WednesdayJournal_031126

JOURNAL

of Oak Park and River Forest

Oak Park police share 2025 field data; over 70% of stops were Black

Majority were Black men, some village trustees ask for revamped data deliver y

By BRENDAN HEFFERNAN Staff Reporter

Oak Park Police Chief Shatonya Johnson shared data for the department’s 2025 field stops with the village board this week, as some trustees asked for a more accessible presentation of the data in the future.

The police department provided a record of every stop that officers made last year, including a spreadsheet that contained demog raphic data of the people police stopped, whether the stop had been initiated by officers or done in response to a resident’s call for service and a written narrative of each incident.

The police department has committed to sharing data on field stops quarterly in a move for community transparency at the request of Trustee Cory Wesley, but that didn’t happen over the last year in part because of the murder of Detective Allan Reddins in November 2024, Johnson said.

“As we prepared to honor Detective Reddins throughout the year it created a delay,” she said. “So we compiled the in-

formation into a year re port.”

The data shared this week again showed that the vast majority of people stopped in Oak Park are Black, particularly Black men and boys, and that most stops occur red because a resident had called the police. About 74% of people stopped by police in Oak Park last year were Black and roughly 83% of all stops were in response to a call for service, ac-

POLICE STOPS on page 24

By GREGG VOSS ontributing Reporter

en a little time with Max Metzgar, you might be prompted to sit down and think about your life and choices.

Park native Sunday evered the full breadth of his career – not just his success as a mixed martial arts fighter and his aspirations to participate in UFC, but the two businesses he runs and his counsel to people who are finding their way.

y takeaway came in the last question

eryone is going to be an MMA fighter, but I can see the parallels between that and life, as far as toughness and goal setting. How do you counsel people in those areas?

“It’s all about authenticity,” the 2015 Oak Park and River Forest High School graduate told me. “The hardest thing to find out is who See METZGAR on page 25

JAVIER GOVEA

Local journalism matters. That’s why we made a bold decision to protect its future.

The Wednesday Journal is now part of NEWSWELL, a nonpro t journalism organization that provides resources, technology, and long-term support to community newsrooms across the country.

This partnership strengthens our foundation while keeping everything that matters the same. Our newsroom remains local. Our staff remains in place. Our commitment to this community is unchanged. With the added support of NEWSWELL, we are better positioned than ever to continue delivering the independent, communityfocused journalism our readers rely on.

Same mission. New chapter. Stronger future.

Kettlestrings Grove and Betty’s Pizza closing

Habibi’s

By RISÉ SANDERS-WEIR Eats Reporter

Oak Park’s cocktail-forward Kettlestrings Grove lounge, 105 S. Marion St. and sister restaurant Betty’s Pizza and Pasta, around the corner at 1101 South Blvd., are set to close on March 21.

Both restaurants opened four years ago, but according to co-owner Rob Guenthner life has evolved for him and the other five owners to the point that they made the decision to close two of their four restaurant ventures.

“This is a personal decision on where to spend our time at this stage in our lives,” Guenthner said.

“We all have different priorities now that our kids are older. That’s the reason, more than anything else. Running a lounge and restaurants is a lot of work.”

Guenthner said the decision wasn’t an easy one.

“The hardest thing will be not seeing the people who have been coming in,” he said. “The fun thing is playing a little part in their lives. And in the life of the community.”

Kettlestrings Tavern, 800 S. Oak Park Ave. in Oak Park, and Starship Restaurant, 7618 W. Madison St. in Forest Park, are owned by the same group. These remain open for business as usual. Though the future of Starship Restaurant is being weighed. A search for new ownership of that venture, which this group purchased three years ago, may be underway in the near future.

Habibi’s Chicken and Falafel, 421 N. Harlem Ave. in Oak Park, opened its doors earlier this month.

The limited-menu, counter-order concept is from the minds behind local chain Pita Pita Mediterranean Grill. The offerings, not surprisingly, feature various takes on halal chicken and falafel.

“From those two items, we’re going to make bowls and wraps,” co-owner Mustafa Hammad said. “Our kebab medallion bowl is one of our most popular items. It’s marinated chicken breast cut very thinly

Ow ners Mustafa Hammad and Mohamad Sallouh

and grilled. And then from there, we also have a bunch of side items, hummus, garlic smash, which is like a garlic potato dip spread.”

This is a trial run for the concept.

“We were looking to open a Pita-Pita in Oak Park when we found this location,” Hammad said. “We really love the location, but the kitchen is very small. So we had the idea of starting up a simpler concept. I felt like this would be a great fit for this location, for the area, and it would allow us to grow the brand a little quicker in two avenues.”

The restaurant provides free, validated parking in the lot behind the building, which used to be the Slice Factory.

RISÉ SANDERS-WEIR

RISÉ SANDERS-WEIR NOW OPEN: Habibi’s Chicken and Falafel FILE

Kettlestrings Grove

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D90 teachers ratify tentative contract

Deal must now be reviewed and approved by the board of education

By GREGG VOSS Contributing Reporter

With a simple majority of its 145 voters, the River Forest Education Association on Thursday ratified a new teacher contract. Once reviewed and approved by the River Forest School District 90 board of education, the ag reement will be final.

According to teacher union co-president Cindy Crannell, the tentative ag reement struck in late February was presented to its members on March 3. Two days later, it was approved by membership.

Terms of the deal were not available and will not be until the school board approves it, likely at a special meeting next week, according to a district spokesperson. However, Crannell said teachers would receive retroactive pay to last August when the prior contract ended.

A previous tentative ag reement was rejected by district teachers.

“I think I screamed, I was so excited,” Crannell said. “Lauren and I hugged each other We were saying it was almost a year to the date we started the process of asking the board to start the bargaining process.”

A district statement attributed to Crannell, Ortiz and superintendent Dr. Edward Condon, said, “We are pleased to have reached this important point together in our progress toward finalizing the contract for our outstanding teachers. ”

“I feel like what we have gained is not all in the contrac t. Wh at I think has shifted is the union is stronger and it earned respec t at the table.”

CINDY CRANNELL Teacher union co -president

“Membership really saw we went back, (and) ‘We heard you,’” Crannell said. “‘These were the things you identified as sticking points, these are the things we brought to administration.’

“We did better on all of them and that showed our membership that this was the district’s last, best and final offer and we did better in all these areas. We weren’ t just shifting money.”

Crannell said the union vote was conducted March 3 in the Roosevelt Middle School auditorium. Roughly 20 minutes afterward, Crannell, co-president Lauren Ortiz and others were summoned from outside to receive the news that the measure had passed.

The new tentative ag reement was the result of a “sidebar” ne gotiation session held in late February with a mediator. A sidebar ne gotiation session involves a small group from the full ne gotiation teams and is used to explore possible compromises ahead of a for mal proposal or response. Crannell said there were six key areas that needed to be addressed in the original Nov. 10 tentative ag reement that was voted down in early December by teachers. With a score of 85.36, Lincoln Elementary School earned Exemplary status for the third year in a row according to the Illinois Report Card released last year by the Illinois State Board of Education. Willard Elementary School (86.17) was declared Exemplary for the fourth straight year. Those are schools which rank in the top 10% of the state. The next 67% are considered Commendable, which is what Roosevelt Middle School earned.

The year-long ne gotiations were an odyssey with plenty of ups and downs, Crannell said, but she came away with an important lesson.

“I think it’s to always ask questions and push for transparency,” she said. “When something isn’t transparent you have to push for transparency. Being co-president, it forced me to ask questions

“I feel like what we have gained is not all in the contract. What I think has shifted is the union is stronger and it earned respect at the table.”

Oak Park Village Board nalizes goals for 2026

Trustees discuss 25 goals for the rest of this term

By BRENDAN HEFFERNAN Staff Reporter

Village staf f produced a list of 25 key goals across several categories following discussions at a village board retreat over the summer, with the board reviewing the set of goals again last week. The board goals will serve as guidance for legislative action until after a new board is seated following the village’s 2027 municipal election.

The board last set goals in January 2024. Village Manager Kevin Jackson said the village had achieved about 70% of the 25 goals that the board committed to at that time, with several of those uncompleted objectives now being “carried forward” into the new set of goals, he said.

Jackson said staf f felt the village had still performed well considering some of the obstacles that Oak Park faced over the last two years. Challenges included the “10 months” village staf f spent addressing fallout from “the migrant crisis,” when the village scrambled to find accommodations for hundreds of migrants who were dropped of f without notice outside of Oak Park Village Hall two years ago, Jackson said.

“So those are things that sometimes you just can’t predict that’s going to happen that actually impacts your work program,” Jackson said. “So when we did our reflections internally, we’re like, ‘oh, wow. You know, we still got 70% done despite that.’”

The board goals were divided into seven categories: “community health and safety,” “community af fordability,” “racial equity,” “sustainability and resilience,” “opera-

tional effectiveness” and “vibrant, diverse, connected neighborhoods.” The village’s health and safety goals will include reducing crime, growing the village’s ECHO social services response program, supporting vaccine education efforts through the Oak Park Public Health Department and progressing traffic safety initiatives like the Oak Park Bike plan and the Vision Zero plan.

“Operational effectiveness” was a new addition to Oak Park board goal categories and centered around maintaining village technology and “core service” delivery.

“One of the things that I really appreciate about this is a lot of these priorities

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sort of lean on each other and speak to each other across these groupings,” said Trustee Brian Straw. “I’m also just very excited about organizational effectiveness. It’s kind of boring, but in local government, a lot of times boring is good. I think that we are a board, we are a community that wants to do a lot of good and important things, but we have a priority of going and doing the things that everybody expects, like maintaining roads in good condition, picking up the trash on time without damaging garage doors, you know, all that basic stuff.”

The board’s racial equity goals include supporting fair and equal housing and

home ownership opportunities and completing a village racial equity assessment, one of 2024’s board goals that’s still not been delivered. Oak Park’s vibrant neighborhood goals will revolve around completing high profile streetscaping projects on Oak Park Avenue and Chicago Avenue.

The board also settled on community affordability goals including limiting the village tax levy, supporting senior residents as they age in place and seeking cost savings through collaborations with other governmental bodies. Village sustainability goals will revolve around its commitments to the Climate Ready Oak Park Plan, which committed the village to cutting greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2030.

Several trustees brought up the idea of each board member ranking which of the 25 goals were most important to them to help support village staf f in prioritizing legislative goals.

“There’s nothing on here that anybody’s going to look at and say, ‘this isn’t important,’ but the question is, what is more important to me than to you,” Trustee Cory Wesley said.

Village President Vicki Scaman said that figuring out how to prioritize the litany of goals over the coming months would likely start a task for the board’s “reimagining government committee,” made up of her, Straw and trustees Derek Eder and Jenna Leving Jacobson.

“We have seven highly intelligent people here,” she said. “We can figure it out, alright.”

Oak Park Village Hall

Oak Park’s citizen commissions have their plans for 2026

Village board approved work plans for 15 volunteer village commissions

By BRENDAN HEFFERNAN Staff Reporter

Fifteen ofOak Park’s volunteer commissions have their marching orders for the next year.

Oak Park’s village board approved 2026 work plans for all but three ofthe village’s citizen commissions last week. Changes to the work plans from last year ranged from minor adjustments in guiding language to significant adjustments to the commission’s functions for the village.

The most significant changes to any commission work plans came from the Citizen Police Oversight Commission. Reimagining CPOC’s operations and role in village decision making was a significant topic for the village board last year, as trustees voted to accept guidance and recommendations on the commission from Pivot, a consultant hired to study police oversight in the village

The village board committed last year to supporting the hire ofa new DEI staffer, whose responsibilities would include serving as a dedicated liaison to CPOC to help the volunteer body expand its capacity to review citizen complaints about policing and to take on a broader role in assessing policing ef for ts locally after reviewing the consultant’s recommendations

Oak Park’s police oversight committee is significantly older than most ofits peers in other cities. Created in 1991, the body hadn’ t previously changed much as gover nments around the country created new police oversight methods and strategies in the wake of high-profile officerinvolved incidents — like the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police in 2020.

Other Pivot recommendations the board voted to accept last year included providing the committee with more police department data and standardizing

the role CPOC has when the police department looks to adopt a new survei llance technolo gy

Oak Park’s citizen commissions g enerally have a very small impact on the village ’s budg et, with the 18 group’s total operations costing less than $20,000 “over the last several years,” according to village documents. But two commissions filed requests for more than $30,000 in village funds to support marketing ef forts for planned projects.

T he village’s Disability Access Commission asked for $31,000 to support the local marketing and implementation of AccessAble USA, a digital tool created by Princeton University that provides customized info rmation to disabled people about building accessibility. Oak Park’s Housing Progr ams Advisory Committee asked for $30,500 “to support additional marketing of village housing progr ams,” according to village documents

Integrity Matters. Leadership Matters. Trust Matters.

Staf f will first work to see ifthe village ’s communications department can support the marketing goals without earmarking additional village funds. Ifnot, the commissions’ requests will have to go before the village board again for approval, according to village documents.

Other new business for citizen commissions includes the Aging in Communities being tasked with collaborating with village staf f to address ageism as a “public health issue” through Oak Park’s community health plan. T he Environment and Energy Commission will now also evaluate the village’s energy related progr ams on a quarterly basis, including Oak Park’s recently revamped energy grant and loan progr ams.

Three citizen commissions — the Board ofHealth, the Far mers Market Commission and the Community Relations Commission — have not yet submitted work plans for 2026.

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taught Spanish at OPRF High School until 2004.

Ruggieros and Tibenskys make donations to OPRF’s Project 2

Donors will get naming rights for 10 years

By BOB SKOLNIK Contributing Reporter

Last month the Oak Park and River Forest District 200 school board approved naming rights for two more donors in exchange for sizable donations to the Imagine Foundation, which then turned the money over to the school to help defray costs for the current construction project known as Project 2.

Chatka Busck Ruggiero and her husband Tony Ruggiero have pledged $100,000, divided into two $50,000 gifts, and in return the new Dance/Multipurpose gym and a new elevator will be named for Ms. Ruggiero, a long-time property owner and local philanthropist who graduated from OPRF in 1952.

All naming rights designations last for 10 years.

Ruggiero, who grew up in Oak Park and now lives in River Forest, has long been a leader ofthe Animal Care League, an animal shelter in Oak Park She is a past presi-

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dent ofthe board ofthe shelter and now serves as an advisor to the board. She has also served on the board ofdirectors ofthe for mer Community Bank ofOak Park River Forest, and held leadership positions with the Infant Welfare Society’s Children’s Clinic and the Oak Park River Forest Museum.

She has run Ruggiero Properties, which owns and owned both residential and commercial real estate, for 55 years. Her company owned the Arts Center ofOak Park for 34 years, from 1989 until 2023.

John and Linda Tibensky are donating $25,000 to have the classroom where Linda Tibensky taught Spanish at OPRF from 1986 until she retired in 2004 named for her. The classroom, in the old portion ofthe building, is now used for English classes.

“My wife Linda and I have long thought that Oak Park and River Forest High School is really the cornerstone ofstrength and diversity ofOak Park,” said John Tibensky, who himselfserved on the board of the OPRF Booster Club.

John and Linda’s son Hank was a star swimmer at OPRF and was a member

PROVIDED

Linda Tibensky

7TH DISTRIC T PRIMARY

P. Rae Easley runs in 7th District Republican primary

Easley hopes to restore safety and accountability in the district

By HECTOR CERVANTES

Contributing

P. Rae Easley, a lifelong policy expert, is running as a for Illinois’ 7th Cong Having work she was 12, Easley frames her full-time campaign around restoring safety, accountability and opportunity she says have b leadership. Easley, who lives in Austin is a for mer investment advisor with Merrill and says public of her life. She was raised volunteering and interning in Cong. Danny K. Davis’ office. She describes Davis as a mentor and father figure and always planned to seek the seat upon his retirement. If elected, she plans to tisan colleagues to ensure Medicaid bursement is no longer used as a lending risk metric for care providers, arguing that serving lowincome patients should not be treated as an adverse credit risk.

“I understand the federal government extremely well because I was trained directly by the congressman himself and his staf f. While working at Merrill as a financial advisor, I successfully brought Loretto Hospital on as a client under the leadership of Mr. George Miller. I invested a great deal of time into building that relationship,” Easley said.

Easley said hospital leadership trusted

NAMING RIGHTS

Donations to OPRF’s Project 2

from page 7

of the 1999 swim team that won the state championship. Hank Tibensky was named OPRF’s Scholar Athlete for 1999.

After Linda Tibensky retired in 2004 the Tibenskys created the Tibensky Family Scholarship Fund which funds activities and trips for OPRF students

P. Rae Easley

plans to grow the account with the goal to make Loretto Hospital a client so employees could access the firm’s financial services. However, the firm’s compliance department ultimately declined the deal, citing the hospital’s high Medicaid reimbursement rate as too risky

“I learned that the 20-year life expectancy gap in the district is not based on the behaviors of the people who live there, but rather on how banking functions. If a community relies on a safety-net hospital with

John Tibensky said he got the idea of making a donation to honor his wife after reading a Wednesday Journal story last year about other naming rights donations.

Tibensk y, a wealth advisor for Northwestern Mutual, said that changes in the tax laws made as part of the so called Big Beautiful Bill passed by Cong ress last year made making a significant charitable donation more attractive. This year taxpayers can deduct up to $40,000, up from $10,000 last year, in state and local property tax payments from their gross

rate, that hospital often lacks access to the primary credit et,” Easley said. “Without that access, the resources to upgrade fapurchase updated ich ultimately exacerbates

ent legislative policies or initiatives she supports, Easley key priorities is strengthening border security. has led to our district becoming the headquarters of narcowhich is why the heroin highway. The heroin highway exists because of lax border enand sanctuary city policies. about this in 2012, highlighting how our sanctuary policies actually attracted narco-terrorism, since those who traffic drugs and people e caught, they won’t be deported under these rules,” Easley said. ositions is strong suppor t for eliminating sanctuary city policies, which the candidate believes have a harmful effect on the safety and security of residents in the 7th Congressional District.

According to Easley, 120,000 families have been on the Chicago Housing Authority’s waiting list for up to 25 years, while the agency has held onto $1.8 billion for over two decades. She supports returning the Chicago Housing Authority to federal oversight to ensure those funds are properly used

income on their federal tax retur ns.

“This makes charitable giving much more attractive to Oak Park residents because of the high property taxes we pay here so it’s now more attractive for us to itemize deductions rather than take the standard deduction,” Tibensky said.

At the Feb. 26 board meeting the new Imagine Foundation president Laura Maychruk and Executive Director Heide Ruhle presented the Imagine Foundation’s fifth $1 million check to the school.

T he Imagine Foundation has committed to raising $12.5 million to help pay for

“We have to, for lack of a better word, put them back under federal oversight so that the federal government can take over this responsibility. Obviously, the city of Chicago is struggling to get shovels in the ground and spend the funds. The process needs to be in federal hands so that we can move our people home from Iowa, where they have been waiting for two decades,” Easley said.

Easley said she would differ from Congressman Davis by prioritizing an America First approach and responding directly to urgent district issues. She criticized the lack of action when migrants assembled outside police stations, calling it a situation that required immediate attention.

“I don’t know what’s happening, but it’s in my district and we can’t ignore it. Instead, my congressman and other Democratic leaders held a press conference in front of the ICE facility to speak out against immigration enforcement. I’m very close to him, but if I were to judge him, it would definitely be on that issue,” Easley said. Easley also pointed to the subprime mortgage crisis as a key issue in evaluating Congressman Davis.

“We are American people, and our colors are red, blue, and white, not white, black, yellow, or brown. We are one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Everything I do will be to advance the American people. If the voters choose to put me in office, I have a responsibility to represent them above all else,” Easley said.

Project 2 and hopes to raise $15 million. Ruhle told Wednesday Journal the Imagine Foundation now has commitments totalling $11.7 million.

“We’ re g etting so close,” Ruhle said. Because many d onations are made over a period of years the Imagine Foundatio n may not give all the money it has raised for Project 2 to OPRF until 2030. Project 2, wh ich includes a new sw i mming p ool, a new gy m and other improvements in a rebuilt southeastern po rt i on of the building is expected to be c ompleted thi s summer

TODD BANNOR

Four vie in state’s 8th District to repl ace Rep. La Shawn Ford

Four Austinites compete for open seat in Democratic primary

By IGOR STUDENKOV Contributing Reporter

With long-time incumbent State Re p. Shawn Ford (D-8th) running to succeed U.S. Cong. Danny Davis (D-7th), voters will see someone new in that seat no matter who gets elected next Tuesday, March 17.

The district includes parts of Austin, Oak Park, Forest Park, Brookfield and North Riverside. Ford re presented the district since 2008, and four candidates, all Austinites, are running to re place him – Latonya Mitts, Shantel Franklin, John Harrell and Jill Bush. Since no Re publican filed to run for the seat, the winner of the March 17 Democratic primary election will win by default unless an independent challenger emerges and collects enough signatures to get on the ballot.

well as bringing more state funding to area healthcare providers.

March 2013, she worked at Loretto Hospital in various capacities, eventually ing her way up to interim director for the hospital’s foundation. Bush ran for 29th rd alder man in 2011.

Bush’s campaign website lists six priority areas. Most notably, she calls “for responsible tax cuts that ease burdens without harming essential services,” without elaborating on it, and promised to fight “predatory evictions [and] rent hikes.” The site also states that, to promote public safety, she would support community policing, “eng age youth programs” and expand mental health services.

Franklin is a real estate agent who served as a legislative liaison for Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul until last summer. She previously told this newspaper that “experience from being in public service and my community-lived experience motivated me.”

“It’s really not about the seat for me; it’s about expanding and continuing the work that I’ve already been doing,” Franklin said.

She previously said her priorities would include supporting af fordable housing and economic development in the district, as

Harrell is a pastor of New Hope Baptist Church in Austin. He also leads Proviso Baptist Church in Maywood and serves on boards of Loretto Hospital and Hire 360 Workforce Development. Harrell was the first candidate to jump into the race, filing the paperwork on July 10. His campaign website stated that, if elected, his priorities will be to advocate for what his constituents want and make sure they “receive the maximum services they are entitled to receive from the State of Illinois.”

Mitts is the daughter of long-time Ald. Emma Mitts (37th). The elder Mitts is an influential figure in West Side Democratic politics, and she currently serves as one of the two committeepersons re present-

ing the 7th Congressional District on the Democratic State Central Committee, the governing body of the Democratic Party of Illinois.

The younger Mitts currently works for an insurance company, and she previously served as State Re p. Jawaharial “Omar” Williams’ (D-10th) chief of staf f. Her campaign website states her biggest priorities include “fully funding public schools,” increasing youth access to mental health services and “investing in community-based resources that keep neighborhoods healthy and safe.”

Bush serves as Director of Community Eng agement for Ald. Chris Taliafer ro (29th) and is a property manager for her family’s property management company, Bush Properties. Between January 2004

Bush was the only candidate who tried to one of her opponents of f the ballot.

Once the candidates submit their nominating petitions, any re gistered voter within the district they run in can challenge the paperwork, usually by trying to get as many signatures declared invalid as possible. Bush, who has previously filed objections against candidates challenging Taliafer ro, challenged Mitts’ signatures on usual technical grounds, alleging that signatories didn’t live in the district, listed the wrong address or used a signature that didn’t match voter records.

While Chicago Board of Election Commissioners disqualified 588 out of 1,224 signatures, this still left Mitts with 636 valid signatures – 136 more than the 500-signature legal minimum.

Austin Voice newspaper resumes publication under

new owner

Isaac Lewis published North Lawndale Community News since 2000

By IGOR STUDENKOV Contributing Reporter

The Austin Voice newspaper is returning to re gular publication starting this week under Strategic Human Services, the Austin-based nonprofit that also publishes the North Lawndale Community News newspaper

Founded in 1986, the Voice hasn’t seen re gular publication since founder and editor Brad Cummings, 76, perished in a June

2025 arson fire that also took the lives of Gina Brown Henry, 32; Destiny Brown Henry, 28, and Jayceon Henry, 5. Lontray Clark, 23, re por tedly threw a Molotov cocktail at a friend’s apar tment because he believed the firend may have been dating his exgirlfriend.

Cummings launched Austin Voice launched in 1986, after newspapers that covered the community for decades either closed down or left in late 1970s. The Garfield Lawndale Voice edition launched in

2005.

SHS executive director and North Lawndale Community News publisher Isaac Lewis told Austin Voice that the Voice Newspapers advisory board approached him about potentially taking over the paper early last fall. A few October issues of the NLCL included a smaller version of the newspaper, simply called the “The Voice” as an insert. A special 40th anniversary issue was published on Feb. 14. Lewis said that the upcoming issue will

be the first full-fledged issue under SHS. He said that he initially wasn’t sure whether the paper would come out once every two weeks or once a month, but he got enough advertising revenue to make it bi-weekly, at least for now.

“it’s going to be critical that we get businesses and the organizations and the individuals who advertise to support the paper going forward,” Lewis said.

He said that North Lawndale Community News still be published weekly.

LATONYA MIT TS SHANTEL FRANKLIN JOHN HARRELL JILL BUSH

Harrell only candida 8th District forum

West Side minister rips into alleged backroom deal making

By BILL DWYER Contributing Reporter

Pastor John Harrell found himselfthe sole candidate for the 8th District Illinois State House Democratic primary at a forum at the LaFollette Field House in North Austin on March 6.

The development was understandable, with all the oxygen taken by the long afternoon memorial service for civil rights icon Jesse Jack son, Sr

Harrell noted the forum’s scheduling conflict but said his political rivals could have made more ofan effort. “I came from the Jesse Jackson funeral,” he said. “If it was so important to people, why aren’t they here?”

Among his policy ideas, Har rell proposed that homeowners aged 75 and older who had paid taxes for at least 20 years no longer be subject to property taxes.

“There was a co was had,” Har what we’re g want to be the (state) central committeeman? Emma’s daughter, do ou want to be state rep? Emma, do y for central committee want them to suppo ‘bout we all come to port

TIF money, Harrell said, should be better accounted for, and more incentives directed to small businesses on the West Side. He was particularly focused on assuring that investment in West Side communities be better targeted. “Investment in the community doesn’t mean to invest in structures, it means to invest in people,” he said. “Money goes to developers who don’t live in the community, They give all the incentives to the big boxes (stores).” Those businesses, he said, leave when incentives expire.

“We’ve got to bring all the stake holders to the table,” he said. “And you’ve got to make sure our youth are a part ofthe stakeholdership.” He said attention must be paid to local groups doing the actual work, and that too many agencies outside West Side neighborhoods actually receive the grants

“They come to us and give up peanuts when we do all the work,” he said. “There are organizations doing the work, but they don’t get the money.”

Calling himself“a public servant, not a politician,” Harrell suggested old school backroom politics was being practiced in his race

But, Har in the race, it upset the le ca ellow lin, saying, “W hantel ause they kne that Shantel could beat Emma’s aughter.”

Season of Giving

“They gave this young lady $200,000,” Harrell said, adding, “C’mon, man! 31 years old. They block club president, only to find out she just organized the block club.”

“They” include the Chicago Teachers Union ($72,500) and the Illinois Federation of Teachers ($30,000), as well as Franklin’s boss, Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul, who’s given her $50,000 since Jan. 1, and $80,000 total.

Harrell, who had the strongest fundraising in the 4th quarter of2025 with $69,800, finished with $18,300 on hand. But he has received no large donations in the new year, while Franklin has surged ahead with more than $200,000 during the first two months of 2026.

Latonya Mitts had $39,899 banked as of Jan 1, thanks largely to $31,000 in contributions by LIUNA Chicago Laborers’ District Council PAC and other contributions. Since then she’s received another $45,000 from labor, including another $35,000 from LIUNA

Approximately halfofthe 8th House area within the boundaries of the City of Chicago is in the 37th Ward, whose alderwoman and committeeperson is Mitt’s mother, Emma Mitts.

Harrell did not mention a fourth candidate, Jill Bush. She has seen no large donations since the new year. She had $10,650 on hand on Jan. 1.

JOHN HARRELL

7TH DISTRIC T PRIMARY

Time to choose among 13 candida

Win in Democratic primary is a ticket to D.C.

By BOB SKOLNIK Contributing Reporter

With 13 candidates to choose from in the March 17 Democratic primary to pick a candidate for Congress from the 7th Congressional District many voters are dealing with what is known as the paradox of choice in which the more choices a consumer has the more confused and less able to choose a consumer becomes.

Interviews with some voters and canvassers for candidates indicate that is what many voters in the 7th District are feeling. Many voters don’t even know who all is running much less whom to vote for.

That could favor the candidates with the most name reco gnition such as State Re p La Shawn, (D-Chicago) Chicago City Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin and activist Kina Collins, who is making her fourth run for Cong ress.

Ford has the support of outgoing Congressman Danny Davis (D-Chicago) and Illinois Speaker of the House Chris Welch (D-Hillside). Davis’ chief of staf f is on leave running Ford’s campaign and Davis’ political organization is working hard for Ford. Ford is emphasizing economic issues and is relying on Davis’ base of support among older Black voters.

Conyears-Ervin, who finished second running against Davis two years ago just ahead of Collins, has been buoyed by positive television ads paid for by a super PAC connected to the American Israel Public Af fairs Committee (AIPAC).

Collins is running an underfunded grass roots campaign focusing on young, progressive voters but those voters are also being targeted by young, progressive candidates Anabel Mendoza and Reed Showalter.

Labor leader Anthony Driver is running a strong campaign aided by the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) which he heads in Illinois.

Then there are the newcomers who have made a splash such as emergency room doctor Thomas Fisher and real estate developer Jason Friedman.

Fisher has an Obamaesque appeal.

“I’m the only candidate in the race with cross demo graphic appeal which comes from the credibility of being a practicing physician who worked for President Obama with progressive ideals,” said Fisher after a meet and greet event for all the candidates in the race held last week at St. Malachy on the West Side.

Friedman has been spending heavily on direct mail sending voters so many campaign mailers that some voters are complaining. But Friedman is building name reco gnition which is key in such a crowded field and diverse district.

“I think of all the candidates here we have the widest path to victory,” Friedman said after the event at St. Malachy. “You have to win everywhere; you have to be everywhere and that’s what we’ve done. We’ve crisscrossed this district. It’s a very diverse district, Chinatown is very different than Oak Park, North Lawndale is very different than River North.”

Friedman, a first-time candidate, is hoping to benefit from not being a career politician.

“People are sick and tired of these career, corrupt politicians that we have here, especially in our city, that have failed to

fight for them and have let them down over and over and over again” Friedman said. Friedman’s campaign has also begun airing ne gative ads attacking ConyearsErvin for ethical complaints made against her during her time as city treasurer. Former Oak Park Village Board member Ravi Parakkat, who lost a race for Oak Park village president last year, is supporting Friedman.

Former County Commissioner Richard Boykin points to his experience as for mer chief of staf f for Davis and his name recognition from his time as county commissioner and failed races for other offices since he lost his bid for reelection to current Chicago mayor Brandon Johnson in 2018.

Boykin is supported by perennial candidate and wealthy businessman Willie Wilson, for mer Chicago mayoral candidate Paul Vallas, Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas, for mer Oak Park Village President Anan Abu Taleb and Oak Park Village Board member Jim Taglia.

Boykin supports Illinois opting into a federal program that would grant tax deductions for contributions to a fund that would grant scholarships to students at-

tending private schools

“I’m willing to take on my own party on this,” Boykin said before the event at St. Malachy. “I’m willing to take on the teachers unions on this issue.”

Boykin said he has to do well in Oak Park to win but also may have a base of support centered around some West Side churches where Wilson is popular.

Forest Park Mayor Rory Hoskins has had trouble standing out in such a crowded field and against better funded opponents. But Hoskins is benefiting from his local connections and has been endorsed by River Forest Village President Cathy Adduci and the mayors or village presidents of Hillside, Westchester, Melrose Park and North Riverside.

With so many candidates in the field most political observers predict that the winner, whomever that person is, will receive less than, perhaps significantly less than 30 percent of the vote. 20,000 votes could be enough to win the race so all the candidates are just trying to hit that mark and pick of f votes wherever they can. That gives little known candidates such as Jazmin Robinson, Dave Ehrlich and Felix Tello some hope that they have a chance.

TODD BANNOR

Candidates at the 7th District congressional forum at Collins Academy High School on Jan. 27.

Cases against local moms arrested for Broadview sit-in are not moving for ward

After months of uncertainty, charges against 15 local women arrested for antiDHS protest may be dropped

By BRENDAN HEFFERNAN Staff Reporter

Criminal cases against 15 local moms who participated in a sit-in protest at the Broadview ICE detention facility likely won’t move forward.

The group of more than a dozen women from Chicago’s near west suburbs had been arrested by Cook County Sherif f’s deputies after staging a sit-in protest in the driveway of the federal immigration detention facility on Nov. 7, 2025. After a scheduled court date in December came and went without

an actual hearing, the women appeared in court Wednesday morning to learn that the case had been put on “suspended leave” and would likely move no further, protestor Nikki Kidd of River Forest told Wednesday Journal.

“We got a notice in February that we had a new court date of March 4 and we were a little bit anxious,” she said. “If they were going to bother to bring us into court, you know, we were, we were concerned about, you know, how it was going to go down. I think it was, it was definitely a relief to know that they were going to reco gnize our constitutional rights to protest and to peacefully assemble and speak our minds in the way that we did, and that it wasn’t, necessary to pursue those charges.”

The moms, like many other Broadview protestors, were defended in court by volunteers from the National Lawyers Guild of Chicago, Kidd said.

The decision put an end to months of legal “limbo” for the moms, whose protest stemmed from outrage over family separations caused by ICE and Border Patrol’s mass deportation campaign in Chicagoland, dubbed “Operation Midway Blitz” by President Donald Trump With those same federal policies still in place, the protesters only feel so relieved, Kidd said.

“We wanted to focus calling attention and plight of the families that were being separated and everything like that,” she said. “So, it was a bit of relief. But also not a full relief, because we know that the families that we were protesting on behalf of, obviously, they’re still dealing with it, and it hasn’t stopped.”

Kidd said she hoped the protest and the group’s on-going community activism on the topic will show that even “busy moms” can find time to make a stand for their beliefs.

“It doesn’t have to be getting arrested, but I think there are so many small things that people can do, even busy moms like us, that can make a di erence and can be important in how we stand up for our neighbors, and also ght for our democracy and the country that we want to see.”

“We hope to inspire people to take that next ste p,” she said. “It doesn’t have to be g etting ar rested, but I think there are so many small things that people can do, even busy moms like us, that can make a difference and can be important in how we stand up for our neighbors, and also fight for our democracy and the country that we want to see.”

Local journalism matters. That’s why we made a bold decision to protect its future.

The Wednesday Journal is now part of NEWSWELL, a nonpro t journalism organization that provides resources, technology, and long-term support to community newsrooms across the country. This partnership strengthens our foundation while keeping everything that matters the same. Our newsroom remains local. Our staff remains in place. Our commitment to this community is unchanged. With the added support of NEWSWELL, we are better positioned than ever to continue delivering the independent, communityfocused journalism our readers rely on. Same mission. New chapter. Stronger future.

NIKKI KIDD River Forest

Computer-generated plans for Long fellow Park improvements

Construction starts on Longfellow Park

Work on park renovations, including new splash pad, pickle ball cour ts, begin this week

By BRENDAN HEFFERNAN Staff Reporter

Oak Park’s paddle enthusiasts will soon have another place to play pickle ball.

Construction on planned renovations at Longfellow Park began this week, the Park District of Oak Park announced on social media. The renovations were put in motion after the park district was awarded a $600,000 Open Space Lands Acquisition and Development grant from the state.

Longfellow Park, located at 610 S. Ridgeland Ave., has a full-length basketball court area, tennis courts and a splash pad avail-

able in the summer. It was named after the author and poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.

The old playground equipment at the park will be donated to Kids Around the World, an organization that upcycles old playg round equipment and gives them to under-resourced communities globally, the park district announced.

Construction at the park is expected to be completed by this fall, according to the park district.

“We are thrilled and deeply grateful to have been awarded this grant to improve our parks,” Jan Arnold, executive director

of the PDOP, said in a previous news release about the project. “This funding will allow us to enhance the spaces that bring our community together, support health and wellness, and connect people with nature. These improvements re present our ongoing commitment to providing exceptional parks for everyone in Oak Park.”

The grant program provides funding assistance to local government agencies for acquisition and/or development of land for public parks and open space, according to the park district. The updated park will include four dedicated pickleball courts, an expanded splash pad, a sensory garden

and a new playground, according to the park district.

The state awarded $55.2 million in OSLAD grants in December 2024 to 100 communities in the state for park development projects, including Oak Park

“Since I became governor, it’s been my mission to build stronger, healthier communities across Illinois,” Gov. JB Pritzker said in a news release. “Through the OSLAD program, we’re bringing that vision to life by awarding over $55.2 million to local park projects, expanding green spaces and creating new recreational opportunities for all.”

PARK DISTRICT OF OAK PARK

Education and Guide Enrichment

local schools | early learning | tutoring programs Spring 2026

The Language and Music School

Established in Oak Park in 1994

Private lessons and tutoring for all ages, taught by experienced educators and professional artists in a historic Oak Park setting.

We offer:

• Music lessons: piano, guitar, drums, voice, strings, winds, and more

• World languages: Spanish, French, German, Italian, Chinese, and more

• Academic tutoring: Math, Language Arts, SAT/ACT preparation

• Flexible scheduling for children, teens, and adults

The school is also home to a K–12 microschool, offering a highly individualized educational environment, as featured on WGN Chicago’s Very Best. Learn more at lmschool.com

Curiosity, Creativity, and Community at CAYR Camp

Looking for a summer day camp where every child feels celebrated for who they are? Located at 8020 Madison Street in River Forest, CAYR Camp is an inclusive summer program for kids ages 5–10. CAYR stands for “Come As You Are,” and as a local 501(c)(3) nonprofit, CAYR Connections is dedicated to creating welcoming, supportive spaces designed for all kinds of brains and bodies.

At CAYR Camp, curiosity leads the way. Campers explore their interests through outdoor adventures, nature walks, hands-on activities, and play-based learning that encourages discovery and confidence. Creativity is woven into each day through imaginative play, art, movement, and interest-led games that spark joy and self-expression. Community is at the heart of everything. With a strengths-based,

neurodiversity-affirming approach, CAYR Camp brings neurodivergent and neurotypical children together in an environment built on respect and belonging. Flexible, sensorysupportive activities and individualized accommodations help every camper thrive. With a maximum 4:1 camperto-staff ratio, each child receives the personalized attention and encouragement they deserve.

CAYR Camp is committed to accessibility for all families. To inquire about financial assistance, email summer@cayrconnections.org. This summer, discover a place where kids can learn, play, and truly come as they are.

For full details about programming, dates, and enrollment, visit www. cayrconnections.org/camp.

8 - JULY 10

L 13 - AUG 14

At St. Catherine-St. Lucy School, excellence begins early

In 2025, our Early Learning Academy was recognized by the Archdiocese of Chicago as a leader in Early Learning Innovation. Our preschool and kindergarten teachers earned Harvard Early Learning Certifications, equipping them with data-driven strategies to unlock every child’s potential from day one.

The results of this rigorous foundation are clear: 100% of our current Kindergarten and 1st-grade students are performing at or above grade level in reading and math. That strong foundation carries students far — 100% of our 2025 graduates earned admission to top-tier high schools, including Fenwick, Trinity, St. Patrick, and

Whitney Young.

At St. Catherine-St. Lucy, we don’t just prepare students for the next grade, we prepare them for life.

Visit catherinelucy.org or call 708386-5286 to learn more, schedule a tour, and enroll today.

Exploring and Growing at First United Nursery School

First United Nursery School’s play based preschool allows children to learn through fun, hands-on activities under the care of highly credentialed staff.

We also offer seven - one week summer camps. The camp emphasizes nature study and science discovery. Each week your child will enjoy science, literacy, music, math and art activities around a topic of study

Our NAEYC accredited preschool has nurtured generations of area children. We say it is “more than just a school” because it is a place where children, families, and teachers

come together to form a community dedicated to providing a place where children can ask questions, explore ideas and grow while playing and having fun.

Call 708-848-4910 to schedule a tour or to enroll your child.

100% SCSL families report that their child

27 Washington Blvd., Oak Park, IL 60302

The average SCSL student grew faster than their nationwide peers in g ac nt

readin hieveme

100% of our 2025 graduates are enrolled in top-tier high schools such as Fenwick, Trinity, St

families receive financial aid and/or

scholarship assistance 100%ofour2025 graduatesareenrolledin top-tierhighschoolssuch asFenwick,Trinity,St. Patrick,andWhitneyYoung

Last year, student growt in math rose by 27% Patrick, and Whitney Young feels welcomed at our school

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Extendyourchild’sday byaddingthe optional

Women in Business • March 18

Easter Church Guide • March 25

Spring Camp Guide #2 • April 11

Forest Park Community Guide • April 29

Contact Lourdes Nicholls (lourdes@oakpark.com) or Emma Cullnan (emma@oakpark.com) for more information about advertising.

Social Living with t Lisa Capone

SocialLiving Benefits YOUR BEST LIFE withLisaCapone

Livinginaretirementcommunity canofferseveralsocial advantagesforolderadults.These communitiesaredesignedto promotesocialinteraction, engagement,andasenseof belonging.Herearesomeofthe socialadvantagestolivingina retirementcommunity:

Pace pilots Austin Boulevard bus

e s l i k e o u t i n g s , f i t n e s s

c l a s s e s , h o b b y g r o u p s , a n d g a m e n i g h t s k e e p r e s i d e n t s a c t i v e a n d i n t e r a c t i n g .

SocialEngagement: Daily activitieslikeoutings,fitness classes,hobbygroups,and gamenightskeepresidents activeandinteracting.

SenseofCommunity :Acloseknitenvironmentfosters meaningfulrelationshipsand reducesloneliness.

S e n s e o f C o m m u n i t y : A c l o s ek n i t e n v i r o n m e n t f o s t e r s m e a n i n g f u l r e l a t i o n s h i p s a n d r e d u c e s l o n e l i n e s s .

B u i l t - I n S o c i a l N e t w o r k : L i v i n g a m o n g p e e r s i n a s i m i l a r l i f e s t a g e m a k e s i t e a s i e r t o

c o n n e c t a n d b u i l d s u p p o r t i v e n e t w o r k s

Built-InSocialNetwork: amongpeersinasimilarlifeLiving stagemakesiteasierto connectandbuildsupportive networks.

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m a k e g a t h e r i n g w i t h f r i e n d s s i m p l e a n d a c c e s s i b l e

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R e s i d e n t s s h a r e e x p e r i e n c e s , o f f e r i n g e m o t i o n a l s u p p o r t a n d e n c o u r a g e m e n t t o o n e a n o t h e r

SupportiveEnvironment: Residentsshareexperiences, offeringemotionalsupportand encouragementtooneanother.

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EaseofMakingFriends: Frequenteventsandshared spacesnaturallycreate opportunitiesfornew friendships.

College in the process. The route connects to Austin Blue Line el station and several bus routes further south. It overlaps with CTA Route 91/Austin between Lake Street and Roosevelt Road

VisitCantata.orgformore seniorlivingadviceorcall (708)387-1030.

Visit Cantata.org for more senior living advice or call (708) 387-1030

This isn’t the first time Pace has improved service on Route 315. As part ofthe series ofpilots announced in January 2025, it increased service hours and beefed up service frequency. Route 311, which serves Oak Park Avenue and a small section of North Avenue at the Oak Park/Galewood border, got similar improvements at the same time

During the Feb. 18 board meeting, Pace Chief Planning Officer Erik Llewellyn said the suburban bus agency wanted to address a large transit gap around the section ofthe Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal between Harlem and Cicero avenues.

“The primary reason for this transit gap

cross the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal,” he said. “This transit gap affects some of the most densely populated suburban communities, many of which have a significant number oflow-income residents and households without access to a vehicle. These communities would benefit greatly from enhanced north-south transit options.”

As part ofthe pilot, the route would continue south along Central Avenue, cross the canal, then turn east on 47th Street and take Cicero Avenue to Midway Airport.

Pace spokesperson Maggie Daly Skogsbakken said the entire trip would take “35 to 40 minutes depending on time ofday and traffic patterns.” By comparison, the same trip currently takes around an hour assuming a quick transfer between Green and Orange lines.

Llewellyn said Pace is also extending the

new schedule hasn’t been published yet, Llewellyn’s presentation indicated the first bus would leave around 25 minutes earlier, and the last bus will leave after midnight.

The service frequency will also improve. Under the current schedule, weekday buses usually run once every halfan hour, with service frequency increasing to once every 15 minutes during rush hours, and there is currently a one-hour service gap late at night. The new schedule will have the buses run between 15-45 minutes de pending on the time of day.

Similarly, the weekend service frequency will increase from around 20-60 minutes on Saturdays and every 30-60 minutes on Sundays to once every 15-45 minutes on both weekends.

The pilot will cost around $1.98 million, and it will require 11 drivers.

IGOR STUDENKOV

Southbound Pace Route 315 bus heads down Austin Boulevard. Riders w ill soon be able to take this bus all the way to Midway Airport.

A er search, Trinity promotes next principal from its ranks

Science department chair chosen from pool of 72 candidates

By GREGG VOSS Contributing Reporter

After an arduous search process that included 72 candidates spanning from California to Pennsylvania, Trinity High School elected to stay in house with the announcement that Kristy Reilly will be the new principal and vice president of academics.

Reilly, with 14 years of teaching experience, the last six at Trinity, will start Ju 1 and re place Amy Gallie, principal for past six years, who is pursuing opportunities outside of education.

The announcement coincided with Trinity’s third-place finish Friday in the IHSA Class 3A state basketball tournament. So for Reilly, it was a memorable weekend.

“We really are Blazer Nation,” Reilly said Monday, adding Trinity was the only allgirls school at state at any level. “We had like three buses of students going down. We were holding our own and packing stands. It’s been awesome.”

Let’s not forget she’s also pretty excited about her next professional step.

“I made it through this incredible pool of highly qualified candidates,” she said. “I could hardly believe it was me. The excitement was through the roof.”

Reilly began her career as a teacher in the Teach for America program in Chicago Public Schools, where she taught a host of subjects, including biolo gy, chemistry and physics, and planned professional development on a CPS instructional leadership team. Before Trinity, she taught at Legal Prep Charter Academy in Chicago, where she was a science teacher, teacher coach, department chair and served as director of special education services.

At Trinit y, she has ser ved as chair of the school’s science and physical education department and leader of its New to Trinity Cohort. According to Trinity president Dr. Tina Taylor-Ritzler, that role made her an instructional coach for faculty.

“Almost half of our faculty, they go to her when they need support,” she said.

Taylor-Ritzler said Reilly was the only

internal candidate for the position, adding that the school worked with a pair of consultants to circulate the position widely.

“We had people apply for the position who were superintendents, principals,” she said. “We had the full gamut of student experience. I was looking for someone who would be a champion for our teachers and own the academic side of the house.”

In her role, Taylor-Ritzler said Reilly will head up everything inside the classroom, including pedago gy and assessment. As vice president of academics, she will be on the school’s leadership team, headed by Taylor-Ritzler and including vice presidents of institutional advancement, finance and operations and student life.

No surprise, then, that Reilly said she is most excited to continue Trinity’s path of academic rigor as an International Baccalaureate institution.

“I want to see more and more of the awe-

some stuf f we’re doing,” she said of her initial goals. “Academics, extracurriculars we have so much going on and we want to build on that.”

The next 12 weeks until the end of school, she’ll be teaching but also realizing that her role will change radically next fall. Won’t that be a little strange?

“I don’t think it’s going to be weird,” she said. “It’s going to be fun. The next 12 weeks, the countdown is on, but there is still a lot to do, a lot to learn and get accomplished. We’re going to do one step at a time.”

Reilly lives in Oak Park and has been married to her husband, Brendan, for seven years and they have two daughters, “two future Blazers,” she said. Plus, many of her husband’s family attended the school.

“My mother-in-law graduated from Trinity in 1978,” Reilly said. “When I called her, she was more excited than anybody.”

Spring Landscaping Starts Here

With the rapid approach of spring, the landscape season is right around the corner.

If you haven’t thought about your 2026 projects, now is the time to start! The early warmth has lit the flame of urgency, with many first-time and perennial clients calling and asking to be put on our schedules.

As you plan for this season, here’s a quick checklist to keep in mind:

Scope - determine what vision you have for your landscape. Whether softscape, hardscape, architectural features or lighting, knowing what you want to transform is the most important piece.

Budget - establish a realistic budget that can provide you with the means to transform your dreams into reality.

Schedule a meeting – set up a consultation with our sales and design staff to give you a true understanding of what it will take to make this transformation.

Design - after the consultation, let our talented team bring your ideas to paper.

These four simple steps can help make 2026 your landscape’s best!

NOTE: The closer we get to spring, the more our backlog fills, so act quickly to ensure you receive priority.

2001 Des Plaines Ave. Forest Park • 708-771-2299

PROVIDED

Tina Taylor-Ritzler (le ) and Kristy Reilly, new principal and vice president of academics.

Scott McAdam Jr.

Eggsperience spans the globe

At this restaurant, there is always another avor experience to try

Breakfast is serious business at Eggsperience. Lunch is too.

This local chain’s Elmwood Park location at 16 Conti Parkway has a menu that spans the globe while bringing fresh, hearty and delicious dishes to your table.

On a recent visit my mom and I tried several dishes to see what variety we could span in one meal. The Mediterranean omelette was mom’s choice. It comes with spinach, tomatoes, Kalamata olives and feta cheese. With a side of hashbrowns and two pancakes included, it’s more than one meal.

Other omelettes on the menu span the flavor world with their Elenis, Rocky Mountain High, Ranchero, Butcher Block, Gryo and even veggie options.

As I poured over the menu, I appreciated the carafe of coffee they park at each table, so you can fill your mug whenever you are

ready for more.

All the greatest hits are here. Corned beef hash and eggs sounded good. Biscuits and gravy or one of their four breakfast sandwiches caught my eye too. Pancakes, crepes, tres leches French toast, waffles or berries and Greek yogurt tempted my sweet tooth.

I finally decided on a Benedict. There are four to choose from including the classic with Canadian bacon, a smoked salmon version, a Southwest with chorizo,

Risé Sanders-Weir

Avocado chicken sandwich

Risé Sanders-Weir

Mediterranean omelette

Risé Sanders-Weir

Carnitas skillet

but I went with the country Benedict, an English muffin topped with spinach, roasted red pepper, tomatoes. Over easy eggs layered over the veggies and on top of that Hollandaise sauce with its velvety richness and bright lemon flavors pulled each bite together. A side of fruit was a great accompaniment.

We were half-way through enjoying our meal when the friendly hostess chatted us up and found out that we were sampling the menu. She suggested that we try the carnitas skillet.

“It’s a customer favorite. You won’t be disappointed,” she said.

So, despite my intentions not to go overboard, I said, “Let’s go for it.”

The skillet arrived with house-made slow-cooked, shredded pork layered with onions, jalapenos, red peppers and queso fresco topped with scrambled eggs and a pour over of salsa verde that is made inhouse too.

And just because she wanted us to have a taste, an order of corned beef hash appeared too.

There was no way we were going to finish this bounty.

“I’m coming back here for my birthday with my friends,” my mom, Julie Sanders, said. “We always go out together and I know everyone can find something they’d like on the menu.”

Lest you think that breakfast is all they offer, all you have to do is flip the menu over and a wide ocean of lunch destinations can be found.

Sandwiches, like Buffalo chicken, club, Cubano, and gyros, vie for your attention with build your own burgers. Tex-Mex specialties and street tacos beckon too. Soups and salad can keep it lighter.

Now full and with leftovers to go, I figured I’d better not arrive back home empty-handed around lunchtime. So, I ordered an avocado chicken sandwich to go with fries as the side for my husband.

One other thing to note is that the restaurant serves beer and specialty drinks, such as mimosas and bloody Marys, along with the usual assortment of juices, coffee, tea and espresso creations.

When the weather warms, there is patio seating out front. I hope it’s warm enough for my mom and her friends to sit outside when she returns in April.

Risé Sanders-Weir

Country Benedict

POLICE STOPS

Racial disparities

from page 1

cording to the data.

About 18% ofOak Park residents are Black, according to Census data. Ofthe 569 stops, 101 ended with an arrest, according to police.

“The thing that stands out is the racial disparities ofthe stops,” Trustee Jenna Leving Jacobson said. “But I don’t really know what to do with that information. I know the majority ofthese were calls for service, not initiated by Oak Park police officers.”

Wesley said part of why he asked for these re ports to come before the board on a re gular basis was to show the disparity in outcomes between police-initiated stops and instanc es where a resi dent calls port “suspicious” people or acti

further,” Eder said. “I think that is the ultimate goal that I want us to arrive at here is data that is actually going to be not just helpful for internal staf f and procedures and policies, but for us to make infor med decisions and actions, and also for the public to have trust in and insight into what is going on in the largest department in our village.”

Johnson said producing the re port already requires significant manpower and rewriting the stop narratives without internal police terminolo gy would put a further strain on the department’s capacity.

Trustees also mentioned inte grating the Citizen Police Oversight Commission, recently empowered to have more influence through a board vote last year, into helping present the re por ts in more digestible terms

“The idea of this is to see data in front of us re gular it allows us to catch trends before they become trends, just allows us to have as the board a pulse on how, demog raphically, things are looking,” Wesley said. “We do get these things from two different areas, right? And for me, it’s very helpful to know how many result from our community calling you all and you all showing up versus self-initiated stops, and then the percentage of which those things lead to arrest one group versus another. Because what I’ve found in the past is that the self-initiated stops have been a lot more accurate.”

Leving Jacobson , and Trustees Derek Eder and Chibuike Enyia all asked that the data be presented in a way that’s more accessible to residents in the future with less police jargon and acronyms

“If we don’ t understand it, and we’re spending time really trying to digest this, I don’ t see how the public can have a chance at understanding this, so I think it’s a good start, but I think we need to go

“Our shared goal is the transparency to the community,” Village President Scaman said. “So that immeditely bring us to onclusion need the data to be digestjust for for the ommunity at . And CPOC shares that goal. ou share that chief, we all we’re just here in partneret there with all parties.” Wesley praised the data as it was presented this week and said he wasn’t interested in involving CPOC with the field stop re ports.

“I don’ t want to hear this data from CPOC, I want to hear from the police, because the police are the ones who are actually stopping folks,” he said. “The level oftransparency here is unprecedented. Is it perfect? No. Is it good enough? Maybe, maybe not, de pending on the person, but it’s definitely better than anything else I’ve seen in most other communities, right? So I just want to say, I g et that we’ve got capacity concerns. I g et that. But I just want to say that I like the fact that, despite the capacity concerns, this data continues to come before the board, and we continue to have open and honest and transparent and public co nversations about it.”

METZGAR

Aiming for UFC

from page 1

you are and what you care about. Is there something that calls to you, something that makes you feel like you’ re meant to be doing?

“Everyone has some kind of gift.”

Metzgar goes by the nickname Mad Max, and while you might think it has something to do with his fighting capabilities in the Octagon, you’d be only partially right. Back when he attended Ohio State, he was a philosophy minor. He was already on his way to eschewing the traditional 9-to-5 career path, and he’d go to parties and dish about what thinking titans like Plato and Aristotle would say about various issues.

“They started calling me Mad Max,” he said, “but I’d have to say that’s a misnomer because Max doesn’t strike me as mad at all. He’s just a guy who’s got a lot of enthusiasm for what he does and is working hard to get where he wants to go.”

That’s to the UFC, also known as the Ultimate Fighting Championship. He’s a member of the Cage Fury Fighting Championships promotion and his next bout is March 27 against Elvin Romero.

Get Max talking about that, and you’ll get a whole different side of him.

“He’s a dead man walking,” he said with a coldness that made me shiver just a bit from hundreds of miles away. “I’m going to kill him.”

Now come on, he’s not literally going to do that. But if he gets a submission or knockout against Romero, and another in a bout in late spring or early summer, the UFC will come calling. Why? The UFC wants finishes, he said.

His coach, UFC hall of famer Matt Brown, said Max will likely be fighting in UFC in the next year or so.

“He does a lot of things well,” Brown said of his prized pupil. “I would say number one, which is a prerequisite for what we do, is his athleticism. He closes the distance well with his feet. He’s a great wrestler. I’ve been working on his striking and that’s getting better all the time.”

Here, philosophy also plays a role in how he approaches a fight. It’s never personal, he said. Some knucklehead who tries to make it personal, well, “They don’ t know me.” Again, a little cold, but point taken.

Max is a practitioner of Jeet Kune Do, and if that sounds f amiliar, it should. The

Max Metzgar

le g endary Bruce Lee pioneered the disci pline in the 1960s, and it’s the art of intercepting fist. T he idea is, I am you’ re not.

“I’m waiting for the perfect opportunity to land a takedown or one devastating shot,” he said. “I want to put them on the ground and break them. Zap their life force until they give in.”

What if we all attacked our life chal-

how to exercise, eat and think healthy and g enerally cope with life. He also r uns an amateur MMA progr am called Mad Max’s Fight Team.

Bottom line, to paraphrase Robert Frost, Max has taken the path less traveled. While he gets back to the area from time to time,

have my fiancée. I left Oak Park and started a life for myself in Columbus, Ohio. I just took it on my shoulder and tried to carve out a life in a new place. It was an uncomfortable thing to do. It forced me to grow and experience the world in ways that I wouldn’t have.”

PHOTOS

Ruby Tea makes a splash

Two Oak Parkers bring a new avor to market in the bottled beverage aisle

By RISÉ SANDERS-WEIR Eats Reporter

A vacation inspired brothers Jan and Miles Menafee to try their hand at creating a drink that brings flavors of the Caribbean into the hands of Chicagoans and, hopefully, beyond.

“We took a trip to Jamaica for my bachelor party and really fell in love with sorrel,” Jan Menafee said. “It’s hibiscus tea with different spices in it. Back home I was buying it a lot and then Miles found flowers for me to learn how to make it myself.”

Hibiscus has long been associated with benefits.

“It’s a super flower for all its antioxidant power. What that means is that basically it helps with like your heart health, blood pressure, cholesterol,” Jan Menafee said.

The Menafees added to that ginger with its warm flavor and its own health claims. Locally produced honey gives a touch of sweetness to the 110 calorie per bottle beverage Through tasting and testing, they got the flavor balance right with a pinch of pink salt.

“Hibiscus is tart, while ginger is kind of spicy and like warming from the inside out. And the honey is sweet, right?” Jan Menafee said. “You got three dimensions of flavor all in one.”

“Generally, there’s a non-alcoholic beverage trend,” Miles Menafee said. “Gen Z and everyone is just drinking less. In the non-alcoholic space, the big players now are the prebiotic sodas or THC drinks. And those are cool. But we find that they have a lot of stuf f in it that you don’t know. I feel like that’s kind of the zig to our zag, having our ing redients that folks know and could have on their own shelves.”

pened to move next to Carnivore in Oak Park

“My wife was like, this tea is incredible. You got to go share it with them and see if they’ll sell it in the store,” Jan Menafee said. “I went over there, they were like, yeah, this is great. We’ll help you g et set up. You can use our kitchen.”

T he brothers started producing product for sale last summer and now are up to more than 300 bottles per week. T he drink is sold at Carnivore, of course, and at T he Sugar Beet and FFC Oak Park. In Hyde Park bottles are stocked at Strugglebeard Bakery; in North Lawndale, Monday Coffee has got them too

“We wanted to honor something that our great grandma, Ruby, always taught us about how you can taste the love in things,” Jan Menafee said. “And, of course, because she is the name of the gemstone, ruby worked perfectly for giving that connotation of luxury.”

For now, both brothers still have day jobs, but the business is moving another step forward.

“We’ re moving to The Hatchery at the end of this month,” Jan Menafee said.

“We’ re going to be a part of their next incubator program,” Miles Menafee said.

The Hatchery is a West Side food and beverage business incubator that serves local entrepreneurs as they build and grow, which in turn creates sustainable economic growth and job opportunities.

“The Hatchery is a really big ste p,” Jan Menafee said. “Scaled up production, facility and number of people that we’re able to employ in brewing and bottling the tea. The flip side of that is also being able to be present in more actual retailers.”

As their for mula was coming together, Jan Menafee hap-

For Black History Month, a pop-up featuring Chicagomade products at Midway Airport used Ruby Tea syrup to make mocktails.

Ruby is more than the color of the drink. There’s a who behind the name too.

The Menafee brothers appreciate the support from their family, Carnivore, and all their current customers.

“There’s a lot of people, which is really exciting, honestly, for how we’ve been able to grow in this short time,” Jan Menefee said.

More at experienceruby.com.

RISÉ SANDERS-WEIR

Ow ners Miles and Jan Menafee

PROVIDED

Ruby Tea

Two arrested for $5,000 Oak Park jewelry robber y

By BRENDAN HEFFERNAN Staff Reporter

Oak Park police arrested two individuals believed to be responsible for robbing an Oak Park resident of thousands of dollars in jewelry.

Police arrested a 26-year-old Oregon man and a 17-year-old juvenile in Schaumberg in connection with a robbery reported in the 1100 block of Wenonah Avenue in Oak Park on March 3, according to police records.

The suspects were re por tedly driving south down an alley in a white Volvo before stopping in front of the victim’s garage when one of the suspects re por tedly asked the victim if he’d like some rings. The victim approached the suspect and after they handed him the rings the suspect grabbed the victim, according to police records.

The suspects stole the victim’s necklace, which had a golden lion pendant with diamonds for eyes and the victim’s family initials engraved into it. The item was valued at $5,000, according to police records.

The suspects were charged with felony robbery, according to police.

Felony weapons arrest

Oak Park police arrested a local man on weapon-related felony charges last week.

Police arrested a 44-year-old Oak Park man on aggravated unlawful possession of a weapon charges in the 400 block of North Humphrey Avenue shortly before 11 p.m. on Friday, March 6, according to police records. The arrest was in connection with an incident that occurred in the 100 block of Madison Street on Feb. 11, according to

police records.

The suspect is currently in Cook County custody, due in court on March 10 in Maywood, according to county records.

These items were obtained from Oak Park’s Police Department re ports dated March 2–9 and re present a portion of the incidents to which police responded. Any-

one named in these re ports has only been charged with a crime and cases have not yet been adjudicated. We re port 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 a description of the suspect as they seek the public’s help in making an arrest.

By LACEY SIKORA Contributing Reporter

Like a lot of Oak Park homes, the house on Superior Street has been through some changes. Built in 1884, the house was moved from its original location on For-

est Avenue by horses. The house originally had a wrap-around porch, but by the time the owners purchased it in 2011, the porch was long gone.

After buying the home, the homeowners worked with architect Kimberlee Smith of Smith Architecture, Ltd. on some inte-

rior renovations. When they were ready to tackle the porch project, they turned to Smith for design and general contractor Tony Roeder of Marion Street Services for the build-out of their new porch and three seasons room.

The homeowners had previously visited

the Historical Society of Oak Park and River Forest to research their home’s history. There, they discovered a 1908 Sanborn map, which indicated that there was originally a wrap-around porch on the house.

PORCH

Attention to detail

from page 28

Smith notes, “The 1908 map shows that there was a porch that extended around the front. That’s kind of why we ended up being where we are, because she did that research at the Historical Society.”

Working to preserve or return a home’s history is part of the job for Smith, who often collaborates with the village’s Historic Preservation Commission in her work

historic homes, they can get a lot of comments.

“This was more collaborative,” he said. “In this process, everyone wanted the same thing.”

That’s not to say there weren’ t any challenges. An older home that has been moved from its original location is bound to present some issues.

Roeder said, “The building was definitely going in different directions besides plumb and level.”

He points to the ef for ts of every member of his crew in making the project a success.

“Peter Soumar, our mason, made many trips to different supply yards to find matching stones for the support columns on the front of the porch. He sourced over 10 samples to make for the closest match possible to the existing stone foundation. Peter and I laughed when we saw how close the stones matched. He noted that they may have come from the same local quarry as the original foundation did.”

“I always love working with them. There’s a reason why people come from all over the world to see Oak Park This house is really a part of that.”

Smith looked at a home further down Superior Avenue for inspiration on some design details and says Susie Trexler, for mer Urban Planner for the village was instrumental in the shepherding them through the historic review process.

“When I make a presentation [to the HPC,] all of the history is included. It all has merit and meaning,” Smith says.

Roeder notes that when people come to the HPC with drastic changes in mind for

Roeder’s framing specialist, Steve Forrest, has built over 500 homes and has almost 60 years of experience. He put his skills to the test in crafting the new porch, addressing issues with roofs that were not at the same angle.

“There were many challenges bringing two different angles from the front and side roofs that meet at a radius on the east corner, along with the house being out of square. We are talking about a house built 140 years ago, raised of f its stone foundation, dragged by horses around the corner and set on another foundation nine years later,” Roeder says.

Throughout the project, Roeder’s employees worked to use modern materials that would look appropriate to the historic home. Woodwork was the key to a lot of their ef forts, including beadboard ceilings, hand-crafted trim, and a special rosette detail.

One of the goals for the project was to make it look like the new porch had always

and carpenters to complete this project.

been there, and a welcome side effect was enjoying the process. All involved say that the teamwork and collaboration made the project a joy to work on.

That ef for ts were rewarded with an

Historic Preservation Award last month. According to village Urban Planner Brenton Boitse, it is the first time that he can confirm that a winner received all perfect scores from the judges.

ONY ROEDER OF MARION STREET SERVICES

DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS IS FRIDAY 5 P.M.

Call Viewpoints editor

Ken Trainor at 613-3310

ktrainor@wjinc.com

Walk 15 to support Oak Park Ave. businesses

‘Renew The Avenue,” the project to rehab the streetscape and underground infrastructure of the Oak Park Avenue business corridor, has wreaked havoc on Oak Park traffic.

The impact on local businesses may be worse. Social media re por ts that some Oak Park institutions are already hurting, and similar projects in other areas have contributed to business failures.

ving to the Oak Park Ave/ Hemingway District has always been fraught. Traffic is nonstop and street parking is scarce. If we fall back on old convenient habits, it would be easy avoid patronizing those businesses until the project is done. But the winter weather has broken and spring will soon be sprung. Why not walk?

How long does it take you to get the car out of the g arage, drive to a local business, park and find your way to the door? Ten minutes at least, maybe

If we budget 15 minutes for a walk, the Oak Park Avenue business corridor has a large surrounding “walkshed” (https://jvanderberg.github.io/walk15/). A walkshed is the area that can be reached on foot within a set amount of time. In this case, the 15-minute walkshed includes approximately 4,800 households and 11,000 residents [1], all of whom could just as easily walk to support our local businesses.

If you live there, you have no excuse. When the weather is nice in the next week, get out there and support the businesses impacted by Renew the Avenue. Let’s call it “Walk 15.”

Door to door, 15 minutes or less, how convenient is that? No garage, no circling, hunting for that “rockstar” spot, no parking fees, no valet who tweaked your mirror position. Just a pleasant walk through beautiful Oak Park. And along the way you might discover new businesses you previously missed in your frantic search for parking.

So why not slow down, stop to smell the pollinator-friendly wildflowers, and get out there and enjoy Oak Park on foot this spring. Walk 15 for local businesses, not just for The Avenue, but for all of Oak Park

[1] Using Assessor geog raphical records and unit estimates for larger buildings, cross referenced with the U.S. Census ACS data estimate of 2.27 people per household for Oak Pa rk. Josh is a passionate urbanist and entrepreneur who’s lived in Chicagoland for thirty years and has called Oak Park home for over a decade.

VIEWPOINTS

Dooper ’s Memories: Remembering Ernie and Louie p. 33

Look up, River Forest

There’s a lot going on in River Forest right now. Teacher contract negotiations. The Lake and Lathrop saga that never ends. Term limits debates. Ethics complaints. A proposed development on Madison Street that’s generating strong opinions.

I’m not here to weigh in on any of it. Not today I’m here because we’ve been living in the noise so long we’ve forgotten to look up. When every conversation feels heavy and every thread goes sideways, it starts to feel like that’s all we are. A community defined by what we ’re arguing about. We’re not. Not even close.

same idea. In River Forest, Friday night means Bertolli’s. It just does.

It’s the elderly couple who reappears on the first mild evening, same route through Keystone. That’s not just a walk. That’s a love story playing out one slow lap at a time.

I was reminded a few weeks ago. One of those freak February afternoons where it hit 60. Kids were outside. Someone walking their dog in a T-shirt. Neighbors I hadn’t seen since November standing in driveways, squinting at the sun like they’d forgotten what it looked like. Nobody was arguing about anything. That’s the River Forest I want to talk about.

It’s a brave 5-year-old at Priory Pa rk who decided today’s the day he rides without training wheels. Dad’s running alongside, hand hovering, can’t decide whether to hold on or let go. That’s River Forest.

It’s the sixth-g rader at Roosevelt who launches a buzzer-beater that banks in. Teammates mob him like it’s the NBA Finals. Mom’s filming with a shaky hand. Nobody in that gym is thinking about tax levies.

It’s the Friday night Bertolli’s run. You pull open that screen door and the smell hits you before your foot crosses the threshold. Half the village had the

It’s the firstgrader at the library pulling books of f the shelf like she’s found buried treasure. She walks out with a stack so tall she can barely see over it, already asking when she can come back.

It’s the Memorial Day Parade down Lake Street. Lawn chairs, little flags, and coolers that aren’t fooling anyone. Someone’s three High Noons deep by 10 a.m. The veterans walk by and everyone gets quiet. Your kid asks why people are crying. You try to explain. You don’t do a great job, but you’ re glad they asked.

It’s the Metra platfor m at 6:50 a.m. in 22-de gree air. The train is late. Of course. Someone cracks a joke. Everyone laughs.

It’s the deer crossing Thatcher like they own the place. They stop traffic, stare you down, and leave presents in your yard. But there’s something about living where wildlife wanders through your neighborhood.

It’s the 60305 Facebook group, where someone posts that their power is out and within four minutes a neighbor offers a generator. Because their teenager will “absolutely not survive” if that phone dies.

Here’s what you forget reading a heated thread at 11 p.m.: Every house on your block is in the middle

TODD BANNOR

Children hand out candy at the River Forest Memorial Day Parade

STEVE GOLDHABER One View

More oversight, better policing

Each year Oak Park’s village board approves a work plan for each of the volunteer commissions that do work on its behalf Zoning. Sustainability. Preservation. Community Relations Far mers Market. There are nearly 20 of these commissions. Each one has a liaison from the village board and a staff member assigned to it.

Since the early 1990s, Oak Park has had a citizens commission to oversee the actions of the police department. Back then it was a radical concept and Oak Park was pioneering. After that, though, not much changed for the commission or for its carefully circumscribed work plan. Oak Park wanted oversight but not too much. And it wanted to minimize any tension between the commission and the police department and its leadership. That began to change in recent years and Village President Vicki Scaman gets the primary credit for it. Other cities and villages across America had moved forward in understanding that the connection between policing and community needed to change, that police departments needed to be held to account by some combination of outside entities. The murder of George Floyd by police officers in Minneapolis sped efforts to increase police accountability.

Scaman and her fellow board members have moved steadily and on multiple fronts to change policing and accountability in this village. The ECHO program, which adds a layer of social work and mental health support for a subset of calls to police, is taking shape. And following the work of a consultant, now the Citizen Police Oversight Commission will have wider latitude and greater resources to monitor the work of our officers.

The work plan approved last week by the village board for the CPOC reflects those important changes

This is where we say, again, that Oak Park has a strong police department that generates few citizen complaints. It has, over decades, evolved in its policing strategies and has a strong ethos of community policing. Our hope and expectation is that expanding the accountability role of CPOC is seen as a way to fortify that positive approach to policing while adding eyes to what we would all agree is a complex and sometimes fraught tension between service and authority.

Broadview moms

How many more trumped-up cases can local and federal law enforcement bail on before just admitting that the ICE incursion into our communities was an attack on free speech and democratic ideals?

Just last week, a “pause” was put on further prosecution of a group of women, many from Oak Park, who righteously protested outside the ICE Detention Center in Broadview in the late fall. Arrests were made. Charges were brought by county officials. And now, effectively, a “never mind.”

It’s a good outcome to a farcical situation.

Good old Otto McFeely, revere long-ago newspaper editor, is sai to have christened Oak Park “Middle-Class Capital of America. He had a point. Geographicall situated in the middle of the Midw Park remains a bastion of middle-classness — though the middle class of late has seen better days

I grew up here in the 1950s and ’60s and now think of that era as the “Golden Ag of the American Middle Class.” P Depression and Post-War prosperit a confident era for the country. Confident enough to declare a “War on Poverty.” Confident enough to handle the cultural revolution of the late ’60s, which achieved progress on several civil-rights fronts

Resurrecting the middle class

hold these truths to be “self-evident.” greatest achievement of the Ameriolution, Isaacson says, was the creation of a viable middle class, layering a much-needed buffer between wealthy landwners and the less well to do, which didn’t et exist anywhere in the world.

TRAINOR

But the country changed. “Middle class” became synonymous with materialism, complacency, conformity. Boomers craved more meaning, freedom, and social justice — all good things. But so was prosperity. Though the affluence wasn’t spread widely enough, economic inequality between the rich and the rest was narrower by the mid-1970s than it had ever been. Appalled by this level of equity, the Republicans went reactionary. With the election of Ronald Reagan and over the ensuing 46 years, the gap between the top 10% and the rest of us has grown ever wider.

Ben Franklin must be spinning in his grave. Franklin was the great champion of the middle class in the 18th century. In fact he pretty much invented it. He liked to identify himself as “B. Franklin, printer,” a reference to his proudly chosen trade. As his horizons widened, he continued to print and publish and became America’s greatest cultural influencer.

I recently read Walter Isaacson’s excellent book Benjamin Franklin – An American Life and highly recommend it to everyone as preparation for the nation’s 250th anniversary. As a scientist Franklin was, in his day, considered on a par with Isaac Newton. England’s David Hume called him America’s “first philosopher.” He negotiated the peace treaty with Great Britain and France following the Revolution, and prevented either from gaining undue influence over the newly independent nation. He then coaxed, cultivated, compromised and convinced congressional delegates to sign onto the only Constitution that could birth the fragile coalition known as the United States of America — a document that somehow survived slavery and the Civil War and may someday move us beyond the perfidy of the autocrat currently attempting to bury it

Franklin also contributed the best correction in the history of editing, when he adjusted “the greatest sentence ever written” (according to Isaacson), the one that famously begins, “We hold these truths to be …,” replacing Jefferson’s initial word choice, “sacred,” with something more forceful and enduring.

As the most prominent proponent of that , Franklin forged — through words and deeds — this country’s core character: industriousness, frugality, humility, ommon-sense practicality, and the pursuit self-improvement in order to serve the ommon good.

“He devised legislatures and lightning rods, lotteries and lending libraries,” Isaacson writes. “He sought practical ways to make stoves less smoky and commonwealths less corrupt. He organized neighborhood constabularies and international alliances. He combined two types of lenses to create bifocals and two concepts of representation to foster the nation’s federal compromise. … All of this made him the most accomplished American of his age and the most influential in inventing the type of society America would become. Indeed, the roots of much of what distinguishes the nation can be found in Franklin: its cracker-barrel humor and wisdom; its technological ingenuity; its pluralistic tolerance; its ability to weave together individualism and community cooperation; its philosophical pragmatism; its celebration of meritocratic mobility; the idealistic streak ingrained in its foreign policy. … He was egalitarian in what became the American sense: he approved of individuals making their way to wealth through diligence and talent, but opposed giving special privileges to people based on their birth. …

“He saw middle-class values as a source of social strength, not as something to be derided. His guiding principle was a ‘dislike of everything that tended to debase the spirit of the common people.’ Few of his fellow founders felt this comfort with democracy so fully, and none so intuitively.”

Our country today, sadly, is characterized more by “haves and have-nots.” The middle class has been “hollowed out” and is seldom cited with admiration or even respect. But I’m proud to live in this MiddleClass Capital of America where we embrace diversity and strive to reduce white privilege. Franklin, I think, would approve.

As we approach our nation’s 250th birthday — battling an unwanted return to aristocratic authoritarianism for the first time since Franklin and his contemporaries rejected it — there is an urgent need for a more expansive and inclusive middle class while reviving its vision of community improvement and responsible citizenship.

Another truth that is, as Ben Franklin once put it, self-evident.

DOOPER ’S MEMORIES

Remembering the home teams

When I was growing up members were divided: my mother and my Uncle Huber fans, and my grandfather and I Sox fans. The other family members did not care about baseball.

After supper, my grandfather w room and study the stock mar tur n his radio on at 8 p.m. to the Sox station if there was a night game, and I w if I wasn’t swamped with home

When we bought a television set, able to watch Sox home games on Saturday and Sunday after noons

I was not a Cubs basher. In fact, Huber me to a number of games at Wrigley Field because I appreciated the talents of Ernie Banks, Andy Pafko, and Hank Sauer

I did not go to a Sox game until I was a senior in high school when my friends and I could drive to Comiskey Park.

During the 1950s the Sox were the better team, winning the American League pennant in 1959 but, alas, losing the World Series to the L.A. Dodgers.

chewing tobacco in his mouth.

Gus Zernial was a power-hitting outfielder ho once hit a homer over the left field wall and shattered a car window that was in the ing lot. I heard it happen.

First baseman Eddie Robinson was a robust eat power who one year hit 36 His homers were g enerally high, arches that often landed in the upper deck

The Cubs’ radio broadcaster, who I rememry spirited speaker named Burt lson, thought that shortstop Roy Smalley eatest Cubs player

During this time, the Cubs fought it out with the Pirates to stay out of last place. Remembering some of the Sox players, Chico Carrasquel, Nellie Fox, Gus Zernial, Luis Aparicio, and Eddie Robinson stand out in my mind. Chico Carrasquel and Aparicio were slick-fielding shor tstops who hit well and were great match-ups with Nellie Fox as double-play partners.

Smalley should have been an outfielder rful arm, leading some wag to coin the phrase on a sure double play ball: “Miksis [2B] to Smalley to Addison Street.”

s son, Jr., played a t time with the Sox. He had a more controlled m from the shortstop

nie Banks was as good a shortstop (later first base) and hitter as I had seen in a Cubs uni. He was always opand when asked w he felt, he would say, eat day for baseball; let’s play two.”

Hank Sauer was a stoic man who could really belt the ball, often hitting 35-40 homers a year, but he was slow on foot in left field

Andy Pafko was a terrific outfielder who saved many games by making circus catches. When the Cubs traded him to the Brooklyn Dodgers, my mother and uncle were very sad

Nellie was a .300 hitter with little power, but a great glove. When I first saw him on TV, I thought he had something wrong with his face, but I lear ned he had a chaw of

The three family members who didn’t care for baseball never knew what they had missed.

The rest of us had an inborn love of the game.

Correction

A letter in last week’s Wednesday Journal stated incor rectly that Jay Friedman’s campaign in the 7th District Democratic primary has directly received funding from an AIPAC-aligned super PAC. That is not the case.

WEDNESD AY

of Oak Park and River Forest

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Voting for La Shawn Ford

There are a lot of candidates running for the 7th Congressional District. I’m voting for the one who actually knows our community — our neighborhoods, our families, and what we need — and has spent his career delivering it. That’s La Shawn Ford.

La Shawn Ford has a proven track record, and right now we need that more than ever. Health care is skyrocketing. Reproductive freedom is under assault. Child care is out of reach. Wages can’t keep up. Retirement security is disappearing. I’ve worked with La Shawn to advocate on health care and affordable housing, and I can tell you firsthand: he fights for us on the issues that matter. These problems are too serious for on-the-job training.

La Shawn Ford delivers. As our state representative, he secured investments that strengthen the fabric of our community — better parks, better libraries, better schools, better job training, stronger neighborhoods. These aren’t promises They’re results our families will benefit from for

generations

He may not check every box for every voter, but he is the only candidate in this race with a real track record of passing legislation and securing investments for the people who live here. He is a tested, seasoned legislator who has been showing up for us for more than a decade, building coalitions and casting the hard votes. That’s exactly what our community needs right now.

La Shawn isn’t running for Cong ress to chase a title. He’s running because his values are aligned with ours — not with Super PACs. The Cook County Democratic Women’s Organization endorsed him because they know it too: La Shawn Ford shows up for working families. He’ll take that fight to Congress when it has never mattered more.

All candidates make promises. La Shawn makes things happen. That’s the difference — and that’s why he has my vote

Barbara Otto Oak Park

A sad day for Scouting America

Late last week the Associated Press and several other media outlets re ported on changes within Scouting America (fka the Boy Scouts). And there is a whole lot wrong with Scouting America bowing to the whims of “Defense Secretary” Pete Hegseth, as did the national organization, apparently without consulting the local councils.

But the Scouts eliminating the “Citizenship in Society” Merit Badge from its roster and from the requirements for the coveted Eagle Scout award in appeasement to the Trump administration’s anti-DEI initiative should be at the top of the list (https://www.scouting.org/programupdates/citizenship-in-society-meritbadge-discontinuance). One of my sons is an Eagle Scout. Two of my grandsons are in the early ranks of

Jarrett Knox for the 11th Subcircuit

the Cub Scouts. According to the Scouting America website, the merit badge was dropped, effective Feb. 28, 2026.

Many American citizens are already exhibiting a collective ignorance of civics and their roles as citizens. The Trump administration is rolling out the “History Rocks” initiative by the Department of Education, while attempting to strip history from historic sites, as was recently demonstrated in Philadelphia.

Now they have coerced an organization that had been dedicated to raising youth to become contributing members of society to abandon that initiative. This is a sad day for Scouting America and the Scouts.

Chris Donovan Oak Park

The 11th Subcircuit seat is opening up again, giving us the rare chance to choose a new judge for Cook County this election, and there is no doubt in my mind that no one is better suited to this position than Jarrett Knox.

Jarrett’s track record speaks for itself. He currently serves as Cook County Assistant State’s Attorney in the Child Protection Division where he advocates for the rights of children who have been victims of abuse and ne glect, and he has

held similar roles throughout his legal career at the Public Guardian’s Office, the IL Department of Human Services, and different legal aid organizations. In every instance he has demonstrated his commitment to protecting the most vulnerable and voiceless among us.

Jarrett’s qualifications extend beyond his professional expertise and experience; he is also an active member of the Oak Park community and greater Chicagoland. He and his wife Catherine have served as

foster parents through Hephzibah for the past 15 years. He has also been a youth basketball coach and a volunteer in many local nonprofit organizations. It’s been my privile ge to work side-by-side with him on many occasions, filling boxes with food at Beyond Hunger or helping to clean up after community events at Breakthrough Ministries in Austin.

Jarrett is a person of integrity, humility and gentle discernment. Spend just a few minutes in conversation with him and

Demolishing the Ridgeland pool

you’ll be struck by his warmth, his intelligence, and authenticity. I can’t think of better qualities for a judge. At a time when compassion and common sense seem so absent in so many public figures, we desperately need leaders like Jarrett more than ever.

Jarrett Knox has my enthusiastic vote for Cook County 11th Subcircuit Judge. I hope he will have yours as well.

Oak Park deserves straight answers about the Park District of Oak Park’s plan to demolish the Ridgeland Common outdoor pool. Instead, voters are being asked to swallow a $40 million tax increase — on top of recent hikes and service cuts like leaf pickup — without being told the full story. Imagine if the library proposed a referendum to buy e-books — but didn’t mention it would destroy half the physical collection.

That would never be tolerated. Yet that’s effectively what’s happening here. The referendum language does not mention eliminating an existing commu-

nity pool. We now know it was drafted by outside bond counsel — lawyers retained in connection with issuing the bonds to finance demolition and construction if the measure passes. The district’s executive director, Jan Arnold, denies any intention to be vague [1]. But the problem isn’t vagueness. It’s omission.

Voters should be able to rely on the plain language of a referendum to understand what they are authorizing. This one says nothing about demolishing a pool at Ridgeland — or even building one there. Many residents reasonably believe the text they’re voting on will produce a new pool at

the CRC, a misunderstanding rooted in the district’s chosen language

The plan itself remains underbaked. What happens to families who rely on Ridgeland when Rehm is packed? Both outdoor pools rely on temporary help from students on summer break; how would per manent staffing work, and at what cost?

Why would a potential resource-sharing agreement with Forest Park — dangled at the last minute [2] — depend on closing our own pool? And why is demolition the only option rather than adding a new pool on one of the disused lots around town?

For a $40 million decision, this isn’t enough.

The Ridgeland pool is a community asset. If leaders believe demolition is imperative — and urgent — they must say so openly in the referendum, not bury it elsewhere. Until they level with voters, the responsible choice is No

Sources: [1] https://www oakpark.com/2026/01/13/ park-chief-pool-referendum [2] https://www.oakpark. com/2026/01/27/park-leaders-make-caseindoor-pool-ridgeland-common

Gregory Shill Oak Park

Chris Miller Oak Park

We need ranked-choice voting

Allison Lantero was exactly right with her letter last week about how we need ranked-choice voting [Viewpoints, March 11]. Here’s why:

Based on the interviews I’ve read and listened to so far, Jazmin Robinson is my choice to re place Re p. Danny Davis. She is singing from my songbook. But I am not likely to vote for her because she has little chance this round. (Please run again, Jazmin!) I will vote for someone else With so many candidates, it’s likely that my candidate will not win, and we may be heading to a run-of f, which is an additional expensive and time-consuming election. Missed Allison’s letter about rankedchoice voting? She explains: “In a ranked-choice system each voter ranks her prefer red candidates — and then if no candidate reaches more than 50% of first-choice votes, the bottom-performing candidate is eliminated and voters who chose that candidate first have their vote counted for their second choice and so on until a candidate wins with more than half the votes. Ranked-choice eliminates the risk of cancellation because votes for lower-performing candidates eventually consolidate behind stronger candidates. It

also incentivizes candidates to reach out to a broader swath of the public than just their base. Essentially, ranked-choice voting gives power back to the voters.” [1] With ranked-choice voting, I can vote my hear t first, then put other, seemingly stronger candidates in place as my second, third and fourth choices. This actually gives Jazmin a real chance — she may have captured the hearts of many voters in the 7th District. And if she did not, then I will not have “thrown away my vote.” I will have voted for several other candidates who would be acce ptable to me, and one of them will gain the office.

The candidate who is elected will actually be a high-ranking choice for most voters. No run-of f is needed. And many of us will feel comfortable with the person in office.

I am grateful for the abundance of strong candidates running for office in this election. Ranked-choice voting would give them the chance they deserve! [1] https://www.oakpark. com/2026/03/03/ranked-choice-votingworks-better

Kris Hansen Oak Park

Ford is the ghter we need

While there are many candidates running to be our next 7th District congressman, only one stands out from the crowd as the clear choice for Oak Park: La Shawn K. Ford. Amid a field of centrists and candidates beholden to dark money, La Shawn sets himself apar t as a truly experienced progressive who will put us, the people, first.

In his time in the state legislature, he has been one of its most productive members, passing over 100 bills. From climate justice (like the Clean and Equitable Jobs Act) to criminal justice reform, he has always worked to improve the lives of the people of Illinois, no matter who they are. He has done so even when he knew he would incur the wrath of groups like Big Crypto, which are now spending millions to smear him because he dared to stand up to them and pass protections against their predatory practices.

This is the fighter we need in Washington. A congressman who will be boldly

progressive and willing to stand up for Oak Park and Chicago against corporate interests. It is the grim reality that some of his opponents have been wholly bought and paid for by special interest groups. As Donald Trump and his oligarchs wreak havoc on our country, we cannot af ford to send a compromised re presentative to Congress. We need a fighter with strong values and integrity who answers only to the people.

La Shawn will fight tooth and nail every day for us in Oak Park and every corner of the 7th District. He will be a Congressman who will fight for universal health care, abolishing ICE, criminal justice reform, bold climate action, protecting our democracy, and a foreign poli cy rooted in human rights.

Next Tuesday, I will be voting for La Shawn Ford, and I ask that you, my neighbors, do so too.

Thomas Stokes Oak Park

Support for the pool referendum

I’m writing to express support for the Park District of Oak Park’s referendum about building new indoor pools at Ridgeland Commons. Please note, there will be multiple pools for different uses. That hasn’t been described in other opinion pieces.

Sure, it’s one 25-yard lap pool, which is a standard length for indoor pools, instead of the existing Olympian 50 meters. Other benefits outweigh that change for me

• A warm water pool will help people with joint or mobility issues, and provide a stable space for swim lessons.

• A splash pad and activity space, will be good for the young and young at hear t (slides!).

• Year-round availability would be amazing. Right now, the only reliable option for lap swimming in Oak Park requires an expensive gym membership. The Y only schedules lap swimming in the morning.

• Lap swim available all day. The outdoor pools only allow lap swim during the morning, and the new ones won’t be

occupied by high school students, since they’ll have their own space at the high school.

Personally, I’d prefer more lap space, but I remind myself: the space isn’t just for me. It’s for the entire community, including families with kids, people who enjoy water at a slower pace, and giving community members more “third spaces” to enjoy year-round. Third spaces (not home or work) are very important for mental health and helping people feel connected to the community. I’m 100% for making swimming more accessible to people of all ages and abilities.

The community will still have the outdoor Rehm pool, which is 50 meters and includes a diving bay. I would encourage the park district to extend the swim season to re place what’s currently of fered at Ridgeland.

The park district has performed a lot of outreach about their plans, and I hope you take a look: https://pdop.org/indoorpool.

Sarah Grimsley Oak Park

Tim omas for committeeman

Down the ballot is a race no one pays much attention to, but it is a source of immense power in our state, the State Central Committee, whose members are the Board of Directors of the Democratic Party of Illinois. While you may consider yourself a member of the Democratic Party of Illinois, it is these elected committee members who hold all the power.

This includes the power to fill vacancies in office. But more impor tantly, it includes the power to decide who the Democratic Party will endorse, and who will benefit from the full weight of the Democratic organization — money, mailers, campaign workers, infrastructure, databases — tools that get their preferred people elected, tools that make or break political and judicial careers.

In the last election cycle, four committees associated with the Democratic Party moved $25.2 million between themselves and candidates.

An odd fact in the election of Democratic Committee members is that we elect one man and one woman. On this

ballot, the two men running are Oak Park’s own Tim Thomas and Chris Welch, the Speaker of the House.

Welch not only controls the House as the Speaker, he also controls his personal political committee, Friends of Chris Welch, and the Democrats for the Illinois House PAC. According to Capitol News, in the last election cycle, using these two committees, Welch moved $11 million to candidates he favored.

Should we elect him to the State Central Committee, giving him more power — the power to control the Illinois Democratic Party? Or should the power of the Democratic Party belong to the people? A vote for Tim Thomas of Oak Park is a vote to distribute power back into the hands of the people.

Source:

https://capitolnewsillinois.com/ news/by-the-numbers-unions-leadthe-way-on-funding-state-elections-inillinois/#calculated-numbers

Simone Boutet Oak Park

Among the decisions facing Gov. JB Pritzker in coming months is whether to opt into a new federal school voucher program.

The program enables donors to give up to $1,700 to scholarship-granting organizations for K-12 schools and receive an equivalent amount back in federal tax credits. It was passed by Congress and signed into law last year by President Donald Trump as part of the “One Big Beautiful Bill” Act

The League of Women Voters of Illinois is strongly opposed to this program because we believe it will hurt public schools. Money from the program is expected to flow primarily to well-off families whose children attend private religious schools. Supporters refer to this money as donations, but the donor taxpayers receive a 100% tax credit This means that federal taxpayers are foot-

School vouchers hu rt public education

ing the entire bill.

When even a few students leave their public schools, it saps those schools of resources because federal and state funding is based on headcount. The initiative undermines the goal of a high-quality school in every neighborhood, which is part of the social fabric of every community

BEVERLY TUCK One View

Private schools can cherry-pick their students, denying admission to students who require more resources and support, like those with disabilities. The public system is left with fixed costs and less funding to serve a higher concentration of special needs and lower-income students.

And research consistently shows that vouchers do not improve student achievement. Long-term studies — including those specific to Illinois — find that students

Children outside local businesses

In recent years I have watched women with small toddlers panhandling and selling candy outside Chase Bank and other businesses. My heart goes out to these families, but this is an unsafe situation for the children — exposed to traffic, extreme weather, and the stresses of street life. The welfare of these toddlers must be our first concern.

This be gan with the influx of migrants into our sanctuary community three years ago. Repeated complaints to Oak Park officials and to Chase have produced the same response: little can be done because people have rights, and management says it cannot act. Yet only a few blocks away in River Forest, village of ficials appear to have found workable ways to address similar issues; I do not see this problem there. Oak Park property owners pay significant

using vouchers often fare substantially worse academically than their public school peers. Ann Courter, a member the Oak Park and River Forest League board and education issues specialist for the state League, recently discussed the danger of the program on WTTW’s Chicago Tonight. Courter disputed the contention of Austin Berg of the Illinois Policy Institute, that not opting into the program would leave money on the table that would otherwise fund public education in the state.

Regulations for the new program have not yet been issued, so the size of any benefits accessible by public schools are still unknown, but the potential cost to the public education system of opting in would outweigh any possible benefits. The League

taxes and expect a safe, attractive village. At the same time, we must respond humanely. Simple enforcement or displacement will not protect children. We need coordinated, practical steps: outreach teams to connect families with services, safe daytime supervision or child-care options, designated weather-protected vending areas, and a task force of village of ficials, businesses, social-service providers, and residents to create a time-bound plan.

Let our first action be to protect the toddlers who cannot speak for themselves. Will the village convene a public meeting this month with social-service providers, bank re presentatives, and resident leaders to develop a child-centered plan?

Carl Bailey Oak Park

Insane ideas

Thank you, Monica Sheehan! I too thought two indoor pools one block apar t was one of the most insane ideas in a while [Viewpoints, March 11]. Reminded me of the purchase of blocks of Madison Street, giving it to a grocery store, and waiting for the sales tax money to roll in. I don’t think that’s happened yet. Please don’t let any board hear about Mohr Cement.

Pam Walsh Oak Park

believes public money should go to fund public schools, not private religious education for wealthy families, when public schools are currently underfunded.

lllinois League President Becky Simon war ns that the federal program could have repercussions worse than the for mer state voucher program that was sunsetted a few years ago. “School vouchers will spend our public dollars in ways that are not transparent, and voucher programs lack the accountability and oversight provided by public school systems,” Simon says

The state League joined a coalition of 40 organizations in a letter to Pritzker calling on him to opt out. We urge readers to contact the gover nor’s office or your state legislator to say no to this money that takes us down the wrong path.

Beverly Tuck is co-president of the League of Women Voters of Oak Park-River Forest

Promises vs. pro ts

On March 3, President Trump announced on Truth Social: Effective IMMEDIATELY, I have ordered the United States Development Finance Corporation (DFC) to provide, at a very reasonable price, political risk insurance and guarantees for the Financial Security of ALL Maritime Trade, especially Energy, traveling through the Gulf. This will be available to all Shipping Lines. If necessary, the United States Navy will begin escorting tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, as soon as possible. No matter what, the United States will ensure the FREE FLOW of ENERGY to the WORLD. The United States’ ECONOMIC and MILITARY MIGHT is the GREATEST ON EARTH.

Surprisingly, despite this solemn assurance by the President of the United States, no oil tankers are willing to risk the passage through the Straits of Hormuz, and oil prices are skyrocketing. Most CEOs love Trump because he has given them huge tax breaks at the expense of 99.99% of Americans. But they are not stupid. They know better than to trust their profits to the promises of D.J. Trump

Something to cheer about

I believe our garbage-disposal contract with LRS is about up. Now would be a good time to look at other companies and add leaf curbside collection to our fall cleanup. It takes a strong and focused village board to look at an experiment, realize it was a mistake and remedy the situation. Leaf-bagging has been

an arduous and expensive endeavor for residents, as letters to Viewpoints show. Here’s hoping our board reviews past and current citizen critiques about leaf-bagging and give Oak Parkers something to cheer about.

Shelly Uslenghi Oak Park

Tom DeCoursey Oak Park

Better vetting on developer

I attended the Madison Development “Neighbor meeting” last Thursday. There, the developer, Viktor Jakovljevic, shared that he is an owner of Cigar Oasis, for merly of River Forest. This information only increased my concer n about the proposed Madison development. Here’s why:

Cigar Oasis was the last business to leave the Lake and Lathrop property and only did so after a court-ordered eviction on July 27, 2019. Our Village administrator was required to appear in circuit court to testify that the owner was not entitled to an extended lease. The Wednesday Jour nal re ported on another project extension in October 2019. [1] Village President Cathy Adduci blamed the Cigar Oasis owners for delaying progress at Lake and Lathrop for several months.

“It took a little while to get the tenants out,” Adduci said in explaining the request for an extension while noting that the owners of Cigar Oasis fought eviction ef forts.

I then remembered that in 2018, strongly against resident sentiment, Cigar Oasis attempted to relocate with an outdoor smoking lounge directly across from a fully occupied condominium building with balconies on 400 Ashland. [2] In 2020, during the height of the pandemic, Cigar Oasis was cited for COVID violations. [3] Fast forward to January 2026. Residents strongly object to the Madison/Ashland development proposal on many levels, including a neighborhood fit. We’re to believe the village board chose a developer out of several interested parties who just so happens to have a connection to the failed Lake and Lathrop development, and not a positive one.

Why would the village board choose a developer who was willing to work against village

interests on a different development and who flouted the laws during a national pandemic?

Why weren’ t all trustees made aware of this connection?

Why wasn’t information about the connection between Cigar Oasis and Five Thirty-One Partners/V3 publicly shared when the developer was announced?

I question whether residents can be assured that a business owner who was at odds with the village, attempts to locate a non-conforming business within a residential neighborhood, and ignores rules during a global pandemic will appropriately address resident concerns related to this development.

River Forest has limited land to develop. How was the developer vetted more broadly? After the failed development at Lake and Lathrop, how can we risk using a developer with this local track record?

Taxpayers deserve concrete answers, not empty assurances.

Sources:

[1] (https://www.oakpark.com/2019/10/15/ lake-and-lathrops-last-extension).

[2] (https://www.oakpark.com/2018/05/15/ cigar-shops-plans-up-in-smoke-after-neighborhood-outcry)

[3] (https://www.oakpark.com/2020/12/31/ flouting-covid-limits-cigar-lounge-facesoak-park-action and https://www.oakpark. com/2021/01/06/oak-park-closes-cigar-oasis-for24-hours-for-covid-violations)

Viktor Jakovljevic can be found on the village website for the development https://www.vrf. us/uploads/cms/documents/guides/updated_ faq_feb2026.pdf

Patty Henek River Forest

No invasion without representation

As I was getting ready for bed on Friday night/Saturday morning I heard on MS/NOW that Israel had made a “pre-emptive strike” on Iran, followed shortly thereafter by a statement from President Trump that we are in a state of war with Iran. He spoke very concretely about using the full force of the U.S. ar med forces to create “regime change” because Iran and its surrogates present an imminent threat to the U.S., Israel and “its friends in Wester n Europe,” even if it causes the deaths of American service persons.

Reading the New York Times today, there were talks between U.S. and Iran that broke for the weekend and would restart next week.

Let’s take a step back into history, November and December 1941, Japan and the U.S. were in “peace talks” while a Japanese attack fleet steamed toward Pearl Harbor. Even on the morning of Dec. 7, 1941 a Japanese diplomat was waiting to meet with the U.S. Secretary of State as the dive bombers and torpedo were being launched to bomb all of the U.S. ships moored peacefully.

Boykin is right for this moment

We are writing together to express our strong and heartfelt support for Richard Boykin for Cong ress in the 7th District. We have both known Richard personally for more than a decade and have seen firsthand the kind of public servant he is. He is accessible, responsive, and deeply committed to the people he re presents. During the years we served our community locally, he was always available when issues arose at the county level. He never hid from responsibility. He showed up, listened, and worked to solve problems.

What stands out most about Richard is his character. He is not for sale and cannot be bought. His decisions are guided by a strong moral compass and a belief that justice should guide power and policy. In a political environment where too many representatives fail to take a stand and simply go along at the expense of the very people they re present, Richard has the backbone to stand up for what he believes is right, even when it is not easy.

He also has the experience and persistence this moment requires. Having served as chief of staf f to Congressman Danny Davis and later as a Cook County Commissioner, he understands both the responsibility and urgency of the job. A member of Congress has only two years per term, which means the person we elect must be ready to work from day one.

Like most people in our community, we lead busy lives focused on our families and our livelihoods. That is precisely why trust matters so much in choosing our re presentative We trust Richard Boykin. We know he will work hard, act with integrity, and re present every part of the 7th District with dignity and respect.

And if you sometimes feel that in today’s environment there seem to be two sets of rules — one for them and one for the rest of us — you are not alone. At moments like this, character and integrity matter more than ever. Richard Boykin is the right person for this moment.

Today’s unprovoked attack on Iran is exactly the same kind of lethal trust-destroying bait and switch. We talked negotiation and peace with Iran while we planned a lethal naval and air attack on Iran.

How do we expect any country, friend or foe, to trust us in any way from this point on? Make no mistake, we are now at war with Iran, without Cong ressional authorization and without the support of the American people Frank Vozak Oak Park

e Ashland/Madison developer

I recently learned that the owner of the Cigar Oasis is the same developer who has proposed the massive development at Ashland/Madison. This connection is troubling as he doesn’t seem to play fair or follow the rules. He built the building across the street in Forest Park, Madison West, under a different business name: Vivify Construction. He does not use union workers and has a history of safety violations. https://www.forestparkreview. com/2019/05/14/union-pickets-sox-boss-development. David Erfort River Forest

Anan Abu-Taleb Jim Taglia Oak Park

Oh, Canada!

Canada, oh Canada, our neighbor next door, You used to vacation here, but alas no more. To Mexico and the Caribbean you now fly, Your friendly demeanor we are sadly denied

Tariffs rose and fell we did decree, And finally you had to disagree. And tho we’re still a powerful nation, The drift is subtle to degradation. For even Europe our longstanding allies, Has turned its back against hurtful lies

Does the fall of an empire happen overnight? Or can citizens wake up and change their plight? It takes strong minds, and bold hearts to deploy, A society that cares for they, girl and boy. Where education health and food on the table, Are shared by the fit and differently able

Yes, Epstein’s a tragedy we must pursue, But justice grows strong with a principled crew: People with less private greed on their mind, And a democratic spirit to lift humankind.

But all is not lost — I’m hopeful still; America bends, but it has the will. We’ve walked through darker hours before, And found wiser paths worth fighting for. The better angels still have a voice; Democracy lives in the people’s choice

So lift your face and take your stand Not in anger, but hand in hand. Together, steady, patient, and true, For with our courage, shape the world anew.

Val Gee Oak Park

Plurality vs. majority

Plurality means getting more votes than any other candidate. Majority is receiving more than 50% of the votes cast. Illinois has four U.S. Representative elections with more than five candidates for each party. That means the winner could receive less than 20% of the cast votes and be declared the winner. In primary elections, Donald Trump never won a majority. He won a plurality caused by his devoted disciples

“Ranked-choice voting” is well explained on websites with illustrations. A voter ranks the candidates as first choice, second choice, etc.

Ranked-choice voting is a great democratic system for elections having many candidates, because the majority of voters must have chosen the winner as acceptable Robert Kleps Oak Park

Bringing Early Voting to high schools

High school students made voting history in suburban Cook County — and they did it in a single day. Through the County Clerk’s new Defenders of Da’mocracy High School Early Voting Program, student-run Early Voting sites inside 24 suburban high schools recorded 1,136 ballots cast on Feb. 26. To put that in perspective, that single-day total surpassed the 1,021 ballots cast during the first seven days of Early Voting at our initial countywide locations

This is more than a milestone — it is proof that when we bring civic eng agement directly to young people, they respond.

Developed in par tnership with the Chicago Bears, this first-of-its-kind initiative placed fully operational Early Voting sites inside participating high schools. More than 125 trained and certified student Election Judges administered of ficial polling locations under the supervision of the Clerk’s Office. They handled voter check-in, secured ballots, operated voting equipment, and followed the same strict chain-of-custody and security protocols used at every polling place across suburban Cook County.

This was not a simulation. It was democracy in ac-

Share facilities

A key point for the consideration for the Park District of Oak Park’s (PDOP) $40 million swimming pool construction and teardown of the Ridgeland Common outdoor pool is the absence of a serious effort to exercise intergover nmental ag reement rights under Illinois law to have the respective governmental units seriously attempt to implement a plan to share resources to minimize the tax burden on members of our town.

Our community is in the process of spending over $100 million for a new athletic facility that includes pool at the District 200 campus. The new building is less than two short blocks away from the current pool and locker room facility owned and occupied by the PDOP.

There is no indication that the park district and the high school district entered into serious negotiations or discussions to protect the taxpayers from having to incur even more expenditures for a swimming pool. The PDOP website states that District 200 is heavily used, but does not account for days and hours on which it is not used for school purposes.

At a minimum, the two parties should work toward a schedule that allows the citizens of this village to share the facility at convenient times without interfering with their respective priorities. Without such good-faith meetings and attempts to reach agreement, the park district’s referendum should be rejected.

Joel D’Alba

46-year resident of Oak Park

tion.

Research shows that when young people participate in their first eligible election, they are far more likely to remain eng aged for years to come. By bringing Early Voting directly into high schools, we are removing barriers, building confidence, and fostering lifelong civic participation at a formative moment.

The energy inside these schools was inspiring. Students were not only casting ballots, they were also leading, administering, and safeguarding the democratic process. That is an investment in the future of our community that will pay dividends for years to come.

Expanded Early Voting continues across suburban Cook County, with 55 locations open ahead of the March 17 Guber natorial Primary Election. I encourage all eligible voters to take advantage of this opportunity and make their voices heard.

Democracy is strongest when participation is broad, inclusive, and accessible — and our students have shown us exactly what that looks like

STEVE GOLDHABER

Look up, River Forest from page 31

of something.

A newborn keeping everyone up. A teenager waiting on colle ge decisions, the whole family holding their breath.

The woman who’s lived in that house 45 years finally moving out. She waves from the driveway one last time. The new family will never know she left cookies on every porch at Christmas. But we will. A few houses down, a couple just closed on their first home, standing in an empty living room with champagne and no furniture, grinning like they won the lottery.

The issues matter. Keep paying attention. Keep holding leaders accountable.

But the next time you feel buried, walk outside. Take a breath. Look up.

Look up at the old trees that have been here longer than any of us. The sky getting brighter every morning. The kid on the bike, the couple on their walk.

Because one day the kid is driving away to colle ge. The couple becomes one person walking alone. None of this lasts forever.

That’s not the sad part. The sad part is missing it while it’s here.

Look up, River Forest. Look up.

Monica Gordon Cook County Clerk

Dick Powell Sr., 86

Fire ghter, pilot, coach, patriarch

Richard “Dick”

Howard Powell Sr., 86, of Addison, for merly of Oak Park, died peacefully on Feb. 23, surrounded by members of his family. It was the final strand in the long and rich life tapestry of a man who managed to follow his passions and realize his dreams while meeting his numerous responsibilities.

Bor n and raised in Oak Park, his first brief career was as a pre-school model for several national advertising campaigns.

After high school he served in the U.S. Navy on the East Coast as an air crewman. Retur ning to Oak Park, he raised his seven children with his first wife, Patricia Ster mer (now Barret) on the 800 block of Highland Ave., across the street and a few doors south from the house where he grew up.

The Powell household was a hub of activity. Dick was the first in the neighborhood to own a 1965 Ford Mustang. An ardent and longtime Chicago sports fan, in particular the Blackhawks, he also coached his three sons and officiated hockey and baseball games.

He operated Powell Decorating for many years with his late son, Richard Jr. He became a firefighter with the River Forest Fire De partment, retiring as a lieutenant after 28 years. Soon after his retirement, he was chosen by legend and River Forest resident Paul Harvey to be his personal chauffer. He eventually became a close friend and confidant to the Harveys.

“His two dreams were to be a fireman and a pilot,” Dick’s son Dennis said in his eulo gy. When he retired from the fire department, Cathy bought him his first few flying lessons, the beginning of a journey that led to cross-country flights throughout the Midwest and to the East Coast.

Christmas grab ba g and gave his brother a black T-shirt sporting the White Sox logo. It’s not known how often Dick wore the shirt, but 20 years later, he died in it.

Dick was the oldest living child of the late Howard “Hap” Powell and Margaret C. Powell (nee Cavanagh); the husband of Catherine Powell (nee Duf fy); the father of the late Richard Jr. (Karen), Dennis (Andrea), Jeffrey (Jayme), Anita Madren (Jim), Victoria Guyer (Gregory), Sara Asher (Josh), Samantha Foster (Aaron), Elizabeth Fischer, and Mark Fischer (Karrie); the grandfather of Jennifer, Michael, Briana, Jason, Mackenzie, Jeffrey Jr., Brayden, Lillian, Caleb, Eva, Sophia, Zoey, Ava, and Flynn; and greatgrandfather of Alyssa and Layla. He was the brother of the late Patricia Dwyer (the late William Sr.), the late Margaret S. Wisdom (the late Carl), Terence (Helen), Kathleen Plepel (the late James Sr.), Michael (Camille), Kevin (Karen), and David (Anita); and the uncle of many nieces and nephews.

On Feb. 27, Richard H. Powell Sr., firefighter, his labors concluded, lay in wake for five hours at Humes Funeral Home in Addison, with River Forest firefighters taking 30-minute turns standing honor guard at each end of his casket. The next afternoon, his hearse stopped in front of the River Forest Fire De partment, where six on-duty firefighters, who had waited for him in the cold, gave their brother in blue a final salute.

Carol Umlauf, 85

An ardent Cubs fan, he nonetheless watched the White Sox win the 2005 World Series with his youngest brother, David, the family’s lone White Sox fan. Dick joyously cheered them on with his brother. David rigged the next family

oudly Irish, wonderfully

J. Umlauf (nee Sullivan), 85, a longtime resiOak Park died unexpectedly on March 2, 2026. Born on Sept. 16, 1940, she was a 4H member in her an avid skier and member of a ski club, and she cherished her time working summers at the dude ranch. While at Austin High School in Chicago, she made lifelong friends that she ke pt in touch with.

She enjoyed bowling, sewing, crocheting, reading, and her beloved Cubbies.

She didn’t just attend Cubs games, she ke pt score at every single game and was thrilled when they won the World Series in 2016. A proud Irish American, she never turned down Shepherd’s Pie or good craic. Her trip of a lifetime was visiting Ireland in 2000. While she took many motor coach trips across the U.S., nothing ever compared.

Her Catholic faith was important to her, and she lived her life by the golden rule, showing kindness in ways big and small. She had a quiet sweetness about her and sent birthday and anniversary cards to practically everyone. She loved spreading joy and was the most thoughtful gift giver, even to the pets in the family

While she had a long work history at Illinois Tool Works, her best job was mom and grandmother. A wonderfully independent woman who raised the same, she always showed up for her family and made sure they knew how loved they were every day. She had many cats that she spoiled and loved beyond measure. Carol was preceded in death by her parents, Maurice and Margaret (O’Brien) Sullivan. She is remembered by her daughter Kerri (Brian) Spreng; her granddaughter, Maggie; extended family and many in the community Visitation was held on Monday, March 9 from 4 to 8 p.m. at Peterson-Bassi Chapels in Chicago with a funeral Mass at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, March 10 at St. Edmund Catholic Church in Oak Park, followed by inter ment at Queen of Heaven Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to PAWS Chicago or Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago.

Mary Davis, 90

Lifelong learner and teacher

Mary Patricia Davis (née Gibbons), 90, died peacefully on March 3, 2026, in North Riverside. Born in Chicago, she lived a life marked by adventure, exploration, curiosity, devotion to family, and a deep appreciation for learning, beauty, and faith. Over the course of her life she made homes in Chicago; New Or-

leans, Louisiana; St. Cloud, Minnesota; Waukeg an; Marion, Indiana; Thousand Oaks, California; River Forest; San Diego, California, and Santa Rosa, California, before returning to the Chicago area in her final years.

She shared 56 years of mar riage with her husband, William “Bill” Davis PhD, until his passing in 2023. To gether they built a life rich with family, laughter, constant learning, lively debate, Twelfth Night parties, many moves, and travel. A lifelong learner and teacher, she taught English and jour nalism at Lane Tech High School and Mother Guerin High School and shared her love of art with her children and their classmates as a “Picture Lady” in River Forest elementary schools. She delighted in helping others see the world more closely and thoughtfully. Her intellectual curiosity was boundless. She was a voracious reader, a devoted student of scripture, and a lover of opera, art, music, and nature. Attending daily Mass was among her most cherished routines. She taught religious education classes and served as a lector and Eucharistic minister in her many home parishes

Mary is survived by her children, Mary Davis (John) Fournier, John (Donna) Davis, Anne (Peter Menard) Davis, and Joseph Davis; her grandchildren, Maya, John (“Jack”), Barrett, and Clayton Davis; Katharine and Sebastian Fournier; and Clara and Tabitha Davis-Menard; her siblings, Michael (Shelley) Gibbons, and Francis (Ann) Gibbons; and by her sister-in-law, Kathleen Gibbons. She was preceded in death by her husband, Bill; her son, William “Will” Davis; and her siblings, Austin (Helen) Gibbons, William (Kathleen) Gibbons, and Thomas Gibbons; and the aunt, cousin, and friend to many. She will be remembered for her warmth, curiosity, generosity of spirit, and a kindness that remained steady and bright.

A funeral Mass will be held at Ascension Catholic Church, 808 S. East Ave., Oak Park at 10 a.m. on May 16. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Caledonia Senior Living, 2800 Desplaines Avenue, North Riverside, IL 60546, where Mary received love and friendship from their kind and dedicated group of care givers in her final years. Inurnment private.

Arrangements were handled by Hitzeman Funeral Home & Cremation Services, 9445 31st St., Brookfield.

SPOR

Trinity takes third in 3A girls basketball

Second state trophy for Blazers’ program

By MELVIN TATE Contributing Reporter

In 2016, the Trinity High School basketball team went 30-6 and finished third in the IHSA Class 3A state tournament under head coach Mike Valente. Ten years later, Kim Coleman, who was an assistant for Valente in the 2016-17 season, his final, has guided the Blazers to another third-place finish in this year’s 3A state tournament. Trinity (26-11) ended the season defeating St. Viator 56-40 in the third-place game at Illinois State University’s CEFCU Arena in Normal, March 6, to claim the program’s second state trophy. Their 26 victories are the most the program has had since 2016.

“It’s definitely great to finish with a win,” said Coleman. “The seniors are able to say they won the last game of their high school

against Chatham Glenwood. There was reason for the Blazers to feel optimistic as they had lost by just four points in the regularseason matchup. But the Titans started the game with a 7-0 run and never trailed in a 46-35 victory.

As in the previous meeting, junior Alexis Neumann and freshman Jemma Lamb did much of the damage against Trinity. Neumann scored 20 points and grabbed 11 rebounds while Lamb added 16 points.

The Blazers were led by sophomore Keyera Gamble with 10 points, nine rebounds, and three blocks. Senior Zaria Goins added eight points and junior Destiny Sacluti six.

Poor shooting proved to be detrimental against Glenwood. Trinity made 11-of-35 field goals for 31.4% for the game, including just 5-of-23 in the first half. Free-throw shooting and rebounding were also problematic

Trinity freshman Destinie Roe looks to make a move against Chatham Glenwood during an IHSA Class 3A girls basketball state semi nal at Illinois State University’s CEFCU Arena in Normal, March 6. e Blazers lost to the Titans 46-35, but then defeated St. Viator 50-34 to nish third in the state.

e Trinity High School basketball players, coaches, sta , and administrators with the third-place trophy at the IHSA Class 3A girls basketball state nals in Normal, March 6.

e the third-place game. Tied 8-8 going into the second quarter, the Blazers went on a 12-0 run to take control and gradually pulled away in the second half to secure the victory.

Sophomore Danae Hickman had a team-high 12 points and five rebounds. Goins had 10 points and six rebounds.

Other Trinity contributors included Gamble (eight points, six rebounds) and freshmen Destinie Roe (nine points, six rebounds) and Ijeoma Conley (seven points, five rebounds). The Blazers shot the ball much better (23-of-47, 48.9%) and established a strong inside presence, outrebounding the Lions 34-25 and getting 38 points in the paint.

“It was really important, especially for us seniors: myself, Chloe (Santos), and Armante (Dambrauskas),” Goins said, “just to finish off our season and high school careers with a win. I would describe my time at Trinity as special. All four years I’ve been here, there’s been a lot of hard work and growing. I was used to doing the same things over and over in middle school, so transitioning to Trinity meant getting better and getting different things into my game. It’s been really

her career. “I made all-conference three times, scored 1,000 points, and made AllState two times. It was the best experience I could ask for.”

Santos made the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Class 3A All-State Third Team, while Gamble and Goins were named to the Second Team.

Dambrauskas missed the season with a knee injury, but Coleman was able to insert her in the final 18 seconds against St. Viator.

“Her commitment and sacrifice while injured, a lot of people could ghost when that happens. But Armante’s been here every step of the way,” Coleman said. “It was a special moment getting her in; I’m so proud she chose Trinity.”

Conley, Gamble, Hickman, Roe, and Sacluti are among 10 players potentially returning next season, so there’s a good chance Trinity will again be in the state title hunt.

“This group is super-talented,” Coleman said. “We’ve got a lot of pieces coming back; as long as they trust the process and see what’s in front of them, we’ll be back.”

COURTESY OF JENNIFER TRUJILLO

COURTESY OF TRINIT Y HIGH SCHOOL

Gage’s debut with Nazareth nishes with 4A state crown

Freshman from Oak Park helps Roadrunners to second girls basketball title

By BILL STONE Contributing Reporter

Mia Gage has quickly found a girls basketball home at Nazareth Academy. The 5-foot-11 starting freshman forward from Oak Park is establishing her area of the court as an active wing in the Roadrunners’ stingy 2-3 matchup zone defense

“I think: that spot is my spot and anybody who gets the ball there, it’s going the other way,” she said.

Gage also is already a state champion. She played a big role in the Roadrunners’ 55-23 Class 4A championship victory over Loyola Academy Saturday at Illinois State University in Normal with 11 points, five rebounds and five steals

“Oh my gosh, it’s so fun. It’s such a surreal moment. I’m just so proud of my team

and what we’ve accomplished,” Gage said. “I think our coaches have prepared us so much that we knew anything was possible. Winning state, this game, it’s so wonderful. I’m happy that we and our seniors ended with a bang.”

Nazareth (35-3) added to its first state title in 2023 in 3A with its sixth downstate trip in the past eight postseasons. Gage was among the Roadrunners’ four Illinois Basketball Coaches Association 4A all-staters, receiving special mention. She is ranked the No. 2 Illinois player for the 2029 graduating class and already has received offers from DePaul, Marshall and Sacramento State.

“She’s just such a raw talent and she’s going to be one of our all-time greats,” Nazareth coach Eddie Stritzel said.

In the final, Gage made arguably the defensive play of the game early in the third quarter to extend a 26-13 halftime lead. Her

steal and layup opened a 31-13 margin and completed a 16-0 run from early in the second quarter. The Roadrunners led 42-17 entering the fourth quarter.

“After I made that layup, we knew what we were going to do. We were going to continue to peck and peck and peck until we won state,” Gage said.

The Roadrunners set marks for largest margin of victory and fewest points allowed in a 4A final since four-class play began in 2009. Loyola (34-3) had won 25 straight.

“That literally was our mentality going in. We were not going to lose,” Gage said. “At halftime we set a goal, let’s hold them to 20 [points]. Then they got a little higher so at least we held them to a low.”

Gage finished third for Nazareth in scoring (10.6 points per game) and second in rebounds (6.8 per game) with 93 steals. Senior 4A first-team all-stater and BYU recruit Stella Sakalas, like Gage, won the 2023 state title as a freshman.

“[Gage is] awesome. She has absolutely no

fear and that’s exactly what you want from a freshman,” Sakalas said during sectionals “She’s confident and we’re providing her the confidence to do exactly what she’s doing. We just want to help her get better and she’s doing an amazing job.”

Gage’s Nazareth connections began with her aunt, Anaya Peoples, who star red at Notre Dame and then DePaul and was a two-time 1A state champion in 2018-19 with Schlarman in Danville.

Peoples played Midwest Elite traveling basketball with Annie Stritzel, Eddie’s daughter and a Nazareth assistant coach. Gage plays traveling basketball for Mac Irvin Lady Fire and previously was on Midwest Elite Meanstreets.

“My team, and especially Stella and [senior starter Lyla Shelton], have helped me so much,” Gage said. “The season went great for me and just having Coach Eddie, he’s been such a mentor. This is going to help me continue to grow the next three years I have at Naz.”

OPRF badminton in reload mode

Huskies return ve from last year’s varsity

By MELVIN TATE Contributing Reporter

With only five returnees from last season’s varsity lineup, the Oak Park and River Forest High School badminton team is in a transitional year. But veteran head coach Paul Wright believes the Huskies can remain competitive

“As we head into the start of the season, our coaches and players are feeling incredibly confident and energized,” said Wright. “There’s a real sense of excitement throughout the program right now.”

One example is the continued growth of the program. This year, OPRF has added a fourth level of badminton competition, something Wright said few other schools have They consist of freshman, junior varsity one and two, and varsity. Wright says adding another level allows up to 20 additional players to compete in the program.

“Our badminton program has grown tre-

mendously over the years, and this expansion reflects the passion our students have for the sport,” he stated. “It also speaks to the culture we’re building, one where students feel welcomed, challenged, and proud to represent their school.”

Two of OPRF’s returnees are seniors Stella Ludwig and Olive Tepher. The duo qualified for doubles in last year’s state tournament.

“They’re our number-one doubles team and will be key leaders for our team this season,” Wright said. “What makes them such a strong pair is how well they communicate with one another on the court. They constantly support each other during matches and work together to make adjustments when needed.”

Seniors Evelyn Cultra, Emily Smyth, and Ally Sugita saw some time on varsity last year. Wright said tryouts are still ongoing and the roster is not yet finalized, but he anticipates having a senior-heavy squad, with many players making their varsity debuts.

The West Suburban Silver is one of the top badminton leagues in the state, so Wright expects tough competition each week. But he’s also confident the offseason work the Hus-

kies have put in will start paying dividends this spring.

“Hinsdale Central and York are the measuring sticks,” he said, “but Downers Grove North and Lyons are teams that we have struggled with in the past. We have more and more kids going for training outside of the season and that’s helped us improve a great deal. It models what’s needed if you want to qualify for state and be competitive at that level.”

Wright wants his team to continue to improve individually, particularly in singles play. He’s emphasizing skill development, getting stronger from a strategy standpoint, and competing with confidence.

“We’ll also be taking a close look at our progress at the state level and how we finish at the conference tournament,” Wright added. “Competing in our conference is always a challenge because the level of competition is so strong. Every match pushes our athletes to improve and compete at a high level. Our focus will be on steady improvement throughout the season so that when the conference and state tournaments arrive, our players are prepared, confident, and ready to compete at

their best.”

OPRF has been able to hold its own in the WSC Silver recently, despite not having as much experience overall as other schools. It’s a credit to the culture developed under Wright’s leadership.

“People may not realize that about 90 percent of the athletes in our program come in with no badminton experience as freshmen,” Wright said. “Through hard work, great coaching, and a strong team culture, they develop quickly and grow into competitive players. It’s a credit to the athletes and the program that we’ve been able to qualify for the state tournament for the past 11 years.

“This group has done a tremendous job modeling what it means to be successful – not just in wins or losses, but in how they approach the game. They show younger players what it means to be great teammates, to put in the work, and to truly love the sport. Their enthusiasm, commitment, and support for one another are what continue to move this program forward.”

OPRF opens its season at home against Leyden, March 18, at 4:30 p.m.

MIA GAGE

PUBLIC NOTICE

Notice is hereby given, pursuant to “An Act in relation to the use of an Assumed Business Name in the conduct or transaction of Business in the State,” as amended, that a certification was registered by the undersigned with the County Clerk of Cook County. Registration Number: M26001367 on February 24, 2026

Under the Assumed Business Name of EFW ASSOCIATION with the business located at: 167 LINDEN AVE, OAK PARK, IL 60302. The true and real full name(s) and residence address of the owner(s)/partner(s) is: JOSHUA D. WOOD 167 LINDEN AVE OAK PARK, IL 60302, USA

Published in Wednesday Journal March 4, 11, 18, 2026

the

or transaction of

in the State,” as amended, that a certification was registered by the undersigned with the County Clerk of Cook County. Registration Number: M26001358 on February 23, 2026 Under the Assumed Business Name of NEXTGEN SOCIAL with the business located at: 2312 NORTH CLIFTON AVENUE, CHICAGO, IL 60614. The true and real full name(s) and residence address of the owner(s)/partner(s) is: ANTHONY RIVECCO 2312 NORTH CLIFTON AVENUE, CHICAGO, IL 60614

Published in Wednesday Journal March 4, 11, 18, 2026

PUBLIC NOTICE

Notice is hereby given, pursuant to “An Act in relation to the use of an Assumed Business Name in the conduct or transaction of Business in the State,” as amended, that a certification was registered by the undersigned with the County Clerk of Cook County. Registration Number: M26001433 on March 6, 2026

Under the Assumed Business Name of VARGAS BLUE LINE ELEC with the business located at: 1545 S. 56TH CT., CICERO, IL 60804. The true and real full name(s) and residence address of the owner(s)/ partner(s) is: ORLANDO VARGAS SOTO 1545 S. 56TH CT. CICERO, IL 60804, USA

Published in RB Landmark March 11, 28, 25, 2026

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

VILLAGE OF OAK PARK ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS

CALENDAR NUMBER: 12-26-Z

HEARING DATE: April 1, 2026

TIME: 7:00 p.m. or as soon thereafter as the Agenda permits

LOCATION OF HEARING: Room 201 (Council Chambers), Oak Park Village Hall, 123 Madison Street, Oak Park, Illinois, 60302

APPLICATION: The Zoning Board of Appeals (“ZBA”) will conduct a public hearing on an application filed by the Applicants, Roberto Quinones and Nelida Quinones (ZEB Development LLC), seeking a special use permit for a reception/banquet facility, pursuant to Section 8.3 (Table 8-1: Use Matrix) and Section 5.4(K) (Table 5-12: RR District Use Restrictions by Building Type) of the Oak Park Zoning Ordinance at the property located at 6136 Roosevelt Road, Oak Park, Illinois, Property Index Number 16-17-328-034-0000 (“Subject Property”), in the RR Roosevelt Road Form-Based District.

A copy of the application and applicable documents are on file and are available for inspection at Village Hall, Development Services Department, 123 Madison Street, Oak Park, Illinois 60302, Monday through Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.

All interested persons will be given an opportunity to be heard at the public hearing. Interested persons may also sign up to participate in-person in the hearing to cross examine the applicant and its witnesses by submitting a cross-examination form or by emailing Zoning@ oak-park.us before 5:00 PM on the day prior to the public hearing.

The public hearing may be adjourned by the Board to another date without further notice by public announcement at the hearing setting forth the time and place thereof.

Published in Wednesday Journal, March 11, 2026

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING VILLAGE OF OAK PARK ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS

CALENDAR NUMBER: 11-26-Z

HEARING DATE: April 1, 2026

TIME: 7:00 p.m. or as soon thereafter as the Agenda permits

LOCATION OF HEARING: Room 201 (Council Chambers), Oak Park Village Hall, 123 Madison Street, Oak Park, Illinois, 60302

APPLICATION: The Zoning Board of Appeals (“ZBA”) will conduct a public hearing on an application filed by the Applicant, Tatanisha Funches (Virtual Health 78 & Wellness Center), seeking a special use permit for a medical clinic, pursuant to Section 8.3 (Table 8-1: Use Matrix) and Section 5.4(K) (Table 5-12: RR District Use Restrictions by Building Type) of the Oak Park Zoning Ordinance at the property located at 6142 Roosevelt Road, Oak Park, Illinois, Property Index Number 16-17-328-031-0000 (“Subject Property”), in the RR Roosevelt Road Form-Based District.

A copy of the application and applicable documents are on file and are available for inspection at Village Hall, Development Services Department, 123 Madison Street, Oak Park, Illinois 60302, Monday through Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.

All interested persons will be given an opportunity to be heard at the public hearing. Interested persons may also sign up to participate in-person in the hearing to cross examine the applicant and its witnesses by submitting a cross-examination form or by emailing Zoning@ oak-park.us before 5:00 PM on the day prior to the public hearing.

The public hearing may be adjourned by the Board to another date without further notice by public announcement at the hearing setting forth the time and place thereof.

Published in Wednesday Journal, March 11, 2026

PUBLIC NOTICE

STATE OF ILLINOIS

VILLAGE OF BROOKFIELD

Notice of Public Hearing

Village of Brookfield Planning and Zoning Commission

March 26, 2026, at 7:00 PM

NOTICE is hereby given that the Village of Brookfield Planning and Zoning Commission will conduct a public hearing on Thursday, March 26, 2026, at 7:00 p.m. in the Edward Barcal Hall located at 8820 Brookfield Avenue Illinois for the purpose of considering a request from 3415 Maple LLC for Variations from:

§42-86 Permanent Sign

Regulations to allow three wall signs, the mounting height of the wall signs from 15’ to 22’ and 24’-1”’ and the wall sign height of 7’ rather than the maximum of 4’, and,

§62-13 Setback and Yard

Exceptions to reduce the driveway setback to a side lot line from 12” to 0”, and,

§62.267 Parking Lot Drive Aisle

Width to reduce the drive aisle from 24’ to 20’, and,

§62-269 Access to allow a driveway width greater than 24’ to 106’ – 3”, and,

§62.290 Number of Parking Spaces to reduce the number of required parking spaces from 59 to 30, and,

§62-315 Loading space; description to allow a Loading Space to impact the parking lot drive aisle, and,

§62-320 Required Loading spaces, generally to eliminate the one required Loading Space, for the purpose of developing a restaurant on the existing C-3 Centralized Commercial District property located at 3415 Maple Avenue, Brookfield, Illinois 60513.

Legal Description:

PARCEL 1: LOT 33 IN BLOCK 22 IN BROOKFIELD MANOR, BEING A SUBDIVISION OF THE NORTHEAST ¼ OF SECTION 34, TOWNSHIP 39 NORTH, RANGE 12 EAST OF THE THIRD PRINCIPAL MERIDIAN, (EXCEPT THE RIGHT OF WAY OF THE SUBURBAN

RAILROAD COMPANY) IN COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS.

PARCEL2: LOT 32 IN BLOCK 22 IN BROOKFIELD MANOR, BEING A SUBDIVISION OF THE NORTHEAST ¼ OF SECTION 34, TOWNSHIP 39 NORTH, RANGE 12 EAST OF THE THIRD PRINCIPAL MERIDIAN, (EXCEPT THE RIGHT OF WAY OF THE SUBURBAN RAILROAD COMPANY) IN COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS.

PARCEL 3: LOTS 29, 30, AND 31 BLOCK 22 IN BROOKFIELD MANOR, BEING A SUBDIVISION OF THE NORTHEAST ¼ OF SECTION 34, TOWNSHIP 39 NORTH, RANGE 12 EAST OF THE THIRD PRINCIPAL MERIDIAN, (EXCEPT THE RIGHT OF WAY OF THE SUBURBAN RAILROAD COMPANY) IN COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS.

(PIN 15-34-221-004-0000, 15-34221-005-0000 and 15-34-221006-0000)

The public is invited to attend the public hearing and present oral and/ or written comments. Written comments may be provided prior to 4:00 PM on the day of the public hearing to: Village of Brookfield, Planning and Zoning Commission c/o Libby Popovic, 8820 Brookfield Avenue, Brookfield, IL 60513, lpopovic@ brookfieldil.gov, or 708-485-1113. Oral or written testimony may be given during the public hearing. The application may be viewed at the Village of Brookfield Village Hall during normal business hours. Please reference PZC Case 26-01. Public hearings may be continued from time to time without further notice except as otherwise required under the Illinois Open Meetings Act. Individuals with disabilities requiring a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in any meeting should contact the Village of Brookfield (708) 485-7344 prior to the meeting. Wheelchair access is available through the front (South) entrance of Village Hall. By the Order of Chuck Grund, Planning and Zoning Commission Chairman.

Published in RB Landmark March 11, 2026

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