WednesdayJournal_111925

J URNAL

About 70 protesters gathered in Downtown Oak Park to demonstrate against the telecom giant’ contrac ts with ICE and Border Patrol

By BRENDAN HEFFERNAN Staff Reporter

About 70 people gathered in Downtown Oak Park over the weekend to protest AT&T’s contracts with ICE, Border Patrol and the Department of Homeland Security.

The protest staged outside the AT&T store at 425 N. Harlem Ave. in Oak Park was organized by the cong re gation at Unity Temple, one of 20 Unitarian Universalist cong re gations in Illinois

Mariel Hemingway makes surprise visit to O ak Park

Governor’s Blue Ribbon Schools program supplants national award

By GREGG VOSS Contributing Reporter

Oak Park is home to not one, but two, state Blue Ribbon Schools, and both are parochial. St. Giles School and Ascension Catholic School were recently awarded the distinction from the Illinois Governor’s Blue Ribbon Schools program, which came into being after the Trump administration abruptly cancelled the U.S. Department of Education’s longtime nationwide program in August. A total of 28

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Village board approved condemnation option if purchase of 11 Madison St. is not agreed to by U.S. Bank

By BRENDAN HEFFERNAN Staff Reporter

Oak Park village leaders have revealed a new direction for the village’s long-discussed new police station project.

The village is looking to purchase the U.S. Bank building at 11 Madison St. with the plan to redevelop it into a new police headquarters. At a meeting Nov. 12 the full board also signed off on a plan to acquire the site via condemnation if necessary. The building is listed for sale at $2.65 million.

The building is only two blocks away from Oak Park Village Hall, where the Oak Park Police Department has been based for decades.

“The village reviewed the property and determined that it’s suitable for adaptive reuse for a new police station,” said John Melaniphy, Oak Park’s assistant village man-

ager for economic vitality. “The village then began negotiating to purchase the property After several rounds of negotiation over several months and multiple offers from the village, a standstill was reached. In order to provide the village with an opportunity to acquire the property at an acceptable price and within a timeline necessary for a new police station, the attached ordinance was prepared for the village to obtain title by condemnation.”

The building is approximately 37,000 square feet and already has its own parking lot, according to village documents

Details on this plan emerged just over one week before a special board meeting on the future of the police station and Village Hall renovation projects is set to take place Thursday, Nov. 20. The project had been expected to deliver the Oak Park Police Department a new standalone police station on the patch of grass south of Village Hall’s parking lot at Lombard and Adams. The cost of that project was expected to have eclipsed $80 million on top of the costs for the planned renovations to the Village Hall building.

Trustee Jim Taglia said the move to purchase a building for adaptive reuse rather than constructing a brand-new building

makes sound financial sense.

“From what I can see, this is a fiscally prudent approach, it’s far cheaper than a new construction and an efficient use of our capital,” Taglia said. “Time is money in this sort of endeavor, and it’s important to get moving on it. I think everyone on this board has wanted to move on a new site, and members of previous boards.”

“It offers good long-term value, it’s a real value play for the future.”

The OPPD presently operates out of Village Hall’s basement, a space considered too small and outdated to suit the needs of a modern village police department. The village has been working to find a path to a new base of operations for the OPPD since at least 2015, when it commissioned a property condition assessment on Village Hall.

Over the last decade, the village has spent millions on design work, kicked around several concepts and hired a new architect for the project.

Next week’s special meeting comes as the board is in the thick of finalizing Oak Park’s budget for next year. The board is expected to vote on adopting the final budget on Dec. 2, its next meeting following the special session and its last meeting of 2025.

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

BOARD OF

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

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Unexpectedly, RF term limits measure fails to get board vote

No fur ther action planned, says Adduci

By ROBERT J. LIFKA Contributing Reporter

The saga of term limits in River Forest took another twist Nov. 17 when a village board resolution to place a binding referendum on the question on the November 2026 ballot failed for the lack of a second.

Following a unanimous vote by the village board Oct. 13 to direct staff members to prepare a resolution to place a binding referendum on the Nov. 3, 2026, election ballot, officials were expected to approve the placement Nov. 17. But, after Trustee Lisa Gillis made the motion to approve the resolution, none of the other five trustees present seconded the motion.

At issue is whether a referendum approved by voters April 1 was advisory or binding.

Placed by a citizens group, the referendum asked, “Shall the Village of River Forest, after the April 1, 2025, Consolidated Election, enact term limits for the elected offices of

Village President, Village Clerk, and the six (6) Village Trustees for no more than two (2) four-year (4-year) terms total as follows: for each of three (3) Trustees beginning with the April 3, 2027 Consolidated election, and for the Village President, Village Clerk, and three (3) Trustees starting with the April 6, 2029 Consolidated election?”

Although the referendum question itself was unchallenged, language on the documents accompanying the petition has caused confusion about whether that referendum was binding or advisory. The Yes votes totaled 53.15%, compared to 46.8% for the No votes.

Village President Cathy Adduci said no further action on the matter is expected in the near future.

“On October 27, the board unanimously directed the staff to prepare language to put term limits on the ballot for the November 2026 general election,” she said in a statement to Wednesday Journal yesterday. “This past Monday the board did not advance the ter m limit referendum.

“What is next is perhaps the proponents of the term limit referendum will seek an advisory opinion by the Attorney General’s Office. Our village attorney has advised us that the attorney general is not authorized to provide written opinions to municipalities. There are no plans to bring this issue up again, at this time.”

Asking the Illinois Attorney’s General’s Office for an opinion on the question was raised by resident Margie Cekander during the citizen comments portion of the Nov. 17 meeting.

Trustees Megan Keskitalo, Bob O’Connell and Respicio Vazquez explained their lack of action after the meeting.

“I am against term limits,” O’Connell said, adding he would have voted against the resolution had it reached a vote.

Keskitalo and Vazquez indicated they were listening to residents

“The community asked for other measures we haven’t explored,” Keskitalo said.

“The people have spoken against it,”

Vazquez said.

Trustees Erika Bachner and Katie Brennan were not available after the meeting and could not be reached for comment afterward.

In addition to debating whether the April vote was advisory or binding, discussion at the sometimes contentious meeting Oct. 13 centered on whether a future binding referendum was necessary.

On Oct. 13, Bachner advocated instituting term limits by passing an ordinance based on the April referendum results, which Lance Malina, village attorney, advised against.

He said implementing term limits by ordinance based on an advisory referendum would be “like a time bomb” that would go of f if a candidate challenged its legality. However, he allowed that there might never be a challenge.

Plans called for the resolution to be considered at the Oct. 27 board meeting but officials learned such action would not meet an election code requirement.

OPFD seeks funds for six new e hter

Request follows village and union studies of

By BRENDAN HEFFERNAN Staff Reporter

Salaries and benefits for six new Oak Park firefighters and paramedics are among the unfunded requests in the still-to-be-approved Oak Park village budget for 2026.

After months of work by village staf f and the village’s finance committee, Oak Park’s entire village board is set to review 2026’s operating budget on Tuesday, Nov. 18. Within the budget document submitted to the board, there are descriptions of several short-term and long-term “unfunded requests.”

That includes an unfunded budget request for salaries and other compensation for several new Oak Park firefighters and paramedics.

“Short-term unfunded requests for fiscal year 2026 include six Firefighter/Paramedics at $684,570, based upon $114,095 for entry level salary and fringe benefits,” village staf f wrote in the document.

The budget document also describes plans for a new command position within the fire department, a training lieutenant to be paid a salary of over $178,000. The village also recently approved the purchase of a new tower fire engine for $2.284 million, according to village documents.

The staffing request follows board discussion from earlier in the fall concerning a staffing crunch at OPFD, as two sperate studies of the fire department re ported that low staffing levels are putting heavy strain on firefighters and command staf f.

Oak Park’s village government commissioned consultant Baker Tilly to study its fire department, with the group publishing its re port in September shortly after the labor union for Oak Park’s firefighters released a study it had commissioned on its own.

Baker Tilly’s survey found that well over 90% of Oak Park firefighters feel that the department’s staffing levels leave them overworked and impact their safety on the job.

“The survey highlights the dedication and professionalism of staf f who are well-trained and have access to

professional development opportunities,” the re port said. “However, the survey results suggest the department is facing significant challenges related to leadership, staffing, adequate apparatus, and resource allocation. Respondents expressed a need for more proactive leadership from the department administration and consistently conveyed concerns about being understaffed and overworked, given the high call volume and the amount of overtime they were working. The survey suggests that these concerns are taking a toll on morale.”

Nearly 70% of survey respondents also said that the department’s staffing levels sometimes delay fire depart ment response times, according to the re port

The union’s study recommended that Oak Park hire 9 new firefighters to deal with the crunch. That added staffing, the union’s re port said, would bring Oak Park closer to 4 firefighters per fire apparatus, up from a current level of only 3 firefighters.

“This will help ensure that when you or your family call 911, the right number of trained firefighters arrive quickly and ready to protect lives and property,” the study concluded According to both re ports, OPFD responded to more calls for service in 2024 than it had in any year since at

JAVIER GOVEA

Oak Park trustee appears in court for rst time on federal charges

Oak Park Trustee Brian Straw and co-defendants will appear in court next on Dec. 4

By BRENDAN HEFFERNAN Staff Reporter

Oak Park Village Trustee Brian Straw appeared in court for the first time Wednesday after being indicted on federal conspiracy charges in connection with a protest at the Broadview ICE Detention Facility.

Straw was one of several progressive political figure indicted on felony conspiracy to impede the work of a federal law enforce ment officer and assaulting resisting/impeding officer according to U.S. Norther District of Illinois court docu ments filed last month.

indictment alleges that Stra and his co-defendants among a crowd of protestor who blocked, pushed anged on a vehicle bein a federal officer into CE’s Broadview Detention facility the morning of Sept. 26.

ney Christopher Parente objected to that condition, saying that the measure was unnecessary and comparing the requirement to ICE agents approaching residents and demanding their identification.

“He’s described himself as a ‘boring suburban dad,’ he is a small business owner, he has a wife and two kids, Mr. Straw isn’t going anywhere,” Parente said. “The landscapho were chased down the street in Oak Park over the eekend can’t stand up to the nment, but Mr. Straw

deral Prosecutor Sheri Mecklinberg dismissed that assertion, saying that Straw was asking for “special treat-

“This is not the place for him to make himself known, to make his position made,” Mecklinberg said.

Straw’s co-defendants are 9th District U.S. essional candidate Katherine “Kat” Abughazaleh, Cook County board candidate Catherine “Cat” Sharp, 45th ward Demoommitteeman Michael Rabbit and two other protestors named Joselyn Walsh and Andre Martin.

appeared in court before Judge Heather McShain for the first time Wednesday afternoon as they were arraigned on their federal charges. The courtroom filled quickly, but more than 100 observers watched the proceedings on the 19th floor of the federal court building, including State enate President Don Harmon, Oak Park President Vicki Scaman and Oak Trustee Derek Eder.

Prosecutors did not seek pretrial detenany of the defendants but were looking to require each of them to turn over their passports, which the federal pretrial officers did not recommend. Straw’s attor-

Judge McShain sided with Straw and Parente, refusing to impose the passport requirement on any of the defendants. Parente told Wednesday Journal after the hearing that the objection was Straw’s idea, who is also an attor ney

“That was all Brian’s idea, and that’s just who he is,” Parente said. “The government is throwing its weight around and demanding passports from people in Oak Park, like our landscapers and others who can’t stand up to them. Brian has the luxury of being able to push back, and he pushed back and the judge saw it the right way. There’s no reason that he should turn his passport in. It’s nice for the government to be told ‘no’ and that’s what the judg e did here.”

Straw will appear in court next on Dec. 4 before Judge April Perry.

“We’ re looking forward to trial,” Parente said. “We’ re confident that Brian will be exonerated as soon as this jury’s impaneled.”

BRIAN STRAW

The grill is red up at Gyumon

Japanese BBQ concept joins its sister restaurant, Kyuramen, across the street

By RISÉ SANDERS-WEIR Eats Reporter

After a long wait, the beautifully designed Gyumon Japanese BBQ restaurant at 105 N. Marion St. in Oak Park is open to customers. The yakiniku dining experience is unlike anything else in the area, according to the owners.

“It’s called table barbecue,” Hui Zhu, co-owner, said. “A group can hang out, chat and do cooking in the same time. The meat is very fresh because you eat right after you cook. And each slice coming to your table is cut no more than one hour before you place order.”

Stepping through its doors is like passing through a wooden gate, then under a gabled roof of a classic Japanese home or establishment. Inside the dining plan is all you care to eat in a 90-minute seating. With either a $55 “Diamond” or $45 “Gold” option.

For that one price, you can start with salads and soups, like udon, miso and seafood. Appetizers, such as spring rolls, edamame and shrimp tempura, are unlimited too.

Next, order from a wide selection of meats. When the raw pieces arrive, the grill is turned on at the table and specialized ventilation keeps smoke, steam, and excess heat pulled away from diners. Grillables include wagyu beef (sliced several ways), beef tongue, pork belly, marinated chicken, w

than 10 options because each pa different taste some has a little more y

Miso soup with squid and pork sausages on the grill

RISÉ SANDERS-WEIR

S’mores inside is a rare treat.

Diners make selections on an iPad-style tablet and can order several times throughout the seating. Hot tea and sodas are included with each meal. Liquor is extra.

But wait there’s more: a selection of sushi nigiri and hand rolls also fall under the one price umbrella.

And if you’ve saved room, you can grill s’mores right at the table too

The restaurant has been open for less than a month, but the owners are already making adjustments based on customer requests. They now offer an a la carte lunch option every day between noon – 4 p.m. This is to accommodate those who want a lighter meal at midday.

Hui Zhu and his co-owners, Miao Chen, Ziyi Wang, also own Kyuramen across the street. That restaurant is franchised from an international chain. Their locations in Oak Park and in downtown Chicago were the first in Illinois. Gyumon is an original concept and not part of a larger

brand identity

Tucked into the lobby of the restaurant is Uni Uni bubble tea. It is a Chicago-based company with high quality standards, according to Zhu.

“All the tea leaves, we import from Taiwan,” Zhu said. “Taiwan invented the boba tea. Then we use a lot of very good organic milk and also use tapioca powder We made tapioca every day, fresh. So that’s why we make our tea very healthy and very fresh.”

There are 12 varieties of tea on the menu, including classic milk teas, fresh fruit teas, flavored Yakult, lattes, and smoothies. Toppings and boba selections abound. Cheese foam is an option too.

In the summertime the doors to the restaurant will open, making the Uni Uni counter easy to see and access for customers whether they are dining at Gyumon or not.

There was a long wait for grills from Japan and to get the interior of the restaurant the way the owners wanted, but they continue to be encouraged by the reception of their restaurants in Oak Park and especially on Marion Street.

“We try to bring different concepts into this area. That’s why we do the ramen before and now we do the barbecue and the bubble tea,” Zhu said. “That’s the environment that we like. We like a walking environment, very welcoming.”

Grill Your Own Ad venture

Address: 105 N. Marion St., Oak Park

Hours: Sun-Thurs, noon to 10:30 p.m. Fri-Sat, noon to 11 p.m.

RISÉ SANDERS-WEIR Ow ners Hui Zhu, Miao Chen, Ziyi Wang

RISÉ SANDERS-WEIR Wagy u ribeye RISÉ SANDERS-WEIR

Yakiniku

RISÉ SANDERS-WEIR

D90 and teachers reach tentative contract agreement

RFEA review, rati cation are next steps, along with board approval

By GREGG VOSS Contributing Reporter

While River Forest Education Association co-presidents Cindy Crannell and Lauren Baiocchi are pleased a tentative contract ag reement has been struck with River Forest School District 90, there is still a sizable hurdle.

That being ratification of the contract by its members, which requires a majority of those voting. Voting will begin Dec. 1 and will last up to five days, they said. Additionally, the District 90 board of education will have to provide its approval, likely in December.

According to a joint statement from Crannell, Baiocchi and Supt. Ed Condon, “both the negotiations teams agree not to release details of the tentative agreement until final ratification and approval. We are pleased that the parties reached a tentative agreement through a collaborative effort.”

Baiocchi, who said an RFEA membership meeting is being planned to discuss

the contract, said the early reactions are positive from teachers who have been working without a contract since August.

“I know at my building there was a sense of gratitude to myself and my colleagues, ‘Thank you for getting us to this point,’” said Baiocchi, a third-grade teacher at Lincoln Elementary School. “This is a big step in the right direction.”

Crannell, a STEAM teacher from prekindergarten through fourth grade at Willard Elementary School, agreed.

“A lot of people felt gratitude to the work we put in and really advocating for them,” she said.

With a score of 85.36, Lincoln earned Exemplary status for the third year in a row according to the Illinois Re port Card released last month by the Illinois State Board of Education. Willard (86.17) was declared Exemplary for the four th straight year. Exemplary is the designation for schools that rank in the top 10% of the state. The next 67% are considered Commendable, which is what Roosevelt Middle

School earned

Strong turnout at the public comment portion of school board meetings this fall showed the community support for topflight education in River Forest, Crannell said.

“Definitely it shows RFEA members (that they) support us and I think some of them did not know the situation we were in, our salaries were not being competitive, people were feeling really pinched and looking elsewhere, at other contracts,” she said. “They really value us, attending board meetings until nine at night on a school night with kids at home.”

Assuming it is ratified by RFEA membership and approved by the school board, the pair said the new contract will make the district better by not only retaining strong teachers, but also attract top graduating talent from colle ges and universities, which is in short supply, according to data from the Illinois Education Association.

“Educational programs within universities are shrinking,” Crannell said, “not as

many are going into teaching. (There is a) smaller pool of graduates that are entering the workforce.

“The teacher shor tage is a real thing. When we have retirements, they will have a better pool of candidates, more of them, and I believe it will put River Forest back on the map as one of the best districts to work for.”

She also said that teachers are leaving the field for a variety of reasons, including lack of schedule flexibility, inability to work from home and generally “a lot of energy expended during the day.”

But there is no other profession for her.

“It’s going to sound cliché, but it’s a very rewarding job,” she said. “I think it’s a really interactive job, and I feel like I have a family with the people I work with. There are never two days the exact same.”

Baiocchi added that good teachers are invaluable for children’s futures.

“I feel very strongly about making connections with kids,” she said. “Nobody gets anywhere without teachers.”

Nov 24 - Noon to 8pm

Nov 25 - Noon to 8pm

, Nov 27 - Noon to 8pm

Nov 26 - Noon to 8pm Thurs, Nov 27 - Noon to 8pm Fri, Nov 28 - 10am to 8pm Sat, Nov 29 - 10am to 7pm

Nov 28 - 10am to 8pm

Nov 29 - 10am to 7pm

West Sub earns F grade in Leapfrog ratings

Hospital lacked sta to complete sur vey, says CEO

By DAN HALEY Interim Editor

West Suburban Medical Center was one of three hospitals in the Chicago metro area to receive an F in the twice-annual Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade ratings announced earlier this month. Weiss Memorial, West Sub’s nowshuttered sister hospital that’s also owned by Resilience Health, was given an F too.

Significantly, West Sub did not complete the Leapfrog survey, which measures patient outcomes across nearly 30 categories, from infections to patient rights and staffing. Dr. Manoj Prasad, West Sub’s CEO, told the Tribune that gathering the data for the assessment was too time consuming as the hospital faces staffing shor tages.

Leapfrog said that it uses other data sources to grade hospitals in addition to the infor ma-

tion provided by hospitals in the survey.

Across the nation, only 23 hospitals received overall F grades in the current Leapfrog rating.

In this area, Loretto Hospital in Austin received a B, while Rush Oak Park Hospital earned a C. Resilience Health was for med in 2023 to purchase both Weiss and West Sub from Pipeline, a California-based provider. Both hospitals are considered safety net institutions based on the percentage of their patients covered by Medicare or Medicaid. In August, the federal government terminated Weiss Memorial’s connection to Medicare and Medicaid, effectively closing of f financial reimbursements to Resilience. The hospital was closed shortly thereafter. At a press conference over the summer, Prasad acknowledged that West Sub was in dire financial condition and decided how it paid bills based on the amount of money received on any given day.

AN APPOINTMENT OF COURAGE

Iam a pale skinned Irish woman. Of course, this has been true my whole life. However, at times I certainly did not act like it. I have spent hours and hours in the sun. As a child, I swam every day of the summer. In college, I spent summers lifeguarding at a country club.

My mother warned me that I should not be in the sun too much. She said my skin was like that of royalty, not a peasant in the fields. As such, I needed to protect my skin from the sun, not expose it.

What my mother did not understand was that I wanted to be a peasant. At least have skin like one. Back then, in the 1970s and 80s, tanned skin was the sign of status. Even the royals were aspiring to have the suntanned skin of a peasant. Sadly, despite all my efforts, I never achieved a suntan. At best, I sported “a little color.”

By the time I reached 21 yrs old, I had suffered numerous blistering sunburns and been exposed to a lifetime of sunshine. When I noticed an unusual mole on my stomach, I started to get a sinking feeling in my gut. Could this be the dreaded skin cancer? Clearly, it would be no surprise considering my background. But still, I was young, and we all think cancer can’t happen to us.

So, I did what many of us do when faced with a potential health crisis, I ignored it. I hoped it would just go away on its own. It did not. Because the mole was on my stomach, nobody knew about it but me. That is, until I went to the dermatologist for an unrelated skin issue on my lip.

Once in the dermatologist’s exam room, I pointed to the dry patch on my lip. The dermatologist took a look then left the exam room to obtain a prescription.

While he was gone, I looked around the exam room and saw a skin cancer poster. It featured photographs of cancerous moles. The mole on my stomach looked like one of those cancerous moles.

Thankfully, the dermatologist did not return for about 15 minutes. That delay

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gave me the time to summon up the courage needed to tell him about my stomach mole. He took one look at it and started a flurry of activity. The next thing I knew that stomach mole was being sent to the lab for examination.

Sure enough, it was cancerous. The deadliest skin cancer, malignant melanoma. Thankfully, it was caught early. The cancer was removed without skin grafting or the need for radiation and chemotherapy. I got really lucky.

Of course, it would have been better to be proactive, heed my mother’s warning to stay out of the sun, and not get cancer in the first place. At least, I had the courage to face reality and seek help when I knew something was not right.

Now, I am very proactive about staying out of the sun and attending to all areas of my medical care. I listen to my body and take advantage of any tests or screenings that will provide information into the state of my health. Knowledge is power. Thankfully, like me, healthcare is evolving from reactive to proactive.

Proactive healthcare, also known as preventive care, focuses on identifying and addressing potential health issues before they become serious and even trying to prevent disease from developing in the first place. Proactive healthcare involves regular check-ups, screenings, and education to promote healthy habits.

Reactive healthcare, also known as sick care, involves treating illnesses after they have manifested. It focuses on managing symptoms and providing treatment to alleviate the effects of the disease. This approach is usually more expensive and time-consuming than proactive healthcare. Proactive healthcare often leads to early

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diagnosis of cancer. This significantly increases a person’s chance of survival. Plus, there is better treatment efficacy, enhanced treatment outcomes, better recovery, and improved quality of life. Early cancer diagnosis drastically increases survival rates. Stage 1 survival rates are typically 80%, stage 4 rates often are 10% or less.

In the case of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s, early detection is critical. Nothing can reverse it, but therapeutics can slow disease progression if caught early.

Here are some tests and screenings you should be aware of:

1. General Health & Vital Signs – Yearly Checkup

• Blood pressure check

• Heart rate & rhythm

• Body mass index (BMI) & waist circumference

• Temperature, oxygen saturation

2. Blood & Urine Tests

• Complete Blood Count (CBC) – anemia, infection, blood disorders.

• Comprehensive Metabolic Panel (CMP)

– liver, kidney function, electrolytes, blood sugar.

• Fasting blood glucose / HbA1c –diabetes

• Lipid panel (cholesterol, triglycerides) –heart disease

• Thyroid function tests (TSH, T4)

• Urinalysis – kidney health, diabetes, infection.

• Vitamin D, B12, iron studies –for deficiencies

• Inflammatory markers (CRP, ESR) –cardiovascular/autoimmune

3. Cancer Screenings

• Colorectal cancer – colonoscopy every 10 years starting at 45

• Breast cancer (women) – mammograms every 1–2 years starting at 40

• Cervical cancer (women) – Pap smear every 3 years, HPV testing every 5 years starting at 21.

• Prostate cancer (men) – PSA test and

digital rectal exam starting at 50 (earlier if high risk)

• Skin checks – annual dermatology exam for moles and lesions

• Lung cancer – low-dose CT if heavy smoking history

4. Heart & Vascular Health

• Electrocardiogram (EKG/ECG) –baseline rhythm check

• Echocardiogram / stress test – heart symptoms or risk factors.

• Carotid artery ultrasound / anklebrachial index – high vascular risk.

5. Bone & Joint Health

• DEXA scan (bone density) – women over 65, men over 70, earlier if risk factors for osteoporosis.

• Vitamin D and calcium monitoring – if low bone density risk.

6. Eye & Ear Health

• Eye exam – every 1–2 years, more often with vision changes, diabetes, or glaucoma risk.

• Hearing test – baseline in midlife, repeat every few years

7. Advanced or Optional Screening

• Cardiac calcium score – heart disease risk assessment

• Full-body MRI / PET scan –“early detection”

• Genetic testing – family history

• Prenuvo scan – a whole-body MRIbased screening; non-invasive

8. Lifestyle & Functional Health

• Sleep assessment – sleep apnea evaluation, if snoring, fatigue, or obesity.

• Mental health check-in – depression, anxiety, stress evaluation.

• Nutritional & fitness evaluation – diet, exercise, body composition analysis.

Like healthcare you should also be proactive about your estate planning. Don’t leave a mess for your family to deal with when you are gone. Creating an estate plan is a little bit of inconvenience for you but yields a great benefit for your family.

THERESA CLANCY Estate Planning Attorney

Police response investigation approved Police Chief stands by Oak Park o cers’ response to downtown teen takeover

By BRENDAN HEFFERNAN Staff Reporter

Oak Park’s board of trustees voted to give the village’s Citizen’s Police Oversight Committee a role in the after-the-fact investigation into the multi-agency police response to the large crowds of teenagers in downtown Oak Park on Halloween night.

The board voted 6-1 Tuesday, Nov. 11 to pass a motion directing CPOC to be part of the investigation into the incident. Community members had called for an investigation after River Forest police officers deployed multiple rounds of pepper balls in two locations along Lake Street after Oak Park police called for help controlling a crowd of some 500 teens and young people after reports of fighting and shots fired in the area.

An after-action investigation into the events of the evening would’ve occurred either way the board voted on if CPOC had a role in it, Village Manager Kevin Jackson said.

“One of the things that’s critically important is that we get clear information out to the trustees and the public about what occurred and how our system works,” he said.

The move to include CPOC in the process comes after the village board voted over the summer to accept a consultant’s report that laid the groundwork for reshaping how the volunteer oversight board operates, eventually giving the body more responsibility and village staff support The village will likely sign another contract with Pivot, the consultant which developed the CPOC report the board accepted this year, to support the committee in its role in the investigation as a “professional facilitator,” Jackson said.

Oak Park Village President Vicki Scaman said that the investigation is intended to help village leaders learn from how the night played out.

“This is about us and our review,” she said. “Truly for all of us to be able to wrap our brains around not just what the police are going through but how the whole situation unfolded. A third-party investigator is a good way to do that and also a somewhat common practice.”

“We aim to have a mechanism here in Oak Park where we have that immediate response to our community to answer questions.”

Oak Park Police Chief Shatonya Johnson addressed the board with an impassioned defense of her officers’ actions on the scene, as

they navigated a chaotic and dangerous situation.

“We were trying to get these kids away from Forest Avenue where the shot went off and to ensure that we didn’t have anyone hurt and to prevent individuals from being trampled on trying to flee the scene,” Johnson said. “It took us about three hours to gain control of what was a chaotic scene with a great deal of disorder. I was out there and from my perspective, officers maintained a great deal of restraint as they were being sweared at, threatened and completely disregarded.”

“We are on the heels of the anniversary of our officer being murdered just a few blocks away from where the gunshot went off. To see over 500 kids in the area, anyone of them could’ve been struck by that, anyone of our officers.”

She also warned board members that a village investigation could discourage other area police departments from responding to Oak Park’s requests for mutual aid in the future.

Halloween was the first time that Oak Park police had made a crowd control mutual aid request since 2020, when it had asked for support amid demonstrations in downtown Oak Park following the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police

Trustee Cory Wesley said that aside from the RFPD’s use of pepper balls, he felt that law enforcement handled the situation as well as could be asked of them.

“This was chaos, I don’t think there’s any other way to word it,” Wesley said. “I do want to call out that we had about 500 largely Black kids and young adults in downtown Oak Park who were not there to have a good time, they were there to create turmoil, and they all walked away with their lives and their freedom. There are many places where that wouldn’t happen. So, I am deeply appreciative of our police force.”

“Had the pepper balls not been deployed, I probably wouldn’t have had a second thought about this. That’s the only part of this that makes me uncomfortable.”

Trustee Jim Taglia was the only trustee to vote against including CPOC in the investigation.

“I would say that there’s a tendency in our community to try to micromanage our police department,” he said. “At some points, I think we need to allow the police department to review its own situations.”

Wesley and Johnson both referenced see-

ing posts online in the days following Halloweens from young people saying that they were planning to come back to Oak Park for another “teen takeover.”

“There are lots of posts saying that ‘we should go back’, I know, because I’ve seen them,” Wesley said. “We are sitting here contemplating the situation in a way that’s different from the people who showed up to create the chaos. They are not contemplating this as ‘oh my God, we went to Oak Park and had a horrible time and barely made it out with our lives.’ They’re contemplating this as ‘we went to Oak Park, we staged a huge crowd of folks in downtown Oak Park and it was so great that we’re thinking about going back.’ I don’t know what to think about that.”

Trustee Jenna Leving Jacobson said that the fact that chemical munitions were turned on a crowd that included many minors makes an investigation essential.

“I think we all share a lot of the same questions about what happened, most importantly how do we prevent a situation like that in the future in our community where children are violated in that way with dangerous weapons,” she said. “I think clarity is what all of us want.”

River Forest officials told Wednesday Journal last week that its officers had used the chemical munitions in response to the fights and the report of gun shots.

River Forest said its officers are provided with pepper ball guns after proper training and that it had reviewed body cam footage from the evening and concluded its officer had “properly deployed” the pepper balls and been successful in helping disperse the crowd.

“Pepper balls were deployed in two instances,” said River Forest officials. “The first was in the area of Lake Street and Forest Avenue right after a confirmed report of a gun being fired. The pepper balls were deployed at the ground at an individual armed with a bat and disobeying an officer’s commands. This intervention de-escalated the situation and dispersed the crowd.

“The second incident in which a River Forest officer deployed pepper balls was in the area of Lake Street and Harvey Avenue. The officer was responding to assist Oak Park police with a fight in progress. The pepper balls were deployed at the ground at numerous individuals [who were] actively striking a victim. This intervention de-escalated the situation and dispersed the crowd,” said the River Forest statement.

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

CRIME

Don Harmon sta er robbed at o ces in Oak Park

By BRENDAN HEFFERNAN Staff Reporter

A member of Illinois Senate President Don Har mon’s staff was held at knife point by a man posing as a constituent inside of the senator’s Oak Park offices over the weekend

On Friday, Nov. 14 at approximately 11:11 a.m., an assistant to Harmon reported that a man knocked on the door of the Constituent Service Office at 6941 North Ave., police said.

The man asked about a bill and when the assistant looked away to their computer and then turned back, the man was holding a knife in one hand and the assistant’s cell phone in the other. He asked, “do you have a wallet?” The assistant stood up and went to a door that leads to the campaign office. There, a different assistant called 911, while she called her husband who was able to track the phone’s location in real time, according to police

The man, a 35-year-old resident of 3900 block of N. Lincoln Avenue, was arrested on charges of armed robbery at approximately 12:51 p.m. on Friday on the 1700 block of Narragansett Ave. in Chicago, according to police

PROTEST

Calling AT&T to account

from page 1

which org anized protests of the telecom giant on Sunday, Nov. 16. The protest was meant to draw attention to the “hypocrisy” of AT&T’s contracts with the DHS to provide information technology and network support to ICE, according to protest organizer Anne White.

“It was to bring attention to anyone who drove by, to the possible customers, to citizens, to normal people that AT&T has a multimillion, multi-year contract with ICE, and it is their communication equipment that is one of the main underpinnings of communication for ICE and the Border Patrol,” White said. “AT&T has been around since 1876, profiting of f of the American trust. They’re the reason ICE can communicate, that needs to be broadcast to the country.

AT&T has several high dollar contracts with the DHS, including a deal it signed in 2021 with the agency that could end up paying out more $160 million by 2032. Earlier this year AT&T signed another $11.3 million deal to provide data-analytics services to ICE and a $14 million deal to provide net-

Aggravated assault with a deadly weapon arrest

Oak Park police arrested a man with an acti state warrant for aggravated assault with a over the weekend.

Police arrested a 27-year-old El Paso, TX man on the felony charge after stopping him for a traffic violation in the 600 block of South Humphrey Avenue shortly p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 15, according to police.

The man is now in Cook County custod county records.

These items were obtained from Oak Pa ment re ports dated Nov. 11–18 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 ha not yet been adjudicated. We re port the 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.

enforcement ef fort, leading to re gular protests, court challenges and alle gations that the arrests have amounted to a pattern of civil rights violations.

“I think it was a response from people who were so angry and upset over what happened in little Oak Park the weekend before,” White said. “I call it being on high alert. We’re all on high alert for what’s going on in Chicagoland and in our own community.”

“My heart absolutely breaks when I think about the children who do not know where their mother or their father or both are, because they’ve been swept away, zip tied and disappeared, and I just cannot imagine what is going what, what will result from this in the long term for little children.”

White said that Unity Temple cong re gation members will be involved in continued demonstrations against ICE, Border Patrol and AT&T, relying on the sound of their voices and the whistles some have started car rying to blow during ICE sightings.

work services support to U.S. Border Patrol, according to federal financial records.

The corporation is valued at over $300 billion.

Protestors had ICE’s impact in Oak Park at front of mind, White said.

ICE agents re por tedly detained four peo-

ple in Oak Park the week before on Saturday, Nov. 8, according to local immigrants’ rights group PASO West Suburban. Hundreds of Chicagoland residents have been arrested by ICE and Border Patrol over the course of President Donald Trump’s Operation Midway Blitz civil immigration

“Here’s this enormous telecom communication company, and just think of the power they have,” White said. “And what do we have? Little plastic whistles.”

“We have these little whistles but look at what they’re doing. Yeah, the power of people with whistles. That alone is a beautiful story.”

TODD BANNOR

Protesters march along Lake Street to the Harlem Avenue AT&T store, Sunday a ernoon.

Two OPRF students use pepper spray in school hallway

Help set the table for change

The expression, “putting food on the table”, has taken on a deeper meaning this holiday season. Our food pantry is facing an unexpected challenge. e food bank that supplies the majority of our food has put us on notice: We will not receive the usual volume of holiday food supplies this year, due to federal cuts in funding.

now occupy.

e Share Food Share

Love food pantry is a place where everyone can truly “make a di erence”. Our two-fold mission is to help reduce hunger in our area and the causes of that hunger. We have set out to do this by “connecting the four corners of community”. Bringing together all who are shareholders in a shared cause: Neighbors in need, volunteers, donors, and strategic partners.

We’re all neighbors here. at’s how it’s been since we started out 10 years ago in a local church basement. It wasn’t long before we became an independent, 501(c)3 non-pro t organization. And when the church went out of business, the sale of the church property was donated to the pantry. at assured the launch of the pantry, helping to pay for the 7,000 square foot former factory building we

Back in 2015, our small food pantry was visited by 860 neighbors. Last year, the pantry was visited nearly 5,000 times. Along the way, we’ve learned that setting the table for community driven change really is possible, when enough of us come together to upli all of us.

Sponsored Content

DISH ABOUT A DISH

Citrine eggplant gateau

By RISÉ SANDERS-WEIR Eats Reporter

“Eggplant is a really hit or miss thing,” diner Lori Demain said. “This dish is fluffy, complex, bursting with flavor. It’s crazy crunchy, perfectly fried super thin eggplant slices that are totally not slimy, which makes eggplant haters turn away. Wow.”

That’s how Demain described her order of eggplant gateau at Citrine Café, 100 S. Oak Park Ave., Oak Park. The dish has been on the menu for almost a decade. It’s what the general manager, Stefan Palikuca, describes as an “untouchable” –a dish that will never be removed from the restaurant’s bill of fare.

Par mesan, but a lot thicker, almost like lasagna hybrid.”

They use a deli slicer or a Microplane to get the eggplant paper thin. Then it dredged, like fried chicken, in an wash and a flour mixture, which includes both all-purpose and double “O” flour and spices, including oreg ano and thyme. It is served with house-made marinara sauce.

“It can be done at home, but it is fairly labor intensi Palikuca said.

The recipe was introduced to the restaurant by a for chef who wanted to have hearty and filling ve getarian option. This dish rises to a comfort food level.

“It’s called the eggplant gateau, which is the French word for a layered cake,” Palikuca said. “It’s a very thinly sliced, layered, breaded dish. Almost like an eggplant

Palikuca’s dad opened the restaurant. The family’s heritage infor ms some of the Mediterranean-focused menu.

“We’ re from eastern Europe, Serbia, so that’s why we have Balkan influence on the menu,” Palikuca said. “We’ re defi-

nitely Mediterranean fine dining, but we focus on all of easter n Europe. We have Serbian, Croatian touches. We have our house-made lepinja bread. It’s a traditional Serbian bread, like a grandmother would make We par bake it, finish in the woodfired oven, and serve it with a roasted red pepper eggplant spread.”

Another eggplant dish doesn’t faze Demain.

“I do love it. I grow it. I cook it. I eat it everywhere I go. Asian, Italian, doesn’t really matter,” Demain said.

Eating it at Citrine is special though. She feels the restaurant brings more than food to the table.

“Classy service! The friend I’ve eaten here with the most is a chef herself,” Demain said. “We both felt so well treated here. And then everything I’ve ever tried here that has been knock-your-socks-of f delicious. Every. Single. Thing.”

Citrine will be celebrating its 10th anniversary in Oak Park next year. They promise that eggplant gateau will stay on the menu.

Citrine’s eg gplant gateau

General Manager Stefan Palikuca and diner Lori Demain

BLUE RIBBON

Excellence recognized from page 1

schools from across the state received the honor for demonstrating exemplary academic performance.

Meg Bigane is the principal of St. Giles School and noted that her school had already been awarded national Blue Ribbon School status before that program was shut down, one of 50 private schools across the country.

Nevertheless, the state award was just as special, she said, and elicited excitement from teachers, students, parents and the community.

“It has been an overwhelming amount of joy,” Bigane said, adding that the school located at 1034 Linden Ave. celebrated with a special announcement from Rev. Carl Morello, pastor of St. Giles, a dress in blue day, blue treats, a pep rally, g ames and, of course, a special mass. Morello is effectively the pastor of three Oak Park Catholic parishes – St. Giles, St. Edmund and Ascension. A fourth parish, St. Catherine-St. Lucy closed last summer though its parish school continues to operate independently.

Over at Ascension Catholic School, 601

Van Buren St., the feeling for principal Maureen Nielsen was mutual.

“We were elated,” Nielsen said. “It’s a feeling of pride, but a little more than that – a job well done. Our teachers and students work so hard and they were being reco gnized for the work they’ve done.

“Continuous improvement is an impo tant thing. We’re proud of it, but we never done.”

Nielsen said schools with test scores in the top 15% in the nation were invited to apply for the national Blue Ribbon Schools distinction. All private schools, includin Ascension and St. Giles, applied throug the Council for American Private Educa tion (CAPE)

For both Nielsen and Bigane, the process was a long one, starting in f all 2024 and concluding the following spring with a lengthy application. Nielsen said Ascension put to g ether a committee of stakeholders, including teachers, the school board president, alumni and parents which analyzed why the school was having strong success in test scores

T he award is validation of the hard work by not only teachers and administrators, but the children themselves, she said.

“We’ re talking about little kids, and they are excited,” Nielsen said. “They have pride in their own work. It gives them purpose going forward.”

St. Giles School Pr incipal Meg Bigane (rear, 6th from le ) with facult y, sta and students at the school’s 2025 National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence Award banner on Nov. 17.

Of course, strong teachers equate to strong schools, Nielsen and Bigane agreed.

Bigane said there is a difference in salaries between public and private schools, but “we try to make up for some of that with school culWe have longstanding, dedicated teachers.”

Nielsen added that her teachers enter the profession as a vocation, not only a job.

“We are data-focused and goal-oriented,” she said. “We on progress, not perfection … test scores, teacher observations, to make sure know where the kids are, and goals so we know where want them to go.

“When you pull those together with good teachers, that’s when students are successful.”

Forest School District 90 were named Exemplary according to the 2025 Illinois Report Card that was issued in October. Other schools in those districts, along with Oak Park and River Forest High School, got close.

“We’re talking about little kids, and they are excited,” Nielsen said. “They have pride in their own work. It gives them purpose going forward

MAUREEN NIELSON

Ascension School principal

Morello said the blend of top-flight education and faith-based formation contributes to the success of both schools, and also St. Catherine-St. Lucy School.

But the awards also underscore the importance of education in the Oak Park community. Recently, several schools in both Oak Park School District 97 and River

“It is a highly educated community and it’s affluent and their expectations are high,” Morello said. “I would say the idea of strong schools and either religious education or formation are high value for most of our families.”

Bigane said Oak Park is the kind of place where families want to move because the schools are strong, both public and private.

“I think that it’s a small area that has a concentration of very strong schools, which leads to a lot of strong competition,” she said. “I think people are attracted to the smaller class sizes, which we have. People are attracted to great teachers, which we have.

“We have a lot of kids from Chicago, Galewood and Austin, and from Elmwood Park and Cicero, a diverse population that mirrors what the world looks like.”

TODD BANNOR

JARED POWELL PHOTOGRAPHY

Drone shot of Ascension School with students forming the letter “A”

FARE restaurant opens in Oak Park

Healthy, fresh and quick are the watchwords for this new board of fare

By RISÉ SANDERS-WEIR Eats Reporter

If you’ve ever ducked down the walkway between the Abion building and 1010 Lake St. to get from Lake Street to Austin Gardens, you have passed the location of a new restaurant called FARE.

The spare, yet elegant space is filled with light. This is the eighth location for a Chicago chain and its first location outside the city.

“I actually grew up in Elmhurst, so I’m a western suburb native, and it feels really good to be able to bring something healthy and fresh to the village,” co-owner Britni deLeon said.

T he ordering concept is a modified cafeteria-style, think Chipotle or Sweetg reen’s process. Just like those places, you can choose a menu combo plate or bowl; or choose by the item. But that is where the similarities veer of f.

“The idea is that you can get food that’s good for you and delicious very quickly,” deLeon said.

“It’s convenient. It’s actually healthy. It’s made with really fresh seasonal ingredients. When we were looking for food to eat, Kasha, my business partner, and I were always like, we didn’t always trust the ingredients that were in things and felt like we were compromising one for the other. Either it was healthy or it was delicious. It never felt like

RISÉ SANDERS-WEIR FARE co-owner Britni deLeon

RISÉ SANDERS-WEIR FARE’s smokey chicken plate

it was really satisfying both.”

Four times a year the menu changes to focus on ingredients that are in abundance during that season. For the fall it’s roasted squash with cinnamon and walnuts, and Brussel sprouts and apples.

There are items that are of fered year-round, such as mac and cheese, green goddess slaw, and sweet potatoes. The protein options are seasoned, but not strongly. Sauces served with each allows diners to ramp up the spiciness to their own liking.

T he ribbon-cutting was last week, but diners like Gustavo Gil and Edward Wiesneth have already tried it out.

“We always explore new things,” Gil said.

“Everything tastes fresh,” Wiesneth said. “I’m a little bit picky because I’m a dietitian. I like that it’s that there’s a lot of vegetables on the plate. It’s a good balanced meal. I look for healthy places to eat, which is hard to find.”

Many of the items are gluten-free

ting clean ingredients, very simple food,” deLeon said.

There’s a kid’s plate as well. Youngsters can choose a protein and a couple of sides. Their meal also comes with a gluten-free chocolate chip cookie. In the dining area there is a section scaled to child customers as well. The smaller tables and chairs are near a magnetic board filled with letters and numbers that kids can play with, giving adults a little more time to chat

“It is always tricky trying to satisfy everybody’s wants and needs when you go to get something to eat, especially when you want to get something quick,” deLeon said. “You can keep coming back here, making endless combinations of plates or bowls and feel like you’re getting something fresh and different all the time.”

RISÉ SANDERS-WEIR

Host an in-home concert and support local musicians

Oak Park couple shows how with a party for their home’s 100th bir thday and heirloom Steinway

By LACEY SIKORA Contributing Reporter

Here’s a way to support local musicians: host a concert in your home.

This is exactly what an Oak Park couple did recently to celebrate the 100th birthday of their home. They had the space and an heirloom Steinway.

When Alison Welch and her family moved to the 900 north block of Elmwood in 2021, they weren’ t moving far – their previous home was only a couple of blocks away. They moved to more guest space for visiting grandparents, but Welch says they gained a lot more than a spare bedroom.

The home at 939 N. Elmwood Ave. came with the perfect space to house the family’s Steinway piano, and that piano fostered deep family connections while also becoming a bridge to new friends and neighbors.

The home, which was built in 1925, has a living room that spans the front of the house. The Steinway sits in a place of honor at the front of the room. Arched windows wrap around the room, af fording views of both Taylor Park and the city of Chicago skyline.

Much like the house, the piano also recently celebrated a birthday. Not ones to let a reason to celebrate pass them by Welch family marked the piano’s birthday with a party in 2023, with Heather Peterson on the piano. About 50 people attended.

ther, Richard Steinkamp, came family hosted a 100th birthday their home. Once again, Peterson performed on the piano. Heather and her husband, Nathan, are performers and founders of The Music Building (www.

Beyond the music, this kind of event helps artists , Welch said, describing it as perfect for and River Forest. “As a commue really good at nur turing artists. It’s part of bric of our community, especially as we’re raising about providing this to people later in life, completing the continuum of a culture that we

It’s not necessary for hosts to have a grand living room or even a piano, said Welch. “Any kind of house

can do this. You can have a front porch or a den, or any cozy space.”

T he story of the piano is the story of Welch’s f amily, and with their piano and their Elmwood Avenue home they are sharing their f amily ’s connection with friends and neighbors, while also supporting T he Music Building.

In 1923, Welch’s great grandmother, Sophie Riegler, was living in Little Rock, Arkansas when she purchased a Steinway piano for her family. Welch’s father, Richard Steinkamp, learned to play on the piano and recalls music being a large part of f amily life when he was growing up.

“There was no television, so children learned in-

AY: Alison Welch’s great grandmother purchased the Steinway piano which Heather terson and her husband Nathan used in concert in the home on El mwood Avenue.

Alison Welch decided to mark her Elmwood Avenue home’s 100th anniversar y with an in-home concert.

Sue Mosher, Mariel Heming way, Dawn Livorsi, and Diana Jacobs

PHOTO BY KEITH STROM

Actress Mariel Hemingway connects with her family’s legacy

Mariel Hemingway, granddaughter of Er nest Hemingway and a notable actor in her own right, paid a surprise visit to the Hemingway Birth Home on Oak Pa rk Av enue last Saturday, according to Keith Strom, executi ve director of the Ernest Hemingway Foundation of Oak Park. It was her first trip to the villa ge. “She was lovely,” Strom said.

Here’s what she posted about her visit on Facebook last Sunday:

Yesterday, I stood in the sun-dappled rooms of my grandfather’s childhood home in Oak Park, Illinois, a place frozen in time, whispering secrets of the souls who shaped him, and in turn, shaped me. As I traced the creak of wooden floors, where my greatgrandfather Clarence once tended to patients right there in the living room, I felt a profound unraveling.

Clarence was a doctor who cared for others, yet he carried the heavy shadow of mental illness that ultimately led him to take his own life in their next home when my grandfather was in his 20’s. That truth, once a jagged edge in our family lore, now gleams like a lantern; not a curse, but a call to compassion.

And then my great-grandmother Grace Hall Hemingway, his wife, my grandfather’s mother, emerged from the stories, not as the distant figure I’d dimly judged

through old photos but as a force of radiant creation. An accomplished painter and an opera singer whose voice must have soared through these very walls. An artist who wore beauty from the threads of her days, even amid unimaginable grief.

Seeing her le gacy etched into those two homes flipped a switch in me. Our stories aren’t indictments; they’re invitations. They reveal the genetics, the history, the quiet orchestrations of survival, the way we were raised, the people and places that raised us, and the people we watched and vowed to outrun or outlove

For years, I ran away from this lineage, as if fleeing the echoes could silence them. But yesterday confirmed what my heart was trying to tell me: we either sprint toward our roots or away from them. And oh the power of leaning in. In speaking our truths aloud, not as burdens but as bridges. When we name the choices we made (the wild pivots, the armored hearts, the quiet rebellions born of others’ choices), we don’t just heal ourselves, we light the path for others to find their way. We say, “Your story matters too. It’s not a flaw; it’s your fire.”

And in that honesty, the loneliness dissolves. You feel heard. Seen. Whole. This is the abundance of le gacy not perfection, but permission. To love the life you’ve built from it all. #returnofthequeen #risetoremember #remembering

HOME CONCERT Musical celebration

from page 18

struments and performed,” he said. “My father and his siblings had Sunday afternoon performances at home, and neighbors would come.”

The piano came with Steinkamp when he moved to Washington D.C. in 1993. In 2015, he gifted the piano to Welch’s daughter Sophie, named for the piano purchaser, and the piano was shipped to Oak Park

Welch noted that her daughter Sophie is the fourth generation to learn to play on the piano, which is a meaningful connection to the past.

In 2023, Steinkamp suggested that the family should host a 100th birthday party for the piano. Welch reached out to her daughter’s choir director at Oak Park and River Forest High School to see if she had any suggestions for someone who could perform in their house on the piano. She recommended Heather Peterson.

“Everyone here was blown away by the experience of putting their phones away and enjoying music for one hour.”

ALISON WELCH

Welch said of the event: “Everyone here was blown away by the experience of putting their phones away and enjoying music for one hour. At the gathering afterwards, there was a different kind of depth to the party. People were at ease.”

Welch was struck by the power of music to forge connection, and she found like-minded people in the Petersons. The couple founded The Music Building in 2019, and it became a 501(c)3 not-for-profit this summer.

Their inspiration came from trying to recreate the support that allowed for creativity when musicians are in school.

“There are so many support systems in place in college for musicians, and most colleges have ‘the music building’ where all of those supports exist. But after college, that support falls off. Our intent in forming the organization was to create ongoing support for artists and to create opportunities for togetherness,” Nathan Peterson said.

It can be challenging for musicians to follow their creative drives after school, and Peterson says The Music Building connects

ood on Nov. 8.

who want to enjoy music and build a sense of community.

Businesses or individuals can sponsor home- or business-based concerts so that the artists get paid a living wage and the community gains more opportunities for engagement with the arts

Peterson says the hope is that more and more local homeowners will open their doors to home-based concerts. He notes that just 1% of local homes hosting a concert every few years would provide a lot of work for musicians along with many meaningful connections. “To me, it would be like resetting the heart of the community,” he says

Welch’s father has gifted her family a concert yearly for Christmas. “My dad has always been a supporter of this,” she says. Steinkamp, who said that the concerts inspired him to take up piano lessons again, said of Peterson’s efforts, “You’re really creating a market for these artists. People can hire artists on a tax-free basis.”

PROVIDED BY ALISON WELCH

PROVIDED BY ALISON WELCH

Alison Welch (far right) w ith her father, Richard Steinkamp and Heather Peterson.

DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS IS FRIDAY 5 P.M.

Call Viewpoints editor

Ken Trainor at 613-3310

ktrainor@wjinc.com

VIEWPOINTS

e Broken Tart Friday Sweepstakes

As a millennial, few things bring me more joy than a perfectly chaotic group text thread. I’ve somehow become the unofficial “group chat namer,” and the more niche the reference, the better. The crown jewel of these threads? A little text chain we call “Broken Tart :59.”

The name comes from a ritual only a certain slice of Oak Park knows: the weekly quest to secure the Friday Sandwich at Broken Tart. There’s no ficial announcement, no item on the menu board, no mention on the website. Instead, sometime around 10 a.m., they quietly post a photo of the sandwich to their am story. Last week: turkey, cheddar, apple, onion, arugula. That’s the only warning anyone gets — the culinary equivalent of a secret password s how the game works: The sandwich becomes ailable at 11 a.m. Sharp. Not early. Not late. I once watched an employee — polite but firm — tell a woman at 10:56 that she could not add “just one sandwich” to her pastry order. The rest of us in line exchanged silent looks of respect and relief Fewer loopholes = etter odds

ou make it to the register before the supply evaporates (usually by 11:25), there’s a moment. A ceremony. They hand you a bulging sandwich in an open white pastry box, look you in the eye, and give a small, knowing smile. It feels like being knighted — except with carbs

One of the unexpected joys of the Friday Sandwich is that there are no modifications. Zero. In a world where we can customize everything down to salt texture and toast shade, the decisiveness is refreshing. It removes decision fatigue — especially valuable on a Friday when our brains are already running on fumes. What you get is what the sandwich was meant to be, and it always works.

It also tastes like something originally created for the staff — something special they make for themselves — and only later decided to share with the public because they knew they’d nailed it

Once we secure our boxes, our group grabs seats outside, if the weather cooperates. Then comes the debrief: texture, balance, flavor arc, sandwich engineering. Someone always says, “They did not have to go this hard.” And yet here we are, undone by pickled vegetables and perfectly toasted bread.

There’s also the weekly heartbreak cameo: someone who walks in at 11:31 full of optimism and walks out moments later staring into their phone as if Googling, “Supply vs Demand.”

I’m sharing this for two reasons: partly kindness, more people deserve to know. But also? If the line continues to snake around the corner, maybe, just maybe, Broken Tart will start offering the sandwich more than one day a week.

So, if you plan to join the Friday Sweepstakes, may your timing be sharp, your patience firm, and your Instagram notifications on.

Because the best sandwich you may never taste can only be won if you’re in line at 10:59.

Vince Gay has over 20 years of experience in education, ranging from classroom teacher to building administrator. The proud parent of two school-aged children, he has been an active member of the Oak Park community for more than a decade

This century, America’s commitment to justice and individual rights has been tested by two crises involving two distinct immigrant groups. I am from one of those immigrant groups, and one of my colleagues on the Oak Park Township Board is from the other group.

Son of Mexican immigrants

In April of 2025, my colleague, Juan Muñoz, was elected to the Township board for the first time Six months later, he became the first Chicago-area elected official to be detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The detention occurred while he was exercising his right to protest at ICE’s detention facility Juan, a U.S. citizen, was in the protest zone and did not break any laws. He was nonetheless pulled to the ground by ICE agents; a knee to his back kept him down while his hands were zip-tied. After seven hours in custody, he was

ELSAFFAR

Oak Park Township Assessor

eleased without any charges. Sadly, the disturbing aspects of the detention — the use of excessive force, the disregard of constitutional rights, and the mistreatment an innocent person — are not limited to Juan. These tactics have een used repeatedly during Presient Trump’s “Midway Blitz.”

Son of a Muslim immigrant

In April of 2001, I was elected to the Township board for the first time. Five months later, the U.S. was attacked by terrorists from Arab countries who claimed to be Muslims. September 11 was a painful, horrifying day for Americans everywhere, as we saw thousands of people die on live TV when the Twin Towers fell.

My pain intensified when a post-9/11 backlash against Arabs and Muslims in the U.S. began to develop. It was upsetting to know that some

Re ections on political power New police station option

It will be a smart move if the village of Oak Park can take possession of the bank property at Austin Boulevard and Madison Street and re purpose it as the badly needed new police station.

The village has been ne gotiating with U.S. Bank to acquire the site that spans Humphrey Avenue. The asking price is $2.65 million and negotiations have stalled to the extent that Oak Park trustees are prepared to seize the property via condemnation or Quick Take We’re supportive of that somewhat drastic step because this option is so strong.

Remaking this handsome bank building into a modern police station preserves the building, places the police station at a very prominent intersection while remaining near village hall, and salvages the small green space at the south end of the village hall campus, which has a strong link to the neighborhood.

This project, which will be presented in more detail to the board and the public this week, is likely to be less expensive than the costly but always vague plans for new construction. And it has the advantage of separating a new police station from the also costly and vague plans for a thorough renovation of village hall. Se parating those projects both on the calendar and in figuring out how to fund both projects makes sense.

ings we like

Quite remarkable that Oak Park is home to two of the 28 Blue Ribbon schools just designated under a new program from the Governor’s Office. Also, a heady outcome that both are parochial schools.

Ascension School at Clarence and Van Buren and St. Giles on North Linden Avenue both earned the honors through strong test scores, dedicated teachers and active community support. Principals at both schools told our Gregg Voss of the elation the honor has brought to their school communities.

And as Rev. Carl Morello, the pastor of all Oak Park Catholic parishes, already did, we’d shout out to St. Catherine-St. Lucy School, which has lost its church community but moved boldly ahead as a rare stand-alone Catholic school.

Today’s paper also carries a long and thoughtful essay by Mariel Hemingway, granddaughter of Ernest Hemingway, the native of Oak Park. She spent an afternoon last week at the Hemingway Bir th Home on Oak Park Avenue. She had never been here before but clearly was moved to reflect on her complex family as she sat in those lovely Victorian rooms.

In calling up the memories of Dr. Clarence Hemingway and Grace Hall Hemingway, Ernest’s parents, she brings a grace and honor to their memories.

This is a good read.

It’s crazy time in America. Politics has become such a confusing mess, so with less than a year till the midterms, here’s my attempt to sor things out:

Power – It is the principal aim of politics. The Rs seem to understand this better than the Ds. Without powe can’t get much accomplished. Best if your candidate wins the White House with sizable majorities in both “houses” of Congress so your party can pass legislation that might benefit constituents. With Rs, that means the rich. Wi it means everybody else. Since it would be easy to outvote rich people (if they didn’t have so much money to throw around), the Rs are forced to appeal to a wider coalition, a motley crew and strange brew, ranging from the KKK to Evangelical Christians for whom the apocalypse can’ t come soon enough. So Rs pursue power with ferocious desperation, using any means necessary, such as lying with reckless abandon and finding creative ways to keep the poor and people of color from voting. Ds, on the other hand, seem to approach power as if it were an electrified third rail Governing – With political power three things are possible: Use it to do good. Use it to do harm. Or use it to do nothing at all. Rs prefer to do nothing at all, and they use their power to make sure Ds can’t do anything either. But now they are led by a wild-eyed activist who is hell-bent on doing as much har m as possible, using his political power to pay the world back for not loving him. And he will wreak unholy hell on them if they don’t meekly comply. Ds, meanwhile, desperately want to do good, but they are wary of what it takes to gain power. That makes them look “weak” in the eyes of hardcore American voters, who, first and foremost, want “strength” in their leaders. Intelligence, sanity, a sense of humor, common sense — even making sense? Way, way down the list.

TRAINOR

ion, they pretend that the wild excesses conservative extremists are perfectly normal. They begin every newscast with the words, “President Trump …” as if bowing before a shrine. They will maintain this neutrality until the last vestiges of democracy are flushed down the gold-plated toilet in the new East ng of the White House.

Stands for Democratic Party, aka the Decentralized, Dawdling, occasionally Dynamic Party. Calling it the “Democrat Party,” as Trump and his disciples like to do, makes them sound ignorant, but they’re probably just skittish about using the word “Democratic” because the word reminds people of what we ’re all losing.

R – Stands for Ruthless, Reactionary, Rabid Re publicans, a national cult that has somehow survived as a major political party, and for some reason has become the default setting for half of American voters — perhaps because every time they gain power, the country goes into default.

Voting – A widely misunderstood and not very widespread practice in America, voting is the primary legal means of advancing your interests. If your interests include only yourself and a small circle of family and friend s, or only people who look like you, or only people you define as “real Americans,” then you are likely an R voter. If your interests coincide with the interests of most other Americans, then you are likely a D voter, and if enough Americans voted that way, we would actualize the national motto: “Out of many votes, One country to be proud of.”

Abuse of power – The nation’s founders, the Constitution, and the Ds have been concer ned about this from the very beginning. Rs couldn’t care less. Unburdened by conscience and remorse, they are far more successful at grabbing power — the more absolute the better. And when you have the Supreme Court in your pocket, that’s easier to do. Meanwhile, Ds try to use power, when they can get it, to be part of the solution, which many American voters find extremely suspicious. And when the Ds do something to improve people’s lives, e.g. af fordable health care, voters become enraged and punish them at the polls. American voters are a tough group to please.

Cor porate media – Neutrality is their byword. Ever afraid of getting “out in front of ” public opin-

What voting is not – It is not a popularity contest, not a way to proclaim the purity of your principles, not an exercise to make you feel good about being on the “winning team,” not an excuse to pat yourself on the back for being a good citizen, not a means of re gistering your protest about a system you find less than perfect or to punish a party because you’ re miffed about some political sin you can’t forgive.

The real purpose of voting is to bestow political power on the party that is most likely — however imperfectly — to use that power to improve life for all Americans.

You are not voting for the lesser of two evils. One party is evil. The other is a collection of imperfect but well-intentioned human beings, who, with enough vote-infused political power could bring welcome progress to this country.

I hope this clarifies things enough so next November we can avoid a repeat of the D-bacle of 2024.

SHRUB

TO

WN by Marc Stopeck

No need for another referendum

Conducting another referendum on term limits is nothing but a cleverly devised trap from Cathy Adduci who did all she could to prevent a referendum on ter m limits from ever being held

She didn’t take the April 1 referendum seriously and once it passed, she has done all she can to block its implementation, getting the village attorney to waffle on the question. There’s really no doubt that the referendum was intended to be binding. The petitions were clearly titled, “Petition for River Forest Binding Referendum” and the “Principal Proponent’s Statement” submitted with the signed petitions clearly stated that the referendum was submitted “to place said binding question of public policy …” on the April 1 ballot.

But after River Forest voters approved the referendum, Aducci denied its binding nature because the small print on the petition, which I can assure readers few if any signatories actually read, the word “advisory” was used. Objectively, I am certain that signers believed this was a binding referendum.

The question can be settled by obtaining an advisory opinion from the Illinois Attorney General or filing for a declaratory judgment in state court. Simple as that. Next week, instead of setting a date for a new referendum, the vil-

lage board should pass a resolution agreeing to abide by the advisory opinion or declaratory judgment.

If the opinion or judgment finds that the referendum is binding, the village board can simply adopt an ordinance implementing it. This would avoid a very expensive and divisive campaign

If found to be advisory, then — and only then — hold another referendum, clearly binding.

Instead, our village president has concocted holding another referendum which I can guarantee she will not take lightly and will orchestrate a very expensive campaign to defeat. The proponents won’t conceivably be able to match her spending against the referendum.

If our village president and trustees actually support good gover nment worthy of our trust, they would delay any vote on holding another ter m limit referendum until an advisory opinion or declaratory judgment is issued by the state. In fact, it could adopt an ordinance to hold the referendum only if the advisory opinion or declaratory judgment were to find the April 1 referendum to have been advisory.

At a minimum that would show some respect to River Forest residents

Daniel Lauber River Forest

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.

We reser ve the right to edit submissions. We do not have time to allow the writer to review changes before publication. We also do not have time to do more than super cial fact-checking, and because of our national epidemic of misinformation and conspiracy theories, when writers include statistical evidence to support their opinions, we require them to include the source of that information, such as credible websites, print publications, titles of articles and dates published, etc. Be as speci c as possible so that we and our readers have some way of assessing the credibility of your claims. Links may also be included for the online version. We follow the Society of Professional Journalists’ code of ethics: seek the truth and report it and minimize harm. As a result, we will do our best not to publish pieces that espouse doubtful or debunked theories, demonstrate harmful bias, or cross the line into incivility. While we will do our best not to engage in censorship, we also do not intend to be used as a platform for misinformation. Your sources for fact-checking are a critical step in keeping the discourse honest, decent and respectful.

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If we receive your submission by 5 p.m. on Sunday, you can expect your opinion to be included in that week’s paper (and online), space permitting.

Pieces can be submitted through our online form at oakpark.com or directly to Viewpoints editor Ken Trainor, ktrainor@wjinc.com. For the latter, we prefer attached Word les or plain tex t included in the email.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

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A beacon of hope in our tr oubled world

In a news landscape that is becoming bleaker by the day, for anyone interested in justice, equity and care for our fellow humans, I give you a shining example of community activism that resulted in a big win for Oak Park.

SHEILA HAENNICKE

On Sept. 30, the last day of National Recovery Month, the West Side Heroin/Opioid Task Force (WSHOTF) hosted its final “Stop of Hope” celebration at the CTA Green Line/Metra Station. The lively event featured a dozen human service organizations set up at tables throughout the station, and free hot dogs and hamburgers grilled to perfection by the WSHOTF Street Outreach Team.

One View

Vicki also mentioned my son, David Haennick whom she knew when she worked at the Steckman School of Music. David passed away from an opioid overdose on the CTA in late 2021 at the ag of 29. It wasn’t the CTA’s fault — the employee found David, still breathing, immediately called 911. But in the 5 minutes that elapsed between that call and first responders reaching David, he passed away

The excitement centered on a new vending machine in the station — one that solely dispenses free Narcan, the nasal spray antidote for an opioid overdose. But the real story was the unflagging efforts of a small team of advocates and bureaucrats who worked for nearly two years to launch the “Narcan on the CTA” pilot program.

There are four more machines, located across three other train lines (Blue Line/Jefferson Park stop; Pink Line/Central Park stop; Red Line/Wilson and 47th Street stops). Each had a “Stop of Hope” launch led by local har m-reduction advocates.

Village President Vicki Scaman spoke at the press conference, which also featured state representatives LaShawn K. Ford and Camille Lilly. Vicki gave statistics for opioid overdoses in Oak Park, and a shout-out to Oak Park’s Public Health Department, which runs the Opioid Overdose Prevention Project for the village

As a way to cope with my grief, I brought the seed of an idea — getting Narcan onto CTA trains or at least on train platfor ms — to the WSHOTF. The idea blossomed in the rece tive “soil” of the group, which has worked for years to reduce drug overdoses through strong partnerships with public and private organizations.

It took 23 months of emails, conversations, follow-up, more follow-up, two direct appeals to the CTA board and the heroic efforts of leaders at the CTA and Cook County to get the five machines installed for what will be a 6-month pilot program. Please visit the machine at the Green Line station. Opioid overdoses happen in our community, but also in our homes, where an elder may overtake their pain medication, or a child may accidentally get hold of a pill. Narcan is as easy to use as Flonase, and safe for all. Each box has detailed instructions. It may seem a small thing to rejoice over a vending machine in a dim, bunker-like train station, but to me that machine is a beacon of hope in our very troubled world.

Sheila Haennicke is a longtime Oak Park resident.

anks RF Police and Fire support

As we approach Thanksgiving, we would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to the dedicated police of ficers and firefighter/paramedics of the River Forest Police and Fire departments for their invaluable service to our community. We also extend our thanks to the residents of River Forest, as well as the Village Board of Trustees and the president, whose economic support makes it possible for these departments to operate effectively.

Thanks to their backing and the leadership within the departments, our police and fire teams are fully staffed, highly trained, and well-resourced, ready to meet the needs of our community and assist surrounding areas when called upon. We are excited to continue our tradition of providing food

for first responders working on the holidays, in the past on Christmas Eve and Day and this year on Thanksgiving, a gesture that underscores our appreciation for their tireless efforts.

By ensuring our police officers and firefighter/paramedics are well-supported, we help minimize the risks they face and enhance the safety of our entire community

Mike Trucco Chair

Nate Mellman

Frowene Rodgers

River Forest Board of Fire and Police Commissioners

Remembering Blase’s Grocery

I just happened to think about Blase’s and found your item about grocery stores that used to be in Oak Park. I grew up in Oak Park at 151 N. Harvey. We moved there in about 1950 from the South Side of Chicago. My father, Bill Moylan, died in 1979. My mother, Kay Moylan, sold the house in 1984 and moved to a condo in River Forest. She died in 1990.

I’m 78 now. I have fond memories of Ar t and Fred Blase and Frank the butcher. They were wonderful people and provided great service to all their customers. Thank you for the memory.

Margaret Moylan Bandy New Harmony, Indiana

Kudos to our police

I would like to add compliments to our police force and others who assisted with the recent “Halloween mob.” This group of “young teens” could have evolved into a riotous mob possibly causing physical and personal har m and damage. From what I can gather, the coordinated and prompt police action led to the group’s escort back to Chicago with no har m, pepper ball and all. When I was still a pre-teen in a small town, back in the ’40s, a friend and I sneaked up into a crabapple tree to “swipe” some apples one night. The tree was owned by an elderly couple who guarded those crabapples night and day. My friend “Bobby” was higher up in the tree than I. We were both filling our pockets, when out of the house comes the owner. “Blam” goes his gun. Down we jumped and ran away as fast as we could. Bobby said, “I never thought he’d use his ‘pepper gun’ on me.” Neither of us were hit, but we both were really scared. And, needless to say, we never went back.

David DeMarais

anks to police

I would like to thank the Oak Park Police Department and supporting police departments who safely managed the large crowd of teenagers on Halloween night and were able to move them through Oak Park without any damage to individuals or property. I am sure all departments involved and other entities will be reviewing the actions taken by the police in order to make improvements where necessary.

Oak Park

Nancy Staples Oak Park

EDWARD TORPY

anks for making Funny Is Female a success

The organizing team behind the Funny Is Female Comedy Festival wants to extend our heartfelt thanks to the people and businesses of Oak Park for helping make our first year such a success.

From Oct. 23 to 26, we welcomed 55 comedians from across the country, many of them visiting Oak Pa rk for the first time, to perfor m in packed rooms full of laughter, connection, and support. The festival was created to amplify underre presented female voices in comedy, and we were de eply moved by how openly the Oak Park community embraced that

mission.

Audience members showed up night after night with enthusiasm and joy. Local restaurants and shops welcomed visitors with warmth and generosity. And many volunteers, staf f, and small businesses helped us create a truly memorable weekend.

Comedians repeatedly told us how impressed they were with the way the festival was organized, and how appreciated they felt. Many cited the community’s hospitality and energy as the reason they want to return next year. We’re thrilled

to say: they’ll get the chance. Funny Is Female will retur n to Oak Park annually, and we can’t wait to build on what we star ted.

We’re especially grateful to local businesses that provided food, gifts, and support behind the scenes and Sushi House, whose beautiful Dragon Lounge served as an intimate second stage

Thank you again to everyone who made space for laughter, equity, and community. We’re proud to call Oak Park home.

Mar ta Block

ComedyPlex Funny Is Female Committee Oak Park

We didn’t stop Project 2025

Dorothy Dumelle’s letter in the Nov. 5 Viewpoints section rightfully admonishes the Republicans for not doing their job. That job would be “gover ning.” That’s the intent of any political party, is it not? To govern. Ideally, we want gover nance — like the medical Hippocratic Oath says — to do no har m. Partisan politics, with checks and balances in place, can mitigate any extremist intent by any of the three branches of gover nment. Right now, the GOP is clearly extremist. They are doing a lousy job of governing with respect to our proscribed constitutional democracy.

Extreme as they are, the GOP actually is doing the job they said they intended to do, if victorious in 2024, just as they literally advertised in the run-up to the election —

enacting Project 2025. Yes, that sick and vile initiative, published in April of 2023 by the far, far right-wing Heritage Foundation. It was not at all a bait-and-switch job by the GOP. The “initiative” was written about and talked about long before the election took place. It was the major agenda of Trump’s candidacy though he denied it at the time

The Democratic Party and the voters, in losing that crucial election, didn’t do their job — that being preventing Project 2025 from descending upon everyone, anywhere. We see its viciousness every day. Its lawlessness. We were fully aware of Project 2025’s intent to reshape the federal gover nment and consolidate power in the Executive Branch of gover nment. We did not do our

job, either. Tragically so

The recent election was, on the surface, a good day for the party that failed to stop Project 2025 from coming to life. I, for one, cannot help but find irony in the celebratory reaction to the Blue Wave of Nov. 4. Has the opposition party found its spine? Will it save us (excluding the billionaires) from the dystopia that they knew was coming and needed to, but did not stop?

Time will tell. I will keep advocating for more choices, more voices outside of Red and Blue. What happened in 2024 and what is happening now showed how both major parties aren’t very good at “doing their job.”

Caveat emptor.

What democracy looks like

“This is How Democracy Works!” was one of the more consistent chants of the large crowd marching along Lake Street in October after the No Kings rally. It was also common on signs my fellow marchers carried.

There were many other signs, some clever, some profound, a few both clever and profound, that I could agree with, but the “democracy” sign was not one of them. Didn’t people understand that Democracy was what empowered the Bad Guys, who got more votes in the November 2024 election? Similarly, there will be carping about U.S. senators, including Dick Durbin, who

“caved” in the shutdown showdown. The gover nment funding fight was one refusal after another – Democrats refused the majority-proffered budget, the president and GOP refused the health care subsidies, the Republican Senate refused to abolish the 60vote filibuster rule

Progressives could persist but not prevail, given the math challenge the 2024 election results posed. To “win” they needed 13 of the 53 GOP senators to join them and restore health subsidies; that was not going to happen, despite conservative defeats in that week’s state elections. So until seven from

Joe Harrington Oak Park

the Democratic caucus crossed over, food stamps would be cut, as would gover nment work, from airports to national parks, and much in between.

Bending to the elected majority is how democracy works, as unfortunate as it is in this case. Rather than a backlash against Democratic “traitors,” better that liberals work to convince independent voters in Iowa and Texas, Ohio and the Carolinas to vote for a gover nment that works for them and not for the greedy and callous.

Je Petertil Oak Park

Ask the advocates

Triton Colle ge is proud to host a special event that brings environmental advocacy and civic engagement to our campus. Students, staf f, and community members are welcome to join us for a fireside chat with Jen Walling, executive director of the Illinois Environmental Council (IEC), and Dany Robles, one of IEC’s passionate community advocates Together, they’ll discuss the vital role of lobbying in shaping environmental policy, and the many ways students and community members can make a real dif ference in the fight for a sustainable future. The event will be held on Thursday, Nov. 20 at 1 p.m. on Triton’s campus Our speakers will help demystify the legislative process, breaking down how lobbying works, why it’s essential to democracy, and how individuals like you can make your voice heard. Lobbying often gets misunderstood. But Jen and Dany can explain how ordinary people meeting with lawmakers is one of the most effective ways to influence public policy. You don’t need to be a professional lobbyist or political insider to make change happen. What’s needed most are informed, passionate people who care about their communities and the planet.

This fireside chat will be pa rt discussion, part training, and all inspiration. Attendees will walk away with practical tools and ideas for action, whether that means joining environmental campaigns, participating in community organizing, or simply learning how to contact legislators effectively. Students interested in sustainability, political science, communications, or social justice will find this event especially valuable. We invite all Triton Colle ge students, staf f, and community members to be part of this eng aging conversation. Learn what’s happening in Springfield this fall, discover how policies get shaped behind the scenes, and find out how your voice can help build a cleaner, fairer, and more sustainable Illinois. To gether, we can turn passion into policy and advocacy into action.

Manolo Avalos

Triton Environmental Club

Ri ver Forest, Bellwood, Oak Park and Ri verside

We, the makers of our fate

We are watching the scaffolding that upheld decency, order, and democracy be destroyed. There are many examples in history of authoritarian regimes ending democratic societies. By acknowledging how unexceptional this is, we can lear n from those who came before us and how they navigated the suffocating dynamics tyranny creates Totalitarianism in the United States of America developed meticulously, and we must combat it at the scale it was created

The landmark work on resisting the allure of fascism at the macro-level was Karl Popper’s book, The Open Society and Its Enemies, which aimed at preventing the fertilization of political landscapes where fascism grows. Karl Popper warned of how easy it is to fall under the spell of totalitarian regimes, the risks of political dogma, and how to identify the seeds of fascism planted in institutions

An open society is one designed to safeguard against violence, hatred, and fascism. It must be renewed and reinforced as each generation chooses whether to protect the possibility of correction or surrender to the certainty of closure. A society made up of free individuals is more difficult to control. That is why fascist re gimes

Next to Normal

Saw the play Next to Normal Sunday at the Madison Street Theater. I’ve seen it a number of times before, including on Broadway. It is the story of a woman with bipolar disease coping with it along with her family. It is deeply moving, but also humorous. It won the Pulitzer Prize. The production was extremely professional with all of the six voices uniformly great. The theater has not had a lot of opportunity to do advertising, so I’m writing to say that if any of your readers want to see a great play right here in Oak Park, there are two more performances this weekend.

Frank Pond

Oak Park

focus on the removal of basic rights using various techniques of coercion and the manipulation of your will to fit the totalitarian system’s needs, rather than the system suiting the needs of its people, and why authoritarian leaders favor sweeping decrees: because they foreclose correction.

That is what Project 2025 is. Tyranny can be defined as the refusal of corrections. When the gover nment “disappears” people without due process, you are under fascist control.

Resist those who promise greatness through suffering. People are not a means to an end, and no policy is just if it requires oppression. Marcus Aurelius warned us: “Recognize the malice, cunning, and hypocrisy that power produces, and the peculiar ruthlessness of those who habitually court it.”

Resist the seductive reductionism of fascism. Don’t allow yourself to become complacent under the intellectual emptiness tyranny provides. Leverage the freedoms you have to be infor med and vocal.

As Karl Popper says, “We must become makers of our fate.”

Jimmy Woyak Oak Park

Damn the Supreme Court

They are requiring good old Trump to pay full SNAP benefits to the 42 million people who rely on them to eat, including 14 million children. Trump should totally ignore that Supreme Court. Who the hell do they think they are? As king, Trump rules and his edict is all that matters. And that damn food money is needed for his ballroom, Arch de Trump, gold toilet and the wrestling match next year on the Rose .... uh, Garden … uh, Slab!

And with those 42 million starved to death, we have more money to build the wall!

It is time to disband the courts once and for all!

Bruce Golden

Oak Park

ALI ELSAFFAR

Immigration crises

from page 21

might link me to the terrorists not because of anything I had done, but merely because my name was similar to the terrorists’ names.

As an elected official with an Arab name, I, like Juan, felt an obligation to do something to address fears and misconceptions about Middle Easter n immigrants. My task was easier than Juan’s, however, because a different president was in office in 2001.

The 2025 Crisis

During his campaign, President Trump said he would close the border to stop the “invasion” of illegal immigrants and that he would deport the “murderers, drug dealers, terrorists, and criminals” who are coming “to a town near you.” If voters ignored Trump’s typically bombastic style, they might reasonably have concluded that Trump only planned to deport dangerous criminals in an effort to improve public safety

But the Midway Blitz is also deporting undocumented Latinos who aren’t dangerous: landscapers, roofers, cooks, farm workers, and many others. Deporting hard-working people who perform important services does not improve public safety. In fact, such deportations are har ming citizens and undocumented people in Latino neighborhoods. Due to the military-style raids in these neighborhoods, many Latino adults are afraid to go out to shop or work, many Latino students are afraid to go to school, and many businesses that rely on immigrant labor are unable to find help

The Blitz’s greatest harm, however, involves the forced separation of families. In many Latino families, at least one parent is undocumented, but the kids are citizens. Even if a parent’s only offense is unlawful entry to the U.S., that parent could face deportation.

But separating parent from child would not only punish the parent, it would traumatize the entire family, especially the kids. Under the Blitz, more young U.S. citizens are

suffering what could be life-altering traumas due to deportation. These kids deserve better.

The 2001 Crisis

A president’s tone has great influence on the national mood. President Trump’s angry, militaristic tones on immigration have been reflected in the harsh treatment of immigrants and protesters on American streets In 2001, however, a different president showed that public safety can be achieved with a conciliatory, respectful tone

Six days after 9/11, President George W. Bush delivered a speech that sought to calm the anger and violence directed at innocent Arabs and Muslims. He explained that Muslims were as appalled by the terrorist attacks as everyone else. He noted that “Muslims make an incredibly valuable contribution to our country.” And Muslims, he added, “need to be treated with respect.”

Although I did not vote for President Bush, I greatly admire his speech. At the time he delivered it, I was unsure if there was still a place for me in the United States, the only country I had ever known. I needed reassurance. But I didn’t realize how much I needed it until I found myself crying while listening to the President’s speech.

Conclusion

I suspect that immigrants from Latin American countries and elsewhere are now feeling what I felt in 2001 — the pain of being treated as “dangerous criminals” when they are not, coupled with uncertainty about their place in America. It is difficult to imagine that our current president would provide immigrants the reassurance that President Bush gave me

But that just means that others have to step up by helping an immigrant, joining a protest, or providing support in other ways. However it is done, we should always be sure to note that our brothers and sisters in immigrant communities have made incredibly valuable contributions to our country.

And we need to treat them with respect.

Ali ElSaffar is the longtime Oak Park Township Assessor

WEDNESD AY

Jack Egan, 79 Lawyer and accountant

John

“Jack” Eg 79, died on Oct. 24, 2025 in home hospic

He grew up in Berwyn a was a gr aduate of C ampion High School in Prai rie du Chien, Wi sconsin and Xavier Unive rsity in Cincinnati, Ohio. He went on to ear a master ’s de gree from Fo rdham and JD from Nor thwestern.

He practiced for over 40 years at McKenna Storer and Egan & Egan as b oth a lawyer and a Ce rt ified Publi Accountant. He built a re p utation fo i nte g rit y, a shar p mind, and dedicatio to clients.

Mike Kunkel, 58

He was a man of loyalty, and wisdom, whose le ga cy will live on through the lives of his family, friend s, and colleagues. Jack, you will be missed and always remembered with love.

Through the Catholic Alumni Club, he met his wife of 42 year s, Mary Su e (née Skala), and many lifelong friends. To g ether, they built a life filled with love, laughter, and commitment to their children and gr andchildren.

Jack is survive d by his four children, Wi lliam Egan, Norine (Gabe) Youel, Rosaleen (Ky le) Van Der Aa and Edward R. Egan; his gr andchildren, Wa de, Vivian, and Everett Youel and Lila and Samuel Van Der Aa; his siblings, James Egan, Joanne (Dick) Schickel, Kathy (John Brundage) Eg an, Mar y (Frank Nava rrete) Egan and Edward J. (Ward Wi lson) Egan. He was the uncle and cousin of many.

Vi sitation was held on Nov. 4 at Gibbons Funeral Home, 134 S. Yo rk Road, Elmhurst. A funeral Mass was c elebrated on Nov. 5 at St. Edmund Catholic Church, 188 S. Oak Park Ave., Oak Pa rk . Interment Queen of Heaven Catholic Cemetery, Hillside Livestream of funeral Mass available through the funeral-home we bsit e. In lieu of fl ower s, memorial contributions may be made to the American C ancer Society, P. O. Box 6704, Hagerstown, MD 21741.

Michael “Mike” unkel, 58, died peacefully at Key est, Florida, on . 6, 1966, followbattle . True endary pirit, he remained optimistic until his last breath. Born ting at Ascension School, ontinuing through Fenwick and OPRF, eled at his unflagging cheerful disposition and gift for ry person he met feel seen and alued. Since his passing, countless people pressible compassion and zest for life made him someone they wanted to emulate, a beacon for how one should live life to its fullest. Mike was pure sunshine. His positivity, kindness, and boundless joy made the world a brighter and more beautiful place.

An artist and creative soul, he was drawn to painting, photography, design, and music. He loved the sun, dancing, and above all, helping others. Despite losing his hearing over 25 years ago, he considered himself fortunate and poured his energy into supporting those in need. As a member of the Key West community, he was deeply involved with the SMART Ride organization, and helped raise thousands of dollars for individuals living with HIV/AIDS for AH Monroe & MARC House, and the Sister Season Fund, dedicated to helping neighbors facing temporary hardship due to illness or accident.

Mike was the son of Eugene Kunkel and the late Suzanne Kunkel (née Elliott); the brother of Jean (Jack) Powers, Bob (the late Eva), Tom, Dan (Gia), the late Joe, Matt (Neal Lenhoff), and Suzi Kunkel; the uncle of Jack Powers, Kevin (Hailey), Rachel, Jimmy, Renee, Marty (Nissa), Elliott (Lauren), Toby and Drew Kunkel, Molly (Lou) Guida, Jake, and Peyton Kunkel; the great-uncle of Hannah and Miller Kunkel; and a devoted cousin and dear friend to many.

In lieu of flowers, contributions to: https://tourdekeys.donordrive.com/participants/1273 in Mike’s honor are appreciated

A funeral Mass will be celebrated at Ascension Church, Oak Park, on Friday, Dec. 5 at 10:30 a.m., with visitation at 9:30 a.m.

Malinda Marina-Lee Meyer, 19

Avid runner, animal lover

Malinda Marina-Lee Meyer, 19, of Oak Park, died unexpectedly le attending the versity of Dayton in Dayton, Ohio, on 6, 2025. Born on une 6, 2006, in Guatemala City, Guatemala, she was the treasured aughter of Kimber Meyer, granddaughter of Don Meyer and the late Marilyn Meyer niece of Kent Meyer

A 2024 graduate of Oak Park and River High School and a sophomore at the Unive of Dayton, she was studying Communications An energetic member of the running community — part of track, cross country, and the University of Dayton Running Club — she loved mentoring kids through the College Mentors for Kids program.

Malinda’s friends and family will always remember her as fearless, resilient, and full of life. She loved adventure, whether biking, trying pole vaulting, or even luge. She had a big heart for animals, especially her pets, Gracie and Ollie, and she adored corgis of every kind Her creative side shone through everything she did. She enjoyed good food (pasta was a fa vorite), eating out with friends, and expressing herself through her unique fashion sense. Sh loved working for the Park District of Oak Pa this past summer and could light up any room with her sense of humor and positive ener Her favorite movie was Coraline, and she was unforgettable as Lady Gaga last Halloween.

Kent remembers holding her when she was a baby and looking up to her ever since. Don remembers painting and baking Christmas cookies with her. Those memories, filled with laughter and war mth, perfectly capture the spirit of who Malinda was — kind, curious, and ready for anything

Though she never met her grandmother, Marilyn, we know she was welcomed by her in heaven, along with loved ones Patti, Howard and Lavina.

Memorial visitation will be held from 1 to 4 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 22 at Zimmer man-Harnett Funeral Home, 7319 W. Madison St., Forest Park, with a Celebration of Life at 4 p.m.

Reflecting Malinda’s lifelong love of all creatures great and small, the family suggests memorials be directed to the Animal Care League (www.animalcareleague.org) in Oak Park.

SPORTS

Fenwick clobbers Central in 6A quarters

Friars meet Nazareth in semi nal round

By MELVIN TATE

Contributing Reporter

Fenwick senior football co-captain Tommy Thies remembers watching – along with younger brother Jake – the 2021 team win the IHSA Class 5A state championship, the first in the program’s storied history. Now he and his teammates are one victory away from making a trip to state themselves

“It’s definitely been a goal of ours to get to this point. We’re not done yet, but we’re excited,” Tommy Thies said after the Friars’ impressive 49-21 win over Burlington Central in a Class 6A quarterfinal on Saturday at Triton Colle ge This is the fifth time tha t Fenwick has reached the semi-final stage of the state playof fs – the others being 1981, 1995, 2016, and 2021.

While appreciating the win, Fenwick coach Matt Battaglia knows there’s more work to be done

“It feels like we did our job and we’re taking it one week at a time,” he said.

Central is known for a power-running offense that chews up time and shortens games, so it was imperative that Fenwick (9-3) start fast offensively The Friars did exactly that, scoring on their first two drives.

Fenwick took the opening kickoff and quickly marched 83 yards on just four plays, the final being a 40-yard touchdown pass from Jamen Williams (17-of-20, 214 yards passing)

to Will Tomczak (four receptions, 75 yards), 97 seconds in. Following a three-and-out on defense, the offense again went to work, going 64 yards on nine plays, capping things with a six-yard touchdown run by Jake Thies.

That was the beginning of a big afternoon for the junior, who finished with 249 yards and four touchdowns on 19 carries.

“Jake’s been a force,” Tommy said. “He’s my little brother. I try to work hard so he can work harder; everything I do, he’s doing. We go hand-in-hand perfectly, and it just has worked out in the long run because he wants to be great, I want to be great, and we’re in that race right now.”

Central (10-2) got on the board as Landon Arnold (12-of-28, 175 yards passing; 14 carries, 52 yards rushing) scored on a five-yard keeper to end a 14-play drive that went 80 yards and used up almost eight minutes. The touchdown cut Fenwick’s lead to 13-7 with 8:20 to go in the half

Jake Thies’ brilliant 42-yard run in which he zigzagged across the field set up his second touchdown from seven yards out with :17 left before halftime, raising the lead to 20-7.

The first time Fenwick touched the ball in the second half, Thies broke loose and sprinted 68 yards to the house, then Williams hit Will Hosty with a two-point conversion to make it 28-7 with 8:17 left in the third quarter

Grant Deering scored from a yard out on the ensuing drive a minute later for Cen-

IAN MCLEOD

Fenw ick’s Jake ies eyes the end zone on his way to a third quarter touchdown on Saturday at Triton College.

tral, but any Rockets’ comeback hopes were doused as the Friars scored on their next three drives: a 15-yard touchdown pass from Williams to Raphiel Stewart (four rece ptions, 58 yards); a two-yard keeper by Williams; and a 52-yard dash by Jake Thies. Fenwick finished with 514 yards of offense, including 300 rushing Defensively, the F riars limited Central to 77 yards r ushing. Mike Murphy had 7.0 tackles; Zikomo Mbewe 4.5 tackles, including a sack; Tommy Thies 4.0 tackles, including a sack; and Liam C ahill 4.0 tackles

Fenwick visits Nazareth Academy for a semifinal showdown, Nov. 22, at 1 p.m. Trailing 21-9 against visiting Lake Zurich late in their quarterfinal, the Roadrunners stunned the Bears with two scores in the final 2:36 to eke out a 24-21 victory.

T he F riars know they’ll need to play a full 48 minutes in order to win at a place Nazareth rarely loses, especially in the postseason. T he last time the Roadrunners lost a home playof f g ame? In 2021 in the 5A quar terfinals – ag ainst Fenwick

“At the end of the day,” Battaglia said, “the biggest thing we’re focused on is Fenwick football. It’s exciting, there’s going to be a lot of noise, but our job has to be focusing on Fenwick.”

“[Nazareth] is definitely a good team,” Tommy Thies said, “who has not lost in the playoffs since we beat them. We’re just looking forward to g etting better each and every day and coming ready to play, knowing our coaches will g et us ready for the moment. We’re made for this, and we’re just excited that we g et to play another g ame with our brothers.”

Huskies’ Boland, Friars’ Raniere reach nals at state swim meet

Boland (100 breast) and Raniere (50 free) both 15th after bests in prelims

By BILL STONE Contributing Reporter

Senior Hailey Boland understandably was a little emotional about her final girls

swimming race for Oak Park and River Forest High School. There also was a lot of jubilation.

Boland had just competed at her first state swimming finals Saturday. She fin-

ished 15th in the 100-yard breast stroke (1:06.56) at the FMC Natatorium in Westmont after being the last of the event’s 16 qualifiers based on Friday’s preliminary results.

“If I was swimming this (event) last year, I could not imagine swimming at finals. I was so excited to make it,” said Boland, who will swim club in colle ge “It’s not my last (competitive) swim but

OPRF girls basketball: On the way up

Increased talent and experience has Huskies optimistic

By MELVIN TATE Contributing Reporter

With eight returning players, third-year Oak Park and River Forest High School girls basketball varsity head coach Renee Brantley believes things are trending up for her program.

“It’s been good,” Brantley told Wednesday Journal. “We know it’s a marathon, not a sprint, and so it’s not about how we look in November. I care about more how we look in late December going into January and February.”

OPRF, which went 4-29 last season with a loss to eventual Class 4A champion Kenwood in the re gional, returns two starters. Senior guard Gabriella Chesney averaged 5.5 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 1 steal per game, while junior guard Taryn Draine averaged 7.8 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 1.5 steals per game. Chesney is in her fourth varsity season, and Draine her third.

what the team needs of them as well as helping their teammates out on a daily basis. They continue to mature, they continue to grow and challenge themselves. I’m excited for their leadership on our team.”

The Huskies also bring back junior forward Marie Spencer, junior guard/forward Selah Sarai Backeberg, senior forwards Elianna Brucato and Aoife Mahic, senior center Ameina Johnson, and senior guard/forward Tavia Allen.

A newcomer to keep an eye on is freshman guard Katara Watson, whom Prep Girls Hoops ranks eighth among the Class of 2029 prospects in Illinois.

“She’s a hard worker; she has that hooper mentality,” Brantley said. “She wants to learn, she wants to get better. I’m excited to see how well she’ll adjust to the varsity level.”

Academy Christmas Tournament, which features several of the best Chicago-area schools, along with non-conference games against Schaumburg, Payton Prep, and the annual East Avenue Showdown at Fenwick, Jan. 27.

While the schedule looks daunting, Brantley feels the confidence her team gained over the summer will carry over into the season.

“We had a really good summer. We had girls step up, and they competed really well against some of the top competition within the Chicagoland area,” she said. “They’re excited to continue to build of f of that. They had a taste of what we could look like. They have something special, but they don’t take anything for granted, and they’ve got to go out there and take it.”

OPRF plays in the perennially tough West Suburban Silver, and Brantley expects the league to be as strong as ever this winter.

C

Oak Park-River Forest High School girls basketball player Katara Watson during practice last week. Watson is one of the state’s top prospects in the Class of 2029 according to Prep Girls Hoops.

in will be crucial.

“Taryn and Gabby have a wealth of experience. They, too, continue to grow their games,” Brantley said. “They understand

it’s kind of sad that it’s my last high school swim. It was superexciting that was my last one was at state.”

Fenwick junior Maggie Raniere also made finals for the third straight year and was 15th in the 50 freestyle (24.04). This was the first time she was an individual finalist after being part of the 400 free relay (7th) and 200 medley relay (11th) in 2024 and 200 medley relay (12th) as a freshman.

With a developing team, Brantley realizes every game is important. With that in mind, she has put together a solid schedule that will test OPRF. The Huskies opened the season with Wheaton St. Francis in the Brenda Whitesell Tournament at Hinsdale South, Nov. 18. There is also the Loyola

“Last year I had the 50 free (at state) but I wasn’t even close to finals (30th in 24.23),” Raniere said. “I feel like I was a lot more confident and excited this year. Being an underclassman (to qualify), it was great. I’m super excited for next year.”

In prelims, Boland (1:05.67) and Raniere (23.72) both swam lifetimes bests. Last

year, Boland was 29th at state (1:07.43). On F riday, Boland was .19 ahead of 17th place so her previous best of 1:05.79 that set a pool record in winning the Leyden Sectional also would have advanced

With the 100 breast being the last competed individual event, she gained confidence from her earlier 200 individual medley – a 20th-place 2:6.92 with a huge time drop from 2:08.89 at sectionals. After another best in the third of five breast stroke heats, Boland waited out the finals cut as OPRF coach Clyde Lundgren counted down the qualifiers by hand. To advance, Boland’s time needed to beat at least five of nine entries from the last heat.

“When we saw it was only four people that got the cut, we were jumping and

“It’s pretty hard to tell right now with it being so early,” she said. “Our conference is always tough and it’ll be exciting to see how well everyone competes. Our goal is to be one of the top teams in the conference.”

Brantley added that the season’s objectives are to win and improve every day. In order to accomplish them, she said buying

everything. It was so fun,” Boland said.

Raniere’s 50 free final was somewhat bittersweet. She was part of the 400 free relay with sophomore Audrey Munley, junior Maeve Ryan and senior Claire Wood that swam the 12th f astest time F riday (3:32.83) but was disqualified from finals re garding the wall touch during a swimmers’ exchange. Fenwick coach Michael Burke appealed the r uling but after consultation the decision was not overturned

“In order to achieve our goals,” Brantley said, “our girls understand the importance of playing smart and fundamentally sound basketball, doing all the little things well, attention to detail, communicating, and everyone coming together to be their piece to the puzzle. We’re just enjoying and understanding the process.”

lay with Ryan, sophomore Sam Stowe and Wood (19th, 1:36.82). Boland also swam the breast F riday as part of the 200 medley relay (31st, 1:49.97) with seniors Avaa Ruffer (backstroke) and Evelyn Hasenbalg (butterfly) and junior Kylie Miller (free).

“I think that was the highlight of my weekend, being able to be here with them on F riday,” Boland said. “It made the experience so much better, having my favorite people around.”

“I would have loved to see everyone competing here (Saturday), especially Claire,” Raniere said. “I felt super bad but I’m excited that they all came out to support me. We’ ll get it next year for sure.”

Raniere also was in 19th the 100 free F riday (52.30) and part of the 200 free re-

Also on F riday, Munley (1:54.49) and Wood (1:54.72) were respectively 26th and 29th in the 200 free and Munley was 27th in the 500 free (5:09.46). OPRF senior diver Jillian Louie was 43rd (179.90 points for 5 dives).

HAILE Y BOL AND

TARYN DRAINE

HAILE Y RANIERE

AROL DUNNING

PUBLIC NOTICE

Notice is hereby given, pursuant to “An Act in relation to the use of an Assumed Business Name in the conduct or transaction of Business in the State,” as amended, that a certification was registered by the undersigned with the County Clerk of Cook County. Registration Number: M25001043 on November 4, 2025 Under the Assumed Business Name of GABE THE REALTOR with the business located at: 3526 PRAIRIE AVENUE, BROOKFIELD, IL 60513. The true and real full name(s) and residence address of the owner(s)/partner(s) is: EUSTAQUIO VERDUZCO 3526 PRAIRIE AVE BROOKFIELD, IL 60513, USA

Published in RB Landmark November 12, 19, 26, 2025

NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS

Notice is hereby given by the President and Board of Trustees of the Village of River Forest, Cook County, Illinois, that sealed bids will be accepted for:

2026 Pavement Crack Sealing Project

The Work consists of the application of approximately 22,500 pounds of Fiber-Modified Crack Sealing to various asphalt public roadways.

The bidding documents are available for download starting Wednesday, November 19, 2025 at:

www.vrf.us/bids

Bids must be submitted by Friday, December 5, 2025 at 10:00 a.m. at: Public Works Department, 2nd Floor Village of River Forest 400 Park Avenue River Forest, IL 60305

The bid proposals will be publicly opened and read at that time. Proposals will be considered not only on the basis of cost, but also on past performance, experience and ability to perform the work.

No bid shall be withdrawn after the opening of the Proposals without the consent of the President and Board of Trustees of the Village of River Forest for a period of thirty (30) days after the scheduled time of the bid opening.

The Village of River Forest reserves the right, in receiving these bids, to waive technicalities and reject any or all bids.

Published in Wednesday Journal, November 19, 2025

PUBLIC NOTICE

Notice is hereby given, pursuant to “An Act in relation to the use of an Assumed Business Name in the conduct or transaction of Business in the State,” as amended, that a certification was registered by the undersigned with the County Clerk of Cook County. Registration Number: M25001053 on November 4, 2025 Under the Assumed Business Name of GREY PHOENIX ART STUDIO with the business located at: 3730-32 PRAIRIE AVENUE, BROOKFIELD, IL 60513. The true and real full name(s) and residence address of the owner(s)/partner(s) is: THERESE ANGARONE 3238 RAYMOND AVE BROOKFIELD, IL 60513, USA

Published in RB Landmark November 19, 26, December 3, 2025

NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS

Notice is hereby given by the President and Board of Trustees of the Village of River Forest, Cook County, Illinois, that sealed bids will be accepted for:

2026 Curb and Sidewalk Replacement Program (Various Locations)

This project consists of the installation of approximately 20,000 square feet of PCC sidewalk, 125 linear feet of PCC curb/gutter, 50 square yards of driveway apron, 40 square feet of detectable warnings and other work incidental thereto.

The bidding documents are available for download starting Wednesday, November 19, 2025 at:

www.vrf.us/bids

Bids must be submitted by Wednesday, December 3, 2025 at 10:00 a.m. at:

Public Works Department, 2nd Floor Village of River Forest 400 Park Avenue River Forest, IL 60305

The bid proposals will be publicly opened and read at that time. Proposals will be considered not only on the basis of cost, but also on past performance, experience and ability to perform the work.

No bid shall be withdrawn after the opening of the Proposals without the consent of the President and Board of Trustees of the Village of River Forest for a period of thirty (30) days after the scheduled time of the bid opening.

Bidders shall be prequalified by IDOT for: Concrete Construction

The Village of River Forest reserves the right. in receiving these bids. to waive technicalities and reject any or all bids.

in Wednesday Journal, November 19, 2025

NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS

Notice is hereby given by the President and Board of Trustees of the Village of River Forest, Cook County, Illinois, that sealed bids will be accepted for:

2026 Street Patching Program

NOTICE OF PROPOSED DISTRICT eLEARNING PLAN FOR OAK PARK AND RIVER FOREST HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT 200

As required by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE), notice of public hearing and our District’s eLearning Plan are being shared and posted below. The District may utilize eLearning to allow for remote teaching and learning on days when in-person school has been canceled due to inclement weather.

The Oak Park and River Forest High School District 200 Board of Education will hold a public hearing on December 4, 2025 immediately after our Committee of the Whole Meeting (scheduled at 7:30 p.m.) in the Board of Education Room 2163 at Oak Park and River Forest High School at 201 North Scoville Avenue, Oak Park, IL 60302. The purpose of the hearing will be to receive public comment on the proposed eLearning Program which, if approved, will permit students’ instruction to be received electronically while students are not physically present in lieu of the District’s scheduled emergency days. This program is allowed under Public Act 101-0012.

The Board of Education intends to adopt the proposed eLearning Program following the public hearing. If approved, the eLearning Program will be implemented for a three-year term. The proposed plan is located here: https://drive. google.com/file/d/1XFdawpcCKbEvwmNxJhmHVPYysuTwiSSy/ view?usp=sharing

You can join the meeting either in person or virtually. To join virtually, please use the Zoom link: https://oprfhs-org.zoom.us/ j/87145969058?pwd=hE6Xc2IE48IqIvArdSKP2wvNJ8xaUb.1 Passcode:691573

Or by visiting the OPRFHS YouTube Page: https://www.youtube. com/@OPRFUtube

Public Comments for this public hearing will be given at the beginning of the Special Meeting:

• Any person desiring to make a live public comment via Zoom will need to submit their name by 4:30 p.m. on December 4, 2025, by going to: https://docs.google.com/ forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeO5dbR9LnFwqGaNl_iax92QBBqDI460GhDPUx2oSyrPyPbbg/viewform

Any person desiring to submit a public comment that will not be read at the meeting, but will be appended to the minutes of the meeting, will need to submit their name and comment by 4:30 p.m. on December 4, 2025, by going to: https://docs.google.com/ fo rms/d/e/1FAIpQLScNjUbtbYtYv-fOpS13karpJFtpZ6C0bA_FJTNPOY8cdiMAzQ/viewform

Published in Wednesday Journal, November 19, 2025

This project consists of the patching of approximately 3,750 square yards of existing, defective asphalt pavement at various locations throughout the Village, as designated by the Civil Engineering Technician.

The bidding documents are available for download starting Wednesday, November 19, 2025, at:

www.vrf.us/bids

Bids must be submitted by Thursday, December 4, 2025 at 10:00 a.m. at:

Public Works Department, 2nd Floor Village of River Forest 400 Park Avenue River Forest, IL 60305

The bid proposals will be publicly opened and read at that time. Proposals will be considered not only on the basis of cost, but also on past performance, experience and ability to perform the work.

No bid shall be withdrawn after the opening of the Proposals without the consent of the President and Board of Trustees of the Village of River Forest for a period of thirty (30) days after the scheduled time of the bid opening.

Bidders shall be prequalified by IDOT for: HMA Paving

The Village of River Forest reserves the right, in receiving these bids, to waive technicalities and reject any or all bids.

Published in Wednesday Journal, November 19, 2025

EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY

All real estate advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Fair Housing Act, which makes it illegal to advertise any preference, limitation or discrimination based on age, race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status or national origin, or intention to make any such preferences, limitations or discrimination.

The Illinois Human Rights Act prohibits discrimination in the sale, rental or advertising of real estate based on factors in addition to those protected under federal law. This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. All persons are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised are available on an equal opportunity basis. Restrictions or prohibitions of pets do not apply to service animals. To complain of discrimination, call HUD toll free at: 1-800-6699777.

GROWING COMMUNITY MEDIA

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