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

Village of

Westchester MAY, 2022

PUBLIC WORKS

POLICE DEPARTMENT

BOY SCOUTS

FIRE DEPARTMENT

GIRL SCOUTS SCHOOL DISTRICT

LIBRARY

From the desk of Acting Village President Nick Steker

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There’s a lot going on right now, but I wanted to share a little bit of good news. In the final days of the legislative session, I reached out to Speaker Welch to share that estimates for village hall were higher than anticipated and to request additional state help. As a result, I am very pleased to report that the passed state budget (on page 835 of HB 900) includes a NEW $1.5 million appropriation in addition to the $2 million re-appropriation (from last year’s budget) for a TOTAL amount of $3.5 million for the project. Of course, this was a team effort: my outreach to the Speaker, your visit with him in Springfield, and the work of our lobbyist all combined to help make this possible. Thank you for everyone’s help. Photos from the trip are on PAGE 13

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PUBLIC WORKS

Village branch collection the week of May 2-6th June’s collection will be the week of the 6nd – 10th July’s collection will be the week of the 11th – 15th

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. 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 7:00 a.m. 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. 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 pickup. 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:

MONDAY: From Mannheim Road west to Wolf Road and from Canterbury south to Windsor-including both sides of Windsor Drive. Also Waterford, Waverly, Camelot and Concord. TUESDAY: Roosevelt Road south to Cermak Road-from Gardner Road west to Mannheim Road. 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.

MEMORIAL DAY HOLIDAY GARBAGE SCHEDULE There will be no garbage collection on Monday, May 30th Monday’s collection will be Tuesday, May 31st Tuesday’s collection will be Wednesday, June 1st Thursday’s and Friday’s collection will remain the same- no change. Waste Management – 1-800-796-9696

Waste Management directly. • If you would like to request a new garbage or recycling receptacle, please 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. 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 first round of planting will be in May 2022. Second planting in fall 2022. Please call Public Works at 708.345.0041 to register.

50/50 Shared Cost Sidewalk Replacement Program The village offers a 50/50 shared cost program sidewalk replacement program. If the public sidewalk in front and/or on the side of your residence is in poor condition, and you would like to replace it, the Village will share the cost with you. Please call Public Works at 708.345.0041 to register for squares.

Also of note… 1. Street maintenance parking restrictions have gone into effect. Please look at the signs, or check the Village website, so you don’t receive a ticket!! 2. The Public Works Department will be repairing parkways damaged by sewer and water excavations, and snow plow damage, weather permitting. Stump grinding will also take place for those whom have had trees removed. 3. The vac and jet machine will be cleaning out storm sewer inlets, as weather permits. With rainy weather around the corner, please help us to keep the storm drains clear of debris, little by little, so they don’t become a huge issue resulting in flooding. 4. Tree trimming by Sinnott Tree Service will continue this month.

Construction Notices and signs are starting to appear 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!!

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.

• If your garbage or recycling was not picked up on your regular day, please call

UTILITY BILLING INFORMATION Attention Village Residents! Water and Sewer rates will be increasing as of May 1st, 2022. You will see these increased rates on the July utility bill, which covers the usage in May & June. Water rate will increase from $11.65 per 1,000 gallons to $12.00 per 1,000 gallons. Sewer rate will increase from $1.41 per 1,000 gallons to $1.46 per 1,000 gallons. The Village does charge a minimum bill amount of the base charges of the rates above and also includes both infrastructure fees of $12.00 each for two months and the garbage rate of either $50.36 or the senior discount rate of $45.34. This minimum amount is charged whether or not 1,000 gallons has been used. Please contact the Utility Billing Department at the Village Hall, 708345-0020, with any questions.

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Safety Tips The weather is beginning to become warmer and soon we will be seeing more activity in our residential areas regarding individuals claiming to be workers or sales persons trying to take advantage of the kind hearted. Every year we have criminals that make a living by trying to get our residents sidetracked by exiting their homes, so they may enter the home and go through your personal belongings looking for cash and expensive items. Please never let anyone in your home you do not know for any reason, or for any story, they may tell you. If someone comes to your door, you do not know, or offering their personal services just close the door, call 911, and let the police officers figure out who they are and what they wanted! An old farmer taught me years ago never let the fox in the hen house! When out visiting your favorite places never leave your wallet or purses unattended or inside your vehicles, grocery basket or at a table in a restaurant or bar in plain view, while you are gathering other items and your attention is distracted. Finally, if you see a crime occur…REPORT IT! Everyone has a responsibility to report suspicious actions so law enforcement personnel can take proactive actions to prevent crime. At least half of the crimes in the United States go unreported for various reasons, which allow criminals to continue to operate without interference. In many cases information reported to police by witnesses leads to the apprehension of offenders. We need your help through your eyes and ears by providing information. No facts or general information is too trivial. Just a reminder May 15th 2022 you must display your 2022 Village sticker on your vehicle, Police Enforcement will begin on this day with an entire canvass of the village.

Chief Daniel Babich Westchester Police Department

POLICE BLOTTER 1) At 10:43am on March 16, 2022 a Theft of Motor Vehicle was reported on the 10000 Block of Roosevelt. A Ford F-250 was taken from the parking lot sometime during the previous day. 2) At 6:32am on March 22, 2022 a Criminal Damage to Property was reported on the 10100 Block of Kent. A vehicle owner reported their rear window was broken by an unknown object. 3) On 8:48pm on March 26, 2022 a Theft was reported at the Highlands Golf Course located at 2 Bluebird Trail. Personal belongings were removed from an employee break room. 4) At 12:25pm on March 30, 2022 a Retail Theft was re-

ported at Walgreens located at 10345 Roosevelt. A case of baby formula was taken from the store. Video is being reviewed. 5) At 3:53pm on April 14, 2022 an Attempted Burglary occurred on the 2200 block of Belleview. The resident reported that two subjects tried enter a resident’s house stating they were there to cut a tree down and left the scene after the resident notified the police. 6) At 8:45pm on April 20, 2022 a Retail Theft was reported at the Mariano’s located at 3020 Wolf Road. The store reported that a subject filled a brown paper bag with various pills. The subject fled the scene when confronted by store staff.

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Westchester Boy Scout News With the school year winding down and summer quickly approaching Troop #73 is saying good-bye to two of their long-time Boy Scouts, Matt Henning and Jimmy Milas, who have both officially cycled out of Boy Scouts and are looking forward to their next new adventure… college. Matt and Jimmy both started their Scouting career at age 6 as Cub Scouts with Pack #73 and continued their scouting journey with Troop #73, both of which are sponsored by the Westchester Community Church. Both boys were very active scouts for 12 years, both held numerous leadership positions within the Troop, both are members of the Order of the Arrow - Boy Scouts Honor Society, and both are proud Eagle Scouts. Matt Henning, will be graduating later this month from Timothy Christian High School. As a student at Timothy Christian, Matt was involved in the Bridge Builders (Diversity Club), DECA – Business Club, National Honor Society and Spanish Honor Society. Matt also works part time as a recreational leader at West Suburban Special Recreation Association, an organization that provides recreational activities for children and adults with disabilities. In the fall, Matt will be attending North Central College and will be in their Honors College to study Health Sciences. He is pre-accepted to get his Masters in occupational therapy. Matt’s favorite scouting memory was tying a canoe in a tree at Boy Scout camp. Matt credits Boy Scouts for helping him to learn how to be a strong leader. Matt’s Eagle Project was building “Buddy Benches” for all three Westchester Public Schools. Jimmy Milas, will graduating from Montini Catholic High School at the end of the month. Jimmy attended St. Joseph High School for his first 3 years of his high school career, before St. Joe’s closed last spring. While at St. Joe’s Jimmy was extremely involved in extracurricular activities. He was involved in Peer Ministry, a member of the band, co-captain of the soccer team, captain of the wrestling team, a member of the track team, member of student government, a member of the Future Business Leaders of America club, a school ambassador, member of both the National Honor Society and Spanish Honor Society. In his one year at Montini Catholic, Jimmy was involved in Peer Ministry, director of the Kairos Retreat, on the soccer team, founder and President of the UNO Club, member of student government, and part of the National Honor Society. In the fall, Jimmy will be attending Loyola University in Chicago and majoring in biomedical engineering. Jimmy’s favorite scouting memories were putting a canoe in a tree at summer camp, helping to rebuild Camp Shin-Go-Beek in Wisconsin, spending time with his older brother at scouting events and having his dad as his Den Leader in Cub Scouts and his Scoutmaster in Boy Scouts. Jimmy’s Eagle Project was a “Cancer Awareness Courtyard” at St. Joseph High School. Troop #73 is very proud of Matt and Jimmy and all of their accomplishments and wish them the best of luck in their future endeavors.

10 Scouts from Westchester Cub Scout Pack 73’s Webelos Scouts along with Den Leader Tammy Hernandez met with Trustees Evie Slavic and Robert Morales recently as part of working towards their Building a Better World badge. The Adventure Goal is to practice citizenship at the local, national and world levels. One requirement of this badge was to meet with a government or community leader to discuss their roll in their community. Pack 73 Cubmaster Rob Glinke was also present. The Scouts came prepared with questions such as: what is a trustee’s role, how do you become a trustee, how do you come up with ideas for community events, what are some of the challenges of caring for Westchester, and how can the Scouts help Westchester. There session

was a lively with great

question two-way

and answer participation.

Officers Kristina Tountas and Christopher Stock from the Westchester Police Dept. also stopped by to meet with the Scouts and presented them with a department cup and a souvenir police badge which is a collectible that that they can add to their collection from other departments.

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Westchester Girl Scout News This month Westchester Brownie Troop 47147 worked on their Home Scientist Badge and learned about the BEDS Plus Mission while making Easter baskets for their clients. For the Home Scientist badge, girls learn about how items in their home or ingredients in their cupboards can cause chemical reactions. The girls got an opportunity to experiment with salt and water molecules, the property of crystallized water and the importance of freezing points. What does this mean? Ice Cream! The scouts experimented with making ice cream in a bag, an experiment that you can find easily on the internet and conduct in about fifteen minutes in your own kitchen. It was a lot of fun shaking the solution to perfection, but it was more fun eating and adding toppings! The scouts then turned their attention to a more serious but important issue. Ms. Erin, a representative from BEDS Plus spoke to the troop about homelessness. She did a fantastic job explaining the numerous causes of homelessness. She also gave a lot of great ideas of how we can help. Ms. Erin gave the girls a few great strategies such as what to put in hygiene kits, gift card donations or donating directly to BEDS. One of the key tenets of the girl scout promise is to make the world a better place. The troop put that idea into practice by using scout funds and scout family donations to create ten Easter baskets filled with candy and goodies for BEDS clients.

MAY 2022 The Village of Westchester hosted a senior event to Drury Lane Theatre with lunch and a performance of ‘The King and I”. It was a wonderful turnout of 100 Westchester Seniors and Special Guest Cook County Commissioner Frank J. Aguilar. Thank you to the Village President and Board of Trustees for their continued support for Senior Events.

WESTCHESTER BUSINESS PROMOTIONAL EVENT Help support your local Westchester businesses the weekend of May 19-21, 2022 during the Economic Development Committee’s business promotional event! The EDC is asking you to visit businesses in the Seven Business Districts of Westchester during the May 19-21 weekend. As an incentive, the EDC of Westchester is raffling off a large screen television to any individual who visits at least one business in each of the seven business districts. In order to participate and be eligible for the raffle, you must visit businesses in each district, write the name of the business, and get the owner/worker to initial that you were there on the form provided below. The form is also available on the Village’s website as well as at the Building Department. Once you have visit a business in each business district, you must drop off the completed form in the white box on the east side of Village Hall outside the Building Department or at the front counter of the Building Department by the end of the business day, Wednesday, May 25, 2022. The winner will be drawn Friday, May 27, 2022. The Westchester Economic Development Committee thanks you for your continued support of all Westchester Businesses. The Seven Business Districts are as follows: Addison Creek: Roosevelt from the Boulevard to Gardner Municipal: Roosevelt from Mannheim to the Boulevard; Mannheim north/east side to I-290 High Ridge: Roosevelt on the south side from Haase to Heidorn Historic: The Boulevard from Canterbury to Cermak Fountain: Cermak from Mannheim to Sunnyside; Mannheim from Cermak to Canterbury Tower: Cermak from Wolf to Enterprise and the businesses on Enterprise Dr. Prairie: Wolf south of Windsor to 31st; 31st St. from Wolf to Sunnyside

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Clerk Yarbrough teams up with White Sox to offer game ticket for veterans and military members Clerk Karen A. Yarbrough is again teaming up with the Chicago White Sox to offer Cook County veterans and active-duty military members a free ticket to a regular-season White Sox game for the 2022 season. Veterans who sign up for the Clerk’s Veterans Discount Card program, or those who are already enrolled in the program, are being offered one free ticket for a White Sox game by showing their free Military and Veterans Discount Program card prior to game time. “We are so proud to partner with the Chicago White Sox yet again to provide this wonderful benefit to our deserving veterans and members of the military,” said Yarbrough. “We thank them for their unconditional support for our veterans and members of the military every step of the way.” All Cook County Veterans, activeduty personnel, national guard, reservists, and other members of the military can apply for the free Military and Veterans Discount Program, a public-private partnership that offers reduced costs and benefits to veterans. Veterans who already have the discount card can present it on

The Giving Tree- and How You Can Say “Thanks!” “Tree blindness” is real. They grow so slowly and seem so permanent- it’s easy to look right past them and forget that they’re living things that require appreciation and care in order for them to create the benefits upon which we rely. Our urban forest can be easily taken for granted, but the services our trees provide amount to hundreds of thousands of dollars in avoided costs each year. Among other benefits, Westchester’s trees quietly provide us with oxygen (of course). But they also provide pollution mitigation, carbon storage, and stormwater interception benefits- at no additional cost to residents! And don’t forget their positive impact on neighborhood aesthetics, human health, and well-being. Let’s take a look at just two additional ways our street trees enhance quality of life. Firstly, trees keep the planet cool. The most obvious way they do this is by physically providing shade and cooling the atmosphere around them. They are very efficient at this: Have you ever entered one of the forest preserves in the middle

of summer and noticed the dramatic temperature change from the parking lot to the trail? A neighborhood without trees can be up to 15° hotter than more canopied neighborhoods. In the summer, this can mean the difference between 75 and 90 degrees, or the difference between leaving a window open and running an air conditioner. In turn, these outdoor temperatures influence how much of your monthly budget you need to allocate to energy bills. Folks that are struggling to make ends meet may not have the resources to provide sufficient cooling for their homes. During a heat wave, this can turn the situation from uncomfortable to downright deadly. Secondly, trees provide wildlife habitat and support natural ecosystems. This isn’t just good news for your neighborhood songbirds and squirrels- it’s good for people, too. Our ancestors did not live out the majority of their lives in built structures as we do today: they (and we) evolved as part of the natural world. Because of this, each of us has a primal drive to connect with nature (whether consciously or subconsciously) in a phenomenon known as biophilia. This means that we all require access to nature-

and the trees that support it- for our wellbeing. Don’t believe it? Consider this: • Patients who have views of trees outside their hospital rooms recover from surgery faster than those who have views of brick walls. • Kids who have views of trees outside their classrooms have fewer behavioral issues and improved academic outcomes. • And people suffering from depression and anxiety can find relief when they’re able to regularly spend time outdoors- and especially when they can spend time among trees. April 29, 2022 was the 150th anniversary of Arbor Day- a day to celebrate trees and their contributions to the environment and our quality of life. You don’t need to hug them, but you can honor the trees on your property and in your parkway by giving them some much-deserved attention this growing season (May-October). • Spread natural wood mulch around the base of your tree to a depth of 2-3” to help retain soil moisture. Replace the mulch when it degrades. Do NOT allow mulch to come in contact with the trunk of the tree. The mulch should look like a saucer- not a volcano. Volcano mulching

the game day of their choice at the Box Office windows at Gate 4 at Guaranteed Rate Field within two hours of game time to receive their complimentary ticket. The offer is good for Monday– Thursday games and excludes games held May 12, 24, 25, and 26 as well as June 7, 8, and 9. Applications for the discount program can be completed online at cookcountyclerk.com/veterans, by mail, or at the Clerk’s Veterans Affairs Office, located at 118 N. Clark in Chicago. The office is open Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. When applying, Veterans should bring their DD-214, Retired Military Card or Illinois Driver’s License or State ID – with Veterans Designation. To make an appointment or for further information call 312-603-5788. The Clerk’s Discount Card, which is offered in partnership with the Cook County Office of Veteran’s Affairs, provides veterans with discounts on a wide range of services including food, auto repair, legal services as well as health and fitness memberships.

causes rot and promotes disease and death. • Water your trees. For new/young trees, two 5-gallon buckets per week poured slowly on the ground around the base will generally keep them hydrated, but they may require more frequent watering during dry spells. Established trees also require supplemental watering if it has been dry. • Notify Public Works if your parkway tree is exhibiting damage or signs of disease so it can be assessed and treated properly. For trees on private property, consult an arborist. You can also contact the Morton Arboretum’s Plant Clinic for free advice regarding many tree-related issues. You can send them an email at plantclinic@mortonarb. org or call them at (630) 719-2424. Trees give us so much: comfortable living conditions, beautiful neighborhoods to enjoy, flood/pollution mitigation, and more. They ask for very little in return. However, if we take them for granted, we run the risk of denying them the most basic elements they need for survival. So, let’s take a moment this spring to stop and appreciate our Village’s canopy- and the many contributions of trees to our quality of life.

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Grassroots Garden Group’s 4th annual plant sale will take place on Saturday, May 14, from 9am – 12noon near the village fountain (Cermak & Mannheim Roads). A variety of plants, including flowers, vegetables, and herbs, will be offered. “We are excited to offer residents of Westchester, and nearby towns, the opportunity to enhance their gardens with a great selection of plants and veggies,” said Grassroots Garden Group founder Bethanny Alexander. “Two months ago, we planted tiny seeds that are growing and ready to be transplanted to local gardens to help beautify the landscape.” Plants will be on-sale for $5 with net proceeds benefitting the Westchester Food Pantry. Since Grassroots Garden Group was founded in 2015, the non-profit organization has raised over $8,000 for the Westchester Food Pantry, from events such as the plant sale and Grassroots Garden Group’s annual garden walk. This summer’s garden walk is scheduled for Saturday, July 23. For more information, visit www.grassrootsgardengroup.org or follow Grassroots Garden Group on facebook.com/grassrootsgardengroup and Instagram @grassroots_ garden_group.

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