Wednesday Journal 100522

W E D N E S D A Y

October 5, 2022 Vol. 43, No. 40

$2.00 @wednesdayjournalinc

@wednesdayjournal

JOURNAL @oakpark

of Oak Park and River Forest

2020 ANNUAL TAX SCHEDULE PAGE 24

West Sub files for bankruptcy Page 6

Report finds Oak Park police not recording dashcam audio Commission ‘troubled’ that the practice may be more widespread

By STACEY SHERIDAN

New bridge, less pedestrian Home Avenue overpass to get an overhaul REPORT BY STACEY SHERIDAN, PAGE 16 ALEX ROGALS/Staff Photographer

Staff Reporter

The Oak Park Citizen Police Oversight Commission (CPOC) says that the failure by Oak Park police officers to consistently activate the audio portion of the department’s dashboard camera recording system is “troubling” and recommended in a report accepted by the village board on Sept. 6 that police department leadership and the commission actively review all such instances and initiate corrective action for the next six months.

However, in a memo attached to the report in the Sept.

6 village board meeting packet, staff recommended against that joint review, because it is not in line with the ordinance under which CPOC operates.

Trustees voted without discussion to accept, as part of the consent agenda, the commission report and staff ’s recommendation against the commission’s request for additional review.

Village President Vicki Scaman said the failure to discuss the report separately was an error on the part of See POLICE AUDIO on page 17

2

Wednesday Journal, October 5, 2022

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

Wednesday Journal, October 5, 2022

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

I

3

Teaching white supremacy

n his first week of school as the new principal at Hinsdale South High School, Patrick Hardy was called the N-word and characterized as a pedophile twice, according to a recent Patch report, which referenced an email message Hardy sent to the high school community in September.

“When I introduced myself and asked him to pull his pants up or shirt down to cover his undergarments, he responded by stating, ‘You’re a grown man.

Why are you looking at my a**?’ Another student yelled from the crowd, ‘He a gay a** n*****! (n-word),’” Hardy said.

I remember Hardy from his days as the beloved principal at Proviso East High School in Maywood and the former equity director at Oak Park and River Forest High School.

This story is on the surface shocking and infuriating but two new books published this year put Hardy’s experiences in historical context. And reading about the real history of America and particularly American schooling dulls the shock and even makes the students’ behavior rather predictable.

Jim Crow’s Pink Slip: The Untold Story of Black Principal and Teacher Leadership by Leslie Fenwick, dean emerita of the Howard University School of Education, led me to think differently about the Black educator.

Dr. Hardy, who holds two master’s degrees from Harvard and Cambridge and two doctorates, is part of a lineage of highly credentialed Black educators whose careers and contributions to American classrooms were conspiratorially and systematically covered up in the wake of the 1954 Brown v.

Board of Education Supreme Court decision that ended legal segregation in schooling.

Today, Hardy is a rarity. About 7 percent of America’s 3.2 million teachers are Black and about 11 percent of the 93,000 principals are Black, Fenwick says. Meanwhile, less than 3 percent of the nation’s 14,000 superintendents are Black.

“But we’ve never talked about the history about why this is so,” Fenwick told NPR earlier this year. “And one of the things I was trying to do in the book was push against the myth that after Brown and desegregation, Blacks pursued careers en masse in other fields outside of education. Well, the historical record shows that the Black

educator pipeline was purposely decimated after Brown.”

Fenwick argues that, prior to 1954, Black educators comprised 35 percent to 50 percent of the educator workforce in the 17 states that, by law and custom, operated racially segregated schools.

These Black educators were taught at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and, in many cases, master’s and doctoral degree programs in northern institutions like Ohio State University, the University of Chicago and the University of Pennsylvania.

In an interview with Howard Professor Gregg Carr last month, Fenwick said these Black educators “did an academic migration” by going “north or Midwest or slightly west, earning their master’s and doctoral degrees and returning to the segregated south to teach in all-Black segregated schools.”

As early as 1926, Fenwick said, 41 percent of the all-Black faculty at her mother’s racially segregated high school had master’s and doctoral degrees and “about three from the University of Chicago and Harvard combined.

“And that was not a fact that was only true of my mother’s school. This was broadly true of segregated all-Black schools. Despite sometimes dilapidated buildings, despite certain underfunding, despite used books and other curricular materials [that were] many times defaced with racial epithets … the teacher and principal workforce was exceptionally credentialed and [these educators] had also experienced learning in a desegregated or integrated environment in their graduate school education.

“So they returned to the south after this academic migration having not only superior academic credentials compared to their white peers but also a social experience that their white peers had not had or experienced,” Fenwick said.

She argues that, starting in 1952 (two years before Brown) and continuing into the 1970s, those highly credentialed Black teachers and principals were systematically “fired, demoted and dismissed and replaced by lesser qualified whites.” And this was all because white adults did not want these highly qualified Black educators to even be

MICHAEL ROMAIN

in the position to possibly teach their white children.

“What is clear by the historical record is that on a nearly one-to-one basis in the 17 [states with legal school segregation before Brown], exceptionally credentialed and effective Black educators were replaced by less credentialed whites,” Fenwick said.

“Some were educators, others were not.”

The problem was so bad that Thurgood Marshall, then an attorney with the NAACP, led a team across the south to document the conspiracy. In one case, Marshall’s team identified the Black principal of a one-room, dirt-floor schoolhouse who had earned a master’s degree in educational leadership from Columbia University. After Brown, the Black principal was replaced by a white milkman.

Much of the material that informs Fenwick’s book comes from a Senate hearing on the displacement of Black principals across the south, which Dr. Carr, paraphrasing Fenwick, called perhaps the “the largest brain drain in the history of American education and maybe education anywhere.”

Fenwick estimates that, from roughly 1952 to the 1970s, around 100,000 Black principals and teachers were forcibly removed from public schools, resulting in the loss of about $2.2 billion worth of income in today’s money.

If Jim Crow’s Pink Slip tells the awful reality of American education, Donald Yacovone’s new book, Teaching White Supremacy: America’s Democratic Ordeal and the Forging of our National Identity spells out how this country has historically utilized history textbooks published in the North to perpetuate national mythology grounded in racism and white supremacy.

If you wonder why kids in Hinsdale can so easily call their Black principal the N-word or, closer to home, how white parents can so easily and blithely trample on the authority of Black women superintendents in Oak Park, consider Yacovone’s argument.

“Surveying American history school textbooks from the early nineteenth century to the present day will provide a more profound insight into the full depth of the national commitment to white supremacy,” he writes. “It also allows us to trace exactly how white supremacy and Black inferiority have been […] drilled into student minds generation after generation.”

The history is long and ever-present.

Charles Goodrich, brother of the popular textbook writer Samuel Griswold Goodrich, published The First Book of History for Children and Youth in the 1800s. Although he hoped, Yacovone writes, “slavery would end, he instructed young students that ‘slaves are generally well treated, that is they have enough to eat [and drink], and are not often required to labor beyond their strength.’ He stressed that slaves were ‘the property of their masters who have a right to punish them for bad conduct, and to sell them.’”

George Bancroft’s 10-volume History of the United States, originally published in 1834, described slavery as “the mercantile avarice of a foreign nation” to divert attention from America’s responsibility for its development.

And history textbooks published in the 21st century have described enslaved Blacks as “indentured servants” and essentially happy workers.

The effect of this centuries-long assault on the public mind, Yacovone argues, is apparent in the present data. As a 2018 report by the Southern Poverty Law Center notes, only 8 percent of the roughly thousand high school students the SPLC surveyed could identify slavery as the central cause of the Civil War. Half of the survey respondents said the war was caused by “tax strife.”

“In Florida, a teacher assured his students that the N-word ‘just means ignorant,’” Yacovone writes. “Minnesota fifth graders, in a lesson plan right out the 1920s, learned that African Americans regretted the end of slavery because ‘the enslavers took care of them and gave them food and clothing.’”

In 2020, the author adds, the New York Times reported that “the medical students and residents in a Duke University survey remained convinced that African Americans have thicker skin and less sensitive nerveendings — the same vile garbage spewed across the United States by Harvard University’s biologist and ethnologist Louis Agassiz in the nineteenth century.”

James Baldwin wrote in 1965 that history, “as nearly no one seems to know, is not merely something to be read. And it does not refer merely, or even principally, to the past.

On the contrary, the great force of history comes from the fact that we carry it within us, are unconsciously controlled by it in many ways, and history is literally present in all that we do.”

No matter how much we want to deny it.

CONTACT: michael@oakpark.com

4

Wednesday Journal, October 5, 2022

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

BIG WEEK October 5-12

Halloween Hoot ‘n Howl Friday Oct. 7, 5-7:30 p.m., Keystone Park and The Depot Spooky animals take center stage at this event sponsored by the River Forest Park District, Trailside Museum, and River Forest Public Library. Kids 10 and under, accompanied by a parent, can see live native animals, listen to live music and spooky stories, make s’mores and hot chocolate around a bonfire, and paint pumpkins. Free. Lake St. and Keystone, in River Forest

John Nichols Sunday, Oct. 9, 11:30 a.m., Third Unitarian Church Nichols writes about politics for The Nation. His lecture topic: “Most Important Election In History?

This Time They Are Right!”

To join the online service, call or email for Zoom link: (773) 626-9385 or thirdunitarianchurch@gmail.com.

301 N. Mayfield, Chicago.

Wednesday, Oct. 12, 7-8 p.m., virtually through Illinois Libraries Present Two-time National Book Award winner Jesmyn Ward discusses how her literary vision and personal experiences address urgent questions about racism and social injustice. Register now at bit.ly/ILP_JesmynWard.

Southern Culture On The Skids Wednesday, Oct. 12, 8 p.m., FitzGerald’s This psychobilly band sings about banana pudding, possums and doing a dance called the Nitty Gritty while handing out buckets of piping hot fried chicken. What’s not to like? $20, 6615 Roosevelt Road, Berwyn.

Barbara Ballinger Lecture: Natalie Moore Sunday, October 9, 2-3 p.m., Oak Park Public Library This lecture and Q&A features guest author and WBEZ journalist Natalie Moore, in conversation with local radio host Doris Davenport. Moore is the author of the book The Billboard, a play about abortion, which was produced as a play by 16th Street Theater. The book deals with a fictional Black women’s clinic in Chicago’s Englewood neighborhood on the South Side and how it gets involved in the public debate over abortion. Register now at oppl.org/ballinger. 834 Lake St., Oak Park.

Illinois Libraries Present A Conversation With Jesmyn Ward

Ernest Hemingway: Citizen Of The World Monday, Oct. 10, 1:15-2:15 p.m., Nineteenth Century Charitable Association Nancy W. Sindelar, Ph.D, takes you on a trip through the life of this legendary author, starting from his birth and early influences in Oak Park right on up through his journeys through Kansas City, Italy, France, Spain, Key West, Cuba, and Sun Valley, Idaho. This discussion will be enhanced by rare photos and excerpts from Hemingway’s personal letters. Free, but with a suggested donation of $15 for non-members. 178 Forest Ave., Oak Park.

Listing your event in the calendar Wednesday Journal welcomes notices about events that Oak Park and River Forest community groups and businesses are planning. We’ll work to get the word out if you let us know what’s happening by noon

Wednesday a week before your news needs to be in the newspaper.

■ Send details to Wednesday Journal, 141 S. Oak Park Ave., Oak Park, 60302 ■ Email calendar@wjinc.com

Domestic Violence Action Rally Thursday, October 6, 5:30-6:30 p.m., Scoville Park, 800 Lake St, Oak Park The Sarah’s Inn team and our partners at the Institute for Nonviolence Chicago will be gathering to rally the community to take action against domestic violence, gun violence, and community violence.

After Rally Meet & Greet 6:30-8 p.m., Oak Park Bank, 151 N. Oak Park Ave, Oak Park Oak Park Bank is hosting Sarah’s Inn supporters after the rally for light refreshments. Supporters can stop by and pick up informational materials, ribbon kits, yard signs, and talk with Sarah’s Inn and INVC staff.

All are welcome for these free events.

Wednesday Journal, October 5, 2022

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

5

OPRF expands hours for after-school tutoring New tutors being hired, volunteers sought

By BOB SKOLNIK Contributing Reporter

The Oak Park and River Forest High School tutoring center will remain open until 7 p.m. beginning next week. Currently it closes at 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday and at 4:30 p.m. on Friday.

The tutoring center is located in the new Student Resource Center which opened eight months ago. It is staffed by educators and volunteers. This week OPRF is expected to hire additional staff to allow the tutoring center to remain open into the evening.

“We had approximately 10 applicants for tutoring positions and are currently com-

pleting the hiring process,” said Laurie Fiorenza, the Director of Student Learning in an email sent through Jackie McGoey, the communications and community relations coordinator for OPRF. “Tutoring will focus primarily on math, humanities, and writing.”

In order to attract job applicants, the school increased the pay for an after school tutor by $20 after the initial salary did not attract any applicants.

The school is also looking for volunteers who would like to help out with tutoring.

Anyone interested in volunteering to help out in the tutoring center can contact Fiorenza at lfiorenza@oprfhs.org.

The school is also looking to have a tutor available for virtual tutoring for students who can’t stay after school for in person tutoring.

At the Sept. 22 school board meeting OPRF school board member Fred Arkin

Real People, Real Results†: HAIR REMOVAL

pushed for the tutoring center’s hours to million cost of creating the new Student be expanded although plans to extend the Resource Center. “I for one, and I can’t hours were already in place. Arkin would speak for my board colleagues, made that like the new Student Resource Center to decision with the understanding that after 3 including treatmentsthere would be additional operating costs be used asBefore much and as possible Removal I hope that the administration is not past 7 p.m. Courtesy of Romeo & Juliette Laser Hairand “It’s there, we made a tremendous in- predetermining what the board’s going to vestment,” said Arkin at the Sept. 22 think about a certain item in not bringing HAIR REMOVAL school board meeting referring to the $40 it up for that.”

For more informatio www.cyno

A skin care clinic with YOU in mind Before and after 3 treatments

LASER HAIR REMOVAL: all skin types LASER SKIN TREATMENTS · Laser Facial · Wrinkle Reduction · Rosacea · Age and Sunspots · Spider Veins · Onychomycosis · Wart Removal

PRP: hair rejuvenation, natural filler

Courtesy of R. Saluja, MD

SUN DAMAGE

Elite iQ not only offers personalized hair removal treatments, but it can address a wide variety of common skin concerns as well! Treatments are quick, non-surgical and provide great results.

Before and after 4 treatments Courtesy of E. Lach, MD

A. RAO, MD.

BECAUSE EVERY Cynosure’s Elite family devices IS DIFFERENT herein. The Elite family devices Did you know the average wom as the Elite iQ days device w of her lifeand shavingso her leg removal methods such as sha results are expected. tweezing can be time consum

Elite iQ can permanently reduc

theprocedures, body , allowing you to prio Like all medical n things in life. Think of what y 72 days! prac the treatment.anAextra qualified evaluating each subject’s suit AVERAG informing those being treated IN HAIR THREE T treatment, pre-and postopera information. Individual results 2

MICRONEEDLING: scar reduction, wrinkle LEG VEINS reduction, skin tightening INJECTABLES: Neuromodulators (Botox, Dysport etc), Fillers (Juvéderm, Voluma etc)

PERSONAL REMO † These beforeHAIR and after phot

Intended for distribution in US

Hair Removal that Suits You

79%

Before & After 2tx Photos Courtesy of WIFH

224.580.0615 • W W W.OPLSC.COM • CONTAC T@OPLSC.COM Schedule your Before and after 5 treatments consultation today!

715 L AKE STREE T, OAK PARK • MONDAY — SATURDAY BY APPOINTMENT ONLY

© 2021 Cynosure, LLC. Cynosu Reader are trademarks and/ o sure, LLC. Cynosure, LLC. Own Use of photography without w prohibited.

Before and after 3 treatments Courtesy of D. McDaniel, MD

1. London. Shaving legs is women’s least favorite beauty chore. Daily Mail: 5 April 2013 2. Kilmer S., Lloyd J. Long-Term Laser Hair Reduction Efficacy: A Report on the Use of Long-Pulsed Alexandrite Lasers for Hair Reduction.

Courtesy of C. Arroyo, MD

*Individual results may vary and are not guaranteed.

© 2020 Cynosure, LLC. All rights reserved. Cynosure is a registered trademark of Cynosure, LLC. Elite iQ is a trademark of Cynosure, LLC. Cynosure, LLC owns exclusiv Use of photography without written permission of Cynosure is prohibited.

Like all medical procedures, not all patients are suitable for the treatment. Talk to your medical provider about the risks and benefits of this procedure. A qualified prac

for evaluating each subject’s suitability to undergo treatment and for informing those being treated about any risks involved with the treatment, pre-and postope Practice Name | Practice Location | Website | Phone # sible relevant information. Individual results may vary and are not guaranteed. Model for illustrative purposes only and not an actual consumer of the product.

921-7041-010

© 2020 Cynosure, LLC. All rights reserved. Cynosure is a registered trademark of Cynosure, LLC. Elite iQ is a trademark of Cynosure, LLC.

6

Wednesday Journal, October 5, 2022

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

West Sub owner declares bankruptcy, continues to negotiate sale

Hospital’s bidder says it intends to close on purchase

By STACEY SHERIDAN and DAN HALEY Staff Reporter and Editor

Pipeline Health, the owner of West Suburban Medical Center, declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy Oct. 2 in the Southern District of Texas.

For months Pipeline has been negotiating the sale of both West Sub and Weiss Memorial Hospital in Chicago to a newly formed venture called Resilience Health.

The failure to close on that sale by Aug. 30 at a negotiated price of $92 million was a critical factor in the bankruptcy declaration, according to a 53-page statement to the court.

The statement was submitted by Russell Perry, who was identified as Pipeline’s chief transformation officer. He took on that role on Aug. 24.

Manoj Prasad, the head of Resilience Health, said in a statement on LinkedIn that “we are still planning to move ahead with the sales as previously envisioned.”

The Chicago Tribune quoted Reddy Rathnakar Patlola, a partner in Resilience and head of New Jersey-based Ramco Healthcare Holdings, as saying it was monitoring the bankruptcy filing, was still in communication with Pipeline and “remained committed to operating Weiss and West Suburban hospitals for the long term.”

In his statement, Perry said the seven-hospital group operating in California, Texas and Illinois was financially undercut by ongoing losses at West Sub and Weiss. In the 12 months ending this August, Perry reported the two Illinois properties had a combined loss of $69.7 million. The statement said the five other hospitals in the group had been financially propping up West Sub and Weiss pending their sale. Perry said that diversion of resources had “destabilized Pipeline’s overall healthcare network.”

FILE

West Suburban Hospital Medical Center The failure to close on the $92 million sale of the two Chicago hospitals by Aug. 30 was one of four direct causes of the bankruptcy filing, wrote Perry. He said the cash infusion from a sale of West Sub and Weiss “would quickly unlock the value of those assets for Pipeline and unburden its remaining operations, while allowing for the integration of the Illinois Facilities into a healthcare network that can properly support them.”

Anan Abu-Taleb, former Oak Park village president,

Do you want to keep your public officials accountable?

said in a text message to Wednesday Journal on Oct. 3 that he remains chair of West Sub’s governing board but declined comment at this time.

In a statement from Pipeline officials on Oct. 3, Jane Brust, a spokesperson, said all of Pipeline’s hospitals and other medical facilities will continue to operate normally under bankruptcy protection. Pipeline also said it is continuing to negotiate with Resilience Health but will also potentially seek other buyers for its properties.

Support Community Journalism.

Buy a subscription to:

Call 708.524.8300

Wednesday Journal, October 5, 2022

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

7

Gas stations suing Oak Park over 24-hour ban A temporary restraining order has also been granted

By STACEY SHERIDAN Staff Reporter

The owners of seven Oak Park gas stations are suing the village board for the recently imposed ban on 24-hour gas stations, arguing that the restriction on hours threatens their livelihoods and forces a breach of contract with fuel suppliers. A temporary restraining order was granted Sept. 30, barring the village from enforcing the ordinance that requires gas stations to operate only between 5 a.m. and midnight each day.

“We are pleased with the court’s ruling today enjoining enforcement of the ordinance that requires our clients to close their businesses overnight,” said Samantha Ditore, one of the attorneys representing the gas stations.

“We will continue to reach out to the village with the hope to reach a voluntary and collaborative solution that allows our clients to stay in business and avoid the dev-

astating effect of this ordinance.”

A preliminary injunction hearing has been scheduled for Oct. 12.

Legal action was anticipated from local gas stations. Attorney David Jasmer told the village board Sept. 19 that a temporary restraining order would be filed if the ordinance passed, which it did unanimously.

Village Attorney Paul Stephanides also previously warned the village board that prohibiting 24-hour gas stations could result in litigation. Wednesday Journal has reached out to the village for comment.

The elimination of 24-hour gas stations is intended to combat increased criminal activity in the village. Oak Park has had a total of 18 violent offenses take place at gas stations in the last three and a half years; 13 of those offenses took place after midnight, including the murder of 18-year-old Jailyn Logan-Bledsoe in June.

However, the complaint argues that the new ordinance is “unconstitutional” and was put in place to “deflect and redirect”

blame for violent crime away from the board and onto “eight minority-owned gas stations,” which serve many Oak Park residents that do not work traditional hours.

The complaint also states that the gas stations are family-run businesses.

The complaint states the village has no data supporting its assertion that a reduction in gas stations hours would result in fewer violent criminal offenses and that the ordinance violates the rights of the gas station owners as set forth in the Fourteenth Amendment and under state property law.

The ordinance would also result in financial loss and possible closures of gas stations, according to the complaint, which states that gas stations pay between $60,000 and $80,000 in annual property taxes, while overnight sales account for roughly 15 to 35% of their overall sales.

“The dramatic decrease in income the ordinance would effectuate, combined with the rising costs of operation, would

significantly impede, the stations’ ability to operate, potentially causing one or more to close their doors permanently.

Prohibiting gas stations from operating 24 hours each day, the complaint states, infringes on gas station owners’ rights to run their businesses and constitutes “a de facto revocation of nearly 20 percent of their business licenses.”

The gas station owners are seeking restitution from the village in a sum representative of lost profits and opportunities with fuel suppliers and other businesses in the event of breached or canceled contracts. Damages are also being sought by gas station owners in the amount of lost revenue that could be “reasonably expected” from new contracts if it were not for the ordinance.

“Our clients want to see criminal activity addressed just as much as any Oak Park resident, but there far more effective alternatives that do not place their livelihoods in jeopardy,” Ditore said.

28 OCTOBER

FRIDAY

By Lauren Gunderson Directed by Brian Fruits

OCTOBER

7|8|9 14|15|16 FRIDAY– SUNDAY

7:30 p.m. Fridays/ Saturdays 2 p.m. Sundays Bergmann Theatre

Please join the Artists of Concordia Theatre for an imaginative retelling of the story of Henrietta Leavitt, a female “computer” employed at the Harvard Observatory in the early 1900s. The play explores one woman’s place in society during a time of immense scientific discovery and social change.

Arts

30 OCTOBER

SUNDAY

JOIN US THIS FALL AT CONCORDIA-CHICAGO

7400 Augusta Street | River Forest, IL 60305 | CUChicago.edu

Wind Symphony Concert 8 p.m.

Chapel of Our Lord

Kapelle Concert 4 p.m.

Chapel of Our Lord

8

Wednesday Journal, October 5, 2022

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

Thursday Night Out sees surge in support Downtown Oak Park event generated $200,000

By MELISSA ELSMO Oak Park Eats Editor

After a two-year hiatus, Downtown Oak Park’s signature dine-around event made a triumphant return this summer.

Thursday Night Out, held every week from June through August, is known for drawing a crowd of food and music lovers and 2022 was no exception. The summer event series generated more than $200,000 in revenue with nearly 8,000 attendees over the course of the series.

“I just think people were so ready to come out,” said Shanon Williams, executive director of Downtown Oak Park.

“Even though the event ended at 9 p.m. we couldn’t get people to leave. They just wanted to sit and soak up the atmosphere.”

Williams attributes the increased attendance in part to “people being done with COVID” and was especially excited to see new faces in the crowd. She noted there was a significant increase in young families and people new to the area spending their Thursday evenings on Marion Street in the heart of the village.

Word of mouth drives attendance at the family friendly event which first started in 2006. In the early days of TNO, organizers would sell 30 booklets a night. This year saw attendees purchasing 600-700 books weekly providing a major financial boost to weary restaurants in the DTOP district and eclipsing peak 2019 sales.

Roughly $23 of every $25 booklet sold, or approximately 92% of sales, went directly back to the participating restaurants. The remaining funds help Downtown Oak Park cover a portion of the $50,000 cost of executing the series of music filled evenings.

First time participant Kyuramen “slammed it” this year according to Williams who praised their “outstanding” food.

The ramen shop had a coveted centralized location on Marion Street and developed a system for quickly serving the gathering crowds. They served generous portions of popcorn chicken, steamed pork bao buns, crispy shrimp tempura and fried shishito peppers.

“Al Mancini kicked butt this year,” said Williams. “He was so proud and told me it was the best year ever for Thursday Night Out!” The veteran restaurateur and owner of Tres Sorelle Ristorante, 1111 Lake St., made a big impression by serving up giant pizza slices, pumpkin ravioli and perennially popular mozzarella sticks to TNO attendees. Like most eateries, Mancini’s Italian restaurant struggled through the pandemic and the ups and downs took a toll, but TNO made a big difference to the independent restaurant.

“I was one of the pilgrims,” said Mancini. “I was one of the very first 10 or maybe 12 businesses that ever participated in Thursday Night Out when it started, but I saw that this was going to grow to be big. This year I had people lining up outside and I would collect 300-350 coupons a night.”

COURTESY OF DOWNTOWN OAK PARK

Thursday Night Out. Summer of 2022 Mancini approached Thursday Night out like it was an advertising campaign and always gave people a sample that was a better value than they expected. His generous portion sizes and customer service was rewarded was repeat business and full paying customers.

“Look, this is what we pay Downtown Oak Park for, and they have given me my money’s worth, there’s no doubt about that,” said Mancini. “They have helped me build up my business. They have helped us push through the pandemic and will help us get out of it.”

Looking ahead to next summer, Williams promises to “level up” Thursday Night Out” by reconfiguring the layout for the event to allow for more tables and seating. She also plans to feature one band and predominantly position them in a central location while leaving plenty of room for families to gather by the fountains with their children.

“I think it is just great to be in a community that comes out to support local businesses like ours does,” said Williams. “It felt like we were turning a corner and people wanted to come out to share that feeling.”

TNO 2022 was sponsored by Byline Bank.

Boss Burrito

Who was there?

The Little Gem

Beer Shop

Poke Burrito

Cold Stone Creamery

Local 84

Careful Peach Boutique

Sushi House

Hecho en Oak Park

Nando’s Peri Peri

Edible Arrangements

Tre Sorelle

Katy’s Dumpling House

Q BBQ

Harold’s Shrimp and Chicken

Tacos el Tio #4

Jerusalem Café

Sugar Fixé Pâtisserie

Kyuramen

Wells Street Popcorn

Khyber Pass

Wise Cup

Wednesday Journal, October 5, 2022

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

Dom’s Kitchen pulls out of Lake Street deal

Two-level space deemed unworkable; shared tax agreement nullified

Dom’s “a unicorn tenant.”

“Of course, we’re disappointed,” Lynch told Wednesday Journal. “We certainly knew there were issues to be resolved before Dom’s signed their lease, but I’d be lying if I said I thought the overall space would be one of those issues.”

By STACEY SHERIDAN Dom’s, Lynch said, was unable to start Staff Reporter space planning until an economic agreeDespite the Village of Oak Park approv- ment was reached with the Village of Oak ing an agreement to split sales tax revenue, Park. He said he is proud that such a deal Dom’s Kitchen & Market will not be moving was able to be secured even though it will forward with its plans to open an Oak Park not come to fruition and that Dom’s leaderlocation in the historic Marshall Field and ship found Oak Park a worthwhile community to invest in.

Company building on Lake Street.

“The issue with this space had nothing to The upscale, grodo with Oak Park; cery-restaurant hythe tenant was very brid decided to back high on Oak Park,” out of lease negotiaLynch said. tions after “completThe first two floors ing detailed space of the Marshall plans” that deterField’s building, mined the two-story which Dom’s was space was ill-suited set to occupy, have for the Dom’s conbeen in need of a cept, according to a long-term tenant for Sept. 30 news release over a decade. Borfrom the Village of ders bookstore, the Oak Park.

JAVIER GOVEA/Staff space’s most recent The announcetenant, closed in ment comes mere The Marshall Field building at Lake 2011. weeks after the vil- Street and Harlem Avenue.

Over the years, lage board approved the village has apa 20-year sales tax sharing agreement with Dom’s. The busi- proved several special use applications for ness would have received 50% of tax reve- other interested tenants. As with Dom’s, nue generated from its alcohol, grocery and those plans ultimately fell through due to, retail sales. Dom’s was expected to bring in according to the village news release, circumstances not attributable to the village. $350,000 in total annual sales taxes.

The sales tax agreement was supposed to OPEDC is continuing to work with the propserve as an incentive for Dom’s to occupy erty owner to find a new tenant.

“We’ve been working with the owner for the beautiful but long vacant ground level and lower level portions of the building. years. That isn’t going to change,” Lynch Lease negotiations were contingent upon said.

While the desired outcome did not pan the village approving the agreement. By not out, the experience with Dom’s is not withentering into a lease, Dom’s has nullified the out its positives for the OPEDC. Lynch agreement.

The withdrawal is a disappointing loss believes that the Village of Oak Park has for both the village and the Oak Park Eco- demonstrated to the retail market that it’s nomic Development Corporation, which a top tier suburban location for enterprisrecommended the sales tax agreement to es ready to expand out of Chicago.

“This partnership really demonstrated the village board and had been working with Dom’s leadership to bring the market that the village, the property owner and to Oak Park. John Lynch, the development the tenant can and will work together to group’s executive director, previously called bring the right concept to this space.”

RibFest Every Day! Mickey’s is the place!

Mickey’s Rib Special 1/2 Slab Dinner Full Slab Dinner B.B.Q. RIBS & CHICKEN BURGERS & HOT DOGS

$14.49

$21.79

includes fries or baked potato, coleslaw and garlic bread

525 N Harlem Ave, Oak Park (708) 848-3333 Italian Beef 11am - 9pm Daily 3 Vienna

Hot Dogs w/ Fries

9.99

$

Sandwich w/ Fries $ .89

9

Wednesday

Gyros Plate Dinner 1 lb meat, 2 pita breads, fries & 3 cups sauce $13.99

Every day Special!

Gyros with fries $9.69

1/4 Lb Double Cheeseburger

Big Mickey! $ .69

3

9

10

Wednesday Journal, October 5, 2022

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

Two Sisters closes Austin restaurant and eyes e-commerce Owner Veah Larde will continue catering out of The Hatchery

By MELISSA ELSMO Oak Park Eats Editor

The restaurant associated with Two Sisters Catering, 4800 W. Chicago Ave. in Chicago, quietly closed for business this summer.

As she clears out the restaurant her business called home for more than a year, owner Veah Larde is reflecting on the reasons behind the decision to shutter her carryout restaurant and contemplating plans for the future.

The cost of doing business in the current climate proved to be too great a burden for the establishment known for churning out healthy versions of soul food classics on the Soul City Corridor. Larde found herself “pilfering her own finances” to make ends meet and decided in August that she would need to close the restaurant.

“This situation is not unique to me,” said Larde. “I was facing the same issues that every restaurant and every catering company have been facing for the last few years.”

Rising food costs played a key role in Larde’s decision to close the restaurant. She tinkered with the menu trying to figure out what she could offer that would be appealing to her customers without bankrupting the business. She reduced the amount of meat she offered, turned her focus to vegetarian entrees and eliminated her fish offerings al-

together.

“I used to offer fish twice a week, but the price got so high that I took it off,” said Larde.

“I had to lose my fish crowd. That was a bitter pill to swallow because I had customers that like to eat certain foods on certain days.”

When soaring prices of butter and eggs began impacting the baking side of her business and slow foot traffic at the restaurant forced her to reduce her staff, Larde started to re-evaluate her business model.

She founded Two Sisters in 2012 as a catering company and never intended to have a restaurant. She grew into a confident business owner after finding her way to the West Side’s Hatchery food incubator in 2018 and gained the respect of her community when she became a vendor at Austin’s weekly farmers market. The storefront fell into her lap and as hard as she tried to make the brick-and-mortar thrive she had to admit, after looking at the numbers, that catering orders and her savings were keeping the doors open. The restaurant couldn’t sustain itself and something had to change.

“My heart hurts for my elderly customers who would come in and buy three meals at a time from me,” said Larde. “They know they can still find me at the farmers market, but that part of closing was sad. They are like family to me.”

Larde opted to close the restaurant in favor of making catering her top priority once again and will return her homebase to The Hatchery. She has established a relationship with Marla’s Lunch which works to partner up with small businesses to provide hot

MELISSA ELSMO/Food Editor

Owner Veah Larde makes cakes in the former home of Two Sisters Catering in 2021.

The business is headed back to The Hatchery, and Larde is exploring an e-commerce option for her popluar cakes and sweet treats. lunches in schools without cafeteria staff.

Two Sisters is currently assigned to Providence St. Mel’s in East Garfield Park and St. Vincent Ferrer in River Forest. Larde is eager to expand this sort of consistent catering and will consider small to mid-sized private events for clients that understand the Two Sisters culture.

“Two Sisters has always been about offering amazing health-conscious food for the southern food enthusiast,” said Larde. “And it still is. Southern food can be healthy, and you can still have room for

that snack or treat.”

Additionally, the entrepreneur is exploring an e-commerce option for her popular baked and expansion opportunities for her savory menu offerings into commercial grocery stores as part her participation in 37 Oaks University, a commerce development and learning lab for entrepreneurs.

“I am not sad,” said Larde. “I am in a good place. You have to keep your head on a swivel in this business but I think pauses like this happen so you can get things right.”

Free food and film showcase coming to Austin Austin Eats and One Earth will screen two food justice documentaries during Oct. 7 event

By MICHAEL ROMAIN Staff Reporter

According to the Chicago Health Atlas, only 55% of Austin residents report having easy access to fresh fruits and vegetables. An upcoming film and food event seeks to address that challenge.

Austin Eats, an initiative designed to expand access to fruits and vegetables and rewrite the narrative around food in Austin, and Austin Coming Together will

screen two short documentaries that tell food stories on the West and South sides.

“As We Are Planted” and “Feed ’Em All” will screen on Friday, Oct. 7, 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., at the By The Hand Club for Kids, 415 N. Laramie. Participants can also join the event virtually.

“As We Are Planted” was directed and produced by Anna Lee Ackermann. The film is about two South Side organizations that are working to bring more food into their communities.

“Feed ’Em All,” directed by Helen Quinn-Pasin, exposes the issue of food insecurity on the West Side through grassroots efforts of Oak Park activist Anthony Clark’s community fridge movement. The community fridges have been planted in Chicago and the suburbs for residents who need fresh food that’s free.

Clark has collaborated with various organizations on the initiative, including Black Panther Party Cubs Chairman

Fred Hampton Jr. Last year, Clark and a group of volunteers built a Free Em All fridge outside of the boyhood home of slain Black Panther Party Chairman Fred Hampton in Maywood.

“Austin Eats has hosted bi-annual educational film screenings since 2021, successfully engaging hundreds in conversations about collectively addressing food insecurity in Austin.”

To register for the free screening, visit: oneearthfilmfest.org.

Wednesday Journal, October 5, 2022

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

11

River Forest board OKs $304K expense for new ambulance Trustees also greenlight purchase of two police vehicles for $103,000

By ROBERT J. LIFKA Contributing Reporter

The River Forest Fire Department is getting a new ambulance, but it’s going to take a while for it to get here.

At the Sept. 26 village board meeting, officials voted unanimously to approve a resolution to purchase a 2024 Life Line Type III Advanced Life Support (ALS) ambulance for $304,021 from Life Line Emergency Vehicles of Sumner, Iowa, the lower of two bidders.

Anticipated delivery is January 2025, well past the previous five- or six-month delivery time, according to Fire Chief Tom Gaertner, explaining that supply chain and staffing issues are causing the delay in delivery.

Those factors and inflation also have led to “numerous” price increases over the past year that are causing a “significant” escalation in costs for the chassis

and production, he added. The budgeted amount for a new ambulance in the 2023 Capital Improvement Plan was $230,000.

The new ambulance will replace a 2014 Type III ALS ambulance, which Gaertner said is in the seventh year of its useful life of eight years. That vehicle will be put into a reserve status and used when the new unit goes down for maintenance, replacing a 2006 model.

“The current ambulance is pretty worn down,” Gaertner said. “We have had some engine issues recently that have put it out of service for a few hours here and there. It will work fine as a reserve unit when the time comes, but operating on a daily basis for the next 28 months is going to be interesting at best.

“With current supply chain issues getting parts can be difficult. We’re keeping our fingers crossed that nothing major happens to it.”

Gaertner said the new ambulance will

A free mammogram could save your life.

Excellence is just the beginning.

have better emergency lighting, as well as a dual air-conditioning system that will provide better air flow to the rear of the ambulance and a AeroClave System which scrubs the air and surfaces of the interior of the ambulance, killing bacteria and air borne viruses such as COVID-19.

He said he does not anticipate any additional price increases and hopes that the delivery time might be shortened but “right now that doesn’t appear to be in the cards.”

The village board also voted unanimously at the Sept. 26 meeting to approve the purchase of two 2023 Dodge Durango police service vehicles from Thomas Dodge Chrysler Jeep of Highland Inc. of Highland, Ind., for $103,176, the amount included in the 2022-23 budget for replacing two police vehicles.

Police Chief Jim O’Shea explained that Thomas Dodge was chosen after department officials researched law enforce-

ment special bid options and with the recommendation of the Southwest Conference of Mayors.

The new vehicles will replace a 2019 Dodge Durango patrol vehicle and a 2015 Ford Interceptor utility vehicle, both of which have been pushed out past their scheduled Capital Equipment Replacement Fund replacement cycles and are in need of replacement, according to O’Shea.

The $103,176 includes $84,692 for the all-wheel drive vehicles and $18,484 for police-specific equipment and labor for both vehicles. O’Shea said the aftermarket equipment will be purchased and installed after the vehicles are delivered, which he said is expected to be four to six months.

However, he noted that the department is still waiting for delivery of a Ford Explorer that was ordered over a year ago, adding, “I’m not holding my breath.”

Make your appointment today!

To register for your free screening mammogram, call (708) 660-2355.

Do you live in Oak Park, River Forest or Proviso Township and need to schedule a mammogram?

Do you qualify?

During the month of October, women who live in these communities can receive a screening mammogram for no cost at Rush Oak Park Hospital.*

•

•

•

Now, there’s no reason not to have one.

Breast cancer is the second most frequently diagnosed cancer in women — and mammography is the most effective screening tool. Experts at Rush recommend that most women have mammograms every year beginning at age 40. * Funds are provided by a private grant for residents of Oak Park, River Forest and Proviso Township. Only those who do not have insurance qualify for a free mammogram.

To qualify, you must not have insurance coverage.

You must live in Oak Park, River Forest or Proviso Township. Proof of residence will be requested at the time of your visit (e.g., voter registration card, utility bill or personal check).

Your mammogram must be performed by Oct. 31, 2022.

Digital mammography saves lives.

•

We offer the latest technology in breast screening, including 3D mammography (also known as breast tomosynthesis), breast MRI, and hand-held and automated breast ultrasound (ABUS) screening for dense breasts.

12

Wednesday Journal, October 5, 2022

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

ASSISTED LIVING • SHELTERED CARE • MEMORY CARE • SKILLED NURSING

ASSISTED LIVING • SHELTERED CARE • MEMORY CARE • SKILLED NURSING

Now safely moving Now safely moving new residents our new safely residents totoour Now moving small, wooded campus. small, woodedtocampus. new residents our small, wooded campus.

A safe && A safe smart choice. smart A safe &choice.

John Nichols will be speaking about the upcoming midterm election at the Austin church on Oct. 9

smart choice.

By COMMUNITY EDITOR

Choosing a community you Choosing a community you can trust never been can trust has has never been more more difficult. important.

Choosing a community you Our community has an can has never been Ourtrust community has an impeccable record of safety more difficult. impeccable record of safety

Austin Weekly News

during the COVID-19 crisis

during and andthe weCOVID-19 will stop at crisis nothing Our community has an to make we will stop at nothing to make sure it continues. impeccable record of safety sure it continues. during COVID-19 crisis Wethe would be honored for your family to be part of and we will stop at nothing We would be honoredours. for your to maketosure it continues. family be part of ours.

Third Unitarian in Austin to host ‘Nation’ journalist

Immediate availability in our Memory Care Assisted Living Small House

We would be honored for your 99% OUR CALEDONIA family to OF be part of ours.

STAFF IS VACCINATED

2800 Des Plaines Avenue, North Riverside, IL 60546 (708) 447-5092 | CaledoniaSeniorLiving.org

2800 Des Plaines Avenue, Riverside, IL 60546 — NOW HIRING —North FLEXIBLE HOURS (708) 447-5092 | CaledoniaSeniorLiving.org

Limited availability!

The Nov. 8 midterm election is the most important election in history, according to nationally prominent journalist John Nichols. Nichols, who writes about politics as national affairs correspondent for the Nation magazine, will flesh out his opinions at Third Unitarian Church, 301 N. Mayfield in Austin, on Sunday, Oct. 9, 11:30 a.m.

Nichols will appear in person at the church and online. To join the online service, call or email for the Zoom link: (773) 626-9385 or thirdunitarianchurch@ gmail.com.

In addition to writing for the Nation, Nichols is a contributing writer for the Progressive and In These Times. He’s also the associate editor of the Capital Times, the daily newspaper in Madison, Wisconsin.

JOHN NICHOLS

Need a helping of

$15/HRLimited TO START availability!

SERVING OAK PARK AND RIVER FOREST SINCE 1976

RESIDENTIAL — COMMERCIAL — RETAIL — CHURCHES — SCHOOLS

Call Jill at (708) 524-8300 or visit OakPark.com/subscribe

Wednesday Journal, October 5, 2022

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

By TOM HOLMES Contributing Reporter

On July 1 of this year Oak Park’s four Catholic churches were merged into two parishes, following a process called Renew My Church. St. Giles and St. Catherine/St. Lucy became one parish and Ascension and St. Edmund became the other.

Now those two parishes are working through an archdiocesan process that will layer a new and shared name over the original parish names.

In a letter to parishioners on Jan. 29, Rev. Carl Morello, pastor of St. Giles; Rev. John McGivern, pastor of St. Edmund; and Rev. Rex Pillai, pastor of Ascension, acknowledged that when two congregations become one parish, establishing an equitable unity requires a lot of intentionality.

That’s why both new parishes are presently involved in a process to come up with a name that honors both the individuality of all congregational constituents and at the same also claims an identity for the “new parochial reality.”

In the Jan. 29 letter, the three priests wrote that they wanted to move forward in the selection of new parish names “in a manner that would honor our past, address current challenging realities and develop a blueprint for the future.”

In a follow-up letter a couple months ago, Pillai explained why the naming process is important. First, he noted, none of the former names of the four congregations will be permitted in the newly created parish name.

At the same time, he added, “Church

buildings are consecrated spaces that keep their current names.” In other words, the building on Oak Park Avenue will still be called St. Edmund and the church at 808 S. East Ave. will continue to be referred to as Ascension.

Pillai said the new parish names should not be new for the sake of newness but should reflect the identity of the new relationship. “Names are important and can define us uniquely. The names selected will reflect the identity of our newly unified parish. Names symbolize who we are and what we want to be as a faith community.”

The naming process began as a bottomup undertaking. Parishioners were invited to submit suggestions between Sept. 10 and Sept. 25. The suggestion survey stated that the rationale for the suggested name would be as important as the name itself, reflecting “who we are” and being “mission driven.”

After reviewing the suggested names that met qualifications, Morello said, “the Unification Team identified six candidates that best convey the spirit of our unified parishes and have the most potential to gain widespread support among parishioners.”

Ascension members then met on Sept.

18 and St. Edmund members on Sept. 22 to discuss the names as a group. The process, however, will become top down in October when the Presbyterial Council will screen the submitted names to Cardinal Blasé Cupich who will make the final selection of the parish names.

Morello “leaked” some of the leading contenders which “have the most potential to gain widespread support among parishioners [of St. Giles and St. Catherine/St. Lucy]: Beatitudes of the Lord Parish, Holy Wisdom Parish, Pax Christi Parish, St. Clare of Assisi Parish, St. Hildegard of Bingen Parish, and Saint Sophia Parish.

Current Mass schedules St. Giles Saturday at 4:30 p.m., Sunday at 8 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.

St. Catherine/St. Lucy Saturday at 5 p.m., Sunday at 9 a.m.

St. Edmund Saturday at 5:30 p.m., Sunday at 11 a.m.

Ascension Saturday at 5 p.m., Sunday at 8 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.

2019 Latin Grammys® Best New Artist An unforgettable evening of Latin jazz from Venezuelan powerhouse Nella SATURDAY, October 8 | 7:30 p.m.

Tickets starting at $28

GET TIX!

The 4 churches will keep original names but share new parish names

10.08.22

NELLA

Joined Oak Park parishes consider new names

13

BOX OFFICE (708) 488-5000

events.dom.edu SOLD! SOLD

726 PARK, RIVER FOREST $637,500 :: 3 BED :: 2.5 BATH Classic center entrance colonial in mint condition.

KATHY & TONY IWERSEN

HISTORIC BEAUTY!

139 S GROVE, OAK PARK $1,179,000 :: 6 BED :: 4.5 BATH Majestic Victorian in central Oak Park Historic District.

708.772.8040 708.772.8041 tonyiwersen@atproperties.com

14

Wednesday Journal, October 5, 2022

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

Gottlieb Fitness Center reopens after long pandemic closure

The Gottlieb Center for Fitness, 551 W. North Avenue (Entrance 7) in Melrose Park, will reopen on Oct. 1, said officials with Loyola Medicine, Gottlieb’s parent entity, in a statement released Sept. 29.

“After closing during the pandemic, the fitness center was remodeled to bring new and improved facilities to members,” officials said.

“The Gottlieb Center for Fitness is a 55,000 square foot facility with two pools, an indoor cushioned track, extensive cardio and strength equipment, exercise studios and basketball court. Members will also enjoy a lineup of group exercise and aquatics classes aimed to serve all fitness levels to encourage an ac-

tive, healthy lifestyle. Located next to Gottlieb Memorial Hospital, the center features convenient hours, personal training and fitness programs.”

“We’re excited to be able to bring the Gottlieb Center for Fitness back to the community,” said Elizabeth Early, Gottlieb Memorial Hospital’s president. “We hope the new and improved facilities and programs will provide members with the resources they need to achieve their health and wellness goals.”

The center will be open Monday through Friday, 5:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Free parking is available onsite.

– STAFF

PROVIDED

The Gottlieb Center for Fitness in Melrose Park is open again.

Quality, Affordable, Independent Housing for Seniors

O

ur beautiful 6-story building provides quality, affordable, independent housing for seniors. The Oaks offers studio and one-bedroom apartments, with kitchens and private bathrooms.

Amenities include an award winning interior landscaped atrium, central meeting room, library, laundry facilities, computer learning center, internet access, electronic key entry system, and parking.

On-site management includes 24/7 emergency maintenance service and a senior services coordinator who is available during business hours to assist residents in accessing service

agencies and programs designed specifically for seniors. The Oaks is owned and operated by the Oak Park Residence Corporation and is funded by the US Department of Housing and Ur-ban Development through the 202/ Section 8 Program. Monthly rent is based on the resident’s income, with individuals paying approximately 30% of their monthly income toward rent.

For more information, please visit us at www.oakparkrc.com or contact us at 708-386-5862.

114 South Humphrey • Oak Park, Il 60302 • 708-386-5862 • oakparkrc.com

Wednesday Journal, October 5, 2022

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

15

Hundreds turn out for Tour de Proviso

3rd annual bicycling event was hosted by Riverside

By SHANEL ROMAIN Staff Reporter

The third annual Tour de Proviso rolled through Riverside on Oct. 1 for the first time since the event’s founding in 2020.

The Tour de Proviso is the brainchild of Maywood Trustee Miguel Jones and Broadview Mayor Katrina Thompson. The elected officials said they wanted to promote outdoor recreation and community togetherness during the pandemic.

For its first two years, the biking event, which is a play on the world-famous Tour de France, took place in Bellwood, Broadview and Maywood.

This year’s Tour de Proviso may have been the biggest one yet, with 450 registered riders.

Riverside Village President Joseph Ballerine said he participated in the Tour last year, but this one was particularly special.

“I was honored to have been given this event this year by Mayor Katrina Thompson,” Ballerina said.

“It’s a great opportunity for us to bring our communities together,” Ballerine said. “I have a great working relationship with all the different mayors, so as you

SHANEL ROMAIN/Staff

The 3rd annual Tour de Proviso brought out members of 14 communities and 450 registered riders on Oct. 1 in Riverside. can see this is 500-some-odd people and 14 different communities all together on a beautiful fall day. We’re very fortunate.”

North Riverside Mayor Joseph Mengoni

SHANEL ROMAIN/Staff

Participants ride across the Des Plaines River on Forest Avenue in Riverside.

and Brookfield Village President Michael Garvey, whose villages include Proviso Township areas, also participated in the event, which included a community expo in Guthrie Park in downtown Riverside.

In addition to riding through Riverside’s historic, winding streets, cyclists also rode through parts of Brookfield Zoo, about half of which in within Riverside’s corporate limits.

Ian Durbin, 10, said this is his first year participating in the annual bike ride.

“It felt pretty good,” he said.

“I liked it and look forward to doing it next year because I like riding my bike.”

Riders also included first responders like Oak Park Police Commander Paul Kane.

“We were glad to come to Riverside and participate,” he said. “It was a wonderful event. It brings people together and gives them an opportunity to enjoy the neighborhood and weather.”

Juanita Crouch, of Broadview, said she usually rides in a bike-riding group that Thompson hosts each Saturday.

“I invited my sisters to come,” Crouch said. “I love the fact that they blocked off the streets along with the police and firemen escorts. People came out and cheered us on. I love how the city welcomed us.”

Next year’s Tour de Proviso will be held in Westchester.

16

Wednesday Journal, October 5, 2022

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

Home Avenue Bridge to get more homey

Pedestrian causeway up for ‘architecturally significant’ overhaul

By STACEY SHERIDAN Staff Reporter

The Home Avenue pedestrian bridge offers walkers and cyclists a safe and convenient path across the Eisenhower Expressway, while linking the north and south halves of Oak Park. But the bridge itself is something of an eyesore. Its functionality is its only quality. And that functionality is deteriorating.

“It’s a little jank,” said Lisa Reed, who walks across the bridge several times a day. “It would be lovely to have something a little nicer, maybe a little greenery.”

As it stands now, the gray bridge consists of concrete surrounded by metal safety fencing held up by vertical metal posts. Metal handrails grace each side.

When crossing it, one can see patches of newer cement covering potholes caused by years of wear and tear. The view from

the highway is even worse, with graffiti covering the utilitarian support columns.

The bridge is hardly representative of Oak Park’s reputation for striking architecture, but in the next few years, it will catch up. The village of Oak Park has committed to replacing the bridge with something equally functional, and altogether more attractive. To add to its beauty, federal funding, it is hoped, will cover most of the expense.

“I think it’ll be a real plus,” Village President Vicki Scaman said of replacing the bridge.

The village board authorized staff, Oct. 3, to apply for the Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program, a new grant program through the U.S. Department of Transportation. If the village is awarded the grant, it would fund up to 80 percent of the project’s design costs.

The process of replacing the bridge will take about four years, with the work starting in 2023. The village intends to use capital fund revenue to pay for what federal funds will not cover.

The Community Design Commission

ALEX ROGALS/Staff Photographer

The Home Avenue pedestrian bridge over I-290 in Oak Park as it looks today.

VILLAGE OF OAK PARK

Medium-cost-scenario conceptual renderings from other communities show what might be possible. will assist a hired design consultant in vetting bridge designs. Public meetings will be held to gather input from residents.

Bridge design will take place in two phases. A preliminary engineering study will be conducted as part of the first phase, which will take place over the next two years. The cost of the study will be paid out over two years as well, in the amounts of $300,000 and $500,000, respectively. Grant funding would cover $240,000 and $400,000, respectively.

The design process itself makes up phase two, which will occur in 2025.

The village has budgeted $1 million for phase two, with potential grant funding accounting for $800,000. Construction of the bridge is planned for 2026 and has a budgeted cost of $5.6 million, with grant funding accounting for $2.1 million. The village board will have the opportunity to weigh in on cost considerations before construction begins.

The project is intended to be fully designed early in the process so that it can be built prior to the replacement of Interstate 290 to take advantage of any potential federal funding. Actual work on the highway will begin in 2028, according to Scaman.

While the prospect of a more beautiful bridge was exciting to Reed, the same could not be said for others who frequent the bridge. Although she often bikes across it, resident Sharon Pearce

told Wednesday Journal she doesn’t pay much attention to how the bridge looks, nor does she wish to see it replaced with something fancier.

“It personally sounds like a waste of money,” Pearce said of the project.

Just what beauty could be added to Oak Park with a more visually pleasing Home Avenue bridge is fodder for the imagination at the moment. McKenna, however, said the bridge will be “architecturally significant” with design elements that could include landscaped entryways and potted plants.

Safety outranks beauty, however, especially for the volunteer advocacy group Bike Walk Oak Park. The group, perhaps best known for its backing of the Greenways program, would like the bridge to better accommodate cyclists and pedestrians together.

“We’re going to advocate that there is a clear designation that this is a shared space for pedestrians and for cyclists,” said BWOP’s Jenna Holzberg.

While bicycling across the bridge is allowed, the narrowness of the bridge causes some pedestrians to be concerned about potential collisions with people on bicycles. BWOP has already received several emailed complaints from citizens who would prefer cyclists walk their bikes across the bridge rather than ride them.

“There is definitely room for improvement there,” Holzberg said.

Wednesday Journal, October 5, 2022

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

POLICE AUDIO

STATEMENT OF OWNERSHIP, MANAGEMENT AND CIRCULATION

Silent dashcams speak volumes from page 1 the village board.

“The village manager and I both agree that these reports, by habit, should not be on the consent agenda moving forward,” said Scaman.

Not discussing the report was a “shortsighted move,” Scaman said, caused by an abundance of other time-consuming items up for discussion and vote on Sept. 6. Since the village board returned from its August hiatus, the board’s meetings have consistently surpassed four hours.

“That’s not really a great excuse,” she said.

CPOC discovered the failure on numerous occasions of Oak Park police to turn on the audio portion of squad car dashcams during a review of citizen complaints against police officers lodged between November 2021 and June 2022.

The commission found that officers failed to turn on the audio recording component in nine of the 13 citizen complaints reviewed by the committee from November 2021 to June 2022.

Dashcams automatically begin recording video when police lights are activated. However, officers need to manually turn on the audio component when responding to a call.

It reportedly became a department requirement earlier this year that officers must activate the audio recording device in preparation for officers being outfitted with body cameras, according to Interim Chief Shatonya Johnson. The requirement was reportedly put in place prior to the departure of Chief LaDon Reynolds.

The failure of officers to activate the audio portion was dismaying to the committee, which included in its report to the village board that the “high occurrence of [dashcam] violation is troubling to CPOC members, and while we acknowledge that OPPD leadership is taking steps to remedy this situation, we are concerned that there are many more occurrences of failure to activate [dashcam] than what is reported here.”

Wednesday Journal is awaiting response to a public information request for the total number of instances in which officers within the Oak Park Police Department have neglected to activate the audio recording element of their dashcams.

The village’s policy regarding dashcam recordings dates back to 2013, but it was amended in February 2021 and updated again in August 2022. Specifics of the changes made were not included in the policy itself. Wednesday

JAVIER GOVEA/Staff

Journal has reached out to Johnson for more information.

CPOC was given the authority to review dashcam footage for citizen complaints in October of last year at the direction of Scaman. Citizen complaints lodged against officers are investigated internally by police leadership.

The results of those investigations are then reviewed by CPOC, which decides whether more investigation is needed or to uphold the internal findings. In giving the commission the authority to review dashcam footage, its members have more information on which to base their recommendations rather than “just taking a summary from our police chief,” said Scaman.

In the nine documented instances of dashcam audio recorders not being activated, the officers were not acting out of willful disobedience, according to Oak Park spokesperson Erik Jacobsen, on behalf of Interim Chief Shatonya Johnson.

“There were NOT any cases where officers were found to intentionally not turn on the camera,” Jacobsen wrote in an email to Wednesday Journal.

Rather, he said the officers simply forgot to turn them on either because they were in a rush or because they are still getting used to the new procedure.

The number of department-wide violations of the policy has not been provided to the village board or CPOC, the latter of which is only privy to information attached to citizen complaints.

CPOC Chairman Donovan Pepper told Wednesday Journal the committee has requested that the number of violations be made available to the village board.

Pepper said he believes village staff ’s recommendation against the commission’s joint

review with police leadership on dashcam activation violations for the next six months was the result of miscommunication between the committee and village staff.

CPOC meant to recommend the village board be provided with that data, not the committee, according to Pepper.

“It was my understanding that we were asking for the village [board] to have that information,” he said.

Pepper was not aware of the staff memo nor that the village board had not discussed the CPOC report.

Failure to activate the audio dashcam recording system can result in an officer being reprimanded, counseled or coached. However, the requirement was not meant to be punitive, according to Kira Tchang, the village’s human resources director.

“It was really more just around the development of those skills in anticipation of the body-worn cameras,” she said.

State law mandates that municipalities with over 50,000 but fewer than 100,000 residents, including Oak Park, must outfit their law enforcement agencies with officer-worn body cameras by January 2024.

The village board approved a $1.4 million, five-year purchasing agreement on Oct. 3 for the purchase of the cameras, as well as new in-car video recording systems and Tasers.

The agreement includes storage and redaction software for the footage.

Staff is searching for grant opportunities to help pay for the body cameras, according to Johnson, who told the village board that the addition of body cameras will help in CPOC’s oversight process.

“I do believe that this affords an opportunity for CPOC to look at and have a clearer understanding of what’s going on when we receive citizen complaints,” she said.

17

(Required by 39 U.S.C. 3685) 1.Publication Title: Wednesday Journal 2. Publication no.: USPS 0010-138 3. Date of filing: October 5, 2022 4. Frequency of issue: Weekly 5. No of issues published annually: 52 6. Annual subscription price: $48.00 7. Complete mailing address of known office of publication: 141 S. Oak Park Ave., Oak Park, IL 60302, Cook Co. 8. Complete mailing address of headquarters or general business office of publisher: (same) 9. Names and complete mailing addresses of publisher, editor and manager editor: Publisher: Dan Haley, 141 S. Oak Park Ave., Oak Park, IL 60302 Editor: Dan Haley, 141 S. Oak Park Ave., Oak Park, IL 60302 Managing Editor: Dan Haley, 141 S. Oak Park Ave., Oak Park, IL 60302 10. The owner is: Growing Community Media 141 S Oak Park, Oak Park IL 60302 11. Known bondholders, mortagees and other security holders owning or holding one percent or more of the total amount of bonds, mortgages or other securities are: None.

12. N/A 13. Publication name: Wednesday Journal 14. Issue date for circulation data below: September 28, 2022 15. Average no. copies each issue during preceding 12 months: A. Total no. copies printed (net press run): 4479 B1. Mailed outside-county paid subscriptions stated on Form 3541: 80 B2. Mailed in-county paid subscriptions stated on form 3541: 3198 B3. Paid distribution outside the mails including sales through dealers and carriers, street vendors, counter sales and other paid distribution outside USPS: 316 B4. Paid distribution by other classes of mail through the USPS: 0 C. Total Paid distribution: 3594 D1. Free or nominal rate outside-county copies included on PS form 3541: 0 D2. Free on nominal rate in-county copies included on PS Form 3541: 302 D3. Free or nominal rate copies mailed at other classes through the USPS: 0 D4. Free or nominal rate distribution outside the mail: 70 E. Total free or nominal rate distribution: 372 F. Total distribution: 3966 G. Copies not distributed: 313 H: Total: 4279 I. Percent paid: 90.62% 15. No. copies of single issue published nearest to filing date: A. Total no. copies printed (net press run): 4274 B1. Mailed outside-county paid subscriptions stated on Form 3541: 80 B2. Mailed in-county paid subscriptions stated on form 3541: 3212 B3. Paid distribution outside the mails including sales through dealers and carriers, street vendors, counter sales and other paid distribution outside USPS: 301 B4. Paid distribution by other classes of mail through the USPS: 0 C. Total Paid distribution: 3593 D1. Free or nominal rate outside-county copies included on PS form 3541: 0 D2. Free on nominal rate in-county copies included on PS Form 3541: 198 D3. Free or nominal rate copies mailed at other classes through the USPS: 0 D4. Free or nominal rate distribution outside the mail: 70 E. Total free or nominal rate distribution: 268 F. Total distribution: 3861 G. Copies not distributed: 413 H: Total: 4274 I. Percent paid: 93.06% 16. Publication of statement of ownership will be printed in the Oct. 5, 2022 issue of this publication.

17. Signature and Title of Editor, Publisher, Business Manager, or Owner: Jill Wagner Circulation Manager Oct. 5, 2022

18 40

WednesdayJournal, Journal,October October5,5,2022 2022 Wednesday

CLASSIFIED PUBLIC NOTICES

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

BY PHONE: (708) 613-3333 BY FAX: (708) 467-9066 BY E-MAIL: EMAIL@GROWINGCOMMUNITYMEDIA.ORG

PUBLIC NOTICES

PUBLIC NOTICES

PUBLIC NOTICES There will be a court date on my Request to change my name from: Caleb Jordan Baze to the new name of: Caleb Jordan

LEGAL NOTICE The Village of Oak Park will receive proposals from qualified custodial contractors to provide custodial services at various Village-owned facilities. Proposals will be accepted at the Public Works Service Center, 201 South Boulevard, Oak Park, Illinois 60302, until 10:00 a.m. local time on Tuesday, October 25th, 2022.

Custodial Services for the Village of Oak Park Proposal Number: 22-127 Issuance Date: 10/5/22 There will be a pre-bid meeting at the Public Works Center, located at 201 South Blvd., Oak Park, IL on Wednesday, October 12th, 2022 at 10:30 a.m.

Bid forms may be obtained by calling 708-358-5714 or by emailing fgutierrez@oak-park.us between the hours of 7:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. M-F. The Village of Oak Park reserves the right to issue proposal documents and specifications only to those contractors deemed qualified.

No proposal documents will be issued after 4:00 p.m. on the working day preceding the date of proposal opening.

THE VILLAGE OF OAK PARK Published in Wednesday Journal October 5, 2022

LEGAL NOTICE IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF THE STATE OF ARIZONA IN AND FOR THE COUNTY OF MARICOPA NO. FN2022-091197 SUMMONS (Domestic Relations) In re the Marriage of TEARA DYNAE CARPENTER, Petitioner, and TYISHA PENNINAH MARSHALL, Respondent, THE STATE OF ARIZONA TO THE ABOVE NAMED RESPONDENT, YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED and required to appear and defend in the above entitled action within TWENTY (20) DAYS, exclusive of the date of service, if served within the State of Arizona, or within THIRTY (30) DAYS, exclusive of the date of service, if service is made without the State of Arizona. If service is made by publication, service is complete THIRTY (30) DAYS after the date of FIRST PUBLICATION and you must appear and defend within THIRTY (30) DAYS thereafter.

In order to appear and defend, you must file a proper response or answer in writing with the Clerk of this Court, accompanied by the required filing fee. Failure to appear and defend will result in judgment by default being rendered against you for the relief requested in the Petition. You are required by law to serve a copy of your response or answer upon the Petitioner, and such response or answer should be addressed as follows: TEARA DYNAE CARPENTER 99 W PALOMINO DR APT 173 CHANDLER, AZ 85225 If service is made by publication, a copy of the Petition and other papers filed in this matter may be obtained from the Clerk of this Court whose address is as follows: CLERK OF SUPERIOR COURT 201 W. JEFFERSON ST

LEGAL NOTICE The Village of Oak Park—Office of the Village Engineer, 201 South Boulevard, Oak Park, Illinois 60302—will receive electronic proposals until Thursday, October 27, 2022, at 10:00 A.M. Bids will be received and accepted, and bid results posted via the online electronic bid service listed below. In general, the improvements consist of combined sewers, storm sewers, water mains, asphalt and concrete patches, and traffic control and protection, and all appurtenant work thereto.

Plans and proposal forms may be obtained via the electronic service starting on Thursday, October 6, 2022 at 4:00 P.M., which can be found at https:// www.oak-park.us/your-government/budget-purchasing/ requests-proposals or at www. questcdn.com under login using QuestCDN number 8309802 for a non-refundable charge of $30.00. The Village of Oak Park reserves the right to issue plans and specifications to only those contractors deemed qualified. No plans will be issued to prospective bidders after 4:00 P.M. on the working day preceding the opening of bids.

The work to be performed pursuant to this Proposal is subject to the Illinois Prevailing Wage Act, 820 ILCS 130/0.01 et seq.

THE VILLAGE OF OAK PARK Bill McKenna Village Engineer Published in Wednesday Journal October 5, 2022

PHOENIX, AZ 85003 Request for reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities must be made to the Court by parties at least three working days in advance of a scheduled court proceeding.

SIGNED AND SEALED this date: 08/18/2022, CHRISTOPHER COURY, Clerk /s K. CLARK, Deputy Clerk Published in Wednesday Journal September 14, 21, 28, October 5, 2022

PUBLIC NOTICE STATE OF WISCONSIN CIRCUIT COURT WALWORTH COUNTY Plaintiff CURT PATRICK 158 W. Whitewater Street Whitewater WI 53190 -vsDefendant DOMINIQUE SOOKIKIAN 517 S. Lombard Avenue Oak Park IL 60304 Publication Summons And Notice (Small Claims) Case No: 2022SC000634 If you require reasonable accommodations due to a disability to participate in the court process, please call 262-741-7012 at least 10 working days prior to the scheduled court date. Please note that the court does not provide transportation.

Publication Summon and Notice of Filing

LEGAL NOTICE The Village of Oak Park will receive sealed Bids from qualified contractors at the Public Works Center, 201 South Blvd., Oak Park, IL 60302 Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. local time until 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday October 19, 2022 for the following: Village of Oak Park 2023 Comprehensive Landscape Maintenance Bid Number: 22-131 Bid forms may be obtained from the Public Works Customer Service Center by calling 708-3585700 or by stopping by the office located at 201 South Boulevard, Oak Park, Illinois between the hours of 7:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.

Information is also available from the Forestry Superintendent, Grant Jones, gjones@oak-park. us and the Village’s website http://www.oak-park.us/bid.

A mandatory pre-bid meeting shall be held on Tuesday October 11 at 2 p.m. at the Public Works Center. Proposals received from bidders who do not send a representative to the pre-bid meeting shall not be considered.

The Village of Oak Park reserves the right to issue proposal documents and specifications only to those vendors deemed qualified.

No proposal documents will be issued after 4:00 p.m. on the working day preceding the date of proposal opening. For more information call the Public Works Service Center at 708.358.5700.

Published in Wednesday Journal October 5, 2022

TO THE PERSON(S) NAMED ABOVE AS DEFENDANT(S): You are being sued by the person(s) named above as Plaintiff(s). A copy of the claim has been sent to you at your address as stated in the caption above. The lawsuit will be heard in the following Small Claims court: Walworth Co. Judicial Center 1800 County Road NN, P.O. Box 1001 Room 2055 Elkhorn WI 53121 On the following date and time: October 20, 2022 at 9:30am.

You must appear at the time and place stated. If you do not appear or answer, the plaintiff may win this case and a judgment entered for what the plaintiff is asking. /s/ Alyssa S. Wilson 7/28/22 Bar No. 1099926 262-725-0175 Published in Wednesday Journal September 28, October 5, 12, 2022

PUBLIC NOTICES PUBLIC NOTICE OF COURT DATE FOR REQUEST FOR NAME CHANGE STATE OF ILLINOIS, CIRCUIT COURT COOK COUNTY. Request of Caleb Jordan Baze Case Number 20224003956.

The court date will be held: On October 18 at 11:00am at 1500 Maybrook Drive Maywood, Cook County in Courtroom # Zoom Published in Wednesday Journal September 28, October 5, 12, 2022

PUBLIC NOTICE NOTICE OF AVAILABILITY OF AUDIT REPORT OF RIVERSIDE TOWNSHIP Riverside Township hereby provides public notice that an Audit of its funds for the period April 1, 2021 through March 31, 2022 has been made, and that a report of such audit dated.

September 9, 2022, by Selden Fox, LTD has been filed with the County Clerk of Cook, Illinois, in accordance with 30ILCS 15/0.01 et seq.

The full report of the audit is available for public inspection at Riverside Township Hall, 27 Riverside Road Riverside, Illinois, during regular business hours 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Thursday 9:00 am. to 3:00 p.m. Friday, except for holidays.

Published in RB Landmark October 5, 2022

PUBLIC NOTICE Notice Of A Public Hearing

By The Joint Plan Commission/Zoning Board of Appeals Of The Village Of North Riverside Notice is hereby given that a Public Hearing will be held by the Joint Plan Commission/Zoning Board of Appeals of the Village of North Riverside on Thursday, October 20, 2022., in the Council Chambers located in the Village Commons, 2401 S. Desplaines Avenue, North Riverside, Illinois.

At such time and place, the Joint Plan Commission/Zoning Board of Appeals will consider a request for a variance to permit a wall sign to be displayed that exceeds the maximum square footage allowed under Title 14 Section 14.01.100 (D1D) of the North Riverside Sign Ordinance.

Applicant: Integrity Sign Company – As Authorized Representative for Forman Mills 7503 W. Cermak Road North Riverside, Illinois 60546 All persons desiring to appear and be heard for or against said petitions may attend the Public Hearing.

Village of North Riverside Pat Ferriter, Chairman of the Joint Plan Commission/Zoning Board of Appeals Published in RB Landmark October 5, 2022

PUBLIC NOTICE PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS RIVER FOREST, ILLINOIS Public Notice is hereby given that a public hearing will be held by the Zoning Board of Appeals of the Village of River Forest, Cook County, Illinois, on Thursday, October 20, 2022 at 7:30 p.m. in the First Floor Community Room of the River Forest Village Hall, 400 Park Avenue, River Forest, Illinois, to consider amendment(s) to the Village’s Zoning Ordinance which include, but may not be

PUBLIC NOTICES

PUBLIC NOTICES

limited to, the following: 1. A Text Amendment to Section 10-3 (Definitions) of the Zoning Ordinance to define accessory dwelling units; and 2. A Text Amendment to Section 10-7 (Regulations of General Applicability) of the Zoning Ordinance to create standards for accessory dwelling units; and 3. A Text Amendment to Section 1021 (Land Use Chart) of the Zoning Ordinance to designate accessory dwelling units as a special use in certain residential Zoning Districts.

The petitioner for the Text Amendments is the Village President and Board of Trustees.

This public hearing is being held pursuant to direction given by the Village Board of Trustees for the Zoning Board of Appeals to consider these amendments. For additional information visit www.vrf.us.

All interested persons will be given the opportunity to be heard at the public hearing. For public comments to be considered by the Zoning Board of Appeals and Village Board of Trustees in their decision, they must be included as part of the public hearing record. If you cannot attend the public hearing but would like to provide input on this matter to the Zoning Board of Appeals you may submit your comments in writing, to Clifford Radatz, Building Official, no later than 12:00 Noon on the date of the public hearing at cradatz@vrf.us or by mailing them to 400 Park Avenue, River Forest, IL 60305.

For further information or for a copy of the proposed text amendments, please contact Assistant to the Village Administrator Matt Walsh at (708) 714-3563 or at mwalsh@vrf.us or visit www.vrf.us.

Sincerely, Clifford Radatz Secretary, Zoning Board of Appeals Published in Wednesday Journal October 5, 2022

PUBLIC NOTICE LEGAL NOTICE ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS RIVER FOREST, ILLINOIS Public Notice is hereby given that a public hearing will be held by the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) of the Village of River Forest, County of Cook, State of Illinois, on Thursday, October 20, 2022 at 7:30 p.m. in the First Floor Community Room of the River Forest Village Hall, 400 Park Avenue, River Forest, Illinois on the following matter: The ZBA will consider an application for a fence variation submitted by 1534 Park Apartments LLC, owner of the property at 1534 Park Avenue, who is proposing to install a fence in the Front yard.

Section 4-8-5 of the Village Code provides the Zoning Board of Appeals jurisdiction to hold public hearings and offer recommendations to the Village Board concerning variations to the Fence regulations.

The applicant is requesting a variation to Section 4-8-4-A-1 of the fence regulations to allow a Type 2 fence (metal materials, maximum 6 feet high and a minimum of 80% open to view) to be installed in the Front Yard.

The regulation requires the fence in a Front Yard in the C-1 Commercial District to be a Type 1 fence (metal materials, maximum 4 feet high and a minimum of 50% open to view).

The legal description of the property at 1534 Park Avenue is as follows: THE SOUTH 50 FEET OF THE EAST HALF OF LOT 1 IN BLOCK 1 IN THE SUBDIVISION OF THAT PART OF LOTS 1 AND 2 LYING EAST OF THATCHER ROAD IN OWNER’S SUBDIVISION IN THE NORTH WEST QUARTER OF THE NORTH WEST QUARTER OF SECTION 1, TOWNSHIP 39 NORTH, RANGE 12 EAST OF THE THIRD PRINCIPAL MERIDIAN, IN COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. A copy of the application will be available to the public at Village Hall and on the Village’s website at www. vrf.us/zoningvariation no less than 15 days prior to the public hearing.

The Zoning Board of Appeals meeting packet will also be available at www.vrf.us/meetings no less than 48 hours prior to the public hearing.

All interested persons will be given the opportunity to be heard at the public hearing. For public comments to be considered by the Zoning Board of Appeals and Village Board of Trustees in their decision, they must be included as part of the public hearing record. Interested persons can learn more about how to participate in the hearing by visiting www.vrf.us/zoningvariation.

Sincerely, Clifford Radatz Secretary, Zoning Board of Appeals

PUBLIC NOTICES The legal description of the property at 1037 Bonnie Brae is as follows: LOT 1 (EXCEPT THE NORTH 55 FEET THEREOF) AND THE NORTH 15 FEET OF LOT 2 IN BLOCK 8 IN THE SUBDIVISION OF BLOCK 1, 8, 9, 19, 11, 14, 15 AND 16 IN BOGUE’S ADDITION TO OAK PARK, BEING A SUBDIVISION OF THE SOUTH EAST ¼ OF SECTION 1, TOWNSHIP 39 NORTH, RANGE 12, EAST OF THE THIRD PRINCIPAL MERIDIAN, IN COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. A copy of the application will be available to the public at Village Hall and on the Village’s website at www.vrf. us/zoningvariation no less than 15 days prior to the public hearing. The Zoning Board of Appeals meeting packet will also be available at www. vrf.us/meetings no less than 48 hours prior to the public hearing.

All interested persons will be given the opportunity to be heard at the public hearing. For public comments to be considered by the Zoning Board of Appeals and Village Board of Trustees in their decision, they must be included as part of the public hearing record. Interested persons can learn more about how to participate in the hearing by visiting www.vrf.us/zoningvariation.

Sincerely, Clifford Radatz Secretary, Zoning Board of Appeals Published in Wednesday Journal October 5, 2022

Published in Wednesday Journal October 5, 2022

PUBLIC NOTICE LEGAL NOTICE ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS RIVER FOREST, ILLINOIS Public Notice is hereby given that a public hearing will be held by the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) of the Village of River Forest, County of Cook, State of Illinois, on Thursday, October 20, 2022 at 7:30 p.m. in the First Floor Community Room of the River Forest Village Hall, 400 Park Avenue, River Forest, Illinois on the following matter: The ZBA will consider an application for variations submitted by Chicago Property Group LLC, owner of the property at 1037 Bonnie Brae, who is proposing to make exterior improvements to the property.

Section 4-8-5 of the Village Code provides the Zoning Board of Appeals jurisdiction to hold public hearings and offer recommendations to the Village Board concerning variations to Village Code.

The applicant is requesting a variation to Section 10-10-7 of the setback regulations requiring a 3 feet setback in the side yard. The applicant is requesting a one-foot setback on the south property line.

The applicant is requesting a variation to Section 10-10-8 of the off-street parking regulations that requires that a detached garage occupy no more than 40% of the rear yard. The applicant is requesting an increase in the allowed percentage to 52%.

The applicant is requesting a variation to Section 10-10-4 of the lot size regulations that requires a lot size of 17,424 square feet for any alterations or construction in an R3 district. The lot is an existing non-conforming lot.

Find additional Public Notices on page 39

Wednesday Journal, October 5, 2022

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

C R I M E

Woman pepper-sprays train passenger

A Chicago resident was pepper-sprayed in the face by a female passenger while riding the CTA Green Line at 5:30 p.m., Oct. 1 in the 300 block of South Boulevard. The Oak Park Police Department is investigating the battery.

According to Detective Commander Schonella Stewart, the female passenger accused the victim of staring at her. When the victim told the offender that he was not staring at her, she pepper sprayed him in the face and eyes.

After the victim got off of the train, the female passenger continued riding westbound.

Burglary ■ Someone broke the rear passenger’s side window to gain entry into a 2020 Hyundai Sonata parked in the 900 block of South Cuyler Avenue then pulled the ignition and removed cash from inside the vehicle between 9:30 p.m., Sept. 29 and 8:34 a.m., Sept. 30. The estimated damage is $300.

■ A pair of white Apple AirPods in a brown leather case were taken from an unlocked 2016 Land Rover parked in the 400 block of South Cuyler Avenue between 11 p.m., Sept.

28 and 9:50 a.m., Sept. 29. The estimated loss is $300.

■ A Makita lawn mower was taken from a residential garage with an open overhead door between 5 p.m. and 5:34 p.m., Sept. 29.

The estimated loss is $400.

■ Someone cut the screen on a rear door then reached in to unlock the deadbolt securing the home on the 800 block of Mapleton, then entered into the home and removed a purse and wallets from ransacked cabinets and closets between 1 p.m., Sept. 25 and 10:50 a.m., Sept. 27. The offender then went into the unlocked garage and ransacked the victim’s white 2019 Jeep Cherokee. The estimated loss is unknown.

Motor vehicle theft ■ A 2022 Kia Sportage parked in the 200 block of Washington Boulevard was taken between 9:30 p.m. and 11:30 p.m., Oct. 1. The loss is estimated at $23,000.

■ A 2017 Kia Optima parked in the 900 block of North Humphrey Avenue was taken between 11:38 a.m., Oct. 1 and 3 p.m., Oct. 2. The estimated loss is $13,000.

■A

2020 Kia Sportage was taken between 5:10 p.m., Sept. 25 and 5:10 p.m., Sept. 26 from the 1000 block of Washington Boulevard. Chicago police recovered the vehicle at 1:57 p.m., Sept. 27 in the 4000 block of West Walton Avenue in Chicago.

Motor vehicle recovery ■ The 2018 Kia Optima reported stolen out of Oak Park from the first block of Harrison Street Sept. 30 was recovered by Chicago police in the 300 block of West 79th Street in Chicago at 9:45 p.m., Oct. 2.

■ The 2015 Kia Optima reported stolen out of Oak Park from the 800 block of Fillmore Street was recovered by Chicago police in the 1500 block of South Karlov Avenue at 6:37 p.m., Sept. 29.

■ The 2019 Hyundai Elantra reported stolen from the 1300 block of North Austin Boulevard in Oak Park Sept. 22 was recovered by Chicago police in the 3000 block of West Cullerton Street in Chicago at 4:37 p.m., Sept. 27.

Our Community Needs Community Journalism It’s not just about crime reports and board meetings. We also need inspiring, funny, heartwarming and, at times, heartbreaking stories about our friends, neighbors and children. Perhaps now, more than ever.

Let's build community!

Read and Support Wednesday Journal.

Theft ■ A package containing a pair of black Sia Collective tennis shoes was taken between 11:08 a.m. and 6 p.m., Sept. 28 in the 700 block of Washington Boulevard. The estimated loss is $270.

■ The catalytic converter was cut from a 2008 Honda CRV between 3 p.m., Sept. 23 and 8 a.m., Sept. 24 in the first block of Harrison Street.

■ The catalytic converter was cut from a Kia Sportage between 6 p.m., Sept. 23 and 4:30 p.m., Sept. 25 in the 200 block of South Boulevard.

These items, obtained from the Oak Park Police Department, came from reports, Sept. 27Oct. 3, and represent a portion of the incidents to which police responded. Anyone named in these reports has only been charged with a crime and cases have not yet been adjudicated.

We report the race of a suspect only when a serious crime has been committed, the suspect is still at large, and police have provided us with a detailed physical description of the suspect as they seek the public’s help in making an arrest.

Compiled by Stacey Sheridan

Partner with us.

Donate at GrowingCommunityMedia.org

Growing Community Media NFP is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization

19

20

Wednesday Journal, October 5, 2022

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

518 KEYSTONE AVENUE, RIVER FOREST

518KEYSTONE.INFO

139 S GROVE AVENUE, OAK PARK

139SGROVE.INFO

A rare opportunity awaits with the Solomon Thatcher Jr. Home, one of the first

This majestic Victorian home commands your attention with itts impressive

built in River Forest, just one block from Keystone Park. $1,575,000

wrap around porch and grand entrance. $1,179,000

MICHAEL O’NEILL

TONY & KATHY IWERSEN

•

708.267.8995

•

mikeoneill@atproperties.com

•

708.772.8040

•

tonyiwersen@atproperties.com

1011 SOUTH BOULEVARD

1223 FRANKLIN AVENUE, RIVER FOREST

1223FRANKLINAV.INFO

1116 S MAPLE AVENUE, OAK PARK

1116SMAPLE.INFO

Thoughtfully remodeled this home is one of River Forest’s most significant

Fantastic home situated on an over-sized 50x170 lot in ideal Oak Park

Mid-Century-Modern gems. $875,000

location.

T R YOUNGBLOOD JR

•

872.588.0105

•

tr@atproperties.com

$589,900

RYAN PARKS

•

773.387.3010

•

ryanparks@atproperties.com

Stop looking, start finding® atproperties.com

NEED TO REACH US?

oakpark.com/real-estate email: buphues@wjinc.com

Homes

Wednesday Journal, October 5, 2022

Multifamily math Traditional apartment buildings for sale in Oak Park

By LACEY SIKORA

T

Contributing Reporter

here are currently 13 multifamily buildings on the market in Oak Park. Most of the available investment properties are traditional two-flats or former singlefamily homes that were converted into two units decades ago. One four-unit building just hit the market, and its evolution offers a glimpse into what it takes to make an investment in the multifamily market.

When Owen Li decided to jump into the real

estate market in 2019, he was looking to find an investment property that he could live in and manage. In addition, he was looking for a rehab opportunity that would let him learn the skills behind managing a construction project from the ground up.

He thought he’d found the perfect opportunity in 617 S. Lombard Ave. in Oak Park. The four-unit building needed a complete overhaul, which offered the chance to learn the construction process in all its facets.

See MULTIFAMILY on page 22

REDFIN.COM

Owen Li completely overhauled the 4-unit building at 617 S. Lombard Ave. The building may be more than 100 years old, but inside, says Li, “Everything is new.” The building (inset) before the overhaul.

21

22

Wednesday Journal, October 5, 2022

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

MULTIFAMILY Range of prices from page 21 Once finished, he planned to live in the four-bedroom owner’s unit, while renting out the remaining three units in the building. He saw it as a good investment.

“I could live in one unit and the other three would pay the mortgage,” Li said.

For the first-time rehabber, the timing could not have been worse. With the pandemic hitting after he took possession of the building, the process of getting permits and bringing in contractors was put on hold for months. It took Li until October of 2020 to get through architectural review and get the permits he needed to do the extensive renovation the neglected building required.

Fortunately, he was more than ready to learn from the process.

“We had to do everything. HVAC, plumbing, electrical, inspections,” Li said. “Whatever I touched, I wanted to learn about it. I learned a lot.”

Unfortunately, the process took so long, that his personal plans changed. His young daughter no longer is interested in moving and starting a new school. Rather than live in one unit and rent the others, Li decided to sell the building to try to earn his money back.

Working with Berkshire Hathaway Home Services broker Fei (Yanfei) Hu, he recently listed the property for sale for $1.4 million. Hu notes that the three three-bedroom units are also listed for rent at $2,380 per unit. Parking is an additional $120 per space.

Hu states the two-pronged approach of marketing the entire building for sale while also marketing the three-bedroom units as rentals is a good idea in a real estate market that is experiencing softening rents and longer market times.

“It’s probably more attractive to a buyer to buy the property if the three units are already rented,” Hu said.

Each of the units is completely new and features higherend finishes including stainless-steel appliances and quartz counters. The owner’s unit has a first floor with three bedrooms, a full bath, a breakfast room, an open family room and a kitchen with a large island with a built-in wine fridge.

1122 S. Oak Park Ave.

REDFIN.COM

REDFIN.COM

Kitchens in the 4-unit building at 617 S. Lombard Ave. have higher-end finishes, like stainless-steel appliances and quartz countertops. Three-season sunrooms off the kitchens have been converted into year-round dining spaces.

The lower level of the duplex has in-unit laundry, another full bath, a bedroom and a family room.

The three-bedroom rental units have identical layouts, including family rooms and eat-in areas of the kitchen. During the renovation, Li finished former sunrooms, adding insulation, heating and cooling to create year-round dining spaces off the kitchens. While the building itself is more than 100 years old, Li said, “Everything else is new.”

Hu says Li wanted to price the building to recoup some of his investment and notes that it is a good opportunity for someone who wants to be a landlord but doesn’t want to have to do any construction in this era of supply chain and worker shortage delays.

There are currently no other four-unit buildings for sale in

64 Washington Blvd.

REDFIN.COM

Oak Park. A look at other two-flats on the market currently reveals a wide range of prices for them.

The two-flat at 1122 S. Oak Park Ave. is listed at $729,000. The two-flat was renovated in 2014 and, like 617 S. Lombard Ave., offers a two-level owner’s unit with four total bedrooms and two bathrooms. The second-floor unit has three bedrooms and rents for $2,000 a month.

The building at 64 Washington Blvd. in Oak Park is a short sale available for $599,000. Built in 1920, it has a first and lower-level duplex unit with four bedrooms and two bathrooms, and a top-level unit with three bedrooms and two bathrooms.

The vintage brick two-flat at 328 S. Ridgeland Ave. is for sale for $615,000. The traditional brick building includes two units, each with three bedrooms and two bathrooms.

328 S. Ridgeland Ave.

REDFIN.COM

Wednesday Journal, October 5, 2022

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

SINGLE FAMILY HOMES

TOWN HOMES

Saturday, October 8 • Sunday, October 9 ADDRESS............................................................................. REALTY CO.......................................... LISTING PRICE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . TIME 1022 Cedar Ct., Oak Park. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Baird & Warner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $574,900 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Open Saturday 12-2 196 N. Marion St., Oak Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Baird & Warner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $659,000 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Open Sunday 12-2 1022 S. Oak Park Ave., Oak Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Baird & Warner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $345,000 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Open Sunday 1-3

ADDRESS............................................................................. REALTY CO.......................................... LISTING PRICE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . TIME 1053 Troost Ave., Forest Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Baird & Warner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $659,000 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Open Sunday 1-3

This Directory brought to you by

On Saturday, Oct. 15: McAdam Pumpkin-Palooza Over the years, the McAdam PumpkinPalooza has become an annual autumn staple of fun (and free) family activities.

This year is no exception, with a pumpkin patch, Scott hayrides, ghost McAdam Jr. stories, sweet treats, and pumpkin painting all in store for Saturday, October 15th at our Nursery & Garden Center, 2001 Des Plaines Ave. in Forest Park.

The event is from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and every child who comes will receive a free pumpkin. We also encourage everyone— kids and adults alike—to wear costumes.

During this special occasion, we will offer huge fall discounts on all trees, shrubs, and perennials that are in stock. And for those looking to know what they can still plant, professionals will be on hand to give tips on how to winterize your garden.

Particularly with plants that have been growing in the same containers all year long, this is a good time to landscape. Before next summer’s heat comes around, it’s very beneficial to give new plantings upwards of six to eight months to get established.

A half-mile south of Roosevelt Road, the McAdam Nursery & Garden Center is open until mid-November. Whether you have a question about PumpkinPalooza or anything else, we’re always just a phone call away at 708-771-2299.

mrgloans.com

Providing financing for homes in Oak Park and surrounding communities since 1989.

Conventional, FHA, and Jumbo mortgages Free Pre-approvals

6821 W. North Avenue Suite 201 Oak Park, IL 708.452.5151

Mortgage Resource Group is an Illinois Residential Mortgage Licensee.

NMLS # 207793 License # 1031

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

23

24

Wednesday Journal, October 5, 2022

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

IMPORTANT NOTICE TO PROPERTY OWNERS

Cook County Annual Tax Sale Notice to Property Owners, Annual Tax Sale Schedule, and Delinquent Real Estate Tax List This legal notice includes a list of properties of real estate on which 2020 property taxes (due in 2021) are delinquent and subject to sale as of September 13, 2022.

NOTE: This list may include some properties on which the taxes were paid after the list’s preparation on September 13, 2022. It is the property owner’s responsibility to verify the current status of payment. This list does not include all the properties in Cook County that are delinquent and subject to sale. For a complete listing of the properties in your neighborhood that are subject to sale, please visit www.cookcountytreasurer.com.

Under Illinois law, the Cook County Treasurer’s Office must offer properties having delinquent real estate taxes and special assessments for sale. IF YOUR PROPERTY IS LISTED IN THIS NOTICE FOR SALE OF DELINQUENT REAL ESTATE TAXES, IT IS IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO TAKE ACTION SO THAT YOUR TAXES ARE NOT SOLD. The tax sale is scheduled to begin TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2022. The sale of taxes will result in a lien against the property that will add, at a minimum, hundreds of dollars in fees to the amount currently due. Sale of the tax and continued failure by the owner to redeem (pay) may result in the owner’s loss of legal title to the property.

Prior to sale, delinquent taxes may be paid online from your bank account or credit card by visiting cookcountytreasurer.com. Personal, company, and business checks will be accepted only through October 27, 2022. After October 27, 2022, all payments must be made by certified check, cashier’s check, money order, cash, or credit card. Please note that under Illinois law, the Treasurer’s Office cannot accept payments of delinquent taxes tendered after the close of the business day immediately preceding the date on which such taxes are to be offered for sale. For questions about submitting a payment or to verify the precise delinquent amount, you may contact the Cook County Treasurer’s Office by phone at (312) 443-5100 or by e-mail through our website at www.cookcountytreasurer.com (click on “CONTACT US BY EMAIL”).

LEGAL NOTICE

2020 Annual Tax Sale Schedule SALE BEGINS TUESDAY NOVEMBER 15, 2022, AT 8:30 A.M. THE TAX SALE HOURS OF OPERATION ARE 8:30 A.M. TO 5:00 P.M. (CHICAGO LOCAL TIME) EACH SCHEDULED DAY. THE DATES OF SALE AND THE DAILY SALE HOURS MAY BE EXTENDED AS NEEDED. TAX BUYER REGISTRATION WILL TAKE PLACE BETWEEN OCTOBER 7 AND NOVEMBER 4, 2022. FOR REGISTRATION INFORMATION, VISIT WWW.COOKTAXSALE.COM OR CONTACT THE TREASURER’S OFFICE. SALE DATE

VOLUMES

TOWNSHIP/CITY

November 15, 2022

001 TO 147

Barrington, Berwyn, Bloom, Bremen, Calumet, Cicero, Elk Grove, Evanston, Hanover, Lemont, Leyden, Lyons, Maine, New Trier, Niles, Northfield, Norwood Park, Oak Park, Orland

November 16, 2022

148 TO 270

Palatine, Palos, Proviso, Rich, River Forest, Riverside, Schaumburg, Stickney, Thornton, Wheeling, Worth, Hyde Park

November 17, 2022

271 TO 464

Hyde Park, Jefferson, Lake

November 18, 2022

465 TO 601

Lake, Lake View, North Chicago, Rogers Park, South Chicago, West Chicago

COOK COUNTY DELINQUENT REAL ESTATE TAX LIST OFFICE OF THE TREASURER AND EX-OFFICIO COLLECTOR OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. Advertisement and Notice by Collector of Cook County of Application for Judgment and Order of Sale of Delinquent Lands and Lots for General Taxes for the years indicated, for order of sales thereof, as provided by law.

COUNTY OF COOK, STATE OF ILLINOIS October 5-6, 2022 NOTICE is hereby given that the said Collector of Cook County, Illinois, will apply to the County Division of the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois on Friday, October 21, 2022, for judgment against all lands and lots, hereinafter described as being delinquent, upon which taxes (together with any accrued interest and costs) remain due and unpaid, for an order for sale of said lands and lots for satisfaction thereof, fixing the correct amount due. Final entry of said order will be sought on Wednesday, November 9, 2022.

NOTICE is further given that beginning on the 15th day of November, 2022, A.D., at the hour of 8:30 A.M., all said lands and lots, hereinafter described for sale for which an order shall be made, or has been made and not executed as noted, will be subject to pub-

lic sale at 118 N. Clark St, Room 112 (Randolph Street entrance), in Chicago, Illinois, for the amount of taxes, interest and costs due thereon, respectively.

The following is a list of the delinquent properties in Cook County upon which the taxes or any part thereof for the 2020 tax year remain due and unpaid; the name(s) of the owners, if known; the property location; the total amount due on 2020 tax warrants (excluding delinquent special assessments separately advertised); and the year or years for which the taxes are due.

In lieu of legal description, each parcel of land or lot is designated by a property index number (PIN). Comparison of the 14-digit PIN with the legal description of any parcel may be made by referring to the cross-indices in the various Cook County offices.

The Cook County Collector does not guarantee the accuracy of common street addresses or property classification codes at the time of sale. Tax buyers should verify all common street addresses, PINs, classifications, and ownership by personal inspection and investigation of said properties and legal descriptions prior to purchasing general taxes offered at the sale.

NO TAX BUYER WILL BE PERMITTED TO OBTAIN A TAX DEED WITH RESPECT TO ANY PROPERTY OWNED BY A TAXING DISTRICT OR OTHER UNIT OF GOVERNMENT. WHEN AN ORDER TO VACATE THE TAX SALE OF ANY SUCH PROPERTY IS ENTERED, THE FINAL RESULT MAY BE A REFUND WITHOUT INTEREST.

DELINQUENT PROPERTY TAX LIST as of September 13, 2022 TAX PAYER NAME

PROPERTY ADDRESS

VOL

PIN

TAX TYPE TAX YEAR

TAX DUE

OAK PARK - RESIDENTIAL 1215 N TAYLOR AVE 1215 N HUMPHREY AVE 213 LE MOYNE PKY 1428 N AUSTIN BLVD 1426 N AUSTIN BLVD 939 N HUMPHREY AVE 1218 N AUSTIN BLVD 2 DIVISION ST 836 N RIDGELAND AVE 841 N LOMBARD AVE 1030 N AUSTIN BLVD 1032 N AUSTIN BLVD 601 N CUYLER AVE 51 AUGUSTA ST 300 CHICAGO AVE 536 N TAYLOR AVE 828 N AUSTIN BLVD 828 N AUSTIN BLVD 824 N AUSTIN BLVD 820 N AUSTIN BLVD 1228 FOREST AVE 1339 N HARLEM AVE 1301 N HARLEM AVE 6539 NORTH AVE 1008 COLUMBIAN AVE 1000 N EAST AVE 821 BELLEFORTE AVE

138 138 138 138 138 138 138 138 138 138 138 138 138 138 138 138 138 138 138 138 139 139 139 139 139 139 140

16-05-104-022-0000 16-05-105-024-0000 16-05-109-004-0000 16-05-113-019-0000 16-05-113-020-0000 16-05-126-022-0000 16-05-127-030-0000 16-05-127-042-0000 16-05-300-006-0000 16-05-303-023-0000 16-05-314-031-1004 16-05-314-031-1007 16-05-315-029-0000 16-05-319-004-0000 16-05-321-034-1006 16-05-325-004-0000 16-05-326-034-1002 16-05-326-034-1007 16-05-326-035-1010 16-05-326-036-1003 16-06-103-016-0000 16-06-113-035-1003 16-06-113-037-1009 16-06-204-010-0000 16-06-219-011-0000 16-06-220-013-0000 16-06-301-021-0000

PROPERTY ADDRESS

VOL

PIN

140 140 140 141 141 141 141 141 141 141 141 141 141 141 141 141 141 141 141 141 141 141 141 141 141 141 141 141 141

16-06-410-014-0000 16-06-421-011-0000 16-06-421-012-0000 16-07-105-039-1019 16-07-107-024-1002 16-07-109-012-0000 16-07-110-013-1008 16-07-111-012-1040 16-07-115-047-1037 16-07-115-048-1021 16-07-117-010-1050 16-07-117-011-1004 16-07-119-033-1087 16-07-119-033-1100 16-07-119-033-1108 16-07-121-006-0000 16-07-128-032-1001 16-07-128-032-1014 16-07-212-010-1031 16-07-212-010-1044 16-07-219-016-0000 16-07-219-028-1001 16-07-219-028-1007 16-07-302-020-1001 16-07-302-039-0000 16-07-307-045-0000 16-07-314-024-1015 16-07-316-045-1018 16-07-316-053-1023

TAX TYPE TAX YEAR

TAX DUE

OAK PARK - RESIDENTIAL (cont.)

TOWNSHIP OF OAK PARK IVAN BRESCHNEV DANIELLE SPENCER STEPHEN W ROGERS SAMUEL A HARTZOG MAX REED D LOVE & L LOVELY PARADISE SOL INVEST JOY PETTIGREW MICHAEL REUST 52ND AVE 841 LOMBARD VANESSA RANKINS GLENDYN BECK JOHNSON ARTHUR EISMUELLER JEANINE L SMITH ALEXANDRA N OCAMPO CHRISTOPHER J HANSON WILMINGTON TRUST NATIO AUGUSTINE MITCHELL NATASHA PALMER TURNER SUSAN C TAXPAYER OF JAMES L FOSTER RAYMOND SPINK REV TRUS TONY VILLASENOR N KELLER & M MILLER TIMOTHY F BROWN JANE M MCINTYRE

TAX PAYER NAME

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020

$10,540.80 $10,247.20 $12,380.94 $12,184.68 $15,398.94 $5,256.99 $11,980.94 $6,941.32 $451.60 $11,206.20 $1,932.63 $1,582.37 $3,271.94 $11,397.25 $4,122.07 $13,275.95 $641.25 $1,296.26 $527.94 $252.43 $18,909.81 $991.05 $3,451.52 $4,934.64 $5,353.56 $9,211.84 $5,026.08

JAMES & JACLYN MERLO FAITH R JULIAN FAITH R JULIAN S FINNEGAN CAROL ANN GODFREY ERICA M CHARLES CATHLEEN KUSHNICK JOHN A BASONS CTLTC 8002352961 AMAL SUDHIR AGHARKAR PATRICIA GOLDSCHMIDT MARY C URBINA THE SAWYERS & LERNER B 1120 CLUB LLC TAXPAYER OF SAMUEL H BUTLER FERNAND L FORTIER FIRST PRIORITY CONSULT RICHARD NEAPOLITAN PEDRO GUTIERREZ DRAGHI THOMAS ROBERT & RUTH NAZARETH COLETTE VERDUN GARBIEL WHITEHOUSE SOHO DEV. LLC. M C & C DEVELOPING G & F DEVELOPMENT LLC MARK LOFGREN P CORWIN ROBERTSON III

711 FAIR OAKS AVE 515 N EAST AVE 500 CHICAGO AVE 300 N GROVE AVE 331 N MARION ST 1141 ERIE ST 1127 ERIE ST 222 N MARION ST 221 N KENILWORTH AVE 930 ONTARIO ST 227 N OAK PARK AVE 212 N GROVE AVE 1124 LAKE ST 1124 LAKE ST 1124 LAKE ST 937 ONTARIO ST 938 NORTH BLVD 938 NORTH BLVD 230 N OAK PARK AVE 228 N OAK PARK AVE 155 LINDEN AVE 644 LAKE ST 644 LAKE ST 1020 PLEASANT ST 1005 W SOUTH BLVD 243 S MAPLE AVE 1144 WASHINGTON BLVD 339 HOME AVE 1036 WASHINGTON BLVD

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020

$13,097.33 $22,531.31 $8,464.42 $610.76 $7,064.65 $257.38 $3,293.88 $6,374.84 $2,455.30 $467.27 $2,162.15 $1,323.21 $653.11 $265.46 $653.11 $19,510.03 $1,759.23 $3,695.01 $4,916.86 $2,000.00 $16,924.31 $3,482.44 $703.45 $5,146.68 $17,501.20 $34,015.77 $4,109.39 $6,677.11 $1,691.16

continued on next page

Wednesday Journal, October 5, 2022

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

25

LEGAL NOTICE continued from previous page TAX PAYER NAME

DELINQUENT PROPERTY TAX LIST as of September 13, 2022 PROPERTY ADDRESS

VOL

PIN

TAX TYPE TAX YEAR

TAX DUE

JONATHAN KATHRYN HALL CLIFFORD D DREWEK TAXPAYER OF YVONNE DEMBY GAD C IKEANUMBA GEORGE K MCGREGOR JR SULLIVAN LN TWNHS ASSC THOMAS MCNICHOLS C SMITH & L NOGUE MARIA ENRIQUE PEREZ SEUNG YUP HAN TAXPAYER OF OBRYANT ALEXANDER KAZAROV OMAR CALDWELL RICHARD A KOCUREK TRUS PATRICIA PARENTI WHITE CATHERINE JOHNSON CARL T GROESBECK RONALD E BISHOP II K D GROUP ENTERPRISES STOVALL & ALTON AMANDA ROSE BERNGARD CHARLIE M DOTSON DOUGLAS SMOOT YVETTE SPENCER YORDANA MIHAYLOVA ROBERT KNUTH LAVINIA HUSBANDS GRP WASHINGTON LLC1146 MICHAEL D ROBERTS DR KHURANA MAYO AUSTIN GUY MCFOLLING RUTH M BRAUN KALEKYE MUSAY NEW WAY INVESTMENT INC CARL SPIGHT 840 S CUYLER LLC ARTURO G VALADEZ SUBURBAN CAPITAL LLC WILLIAM KING ZEMARY CONNERS CLADY G FARKASCHEK CRISTINE PAWLIKOWSKI S BANAWA RICHARD E SMITH FOSTER CHAMBERS CLIFFORD T OSBORN JOHN A KEARNEY ROBERT P BAPES MAXINE H WEBB REGINA VINCE JAMES E HADDAD KAREN FOGG JOANNA STAWSKI MICHAEL D BRIGHAM KEYS POOLE THOMAS J DASARO MINNA PROPERTIES LLC JAMES J TINDALL JKAF DEVELOPMENT LLC TAXPAYER OF FRANK P MUCHIA ANTONIO MCFADDEN 52ND AVE LLC JESSE & CRYSTAL HODGES SALVADOR LOZANO ROSE LEE SUSAN ALACH 52ND AVE LLC MARK A COZZI THOMAS WHITE

415 S MAPLE AVE 405 S MAPLE AVE 417 WISCONSIN AVE 410 WISCONSIN AVE 417 S KENILWORTH AVE 420 S KENILWORTH AVE 425 S OAK PARK AVE 150 S OAK PARK AVE 116 S EAST AVE 109 S ELMWOOD AVE 660 W WASHINGTON BLV 301 S EAST AVE 415 WESLEY AVE 428 EUCLID AVE 414 S SCOVILLE AVE 416 S ELMWOOD AVE 219 W CHICAGO AVE 714 N AUSTIN BLVD 331 N TAYLOR AVE 122 N TAYLOR AVE 158 N HUMPHREY AVE 166 N HUMPHREY AVE 106 S RIDGELAND AVE 320 N AUSTIN BLVD 220 N AUSTIN BLVD 222 WASHINGTON BLVD 9 RANDOLPH ST 431 S HARVEY AVE 415 S LOMBARD AVE 207 W WASHINGTON BLV 107 WASHINGTON BLVD 56 MADISON ST 541 S HUMPHREY AVE 633 S HARVEY AVE 626 S LOMBARD AVE 142 S AUSTIN BLVD 744 S TAYLOR AVE 840 S CUYLER AVE 835 S TAYLOR AVE 837 S HUMPHREY AVE 410 S AUSTIN BLVD 922 S HUMPHREY AVE 1021 S LOMBARD AVE 1007 S LYMAN AVE 1020 S LYMAN AVE 1028 S HUMPHREY AVE 1139 S HIGHLAND AVE 1124 S HARVEY AVE 1133 S LYMAN AVE 1177 S HARVEY AVE 1151 S HUMPHREY AVE 1165 S HUMPHREY AVE 1024 S AUSTIN BLVD 621 S MAPLE AVE 620 CLINTON AVE 708 WENONAH AVE 822 S MAPLE AVE 828 S MAPLE AVE 1110 HARRISON ST 1118 HARRISON ST 841 CARPENTER AVE 710 S ELMWOOD AVE 918 S KENILWORTH AVE 929 S OAK PARK AVE 1143 CLINTON AVE 1130 S GROVE AVE 639 GARFIELD TER 924 WESLEY AVE 927 CLARENCE AVE 1131 S ELMWOOD AVE 1159 CLARENCE AVE 1185 S SCOVILLE AVE

TAX PAYER NAME

PROPERTY ADDRESS

VOL

PIN

TAX TYPE TAX YEAR

TAX DUE

OAK PARK - RESIDENTIAL (cont.)

OAK PARK - RESIDENTIAL (cont.)

141 16-07-321-020-1004 141 16-07-321-021-1007 141 16-07-322-061-1034 141 16-07-323-051-1013 141 16-07-325-023-1005 141 16-07-326-025-1001 141 16-07-327-038-0000 142 16-07-400-044-1013 142 16-07-403-043-1038 142 16-07-404-032-1002 142 16-07-413-046-1010 142 16-07-415-032-0000 142 16-07-419-028-1028 142 16-07-419-029-1007 142 16-07-422-029-1010 142 16-07-423-040-1006 142 16-08-102-021-1004 142 16-08-105-022-1004 142 16-08-109-011-0000 142 16-08-122-038-1003 142 16-08-123-007-0000 142 16-08-123-030-1016 142 16-08-300-030-1045 142 16-08-305-025-1007 142 16-08-311-013-0000 142 16-08-314-043-1033 142 16-08-317-024-1014 142 16-08-319-044-1008 142 16-08-320-027-1001 142 16-08-320-028-1018 142 16-08-321-030-1001 142 16-08-322-029-0000 143 16-17-106-029-0000 143 16-17-110-034-0000 143 16-17-112-010-0000 143 16-17-115-023-0000 143 16-17-121-018-0000 143 16-17-125-015-0000 143 16-17-128-032-0000 143 16-17-130-027-0000 143 16-17-131-024-1004 143 16-17-307-010-0000 143 16-17-311-021-0000 143 16-17-313-038-0000 143 16-17-314-011-0000 143 16-17-315-011-0000 143 16-17-317-035-0000 143 16-17-319-011-0000 143 16-17-321-035-0000 143 16-17-326-030-0000 143 16-17-330-015-0000 143 16-17-330-021-0000 143 16-17-331-037-1001 144 16-18-109-022-1020 144 16-18-114-006-0000 144 16-18-120-004-0000 144 16-18-127-008-0000 144 16-18-127-009-0000 144 16-18-127-024-0000 144 16-18-127-027-1001 144 16-18-132-033-0000 144 16-18-223-004-0000 145 16-18-306-006-0000 145 16-18-307-034-1001 145 16-18-319-035-0000 145 16-18-322-013-0000 145 16-18-405-014-1017 145 16-18-405-014-1042 145 16-18-405-014-1055 145 16-18-420-033-0000 145 16-18-424-019-0000 145 16-18-426-033-0000

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020

$1,980.29 $820.84 $246.77 $1,734.48 $3,542.12 $3,645.74 $20,956.12 $174.93 $125.11 $2,478.36 $837.96 $1,841.33 $2,510.07 $3,790.70 $2,709.39 $1,491.28 $3,780.85 $3,965.90 $16,496.45 $1,070.33 $13,936.77 $127.49 $477.66 $2,696.82 $14,245.60 $281.09 $1,171.90 $10,509.26 $2,936.69 $2,708.26 $5,247.10 $9,988.88 $8,260.68 $515.93 $2,068.03 $16,358.62 $7,392.69 $3,077.00 $12,668.60 $6,631.35 $4,559.67 $7,190.81 $9,462.38 $4,683.30 $563.71 $10,367.47 $9,802.69 $8,505.19 $5,510.04 $7,867.02 $9,822.06 $5,706.73 $2,528.53 $3,697.95 $6,680.62 $4,537.72 $4,922.67 $2,306.04 $13,530.20 $2,286.27 $1,979.27 $17,045.48 $11,978.79 $2,763.64 $6,061.87 $1,312.68 $1,040.73 $1,636.45 $3,431.48 $10,724.10 $10,721.15 $11,164.52

LISA RZESZUTEK M GOZA LISA RZESZUTEK LOURDES MARTINEZ MICHAEL GOZA

6436 ROOSEVELT RD 6436 ROOSEVELT RD 6436 ROOSEVELT RD 6436 ROOSEVELT RD 6436 ROOSEVELT RD

145 145 145 145 145

16-18-428-043-1029 16-18-428-043-1036 16-18-428-043-1063 16-18-428-043-1115 16-18-428-043-1125

0 0 0 0 0

2020 2020 2020 2020 2020

$2,421.29 $624.23 $624.23 $800.00 $4,426.83

6201 NORTH AVE 46 CHICAGO AVE 44 CHICAGO AVE 40 CHICAGO AVE 6549 NORTH AVE 161 N MARION ST 163 N MARION ST 1116 LAKE ST 100 S KENILWORTH AVE 6336 ROOSEVELT RD 604 HARRISON ST 1103 GARFIELD ST 1101 GARFIELD ST 7100 ROOSEVELT RD 6936 ROOSEVELT RD 6936 ROOSEVELT RD 6638 ROOSEVELT RD 6101 NORTH AVE

138 138 138 138 139 141 141 141 141 143 144 145 145 145 145 145 145 138

16-05-102-032-0000 16-05-325-026-0000 16-05-325-027-0000 16-05-325-029-0000 16-06-204-005-0000 16-07-119-025-1047 16-07-119-025-1048 16-07-119-035-1003 16-07-305-001-0000 16-17-324-036-0000 16-18-227-023-0000 16-18-301-031-0000 16-18-301-032-0000 16-18-323-045-0000 16-18-326-030-0000 16-18-326-031-0000 16-18-424-035-0000 16-05-104-007-0000

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020

$119,984.30 $5,344.30 $4,813.38 $7,042.38 $33,623.25 $13,960.18 $6,041.79 $17,395.99 $23,427.80 $21,709.91 $9,176.26 $4,232.04 $2,795.24 $39,872.95 $17,158.39 $17,158.39 $27,394.84 $64,495.64

440 HOME AVE 439 CLINTON AVE 430 HOME AVE 6950 ROOSEVELT RD 6942 ROOSEVELT RD

141 141 141 145 145

16-07-324-040-0000 16-07-324-044-0000 16-07-324-045-0000 16-18-326-028-0000 16-18-326-029-0000

0 0 0 0 0

2020 2020 2020 2020 2020

$1,500.53 $5,072.01 $6,421.95 $10,379.14 $1,134.99

OAK PARK - COMMERCIAL/INDUSTRIAL DDI HOLDINGS LLC FORTY WEST CHICAGO LLC FORTY WEST CHICAGO LLC FORTY WEST CHICAGO LLC ROBERT & MARCELLA GRAY TBL HOLDING LLC TBL HOLDING LLC 1120 CLUB LLC BYEONG OK CHEON LARRY DANTONIO TAXPAYER OF 1101 1103 GARFIELD LLC 1101 1103 GARFIELD LLC ANNA MARIA DIAZ BONNIE MANAGEMENT CORP BONNIE MANAGEMENT CORP LEROY G PRINS SC REAL ESTATE LLC

OAK PARK - VACANT LAND JEAN CELESTIN II LEXINGTON RESERVE AT O LEXINGTON RESERVE AT O BONNIE MANAGEMENT CORP BONNIE MANAGEMENT CORP

Published by order of

County Collector of Cook County, Illinois

26

Wednesday Journal, October 5, 2022

SPORTS OPRF volleyball rallies twice to spike Fenwick Nelson, Garland provide one-two punch to take crosstown clash

By MELVIN TATE and BILL STONE Contributing Reporters

In a back-and-forth match on Oct. 3 at crosstown rival Fenwick, the Oak Park and River Forest High School girls volleyball team prevailed in three sets over the Friars: 25-27, 26-24, and 25-22.

OPRF (19-5) jumped out to a 14-11 lead in the first set, but Fenwick (8-15) rallied for an 18-18 tie. Then after the Huskies took a 22-20 lead, the Friars scored seven of the final 10 points to win the set.

“The energy is not going to calm down for a while,” said OPRF coach Kelly Col-

lins. “That was exciting, it was a rollercoaster ride.”

“That was some great volleyball by both teams, and no one should have to lose that match,” said Fenwick coach Kathleen O’Laughlin. “It was a great crosstown battle.”

In the second set, Fenwick led 15-11. But behind some inspired play from Ella Hullinger, OPRF would rally to force a deciding third set.

“Ella stepped up and I’m super proud of her,” Collins said. “She did a nice job not only blocking, but also attacking.”

In the final set, the Friars again jumped out of an early lead. But the Huskies rallied late and closed out the match by scoring seven of the last nine points.

“We got our competitiveness back,” said OPRF senior Reese Garland. “We kind of slipped up in the middle, but in the end, we

ALEX ROGALS/Staff Photographer

Freshman Samantha Shelton (8), playing just her third varsity game, passes the ball to an OPRF teammate against LTHS on Sept. 27.

ALEX ROGALS/Staff Photographer

OPRF’s Grace Nelson had 15 kills to lead the Huskies past Fenwick on Oct. 3. She had 16 kills in a losing effort against Lyons Township on Sept. 27. played like our team is supposed to play.

We’re insanely excited about this win.”

Shannon O’Laughlin had a team-high 18 kills for Fenwick while Erin East added 16 kills.

“We’re into October, and we need to keep playing like we’ve been playing,” Kathleen O’Laughlin said of Fenwick, which saw a three-match winning streak halted. “We got our whole unit back together and we’ve been trying to get the chemistry going. I’m not worried about wins or losses at this point.”

Grace Nelson had 15 kills, Garland 11 kills and Kinsey Smith 22 assists for OPRF. “It’s good for our kids to play in this type of atmosphere, especially as we move towards the end of the season,” Collins said.

“Some of the things we displayed tonight like fighting and showing more grit we’ll need come the playoffs.”

On Sept. 27, the Huskies also forced a third set against the West Suburban Conference Silver co-leaders Lyons Township High School but couldn’t sustain the momentum and lost 25-23, 20-25, 25-16

Senior middle hitter Reese Garland and her Oak Park and River Forest High School girls volleyball teammates played arguably their best set of the season at Lyons Township Sept. 27.

OPRF fell behind 8-3 and trailed throughout the final set. They closed to 16-14 but never again scored while serving.

“Unfortunately, we didn’t get off to that fast start we wanted,” OPRF coach Kelly Collins said. “They exposed us a little bit on serve receive and unfortunately took the momentum from us. Then we had to play their game instead of ours.”

Grace Nelson had 16 kills, eight in the second set, with eight digs and two service aces.

Other standouts included Kinsey Smith (34 assists, 9 digs), Garland and Gabby Towns (7 kills, 2 blocks each), Ella Hullinger (6 kills, 3 blocks), Samantha Shelton (3 kills), Keira Kleidon (6 service points, 7 digs), Molly Brown (7 points, 2 aces), Maeve Moran (5 points, 5 digs) and Arianna Winsett (5 points, 2 aces). Shelton, a freshman outside hitter, was playing just her third varsity match.

S P O R T S

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

Wednesday Journal, October 5, 2022

27

Fenwick boys cross country 5th at Peoria Invite McKillop places7th overall to lead Friars

By MELVIN TATE Contributing Reporter

The Fenwick High School cross-country teams participated in the Peoria Invitational Oct. 1.

The boys placed fifth as a team with 251 points. Nate McKillop had the Friars’ top individual finish, coming in seventh with a time of 15 minutes, 8.96 seconds.

Other Fenwick runners were Dean O’Bryan (19th, 15:33.93), Grayden Rill (31st, 15:52.90), Benicio Carideo (90th, 16:39.13), Chris Badja (106th, 16:48.73), Finn Munley (127th, 16:59.71) and Michael Domke (170th, 17:29.27) The Fenwick girls came in 17th with 484 points. Bella Daley had Fenwick’s best showing with a ninth-place finish (18:06.73).

Ava Rodriguez (98th, 20:27.66), Kyra Miller (116th, 20:55.66), Romy Bergetz (140th, 21:27.23), Amalia Anderson (21:27.92), Molly Weber (149th, 21:30.96) and Adelai Kaiser (179th, 22:28.46) completed the Friars’ lineup.

Girls golf The Fenwick and Oak Park and River Forest High School girls golf teams finished 1-2 at the IHSA Class 2A St. Ignatius Regional Sept. 29.

The Friars’ score of 357 was five strokes better than the runner-up Huskies (362).

Fenwick’s Charlotte Batsman placed third among individuals, shooting a round of 85. OPRF’s Ella Homrok and the Friars’ Kathryn Sweeney each shot 86 to tie for fourth. The Huskies’ Faith Lee (tie for 8th, 90) and Emerson Amstutz (tie for 9th, 91) also placed in the top ten.

Olivia Tsitovich (92), Emma Maria Bassett (94), Megan Grote (117), and Jenin Gabato (127) rounded out the Friars’ lineup, while Elle Tanner (95), Trinity Mosher (100) and Renner Prouty (101) were the other Huskies participating.

However, in the Class 2A Glenbrook North Sectional Oct. 3, not only did neither Fenwick nor OPRF advance as a team to the state finals, but there were no individual qualifiers. The Huskies’ score of 386 was

good for 11th place, while the Friars placed 13th with 403 strokes.

Bateman and Sweeney each shot 89, four strokes below the state qualifying score of 85, to lead Fenwick. Mosher (93), Amstutz (94), and Tanner (97) were OPRF’s top individuals.

Boys golf The Fenwick boys golf team finished third at the IHSA Class 2A Hinsdale South Regional on Sept. 28 with 321 strokes, 19 behind regional winner St. Ignatius.

Clarke Bennett and Jack Harrison each shot 79 to tie for eighth, and Nick Scudder tied for 13th with an 81. Mac Oberlies (82), Liam Dugan (83) and Kevin Hanley (87) rounded out the Friars’ lineup.

On Oct. 3 at the St. Viator Sectional, Fenwick finished seventh with 329 strokes. Bennett shot a 78 and missed qualifying for state by one stroke. Scudder carded a round of 80, Harrison an 85, Hanley an 86, Oberlies an 89 and Dugan a 95.

At the Class 3A Loyola Academy Regional

Sept. 28, OPRF’s fifth-place score of 342 was not enough for team advancement to the sectional. However, the Huskies did qualify three individuals, Jacob Goldberg (82), Luke Roberts (84), and Kevin Cortez (85).

At the Conant Sectional on Oct. 3, Cortez narrowly missed qualifying for state, shooting a 78 to finish one shot below the cut line.

Roberts shot an 82 and Goldberg an 84.

Trinity cross country The Trinity High School cross country team had a strong showing at the Pat Savage Invitational held Oct. 2 at Niles West, placing seventh out of 37 schools participating with 236 points.

The McGreal sisters were the Blazers’ top two runners in the Class 1A/2A division.

Freshman Molly finished 15th in a time of 19:49.96, while senior Amanda was 17th in 19:57.76.

Ella Miller (20th, 20:03.50), Jasmine Arzuaga (21st, 20:04.71), Myla Roy (39th, 20:49.25) and Jade Morelli (42nd, 20:56.40) rounded out Trinity’s lineup.

Stern Glass Works 817 S Oak Park Ave Oak Park (708) 608-9085 sternglassworks.com

Congratulations to Stern Glass Works for opening their new location on South Oak Park Avenue!

Now open Sunday, Tuesday & Wednesday 11am - 7pm & Thursday - Saturday 11am - 9pm.

To learn more, or signup for one of their programs, visit sternglassworks.com.

28

Wednesday Journal, October 5, 2022

S P O R T S

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

OPRF starts fast, finishes strong to topple Morton Defense steps up in red zone as Huskies snap losing streak

By MELVIN TATE Contributing Reporter

Getting early leads in games hasn’t been the problem for the Oak Park and River Forest High School football team this season.

Instead, finishing games has been problematic for the Huskies since West Suburban Silver play started, the worst occurrence happening Sept. 23 when OPRF -- after leading the vast majority of the game -- lost at Hinsdale Central 22-19 on a touchdown in the closing seconds.

However, on Sept. 30 at Oak Park Stadium, the Huskies started fast and finished strong in a 28-7 homecoming victory over Morton, snapping a three-game losing streak.

“Our effort was good,” said OPRF coach John Hoerster. “Hats off to Morton, those guys came ready to play. They’re a good, well-coached team that got after it and made some plays. We made a few more, and I’m happy with how the kids finished up.”

It took OPRF (3-3) just three plays to find the end zone as Tim Spillane caught a pass from Jack Gooch, broke a couple of tackles, and scooted 44 yards for a touchdown. Nolan Vitale booted the first of his four point-afters to give the Huskies a 7-0 lead at the 10:45 mark of the opening quarter.

Morton (2-4) had a golden opportunity to even things on the next drive as a Khalil Nichols fumble on a punt return gifted the Mustangs excellent field position at the OPRF 34. But the Huskies’ defense came up with a huge stop on fourth and goal from the 1, resulting in a turnover on downs.

The Mustangs would eventually tie the game at 7-7 early in the quarter. Given another short field after Makhail Germany intercepted Gooch, the Mustangs cashed in when on fourth down from the OPRF 25, Julian Hernandez connected with Jeremiah Putterlik for a touchdown pass with 11:05 left in the first half.

After the teams traded multiple defensive stops, OPRF took the lead for good when Gooch found Tyler Davis open for an 11-yard touchdown at the 3:45 mark.

The Huskies blocked Hernandez’s punt deep in Morton territory on the ensuing

ALEX ROGALS/Staff Photographer

OPRF running back Sam Gray (1) gains a first down during the Huskies’ homecoming win over Morton on Sept. 30 at Oak Park Stadium. possession, but Gooch was subsequently intercepted in the end zone. However, the OPRF defense stopped the Mustangs again, and with 12 seconds left before halftime, Gooch found Spillane for a 32yard touchdown and a 21-7 Huskies lead.

After OPRF’s Jamari Williams turned away Morton with an end zone interception on the opening drive of the second half, Lemer Burnett started taking over offensively for the Huskies.

His 51-yard burst down the OPRF sideline set up his 4-yard touchdown run that gave the Huskies a commanding 28-7 lead with 4:56 left in the third quarter.

“It was my time to show what I can do,” said Burnett, who finished with 179 yards on 18 carries with a 9.9 average per attempt. “My linemen did some awesome things for me to get the yards that I got.”

“Lemer played a great game,” said Gooch. “We knew before the game he was going to have to step up, and he did a great job.”

The OPRF defense came up big once again in its own red zone as it turned away the Mustangs with a fourth-down stop on at the 3-yard line early in the final quarter. Then Burnett -- filling in for an injured Eric Evans -- cranked out runs of 16, 13 and 13 yards as the Huskies would chew up most of the remaining time.

Gooch completed 11 of 20 passes for 163 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions. Spillane caught four balls for 98 yards and two touchdowns for OPRF. Defensively for the Huskies, Nichols had a team-high seven tackles. Faris Dispensa and Sam Gray each had six tackles, Jeremiah Williams had 5.5 tackles and

shared a sack with Matthew Poe. Mekhai Tate had five tackles.

OPRF welcomes Proviso West for Senior Night on Oct. 7, with kickoff scheduled for 6 p.m.

Fenwick cruises past Marmion E.J. Hosty threw for three touchdowns and ran for another score as Fenwick (33) improved to 2-0 in the Chicago Catholic League/East Suburban Catholic Conference White Division with a 35-6 victory at Marmion Academy in Aurora.

The Friars return to Triton College on Oct. 7, but they’ll be the designated road team when it meets St. Patrick, which also plays its home games at Triton. Kickoff is at 7:30 p.m.

Wednesday Journal, October 5, 2022

VIEWPOINTS

DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS IS FRIDAY 5 P.M. Call Viewpoints editor Ken Trainor at 613-3310 ktrainor@wjinc.com

29

Natalie Moore delivers the library’s Ballinger Lecture p. 31

Community news on life support

M

orning time, sipping strong coffee and reading printed newspapers is one of my favorite times of the day. The New York Times, the Chicago Tribune, along with Wednesday Journal and Forest Leaves fill many hours. Our local papers add another dimension to my reading pleasure.

They are informational and offer articles of national importance, too. Our journalists are extremely talented, demonstrated by our own Ken Trainor, and letters from readers are diverse and thought-worthy.

Recently, I’ve been reading alarming reports about community newspapers and their desecration. It seems that some right-wing, big-business groups are seizing local publications and with the support and often encouragement from high-financed syndications.

One of the articles describing this disturbing trend used an example of “The Austin American Statesman,” which was swallowed up in 2019 by the Gannett chain. Nationally, it joined the ranks of more than 1,000 other mass-produced local papers now under the corporate control of the USA Today Network. Further, I learned that the The Gannett chain is an entity owned and controlled by the Soft Bank Group, a multibillion-dollar Japanese financial consortium. I’m sure the Soft Bank Group isn’t interested in the community issues, which was the focus of the Austin American Statesman.

Also, many of our national daily newspapers are in the grip of primarily three huge hedge funds: Soft Bank Group, Alden Global Capital, and Chatham Asset Management. Under the guise of providing assistance, they are plundering local news holdings. A Wall Street euphemism calls this practice, “the financialization of journalism.”

As a result of these take-overs, talented and dedicated journalists and production folks are being dismissed or fighting hard to hold onto their dying newspapers, trying to publish basic and truthful information. They face the seemingly impossible.

The new owners seek to spread their own right-wing leaning news, often indifferent to actual news, local or otherwise. The size of these struggling papers is reduced;

HARRIET HAUSMAN

See HAUSMAN on page 35

PROVIDED

The garage where the the author spent part of his first day of school.

I

On the first day of first grade, I ditched

t was September of 1959. With Mom’s help, I got ready for the beginning of first grade. After breakfast, I said goodbye to her, walked out of the back door in my blue shirt and blue tie — the school uniform — and headed toward St. Mary’s, about a half-block from our Clarence Avenue home.

I opened the back gate to the alley, closed it, took a few steps to my right, stopped behind our garage, and went no further. I hadn’t planned to do it, but staying there felt more right than the prospect of exiting the alley, turning left on 15th Street and finishing the trek to school.

Over the course of my life, I’ve pulled back from other expectations or seeming obligations that didn’t sit right in my gut. But in this case, I was 5 years old, going on six. My parents had never hinted that I had any choice in the matter. Everything that morning was pointed toward St. Mary’s: the flow of kid traffic was all in one direction.

I avoided that traffic as I stood in the shadow of our garage.

About eight months prior, we had moved to the neighborhood in Berwyn from Brookfield. In Brookfield,

although we had been parishioners at St. Barbara’s, I had been going to kindergarten at Lincoln Elementary, a public school.

When we moved to Berwyn mid-year, my parents chose to not enroll me in kindergarten. Rather, they decided to wait until the next school year and start me as a first-grader in the local Catholic school, St. Mary of Celle.

During those months when I was not in school, from our alley or along 15th Street, I would see kids at St. Mary’s in their blue uniforms, walking in disciplined lines between the church and the school, led by mysterious women in black veils and robes.

After school and on weekends, some of the kids at St. Mary’s who lived on my block told me that the nuns were mean, especially Sister Mary Fortunata, who would become my first-grade teacher.

The aura of the nuns, the lines, and the uniformed kids made me wary about what kind of place that Catholic school really was. What did they do with the kids in there? It looked awfully controlling.

On opening day, Mom trusted me to get there on my

RICH

KORDESH One View

See KORDESH on page 35

30

Wednesday Journal, October 5, 2022

O U R

V I E W P O I N T S

V I E W S

Gaps in police audio

E

ven as it awaits the overdue and anticipated third party assessment of policing in Oak Park, the village has modestly expanded the role of its Citizen Police Oversight Commission.

The commission primarily is charged with reviewing citizen complaints related to encounters with officers.

That the commission currently is allowed to only review those complaints after they have been investigated internally is problematic. But progress was made last year when, at the direction of Village President Vicki Scaman, the committee was given access to dashcam videos tied to those complaints.

As it reviewed 13 such complaints from November 2021 to June 2022 the committee discovered that in nine of the cases officers failed to activate the audio recording feature of the dashcams. In its biannual report to the village board, the commission expressed its concern that there was no audio on most complaints. And it surmised that the lack of audio was likely common within the department. It asked that the village board be informed of the percentage of cases overall where there is video — a process that occurs automatically whenever police lights are turned on in a squad car — but no audio.

That’s a number Wednesday Journal would also like to report. And we await a response to our Freedom of Information request on that topic.

And while we have received the current police policy on the use of dashcams — video and audio — we still want to know what changes were made to that nine-year-old policy when it was amended by former chief LaDon Reynolds a year ago and amended again two weeks ago by Interim Chief Shatonya Johnson on Aug. 19 of this year.

While the oversight commission recommended to the village board that all instances where audio was not activated over the past six months result in direct conversations with each officer, spokespersons for the village were awfully soft in attributing the failure to activate audio as just a bad habit.

We’re dubious. Understanding how the policy has evolved would offer clarity.

Just Monday night the village board approved a plan to finally bring bodycams to Oak Park. We’re now operating under a stateimposed deadline of January 2024 for implementation.

When the BerryDunn report on policing finally drops, perhaps this month, we look for ways to further expand citizen oversight of this department. That audio recordings have seemingly been optional is a good reason for greater citizen engagement.

Save West Sub It is hard to overstate the vital role a stable West Suburban Medical Center must play in Oak Park, River Forest and the West Side. News Monday that its current owner, Pipeline Health, has declared bankruptcy is deeply troubling.

That negotiations we thought were nearly complete for Pipeline to sell the hospital yet again have stalled is especially worrisome.

The days ahead will be critical to saving West Sub, its safety-net health services, its jobs and its declining institutional role in our communities.

T

On the brink of turning 9

he boys turn 9 next week and they’re starting to go separate ways. Not entirely. Twins are pretty much stuck with each other. That can be wearing. They get on each other’s nerves and take swipes, verbal and physical. Sometimes they need to be separated. Other times they’re inseparable.

Life also has a way of separating them. Separate classes in third grade.

And sports. Tyler likes baseball, Bryce likes soccer. There are times when one is at practice and the other is with me.

Interesting phenomenon. Call it individuation. They’re different alone than they are together. Less competitive, less fractious, more relaxed. More who they really are, I suspect, which gets overlooked in the constant back-and-forth of twinness.

I’ve had Bryce alone lately more than Tyler because Tyler is in a fall baseball league that practices on my night with them. We drop him off at the field and Bryce and I head over to the library for a couple of hours. Alone, Bryce is calmer, less annoying because he doesn’t have Tyler to annoy, and be annoyed by, and he knows I have less tolerance for annoyance.

A nicer side emerges. More thoughtful, more conversational. I see the intelligence and creativity come to the forefront. The library has crafts and building sets in the Children’s section, and it’s not crowded at this hour, so he plugs into activities and I keep him company. He likes challenges — up to a point. He has low frustration tolerance, so sometimes I have to help him. He was interested in origami for a short time, but that’s pretty detailed and the instructions, often the case, are not the best, so in very short order, his head explodes.

Crafts and Legos and other interconnected blocks require patience and concentration. Not all 9-year-olds are good at that. We try one of those “find the 10 differences in two almost identical pictures.” He finds five and then he’s done. I find the other five and give him hints. It’s OK to solve things together. My hope is he extends that lesson to working with his brother.

As the sun sets, it’s time to pick up Tyler. It’s fall weather so by the time we get there, it’s chilly.

Tyler forgot to bring his sweatshirt, and he’s been standing in right field where there isn’t much action, so he’s cold.

I say, unhelpfully, “Tyler, didn’t you bring your sweatshirt?” Grandparents sometimes have a way of rubbing it in, on the theory it will ingrain the lesson.

He responds, “No … should’ve.”

Tyler is becoming an adept practitioner of the succinct stoic reply. Earlier in the car, Bryce launched into a litany of aches, pains, cramps and wheezings resulting from “Knights on the Run,” the fundraising event earlier that day where they had to tally as many laps as possible for donations. When Bryce finally came to the end of his long list of complaints, Tyler’s rejoinder was, “Same.”

But my frigid right-fielder doesn’t dwell on his physical discomfort for long. After I give him my pullover, which is gigantic, and roll the sleeves way up his arms, Bryce calls out for help on the “dig site” he has discovered up the trail leading to the sledding hill nearby. Tyler’s off like a shot to locate a proper stick or rock for digging up the usual things one expects to find just below the surface of the topsoil: prehistoric fossils, ancient stone tools, dinosaur bones, buildings from early civilizations. Their expectations are nothing if not exorbitant.

Since this is my night for stating the obvious, I say, “You guys are real archeologists, aren’t you?”

Bryce says, “No, I’m a scientist. Tyler is an archeologist.” I’m not sure archeologists would appreciate that distinction. He means Tyler is the digger and he’s the one who “studies” the results, laid out neatly on a nearby picnic table, each excavated paleolithic artifact sitting atop a scrounged tree leaf.

I notice the beautiful fingernail moon overhead sailing into the sunset’s afterglow, so we walk to the top of the sledding hill to look at it. I also point out brilliant Jupiter, rising in the southeast sky through the trees.

My job is to expand their universe whenever an opportunity presents itself — though they seem to do pretty well on their own. Somehow they’ve figured out that a remarkable array of mysterious treasures are buried in the earth beneath their feet.

As we gaze at the moon, I say, “It looks so close.”

“But it’s not,” replies Tyler, succinct as ever. In spite of the chill, he suggests we celebrate this excellent evening with ice cream. If nothing else, it gets him into a warm car. We stop at one of the two downtown artisanal ice cream shops, whose flavor of the month is “Trick-or-Treat,” and since their birthday is imminent and they’re already in the full flower of Halloween fever, it’s hard to say no.

A comfortable quiet settles in on the drive back home — except for the contented smacking, slurping and crunching sounds from the back seat.

It isn’t always, but it can be good teetering on the brink of 9 years old.

Very good indeed.

KEN

TRAINOR

V I E W P O I N T S

O

Ballinger Lecture brings Natalie Moore to the library

n Sunday, Oct. 9, author and WBEZ reporter Natalie Moore will join us at the Oak Park Public Library for the annual Barbara Ballinger Lecture. As a bonus, local radio host Doris Davenport will moderate this year’s conversation.

The Ballinger Lecture is an annual event sponsored by the Friends of the Oak Park Public Library. Each fall, we celebrate and recognize former head librarian Barbara Ballinger and her many years of dedicated service to the library and to Oak Park. This year’s event will be held in NATALIE MOORE person for the first time since 2019, with an option to join via Zoom as well.

Moore is a Chicago Public Radio reporter who regularly covers segregation and inequality. When we first read her nonfiction book The South Side, which came out in 2019 and details historical and contemporary

W E D N E S D A Y

JOURNAL of Oak Park and River Forest

segregation in Chicago, we knew she would be a perfect local author for this event.

And with her latest book, the fictional play The Billboard, her work grows only more timely, her voice only more relevant to the times we live in.

The Billboard, which was produced as a play by 16th Street Theater this summer, is about a fictional Black women’s clinic in Englewood that gets publicly involved in the debate over abortion.

Moore has said the book was inspired by real events, but she wrote it well before the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June.

“I had no idea we would be in this position,” Moore told Block Club Chicago in March. “I thought this play was always going to be timely, but I didn’t think it was going to be urgent.”

Come hear directly from Moore on Sunday, Oct. 9, 2-3 p.m. at the Main Library, 834 Lake St. You can also attend virtually on Zoom. Please register to attend at oppl. org/ballinger. We hope to see you there.

Margita Lidaka is an Adult Services librarian and Jabez Patterson is Programming librarian at the Oak Park Public Library.

MARGITA LIDAKA One View

Together, we can Folk music returns to the end domestic library on Oct. 17 violence The Sarah’s Inn team and our partners at the Institute for Nonviolence Chicago will be gathering at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 6 in Scoville Park, Lake Street and Oak Park Avenue to rally the community to take action against domestic violence, gun violence, and community violence.

After the rally, Oak Park Bank, 151 N. Oak Park Ave., from 6:30 to 8 p.m.,is hosting Sarah’s Inn supporters for light refreshments. Supporters can stop by and pick up informational materials, ribbon kits, yard signs, and talk with Sarah’s Inn and INVC staff. If there is rain or other inclement weather, we will hold the rally at Oak Park Bank as well.

We hope you will join us for these free events as we kick-off Domestic Violence Action Month.

Sarah’s Inn Oak Park

I was surprised to read your Viewpoints column [As autumn turns toward night, Ken Trainor, Viewpoints, Sept. 28], delighted by the quote from the Diary of Opal Whiteley, and by your warm thoughts about Anne Hills singing Opal’s words to music by Michael Smith at a 2016 concert at the Oak Park Public Library.

I feel I should clarify that the concerts have been funded by the Friends of the Oak Park Public Library. I made a proposal to their board years ago and have had the pleasure of booking the artists for those programs.

I also have some good news, after a nearly two-year suspension, live folk music concerts are returning to the Veterans Room of the main library. The first concert is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 17, featuring Paper Birds, the foursome of Claudia

Wednesday Journal, October 5, 2022

Russell and Bruce Kaplan, Katie Dahl and Rich Higdon. Each of these couples has performed here in the past and may be familiar to those who head to Wisconsin in the summer, especially to Door County.

The library has the new feature of registering to attend, and while registration is not required for attendance at these concerts, doing so has two special features — reminder notification (email or text) and the ability to view a live streaming of the concert.

While I personally prefer attending a concert in-person when possible, I appreciate the possibility of seeing a performance remotely and hope that it increases the audience for this music.

Hope to see you in the audience,

Nancy Clark

Oak Park

Editor and Publisher Dan Haley Director of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Michael Romain Senior Editor Bob Uphues Digital Publishing and Technology Manager Briana Higgins Staff Reporters Stacey Sheridan Staff Photographers Alex Rogals, Shanel Romain Viewpoints Editor Ken Trainor Real Estate Editor Lacey Sikora Big Week Editor James Porter Columnists Marc Blesoff, Jack Crowe, Doug Deuchler, Harriet Hausman, Mary Kay O’Grady, Kwame Salter, John Stanger, Stan West Design/Production Manager Andrew Mead Editorial Design Manager Javier Govea Designer Susan McKelvey Marketing Representatives Marc Stopeck, Lourdes Nicholls, Kamil Brady Business Development Manager Mary Ellen Nelligan Donor Relations Manager/Food Editor Melissa Elsmo Development & Sales Coordinator Stacy Coleman Circulation Manager Jill Wagner E-MAIL jill@oakpark.com Special Projects Manager Susan Walker Chairman Emeritus Robert K. Downs

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Chair Judy Greffin Treasurer Nile Wendorf Deb Abrahamson, Gary Collins, Darnell Shields, Sheila Solomon, Eric Weinheimer

About Viewpoints Our mission is to lead educated conversation about the people, government, schools, businesses and culture of Oak Park and River Forest. As we share the consensus of Wednesday Journal’s editorial board on local matters, we hope our voice will help focus your thinking and, when need be, fire you to action.

In a healthy conversation about community concerns, your voice is also vital. We welcome your views, on any topic of community interest, as essays and as letters to the editor. Noted here are our stipulations for filing.

Please understand our verification process and circumstances that would lead us not to print a letter or essay. We will call to check that what we received with your signature is something you sent. If we can’t make that verification, we will not print what was sent. When, in addition to opinion, a letter or essay includes information presented as fact, we will check the reference. If we cannot confirm a detail, we may not print the letter or essay.

If you have questions, email Viewpoints editor Ken Trainor at ktrainor@wjinc.com.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR ■ 250-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,

your connection to the topic ■ Signature details as at left

Email Ken Trainor at ktrainor@wjinc.com or mail to Wednesday Journal, Viewpoints, 141 S. Oak Park Ave., Oak Park, IL 60302

H O W

T O

R E A C H

U S

ADDRESS 141 S. Oak Park Ave., Oak Park, IL 60302 ■ PHONE 708-524-8300 EMAIL Dan@OakPark.com ■ ONLINE www.OakPark.com Wednesday Journal is published digitally and in print by Growing Community Media NFP. The newspaper is available on newsstands for $2.00.

A one-year subscription costs $48 within Cook County and $60 outside of Cook County.

Advertising rates may be obtained by calling our office. Periodical rate postage paid at Oak Park, IL (USPS 10138). Postmaster, send address corrections to Wednesday Journal, 141 S. Oak Park Ave., Oak Park, IL 60302. © 2022 Growing Community Media, NFP.

31

32

I

V I E W P O I N T S

Wednesday Journal, October 5, 2022

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

Supporting refugees builds a community

’ve encountered many people deeply touched and even transformed through their volunteering with Cluster Tutoring and Kids Express — such great opportunities to support children in need locally. My transformative tutoring experience has been with Forging Opportunities for Refugees in America (FORA).

The past two summers, I tutored an Afghan girl the same age as my daughter, now 11. When I first met Habibi (not her real name), she mentioned that her mother often prays for family still in Afghanistan. Her distress was all the more palpable the week the Biden Administration pulled Americans out from Afghanistan. My heart ached for this talkative, curious girl who struggled to understand the world events that caused her mother ever more grief.

Both Habibi and my daughter are bright and spirited. They both like the same pop musicians, (Olivia Rodrigo, Ariana Grande), and the same YouTubers (Norris Nuts, Aphmau), but Habibi grew up in refugee camps in Iran and Turkey, with little access to education. Her mother had fled Afghanistan 10 years prior because of Taliban persecution.

The family came to the United States with no material possessions, mostly illiterate, and

speaking no English.

When I met Habibi in the summer of 2021, her American school teachers had recommended that she repeat fourth grade.

However, I witnessed a quicklearning girl who sought ever more challenging things to read.

After reading for a week from the Wrenly series, she asked for something more challenging. She especially liked non-fiction, wanting to learn about the world. By summer’s end, she was fully and joyfully ready for fifth grade. And she thrived in fifth grade!

Over half of FORA’s students are Rohingya. In 2018, the UN declared the Rohingya the most persecuted people on the planet, deprived of education and subject to genocide in Myanmar. Cox Bazaar, the largest refugee camp in the world, holds 850,000 Rohingya in Bangladesh. This past March, the U.S. State Department also formally recognized that the Rohingya have suffered genocide. Hopefully, more Rohingya families will be resettled in Chicago and elsewhere.

FORA was founded by former Oak Parkers, Kathleen and Michael O’Connor with 12 Rohingya students in 2018. Within three

ALAN TAYLOR One View

Flynn’s example should be replicated I was delighted to read the article about Nora Flynn [For Julian literacy teacher, award affirms hard work, News, Sept. 28]. Nora is the literacy specialist at Percy Julian Middle School who received the 2022 Barack Obama Literacy Award from the Illinois Reading Council. With this award came a $1,000 collection of books that represent Black and Brown characters and cultures.

Of course, the accomplishments of Nora’s students predate her award and are the reason for her award, but the relevance of the books she has been using and these new books, she says in the article, “allow us to just level up quite a bit and have the joy of reading again.” Students are more likely to read if the book is relevant.

weeks, their waitlist had 60 children. When the pandemic hit, FORA recruited many online tutors. Within weeks FORA had over 120 daily tutors supporting children online.

Because of this outpouring of support from people of compassion, FORA offered tutoring to all the children on their waitlist.

In June 2021, FORA returned to in-person tutoring at their West Ridge location.

Bursting at the seams with another waitlist of more than 70 children, they are in need of additional tutors, both in-person and online. They hope to expand with a much larger building in the next year.

My children have joined me as tutors for three weeks. FORA tutors range in age from 11 to 95, the 95-year-old coming in from Naperville. FORA provides a safe, supportive atmosphere that customizes the learning for each of the children.

I am deeply inspired by FORA’s vision, leadership, and generosity. The founders remain full-time volunteers. They have cultivated a learning community where all members of the truly multicultural, multifaith staff (many former refugees)

Julian’s principal, Jeremy Christian, said in the article that the data points show that Nora’s students are now reading at grade level or above.

He also stated that when a story or character aligns more closely to readers and their experiences it is “wildly impactful.”

For students who have been struggling readers to read up to grade level is a tremendous milestone.

The message here for Oak Park District 97 is that, to benefit all students and enhance teaching strategies, all the district school librarians and literacy specialists should immediately receive more funding for books and materials.

Elaine Johnson Oak Park

and volunteer tutors learn from one another and the children served, whose families are predominantly Muslim. FORA significantly changes the lives and families of scores of students — and often those who work with them. The result has been the development of a relational network that brings together hundreds of people to participate in this meaningful work.

Even though Habibi and her older sister did not speak English when they came to the U.S. three years ago, they harbor resilience, curiosity, and a deep desire to learn and support their family. As Michael O’Connor was quoted a year ago by the Chicago Tribune, “Welcoming these children robustly is so important.”

This is a burgeoning community of compassion, inspiration, and mutual understanding. If you would like to learn more, visit RefugeeFORA.org. If you want to become a volunteer (in-person or online), visit FORA, or meet the founders here in Oak Park, please contact me at alan@ lovewithcourage.org or FORA directly at info@refugeefora.org.

Rev. Alan Taylor is a resident of Oak Park and former president of the Community of Congregations.

Parking tickets spoiled a lovely evening

On the evening of Friday, Sept. 30, I was invited to a reception on the 300 block of North Scoville Avenue. When I drove up the block to that address the street had a number of cars located on that side of the block, but after passing the house I found a spot and parked. I knew there was no parking during the day in that area near the high school, but this was after that time period.

I did not see any special “no parking” notices posted on trees in the area, or I would have looked for a legal spot to park. I did not choose to stroll up and down the street looking for a sign that told me not to park, as the combination of many other vehicles parked there, a permanent sign that appeared to allow parking, and no notice of some exception to this rule on the trees near my spot led me to assume what I did was legal.

Only after the lovely party was ending did others who attended come back to the house

after discovering parking tickets on all of the cars on the street. I guess I should have guessed there might be a sign I missed somewhere on the block and found my error, so I paid the parking ticket.

Usually the village tries to do a good job of notification for parking, but this time none of the usual No Parking signs were evident, and it did not occur to me to roam the street to seek out a notice I had no reason to believe was there.

If there is a notice of special No Parking zones, they should be on all the trees, should be facing in the direction to be seen by motorists, and the local residents should be notified so they can plan events to avoid this conflict.

I am particularly sad that so many nonlocal guests were entrapped by this incident, including those who live out of state. It really spoiled a lovely evening for all of us.

Teresa Powell Oak Park

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

K

V I E W P O I N T S

Wednesday Journal, October 5, 2022

33

Storysongs and storysingers can change the world

en, your column [As Autumn turns toward night, Viewpoints, Sept. 28] was beautifully written and crafted in every way. I, too, love folk “storysongs.”

One of the blessings in my life were the powerful, beautiful, talented women folk singers of my youth: Mary Travers, Joan Baez, and others. They were mentors to this young girl and teen, giving me a vision, guiding me in how to be a powerful, beautiful, and talented woman, too. They were early feminists, even though I didn’t have a word for it then. But I liked it. They showed me how to sing my heart out with social justice and spiritual songs, to help touch hearts and change the world.

They guided me on how to do it. I got a transistor radio when I was about 8 years old. My mom called it my fifth appendage.

I’d often have it to my ear, especially when Mary or Joan was singing. I loved their voices. I loved their strength and passion.

I loved their beauty and their stunning long hair. I loved how they felt they could help change the world for the better with

their folk, spiritual and “storysongs.”

Fast forward decades later, and Peter, Paul and Mary were performing at Orchestra Hall.

Of course I bought a ticket. I have a condition called multiple chemical sensitivities, and it was when those sensitivities were pronounced, so going to a concert held the possibility of having to move my seat to avoid chemical fragrances. Sure enough, when I sat down, I smelled some toxic perfume. I asked the usher to move me. He did, and I got more of the same sickening perfume. So I asked the usher if the rugs had recently been shampooed and they had. What to do?

Chemical sensitivity drama rarely produces a wonderful miracle. But the kind ushers had a novel plan: to sit me on the stage in the first row behind Peter, Paul, and Mary. I was seated directly behind Mary — a surprising gift to be so close to one of my mentors! As I listened to her, I marveled at how she could still have such

a beautiful voice and long, silky blonde hair in her senior years. She was still an inspiration. I listened to the trio, their harmonies, their beautiful guitar playing, the powerful words. I listened to the old classics, still so full of energy, storytelling, and “change the world” passion.

During one of their classic social justice songs, Mary had the lead. It touched me so deeply, just like it did when I was young.

My heart cracked open in deep gratitude for Mary, for her voice, her song, her beauty, her power, her passion, her social justice ministry, for the power of song itself.

As I was sitting there with tears streaming, she felt my strong emotional energy.

While singing for this packed house, she graciously and caringly turned to look at me, smiled knowingly, winked, and nodded. I put my hand on my heart and bowed my head to her in gratitude and reverence, tears rolling down my face. In this miracle moment, we connected. I was known, I

GINA

ORLANDO One View

was seen, I was acknowledged. Mary was known, seen, and acknowledged. I had a feeling of coming full circle from that singing girl with the transistor radio.

Rug perfume and universal synchronicity allowed this miracle of connection to one of my musical models.

Thank you, Mary. Thank you, Joan.

Thank you, women and men singers who helped change the world. You touched so many. You inspired me and helped teach me how to sing and be a musician from the heart. I know that I have touched people with beauty and the energy to help change and heal the world. I had the ability to lift hearts and souls to God in my church music and social justice ministries. Amidst my human imperfections and the daunting job, I know I have done my best. And I remain so deeply grateful.

The new crop of singers, activists, prayers and visionaries now help heal the divisions and dysfunctions. We heal, together.

Gina Orlando has been a contributor to Wednesday Journal for 32 years and now lives in Forest Park.

34

Wednesday Journal, October 5, 2022

Village board should vote this development down

T

he article on the requested zoning change for a proposed Home Avenue townhome project [Home Ave. development goes to village board for vote, News, Sept. 28], which is opposed by neighbors (the sign next door declares: “Zoning Laws Are For Everyone”), reports that the developer has given up on the Oak Park Plan Commission, which voted to approve it but failed to achieve the necessary quorum, and he is taking the matter directly to the village board.

I have no dog in the fight. I’m just an Oak Parker who has passed the site most days for over 40 years and has always admired the grand old Victorian house that is the only building there, but I found the article illuminating on the workings of village government.

The zoning request would permit 12 units to be built on the site, although the developer indicates only four are intended. The Plan Commission attorney, however, asserted that no deed restriction to four units could be considered; others are quoted as agreeing that the choice is strictly between existing zoning and what has been requested. Given that, it seems clear the pledge to build only four units isn’t worth the paper it isn’t written on.

Putin swore in February he would not invade Ukraine. But one need not attribute such bad faith to the developer to conclude that 12 units would eventually be built. People make honest changes of judgment. And the next owner is not likely to want to make only what he can from four units, when he could put up 12. The village board has to take this as an application to put up 12 units.

Whatever number is built, the neighboring property values would certainly go down. The condo balconies presently face a large sunny, peaceful green lawn would face the back side of the new townhouses.

While those owners took their chances when they bought, that risk only involved whatever present zoning would permit (a house?); not the backside of a large multi-unit building. The proposed change seems quite unfair to them.

Why would governmental officials OK that unfairness, and change the zoning? To satisfy the wishes of a developer who is not satisfied to make what money he could under current zoning law?

The comments of the three commission members who voted for the change are arrogant, bordering on ignorant. All favored more units to produce more village revenue. Since that would be done at the cost to the neighbors’ property values, it bespeaks an attitude symptomatic of a disease that afflicts all too many public officials: a ready willingness to “spend” other people’s “money.” If they want more housing, and more money for the village, let them buy the houses next to their own, knock them down, and put up skyscrapers.

The article reports that the village staff will provide trustees with a recommendation; but they already reported to the Plan Commission that they have no objection to the change.

Hopefully, the village board will have more sense.

Frank Stachyra is an Oak Park resident.

FRANK

STACHYRA One View

V I E W P O I N T S

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

‘Small’ ask in dollars, but huge in percent

Do you want a 50% tax increase? That’s what the Cook County Forest Preserve is going to ask you.

There is a referendum on November’s ballot to increase the Cook County Forest Preserve taxing rate by 0.025%. Sounds pretty small, until you realize the current rate is 0.051%. That’s almost a 50% increase.

District 200 would be jealous.

One of the goals identified in the referendum is to “restore 30,000 acres to good ecological health.”

Do we let our forest preserves deteriorate until we finally get around to asking voters for more money?

Were there other efforts we could have deprioritized so this didn’t happen?

Twenty-one percent of this levy, the largest portion of this increase, will go to pension debt. Because it’s not an Illinois tax party without the pension pooper showing up. To the county’s credit, they disclose this; however, you won’t see it headlining any referendum marketing materials.

Some goals of the referendum do indeed align with an increased levy, such as expanding the forest preserve acreage and creating a permanent conservation corps. I can see voters getting behind these goals. Seventeen percent of the levy goes to land acquisition. But what happens to those tax dollars when the county completes their land grab?

Strange that no one has called to fund these preservation efforts by defunding the Cook County Forest Preserve Police, most notably Oak Park’s very own county commissioner and defund-the-police advocate Brandon Johnson. After all, nearly 20% of the CCFP budget goes to public safety. I guess that fad has passed. There will be no marches from Quercus Woods to Saganashkee Slough.

Sometimes the issue isn’t the amount of the increase ($3-5 per month for the typical Oak Park homeowner), rather the context provided in regards to the increase. If this were marketed as the massive 50% budgetary increase that it is instead of the Sally Struthers “price of a cup of coffee” method, there might be more questions. When you live in the Land of Tax Silos under the People’s Republic of Mosquito Abatement, taxes are like death by a thousand cuts — 0.076% doesn’t sound like much until you add it to the dozen or so other taxing bodies.

If I expected one government unit to be forthright with the taxpayers, it was the forest preserve.

Just tell it like it is: 50% price increase. Seems like a small ask for a “small” ask.

Eliminate Columbus Day?

If a historic person enslaved people, should his holiday be abolished? Many of us are mis-educated about what the world was. Hollywood, our school curricula, and even the New York Times have convinced many of us that only Jews and Black Americans were ever slaves. This is absolutely false. Slavery was normal throughout the world and much of history. Anyone can improve their slave history education by Googling: The Real History of Slavery.

Columbus Day was established by President Harrison in 1892 after the New Orleans lynching of 11 Italian immigrants. Columbus Day highlighted the idea that people from different cultures have contributed to America.

Nicholas Binotti Oak Park

Please slow down driving

I just witnessed an accident at Scoville and South Boulevard. A car heading south rushed through a stop sign and hit a car with the right of way. The poor woman driver who was hit was in shock and sustained significant damage to her car. Last year I witnessed a middle-schooler hit by a car in front of Brooks Middle School as he crossed the street. The driver did not yield to this young pedestrian. These are residential streets. Slow down!

Robert Sullivan Oak Park

Emailed every Friday morning!

Martha Fluharty Oak Park

V I E W P O I N T S

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

D O O P E R ’ S

M E M O R I E S

Learning history was about more than facts

I

was introduced to the study of history early in my school years by hearing stories about people who lived in other times and places. I learned, too, that the world was not always like it was when I was in the lower grades.

Later in the elementary school grades, a more formal study included Illinois history in fourth grade, U.S. history in the fifth grade, world history in the sixth grade, and U.S. history and current events in seventh and eighth grade. We also studied the Constitution in eighth grade.

In high school, all students were required to take a world history class in sophomore year, and U.S. history in either junior or senior year.

Various methods were used to add to the information given in the history books used in the course. My fifth-grade teacher enhanced our learning of U.S. history by showing filmstrips, slides, and movies. My seventh- and eighth-grade history teacher took our class on field trips to museums that had displays historical events, and during my eighth-grade year, our class put on a play dramatizing the founding of Chicago.

In both elementary and high school U.S. history classes, a common practice was the teaching of patriotism in order for the class to learn to love and respect our country and to admire our great heroes.

My high school world history teacher believed there were many things students would be more likely to understand

through the study of history than in any other way.

She told us most of students in Oak Park grew up in a single culture and took it for granted that the way things are done in that culture is the only way to do them. She taught us that history can help us develop an understanding and appreciation of other cultures as well.

My U.S. history teacher in high school, told us that students of history, like ourselves, often pick up cultural lag. She explained that even a young child can see again and again in history how people keep on doing things in the way they are used to doing them even when the reasons for doing them that way have disappeared. She said this understanding helps the student evaluate beliefs that are held currently.

I learned in grade school that people of all lands and races are very much alike, that customs are often a better protection against tyranny than laws themselves, that important changes nearly always come gradually and are very likely to arise in the mind of a youngster through the study of history.

All the history teachers I had believed it was foolish to say we study history to learn only the facts. We also need some basis for picking out facts that are necessary to learn, and history should be studied for the light it can shed upon the problems of our time.

The thoughtful history teachers I had used history to help us build and broaden our own points of view and our own outlook on the world.

JOHN

STANGER

Midterms are coming, are you registered?

Two deadlines are looming. The link below is important as those who read the WJ online are likely to register online too. We need more public awareness; the midterms matter! Voters need to know the

who, what, why, where, and when on voting in November. https://illinoisvoterguide.org/

Cynthia Breunlin Oak Park

Wednesday Journal, October 5, 2022

KORDESH

Alley paralysis from page 29 own. It was a short walk. She had three little girls at home to take care of, including a newborn. Mom had just given birth to Annie a week before.

I guess I took advantage of the loose reins. No one was there to move me along — until the neighborhood got involved. I stood in the alley for at least an hour until Mrs. Bland, who lived next door, spotted me through her back window and called Mom on the phone: “Jean, I think Richard’s being sick out behind your garage.”

Mom hung up the phone and ran out of the house, through the yard and into the alley. She found me standing behind the garage, alone: “Richard, why aren’t you at school?” I told her I didn’t want to go to the school because I didn’t like the nun who would be teaching us.

Shocked, Mom gathered up my little sisters, and took me to the first-grade classroom that morning, a couple of hours late.

At the classroom entrance, she said something privately to Sister Fortunata about my being afraid of her. Sister then walked me up to the front of the class, beaming, and said, “Boys and girls, how many of you like me?”

HAUSMAN from page 29 they are primarily run by new staff; they are higher priced; and right-leaning information is the focus. Community letters and voices are kept to a minimum. The information that is printed is meant to thwart civic engagement and public knowledge.

These predators use scare tactics feeding into parental fear and racist views. The most extreme of these unscrupulous folks fabricate conspiracies and use the news media to warn folks against “Un-Christian, multicultural people who desire to replace white society.” Educators, librarians, school board members are targeted. We need to be aware of this harmful, politically-biased groundswell which is literally exploiting truth and damaging our democracy.

I knew that entities like the Koch Brothers Donors Trust Group were involved in these focused activities. My surprise came when I learned that both Facebook and Google also

35

The kids were eager to please. Almost 50 hands shot up; a multitude of smiles broke forth. Sister showed me my desk.

Feeling embarrassed, I sat down.

With Maureen, I’ve raised my own kids since then. None of ours dodged the first day. Three of them rode to their beginning class in their Episcopal school’s van. A few years later, Maureen walked Greg, our fourth, to his opening morning at Longfellow in Oak Park.

But we had days when our kids just didn’t want to go. It was hard to tell at times what part anxiety, physical ailments and/or just plain boredom were in play.

It wasn’t just us. The phenomenon now gets broad attention in the education field.

There’s a formally recognized disorder, “school refusal” (Elizabeth Chang, “What to do, and not to do, when your child won’t go to school,” Washington Post, September 22, 2022).

But in 1959, I was just a little guy needing an extra nudge out of the alley.

Gripped by a 5-year-old’s foreboding based on bad information, I balked. The intervention initiated by our neighbor got me moving. It all worked out. I graduated from St. Mary’s in 1967.

Mom, Dad, the community, my fellow students, and some dedicated, black-veiled teachers teamed up over the years to get me through.

Rich Kordesh grew up in in Berwyn and is a longtime resident of Oak Park. play a role in this pillaging effort.

Shockingly, since 2005, America has lost one quarter of its community-based newspapers, and up to two papers/week are either folding or cutting their publishing to the core. The JCPA (Journalism Competition Preservation Act) is a proposal meant to protect local papers from big-tech pillaging.

Unfortunately, their efforts have not been successful. We need to respond to this crisis by contacting our congressmen, asking them to provide more federal funding in support of public news sources.

According to the Columbia Journalism Review, in 2020 U.S. funding for local newspapers was at a rate of $1.42 per capita, compared to $100 per capita in the United Kingdom and Sweden. We should do what we can to support our local newspapers in their uphill effort to continue providing truthful information.

Note: Information in this column was sourced from the Hightower Lowdown, Jim Hightower, writer; researchers Laura Ehrlch and Melody Byrd; Rebuild Local News; and the American Journalism Project.

36

O B I T U A R I E S

Wednesday Journal, October 5, 2022

The family of Virginia (Ginie) Cassin cordially invite dear friends and neighbors to join us for her Memorial Mass and Celebration of Life. Services will be held at St. Edmund Church, 188 S. Oak Park Ave., on Saturday, Oct. 15 at 11 a.m. A gathering will follow, location to be announced.

Ginie Cassin, 96

Longtime village clerk and Hemingway Foundation chair Virginia Cassin, 96, of Oak Park, died on Friday, Oct. 16, 2020. Her last days and hours were spent in the peace and comfort of her home at Northern Lakes Senior Living, in Baxter, Minnesota. Five of Ginie’s eight children were gathered near her bedside. Her departure was sweet and without pain.

Born to Maude Hinckley Robie and Theodore Mead Robie, on April 13, 1924 in Beloit, Wisconsin, after a brief residence in Dallas, Texas, the family moved to Oak Park. There she met and married her sweetheart, William A. (Bill) Cassin, who had just returned from World War II military duty in Europe.

Life was full of excitement and joy as Ginie and Bill were blessed with eight children.

Duty to church and community were of lifelong interest to both of them. In their early years as parents, Ginie and Bill were active team leaders in the Christian Family Movement (CFM), and the CANA Conference in St. Edmund Parish in Oak Park.

Eventually the call to civil rights activism found Ginie joining the League of Women Voters and the Community Welfare Council

of Oak Park, as well as the National Conference of Christians and Jews (NCCJ). In the 1970s, the citizens of Oak Park elected Ginie to the position of village clerk, a position she held for 20 years. Not only was she the first woman to hold that position in Oak Park, she was also the first woman to become a member of Rotary International of Oak Park.

After “retirement,” Ginie and Bill became actively involved members of the Ernest Hemingway Foundation of Oak Park. They spent tireless hours helping the foundation purchase and renovate the Hemingway birthplace, which eventually became an important destination for Hemingway pilgrims.

After 90+ years in the Chicago area, Ginie joined her daughter, Sheila MacLaughlin, and sons, Patrick and Sean Cassin in Minnesota. Her two years as a resident of Northern Lakes Community were comfortable and enjoyable. Until COVID came along, she enjoyed the friendship of many dear neighbors as well as the happiness of gathering with her extended family of children, grandchildren and great-grandkids in the Brainerd Lakes area. She filled many lives with love and joy.

Ginie is survived by her eight children: Michael (Barbara) Cassin, Patrick Cassin, Sharon Cassin Frame, Sheila (Rick) MacLaughlin, Timothy (Marcia) Cassin, Sean Cassin, Brian (Donna) Cassin and Kieran (Jeri) Cassin. Eighteen young adults will miss their grandma as well as 26 great-grandkids.

Ginie was preceded in death by her husband, Bill; her parents, Maude and Ted Robie; her brother, Bill Robie; and her nephew, David Brown Robie.

Donations may be made in memory of Ginie as follows: To the Virginia Cassin Rotary Fund, 1049 Lake St. #204, Oak Park, IL 60301.

The Virginia Cassin-Sr. Michelle Germanson Rotary Fund Grant was established by the Rotary Club of Oak Park-River Forest with the Oak Park-River Forest Community Foundation, a tax-exempt 501(c)3 organization, in 2020 to honor the memory of two of its most dynamic female members. Virginia (Ginie) Cassin was the first female admitted to the

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

Rotary Club of Oak Park-River Forest in 1988 and was recognized throughout the village for her charm, an upbeat can-do attitude and her skillful persuasiveness. Sister Michelle Germanson, O.P. joined Rotary in 1992 while serving as the president of Trinity High School.

She was known for her determination, her energetic spirit and her keen sense of humor.

The Rotary Club of Oak Park-River Forest seeks to honor the legacy of these two women by providing an opportunity for young female students, grades 6-8, to explore areas of learning outside of their classroom that will help each girl develop their talents, interest and vision of self, who, without financial assistance, would be unable to have this opportunity.

Jeff FitzGerald, 66

Preservationist, painter and music lover Geoffrey “Jeff” John FitzGerald, 66, completed his earthly journey on Sept. 26, 2022. Born on Oct. 4, 1955 to the late Christopher James FitzGerald III and Margaret Dell (Daly) in Evanston, his younger years were lived out among the water, woods, and treehouses of Evanston, Cincinnati, and his family’s longest home, Oak Park. The fourth of nine children, he was known to his siblings as “Adventure Boy,” due to his intrepid spirit.

He attended Oak Park and River Forest High School, and Harrington College of Design. He was married to his high school sweetheart, Marie (Riggs) FitzGerald, for 29 years. They shared homes and businesses in McGregor, Iowa and Minneapolis, Minnesota, before a houseboating trip led them to small-town living in Lansing, Iowa. There, they opened FitzGerald’s Inn Bed and Break-

BERWYN CICERO CREMATION SOCIETY

BERWYN CICERO Payment plans CREMATION BERWYN CICERO No charge to register SOCIETY CREMATION SOCIETY

fast and completed their family of four children, before settling in Dubuque in 1997.

He had a deep love for the Mississippi River, historic buildings, gardening, and bringing life back to everything from plants and flowers to hardwood floors and trim. He had a discerning eye for restoration and renovation. Where some saw lost cause, he saw potential. He was passionate about painting, architecture, and historic preservation.

Wherever he was, music was playing. A lover of all genres, he enjoyed setting the scene of any family event with music, lighting, great food, and room for dancing. Never lost for words, he had a rich store of anecdotes for any listening ear. Where laughter was needed, he could provide. His jocular nature and infectious laugh could cure most ailments. Dynamic and resilient, he overcame illness for the better part of three decades, surpassing expectations and always living by his own terms and timeline.

Jeff is survived by his children, Meghan FitzGerald, Kyle (Callie) FitzGerald, Erin FitzGerald, and Riley FitzGerald; their mother, Marie FitzGerald; and his eight grandchildren, Mikayla and Elijah Farber, Ruby FitzGerald, Jaylen, Michelle and Maleyah FitzGerald, Tyler Cassady, and Wesley FitzGerald-Meekins. He was survived by seven siblings, Mary, Bill, Chris, Sheila, Brian, Catherine, and Terry, along with his brothers- and sisters-in-law, and many cherished nieces, nephews, and cousins. He was preceded in death by his parents and his sister, Margaret “Peggy” FitzGerald.

Jeff ’s family would like to extend a sincere thank you to those involved in his care throughout the years at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, MercyOne, Medical Associates, especially Dr. Jeffrey Meier, Dr. Stephen Frommelt, and the wonderful staff at Dubuque’s Visiting Nurse Association.

As an expression of sympathy, donations can be made to the Dubuque VNA via the Finley Health Foundation, 350 N. Grandview, Dubuque, IA 52001.

A celebration of life will occur at a later date.

Robert P. Gamboney

Starting at $25 a month Starting at $25 a month

Memorial Services

Funeral Director

All Major Credit Cards Accepted

charge register No No charge totoregister MemorialServices Services Memorial All Major Credit Cards Accepted All Major Credit Cards Accepted

CALL NOW CALL NOW

Paymentplans plans Payment

708-788-0904

I am there for you in your time of need.

All services handled with dignity and personalized care.

Cell: 708.420.5108 • Res: 708.848.5667 I am affiliated with Peterson-Bassi Chapels at 6938 W. North Ave, as well as other chapels throughout Chicagoland.

Wednesday Journal, October 5, 2022 Growing Community Media

Deadline is Monday at 5:00 p.m.

BY PHONE: (708) 613-3333 | BY FAX: (708) 467-9066 BY E-MAIL: EMAIL@GROWINGCOMMUNITYMEDIA.ORG HOURS: 9:00 A.M.– 5:00 P.M. MON–FRI

HELP WANTED

HELP WANTED • NETWORK SPECIALIST Class specifications are intended to present a descriptive list of the range of duties performed by employees in the class.

Specifications are not intended to reflect all duties performed within the job.

DEFINITION To perform various network/system administration, computer support, and operational activities for the Village including computer system setup, configuration, and testing.

SUPERVISION RECEIVED AND EXERCISED Reports directly to the Information Technology Services Director.

EXAMPLE OF DUTIES: Essential and other important duties and responsibilities may include, but are not limited to, the following: Essential duties and responsibilities 1. Ensure that best in class customer service is provided to both internal and external customers and also embrace, support, and promote the Village’s core values, beliefs and culture.

2. Configure, test, and deploy network systems, such as, firewalls, routers, switches, wireless equipment, network servers and storage arrays.

3. Configure, test, and deploy system servers, such as, file, print, Internet, e-mail, database, and application servers.

4. Configure, test, and monitor server and end-user systems for security, such as, user accounts, login scripts, file access privileges, and group policy management.

5. Configure, test, and deploy end-user systems, such as, workstations, laptops, mobile devices, printers, and software.

6. Test, configure, deploy, and support security systems, such as, facility access system, video & audio system.

7. Monitor and auditing of networks, systems, and user activities to ensure security and efficiency of systems. Create scripts and reports of detail activities for regular review.

8. Perform and participate in disaster recovery activities, such as, backup procedures, data recovery, and system recovery planning.

9. Assist end-users with computer problems or queries. Troubleshoot systems as needed and meet with users to analyze specific system needs.

10. Ensure the uniformity, reliability and security of system resources including network, hardware,

software and other forms of systems and data.

11. Prepare, create and update user/technical procedure documentations and provide computer training.

12. Assemble, test, and install network, telecommunication and data equipment and cabling.

13. Participate in research and recommendation of technology solutions.

Other important responsibilities and duties 1. Train users in the area of existing, new or modified computer systems and procedures.

2. Participate in the preparation of various activity reports.

3. Travel and support remote facilities and partner agencies.

4. Operate, administer and manage the Village and Public Safety computer systems, including E-911 center, in-vehicle computer systems.

5. Prepare clear and logical reports and program documentation of procedures, processes, and configurations.

6. Complete projects on a timely and efficient manner.

7. Communicate effectively both orally and in writing.

8. Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.

9. Perform related duties and responsibilities as required.

QUALIFICATIONS Knowledge of: Principals and procedures of computer systems, such as, data communication, hierarchical structure, backups, testing and critical analysis.

Hardware and software configuration of. computers, servers and mobile devices, including computing environment of Windows Server and Desktop OS and applications, Unix/Linux OS, VMware, iOS/Android.

Network protocols, security, configuration and administration, including firewalls, routers, switches and wireless technology.

Cabling and wiring, including CAT5/6, fiber network, telephone, serial communication, termination, and punch-down.

Telecommunications theory and technology, including VoiP, serial communication, wireless protocols, PBX, analog, fax, voicemail and auto-attendant.

Principles and methods of computer programming, coding and testing, including power shell, command scripting, macros, and

VB scripts.

Modern office procedures, methods and computer equipment.

Technical writing, office productivity tools and database packages.

Ability to: Maintain physical condition appropriate to the performance of assigned duties and responsibilities, which may include the following: - Walking, standing or sitting for extended periods of time - Operating assigned equipment - Lift 50 pounds of equipment, supplies, and materials without assistance - Working in and around computer equipped vehicles Maintain effective audio-visual discrimination and perception needed for: - Making observations - Communicating with others - Reading and writing - Operating assigned equipment and vehicles Maintain mental capacity allowing for effective interaction and communication with others.

Maintain reasonable and predictable attendance.

Work overtime as operations require.

Experience and Training Guidelines Experience: Three years of network/system administration in the public or private sector, maintaining a minimum of 75 Client Workstation computers. AND Training: Possession of a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with major coursework in computer science or a related field. Certifications in Microsoft Server Administration, Networking, Applications and Cisco Networking.

Possession of a valid Illinois Driver License is required at the time of appointment.

Vaccination against COVID-19 strongly preferred.

WORKING CONDITIONS Work in a computer environment; sustained posture in a seated position for prolonged periods of time; continuous exposure to computer screens; work in and around computerized vehicles outdoor and garage facility; lifting heavy equipment, communication cabling and wiring into walls and ceilings.

OFFICE ASSISTANT

Unity Temple Unitarian Universalist Congregation is looking for a part time Office Assistant. The Office Assistant plays a key role in contributing to the Congregation’s mission through the smooth and effective running of Unity Temple’s administrative and office needs. Working with the Director of Finance & Administration, sitting at the front desk and welcoming visitors, managing the congregational calendar, ensuring the procurement of supplies and supporting the rental program of our historic and culturally renowned buildings is the focus for this position.

Core Competencies -Organization and Planning: Organizes people, funding, materials, and support to accomplish multiple, concurrent goals and activities.

-Vision and Purpose: Commitment to and knowledge of Unitarian Universalist Principles and values (see Support for the Mission and Values of the Congregation below) -Trust and Integrity: Is widely trusted to keep confidences, admit errors, and adhere to a transparent set of personal and professional values that are congruent with the ministry of the congregation.

Proficiencies: Google Workspace, specifically Google Drive, organizational skills with a strong detail orientation, ability to communicate with a variety of different people, familiarity with CRM software is a plus (UTUUC uses Realm).

You can find more information about the position at https://unitytemple. org/job-postings/. To apply, send a cover letter and résumé to jobs@ unitytemple.org indicating “Office Assistant” in the subject line.

BOOKKEEPER

Unity Temple Unitarian Universalist Congregation is looking for a part time Bookkeeper.

Hours: 15 hours/week Sept – December 2022, then 10 hours/week as of 1/1/2023 The Bookkeeper plays a key role in

contributing to the Congregation’s mission through the smooth and effective accounting of Unity Temple’s financial ledgers and is responsible for journal entries and balance sheets. Working with the Director of Finance & Administration, the Bookkeeper will prepare statements, investigate and clear discrepancies, compile reports and analyses of accounts and update congregational pledge data.

Core Competencies - Accounting principles - Bookkeeping procedures - Vision and Purpose: Commitment to and knowledge of Unitarian Universalist Principles and values (see Support for the Mission and Values of the Congregation below) -Trust and Integrity: Is widely trusted to keep confidences, admit errors, and adhere to a transparent set of personal and professional values that are congruent with the ministry of the congregation.

Proficiencies: Quickbooks Online (certification is a plus but not required), Google Workspace (specifically Google Drive), organizational skills with a strong detail orientation, ability to communicate with a variety of different people, familiarity with CRM software is a plus.

You can find more information about the position at https://unitytemple. org/job-postings/. To apply, send a cover letter and résumé to jobs@unitytemple.org indicating “Bookkeeper” in the subject line.

NURSERY SUPERVISOR AND CHILDCARE COORDINATOR

Unity Temple Unitarian Universalist Congregation is looking for a warm, welcoming and experienced Nursery Supervisor and Childcare Coordinator to work with the youngest among us on Sunday mornings in the nursery as well as coordinate babysitting for congregational events outside of Sunday mornings. This is one job with two different roles. As Nursery

37

HELP WANTED

Supervisor, this person will provide a compassionate and consistent presence in caring for our babies and toddlers during the Sunday morning worship service times, supervise, train and schedule other nursery staff, maintain the nursery as a safe and clean environment, welcome and orient new families to the nursery, and build relationships with and communicate effectively with parents. The nursery hours are Sundays from 9:30–11:30am, and approximately one hour outside of Sunday morning worship service.

You can find more information about the position at https://unitytemple. org/job -postings/. To apply, send a cover letter and résumé to jobs@ unitytemple.org indicating “Nursery Supervisor / Childcare Coordinator” in the subject line.

Implementation Specialist sought by Amount, Inc. in Chicago, IL. Mg dtd exctn of implntn proj plans. Telecomm prmtd. Apply @ JobPostingToday.com, REF#95557.

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT

United Methodist Church of Oak Park Oak Park, Illinois Job Description: Administrative Assistant The Administrative Assistant is a critical role to the life of First United Methodist Church. The ideal candidate is experienced in providing support in all phases of administration, financial, worship and communication for the Pastor and church. This position requires someone who can work in an independent environment, is organized and has strong written and verbal communication skills.

Essential responsibilities include, but are not limited to: Administration -Provide administrative support to the Pastor and church volunteers responsible for committee and church programs -Ensure worship bulletins and related

documents are prepared weekly for Sunday services -Oversee and maintain church files and records and assist in producing the annual statistical report required by the church conference Finance -Under the direction of the Finance Committee and in coordination with the accountant, oversee account payables and account receivables -Manage and record all account and expense-related actions into Quickbooks -Ensure receipt of approved payment requests for all invoices Communication -Generate and distribute as required all forms of communication on behalf of the Pastor and its members -Maintain church calendar General Office Duties -Oversee the operation of all church office equipment and arrange for repairs as required -Maintain and order office supplies as needed and order other supplies subject to the approval of the Pastor and Trustees.

Qualifications -Extensive knowledge with basic computer operations and administration software, such as: email management, file management, Microsoft Office Suite and Google applications; experience with Quickbooks is helpful -Demonstrate the ability to adapt to a dynamic working environment -Confidentiality is a must BA or BS degree preferred. We also require Covid vaccination.

The candidate must agree to completing a background check before hire.

The hourly salary is between $20 and $24 an hour.

Hours are part tine 20 hours a week –10:30 AM to 2:30 PM There is holiday pay and earned vacation and sick pay

PART-TIME ELECTRICIAN’S HELPER

Call contracter for more info.

708-738-3848

Custom Frame Company

Clean, safe, fun work with graphic display frames that you’ll see in Wal-Marts, Verizon stores, CTA stations, all over US. Manufacturing No weekends, no evening hours, great pay and benefits.

Top rated firm, Alpina Manufacturing LLC, founded in 1992, locally owned beautiful campus in Galewood, near Mars candy, 3 blocks north of Oak Park. We build and sell display framing systems to customers nationwide including Wal-Mart, Verizon, Circle K, Hospitals, CTA.

Apply in person M-F 8am to 4pm • Alpina • 6460 W Cortland St Chicago, IL 60707 www.fastchangeframes.com

River Forest Public Schools

River Forest School District 90 is seeking On-Call Substitute Teachers and Teacher Aides, $130-$150 per day!

FLEXIBLE Schedule between the hours of 7:50a - 3:20pm Work one day a week or up to 5 days a week, half days or full days Responsibilities: The On-Call Substitute will work in place of the individual he/she will be temporarily replacing during the scheduled day. This individual may also be asked to perform other duties as required in relation to the substituting assignment.

Qualifications: One of the following licenses: • Professional Educator License (PEL) • Substitute Teaching License (Bachelor’s degree required; beginning January 2023 enrolled in an IL approved educator program & have completed 90

semesters hours of coursework) • Short-term Substitute License (Associate’s degree or at least 60 college credit hours) • Educator License with Stipulations • Paraprofessional License (Associate’s degree required) • Short-term Paraprofessional License (High School Diploma w/3 years to work towards obtaining Paraprofessional license.)

Apply online at: www.district90.org/about/employment

38

Wednesday Journal, October 5, 2022

CLASSIFIED

BY PHONE: (708) 613-3333 BY FAX: (708) 467-9066 BY E-MAIL: EMAIL@GROWINGCOMMUNITYMEDIA.ORG

HELP WANTED

EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE COORDINATOR

The Village of Oak Park is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Emergency Preparedness and Response Coordinator in the Health Department/ Village Manager’s Office. This position will coordinate disaster response, crisis management and medical countermeasure dispensing/ distribution activities for the Village of Oak Park, provide disaster preparedness training, and prepare emergency plans and procedures for natural (e.g., floods, earthquakes), wartime, or technological (e.g., nuclear power plant emergencies, hazardous materials spills, biological releases) or disasters. This single class position is also responsible for the complex administrative duties required for state, federal and local response processes and grant management. Applicants are encouraged to visit the Village of Oak Park’s website http://www.oak-park.us/ jobs. Interested and qualified applicants must complete a Village of Oak Park application. First review of applications will be August 5, 2022.

FIRE INSPECTOR

The Village of Oak Park is seeking a qualified candidate for the position of Fire Inspector Part-Time in the Fire Department. This serves the public through enforcement of Village fire & life safety codes and ordinances; through inspections of residential, commercial and industrial properties; and provides consultation and information to residents, architects, attorneys, fire services personnel and builders regarding laws, rules, regulations and policies relating to fire and life safety. Applicants are encouraged to visit the Village of Oak Park’s website http://www.oakpark.us/jobs.

PARKING ENFORCEMENT OFFICER

The Village of Oak Park is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Parking Enforcement Officer in the Police Department Field Services Division. This position will perform a variety of duties and responsibilities involved in the enforcement of Village parking regulations; and to provide general information and assistance to the public. Applicants are encouraged to visit the Village of Oak Park’s website http://www.oak-park.us/. Interested and qualified applicants must complete a Village of Oak Park application.

GRANTS COORDINATOR

The Village of Oak Park is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Grants Coordinator in the Development Customer Service Department. This position assists the Village’s Grant Supervisor in developing, coordinating, and administering various grants programs for the Village of Oak Park. Applicants are encouraged to visit the Village of Oak Park’s website http://www.oakpark.us/jobs. Interested and qualified applicants must complete a Village of Oak Park application.

CEMENT

CARS WANTED

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

or Unrestored Cars &Restored Vintage Motorcycles Domestic / Cars & Vintage Motorcycles Import Cars:

Check us out at: 48 Lake Street, Oak Park www.coachingbyg.com @coachingbyg on Instagram Send resumes to: Kelgoodus@gmail.com

$$ Top R$$ makes, Etc. E Nall TAWANTED LS CLASSICS

YARD SALE Oak Park

MOVING SALE 123 S RIDGELAND SATURDAY OCT 8 9AM-1PM

Furniture, household goods, toys, exercise bike, books, and more!

No early birds.

Oak Park

YARD SALE 1036 N. EUCLID AVE. SAT. OCT 8 11AM-3PM

Huge salesman sample sale with gift items in original packaging: Soaps, Candles, Bath & Body, Perfume, holiday items. Gently used household items: bedding, LEGOS, pet items, accessories, two complete China sets, baskets, kitchen, clothing, linens, Coach purses, games & more! Something for everyone!

WANTED TO BUY WANTED MILITARY ITEMS: Helmets, medals, patches, uniforms, weapons, flags, photos, paperwork, Also toy soldiers – lead, plastic – other misc. toys.

Call Uncle Gary 708-522-3400

CEMENT

MAGANA

Coaching by G is hiring!

Local studio is now hiring a part-time coach Looking for someone who: • Is a dog lover and a people person • Wants to be mentored and learn •Wants to see how a unique, wholistic, individualized approach uplevels fitness •Wants to become certified with a USA Weightlifting Level 1 certification

MARKETPLACE

HOME SERVICES

MARKETPLACE

“QUALITY IS OUR FOUNDATION” ESTABLISHED IN 1987

CLASSICS WANTED CLASSICS WANTED Restored or Unrestored

COMMERCIAL INDUSTRIAL RESIDENTIAL

708.442.7720

Mercedes, Porsche, Corvette,Cars: Ferrari’s, Domestic / Import Jaguars, Muscle Cars, Mustang & Mopars Mercedes, Porsche, Corvette, $$ Top $$ all makes, Etc.

'5,9(:$<6 )281'$7,216 3$7,26 67(36 &85% *877(56 6,'(:$/.6 612: 3/2:,1* 67$03(' &2/25(' $**5(*$7( &21&5(7(

Mustang & Mopars

FREE ESTIMATES LICENSED, BONDED & INSURED

Ferrari’s, James Jaguars,• 630-201-8122 Muscle Cars, Collector

Collector James Restored or Unrestored OFFICE/RETAIL OFFICE/RETAIL FOR 630-201-8122 RENT FOR RENT Cars & Vintage Motorcycles 1 RETAIL SPACE FOR OAK PARK THERAPY/ Import Domestic Cars: OFFICES:

RENT/SHOPPING CENTER FOREST PARK, IL.

Mercedes, Porsche, Corvette, Sq. Ft. (END CAP) Excellent Ferrari’s, Jaguars,1,635 Muscle Cars, Condition. Recently Updated.

Mustang &*Heavy Mopars traffic location. Ideal for:

Therapy offices available on North Avenue. Parking; Flexible leasing; Nicely furnished; Waiting Room; Conference Room.

Ideal for new practice or 2nd location.

708.383.0729 Call for an appt.

$$ Top $$ all makes, Etc.

RIVER FOREST–7777 Lake St. * 1116 sq. ft. * 1400 sq. ft. Dental Office RIVER FOREST–7756 Madison St. * 960 sq. ft.

OAK PARK–6142-44 Roosevelt Rd. * 3 & 5 room office suites FOREST PARK–7736 Madison St. *2500 sq. ft. unit Strand & & Browne Strand Browne 708-488-0011 708-488-0011

CLEANERS, FAST FOOD, RETAIL PRODUCTS, OFFICES, ETC.!

(SPACE FOR A DRIVE-THRU BUILD) *Special Rates.

Collector James

630-201-8122

If Leave message, Include: Your Name, Phone Number and Type of Business.

TEXT or CALL: (708)828-6491

SUBURBAN RENTALS STUDIOS, 1, 2 & 3 BR Best Selection & Service

OAK PARK & FOREST PARK

708-386-7355

MMpropMgmt.com 1 BEDROOM APT

Small 1 bdr apt in Forest Park. Water and heat included. No parking. $700/ month.

708-227-7007

CITY RENTALS SRO 1 ROOM FOR RENT

Large sunny room with fridge and microwave. Near green line, bus. 24 hour desk. Parking. $130/week and up.

Call 312-212-1212

ELECTRICAL Ceiling Fans Installed

ELECTRICAL

A&A ELECTRIC

Let an American Veteran do your work

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

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

FLOORS

HANDYMAN

KLIS FLOORING INC.

Mike’s Home Repair

New hardwood flooring installation & pergo. Sanding, re-finishing, staining.

Low prices, insured.

Call: 773-671-4996 • www. klisflooring.com

GENERAL CONTRACTOR DAVID FIGUEROA GENERAL CONTRACTOR

(Kitchen & Bathroom Remodeling, Installation of Countertops) Licensed and bonded.

773-587-6142 Figueroa.dave23@gmail.com

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

708-296-2060

CURT'S HANDYMAN SERVICE Drywall Repair • Painting Fans Installed • Carpentry Trim Gutter Cleaning • Window Repair

Free estimates Excellent References No Job Too Small

708-488-9411

HAULING BASEMENT CLEANING Appliances & Furniture

Removal Pickup & Delivery.

773-722-6900

LANDSCAPING BRUCE LAWN SERVICE

Lawn Maintenance Fall Leaf Clean-Up Sodding/Slit Seeding Bush Trimming Senior Discount

brucelawns.com

708-243-0571

PAINTING CLASSIC PAINTING Fast & Neat Painting/Taping/ Plaster Repair Low Cost • 708.749.0011

WOODWORK Terry's

Woodwork Restoration On-site refinishing of wood

and fiberglass since 1977.

Includes doors, woodwork, windows, staircases and new woodwork etc. All work done by hand. NO sanders. Your unfinished project my specialty!

References available.

Contact Terry Seamans at 630-379-7148 or terryseamans@yahoo.com

PETS While you’re away, your pets are okay . . . at home

cat calls

Oak Park’s Original Pet Care Service – Since 1986

Daily dog exercising Complete pet care in your home House sitting • Plant care Bonded References

708-524-1030

Wednesday Journal, October 5, 2022

CLASSIFIED PUBLIC NOTICES PUBLIC NOTICE LEGAL NOTICE ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS RIVER FOREST, ILLINOIS Public Notice is hereby given that a public hearing will be held by the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) of the Village of River Forest, County of Cook, State of Illinois, on Thursday, October 20, 2022 at 7:30 p.m. in the First Floor Community Room of the River Forest Village Hall, 400 Park Avenue, River Forest, Illinois on the following matter: The ZBA will consider an application for a major zoning variation submitted

by Dave and Sheri Delaney, owners of the property at 935 Franklin Avenue, who are proposing to construct a new house on the property.

Section 10-5-6 of the Village Code provides the Zoning Board of Appeals jurisdiction to hold public hearings and offer recommendations to the Village Board concerning variations to the Zoning Ordinance.

The applicants are requesting a major variation to Section 10-9-7, for the Front Yard setback. The required Front Yard setback is 72.1 feet, as calculated per the procedure described in section 10-8-7-A of the Zoning Ordinance. The applicants seek a variance to allow the Front Yard setback to be set at 59.0 feet for the new house.

The legal description of the property at 935 Franklin Avenue is as follows: LOT 2 IN SECOND 935 FRANKLIN RESUBDIVISION, BEING A RESUBDIVISION OF PART OF THE SOUTH HALF OF THE EAST HALF OF THE SOUTHWEST QUARTER OF SECTION 1, TOWNSHIP 39 NORTH, RANGE 12 EAST OF THE THIRD PRINCIPAL MERIDIAN, ACCORDING TO THE PLAT THEREOF RECORDED OCTOBER 8, 2021 AS DOCUMENT NUMBER 2128119006, IN COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. A copy of the application will be available to the public at Village Hall and on the Village’s website at www.vrf. us/zoningvariation no less than 15 days prior to the public hearing. The Zoning Board of Appeals meeting packet will also be available at www. vrf.us/meetings no less than 48 hours prior to the public hearing.

All interested persons will be given the opportunity to be heard at the public hearing. For public comments to be considered by the Zoning Board of Appeals and Village Board of Trustees in their decision, they must be included as part of the public hearing record. Interested persons can learn more about how to participate in the hearing by visiting www.vrf.us/zoningvariation.

Sincerely, Clifford Radatz Secretary, Zoning Board of Appeals Published in Wednesday Journal October 5, 2022

PUBLIC NOTICE LEGAL NOTICE ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS RIVER FOREST, ILLINOIS Public Notice is hereby given that a public hearing will be held by the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) of the Village of River Forest, County of Cook, State of Illinois, on Thursday, October 20, 2022 at 7:30 p.m. in the First Floor Community Room of the River Forest Village Hall, 400 Park Avenue, River Forest, Illinois on the following matter:

39

BY PHONE: (708) 613-3333 BY FAX: (708) 467-9066 BY E-MAIL: EMAIL@GROWINGCOMMUNITYMEDIA.ORG

PUBLIC NOTICES The ZBA will consider an application for setback and lot size variations submitted by Bremen Properties LLC, owner of the property at 7227 Thomas Avenue, who is proposing to make exterior improvements to the property.

Section 4-8-5 of the Village Code provides the Zoning Board of Appeals jurisdiction to hold public hearings and offer recommendations to the Village Board concerning variations to the Zoning Code.

The applicant is requesting variations to Section 10-10-7-A of the setback regulations. The regulation requires the front yard setback to be 40 feet and the applicant is a reduction of the setback of 3.1 feet. On the north side of the property, the regulation requires a 25 feet setback. The applicant is requesting 17.5 feet in setback reduction to 7.5 feet.

The applicant is also requesting a variation to Section 10-10-4 that requires a lot size of 17,424 square feet and 100 feet of depth through the length of property. The lot is an existing non-conforming lot.

The legal description of the property at 7227 Thomas Avenue is as follows: THE NORTH 55 FEET OF LOT 1 IN BLOCK 8 IN THE SUBDIVISION OF BLOCKS 1, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 15 AND 16 IN BOGUES ADDITION TO OAK PARK, BEING A SUBDIVISION IN THE SOUTHEAST ¼ OF SECTION 1, TOWNSHIP 39 NORTH, RANGE 12 EAST OF THE THIRD PRINCIPAL MERIDIAN, IN COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. A copy of the application will be available to the public at Village Hall and on the Village’s website at www.vrf. us/zoningvariation no less than 15 days prior to the public hearing. The Zoning Board of Appeals meeting packet will also be available at www. vrf.us/meetings no less than 48 hours prior to the public hearing.

All interested persons will be given the opportunity to be heard at the public hearing. For public comments to be considered by the Zoning Board of Appeals and Village Board of Trustees in their decision, they must be included as part of the public hearing record. Interested persons can learn more about how to participate in the hearing by visiting www.vrf.us/zoningvariation.

Sincerely, Clifford Radatz Secretary, Zoning Board of Appeals Published in Wednesday Journal October 5, 2022

PUBLIC NOTICE NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING You are hereby notified that a Public Hearing has been called by the Housing Authority of the Village of Oak Park, Oak Park, Illinois to be held at its Main Office located at 21 South Boulevard, (South and Austin), Oak Park, Illinois 60302 at 2:00 P.M. on Friday, October 7, 2022, for the purpose of considering the following item of business: To hear comments from the Public on the Public Housing Agency Plan.

The draft of the PHA Annual Plan for 2023 along with the public’s comments will be considered by the Authority before adoption of the Annual Plan to be submitted by Monday, October 17, 2022, to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban

PUBLIC NOTICES Development.

The draft plan is available for inspection at the following locations during normal hours of operation: Oak Park Housing Authority 21 South Boulevard Oak Park, IL 60302 Mills Park Tower 1025 Pleasant Place Oak Park, IL 60302 Written comments will also be accepted prior to the hearing for inclusion in the public record.

Address all comments or inquiries to: Oak Park Housing Authority Executive Director Re: PHA Annual Plan 2023 21 South Boulevard Oak Park, IL 60302 Published in Wednesday Journal October 5, 2022

REAL ESTATE FOR SALE IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION CITIMORTGAGE, INC.; Plaintiff, vs.

ALAN F. SEGAL; KATHLEEN W. SEGAL; VILLAGE OF OAK PARK; PARK ERIE CONDOMINIUM ASSOCIATION; Defendants, 21 CH 6085 NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above entitled cause Intercounty Judicial Sales Corporation will on Monday, November 7, 2022 at the hour of 11 a.m. in their office at 120 West Madison Street, Suite 718A, Chicago, Illinois, sell at public auction to the highest bidder for cash, as set forth below, the following described mortgaged real estate: P.I.N. 16-07-206-019-1009.

Commonly known as 304 NORTH OAK PARK AVE., UNIT 2, OAK PARK, IL 60302.

The mortgaged real estate is improved with a condominium residence. The purchaser of the unit other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments and the legal fees required by subdivisions (g)(1) and (g) (4) of Section 9 of the Condominium Property Act Sale terms: 10% down by certified funds, balance, by certified funds, within 24 hours. No refunds. The property will NOT be open for inspection.

For information call Mr. Ira T. Nevel at Plaintiff’s Attorney, Law Offices of Ira T. Nevel, 175 North Franklin Street, Chicago, Illinois 60606. (312) 3571125. 21-02147 ADC INTERCOUNTY JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION intercountyjudicialsales.com I3203916 IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION Plaintiff, -v.RASHINDA PLUMP, WAVERLY CLARK, JR, UNKNOWN OWNERS AND NON-RECORD CLAIMANTS,

REAL ESTATE FOR SALE

REAL ESTATE FOR SALE

REAL ESTATE FOR SALE

REAL ESTATE FOR SALE

WAVERLY CLARK, JR., INDEPENDENT ADMINISTRATOR Defendants 12 CH 25204 1187 SOUTH HIGHLAND PARK OAK PARK, IL 60304 NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on December 11, 2019, an agent for The Judicial Sales Corporation, will at 10:30 AM on November 14, 2022, at The Judicial Sales Corporation, One South Wacker, 1st Floor Suite 35R, Chicago, IL, 60606, sell at a public sale to the highest bidder, as set forth below, the following described real estate: Commonly known as 1187 SOUTH HIGHLAND PARK, OAK PARK, IL 60304 Property Index No. 16-17-325-0470000 The real estate is improved with a one story, two unit brick building with no garage.

Sale terms: 25% down of the highest bid by certified funds at the close of the sale payable to The Judicial Sales Corporation. No third party checks will be accepted. The balance, including the Judicial Sale fee for the Abandoned Residential Property Municipality Relief Fund, which is calculated on residential real estate at the rate of $1 for each $1,000 or fraction thereof of the amount paid by the purchaser not to exceed $300, in certified funds/or wire transfer, is due within twenty-four (24) hours. No fee shall be paid by the mortgagee acquiring the residential real estate pursuant to its credit bid at the sale or by any mortgagee, judgment creditor, or other lienor acquiring the residential real estate whose rights in and to the residential real estate arose prior to the sale. The subject property is subject to general real estate taxes, special assessments, or special taxes levied against said real estate and is offered for sale without any representation as to quality or quantity of title and without recourse to Plaintiff and in “AS IS” condition. The sale is further subject to confirmation by the court.

Upon payment in full of the amount bid, the purchaser will receive a Certificate of Sale that will entitle the purchaser to a deed to the real estate after confirmation of the sale.

The property will NOT be open for inspection and plaintiff makes no representation as to the condition of the property. Prospective bidders are admonished to check the court file to verify all information.

If this property is a condominium unit, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale, other than a mortgagee, shall pay the assessments and the legal fees required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/9(g) (1) and (g)(4). If this property is a condominium unit which is part of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/18.5(g-1).

IF YOU ARE THE MORTGAGOR (HOMEOWNER), YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN IN POSSESSION FOR 30 DAYS AFTER ENTRY OF AN ORDER OF POSSESSION, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 15-1701(C) OF THE ILLINOIS MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE LAW. You will need a photo identification issued by a government agency (driver’s license, passport, etc.) in order to gain entry into our building and the foreclosure sale room in Cook County and the same identification for sales held at other county venues where The Judicial Sales Corporation con-

ducts foreclosure sales.

MCCALLA RAYMER LEIBERT PIERCE, LLC Plaintiff’s Attorneys, One North Dearborn Street, Suite 1200, Chicago, IL, 60602. Tel No. (312) 346-9088.

THE JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION One South Wacker Drive, 24th Floor, Chicago, IL 60606-4650 (312) 236SALE You can also visit The Judicial Sales Corporation at www.tjsc.com for a 7 day status report of pending sales.

MCCALLA RAYMER LEIBERT PIERCE, LLC One North Dearborn Street, Suite 1200 Chicago IL, 60602 312-346-9088 E-Mail: pleadings@mccalla.com Attorney File No. 20-05419IL_615363 Attorney ARDC No. 61256 Attorney Code. 61256 Case Number: 12 CH 25204 TJSC#: 42-3533 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 # 12 CH 25204 I3204043

title and without recourse to Plaintiff and in “AS IS” condition. The sale is further subject to confirmation by the court.

Upon payment in full of the amount bid, the purchaser will receive a Certificate of Sale that will entitle the purchaser to a deed to the real estate after confirmation of the sale.

The property will NOT be open for inspection and plaintiff makes no representation as to the condition of the property. Prospective bidders are admonished to check the court file to verify all information.

If this property is a condominium unit, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale, other than a mortgagee, shall pay the assessments and the legal fees required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/9(g)(1) and (g)(4). If this property is a condominium unit which is part of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required

by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/18.5(g-1).

IF YOU ARE THE MORTGAGOR (HOMEOWNER), YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN IN POSSESSION FOR 30 DAYS AFTER ENTRY OF AN ORDER OF POSSESSION, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 15-1701(C) OF THE ILLINOIS MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE LAW. You will need a photo identification issued by a government agency (driver’s license, passport, etc.) in order to gain entry into our building and the foreclosure sale room in Cook County and the same identification for sales held at other county venues where The Judicial Sales Corporation conducts foreclosure sales.

For information, examine the court file, CODILIS & ASSOCIATES, P.C. Plaintiff’s Attorneys, 15W030 NORTH FRONTAGE ROAD, SUITE 100, BURR RIDGE, IL, 60527 (630) 794-9876 THE JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION One South Wacker Drive, 24th Floor, Chicago, IL 60606-4650 (312) 236SALE You can also visit The Judicial Sales Corporation at www.tjsc.com for a 7 day status report of pending sales.

CODILIS & ASSOCIATES, P.C. 15W030 NORTH FRONTAGE ROAD, SUITE 100 BURR RIDGE IL, 60527 630-794-5300 E-Mail: pleadings@il.cslegal.com Attorney File No. 14-18-00602 Attorney ARDC No. 00468002 Attorney Code. 21762 Case Number: 2018 CH 03138 TJSC#: 42-2855 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 # 2018 CH 03138 I3203178

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION ASSOCIATED BANK, NA; Plaintiff, vs.

SHEILA CONNER; STEVEN CONNER; THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, THE OFFICE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY; THE STATE OF ILLINOIS; CITIMORTGAGE, INC.; Defendants, 19 CH 13166 NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above entitled cause Intercounty Judicial Sales Corporation will on Tuesday, October 25, 2022 at the hour of 11 a.m. in their office at 120 West Madison Street, Suite 718A, Chicago, Illinois, sell at public auction to the highest bidder for cash, as set forth below, the following described mortgaged real estate: P.I.N. 16-08-311-001-0000.

Commonly known as 200 South Humphrey Avenue, Oak Park, IL 60304.

The mortgaged real estate is improved with a single family residence. If the subject mortgaged real estate is a unit of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by subsection (g-1) of Section 18.5 of the Condominium Property Act. Sale terms: 10% down by certified funds, balance, by certified funds, within 24 hours. No refunds. The property will NOT be open for inspection.

For information call Sales Department at Plaintiff’s Attorney, Manley Deas Kochalski, LLC, One East Wacker Drive, Chicago, Illinois 60601. (614) 220-5611. 19-038564 XOME F2 INTERCOUNTY JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION intercountyjudicialsales.com I3202926

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS TRUSTEE FOR GSAA HOME EQUITY TRUST 2006-14, ASSET-BACKED CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2006-14 Plaintiff, -v.ELIZABETH SMITH, LARRY E. SMITH Defendants 2018 CH 03138 646 LYMAN AVE OAK PARK, IL 60304 NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on July 27, 2022, an agent for The Judicial Sales Corporation, will at 10:30 AM on October 31, 2022, at The Judicial Sales Corporation, One South Wacker, 1st Floor Suite 35R, Chicago, IL, 60606, sell at a public sale to the highest bidder, as set forth below, the following described real estate: Commonly known as 646 LYMAN AVE, OAK PARK, IL 60304 Property Index No. 16-17-114-0150000 The real estate is improved with a single family residence.

Sale terms: 25% down of the highest bid by certified funds at the close of the sale payable to The Judicial Sales Corporation. No third party checks will be accepted. The balance, including the Judicial Sale fee for the Abandoned Residential Property Municipality Relief Fund, which is calculated on residential real estate at the rate of $1 for each $1,000 or fraction thereof of the amount paid by the purchaser not to exceed $300, in certified funds/or wire transfer, is due within twenty-four (24) hours. No fee shall be paid by the mortgagee acquiring the residential real estate pursuant to its credit bid at the sale or by any mortgagee, judgment creditor, or other lienor acquiring the residential real estate whose rights in and to the residential real estate arose prior to the sale. The subject property is subject to general real estate taxes, special assessments, or special taxes levied against said real estate and is offered for sale without any representation as to quality or quantity of

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: 1-800-6699777.

GROWING COMMUNITY MEDIA

40

Wednesday Journal, October 5, 2022

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

Anything but ordinary.

You deserve a care plan that’s as one-of-a-kind as you. At the Duly Health and Care Center in Oak Park, our team of dedicated care allies help adults on Medicare discover their healthiest, happiest selves. Your Duly physician partner is ready to help you begin unlocking your extraordinary potential today.

Henish Bhansali, MD

Kristen Vealey, MD

Begin your journey to a healthier, happier you, visit dulyhealthandcare.com/OakPark or call 708-745-5744.

Oak Park 1121 South Blvd.