WednesdayJournal_081926 by Wednesday Journal

W E D N E S D A Y

August 19, 2026 Vol. 47, No. 8

$2.00

@wednesdayjournalinc

@wednesdayjournal

JOURNAL @oakpark

of Oak Park and River Forest

What’s happening with the abandoned North Avenue IHOP?

SENIOR

living Senior Living Page 15

River Forest village board barely passes Madison Street development with 4-3 vote

Oak Park has issued a citation to owners regarding debris on the property By LILLIAN ALI Reporting Intern

Seventeen of 18 residents speak against measure in public comment forum

Since closing some 10 years ago, the former IHOP restaurant at 6501 W. North Ave. in Oak Park still has not been fully demolished or replaced. Most of the building still stands, with its entryway destroyed and debris scattered around the site. Residents have complained about the state of the building, including debris, rodent activity, graffiti and more, for years. Craig Failor, Development Services Director for the Village of Oak Park, told Wednesday Journal that the property owners have been in contact with the village on multiple occasions. He said the village has been trying to get the building demolished for “some time now.” According to Failor, there is “some issue” stemming from the property owners and their contactor, regarding permits See IHOP on page 20

Summer/Fall 2026

By GREGG VOSS Staff Reporter

LILLIAN ALI

As of Aug. 13, the IHOP on North Avenue is still only partly demolished.

After more than five hours, 18 public comments and two breaks, the River Forest village board early Tuesday morning approved an ordinance to grant a planned development permit for a five-story residential and commercial building at 7620 Madison St. to be developed by Chicago-based Five Thirty-One Partners. Village trustees Katie Brennan, Erika Bachner and Megan Keskitalo voted against the measure, which was debated in front of See DEVELOPMENT on page 14

Wednesday Journal, August 19, 2026

OAKPARK.COM

Wednesday Journal, August 19, 2026

OAKPARK.COM

U.S. Bank applies for new drive-thru facility Village says it is still looking to acquire current location for new police station By SYDNEY LOVAN Reporting Intern

U.S. Bank has requested special approval and variation for a new drive-thru facility on Madison Street just a block from its current location as the village continues to look at the present site for a proposed police station. The village’s zoning board of appeals will review two requests for the new site at 44 Madison St., at a meeting on Sept.2.

U.S. Bank is asking for special approval for a drive-thru and another variance of allowing the drive-thru without an adjacent bailout lane. The zoning board will make a recommendation on the drive-through request to the village board. The zoning board is authorized to grant a variance regarding the absence of a bail-out lane. The financial institution is currently located at 11 Madison St., and that site has been the top contender for the village to build a new police station. However, the bank has been resistant. In November 2025, the village board selected the location and in January, the village board voted to begin a “quick take” expedited eminent domain process. Gov. JB Pritzker signed SB3107, now Public Act

W E D N E S D A Y

JOURNAL of Oak Park and River Forest

General Manager Max Reinsdorf Staff Reporters Hector Cervantes, Bill Dwyer, Jackie Pisano, Bob Skolnik, Gregg Voss Sports Reporters Melvin Tate, Bill Stone News Intern Sydney Lovan FILE

104-0816, on Aug. 7 which grants authority to the village for this process “to acquire specified properties in Cook County for the development of a public building or facility,” according to the village. “The village is continuing to negotiate with U.S. Bank to reach a potential agreement to acquire the property,” wrote a spokesperson in an email to Wednesday Journal.

RV crashes through fence near youth camp at Holmes School

No kids were hurt, driver taken to Rush Oak Park Hospital By SYDNEY LOVAN Reporting Intern

Curious Minds and Outdoor Adventurer youth camp participants were using the playground at Oliver Wendell Holmes Elementary School Wednesday morning when an RV crashed through a fence and hit a tree. According to the Park District of Oak Park, no children or staff members were hurt. Everyone was taken inside safely where Lego and Outdoor Explorer campers were already located.

The Oak Park Police Department responded to the crash around 9:44 a.m., at Chicago and Kenilworth Avenues, according to a village spokesperson. The driver sustained cuts to her left leg and hand and was taken to Rush Oak Park Hospital to be treated. No other vehicles were involved in the accident. “We understand this could have been scary for your children to witness and wanted to report the incident to you to best support your child. Any additional questions, please feel free to reach out,” wrote the Park District in an email to parents that was shared with Wednesday Journal. There was damage to the fence on the Holmes property, but there were not any students or staff involved according to District 97.

Viewpoints Editor Ken Trainor Real Estate Editor Lacey Sikora Contributing Editor Donna Greene Columnists Marc Blesoff, Nicole Chavas, Jack Crowe, Vincent Gay, Mary Kay O’Grady, John Stanger, Josh VanderBerg Shrubtown Cartoonist Marc Stopeck Editorial & Digital Design Lead Javier Govea Design and Production Associate De Sergio Villalona Designer Susan McKelvey Sports Photographer Steve Johnston Senior Media Strategist Lourdes Nicholls Marketing & Advertising Associate Emma Cullnan Legal Notices Mary Ellen Nelligan Circulation Manager Jill Wagner Operations Associate Susan Liss Babin Social Media and Digital Coordinator Maribel Barrera Senior Advisor Dan Haley

H OW TO R E ACH US P.O. Box 6670, River Forest, IL 60305 ■ PHONE (708) 613-3300 ■ EMAIL dhaley@newswellchicago.org ■ ONLINE www.OakPark.com

CIRCULATION Jill Wagner • jill@oakpark.com • (708) 613-3340 JILL WAGNER

Officers respond to a crash at Oliver Wendell Holmes Elementary School on Aug. 12.

C O R R E C T I O N An article titled “ Happy Apple Pie Shop owner finds happy landing with Easterseals “ that ran in print on August 12, 2026 misspelled the names of Easterseals Serving Chicagoland and Greater Rockford president Sarah Ray Hallman and Prairie Grass Cafe co-owner Sarah Stegner. Wednesday Journal regrets the error.

PRINT/DIGITAL ADVERTISING Lourdes Nicholls • lourdes@oakpark.com • Ext. 3329 Emma Cullnan • emma@oakpark.com • Ext. 3304 CALENDAR EVENTS calendar@wjinc.com Wednesday Journal is published weekly by NEWSWELL Chicago. Periodicals postage paid at Oak Park, IL (USPS No. 10138). Wednesday Journal NEWSWELL Chicago is located at 1011 Lake Street St 307, Oak Park IL 60301. The newspaper is available at newsstands for $2. Annual subscription rate in Cook County is $65 and $105 outside of Cook County. Advertising rates available by contacting our office. POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to Wednesday Journal, NEWSWELL Chicago P.O. Box 6670 River Forest IL, 60305. © 2026 NEWSWELL

Wednesday Journal, August 19, 2026

OAKPARK.COM

Oak Park Village Board election season begins with new candidate

Sarah Corbin encourages more people to run for local office By SYDNEY LOVAN Reporting Intern

Three seats on the Oak Park Village Board will be up for election this upcoming spring and a new candidate has kicked off the cycle by announcing plans to run. Sarah Abboreno Corbin posted to Facebook sharing her intention to run earlier this month marking the first official announcement for the race. She is not new to Oak Park elections, calling herself a “local politics SARAH CORBIN geek,” as she served as Village President Vicki Scaman’s campaign manager and was involved in former trustee Susan Buchanan’s campaign. The official election does not take place until April 6, 2027, but candidates are able to start getting petition signatures as early as next week and nomination paperwork is due in November. Corbin said she hopes that starting the conversation early will get more people involved and “the more the mer-

SYDNEY LOVAN

Oak Park Village Board meeting on July 28. rier” when it comes to other candidates. “Whether someone wants to run for school board or library or the park district, there are a lot of opportunities for people to tap in, and I hope more people do. It’s a great time to get involved in local politics,” said Corbin. There are many major topics currently at the forefront of local politics conversations such as property taxes and proposed changes to single-family zoning that could be a driving force behind the upcoming election. Corbin said she is not running with a rigid stance on these policies but instead wants to be a mouthpiece for residents. “It really is about listening to what people want, and if I were to say, this is how I feel like I will vote, that is not who I’m going to be as a trustee, so I don’t want to say I’m coming into position with a set of opinions as to who we should be as a village,” said Corbin. “I feel like my real reason for running is to come into position so that I can use my voice to serve our

ROOM FOR RENT:

Near North Ave & Cicero CLEAN ROOM w/fridge, micro, Laundry & rear yard. Near Oak Park , Food4Less, Walmart, Walgreens, Buses.

$145/WK & UP 773-637-5957

community through how they want their voices to be heard.” Trustee Derek Eder shared in an email with Wednesday Journal that he plans to run to retain his seat on the board. Eder was appointed to the board in June 2025 to finish the term of his predecessor, Susan Buchanan, who resigned her seat. “With the collaboration of my colleagues at the board table and staff, we’ve already accomplished a lot: launching programs and grants to help residents transition to clean energy in their homes, protecting our residents from the abuses of ICE and mass surveillance, and continuing to make Oak Park an affordable, safe, and healthy place to live,” wrote Eder in the email. “There’s still a lot more to do and I look forward to sharing my policy goals in the coming months.” Trustees Brian Straw and Cory Wesley will also be up for reelection next spring but did not respond to inquiries about their plans to run.

OAK PARK GARAGE SALE

1141 EDMER (GARAGE ON LEMOYNE) Saturday, August 22nd 9 AM-3 PM

Our family cleanout can be your treasure! We have kids’ bikes, electronics, toys, books, collectible cards & so much more. Everything priced to clean out! Swing by and look for the balloons on corner of LeMoyne & Edmer.

Wednesday Journal, August 19, 2026

OAKPARK.COM

Federal court upholds Oak Park ordinance on all-electric new buildings Clean Energy Choice Coalition considers options By SYDNEY LOVAN Reporting Intern

After over a year of legal battles, a federal judge ruled in favor of the Village of Oak Park upholding its ordinance requiring new buildings to be all-electric. On July 30, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois granted judgement that building code amendments are not preempted by the federal Energy Policy and Conservation Act. “This ruling is about doing what is right and what our planet urgently needs,” said Village President Vicki Scaman in a press release. “In order to effectively combat climate change negatively effecting every community across our nation and globe, we must move away from reliance on petroleum.” Scaman was appointed to the Local Governments for Sustainability USA board of directors earlier this year and continues to lead the village in an environmentally progressive direction. Clean Energy Choice Coalition, a natural gas advocacy group, filed the lawsuit and argued it conflicts with policies in the federal guidelines which restrict local and state management of federally regulated energy sources. “We disagree with the court’s decision and are disappointed with the outcome. We continue to believe strongly in the merits of our position, especially based on the Ninth Circuit’s ruling, and are reviewing the decision carefully with our counsel as we consider all of our options moving forward.” said coalition spokesperson Lissa Druss. In 2023, a conflicting ruling was made for the City of Berkeley in California deciding that a building code banning new natural gas hookups was preempted by the federal guidelines. Earthjustice, a nonprofit environmental law organization, served as one of Oak

Park’s attorneys on a pro bono basis for this case. “This decision joins a growing consensus of courts around the country that have recognized that local authorities like the Village of Oak Park have the authority to pass common sense legislation that reduces air pollution in our homes and schools, and helps address the climate crisis,” said Gavin Kearney, an attorney for Earthjustice, in a press release. The Oak Park ordinance, which was adopted in 2023 and went into effect in 2024, specified that all new buildings and residences constructed must only rely on electricity instead of fossil fuels for energy. Oak Park was the first municipality in all of the Midwest to approve an electrification ordinance, according to the Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance. It serves as one piece to the overall village Climate Ready Oak Park initiative adopted in 2022 with the goal of decreasing community-wide greenhouse gas emissions by 60% by2030 and achieving net zero emissions by 2050. The village, led by Chief Sustainability Officer Lindsey Roland-Nieratka, will be hosting an event in September to share the progress toward these goals at the Oak Park Public Library. Roland-Nieratka said the electrification ordinance is important to reaching those sustainability ambitions as buildings will be “set up for success” and not “locked into an old technology.” “It is much more affordable to think about electrification and to design the building from the beginning to be able to support fully electric systems, to be able to support maybe future renewable energy,” said Roland-Nieratka. “What becomes expensive or what can be costly, especially with a new building being built today, is to not plan for that and then retrofit to that in the future.” There are many resources for buildings that rely on fossil fuels but want to make the switch to electricity such as the Oak Park Energy Navigator, energy efficiency grants and climate coaches through a partnership with Oak Park Climate Action Network.

STAFF SPOTLIGHT Josh Bickelhaupt Lead Server

How did you end up at Maya Del Sol? I’d just moved to Chicago, and my husband (a former Maya server) told me to apply — he said it felt like family and the Oak Park community was so welcoming. What do you love most about the job? The connections. I’ve met so many wonderful people and gotten to share in their most meaningful celebrations. A favorite memory from your time here? Ringing in New Year’s with guests who’ve become friends — part of our extended Maya family. Outside of work, what keeps you busy? Trying new bars and restaurants all over Chicagoland. Your go-to order at Maya — one dish, one drink. Carne Asada (skirt steak) medium rare with a spicy Coyopa on the rocks with a heavy Tajin rim. One thing guests would be surprised to know about you? I grew up an avid hunter and fisher — deer season in Michigan, and summers helping my godfather’s charter boat catch sharks in Florida. Spinner sharks are my favorite (catch and release).

144 s oak park ave mayadelsol.com

Wednesday Journal, August 19, 2026

OAKPARK.COM

WEST SUB’S FUTURE

Brookfield’s ONLY Senior Living Community! With Cantata’s continuum of care, you can live your best life today, tomorrow and into the future. We’ve been here, right across from the zoo, for more than a century passionately serving the needs of local seniors.

Tour our 10-acre campus today!

708-387-1030

Prasad allegedly paid hundreds of thousands extra in 2023, former West Sub CFO testifies Court transcripts from May cover divergent testimony By BILL DWYER Staff Reporter

Scan here to visit Cantata.org

Independent Living•Assisted Living•Memory Support Short-Term Rehab•Long-Term Care•Home Care

Manoj K. Prasad, the embattled CEO of the failed West Suburban Medical Center, was paid hundreds of thousands extra, in addition to his $90,000 annual salary, in 2023, according to court testimony by his former CEO and chief finance officer. Irena Dumanis, who was West Sub CEO when Prasad took over in December 2022, left in October 2023 after Prasad demoted her to CFO and denied her access to a key bank account. Dumanis testified at an evidentiary hearing on May 8 in the lawsuit between Prasad and his business partner and West Sub landlord Rathnaker Reddy Patlola. Wednesday Journal has reviewed the 500-page transcript of that hearing. Under oath she testified that when she was CEO/CFO in 2023, Prasad was receiving $25,000 every other week in addition to his $90,000 annual salary. Prasad testified that his salary was $90,000 annually, which would be $7,500 a month. He has emphatically denied Dumanis’s allegations. Neither Prasad nor Dumanis responded to the Journal’s request for further comments. Dumanis testified that her duties as CEO involved “day-to-day financial operations of the hospital, vendor management, contract – vendor contract management, budgeting, cash flow projections, bank review, transactions review, transaction initiation and approval, signing of checks, payroll, oversight, just to name a few.” Dumanis said she also had access to Resilience Healthcare’s bank accounts and state-

ments and routinely reviewed them. Except for one. She said West Sub maintained two separate “lock box” accounts, with payments from Medicare and Medicaid deposited into one, and payments from commercial insurance companies deposited into the other. The sums in both those accounts were then transferred nightly into an operating fund separate from the hospital’s other accounts, one only Prasad controlled. Asked if “the hospitals maintained bank accounts at Fifth Third Bank” Dumanis answered, “Yes. Well, the hospitals didn’t, but there was an account,” and identified it as “an account under Westlaw Management Group.” “Were any payments being made to Westlaw while you were CFO,” she was asked. She answered “Yes.” “Were there routine payments made,” she was asked, and answered “Yes. There were payments that were made every couple of weeks. For the most part they coincided with payroll and …” “Were these biweekly payments?” “For the most part, yes.” What was the – typically the amount of these payments? “Those payments were anywhere between 25 to 30,000,” Dumanis said. “And who told you to make those payments?” “Dr. Prasad,” she said. Asked why Prasad told her to make those payments, Dumanis replied, “My understanding is that part of those payments were to cover credit cards.” “And what did … Dr. Prasad tell you about these biweekly payments?” “That these payments were to cover some of the credit card payments, and the other See PRASAD on page 20

Wednesday Journal, August 19, 2026

OAKPARK.COM

WEST SUB’S FUTURE

Ramco opposes receiver for River Forest West Sub campus

Says property ‘sits at the heart of carefully negotiated’ comprehensive West Sub settlement By BILL DWYER

Staff Reporter

As the legal battle over control of West Suburban Hospital continues its trudge through Cook County Chancery court, the case has been referenced in another Chancery court lawsuit involving the hospital’s River Forest medical campus on Lake Street. The holder of that property’s $22 million mortgage, Computershare Trust Company, has asked a judge to appoint a receiver to take over management of the property. On Aug. 6, attorneys for Reddy Rathnaker Patlola’s Ramco Healthcare filed their response to that motion, arguing, in part, that doing so in the River Forest case would “layer delay and uncertainty onto a process already on the verge of resolution” in the separate West Sub case. In its objection, Ramco said the three-parcel property bordered by Lake Street, Williams Street and Central Avenue “Sits at the heart of a carefully negotiated global settlement involving multiple properties,” including the West Suburban Medical Center in Oak Park and Weiss Memorial Hospital on Chicago’s north side. Attorney Scott Kaplan argues that a settlement in the West Sub case “would bring two shuttered hospitals back to life and restore critical healthcare services to communities that have been without them for months.” Appointing a receiver separately for the River Forest campus, he said, “would do the opposite,” and add delay and uncertainty to a negotiating process it characterized as “already on the verge of resolution” and “imminent.” The parties to the West Sub lawsuit, Kaplan said, “agreed in principle to a settlement, memorialized in a term sheet,” on May 29 in Judge Patrick Stanton’s chambers. Ramco and Patlola are being sued by Computershare, which represents the mortgage holder on Ramco’s River Forest campus. The foreclosure lawsuit seeks more than $33 million in unpaid rents dating back to 2025, late fees and other penalties, as well as the balance due in total. The original loan amount was $22

Rain, Rain, Go Away

BILL DWYER

West Sub River Forest campus million. The balance due has reportedly been increasing at a rate of more than $8,500 per day. In asking the court to deny the motion, Ramco argues that Computershare has not shown sufficient grounds for the appointment of a receiver. It is also arguing that Computershare has no standing to sue them, because they haven’t shown that they are “the proper holder of the Note and Mortgage,” and that they haven’t demonstrated that they have a reasonable probability of winning the foreclosure action. “A party cannot demonstrate a reasonable probability of prevailing in a foreclosure action if it lacks standing to bring one,” Kaplan argued. In the event the judge is inclined to approve a receiver, Ramco said, it asked the court to defer its ruling for 60 days to allow the West Sub settlement to conclude and asked that a larger bond of $2,000,000 be required of Computershare, as well as a reduction in the receiver’s proposed fees. However, it’s not certain that the West Sub settlement will in fact conclude any time soon. Both Prasad and the principal of a medical services consultant he hired to run West Sub’s emergency room operation, S & T Consulting and Management, have filed separate motions to intervene in the West Sub lawsuit pitting Prasad and Resilience Healthcare against Patlola and Ramco. Complicating matters is the fact that Prasad holds a 60% stake in Resilience while Patlola holds 40%.

Ramco has a week to respond to the motions to intervene in the West Sub case. Judge Patrick Stanton set a court hearing on the matter for Aug. 25. In its River Forest campus filing, Ramco alluded several times to the harm being inflicted on people who formerly relied on West Sub, including a footnote referring to a Chicago Sun-Times article titled, “Where do they go? What West Side patients face after their hospital closes.” That Sun-Times article was subsequently republished by Wednesday Journal. “The stakes of disrupting the Global Settlement extend well beyond the private interests of the parties to this action,” Kaplan wrote. Ramco made note of Insight Hospital’s “contemplated assumption of control” of West Sub in a possible settlement, outlined the proposed settlement between Ramco and Resilience in detail, and said the appointment of a receiver to take over management of the River Forest properties would put that all at risk. Under terms of the proposed settlement in the West Sub case, which has been disclosed in recent court filings, the corporate entity that Prasad uses to control Resilience Healthcare, AUM, LLC, will be immediately sold to Insight for $1, giving Insight control over all properties and operations. That, Ramco argues, would hand full authority over to an entity that has “no role in, connection to or understanding of the Global Settlement.”

ugust 2026 has brought unusually heavy rainfall to Chicago, with repeated storms leaving us soaked and vulnerable to flooding. Through mid-August, Scott several rounds of McAdam Jr. thunderstorms have produced heavy rain, saturated the ground, and increased the potential for flooding. Although the month is not yet over, it is too early to officially determine if August 2026 will be the wettest August on record. The intense rainfall has significantly impacted many landscapes. Consistently saturated soil has reduced the ground’s ability to absorb additional water, causing rainfall to collect quickly in low-lying areas, and even on the surface, leading to flooding even with proper drainage solutions. Water can move four ways through soil: percolation down, percolation laterally, being absorbed by roots, or through evaporation. When the soil is so heavily saturated, there is nowhere for it to go. The unusually wet conditions show how quickly the landscape can change when repeated storms overwhelm natural drainage systems. Let’s all hope that we are able to dry out soon - for both the landscape, and our own sanity.

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

Wednesday Journal, August 19, 2026

OAKPARK.COM

Last business on Mohr Concrete property hangs onto hope Village of Oak Park says it can help relocate if needed in the future By SYDNEY LOVAN Reporting Intern

The strip mall in front of the abandoned Mohr Concrete property once housed a variety of businesses, but now sits mostly empty except for a flock of birds and a business refusing to give up. Sanjay Lal has owned and operated True Discount, a convenience store at 1155 Garfield St., for about 16 years. Since the iconic concrete facility closed permanently in 2018, the store has taken a hit. Lal said the business is “just struggling” and “it’s very hard because it is all empty and I’m just by myself.” Lola Tining’s Cuisine, a Filipino restaurant on the property, is still open but only operates on the weekends for limited hours. Redeveloping the property has been at the

forefront of conversations for some years as it is one of the largest contiguous parcels of land available in the village. Plans for a new QuickTrip gas station were proposed but ultimately rejected last year while the property was owned by KrohVan. KrohVan and the Mohr family were locked in a foreclosure lawsuit since October 2024, and the Mohr family has recently regained ownership, according to Karen Richards, daughter of Dot and Bud Mohr. Richards said that she speaks to Lal and encourages True Discount to remain in its current storefront. “They clean up the shopping center and stuff when there’s garbage and everything, they are really nice about that,” said Richards. Lal is still stuck in the uncertainty of business as future development plans continue to be explored, but he says he has hope. “I’m just waiting here all this time because if somebody comes and ...wants to do development, we have no idea if he wants

SYDNEY LOVAN

Sanjay Lal inside his store, True Discount, on the Mohr Concrete facility property. to continue this, then I can stay. But if he wants to develop something else, then I have no choice,” said Lal. “Change is always the nature of Mother Nature, change will come, you just have to have patience.” John Melaniphy, assistant village manager of economic vitality, explained that the store’s ability to remain in its location will be up to the owners of the property, possible new developers and the store based on

the terms of the existing lease. The village does, however, have tools to assist in relocation through CoStar, a real estate information company. “We could provide assistance in identifying a suitable location that meets their site selection criteria,” said Melaniphy. “We can run customized reports of what is currently available in Oak Park and what square footage and who the owners are.”

Still no ‘concrete’ plans for Mohr property development Mohr family regains ownership of property after foreclosure battle By SYDNEY LOVAN Reporting Intern

SYDNEY LOVAN

Painted over graffiti covers parts of the closed Mohr Concrete facility.

H.J. Mohr & Sons Co. is once again the owner of the dilapidated and long shuttered Oak Park concrete facility after the property was foreclosed under the ownership of KrohVan, a real estate development firm. The site has been considered for redevelopment projects since before it closed permanently in 2018 due to financial troubles.

It is one of the largest contiguous pieces of land available in the Village of Oak Park. Most recently, a QuickTrip gas station was proposed, and denied, as many residents and village staff did not feel it was a good fit for the neighborhood. Hinsdalebased KrohVan went through a foreclosure lawsuit filed by the original owners, H.J. Mohr & Sons Co., which resolved just a couple of months ago putting ownership back with the Mohr family. Karen Richards, daughter of Dot and Bud Mohr, said the plan is to still sell the property, and she would like to see it developed into something new. “I wish [the village] would buy it since they’re the ones that said that we couldn’t put the gas station in,” said Richards. “My

mom, she’s 95 years old, and it costs us a lot of money because her and me are the ones that have to come up with the money to pay the real estate taxes and everything.” John Melaniphy, Oak Park’s lead development staffer, said the village has a “very vested interest” in seeing the property brought back to productive use in a way that best suits the area’s needs. “The village could look at a variety of tools, one of which might be we’ve been talking to the RTA about a planning grant for the RTA to look at this as a transit-oriented development and bring in a panel of experts to determine the highest and best use of the property and create a vision and a kind of a roadmap of how this property could be redeveloped.”

Wednesday Journal, August 19, 2026

OAKPARK.COM

SHRED IT Saturday, September 12, 2026 from 8:00 am to 12:00 noon (NOTE: If the trucks fill-up sooner—we finish sooner!) Forest Park Bank, the locally owned and managed community bank, is pleased to continue the tradition of sponsoring the Annual FREE Sensitive Document Shredding Event in the Municipal Parking Lot located south of the Drive-Up Facility. The Bank has, again, engaged a professional shredding service to shred your documents with an industrial shredder. You may bring up to two 12” X 12” X 18” boxes of documents to be shred at no charge. Three-ring notebooks and binders with large metal rings cannot be shredded. Staples are allowed. If you have questions about this event, please contact the bank at 708.222.2800 .

7 3 4 8 W E S T M A D I S O N S T R E E T, F O R E S T PA R K , I L 6 0 13 0 F O R E S T PA R K B A N K . C O M

708.222.2800

Wednesday Journal, August 19, 2026

OAKPARK.COM

Hearing this week on Israel boycott referendum objections Advisory question asks whether Illinois should repeal laws to ban state investment in businesses that boycott Israel By GREGG VOSS

Friday Frida a

Contributing Reporter

5-9PM

August 21

Full Line-up & Menu

THE T HE ED DEPOT PARKING LOT & KEYSTONE PARK WEST

FOOD TRUC TRUCKS · BEER TENT · LIVE MUSIC · FAMILY FUN · INFLATABLES

New!

Depression Research Study Learn about new potential treatments for depression in clinical trials. CALL OR TEXT NOW:

773-300-1000

2923 N. California Ave. Suite 220, Chicago, IL 60618 CharterResearch.com

A local electoral board hearing Wednesday morning, Aug. 19, will determine the validity of an objection to a controversial advisory referendum regarding whether Illinois should repeal laws that ban state investment in businesses that boycott Israel. The hearing, which will be in Room 101 at Village Hall, 123 Madison St., will be presided over by an electoral board consisting of Village President Vicki Scaman, Trustee Jim Taglia and Village Clerk Christina Waters. Community canvassers from Oak Parkers for Free Speech collected more than 3,500 signatures in support of the referendum. The notarized signatures – far more than the minimum required number of about 2,000 – were collected over 12 weeks by an Aug. 3 village deadline. According to the hearing agenda, Alan H. Peres and Piergiorgio Uslenghi, both registered Oak Park voters, objected to a proposed referendum question for the Nov. 3 ballot that reads: “Should the state of Illinois repeal laws that ban state investment in businesses that boycott the state of Israel?” The objection was filed by attorney Michael Kasper of the Chicago government-relations law firm Kasper, Holmes & Dring. Kasper has been mum about the basis of the objection. Peres and Uslenghi could not be reached for comment Saturday. According to a village spokesperson, “The electoral board will decide at the hearing whether to sustain the objection and find the petition invalid. The hearing may be continued if good cause is shown, so the ultimate decision might not be made on Wednesday.” The spokesperson added that a bench memo is being prepared to provide the electoral board with background information, relevant law and legal analysis regarding the issue raised in the objection, but a recommendation to that body will not be made. Taglia, who has served on an electoral board in the past, said validity of the objec-

tion, or not, requires a two-thirds vote. “We’re receiving an information packet,” Taglia said. “The memo is like a legal analysis; it’s our determination to evaluate the objection. I don’t think it’s a difficult analysis. It’s just something we have to do.” He added that if the electoral board determines the objection is not valid, there could be an appeal process outside the village. The hearing agenda names Caren Van Slyke and Jesse Bauer, members of the group Oak Parkers for Free Speech that formulated the referendum question, as its principal proponents. Late last week, the group provided a statement to Wednesday Journal titled, “Oak Parkers Deserve a Voice in November.” It said in part that the objection does not challenge the referendum question itself or the authenticity of the signatures. “Instead, it challenges the affidavit portion of our petitions in an effort to prevent Oak Park voters from having our say in November,” it said. “In the days ahead, we will use every lawful means available to uphold the rights of the thousands of Oak Park voters who signed our petitions. “Opponents claim the referendum is about Middle East policy. It is not. It is about an Illinois law that restricts the right to boycott, in violation of a unanimous 1982 Supreme Court decision that economic boycotts are protected free speech, and that directly impacts the pensions of current and retired Illinois state employees residing in Oak Park. These are issues for Oak Park voters – and we deserve to be heard.” An opposition group, Jewish Community and Friends for Democracy, which was not affiliated with the objection, previously noted in a prepared statement to the Journal “that questions about a longstanding Middle East conflict do not belong on a local Oak Park ballot. Most importantly, this ballot measure is divisive and distracts our community from pressing local issues like access to health care and affordable housing.”

Wednesday Journal, August 19, 2026

OAKPARK.COM

OPRF draws down cash reserves in new budget School expects modest surplus before deficits in future years

By BOB SKOLNIK Staff Reporter

The tentative budget for the 2027 fiscal year, ending June 30, 2027, that was unveiled at the Aug. 6 meeting of the Oak Park and River Forest High School District 200 Board of Education projects an operating surplus of a little more than $900,000 but when all funds, including capital expenditures for construction are taken into account, a total net deficit of nearly $7.5 million. The school’s overall cash reserve is projected to decline to approximately $38 million from the approximately $45.5 million cash on hand as of June 30 of this year. That decline in the school’s cash balance is expected since OPRF has been spending down its once abundant reserves by using $44.2 million in cash reserves to help pay for the nearly completed mostly new physical education wing in the southeast corner of the building called Project 2. In the school’s operating funds revenues are projected to exceed expenses by $16.5 million but in non-operating funds expenses are projected to exceed revenues by $24 million. Total expenditures are projected to be just over $129.5 million, of which just over $98.6 million will be operating expenditures. Total revenues are expected to be just over $122 million. Approximately $28 million of the non-operating spending will go to capital projects while $3.2 million will go to debt service to continue to pay off the approximately $45 million the school borrowed to pay for Project 2. OPRF’s total cash reserves are projected to decline from just over $45.5 million as of June 30 to just over $38 million a year later, with just over $33.5 million of those cash reserves being in operating funds or about 34 percent of annual operating expenditures. OPRF’s school board has targeted a cash reserve to annual operating expenditures ratio of between 25 and 50% with the OPRF business office recommending a 33% ratio. The school’s operating fund balance is projected to increase by approximately $900,000 this

year. OPRF has been transferring money from its well-off education fund to its capital projects fund to help pay for Project 2 and other capital expenses. In the 2027 fiscal year $15.6 million is expected to be transferred from operating funds to non-operating funds with $4.7 million of that going to Project 2, $7.7 million going for 10-year maintenance projects and design work for Act 3, the next phase of remaking the campus, and $3.2 million going to debt payments. “The district continues to make a substantial investment in its facilities as capital expenditures ($27.7 million) make up 21% of

the district’s total FY 2027 budget,” the district’s tentative budget report states. “The deficit generated by those expenditures will be covered by $15.6 million of transfers from the Operating Funds.” This year’s budget is expected to be bolstered by two large one-time government grants that OPRF expects to receive this fiscal year, an $8.9 million grant from the federal government to help pay for the work to create the school’s new geothermal heating and cooling system and a $3.5 million grant from the state of Illinois which was obtained with the help of the Imagine Foundation. With these two grants OPRF’s revenues are expected to increase 16.12%. Without the grants revenues would increase by a more

typical 4.3% while operating expenditures are projected to increase by 6.12%. OPRF Director of Finance Brian Imhoff told the school board that the federal grant isn’t expected to be received until May or June of next year and said that it is possible that it could be delayed. The school board is expected to vote to approve the tentative budget at its Aug. 20 meeting. After the tentative budget is approved it will be put on public display for 30 days before the board votes to adopt the final budget at its Sept. 24 meeting. Total construction expenses for the 2027 fiscal year, which began on July 1, are estimated to be approximately $18.2 million for Project 2, nearly $7.1 million for regular building maintenance, $1,748,100 in mostly design expenses for Act 3, the proposed demolition and rebuilding of the southwest section of the school with a focus on music and arts spaces, $502,175 for the school’s geothermal project, and $154,00 in state mandated life safety physical improvements. Some $930,000 of the anticipated spending on Act 3 is contingent on the passage of a bond referendum in April 2027 to borrow the money for Act 3. The school board won’t decide until late this year whether to put a referendum on the ballot next April and a few board memFILE bers have indicated that they do not support holding an Act 3 referendum next year. OPRF expects to receive $89.2 million in revenue from property taxes this year, a $7.8 million increase from fiscal year 2026. Last December the school approved a 4.4% increase in the property tax levy as well as an additional $700,000 levy which was permitted because the district did not levy the maximum amount possible the three previous years. The school’s overall financial situation remains strong but the cash reserve is approaching its target level and spending decisions may get tougher in future years as operating deficits are projected after this current year. OPRF tends to budget conservatively. Imhoff told the school board that actual expens-

es have come in one to two million dollars under budget in each of the last three years. Overall salaries are projected to increase this year by about $2.4 million, or 4.2%, mostly due to the new teachers contract while employee benefit costs are projected to increase by about $900,000 or 6.88%. Two thirds of that increase comes from a rise in the cost of health insurance. Imhoff said that special education outplacement costs at specialized schools continue to increase at a rapid rate. “We have very little control over these costs because these students require services that can’t be provided in-house,” Imhoff said. “All it takes is one or two students with severe needs to blow up the budget.” Special education expenses, especially tuition at specialized schools where students with severe needs are outplaced, are projected to increase by about $1 million or around 18% this year. Outplacement tuition costs are projected to exceed $4 million this year while outplacement room and board costs at specialized schools are expected to be about $1.5 million. Special education transportation costs are projected to be a little over $2.5 million. “The budget anticipates there will be 5 more students outplaced in private schools to begin FY 2027 as compared to the end of FY 2026,” the budget report states. “There is also an expectation that 2 additional students will be placed at residential facilities, which on average cost $210,000 per student for room and board expenses.” Difficult decisions will likely have to be made in upcoming years if the school board wants to keep the cash reserve at around 33% of annual operating expenditures. According to the school’s five-year budget projection OPRF is expected to run operating deficits in the years after this one. The operating deficits are projected to be just over $2 million in the 27-28 and 28-29 fiscal years before rising to around $4.5 million in the 29-30 and 30-31 school years. According to the five-year projection cash reserves are projected to drop to 18% of annual operating expenditures by the end of 30-31 school if present patterns continue. The five-year forecast assumes modest inflation of two percent in 2027, 2028, and 2029 which would hold down the property tax levy which is tied to the Consumer Price Index.

Wednesday Journal, August 19, 2026

OAKPARK.COM

ROBERT’S PRESENT THE 5TH ANNUAL

Friday August 21st & Saturday August 22nd Friday August 21st JOE PUG

w/ DJ Set by Lawrence Peters Doors @ 6:30 | @ Robert’s Westside FOOD AID'S MISSION: To prevent individuals and their families from experiencing hunger. We believe that food insecurity should not exist, as the right to food is a human right. Through music and entertainment, Food Aid serves as an important funding source for interconnected community organizations and initiatives aimed at addressing food insecurity.

www.foodaidfestival.com

Saturday August 22nd

Saturday August 22nd SHEMEKIA COPELAND

BLOCK PARTY 12:00pm - 6:30pm Across the street from Robert’s Live Music By:

High & Lonesome Strawdaddy Pipes GirlCade Rock Hands Music

Doors @ 6:30 | @ Robert’s Westside FOOD AID'S BENEFICIARIES: A House In Austin | Austin Eats Initiative Best Of Proviso Township | Beyond Hunger The Community Fridge Project Westchester Food Pantry

A full day of live music, food, cocktails + backyard games & art projects for kids!

buy tickets ->

TICKETS

YYOUR OUR HHOME OME FFOR OR LLIVE IVE M MUSIC USIC WE’RE PPAYING WE’RE AYING AARTISTS RTISTS 100% OF ALL TICKET SALES IN 2026 7321 Madison Street, Forest Park, IL | www.robertswestside.com | www.bobbyseastside.com

Wednesday Journal, August 19, 2026

OAKPARK.COM

Tommy Schaefer seeks pre-trial release from custody

of obstruction. page brief. “He is charged with inchoate of- above-referenced conditions, i.e., electronAttorney cites medical issues andNowone33count years old, he faces up to life in pris- fenses (i.e., not fully formed or developed) ic monitoring, home confinement, or other on in the United States if convicted for con- which weighs in favor of release on condi- conditions of pre-trial release, and by way in Bali murder case of a third-party custodian.” spiracy to commit the murder of 62-year-old tions.”

By BILL DWYER Staff Reporter

Former Oak Parker Tommy Schaefer, who is awaiting trial on a charge that he conspired with then-girlfriend Heather Mack to kill her mother, Sheila von Weise Mack in Bali in 2012, has asked a judge to release him on bond. On Sunday Schaefer also obtained either an additional defense attorney or a new one, according to federal court documents. At his February arraignment, Schaefer waived having a detention hearing, with the understanding he could seek release on bond later. Schaefer, who has a January 11, 2027 trial date, is currently being held in the downtown Metropolitan Correctional Center. Schaefer is charged in a three-count indictment with one count of conspiracy to kill in a foreign country, one count of conspiracy to commit foreign murder of a U.S. national,

Sheila Mack. Schaefer’s former girlfriend, Heather Mack, who agreed to a plea deal under the same indictment, was sentenced to 26 years in prison in January 2025 for her part in her mother’s brutal killing, which was allegedly planned by the two lovers in order to obtain a $1.5 million trust fund. She is scheduled to be released from prison 18 years from this past March. Schaefer’s attorney, Michael Baker, is arguing that he is not a flight risk, and “is not charged with a completed act of violence,” or any crime serious enough to preclude his release on bond and electronic monitoring. The prosecution had not filed a response to Schaefer’s motion as of Monday afternoon but is certain to do so prior to the scheduled Aug. 27 detention hearing. “Mr. Schaefer should not be treated as though he were charged with a completed crime of violence,” Baker said in his four-

Baker also told the court that Schaefer suffers from serious medical issues stemming from illnesses he contracted in Indonesia, including Covid, has been detained in the MCC “in extremely difficult conditions,” and is dealing with “Other post infection and related fatigue syndromes.” “The conditions of Mr. Schaefer’s pretrial detention are not adequate to properly monitor, manage, or treat his condition, and his continued incarceration delays the very evaluation his providers have ordered,” Baker said. “Release from custody, with conditions, would permit Mr. Schaefer to complete that workup and to obtain the medical care and monitoring his condition requires.” Baker wrote that Schaefer poses no flight risk, especially in light of his purported diminished health and the fact he has no passport. Any perceived risk of flight, Baker told the court, “can be mitigated by the

A “third party custodian” is a person who vouches for a defendant in federal court, in order to help the defendant gain release on federal pre-trial supervision while the case is pending. Any citizen can act as a thirdparty custodian if approved by the court, which will require that the person appointed custodian agrees to immediately notify proper authorities if the person violates any of the terms of their pre-trial release. In other developments, Schaefer apparently has a new co-counsel. Mina S. Zardkoohi, a veteran criminal defense attorney, filed her appearance with the court on Sunday. Her filing also indicates she was appointed under the Criminal Justice Act (CJA), a panel of private attorneys available for appointment by the federal court to represent indigent defendants in criminal cases. There has been no filing with the court regarding any intention by Michael Baker to withdraw as attorney.

LIVE LIFE WITHOUT COMPROMISE Cognitive decline can steal the past, but it doesn’t have to steal the future. Pioneered to curb the effects of cognitive decline, Circle of Friends® is a unique, evidence-based program for building brain fitness. It was developed by Belmont Village in collaboration with the nation’s top universities and healthcare institutions — and it works. Residents enjoy a rich, therapeutic program of physical and mental activities designed to maintain brain function and build self-esteem. BelmontVillage.com/OakPark | 708-797-9655

OA K PA R K

Wednesday Journal, August 19, 2026

YOUR

BEST

LIFE F FE

withLisaCapone w wi ititthhL hLi Lis isa saC aCa Cap apon one ne

Embrace What's Next Moving to a senior living community t may not be your first ty choice, but waiting too long can mean missing out on opportunities to enhance your quality t of life. ty Senior living communities offer support, engaging activities, convenient services, and meaningful social connections that promote independence and well-being. Additionally, waiting too long might make the transition more challenging. Making the move sooner also allows you to transition on your own terms, while you can comfortably settle in, build friendships, and enjoy everything every r thing ry the community t has to offer. ty Delaying the decision can make the move more stressful and limit your options in the future. Choosing senior living isn't about giving something up—it's about embracing a lifestyle lifesty t le that offers ty greater support, connection, and peace of mind for the years ahead.

Visit Cantata.org for more information or call ((708) 708) 3 87-1 1030. 387-1030.

Independent Living • Assisted Living • Memory Support Short-Term Shortt-tTerm Rehab • Long-Term Care • Home Care

OAKPARK.COM

DEVELOPMENT

Points of contention from page 1 about 60 residents at Trinity High School’s Fox Auditorium. Trustees Lisa Gillis, Robert O’Connell and Respicio Vazquez voted in favor, with Village President Cathy Adduci casting the deciding vote at roughly 12:30 a.m. The redevelopment would include construction of a mixed-use building with 69 high-end apartments and first-floor retail space. The five-story building would be 87 feet at its tallest point with the majority of the building just under 73 feet. The land sale price for the property is $10, with an incentive of up to $2 million in TIFeligible reimbursement, with $1 million payable to the developer when a certificate of occupancy is granted. “While change naturally brings questions and concerns, we are confident that this development will be a positive addition to our community,” Adduci said before casting the deciding vote. “This project will expand our tax base, with new property and sales tax revenue. These funds will support village services and provide critical revenue for our schools, contributing to our efforts to stabilize our property taxes. “My approval is based on several conditions discussed tonight, and my commitment to the surrounding neighbors and adjacent neighbors to get it right. We’re going to get it right.”

Revision and conditions The vote was contingent upon a revision to the redevelopment agreement to require payment of 50% of permit fees upon permit issuance, and 50% due at certificate of occupancy, replacing a longer proposed payment schedule for Five Thirty-One Partners. More significantly, Adduci proposed several conditions for approval, including: ■ Creation of a focus group to evaluate traffic and safety issues in the neighborhood around the development; ■ Requirement of a post-construction occupancy traffic impact study; ■ Replacement of lead service lines for residents on the 000 blocks of Ashland Ave. and Lathrop; ■ Complimentary window-washing for homes on the block of the project after construction; ■ Installation of security cameras on the property; ■ Prohibition of construction parking on

BILL DWYER

River Forest Village Administrator Matt Walsh makes a point about the Madison Street development project in his presentation to residents at Monday’s board meeting. residential streets; and, ■ Creation of a neighbor impact fund. Village Administrator Matt Walsh said Five Thirty-One would be responsible for infrastructure and connections for water and sewer. “The approval last night secured additional tax revenue for the village and its taxing bodies for decades to come, along with additional housing and retail options in River Forest,” Walsh said Tuesday morning. “The conditions placed on the approval improve the project and help the neighbors near the project site. We look forward to working with Five Thirty-One Partners to see the project through to completion.” Representatives from tax services firm Ryan, LLC projected generation of $25 million in property taxes between 2026 and 2056. Total tax benefit to Oak Park and River Forest High School District 200 would be $7.5 million and $11.4 million for River Forest School District 90.

Resident pushback Still, remarks from residents during the meeting’s public comment portion cast doubt on the review and approval process, especially in light of the fact that the village’s development review board July 9 unanimously but conditionally recommended project approval to the board. “The DRB sat here for three hours, stoic; one person took notes,” said resident Bruce Faland. “A lot of this audience raised questions. “The decision was made before they sat down … They sat down for three hours and listened to questions, comments and everything. No questions were raised.”

Regarding the building itself, former village trustee Patty Henek pointed out that “residents have consistently stated for years they do not desire a five-story dense building.” Two to four stories would be more appropriate for the location, she said. “Buildings of this height contribute to a sense of enclosure and an intimate and pedestrian scale,” she said. “Why does this no longer apply?” During the first break, Henek expanded on those thoughts. “I personally would like them to pause and take into consideration what everybody has said, in terms of it’s not really what the community wants,” she said. “We need to go back to the drawing board.” That didn’t happen. Another resident, Thomas Lamm, was more succinct. “This property is too small for five stories,” he said. Prior to Brennan’s no vote, she pointed out that the village also has to consider the anticipated September transfer of ownership and management of the River Forest Civic Center building to the village government. “I think it’s appropriate to consider all of our obligations,” Brennan said.

Only one residential supporter Resident Kris Mackey, a member of the River Forest District 90 school board, was the only supporter among the 18 residents that spoke during the public comment section. “Because I think we need development, we need the revenue that can be counted on steadily going forward,” Mackey said postmeeting. “And not this stream. Other streams … the Sheraton, now the Sunrise. That was very important to this municipality. We hadn’t had anything for quite a while. “This has to be thoughtful and steady for this revenue to meet what we pay people, which always goes up. And should.” “Obviously, I’m happy, that was our goal,” said Five Thirty-One co-owner Viktor Jakovljevic, who himself spoke several times at the meeting, on his own behalf as a River Forest resident and also to answer board questions with fellow co-owner Chuck Westphal. “I think we’re going to do great in this community and ultimately at the end this project will be accepted by the community,” he said. “It was a fight, like every project, but I think it was the right decision.” But resident Greg Abcarian said after the meeting concluded that he was curious about the vote itself. “All four yeses have always voted yes together,” he said. “Always voted no together. They have never not voted against each other.”

SENIORliving

Special Advertising Section

Summer/Fall 2026

SENIOR

living

PERSONALIZEDCARE

COMPANIONCARE

RESPITECARE

DEMENTIACARE

SCHEDULE A FREE ASSESSMENT AT

708-665-3325 LEARN MORE

firstlighthomecare.com

August 19, 2026

16 August 19, 2026

Special Advertising Section

SENIORliving

Your Hearing Journey Starts with Us

n a world fi lled with vibrant sounds – the laughter of loved ones, the melody of music, the gentle rustle of leaves – experiencing hearing loss can feel isolating and disheartening. However, it doesn’t have to be that way. At our clinic, we understand the profound impact that hearing loss can have on your life, which is why we are dedicated to providing compassionate and effective treatment to help you rediscover the joy of sound. Here are just a few reasons why you should choose us for your hearing loss treatment journey:

taking into account your lifestyle, communication needs, and any specific concerns you may have. This allows us to tailor our treatment recommendations to suit your unique circumstances. Individualized Treatment Plans: We understand that hearing loss is not a one-size-fits-all condition. That’s why we take the time to listen to your concerns and preferences before developing a customized treatment plan that addresses your specific needs. Whether you require hearing aids, assistive listening

Expertise and Experience: Our team consists of highly trained audiologists with years of experience in diagnosing and treating various types of hearing loss. Whether your hearing loss is due to aging, noise exposure, or other factors, rest assured that you are in capable hands. Comprehensive Evaluation: We believe in taking a personalized approach to hearing healthcare. When you visit our clinic, we will conduct a thorough evaluation of your hearing abilities,

Dr. Dora Klink

devices, or auditory rehabilitation therapy, we will work closely with you to find the best solution. Ongoing Support and Care: Our commitment to your hearing health doesn’t end after your initial treatment. We believe in building long-term relationships with our patients and providing ongoing support and care to ensure that you continue to enjoy optimal hearing health for years to come. From regular followup appointments to adjustments and maintenance services, we are here for you every step of the way.

The ability to hear and communicate effectively is essential for maintaining social connections, staying engaged in activities you love, and preserving your overall well-being. By seeking treatment for your hearing loss allows you to fully participate in conversations, enjoy your favorite hobbies, and reconnect with the world around you. Don’t let hearing loss hold you back from living life to the fullest. Take the first step towards better hearing by scheduling a consultation with us. Together, we can help you rediscover the joy of Dr. Cynthia Chow sound.

6905 Nor th Ave, Oak Park, IL 60302 • (708) 445-7171 • savehearing.com

SENIORliving

Special Advertising Section

August 19, 2026

FREE PROGRAMS

EXPLORE YOUR

POSSIBILITIES

FREE ARTS & WELLNESS PROGRAMS FOR ADULTS 55+

VIRTUAL SESSIONS

IN-PERSON PROGRAMS

Connect with our online community in hands-on art projects, discussion groups, guided wellness classes, and more!

Age well together by joining our classes, wellness opportunities, and museum programs across Chicagoland.

Explore your passions through programs that prompt meaningful connections and conversations, encourage your creativity, and foster a powerful sense of community. Mather is an 80+-year-old nonprofit, and we’re working toward an equitable society in which all older adults find wellness opportunities and resources to thrive within their communities.

0826 CB AWN

Wednesday Journal, August 19, 2026

OAKPARK.COM

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

CONCRETE

COMMERCIAL • INDUSTRIAL • RESIDENTIAL

708.442.7720

DRIVEWAYS • FOUNDATIONS • PATIOS • STEPS CURB/GUTTERS • SIDEWALKS • SNOW PLOWING STAMPED, COLORED & AGGREGATE CONCRETE • FREE ESTIMATES • LICENSED, BONDED & INSURED

ELECTRICAL

A&A ELECTRIC

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

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

FLOORS

HANDYMAN

KLIS FLOORING INC.

Mike’s Home Repair flooring

New hardwood installation & pergo. Sanding, re-finishing, staining. Low prices, insured. Call: 773-671-4996 www.klisflooring.com

MOVING

Drywall H Painting H Tile Plumbing H Electric H Floors Windows H Doors H Siding Ask Us What We Don’t Do

708-296-2060 MOVING

K MOVERS

Call for the BEST Moving Prices • Serving all of Chicagoland & Suburbs. $150/hour - 3 hour minimum.

Call: 901-640-5919

Thinking about a career in local government?

Community • Connection Service • Respect

The Village of Oak Park has job opportunities available. Please visit www.oak-park.us or scan the QR code

CAROL DUNNING

OPRF alum Dallis Flowers (center), during his youth football camp in 2024.

OPRF alum Flowers to miss football season

Was in second season with Bears By MELVIN TATE Staff Reporter

Dallis Flowers, a 2015 Oak Park and River Forest High School graduate, was looking to make an impact in his second season with the Chicago Bears. Unfortunately, Flowers, a cornerback, suffered a serious lower-body injury during a training camp practice at Halas Hall in Lake Forest on Aug. 6. While the exact nature of the injury has yet to be revealed, it is serious enough to place Flowers on the injured reserve list, which in all likelihood will cause him to miss the entire season. “It’s a sad thing to hear,” said OPRF head football coach John Hoerster. “Especially when it’s a kid you had the opportunity to coach and means so much to your program. Dallis has given so much back over the years, and you just don’t like to see or hear anything like that. “I hope it’s something Dallis can recover from,” he added. “I hope his spirits are up. I know he’s got a really good support system around him, and we’re just rooting for him. I hope he can make a recovery and bounce back.” Flowers was in his fifth NFL season. He signed with the Indianapolis Colts as an

undrafted rookie free agent in 2022 and made the Professional Football Writers of America All-Rookie Team as a kick returner, averaging 31.1 yards per return. Flowers won a starting job in 2023 but suffered a season-ending Achilles injury in Week 4. Following successful rehab, he returned to the Colts in 2024 but was released after five games. He then signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and spent the remainder of the year on their practice squad. After the season, Flowers re-signed with the Bucs on a reserve/future contract but was placed on waivers and subsequently released after last year’s NFL Draft. He then signed with the San Francisco 49ers but was cut following the preseason. On Sept. 9, Flowers inked a practicesquad deal with the Bears. He appeared in three games, recording a tackle against the Dallas Cowboys in a Bears’ victory. Flowers had his #21 jersey number at OPRF retired by the school in 2023, joining Eric Kumerow (#14) as the Huskies’ only football players to have such a prestigious honor bestowed upon them. Hoerster felt Flowers’s injury was untimely. He thought Flowers was making progress with the Bears. Hoerster hasn’t talked with Flowers yet, but he’s wishing nothing but the best for him. “He’s a special kid,” Hoerster said. “He was doing some great things (with the Bears).”

Wednesday Journal, August 19, 2026

OAKPARK.COM

River Forest Civic Center headed to village control By BOB SKOLNIK Staff Reporter

The Board of Managers of the River Forest Civic Center Authority voted unanimously Aug. 4 to dissolve the entity and turn over the aging River Forest Civic Center building, 8020 Madison St., to the Village of River Forest effective Sept. 29. River Forest’s village board must approve the consolidation of the Civic Center Authority into the village for the transfer to take effect but that is not expected to be a problem. Village President Cathy Adduci wrote in a statement to Wednesday Journal that the village board will consider the consolidation at a meeting in September. John Becvar and Keith Strom, civic center authority managers, met with the

village board in closed session on June 22, presumably to discuss the transfer. “Tonight’s vote is about what entity has the greatest chance of keeping the building open,” said Phillip Buta, one of the five members of the center’s board of managers, at Tuesday’s 24-minute meeting. The Civic Center Authority, which is being dissolved, was created in 1984 to manage the Civic Center building that was purchased with the help of a $1.9 million state grant and a public/private partnership. By law, the center’s board consists of the members of the River Forest Township Board. Adduci said in her statement that the civic center is “an important community asset” and that the village government is “committed to ensuring it continues to serve our residents for years to come.”

According to a report completed by the architectural firm FGMA, the Civic Center building needs between $4.4 and $4.9 million of work in the next couple of years including a new roof. The civic center does not have the power to levy taxes, its revenue comes only from the rental payments it receives from tenants and users of the building, and thus does not have the money to pay for the needed work on the building. Becvar, the supervisor of River Forest Township and a member of the civic center board, said the organization has a cash reserve of only approximately $150,000. Jonathan Livingston, the new executive director of the River Forest community Center, said the village taking over the building is the best way forward. “The village acquiring the building is less a takeover than an extended lease on

life for the Community Center,” Livingston said. “Over recent years, the mounting capital improvements needed for the building have become an albatross. The RFCCA, which lacks the authority of a taxing body, would have had no recourse but to substantially raise rents on the existing tenants, likely causing tenants to relocate in the face of such rising costs. The Village of River Forest provides a necessary and common-sense solution to making sure that the Community Center, Opportunity Knocks, and CAYR connections can continue to serve the broader community at its current location while alleviating the existential threats currently impairing the building itself.” Livingston suggested the village could use revenue from its TIF district to pay for the necessary work on the building.

Druckman is new head of River Forest Township

Replaces Becvar who resigned after Civic Center deal OK’d By BOB SKOLNIK Staff Reporter

Former River Forest Township Clerk Vanessa Druckman will be the next River Forest Township Supervisor. The township supervisor is the highest position in township government. The township supervisor serves in an executive, legislative, and sometimes an administrative capacity, and also presides over township board meetings and votes as a member of the township board. On Aug. 11, the township board voted 4-0 to accept current supervisor John Becvar’s resignation effective Aug. 31 and then voted 4-0 to appoint Druckman as supervisor effective Sept. 1. The board gave Becvar authority to continue to work in September to facilitate the merger of the River Forest Civic Center Authority with the Village of River Forest which is expected to be completed in September. When that happens the Civic Center Authority will cease to exist and village will own and manage the Civic Center building

BOB SKOLNIK

Vanessa Druckman takes the oath of office as River Forest Township Supervisor administered by Township Clerk Mark Hosty at the Aug. 11 meeting of the River Forest Township Board. Becvar served as River Forest Township Supervisor for just over two years having been appointed to the position in May 2024 when the previous township supervisor Carla Sloan resigned. He was elected to a

full four-year term last year. He also served as township clerk for a year before being appointed supervisor. “It’s been an honor to serve the residents of River Forest Township for the last three

years,” Becvar said. Druckman, who served as township clerk from 2021 to 2023, took her oath of office as supervisor immediately after the vote to appoint her even though she will not officially begin serving as supervisor until Sept. 1. Druckman was chosen over two other finalists. Current township clerk Mark Hosty and Jessica Iverson were also interviewed by the township board. Oak Park Township Supervisor Tim Thomas also applied to serve as River Forest Township Supervisor while keeping his current job. Township board member Keith Storm said all of the three finalists were strong candidates but Druckman stood out. The other township board members agreed saying that Druckman’s experience in township government and River Forest were key differentiators. Hosty has only been township clerk since November of last year although he served as a member of the Forest Park Village Council for 16 years when he lived in Forest Park. Druckman, who lived the first 10 years of her life in Paris, France, moved to River Forest 16 years ago. She said she is excited to become township supervisor. She is passionate about the townSee DRUCKMAN on page 21

Wednesday Journal, August 19, 2026

IHOP

Ruins of an ancient business from page 1 from the county. Failor said the village is also in contact with the county and the property owners. He said the county is now waiting for the property owners to file for a demolition permit. “The village is monitoring that effort and, if the county permit is not obtained within a reasonable timeframe, may consider further enforcement action,” Failor said in a statement. Certain measures preceding a full demolition, such as asbestos cleanup, have already been completed. Recently, the village issued a citation to the owners related to

PRASAD from page 6 portion of those payments was to supplement his payroll.” “To supplement his payroll?” “Yes,” Dumanis said. “Did Dr. Prasad tell you why he wanted the payment set up this way?” “He said that he was going through a divorce at the time, and he didn’t want his official payroll records to have all of the payroll reflected,” Dumanis testified. “So for those biweekly payments that we were discussing, did those continue throughout your employment at the Resilience Healthcare entities,” Dumanis was asked. “Yes,” she said. Later on she was asked if she ever requested to see the account statements for Westlaw and she replied that she had asked.

OAKPARK.COM debris around the property, with a hearing regarding that citation scheduled for Sept. 10. That’s not the first legal measure the village has taken regarding the North Avenue property: Failor says the village took the property owners to court in the past for graffiti on the building. Failor said he hopes the judge requires the property owners deal with the debris. “That’s one piece of the improvement we’re looking for,” Failor said. “It’s one step to get the property cleaned up.”

A brief history of 6501 W. North Ave. According to maps provided by the Historical Society of Oak Park and River Forest, a filling station was built on 6501 W. North Ave. sometime between 1947 and 1950. By December 1964, an International “Who did you request access from?” “Dr. Prasad.” “Did Dr. Prasad ever provide you with those account statements?” “No.” “Did he ever provide you with access to the Westlaw accounts?” “No.” Asked later, “Wasn’t it your idea to make sure that funds were transferred out of the operating accounts because if it were to stay in the operating accounts, the hospital would spend it?” Dumanis answered, “That was his idea.” “Your testimony is that was his idea, not yours?” “Correct.” Dumanis was later asked, “So you previously testified that Dr. Prasad would be paid at least $25,000 usually biweekly from the hospitals and to the Westlaw account?” “Yes,” she said. On re-direct examination, Ramco attorney Scott Kaplan sought clarification of what Du-

Superior Tree Removal and Tree Trimming Paul Bunyon and Sons 37 years in business

708-681-9031

PaulBunyonandSons.com

Tree Care | Paul Bunyon & Sons Tree Service | Oakbrook Terrace

House of Pancakes location had replaced the gas station, becoming the fifth Chicago-area restaurant in the national chain. A Jan. 14, 1965 review of the establishment in the Oak Leaves newspaper, described its initial business as “outstanding.” In 1965, visitors could receive an “international steak” with fries and a salad for $1.95, or a ham and cheese omelette with three buttermilk pancakes for $1.10. The property remained an IHOP through 2015, before closing. The building’s status as a former gas station came up in March 2016, when the property was subject to a remediation process with the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency. The Illinois EPA Site Remediation Program is a voluntary cleanup program that applies to sites that risk releasing hazardous substances, including petroleum.

By September of that year the Illinois EPA issued a No Further Remediation Letter, indicating the site no longer posed health or environmental risks, so long as the property was still used as approved. In late 2019, the Illinois EPA issued a notice of intent to void the No Further Remediation letter unless fees related to the 2016 assessment were paid. The letter does not appear to have been voided, though. As of a December 2021 inspection, the property has remained in compliance with the restrictions outlined in its No Further Remediation letter. According to Failor, the county has not indicated any such issues with the building regarding its status as a former gas station. In a statement, Failor said the village will determine next steps based on whether the property owners clear debris before the Sept. 10 adjudication date.

manis had said. “I believe you had testified earlier that Dr. Prasad was receiving compensation through regular payroll, correct,” Kaplan queried. “I believe so, yes,” she replied. “But that these transfers, these biweekly payments to Westlaw were in addition to those?” Kaplan asked. “Correct,” Dumais answered.

However, Martin Tasch, the attorney who initially represented Resilience and who later resigned, disclosed in a May 8 court filing that $2 million had in fact been set aside to compensate Prasad. As part of their effort to have a receiver appointed and Prasad removed, Ramco’s attorney had alleged that West Sub and Weiss Memorial had hospitals closed “because of the gross mismanagement and misappropriation of funds by Dr. Manoj Prasad.” Ramco alleged a $2 million transfer was part of that misappropriation, and that the money was sequestered in the Westlaw account controlled solely by Prasad. In refuting Ramco’s allegations, Tasch wrote that “The money was intended to address Prasad’s shortfall in compensation, which has apparently now become an issue.” Tasch also opined that it was money Prasad was justified in taking. “Prasad testified he only received $90,000 per year, but the parties never explored or took discovery on what he was entitled to,” Tasch wrote. He also suggested that Prasad believed he was entitled to more than $90,000 a year in compensation. Referring to the AUM Global Healthcare Management LLC Amended and Restating Operating Agreement which Prasad said he and Patlola signed, Tasch said it provided in Section 6.2 that Prasad “shall be paid compensation, including a comprehensive set of benefits, that is similar to compensation paid to CEOs of other similar sized hospitals.”

Prasad testimony When Prasad was on the stand, he was asked about his ongoing divorce. “Were you required to report your income as part of that divorce proceeding process?” “We are still not there yet,” he answered. “What was your salary at Resilience?” he was asked. “I was taking home $90,000 a year,” he replied. “That was your total compensation at Resilience?” “Correct,” he said. “2025?” “Correct,” he said. “2024?” “Correct,” he said. “Are you still paying yourself ?” “Yeah, the same amount,” Prasad answered. “And you’ve never taken any other compensation?” “No, I have not,” he answered. “So you dispute the testimony that we heard earlier today from your former CFO?” “Yeah. I totally disagree with that,” Prasad testified.

Wednesday Journal, August 19, 2026

OAKPARK.COM

Legal action on burned North Avenue apartment building ongoing The highly troubled building burned for 10 hours in February

By LILLIAN ALI Reporting Intern

On Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026, a massive fire engulfed an Oak Park apartment building at 1239 N. Taylor Ave. The fire burned through the unoccupied building for over 10 hours. Since then, the Village of Oak Park has spent months seeking approval to demolish the structure, according to previous reporting in Wednesday Journal. Since the fire, the village has filed several emergency motions seeking permission to demolish the building, or an order requiring property owner Sameer Chhabria to demolish it. The most recent one, the village’s fifth verified emergency motion, was filed

in late May. According to the motion, the village was notified in May that squatters had taken shelter in the building, which the motion noted is in “dangerous and unsafe condition.” “The village and the public will suffer irreparable harm should the conditions at the Subject Property continue to exist, and the village has no other adequate remedy at law,” said the motion, which was signed by assistant village attorney Rasheda Jackson. In an Aug. 4 hearing, the judge ordered Chhabria to provide the village with proof of insurance for the general contractor and subcontractor registration information and to “extend Cook County demolition permit, if necessary.” Ac-

cording to filings from the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County, the next court date in the ongoing case between the village and Chhabria is set for Aug. 25. Prior to the fire, the building had been cited for code violations amounting to at least $40,000 in fines. Filings from court cases involving the building say village inspections found foundational damage, exposed writing, and inoperable smoke detectors. Weeks before the fire, the village obtained a court order to clear the building of any occupants. In a brief interview with Wednesday Journal in February, Chhabria attributed the deterioration of the property preceding the fire to the presence of squatters.

DRUCKMAN from page 19 ship’s role in providing services to the residents of River Forest and is open to new ideas. Township government is an often sleepy and overlooked unit of government. It mostly focuses on human services and its main role, in River Forest at least, is to funnel money and grants to non-profit service providers. It also provides some direct services to seniors and youth and families. Druckman would like to see River Forest provide more direct services, as it has been doing to a degree under Becvar. Druckman, who has a background in marketing, wants to boost the visibility of township government. The supervisor is a part-time paid position with an annual salary of $49,382. The supervisor typically works 25 to 30 hours a week although the supervisor certainly does not punch a time clock. She likely won’t have to deal with managing the Civic Center building because the Village of River Forest is expected to approve the village taking over the Civic Center next month. Druckman said she supports the village taking over the Civic Center and dissolving the Civic Center Authority which was created in 1984 to purchase the Civic Center building on Madison Street.

“Quality, Affordable, Independent Housing for Seniors” Our beautiful 6-story building provides quality, affordable, independent housing for seniors. We offer 75 studio and onebedroom 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. The 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.

114 South Humphrey, Oak Park, Il 60302

For more information, please visit us at www.oakparkha.org or contact us at 708-386-5812.

Wednesday Journal, August 19, 2026

Homes

OAKPARK.COM

Wright’s Moore-Dugal House a stage for Shakespeare Forest Theatre Company brings play to the front lawn

See it for yourself The Forest Theatre Company’s production of All’s Well That Ends Well takes place on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, Aug. 7 through 23. Show time is 5 p.m. and tickets are free, though advanced registration is requested at: forest-theatre.org or foresttheatre.ludus.com The Moore-Dugal House is located at 333 Forest Ave. in Oak Park. When the interior rehabilitation of the home is completed and the home is open for private tours, Roush says that more information will be available at the home’s website: https://www.mooredugalhouse.org/

By LACEY SIKORA Real Estate Reporter

Frank Lloyd Wright designed Nathan Moore’s first house in 1895, and like a lot of Wright stories, there was a bit of drama in the home’s early history. At first, Wright was going to redesign the Victorian home on the corner of Oak Park’s Forest Avenue and Superior Street, but that plan was jettisoned and that original house moved off the lot. Moore instead tasked Wright with building a new, Tudor Revival home. While Wright was loathe to copy a historic style, he was just starting out and had a young family to support so he took on the commission. For years after the home was completed, Wright expressed his unhappiness with the house and declined to design homes in the Tudor style for other clients. The Moores, however, remained delighted with the house, buying the two properties to the south of the home to create one large property. They tore down one home and hired Wright to remodel the other, which they gave to their daughter Mary, when she married Edward Hills. In 1922, a fire struck the Nathan Moore home, destroying the third floor and damaging much of the remainder of the house. The Moore’s turned to Wright to redesign the house. Wright’s redesign resulted in a more ornamental home. Gothic windows, terracotta designs, and heavily carved wood decorate the exterior of the home. When Nathan Moore died in 1946, his daughter Mary inherited the home and sold it. For many years, the home was owned by William and Jackie Dugal, who opened the home for tours. Today, son Jim and his wife Nancy own the home. Jim and Nancy Dugal are bringing the home back to the state it was in 1923, when Wright remodeled the home for the Moores after the fire. Nancy’s son, Michael Roush, stepped in to help his mother and stepfather manage the rehabilitation of the home. Roush notes that Moore had Wright install an elevator during that remodel, and that figures into the vision for the house.

COURTESY OF FOREST THEATRE COMPANY

The Forest Theatre Company’s production of ‘All’s Well That Ends Well’ is running for three weekends on Forest Avenue in Oak Park. Several of William and Jackie’s children had Friedrich’s Ataxia, a neurodegenerative disorder that led to them using wheelchairs. Roush notes the house has a lot of stairs but is wheelchair accessible with ramps and the elevator. Jackie Dugal was passionate about making the community of Oak Park more accessible, and Roush says Jim Dugal wants to continue that vision in the family home. “We are going to open the home for private tours when the work is finished. It will be one of the only accessible Frank Lloyd Wright homes,” Roush says. Roush came by his love of architecture naturally. He grew up in a John Randall McDonald-designed home in Wisconsin. Growing up in a home designed by a student of Wright’s has led to his life-long love of architecture. Roush is bringing more than his love of architecture to the home this summer. Under his supervision, the drama is returning to the home in a literal sense. As an actor, Roush performed for Forest Theatre Company’s founder Rick Corley years ago in Arizona Shakespeare produc-

tions. When Roush moved to Oak Park to oversee the renovations to the Moore-Dugal house, he reached out to Corley, and an idea was born. Corley was looking for an outdoor venue for his summer Shakespeare production, and Roush and the Dugals were looking for a way to contribute to the arts via their home. Partnering with the Dugals, the theatre company is staging three weekends of productions of Shakespeare’s All’s Well That Ends Well on the lawn of the Moore-Dugal house this August. The company performs daylight Shakespeare plays outdoors in the summer months, and for Corley, the opportunity to bring the experience to the Moore-Dugal house was hard to pass up. Corley says, “I think the Dugals were excited to have the house be seen less as an artifact and museum piece and more of something that’s alive and can be dynamic and interacted with.” Staging the play on the lawn allows the house to serve as backdrop according to Corley who says, “We don’t have to have

a set because the house itself is so beautiful. We’re able to use the balcony as part of the set.” He adds, “The acoustics are very nice because you’re performing in front of a brick house. There’s a sort of vocal warmth to the setting. It really is perfect for us.” Lisa Green, executive director for the theatre group, says that Jim Dugal has a deep connection to the arts due to his mother’s interest in the arts and was inspired to bring them back into to the house. “It’s a pretty special thing to carry on those wishes,” she says. Logistically, setting the play on a lawn in a neighborhood involved a bit of planning. Green had to think how to stage things so as not to kill the grass, which rooms of the home would make appropriate dressing rooms for the cast, and how to make sure the audience was comfortable. Porta potties, garbage cans and neighbor relations were other tasks that she took on. Other than some heat and a few sprinkles, she says that the opening weekend of the three weekends of performances went well. “We got to perform with this beautiful house as our backdrop. It feels like it was a big win for FTC.” “The Dugal family has been nothing but gracious,” she says. “They’ve given us this great location in the heart of Oak Park, in this historic district, tied to this amazing historic home. The street is just magical.”

Wednesday Journal, August 19, 2026

OAKPARK.COM

Home town. Your local, We make real estate easier.

Independent

321 N Scoville Ave Oak Park | $1,600,000 Heidi Rogers

1049 N Elmwood Ave Oak Park | $1,275,000 Catherine Simon-Vobornik

820 Ashland Ave River Forest | $1,200,000

729 N Elmwood Ave Oak Park | $1,150,000 Kim Wojack

1104 Greenfield St Oak Park | $999,000

1016 Belleforte Ave Oak Park | $995,000 Patricia McGowan

227 S Euclid Ave Oak Park | $975,000 Steve Scheuring

619 N Grove Ave Oak Park | $679,000 Catherine Simon-Vobornik Lloyd Behrenbruch

847 N Cuyler Ave Oak Park | $638,000 Steve Scheuring

316 N Austin Blvd Oak Park | $599,000 Cathy Yanda

1010 N Lombard Ave Oak Park | $475,000 Swati Saxena

1124 Lake St #503 Oak Park | $439,000 Ann Keeney

1183 S Cuyler Ave Oak Park | $425,000 Bethanny Alexander

1112 S 3rd Ave Maywood | $415,000 Cathy Yanda

8936 W Forestview Ave North Riverside | $375,000 Michelle Galindo

2345 Harvey Ave Berwyn | $369,000 Margarita Lopez

344 S Maple Ave #2B Oak Park | $349,000 Cathy Yanda

1243 Euclid Ave Berwyn| $334,900 Margarita Lopez

1535 Park Ave Unit 505 River Forest | $314,000 Anne Pezalla

240 S Maple Ave #3W Oak Park | $225,000 Swati Saxena

Kim Wojack

Baird & Warner Oak Park/River Forest | 1037 Chicago Ave | 708.697.5900 | OakPark.BairdWarner.com

Kim Wojack

Check us out on Instagram

Wednesday Journal, August 19, 2026

Shrubtown p. 27

VIEWPOINTS

DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS IS FRIDAY 5 P.M.

Call Viewpoints editor Ken Trainor at 613-3310 Email: ktrainor@newswellchicago.org

More than a stop sign

aring for the health and safety of our kids truly takes a village. And as we get ready to launch another school year, there is one part of that village I think we too often overlook: our crossing guards. Yes, crossing guards keep kids safe. They stand in traffic, stop cars and make sure hundreds of kids get across busy streets in one piece. That alone deserves our gratitude. But the great ones do so much more. Think about how much time a crossing guard spends with the same kids and families. A few minutes every morning. A few minutes every afternoon. Day after day, year after year. Those minutes add up. They learn names. There are fist bumps, hugs and special handshakes. They know which kid is going to sprint across the street despite the daily reminder to slow down. They create a little pocket of warmth on an otherwise ordinary corner. Take Ms. Juanita, the GOAT of crossing guards. To a lot of kids on her corner, she isn’t just the woman who stops traffic. She’s something closer to a grandmother. She notices the new haircut. She remembers whose birthday is coming up. She’ll tell a kid to zip up their coat or put on the hat they promised their parents they’d wear, but somehow forgot about the second they walked out the door. And it’s not just the kids who linger. Plenty of parents have already dropped off their kid and are technically free to go, but somehow find a reason to stand on the corner a little longer. Ms. Juanita is dispensing something you can’t get anywhere else on a Tuesday morning: perspective, a little gossip, maybe a gentle scolding about the coat you, the adult, isn’t wearing. You came for the crosswalk. You stayed for the wisdom. When our kids were younger, we walked them to school ourselves. Then, seemingly overnight, independence kicked in. By the middle of third grade, we were informed that our services were only needed on Mondays. By fourth grade, we’d essentially been fired. We would have happily kept walking with them. But the transition was easier knowing Ms. Juanita was going to be on that corner every morning and afternoon. Over time, crossing guards become part of the fabric of your day. They see the mornings when you’re running late, when somebody forgot something, when you clearly didn’t sleep enough. There are very few people who can look at you at 7:45 a.m. and say, “You look tired today!” A beloved crossing guard can. Because it doesn’t land as judgment. It lands as, I see you. You’re part of my morning, too. So as we head back to school, thank your crossing guard. Better yet, get to know them. They aren’t just helping our kids cross the road. Some of them help to raise us all. Vince Gay, the proud parent of two school-age children, has over 20 years of experience in education, ranging from classroom teacher to building administrator.

VINCENT GAY

ADOBE STOCK IMAGE

A dreamtime encounter in a Berwyn alley

he grey, cyclone gate squeaked as I stepped through it from the yard of my 1960s childhood into the Berwyn alley. Zigging weeds reached through zagging lines of broken concrete. Across from our garage, Mr. Haney’s scratched, yellow door moaned, “Paint me!” I looked left – south – at the telephone pole rising to where various lines from the houses came together. And there it was at the top: the skeleton, hanging with its arms outstretched along a horizontal board, its head tilted, its chin resting on the upper bones of its chest. As I gazed, astonished, his eyes flickered life, locking onto mine. After a minute-long stare, his arms freed themselves from the plank to which they’d been strapped. He proceeded to slide down the pole with trembling energy. When he touched the alley’s hard surface, he dropped to four legs. He spawned brown, floppy

ears, claws and a wagging tail. Suddenly, he bounded toward me like a lost friend. He nuzzled my feet. I stroked his thick, smooth fur as memories of walking and tossing broken sticks in the park came to life … How does one’s past reach into one’s present after it’s been neglected, buried or hung in shadowy effigy? Sometimes, it does so through dreams. During my midlife (my late 30s and early 40s), I, the progressive planner and professor, was pressed by my inner, repressed, workingclass, Berwyn self to finally show him some love. For years at meetings or conferences, when someone in Pennsylvania or Indiana would ask where in the Chicago area I was from, I would say, “Oak Park.” Close enough, right? After all, people had heard of Oak Park … the

RICH KORDESH One View

See RICH KORDESH on page 30

OAKPARK.COM

A reality check for zoning-change opponents

question for my NIMBY (Not in My Backyard) and MIMBY (Maybe in My Backyard) and Wright-Sized Oak Park friends who are against revising the current zoning code to allow more smaller multifamily housing in Oak Park as one way to address housing affordability: Do you believe our local zoning restrictions have played a role in causing high housing prices in Oak Park? This is a reality check. It’s not like asking a MAGA devotee to believe Ivermectin cures COVID or whether 200 anonymous CIA agents incited the rioting at the Capitol on January 6. If you believe that our zoning is not a cause in what is shaping up to be a defining issue of the next Presidential election — housing affordability — it’s hard to have a discussion. Same if you believe that Wall Street greed is the only reason for high housing costs. Just like conversation is hard with my NewmaxedMAGA relatives. I’ll put it plainly: single-family zoning is a primary (but not sole) culprit making Oak Park housing, like most urban areas in America, unaffordable for most income levels. That’s why the Oak Park Village Board is taking steps to revise the zoning code. Should they do it? Yes. Will it work? Who knows? But one thing’s for sure. If we continue down our current zoning path, the million-dollar Oak Park home will not be an exception. The proposed zoning changes, by the way, are not in my self-interest. Me and my fellow Oak Park Baby Boomers are grandfathered in on housing costs. We mostly already own our houses/condos and will ride our home equity to our graves (and then leave our estates to heirs who won’t be able to afford to live in Oak Park). Has Oak Park seen an effort to sidestep single-family zoning over the last hundred-plus years? Yes. Remember that Oak Park’s population surged to 66,000 around 1940? In 2020, the population was only 54,000. Where did those additional 12,000 people live? They were squeezed into the existing housing stock. How did that happen? Lots of Oak Parkers converted their single-family homes into bootleg two-flats. Those rental units still dot many quiet streets, including mine. Having reached venerable ages, these two-flats are “grandfathered in” even though they often technically violate the single-family zoning. Should there be an election referendum on changing the zoning code? No. Let our village trustees, who are studying the issue in depth and taking comments, make the call rather than NIMBY’s who hope to control the outcome in low-turnout municipal elections. If the trustees really screw things up, there is always the next election to vote them out.

JACK CROWE

V I E W P O I N T S

Wednesday Journal, August 19, 2026

Odysseus and the long way home Keep Ithaca always in your mind. Arriving there is what you are destined for. But don’t hurry the journey at all. Better if it lasts for years, so you’re old by the time you reach the island, wealthy with all you’ve gained on the way … Ithaca gave you the marvelous journey. Without her you would not have set out … Wise as you will have become, so full of experience, you’ll have understood by then what these Ithacas mean.

C.P. Cavafy

Greek/Egyptian poet

I didn’t know a story could have this kind of impact. Reading it in my bedroom, night after night, the world enlarged and I was launched on a literary odyssey. I never did read the original, but here’s a taste: “Yea, and if some god shall wreck me in the wine-dark deep, even so I will endure … for already have I suffered full much, and much have I toiled in perils of waves and war. Let this be added to the tale.” My literary odyssey led me to James Joyce’s novel, Ulysses, a modern retelling, and Tennyson’s famous poem of the same name, in which England’s great poet re-imagines an older Odysseus, driven by deep restlessness to set off one more time to seek a newer world. I am part of all that I have met / Yet all experience is an arch wherethro’ / Gleams that untravell’d world whose margin fades / … And this gray spirit yearning in desire / To follow knowledge like a sinking star / Beyond the utmost bound of human thought. Oak Park turned out to be my Ithaca. I left it for 20 years and returned to chronicle the odysseys of my fellow villagers for the past 36 years. You really can go home again and Oak Park has been everything I could have asked of Ithaca. The power in Homer’s metaphor is what makes this ancient story still relevant. Joseph Campbell, the world’s foremost authority on mythology, said stories like these have no power unless we apply them to our own life — until we see our face in them. The “hero of a thousand faces,” he called it. When we see the parallels, the power of myth is unleashed. Everyone is on a mythic journey through a wild and wonder-filled world, facing monsters — external and internal — driven by a holy restlessness, navigating and probing the wine-dark deep, far from home but getting closer, enduring the great loneliness of the hero, stripped at last of all but our very selves, homing in, coming full circle, returning to our respective Ithacas, thoroughly humbled. This is why African Americans, that most Odyssean of cultures, refers to the end of our individual odysseys as “homegoing.” In Nolan’s somewhat Hollywoodized version, Odysseus sets out on one more journey at the end of the film, following the setting sun, to honor the crew he lost. A journey of atonement. What is your odyssey? What is your Ithaca? What is your atonement? Only by bidding farewell to longings and attachments, to how much more there is to live for, and know it was all worthwhile yet let it all go. Only then, when death comes, will we be ready for it.

KEN

TRAINOR

dysseus took the long way home to Ithaca — a very long way home indeed, 10 years after the Trojan War concluded, a war that lasted 10 years itself and ended only when the wily Odysseus, as he was known, came up with a scheme, the famous and infamous “Trojan Horse.” It turned the tide, but earned him the enmity of Poseidon, god of the sea, who made his trip home a seafarer’s nightmare. Many who weren’t familiar with Homer’s 2,700-year-old epic poem, “The Odyssey,” are acquainted now, thanks to a new film by Christopher Nolan, the cinematic event of the year to date and a testament to the enduring power of myth. As it happens, I too have a long history with this story. Picture a 10-year-old boy holed up in a cozy, second-floor bedroom in one of those grand four-square Gunderson homes overlooking Jackson Boulevard on the south side of Oak Park in the early 1960s, hunched over a book. The Adventures of Ulysses was one of many books in the Landmark series for young readers. Abe Lincoln – Log Cabin to the White House, The Landing of the Pilgrims, The Swamp Fox of the Revolution to name a few. But this one changed my life. The story held me in thrall — Ulysses (the Latin version of Odysseus) and his crew were condemned to a long, tortuous trip back home, during which they encounter the man-eating, one-eyed Cyclops; the boulder-tossing Laestrygonians; the perilous passage between Scylla and Charybdis, the deadly song of the Sirens, Circe’s lotus blossoms of forgetfulness. At one point, he came within sight of his homeland, only to have his crew foolishly open the bag of winds that King Aeolus had given them, setting off a storm that blew them far off course again. He survives it all and is finally delivered to Ithaca’s shore. In the guise of a lowly beggar, he must use his wiles, and his prowess with a bow, to regain his throne and be reunited with his family.

V I E W P O I N T S

Wednesday Journal, August 19, 2026

Comparing Oak Park & Minneapolis

n the July 29 Viewpoints [Progress on housing affordability], Trustee Derek Eder compared the result of ending single-family zoning in Minneapolis with what he expected would happen if we ended singlefamily zoning in Oak Park: falling rents and building new multifamily units that created more affordable housing. So I did some simple Google searches to compare Minneapolis with Oak Park. Minneapolis has a land area of 53.97 square miles. Oak Park has a land area of 4.7 square miles. Minneapolis has a population of 430,162. Oak Park has a population of 54,318. Minneapolis has a population density of 7,966 people per square mile. Oak Park has a population density of 11,614 people per square mile. Minneapolis has vacant buildable land, including private infill lots listed on standard real estate markets and publicly owned parcels managed directly by the city across various neighborhoods that list for

$20,000 to $60,000 depending on the neighborhood. Oak Park has virtually no vacant buildable land — except the ever present Mohr Concrete site. The city of Minneapolis owns vacant lots across various neighborhoods and the sole purpose of these city-owned lots is to sell them to developers specifically to build affordable housing. Oak Park has no village-owned lots to sell to developers specifically to build affordable housing. Minneapolis invests tens of millions of dollars into affordable housing annually through a mix of local funds, federal grants, and tax credits. For instance, the city recently put $14 million and nearly $18.5 million through its Affordable Housing Trust Fund. Federal funding for affording housing in Oak Park is typically allocated on a project-by-project basis through state-administered federal programs like

ALAN KRAUSE One View

Mandatory aides on buses

As the new school year approaches on Aug. 25, Oak Park and River Forest High School District 200 faces a quiet but severe student safety and civil rights crisis. My 20-year-old son, Horace, attends the OPRF CITE program in Forest Park. He has multiple disabilities, including autism and a seizure disorder. His legally binding Individualized Education Program (IEP) mandates that a bus aide be on his vehicle at all times for physical safety. Yet on three separate occasions this past May, District 200’s third-party bus contractor (Grand Prairie Transit/ The First Student Bus Company) failed to provide this mandated aide. High-needs students were left entirely unmonitored during transport through busy municipal corridors, creating an immediate risk to the students and the public. This is not an isolated oversight. Five years ago, the exact same violation by this contractor occurred for two weeks straight. I filed a complaint, and the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) officially found both the school district and the bus company at fault. The fact that these dangerous violations are happening again demonstrates a chronic,

Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC) rather than a fixed annual direct block grant. For specific recent developments, federal and state tax credits have generated over $12 million for projects like the 36-unit Keystone Apartments, while local support is supplemented by the village’s own Housing Trust Fund. My concern is that if Trustee Eder, and other trustees, are using data from Minneapolis and other such cities as a basis for eliminating single-family zoning in Oak Park, they are clearly trying to pound a square peg into a round hole. There is no basis in reality to think that if Oak Park followed the elimination of single-family zoning as was done in Minneapolis, or any other similarly situated city, it would result in a drop in rents and an explosion of affordable housing in Oak Park. As the facts stated above make clear, there are too many other variables that

systemic refusal to comply with state and federal law. I have escalated this issue by filing new complaints with ISBE, the Cook County Commission on Human Rights, the Illinois Department of Human Rights, and the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights. However, legal battles take time, and school starts in days. We cannot allow a private contractor’s repeated negligence to compromise the safety of our town’s most vulnerable children. Our local leaders — including Senate President Don Harmon, state Representative Camille Lilly, Cook County Board Commissioner Tara Stamps, Oak Park Village President Vicki Scaman, Forest Park Mayor Hoskins, and OPRF D200 leadership — must intervene immediately. They must hold this contractor accountable and ensure special education transit safety mandates are strictly enforced before Aug. 25. D200 prides itself on equity and inclusion. It is time to meaningfully extend that commitment to special education students and their school buses.

Adebajo Amusa Oak Park

were actually responsible for the results set forth in Trustee Eder’s “One View.” Can any of the trustees please provide the residents of Oak Park with some data on the effects of the elimination of single-family zoning on landlocked municipalities with no buildable land with a population of around 50,000 people living within a land area of approximately 5 miles? It would be nice to know that somebody in Oak Park is making these monumental zoning decisions based on the facts on the ground in Oak Park. Google searches: Does Minneapolis have any vacant buildable land? How physically big is Minneapolis? How physically big is Oak Park IL? How much federal money does Minneapolis receive for affordable housing? How much federal money does Oak Park IL receive for affordable housing? Alan Krause is an Oak Park resident.

Oak Park’s overnight parking restrictions

As the debate over Oak Park’s proposed changes to single-family zoning continues, residents are understandably focused on the possibility of duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes and six-flats appearing throughout our neighborhoods. But there is another proposed change that deserves the public’s attention: eliminating Oak Park’s overnight parking restrictions. The connection is hard to miss. If the village permits substantially greater residential density, more households will mean more cars. One solution now being discussed is to allow those cars to remain parked on our residential streets overnight. But that would change something that has long been part of life in Oak Park. Keeping cars off residential streets overnight helps keep our streets open and orderly. It makes street sweeping and snow removal easier, reduces the number of vehicles occupying the public right-of-way around the clock, and provides police with clearer visibility of activity on our streets. Oak Park already has a reasonable way to accommodate occasional overnight parking. Temporary parking is available when resi-

dents have guests or other short-term needs by contacting the village. Why abandon that system? If increased density creates enough parking demand that the village must eliminate a longstanding overnight parking restriction, shouldn’t residents be asking whether the proposed zoning changes are creating infrastructure and neighborhood impacts that deserve much more careful consideration? This is not simply about where we park our cars. It is about whether Oak Park should change one of its longstanding neighborhood standards to accommodate the consequences of a zoning plan that would substantially change the character and density of our neighborhoods. Before we make these changes, residents deserve to understand the full picture — not just how many additional housing units could be created, but how those changes will affect our streets, parking, snow removal, street cleaning, traffic and the character of our neighborhoods. More housing may be the goal. But we should not overlook what comes with it.

Audrey Strode Oak Park

V I E W P O I N T S S H R U B T O W N

by Marc Stopeck

Wednesday Journal, August 19, 2026 W E D N E S D A Y

JOURNAL of Oak Park and River Forest

Viewpoints Guidelines

Oak Parkers deserve to be heard

On Aug. 3, Oak Parkers for Free Speech submitted 3,504 signatures to place this question on the Nov. 3 ballot: “Should the state of Illinois repeal laws that ban state investment in businesses that boycott the state of Israel?” In 10 weeks, we collected far more than the 2,000 signatures required to qualify for an advisory referendum. Oak Parkers clearly want the opportunity to express our views on the Illinois Rauner-era anti-boycott law and to let state senators Harmon and Lightford and representatives Lilly and Ford know where we stand. On Aug. 10, opponents objected to our referendum petitions. The objection does not challenge the referendum question itself or the authenticity of the signatures. Instead, it challenges the affidavit portion of our petitions in an effort to prevent Oak Park voters from having our say in November. In the days ahead, we will use every lawful means available to uphold the rights of the thousands of Oak Park voters who signed our petitions. Notably, opponents have never defended the law itself. They have not explained why Israel, and only Israel, should receive special protection from boycott in Illinois state pension investments. Nor have they explained why pension investment decisions should be driven by political considerations rather than fiscal responsibility to taxpayers and pensioners.

If opponents support the current law, they owe voters an explanation: Why do they disagree with the ACLU, which states that boycotts are protected speech? Why should Israel be singled out for special protection from boycott? And why should Illinois state pensions be the avenue for political goals? Instead, opponents claim the referendum is about Middle East policy. It is not. It is about an Illinois law that restricts the right to boycott, in violation of a unanimous 1982 Supreme Court decision that economic boycotts are protected free speech, and that directly impacts the pensions of current and retired Illinois state employees residing in Oak Park. These are issues for Oak Park voters, and we deserve to be heard. We look forward to the village Electoral Board overruling the objection so that Oak Park voters have the opportunity to weigh in on this important question of free speech, human rights, and responsible public investment. In today’s political environment, our institutions must stand firm against any and all efforts that undermine the public’s ability to choose and to be heard.

Jesse Bauer & Caren Van Slyke

Oak Parkers for Free Speech opfreespeech.org

The 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 sufficient space, we print longer submissions, but when space is limited — as it often is — we may ask you to submit a shorter version or hold the piece until space allows us to print it. We reserve the right to edit submissions. We do not have time to allow the writer to review changes before publication. We also do not have time to do more than superficial fact-checking, and because of our national epidemic of misinformation and conspiracy theories, when writers include statistical evidence to support their opinions, we require them to include the source of that information, such as credible websites, print publications, titles of articles and dates published, etc. Be as specific as possible so that we and our readers have some way of assessing the credibility of your claims. Links may also be included for the online version. We follow the Society of Professional Journalists’ code of ethics: seek the truth and report it and minimize harm. As a result, we will do our best not to publish pieces that espouse doubtful or debunked theories, demonstrate harmful bias, or cross the line into incivility. While we will do our best not to engage in censorship, we also do not intend to be used as a platform for misinformation. Your sources for fact-checking are a critical step in keeping the discourse honest, decent and respectful. All submissions must include your first and last name and the municipality in which you live, plus a phone number (for verification only). We do not publish anonymous letters. One View essays should include a sentence at the end about who you are. 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 files or plain text included in the email. LETTER 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 ■ One-sentence footnote

about yourself and/or your connection to the topic ■ Signature details as at left

V I E W P O I N T S

Wednesday Journal, August 19, 2026

OAKPARK.COM

Open letter to trustees Brian Straw and Cory Wesley

As Oak Park considers major changes to residential zoning, I am asking both of you to explain as clearly as possible what you believe these changes are intended to accomplish and how residents should judge whether they succeed. Trustee Straw, you once said that this was a place where you were interested in being “more disruptive.” I would like to understand exactly what you meant. Were you referring to disrupting the existing zoning classifications, reducing the number of residential districts, changing parking or density requirements, or altering the physical pattern of Oak Park neighborhoods? If a less disruptive approach could substantially increase housing choice and affordability, would you support it? If not, why is greater disruption necessary? More importantly, what measurable benefit do you expect that additional disrup-

tion to produce? How many new housing units would represent success? What types of units? At what prices? Five or 10 years from now, what evidence should residents examine to determine whether the disruption you supported was justified by the results? Trustee Wesley, you have argued that single-family zoning has contributed to racial and economic exclusion and that merely changing terminology without changing the underlying structure would be inadequate. I understand the history you are describing, but I would like to know what measurable outcome you expect from changing that structure. If single-family-only zoning is eliminated, should residents expect greater racial integration in neighborhoods that are now disproportionately white? Should we expect more Black homeowners or renters, more working-class households, more

Will it make Oak Park more affordable?

As a former resident of Oak Park (for 62 years), I have been avidly following the debate on the proposed zoning changes. I read an article in the Aug. 9 edition of the Tribune about an auction in Elk Grove Village for the chance to buy one of 20 homes at below market value. Perhaps Oak Park should consider a less radical approach to affordable housing than the zoning changes currently on the table. Why not take a leaf from Elk Grove’s book and try the same approach? The only challenge I’d see to such a plan is how the new owners would be able to afford Oak Park’s rather high property taxes once they moved in. I don’t have a good answer for that problem. However, perhaps some kind of tax subsidy could be made available for a period of, say, five years to ease the burden. I think that blaming single-family housing for the lack of diversity (by way of lack of affordable housing) is an overly simplistic view of the issue. Regardless of how many multifam-

ily properties you add to the housing stock, Oak Park’s property taxes are simply too high for many middle-class and lower-middle-class families to be able to afford — whether they own a single-family home or a multifamily unit in Oak Park. Landlords have to pass along the cost of high property taxes to their tenants in the form of high rents that, again, may not be manageable to those seeking affordable rentals. Developers are out to make money. How many are willing to build affordable housing? If we increase the housing stock in Oak Park by “dezoning,” who is to say that all or indeed any of those multifamily buildings, be they condos or rental units, will be affordable? Possibly we may just succeed in significantly increasing the density of Oak Park without making it any more affordable for the very people we’re seeking to bring into the village.

Louise Mezzatesta

River Forest (formerly Oak Park)

young adults, retirees, or middle-income families? Should housing prices or rents become more affordable? And if those changes do not occur, would you conclude that eliminating single-family zoning was insufficient to accomplish the objectives you identified? What other policies would then be necessary? I would ask both of you the same broader question: What does success look like? What evidence demonstrates that the zoning changes you support are likely to produce the outcomes you seek? What are the possible effects on infrastructure, schools, parking, taxes, historic preservation, existing affordable housing, and neighborhood character? How should those consequences be weighed against the anticipated benefits? These questions are not arguments against change. They are questions about responsibility.

If Oak Park is going to alter a residential zoning system that has existed for generations, residents should know what specific problems each change is intended to solve, what evidence supports the proposed solution, and what measurements will be used afterward to determine whether it worked. I believe Oak Park can acknowledge the exclusionary history of housing policy while still asking whether a particular reform will actually produce affordability, opportunity, and integration. Those are not contradictory positions. Before we decide how much disruption is necessary, we should understand what that disruption is intended to accomplish. And before we are asked to accept major changes, we should know how, years from now, we will be able to say with confidence that those changes succeeded.

Robert Milstein

Former trustee, Oak Park

A true inspiration

I remember when Happy Apple Pie Shop opened because it was during my campaign for Oak Park trustee, 10 years ago. I just read that the founder, Michelle Mascaro, is retiring. Michelle has been an inspiration to many, including me, and a respected leader in social entrepreneurship. She created far more than jobs for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Happy Apple Pie Shop is a workplace where people with and without disabilities work side by side, experiencing a genuine sense of purpose and

belonging. That is rare and special in any workplace. As Michelle retires, I want to thank her publicly for the vision, determination, and care she brought to Happy Apple Pie Shop. Her work will have generational impact, and hopefully serve as a model for future mission-driven entrepreneurs. I am glad to see her legacy continue under Easterseals, and I wish her a peaceful and well-deserved retirement.

Deno Andews

Oak Park village trustee, 2017-2021

Tax appeal deadline looms

Oak Park property owners should be aware that Sept. 1 is the deadline for appealing their 2026 tax assessments with the Cook County Board of Review. Earlier this year, the Cook County Assessor’s Office mailed new property tax assessments to all Oak Park property owners, after which taxpayers had their first opportunity to file an appeal. The second appeal period is with the Board of Review. Taxpayers seeking to file with the board can set up an appointment with the expe-

rienced staffers at the Oak Park Township Assessor’s Office by calling 708-383-8005 during regular business hours. Taxpayers should also be aware that the Cook County Board of Review will be hosting a forum in Oak Park on tax appeals on Thursday, Aug. 27 at 6:30 p.m. The forum will take place at the Beye Elementary School auditorium, 230 N. Cuyler Ave. in Oak Park.

Ali ElSaffar

Oak Park Township assessor

V I E W P O I N T S

OAKPARK.COM

Wednesday Journal, August 19, 2026

Single family, double standard

I have attended many village board meetings to express my opposition to ending single-family zoning in Oak Park. I do believe that our village board earnestly would like to find a solution to the meteoric rise in house prices and rents, especially for members of the missing middle, working-class employees of Oak Park government and businesses, retirees and the poor. I have heard testimony pro and con, some of it rather unpleasant, with charges that single-family homeowners are racists and trying to keep people different from them out of the village. Some of the speakers are newer residents who came to Oak Park for its good schools, closeness to the Loop, and its historic charm. These speakers complain that housing prices have been a burden and a barrier to their happiness in the village whose many features they enjoy. They are adamant about the need to get rid of singlefamily zoning to create more multifamily housing options to lower costs. One speaker literally said that supporters of single-family zoning need to get out of the way of progress and the future and if they did not like that they should move out of Oak Park and go west to one of many towns that remain single-family zoning.

Tone deaf or simply hubris?

I am convinced that the village board will eliminate single-family zoning just as they banned any energy source other than electric for new construction and have used multiple zoning variances to approve tall buildings out of character for their neighborhood. They have gone so far as to vote down a citizen request for a referendum, stating that the issues surrounding the change are far too complex for citizens to vote on, despite the fact that we were able to make the complex decision to elect them to make these kind of tough decisions. And they said that a referendum would be non-binding and they would ignore its results. There will be a number of months until the board makes its final decision, during which village government and its hired gun, Opticos Consultants, will meet with Oak Park citizens telling them the way things will be; talking down to the very electorate that elected them rather than having a frank discussion between elected trustees (not hired consultants) and the citizens who allegedly elected them. (If you look at the votes garnered by each member of the board, the numbers are embarrassingly small since few Oak Parkers vote in municipal elections.)

Numerous articles have been written by Oak Park residents expressing concerns about the proposed elimination of single-family zoning. While forums have reportedly been established to solicit community feedback, many Oak Parkers may not even be aware that these opportunities exist. What has been missing in my opinion, is a clear, widely communicated study and plan outlining potential impacts and intended/evidence-based outcomes of such a significant policy change. As numerous Oak Parkers have stated many times over, residents deserve meaningful opportunities to understand the proposal and make their voices heard. For the board to reject a non-binding referendum is particularly troubling to say the least. Rejecting that opportunity raises an important question: Is this hubris or is the board simply tone-deaf ?

Oak Park

F A V O R I T E

Frank Vozak

T H I N G S

I N

F O R E S T

Mary Ann Kennedy

P A R K

Part art show, part art sale, part art party!

he more time I spend in Forest Park, the more I love it. You can say that Forest Park is one of my favorite things. Besides all the great restaurants, bars, and shops, they have a booming arts scene. The Forest Park Arts Alliance is hosting their annual Garage Galleries Walk on Aug. 22. It’s an art show and sale with over 100 artists and 40 garages converted to galleries. But it is also an art party in many ways. It’s a community event that started out a dozen years ago and has continued to grow. You will find hundreds of people strolling through the streets and alleys of Forest Park, visiting as many galleries as they can. Artworks include paintings, prints, photographs, jewelry, pottery, fiber arts and crafts, woodworking, sculptures, mixed media, and even comics. Artists are from our extended community, including Forest Park, Oak Park, River Forest, Brookfield, Riverside, Maywood, Berwyn, Elmwood Park, Chicago and more! Besides finding amazing, one of a kind, original artworks, you will also be able to connect with neighbors and garage hosts, and you’re sure to make some new friends. Dotted throughout the galleries will be some

live music, a hair-braider, a face-painter, ice cream, coffee, drinks and more to make for a community-friendly event. One great thing is that you get to meet the artists and make a personal connection to any artwork there. You can talk to them about their art, how they make it, their experience, their inspiration. Many artists are also available for custom commissions — for weddings, gifts, portraits, even custom art designed just for your space. When you go to Garage Galleries, you’re bound to find art you love. And I have no doubt that Garage Galleries will also become one of your favorite things too! Garage Galleries is happening in 44 locations throughout Forest Park this Saturday, Aug. 22 and runs from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. For more information, readers can visit www. garagegalleriesFP.com and @garagegalleriesforestpark on Instagram. Also check out the new interactive map where you can find all gallery locations and artists and take a virtual tour, and info on the free prize raffle. Steve Metro is a local artist and Garage Gallery volunteer, who will be in Gallery #30 showing off his wood art and woodworks in Forest Park on Aug. 22.

STEVE METRO One View

FILE PHOTO

Garage Galleries

Wednesday Journal, August 19, 2026

OAKPARK.COM

V I E W P O I N T S

O B I T U A R Y

‘Shape Oak Park’ needs to shape up

I examined “Shape Oak Park” by Opticos to better understand the proposal to eliminate singlefamily zoning. A copy of the report can be found at: https://engageoakpark.com/shape The proposal has numerous errors, omissions, contradictions, and misleading statements. Below are a few of the more egregious issues. Errors and contradictions: The proposal includes multiple statements, starting on page 7, that the minimum lot width in the village is 30 feet. This is incorrect. The minimum lot width is 25 feet and applies to many properties around the community. For example many of the lots on the 500 block of South Taylor, right in front of Violahe Hall, are 25 feet wide. This error continues to be perpetuated on all the work by Opticos. Parking is addressed only briefly on page 26. Opticos does not make a recommendation but suggests “Overnight parking ... changes should be studied carefully and discussed publicly as part of the village’s broader land use goals.” However during a board discussion on July 28, the impression from the board was contradictory, indicating that the overnight parking ban needs to be removed if these zoning changes are passed. The merits of overnight parking ban should be considered separately as part of this communitywide discussion. There are contradictions between Article 4 and Article 8. Article 4 on Page 8 indicates only a maximum of 4 units per lot for all N zones (N-1, N-2, and N-3). Footnote 4 then adds “zoning lots that are at least 50 feet wide and 125 feet deep (i.e. 6,250+ sq ft) may contain up to six dwelling units” for zones N-2 and N-3 only. Article 8 on pages 20-21 then contradicts these limits by proposing several additional ways to allow six units, including for lots of 5,000 sq feet. For N-1 lots, the contraction is clear: Article 4 strictly caps units to 4 per, but Article 8 allows up to 6 for N-1 lots near public transit (which is nearly the entire village). For N-2 and N-3 lots, the contradiction is more subtle. An N-2/N-3 lot under 50 feet wide but still over 5,000 square footage and near transportation can build up to 6 units. These contradictions between Articles 4 and 8 need to be resolved. Omissions: On page 10, Optics references a “study to better understand and visualize how updated zoning standards could work” and the “focus of this pilot would be to show how new middle housing can maintain an appropriate relationship to nearby homes.” With proposed 5-foot side setbacks, this zoning change could lead to buildings as narrow

as 15 feet wide that are 35 feet tall. This study and feasibility work should precede adoption. The proposal discusses “cottage housing” as a “group of small, detached dwellings located on a single zoning lot or development site and organized around common open space” but does not define it in the context of Oak Park. It is unclear how to build cottage-style housing here. On page 11, Opticos makes a critical recommendation that the trustees have not followed: “the village should test whether the revised dimensional standards complement the inclusionary housing requirements and how they can be effectively applied to new multi-unit and mixeduse development.” The suggestion is to ensure that the proposal “produces affordable units as part of new development projects.” If the goal of this zoning change is to create affordable housing, then this critical step cannot be skipped before approval of new zoning standards. While the proposal implies that removing zoning barriers will produce more affordable housing, it supplies no financial feasibility model, rent/sale-price estimates, land/value analysis, affordability covenant, or anti-displacement assessment. Misleading: The goal of this proposal is to improve housing affordability, but is limited on detail as to what is meant by “affordable.” On the Engage Oak Park website, Opticos cautions “Middle Housing is not a guarantee of affordability.” Moreover they note, “Missing Middle Housing typically reaches 80% to 120% Area Median Income.” In other words, the Opticos consultants’ definition of affordable is average income plus or minus 20%. According to Cook County, as of May 2026 this range represents household income of $97,200-$145,800 for a family of four. Is this what we mean by affordable? “Incremental” and “gentle” materially understate the scale of what is proposed. The recommendations permit four units broadly on all lots down to 25 foot width (pending correction of the error above), six units in several circumstances, five-story/55-foot residential buildings in N-3, six-story/70-foot commercial-corridor buildings, and multiple allowances for accessory dwelling units. Describing it as merely incremental is not a neutral characterization. We deserve a better, more complete proposal for the $200,000 spent on this one. I advocate for slowing down this process to get it done right.

Grant Johnsey Oak Park

RICH KORDESH

Reconciliation at last from page 24 legacy of Frank Lloyd Wright, progressive leadership on race, Hemingway’s birthplace. I had grown up only three blocks south of Roosevelt. I went to Fenwick for two years. Later, in 1974-75, I had lived in an apartment on South Boulevard while working as an intern in the Community Relations Department (CRD). Moreover, Berwyn had been aligned with Cicero during the 1970s against Oak Park’s efforts to integrate racially. In fact, while with the CRD, I filed a report against my parents’ realtor for the subtly disparaging remarks I heard her make to them about Oak Park’s growing openness (https://www.oakpark. com/2020/06/18/peeling-backthe-layers-of-racial-bias/). I had incentives for diminishing my identity with my hometown. But my deeper self knew who I really was. And as can happen in midlife, the guy I was while growing up, who I thought I had transcended in order to build a professional career, demanded attention. The dream that the verse recounts above occurred at a time when the old alley behind our former house was a buried memory. The boney fellow hanging from the pole represented some neglected but living manifestation of the Berwyn guy who knew that alley as part of his neighborhood. Grateful for being noticed, at least while my ego slept, he hurried down, touched home ground, and transformed into a creature made for rebonding. From then on, the Berwynite and Oak Parker in me have clamored for reconciliation.

Dominic Phillips, 60

Loved fishing, crabbing and cooking Dominic Eugene Phillips, 60, died on Aug. 2, 2026, in Oak Park. Born on May 11, 1966, to Dominic and Constance Phillips, his life was a vibrant tapestry. He grew up in a close-knit Italian/Greek family, surrounded by siblings Toni Hagins (Mike), the late Marijo Lopez (Tony), and Gina Phillips. Known as “Uncle Dom” or “U.D.” by his nieces and nephews — Tina, Mike, Tony, Nick, Adam, Ashley, Jennifer, and his nephew, the late Andrew. They recall his infectious sense of humor and unforgettable Kermit the Frog impressions. He was also uncle to many great-nieces and greatnephews. His deep bond with his longtime partner, Jennifer Hocking, provided a foundation of love and companionship. They shared a love of fishing and crabbing on their trips to Florida. Together they created a life of warmth, mutual respect and trust. He was also a dedicated caregiver to his mother Constance during her later years. A proud alumnus of Oak Park and River Forest High School, he was a talented football player who had the honor of playing with his teammates at Soldier Field, a memory he carried with pride. Following high school, he attended Black Hills State College in Spearfish, South Dakota, where he began to explore his passions and interests. His professional journey showcased his entrepreneurial spirit as the owner of Creative Innovations. He also had a passion for cooking that brought him immense joy, one of the many ways he expressed care, creativity, and love. A celebration of Dominic’s life will be held at a later date to honor his memory and his life.

OAKPARK.COM

Millie Erhardt, 95 Community and environmental activist

Mildred (Millie) Marion Mackovich Erhardt, 95, died on July 24, 2026. Born on Oct. 17, 1930 to parents John and Julia Mackovich in Chicago, she graduated from Farragut High School in 1949 and Roosevelt Teachers College with a degree in teaching in 1953. She married Richard Erhardt in 1951 and had three children Michael (1953), Robert (1955) and Susan (1959). The family moved to River Forest in 1963. Even though she was a stay-at-home mom, she worked as a substitute teacher with River Forest school District 90 and was active member of the League of Woman Voters, taking on environmental and social issues. Later she formed a business with Louise Starkey conducting estate sales before selling the company and taking a job with Kelly Services. After retirement, she worked with the village of River Forest to set up and implement their curbside recycling program, which is still in effect today. She became known as “Mrs. Recycler” for her endeavors. After living in her home for over 50 years she moved to Brookdale, Oak Park where she became an active member and at the 19th Century Club. She was involved with the Garden Club, the Environmental Group, and the Welcome to Brookdale Group. She encouraged the residents of Brookdale to compost and persuaded Brookdale to compost their dining room leftovers. In her last few years, she began collecting plastic film from the dining hall for recycling into park benches and spearheading an effort to write postcards encouraging people to vote. Millie is survived by her brother, William Mackovich; her two sons, Michael Erhardt and Robert Erhardt (Linda); her daughter, Susan Erhardt; her three grandchildren, Charlotte (Kyle) Tipton, Gwen (Steve) Safriet, and Matthew Zabik; and four great-grandchildren, Kane, Zander, Lindy, and Helix. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Beyond Hunger at gobeyondhunger.org. A celebration of life will be held in mid-September at Brookdale Oak Park, with the date still being determined.

O B I T U A R I E S

Joni Beam, 64

Loved the water and good books Oak Park has lost one of its greatest fans. Joni Beam, 64, died suddenly and unexpectedly on Sunday, July 26, 2026. She had lived in her beloved village of Oak Park for almost 40 years, working as a special education teacher for Chicago Public Schools. She lived what some considered a somewhat spartan lifestyle – never owning a car and never buying property. She said she could bike or bus anywhere she needed to go and loved her simple apartments in the Ridgeland district. Growing up in Los Angeles with her sisters, Debi and Jeannie, and her brother, David, from an early age she would swim and bodysurf at Santa Monica beach. She never outgrew her love of bright blue water, spending her summers off at Rehm and Ridgeland pools, floating among friends. She also loved to read in summer, sometimes retrieving books from the library every day. She came to the Midwest to attend Moody Bible Institute and focus on urban ministry, ultimately earning a master’s degree at the University of Illinois as well as multiple endorsements in addition to special education. She was a passionate, driven teacher. Over the course of her career she reached hundreds of students, using differentiated strategies to help her students excel. One of her favorite ways to decompress from the classroom was to vacation in California and “greet” the Pacific each morning. In her brief retirement, her travel became more limited. “I just want to go to the pool and to Rockford,” she declared, so she could spend time with her son Alexander, daughter-in-law Lea, and new grandson Franklin. Many share in Joni’s family’s loss. She was a treasured friend and colleague who offered thoughtful words and a novel perspective when you were troubled. Her humor and intelligence could make any situation better. A celebration of her life will be held on Friday, Aug. 21, from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. at the Main Oak Park Public Library (OPPL), 834 Lake St., in the second floor Veterans Room. Along with the pool, OPPL was one of Joni’s happiest places. More on legacy.com.

Wednesday Journal, August 19, 2026

Mary Charbonneau, Martha Woods, 89 Active community volunteer 82 Catholic columnist

Mary Elizabeth Charbonneau (nee Wickster), 82, of Rockville, Maryland, died on Aug. 11, 2026. Born on Oct. 4, 1943, in Oak Park. She was a loving wife and mother and a gifted writer, penning a column in the Catholic Standard about life raising a large Catholic family, called “Dear Archbishop,” for many years. She believed deeply in the inherent dignity of all human beings, young or old, rich or poor, weak or strong; this was reflected in the causes she championed throughout her life and simply in the way she treated everyone she met. Mary was preceded in death by her son James Charbonneau Jr.; her parents, Dr. George and Elizabeth Wickster; and her brother, Paul Wickster. She is survived by her husband of 61 years, Dr. James Charbonneau; her sons, Michael Charbonneau (Natalie) and John Charbonneau; her daughters Mari Pridemore (Dennis), Anne Cardile (Daniel), Teresa Robertson (David), and Paula Charbonneau (John Michael Ford); her siblings, George Wickster (Theresa), David Wickster (Nancy), Margaret Coulter, and Francella Betancourt (the late Dr. Jose Betancourt); eight grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at Saint Mary Church, 520 Viers Mill Road, Rockville, Maryland on Aug. 20 at 10 a.m., with a visitation before from 9 to 10 a.m. Private burial to follow at Saint Mary Cemetery, Rockville, Maryland on Aug. 21. Please sign the online guest book at: www.DeVolFuneralHome.com.

Martha Ann McEachran Woods, 89, died peacefully on July 28, 2026, surrounded by her three daughters, Ann Bell, Susan McGraugh and Carol Eiber. She was preceded in death by her husband of 50 years, George Edward Woods Jr. Martha loved her family foremost, including her three sons-in-law, Marty Bell, Chris McGraugh and Troy Eiber. She relished time with her eight grandchildren and their spouses: Caitlin and Kyle Wasserberger, Jack and Rebecca Bell, Christie Bell and Mac Bell, Dan and Mary Kate McGraugh, and Griffin and Laurel Eiber. Her great-granddaughter, Annaliese Wasserberger, was the light of her life. Born on August 11, 1936, she enjoyed an active life right into her 80s. She loved to play tennis and golf and was a dedicated traveler. A member of First Presbyterian Church of River Forest, she was an active participant in church life. She was also a member of the River Forest Tennis Club, the Infant Welfare Society, and the West Suburban Hospital Auxiliary. Her happy place was at the cottage in Michigan with her family and one of her many wonderful dogs. A celebration of Martha’s life was held on Aug. 8 at the First Presbyterian Church of River Forest. Internment private. If you would like to honor Martha’s life, please consider a donation to Chicago Hope Academy, 2189 W. Bowler St., Chicago, Illinois 60612, https://www.chicagohopeacademy.net/donate.

Send letters to the Editor Ken Trainor, Wednesday Journal E-mail: ktrainor@newswellchicago.org Fax: 708-524-0047 Please include name, address and daytime phone number for verification.

Wednesday Journal, August 19, 2026

SPORTS OPRF football eager for a new start

Huskies feel ready for a turnaround By MELVIN TATE Staff Reporter

The Oak Park and River Forest High School varsity football program has struggled the past several years. The Huskies, who finished last season with a 2-7 record (1-5 in the West Suburban Conference Silver Division), have not qualified for the state playoffs since 2018 when they won a share of the WSC Silver title. But an infusion of talented young players has OPRF feeling optimistic about this season. “We’re looking super-sharp and we’re amped up for Week One,” said OPRF senior running back/linebacker Liam Smith, now in his third varsity season. Senior defensive lineman Ben Lambe, who is also a three-year varsity player, echoed Smith’s sentiments. “Everyone’s doing their part. I feel this is the best team I’ve played on,” Lambe said. “We have a lot of talent with all our classes.” Smith and Lambe are two of just four returning varsity starters for the Huskies. Smith, who has made the All-WSC Silver Team each of the past two seasons, ran for 906 yards and nine touchdowns in 2025 while adding 196 yards and a touchdown receiving. OPRF’s other varsity returnees with significant playing experience are senior linebacker Connor Ganschow, senior defensive lineman Connor Krumrei (the other returning starters) and senior defensive backs Richie Truelove and Niko Vielehr, each of whom saw extensive playing time. Lambe is the type of player who creates havoc upfront, and Krumrei is grateful for his presence. “Ben’s a really good player, just a physical phenom,” he said. “He plays hard and loves the sport, and he’s a humble teammate who takes care of everyone. It gives me confidence knowing that he’s next to me.”

At a glance Team: Oak Park and River Forest Huskies Head Coach: John Hoerster, 16th season, 74-69 record Top players: Liam Smith, RB/LB, SR; Ben Lambe, DT, SR; Connor Ganschow, LB, SR; Connor Krumrei, DE, SR; Richie Truelove, DB, SR; Niko Vielehr, DB, SR. Tidbit: Sophomore offensive lineman Timmy Smith joins the varsity to play alongside older brother Liam. Hoerster said Timmy, a running back on last year’s freshman team, moved to the offensive line this year in order to block for Liam and give the Huskies a better chance at a successful season. Outlook: Buoyed by a bunch of talented sophomores and juniors, OPRF views this season as an opportunity to return to postseason play for the first time since 2018. Four of the Huskies’ first five games are at home, which provides a good chance for the team’s younger players to get accustomed to varsity football. Senior Liam Brown, who split time with AJ Porter and Darren Law at quarterback last year, appears to have secured the fulltime job this season, and he’s excited about the opportunity. “This year is a lot more comfortable for me,” said Brown, who also plays baseball. “Taking more reps has helped to slow the game down and it’s allowed me to become a better player.” “He’s done an outstanding job. His progression has really been one of the highlights of the summer,” said OPRF head coach John Hoerster, entering his 16th season. “His growth as a leader from a social and emotional perspective has been outstanding. Liam understands the offense better and he’s doing outstanding with leadership.”

COURTESY OF CAROL DUNNING

OPRF quarterback Liam Brown (#10 in blue jersey on left) fakes a handoff to Liam Smith during a football practice, Aug. 15. Like Hoerster, Smith has been impressed by Brown’s improvement. “Brownie, as we call him, his development overall has been astounding to me,” he said. “He put so much work in this offseason, lots of quarterback training and lifts. He’s been a good leader for the foundation of our team and that’s what we need our quarterback to do.” OPRF expects to get a boost from a talented sophomore group, including defensive back/wide receivers Tavion Coleman and Cameron Minish-Murray as well as outside linebacker/wide receiver Labrone Neal and lineman Timmy Smith, Liam Smith’s younger brother. Among the other newcomers looking to make their mark on the Huskies are junior DB/WRs Javon Davis and Julian Wiley, junior OLB/WR Everett Kemp, junior OLB Emile Williams, and senior DB/WR Andrew Heinzman. The Huskies are hungry for a turnaround in the varsity’s fortunes, but it won’t come easy. Despite opening up with the first two games – and four of the first five overall – at Oak Park Stadium, the Huskies have their work cut out for them, considering they play in one of the state’s toughest football conferences, the WSC Silver. Downers Grove North, Glenbard West, Lyons Township, and York are widely con-

sidered the top contenders for this year’s title. “Every year, a different team seems to find itself at the top of the conference because of the competitiveness and parity. There really isn’t an off week,” Hoerster said. However, the good news for OPRF is that with the expansion of the state playoffs from 32 to 48 schools in each of the IHSA’s eight classes, getting to five victories is no longer a necessary requirement for qualification. Friday Night Drive playoff prediction guru Steve Soucie believes that all schools with four victories and most schools with three will make postseason play. To a man, the Huskies are ready to show the community that they are back in terms of football regard. “I want at least five wins this year and the playoffs,” Lambe said. “Our goal is to just be aggressive and play hard, control the controllables,” Krumrei said. “I know a lot of teams are thinking that OPRF is going to be a bye week, but we’re going to play hard this year and show them we’re going to turn things around.” OPRF hosts Rich Township in the season opener, Aug. 21, at 7:30 p.m.

S P O R T S

OAKPARK.COM

Wednesday Journal, August 19, 2026

‘Whole different team, whole different group’ Fenwick football focuses on team culture to bolster 2026 season By GREGG VOSS Staff Reporter

Sure, last season was fun for Kam Rutlin. Winning state by beating a heavily favored opponent in the cold of December will do that. But right now? It’s not that relevant. “We haven’t won anything yet,” said Rutlin, a senior defensive tackle and right guard. “Whole different team, whole different group.” Jake Thies, another senior, concurred. He’s moved on. “I’m focused on this new team and keeping that same culture we have had the past few years and setting the standard high,” said the senior safety and running back.

At a glance Team: Fenwick Friars Head coach: Matt Battaglia (Record: 45-21 overall, 11-3 in 2025) Top players: Jake Thies, S/RB, Sr.; Kam Rutlin, RG/DT, Sr.; Jimmy Bonakdar, DE, Sr.; Thomas Ristau, OT, Jr.; Jack Woods, OT, Sr.; Tommy Quinn, QB, Sr. Tidbit: Fenwick moves up the Chicago Catholic League Orange, from White, and will battle Providence, Carmel and St. Ignatius divisionally. Battaglia is particularly excited about facing off against the Wolfpack. “That’s a rivalry,” he said. “I think both fan bases will be excited about that.” Outlook: Don’t expect the Friars to rest on their state championship laurels. Battaglia won’t accept that. Instead, you should see a new team that’s got the experience and new weapons on both sides of the ball to compete in-season and the playoffs.

Coach Matt Battaglia, whose Friars went 11-3 last year and beat East St. Louis 38-28 in the IHSA Class 6A title game, is guiding that line of thinking. “The one thing we’ve mentioned is we are state nothings right now,” Battaglia said, “and when we handed out the rings, congratulations, enjoy it seniors, but underclassmen, we’re state nothings. The only other thing that remotely resembles last year’s team is reminding the players that they have a big, fat target on their back.” That may be, but the Friars have the personnel to not only compete but succeed. Consider the offensive line, a focal point for Battaglia, which has plenty of experience. Besides the 6-foot, 265-pound Rutlin at right guard, there is senior Charlie Becker at left guard, senior center Will Doody and tackles Thomas Ristau, a junior, and senior Jack Woods. None of those guys weigh less than 230, with Woods topping the bunch at 6-foot-6, 290 pounds. That’s not all. Juniors Michael White, Hank Rosenberg and Jacob Rodriguez were all up for the playoffs last fall, while support will also come from seniors Will O’Keefe and junior Brayden Gresik. “We have 10 linemen,” Battaglia said. “That group of 10 has been together all summer. It’s a band of brothers and it’s a community.” They’ll protect the replacement for dualthreat quarterback Jamen Williams, who graduated. The good news is that there were four candidates as of press time for the position, including last year’s backup, senior Tommy Quinn, along with junior Myles Hill and sophomore Ryder Machacek. But the wild card could be an import from Las Vegas, senior Rozia Lightfoot II. “All four have been doing a great job and it’s turning into a good problem to have,” Battaglia said. “Honestly, I’d feel confident with any of them.” Thies will come out of the backfield, and his value is not just carrying the ball, but leadership, which he learned in part from his older brother Tommy, who’s now at Miami of Ohio. But Thies is quick to give Battaglia a lot of credit for his own devel-

COURTESY OF CAROL DUNNING

Fenwick High School freshman Noah Marshall (white jersey) breaks a tackle attempt during football practice, Aug. 14. opment. “He’s one of the best coaches in Illinois, if not the best,” he said. “Everyone on the team has a lot of respect for him.” The other guy to mind in the backfield is senior Rocco Nero, who learned a lot from the Thies brothers last year. From a receiving standpoint, Battaglia will have a pair of senior tight ends in Jonathan Pavalon and Will Hosty who both stand 6-foot-5. Senior wideout Jimmy Watts will be all over the field on both sides, and then there is freshman Noah Marshall, the younger sibling of former Fenwick star Nate Marshall. “He’s going to be really good,” Battaglia said. “He’ll wind up being one of the best players in the nation.” Battaglia is bullish on both sides the line and defensively, you’ll see Rutlin at defensive tackle and senior Jimmy Bonakdar at defensive end. Bonakdar tore his ACL in the second game of last season and Battaglia said he’s a “madman,” especially in the weight room, with “a massive chip on his shoulder.” Also manning the defensive line will be junior tackle Drew Culton, junior end Hank Holland and senior end/ tackle hybrid Jeremy Munoz. Thies, committed to Iowa as a safety, will ply his trade there, but he’ll have plenty

of help in the backfield from Watts, junior safety Fran Madden and junior cornerback Will Butman. But again, there’s a wild card. Senior cornerback Josh Morgan, a Cincinnati baseball commit, is recovering from a partial UCL tear and should be back mid-season. Jack Haagenson is a junior inside linebacker who transferred from Mount Carmel last year and was granted full eligibility. He was injured last year but he’s back. Also contributing at linebacker inside will be junior Quinn Paris and seniors Kaz Kolozak and Michael Kotynek. Senior Ronan Morrissey will play both inside and outside. Kicker and punter JP Bordeaux-Walsh will replace Noah Sur, now at Northwestern. Fenwick’s schedule is once again loaded, and will include powerful Joliet Catholic on Friday, along with St. Ignatius, St. Francis, Providence Catholic and Brother Rice. In fact, four of the Friars’ first five games are on the road. On the other hand, Fenwick will have five home games. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. “For the most part, our goal is to get better each day,” Battaglia said. “One of my go-to lines whenever we have a loss is, it’s only a loss if we don’t learn anything from it.”

34 Wednesday Journal, August 19, 2026 HOURS: 9:00 A.M.– 5:00 P.M. MON–FRI • Deadline: Monday at 5 p.m.

Let the sun shine in...

PUBLIC NOTICES

Your right to know...In print • Online

BY PHONE: (708) 613-3360 | BY E-MAIL: EMAIL@GROWINGCOMMUNITYMEDIA.ORG

PUBLIC NOTICES

LEGAL NOTICE OAK PARK DOCTOR DEPARTURE In accordance with Illinois state regulations, notice is hereby given that Dr. Susan Vierling of Retina Institute of Illinois, is leaving the practice located at 715 Lake St, Oak Park, IL 60301. All patients may retrieve their medical records Retina Institute of Illinois located at 715 Lake St, Oak Park, IL 60301 or by calling 847-297-8900. Dr. Vierling last day at the practice will be September 15, 2026. It is important for existing patients to schedule an appointment within the next 30 days either with one of Retina Institute of Illinois doctors or an outside eyecare doctor to ensure they are receiving ongoing care. Published in Wednesday Journal August 12, 19, 26, September 2, 2026

LEGAL NOTICE The Village of Oak Park will receive sealed bids from qualified contractors at the Public Works Center, 201 South Boulevard, Oak Park, Illinois 60302 Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. local time until 3:00 p.m. on Friday, September 18, 2026 for the following: Village of Oak Park 2027 Auto/Truck Body and Collision Repair Bid Number: 26-113 Bid documents may be obtained from the Village’s website at http://www.oak-park.us/bid. For questions, please call Public Works at (708) 358-5700 during the above hours. Published in Wednesday Journal August 19, 2026

LEGAL NOTICE The Village of Oak Park will receive sealed bids from qualified contractors at the Public Works Center, 201 South Boulevard, Oak Park, Illinois 60302 Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. local time until 3:00 p.m. on Friday, September 18, 2026 for the following: Village of Oak Park 2027 Auto/Truck Transmission Repair Bid Number: 26-114 Bid documents may be obtained from the Village’s website at http://www.oak-park.us/bid. For questions, please call Public Works at (708) 358-5700 during the above hours. Published in Wednesday Journal August 19, 2026

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF PUBLIC INFORMATION MEETING Notice is hereby given that the Village of Oak Park will hold Public Information Meeting #2 for the Bridging the Ike project in an open house format welcoming all community members to learn about the study and participate in the planning process. The project is examining opportunities for expanded bridge decking over I-290, which could accommodate new development, public plazas, and park spaces over the expressway. Date: Thursday August 20, 2026; Time: 5:30-7:30 p.m.; Location: Veterans Room at the Oak Park Public Library, 834 Lake St, Oak Park. This meeting is ADA accessible For more information about the public information meeting and ways residents can share their priorities for future bridge crossing improvements, visit https:// engageoakpark.com/ike Published in Wednesday Journal August 5, 19, 2026

NOTICE TO BIDDERS Notice is hereby given by the President and Board of Trustees of the Village of Brookfield, Illinois that bid proposals will be received for the following project: 2026 CATCH BASIN CLEANING PROJECT VILLAGE OF BROOKFIELD, ILLINOIS This project includes removing debris and cleaning drainage structures at various locations within the Village of Brookfield. Sealed bids will be received up to the hour of 11:00 A.M. on Wednesday, the 2nd day of September, 2026, in the Village Hall located at 8820 Brookfield Avenue, Brookfield, Illinois. All sealed bids received will be publicly opened and read at 11:00 A.M. on the same day, Wednesday, 2nd day of September, 2026, at the Village Hall. Electronic copies of bidding documents, consisting of the bid proposal, project specifications are available from the Edwin Hancock Engineering Co., 9933 Roosevelt Road, Westchester, Illinois 60154. Bidding documents can be requested by emailing info@ehancock.com. No bidding documents will be issued after 4:30 P.M. on Monday, the 31st day of August, 2026. A non-refundable fee of Fifteen dollars ($15.00) will be required to obtain bidding documents. Proposals will only be accepted from bidders that have obtained bidding documents from the Edwin Hancock Engineering Company. All bid proposals offered must be accompanied by a bid bond, cashier’s check or certified check

PUBLIC NOTICES in an amount not less than Five Percent (5%) of the total amount of the bid, as a guarantee that if the bid proposal is accepted, a contract will be entered into and the performance of the contract properly secured. Checks shall be made payable to the Order of the President and Board of Trustees of the Village of Brookfield. No bid proposal shall be considered unless accompanied by such bid bond or check. Any bidder in doubt as to the true meaning of any part of the bidding documents may request an interpretation thereof from the Village. The bidder requesting the interpretation shall be responsible for its prompt delivery. At the request of the bidder, or in the event that the Village deems the interpretation to be substantive, the interpretation will be made by written addendum issued by the Village. In the event that a written addendum is issued, either as a result of a request for interpretation or the result of a change in the bidding documents issued by the Village, a copy of such addendum will be emailed to all prospective bidders. The Village will not assume responsibility for receipt of such addendum. In all cases it will be the bidders’ responsibility to obtain all addenda issued. The Contractor and Subcontractor shall comply with all regulations issued pursuant to Prevailing Wage Act (820 ILCS 130), and other applicable Federal Laws and regulations pertaining to labor standards. The Village of Brookfield reserves the rights to determine the lowest, responsive, responsible bidder, to waive irregularities, and to reject any or all bid proposals. BY ORDER THE PRESIDENT AND BOARD OF TRUSTEES VILLAGE OF BROOKFIELD, ILLINOIS

Let the sun shine in...

Public Notice:

Your right to know...In print • Online

Published in RB Landmark August 19, 2026

PUBLIC NOTICE Notice is hereby given, pursuant to “An Act in relation to the use of an Assumed Business Name in the conduct or transaction of Business in the State,” as amended, that a certification was registered by the undersigned with the County Clerk of Cook County. Registration Number: M26001928 on August 14, 2026 Under the Assumed Business Name of PJS TREASURES with the business located at: 841 N. CUYLER AVENUE, OAK PARK, IL 60302. The true and real full name(s) and residence address of the owner(s)/ partner(s) is: PATRICIA JURCZAK 841 N. CUYLER AVENUE, OAK PARK, IL 60302, USA. Published in Wednesday Journal August 19, 26, September 2, 2026

Available to you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, every day of the year

OakPark.com•RBLandmark.com • ForestParkReview.com AustinWeeklyNews.com • PublicNoticeIllinois.com

Wednesday Journal, August 19, 2026

OAKPARK.COM

Events

! " # $ %&' $ ( ! " ) %*+, &--,'.*'

/0/ 1 $ 2 " 3 2 $ &'45 # 2 ( 3 2 6 ) 2 %*+,4+', -75%

% %&

! " # $

& ' ( ! 8 0 839: ; # < "==/ (>/ .*.- =9 #?@ A / B $ # -<&* , +<&*#C ! 8 %&.5 C " # 2 )

Submit events and see full calendar at oakpark.com/events

= 2 # 21 ; C F 2 55.+ $ 2 55.+ $ 2 ) F %*+,--',%'&7

- 7 8 3 " , F = 2 # 2 ( 4*+ = 2 # 2 ( ) 2 2 %*+,&+-, 4*4*

9 ) *

$ / 7 4 < 1 8 D = ( 3 21 2 E 2 E 1 / = 2 # 2 C $ 2 D 3 ) 2 2

- 23 + , 4 4 $ 54 + 6

0 ' (% ( E # 0 ( ! 2 ,

8 G ; G H F E F = 2 # 2 ( 4*+ = 2 # 2 ( ) 2 2 %*+,&+-,4*4*

- 23 + , 4 4 + + 6 0 ' ( 1 " ; , , , = 2 # 21 ; ; 2 ; # F , 55.+ $ 2 55.+ $ 2 ) F %*+,--',%'&7

( H 1 &5 ( H 7*4- &5 3 2 >$ ( .7 .*.- 7*4- &5 7*4- &5 3 2 &5 H ) %*+,+'4,-5&5

; / * +*

$ = , $ %8> % %&

0 ' ( 1 C , , C 0 = 2 # 2 D ; C ! 3 2 = 3 1 5*5* C 5*5* C 6 ) %*+,-&4,'%**

" $ 2 " 3 2 $ &'45 # 2 ( 3 2 ) 2 %*+,4+',-75%

0 ( 9 ! $ 2 " 3 2 $ &'45 # 2 ( 3 2 ) 2 %*+,4+',-75%

) * +* * , - . /

2 , 1 / 1 $ 2 " 3 2 $ &'45 # 2 ( 3 2 ) 2 %*+,4+',-75%

% $ ; ! @ ( 3 " ; , ; ! 44. @ ( 44. @ ( 2 2 2 ) %*+,74+,%-'-

: 5*

$ . 4 - 7

C 2 6 ; ! $ 2 " 3 2 $ &'45 # 2 ( 3 2 6 ) 2 %*+,4+',-75%

$ +

) * ,

1 9 D = 2 / = 2 # 2 5*5* $ 2 ) 2 2

. 5 9 % %& 3 2 - ( C @ ( &%** 2 @ 3 &%'+ @ 3 &%'+ @ 3 3 2 ) 2 %*+,4+',5444

; E ( 6

Wednesday Journal, August 19, 2026

Luxury Vinyl Plank

Flooring Sale

OAKPARK.COM