WednesdayJournal_091025 by Wednesday Journal

For decades, the south wall of the Eisenhower Expressway has been home to a battle between gra ti artists and gra ti removers

By ELIZABETH SHORT Contributing Reporter

Mimi Comerford doesn’t remember when the graffiti started appearing on the south wall of the Eisenhower Expressway ditch. For as long as she can recall, big, colorful tags have covered the beige highway wall that runs alongside the Blue Line train through Oak Park and Forest Park.

“It’s colorful, some of it is bold and

bright, some it’s not so great,” said Comerford, who owns a building on Harrison Street in the Oak Park Arts District that backs up right to the Eisenhower. “Sometimes you get profanity. It runs the gamut. Just like all artwork, some is great, some is not in my own opinion.”

Graffiti artists in the community have been drawn to this wall for decades. Local street artist TEEL ONE, self-de-

Term limits talk reaches River Forest board table

No conclusions but request for better communication on topic

By ROBERT J. LIFKA Contributing Reporter

River Forest residents hoping discussion at the Sept. 8 village board meeting would bring clarity to whether those running for future office will be subject to term limits will have to wait a little longer.

The exact wording used in a citizen group’s petition that placed the referendum on the April 1 election ballot has caused confusion about whether that referendum is binding or advisory. The Yes votes totaled 53.15%, compared to 46.8% for the No votes.

Although several residents have addressed officials at board meetings since April about a perceived lack of action on the term limits question, no residents spoke during the citizen comment segment of the meeting.

Gra ti on Lombard Avenue bridge support at the Eisenhower Expressway on Sept. 8. TODD BANNOR

Design markups included in the QuikTrip Company’s proposal to the Oak Park plan commission.

QuikTrip seeking permi to redevelop Mohr site

Gas station giant QuikTrip moves forward in its bid for blighted Mohr Concrete site that’s in foreclosure in south Oak Park

By BRENDAN HEFFERNAN Staff Reporter

Oak Park’s plan commission is set to review an application to build a major gas station at the long-vacant for mer Mohr concrete site.

QuikTrip, a nationwide gas station chain with re gional offices in Naperville, is looking to redevelop the for mer H.J. Mohr & Sons Co. concrete site which sits along Maple Avenue, Harlem Avenue, Garfield Street and Lexington Street just south of the Eisenhower Exspressway in Oak Park. Their interest was first re ported by Wednesday Journal in July. The corpora-

Interim

Contributing

Columnists

tion’s proposal will be the subject of Oak Park’s Plan Commission’s next meeting Thursday, Sept. 11 at 7 p.m. lage hall.

The Plan Commission holds public ings concerning planned developments, re zoning, special uses and other development matters. QuikTrip’s nearly proposal for the site is available to the public ahead of the meeting.

The proposed site would include a 6,445 square foot convenience store building and 16 fueling positions. There would be no diesel fueling for trucks on the proposed site, according to the proposal documents.

The corporation would have to demolish all the existing structures on the site.

The proposed site would have three entrances — one on Harlem Avenue, one on Garfield Street and one on Lexington Street. This design would require special approval as village ordinances typically only allow for two curb cuts at gas stations, according to proposal documents.

While the Plan Commission will weigh in on the proposal this week, Oak Park’s

village board will have the final say on the future of the project down the line.

The old concrete plant has sat rusting since the Mohr company closed its doors in 2018 amid financial woes. Once home to one of the longest running businesses in Chicagoland, the vacant site is among the only large plots of land available for development in Oak Park

Last month, Oak Park’s assistant village manager for economic vitality John Mela-

JAVIER GOVEA

Mohr Concrete site

CH EST

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Ross Gay

October 9, 2025

Ross Gay

7:00 - 8:30 p.m.

October 9, 2025

THURSDAY | SEPTEMBER 11TH

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$15 (Free for Students and Faculty)

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The author of four acclaimed poetry collections— including Be Holding: A Poem, winner of the PEN American Literary Jean Stein Award, and Catalog of Unabashed Gratitude, recipient of the National Book Critics Circle Award and Kingsley Tufts Poetry Award—Ross is as beloved for his warmth and humor as for his extraordinary craft.

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His bestselling essay collections, The Book of Delights, Inciting Joy, and The Book of �More) Delights, invite readers to find beauty and connection in the everyday. In this special evening, Ross will share selections from his work and offer reflections that linger long after the last line is read.

Join us for an unforgettable celebration of poetry, joy, and the power of paying attention:

Community comes out to support D90 teachers

More than 100 attend Sept. 2 board meeting to discuss contract negotiations

By GREGG VOSS Contributing Reporter

More than 120 teachers and community members packed the River Forest School District 90 board of education meeting Sept. 2 to make their views known about ongoing teacher contract negotiations.

The key message?

“Our community cares deeply for our teachers and wants the board to compensate us fairly to retain and attract highquality educators,” River Forest Education Association co-presidents Lauren Baiocchi and Cindy Crannell said in prepared responses to questions posed by the Wednesday Journal. The pair spoke in the public comment portion of the Sept. 2 meeting, along with 12 other teachers and community members.

“In addition, it was clear that the community values the Exemplary ranking our district has achieved and believes our compensation should also reflect this work,” they said. “We heard that message at the board meeting, and we are feeling it in a big way on social media.”

District 90’s teachers have been working without a contract since Aug. 15, and the two sides have enlisted a mediator to move the process forward. The next mediation session was scheduled for Sept. 8.

All three district schools – Lincoln Elementary, Willard Elementary and Roosevelt Middle School – were designated Exemplary in the annual Illinois Re port Card 2023-24 that was made public Oct. 30, 2024.

Exemplary schools are those that rank in the top 10% of the state, while Commendable schools rank in the next 67%.

That, some community members said, is one of the reasons why they spoke at the Sept. 2 board meeting.

“I wanted to convey really that we need to sit and think about the future of the schools and the incredible teachers we have and compensate them,” River Forest resident Emily Brown said Friday. Brown has a freshman at Oak Park and River Forest High School that graduated last spring from Roosevelt. She also has a sixth g rader at Roosevelt.

“I wanted to convey really that we need to sit and think about the future of the schools and the incredible teachers we have and compensa te them.”

EMILY BROWN River Forest

“Negotiation teams re presenting District 90 and the local teachers’ union, the River Forest Education Association (RFEA), began ne gotiations in April 2025 and continue to work toward reaching a final ag reement that both reco gnizes our excellent teachers and responsibly stewards taxpayer funds,” the district said in a prepared statement.

Superintendent Dr. Edward J. Condon and school board president Katie Avalos were unable to answer questions re garding the negotiations.

“To support an effective and efficient negotiations process, district leaders are not discussing the terms of the ne gotiations outside of the ne gotiating table,” a district spokesperson said.

“They aren’t even getting a cost-of-living raise,” Brown said. “The big thing is, if they go to other districts, they could make more money, but they decided to stay in District 90.

“Let’s try to keep the teachers we have because they are wonderful.”

Oak Park resident Bill Bower, whose daughter is a Roosevelt math teacher, said he grew up in River Forest and raised his children there. In fact, he’s considering moving back

“The school system has always been known for providing exemplary education,” Bower said Friday. “My point was that we don’t want to aspire to be average.”

If teachers begin leaving, Bower said, that becomes a slippery slope.

“Not being able to attract the educators you want, kids suffer, test scores will start to fall of f, and as we know in communities, education is tied into property values,” he said. “A high-caliber, well-performing district can attract high-quality educators, but also people who want to live in that community.”

Baiocchi and Crannell said they hoped the public comments will resonate with the board.

“We know they heard us and they heard their community telling them what they want, but we’ll know more about whether or not it resonated when we get to the bargaining table,” they said. “It’s really important to remember our school board members take an oath when they’re elected to office, and part of what they pledge to do is

best support all of our students.

“I think we made it clear the best way to support our students and their education is to keep quality, experienced teachers in the district while also bringing in new, talented educators. If our salaries are not competitive with neighboring districts, we won’t be able to do that.”

State Board of Elections to rule Oct. 21 on $9.8M Harmon campaign ne

By BILL DWYER Contributing Reporter

A decision on State Sen. Don Harmon’s (D-Oak Park) appeal of a $9.8 million fine by the Illinois State Board of Elections’ will be made at the board’s Oct. 21 meeting

The hearing will take place in both the ISBE’s Chicago and Springfield offices and will be live streamed on You Tube.

“It should be conclusive,” Matt Dietrich, ISBE spokesman, said of the board meeting, with the caveat, “Barring anything out of the ordinary.”

alleging that Friends of Don Harmon had violated state campaign finance law by taking in approximately $4 million more than it was legally allowed to receive.

Harmon had loaned his campaign more than $100,000 prior to the April 1, 2024 primary, an action that lifted the contribution cap under what’s called the self-funding exemption.

Dietrich said Harmon’s ap peal will be on the election board’s agenda that will be posted on its website Oct. 15; that agenda will include the formal recommendations by ISBE hearing officer Barbara Goodman, who presided over Harmon’s appeal hearing Aug. 20.

ISBE General Counsel Marni Malowitz will then forward her recommendations to the full eight member elections board sometime before the Oct. 21 meeting.

“Usually, the General Counsel ag rees with the hearing officer,” Dietrich said. “But not always.”

Dietrich said Malowitz will make her recommendation publicly before the board, and board members will question her and possibly Harmon’s attorney, Michael Kasper.

The full board will then deliberate publicly and enter tain motions for action.

The elections board, which is appointed by the governor, has four Democrats and four Re publicans. Any decision will require ag reement by five members of the board, with at least one member of both parties approving any motion.

In the event a given motion is defeated or deadlocked, additional motions can be made.

“It doesn’t happen very often, but there could be a deadlock,” Dietrich allowed.

In June the ISBE notified the Harmon campaign that it faced a $9.8 million fine,

However, after the primary, the ISBE ruled the cap was automatically reinstated after the primary election was held, and that Harmon’s campaign took in nearly $4 million in donations above the contribution cap. Harmon and his attorney, Kasper, have argued that the fund raising cap should have remained of f, since Harmon was not on the 2024 primary ballot.

At an August hearing in downtown Chicago, Goodman listened to Kasper’s arguments for some 40 minutes, occasionally querying him on certain points. Malowitz was present but did not make any legal arguments.

“I don’t think anyone ever intended for the caps to be put back on in the middle of an election,” Kasper told Goodman, arguing that the funding cap should have remained of f until at least the 2024 general election, and possibly longer.

Noting that a key clause in the statute reads “all candidates for that office,” Kasper said, “The first opportunity someone can be a candidate for that office is March 17, 2026.”

As ke d by Goodman at the c onclusion of the hearing to o pine on when it was he beli eved the c ontribution cap should be reapplied, K asper re plied, “March 17, 2026. Because that is the election for wh ich the self-funded c andidate (Harmon) is a c andidate.”

“I’ll take the matter under advisement.” Goodman said in closing the hearing. “Both sides have given me lots to think about and I’ll render my recommendation as soon as possible.”

DON HARMON

O cials discover Forest Park license plate data shared with ICE

ICE access was granted by human error and was restricted last week

By JESSICA MORDACQ Staff Reporter

On Sept. 3, Mayor Rory Hoskins got a call from someone re presenting Motorola Solutions — a technolo gy company that provides security products and services — who alerted him that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement had unauthorized access to Forest Park’s automated license plate reader data.

Hoskins immediately contacted Village Administrator Rachell Entler, who pulled to g ether Forest Park police leadership and someone from Motorola Solutions to address the situation.

“It was determined that, on April 5, 2024, a Forest Park Police Department detective, while conducting an arson investigation, inadver tently acce pted over 200 data-sharing requests from various law enforcement agencies. Among these requests was one submitted by ICE,” village of ficials said in a Sept. 5 statement.

“As soon as we realized [this week] that this er ror occurred, [Motorola Solutions has] taken measures to shut of f access, so ICE no longer has access to data from the license plate readers,” Hoskins told the Review. “I think the concern is that, given the current climate with r umors of the National Guard coming, with ICE enforcement on the increase, that this happened and that ICE had access.”

Illinois Gover nor JB Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson have both recently spoken out against the potential increase of federal agents in Chicago, perhaps as soon as last weekend. Forest Park officials assure locals that area police have been instructed to uphold the Illinois Trust Act, which states that local law enforcement is prohibited from participating in immigration enforcement.

“The department is well aware of its

obligations under the Illinois Trust Act,” Hoskins said, adding that “it’s pretty routine for a department like Forest Park to share info rmation with other law enforcement agencie s.”

“Upon confirmation of the violation, the Village of Forest Park took immediate corrective action to ensure full compliance with state law. T he village remains committed to protecting the privacy and civil liberties of all individuals and will continue to work closely with state authorities to strengthen safeguards around ALPR data usage,” the village’s statement said. “We appreciate the diligence of the Secretary of State’s Office and Motorola Solutions in identifying and addressing this issue. T he village will continue to review its internal protocols to prevent any future unauthorized data sharing.”

in the nation, allowed Customs and Border Protection to access its cameras. Giannoulias ordered access to the gover nmental agency to be shut down immediately. Since, F lock halted a nationwide project to share data with federal agencie

T he Secretary of State’s audits

On Sept. 5, Secretary of State of Illinois Alexi Giannoulias sent out a press release re porting that, during one of his office’s audits, officials found that Forest Park was sharing automated license plat e reader data with U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

“License plate reading cameras serve as powerful surveillance technolo gy, and as Secretary of Stat e, I’m committed to ensuring that everyone involved in data sharing is following the law and protecting Illinoisans’ right to privacy,” Giannoulias said in a statement. “These audits are one of the most important tools we have to ensure accountability and compliance with Illinois law, and our office will continue to conduct them in an ef fort to protect people’s private data.”

According to the Secretary of State’s press release, Giannoulias directed Motorola Solutions to work with the village to turn of f data sharing capabilities with ICE and other federal agencies.

This isn’ t the first time the Secretary of State has caught security issues with license plate reader data.

On Aug. 25, the Office of the Secretary of State re ported that an audit revealed that F lock Safety, which operates the largest automated license plate reader system

out of his ef for ts to amend the Illinois Vehicle Code two years ago. T he amendment prohibits sharing data from license plat e readers with agencies who investigate eople based on their immi ation status

COURTESY OF WWW.FLOCKSAFET Y.CO M

80% of Oak Park emergency patients brought to Rush Oak Park

Just 7% of local patients are taken to West Sub ER

By BRENDAN HEFFERNAN Staff Reporter

Oak Park has the benefit of being close to several area hospitals, but village data shows that four out of five local emergency patients end up at the same facility.

According to data dating back to 2022, roughly 80% of Oak Park patients taken to hospitals by Oak Park Fire Department Ambulances have been taken to Rush Oak Park Hospital in recent years. Over the last three-and-a-half years, OPFD has transported over 12,500 patients to the hospital’s campus on Maple Avenue for emergency services, according to department data. Wednesday Journal obtained this data via a Freedom of Information request.

Oak Park Fire Chief JT Terry said the department’s EMS responders follow a strict protocol to get patients to the most appropriate care.

In addition to the state’s guidanc OPFD emergency responders are emp ered to use their professional judgment to ensure a patient gets appropriate «Before transporting a patient to the nearest appropriate facility, firefighter/paramedics assess field signs and symptoms to ensure the chosen facility can handle the nature of the illness or injury,» Terry said.

“All Village of Oak Park Fire Department firefighter/paramedics operate under the Illinois Department of Public Health gion 8 EMS System,” Terry told Wednesd Journal by email. “The Re gion 8 Standing Medical Orders dictate when patients must be transported to the most appropriate facility (e.g., burn center, trauma center.) Hospitals are rated and evaluated based on their capabilities (e.g., Level I trauma center, Level II trauma center, comprehensive stroke center, burn center, etc.) and their ability to immediately address certain medical conditions (such as stroke or cardiac events) without needing to transfer the patient to a higher-level facility or wait for on-call staf f to arrive.”

cal Center in Oak Park. So far in 2025, 7% of OPFD ambulance rides have ended at Loyola and 6.57% have ended at West Suburban, according to department data.

gency services. The department had escor ted more than 3,000 emergenc y patients from January to July 2025, according to department data.

Outside of Rush Oak Park, OPFD ambulance rides are typically routed to either Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood or to the West Suburban Medi-

MacNeal Hospital in Berwyn and the Edward Hines Jr. Veterans Administration Hospital have both received a few dozen patients transported by OPFD EMS in recent years, although those ambulance rides re present less than 1% of total OPFD emergency responses.

Last year, OPFD EMS transported more than 4,500 patients to hospitals for emer-

In some cases, patients are able to dictate which hospital they’re brought to, Terry said.

“Patients who are alert, oriented, and deemed decisional (i.e., over 18 or with a legal guardian present, not under the influence, and not involved in a traumatic event) may request transport to a hospital of their choice, as long as the facility

is within our local area,” he said. “These individuals must be informed that deviating from the SMOs may result in delayed or less effective care, and they are required to sign a release of liability for both the fire department and the hospital system. This option is only permitted for low-acuity calls, for example, a 20-something who breaks an ankle during a pickup basketball game and requests transpor t to Loyola because their primary physician is based there, rather than being taken to a closer hospital in town.”

Rush Oak Park Hospital

As Trump blusters, MAAFA Redemption Project breaks ground

‘Not another chance. A rst chance.’

By LEAH SCHROEDER Contributing Reporter

On Sunday, President Donald Trump threatened war on Chicago in a supposedly satirical social media post. T hough Trump has since claimed the post was a joke, he has not denied that he wants to “clean up” the city

Amid this rhetoric, local leaders are making progress to improve the city they love and over the weekend, they broke ground on a new project: a renovation of the MAAFA Redemption Project’s Center for Ar ts and Activism.

T he MAAFA Redemption Project, born out of New Mount Pilgrim Missionar y Baptist Church by Rev. Dr. Marshall Hatch Sr., says this new center will serve as a reminder of hope in West Garfield Park and provide services for young men and women including reentry services, mentorship and mental health support, education, workforce training and community healing.

“I learned then that in order for young people to make better decisions, we ha to have better options,” Hatch Sr. said.

“That’s kind of what the MAAFA demption Project is tasked to do is to gi young people better options than they on the street corners, and so when people have better options, then they can be challenged to make better decisions.”

T he center will also be a cultural hub providing arts education, community or g anizing and civic empowerment. T hese services are more important now than ever, according to Rev. Marshall Hatch Jr., executive director of the MAAFA Redemption Project.

“For many of our young men and women, this is not just another chance for many of them, it is their rst chance.”

RE V. MARSHALL HATC H SR.

New Mt. Pilgrim Missionary

“Especially given the dialo gue in the country now about violence, urban violence, projects li ke our s are making the case that investment in people, the root causes of some of the pathologies that we have to deal with, we need to invest in p eople,” Hatch Sr. said. “For many of our young men and women, this is not just another chance for many of them, it is their first chance.”

Hatch Sr. has been a pastor for 40 years and has spent 32 years at New Mount Pilgrim Missionary Baptist Church. Throughout this experience, he says he has learned what it takes to encourag e youth to make better decisions.

“They ’re essential, not just for kee ping young people afloat and inspired, offering these services, but also economic opportunities, employment opportunities,” Hatch Jr. said. “But it’s pointing a way forward for the future of the neighborhood, especially in this political climate where you see this assault, not just on Chicago, but on this neighborhood.”

T he $8 million project involved renovating an old Saint Barnabas Episcopal Church building to create the second building in the Sankofa Wellness Village in West Garfield Park, the 2022 recipient of the Pritzker Trauber t Foundatio n’s “Chicago Priz e.”

A groundbreaking ceremony for the center took place at 12:30 p.m. on Sunday T he ceremony led of f with what Hatch Jr called an “intergenerational call and response,” in which elders of the church led a prayer, scripture and song followed by the children’s choir singing “This Little Light of Mine.”

Other speakers at the event included

Illinois State Senator Lakesia Collins, young men from the MAAFA Redemption Progr am, a young woman from the Beautiful Seed Foundation and several Black elected of ficials.

Chicago Mayo r Brandon Johnson was slated to speak at the event but i nstead had to attend a press c onference after IC E raids be g an in Chicago over the weekend This development set the backdrop fo r the ceremony, Hatch Jr. said.

“That was the c ontext for our c elebration,” Hatch Jr. said. “It was c elebratory. It was sobering given that c ontext, bu t it was also ve ry meaningful given wh at the wo rk re presents and the l ife of the M AAFA Re d emption Project, but also in West Garfield Pa rk .”

As Trump c ontinues to paint Chicago as “out of c ontrol,” local leaders f eel emb oldened. Hatch Jr. said it would be li ke ly that federal troops would be stationed in the West Garfield area and feels the wo rk of the M AAFA Re d emption Project is especially important right now.

“I f you c an imagine the message that it sends to residents, young and old, it ’l l f eel li ke an o ccupation. … the resistanc e has to start on the ground, and so the org anizing that we ’ve b een doing is even more important now, so that p eople f eel i nspired and encouraged and p eople are not f earful of the President’s message,” Hatch Jr. said.

Trump c ontinues to threaten to de ploy the National Guard to Chicago, and in the meantime, Hatch Sr. says the wo rk of the M AAFA Re d emption Project will not slow down.

“We live in close proximity with p eop le that are statistics to some p eople, but human beings to us,” Hatch Sr. said. “Clearly, we know that the answe r is not a military force trained for battle, on battlefields. We p ledge we want to wo rk with c onstitutional p olicing locally, we suppo rt the police, but we certainly don’t need the National Guard. Th at ’s a melodrama that d oesn’t a ddress long time and root causes.”

Baptist Church

COURTESY OF HATC H JR

NEW DAY: An array of West Side leaders turned out Sunday to break ground for the MAAFA renovation project.

For 4th time, preservation commission nixes Arcade project

Building owners plan direct appeal to Oak Park village board

By LACEY SIKORA Real Estate Reporter

At a public hearing Aug. 28 to consider the application of Sachem Building, LLC to construct a 10-story apartment building off the alley behind the historic Village Arcade building at 1035 South Blvd., the Historic Preservation Commission voted for the fourth time to deny the certificate of appropriateness for the project.

At the hearing, speakers opposed to the project included concerned neighbors; Frank Lippo, executive director of the Historical Society of Oak Park and River Forest; Andrew

Elders, for mer preservation commissioner; and Kendra Parzen, advocacy manager from Landmarks Illinois. Thrive Counseling Center, which is adjacent to the proposed project, also submitted a written objection.

The owners of the building plan to appeal directly to the Oak Park Village Board to be granted the green light to go ahead with the development.

According to Michael Bruce, Oak Park’s village planer, the village board could consider the appeal as early as this month. He said the public will need to check village board agendas to determine when the issue is being considered.

Bruce wrote in an email, “The village board will not hold a public hearing on the issue as the public hearing was already held by the HPC. Thus, no further studies or input is required for the village board to make a decision.”

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Celebrating 100 Years YOUR BEST LIFE withLisaCapone

Cantata Adult Life Services

(formerly known as the British Home) turned 100 this year, and we’re marking this milestone with a community-wide celebration you won’t want to miss! Join us on Saturday, September 13 for the Cantata Centennial Festival, a full day of live music, delicious food, family fun, and special moments honoring our century of service.

Enjoy performances from talented local musicians, explore unique vendors, and sample offerings from popular food trucks. Kids will love the family-friendly entertainment, while adults can relax with beer, wine, and great company.

We’ll also announce winners of our 50/50 raffle—supporting Cantata’s mission while giving lucky participants a chance to win big. This once-in-a-century celebration is our way of saying thank you to the community that has been part of our story for 100 years.

included

the

QUIKTRIP

1,000+ petition sigs

from page 3

niphy said that redeveloping the Mohr site is a major oppor tunity for the village.

“Certainly, the village would like to see that property redeveloped and returned to productive use,” he said.

As the proposal has moved forward in the permitting process, some south Oak Park neighbors and other community members have expressed a variety of concerns about the proposed gas station. A new gas station on the site could worsen traffic on an already congested Harlem Avenue, conflict with Oak Park’s sustainability goals and re present a loss of a potential mixed-use development opportunity for the village, critics have argued.

A Change.org petition asking village leaders to block the proposed development has over 1,000 signatures. Petition organizer Brooke Reavey — who lives a few hun-

dred feet away from the for mer Mohr site — said that the village can af ford to wait for a better redevelopment opportunity for the site.

“There’s just a better use of the space, it’s an entire city block and it doesn’t make sense to give it all up to a giant gas station,” Reavey said. “We have the opportunity to do so much with it. It’s not like we went fishing and we caught a bunch of fish and if we don’t sell them in a couple days, they’re going to go bad. We can wait around for it. We’re in such a populous area and somebody will develop this.”

In May, We d nesd ay Journal obtained documents related to the termination of for mer economic vitality administrator Brandon Crawford that mentioned a p ossible Tax Increment Financing zone surrounding the Mohr property. T he documents, dated April 11, 2025, indicated that discussions about the p otential TIF had be g un a year earlier, but that wo rk analyzing the prospect had “not progr essed as expected,” a ccording to the village documents

Any sale and redevelopment of the prop-

erty will happen in context of the foreclosure case involving KrohVan — the site’s last set of would-be developers — and the Mohr family.

Karen Richards, daughter of Dot and Bud Mohr, told Wednesday Journal that the case was still ongoing last month.

Last October, H.J. Mohr & Sons Co. filed a foreclosure suit against the developers, saying that KrohVan still owes on the mortg age loan ag reement that matured last summer.

“The defendants have not paid the balance of the loan which matured on June 2, 2024,” the October filing said. “Current principal balance due on the note and mortgage is $4,026,830 plus interest, costs, advances for taxes, insurance and fees; and less any credits for payments received.”

H.J. Mohr & Sons Co. also claimed that the developers owed $157,241 in unpaid interest in their October foreclosure filing.

The parties had extended the mortg age’s maturity date twice. The developers were also hit with a Mechanic’s lien for more than $7,000 in unpaid contractor work last summer, according to the filing.

PROVIDED

Design markups

QuikTrip Company’s proposal to the Oak Park plan commission.

TERM LIMITS Push for more communication

from page 1

When asked what options officials have, Lance Malina, vil lage attorney, referred to the confusing language

“What was approved?” he asked. “Was it advisory or binding?”

One of the options officials have is to hold another referendum that would be binding, Malina said.

He said a binding referendum could be placed on either the November 2026 general election or the April 2027 municipa election ballot.

Trustee Katie Brennan asked if the March 2026 primary election would be a possibility. Malina agreed it would be but Matt Walsh, village administrator, noted the deadline for filing would be this upcoming December.

search further and report back to the board.

But Trustee Erika Bachner raised the possibility of the board adopting an ordinance imposing term limits, which would override the question of whether the referendum was advisory or binding.

Malina originally said that was not an option but Bachner cited research into state statutes she had done that indicated it would be

“The voters have already approved the referendum,” she said. “That seems to be the easiest path.”

Malina acknowledged he was not familiar with the state statutes to which Bachner was referring but promised to re-

“We need to find out,” Trustee Respicio Vazquez said. “We need that clarity.”

Bachner and Trustee Lisa Gillis supported Brennan’s request that officials take steps to inform residents

“Residents want to know what’s going on,” Brennan said. “The public needs to know what’s being discussed.”

Although her suggestion that a confidential memo from Malina to the board be made public did not receive much support, she suggested as an alternative that a statement be drafted and publicized

“We should either release that memo or summarize its contents and release that,” Gillis said.

LemonAid iS LemonAid iS tOMORROW! tOMORROW! LemonAid iS tOMORROW!

ALL ARE WELCOME

LemonAid is a cherished tradition that takes the shape of a block party for the entire community. Led by youth and with activities for all ages, LemonAid exists to raise awareness and funds for local charities that serve children. This year, Thrive Counseling Center is an awardee.

Thrive is your local community mental health center, ensuring access to mental health care by providing individual, family, and group counseling, psychiatry, and 24/7 crisis response. Join us to have a blast and support mental health!

“I would like to see that information be made available soon,” Bachner added.

Trustee Bob O’Connell cautioned against moving too fast.

“Let’s take our time and do it right,” he said. “We need to give counsel time to act.”

Village President Cathy Adduci agreed, saying, “We need Lance to deter mine what state law says.”

The language of the referendum question that asked resients to vote for or against term limits was specific:

“Shall the Village of River Forest, after the April 1, 2025, Consolidated Election, enact term limits for the elected offices of Village President, Village Clerk, and the six (6) Village Trustees for no more than two (2) four-year (4-year) terms total as follows: for each of three (3) Trustees be ginning with the April 3, 2027, Consolidated election, and for the Village President, Village Clerk, and three (3) Trustees starting with the April 6, 2029, Consolidated election?”

However, there is debate over whether the petition included conflicting language The title of the document stated, “Petition for River Forest Binding Referendum,” while the language in the subsequent paragraph said that “the following advisory question of public policy be placed on the ballot and submitted to the voters of River Forest for their approval or disapproval, by referendum at the Consolidated Election to be held on April 1, 2025.”

Because Adduci stressed the importance of having all trustees participate in further discussions and since Gillis said she will not be able to attend the next board meeting on Sept. 22, Walsh said he expected the matter to be on the Oct. 13 meeting agenda.

CRIME

ree young children struck by motorist in Oak Park crosswalk

By BRENDAN HEFFERNAN Staff Reporter

Three young children were hospitalized after being hit by a car in an Oak Park crosswalk last month.

The motorist struck the children while they were in a crosswalk walking northbound on Lombard Avenue on Aug. 25. The driver was traveling eastbound on South Boulevard, according to villa ge officials.

The three children were all “approximately” between the ages of seven and nine years old and all three were transported to Loyola University Medical Center for their injuries. One child was released from the hospital later that day, while the other two were held overnight before being released from hospital care, according to village officials.

The driver was cited for the incident, according to Oak Park police.

Domestic violence arrests

Oak Park police arrested several people suspected of domestic violence offenses over the last week.

At 9:30 a.m. Sept. 4, police arrested a 39-year-old woman

in the 100 block of Austin Boulevard on domestic battery charges. An Oak Park resident and a Chicago resident were victims in the incident, according to police.

Shortly after 5 p.m. Sept. 4 police arrested a 55-year-old man in the 8300 block of Roosevelt Road on charges of domestic battery. He was arrested in connection with an alle ged attack on an Oak Park resident that occurred on Jan. 29, according to police.

Just before 10:20 a.m. Sept. 3, Oak Park police also arrested a man on domestic battery charges connected to a Jan. 10 incident, according to police.

Assault and proper ty damage

Oak Park police are investigating an incident in which a thwar ted theft re por tedly tur ned violent.

On the afternoon of Sept. 3, a Berwyn resident re portedly saw a man breaking the lock securing his Eletric scooter with a rock and a pair of plyers. When the victim confronted the man, he re por tedly hit him with the broken lock before fleeing on foot, according to police.

The incident occurred in the 1000 block of Lake Street, with the man last seen running west toward Harlem Avenue, according to police.

These items were obtained from Oak Park’s Police Department re ports dated Sept. 2–9 and re present a portion of the incidents to which police responded. Anyone named in these re ports has only been charged with a crime and cases have not yet been adjudicated. We re port the race of a suspect only when a serious crime has been committed, the suspect is still at large, and police have provided us with a detailed description of the suspect as they seek the public’s help in making an arrest.

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GRAFFITI

IDOT

vs. artists

from page 1

scribed “graffiti artist, sarcastic pop artist, and professional troublemaker with a spray can,” recalls hitting this wall in the 1990s.

“Many moons ago, but I can still feel the adrenaline like it was yesterday,” he said. TEEL ONE used to own Momentum Art Tech in Oak Park. Now, he runs an annual festival Battle 4 The City, which celebrates mural and graffiti art in Chicago.

Over the decades, graffiti artists have transformed this wall into “a billboard without a corporate logo,” said TEEL ONE. “Every train, every car, every commuter sees it.

“Graffiti writers are like guerrilla advertisers – we know the value of a prime spot. And that wall is pure gold.”

The wall in question is under the jurisdiction of and maintenance of the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT). Covering up such graffiti is part of IDOT’s routine maintenance to Illinois highways. The department does not have an exact date when it began to cover up graffiti along the Ike. “IDOT has been addressing graffiti in this area for a couple of decades,” said IDOT spokesperson Maria Castaneda. IDOT most recently removed graffiti on August 15 but could not provide specific data on how often graffiti is removed. Castaneda said the department routinely removes graffiti district-wide before major holidays.

Castaneda said that it is important to remove graf fiti for a “multitude of reasons.”

Sometimes graffiti covers important road signs, sometimes it is offensive, and sometimes it could contain “hidden messages.” One of the biggest reasons is simply that “it’s an eyesore,” she said. Whether it is on public or private property, “I’m sure no one is really wanting to have this graffiti on there.”

The south wall of the Eisenhower Expressway seems to be the site of a constant battle between graffiti artists and IDOT. Graffiti often reappears shortly after the department has covered it up, sometimes reappearing the same night.

These days, graffiti artists often expect that their work will be covered up. “The streets don’t offer lifetime warranties. You get your flicks, you move on,” said TEEL ONE. “But back in the day? It cut deep Supplies were scarce, paint was expensive,

and we didn’t have instant cameras in our pockets. You waited days for film to develop, praying the shot was good. If it wasn’t, your work was gone forever. That stung.”

This wall brings “unique challenges” for IDOT T he section affected by the graffiti (approximately stretching from Home Avenue to Austin Blvd. with a shorter wall in Forest Park) is roughly 20 feet tall and over a mile long – and is also within 25 feet of an active railroad. In order to remove graffiti in this location, IDOT has to coordinate with CSX Railroad to provide railroad flaggers.

Comerford sees this graffiti daily. The

graffiti. “I don’t think it’s a great use of our tax dollars,” she said. So far in 2025, IDOT has spent roughly $1.8 million on graffiti removal district-wide, according to Castaneda.

Comerford, who is on the board of the Oak Park Arts District and an artist herself, wondered if there could be an alternative to the illegal nature of the graffiti art in the area.

“It would be nice if they could create some sort of program for these graffiti artists,” she said.

She and her husband are “big proponents of the arts,” she said. “We support the artists. We want to make sure that artists have an outlet to create. And so I wish that there was a more structured program for these graffiti artists so they didn’t feel the need to go around and deface public property, private property. I guess that’s what my perspective on it is. I don’t want to shut it down. I just want it to be a little bit more structured and I want to hopefully get artists to understand that it’s not cool to deface property that isn’t set up for that.”

With sculptures lining its most lively streets and new murals often appearing on walls that would otherwise be empty, Oak Park is a village that understands the importance of public art. The illegal aspect of graffiti is what bothers Comerford, which is why she hopes for a le gal alternative.

TEEL ONE brought up a similar idea. “A decade ago, I told Oak Park and surrounding cities: let us paint it, make it a landmark, even kick in some paint money,” said the artist.

“They laughed me of f. Now mural culture is booming, and everyone’s acting like it’s a new idea.” The artist said he would “like to reopen the conversation again so we can have a new wall for art.”

graffiti has become such a part of daily life that it fades into the background. It isn’t the expressway graffiti itself that bothers Comerford, she said.

“What I mind is when they deface our buildings.” The side of Comerford’s building, her dumpster, and her alley door have all been targeted by vandalism. She said she found this incident to be “frustrating” and wondered, “Why would you do this?”

She said she felt the same when it came to vandalism on public and private proper ty: “If it’s illegal, it’s illegal,” she said. Comerford said she was also “frustrated” by the use of tax resources to remove the

IDOT has “no current policy or program” for incorporating public art into its infrastructure. However, previous installations have included art medallions on the Dan Ryan in 2007 and the International Sculpture Program.

Graffiti art is “the only art form born from kids who had nothing but a voice and a wall,” said TEEL ONE. “No rich patrons, no galleries – just spray paint, hustle, and the need to be seen. It scares people in power because we figured out how to speak without their permission, and without playing by their rules. Graffiti is the voice of the streets, and the streets don’t ask politely.”

“It’s a complicated issue,” said Comerford. “I don’t condone them doing art illegally. But I do want them to have a place where they can create.”

TODD BANNOR

Can local journalism survive? Thrive?

An important discussion sponsored by the League of Women Voters Oak Park and River Forest and Growing Community Media

The internet killed off many newspapers and other legacy publications are struggling to survive. Meanwhile a new wave of young online publications is attempting to ﬁll the vacuum and cover their communities. If democracy is to survive, voters need to know the candidates running for ofﬁce and their positions. Readers, local donors and foundations have stepped into the fray, but will their philanthropy be enough?

Join the discussion

Tracy Baim Executive director of Press Forward Chicago, a pooled fund helping local journalism

Max Reinsdorf Interim executive director, Growing Community Media

April Alonso Co-founder of Cicero Independiente

Amethyst Davis Founder of the Harvey World Herald

Thursday, Oct. 9 • 6 p.m.

Judith Crown Co-president, League of Women Voters Oak Park and River Forest, will moderate the discussion

Fall Performing Guide Arts 2025

Unwind Connect Explore

Something New

Enjoy an evening of enrichment in Park District of Oak Park’s Historic Homes.

Scan the code to register or visit pdop.org/adults

Dining & Dancing • Music & Cocktails • Culinary Adventures • Sip & Create • Live Entertainment • And More Each Month

Dancing at the (Cheney) Mansion

Intro to Ballroom or Latin Rhythms

Mondays: Sep 16-Oct 20

Mondays: Nov 3-Dec 8

Cooking Around the World

A unique theme every class

Thursdays: Sep 11, Oct 9, Nov 20

Harvest Moon Wine, Dine, & Dance

A moonlit evening on the Cheney patio Thursday, Oct 2

The Magic Parlor with Bill Cook

A world-class illusionist and charismatic magician Friday, Oct 24

A Charlie Brown Christmas Cocktail Hour

Holiday jazz by the Chris White Trio Saturday, Dec 13

Holiday Jazz Magic

Timeless favorites by the Garfield Park Jazz Collective Wednesday, Dec 17

Mark Your Calendar for our Holiday Concert Sun, Nov 23, 2025 • 4:00 p.m. • St John Lutheran Church, Forest Park

holiday concert. Sun, Nov 23, 2025 4:00 p.m. St John Lutheran Church, Forest Park

A Ceremony of Carols

Paul Laprade, Artistic Dir, Conductor

With special guests: Nichole Young, harpist

Paul Laprade, Artistic Director, Conductor, with special guests: Nichole Young, harpist

St John Lutheran Church & School Choir of Chicago with Katrina Jurica

We welcome the holiday season with a concert of carols, notably, Britten’s A Ceremony of Carols, and accompanied by the highly-talented harpist, Nichole Young. The program includes lovely works by Peter Warlock, Libby Larsen, Javier Busto, Eriks Esenvalds, Stacey Gibbs, and others. We are excited to collaborate with a wonderful choir from St. John Lutheran Church & School of Chicago, Katrina Jurica, director, who will perform selected works and join OPCC for a mash-up of Lo How a Rose and The Rose, arranged by Craig Hella Johnson. Hope you can join us for an enchanting evening of artistic and amazing carol settings!

Oak Park Concert Chorale is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council, and a grant from Oak Park Area Arts Council in partnership with the Village of Oak Park and the Illinois Arts Council.

Oak Park Concert Chorale is a 501(c)(3) not-for-pro t organization partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council, and a grant from Oak Park Area Arts Council in partnership with the Village of Oak Park and the Illinois Arts Council.

If it won’t fit, then remove the sponsorship text and just show the 3 sponsor logos.

Senior Movies – 1:00pm - Free

Thursday, September 11th – “13 Minutes” // Thursday, October 9th - “Senior Moment” Popcorn will be served. Reservations not required.

Wednesday, September 24th

Paramount/Come From Away

“Come From Away” is a hit musical that tells the remarkable true story of 7000 airline passengers that got stranded in Newfoundland during the 911 attacks. The small local community welcomed the travelers with music and an open bar. This musical explores the generosity and kindness of the locals, but also the clashes of cultures and language. We will have lunch before the musical at Two Brothers Roundhouse, a favorite historic eatery. Sugar cookies for a treat after lunch.

Cost: $125.00 (Resident) • $128.00 (Non-Resident)

Wednesday, October 1st

The Disco Circus/ Jacob Henry Mansion

Come join us for a day at the historic Jacob Henry Mansion. First, we start with a self-guided tour of the mansion, followed by a fabulous lunch. The Chicago based “Disco Circus” show begins at 1:00pm. This show combines the energy and excitement of a 3-ring circus with the grooviest music from the 1970’s! Let’s all go to Funkytown!

Cost: $105.00 (Resident)

$108.00 (Non-Resident)

Thursday, October 16th

Grease/Peggy Kinnane’s Irish Pub

Today we will visit the Metropolis Performing Arts center in Arlington Heights to see “Grease”. Step back to the fabulous 50’s! Join bad boy Danny and new girl Sandy and their friends as they navigate their senior year at Rydell High. This show has all the unforgettable hits from the blockbuster movie and the Broadway play. Lunch will be before the show at Peggy Kinnane’s Irish Pub in Arlington Heights.

Chocolate Chip cookies for a treat after lunch.

Cost: $110.00 (Resident) $113.00 (Non-Resident)

October

BEETHOVEN Triple Concerto

Michelle

BEETHOVEN

JAY FRIEDMAN, conductor

RAVEL

October

BEETHOVEN

BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 3, Eroica

RAVEL

BIZET

Homes

Overlooking Austin Gardens, historic townhouse hits the market

By LACEY SIKORA Real Estate Reporter

Situated directly across the street from Austin Gardens and adjacent to some of the area’s most notable homes, the row houses on the 200 block of Forest Avenue draw the interest of tourists and locals. Known as the Emerson Ingalls Row Houses, the four Queen Anne Victorian style homes sport front porches and brick designs that speak to another era but remain very livable for denizens of the twenty-first century.

The rowhouse at 204 Forest Ave. recently hit the market asking $800,000. The home retains much of the original detail put into place in 1891, when it was designed by architect William J. Van Keuren. Van Keuren, who was born in 1853, called Oak Park

home and lived at 100 Clinton Ave. from 1897 until he died in 1915.

He designed numerous homes and commercial buildings in Oak Park, including the Cicero Fire House No. 2, which now serves as the Oak Park River Forest Museum, and the Niles block on the southwest corner of Marion and South Boulevard Homeowner Tara Zinger has lived at 204 Forest for 13 years. While she’s moving to be closer to family, she says she has poured her heart and soul into the home. “I’m the third owner of the home. I bought it from a married couple — the woman grew up next door,” she said. “She and her husband met in the 1940s and bought this place. When I saw the home, she was having memory issues and her husband was

PHOTO BY DAN PIETRINI

TOWNHOUSE Moment in time

from page 21

leaving love notes for her on the walls. The home was filled with books and those love notes. I immediately felt the vibe of love.”

Zinger, who worked for years as a teacher in River Forest, sought to imbue the home with that same spirit. Sitting on her front porch, she would chat with for mer students who biked past the house on their way to high school.

She also converted her lower level to a successful Airbnb, which generates over $30,000 annually, and helped her put her children through colle ge. She’s hosted international students and tourists from all over the world and says that it’s been a joy to get to know so many different people through her home.

Realtor Ann Keeney of Baird & Warner, who is listing the home for Zinger, notes that the lower level of the home could remain a professionally managed rental or could easily make a suite for an au pair or in-laws with its kitchenette, laundry, full bathroom and separate entrance.

The upstairs of the house shines with

the original wood staircase, built-in bench and art glass windows in the entry.

“When I stepped into the foyer,” said Zinger, “I said ‘I’m buying this place.’”

The front parlor has coved ceilings and dentil molding and a sweeping view of the park across the street. The rear parlor, set of f by original pocket doors, includes a fireplace with the original Trent tile.

The home’s kitchen has mid-century modern Sears & Roebuck cabinets, steelrimmed Formica counters and a Chambers range in a sunny shade of yellow. T here is a full bathroom on the first floor

T he third floor is a primary suite with a kitchenette, laundry and full bathroom featuring a Victoria and Albert bathtub, which looks original to the 1891 house, but is actually a new model. This floor is completed with a private roof top deck that looks over the village.

For Zinger, the home was the perfect place to raise her children and also the perfect place to live when they left the house. She loved the location in the Frank Lloyd Wright Prairie School of Architecture Historic District and the proximity to downtown Oak Park amenities. “The park was place just has

PHOTO BY DAN PIETRINI

ALL ORIGINAL: e tile on the rear parlor’s replace and the pocket doors are original.

WELCOME: e front entryway features original woodwork, art glass and exposed brick

PHOTO BY DAN PIETRINI

DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS IS FRIDAY 5 P.M.

Call Viewpoints editor

Ken Trainor at 613-3310

ktrainor@wjinc.com

VIEWPOINTS

How greedy developers can save us money

It’s been a long time coming, but our village board is finally getting serious about tackling housing affordability.

The best way to tackle affordability is with zoning changes because current rules limit housing options and density. The goal is to allow more “missing middle” housing, buildings that fall in the middle, between single-family homes and high-rises. But almost all new housing in Oak Park comes with a marketing label: Luxury. How can building expensive “luxury” units make housing more affordable?

ough a process called “filtering.”

Filtering works in two ways. First newer construction ages out of the luxury category. Amenities and finishes become dated, and eventually that luxury building becomes a mid-maret building. You can see this in Oak Park. Browse the online listings of the Albion, Whiteco and 100 Forest Place high-rises he older the building, even by just a decade, the lower the rent per square foot.

he second mechanism is subtler. Without new high-end affluent renters crowd into older buildings and drive up . They also spur renovations and up-conversions of what had been affordable stock. When those renters move into new buildings, older units are preserved and room opens for others to step up the housing ladder.

ou might say, “Nice theory, Josh,” but it’s more than just a theory. Studies across the country show that new construction at any level lowers existing rents. Oak Park isn’t special. (1)(2)(3)

Progressive Oak Parkers may shy from letting market mechanisms and profit motives influence something as critical as housing, but most of Oak Park’s existing affordable housing was created by private developers seeking a profit

In fact, profits don’t play a dominant role in construction costs. Gover nment-funded housing often costs more to build because of complex funding and legislative mandates

A RAND study found that in California and Texas, subsidized housing costs about 1.5x as much per square foot. (4)

Closer to home, recent subsidized housing projects are extremely expensive, with one coming in around $884,000 per apartment. (5)

Even if we cut that cost in half, and spent all municipal property-tax revenue (~$40 million) we’d build only about 100 units a year. In reality, it would be a political miracle to fund this consistently at $1 million per year, resulting in 2–3 units of new supply.

This doesn’t mean we shouldn’t build subsidized housing. We should, and I support those projects. But we need to be realistic about what this can accomplish.

To address our affordability crisis, we need new market-rate housing. Market-rate construction costs the taxpayers nothing, relieves pressure on existing affordable housing stocks, and provides new supply that eventually ages itself into affordability.

Sources:

1) https://ideas.repec.org/a/tpr/restat/v105y2023i2p359-375.html

2) https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0094119021000656

3) https://www.aeaweb.org/articles?id=10.1257%2Faer.104.2.687

4) https://www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pubs/research_reports/RRA3700/ RRA3743-1/RAND_RRA3743-2.pdf

5) https://blockclubchicago.org/2025/07/28/why-is-it-so-expensive-to-build-affordablehousing-in-chicago/

Josh is a passionate urbanist and entrepreneur who’s lived in Chicagoland for thirty years and has called Oak Park home for over a decade.

‘If you haven’t broken the law, you have nothing to fear from the army” and, “Why wouldn’t you welcome the ar my helping to end crime in Chicago?”

That’s what a MAGA relative visiting from the Sunbelt told me this weekend in response to President Trump’s plan to order the National Guard to occupy Chicago. Or as the President himself tweeted over the weekend: “Chicago is about to find out why it’s called the Department of WAR.”

My gut response would be to ask the relative to name one functioning democracy where the military occupies major cities of a country (LA, DC, Chicago and counting). Like, that’s an authoritarian thing that might happen in Russia or China or North Korea.

And don’t forget that Trump’s military action could be a dry run for a more general military action in Blue cities during the upcoming mid-term elections in order to suppress voter turnout. Ask Little Goebbels, the presidential advisor Stephen Miller MAGA says its appeal is only to the law. Or at least the law as they imagine it. Not that our high-octane Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, has read it, but the U.S. Constitution has a war powers clause. Remember the Constitution? It gives the

Congress power to declare a war and the President the power to execute the war Congress declares

But here’s the funny thing about the war powers clause. It’s focused on foreign enemies. And not turning the military loose on U.S. citizens. In fact, after fighting to defeat the tyrannical King George of England, using the military on the streets of Boston or New York against its citizens after 1776 would have been unthinkable to the Founders.

But not for MAGA.

The rumor went out this weekend that ICE was assembling cars in Oak Park on Roosevelt and Ridgeland for an action nearby. That turned out to be false Still indications from our President are that something militarily will happen in Chicago soon so that he can totally “own the Libs.” Here’s the funny thing about nor ms, even constitutional nor ms, once they are broken, let’s say by turning the U.S.’s formidable military power on its citizens, they don’t automatically snap back into place.

Norm-breaking can become a two way street. Today, the military is gunning for Chicago. Tomorrow, under a different President, could that same military turn on MAGA?

Jack Crowe is an Oak Park resident and a longtime columnist for Wednesday Journal.

ADOBE STOCK PHOTO

Trump’s military occupation and Oak Park

JACK CROWE

IGrandma looked out the window at the way the sunlight lay across the ya filled the apple trees with gold and echoed the same words:

To live your life, love your life Term limits in River Forest

t took five months for River Forest’s village board to finally take up the contentious term limit debate that has spooled out from an April 1 election where a clear majority of local voters supported implementing ter m limits for village officials.

That much is clear. Even with a poor voter turnout for the local election the majority position was clear. And, as we have all learned on a national scale, elections have consequences.

That said, there is the confusion over wording of the citizen referendum which, on close reading, says both that the referendum is binding and that it is advisory. This confusion is a legitimate point of debate from both a legal and an ethical position.

Good that the village board, which is seemingly divided on this topic, finally recognized that ignoring the issue was its worst option in somehow moving River Forest beyond what is a very divisive issue. It took until Sept. 8 for the full board to meet and have the start of an honest conversation. Seems it will be another month before the full board gathers again to further the conversation.

Meanwhile, the village attor ney will research the position of Trustee Erika Bachner that the sitting board can simply approve a term limits ordinance along the lines of the referendum. The attorney initially said he did not think that was possible.

There seems to be some consensus on the board that the village needs to be more direct in its communication with residents about the status of this issue. River Forest is pretty good at keeping residents up to date on the Lake and Lathrop debacle and other more positive news. Now that the village president and her board supporters seem to acknowledge that fully ignoring this issue is not a sustainable tact, communication would be welcome.

We’d also like to understand why a “confidential memo” from the village attorney to the village board cannot simply be made public. Every voter has a stake in this debate and transparency is fully warranted.

“Farewell summer. Here it is, October 1st. Temperature’s 82. Season just can let go. The dogs are out under the trees. The leav es won’ t turn. A body would like to cry and laughs instead.” Clouds passed over the lawn. And when the sun came out, in the pantry Grandma almost whispered, “Summer, farewell.”

…

A wind came up outside and shook all the trees, and ev ery leaf, ev ery last one fell off and blew across the lawn

“Summer’s over, Tom.”

Tom listened.

TRAINOR

“Summer’s done. Here comes autumn.”

“Halloween.”

“Boy, think of that!”

“I’m thinking.”

They thought, they slept.

The town clock struck four. And Grandma sat up in the dark and named the season just now over and done and past.

Ray Bradbury

“Farewell Summer” (sequel to “Dandelion Wine”)

On my way upstairs after doing laundry, one of those voices from deep down sent a note: You can’ t truly li ve your life until you love ev ery part of it.

I don’t know exactly what that means since these notes don’t come with explanations. I don’t even know if it’s true, but it felt true in that moment. These notes do come with an air of authority.

Those who have had bad things happen to them probably wouldn’t ag ree, maybe couldn’t ag ree, that you can love every part of your life, no matter how true it sounds. And everyone has had something bad happen to them. A lot of bad stuf f is happening to us right now. But there it was, note to self, hanging over my head, refusing to be ignored.

Maybe it issued forth because at that moment I was loving every part of my life, even the laundry, even the goddamn cicadas, which I thought were gone and now were back. So obviously loving every part of my life is not about everything in my life going the way I want.

Maybe the note was trying to say, “It is possible to love every part of your life, good or not, and that makes it possible to live your life fully, no re grets, no conditions because living it is enough.”

As you can see, I’m a lot wordier than my inner voice. And I’m not sure if that’s what it meant.

Maybe you can only live life fully in moments like this, and in those moments, all of your life feels as if it were rth living, even if you don’t know en if your case might not hold up in a court of judgment. All of it brought you here, after all — how it got you here you can’t really say. But here feels full and good and worth all that

Maybe it’s simple gratitude. You’ve had a life! — whatever that so-called worth, and in such a moment, it’s rth plenty.

What about the panhandler holding his crumpled cardboard sign, whose living brought him to this moment, dodging cars to make his plea? I don’t know and can’t say. I hope everyone has moments where they feel their living’s worth. And maybe loving our life, the whole enchilada, is what makes such moments possible.

Is this our survival instinct? Is it the voice we hear at the end of our rope? Well, in my case it was only at the end of doing my laundry, so no, not always. Most of us strive to live a worthwhile life, but maybe we don’t have to “earn” it. Maybe this is the voice of life itself, asserting its own worth, overruling all evidence to the contrary, or as poet Jack Gilber t once penned, issuing its “Brief for the Defense.”

Or maybe it’s just summer bidding farewell on this last day of August. Summer is my version of life at its fullest — not my life at its fullest necessarily, but life itself, which seems to have a spirit of its own. The end of every Summer is a poignant time, but the pang speaks to the worth. It is as if life itself were de parting, with sweet sor row, such sor rowful sweetness, confirming its goodness as it moves on.

It helped, I suppose, that the weather was perfect this Sunday, sandwiched by a three-day holiday weekend, and the White Sox actually beating the hated Yankees, and a beautiful wedding unfolding in Cheney Mansion’s gardens with the band playing “Somewhere Over the Rainbow”— but that all happened after I finished the laundry and intercepted this note to self.

Yes, life looks pretty good on days like this, but there’s nothing wrong with appreciating the essential goodness of being alive any time, no matter the weather, even on rainbow-less days.

How could something as savory as life not be worth savoring? Summer, like the cicadas, probably hasn’t finished yet, but this seems to be its parting wish — and ours back at it:

Fare well … till we meet again.

SHRUB

TO WN

by Marc Stopeck

Swimming under the sky

It all begins around Memorial Day. As I ride my bike into the Ridgeland Common parking lot, I hear the rhythmic splash-splashsplash and see elbows in the air through the black mesh fence.

The ritual of summer lap swim has begun.

Young and old, strong swimmers and beginners, all gather for a little exercise and the chance to swim laps under the sky.

As I enter the pool area, I look for familiar faces and peruse the lanes — Slow, Medium, and Fast. I look for space in the Medium lanes. Lane 4 has five people already and Lane 5 has only four, so I choose Lane 5.

I put on my cap, grab my go ggles and snorkel and enter the water. So refreshing on a hot day. But equally good on a cool day, when the water feels warm.

I begin what is for me a bi-weekly moving meditation — moving through the water, sometimes counting my strokes, paying attention to my breathing, hearing songs in my head, like Joni Mitchell’s “Both Sides Now,” when I see the bows

and flows of angel-hair clouds while doing the back stroke.

After my swim, I chat with friends and strangers on the pool deck. There are lots of regulars, many who come every day. Somehow there are many teachers and retired teachers.

It’s a piece of summer vacation. We even celebrate “National Life Guard Appreciation Day” on July 31. Everyone cheers and thanks all the young people who vigilantly watch over us all summer

Fast forward to Labor Day. The last day the pool is open and the last day of lap swim, this time at Rehm. It’s crowded today. So many have come for their last chance to lap swim this season.

As I gather my belongings after a good swim, I overhear conversations: “It’s been a pleasure swimming with you this year.” “See you next summer, I guess.” “It’s so sad that it’s the last day,” and “There’s nothing like swimming outside.”

Mary Scherer-Emunds Oak Park

WEDNESD AY

JOURNAL

of Oak Park and River Forest

Viewpoints Guidelines

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

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Say nope to Quick Trip

Let’s hope the village board gives a Quick Nope to the proposed zoning for Quick Trip this Thursday. Just three years ago, the village board adopted the Climate Ready Oak Park initiative. That was also the year a study was published revealing the area of the site in question, on Harlem Avenue and Garfield Street, is among the village’s most vulnerable to climate change because of its relatively higher land-surface temperature, annual average daily traffic, air pollution, and flood vulnerability. While the abandoned concrete site might be considered an eyesore, at least trees and plants are growing over it instead of a gas station with a proposed 48 parking spaces. Our local government has the opportunity to stick to a plan with the good of the future in mind. That’s what we elected them for, right?

Monica LaBelle Oak Park

Enforce the leash requirements

Each mor ning, as I walk my dog, I observe a significant number of individuals who disregard the leash requirement, allowing their dogs to roam freely. This behavior is particularly prevalent in Mills Park, Austin Gardens, and Taylor Park between 6:30 and 7 a.m.

This practice poses a safety risk not only to the off-leash dogs but also to the humans and dogs they encounter. It appears that some dog owners exhibit a disregard for the safety of others, believing they can control their pets in any situation and that the leash regulations do not apply to them. Consequently, I avoid these locations, which should not be necessary.

Despite the presence of signs, there is a lack of enforcement in these parks. These areas should be safe for all humans and pets. The village must either enforce the leash regulations or consider establishing additional dog parks to accommodate the residents’ needs.

Until such measures are implemented, owners are responsible for keeping their dogs on a leash when in public spaces

Mark Schlosser Oak Park

Celebrating our older adults

As River Forest village president, it is always a privilege to celebrate the people who have helped to build and shape our community. In August, the village proudly hosted a very special event in honor of National Senior Citizens Day — a day dedicated to recognizing the contributions, wisdom, and spirit of our older adults.

The afternoon gathering brought together nearly 60 residents for a chance to enjoy good company, a delicious lunch, lively Bingo g ames, and an ice cream dessert. From the moment the first guests arrived until the last goodbyes, the room was filled with laughter, conversation, and plenty of smiles. It was heartwarm-

ing to see so many neighbors reconnecting, sharing stories, and simply enjoying a day dedicated to them.

National Senior Citizens Day reminds us of the immeasurable value our older adults bring to our community — not only through their years of hard work and dedication, but also through the example they set for younger generations. I want to extend my sincere gratitude to all the staf f and volunteers who made this event possible. Their hard work and enthusiasm ensured that every detail — from the food to the games — was thoughtful, welcoming, and memorable. Most importantly, I want to thank our residents for joining us. The joy and

energy you brought to this gathering was what made it tr uly special.

This successful celebration is a reminder that community is built not just through infrastructure and planning, but also through shared experiences and traditions. As we look ahead, the village is committed to continuing to provide opportunities for connection and appreciation of residents of all ages

To our older adults: thank you for all that you have done and continue to do for our community. We honor you not just on National Senior Citizens Day, but every day.

Barrie Park’s disappointing summer

As a resident of Oak Park for 17 years, I was very excited when the Bar rie Park Sport Courts installed new pickleball courts. The popularity of the sport is soaring and it brought in people from all over the village to meet and play

A short two years later, the courts are in shambles. The mats are crudely laid out with bumps and ripples just waiting for someone to trip on and cause injury. Out of the six courts, only two are playable and that is a kind estimate that an experienced pickleballer might argue.

When I inquired to the Park District of Oak Park about when the courts would be re paired, I received prompt, detailed responses. I was told the water underneath

the courts was ruining the mats and they were trying to re pair them.

Well now we are at the end of the summer and the courts have not been touched. While the response letters were kind, if not too wordy, the verbiage did not fix the underlying problem. The cour ts are empty pretty much all day; even the basketball courts had a slow summer.

When we moved in, there were two tennis courts that used a plastic grid type mesh over the concrete. We were told this was a special substrate to avoid water issues from the pumping station. Did the park district not remember this?

The tennis courts lasted over 13 years

in great shape while the pickleball courts barely lasted two. Even the front of the Bar rie Park Community Center is overgrown with weeds and looks very unkept, and the tot playg round remodel was underwhelming.

We need to address the shortcomings and underlying issues to get Bar rie Park fully operational and beautiful again. Words backed with no action are not going to cut it. Please look back at the material used for the tennis cour ts, it was chosen for the exact problem we are facing today.

e two sides of Tarzan’s creator

As a young person back in the 1960s, I read most — maybe all — of Edgar Rice Burroughs’ Tarzan books and a number of the Barsoom/Mars-related books. So it was with significant interest that I read the Aug. 27 Wednesday Jour nal story on the Oak Park author’s 150th birthday celebration which took place here over this past Labor Day weekend. The ar ticle is accurate as far as it goes, but it misses two very important aspects of Burroughs’ writings First, the WJ story neglected to credit Burroughs with the invention of the moder n superhero. Both the Tarzan and

John Carter of Mars characters had physical abilities far beyond those of nor mal humans and used them to intervene in conflicts on the side of justice, and both preceded Superman, Batman, Spiderman, etc by decades. Given the pervasive superhero culture in entertainment today, Burroughs deserves to be recognized for this.

On the other hand, Burroughs believed in eugenics and so-called “scientific racism,” and the primary characters in these series clearly reflected those views Tarzan — orphaned member of the English aristocracy — always easily fools and triumphs over African characters in those

novels; and John Carter — a primary character in the Mars series — is a for mer officer of the white-supremacist Confederacy, with which Burroughs sympathized. Any general article about Bur roughs should at least acknowledge these beliefs, especially factoring in their resurgence today among political right-wingers.

Like fellow Oak Parkers Hemingway and Wright, Burroughs had his good and bad sides. Unfortunately, not everyone from our town who makes it big can be a Betty White.

Cathy Adduci Ri ver Forest villa ge president

Michael Gerou Oak Park

Greg Pulliam Oak Park

Robert Follett, 97

Groundbreaking book publisher

Robert J. R. Follett died peacefully on Sept. 3, 2025. Born on July 4, 1928, in Oak Park, he graduated from Brown University in 1950 and married the love of his life, Nancy Crouthamel Follett that December. He briefly attended graduate school before being drafted into the Ar my during the Korean War. At the end of his service, he was discharged as a sergeant, having been on the ounding staff of the Psychological Warfare and Special Forces School.

He and Nancy returned to Oak Park where he joined a division of the family business, Follett Publishing Company. He eventually became president, publishing some 1,000 books during his Later he was named Chairman of Follett Corporation, where he was part of a team that led Follett to become the dominant player in college bookstores, used textbooks and library software.

Until his dying days, he would introduce himself as a book publisher. In the 1950s he was editor and publisher of the first textbook series with racially integrated illustrations. He was especially proud of publishing the first beginning-to-read book, Nobody Listens to Andrew. In his retirement, he wrote, edited and published many other awardwinning books

Active in community affairs, he was a founder of the Oak Park-River Forest Community Foundation and president of the Village Manager Association in Oak Park. He served on numerous local, state, and national committees in the publishing and bookselling industry. After his retirement, he and his wife Nancy moved to Colorado where he was a founder and first president of the Keystone Citizens League and served on various boards and commissions in Summit County. Taking his lead from his wife Nancy, he became well-known for his thoughtful and generous giving to organizations and efforts that caught his interest.

He loved the mountains. For 30 years he took a backpacking trip every summer, usually with one or more of his children, nephews, and eventually his sons-in-law. In what his grandchildren jokingly called his “so-called retirement” he worked as a ski guide at the Keystone and Arapahoe Basin ski areas. In the summers, he climbed mountains, including 27 Fourteeners [14,000 feet and above]

He loved making art and produced a wide range of paintings and sculpture well into his 90s. He took his children to the fledgling Museum of Contemporary Art when it was just a storefront in Chicago. His curiosity about art and the process of creating it never faded.

“Nearing the end of his remarkable life, he said he had no regrets and was happy to have lived a long and productive life with family and friends.”

He often said that the best thing he ever did was to marry Nancy. They were married over 67 years and raised four children. In the eyes of his children and grandchildren their love story was remarkable.

Bob is pre-deceased by his wife Nancy (2018) and his grandson Scott Thompson. He is survived by his children, Brian (Mindy) Follett, Kathryn (David) Bussman, Jean Follett & Douglas Thompson, and Lisa (Donald) Gardner; and his grandchildren, Susan (Brian) Davis, Andrew (Hannah) Follett, Dwight (Monica) Bussman, Max Bussman, Nathaniel (Tina) Thompson, Amy Schiller (Scott Thompson), and Benjamin MacAndrews (Michelle Ranc; and seven great-grandchildren.

Nearing the end of his remarkable life, he said he had no regrets and was happy to have lived a long and productive life with family and friends.

A Celebration of Life will be held at 3 p.m., on Nov. 15, at Wind Crest, Highlands Ranch, Colorado

Donations may be made to: National Repertory Orchestra (nromusic.org), Summit Foundation (summitfoundation.org) or Arapahoe Community Colle ge (arapahoe.edu).

Condolences to: Jean Follett, 629 W. Elm St., Wheaton, IL 60129.

Patrick Hemingway, 97

The last of Ernie’s three sons

Patrick Hemingway, 97, the second of famed author Ernest Hemingway’s sons, died Se pt. 2, 2025 at his home in Bo zeman, Montana. The last surviving child and the only Hemingway in three generations to live late into life, he remained very ly involved in preserving his father’s estate and literary

According to the Associated Press Obituary, he lived in Africa, inspired by his father’s safaris, for many years and and even edited, several of his father’s posthumously published works.

According to Patrick’s grandson, Patrick Hemingway who was quoted in the AP obit, “My grandfather was the real thing: a larger world; a consummate dreamer saddled with a scientific brain. He spoke half a dozen languages and solved complicated mathematical t truly belonged to the written and visual arts.” ve relationship. The AP obit includes a letter from Dear Papa: The Letters of Patrick and Ernest Hemingway, in which his ther writes, “I would rather fish with you and shoot with you than anybody that I er known since I was a boy and this is not because

The AP piece also related that Patrick’s most ambitious True at First Light, a fictionaltime in Africa in the mid-1950s, which had been left unfinished. He re por tedly assembled the 1999 publication from some 800 pages of notes.

Patrick was born to Pauline Pfeiffer, his father’s second wife. After graduating from Harvard University, he purchased a farm in what is now Tanzania. He hunted, worked as a safari guide, educator and forestry of ficer in the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations, the AP ar ticle reported.

He was the husband of Henrietta Broyles and Carol Thompson, and the father of Mina Hemingway (with his first wife). For the past 50-some years, he lived in Bozeman, Montana.

‘My grandfather was the real thing; a larger than life paradox from the old world, a consummate dreamer saddled with a scienti c brain.’

PATRICK

Scott Schwar, the for mer executive director and co-founder of the Ernest Hemingway Foundation in Oak Park, said Patrick Hemingway visited the village on several occasions: In 1989 for the ceremony when his father’s official U.S. stamp was issued, Schwar shared the podium with Patrick, A.E. Hotchner, and village of ficials. In 1999, he attended Oak Park’s Hemingway Centennial Birthday Celebration at the Birthplace Home on Oak Park Avenue, where Ernie was bor n, and again when the Birthplace Home was designation an Illinois Literary Landmark. He also participated in the Centennial Literary Conference, where he delivered the Keynote Address and joined a panel with his brother Jack, Hotchner, and Milt Wolf.

And he returned on Nov. 2, 2002 for program at Unity Temple with Frank Lloyd Wright’s grandson, Eric Lloyd Wright, titled, “Wright and Hemingway in Oak Park: Walking on Common Ground,” where they discussed the impact of Oak Park on their famous forebears.

In conversation, Schwar said, Patrick recalled that his father was “always reading” and that he loved receiving and writing letters, many of which are included in The Hemingway Letters Project headed by Sandra Spanier, which will eventually total 17 books and some 6,000 letters.

“Patrick also toured the high school,” Schwar recalled, “and said how grateful his father said he always was for the education he rece ived in Oak Park.”

HEMINGWAY Grandson of Patrick Hemingway

SPORTS

Fenwick football blanks OPRF

Second consecutive shutout win for Friars over Huskies

By MELVIN TATE

Contributing Reporter

There was a feeling of excitement in the air at Triton Colle ge Sept. 5 as the Oak Park and River Forest High School and Fenwick football teams met with each having impressive victories in the season opener the previous week.

While the Huskies are young and hungry for success, the Friars have the more seasoned team and used their experience to pull away for a 35-0 victory. It is the second consecutive shutout by Fenwick over OPRF

“It feels good, no doubt about it,” said Fenwick coach Matt Battaglia of the backto-back whitewashes. “We’ve got a lot of guys who’ve put in hard work since January and it really shows the leadership of the senior group to pull up the juniors and get them to the standard.”

“This is my last year playing these guys,” said Fenwick quarterback Jamen Williams,

“and it feels really good to win.”

OPRF coach John Hoerster liked the ef his team showed but was also disappointed with the inconsistency of the play execution.

“At the end of the day, I thought our defense played brilliant. But our offense just could finish drives,” he said. “(Fenwick’s) defense did a really nice job against us.”

Things started in a promising way OPRF (1-1) when on the game’s first scrim mage play, AJ Porter hit Niko Vielehr for yard gain to midfield. But after Liam Smit (18 carries, 77 yards) got another first down, Porter was intercepted by Liam Cahill, who retur ned the ball to the Fenwick 49.

Fenwick (2-0) cashed in two plays later when Williams (16-of-24, 187 yards) found a wide-open Jimmy Watts (two receptions, 52 yards) down the left side for a 46-yard touchdown and a 7-0 lead at 8:54 of the first quarter.

“Our DB slipped, and they caught us,” Hoerster said of the score.

With about three minutes left in the half,

Williams threw his second touchdown pass, a 15-yarder to Jake Thies, to give the Friars a 14-0 lead at halftime.

As the game progressed, Fenwick began to assert control over both lines of scrimmage

The OPRF offense struggled to move the ball, and conversely the Friars started to wear down the Huskies’ defensive front.

This was exemplified by the opening possession of the second half as Fenwick chewed up a little over six minutes and capped things with a one-yard QB sneak by Williams

“We needed a real big score,” Williams said. “Once we got it, the defense took care of the rest.”

“(Fenwick’s) offensive line is big and physical,” Hoerster said. “The Thies brothers (Jake and Tommy) are good athletes, and (Williams) is a good athlete who made some really good throws. Hat’s off to them, they did a really nice job.”

With about seven minutes left in the contest, OPRF punt returner Logan Gathman committed a muff, and the ball was recovered by Fenwick lineman Mike Murphy at the Huskies’ 44. Then Fenwick backup running back Rocco Nero ripped off a 41- yard run down to the 3, from where he scored on the next play to give the Friars a 28-0 lead.

With 3:15 left, Fenwick put the icing on the cake as Aiden Williams hit a scrambling Porter, jarring the ball loose. Tommy Thies

picked up the ball and ran 45 yards to the house for the game’s final scoring.

“We preach 11 guys to the ball every single day, fly around and make plays,” said Murphy of the Friars’ stout defense “Aiden came all the way from the other side of the field to make the play. It was awesome.”

Jake Thies ended the night with 50 yards on 11 carries and 23 yards on three catches and added a 33-yard interception return. Moreover, Fenwick got receiving help from Will Tomczak (three catches, 44 yards), Cameron Garrett (two catches, 30 yards), and Josh Morgan (two catches, 24 yards). It was welcomed by Williams, given that Myles Montgomery is out for the year with an ACL injury.

“All my receivers did amazing,” Williams said. “That’s why we work so hard. When people go down, others need to be ready.”

Both Fenwick and OPRF are at home this week, with each game kicking off at 7:30 p.m., Sept. 12. The Friars welcome Joliet Catholic to Triton while the Huskies face Glenbard West at Oak Park Stadium.

“We’ve got a bad taste in our mouths from last year (14-13 loss), so we’ll be ready,” Murphy said.

“It’ll be nice to play on the new field at home. We’ve got a tough team we’re going against, but being at home will be fun,” Hoerster said.

C AROL DUNNING

Fenwick quarterback Jamen Williams (#12) looks for a receiver against OPRF, Sept. 5. e Friars blanked the Huskies 35-0.

C AROL DUNNING

OPRF running back Liam Smith is tackled by Fenwick linebacker Liam Cahill during a football game, Sept. 5.

Local ag football ying high OPRF boys soccer staying strong

OPRF, Fenwick star t solidly; Trinity makes debut

By MELVIN TATE Contributing Reporter

Flag football has become a fast- growing sport as more and more high schools and colleges across the country add programs.

“All you need are a mouthpiece and helmet, and gloves if you want to wear them,” said Oak Park and River Forest High School coach James Geovanes. The easy accessibility makes (flag) a super inclusive sport.

OPRF and Fenwick have begun their second IHSA-sanctioned seasons, while Trinity is in its’ debut year.

Here is a look at how the Huskies, Friars and Blazers look so far:

OPRF

The Huskies are 3-2 as of this week, with victories over Leyden, Lindblom, and Rich Township. The two losses, coming to Lane Tech (20-12) and St. Laurence (22-12), were highly competitive ones to teams whom Geovanes says are two of the top contenders for the state title this year.

“We hung with both of them,” he said. “A couple of plays here and there, we’re 5-0. That’s the growth mindset we have to have going forward; we’re going to keep getting better, and the future’s very bright.”

OPRF is led by senior quar terback Julia Henderson. Henderson, who played second base for the Huskies’ softball team which finished third in the Class 4A state tournament, has completed 70-of-82 passes for 973 yards and 17 touchdowns with just two interceptions.

“She’s going to be a 5,000-yard passer at this pace,” Geovanes said. “She’s playing out of her mind and the crew of girls we have around her are helping everything. It’s so fun to watch.”

OPRF’s season goals are to stay healthy, compete for the West Suburban Conference championship, and make a deep run in the state tournament.

“Last year, we were 30 seconds away from the eventual state champ (Lane) in the re gional final,” Geovanes said. “We think this year with the talent, personnel, and coaching we have, we can certainly win the re gional and even the sectional. Once the playoffs start, anything can happen, and our end goal is to be playing Oct. 18 for a state championship.”

Fenwick

The Friars are off to a 4-1 start, with the only loss coming last week to DePaul Prep. However, Fenwick coach Bryan Boehm said there was a caveat to the loss

“We were missing six starters, including four on offense,” he said. “We had to call some kids up, and it was one of those games. It is what it is, but I wish we had it back.”

Outside of the DePaul game, Boehm likes how things are going.

“While it’s still early, our defense has shown great strength and aggression, flying to the ball and creating a lot of energy,” he said. “On the offensive side, we’re confident in our ability to keep improving and consistently put points on the board.”

Fenwick is an experienced team with 13 seniors on the roster, something Boehm likes. He’s also beefed up the coaching staff and feels doing so has been helpful to the program.

“Dan O’Keefe, who’s a long-time Catholic League man, is our defensive coordinator this season,” Boehm said. “What he has done teaching the girls defensive concepts has been tremendous, and it shows. Having (girls basketball coach) Lenae (Fergerson) back is great. She understands girls sports and approaches things from a different angle.”

Fenwick’s goal for the season is to win the Girls Catholic Athletic Conference championship.

“You always want to do well in your conference and make a statement there,” Boehm said.

That said, he’s looking forward to the Friars’ upcoming game at OPRF, Sept. 16, at 7 p.m.

“I’m not from Oak Park,” Boehm said, “but I appreciate the rivalry. (Geovanes) is doing a great job. We’ve got the game circled and we’ll be ready to go.”

Trinity

The Blazers have dropped their first three games this season: Fenwick, Rosary, and St. Laurence. But that hasn’t dampened the enthusiasm of coach Jim Moy.

“Despite us being a first-year team, I believe we will be good,” said Moy, who is also Trinity’s lacrosse coach. “We have a lot of players with speed and innate athletic ability.”

Moy hopes that if the Blazers have a solid debut season, that will encourage more girls to come out next year. Trinity has 16 players, primarily freshmen and sophomores, on the roster

“We hope to make the atmosphere of the flag football program fun and competitive,” he said, “so that next season we have double the number of girls trying out.”

By MELVIN TATE Contributing Reporter

A familiar face is helping the Oak Park and River Forest High School boys soccer team maintain its lofty standards despite its’ head coach being away

Under the direction of interim coach Dave Bernthal, the Huskies are off to a 4-1 start this season. Bernthal, who is filling in for Jason Fried (Fried is scheduled to return next year), coached most of the current team on the junior varsity level.

“I am thrilled to have the opportunity to carry the torch while (Fried) is away,” Bernthal told Wednesday Journal. “Things are going well. It’s a great group of guys who’ve been working really hard.”

OPRF returns 13 players, including seven starters, from last year’s team which went 12-5-3 and lost in a Class 4A re gional final. Among them is senior co-captain and center back Zach Goldberg, who feels the team has adjusted well.

“At first, it hit pretty hard because of the relationship the team had built with Coach Fried over the years,” he said. “Obviously, we miss having Coach Fried around the team and this program but also don’t think there’s a better person to fill his place than Coach Ber nthal.

Goldberg added, “Coach Bernthal was my coach during my sophomore year and we didn’t lose a game. We love the mentality and passion he has to make our team as strong as possible.”

Junior forward Joaquin Carlstrom has been a spark for the Huskies with a team leading four goals. In the final of the Joe Nov Classic at Addison Trail, Sept. 6, he scored late to tie the match at 1-1 and force extra time. However, OPRF would lose to Addison Trail on penalty kicks.

Senior forward/midfielder Adrian Bondartsov is right behind Carlstrom with three goals. At goalkeeper, seniors Thomas Howe and Christian Kellogg have combined for four clean sheets (shutouts).

“So far, this season has been super fun and we have played good soccer,” Goldberg said. “Something that (assistant coach Jon) Cummings says is that we are a good team right now, but we have great players that need to grow as a team. I really like that because we can never be satisfied with where we’re at and always strive for more.”

“The boys bring passion and skill to the table,” Bernthal said. “They are eager to work and hungry to win. Working with them is a privilege.”

OPRF traditionally plays a rigorous schedule that is designed to get the team ready for the postseason. Among the non-conference highlights for the Huskies are the Sabres Fall Classic hosted by Streamwood, Sept. 13-20; the Great River Classic at the TBK Complex in Bettendorf, Iowa, Sept. 26-27; and the annual East Avenue Showdown against visiting Fenwick, Oct. 4. The West Suburban Silver is perennially one of the most difficult leagues for boys soccer. In last week’s Chicagoland Soccer Top 25 poll, Lyons Township was ranked second. OPRF was ninth, and Glenbard West 23rd.

When asked how he saw the conference race shaping up, Bernthal made a simple point.

“All schools are tough in the West Suburban Silver,” he said.

While the Huskies figure to contend for the WSC Silver title and hope to make a deep postseason run, those aren’t necessarily the primary goals.

“I’m really pleased with where we’re at and obviously there are ways to improve,” Bernthal said. “We want to work hard, have fun, win as many g ames as possible, and enjoy the jour ney.”

“My individual goals for this season consist of being the best leader I can and finding joy in the team I am on and playing the sport I love,” said Goldberg. “As a team, there’s one main goal that I don’t think needs to be mentioned yet, but a goal I will say is winning our next game and practicing as hard as possible. I think it’s important not to think too far ahead and stay in the present.”

NOTICES PUBLIC NOTICES

VILLAGE OF OAK PARK REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

Issued August 29, 2025

The Village of Oak Park is requesting proposals from qualified firms that wish to provide an after-action report for the officer-involved shooting that occurred late November 2024 in Oak Park.

The Village will receive proposals at the Police Department, Monday through Friday, 8�30 a.m. to 5�00 p.m., at 123 Madison Street, Oak Park, Illinois 60302.

Firms responding to this Request for Proposals must submit one �1� bound hard copy, one �1� unbound hard copy, and one �1� electronic copy on a CD or thumb drive of their proposals in sealed envelopes and must conform to format in the RFP located at www.oak-park.us/rfp.

The Village reserves the right to accept or reject any and all proposals or to waive technicalities. Information concerning this request for proposals is available from Kellie Murphy, Administrative Commander, 123 Madison Street, Oak Park, Illinois 60302. Kellie Murphy can be reached by telephone at the following number, �708� 386�3800 or via e-mail at kmurphy@oakpark.us

Upon a formal award to the successful Contractor, the selected contractor shall enter into a Professional Services Agreement in substantially the form attached to the Request for Proposal.

Proposals will be accepted until 5�00 p.m. (local time) on September 19, 2025. Proposals shall be mailed to 123 Madison Street, Oak Park, Illinois, 60302.

Published in Wednesday Journal September 10, 2025

PUBLIC NOTICE OF REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

The Village of Riverside is accept ing Requests for Proposal for Audit Services. Responses are due by 4:00 p.m. (CST) on Friday, October 17, 2025, at the Riverside Village Office, 27 Riverside Road, Riverside, IL 60546. Interested par ties may obtain the Request for Proposal Specifications on the Village’s website www.riverside. ii.us or by contacting the Finance Director, weekdays, between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. at 708-4472700. Please email a digital copy of proposal to Yvette Zavala, Finance Director yzavala@riverside.il.us

Published by Authority of the Village of Riverside, Illinois Finance Director’s Office.

Published in RB Landmark September 10, 2025

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: M25000838 on August 26, 2025 Under the Assumed Business Name of KATE LOVES CODE with the business located at: 510 S HUMPHREY AVE, OAK PARK, IL 60304. The true and real full name(s) and residence address of the owner(s)/partner(s) is: KATIE DONALDSON, 510 S HUMPHREY AVE, OAK PARK, IL 60304, USA

Published in Wednesday Journal September 3, 10, 17, 2025

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.

GROWING COMMUNITY MEDIA

NOTICES

PUBLIC NOTICE

STATE OF ILLINOIS

VILLAGE OF BROOKFIELD

Notice of Public Hearing

Village of Brookfield Planning and Zoning Commission

September 25, 2025, at 7:00 PM

NOTICE is hereby given that the Village of Brookfield Planning and Zoning Commission will conduct a public hearing on Thursday, September 25, 2025, at 7:00 p.m. in the Edward Barcal Hall located at 8820 Brookfield Avenue Illinois for the purpose of considering a request from Jason Dolinski for Variations from:

Section 62.17 to allow a 480 square foot detached garage that exceeds the maximum 440 square footage (10% of Lot Area) permitted in the Zoning Code and,

Section 62.17 to allow a garage that is setback 2’ to the Property Lot Line rather than the required minimum setback of 3’ and,

Section 62.75 to allow a Building coverage of approximately 41.8% rather than the maximum allowed by the Zoning Code of 35% and,

Section 62.75 to allow a minimum Green Space of 35.47% rather than the minimum requirement of 40% and,

Section 62.453 to allow the removal of a non-conforming structure to be replaced with a new structure that is non-conforming under the Zoning Ordinance in an existing “A - 1” Single Family Residential District for property located at 4223 Deyo Avenue, Brookfield, Illinois 60513 (PIN 1803-124-009-0000)

Legal Description:

LOT 37 IN BLOCK 11 IN WEST GROSSDALE, A SUBDIVISION IN THE WEST ½ OF THE WEST ½ OF SECTION 3, TOWNSHIP 38 NORTH, RANGE 12, EAST OF THE THIRD PRINCIPAL MERIDIAN, ACCORDING TO THE PLAT THEREOF RECORDED APPRIL 26, 1895 IN BOOK 66 OF PLATS, PAGES 16, 17 AND 18, IN COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS

The public is invited to attend the public hearing and present oral and/or written comments. Written comments may be provided prior to 4:00 PM on the day of the public hearing to: Village of Brookfield, Planning and Zoning Commission c/o Libby Popovic, 8820 Brookfield Avenue, Brookfield, IL 60513, lpopovic@ brookfieldil.gov, or 708-485-1113. Oral or written testimony may be given during the public hearing. The application may be viewed at the Village of Brookfield Village Hall during normal business hours. Please reference PZC Case 25-14. Public hearings may be continued from time to time without further notice except as otherwise required under the Illinois Open Meetings Act. Individuals with disabilities requiring a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in any meeting should contact the Village of Brookfield (708) 485-7344 prior to the meeting. Wheelchair access is available through the front (South) entrance of Village Hall. By the Order of Chuck Grund, Planning and Zoning Commission Chairman.

Published in RB Landmark September 10, 2025

PUBLIC NOTICE REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

Pursuant to all applicable local, state, and federal regulations governing municipal contracting and public works improvements, notice is hereby given that the Village of North Riverside, located at 2401 S. Des Plaines Avenue, North Riverside, IL 60546, is accepting sealed proposals for the following project:

Project: Tree Management Plan and Update of Existing Tree Inventory

Scope of Work: Preparation of a new Urban Forest Management Plan (2025–2032) and update of the Village’s existing tree inventory. Work includes computerized data collection of public trees and planting sites, preparation of a GIS-compatible dataset, risk and condition assessments, maintenance recommendations, identification of planting spaces, and development of a long-range management plan addressing pruning, removals, plantings, pest mitigation, canopy improvement, species diversity, and climate resilience. Deliverables also include public presentations and technical assistance to Village staff.

Proposal Submission Deadline: September 29, 2025, at 3:00 PM Proposal Selection/Ranking: Early October 2025

Submission Location: Village of North Riverside, 2401 S. Des Plaines Avenue, North Riverside, IL 60546

Envelope Must Be Clearly Marked: Proposal: Tree Management Plan and Update of Existing Tree Inventory”

Proposal Documents: Available beginning September 8, 2025, at https://www.northriverside-il.org/ bids.aspx?bidID=14.

Proposal Requirements:

• Proposals and associated costs must remain valid for ninety (90) days from submission.

• Firms must be insured and bonded; at least one project team member must be a Certified Arborist.

• All work must comply with the Illinois Prevailing Wage Act (820 ILCS 130/).

• Contractors must be registered with the Village of North Riverside and comply with all federal, state, and local regulations.

• The Village of North Riverside reserves the right to reject any or all proposals, waive technicalities, and/or accept any portion of any proposal deemed in the Village’s best interest.

Key Dates:

Questions Due: September 15, 2025

Responses Issued: September 22, 2025

Proposals Due: September 29, 2025, at 3:00 PM

Proposal Selection/Ranking: Early October

Board Approval: Late October–Early November 2025 For complete proposal documents and updates, visit: https://www.northriverside-il.org/ bids.aspx?bidID=14

Published in RB Landmark September 10, 2025

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

AUSTIN FORWARD. TOGETHER. 2025 QUARTER 3

September 10, 2025

THE AUSTIN COMMUNITY PUBLISHED ITS FIRST QUALITY-OF-LIFE PLAN CALLED AUSTIN FORWARD. TOGETHER. (AFT) IN 2018.

THIS QUARTERLY PUBLICATION DESCRIBES HOW AUSTIN COMING TOGETHER (ACT) IS SUPPORTING THE COMMUNITY TO IMPLEMENT AFT AND OTHER EFFORTS.

THE GOOD NEWS

Our unity is driving progress

THIS ISSUE INCLUDES A SPECIAL FEATURE ON THE ASPIRE CENTER FOR WORKFORCE INNOVATION STARTING ON PAGE 7

THE NEXT PHASE OF THE PLAN CONTINUES TO MOVE FORWARD PAGE 3 THE GOOD NEWS: A SELECTION OF QUOTES FROM THE DOCUMENTARY PAGE 4

FEATURING ASPIRE CENTER FOR WORKFORCE INNOVATION PAGE 7 GRAND OPENING PAGE 8 | STAY IN THE KNOW WITH ACWI PAGE 10

Special thanks to these Austin Forward. Together. quality-of-life plan legacy investors:

Since 2010, Austin Coming Together (ACT) has facilitated collaboration to improve education and economic development outcomes in Chicago’s Austin neighborhood.

Today, we serve a network of 50+ organizations committed to improving the quality of life in the Austin community. Our strategic plan is called Thrive 2025 and outlines how we will mobilize our resources to achieve four impact goals by the year 2025: Quality Early Learning, Safe Neighborhoods, Living Wage Careers, and Stable Housing Markets.

ACT BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Officers

CHAIR

Larry Williams

Broker, State Farm Insurance

VICE CHAIRMAN

Bradly Johnson

Interim Chief Executive Officer, BUILD Inc.

SECRETARY

Jerrod Williams

Law Clerk, Illinois Appellate Court

ACT STAFF

Leadership

Darnell Shields

Executive Director

Research & Evaluation

Andrew Born*

Senior Director of Community Impact

Mia Almond

Research Associate

Operations

TREASURER

LaDarius Curtis

Senior Director of Community Engagement & Health, West Side United

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Darnell Shields

Austin Coming Together

Directors

Sharon Morgan

Director of Graduate Support & Community Outreach, Catalyst Schools

Reverend Reginald E. Bachus Pastor, Friendship Baptist Church

Deirdre Bates*

Director of Operations

Dearra Williams*

Executive Operations Lead/ Assistant to the CEO

Londen Mance

Office Administrator

Alfred Jackson Community Liaison/ Receptionist

Strategic Initiatives

Sandra Diaz*

Service Delivery Enhancement Manager, Austin Community Hub

Emone Moore

Engagement Coordinator, Austin Community Hub

Dollie Sherman

Engagement Specialist, Austin Community Hub

ACT MEMBER ORGANIZATIONS

A House in Austin

Academy of Scholastic Achievement

Austin Childcare Providers Network

Austin Community Family Center

Austin Weekly News (Growing Community Media)

Be Strong Families

Beat the Streets Chicago

Bethel New Life Beyond Hunger BUILD Inc.

By The Hand Club For Kids

Cara Catholic Charities

Chicago Austin Youth Travel Adventures

Chicago Community Loan Fund

City of Refuge

Defy Ventures Illinois

Erikson Institute

Friends of the Children

Friendship Community Development Corp. of Austin

Greater West Town Community Development Project Housing Forward

i.c. stars IFF

Tenisha Jones

Executive Management Professional

Reginald Little

Business Development Specialist, Great Lakes Credit Union

Dawn Ferencak

Account Executive

Louisville Business First

Deborah Williams-Thurmond

Founder & CEO, D.W. Provision Consulting Services

Clara Bonnlander

Social Services Coordinator, Austin Community Hub

Ethan Ramsay* Planning and Investment Manager

Grace Cooper Lead Organizer

Nyla Larry Project Coordinator

Natalie Goodin*

Special Projects Manager

Institute for Nonviolence Chicago

Jane Addams Resource Corporation

Kids First Chicago

KRA Westside American Job Center

Learning Edge Tutoring (fka Cluster Tutoring)

Legal Aid Chicago (fka LAF)

Manufacturing Renaissance

Ruth Kimble

Founder & CEO, Austin Childcare Providers Network

Max Komnenich

Associate Principal, Lamar Johnson Collaborative

In Memoriam

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Jack Macnamara 1937–2020

FOUNDING BOARD CHAIR

Mildred Wiley 1955–2019

Arewa Ekua Community Organizer

La’Shawna Bundy Community Land Trust Coordinator

Mary White Community Resource Coordinator

Krystal Cano Community Resource Coordinator

Mary Shyrese Daycare

Maryville Academy

Mercy Housing Lakefront

New Moms

OAI, Inc.

Oak Park Regional Housing Center

Open Books

PCC Community Wellness Center

Project Exploration

Renaissance Social Services, Inc.

Sarah’s Inn

South Austin Neighborhood Association

St. Joseph Services

Marketing & Development

Robbie Gorman*

Director of Development

Jon Widell

Marketing and Development Specialist

Sydni Hatley

Marketing and Development Specialist

*Also part of the ACT Leadership Team

District, Inc.

Towers of Excellence

UIC Jane Addams College of Social Work

VOCEL

Westside Health Authority

St. Leonard’s Ministries

Stone Community

Development Corporation

West Side Forward Worldvision

Youth Guidance

The Catalyst Schools

The Journey Forward

The North Avenue

The next phase of the plan continues to move forward

WBy Darnell Shields Executive Director, Austin Coming Together

ith the public release of the Highlighted Agenda, our new approach to more effectively implementing the Austin Forward. Together. quality-of-life-plan, one year ago, we wanted to reflect on the progress and strides that have already been made from this intentional effort.

The implementation of the Highlighted Agenda has allowed for a clearer vision and for things to run more smoothly, and collectively. We have seen more engagement from the leaders and members, less turnover, and millions invested in AFT priorities. As a result, we’ve conducted action planning for nearly half of the Highlighted Agenda Initiatives, established our direction for the next three years, and built strong momentum with clear progress and strategy around the Highlighted Agenda.

Particularly around these initiative items:

We have continued to create an infrastructure that will be able to withstand the instability of the current climate, and justifiably attract the funding that is needed to accomplish the goals we have set out. Through coordinating Action Planning, we are formalizing processes and partnerships. The state of the world is precarious, but we are confident in where we are going in the next three years, and what that means for the Austin community.

The GOOD News: A selection of quotes from the documentary

On Thursday, August 21st 2025 the Austin Forward. Together. community summit was held, and at this year’s event we premiered The Good News, a documentary about the progress and challenges we have faced advancing the quality-of-life plan. This night and documentary would not have been possible without the Austin community and the AFT leaders and members. Read a selection of quotes directly from those Austin residents and AFT plan leaders and members who played an integral part.

I live in Austin. I was born and raised in Austin. So this work is personal. I don’t do this for the job. I do this for the people. I do this for the community because I believe in the community.

ATHENA WILLIAMS

There is communal trauma associated with the level of divestment we’ve experienced in Austin historically. And so when you bring people to the table to create something together, to talk about things that they care about, and to share their lived experience — there’s healing that’s inherent in that journey.

RASHEEDA GRAHAM

I love Austin. It’s not the work that I do. It is truly who I am. I’m a product of this community and everything that goes along with it. There is a sense of connectedness here. There’s a very strong sense of community here. People brought their faith and their gifts and their talents, and the part, to me, that is still holding us together is all of those things.

AREWA EKUA

A large part of our work is around organizing the community to be in the community… I think public safety is really about all the generations being outside, all the generations interacting.

BRADLY JOHNSON

There’s so much noise out there with stories of who we are as West Siders or Black Chicagoans, and it’s important for us to be able to tell our own stories… to tell the true story, the raw story, and the whole story. KENN COOK JR.

You can’t just tell a young person ‘stay off the street’ if you’re not giving them somewhere to stand. We get a kid that walks in here, he’s 16, angry, don’t know who he is — and we say, ‘We see you. We got you. My goal is to catch ’em before they get lost. To let ’em know somebody already loves them before the world convinces them they’re not worth it.

PASTOR MAC

Austin Forward. Together. and this documentary would not be possible without immense buy-in from the community and its residents, and we are thankful for this opportunity to help showcase what Austin is really about.

You can watch the trailer: bit.ly/AFTDocTrailer

Letting Austin Tell Their Own Story

A spotlight of one of the AFT

Highlighted

Agenda items: The Authentic Storytelling Initiative

By Jonathan Widell Marketing & Development Specialist, Austin Coming Together

In Austin, the narrative is often shaped by people who do not live in the community, or who have historically not had the best interest of the residents at heart. With the Authentic Storytelling initiative outlined in the Highlighted Agenda, we have set out to take control of the narrative around Austin by telling the stories about Austin, using modes of communication that will reach a larger audience, and implementing strategies to align narratives more closely with the lived experience of the community. This initiative is important to shaping the public perception of Austin, so people see this community for what it truly is.

Next steps: STORYTELLING COLLABORATIVE

Creating a collaborative of storytellers that conducts research on Austin’s arts/cultural/ storytelling assets, attracting investment to these assets, and collaborating on events and programs.

Projects from this will include: establishing a shared calendar for community events, a database of funders, asset mapping, and a needs assessment.

WESTSIDE CULTURAL ARCHIVE

Mission Statement—The Westside Cultural Archive Project is a community-driven digital archive built by and for the Westside of Chicago. Our goal is to preserve the stories, histories, and cultural contributions of Westside residents while making them accessible to future generations. Through this work, we aim to educate, build local pride, and ensure that our legacy is not forgotten. This has led to us hosting the first History Harvest event on October 11th at the Legler Regional Library. This community event is a chance to share, preserve, share, and celebrate the rich history of Chicago’s Westside.

AUSTIN NEWSROOM

Establishing a Westside “News & Narrative Space” in the Aspire Center for Workforce Innovation to enhance the news and information ecosystem in Austin through cultivating and sharing stories by Westsiders, for Westsiders. In the Newsroom, we plan to host a variety of programming, including an event series called Story Bank Sessions which will take story pitches and teach the public about storytelling and journalism.

MERCHANDISE

Create and sell merchandise designed and influenced by Austin artists and storytellers to uplift stories and showcase community pride.

This project will be led by the Kehrein Center for the Arts Foundation and the development of their new “high fashion swag line”, which aims to achieve the following goals:

• Elevate the voices and visions of local artists

• Activate an arts-based economic engine grounded in community values

• Create tangible products that reflect cultural pride and purpose

• Fuel sustainability for artists through long-term financial return

Make sure you stay tuned for further developments surrounding these working groups. We are just getting started on this work for the community! Westside stories matter! n

AFT

ASPIRE CENTER FOR WORKFORCE INNOVATION

The Aspire Center for Workforce Innovation Grand Opening

This Juneteenth, was the long awaited grand opening of the Aspire Center for Workforce Innovation! To ensure the big day properly showcased what makes the Austin community and its residents special, over 40 community members were gathered to take part in the planning process to create the feel and vision for the event. With guidance from the Anchor Tenant staff, led by ACT’s Dearra Williams, the day promised an authentic Austin feel while honoring the history and significance of Juneteenth as the chosen date for the grand opening.

The programming for the day began honoring the significance of Juneteenth and our ancestors. Led by remarks from Mayor Brandon Johnson, Executive Director of Austin Coming Together, Darnell Shields, CEO of Westside Health Authority, Morris Reed, and Cook County Board President, Toni Preckwinkle. It continued on with an overview of the history of this important day, and a beautiful rendition of ‘Lift Every Voice and Sing’. The opening ceremony concluded with a ribbon cutting and then African dancers closed things out in a circle dance in front of the building with a stilt walker as people gathered to enter the Aspire Center for the first time.

As the day continued on, guests were able to tour the new center, enjoy music, food, and plenty of familyfriendly activities. ITW and JARC showcased some of their

mechanical operating tools via demos, BMO provided on site mobile banking, there were storytelling circles - so people could gather and discuss their experience of living in Austin and connect with other residents. In addition, there was a “Leaving your print” activity so youth and adults could paint their print on a canvas and write how they aspire to leave their mark in Austin, a “Dear Austin” letter wall to leave love letters to Austin, and amazing food, giveaways, and contagious unifying energy.

The joy and excitement we saw throughout the grand opening were a testament to the great progress that we have made at ACT. With almost 900 attendees throughout the day, and nearly 20 elected officials, the community came together to witness a monumental, milestone moment in Austin’s history.. n

Historic installation designed by Borderless Studio and Span Studio

ACWI Development team and close partners for the ribbon cutting

ACT Executive Director, Darnell Shields speaking at the Aspire Center Grand Opening

“Freedom” mural by Kalief Dinkins

Chicago Mayor, Brandon Johnson speaking at the Aspire Center Grand Opening

ACT’s Arewa Ekua at the Grand Opening

Performers for a Juneteenth celebration

Darnell Shields and Alderman Taliaferro

Stay in the know with ACWI

The Aspire Center for Workforce Innovation (ACWI) is open and we want to see you!

Come visit our tenants, JARC, WHA, ACT, Freedom Defense Center of Austin, Legal Aid Chicago, and BMO, ahead of their grand opening celebration in October later, and see the beautiful mural designed by Chicago artist Shawn Michael Warren. This new public art piece honors the innovators, leaders, and changemakers from Austin and across the Westside who inspire our community every day. Come view this mural now.

We are excited to also announce that we will be taking part in Open House Chicago 2025! We are very excited for this opportunity to showcase the Aspire Center and have more people from the community and across the city learn about the Aspire Center and what it means for Austin.

TO STAY UP TO DATE ON ALL THINGS ASPIRE, SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER TODAY!

Photo credit: Tom Harris

With the release of the AFT Highlighted Agenda, ACT is going “on the road!” Our team will be on tour and available to co-host discussions about the new phase of Austin’s AFT quality-of-life plan and its vision and strategy, with block clubs, churches, community organizations, coalitions, etc. Other ways we’ll ensure to update the community on the progress of implementing the Highlighted Agenda are through newspaper sections like this, emails, and social media.

Plan Leaders

Community

Narrative

TASK FORCE CHAIRS

Kenneth Varner

Healthy Schools Campaign

Dearra Williams

Austin Coming Together

Reesheda Graham

Washington

The Kehrein Center for the Arts

STRATEGY LEADS

Suzanne McBride

Austin Talks

Cindy Gray Schneider

Spaces-n-Places

Maria Sorrell

Community Resident

Megan Hinchy

Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago

Andraya Yousfi By the Hand Club for Kids

Jai Jones PSPC, The Chicago Community Trust and Community Resident

Adrienne Otkins

Community Resident

Michael Romaine The Culture

Keli Stewart Front Porch Arts Center

Kenn Cook Westside Historical Collective

Economic Development

TASK FORCE CHAIR

Roxanne Charles West Side Forward

STRATEGY LEADS

Emily Peters

Jane Addams Resource Corporation

Tina Augustus

Community Resident

Melissa O’Dell Defy Ventures

Fanya Buford-Berry

Community Resident

Baxter Swilley

Community Stakeholder

Ed Coleman

Austin Chamber of Commerce

Education

TASK FORCE CHAIR

Charles Anderson

Michele Clark High School

STRATEGY LEADS

Pam Price Director of Parent University at CPS

Ruth Kimble

Austin Childcare Providers Network

Cata Truss

Community Resident

Housing

TASK FORCE CHAIRS

Athena Williams Oak Park Regional Housing Center

Allison McGowan Community Resident

STRATEGY LEADS

Shirley Fields Community Resident

Rosie Dawson Westside Health Authority

Public Safety

TASK FORCE CHAIRS

Bradly Johnson BUILD Inc.

Marilyn Pitchford Heartland Alliance

STRATEGY LEADS

Edwina Hamilton BUILD Inc.

Jose Abonce The Policing Project

Ruby Taylor Taproots, Inc.

Youth Empowerment

TASK FORCE CHAIR

D’elegance Lane

Community Stakeholder

STRATEGY LEADS

Aisha Oliver Root2Fruit

Helen Slade

Territory NFP

Dollie Sherman

Austin Coming Together

Chris Thomas YourPassion1st

Civic Engagement

TASK FORCE CHAIR

Deborah Williams-Thurmond

D.W. Provision

Consulting Services