Wednesday Journal 032421

Support local community journalism Support democracy. Details on Page 35

W E D N E S D A Y

March 24, 2021 Vol. 41, No. 34 ONE DOLLAR @oakpark @wednesdayjournal

JOURNAL of Oak Park and River Forest

Official Election Notice Inside Page 43

Oak Park pledges support for community rec center Village government to contribute $400,000 to make building zero-emission

By STACEY SHERIDAN Staff Reporter

Mayor Anan Abu-Taleb has completely reversed his opposition to the Park District of Oak Park’s planned community recreation center. Abu-Taleb has repeatedly voiced his criticism of the project in the past but at Monday evening’s village board meeting he pledged his support for it. At that meeting the village board unanimously voted to contribute $400,000 from the village’s sustainability fund to make the center a zero-emissions building.

“I, for a long time, was not supportive of the community recreation center because I didn’t want the money to be coming from the taxpayers’ money,” the outgoing mayor said.

Abu-Taleb said he was “impressed” with the progress of fundraising in the public and private sectors and brought the project to the board table to “entertain the idea of the village collaborating on this project and help them get grants to make the building a zero-emission building.”

See REC CENTER on page 20

ALEX ROGALS/Staff Photographer

NURSING STUDENTS AT WORK: Austin resident Belinda Jones, left, receives her first dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine from Dominican University nursing student Alice Gecila on Sunday, during a mass vaccination for Austin residents at Catalyst Circle Rock School on Washington Blvd.

OPRF pulls back special ed redo School to gather more input then return to school board

By F. AMANDA TUGADE Contributing Reporter

The Special Education Department at Oak Park and River Forest High School

has postponed a series of planned staffing changes after the proposals prompted intense pushback from parents concerned that the adjustments might upend their children’s education.

Earlier this month, Special Education Director Shalema Francois-Blue sent an email to parents and guardians of stuSee SPECIAL ED on page 14

SUBSCRIBE! O N LY $ 4 1 A Y E A R !

@OakPark.com/subscribe • Enter “FREE MONTH” in comments for...you guessed it...a FREE month!

2

Wednesday Journal, March 24, 2021

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

Choose Trustee Candidates Who Will

ASSEMBLE THE BUILDING BLOCKS For the Future of Oak Park STEPHEN MORALES is a proud Puerto Rican and active leader in Oak Park with a deep knowledge about healthcare, finance, policy and entrepreneurship. He has volunteered his time on citizen commissions focused on the environment and affordable housing. He has board governance experience and brings business and engineering training from MIT and Duke.

Stephen believes that the next Village trustees will need discipline to keep our property tax levy increases at 3% and that in the near-term Oak Park needs to focus on ensuring a successful vaccine roll out.

www.stephenmorales4trustee.com RAVI PARAKKAT was named an Oak Park Villager of the Year for creating Takeout 25, a ground up movement that has saved local restaurants and jobs during the pandemic.

He serves Oak Park on the Energy & Environment Commission and the Climate Action Planning Team. An engineer and an MBA, Ravi is a forward thinking leader with board room experience, who has spent his career reducing household energy costs and increasing transparency in financial markets at state and national levels.

Ravi believes the strength of his ideas and the depth of his experiences can contribute to Oak Park’s sustainable and equitable economic recovery.

www.raviparakkat.com LUCIA ROBINSON has deep roots in our community. She received her undergraduate degree from Bryn Mawr College and earned her law degree from DePaul University. Lucia has led major financial institutions in creating and implementing legal and compliance protocols.

Lucia believes that Trustees should listen, then lead. As our trustee she will be accessible to residents, this will help her truly understand the issues effecting our neighbors. She believes that no one should feel ignored in our Village.

www.luciarobinson4trustee.com

S t e p h e n

MORALES

PUBLIC SAFETY

R a v i

PARAKKAT

FISCAL DISCIPLINE

Early Voting is Now at Village Hall

BOARD EXPERIENCE

Vote to

L u c i a

ROBINSON

INNOVATIVE IDEAS

Wednesday Journal, March 24, 2021

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

Abu-Taleb endorses Unite Oak Park slate

Does not make village president endorsement the village now faces,” his statement reads. “And without drama, political Staff Reporter slogan and sound bites.”

If elected, Robinson will be the Outgoing Oak Park village presi- only attorney on the village board. dent, Mayor Anan Abu-Taleb has Abu-Taleb called having an attorney given his endorsement to the Unite on the board “extremely helpful” Oak Park candidate slate for village when discussing policies and issues. trustee. Unite Oak Park’s Parakkat and Morales slate consists of Stephen received the mayor’s Morales, Lucia Robinson backing for their “comand Ravi Parakkat. mitment to public serHowever Abu-Taleb vice” by serving as did not endorse a candileaders in community date for Oak Park village organizations and sitting president. on citizen commission“Ravi, Stephen, and ers. Both Parakkat and Lucia have a clear vision Morales are members for change and a drive of the Environment and STEPHEN MORALES to move our community Energy Commission.

Oak Park Trustee candidate forward in the areas of Morales also chairs the racial equity, economic Community Developrecovery from the panment Citizen Advisory demic, environmental Committee. sustainability and the “These candidates recmany other issues vilognize that our village lage government must and its great people want address in the years to to live in a community come,” said Abu-Taleb in that is accepting of eva statement to Wedneseryone and welcoming day Journal. to everyone,” said AbuAbu-Taleb’s last year in Taleb. “I hope you will LUCIA ROBINSON office was characterized join me to vote for Ravi, Oak Park Trustee candidate by social isolation, ecoStephen and Lucia.” nomic turmoil and a globThe mayor has also al health crisis resulting endorsed Christina Wafrom the COVID-19 virus, ters for village clerk, as which he reflected upon well as Fred Arkin and in his statement: Tom Cofsky for District “Today some village 200 Oak Park and River board candidates critiForest High School and cize the village governincumbent Cathy Adduci ment as if we just got for River Forest village here without much work president. and sacrifice. As if the “She has been a great RAVI PARAKKAT pandemic never happublic servant. She is Oak Park Trustee candidate pened. Forgetting its ima gifted leader. She has pact on lives, its impact my support and admiraon small businesses, and our society, tion,” said Abu-Taleb of Adduci. and economy at large. Priorities had Notably absent from Abu-Taleb’s to be shifted, but a lot has been done endorsements were the two candiand much has been accomplished, dates running to fill the seat he is however there is so much more to be vacating – Village Clerk Vicki Scadone.” man and Cate Readling. However, Abu-Taleb said he trusts that Mo- he made clear his feelings regarding rales, Robinson and Parakkat will the latter candidate. help the village successfully over“Cate Readling has not shown the come the remaining obstacles pre- necessary grasp of municipal govsented by the pandemic. ernment and I would not recommend “We need village board members a vote for Cate,” said Abu-Taleb. that are committed to public service, “Above all, I will support the choice provide sound judgment, are willing of the voters whoever that may be. to compromise and have a good un- And I will do everything I can to help derstanding of the financial burden the voters’ choice succeed.”

By STACEY SHERIDAN

3

OPTA endorses 3 for D97 board Duffy, Ross Dribin, and Hurd Johnson get the union’s nod

By MICHAEL ROMAIN Staff Reporter

The Oak Park Teachers Association (OPTA), the union representing District 97 teachers, recently announced their endorsement for three candidates running for the three open seats on the D97 school board on April 6.

The candidates who got the JEREMY DUFFY OPTA endorsement are: Jeremy D97 candidate Duffy, an education attorney who works as the Title IX and nondiscrimination coordinator for Waukegan Public Schools; Nancy Ross Dribin, a former research analyst and member of D97’s iLearn Committee and the Beye PTO; and Venus Hurd Johnson, a sales account executive, who is also active in DivCo and the PTO Council.

“The Oak Park Teachers Association believes

NANCY ROSS DRIBIN D97 candidate

VENUS HURD JOHNSON D97 candidate

these candidates are needed to continue to move District 97 forward. The OPTA values diverse programming, a [holistic] approach to education, and a commitment to excellence,” the union said in a statement. “We have identified candidates with a clear vision for our district and alignment to our core beliefs.”

CONTACT: michael@oakpark.com

Oak Park lowers ticket fines A win for outgoing Mayor Anan Abu-Taleb

By STACEY SHERIDAN Staff Reporter

During the course of his tenure, Mayor Anan Abu-Taleb has had a well-known goal to relax the fee structure regarding unpaid tickets for minor parking violations. Now as he reaches the end of his term, Abu-Taleb can leave office knowing that goal has been met.

“It’s low-hanging fruit for people who need help. Let’s get it done,” Abu-Taleb told the board during a March 15 village board meeting.

The discussion led to a unanimous vote from the board to decrease the late fee from $30 to $10 for certain parking tickets that have not been paid after 14 days of issuance, as well as designating a $20 fine for tickets not paid after adjudication rulings.

“I pay my tickets on time, and I’m sure that most of you do, but there’s a lot of people out there that they end up paying $116 for a ticket,” said AbuTaleb. “That’s a lot of money for a young person.”

Abu-Taleb told the board that parking ticket fees should not be viewed as a revenue source but as a method to bring people into compliance.

His stance garnered the gratitude of Trustee Arti Walker-Peddakotla – a rare occurrence as the two are often at odds with each other during village board discussion.

“I really appreciate you, kind of, laying it out like that,” said Walker-Peddakotla.

“And I agree with you.”

Abu-Taleb responded in kind, saying, “Arti, I appreciate you agreeing with me.”

The new fee structure applies to a variety of parking violations, such as overdue parking meters on and off streets, pay by space on and off streets, failure to set meters and failure to observe limited parking times.

Other parking violations subject to the new fee structure include double parking, parking within 15 feet of a fire hydrant, parking on private property without the consent of the owner, parking under a viaduct.

The $10 fee will also apply to unpaid tickets issued for parking without a permit in permit-designated areas and in prohibited or restricted parking areas, as well as parking in violation of cab, bus and loading zones and in violation of emergency snow parking requirements.

4

Wednesday Journal, March 24, 2021

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

Fighting COVID with kefir

K

is available on Amazon for efir is like yogurt, around $10, and from that frequently made from bag you can generate dozens cultured milk. Yogurt, of batches of kefir. Just add however, is made by the grains to milk, let it sit fermenting bacteria; around the kitchen for 1-2 kefir is made by fermenting days, and you have kefir. You bacteria and yeast. can then reuse a half-cup of We’ve been enjoying kefir every batch of kefir to genersince the ’70s. Since the ate more. pandemic began, I’ve been The advantages of making putting a cup or so of kefir in your own kefir are that it my morning smoothies. costs less than store-bought, Kefir has traditionally been is every bit as good as storemade from milk, and it seems Local Dining bought, and if you plan with to have started in what is now just a little care, you won’t Russia; it has since spread & Food Blogger need to make extra trips to throughout Europe, Asia, and the store (and that’s a benefit the world. The name comes whether or not there’s a plague happenfrom a Turkish word meaning “good ing). feeling,” and drinking kefir does, indeed, Milk kefir, pound for pound, contains help you feel good about facing the day. more protein than an egg, and some of It is important to human health for the health benefits claimed for kefir are several reasons. One of kefir’s main that it’s anti-inflammatory, an antioxibenefits is that it contains probiotics, the dant and anti-carcinogenic. It is also belive micro-organisms that promote inteslieved to lower cholesterol and it tastes tinal flora and help support the immune good, slightly sour, creamy, and as sweet system. Kefir, like fermented products as the fruit you put in it. including pickles and kimchee, promotes Here’s the thing, though: There has not gut health and immune response. been a lot of research on which probiotIn the era of COVID, maintaining ics are responsible for which healthful immunity is more important than ever, benefits. So it might be wise to drink so we’ve been going through the kefir rather quickly. Sometimes we’ve gone to kefirs produced from different sources, the grocery store primarily to pick up just to ensure you’re getting a balanced kefir — and, yes, it is ironic that we go diet of micronutrients. to a place where we could catch COVID We’ve been making most of our kefir to get the kefir that helps the body fight from milk, but now we’ve started also COVID. using coconut water, which yields a kefir So a few months ago, we decided to that is much thinner than milk kefir and avoid grocery stores altogether and make has a slightly salty, almost grassy flavor our own kefir, which turns out to be profile. The coconut water kefir contains extremely easy. different probiotics than the milk kefir, To start the kefir culture, you put kefir so drinking it is a way of ensuring that grains into milk (we buy gallons of milk we get more of the probiotics we need in advance and freeze it until we need for gut health and, thus, increased imit). Kefir grains are inexpensive: a bag munity to COVID. We’re also experimenting with nut milks, like the “Better than Milk” brand of almond milk, which is dairy free and good for people (like me) who are watching their cholesterol. Nut milks seem to create a more liquid kefir, which is better for smoothies.

With vaccinations on the way, and as the village and the nation move toward full recovery, I’m going to continue drinking kefir every morning.

It’s an easy safety step to take, it makes my smoothie smoother, helps PHOTO BY DAVID HAMMIND protect the body from PRO-BIOTIC: Regular milk kefir in front, experimental infection … and, not incicoconut water kefir in back. dentally, it tastes good.

BIG WEEK March 24-31

DAVID

HAMMOND

Nat Turner in Jerusalem

by Nathan Alan Davis Directed by Mignon McPherson Stewart March 27, 7 p.m.

Oak Park Festival Theatre More info at oakparkfestival.com

Music & Potlucks Spring BreakCelebration Wednesday, March 24, 7 p.m., Zoom This community organization’s 4th anniversary celebration includes songs, stories and spoken word reflecting on the origin and evolution of Music & Potlucks. The evening includes: Mark Dvorak performing new songs and reading from his upcoming book 31 Winters: Teaching Folk Music by Heart. $20; $10, student, senior, discounted. Sales support Music & Potlucks community arts initiative. Tickets/more: musicandpotlucks.org.

Fleetwood Mac: The Chain … Broken

Wednesday, March 24, 2 to 3 p.m., Zoom Oak Park Public Library

Through interview and performance footage, trace the band’s career with a focus on its blockbuster album Rumours and the band’s classic lineup of Stevie Nicks, Lindsay Buckingham, Christine McVie, John McVie, and Mick Fleetwood. Register: oppl.org/calendar

Ebony Elizabeth Thomas (left) and Renee Watson.

Fantastic Black Girlhoods

Dominican University’s School of Information Studies will present a conversation between authors Ebony Elizabeth Thomas and Renee Watson titled “Fantastic Black Girlhoods” on Thursday, March 29. The free virtual lecture will be held at 6 p.m. Register to receive a Zoom link for the program.

Carrie Newcomer Virtual Concert Sunday, March 28, 5 p.m.

Join Carrie Newcomer, Gary Walters and Allie Summers for an evening of music.

Visit Dominican University Performing Arts Center for tickets.

It’s Our Future Seven Generations Ahead presents a village of River Forest President and Trustees Candidates Zoom Forum on Sustainability.

Wednesday, March 24, 6:30 to 8 p.m.

Register in advance for this meeting: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJcufuyrrDgiEtJD2kMtJF5LGX_fAOZon4zB After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

Wednesday Journal, March 24, 2021

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

ART BEAT

‘The Middle’ gets to the heart of students’ lived experience By mO SANTIAGO

I

Guest Author/Editor

am the Spoken Word Teaching Artist for the Oak Park Education Foundation (OPEF), writing with the sixth-, seventhand eighth-graders at Brooks and Julian middle schools. In the classroom we honor the many experiences everyone has and spotlight those stories through poetry.

The Middle is a magical manifestation of writing and stories, a collective effort of my Spoken Word students, my team, a lot of late nights editing poems, and the community that supports Spoken Word. This program has grown so much within the district and especially in the middle schools from the three-day residency to five, the club and now this book. The Middle was a pipe dream of mine that became this mountainous project, thanks to the support of my director, my fellow teachers, and the students who made it possible. I credit the students as the main source because without their stories and willingness to share, this dream would’ve stayed as just that.

You’ll read a lot of different poems in The Middle and you’ll connect with so many stories and experiences, which is what poetry is all about. Often we are told young people do not know so much or have not experienced things and that is simply not true. I myself underestimated what my students would be writing about and what stories they would have to tell and I think a lot of that stemmed from my own experience as a middle-schooler. I remember being 12 and 13 and feeling so much and going through different things like heartbreak and moving and anxiety and happiness and change and joy, but there wasn’t a good time to talk about those things. Nor did I feel I had the space to do so.

I wanted to showcase what I was hearing in the classroom and provide an opportunity to these young writers that I wish I had.

I wanted to do what had been done for me when I was in Spoken Word Club in high school: At the end of every year they collect the poems from all three showcases and create a chapbook. They published and praised and acknowledged the work and the writing we did and it was the first time we were being published. At least for me it was. And that’s an amazing opportunity to have your work out, to be seen and to be

heard. Now this book and this program are all about that. It’s really important to me that my students feel heard and that they feel like someone’s listening; actively listening to them, not just that they are speaking and there’s another person in the room, but that this person is taking an interest in what they are saying.

I think it’s important to listen to one another, to offer space to speak your truth. I hope this book did that for the students.

A lot of them shared their stories with all of you, but it is important to know that a lot of them did not. Amongst all the things that got lost in COVID, Spoken Word was one of them. The Middle is not complete; it is missing the entirety of the sixth-grade poems from the Brooks Middle School students.

Those poets put in just as much effort and time as every other writer did last year and I would like to take a moment to acknowledge them and honor them here — thank you.

The Middle took so much more than I thought and I realize now that the people who made my high school experience so wonderful made it look easy. It wasn’t just collecting poems and putting them in a book and there we go, let’s print. It was the teaching and the writing and the teamwork of countless teachers, folks from OPEF, parents and students and a lot of hours. This book is so much more than a collection of poems; it is the time, effort and experiences of the poets. It is truly one of the most beautiful things I will ever get to be a part of.

OPEF teaching artist mo Santiago is a poet and self-studying photographer from Chicago.

Their personal writing centers around their life as a survivor of sexual assault, their experience with heartbreak, and growing up in a Puerto Rican and Irish household. Through their online gallery, Ghoul Gang, artists submit work about the harassment and oversexualization experienced in everyday lives.

Ghoul is a community project that also hosts resources for those seeking counseling, organizations that support mental and emotional well-being, and artists “just like us.” Santiago says, “I believe it’s OK to be uncomfortable and I hope my work brings that out in people so we may further these conversations and normalize them.”

To read “The Middle,” learn more about Spoken Word and see virtual poetry slams, go to: https://www.opef.org/programs/spokenword/

5

6

Wednesday Journal, March 24, 2021

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

Adduci and Henek face off in Journal-hosted RF prez forum Issues range from affordable housing to Lake and Lathrop

By MARIA MAXHAM Staff Reporter

Current River Forest village president Cathy Adduci faced off against village trustee Patty Henek in a Wednesday Journal-hosted Zoom forum between the two village president candidates on March 17.

Topics ranged from affordable housing to the state of the police department to Lake and Lathrop.

Affordable housing

CATHY ADDUCI

River Forest village president

PATTY HENEK

Village president candidate

Adduci described the current affordable housing plan and its origins. The seven Substantive opportunities to collaborate members of the Plan Commission, she said, with Maywood “did a phenomenal job of discussing the opAdduci said she and the village in general portunities that our community has.” After several meetings, they put together a report, are excited about the Twin City Covenant which, said Adduci, is “open and transpar- with Maywood. When Maywood’s Trustee ent,” available on the village website, and Miguel Jones brought up the idea, it didn’t take long to agree to the partnership. But includes six strong recommendations.

The ordinance, she said, has language in- Adduci said there is more the village can do dicating the goal is to “meet or exceed” the to honor the covenant.

“There are aspirational things in the cov10 percent affordable housing stock required enant but opportunities to by state law. Future plans make it more concrete,” over the next three to Adduci said, such as a five years include lookcombined Memorial Day ing at ways to increase parade, sharing of equipaffordable housing stock ment between villages, on part by removing or and potentially combinchanging Zoning Board ing public works buildrules regarding auxilings. iary dwelling units.

All democracy is local “The Maywood CovHenek, however, reenant is really what consponded that the original firmed my decision to stay plan presented to the Plan Commission was one written in 2004 for Wil- on the board, and most importantly, to run mette, not in 2020 for River Forest, so even for village president,” said Henek. Her worthe basis for the plan commission’s discus- ry with the covenant is that it will become a list, a series of items to be checked off. sions and plans were flawed.

“I don’t want to see the covenant as five She added that accessory dwelling units “won’t be the silver bullet to our problem,” items, and we check them off, and we’re since, mostly located on the second floor, done,” Henek said. such as coach houses, they won’t be ideal for seniors or individuals with disabilities.

Term limits Her path forward with affordable housHenek said she thinks “it’s healthy to have ing, said Henek, would be to hire an expert on the topic who can address the challenges term limits.” A person can become too comof the village being landlocked to present fortable in a position, she said, “and kind of creative ideas and financing, such as zoning lose that new vision, that way of thinking … code breaks or tax incentives, that would in- they get used to doing things the same way and aren’t open to new ideas.” volve the community on a broader level.

Adduci said democracy is about choice.

In terms of mandatory inclusionary housing, Henek said she supports it because it’s “I think people should run as many times unreasonable to think a developer will come as they feel. And if they perform, then they in and decide to do it without being forced should get reelected. If they don’t perform, to. “I think it’s something we need we need they don’t.” to explore because I don’t believe that a developer is going to come in and just take the Transparency opportunity to put in affordable housing.”

Adduci pointed out several ways the vilAdduci said the plan commission has discussed mandatory inclusionary hous- lage has become more transparent since ing and has decided it’s not a good option she’s been in office, starting with a comfor River Forest for several reasons, namely pletely redesigned website about eight that there are only one or two new develop- years ago. The former website, she said, was poorly designed and made it difficult to find ments every 10 years.

information.

Secondly, she said she started an e-newsletter that is regularly sent to residents. The newsletter contains information about current goings-on in the village and has been sent out weekly during the COVID-crisis, said Adduci.

Third, said Adduci, she opened up communication regarding the village boards and commissions. Eight years ago, she said, there was no application or even description of the boards and commissions. The website didn’t have a list of members. Now, though, there is a letter online inviting residents to apply, as well as the application and the names of everyone on the boards.

Henek acknowledged improvements in transparency, such as the website. But she said that although the e-newsletter is a good source of information, her concern is that it may be overused, or sent too often. “If we get too many emails, it starts to lose its importance level,” Henek said.

Henek said she’d like to see more transparency regarding seats on boards and commissions, with better advertising of when positions are available. During another part of the forum, Henek said, “I also believe we need broader representation on our boards that don’t come from the same tight friend group.”

Definition of equity, and whether red light cameras are an equity issue “I would define equity as providing resources,” said Henek. “Not necessarily the exact same, but what people need, allowing enough resources for people to have a fair chance of outcomes and success. And so that may not look the same for everybody.”

“Equity in my mind is the fair and respectful treatment of all people,” said Adduci. “And I believe that that is what we always strive for in River Forest, is to treat people from a social justice standpoint, equal under the law.”

The idea of red light cameras, said Henek, is “something I’ve never really loved.” A revenue line item on the budget, it would take discussions before removing them completely, she acknowledged. What Henek said she objected to, though, was a new contract brought up for vote in the middle of June, during the height of racial unrest in the nation and when the village needed to “look at things through a different lens.”

Henek said she submitted a number of questions to help inform her decision on the contract. How many tickets are issued, and after going through the adjudication process, how many get dismissed? Are there two groups of people getting tickets, one which is able to pay it right away just to avoid the problem, and another who can’t afford it, and gets a second notice before the fee goes to a collection agency, impact-

ing that person’s credit report? Do red light cameras really change behavior or are there repeat offenders? Without answers to these and other questions, said Henek, she voted against the five-year contract for red light cameras.

Adduci said, “Red light cameras are an enforcement tool” that help with safety issues, preventing accidents and ensuring people abide by the law.

“I don’t believe that the vendors are actually looking at the socio-economic profile of the people driving,” Adduci said. “So it’s based on breaking the law.”

Adduci added that someone with a ticket can appear before the judge, who has discretion to hand down a fine or work out a payment plan if money is an issue.

Hiring a new village administrator Henek said the new village administrator should be someone who values transparency and inclusivity, is personable, understands the community dynamics and is experienced in financial management of a municipality.

“But I think in this current climate where we’re, you know, starting with these diversity initiatives … and since our Diversity Committee is going to be co-chaired by the village administrator, I would want to look for a candidate who has done work in this area, or who has experience in this area, because I do think it’s, it’s going to be very important that we have somebody who is comfortable with these conversations and comfortable with being uncomfortable in these conversations,” Henek said.

Adduci agreed that the new village administrator should be well versed in equity and inclusion and be intentionally engaged in related work.

“This appointment will probably be one of the most important appointments that our village will make in the next year for sure,” Adduci said, and stated that the candidate must have a deep understanding of many different areas, including zoning, planning, finance and government, as well as having good interpersonal and communication skills.

She mentioned her experience in the hiring process of former administrator Eric Palm, and said the village has a great internal candidate in Lisa Scheiner, former assistant to Palm and currently filling in as interim village administrator.

Turnover in police department Adduci said officers leaving the department to work in a different village or town is a phenomenon happening currently in all police departments, not just River Forest.

“Our officers love working in River ForSee FORUM on page 11

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

Colin Fane, Agent

Popular Beye teacher to keep his job

212 S Marion Street Fl G Oak Park, IL 60302 Bus: 708-383-3163 www.colinfane.com Monday & Friday 9am-5pm Despite administration’s Tues/Wed/Thurs recommendation, board only votes 9am-7pm to suspend Patrick McAndrew without pay Saturday 9am-12pm

nity members. There were at least two demBy MICHAEL ROMAIN onstrations held this month in support of Staff Reporter McAndrew and hundreds of people emailed During a special meeting held Friday the D97 school board to express their support morning on Zoom, the District 97 school for the Golden Apple Award-winning teacher.

Dan Burke, who served as a D97 school board decided not to take up the administration’s recommendation to terminate popular board member from 2003 to 2007, said McAnBeye fifth-grade teacher Patrick McAndrew; drew taught one of his children. McAndrew also helped facilitate the elemeninstead, voting 6-1 to suspend tary theater program at Beye.

McAndrew without pay.

“He created a love of theater Citing personnel privacy conin kids that carried on with cerns, district officials have not them when they went to Julian,” disclosed the alleged infraction said Burke, who wrote a letter to for which McAndrew is being Wednesday Journal in support disciplined. Board member Kathof McAndrew. “I also knew him erine Murray-Liebl voted against as a board member. He was just a the motion to suspend McAndrew. notable teacher for how strongly According to district docuhe was revered by parents and ments obtained by Wednesday students.”

Journal, the administration recPATRICK MCANDREW At a demonstration outside of ommended McAndrew be termiState Farm D97 headquarters on March 12, nated for failing to notify Beye Bloomington, IL Principal Jennifer Schemidt of his plans to Ariel Schick, whose daughter is in McAn2001290 travel to Nepal for a 10-day family visit in drew’s class, stood among roughly four dozen January and for fraudulently submitting two protestors to voice her concerns about how the Golden Apple Award-winning teacher’s paid sick leave requests.

The district also alleged that McAndrew absence has affected her child.

“This has affected my daughter’s mental was being insubordinate and untruthful during the administration’s investigation into wellbeing,” Schick said. “During remote learning he’s super-theatrical and cares the matter, according to the documents.

McAndrew has been on paid administra- about each child. And even in that environtive leave since early February, sources close ment, he’s been super successful. So they to the matter say. According to multiple par- were really excited for him to be in-person ents interviewed, McAndrew’s fifth-grade and he’s just been missing and they’ve been class has seen at least three substitute teach- told nothing.

“This has created so much anxiety among ers since his absence, with the district providing little communication to families about so many of the kids. My daughter has stomMcAndrew’s absence, parents and students ach aches before she goes to school now and her math scores have plummeted and they’ve said.

McAndrew’s absence and possible termi- had three substitutes this trimester.” nation prompted an outpouring of support CONTACT: michael@oakpark.com from parents, students, teachers and commu-

Wednesday Journal, March 24, 2021

Here’s the deal. The right insurance should help you feel confident and comfortable.

I’m the right good neighbor for that.

Right Right coverage. coverage.

Call me today.

7

Right Right price. price.

Right Like a good neighbor, Right here here in in town. town.

State Farm is there.® Colin Fane, Agent Colin Fane, Agent 212 S Marion Street Fl G

212 SPark, Marion Street Fl G Oak IL 60302 Oak708-383-3163 Park, IL 60302 Bus: Bus: 708-383-3163 www.colinfane.com www.colinfane.com Monday & Friday 9am-5pm Monday & Friday 9am-7pm 9am-5pm Tues/Wed/Thurs Tues/Wed/Thurs 9am-7pm Saturday 9am-12pm Saturday 9am-12pm

Here’s the deal. The right insurance should Here’s the deal. The right insurance should help you feel confident and comfortable. help you feel confident and comfortable.

I’m the right good neighbor for that.

I’m the right good neighbor for that.

Call me today.

Call me today.

Like a good neighbor, Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there.®® State Farm is there.

State Farm Bloomington, IL 2001290

Bring Home a Taste of Some of your Favorite Moments

RibFest Every Day! Mickey’s is the place!

Mickey’s Rib Special 1/2 Slab Dinner Full Slab Dinner B.B.Q. RIBS & CHICKEN BURGERS & HOT DOGS

$11.99

$17.99

includes fries or baked potato, coleslaw and garlic bread

525 N Harlem Ave, Oak Park (708) 848-3333 11am - 9pm Daily

3 Vienna Hot Dogs w/ Fries $ .49

8

Italian Beef Sandwich w/ Fries $ .49

8

Wednesday

Gyros Plate Dinner 1 lb meat, 2 pita breads, fries & 3 cups sauce $10.99

Every day Special!

Gyros with fries $7.99

1/4 Lb Double Cheeseburger

Big Mickey! $ .99

2

8

Wednesday Journal, March 24, 2021

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

Anonymous anti-defund video rejected by all trustee hopefuls Candidates object to messaging, use of images without consent

By STACEY SHERIDAN Staff Reporter

Early voting for the April 6 municipal election began March 22 at Oak Park Village Hall, but an anonymous campaign video and website has raised spurious claims regarding the ballot’s advisory defunding police referendum. Both the candidates endorsed in the video and those attacked in the video have denounced it.

Under the domain name votenotodefund. com and registered by an anonymous person or persons, the website is urging people to vote no on the referendum question: “Shall the village of Oak Park defund its police department?”

The website has endorsed trustee candidates Ravi Parakkat, Stephen Morales and Lucia Robinson without their consent or prior knowledge, implying that the candidates are against police reform. The Wednesday Journal website briefly displayed an advertisement promoting those three candidates that contained a link to the website. The ad was placed by Judith Alexander, a local ad-

vocate for business development on North and Buchanan seconded it.

The video mentions the community activAvenue. Wednesday Journal pulled the ad quickly after viewing the anonymous link to ist group Freedom to Thrive Oak Park for its abolitionist reading club and for mobia video on the site.

The website also urges people not to vote lizing what the narrator called a campaign for Juanta Griffin, Chibuike Enyia and An- to reduce the police department. The only thony Clark – the three Black trustee candi- campaign Freedom to Thrive’s website prodates, insinuating without credible evidence motes is a letter writing one, sharing a template email available for that they are in favor of residents to send to village defunding police. board members.

With a focus on fearThe video’s most egremongering, the webgious bit of electioneering site’s sensationalistic comes toward its end, with video shows crime stathe narrator telling viewtistics rising without ers that, with the three context and without crediting the source of open trustee seats, the All democracy is local the information. It also village board could have shows reporting from enough votes to pass a new newspaper outlets on the defund police move- defunding resolution. The narrator finishes ment, while making implications that voting off the video pressing people to vote for Paraagainst the referendum would have dire con- kkat, Morales and Robinson over Griffin, sequences for public safety.

Enyia and Clark.

“There is a well-organized effort to defund Parakkat, Morales and Robinson posted the police department,” the nondescript statements March 15 to their individual Facevideo narrator states before referencing last book campaign pages disavowing the website August’s failed resolution to defund police, and denying having any affiliation with it. calling out by name sitting village board Each independently shared the same sentitrustees Arti Walker-Peddakotla and Susan ments with Wednesday Journal.

Buchanan for voting in favor of defunding.

“We were completely shocked to see it,” Walker-Peddakotla sponsored the resolution said Robinson. “I had nothing to do with it. I

We are building an Oak Park for

ALL OF US

CATE FOR OAK PARK VILLAGE PRESIDENT

Learn more about Cate at CateForOakPark.org ISSUES

know they didn’t either.”

While she understands that running for elected office makes her campaign and its photos a part of the public sphere, she was unhappy the website used her likeness and her platform in that way.

“I don’t like the use of those things without my permission, without my authorization for a very specific, very targeted message that I really, I had no input on,” she said. “I’d have to say I don’t like it. And I’m definitely not comfortable with it at all.”

Upon learning of the website, Morales told Wednesday Journal he immediately moved to inform people that he would never utilize such a political tactic.

“That’s something that would never have come out of a campaign that I would ever try to run,” said Morales.

Morales wants to work with the police chief and the community to address crime rates. A board member of Thrive Counseling Center, Morales also believes it important that future policing models have mental health components.

Parakkat believes policing needs to be reimagined, with active participation from both the community and the police, and clearly specified and independently verifiable success criteria. He stated he had “absolutely See ANTI-DEFUND on page 11

A vote for Cate Readling for Oak Park Village President on April 6, 2021 is a vote for...

I N C LU S I O N

Cate will use her experience championing equity and justice issues to create opportunities for all community members to engage with the Village government and have a voice in our shared future.

She is a listener who examines everything through a lens of equity and inclusion. She is raising her four boys to believe that kindness comes first, that listening is the first step toward solutions, that empathy is the key to growth and the way she will lead.

C O LL A B O R ATI O N

As Village President, Cate will be a catalyst, a facilitator, who can work collaboratively with intention and transparency. She will use participatory budgeting to include everyone in the budgeting and decision-making process.

TR A N S PA R E N C Y

Cate is committed to consistent and transparent engagement with the community.

She will create opportunities for all community members to engage with local government and to have a voice in our shared future. Cate will have constructive partnerships with people elected to office and community organizations. Secret alliances and deals made behind closed doors will end. She will prioritize policies and projects that consider the community’s needs, goals, and opportunities first.

PAID FOR BY CATE FOR THE COMMUNITY, PO Box 534, Oak Park, IL 60303, contact@catereadling.org, (773) 726-0781

Wednesday Journal, March 24, 2021

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

Oak Park possibly eligible for up to $41 million in relief Under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021

By STACEY SHERIDAN Staff Reporter

As River Forest plans to receive $1.3 million from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, the village of Oak Park could receive considerably more federal aid money.

“Under the broadest interpretation of the American Rescue Plan, Oak Park could be eligible for up to $41 million in relief,” said Oak Park spokesman David Powers.

Keep hopes and expectations in check though, as the village views the possibility of receiving such a large amount of stimulus funds with healthy skepticism.

“Many criteria will determine funding eligibility and we are not confident that the numbers being shared in new reports accurately reflects how much individual communities may actually receive,” Powers told Wednesday Journal.

The village’s understanding is that the federal government intends for the money to be

used to provide relief from economic damage triggered by COVID-19, instead of long-standing municipal funding issues from before the pandemic, according to Powers.

Powers told Wednesday Journal the village hopes the federal government will provide enough to address potential deficits so as to avoid having to tap into the village’s fund balances.

“The village has lost more than $3.5 million in parking revenues from the garages and waived permit fees. Just recouping these losses would be a major victory,” said Powers.

The village of Oak Park is also tracking closely all of the costs associated with managing the impacts of the pandemic, including more than 30 vaccination clinics to date and will aggressively seek reimbursement, according to Powers.

Powers told Wednesday Journal the village of Oak Park’s chief financial officer Steve Drazner will be participating in an upcoming webinar for eligible communities that will detail when Oak Park can apply for the relief funds and how to do so.

“We will await the details before counting the money,” said Powers.

9

Visit facebook.com/Val4OPTT

Meet the

SOUP FAIRY

For years, Valerie Lester delivered for the Township’s Senior Meals Program.

Last year, she added bringing soup to homebound neighbors. She delivered 4,000 meals last year and is up to a dozen “Soup Fairy Friends”.

Val is one of those rare local candidates who spends her time out and about with the people that the Township helps. She sees and hears what’s needed in Oak Park, not from consultants or reports but firsthand.

Valerie Lester for Township Trustee

Paid for by Lester for Township Trustee

River Forest to receive $1.3M Educator. Education Lawyer.

Trusted Advisor.

Educator.

Education Lawyer. Trus from American Rescue Plan Educator. Education Lawyer. Trusted A

enue due to the pandemic.” Educator. Education Lawyer. Trusted Adviso Funds distributed for “These vital funds will help to put us in a position to be able to hold the line on future pandemic-related costs and taxes,”Education Educator.

Lawyer.

Trusted Advisor. said President Cathy Adduci.

“These funds will allow the village to provide our www.jeremyforoakpark.com revenue loss small businesses with relief due to the ongoing pandemic.” www.jeremyforoakpark.com

By MARIA MAXHAM Discussions with the business commuwww.jeremyforoakpark.com nity will be occur “in coming weeks,” said www.jeremyforoakpark.com River Forest will receive $1.3M from the the release.

The American Rescue Plan (ARP) was federal American Rescue Plan in pandemicwww.jeremyforoakpark.com related relief, according to a press release signed into law by President Joe Biden on Staff Reporter

from the village on March 17.

The funds, allocated by the federal government, can be used to support a variety of initiatives and programs that have struggled or suffered due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“While the village maintains a sound financial position,” reads the release, “the funds allocated for River Forest will assist in covering unplanned pandemic-related expenses that are not eligible for other forms of relief funds, as well as replacing lost rev-

March 12 and provides $1.9 trillion in COVID and other relief including to state and local governments in direct stimulus payments.

Funding received by municipalities with populations of less than 50,000 residents is capped at 75 percent of the municipality’s pre-pandemic budget as of Jan. 27, 2020.

Funding can be used for pandemic-related costs, such as public health emergency responses and assisting businesses impacted

by COVID-19.

Follow us on Twitter

@OakPark

Paidfor byfriendsofJeremyDuffy

10

Wednesday Journal, March 24, 2021

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

Babygold Coldbeer

FitzGerald’s partners with Kinslahger to produce custom pilsner for Babygold Barbecue

By MELISSA ELSMO Oak Park Eats Editor

Years ago, Will Duncan, owner of FitzGerald’s Nightclub, 6615 W. Roosevelt Rd., in Berwyn homebrewed a beer for his wife, Jess, to coincide with the arrival of their first child. Duncan crafted the beer to be in line with his wife’s preferences and the couple called the crisp, goldenhued beer, “Babygold.”

The name stuck with the pair and the beverage went on to inspire the name for Chef John Manion’s forthcoming barbecue restaurant located on the FitzGerald’s property. With the opening of Babygold Barbecue on the horizon, Duncan and Manion collaborated with Keith Huizinga, co-owner of Kinslahger Brewing Company, 6806 Roosevelt Rd., in Oak Park, to capture the “Babygold spirit” in a custom-brewed house beer.

“Will knows his stuff,” said Huizinga.

“We had a discussion about what he hoped to achieve with the beer and then had a tasting to try different styles before we settled on a Czech Pilsner.”

The resulting Babygold Coldbeer is brewed by Kinslahger exclusively for Fitzgerald’s and is designed to pair perfectly with barbecue. Like all Czech pil-

sners, Babygold Coldbeer, is brewed with 100% Saaz hops, but Kinslahger gave the brew a distinctive Midwest twist by sourcing the hops from Hop Head Farms in Michigan.

Like wine grapes, hops are impacted by environmental factors including climate and soil. Huizinga notes the Michigan hops reflect their regional terroir by giving the finished pilsner a subtly different flavor — he detects more floral than herbal notes in the finished product made using American Saaz hops.

Huizinga describes Babygold Coldbeer as a “nice, balanced, easydrinking beer with a clean bitter finish.”

Drinkers should find it to be malty compared to German and American pilsners and will likely deem it to be the perfect accompaniment to a bold smoked meat meal, great music and good conversation.

“Will has brought new energy to FitzGerald’s and Roosevelt Road,” said Huizinga. “As long as he wants this beer, we’ll keep making it.”

Though food-lovers will have to wait a while longer for Manion’s thoughtful barbecue, Babygold Coldbeer, is available now to help curb your cravings. Four packs are available for pick up and delivery via FitzGerald’s online store.

PROVIDED

Will Duncan shows off a can Babygold Coldbeer brewed exclusively for FitzGerald’s by Oak Park’s Kinslahger Brewing Company.

Term expires for Farmers Market Commission chair

Lencioni hoped for a term extension while market continues to seek manager

By MELISSA ELSMO Oak Park Eats Editor

Laura Lencioni, chair of the Oak Park Farmers Market Commission, received word her term would be allowed to expire in March despite her willingness to stay in the role through May 22 -- opening day of the market’s 46th season.

Lencioni’s term has officially ended according to village staff and it does not appear an extension is under consideration.

The departure comes as village staff continue to search for a market manager to oversee the upcoming season.

“The village attorney delivered the message that Laura’s term was up and that means she is no longer on the commission,” said Vicki Scaman, village clerk and current candidate for village president.

“Unless I receive notice that something has changed, her term has officially ended. I have no idea who will be the next chair.”

The news, delivered by Scaman, came as a surprise to Lencioni who had been a farmers market commissioner for four years serving three years as chair.

“It doesn’t make any sense. I don’t understand,” said Lencioni. “There are changes in government coming because it is an election year, and the market does not have a manager. Unless I had been grossly negligent, I just don’t see how I wouldn’t be seen as an asset to the market at a time like this.”

It is the decision of the village president to add an agenda item to appoint,

re-appoint, or name a chair to a commission. The farmers market commission ordinance does not allow for a commissioner to float in their role indefinitely, but there is nothing contained in the document that would specifically disallow a temporary extension.

“It would be in the best interest of the village, the commission, and the market to extend Laura’s term for the two short months until the market opens,” said Frank Pond, acting chair of the Citizen Involvement Commission and liaison to the Famers Market Commission. “Not extending is not beneficial.”

Despite the fact Lencioni’s departure feels sudden, she reflects fondly on her time leading the commission.

“Being on this commission for the past four years has made me a more confident person,” said Lencioni. “It meant so much

to me that I was able to work side-by-side with people I consider to be my mentors while serving my community and supporting small family farmers.”

Lencioni will miss hearing the details of how the market comes together and seeing the joy the market brings to people when it opens but also acknowledged the value of Oak Park commissions in general.

“I feel strongly that citizen commissions are a vital part of Oak Park that makes it a vibrant and engaged community,” said Lencioni. “I hope our next president understands that active commissions and civic involvement make the democracy in our village stronger.”

The next meeting of the Farmers Market Commission is scheduled for April 14. Applications for a farmers market manager and assistant managers are still being accepted according to the village website.

Wednesday Journal, March 24, 2021

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

ANTIDEFUND

All candidates condemn video from page 8 nothing” to do with the website and video.

All three told Wednesday Journal they don’t know who is behind the website.

The defunding referendum was added to the ballot Jan. 19 at the urging of outgoing village trustee Dan Moroney, who withdrew from the village president race nine days after. The question was criticized by various members of the village board, who called it a political ploy.

However, Moroney’s request was seconded by fellow outgoing trustee Deno Andrews. In a 4-3 village board vote Jan. 19, the referendum narrowly made it onto the ballot. Andrews ended his campaign for reelection in early February.

In separate phone calls with Wednesday Journal, Moroney and Andrews both denied having any involvement with the website and any knowledge regarding the identity of website’s creator.

The website’s copyright notice lists its owner as “Citizens Against Defunding the Police;” the name is not registered with the Illinois Board of Elections.

Like those who were endorsed by the campaign, Clark, Enyia and Griffin also expressed distaste for the website.

Clark called the website an effort to oppose

FORUM from page 6 est,” Adduci said, and she added that four of the last five officers they’ve hired were people of color.

Henek said although she can’t talk about the current lawsuit against the village on behalf of a former River Forest police officer, it’s concerning to her that employees might be leaving because they don’t like the conditions in River Forest.

“I would want to be sure at all times that all of our employees can talk about their issues and have their concerns addressed,” Henek said.

Lake and Lathrop In probably the most heated of the discussion of the night, the two candidates discussed the original goals of the redevelopment project and whether trusting the developer to get the development finished on time is prudent.

Adduci said the village didn’t have control of the property until late 2017 or early 2018, when the owner of the former Annie’s restaurant building passed away and his heirs decided to sell. The property owner next door sold as well.

From the beginning, said Adduci, the goal was to clean up the soil, which had been contaminated from a dry cleaning facility on that site.

his campaign through the spreading of misinformation.

He believes the ambiguity of the term “defund police” has led to confusion and fear but that he understands it to mean reallocation of funding, “not reduction or elimination” of the force.

“Through proactive collaboration, the community will decide what reimagining public safety should look like for Oak Park, not me as an individual,” Clark said.

Enyia stated he has great friends who are Oak Park police officers and that he supports reallocating funds toward mental health services and bridging community between officers and youth.

Enyia believes the referendum question was meant to stoke confusion and misdirection.

“It attempts to fear-monger and misleads our residents into believing that a vote for me is a vote to make you less safe — which is hurtful and couldn’t be further from the truth,” said Enyia.

Griffin’s decision to run for village trustee was based on a desire to address the needs of renters and to make Oak Park a more affordable place to live.

“Defunding the police was never my platform. I did not run for trustee to defund the police,” said Griffin.

What Griffin wants is a “fair and equitable” police department that recognizes Black people as human beings.

“I feel like Black candidates have been lumped into the same category to evoke fear in residents to vote against us.”

“The whole point, right there and then, was to protect the safety and health of our community,” Adduci said. Contaminants in the soil were spreading, leaching toward St. Luke and the Ashland Condos.

In 2018, four trustees voted to approve a new developer coming in because that would allow the cleanup to begin.

“We’re exactly where we need to be,” Adduci said. “We have a clean property. And now the development and construction will begin.”

Several time she said she wanted to remind residents that, “first and foremost, cleaning the property up for the safety of our community” was always the goal.

Henek said although she initially voted to approve the project in 2017, it was with the understanding that the developer would hit the ground running. That didn’t happen, though, she said, and she voted against it in 2018. Extensions were granted, and now, said Henek, she’s not confident the project will be built.

“I am concerned because I don’t think there are enough sales to get the financing,” Henek said. With a history of delays, Henek said she is concerned, the developer was not “showing to be a good faith partner.”

“How long do we let this developer continue to have time go by?” asked Henek, who said she’s concerned about lost years of market opportunity at that property.

The debate was moderated by Dan Haley, Growing Community Media publisher, and Michael Romain, Wednesday Journal reporter and Village Free Press publisher.

PIONEER

11

an equity agenda for the 21st Century

LISTEN toan the unheard voices in our community PIONEER equity agenda for the 21st Century INVEST

LISTEN

in and recruit small businesses

to the unheard voices in our community

DEVELOP

smarter, not bigger

BALANCE

property tax burdens...

PIONEER an equity agenda the 21st Century INVEST in and recruit small for businesses LISTEN to smarter, the unheard DEVELOP notvoices biggerin our community INVEST in property and recruit small businesses BALANCE tax burdens...

DEVELOP

smarter, not bigger

BALANCE

property tax burdens...

JUANTA GRIFFIN ANTHONY CLARK JUANTA GRIFFIN CHIBUIKE ENYIA JUANTA GRIFFIN ANTHONY CLARK ANTHONY CLARK CHIBUIKE ENYIA CHIBUIKE ENYIA

www.JuantaForOakPark.com

www.JuantaForOakPark.com

www.AnthonyForOakPark.com

www.ChibuikeForOakPark.com

VOTE EARLY

In-person early www.JuantaForOakPark.com

www.AnthonyForOakPark.com

www.ChibuikeForOakPark.com

voting runs March 22 through April 5! www.AnthonyForOakPark.com www.ChibuikeForOakPark.com

For more information, visit: http://bit.ly/EarlyVoteOP

VOTE EARLY VOTE APRIL 6 VOTE EARLY In-person early voting Electionruns day March is April22 6! through April 5!

In-person early voting March 22 through April 5!

To For findmore your polling place,runs visit: http://bit.ly/EarlyVoteOP http://bit.ly/PollingPlaceOP information, visit: For more information, visit: http://bit.ly/EarlyVoteOP

VOTE 6 VOTE APRIL APRIL 6 Election April 6!

6!

Election day day is is April

Paid for by Activate Oak Park

ToTo find your find yourpolling pollingplace, place, visit: visit: http://bit.ly/PollingPlaceOP http://bit.ly/PollingPlaceOP Paidforforbyby Activate Oak Park Paid Activate Oak Park

12

Wednesday Journal, March 24, 2021

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

Kovar wants to bring teaching skills to D97 board Middle-school teacher says implementing equity policy is top goal

“

The Clerk’s role is imperative to connecting our community with our government.

”

S ervice

The Clerk’s office should prioritize a high level of customer service to all of our residents

Transparency Government process and operations should be highly transparent to all

A ccess

Lack of resources or ability should not restrict access to government data and information

C ommunity

I will bring a genuine voice of equity and inclusion to engaging the full community

Visit www.ChristinaForOakPark.com

Request your mail-in-ballot: http://mailvoting.cookcountyclerkil.gov Paid for by Friends of Christina Waters | Photos courtesy of Paul Goyette

middle schools are like forgotten stepchildren in the district,” she said. “It’s time to put more attention and energy toward helping the middle schools be as excellent as they can be. That goes hand-in-hand with a student-centered approach. Pre-adolescent students are ready to be engaged in their

By MICHAEL ROMAIN own education and their voices should be Staff Reporter heard as we’re making decisions about their Jennifer Kovar, a National Board Certi- learning.”

Kovar also offered her input on the critefied middle-school teacher in Riverside, said in a recent interview that she wants to bring ria she’s looking for in the person who sucthe skills she’s honed in the classroom to the ceeds outgoing D97 Supt. Carol Kelley at the end of the school year.

District 97 board table.

“I’d start by saying this new “I know how schools work leader should be someone we from the inside out,” said the promote from within,” she said. mother of two D97 students. “I “Someone who is deeply commitknow the best practices of teachted to Oak Park and has roots in ing and learning, and I’ve served Oak Park and understands the on more committees and held equity work.” more leadership roles than I can Kovar said Kelley’s successor count.” should also be someone who has Kovar said, if she’s elected on the ability to “repair trust isApril 6, her number one policy sues” in the district and who is priority would be making sure JENNIFER KOVAR an “excellence communicator,” the district’s equity policy is District 97 candidate adding that the right candidate working to eliminate the opporwould also “be really strong with tunity gap between white studata and analytics.” dents and students of color.

She said the right candidate should be “We need to be putting all of our energy into closing the opportunity gap — almost able to utilize data in a savvy way, but bewith blinders on — and not letting things yond being smart with numbers, the person distract us from that work. I commend the should also “be passionate about teaching district for establishing the equity policy, and learning” and “110 percent committed but now comes the hard work of implement- to bringing the best to every student in Oak Park.” ing and evaluating its effectiveness.”

Kovar said she’d also bring her experience Kovar, 45, said she co-founded the Best Buddies Club at the Riverside middle school as a teacher in her role as a board member where she teaches. Best Buddies helps inte- governing during a pandemic. She has been teaching hybrid learning grate young people with “in the trenches” since intellectual and developthe fall. mental disabilities into “The good news is the general student popthat we know so much ulation so that they feel more than we did just six less excluded. She also months ago,” she said. serves on Oak Park’s Dis“The data has shown us ability Access Commisthat the risk of transsion, which advises the All democracy is local mission in school buildvillage board on policies ings is super low … and relating to people with we know how vital it is for the kids to have disabilities.

“Tied to the equity work is the focus those in-person relationships and how on inclusion,” Kovar said. “I have a keen much they’re missing out on not being able awareness of inclusion. I want to make sure to engage in person with their teachers and students of all identities are included and peers,” she said.

“It seems we’re ready, but we still have to welcomed.”

Kovar said she would look to improve how allow a remote option for families who aren’t the district communicates and collaborates comfortable or have reasons to keep their with community members, particularly child at home,” Kovar added. “Two, reschedthose from traditionally marginalized fami- uling and making these systemic changes is a lot of work, so we have to keep our expectalies.

And as a middle-school teacher herself, tions realistic. And three, we have to be preshe wants the district to pay more attention pared for anything because if we’ve learned anything, we now know we can’t predict the to Julian and Brooks.

“Oak Parkers are asking for more of a future, so we have to be prepared.”

CONTACT: michael@oakpark.com focus on our middle schools. I feel like the

Wednesday Journal, March 24, 2021

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

13

Henry focuses on data, equity in District 200 Candidate wants discipline in construction budgeting and equity progress

By MICHAEL ROMAIN

He lauded the district’s progress in developing an online database that will help community members visualize the strucKabreab Henry said he’s ready to bring tural inequalities at OPRF and put some his 10 years of experience in the telecom- analytic rigor behind the many anecdotal munications industry and his project man- stories at OPRF — stories like that of his own daughter. agement skills to the District “We know there are issues at 200 board. the school,” he said. “There are Henry, 39, said he started clear disparities. I saw this firsthis own company six years hand. My daughter was in AP ago and believes his ability to honors courses and was usually manage large projects, stay the only Black person in those within budget and adhere to classes.” a timeline will help the board “So there’s clearly a disparity more keenly analyze the onbetween Black and Brown kids going Imagine OPRF-related and white kids at OPRF, but the construction currently taking database I’m referencing will alplace.

KABREAB HENRY low everything to be in one place But he said his strongest asDistrict 200 candidate where you can find it and see it,” set as a candidate is his abilHenry added. “That database is ity to “find ways to make sure kids of color at Oak Park and River Forest life. We can see how this plays out when we High School are not overly disciplined in track the data.”

Henry said he supports the freshman currelation to their white counterparts.”

Henry, whose oldest daughter graduated riculum restructuring that Supt. Joylynn from OPRF last spring, has been a member Pruitt-Adams has started to implement, of the district’s Culture, Climate and Be- but that, if elected, he’ll have to vote on. havior Committee for the past two years.

“When I first heard about de-tracking, I Staff Reporter

heard a lot of opinions, so I needed to learn decisions in a racially and socioeconomiwhat it was for myself,” he said. “I went cally diverse district without alienating online and read up about it on the school’s people. website and I emailed [Asst. Supt. Greg “Can you make decisions with the stuJohnson] to talk about it. dents and the community as a whole in “[The restructuring] mind? This person has is not about getting rid to be battle-tested and of rigor, I think it will ready,” he said, adding increase rigor.” Henry that the candidate must said. “It makes sense bebe “ready to do the job cause you’re getting rid and not learn on it.” of the practice of putWhen thinking about ting certain students in how he’ll govern as a classes they shouldn’t board member during All democracy is local be in. I think it will level a pandemic, Henry said the playing field and he’ll “follow the data and help solve some of those inequities. And science, and listen to residents,” adding we’ll be able to see how this plays out when that all community stakeholders, including we track the data.” teachers, should have a voice in the process Henry said he hopes the person who suc- of transitioning to full in-person learning. ceeds outgoing Supt. Pruitt-Adams, who “If we’re able to go back in the fall, it will is retiring at the end of the school year, is be a big adjustment because you’ll have someone “who has done the equity work, learning losses, so we have to be cognizant not just academically, but someone who can of that,” he said. “We need to make sure show results from their previous district, we’re ready to aid students who may need who is a proven leader.” more encouragement and assistance to get Henry added that the next superinten- back up to speed.”

CONTACT: michael@oakpark.com dent must be someone who can make tough

Re-Elect

Tom Cofsky

OPRFHS District 200 Board of Education Proven D200 leadership; Balancing student needs and taxpayer interests.

Never supported maximum tax levies, leaving $60 million in taxpayers’ pockets.

Supported establishment of racial equity policy and efforts to eliminate barriers and biases impacting our students of color.

Parent of 5 Huskies, one now a D97 teacher.

33-year District Resident, 2-term Board Member.

Vote Early or Vote April 6th • SeeTomRun.org Paid for by Friends of Tom Cofsky

14

Wednesday Journal, March 24, 2021

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

SPECIAL ED

For Jennifer Sage, what bothered her the most was the department’s failure to fully explain its restructuring plans. The parent of another OPRF student, she was left with so many unanswered questions. from page 1 “When you’re reassigning them [program dents with disabilities about the department’s chairs] to be classroom teachers and that’s proposal to replace program chairs with new not what they’ve been, what does that mean administrative roles, such as special ed super- for my existing classroom teacher?” she wonvisors and Individualized Education Program dered. “It feels like an overhaul, and I don’t see the purpose, and they’re not sharing that.” coordinators.

She also wanted to know what motivated In the email sent March 5, Francois-Blue rethe department to consider restructuring and assured families that faculty employed as prowho were those special ed supervisors and gram chairs will not lose their jobs, “rather they will be reassigned to be classroom teach- IEP coordinators. Looking at Francois-Blue’s ers and continue to provide services to our email, Sage said, it looked like “a lot of words students in that capacity.” She also wrote that that mean nothing.”

“That’s the reason why we’re so unhappy,” program chairs can also apply for those new Sage continued. “You can’t use those words administrative roles.

News of the department’s restructuring and not explain how it works.”

During the meeting on March 11, Francoiscaused an uproar among parents, who were surprised and upset at the possibility of los- Blue explained to the board why a recommening trusted staff. During a March 11 Commit- dation was made regarding the department’s tee of the Whole meeting, more than a dozen program chairs. She said program chairs parents and special ed serve as Local Education teachers spoke out against Agency (LEA) representhe department’s recomtatives at IEP meetings, mendation to shift emand they are currently ployees around, especially not meeting their role’s its program chairs. legal requirements and With public comment may be in procedural vioreaching nearly an hour lation, according to the and half, families — some state rules. of whom appeared in FLO SCHUMACHER She added that the recfront of the board while Mother of OPRF student ommendation was not others voiced concerns meant to “displace, get over email to the District rid of staff, devalue staff 200 Board of Education — or disrupt relationships” worried about how the potential change could and was presented as a way to comply with impact their children’s learning. Moreover, Illinois State Board of Education guidelines. they wanted to know why these changes were This proposal is part of a long list of staffcalled for in the first place and why they were ing recommendations that were presented excluded from the discussion. to D200 board members, including an asso“I think the personal relationships we’ve esciate web designer, psychologist and many tablished with the program chairs have been other positions in the special ed department. crucial throughout our kids’ education and District officials said the proposed staffing particularly last year,” said Flo Schumacher, changes would result in a total estimated mother of an OPRF senior, in an interview savings of around $223,000. with Wednesday Journal.

The Journal reached out to Francois-Blue Schumacher, who attended the March 11 for more comments and information on the meeting in person, told board members that department’s plans to replace its program program chairs are the “heart and soul” of chairs and other restructuring efforts. the special ed department. She often leaned on “Based on the feedback received durFawn Joyce, one of the department’s program chairs, for help. From school bus services to ing the discussion at the Committee of the additional resources, Schumacher said Joyce Whole meeting on March 11, the administration decided to postpone bringing the rewas her go-to person. structuring of special education to the board And when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Schumacher, like many other OPRF families for approval,” the department wrote in an with teens with special needs, relied on pro- email to the Journal. “Before finalizing our recommendation, we plan to take additional gram chairs like Joyce more than ever.

“I think a lot of parents were feeling — es- time to assess the effectiveness of the divipecially parents of special education kids sion structure and gather input from stake— very lost, abandoned,” Schumacher said. holders to ensure continuous improvement “There was a lot of additional stress associ- of the delivery of services to our students ated with remote learning. I think most of us with special needs.”

As Schumacher and Sage reflected on the felt that Fawn was the only person who was department’s recent announcement, they actually helping us.”

At the March 11 meeting, other parents thought about the type of support that they, joined Schumacher in calling the employ- along with their children, need now more ees who held the program chair positions a than ever — and this change-up is not it.

“Kids with special needs need consistency, “lifeline” or “nexus.” These were people they could depend on and easily turn to for help, and when something’s working, you don’t mix they said during public comment. up the card if you can avoid it,” Sage said.

Parents object

The Year that Wasn’t:

Young Adults and the Pandemic Thursday, April 8, 2021 7:30-8:30 pm CDT

Guest speaker Elizabeth Earnshaw, LMFT, CGT The pandemic has changed life for all of us, no matter our age. The losses of one group - young adults in their late 20s to early 40s - have largely gone unnoticed in the media. Milestones that before provided meaning, such as dating, starting a family, and taking on a new career opportunity, have all been put on hold. Their sense of loss is real and depression a too frequent outcome.

This Thrive Talk will focus on young adults. We’ll discuss how to honor grief without guilt, cope in real time and create meaning, even during this challenging time.

Together, we will explore how to rebuild a sense of hope and look toward the future.

Please use the link below to join the webinar: https://zoom.us/j/92648044564 Elizabeth Earnshaw, LMFT, CGT founded A Better Life Therapy in Philadelphia in 2013. She earned her Master’s in Marriage and Couples Therapy from Thomas Jefferson University and her Bachelor’s in Organizational Development from Temple University. In her practice, she focuses on primarily on relationships on the individual, couple, and workplace levels.

HOPE

RESILIENCE

R EC OV E RY

120 South Marion Street, Oak Park, IL 60302 (708) 383-7500 www.thrivecc.org

“I think a lot of parents were feeling — especially parents of special education kids — very lost, abandoned.”

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

C R I M E

Wednesday Journal, March 24, 2021

15

Man targets juvenile in armed robbery Late on St. Patrick’s Day, an armed man approached and ordered to the ground two Oak Park residents – one an adult and the other a juvenile. At 11:03 p.m., March 17 in the 500 block of North Taylor Avenue, the man hit the adult victim in the head and demanded money, taking the adult’s cell phone and keys.

The man also took the juvenile’s cell phone, as well as $40 and a bag containing sports equipment. When the offender got distracted, both victims fled the scene. The loss of the victims’ property is estimated at $1,090.

Police reports describe the offender as a Black male, about 20 years old, with light skin and a thin build. He was last seen wearing a gray sweatshirt and gray sweatpants.

enue between midnight and 5 a.m., March 17.

The estimated loss is $888.

■ Someone took a FedEx package containing a Purple queen-size mattress delivered to a doorstep in the 1000 block of South Ridgeland Avenue between 7:17 p.m. and 7:40 p.m., March 14.

■ Two men were observed via video surveillance cameras removing a vehicle’s tires and wheels between 10:38 p.m., March 17 and 8:25 a.m., March 18 in the 1100 block of Westgate Avenue. The loss is $7,000.

Criminal damage to property ■ Someone

damaged a vehicle by putting what police believe was sugar in the vehicle’s gas tank between 1 a.m., March 14 and 7:30 p.m., March 16 in the 1000 block of South Humphrey Avenue. The estimated damage is $1,500.

■ Someone in a dark colored Honda Accord damaged the parking garage lifting arm barrier by driving through the arm while it was in the down position at 6:18 p.m., March 9 at 1133 South Blvd. The estimated damage is $600.

These items, obtained from the Oak Park Police Department, came from reports March 15 - March 22 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

O PE N IN G

Robbery ■ Three men approached the victim and demanded the victim’s property; when the victim refused, the three men began striking the victim and forcibly removed the victim’s property at 11:45 p.m., March 20 in the first block of Chicago Avenue. The estimated loss is $10.

SP RI N G

20 21

Burglary ■ Someone broke into an unlocked vehicle and removed a handgun between 3:30 a.m. and 7:45 a.m., March 18 in the 200 block of South Kenilworth Avenue. Loss is $500.

■ Someone broke into a garage, got into the unlocked car parked inside and took a Ventra card and cash between 10:30 p.m., March 14 and 7:25 a.m., March 15 in the first block of Garfield Street.

■ Someone broke a window to a vehicle and removed a set of keys from inside the vehicle between 1:30 a.m. and 8:15 a.m., March 15 in the first block of Garfield Street. Estimated loss is $500.

■ Someone broke into a garage and removed tools and an iPhone from inside between 6 p.m., March 14 and 7:40 a.m., March 15 in the 300 block of South Euclid Avenue. Estimated loss is $400.

■ A garage was broken into and a weight set was taken from inside between midnight, Jan. 1 and noon, March 13 in the 800 block of North Woodbine Avenue. The loss is estimated at $1,000.

■ Someone broke into a black Hyundai and took cash and a Visa gift card from inside the vehicle between 12:30 p.m., March 13 and 8 a.m., March 16 in the 700 block of Scoville Avenue. Estimated loss is $55.

Theft ■ Someone

cut the catalytic converter from a vehicle parked in the 200 block of Randolph Street between 7 p.m., March 16 and 9 a.m., March 17. The estimated loss is $1,000.

■ A package containing a 32-inch Sony television was removed from the 900 block of South Oak Park Avenue between 7:10 p.m. and 7:50 p.m., March 17. The estimated loss is $329.

■ A black and orange Arien 24-inch snowblower was removed from a resident’s backyard in the 800 block of North Kenilworth Av-

We are

THE SHERIDAN AT RIVER FOREST

As we get closer to opening River Forest’s newest assisted living and memory care community, The Sheridan Team invites you to learn more.

Sneak Peek Tours Every Tuesday in April | 10:00am–5:00pm by appointment only

Call 708-469-4607 to schedule your tour today!

We are proud to be a happy, healthy and safe community.

Visit seniorlifestyle.com/about/covid-19/ to learn more about our best practices.

Welcome Center Now Open!

ASSISTED LIVING | MEMORY CARE WELCOME CENTER 7230 W. NORTH AVENUE, SUITE 106A | ELMWOOD PARK, IL 60707 SHERIDANRIVERFOREST.COM

16

Wednesday Journal, March 24, 2021

JUST LISTED

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

Eckmann stresses empathy, equity in D90 school race

PRICE CHANGE

Nurse by training says road back from COVID will be hard

By F. AMANDA TUGADE

their own way right now,” said Eckmann, who worries about the students struggling with e-learning or who have lost Sarah Eckmann never considered run- touch with “normal childhood things.” ning for a seat on the school board before, It’s going to be a really tough year, asbut then 2020 happened. With last year’s sessing and picking up the pieces from presidential election and the COVID-19 the pandemic.”

Eckmann noted district teachers need pandemic, “everything kind of exploded,” including people’s public opinions, more support. “They’ve been through the wringer this year with everybody pushshe said.

As Eckmann looked closely at her own ing and pulling them in different direccommunity, she realized among the can- tions,” she said.

Eckmann said she views teachers’ didates vying for four seats on River Forroles similarly to nurses. “You est School District 90 school have to do everything for evboard, three of them were erybody, and then when someincumbents. Board members thing goes wrong, you’re the Nicole C.P. Thomas, Stacey one that’s going to be blamed,” Williams and Katie Avalos are she said. “I think teachers hoping to retain their posiare going to get some of that tions, while 39-year-old Eckblame if things aren’t turned mann joins Scott Hall as one around quickly after the panof two newcomers. demic, if things aren’t back to With that, Eckmann wanted normal right now.” to give residents a choice and “They’ve been in it with us believed there’s no time like SARAH ECKMANN too,” Eckmann said. “They the present.

District 90 candidate have their own family. Really “Now, I’m going to do it,” supporting them and rallying she said.

Born and raised in River Forest, Eck- around them is a priority of mine.”

Another priority on Eckmann’s list is mann is coming into the race with a vested interest in her hometown. She is moving District 90’s equity efforts fura product of District 90, having attended ther. The district must continue its work Willard Elementary and Roosevelt Mid- on its anti-racism and recognizing imdle schools before heading over to Oak plicit bias, she said. These are lessons Park and River Forest High School. And, that should be cultivated at home and when the time came for Eckmann and school in order to create a positive, safe place for students of all her husband to raise backgrounds, she said. their family, the couIn addition, Eckple returned to River mann also shared true Forest nearly seven equity is about providyears ago. ing all children with Eckmann said one the resources they of her greatest asneed to thrive and sucsets is her ability to ceed. “Our students work with people. As All democracy is local aren’t just test scores,” a nurse, she puts her she said, adding that patients first, often equity is about underlistening to them and tending to their needs. She also works standing students as a whole.

With the April 6 consolidated general with other healthcare professionals to make sure her patients are cared for election just days away, Eckmann offers properly. Eckmann said she would con- up a reason why voters should choose tinue to embody those traits if elected to her.

“The decisions that are made now and the board.

Throughout her interview with in the next four years will affect our Wednesday Journal, Eckmann spoke grandchildren and the next generation about the district’s need to think forward of children,” she said. “We need to keep and plan ahead. With the pandemic still progress in mind.

“Progress is not inevitable. We can ongoing, Eckmann believes mitigating the coronavirus’ challenges remains at move backwards, so we really need to put the forefront, and District 90 must keep aside personal needs for the greater comon providing social-emotional resources munity, and I am that candidate who will work together with others and strive for to help students recover.

“Everybody is kind of suffering in a better future.”

Contributing Reporter

139 S GROVE, OAK PARK

437 ADDISON, RIVERSIDE

$1,285,000 :: 6 BED :: 4.5 BATH

$449,000 :: 3 BED :: 2 BATH

Majestic Victorian in central Oak Park Historic District.

Contemporary home in beautiful Riverside.

UNDER CONTRACT

UNDER CONTRACT

1522 FOREST, RIVER FOREST

222 N GROVE, OAK PARK

$849,000 :: 4 BED :: 4.5 BATH

$199,000 :: 2 BED :: 2 BATH

Brick Tudor with expansive yard.

Condo with updated kitchen. Close to everything.

KATHY & TONY IWERSEN 708.772.8040 708.772.8041 tonyiwersen@atproperties.com

ASSISTED LIVING • SHELTERED CARE • MEMORY CARE • SKILLED NURSING

Now safely moving new residents to our small, wooded campus.

A safe & smart choice.

Choosing a community you can trust has never been more difficult.

Our community has an impeccable record of safety during the COVID-19 crisis and we will stop at nothing to make sure it continues.

We would be honored for your family to be part of ours.

CONTACT US FOR AN OUTDOOR VISIT 2800 Des Plaines Avenue, North Riverside, IL 60546 (708) 477-5092 | CaledoniaSeniorLiving.org

Limited availability!

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

Asking questions key to D90 school board, says Hall

Wednesday Journal, March 24, 2021

17

PUBLIC NOTICE

Using data to focus on equity and curriculum issues

you will, in that critical K-through-3 age group,” he said.

Contributing Reporter This is where Hall views the role of a board member as critical. If he were on The last time Scott Hall campaigned for the board, he would ask questions. election, he was in seventh grade, battling “Is it because we chose the wrong curfor the class presidency. At 41, the River riculum?” he asked. “Is it because the Forest father of two has now come out of curriculum needs more time? Is it because electoral hiatus to vie for a seat on the Riv- we didn’t implement and train the right er Forest School District 90 school board. way?”

Hall, a six-year resident of River Forest, Hall said, “I don’t know which of those is one of five candidates fighting for four answers is the answer, but I think there open seats on the board of education. The are too many on the board that are sitting 41-year-old Hall is up against there and saying we don’t need three incumbents, Nicole C.P. to ask questions. This is all Thomas, Stacey Williams and working fine.”

Katie Avalos, and one other He went on to say that asknewcomer, Sarah Eckmann. ing questions, especially when “I’m not someone that was a it comes to the school curPTO liaison to the board and riculum, is vital. The district served on the curriculum comneeds to catch those improvemittee years ago,” he said. ment areas early on, or it could “While I think that experience miss out on an opportunity to is good experience, I think it’s help their students succeed in made it [the board] a little bit the long run.

SCOTT HALL insular. I think there’s so much Hall also suggested the disDistrict 90 candidate sort of common experience trict should invest in full-day across the board that just the kindergarten and expand fact that I’m coming in as a guy in the its inclusive preschool program, which community that brings a business and brings children, including those with spefinancial mindset and an evidence-based cial needs, together. way of thinking, I think that’s very dif“The achievement gap is set in motion ferent than a lot of people on the board in that critical K-through-3 window,” Hall think.” said. “The earlier you can intervene and Hall, whose career focuses on invest- the earlier you’re giving kids exposure and ment baking, has billed himself as a giving them services – that’s where pre“numbers guy.” By the school comes in – that has nature of his job, Hall some of the best return is data-driven and uses on investment in terms the information preof helping your disadsented as a way to learn vantaged learners.” more and ask quesOther issues importions, a crucial skill tant to Hall are takset he aims to carry ing a closer look at as a board member, if the district’s financial elected.

All democracy is local spending, as well as reHall said one of ismaining on the path of sues most important to COVID recovery, as the him is the district’s curriculum. In recent district plans to offer in-person instrucyears, District 90 students have scored tion full-time by next year. lower on standardized tests, he said.

As the April 6 consolidated election Though the decline in test scores is slight, draws near, Hall reflects on his campaignHall has learned that students who are ing and seeks to assure voters that if electconsidered high performers are still do- ed, he will serve as a thoughtful board ing well, but students, some of whom have member who looks to put the District 90 special needs or are of color, continue to community first. fall behind.

“I don’t have an agenda,” Hall said. “I “Even after all the changes to the cur- don’t have a specific thing that I’m fightriculum, all the sort of outward and in- ing for. I’m just taking what I’m hearing ward focus on equity and inclusion, I from the community and what the rethink there is an admittance, and I think search shows about things like early eduthere needs to be an acceptance, and then cation, about things like curriculum, and deep dive as to why we’re not making I just want to make sure that the evidence the progress on the achievement gap, if gets its day in the sun.”

By F. AMANDA TUGADE

Published in Wednesday Journal on March 24, 2021

RESIDENTIAL — COMMERCIAL — RETAIL — CHURCHES — SCHOOLS

SERVING OAK PARK AND RIVER FOREST SINCE 1976

18

Wednesday Journal, March 24, 2021

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

FOODIES: Susan Rakstang (left) and Melissa Elsmo discuss Rakstang’s new memoir.

The taste and feel of ‘Cooking for Her Eyes’ A food-focused memoir with distinctly Oak Park ties

By MELISSA ELSMO Oak Park Eats Editor

In the memoir, Cooking for Her Eyes, former Oak Park resident, village trustee and architect Susan Uehara Rakstang recounts growing up in her Okinawan family, raising her own family in the village, and ultimately serving as caregiver to both her ailing mother, Helen, and her dear friend, Margaret. Rakstang’s story of music, food, love and death is an intensely personal read centered on three women and the ly remembered how to fold wontons despite power of food to bond and nourish them all. being unable to complete a child’s jigsaw Rakstang spent eight years coaxing Cooking for Her Eyes puzzle, Rakstang simultaneously developed into existence and considered herself to be an “on again off a pureed food technique designed to nurture again writer” because parts of the story were very difficult and nourish Margaret through her rigorous to write. Emotions often forced her to separate herself from cancer treatment. the story that gracefully jumps back-andApplying her architecforth through time. tural mind to meals, RakAn endless parade of Japanese meals stang created unseasoned dot the timeline leading Rakstang to adultpurees made from colorhood. She delights the reader with memoful whole foods arranged ries of using her well-honed origami skills in sculptural ways to creto become her mother’s “best and only ate three-dimensionality. wonton maker.” She shares details on how The whimsical, beautito make perfect bias sliced scallions and ful, memorable meals recollects Christmas buffet tables brimwere plated to resemble ming with Char Sui short ribs, table-top Margaret’s favorite comsukiyaki, and shrimp tempura. fort foods like burgers Rakstang and her husband Bob arrived and fries, pork chops and in Oak Park in 1976 with a toddler and applesauce, or a colorful an infant in tow. As they raised their Cobb salad. children in the village, the young moth“It was an adventure er embarked on a new career path and for me. Just being in my met Margaret, a pastry chef who would MELISSA ELSMO/Oak Park Eats Editor kitchen was cathartic bebecome her dear friend. The memoir efcause I was accomplish- BRINGING THE BOOK TO LIFE: Rakstang’s mother’s wonton filling — pork fortlessly recounts Rakstang serving as a ing something,” said with ginger root, garlic, green onion, water chestnut, shoyu and miso.

PROVIDED “small “p” politics” trustee, navigating a Rakstang. “I was able male dominated industry and even step- ‘Cooking for Her Eyes,’ Susan to depart from the realiping aside in the kitchen while her moth- Rakstang’s first book, is available ties of life and death that Margaret’s meals in detail in hopes the technique will be er and Margaret whipped up a batch of on Amazon. faced me every day — when I was in the valuable to others in need. caramel-colored fried rice together. kitchen I was just in another world.”

Cooking for Her Eyes is Rakstang’s first book. She comAs Rakstang’s mother began to grapple The technique allowed Margaret to pleted it in time for her five elderly Hawaiian aunties to with dementia, Margaret was diagnosed with a rare form of feast with her eyes first and paid homage to the knife skills read and appreciate her deft storytelling. The memoir is cancer that caused severe throat pain and robbed her of her and artful plating techniques Rakstang had learned from currently among 20 books advanced to the semifinal round sense of taste. Rakstang became an advocate and caregiver to cooking in her mother’s kitchen. While the family memoir of the BookLife Prize Nonfiction Contest and is available on both. is vulnerable, Rakstang describes the process of making While savoring fleeting moments when her mother instantAmazon.

Wednesday Journal, March 24, 2021

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

19

Holy Week Virtual Worship

Palm Sunday

March 28, 9:00a

Good Friday Stations of the Cross April 2, 7:00p

Easter Celebration April 4, 9:00a

Join us on Facebook or YouTube. More at: goodshepherdlc.org

Oak Park, IL | 708-848-4741

New life breaks in.

Resurrection comes.

Here we are, needing it badly.

Lord, renew our lives in you.

Holy Week Virtual Worship

Palm Sunday

March 28, 9:00a

Good Friday Stations of the Cross April 2, 7:00p

Easter Celebration April 4, 9:00a

10:00 am worship on ZOOM and Facebook Live. https://zoom.us/j/99977817744?pwd=NjRkaE5icHZMdGFoNHRlbkRYejdJdz09 Passcode: 848030 Or One tap mobile: US: +13126266799 Or Telephone: Dial: +1 312 626 6799 Webinar ID: 999 7781 7744 Passcode: 848030

www.firstUMCoakpark.org Our diverse and dynamic congregation welcomes you as we grow in new life together.

First United Methodist Church of Oak Park 324 N. Oak Park Avenue, Oak Park, IL 60302 (708) 383-4983 • www.firstUMCoakpark.org Rev. Dr. Katherine Paisley, pastor

Oak Park, IL | 708-848-4741

Join us on Facebook or YouTube.

More at: goodshepherdlc.org

Holy Week at Pilgrim Good Friday, April 2 Indoor Stations of the Cross 10:00am–7:00pm web pre-registration required Online service 7:00 pm

Easter Sunday, April 4 Online worship 10:00 am Easter egg hunt on the lawn 11:30 am

www.pilgrimoakpark.org

20

Wednesday Journal, March 24, 2021

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

REC CENTER

$400,000 from village from page 1 Abu-Taleb invited Dr. David Ansell and Mary Jo Schuler, co-chairs of the “A Place to Belong” capital funding campaign effort carried out by the Park Foundation of Oak Park, a separate, non-profit entity that works closely with the park district.

The Park Foundation of Oak Park has a goal to raise $22 million to construct the project, with $11 million raised currently. The park district made a commitment to not raise their income tax levy to fund construction. The village’s contribution will not go toward the capital fund campaign nor the core construction costs of the building.

The park district is in the process of applying for an Illinois Clean Energy Foundation Grant worth $1.6 million to finance the implementation of greater sustainability features. The village’s $400,000 contribution not only makes the grant application stronger, according to Ansell and Schuler, but will carry the building over the threshold to reach zero-emission status, which will cost $2 million. Zero-emission buildings have a neutral carbon impact on the environment. The savings in energy costs, Ansell said, will amount to $80,000 a year.

“They have a commitment where they can get grants for 80 percent of the project and they’re looking for the 20 percent,” said Abu-

PROVIDED

A GREEN STEP AHEAD: The proposed park district community center in a rendering. If funds are raised it will be constructed on Madison Street between Harvey and Highland.

Taleb.

Several public comments asked the village board not to contribute money to the project to protect small fitness studios. However, Ansell stated the recreation center would serve different demographics, particularly youth and seniors, while satisfying multiple needs and acting to strengthen and unify the community.

Schuler told the board that every aspect of the community recreation center was developed using a “lens of energy-efficiency and equity.”

As planned, the center will be built on Madison Street between Harvey and Highland. It will have an in-door walking track accessible at no cost for all, but will be especially appreciated by seniors, according to Schuler..

The center will also offer fitness classes for individuals and families, as well as access to

CELEBRATE INTELLECTUAL/ DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES AWARENESS MONTH As COVID-19 emerged in March 2020, Amanda, resident of a UCP Seguin group home in Oak Park, was presented with a major dilemma.

With a dual diagnosis of intellectual disabilities and bipolar disorder, she asked the question: how would she cope with challenges brought on by the pandemic?

Initially UCP Seguin was ordered to close its day services sites, including the Levinson Center in Oak Park where Amanda received life skills training and other services to promote community integration. She had to “shelter-in-place” in her group home.

Amanda faced social isolation and the potential of worsening mental and physical health. UCP Seguin deployed day services staff to her group home to ensure around-the-clock provision of enrichment activities, therapy, and other interventions.

CONTACT US

UCP Seguin of Greater Chicago 3100 South Central Avenue Cicero, IL 60804 708.863.3803

mental health services and social-emotional programming for youth.

The center also seeks to provide a safe and engaging place for youth to go after school hours, where they can congregate together and participate in teen programming.

“When teens congregate in our parks and on our streets, people call the police on them.

Our community needs a place for our teens to be social and healthy with their peers on weekends and during evenings,” said Schuler.

Trustee Arti Walker-Peddakotla, who supported the project, said youth of color tend to be policed out of public spaces and wanted assurances that would not happen at the community center.

Trustee Deno Andrews called the village’s contribution an “outstanding use of our sustainability money.” The project received his

OVERCOMING SOCIAL ISOLATION DURING THE PANDEMIC... with Help From UCP Seguin

UCP Seguin of Greater Chicago believes that all people, regardless of ability, deserve to achieve their potential, advance their independence and act as full members of the

I/DD CONSORTIUM Community Support Services cssservices.org Oak Leyden Developmental Services oak-leyden.org

Using her iPad, Amanda has participated in remote Zoom video activities, such as cooking and fitness classes, conducted by day services staff. With assistance from Board Certified Behavior Analyst Dana Pavlik, Amanda has helped conduct a weekly class for other participants called “Fun Times With Dana: Let’s Get Social!”

In these classes, participants are presented with a basic understanding of the new norm and how best to cope with it.

With UCP Seguin support, Amanda has been “Alone Together” with the community, succeeding in overcoming the challenges of her dual disabilities and the COVID-19 pandemic.

“full support.”

Money accrued in the sustainability fund does not come from property taxes. Contributions to the sustainability fund partially come from fees paid by single-family properties for refuse collection and composting.

The village receives $0.05 from the $0.10 fee to purchase single-use plastic bags; that revenue also goes to the sustainability fund.

Prior to COVID-19, the village’s portion of the fee was generating around $10,000 a month for about a year, according to Village Manager Cara Pavlicek.

Trustee Jim Taglia felt the center made for a good use of the sustainability fund.

“It’s a plus for the village. It’s a plus for sustainability,” said Taglia.

The project also received the support of Trustee Simone Boutet, who called the recreation center “a fantastic community asset.”

“I support this project fully. It’s equitable,” said Boutet. “This solves a lot of problems.”

Trustee Susan Buchanan supported the project but told the board the Energy and Environmental Commission had wanted to review the project prior to it going before the board.

Abu-Taleb told the board it was “nice” to end the meeting after working together as a board and through collaboration with another taxing body on a project to the benefit of the environment and the community.

Trustee Dan Moroney did not attend the meeting.

Schuler’s Good Heart Work Smart Foundation is a donor to Growing Community Media, the nonprofit which owns Wednesday Journal.

Oak Park Township Senior Services oakparktownship.org/senior-services Opportunity Knocks opportunityknocksnow.org PACTT Learning Center pactt.org Progress Center for Independent Living progresscil.org Riveredge Hospital riveredgehospital.com community. So we stop at nothing to provide life skills training, assistive technology, meaningful employment and a place to call home for people with disabilities, as well as specialized foster care for children. Our goal: life without limits for people with disabilities.

Suburban Access, Inc. subacc.org The Answer, Inc. theanswerinc.org UCP Seguin of Greater Chicago ucpseguin.org West Suburban Special Recreation wssra.net

info@seguin.org ucpseguin.org facebook.com/UCPSeguin twitter.com/UCPSeguin

You can show your support for our Consortium members and the great work they do by visiting their websites – learn more, donate, volunteer, and follow them on social media. We appreciate your support!

Wednesday Journal, March 24, 2021

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

21

SPORTS Good to be back in the press box

F

or those who don’t know me, please allow me to introduce myself to you.

My name is Melvin Tate. I have been a freelance sports reporter for the Wednesday Journal and Landmark newspapers since 2017. It’s been a rewarding experience, and with the return of the sports section, I will be handling the majority of it.

I have learned a great deal from both Marty Farmer and James Kay, who have served our communities well as sports editors. I have always been passionate about high school sports, and again I need to thank Marty for taking a chance on bringing me aboard.

My only previous writing experience had been with my high school newspaper years ago, and even then my work consisted of just a couple of articles. But I consider myself to be a quick learner, and I have been able to transfer my passion into producing quality work for both the Wednesday Journal and Landmark.

Like other high school sports fans in our communities, I was disappointed when the decision was made to temporarily suspend the sports section. But I also understood why -- the COVID pandemic has greatly impacted all aspects of our regular lives adversely. Yet, I knew that once things started to improve, there was a chance sports would return, and my patience was rewarded. I am thankful for the opportunity Dan Haley has provided me, and I plan to do my best to show my appreciation.

The sports section is going to look different than the way it has been in the past. While yes, scores and roundups will still be posted, we’re going to place less emphasis on game stories. The vast majority of the section will be features -- stories that spotlight the achievements of student-athletes, coaches, and fans.

Everyone has a unique story to tell, and our goal is to find out the values that serve as motivation for their successes. We want to present compelling stories that will merit your complete attention. I have written a few feature stories before, profiling several student-athletes, and I am looking forward to doing so more often.

I will also look to present current hot topics in high school athletics. For example, there has been a lot of talk during the last couple of years about a basketball shot clock coming to Illinois schools. Many folks would like to see this instituted, but there are just as many opposed to the idea. My idea is to get you, the reader, intrigued by this and other topics and encourage fair and friendly debate.

Finally, I want to do a “where are they now” series. It would be great to catch up with former student-athletes and coaches to see what they’ve done with their lives after their high school days have long ended.

Will I be perfect with my work? Not always. There will be mistakes made; no one is perfect after all. But, know this: I will always write with my heart and I will always put the studentathletes first, which is the way it should be.

In other words, I’m simply going to do what Marty and then James did so well over the years: have the community’s best interest at heart. It showed through their work, and I plan to keep that tradition going.

Again, I’m eager and excited for this new journey, so let’s get it started!

MELVIN TATE

OPRF girls basketball coach announces resignation

Coughlin tweets ‘new vision and voice’ needed for the program

By MELVIN TATE Contributing Reporter

Oak Park and River Forest High School girls basketball coach J.P. Coughlin announced March 18 that he is resigning from his position immediately.

Coughlin, who has been part of the Huskies’ program for the past 15 seasons, including the past eight as head coach, informed the team on March 13 of his decision to resign.

J.P. COUGHLIN “I told our girls and the rest of the program that I have resigned as head coach,” Coughlin said on Twitter. “It was a very difficult decision ... in evaluating myself, our players and the program, I strongly felt that a new vision and voice were needed.”

OPRF went 5-9 in its’ recently-concluded season. The Huskies will lose five players to graduation - Rachel Hartman, Abby Spencer, McKale Thompson, Taylor Wipf, and Maeve Wojcik.

“Whoever becomes the next head coach will inherit a

supportive and dedicated athletic department, with passionate and supportive parents, and a group of young athletes who will do anything to get better,” Coughlin tweeted.

OPRF will return plenty of talent for the 2021-22 season, led by junior Lilah Gery. Other notable returning Huskies include juniors Kennedy Jones, Martha Lipic, and Sadie Lyons; sophomores Sandra Caldwell, Reese Garland, and Libby Majka; and freshman Keira Kleidon.

Coughlin thanked his current and past players, his assistants, the parents and the administration for their efforts.

And he plans on keeping track of the OPRF program, rooting for its success.

“Exciting days lay ahead for the Huskies,” Coughlin said. “I look forward to being their number one fan. I developed some amazing relationships in this game and I look forward to continuing those going forward.”

OPRF Athletic Director John Stelzer called Coughlin “one of the most caring, dedicated, and knowledgeable coaches that I have worked with” in a statement he emailed to Wednesday Journal.

“He has a true passion for coaching and teaching the sport of basketball and for developing life-skills for our student-athletes,” Stelzer said. “Coach Coughlin has served our school community, and our athletic department with integrity for 15 years. He is a wonderful example of a teacher-coach, and his dedication to our student-athletes will be greatly missed.”

Stelzer said a search for Coughlin’s replacement will begin soon.

Huskies bedeviled by Hinsdale Central in opener

Red Devils’ QB dominates as OPRF falls 42-7

By MELVIN TATE Contributing Reporter

The Oak Park and River Forest High School football team has had several competitive and exciting games with Hinsdale Central over the last several years, including winning two games during the 2012 season -- the latter coming in a firstround IHSA Class 8A playoff meeting thanks to a last-second TD pass from Lloyd Yates to Tommy Odell.

However, the contest March 19 at Dickinson Field in Hinsdale was completely one sided as the host Red Devils ran past the Huskies 42-7 in a game that necessitated a running clock for the entire second half.

Michael Brescia, one of the Chicago area’s top quarterback prospects, did the majority of the damage for

Hinsdale Central as he ran for two touchdowns (15 yards and 42 yards) and passed for three more, a 31-yard strike to Ryan Orput, as well as 47and 56-yard TD passes to Charlie Sessa. The Red Devils’ other TD came on a fumble recovery by John Costello in the end zone.

OPRF’s offense struggled for the vast majority of the evening, going three and out on its first three possessions. On their fourth drive, the Huskies got into the Hinsdale Central red zone, but senior quarterback John Landis was stopped for a loss on fourth and one from the Red Devils’ 15, resulting in a turnover on downs.

The Huskies did manage to avert the shutout in the fourth quarter, thanks to a 78-yard touchdown pass from Landis to senior Jemari SmithPayton.

OPRF hosts Lyons Township on Saturday, March 27. Kickoff is set for 12:30 p.m. at Oak Park Stadium.

Trinity, Fenwick girls are all-conference Six local girls’ basketball players, three from Fenwick and three from Trinity, received all-conference honors from the Girls Catholic Athletic Conference for their play during the recently concluded season.

Senior Lauren Hall and juniors Amanda Hansen and Elise Heneghan represented the Friars, while seniors Savanna Childress, Maddie Miller and Makiyah Williams earned honors for the Blazers.

Huskies boys soccer falls to Downers North The OPRF boys’ soccer team fell 2-1 at Downers Grove North on March 18 to drop its record to 1-2 on the young season. The Huskies will make their home debut against Glenbard West on March 25. Match time is 6:15 p.m. at Oak Park Stadium.

22

Wednesday Journal, March 24, 2021

Voter Empowerment Election Guide • 2021 • sponsored by GOOD HEART/WORK SMART FOUNDATION

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

EDITOR’S NOTE: The following six candidates were not included in last week’s election guide for lack of space.

OAK PARK TOWNSHIP TRUSTEE (6 CANDIDATES FOR 4 OPEN SEATS) E R I C What areas of service provided by the township need expansion and how do you intend to carry that out, while keeping taxation reasonable?

This to me is the key question for the next four years at the Township. As I outlined in my letter in the Journal on 12/30, I have proposed what I have referred to as radical collaboration, starting with the Village and Township boards meeting jointly and publicly to consider this question at a policy level. Clearly, the pandemic has already resulted in increased need for mental health services, for residents of all ages.

As the fiduciary for the Community Mental Health Board, and the body that appoints their board, the Township is a critical part of delivering mental health services to Oak Parkers and their families.

In addition, experts are expecting a sharp rise in cases of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) as people deal with the long-term impacts of the isolation, job loss, and other effects. At the same time we are seeing increases in substance abuse; the Township’s Preventative Services department clearly has more work it can and ought to be doing, but that too will require more resources. Similarly we are seeing increased needs from our seniors and from the at-risk youth in our middle and high schools.

At the same time, there is a significant segment among our residents who want to change the ways our society deals with the challenges of law enforcement. As an elected official, it is incumbent upon me to help all voices be heard. While I am not in favor of defunding the police, it is worth evaluating, again at a joint VillageTownship board conversation, whether there are resources the Village currently allocates in their law enforcement budget that would be better spent, in terms of positive impacts on people’s lives, if the Village was a more affirmative partner with the Township in delivering and expanding the social services we provide.

It was unfortunate that during the term of the current Village board they chose to leave a long partnership among all of the Oak Park taxing bodies to support the impactful and effective Township Youth Services interventionist program. It is my hope that the next Village board is of a

D A V I S mind to move back toward greater partnerships, to helping us fund expanded social services without the need to raise taxes. The Township during my terms has a strong record of fiscal responsibility and I want to continue that tradition.

V A L E R I E What areas of service provided by the township need expansion and how do you intend to carry that out, while keeping taxation reasonable?

My highest priority is responding to the needs and challenges created by the pandemic and the resulting economic and social impacts. I don’t expect we fully understand the complete toll this pandemic is taking. Early indications are that mental health has suffered as we’ve all been more isolated. As we learn the needs, I want to help the Township adapt to the need and address the challenges.

The work the Township does is often the work that foundations and grant funders are interested in supporting.

How will you increase community engagement and awareness of township services?

In addition to proposing the joint VillageTownship board policy discussion, which I expect would focus residents’ attention more on what we do, I have also proposed that the Township Board start holding our meetings, once the pandemic ebbs, How as trustee can you help the township at places outside our building, like at the address and overcome the novel challenges of middle schools, and at some of the senior operating mid-pandemic and post-pandemic? living facilities in Oak Park, to bring us closer What are those challenges? to the populations we The Township has done an adand our staff are serving. mirable job stepping up to the WEB EXTRA I also think that what we challenge, keeping staff & clients See candidates’ bios and complete answers at have learned during the safe while delivering essential serOAKPARK.COM/VOTEREMPOWERMENTGUIDE pandemic, in terms of vices: transportation to medical Zoom meetings, should appts, serving twice the # of meals continue, so that those in’20 than ’19, a hotline to help sewho may not be able to niors get registered to be vaccinatget out to an in-person ed, supporting the schools, youth, meeting can still participate. and mental health partners…

At a personal level, I think it is incumbent I know the staff has been working on “opening upon us as elected officials to make plans”, when that is advisable. I don’t expect we fully ourselves more available to the various understand the complete toll this pandemic is takcommunity and civic groups, who typically ing. Two areas of increased concern are: adapting to only ask us during election cycles, to the mental health needs of this crisis and supporting speak with their members on a more individuals and families struggling with substance regular basis. The more listening we abuse. I will help the Township adapt and address can do, the more our residents will also new challenges (and old) with fresh thinking and be able to hear about what it is we do. problem solving skills.

I should note that I have also done this The other critical challenge for the community – I during my current term; as one of the believe it is time for the village to re-imagine policing Township’s representatives to iGov, it so all residents feel safe. Policing is the responsibility was my suggestion that was acted upon of the Village government, and the Township should and which become the public forum on be at the table, especially Youth Services & the Mentaxation, held at Julian Middle School, tal Health Board. with County Assessor (and Oak Parker) Fritz Kaegi, our own state Senator (now How will you increase community engagement Senate President) Don Harmon, and my and awareness of township services? colleague, Township Assessor Ali El Saffar.

It’s most important that we engage those who need a helping hand. Today, the Township often It was excellent, if I do say so. I had been works through partners including hospitals, schools hearing residents’ continuing concerns and social service agencies (the Wednesday Journal about taxation, a system that is undergoing gives the Assessor good visibility). We need to make significant changes, and I felt it important sure our partners know all that the Township does, that iGov bring key players together to so they are not just referring to the initiatives they speak to our residents about the current are most connected to. The Township can do a betand future picture with taxation here and ter job building awareness across its services, for across the county and state. example, sharing information on the broad range of services the Township offers with the many propThe candidate’s responses have been edited for print. The full unedited responses can be found online at: erty owners who use the Assessors services. oakpark.com/voter-empowerment-guide The Township needs to build awareness (which

L E S T E R may lead to engagement now, or later).

If I could get one message out, it would be: the Township should be your 1st call if you need a helping hand and you don’t know who to ask – this is a resource rich community, if the Township can’t help, they probably know who can.

Awareness of what the Township does will also help the community appreciate how much it does for the community - helping Oak Park (and River Forest) be a more welcoming and compassionate community.

A good start is increasing presence in community media – the Wednesday Journal, OakPark.com as well as Oak Leaves and the FYI (distributed by the Village). Testimonials and real life stories can help address the challenge that Township Services aren’t important until you need them.

The Township has an opportunity to expand it’s outreach to the broader community – building partnerships with other government bodies (the village, schools, library & park district), broadening existing partnerships and outreach to new ones (congregations and community groups). The Library is a community hub for information. We need to try new approaches, for example, over 40% of Oak Parkers are renters. We can share information through the Housing Center and the large building owners/managers to reach renters providing information in their new renter packets.

How can the township increase the equitability of its services, considering the many different facets of equity?

The Township is focused on the most vulnerable in this community, the Board needs to lead by making sure we are listening to, adapting, supporting and demonstrating respect to those involved and impacted. Equity means everyone has the same opportunity to achieve.

The Township Board, staff and clients are diverse (and I hope the voters retain that diversity) - a good place to start but it does not ensure equity. The Board needs to approach decisions with an “equity lens” (an “equity lens” is to be deliberately inclusive as decisions are made, to help the decision makers focus on equity in both their process and outcomes). It is important to listen with an open mind to the input, needs and aspirations of all, and also consider who might be left out of the process.

I am an active volunteer within the Township, I will continue - to understand our clients and staff at the program level. The Township needs to proactively seek to feedback, and act compassionately and fairly on input from staff, clients, partners and the community (allowing for confidentiality).

The candidate’s responses have been edited for print.

The full unedited responses can be found online at: oakpark.com/voter-empowerment-guide

Wednesday Journal, March 24, 2021

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

REGISTER TODAY

SPRING INTO

SUMMER As you plan for this spring and summer, consider registering your child for summer day camp and swim lessons at the Y. Our children are ready...ready for fun and adventure and at the Y, we are ready to ensure your family can enjoy a safe and positive day camp and aquatic experience.

WHAT YOUR Y OFFERS FOR SWIM LESSONS » Monthly Enrollment » Progressive Curriculum » Caring & Qualified Instructors FOR DAY CAMP » Register by the Week » Spend Outdoors with Friends » Trusted & Experienced Counselor Plus, register by May 1 & recieve $25 off each week per camper

NOT A MEMBER? JOIN THE Y TODAY. » » » »

No Joiner's Fee $50 Program Credit Reduced Program Pricing Access to the Y and Virtual Y Expires 4.30.21

SAFETY PRECAUTIONS » Small Class Sizes » Social Distancing » Facemask and Hygiene Protocols » Positive Environments

FOR A BETTER US. | WESTCOOKYMCA.ORG

23

24

Voter Empowerment Election Guide • 2021 • sponsored by GOOD HEART/WORK SMART FOUNDATION

Wednesday Journal, March 24, 2021

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

OAK PARK TOWNSHIP TRUSTEE (6 CANDIDATES FOR 4 OPEN SEATS) A D E

O N A Y E M I

Outside of campaigning to serve as township trustee, what experience do you have working or volunteering with the township?

I am completing my 2nd term as a township trustee. During my tenure, I was a liaison of the board to the Youth Services Committee, Senior Services Committee, and the Community Mental Health Board (CMHB). Participation on the committees and the mental health board requires auditing organizations that receive grants from the Township and CMHB. My experience includes working with the community volunteers on our committees, and mental health board, and the non-profit organizations that we fund.

Additionally, I have served in various capacities with several of the non-profit organizations as a board member or volunteer. Some of the organizations include Opportunity Knocks, Infant Welfare Society, Elementary School District #97, and NAMI Metro Suburban’s IPS Steering Committee (helping people with mental health in their recovery through work).

I assisted in fostering the partnership between District 97 Oak Park Elementary School, The Rotary Club of Oak Park and River Forest, Youth Services, Oak Park Township to expand Cargo Peace Circles in Oak Park Elementary Schools.

What areas of service provided by the township need expansion and how do you intend to carry that out, while keeping taxation reasonable?

The COVID-19 pandemic exposed the inequities in our society. The emotional toll on all age groups with varying degrees of loss, isolation, and debilitating stress will increase the demand for our mental health and social services. We anticipate an increase in all service areas; mental health, youth services, senior services, and general assistance. With the opening up of the schools, our youth interventionists are receiving more referrals from the teachers.

We have strong partnerships and collaborations with the other taxing bodies. Our competent staff has an outstanding record of obtaining grants and funds from state and federal agencies. We seek grants through the Community Foundation and other foundations. The Township has a remarkable history of working within its budget. This year the Township was recognized for its Fiscal Year 2020 budget for April 1st, 2019 to March 31st, 2020. It is the 16th time that this Distinguished Budget Presentation Award has been given to the Township, since 2003. In 2018, we established the Financial Advisory Committee to the Township (FACT) to provide a structured, systemic review of the organization’s governance, risk management, and internal control practices. The FACT Committee includes residents with knowledge of advisory roles, finance, IT, the law, risk, and internal controls.

How as trustee can you help the township address and overcome the novel challenges of operating mid-pandemic and post-pandemic?

What are those challenges?

At the onset of the COVID-19 lockdown, I participated in the Special Council of Governments bi-weekly municipal governments meetings. The ongoing ses-

J A C Q U E L Y N

What areas of service sions facilitated by the Village coordinate provided by the township services, partnerships and share vital inneed expansion and how formation. Residents’ needs are discussed do you intend to carry that and prioritized openly, resources are disout, while keeping taxation cussed collaboratively, and an action plan reasonable? is implemented through partnerships.

The township youth servicThe Township is up to the task. es need to be expanded and As a trustee, I will continue to listen to the community and our capable staff on reimagined. Currently, it acfair means and methods of delivering counts for less than 10% of the service. We have to quickly adapt our probudget, and the programs run cesses to demand. Our Youth Services Team adopted by the township are mostly punishment or best practice in “tele-health” methods to support our intervention-based programs. It is entirely youth clients and their families. In March last year, Sepossible to move funding from other arnior Services met the challenges of delivering over eas without sacrificing services or increas20,000 meals while having in-person home visits. We ing taxes. All the programs funded, ran or continue to provide transportation for critical needs. partially funded by the township should I appreciate the numerous volunteers, including the have regular social impact assessments to PTO Council members that pitched in. Cook County ensure that it is an equitable and effective reimbursed the Township for COVID-19 related exuse of resources. That does not necessarily penses covering installation of glass barriers, upgradmean a small program will be cut or realing filtration in the HVAC system, and located, it only means enhanced cleaning of the facilities that we should make and PPE for staff and clients. We are sure our budget is WEB EXTRA working on reimbursement for other fluid from year to year See candidates’ bios and complete answers at expenses through FEMA. Senior Serrather than stagnant.

OAKPARK.COM/VOTEREMPOWERMENTGUIDE vices has a partnership with Beyond Hunger to provide groceries to seHow as trustee niors. The Village of Oak Park is fundcan you help the ing the program with CDBG funds township address and (granted to the Village in response to overcome the novel COVID-19). I will work with all elected officials at the challenges of operating mid-pandemic county, state, and federal levels to assist us in meeting and post-pandemic? What are those our challenges. challenges?

The major challenge we face at the moHow will you increase community engagement ment is our ability to reach the people who and awareness of township services? may need immediate help. I think the townThe Township is in the process of upgrading and ship is doing a great job at making calls and rebranding its communication processes. The vertrying their best to reach people, but the problem began long before the pandemic. satile and collaborative manner of service delivery I believe that we have an incredible opporthrough partner agencies and non-profits has the tunity to learn from it all. As things begin unfortunate disadvantage of invisibility. Our partto lighten, evaluating where the greatest ners run programs funded by the Township. In some need was, what was utilized the most and cases, the beneficiaries may not make the linkage what changes can be kept long term are with us. The proposed plan to move the CMHB into critical. For example, is the demand increase the Park Districts’ new Community Recreation Center for senior meals due to the pandemic or a will provide public exposure for our mental health, senior services, and youth services. In addition to the result of phone calls made by staff and rebranding efforts, including social media, the Townshould we bulk up those efforts? Moving ship holds fairs and open house events at our Oak forward, nothing can be done at the board Park Avenue location. table without starting almost from scratch.

Forty social services agencies have set up an acWe are living in unprecedented times, becount with Archive Social, which will help the Towning adaptive and willing to really evaluate ship maintain and organize its social media posts and what future needs may be is important. discussion threads. CMHB staff have been the keepers of the COVID-19 Social Services guide throughout How will you increase community enthe pandemic. Post pandemic, CMHB will reactivate gagement and awareness of township the regular resource guide that directs people to the services?

Health Connections Hub. I am open to holding Town We need to meet people where they Hall meetings with the community at the schools are. We should be partnering with rental and the park district. companies, hospitals and urgent care, and local businesses like laundromats and grocery stores. Quarterly or at least The candidate’s responses have been edited for print. semi-annual mailers sent to all residents The full unedited responses can be found online at: oakwould be a great step in the right direcpark.com/voter-empowerment-guide tion. Additionally, there are dozens, if not

R O D R I G U E Z hundreds of organizations and community groups already having discussions and working on the same issues.

We need to be reaching out and joining the conversation.

Consistent contact is key.

How can the township increase the equitability of its services, considering the many different facets of equity?

The first step is to prioritize equity in the budget and board goals. This would include allocating funds for training, assessment, and development. This also includes dedicating time to understanding, discussing, and making action plans. Second, there needs to be an advisory board or committee dedicated to equity, diversity, and inclusion. However, the committee would not be substitute for labor at the board table. They would advise and work with the board, but the board shall not rely on the committee to do the work for them. Equity can only be impactful when everyone is doing the work. Lastly, we must create and implement an equity impact assessment for all policy and partnership decisions.

These suggestions are only the start, they only begin to build a framework to help improve what already exists. Equity work evolves and, as mentioned in the question, is multifaced. We need to build solid groundwork first so that as new challenges arise, we can readjust while minimizing the potential for further damage or injustices.

How can the township improve its reach and grow its service offering without increasing the tax burden on citizens?

The township can grow and improve by assessing all of its partnerships and programs on a regular basis. In partnerships especially, the funding we provide can ebb and flow with the goals of that particular year. In fact, it should. If we are putting thousands of dollars every year into the same program run by one particular group, we are not equitably spreading our resources. Even amongst programs we want to continually support, we must never see it as a staple percentage in the budget. I believe that the township does a lot with very few resources, I would like to see that spread to as many diverse programs as possible, even if it means pulling back in other areas or rotating.

The candidate’s responses have been edited for print.

The full unedited responses can be found online at: oakpark.com/voter-empowerment-guide

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

Voter Empowerment Election Guide • 2021 • sponsored by GOOD HEART/WORK SMART FOUNDATION

Wednesday Journal, March 24, 2021

25

OAK PARK TOWNSHIP TRUSTEE (6 CANDIDATES FOR 4 OPEN SEATS) M A R G A R E T

T R Y B U S

What areas of service prowith an awareness that the Township is available to help, not judge vided by the township need exthose in need. pansion and how do you intend to carry that out, while keeping How can the township taxation reasonable? increase the equitability of its Expansion of services especially services, considering the many as we recover from COVID will require evaluation of what exists for different facets of equity? effectiveness and efficiencies. This From my educator’s perspecmay mean redirecting funds from tive and experience working with programs that are no longer meetdiverse students in diverse coming growing community service needs. Our munities, I define equity as recognizing that Township Directors in Seniors, Youth Services everyone needs to have access to the same and Community Mental Health have commit- opportunities and support, regardless of their tees that provide scrutiny and oversite to rec- life experiences, so that fairness is given to all. ommend budgets that are then submitted to No one should feel their voice doesn’t matter, the Township Supervisor and Trustees. It is the nor should they feel marginalized. Our comprocess of program evaluation, stakeholder munity needs to be inclusive and open to input, and agency evaluations that can deter- diversity in all forms: race, gender, age, sexual mine where services are needed in collabora- orientation, mental abilities, and religion so tion with Township committhat Oak Park is seen as tees, representative of the a Village that commucommunity. In the area of nicates openness and WEB EXTRA Youth this means reviewrespect for personal difSee candidates’ bios and complete answers at ing data in drug and alcoferences. A challenge OAKPARK.COM/VOTEREMPOWERMENTGUIDE to serve through an hol surveys to see if more “equity lens” requires needs are required in these an introspective look at areas. For Seniors, transporTownship program detation is a growing need as velopment and decision well as, affordable and safe housing. In Mental Health, services in post making. We have to start with ourselves to pandemic stress may cause focus to agencies be open and understanding of diverse perspectives and needs. To create an inclusive and expand tele-therapy that is place now.

Social services cut across all aspects of Oak environment within the Township, we need to Park government. So, one way to keep taxa- listen to all employees and be sure they also tion reasonable is through collaboration with listen to others’ needs. We can’t take for grantother governmental bodies to also reexamine ed that we are inclusive. We need to educate their budgets and work for identified common ourselves and learn how to celebrate diverse needs that can be supported through shared perspectives, creating change and innovative thinking. The needs of the future can’t be resources. solved with solutions from the past.

Several approaches are necessary to unHow will you increase community derstand the different facets of equity by first engagement and awareness of township defining them. Achieving true equity requires services?

Visibility of Township services, particularly looking at the systems perspective from acwith outreach to those individuals who need cessibility to services that have been designed help and are often feeling isolated, is challeng- at a time that is not represented of today’s ing. This ranges from seniors who lack trans- Oak Park. It means intentionality to examine portation or technology to find resources to proportional representation of all groups on marginalized youth who need more support Township committees and Boards to insure than they receive in schools. The Township that opportunities for access to services is fair board needs to be more visible in the com- to all groups in our Village. We need to look at munity at events and locations, create a more relationships between all groups so that transrecognizable “brand” through social media, parency, trust, and respect for diversity of poand through forming partnerships with other sition and thinking is met with open dialogue groups, whether taxing bodies, agencies, that leads to action. We need to be reflective churches, or schools. We are looking at ways leaders, since as elected officials the commuwe can create a more user friendly website nity has place their trust in us to look at the and marketing strategies so that all vehicles good for “all,” and not through a narrow lens for increased awareness can appeal to individ- that limits and stifles the diversity that Oak ual preferred methods of communication. Of Park has been built upon historically and can course, the stories our residents tell when they continue to serve us well, as a model commudo engage in Township services are our best nity that is open and welcoming to all. testimony to how we can, will, and do work to include “voices” of what works individually, and collectively in meeting needs. This is not sufThe candidate’s responses have been edited for print.

The full unedited responses can be found online at: ficient, but it is not to be minimized since the oakpark.com/voter-empowerment-guide human touch bridges doubt and uncertainty

T I M

T H O M A S

Outside of campaigning to serve as township trustee, what experience do you have working or volunteering with the township?

I currently serve on the Township Youth services committee What areas of service provided by the township need expansion and how do you intend to carry that out, while keeping taxation reasonable?

We are in the midst of a global health crisis; I can’t honestly say what needs to be expanded because these are unprecedented times. My goal is to protect to social safety net of services that the township currently provides with being a good steward of the funds entrusted to the township by taxpayers.

How as trustee can you help the township address and overcome the novel challenges of operating mid-pandemic and post-pandemic?

What are those challenges?

I support following the guidelines of competent health authorities and the government agencies with expertise in this area.

How will you increase community engagement and awareness of township services?

I’ve been vocal about trustees going out in to the community and explaining what it is the that the township does/provides.

I am opposed to getting stuck in the rut of “that’s the way it’s always been done”.

How can the township increase the equitability of its services, considering the many different facets of equity?

I support implementing the recommendations from the comprehensive township equity consultant’s report.

How can the township improve its reach and grow its service offering without increasing the tax burden on citizens?

The township must talk more about the partnerships they have with other local units of government and community partners. The current township leaders have also done a great job of increasing /maintain services without increasing the tax burden.

The candidate’s responses have been edited for print.

The full unedited responses can be found online at: oakpark.com/voter-empowerment-guide

Sawa’s Old Warsaw

Sawa’s Old Warsaw Come Celebrate early from Authentic Polish-American Food 7 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.

9200 W. Cermak Rd, Broadview Call Ahead 708-343-9040

Y

DA S Create ’ E N I T Open for Dine-in & Carry-out E N Thurs, your F E T - 11am-5pm V A LOwn FSaturday U Fri & B T S Platter!

EAKFA BR

Smoked or Fresh Polish Sausage (2”) - $7.00  Texas Chicken Style French Toast Broasted (2 pieces) - $8.00  Apple wood Bacon

Meatballs in Dill Sauce  Scrambled Eggs  Potato Pancakes (6) - $10.00

 Kiszka (Polish Sausage)

Mixed Vegetables Green Beans Sauerkraut Carrots Corn

 Sliced Ham Stuffed Cabbage (3) - $9.00  Pork Sausage Links

Pork ChopCrepes Stead (3) $10.00  Apple  Apricot Crepes

Pork Goulash Crepes - $10.00  Blueberry  Cheese Swiss SteakCrepes - $10.00

 Fresh Fruit  Raisin Beer BatterBread Cod - $12.00  English Muffins

Broasted Shrimp (8) $14.00

Bloody Mary or Mimosa only $6

All that plus Apple Juice, Orange Juice, Milk or Coffee...

Roast Duck (1/4 portion) $14.00

For only $9 per person!

Smoked BBQ Ribs Lunch ~ Noodles ‘n Ham (1/3 Slab) - $14.00 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. $9 per person

Dinner ~ BBQ Pork Ribs 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. $13 per person

Boiled Mashed Broasted Potato Pancakes Potato Dumplings

Stay updated with our newsletters at www.SawasOldWarsaw.com www.SawasOldWarsaw.com

Smorgasbord • Lounge • Banquets • Carry Out • Catering & Delivery 9200 W. Cermak Road • Broadview, IL

26

Wednesday Journal, March 24, 2021

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

Generations of Excellence since 1958

708.771.8040 • 7375 W. North Ave., River Forest Alisa Coghill DonnaAvenue Barnhisel 7375 West North Kay Costello Anne Brennan MANAGING River Forest, Illinois 60305 Maria Cullerton Kevin Calkins BROKER/OWNERS Julie Downey Tom Carraher 708.771.8040 Kurt Fielder Pat Cesario Andy Gagliardo

Tom Poulos

Joe Cibula Don Citrano

Ramona Fox Laura Gancer

Dan Halperin Greg Jaroszewski Vee Jaroszewski Noa Klima Jack Lattner Iris McCormick Vince McFadden

Colleen Navigato John Pappas Rosa Pitassi Sue Ponzio-Pappas Jenny Ruland Laurel Saltzman Laurie Shapiro

Tom Sullivan Debbie Watts George Wohlford Nancy Wohlford

815 JACKSON • RIVER FOREST

Randy Ernst • 773-290-0307

7610 DIVISION • RIVER FOREST

512 THATCHER • RIVER FOREST

UN DE R CO NTRAC T!

N EW LI S T I N G!

MODERN DREAM HOME with meticulous attention to detail and wonderful space for family and entertaining! Impressive foyer, family room, spacious living room, large master suite with walk-in closet, 2nd floor laundry room, & amazing finished LL with game room/playroom, and exercise room. .................................$925,000

MOVEIN READY HOME within walking distance to train and schools has everything you need and want! This 3 BR, 3-1/2 bath home features a LR w WBFP, DR, library, extra large designer eat-in kitchen, much sought after Fam Rm and an enclosed front porch.

Additional living space in basement. ................................ $619,000

STATELY SOUTHERN COLONIAL blends old world craftsmanship with elegant modern updates ideally located. Grand foyer, elegant LR with fireplace, recently remodeled gourmet kitchen, mudroom, family room, large basement with den/office.

Meticulously maintained and ready to move in. ........... $1,549,000

ARCHITECTURALLY DETAILED GEORGIAN HOME. Beautiful light-filled rooms, hardwood floors throughout all but the kitchen with amazing ceramic tile. Four generously sized BRs, two and a half baths. Enclosed porch with windows, full finished bsmt/rec room, office and wine room. .............................................$499,000

1301 PARK • RIVER FOREST

611 JACKSON • RIVER FOREST

703 ASHLAND • RIVER FOREST

1416 JACKSON • RIVER FOREST

S O LD!

U N D ER CO N T RAC T!

U N D ER CO N T R AC T!

SOL D!

FRENCH COUNTRY ESTATE built for flexible living. Fully renovated and expanded to preserve the feel and charm of a 1946 home, with all the conveniences of modern amenities and finishes.

Sits on a private, double lot. Large pool, 5 BRs w/BAs, 2nd Fl laundry, private office, finished basement......................$1,749,950

BEAUTIFUL, CENTER ENTRANCE COLONIAL with a large foyer, family room, sunroom, luxury kitchen with eating area AND island seating, tons of storage and pantry space, open floor plan rec room in basement. Tastefully done and impeccably maintained. All you need to do is move in! ......................................................$1,249,900

MUCH LARGER THAN IT LOOKS! This 3+ BR, 2-1/2 BA brick bungalow is move-in ready! Features include an open LR/DR, eatin kitchen, reworked basement, new windows, Alpha closets, new washer & dryer, and brick patio and firepit all enclosed by a private back yard. ............................................................................$729,000

ELEGANT HOME located on a picturesque River Forest block!

This stately 5 BR, 3 full/2 half bath home includes four floors of living with two finished family rooms, a large study and three fireplaces. Large sun-drenched rooms with elegant cove molding and windows. In-ground outdoor pool. ............................. $775,00

RIVER FOREST HOMES

CENTRAL LOCATION so you may walk to town and train! Located on the historic 700 Block of William this home features a beautifully renovated open floor-plan Kitchen, 1st floor family room, LL playroom, laundry /storage, office & full bath. Professionally landscaped yard and large deck...................................................................$755,000

520 N OAK PARK AVE • OAK PARK

547 LINDEN • OAK PARK

COLONIAL REVIVAL STYLE with Tudor Revival influences built in 1909. This stunning six-bedroom home displays sophistication and tasteful elegant décor. It offers wonderful space for family and entertaining with beautiful views of the spectacular oversized corner lot. ........................................................................ $1,395,000

Find that New Home!

Contact a Gagliardo Realty Associates Agent for a free market analysis

EXPERT DESIGN RENOVATION! The very best in contemporary design, finishes and mechanicals alongside exquisitely restored leaded glass doors and gleaming hardwoods create the ideal blend of old and new. Massive rooms and high end craftsmanship throughout.

Oversized lot. ..........................................................................$1,499,000 EXQUISITE, UPDATED HOME with luxurious finishes throughout, walk to EVERYTHING location! Four full floors of renovated space including massive, open, chef’s kitchen that opens to family room, French doors, amazing basement living space and home gym. Move in and enjoy! ...........................................................................$1,299,999 ELEGANT CRAFTSMANSHIP can be found throughout this 5 BR French Normandy home. Sophistication is evident from the moment you walk in the door. Impressive foyer, formal LR with fireplace and built-in benches, family room, separate formal DR, updated kitchen, home office. ..............................................................................$999,000 GRAND SPRAWLING HOME with an abundance of interior and exterior living areas. 5 BRs, upstairs laundry, 3 full & 1 half BAs, 3 fireplaces, full basement with recreation room. Grand two story family room incorporated into an open plan kitchen. Hardwood floors throughout main level. ............................................................. $787,000

1218 N EUCLID • OAK PARK

SOL D!

CONDOS/TOWNHOMES/2 FLATS NEW LISTING RIVER FOREST 2BR, 1BA. .........................$158,900 OAK PARK Two Flat ................................................................$550,000 OAK PARK 2BR, 2BA. Two parking spots..............................$369,000 OAK PARK 3BR, 2 full/1 half BA. Vintage beauty.................$285,000 OAK PARK 2BR, 2BA, Move-in ready!. ..................................$244,900 OAK PARK 1BR, 1BA. Open, light-filled floor plan. .............. $179,000 OAK PARK 1BR, 1BA. Great space. ........................................ $174,000 FOREST PARK 1BR, 1BA. Location Location! .........................$89,900

THREE STORY GRAND VICTORIAN on 100 x 218 lot in the heart of the Frank Lloyd Wright district. This estate features 6 Bedrooms, 2 Full baths, 3 fireplaces, many historic details including double front entry doors sourced from the Historic Pullman Estates section of Chicago. ...................................................................$646,000

The Spring market is coming!

Shop for homes online at GagliardoRealty.com

Wednesday Journal, March 24, 2021

NEED TO REACH US?

oakpark.com/real-estate email: buphues@wjinc.com

27

Homes

When the house for sale is a house of worship Church built in 1917 could be converted for single- or multi-family use

By LACEY SIKORA

I

Contributing Reporter

n 1917, the Lutheran Reformed Evangelical Church built a sanctuary at the corner of Scoville Avenue and Adams Street in Oak Park. The building was a modest clapboard church that was added onto in the 1940s and 1950s. The front stone portion of the church is the later addition, while the original building to the rear of the church now houses five classrooms.

More recently the building has housed the New Spirit Community Church and, facing a smaller congregation, pastor Rev. Bradley Nicholson has listed the church and the mid-century modern-style parsonage next door for sale with

Michael Nowicki of Ideal Location-Oak Park RE. Nicholson points out two interesting facts about the church. Shortly after it was built, the congregation merged with a church in the Austin neighborhood whose claim to fame was a visit from Teddy Roosevelt.

A slightly more spiritual claim to fame shows up in a blue stain on the stone on the front façade of the church. The shape of the Virgin Mary appears outlined in blue. Nicholson said they have tried power washing the stone, but the shape will not wash off and, in fact, becomes more intense every year.

Inside the main sanctuary, there are two original rose windows made of stained glass. Wooden beams support the ceiling.

“I’ve spent a lot of time here, and the more time I spend here, the more I fall in love,” Nowicki said. “It’s like the church you see in those little Christmas villages.”

The rear of the church is the original part of the building and is divided into classrooms. A fellowship hall with a full

kitchen and bathroom is on the lower level.

There might not be a lot of comparables on the market for churches, but it is a hot market for interesting real estate.

Nowicki points out that the possibilities for this place are numerous.

“We’ve discussed potential uses, and more and more people come to mind,” Nowicki said.

One possible use would be a live-work situation in which part of the building is converted to living quarters, and the rest serves as a home office with its own entrance. The space could also make a one-of-a-kind single-family home with plenty of room for kids to learn and play at home.

Another use would be retrofitting it for multi-family living. A number of churches in recent years have been developed and turned into condominiums or apartments that take advantage of existing soaring ceilings and stainedglass windows.

See CHURCH on page 29

28

Wednesday Journal, March 24, 2021

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

BairdWarner.com

It’s easier here.®

947 Wenonah Ave. Oak Park | $749,000 Swati Saxena

147 N Euclid Ave, Unit 406 Oak Park | $689,000 Hughes Home Team

6624 Windsor Ave. Berwyn | $589,000 Sandra Dita Lopez

1204 Rossell Ave. Oak Park | $565,000 Swati Saxena

2022 N Wood St, Unit 1N Chicago | $560,000 Elsa Lucas

435 William St, Unit 208 River Forest | $515,000 Ed Bellock

320 S Maple Ave, Unit D Oak Park | $459,000 Liz O’Connell

110 S Marion St, Unit 304 Oak Park | $429,000 Patricia McGowan

830 N Austin Blvd.

Oak Park | $342,000 Heidi Rogers

9100 Shady Ln. Hickory Hills | $299,000 Margarita Lopez

7753 Van Buren St, Unit 318 Forest Park | $259,413 Jim Gillespie

4414 W 59th St. Chicago | $250,000 Sandra Dita Lopez

7707 Westwood Dr, Unit 4A Elmwood Park | $219,000 Keller Group Chicago

715 Washington Blvd, #2D Oak Park | $219,000 Bethanny Alexander

2445 S 13th Ave. Broadview | $175,000 Cathy Yanda

135 S Kenilworth Ave, #11 Oak Park | $140,000 Arrick Pelton

213 N Marion St, Unit 1C Oak Park | $134,000 Cathy Yanda

217 Chicago Ave, Unit 2 Oak Park | $129,900 Catherine Simon-Vobornik

1209 N Harlem Ave, #10 Oak Park | $116,000 Ed Bellock

7859 S South Shore Dr, #1W Chicago | $99,000 Divietta Starr

1037 Chicago Ave. Oak Park, IL | 708.697.5900 | oakpark.bairdwarner.com Source: BrokerMetrics® LLC, 1/1/2019 - 12/ 31/2019Detached and Attached only. Chicagoland PMSA

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

Wednesday Journal, March 24, 2021

29

CHURCH

Multi-family retrofit? from page 27 In Oak Park, the church originally built for the Second Presbyterian Church in 1906 on Ridgeland Avenue was converted to the Mason Loft condominiums in 2003, and Nicholson says there are a lot of churches throughout the country that have been decommissioned and similarly developed.

In Chicago, Jodi Development, working with Ranquist Development, the group behind Oak Park’s District House, recently gutted and renovated the Bethany Presbyterian Church on Humboldt Boulevard.

Now named the Grand Logan Lodge and with a sizable addition, the development houses 15 apartments in two buildings that are joined by a three-story glass lobby. The developers restored the church’s stainedglass windows and kept intact its historic façade.

While church conversions are more common in Chicago, Nowicki sees something similar working well in Oak Park. At over 9,600 square feet and with the ability to add the parcel next door with the parsonage, Nowicki says, “This is such a rare opportunity, but it’s full of endless possibilities.”

The church, located at 542 S. Scoville Ave., is listed for $750,000. Pricing for the parsonage next door is available upon request.

Photos provided by VHT Studios

ENDLESS POSSIBILITIES: The church and next door parsonage (top right) offer a buyer the opportunity many options, including turning the complex into a one-of-a-kind single family home or into a unique multifamily development

30

Wednesday Journal, March 24, 2021

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

Engage Christian Church invites you to a

FAMILY DRIVE-IN MOVIE NIGHT featuring Disney’s Newest version of

Aladdin

Sunday, March 28

March 27, 2021 at 7pm

CONDOS

(2019 Verson)

ADDRESS

OFFICE

LISTING PRICE

TIME

ADDRESS

OFFICE

LISTING PRICE

TIME

320 S Maple Ave, Unit D, Oak Park. . . . . . . Baird & Warner. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $459,000 . . . . . . . . . Open Sunday 12-2 1005 South Blvd, Oak Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . @properties. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $498,000 . . . . . . . Open Sunday 11:30-1

RSVP Required

Text “RSVPMOVIE” to 708-435-2214

and include the total number of people attending.

SINGLE FAMILY HOMES

Broadview Missionary Baptist Church 2100 S. 25th Ave, Broadview, IL

4203 Park Ave, Brookfield . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Baird & Warner. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$369,000 . . . . . . . . . . .Open Sunday 1-3

Engage Christian Church

708-405-9695 • engagecc.org

Need a helping of

Call Jill at (708) 524-8300 or visit OakPark.com/ subscribe

This Directory brought to you by mrgloans.com

Providing financing for homes in Oak Park and surrounding communities since 1989.

Conventional, FHA, and Jumbo mortgages Free Pre-approvals

6821 W. North Avenue Suite 201 Oak Park, IL 708.452.5151

Mortgage Resource Group is an Illinois Residential Mortgage Licensee.

NMLS # 207793 License # 1031

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

31

Wednesday Journal, March 24, 2021

VIEWPOINTS

Defeat defunding

p. 33

What sort of community do you want to live in?

G

overnment spending, taxes, and the cost of public services remain controversial among families, communities, and certainly on social media. Beneath arguments about tax levels and spending are actual government operations — systems and processes that have developed from necessity.

As opinions vary widely on what is worth paying for, the consumer price index (CPI) often is touted as a benchmark that government agencies should match in tax levy requirements. Unfortunately, CPI is not always a practical benchmark for government operations.

CPI is a measure of the average change of prices on a sample group of consumer goods. It’s based on more than 200 categories of spending, can be viewed as a cost-of-living index, and is used to calculate the inflation rate.

So why doesn’t it work as a benchmark for a local tax levy? Because government agencies have expenses that aren’t consumer goods (e.g., streetlights, building maintenance). More importantly, government is managed by people. Salaries for police officers, librarians, teachers, and park district staff are not consumer products. Most local government spending is for the people who deliver services to the community.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that in our area wages and salaries for private industry workers increased 2.8 percent for the 12-month period ending in December 2020.

For state and local government workers, they increased 1.8 percent. On average, then, government wages and salaries increased at a lower rate than the private sector.

For the Chicago area, the CPI percent change dropped from 2.6% in January 2020 to 0.9% in December 2020. So should government agencies be limited to a 0.9% levy increase? If so, cuts would need to be made, either by reducing programs, services, or workers, because cost drivers in government continue to rise above CPI. Looking just at the Oak Park Public Library, because the final debt payment for the 17-year bond, issued by referendum, was paid in 2020, residents will experience an 8.65% decrease in the tax levy for library services. With reduced revenue expected from other account lines (e.g., service charges, parking lot revenue, interest), the total revenue budget for 2021 decreased 0.7% from 2020.

Bottom line: If we use CPI as the limit to which government agencies can increase the tax levy, we erode government maintenance and services. This erosion can lead to higher turnover costs in staffing, or we come to a point when a large referendum is necessary for failing infrastructures and services.

We all have opinions on government spending and the services we expect. If you don’t have a fire, you don’t need firefighters. If you don’t have children in school or use the public library, maybe you don’t feel you should pay for those.

But we all benefit from public goods regardless of personal use, as they contribute to the kind of community we live in.

The question becomes, what sort of community do you want to live in?

Jeremy Andrykowski is the director of operations at the Oak Park Public Library. More at oppl.org.

JEREMY

ANDRYKOWSKI One View

RENDERING BY FOCUS DEVELOPMENT

DOA?: A rendering of the proposed development on the funeral home site at 203 S. Marion.

I

Opposing the Drechsler site proposal

would like to state in the strongest way possible my opposition to the development recently approved for the Drechsler Funeral Home site. I object on three issues: ■ the size and scale of the proposed building: 7 stories, 158 units plus commercial space and coffee shop ■ the negative impact the added congestion will have on the quality of life in the neighborhood ■ the fast way the proposal was seemingly pushed through ignoring local input I am not opposed to developing this site. I am in favor of a development that is in harmony with the rest of the neighborhood, which this one is clearly not. Every unit will bring at least one car, if not two, adding 150 to 200+ cars to the neighborhood each day.

Plans call for only 123 parking spaces; the extra cars will have to park on already crowded streets.

The first obligation of the Plan Commission should be to ensure development in the village that enhances the well-being and quality of life for Oak Park residents. It is not to enhance village tax revenues nor the profits of developers. Neither the Plan Commission nor the developer has offered a single argument saying this development would improve the quality of life for the residents of the Pleasant District.

One of the reasons I live in Oak Park is for its sense of tranquility, a respite from the intensity of the big city. If I wanted the density, congestion and hustle and bustle of Chicago, I would live there. The added

congestion and traffic of this development will only detract from the quality of life in the Pleasant District.

This project was made known in the dead of winter during a severe cold spell and in the midst of a pandemic, less-thanideal circumstances to gather opinions from local residents. One can only conclude that this project was fast-tracked by the Plan Commission for obvious reasons: it would not be popular with the local residents. Indeed, at the last meeting of the Oak Park Village Board, 45 letters opposed vs. four letters in favor were submitted by residents.

The developers want to make their money and get out, while we residents are left to deal with the mess they leave behind. Do we need upward of 150 more cars circulating in the neighborhood on a daily basis?

Do we need more empty storefronts? Do we need yet another coffee shop in addition to the five within a block’s walk? Do we need a building towering over all the others nearby, completely out of harmony with the human scale and historical character of the neighborhood? Will this make life better for the residents of the Pleasant District? Hardly.

The village board should allow time to canvass the residents of the Pleasant District to gain a clear understanding of their opinions about this project and respond accordingly. In face of such a significant intrusion on their daily lives, it is only fair and correct.

Michael Corso is an Oak Park resident.

MICHAEL CORSO One View

32

V I E W P O I N T S

Wednesday Journal, March 24, 2021

O U R

V I E W S

Together and apart

S

o let’s review the problems looking for a solution. Chicago’s Catholic archdiocese has an aging and therefore dwindling number of priests. (It is also committed to not allowing women to become priests or, generally, to allow priests to marry.) Attendance at Sunday Mass is also slumping as younger people start leaving the church soon after confirmation. Financial support drops along with church attendance. Catholic school enrollment has long diminished though has picked up a few converts by staying open during the COVID pandemic. It operates large, ornate and perpetually aging church buildings, including some on campuses with vacant schools, convents and underused rectories.

Hence the multi-year Renew My Church initiative instituted by Cardinal Blase Cupich. The process is intended to merge parishes to bring the supply of priests into balance with the number of churches. It should also lower costs by decommissioning old church buildings and potentially selling property off for new uses or development.

That makes the recent decision by the archdiocese to merge St. Luke Parish in River Forest with St. Bernardine Parish in Forest Park somewhat baffling. Yes, the announcement that Rev. Stan Kuca, longtime pastor at St. Bernardine’s, will now oversee both parishes and that Rev. John Szmyd, St. Luke pastor, will be reassigned does free up one priest. But keeping both churches open and active would seem to maintain costly maintenance and operations of the two campuses while also allowing parishioners who inevitably love their worship homes to stay in their church silos.

And that makes unifying the two parishes into one seem unlikely.

The 2021 announcement comes with the promise that in 2024 the whole One Parish- Two Churches model will be reassessed. That may be when the real — and likely inevitable — pain will be felt.

The two campuses will soon be united under one new name.

The shared pastor will appoint a blended parish council. There could be a fascinating sociological study done over these next years as parishes with little shared history and quite varied demographics seek unity. History would traditionally connect St. B’s with Oak Park’s south end Ascension more readily than St. Luke.

We wish these two congregations grace as they seek common ground in faith. We hope there is shared growth to be found and not merely a gradual slippage of two proud parishes.

Anan, Arti find common ground

It took two years, but Mayor Anan Abu-Taleb and Trustee Arti Walker-Peddakotla finally found a topic on which they could wholeheartedly agree: Jacking up the cost of a parking ticket by $30 if it isn’t paid in 14 days has long frustrated Abu-Taleb. And when the mayor, in his waning days in office, proposed dropping the late fee to $10, calling it “low-hanging fruit for people who need help,” the entire village board signed on.

Abu-Taleb told the board that parking ticket fees should not be viewed as a revenue source but as a method to bring people into compliance. That approach thoroughly resonated with WalkerPeddakotla. “I really appreciate you, kind of, laying it out like that.

And I agree with you,” she said.

Abu-Taleb, who has most often been at loggerheads with Walker-Peddakotla, responded “Arti, I appreciate you agreeing with me.”

Cue the weepy music. OK, maybe not. These two public servants disagree about a lot and they got off to and stayed on a rocky road.

But this was a moment where they connected on what is a small thing but an emblematic example of how government doesn’t have to stick it to people without a lot of resources.

Good they found this common cause.

I

A visit with the little people

t was tough losing six months with my he’ll do with the pot of gold when he finds it.

7-year-old grandsons. It’s a wonderful “I’ll buy Mom a castle with a golden bedage and they’re only 7 once. room, and I’ll buy you a mansion, and I’ll buy It turns out, 7 is the Leprechaun Age. Tyler his own house.”

With their ginger hair and Irish ancestry, “Where are you going to live?” and almost perfect size, Tyler and Bryce “I’ll live with Mom. I’ll have a silver bedwere in full leprechaun mode leading up to room.”

St. Patrick’s Day. They love playing “lueperTyler, meanwhile, has drawn a “Tresher con” as Bryce spells it, and they’re mad to Map,” complete with a “Key” and a compass. catch one, so they’ve been building traps, The key includes “Tool, Path, Tree,” and mostly out of construction paper and mask“Land Mrc” [Landmark], accompanied by a ing tape, but showing some technical ingenudrawing to guide the user. ity. Their tiny house had a string attached to On St. Patrick’s Day itself, I stopped by the front door and threaded through the roof, while they were in school and left assorted tied to a bag of gold coins inside (I took their “treshers” acquired at the Irish Shop in Oak word for it). When the leprechaun — and Park, including two leprechaun “stuffies,” they assured me one was lurking in the area two green necklaces with dangling sham— pulled the bag, it raised the front door and locked him rocks, and green fortune cookies, one of which reads, in (theoretically). To lure a reluctant leprechaun inside “May you find a pot of gold at the end of every rainbow.” the trap, they created enticing signage, such as “Free These I leave on their pillows — after making their beds Toilet Breaks!” How could any self-respecting leprechaun so they know they’ve been visited by a supernatural resist that? force. I leave a pot (actually Three months removed a shamrock-festooned pail) from Santa Claus, leprefilled with gold-foil-wrapped chauns are kings in the chocolate coins in the middle magic department, besting of their trampoline in the other relevant beings like backyard and a “clue” on the the Easter Bunny and the dinner table inside that says, Tooth Fairy, the latter rising “You’ll find your pot o’ gold in in prominence, however, with the place where you bounce,” the promise of a “Benjamin” signed “Papa Lepreken.” under the pillow when they Inside the card is a St. lose their baby teeth (if it Patrick coin. On the back, it ever happens). I ask, “What’s reads, “May your troubles be a Benjamin? A $10 bill?” No, less, your blessings be more, Shamrock (Tyler) and Lucky (Bryce) the Bryce says, “a hundred.” and nothing but happiness leprechaun twins.

Seven-year-olds have inforcome through your door.” mation sources that would They call later to give me a impress even QAnon. I tell them I only got a quarter. I’m full report on the day and relate that they “almost caught doubtful about the Benjamins. That’s a lot of inflation. the leprechaun.” I tell them the Irish are great ones for We read an old Irish folk tale about an encounter with blessings, and the two of them are among my greatest a leprechaun, which contains some valuable advice: If blessings.

Someday, when they have moved beyond magic — you ever encounter one of the “little people,” never take except, of course, the magic of love — maybe they’ll pick your eyes off him. Admittedly, that would test the powers this up and read the following blessing from Ireland’s of concentration of these leprechaun hunters, not to master, John O’Donohue: mention their attention span. But they’re nothing if not determined.

May the light of your soul guide you.

Magic and science comfortably co-habit the 7-year-old May the light of your soul bless this work you do with mind, which consists of two parts imagination to one the secret love and warmth of your heart. part realism.

May you see in what you do the beauty of your own soul.

But first grade has been filling their brains with plenty May the sacredness of your work bring healing, light, of competing knowledge. We were discussing where one and renewal to those who work with you and to those who of their school friends lived, and they were a bit vague. see and receive your work.

I said, “You mean the general vs. the specific location?”

May your work never weary you.

Thought I would stretch their vocabulary. Bryce replied, May it release within you wellsprings of refreshment, “You mean the absolute vs. the relative?” inspiration, and excitement.

Turns out they’ve become quite adept at navigating May you be present in what you do.

Google Earth on their school-provided Chromebooks.

May you never become lost in the bland absences.

Bryce claims he typed in “The End of the Rainbow” and May the day never burden. saw a green blur flash across the screen, but they also May dawn find you awake and alert, approaching your showed me my apartment building in Oak Park, where new day with dreams, possibilities, and promises. they (we) have many happy memories. Then, with Daddy May evening find you gracious and fulfilled. on the other end of our Zoom connection, we traveled to May you go into the night blessed, sheltered, and proDjibouti, Africa, Chromebook interfacing Chromebook, tected. for a guided tour of the base where Dad is currently May your soul calm, console, and renew you. deployed.

Speaking of imagination, they also like talking to But they don’t need to read it now. They’ve got this Alexa, mostly turning her timer on and off, but it seems covered. to give them an intoxicating sense of power.

It’s their personal pot of gold.

Which is fine, but magic is more fun. I ask Bryce what

KEN

TRAINOR

V I E W P O I N T S

Defund police? Vote No and vote Unite!

O

n this year’s ballot, voters are asked: “Shall the Village of Oak Park defund its Police Department?” It’s important to send a strong message by voting “No.” It’s also important to vote for the three trustee candidates committed to reimagining community safety without significantly defunding our police: Stephen Morales, Ravi Parakkat and Lucia Robinson of Unite Oak Park.

Make no mistake, “defunding” means reducing what Oak Park spends on its police department by as much as 27% — and that’s just for starters. A defunding resolution was defeated by only two trustee votes in August 2020. If just two more pro-defunding trustees (or one trustee and a village president) are elected in April, our community safety is truly in jeopardy.

We should not be complacent. This is no time to defund our police. Crime was up 10% in 2020 vs.

2019. Inadequate police staffing is dangerous, as we saw when insurgents stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6. In Minneapolis, demoralized police officers have departed in droves after the city council voted to defund/dismantle their department. Violent crime has surged. Now Minneapolis is reversing course.

Reallocating funding from the police to social services won’t reduce crime or save money. From 2015 to 2019, non-Oak Parkers accounted for 83.5% of arrests in our village. Our police already call in social workers. They’re trained by the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) and have received its praise.

They’re also trained in de-escalation techniques.

Maybe that’s why no Oak Park officer has discharged

a weapon in 10 years.

It may sometimes make sense to send social workers in initially. But where there has been (or might be) violence, a sworn officer must be on the response team. Then the response will cost more.

There does not appear to be any shortage of social services in Oak Park. An internet search finds some 150 social service organizations in/serving Oak Park, with many provided/funded by District 97, District 200, the village of Oak Park, the library, and the park district. If anything, we appear to have a proliferation of duplicative service providers.

Defunding advocates falsely claim that the village prioritizes policing over social services. The fact is less than 13% of all taxing body spending goes to policing, and that includes pensions.

Decisions on funding the Oak Park police should be based on local conditions, not on what may be true elsewhere. The Oak Park police have about 65,000 encounters in a typical year. Yet there are just 12-15 complaints annually on average, which rarely pertain to use of force. Oak Park is a relatively affluent town adjacent to a lower-income, high-crime community. This makes us more vulnerable than other communities of our size. Average police staffing statistics based only on Oak Park’s population do not take our situation into account.

Voting for Morales, Parakkat and Robinson is a vote for community safety, fiscal discipline, sensible solutions and experience. Please vote for them in this election.

Judith Alexander has lived in Oak Park since 1982.

This is the first time she has endorsed local candidates.

JUDITH

ALEXANDER One View

A few thoughts about the OP board race

The race for trustees seems to be quite contentious. I hope people will keep a few things in mind. First, some people have referred to an issue with the current board being all white. No matter which slate you vote for, that isn’t going to be the case. One slate has all black candidates, and the other has two Latinx candidates and one Asian American. No matter what, it’s going to be a more diverse board.

Second, there’s no rule that says you have to vote for one slate. You can pick individual candidates, mixing two from one slate and one from the other. It seems like everyone is set on one slate or the other. It’s possible that the board might benefit from having different perspectives to add to the discussions of the issues.

Third, this is not a Trump-vs-Biden, polar-opposites sit-

uation. All of the candidates are people who want to serve the community and are promising many of the same things. I realize some people are quite adamant that some candidates are better than others, and they may be right, but all of them say that they want diversity, inclusion, affordability and greater transparency. All of them say they want to support small businesses and the commissions.

All of this, combined with the end of Wednesday Journal endorsements, makes it a greater challenge for all of us to do the research and find and vote for the best choices.

Finally, I hope that once the election is over we will put it behind us and come together as a community, no matter how it turned out.

Joyce Porter Oak Park

Defeat the defunding referendum Dear Oak Parkers: Use your common sense this April. Don’t vote for wellmeaning but misguided souls calling for defunding the Oak Park Police Department. Vote “No” on the defunding referendum question on the ballot. Base your decisions on facts. Do not be swayed by diatribes based in raw emotion and misdirected anger, rather than reality.

The crime rate went up 10% from 2019 to 2020, and 84% of the crimes committed in Oak Park are committed by non-residents. We need more police not less. The police have been trained in de-escalation techniques. Also, they work with social workers trained to work with those who have mental illnesses. One hundred and fifty social service

agencies serve Oak Park. We don’t need to divert funds from the police for more social programs.

As for complaints against police officers, the police department gets about 12-15 complaints a year. Virtually none are related to use of force. No Oak Park police officer has discharged a gun in the past decade.

In the interests of full disclosure, I don’t live in Oak Park.

I moved to River Forest a few months ago. But before that, I had been an Oak Park resident since 1958. So in my heart, I still care deeply about Oak Park. I fervently pray that sensible and caring voters will prevail in April.

Louise Mezzatesta River Forest

Wednesday Journal, March 24, 2021

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 Staff Reporters Michael Romain, Stacey Sheridan, Maria Maxham Viewpoints Editor Ken Trainor Real Estate Editor Lacey Sikora Food Editor Melissa Elsmo Arts Editor Michelle Dybal Sports/Staff reporter James Kay Columnists Marc Blesoff, Jack Crowe, Doug Deuchler, Linda Francis, Mary Kay O’Grady, Kwame Salter, John Stanger, Stan West Staff Photographer Alex Rogals Design/Production Manager Andrew Mead Designers Mark Moroney, Javier Govea, Debbie Becker Business Manager Joyce Minich Marketing Representatives Marc Stopeck, Lourdes Nicholls Sales & Development Mary Ellen Nelligan Circulation Manager Jill Wagner E-MAIL jill@oakpark.com Chairman Emeritus Robert K. Downs

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

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

In a healthy conversation about community concerns, your voice is also vital. We welcome your views, on any topic of community interest, as essays and as letters to the editor. Noted here are our stipulations for filing.

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

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

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

‘ONE VIEW’ ESSAY

■ 250-word limit

■ 500-word limit

■ Must include first and last names,

■ One-sentence footnote about yourself,

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

■ Signature details as at left

your connection to the topic

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

H O W

T O

R E A C H

U S

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 $41 within Cook County and $51 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. © 2021 Growing Community Media, NFP.

33

34

V I E W P O I N T S

Wednesday Journal, March 24, 2021

Obey campaign sign regulations!

Here’s the Illinois law more observed in the breach than the keeping: 10 ILCS 5/29-14.1 – the Campaign Sign Regulation Act. ■ Campaign signs shall be no larger than 2 x 3 feet ■ All signs shall be made of a biodegradable material ■ No more than one sign for each candidate for each public office ■ No signs on public property ■ Signs no closer than 20 feet from the property line This means that almost every lawn sign displayed in Illinois is illegal and subject to a fine of $2 per day per sign! If you don’t like the law, get it repealed, but until then, obey it!

Dan Dobruse

Oak Park

D97 board did the right thing

I applaud the District 97 school board for acting to retain Patrick McAndrew as a Beye School teacher. I am appreciative of the board’s consideration of the communities’ expression of support for Mr. McAndrew’s continued tenure with D97. From what I can discern, the action taken is fair and principled in light of all the facts and circumstances. The board members kept the children’s best interests at the forefront in reaching this decision and in so doing fulfilled their duty to our community in an exemplary manner.

Dan Burke Oak Park

Thanks for the vaccine event

My husband, Dennis Griffin, just received his first Moderna vaccine, thanks to the extraordinary efforts of our Village President Cathy Adduci and her team.

This second vaccine event for those over 65 was held at the fire station, adjacent to River Forest Village Hall. It was very well organized, and his wait time was non-existent. We were notified of the event by phone with a recorded message by Cathy. The process was easy, efficient and responsive to the care of her constituents.

Cathy is running for re-election as president of River Forest. In our opinion, she has proven to be an effective, transparent and caring leader. She deserves another term.

Terry & Dennis Griffin River Forest

I

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

Henek: values, vision and integrity

strongly endorse Patty Henek in the upcoming River Forest Village President election. Not just because of her capacity to handle the job, which she has demonstrated in myriad ways, but for her talents, which will mean a better River Forest for all of us.

Much discussion has centered on the critical skills required for someone to be the “CEO” of River Forest. As with any CEO position in government and in business, it is critical that a village president have the operational knowledge of the organization’s mission and key success factors, the leadership chops to engage the board and committees to keep the organization fresh and growing, and the personnel skills to manage direct reports.

In her decades-long Non-Governmental Organization experience and as a fouryear village trustee, Patty has repeatedly displayed this skill set. She has demonstrated municipal leadership — with economic development, finances, zoning, public safety, planning, and communications. Her fluency with village issues is

enviable and she has modeled a commitment to research, question and education on the issues facing our village. Her willingness to reach out to citizens beyond her own networks is far ahead of her peers.

Yet there are skills beyond just her community and board experience that argue for her selection. River Forest spends over $700,000/year on professional personnel to manage the operations of the village while implementing board policy.

The most important skills for a CEO of any organization are those skills we most crave from our public and private leaders — enforcing values, communicating vision, and modeling integrity.

Patty has the integrity that guides her actions, always putting community needs above her own aspirations. She took a courageous stand on behalf of the community during the Roosevelt Middle School issue and lost an election by 20 votes as a result. She uniquely sees the ways collaborative efforts yield stronger results. She leads by example, modeling inclusion and bridge-building, with some

MARK COE

One View

Henek asks the tough questions

Through the years, I have quietly paid attention to the work being done by our village trustees. Aside from being involved in the Welcoming Village Resolution and Affordable Housing, I’ve been a silent observer who tries to stay, whenever possible, knowledgeable about the work going on in our village.

During these years of trying to stay informed, the one person who has stood out the most is Patty Henek, even though I have found common ground with many of the trustees, including our current president. But more than anyone, I have seen Patty ask the tough questions, not take the easiest path with her votes, push for more transparency, and always be willing to do the work behind her words and votes. I truly believe she’s in public office and running for president because she wants better for our village.

River Forest has come a long way and I’m proud of what we have accomplished. I truly applaud all trustees, including Cathy Adduci, for much of this progress. But it’s not time to congratulate ourselves. We have a lot of work to do in educating the community on why affordable housing is so important and a benefit to the village.

Then we need to actually do the work

previous opponents now among her strongest supporters.

Without any disrespect to current or past administrations, creating a successful future for River Forest is more than just doing what was done in the past.

Picking a village president is more than just “whose turn” it is. We have all lived through the limits imposed on a global society for lack of values and inclusion.

River Forest is by no means broken but using “it seems to be OK” as a threshold when planning for the future or casting a ballot is dangerous. The new challenges we will face are best met by new leadership, a fresh and collaborative vision and fidelity to the values we all hold dear.

Why not bring fresh direction to our village?

To paraphrase a neighbor I deeply admire, for the love of River Forest, vote for Patty!

Mark Coe is 30-year resident and private sector CEO. He is also a former two-term Library Board trustee and past president, Service Club member and past president, and River Forest Tennis Club member and past president.

What I know about Cate Readling

to make sure RF meets and hopefully exceeds the 10% state mandate. So far, we haven’t done that work successfully.

We also need to make sure both our partnership with Maywood and our work toward diversity, equity and inclusion are truly impactful, not just a vote or slogan to make us feel better about ourselves.

Additionally, we need more transparency with decisions and appointments to various volunteer commissions, boards, and committees. We want to draw from the best people who have the right experience and expertise. And the entire board, not just the president, needs to be part of this process. Simultaneously, we need to ensure that the board is always open and honest with their intentions for each and every subcommittee.

I’m confident that Patty will work to guarantee full transparency at all levels, and will push these, and all important issues forward as I’ve seen her do consistently through the years. She’s incredibly diligent and will undoubtedly work hard for the people of River Forest.

I can’t remember the precise moment I met Cate Readling, but over the course of a few years I began to notice a certain individual at community events — a person I recognized for her attentive, welcoming presence. She was checking people in at a meeting of IGOV (Oak Park Intergovernmental Collaboration), greeting people arriving for a panel discussion on taxation reform, and organizing groups for post-screening discussion of the America to Me documentary about race at OPRF High School. When I volunteered on campaigns to pass the Fair Tax Amendment and re-elect Kim Foxx, to help elect Kina Collins to Congress, and to end cash bail, she was there — never just showing up, like me, but organizing and leading. What I recognized each time our paths crossed was not only Cate’s natural leadership but also her warmth, directness, and authentic interest in every person she meets.

Since moving to Oak Park a decade ago, she has been a force in the community. She’s been not only a consistent and articulate advocate for progressive causes but also a galvanizing presence getting things done. She fosters relationships and conversations, collaborates on ideas and action, and listens attentively and respectfully. Her positive spirit, can-do energy, passion for good, and fresh vision are what the village board and Oak Park need in this pivotal moment for our community.

This is what I know about Cate Readling, and why I am supporting her for Village President. Please join me.

River Forest

Oak Park

Jennifer Kelly

Wendy Greenhouse

Wednesday Journal, March 24, 2021

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

Join our CAMPAIGN FOR DEMOCRACY. It’s not some abstract concept that someone else will act on.

ALL DEMOCRACY IS LOCAL.

W

ednesday Journal is not owned by a distant conglomerate or hedge fund. It is owned by local 501(c)(3) nonprofit Growing Community Media. Our comprehensive reporting

on the candidates for office and issues in the local elections emerges from journalistic principals and practice that champion the democratic process, a free press, civic engagement and civil discourse – on a local scale.

No matter where policies are created or developed, their affect is often felt most acutely where we live and work, in our homes, schools, houses of worship and businesses, on our streets, in our green spaces or in our daily interactions with each other. Vibrant local community journalism explains

JOIN THE CAMPAIGN FOR DEMOCRACY. It’s not abstract. It’s authentic. It’s independent. It’s local.

Please act on your belief in democracy by supporting local independent news. Growing Community Media could not continue this vital work without its partners: our readers and champions, local and national donors and philanthropists who have invested in our vision of nonprofit local community journalism. We are 1750 strong and counting. And we ask you to join us.

Please make your donation to support the CAMPAIGN FOR DEMOCRACY today. Help us reach our goal of 2021 total donors by Election Day, April 6.

these policies from inception to implementation, convenes community discussions about them, and promotes meaningful participation in the democratic decisions that drive them.

Donate at www.oakpark.com/donate

Campaign for Democracy All democracy is local

35

36

V I E W P O I N T S

Wednesday Journal, March 24, 2021

Morales for Oak Park village board

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

Don’t let Payne be executed

Stephen Morales has more than an impressive resume. He has shown a willingness to do the work it takes to be an effective village board member. In my previous role as chair of the Environment and Energy Commission, I knew I could rely on Stephen to follow through on any task he was given. Among other things, he helped move the village forward on piloting the Plastic Free July campaign which obtained the cooperation of local restaurants, the League of Women Voters and the Shedd Aquarium to drastically cut the use of single-use plastics like straws.

Stephen has also displayed the collegiality which will be important in gaining consensus as the new village board moves forward with challenges that include equitable development in the village, sustainability, and growth of the business community.

Specifically, he has endorsed the idea of directing village staff to develop a sustainability plan with specific goals and actions for the reduction of greenhouse gas in the village. Such a plan is needed if we are to purposefully and equitably reduce the production of greenhouse gas here. The current sustainability fund of approximately $2.5 million was used to replace street lamps with LEDs but has not been aggressively deployed, largely due to the lack of an overarching plan.

He has also endorsed the idea of taking a closer look at policing in Oak Park to make sure that police interactions with our minority communities are in line with our stance as an inclusive community.

He realizes that our police force is a good one but could possibly be even better.

For these reasons I ask that you elect Stephen Morales to our village board on April 6.

Have you heard of Pervis Payne? He is a Black man with an intellectual disability who has been on death row for over 33 years. All the while, he has maintained his innocence. At the age of 20, he was convicted of killing a white woman and her child in a county with a deeply entrenched history of racism.

The investigation and trial were conducted sloppily. Many key pieces of evidence were lost, including fingernail clippings of the victim. Additionally, DNA evidence in the case was never tested. The prosecution heavily relied on racial stereotypes, such as highlighting the victim’s white skin and depicting Pervis as a drug-using hypersexual man, even though he had no history of using drugs or prior run-ins with the law and was described as kind and caring.

He was scheduled to die on Dec. 3, 2020, until mass public outcry prompted the governor of Tennessee to delay his execution until April 9. A warrant was obtained to test DNA evidence found at the crime scene, and the results came back on Jan. 19.

The places that Pervis’ DNA was found lined up exactly with his testimony at the trial. Pervis claimed he came upon the apartment, saw the bloody scene, and panicked. He said he tried to help them, but it was too late. Notably, Pervis’ DNA was not found on the handle of the murder weapon, a knife. However, another man’s DNA was found both on the murder weapon and a pair of glasses at the crime scene.

On Jan. 25, a judge dismissed the petition for DNA testing.

Pervis is still fighting for his life. It is our duty to help him. Even at 14, I see that just one individual has the power to do radical good. Mass outcry has saved Pervis’ life before, and it can again.

Village Plan Commission member

Oak Park

Nick Bridge

Maya Kappe

Lucia Robinson for Village Trustee As I try to educate myself about all of the candidates, Lucia Robinson is a stand-out.

Though I did not know her before she became a candidate, I have become impressed beyond measure. Her work providing legal services to the underprivileged has empowered the disenfranchised and demonstrated her commitment to do the practical, difficult work, in the fight for equity. When I combine this with her experience in finance, I realized she also has the tools to make the tough decisions about financial priorities. This makes her uniquely qualified to lead Oak Park at this moment.

Lucia embodies everything Oak Park needs right now. As a long term resident, the parent of mixed-race children, and an attorney and advocate for justice, she not only has the background and practical experience to lead Oak Park, but more importantly, the commitment and temperament to unite us. She will ensure that our community moves forward compassionately on the many complex issues facing us, including equity, transparency and economic revitalization.

I am so proud to support Lucia, and am thankful for everything she will bring to our village board.

Annemarie Kill

SUPPORT RETAIL! SHOP LOCAL! Shop for Spring holidays, freshen your home & wardrobe, or gift yourself. Support our amazing retail community.

oprfchamber.org

Oak Park

V I E W P O I N T S

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

Wednesday Journal, March 24, 2021

37

Arkin taught his wrestlers well

Cate Readling for Village President

I am a born and raised Oak Parker and am now raising my own children in Oak Park. One of my formative memories of growing up in Oak Park was the bi-monthly trip my mom and I would take to Jewel, where she would buy more boxes of cereal and gallons of milk than my brother and I would ever eat. We’d then take it over to Euclid Methodist Church in time for the PADS Emergency Shelter breakfast (now known as Housing Forward). The fact that there were homeless people in Oak Park was horrifying to me, as I grew up learning about the Oak Park Fair Housing Policy.

Fast forward to my post-college years, and I realized that the town I lived in then as a renter would not be able to provide me affordable housing as a homeowner (hence the time spent out of Oak Park).

The Fair and Affordable Housing Crisis needs to be a top priority for Oak Park — 41% of our residents are renters. And these renters are not just young college grads like I was. They are seniors, forced to sell their homes but not wanting to move out of their communities. They are teachers, nurses, small business owners, first responders, those who work and live in the community. Oak Park currently ranks in the bottom 7% for affordability in Illinois, and more than 1/3 of our residents cannot afford to live in the new high-rise developments.

Among the many reasons I support Cate Readling is that she has a plan to improve equity and create more fair and affordable housing.

Cate has years of experience advocating for the rights of all of those who need support and the working class. And she will create opportunities for all community members to engage with local government and have a voice in our future — one that includes affordable housing in this town that we all love so dearly.

Join me in voting for Cate Readling for Village President on April 6. And join me on March 24 to learn more about her plan for Housing in Oak Park at her “Policy Pop-In” https://cateforoakpark.org/ rsvp-policy-popins.

Alison Price Oak Park

Ravi Parakkat shares our vision

As longtime local Realtors, we have a vested interest in seeing Oak Park thrive on every front. Most of us grew up here and raised our children and grandchildren in this town we love. We’re endorsing Ravi Parakkat for Village Trustee because he embodies the hometown values we cherish.

We first met Ravi through Takeout 25 Oak Park, a movement he created to save local restaurants and keep restaurant workers employed during COVID. We watched this group grow from 2,000 to 7,000 members in a short period of time. What a testimonial this is to a community coming together to help one another. We were proud to be part of keeping our restaurants alive, not only through the slowest restaurant months of the year, but during a global pandemic. It was Oak Park at its best. Ravi’s leadership created a united front.

He took it a step further by creating an event called Taste of the Town. All proceeds benefited Housing Forward, a nonprofit that helps the homeless get back on their feet, as well as local independent restaurants and bakeries. It was so successful that cars were lined up on Lake Street to participate.

We got to know him better through his Zoom talks and were very impressed with his vision for an affordable, inclusive, safe and sustainable Oak Park.

That’s our vision too.

Marion Digre

RE/MAX In The Village

Chris Curran, Jeff Emerson, Mark Fischer, Greer Haseman, Jan Kerr, April Moon, Cindy Risch, Jan Raspatello @properties

Coming in as six freshmen at OPRF High School, most of us did not have any idea what we were getting into when we first stepped into the wrestling room. Some of us were looking to become better at tackling for football, some were looking just to try something new and some were ready to take their prior wrestling experience to the high school level. All great goals for fourteen- to fifteen-year-old boys, but none of us expected to achieve what we did due to the influence of Coach Fred Arkin.

From the moment we stepped on the mat that first day, Coach Arkin took charge and knew exactly what to do.

His guidance was steady and constant, whether we were inside the wrestling room or out. He stressed the importance of staying focused in school and growing up to be a good man. It did not matter if we had experience wrestling or not, Coach Arkin expected no less than a full effort in everything we did.

Our efforts on the mat in the next four years brought incredible growth and success to us, both individually and as a team. We broke records at OPRF and in the state and were ranked as the number one public school wres-

tling team in the country. Through it all, Coach Arkin was there for us, encouraging us to push ourselves to even better things.

Following high school, the work ethic and values instilled continued to have a huge impact on where many of us are today. Andre Lee went on to be a four-year wrestling starter and graduate at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Emonte Logan was a two-sport athlete, playing football and wrestling and graduating from North Central College. Davonte Mahomes wrestled varsity and graduated from the University of Michigan.

Zach Brinner and Joe Robles graduated from Northern Illinois University and Xavier University, respectively.

Chris Hinton is still pursuing his degree at Georgia State University.

We are all extremely grateful for the opportunity, time, effort, and passion that Coach Arkin gave us. He is a great man.

Andre Lee, Emonte Logan, Davonte Mahomes, Zach Brinner, Chris Hinton, Joe Robles Oak Park

Readling will be a force for good Our country is experiencing a paradigm shift at the national level. Black Lives Matter and racial equity have become a civic conversation. Our vote for a more progressive agenda last November was heard. We are seeing a dramatic change to put people before corporate profits with the passage of the American Rescue Plan. We have the same opportunity here in Oak Park to cast a vote for a candidate who can apply what is happening nationally to our local government. A vote for a candidate to be a force for good.

We have a choice between two women, both capable of leading our local government. The question of choice, in my opinion, has to do with vision and the courage to reimagine our village as a progressive community, placing front and center equity and justice. What needs to change is the status quo.

Cate has the vision to revisit how the government of Oak Park has been operating these last several years.

She has the courage to draw attention to and listen to how people think about hot-button policies like housing, policing, public health, the budget, public works and services and then frame these issues as problems with

solutions. She has the skills to bring together divergent opinions, listening for compromise that sustain the common good with transparency and accountability.

Cate reflects my core values, meeting the needs of my fellow residents, putting people before developers, humility and civility rather than “politics as usual.” She is our chance to infuse new energy and passion into our community, motivating citizens from all demographics, youth to seniors, engaging them in partnerships and service to our community.

Go to CateforOakPark.org and read her plans, take advantage of the many opportunities to meet her in a virtual setting, challenge her with your questions and concerns. As you reflect on what is important to you and where your values align with how you view our community, I believe you will conclude that she is the person we want to lead our village.

This will be a close race and every vote will be needed.

Please support Cate Readling for Village President and have your voice heard.

Charlene Cliff

Oak Park

Why we are voting for Thomas

Last week we had the pleasure of conversing with Tim Thomas and a small group of friends on Zoom. That was enough for us to conclude that Tim is the right person to vote for in the upcoming election for Oak Park Township Trustee, and we would like to tell you why.

As volunteers with Oak Park Mutual Aid for the past many months of the pandemic, we have discovered and appreciate an oft-neglected dimension of Oak Park diversity. That dimension is realized in the broad range of resources available to some people and not to others, often the result of sheer luck or systemic prejudice. Many of our neighbors, already barely making ends meet before the pandemic, have now been pushed by the pandemic below a living threshold that none of us should tolerate.

That’s just where Tim and Oak Park Township come into the picture.

As we came to learn with our mutual aid work, Oak Park Township (not the village) is the governing entity

primarily responsible for providing social services to residents of Oak Park, so they play an even more critical role than the village now for our neighbors struggling to weather the pandemic. Tim wants to become a township trustee because he knows from his own personal history how important it is to extend a helping hand to our fellow human beings when they need it. He knows where and how the township can help, having already served on its Youth Services Committee.

He knows what the township can do, he understands the people the township can most help, and he grasps the dire necessity of connecting the two right now. This came out in our wonderful conversation with him last week.

And that’s why we are going to vote for him and recommend that you do, too.

Dr. Dagmar Schalliol Dr. Gregory Schalliol

Oak Park

38

V I E W P O I N T S

Wednesday Journal, March 24, 2021

Henek will bring passion to the job

This Sept. 11 will be the 20th Bonnie Brae LemonAid Stand, which benefits kids in the River Forest area.

And it will be the 20th LemonAid that I’ve had the opportunity to work with Patty Henek on this important fundraiser.

Like the rest of the “Founding Moms” of LemonAid, Patty has always jumped in with ideas, sound judgment and support. Each year she brings the same thoughtful consideration, budget concerns and passion that she has displayed the last four years as a River Forest trustee.

I’m endorsing Patty Henek for River Forest Village President for her genuine concern for the village, its residents and that all voices be heard.

Chris Hauri

River Forest

The real cause for D90’s drop

Recent campaign rhetoric by River Forest D90 school board candidate Scott Hall and commentary from local columnist Steve Lefko misconstrue a change in ISBE designation of the district from “exemplary” to “commendable” in a way that is startlingly unconcerned with the specifics of exactly who is lagging in D90: primarily minorities and students with learning disabilities.

As the father of a student who is a diverse learner with an IEP (Individual Education Plan), I feel that both individuals fail to demonstrate sensitivity to the racial and disability-driven achievement gaps that must lie at the heart of any sincere approach to equity River Forest.

Both Hall and Lefko attribute this decline to unspecified curriculum changes implemented since 2015, although neither has substantiated their claim. It is notable that D90’s adoption of “Universal Design for Learning” as part of its 2015 Strategic Plan was intended to “push” IEP students into the classroom with their grade-level peers for more minutes, achieving greater inclusion.

A more likely factor in the drop to “commendable” is the implementation in 2018 of a new Illinois school rating system in compliance with the federal Every Student Succeeds Act. The legislation tracks students with IEPs and weights their growth more heavily than previously. This can result in schools with high or challenging IEP caseloads falling in rankings.

Neither Hall nor Lefko address local ISBE data showing that, while most white students in D90 continue to comfortably perform well above state averages, there are startling gaps in achievement between white and Black students, and sizable lags among IEP students relative to state standards. Several sitting members of the D90 board stated explicitly during a recent League of Women Voters forum that challenges among these subgroups are the cause of the drop in D90’s classification. There is no mystery here.

Achieving true equity just may mean forgoing the bump to your property values that goes with being “exemplary,” in exchange for improving the lives of your most challenged children.

David Hoyt

River Forest

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

Little parking around Marion site I would like to address the dire parking situation that the proposed development at 203 S. Marion St. will exacerbate.

Focus group will provide 123 covered parking spots for 159 residences and will rely on street parking for the rest of the units, their guests, the proposed retail stores, customers and delivery vehicles. According to the U.S. Dept. of Transportation in 2017, the average household has 1.88 vehicles, meaning no space for 36 cars plus extra family cars, guest parking, retail owners and shoppers’ cars and delivery vehicles. All of these will be vying for a spot on the street.

Marion Street between Randolph and South Boulevard has 90 spaces, both metered and permit parking. Pleasant Street and Pleasant Place offer an additional 28 parking spots. All overnight parking requires a permit. The waiting list for a permit is extensive and competition for a spot is fierce, with residents and commuters looking for a spot. In addition, Mills Park Tower and the YMCA require space for visitors.

Mills Park Tower has 198 units, 40 resident parking spots,

six guest spots and two handicap spots. Seventeen residents are on the wait list for a parking place. A minimum of 25 health-care people a day, plus visiting family and delivery men, also need parking.

The YMCA on Marion and Randolph has 550 daily guests when it’s not a pandemic and 70% of these guests drive in about 385 cars that need parking.

Downtown Oak Park hosts outside street festivals and closes Marion from Lake to South Boulevard 21 times a year, diverting even more cars to the Pleasant District for parking.

We already have an overcrowded parking situation that compromises local restaurants and shops and the additional volume of vehicles will be difficult and even dangerous for cars and pedestrians. If you care about this charming and vibrant historic district, you will reconsider approval of the proposed development at 203 S. Marion.

Clare Heskett Oak Park

Gillis combines heart and knowledge

I feel greatly privileged to endorse Lisa Gillis for River Forest Village Trustee. Our world, as fragile as can be, changed dramatically a year ago. What perseveres are the people with the drive to care for others’ well-being and possess professionalism to make the right decisions. Everybody needs people who care, not because their job requires them to. Lisa is one of them.

My family and I were residents of Oak Park for 12 years, where we were close to neighbors on our block. We wouldn’t have been so sad to leave them during our relocation to River Forest if we knew that we are getting not just a new block, but the whole neighborhood from Chicago to Division, and Thatcher to Forest, who all want to know you. For the diverse community that we are trying to build, it is really important that people feel they have a home base here, a place where they feel accepted no matter what. Lisa’s family’s housewarming gift was at the door when we had just arrived. She is a founder of the Keystone Triangle Neighborhood Association, which has existed for more than 20 years. The association organizes the annual block party and contributes to a progressive dinner event, which are both great fun.

You turn to neighbors for support, a critical extension of your family support. You ask your neighbors when your roof leaks or your dog needs a sitter. If neighboring families are not communicating, the support system falters. Having Lisa elected would mean that we chose the leaders who proactively reach out to others. If you want to have a trustee who is accessible and listens, Lisa is your choice.

Strong community is the foundation of successful social recovery after pandemic. This will help our businesses along Lake and Madison streets, and is a prerequisite to financial recovery. Having been in the advertising business for over 30 years, Lisa became very comfortable with the quickly evolving nature of operations. She became a member of the Oak Park-River Forest Infant Welfare Society, where she was recently put in charge of marketing on their board.

Her voice will be invaluable to village solutions on how to attract new local businesses. There will be a lot of decisions to be made after the pandemic. If you want a person with heart and knowledge, vote for Gillis!

Elizaveta Benevolenskaya River Forest

Trybus leads with head and heart

Oak Park possesses a wealth of human capital in the form of individuals dedicated to doing the necessary and hard work for this community. Dr. Margaret “Margie” Trybus is one such individual. Because of her record of civic engagements and demonstrable accomplishments for the citizens of this community, I am supporting her for Oak Park Township Trustee.

A 40-year resident of Oak Park, Margie is a professor of graduate studies at Concordia University Chicago. She served on the Township Youth Committee (of which I am a member) for eight years. During that time, she provided leadership on funding and program development in mentoring, drug and alcohol abuse, and multi-literacies for youth. She helped develop a partnership between Concordia, District 97, and Fellowship Community Services to create a summer literacy program for those students having difficulties transitioning from middle school to high school, who needed support to find creative ways through mentoring to develop a positive self-image while reading and inspiring them to go to college.

She has led discussions on program evaluation for effectiveness in meeting goals and showing evidence of results.

She has supported and discussed youth prevention substance abuse programming, job readiness skill-building, and the expansion of services including the Positive Youth Development Initiative, Youth Interventionists work, Friday Night Place, and “Girls on the Rise,” which focuses on helping girls improve self-esteem through the development of leadership skills. She currently serves on the Community Mental Health Board, working on a vision of how to unite township services. This is an integrated service delivery model that can look at the needs of the “whole child,” and the “whole family” where it is reasonable to assume the pandemic has raised issues the Township can and should address.

Margie leads with her head and with her heart. She has a passion for reaching out to youth and their families, and with her experience and dedication to Oak Park is a proven asset to township services.

George Bailey Oak Park

V I E W P O I N T S

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

Enyia is a skilled communicator

I have known Chibuike Enyia and his family for three years. Our sons are close friends and can often be found playing basketball together. Chibuike and his wife, Mandy, created a sort of community center in their backyard. Children from all over the neighborhood congregate to shoot hoops and hang out. The Enyias have a way of making every kid who comes by part of their family. One of the treasures of Oak Park is the way we raise our children together as a community. Supporting each other as parents and our kids having trusted adults nearby when they need them. Chibuike and Mandy exemplify this value of community care.

As a parent and homeowner in Oak Park, I want Chibuike Enyia to represent me on the village board. He knows what it is to send your children to the public schools. He invests in a home and pays taxes to ensure Oak Park continues to thrive. He cares about the messages we send our kids, the behavior we model for them, and the opportunities we provide them. Chibuike is not only a father and homeowner but he was also a child in Oak Park. Growing up here, he knows how special this community is and he cares enough to make it even better, for his kids and ours.

The last few years have been difficult for all of us, some more than others. One of the many lessons I learned is if I value diversity, I need to fight for inclusion and equity.

Chibuike is one of the people I can count on to have an honest conversation about what needs to change and how to do it. He never shies away from difficult and uncomfortable subjects but rather, addresses them with confidence and ease. He is a skilled communicator who knows how to listen, challenge and encourage. Oak Park needs Chibuike Enyia on our village board, now more than ever.

Deanna Pacelli Oak Park

Lester for Township Trustee

I have known Val Lester for over 10 years, since we met in a park district tennis class. That turned into founding a tennis group for recreational players that now has over 80 members.

In all the time I have known Val, she has always been involved and committed to community organizations. This includes finding time to volunteer while she had a full-time position as a marketing director in a major private label food company. When Val retired, one of the first things she did was to get accepted to attend the Leadership Lab sponsored by the Community Foundation. The objective is leadership training to strengthen the skills of community leaders, and she excelled at it.

One of the things I have learned about her over the years is she has that special skill of being able to motivate and energize people to work together, even if they have their own individual agendas. She also has great listening skills, which is a sign of a good leader. Because of her history in business, she knows what is needed for fiscal responsibility but also to problem-solve how best to offer services within a limited budget. And she knows how to get things done, giving 100% to everything she undertakes.

As a 30-year resident of Oak Park, I think we would be lucky to have a township trustee with the skills and character of Val Lester.

Del Larkin

Oak Park

Wednesday Journal, March 24, 2021

Readling for a more just community

39

Scaman’s pragmatism and savvy

I enthusiastically endorse Cate Readling for President of the village of Oak Park. My respect for Cate as a progressive leader developed in the context of fighting on the same side for important social, economic and racial equity issues in Oak Park. I first met Cate around four years ago, when hundreds of Oak Parkers filled village hall to protest the attempt by the village to opt out of the Cook County ordinance giving essential workers two weeks paid sick leave and a $13 per hour minimum wage.

While Anan and other board members were meeting secretly with the Oak Park-River Forest Chamber of Commerce to plot how to oppose this critical worker-friendly county ordinance, Cate was helping mobilize and speak out against this nonsense. Just think of the consequences to essential workers and public health at large of not having paid sick leave during a pandemic, if Anan and the Chamber had prevailed.

Cate has been there in the fight for economic and racial equity and can show receipts. She was there when you needed an ally in the fight for Fair and Affordable Housing, to help pass an Inclusionary Housing Ordinance. She also has the vision to help change this ordinance for the better.

She was there, and still is, when you need an articulate local leader to fight defunding the Oak Park Housing Center.

Cate was there at Live Café as a lead organizer of the phone banks trying to pass the Fair Tax Amendment. This progressive state income tax, which won by 72% in Oak Park, would have provided much needed funding for districts 97 and 200 and property tax relief for Oak Parkers.

She always brings the focus of a racial equity lens; the core values of social, racial and economic justice; and an incredibly connected network of community leaders from her years of leadership in outreach with the park district.

In each of these campaigns, she has been a strong, courageous leader. Most importantly, she always brings an abiding love for Oak Park and a strong vision of the more just and equitable community we can become.

Of the candidates for Village President, only Vicki Scaman has served in government. She was elected Village Clerk in 2017 and has brought hard-working, dedicated, and transparent leadership to that office. Prior to that, she served on the Oak Park Liquor Control Review Board from 2011 to 2017 and chaired that body for the last four years. She is president of the Municipal Clerks Association of N/NW Cook County and in that role has assisted municipal clerks across the region in implementing best practices. She has working relationships, not just with other municipal clerks, but with elected officials in our neighboring municipalities.

Beyond government service, she is a board member of the Oak Park-River Forest Chamber of Commerce and is co-chair of the Chamber’s Women in Business initiative, a collaboration with the chambers of commerce of Berwyn, Forest Park, River Forest, and Maywood.

Her other volunteer activities are numerous and productive: please visit her campaign website at www. votevicki.org.

Vicki has the government, the business, and the financial pragmatism and savvy to lead the village board as it seeks to balance the municipal budget and to guide our community’s recovery from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

She has three decades of inspired and proven commitments to equity and inclusion, to youth programs, and to the arts. Her commitment to equity and inclusion has informed her decision-making at every level of her government and her volunteer service, and she is committed to giving equity and inclusion the practical implementation for which there is so much need.

I first met Vicki about 10 years ago in connection with our shared support of the Oak Park Regional Housing Center. I was impressed with her then; I still am now. Vicki has been leading for a long time. She is ready to lead a new village board.

Oak Park

Former chair, Oak Park Plan Commission

Henry Fulkerson

J. Michael Williams

Clark, a proven leader for equity

I have known Anthony Clark for the last six years and have worked with him closely for four of those years in bringing a robust racial equity policy, procedures and accountability process to Oak Park and River Forest High School. Of course these developments required strong leadership and commitment from board members and district administrators, but Anthony’s support as a teacher and citizen leader of the Suburban Unity Alliance in collaboration with APPLE, the Committee for Equity and Excellence in Education, and other racial equity groups and allies in District 97 and across Oak Park and River Forest was essential for this success.

The direction taken by our schools is long overdue in village government. As a trustee, Anthony, with allied candidates Chibuike Enyia and Juanta Griffin, will make this happen.

Unlike the majority of current trustees, he will ensure that village of Oak Park makes the same equity commitment our schools have made.

As a racial equity advocate, I have also joined in participating in shaping the Community Relations Commission’s Governing for Racial Equity recommendations, but the village still has no Race and Equity Policy. Oak Park’s new Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Statement, adopted with disconcerting reluctance from our current board president and some

trustees, articulates a powerful vision and core values, but is troubling in that the statement requires no action or accountability. It lacks clear goals, plans, timetables or public reporting on progress.

Anthony, in collaboration with Enyia and Griffin, have a two-year plan to adopt and implement a racial equity policy that involves all members of our community, with the assurance that those most harmed by existing inequities will be engaged in policy adoption and implementation.

Anthony has stood with our community and advocated for immigrant rights, worked in collaboration with our Austin neighbors to reduce violence, and guided and protected our youth who have asked for reforms in Oak Park policing. He has consistently aided and comforted those suffering from systemic inequities in Oak Park and the surrounding area. He is an intelligent, compassionate, charismatic, and articulate African-American military veteran, and home grown in Oak Park.

As a future trustee, he is a visionary in our best traditions who will help all of us live up to Oak Park’s professed ideals.

For all these reasons, please join me in voting for Anthony Clark for Village Trustee on April 6.

John Duffy Oak Park

40

V I E W P O I N T S

Wednesday Journal, March 24, 2021

D200 needs Cofsky’s leadership

Serving with Tom Cofsky for eight years has secured my trust in his commitment to District 200 with a focus on what should be the enduring question for all board members, “Is this in the best interest of our students?”

Tom has chaired the Finance Committee and been instrumental in guiding OPRF High School to develop long-term budgeting that is fiscally responsible and factors in the propertytax burden on our residents.

I’ve come to understand how much this district means to him through our work together. While he refers to himself as a “finance guy,” I’ve witnessed him be equally as thoughtful and passionate about understanding equity, anti-racism and social justice. No matter the topic, he is always well-prepared and thoughtful. He also has a gift for synthesizing information in a way that makes it accessible to everyone. He sees the “big picture” and can articulate the need for our district to develop and implement policies through an equity lens.

My trust in Tom as a colleague on the board has grown every year. Whether we’re leading contract negotiations with the teachers union, learning from each other in racial equity retreats, or making policy decisions about improving our district, I’ve found him to be fair and open-minded.

In an election year when four of seven seats are open, institutional memory is vital to the board. Tom brings all of his experience and literal binders of information, which provide the district with historical context and insights to assist with decision making.

He is running for a third time to see through goals of financial stewardship, policy-driven approaches to district spending, and most importantly seeing that OPRF continues to grow and change to meet the needs of our students.

He has my vote. I hope you will join me in voting for Tom Cofsky for District 200.

Jackie Moore, PhD

OPRF High School Board member (2013-2021)

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

Kebreab Henry, measured and honest

When America to Me, Steve James’ documentary that displays the opportunity gap at OPRF High School, was released, I spent 10 weeks working in peace circle discussions with many OPRF stakeholders, including Kebreab Henry. As the Black father of Black children in this community, the stakes are high when it comes to the success of students of color at OPRF. Week in and week out, as some of us well-meaning white parents came to the circle with responses to the film and demands of our school that were often limited by our own blinders and privilege (“Well, the system is working for my child, so why change it?”), Kebreab was a constant. He participated in and facilitated discussions in a measured and honest way that heard these stories with an open mind, and at the same time displayed the acute awareness of a parent whose children would face the risk, merely because of their race, of not succeeding at our high school. He discussed the success of his daughter, an honors student at OPRF, and how she would sometimes be the only Black student in class,

with the determination to ensure that every student would have an equitable chance at her success, despite race or socio-economic status. This is the voice I want to hear at the D200 board table.

I will be voting for Kebreab Henry for D200 village trustee because of his experience as a dad and stakeholder driven by equity and the success of all students, and because of his experience. He has served on the D200 Culture, Climate, and Behavior Committee and on the D200 Community Council as well. As a business owner and project manager, he brings important knowledge and insight to his priorities, which include fully implementing D200’s Racial Equity Policy and Strategic Priorities, fiscal responsibility that involves minimizing costs while maximizing efficiencies and impact, and prioritizing the mental health of all students, especially through the pandemic.

Join me in voting for Kebreab Henry for the D200 board on April 6.

Jenny Jocks Stelzer Oak Park

Johannesson’s passion for service

I thoughtfully support Lou Anne Johannesson for Village Clerk of Oak Park. My support is predicated on my direct and extensive experience as a former member and president of the District 97 school board and former member and chair of IGOV, the Intergovernmental Body of Oak Park.

The village clerk’s essential responsibilities relate to maintaining village board meetings, official legislative records, certifications, the village seal, and village compliance with the Illinois Open Meetings Act, which seamlessly intersect with the established and accomplished skill sets Lou Anne demonstrated in her extensive public service. Furthermore, her interpersonal, ethical, and technical capacities to work with six boards and serve villagers meets our community’s expectations of inter-

governmental cooperation and public service.

Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. asked, “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’” My experience with Lou Anne as a person and public servant assures me that as our village clerk, she will respond to Dr. King’s question with a service-oriented mindset and ethical, responsible actions.

As a longtime resident of Oak Park, I embrace our village’s commitment to grassroots public service and leadership, rooted in collaborative and innovative thinking, designed to support and serve the public. In support of and respect for our village character, I will cast my vote for Lou Anne Johannesson for Oak Park Village Clerk.

Show the facts about Lake and Lathrop As a River Forest taxpayer, I am becoming increasingly concerned that the village is getting us deeper and deeper into a project at Lake and Lathrop that has no chance of being built, rather than facing reality about the market, and moving on with the right project for the market and for River Forest.

During the Wednesday Journal River Forest Presidential Forum, President Cathy Adduci was asked, regarding the project, “Are you confident that there’s going to be a building going up on that site at some point starting this year,” and she replied, “I’m very confident.”

Confident based on what?

Every realtor in town that I have spoken with about this project, about six of them, has told me there is no chance this project will break ground this year, or in the foreseeable future, because luxury condos have become undesirable locally because of unaffordably high tax bills.

The realtor listings I found on March 11 for Lake and Lathrop showed only four units listed as pending, with contract dates from March and April of 2019, about two years ago. It appears that no units have been sold since April 2019.

I wanted to know if there are direct sales outside of these listings, so I tried to verify the number of sales/contracts on the River Forest web page for this project, but the page has a striking lack of easily accessible relevant information about sales, and many other details, including deadlines for groundbreaking and completion.

Jim Gates

Oak Park

Henek engages community

Village Trustee Patty Henek says that even as a trustee, she also runs into a wall of silence when requesting this type of pertinent data from village hall.

How is it OK for River Forest to withhold all relevant information from the public about project milestones/success while approving endless extensions? That is a good combination for the developer, but not the taxpayers. This is all, mind you, after 11 long years of excuses and delays and missed revenue.

We can do better. Towns like Wilmette are building developments these days that, in addition to actually being built and adding positive economic impact, also contribute to retail/restaurant space, beautification, parking, electric charging stations, affordable housing, and green building initiatives.

It’s time to move on from the excuses and the narrative that River Forest can’t attract developers that will complete projects on time and talk straight to us. We can get this done together.

This morning I filled out an application to help out on the Economic Development Commission. I hope others will as well. Now I just need a president who will accept the help, and solicit much more help, by opening up the boards and commissions to new perspectives, instead of a president who wants the boards and commissions to be the best kept secret in town.

I have known Patty Henek for close to 20 years. Over this time, I have marveled at her tireless commitment to serving our community. The breadth of her community engagement, from president of two PTOs, LemonAid, Holiday Food & Gift Basket Program, A House in Austin, and village trustee is truly admirable. In all of her endeavors, she works to build communities, bringing people together to share goals and ideas. She is organized and does extensive research for thoughtful and informed decision-making. She asks tough questions, and considers what is best in the long run, even when that’s not the popular choice.

I believe Patty will expand on the transparency of the village and represent all of River Forest. Patty has my vote on April 6.

River Forest

River Forest

John Grant

Karen Taubman

V I E W P O I N T S

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

Parakkat stands out from the field

Griffin’s commitment to community

Wednesday Journal, March 24, 2021

41

Eckmann on D90 board: For the teachers

Ravi’s a rockstar — with glasses instead of a guitar but with all the qualities of a standout nonetheless. It’s everyone’s secret desire to see how a candidate will do the job prior to taking office and Ravi has given us that opportunity. Born from a simple math equation, he built TakeOut 25 from the ground up with no government apparatus, no funding, just leadership, charisma, and a mission ... and it worked.

Thousands of people bought into his vision and that’s led to over a million dollars supporting our local restaurants, turning an atmosphere of pandemic survival to one of thriving. That’s a real, measurable impact. That’s a glimpse into the future of Oak Park with Ravi as Trustee — a future where Oak Park once again leads through positive action and leadership, through inclusivity and inspiration, and through the tried-and-true process of setting a good example for others to follow — like the various neighboring communities that have adopted TakeOut 25.

Candidates like Ravi are rare and come around only so often. Having a complex and complementary combination of talents, from deep financial knowledge to leadership, compassion, empathy, and charisma, Ravi is a candidate who has something for everyone and would be a great addition to our village board.

Vote Ravi for Village Trustee on April 6.

As the director of Performance and Mental Health for an NBA team, part of my job is to identify and foster leadership qualities and resilience in the people I work with. After knowing Juanta Griffin for a few years now, I recognize that she has these qualities in abundance and am confident that the village of Oak Park would benefit greatly from having her at the board table as trustee. For that reason, I am writing this letter in enthusiastic support.

Juanta and I met two years ago when she put out a community-wide call to raise funds for a local organization for people experiencing homelessness. My twins were 6 years old at the time and when they heard about the cause, they jumped at the chance to help. Two years later, I now realize that meeting her through this community-unifying effort for a worthy cause, was just one of a hundred things she accomplished each and every week to be of service to Oak Park and to spread support, love, and kindness.

Throughout my friendship with Juanta, we have connected over the roller coaster of exhaustion and elation we both feel as mothers. And we have collaborated on various community events which she led brilliantly and passionately — my favorite event being Tea Time for young African-American girls in our community to educate, empower and give a sense of community belonging to these young ladies — and my own daughter is testament that this event succeeded.

The demonstrated leadership qualities and commitment to community that she exhibits day after day is why I am voting for Juanta Griffin for Oak Park Village Trustee and I hope you will join me in supporting her.

We are writing to express our support for Sarah Eckmann, District 90 Board of Education Candidate. As a nurse, a mom, and a person truly committed to social justice and equity, she has many great qualities. We want to focus on her empathy and commitment to teachers.

All of us currently have, or have had, kids in D90 schools. Sarah herself is a product of those schools. And while no district is perfect, D90’s public schools are a true bright spot in the community and the state. We all appreciate the work done by the administrators, staff, and current BOE, especially this year, but it’s the teachers who make D90 what it is. The teachers teach well to a range of different learners, and find ways to adapt the curriculum to fit each child. Their work has been vital to each us and to our kids.

During the last year, all teachers at all levels were challenged like never before. D90 teachers had to pivot lesson plans with little notice at times, and had to find ways to connect with students in hybrid, remote, and other modes. Sadly, the teachers bore the brunt of a lot of parental frustration. Campaigns, plans for parades, letters to the board, and cruel comments on social media became all too common in River Forest.

While all of this may have stemmed from concern, the teachers suffered. Now that we are moving toward a safer environment and kids are returning to school, it is time to show teachers they are valued, help them heal, and let them continue to inspire our students.

Sarah has taught nursing as an adjunct professor and throughout this past year has worked with — rather than against — the teachers.

She volunteered to vaccinate teachers and community members to make River Forest safer. And if elected to the school board, we know she will bring that empathy and dedication to her role.

For the teachers, please support Sarah Eckmann.

Oak Park

Oak Park

River Forest

Joshua Vanderberg

Fred Arkin walks the talk As lifelong Oak Parkers and alums of our public schools, we are thankful that so many enthusiastic and talented residents have a desire to serve our OPRF community as members of the District 200 Board of Education. As we look ahead, our board will continue to face hard financial decisions along with our need to modernize our classrooms and facilities, so teaching and learning reaches and benefits every student. In our opinion, preparing every child for lifelong learning and future participation in our job economy ranks as the most important function of our community.

As you consider which candidates are best positioned to advance and accelerate momentum in the areas of teaching, learning, stewardship, academic achievement, and equity, please take a good look at Fred Arkin. Fred will bring an abundance of skills, expertise, and experience to the board table; however, his eye-to-eye volunteer experience with our students and families, through the Huskie Wrestling program since 1979, gives him a pipeline of authentic insight into what children and families need to engage and succeed at our public high school.

Over the years, we have worked with Fred on various high school committees and it is clear that he embraces a holistic understanding of our students and families. Further, as a past board member (2015-2019), he has championed pragmatic, highimpact policies, such as hiring more minority faculty/staff, expanding student participation in honors/AP classes, and closing opportunity gaps for student participation in co-curricular activities.

Like us, Fred views the advancement of equity to be a paramount, urgent matter and he possesses the insight and experience to advance and accelerate progress. Please join us in supporting Fred’s candidacy for D200 Board of Education.

Mary Jo & Stephen Schuler

OPRF class of ’80

Wendy Borlabi

Sonia Green, Wanessa Vovola, Alishia Myrick, Danielle Hanken

Henek will lead us into the future It is important we get the best people willing to work on behalf of our entire community, which is why I’m supporting Patty Henek for River Forest Village President.

Patty has demonstrated a commitment to community service and a willingness to stand up for what is right. Her experience as a village trustee and years of community work will make her an effective village president from day one.

Her active engagement in the community has proven she will do the leg work necessary to consider all sides of an issue to make an informed decision. She will work to improve economic development and stabilize property taxes. She will listen to the entire community and share her input with the board.

I have observed her walking the streets of our village while she listens to the recordings of the commission meetings for issues coming before the board. I have noted that on the issues about which I am most informed, Patty always shows up prepared.

I currently serve as one of the commissioners on the Sus-

tainability Commission. My training as an economist and my first career in the International Finance Department of the Federal Reserve Bank of N.Y. taught me that problems that are not addressed only grow larger and more intractable. The daunting environmental challenges we now face will only worsen if we do not dedicate ourselves to solving them.

River Forest will not meet the goals of the three climate action pacts President Adduci signed unless we increase the pace of climate action. We need to be forward looking and think in terms of decades not years. At issue is who is best qualified to lead us into the future, and I strongly believe that person is Patty Henek.

I hope you will join me in securing our community’s future by electing her as Village President. She will not only lead the board effectively, but more importantly, she will ensure the entire community is represented in their deliberations.

Susan Charrette River Forest

Parakkat will make a great trustee

For the past seven months, I have had the opportunity to work with Ravi Parakkat on the ad hoc committee focused on the next steps urgently needed in the village to combat the effects of global warming. Throughout the process, he has demonstrated a deep commitment to helping the village reduce its emissions of greenhouse gases and become more resilient in the face of climate change. On the ad hoc committee, he has shown respect for other people, knowledge about the issue of climate change and its immediate impacts, creativity, a willingness to learn and

listen to many points of view, a consistent focus on data to drive decision-making, and a genuine concern for the health of Oak Park and all its residents. He has a strong commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion as well — and we need this in our local leaders. It has been a pleasure to work with him, and I believe he would be a great trustee for the village. I hope everyone will join me in voting to elect Ravi Parakkat for Village Trustee.

Pamela Tate Oak Park

42

V I E W P O I N T S

Wednesday Journal, March 24, 2021

Venus means positive change

Friends and neighbors of Oak Park, we hope you will join us in voting for Venus Hurd Johnson for District 97 school board. Over the last eight years, we have gotten to know Venus very well as we have raised our children together in D97.

To us the name Venus Hurd Johnson is synonymous with community leadership. She brings people together and inspires action. In the early days of our relationship it was often said, “If you want something done, Ask Venus.”

She was an active member of the Mann School PTO for years when she was approached to become PTO president.

Although hesitant with much on her plate already, she stepped up because she knew she could make an impact.

During her tenure, she worked hard for all students, positively impacted the overall parent and teacher community and developed the math program from scratch. Venus was also a major player in driving Mann to focus on equity and started a discussion of moving our community toward positive change.

Venus is kind, she’s fair, and has a high degree of integrity. She listens first and because of that, she gets people to work together. For us, she always shows up, hosting a school fundraiser, supporting a charitable cause or candidate meet-and-greet, driving the discussion for the middle school boys’ book club.

With her quick smile, hearty laugh, collaborative spirit, she is a selfless and committed community leader who has the knowledge and drive to create positive change for our children and community. And she’s a great friend to boot.

Let’s show up for Venus on April 6.

Jennifer Harden-Finn, Rita Kahn, Katie Korrison, Jennifer Ruland

D97 parents, longtime Oak Parkers

Lisa Gillis for River Forest Village Trustee My husband and I have lived in River Forest in the Keystone Triangle Neighborhood for almost 20 years; we have known Lisa Gillis for most of that time.

I worked with her in support of the Keystone Triangle Neighborhood Association (Division to Chicago, Thatcher to Forest). For almost two decades, she was one of the lead organizers of two large annual social events that continue to bring together the residents of the neighborhood. The events require many volunteers in order to be successful.

She always brought a positive attitude and boundless energy to these multi-month planning activities and was unfailingly welcoming and inclusive, working to weave new residents into the process. She always asked for volunteers but was also able to recruit residents to organize, staff and participate in these events.

I feel like one of her great strengths is her ability to get people to work together effectively, building com-

Debating the need for ‘Plate’

I moved to Oak Park in September. I respect Oak Park’s progressive values, and am always encouraged by the inclusive and open-minded rhetoric that is prevalent throughout the community.

This is why I was struck this week when I read “Debate on a Plate.”

There is no doubt that food and cooking have a strong emotional hold on many of us. Food connects us to culture, and speaking to someone about the food they love can be very revealing. But the Journal’s decision to highlight this topic in relation to the village president elections unsettled me, and I ultimately felt it was important to question the inclusion.

When for so long women have not been seen as capable leaders and have been relegated to the realm of the home — cooking, cleaning, child care (why these things, historically, have been considered “less important” is a conversation for another time!) — on the occasion of a rare all-female ticket, it seems unnecessarily de-

munity while driving results. She was always generous with her time.

It was a pleasure to work with her.

Lisa was also very active in PTO activities at both Willard and Roosevelt schools while her three children attended those schools. She was a member of the “Green Team” at Willard and expanded the group’s activities. I remember she and her husband, Rick, built and set up a recycling center at Willard where they collected items like batteries, crayons, athletic shoes for recycling and other items for reuse. I continued to go to Willard School to drop off items to be recycled after my own children had graduated from Willard.

We are sure that Lisa puts the same energy, commitment and ability to get people to work together as chairperson of the Village of River Forest Sustainability Commission and as a member of the Oak ParkRiver Forest Infant Welfare Society.

And we are more than confident that she will do more of the same for the benefit of all River Forest residents.

We wholeheartedly support Lisa Gillis for River Forest Trustee.

Mary Spyropoulos Jeff Stocker River Forest

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

Trusting Ravi’s leadership style

meaning to dedicate a full-page article to their favorite recipes. Even if this is something that would have been asked of male candidates, I still believe that while we, as a country (world), are still working toward more equal treatment of women, we should not simultaneously tie them to a stereotype by their apron strings.

I am not suggesting that the Journal does not think that these four candidates are capable. On the contrary! They are described as “intelligent, motivated, and thoughtful.” But if I may gently ask, shouldn’t this go without saying? Male candidates are not typically described in this way.

The fact of the impulse to include these descriptions is symptomatic of a widespread and deepseated bias (to which I too am often blind!). It reveals a belief that women need to be explicitly named as capable because they very well may be thought of as incapable and as inappropriately stepping out of their historicallyseen place, the kitchen, where unfortunately, the article is putting them right back.

I truly write this out of respect, and invite a conversation not a battle (the world has enough of that).

As an executive coach specializing in the development of leaders, I am always on the lookout for examples of good leaders in action. That is what drew me to support Ravi Parakkat, candidate for Oak Park Village Trustee.

In my role, I see all sorts of unhealthy behaviors and attitudes in leadership. It’s my job to help these folks find new, positive approaches to get the best out of their teams. Ravi’s leadership style, on the other hand, is already strong, innovative, practiced and inclusive.

He comes from a highly diverse, matriarchal society in India, which has instilled in him a respect for women and differing viewpoints. Because of this, he naturally includes many voices in his decision-making. He’s genuinely respectful and open to what others have to say. Again, many leaders fear differences. Ravi embraces them.

He also has a driving curiosity. He’s willing to admit he doesn’t know everything, so he’s very willing to listen and to learn. Many leaders act as if they have the answer already.

I also appreciate Ravi’s natural innovative tendencies. He focuses in on the actual problem and gets creative in solving it. Takeout 25 was his brainchild.

He has other ideas that will make Oak Park safer and more affordable.

And he is balanced. He doesn’t lose his temper or waste time complaining about others. He remains focused on the goal of making Oak Park a community in which we can all feel comfortable, safe and welcome.

I trust Ravi and his leadership. I plan on voting for him April 6.

Oak Park

Oak Park

Mary DeYoe

Nora Bouchard

Thomas cares about the forgotten

Henek and Buis will get things done

This past Wednesday I was invited by a friend to join her for an evening coffee over Zoom. She wanted me to meet Tim Thomas, a resident of Oak Park running for township trustee. I was curious and happy to attend even though Wednesdays are full for me. It just meant I’d be tired going in. I had my turmeric-ginger tea and got settled.

Tim began to speak. The way he speaks is a great comfort, it’s magnetic, able to draw a crowd inward.

He holds himself in a proud manner, the kind you see often from a union man. You’re left with an actual feeling of trust. It’s apparent that he’s completely willing to push on and on for whatever act of care needs to be done. His dedication toward helping the world on an individualistic level is immense and inspiring.

By the end of the hour, energy had worked its way back into me.

I’m a student. I’m 24. I work two jobs and I try my best to live my life. I love Oak Park, but it’s not particularly easy to live here without a degree. We’re a wonderful community but our town is quickly losing accessibility to low-income families, and the oftforgotten age range of 18-30, still living here, working many of the jobs you rely on. I’ll be voting for Tim Thomas because it was clear that he cared. I can trust him to hold himself proudly while defending what he cares about. I can trust that he cares about people like me and other groups so often forgotten.

I have attended Meet & Greets and have heard worrisome things that tell me we need change in River Forest. Some issues are in print for all to see. The make-up of commissions is in the hands of one person, the board president, giving her a great deal of power to pick those she knows. River Forest should not be operating in this closed-group way. It is bad practice. I have also heard that Cathy Adduci “gets things done,” as though Patty Henek would not get things done.

I have witnessed Cathy getting things done at the expense of making sure they were done well, i.e. the Affordable Housing Plan. Admitting the plan could have been stronger, Cathy wanted it done, regardless. Adopting a weak plan is bad practice, not good government.

Patty does her homework, thinks things thoroughly through, and will expect same from those to whom we entrust our village. She will get things done well.

No other trustee candidate comes close to Johann Buis’ creative thinking and passion. He does not accept things that are, just because they have always been that way. He values long-range planning to address environmental issues like flooding and the danger of the Metra rail running through River Forest. He has the exciting idea of a “make-over” for River Forest so that we are an attraction in our own right, not an afterthought to Oak Park. His energy and ideas are invigorating.

Patty and Johann get my vote and I hope they get yours.

Oak Park

River Forest

Mira Cameron

Phyllis Rubin

voto por escrito

252 Joseph Falese write-in voto por escrito write-in voto por escrito

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

Leyden Fire Protection District Trustee

LegalFull Notice 6-Year Term

★ ★ ★

Fideicomisario Término Completo De 6 Años

★ ★ ★

Vote for One / Vote por Uno

251 Rudolph (Rudy) Stefanski

write-in voto por escrito

Northlake Fire Protection District Trustee cookcountyclerk.com

Full 6-Year Term Fideicomisario Término Completo De 6 Años

OFFICIAL NOTICE OF ELECTION, CONTESTS, REFERENDA/QUESTIONS OF PUBLIC POLICY & POLLING PLACES Vote for One / Vote por Uno

251 Jeffrey Ferguson

252 Jaime Ochoa-Cardenas Jr.

write-in voto por escrito

North Maine Fire Protection District AVISO OFICIAL DE ELECCIONES, CONTIENDAS Trustee ELECTORALES, REFERENDOS/CUESTIONES DE Full 6-Year Term Fideicomisario POLÍTICA PÚBLICA Y LUGARES DE VOTACIÓN Término Completo De 6 Años Vote for One / Vote por Uno OFFICIAL NOTICE IS HERBY GIVEN, by

Karen A. Yarbrough, Cook County Clerk 251 Donald Neal

write-in voto por escrito

that the Consolidated Election will be held in Suburban Cook County on: Norwood Park Fire Protection District

que la elección general se llevará acabo en los suburbios de Cook County en: Trustee Full 6-Year Term Fideicomisario Término Completo De 6 Años

Tuesday, April 6, 2021 Vote for not more than Three Vote por no más de Tres

Martes 2 de Abril 2021 251 Jerome A. Kolaski Sr. 252 Joanne Rybak

The Consolidated Election will be held in election 253 Katarzyna precincts under the jurisdiction of Lesny the Evans Election Division write-in of the Cook County Clerk's Office. voto por escrito La Elección consolidada se llevará a cabo en distritos electorales write-in dentro de la jurisdicción de la División de Elecciones voto de por la escrito Oficina del Secretario del Condado de Cook. write-in voto por escrito

The Polls for said Consolidated will be open Orland Fire Election Protection District from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Locations are subject to change Trustee Full 6-Year Term as necessity requires.

Fideicomisario En dicha Elección consolidadaTérmino se podrá votar entre las 6 a.m. y Completo De 6 Años Vote están for One sujetos / Vote por Uno las 7 p.m. Los lugares de votación a cambios según la necesidad.

251 Jim Hickey

At the Consolidated Election the252voters Cindy M. will Spickavote on the following contests and referenda questions.

Referenda/Questions of Public 253 Julie Reda Policy will be voted upon in those precincts of Cook County under write-in the jurisdiction of the Cook County Clerk in which avotoUnit of Local por escrito Government has requested the County Clerk’s Office to place said referenda/questions of public policy on the ballot.

En la Elección consolidada, los votantes emitirán su voto en las siguientes contiendas electorales y preguntas de referendos. Los referendos/cuestiones de política pública serán votados en aquellos distritos electorales del Condado de Cook dentro de la jurisdicción del Secretario del Condado de Cook en los cuales una Unidad de gobierno local le haya solicitado a la Oficina del Secretario del Condado que incluya en la boleta dichos referendos/cuestiones de política pública.

TOWNSHIP OF OAK PARK

expenditures on municipal operations, expenditures on public infrastructure, or property tax relief?”

Pleasant View Fire Protection District Trustee Full 6-Year Term Fideicomisario Término Completo De 6 Años Vote for not more than Two Vote por no más de Dos

“¿Considera que las autoridades corporativas de Village of Deer Park deben ser autorizadas a cobrar, durante u período de tres años, un Impuesto municipal adicional por ocupación a los comercios minoristas (Non-Home Rule Municipal Retailers’ Occupation Tax) y un Impuesto municipal por ocupación de servicios (Non-Home Rule Municipal Service Occupation Tax) (que en conjunto son conocidos comúnmente como “impuesto municipal Termsobre las ventas”) a una Vote for One Full 4-Year tasa de ½ del 1% para gastos operativos Full 4-Year Term Voteo for One municipales, gastos en infraestructura pública Full 4-Year Term en elVote for not sobre more than para beneficios fiscales impuesto la Three propiedad?”

Full 4-Year Term Vote for not more than Four

Wednesday Journal, March 24, 2021

43

– CONTESTS –

Village of Oak Park Millsap 251 Vernon Village of Oak Park

Village President Village Clerk Village of Oak Park Village Trustee 252 Juan Village of OakManuel Park Giron Library Trustee Oak Park Township Supervisor Full 4-Year Term Vote for One Yes / Si write-in Oak Park Township Clerk Full 4-Year Term Vote for One voto por escrito Oak Park Township Assessor Full 4-Year Term Vote for One No / No write-in Oak Park Township Trustee Full 4-Year Term Vote for not more than Four voto por escrito To theFull Voters the Village of Franklin Oak Park Park District Commissioner 4-YearofTerm Vote for not more than Two Park TriPark State FireDistrict Protection District Oak School 97 Member of the Board of Education Full 4-Year Term Vote for not more than Three Para los votantes de Village of Franklin Park Oak Park & River Forest High School District 200 Member of the Board of Education Full 4-Year Term Vote for not more than Four Trustee Triton Community College District 504 Member of the Board of Trustees 2-Year Term Park, Cook Vote for One “Shall Unexpired the Village of Franklin Full 6-Year Term Triton Community College District 504 Member of the Board of Trustees FullIllinois, 6-Year encourage Term VoteState for notofmore than Two County, the Fideicomisario Illinois to increase the amount of the general homestead exemption and the senior citizens homestead exemption to help reduce property taxes because of the COVID-19 pandemic?”

Término Completo De 6 Años Vote for One / Vote por Uno

OFFICIAL NOTICE OF REFERENDA/ QUESTIONS OF PUBLIC POLICY

251 Michael C. Mensinger

“¿Considera que Village of Franklin Park, Cook County, Illinois, debe promover que el Estado de Illinois incremente el monto de la exención impositiva por vivienda familiar general y de la exención impositiva por vivienda familiar para adultos mayores como una manera de ayudar a To the los Voters of thesobre Village of Stonea causa reducir impuestos la propiedad Park de la pandemia de COVID-19?”

Para los votantes de Village of Stone Park

write-in voto por escrito

Public Questions Preguntas de Politica Pública To the the Voters Voters of of the the Village Village of of Burr Oak Park To Para los votantes de Village of Oak Park Ridge Para los votantes de Village of Burr Ridge "Shall the Village of Oak Park defund its Police “Shall Department?" the annual compensation for the

Village President/Mayor of the Village ofdejar Burr "¿Considera que Village of Oak Park Deneb Ridge be increased from $6,000 to $12,000?” de financiar su Departamento de Policía?"

“¿Se debe aumentar la remuneración anual para el Presidente del Village/Alcalde de Village of Burr Ridge de $6,000 a $12,000?”

To the Voters of the Village of Roselle Para los votantes de Village of Roselle

Yes / Si No / No Yes / Si No / No

“Shall the Village of Stone Park adopt and make effective an Ordinance that reinstates the Stone Park Fire Department to serve the citizensthe of Village the Village of Stone ParkCook by “Shall of Franklin Park, providing emergency services?”

County, Illinois, encourage the federal government to provide grant funds to “¿Considera que Village of Stone Park debe employees of small businesses impacted adoptar y hacer efectiva una Ordenanza que by the COVID-19 pandemic?” restablezca el Stone Park Fire Department para servir a los ciudadanos ofPark, StoneCook Park “¿Considera que Villagede ofVillage Franklin prestando servicios emergencia?”

County, Illinois, debedepromover que el gobierno federal otorgue fondos de subvenciones para los empleados de pequeñas empresas afectadas por la pandemia de COVID-19?”

OFFICIAL NOTICE OF POLLING PLACES

“Shall Village of Roselle To thethe Voters of the Villageallow of the retail sale of adult-use recreational cannabis within Crestwood guidelines established by the State of Illinois Para los votantes de Village of Crestwood and to be established by the Village of Roselle?”

“Shall the terms of office for those persons “¿Shall the Village of Roselle allowPresident the retail sale elected to the offices of Village of adult-use recreational withinClerk in (Mayor), Village Trusteecannabis and Village guidelines by the of Illinois and the Villageestablished of Crestwood at State the April 6, 2021 to be established

by Place theand Village of Roselle?”

Consolidated Election at each election for TWP Polling Name any of such offices 8500001 HATCHthereafter SCHOOL be limited such that no person elected may serve more 8500002 ST so GILES GLEESON BUILDING than two (2) full four yearLIBRARY terms in the 8500003 ADELE H.(4) MAZE same office?”

8500004 HORACE MANN SCHOOL

Yes / Si No / No

Yes / Si

No / No The voting will be conducted at the following polling places for each of Yes / Si the aforesaid election precincts selectedToby Cook County Clerk. thethe Voters of the Village of Summit Paralos los votantes de Village of Summit Las votaciones tomaran lugar en cada de antedichos precintos de elección seleccionados por el “Shall CooktheCounty Clerk.

Summit Park, establish a Road Village of Franklin Cook Yes / Si No / No

“¿Considera que los mandatos de las personas 8500005 HORACE MANN SCHOOL “Shall the Village of Roselle allow the craft SCHOOL elegidas para los cargos de Presidente (Alcalde) 8500006 GWENDOLYN BROOKS MIDDLE growing, infusion, cultivation, processing, del Village, Administrador del Village y Secretario 8500007 HATCH SCHOOL andVillage transporting of of adult-use recreational del en Village Crestwood en la Elección 8500008 DOLE LEARNING CENTER by the cannabis within established Consolidada del 6guidelines de abril de 2021 y enHIGH cadaSCHOOL 8500009 PERCY JULIAN JUNIOR State of para Illinois and to bede established by the elección esos cargos allí en adelante, 8500010 WHITTIER SCHOOL Village of Roselle?” deben ser limitados de manera que ninguna 8500011 DOLE LEARNING CENTER “¿Piensaasí que Villagepueda of Roselle debe permitir el persona elegida ocupar el mismo cargo 8500012 OAK TOWNSHIP SENIOR cultivo artesanal, laPARK infusión, la plantación, el CENTER de cuatro durante dos (2) mandatos completos 8500013 LONGFELLOW SCHOOL (4) años?” procesamiento y el transporte de cannabis de 8500014 GILES GLEESON BUILDING uso recreativoST para personas adultas dentro de Yes / Si 8500015 J L HEDGES OFFICE las pautas establecidas porADMINISTRATION el Estado de Illinois y 8500016 ADELE H. MAZE LIBRARY que establecerá Village of Roselle?”

No / No 8500017 LINCOLN SCHOOL 8500018 HOLMES SCHOOL Yes / Si 8500019 GWENDOLYN BROOKS MIDDLE SCHOOL 8500020 19TH CENTURY CLUB 8500021 PERCY JULIAN JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL No / No 8500022 OAK PARK PUBLIC LIBRARY To the Voters of PARK the Village Steger 8500023 OAK PUBLICofLIBRARY Para los votantes Village of Steger 8500024 OAK de PARK RIVER FOREST HIGH SCHOOL 8500025 WASHINGTON IRVING ELEMENTARY SCHOOL "Shall the limiting rate under theSCHOOL Property 8500026 BEYE ELEMENTARY Tax Extension Limitation LawCHURCH for the Village 8500027 WEST CENTRAL of Steger, Counties of Cook and Will, Illinois, 8500028 GWENDOLYN BROOKS MIDDLE SCHOOL be increasedWEST by an CENTRAL additionalCHURCH amount equal 8500029 to 0.5455% above the limiting rate for any 8500030 BEYE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL purpose of said Village for levy year 2019 and 8500031 OAK PARK CONSERVATORY be equal to 2.5355% of the equalized 8500032 BEYE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL assessed value of the taxable property 8500033 WASHINGTON therein for levy year 2021?"IRVING ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 8500034 PERCY JULIAN JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL 1) The approximate amount of taxes extendable at the most 8500035 OAKlimiting PARKrate TOWNSHIP recently extended is $2,188,814, and the approximate amount taxes extendable if the 8500036 WEST of CENTRAL CHURCH proposition is approved is $2,789,099.

8500037 OAK PARK PUBLIC LIBRARY 2) For the 2021 levy year the approximate amount of the additional tax extendable against property containing a single-family residence and having a fair market value at the time of the referendum of $100,000 is estimated to be $182.

No / No

Maintenance Fund and dedicate resources to Illinois, encourage the federal AddressCounty, City Acess this Fund for to investment in the Village’s provide grant to small 1000 Ngovernment RIDGELAND AVE OAKfunds PARK Y public infrastructure but not limited businesses impacted including by the COVID-19 1101 COLUMBIAN AVE OAK PARK Y to investment in its roads, alleys, paths and pandemic?”

845 GUNDERSON OAK PARK Y sidewalks?”AVE “¿Considera que Park, Cook 921 N KENILWORTH AVEVillage of Franklin OAK PARK Y “¿Considera que Village of Summit debe crear County, Illinois, debe promover el gobierno 921 N KENILWORTH AVE OAKque PARK Y un Fondo de mantenimiento de carreteras y federal otorgue fondos de subvenciones para 325 S KENILWORTH AVE OAK PARK Y dedicar recursos a este Fondo para en la pequeñas empresas afectadas por lainvertir pandemia 1000 Nde RIDGELAND AVE OAK PARK Y infraestructura COVID-19?”pública del Village, incluyendo 255 AUGUSTA ST cosas, inversión en OAK PARK Y entre otras sus calles, 416 S RIDGELAND AVE y banquetas?”

OAK PARK Y Yes / Si callejones, caminos 715 N HARVEY AVE OAK PARK Y Yes//No Si 255 AUGUSTA ST OAK PARK Y No 130 S OAK PARK AVE OAK PARK Y 715 HIGHLAND AVE OAK PARK Y No / No 1101 COLUMBIAN AVE OAK PARK Y “Shall the dedicate 218 MADISON ST Village of Summit OAK PARK Y additional resources to invest its public 845 GUNDERSON AVE OAKinPARK Y infrastructure including but not limited to 1111 S GROVE AVE OAK PARK Y invest in its roads, and 508 N KENILWORTH AVE alleys, paths OAK PARK Y sidewalks?”

325 S KENILWORTH AVE OAK PARK Y “¿Considera debe dedicar Y 178 FOREST AVE que Village of Summit OAK PARK recursos adicionales para invertir su 416 S RIDGELAND AVE OAK en PARK Y infraestructura pública, incluyendo entre otras 834 LAKE ST OAK PARK Y cosas, inversión en sus calles, callejones, 834 LAKE ST OAK PARK Y caminos y banquetas?”

201 N SCOVILLE AVE OAK PARK Y 1125 S CUYLER AVE OAK PARK Y Yes / Si 230 N CUYLER AVE OAK PARK Y 1154 WISCONSIN AVE OAK PARK Y No / No 325 S KENILWORTH AVE OAK PARK Y 1154 WISCONSIN AVE of Summit OAK PARKthe Y “Shall the Village allow 230 N CUYLER OAK PARK growth, AVE cultivation, manufacture, and sale of Y 615 GARFIELD OAK PARK use Y cannabisST (marijuana) for recreational within the 230 N CUYLER AVEVillage of Summit OAKlimits?”

PARK Y 1125 S “¿Considera CUYLER AVEque Village of Summit OAK PARK debe permitir Y 416 S RIDGELAND AVE OAK PARK y la venta Y el cultivo, la plantación, la manufactura 105 S OAK PARK AVE Y de cannabis (marihuana) paraOAK usoPARK recreativo dentro de los límites de Village of PARK Summit?”

1154 WISCONSIN AVE OAK Y 834 LAKE ST OAK PARK Y Yes / Si

NOTE: The letter (N) following the polling place address denotes that the polling place itself is not accessible to the No / No handicapped although other parts of the facility may be accessible. An exemption has been granted by the State 3) If the of proposition is approved, the aggregate extension To the Voters of New Trieris Township Board Elections and signs are posted indicating if the whole building is accessible or if there a special entrance. for the 2021 levy year will be determined by the limiting Para los votantes de New Trier Township rate set forth in the proposition, rather than the NOTA: La letra (N) después de la dirección de un lugar de votación indica que el lugar de votación en sí mismo no es otherwise applicable limiting rate calculated under the provisionspara of the personas Property Tax discapacitadas, Extension Limitation Law accesible aunque otras partes del edificio pueden accesibles.

La Junta Electoral “Shall the U.S. ser Congress pass legislation to (commonly known as the Property Tax Cap Law). place a carbon fee el onedificio fossil fuel producers,o si hay del Estado ha concedido una exención y hay carteles publicados que indican si todo es accesible “¿Considera que la tasa límite bajo la Ley de where the collected revenue is given una entrada Limitación de especial.

Extensión del Impuesto a la equitably to American households,

Dated at Chicago, Illinois this 24th day of disrupting Marchemissions, 2021 reduce climate

Propiedad (Property Tax Extension Limitation Law) para Village of Steger, Counties of Cook and Will, Illinois debe aumentarse en un monto adicional equivalente al 0.5455% por encima de la tasa límite del año fiscal 2019 para cualquier propósito de dicho Village y equivaler al 2.5355% del valor tasado ajustado de la propiedad gravable allí para el año fiscal 2021?"

incentivizing businesses and consumers to transition to clean energy, and protect our economic well-being?”

Karen A. Yarbrough

“¿Considera que el Congreso de los EE.UU.

debe aprobar una legislación para cobrar un Cook County Clerk impuesto al carbono a los productores de combustibles fósiles, donde los ingresos cookcountyclerk.com recaudados sean repartidos equitativamente

1) El monto aproximado de los impuestos ampliables a la tasa límite ampliada más recientemente es de $2,188,814, y el monto aproximado de los impuestos ampliables si la propuesta es aprobada es de $2,789,099.

2) Para el año fiscal 2021, el monto aproximado del impuesto ampliable adicional sobre la propiedad con una residencia unifamiliar y un valor de mercado de $100,000 al momento

entre los hogares estadounidenses, incentivando a las empresas y a los consumidores a reducir las emisiones perjudiciales para el clima, a la transición a la energía limpia y a proteger nuestro bienestar económico?"

44

Wednesday Journal, March 24, 2021

A

V I E W P O I N T S

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

Anti-racism circles honor our stories

t the Oak Park Public Library, we are committed to developing thoughtful and worthwhile programming that’s motivated by a holistic view of anti-racism. We recognize that anti-racism is not only about dismantling oppression — it’s also about celebrating our cultures, taking care of ourselves, and centering the stories of people who have not been typically centered.

Anti-racism is for all of us, and it includes celebrating Black joy and culture.

I’m excited to share that this spring we have several virtual anti-racism opportunities for our community to participate in.

They include discussions about different forms of media, stemming from our yearlong Anti-Racism Resource Challenge (see

oppl.org/arrc for details).

Here I’d like to highlight two upcoming community discussions in particular, as they use a model you may not be familiar with — the community circle.

What is a community circle?

It’s a tool to have conversations where personal stories, self-examination, and collective action are highly valued.

Circles (often called peace circles) are a structured process to build community, where everyone feels connected and respected in their authentic selves.

Circles honor our stories, our community relationships, and our ability to keep learning from each other. They are rooted in restorative practices, which have been

TATIANA SWANCY One View

Gillis is uniquely qualified Over the past 28 years I have lived in River Forest, I have known several neighbors who are incredibly involved in the community, including my friend Lisa Gillis, who stands out as someone uniquely qualified to serve as Trustee for the village of River Forest.

She has good business acumen and listens with an open mind to achieve the most beneficial solutions for the residents of River Forest and our surrounding neighborhoods.

I first met Lisa when our children were at Willard where she was an active parent, helping at school programs and events and working on Cub Scout activities. She currently serves as a member of the Infant Welfare Society and is leading the Sustainability Commission for the village. She volunteers at all these programs while also serving as an executive at a global advertising and marketing firm.

Lisa understands that thinking “outside the box” can often provide better outcomes. She is an active listener, looking for ways to connect the dots, while remaining focused on producing measurable results. I have seen her in action — asking the right

questions to understand the issues, pulling in various stakeholders to generate creative ideas, developing strategies and action plans, and communicating transparently for buy-in around implementation and trust over reporting of the results.

As her friend, I also say without any reservation that Lisa’s heart is in the right place. She is a genuinely good person. She is seeking to be village trustee because she cares deeply about our community and wants to ensure it continues to be a wonderful place in which to live, raise a family and grow old.

We are lucky to have a pro-active board of trustees. Having Lisa Gillis as a trustee will only enhance the board in its decisionmaking process, improving its ability to implement the required actions and communicating the progress and results to the community at large.

Please join me in voting for Lisa Gillis as Village Board Trustee in the upcoming election.

Robert Conrardy River Forest

Unite Oak Park will listen

Candidates who inspire and elevate the community are hard to find. This election offers our community three such people: Stephen Morales, Lucia Robinson and Ravi Parakkat, Unite Oak Park, who will bring a wealth of experience when elected.

As a team, they bring experience in a range of issues facing our community: environmental and affordable housing, promoting climate action, finance, policy development and an entrepreneurial spirit.

Unite Oak Park’s candidates bring all of

used increasingly at the library over the past five years. As the library’s Restorative Practices coordinator, I am passionate about this model.

Led by library staff who are certified facilitators, we begin the circle by agreeing to a shared set of guidelines and values for the discussion. We come together to explore a subject by asking a series of questions and providing all with an equal opportunity to share their experiences, listen to one another, and understand the importance to their own lives. Circles as we practice them are rooted in the traditional practices of indigenous cultures in North America.

Circles have the effect of building bonds,

us a commitment to public safety, fiscal discipline, and practical programs to promote equity.

Their beliefs support equity and justice in issues facing Oak Park. All of them believe that listening to citizens is essential to truly understand the issues community members face, and to bring empathy back to governing. As Lucia states, “No one should feel ignored.”

Robert Milstein

Former village trustee

or at least trust with one another, because circles are thoughtfully constructed, reciprocal spaces that allow for genuine communication. Everyone has a turn to speak, and what you say in the circle stays in the circle.

Please join me and your neighbors this spring for two virtual community circles: Wednesday, March 31, 6 p.m.: Community Circle – Identifying the Real Story of Rosa Parks.

April 15, 6 p.m.: Community Circle – Exploring The 1619 Project’s “The Birth of American Music.”

Register and find more anti-racism opportunities at oppl.org/calendar.

Tatiana Swancy is Restorative Practices coordinator at the Oak Park Public Library.

Progressive’s guide to voting How can we vote to preserve and expand the work of the “Great Generation” of 1970s Oak Parkers? We need to make this community more economically affordable, and we need to preserve our reputation for diversity and social justice. This election we have a unique opportunity to do this as the two major factors — (the VMA in its later years, and Wednesday Journal endorsements) that have caused our village to “regress to the mean” of a local government that is dominated by business and developer interests at the expense of affordability, diversity, and social justice — are no longer. So finally, we the residents can choose our candidates without being disproportionately swayed by opaque bodies of elite power brokers.

My simple broad-brush proposal (that may be unfair and inaccurate for specific candidates) is to “follow the location of the yard signs.” Candidates whose yard signs disproportionately appear in front of large apartment buildings are more likely to represent landlords and developers. Candidates with more “residential yard signs” in front of houses or small duplexes, etc.,

are more likely to represent the interests of we the residents.

An unscientific survey of my area indicates disproportionate residential yard signs for: Cate Readling (for Village President); Anthony Clark, Juanta Griffin, and Chibuike Enyia (for Village Trustee); Christina Waters (for Village Clerk); and Tim Thomas, Eric Davis, Margaret Trybus, and Ade Onayemi (for Township Trustee).

Full disclosure: “The yard sign location” rule of thumb doesn’t generally work as well for local elected offices other than Village President and Trustee. Tim Thomas and the rest of the “Oak Park Community Service” Township Trustee slate come out ahead in my survey results because I know that Thomas and Davis are true OP progressives, and I put up a (rare) Township Trustee yard sign for Tim Thomas. Further full disclosure: Anthony Clark has been endorsed by the Chicago Democratic Socialists of America (CDSA) and I’m cochair of the West Cook branch of CDSA.

Ron Baiman Oak Park

How we doin’?

In recent weeks, I’ve had the privilege of volunteering with the village of Oak Park’s Public Health Department in their COVID-19 vaccination project. As gratifying as it is to know I’m helping our residents get protected, it is equally rewarding to be working side-by-side in a team with many other volunteers and staff doing this good work.

To a person, most people I’ve interacted with have praised the organization and efficiency of the process and I can attest to that from the volunteer’s perspective.

Gaurav Gaonkar and his team, along with collateral agencies are doing amaz-

ing work.

It would be enlightening and encouraging for the Wednesday Journal to publish a weekly “progress bar” — you know, one of those old-time campaign “thermometers” to show how many cumulative people have been vaccinated. Since it’s possible to get vaccinations at locations other than the village’s, perhaps that is all they can report on, but that alone will give us all a sense of how we’re doin’ and give others encouragement that their chance is drawing near.

Ron Elling

Oak Park

Wednesday Journal, March 24, 2021

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

D O O P E R ’ S

M E M O R I E S

O B I T U A R I E S

An olfactory tour of ol’ Oak Park

A

number of smells I remember from my youth.

Many of these have disappeared or are barely lingering in our present environment.

My dentist’s office smelled of clove oil, which was used with metal to fill cavities. There was also the smell of toothpaste.

Black exhaust poured out of buses and trucks whenever these vehicles accelerated, and the soot hung in the air.

We heated our home with coal until 1952 when we switched to oil, but coal dust in the atmosphere continued to linger for years because many people kept heating with coal. Because of the use of coal, the sky many times had a gray cast.

In the schools I attended, the halls smelled of floor wax, the bathrooms smelled of disinfectant, and the art classroom smelled of crayons and paint and paste. Also, the odor of chalk dust was quite evident in the classrooms because blackboards were written on with chalk.

Whenever a movie was shown in the classroom, the film projector would emit a burning odor for a few minutes when the light bulb in the inside of the projector was turned on. Often when a radio or television was turned on, a slight burning smell was emitted because radios and TV sets had tubes that had to warm.

During the fall, leaves were raked into the gutters and set on fire. This was an acceptable and legal practice. I loved the smell of burning leaves and, of course, the person who set

45

the fire had to have a hose ready to spray water if the leaf fire accelerated.

Zehender’s Pharmacy at Chicago and Marion always smelled of perfume and talcum powder, and whenever I sat at the soda fountain, the smell of chocolate invited me to feed my sugar addiction.

Grocery stores often had a citrus aroma, and the smell of sawdust on the floors of meat markets was quite apparent.

Many of the ladies in our neighborhood — including my mother and grandmother — dried the family clothing on a clothesline during warm weather. I am familiar with this practice because I was often recruited to hang the wet clothes on the line. The job was a drag, but the smell of freshly drying clothes flapping in the breeze was wonderful.

The most prevalent odor of all was tobacco because smoking was allowed practically everywhere. For example, a diner in a restaurant could get a face full of tobacco smoke anytime during his/her meal, and when you went to a medical office, the frequent aroma of La Paloma [a cigar brand] and other smoking products was present — except in Dr. Traut’s office which smelled of antiseptic alcohol.

The dentist who shared a suite with my dentist was a smoker, and since his office was next to my dentist’s office, people in the reception room could be assured of smelling lingering tobacco.

Well, the days of awful smells are abating, but I do miss the aroma of burning leaves.

JOHN

STANGER

Janet Soens, 78

Loved preservation and genealogy Janet E. Soens, 78, of River Forest, died on March 14, 2021. Born on Feb. 15, 1943, she was a resident of River Forest for over 70 years. A graduate of Oak Park and River Forest High School, class of 1961, she attended Northern Illinois University (class of 1965) and worked as an editor for Encyclopedia Britannica prior to raising her family. She worked in banking for many years at the River Forest State Bank and St. Paul Federal, prior to retiring. Passionate about old houses and historic preservation, she researched extensively family genealogy before the days of the internet and worked tirelessly on behalf of the residents of the Ann Kiley Center in Waukegan, for over 25 years, serving on the parent board.

Janet was the wife of the late James R. Soens; the daughter of the late Elmer and Lillian Behrends; the mother of James W. and Jill C. (David S.) Gordon; the sister of Richard (Debbie) Behrends, the aunt of six and great-aunt of 11.

In lieu of flowers, donations to the American Heart Association are appreciated.

Visitation was held on March 20 at Peterson-Bassi Chapels 6938 W. North Ave., followed by interment at Arlington Cemetery.

Gail Gehrig, 74 Sociology professor

Gail Gehrig, 74, of Oak Park, died on March 19, 2021. Born on Oct. 25, 1946, in Kansas City, Missouri, she moved to the Chicago area in 1969 and became a resident of Oak Park in 1977. She earned a B.A. and M.A. in Sociology from the University of Missouri, and a PhD in Sociology from Loyola University Chicago. Dr. Gehrig taught Sociology at Lewis University in Romeoville for 44 years, and also chaired the Sociology Department. She was most noted for her interest in and advocacy for racial equity, criminal justice reform, and cultural diversity.

She was a longtime member of Unity Temple Unitarian Universalist Congregation and had volunteered for the Oak Park Regional Housing Center, Hephzibah Children’s Association and the Oak Park-River Forest Food Pantry.

She leaves behind a husband, Jacob; a daughter, Blake; and a son, Aaron. The family requests no flowers or contributions but welcomes cards or emails of personal remembrances. A date for a private memorial will be forthcoming.

Vote ‘Yes’ to defund the police

Defund the police. What does it mean? Here in Oak Park, the clearest indication we have for the meaning of “defund the police” is the ordinance proposed in August 2020, which committed to “reducing the amount spent on policing in the village of Oak Park by defunding the Oak Park Police Department such that we reduce the number of budgeted sworn officers” and “using the dollars from defunding the police to create a non-police response team for mental health crises, homelessness, and domestic disturbances.”

Defunding the police in Oak Park is about reducing the number of police officers and redirecting some resources to social services.

You may ask: Why is this reduction necessary? Oak Park has more police officers than similar communities of the same size.

As of 2018, Oak Park had 116 police officer positions, about 22 officers per 10,000 residents. This is much higher than the 16 officers per 10,000 residents in an average city with 50,000 to 100,000 residents.

Some may argue that Oak Park needs more officers due to its proximity to Chicago, but how do we determine the number of police officers we need? Do we really need

38% more police officers per capita than the average community our size? In fact, research has shown that more police officers do not mean lower crime rates, and fewer officers do not mean higher crime rates. And if some funds are redirected from police to a non-police response team for non-violent issues, that can help us address citizen concerns while allowing police to focus on those issues that truly need their response.

Ultimately, this comes down to our priorities. Do we believe that increased policing is what will keep us safer, or do we believe that investing in our community and its safety nets will ultimately create greater safety for more of us? Do we increase our safety by asking police officers to do more and more, or do we allow them to focus by giving non-violent issues over to other qualified responders?

For me, the choice is clear. Let’s vote “Yes” on the upcoming referendum question, “Shall the Village of Oak Park defund its Police Department?” And let’s create a safer, more responsive community.

Jim Schwartz Oak Park

advertise • 708-524-8300 • www.OakPark.cOm

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

All services handled with dignity and personalized care.

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

46

Wednesday Journal, March 24, 2021 New local ads this week

HOURS: 9:00 A.M.– 5:00 P.M. MON–FRI

WEDNESDAY

CLASSIFIED Deadline is Monday at 5:00 p.m.

Place your ad online anytime at: www.RiverForest.com/Classified/

YOUR WEEKLY AD

REACHES SIX SUBURBAN COMMUNITIES: OAK PARK, RIVER FOREST, FOREST PARK, BROOKFIELD, RIVERSIDE, NORTH RIVERSIDE, AND PARTS OF CHICAGO

Please Check Your Ad: The publisher will not be responsible for more than one incorrect insertion.

Wednesday Journal Classified must be notified before the second insertion.

The newspaper reserves the right to edit or reject any advertisement.

BY PHONE: (708) 613-3333 | BY FAX: (708) 467-9066 | BY E-MAIL: CLASSIFIEDS@OAKPARK.COM | CLASSIFIEDS@RIVERFOREST.COM HELP WANTED

HELP WANTED

HELP WANTED

CUSTOMER SERVICE & EQUIPMENT SUPPORT PART TIME

VILLAGE OF RIVERSIDE SEASONAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

SERVER WANTED

Manufacturer of commercial food service equipment in McCook seeks an experienced customer service professional with a mechanical, gas & electrical technical support background.

Please email resume to: marketing@keatingofchicago.com

The Riverside Department of Public Works is seeking energetic and motivated applicants who enjoy working outdoors. This is a parttime, seasonal position lasting from approximately April-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, general facilities maintenance, flushing hydrants, reading meters, assisting full-time employees, and other duties as assigned.

PART TIME TUTOR POSITION Flexible hours, afternoons and evenings. Monday through Thursday and possibly Saturday. Preferred background in math. Background check required.

708-447-8200 Or skillstutoringcenter@gmail.com Village of Brookfield

UTILITY BILLING CLERK

Career Opportunity:

The Village of Brookfield’s Finance Department is seeking qualified applicants for the full-time position of Utility Billing Clerk. Under the direction of the Accounting Manager, this position is responsible for the preparation and processing of monthly utility bills for the Village.

General Responsibilities:

Some of the essential responsibilities include ensuring accurate and timely utility billing; working with a third-party billing processor; collection and maintenance of residential and commercial accounts; and working closely and professionally with Village residents.

A more detailed job description can be found at https://brookfieldil.gov/ careers/.

Qualifications:

High School Diploma or GED equivalent, a valid driver’s license, a minimum of three years of general office experience, proficiency with the Microsoft Office suite, specifically Excel, and exemplary customer service skills are required. Two years of previous experience in utility billing, accounting or related activities and experience utilizing enterprise systems in a municipal setting are preferred.

An offer for this position is contingent upon the candidate’s successful completion of a criminal background check and a drug screen with results acceptable to the Village.

Salary and Benefits:

The minimum of the hiring range for this position is $48,445.60 ($23.29 per hour) and includes insurance, participation in the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund (IMRF) and all Village benefits available to full-time non-bargaining employees.

How to apply:

All interested applicants should submit a cover letter, current resume, and completed job application to the Human Resources office at the Village of Brookfield via email by the end of the day on Friday March 26th to sdumanovic@brookfieldil. gov. Career posting to remain open until filled.

URGENT HIRE: The Village would like to have someone start in this position by April 12th

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.

Village of Brookfield

Department of Public Works Position Available Seasonal Public Works Employment May - September

Applications are now being accepted from qualified individuals for seasonal public works employment.

Employment period will be from May through September. The position requires physical labor and will be in the Streets, Forestry, Water, Sewer, and Public Buildings Divisions.

Work hours are 7:00 am to 4:00 pm five days per week, with one weekend day required as part of the five day work schedule. Starting pay rate is $11.00 per hour.

Applicants must be 18 years of age and possess a valid driver’s license.

Candidates must be self-motivated and possess strong communication skills. Selected candidates will be required to pass a post-offer criminal background check, driver abstract record search, physical and drug screen with results acceptable to the Village.

Interested applicants should submit a completed employment application to the Human Resources office.

Email submissions are preferred: sdumanovic@brookfieldil.gov. You may drop off or mail your completed job application to Human Resources office, Village of Brookfield, 8820 Brookfield Avenue, Brookfield IL 60513 Fillable job applications may be found online at https://brookfieldil. gov/careers/.

The Village of Brookfield is an Equal Opportunity Employer

OFFICE SPACE FOR RENT LOCATION LOCATION LOCATION FOREST PARK HIGHLY VISIBLE OFFICE/STORE AVAILABLE FOR LEASE 1350 SF w/ AC & HIGHLY VISIBLE MADISON STREET EXPOSURE. 7607 Madison Street. Village parking lot next door. Bright, clean office.

Great Madison Street exposure!

Call Francis 708-383-8574.

PAPASPIROS RESTAURANT 708-358-1700

SUBURBAN RENTALS

ITEMS FOR SALE

STUDIO APARTMENTS BROADVIEW Studio apartments for rent. $600/mo and up, all utilities incl. $25 credit application fee.

9200 W. Cermak Broadview 708-715-7292

ANTIQUE HALL TREE Antique American Hall Tree, solid oak. Excellent condition. 29”w x 78”h x 11”d, with covered shelf and mirror. $159.00.

708-488-8755

OAK PARK: ROOSEVELT/ OAK PARK AVE. CORRIDOR 2BR 4RMS close to blue line. On site laundry, parking, heat & water incl. $1200/ month 708-383-9223

MUSIC Music: piano scores, concertos, piano trios, flute music violin music.

Variety of composers. $3.00 each.

708-488-8755 TYPEWRITER TABLE Metal with light grain wood finish top. 2 drop leaf sides each 8”d. 26”h x 16”w x 16”d. $29.00.

708-488-8755

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

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

CEMETERY LOT WOODLAWN CEMETERY LOT 1 lot for sale. Woodlawn Memorial Park Cemetery.

CALL 727-688-7209 Lost & Found, Items for Sale, and To Be Given Away ads run free in Wednesday Classified.

To place your ad, call 708-613-3342

SUBURBAN RENTALS

SUBURBAN RENTALS

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

OAK PARK & FOREST PARK

708-386-7355

MMpropMgmt.com

Apartment listings updated daily at:

Find your new apartment this Saturday from 10 am – 4pm at 35 Chicago Avenue.

Or call us toll free at 1-833-440-0665 for an appointment.

CEMENT

CEMENT

MAGANA

C O N C R E T E C O N S T RU C T I O N “QUALITY IS OUR FOUNDATION” ESTABLISHED IN 1987

COMMERCIAL INDUSTRIAL RESIDENTIAL

708.442.7720 '5,9(:$<6 )281'$7,216 3$7,26 67(36 &85% *877(56 6,'(:$/.6 612: 3/2:,1* 67$03(' &2/25(' $**5(*$7( &21&5(7( FREE ESTIMATES LICENSED, BONDED & INSURED

ELECTRICAL Ceiling Fans Installed

ELECTRICAL

A&A ELECTRIC

Let an American Veteran do your work

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

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

• Electric • Heating • Air Conditioning

John Giatras Licensed, EPA Certified

Phone: 708-556-5540 Email: adinstubc@yahoo.com Reasonable Pricing!

WANTED TO BUY

HANDYMAN

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

Call Uncle Gary 708-522-3400

Mike’s Home Repair

FLOORS

708-296-2060

KLIS FLOORING INC.

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

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

Drywall H Painting H Tile Plumbing H Electric H Floors Windows H Doors H Siding Ask Us What We Don’t Do

Attention! Homeimprovement pros!

Reach the people making decisions–your target market.

Advertise in Wednesday Classified. Call 708/613-3342

HANDYMAN CURT'S HANDYMAN SERVICE Drywall Repair • Painting Fans Installed • Carpentry Trim Gutter Cleaning • Window Repair

FREE ESTIMATES Excellent References No Job Too Small

708-488-9411

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

773-637-0692 Ask for John

HAULING BASEMENT CLEANING

Appliances & Furniture Removal Pickup & Delivery.

708-848-9404

HEATING/ AIR CONDITIONING HEATING AND APPLIANCE EXPERT Furnaces, Boilers and Space Heaters Refrigerators Ranges • Ovens Washer • Dryers Rodding Sewers Lic/Bonded 25 yrs experience

FREE SERVICE CALL WITH REPAIR AND SENIOR/VETERAN DISCOUNT.

708-785-2619 or 773-585-5000

LANDSCAPING BRUCE LAWN SERVICE Spring Clean-Up Aerating, Slit Seeding Bush Trimming, Lawn Maintenance brucelawns.com

708-243-0571

Wednesday Journal, March 24, 2021

PAINTING & DECORATING

PUBLIC NOTICES

PUBLIC NOTICES

PUBLIC NOTICES

PUBLIC NOTICES

PUBLIC NOTICES

PUBLIC NOTICES

PUBLIC NOTICE STATE OF ILLINOIS COUNTY OF COOK VILLAGE OF NORTH RIVERSIDE

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:

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:

PUBLIC NOTICE NOTICE OF VIRTUAL NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING

Notice Of A Public Hearing

By The Joint Plan Commission/ Zoning Board Of Appeals Of The Village Of North Riverside

Central Elementary Hauser Middle School Sprinkler Replacement Project

Hollywood Elementary Addition and Playground Project

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: Y21006185 on March 5, 2021 Under the Assumed Business Name of TWISTED SOU’LS CATERING with the business located at:139 HARRISON ST APT 2N, OAK PARK, IL 60304. The true and real full name(s) and residence address of the owner(s)/partner(s) is: ANTHONY BOWMAN 139 HARRISON ST APT 2N, OAK PARK, IL 60304, USA

708/386-2951 • ANYTIME

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: Y21006062 on February 24, 2021 Under the Assumed Business Name of FIRST FINANCIAL PLUS with the business located at: 4232 EDGEWATER AVENUE, HILLSIDE, IL 60162. The true and real full name(s) and residence address of the owner(s)/partner(s) is: STEEVE KIDD 4232 EDGEWATER AVENUE, HILLSIDE, IL 60162

Licensed, Bonded, Insured, & EPA Certified Expert craftsmanship for over 50 years

Published in Forest Park Review 3/10, 3/17, 3/24/2021

PUBLIC NOTICES

PUBLIC NOTICE OF COURT DATE FOR REQUEST FOR NAME CHANGE

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

708.749.0011

PLASTERING McNulty Plastering & Stucco Co.

Small & big work. Free estimates.

Complete Plaster, Stucco & Re-Coating Services Work Guaranteed

STATE OF ILLINOIS, CIRCUIT COURT COOK COUNTY. LEGAL NOTICE The Village of Oak Park will receive sealed bids from qualified licensed roofing contractors at the Public Works Center, 201 South Boulevard, Oak Park, Illinois 60302 Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. local time until 3:00 p.m. on Friday, April 9, 2021 for the following: Village of Oak Park South Pumping Station Roof Replacement Project Number: 21-107 Bid documents may be obtained from the Village’s website at http://www.oak-park.us/bid.

For questions, please call Public Works at (708) 358-5700 during the above hours.

Published in Wednesday Journal March 24, 2021

LEGAL NOTICE The Village of Oak Park will receive sealed bids from qualified consultants at the Public Works Center, 201 South Boulevard, Oak Park, Illinois 60302 Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. local time until 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, April 7, 2021 for the following: Village of Oak Park 2021 Landscape Design and Inspection Consulting Services Proposal Number: 21-122 Bid documents may be obtained from the Village’s website at http://www.oak-park.us/bid. For questions, please call Public Works at (708) 358-5700 during the above hours.

Published in Wednesday Journal March 24, 2021

Starting A New Business?

Call the Experts Before You Place Your Legal Ad! Publish Your Assumed Name Legal Notice in Journal/Review/ Landmark/Austin CLASSIFIED! Call 708/613-3342

47

Request of Maeve Madeleine Kennedy Riordan Case Number 2021CONC000230 There will be a court date on my Request to change my name from: Maeve Madeleine Kennedy Riordan to the new name of: Rory Quinn Kennedy Riordan The court date will be held: On May 13, 2021 at 10:30 a.m. at Cook County Court Calendar 6.

Published in Wednesday Journal 3/10, 3/17, 3/24/2021

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: Y21006206 on March 11, 2021 Under the Assumed Business Name of AMERICAN DREAMS CLEANING COMPANY with the business located at:1025 PLEASANT PLACE, APT. 2G, OAK PARK, IL 60302. The true and real full name(s) and residence address of the owner(s)/partner(s) is: JEFFREY RUSSELL COLLINS 1025 PLEASANT PLACE APT. 2G OAK PARK, IL 60302, USA. Published in Wednesday Journal 3/17, 3/24, 3/31/2021

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: Y21006244 on March 12, 2021 Under the Assumed Business Name of CHAMBERS ADVERTISING with the business located at: 414 GENEVA AVE, BELLWOOD, IL 60104. The true and real full name(s) and residence address of the owner(s)/partner(s) is: FOSTER CHAMBERS, 414 GENEVA AVE, BELLWOOD, IL 60104, USA. Published in Forest Park Review 3/17, 3/24, 3/31/2021

Notice is hereby given that a Public Hearing will be held by the joint Plan Commission/Zoning Board of Appeals of the Village of North Riverside on Thursday, April 8, 2021 at 6:00 P.M., in the Village Commons, 2401 S. Desplaines Avenue, North Riverside, Illinois.

At such time and place, the Joint Plan Commission/Zoning Board of Appeals will consider a request to approve a Planned Development to accommodate the expansion of the Komarek School facilities located at 8940 W. 24th Street. The requested Planned Development application contains several departures from the Village’s Zoning Ordinance including: O Title 17 Chapter 6.02.D Floor Area Ratio.

O Title 17 Chapter 6.02.G Front Building Setback.

O Title 17 Chapter 6.02.H – Side Yard Setback.

O Title 17 Chapter 6.02.I – Rear Yard Setback.

O Title 17 Chapter 10.06. – Parking.

O Title 16 Chapter 12.08 – Landscaping.

Applicant: Komarek School District 94 8940 W. 24th Street North Riverside, IL 60546 All persons desiring to appear and be heard for or against said petitions may attend the Public Hearing.

Village of North Riverside Pat Ferriter, Chairman of the Joint Plan Commission/Zoning Board of Appeals Published in RB Landmark March 24, 2021

PUBLIC NOTICE OF COURT DATE FOR REQUEST FOR NAME CHANGE STATE OF ILLINOIS, CIRCUIT COURT COOK COUNTY. Request of Mercedes De La PazBuck Case Number 20214000895 There will be a court date on my Request to change my name from: Mercedes De La Paz-Buck to the new name of: Cedes Delapaz Buck.

The court date will be held: On April 27th, 2021 at 9:30 a.m. at 1500 Maybrook Drive, Maywood, Cook County, IL in Courtroom #0111.

Published in RB Landmark 3/17, 3/24, 3/31/2021

Copies of the Bid Documents including plans and specifications will be available starting March 22, 2021.

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.

Copies of the Bid Documents including plans and specifications will be available starting March 22, 2021.

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.

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.

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 26 at 10:00 AM at Hauser Middle School, 65 Woodside Road, Riverside, IL 60546 in the Hauser Auditorium. 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 1:30 PM, April 5, 2021, at the District office at 3440 S. Harlem Ave, Riverside, IL 60546. A public bid opening will take place via Zoom meeting immediately thereafter.

Join Bid Opening Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom. us/j/87836577880 Meeting ID: 878 3657 7880 One tap mobile +13126266799,,87836577880# US (Chicago) +13017158592,,87836577880# US (Washington DC) Dial by your location +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago) +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC) +1 646 558 8656 US (New York) +1 669 900 9128 US (San Jose) +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma) +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)

A pre-bid meeting will be held on March 26 at 10:00 AM at Hauser Middle School, 65 Woodside Road, Riverside, IL 60546 in the Hauser Auditorium. 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 1:30 PM, April 5, 2021, at the District office at 3440 S. Harlem Ave, Riverside, IL 60546. A public bid opening will take place via Zoom meeting immediately thereafter.

Date: Tuesday - April 2021 Time: 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

13,

Virtual Location: This virtual meeting will be conducted via Zoom.

Zoom is an application that allows you to view and participate in meetings from anywhere using your phone, tablet, or computer. Zoom meetings are free for you to view, either live or as a recording at a later date. You may also dial in to listen to the meeting (like a conference call). To participate in the meeting via Zoom, please use the following link (also available on our website at www.oakparkrc.com): https://us02web.zoom.us/ j/82960038400?pwd=cWt5Nmt2czNPQVN5MWV3SWFoazlaQT09 Meeting ID: 829 6003 8400 Passcode: welcome Alternatively, you may dial in like a conference call: Simply call 1-312-626-6799 at the time of the meeting and then enter: Meeting ID: 829 6003 8400 Passcode: 0604631 Subject Property Address(es): 7 Van Buren Street, Oak Park IL 60304 Proposed Development: Oak Park Residence Corporation is proposing to replace its existing multifamily apartment building with another multifamily apartment building on the 7 Van Buren site. Join us at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, April 13th, to see a virtual public presentation regarding how plans for the site are progressing.

Purpose of Meeting: Pre-Planned Development Submittal Discussion To submit comments, please call or email Contact: Beth Swaggerty Oak Park Residence Corporation bswaggerty@oakparkrc.com 708-386-6061 x123

Find your local number: https:// us02web.zoom.us/u/k3Amvy7WT

Join Bid Opening Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom. us/j/87836577880 Meeting ID: 878 3657 7880 One tap mobile +13126266799,,87836577880# US (Chicago) +13017158592,,87836577880# US (Washington DC) Dial by your location +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago) +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC) +1 646 558 8656 US (New York) +1 669 900 9128 US (San Jose) +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma) +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston) Meeting ID: 878 3657 7880 Find your local number: https:// us02web.zoom.us/u/k3Amvy7WT

The Board of Education reserves the right to reject any or all bids or any part thereof.

The Board of Education reserves the right to reject any or all bids or any part thereof.

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: Y21006278 on March 15, 2021 Under the Assumed Business Name of H & C RENTALS with the business located at:705 W 115TH ST., CHICAGO, IL 60628. The true and real full name(s) and residence address of the owner(s)/partner(s) is: ANDREA COLLINS 705 W 115TH ST., CHICAGO, IL 60628, USA

Published in RB Landmark March 24, 2021

Published in RB Landmark March 24, 2021

Published in Wednesday Journal 3/24, 3/31, 4/7/2021

Meeting ID: 878 3657 7880

Published in Wednesday Journal March 24, 2021

Published in Wednesday Journal 3/10, 3/17, 3/24/2021

PUBLIC NOTICE NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS Notice is hereby given by the President and Board of Trustees of the Village of River Forest, Cook County, Illinois, that sealed bids will be accepted for: 2021 Sewer Lining Improvements (Various Locations) This project consists of the installation of approximately 3,265 lineal feet of Cured-in-Place Piping (CIPP) as a sewer lining as well as other miscellaneous work required to install the aforementioned CIPP, including some manhole bench repairs.

The bidding documents are available for download starting Monday, March 22, 2021 at: www.vrf.us/bids Bids must be submitted by Monday, April 12, 2021 at 10:00 a.m. at: Public Works Department, 2nd Floor Village of River Forest 400 Park Avenue River Forest, IL 60305 The bid proposals will be publicly opened and read at that time. Proposals will be considered not only on the basis of cost, but also on past performance, experience and ability to perform the work.

No bid shall be withdrawn after the opening of the Proposals without the consent of the President and Board of Trustees of the Village of River Forest for a period of thirty (30) days after the scheduled time of the bid opening.

The Village of River Forest reserves the right in receiving these bids to waive technicalities and reject any or all bids.

Published in Wednesday Journal March 24, 2021

local employees, happy employees!

Hire Local. Place an ad on Landmark’s Local Online Job Board.

Go to RiverForest.com/classified today!

Contact Mary Ellen Nelligan for more information.

(708) 613-3342 | Classifieds@RiverForest.com

48

Wednesday Journal, March 24, 2021

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

Title here Second Line If Needed.

Making homeownership affordable.

At Huntington, we believe great neighborhoods build great communities. That’s why we offer programs to encourage homeownership and grow strong neighborhoods.

These loan options help make owning a home a reality: Huntington Hometown HomeReady Mortgage

Government Assistance Option

An affordable and highly flexible mortgage designed for property in a low- to moderate-income area, or borrowers who meet specific median income level requirements.

Provides U.S. government financial support from application to closing and through the life of the loan.

Armed Forces Specials

Community Access Mortgage Program

Discounts and exclusive offerings for those who have served or are currently in the U.S. military.

A fixed-rate loan with flexible sources for down payment and/or closing costs and no mortgage insurance.

Low- to Moderate-Income Area Discounts

Down Payment Assistance Option

Assistance programs and special discounts that help make home ownership possible for more people.

We work with local municipalities and non-profits to help qualified homebuyers cover their down payment.

Your real estate agent helps you find the right home. We’ll help you find a way to pay for it.

Working together, we can break down myths around affordability and help find a loan that’s right for you. Your Mortgage Loan Officer is always working for you.

Ahkeem Henderson Mortgage Loan Officer NMLS# 224387 5310 W Cermak Rd Cicero, IL 60804 o: (708) 466-2017 e: ahkeem.k.henderson@huntington.com www-auth.hban.us/mortgage/henderson-ahkeem All loans are subject to application and credit approval, satisfactory appraisal, and title insurance. Terms, conditions, and loan programs are subject to change without notice. Other terms, conditions, and restrictions may apply.

The Huntington National Bank is an Equal Housing Lender and Member FDIC. a®, Huntington® and aHuntington.® are federally registered service marks of Huntington Bancshares Incorporated. Welcome.℠ is a service mark of Huntington Bancshares Incorporated. ©2021 Huntington Bancshares Incorporated. NMLS ID #402436 (01/21)