W E D N E S D A Y
Vol. 47, No. 12
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Zoning debate roils on as Scaman, Straw may be open to pilot By BOB SKOLNIK Staff Reporter
See ZONING on page 14
Page 11
Oak Park creates pricing tiers to reduce water use
Across multiple public meetings, skepticism dominates The public engagement portion of the proposed changes to the Oak Park zoning code moved into high gear last week with six separate events intended to inform and seek input from Oak Parkers about the proposed changes to local zoning that would eliminate districts that allow only single-family homes. “The idea is to allow more two flats, three flats and four flats but no specific threshold,” said Craig Failor, the village’s development services director, at a session Saturday at Oak Park Village Hall that drew approximately 100 people. Village staff and officials, and one of their consultants, emphasized that the proposed changes are designed to increase housing options in Oak Park and would not prohibit or even limit single family homes. They told what mostly seemed to be skeptical audiences that changes stemming from new zoning would be gradual and not that noticeable.
RF race underway
of Oak Park and River Forest
New structure incentivizes lower water usage to keep cost down By SYDNEY LOVAN Staff Reporter
BOB SKOLNIK
Oak Park Village Trustee Brian Straw and Oak Park Development Services Director Craig Failor answering questions after a meeting on Sept. 19, at Oak Park Village Hall about the Shape Oak Park zoning reform proposals. Seminar Details: Saturday,
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Village of Oak Park water and sewer rates are increasing to help raise revenues that are falling behind expenditures, but the village board and staff are working on a new approach to pricing water use. The village board voted 6-1 at its meeting on Sept. 15, to move forward with an alternative rate structure for the next five years that creates two-tiers for water usage and billing instead of the flat-rate system that has been in place traditionally. See WATER RATES on page 12
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September 23, 2026
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Wednesday Journal, September 23, 2026
OAKPARK.COM
Wednesday Journal, September 23, 2026
OAKPARK.COM
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Circuit Court upholds Oak Park electoral JOURNAL board’s vote on referendum question W E D N E S D A Y
of Oak Park and River Forest
General Manager Max Reinsdorf
Editorial & Audience Strategist Matthew Schwerha
Advisory question will ask voters Nov. 3 if Illinois should repeal laws that ban state investment in businesses that boycott Israel
Staff Reporters Sydney Lovan, Hector Cervantes, Bill Dwyer, Jackie Pisano, Bob Skolnik, Gregg Voss
By GREGG VOSS
Sports Reporters Melvin Tate, Bill Stone
Staff Reporter
Viewpoints Editor Ken Trainor
A Cook County Circuit Court judge Monday upheld a village of Oak Park electoral board decision to overrule an appeal to the objection of an advisory referendum question for the Nov. 3 election ballot. The objection to the question, “Should the state of Illinois repeal laws that ban state investment in businesses that boycott the state of Israel?” was overruled last month by a board consisting of President Vicki Scaman and Trustees James Taglia and Chibuike Enyia. The referendum question was brought forth by Oak Parkers for Free Speech. In an order issued Monday afternoon, circuit court Judge Viviana Martinez ruled that “the petition for public question substantially complied” with requirements of state election code Section 28-3, which addresses the form of a petition for public question. Thus, the decision of the village’s electoral board “is affirmed.” Attorney Michael Kasper of the Chicago government-relations law firm Kasper, Holmes & Dring, representing referendum question objectors Alan H. Peres and Piergiorgio Uslenghi, appealed the electoral board’s decision, which brought the matter to Martinez, who took about a week to rule in the matter after a 90-minute hearing Sept. 11. Late last month, the electoral board overruled the objectors’ appeal that “the circulators’ affidavit did not include an explicit certification that the signatures are ‘genuine,’” i.e., actual use of that specific language, according to the board’s findings and decisions document made available to Wednesday Journal post-hearing. Whether the objectors and Kasper will file an appeal with state appellate court was not clear Tuesday morning. Kasper did not respond to an interview request. The group Jewish Community and Friends for Democracy, which is not affiliated with Peres and Uslenghi, declined comment. Dan Goldwin, chief public affairs officer for the Jewish United Fund in Chicago, said he suspects Martinez’s decision will be appealed at
Real Estate Editor Lacey Sikora Contributing Editor Donna Greene Columnists Marc Blesoff, Nicole Chavas, Jack Crowe, Vincent Gay, Mary Kay O’Grady, John Stanger, Josh VanderBerg Shrubtown Cartoonist Marc Stopeck Editorial & Digital Design Lead Javier Govea Design and Production Associate De Sergio Villalona Visual Designers Susan McKelvey, Darby Godman FILE PHOTO
Oak Park residents cast ballots at the township’s annual town meeting April 28, 2026. The question on the meetings agenda concerned boycotts to Israel. the state level. “I do believe that’s where it’s going to be,” he said. “I’d be surprised if it was otherwise. “The initial thought is that we support the decision for local Oak Parkers to contest this. We disagree with the decision at the village level; we disagree with the circuit court decision. We’ll let the appeal process play out.” Conversely, Scaman said she thought Martinez made “the right decision from a legal standpoint. “I spent a lot of time reviewing the case law and how the case law verdicts came about and what constitutes a fatal flaw and having the intentions behind those criteria,” she said, “and that’s how I came to the decision that I came to. Democracy has to be our first love and now it’s up to people. It was with great seriousness that I took my role.” Caren Van Slyke and Jesse Bauer, members of Oak Parkers for Free Speech, applauded the decision. “(We are) gratified that the judge saw that we had complied with the intent of the law and that we can move forward to take this to the community,” said Van Slyke, who was present for the Sept. 11 hearing. “When I left there, I really honestly did not know,” Van Slyke said of how she thought Martinez would rule. “She asked a lot of re-
ally strong questions to both sides. She had a lot to weigh there.” She added that the question remaining on the Nov. 3 ballot will generate “great discussion in Oak Park about the need to repeal the anti-boycott law. “We’re looking forward to having a discussion,” she added. “We haven’t heard anyone say this is a good law, it’s constitutional. That’s the discussion we want to have with the community.” Bauer said that he was confident Martinez would rule for the electoral board. “There is no allegation of fraud, and you have a judge that is trying to weigh strict compliance with real harm of disenfranchising voters,” he said. Oak Parkers for Free Speech recently launched a Facebook page and a video regarding the issue, and Bauer said it is planning to host events in support of the referendum. “I am heartened by that decision,” said Oak Park resident Deborah Adelman. “It’s good to know that people in the community will have a chance to vote and have their voice be heard. “What I hope is that the attention this has now received will be met by people engaging in the issue between now and the vote.”
Sports Photographer Steve Johnston Senior Media Strategist Lourdes Nicholls Marketing & Advertising Associate Emma Cullnan Legal Notices Mary Ellen Nelligan Circulation Manager Jill Wagner Operations Associate Susan Liss Babin Social Media and Digital Coordinator Maribel Barrera Senior Advisor Dan Haley
H OW TO R E ACH US P.O. Box 6670, River Forest, IL 60305 ■ PHONE (708) 613-3300 ■ EMAIL dhaley@newswellchicago.org ■ ONLINE www.OakPark.com
CIRCULATION Jill Wagner • jill@oakpark.com • (708) 613-3340 PRINT/DIGITAL ADVERTISING Lourdes Nicholls • lourdes@oakpark.com • Ext. 3329 Emma Cullnan • emma@oakpark.com • Ext. 3304 CALENDAR EVENTS calendar@wjinc.com Wednesday Journal is published weekly by NEWSWELL Chicago. Periodicals postage paid at Oak Park, IL (USPS No. 10138). Wednesday Journal NEWSWELL Chicago is located at 1011 Lake Street St 307, Oak Park IL 60301. The newspaper is available at newsstands for $2. Annual subscription rate in Cook County is $65 and $105 outside of Cook County. Advertising rates available by contacting our office. POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to Wednesday Journal, NEWSWELL Chicago P.O. Box 6670 River Forest IL, 60305. © 2026 NEWSWELL
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Wednesday Journal, September 23, 2026
OAKPARK.COM
O’Hare Flyer officials ‘committed to finding a way’ for a Forest Park stop
But impact on residential property values a sticking point for some By GREGG VOSS Staff Reporter
PROVIDED
In Dave Lundy’s line of thinking, a potential stop in Forest Park for the proposed O’Hare Flyer express train would be a boon not only for that village, but in neighboring towns, too. “We think this is an enormous benefit for the entire region,” Lundy said Friday. “We think it’s a benefit for Oak Park, River Forest, Forest Park, Melrose Park. We were talking to another local leader yesterday and they were like, ‘This would be huge for us. We’d love this. It would be fantastic.’” In its current iteration, the privately financed train would make its way through
Forest Park and neighboring communities at 80 mph every 15 minutes from 4 a.m. to 10 p.m. The total travel time from downtown Chicago to the airport would be 15 minutes. But Lundy and Forest Park Mayor Rory Hoskins envision a stop on the north side of the Eisenhower freeway at a village-owned parking lot that has been underutilized since the pandemic. That would mean someone could board the train and be at O’Hare International Airport in six minutes, or in downtown Chicago in nine minutes. Lundy was also unambiguous about the location of a stop. “The only place we’re considering is Forest Park,” he said. “We are committed to finding
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Wednesday Journal, September 23, 2026
OAKPARK.COM a way to make it work.”
Plan pushback Plans for the triangle-shaped plat on Forest Park-owned land adjacent to the CTA Blue Line terminal could include a multistory parking structure, Lundy said. But he was also clear about something else. “This is our concept, our vision,” he said. “I want to emphasize, no agreements have been reached.” Nevertheless, there has been pushback regarding the proposed route for the O’Hare Flyer, particularly from River Forest, where village officials unanimously passed a resolution against it Sept. 14. Realtor Laura Maychruk, who sells real estate in Forest Park, River Forest and Oak Park, said while a potential Forest Park stop appears to be feasible, it wouldn’t benefit the three local communities. “I think absolutely not,” she said. “I think it would be a huge issue for those properties within a few blocks of that train. We already have the Metras and CTAs that come through our towns and the residential properties are adversely affected.” The reasons for that are noise pollution, fumes, train lights and traffic backups, she said. Lundy has said the battery-electric O’Hare Flyer would be “whisper quiet” and the rail itself would be continuously welded, which will eliminate the “clicking” heard with commuter and freight trains. Still, Maychruk said the issue is already impacting property values. Why? “Because everybody is talking about it,” said Maychruk, in her 34th year as a Realtor. “If someone is putting their house on the market and it is adjacent to the train lines, that house won’t sell.” As a Realtor, she said she is obligated to tell a client everything she knows. That includes the potential of a new train nearby. “I’m obligated to tell them that the train may have an adverse effect on them,” she said. “I don’t think in my life I’ve sold many properties adjacent to a train line.”
Impact on property values Lundy disagreed that the O’Hare Flyer would impact property values in Forest Park or anywhere else. In fact, he ventured the reality would be quite the opposite. “The O’Hare Flyer will positively impact their property values because communities that have transit options like this one, their property values go up,” he said. “That’s not some wild hypothesis. That’s just fact.”
He went on to say that the U.S. doesn’t “add this kind of transportation connectivity very often into a community. When you do, you get development and property values go up.” Lundy admitted there are legitimate concerns, especially in River Forest, and that he and his team are working to address them. But there are misperceptions, too, he said. He pointed to the Sept. 14 River Forest village board meeting as one example. “Some of the things that were said were – I’m choosing my words very carefully – not based in reality,” he said. “‘Oh, you’re going to create ground contamination.’ I don’t know how a battery-electric train is going to create contamination. They expressed concerns about Thatcher Woods. We’re having meetings with the Cook County Forest Preserve. “We’ll work with Cook County. We’ll work with anybody. We’ll work with River Forest if they decide they want to work with us.” He added that Hoskins plans to engage the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) to aid in analysis of a potential stop in Forest Park. CMAP had little to say about the matter Monday afternoon. “CMAP has a technical assistance program that helps communities on a wide array of transportation needs,” a CMAP spokesperson said. “The mayor has reached out but we don’t have any commitments to the village at this time. “We haven’t looked closely at the project plans and don’t have any other information to share.”
What will happen? Will the overall project ultimately happen? Maychruk hopes not. “I hope it doesn’t happen at all. I think it would change the feel of particularly River Forest,” she said. “There is some impact in Forest Park, but many more are impacted in River Forest. I think it would change the feel of the whole town.” As for Lundy, there is only one tried and true course of action. “All I can do is put out the facts, explain our intent, be accessible to the community and engage the community as much as I can,” he said. “Because there seems to be a great deal of questions about whether we’re serious about this, as I said, we really want to make this happen. We intend to make this happen.”
Celebrating Ageism Awareness Day Featuring Raymond Jetson founder and author of Aging While Black The 19th Century Club 178 Forest Avenue, Oak Park, IL Friday, October 9 Doors open at 6:00pm Raymond Jetson’s keynote will be followed by a conversation with members of the Aging In Communities Commission and then questions from the audience. Food provided. Admission is free. Sponsored by the Village of Oak Park Aging in Communities Commission The Book Loft Oak Park will have copies of Aging While Black available to purchase.
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Wednesday Journal, September 23, 2026
OAKPARK.COM
Goal-setting key to opening weeks of Willard School year ‘It’s important to start having them think about that’ By GREGG VOSS Staff Reporter
It’s the beginning of the end for Aimee Conrad. The Willard School first grade teacher is in the first weeks of her final year teaching before retirement, after beginning her career in 1994. Conrad could spend a lot of time reflecting on 30-plus years in her role, but for now, there is still work to be done, so she’s focused on goal-setting – not just for herself, but her kiddos. Even at such a young age, first graders are starting to grasp the idea of achieving a goal, so Conrad’s objective is to inculcate that, because it’s something they’ll need their entire life. “They think about strengths they already have that they feel confident about and things that they’d like to build on,” she said. “And it’s very concrete. It might just be
sticking with reading for longer tomorrow, or writing more tomorrow, or spelling it myself instead of asking for help next time. “But it’s important to start having them to think about that.” On an early fall Monday morning, Willard School in River Forest School District 90 is humming with similar thinking, that goals are important. Take the weekly town hall in the school auditorium, emceed by principal Christine Gerges and assistant principal Jennifer Pasia, who also fulfills that role at Lincoln School. Monday’s topic was kindness, and there isn’t the feeling that that sentiment is either a concern or a demand for students, but rather something to achieve. “Sometimes, one act of kindness can change the way someone feels,” Gerges said after the youngsters had filed into the auditorium, quickly and (mostly) quietly. Kindness can start with one small choice,
she said, before Pasia cued up a video that showed an act of kindness on the street, that led to another, and another. After the video, Gerges asked the students what kindness is at Willard School. Don’t let anyone feel unincluded, one student said. Another pointed to the Buddy Bench out on the playground, where students sit until they can find someone to play with. She ended with a goal: Before heading home, do one thing that is super-kind. The youngsters beamed, clearly thinking about how they would accomplish that before they boarded their bus or walked home. Goals don’t have to be about kindness. They can be about academic pursuits, like the third graders in Katie Till’s classroom. Today they are writing, so a reporter stepped to the front of the room and asked how many enjoy that task. Almost all hands shot up. That’s good. The kids have their own writing goals – maybe even becoming writers
GREGG VOSS
Willard School principal Christine Gerges speaks about kindness at the town hall in the school auditorium, Sept. 14.
themselves as grownups. “I like to write,” said Eleanor. “I would want to write books, but I would also like to write songs.” Alicia said she likes to write about fantasies, mysteries … and unicorns. Would she like to become a writer someday? “Mmmm, maybe,” she said. Jack said he wasn’t sure he’d want to become a writer for a job, but he’s sure of one thing. “I love writing for fun,” he said. Till’s job, like Conrad’s, is to build on that. But goal setting for her is data-driven, based on the D90 curriculum. “We have finished up many of our preassessments, so I’ve been taking that data to try to help me formulate my own goals for the students,” she said. “They are introduced to many new concepts in third grade. We look at multiplication goals, goals in their writing, reading comprehension goals. “We really monitor those goals during small group time, groups that are targeted toward student needs.” In Gerges’ office, she and Pasia reflected on their own goal setting, which is holistic in the sense that they both are considering the needs of every student and every teacher throughout the next nine months. “Each day brings something new,” Pasia said, noting her goals are “having priorities, still finding times for all the people in the building, making sure to connect with students.” Gerges, in her third year as Willard principal, said time provides the opportunity for her to consider what she’s done, which informs the immediate future. “In Year Three, you’re able to start honing in on your skill, and your ability to really invest in the students and the families and the teachers in a different way,” she said. “One of our big goals is around belongingness and inclusion and really making sure all students are seen and valued and have a place here.” Hence, the town hall, but also school and PTO clubs, for example. This school year will eventually come to an end, though. For Conrad, she’ll depart with final memories, but she’ll also proffer advice for first-year teachers. “Tomorrow is a new day,” she said with a hearty laugh.
Wednesday Journal, September 23, 2026
OAKPARK.COM
WEST SUB’S FUTURE
Turn Curb Appeal into Real ROI
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BILL DWYER
Rev. Hood with West Sub employees.
The human faces behind the West Sub debacle
Anderson apologized for getting emoHood convened a press conference. StandPatient needs unmet, ing with him were some 20 former hospital tional. “I was there for 32 years,” she said. and patients. “There was so much taken away from us, decades of employee service employees It was a mix of celebration, venting and not only patients but employees. People’s tentative catharsis. unemployment ran out. I don’t know who unrewarded Tabitha Valencia worked as a patient (controls) the medical records.”
By BILL DWYER Staff Reporter
Back in March, a series of management failures led to the shut down of West Suburban Medical Center, despite owner Manoj K. Prasad’s claims to be an expert in medical technology systems and hospital management. The closure of West Sub and subsequent lawsuits between Prasad and business partner and landlord Rathnaker Reddy Patlola dominated local headlines for months. But with few exceptions, those most traumatized have not been heard from. The morning after Patlola agreed to buy out Prasad’s 60% share of Resilience Healthcare, West Side pastor Rev. Robin
care tech in the hospital’s emergency department for 29 years (“and nine months”) before she was laid off. She said she was “overwhelmed” and “thankful” for the new ownership. She became emotional when she spoke of arriving at work in 2021, and realizing she couldn’t breathe. Her 8 hour shift that day was spent not working in the emergency department, but as a patient. “If they were closed, it could have been a whole different situation. I thank God they were open,” Valencia said. Dawn Anderson was furloughed in May after working in West Sub’s medical records department for 32 years. She hopes to see a more open process with the new ownership and management.
“I’m praying to God that we recover,” Anderson said, fighting tears. “This is a traumatic experience. For everyone.” Ieliot Jackson has been a patient at West Sub, and is a member of the Coalition to Save Safety Net Hospitals. He spent well more than 20 hours mostly sitting silently on a courtroom bench next to Hood at the Daley Center as the legal battle between Prasad and Patlola ground on. “It’s been ‘hurry up and wait, hurry up and wait,’” Jackson said Sept. 15. “This was just one fight that was won. The battle is still on. Because we need these institutions in our community.” “Our community has been at the greatest See WEST SUB on page 10
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Wednesday Journal, September 23, 2026
OAKPARK.COM
WEST SUB’S FUTURE
New West Sub owners, Insight JOIN US JOIN US TO O CELEBRAT C CELEBRATE A E AT Health Systems, struggle with JOIN US TO CELEBRATE TO CELEBRATE JOINUS US TO TO CELEBRATE JOIN CELEBRATE reopening hospitals in Ohio Financial concerns for Insight Chicago are also raised
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Insight Health Systems, originally founded in Flint, Michigan, recently took over ownership and operation of West Suburban Medical Center, sharing its intentions to rehabilitate and reopen the struggling hospital. However, this is not its first time taking over a failing medical provider, and those are yet to successfully reopen. In November 2024, Insight was officially announced as the new owner for Trumbull Regional Medical Center and Rehabilitation Hospital Hillside in Warren, Ohio, after the former parent company Steward Health Care filed bankruptcy and planned to close. Just a few months into their ownership st in March 2025, the doors for both facilities closed, and all 143 employees from Insight cantatafest.org Rehabilitation Hospital Hillside were furloughed. cantatafest.org Independent Living • Assisted Living • Memory Support • Short-Term Rehab • Long-Term Care • Home Care The rehabilitation hospital’s website displays the closure announcement saying it Independent Living • Assisted Living • Memory Support • Short-Term Rehab • Long-Term Care • Home Care was “Due to additional abrupt developments st in Steward Health Care’s bankruptcy proceedings and the mounting lack of transferred dollars owed for healthcare services” st The closure was only supposed to last for about six months. An inspection from the Ohio Department of Health for both facilities in September 2025 stopped the plans to reopen after it found conditions to be insufficient citing several improvements that were needed, according to reporting from multiple Independent Living • Assisted Living • Memory Support • Short-Term Rehab • Long-Term Care • Home Care local news outlets in the area. Just a month later, the 24/7 emergency room was allowed to reopen at Insight Hospital and Medical Center Trumbull. That same month, the federal Center for Medicare and Independent Living • Assisted Living • Memory Support • Short-Term Rehab • Long-Term Care • Home Care Medicaid Services terminated their agreecantatafest.org c antatafest.org ment with the hospital for not complying Medicare ndent Living • Assisted Living • Memory Support • Short-Term Rehab • Long-Term Care • with Home Care Conditions for Participation and not following requirement for the EmerIndependent Living • Assisted Living • Memory Support • Short-T Short-Term -Te -T Term Rehab • Long-T Long-Term -Te -T Term Care r • Home Care re r re gency Medical Treatment and Labor Act. cantatafest.org
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About a year after Insight gained ownership of the hospitals, in November 2025, Insight Trumbull had to close the emergency room once again after the Ohio Department of Health moved to revoke its state license. The hospital eventually agreed to surrender its license in January of this year. The hospitals have remained closed and local officials continue to advocate for their reopening. “The decision by Insight Hospital & Medical Center Trumbull to relinquish its license back to the State of Ohio is deeply concerning for the people of Warren, Trumbull County, and the surrounding communities,” wrote Ohio Rep. Nick Santucci in a statement. Rev. Dr. Henry Barlow, a board member for Insight Hospital and Medical Center Chicago, formerly Mercy Hospital on the Near South Side, declined to comment on the Ohio hospital closures and what it could mean for West Suburban Medical Center and Weiss Memorial Hospital. Insight media and public relations also did not respond to an inquiry about the closures. In a press conference on Sept. 17, Barlow was asked about media transparency. “It’s the policy of Insight, we shoot straight from the hip. We’ll always do that, or I won’t be a part of it,” said Barlow. Concerns over the finances of Insight’s Chicago hospital have also been raised. Chicago Public Media reported that Insight lost almost $30 million and received about $50 million in advances from the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services in order to remain open. The American Hospital Directory report shows a net loss of about $9.2 million for Insight Chicago from the hospital’s most recent Medicare Cost Report ending in 2025. A group of doctors from West Suburban Medical Center conducted a vote in August to say they have no confidence in Insight Health Systems ability to run the hospital. Barlow was asked about the vote of no confidence at the press conference. “Those individuals were led astray by some individuals who didn’t know what they’re talking about,” said Barlow.
Wednesday Journal, September 23, 2026
OAKPARK.COM
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WEST SUB’S FUTURE
How much cash do West Sub’s new owners have to work with?
Elegant is the retired former CEO of struggling with financial and regulatory has declined comment, so any reporting is Many questions and few problems related to several healthcare fa- speculative. But recent court testimony in- Rush Oak Park Hospital. He also taught it operates in Ohio, and a reported forms that speculation; according to both business administration at the Rush School answers regarding hospital’s cilities $9.2 million net loss by Insight’s Southside Patlola and Prasad, West Sub was continu- of Medicine. He stressed that he is speaking to bring in substantial sums of cash ing from his own personal and professional Chicago hospital in 2025. finances experience, not for Rush, and that he is not Those challenges make it unlikely In- from previously billed medical services.
By BILL DWYER Staff Reporter
As Insight Medical Health Systems potentially takes over ownership and management of West Suburban Medical Center, there are many questions to be answered, chief among them being just how much cash the shuttered hospital has available to work with. As Wednesday Journal reported Monday, Insight Health Systems, which is headquartered in Michigan, is currently
sight will bring its own financial assets to West Sub. Another possible funding source available -- besides the unlikely arrival of additional state funding -- are from landlord Patlola and West Sub’s backlogged medical services billing, or collectibles. The corporate entities that Prasad controlled -- including AUM Global Healthcare Management, which owned Resilience Healthcare -- held substantial, if unrealized, financial resources. Insight has not disclosed any figures and
The extent of those unrealized finances were suggested in a Sept. 15 court filing by Prasad’s personal attorney, who told the court that Prasad was “actively working to … collect nearly 120,000 overdue claims.” If that 120,000 claim figure is accurate, using conservative average billing estimates, the 120,000 unpaid claims might represent between $90 million and $124 million in possible collections. However, hospitals have several distinct categories of billing, each with its own set of rules, according to Bruce Elegant.
privy to Insight or West Sub’s financials. “This is back of the envelope figuring,” Elegant said. “I don’t have access to any figures.” The bulk of any collectibles Insight is able to recover, he said, will be from Medicaid and Medicare. “The vast majority of receivables, north of 65%, will be either Medicaid or self-pay,” Elegant said. Approximately 25% of the remainder is Medicare, and 10% commercial insurance. See WEST SUB CASH on page 11
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The Plan Commission hearing scheduled for October 1 is CANCELED. The date and venue have changed to accommodate all those who wish to participate in the public hearing for Shape Oak Park in a larger community space. On October 8, the Plan Commission will be presented recommendations for proposed changes to Oak Park’s zoning code and hear public comment before deliberating and voting on its own recommendation, which will go to the Village Board at a future meeting for final decision. LEARN MORE ABOUT SHAPE OAK PARK: Explore the full recommendations and Zoning Comparison Tool at www.EngageOakPark.com/Shape
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Wednesday Journal, September 23, 2026
OAKPARK.COM
WEST SUB’S FUTURE
WEST SUB
Former employees grieve from page 7 disadvantage since March,” Jackson said. Jackson looked over at Valencia and noted her nearly 30 years of service. “Not being able to reap the rewards for her service is a disservice to our community as a whole,”
he said. Clabe Johnson, another founding member of the hospital coalition, who had also sat through tedious hours of court proceedings, said the West Sub closure had “been really devastating to our community.” “We view the hospital as an asset to our community, and it’s a much needed institution in our community. It’s really been hard for our people to find adequate healthcare.” “They’re not doing healthcare as a human
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West Sub employees (left to right) Dawn Anderson and Ieliot Jackson. right,” Johnson added. “Our communities suffer the worst in these situations.” When Hood asked the furloughed West Sub employees to step forward and say how long they’d worked at the hospital, people replied one by one; “22 years,” one said. “27,” said another, then “23,” and “27,” and “29 and a half ” and “32 years.” “That’s over a hundred and some years of experience,” Hood said. Henry Barlow, pastor of Morningstar Baptist Church of Chicago, who sits on the Insight Chicago board, said “Safety net hospitals, they have saved so many lives.” In the reported deal, Patlola would sell West Sub and Weiss Memorial to Insight Chicago. It currently operates the former Mercy Hospital on the Near South Side and is headquartered in Michigan. He vowed to see that the new owners served the community. “Not only are we concerned about the residents in the communities where the hospitals sit, but also the employees that the hospitals have.” “This is my heart beat, my passion,” Barlow said. “To make sure that our people have the best quality of life.” He said that as he spoke Thursday, the CEO of Insight, Atif Bawahab, was “reading through the settlement that was reached last night.” “We don’t know all the details,” Barlow said. “Off the top of my head, we’re talking about four months (before re-opening),” Barlow said. “We’re asking that you give us a chance
to look through some of the things, trying to find out what it’s going to take to make (West Sub) operational again. We need your help,” Barlow said of the public. “We need your understanding. And we certainly need your prayers.” The fight is not over, all agreed, nor is the threat to the health of many west siders. Hood said the long trips to alternative hospitals in the wake of West Sub’s closure can have lethal consequences. “Those extra blocks, those extra miles, could cost you your life,” he said. Hood said his group has asked Insight Health officials to meet with community organizations “within 30 days,” to set a public timeline for restoring services on both campuses and to give residents a standing role in decisions about care. Hood also said they are asking the Illinois General Assembly to hold subject matter hearings on safety net hospitals statewide. “What we are demanding is that the community have a say in the vetting process,” said Jackson. “The community had no say in the closing of Weiss and West Suburban.” Anderson said she had a dream about a reborn and renewed West Sub Hospital, one in which there were “People coming in and out, greeting one another, expressing love, concern.” She said she prays for “people to get care in a loving environment, a wholesome environment.” “That’s my dream, that’s my goal, my heart and my passion.”
Wednesday Journal, September 23, 2026
OAKPARK.COM
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Mellman, Morrissey plan independent River Forest trustee runs Three seats open in April 2027 consolidated election By GREGG VOSS Staff Reporter
Nate Mellman and John Morrissey come from different backgrounds but share a few things in common. Both are long-time residents of River Forest and dedicated to public service. That’s why they are each running for village trustee in the April 6, 2027 consolidated election. They will be vying for spots currently occupied by incumbents Katie Brennan, Erica Bachner and Robert O’Connell, whose terms expire in 2027. Mellman and his family have lived in the village for 17 years. He’s chair of the board of the police and fire commission, with his term expiring April 30, 2028. He unsuccessfully ran for the Oak Park and River Forest School District 200 board of education in April 2025. “I want to keep our village safe, keep our finances stable and our taxes as low as possible, and continue to be a welcoming community for residents and businesses,” he said. “Everyone who serves in River Forest – the president, all the trustees, all the volunteers on the boards and commissions – does so without any payment. I applaud each of them for all their time and effort. “Because of their commitment to serve, we have an incredibly strong police and fire
WEST SUB CASH from page 9 Elegant said self-payer billings will be collected at roughly a dime on the dollar, saying, “It’s going to be minimal.” Commercial insurance will likely return even less, because commercial insurance claims can expire.
department, we have stable finances, and we have a welcoming community for citizens and businesses. I want to join the board to make our community even a little bit better.” Morrissey is a 2018 OPRF graduate and currently works for Illinois Senate President Don Harmon. He took a nontraditional route out of high school, doing union trade work and is currently first vice president of the Young Democrats of Illinois. He also helped restart the Young Democrats of Oak Park. “I think more young people need to care about local government, not only with everything happening on the federal level,” Morrissey said. “What happens on the local level impacts your daily life the most. “Maybe I can encourage more young people to care about what’s going on in their municipality. If elected, I’m currently 27, I’ll probably be the youngest trustee in River Forest village history.” One issue the candidates agree on is a focus on maintaining, and developing further, a vibrant business community. “We need to make it easy for our current businesses to stay and grow and we need to work with the business community to attract more, which will ultimately lower the tax burden on residents and allow us to keep the quality staff we currently have,” Mellman said.
NATE MELLMAN
JOHN MORRISSEY
Morrissey built on those sentiments. “I’d like to encourage more River Forest businesses,” he said, offering an example. “I’d like to have a nice independent familyowned restaurant, which is something we don’t have. I think RF could do with more businesses and growing our tax base.” Another issue they agree on is the recent debate about the proposed O’Hare Flyer train that would connect downtown Chicago with O’Hare International Airport in 15 minutes. River Forest has come out vehemently opposed to the possibility. Morrissey said his goal as a trustee would be to get key questions answered about the project. “There is so much we don’t know and so much speculation,” he said, pointing to the lack thus far of environmental, noise and safety studies. “I don’t think the board knows any of that. If I’m on the board, this is one of the things I want to figure out.” Mellman was more direct about the O’Hare Flyer. “The concept doesn’t have both oars in the water,” he said. “We have to lead the opposi-
tion. Though this project will likely never happen, as long as it’s being discussed, it will impact property values. Residents, especially those who live near the tracks, will have to deal with this uncertainly when they go to sell their homes. “The lower property taxes resulting from impacted real estate values will not only impact village finances but when our tax revenue is affected that means Oak Park taxes have to take up the slack to finance D200. On top of every other new tax and expense that Oak Park residents seem to have to face, this is not an additional one that they should bear the burden, which is why every Oak Park resident should be opposed to this.” Another transportation issue for Morrissey is bike lanes, which would make it easier for students to get to River Forest School District 90 schools, along with possible creation of connected bike lanes all the way to OPRF. “I rode a lot on my bike growing up to OPRF and sometimes it was really sketchy,” he said. “I just think having protected bike lanes would be something I’d want to do.”
“Typically, they have a deadline,” Elegant said. “If it’s more than 12 months old, the probability of collecting goes way down.” That leaves uncollected Medicaid and Medicare billings as the two relatively reliable sources of revenue for Insight to pursue. Medicaid bills are paid by the state at set rates, usually less than what the hospital bills. Elegant said Medicare pays the highest reimbursement rate, ap-
proximately 50% more than Medicaid. The contentions in Prasad’s Aug. 18 letter are supported to a degree by Patlola’s testimony during a May evidentiary hearing for his lawsuit against Prasad, during which he said Prasad was continuing to take in between $680,000 and $700,000 a week after West Sub closed down. Whatever amounts Insight is able to collect, cash flow will be just part of the equation in re-opening the hospital,” El-
egant said. While he declined to speculate regarding any details of how Insight might go about it’s planned re-opening, he did say it would be expensive. “There’s been a long period of disinvestment in the hospital,” Elegant said. “It’s not just (fixing) elevators. It’s going to need significant capital.” “You’re talking about tens of millions of dollars needed for re-investment in the hospital.”
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Wednesday Journal, September 23, 2026
OAKPARK.COM
WATER RATES
LEADERS!!! COME, HEAR, AND LEARN
author
like we tinker a lot of times and we try to find some new way to solve a problem that we really don’t understand, and I think I just feel like that’s not the way we’ve done it for 100 years. It’s a valid way, and it yields a similar from page 1 outcome.” There were some concerns over how the The water and sewer fund covers the cost tiered system would impact multi-unit resiof water, operating expenses and pay-as-you- dents as bills are issued through a single wago capital improvement projects as well as a ter connection, not per dwelling. This means portion going to the debt service of the vil- that apartments will quickly move into Tier lage’s larger planned capital projects. Water 2 at the higher rate for the combined water is purchased from the City of Chicago and usage of all units in the building, however, it rates are increased each year with this year’s is projected that all of the rate increase modrate going up 1.85% and last year by 4%. els would yield similar prices. “If the board were to choose to do nothing “Regardless of the alternative model that and maintain the 2026 rates as they stand you pick, the impact difference between the now, the water and sewer fund would become three of them on multifamily properties per over time insolvent,” said Pubquarter is relatively small,” lic Works Director Rob Sproule. said Sproule. “The board needs to take some The presentation used a hysort of action.” pothetical example of a 10-unit The structure that was chobuilding for estimates across all sen at the meeting creates two three rate structures presented. tiers of usage per water conUnder the system chosen, it nection and fiscal quarter with would only cause about a $1 in10,000 gallons being the line of crease per unit in comparison demarcation between lower to a flat-rate system. and higher levels of use. AcMitch Bowlin, director of cording to the data presented at business operations for the the meeting by NewGen StratePark District of Oak Park, gies & Solutions, about 40% of shared concerns during public CORY WESLEY residential bills currently fall comment that the new system Trustee within Tier 1, or below 10,000. would cause too much of an The first 10,000 gallons will be increase for the high-usage sercharged on a rate that increases vices like pools. He shared park at a consistent 2% each year for district impact estimates of up the next five years. Tier 2, above to $15,000 in the first year and 10,000 gallons, will be charged $80,000 by 2030. at a higher cost with fluctuating increases “The park district has long been commitbetween 6-7%. ted to environmental stewardship. While we “I think that having that dividing line at support water conservation, the proposed 10,000 gallons makes some sense because it rate structure will force us to evaluate serreally does address sort of that that average vice reductions to manage increased costs,” user and it creates opportunities for savings said Bowlin. through sustainability efforts, through naErin Duffy, deputy director of public tive planting, through things that can ulti- works for the village, shared that the village mately save water, and for most people, will looked into their own estimates for the park mean that their rate of growth, their water district and “we weren’t quite projecting the bill, is below inflation,” said Trustee Brian increase that they were describing.” Straw. Trustee Cory Wesley also shared his opinTo put it into actual numbers, the 2027 cost ion that it is the responsibility of the park per thousand gallons of water is $12.18 for district to find ways to raise revenue to cover Tier 1 and $12.79 for Tier 2. Looking ahead to the cost of their water usage instead of rais2031, the cost would be $13.18 for Tier 1 and ing residential rates to cover the difference. $16.37 for Tier 2. “The people at home, the entire village, Trustee James Taglia was the only oppos- shouldn’t have to pay more for pool water,” ing vote arguing to maintain the current flat- said Wesley. rate system with consistent price increases With the new system now chosen by the across all users. board, village staff will now work to prepare “I don’t understand why we are focusing an ordinance amendment before the new on a new mechanism,” said Taglia. “I feel rates actually go into effect.
Conservation focus
“The people at home, the entire village shouldn’t have to pay more for pool water.”
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Wednesday Journal, September 23, 2026
OAKPARK.COM
13
With goal of full funding, new payment model for fire pension explored by Finance Committee Oak Park Finance Committee looks at revised funding structure
By SYDNEY LOVAN
fighter pension as the most up-to-date actuarial report for police was not available at the time of the meeting. Reedy also reiterThe current structure for paying into the ated the disclaimer that “everything in Penpolice and fire pension is not working the sionLand” is based on assumptions when looking at the long-term projections. way it needs to in order to meet the village The team of consultants presented seven goals of fully funding those pensions by 2040, and the Village of Oak Park is working different scenarios of how to fund the pensions going forward from staying the way to fix it. The village board’s finance committee on it is all the way to using general obligation Sept. 3 supported a new structure to pull bonds to fund it relatively immediately. The money from small capital improvement committee looked more seriously at soluprojects that can be financed through bonds tions somewhere in the middle. Kevin Bueso, Oak Park’s chief financial and create a limit on the levy growth. Final officer, said the new decisions will be plans show a “stratemade by the full vilgic, holistic view” of lage board. the pensions while There has been a being more “cre“timing mismatch” ative” about how to between the annual achieve those goals actuarial report with the best interrecommendations est of the taxpayer in and when the vilmind. lage has to set The scenario that pension levies, achad consensus supcording to a presenport from all three tation by finance trustees present, Briconsultants from an Straw, James TaStifel and Speer at glia and Derek Eder, the meeting. For combines “revenue example, the 2025 re pro g r amming” report was not and a limit on levy received until AuSYDNEY LOVAN growth. gust 2026 and the Revenue repropension levy was Village of Oak Park Chief Financial Officer gramming will take already set in De- Kevin Bueso speaks to Village Manager the about $5 million cember 2025. Kevin Jackson during the Finance generated through This has result- Committee meeting on July 2. the home rule sales ed in the pensions tax and put it tobeing “slightly” underfunded from the recommendation and wards the levy payment and capital imis expected to require $5.41 million in addi- provement projects that the money typically tional contributions through 2053 and the funds such as road, alley and sidewalks will be financed through bonds. The amount that goal will not be fully met on time. “Our thought process is: Is there a more the village pays into the levy will have an anefficient or perhaps smarter way to go about nual increase limit of 2% no matter what an making those presentations or making those actuarial report may recommend after the contributions over time, in order to mini- fact. These tactics combined create a more mize the taxpayer impact and the impact to the village’s budget,” said Tom Reedy, man- stabilized payment plan that allows for the pension to be fully funded by 2039, if the esaging director with Stifel, at the meeting. The presentation only looked at the fire- timated projections become reality. Those Staff Reporter
projections show a gross saving of over $9 million compared to the structure currently being used. That number does factor in projected inflationary impacts. “I think it is a strategic, holistic view of the pension and making sure that we maintain the board’s commitment to 100% funded by 2040 and just being a lot more creative in terms of how we get there, with keeping in mind what is the least impactful on the taxpayer,” said Bueso. He said the sooner the pension is fully funded, the sooner taxpayers can feel the effects with a lower tax bill, similar to paying off a credit card at an accelerated rate to avoid extra interest. No plan is without its risks, and there is a chance of falling back into the deficit the original plan created if the supplemental revenue and 2% limit does not offset a posMEMORY CARE
SHELTERED CARE
sibly higher interest rate on debt service. The committee did show interest in funding the pension through a taxable pension fund bond should the market change to make that option cheaper in the future. “If there’s an opportunity where the bond market slips and we can we can see cheaper taxable debt, then I think we absolutely should consider and look at whether we can sort of cover the gap from the revenue reprogramming with taxable debt because it has the opportunity to save a lot of money in the long term,” said Straw. The actuarial report for the police department has been completed and reviewed by village staff and consultants since the Sept. 3 meeting. The combined information of police and fire pensions now in the context of the new funding structure will be presented to the committee at a future time. SKILLED NURSING
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Wednesday Journal, September 23, 2026
OAKPARK.COM
OAK PARK ZONING DEBATE
Oak Park appointing task force on zoning and affordable housing goals Spots are still being filled by President Vicki Scaman
By SYDNEY LOVAN Staff Reporter
The Oak Park village board unanimously voted to approve an ad hoc Housing Advisory Task Force at a board meeting on Sept. 15. The task force will be comprised of people with a wide range of experience to focus on advancing affordable housing goals and make recommendations to the board for the next steps of the Shape Oak Park zoning proposal. “The village board has determined it is in the best interest of the village and the public to establish an ad hoc Housing Advisory Task Force in accordance with this resolution to not only focus on Opticos Design’s recommendations, which will support the missing middle housing program,
but also on other affordable housing initiatives,” says the amended resolution. Members of the task force are appointed by Village President Vicki Scaman, and there are nine people already chosen. The resolution outlines there will be three members from the Plan Commission, three members from the Housing Programs Advisory Committee, three members with economic development or real estate experience, two ex officio members of the village board, one member from the Historic Preservation Commission, and one member from the Aging in Community. The two spots for former members of the board and two spots for the development and real estate experience are still open, but there are people in mind, according to the village spokesperson. “As we have continued to evaluate the
needs of that committee and the things we’d be working on, we thought that it made the most sense to beef up the amount of real estate and development expertise on it, particularly given the work that will be happening around subsidies and support activities related to housing development,” said Jonathan Burch, Oak Park neighborhood services director, at the meeting. Michael Bailey, the government affairs director for the Oak Park Area Association of Realtors, spoke during public comment in favor of the task force emphasizing the importance of people with relevant expertise. “If Oak Park wants more affordable housing, more missing middle housing and more opportunities for people to remain in or move in this community, members need to understand the entire housing production process from beginning to end,” said
Bailey. He also encouraged the village to use the Illinois Realtors’ Housing Supply Accelerator Program which connects government affairs directors with local officials, stakeholders and planners “to develop solutions that reflect local conditions and can be put into action, almost immediately in some instances,” according to the website. Once the final members have been appointed, the task force will be able to determine their meeting times and move forward with their duties which are outlined in four parts in the resolution. Those include reviewing and recommending a pattern book for housing development, financial incentives for affordable housing production, changes to building codes, and any additional recommendations for modifying the zoning code.
ZONING
“We haven’t seen a traditional two flat or three flat built in Oak Park since 1920,” Scaman said. “Our zoning code was passed in 1921.” Village officials seem to be listening to a lot of the negative feedback they received. Both Scaman and Straw said they are open to considering trying out some of the zoning changes on a trial basis as a pilot project. Straw mentioned putting a limit on the number of new building permits that could be issued over a specific time period, perhaps on a block-by-block basis. “That would allow us, over time, to study what the impacts of this new policy are,” Straw said. Increasing demolition fees is another option. But Straw said changes are needed to make Oak Park more affordable. “I want my kids to want to grow up and live in Oak Park and be able to afford to live in Oak Park,” Straw said. According to the Shape Oak Park presentation, 519 parcels of land in Oak Park currently contain legal non-conforming uses meaning that the structures there were
Skepticism continues from page 1
BOB SKOLNIKT
Oak Park Village President Vicki Scaman talking to a table that includes Oak Park trustee Jim Taglia and Craig Failor, Village of Oak Park Director of Development Services, during a meeting, Sept. 20, at the Oak Park Conservatory.
“If we got 15 new homes a year that would be a lot,” said Oak Park Village President Vicki Scaman at the meeting on Saturday. “You’re not going to see an overnight change, you’re going to see a change over time. We can build new housing and maintain our character at the same time.” Village Trustee Brian Straw is a strong proponent of the proposed change to increase what is called “missing middle” housing, that is duplexes, two flats, three and four flats, and in some limited instances, six-unit buildings. His views were in sync with Scaman’s. “Any changes we see related to this policy will be very gradual,” Straw said. Both Scaman and Straw described the proposed changes as a return to the way Oak Park used to be before the village’s first zoning code was adopted in 1921.
Wednesday Journal, September 23, 2026
OAKPARK.COM
15
OAK PARK ZONING DEBATE built before the current zoning code was adopted. If they burnt down, they couldn’t be rebuilt as is under the current zoning code without some zoning relief. The proposed changes to the zoning code will be considered at what are likely to be three Plan Commission meetings in October, the first of which will be held Oct. 8 at 6 p.m. in the Oak Park and River Forest High School auditorium, before the village board votes on the zoning changes in November. The proposed changes to the zoning code would allow two, three, and four unit buildings in all three residential zoning districts in Oak Park. Six unit buildings would be allowed on lots of 5,000 square feet or larger that are within a quarter mile of a bus or el stop. In six-unit buildings two of the units would have to be “affordable.” Allowable building heights would be increased from 30 to 35 feet in two of the residential zoning districts and from 35 to 50 feet in the new N-2 district. In commercial districts residential buildings would be allowed and those buildings would not have to have a retail space on the ground floor. The goal of the proposed changes is to allow more small scale multiunit buildings to
provide more housing options for downsizers and others looking to remain in or move to Oak Park. “We want diverse housing,” Scaman said adding that she would like Oak Park to remain socioeconomically and racially diverse. Making Oak Park more affordable is another goal although village officials said that would be the focus of a phase two with the creation of an ad hoc committee on housing affordability. Both Scaman and Straw said the zoning changes would indirectly increase affordability by providing options cheaper than large single-family homes and by increasing housing supply would reduce the price pressure and bidding wars for existing homes. “Not everything that is going to be built is going to be affordable but will add to supply,” Scaman said. “I don’t see it as a negative to get some more market rate housing out of this as well. That does still contribute to affordable housing. Hopefully you’re not seeing as much of the outbidding on those affordable homes.” Scaman said she wants to preserve existing smaller Oak Park homes. However, many who attended the various
sessions remained skeptical or opposed to the proposed changes to the zoning code. A number of attendees told Wednesday Journal that the whole process feels rushed to them. “I think for us it feels a little rushed,” said Steven Bromley, a 30-something resident of south Oak Park. “We don’t quite understand exactly what the outcomes are supposed to be and it makes us a little nervous, as, like a young family who moved to Oak Park.” Village Trustee Jim Taglia tried this summer to put an advisory referendum on the proposed zoning changes on the November ballot but was outvoted 5-1 by his colleagues on the village board. In his comments at the Saturday village hall meeting he appeared to speak for many in the audience. “I would like to see this slow down,” Taglia said to applause at meeting. Taglia and others want to see more information about how the changes would impact affordability and some would like to see the village focus on affordability before changing the zoning code. “How many units would we have to build to actually increase affordability,” Taglia said. “It requires a lot more study.” Wendy Greenhouse, a long time Oak Park
resident, said she is open to changing the zoning code and wants to focus on making Oak Park more affordable but had some concerns about what has been proposed. “I feel like it has not been well framed and well presented,” Greenhouse said. “There’s also a perception that the village board has already decided this is what they want to do because it’s a progressive board. And what we heard today was Trustee Taglia voicing the concerns of many of us. We don’t know. We don’t have enough information. It’s going on too fast.” Greenhouse said she is not concerned about more small multi-unit buildings. “I, personally, am very open to zoning changes,” Greenhouse said. “I’m not concerned about a two-flat being inserted between two single family houses. I want to hear that this is not going to facilitate the development of more luxury high rise rental buildings like the ones in downtown Oak Park that I’ve always opposed and which I don’t think has contributed to quality of life here.” Village officials say the changes to the zonSee ZONING on page 19
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Wednesday Journal, September 23, 2026
OAKPARK.COM
Crafted by nature, rooted in the Arts District New Harrison Street floral shop combines whimsically styled garden bouquets with unique giftables
By JACKIE PISANO Staff Reporter
For as long as Audra Fullerton can remember, creativity has been at the heart of her personality. Growing up in Wisconsin, Fullerton first fell in love with the energy of being on stage and performing live. She turned that passion into a career, studying theater in college and relocating to New York City, where she spent 10 years immersed across the city’s vibrant theater scene as a professional actor. In tandem with her theater work, in 2011, Fullerton launched The Baker Chick — an online blog and social media platform documenting her journey toward mastering both self-taught baking and food photography inside of a small city apartment kitchen. Five years and two kids later, Fullerton and her husband, Andy, relocated to Oak Park, ready to embark on a new journey living in a place that would provide the perfect urban-adjacent, family-friendly and arts-centric vibe the family was looking for. After settling in Oak Park and welcoming her third child, Fullerton found herself in a creative rut with her blog, prompting her to explore new creative outlets, including crafting, ornament making and gardening. In 2022, Fullerton went all in with learning about everything related to gardening and flowers when the wheels first started turning for her about turning a casual passion project into a business opportunity. “I tend to find a creative endeavor and hyperfixate on it until I’m expert-level with it,” she said. “I began growing my own cut flower garden in my backyard, and each year, I’d learn more about the flowers I enjoyed growing and the perfect times to grow them.” Two years later, Fullerton created a business Facebook group, selling her whimsically curated and homegrown flowers for pickup or delivery. “Every year with the flowers, I got better at growing and curating the colors that I liked,” she said. “I don’t really love super bright colors — I love muted colors, mauves and peaches, neutral tones — more
garden-inspired and organic looking.” Craving the in-person energy she got from working in-person with people and with her hands, earlier this year, Fullerton told her husband that she wanted to jump in full time with turning her entrepreneurial venture into a brick-and-mortar business in the neighborhood she’s grown to love.
a vacant storefront on Harrison Street earlier this year as a potential location for her new chocolate business, Chocolat by Christina. But, when the size of the Arts District location wasn’t the right fit for Nixon’s commercial kitchen needs, Fullerton and her husband jumped at the chance to explore the space and see if it would be the perfect fit for a new floral shop.
JACKIE PISANO
Oak Park resident Audra Fullerton recently opened Golden Hour Flower Studio, a boutique, seasonally inspired flower shop in the village’s Arts District. “I would say, ‘I want my own flower shop,’ and in my head, I just knew I only wanted to do it on Harrison,” she said. “I live so close, the stores here feel small and cozy, and there’s just something about the bricks and the garden units which really appealed to me. I really got excited about the idea of people coming in, getting to talk with people, getting to be in front of people — putting all of my previous skills working in theater to confidently represent myself.” As fate would have it, Fullerton’s aunt, Christina Nixon, was originally exploring
“I’ve grown to really love south Oak Park,” she said. “The minute I walked in, I really liked it. I saw a flash of what it could be and where everything would go. And I live just a five-minute walk from here.” After signing the lease at the end of May, Fullerton spent all summer prepping the space at 331 Harrison St. to become the home for the new Golden Hour Flower Studio. With the help of a small crew, Fullerton completed renovations and buildout in about 12 weeks, ready to welcome patrons by mid-September.
With her soft business open last week, Fullerton has introduced Golden Hour Flower Studio as a one-stop local gift shop, featuring seasonal, garden-inspired floral arrangements alongside a curated selection of thoughtful and practical giftables, from candles, incense and houseplants to socks, tea towels and one-of-a-kind greeting cards. “My dream is that this is the place where you can send someone and say, ‘Hey, just go to Golden Hour and give me anything that they have there,’” she said. “If you’re here to buy a gift for someone, I want you to be able to get whatever you want for a gift — like a card or candles to go with flowers.” With flowers sourced through Chicagobased floral wholesalers, Fullerton says all of Golden Hour’s blooms are regionally grown and sourced from farms across Illinois, Wisconsin and Michigan. “My flowers are going to be based on what’s in season, what looks great at the market that week and what I’m inspired by seasonally,” she said. “Everything will always look similar in terms of the fullness, but it’s designer’s choice.” At Golden Hour, Fullerton is marching to the beat of her own drum, straying from traditional floral arranging and leaning into organic and contemporary design — a style she calls “whimsical and loose.” “I really love something that just feels like it would naturally flow with someone’s home decor,” she said. “What excites me the most is just making something for someone who doesn’t know they’re going to get flowers to bring them joy. I love receiving flowers, and I’d like to receive the kind of flowers that I’m making.” Alongside flower bouquets and arrangements, Golden Hour also includes monthly floral subscriptions with a surprise assortment of floral medleys. In addition, Fullerton also hopes to introduce small classes and workshops, including flower arranging, wreath making and art with pressed flowers. Golden Hour is open Tuesdays from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m., Wednesdays through Fridays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. For information, visit goldenhourflowerstudio.com or Instagram at goldenhourflowerstudio.
Wednesday Journal, September 23, 2026
OAKPARK.COM
Oak Park hosts children Art and Play for Park(ing) Day Parking and Mobility Services staff members welcome community input at event
YOUR
BEST
LIFE F FE
withLisaCapone w wi itith thL hLi Lis isa saC aCa Cap apon one ne Experiencing Caregiver C aregiver Burnout??
By SYDNEY LOVAN Staff Reporter
A portion of street parking in downtown Oak Park was turned into a children’s play area on Friday to celebrate the world-wide Park(ing) Day. From 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., anyone could stop by 1100 Westgate St., for snacks, games, coloring and conversations with the village’s Parking and Mobility Services team. The Oak Park event is just one city in a larger effort to temporarily turn on-street spaces into green spaces. One family, Jason and Nuru Dorsey, joined in the event with their 4-year-old daughter where they were able to play with crafts and bubbles. He said he thinks it is important to be “connected and involved with community activities.” The Park(ing) Day event originated in San Francisco in 2005 with just one parking space being turned into a “public park”
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SYDNEY LOVAN
Nuru Dorsey photographs her 4-year-old daughter playing in bubbles. with sod, a bench and a single tree. The effort was an attempt to regain more of the city’s land area, of which 70 to 80% was used for streets, for a better public purpose,
SYDNEY LOVAN
People attend the Park(ing) Day event on Sept. 18, in downtown Oak park.
according to the website. This year marks Oak Park’s third time participating, and the theme was Art & Play. Parking and Mobility Services Manager Marlin Jackson said the event is important to connect government workers with the community to show their commitment to giving back. “We want to show that yes, parking can sometimes be a strain in Oak Park, but we are people first, and we all want to come together and just show that we’re a loving community,” said Jackson. He shared that he loves getting to speak with residents at events such as these to hear their concerns. The visibility it brings helps “humanize the relationship” between people and the team that may be looked upon in a negative light with the enforcement side of parking. “If we don’t know about it, there’s nothing we can do to fix it,” said Jackson. “The village is a village that loves to hear from their constituents, and I say let’s just come together and work together as a community so that we can change whatever it is that we can change to make things better.”
Caregiver burnout is a growing concern, especially for f r those caring fo fforr aging loved ones. The demands of fo caregiving, while rewarding, g can become overwhelming and d lead lead to emotional, and mental physical, y exhaustion.It’s exh haustion.It’s essential to recognize the signs early y and consider options exhaustion to prevent p exh haustion and ensure quality qual lity care for f r all involved. fo f r Signs. Common signs fo • Look Out for f tigue, irritability, fa y include chronic fatigue, f elings of helplessness, and a decline fe declline feelings in personal health. Caregivers may also experience sleep disturbances, anxiety, and withdrawal fr ffrom om social activities. • Strategies to Reset: It’s important f r caregivers to seek support fo p for and living practice self-care. Senior living communities and respite care services off ffe ff fer relief by providing p profe f ssional fe offer professional f r their loved fo loved ones, allowing care for caregivers time to rest and recharge. Taking a break doesn’t mean giving up on caregiving; rather, it ensures caregivers remain healthy and strong enough g to continue caring for f r their fo loved d ones in the long term. Recognizing g the signs of burnout and seeking hel lp is crucial fo fforr caregivers help and their fa ffamilies. milies.
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Wednesday Journal, September 23, 2026
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Sea Love Oak Park makes candles and community Local business owners celebrate their culture through connection
By SYDNEY LOVAN Staff Reporter
One might think making a candle is all about fun and creating something that smells nice. At Sea Love in Oak Park, it’s so much more – it’s a ritual, it’s a story, and it’s family. Co-owners and spouses Tatiane Varjao and Miguel Salinas opened their store on Marion Street less than a year ago. It is a specialty hands-on candle and perfume crafting experience and the second location of Sea Love for Illinois. Their ties to the company go back further. Their family was first introduced to the Maine-based business during a previous holiday season when Varjao’s mother was going through cancer treatment. Varjao shared she was feeling better and the entire family decided to go to Sea Love in Naperville to spend time together in an easy environment. “For the hour that we set to make candles, everything stopped,” said Varjao. “It became just that warm feeling of family, holidays, enjoying it, and we loved the experience.” They now welcome everyone in to create the same feeling of peace and belonging with the guiding motto “everybody has a seat at this table.” The shop is located at 121 N. Marion St. “If we have a bar that seats 20, for us it’s more symbolic,” said Salinas. “I think that’s the bigger underlying principle for us is really about wanting to be part of a community, and really being family oriented, and having a spot that people feel welcomed like this is our house.” Varjao immigrated to the U.S. from Brazil as a child and Salinas is a first-generation Mexican-American. They shared that both of their cultures are deeply rooted in community which is reflected in the store culture of acceptance and inclusion. “Being an immigrant, I never in a million years thought that I would watch some of the things that go on, that are going on still. It’s a really scary place to be in society, but I think it’s really scary for immigrants in general because of the unknown where can I go,” said Varjao. “This is a safe space.” Salinas said his favorite part of running the store is the conversations he gets to have with customers. Someone sharing their story is something he “cherishes” and “doesn’t take lightly.” “As I interact with others, that’s my culture that interacts with you, those are my parents that are interacting with you,” said Salinas. “When you go into a place and you greet people and you embrace and enjoy the dialog, relationships are more important than the time.” The store has over 100 scents to choose from when creating your candle, or they have a newly launched perfume option as well. Customers are able to walk-in, make a reservation or even book a private party, and people of drinking age can enjoy an alcoholic beverage while they craft as the store now has a liquor license. If anyone wonders what the “secret sauce” to a good candle and a good experience at Sea Love is, Salinas put it simply: “It’s relationships. It’s community. It’s family.”
SYDNEY LOVAN
Tatiane Varjao, left, and Miguel Salinas in their store Sea Love on Sept. 10, in downtown Oak Park.
SYDNEY LOVAN
Scented oils for candles line the shelves.
SYDNEY LOVAN
Tatiane Varjao and Miguel Salinas in their shop.
Wednesday Journal, September 23, 2026
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People gather during the Oak Park Conservatory meeting to discuss the Shape Oak Park zoning reform proposals, on Sept. 19.
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Is there a middle ground? from page 15 ing code are meant to encourage small multiunit buildings not high rises. “This incremental change is not bringing a new high rise to our community,” Scaman said. At a Sept. 17 presentation to members of various Oak Park citizen commissions Jim Gates, a former Oak Park Elementary School Board 97 school board president and a member of the Board of Fire and Police Commissioners, said that not having a referendum was a mistake. “I think we really need to pump the breaks, I think we need to reassess that advisory referendum,” Gates said. At the Oak Park Conservatory workshop south Oak Park resident William Kunz was blunter. “If they had a referendum they’d get their asses whipped,” Kunz said. Some of those attending the meetings said they were concerned about teardowns and developers putting up a significantly taller building next door to them or on their block. They raised concerns about increased congestion, more difficult parking and added stress on local schools and village services. “I don’t know anyone in my neighborhood who wants to live next to a six-unit building,” said Heidi Spoor, a longtime resident of south Oak Park who attended the Sept. 20 workshop at the Oak Park Conservatory. “That’s not the nature of the neighborhood. It will depress
property values.” Kara Bromley was also concerned about increased density in her south Oak Park neighborhood. “I don’t want it to be a mini-Chicago,” Bromley said. Village officials said the overnight parking ban will remain and that builders would likely provide some parking because the market will demand that. Many seemed to doubt that much of any new housing built as result of the proposed zoning changes would be affordable saying that the high land acquisition costs and high property taxes in Oak Park would mean that mostly luxury units would be built. One man at the Saturday meeting at village hall didn’t think that Oak Park needed to be all that concerned about serving the “missing middle.” “The missing middle is Forest Park, it’s Elmwood Park, it’s Berwyn,” said the man who declined to give his name, perhaps thinking of the missing middle in terms of cost as much as housing type. Failor said the purpose of the zoning changes is to increase affordability by increasing the types of housing available to Oak Park although it remains to be seen how it would work out in practice. “This whole process is based on creating missing middle affordable housing,” Failor said. “That’s the goal; it might not be the reality.” There will be one more chance to hear more and offer input before the Plan Commission meets. A virtual workshop will be held on Thursday, Sept. 24, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. You can register to attend at the SHAPE OAK PARK website.
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Dilla Thomas leads Austin history tour Fundraiser for the Neighborhood Bridge
By LACEY SIKORA Real Estate Reporter
On Sept. 19, a bus full of tourists and residents took part in a different kind of architectural tour. Emmy-award winning historian Sherman “Dilla” Thomas narrated a two-hour tour through Chicago’s Austin neighborhood. The event was a fundraiser for The Neighborhood Bridge, a not-for-profit founded in 2023 to help West Side residents reach their full potential by connecting them to available human services. TNB works with existing partners to deliver a range of services, including primary and mental healthcare, housing assistance, financial counseling and household budgeting, job training, computer competency and violence prevention. Prentice Butler, executive director of the organization, says a lot of thought went into this year’s fundraiser. “I wanted to create a unique opportunity for supporters and friends of The Neighborhood Bridge to see the area we serve. We’ve all been to plenty of galas. This is something different.” Butler had attended a number of Dilla Thomas’ tours in the past and says of the Chicago-centric historian, “He’s amazing. I love the way that he brings life to history. He keeps the discusPRENTICE BUTLER sion lively and gives you the kind of facts you wouldn’t get anywhere else.” In choosing to use Chicago’s Mahogany Tours for the event, Butler intentionally supported another Chicago-based business. Along with the tour, Butler is looking forward to sharing more information about the five Austin-area schools that The Neighborhood Bridge supports and thinks
CREDIT: THE NEIGHBORHOOD BRIDGE
Sherman “Dilla” Thomas narrated a two-hour bus tour through Chicago’s Austin neighborhood on Sept. 19. the tour-as-fundraiser model will help donors be able to conceptualize Austin in a way that a more traditional fundraiser might not. The tour is sold out, but based on the strong interest, Butler says it’s possible another tour might be on the horizon in 2027. One attendee who was lucky enough to score a ticket is looking forward to getting back across Austin Boulevard for a deeper dive into the community. John Lillig was
excited to learn about the tour from his parish, Ascension St. Edmund. He says, “The Neighborhood Bridge is doing wonderful, wonderful work. This really interested me.” Lillig grew up in Austin and briefly lived there as a young adult, moving back into his family home with his wife and young children in the 1970s. He says part of the draw was the chance to take a tour with Dilla Thomas, while another part of his in-
terest lay in his long roots to Austin. He recalls as a child in the 1950s that a family friend on North Lockwood had African American neighbors. “Austin was all white at the time,” says Lillig. As an adult, he researched the Black family and discovered they had lived in Austin since 1900. “I wondered, what was life like for them in the early 1900s? Did they go to public schools? What kind of churches did they go to?” says Lillig
Wednesday Journal, September 23, 2026
OAKPARK.COM
BUS TOUR from page 20 He notes that while the tour will cover Austin’s hidden gems and architecturally interesting spots, he thinks seeing homes like these will also be interesting. “It’s not a hidden gem or an architectural wonder, but it tells the story of Austin.” Today, Lillig says there’s been a lot of focus on Frank Lloyd Wright’s Walser House, recently purchased by Austin Coming To-
gether, and the neighborhood that Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson calls home. Lillig remembers an Austin that is rich in history and stories, including a home that hosted a music school, an empty lot that once was the location of a house of “ill repute,” and the southwest area of Austin that boasted a large Jewish population. Lillig is bringing his cousin, who also grew up in Austin and lives in Austin, on the bus tour with him. He says he looks forward to engaging with the neighborhood where his parents lived and died and learning more about the people who have called and continue to call Austin home.
CHICAGO BUNGALOW ASSOCIATION
This Austin-area bungalow is a previous winner of a CBA award for interior rehabilitation.
Nominate your bungalow The Chicago Bungalow Association is accepting nominations for its annual Driehaus Bungalow Awards through Sept. 23, 2026. Created 22 years ago with the support of the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation, the awards celebrate home improvement projects, large or small, completed on brick Chicago-style bungalows located in the City of Chicago. Fourteen winners will receive a $1,500 cash prize and a copper plaque commemorating the award. First place and runner-up awards are given in seven categories: exterior rehabilitation, interior rehabilitation, interior restoration, window restoration, small project, green project and landscape design. For more information or to enter, visit: www.chicagobungalow.org
CHICAGO BUNGALOW ASSOCIATION
Jamie and Nate, winners of the interior rehabilitation award revamped their small bungalow kitchen (above).
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Manoj Prasad out at West Sub after selling his stake to landlord Reddy Patlola By BILL DWYER Staff Reporter
Manoj Prasad is out as owner and CEO of West Suburban Medical Center and Weiss Memorial Hospital after reaching an agreement with his business partner and landlord, Rathnakar Reddy Patlola, to sell his interest in the hospitals. The agreement between Patlola and Prasad was announced Wednesday night around 10:30 by Chancery Court Judge Patrick Stanton, following a marathon 6 1/2-hour meeting in chambers. That followed a 4 1/2-hour meeting Wednesday afternoon. Patlola’s attorney Scott Kaplan did not respond to an email requesting comment on and details of the buyout. The agreement ends a six-month-long legal saga that saw numerous hearings, many hours of closed-door negotiations with a judge and multiple changes of attorneys. The decision by Patlola to buy out Prasad eliminates the need for a receiver to take over West Sub and Weiss and suggests the general terms of a settlement reached on May 29 will take force, including Insight Health Systems owning and managing West Sub and Weiss. Atif Bawahab, president and CEO of Insight Hospital and Medical Center in Chicago, said in a statement that the agreement “is the start of a long, phased process, not the end of one.” “We were asked to step in at West Suburban and Weiss because these communities cannot afford to lose their hospitals, and Insight has done this hard work before,” Bawahab said. Insight currently operates the former Mercy Hospital on the Near South Side. “In the coming period, we will begin a careful assessment of both hospitals to determine the appropriate path forward for each.” He said there are “real hurdles ahead” that include “restoring licenses and certifications, rebuilding systems and staffing, meeting regulatory require-
ments, and earning back the confidence of patients and providers— and none of that happens overnight.” Bawahab said Insight’s approach will be deliberate and judicious. “We are missiondriven, and that includes protecting what we have built at Insight Chicago — the care of the patients and staff who depend on us today will not be disrupted by this effort. We are committed to doing this the right way: carefully, sustainably, and in full coordination with state regulators.” Insight board member Henry Barlow was present at a press conference Thursday morning at the Greater Rock Baptist Missionary Church on the West Side. The event was organized by the Rev. Robin Hood, leader of The Coalition to Save Safety-Net Hospitals. Barlow underscored the time and attention needed to assess and rectify the situation at West Sub, saying it will be “a long process. This is not going to be overnight.” Barlow said officials from Insight were “reading through the settlement” and starting the process of working to “find out what it’s going to take to get (West Sub) operational again.” “Some services (may) open up faster than other services, “he said, noting that no one knows the condition of the hospital physically or financially. “It depends on what is seen and what is found.” Asked when West Sub might reasonably be expected to begin re-opening, Barlow said, “We’re talking about four months out.” Several themes were evident, including a celebratory feeling at Prasad no longer having control of West Sub, whose closure had severely impacted many people on the city’s West Side. Hood voiced two primary emotions evident Thursday morning; deep anger at Prasad and relief that he no longer is involved with West Sub. “We got the devil out of the details,” Hood said. “We’re glad Prasad is no longer able to destroy our institution.”
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Wednesday Journal, September 23, 2026
Shrubtown p. 25
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Building community through bike-commuting
T
he Monday before school started, 65 new middle-schoolers and a handful of parents gathered at elementary schools across Oak Park to practice their new commute by bike. The Middle School Connections Ride, a parent-led event organized by local advocacy group Bike Walk Oak Park (BWOP), sent riders from Beye, Holmes, Lincoln, Longfellow and Whittier out to Brooks and Julian, with a popsicle break at the halfway point. Organizers spent the summer scouting routes and mapping safe crossings at busy streets like Washington and Ridgeland. My kids were too young to participate, but I was eager to hear how it went, especially with so much new infrastructure in place. I talked to organizers and parents in the weeks after. BWOP leader Sylvia Schweri told me turnout was good enough that they’re already planning to repeat it next year. For the kids, she said, biking with friends was its own reward, while parents were excited to help their children become more independent. One parent told me that when she moved here in 2018, it seemed like a kid on a bike getting hit by a car in the first weeks of school was an annual event. She credits the bike infrastructure that’s gone in since for making those stories rare instead of routine. The most visible of those changes are the bike boulevards. Another parent shared that she now feels comfortable riding the whole village with her 7-year-old. More people riding the same routes means drivers know to expect bikes there; it also builds real community. This summer my family biked the boulevards to camp every morning, regularly joining up with other riders. My kids loved being part of a daily “bike parade.” An unexpected bonus was seeing tweens navigating on their own. Facebook will tell you Oak Park kids don’t wear helmets or follow the rules of the road. The ones we rode behind all summer did both. But a boulevard is only as good as its crossings. More than half of our schools have boundaries that require kids to cross Ridgeland, a street many cyclists and pedestrians dread. I have neighbors who biked confidently in Chicago but stayed off their bikes here, nervous about crossing Ridgeland. The right-turn-only lanes are a big change, but they’re what makes the crossing safe. You’re no longer gambling on whether a leftturning driver sees you. The design steers each of us toward different streets: walkers and bikers toward calmer crossings, drivers toward the streets now meant for through traffic. Living east of Ridgeland, I regularly cross it on foot, by bike and by car — and now I have my preferred route for each. Everyone has an opinion on the new bike infrastructure: too much for some, too little for others. For me, I’ll take what I can get. Oak Park is an old village with narrow streets; it’s impossible to make everyone happy. But none of that changes what the Middle School Connections Ride showed us. We all win when middle-schoolers can bike on their own. The kids learn to ride safely and feel empowered. Parents win by not having to schlep them around anymore. And drivers win too. Each of those 65 riders is one less car idling outside Brooks and Julian on a weekday morning. Nicole Chavas is a board member of Bike Walk Oak Park.
NICOLE VARGAS
PROVIDED BY CORY WESLEY
O
Oak Park’s missing middle
ak Park passed its first zoning ordinance in 1921 and made race-based housing segregation a key part of its culture from then until passing the Fair Housing Ordinance in 1968. This includes hiring Harland Bartholomew to rewrite our zoning code in 1946. Bartholomew was one of the fathers of “Urban Renewal” or “Negro Removal” as James Baldwin famously put it. He traveled the country implementing exclusionary zoning ordinances – including extended stops in Oak Park and River Forest. As a result of that initial zoning ordinance, the construction of middle housing here crashed – going from 13 buildings per year from 1858 to 1924, all the way down to seven, total, from 1970 to 2025. Why is this important? Everything follows housing – including integration. Oak Park replaced the multifamily housing type that was most readily integrated into its single-family home neighborhoods with apartment buildings that were zoned to exist mainly along the commercial corridors. Over time, that created a perception that Oak Park’s character was defined by single-family neighborhoods with
apartments along the main streets. But that’s not the reality. Our neighborhoods still contain a much more diverse mix of housing, thanks to the significant amount that survives from our pre-zoning construction boom. The surviving housing exists on blocks scattered across the village – including some blocks that are a mix of middle housing (2-6 units), single-family housing, and bigger apartment buildings (7+ units), while others are mainly single-family housing or multifamily. This diversity allows us to run a demographic comparison across three types of Oak Park blocks using 2020 block-level Census data. Single-family home blocks - where single-family homes make up at least 90% of the housing. Middle-housing blocks - where at least half of the housing is in 2-6 unit multifamily homes. Apartment blocks - where at least 90% of homes are in multifamily buildings. On single-family home blocks, Black residents make up only 10% of the population (against
CORY WESLEY One View
See CORY WESLEY on page 26
OAKPARK.COM
I
Difficult conversations 9/11 left behind
was in a movie theater in Hyderabad, India with my friend Chato when our phones started buzzing. At intermission, we checked them and realized something big was unfolding in New York. Details were sketchy, and my first thought was about my brother and his family, who lived there. We finished the movie as details of the 9/11 attacks emerged. Living in India at the time, terrorism unfortunately wasn’t unfamiliar. Attacks made the front page only when the death toll was large enough to command attention. I had become more desensitized than I realized. Freshly out of college and beginning a consulting career, I was thousands of miles away from New York. Once I knew my brother and his family were safe, my brain initially processed 9/11 much like the “usual” terrorism I had grown accustomed to reading about at home. Of course, it was anything but usual. My consulting career soon had me traveling the world, and one reminder of 9/11 followed me through international airports: I found myself “randomly selected for additional screening” far more often than seemed statistically random. I didn’t particularly resent it. The system was trying, imperfectly, to keep people safe in a world confronting a different kind of threat. Not long afterward, I came to the United States. Living here brought me closer to the trauma of 9/11 and something I hadn’t fully understood from India: the shock and vulnerability created by an attack of that magnitude on American soil. The response reshaped the world. Fighting terrorism received enormous emphasis and new resources, and the United States fought wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, with consequences still debated today. Twenty-five years later, the terrorism that produced 9/11 no longer dominates our sense of global threat as it once did. My identity changed too. In 2016, I became an American citizen. But some questions exposed by 9/11 remain. Extremism, immigration, integration, Islam, and liberal democratic values continue to generate difficult debates and shape politics in India, Europe and the United States. Legitimate concerns about immigration, extremism, and integration can easily turn into suspicion of entire communities. The opposite temptation is to avoid difficult questions altogether. Neither path serves us particularly well. Social media has made it easier to retreat among people who confirm what we already believe, and artificial intelligence can personalize that information even further, allowing each of us to increasingly inhabit our own version of reality. We risk being left with two choices: engage mostly with people who confirm or amplify our biases, or avoid difficult conversations for fear of being misunderstood or vilified simply for having them. Twenty-five years ago, I watched a tragedy thousands of miles away without understanding how profoundly it would shape the world I was about to enter. Since then, I have become an immigrant, an American citizen and an elected official. What I’ve learned is surprisingly simple: diverse societies require difficult conversations. We have to get past our discomfort and get better at having them. Ravi Parakkat is an Oak Park resident and a former village trustee.
RAVI PARAKKAT One View
V I E W P O I N T S
Wednesday Journal, September 23, 2026
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Please stop rezoning
Allowing a six-unit building on a small village lot is absolutely a terrible idea. It will dramatically increase density in the neighborhood and create significant parking and traffic issues. We moved to Oak Park because we value the quiet, tree-lined streets, established neighborhoods, and relatively low-density character of our community. Attempting to fundamentally change the makeup and character of these neighborhoods is extremely disappointing, unexpected, and, frankly, unacceptable. Developers will undoubtedly love these changes, but will they meaningfully increase affordable housing? Absolutely not. What they will do is increase density, put additional pressure on parking and infrastructure, and change the character of neighborhoods that residents chose specifically because of what they are today. There needs to be a thoughtful balance between responsible development and preserving the character of our community. This proposal does not appear to strike that balance.
Mark Fischer Oak Park
KEN
TRAINOR Ken Trainor is taking this week off. He’ll be back in his regular slot next week.
Zoning change and faulty comparisons
In the July 29 issue of Viewpoints [Progress on housing affordability], Trustee Derek Elder compared the result of ending single-family zoning in Minneapolis with what he expected would happen if we ended single-family zoning in Oak Park: falling rents and building new multifamily units that created more affordable housing. In the Aug. 19 Viewpoints section [Comparing Oak Park & Minneapolis], I pointed out that ending single-family zoning had virtually nothing to do with falling rents and building new multifamily units that created more affordable housing in Minneapolis. Affordable housing in Minneapolis was a result of Minneapolis’ huge land area, huge population, lack of population density, large amount of vacant land, publicly owned vacant land, inexpensive private lots, tens of millions of city dollars devoted to affordable housing, and organizations like Habitat for Humanity building affordable housing. Eliminating single family zoning had virtually nothing to do with these factors, and our trustees ignored every one of these factors that Oak Park does not have in determining that Minneapolis was a parallel example for the results we could expect in Oak Park. Several California cities, including Santa Monica and Midway City, are actively building affordable housing using prefabricated modular methods to speed up construction and lower costs. In Santa Monica, the city completed Berkeley Station, its very first modular affordable housing project. Spectrum News 1 (9/5/26) reports “The building has 13 sustainable, all-electric homes” designed for lowincome and housing-insecure families. In Midway City, a major development featuring “65 units of
new affordable housing” was recently stacked into place, bringing rapid rental solutions to small families and lower-income individuals (Orange County Register, 8/29/26). Minneapolis’ public housing authority acts as a leader by utilizing off-site construction (prefabricated units) to rapidly develop affordable housing units (ced.sog.unc.edu). These examples offer real solutions for real problems that have nothing to do with eliminating single-family zoning. One of the key factors in creating Minneapolis’ affordable housing was the fact that the city had vacant buildable land owned by the city perfectly situated for prefabricated modular housing. Oak Park should buy the current vacant land at the corner of Chicago and Ridgeland, Austin and Roosevelt, and the Mohr Cement property. These three lots should be rezoned for modular housing and then the village should solicit bids to build such housing. The result: No change in zoning and virtually immediate affordable housing for lower-income residents. In 1960 Oak Park had a white population of 99.9% (WJ, 11/24/09). In 2024 Oak Park had a white population of 61.5% and a minority population of 43.5% (CensusDots.com). (These numbers do not equal 100% due to multiple racial reporting.) In 1960 and in 2024 Oak Park had single-family zoning. What role did single-family zoning play in preventing minority populations from moving into Oak Park and increasing from virtually 0% to 43.5%? Absolutely none.
Al Krause
Oak Park
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Wednesday Journal, September 23, 2026
V I E W P O I N T S
‘Pilot’ proposal misses the point
Regarding “A modest proposal for our zoning pilot” [Viewpoints, Josh VanderBerg]: the satire is well-aimed, but it points in the wrong direction. The letter mocks residents who support Ravi Parakkat’s call for a pilot study by imagining they’d only accept change if it landed on someone else’s block. But that’s not the objection critics of village-wide rezoning have actually raised. The objection is that we’re being asked to rewrite zoning for all 4.7 square miles of Oak Park at once, based on a consultant’s recommendation, without the kind of staged, evidence-based rollout that responsible policymaking usually requires — and without ever putting the question to voters directly, a referendum the board rejected 5-1. A pilot isn’t a dodge. It’s how you find out whether “missing middle” housing actually produces the affordability, diversity, and accessibility its advocates promise, before you commit an entire village to it. If a pilot in one neighborhood shows the promised benefits, that’s
a strong argument for expansion. If it doesn’t, we’ll have saved ourselves from a village-wide mistake. Either way, we’d have data instead of assurances from the same firm that coined “missing middle housing” and stands to benefit from its adoption. The satire’s real target seems to be affluent neighborhoods that say they support density — until it’s proposed for them. That’s a fair thing to call out wherever it’s true. But using that argument to wave away any pilot, anywhere, isn’t a rebuttal to the idea of testing before we leap. It’s an argument for skipping the test altogether and hoping the results turn out the way Opticos predicts. If proponents of this rezoning are as confident in the outcome as they say, a real pilot — chosen with genuine criteria, not chosen to make a rhetorical point — should be something they welcome, not something they satirize. Nice try, JVB!
Chip Popa
Oak Park villager
Zoning overhaul is not needed
As noted by Rhoda Bernstein [The middle isn’t missing, Viewpoints, Sept. 2] there is no “missing middle” of housing units in our area: 43% of the housing units in Oak Park are in the “middle” style buildings. In Austin, 63% of units are in middle buildings. In Berwyn, 44%. In Forest Park, 42.6%. In Elmwood Park, 37.8%. In River Forest, 27.3%. Cook County is 40.3% middle. If the village board and the consultants think the middle is “missing” then they should tell us the target percentage and how many of our single-family homes need to be eliminated to achieve that target. Nationally, 27% of housing units are in multifamily buildings. Even if you believe this number is too small, it is not an Oak Park problem. There are 9,747 single-family homes in the village. How many are to be replaced? 9,000? 4,000? How many new units in “middle” buildings are required to meet the goals? 40,000? 20,000? Does the board want to add 80,000 people to our current 53,000 population? 45,000? The board owes the residents a specific statement of their vision for the village. Why do they want to
eliminate all single-family zoning? Our village has evolved an excellent blend of residential and commercial buildings that serves a diverse population. It will continue to change incrementally under the current rules and processes. We do not need a dramatic overhaul of zoning. Sources: CMAP Community Data Snapshot, Oak Park CMAP Community Data Snapshot, Austin CMAP Community Data Snapshot, Berwyn CMAP Community Data Snapshot, Forest Park CMAP Community Data Snapshot, River Forest CMAP Community Data Snapshot, Elmwood Park “Multifamily Housing: Distribution, Building Size, and Gross Rent Across Congressional Districts,” Eye On Housing “Young Americans Want Single-Family Homes,” Institute for Family Studies
Marc Martinez Oak Park
Oak Park, are you paying attention?
Magicians use sleight of hand to focus an audience on one thing while something else happens out of view. In Oak Park, our policy process can sometimes feel remarkably similar. Consider the current zoning debate. The village selected “key groups,” consultants and staff to help shape a proposal before most residents had a meaningful opportunity to weigh in. Trustees then offered public discussions and three-minute comments after the framework was largely established. That may satisfy the technical definition of public engagement, but meaningful engagement should help shape the choices — not simply react to choices already made. We saw a similar pattern with the $30 million Bike Plan: approve the policy, then market its benefits. More than a year later, residents should be asking how the plan itself is being evaluated against its costs, alternatives and measurable outcomes. The zoning debate should not be reduced to a choice between single-family and multifamily zoning. Residents should ask a more fundamental question: “What housing does Oak Park need, affordable to whom, where should
it be located, and which policies will actually produce it?” Those answers must also consider infrastructure, environmental impacts, neighborhood character, property taxes and the interests of current and future residents. The financial stakes extend beyond zoning. Trustees have already approved substantial new borrowing, while other adopted initiatives could create significant future obligations. Residents deserve to understand the cumulative impact. Oak Park is not simply a community of wealthy homeowners with unlimited resources. For many families, much of their wealth is tied up in their homes, not sitting in a bank account. These decisions affect taxes, housing costs and everyday household finances. Public engagement should begin before the answer is drafted. Residents should pay attention, ask harder questions and hold elected officials accountable. Learn more about residents’ rights and Right of Recall at https://rightofrecall.org.
Kurtis Todd Oak Park
Supporting Straw’s zoning change I am writing to express my support for Brian Straw’s proposed zoning change, specifically the proposal to reset the maximum building height standard to 60 feet and the requirement that any future development proposal include a complete project plan before consideration by the Zoning Board of Appeals or a vote by the Oak Park Village Board. My perspective on this issue comes from firsthand experience. I was actively involved in the community effort surrounding the development of Rush Oak Park Hospital’s current medical office building. At that time, our goal was never to stop hospital growth or prevent investment in the community. We recognized the importance of the hospital and supported its continued development. Our concern was with their initial secretive approach, which sought village approval for that project, which would have had significant negative impact on the surrounding neighborhood (increased height and footprint of the proposed building, loss of single-family homes, increased foot and auto traffic, new parking garage
with extended footprint and height) without adequate input from the residents most affected by those decisions. The work undertaken by neighborhood residents ultimately helped shape a better outcome, one that reduced the harm the original proposal would have caused while still allowing the project to move forward. That experience demonstrated the value of transparency, collaboration, and early community engagement. It also showed that development projects are often improved when the affected neighborhood has a meaningful opportunity to review and provide input before key decisions are made. For these reasons, I believe the proposed zoning change limiting the height of future buildings to 65 feet and the requirement on future proposals are reasonable and beneficial. They support responsible growth while ensuring that future development decisions are made through a transparent process that respects both the institution and the surrounding community.
Randy Gillett Oak Park
V I E W P O I N T S S H R U B T O W N
Wednesday Journal, September 23, 2026
by Marc Stopeck
W E D N E S D A Y
JOURNAL of Oak Park and River Forest
Viewpoints Guidelines
Zoning issue raises big questions
I live in North Oak Park and spent some of Labor Day debating the “Shape Oak Park” zoning proposals among friends and neighbors. We are all active in community service, love our community, and are concerned. Politics aside, the discussion quickly focused on infrastructure, facilities and schools. Take, for example, sewage. Oak Park’s water treatment grid is independent of Chicago. My block is prone to backups already during heavy rain. Let’s assume each block eventually adds an extra 10 households by building 3- to 6-unit structures where three bedroom houses formally stood. How many more sinks, showers, washing machines, toilets does that translate to? What does it do to our delicate aging sewer network? As a longtime homeowner in Oak Park, nothing is worse than sewage in your basement. The next worst thing is probably rats which brings me to my next point: garbage. It’s no secret we have a rat problem in Oak Park and most residential blocks being proposed re-zoned do not yet have dumpsters overflowing with garbage in the alley. So again, how will the village react to the significant increase in garbage that will spill into alleys and attract rats? Last point, schools. If you’ve experienced the inner ring
of OPRF which sometimes feels like a hunger games scene, to say it’s chaotic is an understatement. Cars blowing stop signs, e-bikes zipping by, at any moment you feel you are going to witness an accident trying to cross a major thoroughfare. Oak Park has spent tens of millions of dollars to keep OPRF High School relevant and to keep up with the massive population approaching 4,000 students. So again, what is the plan to handle the additional influx of public school students as it relates directly to Shape Oak Park? How does the village address the already at-capacity park district facility space issue for these kids to play rec sports or performing arts events? Before the village moves forward, filling the void of missing middle housing, I hope they have done the due diligence needed to define exactly how, from an infrastructure, facilities and utilities standpoint, this is possible as it relates directly to the Shape Oak Park proposal. How can the village board ensure residents our streets remain safe, how does the school board promise our schools remain great, and how does public works ensure our basements and alleys remain sanitary?
Peter Wessel Oak Park
The goal of the Viewpoints section is to foster and facilitate a community conversation and respectful dialogue. Responsible community voices are vital to community journalism and we welcome them. Space is at a premium and readers’ attention is also limited, so we ask that Viewpoints submissions be brief. Our limit for letters to the editor is 350 words. For One View essays, the limit is 500 words. Shorter is better. If and when we have sufficient space, we print longer submissions, but when space is limited — as it often is — we may ask you to submit a shorter version or hold the piece until space allows us to print it. We reserve the right to edit submissions. We do not have time to allow the writer to review changes before publication. We also do not have time to do more than superficial fact-checking, and because of our national epidemic of misinformation and conspiracy theories, when writers include statistical evidence to support their opinions, we require them to include the source of that information, such as credible websites, print publications, titles of articles and dates published, etc. Be as specific as possible so that we and our readers have some way of assessing the credibility of your claims. Links may also be included for the online version. We follow the Society of Professional Journalists’ code of ethics: seek the truth and report it and minimize harm. As a result, we will do our best not to publish pieces that espouse doubtful or debunked theories, demonstrate harmful bias, or cross the line into incivility. While we will do our best not to engage in censorship, we also do not intend to be used as a platform for misinformation. Your sources for fact-checking are a critical step in keeping the discourse honest, decent and respectful. All submissions must include your first and last name and the municipality in which you live, plus a phone number (for verification only). We do not publish anonymous letters. One View essays should include a sentence at the end about who you are. If we receive your submission by 5 p.m. on Sunday, you can expect your opinion to be included in that week’s paper (and online), space permitting.
Pieces can be submitted through our online form at oakpark.com or directly to Viewpoints editor Ken Trainor, ktrainor@newswellchicago.org. For the latter, we prefer attached Word files or plain text included in the email. LETTER TO THE EDITOR ■ 350-word limit ■ Must include first and last
names, municipality in which you live, phone number (for verification only)
‘ONE VIEW’ ESSAY ■ 500-word limit ■ One-sentence footnote
about yourself and/or your connection to the topic ■ Signature details as at left
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V I E W P O I N T S
Wednesday Journal, September 23, 2026
OAKPARK.COM
Fridays under the lights
As I write this, it has been exactly 17 years since the first OPRF Friday night football game was played “under the lights” at the school’s stadium. The lights had been installed during the second half of August 2009 after a years-long legal battle. As Wednesday Journal’s archives can confirm, this was a very controversial issue in the village. The campaign to install lights had taken literally years, championed by the high school and many parents of student athletes, and vociferously opposed by stadium neighbors, even those who lived multiple blocks away from the football field. The pro-lights crowd argued that the lights would provide many benefits to the athletic programs by allowing extra practice time for soccer and other practices, which was sorely needed. The anti-lights
contingent loudly proclaimed that the 4-5 Friday night football games would negatively impact the quality of their lives and their real estate values. They pooled funds to hire legal counsel to help them fight the lights. Many letters, both pro and con, were published in Viewpoints, including one from me (I’ll try to find that letter; as the parent of two varsity soccer players, I was pro-lights). Sound familiar? This controversy was not dissimilar to the re-zoning fight that is raging as we speak. So how did it all turn out for OPRF High School and its neighbors? Were innocent babies’ sleep schedules disrupted as some parents feared? Did real estate values for nearby homes drop? Did the Friday night games attract rowdy youth from Chicago
CORY WESLEY
who caused problems in our serene village? Was the quality of life in Oak Park negatively impacted as some so sincerely feared? It would be fascinating for Wednesday Journal to revisit the controversy and interview those who live near the high school, local realtors who experienced the after effects to the local housing market, as well as OPRF students, parents and administrators, to see what their experience has been. As we grapple with yet another polarizing issue on which reasonable men and women can differ, it would be interesting to see what 17 years of experience and perspective has taught us. High school neighbors, be honest: Is it really as bad as you feared it would be?
Alison Nelson Oak Park
Is the priority health care or profit?
My head is spinning. First, finger-pointing and counter-finger-pointing. Now a court ordered receiver — no wait, a sale agreement for West Sub and Weiss has been agreed upon (aka “the check is in the mail”). In the continued shenanigans about these two hospitals and with recriminations flying in both directions, there appears to be no serious thought given to needed health-care services rather than re-opening the brickand-mortar facilities. First identify the needed services, then drive the solution — maybe it’s a hospital, maybe it’s freestanding services, maybe none of the above. But the solution (re-opening a hospital) should not
drive the process. The actual needs of the communities should. Long ago I realized much (but not all) of the health-care industry was about selling health care as a way to make money. It was not about delivering to the needs of the community. I don’t deny anyone a profit, but in health care the profit should be the end result of high-quality, efficient health care, not the other way around. The “sale” and “new ownership” of these facilities will continue the tradition of making money on “heads and beds” (i.e. filling up a hospital with high-margin services), not on improving the health care of the Austin and Uptown
If only …
Well over 300 wonderful people signed a petition this summer to (hopefully) save the trees at the Madison and Ashland development site in River Forest. Unfortunately the development was approved by the village board, and only some pines may be saved. The beautiful and healthy old silver maple most likely will come down, to make room for parking spaces. Taking down this tree does not represent the village’s motto: “Proud Heritage - Bright Future” because its removal is the antithesis of preserving the village’s historic character. The developer, a resident of River Forest, apparently isn’t aware of this respectful motto and is planning a huge, dull, cookie-cutter development at Madison and Ashland, an area that features lovely older homes that truly represent the peaceful beauty of our village. How wonderful it would be if saving this beautiful tree could be symbolic of all that is great about the heritage of River Forest!
Jayne Gould
River Forest
neighborhoods. I once asked a CFO why the hospital system doesn’t have in its strategic vision statement (let’s say) “to drive down the incidence of diabetes.” I was told that was impossible because we are a money-making entity and that is our priority. The state and local communities should drive this needs assessment and determine (if needed) re-opening of services. In any event, these new or re-opened services should carry an obligation to actually improve health care, not just the bottom line.
Dr. Gary Wainer Oak Park
When construction finally ends …
Here is a message I sent to the village board: The construction on Oak Park Avenue has hit businesses hard. I propose the village, upon completion of the project, take out an ad in Wednesday Journal that lists all the businesses with a message to the effect that they are eager and ready as ever to serve their patrons as before. And … as a gift to the businesses, the village should provide a 10 percent discount on all goods and services for a week after the street is fully functional.
Jim Whalen Oak Park
The cost of exclusion from page 22 18.7% village-wide). On apartment blocks, Black residents make up 30%. On middle-housing blocks, Black residents make up 31%, three times the representation of single-family home blocks. On those same middle-housing blocks, white residents make up 45%, Hispanic residents make up 11% (their highest representation among the three block types), and Asian, mixed-race, and residents of other races make up 13%, also their highest representation among the three block types. Middle-housing blocks aren’t just the blocks with the highest percentage of Black residents; they are our most integrated blocks in general. Sadly, they are also the category with the fewest blocks – only 34 blocks in the village meet the middle-housing criteria, compared to 468 blocks of single-family housing. Make no mistake, this wasn’t preference – it was policy. It’s why we started with the history. It’s why we included the first chart. Oak Park banned middle housing from its neighborhoods in 1921 – a decision that baked 1920s segregation into the very foundation of our neighborhoods decades before the Fair Housing Ordinance was ever written in 1968. A century later, we’re still living with the segregation it locked in. But we can change that because we can change the zoning code. The Shape Oak Park zoning reform proposal is designed to create middle-housing blocks. Wait. That’s wrong. Let me get this right. The Shape Oak Park zoning reform is designed to create integration by creating middle-housing blocks. It picks up where “managed integration” and the Fair Housing Ordinance of 1968 left off. It helps us create a village integrated all the way down to its building blocks. And it shows that we care – not just about the experiences of the majority, but everyone else as well. So when I’m asked, what has exclusionary zoning cost Oak Park? The answer is one word: integration. In 2026, it’s time we stop paying this debt. Cory Wesley is an Oak Park village trustee.
OAKPARK.COM
Marion Hauser, 64 CEO of Caring Medical Clinic
Marion Ann Boomer Hauser, 64, died on Sept. 20, 2026 at Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital, surrounded by family and friends after a 2.5-year battle from uterine carcinosarcoma. Friends from all over the world were inspired and encouraged by her warm compassion, high moral integrity, intellect, Christian devotion, strong work ethic, athleticism, sense of humor and passionate nature. Growing up in Waukegan, one of her passions was cooking, passed on by her mother Lura. She studied nutrition and ultimately became a registered dietitian. She had the gift of hospitality and her great joy was cooking for her family and friends. Another was athletics, participating in marathons and triathlons with her buddy, Tim Kenny, and hiking and biking in Canada, Italy, Corsica, and the U.S. She and her husband Ross were together since nursery school. This included studying the Bible and becoming involved in church activities (Harrison Street Bible Church and Calvary in Oak Park, Sanibel Community Church, First Assembly in Fort Myers). They founded Beulah Land Natural Medicine Clinic in Thebes, Illinois, as a free charity clinic for 11 years. She was also an active board member of the Huntley Brown Foundation. They formed the company Caring Medical in 1991 and Marion joined Ross in the medical practice in 1995 acting as CEO and for the next 30 years. They ran, promoted, and researched innovative medical therapies, especially Prolotherapy. They vacationed with family and friends for many years in Sanibel Island, eventually building a home and living in Florida permanently since 2016. They moved their medical clinic operation there in 2021. Marion is survived by Ross, her husband of 40 years; Lynne and Bernie; her siblings, Ellen, Liz, and Staci (Jon); her nephews Kyle (Jennifer), Torin (Anna) and Alex (Mikayla); her niece, Sara, and many grandnieces and nephews; and a host of friends (Mary Lou, John, Nicole, Maureen and too many to mention) who loved and admired her. She was preceded in death by her parents Richard/ Lura, Aunt/Uncle Marion and Quillian Murphy, nephew Tommy and friends (Pastor Peter, C.W. and many others). A memorial service to celebrate Marion’s life will be held at 10 a.m. on Sept. 24 at
O B I T U A R I E S Village Church in Oak Park, followed by lunch at Trattoria 225 just around the corner from the church. Marion treated all people equally. She came to believe the best way to live life is to honor God as described in the Bible.
Bunny Mullins, 95
Water aerobics instructor at Gottlieb Bunny Mullins crossed the finish line on Sept. 16, 2026, three days after accomplishing her final goal, living to be 95, like her mother. She led an ordinary and remarkable life. Born on Sept. 13, 1931, during the Great Depression, the third of four children of John and Nora Dougherty, she was raised in “South” River Forest (an important distinction to her) in a household that also included her grandmother, aunt and uncle. The love, music and dancing were abundant, and there was always one more seat at the table. She never knew a stranger. She overcame her share of adversity — a polio and cancer survivor and losing many loved ones along the way — but she was never down for long. Her determination and willpower carried her through. She was a graduate of Oak Park and River Forest High School and the Katharine Gibbs Secretarial School, where she met her best friend, Mary Jane (Stamm) Joslin. She worked at Time Magazine in downtown Chicago until she became pregnant with her first child, Tim, and was no longer allowed to work. She was always proud of the fact that her savings from this job allowed her and her husband, Edward, to buy their first home on the South Side of Chicago. They eventually settled in River Forest, and raised their eight children across the street from the house she grew up in. In 1964, she and Edward started the E.J. Mullins Co., which is still in business today, employing the third generation of family members. While not involved in running the business after the first few years (she was busy raising the future employees), her work ethic and guidance were an example. She would always say she never had a favorite grandchild, but “honorable mention” goes to Katie Nora, daughter of John and Norine, who was her roommate and righthand woman for the last two years. As the matriarch of a large family, she wore many hats, but reveled in her career as a water aerobics instructor at Gottlieb
Health and Fitness Center. She began that chapter at the age of 70, and worked there until COVID shut the club down, just shy of her 89th birthday. loved spending time at her home in Lily Lake, road trips, Old Fashioned cocktails, music of the 1940s (especially Glenn Miller), belting out a tune, the color yellow, and all children and babies. Her Irish heritage was a source of great pride, and St. Patrick’s Day celebrated on Madison Street was a highlight of her year. Bunny was preceded in death by her parents, John and Nora Dougherty, her brother Jack (the late Lois), her sisters, Bliss Gillespie and Bobbie (the late Tom) Sullivan, and grandson, Patrick Mullins. She is survived by her children, Tim (Mabel), Mark (Eileen), Maureen (Brian) Connelly, Kevin, Molly (Tom) Swock, Meg (Kurt) Amen, John (Norine), and Terrence (Erica); 24 grandchildren, 23 great-grandchildren, and nieces and nephews in the hundreds. Visitation will be held at Conboy-Westchester Funeral Home, 10501 W. Cermak Road, Westchester, IL, on Sept. 23 from 3 to 8 p.m. On Sept. 24, an 11 a.m. funeral Mass will be celebrated at St. Luke Church, 7600 Lake St., River Forest, IL (which will be livestreamed). Interment will be private at All Saints Cemetery in Des Plaines. In lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions to Misericordia Home in the name of Molly Mullins #6417A.
Larry Joyce, 77
Resident manager, Mills Park Tower Lawrence Walker Joyce (known as Larry, Big Lar, Lorenzo, Rugman, and Piesor Quelle), 77,died peacefully surrounded by loved ones on September 10, 2026, after complications from a long illness. Born on May 9, 1949, son of the late Rosemary and John “Jack” Joyce, the longtime Oak Parker attended Ascension Catholic Elementary School and OPRF High School, graduating in 1967. He put himself through Morton Jr. College and University of Illinois Chicago, earning a BA degree in Sociology, all while working for Illinois Bell as a janitor, eventually becoming a corporate buyer. Along the way, a blind date that turned out to be high school acquaintance Joan McFarlane led to marriage in 1972, a baby boy in 1973 and twins in 1977. In 1981 he bought his childhood home from his parents and began
Wednesday Journal, September 23, 2026
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renovating the historic 1908 Oak Park house. He attended Second City, graduating in 1985, and dabbled in stand-up comedy. In 1991, Joan died from Lupus. In 1993, after a 27-year career, he was laid off from Ameritech (formerly Illinois Bell). Freed from corporate drudgery, he dabbled in creative ventures, including short story fiction, pen and ink drawing, and cartooning. In 1996 he married Kathy Math and the two later divorced. In 2003 he began working in maintenance at Oak Park’s Mills Park Tower, becoming the on-site resident manager. There he self-published a humorous advice column, “Aunt Fortuna” and the comic strip “Maintenance Mayhem,” showcasing workplace follies. He was a longtime player on the Clockwork softball team, a lifelong White Sox fan and unofficial ambassador for the claymation character Gumby. He distributed countless figurines over the years and carried in his heart Gumby’s core message: to be flexible in creativity and curiosity. Creator Art Clokey stated, “Gumby represents the inherent goodness in all of us,” something Larry strived to see in those he met. He is survived by his children, Tim (Brett Uram), Emily (Liz Shefchuk), Chris (Filippo Impieri); his siblings, Rosellen (Lou) Ryczek, Terry (Kay Campbell) Joyce, Mary Jane (Brian) Joyce-Byrne, Carol (the late Mike) Egan, and Denise (George) Belland; many nieces and nephews and a multitude of lifelong friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Joan (née McFarlane), and his brother, John “Patrick” Jr. (Jan) Joyce. A belated celebration of life is planned for April 24, 2027 at FitzGerald’s at 6615 Roosevelt Road, Berwyn, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
A memorial service for Bob Compton Robert Compton, 88, died peacefully in his sleep on June 1, 2026 after being on dialysis for 14 years. Born on April 11, 1938 on a farm in South Louisiana, he taught himself how to weld and became an expert when he came north to the Chicago area. A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m., Sept. 26, at Unity Temple, 675 Kenilworth Ave., Oak Park. In lieu of flowers, memorials to Unity Temple are appreciated.
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Wednesday Journal, September 23, 2026
SPORTS OPRF rides momentum in homecoming win
Winning big against a tough opponent to 3 interceptions, Smith rushes improve to 3-2 overall and 2-1 in conference was even bigger than homecoming. for 2 TDs to defeat York “We had some people out for concussions
By GREGG VOSS Staff Reporter
The homecoming football game always seems to have a different vibe. There’s that certain electricity in the air. Everyone’s pumped, from students to administrators to returning alumni. But for OPRF senior running back Liam Smith and sophomore receiver Cameron Minish-Murray, it’s all business on the field. And that pair meant business Friday in the Huskies’ 24-21 victory over perennial West Suburban Silver power York. Smith, who doubled as an effective linebacker, rushed 25 times for 107 yards and two touchdowns. Minish-Murray leaped over a defender for a 10-yard touchdown catch midway through the third quarter and had a huge 34-yard pass gain early in the fourth quarter that set up Smith’s second score, a 3-yard run. “It sure feels good,” Smith understated post-game as his teammates and coaches milled around, enjoying the moment.
and stuff, (and) the vibe was high, the energy, but it shouldn’t be any different from any other game,” said Minish-Murray, who caught two passes for 44 yards and the touchdown. Added Smith: “We just feel like this is our turf, we’ve got to protect it, we’re not going to let these dudes take what’s ours.” The stars were out Friday for the Huskies. The defense picked off York senior quarterback Zack Assaad three times – once apiece in the second, third and fourth quarters. The last one was particularly big, as senior defensive back Robert Kolovitz intercepted Assaad deep in York’s territory with 8:16 to go in the game and OPRF up 21-14. The Huskies marched to the Dukes’ 8-yard line before the drive stalled. That brought out junior kicker Maxwell Smith, who coolly drilled a 25-yard field goal with 6:13 to go. Good thing, too. York put together an 80yard, 12-play drive on its ensuing possession, resulting in a 4-yard touchdown pass from Assaad to senior receiver Christopher Winton which set the final score with under two
COURTESY OF CAROL DUNNING
Oak Park-River Forest quarterback Liam Brown throws to Andrew Heinzmann (#2) against York in a West Suburban Silver football game, Sept. 18.
COURTESY OF CAROL DUNNING
Oak Park-River Forest wide receiver Tevin Coleman (#15) looks for room to run against York in a West Suburban Silver football game, Sept. 18. The Huskies defeated the Dukes 24-21. minutes to go. OPRF ran out the clock with four running plays. And then? Homecoming pandemonium. This might have been just another game in Smith and Minish-Murray’s estimation, but it was an important one in the conference race, and a big step toward a playoff berth considering the IHSA has expanded the field for this season. Maxwell Smith said he wasn’t really nervous on his big kick, which may be a bit of a surprise considering the pressure situation. “I felt like I wanted to do it for them,” Smith said, gesturing toward the student section, “for the students. Everything I do football related, I want to do for them. I want our students to go to school Monday (saying) ‘We just beat York.’” As for Kolovitz, the pick was the best feeling in the world, and as far as he was concerned, the win was indeed pivotal. “This is a complete momentum-changer for the season,” he said. “There were some doubts about us, but we’re back.” That’s what coach John Hoerster thought as well, as he relished the fact that his team put together a full four quarters. Of course, the interceptions helped but so did 10 York penalties for a loss of 80 yards. If stuff like this continues to happen, OPRF could be the most dangerous team in the West Suburban
Silver, and beyond. “We talked about it in the locker room beforehand,” Hoerster said. “We’ve been playing better, but we haven’t put together four quarters. And the kids believed and they finished. “Unsung heroes … our kicker making a big-time field goal,” he said. “We’ve never put him in that position before. It was huge. We made plays on special teams. Offense, defense stepped up. When plays needed to be made, guys stepped up, and I’m proud of them.” Also crucial to the win was senior receiver Andrew Heinzmann, who caught four passes for 62 yards. Senior quarterback Liam Brown steadily piloted the offense, going 7-for-16, passing for 107 yards and with plenty of handoffs to Liam Smith. The schedule isn’t going to get easier. The Huskies travel to Downers Grove North, Lyons and Addison Trail before finishing the regular season at home Oct. 16 versus Hinsdale Central. But that’s the future. Homecoming was pretty sweet. Even if it was pressure-packed. “We’re going to stick to the message about every day, just getting a little better,” Hoerster said. “I told them I didn’t want to talk about the homecoming dance until they earned it, and they earned it tonight.”
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Wednesday Journal, September 23, 2026
29
OPRF flag football routs Downers Grove North Huskies try to build momentum for the playoffs By MELVIN TATE Staff Reporter
Despite losing 22 seniors from last season to graduation, this year’s Oak Park and River Forest High School flag football team has remained competitive, as an 18-7 upset victory over state-ranked Maine South on Sept. 15 attests. Thursday night on Senior Night at Oak Park Stadium versus Downers Grove North in a West Suburban Conference Silver Division contest, the Huskies paid tribute to their 14 seniors by notching a 25-6 victory. “We’re really rolling,” said OPRF coach James Geovanes. “Our coaching staff knows we have room for improvement, but as we head toward the playoffs, we are firing on all cylinders.” OPRF (9-4, 4-0 WSC Silver) drew first blood as Anna Dore connected with Alessandra Gerut for a 3-yard touchdown at the 4:22 mark of the opening quarter. With 1:50 left in the
half, the Huskies’ other quarterback, Ionna Griffin, scored on a 28-yard keeper for a 12-0 halftime lead. In the third quarter, Griffin, a transfer from Downers Grove South, broke loose for a 55-yard run down to the DGN 1. She threw a touchdown pass on the next play to Evelyn Hansen to give OPRF an 18-0 lead with 5:23 left in the third quarter. The Huskies tacked on their final score with the quarterbacks teaming up as Dore found Griffin for a 2-yard touch-
COURTESY OF CAROL DUNNING
COURTESY OF CAROL DUNNING
Quarterback Anna Dore prepares to pass, Sept. 17, during the Huskies’ 25-6 victory over Downers Grove North.
COURTESY OF CAROL DUNNING
OPRF flag football quarterback Ionna Griffin sprints down the sideline towards the end zone versus Downers Grove North in a West Suburban Silver game, Sept. 17. The Huskies defeated the Trojans 25-6.
Quarterback Ionna Griffin gets ready to pass versus Downers Grove North.
down. Reese Hardy followed with a one-point conversion run. “Anna’s only a sophomore, her growth has been through the roof,” Geovanes said. “We are so grateful for Ionna to be a part of our program, she’s the total package.” Geovanes made it a point to salute his 14 seniors for providing leadership which has kept OPRF competitive this season: Griffin, Amira Anderson, Lucy Avrut, Selah Backeberg, Amor Brown, Haliyat Fadipe, Izabella GiraldoSo, Athena Hassler, Isabella Lee, Ja’lani Mendez, Josephine Novak, Mimi Spencer, Jenna Waisvisz, and Isabel Sho-Wen Yu. “Last year’s group was a special group. This group is nothing less than spectacular,” Geovanes said. “They’ve carried the baton from a standpoint of character and leadership, discipline and accountability. They’ve set the path for the juniors, who have big shoes to fill.” With two games remaining before the start of the IHSA state playoffs – home versus Lyons Township on Sept. 24 and home versus Naperville Central on Sept. 26, OPRF, which is the second seed in its own sectional, is looking to keep building momentum and be playing its best. While the Huskies are unranked currently, that’s fine with Geovanes as he realizes that the playoffs matter more. “I believe we should be ranked,” he said, “but we don’t care about a number in the regular season, we care about a number at the end of the season. We’ve got to clean some things up; our routes are still not as precise as we want them. Our defense has got to be more of a ball hawk, there are a lot of quarterbacks we can pick off. Other than that, just continue to do the small things right, and we’ll be fine.”
30 Wednesday Journal, September 23, 2026 HOURS: 9:00 A.M.– 5:00 P.M. MON–FRI • Deadline: Monday at 5 p.m.
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The Village of Oak Park will receive bids for Dell storage. The full bid document, “26IT-0005 Information Technology,” is available on the Village website www.oak-park.us. Bids will be accepted until September 29, 2026 4PM Central. Published in Wednesday Journal September 23, 2026
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING VILLAGE OF OAK PARK PLAN COMMISSION DOCKET NUMBER: PC 26-06 (Zoning Ordinance Update) HEARING DATE: October 8, 2026 TIME: 7:00 p.m. or as soon thereafter as the agenda permits LOCATION OF HEARING: Oak Park River Forest High School – Large Auditorium, 201 N. Scoville, Oak Park, Illinois 60302 PETITIONER: Village of Oak Park, 123 Madison Street, Oak Park, Illinois 60302 REQUEST: The Petitioner seeks approval of comprehensive amendments to the Oak Park Zoning Ordinance and Zoning Map, commonly known as the “Shape Oak Park” recommended amendments. The proposed amendments, which are intended to address and incentivize missing middle housing types, include, without limitation, the following: • Amendments to Article 2, titled “Definitions and Rules of Measurement,” of the Zoning Ordinance to update terminology and definitions as necessary, including, without limitation: o Modernizing certain terms to replace the word “family” with “unit” and remove the term “accessory building”. o Adding new definitions for “middle housing” typologies, including “middle housing”, “cottage housing”, “courtyard building”, “fiveplex”, “fourplex”, “sixplex”, and “triplex”. o Amending the existing definitions of “accessory dwelling unit”, “accessory structure”, “coach house”, and “impervious surface coverage”. • Amendments to Article 3, titled “Zoning Districts”, of the Zoning Ordinance to consolidate similar residential districts and commercial districts, including, without limitation: o Renaming the R-1 SingleFamily Residential District to N-1 Neighborhood 1 District.
o Consolidating the R-2, R-350, R-3-35, R-4, and R-5 Districts and rename them to N-2 Neighborhood 2 District. o Consolidating the R-6 and R-7 Multi-Family Residential Districts and rename them to N-3 Neighborhood 3 District. o Consolidating the HS Harrison Street and NC Neighborhood Commercial Districts and rename them to M-1 Mixed-Use 1 District. o Renaming the RR Roosevelt Road Form-Based District to M-2 Mixed-Use 2 District. o Consolidating the GC General Commission, MS Madison Street, and NA North Avenue Districts to M-3 Mixed-Use 3 District. • Amendments to Article 4, titled “Residential Districts”, of the Zoning Ordinance to provide purpose statements and bulk, density, and use regulations applicable to the N-1, N-2, and N-3 Districts, including, without limitation, allowing up to 4 principal dwelling units in the N-1 and N-2 Districts. • Amendments to Article 5, titled “Commercial Districts,” of the Zoning Ordinance to provide purpose statements and bulk, density, and use regulations applicable to the M-1, M-2, and M-3 Districts. • Amendments to Article 7, titled “Design Standards,” of the Zoning Ordinance to provide right-size design standards for developments and clarify the design review process for applicants. • Amendments to Article 8, titled “Uses,” to revise the uses in the N-1, N-2, N-3, M-1, M-2, and M-3 Districts to account for various housing types including triplexes, fourplexes, fiveplexes, and sixplexes. • Amendments to Article 9, titled “Site Development Standards,” to provide updated regulations regarding Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs).
• Amendments to Article 10, titled “Off-Street Parking and Loading,” to provide updated parking regulations associated with the People Over Parking Act. • Amendments to Article 14, titled “Zoning Approvals,” to revise regulations pertaining to Planned Developments and permit then as optional zoning approvals in all zoning districts. • Amendments to Article 15, titled “Nonconformities,” to provide updates to standards for nonconformities in the Village. • Amendments to other provisions of the Zoning Ordinance as necessary to implement the proposed comprehensive amendments. A copy of the proposed comprehensive amendments to the Oak Park Zoning Ordinance and Map will be available for public inspection at Village Hall, Development Services Department, 123 Madison Street, Oak Park, Illinois 60302, during regular business hours, Monday through Friday, between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. and posted at the following website address: https://engageoakpark. com/shape no later than the end of the business day on Friday, September 25, 2026. All interested persons will be given an opportunity to be heard at the public hearing. The Plan Commission may continue the hearing to another date without further notice by public announcement at the hearing setting forth the time and place thereof. The Plan Commission may also consider any related and additional relief that may be discovered during the review of this docket. ALL INTERESTED PERSONS ARE INVITED TO BE HEARD OAK PARK PLAN COMMISSION Oak Park, Illinois 60302
Published in Wednesday Journal September 23, 2026
LEGAL NOTICE The Village of Oak Park—Office of the Village Engineer, 201 South Boulevard, Oak Park, IL 60302—will receive PDF proposals via email, at christopher. welch@oak-park.us, until 5:00 P.M. on Wednesday, October 15, 2026, for the following: OnCall Engineering Services Contract. The Village is requesting statement of qualifications from multidisciplined civil engineering consultants for on-call professional engineering services. Selected consultants would support Village staff in areas where assistance is required due to workload or due to specialized technical requirements of certain projects. The Request for Qualifications may be obtained from the Village’s website at https://www. oak-park.us/Building-Business/ Request-for-Proposals starting on Wednesday September 23, 2026. For questions, please email Christopher Welch, Assistant Village Engineer, at christopher. welch@oak-park.us. THE VILLAGE OF OAK PARK Bill McKenna Village Engineer Published in Wednesday Journal September 23, 2026
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: 1-800-669-9777.
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REAL ESTATE FOR SALE
REAL ESTATE FOR SALE
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS TRUSTEE FOR MASTR ADJUSTABLE RATE MORTGAGES TRUST 2007-1, MORTGAGE PASSTHROUGH CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2007-1 Plaintiff, -v.WILLIAM D. EDGAR, TD BANK USA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, UNKNOWN OWNERS AND NONRECORD CLAIMANTS, AMY L. EDGAR, UNKNOWN HEIRS AND LEGATEES OF ELLEN M. RAVITZ, DAMON RITENHOUSE, AS SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE FOR ELLEN M. RAVITZ (DECEASED) Defendants 2025CH04362 123 S EUCLID AVE OAK PARK, IL 60302 NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on July 21, 2026, an agent for The Judicial Sales Corporation, will at 10:30 AM on October 26, 2026, at The Judicial Sales Corporation, One South Wacker, 1st Floor Suite 35R, Chicago, IL, 60606, sell at public in-person sale to the highest bidder, as set forth below, the following described real estate: Commonly known as 123 S EUCLID AVE, OAK PARK, IL 60302 Property Index No. 16-07-400-0160000 The real estate is improved with a residence. Sale terms: If sold to anyone other than the Plaintiff, 25% down of the highest bid by certified funds at the close of the sale payable to The Judicial Sales Corporation. No third party checks will be accepted. The balance, in certified funds/or wire transfer, is due within twenty-four (24) hours. The subject property is subject to general real estate taxes, special assessments, or special taxes levied against said real estate and is offered for sale without any representation as to quality or quantity of title and without recourse to Plaintiff and in ‘’AS IS’’ condition. The sale is further subject to confirmation by the court. Upon payment in full of the amount bid, the purchaser will receive a Certificate of Sale that will entitle the purchaser to a deed to the real estate after confirmation of the sale. The property will NOT be open for inspection and plaintiff makes no representation as to the condition of the property. Prospective bidders are admonished to check the court file to verify all information. If this property is a condominium unit, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale, other than a mortgagee, shall pay the assessments and the legal fees required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/9(g) (1) and (g)(4). If this property is a condominium unit which is part of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/18.5(g-1). IF YOU ARE THE MORTGAGOR (HOMEOWNER), YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN IN POSSESSION FOR 30 DAYS AFTER ENTRY OF AN ORDER OF POSSESSION, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 15-1701(C) OF THE ILLINOIS MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE LAW. You will need a photo identification issued by a government agency (driver’s license, passport, etc.) in order to gain entry into our building and the foreclosure sale room in Cook County and the same identification for sales held at other county venues where
The Judicial Sales Corporation conducts foreclosure sales. For information, examine the court file, CODILIS & ASSOCIATES, P.C. Plaintiff’s Attorneys, 15W030 NORTH FRONTAGE ROAD, SUITE 100, BURR RIDGE, IL, 60527 (630) 7949876 THE JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION One South Wacker Drive, 24th Floor, Chicago, IL 60606-4650 (312) 236SALE You can also visit The Judicial Sales Corporation at www.tjsc.com for a 7 day status report of pending sales. CODILIS & ASSOCIATES, P.C. 15W030 NORTH FRONTAGE ROAD, SUITE 100 BURR RIDGE IL, 60527 630-794-5300 E-Mail: pleadings@il.cslegal.com Attorney File No. 14-25-02688 Attorney ARDC No. 00468002 Attorney Code. 21762 Case Number: 2025CH04362 TJSC#: 46-1714 NOTE: Pursuant to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, you are advised that Plaintiff’s attorney is deemed to be a debt collector attempting to collect a debt and any information obtained will be used for that purpose. Case # 2025CH04362 I3294352
Wednesday Journal, September 23, 2026
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Wednesday Journal, September 23, 2026
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344 S Maple Ave 2B Oak Park | $339,000 Cathy Yanda
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