Village of Westchester July 2022 Newsletter by Village of Westchester, IL

Village of

Westchester JULY, 2022

PUBLIC WORKS

POLICE DEPARTMENT

GROW

FIRE DEPARTMENT

WESTCHESTER IN PICTURES

SCHOOL DISTRICT

LIBRARY

From the desk of Acting Village President Nick Steker

On June 13th the National Weather Service stated that our community was hit with straight-line winds during the storm event on that evening. Straight line winds are ground-level winds that emerge from a thunderstorm and do not have a rotation. The winds produced from this storm measured at a peak of 95 MPH. At one point the storm was classified as an EF-0 tornado just prior to moving into town. According to ComEd officials, approximately 40% of our residents were left without power and many streets were left unpassable and littered with trees and branches. Homes, garages, vehicles, and fences were damaged throughout the area. Fire Chief Mavrogeorge was mobile immediately assessing damage. Steve Crowley of Public Works had crews recalled and deployed immediately. Village Manager Greg Hribal fielded a barrage of phone calls, texts and emails all while dealing with our own outage at Village Hall and his own home with no power. Greg’s thirty years of experience in public safety immediately kicked in and he managed the incident over the course of the next few days like the true professional he is. His knowledge of our town, our staff, our resources, and our limitations was key. Our police department and dispatch center were handling hundreds of calls for service within a short amount of time. The team effort was amazing. It was truly an all hands on deck response. After consulting with all of the above and with the looming heat advisories for the next two days I immediately declared a state of emergency. The state of emergency allowed resources to flow into our community quickly and was necessary if any federal relief becomes an option. Our ComEd liaison, Katrina Steele, who herself had no power for two days as a resident of Bellwood, was giving me updates every few hours and had a cooling bus ready to be delivered to Village Hall the next morning. The cooling bus was

utilized by residents for the next two days to cool off and charge devices. Our Cook County Commissioner Frank Aguilar was on the phone with me the evening of the storm asking what resources we needed and was driving up and down our streets the next day at 6am. Cook County sent manpower and equipment to assist public works for the remainder of the week and when one of our bobcats went down with a mechanical issue, they sent us two for debris removal. The Illinois Speaker of the House Chris Welch was walking the streets of Westchester and meeting with residents on how he could assist with resources. ComEd had crews from as far as Michigan and Missouri on our streets. Fire crews responded to over 100 calls for service that week which included the safe rescue of a dog that was trapped in a completely collapsed garage. . At any given moment you could look outside and see restoration attempts underway even under the extreme temperatures. So many resources from so many levels converged on our community to assist. Of all the help we received I think the best help was that of neighbors Storm — Continued on Page 20

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JULY 2022

PUBLIC WORKS

Village branch collection the week of July 11th – 15th August’s collection will be the week of the 1th – 5th September’s collection will be the week of the 12th – 16th

MONDAY: From Mannheim Road west to Wolf Road and from Canterbury south to Windsorincluding both sides of Windsor Drive. Also Waterford, Waverly, Camelot and Concord.

Yard waste collection by Waste Management will be on your regular garbage day every week. Free yard waste stickers for reusable yard waste receptacles are available at the Village Hall.

TUESDAY: Roosevelt Road south to Cermak Road-from Gardner Road west to Mannheim Road.

The Public Works Department will pick up branches the first full week of every month (April-November). All brush must be put out on the front parkway by 7am on the designated pickup day. Branches can be up to 7 feet in length and stacked with the butt ends facing the street in the same direction. If not stacked properly, a “restack” notice will be left. Again, please put ALL brush out on your designated pickup day and Public Works crews will determine what constitutes an open load, which will be picked up later in the week, usually Friday. An open load would include any brush that will not fit through the chipper such as logs, stumps, and large limbs. These must be cut for one man to lift. Dirt must be removed from any root balls for collection. Public Works Crews will only pass through a designated pickup area once due to time schedule and other workload responsibilities. Landscapers & tree services are responsible for their own brush disposal. Please note the following schedule for branch pickup:

WEDNESDAY: From Roosevelt Road north to the expressway and from Gardner Road west to Mannheim Road. Also, Roosevelt Road south to Canterbury from Haase west to Heidorn. THURSDAY: From Belleview west to Wolf Road, Martindale Drive to 31st Street. Remember… Waste Management will also pick up your branches if they are bundled & no more than 4 feet in length. These will be picked up on your regular garbage day every week. INDEPENDENCE DAY HOLIDAY GARBAGE SCHEDULE There will be no garbage collection on Monday, July 4th Monday’s collection will be Tuesday, July 5th Tuesday’s collection will be Wednesday, July 6th Thursday’s and Friday’s collection will remain the same- no change.

call Waste Management directly. • If you have large items that will not fit in you receptacle (i.e. couch, chairs, tables, etc.,) please call Waste Management directly and request a special collection. The Waste Management’s “At Your Door Special Collection” service will pick up unwanted-potentially hazardous and hard-to-recycle items from your home, including electronics. That number is 1-800-449-7587. The full list of items may be found at www.wmatyourdoor.com/residential. 50/50 Shared Cost Parkway Tree Program The Village offers a 50/50 shared cost program that includes the purchase and planting of a new parkway tree. Residents who have registered will be sent a list of trees indigenous to the area to choose from, as well as pictures and a general description. The planting will be in fall 2022. Please call Public Works at 708.345.0041 to register. Also of note… 1. Street maintenance parking restrictions are in effect. Please look at the signs, or check the Village website, so you don’t receive a ticket!!

Waste Management – 1-800-7969696

2. The Public Works Department will continue repairing parkways damaged by sewer and water excavations, and snow plow damage, weather permitting. Stump grinding will also continue for those who have had trees removed.

• If your garbage or recycling was not picked up on your regular day, please call Waste Management directly. • If you would like to request a new garbage or recycling receptacle, please

3. The vac and jet machine will be cleaning out storm sewer inlets, as weather permits. Please help us to keep the storm drains clear of debris, little by little, so they don’t become a

huge issue and result in flooding. 4. Block parties have begun! If you are interested in hosting a block party, please email Lynn in Public Works for an application -- lhanley@ westchester-il.org -- or stop by Village Hall. Construction Notices & Signs are all around the village. Please read notices if you receive them, and remember to obey all signs, permanent or temporary. DRIVE CAREFULLY IN ALL CONSTRUCTION AREAS!! Sprinkling Ban Reminder We have water use restrictions in effect every year, May 15-September 15, from 12pm to 6pm. This includes: (1) (2) (3) (4)

Outdoor Watering Cleaning Outdoor Surfaces Cleaning Buildings Pool Filling

Sprinkling during unrestricted hours (before noon, after 6pm) shall be allowed on even numbered days for residents with even numbered addresses, and on odd numbered days for residents with odd numbered addresses. If we have a dry summer, further restrictions may be necessary. As always, residents are asked to call Public Works at 708.345.0041 or the Police (after 3:30pm M-F & on weekends) if an unusual amount of water is visible in the street or parkway. This could be a main break or water leak that requires our immediate attention.

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Our Oath as Police Officers

JULY 2022

I will not second quarterback the school shooting in Uvalde Texas at Robb Elementary School but from what I do hear it is very disturbing and not the way officers train here in the State of Illinois, especially in Westchester. All I can do is confirm what myself and our officers will do in Westchester. We as police officers took an oath to serve and protect all human lives, even if that means giving up our own life for others. Being a former Marine we were all mentally trained, that we never surrender, we don’t leave our dead and sometimes we don’t come back, but we are going in ASAP! Are main functions as police officers in any shooting situation will be to eliminate the threat to others “first” without hesitation and take care of those in need of medical attention! As the chief of police for so many years I am always asked this question, “Why must I answer my door if I accidently dialed 911”? Well, it is not because the police officers want to inconvenience anyone in any way, grab a sandwich, or know your daily business. However, it is important for the police officers to know that, all subjects in the household are safe and not in need of any service, or medical assistance. If officers did not check on all 911 calls and it was later learned, that somebody needed our services it would open up liability on the Village of Westchester and those officers and possibly make world news. The main objective of the police officers is to make sure that everyone is safe and that they quickly get back on the road for service for other incoming calls. If you do not talk with officers to make sure everything is ok, they may be forced to make forced entry for the safety of all, which is the last thing we want to do! Sincerely, Chief Daniel Babich Westchester Police Department

POLICE BLOTTER 1) At 10:02am on May 18, 2022 a Theft of Car Parts was reported at 2901 Wolf Road. The vehicle owner reported that unknown person(s) removed their catalytic converter sometime during the previous evening. 2) At 12:25pm on May 20, 2022 a Theft was reported on the 700 block of Suffolk. The resident reported that an Amazon package that was delivered valued at $174 was taken from the front porch. 3) At 11:18pm on May 21, 2022 a Criminal Damage to Property was reported on the 2400 block of Hawthorne. A resident reportedly heard a loud noise and contacted police. Officers stopped a vehicle containing 4 individuals and a paintball gun. Subjects were found to have discharged the paintball gun at a house and were brought to the station. Subjects received citations for the damage. 4) At 12:41pm on May 22, 2022 a Burglary to Motor Vehicle was reported on the 1800 block of

Mannheim Road. A resident reported that unknown subject(s) entered their vehicle taking money and various credit cards. 5) At 5:04pm May 23, 2022 a Residential Burglary was reported on the 3000 block of Rosebrook Circle. 2 subjects advising there were from the water company and needed to enter the house. Various items were taken from the house when a second individual entered the house. 6) At 4:21pm on June 1, 2022 a Burglary to Motor Vehicle was reported on the 600 block of Hull. The resident reported that in the morning he noticed his passenger side door open. Taken were shoes and a jacket. 7) At 3:27pm on June 7, 2022 a Burglary to Motor Vehicle was reported on the 1900 block of Balmoral. A resident reported that his cell phone was taken from his vehicle while parked in the driveway with the windows open.

GROW JULY 2022

F ir e D e pa rt me n t 6

JULY 2022

In appreciation of baseball and softball moms You could see the fire in both Sebastian Gutierez and his Mother Mariella’s eyes as he came into the Nazareth Academy’s 2nd inning in relief of Nick Drtina, A Great starting pitcher that ran into trouble with Lemont. I thought he gave the look like Liam Hendriks of the White Sox but there was no music but cheering from the fans including at his teammates when Sebastian entered the game. Nazareth overcame a 5-0 deficit and wins on a walk-off 2 run single in the bottom of the 7th to advance to the sectional championship. gloves nearby. Mariella was so excited that her son and teammates advanced. At that point I said to myself I have to see this team play again. The next game was against St. Laurence. However, that day, Mariella was driving her daughter up to Waukegan for a softball tournament and had to leave at 6:00 am and drive up I-294 and back for the St. Laurence game. I started to call Mariella a driving machine. With the sunlight, I have trouble seeing and started to wonder how do I get to the game. I am friends on Facebook with Matt Martin, whose son Jamison, starting 2nd baseman on the St. Laurence team. Matt said he would pick me up at 9:45 am. Right on time as Firemen are always. But guess who drove us. Yes that is right – His wife Abby. I thought I knew the streets of Chicago but she was Awesome. Of course being from Westchester and knowing the young men who played for both Nazareth and St. Laurence, I had to remain neutral. I told their husbands Carlos and Matt “I love both mothers to death,” Driving machines both Mariella and Abby. After Nazareth beat St. Laurence 6-0 in the Sectional Championship, I told Mariella I’m going to enjoy the moment, and I just hope I can get a ride to the next playoff game at Ozinga Field in Crestwood, Il. They beat a stingy team St. Ignatius 10-7 to advance to the State 3 A tournament – Final Four Next stop is Nazareth will play in Joliet Duly Field. Mariella said be ready at 9:45 am and she was right on time. She told me Sebastian was pitching that day and I was excited to see him pitch again. He shutdown Crystal Lake South and Nazareth won 16-3. Many young men from Westchester and the ones I know were Sebastian, Luca Fiore and Sam Wampler. There maybe others but I don’t know them. Then came the championship game between Nazareth and

Chatham Glenwood and Nazareth. For 4 ½ inninings the score was 0-0 with Nazareth coming to bat. Single to left by the Fauske, Freshman then Sam Wampler walk. Luca Fiore, an excellent bunter tried to move the runners up, then he ripped a single to right which the Roadrunners got it going. Reifsteck ripped another single to left center and it loaded the bases. After a fielder’s choice 3rd to the catcher, Smith received a Hit Batsman, and Brabham hit a sacrifice fly to right to score another run. Nick Drtina singled to right center scoring the 5th run of the inning. Prior to that Luca Fiore, made two great foul ball catches around the fence in back of first and caught a line drive for the 2nd out of the 7th. There were many great plays to support Nick Drtina. A 1-6-3 Double play in the 1st set the tone for the Roadrunner defense. Smith caught a long drive to right center; Wampler throwing out a runner to the shortstop

Malamazian; twp deep drivesa to left and caught by Reifstek; topped off by the 1st base plays from Luca Fiore. Nick Drtina pitched a great game and got the Big Win with O’Meara in relief to get the save and shut down Chatham. Former poet laureate Donald Hall once wrote “Baseball is fathers and sons playing catch.” That certainly is a familiar image -- it’s the final shot we see in “The Natural” and the scene that reduces us to tears at the end of “Field of Dreams.” Fathers are often credited for their role in raising major leaguers. Order of the day: pink shoes and bats to honor mom. Paul Spinelli/MLB Photos/Getty Images Mothers, though? Not so much. Too often, baseball is mothers being taken for granted. Actually, it’s even worse than that. When it comes to everything a mother does for a kid playing ball, says, “You’re not even to the point you can take it for granted because you don’t even know it’s going on.”

Mothers mostly go unnoticed, but they are every bit as crucial in a ballplayer’s development as the father who teaches him how to throw a curve or hit a slider. They drive us to practice. They wash our uniforms. They work the concession stands. They keep score. They huddle on uncomfortable bleachers to cheer for us on cold, drizzly evenings. In other words, moms do the work while dads often sit in the dugout. “Dads enjoy the fun aspects of it,” I said, “and moms take care of all the little things that go unappreciated.” Like driving me around to her sons games. “She was the person who had to keep everything in line when we were traveling and playing ball” How do mothers do it all? Where do they possibly find the time to get their kids to games while also working a job (perhaps two or three) and cooking our dinners and keeping us clean and raising us?

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P i c t u res >>J o b F a i r

JULY 2022

n behalf of the Mayor and Board of Trustees with the Village of Westchester, we were thrilled, excited and graciously thank Speaker Welch for inviting us to participate in this event. This was an amazing event that could potentially give opportunities to residents seeking employment while representing their hometown communities. We enjoyed being a part of this event look forward to participating in future years to come.

S chool D istrict JULY 2022

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JULY 2022

Grassroots Garden Group’s 4th Annual Garden walk Grassroots Garden Group, a spirited collection of green thumbs in Westchester, presents its 4th Annual Westchester Garden Walk on Saturday, July 23, from 9am-1pm, to benefit the Westchester Food Pantry. This year’s garden walk takes place north and south of Roosevelt Road and east of Mannheim Road. Six gardens will be featured, many of which are within walking distance of one another. “We are thrilled to host this community event and give everyone a chance to see how people in Westchester are enhancing their yards, and their lives, through beautiful landscaping,” said Grassroots Garden Group founder, Bethanny Alexander. “All of these homeowners have created their own personal paradises in their yards and we hope others will find some inspiration and joy out of what they have created.” Tickets for the garden walk cost $10 in advance and $15 the day of the garden walk. Tickets to the garden walk and five terrific raffle prizes may be purchased online. All garden walk details can be found at www.grassrootsgardengroup.org. “Our annual Westchester Garden Walk is more than a means to show off our beautiful village; it is yet another way our group is able to support the work of the Westchester Food Pantry,” Alexander

commented. Serving 8 local communities and run entirely by volunteers, the pantry serves hundreds of local food insecure households every month. Over the last five years, Grasssroots Garden Group has donated over $14,500 to the pantry from its fundraising events, including the Garden Walk and their annual plant sale. “Grassroots Garden Group is a volunteer group whose mission is to make our yards, our neighborhoods, and our community, a more beautiful place,” said Alexander. Founded in 2015, the group meets the last Monday of each month, February through October, to work on community beautification projects, plan events, and swap gardening tips and supplies. Occasionally, outside experts give demonstrations on topics ranging from wreath making to composting to container gardening. Anyone interested in gardening, giving back to the community, and meeting new people in a fun and relaxed environment is welcome. To learn more about the 2021 garden walk and Grassroots Garden Group, visit www.grassrootsgardengroup.org; email grassrootsgroup2015@gmail.com; or follow on facebook.com/grassrootsgardengroup and Instagram @grassroots_garden_group

JULY 2022

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JULY 2022

Library calendar for July, 2022 Mondays at 2 pm: Teen Book Buzz. View on the library Facebook page ( f a c e b o o k . c o m / We s t c h e s t e r P L ) . Contact the Teen Dept. Mondays from 2-3 pm: Monday Matinees with Ms. Julie in person at the library. Contact the Youth Dept.

Thursdays 10:15-10:45 am: Dance Boogie and Crafts For kids up to age 5 and their parents/caregivers in person at the library. Contact the Youth Dept. fThursdays 2-3 pm: Thursday Special with Ms. Julie. Special One day programs in person at the library. .

Tuesdays from 2-3 pm: Twisty Tuesdays or Happy Campers. Alternating in-person programs for a variety of ages with Ms. Julie and Ms. Kris. Contact the Youth Dept.

Thursdays 2-6 pm: Crafty Afternoon. Pop in and put together the craft of the week. Everything for the crafts will be provided. =

Tuesdays from 2-3 pm: Learn to Knit with Ms. Sarah. In person program for ages 12 and up. Contact the Teen Dept. Wednesdays from 10:15-10:45 am: Storytime with Ms. Melanie. For kids up to age five, and their parents/caregivers. In person event. Patrons must register in advance. Contact the Youth Dept. Wednesdays 4-5 pm: Teen photography club with Ms. Sarah. Take photos of local scenery with provided cameras or your phone camera. In person at the library. Contact the Teen Dept. for more information

Fridays, starting at 4 pm: Board Games N’ Chill. Step away from the heat and devices. Learn and play with friends and family. Most of the games will be out along with instructions. Contact the Wednesday, July 6th 2022 at 7 pm: An Evening with Sneed B. Collard II. Register online. Sunday, July 7th 2022 at 9:30-11am & 11:30am-1pm: Kids Kayaking Friday, July 29th 2022 11 am12 pm: Field Day. Meet Ms. Kris at the Westchester Intermediate School park for lawn games and other fun outdoor activities.

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JULY 2022

Class of 2022 Chargers excel at Montini Last month 14 former St Joseph Chargers graduated from Montini Catholic High School. These 14 students showed resilience as they continued to demonstrate the St. Joseph motto, Vincit Qui Laborat – He Conquers, Who Labors at Montini Catholic. Not only did they overcome a global pandemic, but the closing of St. Joseph High School and starting a new high school in their senior year. Congratulations to Joseph Calabrese, Joseph Fedinec, Alexis Holmes, James Milas, Sultan Oyekanmi, Grace Rostello, Raziel Salamanca, Matthew Sammons, Matthew Sandoval, Sean Spencer, James Stiso, Jonathan Valdez, Jessica Watts, Kaleb Wolf. Congratulations to the following students who were recognized at both the Montini Academic Awards Banquet and at the Founder’s Day Awards Ceremony in May. Joseph Calabrese – Illinois State Scholar President’s Award for Academic Excellence IHSA Scholastic Achievement Award Academic All Star National Honor Society Joseph Fedinec – IHSA Scholastic Achievement Award Lewis University Trustee Scholarship Lewis University Catholic High School Scholarship Alexis Holmes – IHSA Scholastic Achievement Award James Milas – President’s Award for Academic Excellence Academic All Star St. John Baptist de LaSalle Award IHSA Scholastic Achievement Award

Gold Medal Award for Excellence for Community Service Gold Medal Award for Excellence for Student Activities Silver Medal Award for Excellence in Theology BSA Eagle Scout Award National Honor Society National Honor Peer Tutor All Conference Academic - Soccer 500,000 in Academic Scholarships Bradley University Presidential Excellence Scholarship DePaul University Catholic Heritage Scholarship Holy Cross College Blessed Basil Moreau Award Lewis University Presidential Scholarship Lewis University Lasallian High School Scholarship Loyola University Chicago Presidential Scholarship Loyola University Chicago Catholic Heritage Award Saint Louis University Vice President’s Scholarship Saint Louis University Catholic High School Award Sultan Oyekanni – IHSA Scholastic Achievement Award University of Illinois Presidential Award Program Scholarship University of Illinois Chancellor’s Access Grant University of Illinois State/ University Grant University of Illinois Tuition Grant Grace Rostello – Tri-M Music Honor Society Raziel Salamanca-

President’s Award for Academic Excellence Academic All Star James Stiso – President’s Award for Academic Excellence IHSA Scholastic Achievement Award Academic All Star St. John Baptist de LaSalle Award Mother Teresa Award for Campus Ministry National Honor Society All Conference Academic - Soccer Elmhurst University Presidential Scholarship Elmhurst University Niebuhr Service to Society Grant Lewis University Presidential Scholarship Lewis University Alumni Legacy Scholarship North Central College Dean Scholarship North Central College Alumni Referral Award University of Illinois Chicago

Opportunity Grant Jessica Watts – Illinois State Scholar President’s Award for Academic Excellence Academic All Star 300,000 in Academic Scholarships St. John Baptist de LaSalle Award Pax Christi Instrument of Peace Award Silver Medal Award for Excellence in English National Honor Society Spanish National Honor Society DePaul University Catholic Heritage Scholarship Dominican University Presidential Scholarship Loyola University Chicago Presidential Scholarship Loyola University Chicago Catholic Heritage Award Marquette University Pere Marquette Scholarship University of Hartford Regent’s Scholarship

JULY 2022

Prairie Rising unveiled and dedicated On June 16, Westchester Public Library held a ribbon cutting and unveiling of the Prairie Rising “Pratum Ascedens.” The native prairie garden was made possible through the support of CN EcoConnexions

RATE INCREASE Please be aware rubbish rates will be increased as of July 1st, 2022. This increase will be reflected on the July bill cycle because rubbish is charged in advanced. Also keep in mind the increased rates for water and sewer (annual increase May 1st) will also be reflected on the July bill cycle. New rates are as followed: • Water: $12.00 per 1,000 gallons (Previous rate$11.65 per 1,000 gallons) • Sewer: $1.46 per 1,000 gallons (Previous rate-$1.41 per 1,000 gallons) • Rubbish: - Non-Senior rate- $26.94 monthly/ $53.88 Bimonthly (Previous rate $25.18 monthly/ $50.36 Bimonthly) - Senior rate- $23.12 monthly/ $46.24 Bi-monthly (Previous rate $22.67 monthly/ $45.34 Bi-monthly)

From the Ground Up, America in Bloom, Friends of the Library, Joe Pokorny and the Westchester Chamber of Commerce. It was dedicated in memory of Fred W. Poppe and Frank J. Perry.

Storm — Continued from Page 1

helping neighbors. I cannot begin to tell you how many people I heard from that just praised how happy they were to make their home here because of their neighbors. The cleanup and repairs will still take time but we will get there. The Board has authorized the Village Manager Greg Hribal to take all necessary action to relieve businesses and residents of any municipal fees associated with the storm damage. This includes all permit fees for repairs of fences, garages, homes, etc. However it DOES NOT allow for permits to not be pulled. The inspections will still take place however the fees incurred will be waived. This is for the residents protection of predatory contractors who seem to always pop up after these types of weather events. Also please make sure whenever solicitors are going door to door they have a village issued solicitors permit. If solicitors are found without the proper credentials please notify the police department. Over the course of my elected official life this is the third “disaster” we have been through, including two 100-year floods in two years. Each time we have pulled together and showed the near west burbs why Westchester residents make the best neighbors.

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