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W E D N E S D A Y

January 14, 2026 Vol. 46, No. 28

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JOURNAL of Oak Park and River Forest

@oakpark

Toni Preckwinkle on West Sub’s fiscal crisis Page 12

U.S. Bank Mrs. Johnson’s extraordinary life opposes plan for Advocate for equity, for students, Wyanetta Johnson changed OPRF police station at Madison branch I N

M E M O R I A M

By DEBORAH BAYLISS Contributing Reporter

Wyanetta Johnson was a pioneering Black leader in Oak Park who brought change to Oak Park and River Forest High School through passionate, loving advocacy and a will of iron working to bend an institution which for decades did not know what to make of her. Mrs. Johnson, or “Grandma” as many called her, died on New Year’s Day. She was 86. Johnson’s advocacy, centering on opportunity and equity for all students and families in need of support, stemmed from the sense of fairness her parents instilled in her, Dorise Monroe, a daughter, said. “She wanted to make sure people were treated fairly whether poor Black, poor white, poor Hispanic, poor Asian. It didn’t matter to her,” Monroe said. “She just had a heart for people. No matter where you went, somebody knew her.” Born April 18, 1939, in Wyatt, Missouri, to Lem and Estel Gilliam (Johnson), Wyanetta Johnson, grew up in Charleston, Missouri with her sister Lottie Horton and Bernice Johnson, a first cousin, who preceded her in death. Mrs. Johnson and her husband Forrest had seven children. They moved to Oak Park from North Sheridan Rd. in the early 1980s to be closer to their children and grandchildren. That move See WYANETTA on page 13

Bank vows to challenge Oak Park board’s redevelopment of site for a new station By BRENDAN HEFFERNAN Staff Reporter

PROVIDED BY FAMILY

Wyanetta Johnson, education advocate and mentor

U.S. Bank officials are “disappointed” by Oak Park leaders’ plan to acquire and convert the bank’s Madison Street branch into the future home of the Oak Park Police Department. The village is looking to take over the U.S. Bank building located at 11 Madison St. with the plan to redevelop it into a new police headquarters. The building is only two blocks from Oak Park Village Hall, where the Oak Park Police Department has been based for decades. While village leaders had lauded the acquisition and redevelopment plan as a way to deliver the OPPD a modern police station at a lower price point, the bank said this week that it had never planned to close the branch when it put the building up for sale. U.S. Bank officials released a statement on the See BANK on page 18

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Wednesday Journal, January 14, 2026

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Wednesday Journal, January 14, 2026

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W E D N E S D A Y

JOURNAL of Oak Park and River Forest

JAVIER GOVEA

Pete’s Fresh Market under construction in Oak Park on Oct. 17, 2025.

Interim Executive Director Max Reinsdorf Senior Audience Manager Stacy Coleman Staff Reporter Brendan Heffernan Viewpoints Editor Ken Trainor Real Estate Editor Lacey Sikora Contributing Editor Donna Greene Columnists Marc Blesoff, Nicole Chavas, Jack Crowe, Vincent Gay, Mary Kay O’Grady, John Stanger, Josh VanderBerg Shrubtown Cartoonist Marc Stopeck Design/Production Manager Andrew Mead Editorial Design Manager Javier Govea Designers Susan McKelvey, Vanessa Garza Senior Media Strategist Lourdes Nicholls Marketing & Advertising Associate Emma Cullnan Development Manager Mary Ellen Nelligan Circulation Manager Jill Wagner Operations Associate Susan Babin Social Media and Digital Coordinator Maribel Barrera Special Projects Manager Susan Walker Chairman Emeritus Robert K. Downs Senior Advisor Dan Haley

No date set for Pete’s Fresh Market opening Village staff said they don’t yet know when the longpromised store will open as deadlines loom By BRENDAN HEFFERNAN Staff Reporter

Pete’s Fresh Market’s new Oak Park store location has been in-the-works for the better part of a decade, but with deadlines approaching village officials do not have knowledge of an opening date for the store. The grocery store planned for the lot at 640-728 Madison St has been in development since 2018, three years after the family-owned chain store’s first location opened in Oak Park in a former Dominck’s store on Lake Street. After years of construction delays and permit extensions attributed to the Covid pandemic, supply chain issues, the loss of the site’s original

architect and other factors the building’s shell now appears to be largely complete. Village officials told Wednesday Journal that they don’t yet know when the new location will open. As part of the grocery chain’s deal with the village, Pete’s Fresh Market must have a Certificate of Occupancy permit by Sunday, Feb. 15 or face fines, village officials said in a statement. “Based on the last and sixth Redevelopment Agreement amendment’s (ORD 24143) schedule, staff has determined that Pete’s has until Feb. 15 to receive a Certificate of Occupancy without penalty,” village officials said. “If they do not, then they will be subject to the Default provision which states that if they fail to meet the project schedule the village shall be reimbursed for the village’s lost opportunity costs, (i.e., lost sales tax revenue, alcoholic liquor dealer lot tax revenue and lost increase in property taxes), which they will pay the village, on a monthly basis an amount of $45,760 each month or a portion thereof on a pro rata basis.”

Pete’s project manager Eugene Grzynkowicz told Oak Park’s village board in June that construction was moving at a pace that would allow the grocery store to open in either December or January. “You all have seen the progress grade a lot of vertical steel standing now and masonry, we completed our north wall, I don’t want to get contentious with our neighbors but we are just about at the end,” Grzynkowicz said at a village board meeting over the summer. “We are on our next phase, which will be topping off with the top of the roof and we will be proceeding with the exterior masonry on Madison Street. Our parking lot is complete, as you see to the west. We have artwork up, which is looking nice. Once it is done it will close it up and decorate that corner. That is where we stand. We are on schedule and happy to open up as soon as possible.” Grzynkowicz did not respond to requests for comment from Wednesday Journal over the last week. The grocery store chain’s other location in the village is located at 259 Lake St.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Chair Eric Weinheimer | Treasurer Nile Wendorf Deb Abrahamson, Mary Cahillane, Steve Edwards, Judy Greffin, Horacio Mendez, Charles Meyerson Darnell Shields, Audra Wilson

H OW TO R E ACH US PO Box 6670, River Forest, IL 60305 ■ PHONE 708-524-8300 ■ EMAIL Dan@oakpark.com ■ ONLINE www.OakPark.com

CIRCULATION Jill Wagner • jill@oakpark.com • (708) 613-3340 PRINT/DIGITAL ADVERTISING Lourdes Nicholls • lourdes@oakpark.com • Ext. 3329 Emma Cullnan • emma@oakpark.com • Ext. 3304 CALENDAR EVENTS calendar@wjinc.com Wednesday Journal is published digitally and in print by Growing Community Media NFP. The newspaper is available on newsstands for $2. A one-year subscription costs $65 within Cook County and $105 outside of Cook County. Advertising rates may be obtained by calling our office. Periodical rate postage paid at Oak Park, IL (USPS 10138). Postmaster, send address corrections to Wednesday Journal, PO Box 6670, River Forest, IL 60305. © 2026 Growing Community Media, NFP.

Wednesday Journal, January 14, 2026

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Parks chief says pool referendum is no surprise Indoor pool has been discussed for years, says Arnold

By BOB SKOLNIK Contributing Reporter

Jan Arnold, executive director of the Park District of Oak Park, says no one should be surprised about a March tax hike referendum which, if approved by voters, would fund a $40 million indoor pool to replace an outdoor pool at Ridgeland Common. Arnold said such a project has been discussed for years and was included in a strategic plan adopted by the park board in February 2025. In an interview with Wednesday Journal, Arnold said, “In our plan that was approved in February of 2025 it states in there that we would be looking at a referendum in 2026,” Arnold said. But Arnold conceded that the plan to replace the Ridgeland Common outdoor pool had not been discussed in public meetings other than at a board retreat last summer and then again at the December meeting when the referendum was approved. “When we talked to the board in June we talked about going to referendum and that when we looked at our capital project this would be the location we would recommend,” Arnold said. “They had asked me in the June meeting to prepare information so that it could be presented to them at their meeting in December.” The minutes of the June 17 meeting, when the idea was discussed, are sparse and vague and make no specific mention of a referendum, much less of the idea of replacing the Ridgeland Common outdoor pool with an indoor aquatics facility. One reason to consider this step now, Arnold said, was that the shell of the Ridgeland Common outdoor pool, which dates from 1962, is nearing the end of its useful life which makes this a good time to consider replacing the outdoor pool with an indoor facility. “We’re going to need to spend, in about five years, about $10 million, on the Ridgeland Common pool as it is today,” Arnold said. Responding to some critics on social media who have asked what happened to earlier district plans to add an indoor pool at the park district’s Community Recreation Center on Madison Street, she said that is no longer possible because the CRC is a

FILE PHOTO

Jan Arnold speaks during the groundbreaking ceremony for the Park District of Oak Park’s new Community Recreation Center on Madison Street in 2022. designated net zero emissions building, a designation that earned the park district a $1.9 million grant from the Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation. “You really can’t make a pool net zero based on the energy that’s needed for an indoor pool,” Arnold said. Park district leaders say the referendum will determine if replacing the Ridgeland Common outdoor pool with an indoor aquatics facility, which would feature a six to eight lane 25 yard long lap swimming pool and a warm water pool for therapy, swim instruction and exercise as well as an indoor splash pad with slides, is something that the community wants and is willing to pay to build. “This is an important community decision and one that the community needs to make,” said Arnold. Park officials point to a 2023 citizen survey which indicated there is support for building an indoor swimming pool even if

it means higher taxes. However, the survey only asked about an indoor pool in the abstract and did not ask whether respondents supported replacing the existing Ridgeland Common outdoor pool with an indoor aquatics facility. Arnold said the conceptual plan for the proposed indoor aquatic facility, which would also include an indoor room suitable for birthday parties, new locker rooms and a lobby area, could accommodate 891 people compared to the approximately 550-person capacity of the Ridgeland Common outdoor pool. However final plans for the indoor aquatics facility have not been developed and would only be developed if the referendum passes. Arnold and park board president Kassie Porreca disputed the suggestion that the park district sprung the referendum on the community at the last minute to avoid public discussion of the issue. Arnold said the park district is diligently going about edu-

cating the community about all aspects of the proposal by sending postcards to every household in Oak Park, holding three community meetings, on Jan 22, Feb. 4 and Feb. 25 all to begin at 7 p.m. at the CRC. The park district’s website also has extensive information about the referendum and plans if it is approved. “Our intent at this point is to make sure that all the residents are aware of what’s being asked and that they are aware of the facts of the project and that they feel educated when they go to make the vote,” Arnold said. “This is something we are definitely are making sure that we are getting information out. We’ve put banners in our parks, we’re put fliers on our playgrounds giving information. We want people to understand what the project is.” Some have wondered if the language that will be on the March 17 primary ballot is misleading since it merely asks whether the park district should issue $40 million in bonds to build an indoor aquatics facility and does not mention that the indoor facility would replace the Ridgeland Common outdoor pool. “That question was given to us by bond counsel,” Arnold said. “There was no intention to be vague at all.” Arnold said that the park district has paid the noted architectural firm on Perkins&Will approximately $25,000 to $28,000 for work thus far on the plans for the indoor aquatics facility. There was no specific vote by the park board to authorize that spending since it is below the $30,000 threshold that requires a board vote. “It was in the 2025 budget that was approved in 2024 and because it was under $30,000 that’s within my spending authority so I signed off on that,” Arnold said. Porreca said it is up to the community to decide what it wants. “The park district is completely agnostic on the outcome of a referendum,” Porreca said. “My hope is that voters will become really informed and vote according to what they think is appropriate and that we have a great voter turnout so that we can be confident, and everybody else can be confident, that whatever happens is truly the desire of as big a part of the community as possible and what voters decide is what will happen and I will be happy either way.”

Wednesday Journal, January 14, 2026

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Oak Park library still waiting on county tax disbursements

Library said loan agreement was needed after late 2024 property tax disbursements By BRENDAN HEFFERNAN Staff Reporter

The Oak Park Public Library is still waiting for its next round of Cook County property tax funds after delays in the payouts pushed the system to take out a line of credit from the village government last month. Oak Park’s village government opened up a multi-million-dollar line of credit to the Oak Park Public Library that library leaders said was necessary to keep up the system’s regular operations last month. The village government will loan the library system up to $4.5 million after the library reported a funding gap created by the delayed second installment of 2024 Cook County property tax disbursements, according to village staff. The village board approved the loan agreement unanimously at its meeting Dec. 9, with Trustee Chibuike Enyia, an library employee, abstaining from the vote. County treasurer officials told Wednesday Journal that the library will be among the bodies to receive tax disbursements over the next three weeks. “Beginning on Jan. 13 and stretching over the next three weeks, the Treasurer’s Office plans to distribute the remaining funds in collected property taxes to primary and secondary taxing districts,” Cook County Treasurer’s Office said in a statement. Elsworth Carman, the library’s executive director, didn’t have more specific information to share on the disbursement timeline. “I’m hoping we see funds come in soon, but I do not have any details,” Carman told Wednesday Journal via email. The library is funded almost entirely by property taxes and “isn’t designed” to weather delays in tax money disbursements, according to a library presentation given to the village board’s finance committee. As a result of the delays, the library system has operated in recent months with much less

JAVIER GOVEA

Oak Park Public Library cash on hand while keeping up with the system’s monthly operating expenses of roughly $1 million, according to the library. “Without a clear timeline from the county for the disbursement of these funds, this temporary bridge funding will be essential to ensure the library can maintain uninterrupted services and operations through at least April 2026,” wrote Virgina Bloom, the library board’s president, in an appeal to the Oak Park finance committee. Without the loan, “building closures and large-scale furloughs may occur as early as January 2026,” library leaders told the finance committee last month. The library system has three locations and 130 employees, with about 75% of its expenses coming from personnel costs. The library must pay the village back within 60 days of receiving the delayed tax disbursements, according to village documents. If the library has not repaid the loan in full by June 30, 2026, the village will begin charging a monthly 4% interest rate on the loan, according to village documents. As part of the agreement, the library must also submit written requests to the village in order to draw from the funds which the village will review and either approve or deny. The library will be able to draw from the line of credit until the end of March.

Wednesday Journal, January 14, 2026

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Oak Park’s defense of natural gas ban continues

“EPCA’s express preemption provisions and local public health and environmental of Oak Park’s ambitious “Climate Ready Village defends its do preempt the ordinance,” the plaintiffs groups have joined the village’s legal de- Oak Park” sustainability plan, which aims in an October filing. “EPCA preempts fense. Attorneys from Earthjustice, the Chi- to cut greenhouse gas emissions in the vilelectrification ordinance with wrote any law ‘concerning the … energy use’ of cago Environmental Justice Network, the lage by 60% by 2030 and have Oak Park fully consumer and industrial appliances and the Respiratory Health Association, the ACLU carbon neutral by 2050. help from national groups Ordinance’s ban on natural-gas appliances and Sierra Club have joined the electrifica- Carbon emissions from residential and commercial buildings had been found to concerns the use of ‘energy.’” tion ordinance’s defense. against federal lawsuit filed by plainly In the months since the lawsuit was filed Several attorneys listed as representing account for 70% of Oak Park’s total emisdistrict court, the village has defend- the Oak Park Climate Action Network, a sions, according to the village’s sustainconstruction interest groups edin U.S. the legality of the ordinance arguing that local volunteer organization, are also on ability office.

By BRENDAN HEFFERNAN Staff Reporter

Since April, Oak Park has been defending its ban on natural gas in new buildings in federal court. A coalition of natural gas and construction interest groups say the village violated federal energy statutes when it adopted a building code ordinance requiring all new construction to be built without any natural gas hookups. The suit alleges that the blanket ban on natural gas hookups is illegal because it conflicts with federal guidelines, namely the Energy Policy and Conservation Act, which limit how state and local governments can manage the use of federally regulated energy sources.

municipalities have the right to regulate matters of public health so long as the local ordinances don’t compete with federal law. “Local governments have great latitude to protect their residents’ health, safety, and welfare,” the village’s attorneys wrote in a September motion. “EPCA was enacted to reduce the energy that appliances consume through energy conservation standards. It expressly preempts local energy conservation standards that compete with federal ones. But nothing in its text, structure, or history suggests that it also preempts local laws that restrict the use of certain appliances, in certain locations, for reasons having nothing to do with energy conservation.” Lawyers from several national, regional

the case. “There is an established scientific basis and growing public understanding that methane gas-burning appliances inside our homes, schools, and workplaces are making us sick,” wrote attorneys representing Sierra Club, Oak Park Climate Action Network, Chicago Environmental Justice Network and the Respiratory Health Association in a joint filing in October. “This pollution causes serious harm, including lung diseases such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, as well as cardiovascular disease, cognitive deficits, cancer, and death.” A date for oral arguments has not yet been set for the case. The electrification policy is a cornerstone

The electrification ordinance passed the village board unanimously on June 20, 2023. According to the Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance, Oak Park was the first municipality in the Midwest to approve an electrification ordinance. The plaintiffs in the suit include both labor-side and management-side groups from the construction industry together. It was filed by natural gas advocacy group the Clean Energy Choice Coalition, operating engineers’ union IUOE Local 150, the National Association of Home Builders and NPL Construction, a nationwide construction firm with locations on Chicago’s West Side and in Naperville. Oak Park’s natural gas ban does leave an exemption for commercial kitchens.

Wednesday Journal, January 14, 2026

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SMALL BITES

Don’t hibernate, food folks need you in these cold dark days

he original Roman calendar didn’t see fit to name the period between the end of December and the start of March since there was no military or farming activity then. Roman soldiers spent this time in hiberna camps. January and February were named later, which is why the number referencing names of the last four months of the year don’t match up with their order in the calendar. Each year the Oak Park and River Forest Chamber of Commerce gives out its Spotlight Awards. There are many winners, but I want to highlight the Excellent Eats award, which went to Jerusalem Cafe at 1030 Lake St. in Oak Park. Congrats! At the old Luo’s Peking House, 113 N. Marion St., the drab brown paper that has been covering the windows has been exchanged for tantalizing images of Szechwan dishes. The restaurateurs are not the same owners as KyuRamen or Guymon BBQ (as reported here previously), but friends of those owners. Demolition has started, but as these things go, it could be a year before mouth-watering scents are wafting out of the kitchen. Down the street at Gyumon BBQ kids pricing goes by height (and I guess, therefore, size of stomach): under 40 inches are free of charge; 40-47 inches get 50% off; and 4755 inches are 30% off. There is a senior discount as well. Those over 65 get $10 off any AYCE (all you care to eat) meal. And they have extended the $10 off promotion all day Monday – Thursday. Friday night dinner is back at Spilt Milk at 811 South Blvd in Oak Park. The take and heat meals come in two sizes: one to serve 2 adult diners for $52.50, the other for 4 adults is $105. Last week’s menu was meatballs in a savory, but hint of sweet sauce; mashed potatoes; and roasted green beans. Pre-order early in the week, then pick up between 1-5 p.m. each Friday.

RISÉ

SANDERS-WEIR

OAK PARK-RIVER FOREST CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Mira Social ribbon cutting on December 16

BROWN COW ICE CREAM

Steamed Scoops – hot chocolate and beyond at Brown Cow On Mondays and Tuesdays during January and February Brown Cow Ice Cream in Forest Park will be closed. The new owners announced that they have some to-do list items that they are going to use the time to complete. Cold winter days might make sense for taking a break from ice cream eating, but to keep you warm the shop has debuted steamed scoops made with any flavor. Top choices are chocolate (this is where the idea came from, since their hot chocolate is made with a kiddie scoop and steamed milk), gingerbread, peppermint, cinnamon and butter pecan.

3Fold bakery at 401 South Blvd. (at Ridgeland) in Oak Park opened their doors the last week of 2025. A wealth of pastries line the cases and ample seating invites one to meet and linger over coffee. It’s official! Mira Social, 1103 Pleasant St. in Oak Park, held a ribbon cutting on Dec. 16. The doors are open RISÉ SANDERS-WEIR to help you wind down, reconnect with friends Three Fold bakery favorite and family over crafted pastries and more cocktails (alcohol and non) and delicious bites. Golden Hour (their style of happy hour) is weekdays from 3:30-6 p.m. Eats-out – we are going to try another turn at gathering, eating and chatting about what foods make us happy. This time, we are going to Café Cubano on Jan. 20 at 7 p.m. The cost is $35 per person. Alcoholic drinks separate. If you want to join in our table of eight, email me at the address below. Got news, questions or ideas for this column? Email them to us at Eats@oakparkeats.com.

Wednesday Journal, January 14, 2026

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Sponsored Content

MY BAREFOOT CONTESSA COOKOFF SWAN SONG

am a devoted Ina Garten follower. Ina has written 13 cookbooks in the name of The Barefoot Contessa. She inherited the name after she purchased a foodstuff store in West Hampton Beach, NY in 1978. After selling the store in 1996, she kept the name and tried her hand at writing a cookbook. It was a success! One cookbook led to another and another. Cookbooks led to a show on the Food Network, then to more cookbooks, and now to a full-fledged cookbook empire that includes a podcast and millions of followers. Next to Julia Child, Ina Garten is probably the most recognized cookbook author who is not a celebrity chef. Remarkably, Ina is entirely self-taught. I discovered the Barefoot Contessa Cookbooks in 2007; the year my kitchen was upgraded to include a dishwasher and a side-by-side refrigerator. By then my kids had graduated from chicken nuggets and mac and cheese to steak and spaghetti carbonara, so I wanted to up my cooking game. I asked a friend who was a good cook for advice about

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recipes and cookbooks, and she recommended the Barefoot Contessa Parties Cookbook. I bought the book and fell in love! The recipes were easy to understand, and the accompanying photos made each recipe look so good you wanted to lick the page. Most of the ingredients were easy to find and most of the recipes were easy to make. Best of all, the recipes turned out great! More, please! So that Christmas my husband gave me a Le Creuset pan (who needs jewelry when you have Williams Sonoma) and the rest of the Barefoot Contessa Cookbooks (5 published at that time). Since then, I have become a Barefoot Contessa aficionado. Over the years, I have cooked over 75% of the over 1,100plus recipes across her 13 cookbooks. I curl up with every new release the way I do with a novel from a beloved author. In 2012, I watched the movie Julie & Julia which chronicles Julia Child’s writing of Mastering the Art of French Cooking alongside Julie Powell’s attempt to cook every recipe in the cookbook within one year and blog about the

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experience. After watching the movie, I realized I wanted to create an event that showcased Ina Garten’s recipes. Thus, the Barefoot Contessa Cookoff was born. Every January for the past 14 years, I have organized an annual event called The Barefoot Contessa Cookoff hosted by the St. Giles St. Catherine St. Lucy Women’s Group. Each year I select a Barefoot Contessa Cookbook. I then assign each recipe to willing women. These women prepare the recipe at home and bring it to the banquet room on the St. Giles parish campus. At the event, participants sample the dishes-typically about 86 recipes-and vote on their favorites. Prizes (table centerpieces) are awarded to the winners. It has always been a great night. This year is the last year I will organize the event. I am handing the reins over to another woman, I am confident the event is in good hands. I hope she will enjoy planning the night as much as I have.

Over the years, I have learned a great deal from Ina Garten-not just about cooking, but about business and life. Here are some lessons she has taught me: • Authenticity is best: stop comparing yourself to others. • Simplicity beats complexity: it is better for both host and guest. • Have confidence in your choices: there is so often no single right answer in life, so choose one and be happy. • Preparation creates ease: preparation is a hostess’s best friend. • Consistency builds trust: it builds trust in your customer and in yourself. • Create a life that suits you: the alternative always ends in misery. • Find Your Joy: it should be one of the easiest discoveries. • Knowing When to Say No: niching down to estate planning has been one of the best decisions I have made. • Learn from Adversity: my husband’s heart attack was the biggest lesson so far. And perhaps the most important lesson of all: • A dinner party is not an opportunity to impress people. It’s an opportunity to make people feel good. If they feel good, you will feel good.

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Wednesday Journal, January 14, 2026

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I N

M E M O R I A M

Mr. Ernie inspired kids with high expectations and, always, fun

YOUR

BEST

LIFE with Lisa Capone Fresh Beginnings

Ernie Baumann, with wife Lois, led Maywood Fine Arts with love and energy By JESSICA MACKINNON Contributing Reporter

“Do you want cream in your coffee, honey?” Lois Spurr asked Ernie Baumann in June 1966. And with that, the two fell head over heels in love. “Oh my, he was so handsome,” said Lois. “He co-owned a bookstore near the mom-andpop restaurant where I was waitressing and came in one day. We fell in love immediately — I just knew that we would get married.” Which they did — just months after meeting. However, the wedding was delayed by an epic blizzard on Jan. 26, 1967 that dumped a record-breaking 23 inches of snow in the Chicago area. According to Lois, instead of getting married, the couple went outside and played in the snow like kids. They finally tied the knot at First Congregational Church in Maywood a week later. The Baumanns soon became pillars in the Maywood community, founding Maywood Fine Arts, a beacon of hope and a hive of activity to generations of children in the near west suburbs and Chicago’s Austin neighborhood. The community is now mourning the Dec. 28 death of Mr. Ernie, as he was affectionately known by pretty much everyone who knew him. Born on April 9, 1939, Ernie was adopted and raised by a family in Western Springs. Shortly after graduating from Lyons Township High School, where he was a star on the gymnastics team, he joined the Navy. Following his engagement, he took a job as a house parent at a Lutheran children’s home in Maywood. “He just loved children and they loved him,” said Lois. “He used to take the boys at the home on camping trips throughout the Midwest in a Volkswagen bus. He was so much fun and just couldn’t get enough of playing with kids.” For several years, Ernie and Lois worked with the Maywood Recreation Department, eventually coordinating a full-fledged popular arts program for kids. They parted company with the department when it planned to raise fees, which they felt would prevent

The start of a new year is a perfect time for seniors to embrace fresh beginnings and focus on staying motivated and engaged. Here are some simple tips to help make 2026 a year of growth and joy. Set Meaningful Goals: Start with small, achievable resolutions like walking daily, reading a book each month, or trying a new recipe. Every success boosts confidence and adds purpose to your day. Explore New Interests: Learning something new can stimulate your mind and spark creativity. Try painting, knitting, playing an instrument, or even joining a class on a topic that interests you.

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Ernie Baumann and his wife Lois some children from participating. Determined to stay and raise their six children in Maywood, which was reeling from “white flight” and economic disinvestment, the Baumanns leased space in the former Maywood Opera House (AKA the Bronco Building) on Fifth Avenue for Lois’ Stairway of the Stars dance program and rented several local storefronts for Mr. Ernie’s thriving Flip, Flop and Fly tumbling program. “Stairway of the Stars was named for the 44 stairs children climbed to the third-floor ballroom. The name says a lot about Lois and Ernie’s priorities — the kids were truly the stars. They’re all about the kids,” said Katherine Bus, executive director of Maywood Fine Arts and a former participant of the dance program. In 1996, the Baumanns bought a former bank building at the corner of Fifth Avenue and Lake Street with a lien against their home and a loan from a friend. The building now houses the tumbling program as well as music and art classes.

Facing financial challenges, the Baumanns were encouraged to create a 501(c)3 nonprofit, so they could secure grants and donations to keep their programming going. Maywood Fine Arts (MFA) was formed in 1996. “We had never asked anyone for help — and no one offered it. We were happy but financially struggling,” said Lois. In a tragic turn, the Bronco Building burned to the ground in 2010, two weeks before MFA was scheduled to buy the building. The nonprofit launched an extensive campaign to raise enough funds to build a new facility on the site. “We were crazy,” said Lois. “We couldn’t even rub two nickels together. We just flew by the seats of our pants. We couldn’t even put together a capital campaign leadership team — 62 consultants rejected us because they thought we would fail.” But, over five years, the campaign raised $2 million, including a $300,000 State of Illinois See BAUMANN on page 15

Stay Connected: Building social connections enhances mood and supports emotional well-being. Attend community events, join clubs, or simply spend more time with friends and family. Focus on Wellness: Gentle exercises like yoga or walking paired with nutritious meals and staying hydrated can greatly improve your energy and overall health. At Cantata, we’re dedicated to supporting residents in making the most of every moment. Let’s make 2026 a year filled with opportunities to grow, connect, and thrive together! For more info, visit Cantata.org (708) 387-1030 Independent Living • Assisted Living • Memory Support Short-Term Rehab • Long-Term Care • Home Care

Wednesday Journal, January 14, 2026

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7TH DISTRICT DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY

Rep. Underwood th endorses Fisher in 7 District Dem primary

The 14th District congresswoman helped implement the Affordable Care Act and wants more health-care workers in Congress By JESSICA MORDACQ Staff Reporter

With 14 people running for the 7th congressional district in the March primary, candidates are starting to pick up endorsements. These votes of confidence are that much more important as Danny Davis isn’t running for reelection for the first time in nearly 30 years. One key endorsement came on Jan. 8 from Rep. Lauren Underwood — who represents Illinois’ 14th District that covers an area southwest of Chicago, including DeKalb and Joliet — when she declared her approval of Thomas Fisher in the race for the 7th District’s Democratic primary. She cited his credibility on health care policy and eagerness to address national threats to democracy and public health. Fisher has been an emergency medicine physician for nearly 25 years, currently at the University of Chicago Medicine. Fisher previously told Austin Weekly News that he’s seen the stakes of every facet of health when caring for victims of gun violence, housing insecurity, mental health crises and insurance denials. He’s running on “moral leadership and public service to try to solve the things that bring waves of my neighbors to me, sick and injured.” “As an emergency medicine doctor, he has practiced the policy change he wants to see by providing healthcare to every patient who desperately needs care,” Underwood told Growing Community Media, the parent company of Austin Weekly News, Forest Park Review and Wednesday Journal. She added that he’s worked to eliminate racial disparities through healthcare policy reform. “We need more health-care professionals

in Congress because we know that health care is a human right,” Underwood said. “All Americans should have access to quality, affordable healthcare, and as health care providers, we are uniquely qualified to fix our broken healthcare system.” Underwood is a registered nurse and the first woman, person of color and millennial U.S. representative of the 14th district. She first ran for Congress in 2018 because, she said, the district’s congressman lied about his vote to repeal the Affordable Care Act. “I came to Congress to protect and expand access to affordable health care,” Underwood told Growing Community Media. Now in her fourth congressional term, Underwood has had 19 pieces of legislation signed into law. She cofounded and co-chairs the Black Maternal Health Caucus, which advances policy solutions in Congress that address the maternal health crisis among Black Americans. “My nursing background informs how I craft legislation — I am a data driven, evidence-based policy maker,” Underwood said. Before running for Congress, Underwood was a senior advisor in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. There, she helped implement the Affordable Care Act, working on private insurance reform, health care quality in Medicare and preventive services. In Congress, she introduced the Health Care Affordability Act in 2019, which was signed into law in 2021. The tax credits it provided “were so popular we dropped the uninsured rate to the lowest levels recorded in our nation’s history,” Underwood said. The week of her endorsement, Underwood was in Washington D.C. for a House vote on extending expired tax credits for

PROVIDED

U.S. Congresswoman Lauren Underwood and Thomas Fisher, a candidate in the 7th District U.S. congressional race. three more years. “Without an extension, health care costs will skyrocket for American families, and millions of them may be priced out of their health care entirely,” said Underwood, who introduced the legislation based on her Health Care Affordability Act, in a statement. “The incredibly popular tax credits from my legislation have put affordable health care within reach for a recordbreaking number of families.” “Congresswoman Underwood has been one of the most effective voices in Washington fighting for patients, science and equity, and I’m deeply honored to earn her support,” Fisher said in a statement. Underwood met Fisher about 15 years ago, while both were working for HHS. Fisher was a White House Fellow in 2010 while the Affordable Care Act was rolling out. During that time, he helped implement the Medicare Shared Savings Program and the Pioneer Accountable Care Organization model — both reforms that aim to lower Medicare costs and amend how health care organizations coordinate patient care.

After working for HHS, Fisher led West Side-based NextLevel Health, where he helped launch a Medicaid plan in Chicago for about 80,000 members that aligned incentives to address health inequities. Underwood served as NextLevel Health’s senior director of policy and regulatory affairs. “Working together at NextLevel Health is where I really got to know his work ethic and commitment to the community,” Underwood said of Fisher. Fisher has also been endorsed by the 314 Action Fund, the only national organization that helps recruit, train and elect doctors and scientists. He’s also been backed by several groups of healthcare workers, including the American College of Physicians and American Academy of Emergency Medicine. Other candidates who are running for Davis’ seat include Richard Boykin, Jerico J. Brown, Kina Collins, Melissa Conyears-Ervin, Jason Friedman, La Shawn Ford, Rory Hoskins, Danica Leigh, Tekita Martinez, John McCombs, Anabel Mendoza, Emelia Rosie and Reed Showalter.

Wednesday Journal, January 14, 2026

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7TH DISTRICT DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY

Friedman talks 7 District congressional campaign th

With a background in law and real estate, Jason Friedman wants to create more housing and jobs, and make life more affordable for constituents By JESSICA MORDACQ Staff Reporter

Editor’s note: Ahead of the March 17 primary, Growing Community Media is profiling the candidates running in the 7th congressional district in Illinois to replace Rep. Danny Davis, who is retiring. This week, that’s Jason Friedman. Jason Friedman is a River North resident and fourth-generation Chicagoan. His grandfather owned a hot dog stand on the West Side, and his great-grandfather was a peddler on Maxwell Street. “For me, this is a real opportunity to give back to our community. You really see so many of our career politicians are just failing us over and over again,” Friedman said on why he’s campaigning for Illinois’s 7th District congressional seat. Friedman has long had a passion for public service. His earliest experience in politics was when he was 13 years old as a student volunteer for U.S. Sen. Paul Simon’s presidential campaign. He also campaigned for Sen. Carol Moseley Braun and, at age 18, worked on the 1992 Democratic National Committee. After attending Georgetown Law, Friedman worked in the West Wing during Clinton’s administration and for Sen. Dick Durbin on the Senate Judiciary Committee. “I was enthralled by public service,” Friedman said. “This is a very unique experience, to get to have a second shot in life going back to your original passion. This is a once-in-ageneration opportunity to step up.” Though he’s now focusing on his campaign, for the last 20 years Friedman ran his family business, Friedman Properties, which he is still owns. In its tenure, Friedman said the River North-based real estate company has created over 40,000 union jobs

CHRISTOPHER DILTS / JASON FRIEDMAN FOR CONGRESS

Jason Friedman and saved several historic buildings in the area. “If you look up and down Clark Street, it’s the largest collection of post-Chicago fire buildings there is. Every building has a story,” Friedman said. He added that Friedman Properties is a long-term holder of properties. “We don’t really see ourselves as real estate owners, more like stewards of the neighborhood.” Friedman said he wants the availability and responsiveness of Friedman Properties to carry over into his renewed political career: “I would always say, ‘If you have a problem, pick up the phone. Give me the call.’ I want that to translate to public service.” Friedman’s real estate background gives him a unique perspective on the kinds of things that development brings to a neighborhood. “I know how to put a crane in the sky. I know how to deliver and do something,” Friedman said. He aims to reduce housing costs by adding more of a supply, adding that construction is a pathway to union jobs, minority contracting, public-private partnerships and a rising tax base. “People can look at River North and see the vibrancy that’s there, see what real investment does to the community, and they can see how that could translate to other areas, especially in this seventh district.”

Friedman has also been on the board of Jewish United Fund for over 15 years and was formerly its head of government affairs. Jewish United Fund is a health and human services organization that serves over 500,000 people of all faiths in the Chicago area every year. Friedman has annually lobbied in Springfield and D.C. on behalf of the organizations and agencies that Jewish United Fund helps support. One of these is Mount Sinai Hospital on Chicago’s West Side, through which Friedman learned about the importance of safety net hospitals. At Mount Sinai Hospital, a safety net hospital and level-one trauma center, Friedman said 90% of patients are on federal assistance. “If a hospital like Mount Sinai were to fail, people would not recognize the health care system in the city of Chicago, in the seventh congressional district,” Friedman said. As a congressional representative, Friedman said he would ensure affordable health care by working to lower prescription drug costs, expand access to quality health care and fully fund Medicaid, Medicare and the Affordable Care Act. Friedman would also work to make life more affordable by fighting to restore cuts to programs like SNAP, reverse President Donald Trump’s tariffs and create goodpaying jobs. He said affordability is central to the American Dream. That means having enough money to buy a home, have a child, pay for their secondary education, afford quality health care and retire. “We are failing our communities by not giving them pathways forward, to be able to say, ‘You deserve the American dream,’ just like my parents have and my grandparents have,” said Friedman, who has three kids and a spouse who’s a former Chicago Public Schools teacher. “People need to be able to not live in a situation where they’re deciding, ‘This week, am I going to spend my money on groceries or my gas?’ We have to build an economy that works for everyone.” Friedman’s campaign also promises to address public safety by advocating for common-sense gun legislation and criminal justice reform, as well as addressing the root causes of crime that he advocates for throughout his campaign — building

more housing and businesses, creating jobs, prioritizing affordable education, health care and groceries. “That’s the kind of thing that reduces your propensity to violence,” Friedman said. When it comes to his stance on immigration, Friedman said he aims to hold ICE accountable for brutalizing Chicagoland communities. Friedman gave this interview the day after an ICE agent shot and killed Renee Good in Minneapolis. “Immigration enforcement and immigration policy should be dealt with nothing but empathy and kindness,” he said. In order to better serve the entire seventh district, Friedman said that, if elected, he would open two more constituent service offices on his first day. “That’s the No. 1 way we can affect people on a day-to-day basis,” Friedman said. The offices could help constituents with federal questions on Medicare, Medicaid and social security, and work with state representatives and aldermen for more local concerns. Friedman also wants to offer constituent services for small businesses, “the economic engine of our city and state.” “We need to stop sending dollars to Washington without them sending them back,” Friedman said, specifically for Chicagoland’s infrastructure, transportation, and to replace its lead pipes. “The city has no money. The state has no money. It’s going to take a bold leader to go to Washington and bring federal dollars back.” “The person who’s going to win this race, which I believe is me, is going to successfully go to each neighborhood,” Friedman added, and say “‘I’m not from your neighborhood, but your issues are my issues. When I go to Washington, I will fight for you.’” Jason Friedman has been endorsed by Ald. Brian Hopkins of the 2nd Ward, which covers Streeterville, Old Town, Lincoln Park, and the Gold Coast Other candidates who have thrown their hats in the ring for Davis’ seat include Richard Boykin, Kina Collins, Melissa Conyears-Ervin, Anthony Driver Jr., Dr. Thomas Fisher, La Shawn Ford, Rory Hoskins, Danica Leigh, John McCombs, Anabel Mendoza, Jazmin Robinson, Reed Showalter, and Felix Tello.

Wednesday Journal, January 14, 2026

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West Sub’s fiscal crisis is called ‘a state responsibility’ Cook County Board President describes the challenge of keeping health care system afloat

By BILL DWYER Contributing Reporter

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle said Saturday that any assistance to the financially strapped West Suburban Hospital would have to come from the state of Illinois. Preckwinkle, who spoke Saturday morning to a packed house of the regular meeting of the Democratic Party of Oak Park, was asked if the county was monitoring the increasingly dire financial situation at West Suburban Hospital. “We have a real challenge,” Preckwinkle replied. “Half of our budget is health care. We have two hospitals, Stroger Hospital, our flagship hospital, and Provident on the south side. We’ve got all we can do trying to keep those hospitals together and performing.” Preckwinkle noted that West Sub is just one of numerous safety net hospitals in

the county that are struggling financially. “Whenever a safety net hospital in the county gets in trouble, it will go to Cook County and say ‘why can’t you take it over?’” she said. “All of those hospitals are in trouble, and taking them over [would] add to our challenges.” “My responsibility is to assure that the system we have in place is as strong as possible and as viable as possible, and taking on other struggling safety net [hospitals] challenges the viability of our system.” “I would say frankly that this is a state responsibility,” she said. “Cook County as a public health system cannot be responsible for adding to our portfolio every struggling safety net hospital.” Preckwinkle made it clear in her 15 minute presentation that the county’s healthcare system is facing serious challenges of its own in the face of the Trump administration’s efforts to drastically reduce federal support for hospitals and

healthcare. She noted that half of the county budget goes to healthcare, saying, “It’s a $10 billion budget, and $5 billion is healthcare.” The current federal government, she said, “is doing everything they can – the President and Congress – to restrict the amount of federal support we have for healthcare.” Preckwinkle expressed pride in the county’s longstanding commitment to providing access to healthcare, and vowed to continue a high level of service and access to anyone who needs it. “We in Cook County – and we should all be proud of this – for 180 years we’ve taken whoever comes to our door in our health and hospital system. [Whether] you have insurance or you’re undocumented, you can come to our healthcare system. Anybody can walk through the door and get good care.” “Since 2013, not only have we been pro-

viding care directly, we’ve also run an insurance program, a Medicaid insurance program, called County Care,” she said. People eligible for Medicaid can be part of County Care and get insured for their health care. “That has resulted in a dramatic increase in our spending on healthcare, and more people who are assisted,” she said, adding, “And that money comes from the federal government as part of the Affordable Care Act. President Obama’s legacy enabled public systems to create these Medicaid Managed Care programs.” Preckwinkle said the county board has done a good job of overseeing the county healthcare system, saying: “Ours is the highest rated in the state. As a public institution we’re rated higher than Blue Cross Blue Shield and any other private providers out there, in terms of the quality of care we deliver and the effectiveness and efficiency of that care.”

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Wednesday Journal, January 14, 2026

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WYANETTA

A dynamic advocate from page 1 move set the course for her advocacy work here. Her own children and grandchildren were part of Oak Park’s school systems. Along with other Black and other community members, Johnson’s advocacy for children in Oak Park schools started in the late 1980s as a member and then leader of the African American Parents for Purposeful Leadership in Education (APPLE) organization, where she served throughout the years as both president and vice president. APPLE in the 1980’s had a presence in all the public schools in Oak Park. Johnson and other parents mentored Black students during the school day and after school, leading study skills and homework assistance programs. Black mothers, fathers, and community members were engaged in helping Oak Park’s Black children obtain a fair and balanced education. Organizing career days, “Saturday School,” seminars for parents, and overnight retreats for children were part of the ambitious program. Ruth Gorens worked with Johnson on APPLE’s mentoring program. “One of my fondest memories was the time it was about minus 24 degrees outside and OPRF wouldn’t close so me and ‘grandma’ (Johnson) got in our cars and picked up children and brought them to school,” Gorens said. Burcy Hines met Johnson in the 1990s after APPLE was no longer allowed to have a physical space at the high school. “She asked me if I would help her with APPLE because someone was trying to dissolve it,” said Hines. She picked it up and moved it forward. “The changes that were made to special education were the result of us. She made a difference and was very powerful. She won many fights.” Johnson emerged as a key advocate for District 200’s adoption of a racial equity policy and played a central role in expanding access to advanced coursework through the Freshman All Honors Curriculum. Greg Johnson, OPRF’s current superintendent, said Johnson was a tremendous advocate for racial equity and justice for students, parents, and professionals not only at the high school, but throughout the community. “A lot of the practices that we have around community engagement in particular, even our director of equity position

COURTESY OF DORISE MONROE

Wyanetta Johnson pictured front row center, with three of her daughters, grandchildren and friends. She was honored with the Unsung Heroine Award from the Cook County Commission on Women’s Issues. we now have in the district, really has a lot of its roots back in her advocacy work in the district,” said Greg Johnson. “She was a powerful force for the students in our school. I think it’s absolutely appropriate that we recognize and honor her efforts.” Known for her energy and generosity, Johnson often used her own money to feed children and buy clothing for students in need. “I knew her as a true advocate,” said Mary Bird who made Johnson’s acquaintance through the organization. “If she heard of any child, especially at OPRF, being excluded or discriminated against or treated unfairly or poorly, she would jump to their defense and the family’s defense.” Though small in stature, Johnson was seen as a “powerhouse” who did not bend to so-called affluence or fancy titles. “When she walked into any room or anywhere, she had an aura about herself,” Johnson’s granddaughter Alishia Henderson said. “She would always speak about herself as not being educated or not having a degree but amazingly she would go in there and out-talk some of the most educated people.”

Christina Waters, now Oak Park’s village clerk, participated in the “Saturday school” that APPLE ran at Longfellow Elementary School where her mother was a secretary during the time the organization operated in all the schools. “I strongly believe that attending the Saturday School was extremely, positively impactful for me,” Waters said of her experience. “I have a Mexican mother and a Black father and so we were always welcomed in the APPLE program … myself and my younger sister.” Introduction to various careers through community and parent volunteers was part of the Saturday School’s program. “She was always happy to hear my voice and so happy to know that I had a role here at Village Hall,” Waters said. “When I became village clerk, she was truly one of the first phone calls I had just to congratulate me and let me know how proud she was of me. Hearing of her passing was difficult for me,” Waters said. Waters stressed how incredibly impactful Johnson was and how her caring showed in all of her work and actions. “I remember seeing her over the last

eight years or so, and she always had the best smile and was the best dressed and she continued to care and love us former students,” said Waters. Though limited in her activism in the past few years, Johnson continued to inspire and counsel racial equity workers. Touted for her advocacy for Black students and parents, for her mother, Monroe said, race didn’t matter. The outpouring of phone calls and condolences from teachers and others provided a level of comfort for Monroe and her family. “It’s my mom so I’ve always known how great she was,” Monroe said. “To hear the accolades that she has gotten and how many people want to share what she’s done for them and their families touched my heart. I’m going to miss my mom so much.” Phil Prale met Johnson while teaching in the History Division at the high school sometime around 1999, while becoming involved in the teacher association. “She never wavered from her love of the community and the families and students we served,” Prale said. “I believe that is part of her greatness.” With more than 40 years of advocacy, Johnson made her transition on New Year’s Day. Johnson’s Celebration of Life Ceremony will take place Jan. 24 at the Nineteenth Century Charitable Organization, 178 Forest Ave., from 3 to 8 p.m. Johnson’s family is working with APPLE to establish a college scholarship in her name to benefit an OPRF student. Donations will fund the scholarship. Go to https://linktr.ee/WyanettaJohnson to make a donation. A proclamation honoring her will be read at the Jan. 27 meeting of Oak Park’s village board. She and her husband Forrest Johnson had seven children, seventeen grandchildren, thirty-five great-grandchildren, two great-great-grandchildren, one grandchild, and one great-grandchild that preceded her in death. Their children are Gwendolyn, David Hawthorne, Vivian Henderson, Dorise (Mathis Monroe), James (Lauretha Henderson), Carolyn Henderson, Annette (Tony Garnish) and Cynthia Johnson. Daughter Dorise Monroe said her mom was a devoted supporter of her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, all children. “She would state that she had no favorites, even though we all genuinely believed we were her favorite,” said Monroe.

Wednesday Journal, January 14, 2026

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Lively Athletics has new owner The torch has been passed to Christina McKittrick, a longtime customer, Oak Parker, OPRF teacher and coach By CLARA OTTATI Contributing Reporter

Lively Athletics has been a staple of the Oak Park community since it opened its doors 11 years ago. The athletic apparel boutique recently underwent a transition in leadership, as the former owners, sisters Anne Pezzalla and Kate Marlin, passed the torch to local resident Christina McKittrick. McKittrick remembers the moment she learned that the store at 109 N. Oak Park Ave. was searching for a new owner. It was last March. “I was sitting outside my daughter’s dance class, and it came up on Facebook and at first my heart sank because I thought they were closing,” McKittrick said. “Then I saw it said ‘We’re looking to sell.’ So, jokingly, I screenshotted it, sent it to my dad and was like ‘What if I buy Lively?’” McKittrick was a long-time customer of the boutique, but her motivations for becoming its owner lies partly with her father. “My dad was also a small business owner and he retired and he wanted to use some of the money from his retirement to kind of instill in me and my sib-

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lings [to be] your own boss if you can.” After reaching out via Facebook, McKittrick began correspondence with Pezzalla and Marlin over email before eventually meeting in person to discuss the possibility of a purchase. “We loved that she was partnering with her dad a little bit,” Pezzalla said. “We just loved that it would stay kind of family-owned. And that her dad was super involved really resonated with us.” McKittrick’s active role in the community strengthened the sisters’ decision to sell to her. “It kind of gives me heart palpitations to see how much she does. She works full time, she coaches for the high school, she coaches on the side. She’s just so athletic and interesting and she seems to be really deeply rooted in the community. We just loved all those things about her and she just seemed like the perfect new owner for Lively,” Pezzalla said. McKittrick took over the store in July. As a full-time science teacher at Oak Park and River Forest High School, McKittrick knew becoming Lively Athletics’ owner would come with a steep learning curve. Luckily, she found help among Lively’s staff. “The biggest thing

CLARA SWIGERS

Christina McKittrick was the staff here is so amazing, and all of them were agreeing to stay,” she said. “So I was like, I have a manager, I have an assistant manager, I have dedicated people who love this place and are willing to keep it going and help me learn how to be a business owner.” McKittrick wants to focus especially on emphasizing Lively’s role in the Oak Park community. “We’re trying to get more and more involved in the community, so we did things like the Frank Lloyd Wright Race, doing a table See LIVELY ATHLETICS on page 19

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Wednesday Journal, January 14, 2026

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BAUMANN Glitter Man from page 9 grant shepherded by State Sen. Kimberly Lightford and State Rep. Emmanuel “Chris” Welch, a former next-door neighbor and personal friend of the Baumanns. Children joined the effort by collecting more than $13,000, mostly in pennies. John Prine, the multiple Grammy Award winning singer/ songwriter and a former Maywood resident, headlined a benefit concert. Like the proverbial phoenix from the ashes, in 2016 MFA opened a beautiful, lightfilled building, which now houses Lois’ Stairway of the Stars dance program as well as drama, karate and adult fitness classes. According to Bus, Ernie was the creative genius behind the scenes, always stretching dollars by taking care of the facilities himself, building sets, creating a ballet barre out of PVC pipe and more. “I called him ‘Glitter Man’ because he was always adding more and more glitter to everything. He always made a fashion statement with his dapper suits when ushering during the shows — and he loved his berets,” Bus said. But according to many, Mr. Ernie’s true gift was his laser-focused attention on kids, each of whom he made feel special. “I have a vivid memory of Mr. Ernie coaching my daughter’s first competitive floor performance. He saw something in

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Ernie and Lois Baumann, then

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A classic duet her that even I didn’t see. He pushed kids to their greatest level and made them believe they could do anything,” said Katina Neal Turner, a current MFA board member. In a post on his Facebook page, Speaker of the House Welch wrote, [The Baumanns’] belief in young people in this community never wavered. … They taught, inspired and mentored generations of young people. My heartfelt condolences go out to Lois, the entire Baumann family and everyone whose life was touched by Ernie’s generosity and passion. His legacy will live on through the countless lives he helped shape. “I ask myself sometimes, how did we do this? It really was a miracle. Ernie made such an impact on so many kids. There was so much laughter and fun. We have been blessed by every kid and their families. We were the luckiest, richest people in town,” Lois said. Ernie and Lois’ family now includes a dozen grandkids as well as their six children. According to Katina Neal Turner, their love for each other was evident to everyone who knew them. “They had a love story all of us would hope for,” she said. Just a couple weeks before his death, Lois and Ernie and several members of their large. boisterous family boarded a train to Elburn for Christmas dinner at her niece’s home. They managed to make even a mundane train ride a party. Lois and Ernie had to sit on opposite sides of the top level — but, according to Lois, they still managed to reach across the aisle to hold hands.

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16 Wednesday Journal, January 14, 2026

S P O N S O R E D

C O N T E N T

Smoke and sauce are the boss

Russell’s Barbecue has dished up mouth-watering meats for almost 100 years By RISÉ SANDERS-WEIR

Contributing Reporter

ince opening in 1930, Russell’s Barbecue has consistently served up juicy, tender meats just waiting to be kissed by their signature barbecue sauce. And you can get a plate 365 days of the year at 1621 N. Thatcher Ave. in Elmwood Park. Assistant manager Eric Meyer has been with the restaurant for 13 years. During that time, he’s seen plenty of regular customers and ones who come back on a nostalgia trip to take it all in. “People say that it’s just as good as they remembered it,” Meyer said. “Looks the same as we remembered it too. They like coming here to see that. We’ve made a few updates, like bringing orders out to the table, but we have pretty much the same menu as they remember.”

The food offerings run deep. BBQ sandwiches: beef, pork and ham. Baby back ribs, rib tips and chicken can be combined in several dinner configurations. Smoked BBQ cooks 16 hours in the smoker before it hits a diner’s plate. You can get smoked chicken wings, beef brisket, pulled pork or pulled chicken. A smoked meat nacho platter translates all that flavor to a new experience. Any of those meats can be piled over freshly fried tortilla chips and topped with homemade

RISÉ SANDERS-WEIR

Russell’s Barbecue, 1621 N Thatcher, Elmwood Park

RISÉ SANDERS-WEIR

Classic beef BBQ sandwich

Rib and chicken combo dinner

Wednesday Journal, January 14, 2026 17

S P O N S O R E D

C O N T E N T

RISÉ SANDERS-WEIR

Secret recipe sauce has a hint of cinnamon chili, cheddar cheese sauce, tomatoes, sliced jalapenos, salsa and sour cream. Shrimp, fish and chicken tenders are breaded and fried to golden perfection. There are nine different sandwiches, such as Philly steak, tuna melt and a veggie burger. Appetizers, salads and a wide selection of sides sets up the chance to please most every eater. Cakes, shakes, ice cream and pies provide the finishing touch. Kids aren’t left out either. There are junior sizes of the BBQ sandwiches, hot dogs, burgers, grilled cheese and chicken nuggets. Each kids’ meal comes with a token for the toy vending machine that has delighted the youngsters for generations. A full bar serves cocktails, wine and beer. And slot machines await those old enough to play. The restaurant does a lively drivethrough and delivery business too, as well as catering. “The famous meat trays, as we call it,

has barbecue beef, pork and ham,” Meyer said. “We sell that by the pound. Or we also have packages where you can get that with buns and sauce and a side of your choice. We also have rib packages and smoked meat options too. Pretty much anything we do, can sell in bulk if somebody wanted it.” When Meyer was asked what he orders, he said, “I’d say the BBQ beef, the original beef sandwich, that’s my go-to. It’s just the classic. It’s probably been on the menu as long as the place has been here.” Well, if it ain’t broke don’t fix it – put fixins on it and take a bite!

Know before you go: Website: russellsbarbecue.net Address: 1621 North Thatcher Avenue, Elmwood Park Hours: Sunday - Thursday 10:30 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. Friday- Saturday 10:30 a.m. – 11:00 p.m.

Expires: 2/8/26

Wednesday Journal, January 14, 2026

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Oak Park trustee’s co-defendant drops county board bid to fight conspiracy case Cat Sharp suspends her campaign for a Cook County board seat to focus on ‘winning the legal battle against Trump administration’

By BRENDAN HEFFERNAN Staff Reporter

One of the other progressive politicians facing federal criminal charges alongside Oak Park Village Trustee Brian Straw in connection with a protest at the Broadview ICE Detention Facility has dropped her

campaign for the Cook County board. Catherine “Cat” Sharp announced she is suspending her campaign for the Cook County Board’s 12th district seat to focus on fighting the charges brought against her, Straw and four others who took part in a protest at the facility in September. The group, dubbed the “Broadview 6,” was

charged with conspiracy to impede the work of a federal law enforcement officer and assaulting/resisting/impeding officers last October. In her statement, Sharp said she was dropping her campaign to “focus on winSee CAT SHARP on page 23

BANK

Putting up a fight from page 1 looming acquisition to local customers Monday afternoon, saying that the bank would do what it could to retain control of the branch. While the building was listed for sale at $2.65 million last year, bank officials said that it was always the corporation’s intention to keep the bank branch open by leasing space back from the building’s new owner, a strategy the company has employed regularly in recent years, officials said. U.S. Bank officials said the bank plans to “explore all legal challenges at the village’s use of eminent domain.” “The village of Oak Park has begun the process of taking the bank’s property, both the branch building and parking lot, through a process known as eminent domain,” U.S. Bank told Oak Park customers. “If the village is successful, we will be forced to close the branch, impacting our ability to provide services at this location. We take great pride in having served the Oak Park community at this location since 2009, continuing a long tradition of banking services at the corner of Madison and Austin. We are disappointed with the village’s decision to take this branch and plan to challenge this action. Know that we are working diligently to remain at this location, however, we may ultimately have to vacate the building and parking lot. If that happens, we’ll keep you informed and provide additional resources to support you.” The branch, which has operated out of the

CREDIT: LOOPNET

Proposed site for a new home for the Oak Park Police Department, 11 W. Madison St. building since 2009, is also home to mortgage advisor and wealth management staff not present at most bank locations, U.S. Bank officials said. U.S. Bank told customers that it is exploring opportunities for a new bank location in the area if it loses its Madison Street location. “At the same time, we’re exploring options for a new location in Oak Park, or the surrounding area, to continue serving our clients should the village take our existing property,” the bank told customers. “Throughout this process, our focus remains on supporting both you and our employees.” The board is looking to give final approval to begin the “quick take” acquisition process at its meeting Tuesday, Jan. 13. On Nov. 12, the village board unanimously approved an ordinance allowing the village

government to pursue a condemnation suit to acquire the property via eminent domain if a voluntary sale deal didn’t go through, according to village documents. “The village reviewed the property and determined that it’s suitable for adaptive reuse for a new police station,” said John Melaniphy, Oak Park’s assistant village manager for economic vitality. “The village then began negotiating to purchase the property. After several rounds of negotiation over several months and multiple offers from the village, a standstill was reached. In order to provide the village with an opportunity to acquire the property at an acceptable price and within a timeline necessary for a new police station, the attached ordinance was prepared for the village to obtain title by condemnation.” At a special meeting a week later, the board

CAT SHARP voted to endorse the acquisition as their preferred strategy for the police station project. The building is approximately 37,000 square feet and already has its own parking lots, according to village documents. An earlier version of the project had been expected to deliver the Oak Park Police Department a new standalone police station on the patch of grass south of Village Hall’s parking lot, with building costs expected to have eclipsed $80 million on top of the costs for the planned renovations to the Village Hall building. Trustee Jim Taglia said the move to purchase a building for adaptive reuse rather than constructing a brand-new building makes sound financial sense. “From what I can see, this is a fiscally prudent approach, it’s far cheaper than a new construction and an efficient use of our capital,” Taglia said. “Time is money in this sort of endeavor, and it’s important to get moving on it. I think everyone on this board has wanted to move on a new site, and members of previous boards. “It offers good long-term value, it’s a real value play for the future.” The OPPD presently operates out of Village Hall’s basement, a space considered too small and outdated to suit the needs of a modern village police department. The village has been working to find a path to a new base of operations for local police since at least 2015, when it commissioned a property condition assessment on Village Hall. Over the last decade, the village has spent millions on design work, kicked around several concepts and hired a new architect for the project.

Wednesday Journal, January 14, 2026

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

C R I M E

Oak Park police arrest juvenile on gun charge Staff Reporter

Oak Park police arrested a juvenile from Chicago on gun related charges earlier this month. Police arrested the juvenile on unlawful use of weapon charges in the 700 block of Lake Street the afternoon of Jan. 3, according to police. The juvenile had been identified by a witness as being in possession of a firearm, according to police.

LIVELY ATHLETICS from page 14 there, [and] the local Turkey Trot at St. Giles Church, we had activities and giveaways there. We have a big event in November called ‘Govember’ where we encourage community members to walk all the streets in Oak Park,” McKittrick said. “We work with Hephzibah to provide the kids with shoes. We work with another local organization called Yemba who target at-risk youth in the community.” “We try to give back to the community because the community gives back to us,” said McKittrick. McKittrick wants locals to know that when you buy from Lively Athletics, rather

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Battery arrests Oak Park police arrested two men on battery charges in connection with unrelated incidents over the weekend. Police arrested a 23-year-old Chicago man on two counts of battery in connection with an alleged attack on an Oak Park resident and a Chicago resident, according to police. Police arrested the man in the 500 block of South Maple Avenue at 4:15 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 10, according to police. Police also arrested a 28-year-old Freeport man on aggravated battery charges on Saturday. Police arrested the man in the 900 block of Madison Street shortly after 1 p.m. on Jan. 10, according to police.

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than Amazon or a big brand retailer, there is no price difference. “The shoe companies dictate what price we can sell [the shoes] at. So on Amazon it has to be the same price as it is here in the store, as it is when you buy directly from the website. But that little bit of profit, because we buy the shoes for less money and then we sell it at the price we are told to sell it at, that profit goes back into our store [rather than] going into Amazon, [rather than] going into Hoka, which is already making a profit because you’re buying the shoe,” she said. “Now, you’re giving back to someone in your community rather than [a] big business.” Lively Athletics sells women’s apparel, men’s apparel, and children’s shoes, all with one goal in mind. “Move your body,” McKittrick said. “Move your body and we’ll help you.”

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Wednesday Journal, January 14, 2026

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Revisiting Oak Park’s ban on ‘For Sale’ signs Local real estate professionals talk about the impact of the ban today By LACEY SIKORA Real Estate Reporter

In 2016, WBEZ’s Curious City project ran a segment about Oak Park’s ban on real estate for sale signs ( https://www.oakpark. com/2019/04/02/not-in-your-front-yard-whyfor-sale-signs-are-banned-in-oak-park/). We ran the piece in its entirety to explain to newcomers why the real estate agents do not use for sale signs in the village. The ban began in the late 1960’s in response to a real estate practice called blockbusting, in which real estate agents convinced white residents that black families were moving in, lowering property values. The agents then bought the properties of white families at low prices, sold them to black families at a profit, and rapidly changed the racial makeup of neighborhoods in the process. When this occurred in Chicago’s Austin neighborhood, Oak Parkers like Roberta

Raymond banded together and formed the Oak Park Regional Housing Center and created a fair housing strategy that would educate Realtors and allow for better integration of the majority white suburb. In 1972, the village adopted a local ordinance banning for sale signs as part of these efforts. The thinking at the time was that a proliferation of signs on lawns would act as a scare tactic and convince neighbors that they needed to move out before their property values plummeted and the racial makeup of their neighborhood changed. A Supreme Court case in 1977 made the ban on for sale signs illegal, but Oak Park continued to retain the ban as part of its municipal code. The village did not enforce the ban, knowing it could not withstand a legal challenge, but local Realtors kept up the practice. The ban is still the practice among real estate professionals in the village today.

This fall, a non-local real estate agent She reached out to the agent to explain the placed a for sale sign in front of an Oak Park Oak Park rules. “This agent was from Arlington Heights home, and social media groups lit up with comments both supporting the ban and stat- and had just ordered signs, and the sign coming that the ban had no place in a world in pany didn’t know about the Oak Park ordinance,” said Surowitz. which discrimination in housing When Surowitz explained Oak is so clearly outlawed. Park’s sign ban to the agent, the We spoke to three local real agent removed the sign. estate professionals about their Acknowledging that emotions thoughts on the ban and whether can run high on this issue, Suror not it is still relevant today. owitz says that’s due to the histoEach emphasized that their ry behind the ban. “We take it seviews were their personal opinriously because we’re told about ions. its importance in the history of Molly Surowitz, vice president MOLLY SUROWITZ fair housing.” and broker of the local Baird and Some of the social media comWarner office, recalls the sign kerfuffle from this fall. She received a text ments about the sign ban posited that local agents enjoy the sign ban because it lets them from a Realtor in her office with a photo of a Baird and Warner for sale sign in front of a control the market, but Surowitz says that two-flat for sale in Oak Park. Surowitz noted couldn’t be further from the truth. that the sign was not from an Oak Park agent. “Signs help Realtors get leads. We’re not

Wednesday Journal, January 14, 2026

OAKPARK.COM doing it to withhold information. We’re doing she says, “We didn’t have a cell phone in our pockets. We had to get a paper and call it out of respect.” Realtor Pat McGowan of Baird and War- a real estate agent. Now, you just get out ner has been practicing real estate locally your phone and check an app.” For Gajewski, the positives of the inand has seen an evolution in the housing market. She says that even with the sign ternet can be helpful in the way that the ban, the early days of her career were quite sign ban was years ago: it keeps buyers focused on the characteristics of the house. different. “When people are looking at a property “In the 1980s and early 1990s there were what we called ‘counseling blocks.’ Real online, they focus on the particular house. estate brokers were required to have buy- If Covid taught us anything, it’s that peoers counseled if they were purchasing on ple buy because of the listing photos and the floor plan.” a block that was Gajewski says that signs in front of 50% or more mihouses do two things: they tell the neighnority. We were bors that you’re selling, and they provide given maps. It was advertising for the real estate brokerage. almost like redlining,” she says, noting that the Does Oak Park still need the ban? process was like a reverse of blockEveryone we interviewed emphasized busting. the significance of the sign ban in Oak Calling counselPark’s fair housing history. Whether the PAT McGOWAN ing blocks more of sign ban, official or not, still matters is a a practice than an different story. actual ordinance like the sign ban, McSurowitz says with the high desirability Gowan says the industry was hyper-local of housing in Oak Park, it might appear at that time. that the sign ban isn’t necessary any lon“There were really only three to five big ger, but she wonders what might happen if [real estate] offices in Oak Park. Once you “Oak Park wasn’t the incredible community got the majority on board, everyone just that it is. Would people want to sell all at the went along. There was no MLS, no for sale same time? For example, if you saw a condo signs, and no computers. All we relied on building with 20 for sale signs, you would was the Wednesday Journal and the Oak wonder what was wrong.” Leaves. We picked our office based on the “The ban has worked, so we keep doing exposure they had in the paper.” it,” says Surowitz. McGowan says that local McGowan agrees. “We do brokers have long known they things that way because of the don’t need for sale signs to sell results: it works.” houses, stating “It never imShe notes that in 38 years, she’s peded us from doing business. never missed not having a sign We’ve weathered some really but says that a sign ban might bad storms with no signs: innot have the same ramifications terest rates at 15-16%; the marit did when the ordinance was ket crash, Covid.” enacted. Today, things have changed. She says, “Oak Park isn’t alCYNTHIA HOWE McGowan says, “An effective ways perfect, but I still feel like marketing strategy is always gothe value of the home doesn’t GAJEWSKI rely on who owns the home. ing to come from the internet.” Cynthia Howe Gajewski, a Realtor at Be- We’re very, very lucky in Oak Park.” For Gajewski, the importance of signs is yond Properties, recalls driving around Oak Park in the 1990s looking for a house to buy waning, even in neighboring suburbs like and thinking there wasn’t a single home for River Forest where they are not banned. She says that more and more clients want sale. It wasn’t until she connected with a local Realtor that she learned about the his- some form of privacy in the transaction, and that might take the form of not having tory of the sign ban. Like McGowan, she says the real estate a sign or listing their house on the private industry has evolved since then. “We live listing network. At the end of the days she asks, “How in a different world now in terms of information. The ban is still a part of Oak often have you knowingly sold a property Park’s legacy, but I don’t think signs sell to someone who saw the sign and closed on the property? My answer to this would houses. Everyone looks online.” Reflecting on her experience in the 1990s be ‘never.’”

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Wednesday Journal, January 14, 2026

P R O P E R T Y

T R A N S F E R S

OAKPARK.COM

Oak Park home sells for $1,810,00

The following property transfers were reported by the Cook County Clerk from September 2025. Where addresses appear incomplete, for instance where a unit number appears missing, that information was not provided by the clerk.

OAK PARK ADDRESS

PRICE

SELLER

BUYER

6407 North Ave 407 N Kenilworth Ave 415 Linden Ave 424 Iowa St 550 N Marion St 536 Fair Oaks Ave 147 N Euclid Ave 800 Belleforte Ave 1141 N Ridgeland Ave 616 N Oak Park Ave 1130 Paulina St 513 S Highland Ave 312 Home Ave 720 S Elmwood Ave 825 Woodbine Ave 917 Fair Oaks Ave 1213 Columbian Ave 717 Randolph St 1109 Linden Ave 820 Clinton Ave 400 Lake St 538 S Humphrey Ave 415 N Taylor Ave 637 S Highland Ave 1234 Edmer Ave 125 S Ridgeland Ave 419 Greenfield St 523 S Harvey Ave 747 S Harvey Ave 707 Woodbine Ave 117 S Grove Ave 1118 Ontario St 737 S East Ave 430 N Humphrey Ave 1019 S Lyman Ave 1036 N Oak Park Ave 842 Mapleton Ave 1027 N Harlem Ave 1042 N Lombard Ave 1046 S Scoville Ave

$8,350,000 $4,000,000 $1,810,000 $1,290,000 $1,040,000 $984,000 $960,000 $915,000 $900,000 $880,000 $860,000 $835,000 $825,000 $815,000 $800,000 $785,000 $785,000 $750,000 $740,000 $735,000 $735,000 $715,000 $685,000 $680,000 $667,000 $652,000 $650,000 $640,000 $633,000 $630,000 $615,000 $615,000 $610,000 $600,000 $595,000 $594,000 $592,000 $590,000 $590,000 $590,000

Df W Natl Llc Kim Chee-Young Wintrust Private Trust Co Na Tr Johnston Janis Clark Tr Kocheny Steven A Engle Adam S Tr Traczyk Cynthia Guiter Shane Heckman Ii Charles J Ball Gregory Hunter Diane Shea Tr Mcdermott Brian Tr Reese Gerald L Tr Fitzgerald Brian M Weigel Shannon Phillips Patrick J Benko Lynn L Cuevas Diego Ziegler James P Ryan Josephine M 400 Lake St Oak Pk Llc Noonan Andrew Michael Phillips Kimberly Phillips Tr Schmidt Rainer Germain Amy J Moore Kristin Karlson Blake Adam Charette-Bassirirad Jacqueline A Fox Alan Tr Delius Sharon P Tr Nijim Sabrina Mcdonough Meghan Sandoval Maura T Andrew David Prazich Trust Bridges Faon M Williams Sarah M Tr Jada Home Solutions Llc Wang Hongwu Tr Baig Laura M Moore Iii Hilliard Lee

Cl Shops On Natl Ave E Il Llc Mills Elizabeth G Tr Sikora Lacey Tr Boltz Esther Poirier William R Hudson Colin Obrien Jacquelyn S Mauer Michael Walter Charles B Baxley Andrew Garcia Iii Alfredo Joseph Siciliano Joanna Mcweeny Lisa Tr Gerfin Kimberly Henry David Tybor Kelly Glick Marcus B Lynch Inv Ventures Liv Llc Kollektif Llc Gotz Nicholas Frederic Double R Holdings Llc Gandhi Krina Jaffe Samantha M Mize Anne Ross Derksen Collins Edward R Johnson Miranda Tr Quintanilla-Arteagaa Anaisa Brand-Reid Jessica Eubanks Rebekah Tr Chambers Linda Munoz Evelyn Vazquez Christopoulos Despina Allen Shay Dornbos Malary Mcgill Corey Stephens Jared D Rioja Dulce Maria Henry Joseph Achterhof Blake

415 Linden Ave, Oak Park

OAK PARK ADDRESS

PRICE

SELLER

BUYER

500 Fair Oaks Ave 812 S Maple Ave 632 S Elmwood Ave 945 Thomas St 224 N Marion Ct 1103 S Lyman Ave 17 Le Moyne Pky 624 N Lombard Ave 831 Home Ave 100 Bishop Quarter Ln 641 S Maple Ave 255 South Blvd 923 N Grove Ave 1159 Clarence Ave 1042 S Scoville Ave 179 Linden Ave 1165 S Lombard Ave 719 S Lyman Ave 800 S Scoville Ave 913 S Highland Ave 417 S East Ave 826 N Lombard Ave 212 S Austin Blvd 1015 Clarence Ave 106 S Ridgeland Ave 807 S Taylor Ave 727 Wenonah Ave 206 S Lombard Ave 427 S Taylor Ave 208 N Oak Park Ave

$590,000 $585,000 $578,000 $556,000 $551,010 $550,000 $530,000 $527,500 $499,000 $490,000 $490,000 $472,500 $452,500 $450,000 $430,000 $430,000 $425,000 $420,000 $410,000 $405,000 $365,000 $360,000 $359,000 $355,000 $349,000 $335,000 $310,000 $265,000 $250,000 $247,000

Moroney Miriam Cowell Wes Mcnichols William Francis La Gioia Carolyn Mauney Richard E Gandhi Amish Fkh Sfr Ci Lp Biggins Richard J Broeffle Leslie Rosa-Cooper Andreia Gomes Yao Qi Kiriakou Kathryn Rinder Mary M Cozzi Mark A Chrystall Doug Palese Garrick M Tr Meo Lisa Tr Carpino Marla Autumn Chicago Title Land Trust Co Tr Bryant Michael A Rogers Conrad Mccvay Mary Tobin Michael A Lyczak Michael Benjamin Browman Matthew Tyler Hay William Hoeflinger Susan M Extr Boerio Tiffani Elaine Tr Veerachat Devin Kircher Ashley

Patz Allison D Arnold Anthony Baxter Camille Gillespie Julie Anne Won Micah Minkyu Ditsworth Colin Williams Angelique Ek Melinda Planisek John Chalk Luke Mantica Alejandro Olson Caroline L Wnorowski Damian Grayson Tammy Clark Kylie Renee Hurd Jamie Tr Kurtenbach Tyler Owen Kelly Yolo Loft Llc Echevarria-Heine Josh Meister John Naaktgeboren Carly G Cavallo Christopher Picchiotti Robert Richkus Ellen A Javor Kenneth 727 Wenonah Llc Cruz Jesus Ochoa Daniel Gange-Anderson Mackenzie

Wednesday Journal, January 14, 2026

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

CAT SHARP

for Chicago 40th Ward alderperson Andre Vasquez. The other co-defendants in the case are 9th District U.S. Congressional candidate Katherine “Kat” Abughazaleh, 45th ward Democratic committeeman Michael Rabbit and protestor Joselyn Walsh and Andre Martin, from page 18 who works on Abughazaleh’s campaign. The federal indictment alleged that the coning the legal battle against the Trump addefendants were among a crowd of protestors ministration.” who blocked, pushed against and “Navigating this unimagibanged on a vehicle being driven nable legal process and all the by a federal officer into ICE’s costs — emotional and financial Broadview Detention facility the — that come with it, have made morning of Sept. 26. U.S. Judge running for office much more April Perry set the next hearing difficult,” she said. “I know that in the case for Jan. 28. we will prevail against these unThe case has been among the just, ridiculous charges, which most publicized legal battles to were designed to force people result as fallout of President like us to sit down and shut up. Donald Trump’s “Operation I’m ready to continue that fight, BRIAN STRAW Midway Blitz,” in addition to because I know it’s what is refederal cases regarding alleged quired of me and all of us in the human rights violations of immigration deface of the inhumane, brutal treatment of immigrants and refugees. And I know it’s tainees at the Broadview facility where the what is required of me as we face unprec- protest took place. Last month, attorneys for the defendants edented attacks on our First Amendment and other constitutional rights by this au- said they will seek to have the case dismissed on selective prosecution and first amendthoritarian regime.” ment grounds ahead of the next hearing. Sharp, 29, also serves as chief-of-staff

Co-defendant with village trustee

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Wednesday Journal, January 14, 2026

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

Your local, independent brokerage

111 Thatcher Ave River Forest | $2,250,000 Mallory Slesser

163 N Cuyler Ave Oak Park | $1,090,000 Steve Scheuring

1108 S Maple Ave Oak Park | $1,050,000

62 Chicago Ave Oak Park | $750,000

Marvis Donalson

143 N Taylor Ave Oak Park | $785,000 Swati Saxena

637 N Grove Ave Oak Park | $735,000 Bethanny Alexander

60 E Monroe St #5403 Chicago | $699,000 Swati Saxena

647 S Taylor Ave Oak Park | $679,000 Brian Yabes

316 N Austin Blvd Oak Park | $650,000 Cathy Yanda

4659 W Washington Blvd Chicago | $500,000 Jeremie Buckley

222 Le Moyne Pkwy Oak Park | $439,900 Heidi Rogers

3637 Elmwood Ave Berwyn | $359,000 Margarita Lopez

2337 S 2nd Ave North Riverside | $329,999 Michelle Galindo

3703 S 58th Ct Cicero | $289,000 Michelle Galindo

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Wednesday Journal, January 14, 2026

DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS IS FRIDAY 5 P.M. Call Viewpoints editor Ken Trainor at 613-3310 ktrainor@wjinc.com

VIEWPOINTS

Shrubtown

p. 27

Safe routes to school

ultiple District 97 students who spoke at the January 2025 village board meeting expressed a desire for community investment in making it safer to walk and bike. A student worried about their ability to safely walk to school due to the uncontrolled intersection at Washington and Kenilworth (Brooks). Other students described close calls they experienced at the “notorious” Van Buren and Ridgeland (Longfellow) intersection. Another quipped, “That intersection? Come on. It’s basically a thumbs down with a tongue out.” It is an increasingly common experience that Oak Park drivers fail to correctly stop and yield to pedestrians in marked crosswalks. My elementary-age children have seen multiple near fatal violations in the marked crosswalk next to their school. Two other students who spoke at the village board meeting last January described being hit by drivers in crosswalks near Longfellow Park. And driver-yield rates are precipitously worse at marked crosswalks along busier corridors like Madison, Washington, and Ridgeland — even near schools. Try crossing at night or in the winter: it’s fun (sarcasm). As recently as 2021, the CDC identified motor vehicles/traffic as the leading cause of death for all age groups between 5 and 24. This makes motor vehicles almost as deadly as firearms and 200 times more deadly than food allergies. Our students deserve safe routes to school in the same way that they deserve classrooms that are free from gun violence. A 2010 Federal Highway Association (FHA) study shows that Rapid Rectangular Flashing Beacons (RRFBs) significantly increase yield rate at marked crosswalks at uncontrolled sites. The FHA study cites a 0-26% yield rate prior to installation (sounds about right for Ridgeland); after installation, the yield rate increased to 72-96%. Examples of these intersections in Oak Park include Van Buren/Ridgeland and Fillmore/Oak Park. The RRFBs that the village has installed on Washington and Madison have already made those streets safer to navigate — safer, not safe. We’ve already seen a positive impact on yield rates at the one my family uses near Brooks. The ones on Madison provide access to child-care centers, community centers like the CRC, and schools. Importantly, the 11 additional RRFBs that the village has contracted to install throughout the community are all located within a few blocks of area schools (or child-care facilities). For residents worried about traffic impact, the primary cause of morning traffic in Oak Park is school drop-off (not pedestrians). Every student you see walking or biking to school is one less car in the drop-off line. This is a good thing! We should continue to prioritize and invest in improvements that encourage students to use active transportation for school, sports, and community events. Sources 1. https://wisqars.cdc.gov/pdfs/leading-causes-of-injury-deaths-by-agegroup_%202021_508.pdf 2. https://allergyasthmanetwork.org/anaphylaxis/anaphylaxis-statistics/ 3. https://www.oakpark.com/2025/12/04/oak-park-oks-deal-to-install-11-newflashing-lights-at-crosswalks/ 4. https://idot.illinois.gov/content/dam/soi/en/web/idot/documents/aboutidot/pamphlets-and-brochures/rrfb-flyer.pdf 5. https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/safety/pedbike/10046/10046.pdf Michael Ericksen is an Oak Park resident.

MICHAEL ERICKSEN One View

PHOTO PROVIDED

OPRF High School 150th anniversary exhibit

FAV O R I T E T H I N G S : OA K PA R K R I V E R F O R E S T M U S E UM

How the past influences the present

‘Y

ou have to know the past to understand the present,” said famed astronomer Carl Sagan. The Oak Park River Forest Museum, located at 129 Lake St., is a place filled with community history. Visiting the museum shows how our past has impacted the village we live in today. The museum opened at its current location in 2017 after being housed at Pleasant Home for almost 50 years. The building, which was once upon a time the 1898 Cicero Fire House No. 2, has been transformed into an eco-friendly facility with a geothermal HVAC system and high efficiency LED lighting throughout. The first floor currently has a large exhibit honoring the 150th anniversary of Oak Park and River Forest High School with many photos; a green girl’s gym uniform, which reminded me of my high school blue gym uniform with my name embroidered on it; yearbooks; and much memorabilia. The second-floor exhibit highlights Housing in Oak Park from different eras. The title of one poster, “A Community of Contradictions” shows some of these contradictions. I and many readers take pride in the inclusivity and diversity of

Oak Park. I was shocked to see the Charter of the Oak Park Women of the Ku Klux Klan from 1926. I learned that in 1963, a black violinist named Carol Anderson was initially banned from playing with the Oak Park Symphony Orchestra because of the color of her skin. This brought national attention to Oak Park. When fellow orchestra musicians threatened to resign in protest and the community rose in opposition, Anderson made history as the first Black musician to play with the OP-RF Symphony. This was one of the incidents that led to the creation of the Citizens Committee for Human Rights and passage of the Fair Housing Ordinance. The museum has raised over $1 million from private and public sources to build an elevator to make the building accessible and add new features, including archival storage and meeting spaces. Contractors will be finalized this spring, and they plan to have the new space open this fall. On the website, oprfmuseum.org you can take a virtual tour, ask a historian questions and learn more about our community.

JOY AARONSON One View

See JOY AARONSON on page 30

Wednesday Journal, January 14, 2026

O U R

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V I E W S

No loss with U.S. Bank

e offer up big crocodile tears for the officials at U.S. Bank, which told its local customers just this week that it never intended to close its branch at Austin and Madison. The banking giant just put the site on the market because it wanted to cash out its real estate holdings at the location and then lease space for a branch. “We’re just trying to juice our earnings,” is our translation of the messaging. It is, they acknowledge, a tactic they are using in many branch locations. Unfortunately for U.S. Bank, Oak Park’s village government very much wants the building and property as the new home for its police station. And, we expect, that as of a Tuesday village board meeting, the village will be full steam ahead in taking the site via eminent domain. The bank says it will fight that effort with every sinew in its twisty veins because, by golly, they just want to serve Oak Parkers and Austinites with their banking needs. Considering U.S. Bank just shuttered its branch at 104 N. Oak Park Ave. last fall, you can color us doubtful. This property is a great solution to what has been a vexing problem for years and years. The current Oak Park Police Station, in the basement of village hall is horrible. Overcrowded, windowless, unsafe and fully obsolete, everyone agrees that, while costly, a new police station is essential. Finding a way to not crowd it onto the village hall campus at Madison and Lombard is all good. And reusing the fine building the old locally owned Park National Bank remade as its handsome headquarters on Austin is a great solution. And we’ll acknowledge that even 17 years later we hold a grudge against U.S. Bank and the FDIC, which stripped local banking champion Mike Kelly of his ownership of Park National after the 2008 real estate debacle. The small (relatively) banking group he had built with smarts and quiet generosity was handed over to U.S. Bank which has operated exactly as you’d expect a banking conglomerate to operate.

Mrs. Johnson The death on New Year’s Day of Wyanetta Johnson hits hard. She was a true champion of young people in these villages, especially young Black children. She was a fierce warrior who could not be intimidated by those seemingly more powerful. And she was kind. It is good to see Greg Johnson, superintendent of Oak Park and River Forest High School, acknowledge the impact this slight, elegant woman had on issues of racial equity at the school. Tensions between Mrs. Johnson, the OPRF school board and the administration were often high as the school clung to its mythological past. That disdain did not stop her. Her focus on lifting up kids who lacked the full opportunities these villages might have offered was inspiring. And she will be deeply missed.

No thank you very mulch

approach, which is technically not an ven though the world around us is official option). The problem with the going to hell in Trump’s handbasket, latter is that the leaves don’t conform to there is a more compelling and immeparkway and front lawn boundaries. They diate concern we need to address. end up in the street and gutters, where Leaf dreck. parked cars turn them into hard-packed I don’t know about the rest of Oak leaf mash that never goes away because Park, but in my immediate neighborhood the village never cleans those streets. I — roughly Marion Street to Oak Park don’t think street sweepers can handle Avenue, Randolph to South Boulevard — compressed leaf mash. So now we have leaf dreck is a serious issue. multi-year sedimentary layers of leaf Mostly it’s an aesthetic issue. Leaf dreck muck on some of our more densely drapes the lawns, the parkways, overflows parked roadways, such as the now ironiinto the gutters and the streets. The curb cally named Pleasant Street. cuts at every corner are a disaster. It’s ugly Is there a solution? I’m not sure what, if as sin, looks as if we were cluster-bombed anything, the village’s public works diviby a flock of gigantic migrating birds. sion is doing about any of this, but Brown, decaying leaf matter mixed I haven’t been able to detect a plan with mud. Leaf dreck. in place if there is one. Until some It’s mostly cosmetic, but aesthetgenius at village hall figures it out, ics has always been one of Oak the only remedy I can think of is orPark’s greatest assets. And this ganizing volunteers — a coalition of is coming from one of our other the swilling — to sweep and shovel, great assets — our urban forest. block by block, the leaf dreck out of Those trees produce tons of leaves, the gutters (where accessible) and which have to be collected and off the sewer grates and neatly pile disposed of … or left to decay and the mash on the parkway where, become a rich source of nutrients though still ugly, it can at least do for our soil. But we can’t make the soil some good (since grass up our minds. I don’t mind leafdoesn’t usually grow there anyway). covered lawns, and I strongly favor In my meanderings, I have seen a eco-solutions, but we’re also fertilcouple of places where this appears izing the streets and gutters and to be happening. Kudos to those clogging the sewer vents, which good citizens. Seems like they becomes a real problem when it Northwest corner of Clinton and should be eligible for some kind of rains, as we found out last Thurscompensation, a tax break maybe Pleasant, not pleasant day night during a biblical deluge. — or better yet, amnesty for the Pleasant Street more closely parking tickets they incessantly resembled the canals of Venice, though not nearly so accumulate. Now that’s an incentive that could inspire charming. involved citizenship. I wish we could bundle up all this leaf dreck and Personally, I would make a special plea for somehave it dropped from black ops helicopters on the East thing to be done about the curb cut on the northwest Wing of the White House — preferably while Himself corner of Clinton and Pleasant, which is a murky, is in his gold-plated bathroom — with a note attached, mucky swamp pretty much year-round. “Thinking of you, Mr. President :-).” Is Trump really Until then, I have resorted to praying for continuresponsible for all this? Since when did that matter? ous snow cover till spring. At least a good snowfall is We can easily take a page from his playbook since he aesthetically pleasing — until the slush turns a pulpy blames everyone else for every sin he commits. Just gray and sidewalks turn to ice where the snow hasn’t following your example, Mr. President. been shoveled, and the snow plows wall in the curb Sadly, as a member of the reality-based population cuts. in this country, I feel compelled to point out that this But that only forestalls the inevitable. When the is our problem and we have to address it. The problem snow melts, we know what’s left. As much as I would stems from our current village leaf collection system, love to pin this all on Himself or his ICEmen, to which is, to put it politely, underperforming. This fall paraphrase Jimmy Buffet, some people claim there’s you had three options: rake and bag your leaves (the a Trump dump to blame, but we know — it’s our own manicurial approach), use them as mulch for your damn mulch. lovely lawn and gardens (the ecological approach), Somehow we need to find a way to clean these or simply let nature take its course (the laissez leaves streets.

KEN

TRAINOR

V I E W P O I N T S S H R U B T O W N

Wednesday Journal, January 14, 2026

by Marc Stopeck

W E D N E S D A Y

JOURNAL of Oak Park and River Forest

Viewpoints Guidelines

Believing in our kids’ potential

A response to “A new approach to middle-school athletics” [Viewpoints, Dec. 17]: In the fall of 1998, I was hired as a principal to open Heritage Middle School in South Berwyn School District 100. At the heart of my vision was a commitment to a no-cut athletic policy — a decision that transformed our students and community. I write in strong support of Rachel Lada’s call for Oak Park’s District 97 to expand athletic opportunities for all middle-school students. Her observations about the inequity of limiting participation reflect what we experienced firsthand at Heritage. Our athletic director witnessed remarkable transformations. He recalls watching typically non-athletic students make game-winning shots in basketball, experiencing joy and confidence they would never have known under a traditional tryout system. These moments weren’t anomalies — they were the daily reality of an inclusive program that valued every student’s potential to grow. The students who benefited most were often those from families who couldn’t afford club sports or private coaching. We saw firsthand how cut-based programs privilege students whose families have resources while excluding those who don’t. Middle school should be where students

discover their abilities, not where we sort them based on advantages they had before arriving. A no-cut policy doesn’t abandon competitive excellence. At Heritage, we fielded tournament teams for advanced players while maintaining developmental teams for all students. This dual approach served everyone. When students saw pathways for both participation and competition, the entire athletic culture thrived. The logistics are manageable. Grade-level teams, multiple squads, and rotating practice schedules work. What’s required is commitment to the principle that all students deserve the opportunity to play, learn, and grow through athletics. When 50 students say, “We want to play,” they’re asking us to believe in their potential. Our responsibility as educators is to meet that enthusiasm with opportunity, not rejection. D97 has the resources and students ready to participate. What’s needed is the courage to choose inclusion over exclusion. Our students deserve nothing less.

Leslie Hodes

Oak Park Retired principal, Heritage Middle School Berwyn School District 100

The goal of the Viewpoints section is to foster and facilitate a community conversation and respectful dialogue. Responsible community voices are vital to community journalism and we welcome them. Space is at a premium and readers’ attention is also limited, so we ask that Viewpoints submissions be brief. Our limit for letters to the editor is 350 words. For One View essays, the limit is 500 words. Shorter is better. If and when we have sufficient space, we print longer submissions, but when space is limited — as it often is — we may ask you to submit a shorter version or hold the piece until space allows us to print it. We reserve the right to edit submissions. We do not have time to allow the writer to review changes before publication. We also do not have time to do more than superficial fact-checking, and because of our national epidemic of misinformation and conspiracy theories, when writers include statistical evidence to support their opinions, we require them to include the source of that information, such as credible websites, print publications, titles of articles and dates published, etc. Be as specific as possible so that we and our readers have some way of assessing the credibility of your claims. Links may also be included for the online version. We follow the Society of Professional Journalists’ code of ethics: seek the truth and report it and minimize harm. As a result, we will do our best not to publish pieces that espouse doubtful or debunked theories, demonstrate harmful bias, or cross the line into incivility. While we will do our best not to engage in censorship, we also do not intend to be used as a platform for misinformation. Your sources for fact-checking are a critical step in keeping the discourse honest, decent and respectful. All submissions must include your first and last name and the municipality in which you live, plus a phone number (for verification only). We do not publish anonymous letters. One View essays should include a sentence at the end about who you are. If we receive your submission by 5 p.m. on Sunday, you can expect your opinion to be included in that week’s paper (and online), space permitting.

Pieces can be submitted through our online form at oakpark.com or directly to Viewpoints editor Ken Trainor, ktrainor@wjinc.com. For the latter, we prefer attached Word files or plain text included in the email. LETTER TO THE EDITOR ■ 350-word limit ■ Must include first and last

names, municipality in which you live, phone number (for verification only)

‘ONE VIEW’ ESSAY ■ 500-word limit ■ One-sentence footnote

about yourself and/or your connection to the topic ■ Signature details as at left

V I E W P O I N T S

Wednesday Journal, January 14, 2026

Oh WJ of little faith

In the Jan. 7 Wednesday Journal “Our Views” editorial in the Viewpoints section [“Oh, a poll referendum”] the editorial board comments on the plan to hold a voter referendum on a tax hike to support a new pool plan at Ridgeland Common. The editorial board states that the Park District of Oak Park came up with “The out of the blue proposal” and “we feel some consternation over a stealth proposal that turned up unexpectedly on a mid-December park board agenda.” The board goes on to say, “Now the district has just two months to make its case both for the necessity of an indoor pool and for the loss of an outdoor pool.” Despite this unwarranted criticism of the park district, I would like to ask the Journal just how long it thinks it takes Oak Park voters to make up their minds on this issue — 90 days? 120 days? The eight years it has taken the Oak Park Village Board to come up with a plan for a new police station? The nine months and counting it has taken the River Forest Village Board to decide whether or not that village has term limits? How about an acknowledgment that every month of delay adds to the cost of the project and thus the cost to Oak Park’s taxpayers should

the referendum be approved? Here are some not-so-random facts to consider that I found through a simple Google search: In Canada, the election or campaign period must be at least 37 days and no more than 51 days, and election day must fall on a Monday, with certain limited exceptions. In Great Britain, polling day takes place 25 working days after parliament is dissolved. Article 12 of the French Constitution stipulates that in the event of a dissolution of the Assemblée Nationale, France’s lower house of Parliament, “general elections shall be held not less than 20 days and not more than 40 days” after the president’s decision. Multiple countries throughout the world can change their entire governments in less than 60 days. Unlike Wednesday Journal, I have the utmost faith in the voters of Oak Park that they are just as informed and smart as the voters of Canada, Great Britain and France and can make an informed and intelligent vote within 60 days as to whether or not they want an indoor pool to replace the existing outdoor pool.

Alan Krause Oak Park

Time will tell

How can Trump avoid dealing with the Epstein files? Bomb a number of small boats, send a fleet to South America, pirate some oil tankers, kill 40 people while kidnapping Venezuelan President Maduro, encourage more ICE violence in Democratic cities and announce

plans for ruling Greenland. Is that a sufficient distraction? Time will tell.

Robert Kleps

Disability and medical aid in dying

The Wednesday Journal story about the Illinois medical aid in dying legislation, signed by Governor Pritzker, says the bill is highly controversial and mentions opposition from religious groups [As Pritzker signs aid in dying bill, Oak Parkers take some credit, News, Dec. 17]. There is no mention of disability. The disability community did voice opposition to the legislation. Unlike the religious community, opposition from disability advocates is not grounded in faith. It is grounded in bias. Several years ago, the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine released a report based on surveys from physicians across the United States. The report found that “a substantial number of participants reported that they make strategic choices to deny care to people with disabilities.” The disability bias was put into practice during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to a piece on the National Library of Medicine website, “There are some documented instances of disability discrimination in the provision of health care occurring during the pandemic.” In one case, a man with a spinal cord injury and a traumatic brain injury died of COVID-19 because doctors

did not intervene with necessary treatment because doctors believed the man “didn’t have much of a quality of life” and “thus saving his life was not prioritized.” Related to the legalization of assisted suicide, the concern is that people with disabilities will be pressured into taking their own life because of bias against disabilities and subjective ideas about quality of life. The legislation recently signed by Gov. Pritzker includes safeguards designed to protect against disability bias. One example is that individuals must have six months or less to live. This would preclude people with significant disabilities. That is a good thing. Nevertheless, the door is now open in Illinois. For some people, it’s not hard to imagine the hallway on the other side of that door leading to situations in which decisions to die are not about choice. They are about bias and the high cost of long-term care. Link to Northwestern University Study: https://news.northwestern. edu/stories/2022/10/health-care-discrimination-people-with-disabilities Link to National Library of Medicine: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/ articles/PMC9436863

Gary Arnold Oak Park

Oak Park

Jarrett Knox for judge

Start a greener 2026

Consider making a New Year’s resolution to be more informed about sustainability at home and take a step or two to be more climate-friendly. Start by registering now for “Bringing Clean Energy Home to Oak Park,” a free public event on Monday, Jan. 26 from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Organized by Oak Park Climate Action Network (OPCAN), it takes place at the Community Recreation Center, Oak Park’s largest net-zero building, 229 Madison St. Join local and statewide climate leaders to learn how recently passed policies like the Clean and Reliable Grid Act and the Northern Illinois

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

Transit Authority are accelerating the transition to clean energy in our state. Plus, learn what you can do in your own house, condo, or apartment to reduce your energy costs and your environmental impact, with Oak Park’s clean energy grants and programs. The event includes a heat pump demonstration, free refreshments and kids’ activities, a tour of the CRC’s energysavings features, and a raffle. Space is limited. Register today at bit.ly/opcan2026. Happy New Year!

Cindy Klein-Banai

OPCAN Climate Coach

Our fellow Oak Parker, Jarrett Knox, is running for judge. We are lucky he wants to represent us in the 11th Subcircuit. Jarrett has demonstrated his commitment as a Cook County assistant state’s attorney in the Child Protection Division and prior to that at the Cook County Public Guardian’s Office. In both places, he worked tirelessly on behalf of the most vulnerable, especially families and children. I am fortunate to know Jarrett through his leadership as a volunteer with local organizations.

He is that rare person who embodies equally the values of care and compassion in both his personal and professional life. I am a born-andraised Oak Parker, and can assure you that if we elect Jarrett Knox, we will all be proud he is on the bench. We won’t be the only ones who are fortunate to have him as our judge so tell your friends and family here and in Galewood, Elmwood Park, Norridge, Harwood Heights, Rosemont, and Edison Park to vote for him too!

David Osta Oak Park

V I E W P O I N T S

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

Term limits whiplash

I was very interested in reading my colleague Trustee Brennan’s letter to the editor on the subject of term limits and her request that the village board simply step up and enact the term limits ordinance reflecting the referendum vote [Viewpoints, Jan. 7]. First off, the vote on term limits should have been tossed once it was discovered that the petitions were flawed. The parties who circulated the petitions should have noticed that there was a deficiency in the petitions: in fact, in an opinion piece to the Wednesday Journal on April 8, 2025, the proponents shared with the public that “the word ‘advisory’ is a scrivener’s error” and further go on to explain the intent. Depending on the party and the person circulating the petitions, a signatory could have one view or another on the intent. That in my opinion and our legal team, was sloppy work from a group who worked so hard to collect the petitions. Over the past several months, Trustee Brennan is correct that we have asked for legal opinions and have been provided with those from our counsel. We have been told what, if any, legal authority the county or the state has in this matter and have been told that there is none. So here is where the whiplash comes in: on Nov. 17, at the regularly scheduled meeting of

the village board, Item 8 on the agenda asked for a motion “to approve a resolution providing for the submission of a Binding Public Question Concerning the terms of Office for the Village of River Forest at the General Elections to be held on November 3, 2026.” The motion was made by Trustee Gillis and did not receive a second, meaning the issue was dead. One of the other four trustees, including Brennan, could have seconded the motion, and it would have gone for a vote and codified the advisory referendum of April 1, 2025. In case you’re wondering, I have never been a proponent of term limits. Trustee Brennan wrote, “We are told that we find ourselves in ‘a case of first impression’ — a situation that has not yet been dealt with by the courts, and that if the village board enacts term limits (in accordance with the outcome of the residents’ April 1, 2025 vote), the term limits ordinance could be challenged in court in the future,” concluding that she acknowledges the potential litigation that this board will leave hanging over the head of our residents. Trustee Brennan as a lawyer, you just gave River Forest whiplash. I have publicly stated that I will not do that.

Bob O’Connell

Trustee, village of River Forest

It’s fine to consider an indoor pool for Oak Park, but not at the expense of one our treasured venues for savoring the outdoors in our shortbut-sacred summer.

Karen Heller Oak Park

River Forest’s troubling ethics

Last week, the River Forest Ethics Commission (EC) considered an ethics complaint against four members of the River Forest Tennis Club (RFTC) who also serve on the Development Review Board (DRB). Audio from the hearing raised troubling questions about how ethics are interpreted and enforced by village leadership. Under the village ethics ordinance, “Covered Individuals,” including board members, are prohibited, as stewards of the public interest, from appearing on behalf of third parties before boards on which they serve. In November, DRB member Elias Yanaki presented a proposal to the DRB on behalf of the private RFTC to install lights. At last week’s hearing, Yanaki stated that village administration coached him on how to deliver that presentation, including explicit direction from the Village President on where to stand and how to move during the presentation. The EC’s acting chair noted the resulting appearance of impropriety: “It looks bad … it didn’t feel right.” Village leadership directed this zoning variance to the DRB rather than the Zoning Board of Appeals and provided a playbook to

Oak Park needs both outdoor pools

After a long winter, many Oak Parkers crave being outside and love going to the pool. On hot summer weekends, demand is high: at both Ridgeland and Rehm, long lines of people can be turned away due to lack of pool capacity. Rehm’s soon-to-be-open Water Slides and Current Channel will only increase demand, as will hotter temps resulting from climate change. Given the demand, it’s also tough to see how Rehm can absorb Ridgeland’s busy summer schedule of Lap Swim/Swim Lessons/Camps on weekdays and Public/Passholder/Adult Swim on weekends. Sure, some lap swim can move inside, but many lap swimmers prefer outdoor pools in summer. Both pools have distinct personalities. Rehm’s new activity area will likely contribute to that pool’s more boisterous and playful atmosphere while the mood at Ridgeland is more relaxed. Rehm is bordered by a tree-laden park. Ridgeland has a slightly more urban feel — where else in Oak Park can you be in the water and watch freight trains roll by, clouds move in, and kids still searching for Marco Polo?

Wednesday Journal, January 14, 2026

advance the RFTC’s goals — conduct at odds with the ethics code. The EC’s finding in the complaint deepens concerns. Although the EC initially sustained allegations against Yanaki while dismissing those against other members, it ultimately declined to sustain the complaint, citing “confusion” about the application of conflict of interest provision and relying on the Village Attorney’s interpretation rather than its own independent judgment. This result raises serious questions: Did the Ethics Commission interpret and apply its own code appropriately? Did the Village Attorney influence the EC’s decision-making, including attending its initial review? Why did the EC chair, who was absent during the hearing, sign its determination? Ethics enforcement has been steadily weakened, particularly after the EC’s authority was restricted in 2021. River Forest must recommit to ethical governance by engaging an independent expert to revise the ordinance, clarify roles, and restore public trust.

Margie Cekander River Forest

Replacing the outdoor pool

I am writing to express serious concerns about the proposed construction of an indoor pool that would eliminate a heavily used outdoor pool, place additional strain on the only remaining outdoor facility, Rehm Pool, and significantly disrupt the community ice rink. Our outdoor pool is not just a seasonal luxury — it is a well-used, accessible, and affordable community resource. Families, children, seniors, swim teams, rely on it every summer. Removing this pool would concentrate demand on the single remaining outdoor pool, leading to overcrowding, limited access, and a diminished experience for everyone who depends on it. Equally troubling is the impact this project would have on the ice rink. The rink is a vital year-round facility serving youth sports, recreational skaters, and community programs. Its tempo-

rary or permanent loss would displace hundreds of users and remove another important outlet for physical activity and community connection. An indoor pool may offer benefits, but those benefits should not come at the expense of multiple well-used outdoor and recreational facilities. This proposal solves one problem by creating several others — reducing access, overburdening remaining resources, and weakening the diversity of recreational opportunities our community currently enjoys. I urge decision-makers to reconsider this plan and explore alternatives that preserve existing outdoor amenities, protect the ice rink, and reflect how these facilities are actually used by the community. Thoughtful planning should expand access to recreation, not reduce it.

Cam Niederman Oak Park

Wednesday Journal, January 14, 2026

JOY AARONSON

Where past meets present from page 25 At the museum and on the website, famous local residents, called “Hometown Legends” are highlighted. They include Olympic skater Aaron Parchem, who began skating at Ridgeland Common; psychologist Carl Rogers; Roy Kroc, who transformed McDonald’s from one restaurant to the largest fast-food chain in the world; Tarzan writer Edgar Rice Burroughs; and many more. Did you know you might be able to learn about your own home from over 1,000 blueprints of River Forest homes and a small number of Oak Park buildings? According to Rachel Berlinski, operations manager, “Research is a big part of what we do here at the museum and why people come to us. We have a lot of resources in our collection, including real estate records, copies of the local newspapers, phone books and city directories, fire insurance maps, photos, and more. Most of our blueprint collection covers River Forest; we do not have a great extent of blueprints for Oak Park buildings. But I like to say, we always find out something!” This column is called “Favorite Things,” and I asked Rachel about her favorite things about the museum. She answered, “Our community of Oak Park and River Forest is so rich in fascinating stories, people, and innovations. On whatever topic you may have a special interest, there is something intriguing and relatable to be found in our community’s history. And at the museum, we have, and are always seeking more, information and artifacts that can help tell those stories and find out more.” Joy Aaronson is an Oak Park resident who writes stories for the Wednesday Journal about her favorite things in the village. Previously, she contributed to Chicago Parent and wrote the Kids’ World column for the former Logan Square Free Press.

V I E W P O I N T S

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

Increasing visibility for all

Oak Park streets are lit by lovely, vintagelooking street lamps after nightfall. Do any other drivers have difficulty seeing pedestrians and cyclists wearing all dark or black outer clothing during the winter months? They blend into the background and are not aware they are almost invisible when riding in the street, crossing at corners or making a mad dash from between parked cars. This

also applies to dogs being walked. Residents, please place reflective strips on outdoor clothing, bikes, mobility devices, child pushcarts and dog collars/leashes to be more visible after dusk. Also, add a light or lights for even higher visibility. In the spirit of neighborliness,

Barbara Purington Oak Park

We are all potential ICE targets

The Jan. 7 edition of the Journal included Ken Trainor’s column expressing optimism for 2026, invoking J.R.R. Tolkien’s coining of the term “eucatastrohe,” or good catastrophe. 2025 was a catastrophic year, made such by our current political atmosphere. Millions of Americans would agree 2025 was a very, very, bad, no-good, rotten year. Would 2026 be made better? Could it possibly be any worse? Optimism is a healthy mindset. Ken opined that The Resistance to the clear assault on our democracy was seemingly getting better organized, with strategies like voting with our wallets, refusing to support complicit businesses and media outlets. Right. Pushback is vital. After almost a year of reckless actions by the current administration, perhaps 2026 will be, well, less catastrophic. Ironically, a very short time after the Jan. 7 edition was made public, there was a tragic incident in Minneapolis. A 37-year-old woman, a mother of three, shortly after dropping off her 6-year-old son at school, was shot dead in her car by an ICE agent. Video strongly indicates she was attempting to drive away from her unwitting entanglement with ICE operations when the agent fired multiple shots through the car’s windshield. Other than the DHS’s immediate knee-jerk attempt to assign guilt to Ms. Good for her demise, this incident

has garnered extremely vocal denunciations of yet another video-captured documentation of ICE’s ugly modus operandi. While this very apparent act of wanton deadliness is symptomatic of what made 2025 such a difficult year for the majority of Americans, the particulars of this dreadful ICE incident should give pause to every person in this country. What happened on Jan. 7, clearly signals that, regardless of one’s race, gender or age, like Renee Nicole Good, inadvertently encountering ICE’s presence anywhere can very easily result in death. No one is safe. From minority neighborhoods to posh, well-to-do suburban areas, leaving one’s home for any reason might just get you killed. Renee had simply driven her son to school. There is zero evidence she did anything to justify being shot dead. That she was a white, female U.S. citizen meant nothing, for those of us who assume a certain skin color and proof of citizenship somehow provides some sense of being an exception to the authoritarian actions of the last year. 2026, just one week into the new year, understand that we are all potentially Renee Nicole Good.

Send letters to the Editor Ken Trainor, Wednesday Journal E-mail: ktrainor@wjinc.com Please include name, address and daytime phone number for verification.

Joseph Harrington Oak Park

Turning ‘public safety’ into murder

Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) is not a public safety agency when its primary function is tearing at the seams of the social contract through invasive, militarized policing on American soil. For an organization whose motto is “Protecting National Security & Upholding Public Safety,” a blood-soaked Honda Pilot belonging to a widowed mother of three who wrote poetry makes for a grotesque definition of “America First.” I don’t want to talk about the murder of Renee Good, but pretending that empowering unqualified actors who lack even basic civic grounding could ever lead to a utilitarian outcome is more laughable than the idea that J.D. Vance & Usha Vance are happily married. Last year, we accepted the militarization of our streets in major cities under the guise of “training exercises.” Now we’re expected to watch split screens of Delta Forces extracting Maduro with surgical precision abroad, only to see troops operating under the same flag at home clumsily reach for their sidearms, shout slurs after a headshot, and label the aftermath “domestic terror.” The irony is impossible to miss. This isn’t supernatural. Tim Walz walked away from re-election days before this, and the absence of leadership calcified into failure. There were no meaningful efforts to discredit, legally restrain, or even publicly confront these thugs. That silence is the clearest evidence that Walz was never the right leader for this chapter of the American experience. Minnesota has now endured repeated acts of political violence, with no indication that this so-called “historically significant” moment is drifting toward a quiet midterm election. Political violence is un-American and destructive, but when the state puts bodies on the line for ideology rather than law, the consequences can ignite movements far larger than those in power ever intended. The quickest route to immortality is martyrdom.

Joshua Cooper Oak Park

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

O B I T U A R I E S

John Grabowski, 91 John “Jack” S. Grabowski of North Riverside, 91, died on Jan. 10, 2026. Born on Feb. 9, 1934, he was a member of the Holy Name Society at Mater Christi Church and was known as “John the Barber” for 47 years in Oak Park and also for his wall packed with lapel pins in his barbershop. John was the husband of Joan (nee Kander); the father of Al (Libby), Sharon (Matt) Mostowik and Linda (Tim) Bronsteader; the grandfather of John Grabowski, Brian (Caitlin) Grabowski, Lauren (Justin) Rosenbloom, Jennifer (Steve) Gordon, Steve Bronsteader, Allison (Dariusz) Jarosz and Mike Bronsteader; the great-grandfather of Olivia, Isabella, Weston, Walker, Kacper and Jaxon; brother of the late Della (late Irv), late Ed (Pat) and the late Frank (Henrietta); and uncle of many.

Ellen Hickey, 75

Avid reader and book swapper

Ellen Jean Hickey, a longtime resident of Oak Park, died peacefully on Nov. 25, 2025, after a short illness. Born on June 10, 1950, in Joliet, her family moved to Texas until 1957 when they settled in Oak Park. A graduate of St. Giles School and OPRF High School, she commuted to downtown Chicago via the Metra train, working for Santa Fe Industries and the Metropolitan Chicago Healthcare Council, retiring in 2014. In retirement, she helped run her condo association, where she lived for over 40 years. An avid reader, she loved attending and trading books at the Oak Park Library Book Fair. She had many longtime friends, colleagues and family to keep her busy, and she especially liked to treat

Visitation will be held at Conboy-Westchester Funeral Home, 10501 W. Cermak Road, Westchester on Thursday, Jan. 15 from 3 until 8 p.m. Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. on Jan. 16 at Mater Christi Church, with interment at Resurrection Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials to the American Cancer Society (www.cancer. org) are appreciated.

family and friends to breakfast. She will be missed for her love and generosity. Ellen is survived by her brothers and sisters, Betty (the late Darrell) Brooks, Marsha Hickey, John (Becky) Hickey, Edward Hickey, Barbara (Arthur) Elizondo and Carol (Thomas) Gifford; her nephews and nieces, Brendan, Patrick, Eric, Elaina, Matthew, Erin, Caylin and Sebastian; and her great nieces, Jacquelyn and Kennedy. She was preceded in death by her parents, John J. Hickey and Margaret A. Hickey (Boucher). In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Ellen’s memory to the Oak Park Public Library, Edward-Elmhurst Hospital, or a charity of your choice. All are invited to celebrate Ellen’s life at the Mass of Christian Burial that will be held on Friday, Jan. 23 at 10 a.m. at St. Giles Catholic Church, 1045 Columbian Avenue, Oak Park. Private family inurnment will be at Resurrection Cemetery in Romeoville, where she will be buried next to her parents. Friedrich-Jones Funeral Home & Cremation Services, Naperville, handled the arrangements.

John Scott, 72

Ron Miller, 66

John Scott, 72, of Western Springs, previously of Oak Park and River Forest, died peacefully on Dec. 22, 2025. A proud ethnic Bohemian, he cherished the culture and traditions of his Czech roots and held a lifelong appreciation for the Chicago neighborhoods that shaped him. He grew up in Douglas Park and Cicero and attended Mary Queen of Heaven and Morton East High School, where he formed a small circle of bright, curious friends who remained bonded for life. He studied at Harrington College of Design after beginning in architecture at UIC, later returning to teach there. He went on to become president of Keevan Sadock Design, the nearly 100-year-old firm he and his partners purchased in 1985. Known for his creativity, classic taste, and keen eye, he shaped homes, offices, and institutions throughout the Chicago area, leaving his signature on whole neighborhoods. A longtime leader in his profession, he was a past president of the Illinois Chapter of the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID). John married Jamie Hogan in 1985 in the backyard of the two-flat they owned on North Grove Avenue in Oak Park. They shared decades of life and work rooted in the historic Lake Street building they owned in River Forest. John’s design work and Jamie’s real estate career were closely intertwined through the renovation of a dozen properties in Oak Park and River Forest. Jamie lives in the Indiana Dunes home John designed and built in 2003. He is survived by his son, Jake (Jillian), and grandchildren, Tyler and Brielle, as well as nieces Patricia Rosa, Peggy Boyd, Wandi Scott, and Jennifer Scott, and his sister-in-law, Janet Scott. He was preceded in death by his parents, Joseph and Rose Scott; his brothers, Joe and Jim Scott; and his niece, Rosie Scott. A memorial gathering will be held on Thursday, Jan. 22 from 4 to 8 p.m. at the Cheney Mansion, 220 N. Euclid Ave., Oak Park.

Ronald Raymond Miller, 66, of Oak Park, died on Dec. 13, 2025. Born on March 8, 1959, was a compassionate man who had a rare gift for making everyone feel special. He loved nature, loved to cook, was a chef at one time and a lifelong Chicago Cubs fan. He found joy in life’s simple moments. Ron is survived by his wife, Arlene Labellarte; her daughter, Katy Labellarte; and granddaughter Carly. He is also survived by his daughter, Tiffany Durkin and her children Damian, Mia, and James; and his daughter Jenna Miller and her children, Colt, Colby, and Cayden; his siblings, Michael Miller and his children, Brian Miller, and Matthew Miller; Frances and John Enokian and their children, Noah Enokian and Faith Enokian; James and Novie Miller and his daughter, Justina Jordan; his sister-in-law, Gail Malone; his nephew, Patrick Malone; and his aunt, Kathleen Clement. He was preceded in death by his mother, Marilyn Tarmino; his brother, Patrick Malone; his niece, Rebecca Malone; his grandmother, Frances Tarmino; and his uncles, James Clement, David Clement, and Sony Tarmino. A service to honor Ron’s life was held on Jan. 9 at Oak Park Arms. In lieu of flowers, please donate in Ron’s name to KindnessCreators.org, an organization that reflected his passion for creating meaningful connections across ages.

Interior designer

Oak Park barber for 47 years

Wednesday Journal, January 14, 2026

Kindness creator

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Wednesday Journal, January 14, 2026

SPORTS

Williams perseveres to help Friars win state Strong safety overcomes knee injury … and a lot of brace breaks

By GREGG VOSS

that worried about reinjuring his knee during the season, he had to deal with something even more unexpected. “My brace would always break,” he said. Ask Fenwick strong safety Aiden Williams to describe in one word, and one word only, “It would just snap, from getting hit or hitting what the last year-plus has been like for him, people. I’d have to get a new one. We broke three and then got another one and it worked and you’ll get an apt response. “A battle,” said Williams, who tore the ACL better.” That might sound a little funny, but when in his left knee during the 2024 football season. But he bounced back in a big way. Per- you consider that one brace costs about $150, haps the biggest possible way, depending on you might change your tune. “We would always try to fix the your point of view. ones that broke, fixing it with After months of rehabilitating tape and bolts and stuff,” he said. his knee multiple times a week, “It worked a little bit, but not well Williams took sixth in the 110-meenough.” ter high hurdles at the 2025 IHSA That’s the downside. The upClass 2A state meet, earning Allshot was a laser-focus by WilState honors. liams and his teammates on the But the River Forest resident biggest prize of all, from well bewas just getting started. fore Day One of practice. This fall, he helped lead the FriAIDEN WILLIAMS “In late November 2024, we ars football team to the Class 6A were talking about it,” he said state championship over heavily of himself and teammates Tomfavored East St. Louis 38-28. In that game, he had four tackles, but that belied my Thies, Jake Thies and Jamen Williams, his season-long efforts, according to Fenwick among many others who eventually got the job done on Dec. 2 at Illinois State’s Hancock coach Matt Battaglia. “He was a bell cow for us,” Battaglia said. Stadium. That game had a bit of an edge for Wil“He had over 100 tackles and played through some other injuries and always put the team liams. As a youngster living in St. Louis, he watched his cousin, who played for Edwardsfirst.” Winning state is the pinnacle, but getting ville, lose to East St. Louis in a playoff game. Thus, Fenwick’s title game was quasi-perthere was full of hurdles. While he wasn’t all Contributing Reporter

SUBMITTED BY TRAVIS WILLIAMS

Fenwick’s Aiden Williams (#19) is congratulated by Jack Paris after making a tackle against Joliet Catholic last season. sonal. “I would say so,” he said. “Everyone knows that East St. Louis is among the best of the best and nationally ranked. No one thought we would come out on top.” But the Friars did. What was the difference? “I would say we wanted it more, and we

were more prepared,” Williams said, “thanks to coach Battaglia, and the other coaches. The way we came into the game, we watched a lot of film. Coach Battaglia pointed out their tendencies; the coaches would spend hours making Google slides of all their formations and their percentages. “When we got there, we could tell we wanted it more than them.” Now ask Williams what was more satisfying: finishing sixth in state in the high hurdles or winning state in football. You might be surprised by his response. “Both were very special, but I’d have to say getting sixth in state in the hurdles,” he said after a long pause to think it through. “Most people don’t come back on the track or any sport until nine months later. I was able to get back in six months.” Battaglia was impressed. “It’s a huge credit to him how tough he is, the family he was raised in,” he said. “He had a difficult non-contact injury, but he never pouted, never complained. He just went to work.” That’s the hallmark of the advice Williams would give athletes in any sport, at any school, facing a major injury. “I would say just keep going and working hard and trusting God, and if you believe you can do something, you can do it,” he said. “Don’t let anything hold you back. “Keep on grinding.”

OPRF alum Lehman is heading to his 4th Olympics Speedskater qualifies for the U.S. team again

By MELVIN TATE Contributing Reporter

Qualifying for the USA Winter Olympics team has been like clockwork for Oak Park and River Forest High School alum Emery Lehman. During the USA Speedskating Olympic Trials at the Pettit National

Ice Center in Milwaukee, Jan. 4, Lehman, a 2014 OPRF graduate, won the men’s 1,500-meter race in a time of 1:44.202 to secure a spot on the Olympic team for the fourth consecutive time. “I’m so grateful to have the opportunity and support to be able to dedicate myself to this dream of being an Olympic champi-

on. It’s always an honor to represent Team USA,” said Lehman. The 1,500 is a four-lap event around the skating oval. Lehman’s respective splits were 24.2 seconds, 25.8, 26.5, and 27.5. Casey Dawson was runner-up, 1.40 seconds behind Lehman, and Conor McDermott-Mostowy was third, 1.69 seconds behind.

“Every piece of the puzzle lined up perfectly. There are so many elements of a race to focus on and you train them every day so that when you step to the line, you hope they are so embedded in you that muscle memory takes over and you just have to remember to breathe,” Lehman said. “That’s what happened. It was effortless. Don’t get

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Wednesday Journal, January 14, 2026

Trinity makes trip to historic Indiana gymnasium Blazers play in gym featured in the film Hoosiers

By MELVIN TATE Contributing Reporter

The Trinity varsity basketball team faced downstate Chatham Glenwood, Jan. 10, at a neutral site. Not on a college campus or at another high school, but at a place made famous thanks to Hollywood. The Hoosier Gym in Knightstown, Indiana, is a basketball museum. It’s where most of the scenes in the 1986 movie Hoosiers were filmed – the gym was the home of the fictional Hickory Huskers. The gym, which has been around for over 100 years, still looks the way it did in the film. For Trinity coach Kim Coleman, it was an experience she and her players and coaches appreciated. “It was honestly an incredible opportunity for our program to be in a historic environment,” she said. “One of the things we kept saying in our huddle was, ‘Let’s leave some history here.’ A lot of the girls kept shouting out, ‘four passes!’” (a key strategy in the movie). Coleman said the team and staff watched Hoosiers during last month’s trip to the State Farm Holiday Classic in Bloomington-Normal as preparation for their Indiana visit. “They thought it was real to see all the jerseys [depicted in the movie],” she said. “We were actually able to hang our jersey up. Just an incredible experience.” Glenwood coach Alyssa Riley played basketball with Coleman collegiately at Monmouth College, and that relationship helped set the game up. Things looked promising me wrong, I was dead tired after, but all those little pieces just fell right into place and I skated the race of my life.” In addition to the 1,500, Lehman will be part of the men’s team pursuit unit at the Winter Olympic Games, taking place Feb. 6-22 in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy. At the 2022 Games in Beijing, China, Lehman was part of the USA team pursuit that won a bronze medal. Since then, he’s skated regularly with the unit, which is the reigning world champion. Lehman won his first world team pursuit title at last year’s World Single Distances Speedskating Championships in Hamar, Norway, March 14, alongside Dawson and Ethan Cepuran, a Glen Ellyn native. It

PROVIDED BY KIM COLEMAN

Trinity basketball head coach Kim Coleman (lower right) and her players and staff at the Hoosier Gym in Knightstown, Indiana, Jan. 10. early for Trinity (13-6) as the Blazers led at halftime. But the Titans (13-2) used a 12-0 run in the third quarter to take command. Trinity started the fourth on a 7-0 run of its own to cut the deficit to two, but the Blazers could come no closer, and Glenwood held on for a 54-50 victory. Destiny Sacluti led Trinity with 15 points. Jasmyn Ratliff added 11 points, and Zaria Goins had 10. “We had a really good first half and a really bad third quarter. We’ve got to be able to put

four quarters together,” Coleman said. “Glenwood is an incredible team that competes. But I love that we’re getting to play different teams that diversify our resume.” The Glenwood game capped off a busy week for the Blazers, who had won the previous three games. On Jan. 6, Trinity defeated host Fenwick in a Girls Catholic Athletic Conference Red contest, 43-35. Keyera Gamble had a game-high 12 points and seven rebounds, while Goins and Chloe Santos each had nine points. Despite the victory, Coleman

marked the first time since 2011 that the USA won gold in the event. Currently, Team USA holds the world record with a time of 3:32.49, one that was established at the ISU Speedskating World Cup in Salt Lake City in November. Lehman feels that the key to success for the unit is pure dedication to one goal – being Olympic champions and the best in the world. “Our coach, Gabriel Gerard, has been our fearless leader and never faulted from his belief in us,” he said. “He has pushed us to limits we never knew were possible, and it’s an amazing feeling to see all the hard work paying off.” Lehman hopes to keep the momentum

going as he prepares to head to Italy for the Games. While the 1,500 will be challenging to get a medal given the loaded nature of the field, he’s confident about a good showing. He’s also looking forward to helping Team USA win gold in the team pursuit, which is an eight-lap race. “Individually, I want to feel I put together the best race I’m capable of. If I’m able to do that, I think I’ll be happy with the results,” Lehman said. “As for our team pursuit, we want to win. We’ve had an amazing journey and success with our team, but the last piece is that gold medal. It would be amazing to bring it home not only for us, but for all those who have made it possible for us to stand on that line.”

was concerned about a couple of things afterwards. “We’ve got to figure out how to play defense without fouling. If we do that, we put ourselves in a better position to put games away a little sooner,” Coleman said. “The other thing is we’ve got to do a better job of knocking down our free throws; at halftime, we had already missed eight. And we didn’t really get a lot of scoring from the perimeter.” Eleanor Gibson led Fenwick (6-10) with 11 points. Lucy McAllister and Avani Williams added nine points apiece for the Friars, who rebounded with a 46-45 victory over visiting Leyden, Jan. 8. Williams led all scorers against Leyden with 22 points. On Jan. 7, Goins had 13 points, eight rebounds, and five assists in Trinity’s 44-38 home victory over Glenbard South. Danae Hickman added 11 points and eight rebounds and Santos nine points. The next evening, Ratliff had 19 points, Gamble 17 rebounds, and Destinie Roe six points, six rebounds, and four blocks in the Blazers’ 38-36 victory at Crane. Trinity hosted one of the Chicago area’s top teams, Loyola Academy, on Jan. 13 (after deadline). The Blazers welcome St. Ignatius on Jan. 15 before hosting their fourth annual MLK Showcase invitational, Jan. 19. They’ll play OPRF at 6:30 p.m. “We’re excited for the challenge. Every game is battle-testing us in the right way,” Coleman said. Fenwick is also participating and plays Taft at 1:30 p.m.

COURTESY OF NOEL STAVE

Oak Park native Emery Lehman competing at the U.S. Olympic Speedskating Trials in Milwaukee earlier this month.

34 Wednesday Journal, January 14, 2026 HOURS: 9:00 A.M.– 5:00 P.M. MON–FRI • Deadline: Monday at 5 p.m.

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THE LAW OFFICE OF LINDA EPSTEIN Attorney for Petitioner 722 W. Diversey Parkway, Ste. 101B Chicago, IL 60614

LEGAL NOTICE

LEGAL NOTICE The Village of Oak Park will receive sealed bids from qualified vendors at the Public Works Center, 201 South Boulevard, Oak Park, Illinois 60302, Monday through Friday, 7�30 a.m. to 3�00 p.m. CST until 3�00 p.m. on Friday, January 30, 2026 for the following: Village of Oak Park UPM COLD MIX PATCH MATERIAL Bid Number: 26�105 Bid documents may be obtained from the Village’s website at http://www.oakpark.us/bid. For questions, please call Public Works at �708� 358�5700 during the above hours. Published in Wednesday Journal January 14, 2026

The Village of Oak Park ��Office of the Village Engineer, 201 South Boulevard, Oak Park, Illinois 60302�� will receive electronic proposals until 11�00 A.M. on Thursday, January 29, 2026, for the following: 2026 Material Testing. Proposals can be sent electronically to eavgoustakis@oak-park.us. In general, the contract will require the following work: oncall material testing services for stone density testing, air/slump/ cylinder testing for concrete pavement, and QC testing for asphalt binder and surface courses. Work to be performed will follow IDOT standards and specifications. Proposal forms may be obtained starting on Thursday, January 15, 2026, at 10�00 A.M. Proposal forms can be found on the Village’s website at http://www. oak-park.us/bid. For questions, please call or email Elaine Avgoustakis, �708� 358�5726, eavgoustakis@oak-park.us. The work to be performed pursuant to this Proposal is subject to the Illinois Prevailing Wage Act, 820 ILCS 130/0.01 et seq. THE VILLAGE OF OAK PARK Bill McKenna Village Engineer Published in Wednesday Journal January 14, 2026

STATE OF ILLINOIS) COUNTY OF COOK )ss Circuit Court of Cook County, County Department, Domestic Relations Division. In re the Marriage of: Daniel E. Perez, Petitioner, and Marian Java Maloloy-On Respondent, Case No. 2025D007668 The requisite affidavit for Publication having been filed, notice is hereby given to you, Marian Java Maloloy-On, Respondent, that a Petition has been filed in the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois, by the Petitioner, Daniel E. Perez, for Dissolution of Marriage and that said suit is now pending. Now, therefore, unless you, the said Respondent file your Appearance and Response electronically to said Petition with the Office of the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois, on or before February 11, 2026 default may be entered against you at any time after that day, and a Judgment for Dissolution of Marriage Entered in accordance with the prayer of said Petition. Mariyana T. Spyropoulos, Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois . Published in Wednesday Journal January 14, 21, 28, 2026

PUBLIC NOTICES

PUBLIC NOTICE Public notice is hereby given that the Board of Education of Riverside School District 96 in Riverside, Illinois will receive sealed bids for: Hauser Junior High School Window Replacement Project Copies of the Bid Documents including plans and specifications will be available starting December 15, 2025. Bidders can download electronic Drawings and Specifications from the BHFX Plan Room, www.bhfxplanroom.com. Printed sets may be ordered and paid for by the contractor. All bids offered must be accompanied by bid security in the form of certified check or bid bond made payable to the Owner in the amount of not less than ten percent (10%) of the amount of the aggregate of the bid as a guarantee that if the bid is accepted, a contract will be entered into and the performance of the contract properly secured. The successful bidder for the project is required to furnish Performance and Labor and Material Payment Bonds in an amount equal to one hundred percent (100%) of the bid amount, with sureties to be approved by the Owner, and in the form required by the Bidding Documents. The successful bidder is required to pay the general prevailing wage for work under this Contract as ascertained by the Illinois Department of Labor, and shall submit certified payroll records, in compliance with the Prevailing Wage Act (820 ILCS 130) and the requirements of the Bidding Documents. A pre-bid meeting will be held on December 22, 2025 at 8:30 AM at Hauser Junior High School, 65 Woodside Road, Riverside, IL 60546 in the Hauser Cafeteria. Bidders must allow sufficient time to register at the building prior to being permitted to proceed to the meeting location. Bids will be received until 1:00 PM, January 12, 2026, at the District office at 3440 S. Harlem Ave, Riverside, IL 60546. A public bid opening will take place afterwards at 1:00 PM, January 12, 2026 at the District office at 3440 S. Harlem Ave, Riverside, IL 60546 The Board of Education reserves the right to reject any or all bids or any part thereof.

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC The Board of Education of Oak Park Elementary School District #97 will receive sealed letters of intent for early childhood curricular resource proposals until 3:00 p.m. on Friday, February 13, 2026. The letter of intent should include the name of the organization, intent to submit a response, the organization’s background information and areas of documented expertise in the early childhood learning space. Copies of the scope of services may be requested by emailing Eboney Lofton (elofton@op97. org). The cut-off date for receiving the scope of services is 3:00 pm, Friday, February 6, 2026. Responses mailed or delivered shall be marked to the attention of: Oak Park School District 97 Attn. Dr. Eboney Lofton 260 Madison Street Oak Park, Illinois 60302

PUBLIC NOTICES

Essential Civics Accountability.

The front of the envelope should be clearly marked “Early Childhood Curricular Resource”. Additional information may be obtained by contacting Dr. Eboney Lofton at elofton@op97.org. Faxed or electronically submitted bids will not be accepted. Any faxed or electronically submitted proposals will disqualify vendors. Responses Due Date: Friday, February 13, 2026 at 3:00 P.M. Only those responses complying with the provision and specification of the response will be considered. The Board of Education reserves the right to waive any informalities, qualifications, or irregularities and/ or reject any or all responses when in its opinion, such action will serve the best interest of the Board of Education of Oak Park Elementary School District 97. Lonya Boose, Board of Education Secretary Published in Wednesday Journal January 14, 2026

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Events

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