WednesdayJournal_052726 by Wednesday Journal

JOURNAL

of Oak Park and River Forest

Federal charges against Straw, rest of

‘Broadview 6’ dismissed with prejudice

Criminal case folds after seven months of prosecution

By BRENDAN HEFFERNAN Staff Reporter

Tears, laughter and embraces in the cour troom marked the end to months of “tor ture,” for Oak Park Trustee Brian Straw and his “Broadview 6” protest codefendants just days before their trial was set to star t in federal cour t.

After seven months, the criminal prosecution against Straw and several other local progressive political figures collapsed Thursday after noon after newly unredacted transcripts revealed that the case had been “tainted” by federal prosecutors’ actions in the case’s initial grand jury proceedings The case stemmed from alle gations that the defendants were part of a crowd that had ille g ally blocked an ICE agent from driving into the federal immigration agency’s detention facility in Broadview last September.

Oak Park’s Straw, 45th ward Democratic committeeman Michael Rabbit, Katherine “Kat” Abughazaleh, who fell four points shy of winning Illinois’ 9th district cong ressional primary last month, and Andre Martin, who worked on Abughazaleh’s campaign staf f, are all now free from criminal prosecution. The case has

Hospital ownership agreed to $110,000 payout to family last year over cooling system’s failure in morgue

By BRENDAN HEFFERNAN Staff Reporter

served as the highest profile instance of federal charges falling upon protestors who opposed the intensified “Operation Midway Blitz” immigration enforcement ef fort that led to a surge in de portations in Chicagoland last year

Oak Park Trustee Brian Straw (right) and his attorney Chris Parente (le ) address reporters a er federal prosecutors announced that they were dropping felony charges against the remaining “Broadview 6” defendants, April 29. summer

opening tuesdays starting may 19th through august

Straw said the prosecution had brought massive financial and personal consequences for him and his family and that he would “never get the last seven months

See ‘BROADVIEW 6’ on pa ge 18

West Suburban Medical Center ownership settled a lawsuit with the family of a woman who “decomposed” in the hospital’s morgue as the hospital’s HVAC system failed

The hospital ag reed to a $110,000 payout to the woman’s children on June 12, 2025, according to Cook County Court records. The case is just one of many serious le g al matters related to the hospital’s operations to have hit the

See WEST SUB on pa ge 23

RIVER FOREST COMMUNIT Y CENTER

New executive director for River Forest Community Center

OPRF High School Distric t 200 board member hired

By BOB SKOLNIK Contributing Reporter

For the first time in 40 years, the River Forest Community Center has a new executive director.

The non-profit’s board hired Oak Park and River Forest High School District 200 school board member Jonathan Livingston as its new executive director, re placing long time director Dick Chappell. Chappell retired on May 15. Livingston, who has a PhD. in public administration and Public Policy from the University of Pittsburgh, be g an work three days later

“We believe Jonathan is the right person to lead the Community into the future,” said Community Center board member Mary McCahill, who served on the board’s hiring committee “We took a big hit with the Civic [Center] Authority’s adversarial approach toward dealing with the Community Center and we need to get ba ck on our feet financially and in our standing with the community and I think Jonathan is absolutely the right person to do the job.”

Livingston, 49, who moved to Oak Park in 2020, has been working as a consultant to non-profits as well as working as an adjunct professor for the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public and Inter national Af fairs doing some remote teaching and course development work.

He grew up in Duluth, Minnesota and received a bachelor’s de gree in English Literature from Bennington Colle ge and a master’s de gree in Advocacy and Political Leadership from the University of Minnesota before ear ning his PhD in 2018.

According the Chappell, who was on the interview committee, the Community Center had about 30 applicants for the executive director position. The interview committee interviewed four people, including two members of the Community’s Center’s board, who applied for the executive director job Livingston comes to the Community Center at an impor tant time for the non-

the new lease as a contract of adhesion, a g al ter m that refers to a contract when one par ty, in this case the Civic Center Authority, has all the power and the weaker par ty, in this case the Community Center, basically has no choice but to acce pt the ter ms of fered.

“The ter ms of the contract are pretty draconian and they cer tainly seem designed to limit the Community Center and its ability to car ry out its programming and therefore generate the revenue after expenses that they’re traditionally used to making,” Livingston said.

profit which runs a highly re garded early childhood lear ning center at the River Forest Civic Center, 8020 W. Madison Ave, where the organization is based.

The Community Center has been the main occupant of the Civic Center since 1993 shor tly after the building was purchased by a public par tnership that included River Forest Township.

Up until last year the Community Center managed the Civic Center building, running its child care program there, using and renting out the gym and other spaces and subleasing par ts of the building to other org anizations. But last year, after more than six months of acrimony, threats and tough ne gotiations, the entity that technically owns the building, the River Forest Civic Center Authority, which is managed by a Board of Managers which by law is made up of the River Forest Township Board, took control of the management and leasing of the building spaces by negotiating a new lease ag reement with the Community Center.

In a tele phone interview with the Wednesday Jour nal, Livingston described

The Community Center has long relied on revenue from subleasing portions of the building to supplement its revenue generated by program fees for its childcare program. But John Becvar, the River Forest Township Supervisor who also serves as the chair man of the River Forest Civic Center Authority’s Board of Managers, maintained that the Civic Center Authority needed to control the building, which needs substantial maintenance work, including a new roof in the not too distant future, and the subleases, to ensure its long ter m viability.

Suppor ters of the Community Center wor ry about whether the Community Center will be able to stay in the Civic Center long ter m and some believe that the River Forest Park District is looking to take over the building.

“The new ter ms are very, very, draconian and they cer tainly put the township in a much more hands on, very micro manager sor t of role,” Livingston said. “It has the feeling of the Community Center being on probation or acting as a parolee. It reads very punitively. It’s hard to wrap my head around how it got there so quickly.”

Livingston said that he is still lear ning all the backg round and is ready to work with the Civic Center Authority.

‘I’m new here and trying to keep as open of a mind as possible and lear ning what’s

PROVIDED

Jonathan Livingston

River Forest Police Honor Guard leads the River Forest Memorial Day Parade on May 25.

Shriners race their 1957 Chevrolet mini cars

River Forest Park District Dance members.

A pooch rides in st yle in the rumble seat of a 1933 Packard Eight

Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts and adults carr y a giant American Flag.

PHOTO S BY TODD BANNOR

Tra c measures coming to Lake St. in River Forest

Bump outs, drainage among improvements planned

By ROBERT J. LIFKA Contributing Reporter

Pedestrians crossing Lake Street in River Forest would have safer passage under a proposed project expected to be considered by the village board at its June 22 meeting

The project consists of pedestrian improvements at the intersections of Lake with Edgewood Place, Franklin Avenue, Jackson Avenue and William Street.

Village of ficials said the motivation for the upgrades is improving pedestrian safety, citing resident input at community meetings, including the village board and at the Casual Conversations series with village of ficials.

Jack Bielak, director of public works and engineering, said the project includes curb extensions, also called bump outs; a Rectangular Rapid F lashing Beacon (RRFB); and median refuge islands. The project

also includes drainage improvements, sidewalks, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) ramps, pavement markings and final restoration.

Almost half of the $360,000 project cost will be covered by an Illinois De par tment of Transportation (IDOT) Safe Routes to School grant of $179,828.

Village Administrator Matt Walsh said the grant funds are specifically for the bump out at Edgewood and the RRFB at Franklin. Refuge islands will be at William and at Jackson.

“These upgrades are a great star t, but staf f is exploring additional ways to supplement these upg rades to make the crossings even safer for residents,” he said.

Several of ficials expressed concer n that IDOT would not be rece ptive to the village’s plans and even suggested that the village assume jurisdiction of Lake. However, Bielak said in February that initial indications were that IDOT would allow the village to do the improvements without taking over jurisdiction.

“Staf f worked closely with IDOT to se-

“These upgrades are a great star t, but sta is exploring additional way s to supplement these upgrades to make the crossings even safer for residents.”

MATT WALSH Village administrator

cure permit approval for the proposed improvements,” Walsh said. “Emphasizing these concer ns helped secure approval from IDOT.”

The project has been in the works for more than a year

In a memo to Walsh in June, Bielak and Seth Jansen, management analyst, wrote that Lake Street is under IDOT Jurisdiction from Harlem Avenue going west through the Village of Bloomingdale where it tur ns into US 20. Lake Street east of Harlem Av-

enue is owned by Oak Park and the City of Chicago for their respective se gments Lake Street has a functional classification of Minor Ar terial and in 2023 had an annual average daily traf fic figure of 9,700 vehicles. Lake Street has existing curb extensions that were built in 2010 at Keystone, Forest, Park, Franklin and Ashland avenues.

They wrote in the memo that Jackson and William are both situated along the commercial cor ridor of Lake.

The intersection at Jackson experiences high pedestrian traf fic due to the nearby Jewel-Osco grocery store and a Pace bus stop. Several pedestrian-related accidents have been documented at this location over the past five years.

The William intersection serves West Suburban Hospital’s River Forest campus which is currently largely closed. It is adjacent to a large residential complex and multi-family housing on the nor th side of Lake and the easter n cor ner of William. This intersection has also seen a notable number of recorded accidents

MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH

Local high schools address student mental health challenges

OPRF, Riverside -Brook eld have multiple measures in place

By GREGG VOSS Contributing Reporter

High school students in particular face unprecedented challenges these days.

The desire to get into a top-flight college and generally trying to fit in have always been there, of course, but now inter nal pressures have been exacerbated by technology, particularly social media

Though we’re years since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, all of today’s high schoolers were in middle or grammar school back then and the isolation at that time was considerable, which has led to anxiety and depression today, among other issues

Local high schools have worked to build up systems and resources to help students lessen the strain, be it exter nally or internally motivated. That includes individu-

alized support, small-group intervention, therapy dogs and sometimes, just a quiet place to go when life is a bit much.

Perhaps the best news is that while mental health challenges and resources were once stigmatized, that’s starting to diminish.

“We’re moving in a positive direction in the country as far as mental health support,” said Ginger Bencola, a social worker at Oak Park and River Forest High School, who serves as a prevention and wellness c oordinator.

Today’s digital challenges

While digi tal platfo rm s, especially social media, may not be at the top of the list when it c omes to high school-age stressors, it ’s right up there.

“There is a lot of stress students p lac e

on themselves, digital pressures to look a cer tain way and perfor m,” said Bencola’s c olleagu e, Nabiha C alcuttawala, a g eneral education social wo rker on the pupil suppo rt services team at OPRF

“I think in my experienc e, k ids may not explicitly name that, pressures from social media, but we see how it impact s their own perc ep tion of themselves,” she said. “There are truths from social media that aren’t always true.”

Fur ther south from OPRF at Rive rsideBrookfield High School, social wo rker Chrissy Tappe rt sees the same thing s.

“It’s c onstantly in your face,” Tappe rt said, “not only do they see wh at they are missing out on, (but how) influencers dress, the filters they use, how many followe rs they have.

“I think it ’s moreso, too, seeing wh at

your friends are doing and you’ re left behind and not be pa rt of that.”

And that d oesn’t even c ount nor mal teenage angst, li ke a breakup, wh ich c an spread li ke wildfire on social media Or bullying, wh ich d oesn’t need digital means to be real.

But there’s more.

Tappe rt ’s c olleagu e, RB social wo rker Janira Marqu ez , said a lot of stress c omes from within. And it’s often too much.

“From the academic standpoint, a lot of kids are striving for perfectionism and that drives an i nsane amount of stress,” Marqu ez said. “Not only for themselves, but to impress their parents T hey do n’ t wa nt to let their parents down or disappoint them.”

MENTAL HEALTH on pa ge 9

In 1991, ‘Broadview 6’ prosecutor committed misconduct, later reinstated

Judges found William Hogan withheld evidence from street gang members’ defense

By BILL DWYER Contributing Reporter

William Hogan Jr., the lead prosecutor on the recently dismissed Broadview 6 case, was found to have engaged in serious misconduct by multiple federal judges more than 30 years ago, court documents show.

Hogan was the lead prosecutor in several trials of members of the notorious El Rukn street gang in 1991, winning numerous convictions, However, those cases fell apart after extensive post-trial inquiries by three federal judges — Marvin Aspen, James Holder man and Suzanne Conlon — found numerous instances of what they ter med prosecutorial misconduct.

Hogan has consistently denied engaging in any misconduct in the El Rukn trials

Entering a court hearing Tuesday mor ning, Oak Park Trustee Brian Straw and his attor ney Chris Parente chose not to comment on Hogan’s history.

Post-trial motions filed by numerous convicted El Rukns in the case Holder man heard asserted, among other things, “that the gover nment had withheld information from the defendants’ counsel which showed that two key gover nment witnesses, Henry Harris and Harry Evans, had tested positive for illegal drugs while incarcerated at the Metropolitan Correctional Center (MCC).”

The men’s drug use was part of an alleged pattern of favorable treatment the government afforded the cooperating witnesses that, if known by the defense, could have

called their credibility into question. Under what’s known as “Giglio disclosure,” the gover nment is required to tur n over to defense attor neys any evidence it has that could be used to impeach the credibility of a prosecution witness

Over several months in 1993, Judges Aspen, Holder man and Conlon threw out convictions against a total of 15 convicted El Rukn gang members and ordered retrials. All 15 were later convicted at re-trial.

All three judges concluded that Hogan and others had deliberately covered up drug use in jail by Harris and Evans In addition, Holder man wrote in a 137-page ruling, that prosecutors gave the two men clothing and money, allowed them to use gover nment phones and to have sex with visitors in gover nment offices.

The collapse of the sprawling El Rukn prosecution, which targeted more than 60 gang members, was a media sensation, and a huge embarrassment for the Chicago office of the Department of Justice Hogan was suspended with pay, and after an investigation, was fired

After a five-year legal fight, in 1998 an administrative law judge re-instated Hogan, finding that the gover nment had not proven that he had engaged in misconduct. At a press conference, Hogan blamed “animosity” toward him by the three judges, jealousy in the FBI for his prosecution of the notorious El Rukns, and a timid DOJ unwilling to have his back. Justice department officials, he said, “took the easy way out, and they

dumped me out the door.”

But the Memorandum Opinion and Orders (MOOs) issued by the judges, each very long and detailed, portrayed an overzealous prosecutor willing to overlook exculpatory evidence and ignore rules governing his legal obligations as a prosecutor

In June 1993, Judge Holder man issued a 95,000 word MOO outlining Hogan’s alleged misconduct.

“Hogan not only knew that Harris and Evans had tested positive for illegal drugs,” Holder man ruled, “but he also possessed information that these witnesses were routinely using drugs during their entire stay at the MCC,” including the time during which they were testifying.

Judge Aspen appointed for mer U.S. Attor ney Thomas P. Sullivan to “aid the court in an impartial and lear ned marshalling of evidence.”

Between May 24 and July 8, 1993, over 7 full days, 29 witnesses testified. “The evidence adduced during the post-trial hearings before this court and Judges Conlon and Holder man overwhelmingly indicate that gover nment witnesses Henry Harris and Harry Evans possessed and used illicit narcotics while confined (in the MCC),” Aspen ruled.

In a 60,000 word MOO in September, 1993, Aspen wrote that he was deeply troubled by the conclusions in his own ruling, writing, “This is the most painful decision that this court has ever been obliged to render, making the crafting of this opinion a sad and dif-

ficult undertaking.”

“Significant questions of prosecutorial misconduct bring (six defendants) before this court seeking new trials,” Aspen wrote “It is a tragedy that the convictions of some of the most hardened and anti-social criminals in the history of this community must be overtur ned.”

Aspen said Hog an was someone who, “in seeking to attain the laudable goal of ridding society of an org anization of predatory career criminals, was willing to abandon fundamental notions of due process of law and deviate from acce ptable standards of prosecutorial conduct.”

Aspen cast doubt not only on Ho gan’s conduct but his credibility, noting a distinct dif ference between Ho gan’s “nearphoto graphic memory in previous stages of this prosecution” and the “countless instances” during post-trial proceedings in which Ho g an answered questions with ‘Not that I recall.’”

“In contrast,” Aspen wrote, “Ho gan’s conduct in previous stages of this case has left his credibility mar red long before he took the witness stand during these posttrial proceedings.”

“Rather than confronting the obstacles inherent in this (1991) prosecution with candor and professionalism,” Aspen wrote, “Ho g an sacrificed personal and professional canons of ethics to fulfill his quest for one-sided justice From the outset, we have had occasion to label Hogan’s conduct as ‘disingenuous.’”

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Irving School pulls an all-nighter with 28th annual sleepover

Teachers and parents volunteer for event kids love

By BOB SKOLNIK Contributing Reporter

The 28th annual Irving School sleepover took place last weekend at the elementary school in southeast Oak Park. Not quite 200 Irving students, roughly 60% of the student body, spent 13 hours starting Friday night into Saturday morning at the school, running around, having fun and sleeping on classroom floors. The first sleepover was started in 1998 by third grade teacher Nick Sakellaris at the suggestion of a parent and 28 years later Sakellaris is still organizing it with the help of approximately 100 volunteers.

“It’s super powerful for the kids and the teachers, and the parents,” Sakellaris said. “The parents appreciate it so much, that’s why we do it.”

Sakellaris said many for mer Irving students tell him the sleepovers were the highlight of their Irving experience. Parents and teachers also love the sleepover.

“It’s a good chance to get to know kids you don’t work with every day because you are working with every grade level,” said fourth grade teacher Francesca Sbarboro who is also the mother of an Irving fifth grader and who volunteered at the sleepover for three hours at the arts and crafts station. “And the kids have a lot of

fun because the parents are there but they have a little freedom to hang out with their friends.”

The sleepover started at 7 p.m. on Frida May 15. After check-in most kids headed out to the playg round to play until it got dark. Once corralled back inside they chose from a plethora of activities. There was a dance party, complete with glow sticks, run by DJ Frank Dipaolo, who is the school’s custodian. The Legos station was also a popular spot as was airbrush tattoo station. Minecraft themed tattoos seemed to be the most popular, Sakellaris said.

Ir ving School sleepover in 2024.

“Kids are all walking out of here with five, six, seven tattoos,” Sakellaris said Saturday morning after the sleepover had ended. “It looks like a real one but it washes out.”

There were also craft stations, where some kids did origami, a magic show, a coloring room, and a quiet reading room.

Third grader Layla Zx had a great time.

“I spent a lot of my time in the Lego section and arts and craft,” Layla said noting that she was building machines to kill Spiderman. “I was running around the hallways like a maniac so my energy builds up but my stamina goes down.”

Kids bring sleeping bags, some also bring air mattresses, and pajamas. They sleep in carpeted classrooms se gregated

by grade and gender. The kindergarten and first graders finally go to sleep around 10 p.m. while the older kids often stay up to midnight. An adult voluntee r is always in the room throughout the night and no slee pwalking or wandering is allowe d.

“My jo ke is I’ll stand over you until yo u f all aslee p, ” Sakellaris said.

In the morning breakfast is ser ve d.

Lay la had a bagel with berries and cream cheese, a d ouble chocolate muffin , a croissant and straw ber ry lemonad e.

T he slee pove r ends at 8 a.m.

Sakellaris said the sleepove r c ould n’ t take place without the volunteer s, including about 75 parents and 20 to 25 teachers.

“We’ve had more staf f than we ’ve ever had wh ich is great,” Sakellaris said.

“Wi th this many k ids it would n’ t be p ossible but for the teachers. ” S ome volunteers spend the entire nigh t at the school wh i le others wo rk a few hour shift . K ids look forward to the slee pove r.

“The whole school was j ust buzzing on F riday, ” Sbarboro said.

Sakellaris and his sister-in-law Kara Sakellaris, a fourth- gr ade teacher at Irving, spent the entire night at I rving. Once the k ids finally all went to slee p they cleaned up and gr abbed a few hour s of shuteye for themselves. It ’s t iring but they say it ’s wo r th it j ust to see how happy the kids are.

“Just seeing the happiness on their face, that’s the best pa rt ,” Nick Sakallaris said.

PHOTO

MENTAL HEALTH

Addressing student pressures

from page 6

‘How

long have you been dealing with this?’

Bencola said OPRF of fers mental health suppor t both proactively and through its suppor t services, in a tiered format. Tier 1 is universal support for all students, while Tier 2 is small-group intervention and Tier 3 is individualized suppor t.

The key for any stu d ent, whether they are refe rred to Bencola and C alcuttawala or are noticed by them in the hallway as clearly str uggling, is understanding.

“I f a student is refe rred to me and we ’re noticing these symptoms, (I ask) ‘H ow long have you b een d ealing with this?’” C alcuttawala said. “ I’m t rying to g et a sense of how those symptoms are affecting their daily life.”

Distress tolerance is ke y in that situation, she said. It ’s the notion that acknowledging that stress or i ntense f eelings are a pa rt of l ife, but there are always ways to minimize their impact so

students can get on with their daily live s.

Li ke OPRF, RB’s social wo rkers go deep to wo rk with students to identify the feelings they are having: Do they have to do with school, or are they exter nal where an outside refe rr al is appropriate, sometimes requiring therapy?

“It’s moreso li ke f amily related and f amily dy namics where we ’d make an outside refe rr al,” Marqu ez said.

Mitch Zilinger is a social wo rker c olleague of Tappe rt and Marqu ez In a ddition to them, RB has a school ps ychologist and academic counselor s, along with dif ferent groups for students , li ke a g rie f group for those that have lost a parent and a group for students who struggl e with social skills, for example

Wi thout d oubt, the stakes c an rise f ast.

Tappe rt said parents g et involved ASAP when mental health i ssues become a re g ular o ccu rrenc e. Suicidal ideation is another example, and Zilinger said wh il e co nversations with students are c onfid ential, there are four i nstances where c onfidentiality can be broken: The threa t of self-har m or har ming others, someone har ming them, or explicit approval to break confidentiality.

OPRF’s Wellness Workshops

While both schools incorporate mental health study into coursework – OPRF in its freshman health classes and RiversideBrookfield in its freshman English classes –OPRF does something unique called wellness workshops. The program is now finishing its fourth year

These are roughly monthly sessions that occur at exactly the same time for all 3,400 students in school. In other words, everyone, including teachers and staff, are focused on the topic of the month. This year, that included The Art of Feeling Calm; Build Your Own Dopamine Menu; and Unfollow the Stress, which focused on the positive and negative aspects of social media and developing boundaries.

Wellness workshops are developed by the school’s wellness committee, comprised of teachers, counselors and social workers.

“We have made a conscious decision to help students with their mental health,” Bencola said. “It an intentional pause in the day. It’s giving teachers the opportunity to engage with students in a non-academic format. We get great feedback from students as well. They like the break from their schedule. It’s a stress relief for them.”

TThen there is Griff, the school facility dog, a golden retriever Bencola said “is hands down the most popular husky in our community.”

“Therapy dogs reduce stress and anxiety, bring a sense of calm in the building,” she said. “Griff has been instrumental to increase sense of belonging in school and increasing students’ daily experiences of connecting in the building.”

RB has its own golden retriever facility dog, Harley, who is just as popular as Grif f.

Creating awareness about mental health

One thing is for sure. Mental health challenges aren’t going to subside. In fact, Zilinger said that while the number of students being helped at Riverside-Brookfield hasn’t jumped dramatically, it continues to rise steadily.

“It relates to how much we do talk about mental health,” Tappert added. “It’s a good thing.”

OPRF’s Bencola said while there were few things that were deemed positive about the pandemic, one of them was highlighting and creating awareness about mental health.

“It helped us to get more buy-in in the mental health area,” she said.

OPRF Community Foundation Supports Youth Behavioral & Mental Health

he Oak Park-River Forest Community Foundation is committed to supporting, creating, and implementing solutions expressed in its landmark Community Voices report. Earlier this year the Foundation announced the recipients of its 2025-26 Community Grants, awarding $270,000 to 16 nonpro t organizations serving West Cook County. e grants provide ongoing support for the Foundation’s strategic priority of mental and behavioral health for youth and young adults, including increasing the mental health workforce pipeline.

2025-26 Community Grant Recipients

• A Greater Good Foundation

• Austin Coming Together

• BUILD

• Dominican University

• Family Service and Mental Health Center of Cicero

• Kinfolk CoLab

• Maywood Fine Arts Association

• New Moms

• Race Conscious Dialogues

• e Firehouse Dream

• Kehrein Center for the Arts Foundation

• Nehemiah Community Project

• rive Counseling Center

• Youth Crossroads

• Youth Educational Mentoring Basketball Association (Y.E.M.B.A.)

• Youth Outreach Services

Based on feedback from grantee recipients and members of the West Cook community, including mental health practitioners, the Foundation’s grants and programs committee reviewed and revised grantmaking processes through a framework called “trust-based philanthropy.” is approach emphasizes advancing equity, shi ing the power dynamic and building mutually accountable relationships. As a result, the Community Grants program now includes such practices as giving multi-year, unrestricted

OPRFCF board member John Borrero speaks about the grant process

funding; removing unnecessary steps in the application process; being transparent, open and honest; ensuring equity of voice; and o ering support beyond the check.

Moving forward, the Foundation will facilitate a “community of practice,” a subset of interested mental health practitioners within the mental health grantee cohort, to further the goal of a robust workforce and provide peer learning and leadership opportunities.

“We are proud to provide focused support

to organizations that are providing these vital mental health services in our region,” said Carrie Summy, president and CEO of the Foundation. “It’s important that we continuously re ect the community’s shared goals. e Foundation must actively listen and amplify the voices of those most vulnerable, and those working hard to make our community a place where everyone can thrive. is is the only way to ensure our work is truly collaborative, responsive and impactful.”

Learn more about the Community Grants Cohort and the Foundation’s grants strategy at oprfcf.org/grants-strategy

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A er tumultuous year, Chappell leaves helm of RF Community Center

Chappell was retiring but thought he would stay on a bit longer

By BOB SKOLNIK Contributing Reporter

In 1986 Dick Chappell was a 30-yearold Parks and Recreation superintendent working in nor thwest Indiana. He was looking through the Illinois Parks and Recreation job bulletin and noticed an ad for the job of executive director of the River Forest Community Center He decided that it looked interesting, so he applied. He was interviewed and was hired. At the time he had no idea that he would spend the next 40 years of his life leading the Community Center But now that time has come to an end and Chappell has retired after a tumultuous year at the Community Center His last day on the job was May 15.

For the past 40 years Chappell has been the public face of the Community Center which has operated since 1993 out of the River Forest Civic Center Building at 8020 Madison St. He was the man people contacted when they wanted to use the gym or rent space in the building. He oversaw everything that happened and was responsible for overseeing maintenance of the building that was built in the 1950’s.

“In many respects Dick was the community center,” said George Vukotich, the longtime chair man of the board of the org anization before he resigned earlier this month.

It was a bit of an awkward ending to Chappell’s 40 years of leading the community center Chappell, 70, was hired as the executive director in 1986, when the center was housed in a for mer public works garage at 414 Jackson Ave. The community center had fewer than 10 employees when he was hired, Chappell recalled.

chased in a public par tnership, mostly funded by a $1.9 state g rant.

“The community center and its programs and services was the viability of the project,” Chappell said. “What I mean by that is the state was not going to fund a vacant building.”

Now the community center has more than 30 employees and had approximately 50 employees before COVID and disputes with River Forest Township caused some shrinkage.

In addition to its childcare program the gym in the building is used for adult and kids spor ts activities by groups that paid fees to the center but now contract directly with the Civic Center Authority.

The controversial last year

The last year has been dif ficult for Chappell and the community center In 2025, the Civic Center Board of ManagPROVIDED

Dick Chappell

ers, which is made up of the River Forest Township Board, moved to take control of the management of the center and of its subleasing role

At one point its Board of Managers had voted to ter minate the center’s lease claiming that the center had violated the provisions of its lease by subletting portions of the building without the approval of the Civic Center Authority. Traditionally the community center had managed the building and sublet space it did not use For about 15 years Chappell was also paid by the township to manage the building.

Finally late last year, after months of acrimony, contentious ne gotiations, and a few crowded and emotional public meetings, the Civic Center Authority and community center ag reed on a new lease that keeps the center in its longtime home, for now at least.

Chappell said the tumultuous year was a significant factor in his decision to retire as were the changes in who manages the building and who deals with the sublessors.

“It did influence things, without a doubt,” Chappell said. And it seems as if many on the community center’s board thought that it was time for the center to have new leadership as it moves into a dif ferent future.

Chappell also said that his desire to have more free time to visit his adult daughters, one of whom lives in Texas, also played a role in his decision to retire.

40 years of accomplishments

Chappell is proud of the work he did leading the community center

“I can look myself in the mirror because you know what I feel that we’ve made a lot of progress from an org anizational standpoint as the community center, and I look at the programs we’ve expanded into, I look at the number of people that we served over all the years and there’s just a

tremendous amount of positives,” Chappell said. good support person,” said Lia Madonia-Gardirected the community center’s early childfor the past 28 years. “He never micromanus to be creative with our program and let w fit.”

has a number of employees who have worked decades and Chappell was popular with both emees and users of the center easy to get along with, funny,” Madonia“He had a very infectious laugh. We would try laugh all the time just to crack up at his laugh.” retirement Chappell will spend a lot of time on diamonds. In colle ge Chappell was an all-conferfielder for Nor th Carolina State, where he hit over on two conference championship teams He baseball his entire life and still plays baseball eek in adult leagues He is a player/manager Woodpeckers and still typically plays the outfield despite having three rotator cuff surgeries. it,” Chappell said of playing baseball at age

LIVINGSTON

from page 3

ming the current state of things,” Livingston

The Community Center is also looking to restruchow it operates to deal with the new reality its new leadership. It will do more fundraising, something the Community Center never has done much of.

“There will much more robust, deliberate fund raising ef forts, both by way of individual donor campaigns, grant writing and other fundraisers and such,” Livingston said.

vingston said that he was attracted to the job because he has a deep interest in early childhood education.

come to this because of my commitment to ly childhood education,” Livingston said. vingston might take more of a hands on approach to the early childhood education program ich Chappell mostly left in the hands of Early Childhood Program Director Lia Madonia-Garcia ho has run the program for the past 28 years. s going to be a lot dif ferent,” Madonia-Garcia “Jonathan’s very early childhood orientated we’ ll definitely have a dif ferent type of support him, a lot more education. He’ ll be teaching us a lot more. He has a lot of experience in the field and a lot of resources that can help our programs so we’re excited to move forward and grow.”

Madonia-Garcia said that Livingston made a good impression on his first week at the job

“He’s doing great, he’s fitting in amazingly well,” Madonia-Garcia said. “He’s very easy to get along with.”

Livingston and McCahill declined to say what Livingston’s salary is but the job description posted on the Community Center’s web site lists a salary range of $60,000 to $80,000.

In another change at the Community Center, long time board member George Vukotich, who had been the chair man of the board of the Community Center, resigned from the board this month. Vukotich had served on the Community Center’s board for approximately 20 years, the last 15 as chair man of the board. Vukotich said that with Chappell leaving it was time to let newer and younger board members chart the future.

“I think some dif ferent individuals have some dif ferent perspectives on what the future should be and how to get there,” said Vukovich, who is 68. Vukotich, has been re placed as board chair man, at least on an interim basis, by board member Anne Dwyer.

PROVIDED BY RIVER FOREST COMMUNIT Y CENTER

Dick Chappell in his early days

PROVIDED BY RIVER FOREST COMMUNIT Y CENTER

Dick Chappell with RFCC o ce sta in 2001.

with Lisa Capone

Healthy Minds Matter

May is Mental Health Awareness

Month a time to shed light on an important but often overlooked topic: the mental well-being of older adults. Many seniors face unique emotional challenges, including loneliness, grief, changes in health, or the stress of transitioning to a new lifestyle

Here are some simple, effective ways seniors can support their mental health every day:

Stay Connected: Reach out to family, friends, or neighbors regularly. Even a short conversation can lift your mood

Keep Moving: Gentle exercises like walking, stretching, or chair yoga can boost your energy and reduce stress.

Try Something New: Learning a hobby, craft, or game helps keep your mind sharp and gives you a sense of accomplishment

Stick to a Routine: Daily structure provides a sense of stability and purpose

Get Outside: Fresh air and sunshine can naturally improve your mood

Rest Well: Good sleep supports emotional balance and clear thinking

Mental health matters at every age

This May, take small steps each day to care for your mind you deserve it

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

OPRF student’s research places high in prestigious competition

Project could play r arkinson’s disease

By GREGG VOSS Contributing Reporter

Oak Park and River Forest High School junior Jaelyn Hammersley was well aware that there are no disease-modifying therapies for Parkinson’s disease.

So as par t of OPRF’s Competitive Re search, Design and Innovation course, she focused on the nervous system disorder that af fects movement, battled by man including renowned actors Michael J. Fo and Alan Alda.

Her colle giate-caliber research was intense, but it paid of f mid-May with fourth-place finish at the 2026 Re generon Inter national Science and Engineering Fair at the Phoenix Convention Center in Arizona.

PROVIDED

fail or unexpected problems happen, but she always stayed calm and solution focused. Whenever something went wrong, she never treated it like a disaster, she would immediately work to help me figure out the next step.

“I would come in early mor nings, stay after school, and spend hours working on my research, and she was always there to supervise, guide me, and encourage me. She genuinely cares so deeply about her students and their success, and I lear ned so much from her this year, not just scientifically, but also about responsibility, persistence, and how to approach challenges.”

Cer tainly an impressive accomplishment, but that pales in comparison to the research itself, which could someday play a role in helping people with the disease

“I knew early on that I wanted to work on Parkinson’s disease, so I star ted reading the newest scientific ar ticles I could find about impor tant disease pathways,” Hammersley said. “That’s when I discovered the heat shock response, which became the foundation for my project.”

In layman’s ter ms, her work found that gedunin, a naturally found molecule derived from the neem tree, significantly improved climbing perfor mance and reduced neurode generation in fruit flies with Parkinson’s disease.

In other words, the behavioral improvements seen in the flies suggest that gedunin could have significant therapeutic potential and could contribute to future treatment development.

Her teacher, Allison Hennings, said the research was much more than, well, the research.

“Students are provided with f unding as pa rt of the c ourse by our school,” Hennings said. “For specific equipment we do n’ t have at school already, we look for a dditional f unding. This year, Jaelyn, along with seve r al other students, reached out to the OPRF Booster C lub in order to obtain a fluorescent microscope

Jaelyn Hammersley

needed for their wo rk .”

But the research itself was a matter unto itself. Hammersley said.

While conducting her research, she found studies on azadiradione, a compound derived from the neem tree that alters heat shocked response It worked well in fruit fly models, but not as well in humans Thus, she started looking for similar stronger options with therapeutic potential. That led to gedunin.

“From there, I had to build the entire experimental design myself; deter mining concentrations, calculating how much fruit flies consume, scaling treatments for thousands of flies, and deciding which Parkinson’srelated symptoms to measure,” she said. “It was definitely a long and tedious process, but honestly, designing the experiment was my favorite part because it felt like solving a giant puzzle and building something completely original.”

She also gave a lot of credit to Hennings, who has helped many other OPRF students become successful researchers through the course

“One of the biggest ways she helped me was through accountability and support,” she said. “Research can be incredibly overwhelming, especially when experiments

And don’t forget, Hammersley won an award for her efforts at the world’s largest and most prestigious inter national high school science and engineering competition. Hers was the highest finish ever ear ned by an OPRF student at the event, and in doing so, she finished fourth against about 70 other finalists in the biomedical and health sciences category

“Honestly, I was completely shocked when they called my name,” she said. “I truly was not expecting to place at all. I was sitting with my friends during the awards ceremony, just hoping that one of them would win, and when I heard ‘Jaelyn Olivia Hammersley,’ I almost couldn’t believe it.”

Hennings sees a bright future for Hammersley

“Jaelyn is exceptionally capable of changing the world for the better,” she said. “I know she is interested in going into science in the future and continuing research. It will be very exciting to see what she ends up doing.”

Remember, too, that Hammersley is just a junior. She hasn’t decided on a colle ge yet, but there’s almost no doubt her skills will be in demand.

She’s got a whole summer and school year left to fine-tune her results.

“This summer, I’ ll be working in a colle ge lab, which I’m really excited about because I’ ll be developing impor tant skills like staining techniques and cell work that will help strengthen my future research,” she said. “I’m excited to lear n from experienced researchers in a professional lab environment.”

art fair | live music | carnival rides saturday, may 30 | 11am-9pm | on harrison street, humphrey to highland

celebrating what’s blooming on harrison

Community roots shine at ‘What’s Blooming on Harrison’ Springtime magic

By JACKIE PISANO Contributing Reporter

In 1999, the first “What’s Blooming on Harrison” spring street festival budded into the Oak Park event scene.

Now, nearly three decades later, the event has blossomed as one of the village’s most beloved and anticipated street festivals, proudly showcasing the Art District’s growing vibrancy and passion for bringing together neighbors of all ages.

This year, the fun returns on Saturday, May 30 along the district’s bustling Harrison Street corridor. Thanks to increased support from the Village of Oak Park, the festivities will reach three blocks further west, from Humphrey Avenue through Ridgeland Avenue.

“What’s Blooming is one of the few festivals in this area of town, and that really brings a lot of excitement from neighbors and businesses,” said Jake Worley-Hood, Oak Park native and marketing and events coordinator for the arts district. “It’s been a great fit for the community — and as a result, we’ve seen a lot of desire from the community to be involved in the festival.”

Between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m., festivalgoers can dive into a day packed with

and family joy take over Oak Park Arts District at annual street fest

‘What’s

Blooming on Harrison’ last year.

activities. Featuring 175 vendor booths — 50 more than last year — offerings will spotlight artists, craftspeople, local businesses and nonprofits.

And, alongside the perennial favorite children’s carnival, What’s Bloomin” promises nonstop excitement for residents of all ages.

As always, the day will feature a jampacked schedule of live music — this year, from two music stages. Located at

PROVIDED

Highland Avenue will be the Oak Park Area Arts Council (OPAC) Jazz Festival Stage, and the Oak Park Bank stage will be stationed near Taylor Avenue.

Back by popular demand will be the craft beer garden from Berwyn’s Babygold Barbecue and FitzGerald’s, where adults can enjoy a curation of drinks across from the Oak Park Bank stage. Excitingly, this year brings the debut of a new wine garden, sponsored by Oak Park’s Anfora Wine Merchants and

located across from the Jazz Festival stage. Live music, along with the craft beer garden and wine garden, will last through 9 p.m.

Worley-Hood says that the 27 years of fun with What’s Blooming has been made possible by collaborative efforts from the Arts District’s business partners, residents and visiting neighbors. With the district’s wide range of business options from storefronts, health services, art galleries and restaurants to basement boutiques in vintage apartments, he says What’s Blooming captures the true essence of what makes the Arts District one-of-a-kind.

“I think what really makes the Arts District special is the opportunity and the diversity of what we offer,” WorleyHood said. “The Arts District offers a wide variety of access to owning either a first business or long-standing business. You can find something really interesting, no matter what day or what time you come.”

As for why locals won’t want to miss the festival? The answer is simple.

“If you haven’t been to What’s Blooming, this is the best year to start,” Worley-Hood said. “It will be the biggest festival yet — this is certainly something you want on the calendar.”

SATURDAY MAY 30

SATURDAY MAY 30 | 11AM TO 9PM

“Oak

Park’s Favorite Street Festival”

OAK PARK BANK STAGE | OPAC JAZZ FESTIVAL Food, Beer, & Wine Kids Carnival Live Music Performances Arts & Crafters

OAK PARK BANK STAGE

Taylor Ave and Harrison St.

11:00 AM : ELFI Studio

11:40 AM : OPRF Pop Rock Ensemble

12:20 PM : The Actors Garden

1:00 PM : Oak Park String Academy

1:40 PM : Pro Musica Youth Chorus

2:30 PM : School of Rock

3:45 PM : Afro-Futuristics

5:00 PM : Ricky Liontones

6:15 PM : Charlieboy

7:30 PM : Meadowlark Lemons

KID’S CARNIVAL

Cuyler and Harrison

OPAAC JAZZ FESTIVAL

12:00 PM : Cole Salgado Quartet

1:00 PM : Victor Garcia Trio

2:00 PM : Raices Latin Jazz

3:30 PM : Blue Aura

4:30 PM : The Afro-Caribbean Jazz Collective

6:00 PM : Chicago Soul Jazz Collective

7:30 PM : Windy City Ramblers

Sponsored by Highland Ave. and Harrison St.

Axis Handspun Creations

Functional ceramics crafted with intention and soul - made for everyday.

www.instagram.com/AxisEarthenworx www.etsy.com/shop/AxisEarthenworx

crafted with intention and soul

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Come join us for a round of Jenga and win some fun prizes and more!

We are looking forward to seeing everyone again this year.

Oak Park Residence has been providing quality rental housing at affordable rates for over 60 years. Our 30 pet-friendly buildings offer a variety of studio, one, two, and three bedroom units with historic features and modern amenities - all within easy walking distance to public transportation, parks, libraries, schools, markets, shops, galleries, and restaurants.

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P E R

Nonprofit and Ministry Space Available - Oak Park

Boulevard Presbyterian Church has space available for a missionaligned nonprofit organization at 607 Harvard Street , Oak Park

(approx.

Three rooms available (approx. 525 SF, 550 SF, and 365 SF) with shared access to kitchen, dining room, library, meeting space and restrooms.

Occasional use of sanctuary may also be available. Rooms may be configured as classrooms, meeting space, office, etc. Additionally, a beautiful sanctuary is available Sunday afternoons for Gospel-centered services (ideal for a 4:00 PM service time).

Preference for Christian nonprofits. Space usage must support nonprofit tax-exempt requirements. C ntact: Tif fani Boerio | tif fani@blvdpres.org

S U P E R B S T A R S

SUNDAY, JUNE 14, 2026

SUNDAY, JUNE 14, 2026 at 4:00 PM

SUNDAY, JUNE 14, 2026

SUNDAY, JUNE 14, 2026 at 4:00 PM

after concert

SUNDAY, JUNE

Pre-Concert Conversation at 3:00 PM | Free reception after concert P R O G R A M

This concert is underwritten by S/OP&RF violinist Dr Marylou Witz and Emerging Artists Chicago p S U P E R B S T A R S SEASON-ENDING

P R O G R A M

3:00 PM | Free reception after concert P R O G R A M

SUK - Pohádka (Fairytale)

BRUCH - Violin Concerto No. 1

GROESCH

SUK - Pohádka (Fairytale)

BRUCH - Violin Concerto No 1 Ni kki Chooi, soloist

BRUCH - Violin Concerto No 1 Ni kki Chooi soloist

(World

kki Chooi, soloist GROESCH - Piano Concerto No 1 (World Premiere) Mio Nakamura, soloist

GROESCH - Piano Concerto No 1 (World Premiere) Mio Nakamura, soloist

This concert is underwritten by S/OP&RF violinist Dr Marylou Witz and Emerging Artists Chicago

This concert is underwritten by S/OP&RF violinist Dr Marylou Witz and Emerging

ALEX G Co

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

6 C ASE COLLAPSES

‘BROADVIEW 6’

Straw man is free

from page 1

of my life back,” but that Thursday’s victory had proved the value of fighting.

“I’m relieved to be exonerated today, but I want to state clearly that fighting these unjust federal charges these last seven months was never just about me or my co-defendants in this case,” Straw said. “It was about our collective first amendment rights It was about fighting for a justice system that actually serves the interests of justice and the public, not the whims of those who are in power. It was about our neighbors, more vulnerable than us who’ve been targeted by this administration and who deserve peaceful dignified lives alongside us.”

“Despite the risks and personal toll of this experience, I wanted to show my kids and yours that our country and our future is worth fighting for.”

had been said previously in court that only about 30 lines of transcript had been redacted, pages worth of proceedings had been left out of the record.

Straw’s attor ney Chris Parente said that the omissions amounted to a “cover up.”

“I’m sick to my stomach,” he said. “When I was a federal prosecutor, your job was to always do the right thing. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a case where the wrong thing was done by prosecutors from the beginning.”

During Thursday’s public hearing, Boutros said prosecutors didn’t intentionally mislead the court and stood by the original criminal charges. He said the defendants were “lucky” that their actions during the September protest hadn’t caused the federal agent to accelerate through the crowd or fire on protestors.

Perry chastised Boutros for doubling down on “vilifying” the defendants.

“You are significantly undercutting your mea culpa by standing by the charges and continuing to vilify these defendants,” Perry said. “What matters here isn’t the defense attor neys, the prosecutors or Mr Boutros It’s the four defendants who don’t have to come to trial on Tuesday.”

The defense will be seeking sanctions against the gover nment that could allow the defendants to recoup the cost of their attorney fees. Hearings on the prosecutors’ conduct are expected to be held in the coming weeks

After reviewing the unredacted grand jury transcripts, Judge April Perry ordered the U.S. Attor neys on the case and their supervisors into her courtroom for an emergency closed door conference Thursday mor ning. Assistant U.S. Attor neys had polluted the case by impermissibly “vouching” for the strength of evidence during the grand jury process, communicating with grand jurors outside of the sessions and dismissing grand jurors who dissented from the gover nment’s narrative, according to defense attor neys.

The transcript of that session will be made public

U.S. Attor ney Andrew Boutros told the court that the remaining criminal charges against Straw and the other three protest codefendants will be dismissed with prejudice in light of the prosecutor’s conduct.

The defendants were originally charged under a felony conspiracy statute that carried the potential for a decade-long prison sentence.

That original felony conspiracy charge had been dropped earlier this month, and the gover nment had already abandoned its case against two of the original defendants. The high profile trial for the four remaining defendants on misdemeanor charges had been expected to begin Tuesday, May 26.

Defense counsel had been seeking unredacted copies of the grand jury transcripts since last December, they said. While it

Abughazaleh, who’s also a popular social media influencer considered a potential rising star in national Democratic politics, said the case showed how the Department of Justice has been used to try and wreck the lives of the Trump administration’s political enemies

“The point of cases like this is psychological and financial torture,” she said. “We didn’t deserve this, no one deserves this and there are going to be more cases like this unless sanctions are actually given. The reason we were out there in the first place is because we were protesting this administration’s unlawful behavior and how they treat our communities.”

“We were saying enough is enough. The administration does things like this because it thinks it can silence us, but it’s not going to work We fought back and won.”

The so-called “Broadview 6” are among 32 known defendants to have been charged with nonimmigration crimes tied to Operation Midway Blitz in Chicago’s federal court, with only two cases having thus far ended in a conviction.

BROADVIEW 6 C ASE COLLAPSES

Former ‘Broadview 6’ lead prosecutor red as defense launches bid for sanctions

Sanctions against go vernment could pay for some of the defendants’ legal fees, attorneys said

By BRENDAN HEFFERNAN Staff Reporter

Fallout from the unraveling of the govern ment’s high-profile case against Oak Park Trustee Brian Straw and the rest of the “Broadview 6” last week has continued to play out in federal court and beyond.

After seven months, the criminal prosecution against Straw and several other local progressive political figures collapsed last Thursday after noon after newly unredacted transcripts revealed that the case had been “tainted” by federal prosecutors’ actions in the case’s initial grand jury proceedings In the days since, the case’s original lead prosecutor has been fired from her new federal posting and defense attor neys have begun making good on their vows to press for sanc tions against the gover nment.

The case stemmed from allegations that the defendants were part of a crowd that had illegally blocked an ICE agent from driving into the federal immigration agency’s detention facility in Broadview last September The trial for Oak Park’s Straw and his code fendants 45th ward Democratic committeeman Michael Rabbit, Katherine “Kat” Abughazaleh, who fell four points shy of winning Illinois’ 9th district congressional primary last month, and Andre Martin, who worked on Abughazaleh’s campaign staff, had been set to begin Tuesday, May 26.

The case crashed after U.S. Judge April Perry last week reviewed unredacted transcripts of the grand jury proceedings that led to the original indictments, seeing that several improper actions by prosecutors during those proceedings had been concealed for months. Perry came down hard on prosecutors in a closed door hearing last week.

Transcripts of that hearing were quickly released by the court.

“Although I am not going to prejudge the issue without a hearing, I will say that I was incredibly shocked by the redactions that were made,” she said. I have read hundreds, if not thousands, of grand jury transcripts involving prosecutors who are the most junior of

Oak Park Trustee Brian Straw addresses repo rters at the Dirksen Federal Building moments a er the federal criminal charges against him were dismissed, May 22.

prosecutors to several U.S. Attor neys who appeared before the grand jury I have never seen the types of prosecutorial behavior before a grand jury that I saw in those transcripts.”

“I do believe deeply in the presumption of regularity and that most gover nment attor neys are doing the best they can to do the right thing. That trust has been broken.”

The charges were dismissed later that after noon. Assistant U.S. Attor neys had polluted the case by impermissibly “vouching” for the strength of evidence during the grand jury process, communicating with grand jurors outside of the sessions and dismissing grand jurors who dissented from the government’s narrative, according to defense attor-

neys.

The defense will be seeking sanctions against the gover nment that could allow the defendants to recoup the cost of their attorney fees Hearings on the prosecutors’ conduct are expected to be held in the coming weeks.

Sheri Mecklenburg, the original lead prosecutor in the case, was fired by Illinois Senator Dick Durbin from her new posting as counsel to the Senate Judiciary Committee in the wake of the transcripts coming to light. Mecklenburg had led the prosecution on the case since its start.

“Senator Durbin agrees with Judge Perry’s concer ns about this deeply flawed prosecution,” a spokesperson for Durbin said in

ter miof this reportommittee Mecklenberg, in this of Justed the against the to do so the case Chris Parrry to preserve ice mesof any estigaontinuon May requesting transcripts ry tur n requests and ‘histrionically grand jury. The gover nment used this court to dismiss counts, file a superseding information, all without ever disclosing a single reason behind its mysterious shell game. As this court is now aware, all of this was done to attempt to conceal what occurred in front of the Grand Jury. The degree of misconduct that occurred in the Grand Jury in this case is nauseating.”

The defense is looking for sanctions that would allow the defendants to recoup some of the hundreds of thousands in legal fees they’d accrued over the months of litigation, attor neys said last week.

The defendants were originally charged under a felony conspiracy statute that carried the potential for a decade-long prison sentence. That original felony conspiracy charge had been dropped earlier this month, and the gover nment had already abandoned its case against two of the original defendants

BRENDAN HEFFERNAN

unday, fun day, at Amerikas

os and music ow on y nights this summer t Amerikas

By RISÉ SANDERS -WEIR porter

slow winter months, estaurant, 734 Lake its doors Sundays. It and an acwer diners come out during the coldest

fun. So, we come with the idea to make happy the neighborhood,” Gonzale z said. “We want to be dancing, we want to be having all the Mexican street food outside. It’s more to get to gether with the community, having chur ros, having tacos, having fun.”

From 3 to 7 p.m. every Sunday through Se ptember the tables and chairs in the dining room will be put away A taco cart and a chur ro cart will be on the sidewalk.

Chef Arset a course for Sunday nights unlike any other in the restaurant’s 8 summers in operation. “My team, they want to have

On the first Sunday, May 17, guests packed the restaurant and sidewalk, sipping drinks, eating $6 tacos, munching on crisp chur ros.

The menu is limited. There are two taco choices: carne asada and ve g an cauliflower taco, but that didn’t seem to dampen enthusiasm about the new idea.

“It creates interest,” Carlos Castillo said. “It leaves more room for people to gath-

“Enjoying life - making connections - maintaining independence”

Our beautiful 6-story building provides quality, a ordable, independent housing for seniors. We o er 75 studio and one-bedroom apartments. Amenities include an award winning interior landscaped atrium, central meeting room, library, laundry facilities, computer learning center, internet access, electronic key entry system, parking, onsite management, and 24/7 emergency maintenance service. e Oaks is funded by the Department of Housing and Urban Development through HUD’s Multifamily Housing Program. Monthly rent is based on the resident’s income, with individuals paying approximately 30% of their monthly income toward rent. For more information, please visit us at www.oakparkha.org or contact us at 708-386-5812.

TODD BANNOR

Chef Armando Gonzalez at Amerikas’ Tacos & Dancing event on May 17.

er together and get to know each other and talk,” Adela Castillo said.

“It feels more like a street fair than just sitting at a table by yourself or with someone you know,” Jackie Cascaneda said. “It lets you mingle while you enjoy the music and have a drink outside in the nice weather.”

“It’s a great Oak Park celebration,” Seth McClellan said. “Even when the road [Oak Park Avenue] is shut down, Oak Parkers still find a way to enjoy each other in the summer.”

The idea is part of Gonzalez’s desire to create a legacy in Oak Park This is his third restaurant, but his first in Oak Park and the only one that he is still operating.

“When I chose to open Amerikas in Oak Park, it’s because I read about the neighborhood,” he said. “I see that there’s more of a community and more of a diversity. When I come with a concept we choose Amerikas because to me America says diversity.” That infor med his menu choices, he said, “In the mor ning it’s more traditional, cultural flavors. For dinner it’s more like an experience.

I mix the cultures.”

He also said the “k” in the spelling of “Amerikas” is to honor Oak Park

“The only way we want to work is to have fun, the community have fun,” Gonzalez said.

“We call it ‘Tacos & Music.’ All types of music. We can make it like a summer tradition.”

RISÉ SANDERS-WEIR

Carne asada and cauli ower options

TODD BANNOR

Camaraderie at the bar at Amerikas’ Tacos & Music event

Oak Park

Vintage Car Show

CRIME

Brought to you by:

Vintage Car Show

Brought to you by:

See dozens of classic cars...FREE!

When: Saturday June 6, 2026

See dozens of classic cars...FREE!

When: Saturday June 6, 2026

Time: 10am to 2pm

When: Saturday June 6, 2026

Time: 10am to 2pm

When: Saturday June 6, 2026

Where: OPRF Museum (Lake St. and Lombard Ave.)

Time: 10am to 2pm

Where: OPRF Museum (Lake St. and Lombard Ave.)

Food: Street vendors onsite

Time: 10am to 2pm

Where: OPRF Museum (Lake St. and Lombard Ave.)

Food: Street vendors onsite

Where: OPRF Museum (Lake St. and Lombard Ave.)

Oak

Food: Street vendors onsite

Food: Street vendors onsite Oak Park & North Auto Service, Inc.

Entertainment: FREE museum admission and live music!

Motor vehicle theft

Oak Park & North Auto Service, Inc.

Oak Park police are also investigating repor ts of a stolen car in the village,

If you want to show your classic car, itʼs FREE! Arrive by 9:30am - Questions: 708-848-6755

If you want to show your classic car, itʼs FREE!

Arrive by 9:30am - Questions: 708-848-6755

If you want to show your classic car, itʼs FREE!

Arrive by 9:30am - Questions: 708-848-6755

Forest

Park Garage Sale 7435 Warren

Friday May 29 - Saturday May 30 - Sunday May 31 9AM to 5PM

Tent, sports equipment, office chairs, too much to list!

An Oak Pa rk woman re por ted to police on May 20 that burglars had stolen a Z iplock bag f ull of money that she’d h idd en under her bed. T he bag re por tedly c ontained $57,000 in c ash, a ccording to p olice

The home where the burglary took place is located in the 100 block of Nor th Austin Boulevard, according to police records.

Batter y arrest

On May 16, police ar rested an 18-year-old Oak Park man on battery charges in c onnection with an incident that o ccu rred in the 1100 block of Austin Boulevard. Th e man was also charged with f elony escap e and two c ounts of resisting ar rest, according to police records.

A 17-yearold boy from Chicago was also charged with battery in c onnection with the incident. T he juvenile was later

A Maywood resident had re por tedly left their 2015 Honda Civic running when they parked it in the 1000 block of Lake Street on May 20. They retur ned to see that the car had been stolen, according to police.

The stolen vehicle has been entered into L.E.A.D.S. and is valued at $12,000, according to police.

These items were obtained from Oak Park’s Police De partment re ports dated May 16–20 and re present a portion of the incidents to which police responded. Anyone named in these re ports has only been charged with a crime and cases have not yet been adjudicated. We re port the race of a suspect only when a serious crime has been committed, the suspect is still at large, and police have provided us with a detailed a description of the suspect as they seek the public’s help in making an arrest

county cour ts since the embattled took over management of the now-closed tal three-and-a-half years ago.

The hospital closed in late March, a revenue collapse tied to the failur ing system. A Cook County judge’ the potential reopening of the hospital hands of a cour t-appointed receiv week.

The f amily had filed the lawsuit alle ging that the Oak Pa rk hospital tain safe temperatures in the morgue and autopsy suites in the days after the woman’s death an’s family of the bo dy ’s condition.

Eva Golabek, attor ney for the f amily, declined to c omment on the wh at she d escribed as a closed matter Re presentatives for Resilience declined to comment on wh at they described as “pending liti gation. ”

T he woman died on Dec 17, 2022, j ust over two weeks after Resilience Healthcare assumed f ull c ontrol of the hospital from previous owners P ipeline Health, a ccording to the lawsuit. W hen the woman’s f uneral director c ame to c ollect her bo dy on Dec. 21, he discove red that

“she had brown l iquid oo zing from her bo dy ” and that her face was “seve rely defor med, decomposed, and with skin loosened from the underlying tissue,” a ccording to the lawsuit.

T he f amily c ould not proceed with an open c asket wake or f uneral d ue to the bo dy ’s condition, and “a strong odor of decomposition emanated from the c asket,” during the f uneral, according to the lawsuit.

Resilience CEO Manoj Prasad had directed hospital staf f to ke ep bodies c ool by p lacing “large ga rbage bags

of ice” directly on top of co rp ses, the c omplaint said. T he woman’s face had become defor med after her deat h d ue to a bag of ice that was p laced directly on top of it , a ccording to the complaint.

West Sub staf f had hung a paper sign in the morgu e that re por tedly said, “DO NOT PLACE ICE ON FACE OF D ECEASED,” according to the complaint.

West Suburban Medical C enter closed i ts d oors March 27, citing a year- long failure in the hospital’s electronic medical record billing system that resulted in as much as 90% of i ts wo rk going unbilled. About two weeks later, some limited patient care services re por tedly resumed at West Sub’s Oak Pa rk campus, according to Prasad West Su b, a c entury-old Oak Pa rk i nstitution, closed seve r al months after its Resilience-owned sister hospital We i ss Memorial Hospital in Chicago’s Uptown neighborhood closed i ts d oors last Au g ust. Any attempt at reopening the hospitals will happen in the shad ow of seve ra l other recent le g al i ssues, including multiple c ases tied to outstanding pay ments owed to hospital vendors and a c ase b etween Resilience and P ipeline over tens of millions of d ollars re por tedly owed to the previous owner from the 2022 sale of the hospitals

In April, the hospitals’ co-owner and landlord Rathnaker Re ddy Patlola filed a suit ag ainst Prasad for seve n c ounts of breach of contract, seeking to recove r over $24 million in unpaid rent and f ees for Resilience-owned buildings. Prasad ’s own lawsuit claims that Patlola had “sabotaged” the hospitals and t ried to i lle g ally evict hi m last month.

TODD BANNORT

West Suburban Medical Center

Homes

Renovations which allow aging in place

Design, architecture and build collaborate to make an older home work

By LACE Y SIKORA Real Estate Reporter

It’s not unusual in Oak Park to see an old er home get a surface makeover when new owners ste p in, but a new project in town is taking a dif ferent tack with a remodel. In this project, a designer, contractor and architect combined forces to help their clients redo a house with a focus on changing the bones of the home to make it more ac cessible for aging in place

Long-time Oak Parkers Lisa and La mar Johnson were looking for a home that would fit their next stage in life. They de cided to move within Oak Park and tackle wholesale renovation that would give them the home they need for the future.

A team made up of their trusted interior designer Christine Baumbach, architect Kimberlee Smith and contractor Tony Ro eder of Marion Street Services say that approaching aging in place throughout the

entire process is a way to ensure that the Johnsons will get everything they need in their new home.

Baumbach, who has worked with the Johnsons for over 20 years on their current home, says the Johnsons were proactive in taking ste ps to address their future needs. “We had talked over the years about future plans I give them credit: they’ve

always been forward-thinking. Their current home is beautiful and such an expression of their life to gether I really admire their courage to ste p away from the familiar and establish that life in a new place.”

Roeder says the Johnsons brought him into their home search on the early side. He would look at potential new homes with them and do a preliminary pricing as-

TODD BANNOR

LONG LIFE: Linden Avenue home being remade to foster ag ing in place for Oak Park couple.

TODD BANNOR

Frank Lomeli, Manny Moralez and Tony Roeder of Marion Street Services with architect Kimberlee Smith and interior designer Christine Baumbach inside the house

they’re rehabbing on Linden in Oak Park

“A little bit of fo rward thinking and imagining all the possibilities – since we’re going down to the studs – provides a lot of oppor tunities.

CHRISTINE BAU MBACH Interior designer

sessment to allow the Johnsons to see home’s potential.

Location was key as the couple wanted to remain near the neighborhood they rently live in. Another key was making sure their new home would accommodate life and celebrations with their extended family.

Roeder, who has worked with many ents on aging in place projects, notes while remodeling projects are not inexpensive, “every time we’ve done this, the cial benefit is real.”

Senior living facilities can cost up of $10,000 a month, and Roeder says costs should be taken into account calculating the payback of renovating the senior years.

Roeder often par tners with Smith for the architecture piece of remodels, and she has plenty of experience in designing for senior residents She’s worked on individual residences for aging clients and also has designed senior living facilities

Saying that architecture guidelines for such homes are not dif ficult to follow, Smith notes there’s an emotional component to such work that is hard to quantify. “Having your family close and with you for as long as possible, for me, that’s Utopia,” she says

Currently, the Johnsons’ new home is under construction, with plans in place to change all of the stairs, lower part of the basement to create a gathering space, install a dumbwaiter and leave an access point for a lift, in case that is a future necessity.

Roeder says gutting the house provides for stairways that are accessible, as well as the ability to make the house level with the foundation and support work Smith is hard at work making sure bathrooms and the

kitchen provide plenty of space to move and that halls are wide enough to improve accessibility.

When it comes to making the house feel like home, Baumbach says she is bringing along and reusing many of the Johnsons’ treasured objects and furnishings.

A lot of the design for the home is forwardthinking. “We’re making some design choices that might not be relevant today but may be later,” says Baumbach.

For instance, with bathroom tile, she chose a smaller tile with more grout to prevent slipping risk. Putting in contrasting colors between vertical and horizontal planes of tile can be helpful if a homeowner ever experiences vision impairment. With the walls

opened up, the contractor can install blocking in case grab bars are needed in the future.

“A little bit of forward thinking and imagining all the possibilities – since we’re going down to the studs – provides a lot of opportunity,” says Baumbach.

Baumbach calls the Johnsons’ move a “wonderful solution” to aging in place. By moving a few blocks away, the Johnsons will keep their friends, church and social network.

She is seeing more and more clients choose to stay in Oak Park as they age rather than retire to other states Roeder and Smith say they see the same call for long-ter m residents to stay in the village and for grandparents to move in to the village to be near family

With the housing market so tight, a large por tion of this population is opting to renovate to age in place.

“You don’t have to leave your community because you don’t have a place to live,” says Smith.

Roeder says more and more p eople are seeing the b enefit to staying in a p lac e where they have a f amilial and socia l c onnection, and from a c onstruction standpoint, he thinks there are p lenty of b enefit s.

“The bottom line is, I’ve yet to see an investment in accessibility that doesn’t pay of f financially and personally. This is a priceless investment when it comes to improving your quality of life later in life.”

TODD BANNOR

Manny Moralez, Frank Lomeli and Tony Roeder of Marion Street Services with architect Kimberlee Smith in the basement of the the house they’re rehabbing at 925 Linden in Oak Park.

Tra c-calming sa

Recently, there have been a string of letters to the editor complaining about the new traffic-calming measures being rolled out village-wide with after reading them is sadness: that for many members of seeing new infrastructure — meant to protect our most vulnerable pedestrians cyclists and especially children — their first instinct is to sa personally inconvenience me?”

CHAVAS

ell, here’s the hard truth: these changes nvenience you, driver of is a feature, not a bug, of these new impr streets designed for your convenience — streets that prioritiz r speed — are streets that injure and kill. hey are streets that make it easy for dri ed. Meanwhile, streets designed to mak nient” are streets where drivers are forced to pa over a speed table or run into a bump-out, it ren’t paying attention. The dif table can absorb that. A kid crossing the street cannot. tember, a speeding drive three kids on their way to school a stop sign, a traffic control that only to follow it. Meanwhile, the newly installed speed tables on South, a direct response to that incident, w prevented their injuries by giving the dri slow down.

While you complain about personal convenience, every month the Transpor Commission hears petitions for more of these traffic-calming measures from community members who have seen one too many close calls on their block. Their fears ar backed by research: 2021 saw the highest U.S. traffic death toll since 2005, and pedestrian and cyclist deaths have risen at a far higher rate than deaths among dri problem is not going away on its own.

So the solution is not to try to change driver behavior; What does work is changing the built environment. Studies sho reduce vehicle speeds by up to 24%, and the World Health Org even a 5% reduction in average speed reduces road fatalities goodwill don’t work. Only infrastructure can force the change

So next time you see a change that may personally incon self: who was har med that led to this measure, and w And then consider how it actually does convenience y es y far less likely to ever hit a child or a cyclist on the streets of Oak Park. Meanwhile, every pedestrian and cyclist on the street is one less car on the road, which also means less congestion for you. Streets that feel safe for people outside of cars make that possible.

walk. Thank God I was paying attention. May 15: The cor ner of Home and Randolph is a four-way stop. In a 12-hour period there were two accidents at that intersection. Thank goodness no one was hur t.

P.S. If you want to bike around the village but aren’t sure where to start, Bike Walk Oak Park has partnered with the Oak Park Climate Action Network’s climate coaching program to offer free support, including help navigating the greenways, finding gear, or biking with a volunteer. Request a coach at http://bit.ly/3PufD5F.

Sources:

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/18/headway/motor-vehicles-fatalities-newsletter. html

https://highways.dot.gov/safety/speed-management/traf fic-calming-eprimer/ module-4-effects-traffic-calming-measures-motor

https://www.who.int/wester npacific/news/item/05-05-2017-slow-down-to-save-lives

Nicole Chavas is an Oak Park resident and board member of Bike Walk Oak Park

About two weeks ago: Near the cor ner of Adams and Home, there was a crash. I did not see it, but I heard it. I believe the driver blew through the four-way stop. She crashed into a parked car. She admitted she was on the phone. It also appeared that she totaled both cars. Ag ain, thank goodness no one was hur t. This is also a school bus stop, which was due to stop a few minutes after this happened

Many people seem to think that a

sor ry that, as one of the recent letters states, you find “how ugly many of these measures are. The hideous rows and rows of white and yellow sticks and the garish paint on the streets are making our beautiful streets resemble a tacky go-cart park.” It is a mistake to think our beautiful streets are safe. They are just accidents waiting to happen, and I pray they don’t seriously injure anyone

I am grateful and appreciate all the effor ts the village is making to keep us safe. And if you own a car, please take more care.

Elizabeth O’Brien is a resident of Oak Park

ELIZABETH O’BRIEN

One View

Trustee Brian Straw’s heroism

In days gone by when we’d host Boy Scouts at the Jour nal for the nickel tour, I’d ask the kids if they’d ever made our pages. Almost always a hand or two would go up and we’d hear about some great moment in T-ball, their Gram’s obit or their sister’s pic in the Memorial Day Parade

And then I’d ask what they thought it would take for President Bush – you pick which one – to tur n up in the Jour nal? Well, I’d say, he’d to make our paper because everywrote about happened in Oak Park or est.

ed pretty well for 40 years. There was port on in these villages and no one ought the paper to hear our take on D.C. or en Springfield.

we have Donald Trump in the White every evil, divisive thing he does leaks or floods into our villages, and every other wn in America. Cuts to Medicaid that will ripple our enfeebled health care. Diverting infrastructure or Block Grant funds because our state is too blue. Abusing worthy nonprofits for caring for those who suffer. And, most directly, Trump’s obsession with punishing immigrants who are the lifeblood of this nation historically and in this very moment. The viciousness of it all. His glee in rounding up those who are Brown. And his deter mination to cause collateral pain to those who protest.

So from George Floyd forward, all the lanes are crisscrossed and the president of the United States, directly or indirectly, makes our pages with regularity.

Last week his preposterous impact on transforming the Department of Justice into a pitiful tool of his vapor dreams turned our local story about Oak Park Trustee Brian Straw and his Broadview 6 fight into a national story. Here the dismissal of the weak but remaining charges against Straw and his colleagues in court became clear evidence that the DOJ has abandoned any precept of justice in an effort to slam the resistance into submission.

Grit and courage by Straw, smarts by his attorney, Oak Parker Chris Parente, and a judge who was just on the level made plain in the national press that the story we and the Chicago metros have been covering for a year was sham and hooey. Prosecutors in the previously respected U.S. Attor ney’s Office for the Norther n District of Illinois were in on the fix and had perverted the grand jury process to do the bidding of Bondi and Blanche and Trump.

Until they weren’t. Until they were called out in court. Humbled if they can still be humbled. But still shut down by some version of law and order that remarkably manages to hold. Their plot put on full display as the resistance still gathers force in this town and across this nation.

Brian Straw has a loving One View in today’s Jour nal offering thanks to this village for its foundational support of him, of his family, of our shared American values. But it is Brian Straw we are thanking. He was the one on the line against an administration that masquerades as all powerful but which is increasingly revealed as overreaching, heartless and not what most Americans want to believe in

It’s May and the donuts are back. Farmers Market reopening, I decided to revisit a column I wrote back in 2013:

Waking to a rainy Sund soothing. As beautiful as Friday and Saturday were — lo humidity, clean skies, clarifie sunlight, comfortably cool — enjoyed this cloud-cast Sunday ev A light but steady, day-long rain soak the parched earth. It was soothing to feel how nourishing and sustaining that must be for all rooted, living things.

On Friday, I drove two hours w White Pines State Park, where a young Oak Park couple was married outdoors on as perfect a wedding day as has ever been ordered — and delivered. Later, under bright stars and a glowing half-moon, the twosome was encircled and blessed and feted

TRAINOR

I left them to their dancing and their midnight bonfire because I had a 6:30 a.m. date with donuts at Far mers Market. I served coffee and OJ to the remarkably large number of people who are up and about before 9 a.m. on a Saturday mor ning

As if to punctuate my sentiments, a father came through the donut line with two young children. The boy no more than 5, possibly younger, was singing “Oh What a Beautiful Mor ning” from Oklahoma. He knew the words (“All the cattle are standing like statues …”) and sang on key. Artlessly un-self-conscious, he was not showing of f. I don’t think his father was even paying attention. What will this kid be like in 10-15 years? Made me wonder.

Shoppers enjoy these sweet, doughy circles, but I enjoy the sweetness of our “cycles.” Young couples with young kids in tow or in strollers come under the tent looking a little weary and craving caffeine. These parents were young children in 1990 when I moved back to town. Their parents are now my age and looking more relaxed or weathered or both. Life seems to fit them better — or they fit life. They’ve been through enough cycles to have confidence in the reliable continuation of things.

The year is a cycle so familiar we have it memorized. Farm produce has its cycle as well, foodies loading their reusable bags as they will all summer, as they have for many summers and falls before that.

We, too, are rooted beings, our lives entwined to begin with, here in Spoon River, as songwriter Michael Smith once sang before he moved on.

Or as I prefer to think of it, here in “Our Town,” as Thor nton Wilder described it in his classic American play:

“The Car twright interests have just be gun building a new bank,” the stage manager/nar ra-

tor tells the audience, “and they’ve ed a friend of mine what they should put in the cor nerstone for people to dig up … a thousand years w. … What do you say, folks? What do you think? Y’know, Babylon once had two million people in it, we know about ’em is the names of the kings and some copies heat contracts. … Yet every night all those families sat down to supper … and the smoke went up the chimney — same as here. … So I’m going to have a copy of this play put in the cor nerstone and the people a thousand years from now’ ll know a few simple facts about us. …

“So, people a thousand years from now, this is the way we were in the provinces at the beginning of the 20th century. This is the way we were: in our growing up and in our marrying and in our living and in our dying.”

Cycles and circles. This is the way we are, here in Spoon River, here in Our Town, here in Oak Park at the beginning of the 21st century.

With a few more soakings like last Sunday, the grass will demonstrate its stubborn perseverance deep into autumn. But by then we’ll stop noticing because the littering of leaves will blanket it, and besides, we’ll be pulled inside by the war m, welllit, or namented, pumpkin-spiced interiors of our holiday fellowship.

But for the moment, it is glorious early summer The young couple who got married on Friday may or may not have children, but their life together will bear fruit in many ways and that will be cause for further blessings and celebrations and encirclements. And many others who declare their lives joined will contribute offspring to the next cycle.

Not everyone stays, of course. Many migrate and root elsewhere. But some have left elsewhere and rooted here. On Saturday, I noticed numerous accents from other lands.

The cycles continue with soothing predictability, yet each is new and fresh — like the donuts at Farmers Market, which have become a cherished symbol of this Saturday mor ning ritual.

Circles and cycles

Spring ends.

Summer begins

We’re captives on the carousel of time, as Joni Mitchell said. We can’t return, we can only look behind from where we came (and ahead from where we are) and go round and round and round in the circle game

See you this Saturday as Wednesday Jour nal mans the donut tent.

Stop by and say hi

e West Sub sideshow

The sideshow theatrics playing out in Cook County Cour t may resolve past financial issues with West Sub Hospital, but it will not address its future. Continuing to try to breathe life into a dying facility will do nothing but delay its inevitable death. To resur rect it, will require hundreds of millions of dollars in inter nal facility renovations and equipment upg rades, recruitment of a new medical and professional staff and a vision that aligns with the needs of Oak Park/Austin.

It will also require adequate ongoing financial suppor t through enhanced

Medicare, Medicaid and commercial insurance payers, none of which appear to be on the horizon. Absent a coherent plan to transition the services to be able to provide adequate community-based preventive, ambulatory and emergency services to its patients (and not just reopening a building), the “rebir th” of West Sub will just re peat what most already know — as a hospital facility it is dying a very slow death, with yet another new owner.

Gary Wainer Oak Park

A slush fund for police killers?

Re: “Jan. 6 rioters could qualify for payouts from $1.776B fund,” Chicago Tribune, p. 1. May 20, 2026

President Trump’s new slush fund into which American taxpayers are forced to donate money to his political allies, plumbs new depths of flag rant corruption even for this administration. As is always the case, when Trump accuses someone else of misdeeds, it is a declaration that he intends to do the exact same thing.

He claims that rioters, who on Jan. 6 at his urging destroyed U.S. Gover nment property and attacked and killed police of ficers, became victims of “weaponization” when they were prosecuted for their crimes (which America witnessed in real-time on television).

If you do not understand this ter m, here is an example: President Trump

uses his power to demand that the Attorney General requires the U.S. Treasury to give $1.776 billion to Trump’s political suppor ters

Another glaring example of Trump’s weaponization of the judicial system is his attempts to prosecute James Comey, his own director of the FBI, whose “crime” was to uphold the U.S. Constitution. If Comey receives any compensation for being a victim of blatant weaponization, this slush fund would g ain a whif f of le gitimacy.

But no, pigs cannot fly. By supporting this grotesque travesty, Cong ressional Re publicans have given up any pretense of being anything but lackeys and enforcers in Trump’s criminal org anization.

Tom DeCoursey Oak Park

Confusion on Lake St reet

All along Lake Street, and elsewhere, are traffic signals that most drivers and pedestrians honor, except for one. At many a cor ner, when the car traffic has a green signal to proceed, for a short while the pedestrian signal is an orange hand indicating: WAIT. It’s ignored by many a walker

All they see is the green light. Why doesn’t the signal just flash, “Don’t walk.” I’ve seen many a frustrated driver (and walker) startled by this confusing signal as they both proceed through the intersection.

Laura Font

Oak Park

A good newspaper can change lives

On March 26, 2026 I checked into my new home at MacKenzie Place in Fort Collins, Colorado. So what’s the big deal? The big deal is that this new address is my second retirement community in the last five years. How was I going to hold it to gether in my new abode? The answer hit me when my Wednesday Jour nal arrived with the mor ning mail!

Each week my Wednesday Jour nal ar rives no matter where I live. It is my attachment to home, Oak Park and River Forest, and all the friends and activities I have left behind. The Jour nal feeds my longing for an ongoing connection with my previous life! I am not joking I had shared this sad realization with circulation manager Jill Wagner, and she encouraged me to write about it

Oak Park was my home for over 50 years. Both of my daughters were born and raised there. Oak Park was where I found myself, and I haven’t lost me yet. Being president of the Beye School PTO and the League of Women Voters gave me an avenue to support the village, and Wednesday Jour nal allowed me to share this suppor t with the community. Having a local newspaper that allowed me, and many others, to reach out into the community to share ideas and newsworthy infor mation was a real gift!

It is said that a good newspaper can change our lives. I experience that with Wednesday Jour nal and trust you, the readers, will have a similar experience.

Janine Katonah Former Oak Park resident

Time to clear your bookshelves

For book lovers, donating books to the Friends of the Oak Park Public Library’s annual book sale is the ultimate win-win!

You clear your bookshelves of unneeded but gently-used volumes; the Friends sell them at the July book sale, with proceeds benefitting the library

Be ginning May 30, you can drop of f your donations at the front desk of the main library (or on Saturdays drive them around to the loading dock, where volunteers can help you unload).

And the sooner we receive your muchappreciate donations, the sooner our wonderful volunteers can sor t through the tens of thousands of volumes we receive ahead of the July 10-12 sale

What can you donate? Histories, novels, children’s books, cookbooks, poetry,

CDs, DVDs — just about anything in good condition. For specifics, check out our website: https://www.oppl.org/about/ friends-of-the-library/annual-book-fair/ Last year, we broke all records raising over $40,000 for library programs! With your help, we can do ever better this year So channel your inner Marie Kondo and clear your head and your shelves! And then retur n in July to find new treasures. Along the way you will be helping us make our 54th Annual Sale a success in raising funds for one of Oak Park’s most impor tant institutions: our public library

Rober t Becker Board member

Friends of the Oak Park Public Library

SHRUB TO WN by Marc Stopeck

Village pride for a village trustee

I am so proud of Oak Park Village Trustee Brian Straw. Thanks to the dogged persistence of his defense counsel, Chris Parente, seeking un-redacted versions of the grand jury transcripts, the Feds today have dismissed all charges against the Broadview 6 for protesting at the Broadview ICE Detention Center last fall (where my wife and I protested one week later).

Tur ns out the Feds engaged in serious misconduct before the grand jury, dismissing jurors not inclined to indict (which kind of defeats the whole purpose of a grand jury). This is prosecutorial misconduct of the highest degree, compounded by Assistant U.S. Attor ney Bill Hogan overseeing the hiding and redaction of the improper conduct from copies at first given to District Judge April Perry. Before Trump, the Chicago U.S. Attor ney’s Office was a place that played hard but fair, and trained many fine lawyers whom I worked for over the years, including U.S. Court of Appeals Judge Ilana Rovner and for mer U.S. Attor neys Dan Webb and Gover nor Jim Thompson. As well as many for mer AUSA’s who live in Oak Park. All of whom are hon-

est, decent people.

The same cannot be said for AUSA Hogan, who willfully engaged in a political prosecution and degraded the cause of justice

I have offered to buy Trustee Straw a beer in one month’s time, after he decompresses with his family from a nearly year-long nightmare. He represents the finest in public service to our town, and to fair ness and lawfulness in our country.

https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/chicago-politics/ broadview-six-defendants-have-all-remaining-charges-dismissed-by-judge/3939029/#

WEDNESD AY JOURNAL

of Oak Park and River Forest

Viewpoints Guidelines

e goal of the Viewpoints section is to foster and facilitate a community conversation and respectful dialogue. Responsible community voices are vital to community journalism and we welcome them. Space is at a premium and readers’ attention is also limited, so we ask that Viewpoints submissions be brief. Our limit for letters to the editor is 350 words. For One View essays, the limit is 500 words. Shorter is better. If and when we have su cient space, we print longer submissions, but when space is limited — as it o en is — we may ask you to submit a shorter version or hold the piece until space allows us to print it.

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If we receive your submission by 5 p.m. on Sunday, you can expect your opinion to be included in that week’s paper (and online), space permitting.

Pieces can be submitted through our online form at oakpark.com or directly to Viewpoints editor Ken Trainor, ktrainor@newswellchicago.org. For the latter, we prefer attached Word les or plain text included in the email.

LET TER TO THE EDITOR

■ 350-word limit

■ Must include ﬁrst and last names, municipality in which you live, phone number (for veriﬁcation only)

‘ONE VIEW ’ ESSAY

■ 500-word limit

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Jack Crowe Oak Park

Brian Shaw

FILE PHOTO

Grateful for a community of upstanders

OBRIAN STRAW

One View

n Se pt. 26, 2025, I showed up to the Broadview ICE Detention facility to stand up for our immig rant neighbors. I had no way of knowing that mor ning what a profound impact that choice would have on my life — that a month later I would be facing federal charges and be forced to endure seven months of le g al battles and personal uncer tainty as a result.

Standing up ag ainst the full weight of the De par tment of Justice could have been a lonely experience. But I am writing today because my experience was the exact opposite of lonely. One of the hardest periods of my life was made easier because of you: The community that stood with me since Day One I could not have stood up to the Trump administration without the suppor t of Oak Park, and I will forever be grateful for your support.

I owe many thank-yous, but I would like to star t with Village President Vicki Scaman and Senate President Don Harmon, who have been relentlessly in my cor ner throughout this ordeal. They have listened to my tearfilled phone calls, shown up to cour t, spoken out in suppor t of me, and helped connect me to others. Elected leaders generally shy away from any-

one under indictment, which makes their suppor t even more appreciated and extraordinary. I could not be more grateful to them for understanding this moment in history and standing with me

And it is not just our elected leaders

The village as a whole has embraced me and shown great care for me and my family. I cannot count the number of times folks have stopped me to shake my hand, look me in the eye, and tell me they stand with me. Because of the support of this community, the cour t had to open a second overflow cour troom for folks looking to stand behind me as I was ar raigned. In addition, neighbors have suppor ted my le g al defense fund, watched my children, and helped get them to baseball practices and theater rehearsal so that Shannon and I could attend my court dates. Our lives did not stop for this prosecution, but you were the ones who helped us keep going in every possible way.

The faith community across norther n Illinois stood with our immigrant neighbors outside Broadview — and have stood with me and the Broadview Six throughout this prosecution. Faith leaders have shown up to bear witness, pray with me, and lend me their strength at every hearing. United Methodist clerg y had ar ranged a prayer service for the eve of trial. The fact that my church would bless me one night and my gover nment would

prosecute me the next mor ning for the same act will forever be a defining dichotomy of this experience. Finally, I would like to lodge an early nomination for Christopher Parente as Villager of the Year. Chris served as an Assistant U.S. Attor ney for years, both in Miami and Chicago. But in the last year, Chris has re presented both me and Marimar Mar tine z in cases that drew national attention and helped define the battle for justice in America. Chris has demonstrated an understanding that we are not living in ordinary times and that these cases require fighting not just for his clients, but for higher principles. Time and ag ain, Chris’ instincts, clarity of pur pose, and understanding of what is at stake in this moment have proven correct. I will be forever grateful for his friendship, his counsel, and that he chose to stand alongside me in this fight.

OBITUARIES

Veronica Tabet, 67

Educator and ar ts suppor ter

onica Josephine Tabet, 67, died peacefully in her , surrounded by her our children, on May 23, 2026. Bor n on September 22, 1958, she lived her life with ompassion, vivacity, love, and integrity. She was an edu, an avid reader, a world eler, and a supporter the arts. She held a deep ppreciation for the wonders d and valued her family fiercely and deeply

Bor n and raised in River Forest, she was the daughter of the late Caesar and Patricia Tabet, the oldest of six children.

While the charges against me have been dismissed, I recognize that the fight is not over. You stood with me because this case has always been about more than just me. Because of your suppor t, we now have the oppor tunity to tur n the page and hold accountable a system of injustice that too frequently does not face accountability for its actions. I don’t take your suppor t lightly, and I will continue to fight until justice is truly served.

Thank you.

Brian Straw is an Oak Pa rk villa ge trustee and a free man.

Go Plastic Free this summer

Hi, everybody, it’s Far mers Market Time! Tabling for Go Plastic Free last week reminded me to remind you how to boost your level of sustainable market behavior. Here’s my yearly reminder:

She attended Trinity High School (1976) and graduated from Rosary College (now Dominican University) in 1980 with a Bachelor of Arts in English after spending a year studying in Fribourg, Switzerland In 2003 she ear ned a Master of Arts in Teaching from Dominican University and began a deeply fulfilling career in education. Over more than 20 years, she touched the lives of thousands of students at Park Junior High in LaGrange.

She was a special teacher who had a talent to enrich and spark curiosity in both her most gifted students and those who needed extra care and attention alike. She felt fortunate to have the privilege of shaping young minds to think critically about literature and the world. Over the years, for mer students would often visit and write to express how much she had impacted their lives long after middle school was over

Not only bring your reusable bag (so many of you do – thank you!), but also bring a few plastic clamshells (I’m sure you have some) for any smaller or more tender fruits or ve ggies you buy. Last week I spontaneously bought radish sprouts but had forgotten to bring clamshells.

When I commented on the clamshell I was now about to take home, the vendor said, “Bring it back,” which I cer tainly will. Use your own clamshells for blueberries to avoid that #%@* plastic bag! Retur n to our wonderful vendors the plastic containers and baskets from things like straw-

ber ries or blueber ries. It not only helps the vendor save some money, but reusing (as opposed to recycling) is the best thing for the environment. Y’all have nailed that reusable bag. As my Go Plastic Freer friend says: now do one more thing! Bring those clamshells!

Phyllis Rubin Ri v er Forest

As a mother and grandmother she inspired whimsy, laughter, joy, creativity, and imagination in all she did. Veronica is survived by her children, Patricia (Bradley) Giordano, Elizabeth Boden, Camille (Michael) Croghan and George (Taylor) Boden; her grandchildren, Frances and August Giordano, Georgia and Michael Croghan, and James H. Boden; her siblings, Monica Tabet Brennan, Caesar A. (Kathleen) Tabet, Joseph (Anne) Tabet, Mary (Patrick) Leone and Josephine (Robert) Sarvis; and 15 nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be held on Sunday, May 31 from 3 to 8 p.m. at Saler no Galewood Chapel, 1857 N. Harlem Ave., Chicago. Funeral services will be held on Monday, June 1 at 11 a.m. at Our Lady of Lebanon Maronite Catholic Church, Lombard, with inter ment at Queen of Heaven Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, please consider charitable donations to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, an organization dear to Veronica’s heart throughout her life.

SPORTS

OPRF, Fenwick boys win sectionals, on track for st ate

Huskies qualify for state in 12 events, Friars in 7

By MARTHA BRENNAN Contributing Reporter

The Oak Park and River Forest High School boys track & field team won the IHSA 3A Sectional on Thursday with 154 points, a 32-point finish above the secondplace team, Kenwood Academy. Given the team’s suboptimal perfor mance during the indoor season, head coach Tim Hasso is thrilled to see this level of success.

“We star ted the year not so good, and our growth this year has been outstanding,” he said.

Strong perfor mances by the Huskies ear ned them IHSA 3A state meet qualifications across most events. On the sprinting side, senior Jaylen Runnels placed second in the 100 meter (11.10), senior Emilio Nery placed second in the 200 meter (22.38), and senior Keyante Johnson (49.55) and junior Brian Jackson placed first and third in the 400 meter (50.16), respectively.

For the qualifying relays, Nery, Johnson, Runnels and sophomore Kelden Jones placed second in the 4 x 100m (42.47). To make Johnson’s day even more impressive, he, Jackson, freshman Austin Atwood, and junior Michael De gnan won the 4 x 400m (3:22.84).

Finally, senior Jonathan Sibley-Diggs dominated the field events for the Huskies He won discus (52.95m) and placed third in shot put (16.13m) to ear n state qualifications in both. Also, junior Addis Wilson (1.98m) and senior Malik Grif fee (1.93m) placed first a second in high jump, and junior Kevin Wangerow (3.84m) and sophomore Gavin Lazewski (3.69m) placed first and second, respectively, in pole vault.

Unfortunately for the Huskies, a few ex-

tra milliseconds cost them qualifications in two relays.

In the 4 x 200, Jones, Johnson, and Nery placed third (1:31.43), one second behind Whitney Y did not qualify for the state meet. 800 happened similarly, with juniors Blecha and Connor Har mon, and Owen Carstens and Brady Creel ishing third (8:07.38) and not qualifying.

While he knows it’s frustrating, understands, and knows his runners derstand that close finishes are of the spor t. Hasso is even filled mism for the futures of his 4 x 200 runners, who are underclassmen, because “they’re on the varsity level running varsity times.”

Fenw ick’s Adrien DuBois takes the baton from Jason Garza to run the nal leg of the 4 x 400 Relay at the IHSA Class 2A TRB Sectional at Ridgewood High School on May 20

Since the sectional ended, Hasso has been laser focused on the state meet. However, he knows the event can be intimidating for athletes because of its tough competition; it’s the best of the best who go to state.

“Everyone’s fast at state,” he said. “Sitting in front of a stadium in fr ont of 20,000 people, it’s like ‘oh boy.’”

That’s why Hasso wants his athletes to focus on taking the meet one minute at a time, and to pace themselves. He also wouldn’t mind a personal record (PR) or two.

“If they run season-best times down there, that’s all we could (ask for),” he said.

Fenwick

On May 20, Fenw ick won the IHSA C lass 2A sectional at R idgewood High School with 123 points, 6.5 points b etter than r unner-up Nor thridge Pr ep

T he F riars entered the sectional on a

down note with senior star s printers Matthew Simon and A iden Wi lliams out with injuries and leaving the season’s fate unknown. Fenwick c oach Dave Rill c alled it “hear tbreaking” to see two talented athletes, who spent four years wo rk ing toward this final push, sidelined N onetheless, the F riars persisted and took their share of individual wins, a team win, personal records (PRs), and seven state qualifications

S enior C ameron Gar rett won the 100 and 200 meter (10.92, 22.47) respective ly in personal-best times, and j unior A drie n Dubois won the 400 meter race (51.88).

Sophomore Dillion Noble won the 300m (44.59) hurdles (44.59) and was second in the 110 hurdles (17.57) to advanc e, recording personal-best times in each.

T he F riars also q ualified in two team events, the 4 x 100 and 4 x 800 relays, after finishing second p lace in b oth. Whil e

the 4 x 100 (44.33) used a younger squad of freshmen Br yc e Wi lliams and Julian Liss, sophomore L andon Johnson, and j unior N oah Diaz, the 4 x 800 (8:49.18) staye d more top heavy with seniors James Kieswetter and Jason Garza, as well as sophomore Wolfie Bergetz and junior Burke Bur ns Wednesday was full of PRs for the Friars In a ddition to the 100 and 200, Gar rett recorded a PR in the long j ump (17-9 ); Wi lliams recorded a PR in the 100 meter (12.03); Diaz recorded a PR in the 200 meter (23.13); Bur ns recorded a PR in the 1600 meter (4:46.26); and freshman Michael Silva and j unior C aleb Reed-Jennings recorded PRs in shot p ut (10.41m) and long j ump (6.16m) respective ly.

“I knew they c ould do wh at they did, ” said Rill. “I f eel g ood about wh at happ ened tod ay I’m excited about bringing some of the guys down (to the state tournament).”

TODD BANNOR

Back-to-back WSC Silver titles for OPRF boys volleyball

Fenwick loses rst playo match, ends season

By MELVIN TATE Contributing Reporter

Whenever Oak Park and River Forest High School boys’ volleyball senior Matthew Proskey goes back to serve, something to behold. His serves are rockets, making it ficult for opponents to set up their attack.

“It comes from my parents. They taught me everything,” said Proskey, whose older brother is for mer OPRF baseball pitcher Calvin, currently playing collegiately at the University of California - Santa Barbara Proskey, a setter who has signed with McKendree College, is one of the key factors in OPRF’s successful defense of the West Suburban Conference Silver Division championship this year The Huskies (27-5-1) officially wrapped up the title May 19 with a 25-7, 25-11 victory at Proviso West, then capped off the regular season on May 21 with a Senior Night 25-16, 25-22 victory over visiting Loyola Academy.

“Loyola’s a really good team; we knew that coming in,” said Proskey, who had 16 assists, five digs, and an ace. “Two years ago, we lost in three here, so we had a little bit of a chip on our shoulder and knew we had to get it done.”

Like Proskey, senior middle hitter Wesley Kochendorfer (four kills, four blocks, three digs) is appreciative of OPRF’s back-to-back conference championships

“We worked hard for it all season,” Kochendorfer said. “We’re going to continue grinding and putting our heads down, and as long as we follow that, it’s going to pay off.”

OPRF played exclusively seniors against Loyola and many made significant contributions in the victory. Outside hitter Henry Hullinger had a team-high nine kills, outside hitter David Diakite six kills, two aces, and four digs, middle hitter Will Enlow three kills and two blocks, and libero Rohan Champenari two aces

“I make sure we always play Loyola every season because we know we’re going to get a tough team who wants to compete against us,” said OPRF coach Justin Cousin. “It’s a good chance for all the seniors to get a chance to play, and it prepares us for the playoffs.”

The victory was a stirring end to what was an outstanding regular season for OPRF’s program. Cousin said the freshmen, sophomore, and junior-varsity levels also won WSC Silver titles, and he also believes it’s the first time that the Huskies have gone undefeated in conference on all levels in

senior Alex Lema digs the ball dur ing a boys’ volleyball

the same season.

“It’s a big thing for us,” he said.

OPRF junior outside hitter Jimmie “Trayce” Chrusfield III, one of the state’s top prospects in the Class of 2027, retur ned last week from participating for the United States’ U19 team. The team took part in the NORCACA tour nament in Canada, where it lost to the host country in the final. Chrusfield sat out against Loyola, but Cousin said he’ ll retur n to the lineup this week as the Huskies tur n their attention to the state tour nament.

OPRF, number one in the illprepvb.com and MaxPreps polls, is the top seed at the Argo Sectional. The Huskies began the playoffs with a regional semifinal at Hinsdale Central, May 26, after deadline Assuming a victory, OPRF would face Reavis or Solorio Academy in the final, May 28. The regional winner meets the winner of the St. Laurence Regional in a sectional semifinal at Argo, May 30.

While confident, the Huskies aren’t taking anything for granted and will utilize a common-sense approach to the postseason.

“We’re trying to stay humble; we know we haven’t had the best history in the playoffs,” Proskey said. “We’re just trying to play our best one game at a time.”

“Our key to success is really just getting one percent better each day,” Kochendorfer said. “We already have the talent to win it, so as long as we keep staying at the level we are and get better, we should have a good run.”

Fenwick

The season came to an end for the Friars (6-15) with a 17-25, 19-25 defeat at Morton in a regional quarterfinal, May 23. However, with only two seniors – Johnny Cox and Jack Or tiz – lost to graduation, Fenwick could be in for a bounce-back season next year Sophomore Esteban Jimine z just wrapped up his second varsity season and figures to lead a team that can bring back 11 players

C AROL DUNNING

OPRF

non-conference match against Loyola Academy, May 21.

C AROL DUNNING

OPRF senior Matthew Proskey sets up a teammate.

OPRF, Fenwick send 6 tennis players to state

Trinity wins rst soccer regional in 10 years

By MELVIN TATE Contributing Reporter

The Oak Park and River Forest High School boys tennis team won its IHSA Class 2A sectional on Saturday with 29 points The Huskies qualified a singles player and both doubles teams for this week’s state tour nament.

Sophomore Naveen Rajagopal (22-9) won the singles championship, defeating Yash Kaushik of Payton 0-6, 6-3, 6-2 in the final.

In doubles, junior Nick Vizzone and sophomore Alek Rekucki defeated Ar jun Sawhney and Chris Williams of Chicago University High 6-1, 3-2 (retired) for the title Senior George Barkidjija and sophomore Charles Bruce won 7-5, 6-1 over UHigh’s Tyler Chang and Kiran Mullangi for third plac e.

At the 1A Deerfield sectional, Fenwick High School sophomore Michael Doher ty punched his state ticket for the second consecutive year as he reached the singles final before losing to Roman Stukov of Vernon Hills 4-6, 2-6.

“It was a ter rific tour nament run for Michael,” said Fenwick coach Ron Ro g ala. “There were no easy matches for him along the way and he battled the entire way.

Girls soccer

Trinity High School claimed its first gional championship since 2016 on day with a 4-0 shutout over Westmont the 1A Trinity Re gional final. Sophomore Charlotte O’Brien and senior Grace Ramel each scored twice for the Blazers (10-5-1).

“It means everything,” said Ramel, has 115 career goals. “I couldn’t have ask for a better group of girls to play with my last year.”

A pair of second-half goals from senior Ana Sofia Mrotzek gave host OPRF (10-7-2), seeded seventh in the 3A Downers South sectional, a 2-0 upset victory third-seeded York, in the re gional May 22. It’s the second consecutive re al title for the Huskies.

“It’s super-amazing. We’re all really cited,” said Mrotzek, a Loyola University signee “This is the perfect way to go out, playing on your home field and walking of f

STEVE JOHNSTON

OPRF’s Nick Vizzone prepares to ser ve during the WSC Silver Conference Tournament, May 15.

with a (regional) plaque.”

OPRF faced Lyons in a sectional semifinal May 26, after deadline

in the U-High Re gional final by Nazareth Academy 3-2, May 23. Sophomore Quinn Sansone scored both goals for the Friars (8-6-4).

“It was a challenging playof f g ame which was to be expected. We played well at times, and it was disappointing to not equalize at the end as we did well to mount a comeback,” said coach Craig Blazer “The team did well all season to be resilient and play together with class.”

Softball

Falling b ehind 4-0 in the first i nning to DePaul Prep in F riday’s 4A OPRF Re gional final was not ideal for the Huskies. But OPRF chipped aw ay at the deficit, then scored a c ombined eight r uns in the fift h and sixth innings to take the lead

T he visiting Rams, howeve r, refused to yield and scored five r uns in the seventh to p ull within a r un. But Zoe Daly c ame on in relief to g et the g ame’s last two outs and secure an 11-10 victory and a re gional title for the Huskies

“I love these girls so much and to pl ay another g ame with them means everything to me,” said OPRF senior catcher Leia Hammerschmidt (3-fo r- 4, 3 RBI). “I t was all ener gy. Everyone cheering and suppo rt ing each other is how we won. ”

Lily Maas had four hits and Geor-

C AROL DUNNING

OPRF’s Maya Mendell bats during the IHSA Class 4A OPRF so ball regional semi nal against Jones Prep, May 19.

each had two hits for OPRF (25-11), wh ich met L ane Te ch in a sectional semifinal at Whitney Young, May 26, after deadline A, Fenwick (19-11) won i ts own regional with a 12-0 r un-rule shutout of Timothy Christian, May 23. Gianna Pescatore allowe d one hit and struck out 12 ve i nning s. Bella Bigham and Sophia eonardi had three hits apiece, and AyanBour n and Hailey Smith-Young each had a two-run homer. he F riars, top-seeded in the Glenbard outh Sectional, faced the host Raiders in sectional semifinal, May 26, after d ead -

e Trinity High School girls soccer team with the IHSA Class 1A Trinity Regional plaque follow ing a 4-0 victor y over Westmont, May 21. It’s the rst regional championship since 2016 for the Blazers.

ts 2A T rinity Re gional title g ame, 23, the Blazers (7-14) battled valiantagainst top sectional seed IC Catholic

But a three-run sixth i nning by the Knights sealed T rinity’s fate in a 4-0 de -

was a close g ame up until the end ’s all you c an ask for as a c oach,” sai d rinity c oach C hardonnay Har ris “We’ re losing one senior (D’As ya C ollins), and I’m looking forward to c oming back next season. ”

MELVIN TATE

The Village of Oak Park will receive bids from qualified general contractors to renovate the break room, kitchen, work room, dispatch office and

at the South Fire Station #3 located at 900 S. East Ave. in Oak Park, IL. Bids will be accepted at the Public Works Center, 201 South Boulevard, Oak Park, Illinois 60302 Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. until 10:00 a.m. local time on Tuesday, June 18th, 2026.

Village of Oak Park 2026 South Fire Station #3 Renovation Bid Number: 26-112

Issuance Date: 5/27/2026

There will be a pre-bid meeting at the South Fire Station #3, located at 900 S. East Ave., Oak Park, IL 60302 on Thursday, June 4th, 2026 at 9:00 a.m. 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. The Village of Oak Park reserves the right to issue proposal documents and specifications only to those contractors deemed qualified.

THE VILLAGE OF OAK PARK

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: M26001669 on May 15, 2026 Under the Assumed Business Name of DASHA’S PET SITTING SERVICE with the business located at: 3811 HARRISON AVE, BROOKFIELD, IL 60513. The true and real full name(s) and residence address of the owner(s)/partner(s) is: DAGMAR MARIE OTT 3811 HARRISON AVE BROOKFIELD, IL 60513, USA.

Published in RB Landmark May 27, June 3, 10, 2026

REAL ESTATE FOR SALE

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION U.S. BANK TRUST NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS TRUSTEE OF WATERFALL VICTORIA III-NB GRANTOR TRUST Plaintiff vs. UNKNOWN HEIRS AND LEGATEES OF THERESE D. TENCA; SECRETARY OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT; THOMAS TENCA; TERRANCE TENC–ê; PHILLIP TENCA; GERALD NORDGREN AS SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE FOR THERESE D. TENCA; DONNA STEFFEN AKA DONNA M. STEFFEN; UNKNOWN OWNERS AND NON-RECORD CLAIMANTS; Defendant 25 CH 7387 CALENDAR 57 NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE is hereby given that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure entered in the above entitled cause Intercounty Judicial Sales Corporation will on June 22, 2026, at the hour 11:00 a.m., Intercounty’s office, 120 West Madison Street, Suite 718A, Chicago, IL 60602, sell, in person, to the highest bidder for cash, the following described mortgaged real estate: P.I.N. 16-17-126-033-0000. Commonly known as 837 S. HARVEY AVE., OAK PARK, IL 60304. The real estate is: single family residence. If the subject mortgaged real estate is a common interest community unit, the purchaser of the unit other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by subsection(g-1) of Section 189.5 of the Condominium Property Act. Sale terms: At sale, the bidder must have 10% (or 25% if so ordered in the Judgment of Foreclosure) down by certified funds, balance within 24 hours, by certified funds. No refunds. The property is sold AS IS subject to all liens or encumbrances. The property will NOT be open for inspection. Prospective bidders are admonished to check the circuit court case record, property tax record and the title record to verify all information before bidding. IF YOU ARE THE MORTGAGOR (HOMEOWNER), YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN IN POSSESSION FOR 30 DAYS AFTER THE ENTRY OF AN ORDER OF POSSESSION, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 15-1701(c) OF THE ILLINOIS MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE LAW. For information call Sales Department at Plaintiff’s Attorney, Diaz Anselmo & Associates P.A., 1771 West Diehl Road, Suite 120, Naperville, IL 60563. (630) 453-6960. 1422-216348

INTERCOUNTY JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION intercountyjudicialsales.com I3287034