W E D N E S D A Y
September 2, 2020 Vol. 41, No. 5 ONE DOLLAR @oakpark @wednesdayjournal
JOURNAL of Oak Park and River Forest
After protest, board and activists at impasse Mayor’s home vandalized on Aug. 25 during virtual board meeting By MICHAEL ROMAIN & STACEY SHERIDAN Staff Reporters
Days after a protest for police reform outside of Oak Park Mayor Anan Abu-Taleb’s house devolved into vandalism, the Mayor and most of the board vigorously condemned the acts and called for those responsible to step forward. Meanwhile, the youth activists who organized the protest have insisted that the board look beyond last week’s property destruction and deal with the systemic mistreatment of Oak Park’s Black residents. On Aug. 25, a crowd of at least 100 protestors, most See PROTESTERS on page 13
Photo by Paul Goyette
PROTEST BROUGHT HOME: Youth demanding police reform gathered at the Oak Park home of Mayor Anan Abu-Taleb Aug. 25. The protest included vandalism of Abu-Taleb’s backyard garden.
Summer turns to fall. Can restaurants regroup again? Will diners bring their parkas to a heated tent for dinner? By MELISSA ELSMO Oak Park Eats Editor
The current right-of-way permits for outdoor dining in Oak Park are valid through Oct. 31 and they will not be extended. Jersey walls and barricades, used to create street side dining, need to be taken down because of snow removal
needs that impact the village every year. “The 10/31 date is later than prior years,” said Village Manager Cara Pavlicek via email. “So, I hope winter holds off that long.” As the weather changes and street and patio dining come to an end, village government will continue to encourage and support curbside pickup by continuing to offer the signage and 15-minute parking locations established in all business districts when the pandemic forced restaurants to close in March. Kettlestrings Tavern, 800 S. Oak Park Ave., will see its
right-of-way patio taken down, but their sidewalk dining permit is valid through Nov. 15. Sidewalk permits were set to expire at the end of September but were extended into November by the village in response to the pandemic. “I feel like a farmer,” said co-owner Rob Guenthner. “I spend hours every day looking at the weather. We plan our week based on rainy days versus sunny ones.” Now in addition to tracking the weather the team at Kettlestrings is focused on creative problem solving to keep outdoor dining up and running as long as their village perSee RESTAURANTS on page 16
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