Wednesday Journal 031622 by Wednesday Journal

W E D N E S D A Y

March 16, 2022 Vol. 42, No. 33 ONE DOLLAR

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JOURNAL

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of Oak Park and River Forest

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Mistaken for bank robbers, couple sues village, police

B tt UUp: SSpring Batter i Sports Previews Page 27

SOLIDARITY

African-American seniors allege excessive force was used in 2020 By STACEY SHERIDAN Staff Reporter

The married couple mistakenly arrested in connection with the Feb. 26, 2020 attempted robbery of an Oak Park US Bank branch have filed a federal lawsuit against the village of Oak Park and five police officers. The complaint states that the officers used excessive force to unlawfully detain the husband and wife, both of whom are Black senior citizens. The couple, Ottis and Dimitri Dugar, are seeking a “reasonable amount” in compensatory damages and a jury trial. “The Plaintiffs were taken into custody at gunpoint, seized, and handcuffed because they were Black,” the complaint reads. The lawsuit was filed one day before the two-year anniversary of the incident. Along with the village See LAWSUIT on page 16

ALEX ROGALS/Staff Photographer

Forty residents rallied outside River Forest Village Hall on March 9 to show their support for Ukraine and opposition to the recent Russian invasion. The River Forest Village Board passed a resolution in support of Ukraine on March 14. See story and more photos on page 15.

OPRF students try to help revive local businesses The Box offers a unique service to connect businesses, community

By F. AMANDA TUGADE Staff Reporter

When the COVID pandemic first hit two years ago, many small businesses in Oak

Park struggled to stay afloat. Most temporarily closed their doors early on in the pandemic to deter the spread of the virus. Some found it harder to reopen because of staffing issues, declining demand, or rising

health concerns. Oak Park and River Forest High School senior Eleanor Green, and her classmates, Ezra Siegler, Dagen Renfro and Eva Spangler, started thinking. In a business incuba-

tor class, they focused on coming up with ways to help revive local businesses. They saw how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted See THE BOX on page 16

! H S S W A FL NE You can get local news delivered right to your email in-box. Sign up for FREE at OakPark.com

Wednesday Journal, March 16, 2022

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Wednesday Journal, March 16, 2022

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How to see a saint

n his brilliant 2020 book, Reed Jr.’s new book, The South, Seeing Like a State, James the historian Barbara Fields comC. Scott writes about the pares America’s public memory cadastral map (“essentially of Jim Crow to a stencil. a geometric representa“Toggling between a blurb and tion of the borders or frontiers a melodrama, the stencil seldom between parcels of land”). The affords either a rounded picture cadastral map is one of the tools of everyday people’s everyday that enabled the formation of the lives or an adequate analysis modern state because it gave govof whose interests the system ernment officials the capability served, how it disintegrated, and of measuring the land on which what replaced it,” Fields writes. the state levied taxes. “The difficulty stems, in part, The cadastral map makes the from what E.P. Thompson called state legible, in Scott’s words, enthe ‘condescension of posterity.’ abling the state to see itself. But that “sight” “But the main problem is that many of comes at the expense of much deeper insight. those looking back — whether scholars, “The value of the cadastral map to the journalists, memoirists, or current activists state lies in its abstraction and universal— lack the analytical or imaginative whereity,” he adds. “In principle, at least, the same withal to reconcile Jim Crow as a daily lived objective standard can be applied throughout experience with the standpoint of observers the nation, regardless of local context, to and analysts today, for whom life under Jim produce a complete and unambiguous map Crow lies beyond the threshold of memory.” of all landed property. … The completeness At 75, Reed is old enough to remember of the cadastral map depends, in a curious Jim Crow, making him one among a literal way, on its abstract sketchiness, its lack of dying breed. One day soon, we will inhabit a detail — its thinness.” country in which nobody alive remembers Scott observed a similar flattening in the what it was like to live under that dreadful history of state “fiscal forestry,” a discipline racial caste system. The purpose of Reed’s in which “the actual tree with its vast numbook is to explore that system more like an ber of possible uses anthropologist than was replaced by an a historian. He gives abstract tree reprethat past the fleshy senting a volume of contours so often lumber or firewood,” missing in most of which, of course, exour contemporary isted to raise revenue discussions of racism for the state. and White Supremacy “From a natural— terms that have ist’s perspective, been (to invent a nearly everything word) cadastralized, was missing from the or abstracted out of state’s narrow frame existence. of reference,” Scott In Reed’s recolwrites. “Gone was lection, there are PAULI MURRAY the vast majority of no good guys and flora: grasses, flowers, bad guys. He does, lichens, ferns, mosses, shrubs, and vines. however, remember people. For instance, he Gone, too, were reptiles, birds, amphibians, writes about getting caught shoplifting in the and innumerable species of insects. Gone ninth grade in New Orleans, “in either late were most species of fauna, except those that 1959 or early 1960.” The white couple who interested the crown’s gamekeepers.” owned the store “sat me down on the store’s Not only is the state’s perspective of ecostoop and talked to me, more like concerned logical and social reality abstract and flat, it’s parents or relatives than as intimidating or static, Scott writes. hostile storekeepers.” “The cadastral map is very much like a Who knows whether they were racist or still photograph of the current in a river,” the not? Perhaps. Probably. What mattered most author explains. “It represents the parcels to Reed was that they didn’t cause him to be of land as they were arranged and owned at sent to Angola prison or a juvenile reformathe moment the survey was conducted. But tory, which would have changed his life’s the current is always moving, and in periods trajectory. The white shop-owners were not of major social upheaval and growth, a heroes. They were, at least in that moment, cadastral survey may freeze a scene of great acting decently. turbulence.” Most people who find themselves in opWhile reading Scott, I realized that our pressive systems will not act heroically, Reed understanding of history, particularly for writes. They’ll “try to find ways to protect those of us who were not present when it was themselves and craft aspirations and selfhappening, is often abstract, static and selfimages that accommodate to the conditions serving. After all, textbooks are essentially that constrain and threaten them.” cadastral maps. Reed fleshes out this dynamic in his readIn her forward to political theorist Adolph ing of Plessy v. Ferguson, the 1896 Supreme

MICHAEL ROMAIN

Screenshot from the 2021 documentary, “My Name Is Pauli Murray”

The nine architects of the 1954 Brown vs. Board of Education case on the steps of the Supreme Court Building. Court case that established the infamous “separate but equal” doctrine. An element of the brief provided by the plaintiff, Homer Adolph Plessy, who was of mixed race, “was that it denied ‘respectable’ black people the right to first-class accommodations and lumped them together with their social inferiors” (i.e., lower-class Blacks). I thought about the cadastral map again while looking at a famous photo of the nine “architects” of the famous 1954 Brown vs. Board of Education case, which greatly weakened Plessy v. Ferguson. Among these proud Black men standing on the steps of the Supreme Court was Thurgood Marshall, at the time perhaps the most famous Black attorney in the country, and Spottswood Robinson, a Howard University law professor. Ten years prior, in 1944, an unknown Howard University law school student made a bet with Professor Robinson. Ten bucks says Plessy v. Ferguson will be turned down within 25 years. The student was mocked by her classmates and Robinson was incredulous. That Howard law student also wrote a paper arguing that civil rights lawyers should challenge the “separate” part of the “separate but equal” doctrine. For decades, the conventional approach taken by civil rights lawyers was to challenge the “equal” part of the doctrine. Spottswood remembered the student’s argument and, according to Kathryn Schulz, writing in a 2017 New Yorker profile, “fished it out of his files, and presented it to his colleagues — the team that, in 1954, successfully argued Brown v. Board of Education.” You’ll see Marshall and Robinson in that iconic black-and-white photo of Brown’s “architects” on the steps of the Supreme Court, but you won’t see that student, a Black queer woman who didn’t learn of her contribution to the landmark SCOTUS case until she was almost 50, because Spottswood Robinson never gave her credit. Her name was Pauli Murray. In her New Yorker profile, Schulz summarizes Murray’s life beautifully. “A poet, writer, activist, labor organizer, legal theorist, and Episcopal priest, Murray palled around in her youth with Langston

Hughes, joined James Baldwin at the MacDowell Colony the first year it admitted African Americans, maintained a twenty-threeyear friendship with Eleanor Roosevelt, and helped Betty Friedan found the National Organization for Women. “Along the way, she articulated the intellectual foundations of two of the most important social-justice movements of the twentieth century: first, when she made her argument for overturning Plessy, and, later, when she co-wrote a law-review article subsequently used by a rising star at the ACLU — one Ruth Bader Ginsburg — to convince the Supreme Court that the Equal Protection Clause applies to women.” Murray was also arrested for refusing to move to the back of a bus in Richmond, Virginia, two decades before Rosa Parks did so in Montgomery, and Murray organized sit-ins that desegregated restaurants in Washington D.C., nearly 20 years before Greensboro. Additionally, “four decades before another legal scholar, Kimberlé Williams Crenshaw, coined the term ‘intersectionality,’ Murray insisted on the indivisibility of her identity and experience as an African American, a worker, and a woman,” Schultz writes. You may not know about Pauli Murray despite her centrality to the American social justice movement because, like a forest, her subtleties — as a queer, possibly non-binary Black woman legal theorist and, later in life, the first Black woman ordained an Episcopal priest — can’t be captured by the cadastrallike abstractions of textbook history. About 10 years ago, the Episcopal Church made Murray a saint (she died in 1985) and more people are increasingly becoming aware of her trailblazing significance through books and documentaries. Her home has even been turned into a national historic site. As her star rises, our capitalist state will do what it does to virtually everything — it will cadastralize her memory. If she gets big enough, she may show up on stamps or currency or, perhaps, her likeness fashioned into a Barbie doll. Thankfully, people are not states. We can choose to see her differently. CONTACT: michael@oakpark.com

Wednesday Journal, March 16, 2022

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BIG WEEK March 16-23

Middle School Book Group (Grades 5-8): ‘Sailor Moon’

ORiHANA Sunday, March 20, 3 p.m., Good Shepherd Lutheran Church Moldovan violinist Olya Prohorova and Japanese pianist Hana Fujisaki combine for this tribute to J-Pop, the contemporary Japanese pop music heard frequently in anime cartoons. $15 general, $10 students/kids. 611 Randolph St., Oak Park.

Thursday, March 17, 4-5 p.m., virtually through Oak Park Public Library This month, students in grades 5-8 share thoughts and opinions on this month’s book: Sailor Moon, Volume 1 by Naoko Takeuchi. A girl named Usagi meets a talking cat who enables her to tap into a well of strength she never knew she had, transforming her into the great Sailor Moon. Register now at oppl.org/ calendar.

TechGirlz Workshop: Web Concepts

Things I Learned Writing Books

Ann Chang Wednesday, March 23, 7 p.m., Nineteenth Century Charitable Organization (second-floor ballroom) Ann Chang has quite a varied resume, ranging from being the founder and director of the Meadowlark Music Festival to being a former TEDx and TEDwomen speaker. On this evening, she will be applying her skills toward the piano, playing the “greatest hits” of Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert and Chopin. Free, but with a donation requested for all attendees (pay what you can). 178 Forest Ave., Oak Park.

Monday, March 21, 1:15 p.m., Nineteenth Century Charitable Association (second-floor ballroom) Author Michael Raleigh will talk frankly about his experiences in publishing books. Sub-topics include: research, why his books are never set in the present, the role of Chicago in his books, his love of mysteries (whether reading or writing them) and some of the fascinating things he has learned about Chicago while writing his novels. $15 suggested donation; members, free. 178 Forest Ave., Oak Park.

Heart of Our Villages Awards Thursday, March 24, 6:30-9 p.m., Nineteenth Century Charitable Organization The Historical Society of Oak Park-River Forest honors the lives and accomplishments of Carlotta Luchesi and Harriette & McLouis Robinet, recipients of the 2022 Heart Of Our Villages Award. $125 per ticket, or $75 for the virtual awards ceremony. 178 Forest Ave., Oak Park.

Saturday, March 19, 9:30-11:30 a.m., virtually through Oak Park Public Library This workshop shows students in grades 5-8 how websites work, how they are built, and how to build them. It is a discussion with interactive activities, but nothing is created and no technical materials are required. Familiarity with terms and concepts is helpful. Register now at oppl.org/calendar.

FitzGerald’s Annual St. Patrick’s Day Celebration Saturday, March 19, 12 p.m., FitzGerald’s There is no way the state of Illinois will let the month of March pass without a massive St. Patrick’s Day celebration. Featured will be the music of Switchback, the Shannon Rovers, Fitz & the Celts, the Belvederes, and the Mayer School Stepdancers. $5-15. 6615 Roosevelt Road, Berwyn.

Wednesday Journal, March 16, 2022

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Oak Park dishes out first slices of ARPA funding

The Historical Society of Oak Park and River Forest invites you to our

Hephzibah, Early Childhood Collab, parks among first-round grants

“More work needs to be done to ensure our proposed program falls in the ARPA guidelines as well as other federal guidelines concerning allocation of funds,” John Lynch, OPEDC executive director, told Wednesday Journal. The remaining four requests were discussed and voted on separately. The village board By STACEY SHERIDAN unanimously approved the request for $525,000 Staff Reporter from the Hephzibah Children’s Association. Oak Park’s village board on Monday began The Collaboration for Early Childhood’s recarving up its share of the federal Ameri- quest for $1.1 million also received unanimous board approval. The latter organization’s can Rescue Plan Act pie, promising slices of funds to different local organizations. Roughly proposal combined individual requests from early childhood educators, as $3.5 million was committed well as nonprofits that cater March 14 for the first round to young children or families of community requests. The with young children. village of Oak Park will reThe village board essenceive a total of $38.9 million tially split the Park District in ARPA funds; $14 million of Oak Park’s request into has already been used to retwo parts. It opted to commit imburse village government $1 million to the park district for lost revenues due to COrather than committing the VID-19. requested $2 million, which The meeting was highly would have been dispersed productive for the village over two years. The money board, considering the first will go toward reimbursing discussion of community relost revenue to the park disquests on Jan. 31 resulted in trict’s capital improvement much confusion; three trustplan. The board will decide ees asked independently for if another $1 million should a scorecard by which to rate be allocated to the park diseach request. trict during discussions of Such a rubric was created second-round community by the Community Develrequests. Trustee Arti Walkopment Citizens Advisory er-Peddakotla was the only Committee, which rated each trustee to vote against this first-round community reJOHN LYNCH motion. quest based on 13 standards, OPEDC executive director She was also the only ranging from equity to applitrustee to vote against the cation quality. CDCAC Chair Oak Park Tourism Recovery Stephen Morales presented Initiative, believing the Oak the committee’s findings March 14 and it was Park tourism industry’s situation less urgent smooth sailing from there. All first-round community requests were than that of the other applicants. The OPTRI not discussed, however. The North Avenue is a consortium of the non-profit tourism orDistrict volunteered to have its request consid- ganizations Visit Oak Park, the Unity Temple ered during the second round. The business Restoration Foundation, the Oak Park Area district had requested $100,000 to fund public Arts Council, the Ernest Hemingway Foundaart along North Avenue. That request will like- tion and the Frank Lloyd Wright Trust. The ly be revisited this fall, according to Interim village board chose to give the OPTI $827,000, deducting $50,000 from the originally requestVillage Manager Lisa Shelley. Likewise, the Oak Park Economic Devel- ed amount that was designated for marketing opment Corporation is taking a step back to and advertising in its application. The total make certain its application meets the vari- will be disbursed among the five non-profous requirements for the allocation of federal its: Visit Oak Park will receive $192,000; the funds. The OPEDC had requested $500,000 Hemingway Foundation $140,000; the FLW to start a grant process to grow and support Trust $180,000; OPAAC $220,000; and Unity Temple Restoration Foundation $95,000. Black-owned small businesses.

“More work needs to be done to ensure our proposed program falls in the ARPA guidelines as well as other federal guidelines concerning allocation of funds.”

@OakPark

Museum Gala on March 24 to honor these incredible neighbors and friends.

McLouis and Harriette Robinet

Carlotta Lucchesi

Thanks to our Lead Sponsors

Details and tickets at oprfmuseum.org

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Wednesday Journal, March 16, 2022

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OPRF students learn about sports industry career Minnesota Twins executive speaks to class about his occupational journey

By F. AMANDA TUGADE Staff Reporter

For almost 20 years, Dustin Morse has worked in public relations, mostly in his home state with the Minnesota Twins. Morse, who was recently promoted to vice president of communications and content at the Twins, is the man on the inside with all the information, the bridge between the team, the media and the fans. And on March 8, over Zoom, he appeared in front of 25 Oak Park and River Forest High School students, lifting the veil on what may seem a glamorous job in the sports industry, revealed the ups and downs of his career journey. “I’ve been around the game a long time,” said Morse, who was invited to speak to the students in a Sports and Literature class by his friend, OPRF teacher James Bell. “I’ve learned a lot along the way, and I still feel like I’m learning up until today.” Morse opened his story telling students he always knew he wanted to work in sports. Attending the University of Wisconsin Madison with Bell in the late 1990s, he said he loved baseball but was fascinated by the business side of things, including stadium operations, marketing and more. He went to class, talked to professors and beDUSTIN MORSE gan to map out the Vice president of steps to making his communications and content dream a reality. Havfor the Minnesota Twins ing good friends like Bell helped, too. “The group of guys I surrounded myself with kind of pushed me into chasing my dreams, chasing my goals and what I thought was possible,” he said. Morse told students career success didn’t happen overnight and recalled striking out several times before finally landing his first internship at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, New York, an opportunity that later opened other doors for him. “I’ll be honest. I was a little cocky. I thought I’ll just write a letter, and I’ll pick which team I want to work for, but I was 0-for-8 with the teams I wrote to,” he recalled, adding that was the first of many career snags. During the Zoom session, students asked Morse questions about breaking into the sports industry, working with professional athletes, and navigating the challenges that come with his position. One student, Jimmy

“I’ve learned a lot along the way, and I still feel like I’m learning up until today.”

F. AMANDA TUGADE/Wednesday Journal

COMMUNICATOR: In a Sports and Literature class at Oak Park and River Forest High School, some 25 students listen in as Dustin Morse, vice president of communications and content for the Minnesota Twins, talks about his career in public relations in the sports industry. Lynch, was curious how Morse dealt with athletes who were not fond of media interviews. “It’s probably the hardest part of the job because not everybody, not every player is comfortable with the spotlight,” Morse told the class, joking about the times he’s asked players to do media appearances and ended up in a headlock, the laundry basket or told to get lost. “Wait — you mean a literal headlock? A literal laundry basket?” Bell asked Morse to clarify. “Yeah, over the years in a playful way,” Morse said, smiling. “I’m the guy who comes asking these guys to do things.” Morse explained that a large part of his role is to build relationships with the players and to understand who they are as people on and off the field. “Whether you’re a basketball player, a baseball player, a football player, not everybody signs up to be a role model. Not everybody signs up to be a spokesperson,” he reiterated. “Not everybody’s comfortable with being in the spotlight. I’ve had players come to me confidentially and talk about social

anxiety and being in front of the camera or fear of speaking to groups, and you start learning what makes each guy tick.” Morse also shed light on those early days in his journey, working for other Major League Baseball teams and stepping into what felt like a brand new world. Back in 2002, Morse was a new college graduate, interning for the Chicago Cubs. That year, he said, the team’s manager was fired and the general manager stepped down. “And I was a 21-year-old intern trying to figure out what this all meant,” he told students. “I remember when they stripped the team down and started trading off players that I really liked and I grew to know and call friends. … I was told pretty quickly that this is a business, and it wasn’t in the cards that year for the company to win and compete for division. That wasn’t the only hard lesson he learned. Morse scored a full-time job with the Texas Rangers soon after his stint with the Cubs. That, he said, was a dream job. “I’m living life like everything was incredible until it wasn’t. About 11 months into that job, I lost my job. They let me go due to

budget cuts,” he said. That hitch led him to California with the San Diego Padres for a couple of seasons and then to his current post, back in his home state of Minnesota with the Twins. As Morse reflected on his career, other students such as Autumn Murphy, Drew Kunkel and Jake Beaver joined Lynch and said they were drawn to this, taking in all the information. After the presentation, the three told Wednesday Journal they appreciated Morse’s insight on his profession, a career they knew existed, but thought was out of reach. “I thought it was pretty cool,” Lynch said. “That’s definitely something I want to go and do.” Echoing Lynch, Murphy said Morse helped reinforce the power of self-belief. “In the world of sports, there are people out there willing to give you an in and actually help out in your journey and getting to whatever you want to pursue,” Murphy said, adding that she knows pursuing a career as an athlete or in the sports industry comes with uncertainties, but it’s about “willing to take the risk.”

Wednesday Journal, March 16, 2022

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Pipeline finds a buyer for West Sub Medical Center Expected new owner specializes in health-care turnarounds

By STACEY SHERIDAN Staff Reporter

West Suburban Medical Center is changing ownership once again. Pipeline Health announced March 10 its plans to sell the Oak Park hospital to the Michiganbased healthcare management group Resilience Healthcare. The acquisition, worth $92 million, also includes Weiss Memorial Hospital in the Uptown neighborhood of Chicago. Resilience Healthcare is a new West Suburban Hospital Medical Center company that was formed for the Pipeline Health transaction and Taleb. is under the leadership of Manoj Prasad. He However, Abu-Taleb spoke positively of was described as “a health executive with Prasad, describing him as a “very impressive over two decades in healthcare turnaround” fellow” and that he seemed “very passionate in a joint news release from Pipeline and Re- about providing quality healthcare.” silience Healthcare. Search engine queries The potential sale will not hinder hospital turned up no results for a Resilience Healthoperations, according to Abu-Taleb who said care website. West Suburban staff and leadership will con“This is a wonderful opportunity to serve tinue caring for patients as usual both now the patients and communities of Oak Park and in the future. and residents of the West Side as well as Chi“We stand ready to work on behalf of the cago’s Uptown neighborhood and beyond. community to maintain this organization,” We’re excited to secure state approval and get he said. to work,” Prasad said in the release. The two healthcare companies are applyWest Suburban and Weiss have been under ing for a change of ownership through the Pipeline’s ownership since 2019. Former Oak Illinois Health Facilities and Review Board. Park mayor and chairman of the West SubIf the change of ownership is approved, New urban governing board, Anan Abu-Taleb told Wednesday Journal the governing board has Jersey-based businessman Reddy Rathnakar not yet “digested” all the information regard- Patlola, a financial partner in Resilience, will be investing in the acquisition and operaing the potential sale. “Am I glad West Suburban is going through tions, according to the news release. Pending the authorization of the Illinois another change in ownership? No,” said Abu-

Health Facilities and Services Review Board, Resilience Healthcare will procure both hospitals and their campus properties. “Both parties are interested in a smooth and seamless transition,” said Pipeline CEO Andrei Soran in the news release. “All hospital operations will continue as usual with quality, compassionate care delivered to all patients served.” Prasad’s LinkedIn page states he is presently CEO of XPERTEASE and has been since Jan. 2017. He listed his FILE responsibilities as focusing on “financial, clinical, cultural and operational transformation of hospitals and group practices globally” and “bringing jeopardized hospitals back into regulatory compliance.” “My career turning around hospitals and health care organizations has been based on collaborations with and alignment of the medical staff, nurses, support staff and staff on the front lines at hospitals,” Prasad was quoted as saying in the news release. “I listen to them and to our patients and community partners and they see I am willing to roll up my sleeves and work side-byside with them. We get aligned on the common goals of providing our patients high quality and affordable care and turning around a treasured community asset.” He is reportedly moving to the Oak Park and River Forest area, which Abu-Taleb called a positive of the sale. Prasad plans to work full-time shoring up the financial positions of both hospitals to make them more sustainable, so the institutions can continue

Past owners before pipeline ■ Tenet Healthcare 2013-2018 ■ Vanguard 2009-2013 ■ Resurrection Health Care 2004-2009 ■ Independent ownership 1999-2004 ■ Loyola University Medical Center 1996-1999

to provide critical healthcare services to patients. Pipeline founder and board member Nick Orzano is quoted in the news release saying, “We have been struggling to make these hospitals successful. Manoj approached us to take on the challenge, and we believe he is an excellent fit, with a proven track record of success, for the communities we serve.” More than 80 percent of West Suburban’s patients are residents of Chicago’s Austin neighborhood, according to Pipeline, which described the community as “at-risk.” Approximately 76 percent of West Suburban patients are Black. Wednesday Journal reported last month that the Accreditation Council for Graduate Education had withdrawn the accreditation of West Suburban’s internal medicine residency program. It was also reported that West Suburban’s family medicine residency program is on probationary accreditation and has been since October of last year. Prior to that, ACGME records show that program was placed on continued accreditation “with warning” on May 29, 2020.

Poke Burrito inherits Black Lives Matter Banner

ALEX ROGALS/Staff Photographer

From left, Jimmy Chen, Shawna Gallagher, Amy Hanson, Theresa Lynn Connor, Linda Deviller and Amy Parakkat and the Black Lives Matter quilt at Poke Burrito on Lake Street in downtown Oak Park.

When Oak Park Brewing permanently closed in October of 2021, the handmade Black Lives Matter banner that hung in the brewery’s window needed a new home. Jimmy Chen, owner of Poke Burrito, 1025 Lake St. in Oak Park, jumped at the chance to display the knitted art piece after seeing a post about it in the Takeout 25 owners group on Facebook. On Wednesday, March 9 the art piece made its official debut on Lake Street. “I am the lucky guy who gets to keep it,” said Chen. “Displaying the banner is a way to show the community we care about sharing this important message. This banner will hang here as long as Poke Burrito is part of the community.”

Chen’s background in art and design drew him to the banner made by a group of local knitters and “craftivists.” Multiple people had hand in making the banner in the wake of George Floyd’s murder. Each square has a unique pattern, color and texture intended to represent stained glass. Shawna Gallagher, knitting group founder spent more than 10 hours linking all the squares together to form the Black Lives Matter statement. “I remember being very angry when I put it together, but our goal was to take that anger and turn it into something beautiful for our community,” said Gallagher. — Melissa Elsmo

Wednesday Journal, March 16, 2022

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District 97 to go mask optional March 17

By F. AMANDA TUGADE Staff Reporter

Staff and students at Oak Park District 97 elementary schools will soon have the choice of not wearing their masks indoors, joining River Forest District 90, Oak Park and River Forest High School District 200 and hundreds of others that have already gone mask optional. With D97’s newest masking policy to take effect March 17, school officials recently released an FAQ guide for staff and families moving into a “masks recommended, not required” environment. School officials held off on making indoor masking optional immediately after Gov. J.B. Pritzker lifted the requirement late last month because they needed more time to plan and figure out the next steps, said D97 communications director Amanda Siegfried. Pritzker announced a plan Feb. 25 to lift the indoor masking requirements for all schools and daycare centers, just three days before ending indoor masking for many public places. But the debate on whether masks should be required in schools had been bubbling for some time, especially after a downstate judge ruled against the mask mandate. On top of that, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released new guidelines, recommending masking in schools only in areas of high transmission. Last week, the Oak Park Department of Public Health report-

ed a “low” transmission rate with 75 cases per 100,000 people. This is the first time Oak Park has been in that range since last November, local authorities reported. “It was never our intention to make decisions overnight or make changes overnight, but really to do [a] gradual transition to ease off mitigations,” Siegfried told Wednesday Journal. In a districtwide email sent early this month, co-interim Superintendents Patricia Wernet and Griff Powell told families there are still some conditions around the district’s latest masking policy. While staff and students can choose to wear or not wear their face masks indoors, outdoors or on the school bus, they must be masked in areas of the schools where weekly COVID-19 testing take place. Those testing areas are considered healthcare facilities, said Wernet and Powell in the email. “The district will have disposable masks available, however, we encourage families to make sure that their students bring their own masks on their designated testing days,” the two wrote, adding D97 will also continue to provide staff and students with KN95 face masks and surgical masks. Wernet and Powell also told families that the district has “local control to make decisions that are best for the school community.” So, required masking could be reinstated if a new state or local mandate is imposed or if local conditions such as a high transmission rate

occurred. The district also plans to continue its other safety measures, including quarantine for individuals who test positive for COVID-19, vaccine promotion for eligible students, social distancing, cleaning and disinfecting, and more. When asked to reflect about the shift to optional masking, Siegfried told the Journal that the district is “cautiously optimistic” but encouraged to see the overall decline in COVID-19 cases. And this new phase may be some “semblance of normalcy,” Siegfried said. “I don’t know if normal exists at this point, but I think starting to get to a place where we can ease those mitigations and start to return to some of the things that people love so much about school has been really encouraging for us and just to reset,” she said.

What about daycares? While many schools in Oak Park have transitioned to a mask optional policy, daycares and childcare centers in the village have yet to move in that direction. That’s because state officials have yet to release any guidance to follow specifically for daycare centers, says Oak Park Public Health Director Theresa ChappleMcGruder. “Right now, we have just the really short statement that the governor made on the 25th saying this applies to daycares, too,” ChappleMcGruder told Wednesday Journal in a recent

interview. She said what people may not understand about the mask optional policies in schools is that there are still some caveats. Though staff and students can choose to wear face masks indoors, outdoors or on the school bus, they must be masked when visiting the school nurse’s office, which is considered another healthcare setting, she said. But that’s not the case with daycare centers – at least not yet, she added. In the past, Chapple-McGruder said she received recommendations from the state to help implement safety measures for daycares. Not this time. The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services also released a similar statement to Pritzker, reiterating the lifted mask mandate and the CDC’s recent guidelines on transmission rates. “What I do have is that the CDC is saying guidance is coming on their website. What I do have is that the state is saying we’re waiting on CDC to update their guidance, and then we will issue our guidance,” she said. Early this month, Chapple-McGruder continued to require masking at daycares and other mitigation efforts, including quarantine, social distancing and more. “What we just need to do is wait for guidance, so that I can understand how to implement it in the community,” she said. “That’s where we need to be because what’s going to be extremely hard is to roll back any of this stuff.”

Morally Consistent: Standing for Palestinian Rights and Against Antisemitism

Join two leaders in the struggle for equality and justice for an important discussion

March 20, 2022, 2 pm

Oak Park Public Library – Veterans Room 834 Lake Street, Oak Park

Street parking and parking lot available; short walk to CTA Green Line- Oak Park stop. COVID-safe procedures will be implemented

False accusations of antisemitism remain a major obstacle in building support for policies that end Israel’s occupation and dispossession of the Palestinian people.

Rabbi Brant Rosen, Tzedek Chicago

Given the violence and trauma of historic and current antisemitism - and its weaponization by white nationalists - there is an important distinction to confront. This program will discuss the real dangers of antisemitism and expose how the distortion of the definition of antisemitism - conflating it with criticism of Israel - is being used to silence political debate and enact legislation that targets advocates for Palestinian rights. Sponsored by: Committee for a Just Peace in Israel and Palestine Co-Sponsored by: American Friends Service Committee; American Muslims for Palestine, Chicago

Brant Rosen is the rabbi of the Tzedek Chicago congregation and the author of Wrestling in the Daylight: A Rabbi’s Path to Palestinian Solidarity.

Dima Khalidi is the founder and director of Palestine Legal and is cooperating counsel with the Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR). Dima Khalidi, Palestine Legal

Chapter; Arab Jewish Partnership for Peace and Justice in the Middle East; Chicago Faith Coalition on Middle East Policy; Jewish Voice for Peace, Chicago Chapter; National Lawyers Guild, Chicago Chapter

Learn more at www.cjpip.org

Wednesday Journal, March 16, 2022

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Let’s talk today. Melissa Elsmo/Food Editor

Paul Stern (right), owner of Fritzi’s Delicatessen, and Anthony Higgins in the transformed interior, which is lighter and brighter, thanks to multiple coats of fresh paint and a vaulted ceiling.

Fritzi’s Delicatessen plans April opening

Owner emphasizes quality over speed in slower-thanexpected remodel By MELISSA ELSMO Oak Park Eats Editor

Paul Stern, a longtime Oak Park resident with nearly four decades of restaurant experience, is bringing a menu filled with Jewish fare to the former home of Geppetto’s Restaurant, 113 N. Oak Park Ave. Plans for the kosher-style restaurant were first announced in July 2021 and now, eight months later, eager residents are desperate to know when the highly anticipated restaurant will open its doors to the public. “We are getting closer to opening every day” said Stern who expects to open “sometime” in April. “This is a 40-year-old restaurant, and I honestly underestimated the amount of work it would take to get this place ready.” Opening a Jewish delicatessen has been a lifelong dream for the veteran chef and restaurateur, and he has no interest in rushing

the process. Stern said he wants projects in the restaurant to be “done right” and has been hands-on in the process of bringing his delicatessen to life. Outside of plumbing and electrical work he, his family and Anthony Higgins, Fritzi’s future general manager, have handled the updates on their own. “I am painting shelves today,” said Higgins, who has worked with Stern previously. “It sounds simple enough, but they have taken multiple coats of paint and I have had to replace all the screws. Everything has taken more work than we thought it would, but we want it done our way.” The bulk of the work done in the space has been cosmetic, and stripping away four decades of wear and tear has rendered former pizzeria unrecognizable. Now, light floods into the 76seat establishment thanks to three coats of bright white paint, modern grey wainscoting and a newly vaulted ceiling the front of the dining room. The added height exposed two lunette windows, making the street-view windows an impressive architectural focal point. Green apple-hued upholstery covers the banquette seating and a bright blue bar anchors the See FRITZI’S on page 10

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Judicial candidates with clout face off in local race Relatives of Illinois House Speaker, Cook County Clerk running in 4th Subcircuit

By BOB SKOLNIK

school districts. Raines-Welch graduated from the John Marshall Law School and started her career as a plaintiff ’s lawyer. She earned her bachelor’s degree from UIC. Raines-Welch ran for public office once before but was unsuccessful finishing fifth in a field of seven candidates in a 2015 race for the Proviso Township High School District 209 Board of Education. Both Raines-Welch and Pedersen have served on the Proviso Township Mental Health Commission. Wednesday Journal reached out to Raines-Welch for an interview, but a representative of her campaign said on March 14 that Raines-Welch had promised to do her first interview with another reporter and asked that the Journal submit questions for her by email. The Journal emailed her campaign 11 questions on Monday afternoon but had not received a response prior to deadline. Raines-Welch lent her campaign $100,100 on Feb. 2 and has received $20,000 campaign contributions from the carpenters’ union political action committee and from the Chicago Land Operators LaborManagement political action committee. “I don’t know what a labor union PAC has to do with electing someone for judge,” said Barrido, who unsuccessfully ran for judge county wide in 2018. Barrido, a veteran public defender who tries cases at the Maybrook Courthouse, said he deliberately filed to run against Raines-Welch because he said he wanted

to give voters an opportunity to give voters an opportunity to pick someone who is independent of the Democratic Party machine. “I picked this race to go against the speaker’s wife,” Barrido said. “I deliberately wanted to give the people a choice as to whether or not they wanted to go with the status quo Democratic politics or to have someone who is a fighter in the courtroom, who has a reputation as a zealous advocate and a hard worker period.” Barrido, who graduated from DePaul Law School in 1999, said that he sees becoming a judge as a logical next step in his career. “A judge can do the right thing,” Barrido said “A lawyer has to advocate for the position of their client.” Barrido says his decades of trial experience makes him the best qualified candidate in the race. “People may have fancy titles,” Barrido said. “I’m proud to be an assistant public defender, I’m proud to have been a victim witness coordinator. I’m proud to be a trial lawyer who can navigate a courtroom.” Pedersen, 39, is also a graduate of DePaul Law School and earned a bachelor’s degree in commerce from DePaul. As an undergraduate she was co-captain of the DePaul Demon dance team. Pedersen, who has lived in Riverside for nearly four years and lived for four years in Brookfield before moving to Riverside, said that the depth and breath of her litigation experience distinguishes her from

the other candidates. “I am confident in my candidacy,” Pedersen said. “The depth and breadth of my experience sets me apart.” When Yarbrough became Cook County Recorder of Deeds, she hired Pedersen as her chief labor and legal counsel. Pedersen said she worked hard in that job and was hired for a specific purpose. “I committed to doing one year with them to help them get in and stand up a legal department and a functioning HR department,” Pedersen said. “I was hired into an exempt position; I was vetted by the State’s Attorney’s office as well as the Shakman monitors and was highly recommended for the position.” Last year, Pedersen applied to fill a vacancy on the Riverside-Brookfield High School District 208 Board of Education but was not selected. She says she has long aspired to be a judge. “Becoming a judge has always been a passion of mine going back even as far as grade school,” Pedersen said. “I worked as a peer mediator, and the ability to solve their problems and reach a resolution is something that I’ve been passionate about.” Campanelli, 64, is from LaGrange and has an office in Palos Heights. He is a criminal defense lawyer who is married to Amy Campanelli, the former Public Defender for Cook County and Barrido’s one-time boss. The tagline of his law firm website is “Everybody makes mistakes, including the police.” Campanelli, who unsuccessfully ran for judge nearly 30 years ago, began his career as a prosecutor and now has a general law practice with a focus on criminal defense. He said that he has tried thousands of cases, including hundreds of jury trials. “I believe that the 4th Subcircuit in which I’m running has an extremely intelligent community,” Campanelli said. “That they can look at the backgrounds of the people involved, that money being thrown at a race is not important.”

corned beef, matzo ball soup, kishke, brisket, chopped liver and lox. The chefs are engaged in weekend cooking sessions to learn from Stern, who has wide repertoire of recipes he intends to bring to Fritzi’s. Stern spent 10 years developing the pastrami recipe he is passing on to his kitchen staff. The complex recipe requires the meat to be cured eight to 12 days using a dry cure with a blend of spices including black pepper, coriander and cloves before soaking, cold smoking, and steaming. Both Labno and Dahlstrom are eager to “see how all of this comes together.” Pastry chef Karianne Soulsby,

has joined the team to bring sweet treats to Fritzi’s. To cultivate interaction and communal atmosphere, customers will place orders “dim sum style” by checking off menu items on a card placed on the table. Menu items will come in two sizes and Stern hopes inexpensive tasting portions will entice hesitant diners to try menu items they may be unfamiliar with. Stern is clear that he is building the restaurant he has always dreamed of opening, and while the menu will focus on Ashkenazi Jewish fare, he has added a few dishes to the menu that fall outside that purview.

Expect Fritzi’s to serve up Jianbing—a Chinese street food made from a millet flour crepe, filled with egg, deep fried dough and drizzled with a duo of sauces. “It’s on the menu because I like it,” said Stern with a chuckle. “There are no rules here.” While Stern and Higgins are not rushing to finish the project, they are eagerly anticipating a day in the near future when they can welcome guests in to experience all that Fritzi’s Delicatessen promises to be. In the meantime, Stern encourages people to peer into the windows to check on their progress.

Contributing Reporter

Two lawyers with local ties are vying to become a judge. But to get to the bench they will have to defeat the wife of the Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives. ShawnTe Raines-Welch, who is married to House Speaker Chris Welch (DHillside), will face three opponents in the June 28 Democratic primary race to fill the Rogers vacancy in the 4th Judicial Subcircuit which covers western Cook County from just south of O’Hare Airport to Palos Township, including Riverside resident Chloe Pedersen, former Brookfield resident Jerry Barrido and Patrick Campanelli, an attorney with a solo practice. Pedersen and Raines-Welch both have strong political connections. Pedersen is the niece of Cook County Clerk Karen Yarbrough. Some might see the race as sort of a rematch of a 2006 primary when Chris Welch, then the president of the Proviso Township High School District 209 Board of Education, challenged then state Rep. Yarbrough in the Democratic primary. Yarbrough handily won that matchup with nearly 73 percent of the vote. Pedersen, who is an equity partner and head of the labor and employment law practice at Chicago law firm of Fletcher & Sippel, says political connections and the past Yarbrough-Welch race are not relevant in this race. “I don’t see it that way,” Pedersen said. “Karen Yarbrough wasn’t out circulating petitions for me. I’m the one who’s on the ballot. It’s my experience, my background, my time, energy and effort that will be put to the voters. It doesn’t matter who my family might be, that’s not what the voters are going to vote on.” Raines-Welch is a partner at the law firm of AncelGlink, a law firm that specializes in municipal law. According to her campaign website, Raines-Welch represents multiple municipalities and suburban

FRITZI’S

Delayed Deli from page 9 back of the dining area. The bar will be used to serve coffee drinks made with hyperlocal Whirlwind Coffee and retro-style egg creams as well as wine and beer. In the back of the house, Executive Chef Nick Labno and John Dalhstrom, consulting chef, are laying tile in the commercial kitchen in anticipation of churning out

SHAWNTE RAINES-WELCH

CHLOE PEDERSEN

JERRY BARRIDO

PATRICK CAMPANELLI

Wednesday Journal, March 16, 2022

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Senator holds up Reynolds’ U.S. marshal nomination Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas stalls Oak Park police chief’s promotion

By STACEY SHERIDAN Staff Reporter

Almost nine months have passed since it was first announced that Oak Park Police Chief LaDon Reynolds had been recommended for a U.S marshal post and almost four months since President Joe Biden nominated him for the position. However, little progress has been made, thanks to the efforts of one Arkansas Republican senator. Sen. Tom Cotton has stalled full U.S. Senate consideration of Justice Department nominees — six for U.S. attorney and two for U.S. marshal, including Reynolds, who has stayed consistently mum on the subject. Wednesday Journal has reached out to Reynolds for comment. The blockade is due to Cotton’s belief that the department should pay the legal bills of the Deputy U.S. Marshals who are being sued by the Portland, Oregon demonstrators who participated in the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests. “Why won’t the Department of Justice defend four deputy U.S. Marshals attacked by a left-wing street militia in Portland?” Cotton wrote in a letter dated to U.S. Attor-

ney General Merrick Garland. The letter was included in a press release issued Feb. 10, which refers to the protests as “BLM riots.” Cotton’s efforts to delay have continued since then, drawing reproach from Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Dick Durbin (D-IL), who also serves as majority whip. “He’s put a hold on six U.S. attorneys and two U.S. marshals, and, as a consequence, their posts remain vacant during this period of time. He is actually in the process of defunding law enforcement at the federal level,” Durbin said during a March 8 Senate Judiciary Committee hearing. Durbin, along with Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), recommended Reynolds to Biden for U.S. marshal last June. The Illinois senator further criticized Cotton on March 8 for delaying the proceedings on grounds unrelated to the nominees. “And it isn’t because of anything that these individuals have done wrong or anything in their background that suggests they’re not qualified. He is concerned about a case in Oregon and believes all U.S. attorneys should be held from performing their duties as a result of it,” Durbin said March 8.

Police Chief LaDon Reynolds

The Oak Park Housing Choice Voucher list is OPEN!

Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) Program • Oak Park Housing Authority

The Oak Park Hoursing Authority is accepting pre-applications to add 150 new households to the Housing Choice Voucher waiting list. These 150 households will be selected at random from all pre-applications received during the period the waiting list is open. To facilitate the random selection process, pre-applications will only be available and can only be submitted electronically through the OPHA online portal at www.oakparkha.org.

For additional information - direct to your smartphone SCAN THE CODE or go to www.oakparkha.org The HCV waiting list will close on Friday, March 25, 2022 at 3:00 pm. Can I come to the OPHA office to apply? No. Due to COVID, our office will continue to be closed to the public and walk-in traffic during the opening of the waiting list. Applying online is the easiest, quickest, and most efficient way for you to apply and you can do that by going to our website: www.oakparkha.org Need a reasonable accommodation and assistance in filling out the online pre-application? If you are a person with disabilities or elderly and require a reasonable accommodation and assistance in completing the online pre-application, you can call our special assistance phone line at 708-386-1464, Monday Friday, 8:30 am to 5:00 pm and Friday, March 25, 2022, 3:00 pm. Our special assistance team will schedule an appointment for you at a later date and time during the open waiting list period to help you complete and submit your online pre-application.

Access, complete, review and submit your pre-application at: www.oakparkha.org

Photo by Lucio Villa

Wednesday Journal, March 16, 2022

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Assistant Director of Day Care Melissa Smith (left) , accompanied by her sister, Faith Cole, was recognized for her 25 years of service to Hephzibah at the 2022 Hephzibah Heart of Gold Ball on Saturday.

Gala returns as Hephzibah raises nearly $600,000 Child-focused nonprofit marks 125th year

Hephzibah Children’s Association, the Oak Park nonprofit celebrating its 125th year, raised nearly $600,000 with the return of its annual Heart of Gold gala on March 5. The event was held at the Bridgeport Art Center in Chicago. At the event, Hephzibah presented its Heart of Gold Awards to Sen. Don Harmon (D-Oak Park) and local philanthropists Ken and Patty Hunt. “We are incredibly grateful for the concern, thoughtfulness and overwhelming generosity of Sen. Don Harmon and Ken and Pat Hunt,” says Merry Beth Sheets, executive director. “They understand one of the greatest investments we can make is in our children. Their support for children, and their families, truly makes a significant difference in individual lives and the overall well-being of our community.” Harmon, as president of the Illinois State Senate, helped direct COVID-19 emergency support to organizations across the state. The Hunts have dedicated many of their charitable efforts to strengthening and sustaining Oak Park. Their strategic gifts to local efforts have helped support cultural organizations and maintain essential organizations that provide services, resources and aid to vulnerable populations affected by COVID-19.

The Hunts contributed $250,000 as a challenge match for the Hephzibah event. At nearly $600,000 the gala was a record-breaking event for Hephzibah. “We are honored and so grateful for the Hunts and their incredible generosity. They are amazing supporters of not only Hephzibah but many initiatives throughout the community. We are so grateful to have them in Oak Park,” said Sheets. More than 300 people attended, including Food Network chef Jeff Mauro, plus Hephzibah staff members Melissa Smith and Peter Murphy who were recognized for their 25 years of service to Hephzibah. The event raised more than $450,000, which will help Hephzibah continue to serve more than 1,000 children and their families annually. Hephzibah Children’s Association provides care to Illinois children who have been traumatized due to abuse or neglect through its North Blvd. therapeutic group home, which is the only facility in Illinois specializing in serving the most severely traumatized children between the ages of 3-11 years. Hephzibah also provides resources to families struggling to stay together, facilitates foster care and adoption for children in need, and offers afterschool daycare and summer camp on a sliding scale for Oak Park families of all income levels. Hephzibah Children’s Association is Oak Park’s oldest social service agency, founded in 1897.

Wednesday Journal, March 16, 2022

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

C R I M E

Chicago teen arrested for attempted carjacking Tyshawn McDade of 7800 block of South Colfax Avenue in Chicago was arrested at 5:30 a.m., March 13 for an attempted vehicular hijacking in the 200 block of Madison Street. The 18-year-old was positively identified as the offender who entered the victim’s vehicle in a bid to carjack it. McDade was then transported to the Oak Park police station, processed and held for bond hearings.

Aggravated battery of a police officer Police arrested a 45-year-old Chicago woman after she allegedly began yelling and screaming, then spit on officers, while they were responding to a disturbance call on a CTA train traveling in the 1100 block of South Boulevard at 1:38 a.m., March 9. The suspect is being held for bond hearings.

Burglary Someone used an unlocked side service door to break into a residential garage and,

once inside, got into the victim’s unlocked black Lexus, ransacked its interior and removed several CDs, a black fleece jacket and cash from the vehicle between midnight and 6:24 a.m., March 9 in the 100 block of Le Moyne Parkway. A red Toro snowblower was also taken from the garage. The estimated loss is $860.

Theft of motor vehicle A black 2019 BMW X1 sports utility vehicle was removed from the 100 block of South Maple Avenue at about 5 p.m., March 12 but was recovered abandoned by Chicago police at 1:39 a.m., March 13 in the 2100 block of North Meade Avenue.

Theft A package of women’s clothing was taken from the hallway of a building in the 900 block of North Austin Boulevard between 12:16 p.m., March 5 and 11 p.m., March 7. The estimated loss is $140.

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Criminal property damage Someone threw a brick at a green Toyota Camry, damaging its driver’s side window, between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m., March 11 in the 1000 block of South Humphrey Boulevard. The estimated damage is $200. These items, obtained from the Oak Park Police Department, came from reports, March 8-14, and represent a portion of the

incidents to which police responded. Anyone named in these reports has only been charged with a crime and cases have not yet been adjudicated. We report the race of a suspect only when a serious crime has been committed, the suspect is still at large, and police have provided us with a detailed physical description of the suspect as they seek the public’s help in making an arrest.

Compiled by Stacey Sheridan

5713 W. Chicago Ave. Saturdays 9AM - 3PM Sundays 10AM - 3PM

Wednesday Journal, March 16, 2022

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After 73 years, the end of a retail era The Mister Shop started in Oak Park

By BOB UPHUES Contributo Reporter

The Mister Shop is a retail unicorn. A bona fide mom-and-pop retail men’s clothing store, it started out as a suburban main street storefront, made the move to a regional shopping mall where it faced intense competition from national big-box retailers and then adapted and continued to thrive as shoppers fled bricks-and mortar shopping for the ease of internet clicks. But, after a 73-year run – 47 of them at the North Riverside Park Mall – The Mister Shop is selling off its inventory as owner Randy Kurtz closes the doors to retire from the business his family started in Oak Park. “I’m going to see my grandchildren grow up instead of missing my children growing up,” said Kurtz last week during an interview on The Mister Shop’s sales floor on the first day of the store’s blowout retirement sale. “I’ll go to all the Bulls games, and all the White Sox games. I missed most of them. I haven’t been to a Sox game in 10 years. Bulls games I kept going, but I get to go to

more.” For many years, the company was known as The Mister Shops, plural. Kurtz’s father and uncle opened the original location in 1948 close to Marshall Field’s on Lake Street near Harlem Avenue in Oak Park, but they added another at 3242 Harlem Ave. in Riverside in 1953. Later they would open a third location at Harlem Avenue and Irving Park Road. Randy Kurtz wasn’t necessarily destined to be part of the family business. Although he began helping out in Oak Park, sweeping the sidewalk in front of the store as a 9-yearold, he earned an accounting degree at the University of Illinois and worked as a certified public accountant for a time. It wasn’t for him. “I didn’t like accounting. It was too boring,” Kurtz said. Kurtz said he was at the Riverside location when the family decided to make the move to the brand-new North Riverside Park Mall in order “to expand a little bit.” A Chicago Tribune ad from Sept. 19, 1975 announced the moving sale.

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BOB UPHUES/Editor

Under the direction of Randy Kurtz, The Mister Shop at North Riverside Park Mall has rolled with the changes and thrived as one of the shopping center’s oldest tenants. The business will close after 73 years when its remaining inventory is sold. “Everything must be sold down to the bare walls!” the ad said. The inventory included $165 Petrocelli suits on sale for $79.99, leisure suits (polyester casual suit combos unique to the mid1970s) on sale for $69.99 and slacks for $8.99. Kurtz, 66, still wears a suit to work, as do many of his male employees, illustrating the fashion sense that has made the store tick. It was a place where the well-dressed man went to buy suits, dress shirts and silk ties. “I like what everybody likes about working here,” said Tony West, aka “Mr. West,” who for the last four years has worked as a salesman and manages The Mister Shop’s social media. “It’s the clothes, it’s the fashion, it’s the shoes, it’s the coats.” West was a customer long before he was an employee. In fact, he said, he was a competitor at one time. Back in the day, West worked at the Bon-Ton Store in downtown Oak Park on Lake Street, not too far from The Mister Shop. “[Kurtz] begged me for about a year to come work here, and I finally gave in,” said West, who also owns a small pest control business he operates a couple days a week. “I gave in thinking I’d help him out for about a year and it turned into four.” The store employs 14 people, and they tend to be long timers. “No one’s left, ever,” Kurtz said. “You can’t get another store to say that.” The Mister Shop’s longest-tenured employee was a man named “Doc” who worked for The Mister Shop for more than 50 years. “He came with the store that my parents bought in 1953 in Riverside,” Kurtz said. “We just had a guy retire at 47 years, Jeff.” West confirmed the loyalty Kurtz shows to employees. “We have that deal where when you come in you have a lifetime contract,” West said. “He’s the kind of guy where you’ll never get fired, you’ll never get sent home. You can work for him forever as long as you’re willing.”

Employees may stay for a long time, but North Riverside Park Mall has changed dramatically since the day The Mister Shop moved in alongside anchor stores like Montgomery Ward, Carson Pirie Scott and J.C. Penney along with dozens of clothing stores that would come and go through the decades that followed. The Mister Shop is one of the very few of the 100-plus original tenants still in business at North Riverside Park Mall. Apart from J.C. Penney, the only other tenant that can trace its roots back to the 1970s is Spencer’s. “Who knew that we’d outlast Carson’s and Sears and Montgomery Ward’s?” Kurtz said. What’s been the key? According to Kurtz, it’s been the store’s ability to adapt as business trends and clientele changed. “I put in furs. I knew suits were going to go down 40 years ago, I could predict it,” Kurtz said. “I put in teams’ jackets and sold 500 of them. I expanded our shoe department. I have a jean department, I have a leather department. I made into more than mostly suits. Forty years ago people would wear a suit even to a sale.” The Mister Shop has even weathered a move inside the mall itself. For four decades, The Mister Shop sat in something of a prime spot on the lower level near the center court. About seven years ago, the store moved to its present location closer to Round One. The store’s lease was expiring and the mall’s owners wanted that prime space for the Swedish clothier H&M. “My lease was up and H&M could take six stores,” Kurtz said. “I didn’t want to. The middle of the mall’s better. The center is where everybody comes. If you come in from this side or that side you probably won’t make it to both ends.” Despite all the challenges, Kurtz seems to thrive on the interaction with his employees and customers, some of whom came bearing gifts last week as word filtered out regarding his retirement.“You get to meet all of See MISTER SHOP on page 16

Wednesday Journal, March 16, 2022

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

Marta Kozbur (above), a River Forest resident and an art teacher at Lincoln Elementary, speaks to attendees on March 9, during a rally in support of Ukraine outside of village hall in River Forest. The River Forest fire department (right) raises the Ukrainian flag. Community members listen as speakers talk about their Ukrainian families

River Forest rallies to show support for Ukraine Village board approves resolution following March 9 assembly By ROBERT J. LIFKA Contributing Reporter

After River Forest residents showed solidarity with Ukraine at a rally outside village hall, March 9, village officials added their stamp of approval by approving a resolution supporting an independent and democratic Ukraine at the March 14 village board meeting. The March 9 rally, which was attended by approximately 40 people, included raising the Ukrainian flag on the flagpole outside village hall. Although demonstrations and rallies have been held in Chicago since Russia began a military invasion of Ukraine Feb. 24, the actions in River Forest are one of the few taking place in the suburbs. Village President Cathy Adduci credited residents Mindy Credi, Marta Kozbur and Anna Cook for putting together the rally. Kozbur and Cook are Ukranians. “Mindy Credi asked my opinion and I said, ‘Of course.’” Adduci said. “The three of them brought it all together.” Adduci was joined as a speaker at the rally by

Kozbur, whom she described as “very eloquent.” On March 14, Trustees Erika Bachner, Katie Brennan, Lisa Gillis and Respicio Vazquez joined Adduci in expressing their support for the resolution, approved unanimously, and the impact the rally had on them. “Our hearts and minds are with the people of Ukraine,” Brennan said. Bachner, Gillis and Vazquez said they were “moved” by the rally, with Vazquez adding, “My heart goes out to the Ukrainians here and in the village,” and Gillis noting, “We have many people in town who are Ukrainian.” Gillis and Vazquez encouraged residents to place yard signs reading, “We stand with Ukraine,” on their lawns. The signs, donated by Personalization House in Oak Park, are available at village hall, 400 Park Ave. The Ukrainian flag will fly in front of village hall until April 9. Adduci noted this is the first time the flag of a country other than the United States has flown on the village hall flagpole. The resolution refers to “this unjustified invasion” and its “dangerous disregard for international law” while noting the refugee crisis it has caused. “The village of River Forest stands in solidarity with the people of Ukraine in their fight against Russian oppression, aggression and annexation,” it states. Adduci said she is “very proud” of River Forest.

PHOTOS BY ALEX ROGALS/Staff Photographer

Wednesday Journal, March 16, 2022

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THE BOX

Linking businesses, community from page 1 brick-and-mortar stores in downtown Oak Park, and they just wanted to do something. The end result is The Box: Oak Park, a gift box service catering to area residents. “What we really wanted to do was create an avenue to promote small businesses in Oak Park and have new businesses be able to try their products on a broader Oak Park audience,” Green told Wednesday Journal in an interview. Green said the actual box looks simple on the outside — carefully arranged items on a soft bed of crinkled paper — but there’s a thought process behind the minimalism and the branding. She, Siegler, Renfro and Spangler considered things like the cost of the shipping boxes or the decorative paper to make the product pop. They thought about the items the businesses want to showcase: How heavy are they? Are they perishable? And what other materials do they need to purchase to help protect the product from weather damage? “We want it to be a nice experience to open the box,” Green said. Green and Siegler told the Journal they sold their first boxes over the holidays. The four partnered with Brewpoint Craft on Oak Park Avenue who offered up some latte kits and seasonal coffee bags. They also teamed up last month with Blackout Baking Co., also in Oak Park, for Valentine’s Day and more recently with Rare Bird Preserves, a shop on Harrison Street that specializes in fruit preserves, curds, pastries and more. They often buy the products at a wholesale price and only sell a certain number

LAWSUIT

Mistaken identity from page 1 of Oak Park, the lawsuit names police officers Ronald Foytek, Daniel Silva, Brian Kaniecki and Jonathan Lemmenes as individual defendants. An unnamed fifth officer is also listed as an individual defendant under the moniker “P.O. Jane Doe.” Wednesday Journal has reached out to the village of Oak Park for comment. According to the complaint, the Dugars were driving home when they were stopped at gunpoint by “one or more” of the defendant officers and taken into custody on Feb. 26, 2020. The couple had previously conducted transactions at US Bank, 6011 W. North Ave., their regular bank, where an attempted armed robbery had taken place at 11:27 a.m. that morning. The complaint argues that guns were drawn on the couple despite no evidence to suggest they were dangerous or armed.

ALEX ROGALS/Staff Photographer

OUT OF ‘THE BOX’: OPRF seniors Eleanor Green, of River Forest, left, Ezra Siegler, and Eva Spangler, both of Oak Park, outside Rare Bird Preserves, in Oak Park’s Arts District on Harrison Street. Not pictured: Dagen Jones. The group started The Box in their Business Incubator course. of boxes. They sold about 50 boxes of Brewpoint Craft’s items. Fifteen boxes had latte kits, while 35 were packed with a couple of holiday coffee bags. With Blackout, the foursome sold 70 boxes, half with mini-chocolate chip cookies and a special hot cocoa mix while the rest featured the February cookie of the month, a savory dark chocolate sandwich cookie, Green said. The foursome do it all: assemble the boxes, package them and make the deliveries. They’ve also divided up other responsibilities, including managing the social media accounts and the website, bookkeeping, placing orders and seeking vendors. All profits earned go to a bank account set up

Dimitri Dugar was reportedly tightly handcuffed and squeezed into the back of a police vehicle. Ottis and Demitri Dugar are in their 80s and 60s, respectively. “This should not have happened,” Gregory Kulis, the couple’s attorney, told Wednesday Journal. Police reports from the incident stated a man entered the branch, told employees he was armed and demanded money, then fled the scene empty-handed. The offender was described as Black, between 30 and 40 years old and about 5 feet, 5 inches tall. “The Defendants never questioned the stop, arrest, and detention despite the obvious non-match to the alleged perpetrator and held the Plaintiffs in handcuffs despite clear evidence they were not involved in any robbery or crime,” the complaint reads. The complaint accuses the officers of acting with malice by detaining the married couple, who “feared for their lives and safety.” It also states that the officers were operating in accordance with the customs and policies of the Oak Park Po-

by the school and go toward their college tuition, Green and Siegler said. “We don’t get to actually touch any of the profit. It’ll just be sent in a check to whatever university [we] decide [we’re] going to,” said Green, who is heading to college in Pennsylvania. “It’s a really great program,” Siegler said of OPRF’s business incubator course, adding that once potential partners and buyers catch wind of where the money is going, they “aren’t scared to do things with us because it’s backed by the high school. They know their money is going to a good cause, and it’s not just going into our pockets, and we’re going to buy something.”

lice Department and that their actions had violated the Dugars’ constitutional rights under the 4th and 14th amendments. The husband and wife also experienced emotional anxiety, fear, humiliation, monetary expenses, monetary loss, pain and suffering, and future emotional and psychological fear as a result of the incident, according to the complaint. “Nobody even reached out to apologize for the way they were treated,” said Kulis. A previous lawsuit was filed by the Dugars against US Bank last June through the Cook County Circuit Court. That lawsuit alleges two bank employees falsely reported to the police that the Dugars were involved in the attempted armed robbery, knowing full well that doing so would lead to the couple’s arrest and seizure. The case was removed to federal court in July 2021. US Bank filed to dismiss the case on Feb. 1, 2022, arguing that the “facts and conclusions alleged in the complaint do not represent any legally recognizable claim,” despite the complaint having been amended twice. The Dugars filed in opposition to the motion March 3.

Green added, “It’s going to furthering our education.” The young entrepreneurs said they gained confidence to talk about their ideas in front of their peers inside the classroom and with potential small business owners in the community. They now see the value of networking and have a better understanding of the world of business itself. “I definitely took a lot away from this,” Siegler said. “It’s kind of amazing, actually, how far we’ve come.” Green agreed, pulling up The Box’s Instagram as proof of how she’s sharpened her skills while having fun at the same time, admitting she’s gone “a little overboard,” as she played around with the Instagram account and discovered new tricks to make it look more professional and align with their brand. With graduation just a couple of months away, Green and Siegler said they’re unsure of the future of The Box: Oak Park but have toyed with the idea of expanding the business to other communities or creating an LLC. The possibilities are endless, they said. Siegler leaves his peers with this message, a vital lesson as they enter the real world: “If you persevere, you pretty much always get what you want. But you really have to persevere.”

Learn more To learn more about The Box: Oak Park, visit www.theboxoakpark.com or find it on Instagram at @thebox.oakpark. For those with questions, email The Box team at thebox.oakpark@ gmail.com.

MISTER SHOP from page 14 these lovely people and all the lovely employees I’ve had over the years,” Kurtz said. Kurtz has three daughters, but none is interested taking over the shop. According to a press release, Kurtz’s wife discouraged them from doing so due to the demands of the retail business. “My wife was right,” he said. “While our friends were out on weekends, she and I worked 300 Saturdays in a row and every holiday. Even when the store was closed, there’s work to be done, ordering inventory, planning advertising and promotions and more.” The Mister Shop’s official retirement sale ran through March 13, but the store will remain open its normal hours until the remaining inventory is sold. Kurtz will decide later whether to continue the company’s online arm, TheMrShop.com. “Longevity was the name of the game, and it broke his heart to have to want to give up, but you really have to think about what’s best,” West said of his boss. “We’ve thought about the people and consumers for 73 years. Now it’s time to start thinking about yourself.”

Wednesday Journal, March 16, 2022

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Oak Park Social Club supports local restaurants

Meet Up group makes meaningful connections good for business By MELISSA ELSMO Oak Park Eats Editor

Emerging from pandemic related isolation has produced a feeling of social awkwardness in more than a few folks, but the Oak Park Social Club is addressing this re-entry issue by bringing people together in a variety of area restaurants including Kettlestrings Tavern, Duffy’s Tavern, Beer Shop and Taco Mucho. On March 9, club members filled up Taco Mucho, 220 Harrison St., on an otherwise quiet Wednesday evening. Clutching artisan tacos and sipping strawberry margaritas, revelers gathered in the bright and cheery taqueria to make first time connections or chat up people they had met at prior social club gatherings. Some popped in for a quick drink while others savored a sit-down meal. “Having the Oak Park Social Club at Taco Mucho was an absolute pleasure,” said Ron Aleman, owner of Taco Mucho. “Seeing people getting back out and enjoying themselves at restaurants is a very welcome sign of things to come!” The scheduled gatherings, organized through the popular Meet Up app, are the brainchild of Terra Schultz and Gwen Hassan. The longtime Oak Park residents met when their children were both in the Spanish immersion program at Lincoln Elementary. Their children are now in high school, but their friendship has remained intact. The duo started Oak Park Social Club in October 2021 and membership has soared to

Melissa Elsmo/Food Editor

ARTISAN TACOS AND FRIENDLY FACES: More than 30 people attended the Oak Park Social Club Meet Up at Taco Mucho where they enjoyed menu items like fish tacos on handmade tortillas. Melissa Elsmo/Food Editor

Oak Park Social Club founder, Terra Schulz, thanks members for joining them at Taco Mucho, 220 Harrison St., on March 9. more than 400. Meet Up groups exist for all types of people from the city to the suburbs and suit a broad array of interests — there are book clubs, cycling groups and even a group specifically for people who like to meditate in Downers Grove. The Oak Park Social Club exists to include everybody. The group does not have membership requirements or fees — simply download the app and meet up. “People have a real need to feel connected,” said Schultz. “I hope we can become a pillar in Oak Park and keep building community for good.” Sensitive to pandemic related isolation and loneliness, Schulz and Hassan wanted to create an inclusive and safe space for people to make meaningful connections while support-

ing area businesses and giving back to the community through support of local non-profit organizations. “We do everything we can to make sure our gatherings are mutually beneficial for local businesses,” said Hassan. “Our goal is to provide demand on slow nights, and we never ask to come without input from restaurants.” Rather than collecting membership dues, Oak Park Social Club encourages (but does not require)s members to make donations to Empowering Gardens, 7730 Madison St. in Forest Park. The non-profit, dedicated to providing employment opportunities for people with disabilities, is seeking $225,000 to purchase the land they currently rent in Forest Park. Schultz and Hassan are excited about devel-

oping a leadership team in the future and look forward to connecting with more restaurants for meet up events. For now they are thrilled to facilitate face-to-face interactions and remain committed to engaging with every club goer in thoughtful ways. They are continually surprised by the diverse array of attendees the group attracts. They have doctors, lawyers and even an airline pilot in the fold. Some members are married, while others are single, widowed, or divorced -- a few married couples regularly attend together. All are welcome, but everyone in the club welcomes turning strangers into familiar faces one meet-up at a time. The Oak Park Social Club is heading to Beer Shop’s Bring Your Own Vinyl Night on March 17 and also has plans to attend the Forest Park Spring Wine Walk and Shop as group on April 23. All you need to do is download the app and meet up.

Farmers Market folds back under health department

Market anticipates a return to pre-pandemic norm, but needs a manager By KATE HESTERMAN and MELISSA ELSMO Contributing Reporters

Oversight of the Oak Park Farmers Market, scheduled to open on May 21 in the Pilgrim Church parking lot, 460 Lake St., has transitioned back to the Village of Oak Park’s Public Health department after twoseasons under the supervision of the Development Customer Services Department. The shift, made in 2020, allowed the health department to focus on the COVID-19 pandemic, but it has historically staffed and organized the market with the support of a citizen commission. While this represents a return to normal, the market has not yet found a manager for

the upcoming season. Kimball Ingram, market manager for the 2021season will not be returning. Efforts are currently underway to find a new manager, but the position is proving difficult to fill due to the non-traditional work hours of the part-time role. Sara Semelka, heath education manager, confirmed during the March 9 farmers market commission meeting, that management will fall to health department staff in the event a market manager is not found. She was clear, however, that it is not too late to onboard a new hire. Dr. Theresa ChappleMcGruder, public health director, echoed the need for a manager and called upon commissioners to use their networks to assist in finding qualified candidates. “The health department is trying to take on the load of doing the work for the market, but we are not able to really give the market the time that it needs,” said Chapple-McGruder before appealing to commissioners for assistance.

According to the village government HR department, the health department, with a mix of full and part-time positions, remains understaffed. In addition to lacking a market manager, the department is currently short of 3.5 FTE’s in its 11.5 budgeted posts. The department is also 3 FTE’s short on 6.5 temporary FTE posts covered by grants and federal ARPA funds. On-site food preparation is also under consideration for the 2022 market season, but execution depends on health department staffing. Chapple-McGruder said current staff shortages will make it difficult to complete required food safety inspections. If new hires are made vendor prepared foods will likely be available. To date 17 vendors have applied and await approval to participate in the 2022 season — 15 are returning vendors. For perspective, in 2019 the Oak Park Farmers Market hosted 28 vendors and the 2021 market had 23 participants.

The market will launch May 21 following a pre-pandemic model. Familiar events including the pie baking contest, stone soup, corn roast, bake sales and Go Green Days will return this season. Donut sales, live music and dining tables will be stationed inside the market as well. Semelka is optimistic about the return to pre-pandemic norms but cautioned that it will be important for market staff to stay “nimble” in the midst of the pandemic. “We need to sort of watch how the pandemic evolves,” said Semelka. “It ebbs and flows, as we saw last year.” During the March 9 meeting, citing personal reasons, Rachel Hahs announced she would be stepping down from her chair position, but will remain an active member of the commission. Hahs has been a part of the commission since 2019 and was elected chair in 2021. An upcoming village board meeting will determine if nominee, Julia Knier, is appointed as chair.

Wednesday Journal, March 16, 2022

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Homes

COURTESY AMERICAN HOUSE

New senior living development set to open this fall American House Oak Park nearing the finish line By LACEY SIKORA

Contributing Reporter

ak Park’s newest senior living community is slated to open in September, and as American House Oak Park at 711 Madison St. is nearing the finish line, we take a look at what the development will bring to the near west suburbs. Dale Watchowski, president and CEO of American House Senior Living Communities, says one of the hallmarks of American House, which has 70 communities in operation or in development around the country, is the continuum of care the community offers.

“You can come in as a resident who doesn’t need any type of assistance in our independent living space, and can move up to assisted living with nursing and medical care or to our memory care unit,” Watchowski said. “You can stay throughout your lifestyle.” To that end, the building is set up to provide a number of different living options through its seven floors. There will be 76 independent living apartments of one or two bedrooms; 66 assisted living spaces, which include studios, one- and two-bedroom units; and 35 memory care units which include studios and some shared options. There will be over 20 different floor plans offered. Independent living programs will provide

ALEX ROGALS/Staff Photographer

American House Oak Park, a senior living community offering independent living, assisted living and memory care, is on scheduled to open this fall on Madison Street. Above, Mike Thibos walks through what will be one of the dining halls at the still-underconstruction complex on March 9. enrichment opportunities and upscale dining and hospitality options. Assisted living will accommodate residents’ medical needs with licensed nursing staff to manage medications, care needs and chronic conditions.

The Love is Ageless program is a physicianbacked memory care program that allows residents with dementia to live with dignity. See AMERICAN HOUSE on page 22

Wednesday Journal, March 16, 2022

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COLDWELLBANKERHOMES.COM Oak Park 114 N. Oak Park Avenue, Oak Park | 708.524.1100 The property information herein is derived from various sources that may include, but not be limited to, county records and the Multiple Listing Service, and it may include approximations. Although the information is believed to be accurate, it is not warranted and you should not rely upon it without personal verification. Real estate agents affiliated with Coldwell Banker Realty are independent contractor sales associates, not employees. ©2022 Coldwell Banker Realty. All Rights Reserved. Coldwell Banker Realty fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. Owned by a subsidiary of NRT LLC. Coldwell Banker and the Coldwell Banker Logo are registered service marks owned by Coldwell Banker Realty LLC.

Wednesday Journal, March 16, 2022

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Wednesday Journal, March 16, 2022

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ALEX ROGALS/Staff Photographer

Construction continues apace at American House Oak Park, 711 Madison St., including the buildout of an outdoor dining area (top). The senior living community (above) will also feature fitness centers, landscaped outdoor areas and a seventh-floor “sky bar.”

AMERICAN HOUSE Oak Park a natural fit from page 19

139 S GROVE, OAK PARK :: $1,179,000 :: 6 BED :: 4.5 BATH Majestic Victorian in central Oak Park Historic District.

KATHY & TONY IWERSEN 708.772.8040 708.772.8041 tonyiwersen@atproperties.com

Watchowski says each of these categories of care has a separate dining room and its own enrichment activities tailored to the needs of residents. He says each American House development focuses on three pillars for residents: a great clinical or wellness environment; life enrichment and culinary venues. The amenities are part of what Watchowski says gives the development the feel of a five-star hotel. Both independent and assisted living sections will have fitness centers and outdoor spaces featuring fire pits, barbecue areas and landscaping with plants and flowers. A sky bar on the seventh floor will

offer city views and a place for residents to enjoy a craft beverage or bite to eat. Life enrichment programs will include crafts, guest speakers and dinner theater venues. Watchowski says staff will work to engage residents intellectually and on a personal level. A Time Traveler program engages residents with different periods of history. Come Fly With Me is a program feature lectures, films, plays and foods based on travel. A residential choir and theater program are available for residents who want to continue to take part in the dramatic arts. Residents in memory care take part in programs aimed at improving cognitive function and remaining engaged with community. Oak Park was a natural home for this development, according to Watchowski, who says he anticipates many residents will be people who made their homes in and around Oak Park for years and who are looking to

Wednesday Journal, March 16, 2022

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RENDERINGS COURTESY AMERICAN HOUSE

Architects’ renderings depict what some indoor areas will look like when they’re complete, including a bar (top) and one of the indoor dining rooms (above). Each category of living will have its own dining room and activities tailored to the needs of those residents. ted height and says the design stay local for the next step in of the building was stepped to life. allow more light and air into “People that live in Oak Park, neighboring areas. In addition, they to want to stay there,” he the designers relocated some arsaid. eas of service that nearby neighWatchowski says that the debors were concerned about. mand is being seen not only in As the exterior of the buildOak Park but across the couning takes shape and attention try, pointing out that 10,000 turns to the interior details of baby boomers turn 65 every day. the building, Watchowski says By 2030, all of the baby boom “We’re really pleased with the generation will be 65 or older. DALE WATCHOWSKI elevation of the building and “The pandemic has raised American House president/CEO how it looks and feels. Oak Park awareness of quality of life is known for architecture. We as it relates to socialization,” created what we think is an atWatchowski said. “American tractive building.” House enables residents to have In Oak Park, independent livthat level of socialization that ing rentals will start at $4,200, assisted living they might not get at home.” While some of the development’s neigh- at $5,400 and memory care at $8,200. American House recently opened a leasing bors voiced opposition to the building’s presence on Madison Street early in the develop- office at 1100 Lake St. in Oak Park. Those inment process, American House responded to terested in obtaining more information can concerns. make an appointment by calling Shannon Watchowski says the building’s height was Hopp at 331-201-0881 or emailing to oakparkreduced to be well-below the legally permit- sales@americanhouse.com.

“The pandemic has raised awareness of quality of life as it relates to socialization.”

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Wednesday Journal, March 16, 2022

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Now in our Second Century of Service

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Wednesday Journal, March 16, 2022

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Distinction

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Wednesday Journal, March 16, 2022

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SPORTS Huskies speed, defense will be key to softball season Though light on pitching, OPRF ranked in preseason Top 20

By MELVIN TATE Contributing Reporter

When Mel Kolbusz announced his retirement last summer after a 49-year coaching career -- including the past 29 seasons at Oak Park and River Forest High School -J.P. Coughlin didn’t believe he would replace him, given that he himself had stepped down as girls basketball coach earlier. “I don’t think this was the plan when I stopped coaching basketball,” said Coughlin, who was Kolbusz’s assistant the previous six seasons. “The opportunity presented itself, and I’m excited about it.” The Huskies are coming off a 16-7 pandemic-abbreviated season which included a regional title. But with a very inexperienced pitching staff and only two starters returning from the lineup, OPRF could be in for some early growing pains. But tell that to the Illinois Softball Coaches Association, which has ranked the Huskies No. 16 in their IHSA Class 4A preseason poll. The left side of the Huskies’ infield looks solid with returning senior Cate Barkdoll (College of Wooster commit) at third base and shortstop Ella Kuenster (DePauw). Both made the All-West Suburban Conference team last year, and Kuenster was named to the All-State Third Team. Seniors Maggie Brangle, Martha Lipic, and Isabel Richmond contributed off the bench last spring and Coughlin expects them to play a bigger role this year. Newcomers to the lineup include sophomore catcher Tyler Brock, sophomore Rachel Buchta at second base, junior outfielder Kelly Cortez, sophomore center fielder Ellie Kilburg, and junior IF/OF Kelly Regan. OPRF doesn’t return a single inning of pitching this year, and that’s an area that needs quick development. Coughlin is counting on sophomores Jordan Alioto and Aria Hammerschmidt as well as junior Anne Stine and senior Cassie Dumelle to provide it. “We’re a work in progress,” he said. “We have a lot of talent, but are so inexperienced right now, we’re doing a lot of teaching.” Coughlin believes the team’s strengths are defense and speed. At the plate, the Huskies have been known for their home-run prowess in recent seasons, but Coughlin says this year they’ll play some small ball. “We need to take advantage of our speed up to down the lineup,” he said. “We’ve been station-to-station because we’ve had four or five kids who could put it over the fence

ALEX ROGALS/Staff Photographer

Shortstop Ella Kuenster, a third team all-stater in 2021, is one of two OPRF players named to the all-conference team from last spring who return for the Huskies, ranked No. 16 in a preseason poll by the Illinois Softball Coaches Association. regularly.” OPRF is scheduled to open the season at Mother McAuley on March 16.

Fenwick looks to snap back Fenwick High School softball has a new leader as former Trinity head coach Bryan Hoffman takes over from Sarah James. Hoffman has his work cut out as he attempts to reverse the Friars’ fortunes from last year, which ended with a 3-22 record. And the task is made more challenging given the lack of varsity experience. “Many of us are new to the program,” said Hoffman, a 1996 Fenwick graduate. “We have only one senior that’s going to be healthy enough to play, and we’ve got five freshmen and three sophomores on the team.” Moreover, the Friars will not have the services of senior Maddie Krzak, who will miss the season due to injury. “Maddie’s a huge loss for us,” Hoffman said. “She was poised to have her best season yet.”

Fenwick returns just two players with varsity experience in junior pitcher Talia Lorenzo, who recorded 177 strikeouts with a 3.37 earned-run average last year, and sophomore Madelyn Entler (3B/1B), who batted .438 with two home runs and eight RBI in 11 games. “She was only one of two pitchers on the varsity and we’re hoping to take a little bit of the burden off of her shoulders so that she can stay healthy,” Hoffman said. Those available to assist Lorenzo are freshman Kailey Janda and sophomores Ellie Kolb and Sophie Stone. A highlight of Fenwick’s schedule could come on April 21 when the Friars host Trinity. Danielle Hoffman, Bryan’s daughter, is a senior who’s one of the Blazers’ top players, and there’s a good chance she’ll take the circle that day.

Trinity returns experienced squad Trinity High School, which went 16-14 with a regional title in 2021, returns nine players, including four seniors in Danielle

Hoffman, Delaney Johnson, Meaghan Murphy, and Susie Riccio. The Blazers also have a new skipper for the softball program as Jim Goranson replaces Bob Osborne as head coach. He is a former head coach at Regina Dominican who served as one of Osborne’s assistants last season. Besides competing in the Girls Catholic Athletic Conference Red Division against Fenwick, Mother McAuley, Regina Dominican, and Resurrection, the Blazers have tough non-conference games with schools such as Elk Grove, Nazareth Academy, Providence Catholic, Ridgewood and St. Laurence. There’s also a game with neighboring OPRF on May 21. “This group has the knowledge and experience of playing at a high level,” he said. “I’m hoping that the experience they gained last year will help them this year.” Trinity begins the season with home games at Triton College against Mundelein on March 16 and Regina Dominican on March 19.

Wednesday Journal, March 16, 2022

S P O R T S

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OPRF baseball looks to live up to preseason ranking Deep varsity squad returns after 2021 run to sectional finals By MELVIN TATE Contributing Reporter

After serving as an assistant the past three seasons, Kevin Campbell is ready to step into the role of head coach for this year’s Oak Park and River Forest High School baseball team. “To be honest, I couldn’t be happier,” said Campbell, who succeeds Joe Parenti. “It’s always been a dream to be able to run my own program, and the history of Oak Park adds to it.” The Huskies, traditionally one of the Chicago area’s top teams, are coming off a 17-8 pandemic-abbreviated season which ended with a 9-8 loss in the sectional final to New

Trier. So far, Campbell likes what he sees from this year’s unit. “We look great. We’re really competitive,” he said. “We’re deep; this is probably the most we’ve had since I’ve been here.” The Huskies, ranked No. 21 in the preseason Prep Baseball Report, open the season March 17 at home against Evanston. OPRF’s lineup returns three regulars from last year, including senior first baseman Dan Michaud (.455 avg., 23 RBI, senior right-fielder Jack Flagg (Illinois Wesleyan signee; .360, 15 RBI), and sophomore center-fielder Mason Phillips (.242, 12 RBI, 12 stolen bases). Senior Giovanni Pamias also figures to see significant playing time. “Mason is one of the fastest players in Illinois,” Campbell said. “He will be a guy that we rely on to take the extra base and force some throws.” The Huskies have several newcomers who hope to make an impact in the lineup, in-

cluding junior infielder Kevin Cortez, junior catcher J.P. Ferraro, freshman infielder Ethan Moore and junior infielder Ezra Moore. “We have the ability to put up a ton of runs with the bats we have on the team,” Campbell said. OPRF has had good pitching over the years, and this year is no exception. Junior Calvin Proskey (4-2, 4.01 ERA) filled in for injured ace Grant Holderfield (now at Indiana University), and Campbell is looking to more good things from him as well as the others on the staff. “Calvin did some great things for us and filled some roles,” he said. “David Andolina (21, 4.66 ERA) probably had more of a down year than he wanted to, but he’s looked the best that we’ve ever seen him. Between Calvin and David, they’re a 1A and 1B.” Other key mound contributors are expected to be seniors Cole Shamhart (2-1, 1.34 ERA) and Jack Spinks (1-0, 3.43), whom Campbell says will be important both as a starter and a

reliever. The Huskies have a daunting non-conference schedule, including early season road trips to Libertyville, Maine South and powerhouses Mount Carmel and New Trier. “I don’t know who’s got a tougher schedule in the state than we do,” Campbell said. “We don’t really have any tune-up games this season, so we’re going to have to hit the ground running really quick.” And it doesn’t get any easier for OPRF in the West Suburban Conference Silver Division, perennially one of the area’s best leagues. “The conference is going to be tough,” said Campbell. “Hinsdale Central’s going to be good again this year, Downers Grove North has three [NCAA] Division 1 commits, and Lyons Township is always tough. Then Downers Grove South is our crossover opponent and they’ll be good too. We’re going through a grinder, and it’s going to be like the playoffs.”

Seniors return to lead OPRF girls water polo

Huskies look to take next step after last year’s sectional final loss By MELVIN TATE Contributing Reporter

The Oak Park and River Forest girls water polo team reached the sectional final in 2021, only to lose to West Suburban Silver rival York and ending the season 6-8. This year, the Huskies -- led by four returning seniors in Rory Cronin, Amelia Morrison, Ashby Steward-Nolan and Cali Weber -- look to take the next step. “We have a great senior group of players who I think will shine this year because of their continued dedication,” said OPRF coach Elizabeth Perez. “Our strengths are our communication and defense. I feel like

we’re knowledgeable and inquisitive, which will help us in the long run.” The Huskies have begun the season 1-2, with losses to Hersey and Naperville North and a 16-6 victory over Evanston at the Naperville North Invitational on March 12. However, the long-term prognosis of the program looks promising. Perez said 44 girls came out for the team this spring, necessitating the addition of a junior varsity B team. But if this year’s team is to progress, Perez would like to see more balance on offense. “We want to improve our offensive capabilities from everyone on the team, not just a select few,” she said. Perez sees the West Suburban Conference as a close race, with Hinsdale Central, Lyons Township and York being the top contenders along with OPRF. OPRF will compete in the Naperville Central Invitational on March 18-19.

Fenwick looks to build from tough 2021 The Fenwick girls water polo team had a rare subpar record in 2021, finishing 9-13 and losing in the sectional semifinal to York. But with the majority of the roster returning, second-year coach Elizabeth Timmons is optimistic that the Friars can return to their winning ways. Fenwick is off to a 2-0 start this year, having defeated Mother McAuley 11-7 on March 7 and St. Ignatius 12-4 on March 9. “The team has such a fun and welcoming vibe this year,” she said. “They’re all excited to improve and work together to achieve their goals. They’re hard-working and look out for each other.” Timmons expects that senior Demi Ovalle will be a leader for Fenwick. She’s also hoping for contributions from seniors Linden Gierstorf and Naomi Szczeblowski; juniors

Nahla Basile, Annie McCarthy, Pam Medina, and Hannah Schubkegel; and sophomores Audrey Mason and Xiomara Trejo. “One of our biggest strengths is believing in each other and working together,” Timmons said. “I would like them to improve on taking advantage of opportunities. Sometimes we pass up a good shot in favor of passing and we need to make sure we take advantage of any good opportunity we get.” The Friars expect to challenge for the MCAC title this spring, but with only nine players on the varsity roster, Timmons admits a lack of depth could be a concern. “With such a small team, all tournaments are going to be a challenge for us,” she explained. “We don’t have a big bench, so it will be interesting to see how we can handle playing three games in a day.” Fenwick will participate in the Naperville North Tournament on March 18-19.

After bowing out at sectionals, Fenwick boys hope for rebound

Friars return experienced squad in 2022 By MELVIN TATE Contributing Reporter

Coming off an 18-12 season in 2021 that saw the them fall in the sectional semifinals to crosstown rival Oak Park and River Forest, the Fenwick boys water polo team – which has 20 state titles in its history -- is looking to once again be in the hunt for an-

other appearance in the Elite Eight. So far, 2022 has been kind to the Friars, who have started the season with a pair of win: 20-12 over Brother Rice on March 7 and 12-10 over St. Ignatius on March 9. “I am happy with what I see so far,” said Fenwick coach Kyle Perry. “We’ve put in some good work, but have a lot more to do. We have a lot of selfless guys who are willing to do what is asked of them.” The Friars return five players in senior captains Dylan Fu, Jack Kornowske, and Cameron Sarvis in addition to juniors

Chris Badja and Sam Kulisek. “Chris was our third-leading scorer and was second in assists in 2021,” Perry said. “Sam has emerged as our starting goalie.” Fenwick is counting on contributions from a strong sophomore group, which includes Timothy Fischer, Owen McDonald and Finn Vahey. “They’ve improved greatly in the first week, and we’re expecting lots of growth from these guys,” Perry said. The Friars have long been a powerhouse in the Metro Catholic Aquatic Conference

and expect to be in contention title again. They’ll have to fend off strong challengers in Loyola Academy, St. Ignatius, and St. Rita. Fenwick will host the Dan Lynch Tournament on March 17-19, an event Perry describes as “the best water polo tournament in Illinois.” “This year, we have the top four IHSA state finishers, five state qualifiers, and one of the top teams from Michigan,” he said. “We’re also heading to St. Louis in April to play the top Missouri teams.”

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

Wednesday Journal, March 16, 2022

VIEWPOINTS

OPRF’s Peter Kahn, featured on PBS News Hour p. 34

Ukraine’s World War II legacy

o Belarusians, Russians and Ukrainians, few historical events loom as large as World War II. One would be hard-pressed to find an Eastern Slav who doesn’t have some relative who fought in the war, died in a war or lost something to the war. Many Eastern European cities still have lasting scars. I grew up in St. Petersburg, a city that survived the nearly 900day Siege of Leningrad, where over a million people perished from bombings, disease and starvation. A ring of mass graves around the city’s former outskirts serves as a lasting reminder of the sheer scale of the toll. My grandmother on my mom’s side was only 6 when the Siege happened, and she lived through the first year before she was evacuated. Grandma Nina never sugarcoated the realities of the war. “One winter day, I was playing in the yard when a young couple approached me,” she told me. I couldn’t have been older than 9. “They said, ‘Little girl, would you like some candy?’ But I knew better. There was no candy during the Siege. So I ran into my building as quickly as my little legs would carry me. And it’s a good thing I did — otherwise, I would’ve gotten eaten.” Grandma Nina wasn’t my only connection to the war. Three of my great-grandfathers served in the military, in some capacity or another. My Belarusian grandfather and his sister (also named Nina) lived through the Nazi occupation of what is now Belarus. Even the relatives who barely saw any fighting have war-related memories. When I was a kid, there was a lot of emphasis on the toll the war took, how we must remember this toll because we must never allow anything like that again. But I feel like something shifted in the last 20 years, as members of my great-grandparents’ generation, and even older members of my grandparents’ generation, died of natural causes in growing numbers. There was less talk about pain and suffering, and more emphasis on the glorious Red Army heroically overcoming odds and triumphing over Nazis. Talking about some of the harsh realities of the war suddenly became controversial. When I was growing up, calling someone a Nazi was about the worst thing one could do to another person. Our teachers told us to use the word carefully because “words have meanings.” But whatever restraint there was seems to have completely evaporated. In 2014, when Russia encouraged separatists in the Donbass region and the war broke out, Russians and Ukrainians accused each other of being Nazis. It wasn’t that unusual to see social media posts and news segments where World War II veterans encouraged their grandchildren to fight against Nazi invaders. Aside from the language and national signifiers, they sounded practically identical. Now, as the long-simmering conflict erupted into a full-fledged war, the Nazi labels flew with renewed vigor. The Russian government quickly positioned the “special operation” as “denazification” of Ukraine, and as the attacks intensified, Ukrainians were quick to call Russians Nazis. Of course, what’s different this time is the sheer scale and devastation of the attacks. When I saw photos of people huddled in Kyiv and Kharkiv subways to escape the bombings, I immediately thought of people hiding from Nazi bombings of Moscow. When

IGOR

STUDENKOV One View

See STUDENKOV on page 33

FILE 2019

OPRF’s West Pool has been closed, possibly permanently.

OPRF pool stories don’t hold water

n last week’s Wednesday Journal cover story [OPRF shuts down one of its aging pools, News, March 9], OPRF spins the narrative on the recent closure of the school’s west pool, omitting key information and lacking transparency. OPRF Director of Communications Karin Sullivan fails to mention the August 2021 Larson Report, a school-commissioned engineering report of the pools’ structural integrity that is central to the story. The Larson Report stated clearly that the west pool required an “immediate” repair which would necessitate its closing. OPRF ignored Larson’s warning and had no plans to address the structural issue until this summer, according to an email from Superintendent Greg Johnson in early January. The pool closure only occurred after the Larson Report was unearthed by a FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) response, forcing the administration to act. The report noted that OPRF had made no engineer-cited repairs to the pools for at least seven years, repairs needed to safely use the pools awaiting replacement. The structural issue with the west pool was cited in the January 2016 Larson Report and should have been addressed years ago. OPRF has a long history with Larson Engineering, commissioning it for all pool assessment reports since 2013. Oddly, OPRF commissioned a new engineering firm, McCluskey, in January to conduct another pool assessment which restated Larson’s findings. The same spin regarding the pool closure appears in the school’s website announcement. This time OPRF mentions the Larson Report, but only in a footnote and falsely states that the report did not indicate that either

pool needed to be closed. Johnson and the Larson engineer emailed in January, stating both pools would need to be closed to make the “immediate” repairs. The OPRF announcement also spins the number of students involved in aquatic teams annually, double counting them, and spins the size of the proposed Imagine Pool, seeking to minimize its 17-lanes and 600-seat natatorium, as well as its cost, underestimated at $14 million. Another spin story is the false narrative that the pools leak 3,000 gallons of water a day. Since 2016, OPRF has promoted that without documentation to support it. None exists. This fabrication was inconsistent with the Larson Report issued just months earlier and is disproved again in the McCluskey Report. It states that the basement floor underneath the east pool was “relatively dry” and notes “puddling” under the west pool. The most recent example of spin lies in OPRF’s email/ website announcement last Friday touting the equity of the Imagine Plan. With construction of the first phase nearly complete, OPRF says future phases address equity, such as a new indoor track for the school’s largest and most diverse team, track and field. What OPRF does not say is that the track will likely never be built as it appears in the fifth and final phase of the $219 million plan/wish list. Given that reality, the closed west pool should be repurposed to expand the cramped field house, with OPRF building a standard-size high school competition pool (20-yards x 25-yards) in the east pool/south gym as recommended in the comprehensive Stantec Report. Monica Sheehan is an Oak Park resident.

MONICA SHEEHAN One View

Wednesday Journal, March 16, 2022

O U R

V I E W S

West Sub, selling again

ast Thursday, the day the Journal and other media outlets reported that West Suburban Hospital was about to sold yet again, there was an event in the hospital’s lobby. The purpose was to unveil West Sub’s new mental health outpatient program. A fine thing. But it was clear that the pending sale by Pipeline Health to a newly created entity, aptly called Resilience Healthcare, would need to be acknowledged. And that’s what CEO Barbara Martin did. And that’s what Anan Abu-Taleb, Oak Park’s former mayor and the current chair of West Sub’s local board, did. Abu-Taleb, to his credit, talked about the coming sale as one in a long and destabilizing series of sales that has been inflicted on both the institution and the communities it serves. By our count this will be the seventh time West Sub has changed hands since it was first acquired in 1996 by what is now known as Loyola Medicine. He and Martin expressed hope that the new owner, Manoj Prasad, a specialist in health-care turnarounds, will provide vision, resources and stability. That has been the hope seven times. It will have to be proved day-by-day and year-by-year. Certainly it is notable that West Sub has now run through ownership by multiple hospital chains, that there is no local hospital group bidding for it and its companion hospital at Weiss Memorial in the city. We are told that Prasad is moving to River Forest, that he will be a hands-on owner and operator. We are told that current management will stay on. This will be a new approach. The West Side, Oak Park, River Forest and other neighbors need this to work.

Tri-village trifecta With federal infrastructure money slopping around like never before, here is the single, most obvious project that needs to get done. The railroad underpass at Harlem Avenue between North and South Boulevards is fully obsolete. The clearance is too low for many trucks. The lanes are too narrow for Harlem’s heavy traffic. The center support clogs up any traffic flow. And it is an absolute bottleneck at a critical juncture of three villages — Forest Park, River Forest and Oak Park. The obstacle, and the opportunity, for the fierce lobbying that must be done to gather in the estimated $30 million it will cost to fully reimagine and rebuild this underpass is that there are three villages determined to get it done. First proposed in 2008, the rebuild has never gotten past some initial engineering studies. And those studies make clear the complexity and the necessity of the work. Now Forest Park Mayor Rory Hoskins, River Forest President Cathy Adduci, and Oak Park President Vicki Scaman are unified in the effort and working with both state and federal legislators to secure the funds. This underpass is now 100 years old. Built originally to carry Chicago and Northwestern tracks over Harlem Avenue, it is now a workhorse carrying Metra and CTA commuter lines as well as the Union Pacific (UP) freight trains. It is Union Pacific that owns the underpass. In a typical cheapskate, offloading maneuver, an early hang-up in the planning discussions is that the UP does not want to own the underpass and does not want responsibility to maintain it once the work is done. A railroad that has clearly not invested a nickel in this vital piece of infrastructure over the course of a century should not get off scot-free when the real work gets done. With the president of the state senate, Don Harmon, and the speaker of the Illinois house, Chris Welch, living in or adjacent to our communities, and with Democratic senators representing Illinois, this is the moment to get this project funded and rebuilt.

V I E W P O I N T S

George Will and his comfort zone

eorge Will is no prisoner of the podium. Mic clipped to his lapel, the Washington Post’s Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist (1977) and TV talking head paces left then right, as if stalking his thoughts, sometimes pausing in the center to project them. Would that his talk more fully reflected that very political spectrum, but he is a man of the right, stuck in his comfort zone. The bow tie is gone, the only concession to time, and maybe growth, in evidence. It would have been illuminating to know the makeup of the audience at Elmhurst University’s Hammerschmidt Memorial Chapel last Wednesday evening for Will’s speech, part of the Rudolf G. Schade Lectures on History, Ethics and Law. One might expect to find in attendance some Trump supporters, some center-right Republicans, some center-left Democrats, some centrist independent/moderates, and some left-leaning liberal/progressives. The only visible indicator was that the crowd was almost entirely older — and very white. Will seemed to think his audience comprised mostly Reagan Republicans because that is what he served for our consumption. He titled his lecture, “The Political Argument Today,” but left out “… Would Benefit from a Hash of Warmed-Over Reaganism.” Styling himself a modern-day Mark Twain, whom he cited frequently and who made a killing on the lecture circuit in his day, Will was glib, highly anecdotal, polished, and a quote- and statistic-spewing machine. The result sounded like something he has repeated, with few modifications, for 40 years. In other words, it sounded canned. I attended his talk, hoping this longtime member of the commentariat might surprise me — and he did, but not in a good way. Some might appreciate and admire his tenacious hold on unchanging convictions, but I was hoping for something reflecting personal and intellectual growth — specifically what he might have learned after four years of Donald Trump, whom Will frequently excoriated in his column. It takes courage for any conservative to oppose Trump publicly, and I took it as a sign that at least a few still have some integrity, though little of it was in evidence this night. He mentioned Trump only once: A final anecdote (and a good one, before making a hasty exit) about Trump telling an interviewer not to ask him about the ceiling caving in down the road. “I won’t be around then,” Trump said, Will adding that too many in Washington feel the same way. Including George Will, perhaps, who played it safe, preaching the same old comfort food, a 1980s version of benign elitism: The free market is smarter and more trustworthy than government. Inequality will always be with us and that’s OK because it allows — as he noted several times — “the cream to rise to the top.” He espouses a culture based on “dynamism.” Allow the cream to rise and it will lead to innovation and excellence and the rest of us will benefit from it. And what color is cream, George? Calls for equality and attempts to enforce it will only gum up the system and hold us back as a country. Education will help the poor but only if parents act more responsibly, with two parents in

every household, which he mentioned frequently. Elitism works well for people like George Will. The problem is elitist pundits and politicians view the country’s problems at a great remove. He seemed to be saying that if we would just embrace the American system (unequal opportunity) and allow it to function as intended (by center-right conservatives) all would be well. No recognition that this ship sailed long ago or how out of date he sounded. Will even noted at one point, tongue barely grazing cheek, that Calvin Coolidge was the last president with whom he fully agreed. Also the last president before the Great Depression. And no recognition that the whole point of “America,” and the real crux of “The Political Argument Today,” is the need to counteract elitism. The populist right-wing movement itself is a revolt against elitism. Except they keep voting for elitists like Trump and listening to elitists like George Will. At best, it seemed a sub-par performance. It was as if, at the age of 80, he were still trying, a bit too hard, to convince everyone he’s the smartest person in the room. During the Q&A session afterward, someone asked about the Supreme Court, which elicited the only crumb tossed to Democrats — that he approved of Biden’s nomination of Ketanji Brown Jackson. He also declared that elections determine who gets on the Supreme Court, which is how it’s supposed to work, adding that he approves of the current 6-3 split favoring conservatives. I wanted to challenge him, but I’m not very articulate off-the-cuff, so I held back, which I regret. By the next morning, however, I had more fully formed the question I wanted to ask, so even though it’s too late for George to answer (no doubt evasively), I’ll ask it here: “Mr. Will, I agree elections should determine who gets on the Supreme Court, but that didn’t happen in 2016 when the legitimately re-elected president, Barack Obama, nominated Merrick Garland, and the Senate Republican majority refused to hold hearings, even though almost a year remained in Mr. Obama’s term. That strikes me as a clear violation of the system you admire. That dangling Supreme Court opening, in fact, was probably the biggest of several factors leading to the electoralcollege victory of Donald Trump, a man you had the courage to say in your column that you despise, which must have generated plenty of hateful reaction from readers. A lot of us in the middle and on the left respected you for proving that a few conservatives still have some integrity. So my question is, will you at least acknowledge that Mitch McConnell’s power play was improper? And please don’t compare it to Robert Bork. You can condemn the Democrats’ 1987 decision all you want, but they followed the process, held hearings and voted him down. In 2016, the Republicans threw the process out the window altogether. In the interest of advancing The Political Argument Today, are you willing to state that the decision not to hold hearings for Merrick Garland in 2016 is unjustifiable?” Maybe it would have pried him momentarily out of his comfort zone.

KEN

TRAINOR

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by Marc Stopeck

Wednesday Journal, March 16, 2022

W E D N E S D A Y

JOURNAL of Oak Park and River Forest

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

A new opportunity for students to learn math with SMART Most parents know it is important for their children to be good at math, and there is a wealth of research demonstrating that increased instruction and practice improves student performance. Yet too often parents don’t know how to help teach their kids elementary school math. Several of the Parent Teacher Organizations (PTOs) across Oak Park District 97’s elementary schools are collaborating to address this challenge with a new program, Strengthening Math Advancement by Reinforcing Teaching (SMART), which provides after-hours instruction for second- through fifth-graders over Zoom. The weekly sessions reinforce what students learn in school. Because the students will be getting direct instructional lessons in their classes in school, the SMART sessions are a supplement, focusing on strengthening their knowledge. The classes typically include a quick instructional reminder, then practice problems, math games, etc. They are taught by D97 teachers who make it fun and engaging. This is not intended to be remedial but rather reinforcing and strengthening students’ understanding. Why Zoom? Many kids struggled with Zoom school when it was all day every day, but one-hour weekly virtual class is different — it works well for most kids. Plus, the logistical advantages of Zoom are incredible. There are no physical classrooms to reserve, manage, and clean, and no building staff are needed. COVID protocols are unnecessary. And the teachers are broadcast right into students’ homes at multiple dif-

ferent times — after school, evenings, and potentially even weekends — making it super-convenient. All this makes the program simple to run and extraordinarily accessible to participate. This is all financially self-sustaining without a dime needed from the school district or taxpayers. SMART costs $12 per hour-long class, and it is free for any student who requests financial assistance, further minimizing barriers to participation. The teachers love the program. They work hard every day to help students, but they used to be constrained by the limits of the 8 a.m.-3 p.m. school day. Most students get about five hours a week of math class in school, so another hour a week is 20% more instructional time. The teachers love having this new capability to help students. The extra cash they make teaching SMART sessions doesn’t hurt either. There were 116 students participating in January and February, but the long game is to get over 1,000 students participating. This isn’t just for kids struggling to keep up — though they may benefit most — it is for all students. The SMART program is an opportunity to catapult the performance of our students beyond what is possible teaching only from 8 to 3. Registration is open now through March 26 for the spring term, which will start April 11. Go to https:// www.smart-oakpark.org for more information and to register.

Eric Friedman Oak Park

BOARD OF DIRECTORS Chair Judy Greffin Treasurer Nile Wendorf Deb Abrahamson, Gary Collins, Darnell Shields, Sheila Solomon, Eric Weinheimer

About Viewpoints Our mission is to lead educated conversation about the people, government, schools, businesses and culture of Oak Park and River Forest. As we share the consensus of Wednesday Journal’s editorial board on local matters, we hope our voice will help focus your thinking and, when need be, fire you to action. In a healthy conversation about community concerns, your voice is also vital. We welcome your views, on any topic of community interest, as essays and as letters to the editor. Noted here are our stipulations for filing. Please understand our verification process and circumstances that would lead us not to print a letter or essay. We will call to check that what we received with your signature is something you sent. If we can’t make that verification, we will not print what was sent. When, in addition to opinion, a letter or essay includes information presented as fact, we will check the reference. If we cannot confirm a detail, we may not print the letter or essay. If you have questions, email Viewpoints editor Ken Trainor at ktrainor@wjinc.com.

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ADDRESS 141 S Oak Park Ave., Oak ParkIL 60302 ■ PHONE 708-5248300 EMAIL Dan@OakPark.com ■ ONLINE www.OakPark.com Wednesday Journal is published digitally and in print by Growing Community Media NFP. The newspaper is available on newsstands for $1.00. A one-year subscription costs $43 within Cook County and $53 outside of Cook County. Advertising rates may be obtained by calling our office. Periodical rate postage paid at Oak Park, IL (USPS 10138). Postmaster, send address corrections to Wednesday Journal, 141 S. Oak Park Ave., Oak Park, Il 60302. © 2022 Growing Community Media, NFP.

Wednesday Journal, March 16, 2022

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Women’s Day concert was a who’s who

Noteworthy - To celebrate the return to vocal performing arts, Working In Concert’s Bellissima Opera creates an opportunity to come together and #BreakTheBias. The concert, co-hosted by Good Shepherd in Oak Park was a who’s-who of Chicago-area talent in celebration of International Women’s Day #IWD2022, which supports the work of women creatives and enhances the visibility of women artists around the globe. After enjoying intimate vocal performances and the hula dance, a lively postconcert reception continued the empowering energy. The Performers - Michelle Areyzaga (Arlington Heights), Jonita Lattimore (Chicago), Dana Brown (Chicago), Jennifer McCabe (Chicago), Claudia Hommel (Chicago), Christine Steyer (Oak Park) M.G. Bertulfo and June Tanoue (Oak Park) Corinne Wallace-Crane (Naperville) Mimei Sakamoto (Tokyo, Japan) More than 150 guests enjoyed a fabulous evening thanks to the hospitality team, cohosts Claudia Hommel of Working In Concert and Pastor Kathy Nolte of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, emcee and author M.G. Bertulfo (the person you want to nar-

PHOTO CREDIT: KATIE RUB AND RALPH EARLANDSON

The March 8 Women’s Day concert at Good Shepherd Lutheran featured an international array of talent. rate your memoir), and event director Juliana Engel Storms. The Reach - Audience members included Victoria Storm, a music therapist/songwriter for Kettlestrings; Ava Logan and David Stephens of Black Voices in Cabaret; author and applied-neuroscientist Diane Grimard Wilson; visual artist Roshi Robert Althouse of Zen Life Meditation Center; renowned voice teacher Elisabeth Howard (strikes a

pose in support of equity in the arts); Maria Lagios, another renowned vocal teacher; and piano teacher Betsy Davis. Judy Grace, Ellie Sharpe, and Jennifer Marling were among VIPs. The Cause - International Women’s Day was founded in 1911 to accelerate progress towards equal rights. Today, IWD is embraced by groups collectively around the world.

Attendees take home memories and melodies from local female composers: Patrice Michaels, Elizabeth Rudolph, Lita Grier, and Lena J. McLin whose songs were performed at the concert. Planning for next year’s event is already in the works!

Juliana Storms Oak Park

The Ukrainians will long outlive Putin

ussian President Vladimir Putin assumes that a crushing war in the Ukraine will destroy the hopes and aspirations of Ukrainian citizens. But will it? Will tragedy there lead inevitably to submission and resignation? Based on my Ukrainian grandfather’s rather short and difficult life, I wouldn’t bet on it. In 1892, John Fiszczuk, was born in a region called Bukosovno Mitkov near the Carpathian Mountains, bordering what is now Romania. In 1912, at the age of 20, Fiszczuk, who later anglicized his name to Fisher, arrived by ship at the Port of Baltimore. We don’t know too much about him, but records show that in 1913, John Fisher was in Omaha, Nebraska with a 15-year-old Polish immigrant named Anna Kuntz, my grandmother. By 1914, they were living in South St. Paul, Minnesota, home to meat-packing plants along the Mississippi River, where they had a number of children. When World War I started in 1918, John, like all Eastern European immigrants, had to declare his loyalty to the U.S., and disavow the Austro-Hungarian Empire of his birth. He signed his name with an X.

One of John’s brothers, Wasel, served in the U.S. Army, but John explained that he had a family to support. Sometimes he is listed as a laborer, later as a butcher at Armour Meat Packing. Then his life was cut short. In 1928, at 36 years old, John died of leukemia, leaving Anna a widow with five young children. My mother Gertrude, who was 8 when he died, talked about two memories. She liked to watch him shave each morning while singing the Tin Pan Alley song “I’m forever blowing bubbles.” Pretty bubbles in the air. They fly so high, Nearly reach the sky, Then like my dreams, They fade and die. A second memory was of her father laid in a coffin held up by two chairs in the living room. She said she never walked downstairs into that room without seeing his casket. While my grandmother Anna continued

JACK CROWE

to work as a butcher in the meat-packing industry, she raised her family through the Depression, eating meals such as pickles and gravy. Because he died so young, John did not see his second oldest, George, go to work at 14 so he could help support the family. Around 1930, George went into a crowded room of men seeking work at Swift Meat Packing. When a hiring clerk asked for experienced butchers to raise their hands, the teenage George lifted his meat cleaver and was

hired. His father also did not live to see George later open a small grocery story, called Fisher Foods, or see that store grow to become large and successful. He did not live to see his wife Anna start a catering business or become the leader of the Ladies Guild at church. He did not live to see my mother Gertrude strike out for Chicago at the age of 18, work as a secretary and then after WWII marry and bear six children, before becoming a widow like her mother before her and raising her large family alone.

John did not live to see my aunt Mildred, around 1940, become a bank teller at Drovers State Bank in South Saint Paul. Mildred took the teller job that had been vacated by my mother when she left for Chicago. By the early 1960s, when this kind of thing was unheard of, Mildred became the first woman vice president of a bank in Minnesota. And John could not have known that nearly 100 years after his death, dozens of grandchildren and probably over 100 greatgrandchildren would become teachers, social workers, nurses, lawyers, and every manner of good citizens. And that, my friends, is the lesson Vladimir Putin does not understand. Many of the innocents he kills today in Kyiv and Kharkov and Odessa will be vindicated by their surviving progeny, and those inspired by their martyrdom. As Martin Luther King Jr. said during the midst of the civil rights struggle, “the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.” And in the end, Putin, nearly 70 years old, will have little say about the just aspirations of Ukrainians who will long outlive him.

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Wilderness man

once again have decided to face this winter’s snowshoe challenge alone. I really don’t have that many friends who own, or wish to own, snowshoes. Standing behind my SUV in the parking lot with the snow-covered fields stretching to the south, I slide my boots into the snowshoe brackets. I make sure both brackets on each shoe are properly fastened. I pull the straps across the boot backs to keep them in place. I double-check to make sure all is secure. It is very difficult to make adjustments once out in the field due to snow and ice buildup. If I were to fall down, it’s unlikely I’ll be able to get right side up. I zip up my insulated vest and jacket and adjust my sunglasses. I slip on my mittens, slide my hands through the pole straps and head out toward the wind-blown fields. The first few steps are like walking with tennis rackets stuck to my feet. It’s about 20 degrees in the late afternoon. I head south into the wind, relishing the pristine snow and rugged tree line along my right. Vigilant to the left and right, I cross a few animal tracks, no human ones. I venture into the tall grass field off the trail for deeper snow. After about 20 minutes of huffing and chuffing, I unzip my jacket and take a break. Loving the solitude, I take in the beautiful sunset behind broken winter clouds. I appreciate this “fun” variety snow, clean

and white, compared to the gray and gnarly “work” snow we wrestle with after every snowfall. Now my quivering legs tell me it’s time to head back. My runny nose agrees. I make a sweep like a semitrailer truck in a parking lot. My skills are minimal. I have no training, no expertise. I huff and chuff back. After a few more gasps, I slide down the snow mound to the parking lot and clomp to the back of my SUV. I open the tailgate and start the removal ceremony, meticulously cleaning each shoe. I place all the gear in back and shut the tailgate. Settling into the driver’s seat, with the heater easing my pains, I congratulate myself for having survived another solo wilderness trial. I’ve been told that being a brittle 77, I should be more cautious. The challenge is the thing. But I am wearing my new high-tech watch with SOS and GPS that can find someone in distress upon the open sea. I figured nearby help would quickly be at my side should I go face-first into the snow. Feeling one with Mother Nature, I start my journey home and exit the Forest Preserve parking lot, heading north on First Avenue in Maywood toward Roosevelt Road. The massive Loyola Medical center, with all that potential help, is to my left. I’m a mere 20 minutes from that gnarly work snow piled around my house in Oak Park.

JIM

CHMURA One View

Wednesday Journal, March 16, 2022

STUDENKOV from page 29 I read about Mariupol getting encircled by the Russian army, its besieged residents huddled in the cold, it’s hard not to think about Grandma Nina talking about burning everything there was to burn in the house just to stay warm. When I see families fleeing west, I think of Grandpa Gena talking about how he was only 5 years old when his family tried, and failed, to outrun the Nazi advance. “When the war started, my dad went off to serve, so it was just me, my mom, my older brother, Nikolay, and my younger sister Nina,” he told me. “I remember when we were trying to flee, my mom carried Nina in her arms, while I ran with her.” I was taught to be careful about using the word “Nazi,” and I’m not going to stop now. But when one gets that kind of association … I know it makes at least some Russians pause. A couple of days ago, I saw a photo of a flier somebody put up in St. Petersburg. “A city that survived the Siege is against the war!” But so far there is also plenty of support, including from some of the people who were kids during World War II. This war will end someday. Kyiv, which was shelled during World War II, will rise again, just like it did last time. And the scars of war will linger.

PROVIDED

A ST. PETERSBURG FLIER READS: “A city that survived the Siege is against the war!” Maybe this time, the generations to come will not so easily lose sight of the toll the war takes. Maybe this time, Russians won’t need a personal connection to understand the horror the war inflicts. Igor Studenkov is a Chicago resident and regular contributor to Wednesday Journal.

Community Health & Wellness Fair Presented by:

Save the Date!

Sunday | May 15| 11am - 2pm FFC Oak Park, 1114 Lake Street

Reconnect with your health & wellbeing.

oprfchamber.org

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Wednesday Journal, March 16, 2022

The not-so-fine fine print

e’ve all had those special times when some often small event occurs and reminds us of the past. Recently, I was cleaning out my desk drawer, which was cluttered with pens, pencils, paperclips, rubber bands, etc. I noticed a folded paper caught in the back of the drawer. I tore part of it, tugging it free. To my surprise, it was my childhood postal savings account book. Many years ago, the U.S. Post Office offered a savings plan specifically for young depositors. When I was a freshman in high school, I opened a savings account after weeks of scraping together the $5 minimum deposit. I worked, earning $2 each week, helping my folks in their store. I was the clean-up person, and I did some bookkeeping, too. (I failed at the bookkeeping job!) I struggled to save money. I took my lunch from home, drank only water, and walked 2½ miles to and from Proviso High School rather than pay for the bus. This allowed me each week to save and deposit about $1, half of my weekly pay. When I reached the fabulous amount of $39.70 in savings (my deposits plus interest), I received a formal business letter from the U.S. Postal Department. They notified me that they were closing all accounts and ending the postal savings program. My $39.70 was to be sent to me, paid in full. It never came! As a patriotic high school kid, the government could do no wrong in my eyes. I wrote a letter almost apologizing to the U.S. Postal Service about the “lost” money I was due. I received a short response stating that the refund had been sent and the case was closed. I was beyond crestfallen. All of my savings were gone. My government service seemingly didn’t care about me and did not research my loss. Fast forward to today, and I had a pain-

ful reminder of that episode. This time it was the result of my failure to read the fine print as relates to a long-term health policy I purchased from Continental Casualty Insurance Company, 25 years ago. I thought the purchase was prudent, never knowing what the future might hold. I have been in good health until some years ago when I slid on the ice in my home’s entrance. I fractured my hip, after which I required therapy. I did not feel it necessary to make a claim on that policy for the help I needed at that time. As you might surmise, as I aged, my knee and hip aged along with me, causing me to hire more and better-qualified help. In late November 2021, I paid my $4,000+ annual premium for my long-term health care policy for the calendar year of 2022. In January, I decided to make a claim on this policy because I required more experienced, certified therapeutic care. I did not expect my claim to be honored for the earlier period of time. I did expect my claim to be honored as of 2022. Shockingly, the answer I was given was “no,” even though I had paid premiums, on time, for 25 years. Alas! I failed to read the fine print of the policy … that I must hire health care workers who are employed by an agency. It was printed in that almost illegible small print at the bottom of the policy. When the insurance company refused my claim, I then requested a return of my 2022 premium payment. The Continental Casualty Insurance Company ignored my request, nor did they even acknowledge my letter. Legally, they owe me nothing. Ethically, their business practices are shameful. Being refused, I felt like my high school self again, who lost her money. This time it’s thousands rather than $39.70. So, my dear friends, please read the fine print; make sure you deal with reputable companies; and hope they follow ethical business practices.

HARRIET HAUSMAN One View

Kahn’s brief but spectacular spot on PBS

Peter Kahn was recently highlighted on PBS News Hour’s “Brief But Spectacular” segment that featured a great 4-minute presentation by Mr. Kahn, which said he “has taught English and spoken-word poetry to thousands of students at Oak Park and River Forest High School since 1994. In collaboration with his current and former students, Kahn is re-

leasing the anthology, Respect the Mic: Celebrating 20 Years of Poetry from a Chicagoland High School.” He gives his brief but spectacular take on how spoken-word poetry amplifies student voices. The link to his interview is: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/brief/403945/peter-kahn

Alan Krause

Oak Park

PETER KAHN

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Ukraine isn’t the only crisis As we watch, with horror, events unfolding in Ukraine, we take heart at our nation’s carefully calibrated response, which focuses on working with our European partners to discern and implement a strategy based on extending diplomatic engagement along with economic and financial sanctions. Unfortunately, we do not take the same care with respect to the dreadful situation in Yemen, where our supply of weapons and spare parts for aircraft have allowed the Saudi coalition to wreak death and destruction on a smaller, much poorer, and militarily weaker neighbor. The background to this situation is political; there are actors on both sides who have acted cruelly and in bad faith. Our military supply of the Saudi coalition, particularly replacement parts for the aircraft we have supplied, makes us party to what many consider the worst humanitarian disaster in the world currently, with untold ecological consequences. The United Nations states that over

250,000 people have died in Yemen, approximately 60% of them due to lack of food, water and health care. Approximately four children under the age of 5 die per day. Human Rights Watch has recently indicated, “Millions of Yemenis continue to face the largest humanitarian crisis in the world, with more than half the population facing acute levels of food insecurity. … Millions of people cannot afford to meet their basic needs.” It is imperative to put pressure on both sides to allow food and medical aid into Yemen and to work toward a resolution through negotiations. Representatives Pramila Jayapal and Peter DeFazio are introducing a Yemen War Powers Resolution to assert Congress’ constitutional war powers authority and terminate unauthorized U.S. involvement in this conflict. I ask everyone to call or write their congressional representative to encourage support for, and consider co-sponsoring, this resolution.

Ralph Strohl Oak Park

Home tax exemptions: some automatic, some not Thanks to a special pandemic-related law, money-saving property tax exemptions for most owner-occupied homes will be automatically renewed this year. The automatic renewal will be issued to homeowners who bought their homes prior to 2020 and received exemptions on their tax bills last year. Some homeowners will have to apply for exemptions this year. For example, any homeowner who purchased a home in 2020 will have to complete an exemption application. Homeowners can either apply online at www.cookcountyassessor. com or wait until they receive an exemption application in the mail. In addition, homeowners who recently turned 65 or were recently diagnosed with a disability will likely not receive applications for the senior or disabled exemptions in the mail, and should apply for the appropriate exemption now. The Oak Park Township Assessor’s Office is available to help taxpayers who need help applying for tax exemptions. What are the eligibility requirements for senior citizen exemptions? Those born in 1956 or earlier who used their homes as a principal residence in 2021 are eligible for the Senior Citizen Exemption. Last year, the taxes of Oak Park homes receiving the Senior Citizen Exemption were reduced by about $900. The Senior Freeze Exemption provides additional tax savings for low- to moder-

ate-income seniors. To be eligible for this year’s freeze, the combined income of all people in the senior’s household must have been less than $65,000 in calendar year 2020, and the senior must have been an owner-occupant of the property since Jan. 1, 2020. What if you received an exemption last year but your eligibility for the exemption has changed? If there has been a change in your eligibility for tax exemptions, you should contact the offices of the township or county assessor to ensure that you receive the correct exemption. For example, eligibility for the Senior Freeze can change if a senior citizen’s household income was below the $65,000 threshold and is now above it, or vice versa. In addition, eligibility for a Disabled Veterans Exemption can change if the veteran’s level of disability has recently changed. Savings from all property tax exemptions will appear on second installment tax bills that will be mailed later this year. The Oak Park Township Assessor’s Office is available to answer any questions taxpayers have about exemptions. The rules regarding eligibility for exemptions can be confusing. Taxpayers with questions about exemptions should feel to call.

Ali ElSaffar

Oak Park Township Assessor 708-383-8005

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Wednesday Journal, March 16, 2022

Return of the St. Paddy’s Day Parade

ho can forget our last “normal” day before the pandemic? It was March 7, 2020 and we enjoyed our annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade. We celebrated Irish culture with music and dancing. As usual, the final float carried a rock band. Their nickname was “Johnnie Corona and the Viruses.” It was the last day anyone could joke about COVID-19. We just now celebrated our newest “normal” day, with the return of the parade. The weather was glorious on March 5. We had an enormous turnout on Madison Street. The atmosphere was especially festive because we were so grateful to be together again. After two years of masking and social distancing, we hugged. Kids scrambled to gather candy thrown from passing floats. There may even have been some beer drinking. It’s fun to be Irish on St. Patrick’s Day, but I’m reading about a dark chapter in Irish history. I didn’t know much about the Great Famine that devastated Ireland in the 1840s until I read Paddy’s Lament, by Thomas Gallagher. I was stunned by the degree of suffering, as two million died and another million emigrated. My family was among those who escaped. We came to Chicago because we were starving to death. I was also struck by the parallels between the famine and the pandemic. Prior to the

potato blight, the Irish peasants may have been poor, but they knew how to enjoy life. They were fun-loving and lived in close-knit villages with a communal spirit. But all that changed with the famine. As one eyewitness reported, “Sport and pastimes disappeared. Poetry, music and dancing stopped.” It’s like what our own convivial village suffered because many of our businesses depend on social interaction. Our economy is based on providing gathering spots where people can have a good time. We’re so fun-loving, we come up with constant reasons to celebrate. We’ve had great times at Ribfest, German Fest and Casket Races. During the summer, we come together for the 4th of July fireworks, the No Gloves Tournament and the Groovin’ in the Grove concerts. But for two years, we didn’t have these gatherings. We were afraid to socialize. We isolated and lived in dread of a disease. Our bars and restaurants suffered. Some closed their doors for good. Like the famine, the pandemic caused massive social and economic upheaval. Another parallel is that government policies made both crises worse. Ireland was not suffering from a food shortage during the famine. Huge quantities of grain and meat were being exported from Ireland to England, while the potato-

JOHN RICE

ALEX ROGALS/Staff Photographer

Sandy Byrnes tosses candy to kids during the St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Madison Street. The weather couldn’t have been finer and Irish eyes were smiling. dependent Irish peasants starved to death. They also died in droves from disease. Many sick people died alone because even their family members wouldn’t go near them. Wakes and funerals are sacred rituals for the Irish, but services stopped being held and victims were no longer being buried in “sacred” ground. Americans had the same bitter experience during the pandemic. We couldn’t visit our sick loved ones and funerals were remote. Just as the British response to the famine was seen as indifferent and uncaring, our own government made missteps. The pandemic was at first downplayed. Then

the CDC issued confusing guidelines. We developed vaccines but not everyone was on board for getting shots and wearing masks. The U.S. has had a far higher death rate than other wealthy countries. But, like the Irish, we’re resilient. Forest Park displayed its resilience last Saturday. We came through the dark days, with our community spirit intact. As usual, the final float in our parade carried a rock band. This time their nickname was “Vinnie and the Vaccines.” John Rice, who grew up in Oak Park and now lives in Forest Park, writes a weekly column for the Forest Park Review, a Growing Community Media publication.

A time of testing … and character building

he hot topic at the coffee hour after the service at the Poplar Park Community Church last Sunday was the price of gas. Ukraine was only mentioned a couple of times. That was happening 5,000 miles away. The price of gas was just down the street. “Four bucks a gallon,” Eric Anderson complained, “and from what I hear it’s going to keep going up.” “Insult to injury,” added Aunt Dolly. “Insult to injury. We’ve already sacrificed a lot because of the pandemic and now the war in the Ukraine is going to make life even harder.” When Pastor Walter Mitty looked out his bedroom window the next morning, the weather looked nice, and he was tired of dwelling on how hard life can be. So after eating a chocolate chip bagel with cream cheese, he called his friend Michael next door and proposed they take a walk to the History/Herstory book store. As Bernie Rolvaag was making their lattes, Michael asked how business had

been the last few months. “Like most of the businesses on Main Street,” Bernie answered. “Better than a year ago, but not as good as 2019. And like some of the clothing stores, online shopping is cutting into our business. A lot of us have had to tighten our belts and adjust our family budgets. It’s like we’re being tested to see what we’re made of.” The conversation shifted to the situation in Ukraine and that led Pastor Walt to bring up how people at church were complaining about the price of gas. “It makes me think of rationing during World War II,” said the bookstore owner/ barista. “Rationing?” “Yeah. While thousands and thousands of young men were sacrificing their lives to defeat fascism, civilians back home had to make sacrifices in terms of their lifestyle.

I have a lot of books on that war, and everyone was affected and had to sacrifice, because the military needed everything from gasoline to coffee.” “And that meant,” added Pastor Walt, “that everyone in that generation made sacrifices, whether it was on the battlefield or the home front.” “That’s right,” said Bernie, “and what strikes me in all of the accounts I read is that almost everyone in the country was willing to make those sacrifices. It wasn’t ‘it’s all about me.’ It was ‘it’s all about we.’” “Remember the Three Musketeers?” said Michael. “All for one; one for all, right?” Pastor Mitty wondered, “Tell me if I’m right, but during World War II the enemy was Hitler, Mussolini and Hirohito. The last two years the enemy has been a bug, so is it easier to deny that it’s real because it’s invisible? So maybe we should heave a sigh

TOM HOLMES

of relief that in Putin we have an enemy we can at least wrap our minds around.” Bernie said, “Maybe, Walt, but I’m wondering if not only has the enemy changed but maybe we have changed as well.” “You mean,” asked Michael, “what’s changed is that now it’s all about me? Like there isn’t a draft anymore but a volunteer army, so I might feel bad about a war in Europe, but it won’t affect me? Like the President talks about sanctions and drones but not putting American bodies in harm’s way, so I’m not going to worry about it?” “Well,” added Walt, “we’re already making a big deal about the sacrifice of paying more at the gas pump. Imagine how the manure would hit the rotary oscillator if the war in Ukraine escalated to the point where the army started calling up people eligible for the draft.” The three spent the next minute or so sipping their lattes and digesting that prospect. See HOLMES on page 36

V I E W P O I N T S

Wednesday Journal, March 16, 2022

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

HOLMES

The evolution of praise dancing

everal years ago, I wrote a column about praise dancing. At that time, I saw it as little more than a talentless addition to a religious service that simply served to entertain the predominantly male members who sit in the pulpit. Young, lithe, mostly female dancers, sway, gyrate, leap and kick to music. I received a lot of emails from readers expressing their opinions in favor of praise dancing. Some people wrote a couple of lines while others wrote entire paragraphs. A few wrote several pages. I am grateful for all the feedback, but I am still not a fan of it. However, praise dancing’s popularity has grown so much that it is now considered a staple of church services and I respect them for it. Religious services have changed a lot over the years. I remember when women wearing pants to church was a big issue. Now nobody takes notice. That is how a religious service evolves. What was once the unusual becomes the norm. Recently on Facebook, a video was posted of two sisters performing a popular TikTok dance in front of their mother’s open casket. At the end of the performance, they giggle. Initial reactions from people included a lot of folks being shocked. And a controversy ensued. Since that video was posted last year, several more have surfaced. The latest involved a trio of females, performing what is now called a TikTok dance for the

camera. If dance has become a part of church services, why can’t the same thing be said of funeral services? All I had to do was think about the funeral services held in New Orleans. They feature an entire parade. Jazz musicians play while others strut about. The funeral service is not somber but more a celebration of the person’s life. The latest video I watched was accompanied by a note that said the girls’ performance was one of the deceased’s favorites. As I watched their choreographed movements in front of the casket, with what appears to be a funeral director standing watch kitty-corner to the casket, I was neither shocked nor surprised. I don’t even find it controversial. At some point, dance is going to be part of religious ceremonies and a funeral is no different from a regular service. So I’m accepting of this latest form of funeral culture. I will add it to the tradition of folks who pour alcohol onto the ground for the deceased, as well as those who spell out the deceased’s name using quarters. Then you have cemeteries filled with pinwheels, balloons and all sorts of tributes to the departed, which add a festive atmosphere. Funeral traditions come from activities that make people feel good about the service since the funeral is for the living. Arlene Jones, a resident of the Austin neighborhood of Chicago, writes a weekly column for the Austin Weekly News, a Growing Community Media publication.

ARLENE JONES

Robert P. Gamboney

“You remember how Tom Brokaw referred to our grandparents as the Greatest Generation?” Bernie began. “I think part of what he was getting at is that tough times like the Great Depression and World War II have a way of exposing our character. You know, what a person or a nation is made of.” That turned a light on in Mitty’s mind. “You know, the day after tomorrow is Ash Wednesday. It’s a day for selfexamination, but everyone seems to be turned outward instead of inward.” “Outward?” “Yeah, like if COVID goes away, I’ll be happy. If Putin pulls back from Ukraine I’ll feel relieved. But character doesn’t depend on what happens outside of me. It’s something that is built in my spirit, and what happens outside of me only reveals what’s on the inside.” Michael offered an insight from his tradition. “You know, Passover is coming up and the tendency is to focus on God

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from page 35

saving his people from slavery. Like Walt said, freeing them from something outside them. But if you go further in the story, when my people got into the wilderness …” After a pause, he continued, “… When they got into the wilderness, which was the place of testing, they found out, or God found out, how weak their character was. Same thing here when you get down to it, isn’t it?” The conversation two days ago was punctuated by intermittent lapses into silence, as if they need time to digest everything they were hearing. Mitty broke the silence with, “You know Jesus’ parable in which the house built on sand gets washed away by the tidal wave while the house built on the rock withstands the storm? Well, maybe that has implications not only for where we build houses in response to rising sea levels but also for how we as individuals and as a nation need to invest more of ourselves in character building.” Tom Holmes writes a column twice-monthly in the Forest Park Review, a Growing Community Media publication.

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HELP WANTED

River Forest Public Schools District 90

River Forest Public Schools District 90 is seeking a Part-time School Social Worker position will assist teachers social-emotional services to the students, Qualifications: HELP WANTED • NETWORK SPECIALIST Class specifications are intended to present a descriptive list of the range of duties performed by employees in the class. Specifications are not intended to reflect all duties performed within the job. DEFINITION To perform various network/system administration, computer support, and operational activities for the Village including computer system setup, configuration, and testing. SUPERVISION RECEIVED AND EXERCISED Reports directly to the Information Technology Services Director. EXAMPLE OF DUTIES: Essential and other important duties and responsibilities may include, but are not limited to, the following: Essential duties and responsibilities 1. Ensure that best in class customer service is provided to both internal and external customers and also embrace, support, and promote the Village’s core values, beliefs and culture. 2. Configure, test, and deploy network systems, such as, firewalls, routers, switches, wireless equipment, network servers and storage arrays. 3. Configure, test, and deploy system servers, such as, file, print, Internet, e-mail, database, and application servers. 4. Configure, test, and monitor server and end-user systems for security, such as, user accounts, login scripts, file access privileges, and group policy management. 5. Configure, test, and deploy end-user systems, such as, workstations, laptops, mobile devices, printers, and software. 6. Test, configure, deploy, and support security systems, such as, facility access system, video & audio system. 7. Monitor and auditing of networks, systems, and user activities to ensure security and efficiency of systems. Create scripts and reports of detail activities for regular review. 8. Perform and participate in disaster recovery activities, such as, backup procedures, data recovery, and system recovery planning. 9. Assist end-users with computer problems or queries. Troubleshoot systems as needed and meet with users to analyze specific system needs. 10. Ensure the uniformity, reliability and security of system resources including network, hardware,

software and other forms of systems and data. 11. Prepare, create and update user/technical procedure documentations and provide computer training. 12. Assemble, test, and install network, telecommunication and data equipment and cabling. 13. Participate in research and recommendation of technology solutions. Other important responsibilities and duties 1. Train users in the area of existing, new or modified computer systems and procedures. 2. Participate in the preparation of various activity reports. 3. Travel and support remote facilities and partner agencies. 4. Operate, administer and manage the Village and Public Safety computer systems, including E-911 center, in-vehicle computer systems. 5. Prepare clear and logical reports and program documentation of procedures, processes, and configurations. 6. Complete projects on a timely and efficient manner. 7. Communicate effectively both orally and in writing. 8. Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work. 9. Perform related duties and responsibilities as required. QUALIFICATIONS Knowledge of: Principals and procedures of computer systems, such as, data communication, hierarchical structure, backups, testing and critical analysis. Hardware and software configuration of. computers, servers and mobile devices, including computing environment of Windows Server and Desktop OS and applications, Unix/Linux OS, VMware, iOS/Android. Network protocols, security, configuration and administration, including firewalls, routers, switches and wireless technology. Cabling and wiring, including CAT5/6, fiber network, telephone, serial communication, termination, and punch-down. Telecommunications theory and technology, including VoiP, serial communication, wireless protocols, PBX, analog, fax, voicemail and auto-attendant. Principles and methods of computer programming, coding and testing, including power shell, command scripting, macros, and

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

VB scripts. Modern office procedures, methods and computer equipment. Technical writing, office productivity tools and database packages. Ability to: Maintain physical condition appropriate to the performance of assigned duties and responsibilities, which may include the following: - Walking, standing or sitting for extended periods of time - Operating assigned equipment - Lift 50 pounds of equipment, supplies, and materials without assistance - Working in and around computer equipped vehicles Maintain effective audio-visual discrimination and perception needed for: - Making observations - Communicating with others - Reading and writing - Operating assigned equipment and vehicles Maintain mental capacity allowing for effective interaction and communication with others. Maintain reasonable and predictable attendance. Work overtime as operations require. Experience and Training Guidelines Experience: Three years of network/system administration in the public or private sector, maintaining a minimum of 75 Client Workstation computers. AND Training: Possession of a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with major coursework in computer science or a related field. Certifications in Microsoft Server Administration, Networking, Applications and Cisco Networking. Possession of a valid Illinois Driver License is required at the time of appointment. Vaccination against COVID-19 strongly preferred. WORKING CONDITIONS Work in a computer environment; sustained posture in a seated position for prolonged periods of time; continuous exposure to computer screens; work in and around computerized vehicles outdoor and garage facility; lifting heavy equipment, communication cabling and wiring into walls and ceilings.

PART-TIME ELECTRICIAN’S HELPER

Call contracter for more info. 708-738-3848

JANITORIAL

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a) Valid State of Illinois Professional Educator License

b) Licensed Clinical Social Work (LCSW) preferred c) At least three years of successful School Social Work experience preferred.

Job Duties: The School Social Worker provides needs-based behavioral and BUDGET AND REVENUE ANALYST

The Village of Oak Park is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Budget and Revenue Analyst in the Development Customer Service Department. This position will Serve the public with professional administrative and analytical duties in the areas of budget preparation, purchasing, payroll, data analysis and process improvement. Provides, prepares and maintains records, and financial and statistical reports and analysis which assist in the Village’s ability to improve business processes and gain efficiencies through better use of technology. Budget duties include assisting in the development, analysis and application of performance measures with regard to Village services and resources; preparing, modifying, tracking and monitoring Village expenses and transfers; and conducting budget-related research and analysis. Applicants are encouraged to visit the Village of Oak Park’s website http://www.oak-park. us/jobs. Interested and qualified applicants must complete a Village of Oak Park application.

PART-TIME SEASONAL OPPORTUNITY

The Riverside Department of Public Works is seeking energetic, responsible, and motivated applicants who enjoy working outdoors. This is a part-time, seasonal position lasting from approximately May through September. Applicants will be expected to work up to 40 hrs. per week or as scheduled by staff. Primary tasks will include, but not limited to: cutting grass, maintaining athletic fields, general facilities maintenance, flushing hydrants, reading water meters, installing water meters, assisting full-time employees, and other duties as assigned. Applicants must be 18 years old, possess a valid Illinois driver’s license and high school diploma or equivalent. Applicants will be subject to a criminal background check, pre-employment physical and drug/ alcohol screening. Applications can be downloaded from the Village website at www. riverside.il.us or picked up at the Riverside Village Hall located at 27 Riverside Rd, Riverside, IL 60546. Completed applications should be submitted to the Riverside Village Hall or the Riverside Public Works Department, 3860 Columbus Blvd, Riverside, IL 60546. Applications will be accepted until all positions are filled. Pay rate is $15/hr. The Village of Riverside is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

parents, and faculty/staff of a school. The role includes, but is not limited to, individual and group counseling with students; direct and indirect consultation with students and teachers; assessment, behavior planning and intervention implementation and monitoring; and universal screening/prevention of behavioral & social-emotional concerns. The School Social Worker hired for this

COVID-19 EPIDEMIOLOGIST

The Village of Oak Park is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Covid-19 Epidemiologist in the Public Health Department. This position will serve as a subject matter expert on communicable diseases of public health concern, including COVID-19. This position will work on the surveillance and investigation of infectious diseases and other public health threats; rapid response to disease outbreaks including assisting the community’s emergency preparedness and response team. Applicants are encouraged to visit the Village of Oak Park’s website http://www.oak-park. us/jobs. Interested and qualified applicants must complete a Village of Oak Park application. This position is open until filled.

ACCOUNTANT CLERK

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

PUBLIC HEALTH NURSE

The Village of Oak Park is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Public Health Nurse in the Health Department. This position will provide professional public health nursing services including health education and promotion which includes disseminating information, making referrals, and counseling as well as managing caseloads, and performing a variety of tasks relative to assigned area of responsibility. Applicants are encouraged to visit the Village of Oak Park’s website http:// www.oak-park.us/jobs. Interested and qualified applicants must complete a Village of Oak Park application. This position is open until filled with first review of apps 2/2/22.

SOFTWARE DEVELOPER VIGILANZ CORP. CHICAGO, IL

Responsible for developing and implementing real-time, clinical decision-support software for some of the most prestigious hospitals in the US. Requires bachelor’s degree plus 5 years of experience or master’s degree plus 2 years of experience in software development. Review job duties online and apply to employment @vigilanzcorp.com.

in development and implementation of MultiTiered Systems of Support (MtSS) social/ emotional interventions, and may provide some school-wide SEL programming and parent outreach. Interested candidates, please complete an online application at www.district90.org/about/employment

PARKING ENFORCEMENT OFFICER

The Village of Oak Park is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Parking Enforcement Officer in the Police Department Field Services Division. This position will perform a variety of duties and responsibilities involved in the enforcement of Village parking regulations; and to provide general information and assistance to the public. Applicants are encouraged to visit the Village of Oak Park’s website http://www.oakpark.us/. Interested and qualified applicants must complete a Village of Oak Park application.

SEASONAL FARMERS’ MARKET MANAGER

The Village of Oak Park is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Seasonal Farmers’ Market Manager in the Health Department. This position manages the Oak Park Farmer’s Market including the vendors that sell directly to the public within established guidelines. This is a part-time seasonal position with work from January-mid November and work required on Saturday’s from May through October. Applicants are encouraged to visit the Village of Oak Park’s website at http:// www.oak-park.us/jobs. Interested and qualified applicants must complete a Village of Oak Park application. Open until filled.

COMMUNITY SERVICE OFFICER

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

SANITARIAN

The Village of Oak Park is seeking qualiﬁed candidates for the position of Sanitarian in the Health Department. This position will perform a variety of duties including education and enforcement activities for the promotion and protection of the public health environment. Applicants are encouraged to visit the Village of Oak Park’s website http:// www.oakpark.us/jobs.

PART-TIME FORESTRY INTERN

The Riverside Department of Public Works is seeking energetic, responsible, and motivated applicants who enjoy working outdoors. This is a part-time, Forestry intern position lasting from approximately May through September. Applicants will be expected to work up to 40 hrs. per week or as scheduled by staff. Primary tasks will include monitoring of Village Trees for disease and insect issues, updating tree inventory records, maintaining woody and perennial plantings in parks and parkways, record keeping and administrational duties related to forestry operations, and assisting the Forester with various forestry related activities and ecological restoration. Applicants must be 18 years old, possess a valid Illinois driver’s license and high school diploma or equivalent. Course work and/or experience pertaining to urban forestry or a related ﬁeld are desirable for the position. Applicants will be subject to a criminal background check, pre-employment physical and drug/alcohol screening. Applications can be downloaded from the Village website at www.riverside. il.us or picked up at the Riverside Village Hall located at 27 Riverside Rd, Riverside, IL 60546. Completed applications should be submitted to the Riverside Village Hall or the Riverside Public Works Department, 3860 Columbus Blvd, Riverside, IL 60546. Applications will be accepted until all positions are ﬁlled. Pay rate is $15/hr. The Village of Riverside is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

POLICE RECORDS CLERK

The Village of Oak Park is seeking qualiﬁed candidates for the position of Police Records Clerk in the Police Department. This position will perform a wide variety of specialized clerical duties in support of the Police Department including processing and maintaining documents, correspondence and coding reports; and to provide information and assistance to the public. Applicants are encouraged to visit the Village of Oak Park’s website at http:// www.oak-park.us/jobs.

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Wednesday Journal, March 16, 2022

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PUBLIC NOTICES

PUBLIC NOTICE NOTICE TO BIDDERS Notice is hereby given by the President and Board of Trustees of the Village of Brookﬁeld, Illinois that bid proposals will be received for the following project:

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This project will include the replacement of concrete curb and gutter, sidewalks, driveway aprons, and drainage structures, pavement widening, installation of 1,100’ of 8” DIP water main, replacement of certain sections of combined sewers, milling and resurfacing certain pavements, pavement reconstruction, landscaping disturbed areas, and performing other related work.

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FREE ESTIMATES LICENSED, BONDED & INSURED

Sealed bids will be received up to the hour of 11:00 A.M. on Wednesday, the 30 th day of March, 2022, in the office of the Village Manager in the Village Hall located at 8820 Brookfield Avenue, Brookfield, Illinois. All sealed bids received will be publicly opened and read at 11:00 A.M. on the same day, Wednesday, the 30 th day of March, 2022, at the Village Hall.

CLASSICS WANTED CLASSICS WANTED Restored or Unrestored

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Electronic copies of bidding documents, consisting of the bid proposal, project specifications, and project plans are available from the Edwin Hancock Engineering Co., 9933 Roosevelt Road, Westchester, Illinois 60154. Bidding documents can be requested by emailing info@ ehancock.com . No bidding documents will be issued after 4:30 P.M. on Wednesday, the 23 rd day of March, 2022. All bidders wishing to obtain bidding documents must be approved by the Village prior to obtaining bidding documents. All bidders must provide proof that they are prequalified with the Illinois Department of Transportation to perform at least 40% of the value of the work before being issued bidding documents. A non-refundable fee of Thirty dollars ($30.00) will be required to obtain bidding documents. Proposals will only be accepted from bidders that have obtained bidding documents from the Edwin Hancock Engineering Company. All bid proposals offered must be accompanied by a bid bond, cashier’s check or certified check in an amount not less than Five Percent (5%) of the total amount of the bid, as a guarantee that if the bid proposal is accepted, a contract will be entered into and the performance of the contract properly secured. Checks shall be made payable to the Order of the President and Board of Trustees of the Village of Brookfield. No bid proposal shall be considered unless accompanied by such bid bond or check. Any bidder in doubt as to the true meaning of any part of the bidding documents may request an interpretation thereof from the Village. The bidder requesting the interpretation shall be responsible for its prompt delivery. At the request of the bidder, or in the event that the Village deems the interpretation to be substantive, the interpretation will be made by written addendum issued by the Village. In the event that a written addendum is issued, either as a result of a request for interpretation or the result of a change in the bidding documents issued by the Village, a copy of such addendum will be emailed to all prospective bidders. The Village will not assume responsibility for receipt of such addendum. In all cases it will be the bidders’ responsibility to obtain all addenda issued. The Contractor and Subcontractor shall comply with all regulations issued pursuant to Prevailing Wage Act (820 ILCS 130), and other applicable Federal Laws and regulations pertaining to labor standards. The Village of Brookfield reserves the rights to determine the lowest, responsive, responsible bidder, to waive irregularities, and to reject any or all bid proposals.

Published in RB Landmark March 16, 2022

PUBLIC NOTICE Public notice is hereby given that the Board of Education of Riverside School District 96 in Riverside, Illinois will receive sealed bids for: Roof Replacement and Building Envelope Project Copies of the Bid Documents including plans and specifications will be available starting March 16, 2022. Bidders can download electronic Drawings and Specifications from the BHFX Plan Room, www. bhfxplanroom.com. Printed sets may be ordered and paid for by the contractor. All bids offered must be accompanied by bid security in the form of certified check or bid bond made payable to the Owner in the amount of not less than ten percent (10%) of the amount of the aggregate of the bid as a guarantee that if the bid is accepted, a contract will be entered into and the performance of the contract properly secured. The successful bidder for the project is required to furnish Performance and Labor and Material Payment Bonds in an amount equal to one hundred percent (100%) of the bid amount, with sureties to be approved by the Owner, and in the form required by the Bidding Documents. The successful bidder is required to pay the general prevailing wage for work under this Contract as ascertained by the Illinois Department of Labor, and shall submit certified payroll records, in compliance with the Prevailing Wage Act (820 ILCS 130) and the requirements of the Bidding Documents. A pre-bid meeting will be held on March 21, 2022 at 10:00 AM at Riverside District Office at 3340 S. Harlem Ave. Riverside, IL 60546. A pre-bid site visit and walk through is scheduled for Bidders on March 22, 2022 at 3:00 PM beginning at Ames Elementary School, 86 Southcote Rd, Riverside, IL 60546. Bidders must allow sufficient time to register at the building prior to being permitted to proceed to the meeting location. Bids will be received until 1:00 PM, March 30, 2022, at the District office at 3440 S. Harlem Ave, Riverside, IL 60546. A public bid opening will take place afterwards at 1:30 PM, March 30, 2022 at the Hauser Middle School, 65 Woodside Road, Riverside, IL 60546 in the Hauser Auditorium. The Board of Education reserves the right to reject any or all bids or any part thereof. Published in RB Landmark March 16, 23, 2022

PUBLIC NOTICE OF COURT DATE FOR REQUEST FOR NAME CHANGE STATE OF ILLINOIS, CIRCUIT COURT COOK COUNTY. Request of Jessica Nero on behalf of Mason Lee Carter 2021CONC001688. There will be a court date on my Request to change the name of the minor child from: Mason Lee Carter to the new name of: Mason De’Andre Robinson The court date will be held: On April 18, 2022 at 9:30am via Zoom Video Conference Meeting ID: 963 3970 2551 Password: 395850 Call in # 312.626.6799 Published in Wednesday Journal March 9, 16, 23, 2022

PUBLIC NOTICES PUBLIC NOTICE Notice is hereby given, pursuant to “An Act in relation to the use of an Assumed Business Name in the conduct or transaction of Business in the State,” as amended, that a certiﬁcation was registered by the undersigned with the County Clerk of Cook County. Registration Number: Y22008743 on March 4, 2022 Under the Assumed Business Name of THE CARIOSCIO GROUP with the business located at: 7915 OAK AVENUE, RIVER FOREST, IL 60305. The true and real full name(s) and residence address of the owner(s)/partner(s) is: MIKE CARIOSCIO 7915 OAK AVENUE RIVER FOREST, IL 60305, USA Published in Wednesday Journal March 9, 16, 23, 2022

LEGAL NOTICE STATE OF ILLINOIS) COUNTY OF COOK )ss Circuit Court of Cook County, County Department, Domestic Relations Division. In re the marriage of YANET FLORES, Petitioner and RENE ALONSO OCAMPO-BENITEZ, Respondent, Case No. 2022D001624. The requisite affidavit for publication having been filed, notice is hereby given to you, the above named Respondent, that a Petition has been filed in the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois, by the Petitioner, for Dissolution of Marriage and for other relief; and that said suit is now pending. Now, therefore, unless you, the said Respondent, file your response to said Petition or otherwise make your appearance therein, in the Office of the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois, Room 802, Richard J. Daley Center, 50 West Washington Street, in the City of Chicago, Illinois, on or before April 8, 2022, default may be entered against you at any time after that day, and a judgment for Dissolution of Marriage entered in accordance with the prayer of said Petition. DOROTHY A. BROWN, Clerk. Published in Wednesday Journal March 9, 16, 23, 2022

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: Y22008741 on March 4, 2022 Under the Assumed Business Name of DIANA’S FINE THINGS with the business located at: 7512 W. MADISON ST., FOREST PARK, IL 60130. The true and real full name(s) and residence address of the owner(s)/ partner(s) is: CARLITOS PEREZ 4702 S KENNETH AVE CHICAGO, IL 60632, USA Published in Wednesday Journal March 16, 23, 30, 2022

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: Y22008769 on March 9, 2022 Under the Assumed Business Name of THIRD EYE VEWZ PUBLISHING with the business located at: 1115 NORTH LARAMIE AVENUE, CHICAGO, IL 60651. The true and real full name(s) and residence address of the owner(s)/partner(s) is: MARC N JOHNSON 1115 NORTH LARAMIE AVENUE, CHICAGO, IL 60651, USA. Published in Wednesday Journal March 16, 23, 30, 2022

Wednesday Journal, March 16, 2022

CLASSIFIED PUBLIC NOTICES

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

PUBLIC NOTICES

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING VILLAGE OF OAK PARK ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS HEARING DATE: April 6, 2022 TIME: 7:00 p.m. or as soon thereafter as the Agenda permits CALENDAR NUMBER: 09-22-Z APPLICATION: The Zoning Board of Appeals (“Board”) will conduct a public hearing on a special use permit application filed by the Applicant, Chetranda Grey, to operate a reception/banquet facility pursuant to Section 8.3 (“Table 8-1: Use Matrix) of the Oak Park Zoning Ordinance at the property located at 6435 North Avenue, Oak Park, Illinois, Property Index Numbers 16-06206-005-0000, 16-06-206-0060000, 16-06-206-007-0000, and 16-06-206-008-0000 in the NA North Avenue Zoning District. A copy of the application and applicable documents are on file and are available for inspection at Village Hall, Development Customer Services Department, 123 Madison Street, Oak Park, Illinois 60302, Monday through Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. The Board will conduct the public hearing remotely with live audio available and optional video. The hearing will be streamed live and archived online for on-demand viewing at www.oak-park.us/ commissiontv as well as cablecast on VOP-TV, which is available to Comcast subscribers on channel 6 and ATT U-Verse subscribers on channel 99. The remote public hearing is authorized pursuant to Section 7(e) of the Open Meetings Act. The Village President has determined that an in-person public hearing is not practical

PUBLIC NOTICES

Professional Mechanical Engineering Services for The Village of Oak Park North Fire Station Boiler System Replacement Project Bid Number: 22-103BM Issuance Date: 3/16/2022 Bid Due Date: 4/1/22 11:00 a.m. There will be a pre-bid meeting at the north fire station on Tuesday, March 22nd, 2022 at 9:00 a.m. Bid forms may be obtained by calling 708-358-5710 or by e-mailing vics@oak-park.us between the hours of 7:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. M-F. The Village of Oak Park reserves the right to issue proposal documents and specifications only to those contractors deemed qualified. No proposal documents will be issued after 4:00 p.m. on the working day preceding the date of proposal opening. THE VILLAGE OF OAK PARK Published in Wednesday Journal March 16, 2022

PUBLIC NOTICES

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

or prudent due to the COVID-19 outbreak during Governor JB Pritzker’s current disaster proclamation. It is also not feasible to have a person present at the public hearing due to public safety concerns related to the COVID-19 outbreak. All interested persons will be given an opportunity to be heard at the public hearing. Interested persons may provide written evidence, testimony and public comment on the application by email to Zoning@oak-park.us or by drop off in the Oak Park Payment Drop Box across from the main entrance to Village Hall, 123 Madison Street, Oak Park, Illinois, to be received no later than 5:00 p.m. on April 6, 2022. An individual’s name and their testimony or comment will be read aloud into the record at the public hearing if received no later than 30 minutes prior to the start of the public hearing. Interested persons may also sign up to participate in-person in the hearing to cross examine the applicant and its witnesses, present evidence, testimony or public comment by emailing Zoning@oak-park.us before 5:00 PM on the day prior to the public hearing. Individuals who sign up to participate in-person will receive an email from Village staff with information about how to join the hearing online through Zoom web-conference means or by phone. 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.

HEARING DATE: April 6, 2022 TIME: 7:00 p.m. or as soon thereafter as the Agenda permits CALENDAR NUMBER: 10-22-Z APPLICATION: The Zoning Board of Appeals (“Board”) will conduct a public hearing on an application filed by the Applicant, Compass Illinois, Inc., seeking a variance from Section 8.3 (Table 8-1: Use Matrix) of the Oak Park Zoning Ordinance which section prohibits office uses from being located within the first 50 feet of the street lot line at grade level or on the ground floor of any building within the DT-1 and DT-2 Sub-Districts of Downtown to allow Compass Realty (office use), a real estate brokerage firm, to occupy the ground floor within 50 feet of a street line at the premises commonly known as 803 Lake Street, Illinois, Property Index Number 1607-129-016-0000 in the DT Downtown Zoning District. A copy of the application and applicable documents are on file and are available for inspection at Village Hall, Development Customer Services Department, 123 Madison Street, Oak Park, Illinois 60302, Monday through Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. The Board will conduct the public hearing remotely with live audio available and optional video. The hearing will be streamed live and archived online for on-demand viewing at www.oak-park.us/commissiontv as well as cablecast on VOP-TV, which is available to Comcast subscribers on channel 6 and ATT U-Verse subscribers on channel 99. The remote public hearing is authorized pursuant to Section 7(e) of the Open Meetings

Published in Wednesday Journal, March 16, 2022

PUBLIC NOTICE The Village of Oak Park will receive bids from qualified mechanical engineering firms to design a new boiler system for the north fire station located at 212 Augusta in Oak Park, IL. Bids will be accepted at the Public Works Service Center, 201 South Boulevard, Oak Park, Illinois 60302, until 11:00 a.m. local time on Friday, April 1st, 2022.

Act. The Village President has determined that an in-person public hearing is not practical or prudent due to the COVID-19 outbreak during Governor JB Pritzker’s current disaster proclamation. It is also not feasible to have a person present at the public hearing due to public safety concerns related to the COVID-19 outbreak. All interested persons will be given an opportunity to be heard at the public hearing. Interested persons may provide written evidence, testimony and public comment on the application by email to Zoning@oak-park.us or by drop off in the Oak Park Payment Drop Box across from the entrance to Village Hall, 123 Madison Street, Oak Park, Illinois, to be received no later than 5:00 p.m. on April 6, 2022. An individual’s name and their testimony or comment will be read aloud into the record at the public hearing if received no later than 30 minutes prior to the start of the public hearing. Interested persons may also sign up to participate in-person in the hearing to cross examine the applicant and its witnesses, present evidence, testimony or public comment by emailing Zoning@oak-park.us before 5:00 PM on the day prior to the public hearing. Individuals who sign up to participate in-person will receive an email from Village staff with information about how to join the hearing online through Zoom web-conference means or by phone. 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 16, 2022

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING VILLAGE OF OAK PARK ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS HEARING DATE: April 6, 2022 TIME: 7:00 p.m. or as soon thereafter as the Agenda permits CALENDAR NUMBER: 08-22-Z APPLICATION: The Zoning Board of Appeals (“Board”) will conduct a public hearing on an application filed by the Applicant, Park District of Oak Park, seeking a variance from Section 9.3 (L) (2) (a) which requires that fences and walls located more than 35 feet from a front lot line cannot exceed eight (8’) feet in height, to construct a parking lot featuring a 12 foot wall at the rear of the property commonly known as 228-230 Madison Street, Illinois, Property Index Number 16-08320-018-0000 (“Subject Property”) and 16-08-320-017-000 (“Subject Property”) in the MS Madison Street Zoning District. A copy of the application and applicable documents are on file and are available for inspection at Village Hall, Development Customer Services Department, 123 Madison Street, Oak Park, Illinois 60302, Monday through Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.

The Board will conduct the public hearing remotely with live audio available and optional video. The hearing will be streamed live and archived online for on-demand viewing at www.oak-park.us/ commissiontv as well as cablecast on VOP-TV, which is available to Comcast subscribers on channel 6 and ATT U-Verse subscribers on channel 99. The remote public hearing is authorized pursuant to Section 7(e) of the Open Meetings Act. The Village President has determined that an in-person public hearing is not practical or prudent due to the COVID-19 outbreak during Governor JB Pritzker’s current disaster proclamation. It is also not feasible to have a person present at the public hearing due to public safety concerns related to the COVID-19 outbreak. All interested persons will be given an opportunity to be heard at the public hearing. Interested persons may provide written evidence, testimony and public comment on the application by email to Zoning@oak-park.us or by drop off in the Oak Park Payment Drop

Box across from the entrance to Village Hall, 123 Madison Street, Oak Park, Illinois, to be received no later than 5:00 p.m. on April 6, 2022. An individual’s name and their testimony or comment will be read aloud into the record at the public hearing if received no later than 30 minutes prior to the start of the public hearing. Interested persons may also sign up to participate in-person in the hearing to cross examine the applicant and its witnesses, present evidence, testimony or public comment by emailing Zoning@oak-park.us before 5:00 PM on the day prior to the public hearing. Individuals who sign up to participate in-person will receive an email from Village staff with information about how to join the hearing online through Zoom web-conference means or by phone. 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 16, 2022

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REAL ESTATE FOR SALE

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION MTGLQ INVESTORS, L.P. Plaintiff, -v.MARIA C. RIVERA Defendants 2019CH05114 1024 S RIDGELAND AVE OAK PARK, IL 60304 NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on January 17, 2020, an agent for The Judicial Sales Corporation, will at 10:30 AM on April 4, 2022, at The Judicial Sales Corporation, One South Wacker, 1st Floor Suite 35R, Chicago, IL, 60606, sell at a public sale to the highest bidder, as set forth below, the following described real estate: Commonly known as 1024 S RIDGELAND AVE, OAK PARK, IL 60304 Property Index No. 16-17-308-011-0000 The real estate is improved with a residence. Sale terms: 25% down of the highest bid by certified funds at the close of the sale payable to The Judicial Sales Corporation. No third party checks will be accepted. The balance, including the Judicial Sale fee for the Abandoned Residential Property Municipality Relief Fund, which is calculated on residential real estate at the rate of $1 for each $1,000 or fraction thereof of the amount paid by the purchaser not to exceed $300, in certified funds/or wire transfer, is due within twenty-four (24) hours. No fee shall be paid by the mortgagee acquiring the residential real estate pursuant to its credit bid at the sale or by any mortgagee, judgment creditor, or other lienor acquiring the residential real estate whose rights in and to the residential real estate arose prior to the sale. The subject property is subject to general real estate taxes, special assessments, or special taxes levied against said real estate and is offered for sale without any representation as to quality or quantity of title and without recourse to Plaintiff and in “AS IS” condition. The sale is further subject to confirmation by the court. Upon payment in full of the amount bid, the purchaser will receive a Certificate of Sale that will entitle the purchaser to a deed to the real estate after confirmation of the sale. The property will NOT be open for inspection and plaintiff makes no representation as to the condition of the property. Prospective bidders are admonished to check the court file to verify all information. If this property is a condominium unit, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale, other than a mortgagee, shall pay the assessments and the legal fees required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/9(g)(1) and (g)(4). If this property is a condominium unit which is part of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/18.5(g-1). IF YOU ARE THE MORTGAGOR (HOMEOWNER), YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN IN POSSESSION FOR 30 DAYS AFTER ENTRY OF AN ORDER OF POSSESSION, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 15-1701(C) OF THE ILLINOIS MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE LAW. You will need a photo identification issued by a government agency (driver’s license, passport, etc.) in order to gain entry into our building and the foreclosure sale room in Cook County and the same identification for sales held at other county venues where The Judicial Sales Corporation conducts foreclosure sales. For information, examine the court file, CODILIS & ASSOCIATES, P.C. Plaintiff’s Attorneys, 15W030 NORTH FRONTAGE ROAD, SUITE 100, BURR RIDGE, IL, 60527 (630) 794-9876 THE JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION One South Wacker Drive, 24th Floor, Chicago, IL 60606-4650 (312) 236SALE You can also visit The Judicial Sales Corporation at www.tjsc.com for a 7 day status report of pending sales. CODILIS & ASSOCIATES, P.C. 15W030 NORTH FRONTAGE ROAD, SUITE 100 BURR RIDGE IL, 60527

630-794-5300 E-Mail: pleadings@il.cslegal.com Attorney File No. 14-19-03763 Attorney ARDC No. 00468002 Attorney Code. 21762 Case Number: 2019CH05114 TJSC#: 42-797 NOTE: Pursuant to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, you are advised that Plaintiff’s attorney is deemed to be a debt collector attempting to collect a debt and any information obtained will be used for that purpose. Case # 2019CH05114 I3188285

Corporation. No third party checks will be accepted. The balance, including the Judicial Sale fee for the Abandoned Residential Property Municipality Relief Fund, which is calculated on residential real estate at the rate of $1 for each $1,000 or fraction thereof of the amount paid by the purchaser not to exceed $300, in certified funds/or wire transfer, is due within twenty-four (24) hours. No fee shall be paid by the mortgagee acquiring the residential real estate pursuant to its credit bid at the sale or by any mortgagee, judgment creditor, or other lienor acquiring the residential real estate whose rights in and to the residential real estate arose prior to the sale. The subject property is subject to general real estate taxes, special assessments, or special taxes levied against said real estate and is offered for sale without any representation as to quality or quantity of title and without recourse to Plaintiff and in “AS IS” condition. The sale is further subject to confirmation by the court. Upon payment in full of the amount bid, the purchaser will receive a Certificate of Sale that will entitle the purchaser to a deed to the real estate after confirmation of the sale. Where a sale of real estate is made to satisfy a lien prior to that of the United States, the United States shall have one year from the date of sale within which to redeem, except that with respect to a lien arising under the internal revenue laws the period shall be 120 days or the period allowable for redemption under State law, whichever is longer, and in any case in which, under the provisions of section 505 of the Housing Act of 1950, as amended (12 U.S.C. 1701k), and subsection (d) of section 3720 of title 38 of the United States Code, the right to redeem does not arise, there shall be no right of redemption. The property will NOT be open for inspection and plaintiff makes no representation as to the condition of the property. Prospective bidders are admonished to check the court file to verify all information. If this property is a condominium unit, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale, other than a mortgagee, shall pay the assessments and the legal fees required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/9(g)(1) and (g)(4). If this property is a condominium unit which is part of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/18.5(g-1). IF YOU ARE THE MORTGAGOR (HOMEOWNER), YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN IN POSSESSION FOR 30 DAYS AFTER ENTRY OF AN ORDER OF POSSESSION, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 15-1701(C) OF THE ILLINOIS MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE LAW. You will need a photo identification issued by a government agency (driver’s license, passport, etc.) in order to gain entry into our building and the foreclosure sale room in Cook County and the same identification for sales held at other county venues where The Judicial Sales Corporation conducts foreclosure sales. MCCALLA RAYMER LEIBERT PIERCE, LLC Plaintiff’s Attorneys, One North Dearborn Street, Suite 1200, Chicago, IL, 60602. Tel No. (312) 3469088. THE JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION One South Wacker Drive, 24th Floor, Chicago, IL 60606-4650 (312) 236SALE You can also visit The Judicial Sales Corporation at www.tjsc.com for a 7 day status report of pending sales. MCCALLA RAYMER LEIBERT PIERCE, LLC One North Dearborn Street, Suite 1200 Chicago IL, 60602 312-346-9088 E-Mail: pleadings@mccalla.com Attorney File No. 20-06827IL Attorney ARDC No. 61256 Attorney Code. 61256 Case Number: 21 CH 01381 TJSC#: 42-447 NOTE: Pursuant to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, you are advised that Plaintiff’s attorney is deemed to be a debt collector attempting to collect a debt and any information obtained will be used for that purpose. Case # 21 CH 01381 I3189602

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION WELLS FARGO BANK NA AS TRUSTEE FOR WAMU MORTGAGE PASS THROUGH CERTIFICATES SERIES 2005-PR1 TRUST; Plaintiff, vs. MARY WOLFE; JPMORGAN CHASE BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FKA WASHINGTON MUTUAL BANK, FA; CITY OF CHICAGO, A MUNICIPAL CORPORATION; UNKNOWN OWNERS AND NONRECORD CLAIMANTS; Defendants, 19 CH 10876 NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above entitled cause Intercounty Judicial Sales Corporation will on Tuesday, April 12, 2022 at the hour of 11 a.m. in their office at 120 West Madison Street, Suite 718A, Chicago, Illinois, sell at public auction to the highest bidder for cash, as set forth below, the following described mortgaged real estate: P.I.N. 16-17-331-015-0000. Commonly known as 1028 South Austin Boulevard, Oak Park, IL 60304. The mortgaged real estate is improved with a single family residence. If the subject mortgaged real estate is a unit of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by subsection (g-1) of Section 18.5 of the Condominium Property Act. Sale terms: 10% down by certified funds, balance, by certified funds, within 24 hours. No refunds. The property will NOT be open for inspection. For information call Sales Department at Plaintiff’s Attorney, Manley Deas Kochalski, LLC, One East Wacker Drive, Chicago, Illinois 60601. (614) 220-5611. 21-009135 F2 INTERCOUNTY JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION intercountyjudicialsales.com I3188797 IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION WILMINGTON SAVINGS FUND SOCIETY, FSB, NOT IN ITS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY BUT SOLELY AS OWNER TRUSTEE OF THE ASPEN G3 TRUST, A DELAWARE STATUTORY TRUST Plaintiff, -v.ERIC STARKS, JUSTIN STARKS, ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, UNKNOWN OWNERS AND NON-RECORD CLAIMANTS Defendants 21 CH 01381 464 LENOX STREET OAK PARK, IL 60302 NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on January 19, 2022, an agent for The Judicial Sales Corporation, will at 10:30 AM on April 20, 2022, at The Judicial Sales Corporation, One South Wacker, 1st Floor Suite 35R, Chicago, IL, 60606, sell at a public sale to the highest bidder, as set forth below, the following described real estate: Commonly known as 464 LENOX STREET, OAK PARK, IL 60302 Property Index No. 16-06-222-0180000 The real estate is improved with a brown brick, single family residence with no garage. Sale terms: 25% down of the highest bid by certified funds at the close of the sale payable to The Judicial Sales

Wednesday Journal, March 16, 2022

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