Wednesday Journal 020222

W E D N E S D A Y

February 2, 2022 Vol. 42, No. 27 ONE DOLLAR

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JOURNAL

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of Oak Park and River Forest

@oakpark

AAging i iin place l HOMES: Page 15

Criticism rises over vocal, unvaxxed health board member Lacey, appointed last summer, believes divergent view is useful

By STACEY SHERIDAN Staff Reporter

Multitudinous medical studies have proven the effectiveness of vaccinations in fighting and preventing COVID-19 and other viruses, yet some still refuse to get jabbed.

While they are largely independent of pub-

lic health organizations, Oak Park Board of Health member Wynne Lacey is not. Her decision not to be vaccinated, despite being eligible, has led many to call on her to resign.

Lacey’s vaccination views were not known to the village board at the time of her appointment last June, according to Village President Vicki Scaman.

“I think it’s safe to say that she would not have been appointed if it were known,” Scaman said.

The board of health serves as an advisory body to the Oak Park public health director and the village board, providing recom-

mendations as necessary regarding public health and the prevention or suppression of diseases.

Lacey, who is not a medical professional but refers to herself as a mental health professional, is brazen about her vaccination status. In an email sent Dec. 14 to board of health members, she admitted being unvaccinated against COVID-19. She repeated the admission publicly during a Dec. 27 board of health meeting. Lacey confirmed that her status has not changed.

She told Wednesday Journal she does not understand the requests for her to resign

for her opinions on vaccinations. Vaccinations, however, are a core function of public health, according to Oak Park Public Health Director Theresa Chapple-McGruder.

“There shouldn’t be a difference in opinions on vaccinations,” said Chapple-McGruder.

Aside from resignation, removing a sitting village commission member is a layered process. The procedure manual for Oak Park citizen commissions states that commissioners cannot be removed from their See UNVAXXED on page 7

Archdiocese merges four Oak Park parishes into two St. Giles aligns with St. Catherine-St. Lucy, Ascension and St. Edmund joined

By DAN HALEY Editor and Publisher

During a Jan. 28 virtual meeting of members of Oak Park’s four Roman Catholic parishes, officials of the Chicago archdiocese and three local pastors made the long-awaited announcement of how the parishes would be realigned under Cardinal Blase Cupich’s Renew My Church project.

After 25 minutes which included a hymn, a scripture reading, greetings from each pastor and See PARISHES on page 13

GOOD FORM

ALEX ROGALS/Staff Photographer

The Keystone Park sledding hill in River Forest has kids flying off ramps. For more photos, visit online at Oakpark.com.

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H S S W A FL NE You can get local news delivered right to your email in-box.

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WSMC Heart Healthy Month ad 020222.pdf

Wednesday Journal, February 2, 2022

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1/27/22

1:46 PM

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

WE WANT YOU TO BE

HEART HEALTHY! West Suburban Medical Center encourages our community to take steps for a healthier heart during American Heart Month this February. Pick just one week to do the following.

#SelfcareSunday

Create a game plan for the week ahead – including time for exercise or other activity. Read up on the signs and symptoms of heart attack – for men and for women.

#MindfulMonday

Know your blood pressure numbers. Visit a local pharmacy where your blood pressure can be taken. Call your physician if your blood pressure reading is high and schedule a checkup.

#TastyTuesday

Try a heart healthy recipe with more fiber, less fat. Visit heart.org for some ideas.

#WellnessWednesday

Put your heart into your wellness routine. Take that walk around the neighborhood!

#TreatYourselfThursday

Treat your heart to something fun and/or relaxing to reduce any stress: dance, get a massage, play with the kids.

#Follow-throughFriday

Reflect on the steps you took this week and see if you can plan and keep your heart health focus going!

#SentimentSaturday

Reflect on someone or something for which you are grateful.

Center yourself with an intention on thankfulness.

So, this February establish a heart healthy practice. Your heart will thank you for it. Make sure and visit westsuburbanmc.com for more health tips and information.

3 Erie Court, Oak Park, IL 60302 866-853-2132, WestSuburbanMC.com Source: About American Heart Month: Ways to Get Involved|NHLBI, NIH © 2022 West Suburban Medical Center

COURTESY MADE IN CHICAGO MUSEUM

Mars Candy in Galewood goes back 93 years.

Just north of Oak Park, historic Mars candy factory to close

Mars officials say they’ll leave the site’s future up to community

By IGOR STUDENKOV Contributing Reporter

Mars, the manufacturer behind iconic candy brands like Snickers and M&Ms announced last week that it intends to close its nearly century-old Galewood candy factory, 2019 N. Oak Park Ave., in 2024. The company appears to be letting community members decide what happens to the site in the future.

The Galewood plant dates back to 1929, when company owner Franklin Mars moved his business from Minneapolis to Chicago.

Mars built the factory on the site of the Westward Ho golf course next to what eventually became Metra’s Milwaukee District West line. The factory’s architecture was designed to echo the surrounding Galewood subdivision. The plant is directly served by Metra’s Mars station, which is also used by local commuters.

Mars did not go into detail about the closure and company officials did not respond to a request for comment by deadline.

The Mars Wrigley Confectionery division’s global headquarters will continue to be located in Chicago’s Goose Island neighborhood and the company will retain plants in suburban Burr Ridge and Yorkville.

Chicago Ald. Chris Taliaferro (29th) whose ward includes the plant and the surrounding portions of Galewood and Montclare, said that Mars is choosing to donate the land rather than sell it to another com-

pany.

He said that he and other area elected officials will convene community meetings to decide the future of the site. While some residents expressed cautious optimism about what happens next, others questioned why a company as successful as Mars would close the plant, disrupting the future of the factory’s 280 employees.

Taliaferro said that Mars representatives told him that “they have different growth plans” baked into their growth model.

Judith Alexander, an Oak Parker and chair of The North Avenue District, said that the loss of the plant will reverberate on both sides of North Avenue.

“It will mean a loss of customers for our businesses,” she said. “For the community, it will mean the loss of jobs. It may well mean the loss of a handsome, well-maintained building, as well. In short, we are losing an important community asset.”

Alexander said she is nonetheless hopeful that community input will result in the replacement of the Mars plant with something that “will become a new asset to the community.”

Taliaferro said community meetings will include all residents of Austin rather than just Galewood specifically. That larger group will help determine the future of the site.

Mars will donate the property to whichever developer or organization the community chooses. Taliaferro said he didn’t have the precise timeline for when the meetings would happen. Given that the company won’t close the site until 2024, he said, they’ll have plenty of time to figure things out.

See MARS CANDY on page 12

Wednesday Journal, February 2, 2022

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The racial reckoning that wasn’t, the bubble that is

emember those multiracial protests for Black lives prompted by the murder of George Floyd roughly two years ago? I covered many of them. Throngs of people, many with Black Lives Matter signs, marching down streets like Thatcher and Lake and Washington and Madison in Oak Park, River Forest and Forest Park. Whatever happened to what many of us thought at the time was this country’s great racial reckoning?

Last month, Hakeem Jefferson, a political science professor at Stanford University, told NPR that he believes many white people have, indeed, had a racial reckoning, meaning they’ve been made aware of the political nature of their racial identity. But this is where the reckoning stops being productive, he said.

“A lot of that has been feeling bad about being white, engaging in some ‘anti-racist,’ quote-unquote, behaviors and the like. But [the evidence suggests that] a lot of this reckoning is starting at the bookshelf and ending on the couch.

If that’s what you know about the state of the reckoning, you don’t expect the reckoning to persist.”

If it did nothing else, Floyd’s murder prompted a wave of empty corporate sloganeering, more Netflix content, book deals, Super Bowl Halftime shows and a wave of six figure DEI hires. But while there may be measurable (albeit marginal) progress in the racial, gender and cultural diversity among the elite and within our entertainment complex, it’s not clear that this will ameliorate another, much more overlooked, diversity, equity and inclusion problem.

There is a dangerous lack of ideological and intellectual diversity in many of the country’s most powerful spaces, particularly in the spaces that dictate our political economy and, increasingly, our very survival.

The Fed is a case in point.

Last month, President Joe Biden announced the three people he’d selected to sit on the Federal Reserve’s powerful Federal Open Market Committee (FMOC). If they’re approved by Congress, this would “mark the first time women outnumber men” on the committee, according to the Financial Times.

This is progress, given the central bank’s history.

“A decade ago, the Federal Reserve, the European Central Bank and the Bank of England were all headed by men who had — at one time or another — studied or taught monetary economics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology,” the Financial Times reports.

One of Biden’s picks, Philip Jefferson, is a Black man who researches poverty and is a professor at Davidson College. Lisa Cook, an economics professor at Michigan State, is also Black. Her research is on wealth, gender and race inequality. Sarah Bloom Raskin is a lawyer by training.

As impressive as the racial and gender diversity is the diversity of academic backgrounds and the fact that, if approved, there will be people on the FOMC who seem to genuinely care about wealth inequality and have the intellectual tools to think about it not just as economic theory, but as a reality that is happening to real people.

But Biden’s picks should also be met with cautious optimism, given the Fed’s history of ideological and intellectual conformity. As Adam Posen, president of the Peterson Institute, told the Financial Times, these three picks, regardless of their ideological persuasion, will “feel enormous institutional pressure” to conform to the institutional status quo in order to “better reflect the institution they now represent.”

That’s worrisome. The members of the 12-person FOMC, which is responsible for setting interest rates and controlling the money supply, almost always vote in unison with

the all-powerful Fed chairperson.

In 2010, Thomas Hoenig, a voting member of the FOMC and president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, began to grow more and more worried about his own conformity to the status quo.

Christopher Leonard’s new book, The Lords of Easy Money: How the Federal Reserve Broke the American Economy, takes readers into Hoenig’s dissenting opinions about the FOMC’s decision to keep creating money that wasn’t being put to its best and highest use.

From 2008 to 2010, the Fed printed $1.2 trillion, a measure designed ned to fight the global finanancial crisis created by Wall Street banks. That’s 100 years’ rs’ worth of money, Leonard writes.

“There was one very importantt characteristic of all this new money,” he adds. “The Fed can create currency in just one way: It makes new dollars and depositss them in the vaults of big banks.

Only about twenty-four special banks and financial institutions have the privilege of getting these pristine dollars, making those banks the seedbed of the money supply.”

Those banks, by the way, were the very ones whose reckless and risky lending practices — encouraged by the Fed’s low interest rates — created the crisis in the first place. Now the Fed and banks, again the perpetrators of the crisis, were setting the terms and conditions for how everyone else in the economy would access all of this new money.

As someone with experience at a regional Fed bank, Hoenig was able to see how all of this worked out, not from the Fed’s main headquarters in the Eccles Building in Washington D.C., but from Kansas City.

Hoenig “had seen firsthand how an FOMC decision made in a day, in a single vote, took months or even years to express itself fully in the world as the effects filtered out through the banking system and economy,” Leonard writes.

But this bit of wisdom, Hoenig realized, was repeatedly ignored by his colleagues in the central banking world — a world dominated by what economist and former Fed insider Danielle DiMartino Booth, in her book, Fed Up: An Insider’s Take on Why The Federal Reserve is Bad For America, describes as an “inbred society of PhD academics who are infected to their core with groupthink,” or “groupstink,” as she calls it.

Leonard gives the basic outline of this groupthink behavior.

“When there was short-term trouble, like a drop in the market or a jump in unemployment, the Fed intervened,” he writes. “It printed more money and cut interest rates.

It addressed short-term problems and left the long-term problems to grow.”

The Fed, Leonard adds, continuously stokes asset bubbles and then finds “itself on the hook to bail out the very lenders who profited most off a bubble as it rose.”

MICHAEL ROMAIN

In 2010, when Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke proposed his idea for “quantitative easing,” in which the central bank would buy government bonds and other assets as a way to expand the money supply even more, Hoenig had had enough. He knew where this was going.

“Hoenig was fighting against quantitative easing because he knew that it would create historically huge amounts of money, and this money would be delivered first to big banks on Wall Street,” Leonard writes.

“He believed that this money would widen the gap between the very rich and everybody else. It would benefit a very small group of people who owned assets, and it would punish the very large group of people who live on paychecks and tried to save money. Just as a important, this tidal wave of money would encourage every entity on Wall Street to adopt riskier and riskier behavior in a world of cheap debt and heavy lending, potentially creating exactly the kind of ruinous financial bubble that had caused the Global Financial Crisis in the first place.”

As iconoclast economists like Yanis Varoufakis, Greek’s former finance minister, warns, that ruinous m financial bubble is currently f with w us; but unlike in 2008, the t bubble has spread across the th entire economy and is poised to pop. p With inflation rising, the th FOMC is considering increasing interest rates in this th year. It’s a necessary course corrective in a bubble co economy, but one that may eco cause cau another recession and, perhaps, one that will be imper mune mu to the Fed’s short-term financial cocktail. fina There is no more kicking the T can down the road, but creative solutions do exist. In her book Engine of Inequality: The Fed and the Future of Wealth in America, Karen Petrou argues for several of them, including the implementation of mechanisms designed to free up the excess profit that’s currently concentrated in the hands of the few due to the Fed’s reckless policies of the last 20 years.

For instance, the Fed can encourage the chartering of public financial institutions, what Petrou calls Equality Banks, designed exclusively to bypass bloated Wall Street banks, so that affordable, well-regulated loans can be put to use on Main Street.

“In the sixties, a social philosopher said, ‘In the same way as men [sic] cannot for long tolerate a sense of spiritual meaninglessness in their individual lives, so they cannot for long accept a society in which power, privilege, and prosperity are not distributed according to some morally meaningful criteria,” Petrou writes.

Hopefully, these new FOMC members (if they’re appointed) will leverage their diverse racial, cultural and ideological backgrounds to realize this and do things differently. If they don’t and simply end up voting for the status quo, all of that diversity would have been for naught.

Another reckoning is here. We’ll see what comes of it.

CONTACT: michael@oakpark.com

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Wednesday Journal, February 2, 2022

Land & Liberty: Reclaiming our Connection to the Land as a Means of Liberation in our Lives

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

BIG WEEK February 2-9

Sunday, Feb. 6, 11 a.m.

The Third Unitarian Church presents a special Zoom service with Jim Embry, national social justice and sustainability activist. Embry will be speaking primarily about the reclamation of JIM EMBRY land stolen from Indigenous peoples using unpaid African labor, while reconnecting with nature. Also featured: music from mezzo soprano Amanda M. Thomas. To receive details about joining the online service, please complete the brief form on the Third Unitarian website: https//www. thirdunitarianchurch.org/new-page-1

James Baldwin, Black Lives & the Blues: In Conversation With Stan West Wednesday, Feb. 9, 6:30-8 p.m.

Oak Park author Stan West will discuss the genius of writer James Baldwin, who is the subject of his book James Baldwin’s Black Lives Blues Are Mine. In addition to Baldwin, Black and LGBTQ issues will be talked about, along with the present-day Black Lives Matter movement. The program will be moderated by Al Cunningham, a Detroit-based writer with decades of experience in cultural and LGBTQ communities of color. Register now at oppl.org/calendar.

Ian Maksin Sunday, Feb. 6, 3 p.m., Good Shepherd Unitarian Church Playing a cello through pedals while singing in 30 different languages is quite a feat. Add that he has managed to gig constantly during this pandemic, and it’s clear that Ian Maksin is quite a IAN MAKSIN force to be reckoned with. His own music is based on the native folk music of the languages he speaks. $15 general, $10 students/kids. 611 Randolph St., Oak Park.

Lawrence Peters Outfit Sunday, Feb. 6, 1:30 p.m., FitzGerald’s Lawrence Peters has distinguished himself as a jack-of-all-trades on the Chicago music scene. First and foremost, he is that rare breed in all musical genres – a singing drummer. Beyond that, he has played in a variety of different bands across different genres, but his own project is brooding traditional country that he does quite well. 6615 Roosevelt Road., Berwyn.

PUBLIC TALK: Learning to Love Wisely Lurrie Bell Saturday, Feb. 5, 9 p.m., FitzGerald’s Singer/guitarist Lurrie Bell has slowly worked his way to the top of the blues hierarchy, with a style that is just as adaptable to acoustic rural blues as it is to electric urban blues.

All local blues fans owe it to themselves to see him just once, but why stop there? $15, 6615 Roosevelt Road., Berwyn.

Wednesday, Feb. 2, 7 p.m., Kadampa Meditation Center This event, which will also be livestreamed, is a special evening of meditation, inspiration and practical instruction with Gen Kelsang Zamling. Open to all levels, from complete beginner to experienced meditators. Everyone welcome! This public talk is the first in a month-long series. Register via Learning to Love Wisely (meditateinchicago.org). $5, 13 Harrison St., Oak Park.

Wednesday Journal, February 2, 2022

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Building out equity projects goal of OPRF’s equity chief Safe spaces, active mentorship, family resources on list

By F. AMANDA TUGADE

Mentorship.

The new goals, each listed with a set of projects, were a response to a previous Oak Park and River Forest High School’s audit that pointed out the department’s lack equity department took to the Jan. 27 school of direction and members inability to work board meeting and presented an update on as a team, Hardy said on a Zoom call. Hardy, its plans to cultivate a safe, welcoming space who stepped into the executive director role at the start of the 2021-22 school for faculty, staff and students. year, told board members that he Addressing issues of racial eqand his colleagues shifted their uity is just one leg of OPRF Disfocus to “figure out what we can trict 200’s four-tiered strategic achieve, what’s achievable and plan. not try to do too much.”

Patrick Hardy, executive direc“Ultimately, in the long term, it tor for equity and student sucis our belief that Oak Park and cess, led the conversation and River Forest High School should shared with board members be a model school for racial eqthe work he and his colleagues uity. That’s the vision,” Hardy have done throughout the school said. “And we believe these goals year and look forward to as they PATRICK HARDY and the projects associated with continue to strengthen the rethem will help us begin and conlationships among employees, students and community partners. During tinue the process down the road.”

Cherylynn Jones-McLeod, the school’s the presentation, Hardy outlined the department’s four goals, which include expanding trauma-informed specialist, joined Hardy the understaffed office; creating trauma-in- on the Zoom call and spoke of some ways formed care practices; building a better re- the department had tried to build a place for source program for families; and recruiting students inside OPRF. For example, there’s and retaining students for the department’s the Peace Room, a “flagship space” where main counseling program, Motivational students can go to “gain clarity” when they Staff Reporter

are stressed or overwhelmed, Jones-McLeod said. Faculty and staff are also welcome to use the Peace Room to decompress in between classes.

Jones-McLeod said the department would like to offer some professional development opportunities to teach meditation techniques, restorative circles or help teachers carve out safe spaces inside their own classrooms where students can retreat to if they need to take a “brain break.”

“We believe that this will help guide the work of trauma-informed care throughout the building,” said Jones-McLeod, “and create a more equitable and calm space for our faculty, our staff and our students, as well as the community.”

Hardy shared Jones-McLeod’s sentiments, adding professional learning is key to equity work. That’s why the department has sought to establish an advisory committee and recently partnered with OPRF to establish pathways for accountability and recommendations. The department also aims to examine the school district’s equity policies.

Another project is engaging with district families and connecting them to services outside of educational needs such as housing or food security in a “timely manner.”

“No. 1, we need to have a very clear referral system that connects families to resources that they need, and then the second half of that is we need to track that referral system,” Hardy said. “Remember, the focus is to build the capacity of the office, to build the capacity of our organization, and we felt that was a really important baseline project.”

At the meeting, Hardy also turned the board’s attention to his other colleagues, Patrick Chrisp and Shannon Perryman, both of whom run the Motivational Mentorship program for OPRF’s students of color. The two told the board their goal is to increase the number of the program’s participants to about 60 to 75 by the end of the school year. The program had experienced a decline in participation rate because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Chrisp, an OPRF alumnus turned mentor, noted he and Perryman would like students to play a larger role in the program and become ambassadors to highlight that peer-to-peer method. He and Perryman also envision their mentorship program to have a space like the Peace Room where students can drop in during lunch or study hall and just feel comfortable among each other.

Quality, Affordable, Independent Housing for Seniors

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Amenities include an award winning interior landscaped atrium, central meeting room, library, laundry facilities, computer learning center, internet access, electronic key entry system, and parking.

On-site management includes 24/7 emergency maintenance service and a senior services coordinator who is available during business hours to assist residents in accessing service agencies and programs designed specifically for seniors. The Oaks is

owned and operated by the Oak Park Residence Corporation and is funded by the US Department of Housing and Ur-ban Development through the 202/Section 8 Program. Monthly rent is based on the resident’s income, with individuals paying approximately 30% of their monthly income toward rent.

For more information, please visit us at www.oakparkrc.com or contact us at 708-386-5862.

114 South Humphrey • Oak Park, Il 60302 • 708-386-5862 • oakparkrc.com

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Wednesday Journal, February 2, 2022

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Feel the Flour Power at Fiore Commissary-style kitchen anchors Scott Harris Hospitality in Forest Park

By MELISSA ELSMO Oak Park Eats

Part restaurant, part production kitchen, part grocery, part culinary campus — Fiore Pizzeria and Bakery has already made its presence known in Forest Park. The former home of Francesca’s Fiore, 7407 Madison St., boasts a new coat of bright white paint and eye-catching red trim. Still affiliated with the Francesca’s brand, Fiore’s bold visual statement serves as a reflection of the unique, multipurpose concept Scott Harris Hospitality is bringing to the neighborhood.

Literally translated, Fiore means “flower,” but in this case serves as a phonetic nod to “flour” as it is used in the breads, pastas and pizza made in-house daily.

“We are upping our pasta PHOTOS BY MELISSA ELSMO/Food Editor game,” said Harris. “We are PIE GUY: Chef Jonathan Court shows off the Margherita Fiore — the popular pizza is a menu mainstay. doing what we do best and using this space in an innovative way.”

“As we looked at what we could do with When we stepped inside re- the building, it became clear we should take CAULIFLOWER POWER: cently, the newly renovated advantage of Forest Park’s centralized locaA recent antipasto restaurant was full of energy tion,” said Euler. offering at Fiore and the kitchens (yes, there are Euler, who worked at Davanti Enoteca, two) were bustling with activity. Harris, himself, was onsite has a long history with Scott Harris and featured roasted while 17 notable chefs huddled inside the glass-walled kitch- conceptualized Fiore. He acted as a general cauliflower, whipped ens going through a menu training led by Guillermo Tellez, contractor on the project and had a heavy garlic, Parmigiano director of culinary innovations for Scott Harris Hospital- hand in designing the space. A grocery store, Reggiano, and ity. Chef Tellez, a native of Hidalsituated on the east Calabrian chili go in Michoacan, Mexico, brings side of the building considerable clout to the powerful breadcrumbs. is still under conteam of chefs behind the muchstruction, but will lauded restaurant group. He was eventually offer sevdishes to his thoughtful offerings. Chef Court worked his a protégé of acclaimed Chicago eral sandwiches and Italian pantry way up at the Purple Pig and Davanti Enoteca in Chicago chef, Charlie Trotter, and the first staples for sale to the public. In the and cultivated an understanding of high-volume production recipient of James Beard Founmeantime, customers can enjoy the at Parlor Pizza Bar before making his return to Scott Harris dation’s Felipe Rojas-Lombardi bright front dining room with large Hospitality to lead the kitchen at Fiore.

Award of Achievement for Hisretractable windows and centrally “In a way I am going back to where I started,” said Court. panic Chefs. located bar area. The creatively “I am excited to have that artisan element back and I am “We’re bringing new dishes to divided building features a duo of excited to create seasonal specials.” our menus with an eye for consisglass kitchens — one to service resLook for sharable antipasti, like the whole roasted cautency,” said Tellez as the training taurant guests and a second to serve liflower with whipped garlic and Calabrian chili breadconcluded. “Francesca’s has been as pasta, pastry and bread produccrumbs, Nonna’s meatballs with whipped ricotta or wood around for many years. We want tion kitchen for all Chicagoland roasted Roman vegetables to set the tone. An assortment of to keep our integrity and adapt Scott Harris establishments. fresh pastas, ranging from toothsome spaghetti pomodoro for future generations. That is The space feels modern and cutor comforting baked lumache with vodka sauce, join crewhat we are doing here.” ting edge with a voyeuristic charm ative pizzas. Executive pastry Chef Leslie Tellez provides The arrival of Fiore and the — during business hours artisans sweet finishes to round out the Fiore menu. cadre of culinary professionals will be on display crafting the eleChef Guillermo Tellez is bringing culinary “I am very excited to bring a little piece of the city out to associated with the brand means ments put to thoughtful use on FioForest Park,” said Court.

Forest Park has become the cen- star-power to Madison Street. re’s menu. The menu is handwrittral hub for production of pasten daily at Fiore and leaves plenty tries, breads, and pastas for all 14 of room for flexibility and innovation on the ever-changing Francesca’s restaurants and the other Chicagoland estab- menu. lishments affiliated with Scott Harris Hospitality.

“Don’t judge it by the handwriting — that’s mine,” laughs “Cooking has always been my happy place and I was the Euler. “This is an ode to the original Mia Francesca; all of Sunday: 4 to 9 p.m. principal driver on this project,” said Jaysen Euler, culinary the menus there were handwritten, too.”

Monday and Tuesday: Closed director for the organization. The full-service Francesca’s, Mainstays like the pepperoni, sausage and Margherita Wednesday-Thursday: 4 to 9 p.m. which had been a destination on Madison Street for many pizzas have earned permanence on Fiore’s menu, but head Friday and Saturday: 4 to 10 p.m. years, closed during the early stages of the pandemic.

Chef Jonathan Court is eager to bring seasonally driven

Fiore’s hours

Wednesday Journal, February 2, 2022

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UNVAXXED

Stating it allowed for “debate and discussion,” Lacey in turn emailed Buchanan a statement from the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons, which declared “that all human beings have the right to libfrom page 1 erty, which they do not forfeit when they serve the sick or the disabled” and the group posts based on their opinions. However, warned about the unknown long-term effects a commissioner’s appointment can be terof COVID-19 vaccinations. The statement minated if their conduct or inappropriate listed autoimmune disorders, antibody-enlanguage interferes with the commission’s hanced disease, infertility, cancer and birth ability to accomplish its work. Commission defects as potential long-term effects without appointments can also be terminated if the providing any scientific evidence to support commissioner makes false statements of the claim. fact to the commission.

“There are virtually no vaccines that have When cause for removal exists, the chair long-term effects that show up later in life. of that commission, the village clerk and the There’s no biologic mechanism whereby trustee liaison, as well as the Citizen Involvethat would be possible because the vaccine ment Commission liaison, must review the situation and recommend removal to the vil- component does not stay in your body,” said Buchanan. “All it does is stimulate your own lage president. immune system to make Lacey has not contractantibodies.” ed COVID-19 but she said The organization bemembers of her family hind the statement is a have. Her husband, who small but vocal interest has multiple sclerosis, and group that has taken conher children have underservative political stances gone vaccination against against abortion and the COVID-19.

Affordable Care Act. The “I voiced my opinion group also filed alongthat I thought they should side a New York woman a not,” Lacey said of her lawsuit against U.S. Rep. children.

Adam Schiff in 2020, allegLacey has received furing that the congressman TRUSTEE SUSAN BUCHANAN ther criticism for her cominfringed upon the group’s Physician ments regarding the role right to free speech after of health departments his letters to major tech amid the pandemic, inCEOs led to perceived cluding equating mitigaanti-vaccination materition measures with punishment.

“Public health departments should educate, als being pulled from the platforms and denot mandate. It’s time to stop testing us. It’s creased traffic to the group’s website.

Lacey does not consider herself a part of time to stop threatening punishment with forced vaccinations and masking,” Lacey the anti-vaccination vanguard, although she wrote in an email sent Dec. 6 to her fellow has not had so much as a flu shot in her adult life. She did undergo vaccinations during her commissioners. childhood.

Lacey wrote in the same email that she “When I was a kid, I had all the stuff they had lost her internship position with Thrive Counseling Services over her refusal to get give you without your consent,” she said.

For those with underlying medical condivaccinated against COVID-19 and that her tions, Lacey said she “kind of understands” children were “coerced” into being vaccinated and wearing masks out of fear they would why they would choose to get vaccinated. be barred from participating in school activi- However, she does not see the point in getting ties. Wednesday Journal has reached out to vaccinated herself.

“What I understand about viruses in genThrive for confirmation.

“The healthiest citizens of Oak Park are eral, it didn’t make sense to me to give them to being punished in the name of ‘science,’” she healthy people,” she said. “It just didn’t occur to me that I needed one.” wrote.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Lacey’s sentiment was not well received

by Trustee Susan Buchanan, who is an oc- Prevention names prevention through vaccupational medical physician and a faculty cination as the paramount defense against member of the University of Illinois Chicago COVID-19. The rate of COVID-19-associated School of Public Health in addition to being hospitalizations in December was 16 percent a village trustee and the board of health’s higher in unvaccinated adults age 18 and older, trustee liaison. Buchanan suggested that according to the CDC. Lacey believes COVID-19 vaccinations are Lacey step down from the board of health in a follow-up email to the board of health also “experimental,” despite being authorized for emergency use by the U.S. Food and Drug sent Dec. 6.

“I get the impression you don’t understand Administration. The Pfizer and Moderna vacthe role of and the emergency powers of the cinations have also been fully approval by the health department,” Buchanan wrote to Lac- FDA. Instead of being vaccinated, Lacey is parey in December. “Please consider stepping down to make room for someone who believes ticipating in a medical study examining the in the historic and legal role of public health effects of Vitamin D in preventing COVID-19 through the University of Chicago. As part of in protecting the health of communities.”

Controversial board member

“There are virtually no vaccines that have long-term effects that show up later in life. There’s no biologic mechanism whereby that would be possible.”

Oak Park village hall reopens Three days a week to start

By STACEY SHERIDAN Staff Reporter

The village of Oak Park will be resuming in-person services at village hall, 123 Madison St., for the first time since it closed the lobby to the public Dec. 14 due to an uptick in staff COVID-19 cases and staffing shortages.

Village hall will be open Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. beginning Feb. 2 through Feb. 11.

More dates could be added, according to the study, she takes a Vitamin D supplement daily. Lacey does not know if her supplements have been approved by the FDA. “I don’t know the dosage. You just get sent the pills,” she said.

She is aware of the backlash her views on vaccinations and COVID-19 mitigations have caused but has no intention of stepping down from the board of health. She believes the reaction to her beliefs is based on the inability of others to process new information.

“I can forgive my neighbors and board members for being overwhelmed and having a startled response around me, even feeling the need to make demands of my body and discriminate,” Lacey said.

She believes her presence on the commission offers an alternative viewpoint and that differences of opinions make for stronger government. Others disagree.

Oak Park resident Laura Sakiyama, on behalf of a group of individuals, stated in public comment that Lacey’s beliefs make her unfit to serve on the board of health. The comment was read aloud at the Jan. 25 board of health meeting.

“We find it problematic that Wynne Lacey, a vocal anti-vaxxer, who believes that Oak Park should stop trying to prevent and/or suppress

the village of Oak Park, which will continue monitoring COVID-19 rates and workplace transmission.

Many services continue to be available online through the village of Oak Park’s website. Limited in-person appointments are available for time-sensitive transactions.

The Oak Park Police Department, which is located in the basement of village hall remains open to the public, as it did during the temporary winter closure. a disease in the middle of a pandemic, sits on our board of health,” Sakiyama wrote.

“We find it highly problematic that she weighs in on decisions related to our community’s health and well-being and we find it highly problematic that she has a position to make harmful statements about vaccine requirements.”

Carollina Song, another Oak Park resident, has also spoken out against Lacey in public comments to the village board as well as to the District 200 school board, where Lacey is a parent volunteer.

“I think it’s a huge problem that we have a devout anti-vaxxer on the board of health who has a role in setting public policy,” Song told Wednesday Journal. “We’re in the middle of a pandemic. Lives are at stake.”

Oak Park adds manager candidate ■ Long Beach, CA, deputy manager

Kevin Jackson will be interviewed this week.

STORY AT OAKPARK.COM

8

Wednesday Journal, February 2, 2022

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

Booster shots bring more Dominican students back to campus Students reflect on COVID life as omicron rises and falls

By F. AMANDA TUGADE Staff Reporter

ALEX ROGALS/Staff Photographer

WELCOME BACK: A COVID-19 vaccination clinic in Springer Suites at Domincan University’s Rebecca Crown Library in River Forest.

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When 19-year-old Yohhani Monzon found out one of her vaccinated friends tested positive for COVID-19, she was stunned. The Dominican University freshman remembered getting a text from her friend, Lisa Soto, a few weeks ago, and immediately thought, “You really caught it, huh?”

“I kind of laughed at first,” Monzon told Wednesday Journal Jan. 27 while attending a vaccine booster clinic inside a room beneath the university library on the River Forest campus.

But as the news settled in, Monzon recalled getting scared. “For once I knew someone who I was close with who got sick,” she said, turning to Soto who joined Monzon at the booster clinic and returned to campus early last week after completing her 10-day quarantine period at home.

Monzon said she got tested after Soto broke the news to her, her anxiety vanishing only after she got a negative test result back.

Monzon and Soto, who is also 19 and a

Dominican freshman, said their experience shows just a glimpse of what it feels like to go to school during the pandemic.

The two, who were high school juniors when the first wave of the pandemic hit about two years ago, said they, like many other students, have had to just adjust to what is now considered a “new normal.”

If anything, Monzon said interacting with people after that initial lockdown was lifted and going back to school inperson was tough.

“When COVID started, I was so sad. I felt so lonely. I’m like, ‘Oh my god, who am I?” said Monzon, a self-described “social butterfly.” “But when it all came back, the vibes were just different, and I found it more difficult to talk to people. I felt like people were closed off for so long it was hard for them to open up again, especially coming to college because everyone’s doing their own thing, minding their business, working, busy.”

“It’s hard to make conversations sometimes, and since I’m a commuter, I’m not here every day,” Monzon added. “I’m not living with these people, so it’s obviously a different connection with the people they’re surrounded by. It’s just been a

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Wednesday Journal, February 2, 2022

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM little bit difficult, because I’m not used to it being difficult for me.”

On top of that, Monzon had trouble with getting back into a routine.

“It’s a struggle now,” said Monzon, who is studying computer science. “It used to be all online. Now that it’s in person, I have to get up early, get ready and come here.”

Marissa Vargas, a senior at DU who also attended the Jan. 27 vaccine clinic, had a different take on the return of in-person classes. As a math major, the 25-year-old Vargas said she struggled with online classes and grasped the material better when learning alongside her peers and professors.

For university sophomore Jared Bandi, he said being a student in the pandemic is “weird.”

Bandi, who received his booster shot, said he misses “[hanging] out with people every day” and has tried to maintain friendships over Zoom or through phone calls. Because of the pandemic, Bandi has also been unable to travel and see his family, most of whom live in India. On top of that, one day before the booster clinic, one of Bandi’s classes was cancelled because his professor tested positive for COVID. “You have to make the adjustments,” said Bandi, 20 and a computer science major, adding that his decision to get the booster shot was part of adapting to the situation at hand and protecting himself and ultimately his loved ones.

Barrington Price, vice president of student success and engagement and head of

ALEX ROGALS/Staff Photographer

Students wait to receive their shots at Domincan University’s Rebecca Crown Library. the university’s COVID response team, told the Journal that navigating the novel coronavirus is, so far, part of everyone’s life.

“It’s become part of our practice,” said Price, adding Dominican officials and medical staff have shifted and strengthened its safety measures countless times, including when staff and students returned to campus last month for second semester.

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Like many schools nationwide, Dominican anticipated an uptick in omicron related COVID cases as staff and students headed for campus after winter break.

Aside from the Jan. 27 booster clinic, university officials held another clinic during the first week of January, before the start of the second semester. The university also sent reminders to staff and students about

the wellness center’s COVID testing kits; to use the Campus Clear app to document their symptoms; availability of Plexiglass shields and limited dining hall services.

According to school data, the university reported 53 cases among staff and students from Jan. 7 to 13, during the first week of second semester, but those high numbers have steadily declined in the past few weeks, Price said. Last week, the university reported 20 new cases of COVID-19 among staff and students, a dip from the 44 cases reported during the week of Jan. 14 to 20, school data showed.

Both of last month’s booster clinics were held in partnership with the Cook County Department of Public Health and open to the Dominican community and local residents. On Jan. 27, a total of 76 people received their COVID booster shots, Price told the Journal.

Apart from contracting the novel virus but not being “sick sick,” Soto thought about the ways that her life has stayed relatively unchanged since the pandemic began.

“I remember at the beginning I was like, ‘Oh my god. This is going to be in our textbooks one day,’ which is still kind of mindblowing,” she said. “[But] I think I’ve socialized with the same amount of people, so I don’t see as much of a difference. It doesn’t seem like I had to go out of my way to do something because of the pandemic besides wearing a mask. Besides that, it doesn’t seem like a problem to me.”

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Wednesday Journal, February 2, 2022

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

ARPA funding requests cause trustee confusion Process overshadows proposals for federal funds

By STACEY SHERIDAN Staff Reporter

The Oak Park Village Board of Trustees fielded six immediate requests for American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds from community partner organizations, but trustee bewilderment over what in fact they were expected to do that evening overshadowed the proposals. The unease was noted

by Collaboration for Early Childhood Executive Director John Borrero, one of the presenters.

“I’m sorry we’re presenting amid this confusion. I don’t think anyone wants to go right now,” said Borrero at the Jan. 31 meeting.

Confusion was immediately expressed by three trustees who wished to be provided with a rubric for assessing the requests, which spanned from $100,000 to fund public art in the North Avenue District to $2 million to replenish the park district’s capital improvement budget. The six requests together total $6 million.

Village President Vicki Scaman explained that the board would not be voting to enter into any financial contracts or funding agreements that night but would merely

give feedback and direction to the groups putting requests forward for a share of the village’s $38.1 million ARPA allotment, but that explanation did little to clarify things for the trustees.

“How do we really prioritize if we have to choose?” asked Trustee Ravi Parakkat, who suggested having staff create an impact scorecard.

Trustees Arti Walker-Peddakotla and Lucia Robinson echoed Parakkat, with Walker-Peddakotla asking for an equity impact assessment so the board could view requests “with a racial equity perspective.”

Robinson said she wanted a “roadmap” with requests grouped by demographics that would benefit or what programs are in danger of ending if the ARPA requests were not be granted.

The board was generally receptive to the requests, believing them all worthy causes.

However, no formal agreements were made.

In addition to the Park District of Oak Park and the North Avenue District, the Oak Park Economic Development Corporation (OPEDC) and Hephzibah Children’s Association were among the organizations that submitted a proposal. OPEDC is requesting $500,000 to start a grant process

to grow and support Black-owned small businesses, while Hephzibah is asking for $525,000 to support its after-school daycare program and critical comprehensive therapy for severely traumatized children, among other programming.

Two requests were made on behalf of groups of partnering community organizations. The Collaboration for Early Childhood’s proposal combines requests from early childhood educators, as well as nonprofits that cater to young children or families with young children. New Moms, Easter Seals, Wonder Works Children’s Museum, and the Children’s Home and Aid Society are among the organizations listed in the proposal. The Collaboration for Early Childhood’s proposal requests a total of $1.1 million to be disbursed over a period of four years.

The second joint proposal seeks ARPA funds to boost the village’s tourism and hospitality industry, which took a major hit with the rise of COVID-19. The proposal is a combined effort by Visit Oak Park, Frank Lloyd Wright Trust, the Hemingway Foundation of Oak Park, the Unity Temple Restoration Foundation and the Oak Park Area Arts Council. Dubbed the “Oak Park Tourism Recovery Initiative,” the proposal appeals for a

total of $765,000 in ARPA funds split among the organizations. Some of that money would be disbursed over a period of two years.

The federal recovery funds cannot be spent willy-nilly. The U.S. Department of the Treasury restricts avenues of spending. ARPA cannot be applied toward pension funds, debt services payments, lawsuit settlements or to offset tax cuts. The funds can go toward replacement of public sector revenue lost as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, which the park district’s request falls under.

ARPA funds can also be used for responding to the continued COVID-19 public health emergency or addressing its negative economic impacts, such as assistance to households, small businesses, and nonprofits. It can also aid impacted industries such as tourism, travel, and hospitality.

Steve Drazner, the village of Oak Park’s chief financial officer, told Wednesday Journal “at least a couple” of the requests made by community partners will likely fall under those spending guidelines, but the village is still in the process of determining that.

All ARPA funds must be committed for spending by 2024 and spent in full by 2026.

The village has already used $14.1 million to replace lost revenues.

2022 Board Initiatives

Brian Dubina

Christine Lon

Cross Function Flexible Workspace

Emergency Preparedness

Pre-Vocational Education Coordinator D200- OPRF Highschool

Jake Bucher

Founding Dean College of Applied Social Sciences Dominican University

Workforce Development

Darien Marion-Burton D.M.Burton

BIPOC Affinity Group

Our 2022 Board of Directors is laser-focused on supporting this business community and finding solutions to what keeps you up at night. That's why this year we have launched four key initiatives to make doing business in our Villages safer, more productive and more inclusive. Reach out to any of these Board members if you want to be involved!

Learn more at oprfchamber.org

Wednesday Journal, February 2, 2022

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

11

A decade in, Oak Parkers build Surf’s Up into seafood franchise With 15 locations, North Avenue spot doubles as HQ

By MELISSA ELSMO Oak Park Eats Editor

It hasn’t always been smooth sailing for the family behind the burgeoning Surf ’s Up franchise, but tenacity, patience and flexibility helped co-founders and longtime Oak Park residents, Denise and Eric Roy achieve a decade in business. The franchise, with 15 locations, celebrated its milestone anniversary with a festive balloon display and fried shrimp specials on Jan. 20 at Surf ’s Up -- Oak Park, 6427 W. North Ave. “Our goal is to build generational wealth for ourselves and for the families of our franchisees,” said Denise Roy. “The best part of all of this is that we have been able to help families make it — we have created opportunities for people to improve their circumstances.”

Initially Denise Roy and her husband, who has a background in accounting, contemplated purchasing a pre-existing Chicago franchise, but came to believe they could build a business on their own relying on the recipes for catfish, shrimp and crab legs Ray would make to meet her husband’s “particular tastes.”

In addition to settling on the catchy name “Surf ’s Up,” adding lobster, green tomatoes, and biscuits, gave the blossoming business a trio of fried menu items that help to differentiate it from other existing seafood joints.

“Our first location in Hillside opened in 2012 and closed pretty quickly,” said Roy. “People came from everywhere despite the fact we opened during a huge blizzard. After that we were really busy, but when the Menards next door closed, we were in a ghost town.”

The closure didn’t keep the Roy’s down

SIGNATURE SANDWICH: Da Bomb features shrimp and lobster on a brioche bun with mayo, lettuce, tomato and pickle.

PHOTOS MELISSA ELSMO/Food Editor

THE SURF’S UP CREW: (From Left) Marcus Allen, corporate sous chef; Ebony Real, head cashier; Michael Givens, corporate chef; and Denise Roy, Surf ’s Up co-founder. said Roy. “And then the pandemic hit. Things slowed down a lot, but my mother kept telling Surf ’s Up offered a shrimp special to mark me not to close and little-by-little things starttheir milestone anniversary, but the crispy ed to pick up.” seafood is available daily in Oak Park.

In fact, at a time when restaurants were struggling most, Surf ’s Up franchises became for long. They found a location on Madison more popular than ever — just in time to mark Street in Chicago and opened just over a year their 10th anniversary, the brand expanded later and the first Surf ’s Up franchise arrived by10 locations including one in Huntsville, in Maywood soon after. Just as business was Alabama. Roy admits it has been difficult to picking up steam at the Chi- watch restaurants falter over the past two cago location, a neighborhood years, but credits Surf ’s Up expansion to timresident expressed interest in ing and the nature of their business. When purchasing the business. The restaurants were named among essential couple sold their Chicago loca- business, the Surf ’s Up franchise appealed to tion and took time to get their people who had been adversely impacted by business in order to protect the pandemic. People were looking for jobs their emerging brand. they could control, and landlords became Family member, Vanetta Roy opened Surf ’s more open to negotiating rent rates because Up -- South Shore to complement the Maywood of increasing vacancies. As a result, owning a location before the founders opened Surf ’s Up Surf ’s Up became a viable and more affordable -- Oak Park in 2018. Business started booming option for potential franchisees. It also helped after their catfish and fried green tomatoes that historically approximately 70% of Surf ’s were featured on Chicago’s Best TV show in Up’s business was carryout based.

2019.

The model uniquely positioned the Surf ’s Up “We knew we would be a hit on the show and brand to thrive during the pandemic and the once it aired, we really had something going,” Oak Park location morphed into the corporate headquarters and serves as a training hub for franchise owners and employees. Today the Surf ’s Up spice blend and signature remoulade sauce are both trademarked, and the business is licensed in all 50 states.

Despite all this rapid growth, Roy has kept a level head. Her husband can often be found tidying up the storefront and her team of loyal employees are known for friendly service and long tenures.

Chef Michael Givens has been with Surf ’s Up for the full decade it has been in existence and has spent four years running the kitchen at Fried Lobster is a house specialty at Surf ’s Up. the Oak Park location. He is focused, Denise Roy says, “10 years ago nobody was doing unflappable and particularly proud lobster.” of his own contribution to the sea-

WORKING THE LINE: Sous Chef Marcus Allen keeps wings, shrimp and sandwiches flying out of the Surf ’s Up North Avenue kitchen. food focused menu. Givens is the creator of “Da Bomb” sandwich; the popular offering features both shrimp and lobster with lettuce, tomato, mayo and pickles served on a buttery brioche bun.

Surf ’s Up continues to tailor its menu to suit local tastes and Roy looks forward to small things like adding genuine fish and chips to the menu and big things like “building a Surf ’s Up location from the ground up.” In the meantime, Roy remains focused on hiring passionate people and giving them room to grow right along with the franchise.

“I look forward to the day when Surf ’s Up is recognized as a national brand,” said Roy. “Our son used to say Surf ’s Up was like the little brother he never wanted, but now that he is grown, he sees the legacy we are trying to build here.”

Now that’s something to celebrate.

12

Wednesday Journal, February 2, 2022

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

River Forest to reconstruct 14 alleys by mid-2023 $2.1 million expenditure planned next fiscal year to accelerate program

By ROBERT J. LIFKA Contributing Reporter

A $2.1 million accelerated alley improvement program headed the list of the fiveyear capital improvement plan unveiled at the River Forest Village Board committee of the whole meeting on Jan. 24.

Capital expenditures are estimated to be $16.9 million over the next five years, $5.1 million of which is are expected to be spent in the first year, Fiscal Year 2023, which begins May 1.

The majority of funding, $2.7 million, will come from the capital improvements fund. Other funding sources are water and sewer fund, $908,000; capital equipment replacement fund, $726,764; motor fuel tax fund, $510,000; capital improvements fund/ parking reserve, $150,000; and general fund, $105,000.

Although the village typically reconstructs one alley per year, under the accelerated alley improvement program, four alleys were reconstructed last year with plans to reconstruct 14 more alleys before the middle of 2023.

Plans call for three alleys to be reconstructed in late winter/early spring 2022, eight in summer/fall 2022 and the final three in late winter/early spring 2023. The remaining alleys are all south of Chicago Avenue and east of Park Avenue.

Some of these alleys experience storm water issues and some have pavement in poor condition, according to the presentation of the capital improvement plan by Lisa Scheiner, assistant village administrator.

Most consist of asphalt pavement, with a

MARS CANDY

Nine sweet decades from page 2 Steve Robinson, the director of Northwest Austin Council and a Galewood resident who lives a few blocks from the plant, said that he was disappointed in Mars, especially since the candy company has been a good neighbor.

“We had to fight alongside Black Workers Matter to integrate [the current Hostess-owned bakery] nearby [in Galewood, at 2035 N. Narragansett Ave.], but Mars has been a decent neighbor,” Robinson said. “The kids would go straight there on Halloween. I’m disappointed in Mars.”

Robinson pointed out the candy company’s reported $40 billion in revenues in 2021, according to Forbes, making Mars the fourth-

few having concrete pavement. Their reconstruction is intended to provide not only a better driving surface but increased storm water mitigation.

According to information on the village website, the typical cross section of River Forest’s new alleys involves reconstruction with concrete pavement, sloped inward toward an approximately three-foot wide strip of permeable pavers.

The pavers allow storm water runoff to be conveyed to a stone reservoir underneath the pavement to help reduce flooding.

There is also a perforated pipe within the stone reservoir which helps convey storm water away from the alley during periods of excessive rainfall.

Alleys to be reconstructed in late winter/ early spring are between Monroe Avenue and William Street from Chicago Avenue to Oak Avenue, between Lake Street and Holly Court from William to Bonnie Brae Place and between Holly and Quick Avenue from Clinton Place to Bonnie Brae.

Unveiling the capital improvement plan is the first step of the budget process. Officials said the plan is generally amended during the budget process as determinations are made for items to be moved forward or to be deferred based on current information.

In April, a budget will be prepared and recommended to the village board, which will take input from residents, if there is any, at a public hearing. The final step in the process will be adoption of the budget, which is expected in April.

Also on the list of proposed capital improvement projects in FY2023 are $425,000

PROVIDED

River Forest is accelerating its alley reconstruction initiative in the coming fiscal year, targeting 14 alleys, which will trade asphalt or concrete pavements for a hybrid that includes permeable pavers to direct storm water away from sewers. for water main replacement and $400,000 for street improvements.

Water mains to be replaced are on LeMoyne Street between Jackson Avenue and Monroe, between William and Clinton and from Bonnie Brae Place to Harlem Avenue.

Streets to be resurfaced under the street improvement program are Iowa Street

largest private company in the United States.

“They don’t have to close,” he said. “Of course, it could be a ploy to extort the city like the Bears moving to Arlington Heights.”

Yvette McCallum, a member of Black Workers Matter’s governing committee, worked at the Galewood plant three years ago. While she alleged that she faced racial discrimination working at the Bimbo Bakeries plant in Cicero, she said she faced no such issues at the Mars plant.

“Mars was integrated,” she said. “People worked well together. I would have stayed but couldn’t handle the cold on the ice cream rotation.”

McCallum said that Black Workers Matter generally supports a more cooperative style, employee-owned model of factory ownership.

Mars closing its plant demonstrates why they support those models, she said.

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from the dead end east of Park Avenue to Harlem, Monroe Street from Augusta to Chicago and William Street from Augusta to Chicago.

Although trustees made comments and asked questions about specific expenses and projects, Scheiner’s presentation was accepted without major discussion.

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Wednesday Journal, February 2, 2022

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

PARISHES

Then there were two from page 1 prayers, the plan was announced by Auxiliary Bishop Kevin Birmingham, the vicar for the region including Oak Park.

The plan calls for the consolidation of four parishes into two with St. Giles Parish aligning with a diminished St. Catherine-St. Lucy Parish and Ascension Parish aligning with St. Edmund. Two current priests, both with roots at St. Giles will be appointed as pastors of the newly united parishes in actions to take effect July 1.

St. Giles is located at 1045 Columbian Ave. St. CatherineSt. Lucy is at 38 N. Austin Blvd. Ascension is at 808 S. East Ave. St. Edmund is at 188 S. Oak Park Ave. All four church buildings will continue in use, though the announcement specifically said that St. Catherine-St. Lucy, which serves both Austin and Oak Park, will be considered a “sacred space” rather than the broader definition of a church.

Whether Sunday Mass will be held at the Austin Boulevard location on a regular basis was left unclear in the announcement with a decision on that ultimately to be made by the new pastor of the joined St. Giles/St. Catherine-St. Lucy Parish.

The plan, which included input over four months from members of each parish, was recommended to Cupich who made the final call. Renew My Church is a years’ long project aimed at right-sizing the number of parishes in the archdiocese to reflect the downturn in the number of people attending services and the shrinking number of priests available to serve as pastors.

All four churches in Oak Park will retain their names, but the two newly formed parishes will be assigned new names.

PHOTO BY ERIC ALLIX ROGERS

St. Edmund Church Members of each parish will be asked to suggest five possible names with the final decision resting with Cupich.

Rev. Carl Morello, the pastor of St. Giles, will now serve as the pastor of the joined St. Giles/St. Catherine-St. Lucy Parish. Rev. Rex Pillai, who worked as an associate at St. Giles with Morello, will on July 1 become the pastor of the combined Ascension/ St. Edmund Parish. Pillai has served as associate pastor at Ascension for the past 18 months. Rev. John McGivern, pastor of St. Edmund Church for 18 years, will be reassigned within the diocese this summer.

The future of three local Catholic schools was also dealt with in the plan. St. Giles School will be the “parish-governed” school for that newly formed parish. Meanwhile St. CatherineSt. Lucy School will continue to operate but under the auspices of the Big Shoulders Fund, a nonprofit entity which has invested heavily in Catholic schools within the city of Chicago. The school serves largely students from the West Side of Chicago.

In its Jan. 28 announcement, a spokesperson for the archdiocese credited both the Big Shoulders Fund and an expanding

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connection between St. Catherine-St. Lucy School and Fenwick High School as critical to the school’s future.

Ascension School will be the “parish-governed” school of that newly united parish. St. Edmund School closed several years ago.

The recommendation to the archdiocese from the local discernment group urged that a conscious effort be made by both newly formed Oak Park parishes to use the St. Catherine-St. Lucy campus as “a base for ministry outreach to the West Side of Chicago, supported by the Oak Park Catholic community.”

In response to multiple questions submitted by participants Friday night about the future of St. Catherine-St. Lucy Church, a spokesperson said the plan urges collaboration between the church and newly realigned Catholic churches remaining on the West Side.

The spokesman also said that as part of Renew My Church debts owed by the local parishes to the archdiocese, specifically “considerable debt” at St. Catherine-St. Lucy, will be cancelled so that the entities begin without any debt.

Multiple questions focused on how specific aspects of parish life will be merged including staffing, facilities and music and religious education ministries. The response was that the new pastors and leaders from each parish will spend the next five months discussing and finalizing those plans at the local level.

A viewer asked if the popular St. Giles Family Mass Community would continue. The spokesman said that decision will be made locally.

Asked if the Children’s School would continue to lease the former St. Edmund School, McGivern said there are two years remaining on a contract and that any decision will come later.

The spokesperson said that it is possible that over time unused buildings on the four campuses could be sold. Rectories at St. Catherine-St. Lucy and St. Edmund will possibly be left empty. The spokesperson said proceeds from any such sales would go to the archdiocese but could then be returned to the newly formed parishes.

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Wednesday Journal, February 2, 2022

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C R I M E

Sleeping man hit with a bat, stabbed and robbed on CTA

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A Chicago resident was hospitalized Saturday night after he was assaulted and robbed by two men while he was traveling on the CTA Blue Line.

According to police reports, the victim was asleep on the train but was awoken at 9:38 p.m., Jan. 29, when a man grabbed him from behind and held his arms, while another man hit him with a bat, stabbed him with a knife and bit him on his right hand. The men took the victim’s cell phone and wallet, which contained cash and the victim’s identification, then fled in an unknown direction.

The victim was transported to Rush Oak Park Hospital in good condition. The loss of his property is estimated at $300.

Aggravated DUI arrest Javier Zenon-Mata of Chicago was charged with a felony of aggravated driving under the influence after Oak Park police found him asleep behind the wheel of a running white cargo van in the middle of the road at 2:31 a.m., Jan. 30 in the 1200 block of North Humphrey Avenue. When the 41-year-old woke up, he crashed the van into a parked vehicle.

Burglary

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■ Someone broke into a white 2005 Jeep Cherokee that had an unlocked front passenger door and removed a red Apple iPhone 11 and a silver Apple iPhone 6, both of which were sitting on the front passenger side seat, between 4:28 p.m. and 4:33 p.m., Jan. 27 in the 500 block of South Austin Boulevard. The estimated loss is $500.

■ Miscellaneous car supplies were removed from the trunk and interior of a locked 2013 Hyundai Elantra that was parked near the intersection of Lake Street and Taylor Avenue between 5 p.m., Jan. 24 and 8:09 a.m., Jan. 25.

■ Someone stole a roll of paper towels from inside a 2013 Toyota Highlander after breaking the vehicle’s rear driver’s side window while it was parked on the second floor of the West Suburban Medical Center

parking garage, 3 Erie Ct., between 6:45 p.m., Jan. 27 and 7:30 a.m., Jan. 28. The total estimated loss and damage is $203.

Motor vehicle theft ■ Two men were observed entering then driving off in a gray 2021 Mazda CX-5 that was left running and unattended in the 400 block of South Maple Avenue between 8:10 a.m. and 8:16 a.m., Jan. 25. The vehicle was last seen traveling northbound on Maple Avenue and then east on Washington Boulevard with a white sedan following behind it. Chicago police recovered the vehicle without any apprehensions in the 2900 block of West Washington Boulevard in Chicago at 8:45 p.m. that same day.

Theft ■ Someone cut the wire and removed a Ring security camera from the side of the victim’s garage in the 600 block of South Taylor Avenue between 3:40 a.m. and 11:25 a.m., Jan. 23. The estimated loss is $200.

■ A package containing exercise clothing was taken from the front porch of a residence in the 1000 block of Grove Avenue around 3:30 p.m., Jan. 26. The estimated loss is $100.

■ A FedEx package was removed from the front of a building in the 900 block of South Oak Park Avenue at about 2:30 p.m., Jan. 11. The package contained a PlayStation 4 gaming console, a red Apple iPhone X, and clothes. The estimated loss is $1,500.

These items, obtained from the Oak Park Police Department, came from reports through Jan. 24 to Jan. 31 and represent a portion of the incidents to which police responded. Anyone named in these reports has only been charged with a crime and cases have not yet been adjudicated. We report the race of a suspect only when a serious crime has been committed, the suspect is still at large, and police have provided us with a detailed physical description of the suspect as they seek the public’s help in making an arrest.

Compiled by Stacey Sheridan

Wednesday Journal, February 2, 2022

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15

Homes

Aging in place in an older home How one Oak Park couple makes it work

ALEX ROGALS/Staff Photographer

John and Elisabeth Muhlenberg decided to remain in their home rather than opt for communal living, a decision that resulted in them making some main-floor alterations.

By LACEY SIKORA

E

Contributing Reporter

lisabeth and John Muhlenberg have lived in their Oak Park four-square house since 1996. Elisabeth says of the 1910-era home, “It was, of course, built the way houses were built then. The first floor was for living, and the second floor had the bedrooms and bathrooms.”

At some point in its history, a previous owner carved out space for a powder room on the first floor. Elisabeth Muhlenberg notes that the half bathroom is “the size of a telephone booth and right off the dining room, which is not ideal,” but says the space worked for them for years.

The couple remodeled their kitchen in 2010 and were happy with the way their home

lived, but then came a few unexpected obstacles. John’s Parkinson symptoms began to progress and his physical limitations made it too challenging to get up the stairs to use the shower in the second-floor bathroom.

With the arrival of the pandemic, the couple also determined that leaving their home for a communal living situation was no longer an option.

“The pandemic has convinced us that aging in place is the best solution for us,” Elisabeth said. “We can get out and have people come in and not be locked down.”

While the two embraced their decision to stay in their home, they knew they needed to address the lack of a shower on the first floor. Extending the powder room to create a See AGE IN PLACE on page 17

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17

AGE IN PLACE

‘Kind of temporary’ from page 15 full bathroom would have cut off space in the den, and they couldn’t figure out an approach that would keep their first floor functional. The couple had added a large closet to the family room during the kitchen remodel, but didn’t know if it would work as a separate shower space.

So they reached out to Tony Roeder of the construction company Marion Street Services. Roeder had worked on a project for the Muhlenbergs’ neighbors who were also looking to age in place in their Oak Park home.

Elisabeth Muhlenberg says seeing what their neighbors did with a similarly-aged home was inspiring.

“It was beautiful and intelligent work,” she said. “It let us know that we could do this.”

Roeder, who has been involved in the construction industry for roughly 40 years, says that he has experience with clients of a certain age who need to make changes to make their homes work for them in a new stage in life.

“We always end up at an intersection with our aging clients where we need to come up with solutions,” Roeder said.

He presented the Muhlenbergs with six different options. They say that Roeder took the time to walk them through all of the ramifications of putting a shower in different areas, including the costs associated with each option.

“Some of the options cost up to $35,000, which we did not want to spend,” Elisabeth said.

Roeder says that keeping costs in check is part of his job.

He says that there are always areas that require money and those where savings can be implemented. At the end of the day, he says a solution can sometimes be found that costs less than the expense of a month in assisted living.

The Muhlenbergs chose the option of putting a shower

ALEX ROGALS/Staff Photographer

The Muhlenbergs decided to convert a large first-floor closet into an accessible shower room with a freestanding shower chair. into their large first floor closet, rather than attaching it to their powder room.

“The interesting thing is, it’s kind of temporary,” Roeder said. “It could be removed by the next owner of the home.”

He researched to find a pre-molded, ADA-accessible shower base, and lined the space in fiber-reinforced plastic on all four walls. Wood trim was replaced with PVC to make the room water tight.

Choosing a shower chair and deciding where to put grab bars are important decisions that Roeder says clients should weigh in on. While the Muhlenbergs originally thought they wanted a wall-mounted shower chair, he was able to find a few chairs for them to try through the Oak Park Township’s exchange program. They were able to determine that a freestanding chair was the best option.

In addition to design decisions, Roeder says that putting in new plumbing involves a lot of code issues, but he finds the village of Oak Park is willing to work on an unusual project like this. He says of Steve Cutaia, chief building official and ADA coordinator for Oak Park, “He met us there, and made sure we made it work.”

g n a H e r e in th k r a P Oak

Cutaia says it is his job to work on all projects, even those that are outside the box.

“We’re always open-minded and always accommodating,” Cutaia said. “Permits are there for the homeowner’s protection to make sure whatever does get installed is checked by a few sets of eyes.”

Roeder states that he went through an aging transition with his own parents in the past and that he realizes there is a sensitivity to making changes like these.

“You need to meet people at these crossroads,” Roeder said. “This house is like a family member, and they want to be there.”

As the Muhlenbergs’ project was completed last week, John reports that having the shower has returned a sense of independence. Elisabeth says that feeling of independence was a motivating factor.

“You can age in place with a caregiver or someone helping, and you can cope with sponge baths,” Elisabeth said.

“You can work around it, but it’s not a good solution. Seeing the work that Tony has done convinced us that this was the way to go.”

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Wednesday Journal, February 2, 2022

@ @OakPark

SPORTS Marist runs out to big lead, coasts past Trinity

Blazers outscored 20-0 to start game against area power

By MELVIN TATE Contributing Reporter

The Trinity High School basketball team entered its game with Marist High School Jan. 29 feeling confident, having won four of its previous five games.

“The intensity in practice has gone up,” said Trinity coach Kim Coleman of the Blazers’ recent success.

“We’re competing in drills, and the coaches are participating and making the girls work.”

But the Redhawks, one of the Chicago area’s top programs, scored the game’s first 20 points en route to a decisive 69-36 victory over the host Blazers.

“Marist is a seasoned and experienced team that’s well-coached,” Coleman said. “I think this was good for us to get experience against an elite team before the conference and state tournaments.”

Marist junior forward Elise Ward caused a lot of damage to the Blazers (11-9) with a game-high 26 points.

“She did a good job of moving off the basketball and doing whatever her team needed her to do,” Coleman said.

But the young Trinity team continued to battle. After falling behind 20-0, the Blazers closed the first quarter with an 8-2 run. Then Trinity started the third quarter with a 9-4 spurt before Marist (17-6) slammed the door shut with a 19-3 run that necessitated a running clock for the final eight minutes.

“I definitely saw some good moments,” Coleman said despite the 33-point loss. “It was a great opportunity to work on our stuff and expose us to what we need to work on. The mission is to compete in the conference tournament and make a run in the state.”

Sophomore forward Lauren Miller had a team-high 15 points for the Blazers, while Sophia Rodriguez added seven points and Maeve Lundt five.

The Marist game opened the Midwest Hoops Spotlight Invitational hosted by Trinity. With high-quality programs such as Barrington, Fremd, Kenwood, Marist and Stevenson participating this year, Coleman believes this has the potential to become an annual event.

“It’s nice to have all these elite teams in our building,” she said. “We’re going to get stuff rolling for next year.”

On Jan. 28, the Blazers routed visiting Amundsen 5820. Miller had 23 points, 11 rebounds, and three steals in the victory. Lundt had eight points, four rebounds, and three steals, while Lucy Kwiatkowski added six points, four rebounds, four assists and five steals.

SHANLE ROMAIN/Contributor

Trinity sophomore Lauren Miller (11) scored 15 points in the Blazers’ loss to Marist on Jan. 29 in River Forest. The previous day, she scored 23 as Trinity defeated Amundsen.

OPRF names varsity softball, boys water polo coaches Both were assistants who will provide ‘seamless transition’

By MELVIN TATE Contributing Reporter

Oak Park and River Forest High School announced Jan. 28 the hiring of two varsity head coaches for the school’s athletic program.

Bailey Wendt, an Oak Park native, takes the reins as varsity boys water polo coach, taking over for John Rapp, who retired after the spring 2021 season. Wendt served as Rapp’s assistant for the last two seasons, a fact which OPRF Athletic Director Nicole Ebsen said played a role in his hiring.

“Coach Wendt comes highly recommended and is well-respected in the world of aquatics,” she stated in a press release issued by the school. “His prior experience with the team for the past few seasons will ensure a seamless transition.”

Wendt had a distinguished playing career

in both high school and college.

He merited All-American status while at OPRF’s crosstown rival, Fenwick High School, and was a captain at Indiana University, making the All-Big Ten team twice.

BAILEY WENDT “I’m grateful to have had the privilege of growing up in Oak Park,” said Wendt in the press release. “I’m looking forward to sharing my passion for water polo and the valuable life lessons the sport has taught me with the student-athletes.”

During Rapp’s final season as head coach last spring, the OPRF boys finished with a 10-9 record, a campaign highlighted by defeating Fenwick in the IHSA sectional semifinal round after losing to the Friars twice during the regular season. The Huskies 2021 season ended in the sectional finals against York High School.

Coughlin named softball coach

team forward without any disruptions,” she said in the release. “J.P. is rooted in Long a presence in the OPRF athletic OPRFHS and will do an outstanding job program, J.P. Coughlin -- who stepped of continuing the program’s tradition of down as varsity girls basketball coach last success.” spring -- is back leading another Huskies A 1997 OPRF graduate who played baseteam. ball under the late, legendary Jack Kaiser, Coughlin, a varsity softball assistant for Coughlin’s coaching career started in 2006 several years will succeed Mel as a varsity assistant for girls Kolbusz, who retired last sumbasketball. He took over as girls mer after a 35-year career at basketball head coach in 2012, a OPRF, including the last 29 seaspot he held for eight seasons. sons as head coach.

Coughlin began working in “Replacing Coach Kolbusz, the Huskies’ softball program the best softball coach in the in 2013, serving as a coach of history of the IHSA, is an honthe freshman team. Three years or and privilege I cherish,” said later, he became an assistant on Coughlin in a press release.

Kolbusz’s varsity staff, helpWith three IHSA state chaming guide OPRF to consecutive J.P. COUGHLIN pionships, the Huskies have IHSA championships in 2016 had a long history of winning and 2017. on the diamond, and Ebsen was looking an “This is an incredible softball commuindividual who would maintain the tradinity and at the center of it all are our intion.

“We were conscious of looking for credible student-athletes,” Coughlin said. someone who would be able to carry the “I cannot wait to get to work.”

Wednesday Journal, February 2, 2022

VIEWPOINTS

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

19

Larry Christmas was a regional planning legend p. 21

We can teach this old dog new tricks

O

ver the past several months, I’ve had some tight lower back pain, which has limited my mobility. After consulting my doctor and stretching, I just couldn’t shake it, so I decided to try something new for me. I’ve started to get a massage every two weeks. My friend Rick is a massage therapist. Before this, I’ve gotten maybe one or two massages in my whole life. After six weeks, I’ve noticed improvements in my back pain and tightness.

Last week, as I began a massage lying face-down, Rick rubbed from behind my right knee down the back of my right calf. About halfway, he hit a spot that made me flinch. My knee-jerk reaction (no pun intended) was to tighten up, clench my fists, hold my breath and grit my teeth.

Lying on the massage table, anticipating my next flinch, I had a thought: Why not try to breathe through it rather than tense up?

The next time Rick rubbed down the back of my calf, I didn’t hold my breath, I didn’t make a fist and I didn’t clench my teeth. I did the opposite — opened my hands, relaxed my jaw and breathed through the tight spot. I breathed in deeply, did not hold the breath and just pushed it right out through my lips. I still tightened up just a bit as Rick’s hands passed over that spot, but I didn’t cling to my tightening.

As I lay on the massage table, thinking about breathing through things, I realized a parallel between my massage and aging in my “last third.” In my life, there will always be spots that make me want to clench and grip tight and cling. There is and will be loss and grief as well as joy. Rather than knee-jerk out of habit, I can open my hands and live through the tight spots, the difficulties, and try to experience them in a different way.

Conscious aging affords us the opportunity to live with intention, not just as knee-jerk reaction. We have the choice of how to respond.

Then as I lay on the table, another parallel between my massage and my aging popped into my head.

What a productive hour! It’s not just how we breathe through our experiences, it’s also what experiences we are open to. Life can get better as we age, even with inevitable losses and hardships. If we expect our lives to go downhill as we age, we will be beholden to routine and boredom. Let’s age with the courage necessary to consider new things all the way through to the end.

Our aging selves can learn new attitudes, and we can teach this old dog new tricks.

MARC BLESOFF

AFFORDABILITY: The new 801 Building on Oak Park Avenue, offers affordable housing in South Oak. PROVIDED

Stable, accessible affordable housing for all

E

ven before the coronavirus pandemic, millions of America’s lowest-income and most marginalized households — people of color, seniors, veterans, people with disabilities, low-wage workers — were just one financial shock away from falling behind on their rent and threatened with eviction, and in worst cases, homelessness.

With growing housing costs and stagnant incomes for low-wage workers, too many renters — including in Illinois — are living paycheck-topaycheck and at imminent risk of losing their homes. According to the National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC), nearly 8 million of the lowest-income households pay more than half of their limited incomes on rent, leaving very little for other basic needs, such as groceries, child care, or medicines.

To combat this crisis and ensure that all households have stable, accessible, and affordable homes, Congress should expand rental assistance, preserve public housing, and provide robust resources to build new affordable homes for the lowest-income people through the national Housing Trust Fund.

The “Build Back Better Act” is a historic opportunity for Congress to improve health, advance racial equity, address climate change, and strengthen the economy. Build Back Better’s investment in housing infrastructure must not be abandoned. Our Illinois Congressional delegation needs to stand strong in ensuring that affordable housing investments are a key part of any new compromise version of the Build Back Better Act. Today’s housing crisis reflects the structural disparity between growing housing costs and inadequate incomes for far too many people in America. With insufficient federal investments in housing assistance and in the creation and preservation of affordable housing, not a single state or congressional district in the country has enough affordable homes to meet the needs of people with the lowest incomes,

disproportionately people of color.

In Illinois there are only four rental homes affordable and available for every 10 lowestincome renters. Working at the minimum wage of $13 per hour in Cook County, a wage earner needs to work 1.7 full-time jobs or 68 hours per week to afford a modest one-bedroom apartment. They must work two full-time jobs or work 80 hours per week to afford a two-bedroom apartment. Despite the clear and urgent need, only one in four households who qualify for housing assistance receives it, due to decades of chronic underfunding by Congress.

Congress must act now to advance bold housing solutions that move our nation toward universal, stable, and affordable homes for everyone — by salvaging the Build Back Better Act. Housing Forward and the NLIHC advocate for four solutions to America’s housing crisis: ■ expanding rental assistance to every eligible household; ■ increasing the supply of affordable housing for people with the lowest incomes; ■ providing emergency housing assistance to help stabilize families in a crisis; and ■ strengthening and enforcing robust renter protections.

The Build Back Better Act is our best opportunity to advance bold housing solutions to help guarantee those with the greatest needs have affordable homes. Expanding rental assistance and building and preserving more affordable homes will have a broad and positive impact on racial equity, education, health care, economic mobility, and poverty-reduction.

Affordable housing can help close the education gap because children learn better and are more likely to graduate when they live in stable, affordable homes. Affordable housing has been linked to prevention of long-term health problems and promotes healthy, productive lives. Affordable

LYNDA SCHULER One View

See SCHULER on page 23

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Wednesday Journal, February 2, 2022

O U R

I

V I E W P O I N T S

What it takes to bridge the national divide

V I E W S

Consolidating Catholics

t was way Catholic, Friday evening, with a surreal Zoom blend as the Archdiocese of Chicago announced its plans for merging Oak Park’s four Catholic parishes into two.

There was a hymn. A reading from scripture. Prayers from the three remaining pastors of those four Oak Park parishes. Finally, about 25 minutes in, came the long-awaited word that St. Giles and St. CatherineSt. Lucy parishes would “unite” into one. And Ascension and St. Edmund would become joined.

This all takes place July 1 when two of the current men running existing parishes become concurrent pastors of two conjoined parishes with the intention of not driving off more of the faithful but instead “evangelizing” the 75 percent of Catholics who have wandered back into the pews.

The new pastors will also figure out how to merge staffs — administration, music, religious ed — schedule masses and build a shared culture.

That is a big job.

As close observers expected, it is St. Catherine-St. Lucy, 38 N. Austin Blvd., Oak Park-based but more Austin oriented, that will be diminished in this consolidation. Now deemed a “sacred space” rather than a church, it is to be determined if Sunday Mass will be offered regularly there. Sincere but vague ideas that St. Catherine-St. Lucy will be supported by all Oak Park Catholics in a mission to serve the West Side were intoned but will need some serious flesh on the bone.

With all four old, lovely and expensive churches still open, we wonder, as we long have, if Cardinal Blase Cupich’s Renew My Church plan is just a step toward actually shuttering church buildings. There are too few parishioners already. The number of priests will only drop as they age. These buildings are expensive to heat and maintain. Is this model sustainable?

It’s encouraging that all three local Catholic elementary schools will continue, with St. Giles School and Ascension School deemed as the official “parish-governed” schools of the two new parishes. The powerful and persevering St. Catherine-St. Lucy School will continue in its own sphere, with critical backing from the Big Shoulders Fund and from its innovative and generous alliance with Fenwick High School.

Change is hard. Every priest and bishop who spoke over Zoom Friday night said that in some way. Not changing is simply not an option for an institution that is declining and needs an infusion. The authorities are counting on the Holy Spirit. There have been worse bets made.

Things to feel good about Here’s a quick handful of happy items. You can go back to feeling glum later: ■ Judith Alexander, the determined leader of all things North Avenue, received the Rabbi Leonard Mervis Award for Social Justice from Oak Park Temple this weekend. She is the ultimate advocate for a too-often-ignored street.

■ Richard Christiansen, who you will remember as the chief critic for decades at the Chicago Tribune, died over the weekend at age 90. He spent 20 years before that at the great Chicago Daily News. He was also an Oak Park kid, graduated from OPRF in 1949, and in 1984 he deservedly earned has his place in its Tradition of Excellence display.

■ Five years in for Charlie Meyerson and his Chicago Public Square daily e-newsletter. A respected, OK, maybe beloved, Chicago journalist going back to his tenure on WXRT, Meyerson’s Public Square is required reading each morning for thousands. And he was the first person to tell WJ that the future was in email lists.

■ Three great Oak Park entrepreneurs — Spilt Milk bakery’s Meg Svec and Molly Svec and Majamas Earth’s Germaine Caprio — won $10,000 grants from the BMO Celebrating Women grant program. These are innovators who also give a ton back to their hometowns.

■ Finally, we can’t overlook the recent retirement of Jessica Mackinnon from Dominican University. The longtime PR/communications person, Mackinnon found the sweet spot between pitching us really good stories and always opening doors at the school when the stories were complex and, once in a great while, difficult.

That’s all the good news for now.

My thought this particular moment is about a tenacious robin attacking itself in the glass of my home-office window. It does not understand it’s seeing itself in the glass and will continue to strike because neither the bird nor its reflection will give up the fight.

Norman Minnick

M

Quarantine Poem #17 Sun Magazine

He thought that was a “dodge.” He clearly thought I was the problem. I wasn’t listening, he said. I came off as arrogant and intolerant of other points of view.

Funny, I said, that’s exactly how I would describe conservatives. In fact, he seemed to be not listening just as aggressively as he claimed I wasn’t listening to him.

It takes two to divide, and I’ve found that opposing sides tend to be mirror images of the other. One’s right is another’s left. One side thinks the opposition is arrogant, intolerant and elitist. So does the other side. Elitists vs. elitists, both sides angrily accusing the other of being elitist.

You can see this mirror in our letters section. Conservative letter-writers say liberals sound mean-spirited and demeaning — even hateful. But in doing so, they usually sound meanspirited and demeaning — even hateful. When we look in the mirror, we don’t see ourselves. We see our mirror images — our ideological enemies. Maybe that’s why we continue to be our own worst enemies.

We can’t see the mote in our own eye.

Can this divide be bridged? Sure, but both sides have to want to build it. It has to come from both ends and meet in the middle. Neither side is ready. Conservatives — in my opinion — believe they can win the Culture War, so they have no interest in meeting liberals halfway. Liberals — again in my opinion — believe victory will be theirs in the long run. All they have to do is outlast the opposition. In the short-run both sides are girding to repel the attack they believe the other side will launch against their most deeply held beliefs — that if they don’t win, they’ll be annihilated.

That’s not a gulf one columnist can bridge alone.

But my breakfast companion was really trying to tell me that I need to be able to communicate to both sides of the divide.

That’s a good, constructive challenge, so my first attempt is to challenge conservatives to do a better job of listening to liberals. And, to be fair, liberals need to do a better job of listening to conservatives.

Here’s the test: Answer the following question, yes or no (“Yes, but ...” and “No, but ...” are not allowed).

“Do liberals have something of value to contribute to the national dialogue on values?” My answer to the mirror side of that question, for the record, is an unequivocal “Yes, conservatives have much to add to the values dialogue.” I’ll even take it a step further.

Liberals have much to learn from listening to conservatives.

How about it, conservatives? Do liberals have anything to add? Can you learn anything by listening to them?

If you answer “yes” without the “but,” bridgebuilding begins.

You’ve heard my answer. Now we need to hear yours. *** Seventeen years later, I’m still waiting for that answer.

And the only people I ever hear saying we need to end this Culture War through disarmed dialogue are people on the center-left.

Please prove me wrong.

KEN

TRAINOR

any Americans just want the Culture War to go away.

But the battle has been with us for at least 30 years — since Pat Buchanan’s fiery speech at the 1992 Republican Convention — though I think it goes all the way back to the Vietnam War in the ’60s, and possibly to this country’s very beginning. I’ve been addressing it in this paper since June 30, 1993 (“State of the nation — impeding America’s impediment to growth”) when I wrote: “I try not to delve into politics too often because in the current climate, if people don’t agree with you, they don’t agree to disagree. They call you the AntiChrist. This has a certain inhibiting effect on public discourse.”

Well, of course I did continue to delve into politics over the last three decades because it seemed unavoidable. In that same column, I wrote, “We characterize differences of opinion as grounds for treason and seem convinced that our point of view is the whole truth and nothing but the truth and America’s only hope for salvation.” That still applies.

And this was several years before the internet appeared — and more than a decade before Facebook.

So I’ve written about the Culture War many times, sometimes conciliatory, sometimes angry and judgmental, but often I sought dialogue. Here’s an early effort (Jan. 5, 2005) that went nowhere:

How do you build a bridge? Do you start from one end and build all the way over to the other side? Or do you start from both ends and meet in the middle?

Some bridges are literal, some are metaphorical.

Building a metaphorical bridge and building a literal bridge are likely very different propositions. Both sides, first of all, have to want the bridge built. Step two is being willing to work with “the other side” in building it.

Recently, I was invited to breakfast by a “conservative” who doesn’t like being branded by such labels.

I can’t blame him. What liberals mean by “conservative” and what conservatives mean by “liberal” tend to be pretty distorted.

But he was more than happy to apply labels to me.

He said I was a divider, not a uniter. He told me my job as a columnist is to build bridges, not aggravate the division.

I replied that I reflected the division that already existed and to some extent represented one side of it.

The division is real and needs to be understood before anything can be done about it. And the divide has two sides. Both sides are part of the problem, not just liberals.

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Chicago region’s ‘Larry Legend’

ust as Larry Bird was the NBA’s Larry Legend, the late Larry Christmas was the Larry Legend of Chicago area regional planning.

Oak Parkers know Larry as one of the greatest Oak Park village presidents along with Sarah Bode and Jim McClure. What they don’t know is Larry Christmas’ pivotal role in regional planning at the Metropolitan Housing and Planning Council and the Northeastern Illinois Planning Commission (NIPC).

The book Beyond Burnham: An Illustrated History of Planning for the Chicago Region recounts Larry’s exploits on behalf of sound regional planning. Larry served as NIPC research director in the 1960s and developed NIPC’s “Finger Plan” to significantly curtail suburban sprawl in the face of very effective opposition and race-baiting tactics by the Winnetka-based Save Our Suburbs (SOS).

As NIPC’s planning director, Larry led the efforts in 1976 to deny Oak Brook federal funds that required NIPC approval for road improvements adjacent to the Oak Brook Mall. He did so because Oak Brook was seeking to become a major employment center while excluding housing affordable to most of the people who would work there. The opposition to NIPC’s position was fierce. An evenly divided NIPC Larry Christmas, 1970s, planning director for NIPC board eventually rejected Larry’s staff recommendation when the city of Chicago turned against it Oak Brook, of course, was among the wealthy because Mayor Daley the First feared that taking communities that opposed this plan. Following his discriminatory housing practices into account could retirement from NIPC in 1992, Larry very acculead to federal funds being denied to deliberatelyrately dubbed Oak Brook the “ultimate product of segregated Chicago (I attended that meeting). tax-based planning” that obstructs regional planLarry left NIPC to head the Metropolitan Housing ning goals. He told the Chicago Reader, “It’s like and Planning Council which, partly Monopoly — a wonderful board game, due to the foundations he built there, but all but one player loses,” referring has evolved into the highly respected to Oak Brook’s ability to enjoy massive Metropolitan Planning Council, which property and sales tax growth while has become a vocal advocate for affordstruggling towns got little or nothing able and integrated housing. from all the development. “I have no In 1980 Larry was named executive objection to some local governments director of NIPC, just as the Reagan winning more than others, but I do administration gutted federal fundobject to having the losers lose so draing for regional planning, producing matically.” Oak Park was one of those a financial and political crisis that losers, no longer a regional shopping shuttered the doors of many regional center as Oak Brook’s regional mall planning agencies. But Larry reshaped grew in part due to subsidies from our NIPC’s mission as its staff plummeted tax dollars. from a high of 150 in the mid-1970s to All this, of course, was on top of just 30. He moved quickly to rework Larry’s key roles as chair of the Oak NIPC’s image and expand support for Park Plan Commission where his skills local governments. Larry used his helped save what would become the knowledge of urban forces to steer it award-winning Comprehensive Plan LARRY CHRISTMAS in new directions. His efforts enabled 1979, as village trustee, and as village Regional planner it to exist until 2007, ending 50 years as president. the heart of regional planning here.

Larry Christmas’ positive influence Larry guided the organization to creon regional and local planning created ate new types of “interjurisdictional a legacy that few can match. It’s no solutions.” NIPC created the first “corwonder that he has long been “Larry ridor council” in the nation to address Legend” to us city and regional planthe impacts of extending the North-South Tollway ners in northeastern Illinois. There will never be (I-355) into central Lake County. He steered NIPC another like him. into a leadership role in conservation to address the Daniel Lauber, AICP, was Oak Park’s senior planner loss of natural habitat, farmland conservation, and and principle author of Oak Park’s Comprehensive biodiversity. Perhaps most importantly, he launched Plan 1979. He has served as president of the American a two-year project, the “Strategic Plan for Land Planning Association and of the American Institute Resource Management,” which sought to eliminate of Certified Planners. incentives that foster suburban sprawl.

DAN

LAUBER One View

“I have no objection to some local governments winning more than others, but I do object to having the losers lose so dramatically.”

Wednesday Journal, February 2, 2022

W E D N E S D A Y

JOURNAL of Oak Park and River Forest

Editor and Publisher Dan Haley Senior Editor Bob Uphues Equity Editor/Ombudsman Michael Romain Digital Publishing and Technology Manager Briana Higgins Staff Reporters Stacey Sheridan, F. Amanda Tugade Staff Photographer Alex Rogals Viewpoints Editor Ken Trainor Real Estate Editor Lacey Sikora Food Editor Melissa Elsmo Columnists Marc Blesoff, Jack Crowe, Doug Deuchler, Mary Kay O’Grady, Kwame Salter, John Stanger, Stan West Design/Production Manager Andrew Mead Editorial Design Manager Javier Govea Designer Susan McKelvey Business Manager Joyce Minich Marketing Representatives Marc Stopeck, Lourdes Nicholls Development Manager Mary Ellen Nelligan Development & Sales Coordinator Stacy Coleman Circulation Manager Jill Wagner E-MAIL jill@oakpark.com Chairman Emeritus Robert K. Downs BOARD OF DIRECTORS Chair Judy Greffin Treasurer Nile Wendorf Deb Abrahamson, Gary Collins, Darnell Shields, Sheila Solomon, Eric Weinheimer

About Viewpoints Our mission is to lead educated conversation about the people, government, schools, businesses and culture of Oak Park and River Forest. As we share the consensus of Wednesday Journal’s editorial board on local matters, we hope our voice will help focus your thinking and, when need be, fire you to action.

In a healthy conversation about community concerns, your voice is also vital.

We welcome your views, on any topic of community interest, as essays and as letters to the editor. Noted here are our stipulations for filing.

Please understand our verification process and circumstances that would lead us not to print a letter or essay. We will call to check that what we received with your signature is something you sent. If we can’t make that verification, we will not print what was sent. When, in addition to opinion, a letter or essay includes information presented as fact, we will check the reference. If we cannot confirm a detail, we may not print the letter or essay.

If you have questions, email Viewpoints editor Ken Trainor at ktrainor@wjinc.com.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

‘ONE VIEW’ ESSAY

■ 250-word limit

■ 500-word limit

■ Must include first and last names,

■ One-sentence footnote about yourself,

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

■ Signature details as at left

your connection to the topic

Email Ken Trainor at ktrainor@wjinc.com or mail to Wednesday Journal, Viewpoints, 141 S. Oak Park Ave., Oak Park, IL 60302

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ADDRESS 141 S Oak Park Ave., Oak ParkIL 60302 ■ PHONE 708-5248300 EMAIL Dan@OakPark.com ■ ONLINE www.OakPark.com Wednesday Journal is published digitally and in print by Growing Community Media NFP. The newspaper is available on newsstands for $1.00.

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OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

School nurses deserve appreciation and admiration

mong the many heroes in our communities who deserve appreciation in ways great and small, the amazing individuals who serve as school nurses deserve tremendous gratitude.

The role of the school nurse has always been incredibly challenging. During the pandemic, the particular challenges have increased many-fold — and yet the school nurses in our midst continue to serve the needs of our students, families, and school staff without hesitation.

During “normal times,” school nurses are asked to manage student medications and records, support students with complex medical needs, respond to medical emergencies, communicate with families, comply with state reporting requirements,

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Wednesday Journal, February 2, 2022

soothe bruised feelings, and foster a climate of safety and wellness.

Pandemic responsibilities have expanded the role to include contact tracing, COVID-19 screening, and outbreak testing, collaborating with local and state health agencies, supporting vaccination efforts, aggregating and reporting health data, and ensuring that extensive safety protocols are prioritized and followed. Because of daily responsibilities when students are present at school, many of these tasks must now be completed in the evening, on weekends, and during holiday times so that these additional details are addressed in a timely way.

An example of this dedication occurred

ED

CONDON One View

D200’s proposed borrowing is undemocratic

n last week’s Wednesday Journal cover story, District 200 Superintendent Greg Johnson omits key information regarding the cash reserve (our stockpiled property tax dollars) and his administration’s recommendation to issue debt certificates, the bottom-of-the-barrel of funding tools.

D200 has never stooped so low as to issue debt certificates at any time in the school’s history. They represent the greatest funding affront to taxpayers, as debt certificates would enable the high school to bypass taxpayers for funding approval and deny taxpayers any recourse to put the funding on the ballot, making D200 unaccountable to taxpayers on spending.

In short, debt certificates are undemocratic. They even cost more to borrow than bonds. Johnson mentions none of that in the Jan. 13 board meeting nor in the Jan. 18 Community Finance Committee meeting.

The administration recommends that the board borrow $20 million to address projects in the 10-year maintenance plan.

Johnson fails to mention that the budget already includes $4-6 million annually for maintenance. There’s a false narrative being pushed at the board table that D200 hasn’t been spending sufficiently on maintenance and improvements when the school has spent north of $125 million in the last two decades.

One place the school has been intentionally negligent is the maintenance of its pools. FOIA responses reveal that D200 has addressed none of the repairs outlined in the January 2016 Larson Report, including an “urgent” repair cited in the August 2021 report. The engineering reports state that

during the recent Winter Break in River Forest District 90 schools. Because of the recent omicron surge, the D90 school nurses spent much of their vacation responding to needs from the school community about COVID-19 matters, performing contact tracing, and ensuring accurate reporting to our local health department. While this level of commitment is impressive enough when exhibited for a short stint, the pandemic has required this heightened level of commitment for a very long time. D90 nurses have responded to this call with aplomb.

River Forest District 90 is exceedingly fortunate to have highly experienced nurses in our schools who accomplish

these repairs are needed to safely continue using the pools.

D200 has $96 million in its cash reserve. Johnson fails to mention that district only needs to keep $25 million in reserve to earn the highest financial rating from the Illinois State Board of Education. At least $70 million of the surplus reserve could be used for maintenance needs or returned to taxpayers. No borrowing is needed. The surplus tax dollars are earning so little in interest, 0.01-0.03% annually, making the borrowing recommendation ridiculous.

D200 wants taxpayers to pay at least $320,000 a year in interest for 20 years to borrow $20 million when it could use the money sitting idle in the reserve. Should the state ever push new financial obligations onto school districts, D200 should address it at that time. The same hypothetical, fear-mongering scenario was used in 2005 when D200 took advantage of a tax loophole to siphon off unauthorized taxpayer dollars to amass a cash reserve surpassing $130 million.

D200 plans to take advantage of current inflation (highest in decades) and hike the 2022 tax levy to the full 5% to pay for the debt certificates, raising taxes significantly while hiking the base for future levies. This would impact homeowners and renters alike. Moreover, the levy hike would result in a budget surplus that D200 proposes to use with cash reserves to fund Project 2 and its 17-lane pool and 600-seat natatorium, bypassing voters.

The board vote on debt certificates has been postponed to February 24. Tell the board (boe@oprfhs.org) to vote “no” to debt certificates.

Monica Sheehan is a resident of Oak Park.

MONICA SHEEHAN One View

everything described above on a daily basis and more. The D90 Nursing Team — school nurses Pam Clink, Erin Godellas, Gina Hardy, and Alex Habenicht, and Infection Control Officer Sam Martini — consists of dedicated individuals who deserve tremendous respect and admiration for the job they are doing to ensure that our schools remain safe, supportive, and caring places for all.

Without this foundation, maintaining the D90 goal of excellence in teaching and learning would never be possible.

Please join our entire school community in celebrating and appreciating the vital contributions that school nurses make each day.

Ed Condon, PhD, is the superintendent of River Forest District 90 schools.

Remembering Larry Christmas My connection to Larry dates from my high school years in the late 1970s when, soon after he moved to Oak Park, he started playing tennis regularly with my father. He was a loyal friend to my dad as well as to the rest of us, and it has been my privilege to have been in touch with him during all of the following decades.

In the spring of 1977 when my parents traveled in Europe, he and Sylvia generously invited me to stay in their home near Taylor Park. I remember sitting at the kitchen table reading the newspaper and admiring how Larry was able to explain the likely meaning of some of the political statements I was reading. On a more personal level he was encouraging and assured me that a person’s vocation wasn’t necessarily one path that needed to be discovered but many possible “ideal” paths. He seemed quite happy to have chosen planning and felt that his work in transportation planning was making some positive difference.

I wasn’t in Oak Park much during the years that Larry was village president (1993-97), but I recall that he sought to preserve Oak Park’s walkable and bikeable features. He also supported liberal-

izing the prevailing strict rules for restaurant alcohol licenses. When he and his wife moved to the Hemingway District, they were able to enjoy being close to the library and the diverse restaurants, some of which were established during his tenure.

Larry regularly attended live classical concerts and as a host was sure to match the composer to the conversation.

He was an avid reader of literary fiction and read many European authors; some of his picks became favorites of mine. He always seemed to be interested in people, in what motivated the people he knew. In this regard, he was a good listener and showed a big heart. His style was softspoken, and his comments were pithy and quietly helpful.

More than most people I know, Larry worried about the condition of his community and the planet. When I saw him in January, he told me he wasn’t flying anymore because flying was so bad for the climate. He said this without regret.

He seemed so grounded, at home in Oak Park.

Susan Subak Oak Park

River Forest’s participation trophy

When my son played Little League, the adults decided not to keep score. The boys knew if they won or lost, but “we” were supposed to tell our sons “everyone” played their best!

Last year, Wednesday Journal awarded River Forest’s Diversity Equity and Inclusion Advisory Group (DEI AG) their

Villagers of the Year (yes, a group of 40+).

DEI AG hasn’t done a darn thing. We haven’t scored one run.

Participation trophies are nice, but shouldn’t we expect more?

Mindy Credi

River Forest

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OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

A rising tide of antisemitism

Groundhog Day We opened the door, we closed the door We’ll do it again, just like before The virus is back, we can’t ignore

The synagogue hostage taken in Colleyville, Texas; the vandalism at a synagogue and a Jewish school in Chicago; a school board banning the graphic novel Maus; windows smashed at Chicagoarea, Jewish-owned businesses on Shabbat, all of this occurred in the past month, part of a rising tide of antisemitism in this country.

This is not just an “over there” problem either.

At recent meetings of the Oak Park Village Board, public comments were made multiple times likening the village’s COVID protocols to Nazi Germany.

This kind of loose talk is unacceptable at any time.

But particularly as these comments came just days before International Holocaust Remembrance Day, they are heartless. This kind of rhetoric minimizes and trivializes the Holocaust. Trivialization is a form of Holocaust denial. It is unacceptable.

I have been careful not to name or otherwise identify who made these comments because though such comments are unacceptable and must not go unchallenged, this problem goes far beyond individual commenters at one local board meeting.

Antisemitism is a major problem in our country and it is growing worse. Our Jewish neighbors have been saying this for years. It’s time for people of goodwill to become educated and active on this.

Tools and resources are easy to find at www.adl.org.

On Groundhog Day People respond, as people do Help us stay safe, tell us what to do Or you’re not my boss, I won’t listen to you On Groundhog Day We took off the mask, we put on the mask Such a little thing, is it too much to ask?

Our hopes have been raised, our hopes have been dashed On Groundhog Day The ERs were empty, and then they were packed The shelves were empty, the shelves once stacked Stores only take charge, they won’t take cash On Groundhog Day Will we rejoice or live in fear Or will this become normal? It isn’t clear What will it be when we get to next year On Groundhog Day?

Gary Mark Belenke Oak Park

Excellent piece on COVID testing sites

Rev. John Edgerton

Lead Pastor, First United Church of Oak Park President, Community of Congregations

Another spiritual guide for your list

My thanks to Stacey Sheridan for her excellent piece of journalism on the COVID testing confusion [Complaints put pop-up COVID testing sites under scrutiny, News, Jan. 19]. She was able to tie all the moving parts of the story together in a factual, logical manner. The interspersing of personal anecdotes made it even more readable. Perfect punctuation, too. Yes, some of us notice! Kudos, and I hope to read more of her articles soon.

I enjoyed your column last week about spiritual leaders [Who will fill the void? Ken Trainor, Viewpoints, Jan. 26]. You might consider adding another — Brother Jim Fogarty of the Brothers and Sisters of Love. He, with a few others, get involved, intervening with the gangs in Chicago. He’s had a very positive effect. https://www.brothersandsistersoflove.com.

Forest Park

Oak Park

Ellen Waterman

SCHULER from page 19 housing supports economic mobility, allowing lowincome people to climb the income ladder and achieve financial stability. By providing housing assistance, we can reduce poverty, increase stability for vulnerable households, and help avert homelessness, institutionalization, and incarceration. These critical investments have a proven track record of reducing homelessness and housing poverty, and are vital for helping the lowest-income people afford decent, stable, accessible housing.

America is in the grips of an affordable housing cri-

Jay Champelli

sis, severely impacting the most marginalized and lowest-income people. The Build Back Better Act proposes a long-overdue investment in the country’s affordable housing infrastructure, including the NLIHC priorities of $15 billion for the national Housing Trust Fund to build, preserve and rehabilitate apartments affordable to the lowest-income people, $65 billion to repair and preserve public housing throughout the country, and $25 billion to expand rental assistance to help 300,000 more households afford to keep roofs over their heads. The Build Back Better Act provides a unique opportunity for Congress to begin to end homelessness and housing poverty in America, once and for all.

Lynda Schuler is the executive director of Housing Forward, which provides shelter for the homeless and facilitates transitional housing for their clients.

Wednesday Journal, February 2, 2022

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My hangouts: from Acadia to Rich’s basement

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rom my sophomore through senior year of high school, there were four places that I considered my hangouts.

Often on my way home from school during sophomore year, my friend Joe and I stopped at the Acadia Restaurant on the east side of Oak Park Avenue across from Scoville Park. I would have a soft drink, and Joe would have a cup of coffee and smoke two or three cigarettes.

Even though the Acadia was an ok place for many, my time at this hangout ended in February of my sophomore year when I told Joe that I didn’t want to go there anymore because the place was filled with cigarette smoke.

Joe suggested that we go to Gilmore’s, which was on the southwest corner of Lake and Oak Park Avenue.

Gilmore’s was a department store with a cafeteria on the second floor.

When we went there, I again had a soft drink and Joe had a cup of coffee and three cigarettes. This is why he was known as “Smoky Joe.” I stopped going to Gilmore’s at the end of the school year, but Joe stayed there until the end of our senior year.

My next hangout was the Zehender and Factor Pharmacy on the southwest corner of Chicago and Marion. My buddies Charlie, Bob, Steve and I went there on weekends. There was little smoke and it was generally quiet. Most of the guys who came here would sit at the counter, have a soft drink or milk shake and not smoke.

I once asked Mr. Zehender how he learned to make fountain creations, and he told me that in pharmacy school he took a semester course in soda-jerking.

A major highlight of the pharmacy was the huge selection of magazines and comic books. Neither Mr. Zehender nor Mr. Factor objected if customers browsed, so I’d look through the Classic Comics hoping to find one I could use in American literature class to help me better understand the novels the class was assigned.

During the second semester of my junior year, my three buddies drifted away from the drugstore because they had access to a family car, so they went to Russell’s at North and Thatcher.

I went with them a few times, but I returned to the pharmacy and hung out there until the start of my senior year when I started going to Rich’s basement.

Richie Schu lived two houses north of me on Oak Park Avenue and in the basement, his dad had built a fantastic rec room. Schu’s rec room was my hangout until the Schus moved at the end of my senior year.

Practically every Saturday night, four or five of us would go to Richie’s to shoot pool, play ping pong, gin rummy, or conduct target practice on his pellet gun shooting range.

Mr. Schu would come down to the rec room occasionally to challenge us to either pool or ping pong. He was good at both games and beat all of us, but he couldn’t beat Bob Gilman in either game. Mr. Schu eventually gave up, but he would always come down to the rec room and greet us.

The four hangouts are long gone, but the great memories remain in my mind.

JOHN

STANGER

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OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

O B I T U A R I E S

Lawrence Christmas, 86 Former village president, regional planner

Lawrence Barroll “Larry” Christmas, 86, former city and regional planner and president of the village of Oak Park, died on Jan. 23, 2022.

Born on Dec. 30, 1935 in Philadelphia, he was raised mostly in Washington D.C. where he attended Sidwell Friends School. He graduated from Haverford College in 1958 and earned a master’s degree at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill in 1962.

He began his career in city planning in Chicago in 1963. He advanced to top positions in his field, becoming executive director of the Metropolitan Housing and Planning Council starting in 1973 and executive director of the Northeastern Illinois Planning Commission (NIPC) starting in 1980. NIPC at that time was known for excellence in research and forecasting populations, jobs, and economic growth with results useful to local governments.

NIPC has since been merged with the Chicago Area Transportation Study and today is called the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP).

When he retired from planning in 1992, he was asked by the Village Manager Association of Oak Park to run for president of the village of Oak Park. He won the election and served as village president from 1993 to 1997.

Among his retirement activities he served as a docent for the Ernest Hemingway Foundation in Oak Park. He was still conducting tours of the Hemingway Birth Home until a few weeks ago. Other longtime hobbies included tennis, golf, and growing indigenous prairie plants at his farm in Michigan. He was also a volunteer dog-walker for the Animal Care League.

Larry Christmas is survived by his wife Syl-

via, plus children and grandchildren. They are planning a celebration of his life to be held in the spring, details to be announced later.

The village of Oak Park issued a proclamation to make January 31, 2022 a day of remembrance for Larry Christmas.

In lieu of flowers, donations to the Ernest Hemingway Foundation of Oak Park are welcome. The website has a button for gifts in memory of Larry Christmas: www.hemingwaybirthplace.com.

Mike McAdam, 33 Loved the outdoors and sports

Michael “Mike” Robert McAdam, 33, of River Forest died on Jan. 18, 2022.

Born in Oak Park, he graduated from Oak Park and River Forest High School and attended Triton College. He lived a fulfilling life, playing youth baseball, enjoying Scouting and being a vital part of the church youth group.

He loved sports and was a die-hard Cubs fan and was his siblings’ #1 fan at their games and matches. He enjoyed spending time with his family, being at the farm, and spending time outside.

He was a devoted member of First Presbyterian Church of River Forest where he shared his gift of singing in worship. His faith reached well beyond the church walls, spreading joy to all who met him.

Mike was the son of Rob and Sandy; the brother of Melissa (Ryan), Jenn, Jess and Tim (Emily); rockstar uncle of Madelyn, Dawson, Parker and Chase; grandson of Donald Woods and the late Thelma Woods, and the late Robert and Marillyn McAdam; and the nephew, cousin and friend to many.

A Celebration of Life service will be held on Saturday, Feb. 26 at 11 a.m. at First Presbyterian Church of River Forest.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations be made to First Pres-

byterian Church of River Forest or to Team Mike for the Muscular Dystrophy Association.

Funeral arrangements were handled by Peterson-Bassi Chapels.

Jan Hannigan, 89

Communications director at West Sub Janet (Jan) Hannigan, 89, of Oak Park, died at home with family by her side on Sunday, Jan. 23, 2022.

Born in Oak Park on Sept. 10, 1932, the only daughter of Ralph and Edith Davis, she graduated from OPRF High School in 1950.

A woman of many hobbies, she enjoyed bowling, knitting and crocheting, was an avid book reader and a die-hard Cubs fan.

She loved the Chicago Bears so much, she and her best friend of many years (Marion) would travel to Platteville each year to catch the preseason camp. She worked for West Suburban Hospital for many years, ending her career there as director of communications in 1986. Her last job before retirement was with OPALGA of Oak Park where she met and loved many new friends. She was known for her humor and friendliness. She loved meeting and talking to anybody and anyone.

Jan is survived by six children, Kathi (Dave) Seibt, Christine Hannigan, Lori (Rose) Mireles-Hannigan, Michael (Kimi) Hannigan, Jennifer Hannigan, and Sara (Mike) Rowe-Hannigan; 15 grandchildren, Caitlin and Danny Hannigan, Kelsey and Krista Seibt, Samantha, Allison, Kevin and Kyle Hannigan, Ryan, Jocelyn and Dylan Davidson, and Ryan, Jordan, Brandon, and Aaron Rowe; five great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her sons, Dr. James E. Hannigan Jr. and Robert K. Hannigan, her parents, and two brothers, Spencer and Seward Davis.

Robert P. Gamboney Kevin Kopicki

Accountant and tax preparer

John S Puccini, 81, a longtime resident of Oak Park, died on Jan. 26, 2022 at home in Greensboro, North Carolina, where he had lived with his son, Jeffrey Puccini and his wife, Atcharaporn for the past few years. Born on Sept. 10, 1940 to Sylvia and Serge Puccini in Cicero, Illinois, he attended schools there and graduated from Southern Illinois University in 1967. He married Margaret (Peg) Bailey on April 13, 1968 and they lived at 311 S. Lombard from (1974 to 2015).

His professional life was spent as an accountant, working as the comptroller for Deublin Company for the last 25 years of his career. In addition, he did tax returns for individuals and small businesses in the community. His advice was to always declare all income (yes, even that rented out parking space next to the garage), and then be creative with the deductions. John and Peg were devoted to their friends in Oak Park and loved sharing their hospitality with them. He made the long daily commute to the northern suburbs for work so that his family could grow up in Oak Park.

His sons are ever so grateful; it has made all the difference.

John is survived by his sons, Jeffrey (Atcharaporn) and Sam (Shelley); his grandson, Jackson Puccini; and his sisters, Lee (Paul) Krueger and Sheila Ramsdell. He is mourned by his wife’s surviving siblings, Barbara Kessel, Buz Bailey and Martha Plog. He was preceded in death by his wife, Peg Puccini, in 2018 and his brother, Roy Puccini, in 2020.

3117 S Oak Park Ave, Berwyn, IL 60402 (708) 788- 7775

Cell: 708.420.5108 • Res: 708.848.5667 I am affiliated with Peterson-Bassi Chapels at 6938 W. North Ave, as well as other chapels throughout Chicagoland.

John Puccini, 81

Heritage Funeral Home and Crematory

Funeral Director I am there for you in your time of need.

All services handled with dignity and personalized care.

Per her wishes she will be cremated, and a memorial celebration will be held at a later date.

An affordable option

Se habla Español

Eric Kopicki

Wednesday Journal, February 2, 2022

Growing Community Media

25

HOURS: 9:00 A.M.– 5:00 P.M. MON–FRI Deadline is Monday at 5:00 p.m.

BY PHONE: (708) 613-3333 | BY FAX: (708) 467-9066 BY E-MAIL: EMAIL@GROWINGCOMMUNITYMEDIA.ORG

HELP WANTED POLICE RECORDS CLERK

HELP WANTED • NETWORK SPECIALIST Class specifications are intended to present a descriptive list of the range of duties performed by employees in the class.

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

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

SUPERVISION RECEIVED AND EXERCISED Reports directly to the Information Technology Services Director.

EXAMPLE OF DUTIES: Essential and other important duties and responsibilities may include, but are not limited to, the following: Essential duties and responsibilities 1. Ensure that best in class customer service is provided to both internal and external customers and also embrace, support, and promote the Village’s core values, beliefs and culture.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

software and other forms of systems and data.

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

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

13. Participate in research and recommendation of technology solutions.

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

2. Participate in the preparation of various activity reports.

3. Travel and support remote facilities and partner agencies.

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

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

6. Complete projects on a timely and efficient manner.

7. Communicate effectively both orally and in writing.

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

9. Perform related duties and responsibilities as required.

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

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

Network protocols, security, configuration and administration, including firewalls, routers, switches and wireless technology.

Cabling and wiring, including CAT5/6, fiber network, telephone, serial communication, termination, and punch-down.

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

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



VB scripts.

Modern office procedures, methods and computer equipment.

Technical writing, office productivity tools and database packages.

Ability to: Maintain physical condition appropriate to the performance of assigned duties and responsibilities, which may include the following: - Walking, standing or sitting for extended periods of time - Operating assigned equipment - Lift 50 pounds of equipment, supplies, and materials without assistance - Working in and around computer equipped vehicles Maintain effective audio-visual discrimination and perception needed for: - Making observations - Communicating with others - Reading and writing - Operating assigned equipment and vehicles Maintain mental capacity allowing for effective interaction and communication with others.

Maintain reasonable and predictable attendance.

Work overtime as operations require.

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

Possession of a valid Illinois Driver License is required at the time of appointment.

Vaccination against COVID-19 strongly preferred.

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

 

The Village of Oak Park is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Police Records Clerk in the Police Department. This position will perform a wide variety of specialized clerical duties in support of the Police Department including processing and maintaining documents, correspondence and coding reports; and to provide information and assistance to the public.

Applicants are encouraged to visit the Village of Oak Park’s website at http:// www.oak-park.us/jobs.

SANITARIAN

The Village of Oak Park is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Sanitarian in the Health Department.

This position will perform a variety of duties including education and enforcement activities for the promotion and protection of the public health environment.

Applicants are encouraged to visit the Village of Oak Park’s website http:// www.oak- park.us/jobs.

ASSOCIATE CIVIL ENGINEER & SENIOR PROCESS CONTROL ENGINEER

The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago will be accepting applications for the following classification(s): Associate Civil Engineer (Original) Senior Process Control Engineer (Original) Additional information regarding salary, job description, requirements, etc. can be found on the District’s website at www.districtjobs.org or call 312-751-5100.

An Equal Opportunity Employer M/F/D Project Engineer sought by Summit Design & Build in Chicago, IL to coord & suprvsng proj dsgn & constrctn prcs & daily actvts to ensr proj get compltd on time & wthn budgt.

Reqs BS in Civil Eng or rltd & trvl to constrctn proj in Chicagoland area.

Must hv perm auth to work in US. Snd cvr ltr n rsm to Nicholas Jones, 1036 W Fulton Mkt, Ste 500, Chicago, IL 60607.

National Accounts Rep Get a job super close to home!

Top rated firm, Alpina Manufacturing LLC, founded in 1992, locally Manufacturing owned beautiful campus in Galewood, near Mars candy, 3 blocks north of Oak Park. We build and sell display framing systems to customers nationwide including Wal-Mart, Verizon, Circle K, Hospitals. We are seeking a college educated trainee to become an office professional.

Work is in person at our beautiful, safe, spread out, elegant executive offices in Galewood. We train, no travel, work in Galewood. Open to any backgrounds. Excellent pay, salary, benefits, friendly caring management, Oak Park owner. Please send resume to careers@fastchangeframes.com.

Visit www.fastchangeframes.com/careers for more details. 6460 W. Cortland Street, Chicago, IL 60707

SEASONAL FARMERS’ MARKET MANAGER

The Village of Oak Park is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Seasonal Farmers’ Market Manager in the Health Department. This position manages the Oak Park Farmer’s Market including the vendors that sell directly to the public within established guidelines. This is a part-time seasonal position with work from January-mid November and work required on Saturday’s from May through October.

Applicants are encouraged to visit the Village of Oak Park’s website at http:// www.oak-park.us/jobs. Interested and qualified applicants must complete a Village of Oak Park application. Open until filled.

SAWA’S OLD WARSAW RESTAURANT

Help wanted. Hiring all positions.

Apply in person at 9200 W Cermak Rd, Broadview, IL 60155.

PART-TIME ELECTRICIAN’S HELPER

Call contracter for more info.

708-738-3848

JANITORIAL

Part-time. 3-5 days per week. Evening hours 5-9. $13-15/hr to start.

Job located in Morton Grove, IL. Must have own transportation.

Call Larry for more information. 773636-2505

COMMUNITY SERVICE OFFICER

The Village of Oak Park is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Community Service Officer in the Police Department. This position will perform a variety of public service, customer service and law enforcement related duties and responsibilities that do not require the services of a sworn police officer; and to perform a variety of administrative duties. Applicants are encouraged to visit the Village of Oak Park’s website http://www.oakpark.us/. Interested and qualified applicants must complete a Village of Oak Park application.

PART-TIME COMMUNITY SERVICE COORDINATOR

The Village of Oak Park is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Part-Time Community Service Coordinator (up to 10-15 hrs./week) in the Adjudication Department. Thisperson monitors individuals who have been ordered to provide community service in the Village, coordinates with organizations that provide community service opportunities, etc. Applicants are encouraged to visit the Village of Oak Park’s website http://www.oak-park. us/jobs. Open until filled.

ACCOUNTANT CLERK

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

PUBLIC HEALTH NURSE

The Village of Oak Park is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Public Health Nurse in the Health Department.

This position will provide professional public health nursing services including health education and promotion which includes disseminating information, making referrals, and counseling as well as managing caseloads, and performing a variety of tasks relative to assigned area of responsibility. Applicants are encouraged to visit the Village of Oak Park’s website http://www.oakpark.us/jobs.

Interested and qualified applicants must complete a Village of Oak Park application. This position is open until filled with first review of apps 2/2/22.

PART TIME DELIVERY DRIVER

Local company looking for part time driver. Must be drug free and have a valid IL DL. Must be able to lift 75lb. $15/hr Email resume: HR@sievertelectric. com

LITIGATION ASSISTANT

Established boutique law firm moving from Chicago Loop to Oak Park, and seeking experienced litigation assistant to work with senior partner.

Competitive salary and benefits.

Send resume to mkarson@laroseboscolaw.com



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

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Wednesday Journal, February 2, 2022

CLASSIFIED

BY PHONE: (708) 613-3333 BY FAX: (708) 467-9066 BY E-MAIL: EMAIL@GROWINGCOMMUNITYMEDIA.ORG RENTALS & REAL ESTATE

MARKETPLACE CARS WANTED

GARAGE SALES Oak Park

GARAGE/MOVING SALE 638 GUNDERSON AVE SATURDAY, FEB 5 1PM-3PM

SUBURBAN RENTALS STUDIOS, 1, 2 & 3 BR Best Selection & Service

708-386-7355

Household goods, decorative items, lawn and garden tools, furniture. All items in the garage.

CLASSICS WANTED CLASSICS Restored or Restored or Unrestored Unrestored Cars & Vintage Motorcycles Cars & Vintage Motorcycles Domestic / Import Import Cars: Cars:

Mercedes, Corvette, Mercedes,Porsche, Porsche, Corvette, Ferrari’s, MuscleCars, Cars, Ferrari’s,Jaguars, Jaguars, Muscle Mustang && Mopars Mopars Mustang Top $$ Etc. $$$$Top $$allallmakes, makes, Etc.

Collector James Collector James 630-201-8122 630-201-8122

CLASSICS WANTED

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

Call Uncle Gary 708-522-3400

ITEMS FOR SALE

Ferrari’s, Jaguars, Muscle Cars, A&A ELECTRIC Mopars Let anMustang American & Veteran do your work

$$ Top $$ all makes, Etc.

We install plugs for battery-operated vehicles We fix any electrical problem and do small jobs We install Surge Protectors • Home Re-wiring • New Plugs & Switches Added • New circuit breaker boxes • Code violations corrected Service upgrades,100-200 amp • Garage & A/C lines installed Fast Emergency Service | Residential • Commercial • Industrial Free Home Evaluations | Lic. • Bonded • Ins. • Low Rates • Free Est.

Collector James

630-201-8122

708-409-0988 • 708-738-3848 Sr. Discounts • 30 Yrs. Exp. Servicing Oak Park • All surrounding suburbs • Chicago area

FLOORS KLIS FLOORING INC.

New hardwood flooring installation & pergo. Sanding, re-finishing, staining. Low prices, insured.

Call: 773-671-4996 www.klisflooring.com

HANDYMAN Mike’s Home Repair Drywall H Painting H Tile Plumbing H Electric H Floors Windows H Doors H Siding Ask Us What We Don’t Do

MMpropMgmt.com

OFFICE /RETAIL FOR RENT RIVER FOREST–7777 Lake St. * 1116 sq. ft. * 1400 sq. ft. Dental Office RIVER FOREST–7756 Madison St. * 960 sq. ft.

OAK PARK–6142-44 Roosevelt Rd. * 3 & 5 room office suites FOREST PARK–7736 Madison St. *2500 sq. ft. unit Strand & & Browne Strand Browne 708-488-0011 708-488-0011

40 in. gas range double oven, side by side: $350 obo Wardrobe cabinet: $195 obo Desk: $195 obo CALL 773-722-0405 CARHARTT JACKET Tan 3/4 length Carhartt jacket with hood for sale. Size 2XL. Excellent condition. $75 Call 708-485-1844 for more info

Restored or Unrestored Cars & Vintage Motorcycles HOME SERVICES Domestic / Import Cars: HAULING ELECTRICAL Mercedes, Porsche,ELECTRICAL Corvette,

Ceiling Fans Installed

OAK PARK & FOREST PARK

BASEMENT CLEANING

Appliances & Furniture Removal Pickup & Delivery.

708-848-9404

PAINTING & DECORATING CLASSIC PAINTING Fast & Neat Painting/Taping/ Plaster Repair Low Cost 708.749.0011

708-296-2060

HANDYMAN Roofing Repairs Concrete Repairs • Drywall All types of handiwork Call For Free Estimates

WOODWORK Terry's

Woodwork Restoration On-site refinishing of wood

and fiberglass since 1977.

Includes doors, woodwork, windows, staircases and new woodwork etc. All work done by hand. NO sanders. Your unfinished project my specialty!

References available.

Contact Terry Seamans at 630-379-7148 or terryseamans@yahoo.com

S W NE

!

H S A FL

773-637-0692 Ask for John

Reach the people making the decisions.

Place an ad in GCM Classified!

Call 773/626-6332

You can get local news delivered right to your email in-box.

Sign up for FREE at: OakPark.com • ForestParkReview.com • RBLandmark.com

Wednesday Journal, February 2, 2022

CLASSIFIED PUBLIC NOTICES PUBLIC NOTICE NOTICE TO BIDDERS Sealed separate bids will be received by the Board of Education, Oak Park Elementary School District 97 (the “Board”) for the following project: OAK PARK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL DISTRICT 97 SD97 SUMMER 2022 LIFE SAFETY WORK OAK PARK, IL 60302 BID GROUP 1 – ELECTRICAL, MECHANICAL, PLUMBING, ROOFING, GENERAL TRADES Bids will be received until 2:00 p.m.

CST on Thursday, February 10, 2022 at the Oak Park Elementary School District 97 Administrative offices, 260 Madison Street, Oak Park, IL 60302, and will be virtually opened via zoom and read at 2:15 p.m. CST on that date. Bids shall be submitted in an opaque sealed envelope clearly marked: Oak Park Elementary School District 97 260 Madison Street, Oak Park, IL 60302 Attention: Bulley & Andrews Project: SD97 - SUMMER 2022 LIFE SAFETY WORK Virtual Bid Opening will be held at 2:15pm CST on 2/10/2022 per link: Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web. zoom.us/j/83956673114 Meeting ID: 839 5667 3114 Scope of work for Bid Group 1 generally includes: Electrical, Mechanical, Roofing, Plumbing, General Trades All bids must be submitted in accordance with the bidding instructions contained in the Bidding Documents for the project. Bid security in the form of a bid bond in an amount equal to ten percent (10%) of the base bid amount shall be submitted with the bid. Should a bid bond be submitted, the bond shall be payable to the Board of Education, Oak Park Elementary School District 97, 260 Madison Street, Oak Park, IL 60302. All documents and information required by the bidding instructions contained in the Bidding Documents for the project shall be submitted with the bid. Incomplete, late or non-conforming bids may not be accepted.

No bids shall be withdrawn, cancelled or modified after the time for opening of bids without the Board’s consent for a period of ninety (90) days after the scheduled time of bid opening.

The Bidding Documents for the project (which include the bidding instructions for the project and other related documents) will be available Tuesday January 25th, 2022 and are available for viewing/download online without cost or purchase on the Bulley & Andrews, LLC One Drive, located at the following link.

No username or password is required. https://tinyurl.com/k5r9y82r The Board reserves the right to reject any or all bids or parts thereof, or waive any irregularities or informalities, and to make an award that in the Board’s sole opinion is in the best interest of the District.

The site will be available for visits by appointment to be coordinated with Bulley & Andrews, LLC. Interested parties may inspect the existing conditions. Schedule an appointment with Robert Cotan of Bulley & Andrews in advance if you wish to visit the sites.

All bidders must comply with applicable Illinois Law requiring the payment of prevailing wages by all Contractors working on public works. If during the time period of work, the prevailing wage rates change, the contractor shall be responsible for additional costs without any change to the contract amount. All bidders must comply with the Illinois Statutory requirements regarding labor, including Equal Employment Oppor-

BY PHONE: (708) 613-3333 BY FAX: (708) 467-9066 BY E-MAIL: EMAIL@GROWINGCOMMUNITYMEDIA.ORG

PUBLIC NOTICES tunity Laws.

For additional information on the project, contact Robert Cotan of Bulley & Andrews, LLC at rcotan@ bulley.com or 708-315-8468.

Dated: 1/25/22 Robert Cotan Bulley & Andrews, LLC Published in Wednesday Journal February 2, 9, 2022

PUBLIC NOTICES PUBLIC NOTICE OF COURT DATE FOR REQUEST FOR NAME CHANGE STATE OF ILLINOIS, CIRCUIT COURT COOK COUNTY. Request of Mercedes De La Paz Buck Case Number 20224000323.

There will be a court date on my Request to change my name from: Mercedes De La Paz Buck to the new name of Cedes Delapaz Buck.

The court date will be held: On Tuesday March 22, 2022 at 11am via Zoom: Meeting ID 936 6870 5913 Password: 826976 at 1500 Maybrook Dr., Maywood, Cook County, IL in Courtroom #0111.

Published in Wednesday Journal January 26, February 2, 9, 2022

PUBLIC NOTICES LEGAL NOTICE STATE OF ILLINOIS) COUNTY OF COOK )ss Circuit Court of Cook County, County Department, Domestic Relations Division.

In re the marriage of BEATRIZ MIGUEL-VILLAOBOS, Petitioner, and FRANCISCO ORTIZ-FERNANDEZ, Respondent, Case No. 2022D000652.

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

Now, therefore, unless you, the said Respondent, file your response to said Petition or otherwise make your appearance therein, in the Office of the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois, Room 802, Richard J. Daley Center, 50 West Washington Street, in the City of Chicago, Illinois, on or before April 28, 2022, default may be entered against you at any time after that day, and a judgment for Dissolution of Marriage entered in accordance with the prayer of said Petition.

DOROTHY A. BROWN, Clerk.

Published in Wednesday Journal February 2, 9, 16, 2022

PUBLIC NOTICE NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that on Tuesday 22 February at 7:00 p.m. the Zoning Board of Appeals will conduct a public hearing virtually, via Zoom, to consider a text amendment to Title 9 of the Forest Park Zoning Ordinance and Title 2 “Boards and Commissions” to consider the creation of a combined “Zoning and Planning Commission”.

Join Zoom Meeting through this link: https://us02web.zoom.us/ j/86989456916?pwd=SU9DaVJDQ2svSlZ4RHp0WXIxTWdJUT09 Meeting ID: 869 8945 6916 Passcode: 684534 The applicant for this petition is the Village of Forest Park, 517 Desplaines, Forest Park, Illinois.

Signed: Kerry McBride Acting Zoning Board of Appeals Chairperson Published in Forest Park Review February 2, 2022

PUBLIC NOTICES PUBLIC NOTICE LEGAL NOTICE ANNUAL APPROPRIATION ORDINANCE PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Board of Trustees of the Village of Brookfield will hold a public hearing at 6:30 P.M. on February 14, 2022 at the Village Board Room in the Municipal Building of the Village of Brookfield, 8820 Brookfield Avenue, Brookfield, Illinois 60513 on the Village’s proposed appropriation ordinance, which will serve as the basis for the Village’s 2022 Annual Appropriation Ordinance.

The proposed appropriation ordinance will be on file in the Village Clerk’s Office for at least ten (10) days prior to February 14, 2022, and copies thereof will be conveniently available for public examination and copying.

Brigid Weber, Village Clerk NOTE: Published in the Brookfield Landmark, February 2, 2022.

Published in RB Landmark February 2, 2022

PUBLIC NOTICE STATE OF WISCONSIN CIRCUIT COURT OF RACINE COUNTY Case No. 21-CV-1437 Case Code No: 30101 NATHANIEL C. ERHARDT, Plaintiff, and, WISCONSIN PIPE TRADES HEALTH FUND, UNITEDHEALTHCARE INSURANCE COMPANY, Involuntary Plaintiffs, -v.ALLSTATE FIRE AND CASUALTY INSURANCE COMPANY, J.C. MOVERS & LUMPERS SERVICES, INC., DAMILLON D. THOMAS, ERIE INSURANCE EXCHANGE, Defendants.

PUBLICATION SUMMONS THE STATE OF WISCONSIN TO: Damillon D. Thomas 215 Des Plaines Avenue Forest Park, Illinois 60130 THE PERSONS NAMED ABOVE AS DEFENDANT: You are hereby notified that the Plaintiffs named above have filed a Complaint for damages against you.

Within forty (40) days after the 16th day of February 2022, exclusive of the date just stated, you must respond with a written demand for a copy of the complaint.

The demand must be sent or delivered to the Court, whose address is: Clerk of Circuit Court - Racine County 730 Wisconsin Avenue, Racine, Wisconsin 53403 and to Gruber Law Offices, LLC, Attorneys Patrick K. Ritter and Nicholas L. Hermann, the Plaintiff’s attorneys, whose address is: 100 East Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 2800, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 53202.

You may have an attorney help or represent you.

If you do not demand a copy within forty (40) days, the Court may grant a Judgment against you for the award of money or other legal action requested in the Complaint, and you may lose your right to object to anything that is or may be incorrect in the Complaint. A Judgment may be enforced as provided by law. A Judgment awarding money may become a lien against any real estate you own now or in the future and may also be enforced by garnishment of wages or seizure of property.

Dated at Milwaukee, Wisconsin this 26th day of January 2022.

GRUBER LAW OFFICES, LLC Attorneys for the Plaintiff, Nathaniel C. Erhardt By: /s/Patrick K. Ritter Patrick K. Ritter State Bar No.: 1092393 Email: patrickritter@gruber-law.com Nicholas L. Hermann State Bar No.: 1082796 Email: nh@gruber-law.com POST OFFICE ADDRESS: 100 East Wisconsin Avenue Suite 2800 Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202 Telephone: (414) 276-6666 Published in Wednesday Journal February 2, 9, 16, 2022

PUBLIC NOTICES

PUBLIC NOTICES

Starting a New Business?

PROVISO SCHOOL DISTRICT 209 – CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS PHASE 2 – SEQUENCE 1 BID RELEASE 9 Gilbane Building Company, Construction Manager, for and acting on behalf of The Board of Education of Proviso Township High School District 209, is receiving lump sum proposals from interested contractors for the Proviso School District Capital Improvements Project.

This release includes the following: Proviso East Mechanical Equipment prepurchase for work to occur in Summer 2022.

PROVISO EAST BP # DESCRIPTION 23L Mechanical Equipment Pre-Purchase – Proviso East The bid documents will be distributed to bidders on or about Thursday, January 27, 2022.

An online Pre-Bid Conference will be held on Tuesday, February 1, 2022 at 11:00 a.m. local time via a virtual Teams meeting.

The proposals will be due on Friday, February 11, 2022 at 11:00 a.m. local time via bidder’s prequalification account at www. ibidpro.com.

To bid this project, bidders should register with Gilbane Building Company.

The qualification application and bid proposals are to be completed online at www. ibidpro.com.

Bid security in the form of a bid bond in an amount equal to ten percent (10%) of the base bid is required from all bidders.

Guarantee Bonds in the form of a Performance Bond and Labor and Material Payment Bond in an amount equal to one hundred percent (100%) of the bid will be required from the awarded Bidder.

The work will be done in accordance with the Contract Documents.

“FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF THIS INVITATION TO BID MAY RESULT IN THE DISQUALIFICATION OF THE BIDDER”.

This contract calls for the construction of a “public work,” within the meaning of the Illinois Prevailing Wage Act, 820 ILCS 130/.01 et seq. (“the Act”).

The Act requires contractors and subcontractors to pay laborers, workers and mechanics performing services on public works projects no less than the “prevailing rate of wages” (hourly cash wages plus fringe benefits) in the county where the work is performed.

For information regarding current prevailing wage rates, please refer to the Illinois Department of Labor’s website at: https://www2.illinois.gov/idol/ Laws-Rules/CONMED/Pages/ Rates.aspx. All contractors and subcontractors rendering services under this contract must comply with all requirements of the Act, including but not limited to, all wage, notice and record keeping duties.

The Proviso Township High School District 209 and Gilbane Building Company reserve the right to reject any or all bids. All information submitted as part of this process shall be considered public information under the State Freedom of Information Act unless specifically disclosed on the applicable information by the Bidder. Challenges to such exemptions shall be defended solely by the Bidder.

Publish Your Assumed Name Legal Notice in • Austin Weekly News • Wednesday Journal • Forest Park Review • Riverside/Brookfield Landmark Call the Experts Before You Place Your Legal Ad!

Call Stacy for details: 773/626-6332

Published in Forest Park Review, February 2, 2022

Let the sun shine in...

Public Notice: Your right to know In print • Online Available to you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, every day of the year • OakPark.com • RBLandmark.com • ForestParkReview.com • AustinWeeklyNews.com PublicNoticeIllinois.com

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Wednesday Journal, February 2, 2022

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