest
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Home Cemetery and watched them park near the United Ancient Order of Druids monument. The statue of Merlin gazed down sadly at the sacred circle of graves. Mrs. Hain lit candles inside the jack-olanterns and placed them six feet apart in a circle around the statue. She placed a large box of Lemonheads next to each jack-o-lantern. Then they put on their brown robes. Diamond sprang from behind a headstone to ask them what they were doing. “We’re saving Halloween, Mr. Diamond,” Ruth explained. “The kids on our block have been through so much this year and now it feels like they’re losing Halloween. Here, we can safely social distance and celebrate the true spirit of the holiday.” “But why the note? Why not just invite them?” “We thought it would be more fun as a mystery,” Sam Hain explained. “Besides, we knew you needed the work.” Diamond called Blanche right away and told her Tommy could invite nine of his friends to the cemetery. Tommy and his friends rushed there by bike, rollerblade and scooter. They were happy to see the candy and jack-o-lanterns. Sam Hain explained how the Druids celebrated Oct. 31 as their day of the dead. They lit fires and sacrificed animals. They even dressed in costumes and went door-to-door to beg for food. While he spoke, his wife played the theme from “Halloween” on her accordion. Accordions were already scary instruments but that was haunting. Diamond felt reassured, though, by the smiles on the faces of Tommy and his friends. Diamond hurried back to his office, hoping trick-or-treaters would stop by. Instead of candy, he would pass out his new masks. ■ John Rice is a columnist/private detective, who has seen his business and family thrive in Forest Park. He thoroughly enjoys life in the village and still gets a thrill smelling Red Hots, watching softball and strolling through cemeteries. Jrice1038@aol.com
A L O OK BAC K I N T I M E . . .
REVIEW Editor Maria Maxham Senior Editor Bob Uphues 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 Designers Debbie Becker, Mark Moroney Sales and Marketing Representatives Lourdes Nicholls, Marc Stopeck Sales & Development Mary Ellen Nelligan Circulation Manager Jill Wagner Publisher Dan Haley Business Manager Joyce Minich GROWING COMMUNITY MEDIA Board of Directors Chair Judy Greffin Treasurer Nile Wendorf 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: $25 per year. $42 for two years, $58 for three years. Out-of-county subscriptions: $33 per year. Forest Park Review is published digitally and in print by Growing Community Media NFP. © 2020 Growing Community Media NFP.
TRICKS AND TREATS In the 1950’s, throughout Forest Park there were Halloween dances, parades, parties at schools, a costume contest at the Forest Theater and, of course, trick-or-treating. A special tradition was hosted at Trage Bros. Appliances, 7440 Madison Trage Bros. Appliance with windows full of Halloween drawings published in - a Halloween drawing contest in the windows. The top winner in 1954 received a table radio, and the Forest Park Review, November 7, 1957. second and third place winners each received a Bozo record. Every year the popular window painting contest attracted hundreds of local kids to express their inner artist. In 1955, Forest Park Review Publisher Claude Walker remarked about Halloween: “Tricks or Treat” have come a long way since my childhood days….the stress was on the “Tricks” rather than the “Treat….” I know this will probably come as a shock to many of my younger readers because they never have experienced outdoor plumbing, however a favorite sport of yesteryear on Halloween night was to tip the “plumbing” over. Needless to say, this did not create any good will as far as the womenfolk in the family were concerned. Dumping garbage cans, carrying away fences, hauling away riggs, and waxing, rather than soaping widows were standard pastimes of those days. November 3, 1955
–Jill Wagner
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REVIEW Share photos on Instagram using #fpreview or email alexa@oakpark.com. All photos become property of Forest Park Review for possible future use in print or digital capacities.
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Forest Park Review, October 28, 2020
Proviso Teachers’ Union files Unfair Labor Practice complaint against D209 Conditions in schools are unsafe, and return is in violation of agreement, union says By MARIA MAXHAM Editor
On Oct. 20, the Proviso Teachers’ Union filed an Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) charge and a grievance against District 209 after being forced to return to what they say are unsafe school buildings despite an agreement with Supt. James Henderson to allow them to continue to teach from home. Almost 300 teachers were forced to return to the Proviso Math and Science Academy (PMSA), Proviso East and Proviso West on Oct. 20, in what the union said in a press release “was in direct violation of an agreement signed in August by the superintendent and the union, which allows teachers to provide instruction from remote locations while students are not in the buildings.” As of Oct. 26, according to Amy Excell, media director of the Illinois Federation of Teachers, there was still no heat at Proviso East and teachers had finally been sent home from that location. Union President Maggie Riley said that an email from Henderson was supposed to be sent Monday, but went out Tuesday instead, stating that teachers at Proviso East could teach remotely until the boilers were fixed, which the email stated would happen by the end of the day on Tuesday, Oct. 27. After that, teachers would be expected back in the building. Additionally, Riley said that on Friday, Oct. 23, two teachers at Proviso West were informed that they had been in contact with someone at the school building who had tested positive for COVID-19. Those teachers were quarantined, but the majority of the teachers were still required to teach from their classrooms. In the Oct. 20 release announcing the grievances against the district, Riley is quoted as saying, “We had no choice but to take action. Not only has the superintendent violated our agreement allowing remote instruction, when we complied with his ille-
gal directive to work on site, we found that building conditions are not just unsafe, they’re inhumane.” According to the press release, heat is not working at Proviso East, and temperatures in some rooms were reported to be as low as 56 degrees. Proviso East and West “have inadequate hot water for hand washing and cleaning.” PPE wasn’t readily available, and rooms had not been sanitized during the closure, according to the union. Additionally, multiple questions about the ventilation system have still not been answered, said the press release. The release also mentions high positivity rates in areas neighboring the schools, in some cases as high as 16.4 percent. “Our union will not give up our reasonable demand to continue to teach safely from remote locations as the district assured us we could do,” said Riley. “This pandemic is worsening, not improving. Returning to buildings – especially ones that are not properly heated or cleaned – is dangerous and unwarranted. We will not tolerate the district’s apparent lack of concern for our safety.” The union is awaiting a response from the district. Nicole Wilson, communications director for D209, said the following in a statement on Oct. 20: “We are focused on providing the highest quality education to all our students. Because our teachers have been working remotely, with limited resources, teachers will return to the classroom where they have access to administrative support, professional development and enhanced technology that increases student engagement and improves student outcomes. We will continue to work in tandem with our teachers to ensure our students’ success.” In related news, D209 student Yirenny Cordero started a change.org petition urging the district to allow teachers to teach from home. As of Oct. 26, 2,000 people had signed it. “While the risk for contracting COVID-19 from being in the buildings is minimal due to precautions being taken, the risk outweighs the benefit,” reads the petition. “The quality of our education isn’t changing in any way and may in fact be negatively affected.”
D209 employee hires attorney after termination Communications director sees retaliation behind his firing By MARIA MAXHAM Editor
Cesar Rodriguez, the communication director for the District 209 Proviso Township High Schools, has hired attorney Julie Herrera to represent him after he was fired from the district, calling the decision an act of discrimination on the part of recently installed Superintendent James Henderson. Rodriguez was hired as D209’s director of communications and community outreach on May 14 after Cynthia Moreno left the position. He hasn’t been in the building since Sept. 2. He was first put on paid, and then unpaid, leave. On Oct. 13, his contract was terminated by board vote, with board member Claudia Medina voting no and the rest of the board in favor of the firing. Nicole Wilson, Rodriguez’s successor as communication director, said the district would have no comment since it “cannot discuss personnel issues.” Rodriguez says there were no incidents or warnings before he was terminated. Not long after Henderson started, Rodriguez became ill with COVID-like symptoms. He stayed home for two weeks. On his first day back at work, Henderson came into his office and told him he was being demoted and his salary was being reduced, according to Rodriguez. When he asked Henderson why, the superintendent allegedly said, “I’m going in a different direction.” Rodriguez had a contract, however, and later in the day Henderson reportedly returned to say Rodriguez wasn’t being demoted after all and his salary would not be reduced. Next, said Rodriguez, came a series of assignments he believes were given purposely to make his job more difficult than it had to be. He alleges that Henderson would regularly call him at 5 p.m., when he was getting ready to go home to his family, to give him an assignment that needed to be done right away or texting after hours, saying he wanted a flyer prepared for the next day. Rodriguez sees it as “clear retaliation” against him. Though the reasons behind it weren’t so obvious, he said it was a change from the way the two had worked earlier, prior to taking time off for his illness. According to Rodriguez, Henderson seemed “flustered and upset” that he hadn’t been able to remove him. Things came to a head on Sept. 2 when Henderson held a Microsoft Teams meeting with Proviso East students. About 90 kids participated, said Rodriguez. “From the beginning, something was wrong,” Rodriguez said. Some of the students had apparently hacked
into the system, repeatedly muting the superintendent when he was speaking. “They were giggling and heckling him,” Rodriguez said. Henderson told them to stop, according to Rodriguez, telling the students if he found out who was responsible, they’d be in trouble. But the kids kept laughing. Rodriguez said Henderson canceled the meeting, then found Rodriguez and walked him into Henderson’s assistant’s office. Henderson allegedly said he wanted his assistant to write down what he was about to say, which was that Rodriguez was responsible for the meeting that had just occurred. When Rodriguez asked Henderson why he was being blamed, a verbal interaction occurred in which, according to Rodriguez, Henderson demanded that he remove his facemask. Rodriguez said he refused, since they were in an enclosed office. According to Rodriguez, Henderson made the demand again. When he refused, Henderson reportedly “got really mad,” making fists with his hands, and ordering him to leave. According to Rodriguez, Henderson pointed his finger in Rodriguez’s face and said, “We’re going to talk in 30 minutes.” Later that day, Rodriguez said, Henderson brought him a letter, stating that he was being suspended for two weeks without pay. When Rodriguez asked for an explanation, Henderson simply told him it was time for him to leave. During his suspension, he said, he received a second letter, this one stating his pay was being terminated and the recommendation was going before the board to fire him. Rodriguez said Henderson claimed he was “insubordinate” and referenced a personal email Rodriguez had sent to a colleague explaining that he couldn’t help with something because he was on leave since “James” had suspended him. Henderson allegedly accessed that email and was angry about being referred to as “James” instead of “Dr. Henderson,” according to Rodriguez, who said he never referred to Henderson in person that way. “My parents are Mexican immigrants, and they taught me respect for elders,” Rodriguez said in an interview. “Referring to him as ‘James’ wasn’t to disrespect him, and it was done in a private email.” To this day, Rodriguez says it’s a mystery to him why Henderson demanded he remove his mask, since they were in a small area and he wears his mask all the time when in the district buildings. “Why would you demand something like that?” Rodriguez asked. He said he’s sad and confused about what happened. “I really feel I was vested in the schools and in the message we were trying to send out: One Proviso,” said Rodriguez. “I took the job because See TERMINATION on next page
Forest Park Review, October 28, 2020
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County moves two precincts to village hall Voters need to be alert and informed By TOM HOLMES Contributing Reporter
Some states, especially in the South, are notorious for coming up with new and creative ways to suppress voting, such as poll taxes, requiring proof of citizenship when registering, prohibiting prior felons from voting, moving polling places and consolidating them. That’s not what happened here with the polling place switch from the community center to the lower level of Forest Park Village Hall, 517 Desplaines Ave., for precincts 66 and 68. When the county asked the village if voting could take place at the community center this year, the village said no, since the space is being used for D91 childcare.
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I wanted to make a difference from page 4 I thought I could make a difference.” He grew up on the Southwest Side of Chicago and attended high school in an impoverished district. “The job wasn’t about the money,” Rodriguez said. “I wanted to make a difference, and I thought it was a perfect fit for me.” When brought up for a vote at the Oct. 13 school board meeting, President Rodney Alexander said the board was voting on the “termination of Cesar Rodriguez for reasons discussed in closed session.” During public discussion, Medina claimed that an opening for Rodriguez’s position was posted prior to the events leading to his firing. She objected to a reason for his firing being that he had referred to someone by their first name. “It should not be used as a reason to fire someone,” Medina said, especially when the communication in which it happened wasn’t even addressed to Henderson. “This is a very, very frivolous and ridiculous action item,” Medina said. “Rodriguez communicated profusely throughout the district in Spanish and in English,” an important consideration since D209 has a high percentage of Spanish-speaking families. “There are a lot of people in the Latin community who are not receiving communications now. … This, I believe, is discriminatory and should not have ever happened.”
But the village offered the lower level of village hall instead. Notices of the precinct change will be mailed to all registered voters in precincts 66 and 68. Etta Worthington, a Forest Park resident and activist who keeps a lookout for what Joe Biden refers to as “malarkey” during this election, said, “While there is no certainty that voter suppression is not happening in this state, I don’t believe we have the kind of obstacles that we hear of in other states.” “Right now,” she added, “I think the biggest problem in Forest Park is that people have not educated themselves adequately about the voting process.” So here are some tips to voting in Forest Park:
Registering Perhaps the obstacle to voting mentioned most often is waiting till the last minute. Although it’s too late for several types of registration, such as online or by mail (applications need to be mailed in 28 days before the election), it’s not too late to register on Election Day itself. Visit cookcountyclerk.com/service/yourvoter-information to find out where your home precinct is. Two forms of ID are required to register to vote, to change a name on your voter registration, or to change a registration address. Acceptable forms of ID include driver’s license, state ID, Passport, military ID, vehicle registration card, Social Security card, credit card, union membership card, bank statement etc.—almost anything with your name and address (from “A Briefing Report of the Illinois Advisory Committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights,” February 2018).
JASON MAXHAM
EARLY VOTERS: A line outside the Maywood Courthouse Whitcomb Building, 1311 Maybrook Square in Maywood, for early voting on Oct. 27 at 8:30 a.m. postmarked no later than midnight Nov. 2, the night before election and received no later than 14 days after the election. To be sure your ballot is counted, don’t wait till the last minute. “The U.S. Postal Service warned that in almost all of the 50 states and Washington D.C.,” CNN reported, “voters could be at risk of not getting their ballots back to election offices in time to be counted because election rules are not compatible with the time needed for delivery and return of absentee ballots through the mail.”
Early voting in person Forest Park residents who want to vote early and in person can go to the Maywood Courthouse, Whitcomb Building, 1311 Maybrook Square on First Avenue, the closest early voting location at the following times: Oct. 26-30 8:30 a.m. – 7 p.m. Nov. 2 8:30 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Homeless voters
Election Day
Illinois residents who are homeless have the right to vote during Tuesday’s Nov. 3 presidential and statewide elections. If you live on the street, in shelters, or doubled-up in the homes of others, you are considered homeless. If you don’t have a mailing address, list the two streets that intersect closest to where you hang out.
To find your polling place, visit cookcountyclerk.com/service/your-voter-information and enter your information. Again, note that the county is moving the polling place for precincts 66 and 68 from the Community Center to the lower level of village hall, 517 Desplaines Ave. Notices of the precinct change will be mailed to all registered voters in precincts 66 and 68. All polls are open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Central Time. Village hall will be open for phone service only on Election Day, Nov. 3, to ensure social distance for both village employees and voters. Tips for Election Day: • All polling places must be ADA compliant. • You may bring written or printed materials into the voting booth to assist you. • If you are wearing campaign clothing, buttons, or stickers, you may be required to remove or cover them. You may not display campaign signs, pam-
Voting by Mail Illinois permits “no-excuse” (you don’t have to give a reason) absentee and early voting. Applications to vote by mail for the Nov. 3 election must be completed by 5 p.m. on Oct. 29. To complete an online mail ballot application, you’ll need your driver’s license or state identification number or the last four digits of your Social Security Number, the address where you would like your ballot mailed, and an email address. Visit cookcountyclerk.com/agency/vote-mail for more information. A returned absentee ballot must then be
phlets, or other materials. • You can request up to two hours off of work to go and vote in Illinois. • On Election Day, you can cast your ballot after the polls close if you are in line at the listed closing time. • If you or anyone you know encounters problems while voting, call 1-866-687-8683. • You need not present a photo ID to vote in Illinois. A poll worker should not ask you for ID except in a narrow range of circumstances. You may need an ID if an Election Judge challenges your right to vote, you registered to vote by mail and did not provide ID, or if you are also registering to vote or changing your registration address on the day that you vote.
What about the judges? Very few people have a clue on how to vote regarding judges. For guidance, go to the Alliance of Bar Associations for Judicial Screening, recommendations by the Tribune or Sun Times or the League of Women Voters. Remember, voters can take lists into the voting booth.
Felony disenfranchisement Illinois is one of 14 states that automatically restore voting rights to people with felony convictions upon their release. The National Conference of State Legislatures reported that, even in states like Illinois where voting rights are automatically restored after an individual completes their prison sentence, a lack of information and/ or timely communication between courts, corrections officers, and elections officials can “result in uneven application of the law, even when the laws are clear.” Specifically, “ex-offenders sometimes are not aware that they regain their voting rights automatically upon completion of their sentence,” causing them to “go through life believing they cannot vote when, in fact, they can.”
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Forest Park Review, October 28, 2020
Election Day Nov. 3 is election day. Find out where your polling place is by visiting: cookcountyclerk.com/service/your-voter-information co
Free Groceries The Living Word Christian Center, 7600 Roosevelt Rd., is giving away free groceries, including fresh produce, meat and dairy. This event is open to the public and on a first come, first served basis on Saturday, Oct. 31 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Oct. 28 - Nov. 3
BIG WEEK It Starts with Art
Join Trends Oak Park on Nov. 4 at 7 p.m. for a fall fashion virtual event to celebrate Women Small Business month and raise money for Beyond Hunger. Hang out at facebook.com/ groups/TrendsFirstLook to shop for locally created art by Kristina Bailey and one-of-a-kind outfits. Ten percent of the sale of all paintings and prints will go to Beyond Hunger.
Full Size Candy Bars!
Monster Mash Dance Party
Trick-or-treat at Charlie’s Restaurant, 7427 Roosevelt Rd., on Oct. 31 from 6 a.m. until 4 p.m. for a full-size candy bar!
Join the Forest Park Library for an online Halloween party on Oct. 30 for pre-school aged kids from 10:30 to 11 a.m. Show off your costumes by sending photos, and they’ll be included in the virtual costume parade slideshow during the event. Get your photos in by Thursday, Oct. 29. More information on how to sign up is available on the library’s events page at fppl.org/events/
Meet the Artist Meet Forest Park artist Jay Boersma, an artist and photographer with works in the permanent collection of The Art Institute of Chicago. He is the first artist participating in Forest Park Arts Alliance’s Meet the Artist Series. Boersma will be discussing his work via Zoom on Oct. 28 at 7 p.m. If you’re interested in attending, email lberibak@att.net for the Zoom link and information. More information on Boersma can be seen at re-vision.com/JayTalking.mp4.
Scary Stories with the Library On Oct. 31 from 8 to 8:30 p.m., the library will dip into dark and spooky areas of their collection, reading about ghosts and hauntings and all the things that go bump in the night. This event is online and designed for kids ages 10 and up. Registration is required. Go to fppl.org/events to sign up.
National Novel Writing Month National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) starts Nov.1. Join writers around the world aiming to write a 50K word novel in 30 days. Head on over to nanowrimo.org to sign up! And join the Forest Park Public Library for a virtual write-in on Nov. 4 from 6 to 9 p.m. Visit fppl.org/events for more on library events related to NaNoWriMo.
Forest Park Review, October 28, 2020
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Two armed carjackings
A car was stolen at gunpoint at the Hawk Dealership, 7911 Roosevelt Road on Oct. 20 at 8:56 p.m. An employee parked his vehicle in front of the gate to secure it when a car pulled up next to his vehicle. Three men got out and approached him. One of the men lifted his shirt up, exposing a black handgun in his waistband. The victim ran, with one of the offenders chasing him. He managed to get inside the dealership with another employee, and the two locked themselves inside. A man was delivering food to a home on the 800 block of Circle Avenue, Oct. 24 at 6:15 p.m., when a car with five occupants, all armed, attempted to rob him and steal his vehicle. The car pulled up alongside his, and three men got out, each with a gun. According to the victim, there were two more people still in the car, also armed and pointing guns at him through the rolled down front passenger side window. One of the assailants grabbed him and started going through his pockets, but the victim managed to escape, jumping over a backyard gate of a house on the block and entering a residence yelling for help. The homeowner called the police. Although the victim had left his keys in the car when he ran, the offenders were unable to start the vehicle and nothing was missing from it. The man was not injured.
Police from Forest Park, Oak Park and River Forest responded to a call of a large fight on the 7300 block of Madison Street, Oct. 25 at 1:45 a.m. According to the police report, a crowd of 50-60 people were fighting in front of a restaurant and in the street. When police told them to disperse, some members from the crowd shouted profanities and continued to fight. They were described as “overall extremely unruly, before eventually dispersing,” according to the report.
Open container citation issued
Cars stolen from gas stations
A woman was given a local ordinance citation for open alcohol on the 7300 block of Madison Street, Oct. 25 at 12:55 a.m. She was outside, holding a clear plastic cup with a brown liquid inside, later determined to be an alcoholic beverage.
Dunkin’ Donuts robbed at gunpoint Dunkin’ Donuts, 7660 Madison St., was robbed at gunpoint on Oct. 25 around 7 p.m. An employee told police he was behind the counter when a dark SUV pulled into the parking lot. Two men exited the vehicle and entered the store. One stayed near the exit while the other, holding a black handgun, walked behind the counter. “Give me all the money in the safe,” said
the offender near the door; at this time, he also revealed a black handgun The employee opened the register. One of the offenders took all the money out, approximately $200, and they fled the scene.
Huge fight on Madison Street
On Oct. 20 at 8:40 p.m., a car was stolen at the Citgo gas station, 7400 Roosevelt Road, when a man left his keys in the ignition and went inside the gas station store to get change to fill his tires with air. A car was stolen from Thornton’s, 601 Harlem Ave., on Oct. 24 at 1:48 a.m. when the owner left her purse, containing car keys, inside the vehicle and went inside the shop to pay.
Circle Ave. Bridge tagged The word “better” was spray painted in red, black and silver paint under the Circle Avenue Bridge on the north wall. Police noticed it on Oct. 19 at 1:23 a.m.
g n a H e r e in th k r a P t s e For
Fire extinguisher weaponized Police were called to Forest Park Liquors, 7429 Madison St., after a fight broke out on Oct. 19 at 10:37 p.m. A man was attempting to hit another man with a red fire extinguisher, but officers managed to separate the subjects and no injuries were sustained. One of the men told police he’d tried to purchase a six-pack of beer from the store, but was told by the employee behind the counter that he needed to wear a mask. The employee refused to take his payment. Angry, the customer struck the clear plastic barrier separating him from the employee. He left the store, but the employee followed him with a fire extinguisher. The employee said he asked the customer several times to leave the store since he wasn’t wearing a mask. When the customer got upset and struck the barrier, several items fell to the ground, and the plastic barrier made contact with the employee’s
chest, so he followed the customer outside. The customer was given a local ordinance citation for damage to property and told not to return to the store.
Reckless drivers ticketed Reckless driving citations were issued to motorists during a funeral procession down Roosevelt Road on Oct. 20 around 1:15 p.m. Officers received a call from Wescom dispatch alerting them to some “very rowdy” vehicles. Officers noticed cars from the funeral procession, which was headed westbound, swerving into eastbound lanes and driving into oncoming traffic. These items were obtained from police reports filed by the Forest Park Police Department, Oct. 19-25, 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 Maria Maxham
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Forest Park Review, October 28, 2020
CLOSINGS
No indoor service from page 1 Mayor Rory Hoskins shared the sentiment that the mitigation measures being put in place are to protect residents. “The governor’s orders are in the best interests of Illinois’ citizens, and the village will assist in implementing the executive orders,” Hoskins said. Hoskins said the village has been carefully monitoring statewide COVID reporting for the past several weeks, in addition to looking at border states, so the news isn’t surprising. He spoke about creative solutions to the shutdowns. “The village anticipated the need to be creative with respect to outdoors dining and responding to requests from restaurants and taverns,” Hoskins said. “We will be flexible with requests for outdoor heating devices, etc. Our limitation is that devices purchased to enhance the outdoor dining experience (like heaters) cannot involve drilling into or penetrating any publicly-owned sidewalks or damaging property that is not owned by the restaurant or tavern.” Region 4 (Metro East) triggered additional mitigation efforts too. Four other regions in Illinois were previously targeted for extra restrictions after meeting
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resurgence thresholds as well. “Starting Wednesday, 6 of our 11 regions will be operating under our resurgence framework,” said Pritzker in the press release. Illinois Department of Public Health Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike spoke about hospital admissions and the need to keep those numbers as low as possible. “We are seeing test positivity across the state increase, but for Region 10, Suburban Cook County, we are also seeing a steady increase in hospitalizations for COVID-like illness,” Ezike said in the release. “At the beginning of the pandemic, we were concerned about overwhelming our hospitals and we must take action now to prevent that possibility. We are entering flu season and our hospitals are facing both COVID-19 and flu admissions. The same things that can help prevent the spread of COVID-19 will help prevent the spread of flu. Please, wash your hands, watch your distance, and wear your mask. And make sure to get your flu shot.” The following mitigations begin Oct. 28 in Region 10, which includes Forest Park: • No indoor service is allowed for either bars or restaurants. • All outdoor dining or bar service closes at 11 p.m. and may open no earlier than 6 a.m. the following day. • Outside tables for both bars and restaurants should be 6 feet apart. Bar patrons should be seated at tables. • In bars, no ordering, seating or con-
gregating at the bar is allowed. Bar stools should be removed to prevent this from occurring. • While waiting for a table at a restaurant or bar, no standing or congregating indoors or outdoors is allowed. • Dancing or standing indoors is not allowed at bars. • Reservations are required for each outdoor-dining party at both bars and restaurants. • Multiple parties may not be seated at the same table. In addition, meetings, social events and gatherings are limited to 25 guests or 25 percent of overall room capacity. Party buses are not allowed. The IDPH will track the positivity rate to see if and when mitigations can be relaxed, or if additional restrictions are needed. For Region 10, the IDPH will be looking at three measures to determine if restrictions can be lifted and the region can return to Phase 4: • The positivity rate must average less than or equal to 6.5 percent over a three-day period. • There must be a decrease in hospital admissions for COVID-19 like illnesses over a three-day period. • The three-day rolling averages of ICU bed availability and medical/surgical bed availability must be greater than or equal to 20 percent over a sevenday period.
Cook County opens Housing Choice voucher wait list Residents have until Nov. 2 to apply By Michael Romain Staff Reporter
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During a news conference held Oct. 19, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle announced that the Housing Authority of Cook County has opened its wait list for Housing Choice vouchers for the first time in 18 years. She said that the program will be open to 10,000 applicants, who will be determined at random. Residents have until Nov. 2 to apply. Applications can be accessed at https://myportal.thehacc. org/. “In the most recent report published by the DePaul Institute for Housing Studies, over 180,000 households across Cook County are facing housing instability,” Preckwinkle said on Oct. 19. “This means that they’re paying more than 30 percent of their total household income just toward rent. In many cases, that percentage is larger. This is unacceptable.” Richard Monocchio, the executive director of the Housing Authority, said that his agency had already seen high demand for the applications. “At 10:30 a.m., we had 6,000 applications already,” he said. “We are going to take applications and will cut the list off on Nov. 2, and randomize it to make a list of 10,000. Those 10,000, we hope to be able to house within the next four years.” Monocchio said that eligible applicants must be at 50 percent of the area median income or below. “For a family of four that means income can’t exceed $45,500,” he said. “For a oneperson household, it’s $31,850.”
Library shuts temporarily after staff member tests positive Vestibule service to reopen on Friday By MARIA MAXHAM Editor
The Forest Park Public Library announced on Oct. 26 that it is temporarily closing after a staff member tested positive for COVID-19. Although it is unknown if the employee contracted it at the library or somewhere else, out of an abundance of caution the library has decided to close. In an announcement to residents, the library said, “During this closure, the facility will be cleaned and time will be given to allow any remaining traces of the virus to dissipate.” Staff who were in close contact with the infected individual, per CDC guidelines, will be quarantined for 14 days. “Other staff members will self-monitor and be extra conscientious about their wellness,” according to the library’s website. Virtual services and programs will still be available, but books cannot be picked up or dropped off until the library reopens. Fines for items due will not accrue. Patrons can place items on hold, and they will be available once the library reopens. Director Pilar Shaker said the vestibule service model will reopen on Friday, Oct. 30. Through this service, patrons can put items on hold online or by phone. They will be notified when their items are ready for pick-up. Items will be held for seven days and can be picked up in the vestibule of the library. Patrons won’t be able to browse for items in person, use computers or printers, or enter the library beyond the vestibule. Restrooms will be unavailable. “The library staff understands how vital access to our building and services are for many members of our community,” said Shaker in a statement. “We strive to find the safest way to provide our services during this challenging time.” In reaction to the Oct. 26 announcement of extra mitigation imposed on Region 10 bars and restaurants, Shaker said that while the restrictions “do not directly impact our service offerings, they are a stark reminder that our patrons and staff must remain vigilant in our efforts to maintain a healthy environment by wearing our masks, respecting social distancing guidelines, and responding to illness appropriately.” Pilar added: “We appreciate the continued support of our community.” More information on the library’s services can be found at fppl.org.
Forest Park Review, October 28, 2020
NEW OFFICER
Grew up in Chicago from page 1 Arab and a Muslim, but not to the extent that he has been traumatized like many members of other minority groups. He said that in the public schools, he was able to avoid confrontations by simply staying away from those kinds of kids and that as an adult, “I know that it [discrimination] is there but I don’t experience it personally much.” When asked if his religion, Islam, affects how he does his job in law enforcement, he responded with a nuanced reply. On the one hand, he describes himself as a devout Muslim. “Islam,” he said, “is essentially my way of life. I can’t put it on and take it off like clothing.” He went to Sunday school at a local mosque, but he credits his parents for being responsible for the person he is today. “I believe it starts at home,” he said, “my parents raising me the way they raised me, that’s why I am the way I am now.” At the same time, he feels no tension between being “all American” and a devout Muslim. On the other hand, he said that calling yourself a Christian or a Muslim, doesn’t say much in itself about your character. He is, for now, the only Muslim in the depart-
ment, but he feels at home with 35 other officers, because of the cultural values they share. Chief Tom Aftanas said that Awad’s field training, which began at the end of August will continue until early January when “barring any setbacks” he will be on his own. And it is in his field training, his every day working relationship with the other FPPD officers, that Awad has experienced a culture that is compatible with his way of life. “In this department,” he said, “they’re always letting you know that you will never know everything. You always have room to grow, so stay humble, do your work, be fair, treat everybody with respect -- that will go a long way. Those are things I try to keep in my head.” “I’ve heard stories of officers who let the badge go their heads,” he said. “Being a police officer is a special job. You have the ability to take someone’s freedom away. This job is dangerous, but it’s important to be mindful that you have powers other people don’t have. When
MOHAMMAD AWAD you have that understanding you will be fair, impartial and humble.” When Awad enrolled at UIC in the fall
of 2016 he declared his major to be biology, thinking that he might be on a path to medical school, but then he realized that he wasn’t enjoying his science classes. It was when he took Criminal Justice 101 that everything changed. “When I was taking that course,” he recalled, “I became excited to go to school and was interested in what I was learning.” More courses on criminal justice followed with one internship with the Cook County Sheriff’s Department and one with the UIC police. Awad graduated from UIC in December 2019 and began his training at the police academy, before starting his field training in August. Reflecting on his pivot away from science to criminal justice, Awad said, “The more I was around those officers the more I saw myself working in that same field. At the end of the day I feel like everyone wants some type of fulfillment in their life, and they want to feel like they are having an impact. I came to the conclusion that I would have the most fulfillment and make an impact as a police officer.” Aftanas said, “I am happy to have both of our new officers, Officer Mohammad Awad and Nicholas Hatler. Awad and Hatler are both enthusiastic and want to learn as much as they can. Officer Hatler served in the U.S. Marines and Officer Awad, who speaks Arabic, has already done translating on the job.” “Field training,” he added, “can be very stressful, but both officers are doing well.”
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Forest Park Review, October 28, 2020
Political signs reflect mayor’s personal beliefs By MARIA MAXHAM Editor
When Mayor Rory Hoskins posted a message on his Facebook page offering free “Vote Yes for the Fair Tax” signs and signs in support of presidential candidate Joe Biden, there were a lot of takers. But not everyone was happy with the offer. Some residents questioned whether the village is involved in distribution of the signs, either through philosophical or monetary support. In an interview with the Review, Hoskins made it clear that the signs he is distributing come from him personally and reflect his own beliefs, not those of the village. No
taxpayer money was spent on them, and no time was taken from Hoskins’ mayoral responsibilities to order or distribute them. “I’m offering the signs through my nontaxpayer-funded Facebook page,” Hoskins said last week. “It’s public record that I was a Biden delegate. And although I hold a nonpartisan position in government, I still have my own personal opinions on politics as a citizen.” Hoskins has never hidden his support for Biden. In Nov. 2019, he helped organize local support for Biden’s presidential campaign through an event at Shanahan’s. “It’s no secret I’ve been involved in the Democratic Party,” said Hoskins at the time, though then, too, he said he was working on that project on his own time and using no Forest Park village resources in his efforts. Hoskins also was elected to serve as a 7th congressional district delegate for Biden at the Democratic National Convention in August.
NOT ON VILLAGE TIME OR DOLLAR: Mayor Rory Hoskins has made it clear that his distribution of political signs doesn’t represent the village and doesn’t involve taxpayer dollars.
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Forest Park Review, October 28, 2020
Special ed teachers face extra challenges Parent involvement has been exceptional – and necessary By MARIA MAXHAM Editor
District 91 has been teaching remotely since the beginning of the school year, with teachers and families working hard to overcome obstacles presented by the onset of distance learning last spring. But working with children with special needs brings a unique set of challenges, from teaching nonverbal primary-level students, to figuring out how to provide physical and occupational therapy, to convincing middle-school students to keep their cameras on during Zoom lessons. The Review talked to members of the D91 Student Services team, including school workers and special needs teachers, to get an idea of what the school year has been like so far for educators and families during distance learning. According to Michelle Hopper, director of student services, D91 teaches about 225 children with special needs, not including those with IEP (Individualized Education Plans) or 504 plans. Their needs range drastically, from kids who are nonverbal to those who need physical therapy or occupational therapy, and there are a multitude of combined needs that include all ages, from preschool through eighth grade. How, for example, do you teach nonverbal kids over Zoom? Kathryn Callahan, primary special education teacher in the district, said she works with three students who don’t speak, and she’s developed and uses adaptive materials to help with communication.
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Thumbs up and thumbs down pictures on popsicle sticks allow the students to voice their opinions without speaking. She uses color boards, on which a color corresponds to an answer, and students can point to or hold up the correct answer without needing to talk. Amanda Skinner, special education teacher at Betsy Ross, says one of her students uses an augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) device, allowing the child to participate in group discussions even without the ability to speak. Physical and occupational therapy, important components of education for some students, have seen changes too. Hopper said both PT and OT are still happening, though in some cases they’ve taken on a different form. “The physical therapist might use dance videos,” said Hopper. “Or incorporating movement into Zoom sessions. If we’re working with a student on gait, for example, and depending on whether there’s a guardian at home to assist, we might have them practice walking up and down the stairs at home.” Handwriting, something students might work on in occupational therapy, can be a challenge too, and a lot of it depends on who’s supervising the student during the day and whether or not that person can help. “Some of it is working from the parent’s perspective,” said Hopper. “They can help us help the student move toward mastering a goal. It’s definitely a challenge, and we’re trying our best, but it’s much easier in person.” The necessity of involving parents, however, has been a “secret blessing,” Hopper said. “It’s given us the opportunity to show parents why we do some of the things we do, or why we structure lessons the way we do. Especially at the preschool and primary level, it’s been nice to let the parents see the full picture of what goes on during the
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OVERCOMING OBSTACLES: District 90’s student services and special education team are collaborating with one another, and with parents, to make remote learning work for all kids in the district.
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CALEDONIA SENIOR LIVING IS A COVID-FREE COMMUNITY 2800 Des Plaines Avenue, North Riverside, IL 60546 (708) 477-5092 | CaledoniaSeniorLiving.org school day, to better see the correlation of why a therapist or teacher might push for a certain lesson or why the social worker and speech therapists are collaborating on something.” Skinner agreed. “The parents are the ones with the children, so we support the parents to support the kids,” she said, adding that she thinks there’s a huge benefit to teachers and parents integrating and collaborating more than ever before. Hopper said the biggest surprise with the special needs students has been the high level of participation. In the spring, when remote learning started, some families dropped off. But once school began again in the fall, the district saw many of those families return. “Parents are more engaged than ever,” said Jennifer Braun, eighth grade special education teacher in D91. Tahnee Andersen, who works at Garfield with preschool students with special needs, said for her young students, the parents’ role in distance learning has been crucial. “Without our parents, for most of my students remote learning would be near impossible,” Andersen said. “Our parents are with their child throughout the entire Zoom, helping them with hand over hand or prompting a response when it is their turn.” She said she started the school year with doubts. Would the children participate? How would they sit still? What would the interactions be like? “They are really shining,” Andersen said.
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“Everything we send them home is adapted and hands on. We incorporate dancing and movement to get them up and energy going. They want to participate and share an answer. They’re excited to hear their name every day.” And she and the district send all assignments home with step-by-step visual and written instructions for the parent or guardian on how to complete the activity so they can help their children complete the work. For the social workers, some of the goals they’re working on with children are different from what they were pre-COVID. For example, said D91 social worker David Droy, a child who became overwhelmed and needed coping skills for the intensity of activity or noise at school might not feel the same way sitting at home at the kitchen table. “We’ve adapted the targets to be more generalized social skills,” Droy said. This, he said, will give the kids a good base of coping skills so when they do go back to school, they’ll be able to adapt more easily. There are some families in the district, however, that just can’t commit to everyday learning. Some of these kids, said Hopper, had a one-on-one aid during school days when learning was in-person, and the guardians simply can’t sit next to their child all day because of work or other issues. So the district meets the families where they are, willing to provide whatever help is needed. “We’re here to support our families in any way we can,” Hopper said.
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Forest Park Review, October 28, 2020
S P O N S O R E D
C O N T E N T
A bevy of Berwyn breakfasts Looking for a delightful way to start the day? Try coffee and Bloody Mary from Lavergne’s Tavern
The best way to the start the day is with a hearty breakfast
MELISSA ELSMO
Rise and shine hungry friends! Berwyn is just to the south and ready to meet your early morning desires. From pancakes to eggs and coffee to cocktails there is something for everyone to enjoy in Berwyn. Check out some of our recent discoveries!
Melissa Elsmo
The breakfast bowl and brunch burger from Lavergne’s Tavern.
Melissa Elsmo
Mission House Café:
Lavergne’s Tavern:
Known for serving up some serious burgers, street food inspired tacos and even decadent Chicagostyle eggrolls, Lavergne’s Tavern, 6546 Windsor Ave., also serves up a mighty fine brunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Sunday. Whether you are looking to soak up some debauchery from the night before or dine while supporting the Chicago Bears, the brunch menu at Lavergne’s is not shy. Most menu items will fill your belly for the better part of the day. Breakfast purists can order eggs and toast and health conscious diners can order the vegan skillet or avocado toast, but folks looking to splurge should check out the brunch burger or Food Writer
Fruit topped pancakes from Tastee Corner Café.
A breakfast array from Mission House Café. Melissa Elsmo
Melissa Elsmo
loaded breakfast bowl. The brunch burger is a savory-sweet explosion featuring an all-beef patty served open faced on a bed of French toast. Topped with a smattering of cheese, maple syrup, bacon and a sunny side up egg the dish dabbles on the culinary dark side. The loaded breakfast bowl features an assortment of breakfast meats, hash browns, veggies, eggs and a drizzle of house-made buttermilk ranch dressing. Don’t forget a cocktail. Flavorful house made Bloody Mary mix forms the base for a classic breakfast cocktail garnished with celery and
skewer of pickles, olives and cheese — create your own chaser by ordering a 5-ounce beer to enjoy alongside the spicy drink.
Tastee Corner Café: Traditionalists will adore the timeless diner feel at Tastee Corner Café, 3207 Oak Park Ave. For the past eight years this family-owned joint in Berwyn’s Depot District has been churring out reliable breakfast favorites for folks working at the neighboring hospital or waiting to hop on the train. Owners are particularly proud of their steak and egg options as well as their varied skillets. The Mexican skillet, topped with eggs cooked to order, brims with chorizo, jalapenos, and cheese. Fruit topped pancakes will bring a smile to the young or young at heart.
Tucked inside a warm and welcoming home Mission House Café, 6818 W. 34th St., attracts guests with vintage charm, friendly service and a simple, yet confident, menu of morning fare. The six-year-old business boasts tin ceilings, Edison bulb light fixtures and a whimsical mask-clad, wall-mounted faux deer head. In the space, customers work in the internet café while enjoying an array of gourmet coffee and espresso drinks like pumpkin spice lattes made with house-made syrup. Hearty breakfast burritos come in two sizes to accommodate different appetite levels, while attractive oatmeal bowls topped with colorful fresh fruit appeal to health-conscious diners. Barista, Z, enjoys working the collaborative environment and is proud to use the café to promote local artists and musicians. The café will host their next art pop up on November 7. After expenses a portion of profits from sales at Mission House Café are donated to local and global organizations like Solutions for Care in North Riverside, among others.
Bananas and strawberries crown the oatmeal bowl at Mission House Café. Melissa Elsmo
The Mexican skillet from Tastee Corner Café. Melissa Elsmo
Forest Park Review, October 28, 2020
By TOM HOLMES
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The graduated income tax: For and Against
Contributing Reporter
In addition to the names Donald Trump and Joe Biden, on the Nov. 3rd ballot there will be the following: Yes or No Proposed Amendment Article IX — Revenue The website Ballotopedia explains, “A ‘yes’ vote supports repealing the state’s constitutional requirement that the state personal income tax be a flat rate and instead allow the state to enact legislation for a graduated income tax. A ‘no’ vote opposes this constitutional amendment, thus continuing to require that the state personal income tax be a flat rate and prohibit a graduated income tax.” The amendment does not change the present flat tax rate. What it does is give permission to the legislature to change the rate if it wants to. Arguments for and against the amendment seem to be based on speculation regarding what the legislature, which is controlled by the Democrats, will do if the amendment is passed.
Against Dan Watts, president of Forest Park National Bank, is opposed to the amendment because it is “bad for individuals, business-
es and the great state of Illinois.” His argument: 1. The proposal reduces taxes for incomes less than $250,000 by 0.2% while raising taxes over $250,000 by 2.8%. 2. The constitutional protection of a flat tax prohibits the legislature from stratifying tax rate levels. Once passed the legislature could increase taxes on any income. 3. The state of Illinois has mismanaged its finances for years. Rather than addressing expenses, the Democratic-controlled government seeks only to increase revenue. Illinois is a home with a hole in the roof and, rather than addressing the hole, it seeks to paint the water-stained walls. 4. Small businesses are often taxed at individual income rates (an IRS election known as Subchapter S). A 56 percent increase in taxes for businesses making more than $250,000 will eventually lead to slower job growth and likely job losses. 5. Higher taxes on successful individuals and businesses will lead to migration from Illinois to lower-tax states. 6. Illinois currently ranks as the 36th worst state in overall tax burden. The proposed increase in income tax will propel the state to the 47th worst tax-burdened state in the Union. 7. A major contributing factor to Illinois fiscal woes is the grandiose public pension obligation. Like the flat tax, those pensions are protected by the state constitution. Que-
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ry: Why does the legislation seek to eliminate the protection from taxation while not addressing the protection for the root of the problem? Dan Bjornson, an accountant in town, is also planning on voting against the amendment. “I don’t think the amendment, in and of itself, is bad,” he said. “However, if it passes, it will allow the government to raise taxes on selected classes of taxpayers. To me that is a sneaky way to raise taxes. “Passage of this amendment would give additional power to the politicians who we don’t trust. They’ve made a mess of the state’s finances and I would not want to give them additional power.” Like Watts, Bjornson would rather reduce government spending to balance the budget than raise taxes.
For Etta Worthington, a local advocate, contends that there is a lot of disinformation circulating about the amendment. For example, she points out that some say retirement income would be taxed if the amendment passes. “That’s not really true,” she said. “Retirement income could be taxed at any time, depending on the legislature and the governor at the time. The Fair Tax has nothing to do with that. And you have to look at who most likely is behind this untruth, the ma-
jor funding of Ken Griffin, the richest man in Illinois.” “The bottom line is this,” she added. “Almost everyone who is reading this will experience a tax cut as a result of this amendment. It seems only fair that the superrich should have to pay more, and that the burden on the working poor and the middle class should be lessened. And, on top of that, the increased revenue to the state will give increased funding to schools, among other things. Clark Craig, a community organizer with the Progress Center, added that 97 percent of the people in Illinois would see their income tax rate stay the same or go down and that 68 percent of the states in the U.S. have implemented a graduated income tax. “While everyone would share a more equal burden in terms of the impact on their budget,” he argued, “at the same time, it has been shown that graduated income tax systems produce higher tax-revenue, which is then used to fund such things as infrastructure, police, firemen, social services and many other items (including paying a large backlog of unpaid bills in Illinois) needed to maintain a healthy society.” He also contends that, if passed, small businesses would not be taxed under the Fair-Tax system. Mayor Rory Hoskins said, “I will vote for the Fair Tax. Governor Pritzker is on the right side of this issue.”
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Forest Park Review, October 28, 2020
OPINION O U R
V I E W
Common-sense patriotism
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ith indoor service at local bars and restaurants again prohibited in the face of rising COVID cases and hospitalizations, Tim Gillian, Forest Park’s village administrator, made a simple and clear assessment of the potential impact of the new
restrictions. “This news is not unexpected but extremely sad,” he told the Review on Monday. “There’s no end in sight for these small businesses, and I’m concerned that many of them will not survive. This shutdown could change the face of Forest Park for years to come.” A destination for celebration, for the succor of a family gathered, for a couple of pops after a good day’s work, restaurants and bars are the face of Forest Park’s commercial strips. And virtually every one of them is independently owned, many of them locally owned. We’ve watched with fascination and admiration over the past 20 years as Madison Street has transformed with a mix of higherend restaurants, such as the recently shuttered Francesca’s and Heritage, the just reinvented Gaetano’s market, and stalwarts like Louie’s Grill and Jimmy’s Place. We’ve watched as the endless string of taverns has both thinned out and also remade themselves into more interesting, more niched-out spots, more purposeful than promoting a $2 bottle. This is entrepreneurialism at street level. But entrepreneurs lack endlessly deep pockets and this stunningly mismanaged pandemic is pushing these neighbors of ours to the brink and, increasingly now, over the brink. Gillian is right. The raft of closings just ahead is likely to change the face of Forest Park for years. The recovery from this, and we haven’t even defined the bottom, is going to be painful and long. Another reason to admire the comments of Forest Park’s largest bar owner, Marty Sorice, who told the Review Monday, “As much as it will hurt my family and my coworkers, this is the right thing to do.” That’s common-sense patriotism right there. There is no way through this except together. Our president and the government he leads have done nothing but sow division with its balderdash of freedom and individual rights to ignore this pandemic. Ignoring it has brought us to this latest precipice.
New recruits
We’ve been critical of the diminishing racial diversity of Forest Park’s police department. And by diversity we mean AfricanAmerican officers. Retirements have recently reduced the small number of Black officers at a moment in American history when representation is critical. We understand the challenges that a far too rigid, state-mandated hiring system imposes. And we have urged the department to actively step up its efforts to recruit potential Black officers. All that said, it is good to see the arrival of Mohammad Awad to the force. He is Forest Park’s first Muslim officer. His thoughtful comments on community policing and his place within this department are encouraging. Awad and fellow recruit Nicholas Hatler began their field training in August. We welcome both officers to Forest Park.
If Biden wins, what happens then?
T
o heal your troubled marriage, don’t hire a lawyer. If healing is your goal, you will be better served by seeing a therapist. Lawyers fight for their clients. They are not there to heal the relationship. They are called on during divorce proceedings which tend to be win/lose affairs. In my experience, in fighting for one spouse or the other, the former partners get polarized even further. You see my analogy? This presidential campaign, to me, has felt like a divorce. It feels like Democrats filed for divorce 10 minutes after Mr. Trump and the country said “I do” during the inauguration. We did not see any relationship therapists speaking at the impeachment trial. Both teams, as is always the case in campaigns, are adversarial. By its very nature, someone has to win and someone has to lose. Even if the competition is respectful and opponents play by the rules, one team pours champagne over each other in the locker room and the other licks their wounds and begin plotting how to get even next time. One of our societal mistakes, it seems to me, has been to respond to our troubled relationship by hiring lawyers instead of therapists. That is, to view it as a “culture war” instead of a breach of empathy, a term a psychologist friend of mine likes to use. I think we all can agree that our national union is in trouble and that the last four years have had the effect of pouring gasoline instead of water on our burning home. If Biden wins, how are we liberals (80 percent in this area who voted for Hillary) going to respond? Are we going to dance in the endzone to shame the other team? Are we going to continue on the adversarial, win/lose path we’ve been on or are we going to say, “This is not working. Let’s move away a bit from the combative style of lawyers and approach the next four years as marriage therapy.” “But there are urgent things that need to get done,” protest some of my friends. “More important than bringing the union closer together and building trust?” I wonder. Maybe healing begins with simple things like saying “we will work for” instead of “we will fight for.” I know it feels like we’re in a battle, but we have the power to frame it otherwise. Those of you who have been in marriage counseling know how it works. First, we had to let go of the position that I’m right and you’re an idiot. Then we had to listen to the other person in the relationship with the intention of trying to understand their point of view. Not to agree with it, necessarily, but at least to try to understand and believe that we can respect people who view “reality” differently.
Donald Trump came into this “marriage” not wanting to make it work, and almost from the get-go those on the left side of the aisle have filed grounds for a divorce. That’s not a good scenario for healing a polarized union. If the polls are more accurate than they were four years ago, come Jan. 20, our nation will have another chance to make the relationship work. Officer Mike Keating, now retired, told me that every once in a while he will run into people he had arrested and put in jail, and sometimes they will actually smile and shake his hand. And when he asks them why, they reply, “Because even when you were arresting me, you treated me with respect.” Pres. Lincoln’s overarching goal was not to win the war but to save the union. At some point that required both the blues and the grays to stop seeing the “other” as enemy and start relating to them as potential allies. I realize we don’t have a sterling record in that regard, but it is possible. We are close allies with Germany 55 years after the end of WWII partly because in the Marshall Plan we helped Western Germany rebuild instead of punishing them, as was the case after WWI. It’s called restorative justice, a way of leaning into the pain of a troubled relational history with the goal of healing the relationship instead of defeating an enemy. Nelson Mandela and Bishop Tutu put that vision into practice in South Africa. The All in the Family character Archie Bunker once said, “What’s wrong with revenge? It’s a perfect way of getting even!” Come Jan. 20, we have a spiritual choice to make — follow Archie Bunker’s way of responding to injustice or that of Mandela, Tutu and Lincoln. My wife just finished a novel titled, A Nun in the Closet, in which a character named Sister John has an unpleasant experience with a very rude, disrespectful man. “A most extraordinary man,” said Sister John, as he was going out the door. “Pure bully — one of the most unpleasant I believe I’ve ever met — and what I resent very much is that I shall have to pray for him.” My hope and prayer is that we choose to be therapists as well as lawyers, holding up the goal of having malice toward none and charity toward all. Truth and reconciliation, Bishop Tutu taught us, must be inseparable for a just peace to evolve. It’s difficult to summon the spiritual will to do that after feeling like an enemy has victimized you, but I’m afraid that is what it’s going to take to, as my Jewish friends say, Tikkun Olam, repair the world.
TOM HOLMES
Forest Park Review, October 28, 2020
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HELP WANTED CASHIER/RECEPTIONIST Looking for a detailed oriented individual with dealership experience. Alternate Saturday schedule, must be exible. call 708-848-8500 BILINGUAL CCP SUPERVISOR Sahara Homecare is hiring a Bilingual CCP Supervisor for the Melrose Park location. We provide homecare services to seniors through the state-funded Community Care Program. Duties for the position include managing both homecare aides and client cases. Requirements -Able to communicate in both Spanish and English -Minimum High School Diploma -Familiarity with Microsoft OfďŹ ce including Excel -Strong written and verbal communication skills Please send your resume to Human Resources Coordinator Habeeba Nazneen at: habeeban@saharahomecare.com. For more information on job opportunities, please visit https://saharahomecare.com. ELECTRICIAN’S HELPER PART-TIME Part-time Electrician’s Helper. Must have own transportation. Call for more info. 708-738-3848 HAPPY KIDD’S WEST INC. 6928 W 16th St Berwyn, IL 60513 We are seeking a Director and 2 teachers. Director must be qualiďŹ ed and have Associate’s degree or equivalent. Teachers must be director or teacher qualiďŹ ed. Mon thru Fri. working with Infants to 6 yrs old. Compensable salary negotiable based on experience. Call 773-619-5545 or fax resume to 773-728-5437. TEACHER AND TEACHER AIDE MINI ME BUNCH seeks teacher and teacher aide to enhance and expand daycare serving children ages 6 weeks to 5 years. Teacher must have at least Associates’ degree in Early Childhood Education. Minimum 1 year experience preferred in each position. Must love children and be outgoing, patient, exible. Contact 773-521-9499.
Advertise in Wednesday Classified. Call 708/613-3342
Local Co looking for Part time Driver. Must be able to lift 75lbs, Valid Drivers License. Hours 6 am til 12 pm. Email HR@sievertelectric.com
SUBURBAN RENTALS FOREST PARK 3BR Jackson Blvd, 3 BR apt., 2nd oor w/dining room and breakfast nook. New kitchen w/granite & stainless, new bath, central air, free laundry. 2 blocks to blue line, 2 blocks to Madison Street. 1700 + deposit & credit check required. Garage available. 312-802-8291 OAK PARK 2BR 2BA CONDO Condo for rent on a great location near downtown oak park: 2 bedroom 2 bath condo, only electric bill not included. $1400 a month, $1400 deposit. For more information please call 224-475-7929. OAK PARK: ROOSEVELT/ OAK PARK AVE. CORRIDOR 2BR 4RMS close to blue line. On site laundry, parking, heat & water incl. $1200/ month 708-383-9223
OFFICE SPACE FOR RENT RIVER FOREST–7777 Lake St. *1116 sq. ft. suite *569 sq. ft. with patio OAK PARK–1053 Lake St. *Entire 3rd Floor, 1275 sq. ft. OAK PARK– 6142-44 Roosevelt Rd. *3 and 5 room office suites Strand& & Browne Strand Browne 708-488-0011 708-488-0011
COMMERCIAL/ RETAIL SPACE A RETAIL SPACE FOR LEASE IN A 6-SPACE SHOPPING CENTER: 1600 Sq Ft. • 321-B S. Harlem Ave./Madison St. area – Forest Park, IL. • Very Good Condition – Recently Updated. • Heavy foot/road trafďŹ c area. • End space. 45-Space Parking Lot! • For more details: Serious Inquiries ONLY: CALL/TEXT, at: Or: D.B. (708)828-6491
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Apartment listings updated daily at:
GARAGE/YARD SALES Oak Park
GARAGE SALE 1234 KENILWORTH SAT 10/31 8AM TO 3PM
Assorted items—not to be missed! Riverside
GARAGE SALE 715 ARLINGTON ROAD SAT 10/31 9AM TO 2PM
Items include furniture, lamps, DVD/ Blue Ray movies, video games, bedding, kitchen items, and many other great ďŹ nds. No early birds and please wear your mask.
ITEMS FOR SALE BENCH PRESS WITH WEIGHTS Set includes (4) 3 lb weights; (9) 5 lb weights; (7) 10 lb weights; (2) 50 lb weights together with poles. $79.00 708-488-8755 COLLECTION ITEM LLADRO STUDIOS About 30 years old. Madonna and Child by Martinez. No. 11. Inscribed in sculpture. Brown porcelain, approx. 2 ft tall. $651.00 708-488-8755 FISH TANK AND STAND 75 gallon ďŹ sh tank and stand $50. (630) 697-1739 CHERRY WOOD CHAIRS Two beautiful cherry wood chairs with leather seats. $60.00 ea. FAN $20.00 AUDIX SPEAKERS Two new Audix speakers. $60.00 ea. Call Nell 708-383-7892 SMALL METAL FILE CABINET 13â€?w x 30â€?h x 10â€?d. 6 skinny drawers. 708-488-8755
CEMENT
CEMETERY PLOTS 4 FOREST HOME CEMETERY PLOTS 4 Forest Home cemetery plots available together or separately. Garden Sec. 61, Lot 342-A spaces 1,2,3,4. $1800 each, transfer costs not included. Call 847-468-0013 and leave message
WANTED TO BUY WANTED MILITARY ITEMS: Helmets, medals, patches, uniforms, weapons, ags, photos, paperwork, Also toy soldiers – lead, plastic – other misc. toys. Call Uncle Gary 708-522-3400
PETS While you’re away, your pets are okay . . . at home
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PUBLIC NOTICES 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: Y20004736 on October 6, 2020 Under the Assumed Business Name of MARISSA KELLEY VIRTUAL ASSISTANT with the business located at: 1410 N 12TH AVE APT 2, MELROSE PARK, IL 60160. The true and real full name(s) and residence address of the owner(s)/partner(s) is: MARISSA MARIAH KELLEY 1410 N 12TH AVE APT 2, MELROSE PARK, IL 606160, USA Published in Forest Park Review 10/21, 10/28, 11/4/2020
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PublicNoticeIllinois.com • ForestParkReview.com PUBLIC NOTICES
PUBLIC NOTICES
PUBLIC NOTICES
PUBLIC NOTICES
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ON THE VILLAGE OF RIVERSIDE’S PROPOSED BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2021
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING Park District of Oak Park November 5, 2020, 7:30 p.m.
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 5, 2020, at 7:00 p.m. in Riverside Township Hall Auditorium (2nd Floor), 27 Riverside Road, Riverside, Illinois, 60546 on the Tentative Annual Budget for the 2021 fiscal year of the Village of Riverside, Illinois, commencing January 1, 2021, and ending December 31, 2021.
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 2020 Property Tax Levy on November 5, 2020, 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.
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: Y20004939 on October 20, 2020 Under the Assumed Business Name of BLACK FAVES with the business located at: 4508 IDLEWILD LANE, HILLSIDE, IL 60162. The true and real full name(s) and residence address of the owner(s)/partner(s) is: TANISHA BLAKELY 4508 IDLEWILD LANE, HILLSIDE, IL 60162, USA.
LEGAL NOTICE ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS RIVER FOREST, ILLINOIS Public Notice is hereby given that a public hearing will be held by the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) of the Village of River Forest, County of Cook, State of Illinois, on Thursday, November 12, 2020 at 7:30 p.m. in the First Floor Community Room of the River Forest Village Hall, 400 Park Avenue, River Forest, Illinois on the following matter:
Published in Forest Park Review 10/28, 11/4, 11/11/2020
Section 4-8-5 of the Village Code provides the Zoning Board jurisdiction to hold public hearings and offer recommendations to the Village Board concerning variations to Zoning Ordinance.
Public comments on the Proposed Annual Budget are welcome at the public hearing. Emailed comments may be sent to Village Treasurer Karin Johns at kjohns@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 5, 2020. 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, 2020 at the Finance Department of the Village of Riverside, Illinois, 27 Riverside Road, Riverside, Illinois, 60546 from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, except on Tuesday, November 3, 2020, when Village offices will be closed to the public, and 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 10/28/2020
Illinois Classified Advertising Network WANTED TO BUY
FREON WANTED: We pay CA$H for cylinders and cans. R12 R500 R11 R113 R114. Convenient. Certified Professionals. Call 312-598-1758 or visit RefrigerantFinders.com
www.ForestParkReview.com
2020 Tax Levy
By: Commissioner Chris Wollmuth Secretary, Board of Commissioners Park District of Oak Park Published in Wednesday Journal 10/28/2020
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: Y20004905 on October 14, 2020 Under the Assumed Business Name of VONLONGMIRE with the business located at: 1639 N. LOREL AVE., CHICAGO, IL 60639. The true and real full name(s) and residence address of the owner(s)/partner(s) is: DAVONTE LONGMIRE 1639 N. LOREL AVE. CHICAGO, IL 60639, USA. Published in Wednesday Journal 10/21, 10/28, 11/4/2020
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: Y20004886 on October 14, 2020 Under the Assumed Business Name of ETEACH UEXCEL with the business located at: 2027 S. 17TH AVE. APT. 5, BROADVIEW, IL 60155. The true and real full name(s) and residence address of the owner(s)/ partner(s) is: CHERIAMOR HOUSTON 2027 S. 17TH AVE. APT. 5, BROADVIEW, IL 60155, USA. Published in Forest Park Review 10/21, 10/28, 11/4/2020
PUBLIC NOTICE River Forest Park District Cook County, Illinois “Notice of Availability” Annual Statement of Receipts and Disbursements Fiscal Year Ended April 30, 2020. The River Forest Park District has the Annual Statement of Receipts and Disbursements on file at Park District Headquarters, 401 Thatcher Avenue, River Forest, IL 60305. It will also be on our website at www. rfparks.com Published in Wednesdsay Journal 10/28/2020
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: Y20004951 on October 20, 2020 Under the Assumed Business Name of FLAWEDDBLACK with the business located at: 8141 S INGLESIDE AVE, CHICAGO, IL 60619. The true and real full name(s) and residence address of the owner(s)/ partner(s) is: THENIKA NEELY, 8141 S INGLESIDE AVE, CHICAGO, IL 60619, USA Published in Wednesday Journal 10/28, 11/4, 11/11/2020
The ZBA will consider an application for a major zoning variation submitted by Daniel J. Brown, owner of the property at 1134 – 1136 Harlem Avenue, who is proposing to construct a new detached garage in the rear yard.
The applicant is requesting a major variation to Section 10-10-8 that would allow the new garage to provide a total of two enclosed parking spaces, thereby providing only one enclosed parking space per dwelling unit. The Zoning Ordinance requires two enclosed parking spaces to be provided for each dwelling unit on the property. The legal description of the property at 1134 – 1136 Harlem Avenue is as follows: LOT 25 IN GREY AND BRAESE’S RESUBDIVISION OF LOT 1 IN THE SUBDIVISION OF BLOCKS 1, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 15 AND 16 IN BOGUE’S ADDITION TO OAK PARK, BEING A SUBDIVISION OF THE SOUTHEAST 1/4 OF SECTION 1, TOWNSHIP 39 NORTH, RANGE 12 EAST OF THE THIRD PRINCIPAL MERIDIAN, IN COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. A copy of the application will be available to the public at Village Hall and on the Village’s website at www. vrf.us/zoningvariation no less than 15 days prior to the public hearing. The Zoning Board of Appeals meeting packet will also be available at www.vrf.us/meetings no less than 48 hours prior to the public hearing. All interested persons will be given the opportunity to be heard at the public hearing. For public comments to be considered by the Zoning Board of Appeals and Village Board of Trustees in their decision, they must be included as part of the public hearing record. Interested persons can learn more about how to participation in the hearing by visiting www.vrf.us/zoningvariation. Sincerely, Clifford Radatz Secretary, Zoning Board of Appeals Published in Wednesday Journal 10/28/2020
REAL ESTATE FOR SALE
REAL ESTATE FOR SALE
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT CHANCERY DIVISION DEUTSCHE BANK NATIONAL TRUST COMPANY, AS TRUSTEE FOR FFMLT TRUST 2005-FF11, MORTGAGE PASS-THROUGH CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2005FF11 Plaintiff, -v.BRIAN HOLLOWAY Defendants 19 CH 00561 125 SOUTH LOMBARD 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 January 23, 2020, an agent for The Judicial Sales Corporation, will at 10:30 AM on November 25, 2020, at The Judicial Sales Corporation, One South Wacker Drive, CHICAGO, IL, 60606, sell at a public sale to the highest bidder, as set forth below, the following described real estate: Commonly known as 125 SOUTH LOMBARD AVENUE, OAK PARK, IL 60302 Property Index No. 16-08-302-0150000 The real estate is improved with a yellow vinyl siding, one story single family home with a detached two 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 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) 236-SALE 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. 268445 Attorney ARDC No. 61256 Attorney Code. 61256 Case Number: 19 CH 00561 TJSC#: 40-595 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 # 19 CH 00561 I3155753
Starting a New Business This Year? Call the experts before you place your legal ad! Publish your assumed name legal notice in • Wednesday Journal • Forest Park Review • Riverside/Brookfield Landmark • Austin Weekly News Call Mary Ellen for details: 708/613-3342
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Forest Park Review, October 28, 2020
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Forest Park Review, October 28, 2020
INC., REALTOR
19
(708) 366-8989 7342 MADISON ST, FOREST PARK, ILLINOIS 60130
928 S. Kenilworth Ave. Oak Park ....................$275,000
CONTRACT PENDING!
Property has been owner occupied by the same family for 50+ years. 1st fl has spacious living rm and dining rm, kitchen and 1/2 bath. 2nd floor has three bedrooms and full bath. Stucco exterior and 2 car detached garage. Great location in south west Oak Park. Needs some updating but livable as-is. 935 Elgin Avenue, Forest Park ........................$489,000 This is a money maker! This early 1970s brick four flat houses two one bedroom apartments on the top floor, a large three bedroom two bath apartment on the first floor, and a large two bedroom two bathroom apartment in the lower level. Tandem parking for 8 cars. Meticulously maintained by the current owner for several decades. The numbers work! This one really won't last long.
SOLD!
This 3 BR, 2.1 BA home has not been available in over 55 years. It has been meticulously maintained within the same family for that time. This home offers two first floor good sized bedrooms and a large second floor master. Each floor has a full updated bathroom. The first floor living room, with it's vaulted ceilings, fill with sunlight pouring from the front foyer windows.
1117 Marengo Avenue, Forest Park .......................$263,500 What a great opportunity to get into Forest Park at an affordable price! This home offers four total bedrooms, two on the second floor and two on the first floor. The home is in perfect condition! Living room, dining room, and eat in kitchen, plus a finished basement. Huge deck off the back of the house and a very large two car garage!
We are OPEN!
1028 Beloit Forest Park ....................$289,000
337 Marengo Avenue, Forest Park ......................$275,000 Fantastic location alert!! Just a stones throw from Madison Street shopping, restaurants, and night life makes this a very desirable piece of real estate! This is two flat is ready for some love and attention. Just stuck in time is all. Or a fantastic de-conversion to single family! So bring your decorating ideas, and be prepared to fall in love!
SOLD!
RESIDENTIAL — COMMERCIAL — RETAIL — CHURCHES — SCHOOLS
RibFest Every Day!
Mickey’s is the place!
Mickey’s Rib Special B.B.Q. RIBS & CHICKEN BURGERS & HOT DOGS
1/2 Slab Dinner
$11.99
Full Slab Dinner
$17.99
includes fries or baked potato, coleslaw and garlic bread
525 N Harlem Ave, Oak Park (708) 848-3333 11am - 9pm Daily
3 Vienna Hot Dogs w/ Fries $ .49
8
Italian Beef Sandwich w/ Fries $ .49
8
Wednesday
Gyros Plate Dinner 1 lb meat, 2 pita breads, fries & 3 cups sauce $10.99
Every day Special!
Gyros with fries $7.99
1/4 Lb Double Cheeseburger
Big Mickey! $ .99
2
SERVING OAK PARK AND RIVER FOREST SINCE 1976
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Forest Park Review, October 28, 2020
E VE RYW H E R E E L S E I T ’ S H E A LT H C A R E
HERE, IT’S PERSONAL ALEXANDER HANTEL, MD - ONCOLOGY/HEMATOLOGY For Dr. Alexander Hantel, without the patient, there is no purpose. That’s what drives him to make every patient feel like they’re the only one in his care. After 27 years of building the Cancer Center from the ground up, he knows all good medicine is personal. That’s how we operate day in and day out at Edward-Elmhurst Health. Because for us, THIS IS PERSONAL. ThisIsPersonalEEH.org