WednesdayJournal_100825 by Wednesday Journal

8, 2025

J URNAL

‘ICE out,’ say elected of cials after township trustee detained

‘ICE is the aggressor President Scaman

By BRENDAN HEFFERNAN and DAN HALEY Staff Reporter and Interim Edito

Oak Park elected officials across branches of government held a press conference in the parking lot of the township offices at 103 S. Oak Pa day night.

Village President Vicki Scaman, ship Supervisor Timothy Thomas, Juan Muñoz, the township trustee detained and released by ICE, and se Park village trustees and Oak lic Library trustees addressed the ered re porters and residents to call an end to ICE’s deportation Chicagoland and to violent crack downs on protestors.

“I’m here to unequivocally state that ICE is the aggressor,” Scaman said. “There is no emergency her need ICE or the national guard. need from our federal gove municipal village president is dollars for housing, mental health, physical health, support for transgender individuals, school programs and food.”

Dutch Bros co ee eyes old KFC site n Madison

Protesters resist the presence of federal Border Patrol agents at the detention facility in Broadv iew. See Juan Muñoz’s opinion piece in Viewpoints, page 24.

ee chain makes pitch

to oning Board of Appeals

By BRENDAN HEFFERNAN Staff Reporter

A popular nationwide coffee shop chain has targeted a defunct fast-food site in Oak Park as ts potential first Cook County location.

Zoning Board of Appeals will hear a proposal from Dutch Bros, an Oregon-based hain with more than 1,000 locations primarily oast, at its next meeting Oct. 8. The hain is looking to repurpose the site of the forentucky Fried Chicken at 316 Madison St of an early foray into Chicagoland he property sits near the intersection Madison Street and Ridgeland Avenue in djacent to Percy Julian Middle School. The company would construct a ne w oot building on the site, featuring two-dri through lanes and a walk-up window for pedestrian customers, according to the proposal. See DUTCH BROS on pa ge 16

‘Beloved’ Oak Parker with intellectual disability arrested at ICE protest in Broadview

Paul Iver y was released after judge read letters of support from Village President Scaman and an OPRF student

By BRENDAN HEFFERNAN Staff Reporter

A federal judge Wednesday granted pretrial release to the Oak Park man with an intellectual disability who was arrested at a Broadview ICE facility protest over the weekend. The judge also re jected most of the restrictions sought by federal prosecutors.

Paul Ivery, 26, was arrested by federal agents at the protest at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 27. He was charged with felony assault of a federal officer after alle gedly threatening to kill a Border Patrol agent and pulling down the officer’s helmet during his arrest, according to federal investigators.

tional Center at 6 p.m. Wednesday.

Roughly two dozen friends, family members and Oak Park neighbors attended the hearing at downtown Chicago’s Dirksen U.S. Courthouse to support Ivery. Oak Park Village President Vicki Scaman and Cook County Commissioner Tara Stamps were among the well-wishers.

“It was a win for law and humanity and for our f amilies in Oak Park,” Stamps said Scott Sakiyama, an Oak Park attorney who helping support Ivery’s family but is not re presenting him in court, said that while the judge’s pretrial release ruling was cause for some celebration, the case against Ivery needs to be dropped.

“These charges are ridiculous and they should be dropped,” Sakiyama said. “Hopefully, the government will take some time to reconsider what they’re doing here. I think the judge subtly asked them to do that during the hearing, but hopefully it will be over soon.”

Fuentes said the letters made an impact on his ruling.

“People think that they may write to the judiciary and write to the government and they will not be heard,” he said. “Well, they’ re heard.”

Scaman told Wednesday Journal after the hearing that she had never been inside a federal courthouse before, but that she was driven to stand up for a resident who was exercising his constitutional rights.

“This has been an extremely traumatic moment for Paul, so I’m grateful for the ruling,” Scaman said. “I know that our community is going to embrace Paul so that this is a moment that he will able to move forward from in a healthy way.”

Ivery’s attorney, Johnathon Brooks, argued against every restriction the government sought.

“He is in this situation because of the oppression of the United States government,” Brooks said.

WEDNESD AY

JOURNAL

of Oak Park and River Forest

Interim Executive Director Max Reinsdorf

Senior Audience Manager Stac y Coleman

Sta Repor ter Brendan He ernan

Viewpoints Editor Ken Trainor

Real Estate Editor Lacey Sikora

Contributing Editor Donna Greene

Columnists Marc Bleso , Nicole Chavas, Jack Crowe, Vincent Gay, Mary Kay O’Grady, John Stanger, Josh VanderBerg

Shrubtown Cartoonist Marc Stopeck

Design/Production Manager Andrew Mead

Editorial Design Manager Javier Govea

Designers Susan McKelvey, Vanessa Garza

Senior Media Strategist Lourdes Nicholls

Marketing & Adver tising Associate Emma Cullnan

Development Manager Mary Ellen Nelligan

Circulation Manager Jill Wagner

Operations Associate Susan Babin

Social Media and Digital Coordinator Maribel Barrera

Special Projects Manager Susan Walker

Chairman Emeritus Robert K. Downs

Senior Advisor Dan Haley

Ivery, described by those who know him as having a powerful love for local law enforcement, told federal investigators he was at the protest to express “his disappointment that ICE [Immigration and Custom Enforcement] agents were disrespectful towards the Broadview Police Department and veterans,” according to the criminal complaint filed against him.

Judge Gabriel A. Fuentes on Wednesday Oct. 1 directed that Ivery be granted pretrial release without the house arrest restrictions federal prosecutors had requested. Fuentes said that federal pretrial release office who evaluated Ivery’s case determined he was “among the lowest risks it had ever seen.”

Ivery will appear before Fuentes again later this month. He is set to be released from custody at the Metropolitan Correc-

During the hearing, Fuentes read two letters of support for Ivery into the record — one from Scaman and one from a junior student at Oak Park and River Forest High School, where Ivery has worked as a hall monitor and cafeteria worker for the last four years.

In their letter, the student wrote that Ivery’s arrest made them “feel very scared for our Oak Pa rk community.

“He is not a criminal, he is a kind person,” the student said in the letter. “He is always attentive and hard working.”

Fuentes reading from the student’s letter brought Ivery to tears at the front of the courtroom.

Scaman’s letter included personal commendations for Ivery from Oak Park Police Chief Shatonya Johnson and OPPD Sgt. Samantha Deuchler.

“Our officers know him as the kid who stops and salutes when he sees them on the street,” Scaman wrote in her letter. “Paul contributes to all that makes Oak Park special, he’s a beloved member of our community.”

Assistant U.S. Atty. Caitlin Walgamuth argued that Ivery’s release should come with orders that he be held on strict house arrest, placed under the custodianship of a neighbor and bar red from interacting with minors while working at OPRF.

“The government’s position is that this is dangerous, erratic behavior,” Walgamuth said. “We would recommend that he not be in a role of authority for minors.”

She said that the government was alright with Ivery continuing to work at OPRF so long as he ke pt to the back of the cafeteria and away from students. She also suggested that Ivery’s intellectual disability served as grounds for a mandated custodianship. Fuentes rejected both of those arguments from the prosecution, saying that the suggestion that Ivery’s disability made more restrictions necessary was “ableist at worst.”

He said allowing Ivery to continue his normal work at OPRF was in all parties’ best interest.

“There is no way in the world I would tell him not to interact with minors,” he said. “My reaction to that was kind of visceral.”

Zoë Takaki contributed to this re port.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Chair Eric Weinheimer | Treasurer Nile Wendor f Deb Abrahamson, Mary Cahillane, Steve Edwards, Judy Gre n, Horacio Mendez, Charles Meyerson Darnell Shields, Audra Wilson

PAUL IVERY

MUÑOZ

Township trustee detained from page 1

Some of the Oak Parkers in the audienc had also travelled to downtown Chicago week to attend the detention hearing of Ivery, a 26-year-old Oak Park man with lectual disabilities arrested at the during a protest Sept. 27 and charged felony assault of a federal agent.

Each of the elected officials who spoke the press conference said that they’d seen federal agents treat protestors, press and cians violently outside the Broadview facility firsthand.

Library Trustee Annie Wilkinson took to the podium holding a rubber bullet she’d been shot with during a protest. She said she had watched an agent shoot a journalist in the head with a rubber bullet a few feet in front of her and that she’d been pushed down herself

“What shocked me the most was the agents’ sadistic enjoyment in causing chaos,” Wilkinson said.

As Oak Park Trustee Brian Straw spoke, many of his words were drowned out by the sound of a Black Hawk helicopter flying low over Downtown Oak Park

Muñoz told those in attendance that what he had experienced on scene at the protests was not the real tragedy at hand.

“What I went through last Friday pales in comparison to what immigration detainees and their families endure every single day,” he said. “Their voices must be heard.” Muñoz was detained by ICE Oct. 3 as he took part in a protest at the immigration detention center in Broadview.

In an interview the following morning with Wednesday Journal, Muñoz and Dr. Monica Maalouf, his wife, described

tions inside the detention center and the circumstances of his release late that afternoon.

Muñoz said the start of the protest was notably less aggressive than on his previous visit to the facility. “The first time ICE was much more aggressive with chemical weapons, pepper balls, tear gas,” he said. On Oct. 3 protesters had been sequestered onto a grassy area somewhat back from the facility. The street had been lined with state and county officers tasked with keeping it clear for ICE vehicles to enter and exit.

Scaman, who also attended the protest, said protesters were chanting, “the sort of chanting you hear at protests in Scoville Park,” she said.

Both Muñoz and Scaman described a rapid escalation just after 9 a.m. by federal agents in engaging with protesters.

“With no warning,” Muñoz said, “there was chaos created by ICE agents.” He said federal agents began aggressively pushing

ing instructions” as to what the agents wanted protesters to do.

Muñoz said he was taking video when he “was pulled to the ground,” by Gregory Bovino, commander-at-large of U.S. Border Patrol. Bovino has been a visible presence in Broadview and downtown Chicago over the past two weeks

“I was taking video. Bovino knocked my phone to the ground and pulled me to the ground. I told him I was an elected official,” said Muñoz. Scaman who saw Muñoz taken down described it as aggressive and that a federal agent had his knee on Muñoz’s back as plastic handcuffs were put on him.

Muñoz and six other protesters were arrested and moved to the middle of the detention center’s parking lot. They were placed on a guard rail.

Shortly after that, he said an ICE SUV pulled up and Kristi Noem, secretary of homeland security, exited the vehicle and ame over to observe the detainees

“They grabbed us for a photo op. We were

on display for her,” said Muñoz.

After an hour in the parking lot, Muñoz said he and the others detained were moved nside the detention facility and into a cell with an open toilet in one corner and overflowing trash cans.

What he described in the hours that folwed was a “bureaucratic process with a veneer of a normal bureaucratic process” that was anything but normal. He and the others re fingerprinted and photographed, intergated (and read their Miranda rights) by FBI agents.

At about 12:30 p.m. he was allowed to call his wife to confirm that he was still in Broadview. By that time Maalouf was at the site onferring with Scaman and representatives the National Lawyers Guild which had an attorney inside the building. She said the guild had no specific information on Muñoz but shared their previous experience with similar cases.

Scaman credited staff in the offices of Sen. Dick Durbin and Gov. JB Pritzker with working on Muñoz’s behalf

Muñoz said he saw multiple different federal agencies represented inside the detention center -- ICE, Border Patrol, Homeland Security, the FBI

He described it as chaotic and traumatic with no indication throughout the afternoon as to whether he and his fellow detainees would be charged, released or transported to another detention center. He was the only Latino among those sharing the cell.

Maalouf said she was “concerned and scared and left in an information black hole all day.” She had brought all of Muñoz’s citizenship documents with her to Broadview.

At about 4:30 p.m., Muñoz said, he and the others were told to leave the cell and were escorted outside to an ICE van. He said they did not know where they were going or what they might be facing. ICE then

OP board blocks QuikTrip development at Mohr site

Gas station giant QuikTrip will not redevelop the abandoned concrete location

By BRENDAN HEFFERNAN Staff Reporter

Oak Pa rk ’s village b oard voted to block the proposed c onstruction of a large ga s station on the for mer H. J. Mohr & S ons c oncrete plant site.

T he b oard voted unanimously on Sept . 30 to deny the pe rm it applications sought by the QuikTrip co rp oration to redevelop most of the for mer Mohr site — wh ich sits along Maple Avenue, Harlem Avenue, Garfield Street and Lexington Street just south of the Eisenhowe r Expressway in Oak Pa rk — i nto a large g as station and co nvenience store complex.

Oak Pa rk ’s village staf f had encouraged the b oard to reject the pe rm it applications. T he g as station would n’ t be a g ood fit for the neighborhood, and denying the pe rm it applications would “retain the site for a more a more c ompatible development,” staf f wrote in suppo rt ing documents for the agenda item.

“Approving the special use (is) inconsistent with the a djacent residential area and a day care facility,” staf f wrote.

Trustee Cory Wesley spoke to the challenge of b alancing the village ’s need fo r sales tax reve nue and redevelopment of the blighted industrial site with respecting neighborhood wishes

“I struggle with this j ust a little bit bec ause there is a reve nue aspect and there is the aspect that the site has b een vacant for a number of years and is a public nuisance to a certain de gree,” he said “But it is important that we be i ntentional about wh at we greenlight. While I might be the most pro-development trustee at thi s b oard tabl e, but that lends i tself more to housing than gas stations.”

Trustee Jim Ta glia said it would n’ t make sense for the b oard to suppo rt a new g as station development after the village previously p assed an ordinance requiring g as stations to close overnigh t amid safety c oncerns. He said that sinc e the village p assed that ordinance, overnight crime has gone down in Oak Pa rk

“Rising above all these i ssues mentioned and an overarching theme that c onnects many of them is that of public safety,” Ta glia said. “Gas stations had b een an i ssue, and they c an c ontinue to

be a magnet for violent crim e. ”

“People do not want to live in a c ommunity that is unsafe. ”

P rior to QuikTrip’s publicized i nterest, Oak Pa rk Vi llage President Vi ck i Scaman told We d nesd ay Journal that she’d li ke to see the village consider pu rchasing the proper ty.

“I as one elected official would be suppo rt ive of purchasing the land,” Scaman told We d nesd ay Journal in March.

“When it ’s a situation that the land would otherwise go on und eveloped without the assistance of gove r nment, then it absolutely is appropriate.”

S he re peated that sentiment agai n T uesd ay night.

“A dding p etroleum to our use for that land is not something I’m i nterested in,” she said. “I do n’ t mind saying out loud that if I was on a previous b oard I would’ve purchased this land right from the g et-go so that we c ould’ve wo rked with the c ommunity for i ts b est use. Unfor tunately this b oard has not had that o pportunity ”

“ I’m starting to obsess over some of the opportunity that’s here. ”

T he proposed project would’ve included a 6,445 square foot co nvenienc e store building and 16 f ueling p ositions

T he proposed site would’ve had three entrances — one on Harlem Avenue, one on Garfield Street and one on L exington Street.

In the proposal, QuikTrip would have taken most of the for mer industrial site but would have created a second lot that c ould be developed by another entity on the south end of the site

T he proposal was the subject of an Oak Pa rk Plan C ommission’s meeting last month, where c ommissioners voted 7-2 to recommend that QuikT rip’s applications for alley vacation, plat of subdivisio n and special use pe rm i ssion be d enied , even after QuikTrip ag reed to.

A head of the c ommission meeting , the village rece ived 16 letters arguin g against the p lanned development and c ommissioners heard from a large group of residents who o pposed the g as station c onc ep t for a variety of reasons, including traffic impact s, environmental reasons and p otential clashes with the

neighborhood ’s character. A C hang e. or g p etition asking village leaders to block the proposed development has over 1,200 signatures

At the meeting, seve r al south Oak Pa rk residents made public c omments o pposing the proposed g as station. N oah S ullivan, who said he’s live d a djacent to the for mer Mohr site for over three decade s, said he’d neve r seen his neighbors united li ke this before

“My w ife and I jo ke that our pa rt of Oak Pa rk is Oak Pa rk ’s ‘ undiscove re d c ountry,’ and I have yet to see any i ssue unite my neighbors li ke thi s, ” S ulliva n said. “S o, I g uess we have discove red ourselves.”

T he old c oncrete p lant has sat r usting since the Mohr c ompany closed i ts d oor s in 2018 amid financial woes. Once home to one of the longest r unning businesses in Chicagoland, the vacant site is among the only large p lots of land available fo r

development in Oak Pa rk . Any f uture redevelopment of the site will happen in the context of the foreclosure c ase involving KrohVan — the site’s last set of would-be developers — and the Mohr family

Karen Richards, d aughter of Dot and Bud Mohr, told We d nesd ay Journal that the case was still ongoing last month.

L ast October, H. J. Mohr & S ons Co. filed a foreclosure suit against the de veloper s, saying that KrohVan still owes on the mortg age loan ag reement that matured last summer

“The defendants have not paid the b alance of the loan wh ich matured on June 2, 2024,” the October filing said. “Current principal b alance d ue on the note and mortg age is $4,026,830 p lus i nterest, c osts, advances for taxes, i nsurance and f ees; and less any credits for pay ments rece ived.”

Daycare will take over vacant building at Chicago & Ridgeland

Board gave nal approval to zoning application for 8,000 square foot child care center

By BRENDAN HEFFERNAN Staff Reporter

Oak Park’s village board has granted final zoning approval for a large day care center to take over a vacant building near the intersection of Chicago Avenue and Ridg eland Avenue

KidSpace Academy will now move into the site at 505 N. Ridgeland, which has sat vacant for several years since it ceased operating as a dentist’s office. The startup daycare group’s application had been approved unanimously by Oak Park’s Zoning Board of Appeals earlier this month and was recommended for final approval by Oak Park’s village staff ahead of Tuesday’s meeting

The company needed special use permission from the zoning board and village board to open the daycare because the property sits in Oak Park’s Neighborhood Com-

mercial Zoning District.

The village board greenlighted the development application unanimously.

The site had previously been targeted for residential development by Ambrosia Homes, which sought to convert the vacant property into a 36-unit luxury apar tment building. While those developers had an option to buy the property, they ultimately abandoned the project before doing so amid neighbor pushback.

“I want to say that I’m super supportive of this use, but I also want to mention that I was supportive of the previous proposed use four years ago, which never got before the village board due to neighborhood pushback,” said Trustee Cory Wesley. “I think that was unfortunate, but this is a good use for the space.”

The new business will open as the village gover nment targets increased development along Chicago Avenue. The village board approved designs for the $5 million Percy Julian Streetscape project for the street earlier this month.

“I think overall, we’ve talked about a lot of opportunity for development through all

Fof Chicago Avenue as a whole,” said Village President Vicki Scaman. “This is a good use for this piece of property. Potentially there might have been a greater potential in the past there for greater density, which is definitely one of our goals. But I think there’s plenty of opportunity to continue to seek that on other lots in our village.”

The childcare center will operate an 8,000 square foot space with hopes to care for as many as 94 children at a time across different age groups with 12 on-site employees, according to the company’s zoning application. The business will be open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, according to the application.

Trustee Chibuike Enyia said that the center will fill a void in Oak Pa rk for childcare centers that operate all day long

“One of the opportunities that was missing for my family was finding a daycare that operates at the hours that this is offering,” Enyia said.

The company plans to make a variety of improvements and additions to the property before opening for business to limit neighborhood impacts and make the prop-

Raising Awareness and Funds for Alzheimer’s

irstLight Home Care of Oak Park has spent this year amplifying Alzheimer’s awareness and supporting local fundraising efforts— bringing together caregivers, families and community partners to raise money for critical services and research. The agency partnered with Belmont Village Oak Park to co-host a fundraising reception and wine-tasting that welcomed neighbors and health-care partners for an evening of conversation, connections and donations to the Alzheimer’s Association.

The Oak Park team’s outreach builds on a long-standing FirstLight commitment to Alzheimer’s causes. Nationally, FirstLight locations join campaigns such as The Longest Day to run community events—everything from bake sales and brain-fitness

classes to car washes—intended to raise awareness and funds for people living with dementia. That national culture

of service has clearly influenced local activity in Oak Park. FirstLight Home Care

Locally, FirstLight of Oak Park has concentrated on making fundraising also serve as education. Their offices— known for providing personalized in-home dementia care—use public events to share practical information with families about managing memory loss at home, reducing stigma, and connecting loved ones to community resources. That combination of fundraising and education helps ensure donations translate into better day-today support for caregivers and clients.

FirstLight Home Care

FirstLight’s Oak Park activities also mirror successful grassroots efforts by other franchise offices across the country. For example, recent

fundraising updates from other FirstLight locations show how garage sales, barbecues and small community events can add up to meaningful contributions for local Alzheimer’s walks and programs—demonstrating a template Oak Park has followed this year. FirstLight Home Care

As the year closes, FirstLight Home Care of Oak Park’s work underscores a simple but powerful idea: local caregivers and small businesses can make a real difference when they pair hands-on support with public fundraising. Whether through joint receptions, awareness events, or everyday conversations with families, the Oak Park team is using community energy to push back against Alzheimer’s—improving care today while fundraising for a better tomorrow.

D90 and teachers fail to agree on new contract

River Fo

By GREGG VOSS Contributing Reporter

Following a half-hour informational picketing session Sept. 30 outside the River Forest School District 90 administration building, the River Forest Education Association and the district were unable to strike a new contract agreement in what was to have been their final mediation session.

According to RFEA co-presidents Lauren Baiocchi and Cindy Crannell in prepared statements to Wednesday Jour nal, there will be another mediation session Oct. 29. The delay is due in equal part to the recent federal gover nment shutdown and the scheduling availability of all parties.

Baiocchi and Crannell noted that teachers are “losing patience and growing increasingly frustrated as they continue to work without a contract.” Teachers have been working without a contract since August.

According to a District 90 statement, it “has participated in 15 negotiation and mediation sessions and offered numerous substantive and responsive proposals and counterproposals with potential solutions to address the economic and non-economic requests made by the RFEA.

“District 90’s financial health is stable with sufficient funds to meet planned expenditures. However, the district is currently engaged in deficit spending and expenditures are growing faster than revenues. Addition-

easingly frustrated’

resultant instability.

A strike does not appear to be out of the question, though Baiocchi and Crannell said that remains “the last resort in our efforts to reach a fair contract.

“Our teachers would much rather be in their classrooms with their students than on a picket line. We remain focused on reaching an agreement, but we are prepared to do whatever it takes to secure the best possible contract for our teachers and our students.”

Baiocchi and Crannell said the community support has been strong.

“We continue to see tremendous support from the residents of River Forest, who recognize the vital role our teachers play in this community,” they said. “From attending school board meetings to displaying yard signs and even creating resident t-shirts, our community has stood beside us in our effort to secure a fair contract.”

al increases to compensation will accelerate the rate of deficit spending.”

That’s the sticking point, Baiocchi and Crannell said – compensation.

“While administrative salaries in District 90 have kept pace with comparable school districts, teachers’ salaries in River Forest have fallen behind,” they said. “This needs to be remedied.

“We have repeatedly shown that District 90 salaries remain well below those of com-

parable districts. The village of River Forest takes great pride in providing the highest quality education, and through the hard work and commitment of our staff, all three District 90 schools are rated ‘Exemplary’ by the State of Illinois – placing River Forest Schools in the top 10% state.”

Further, without a new contract, they said, the district runs the risk of losing talented teachers to higher-paying districts. That could lead to increased teacher turnover and

To that end, the next District 90 school board meeting was scheduled for 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Roosevelt Middle School auditorium. At 6:15 p.m., RFEA and community members were planning to walk from district offices at 7776 Lake St. to Roosevelt Middle School.

As for District 90, it said that it continues to bargain in good faith.

“District 90 continues to work to come to an agreement that will compensate and support teachers well while stewarding taxpayer resources responsibly,” the statement noted

Broadview protests continue as local, state police work to separate ICE from protesters

Two Oak Park o cials at protest, one was detained

By ZOE TAKAKI Contributing Reporter

Weeks of protests continued Friday morning at the Broadview ICE facility, with multiple police agencies coming together to create crowd control for protesters and

assure that ICE vehicles could freely enter and exit the facility.

The facility, which is an immigration processing center that is being used as an immigration detention center and the headquarters for ICE’s operation Midway Blitz, has seen protests every Friday for almost a month.

Some of the police agencies and their vehicles seen in attendance on Friday included, Illinois State Police Department, Cook

County Sherif f’s Department, Mobile Field Force, Broadview Police and agencies from neighboring suburbs like Hodgkins, North Riverside, Hillside and Maywood.

Oak Park Village President Vicki Scaman was in attendance, saying she was there as an observer and as a protestor.

“I’m here for the Oak Park residents practicing their rights,” she said. “See how peaceful it is when they aren’t shooting things at protestors?” she said, gesturing

to the protestors around her.

Scaman said she believes that ICE is not needed in Chicago, and that she has been on the phone with Broadview Mayor Katrina Thompson offering support.

Ultimately there was a confrontation between ICE agents and those protesting, said Scaman. She said a group of some 30 ICE agents confronted protestors and ag-

See ICE IN BROADVIEW on pa ge 17

TODD BANNOR

River Forest teachers and their supporters picket along Lake Street outside the District 90 o ces on Sept. 30.

THE BEER CAN MYSTERY

In the fall of 2019, my husband Mike, his brother Tim, our sister-in-law Heather, and I took a trip to Montreal to visit our daughter Maureen. Maureen was attending McGill University at the time, and we thought it would be fun to take a trip to see her. Plus, Mike and I were celebrating our 26th wedding anniversary and Tim and Heather were celebrating their 9th wedding anniversary. Fun fact, Tim and Heather were married on the same day (October 30th) as Mike and me, only 17 years later.

We had to leave our son Luke at home as he was still in high school. Since Luke was a popular 17-year-old and a senior, leaving him home alone in an empty house seemed like a bad idea. So, I arranged with one of Luke’s friend’s parents to host Luke at their house for the weekend. Luke agreed to go back and forth to our house to walk and feed our dog Pepper. Since Luke was doing us a favor by taking care of Pepper, I said he could have a few friends over when he was back at the house -- but no parties.

Our traveling group flew off to Montreal, visited Maureen, and had a great time. During the weekend, we checked in periodically with Luke and the hosting parents. They all assured us everything was going great.

Mike and I returned home on Sunday evening. Once home, I found the house quite clean. Seemingly cleaner than when we left. Luke said he had a couple friends over to watch college football games and cleaned up after them. Hmmm.

I unpacked and returned my suitcase to the storage in the basement. It

was at this time I noticed something strange. A can of Miller Lite beer was perched on top of one of the rafters of the basement. Neither Mike nor I drank Miller Lite. I asked Luke about it. He replied he did not know anything about it. Luke said perhaps one of his friends put it there as a joke. Although my spidey senses were heightened, I left it at that.

Fast forward two or three years later. Luke confessed that the beer can on the rafter was not a mystery. In fact, it was left by one of the teenagers that were partying at our house over that weekend. It could have been left during the small 20-person party Luke hosted Friday night. But, more likely, the can was left during the big rager party Luke hosted on Saturday night with over 100 teenagers in attendance,

Luke’s Saturday night party was so large that Luke and his friends needed to move all of the first-floor furniture into the garage to accommodate the crowd. Luke said it was one of the highlights of everyone’s Senior year. Of course, these parties were unbeknownst to the parents who hosted Luke.

This story is a good example of how we believe what we want to believe. Even in the face of evidence to the contrary, I believed Luke’s lie. I noticed the very clean house. I saw the beer can. I knew Luke was a popular senior in high school.

Yet, I did not try very hard to discover the true facts about that Montreal weekend. Why is that? Most parents of four kids would say nothing tragic happened, so why bother interrogating Luke. He is the fourth kid, a senior in high school, and will be grown and gone soon. Plus, Luke was a good student and an overall nice kid. Sure, all that is true, but deep down I think I ignored the evidence because I would like to believe that Luke would not disobey me.

We see what we want to see to believe what we want to believe. Most of us want our beliefs to be proven correct. Sometimes, we may want this so much that we are willing to ignore evidence to the contrary. Turns out, the tendency to ignore truths may be our biology at work. We are hard-wired to view things through a biased lens. Some of it is nature and some of it is nurture.

Research has indicated that processing information to support our beliefs leads to a dopamine rush. A rush that creates feelings of pleasure. Research author Jonathan Haidt has said that, when these beliefs become extreme, they can cause a very strong rush of dopamine. A rush we cannot deny. Consequently, we can literally become addicted to extreme partisanship.

Plus, some researchers claim that our brains need to consume extra energy to change our beliefs. Therefore, simple neurological laziness defaults our brains to want to maintain the beliefs we already have.

Of course, our upbringing, experiences, social dynamics, and emotional needs also play a large part in clouding our view. We may subconsciously be influenced by a parent or friend to think a certain way.

A bad experience or our emotional health may also contribute to our bias.

This type of bias is identified as confirmation bias. It is our tendency to seek out, interpret, and remember information in a way that aligns with our pre-existing beliefs while ignoring anything that contradicts them. This bias creates an invisible filter influencing how we process information. If we don’t question this bias, over time we will stop being confronted with opposing viewpoints and lose perspective.

So, how do we decide what to believe? First, we have to become aware of our own biases. If we encounter a piece of information that challenges our views like a can of Miller Lite beer in the basement rafters, we need to pause and reflect. Are we ignoring this information because it is meaningless or because it makes us uncomfortable? Also, we can practice intellectual humility -- acknowledge that our beliefs may be wrong. Humility leads to growth and learning. Yes, Luke is a good kid who largely listens to his parents, but he was still a teenage boy with access to a parentless house. Finally, if we want other people to recognize their bias, we need to do it with empathy and understanding. Ask open-ended questions that invite self-reflection. What led you to this view? Why is this issue important to you?

Confirmation bias is also relevant for estate planning. As parents, we are naturally biased to think our children will all get along after we are gone. But sometimes children have difficulty finding agreement without their parents there to referee. Particularly, when it comes to the division of their parents’ money. Eliminate this potential problem in your family. Create an estate plan today.

THERESA CLANCY Estate Planning Attorney

about journalism at League/GCM event

By DAN HALEY Interim Editor

Growing Community Media is hosting two reader events in October. Both focus on the importance of journalism in this moment and looking back generations to Watergate.

Alongside the League of Women Voters of Oak Park and River Forest, on Thursday, Oct. 9 GCM is sponsoring a conversation titled Can Local Journalism Survive? Thrive? There will be four people on the panel who are working hard to make local news sustainable.

■ April Alonso is a founder of the Cicero Independiente

■ Tracy Baim is executive director of Press Forward Chicago, a pooled funding source for local newsrooms

■ Amethyst J. Davis is the founder of the Harvey World Herald

■ Max Reinsdorf is interim executive director of Growing Community Media which publishes Wednesday Journal, Austin Weekly News, Forest Park Review and the Riverside-Brookfield

Landmark.

Judith Crown, a co-president of the local league will moderat e.

This event is free and open to the public T hursday, Oct. 9 at 6 p.m. at the Oak Park Public Library’s main branch on Lake Street.

This conversation marks the League’s annual f all kick-o ff and is part of GCM’s 45 th anniversary celebration.

And on Oct. 29, GCM invites you to the movies at the Lake T heatre. We’ ll host a timely showing of “All the President’s Men,” the film based on Woodward and Bernstein’s breakthrough reporting of Richard Nixon’s Watergate coverup.

This will be a good night to gather and is also a modest fundraiser for GCM. Tickets are $25 but if you are already a donor or subscriber, give yourself a discount and hit the $15 ticket price.

We’ ll have two local people with direct ties to the Watergate era introducing the film at 7 p.m. Seats are limited. Buy your ticket at classiccinemas.com/wj

We’ ll see you there.

OAK PARK & RIVER FOREST HIGH SCHOOL IMAGINE FOUNDATION

Reconnect with OPRF alumni

Join us for a morning of nostalgia and community as we celebrate Huskie history and look towards an exciting future

When: Saturday, October 11th, 9 - 11 AM

What: Open House event with pastries, mimosas, and bloody marys

Why: Reconnect with classmates, browse archives, and learn how the Imagine Foundation is building the future of OPRF. Optional school tour to follow!

Where: Oak Park River Forest Museum

Whether you're in town for a reunion or simply looking to reconnect, this is the perfect opportunity to kick off your weekend with old friends, cherished memories, and a shared vision for OPRF.

The mission of the OPRFHS Imagine Foundation is to champion community excellence by raising funds to support OPRF facilities improvements to meet evolving educational needs.

EXCITING FACTS EXCITING FACTS

To date, Imagine Foundation has raised $10 million from over 300 donors for Project 2.

Project 2 is being realized without raising taxes

92% of OPRF faculty have a master’s degree

Last year, 2,497 AP exams were taken, with 86% scoring a 3 or higher, reflecting a 19% increase since 2021

87% of OPRF graduates continue on to secondary education

OPRF offers 3 College and Career Pathway Endorsements plus 8 Career & Technical Education courses

TESTIMONIALS TESTIMONIALS

CHIBUIKE ENYIA CHIBUIKE ENYIA

“OPRF played a huge role in helping me become the person I am today. The administration, teachers, coaches, and staff collectively work together to make sure kids come out of OPRF as their best versions. I feel blessed to have met so many amazing people and made so many lifelong friends in my journey throughout high school.”

As a dedicated 40-year member of the OPRF community, I've witnessed our high school's profound impact, including on my alumni children ('99 & '02). In the banking industry I have been passionate about supporting our local organizations. I proudly support the Imagine Foundation, uniting private citizens to build OPRF's future for generations.

PROJECT 2 - BEFORE & AFTER

IMAGINE LEADERSHIP IMAGINE LEADERSHIP

BOARD OF DIRECTORS: Ainsley Borel, Mark Carroll ‘81, Tom Dwyer, Lynn Kamenitsa, Laura Maychruk, Kathryn Schmahl, Stephen Schuler ’80, Teddy Scott

ADVISORY BOARD: Paul Beckwith, Susan Bridge, Paul Carbery, Sherry Licht Carbery, Melissa Elsmo, Susie Goldschmidt, Barbara Graham, Rep. Camille Lilly '79, Jill Lyons, Dee Millard, John Rigas, Celena Roldan Sarillo, Bob Spatz '81, Sara Spivy, Shawn Vogen, Kristin Carlson Vogen, Jeff Weissglass

STEERING COMMITTEE: Lindsay Gallante '01, Chris Griffith '98, Mark Fischer '93, Tania Haigh, Victoria Hansen, Ann Harmon '91, Greer Haseman '76, Kim Hoyt '87, Leigh Ann Hughes, Cory Kohut '96, Ann Kreiter, Karen Lareau, Pete Ryan '85, Olivia Schreiner, Jenny Shepherd, Julie Sievert '91, Joyce Webster

ASSOCIATE BOARD: George Barkidjija '26, Donnie Biggins '04, Brian Cuellar, Chibuike Enyia '04, Essence Harris '14, James Keleher '01, Clara Lau '26, Darien Marion-Burton '11, Julia Max '26, Mike Raleigh '11, Rebecca Romano '02, Avaa Ruffer '26, Andrea Schuler '17, Bjorn Vogen '17, Christina Waters '01, Lauren White '05

STAFF: Heidi Ruehle, Executive Director; Amy O’Dea, Development Officer; Diane Heneghan, Admin Asst

Show your support by making a tax-deductible donation to Imagine Foundation. DONATE!

Show your support by making a tax-deductible donation to Imagine Foundation.

JOIN THE CLUB!

Make a difference and join our 1200 Club by donating $100 a month for 12 months.

Make a difference and join our 1200 Club by donating $100 a month for 12 months. DONATE!

Safe Steps for Fall Day YOUR BEST LIFE withLisaCapone

Autumn brings crisp air and colorful leaves — but also new safety risks. A few simple steps can help keep you and your loved ones safe at home:

Clear outdoor paths: Sweep or rake wet leaves from steps, driveways, and walkways to prevent slipping.

Improve lighting: Replace dim bulbs, add motion-sensor lights outside, and keep indoor hallways and entryways well lit.

Secure floors inside: Remove clutter, tuck away cords, and use non-slip pads under rugs.

Wear safe footwear: Choose shoes with firm, non-skid soles instead of socks or loose slippers.

Use support when needed: Keep railings sturdy and add grab bars in high-risk areas like bathrooms.

Taking these precautions helps reduce fall risks and keeps your home safe and welcoming all season long.

Visit Cantata.org for more senior living advice or call (708) 387-1030

Home to study of aging in community

Yale scholar speaks in Oak Park, Thursday, on purpose of rst-

By JACKIE PISANO Contributing Reporter

In cities and neighborhoods across America, residents of a certain age often face an unspoken yet peculiar and unrelenting feeling — a notion that the place in which they’ve proudly lived for so long is, simply put, no longer home.

Older adults face the typical changes that come with aging, such as no longer needing the two-story home when all the kids have grown up and moved out and needing a little extra help around the house with chores as physical limitations or health challenges arise.

But for others, the skyrocketing costs of everyday living, exodus of fellow longtime neighbors due to climbing property taxes and lack of programs and events tailored toward their age demographic are just a few of the many reasons why social isolation and other issues are quickly creeping into communities around the country with rising older-adult populations, Oak Park included.

Enter Aging in Communities, a village government commission that works to advise to address the evolving needs and interests in Oak Park’s ever-rising demo graphic and to develop a community-wide lens to identify not only programs and services for the town’s residents over 65, but raise awareness toward inclusivity and thriving community livability for everyone.

— we have added more longevity to our species since 1900 than all of previous civilization,” he said. “We cannot just do more of what we’ve been doing for the past 75 years — we must adjust to the new reality.”

That’s why the committee is hosting a special program on Thursday, Oct. 9 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Pilgrim Cong re gational Church (460 Lake St.) in reco gnition of Aging Awareness Day with Dr. Becca Levy, a professor of e pidemiolo gy at the Yale School of Public Health and leading authority on how beliefs about aging influence health.

At the Ageism Awareness Day discussion, Levy will discuss an Oak Park re-

study

he said. “I woke up one morning after finishing her book and thought, ‘what if Becca Levy used Oak Park as her guinea pig for research?’ Greensboro is rural, small, mostly white, mostly well-of f, while Oak Park is larger, urban, and mixed — racially, culturally and economically. So, I sent her an email, she responded and we’ve been at it ever since.”

Levy’s project in Oak Park holds significance for a few reasons; one, because of her worldwide status in this field of study, and because a study of this type has never been done before.

search project and share how, as demonstrated in her 2022 book, “Breaking the Age Code,” people with positive age beliefs live an average of 7-and-a-half years longer than those who fear and deny aging.

In early September, Levy met with a special Action Community Engagement (ACE) Team, with members including Blesof f, Pamela Mahn (director of Oak Park Township’s Senior and Disability Services) and Monika Robinson (occupational therapy associate professor at Midwestern University and member of Aging in Communities). With collaboration from two research project coordinators, the research project is based on a $200,000 private foundation grant and is composed of small groups of eight to 10 people facilitated by a group leader, which meets once a week for six one-hour sessions.

Marc Blesof f, who has called the village home for 40 years, is one of the commission’s founding members and currently serves as the group’s chairperson.

According to 2020 Census data, Oak Park residents over the age of 55 make up approximately 28.5% of the village’s population. With the growing number of older residents in mind, Blesof f says the timing has never been better to pay attention to the issue of healthy and mindful aging in the community.

“We are in a new phase for our species and the local implications are existential

Not only is Levy going to be speaking to Oak Parkers, but she’s also leading the charge on a special research project in town re garding the beliefs of older people in an ef fort to address both inter nalized ageism (from individuals) as well as systemic ageism (through local policies and culture).

Levy caught wind of Oak Park and its Aging in Communities commission after Blesof f read her book and reached out to her to pitch Oak Park as a possible future case study.

“In her book, she talks about a ‘town without ageism’ in Gr eensboro, Vermont,”

And, through eng agement in local community projects and support from Aging in Communities’ existing community partnerships, the goal of the study is to establish a baseline, facilitate an intervention and see if there have been any changes since interventions have been put into place. Baseline research is expected to conclude at the end of October.

“Most people are hungry to talk about conscious aging and living with intention, especially after hearing or experiencing examples of a new vision of aging,” Blesof f said. “At this early stage of raising consciousness about this topic, it’s like planting seeds all over the place. The Levy research project will be like a watering can on those seeds.”

ICE activity report local children’s museum

Agents were present at Wonder Works in Oak Park last week

By BRENDAN HEFFERNAN Staff Reporter

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents approached someone as they walked out of an Oak Park children’s museum last week, according to museum officials.

ICE agents seen near the campus of the Wonder Works children’s museum approached a museum visitor for questioning as they left the museum, but federal agents did not enter Wonder Works’ North Avenue building, according to Wonder Works Executive Director Rachel Weber.

“We are aware that one museum visitor was questioned upon leaving our space,” Weber said in an email to Wednesday Journal. “There was no contact between ICE and Wonder Works staf f or operations. We want to assure our community that we

have an action plan in place to suppo guide our staf f in the lar occurrences in the future and that the safety of our staf f and guests is our highest priority. Wonder seum remains committed to our mission: to spark curiosity and creativity in ALL young children through positi based learning experiences.”

ICE activity had also been Friday around the Ri brary, library spokesperson nold told Wednesday Residents had re ported that viewed someone in the library’s before the building opened the morning of Friday, Oct. 3, she said.

River Forest Police Chie wood said the department has not substantiated that report or seen other indications of federal immigration enforcement activity in River Forest last week.

“The River Forest Police Department did receive similar re ports re garding the possible presence of federal immigration personnel near the River Forest Public Library on Friday morning,” Greenwood

said. “At this time, we have not been able to confirm or substantiate any of those reports. There were no detentions observed, and we have not received any verified information indicating that any immigration enforcement activity took place in or around the library—or elsewhere in River

Forest—over the past week. We understand that re ports of this nature can raise concerns within the community. Please know that the River Forest Police Department remains committed to ensuring the safety, dignity, and well-being of all individuals in our village.”

Oak Park considers new grants for small businesses

Proposed village-sponsored grants could be wor th as much as $6,000

By BRENDAN HEFFERNAN Staff Reporter

Oak Park’s village board heard proposals from village staf f last week about a new grant program that would support local businesses.

Village staf f proposed three new grant programs to support businesses making physical improvements to their spaces. The proposed grants would support small businesses updating their fire safety systems, making investments to be more climate friendly or improving the interiors of their storefronts, according to village staf f.

T he proposal comes after village staf f heard from business owners looking for financial help from the village to help

them comply with Oak Park codes and thrive in the community, according to village staf f.

“Staf f have received an increase of inquiries from business owners who need financial support to adhere to certain village requirements,” staf f wrote in documents supporting the agenda item. “Thi s action would alleviate some financial burden from small-business owners for unexpected costs as they navig ate through the municipal process.”

T he three new proposed grants would cover 50% of a businesses’ investment into its fire safety, environmental sustainability or interior facade up to a certain maximum dollar amount de pending on the category of improvement, according

to the proposal.

Climate improvement grants could be issued for a 50% price match up to $6,000 and be used to help cover investments in things like energy efficient lighting, zerowaste progr ams, solar panel installation and more, according to the proposal. This grant would be available to any business or commercial property owner in the village, but if an applicant’s business operates in a space that’s 10,000 square feet or larger then it must be in compliance with the village’s energy benchmarking ordinance to rece ive the gr ant suppo rt Fire safety improvement gr ants c ould be i ssued for a 50% match up to $3,500 and be used by businesses to suppo rt the i nstallation of a new fire alarm or

s prinkler system or help cove r the c ost of bringing existing fire safety systems up to village code, a ccording to the proposal.

T he i nterior storefront improvement gr ants c ould be i ssued for a 50% match up to $5,000 and be used to cove r improvements including new HVAC system improvements, p lumbing improvements, painting, flooring and more, according to the proposal. T hese gr ants would only be available to new businesses that produce sales tax reve nu e, as is the c ase for the exterior c ommercial facade improvement gr ant progr am the village has had on it s b ooks since 2018.

T he proposal will go back before the b oard for final approval in the coming weeks.

Alpine Food Shop stacks up 70 years

Times change, but a sandwich from Alpine is forever

WBy RISÉ SANDERS-WEIR Contributing Reporter

hen Rob Bonaccorsi was 10 years old, his mom would send him to Alpine Food Shop to get sliced salami and other staples, rather than crossing busy North Avenue to the new Dominick’s grocery store.

“They sold milk and eggs and provisions like that, just basic necessities,” said Bonaccorsi, who now lives in Oak Park. “We grew up coming to shop here for our family. There’s always been that kind of bond.”

It took lots of trips to supply a family of 12 children, but Rob never guessed that he’d end up owning the shop at 7538 W. North Ave.

In 2000 Bonaccorsi and two of his brothers, John and Rich, along with their wives, purchased the store from the Barbi family who had opened it up in 1955. Since Rob had worked in a restaurant for a couple of years out of college, he became the face of the operation. His wife Amy Godino and sister-in-law Kathy Bonaccorsi run it with him.

They kept the store and its menu pretty much the way Anna and Louie Barbi handed it over.

Sandwiches fly out of the place so fast that they get, sometimes, three deliveries of bread from Turano Bakery per day. Inside that fresh bread goes salami, capicollo, bologna, mortadella, turkey, ham, prosciutto, soppressata, roast beef, corned beef or a combo of ham, salami and capicollo that goes by the flagship name, “The Alpine.”

The new owners did make an addition to the menu.

“We added a veggie sandwich because prior to that the veggie option was a

RISÉ SANDERS-WEIR

Owner Rob Bonaccorsi and staff.

RISÉ SANDERS-WEIR

The deli case at the Alpine Food Shop, filled with fresh sliced deli meats. RISÉ SANDERS-WEIR Alpine Food Shop at 7538 W. North Ave.

DUTCH BROS

from page 1

“The project includes the redevelopment of a non-operational KFC restaurant into a Dutch Bros Coffee with a drive-thru service window,” the company wrote in its proposal. “Site improvements include demolition of the existing building, dual drive-through lanes with stacking for up to 13 vehicles, a bypass lane, and a trash and recycling enclosure. The building will include a customer walk-up window on the nor th side of the building with covered outdoor seating. Surface parking for 14 vehicles is proposed to serve the site.”

The proposal requires special use and zoning variance permission from the village, with the Zoning Board of Appeals hearing serving as the first step in an approval process that will end before the Oak Park village board.

Drive-thru customers would enter and exit the location via Madison Street, according to the proposal. Dutch Bros would also restrict direct access from the Percy Julian campus through the alley that separates the properties as requested by the village, according to the proposal.

“The proposed development will create a vibrant retail/restaurant destination for all village residents and visitors to the community that is also pedestrian friendly,” the company wrote in its application. “The proposed development is believed to improve upon the past use by eliminating vehicular access points, restricting rear alley access adjacent to the middle school and improving pedestrian access to the site.”

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

The hearing comes after Dutch Bros shared plans for two downstate Illinois locations and made a pitch for a shop in another Chicago suburb.

The chain opened its first location in the state last month in the Metro East St. Louis community of Glen Carbon, according to The Edwardsville Intelligencer. Dutch Bros Announced in August that it’s on track to open a location in Urbana by the end of the year, according to NBC.

Dutch Bros. representatives also appeared before Naperville’s Planning and Zoning Commission in August to pitch a new location, according to the Naperville Sun.

The chain has looked to expand across the country in recent years after amassing a dedicated following on the west coast. In the process, Dutch Bros has become well associated with its large, eclectic drink menu, viral online promotions and the peppy service provided by its “broistas.”

a reader supported newsroom

ICE IN BROADVIEW

Degrees of separation

from page 7

gressively pushed them across 25th Street. Five protestors were arrested at the protest including Juan Munoz, an Oak Park Township trustee. He was released late Friday.

She said that when asked the Oak Park Police Department “Oak Park police will be at Broadview. The officers always follow the TRUST act and the sanctuary city ordinance,” she said.

At 9 a.m., a press conference made up of community activists, elected officials, and concerned residents took place outside of the ICE facility, just after United States Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem was seen on the roof of the facility.

Speaking at the press conference were Chicago attorney Rachel Cohen, candidate for Illinois’ Ninth Congressional District Kat Abughazaleh, candidate for Illinois’ 13th Congressional District Demi Palecek, Alderman Andre Vasquez, Alderwoman Maria Hadden, Alderman Mike Rodriguez and resident A’Keisha Lee.

“This isn’t government, it’s chaos,” said Ald. Vasquez. “We want transparency, we want accountability, we want oversight, we want this to end.”

The day prior, officials put up concrete barriers outside the ICE facility to create a designated protest zone.

The Illinois State Police released a statement saying, “At the request of the Broadview Police Department, the Cook County Sherif f’s Office (CCSO) and the Illinois State Police (ISP), with assistance from the Cook County Department of Emergency Management and Re gional Security and the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA), have established a temporary Unified Command to coordinate public safety measures in Broadview around the facility being used by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).”

On Tuesday, Acting ICE Director Todd M. Lyons sent a letter to Broadview Mayor T hompson claiming ICE “have re peatedly requested assistance from state and local law enforcement, including your own police department, to disperse these unlawful assemblies. Instead, local inaction has enabled agitators to escalate violence and placed federal officers, first responders, and Broadview residents in harm’s way. If our officers were provided the support they need, the crowd control measures referenced in your letter would not be necessary.”

While at least five protestors were arrested at the protest, far less tear gas and pepper bullets were de ployed on protestors.

Later Friday afternoon, it was re ported that the Village of Broadview filed a lawsuit against ICE and DHS over the fencing surrounding the ICE detention facility, along with a request for an emergency temporary restraining order.

ZO Ë TA K AKI

in blue line

Bobby’s Eastside kitchen opens

Dinner and a show now all in one spot with a side of community

By RISÉ SANDERS-WEIR Eats Reporter

Back when Robert’s Westside opened in 2023 where Healy’s Westside used to be, its owner and third generation Oak Parker Donnie Biggins had even grander plans. Now that the smell of smash burgers is wafting out of the windows onto the street, he is one step closer to realizing them.

Walk into the entryway at 7321 Madison St. in Forest Park and you have two choices: go left into Robert’s Westside for music and drinks or turn right into Bobby’s Eastside, which had been a lounge, plus bar.

Now there is an old-school fast-casual order window with a cheeky menu. You can get things from categories: beefy, snacky, chicky, doggy, veggy, sweety

“It’s been part of my plan to kind of slowly roll it out,” Biggins said. “Our customers have been asking from day one if we’re going to open a kitchen. People had been accustomed to this location serving food.”

Other restaurants in this spot were Butter and Brown Bistro and Taco Tu.

Order a smash burger at the window and

Jirasek uses Chicago-based Allen Brothers Beef for burgers and more.

“They mostly deal with steakhouses,” Jirasek said. “We have a really cool steak frites on the menu that uses a hanger steak, which is a wonderful cut that’s not as often used and sometimes called the butcher steak because they save it for themselves.”

Rather than simply salting burg ers, they g et a special glaze that amps up the umami flavor. Hand-cut fries are another point of pride: crispy on the outside, creamy on the inside.

7321 Madison St., Forest Park Hours: Kitchen open each day open – 9:30 p.m.

a runner will bring it to you tableside. Or if you are going to a show at Robert’s you can get it to go and take it next door. Food from outside restaurants is no longer allowed in the venue.

Biggins and chef Nick Jirasek all grew up in the area.

“We played T-ball together,” Jirasek said. “I’ve been following [Biggins] work for a while. He puts people and community first. The way that I like to run kitchens is that we’re doing an intrinsically human thing So when he approached me, I was super excited about it. I wanted to not try to do too much with the menu, but at the same time being really thoughtful and intentional about what we ’re doing.”

“These are an iteration of fries that were featured in Esquire Magazine when I was at Ludlow Liquors,” Jirasek said.

“We’re frying them in beef tallow,” Biggins said. “We’ ll have a separate fryer for all of the vegan and vegetarian options. We’re trying to make sure that we cover all types of eaters and dietary restrictions. And I think we’ ll adapt over time. First thing is step one. Let’s get started and see what people are enjoying.”

Local Knockout Pickles from the Opportunity Knocks nonprofit are on the menu too

“Those pickles are so good,” Jirasek said. “We’re using those on the burgers. We’re using them for our fried pickles. They perform. They stay crispy – aggressively dilled. And they also align with Bobby’s and Robert’s values of giving back to community.”

Creating opportunities for social interaction is a stated purpose for Bobby’s To that end each month they host a variety of events benefitting local charities, such as Veggie Bingo and Soup and Bread West. Sporting events are on the TVs daily. And free live music fills the air.

According to Biggins our society is struggling to keep something essential that develops when we go out and hang out at places like his.

“The engagement, the eye contact, the interactions, you never know what’s going to happen,” Biggins said.

“CHRIS OCKEN”

EASTSIDE CREW: Billy Dunlap – manager, Nick Jirasek – chef, Donnie Biggins - ow ner

Bobby’s signature smash burger

PROVIDED

Bu alo wings

OPRF school board wins state honor

Board atlas a key document that focuses heavily on scal stewardship

By GREGG VOSS Contributing Reporter

The Oak Park and River Forest High School District 200 Board of Education was named one of 42 in the state to earn the Illinois Association of School Boards’ 2025 School Board Governance Recognition. The two-year award reco gnizes boards that have actively pursued full development and participation. That includes development of the district’s board member atlas, a tool that is used to ascertain how the body oversees the district. The 53-page document discusses fiscal stewardship, including financial benchmarking compared with peer districts, debt assurance guide-

lines and a framework for funding major capital projects.

According to board president Audrey Williams-Lee, the atlas is meant to be a useful guide for new and current members. It is always on the body’s meeting agenda and “we update it monthly based on what’s happening.”

Williams-Lee, who has been board president since May, succeeding long-time president Tom Cofsky, said she serves on multiple nonprofit boards, so seeing how those entities operate has informed her work for District 200.

“I feel appreciative and also very much affirmed,” Williams-Lee said of the award.

“I think we have a very good board. The affirmation makes me feel we are on the right track and we’re not resting on our laurels but are always working to get better. I really feel there is a good level of respect across our board members.”

District 200 Superintendent Dr. Greg Johnson has a front-row seat for board workings, and said it has “been very deliberate about focusing on engaging the community and monitoring student achievement and district finances

“The board has focused intently on en-

suring that it’s operating as effectively and transparently as possible on behalf of not just the school but the community as a whole,” Johnson said. “I think the care with which the members have approached developing their board goals really reflects this.”

“Quality, A ordable, Independent Housing for Seniors”

Our beautiful 6-story building provides quality, a ordable, independent housing for seniors. We o er 75 studio and onebedroom apartments. Amenities include an award winning interior landscaped atrium, central meeting room, library, laundry facilities, computer learning center, internet access, electronic key entry system, parking, onsite management, and 24/7 emergency maintenance service. e Oaks is funded by the Department of Housing and Urban Development through HUD’s Multifamily Housing Program. Monthly rent is based on the resident’s income, with individuals paying approximately 30% of their monthly income toward rent.

114 South Humphrey, Oak Park, Il 60302

For more information, please visit us at www.oakparkha.org or contact us at 708-386-5812.

JAVIER GOVEA

Oak

By BRENDAN HEFFERNAN Staff Reporter

Oak Park police are investigating an incident in which more than $17,000 worth of tools were stolen from a van parked in the village.

Police responded to a re port of a vehicle burglary in the 700 block of Fair Oaks Avenue at 4 p.m. Oct. 2, where a Chicago resident told investigators that an unknown suspect had gained entry to their Ford transit van. After getting inside, the thief was able to make of f with a circular saw, four rotary hammers, a Honda generator, a gasoline engine drive welder generator and an additional saw, according to police. The stolen industrial-grade tools are valued at a combined $17,300, according to police.

Battery arrests

Oak Park police arrested two men over the last week on separate battery charges, according to police.

Police arrested a 63-year-old Villa Park resident on battery charges in connection

with his role in an alle ged altercation in the 1100 block of North Boulevard on the evening of Sept. 30, according to police. The victim in the incident was an Addsion resident, according to police.

Police arrested a 36-year-old Oak Park man on Oct. 4 after he was found in possession of several pairs of designer sunglasses that had been re ported stolen the day before according to police. After his arrest, the man was charged with theft and with battery according to police.

A name check for the man also found an active Cook County warrant for criminal trespassing, according to police.

These items were obtained from Oak Park’s Police Department re ports dated Sept. 30 – Oct. 6 and re present a portion of the incidents to which police responded. Anyone named in these re ports has only been charged with a crime and cases have not yet been adjudicated. We re port the race of a suspect only when a serious crime has been committed, the suspect is still at large, and police have provided us with a detailed a description of the suspect as they seek the public’s help in making an arrest.

Homes

Oak Park

electric home tour shows o an all-electric model

districts in Oak Park. We love to retrofit. We make it suficient and healthy. I did the same with my house.” he October open house will allow people to see what’s ossible with their own projects whether it’s a new build emodel. Basset-Dilley said that people will see that the house doesn’t look obviously different, but it behaves ry differently than a house that is not net-zero he house is certified net-zero, a different certificatio n assive House, but Basset-Dilley noted that many building practices remain the same: lots of insuriple-glazed windows and a tight envelope that ents leaks of air.

anels and a geothermal heating and cooling sys-

m Bassett-Dilley (le ), and illustration of the Oak Park electric home at 524 N.

tem will keep the home’s energy costs quite low, and the comfort level quite high.

He noted that working to build an energy-efficient home is a different paradigm than typical construction, but something that is well within the wheelhouse of contractors who are detail-oriented. “It’s the same attention to detail that you would want when you’re designing trim work or cabinets. It’s all one level of quality.”

The home was not only built to be net-zero, a third-party certification like LEED or Passive House, but it is also meant for owners who would like to age in place.

Basset-Dilley said the house has a primary suite on the first floor, as well as the kitchen, living room and laundry, making it perfect for the grandparents who will be moving in soon.

“My guess is it’s going to stay in the family, for at least a generation, if not a couple,” he said.

Tour Information

Tickets to the tour are free but limited in number. Please register at: https://tinyurl.com/TBDA-tour https://www.e v entbrite.com/e/mid-construction-tour -of-family-style-electric-home-tick ets1677639176939?aff=oddtdtcreator

The home will be open at 4 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 17. During the open house, representatives of Oak Park Climate Action Network, Illinois Green Alliance, Bosi Construction and the owners will be on hand to share their experiences

Shrubtown: Not resting in peace

VIEWPOINTS

Preservation isn’t progress

What do the words “preservation” and “progress” have in common?

Well, they both start with a P.

In this progressive ’burb, the preservationist movement might be expected to maintain our historical landmarks, and ensure tourists and residents will be able to enjoy them for generations. But they’ve given themselves a much larger mandate: prevent any and all new multifamily developments

JOSH VANDERBERG

“Wright-Sized Oak Park” was founded to prevent the development of a small apartment building at the corner of Chicago and Ridgeland, ostensibly because the parcel is inside a historic district. They succeeded, bu t I expect they will rise again to defend the boundaries of their district should any developers make the mistake of proposing a new multifamily building there.

The local preservationist social media group has post after post complaining about new developments, or even worse, complaining about existing multifamily housing with thinly coded language

The Historical Preservation Commission (HPC) does its part. It recently refused to issue a COA (Certificate of Appropriateness) to a new development because of the imagined impacts this building would have on the historic Boulevard Arcade building. The new building would be built on the parking lot behind the Boulevard Arcade building and would not touch the existing historic landmark.

The new building, a 10 story Art Deco tower, was deemed “out of scale.” Like the 1929 10 story Art Deco Medical Arts Building? No doubt the HPC would have tried to prevent its construction as well if it had existed at the time

The unanimous decision by the HPC — which cited all of the usual NIMBY complaints: traffic, crowding, affordability, none of which have anything to do with historic preservation — shows the true colors of the commission. Aided by a massive ring fence of historic preservation district boundaries, the HPC protects large portions of Oak Park from new development.

This preserves the housing stock as it was a century ago. It also preserves the demographic makeup of these neighborhoods as it was a century ago.

The purpose of a system is what it does. Our historic preservation districts were founded in an era where Oak Park was terrified of racial turnover and white flight. This isn’t a coincidence. These districts stopped multifamily housing development in its tracks, and made the existing housing stock much more expensive to maintain and update. This effectively bars entry to renters and lower income homeowners.

The village board rightly ignored the advice of the HPC and issued a Certificate of Appropriateness for the new building, which allows it to move forward … for now. But I’d call on the village board to do more. As we embark on the difficult task of re-imagining our outdated zoning codes, we need to come to grips with the outsized power that the preservationist movement wields over the future of our village

Preservation isn’t progress, in fact, it’s the opposite. It’s appropriate in small doses, in targeted areas. We should be able to preserve historic gems, and tourist revenue, without setting entire neighborhoods in amber and preventing badly needed new housing.

Josh is a passionate urbanist and entrepreneur who has lived in Chicagoland for 30 years and has called Oak Park home for over a decade

We are neighbors

Last week I stood outside the immigration detention center in Broadview to protest with our neighbors. We were met with the sting of tear gas, and some with welts from pepperball guns. Alongside other Oak Parkers, I watched as fellow protesters were attacked and as flash bang grenades de ployed. The response to peaceful protest was disproportionate.

Our neighbors are taking a stand for those who cannot raise their voices, and they are being met with violence. Some were there in outrage at the presence and actions of immigration of ficials in their community. One father was there because tear gas wafted over his child’s daycare center while he was dropping him of f.

Alongside the physical violence seen in protests, I am pained to see that, as our political rhetoric grows harsher, so too does our everyday conversation. Online, we see people

Somos vecinos

La semana pasada, me paré frente al centro de detención de inmigrantes en Broadview para protestar con nuestros vecinos. Nos recibieron con el escozor del gas lacrimógeno y algunos con balas de pimienta. Junto con otros residentes de Oak Parker, vi cómo muchos presentes eran atacados y cómo se lanzaban granadas aturdidoras. La respuesta a la protesta pacífica fue desproporcionada.

Nuestros vecinos están defendiendo a quienes no pueden alzar la voz, y la respuesta ha sido violencia. Algunos estaban allí indignados por la presencia y las acciones de los agentes de inmigración en su comunidad. Un padre estaba allí porque el gas lacrimógeno se esparció sobre la guardería de su hijo esa mañana.

Además de la violencia física que se observa en las protestas, me duele ver que, a medida que nuestra retórica política se endurece, también ha afectado nuestra conversación cotidiana.

PHOTO CREDIT

Oak Park Township Trustee Juan Muñoz (le ) and Oak Park Village President Vicki Scaman at the ICE facility protest in Broadv iew on Oct. 3. See the News story on page 1.

OUR VIEWS

Right decision on QT

Oak Park’s village board made the right decision last week when its members unanimously voted to block construction of an enormous Interstatehighway-sized gas station on Harlem Avenue near the Ike.

The QuikTrip proposal was wrong for Oak Pa rk in every dimension save one. It would have produced substantial tax revenues – property, sales, gas, transfer taxes.

That makes this discussion not about QT but about Oak Park’s economic development leadership and how it first withered and over the past two years imploded due to poor leadership at the board level and the top staf f level.

The Mohr Concrete site debacle is just the most obvious manifestation of the failures.

What needs to be fixed?

On the senior staffing level, perhaps, things have stabilized. The promotion of Craig Failor, a village hall veteran, to head overall economic development is steadying. The hiring of John Melinaphy to lead development projects brought on a person with genuine history and connections in this work.

Village Manager Kevin Jackson gets credit for these decisions. Doubts remain, however, about how he let this vital department disinte grate over the previous two years.

At the village board level there are immediate and mid-term choices to be made. Since the spring, Village President Vicki Scaman has floated the idea that village gover nment should buy the Mohr site. We agree. Should have happened several years ago. The site currently is what Trustee Cory Wesley rightly described as a “public nuisance.” It is also the village’s single largest and best situated location for notable development.

Leaving this opportunity to the private sector has so far resulted in an inept and inexperienced commercial developer controlling the property for an extended period while being unable to bring forward a viable plan for a mixed-use development. The follow up was a gas station better suited for Mokena, or is it Minooka?

Oak Park made some bad and expensive choices 20+ years ago when it purchased a whole lot of property in downtown and along Madison Street. Took decades to unwind those errors though it did result, under Anan Abu-Taleb’s leadership as president, in notable residential and commercial projects.

But that does not mean a focused purchase of this single property doesn’t make sense. Buy it. Create a consensus on what would be a positive development for the village, for the residential neighbors, what would generate longterm tax dollars for taxpayers. And then work, in what may be a dismal environment for development, to find a buyer who will execute the village’s plan.

Reinventing Am ica … till we get it right

When this country elected Donald Trump the firs time, it was merely unbelievable, and a major ity of Americans focused laser-like, on defeating him in the next election, once and for all — or so thought. When this country did the unconscionable and elected him a second time, it could no longer be dismissed as an aberration. So instead of focusing all my attention on “Sh*tstor m, the Sequel,” I’ve been trying to figure out what was wrong with this country well before Trump came along — the internal contradictions that made Trump, or someone like Trump, an inevitable outcome, the contradictions that must be addressed if we’re to have any chance of moving past all this. Democracy was a noble aspiration, but Trump took a leaf blower to our house of cards, demonstrating how feeble, and/or corrupt, our so-called “guardrail” institutions really were. Now we’re left to pick up the debris and forge a dif ferent dream, one that can withstand the assault of two-bit tyrants. Are we up to that challenge? I have no idea and I doubt anyone else does either

TRAINOR

“It is no wonder,” Donald wrote, “that [Alexis de] Tocqueville, attempting to haracterize nineteenth-century American , was obliged to invent a new word, vidualism.’ … In a nation so new that … men felt under no obligation to respect the lessons of the past … every aspect of merican life witnessed this desire to throw precedent and to rebel against authority. … [But] nowhere was the American rejection of authority more complete than in the olitical sphere. … With declining powers, there went also declining respect. … The national gover nment, moreover, was not being weakened in order to bolster the state gover nments, for they too were decreasing in power. … By the 1850s the authority of all gover nment in America was at a low point; government to the American was, at most, merely an institution with a negative role, a guardian of fair play.”

Because they suffered from “an excess of liberty,” Americans of that era were unable to coalesce and address their most critical issue: slavery. In the leadership vacuum that ensued, Donald said, “Never was there a field so fertile before the propagandist, the agitator, the extremist.” And he could have added, “the con man.”

Since we can’t go back, the only path is forward to a new future — this time, hopefully, with no illusions. Few, I suspect, have any real faith in this country anymore. Trumpism didn’t sack a great nation. His brand of tyrrany simply exploited the flaws that the rest of us wishfully overlooked. The Trump presidency is merely the vile byproduct of those flaws.

Two and a half centuries ago, America was founded on two powerful contradictions. So it has always needed reinvention, never more than now.

Well, maybe once before … in the 1850s. Recently, I came across a fascinating re-examination of Abraham Lincoln — and the decades preceding his appearance on the national stage — written in 1955 by an unconventional but insightful historian named David Donald in a book-length series of essays titled, Lincoln Reconsidered (I picked it up cheap at a house sale).

Donald taught history at Columbia, Johns Hopkins and Harvard universities — and counted among his students Heather Cox Richardson, the chief chronicler of our current undoing.

In Lincoln Reconsidered, he demythologized our greatest president, shedding the hero worship, making him more human and, in unexpected ways, even more admirable. In the book’s final essay, “An Excess of Democracy: The American Civil War and the Social Process,” he traced how a divided nation became so susceptible to Civil War.

Sounds a lot like 2025, given Americans’ current contempt for gover nment, on both sides of the political spectrum.

In the 1850s, the country fell apart with frightening ease, which is also what we’re experiencing today We aren’t “divided” and “polarized” so much as fragmented, even atomized. The center we rallied around, which enabled us to defeat Trump in 2020, did not hold in 2024. It dissipated as our pandemic fears evaporated, leaving us in centerless chaos.

In 1860, enter Abraham Lincoln, who reinvented America as a dream of democracy — gover nment of, by and for the people. He enabled us to resolve the contradiction of slavery. But the contradiction of racism remains

In 2016 and 2024, enter Donald Trump, who is systematically disabling democracy, and replacing it with a bastardized gover nment of, by and for people who hate gover nment — which is the other potent contradiction we were founded on, the one that will be our undoing if we fail to resolve it.

Where is the transformative leader who can inspire us to come together? Oh so obviously, Donald Trump is not that leader

But someday, hopefully, we can thank Trumpism for forcing us to solve our two great internal contradictions — racism and hatred of gover nment — so that we can reinvent America one more time.

And maybe this time we’ll get it right.

Whose side is the village on?

On Se pt. 27, the village of Oak Park shared on its Facebook page a statement that the Oak Park Police Department was fulfilling a mutual aid request for support with traffic control at the Broadview ICE detention facility

That night, federal agents attacked protesters and members of the press with massive rubber bullets, chemical agents, and brute force. Civilians were outnumbered 3-1, according to several sources present. Various sources also confirmed that Broadview and “other village police” stayed away from the attacks and offered no humanitarian aid. One needn’t look far to see the hor rors from that night: a man’s back riddled with dark purple welts, a journalist taking cover behind a car before being struck in the face by a rubber bullet, protesters coughing painfully as chemicals are thrown at them. Protesters were unar med, while ICE agents fired at them from rooftops and hid behind bullet-proof vests.

The horrifying evidence of the attack raises questions about municipal “neutrality,” especially one that flaunts being a “welcoming village.” How is a village welcoming that sends officers to stand by while American citizens

are brutalized by immigration of ficers? Could they not even offer medical aid to those who needed it? Or offer cover to those being shot at simply for exercising their unalienable right to protest? The ICE officers were the only ones benefitting from the presence of Broadview and other village of ficers, so what weight does being a welcoming village really hold?

Oak Park especially must tread carefully. For a “pro gressive” community that carries Percy Julian’s name with pride, many locals forget that it was in Oak Park that Julian’s home was threatened by two attempts to keep their Blackness out of the community.

Neutral neighbors who did not throw rocks at his windows but also did not stand against that violence were no less guilty then than they are now. Today, we are once again faced with a choice that will test the principles of our “progressive” and “welcoming” village We must advocate for the right choice to be made, and we must ask: who is the village really protecting?

Leroy Easton Oak Park

Prepare now for an electric future

It’s a chilly December night and your gaspowered fur nace or hot water heater just died. For most of us, this is an emergency. What to do? You could call your usual installer for the usual re placement. But that commits you to using gas for years to come, just when we know we urgently need to abandon fossil fuels, the single biggest contributor to global climate change.

So instead, turn an emergency into an opportunity. As each gas appliance nears its end of life, you can gradually transition your home to clean, renewable energy, one re placement at a time. You don’t have to do it all at once.

But since those re placements are unscheduled, if inevitable, you need to be prepared. Do your research in advance, identify installers, take care of needed electrical upgrades, and get up to speed on financial incentives, such as the village of Oak Park’s Climate Ready energy grants.

Oak Park Climate Action Network (OPCAN) can help, with free coaching, information resources, and a list of local contractors, all at https://opcan.org. T here you’ll also find a video in which OPCAN member Derek Eder

walks you through his gradual home electrification.

Why electrify? HVAC systems, hot water heaters, and clothes dryers powered by electric heat pumps (more accurately described as heating and cooling pumps) are more efficient than their gas-powered counter parts, which can save money on operating costs. Heat pump fur naces heat and cool more evenly, for greater comfort. Electric induction stoves are fast-heating and extremely responsive, operate without heating the space around them, and are a snap to clean up with their sleek glass surfaces.

From cleaner indoor air quality to reduced risk of fire, gas-free homes are safer and healthier. And with two-thirds of Oak Park’s climate-heating emissions coming from residential building energy use, electrifying your home is likely the single most effective action you can take to reduce your contribution to climate change. Make that transition manageable by planning now to electrify your home, appliance-by-appliance, as each reaches the end of its life.

Pamela Tate

Oak Park Climate Action Network

Repeating history

These are tumultuous times that many have compared to 1930s pre-war Ger many. As someone who gives tours of the Haymarket Monument in Forest Home Cemetery, I would like to propose that what we are experiencing is actually more similar to the America of the late 1800s and early 1900s – another time of great upheaval in our country. The parallels are compelling: Demonization of immigrants - In much the same way that recent immigrants have been referred to as criminals and mentally unstable, in the late 1800s, many people ar riving in the U.S. were “othered” and racially profiled. Of course there were the inf amous, “No Irish need apply” signs. The Chicago Tribune railed ag ainst German and Eastern European labor organizers, printing, “Let us whip these Slavic wolves … is there some way to exterminate them?” In 1882, we had the Chinese Exclusion Act and the Immigration Act, both of which allowed deportations of “undesirable” groups of people.

BINNS-CALVEY

One View

Income inequality - As viewers of the TV show The Gilded Age know, during the late 19th century there was a class of businessmen who amassed huge amounts of wealth, often by unethical practices like monopolies. Today, we can see similar monopolies in tech (Google, Amazon, Meta), and media organizations (Nexstar, Sinclair). In the 1890s, the top 12 percent of the population held a shocking 86 percent of the wealth while the lower 44 percent owned only 1.2 percent. Currently, the disparity is only slightly less eg re gious with 86 percent of all the wealth in the U.S. owned by the top 20 percent of income, while the bottom 50 percent owns only 2.5 percent. Robber Barons - It isn’t much of a stretch to see Musk, Zuckerberg, and Bezos as the modern-day equivalents of Carnegie, Rockefeller, and Vanderbilt. These are incredibly wealthy individuals with enormous influence on government policy and

the lives of Americans. Rapid Innovation - As the 19th century was ending, industrial advances put many talented, high-paid craftsmen out of work Factory jobs often required less skill, which made workers easier to re place, underpay, and abuse. In the mid-2020s, we are facing rapid workplace changes with the coming of AI and ever-evolving technology. Like the craftsmen of the past, many present-day workers are being re placed by technology Militarization of police - Images of ICE and Border Patrol agents in full military gear confronting unarmed protesters are disturbing. Similarly, during the late 1800s, striking, unarmed workers were routinely battered and fired upon by battle-equipped police and sanctioned private security forces. Using troops ag ainst U.S. citizens - As distressing as it has been to see federal forces sent to U.S. cities, it has been done before American presidents in the late 1800s used the U.S. Ar my as strikebreakers – pitting the Ar my against U.S. citizens during the 1877 railroad strike and the 1894 Pullman strike. What lessons can we learn from over 100 years ago? How did the deep unrest and social injustices of the late 1800s and early 1900s resolve? There isn’t a single turning point or a revolutionary act we can point to. There wasn’t a tidy, quick resolution, but a slow push forward toward transformation. People joined to gether, unified in their demands for reforms. Methodically, over time, they improved conditions and changed laws. Also playing an important role were “Muckrakers” — writers, journalists, and photo graphers who documented and exposed cor ruption, tur ning the tide of public opinion. It’s possible that we will look back on this time and see that it was ordinary citizens capturing videos on their phones who are our muckrakers, shaping public opinion by exposing the truth.

SHRUB TO WN by Marc Stopeck

Join us to protest Oct. 18 in Scoville Park

The Congregations Networking for Social Justice, with friends and allies, have agreed to co-host the Rally #No Kings # No Billionaires on Oct. 18 in Scoville Park from 11 to 1 p.m. It is sponsored nationally, most specifically by May Day Strong which speared-headed the John Lewis Good Trouble Rally in conjunction with unions and Indivisible, which has West Side, Chicago, and Illinois components that were key org anizers of Hands Off and No Kings. Mobilize.us handles the registrations.

We urge area residents who can be with us to bring their signs and their passion, with good portions of kindness and respect. We have all been peaceful and mindful of the park, the library, and local businesses during each gathering. We must continue not to obstruct the sidewalks or traffic Everyone’s safety is paramount.

The Ragin’ Grannies and Friends will again perform.

This moment is a time to come together, show our patriotism, and demonstrate for democracy. Let’s hope for nice weather and a good turn out! Thanks to Wednesday Jour nal for your coverage. Also check out the No Kings website about the importance of demonstrating without being “political.”

Cynthia Breunlin Oak Park

WEDNESD AY

of Oak Park and River Forest

Viewpoints Guidelines

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

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Art as a form of resistance

Over the last year, Oak Parkers have welcomed and supported amnesty seekers and have demonstrated against ICE. Our village board has passed a Trans Day of Visibility, and community members have rallied to protest Lurie Hospital’s end to gender affirming care for teens. More than 1,600 residents signed the Oak Park Ceasefire Resolution, calling for an immediate ceasefire, release of the hostages, and full humanitarian aid to Gaza, and we raised over $25,000 for Palestinian children at last year’s Gather for Gaza.

On Oct. 9, we will host a fundraiser that will continue our laser-focus on human rights under attack. Arts as Resistance, from 6 to 9 p.m., at the historic Nineteenth Century Club at 178 Forest Ave. will support three organizations that are on the front lines of supporting targeted communities in Palestine and in the U.S.

This event will build community and provide direct financial support to grassroots organizations feeding people

in Gaza, (Watermelon Sisters) protecting immigrants (Palenque LSNA), and supporting LGBTQ+ human rights (Oak Park PFLAG).

Dozens of performing and visual artists from around the Chicago area are donating their talents to support this event. Their ef for ts and those of our community volunteers and co-sponsors will make this a night to remember

To gether, we can overcome feelings of hopelessness by celebrating the arts as resistance and concretely donating to these essential organizations.

Please buy a ticket now (last year’s event sold out) or donate if you cannot attend. Links to ticket sales and donations are available at tinyurl.com/artasresist.

Please direct any questions to artasresistance2025@gmail.com.

Caren Van Slyke Steering Committee Committee for a Just Peace in Palestine/Israel cjpip.org

WithCantata’scontinuumofcare,you canliveyourbestlifetoday,tomorrow andintothefuture.Youcancounton ourcenturyofexpertisededicatedto yourlifestyleandhealthcareneeds.

Sel sh driving could be fatal

I have lived and driven in much of this country and inter nationally, and have never been anywhere where traffic safety laws are so routinely ignored as the Chicago area. A daily walk around Northeast Oak Park involves watching roughly 90% of cars not stopping at stop signs. Some of it is people driving through the neighborhood as a shortcut, but much of it is people who live here.

Anywhere, but especially a neighborhood with so many children, blowing through stop signs is not only selfish but could have catastrophic consequences for pedestrians,

especially children. The selfish manner in which many drivers here seem to have no regard for anyone but themselves is troubling and again, hugely unsafe for people who live, visit, and walk here.

It’s time for the police to emphasize this problem with tickets and enforcement. Driving and walking here isn’t nearly as safe as it should be, due to the reckless nature of driving here. I think we can all do better as a community and think of others when we get in our two-ton vehicles.

AI is tone deaf

We looked up the perennial question, how to pronounce “basil.” Here is the AI answer:

The herb and name “Basil” is pronounced with a short “a” in British English (BAH-zil) and a long “a” in American English (BAY-zil). The American pronun-

ciation (BAY-zil) rhymes with “dazzle” and the British pronunciation (BAH-zil) rhymes with “nasal.”

I guess AI can’t hear and thus has no idea what “rhyme” means.

Healthcare should feel human.

And now it’s close to home.

Healthcare should feel human.

And now it’s close to home.

Our providers listen, build lasting relationships, and support you at every stage of life — right here in Oak Park.

Compassion, expertise, and genuine connection — available close to home.

708-486-2700

101 Madison St. Suite 300

708-486-2700

101 Madison St. Suite 300

Oak Park, IL 60302

101 Madison St. Suite 300 Oak Park, IL 60302

101 Madison St. Suite 300

708-486-2700

Oak Park, IL 60302

101 Madison St. Suite 300

Oak Park, IL 60302

Cyrus Guzdar

A concerned NE Oak Parker

Tom DeCoursey Oak Park

Stating the obvious

It shouldn’t need to be said, but obviously his worshipful believers need to hear it: Just because Trump says something doesn’t mean it’s true. He makes rash and hateful claims, but rarely, if ever, makes the case for them. That is, he doesn’t state any hard facts from reliable sources to substantiate them. Instead, he shifts the focus, denouncing and even demonizing the persons or groups that resist him.

Case in point: His claim — his verdict — that Chicago and our wider area is a “hellhole.” And, like other blue cities and states, we must be punished with funding and job cuts that are illegal, even unconstitutional while Congress sits mute. So National Guard troops, neighbors and friends taken of f their jobs and taken from their families, are “federalized,” contrary once again to law.

His minions call protesters in Broadview and elsewhere “rioters.” This from the man who did nothing while the mob he incited stormed and broke into the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, and who called them “patriots” and pardoned them, even for acts that caused injuries and even death for Capitol police.

No call for National Guard troops then.

It sounds like Mark Twain (but wasn’t) who said: “It’s easier to fool people than to convince them that they have been fooled.” MAGA believers’ pride is invested in him, so they turn a blind eye to his multiple impeachable crimes. Will they ever see the light?

Fred Reklau Oak Park

Sustaining sustainability

The village of River Forest has a longstanding commitment to environmental sustainability. Three years ago, we had the opportunity to expand that beyond our borders. I was for tunate to partner with Broadview Mayor Katrina Thompson and Oak Park Village President Vicki Scaman to establish the Cross Community Climate Collaborative, or as we affectionately call it, C4. Since that time, C4 has grown into a partnership that includes 14 communities, which face challenges presented by climate change and have found equitable solutions our communities would not have been able to achieve on their own.

On Sept. 25, Triton Colle ge graciously hosted the C4 Mayoral and Community Forum, where Mayor Thompson, President Scaman and I highlighted the benefits of this collaborative approach. The forum provided an opportunity to learn from neighboring communities and adopt best practices that can be shared and revised to fit each community’s unique needs and resources.

We lear ned about Berwyn’s composting program and heard from our very own Trinity High School President Tina Taylor-Ritzler about the high school’s plans to add solar panels to their facility. We were honored to have in attendance Illinois Senate Majority

Leader Kimberly Lightford, who spoke on how the state can support actions our municipalities are taking to fight climate change.

Locally, this village will continue to be a leader on climate and sustainability issues, evidenced through our capital investments, including our green alleyways to reduce storm water runof f, and our expansion of publicly available electric vehicle charging stations. We also continue our commitment to clean energy through our Green Energy Aggreg ation Program and Community Solar Program, for which we have been reco gnized as a U.S. EPA Green Power Community.

We additionally support sustainable actions our residents can take through expanded access to composting, recycling, and waste diversion, as well as improved permitting for rooftop solar and EV charging. The education on these important environmental topics is shared by our Sustainability Commission through village newsletters and social media.

As always, I encourage you to re gister for our weekly newsletter at vrf.us/ enews to learn more about the village’s many sustainability initiatives. Cathy Adduci River Forest villa ge president

A bold, unwoke statement

I’d like to thank Mark for his recent letter to the editor [Welcome to Woke Park, neighbor! Viewpoints, Oct.1]. Truly, it takes a bold and brave voice to look at the metastasizing global fascist movement, the politically motivated and ille gal use of state-sponsored violence against Democrat-led states and cities, the shredding of government services, vital infrastructure, and the social safety net, the worsening

climate crisis (it’s 80 de grees in October as I write this), or any number of other problems and decide the solution is chastising your neighbors because their politics annoy you. If you find the property taxes untenable and the residents of the village so nettlesome, you might prefer living somewhere else.

Begging to di er

Hi there, conservative neighbor Mark! [Welcome to Woke Park, neighbor! Viewpoints, Oct. 1]. I’m Greg and my wife and I have lived in Oak Park for 32 years, and we also raised our family here.

GREG PULLIAM

One View

First, 32 years ago I lucked out and landed a job in Chicago, and my wife and I chose to bring our family to Oak Park for its progressive politics and its tolerance of different races, ethnicities, religions, gender-identities and — pertinently here — political viewpoints.

But I spent my teens growing up in a small Mississippi town, where many of the white people there would deliberately use the n-word around me despite knowing that I was not racist like them; but they enjoyed making me feel uncomfortable and that, above all other considerations, was apparently what was most important to them. In that town, Black people lived on the other side of the tracks in ramshackle shotgun houses, and had to sit in the balcony at the movie theater and drink from water fountains labeled “Colored.”

Of course we had a public library, but only white people were allowed inside to use it. I attended Mississippi public schools, always ranked either 50th or 49th in the country, depending on whether Alabama or Mississippi’s legislature had increased its funding more recently to get out of the basement. Oh, and there were se parate schools for Black and white kids until I was in my late teens. Plus, in Mississippi our property taxes were very low, which meant that the town leaders claimed to never have enough money to

pave the streets in Black neighborhoods.

Police protection? Well, we had a police department. But after I was attacked and beaten bloody for my anti-racist politics at a g as station by three linemen from my high school football team, the police came and took my statement and that of the attendant, then drove across the street to where my (obviously unconcerned) attackers were standing around laughing. Within moments, the police were also standing around laughing and backslapping the assailants. No charges were ever brought. Oak Park’s police — to the best of my knowledge — are competent and respectful toward all of our citizens. I suspect this may have something to do with the village ’s progressive politics.

Your children and mine had the good for tune to attend Oak Park schools, which are consistently ranked highly in the state of Illinois. The taxes are high to be sure, but all of our kids got great educations here and they are all successful adults now with children of their own. It seemed, and still seems, a fair price to pay. I hope your kids have had similar success.

After reading your “One View” contribution, Mark, I don’t know how you’ve hung in there for 37 years in Oak Park with all of its damned tolerance. You might want to consider going to a place where more people think like you do — a certain small Mississippi town comes to mind. And, yeah, let’s catch up at the Far mers Market one day. I’ ll look for the guy whose dog is wearing a red kerchief.

Greg Pulliam is retired and obviously has a fair amount of time on his hands.

Seth Wilson Oak Park

Why not term limits for everyone?

All this talk about will they/won’t they regarding ter m limits has me thinking: Are we not being ambitious enough? I mean, why stop with our mayor and trustees? If we truly believe that forcing people out of office is good government, we should aim higher.

Both state Senate President Don Harmon and House Speaker Chris Welch re present parts of River Forest. They are two of the most powerful people in Illinois. If the principle is that new blood

JUAN MUÑOZ

We cannot ignore

from page 24

is always better, should not we apply it to them as well? Let’s organize a referendum to put term limits on the Speaker and the Senate President.

Of course, logic would indicate that we shouldn’t do that. It sounds ridiculous, doesn’t it?

We would be voluntarily giving up the power and influence that our community gains from having our re presentatives in top leadership positions. We understand that their experience and seniority ben-

celebrate immigration raids and dismiss the str uggles of families with comments like, “If you didn’t break the law, this wouldn’t happen.” We hear some outright calling for more indiscriminate enforcement or escalation of violence. Such words ignore not only due process, but also the fundamental humanity of people in our own communities. There are families living in fear: a mother who fears letting her kids go to school; a father sleeping at a jobsite because he cannot risk losing the income for his family. This climate doesn’t just har m individuals; it weakens the bonds of community. When families live in fear, when children are silenced from speaking their language, when neighbors are attacked for daring to gather, we all lose something essential.

I do not believe most of the immigration of ficers carrying out these orders wake up each day intent on cruelty. But cruelty is what these actions amount to. However it is rationalized — whether as protecting safety, following orders, or defending the law — the result is the same: brutality ag ainst families and neighbors.

No badge, no order, and no policy can ever justify the treatment of those being detained or the use of chemical weapons on community members standing in peace. This is not protection; it is violence justified as patriotism. And it tears apart the trust, dignity, and unity that true public safety depends on.

We cannot look away from what is happening at Broadview, and in numerous other communities across the country. Oak Parkers must become more directly involved — through learning, showing up at vigils and protests, supporting immigrant neighbors, and demanding accountability for the violence car ried out in our country’s name Awareness must lead to action. Only then can we build a commUNITY that truly protects, includes, and honors all of its people.

Juan Munoz is an Oak Pa rk Township trustee. His opinions here are his own and do not reflect his role as a trustee.

efit us directly. So why are we so eager to apply a different standard to our own local leaders? They are our neighbors who volunteer countless hours, and over time they develop a deep understanding of how to keep our village running well. I know I’m old, but I still think that experience is an asset, not a liability.

Patti McAllister River Forest

JUAN MUÑOZ

No podemos ignorar

from page 24

En línea, vemos a personas celebrar las redadas migratorias y disminuir las dificultades de las familias con comentarios como: “Si no estuvieran aquí ilegalmente, esto no ocurriría”. Vemos a algunos que piden abiertamente una aplicación más indiscriminada de la ley o para más violencia contra nuestra comunidad. Tales palabras ignoran no solo el debido proceso, sino también la humanidad fundamental de las personas en nuestra propia comunidad. Hay familias que viven con miedo: una madre que teme dejar que sus hijos vayan a la escuela; un padre que duerme en el trabajo porque no puede arriesgarse a perder el ingreso para su familia. Este clima no solo perjudica a las personas, sino que debilita los lazos comunitarios. Cuando las familias viven con miedo, cuando se les impide a los niños hablar su idioma, cuando atacan a la gente por atreverse a reunirse, todos perdemos algo esencial. No creo que la mayoría de los agentes de inmigración que cumplen estas órdenes se despierten cada día con la intención de cometer crueldad. Pero estas acciones son crueldad. Sin importar de cómo se justifique — ya sea protegiendo la seguridad, cumpliendo órdenes o defendiendo la ley — el resultado es el mismo: brutalidad contra familias y vecinos

Ninguna placa, ninguna orden ni ninguna política puede justificar jamás el trato a los detenidos ni el uso de armas químicas contra miembros de la comunidad que protestan en paz. Esto no es protección; es violencia en nombre de la patria. Y destroza la confianza, la dignidad y la unidad de las que depende la verdadera seguridad pública.

No podemos ignorar lo que sucede en Broadview y en muchas otras comunidades del país. Los habitantes de Oak Parker deben involucrarse más directamente: aprendiendo, participando en vigilias y protestas, apoyando a sus vecinos inmigrantes y exigiendo responsabilidades por la violencia perpetrada en nombre de nuestro país

La concienciación debe infor mar la acción. Solo así podremos construir una comUNIDAD que verdaderamente protege, incluye y honra a toda su gente.

Juan Muñoz es fiduciario del municipio de Oak Park. Las opiniones expresadas aquí son suyas y no reflejan su posición como fiduciario.

Ron Pearce, 93

Loved golf, volleyball and his dogs

Ronald “Ron” lliam Pearce, 93, died on Sept. 19, 2025 of natural causes at his home in Oak Park. Born on Oct. 23, 1931 in Sonora, California, he earned his bachelor’s de gree from Colle ge of the Pacific in Stockton, U.S. Navy as a medic on Treasure Island in San ed a prestigious fairs with the Coro Foundation in San Francisco, followed rnia State Legislature.

Ron’s professional life was dedicated to Allstate Insurance Company, culminating in executive vice president before retiring in 1983 at the age of 52, having inspired, mentored, and motivated many along the way. As an executive, he and his family lived in several states besides Illinois: California, Indiana, and New Jersey. His 65-year mar riage to Margaret “Peggy” Alexander was the center of his life. They shared many interests: golf, motorcycling, dancing, dogs, and wine tasting. Golf was a source of lifelong pleasure, as well as friendships. Indeed, their last home in San Luis Obispo, California, backed to a golf course, a view they loved.

They had do gs for decades, including Dachshunds, Westies, Dobermans, and Corgis.

Ron’s competitive spirit was also channeled in club volleyball, which he played in Chicago and Ger many. Among his other talents and interests were cribbage, sudoku, and crossword puzzles, which he not only solved, but created for years as a professional.

The loss of both his brother Donald Pearce and his grandson Mitchell Bley in 2016 were devastating, as was the loss of his wife Pe gg y in 2020, whose decline and demise Ron faced by himself with courage during COVID. In 2023, he moved back to Chicago to be closer to family and courageously faced medical challenges of

his own in his last few years.

Ron is survived by his daughters, Dawn Pearce Bley (husband Rick) and Robin Pearce; his son Chris Pearce (wife Chris); and his grandchildren, Monica Garcia, Justin Garcia, and Emma Bley. Ron leaves behind a le gacy of wisdom, humor, and courage

A celebration of Ron’s life will be held at Brookdale Senior Living on Sunday, Oct. 19 at 2:30 p.m. in the Oak Park Room on the 2nd floor.

Arrangements were handled by Zimmerman-Harnett Funeral Home.

Memorial donations may be made in Ron’s name to: Citizen Canine Senior Dog Rescue, 502 Dover Ave., LaGrange Park, IL 60526 (Citizencaninerescue.org).

Jacob Shubat, 85 Airplane mechanic, masseur, sailor

in-laws, John (Cindy) Fry, and Robert “Bob” Wagoner.

Graveside services will be conducted at 1 p.m., Oct. 19, at Fulton Cemetery in Fulton, Indiana.

Arrangements were handled by Zimmerman Bros. Funeral Home, Rochester, Indiana. Online condolences may be expressed at www.zimmermanbrosfh.com.

OBITUARIES

Jim Dooley, 76 Founder

of The Dooley Band

James L. Dooley, longtime River Forest resident, and founder of the popular Chicago-area musical group, The Dooley Band, died peacefully at his home on Aug. 8, 2025 surrounded by his family after a heroic, 16-month battle with stage 4 colon cancer.

Born and raised in River Forest, he attended St. Luke School, Fenwick High School, Loyola University and Roosevelt University.

Tom and Avis Dooley (nee McMullin) raised their family of six sons, Tom, Dennis, Joe, Bill, Jim and Mike, in the River Forest house that the family has occupied since 1909. Jim and his wife Anna raised their own family there and remain active members of St. Luke and St. Bernardine Parish.

A talented musician, vocalist, guitarist, arranger, and prolific songwriter, poet, artist, and nature photographer, he for med the original Dooley musical group with his brothers in 1966, and the band has given thousands of performances, a Chicago-area institution for six decades.

He was born into a musical and artistic family. His maternal grandfather perfor med Irish music hall ballads on Lake Michigan cruise ships and at Strening’s Saloon on the near Southwest Side of Chicago. His paternal grandfather was a popular fiddler from County Clare, Ireland, who settled in the Chicago area.

known as “The Dooley Brothers.”

In the 1970s and 1980s the band perfor med re gularly at music clubs on Chicago’s North Side, including The Roxy, The Barbarossa, The Bulls, Wise Fools Pub, Orphans, Ratso’s, Holsteins, The Earl of Old Town, Somebody Else’s Troubles and (one of their favorites) The Kilkenny Castle Inn. Another re gular spot was the Irish American Heritage Center, since the center opened in 1985.

albums and CDs, including A Place in My Heart (1983), which features his original compositions. Subsequent CD albums re The Road to Lisdoonvarna, Glad gic, Black Sunshine and a new album Jim and the band just completed recording, which will be released in the coming months.

Jim was self-taught and lear ned music his keen ear. He would play guitar and sing at home for hours just for the sheer pleasure of it. He could hear a song once and sing it or play it on his guitar.

One of his special interests was the history of River Forest. He was working on a short book called The Hidden Pass ageways of River Forest, which mostly highlighted his favorite hidden walking and biking paths, special places, and stories of the village that he so loved.

He adored Thatcher Woods, which inspired songs and poetry, and where he end many precious moments with Anna, Jimmy, and Claire. He took many nature photos there, some of which are featured in the book Trailside Museum: The Le gend Virginia Moe by Jane Morocco, part of the “Images of America” series.

He was also the unofficial historical archivist for St. Luke Church Jim Dooley was inspired by River Forest, and left his le gacy with his uplifting words, acts of kindness, and profound music.

A Celebration of Life service is set for Saturday, Oct. 18, at St. Luke Church in River Forest. Visitation will begin at 9 a.m. in the church, followed by a funeral Mass at 11 a.m.

He started out singing at home with his brothers, har monizing and recording the popular doo-wop songs of the 1950s on a Webcor reel-to-reel tape recorder that their father had given them on Christmas Day, 1956. Sometimes he and his brothers would hurry home from grammar school during the lunch hour to make these recordings. Appreciating all kinds of music, they moved on to harmonizing barbershop quartet music and the songs of the Kingston Trio and other folk music artists of the day. During his high school days, he fronted a rock band with some friends called “The Group Incorporated” playing ’60s popular songs at local high school dances in the Oak Park area.

In 1966, he and his brothers, Joe and Bill, founded “The Dooley Boys” and started playing at colleges and various coffeehouses and nightclubs, especially in the Old Town and Rush Street areas. A few years later, their youngest brother Mike joined the group and the four became

They played at FitzGerald’s St. Patrick’s Day Celebration in Berwyn for the 40th time this past March, along with Healy’s, Molly Malone’s and Goldyburgers in Forest Park. The band held many concert appearances at Scoville Park in Oak Park, various River Forest outdoor park venues and the River Forest Public Library.

The brothers were featured on the television show “Nightclubbing” on PBS Channel 11; King Richard’s Renaissance Faire in the 1970s; the house band for Marshall Field’s State Street store at Christmas; and spent summers performing in the pubs of County Clare, Ireland while staying at their cousin’s farm.

In recent years, some “next generation” Dooley family members joined the band, including Jim’s late son Jimmy, who played with the band from 2015 through 2018. Mike’s son, Mick, joined up in 2015 and Jim’s daughter, Claire, started singing with the band in 2020.

They recorded critically-acclaimed

SPORTS

Fenwick football flattens St. Laurence

Clinches playo eligibility with win

By MELVIN TATE Contributing Reporter

There was a buzz in the air at Triton College Friday night as the Fenwick football team welcomed St. Laurence for a key Chicago Catholic League/East Suburban Catholic Conference White Division game. Both entered the contest with 4-1 records and needed one more victory to secure state playoff eligibility. While the records suggested a close game, Fenwick took control early on and ran past St. Laurence 41-7.

“[St. Laurence] is a better team than what the scoreboard showed,” said Fenwick coach Matt Battaglia. “It’s more of a testament to the coaching and hard practices we had this week. We executed in a lot of areas that we were lacking. We felt we’d plateaued a little bit as a team; we want to get better each week and the thing we saw was a lot of facets got better.”

“It was a great team win,” said Fenwick running back Jake Thies, who finished with 97 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries. “We came out and did what we were supposed to do, and it showed on the scoreboard.”

After getting a three-and-out on defense to start the game, Fenwick’s offense marched downfield on eight plays, with Jake Thies

capping things with a 6-yard score. Noah Sur’s point-after gave the Friars (5-1, 1-1 CCL/ESCC) a 7-0 lead at the 6:24 mark of the first quarter.

On St. Laurence’s next possession, the Vikings (4-2, 0-2) decided to go for a first down deep in their own territory. They failed, and Fenwick took over at the 20-yard line. Five plays later, Tommy Thies went in from a yard out to make the score 14-0.

In the second quarter, Sur booted successive field goals from 33 and 25 yards respectively. Then set up by Jake Thies’ 57-yard run, quar terback Jamen Williams (12of-17, 193 yards passing) ran for a 1-yard score to give Fenwick a commanding 27-0 halftime lead

To start the second half, Cameron Garrett put the proverbial nail in the Vikings’ coffin when he took the kickof f and ran it back 80 yards for a touchdown.

“I hadn’t gotten it kicked to me all year, so I saw the hole and I hit it,” Garrett said. “That’s what we’ve been doing in practic e, and I took it to the house tonight.”

Another sensational play came on Fenwick’s next possession when Raphiel Stewart made a one-handed grab of a Williams pass and took it to the endzone for a 44yard score.

“It was a last-minute adjustment,” Stewart said. “[The defender] was holding me and I had to put one hand because that’s all I had. Jamen threw a great ball, and (receivers

the Vikings 41-7 to clinch playo eligibility.

coach Tim Rooney) had coached me up a lot on the one-hand catch. It was amazing.”

Stewart’s touchdown catch made the score 41-0 with 8:31 remaining in the third quarter and necessitated a running clock for the remainder of the game. St. Laurence averted the shutout in the fourth quarter with a sixyard touchdown run by Noah Taylor Fenwick likes how things have gone so far this season, but to a man, the Friars feel they have yet to play their best game and are striving to get better.

“We’re feeling great,” Stewart said, “but we have to keep on going. We can’t think now that we’ve got a playoff spot, we can slow down.”

Up next for Fenwick is the regular-season home finale versus Benet Academy Kickoff is 7:30 p.m., Oct. 10, at Triton.

Downers Grove Nor th 21, OPRF

OPRF football has played several of the top West Suburban Silver schools tough this fall. But outside of a victory at Proviso West, the Huskies have not been able to get over the hump.

Friday night at Oak Park Stadium, OPRF (2-4, 1-3 WSC Silver) had the ball twice in Downers Grove North’s red zone in the first quarter but couldn’t cash in. The missed opportunities proved costly in the Huskies’ 21-0 defeat by the Trojans.

Liam Smith had 64 yards on 14 carries for OPRF, which had just 154 yards of total offense. Defensively, John Matz led the Huskies with 4.5 tackles

OPRF welcomes Lyons Township for Homecoming, Oct. 10. Kickoff is at 7:30 p.m.

Sweeney, Vattana qualif y for state golf f inals

By MELVIN TATE Contributing Reporter

For the third time in as many years, Fenwick High School junior Mairin Sweeney has qualified for the IHSA state girls golf individual finals. At the Class 2A Lockpo rt Township Sectional, Oct. 6, Sweeney shot a round of 76 to place seventh overall. It

marks her best Fenwick round in competition.

The top 10 individuals from teams that did not advance qualify to go to the state finals, and Sweeney’s score was the third-lowest in the group.

“I am so proud of her,” said Fenwick coach Mike Trankina. “She’s getting up there with the big names in the state. She put in a lot of

work this summer and throughout the season.”

The Class 2A finals take place at Hickory Point in Decatur, Oct. 10-11. Trankina hopes Sweeney can better her finish from last year, when she placed 77th and thinks she has a shot at All-State honors.

Fenwick placed fifth in the team standings with 343 strokes, one behind OPRF and 23 behind third-place Downers Grove North,

the last team qualifier. Sophomores Lila Gaddipati (87) and Maddy Roginski (89), seniors Maddy Cox (91) and Kate Cox (98), and junior Noel Gallery (103) rounded out the Friars’ lineup.

“They did really good,” Trankina said of his team. “I couldn’t be more proud.”

See GOLF on next pa ge

COURTESY OF CAROL DUNNING

Fenw ick lineman Will Doody brings dow n St. Laurence running back Noah Taylor during a Chicago Catholic League/East Suburban Catholic Conference White Div ision football game at Triton College, Oct. 3. e Friars routed

OPRF blanks Fenwick, claims ‘Village Cup’

Bondartsov, Ibanez each notch a goal and assist

By MELVIN TATE Contributing Reporter

The annual “Village Cup” match between the OPRF and Fenwick boys soccer teams, Oct. 4, was eagerly anticipated as both came in relatively hot. The Huskies had four victories and a draw in their last five matches, while the Friars had won three of their last four

OPRF stayed hot like the weather as three first-half goals were all the Huskies needed in a 3-0 shutout at Oak Park Stadium.

“I tip my cap to [Fenwick]. They’re a tough opponent and it’s really fun playing them,” said OPRF interim coach Dave Bernthal.

“Credit to them, they didn’t let us score in the flow of play We had some special moments in the first half with those free kicks and throwins.”

Fenwick coach Shannon Seymour was impressed by OPRF’s performance.

“They brought it today,” he said. “We talked before the game about how it was going to come down to whoever brings the most energy, and right out the gate, they brought good energy Kudos to them; it was a well-deserved victory and they’re a well-coached team.”

From the start, OPRF (13-2-2) kept Fen-

Continued from previous pa ge

OPRF

Joining Sweeney at state is OPRF junior Nadia Vattana, who carded a round of 77 to finish fourth among individuals from nonqualifying teams and eighth overall.

“Nadia played very well,” said OPRF coach Matt McMurray. “I was impressed with her tenacity. She had a couple of rough holes on the front nine, but came back and shot evenpar on the back nine

“Nadia looks better than last year and after a little difficulty at conference and regionals, she seems to have found her groove,” he added. Vattana finished tied for 55th in last year’s finals. “We’re on track for our goal, which is for her to finish higher than last season, finish inside the top 25-30 in the state.”

wick (8-5-1) largely pinned in its own end of the pitch. The constant pressure finally paid off for the Huskies in the 16th minute as Tomas Ibanez, off a free kick from 40 yards out, found Adrian Bondartsov inside the left side of the box. Bondartsov headed a shot past Fenwick goalkeeper Dom Ballerin on the right side of the net for the first goal.

“I was deciding to either cross it further on the right side,” Ibanez said, “or the close top left. Adrian started looking at me in the top left, so I decided to chip it over to him so he could head it back to the goal.”

Almost four minutes later, OPRF doubled its lead as Bondartsov fed Gibson Lundgren inside the box. Lundgren turned and beat Ballerin to the left for the score.

In the 30th minute, Ibanez raised the score to 3-0 when he fired a free kick that just found the top left corner of the net.

“I was more comfortable shooting with my left,” Ibanez said. “I was deciding if I should go right or left and when I saw [Ballerin] seemed more comfortable diving to his right side, I think it was a better decision for me to go top left.”

The three goals were more than enough for OPRF goalkeeper Christian Kellogg, who made three saves. His best came in the 25th minute when Fenwick forward Nathaniel Sabatino got loose from a Huskie defender on the right flank. Sabatino fired a shot toward the bottom right corner, but Kellogg dove to

The Huskies finished fourth at Lockport with a score of 342. Sophomore Maeve Gibbs and senior Courtney Moore each shot 87. Juniors Chaya Shah Hempel (91), Samantha Leung (92), and Maddie Zielinski (102) completed OPRF’s lineup

“I was happy we came back and bested teams that beat us at regionals,” McMurray said. “I was really happy about the level of improvement. Next year, we’ll get back all of our top eight except for Courtney. It’s going to be an exciting season.”

Fenwick boys

The Friars had every reason to feel confident about their chances at the Class 3A Payton Prep Sectional at Harborside in Chicago, Oct. 6, having won the regional team title on the same course last week.

Fenw ick goalkeeper Dom Ballarin dives to keep the ball away from OPRF mid elder Johnny Natale during a boys soccer match Oct. 4 at Oak Park Stadium. e Huskies blanked the Friars 3-0 to win the Village Cup.

his left and made the save

Early in the second half, the Friars’ Gabe Watson-Farran was awarded a penalty kick when he got fouled inside the box. But his shot sailed over the net as Fenwick couldn’t cash in on its best scoring chance.

“That’s the importance in practice, making sure we’re clinical putting the ball in the back of the net,” Seymour said. “That way, when we’re in big games like this, we can do it. It takes one of those goals to give us a little bit of confidence and get momentum, which was much needed in this game.”

While Kellogg was pleased with the clean sheet, he credited his defense for helping him attain it

“I think we’re one of the best composed

But despite several strong efforts, Fenwick could only muster an eighth-place finish with a team score of 303. Moreover, the Friars were not able to advance any individuals to the state finals.

“At the beginning of the year, we said we wanted to be playing our best golf at this time,” said Fenwick coach Kyle Perry. “The boys absolutely accomplished that. We certainly have nothing to hang our heads about.”

Senior Ryan Brennan came closest to qualifying as he shot a 74, two strokes shy of the cutoff score for the top 10 individuals from non-qualifying teams. Senior Luke Sherlock, who qualified for last year’s 2A finals, and junior Alex Kulisek were a shot behind Brennan, shooting a 75.

Senior John Cox (79), junior James Papp (81), and senior Michael McMahon (92) completed Fenwick’s lineup

defenses in the state,” he said. “We’re very good at winning balls, passing, and challenging.”

With the re gular season ending in the next few weeks, both teams like where they are. But both also know there’s work to do.

“We’re very confident,” Kellogg said. “We saw we got the fourth seed in our (Class 3A) sectional (site TBA), which rubbed us the wrong way, but we’re looking forward to proving people wrong and getting the job done.”

“You need games like this where you get your butts kicked,” Seymour said. “This is a group that will fight till the end. As we move forward, we know how important it is to put together 80 minutes of soccer, and hopefully we take it on into state.”

“We’re going to miss the seniors,” Perry said. “We’re also optimistic and excited about next year.”

OPRF boys

Six Huskies competed as individuals at Payton Prep. However, none of them were able to advance to the state finals

Still, several good efforts were turned in. Senior Luke Roberts fell short of qualifying by two strokes as he shot a 74. Juniors Jackson Dodd and Will Timchak, along with senior Griffin Lane, all shot 75. Junior Karsten Davis shot an 80 with senior James Kelly carding an 81.

“We shot lower than some great programs,” said OPRF coach Bill Young. “We finished ahead of teams that advanced out of their regionals, so this was a good showing.”

PUBLIC NOTICES PUBLIC NOTICES

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Notice is hereby given, pursuant to “An Act in relation to the use of an Assumed Business Name in the conduct or transaction of Business in the State,” as amended, that a certification was registered by the undersigned with the County Clerk of Cook County. Registration Number: M25000902 on September 17, 2025 Under the Assumed Business Name of ERROL JAY KIRSCH ARCHITECT with the business located at: 1046 FAIR OAKS, OAK PARK, IL 60302. The true and real full name(s) and residence address of the owner(s)/ partner(s) is: ERROL JAY KIRSCH 1046 FAIR OAKS, OAK PARK, IL 60302, USA.

Published in Wednesday Journal September 24, October 1, 8, 2025

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Notice is hereby given, pursuant to “An Act in relation to the use of an Assumed Business Name in the conduct or transaction of Business in the State,” as amended, that a certification was registered by the undersigned with the County Clerk of Cook County. Registration Number: M25000916 on September 22, 2025 Under the Assumed Business Name of S&S NEW MAGIC TOUCH with the business located at: 4519 W LAKE ST, CHICAGO, IL 60624. The true and real full name(s) and residence address of the owner(s)/partner(s) is: LYSTRA BEARD 4519 W LAKE ST, CHICAGO, IL 60624

Published in Wednesday Journal October 1, 8, 15, 2025

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PUBLIC NOTICE IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLNOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT, PROBATE DIVISION

Estate of GENEVIEVE WRIGHT, Deceased Case No. 2025 P 0049545

That the Order Admitting Will to Probate and Appointing Representative in the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois was granted on September 3, 2025 for the Estate of GENEVIEVE WRIGHT, Deceased and that KEITH WRIGHT was appointed as the Independent Executor and letters of office have issued.

This ad requests that any unknown heirs make themselves known to the attorney herein.

This ad will serve as a notice to creditors that they have 6 months from the date of filing of this petition to submit their claims.

Atty Name: Matt Leuck Attorney for Petitioner 2318 Elmwood Ave Berwyn, IL 60402 708-243-6270 xkrinkles@aol.com

Atty No. 11017

Published in RB Landmark 10/8, 10/15, 10/22/2025

PUBLIC NOTICE

In accordance with the Open Meetings Act, this is to advise you that the Riverside Township Mental Health Board will hold the below listed meeting at the listed locations:

Monthly Mental Health Board Meetings

Wednesday, October 15 @ 6:30 PM Aging Care Connections at 111 W. Harris Avenue, LaGrange, IL 60525

Wednesday, November 19 @ 6:30 PM

Riverside Township HallRoom 4, 27 Riverside Road, Riverside, Illinois

Community Engagement Committee Meetings

Tuesday, October 14 @ 6:30 PM Riverside Township HallCommunity Resource Center Office, 27 Riverside Road, Riverside, Illinois

Tuesday, November 18 @ 6:30 PM Riverside Township HallCommunity Resource Center Office, 27 Riverside Road, Riverside, Illinois

If you have any questions, please contact Board President, Adam Wilt, at awilt.rtmhb@gmail.com or call Adam at 708-804-4400.

Published in RBLandmark October 8, 2025

PUBLIC NOTICE

ADVERTISEMENT OF BIDDING For: Longfellow Park Development Project for the Park District of Oak Park.

Owner: Park District of Oak Park 218 Madison St., Oak Park, IL 60302

NOTICE TO BIDDERS

ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS

Notice is hereby given that sealed bids will be received by The Historical Society of Oak Park & River Forest (Attn: Frank Lipo) at their offices located at 129 Lake Street, Oak Park, IL 60302, until Wednesday, October 29, 2025, at 4:00 p.m. Bids will be publicly opened at that time.

ELEVATOR ADDITION

Contractors may secure, at no cost, an electronic file of the plans, specifications, and bid form from the Architect, Partners in Design Architects, Inc., 2610 Lake Cook Road, Suite 280, Riverwoods, IL 60015; Phone No. (847) 940-0300 or email Kelby Phillips at kelbyp@ pidarchitects.com. The costs associated with printing hard copies of the electronic files are the responsibility of the bidding contractor. Plans will be available on Wednesday, October 1, 2025, after 8:00 a.m.

A mandatory pre-bid walkthrough will be held on Wednesday, October 15, 2025 at 9:00 a.m. at 129 Lake Street, Oak Park, IL 60302. Bids will not be accepted from contractors that do not attend the walkthrough.

The Historical Society reserves the right to reject any or all bids in whole or in part and to waive any informality therein.

All proposals submitted shall remain firm for a period of sixty (60) days after the official opening of bids.

Published in Wednesday Journal October 8, 2025

Riverside Township hereby provides public notice that an Audit of its funds for the period April 1, 2024 through March 31, 2025 has been made, and that a report of such audit dated September 25, 2025 performed by Selden Fox, LTD has been filed with the County Clerk of Cook, Illinois, in accordance with 30 ILCS 15/0.01 et seq.

The full report of the audit is available for public inspection at the Riverside Town Hall, 27 Riverside Road, Riverside, Illinois, during regular business hours 9:00 am to 4:00 pm, Monday through Thursday, and 9:00 am to 3:00 pm on Friday, except for holidays. Published in RBLandmark October 8, 2025

PUBLIC NOTICE

ADVERTISEMENT OF BIDDING Request of bids for the Oak Park Taylor Park Electrical Relocation, 400 W. Division St., Oak Park.

Owner: Park District of Oak Park 218 Madison St, Oak Park, IL 60302

The Park District of Oak Park seeks bids for the selective demolition and playground, splash pad, courts, and hard-scape renovations at Longfellow Park, 610 S. Ridgeland Ave. Oak Park, Il. 60302. The Park District of Oak Park will receive sealed Bids until 10:00 am (Chicago time) on Thursday, October 30th, 2025, at 218 Madison St., Oak Park, Illinois. The bidding documents and requirements will be available on the Demand Star website as of 1:00pm on Friday, October 10th, 2025. An optional pre-bid Conference (walk-thru) will be held on Tuesday, October 16th, at 11:00 am, Longfellow Park, 610 S. Ridgeland Ave. Oak Park, Il. Copies of the bidding specifications are available via the Demand Star website under Active Bids at: pdop.org/rfps-bids

For additional information, contact Bill Hamilton at bill. hamilton@pdop.org or 708725-2052. This contract must adhere to the Prevailing Wage Act of 2025. Only the bids in compliance with the provisions of the bidding specifications will be considered. Minority and Women Owned businesses are strongly encouraged.

Park District of Oak Park

By: Sandy Lentz, Secretary Park District of Oak Park 218 Madison Oak Park, IL 60302

Published in Wednesday Journal October 8, 2025

The Park District of Oak Park will accept sealed bids for the Oak Park Taylor Park Electrical Relocation, 400 W. Division St., Oak Park. The project consists of relocation of electrical equipment from underground location to an above ground electrical enclosure. The Park District of Oak Park will receive individual sealed Bids until 10:00 a.m. (Central time) on Wednesday, October 29th, 2025, at 218 Madison St., Oak Park, IL. The bidding documents and requirements will be available and Active on the Demand Star website as of 2:00 pm Friday, October 10th, 2025. A nonmandatory pre-bid walk-thru is scheduled for Friday, October 17th, at 10:00 a.m. at Taylor Park at 400 W. Division St., Oak Park, IL 60304. Bid bonds will be required by bidding contractors. Copies of the bidding specifications are available via the Demand Star website under Active Bids at: pdop.org/rfps-bids

For additional information, contact Bill Hamilton at bill.hamilton@ pdop.org or (708) 725 2052. Only the bids prepared in compliance with the bidding documents will be considered. This project must adhere to the Prevailing Wage Act of 2025. The Park District of Oak Park encourages minority and women owned business firms to submit bids for this project.

Park District of Oak Park By: Sandy Lentz, Secretary Park District of Oak Park 218 Madison St. Oak Park, IL 60302

The Village of Oak Park will receive sealed bids from qualified contractors at the Public Works Center, 201 South Boulevard, Oak Park, Illinois 60302 Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. local time until 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, October 30, 2025 for the following:

Village of Oak Park

Stone & Sand Materials Bid Number: 26-102

Bid documents may be obtained from the Village’s website at https://www.oakpark.us/Building-Business/ Request-for-Proposals For questions, please call Public Works at (708) 358-5700 during the above hours.

LEGAL NOTICE

The Village of Oak Park will receive sealed bids from qualified vendors at the Public Works Center, 201 South Boulevard, Oak Park, Illinois 60302 Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. local time until 2:00 p.m. on Friday, October 31, 2025 for the following:

Village of Oak Park 2026 Water and Sewer Repair Parts and Materials Bid Number: 26-103 Bid documents may be obtained from the Village’s website at https://www.oakpark.us/Building-Business/ Request-for-Proposals For questions, please call Public Works at (708) 358-5700 during the above hours.

Published in Wednesday Journal October 8, 2025