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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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Wednesday Journal, September 2, 2020

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fear for our country. Last week, days after a group of angry young people vandalized Oak Park Mayor Anan Abu-Taleb’s home following the failure of a police defunding resolution, I spoke to Frank Brim, a 63-year-old West Side baseball coach and retired firefighter. Brim said that he thinks the country is headed for a new civil war and not in the metaphorical sense. Brim, by the way, is no radical. Time and circumstances, however, change people. He says that recent Commentary events and his retirement have freed him to say things that, in the past, he may have kept to himself. “In my baseball program, I’ve never talked about race with my kids, ever, until the last couple years,” said Brim. “We’re having those conversations. This is what you should do when the police stop you.” Like the young protesters who gathered at the mayor’s home, Brim was once himself young and angry. His anger started simmering in 1975, when he learned of a terrible family tragedy. “In 1945, my grandmother and grandfather were hung in Mississippi and I didn’t find out until my freshman or sophomore year of high school,” he said. “The Klan hung my grandmother and grandfather and they blamed it on my grandfather, saying he hung his wife and then he hung himself. With his hands tied behind his back, he hung himself. “When I learned that, I wanted nothing to do with white people. I didn’t want any white teachers, I rebelled against the system. I said, ‘Look, if the white man is teaching it, I don’t want anything to do with that.’ I was really, really, really angry. It affected me academically. It got to the point where I didn’t even want to be in the same room with white people.” The knowledge, Brim said, “destroyed my father. It destroyed him and his brothers and sister. They moved up here to get away from that South and when my father got here, he was so paranoid. “If we were going on a vacation or something, or going back down to Mississippi, he would put tape across the door to make sure nobody came into the house,” Brim recalled. “He would tell us, ‘You looking at that television. That television is looking at you.’ So, I started thinking my daddy was crazy, but no, he was responding to the issues of his past.” Brim said his father eventually joined the Nation of Islam and became part of the security team for its leader, Elijah Muhammad, who taught his followers that white

MICHAEL ROMAIN

The fire this time

people are an “aggressive race of rulers” who descended from an “island-based tribe of white-skinned albinos,” according to an article in the Nation’s newspaper, The Final Call. The whites, Muhammad taught, would eventually get their comeuppance, though, and be destroyed. The Nation, Brim said, gave his father “a sense of power” and a community — despite its anti-Semitism and racial conspiracy mongering. I guess the Nation decided that, if it cannot bring itself to believe in the American Dream (after all, Blacks were not welcome to the slumber party) it might as well create its own myth of progress. And white people have demanded that the Nation, now headed by Louis Farrakhan, account for the transgression ever since. During last week’s protest outside of Mayor Abu-Taleb’s home, I sat down on the sidewalk and craned my neck to snap a photo of 16-year-old Makayla Pye, a member of the Revolutionary Oak Park Youth League — the group of young activists who organized the protest that turned into vandalism. While Makayla, hovering above me, spoke into a bullhorn on my right side, on my left side, someone’s cell phone, which was hooked up to the loudspeaker, played the village board’s proceedings on the police reform resolution that ROYAL supports and that was up for a vote at that night’s board meeting. The effect was disorienting. I heard simultaneously two different planes of understanding; two frames of reference; two nations under God, divisible. “We are a nation on the edge of an increasingly hot civil war, one in which white supremacists are invading American cities, fomenting violence, and the overtly racist president they support sees the violence as benefiting him politically,” David Atkins wrote in the Washington Monthly last week. At last week’s protest in Oak Park, one of the youth organizers referenced the shooting of Jacob Blake and, perhaps having hastily interpreted his social media feeds, mistakenly announced that Blake had been murdered (he’s still alive). In a recent New Yorker article, Robin Wright quoted Keith Mines, a career diplomat who has studied civil wars in places like Afghanistan, Iraq and Somalia. Mines told

Do you want to keep your public officials accountable?

Wright that civil wars don’t have to involve “pitched battles from trenches along neat geographic front lines;” rather, Mines defines a civil war as “large-scale violence in constantly moving locales.” Mines predicts that there’s a 65 percent chance of civil war in the U.S. within the next 10 to 15 years. He makes that prediction based on five conditions: “entrenched national polarization, with no obvious meeting place for resolution; increasingly divisive press coverage and information flows; weakened institutions, notably Congress and the judiciary; a sellout or abandonment of responsibility by political leadership; and the legitimization of violence as the ‘in’ way to either conduct discourse or solve disputes.” At last week’s board meeting, which took place while the protestors gathered outside the mayor’s home, one trustee said, “It’s not fair to take national issues and bring them to Oak Park as if they’re universally applicable.” I think she’s wrong. The civil unrest happening across the country has landed in Oak Park, whether we want to acknowledge this or not. James Baldwin’s fire next time is now. But we don’t have to just sit on our hands and let the flames overtake us. Which brings me back to Frank Brim. He said the intense anger he exhibited toward whites as a young man gradually subsided as he matured. “Since 1975, what happens is, I had white teammates who became my brothers,” he said. “And it became, ‘Well, not all white people are bad. This dude is a ride-or-die friend.’ And then when I got in the fire department, I had some people who clearly didn’t want me there, but there were some white guys who were like family to me. We became real friends. And so, the idea that I don’t want to have anything to do with white people kind of diminished and it became, people are people.” Frank dealt with his anger by building relationships with whites based on mutual respect and basic fairness -- relationships that opened the door to mutual understanding and healthy interdependence. He never became a Black Muslim. And I suspect this may have been, at least partly, because civil society opened its doors to him and, however reluctantly, let him in. No, the kids shouldn’t damage property. Full stop. Yes, they have every right to be angry. Full stop. With that said, Oak Park, they’re knocking at the door. Let them in.

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Wednesday Journal, September 2, 2020

Principles of Passion: The Privilege at Play in Creative Industries Christopher Thomas, Founder of Your Passion 1st, interviews Maui Jones, founder of the Echo Theater Collective. There are many barriers in the way, primarily related to socio-economic status, that limit many students’ exposure to creative endeavors. Exploring the creativity divide is essential during this time of change and steps must be taken if students of this game of life are to be able to follow their creative passions and become creative problem-solvers. View this episode (#12) and other episodes at: yourpassion1st.com/podcast

Story Time in the Garden Wednesdays through Oct. 14, 10 to 10:30 a.m. and 11 to 11:30 a.m., outdoor Discovery Garden at the Oak Park Conservatory Enjoy story time, songs and puppetry led by Conservatory docents. Maximum of 16 participants. Both adults and children must register; only registered participants will be allowed in the Discovery Garden during story time. Brought by the Friends of the Oak Park Conservatory. Free; $5 suggested donation. Register: pdop.org. 615 Garfield St., Oak Park.

Virtual Open House Tuesday, Sept. 8, 6 to 6:30 p.m., Zoom with L’Institut Français d’Oak Park L’Institut Français d’Oak Park offers courses in all levels of French for adults and mature teens as well as weekly teen and adult Conversation Cafés. Fall offerings run Sept. 14 to Nov. 21 on Zoom. Register: frenchinstitute.net. To join the Open House to learn more and ask questions, email: stacy.fifer@frenchinstitute.net.

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Tween Talk Friday, Sept. 4, 4 to 4:45 p.m., Zoom with the River Forest Public Library Youth in grades 5 through 8, can join with Middle School and Teen Librarian Beth and OPRF Youth Services Interventionist Laura. Chat, socialize, ask questions, play games and hang out in the virtual tween library with peers. Sponsored by OPRF Youth Services. Register: riverforestlibrary.librarymarket.com/events/tween-talk-2

New: Special Hours for High-risk Patrons Mondays through Saturdays, 10 to 11 a.m., Main Library Each morning, time is set aside only for those at high risk for complications from COVID-19. The CDC defines high-risk individuals as older adults and people with underlying medical conditions. Other patrons may visit between 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Mondays through Saturdays, at the Main branch, 834 Lake St., Oak Park.

D97 Parent University District 97 held its first virtual Parent University in midAugust to provide families with information, tips and tools to support students with remote learning this fall. Recordings of these sessions, and accompanying slides, are available to watch anytime. Review info on remote learning for either elementary or middle school as well as a variety of sessions on technology. Access sessions: op97.org/remotelearning/parent-university

BIG WEEK September 2-9

Join Pro Music Youth Chorus (PMYC) – Singing Outdoors this Fall Informational Meeting Thurs. Sept. 3, 7 p.m., Zoom. Season runs Tuesdays, Sept. 8 to May 15 Youth ages 4 through 18 are invited to join the 31st season of PMYC. Rehearsals begin outdoors, with vigorous safety measures in place, on the lawn at First United Church, 848 Lake St., Oak Park. Once the weather turns, programming will go online until the spring, when rehearsals will resume outside. This season includes music-making, theory, appreciation, concerts and fun. Times and tuition differ for each ensemble. Financial aid is available. For information on joining the informational meeting, tuition, rehearsal times and other inquiries: pmyouthchorus@ gmail.com. More: ProMusicaYouthChorus.org

Living History Project Presents a Virtual Town Hall: Community Control of the Police Local Artist Spotlight: Scott Maki Through mid-Sept., Buzz Cafe The Local Artist Spotlight is back. Maki is “inspired by science fiction, television, comic books and the general hilarity of everyday life.” 905 S. Lombard Ave., Oak Park.

“Harmony in the Universe” Wednesdays, 1 to 6 p.m., Dancing Krow Studio & Social Club The summer exhibit from the artist collective led by Karen Schuman celebrates peace, love, mindfulness and well-being. View the exhibition and shop for art by local artists. Also selling handmade soaps and hand sanitizer. 43 Harrison, Oak Park.

Wednesday, Sept. 2, 5 to 7 p.m., Zoom through the Oak Park Public Library Join youth leaders of the Living History Project for a timely discussion of this important topic. Teens, young adults, Oak Park community members and leaders are encouraged to attend. Register: oppl.org/calendar

WSSRA’s Derby Gala Saturday, Sept. 5, 5 to 6:30 p.m., Virtual Event The West Suburban Special Recreation Foundation is hosting its annual Derby Gala on the occasion of the 146th Kentucky Derby. This fundraising event, which supports providing quality recreation services to individuals with disabilities, includes a silent auction, raffle and paddle raise. $25, includes one raffle ticket. Questions: 847-4552100. Tickets/more: wssra.net/register/ derby2020.php#scroll.

Wednesday Journal, September 2, 2020

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Mayor, protestors need to talk

ow about a reset? Young protestors have no business on the front porch of Oak Park’s mayor. Ripping up his backyard flower garden is unacceptable. And any adults with influence over these young people who were present ought to have intervened and ought now to be urging them toward an apology. Mayor Anan Abu-Taleb missed his chance to get ahead of the legitimate upset of these students by not meeting with them weeks ago. He needs to do better. Both the protestors and the mayor have claimed deniability on the lack of connection they’ve made. As I stood on the sidewalk in front of Abu-Taleb’s home last Tuesday night, Makayla Pye, a 16-year-old junior at OPRF, was frustrated that the mayor had not agreed to meet with members of ROYAL, a local youth activist group, to hear their views. Her rightful perception is that members of the village board have been dismissive of listening to them. And Monday morning, early on the patio of Abu-Taleb’s Maya del Sol restaurant, I listened as the mayor said no one from the group had called village hall, emailed him to request a meeting. But come on, everybody. We’re in a moment of high tension. Sixteen-year-old protestors failed the test of protocol on how to make an appointment and a mayor, mad at a

DAN HALEY

trustee, failed to reach out to hear a key constituency. Makes for drama but not headway. Abu-Taleb said Monday morning he’s ready to meet with representatives among the protestors. “I am happy to meet with them. I probably should have reached out,” he rightly said. And I’m waiting to hear back from a representative of ROYAL to gauge their interest in joining a conversation. Meanwhile, there is news to report on Oak Park’s so far stumbling effort to find a path forward on improving and changing policing in the village. While last week’s board meeting to consider a reform resolution from Trustee Arti Walker-Peddakotla has been overtaken by the protest at the mayor’s home, and while that resolution was defeated 5-2, it was, in her assessment after the vote, the first time the full board had a productive discussion of reform. I thought so, too. That could be something to build on. And in Abu-Taleb’s closing statement, delivered haltingly as the noise of protestors surrounding his home came through the basement windows, I heard something new, direct and powerful [see text in Viewpoints, p. 23]. Cut through the mayor’s diversionary rhetoric inevitably criticizing “defund the police” nonsense and his unnecessary diminishment of Walker-Peddakotla’s resolution and there is this paragraph: “Reforming our police department, holding the police officers accountable the same way as the general public, having a public database of police officers’ conduct, working to convince the unions that in the long run, the discipline,

the promotion, reward, reprimand and accountability of a police officer belongs to the local municipality, belongs to the chief and management.” Here’s the common ground and the truth of remaking policing. The chokehold the Fraternal Order of Police, in all its iterations locally and nationally, has on police officer accountability is foundational to our policing problems. Until local political leaders are ready to say that out loud, to make strong demands before another contract is signed, then much of the possible progress on reform will be peripheral. As we’ve pointed out only recently, negotiations on a new police contract start right now in Oak Park, Sept. 1. Taking on a union is never easy, certainly not quick. But it is the core of police reform and Abu-Taleb has gone out on the limb by saying so. There’s room on that shaky limb for Walker-Peddakotla. When I said to Anan on Monday that I felt he had a blind spot on this complex issue, he bristled and with evident emotion talked about his childhood in occupied Palestine. “My father. Ninety-two years. Never a day free,” he said. No freedom of movement. No freedom of religion. No ability to protect his family from harm. “You think I don’t understand f***ing oppression? I do,” he said. But, he said, “One of the things that has kept Palestinians from progress has been by violating the rights of others.” These young people on his lawn, on his porch, in the face of his family feel oppressed. Abu-Taleb feels his right to safety in his home was violated. Sounds like a good starting point for a conversation.

Going above and Beyond Hunger

hen Beyond Hunger transitioned weekly food distribution outside to help minimize risks associated with COVID-19, we started pre-packing boxes of groceries for quick delivery. Drive-thru visitors now get boxes loaded right into their cars, and home delivery clients get boxes safely delivered to their doorstep. For 40 years Beyond Hunger has focused on providing hunger relief with dignity. And throughout the pandemic, we’ve worked hard to make sure that each box contains quantities of fresh, nutritious food. We’ve packed them with care, helping make an immediate impact for hungry families, but also thinking about their future. Because we know hunger is often the result of systemic inequities, longterm food security depends on more

than simply providing groceries in a crisis. The groceries are absolutely necessary. But, connecting people to ongoing support helps in the long run. So, each box includes information on how Beyond Hunger can assist with SNAP and medical benefits. In June, Thomas, a client, told our team how grateful he was to be able to come pick up food. Because of a recent job loss, he was paying out of pocket for his medication. He just didn’t have enough in his budget to cover groceries for his family too. He connected with Amanda, our Social Services Coordinator, to help find a solution. Overjoyed by the help, Thomas remarked,

“It’s a blessing...they don’t just give you food. They make sure you have medical benefits. There are all of these extras!”

Visit GoBeyondHunger.org/HungerActionMonth. Have fun while advocating to end hunger in our communities this September during Hunger Action Month.

Wednesday Journal, September 2, 2020

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ART BEAT

Together-Apart: The ‘Compound Yellow Manual’ JORGE LUCERO Guest Author

The story of The Compound Yellow Manual of Prompts, Provocations, Permissions & Parameters for Everyday Practices starts like other things that occur at Oak Park’s Compound Yellow. Compound Yellow, an experimental art space in front of Pete’s Market, is the home of the artist Laura Shaeffer and her family. You may have driven past it and wondered what it is. After all, it radiates like a sun and not just because of its yellow exterior. Yes, it’s a private home, but on many days the buildings on this property bustle with visitors in its multiple galleries and its classroom that doubles as an occasional concert venue. Frequently the lawn and patio are used for sculpture projects, public signage, performances, or other art-like or informal education events. Hundreds of collaborators have come to those spaces to enact both short and long-term projects. Inevitably these creative interventions transport Shaeffer and her family’s private world into a more public realm, making them both increasingly permeable. Art and life blur, not merely for the sake of esotericism, but to consistently make people’s lives better.

At Compound Yellow things are imagined, talked about, and then brought to life. The Manual is a day’s fantasy made into a reality through a “yes, and” attitude. Compound Yellow is featured in the Hyde Park Art Center’s Artists Run Chicago 2.0, a citywide showcase of fifty different artistsoperated galleries and experimental spaces. We made the book to include as many of Compound Yellow’s collaborators in that showcase. Originally, we had little time to make the book, since the show opened in April and we got the idea in late February. Sixty-plus artists, writers, activists, teachers, gardeners, cooks, designers, scholars affiliated with Compound Yellow sent us photographs, diagrams, recipes, essays, poems, drawings, proposals, collages, coloring pages, and manifestos. And then everything closed down. The Coronavirus hit like a swampy, sur-

real dream. Everything was so confusing. We quickly found out that the Hyde Park Art Center was suspending all of its in-person programing. How to do it then? At the core of Compound Yellow’s mission is proximity of physical bodies, people being near each other—sometimes for hours on end. Something emerged from everyone being in quarantine; now everyone, no matter where we were in the world, were indoors and available to formulate, create and write on our computers. So, we made the book together via the Internet, together even though apart. The book functions as a type of “cookbook” for a DIY artistic practice that could be enacted by anyone regardless of artistic pedigree, age or knowledge of the authors (of Compound Yellow!). Any reader can pick up the book and use it in a variety of ways. You can read it or look at the pictures. You can be inspired to have a creative response

by the multiple entries in the book. You can follow the directions of some of the art recipes or projects peppered throughout the book. You can try to interpret what you’re looking at if the entry is either too philosophical or too conceptual. The book is an artwork. The Manual is also an invitation. The book is meant to make you want to be a part of it. Compound Yellow is not just the artist-run space off Lake Street in Oak Park. It is an idea of how individuals can enact communities of learning and care for the mutual benefit of everyone in its proximity. You don’t need to have the manual to take the chances that Compound Yellow takes. You don’t even need to go there. You only need to realize that being a neighbor, a citizen, a friend or a family is a pliable artistic material. Once you get used to how it “moves,” you can re-

ally begin to express yourself through it. “The Compound Yellow Manual of Prompts, Provocations, Permissions, and Parameters for Everyday Practices,” is edited by Jorge Lucero, artist and associate professor of art education, School of Art + Design, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, and Laura Shaeffer. The book can be ordered or previewed here: compoundyellow.com/#/compound-yellow-manual.

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Send us an email, with your submission to WJ40@oakpark.com, by September 15, 2020

Wednesday Journal, September 2, 2020

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Sears site about to get new owner

Locals hope new owner continues redevelopment By STACEY SHERIDAN Staff Reporter

The former Sears property on the corner of Harlem and North Avenues is about to have a new owner. John Novak, founder of Novak Construction has purchased the extensive property for an undisclosed amount from its previous owner Seritage Growth Properties, according to Alderman Chris Taliaferro (29th). “I’m glad that someone is purchasing the property with the intent of redeveloping it,” said Taliaferro. The sale on the 293,718-square-foot property did not go through Aug. 28 as scheduled as the city of Chicago had not issued a zero-balance stamp for the property’s water meter, a requirement for real estate transactions. A zero-balance stamps ensure that the property has no outstanding water bills. Once issued, the sale can go through. Taliaferro expects the city to send someone to check the water meter in the next three to five days. It is not the only former Sears property in Chicago about to be sold by Seritage Growth Properties. That company, created five years ago to repurpose the real estate portfolio of the failing Sears chain, has been clobbered by the real estate recession caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. According to one report, the stock value of Seritage has declined by 75 percent in 2020. The Chicago-based Sears property borders on three other municipalities: Elmwood Park, River Forest and Oak Park. Redevelopment of the original building is well

underway with all exterior walls having been removed. “It looks like Seritage had financial difficulties as a result of COVID-19,” said Taliaferro. “And I don’t know how long that property would have sat there under their control.” Last summer, Chicago City Council approved plans for Seritage, in partnership with Tucker Development, to repurpose the main building as a five-story story mixeduse project with 161 rental units, a national grocery store chain, a health club and ground-floor retail space. The plans also included 462 parking spaces. Seritage could not be reached for comment. It is unclear what Novak intends to do with the property once the purchase goes through. Novak has not yet responded to requests for comment. However, Taliaferro said Novak is on vacation at the moment. Taliaferro intends to speak with Novak upon his return. “It’s the specifics of the redevelopment that I’m most anxious to talk to Mr. Novak about,” the alderman said. Taliaferro hopes that Novak will develop the site into both commercial and retail space, comparable to what Seritage and Tucker Development intended to build. “In a perfect world, I hope that they will continue the same development scheme, or one that’s very similar to the same development scheme that the community supported,” he said. Taliaferro believes it unlikely that Tucker Development will continue working on the property. “John Novak has his own development company and his own construction company, so I don’t believe that they’ll be looking to hire outside construction or development teams,” said Taliaferro.

ALEX ROGALS/Staff Photographer

BARE BONES: Before construction halted due to a potential ownership change, workers had already skinned the outer walls of the old Sears store on North Avenue, Now interested parties wait to see if the site’s new owner will continue work on the already approved mixed use plan for the corner. Once he speaks with Novak, Taliaferro intends to hold a virtual meeting to keep the community informed of any new details. Block Club Chicago reported Aug. 28 that Novak is in the process of purchasing the former Sears location at Six Corners -- Irving Park Road, Milwaukee Avenue and Cicero Avenue -- from Seritage as well. Judith Alexander, chair of the North Avenue District, said it’s too soon to tell what the sale of the Harlem Avenue and North Avenue Sears property means for her district. “We don’t know much about Novak Construction,” Alexander said. “They seem like

a very reputable company.” Alexander said she “looks forward” to getting to know Novak and learning more about his intentions. “We are sorry that we probably will not be working with Tucker Development,” she said. “We have very high regard for them.” Like Taliaferro, Alexander would like Novak to implement the redevelopment plans Chicago City Council approved last summer. “Time is money in the development world, and it takes a long time to get plans developed and approved, so they may decide to just go ahead with that,” she said.

Local activist running for Oak Park trustee Anthony Clark announced via Facebook post By STACEY SHERIDAN Staff Reporter

Anthony Clark

Oak Park activist Anthony Clark announced he is running for village trustee in a very short Facebook post Friday, Aug. 28. A quote attributed to Malcom X accompanied the announcement. The quote reads: “There is no better than adversity. Every defeat, every heartbreak, every loss, contains its own seed, its own lesson on how to improve your performance the next time.” Beneath it, Clark simply wrote, “I am running for Oak Park Village Trustee.” Clark is a familiar presence already at

Oak Park village board meetings, often making public comments advocating for equity and police reform. He also founded Suburban Unity Alliance, a nonprofit formed to raise discrimination awareness of discrimination and promote equity, in 2016. In a statement to Wednesday Journal, Clark stated he decided to run for trustee out of love for Oak Park. “I am willing to utilize the love I have for this community to help drive out the hate in various forms that exists in this community,” he said. “This is a love that not only believes that Black Lives Matter; it’s a love that believes that each and every member of the Oak Park community deserves a fighter dedicated to ensuring to the best of their ability that no matter who you are, what you do, how much money you make, who you are with, and what part of town you live on, you have a community that you can love and

you [can] believe that community loves you back.” Clark has harbored political aspirations long before he announced his intention to run for village trustee. Earlier this year, Clark campaigned to represent Illinois’s 7th congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives, but lost to incumbent Danny K. Davis in the primary. Clark also tried to unseat Davis as representative two years ago. Outside of politics, Clark teaches special education at Oak Park River Forest High School, where he founded the student hip hop and comedy clubs. “This continued fight and my decision to run for village trustee,” Clark said, “has always been about the ideal that was coined years ago when diverse Oak Parkers joined me in the village streets in a call for change, more love and less hate!”

Wednesday Journal, September 2, 2020

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Former D200 board member launches bid to regain seat Fred Arkin hopes to secure one of four open seats in April 2021 By MICHAEL ROMAIN Staff Reporter

A former District 200 school board member has launched a campaign to return to the board. Fred Arkin, who served four years on the board from 2015 to 2019 before narrowly losing his bid for re-election that year, said he’s running to continue the progress the board made during his tenure. “During my tenure, we instigated a lot of change. Changing policies is one thing but having them implemented by the administration is something else,” Arkin said. “That takes discipline and accountability and I want to make sure that occurs.” One of those measures that Arkin voted on as a board member is the district’s racial equity policy, which he said is “a very good policy; however, where the rubber hits the road — the implementation — has not yet occurred.” There will be four open seats in the April 2021 election. Board members Jackie Moore, Tom Cofsky, Craig Iseli and Matt Baron are all up for re-election. So far, none of the incumbents have publicly announced their

intentions. When reached for comment, Baron and Cofsky responded. Baron said that while he has not made a final decision, “currently, I am leaning against appearing on the ballot.” Cofsky said he has not “yet made a final decision on whether I will consider another term.” “There are four members up for re-election, and I think back to the day Joylynn [PruittAdams, superintendent] challenged us in her final interview whether we had the courage and Fred Arkin stomach for the type of work we needed to do, especially around the equity work, and the board unanimously said, ‘Yes, we’ll support her and do the work,’” Arkin recalled. “If all four of those seats on the board turn over, there’s only [current board President Sara Dixon Spivy] who is left on the board who made that commitment.” Arkin said, “I do have the institutional knowledge in terms of how policies were created, the rationale behind them and the expectation of what implementation would

look like. The institution is so large and complex and change does not come quickly. But the district is well down the road toward change.” Arkin lauded PruittAdams, who he said has “meticulously selected her team. She’s restructured. She’s aligned almost everything the board does to the strategic plan, which is an incredible way to keep that plan alive and dynamic, as it’s supposed to be — but also keeping the board and community focused on that strategic plan.” If elected, Arkin will help decide whether one of Pruitt-Adams’ most important decisions is implemented or stopped — the administration’s effort to restructure the freshman curriculum so all incoming Oak Park and River Forest High School students start out on the same academic track in most subjects. Arkin said he’s waiting to see what the administration’s final restructuring plans look like, adding that he’s raised “several questions and concerns” with administra-

tors. Arkin said he’s concerned that the “current system, on all levels but especially on the freshman level, is discriminatory and holds implicit bias,” but added that he wants to see more data associated with the plan’s effectiveness. He also said he’s concerned about students in the high school’s College Prep program, who also need resources. “That bottom end of College Prep that is not in the Transitions level, which is the most-supported kids, maybe 10-15 percent of students who end up not being college-ready, was very concerning,” Arkin said. “So they need more support, as well.” He also touted his record on taxes while on the board. “I never voted for taking a full tax levy and I believe we abated [at least $35 million of taxes during my tenure],” he said, adding that he’ll be a voice of fiscal discipline as the district tries staying afloat during a pandemic-induced recession, “Instead of focusing so much on the top line, you have to focus on the expense side of our budget,” he said. “And you have to prioritize. You have to look at where we can cut because it’s very possible there could be a real crisis if people don’t pay their taxes and we don’t get the revenue from the state or federal government that the district is expecting.”

CONTACT: michael@oakpark.com

D200 board votes to reopen Huskie Pups daycare

Operators assure board members safety protocols are in place By MICHAEL ROMAIN Staff Reporter

During a regular meeting on Aug. 27, the Oak Park and River Forest High School District 200 school board voted 4-3 in favor of reopening the Huskie Pups daycare at the high school — to the relief of anxious parents who were awaiting the board’s decision. But board members are still anxious about the move, given that it comes amid a pandemic. Board members Craig Iseli, Matt Baron, Sara Dixon Spivey and Gina Harris voted in favor of reopening while members Ralph Martire, Tom Cofsky and Jackie Moore voted against. “I am not comfortable voting for this plan,” said Moore, who wanted administrators to provide more information about how staffers from the River Forest Community Center, which operates the daycare, will make sure infants and toddlers at the facility don’t interact with high schoolers, if and when students return to campus. “A lot of this is too open-ended and can potentially bring a problem into the high school.”

“A lot of this is too open-ended and can potentially bring a problem into the high school,” said Martire. But even board members who voted in favor of reopening expressed some anxiety about the decision. “Like Jackie, I am uncomfortable, but I trust that [Community Center and D200 administrators] will sort out our problems, so I will vote yes,” said Iseli. Dick Chappell, the Community Center’s executive director, tried reassuring hesitant board members on Aug. 27 that he and his staff have implemented best practices and guidelines laid out by numerous agencies, such as the Centers for Disease Control and the Illinois Department of Child and Family Services, on social distancing and other safety measures. Ronald C. Anderson, the Community Center’s executive director of operations, added that due to the reduced capacity, there’s enough space to social-distance within the Huskie Pups facility, which is located on the north end of

campus. He added that they’ve installed MERV 13 air filters in order to enhance ventilation and filtration within the classrooms. At a discussion about Huskie Pups during a board meeting on Aug. 18, Chappell said the daycare at OPRF serves 35 children, a significant drop from the 55 to 65 participants the program has served in years past. Most of the participants are employees of districts 97 and 90, he said. At the Aug. 27 meeting, Chappell said Huskie Pups had lost five program participants since that Aug. 18 meeting, with other parents waiting to see what decision the board made. Chappell said on Aug. 18 that if the board did not reopen the daycare program, between 14 and 15 employees would be out of work. “People have immediate childcare needs right now, so any future delay I think would be very detrimental,” Chappell said on Aug. 27.

CONTACT: michael@oakpark.com

Wednesday Journal, September 2, 2020

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Seeking justice for Elijah Sims On Aug. 30, at Columbus Park in Austin, family and friends of Elijah Sims, the 16-year-old Oak Park and River Forest High School student who was fatally shot in Chicago in 2016, gathered to remember the teen on his birthday and to call for justice for families of gun violence victims like Sims whose cases are still unsolved. “Calling out justice for Elijah is so much bigger than just us, because there are so many families that are dealing with this tragic situation, but yet may not have the advocacy and support we have,” said Anthony Clark, an Oak Park activist and OPRF teacher. “And even with our support and advocacy we still do not have justice.”

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Mutual Aid looks for second wind as COVID taps out family budgets, senior savings

Direct help for families and seniors in time of crisis By HENRY WELDON Contributing Reporter

Those in need might be hesitant to reach out for help, but one community coalition is aiming to provide assistance to people who are struggling, no matter the circumstance. Oak Park Mutual Aid, an informal organization created to face down the local impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, connects Oak Parkers and residents of neighboring communities in gathering and dispensing donations to individuals and families. Patty and Ken Hunt, long-time Oak Parkers, were among the early participants. “I just got some random email back in the beginning of March about Mutual Aid in Oak Park,” said Patty Hunt. “The group formed around the time when the pandemic was closing everything. We set up a GoFundMe with a goal of $10,000. After achieving that goal, we raised it to $50,000.” The goal of Oak Park Mutual Aid is to pro-

vide immediate assistance to whoever is in need. After assistance is initially provided, then if further help is needed, individuals are referred to an organization that can provide additional help to sustain them. The ultimate goal of the group is to mitigate the pandemic’s direct impact on local people whether they’re struggling because of a lack of food or their financial situation, it doesn’t matter, they can reach out to receive help. “The most unique part about the whole thing is that there aren’t any requirements,” Hunt said. “If you need help, they will help you.” So far, the group has raised more than $19,000 and distributed over $16,000 in limited financial, food, personal protective equipment (PPE), cleaning supplies and medication assistance. The group has also distributed 317 healthy food packages and helped more than 160 families and individuals in and around Oak Park, River Forest and Forest Park. “We are looking to raise more money and find more volunteers to continue our work,” said Patty Hunt.

With the onslaught of people who might need help due to the end of the federal government’s $600 weekly unemployment payment boost, members of the group are in need more than ever of volunteers and donations. “We have raised the goal of our GoFundMe in case people need more assistance if pandemic unemployment payments are not continued,” she said. “Some people have had repeated requests,” she said. “We try to limit the help to someone to once a month so we can offer assistance to as many people as we can.” She said they mostly hear from families and seniors. Even if someone has limited transportation, the group makes arrangements to deliver food to people on Saturdays. Gregory Schalliol, volunteer at Oak Park Mutual Aid, is doing his part to make sure he contributes to helping those who need it the most. “It’s been going in spurts,” Schalliol said. “There was a lot of energy in the group when things first started to get going back in April. Then it slowed down and then it got going again.”

The organization has been able to establish a core group but they didn’t realize how much work it would be, he said. “We tend to find and focus on people who can’t receive complete food security from just going to food pantries or for those who don’t qualify for unemployment assistance,” Schalliol said. “That’s the niche we are trying to fill.” It’s an ongoing effort to ensure that no one goes hungry or lacks other basic necessities. “We just recently rekicked off our fundraising campaign and we are going to kick off our voluntary recruitment campaign,” Schalliol said. He said that people can reach out for help and the Oak Park Mutual Aid will try to assist them. “We are just trying to figure out the best way we can help everyone,” Schalliol said. At the moment, what’s needed most, are volunteers and donations. You can donate to the GoFundMe or you can volunteer. oakparkmutualaid.com/ www.gofundme.com/f/oak-park-mutualaid-covid-emergency-response

L’Institut français d’Oak Park Learn French and explore the world.

L’Institut français d’Oak Park offers courses in all levels of French for adults and mature teens as well as weekly teen and adult Conversation Cafés. The Fall 2020 session is right around the corner! Courses and weekly Conversation Cafés are conducted online via Zoom in accordance with current safety measures. Register now for online classes and Conversation Cafés at www.frenchinstitute.net.

Fall 2020 classes will be held online.

Fall 2020 classes: September 14 - November 21 Fall 2020 courses include: · Beginning French Conversation I-VII · Advanced Beginner French Conversation and Grammar IV · Intermediate French Culture and Conversation · African Francophone Literature in Translation · Marguerite Duras: Moderato Cantabile Conversation Café and Teen Conversation Café are casual French-only conversation groups that meet virtually on Thursdays from 7-8pm. Register for Conversation Cafés at www.frenchinstitute.net.

Questions? Join us online for a Virtual Open House on Tuesday, September 8 from 6-6:30pm. Email stacy.fifer@frenchinstitute.net to register and receive a Zoom link. L’Institut français d’Oak Park – French Institute of Oak Park | 11 Harrison Street | Oak Park, IL 60304

Wednesday Journal, September 2, 2020

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Lake Street work stokes restaurant fears

Restaurants from Oak Park Avenue to Euclid to lose outdoor seating By STACEY SHERIDAN Staff Reporter

The village of Oak Park has given restaurants a reprieve by extending outdoor dining until Oct. 31, but one block won’t get to enjoy the benefits of the extension. With construction about to descend on Lake Street from Oak Park Avenue to Euclid Avenue, restaurants are reeling with financial anxieties over the impending loss of precious outdoor seating. “It’s just devastating. I mean, it really is painful,” said Patrick O’Brien, owner of Scratch on Lake, 733 Lake St. The section of Lake Street between Oak Park Avenue and Euclid Avenue will close Sept. 8 for completion of streetscaping and sidewalk reconstruction. The work necessitates the cessation of outdoor dining for the majority of the block’s restaurants. “It just doesn’t seem fair when we’re already dealing with this COVID crap,” said O’Brien. “We finally found a way to keep some people employed, to ring our register and they’re going to yank it two months early.” One of O’Brien’s servers created an online petition to delay the construction until Halloween. As of Sept. 1, the petition has amassed almost 300 signatures. According to Village Engineer Bill McKenna, delaying the work is impractical due to the possibility of inclement weather during the fall and winter months. “It’s not feasible to do that during the weather conditions and then things get delayed, it gets more expensive,” said McKenna. “Work rolls into 2021 and has a longer impact. McKenna’s reasoning did not fly with O’Brien. “This is crazy. It’s not major construction. It’s the sidewalks,” said O’Brien. During a June meeting with Hemingway District stakeholders, attended by O’Brien, McKenna gave three scheduling options for work on the block. O’Brien chose the option to delay construction until after Labor Day. “Well, it was the latest option we got!” O’Brien said. Scratch on Lake has spent over $5,000 in tents, televisions and lighting to create a safe and pleasant outdoor dining experience for customers, according to O’Brien. When he received the letter from the village that outdoor dining was extended, he was thrilled. “I emailed right back, ‘Thank God, that’s the best news we’ve got all year,’” said O’Brien. “Then two days later, we’re told to

take everything down on the eighth of September.” O’Brien believes that construction crews can complete concrete work during the winter without major issue. He said he spoke to outside contractors that supported his belief. “They can work on concrete in cold weather,” O’Brien said. “They are costing me alone a couple hundred thousand dollars and about eight employees with nothing to do when that whole dining room comes down to a month early. Insane. Insensitive. Ridiculous.” McKenna and project spokesman Jim Prescott said they would be reaching out to the restaurants on that black to clear up confusion about the start date of construction. O’Brien has yet to hear from them. McKenna said some restaurants could put dining in the back of the restaurants. Curbside pick-up will be able to continue as well. “We’ll work with them for any potential opportunities that they want to explore for dining,” McKenna said. Losing two more months of outdoor sales will be a detrimental blow to Scratch on Lake. Per COVID-19 restrictions, Scratch on Lake can seat only 25 percent of the restaurant’s capacity inside. Without outdoor dining, O’Brien expects the restaurant will have a five percent chance of making it all the way to March or April. Christiane Pereira of Mulatta, 136 N. Oak Park Ave., plans to ask the village if Mulatta can put tables outside on Oak Park Avenue since they will lose their outdoor dining on Lake Street. Outdoor dining, she said, has been a crucial revenue source. “The outdoor dining has been extremely helpful because our patrons have been preferring to sit outside,” said Pereira. If the village doesn’t allow Pereira to put tables on Oak Park Avenue, she worries customers won’t want to come to the café. “Losing the outside is going to be very challenging, like it was in the spring when COVID first hit,” said Pereira. “I don’t want to go back to that.” The intersection of Lake Street and Oak Park Avenue closed earlier this spring for infrastructure work. While COVID-19 has resulted in crews carrying out certain portions of Lake Street reconstruction at a faster pace, the entire project’s completion is still scheduled to end just before Thanksgiving. “I don’t want to undersell the amount of work we have to do in the network,” McKenna said. “It’s still a big construction project.” The project includes all new traffic signals, landscaping, pavement, lighting and irrigation systems. “It’s a lot of work to compress in three months,” McKenna said.

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Standoff over resolution from page 1 of them young people, gathered outside the home of Mayor Abu-Taleb to demand that the village commit to defunding the police in 2021. While protestors chanted right outside of his front door and roughly a dozen sitting on the steps leading to his porch, the mayor presided over a virtual meeting of the village board where a resolution calling for measures similar to what the protestors were demanding was the first item on the table. “We want him to pass the Freedom to Thrive resolution today,” said Chloe Leach, a member of the Revolutionary Oak Park Youth League, or ROYAL, an organization formed last year by middle- and high-school students. The resolution up for a vote, sponsored by Trustee Arti Walker-Peddakotla, was not the Freedom to Thrive resolution, but included proposals similar to what that activist group demands. Freedom to Thrive Oak Park is an organization formed “in response to the Oak Park police racially profiling our Black and Latinx community members,” according to the organization’s website. Walker-Peddakotla’s resolution called for decreasing the number of sworn police officers in the village over time and reallocat-

ing police funds toward social services. By around 7 p.m., there were no uniformed police officers outside the mayor’s home, although Oak Park Police Commander Shatonya Johnson, who was wearing plain clothes, talked with protestors gathered on the mayor’s porch. A woman who lives across the street from the mayor confronted the protestors and asked them about their demands. She also criticized their tactics. “I think they’re being very disrespectful by sitting on his porch,” said the woman, who declined to give her name. “I understand their need to protest, but they can do it from the parkway back. I’m not asking them to leave.” The protestors reached their boiling point when the board voted 5-2 against the defunding measure. The mayor told Wednesday Journal many of the protestors may have had experiences with the police, which spurred them to protest. “I understand why they want to protest, and I’m all for that,” Abu-Taleb said. “But one does not violate other people’s rights and civil liberties in order to seek a change.” In Abu-Taleb’s backyard, protestors reportedly smashed potted plants, tore up tomato cages, overturned patio furniture and threw eggs at the house. They also drew and spray-painted the sidewalks with pictures of hands raising middle fingers and pigs. Abu-Taleb told Wednesday Journal he was home alone for most of the meeting and texted his family not to come home to avoid confrontation with protestors. His wife, he

said, came home anyway and at one point was confronted on their front porch by four or five young people, some without masks, who stood inches away from her face. Trustees Deno Andrews, Simone Boutet, Susan Buchanan, Dan Moroney and Jim Taglia signed a joint statement to Wednesday Journal condemning the acts of vandalism. Walker-Peddakotla’s name was not on the statement. Abu-Taleb said he thinks Walker-Peddakotla was behind the protest and that her refusal to sign the statement substantiated his claim. Walker-Peddakotla has insisted that she had nothing to do with the protest, but she wouldn’t condemn it. “I won’t denounce this protest just as I will not denounce the unrest that is happening in Chicago,” Walker-Peddakotla wrote. “I will never denounce an oppressed group saying, ‘Enough.’” In a follow-up interview, Walker-Peddakotla said village government “has failed,” adding that even local school districts have enacted racial equity policies more quickly than the board. “Even the schools, in all of their resistance, did the right thing earlier this summer in removing the police and ending the contracts between police and schools, which is what so many protestors across the nation are asking for,” she said. “They’re moving in the right direction. We at the village board are not.” Makayla Pye, 16, a junior at OPRF and one of the organizers, said protesters were “upset and disappointed by the message” sent

by the village board defeating the defund police measure. “We are trying to have a conversation with the mayor,” she said. “We have tried to set up meetings. But we can’t be complacent. They can’t ignore people who live here.” Pye said officials have laughed at their efforts. “I feel ignored. That my voice does not matter. Young people of color are criminalized by police and residents” in Oak Park, said Pye, who is also a member of ROYAL. During a press conference held Aug. 28, at Fox Park, 624 S. Oak Park Ave., a few dozen people spoke out in support of the protestors while denouncing the actions of some village officials. Four former members of the Oak Park Community Relations Commission also spoke out in support of ROYAL. In July, six of the commission’s seven mAt last Friday’s press conference, those former members repeated their earlier criticisms of the board and urged community members to consider the work that ROYAL did before last week’s protest, which included hosting multiple demonstrations, writing letters and making public comments during board meetings. “The Black and Brown youth here have been criminalized and delegitimized,” said Pye. “This whole response to the work we do is modern-day racism. It’s racism in a subtle and sneaky way. … It’s sad that people are more upset at an egg thrown at a house and some broken plants than the fact that the youth don’t feel safe. We don’t feel safe.”

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Police defunding measure voted down

Oak Park mayor’s property vandalized during board meeting By STACEY SHERIDAN Staff Reporter

The Oak Park Village Board struck down a resolution to defund the Oak Park Police Department during a virtual Aug. 25 meeting, as protestors in favor of the measure descended on the mayor’s home. The resolution, sponsored by Trustee Arti Walker-Peddakotla, failed in a 5-2 vote; Walker-Peddakotla and Trustee Susan Buchanan cast the two votes in favor of defunding. Village Clerk Vicki Scaman read 11 public comments in favor of the resolution and 18 against it, including one sent in by the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) Lodge 8, the union representing Oak Park patrol officers. “We all saw what happened in Chicago when organized criminals decided to loot businesses at will,” the FOP statement reads. “Defunding the Oak Park Police Department will have the same effect as hanging an ‘open for crime’ sign at our village limits.” The FOP statement cited the death of George Floyd and called the resolution “misguided,” “dangerous” and “discriminatory.” “This resolution treats us as though our knees were used in that unspeakable crime committed against George Floyd,” the FOP stated. “The resolution punishes your fellow public servants for a crime committed in another state.” In Oak Park, Walker-Peddakotla said, racial profiling by police accounts results in trauma experienced by Black people, particularly by young Black men, who are stopped at inordinately higher rates. “Police trauma and police violence is not just about a knee on the neck,” Walker-Peddakotla said. She thanked the board for having the “difficult” conversation. “I want to thank the board for having what I think has been one of the most productive conversations we’ve had about police in our community,” she said. “I’m feeling very grateful to all of you for being willing to and having the courage to have what is a difficult conversation.” Walker-Peddakotla did not suggest abolishing the police department completely; in her view, defunding means diverting funds set aside for police to social services over an extended period of years. The details of fund reallocation and the resolution itself, trustees, felt lacked specificity. Trustee Dan Moroney believed the resolution contained “ambiguous language” and stated that the entire board

TAKING ACTION: A group of teens march during an Aug. 25 protest that ended in property destruction for the mayor. wants proper policing, but crime rates necessitate a need for law enforcement. “We must ensure we protect the safety of our residents,” said Moroney. “Therefore, police play a role.” Moroney said there were multiple things to look at in regard to reforming Oak Park policing. Walker-Peddakotla agreed. “I actually agree with Dan that there are a number of things we can look at,” she said. But Moroney did not change his stance on the resolution. “I look forward to voting no on this resolution,” he said. Trustee Simone Boutet echoed the specificity concerns voiced by Moroney. “I have the issue with this resolution being more political than policy-oriented because there’s nothing specific proposed,” she said. Walker-Peddakotla stated during the meeting that she was open to altering the language of the resolution. “We can talk about the language if you want to change some of the words,” she said. “I’m hoping we can have a conversation on it tonight.” Trustee Jim Taglia did not back the resolution but stated his willingness to continue addressing and learning about issues with policing faced by Black and Brown people. The board was resoundingly in favor of having the police chief, who stepped away from the meeting to address the protest at the mayor’s home, provide more data regarding

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field stops made, police calls and more. Trustee Deno Andrews thanked Walker-Peddakotla for encouraging the board to discuss issues of policing and racism. “I think we’re having these discussions mostly because of your work, Arti,” Andrews said. “You’ve been a lightning bolt bringing these issues to light.” Andrews voted against the resolution, noting that the resolution contained multiple smaller resolutions within it. Boutet echoed the concerns of the FOP and warned against bringing national issues to the board table that do not directly apply to the village of Oak Park. “It’s not fair to take national political issues and bring them to Oak Park as if they’re uniformly applicable,” she said. Mayor Anan Abu-Taleb voted down the resolution but had choice words for the police union, saying that part of police reform includes “working to convince the unions that for the betterment of our country in the long run, the discipline, the promotion, reward, reprimand and accountability of a police officer belongs to the municipality.” Abu-Taleb, who became increasingly distracted by the protests happening outside his home, stated that defunding the police department would not remedy its problems, but he remained committed to carrying out police reform. “I am committed to reforming what should be reformed, and we have started that process,” he said.

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If you are bored with or have been burned by church . . . How RF United Methodist found new life in partnership By TOM HOLMES Contributing Reporter

Thirty-five years ago Marilyn Young and her husband joined River Forest United Methodist Church because it had young families, faith-based activities for their children and was small enough to get to know people well but large enough to pay the church’s bills. Although a sense of church as family remained, as the church grew smaller over the decades so did the offerings. And that led to a unique co-habiting, pastor sharing arrangement which is now moving closer to a true partnership between RFUMC and an upstart Urban Village church which already has four congregations in the city and now one in River Forest. While the contemporary worship services have been an adjustment for RFUMC veterans it has also been something of a return. “At first,” said Young, “some RFUMC members feared that in partnering with Urban Village, we would lose our identity as RFUMC, but I viewed it as a way of returning to what we used to be but in a more modern, inclusive version. It gave me hope to see young families coming to church again.” Becky Eanet, another long-time parishioner echoed Young’s thoughts on renewal and the energy of young families. Eanet went further and said that without the partnership she “honestly believed that without such a ‘new birth’ that our church would die within a few years.” Rev. Christian Coon is pastor of the joined congregations.

Rev. Christian Coon He looks back at the decade old founding of the first Urban Church. When Coon would invite young adults to one of the four Urban Village Churches he planted in the city of Chicago during the last 10 years, he would ask them, “Have you been bored or burned by church in the past?” That is the cohort on which his outreach is now focusing in River Forest, a ministry which is in the process of being born in the building located at 7970 Lake St. The church building continues to be owned by RFUMC. “We invited that group of young adults to give us a shot,” said Coon,” especially if they were like LGBTQ folks who

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were ostracized or they had a church background but it wasn’t compelling or relevant.” When they gave Urban Village a “shot,” what they found was a casual atmosphere, a band playing contemporary Christian music in a faith community which was, in his words, vibrant and knowing the difference that the gospel can make in your life. They also heard unredacted testimonies in which faith and doubt could be honestly expressed. “We didn’t want to plant a church in the middle of the city and expect everyone to come to us,” he added. “We chose a multi-site model with smaller faith communities throughout the city so they could have a little more sense of their neighborhood.” “We have one budget — that is, funds from each of the four sites goes into one pot,” said Coon, “and each site has its own leadership team including its own pastor. But there are also a few all-site leadership teams (Finance, Staff-Parish Relations, Antiracism) and each site gets equal representation on those teams.” None has its own building but rent space instead. Coon became the pastor of RFUMC a year ago with the intention of eventually starting a church plant in their building, a move which would result in two faith communities in one space. What happened was that over the last year, the RFUMC members and the Urban Village people not only got to know each other but voted in June to form a partnership in which they would worship together in the Urban Village style but remain separate entities for at least a while. Members of the two faith communities held their second joint worship service recently on the lawn outside the church following all of the CDC guidelines. Urban Village Church-West, as it will be called, will have its “grand opening” when the pandemic is over.

Wednesday Journal, September 2, 2020

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from page 1 mit lasts. They are looking into covering the dining space with a tent and using heaters to keep guests warm. Executive Chef Mike Gussis has an affinity for autumnal fare and plans to adapt and enhance the tavern’s menu for the season. Guenther would encourage customers to wear parkas and bring blankets to create a cozy feeling to dining outdoors in autumn. Kettlestrings is also preparing to handle more carryout and curbside orders as the weather turns and intend to offer a hybrid delivery approach. Johnny Konstantos, of George’s Family Restaurant, 145 S. Oak Park Ave., has made the most of their right-of-way patio constructed by village in mid-June. It took longer than expected to have the jersey walls delivered, but since opening the patio has brought loyal breakfast lovers back to George’s. As autumn nears, the family diner faces a return to limited seating as their sidewalk is too narrow to qualify for a sidewalk permit. “It’s all up in the air right now,” said Konstantos. “We are seeing a little bit more indoor dining now, but not as many people as we would like. It is hard to work like this, but we will see what the future holds.” Tre Sorelle, 1111 Lake St., could not offer outdoor dining while the street was under construction west of Marion Street. Now that the street is nearly completed, co-owner Anthony Miniscalco and his business partner Al Mancini are making plans to construct an outdoor dining space with cooler temperatures in mind. “We lost a substantial amount of walkin business because the street was under construction,” said Miniscalco. “But the finished product is absolutely beautiful.

I teared up when they planted the tree in front of the restaurant. It was nice to see a bit of green.” To accommodate sidewalk patio dining, Tre Sorelle will rely on a large overhead outdoor heater above the front door to balance the cooler air. Additionally, they intend to construct a trellis to help keep cool breezes at bay and create a cozy environment. The restaurant also benefits from large front windows that allow the indoor space to meet outdoor dining requirements. “Having heaters will hopefully allow us to keep the large windows open well into the fall,’ said Miniscalco. “We want to maximize every opportunity we have. We want people to feel safe and be comfortable both inside and out.” Tre Sorelle focuses on Northern Italian cuisine full of hearty dishes suitable for fall. Their chef hails from Milan and looks forward to making regional soups, and autumnal specials like short rib ravioli and richer cheese-based dishes like chicken with gorgonzola cream sauce to lure diners to Lake Street. “Oh man, we have some plans,” said Miniscalco. “We have a couple of tricks up our sleeve to entice people to dine outdoors in the fall.” In the Hemingway District on Lake from Oak Park Avenue to Euclid Avenue, however, all street-side outdoor dining is set to end after Labor Day to allow curb and sidewalk improvements to be completed by the end of the year. The decision was vetted with the business district and taken to the village board on July 6 for approval. “Several businesses are working on alternates for outdoor dining (such as behind the business),” said Pavlicek. “Some, like Fairgrounds, will be able to continue with their use of sidewalk space as that area was improved earlier by the developer who built District House.” Other restaurants may not fare as well east of Oak Park Avenue. For more information see Stacey Sheridan’s Lake Street construction update on page 11.

File photo

DINNER FOR TWO: Citrine, Oak Park Avenue and South Boulevard has a large outdoor patio.

Wednesday Journal, September 2, 2020

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C R I M E

Missing Oak Park woman still not located Oak Park police have not yet located Mary Windham, who was reported missing Aug. 15. Windham, 65, has dementia and “other conditions that put her in danger,” according to police. Police describe Windham as 5-foot-2 with black hair and brown eyes and may possibly be wearing a black hooded sweatshirt and carrying a reusable shopping bag with a floral pattern on it. Windham was last seen around 3 a.m. on Aug. 15 at Berkeley Nursing and Rehab Center, 6909 W. North Ave., according to reports. Windham is among three people, all seniors, reported missing from Oak Park between the end of July and August. Police recently located another woman who was reported missing. Rose Czartoryski, 83, was found Aug. 31 after being reported as missing Aug. 28, according to Oak Park police. Czartoryski is reportedly safe. A third Oak Park resident, Claude Hughes, 77, missing for almost two weeks, was found dead in a forest preserve near the Des Plaines River in River Grove on Aug 7.

Hughes, who had dementia, was reported missing after he left his home sometime between July 26 and 27.

Armed robbery ■ A man went into Metro PCS, 6319 North Ave. in Oak Park, demanded a refund, then allegedly became aggressive and took out a glass bottle from his back pocket, while threatening the to harm the employee and demanding cash from the register at 4:48 p.m., Aug. 24. The man took an estimated $170 in cash and fled. Police describe the man as Black, in his 30s, about 5-feet-11 and 190 pounds with a beard. He was last seen wearing a Grizzlies basketball jersey and a white and turquoise hat. ■ Jaheim Henyard, 18, of Chicago, was charged with four counts of armed robbery after being arrested at 1:35 p.m. on Aug. 29 in the 3100 block of West Harrison St. in Chicago. The armed robberies for which Henyard was charged reportedly took place in Oak Park on July 17 in the 100 block of Garfield Street and on Aug. 1 in the 1000 block of South Harvey Avenue and 1100 block of

South Taylor Avenue.

Robbery A young woman was seen picking up the victim’s mislaid wallet containing cash and credit cards at 11:30 a.m., Aug. 29 in the 100 block of South Austin Boulevard. As the victim attempted to run after the woman, two men allegedly stood intimidatingly in the victim’s pathway and advised the victim not to chase after the woman. All three were seen running south in the alley. Estimated loss is $800. Police described the young woman as Black, about 20 years old and 5-feet-4 with long straight brown hair and wearing a white T-shirt and gray jogging pants. One of the men was described as Black, about 17 years old, 5-feet-9 and thin, wearing a blue T-shirt and cotton shorts. Police described the other man as light-skinned Black, about 17 years old, with a thin build, about 5-feet-8 with a tattoo on his cheek.

Vehicular hijacking Oak Park police reported that three people approached a woman as she sat in her blue 2014 Ford Focus at 6:47 p.m. on Aug. 27 in

the 200 block of Washington Boulevard and pulled her out of the vehicle. All three offenders then got in the victim’s vehicle and drove off. Chicago police recovered the vehicle unoccupied and without keys in the rear of a building in the 200 block of North Pine Avenue.

Burglary Someone broke into a parked vehicle in the 800 block of North Elmwood Avenue between 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. on Aug. 24, ransacked the interior and took a Dell laptop from inside. Estimated loss is $2,000.

Motor vehicle theft ■ Someone stole an orange 2018 Jeep Compass parked in the 500 block of South Clinton Avenue between 10:30 a.m., Aug. 25 and 8:50 p.m., Aug. 27. The estimated loss is $20,000. ■ The owner of unlocked and running 2017 Nissan Altima saw someone drive off in her vehicle between 7:25 p.m. and 7:34 p.m. on Aug. 29 in the 200 block of Washington Boulevard. Chicago police recovered the vehicle on Aug. 30 in the first block of North Central Avenue in Chicago.

UNDER CONTRACT

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114 South Humphrey Oak Park, IL 60302

407 KENILWORTH, OAK PARK

his property with its architecturally award-winning atrium, provides seniors and persons with disabilities with parking, library, laundry room, wellness center and other conveniences. A service coordinator is on staff to assist tenants who may need additional services. The units are studio and one bedroom, each with electric appliances, tile bath, and wall to wall carpeting. Modern fire and safety systems are installed in each apartment and common areas of the building. There are 8 accessible one bedroom units for the mobility impaired. The Oaks is owned and operated by the Oak Park Residence Corporation and is funded by the Department of Housing and Urban Development through the 202/section 8 Program. Residents pay approximately 30% of their monthly income for rent. For additional information, please visit our web site at www.oakparkha.org or contact us at 708-386-5812.

$2,000,000 :: 6 BED :: 4.5+ BATH Fabulous renovated Victorian with coach house & pool.

UNDER CONTRACT

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900 FRANKLIN, RIVER FOREST

7204 IOWA, RIVER FOREST

$749,000 :: 4 BED :: 3.5 BATH Brick Colonial home. New kitchen & baths.

$574,900 :: 3 BED :: 2.5 BATH

Dutch Colonial. Great home!

KATHY & TONY IWERSEN 708.772.8040 708.772.8041 tonyiwersen@atproperties.com

Wednesday Journal, September 2, 2020

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Generations of Excellence since 1958

708.771.8040 • 7375 W. North Ave., River Forest DonnaAvenue Barnhisel 7375 West North Dan Bogojevich MANAGING Anne Brennan River Forest, Illinois 60305 BROKER/OWNERS Karen Byrne Calkins 708.771.8040 Kevin Tom Carraher Andy Gagliardo

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Laura Gancer Lisa Grimes Dan Halperin Sharon Halperin Greg Jaroszewski Vee Jaroszewski Noa Klima Jack Lattner

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2441 N 79TH AVE • ELMWOOD PARK

414 THOMAS • OAK PARK

N EW LI S T I N G!

BEAUTIFUL SIDE ENTRANCE COLONIAL with 4 BRs, 2 full & 1 half baths features a spacious center family room, cooks’ kitchen with mud room, gas fireplace, built-in shelving & art glass windows. Beautiful woodwork & hardwood floors throughout. Finished LL. Front & back heated walkway.......................$639,000

BRICK HOME on a beautiful block! Move-in condition with an open floor plan, this four-bedroom, four-bathroom house checks all the boxes. New white cabinet kitchen with Granite counters and stainless appliances, 2 fireplaces, LL family room, large deck, swimming pool. .................................................................. $524,950

CHARACTER & CHARM throughout this home! The living room features a wood-burning fireplace and built-in cabinetry, a large dining room, neat and clean basement, privacy fence. Delightful and well-maintained home in a great location, OP’s popular and desirable FLW district. ........................................................ $376,500

CLASSIC OAK PARK HOME on a large corner lot in the Harrison Arts district. This four BR, three BA home boasts four levels of living space. Tall ceilings, hardwood floors, vintage leaded glass windows, updated kitchen with breakfast bar. Finished 3rd floor, newly finished basement. .................................................. $549,000

1135 FOREST • RIVER FOREST

BEAUTIFUL, CLASSIC HOME offers everything for today’s modern living. Custom-built home has the highest quality finishes. No detail was missed. Brick and stone exterior, wrap-around porch, eleven-foot ceilings and oversized windows. LL has 2,000 feet of living area............ ........................................................................................................$1,295,000 MAGNIFICENT CERNY ENGLISH TUDOR is a spacious home that offers quality and stunning details throughout. Bright and open floor plan with great flow of grand sized rooms. Offers 5 bedrooms, 3 full/1 half baths. This home is a rare gem --- vintage flair with exceptional upgrades.............................................................................$1,249,000 EXQUISITE STONE HOME situated on a double lot is the perfect combination of quality, luxurious livability, and functionality. This 4 BR, 3 and ½ bath home offers an elegant foyer, rich hardwood floors, large bay windows, eat-in kitchen, and an expansive yard with in-ground pool, cabana, and patio. .............................................................$1,098,000 ELEGANT HOME located on a picturesque River Forest block! This stately 5 BR, 3 full/2 half bath home includes four floors of living with two finished family rooms, a large study and three fireplaces. Large sun-drenched rooms with elegant cove molding and windows. In-ground outdoor pool. ............................................................... $879,000 PRICE REDUCED GRAND SPRAWLING HOME with an abundance of interior and exterior living areas. 5 BRs, upstairs laundry, 3 full & 1 half BAs, 3 fireplaces, full basement with recreation room. Grand two story family room incorporated into an open plan kitchen. Hardwood floors throughout main level. ...................................$815,000 LOVELY SPLITLEVEL HOME offers newly refreshed contemporary style and wonderful space. Home offers three bedrooms, three brand new bathrooms, beautiful front entryway, vaulted ceiling family room, sunroom, game room, deck, spectacular backyard, attached two-car garage............................................................................... $599,000 CITY LIVING CONVENIENCE in a charming village atmosphere. This large Cape Cod is not a drive-by. Ten large rooms with four bedrooms, four full baths, and a huge 1st-floor family room with a wet bar. Three-season room, and a kitchen with 42” oak cabinets. ..... $575,000 LOVELY BUNGALOW offers wonderful space for family and entertaining. Original details blend seamlessly with all the current updates. Four BRs and 3 updated full baths on each level. Kitchen opens to family room. Full finished bsmt offers rec room, laundry area, bar & wine storage. ................................................................................................... $569,000

LOVELY CENTER ENTRANCE COLONIAL offers wonderful space! Deep lot, large deck, and original details throughout the home. Features include a large living room, sunny sitting room, hardwood floors, updated kitchen, family room, full finished basement, and a two-car garage...............................................................................$448,800

1131 FRANKLIN • RIVER FOREST

1210 N ELMWOOD • OAK PARK

ELEGANT CRAFTSMANSHIP can be found throughout this 5 BR French Normandy home. Sophistication is evident from the moment you walk in the door. Impressive foyer, formal LR with fireplace and built-in benches, family room, separate formal DR, updated kitchen, home office. ........................................ $1,100,000

RIVER FOREST HOMES

FRENCH COUNTRY ESTATE built for flexible living. Fully renovated and expanded to preserve the feel and charm of a 1946 home, with all the conveniences of modern amenities and finishes. Sits on a private, double lot. Large pool, 5 BRs w/BAs, 2nd Fl laundry, private office, finished basement. ...........................................................$1,749,950 STATELY SOUTHERN COLONIAL blends old world craftsmanship with elegant modern updates ideally located. Grand foyer, elegant LR with fireplace, recently remodeled gourmet kitchen, mudroom, family room, large basement with den/office. Meticulously maintained and ready to move in..........................................................................$1,650,000 PRICE REDUCED BURMABUILT BUHRKE HOUSE combines Tudor revival & chateau style architecture elements. Gorgeous décor and impeccable attention to detail and care found in house and landscaped grounds, extends to fabulous in ground pool and patios. Perfect for entertaining. ............................................................$1,650,000 STUNNING FRENCH NORMANDY house that has been remodeled and refinished from top to bottom. New wiring, plumbing, hvac, all floors, generator, roof work, and more. Just drop in your furniture and enjoy, from the fantastic front entrance all the way to the basement. .............................................................................................$1,398,000

745 S TAYLOR • OAK PARK

OAK PARK HOMES THREE STORY GRAND VICTORIAN on 100 x 218 lot in the heart of the Frank Lloyd Wright district. This estate features 6 Bedrooms, 2 Full baths, 3 fireplaces, many historic details including double front entry doors sourced from the Historic Pullman Estates section of Chicago. ...........................................................................................$650,000 MEDITERRANEAN INFLUENCE HOME offers 5 BR’s/2BA’s, 2 story LR with WBFP, beamed ceiling, French doors and original 1920’s terra cotta tiled floor. Dramatic staircase leads upstairs. New finished bsmt. The yard has patio and charming pergola. Tasteful decor found thru-out the house..........................................................................$519,000 LIMESTONE GEORGIAN with wonderful space! Beautiful lightfilled rooms, large LR, separate DR/eating area, French doors, three generously sized bedrooms, 1-1/2 bathrooms. Full finished basement with an extra room. Meticulously maintained yard, two-car garage and two extra spaces.............................................................................$495,000 TURN KEY LIVING awaits you in the 3 BR, 2 bath ranch all made up and ready to go! All new stainless steel appliances and granite counters highlight the twenty foot long eat-in kitchen. The expansive finished lower level practically doubles the size of the living space. Two car garage. ..............................................................................................$314,900 DUTCH COLONIAL with rehab already started, already gutted. Originally 2 bedrooms, but now open to new floor plan and added bedrooms and baths. Could be a flip or a great home to live in. ............. ............................................................................................................$185,000

LOVELY BRICK HOME offers wonderful space with beautiful views of the spectacular lot! Original details with two story foyer and hardwood floors throughout. This elegant home is beautifully constructed and large enough to accommodate family and friends for years to come. ............................................................ $1,299,000

CONDOS/TOWNHOMES/2 FLATS RIVER FOREST 3BR, 2-1/2 BA. The Valencia! ......................$435,000 RIVER FOREST 2BR, 2BA. Open concept floor plan.............$269,000 RIVER FOREST 2BR, 2BA. Heated parking ...........................$200,000 PRICE REDUCED OAK PARK 3BR, 2 full/2 half BA. ........$425,000 OAK PARK 3BR, 2 full/1 half BA. Vintage beauty.................. $285,000 OAK PARK 3BR, 2 full/1 half BA. Large BRs/ample closets. .$269,000 PRICE REDUCED OAK PARK 1BR, 1BA. ............................$124,500 OAK PARK 1BR, 1BA. Vintage building....................................$115,000 OAK PARK 1BR, 1BA. No stairs!...................................................$99,900 FOREST PARK 2BR, 2BA. Corner unit. ....................................$183,500 PRICE REDUCED FOREST PARK 1BR, 1BA........................$98,000

Summer is Still Here!

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Wednesday Journal, September 2, 2020

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Take a (virtual) walk on the wild side West Cook Wild Ones hosts online garden walk Sept. 12 By LACEY SIKORA

Contributing Reporter

n a typical August, West Cook Wild Ones has one of its busiest months, preparing for a garden walk and native plant sale that help further the nonprofit organization’s mission of helping area gardeners make their yards welcoming to animals and insects and by creating healthy native plant and animal environments. This year has been anything but typical, and when it became clear that the impact of COVID-19 would be long-lasting, West Cook Wild Ones decided to take its garden walk to the internet. Their virtual walk takes place on Saturday, Sept. 12, and members have been hard at work to create an experience that brings local gardens into viewers’ homes. West Cook Wild Ones board member and walk organizer Laura Hartwell Berlin says that the in-person walk usually covers 10 gardens in the Oak Park and River Forest area, and attendees could go to one or all of the gardens featured. “This spring, we became concerned that we couldn’t do the walk in person in August, so we decided to focus on smaller numbers,” Berlin said. While there will be three gardens featured, the online event will go in depth into each gardener’s unique space.

How to attend The West Cook Wild Ones Virtual Garden Walk takes place on Saturday, Sept. 12 from 3 to 4:30 p.m. Registration is free, but a good will donation of $10 to the nonprofit is suggested. Register at westcook.wildones. org/2020/08/03/2020-gardentour. In addition to the garden walk, those interested in native gardening can also support West Cook Wild Ones with its fall tree and shrub sale. Co-sponsored by Green Community Connections, the sale offers the opportunity to buy shrubs and trees which are native to the area and provide vital habitat and food for birds and beneficial insects. Purchases must be made online by Sept. 4 via wild-ones-west-cook.myshopify.com. Pick up of pre-orders is Sept. 19, 2020 at the parking lot of Euclid Methodist Church, 405 S. Euclid Ave. in Oak Park.

“We selected gardeners who have been gardening with native plants for a while,” Berlin said. “All of the gardeners are on the board of West Cook Wild Ones. Adrian focuses on bees, Stephanie has a focus on butterflies and Candace has a lot of space to showcase a variety of plants.” Berlin adds that two of this year’s gardens are in Oak Park and the third is in Berwyn, which makes a welcome expansion for the walk. The online format allows for a mixture of videos and photographs, with each gardener sharing scenes of their gardens from three seasons. West Cook Wild Ones board member Adrian Ayres Fisher is excited to share her garden during the virtual event. She says that each of the three featured gardeners will spend about 25 minutes sharing photos and videos of their gardens while also sharing how they take care of their spaces. Fisher says she has been in her south Oak Park home since 1986 and has been gardening with native plants for over 30 years. She had always loved visiting local forest preserves and wondered why the plants there looked so See WILD ONES on page 21

Photos submitted

NATIVE SPECIALIST: West Cook Wild Ones board member Adrian Ayres Fisher (top) has been planting native species in her south Oak Park garden (above) for 30 years.

Wednesday Journal, September 2, 2020

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last call for summer. HAPPY LABOR DAY

Wednesday Journal, September 2, 2020

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WILD ONES

A virtual event from page 19 different than what she saw in planned gardens. She read the book “Noah’s Garden: Restoring the Ecology of Our Own Backyards” by Sara Stein, which sparked her interest in native plants. She then found sellers Art and Linda Wildflowers at the Oak Park Farmers Market, who provided some of the early native plants for her garden. Fisher points out that because our ecosystem is unique to where we live, plants that are native to the area are the best adapted to live there and attract the bugs, birds and bees that are a vital part of the ecosystem. “If you want birds around, they have to have something to eat and feed their young,” Fisher said. “Most birds eat insects. Insects like to eat certain types of plants. What you’re doing when you plant native plants is feeding into the whole ecosystem. Plus, it’s beautiful.” Fisher has been taking photos in her Oak Park yard since early March and will present photos of her garden throughout the seasons. She says that showcasing her garden through the seasons is a particular pleasure, because she really enjoys seeing the changes that take place there every year. “In the spring, there is Woodland Jacob’s Ladder and Virginia bluebells,” Fisher said. “In the summer, the prairie plants grow tall. In the fall, the purple cone flowers start to go brown and begin forming seed heads, which the gold finches love. My favorite part is the way everything works together.”

Photo submitted

OASIS: Also on the virtual garden walk this year is Candace Blank’s garden (above), which also showcases native plants. Blank has taken special effort to attract birds to her garden.

Together WE are stronger!

n September, Oak Park and River Forest community members have an opportunity to participate in two celebrations, the first of which is the beginning of the annual National Recovery Month a nationwide awareness campaign. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) started the initiative 30 years ago, to support and educate communities on substance use treatment and mental health services. The second, far more auspicious for our communities, is the coming together of two local coalitions who for years have worked to prevent, reduce and promote recovery from substance abuse among our children, families and neighbors. Oak Park Township’s Workgroup for Positive Youth Development (+PYD) grew out of concerns of local parents over drug, alcohol and tobacco use among our youth. Their concerns have been substantiated by self-reported data from the Illinois Youth Survey that underage drinking in Oak Park and River Forest has been higher than the State average. The Addiction Recovery Team (A.R.T) came together to support those in recovery as well as provide

education and awareness about substance abuse and addiction for everyone in the community. In what is now viewed as “two sides of the same coin”, each organization has responded to this need with education and advocacy. +PYD has focused its efforts on substance use prevention among youth by educating the public about the causes of substance use by teens including peer pressure, parental permissiveness and ease of access to drugs, alcohol and tobacco (and vaping) in our communities. Meanwhile, A.R.T. has focused its efforts on reducing the stigma associated with addiction, promoting recovery and making the public aware of resources to support that recovery. Now, together, these two coalitions form a community-based continuum of care focused on promoting the health and mental health of our residents and, therefore, our community as a whole. Each, incidentally, includes community

residents who are, themselves, in longterm recovery. “We’ve come full circle,” says the Community Mental Health Board’s Executive Director, Lisa DeVivo. “From a common origin, we are now joined in a common cause which is the well-being of our community members through the reduction of and recovery from substance abuse. Our coalitions have complementary goals and, together, we can bring to bear a wider array of expertise and resources to achieve those goals.” says Kelly O’Connor, Oak Park Township’s Prevention Services Manager. “You’re invited to join us during the month of September for many of our virtual events,” says A.R.T. co-chair Anita Pindiur, Executive Director of the Way Back Inn and Melinda Peterson, co-chair

Prevention Recovery

For more information and to discover local resources: OakParkTownship.org/PYD

Oak Park & River Forest Townships

This was developed and funded in whole and or part, by grants from the Office of National Drug Control Policy and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. The views, opinions, and content of this publication are those of the authors and contributors, and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, or policies of ONDCP, SAMHSA, or HHS, and should not be construed as such.

Oak Park & River Forest Townships

@Positive Youth Development

of +PYD and mother of a River Forest student. “Our celebrations might be virtual, but your success is REAL! Join us… listen, hear, share and CELEBRATE yourself and each other!” For more information on daily activities and “live” events please visit: https:// www.addictionrecoveryteam.org/ upcoming-events. Friday, September 11th join a virtual Open Mic, Recovery through the Arts from 4-6pm, information in link.

Wednesday Journal, September 2, 2020

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ADDRESS

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ADDRESS

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LISTING PRICE

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1129 Rossell Ave. Oak Park, IL.. . . . . . . . . . . . . Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Chicago . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$529,900. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-2 1135 Keystone Ave. River Forest, IL. . . . . . . . Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Chicago . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $614,900. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-2

425 S. Oak Park Ave. Unit E, Oak Park, IL. . Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Chicago . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$339,000. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-2

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C O N S C I O U S

Wednesday Journal, September 2, 2020

VIEWPOINTS

Trustees react to protestors’ vandalism p. 25

A G I N G

The larger version of ourselves

o those of us in our last third of life, we’ve both been here before and we’ve never seen times like these. You may think I’m referring to the deep political polarization surrounding the impending election, or the normal-changing worldwide pandemic, or perhaps the global anti-racism protests, or possibly the avalanching existential threat of climate change, or maybe even shootings by armed white vigilantes. Yes, I’m referring to all that and more, but no, that’s not what I’m writing about. We’ve never been whatever age each of us is now, whether during crucial elections, or protests, or nuclear threats or school desegregation. This is the first time for any of us at this age. We’ve not before been the person we are becoming now. Aging presents us with something new even as we are just becoming familiar with something new. So who are we going to be this time? What will be important to us this time? What role models will we become this time? Will we, as Maria Popova writes, “go on being the smaller version of ourselves we have grown accustomed to being, out of the un-faced fear?” That smaller version of ourselves keeps us from aging with intention, from embracing our aging and dying and, sometimes, from feeling empathy. As we age through our last third, it is important that we make this a better world, and it is important that we grow in the grace of awakening — to become empathic human “beings,” not just human “doings.” Filmmaker Ava DuVernay recently commented that “everyone knows we are in the midst of history. … We are living history now. This time will be long remembered. This time will be long studied. And the question is, what lessons are we learning now that we can take into the future?” Even as we are figuring out, as we age, who we are and what is really important, we are given this tremendous opportunity to make a difference. Making a difference in our world and in ourselves are two sides of the same coin. It will not happen out of blind habit. It takes conscious work with intention and attention. The inbred cynicism of ageism demands our honest attention. Conscious aging helps us step toward becoming more admirable role models, toward living a legacy, not just leaving a legacy, and toward facing those un-faced fears. This is one way we will stake out who we are going to be this time and one way we will be building the new world that is in creation. The role of the artist, James Baldwin said, “is to make you realize the doom and glory of knowing who you are and what you are.” As older people, doesn’t that make us all artists?

MARC BLESOFF

ALEX ROGALS/Staff Photographer

RESPECT: Oak Park police take a knee on June 3 during a moment of silence outside of village hall in Oak Park.

Defund police? No. Reform policing? Yes Remarks delivered by Mayor Anan Abu-Taleb during the village board Meeting, Aug. 25: efunding the police” seems to have a whole range of answers depending on who you ask. For some it may mean relocation and reshuffling of our resources and for others it may mean getting rid of the entire policing system in our community. To those who suffered emotionally and or physically due to police brutality or conduct, I am sorry. I understand struggle because of my life experience and where I grew up. I understand why you would be calling to defund the police. But defunding the police, partly or entirely, will not remedy your concerns and will not resolve the challenges in front of us. Reforming our police department — holding the police officers accountable the same way as the general public, having a public database of police officers’ conduct, working to convince the unions that in the long run, the discipline, the promotion, reward, reprimand and accountability of a police officer — belongs to the local municipality, belongs to the chief and management. And that is why I do not support this concept and request of defunding the police. But I am committed to making the changes that need to be made, so everyone in our community feels welcomed and belonging in our village. I am committed to reforming what should be reformed, and we have started that process. I signed the Obama pledge to

‘D

examine our policies, use of force, engage the community, and adopt the recommendation. We have consensus on this board to have an independent third party to audit our policies and processes, and this work has started. The approach of the resolution before us tonight is like that of a homeowner tackling modest repairs with a sledgehammer and power saw. Police are needed; social services are needed. Reform is a must. But before we change the policing system, let’s define what needs to change, and let us not throw out the baby with the bathwater. The pandemic, the call for social justice, and this economic recession create an opportunity for us to come together and re-think many things. And I am committed to that. When people elect us and entrust us with this awesome responsibility, we must rise to the occasion and must do what is responsible. And I view public safety as our number one responsibility. It is essential that we provide our staff and first responders with a positive environment, support, and certainty. But our support is not unconditional, our support must come with accountability. And we cannot forget that the reason we as a government exist is to serve the people and to make everyone in our village feel they belong here, that they are welcomed, respected, and treated with dignity. Anan Abu-Taleb is the mayor of the village of Oak Park.

ANAN ABUTALEB One View

V I E W P O I N T S

Wednesday Journal, September 2, 2020

O U R

V I E W S

Running as a ‘D’

e’re in the early stages of the April 2021 local elections. First candidates declaring for village president in Oak Park and in River Forest guarantee competitive races. First candidate declared for the District 200 Oak Park and River Forest High School Board of Education, where four of seven seats are open. Four incumbents have yet to declare their intentions, though we anticipate some retirements. And the start of declarations for Oak Park’s village board. So many changing factors in our local elections. The old days of school caucuses vetting and endorsing candidates are gone. The VMA in Oak Park and the River Forest Service Club, mixing good government intentions with effective clout, have evaporated. Social media allows the aggregation of small pockets of support into more powerful voices and campaigns. And the days of Wednesday Journal endorsing candidates — for both good and ill if you were a candidate — have also ended as we are now a nonprofit entity and not allowed to endorse under very reasonable IRS regulations. But the biggest change? Well, COVID-19 of course. How does a single candidate, or even a slate, campaign? Social media certainly gains traction. More immediately, how does a candidate get necessary petition signatures to qualify for the ballot in the middle of a pandemic? Perpetually being “assaulted” outside the Farmers Market by candidates eager for sigs now seems quaint and sort of luxurious. In the arcane reality of election laws, the signature requirements vary considerably from race to race. Those running for school boards have a low threshold. Candidates for village office have a substantially higher target, based on a formula tied to total votes in the last election cycle. That, however, is the calculation for those running the traditional “non-partisan” race for local office. Nonpartisan local elections — no one declares either as a Republican or a Democrat — have great value in local government. The ideal is to focus on good government and shared values without getting caught up in the mire that partisan politics has always represented and which is now on steroids. But running for local office as a “D” or an “R” exponentially reduces the necessary number of petition signatures required. Maybe it also offers some point of distinction that has an advantage. Not sure about that. Right now, though, it allows a candidate to short-circuit the problematic challenge of gathering signatures in a pandemic. Cate Readling, a local activist and announced candidate for Oak Park village president, said last week that she was running as a Democrat. She’s not the first. A candidate for the Oak Park board ran as a Democrat two years back. Readling told our Stacey Sheridan that she was initially reluctant to take that step but was convinced by supporters that it was prudent in these contagious times. We get that. We also have grave worries over anything that makes our already riled up local politics more partisan. Two years ago, certainly in the wake of the confounding election of Donald Trump a cycle earlier, there was a giant upsurge in the number of candidates for all of our local offices. That was exciting and positive. With the results of the November national elections still to be determined, we anticipate more local response to national issues. Trending toward more heat and more hate, more us and more them is something we need to fight in our small towns. Non-partisan elections help us accomplish that.

A guide to living

hat’s what we want, isn’t it? A guidebook to help us make sense of living, filled with lessons learned. Some use the Bible for that purpose. Fine book. But Ralph Waldo Emerson, the prophet of Self-Reliance, said we should write our own bibles. No single version covers everything, of course, but in the last four years, the very nature of truth has been called into question and many feel we’ve lost our bearings. We seem to be working without a net … or an instruction manual … or a compass. Right now, we could use some guidance. Maybe the secret of life is actually living. And the meaning of life is living meaningfully.

cally therapeutic. “Sometimes the greatest journey is the distance between two people.” (Promo for the film “The Painted Veil”) “Don’t be afraid of the answer.” (Esquire magazine, “What I’ve Learned” feature) “You’ll get a lot further with people if you use their first name.” (Esquire, ditto)

KEN

TRAINOR

“The secret of life is enjoying the passage of time.” (James Taylor, “Secret O’ Life”) The morning after you’ve done laundry is the best — life is full of choices. Make your bed every day. No matter what else happens, you’ll know there is order somewhere. “Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck.” (Dalai Lama) The only dangerous idea is that ideas are dangerous. “You can’t reason somebody out of a position he didn’t reason himself into.” (Des Moines Register columnist Donald Kaul) Perfectionism describes the approach, not the result.

We hunger to escape the clamoring of our appetites. The conventional wisdom on conventional wisdom is that it’s true, which is often false.

Stereotyping is the process of drawing overly broad conclusions from an overly narrow sample. Prejudiced people are notoriously bad statisticians. Trying, we may not succeed, but we may inspire someone else to try, and so on, until eventually someone succeeds. Thoreau said the majority lead lives of quiet desperation. Better to be among the minority who lead lives of quiet exhilaration. With some frequency, we need to experience the unvarnished goodness of being alive. On a regular basis, surround yourself with greatness. A sky filled with massive clouds. The shoreless ocean. Majestic mountains. Put yourself in perspective.

“The mind is a terrific servant but a terrible master.” (David Foster Wallace)

“The dissenter is every human being at those moments of his life when he resigns momentarily from the herd and thinks for himself.” (Archibald MacLeish)

“You have to be willing to let go of the life you planned in order to make room for the life you’re meant to live.” (Maria Shriver, AARP magazine interview)

“A ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for.” (John A. Shedd, 1928, Salt from My Attic)

“There are two kinds of suffering: The kind that leads to more suffering and the kind that leads to less.” (Vinny Ferraro) “Everybody makes their own fun. If you don’t make it yourself, it’s not fun. It’s entertainment.” (From the film “State and Main”) Never fear. We are surrounded by micro-heroes, people who are quietly heroic. “Find the good and praise it.” (Alex Haley) “My happiness grows in direct proportion to my acceptance and in inverse proportion to my expectations.” (Michael J. Fox, from an interview in AARP magazine) People remember your actions more than your words. “It’s better to be a pilot light than a firecracker.” (Rep. John Lewis) “Worry never robs tomorrow of its sorrow, it only saps today of its joy.” (Source unknown) “Grandma never wasted anything that came into her kitchen. She used everything. That’s a good model for us. Use everything.” (On Being interview with Nikki Giovanni) Taking off our shoes at airport security is uncomfortable, but also humbling and egalitarian. It is democrati-

“No one has ever hated themselves into becoming a better person.” (Vinny Ferraro) “Eat food, not too much, mostly plants.” (Michael Pollan, “In Defense of Food – An Eater’s Manifesto”) “You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.” (Attributed to Mae West) We may not be able to fly, but so much of life involves defying gravity. Impatience and hurry are the enemy of the long walk to forever. Once your pace quickens, you’re back in rat-race time. There are two approaches to life: “bracing against the bad vs. embracing the good.” (Ross Gay, On Being interview, author of The Book of Delights) Fear of dying is not a good enough reason to keep living. Without a good reason to live, you’re just on life support. “It comes down to a simple choice, really. Get busy living or get busy dying.” (From the film “Shawshank Redemption”) “You can only die once. Don’t die every day in anticipation.” (Carol Di Matteo) “Do not be afraid of the true dragon!” (Zen calendar, 2005)

V I E W P O I N T S

Protestors’ actions hurt their cause

The undersigned members of the Oak Park Village Board of Trustees condemn the acts of vandalism and property damage to the home of Mayor Anan Abu-Taleb on the evening of Tuesday, Aug. 25. A rally organized by the youth group ROYAL and by Freedom to Thrive took place in Fox Park near Mayor AbuTaleb’s house at 6 p.m. on the evening the village board was set to discuss policing issues. In the midst of our meeting, protestors left the park and took the rally to the Mayor’s home, trespassed in his backyard, threw eggs at his house and extensively damaged his wife’s garden. They spray-painted graffiti on the public sidewalk and street. These actions prevented the Mayor and police chief from participating in the meeting which resulted in the meeting being adjourned. As a result, the police-reform initiatives up for discussion and progress have been stalled. These actions damaged more than Mayor Abu-Taleb’s

property and his family’s sense of security. ■ They disrupted the democratic process. ■ They discredit the protestors’ cause. ■ They dissuade people from running for office. ■ They cost the taxpayers money in requiring a police response and a public works response. PROVIDED We call on the young people who damaged the Mayor’s property to step forward and take responsibility for your actions. Political advocacy does not give you the right to commit crimes. We call on the adult organizers of this rally to take responsibility for their role in these actions and condemn vandalism, property damage and violence in all its forms. We further call on the adults to model peaceful protesting and productive methods for advocating for change when working with youth.

Trustee Deno Andrews Trustee Simone Boutet Trustee Susan Buchanan Trustee Dan Moroney

Artist to activist: Hannah Beye Fyfe summons to jury duty. I certainly would Second in a series of profiles of notable like to answer it and see what happens. It local suffragists, honoring the centennial of would give the authorities a start to learn women’s right to vote: that H.B. Fyfe, the citizen, is also a female.” nyone who watched the numerous The election judges were indeed surprised, programs last month on the strugand disqualified her on account of her sex. gle for women’s suffrage learned As a charter member of the recently that the battle was long and hard. formed Oak Park League of Women VotIn fact, even after enactment of the ers, Hannah Beye wasn’t about to sidelined. She hired Nineteenth Amendment, many women, regardless of race, were denied or discouraged from exercising their a woman attorney (Elizabeth Perry) and brought a lawsuit against the commissioners, the first volley rights to vote, run for office, or serve on juries. in what became a decades-long battle between the Today, we take for granted that both men and women will serve on juries for both criminal and civil cases. But legislature and the courts. Initially her complaint was upheld because the 1871 jury statute in 1920 — and for nearly two decades after referenced “electors” without mentioning — women on juries in Illinois was a moot sex. The state Supreme Court overturned point. It was an Oak Park woman — Hanthat decision, saying the framers of the nah Beye Fyfe — who first brought the law could not imagine women as voters issue to a tipping point. and therefore meant men only. The daughter of William Beye (for It wasn’t until 1937 that the General Aswhom Beye School is named), Hannah sembly passed a new law allowing women Christabel Beye attended the Art Institute to serve on juries. During all the legal of Chicago after her graduation from Oak battles, Hannah remained engaged and Park and River Forest High School. She active. When asked about the connection specialized in design and was not only HANNAH BEYE FYFE between her art and her activism, she rea “sketcher” but also a jewelry designer plied, “True art does not necessarily mean who owned her own shop in Chicago until a pretty picture or a well-designed gown. Rather her marriage to architect James L. Fyfe. She was a it should mean beauty in everything, well-laid-out member of the Nineteenth Century Woman’s Club, streets, properly conducted governments, and happy which sparked an active interest in civic affairs that contented people.” continued throughout her life. The club also was Her case is still studied in law school, as Randy where she developed a friendship with May Estelle Kadlec noted last week [Viewpoints, Aug. 26]. Cook, who years later asked her to illustrate the Mary Ann Porucznik currently serves as the board classic book Little Old Oak Park. Her husband was selected to design the 1928 club building, now an Oak secretary for both the League of Women Voters and the Park Landmark. Nineteenth Century Charitable Association. She also In April 1925, she received an envelope addressed volunteers at the Oak Park River Forest Museum, where to “H.B. Fyfe.” She later recalled thinking, “I have a she researched this article.

MARY ANN PORUCZNIK One View

Wednesday Journal, September 2, 2020

W E D N E S D A Y

JOURNAL of Oak Park and River Forest

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

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

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ADDRESS 141 S Oak Park Ave., Oak ParkIL 60302 ■ PHONE 708-5248300 EMAIL Dan@OakPark.com ■ ONLINE www.OakPark.com Wednesday Journal is published digitally and in print by Growing Community Media NFP. The newspaper is available on newsstands for $1.00. A one-year subscription costs $38 within Cook County and $45 outside of Cook County. Advertising rates may be obtained by calling our office. Periodical rate postage paid at Oak Park, IL (USPS 10138). Postmaster, send address corrections to Wednesday Journal, 141 S. Oak Park Ave., Oak Park, Il 60302. © 2020 Growing Community Media, NFP.

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The dream of dialogue

Ken, I admire you for trying to have a dialogue [The American Dream of belonging, Ken Trainor, Viewpoints, Aug. 26], but I increasingly feel that there is little hope. Your friend Dave is wishing for a time that never was: “Back then” those people who weren’t like me knew their place and did not spoil my neighborhood. The Blacks and Browns and Jews lived in their own places. And when they did move to places like Oak Park, they kept a low profile. They most certainly did not put signs on their porches. Oh, and gays were OK — as long as they stayed in the closet. His words do not stand up to reasonable argument or dialogue, so it soon deteriorates into anger and false equivalents. What is wrong with a “Hate has no place here” sign? Does he feel that Hate does have a place here? Keep trying.

Bill Dring

Steamboat Springs, Colorado

Protestors’ actions were shameful

The abuse of private property is criminal. Worse is the hypocrisy of the young people objecting to racial injustice, while painting the Star of David in front of the home of a Palestinian citizen. That is racist, pure and simple. It’s shameful and should be an embarrassment to their parents. On the curb was written, “Arti speaks for us.” Trustee Walker-Peddakotla, too, should be ashamed of what she has started.

Tom Gallagher

Oak Park

Wednesday Journal, September 2, 2020

Do we want a Democratic president of the village? I spoke with Cate Readling a little more than a week ago. She asked me if I would support her to run for president of Oak Park as a Democrat. I said, “absolutely not.” I asked why she wants to run that way rather than as “no party.” Her response was surprising. Running as a Democrat, she only needs 25 signatures to get on the ballot instead of over 600 with no party affiliation. Also, she could begin to campaign right away. I reminded her of the history of Oak Park. In 1953, we had a Republican group running Oak Park and doing a terrible job. A dozen or so Oak Parkers decided to make a change; hundreds of others joined them. They proposed a more equitable structure of governance that became the Village Manager form of government we have today. The referendum that went before voters — and passed by a huge margin — included six trustees and a president of the board. There were no Republicans or Democrats, and that stopped the partisan governing. The board’s job was to state the mission, vision, goals and objectives of the village. The village manager had a full-time job enacting the board’s vision and taking care of the day-to-day stuff. The Village Manager Association (VMA) would interview any Oak Parker who wished to run for president, trustee or clerk. There usually was a group

of 50-60 people doing the interviewing of potential candidates. We always looked for diverse people with a variety of skills to bring to the village for more thorough representation. We wanted to ensure they understood the goal was good governance, free of nepotism and cronyism. We strived to prevent money from greatly influencing our Oak Park politics along with other good-governance practices. Over these many years, the greatest infraction by one of the trustees was that he didn’t pay his water bill on time. So now if we have a village president who is a Democrat, this will eliminate the original goal of that referendum. We will resume partisan governing and likely make it too easy to end up with a board of Democrats. Look at our surroundings: the city of Chicago has been a corrupt Democratic town forever. Springfield has been corrupt for over 30 years under the influence of Speaker of the House Michael Madigan. Oak Park has been able to avoid this type of corrupt partisanship. Therefore, we do not want a president of Oak Park who is a Democrat or a Republican. I urge the voters of Oak Park to not vote for Cate Readling.

Douglas Wyman

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Wednesday Journal, September 2, 2020

What? Defund the police?!

n Monday morning, Aug. 10, 2020, I had a rude, startling awakening. As I tuned in one of the local TV channels for an update of the morning news, a notice flashed on the screen of a developing news story. The news was that Chicago’s Magnificent Mile of Michigan Avenue had suffered extensive looting on Sunday night. The news coverage showed an organized attack on businesses on Michigan Avenue just north of the river. It was similar to the attack one month earlier on State Street which coincided with the protest demonstrations of the police killing of George Floyd in Minnesota. The news coverage also revealed that the attack was coordinated using online social communications media. This time, however, there were no “Black Lives Matter” demonstrators in the background, and there was no arson. There was a large presence of police, outnumbered, overwhelmed, and outmaneuvered by the commando-like tactics of the looters. The element of surprise served the attackers well. Fortunately, the looting did not spread to suburbs and shopping malls. The looting attack, presumably, was sparked by a police shooting of a black man on the South Side of Chicago who had engaged the police in a gun fight earlier on Sunday. The short time lapse between the police shooting and the onset of the piracy leads me to speculate that the gun fight was a planned provocation. It was the initiation of a planned mission. The sophistication of the current-day criminal element leaves me outraged, awestruck, and unnerved. On Sunday, Chicago police arrested more than a hundred looters. Hundreds of high resolution security camera

recordings have been viewed and examined for additional evidence and identification of perpetrators. More arrests are pending. To date, some 40 offenders have charges brought against them. To lighten her case load, State’s Attorney Kim Foxx likely will drop charges in many cases as she did with Jussie Smollett, and so turn many robbers loose. Demonstrators against police brutality seek to defund the police. The two vicious looting attacks upon Chicago’s businesses must serve as a warning that weakened or disbanded law enforcement will leave our communities vulnerable to the looters’ opportunism. In the aftermath of the looting, numerous community activists stepped up to explain and provide a rationale for the violent attack. The consensus of their opinions is that it was a catharsis of deep anger in the community. It was a protest of the stifling oppression of communities by systemic racism. Such rationale, however, infers that the violence was racially motivated. Therefore it was a hate crime. Attempting to downplay or minimize the crime, the community spokesmen suggest that it’s OK to engage in racially biased piracy and looting. They reveal themselves to be just as racist as the racism they pretend to fight. Are they saying that rioting, smashing, looting and burning is an acceptable alternate means to convey that Black lives matter? America is in a crisis with the insidious toxicity of racism. Defunding the police does not confront racism and it would embolden, enable, and virtually invite the organized criminals to riot, loot, plunder and destroy.

FRED NATKEVI One View

Choose

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Too Much

Too hot to walk outside today; too muggy sometimes not to sweat; too cloudy to walk without hitting rain; too buggy I fear to attempt in woods.

Too frightening to try in crowded streets; too lonely to walk too far alone; too tricky to walk 6 feet away; too familiar to have anywhere new to go. Too tired sometimes to want to go; too lethargic often to leave the couch; but too busy on good days to have much time; with too little planning for the needed pause. Too many options closed for too long; too many days turning into the next; too many old ways fading into memory; and too much uncertainty about what will come back. But never too grateful for all that is left, for food, for home, for family, and friends, for occupations, hobbies, books, and dreams, and sweet working legs and eyes. Gratitude overflowing, while the daily count of the fallen becomes too many, too many, and too many more.

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Oak Park

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We can end this vicious cycle of reactivity

very action has an equal, opposite reaction. It is a law of physics, and we have taken it as a law of racial progress in this nation. Whenever Black people have won some small advancement, we white people have lashed back against it. After Emancipation and Reconstruction, we had Redemption and Jim Crow of the 1890s and beyond. After the Civil Rights Movement, we had the conservative revolution of the 1980s. Now, before the Black Lives Matter movement has even had the chance to gain ground, we see the white reaction, nationally and locally. Protests across the nation after the police killing of George Floyd have gained momentum in their demands to defund the police, but they have not had the chance to achieve much concrete change. Most recently, protests erupted in Kenosha, Wisconsin after a police officer shot Jacob Blake. These protests, like those across the nation, were largely peaceful, but there was some violence, theft, and property destruction. And many white people across this nation, most notably, of course, Trump and the Republican Party, have used this violence as an excuse to condemn the movement and its demands. In our village of Oak Park, young activists have also begun pressing a demand to defund the local police department. During a recent village board meeting — held online due to the pandemic — protestors gathered outside the Village President’s house as he participated in that meeting. Again, the protests were largely peaceful, but someone threw an egg at the house and others in the crowd broke plant pots and caused damage in the yard. And again white people have used this property violation and damage to condemn this local movement and its demands. We white people want to ignore the real, lasting harm that white supremacy has caused over the past 400 years, as well as the harm it continues to cause. This continued harm includes incarcerating Black men at almost six times the rate of white men across this na-

tion when both groups commit drug crimes at the same rate. This includes the police shooting of yet another unarmed Black man. This includes Black youth being 97 percent of youth stopped by Oak Park police in the past five years when Black people are only about 20 percent of the village’s population. As we white people continue to support the policies that lead to these outcomes, we blame Black people for their anger and frustration. And when some of the people affected act out that anger and frustration, we white people always focus on the property damage and how it makes us feel unsafe. “They have no right to damage other people’s property!” we proclaim in outrage. But what about the rights of Black people that our nation has never felt bound to respect? What will it take, my fellow white people, for us to step outside of our narrow self-interest for just one moment? To set aside our outrage? To understand that rights denied will lead to anger? And instead, to focus on the first cause of all of this: the policies that continue to result in disproportionately negative outcomes for Black people today? As Dr. Ibram Kendi teaches us so clearly, if we believe that all racial groups have equal stores of intelligence, kindness, strength, and every other quality — if we believe that skin color does not determine those qualities — then the only factor left to explain disparities between the races is the policies we implement that treat those racial groups differently. Let’s stop reacting and start righting the wrongs of our misguided policies. Let’s turn away from the policy of always increasing the budget for policing and cutting the budget for social services. Let’s turn toward our young people — especially our Black young people — to see what they need. We can end this cycle of reaction — we just need the self-awareness and strength to do it. Jim Schwartz is an Oak Park resident, an educator, and a blogger at Entwining.org.

JIM

SCHWARTZ One View

D O O P E R ’ S

M E M O R I E S

Once upon a time: A typical day at OPRF High School

chool began at 8:20 a.m. each day, so I made certain I arrived by 8:00 so that I could deposit books, my lunch and my coat in my locker and pick up books for my morning classes. The homeroom period started at 8:20, and the time was devoted to general announcements and for taking attendance. Classes started at 8:50. Three of the four homeroom teachers I had while in high school were all business, but Mr. Rossiter, who was my homeroom teacher during my sophomore year, cracked jokes and talked about current events. Every semester except the first two [four classes each], I took five classes and, because I wanted to go to college, I took four years of Latin, four years of math, the required two years of history, three and a half years of science, four years of English, and general business, a required course. I also took public speaking and expository writing, electives, during my senior year. Even though I took many classes in the same field, I only had the same teacher more than once. I had Mrs. Baker for third- and fourth-year Latin. The classroom routine was broken up daily with physical education and study hall. To get to the gym, I would usually walk from the main building through the tunnel rather than outside. The tunnel was dimly lit, and the shuffling of feet was often punctuated by yelling and the occasional scream. In wet weather, the tunnel floor was slushy. When the boys got to the gym, we put our street clothes in our respective lockers and changed into our Huskie shorts and sleeve-

less shirts. During the class, we played seasonal sports, and in good weather (as determined by the teacher) we would play outside. When class was over, we would undress, take a shower, dress in our street clothes and return to the main building and gather our books from our lockers. I always brought my lunch each day, which I kept in my locker and had to pick up before the 40-minute lunch period. The lunchroom was noisy but not out of control because four male teachers patrolled the aisles. Study hall could be a quiet place or it could be somewhat noisy, depending on how strict the supervising teacher was. I remember one incident at the end of a study hall period when a guy named Rick threw a wad of paper at another guy, but he missed and instead the wad of airborne paper hit the supervising teacher on the forehead. Rick received a 10-day suspension. When classes ended for the day at 3:30 p.m., I went to the locker I shared with Joe Stoklas to put on my jacket and deposit and pick up two or more books. I walked toward home with Joe, who lived near Whittier School, but after he and his family moved to Wenonah Avenue, I walked the home route with either Roger Dempsey or Bob Guillemin both of whom lived near my home. Even though the school routine was sometimes boring, I not only received a stellar education, but I also developed necessary social skills during my four years at OPRF High School.

JOHN

STANGER

Wednesday Journal, September 2, 2020

Where is the empathy and the love?

In response to John Hubbuch’s “What I did and didn’t do on vacation” [Viewpoints, Aug. 26]: Let’s get a slow clap going for this local hero, who, as a privileged white man who has vacationed in Northern Michigan for the past 40 years, “did not worry about institutional racism and income disparity” and “did not fret over the burden” of his white privilege. That must have been so hard for him as he frolicked in the Michigan waves, while the people who actually do have to worry and fret about their survival didn’t have the option to just “not worry” about their daily experience and reality. This viewpoint was absolutely mind boggling and the problem with the bubbles white people are living in — that it is an option for us to “turn off ” our worries. I will make an assumption here that Hubbuch does not actually worry or fret over these things because if he did, he would not say that he cares about “other things that are more important to me.” As an eight-year educator and graduate student in UIC’s Youth Development program, the injustice that our BIPOC (both young people and their families and communities) face every day does not leave my mind, or my heart, ever. Being in the real world, being able to just “not think about” institutional racism and income disparity is not an option when a homeless student comes late to class, or another student is crying because her relative got deported last night. These are people’s lives out here. Where is the empathy? Where is the love? Where is the fire, for us to say enough is enough — of the poison of this corrupt system and reality for so many wonderful people whose only crime is not being born white? P.S. All of us have agency over this world, John. It’s called “taking responsibility and advocacy,” especially on behalf of those who are ignored, silenced, tortured, or killed. It is our duty to speak and not be silent. It is our duty to be allies in the real world — not in our lawn signs or bumper stickers. If you don’t know any BIPOC, ask yourself why. If you don’t know the realities of the School-to-Prison Pipeline, ask yourself why. If you don’t have to ever worry about your child coming home to you alive every night, ask yourself why. And then count your blessings, roll up your sleeves, and ask yourself how you can help make this world right.

Kris Gevorgyan

Chicago school social justice educator

Wednesday Journal, September 2, 2020

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

Common-sense, level-headed police reform

olice reform in our village — and in our country overall — is a crucial issue and is multifaceted. It is not merely a matter of “defunding the police,” a term that has many meanings. Actually, one of the goals related to the defunding issue is really to shift some responsibilities from the police to more appropriate agencies that are better qualified to assist with mental health, homelessness and other crises. I agree with that. On the other hand, we need to reallocate funding to include specialized police training. Obviously, there is a disconnect between police departments and communities of color throughout this country. We need police officers to have mandatory training in avoiding provocation; de-escalation; non-violent and non-lethal police techniques to end confrontations when de-escalation does not work. And most important to me is Cultural Competency training so that police departments and police officers have a changed mindset toward people of color — specifically Black people. It seems obvious that too many police officers do not seem to see Black people as human beings, but as threats that must be extinguished without hesitation. I blame the media for a lot of the images that support the negative stereotypes that reinforce those feelings. To counter that, positive interactions between citizens/communities of color and police departments/officers are very important.

In addition, rooting out certain types of aggressive personalities; screening out militia-type and openly racist candidates; addressing implicit biases; as well as understanding cultural norms, style, mannerisms and “ways of being” are all factors that are important for positive relationship building between citizens of color and all kinds of public servants — police officers, firefighters, medical personnel, teachers and school administrators — if we seriously want to have better outcomes. This kind of training makes people more understanding of those who are different from themselves and helps frame our interpretations of their behavior. If public servants are more familiar with cultural norms of others, they are more likely to accurately interpret words and behavior instead of overreacting in fear with unnecessary provocation, escalation and violence. Personally, I believe that police officers should have to live in the cities where they are hired to protect and serve, and, in the case of a village like Oak Park, that we should at least have a program that helps all of our public servants be able to afford to live here. In that way our police officers and other public servants would be more likely to see us first as neighbors. Lynn Allen, a longtime Oak Park resident, is the former director of the District 97 Multicultural Education Department.

LYNN ALLEN

One View

Who will accept responsibility for the damage? On Tuesday evening for over two hours, trustees of the village discussed, debated and then voted on a resolution, presented by Trustee Arti Walker-Peddakotla, to defund the Oak Park Police Department. The conversation was very civil and each trustee had the opportunity to give her/his opinion on the matter without interruption. There was no name-calling, no belittling of other trustees, nothing but civility. In the end, the resolution was defeated, not because trustees were against defunding, but because there were no specifics offered to define how to carry out the resolution. In fact, during his remarks just before calling the vote, Mayor Anan Abu-Taleb quietly but passionately stated that Oak Park stands for good, civil government and that he supports bringing an appropriate specific response to the resolution to the board for its consideration. However, before any further business could be transacted at the meeting, and after hearing that Police Chief La Don Reynolds could not be reached in his office, Mayor Anan was noticeably distracted by protestors outside of his home. He asked for a recess. But due to what was transpiring outside his home, the board decided to adjourn

the meeting. On Wednesday morning, I saw pictures of damage to Mayor Anan’s home by the protestors. There was no firebombing or forced entry, but his backyard garden and front sidewalk had been either dug up, trashed or written upon. In one picture, the words “Arti speaks for us” was written on the Mayor’s front curb. Oak Park is not immune to certain of our residents being influenced by what is happening in other parts of our country. But this is our home, our village, our work, play and learning place. There is absolutely no place for this type of behavior. There was no rancor at the board table on Tuesday evening. Why does there have to be rancor at the Mayor’s home? I urge people to come forward if they know who perpetrated this undeserved damage to our Mayor’s home. And I am sorry to have to say that Trustee Arti Walker-Peddakotla has some explaining to do and some influence to exert on her followers to act civilly. Someone should pay for the damage to the Mayor’s home. I wonder who will step up to do so!

Marty Noll Oak Park

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Wednesday Journal, September 2, 2020

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Sick and tired I’m sick and tired of being sick and tired.

Fannie Lou Hammer

adly, we are forced to witness another public shooting of an unarmed Black male by a white policeman. More silence from the President. More political spin from his supporters and cult. Still, the carnage continues. Even in the old “lawless” West, shooting a man in the back was considered cowardly and despicable. Yet today, some of our police are being lauded as defenders of law and order even as they shoot unarmed men in the back. Not only are Black lives trivialized, but we are de-legitimizing the value of all human lives. Sadly, reality is being conflated with theatrical productions and violent video games. However, unlike in movies and with zombies, those murdered in real life cannot not be rebooted to play in another game or star in another film. Still, too many white Americans view the Black man as the evil zombie in a game of life and death. White Americans are being desensitized and manipulated. The bully pulpit of the POTUS is silent, save for dog whistles suggesting that there are “good people on both sides.” Let us be clear: Donald J. Trump does not give a rat’s ass about anybody but himself and his self-aggrandizement. We are all pawns in his pathological game of divide and conquer. What is the secret to Trump’s success in duping the masses? Are our white brothers and sisters feeling threatened by our demand for full citizenship and human rights? Rest assured, most Blacks cannot afford to invade the suburbs. And those of us who can afford the suburban life are already your neighbors. The conflict is not between socialism and social order. Rather, the issue is between fascism and democracy. We have an aspir-

ing fascist in the White House who is methodically laying the foundation for total control of our lives. While Trump is the face of this drift toward fascism, worse are the opportunists who are benefitting monetarily and politically from his power grab. To watch intelligent and well-meaning Americans being duped by a con man is frightening. To see a country that positions itself as a beacon of freedom and democracy become a template for tyrants and dictators across the globe is disheartening. How in the hell can we applaud the protests in Hong Kong, the Arab Spring and the struggle of ethnic minorities in China, yet deride the legitimate protests of our longsuffering Black citizens? We were aghast at live video streaming of the barbaric beheading of Daniel Pearl. But where is the outrage when you see a man shot in the back with his children watching? Is barbarism only an issue outside of our shore? We pontificate to other countries about their human rights violations while remaining silent about the ongoing violations of the human rights of our own Black citizens. As we wrestle with the twin pandemics of COVID-19 and racism, the current administration’s response to both has been inadequate. Why fuel the flames of division? Why reinforce the stereotypes of racism that have become imbedded as facts in the minds of too many white Americans? Why push our country toward a race war, just to win an election? We have an opportunity to bend the arc of the universe toward justice. Or we can wallow in the putrid mud of racism and write a history that will cause future generations to ask where the hell were the good people? History will judge Donald J. Trump. God will judge us, living today, as either part of the solution or part of the problem.

KWAME SALTER

Emailed every Friday morning!

White silo, Black friend

ummer beckoned as I neared the end of my freshman year at OPRF High School in 1977. I was excited for another season of caddying at Oak Park Country Club. My parents had other ideas. Before I knew it there I was, along with my brother Mark, registering for the summer naval program at Culver Military Academy, in Culver, Indiana. We followed our guides around campus, picked up our uniforms (uniforms? I thought Mom said this was summer camp!), handed in forms, and weighed ourselves down with Culverlogoed wool blankets. (It was sizzling hot for late June. I need a wool blanket?) When a Culver admissions staffer visited our home in River Forest that spring, I didn’t take it seriously. Our protests and whys to Mom and Dad were met with variations of “It’ll be good for you.” A realization came at the end of that long, grueling first day, amid gentle winds that circulated the sweet smell of the towering American Sycamores: It was clear this was not Camp Care-Free. “Left, left, left, right, left!” shouted an all-too-eager second-year middie. Our parents watched from across the expansive lawns as we were instructed in the ways of proper marching. Instead of waving goodbye, we shot them dirty looks they would remember years later. Mark and I were assigned to different naval companies — he to “Fighting 4” and me to “Spartan 3.” Both of us resided in the huge Main barracks. No air conditioning, by the way. Wool blankets? I saw my brother only occasionally the rest of that summer. We became occupied in all we had to learn and wrapped up in the silos of our respective groups. It appeared escape from Culver was not an option, so I followed along and tried to make the best of it. Commiserating with other “plebes” (first year/3rd class) helped the transition. Wilson Jenkins, from Alabama, was my roommate. I’d only known one other person from the South, a colleague of my father’s from Tennessee. Fortunately, Wilson and I got along well. Summer CMA coed students were divided into distinct areas of service: naval, cavalry, aviation, and band. In the naval companies, we learned how to sail, in addition to learning semaphore code and rules of boating. There was also required academic work as well as athletic competitions among all the service areas. Everyone became practiced in military life: waking to the 6 a.m. cannon blast, saluting, the daily recitations of “Sir. Yes, sir. No, sir”, preparing for room inspections, keeping uniforms neat. Boys, but not girls, learned how to carry a decommissioned World War II M1 Garand rifle. We practiced marching daily, all in preparation for the weekly Sunday Garrison

parade. Thank God for the athletics at Culver. The sports events kept me interested and engaged. I participated in track, swimming, and basketball, my favorite. A wiry 5-foot-5, I failed to make the freshman basketball team at OPRF where competition was fierce. At CMA, I found my outlet as a starting guard on the Spartan 3 hoops squad. Memorably for me, it was on the basketball team that I got to know Andre Guyton. He was my first Black friend. Culver, a private school, had a sterling full-time secondary school in the winter, where admissions were exclusive and the tuition expensive. The summer school was less exclusive and less expensive. Among summer students, there was some degree of ethnic and racial diversity. Company 3 had a large contingent from Latin America, all in the English language immersion program. There were also students from Europe. And there was Andre, the only Black boy among the remaining majority of mostly Midwestern white kids. At 15, I was racially aware to a degree, but certainly had a lot to learn, especially living in a comfortable suburban cocoon. I had grown up mostly in River Forest, which back then was almost all white. My racial consciousness was awakened sometime in the mid-’70s when I watched a PBS documentary with searing images of black demonstrators being hosed and attacked with police dogs. That’s not right, I thought. Yet I was too naive to know others applauded those actions. At Culver, no one was going around intentionally connecting with people who were different from themselves. The priority for us nervous plebes was just coping within this regimented environment. Fortunately, there was no prohibition on formal and informal socializing, which provided many opportunities for getting to know others. I saw it as a welcome trade-off for abiding all the rules. Andre was from South Bend, a student at St. Joseph High School. At about 6-foot-2 he was one of the tallest of our 3rd class bunch. He seemed quiet and cool at first, with a polite and dutiful nature that earned the respect of higher-ups and eventually his peers. I was oblivious to it at the time, but I’m fairly certain now that the summer counselors saw high potential for his leadership abilities. But I remember Andre best for his excellence at basketball. This got everyone’s attention and soon he was being revered across campus. Our Spartan 3 team made easy work of just about every opponent that summer. Soon actual spectators from other programs were showing up to our games. It was Andre’s time to showcase

ANTHONY

GARGIULO JR. One View

SeeGARGIULO on page 32

Wednesday Journal, September 2, 2020

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

GARGIULO

Camp’s hardest lesson from page 31 his skills. It was because of him that we dominated our opponents. The following year, when our parents signed us up for another summer session at Culver, my brother and I did not protest. Even with the military grind, I did enjoy the swimming and sailing on Lake Maxinkuckee and, of course, more basketball. Wilson and I kept up a correspondence between summers and I looked forward to seeing him, as well as Andre and others from Company 3. Mark and I both returned voluntarily in the summer of 1979 to complete the formal naval program and earn certificates from the U.S. Navy. That second summer it was even more of a blast to play hoops with Andre and our Spartan 3 team. He and we got better every year. Soon after Andre appeared at Culver he was recruited to the winter school where he eventually became a star on the CMA high school division team. And we continued to crush our opponents. Andre and I were not as close as roommates, but we bonded as teammate-friends. We got to know each other better during the final summer. I saw his humor and mischievousness emerge, especially partaking in pranks around the barracks. He was adept at balancing containers of cold water atop ajar doors. When unsuspecting underclassmen returned to their rooms they’d get a chilled surprise. Apart from basketball and the antics in the barracks, I was the beneficiary of another of Andre’s talents. All summer students were required to keep their hair neat and cut above the ear. The campus option was to visit the old barbers who kept shop in the basement of the aviation barracks. Rumor had it that both of these geezers were half-blind. The resulting trim was usually something that would assure mockery from your friends. And since there were occasional weekend dances, everyone maintained some degree of vanity. Andre kept his hair short and preferred to buzz it himself with an electric clipper set. He

PROVIDED

SUMMER, 1979: Culver Summer School, Naval Company 3. Andre Guyton (first row) 4th from right; Anthony Gargiulo (second row) 5th from right. took advantage of the botched campus barber work and through word-of-mouth established a side hustle giving cuts for $10 a pop. And I was one of his best, if exacting customers. “Leave a little hair for the ladies to like, Andre. OK?” “I can’t work if you keep talking dude. Damn! You Italians have wiry hair.” One of those summers I briefly met Andre’s family: his mother and sister, and his father, with salt-and-pepper beard, smoking a pipe. I was too socially awkward at the time to express to them how much I admired Andre. While third-year students all went our separate ways after 1979, Culver would still bring us together. Summer Homecoming weekend was a big tradition we’d noticed each year, with swarms of alums making the trip back to campus. So on a July weekend in 1980, Mark and I invited our friend John along, and we drove the family van to Culver. We had no idea whom we might run into that weekend. The lake was inviting on that hot Saturday, and we swam quite a bit. After dark we swam out to the ski jump and used it as a water slide. The big event was Sunday’s Garrison parade, something we’d participated

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in a year earlier. I ran into a few friends from Spartan 3. I asked if anyone had seen Andre, and they had — he was indeed here for the weekend. I was told he’d graduated from winter school as a battalion commander and was destined for the University of Cincinnati in the fall on a basketball scholarship. I was going to find him and congratulate him. I’d also be sure to razz him that my alma mater-to-be, Loyola University Chicago, had defeated Cincinnati in 1963 to win the national basketball title. Sadly, I wouldn’t get that chance. After our midnight swim we found a local parking lot and crashed in the van. In the morning we ate breakfast in a combo diner/sporting goods/hardware store in downtown Culver. Afterwards we took a long drive around the lake. As we neared the end of the loop and got closer to campus we came upon several police cars with lights on. As I slowed I saw a fellow Company 3 friend, Warren, from Indianapolis. He looked serious. “What’s going on?” “They’re looking for Andre. Did you hear? He fell in the lake last night.” Before I drove on, Warren said something about Andre being on a boat with friends and that he’d tumbled into the lake. It was hard to fathom what I was hearing. It was about 12 hours later, so I was imagining the worst. You’re 18 years old, on top of the world, and you don’t die yet. It was another sweltering afternoon. We muddled about campus the rest of the day, took another swim and hung around the “Shack,” the campus snack shop. We ran into others who had heard about Andre, but we learned nothing more of his fate. Subdued and in shock, we reluctantly lingered, not for the big parade but for news about my friend. We departed as darkness fell, with no real answers. The next day, Monday, July 21, Andre’s body was found in Lake Maxinkuckee. I have just one remaining photograph of

that Spartan 3 group, taken in the summer of 1979; I look at it occasionally and challenge myself to remember names. I stand just behind Andre, over his right shoulder. He looks slightly uncomfortable, his body askew. I look like I needed a visit to his barbershop. (Photo: https://photos.app.goo. gl/zCriYBMtedV8W35a7) My parents were right. The experience of those Culver summers was good for me. Like many adolescents, I was a bit aimless and sometimes unmotivated. Culver gave me the gift of self-discipline I didn’t know I needed. Beyond that what I now prize most was being ejected from the sheltered white silo of River Forest. There is no way at age 15 that I could have known the value of these experiences, friendships and interactions, many with people not like me. While my friendship with Andre was not deep, neither was it insignificant; this relationship marked the first occasion I had spent time with and gotten to know a Black person as a friend. Without this first connection, I might not have taken a step toward the understanding people strive for today. Our Culver experiences provided us the chance to develop friendship and mutual respect. While race can’t be minimized nor claimed as incidental to anything, the nature of our relationship was basic yet profound, reflecting life’s possibilities, and its joys and sorrows. Through Andre, I witnessed the fragility of life and suddenness of death. I absorbed and internalized the anger and hurt I felt about his end. I have a lingering, foggy memory of telling my mother about Andre drowning upon returning home to River Forest. Her emotional response seemed to encompass the feelings I was unable to express at the time. Andre was my first Black friend. His death also marked for me the first time that a friend my age had died.

Wednesday Journal, September 2, 2020

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM New local ads this week

WEDNESDAY

CLASSIFIED

YOUR WEEKLY AD

REACHES SIX SUBURBAN COMMUNITIES: OAK PARK, RIVER FOREST, FOREST PARK, BROOKFIELD, RIVERSIDE, NORTH RIVERSIDE, AND PARTS OF CHICAGO

HOURS: 9:00 A.M.â€“ 5:00 P.M. MONâ€“FRI

Deadline is Monday at 5:00 p.m.

Please Check Your Ad: The publisher will not be responsible for more than one incorrect insertion. Wednesday Journal Classified must be notified before the second insertion. The newspaper reserves the right to edit or reject any advertisement.

Place your ad online anytime at: www.OakPark.com/ClassiďŹ ed/

BY PHONE: (708) 613-3333 | BY FAX: (708) 467-9066 | BY E-MAIL: CLASSIFIEDS@OAKPARK.COM | CLASSIFIEDS@RIVERFOREST.COM HELP WANTED

HELP WANTED

Job Title: Paid-on-Call Firefighter Description: The Village of Riverside Fire Department is seeking applicants for the position of Paid-on-Call Firefighter. Additional Status Information: This is not a full-time position. Qualifications: - In good physical condition - Reside within 1.5 miles of the boundaries of the Village of Riverside at time of appointment - Be 18 years of age at the time of application - Possess a high school diploma or GED - Possess a valid driverâ€™s license with a good driving record Miscellaneous Applications are reviewed in October 2020. Application deadline is Friday, September 25, 2020. The Village of Riverside is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

HELP WANTED

CITY RENTALS

ELECTRICIANâ€™S HELPER PART-TIME Part-time Electricianâ€™s Helper. Must have own transportation. Call for more info. 708-738-3848

4BDRM/2BA SINGLE FAMILY HOUSE FOR RENT 4br/2ba, fridge, stove, washer/dryer, bsmt, lvng rm, dining rm, enclosed front porch, central heat. Avail Sept 1st.

HAPPY KIDDâ€™S WEST INC. 6928 W 16th St Berwyn, IL 60513 We are seeking a Director and 2 teachers. Director must be qualiďŹ ed and have Associateâ€™s degree or equivalent. Teachers must be director or teacher qualiďŹ ed. Mon thru Fri. working with Infants to 6 yrs old. Compensable salary negotiable based on experience. Call 773-619-5545 or fax resume to 773-728-5437. PART TIME DRIVER Local Co. seeking part time driver to deliver parts around Chicago area. Must be able to lift 75lbs. Must be able to pass drug test and have valid IL DL. Email resume HR@ sievertelectric.com

SUBURBAN RENTALS COZY TOWN HOME FOR RENT Cozy Town Home for Rent. Two bedroom, One Bath, with partial ďŹ nished basement and washer and dryer. 1 block from the amazing Lincoln Elementary School. Walk to the Blue Line, Grocery Store, Cafe, Ice Cream Shop, and great parks. One parking space included. Tenant pays all utilities. One month rent and one month security deposit required. Credit and background check required. Owner pays water and refuse. Available October 15, 2020. Please email townhomeoakpark@gmail.com for inquiries. OAK PARK: ROOSEVELT/ OAK PARK AVE. CORRIDOR 2BR 4RMS close to blue line. On site laundry, parking, heat & water incl. $1200/ month 708-383-9223

You have jobs. We have readers! Find the best employees with Wednesday Classified! Call 708-613-3342.

$50 app fee for all applicants over 18.. 708 363 0270

ROOMS FOR RENT AUSTIN CLEAN ROOM With fridge, micro. Nr Oak Park, Super Walmart, Food 4 Less, bus, & Metra. $116/wk and up. 773-637-5957

OFFICE SPACE FOR RENT RIVER FORESTâ€“7777 Lake St. *1116 sq. ft. suite *569 sq. ft. with patio RIVER FORESTâ€“7756 Madison St. *926 sq. ft. OAK PARKâ€“6597 North Ave. *598 sq. ft. 6142-44 Roosevelt Rd. *3 and 5 room suites Strand& & Browne Strand Browne 708-488-0011 708-488-0011

ITEMS FOR SALE CABINET AND HUTCH Beautiful ranch oak cabinet and hutch, bought at Marshall Fieldâ€™s. Cabinet dimensions 49W x 28H x 18D. Hutch dimensions 49W x 29H x 11D. $199.00 708-488-8755 DECK FURNITURE 48â€? white table, small side table, 4 chairs with matching umbrella and cover. Best offer. 708-528-0896 VINTAGE HOWELL RED CHAIRS 6 beautiful vintage red chrome steel dining chairs by furniture maker Howell (St. Charles, IL) from the 1950s. All chairs in great condition. Small tears in two of the seats and extremely minor tear in third. Other three are in excellent condition. Wear is consistent with age/vintage condition and all chairs have been temporarily repaired to prevent further tearing. Price is $100/chair or $500/set of 6. Delivery available. 773-780-6315

SUBURBAN RENTALS

M&M

property management, inc.

708-386-7355 â€˘ www.mmpropmgt.com 649 Madison Street, Oak Park Contact us for a complete list of available rentals throughout Oak Park and Forest Park.

Apartment listings updated daily at:

TOSHIBA TV 18 inch Toshiba older model TV in good shape. Non-ďŹ‚at screen. 708-903-7053

WANTED TO BUY WE BUY RECORDS!! We pay cash for your jazz, soul, punk, metal, rock, reggae, country records! Give us a call at 773-3726643. We make house calls!! WANTED MILITARY ITEMS: Helmets, medals, patches, uniforms, weapons, ďŹ‚ags, photos, paperwork, Also toy soldiers â€“ lead, plastic â€“ other misc. toys. Call Uncle Gary 708-522-3400

PETS While youâ€™re away, your pets are okay . . . at home

cat calls

Oak Parkâ€™s Original Pet Care Service â€“ Since 1986

Daily dog exercising Complete pet care in your home )PVTF TJUUJOH t 1MBOU DBSF Bonded References

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AIR CONDITIONING/ HEATING AIR CONDITIONING AND APPLIANCE EXPERT Air Conditioning Automotive A/C Refrigerators Ranges â€˘ Ovens Washer â€˘ Dryers Hot Water Heaters Rodding Sewers Lic/Bonded 25 yrs experience

Find your new apartment this Saturday from 10 am â€“ 4pm at 35 Chicago Avenue. Or call us toll free at 1-833-440-0665 for an appointment. ď ? ď ? ď ? ď ? ď ? ď ? ď ? ď ? ď ?

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CEMENT

ITEMS TO BE GIVEN AWAY

HANDYMAN

MAGANA

B & B SERVICES B&B Services is mentor-mentee a group of Oak Park-River Forest student-athletes and grads who can provide assistance for any project you need to be completed. We pride ourselves on taking time to make sure that we deliver professional-level work with every job! The equipment we use for every job is eco-friendly to help better the planet. B&B Services is in compliance of all CDC Covid-19 guidelines for your safety. Landscaping (Drainage, Mulch, Lawn, Pavers, Edging) Moving Painting Power Washing 708.446.9934 bnbservices96@gmail.com

â€œQUALITY IS OUR FOUNDATIONâ€? ESTABLISHED IN 1987

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C O N C R E T E C O N S T RU C T I O N

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

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

GARAGE DOORS

Mikeâ€™s Home Repair Drywall H Painting H Tile Plumbing H Electric H Floors Windows H Doors H Siding Ask Us What We Donâ€™t Do

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FLOORS

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773-637-0692 Ask for John

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LANDSCAPING NEIGHBORHOOD CLEAN UP

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Wednesday Classified 3 Great Papers, 6 Communities To Place Your Ad, Call: 708/613-3333

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

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Wednesday Journal, September 2, 2020

CLASSIFIED PAINTING & DECORATING CLASSIC PAINTING Fast & Neat Painting/Taping/Plaster Repair Low Cost

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PUBLIC NOTICES LEGAL NOTICE LAW OFFICE OF LINDA EPSTEIN Attorney for Petitioner 722 W. Diversey Parkway Ste. 101B Chicago, IL 60614 STATE OF ILLINOIS) COUNTY OF COOK )ss Circuit Court of Cook County, County Department, Domestic Relations Division. In re the marriage of Maria I. Martinez, Petitioner and Ruben Martinez, Respondent, Case No. 20 D 005511. The requisite affidavit for publication having been filed, notice is hereby given to you, the above named Respondent, that a Petition has been filed in the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois, by the Petitioner, Maria I. Martinez, for Dissolution of Marriage and for other relief; and that said suit is now pending. Now, therefore, unless you, the said Respondent, e-file your Appearance and Response to said Petition with the Office of the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County, on or before September 23, 2020, default may be entered against you at any time after that day, and a judgment for Dissolution of Marriage entered in accordance with the prayer of said Petition. DOROTHY A. BROWN, Clerk. Published in Wednesday Journal August 26, September 2, and September 9, 2020

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: Y20004227 on August 27, 2020 Under the Assumed Business Name of POP-UP MUSIC SCHOOL with the business located at: 244 WESLEY AVE, OAK PARK, IL 60302. The true and real full name(s) and residence address of the owner(s)/ partner(s) is: MAGALY CORDERO-DIETZ 244 WESLEY AVE, OAK PARK, IL 60302, USA. Published in Wednesday Journal 9/2, 9/9, 9/16/2020

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

(708) 613-3333 • FAX: (708) 467-9066 • E-MAIL: CLASSIFIEDS@OAKPARK.COM | CLASSIFIEDS@RIVERFOREST.COM

PUBLIC NOTICES PUBLIC NOTICE Notice is hereby given, pursuant to “An Act in relation to the use of an Assumed Business Name in the conduct or transaction of Business in the State,” as amended, that a certiﬁcation was registered by the undersigned with the County Clerk of Cook County. Registration Number: Y20004121 on August 18, 2020 Under the Assumed Business Name of ALMOST ANYTHING IMPRINTING with the business located at: 62 NORTH HERBERT ROAD, RIVERSIDE, IL 60546. The true and real full name(s) and residence address of the owner(s)/partner(s) is: KATHRYN EILEEN MINAGHAN 62 NORTH HERBERT ROAD, RIVERSIDE, IL 60546, USA Published in RB Landmark 08/26, 9/2, 9/9/2020

LEGAL NOTICE VILLAGE OF RIVERSIDE, ILLINOIS NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING Notice is hereby given to all interested persons that a public hearing before the Planning and Zoning Commission of the Village of Riverside will be held on Wednesday, September 23, 2020 at 7:00 p.m., or as soon thereafter as the business of the Planning and Zoning Commission may permit, in the Riverside Township Hall Auditorium (2nd Floor), 27 Riverside Road, Riverside, Illinois, to consider proposed text amendments to the Village of Riverside Zoning Ordinance relative to garages and driveways. Application No.: PZ 20-06 Petitioner: Village of Riverside Proposed Text Amendments: Various changes to the Village’s garage and driveway regulations. Affected sections include, but may not be limited to, Section 8-4-1 (Definitions), 8-4-4 (Width, Encroachments, 10-73 (Accessory Structures and Uses) and 10-10-7 (Nonconforming Residential Driveways). Among the potential changes being considered are new or revised definitions, changes related to regulation of driveway aprons and widths, nonconforming residential driveways and clarifications on how façade width is measured. The above application and proposed text amendments are available for inspection at the office of the Village Clerk, 27 Riverside Road, Riverside, Illinois 60546. The proposed text amendments may be added to or otherwise revised as a result of the public hearing. During the Public Hearing the Planning and Zoning Commission will hear testimony from and consider any evidence presented by persons interested to speak on these matters. Persons wishing to appear at this hearing may do so in person or by attorney or other representative and may speak for or against the proposed text amendments. Communications in writing in relation thereto may be filed at such hearing or with the Planning & Zoning Commission in advance by submission to the Village’s Community Development Department at 27 Riverside Road, Riverside, Illinois 60546 prior to 4:00 p.m. the day of the public hearing. The Public Hearing may be continued from time to time without further notice, except as otherwise required under the Illinois Open Meetings Act. Dated this 2nd day of September, 2020. Jill Mateo, Chairperson Planning & Zoning Commission Published in RB Landmark September 2, 2020

You have jobs. We have readers! Find the best employees with Wednesday Classified! Call 708-613-3342 to advertise.

PUBLIC NOTICES

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

VILLAGE OF OAK PARK ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS

HEARING DATE: September 17, 2020 TIME: 7:00 p.m. or as soon thereafter as the Agenda permits CALENDAR NUMBER: 06-20-Z APPLICATION: The Zoning Board of Appeals (“Board”) will conduct a public hearing on an application for a variance filed by the Applicant, 1120 Retail, LLC, to operate an office use on the ground floor within 50 feet of a street line at the property located at 1120 Lake Street, Oak Park, Illinois, Property Index Numbers 16-07-119-029-0000 & 16-07-119-031-0000 in the DT-1 Downtown Zoning Sub-District pursuant to Section 8.3 (Table 8-1: Use Matrix) of the Oak Park Zoning Ordinance. A copy of the application and applicable documents are on file and are available for inspection at Village Hall, Development Customer Services Department, 123 Madison Street, Oak Park, Illinois 60302, Monday through Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. The Board will conduct the public hearing remotely with live audio available and optional video. The meeting will be streamed live and archived online for on-demand viewing at www.oak-park.us/commissiontv as well as cablecast on VOP-TV, which is available to Comcast subscribers on channel 6 and ATT U-Verse subscribers on channel 99. The remote public hearing is authorized pursuant to Section 7(e) of the Open Meetings Act. The Village President has determined that an in-person public hearing is not practical or prudent due to the

COVID-19 outbreak during Governor JB Pritzker’s current disaster proclamation. It is also not feasible to have a person present at the public hearing due to public safety concerns related to the COVID-19 outbreak. All interested persons will be given an opportunity to be heard at the public hearing. Interested persons may provide written evidence, testimony and public comment on the application by email to Zoning@oak-park.us or by drop off in the Oak Park Payment Drop Box across from the entrance to Village Hall, 123 Madison Street, Oak Park, Illinois, to be received no later than 5:00 p.m. on September 17, 2020. An individual’s name and their testimony or comment will be read aloud into the record at the public hearing if received no later than 30 minutes prior to the start of the public hearing. Interested persons may also participate in the hearing to cross examine the applicant and its witnesses, present evidence, testimony or public comment by emailing Zoning @oak-park.us before 5:00 PM on the day prior to the public hearing to sign up. Individuals who sign up to participate in this manner will receive an email from Village staff with information about how to join the meeting online through Zoom web-conference means or by phone. The public hearing may be adjourned by the Board to another date without further notice by public announcement at the hearing setting forth the time and place thereof.

Published in Wednesday Journal September 2, 2020

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING VILLAGE OF OAK PARK ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS HEARING DATE: September 17, 2020 TIME: 7:00 p.m. or as soon thereafter as the Agenda permits CALENDAR NUMBER: 09-20-Z APPLICATION: The Zoning Board of Appeals (“Board”) will conduct a public hearing on an application for a special use permit filed by the Applicant, Nora Curtin, to operate an educational facility-vocational use pursuant to Section 8.3 (Table 8-1: Use Matrix) of the Oak Park Zoning Ordinance to permit a driving school at the property located at 103 N. Oak Park Avenue, Unit C, Property Index Number 16-07129-036-1002 in the DT Downtown Zoning District. A copy of the application and applicable documents are on file and are available for inspection at Village Hall, Development Customer Services Department, 123 Madison Street, Oak Park, Illinois 60302, Monday through Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. The Board will conduct the public hearing remotely with live audio available and optional video. The meeting will be streamed live and archived online for on-demand viewing at www.oak-park.us/commissiontv as well as cablecast on VOP-TV, which is available to Comcast subscribers on channel 6 and ATT U-Verse subscribers on channel 99. The remote public hearing is authorized pursuant to Section 7(e) of the Open Meetings Act. The Village President has determined that an in-person public hearing is not practical or prudent due to the COVID-19 outbreak during Gover-

nor JB Pritzker’s current disaster proclamation. It is also not feasible to have a person present at the public hearing due to public safety concerns related to the COVID-19 outbreak. All interested persons will be given an opportunity to be heard at the public hearing. Interested persons may provide written evidence, testimony and public comment on the application by email to Zoning@oak-park.us or by drop off in the Oak Park Payment Drop Box across from the entrance to Village Hall, 123 Madison Street, Oak Park, Illinois, to be received no later than 5:00 p.m. on September 17, 2020. An individual’s name and their testimony or comment will be read aloud into the record at the public hearing if received no later than 30 minutes prior to the start of the public hearing. Interested persons may also participate in the hearing to cross examine the applicant and its witnesses, present evidence, testimony or public comment by emailing Zoning @oak-park.us before 5:00 PM on the day prior to the public hearing to sign up. Individuals who sign up to participate in this manner will receive an email from Village staff with information about how to join the meeting online through Zoom web-conference means or by phone. The public hearing may be adjourned by the Board to another date without further notice by public announcement at the hearing setting forth the time and place thereof.

Published in Wednesday Journal September 2, 2020

www.OakPark.com | www.RiverForest.com

HEARING DATE: September 17, 2020 TIME: 7:00 p.m. or as soon thereafter as the Agenda permits CALENDAR NUMBER: 08-20-Z APPLICATION: The Zoning Board of Appeals (“Board”) will conduct a public hearing on a special use permit application filed by the Applicant, Mary Lubinus, to operate a day care center pursuant to Section 8.3 (Table 8-1: Use Matrix) of the Oak Park Zoning Ordinance at the property located at 306-312 Madison Street, Oak Park, Illinois, Property Index Numbers 16-08318-007-0000; 16-08-318-008 & 16-08-318-009-0000 (“Premises”) in the NC Zoning District. A copy of the application and applicable documents are on file and are available for inspection at Village Hall, Development Customer Services Department, 123 Madison Street, Oak Park, Illinois 60302, Monday through Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. The Board will conduct the public hearing remotely with live audio available and optional video. The meeting will be streamed live and archived online for on-demand viewing at www.oak-park.us/commissiontv as well as cablecast on VOP-TV, which is available to Comcast subscribers on channel 6 and ATT U-Verse subscribers on channel 99. The remote public hearing is authorized pursuant to Section 7(e) of the Open Meetings Act. The Village President has determined that an in-person public hearing is not practical or prudent due to the COVID-19 outbreak during Gover-

PUBLIC NOTICES LEGAL NOTICE SERRANO LEGAL SOLUTIONS, LLC 1144 LAKE STREET, SUITE 201 OAK PARK, IL 60301 STATE OF ILLINOIS) COUNTY OF COOK )ss

nor JB Pritzker’s current disaster proclamation. It is also not feasible to have a person present at the public hearing due to public safety concerns related to the COVID-19 outbreak.

Circuit Court of Cook County, County Department, Domestic Relations Division. In re the marriage of KAREN WOJNAROWSKI, Petitioner and ABDEL RZAQ KAYED, Respondent, Case No. 2020 D 004989.

All interested persons will be given an opportunity to be heard at the public hearing. Interested persons may provide written evidence, testimony and public comment on the application by email to Zoning@oak-park.us or by drop off in the Oak Park Payment Drop Box across from the entrance to Village Hall, 123 Madison Street, Oak Park, Illinois, to be received no later than 5:00 p.m. on September 17, 2020. An individual’s name and their testimony or comment will be read aloud into the record at the public hearing if received no later than 30 minutes prior to the start of the public hearing. Interested persons may also participate in the hearing to cross examine the applicant and its witnesses, present evidence, testimony or public comment by emailing Zoning @oak-park.us before 5:00 PM on the day prior to the public hearing to sign up. Individuals who sign up to participate in this manner will receive an email from Village staff with information about how to join the meeting online through Zoom web-conference means or by phone.

The requisite affidavit for publication having been filed, notice is hereby given to you, the above named Respondent, that a Petition has been filed in the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois, by the Petitioner, for Dissolution of Marriage and for other relief; and that said suit is now pending. Now, therefore, unless you, the said Respondent, file your response to said Petition or otherwise make your appearance therein, in the Office of the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois, Room 802, Richard J. Daley Center, 50 West Washington Street, in the City of Chicago, Illinois, on or before October 5, 2020, default may be entered against you at any time after that day, and a judgment for Dissolution of Marriage entered in accordance with the prayer of said Petition. DOROTHY A. BROWN, Clerk. Published in Wednesday Journal September 2, September 9, September 16, 2020

The public hearing may be adjourned by the Board to another date without further notice by public announcement at the hearing setting forth the time and place thereof.

Buying? Selling? Renting? Hiring? Wednesday Classified 708-613-3333

Published in Wednesday Journal September 2, 2020

PUBLIC NOTICE OF INTENT REQUEST FOR THE RELEASE OF FUNDS On September 10, 2020 the Village of Oak Park (Village) will request the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to release federal funds under Title I of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 (PL 93-383), as amended, for various activities pursuant to the Program Year (PY) 2020 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program, including: public facilities and improvements $38,740 , lead housing reduction $99,150, single family and small rental rehab loan program $265,950, ADA sidewalk/curb ramp reconstruction $605,000, and water line lead improvement $50,000, alley improvements $400,000. These activities will take place within the Village of Oak Park, Illinois at a total cost of $1,458,840. An Environmental Review Record covering CDBG programs has been made by the Village, which documents the environmental review of the activities. This Environmental Review Record (ERR) is on file at the below address and is available for public examination and copying upon request from September 3 to September 9, 2020, 5 p.m. The ERR is also available on the HUD Environmental Review Online System (HEROS) at: https:// www.onecpd.info/environmental-review/environmental-review-records The Village of Oak Park will undertake the activities described above with grant funds from HUD, under PL 93-383. The Village of Oak Park and Cara Pavlicek, in her official capacity as Village Manager, and

Tammie Grossman, in her official capacity as Development Customer Services Director, consent to accept the jurisdiction of the Federal courts if an action is brought to enforce responsibilities in relation to environmental reviews, decisionmaking, and action, and that these responsibilities have been satisfied. The legal effect of the certification is that upon its approval, the Village may use the grant funds, and HUD will have satisfied its responsibilities under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969. HUD will accept an objection of its approval of the release of funds and acceptance of the certification only if it is on one of the following bases: (a) that the certification was not in fact executed by one or both of the responsible entity’s Certifying Officers; (b) that the responsible entity has failed to make one of the two findings pursuant to Sec. 58.40 or to make the written determination required by Secs. 58.35, 58.47 or 58.53 for the grant activity, as applicable; or (c) that the recipient or other participants in the development process have committed funds, incurred costs or undertaken activities not authorized by Sec. 58.75 before release of funds and approval of the environmental certification by HUD. Objections must be prepared and submitted in accordance with the required procedure (24 CFR Part 58) and may be addressed to Donald Kathan, CPD Director, HUD at 77 West Jackson Blvd., Chicago, Illinois 60604. Objections to the release of funds based on other than those stated

above will not be considered by HUD. No objection received after 5 p.m., September 25, 2020 will be considered by HUD. Notice is also given that CDBG Tier 1 Broad Reviews were conducted for the following proposed projects Village of Oak Park Public Works Infrastructure construction projects (4) that will: 1) make Sidewalk 2) make Sidewalk Ramp Improvements to improve the mobility of persons with disabilities; 3) make Alley Improvements in low and moderate income areas to replace deteriorated infrastructure; and 4) make Water Main service line improvements to eliminate water main lead-based paint hazards. Further Tier 1 Broad Review projects - Village of Oak Park Housing Programs projects (3) that will: 1) reduce lead-based paint hazards for low- and moderate-income homeowners; 2) rehabilitate singlefamily homes for low- and moderate-income homeowners; and 3) rehab rental-buildings with 1-7 units to primarily benefit and improve affordability for low- and moderate-income renters. Tier 2 Site Specific Reviews will be completed for those laws and authorities not addressed in the Tier 1 Broad Reviews for each address under the Oak Park CDBG program when addresses become known. Cara Pavlicek, Village Manager, and Tammie Grossman, Development Customer Services Director (Certifying Officers) 123 Madison Street Oak Park, IL 60302

Published in Wednesday Journal September 2, 2020

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REAL ESTATE FOR SALE

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT CHANCERY DIVISION SELENE FINANCE LP Plaintiff, -v.LARSENIA HORTON, NEIL SMITH, ASSURANCE RESTORATION & CONSTRUCTION, INC., PRAIRIE HOUSES OWNERS ASSOCIATION, UNKNOWN OWNERS AND NONRECORD CLAIMANTS Defendants 18 CH 12736 14 DIVISION STREET, # 14 OAK PARK, IL 60302 NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on December 16, 2019, an agent for The Judicial Sales Corporation, will at 10:30 AM on September 28, 2020, at The Judicial Sales Corporation, One South Wacker Drive, CHICAGO, IL, 60606, sell at a public sale to the highest bidder, as set forth below, the following described real estate: Commonly known as 14 DIVISION STREET, # 14, OAK PARK, IL 60302 Property Index No. 16-05-127-0480000 The real estate is improved with a brown brick, three story townhouse with an attached one car garage. Sale terms: 25% down of the highest bid by certified funds at the close of the sale payable to The Judicial Sales Corporation. No third party checks will be accepted. The balance, including the Judicial Sale fee for the Abandoned Residential Property Municipality Relief Fund, which is calculated on residential real estate at the rate of $1 for each $1,000 or fraction thereof of the amount paid by the purchaser not to exceed $300, in certified funds/ or wire transfer, is due within twenty-four (24) hours. No fee shall be paid by the mortgagee acquiring the residential real estate pursuant to its credit bid at the sale or by any mortgagee, judgment creditor, or other lienor acquiring the residential real estate whose rights in and to the residential real estate arose prior to the sale. The subject property is subject to general real estate taxes, special assessments, or special taxes levied against said real estate and is offered for sale without any representation as to quality or quantity of title and without recourse to Plaintiff and in “AS IS” condition. The sale is further subject to confirmation by the court. Upon payment in full of the amount bid, the purchaser will receive a Certificate of Sale that will entitle the purchaser to a deed to the real estate after confirmation of the sale.

The property will NOT be open for inspection and plaintiff makes no representation as to the condition of the property. Prospective bidders are admonished to check the court file to verify all information. If this property is a condominium unit, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale, other than a mortgagee, shall pay the assessments and the legal fees required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/9(g)(1) and (g)(4). If this property is a condominium unit which is part of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/18.5(g-1). IF YOU ARE THE MORTGAGOR (HOMEOWNER), YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN IN POSSESSION FOR 30 DAYS AFTER ENTRY OF AN ORDER OF POSSESSION, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 15-1701(C) OF THE ILLINOIS MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE LAW. You will need a photo identification issued by a government agency (driver’s license, passport, etc.) in order to gain entry into our building and the foreclosure sale room in Cook County and the same identification for sales held at other county venues where The Judicial Sales Corporation conducts foreclosure sales. MCCALLA RAYMER LEIBERT PIERCE, LLC Plaintiff’s Attorneys, One North Dearborn Street, Suite 1200, Chicago, IL, 60602. Tel No. (312) 346-9088. THE JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION One South Wacker Drive, 24th Floor, Chicago, IL 60606-4650 (312) 236SALE You can also visit The Judicial Sales Corporation at www.tjsc.com for a 7 day status report of pending sales. MCCALLA RAYMER LEIBERT PIERCE, LLC One North Dearborn Street, Suite 1200 Chicago IL, 60602 312-346-9088 E-Mail: pleadings@mccalla.com Attorney File No. 267501 Attorney ARDC No. 61256 Attorney Code. 61256 Case Number: 18 CH 12736 TJSC#: 39-8007 NOTE: Pursuant to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, you are advised that Plaintiff’s attorney is deemed to be a debt collector attempting to collect a debt and any information obtained will be used for that purpose. Case # 18 CH 12736 I3151985

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT CHANCERY DIVISION MWD ASSET SERVICING, LLC Plaintiff, -v.TINA MCDONALD A/K/A TINA N. MCDONALD, JOANNE MCDONALD, MORTGAGE ELECTRONIC REGISTRATION SYSTEMS, INC Defendants 10 CH 36359 500 EASTERN AVENUE BELLWOOD, IL 60104 NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on December 3, 2019, an agent for The Judicial Sales Corporation, will at 10:30 AM on September 22, 2020, at The Judicial Sales Corporation, One South Wacker Drive, CHICAGO, IL, 60606, sell at a public sale to the highest bidder, as set forth below, the following described real estate: Commonly known as 500 EASTERN AVENUE, BELLWOOD, IL 60104 Property Index No. 15-09-311-0580000 The real estate is improved with a single family residence. The judgment amount was $311,057.79. Sale terms: 25% down of the highest bid by certified funds at the close of the sale payable to The Judicial Sales Corporation. No third party checks will be accepted. The balance, including the Judicial Sale fee for the Abandoned Residential Property Municipality Relief Fund, which is calculated on residential real estate at the rate of $1 for each $1,000 or fraction thereof of the amount paid by the purchaser not to exceed $300, in certified funds/ or wire transfer, is due within twenty-four (24) hours. No fee shall be paid by the mortgagee acquiring the residential real estate pursuant to its credit bid at the sale or by any mortgagee, judgment creditor, or other lienor acquiring the residential real estate whose rights in and to the residential real estate arose prior to the sale. The subject property is subject to general real estate taxes, special assessments, or special taxes levied against said real estate and is offered for sale without any representation as to quality or quantity of title and without recourse to Plaintiff and in “AS IS” condition. The sale is further subject to confirmation by the court. Upon payment in full of the amount bid, the purchaser will receive a Certificate of Sale that will entitle the purchaser to a deed to the real estate after confirmation of the sale. The property will NOT be open for inspection and plaintiff makes no representation as to the condition of the property. Prospective bidders are admonished to check the court file to verify all information. If this property is a condominium unit, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale, other than a mortgagee, shall pay the assessments and the legal fees required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/9(g)(1) and (g)(4). If this property is a condominium unit which is part of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/18.5(g1).IF YOU ARE THE MORTGAGOR (HOMEOWNER), YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN IN POSSESSION FOR 30 DAYS AFTER ENTRY OF AN ORDER OF POSSESSION, IN ACCORDANCE

WITH SECTION 15-1701(C) OF THE ILLINOIS MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE LAW. You will need a photo identification issued by a government agency (driver’s license, passport, etc.) in order to gain entry into our building and the foreclosure sale room in Cook County and the same identification for sales held at other county venues where The Judicial Sales Corporation conducts foreclosure sales. For information, Alexander Potestivo, POTESTIVO & ASSOCIATES, P.C. Plaintiff’s Attorneys, 223 WEST JACKSON BLVD, STE 610, Chicago, IL, 60606 (312) 263-0003. Please refer to file number 113876. THE JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION One South Wacker Drive, 24th Floor, Chicago, IL 60606-4650 (312) 236SALE You can also visit The Judicial Sales Corporation at www.tjsc.com for a 7 day status report of pending sales. POTESTIVO & ASSOCIATES, P.C. 223 WEST JACKSON BLVD, STE 610 Chicago IL, 60606 312-263-0003 E-Mail: ilpleadings@potestivolaw. com Attorney File No. 113876 Attorney Code. 43932 Case Number: 10 CH 36359 TJSC#: 40-1855 NOTE: Pursuant to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, you are advised that Plaintiff’s attorney is deemed to be a debt collector attempting to collect a debt and any information obtained will be used for that purpose. I3154976

or wire transfer, is due within twenty-four (24) hours. No fee shall be paid by the mortgagee acquiring the residential real estate pursuant to its credit bid at the sale or by any mortgagee, judgment creditor, or other lienor acquiring the residential real estate whose rights in and to the residential real estate arose prior to the sale. The subject property is subject to general real estate taxes, special assessments, or special taxes levied against said real estate and is offered for sale without any representation as to quality or quantity of title and without recourse to Plaintiff and in “AS IS” condition. The sale is further subject to confirmation by the court. Upon payment in full of the amount bid, the purchaser will receive a Certificate of Sale that will entitle the purchaser to a deed to the real estate after confirmation of the sale. The property will NOT be open for inspection and plaintiff makes no representation as to the condition of the property. Prospective bidders are admonished to check the court file to verify all information. If this property is a condominium unit, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale, other than a mortgagee, shall pay the assessments and the legal fees required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/9(g)(1) and (g)(4). If this property is a condominium unit which is part of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/18.5(g-1). IF YOU ARE THE MORTGAGOR (HOMEOWNER), YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN IN POSSESSION FOR 30 DAYS AFTER ENTRY OF AN ORDER OF POSSESSION, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 15-1701(C) OF THE ILLINOIS MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE LAW. You will need a photo identification issued by a government agency (driver’s license, passport, etc.) in order to gain entry into our building and the foreclosure sale room in Cook County and the same identification for sales held at other county venues where The Judicial Sales Corporation conducts foreclosure sales. MCCALLA RAYMER LEIBERT PIERCE, LLC Plaintiff’s Attorneys, One North Dearborn Street, Suite 1200, Chicago, IL, 60602. Tel No. (312) 346-9088. THE JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION One South Wacker Drive, 24th Floor, Chicago, IL 60606-4650 (312) 236SALE You can also visit The Judicial Sales Corporation at www.tjsc.com for a 7 day status report of pending sales. MCCALLA RAYMER LEIBERT PIERCE, LLC One North Dearborn Street, Suite 1200 Chicago IL, 60602 312-346-9088 E-Mail: pleadings@mccalla.com Attorney File No. 268445 Attorney ARDC No. 61256 Attorney Code. 61256 Case Number: 19 CH 00561 TJSC#: 40-595 NOTE: Pursuant to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, you are advised that Plaintiff’s attorney is deemed to be a debt collector attempting to collect a debt and any information obtained will be used for that purpose. Case # 19 CH 00561 I3154996

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT CHANCERY DIVISION WILMINGTON SAVINGS FUND SOCIETY, FSB, NOT IN ITS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY, BUT SOLELY AS TRUSTEE OF CSMC 2018-RPL12 TRUST. Plaintiff, -v.KARL A. REESE, ROSALYN CUMMINGS-YEATES A/K/A ROSALIND CUMMINGS-YEATES, UNKNOWN OWNERS AND NONRECORD CLAIMANTS Defendants 2019CH08990 439 S. TAYLOR AVE. #2/3-B OAK PARK, IL 60302 NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on December 11, 2019, an agent for The Judicial Sales Corporation, will at 10:30 AM on September 28, 2020, at The Judicial Sales Corporation, One South Wacker Drive, CHICAGO, IL, 60606, sell at a public sale to the highest bidder, as set forth below, the following described real estate: Commonly known as 439 S. TAYLOR AVE. #2/3-B, OAK PARK, IL 60302 Property Index No. 16-08-321-0311006, Property Index No. 16-08-321031-1007 The real estate is improved with a condo/townhouse. Sale terms: 25% down of the highest bid by certified funds at the close of the sale payable to The Judicial Sales Corporation. No third party checks will be accepted. The balance, including the Judicial Sale fee for the Abandoned Residential Property Municipality Relief Fund, which is calculated on residential real estate at the rate of $1 for each $1,000 or fraction thereof of the amount paid by the purchaser not to exceed $300, in certified funds/ or wire transfer, is due within twenty-four (24) hours. No fee shall be paid by the mortgagee acquiring the residential real estate pursuant to its credit bid at the sale or by any mortgagee, judgment creditor, or other lienor acquiring the residential real estate whose rights in and to the residential real estate arose prior to the sale. The subject property is subject to general real estate taxes, special assessments, or special taxes levied against said real estate and is offered for sale without any representation as to quality or quantity of title and without recourse to Plaintiff and in “AS IS” condition. The sale is further subject to confirmation by the court. Upon payment in full of the amount bid, the purchaser will receive a Certificate of Sale that will entitle the purchaser to a deed to the real estate after confirmation of the sale. The property will NOT be open for inspection and plaintiff makes no representation as to the condition of the property. Prospective bidders are admonished to check the court file to verify all information. If this property is a condominium unit, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale, other than a mortgagee, shall pay the assessments and the legal fees required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/9(g)(1) and (g)(4). If this property is a condominium unit which is part of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/18.5(g-1).

IF YOU ARE THE MORTGAGOR (HOMEOWNER), YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN IN POSSESSION FOR 30 DAYS AFTER ENTRY OF AN ORDER OF POSSESSION, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 15-1701(C) OF THE ILLINOIS MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE LAW. You will need a photo identification issued by a government agency (driver’s license, passport, etc.) in order to gain entry into our building and the foreclosure sale room in Cook County and the same identification for sales held at other county venues where The Judicial Sales Corporation conducts foreclosure sales. For information, examine the court file, CODILIS & ASSOCIATES, P.C. Plaintiff’s Attorneys, 15W030 NORTH FRONTAGE ROAD, SUITE 100, BURR RIDGE, IL, 60527 (630) 794-9876 THE JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION One South Wacker Drive, 24th Floor, Chicago, IL 60606-4650 (312) 236SALE You can also visit The Judicial Sales Corporation at www.tjsc.com for a 7 day status report of pending sales. CODILIS & ASSOCIATES, P.C. 15W030 NORTH FRONTAGE ROAD, SUITE 100 BURR RIDGE IL, 60527 630-794-5300 E-Mail: pleadings@il.cslegal.com Attorney File No. 14-19-04531 Attorney ARDC No. 00468002 Attorney Code. 21762 Case Number: 2019CH08990 TJSC#: 40-2114 NOTE: Pursuant to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, you are advised that Plaintiff’s attorney is deemed to be a debt collector attempting to collect a debt and any information obtained will be used for that purpose. Case # 2019CH08990 I3155206

Illinois Classified Advertising Network EVENTS

GUN SHOW – September 11-12-13, Fountain Hall Sturtevant/Racine,WI Friday 3pm-8pm, Saturday 9am-5pm, Sunday 9am-3pm. Large selection of Guns & Ammo. More info: 563-608-4401 www.marvkrauspromotions.net

WANTED TO BUY FREON WANTED: We pay $$$ for cylinders and cans. R12 R500 R11 R113 R114. Convenient. Certified Professionals. Call 312-598-1758 or visit RefrigerantFinders.com

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT CHANCERY DIVISION DEUTSCHE BANK NATIONAL TRUST COMPANY, AS TRUSTEE FOR FFMLT TRUST 2005-FF11, MORTGAGE PASS-THROUGH CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2005FF11 Plaintiff, -v.BRIAN HOLLOWAY Defendants 19 CH 00561 125 SOUTH LOMBARD AVENUE OAK PARK, IL 60302 NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on January 23, 2020, an agent for The Judicial Sales Corporation, will at 10:30 AM on September 24, 2020, at The Judicial Sales Corporation, One South Wacker Drive, CHICAGO, IL, 60606, sell at a public sale to the highest bidder, as set forth below, the following described real estate: Commonly known as 125 SOUTH LOMBARD AVENUE, OAK PARK, IL 60302 Property Index No. 16-08-302-0150000 The real estate is improved with a yellow vinyl siding, one story single family home with a detached two car garage. Sale terms: 25% down of the highest bid by certified funds at the close of the sale payable to The Judicial Sales Corporation. No third party checks will be accepted. The balance, including the Judicial Sale fee for the Abandoned Residential Property Municipality Relief Fund, which is calculated on residential real estate at the rate of $1 for each $1,000 or fraction thereof of the amount paid by the purchaser not to exceed $300, in certified funds/

EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY

All real estate advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Fair Housing Act, which makes it illegal to advertise any preference, limitation or discrimination based on age, race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status or national origin, or intention to make any such preferences, limitations or discrimination. The Illinois Human Rights Act prohibits discrimination in the sale, rental or advertising of real estate based on factors in addition to those protected under federal law. This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. All persons are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised are available on an equal-opportunity basis. Restrictions or prohibitions of pets do not apply to service animals. To complain of discrimination, call HUD toll free at: 1-800669-9777. Wednesday Journal Landmark Forest Park Review

Wednesday Journal, September 2, 2020

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

Dine in or take out and do good! Visit partnering FEAST FOR GOOD 2020 restaurants during the month of September and help Housing Forward provide services to people facing a housing crisis.

Sept. 2-30!

When you dine in or take out, a portion of your purchase will be donated to support their programs focused on ending homelessness.

WEEK #1 _____ Sept. 2-9

Each partnering restaurant will be featured for one week during September. Mention Housing Forward when you place a dine-in or takeout order, and a percentage will be donated directly to the agency. Visit www.housingforward.com/events or their Facebook page for more details and a growing list of restaurants. Thank you.