W E D N E S D A Y
October 16, 2019 Vol. 39, No. 11 ONE DOLLAR @oakpark @wednesdayjournal
JOURNAL of Oak Park and River Forest
Open House Chicago goes west Page B1
Lake and Lathrop’s last extension? Board expresses impatience By ROBERT J. LIFKA Contributing Reporter
Despite opposition from one trustee and a threat from another to not support additional extensions, the River Forest Village Board granted extensions to the developer who plans to build a five-story, mixed-use property at the southwest corner of the intersection of Lake Street and Lathrop Avenue. The major changes of the amendment give Lake Lathrop Partners LLC more time to submit a permit application, begin construction and complete the project due to delays involving the departure of Cigar Oasis from 7619 Lake St. Lake Lathrop Properties is a joint venture between Sedgwick Properties and Keystone Ventures. The village board voted 4-1 to approve an amendment to the agreement with Lake Lathrop Partners, with Trustee Patty Henek casting the negative vote and Trustee Respicio Vazquez recusing himself, citing a common-law conflict of interest since he works for the law firm that represents River Forest School District 90 and Oak Park and River Forest High School District 200. Under the amendment, the deadline for submitting the permit application has been changed from See LAKE & LATHROP on page 12
Flag wavers
SHANEL ROMAIN/Contributor
The OPRF High School Color Guard performs with the marching band during halftime of the Huskie football team’s homecoming game on Oct. 11 at Oak Park Stadium. More photos on page 17.
Direction of OP board unclear but hopeful Board is united in wanting racial equity but divided in its approach
By STACEY SHERIDAN Staff Reporter
In the aftermath of Trustee Susan Buchanan’s now infamous outburst at the Oct. 7 village board meeting, Mayor Anan Abu-Taleb, voiced support for Buchanan in a letter to the Journal and finds himself in the precarious position of trying
to unify a fractured and dysfunctional board. “I do hope that we can come to a point where we’re moving forward,” Abu-Taleb said. Buchanan, who has since received threats, has taken accountability for her behavior in an explanatory and apologetic statement to Wednesday Journal, part
of which read, “I lost my temper at Monday’s board meeting and immediately apologized afterwards to my fellow board members, the village clerk and village manager. I will do better going forward.” She also reiterated that sentiment in person at a Monday evening finance commitSee VILLAGE BOARD on page 14
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