Village council will vote next on whether to allow a conditionaluse permit for Mint on Roosevelt
By JESSICA MORDACQ Staff Reporter
Forest Park’s third cannabis dispensary may is on the horizon.
The Planning and Zoning Commission voted unanimously, Oct. 21, to recommend that the village council approve a conditional-use permit for Mint IL LLC ’s dispensary to re place the currency exchange at 7207 Roosevelt Road.
Chairperson Marsha East and Board Member Paul Price were absent from the meeting.
The village council must vote on whether to approve the conditional use permit, which is required because dis-
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DISPENSARY
3 shops for cannabis?
from page 1
pensaries are only allowed in industrially zoned areas, per the village’s zoning code, and the corner of Harlem and Roosevelt is a commercial district. If Mint’s dispensary is approved, it will join Parkway Dispensary, which opened on Madison Street earlier this month, and Bloc Dispensary, which is coming to Circle Avenue early next year.
The October commission meeting was the second in which the only agenda item was to discuss a conditional use permit for Mint dispensary to open shop inside the 2,160-square-foot building.
At the first meeting in Se commission asked Omar owner of Mint IL LLC and operator of cannabis cultivation plant at 7550 Industrial Dr. — to return the following month to address their concerns, including the dispensary’s signage, ingress and egress to the property, plus a more detailed site and floor plan.
ommended that the conditional use permit has a condition of approval that says if people do cut through the alley, the village can oblige Mint to prevent patrons from using it to access the dispensary.
While six people spoke during public comments at the September meeting, only one spoke this time to ask for more specifics about the hypothetical number of vehicles visiting the dispensary.
Glinke said that Christopher B. Burke Engineering told him Mint didn’t need to do a traffic study. But Mint’s most-recent submission to the commission included a traffic impact statement.
The statement, conducted by Kenig, Lindgren, O’Hara, Aboona Inc. of Rosemont, found that traffic generated by the dispensary will likely not have a detrimental impact on existing transit around that oup said that the disould increase traffic on adjacent roadways by less than 1%.
At the October hearing, Fakhouri provided a detailed site plan and preliminary floor plan. He also included a security overlay with plans for cameras, sensors and panic buttons. The commission had asked him for more details about that last month.
Fakhouri also said Mint agreed to the commission’s suggestion to post a sign indicating that cars can only turn right onto Roosevelt Road out of the property’s parking lot, although the sign isn’t required for conditional use permit approval. Mint will address a sign permit, which is part of the village’s building code, if its conditional use permit is approved, according to Steve Glinke, director of the department of public health and safety.
The board also asked for a “Do Not Enter” sign by the alley north of the building — or blocking off the alley all together — to avoid traffic cutting through to Elgin Avenue
Glinke said Christopher B. Burke Engineering told him it’s not necessary to divide the alley from the parking lot. But staff rec-
Ferrara Pan’s Sylvia Abila ‘strawstruck’ by scarecrow likeness
A mainstay Ferrara Candy Shop employee inspired a nearby Halloween decoration
By JESSICA MORDACQ Staff Reporter
When Sylvia Abila saw that a Forest Park local had constructed a scarecrow in her likeness, she was pleasantly surprised.
cherrie s. A bila said her favo rite Fe rr ar a Pan c andies we re s pice drops and cinnamon b ear s, neither of wh ich the factory makes anymore.
But wh i le the c andy store’s offerings chang e, much of the clientele remains the same.
On average, Harlem Avenue carries nearly 30,000 vehicles a day in both directions of travel, according to the Illinois Department of Transportation. Roosevelt Road carries an average of nearly 24,000 daily vehicles west of Harlem Avenue and 17,000 east of Harlem Avenue
“What I have a hard time putting in my mind is the difference between the businesses that are there and what you have,” East said to Fakhouri at the September meeting. “The fact is Harlem and Roosevelt is always going to be a nightmare of an intersection.”
According to the civil engineering firm, Mint dispensary won’t affect that “nightmare” traffic too much.
If approved, the dispensary is expected to be open daily from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. An average customer will spend no more than 10 minutes in the store, according to Mint.
Based on the Institute of Transportation Engineers’ “Trip Generation Manual,” 23 people are expected to visit the dispensary during the busiest hour in the morning, and 41 during the busiest evening hour The dispensary is estimated to have a total of 456 daily customers.
“I turned around and I said, ‘That’s me!” said Abila, who has worked at the Ferrara Candy Shop for 25 years, after a human resources employee told her about the scarecrow. “That’s so nice!”
While the Ferrara Candy Shop has been busy as residents gear up to pass out treats on Halloween, I stopped by to find out how Abila became such a beloved local figure.
“We love you, so we made you into a scarecrow,” said Naoto Hase gawa — who constructed the scarecrow with his wife, Kimberly Adami-Hase gawa, for Forest Park’s annual Invasion of the Scarecrows — when we stopped by to take Abila’s photo with the display at 905 Circle Ave. “We wanted to honor you. You’re like a town icon.”
Abila started packing candy in the Ferrara Pan factory in 1983.
“We were like family back then,” she said about her favorite part of working for the company. While she said she’s still close with her co-workers, many of the 25 women who worked in the factory back then have since left.
When the woman who ran the publicly accessible Ferrara Candy Shop retired, Abila stepped in. Today, she mans the candy shop, placing orders and restocking the shelves
Abila has seen the candy store change a bit over the last two-and-a-half decades.
While today Ferrara Candy Shop displays rows of bagged and boxed Red Hots, jellybeans and gummy worms, before COVID-19, there were tubs of freshly made candy that Abila scooped into plastic bowls for customers.
C andy options have changed, too. Nerd s Gummy C luster s, the store’s b est-seller a ccording to A bila, have re p laced the likes of g ummy sharks, co ke b ottles, and
Abila shared how she remembers the faces, and often the favorite candies, of adults who used to visit the store as children. She said those kids came in after classes at St. Bernadine Elementary School and Field Stevenson Elementary School, and when they visited the park district’s pool next door in the summer. Now, Abila said, they bring their own kids to the candy shop
“It’s nice when they come back, and they have their professions, and they still remember me,” Abila said.
The Ferrara Candy Shop is an outlet store, according to their website. Abila confirmed that many of the prices in the store are cheaper than at other locations
While 9 ounces of Nerds Gummy Clusters cost over $6 at Walg reens, they’re only $3 at the Forest Park candy shop, Abila said. She added that she’s selling large packages of assorted candy for $20, while Walmart sells them for $28.
Ferrara Pan is also a large supporter of the community and often donates free candy (including to Growing Community Media, the parent company of the Forest Park Review) to hand out at local parades and events.
Hase gawa said Ferrara even sent candy to his Circle Avenue home after hearing about the scarecrow made to honor Abila.
“We’ll make sure the children from Forest Park get it, and we’ ll make sure they know it’s from Sylvia,” Hase gawa said about the Halloween candy. He said he’s grateful for the free donation, considering how much his family loves the candy store, and the scent of Lemonheads that wafts down the road.
“You can smell it from here. We go see Sylvia all the time,” Hase gawa said.
“People do stop and they’re like, ‘Wow, that’s Sylvia!’” he added about the scarecrow. “You’re a celebrity.”
Ferrara Candy Shop is open at 7301 Harrison Street from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through F riday and until 2:30 p.m. on Saturday.
FILE
Former currency exchange location could house Forest Park’s third cannabis dispensary at Harlem & Roosevelt.
Jazz On Madison featuring Sabertooth
Wednesday, Oc t. 30, Doors @ 6:30 p.m., Music @ 8 p.m., Rober t’s Westside
Immerse yourself in an unforgettable evening of live jazz at Rober t’s Westside as we present Sabertooth. This dynamic ensemble blends classic jazz elements with modern in uences. Experience the thrill of a live broadcast on 90.9 WDCB from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m., making you part of the musical magic. General admission is $12 plus service fees, while reserved seating is available for $15 plus service fees. 7321 Madison St., Forest Park
Tech Help Drop-In
Thursday, Oc t. 31, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m., Oak Park Public Library
Join us for monthly Tech Help Drop-In sessions with our digital learning sta . Get assistance with laptops, tablets, and smartphones. Sessions are limited to 15 minutes per person, and no registration is required. Masks are required for safety. 834 Lake St., Oak Park
BIG WEEK
Oc t. 30-Nov. 6
Compiled by Brooke Duncan
Realit y Bytes: Premier ‘90 & ‘00s Tribute Band @ Robert ’s Westside
Join us for Reality Bytes, the premier tribute band, celebrating the hits of the ‘90s and ‘00s. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., with music starting at 8 p.m. General admission is $12 plus service fees, while reserved seating is available for $15 plus service fees. Note that general admission does not guarantee seating, which is rst come, rst ser ved. The event is 21+ (under 21 allowed with a parent or guardian). Visit https://tinyurl.com/y2cxf5r6 and purchase tickets. 7321 Madison St., Forest Park
Day Trip: ‘Little Shop of Horrors’
Wednesday, Nov. 6, 10:15 a.m., Howard Mohr Community Center
Join us for an exciting day trip to the North Shore Center in Skokie to see Little Shop of Horrors, with a lunch stop at Cooper’s Hawk Restaurant in Morton Grove. Call 708-7717737 for reservations and more information. 7640 Jackson Blvd., Forest Park
Forest Park Fall Wine & Ar t Walk
Saturday, Nov. 2, 1-5 p.m., Madison Street
Explore Madison Street’s unique shops and restaurants at the Fall Wine Walk. Enjoy tastings of three wines at 16 locations, sample local bites, and meet local makers. Tickets are $50, including tastings and a complimentary bottle of wine. Registration at Forest Park Bank (7348 Madison St.) is required, with options for 12:30 p.m. or 1:30 p.m. The event will take place rain or shine. 7348 Madison St., Forest Park
Teen Boo Bash
Thursday, Oc t. 31, 3 – 7 p.m., Oak Park Public Library
Join us for a fun- lled Halloween celebration. Enjoy games, food, and prizes. Open to middle-and highschoolers. 834 Lake St., Oak Park
La st Day of Kids Election Voting
Tuesday, Nov. 5, (during regular library hours), All Oak Park Public Library locations (Main Librar y, Dole Branch, Maze Branch)
The polls are open. Drop by any library branch to vote with your pennies in our kid-friendly election. Will Pete the Cat or Bluey win? All proceeds bene t the Animal Care League, ensuring both dogs and cats are the real winners. The winning candidate will be “inaugurated” at noon on New Year’s Eve with a dance party for all. Main Librar y, 834 Lake St., Oak Park. Dole Branch, 255 Augusta St., Oak Park. Maze Branch, 845 Gunderson Ave., Oak Park
TRUNK OR TREA T
Kids receive candy from various Forest Park community members during the Trunk or Treat event on Saturday, Oct. 26, in the parking lot at 7329 Har rison St.
(le ) Wyatt and Connnor Ball of Forest Park play bean-bag Tic Tac Toe.
Knox Marcello of Forest Park adds to his haul, courtesy of Ascension School board member Cheryl Bernard
Kolten and Everly McCubbin of Forest Park receive candy from Ferrara Candy Company employees (le ) Lizbet Suarez and Kristin Weiss.
Zoey Simmons of Forest Park gets a sweet donation from Patsy and Je Oswelt
NATURAL FUN
Walk, bike or run: With 350 miles of trails, this is where to get outside and get healthy.
LEARN MORE: fpdcc.com/trails
Photos by ERICA BENSON
State, Cook County defend assault weapon bans
Ruling on state ban expected soon in Southern District as Cook County prepares for 7th Circ uit arguments
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois
A ttorneys in the offices of A ttorney General Kwame Raoul and C ook C ounty State’s A ttorney Kim Foxx made similar arguments in recent c ourt filings as b oth defend bans on assault we apons and large-capacity magazines against c onstitutional challenges
In separate cases at different levels of the federal court system, both offices are trying to make the case that the laws under challenge – a state law enacted in 2023 and a county ordinance that dates to 1993 –
f all within the bounds of the U.S. Supreme Court’s most recent interpretation of the Second Amendment right to keep and bear ar ms
Raoul’s office filed its final written arguments Monday, Oct. 21, in the Souther n District of Illinois, where an in-person trial was held in September on multiple challenges to the state’s Protect Illinois Communities Act. That’s the weapons ban state lawmakers passed in 2023 in the wake of a mass shooting at a Fourth of July parade the previous summer in Highland Park
Foxx’s office made its argument in briefs filed with the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals, where a three-judge panel will hear oral arguments Nov. 12 in a challenge to the county’s assault weapons ban.
First adopted in 1993, that law was strengthened in 2006, and again in 2013. It is now known as the Blair Holt Assault Weapons Ban, named after a Chicago teen who was killed in a 2007 shooting while protecting a high school classmate.
Both cases are among the numerous challenges to assault weapons bans that have been filed in recent years in Illinois
and elsewhere. Those cases come as state and local governments look for ways to control the proliferation of increasingly deadly weapons on their streets while a conservative majority on the U.S. Supreme Court takes an increasingly expansive view of the Second Amendment’s protection of gun rights.
The court’s current standards for judging Second Amendment cases are spelled out in the 2008 decision District of Columbia v. Heller, and the 2022 decision in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen.
The Heller case held the right to bear ar ms is an individual right, not a collective right, and that the Second Amendment protects an individual’s right to own and carry weapons such as handguns that are commonly used for self-defense and other lawful purposes.
In the Bruen decision, the court went further to say that for a gun control law to pass constitutional muster, the gover nment must show that the law is consistent with the nation’s “historical tradition of firear ms re gulations.”
In both pending cases, attorneys for the
plaintiffs argue the weapons banned under the laws are among the most popular firearms in America and are commonly used for self-defense and other legal activities such as hunting and target shooting
Attorneys for the state and Cook County, however, argue the assault weapons covered under the laws are modern variations of guns first developed in Nazi Ger many during World War II, the Stur mgewehr 44. That weapon’s design was later adapted and modified by the U.S. military into a weapon known as the AR-15, which was later “rebranded” as the M-16 rifle.
Briefs filed in both cases also of fer graphic descriptions of mass shootings in which assault weapons have been used to illustrate how their lethal power is many times that of smaller weapons like a 9 mm handgun.
Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service that distributes state gover nment covera ge to hundreds of news outlets statewide. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCor mick Foundation.
Park District of Forest Park turns 90
e
anniversar y celebration
will
include
a display of archival material, music and refreshments
By JESSICA MORDACQ Staff Reporter
T he Park District of Forest Park turns 90 next month and is organizing a nostalgic get- to g ether to celebrate
The day after its official birthday, on Nov. 15 from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m., the park district will host its anniversary festivities at its administrative building, 7501 Har rison St. It’s an open house “so everybody in Forest Park can come celebrate with us,” said Jackie Iovinelli, executive director ofthe park district, at its October board meeting.
Iovinelli said the park district coordinated with Robert’s Westside to schedule T he Re plays to perform music. T here will
also be refreshments and speeches, with a toast at 8 p.m.
T he park district is planning on wrapping a room of its building’s second floor with tables of archival material, including site plans and pictures dating as far back as 1933. Attendees can browse the items, visit with neighbors and reminisce.
Anyone who has photos or written memories that they want displayed during the 90th anniversary celebration can submit them through social media by sending the Park District of Forest Park a direct message or tagging its account in a post. T hey can also email hr@pdofp.org. If people have physical memorabilia to share, they can bring it to the park district’s administration building.
PHOTO CREDIT
Above: A 1974 aerial photo of the park and pool.
photo of e Park’s pool from a postcard.
CRIME Man arrested for possession of methamphetamine
By JESSICA MORDACQ Staff Reporter
Police were sent Oct. 24 to the 1200 block of Marengo Avenue for a suspicious auto that had been parked but running for more than 30 minutes. A registration check showed the car’s registration was suspended. Police pulled over the car and discovered the driver had a suspended Illinois license and was visibly shaking, officers reported. The man was asked to exit the vehicle. Inside, police found suspect meth, a glass pipe and blowtorch. The man was charged with operating a motor vehicle with suspended registration, having a suspended license, and possession of methamphetamine.
Missing person
On Oct. 22, a man living on Thomas Avenue contacted police to tell them his brother left the residence that morning. His brother was living with the man and his wife while the couple worked to find him assisted living. Because of his brother’s age, the man said his brother could be confused and lost, but he was unaware if he suffered from dementia. Police entered the brother into their system as a missing person.
Disorderly conduct
Police were dispatched Oct. 25 to McGaffer’s Saloon for reports of two people throwing chairs inside the bar, according to the police report. When police arrived, a person was unconscious but breathing on the bar’s patio and was transported to Rush Oak Park Hospital. A witness told police that two people came into the bar, and the bartender told them to leave because they were too drunk. The two became angry and started throwing chairs on the ground, then left and were yelling at patrons from the sidewalk, according to the police report. When police were on the scene, a woman came into the bar that patrons identified as one of the people throwing chairs. She became irate when police escorted her out and was arrested for disorderly conduct.
Burglary
On Oct. 26, police responded to an Elgin Avenue home on reports someone had en-
tered it. The man living there said he left at 9:30 a.m., and when he returned at about 8:30 p.m., his back door was ajar, though he told police he was certain he locked it. He found a bedroom dresser with its drawers open, and clothes strewn about, plus an air conditioning unit detached from the window. He told police that several items of value, like watches, diamonds, and a guitar, were untouched. No one has been charged.
Suspicious person
Police responded to 711 Des Plaines Ave. Oct. 26 for a report of a man stepping into the street. The man told police that, over the past few days, he was riding CTA trains and was waiting for his mother to pick him up. Police discovered he was an endangered missing person in Chicago and contacted his mother, who was en route to pick the man up, according to the police report She took him home, and no one was charged.
In-state warrant
On Oct. 27, police were dispatched to the 200 block of Lathrop Avenue just after 4 p.m. to address a car that had been parked and playing loud music since 8 a.m. When police responded to the address, they heard the car’s music from over 50 feet away from the vehicle, according to the police report. Police said they asked the driver to turn down the music, and she did, but turned the volume back up as police left. When police asked for her identification, she repeatedly refused to provide it, according to the police re port. The woman was arrested for an in-state warrant out of Cook County, loud music, and a parking violation for exceeding the 2-hour parking limit on that block.
These items were obtained from Forest Park Police Department reports dated October 2227 and represent a portion of the incidents to which police responded. Anyone named in these reports has only been charged with a crime and cases have not yet been adjudicated. We report the race of a suspect only when a serious crime has been committed, the suspect is still at large, and police have provided us with a detailed physical description of the suspect as they seek the public’s help in making an arrest
Local Venezuelan teen asylum-seeker wins boxing championship belt
Emanuel, 13, was among those who arrived in Oak Park on Halloween last year
By MEINRAD SCHERER-EMUNDS Contributing Reporter
Emanuel Herman Lugo, 13, took top honors — and the heavy championship belt that comes with it — at a national boxing championship tournament in Grand Rapids, Michig an.
Emanuel, an eighth grader at Brooks Middle School, is the middle son of a Vene zuelan immigrant f amily that settled in Oak Park after being sheltered there a year ago. He remained undefeated at the 2024 King of the Jungle National Championships held Oct. 18 to 20 at the Devos Place in Grand Rapids
T he Herman f amily was part of the
large group of migrants whom activists brought to Village Hall during the snowy and bitterly cold Halloween night of T hey subsequently found shelter weeks at Good Shepherd Lutheran and for several months at the Carleton Hotel. With the help of Good Shepherd, the f amily settled in a southeast Oak apar tment last March.
Manuel and Emili said they are ful for the welcome and the help they ha received in Oak Park from so many in the community, especially from the mi ministry team at Good Sh epherd.
Competitive boxing enthusiasts from Emmanuel’s father’s boxing days as young boy in Venezuela, the f amily eled with him and his younger brother Samuel, to cheer them on. Samuel, 9-year-old fourth grader at Holmes School, also competes and performed well, bringing home two trophies from the ev E manuel c ompeted in the j unior dleweight class (80 to 85 p ounds) and S amuel in the j unior str aw we ight class (50 to 55 p ounds). E manuel started boxing four years ag o, when the f amily was still living in Vene zuela. He won second p lace at a national boxing championshi p in Vene zuela in 2023.
PROVIDED
BELTED: e Herman family at the King of the Jungle championship in Grand Rapids, Michigan. From le : Alexzen, Emanuel, Emili, Samuel and Manuel. With them is Diego, a friend from their boxing gy m, who also won a championship.
T he two brothers prepared for the event with an intensive training, sparring, weight-lifting and g eneral fitness program. About five months ago, they joined the Beast Boxing Gym in Hillside, where they practice on Mondays, Tuesdays and T hursdays; and the Midwest Training Center in Schaumburg, where they practice on Wednesdays and Fridays.
T he father, Manuel, accompanies the boys to the gyms and helps with the practices as an assistant coach. He and his wife, Emili, are proud of their sons’ boxing successes. But, as parents, they say it is always nerve-wracking and makes them very anxious to see their sons fighting and to wor ry about the possibility of injuries.
“It is a strong sport, and we always tell the kids to cover up and stay safe from opponents’ punches,” Manuel Herman said.
In the end, Manuel added, they follow the lead of our kids. “Our oldest son, Alexzen, was a very good boxer as well, but he decided that boxing was not for him, and he is much happier playing soccer.”
Emanuel said he dreams of participating in the Olympics, becoming a professional boxe r, and eventually, he said with a g rin, becoming world boxing champion.
T he minimum age for participating in Olympic boxing is 19, so the first Olympics that he could qualify for are in 2032 in Brisbane, Australia.
T he Herman f amily’s boxing glories are just one of the many success stories for Oak Park’s new asylum-seeking neighbors during the past year. Today, the f amily makes ends meet with cleaning jobs and collecting and re cycling metal.
T hey and others also settled into apar tments throughout the village, i nte gr ated i nto Oak Pa rk and made friends at
schools. T hey ’re earning temporary protective status or applying for asylum, maneuve ring c ountless bureaucracies and receiving their wo rk pe rm i ts or drive r’s licenses, wh i le they ’re making progr ess in English fluency and finding wo rk
S ome are g etting married and c elebrating the birth of children — all of this has b een made p ossible by the resilience and drive of Oak Pa rk ’s “new neighbors,” as well as the g enerous suppo rt of the Oak Pa rk community.
Of course, the f amilies continue to face many obstacles, setbacks and challenges.
But, Manuel Herman said, “We are truly thankful for the warm welcome Oak Pa rk — and especially Good Sh ep herd’s p astor and members — have given us. Yo u opened your arms and gave us shelter, and you c ontinue to care for us. Wi thout that kindness, we would n’ t be where we are today.”
KING OF THE JUNGLE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
Emanuel scores his rst win at the tournament.
Disbursements Greater than $2,500 –May 1, 2023 – April 30, 2024
34 Publishing Inc: 3,200, A Lamp Concrete Contractors Inc: 649,298, AA Rental Center: 2,674, Action Transmission & Auto: 12,723, Adobe Acrobat Pro DC: 3,511, AEP Energy: 47,725, Agilant Solutions Inc: 17,248, Air One Equipment Inc: 21,547, Airy’s Inc: 22,875, Aladtec LLC: 3,387, Alliance Pension Consultants LLC: 27,125, Alliant Insurance Services Inc - 8377: 15,644, Amalgamated Bank of Chicago: 710,452, Amazon.com: 12,513, Amazon Capital Services $31,794, American AED LLC: 5,774, AMS Electric Inc: 21,990, Animal Care League: 2,700, APCO International: 4,140, Arlington Heights Ford: 4,622, Artistic Engraving: 5,717, AT&T: 28,050, AT&T $3,608, Atlas Bobcat LLC: 2,803, B&F Construction Code Service: 6,665, Baker & Taylor $94,384, Bakke, Matt: 7,859, BC Body Craft Inc: 36,369, Berwyn Garage: 17,154, Blue Cross-Blue Shield of Ill: 1,699,089, Book Reporting Service: 4,704, BP: 5,798, Burke Engineering LTD, Christopher: 525,238, C.O.P.S. and F.I.R.E Personnel Testing: 16,350, Cairo & Sons Roofing Contractors Inc.: 11,265, CAPERS North America: 8,500, Capital One Bank $61,388,Cargill Salt Road Safety: 78,727, Case Lots Inc: 10,231, CDC ENTERPRISES INC: 12,822, CDS Office Technologies: 62,157, CellTech LLC: 3,000, Cengage Learning, Inc $7,131, Centurion Plumbing Company: 101,934, CFA Software Inc: 2,800, Chicagoland Paving Contractors Inc: 4,679, City of Chicago: 2,018,636, Clear View: 138,811, Cloudpermit Inc: 9,000, College of Du Page: 28,176, Com Ed: 79,700, Comcast: 13,192, Commercial Tire Service: 19,761, Constellation Energy Services Inc: 39,705, Cook County Dept of Public Health: 21400, Core & Main LP: 18,345, Currie Motors Chevrolet: 18,340, Dancing Cranes Yoga $2,780,
LEGAL NOTICE
Annual
Dandan, Tariq: 28,203, Danno, Joseph: 3,119, Darien Marion-Burton: 4,675, Darley & Co., W.S.: 4,866, Dave & Busters: 2,767, Davis Tree Care: 56,474, Dearborn National Life Ins.: 8,282, Del Galdo Law Group LLC: 2,920, DELL MARKETING LP: 3,531, Demco $2,919, Demco Software $2,613, Digitech, Advanced Data Processing Inc: 48,141, Door Systems: 3,796, Doors by Dave Inc.: 2,791, Drury Lane: 3,071, Eagle Uniform Company Inc: 7,134, EBSCO Information Services $4,179, Elevator Inspection Services: 5,993, Elmhurst Chicago Stone Company: 10,841, Engberg Anderson Inc $8,139, ESO Solutions Inc: 6,566, Factory Motor Parts Co: 21,541, Ferno Washington Inc: 6,085, Fidelity Security Life Ins Co: 8,552, Fire Service Inc: 56,377, Firefighters Pension Fund: 245,648, First Ayd Corp.: 5,441, First Communications $7,514, Fischer, Christopher: 5,425, Fitness Factory: 5,684, Fleet Safety Supply: 72,858, Forest Automotive Inc: 5,288, Forest Park Arts Alliance: 10,000, Forest Park Chamber of Commerce: 41,669, Forest Printing Company: 16,400, Forest Printing $15,223, Franzen Plumbing Inc: 23,631, Freeway Ford Sterling Truck: 4,542, Frontline Public Safety Solutions: 4,410, Gardiner Koch Weisberg & Wrona: 2,500, GenServe $4,009, Gerald Hyundai: 49,857, GPG Strategies LLC: 8,000, Grant Writing Consultants LLC: 23,333, Greenline Environmental Solutions LLC: 18,880, Griffon Systems Inc: 114,653, Growing Community Media NFP: 8,146, Guardian: 94,241, Halloran & Yauch Inc, Irrigation Systems: 7,562, Health Endeavors SC: 8,905, Heartland Computers Inc: 3,009, HOME DEPOT CREDIT: 7,057, HPInc $16,829, HR Source $68,785, Ice Miller LLP: 3,000, IL Dept of Healthcare and Family Services - GEMT: 501,093, Illinois Alarm: 3,585, Illinois Alarm Service $2,542, Illinois Communications Sales Inc: 25,267, Illinois Counties Risk Management Trust: 66,368, Illi-
nois EPA: 6,000, Illinois Municipal League: 2,885, Image Trend: 5,870, Intelli-Building Control & Solutions $2,880, IPELRA: 2,849, ITsavvy LLC: 31,426, J.G. Uniforms: 6,101, JC Licht LLC: 10,192, John Neri Construction Co Inc: 433,399, Kashima, Courtney: 87,491, KFive Hodgkins LLC: 6,258, KIESLER’S POLICE SUPPLY INC.: 19,296, Kimball Midwest: 7,774, Klein Thorpe & Jenkins $10,752, KMI Force $27,950, Knights Body Shop Inc: 9,982, Konica Minolta Premier Finance $7,925, Kuusakoski US LLC: 4,437, La Porte Chrysler Inc: 89,794, Lakeshore Recycling Systems LLC: 21,515, Lakeview Bus Lines Inc: 5,766, Lauterbach & Amen LLP: 34,970, Lauterbach & Amen, LLP $8,400, LeadsOnline.LLC: 7,015, Leahy-Wolf Co: 2,812, Lewis University: 9,000, Libraries of Illinois Risk Agency $19,985, Library Furniture International $2,640, Lindco Equipment Sales Inc: 3,941, Linde Gas North America LLC: 10,052, Linkedin Corporation $4,500, LMC Construction Inc: 62,650, Local 701 Welfare Fund, Automobile Mechanics: 20,332, Local 705 I.B of T. Health & Welfare: 360,696, Lyons Pinner Electric Co: 112,980, M.E. Simpson Co Inc: 3,675, MABAS DIVISION XI: 10,000, Mango Languages $3,334, McAdam Landscaping $12,197, McAdam Landscaping: 76,424, McCann Industries Inc: 5,471, Mckesson Medical: 6,639, McShane Hibbitts Inc: 4,955, Midco Diving & Marine Services Inc: 53,575, Midwest Fence: 4,868, Midwest Tape $41,400, Mohr Oil Company: 214,903, Municipal Emergency Services Inc: 6,981, Nardulli Concrete Inc, J.: 435,885, Nardulli Construction Company Inc: 53,461, National Restoration Systems Inc: 23,189, Nelson Systems Inc: 4,687, NICOR: 4,814, NICOR $6,857, North East Multi-Reg Training: 6,615, Norther Illinois Police Alarm System: 3,006, Northwestern Center for Public Safety: 4,476, Nunley LLC: 4,656, Office 8: 4,731, O’Herron Co Inc, Ray: 4,4022, Orange
Boy, Inc. $4,250, OTM Water Services: 10,250, OverDrive, Inc $9,516, Paramount Theatre: 2,805, Peterson-Bassi Chapels: 3,975, PITNEY BOWES: 31,500, Pitney Bowes Inc: 3,311, Playaway Products LLC $4,063, POLICE PENSION FUND: 242,852, PowerDMS Inc: 6,604, PremiStar-North: 24,030, Purchase Power $4,095, Quill $4,242, Quill: 28,531, RealInfo LLC: 4,950, Reliable Fire & Security: 2,616, Republic Services #551: 971,827, Republic Services $5,842, Restaurants - General: 5,316, Riccio Construction Corporation: 14,357, Robert R Andreas & Sons Inc: 24,635, Robert R.Andreas & Sons $5,985, Rosemont Group Sales: 5,506, RUSH TRUCK CENTER: 4,857, Ryan LLC: 63,274, Rydin Decal: 5,503, S&D Prime Maintenance $6,029, Saber-Toothed Computing: 3,080, Schaeffer Mfg Co: 3,568, SCHAUERS HARDWARE: 6,956, Schultz Supply Co Inc: 5,490, Senat, Anastasie M.: 7,095, SEPS Inc: 38,306, Shales McNutt LLC: 21,340, Shales McNutt Construction $22,054, Shaw MD, Geoffrey: 3,000, Signature Transportation Group: 11,381, SkimOil LLC: 6,086, Smithereen Pest Mgmt Services: 15,825, Southwestern Illinois College: 6,740, Special T Unlimited: 9,520, Springbrook Holding Company LLC: 52,659, Stanard & Associates Inc: 5,470, Standard Equipment Co.: 8,579, Standard Industrial & Auto Eq: 11,890, Standard Insurance Company: 3,310, State Treasurer-IDOT: 5,900, Stefl Inc, Tim: 10,862, Storino Ramello & Durkin: 175,085, Suburban Laboratories Inc: 3,529, Suburban Mailing Services Inc: 17,920, Sutton Ford Inc: 137,284, SWAN $45,711, T & M Plumbing: 3,900, Techno Consulting Inc: 85,183, Tecorp Inc: 450,787, Telcom Innovations Group LLC: 3,486, The Fireside Theatre: 3,374, Thomson Reuters-West: 6,914, Today’s Business Solutions Inc. $5,971, Total Parking Solutions Inc: 78,903, Traffic Control & Protection: 7,460, Traynor, Raymond: 16,875, Triangle Environmental $5,050, Uno Construction Co Inc: 2,516,497, US Coachways: 14,911, Utility Dynamics Corporation: 12,018, Vargas, Martin: 19,033, Verizon Wireless: 11,372, Vermeer Midwest: 4,271, Vigilant Solutions LLC: 3,050, Village of Forest Park $191,571, Village of Romeoville Fire Academy: 3,500, Walsh & Associates Inc, R.E.: 10,900, West Central Municipal Conf: 32,173, West Cook County Solid Waste: 195,428, West Suburban Cons Dispatch Center: 952,077, WESTAF: 2,750, Westchester Lock & Key Service Inc: 3,128, Woodlake Occupational Health: 9,888, Worthington Direct $3,768, Xerox Financial Services: 22,966, XTreme Graphics Lettering: 4,805, Zarnoth Brush Works Inc.: 5,046, Zeigler Ford North Riverside: 22,539, Zoobean $2,588
Disbursements less than $2,500: $372,770
TOTAL: $18,387,783
Salaries – May 1, 2023 – April 30, 2024
$25,000 and Under Janet Alexander, Kathryn Alexander, Ida Bailey, Robert Barnett, Bernie Berroa, Donald Bolton, Elena Bullivant, Joseph Byrnes, Ajah Crittenden, Tamara Cuchna, Luther Curtis, LaDonna Daniels, Melissa De LaTorre, Kristina Diana, Gerald Dillon Jr, Alexander Dowdle, Johnny Edwards, David Finlay, Michael Fluker, Jeremiah Fuller, Robert Fuller, Luis Galvez, Siobhan Gartland, Tionna Gause, Janet Ghanayem, Jessica Girardi, Justin Harris, Raissa Herscovitch, Maya Hill, Douglas Key, Emily Hogan, Laura Hogan, Cory Howard, Kalise Jackson, Jabreal James, Gabriel Jenkins, Brenda Jimenez Cruz, Jamica Jones,
Heather King, Kenneth Knack, Kristina Kobela, Olivia Koslab, Kevin Kraus, Monet Lewis, Kristen Lovett, Aidan Lutz, Mya Lyman, Roberto Marquez, Katherine Marron, Maria Maxham, Molly Maylath, Christopher McCanick, Christoper Moravec, Ivan Moreno, Albert Natase, Semaj Neal, Ryan Nero, Sean O’Mara, Barbara Pellettiere, Celia Pereira, Fatima, Perera, Daniela Perez, Nicole Petrey, Thomas Reich, Jacqueline Rice, Toni Rice, Mia Richardson, Megan Roach, Dominic Robinson, Mark Robinson, Giovanni Rodriquez, Angelica Sanchez, Michael Sinisi, Latessa Smith, Lincoln Smith, Karl Solms, Paul Stamatakos, John Sutfin, Gavin Tappenden, Devon Thomas-Edwards, Georgia Tsaganos, Dana Valentino, Christine Vilutis, Brian Volakos, Jessica Voogd, Henry Wagner, Aidan Walters-Avalos, Roynia Wardlow, Royshira Wardlow, Talheyah Webb, Sharlene White, Tracy Wilson, Pollyann Zagar
$25,000 to $49,999
Adrian Alicea, Samantha Amador, Cristal Avila, Samathana Bahena, Urszula Blonska, Martricia Bowers, Daniel Dudek, Mario FosterFlores, Ruben Gonzalez-Sauceda Jr., Rory Hoskins, Te’Lynne Howery, Wendy Keohane, Millicent Merrill, Sharon O’Shea, Daphane Patterson, Scott Popelka, Diana Reyes, Cristina Robles, Elizabeth Shlah, Harrison Vogt, Marie Weinbrecht, Karen Wiebe
$50,000 to $74,999
Moses Amidei, Christie Bassaloff, James Becker, Brandon Betancourt, Nathan Boyd, Steve Brhel, Martha Buehler-Sullivan, Matthew Cline, Claudia Corzine, Joseph Decosola, Casey Dougherty, Matthew Dowdle, Meghan Dowdle, Susan Farnum, Maribel Fuentes, Alicia Hammond, Deborah Harris, Grayson Hendrix, Francis Lane, Skye Lavin, Frank Marasco, Scott McClintock, Daniel Michaels, Ly Nguyen, Sandra Nutley, Jon Pankey, Brenda Powers, Rafal Radomski, Paul Richards, Dylan Ryan, Patrick Scollard, Elton Shemitraku, Collin Thomas, Szymon Wiewiora, Joel Zavala
$75,000 to $99,999
Matthew Bakke, Adrian Bala, Richard Barger, Michael Campbell, John Ryan Doss, Stephen Glinke, Steven Herigodt, Steven Knysch, Michael Marasco, Dora Murphy, George Prescott, Brian Printz, Victoria Rakowski, William Shanahan, Connor Solms, Danylle Stark
$100,000 to $124,999
Jospeh Aftanas, Jesus Arroyo, Vanessa Belmonte, Zachary Calamus, Thomas Cannon, Phillip Damato, Louis Davini, Karen Dylewski, Rachell Entler, Scott Frey, Kenneth Hriensaitong, Mitchell Kempka, Richard Lovett, Benito Marti, Travis Myers, Michael O’Connor, Laura O’Donnell, Letitia Olmsted, Kyle Piotrowski, Daysi Riglos, Timothy Ryan, Humberto Soto, Salvatore Stella, Antonio Torres, Ryan Winkoff
$125,000 and over
Lauren Battistoni, DeAires Blackwell, Andrea Caines, Phillip Chiappetta, Christopher Chin, Nicholas Defors, Kenneth Gross, Tom Hall, Lindsey Hankus, Aaron Hannan, Jarlath Heveran, George Hickey Jr., Michael Kinder, Arleta Kochan, Mark Maylath, Daniel Miller, Daniel Pater, Nichola Petrovic, Bobby Reid, Brendan Reilly, John Reilly, Joseph Schick, Michael Spagnolo, Adam Stasinopoulos, William Toth, Brian Valtman, Anthony Villasenor, Andrew Weber
Rep. La Shawn Ford calls for state to sell White Sox property
Ford les legislation for the sale, which he says could pay o debt and serve as a new source of property tax revenue
By JESSICA MORDACQ Staff Reporter
La Shawn Ford, who represents the 8th District in the Illinois House of Representatives, is filing legislation to sell the state-owned property where the White Sox play on Chicago’s South Side
Though Guaranteed Rate Field isn’t in the 8th District — which encompasses part of Chicago’s Austin neighborhood and the Forest Park suburb — Ford said selling this land would benefit more than just the South Side, allowing Illinois to pay off debt associated with the White Sox and receive revenue from property taxes, which the state doesn’t pay.
The attempt to pass legislation comes after a recent report that White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf is open to selling the team.
To sell state-owned property, Ford has to get authorization from the state by filing legislation, something he says must be done at some point if the state eventually wants to sell the land
“Whether we sell it today or not, we still need a bill to be passed to allow for the state to sell the land,” Ford said.
“The state has a need for revenue,” he added. And the White Sox aren’t exactly a money-making team.
The Illinois Sports Facilities Authority owns the land that Guaranteed Rate Field sits
on. The group was created in 1987 as a way to fund the state’s professional sports teams and the construction or renovation of their stadiums, according to WGN TV.
Guaranteed Rate Field has cost the government $200 million since 2010, South Side Weekly reported earlier this year. But the White Sox have only paid ISFA about $27 million back in that time
Even if the Sox stays at Guaranteed Rate Field, selling the land to a private developer would increase the amount the city gets in taxes from the property.
That money, Ford said, could be used to fund deferred maintenance or expanded housing for Illinois universities, many of which Ford said are requesting one or both from legislators.
For example, Chicago State has $89 million of deferred maintenance and $192 million of additional renovations that need to be completed, according to The Daily Line.
“While we have a sports team that has their hands out saying they need money to build a stadium,” Ford said, “we need to make sure that we speak up for our public universities and communities that need development.”
“By redirecting proceeds from a potential sale of this prime real estate, Illinois could make transformative investments in higher education, ensuring safe, state-ofthe-art learning environments that attract students and faculty,” Ford wrote in a letter to Gov. JB Pritzker earlier this month, calling for the sale of the property and telling him he’d be filing legislation to do so. “This would strengthen our educational infrastructure and provide a lasting economic boost to our state.”
If Re i nsdor f sells the team, and the state sells the property, Guaranteed Rate Field c ould become housing, businesses,
or b oth through a mixed-use c onc ep t. This, Fo rd said, would improve the state of Chicago’s economy.
“There’s a need for housing, and there’s a need for business growth in that area,” Ford said, both of which would create revenue for the state
He added that the location of Guaranteed Rate Field, next to the Red Line and the expressway, is an ideal location.
“It’s a perfect place for development of housing, shopping, and we can’t miss this opportunity,” Ford said. “We have to find a way to stop Illinoisans from leaving, and this is one way to do that.”
Ford said he learned about filing legisla-
tion to sell state-owned property through his involvement in the sale of the Thompson Center. In 2022, the state sold the building that once housed its gover nment headquarters to a development firm for $30 million and the acquisition of a $75 million office building downtown. Google is expected to move into the building after what is expected to be years of renovations are completed, according to Capitol News Illinois
“The county now receives the benefit of the new landowner paying property taxes,” Ford said. “And they’re going to create jobs and other opportunities for tax revenue for the state and the city and the county — without regressive taxing.”
CREDIT: JOSEPH HENDRICKSON/ADOBE STOCK
OUR VIEW
Essential Civics of local news
We are less than a week out from our national elections. It has been a dismaying campaign which has only further divided our fellow Americans. In five months, communities across Growing Community Media’s coverage area will have critical elections for municipal gover nment, school, park and library boards
As we look out toward these elections, and as we ramp up to ask you to invest in our reader-supported newsroom between now and year-end, we are focused on what we call the Essential Civics. These are the virtues we believe are core to independent, genuine local news.
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Accountability We have reporters on the ground in all of our neighborhoods covering local gover nment and schools We are always there watching Equity. We believe in equity. Simple concept, hard to attain that tells us every community member deserves the resources they need to thrive.
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Higher use at Harlem-Roosevelt
Would anyone be disappointed if the currency exchange at Harlem and Roosevelt just disappeared? Didn’t think so. Not the highest and best use for that spot.
Now Forest Park, rather remarkably, is on course to add its third marijuana dispensary at the cor ner. Last week the Planning and Zoning Commission offered its support after the owner of the Mint dispensary came back around with more detailed floor plans, security plans and traffic plans. Next up we expect the village council to welcome the powerful economic engine that a pot dispensary represents to a small town. Property taxes, sales taxes, special local taxes all add up to a cash bonanza for a village that really needs new revenue streams
The Park with no name
The Park District of Forest Park is about to celebrate its 90th anniversary. This is a nothing-but-upside moment for a local gover nment body that has been operating on all cylinders for a good long time now.
The successful Roos Recreation Center, the updated pool complex, the savvy remakes of the four pocket parks spread across the village, the expansion of The Park’s footprint along Harrison all reflect park leadership that is very much attuned to what Forest Parkers want and need.
Is it too late to add a contest to give The Park an actual name?
OPINION
Religious connections to Halloween
When Forest Parkers think of Halloween, I suspect they think of trick-or-treating, scarecrows and the Casket Races, but Wester n culture has a way of reframing what were originally religious holy days into secular holidays.
All Saints Day
Originally, All Saints Day was celebrated on May 13 and was a time for Christians to remember the martyrs, i.e. Christians who had died for their faith. Pope Gregory IV moved the holy day to Nov. 1 and the focus broadened as a time to remember all Christians who had died.
The night before, i.e. Oct. 31 was known as All Hallows Eve and was shortened to Halloween.
Dia de los Muertos
El Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) is a big deal for Mexican Catholics. Those folks have taken All Saints Day and Hallows Eve and put their own indigenous twist on the holy day.
“Once a year,” the website dayofthedead.holiday explains, “our departed come back to celebrate with us. The Day of the Dead … reunites the living and the dead.”
In a Mexican super market, I recently saw an altar representative of the ones set up in many homes. The altar had ofrendas to honor the departed family members, including photographs, flowers and their favorite foods. This one had two bottles of Mexican Coca-Cola which they swear tastes better because it is made with cane sugar, and a calavera, a plastic skull.
“The offerings are believed to encourage visits from the land of the dead as the departed souls hear their prayers, smell their foods and join in the celebrations,” the website added.
“Day of the Dead is a holiday for celebrating death and life. It is a holiday where mourning is exchanged for celebration. Day of the Dead is a holiday to remember loved ones by sharing a meal with them as one would when they were alive.”
Reformation Day
Oct. 31, 1517 — 507 years ago — is the date when a monk named Martin Luther reportedly nailed what came to be known as “the 95 Theses” to a church door in Wittenberg, Ger many sparking what became a religious wildfire called the Protestant Reformation.
What Luther was protesting was the selling of indulgences, a revenue stream for the Catholic Church in the 16th century. An indulgence was a document church members could buy which the Church claimed would
reduce the time a loved one would have to spend in Purgatory.
What Luther intended to be a document for scholars to debate, got distributed all over Europe thanks to a new invention called the printing press, and the piece went viral, so to speak. There was a lot of “dry tinder” of resentment against the power, wealth and authority of the pope, and the 95 Theses acted like a lightning strike that gave birth to a reform movement, on the one hand, and bloody religious wars on the other
Luther was an interesting character He was very modern, but he was also a “trouble maker.” The last thing both political and church leaders wanted was the erosion of their authority, so they summoned Luther to an assembly called a “diet” in the city of Worms, Ger many. When asked, “Who do you think you are, solitary monk, to go against the authority of the pope and tradition?” Luther replied, “I cannot submit my faith either to the pope or to the council because it is clear that they have fallen into error and even into inconsistency with themselves. If then, I am not convinced by proof from Holy Scripture, or by cogent reasons … I neither can, nor will, retract anything; for it cannot be either safe or honest for a Christian to speak against his conscience.”
The audacity, claiming that an individual conscience trumps authority and tradition!
Pretty modern, don’t you think?
Then again, Luther was quite traditional. To this day the Lutheran liturgy is very similar to the Roman Catholic Mass.
When I was a boy in the 1950s, I and some friends would go trick-or-treating and then trade the parts of our haul we didn’t want with each other. In Sunday school we would be shown a movie about Martin Luther’s heroic, individualistic stand against the Catholic Church
These days, older and hopefully wiser, I realize how unbridled individualism can destroy the order that secular and religious societies need to function. We have politicians who are good at tearing down but not adept at putting things back together.
Luther didn’t want to destroy the Church; he wanted to reform it
There is bathwater and there are babies. Democracy means “people power.” Unfortunately, the majority can be judged by Lord Acton’s dictum — power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely — as much as demagogues can.
Have fun trick-or-treating, but also take the opportunity to remember the “saints” who have gone before us. And on Nov. 5, be aware of the tricky balance between tradition and individuality when you vote
Editor Erika Hobbs
Sta Repor ter Jessica Mordacq
Digital Manager Stacy Coleman
Digital Media Coordinator Brooke Duncan
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Contributing Reporters Tom Holmes, John Rice, Jackie Glosniak, Robert J. Li a
Columnists Alan Brouilette, Jill Wagner, Tom Holmes, John Rice
Design/Production Manager Andrew Mead
Editorial Design Manager Javier Govea
Designers Susan McKelvey, Vanessa Garza
Marketing & Adver tising Associate Ben Stumpe
Senior Media Strategist Lourdes Nicholls
Business & Development Manager
Mary Ellen Nelligan
Circulation Manager Jill Wagner
Publisher Dan Haley
Special Projects Manager Susan Walker
Board of Directors
Chair Eric Weinheimer
Treasurer Nile Wendorf
Deb Abrahamson, Gary Collins, Steve Edwards, Judy Gre n, Horacio Mendez, Charlie Meyerson, Darnell Shields, Sheila Solomon Audra Wilson
HOW TO REACH US
ADDRESS 141 S. Oak Park Ave., Oak Park, IL 60302 PHONE 708-366-0600 ■ FAX 708-467-9066
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Postmaster: Please send address changes to: Forest Park Review,141 S. Oak Park Ave., Oak Park, IL 60302-2901. Periodical rate postage paid at Oak Park, IL (USPS No 0205-160)
In-county subscriptions: $38 per year. $70 for two years, $93 for three years. Out-of-county subscriptions: $58 per year.
It was late-October and Forest Park Private Detective
Sam Diamond sat in his shabby Madison Street office. His buzzer announced he had visitors, a middle-aged mother and her 12-year-old son. They introduced themselves as Blanche and Tommy.
Blanche opened her purse and pulled out a piece of paper, “Mr. Diamond, someone put this inside our pumpkin.”
Diamond read the simple message, “To save Halloween, you must come to the circle!”
“I don’t understand,” Sam said, “is something wrong with Halloween?”
“Oh, Mr. Diamond,” Blanche implored, “we thought if anyone in town could figure out what this note means, it would be you.”
“OK, I’ll take the case,” Diamond agreed, “If you can’t afford my fe e, you can pay me in peanut butter cups.”
The next morning, Diamond set off to save Halloween. The only clue in the note was “circle” so he headed to the Circle Bridge. It was covered with artwork but none of it had to do with Halloween.
He walked into the Circle Inn. It was too early for a beer but not too early for a question.
“Do you guys have any plans to save Halloween?”
The bartender looked at him sadly. “We barely saved St. Patrick’s Day. How are we supposed to save Halloween?”
Diamond crossed the street to Circle Lanes. He asked the guy ehind the counter if they had any special plans for Halloween. hey were putting up some decorations but that was about it
“No scary stuff?”
“We’ve had some customers get eally scary splits on Halloween.”
“The 7-10 split?”
“Worse than that, the 4-6-7-10 split.”
“Grandma’s teeth?” Diamond exclaimed in horror, “You’re giving me chills.”
After exhausting his circle leads, Diamond called Blanche, “Maybe that note wasn’t meant to scare you. Do you have any really nice people on your block?”
“Oh yes, we have the nicest couple We don’t even ask him but Mr. Hain snowblows our sidewalk. His wife plays the accordion at our block parties. Every Halloween, she gives out big boxes of Lemonheads.
Diamond drove over to stake out Hain’s address. He watched Sam and Ruth loading the trunk of their car. Diamond could see they were up to too much good! They filled their trunk with jack-o-lanter ns, candy and two brown choir robes.
Diamond followed them to Forest Home
Cemetery, where they parked near the United Ancient Order of Druids monument. Mrs. Hain lit candles inside the jack-o-lanterns and placed them in a circle around the monument. She placed a large box of Lemonheads next to each jack-o-lanter n. Then they put on their brown robes.
Diamond sprang from behind a headstone to ask them what they were doing.
“We’re saving Halloween, Mr. Diamond,” Ruth explained.
“But why the note? Why not just invite people?”
“We thought it would be more fun as a mystery,” Sam Hain explained. “Besides, we knew you needed the work.”
Diamond called Blanche right away and told her Tommy could invite his friends to the cemetery. Tommy and his friends rushed there by bike, rollerblade and scooter. They were happy to see the candy and jack-olanterns
Mr. Hain explained how the Druids celebrated Oct. 31st as their day of the dead. They lit fires and sacrificed animals. They even dressed in costumes and went door-to-door to beg for food. While he spoke, his wife played the theme from Halloween on her accordion. Accordions were already scary instruments but that haunting music? Diamond felt reassured, though, by the smiles on the faces of Tommy and his friends.
He hurried back to his office, hoping to find some peanut butter cups waiting for him.
Guys and Dolls at St. John Lutheran
Full of stage presence, students took center stage in 2002. St. John Lutheran School performed the musi-
cal Guys and Dolls in October 2002, showcasing the talent in the student body. The beloved parochial school closed in 2007
due to declining enrollment after many years of struggling to grow attendance.
Jill Wagner
ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS
City of Berwyn
6700 26th Street
Berwyn, IL 60402
Separate sealed bids will be received by the City of Berwyn for the construction of the OGDEN AVENUE WATER MAIN REPLACEMENT project. The project generally includes removal and replacement of approximately 18,000 LF of ductile iron water main ranging in size from 4” to 16”, water service replacements, new fire hydrants and valve vaults, sewer rehabilitation, pavement patching, and restoration.
Each bidder shall be IDOT pre-qualified. A MANDATORY Pre-Bid Meeting will be held at Berwyn City Hall, 6700 26th Street, Berwyn, IL 60402 at 10:00 AM on Tuesday, November 5, 2024.
Bids will be received by the City Clerk at Berwyn City Hall, 6700 26th Street, Berwyn, IL 60402 until 2:00 PM, (Central Time) on Friday, November 22, 2024, and then publicly opened and read aloud.
The contract documents may be examined at www.cbbel.com/ bidding-info or at www.questcdn. com under Login using QuestCDN #9351860
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Published in Wednesday Journal October 30, 2024
PRE-FILING NOTICE FOR APRIL 1, 2025 CONSOLIDATED ELECTION OF RIVER FOREST TOWNSHIP
River Forest Township hereby provides public notice that the office of the Clerk of River Forest Township (Local Election Official) will be open Friday, November 15, 2024 from 12:00 - 2:00 p.m.and Monday, November 18, 2024 from 3:00 - 5:00 p.m. for the purpose of accepting candidate petitions and certificates for the Consolidated General Election to be held on April 1, 2025 for the following offices: River Forest Township Assessor, Township Clerk, Township Supervisor, Township Trustees (4). Nomination papers may be turned into the River Forest Township office located at 8020 Madison St, 2nd Floor, River Forest, IL 60305 to: River Forest Township Clerk Detmer or River Forest Township Supervisor Becvar. Any objections to nominating petitions must be filed with the filing officer (who received the original petitions) within 5 business days as follows: Tuesday, November 19, 2024 from 2:00 - 4:00 p.m. and Monday, November 25, 2024 from 3:00 - 5:00 p.m.
Published in Wednesday Journal October 30, 2024
LEGAL NOTICE
ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS RIVER FOREST, ILLINOIS
Public Notice is hereby given that a public hearing will be held by the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) of the Village of River Forest, County of Cook, State of Illinois, on Thursday, November 14, 2024, at 7:30 p.m. in the First Floor Community Room of the River Forest Village Hall, 400 Park Avenue, River Forest, Illinois on the following matter:
The ZBA will consider an application for major zoning variations submitted by Steven Hoover, owner of the property at 633 Ashland Avenue, who is proposing to construct an addition onto the existing house.
Section 4-8-5 of the Village Code provides the Zoning Board jurisdiction to hold public hearings and offer recommendations to the Village Board concerning variations to the Zoning Ordinance.
The applicant is requesting major variations to Sections 10-9-5 and 109-7 of the Zoning Ordinance.
Section 10-9-5 of the Zoning Ordinance (10-8-5) allows a maximum Floor Area Ratio of 0.40 (40 percent of the lot area). The proposed addition will increase the Floor Area Ratio to approximately 0.4572.
Section 10-9-7 of the Zoning ordinance (10-8-7-A-2) requires “On the secondary street the front yard shall be a minimum of thirteen feet for a fifty foot wide lot,…”. The proposed addition has a setback for the Secondary Front Yard of 13’-2” from the north property line to the face of the building. The roof eave has a depth of 2’-0”, so that the setback to the fascia board of the eave is only 11’2”.
The legal description of the property at 633 Ashland Avenue is as follows: LOT 44 IN BLOCK 2 IN RIVER FOREST, BEING A SUBDIVISION OF PART OF SECTION 12, TOWNSHIP 39 NORTH, RANGE 12, EAST OF THE THIRD PRINCIPAL MERIDIAN, AS SURVEYED FOR THE SUBURBAN HOME MUTUAL LAND ASSOCIATION ACCORDING TO THE PLAT THEREOF RECORDED JUNE 23, 1890 AS DOCUMENT 1291334, IN COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
The Zoning Board of Appeals meeting packet, which includes a copy of this zoning variation application, will be available at www.vrf.us/meetings no less than 48 hours prior to the public hearing.
All interested persons will be given the opportunity to be heard at the public hearing. For public comments to be considered by the Zoning Board of Appeals and Village Board of Trustees in their decision, they must be included as part of the public hearing record. Interested persons can learn more about how to participate in the hearing by visiting www. vrf.us/zoningvariation.
Sincerely, Clifford Radatz
Secretary, Zoning Board of Appeals
Published in Wednesday Journal October 30, 2024
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: G24000600 on October 25, 2024
Under the Assumed Business Name of B-THE BEAT with the business located at:6250 S. ARCHER AVE SUITE #5, CHICAGO, IL 60638. The true and real full name(s) and residence address of the owner(s)/ partner(s) is: LAURA A. CRUZ CONCHA 612 RANDOLPH ST, OAK PARK, IL 60302, USA.
Published in Wednesday Journal October 30, November 6, 13, 2024
PUBLIC NOTICE
THE LAW OFFICE OF LINDA EPSTEIN
Attorney for Petitioner 722 W. Diversey Parkway, Ste. 101B Chicago, IL 60614
STATE OF ILLINOIS, COUNTY OF COOK, ssCircuit Court of Cook County, County Department, Domestic Relations Division
In re the Marriage of: Tigist Samuel Zeleke, Petitioner, and, Amdemichael Lidetu Tariku, Respondent, Case No. 2024D007809
The requisite affidavit for Publication having been filed, notice is hereby given to you, Amdemichael Lidetu Tariku, Respondent, that a Petition has been filed in the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois, by the Petitioner, Tigist Samuel Zeleke, for Dissolution of Marriage and that said suit is now pending.
Now, therefore, unless you, the said Respondent file your Appearance and Response electronically to said Petition with the Office of the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois, on or before November 27, 2024 default may be entered against you at any time after that day, and a Judgment for Dissolution of Marriage Entered in accordance with the prayer of said Petition.
IRIS Y. MARTINEZ, Clerk.
Published in Wednesday Journal October 30, November 6, and November 13, 2024.
NOVENAS NOVENAS
NEVER FAIL NOVENA
May the Sacred Heart of Jesus be praised, adored and glorified throughout the world, now and forever. Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, I put my trust in you. Holy Mary Mother of Jesus, pray for me. St. Theresa child of Jesus, pray for me.
St. Jude, helper of hopeless causes, pray for me and grant this favorI ask. Say this prayer 9 times a day for 9 days .R.B
PRAYER TO ST. JUDE
May the Sacred Heart of Jesus be adored, glorified, loved & preserved throughout the world now & forever. Sacred Heart of Jesus, pray for us. St. Jude worker of miracles, pray for us. St. Jude helper of the hopeless, pray for us. Say this prayer 9 times a day for 9 days. By the 8th day your prayer will be answered. It has never been known to fail .Publication must be promised. Thank you Jesus. Thank You St . Jude. RB
PRAYER TO THE BLESSED VIRGIN (NEVER KNOWN TO FAIL)
Oh, most beautiful flower of Mt. Carmel, fruitful vine, splendor of heaven, Blessed Mother of the Son of God, Immaculate Virgin, assist me in my necessity. Oh, Star of the Sea, help me and show me, herein you are my mother. Oh, Holy Mary, Mother of God, Queen of Heaven and Earth. I humbly beseech you from the bottom of my heart to suc cor in my necessity (make request). There are none that can withstand your power. Oh, show me herein you are my mother. Oh, Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee (3 times). Holy Mary, I place this prayer in your hands (3 times). Say this prayer for three consecutive days and publish; your request will be granted. RB
PUBLIC NOTICE IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLNOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT, PROBATE DIVISION Estate of NANCY MELANSON, Deceased No. 2024P003200
That the Order Admitting Will to Probate and Appointing Representative in the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois was granted on July 26, 2024 for the Estate of Nancy Melanson, Deceased and that KRYSTIN MELANSON BURNS was appointed as the Independent Executor and letters of office have issued and states under the penalties of perjury that:
1. Nancy Melanson died April 20, 2024, leaving a will dated February 13, 2013.
2. The approximate value of the estate is Personal: $10,000, Real: $400,000, Annual Income from Real Estate $0.
3. The names and post office addresses of the testator’s heirs and legatees are set forth on Exhibit A made a part of the petition.
4. The testator nominated as executor of the following, qualified and willing to act: Kristin Burns, 1115 Thatcher Ave., River Forest, IL 60305.
5. By order dated July 26, 2024 Kristin Melanson Burns has been appointed Independent Executor and letters of office issued.
6. This ad requests that any unknown heirs make themselves known to the attorney herein.
7. This ad will serve as a notice to creditors that they have 6 months from the date of filing of this petition to submit their claims.
Atty Name: Matt Leuck Attorney for Petitioner 84 E. Burlington, 2W Riverside, IL 60546
708-447-3166
Atty No. 11017 Published in RB Landmark October 16, 23, 30, 2024
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: G24000553 on October 8, 2024 Under the Assumed Business Name of EPISTLE WEAR with the business located at: 1626 BUCKINGHAM AVE, WESTCHESTER, IL 60154. The true and real full name(s) and residence address of the owner(s)/ partner(s) is: ARLENE JONES, 1626 BUCKINGHAM AVE, WESTCHESTER, IL 60154, USA.
Published in RB Landmark October 16, 23, 30, 2024
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ON THE VILLAGE OF RIVERSIDE’S PROPOSED BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN to all interested parties that the President and Board of Trustees of the Village of Riverside, Illinois will hold a public hearing on Thursday, November 7, 2024, at 7:00 p.m. in Riverside Township Hall Room 4, 27 Riverside Road, Riverside, Illinois, 60546 on the Tentative Annual Budget for the 2025 fiscal year of the Village of Riverside, Illinois, commencing January 1, 2025, and ending December 31, 2025.
Public comments on the Proposed Annual Budget are welcome at the public hearing. Emailed comments may be sent to Village Clerk Ethan Sowl at esowl@riverside.il.us. Written comments may be submitted to the attention of the Village Clerk at 27 Riverside Road, Riverside, Illinois. Emailed or written comments should be submitted prior to 5:00 on November 7, 2024. While emailed or written comments are strongly encouraged, comments may also be made in person.
The Proposed Annual Budget will be available for public inspection on and after, November 7, 2024 at the Finance Department of the Village of Riverside, Illinois, 27 Riverside Road, Riverside, Illinois, 60546 from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, except for any day being a legal holiday.
Disabled persons needing assistance to attend said hearing should contact the Office of the Village Clerk before the hearing by calling (708) 447-2700.
Said hearing may be continued without further notice except as required by the Illinois Open Meeting Act. The tentative annual budget may be further revised and passed without any further notice or hearing.
