Recently featured on WBEZ’s Moth Radio Hour, Rohde helps launch the Forest Park Arts Alliance Tellers Night
By JESSICA MORDACQ Staff Reporter
Fo rest Pa rker S usan Rohde has a childhood memory of playing a wiffle ball g ame in a vacant Arlington Heights lot. T hough she wasn’t ve ry athleti c, she go t a hit. But she was so distracted by her success that, when the next batter smacke d a fly b all, she steppe d of f second base to catch it for the other team.
“There’s this fight breaking out over whether that should c ount for one or two outs because those r ules have not b een w ritten yet in b aseball,” Rohde tells the audience at a Moth S torySLAM, drawing a laug h from the room in the recording of her perfor manc e. A lthough Rohde didn’t win T he Moth S torySLAM – a weekly event where attendees have the chance to tell a personal five -minute story related to that evening ’s theme – she was ask ed for pe rm i ssion to shar e her story on WBEZ ’s Moth Radio Hour.
“I was beside myself excited,” Rohde said.
W hen her story aired Dec. 7 at 5 p. m ., Rohde listened live with friends at St. Bernardine, where she attends church, and they pl ayed her story over the
See STORYTELLER on pa ge 3
STORY TELLER
Launching Tellers Night
from page 1
loudspeaker
Rohde has won four S torySLAMs and attended three GrandSLAM s, where the winners of p ast S torySLAMs c omp ete against each other. And those are j ust her Moth successes since 2022, when she attended and won the firs t S torySLAM she pa rt icipated in
“I was hooked after that,” she said.
Rohde said she’s always wanted to take a storytelling class. During the Covid-19 p andemi c, she finally found the time and signed up with storyteller Scott Whitehair in Chicago. T here, she said she learned the practice of storytelling and how to org anize a shor t nar rative.
After Rohde attended her first Moth S torySLAM, she pitched a local storytelling event to the Fo rest Pa rk Arts A lliance and discove red that the group was already talking about organizing something .
“Susan brought the idea of ers Night to the Arts A lliance and has b een i nstrumental in helping us produce the monthly events,” sai Lin Beribak, the Arts A lliance’s vic president.
In 2022, the Arts A lliance held it first Tellers Night. T he group tinues to hold Tellers Nights on the second T uesd ay of every month, from Se p tember through May, at Ro Westside
To ke ep flexing her storytelling muscles, and to mostly have f un, re g ularly attends Tellers Night and Moth StorySLAM s.
“I love this stuf f,” she said. And it shows through her craft.
“Susan is a wonderful storyteller and has b een making her mark in more than Fo rest Pa rk alone,” Beriba said.
The next Tellers Night is Jan. 7 to 8:30 p.m. Tick ets are $15 for the eral public and $10 for Arts A members.
The next Moth StorySLAMs are 13 at 7 p.m. at The Den Theatre in Chica go, then Jan. 21 at FitzGe ra ld’s in Berwyn
Demanding soft drink transparency
From the Jan. 24, 1925 Forest Parker, five years after the 18th Amendment took place which illegalized the manufacture, transportation and sale of alcohol:
Soft drink parlors in Forest Park, of which there are several in almost every block, may have to remove their carefully concealing curtains, partitions or other obstructions which prohibit a view of their interiors, if the Pioneer Men’s Club of Forest Park has its way. A letter was received from L.V. O’Reilly, secretary of the Men’s Club on Monday night ... to ask the council for the passage of an ordinance prohibiting the use of curtains and obstructions.
Commissioner Michael Grisch was immediately on his feet favoring the removal of the soft drink curtains
“I think it is a good point, and we should eliminate these curtains and
barriers to the vision,” Commissioner Brisch declared. “We ought to go right after this proposition and make them open up. If they are not saloons, then we will see that they have nothing to hide. There is one soft drink establishment on the south side, where the passersby can see everything that goes on.”
Commissioner Paul Zimmerman was on his feet to ask the opinion of the village attorney if there is any way to force owners to take down their heavy curtains
“This should be done if they have nothing to hide and everything is legitimate,” Commissioner Zimmer man declared
Upon a motion of Commissioner Michalsky, sec-
onded by Commissioner Berkart, the communication of the Pioneer Men’s Club was received and placed on file. The motion was unanimously carried. Jill Wagner
Above, a 1920s so drink parlor
Le : 20 years before prohibition, e Resident’s Inn restaurant in the 7400 block of Madison.
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Susan Rohde per forming her stories at events put on by e Moth
A LOOK BACK IN TIME
New roads, alleys may come to Forest Park in 2025, 2026
Consultant Christopher B. Burke Engineering lays out the three-year infrastructure plan
By JESSICA MORDACQ Staff Reporter
In the next two years, Forest Park may be getting a handful of new roads, updated alleyways, sidewalks and water mains throughout town.
The construction is planned for through the village’s three-year infrastructure plan, which outlines goals from 2024 through 2026.
Last year, the village’s engineering consultant Christopher B. Burke Engineering, village staf f and commissioners developed and approved the plan for improvements to the village’s throughways and water distribution system.
At the village’s last council meeting of 2024, James Amelio, the group lead at Burke Engineering, presented the infrastructure plan’s first year of accomplishments, plus 2025 and 2026 goals. Future projects could change, depending on funding and whether the village council approves them.
In 2024, the village funneled $1.8 million – paid for through the village ’s water fund, VIP fund, TIF fund, and grants – into the following projects:
■ Green alleyway in the 800 and 900 blocks of Circle and Marengo
■ Updates to the Ferdinand Avenue water main and resurfacing afterwards from Madison to Jackson
■ Stage one of the IEPA lead service replacement project
■ Brick re pairs on Fillmore Street between Beloit and Hannah
■ This year’s sidewalk project
■ Updates to Madison Street, including furnishings, landscaping, painting, and paving
■ Removing islands on Roosevelt Road
■ Adding commuter bike facilities at the intersection of Harlem and Harrison
In 2025, infrastructure projects could include:
■ Water main updates and resurfacing the 400 and 500 blocks of Marengo, Ferdinand Avenue from Madison to Jackson, and Jackson Avenue from Des Plaines to Harlem
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More than 100 alleys have been reconstructed over the last 25 years and about 15 still need work, according to James Amelio of Christopher B. Burke Engineering.
what the best options are for re placing or relocating the Jackson water reservoir
In 2026, infrastructure projects may include:
■ “I’m sure some residents have received notices that this work is coming,” Amelio said. “We’ re asking for their assistance in taking some pictures and signing waivers to allow this work to get facilitated.”
■ Van Buren Street multi-use path; “Due to some delays with ComEd relocating their facilities, we’re pushing that to 2025,” Amelio said
■ Green alley in the 800 block of BeloitThomas
■ Updating certain stretches of sidewalk
■ A feasibility study next year to see
■ The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency’s lead service inventory, followed by stages one and two of IEPA lead pipe re placement projects. While the inventory will help village staf f develop a plan to phase out all lead pipes in the village over the next decade, the initial phases will focus on re placing lead service lines from parkways into homes.
■ Re placing the water main and resurfacing Monroe and Adams from Jackson to Des Plaines
■ Updating the Jackson water main and resurfacing from Des Plaines to Harlem
■ Alley improvements on the 1100 blocks of Lathrop and Ferdinand
■ Resurfacing on the 900-1100 blocks of Lathrop
■ Green alley in the 600 and 800 blocks of Thomas and Hannah
■ Redoing stretches of sidewalk
■ Phase three of the IEPA lead service line re placement project
■ A permeable paver parking lot at Con-
stitution Court
■ Separating the sewer at 13th Street
“As things change, as new projects come up or as funding varies, obviously we’re going to switch courses as needed and as directed by the board,” Amelio said about the infrastructure plan for 2025 and 2026.
“As we’ve developed this infrastructure plan, it continues to be a very useful working document, and it’s allowed for us to make very strategic investments in the infrastructure of the village,” said Michelle Melin-Rogovin, commissioner of streets and public improvements, at the village council meeting. “These are things that sound official on paper, but really do help us as a village become more environmentally sustainable and promote strategies that are of concern to our residents.”
What new Illinois laws have taken e ect in 2025?
Pay transparency for jobs, gym membership cancellations made easier, and mobile ID driver’s licenses are just a few
By LUZANE DRAUGHON Staff Reporter
In 2025, almost 300 new Illinois or Chicago-area laws have gone into effect, including pay transparency for jobs, easier gym membership cancellations and mobile ID driver’s licenses
A bill signed by Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker in 2023 now requires employers with 15 or more employees to include pay scale and benefits information in job postings, a move to provide increased transparency in hiring efforts. Complaints about postings without that salary and benefit information can be filed with the Illinois Department of Labor within one year
Illinois is also making it easier for residents in 2025 to cancel gym memberships. Now, residents can cancel gym memberships via email or on their gym’s website, as opposed to having to cancel in person or other methods often found unnecessarily difficult.
Another state law now in effect is one allowing residents to have a digital version of their driver’s license or state ID, instead of a physical one. However, according to CBS News, when required by law or requested by a police officer, one might still have to show a physical ID
Despite national tur moil over reproductive rights, in Illinois, a new law prohibits discrimination based on reproductive health decisions, including those related to abortion, fertility treatment, birth control, miscarriage care, or pre- or post-natal care
“To anyone who intends to come take away the freedom, and opportunity, and dignity of Illinoisans, I would remind you that a happy warrior is still a warrior,” Pritzker said at a news conference in Chicago after the 2024 general election. “You come for my people, you come through me.”
Similarly, HB 2350 requires Illinois companies that provide insurance to cover annual prostate cancer screenings or cervical smears for all those insured, regardless of gender.
The Chicago Sun-Times reported in June 2023 that more than 17,000 catalytic converters were stolen from 2019 until then, and the thieves are almost never caught.
But now, a new law requires metal or scrap dealers to keep records of the vehicle identification numbers of cars where
catalytic converters were removed. It requires these dealers to acquire a copy of a seller’s ownership of the vehicle in catalytic converter transactions This is intended, according to CBS News, to prevent thieves from selling catalytic converters, thus reducing enticement to steal them.
Any renters concerned about retaliation from the landlord has a new safeguard, too. Pritzker signed the Landlord Retaliation Act, which guarantees that landlords cannot penalize a renter for reporting code violations for living conditions or illegal activity.
That means a landlord cannot knowingly increase rent, threaten a lawsuit or ter minate a lease in response
Police officers or members of self-insured fire protection districts, or spouses of those individuals, will now have increased access to mental health therapy services HB 4460 requires insurance companies to provide coverage Similarly,
a police officer now cannot be fired for a mental or physical disability that is the basis for their benefits application.
Yet another new law requires businesses that offer a free trial, such as a streaming subscription service, to notify customers at least three days before the automatic renewal at a paid rate This only applies, according to ABC7 Chicago, to subscriptions longer than 15 days.
Other new laws include requirements for school districts to provide students at least 20 minutes a week for relaxation activities, waiving fees for veterans to adopt a dog or cat from an animal shelter, and all state-owned buildings must have an adult changing station.
The Illinois Municipal League outlines other laws taking effect in 2025 related to the environment, municipal governance, property taxes, public works and utilities online
Our Community Needs Community Journalism
WHAT’S NEW AT THE HIGH SCHOOL
Dr. Greg Johnson, superintendent of Oak Park and River Forest High School, will discuss recent developments such as curriculum detracking, facilities improvements and sustainability initiatives at the League’s Drinks and Dialogue program.
Thursday, January 16, 6:30 pm
Snacks and a cash bar will be available. Bring a friend!
THAT SENIOR LIVING MIGHT BE RIGHT FOR YOU?
TUESDAY, JANUARY 21 | 4:30 – 5:30 P.M.
800 N. HARLEM AVENUE | RIVER FOREST, IL 60305
“I wish I had done it sooner.” That’s what we often hear from residents about making the move to friendship-rich, maintenance-free senior living. But when is the right time for you and your family? Join us for an insightful conversation on the realities and misconceptions of senior living. You’ll discover more about the care options available, signs to watch for, and tools and resources that can help you navigate the decision.
We’re here to help you make a plan that works for you.
RSVP to 708-395-9110
Bizzy Bees takes a new approach on the site of old favorites
Mexican food and more at eatery on Lathrop
By JACK HELBIG Contributing Reporter
If you drive south down Lathrop in Forest Park, from Lake Street to Washington, you will pass a quaint, old house on the left. The building has been the site of several beloved restaurants – comfortable places, inviting places, the kind of places you could go with friends and linger over coffee and breakfast. You may remember them: The Blue Max, Lathrop House, places that have closed but still live on in memories.
Originally built as a residential home, the property became a commercial space in the 1990s with an expanded enclosed porch for dining.
Since July 2024, the house has yet again another life: a new restaurant has opened in that building – Bizzy Bees. Described as a Mexican restaurant, the menu reveals it is much more eclectic than your average Mexican place. Yes, burrito and chorizo and egg, but also loaded avocado toast. And the vibe of the place retains the same feel as the places that occupied it before: inviting and comfortable.
The woman behind Bizzy Bees is Forest Park chef and entrepreneur Selena Villarreal. She has been in the restaurant business for eight years, but her passion for cooking is lifelong. Villarreal grew up in Galesburg, Illinois, where she lived with her abuela.
“I was raised in the kitchen side by side with her. We made a lot of Mexican dishes. Tamales, enchiladas,” she recalled. But she was not just limited to Mexican dishes When asked to list her top three foods she made with her grandmother. Villarreal said without hesitation: “Tamales, enchiladas and Puerto Rican rice.”
Villarreal moved to Cicero from Galesburg when she was 15 after her grandmother died. She went to Morton West High School. “It took me a long time to get used to everything around here,” she said. “Chicago is a very busy city, and I came from the country. I was out in the far mland.”
Villarreal added that growing up in the country taught her things she uses every
day in her kitchen: “You learn a lot about the crops and quality; you learn about how things grow and when is the best time for picking.”
This knowledge carries over directly to her business. “I know that it’s really important to have a fresh product. .Everything’s made from scratch. The chips are made from scratch. The salsa is made from scratch. I put in a lot of work with that dish, in particular with our rice and our beans and the setup and the presentation on the plate. So that makes it special.”
Villarreal’s eclectic menu reflects her multicultural roots: “I’m actually mixed. My family is Hispanic. My mother’s side is Hispanic [Mexican and Spanish] and my father’s side, he’s Puerto Rican and Italian,” she said.
Villarreal didn’t always want to be a restaurateur. In high school she had other career ideas. “I was enrolled in the Air Force.
I took my ASVAB [The Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery, a standardized test that helps determine a person’s aptitude for military careers].” Villarreal decided not to go into the Air Force and for a while she thought she wanted to be a truck driver.
“I went to classes for my CDL [commercial driver’s license]. I actually ended up just getting scared. Honestly, I was scared. It was overwhelming. I really give it to all the truck drivers. I really give a lot of respect to them, because that’s a hard job.”
Villarreal’s plans changed when she started a family “at the young age of 20 I had my first child.” She found work in a factory and for 10 years she worked as a forklift driver. But eventually she decided she wanted more than just a job to pay her bills, she wanted to be doing something she loved – and that was cooking.
So she moved on to restaurants. She took a part time job with Panda Express, and quickly discovered restaurants were her passion. She moved on to line cook in a larger chain restaurant – “prepping and recipes” – and something clicked.
During COVID Villarreal started catering
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out of her kitchen as a side hustle. She called her business Selena’s Cooking. She was still working full time in a restaurant at the time, but the catering business took off. She was thinking of building her business when she stumbled across the space on Lathrop. She had just been looking for a new apartment for herself and her children, but the first-floor restaurant opened her eyes to new possibilities.
“Long story short,” she said. “I saw this ad for this location, and I reached out to the owner. We have a whole package here. So we live upstairs. And we operate the restaurant.” She also operates her catering business out of the Lathrop restaurant.
Villarreal took the same name for both her catering company and her place: Bizzy Bees/ “I feel that bees are very strong and they’re constantly doing things.” Like Villarreal.
The restaurant portion of her business opened in July 2024 and has been steadily growing since. Bizzy Bees is very much a family business. Villarreal runs to the kitchen, her daughters run the front of the house. “We have one cook from out of the family, but it’s pretty much all run by the family.”
These days Villarreal works very hard, juggling her restaurant and catering business, and still working a part time job for another restaurant. But she has found her passion.
She said: “It’s beautiful. I like to deliver to people. I like people to feel happy. I don’t have fancy, like real fancy, plates, but I like people to come and enjoy good food. It’s a good life. I’m very happy with the space that we have. I just feel like it has so much potential. I just want to see it filled with people, you know. I love to see that people are enjoying the environment, the atmosphere, enjoying your company in a nice place.”
How Much Cash Is Hiding Around Your Home?
Consigning your furniture and home decor is a smart and rewarding choice. It’s also the ultimate support of a local business because the suppliers are local, the shoppers are local, and the sta is local too!
Let’s unpack other advantages of consignment to see if this might be for you.
One signi cant advantage is the opportunity to declutter and refresh your living space, making room for new, exciting pieces. How many people have visited your home and commented on a sofa, dining room table or a fabulous piece of decor? If you have great taste, other people are looking to create the same look in their homes.
By consigning, you reduce waste, contributing to sustainability and promoting a circular economy. It sounds trite to say you’re saving the land lls, but well, you actually are!
Financially, consigning allows you to earn money from items you no longer need or want. So it’s a win-win situation: buyers get high-quality items at a fraction of the cost, and you gain extra cash.
Leveraging the expertise of consignment professionals can help your items sell quicker and for a higher price than DIY marketplaces. Top notch Consignment Stores have websites, utilize the power of LIVE video selling and work with marketing agencies so your pieces gain national exposure. ey have arrangements with shipping companies so your items don’t just sell locally, they sell nationally.
Kellie Scott is a past year Top 10 Power Player of Chicago. She owns Divine Consign, a multi-time winner of the Best of the Best Awards for Furniture Consignment Stores. Kellie makes the consignment process easy and hassle free. Start with the online pre-approval form at: divineconsign.com/ consign-form/
Kellie Scott, Owner Divine Consign
Free monthly housing workshops in Forest Park for veterans
Next event Jan. 16, led by housing advocate JonesSwanson
By LEAH SCHROEDER Contributing Reporter
Veterans looking for housing assistance and information are encouraged to attend a free workshop led on the third Thursday of every month by Yvette Jones-Swanson, a consultant with expertise on the issues surrounding homelessness and veterans.
The next workshop will take place from 10 a.m. until noon at the Forest Park Vet Center, 1515S. Harlem Ave.
Veterans are a population extremely susceptible to homelessness, with 32,882 Veterans experiencing homelessness in 2024, according to the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs
Jones-Swanson experienced firsthand what it was like to be a homeless veteran and
have no resources to turn to. This led her to launch her housing workshops in 2013.
“My ex-husband was very abusive,” JonesSwanson said. “I kept leaving the home in which I was being abused in, which caused my own homelessness. I had nowhere to go. I couldn’t find the resources to help me out of that situation.”
Her workshops cover a wide breadth of topics, from gover nment resources to VA loan resources to legal information about owning a home. Jones-Swanson emphasized that there are resources available to support those experiencing homelessness.
“We have had and still have a revolving door of homeless veterans who have never used their resources or benefits simply because they don’t know they have them,” Jones-Swanson said. “I started the workshops to teach them how to access resources to use their benefits in housing and home ownership.”
Since she became a real estate agent in 1996, Jones-Swanson has helped find housing for more than 5,000 veterans in the city of Chicago and the surrounding suburbs, she said.
One such veteran is Thomas Wilson. Before being connected with Jones-Swanson, Wilson was living in a storage unit. Now, he has been living in his condo for about 13 years.
“I followed everything that (Jones-Swanson) told me to do step-by-step and that brought me out of homelessness into where I’m at now,” Wilson said. “I’ve been a success story. I’m not going anywhere.”
“The overall impact I hope to have with this program is for the knowledge to be shared on a vast scale,” Jones-Swanson said. “Without proper knowledge, our people suffer.”
Every time she helps house a veteran, Jones-Swanson said she gets to share the same feeling of what it felt like when she went from being homeless to renting her first apartment.
“I get to watch grown men cry because now they have a home with a deed. I get to watch women who are veterans, literally fall on the floor and praise and worship because now they have a home for their three children. I get to watch so many emotions and so much joy from veterans who were once discarded,
Meal packing for MLK Day
PROVIDED
Yvette Jones-Swanson poses at a November housing workshop with a veteran that she helped house.
and now they have dignity again,” JonesSwanson said.
e Forest Park PTO and School District 91 are putting together meals to distribute at the library and community
By JESSICA MORDACQ Staff Reporter
Looking to join in on a volunteer effort to kick off the new year?
The Forest Park PTO and Forest Park
School District 91 are packing and donating 9,500 meals Jan. 20 at Grant White Elementary School.
The non-perishable food items, packed on Martin Luther King Jr. Day to celebrate his impact, will be donated to the Forest Park Fridge and Pantry at the Howard Mohr Community Center
The PTO and D91 are also accepting donations of toiletries and household supplies before and during the Day of Service, which will be donated to the Forest Park Library Comfort Cabinet.
Launched in the winter of 2021, the Forest Park Library’s Comfort Cabinet collects donated toiletry items to hand out for free to those in need. The cabinet, located in the commons on the library’s main level, contains kits packed with hats and gloves, toothbrushes and toothpaste, tissues, lip balm and lotion.
center
The Howard Mohr Community Center unveiled its community fridge in early 2023. Outside the community center on the north side of the building, the fridge holds refrigerated and frozen food that is free to those experiencing food or housing insecurity. There’s also an adjacent pantry with nonperishable items. Volunteers restock the fridge and pantry regularly, but anyone can drop off donations – as long as they don’t contain peanuts, alcohol, raw milk, meat or fish. They also can’t be homemade and must have a labeled ingredient list.
This Day of Service takes place Jan. 20 at Grant White Elementary School’s gym at 147 Circle Ave. from 9 to 11 a.m. and 12 to 2 p.m. Sign up through the event’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/ events/972505868054746/?ref_source=NEWS_ FEED&_rdr.
let's do this!
BELONGING
BEGINS WITH US AT THE WEST COOK YMCA
THE Y, ANYWHERE, ANYTIME
The West Cook YMCA offers in-person, on-demand, and live-streaming programs that fit your needs and your schedule. All complimentary for members to help you reach your fitness goals, reduce your risk for chronic diseases, provide a safe and welcoming space for youth, and so much more.
TAKE A TOUR TODAY.
Stop in for a tour and we will show you all that the Y has to offer to meet your needs. Tour guides are available by reservation. Make your reservation today at westcookymca.org/tour.
JOIN ONLINE TODAY.
$0 Joiner Fee and 50% off your first month when you join online at westcookymca.org/join.
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Relaxation & healing in the heart of downtown
massage can mean so much more than relaxation. In addition to providing the mental and emotional benefits of relaxing, a skilled massage therapist can help the body heal and operate at its best. Among the potential benefits are improved circulation, decreased joint pain, and improved flexibility. This makes massage an important part of integrative medicine: as part of an overall health plan, it can make all the difference.
A massage can also mean more than manipulating the muscles. Different modalities offer different theories of care. Shiatsu, a method of bodywork first developed in Japan, utilizes acupressure, joint rotations, and stretches to heal the body, mind, and spirit.
Ronen Kohn, a graduate of the Zen Shiatsu Chicago school in Evanston, has worked with new mothers, clients living
with diabetes, and chronic pain sufferers to provide relief. In December of 2024, Ronen set up shop at 1011 Lake Street, Suite 304 in Oak Park, under the name Worthy Bodywork & Healing.
Ronen is now welcoming clients who are ready to take a new step in their self-care and healing journeys — and, of course, relaxation is always on the table.
Visit Worthy Bodywork & Healing’s website at worthybodywork.com to make a booking today! First time clients can use the code FIRSTTIME for a $25 discount.
“Ronen went above and beyond to make sure I was comfortable. I’d absolutely recommend for anyone looking to get more connected in body and spirit!” — Katy C., satisfied client
Sponsored Content
New Year, New You: Celebrating Seniors Coalition—Rethink Aging, Rediscover Yourself
As the new year begins, it’s time to embrace a fresh perspective on what it means to grow older. The Celebrating Seniors Coalition invites you to join us in redefining aging as a time of growth, empowerment, and joy. Our mission is simple yet transformative: to shift the narrative about aging from limitation to opportunity. This year, let’s celebrate the incredible potential of life’s later chapters, specifically Older Americans and the family.
Rethink Aging: See the Possibilities
Aging is not about slowing down—it’s about becoming more of who you are. With age comes wisdom, resilience, and the freedom to explore passions that may have been on hold. The Celebrating Seniors Coalition is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to showcasing the vibrant lives of older adults and the unique contributions they make to our families, communities, and society at large. Together, we can challenge stereotypes and inspire others to see aging as a time of opportunity.
New Year, New You
This year, let’s embrace a New Year’s resolution that truly matters: thinking differently about aging. Whether you’re celebrating your own aging journey or supporting loved ones through theirs, the new year is a perfect time to embrace change and positivity. Here’s how you can participate:
• Celebrate Milestones: Each new year is a gift. Take time to honor the personal and collective achievements of older adults in your life.
• Pursue Passions: Aging is the perfect time to rediscover hobbies, learn new skills, or contribute to your community in meaningful ways.
• Build Connections: Combat isolation by fostering intergenerational relationships that enrich both young and old.
• Champion Advocacy: Support initiatives that promote the dignity, independence, and well-being of seniors everywhere.
Get Involved with the Celebrating Seniors Coalition
The Celebrating Seniors Coalition is here to help you and the community celebrate and thrive. Through events, programs, and resources, we’re creating a culture that values aging as a rich and meaningful phase of life. From workshops on healthy aging to storytelling campaigns that highlight inspiring older adults, we offer tools to help you or your loved ones embrace aging with confidence and pride.
Looking for inspiration? Explore the Celebrating Seniors Coalition’s website to get ideas on engaging in lifelong learning and ways to enhance well-being throughout the year. Join us this year during Celebrating Seniors Week May 8-15, 2025. Engaging with us will help keep you growing stronger as you grow older!
Let’s make 2025 the year we shatter outdated ideas about aging as we nurture our communities and discover new ways to thrive. Together, we can make a difference. Together, we can show the world that aging isn’t the end of something—it’s the beginning of something extraordinary.
Join Us
Visit celebratingseniors.net today to learn more, get involved, and celebrate the beauty of aging. Follow us on social media for uplifting stories, practical tips, and community updates. Let’s make 2025 the year we all embrace a “New Year, New You” mindset about aging—and celebrate every step of the journey!
How YogaSix Oak Park Transformed Mark’s Life
“From taking my first yoga class around ten years ago up until this day, it’s been a huge shift into how my body feels along with how fully present I’ve become in everyday life. Before deepening my practice and getting into a good routine here at YogaSix Oak Park, I’ve always heard stories about the effect yoga has in regards to calming the mind and helping to improve the posture along with so many other countless benefits to the body when you start practicing on a consistent basis that I was curious about what kind of effect it would have one me. Like starting anything new, it takes time for changes to happen but I noticed after the first few weeks how good I feel throughout the day and the subtle changes in my posture that my friends and family started to take notice too. I remember a few years ago, they came up to me and said something has
changed in you for the better but just couldn’t pinpoint exactly what but I knew that it was the yoga practice that I had recently started. Since I got into a routine of taking classes a few times a week I noticed that I’m calm in what previously were stressful situations at work and how big of a difference my now aligned posture had on my confidence. These classes have also helped increase my strength and form a community in the yoga world. It’s been amazing seeing the changes in my overall well-being and recommend it to anyone who is interested in trying it out. It’s benefitted me so much that I even went through a yoga teacher training and now look forward to helping others get started on their journey.”
- Mark S., founding member of YogaSix Oak Park
Let 2025 Be A Fresh Start to Health, Wellness, and Self-Care in Retirement
The importance of maintaining mental, physical, and emotional well-being becomes even more critical as you age. Wellness and self-care are not just about avoiding illness, they are about enhancing the quality of life, fostering independence, and promoting a sense of purpose and fulfillment.
Physical Wellness: Staying Active and Healthy
One of the cornerstones of aging well is maintaining physical health. Regular physical activity helps prevent many of the common health problems.
• Exercise: Look for activities that can improve circulation, strengthen muscles and reduce stress.
• Balance and Fall Prevention: Simple activities like standing on one foot or practicing tai chi can enhance stability and lower the chances of falls
• Nutrition: A balanced diet rich in vitamins, minerals, and healthy fats is crucial for aging adults. Foods high in antioxidants—help fight inflammation and support brain health. Protein-rich foods help preserve muscle mass, and adequate hydration.
• Sleep: Sleep remains crucial for healing and rejuvenation. Create a regular sleep routine and avoid ca eine late in the day.
Mental Wellness: Maintaining Cognitive Health
Maintaining cognitive health is a priority. Try to engage in activities that stimulate your mind and participate in activities that foster social connections.
• Brain Exercise: Puzzles, reading, learning new skills, or even playing
memory-boosting games can help prevent cognitive decline.
• Social Interaction: Regular interactions with family, friends, or even participation in community groups can combat feelings of loneliness and depression.
Emotional and Spiritual Wellness: Finding Purpose and Fulfillment
Aging often involves transitions like retirement, the loss of loved ones, or changing family dynamics, which can sometimes lead to feelings of sadness or isolation.
• Self-Care Routines: Self-Care routines can include journaling, taking relaxing baths, pampering oneself with skincare routines, or simply taking time for quiet reflection
• Purpose and Hobbies: Many aging adults take up hobbies they didn’t have time for earlier in life, such as painting, gardening, knitting, or volunteering. Purpose can also come from spending time with family, friends or contributing to the community.
• Therapy and Support Groups: Support groups, whether for grief, caregiving, or health concerns, can provide a sense of understanding and comfort.
Self-Advocacy and Health Management
One of the key components of wellness for the aging population is self-advocacy. This means you take charge of your health and seek support when necessary.
• Regular Health Checkups: Keeping routine visits to the doctor for screenings, vaccinations, and regular health assessments.
• Managing Medications: Many seniors take medications for various health conditions, and managing these medications properly is vital for preventing side e ects or drug interactions.
Creating a Supportive Environment
Lastly, creating a living environment that supports wellness is crucial for aging adults. This includes ensuring that their home is safe, accessible, and conducive to health and happiness.
• Home Modifications: Installing grab bars in the bathroom, improved lighting, or removing trip hazards can reduce the risk of accidents.
• Technology for Health Monitoring: Health apps and wearable devices can help aging adults track their physical activity, monitor vital signs.
Oak Park home sells for $1.2 million
The following property transfers were re ported by the Cook County Clerk from November 2024. Where addresses appear incomplete, for instance where a unit number appears missing, that information was not provided by the
K P ARK
325 N. Scov ille Ave., Oak Park
P ARK
By RISÉ SANDERS-WEIR Contributing Reporter
Dozens of ways to get Eggsperience
Eggsperience is a family a air
Awelcoming smile and a carafe of hot coffee greet customers as they walk in the door at Eggsperience in Elmwood Park, 16 Conti Parkway.
The menu is bursting with old favorites and new cravings. Want something cold to drink? An iced chai latte tickles the tongue and cools the mouth. Mimosas and Bloody Marys can do that with a kick too.
When it comes to the food, owners Tom and Helen Sakoufakis take pride in their offerings. Skillets with a variety of meats and veggies top the list in popularity. French toast is a customer favorite as well, especially the tres leches French toast covered in fresh fruit. Corned beef hash served with potatoes and toast couldn’t be more traditional or beloved.
“My husband, he don’t believe in no cans at all. If you go back in the kitchen, you’re not going to find one thing in a can. He re-
ally believes in fresh. Fresh everything,” said Helen Sakoufakis.
Helen has been in the restaurant business since she started working in her family’s place when she was 16. Eventually she met Tom, who was also in the business. The two formed a formidable team.
“Our whole life is with the restaurants. We opened quite a few,” Sakoufakis said. They had as many as 16 locations, with some open 24-hours a day, “but 20 years back, we decide to do just breakfast and lunch. That was the best thing. Time to be with our family.”
Eggsperience, located at 16 Conti Parkway., Elmwood Park.
RISÉ SANDERS-WEIR
RISÉ SANDERS-WEIR
French toast with bacon at Eggsperience.
RISÉ SANDERS-WEIR
Grilled chicken sandwich with fries at Eggsperience.
Today there are four Eggsperience locations, run by the Sakoufakis’ sons.
Peter Sakoufakis is at the helm of the Elmwood Park location. And his parents have learned to listen to the new generation.
All of the regular diner favorites are on the breakfast menu, such as omelettes made seven different ways or build you own. Pancakes, egg sandwiches, Benedict options get the mouth watering. Oatmeal and yogurt parfaits round out the options.
But with a new generation, some additions have made it onto the menu.
“I was like, who’s gonna order avocado toast? And my younger son said, it’s becoming very popular, so we accept that the kids know,” said Sakoufakis.
Indeed, three Tex Mex breakfasts have found their place on the menu. Breakfast burritos, tacos and one of their biggest sellers: chilaquiles. The homemade corn tortilla chips are cooked with green salsa and topped with queso fresco and eggs cooked any style.
Breakfast and lunch are served daily from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Burgers, salads, soups and a variety of other sandwiches satisfy the lunchtime appetite. Chicken sandwiches come three ways: grilled with avocado, Buffalo style, and crispy.
Helen and Tom live minutes away from the Elmwood Park location. And they still keep a hand in the business.
“Me and my husband, we come and help the kids a little. Because it’s close to our house and it give us something to do. Honestly, because we love to be with people,” said Sakoufakis.
Good to Know
• eggsperiencecafe.com/locations/elmwood-park
• 16 Conti Parkway, Elmwood Park
• Open daily from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
CRIME
Break in at under-construction house on Marengo
By JESSICA MORDACQ Staff Reporter
On the afternoon of New Year’s Eve, a man who owns a property in the 1000 block of Marengo Avenue called police to re port that the back door was open and several windows were broken at his under-construction home. He also told police that the thermostat was set to 90 de grees and he believed people were sleeping there overnight. Police told the man to board up the windows and install cameras. He said he would sign criminal complaints if any offenders could be located.
Gunshots on Randolph Street
In the early hours of New Year’s Day, police responded to an alley in the 7400 block of Randolph Street after a caller re ported shots fired. Upon arrival, the caller told police that Pioneer Tap patrons were coming in and out of the bar and making excessive noise, according to the police re port. Police found five spent shell casings in the alley but haven’t charged anyone with reckless discharge of a firearm.
Robbery on Har vard Street
In the early hours of Dec. 27, police responded to a home on Harvard Street. A man who lived there with his girlfriend and their two daughters told police his girlfriend left for work in the morning and didn’t return home until 2 a.m. after they’d been arguing all day. Then, she and her cousin entered the home, and her cousin started hitting the man while he held his daughter. Two other men came into the apartment and started battering the man, according to the police re port. His girlfriend took their children, who they have shared custody over, and some belongings, then left. The man said he would sign complaints against the men who hit him, though he didn’t know who they were
Assisting River Grove police
Police responded to the 2400 block of Harlem Avenue Dec. 30 after hearing on the radio that River Grove and El-
mwood Park police re ported a stolen vehicle with armed occupants approaching the area. As the stolen car passed 24th Street in Berwyn, it hit a median and crashed into a River Grove police car, injuring the officer inside, according to the police re port. Four men in face masks got out of the car and ran north on Harlem. A Forest Park police of ficer pursued one and commanded him to stop before tasing him and taking him into custody. Another Forest Park officer pursued a second offender and, near Sterling Morton High School West, performed an emergency takedown with a Berwyn officer. North Riverside police located and detained a third suspect, and all three offenders were tur ned over to River Grove police.
Attempted sexual assault
On Dec. 26, a woman called police after she was punched in the face on the Harlem Blue Line platform. She told police that a man took her wallet during an attempted criminal sexual assault, according to the police re port. Police located the man and found the wallet in his pocket. He was charged with aggravated criminal sexual assault, robbery, plus resisting officers and obstructing identification for his behavior when police took him into custody.
Burglary
Police responded to 7740 Madison St. on Dec. 23 for a delayed burglary. There, the business owner’s fiancé told police that they were renting space inside the building to two tenants, who were upset because the heat wasn’t working in the building and therefore not paying rent. The tenants were asked to leave and, when they came to collect their belongings, wrecked several suites, broke furniture and pulled sinks of f the wall. The business owner leases the space and can’t re place the HVAC, according to the police re port. Police said she is also in litig ation with the proper ty owners, who are attempting to evict her and refuse to re place the broken HVAC. On Dec. 21, police responded to the same studio space after the two tenants called. One of them said she was a makeup artist and came to pick up her belongings, only to realize the locks had been changed. Though the business owner couldn’t be reached, the property management company TAS told police that she owes about $36,000 in back rent and is being evicted. No one has been charged yet.
These items were obtained from Forest Park Police Department re ports dated Dec. 21 - Jan. 2 and re present a portion of the incidents to which police responded. Anyone named in these re ports has only been charged with a crime and cases have not yet been adjudicated. We re port 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.
Infrastructure realities
Forest Park continues to make headway on investing in its roads and the aging sewers and water mains beneath those roads. After decades with virtually no planning for its infrastructure and no reliable methods of paying for inevitable fixes to often century-old systems, the village has in recent years begun to work on a plan.
Right now, Forest Park is entering year two of a three-year plan. Further investments in rebuilding crumbling alleyways continue; water main updates and road resurfacing are the meat-and-potato upgrades expected in 2025.
Critical, though, will be the village’s further progress in implementing the state-mandated replacement of all lead water pipes in town. In 2024, the village started creating an inventory. This year, we will see the continued replacement of some of those pipes. This is expensive work with complicated methods of paying for the upgrades. But it is perhaps the most essential infrastructure project in Illinois and the nation at this moment.
OPINION
OUR VIEW HOLMES
Also on the agenda for 2025 will be a thorough engineering and cost study for how Forest Park can replace or move the water reservoir on Jackson. In a telling example of historically not facing up to its infrastructure issues, this critical reservoir has fully deteriorated and must now be replaced at what will be a steep cost. How to pay for it will be a huge challenge. And spinning off from this discussion will be planning for what happens to the adjacent and also deteriorating community center. This will be a big, expensive and necessary discussion. Good for the village gover nment for facing up to these infrastructure realities
Forest Park stories
One of Forest Park’s great emerging assets is the Arts Alliance. Its mission is boosting, discovering, organizing and promoting what had been wisps of diffuse arts energy in the village over recent years.
The volunteer group has worked to create a batch of channels for all sorts of local artists from visual to performing arts This week, the Review’s Jessica Mordacq tells the wonderful story of Susan Rohde, a Forest Parker whose art is storytelling During the COVID epidemic, Rohde signed up for a class with a Chicago storyteller who helped her understand how to shape short narratives.
Rohde has gone on to citywide storytelling events and, in December, had one of her stories broadcast on WBEZ’s Moth Radio Hour. She and friends gathered at St. Ber nardine’s to listen to the show.
But in true Arts Alliance fashion, Rohde also brought the idea of a local Tellers Night to the group. It now meets monthly, September through May, at Robert’s Westside. This is the energy that fuels itself while building an arts community, which has become core to Forest Park’s effervescence.
Decaf co ee, ideological purity, and a lost election
In his post-mortem examination of the Democratic Party which he delivered on Dec. 5, Barack Obama suggested that one reason Kamala Harris lost to Donald Trump was that progressives insisted on “ideological purity.”
“Purity tests,” he declared, “are not a recipe for long-ter m success. In a democracy, we all have to find a way to live alongside individuals and groups who are different than us.”
I tried to figure out what Obama meant by “purity tests,” and I came to the conclusion that he is accusing many Democrats of believing — and I use that word “believing” intentionally — in progressive ideology almost as if it were “religious” truth.
Progressives almost never use the word “God” or quote Bible verses to support their arguments, but when they start talking politics it sounds like religion to me Obama put it this way. “It [isn’t] just a fight about tax rates or roads anymore. It [is] about more fundamental issues that [go] to the core of our being and how we expect society to structure itself. Issues of identity and status and gender. Issues of family, values, and faith.
Jonathan Hart, the founder of a public affairs and public relations firm, declared, “Religion doesn’t go away. It just goes somewhere else. In America today that place is ideology. Today’s political rhetoric certainly suggests we’re not less religious but religious about something else.”
I think that’s what Obama meant by ideological purity. When I suggest to progressives that their ideology feels like religion to me, they respond with, “But religion involves God; ideology does not. Separation of church and state, and all of that. God has no place in political decision making.”
I thought about that and came up with the following analogy: If it looks like coffee and smells like coffee and tastes like coffee, it’s probably coffee even though it’s been decaffeinated.
If it is as intense as religion and stirs up strong emotion like religion and is firmly, wholeheartedly believed like religion, it probably is religion even though it’s been de-godded. Or if not religion per se, at least Ideology with an upper case “I.”
Progressives like to assert that they are rational, critical thinkers who use reason as the basis for their decision making. I hope my columns, for example, make sense. There have been, however, several psychological studies that follow scientific procedures with a control group and so forth, which conclude that it just ain’t so
For example, The Righteous Mind: Why Good People are Divided by Politics and Religion, by social psychologist Jona-
than Haidt, reveals that we aren’t as rational as we think.
“Haidt’s understanding of the mind,” according to the website SuperSummary, “runs counter to the typical rationalist beliefs of Wester n philosophy. He asserts that emotion and intuition carry far more weight in our judgments than does reason.”
He uses the metaphor of an elephant (emotion and intuition) and a rider (reason) and concludes that the elephant is more powerful and ultimately in control of moral decision making, while the task of the rider is to act like a president’s press secretary, i.e. to somehow make sense of what was originally made by emotion and intuition.”
Therefore, Haidt concludes, if progressives want to understand and change the minds of MAGAs, they should not begin by addressing the rider but by engaging with the elephant.
“It is difficult to change anyone’s mind, including our own,” SuperSummary argues, “unless we talk to the elephant.”
Keith Payne, another social psychologist agrees with Haidt. In Good Reasonable People: the Psychology Behind America’s Dangerous Divide, he writes, “History, race, class, religion and urban versus rural living set us on different paths … and we come to rationalize our own point of view as the only right point of view.”
He adds, “Those very same psychological responses blind us to our own logical contradictions. And they make it hard to have civil conversations about any of it because we see our own side as arguing in good faith, but we see the other side as intentionally trying to do harm.”
It is time, Barack Obama seems to be arguing, to build bridges of empathy instead of defending ideological purity to the death (or loss of an election).
“Pluralism … is not about abandoning your convictions and folding when things get tough. It is about reco gnizing that in a democracy, power comes from forging alliances, and building coalitions, and making room in those coalitions not only for the woke but also for the waking.”
Review readers get into political conversations every day, directly or obliquely, and have to choose words that articulate ideological purity or to build bridges of compromise from “our side” to whomever we judge to be on the other side
Most of us don’t have a lot of political leverage, but that’s no excuse for not intentionally seeking out people who think differently than we do, not trying to understand their elephant, and not thinking of the conversation as a win/ lose battle
Forest Park Review, Januar y 8, 2025
Editor Erika Hobbs
Sta Repor ter Jessica Mordacq
Digital Manager Stacy Coleman
Digital Media Coordinator Brooke Duncan
Assistant Editor, Ar ts & Enter tainment Dalal Or fali
Contributing Editor Donna Greene
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
Chair
Tr
Deb A
Steve E
Horacio M
Darn
ADDRESS 141 S. Oak Park
PHONE 708-366-0600
EMAIL for CIRCULATION Jill@oakpark.com ONLINE
Postmaster: Please send address changes to: Forest Park Review,141 S. Oak Park 60302-2901. P Oak Park, IL (USPS No 0205-160)
Here are some of the topics we wrote about in 2024:
We began by accentuating the positive. I reported on getting a brand-new engine in our 2013 Kia — for free! I was also grateful for a free computer that makes writing columns possible.
While I was on the subject of “me,” I wrote about our adventures exploring Amsterdam and Paris. I also joined the Dive Bar Letter Writers and mailed my grandsons postcards from Amsterdam.
Ed’s Way closing was sad, but thankfully we have Aldi’s nearby for emergency groceries. Still, I miss the Ed’s Way crew and John, their full-time butcher
It was also sad when Karen Yarbrough passed away, but she taught us life lessons about caring for grandkids.
I also lost my childhood friend, Ed Wackrow. We’re going to celebrate Ed’s life during his favorite time of year, March Madness
We lamented the fact that Americans are becoming dumber and also losing their spatial awareness — but celebrated the patriotism of protest.
serenity.
We celebrated ukelele players at the Eagle’s Hall, storytelling at the Friendly Tap, and drinking pisco cocktails with Catalina Gaete-Benz at Piacere Mio.
We talked about the misery of February, the trials of being a middle child, and had a meaningul conversation with a dog.
We obtained a list of street signs honoring residents and escribed why Ed Nutley, Joe Byrnes, Theresa Giglio, Andy Collis, Austin Prabhu, Anthony Spinelli and Isaac Beal deserved their signs.
We mourned the passing of for mer Park Director Dave Novak and celebrated the grand opening of Rieger Park
We discovered the artistry of Chuck Michalak, listened to Allyssa Allgood jazzing it up at Robert’s Westside, and recognized Lucia Whalen for headlining at Zanies.
We had a plaque dedicated to Dr. Joseph Corbin, recognizing his grave in Forest Home Cemetery for being on the National Register of Historic Places
We may have lost Centuries & Sleuths bookstore and The Book Table in Oak Park, but we gained The Pile Bookstore in Berwyn.
We were sad to see American Le gion Post 414 shut down but were thankful we got to see the Forest Park Theatre present plays there.
OB ITUAR Y
was responsible for the management and investment of more than $275 million for six school districts and one special education district.
Beginning in the 1970s through the end of his life, he was treasurer for the Berwyn and Forest Park park districts, dedicated to enhancing the green spaces and recreational activities in those communities. He also served as executive trustee for Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund and oversaw a funding percentage increase from 55% in 1976 to 104% in 1999, ensuring the pensions of countless municipal employees.
A proud resident of Oak Park, he was known for his outgoing nature and attendance at community events. An avid baseball fan, he had a special affinity for OPRF Huskie baseball, attending varsity games and supporting the program. His love of baseball
We couldn’t believe Curtis Horras remembers his “cookie” from kindergarten in 2011 and proud that he’s going to college on a scholarship.
We were happy to welcome koalas to Brookfield Zoo and were reminded that “imaginary” koalas had lived there when my daughter wrote a story about them.
We were reminded that “whatever” is still the most annoying word in the English language, reviewed the stages of childhood for young parents, and war ned against giving our kids too much help with their schoolwork
We encouraged readers to attend the University of Life, talked about the virtues of mindfulness, and reviewed tips for enjoying the holidays
Finally, I have a few stories I didn’t write about for the Review.
I’ve been going to my eye doctor, Dr. Garreffa, for years and they’ve been so helpful. They proved it again when my frames broke. They miraculously had my frames in stock and gave me a discount.
A neighbor reported on the kindness he gets from Forest Automotive. His car had a flat but Scotty fixed the tire for free in thanks for the referrals he gets from my friends. And last, not least, I’m grateful for the privilege of tutoring students from Ukraine, Mexico and Venezuela at Triton Colle ge I traded my recipe for sweet potato casserole for my student’s recipe for borscht.
and the Chicago White Sox was only eclipsed by his love of finance. He voraciously consumed financial news and data through all media and remained current on markets until his last breath.
Gerald was preceded in death by his parents, Gerald Sr. and Anne, and Marsha, his wife of 30 years. He is survived by his sons, Jameson and Jeremy; his brother, Leonard; his niece, Lithe; and his grandchildren, Nicholas, Brooklynn, Isabella, Aviva, and Calvin His sharp mind, generosity, and zest for life will be deeply missed. His impact on his friends and family remains a testament to his extraordinary life
A celebration of his life was held at First United Church of Oak Park on Jan. 6. A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. on Jan. 18 at First United Church of Oak Park, 848 Lake St
Essential Civics
PUBLIC NOTICE
STATE OF ILLINOIS
VILLAGE OF BROOKFIELD
Notice of Public Hearing Village of Brookfield Planning and Zoning Commission
January 23, 2025, at 7:00 PM
NOTICE is hereby given that the Village of Brookfield Planning and Zoning Commission will conduct a public hearing on Thursday, January 23, 2025, at 7:00 p.m. in the Edward Barcal Hall located at 8820 Brookfield Avenue, Brookfield, Illinois for the purpose of considering a request from by the Village of Brookfield, as petitioner, to Amend the text of the Village of Brookfield Zoning Ordinance Chapter 62 Zoning, Article II Districts, Section 62.217 Station Atrea Districts, General Design. The public is invited to attend the public hearing and present oral and/ or written comments. Written comments may be provided prior to 4:00 PM on the day of the public hearing to: Village of Brookfield, Planning and Zoning Commission c/o Libby Popovic, 8820 Brookfield Avenue, Brookfield, IL 60513, lpopovic@brookfieldil.gov, or 708485-1113. Oral or written testimony may be given during the public hearing. The application may be viewed at the Village of Brookfield Village Hall during normal business hours. Please reference PZC Case 25-02. Public hearings may be continued from time to time without further notice except as otherwise required under the Illinois Open Meetings Act. Individuals with disabilities requiring a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in any meeting should contact the Village of Brookfield (708) 485-7344 prior to the meeting. Wheelchair access is available through the front (South) entrance of Village Hall. By the Order of Chuck Grund, Planning and Zoning Commission Chairman.
Published in RB Landmark January 8, 2025
Notice of Public Hearing
Village of Brookfield Planning and Zoning Commission
January 23, 2025, at 7:00 PM
NOTICE is hereby given that the Village of Brookfield Planning and Zoning Commission will conduct a public hearing on Thursday, January 23, 2025 at 7:00 p.m. in the Edward Barcal Hall located at 8820 Brookfield Avenue, Brookfield, Illinois for the purpose of considering a request from Jennifer Del Giudice / Luxxe Honor for Special Use Permit from §62.30 in order to allow a massage establishment for property located at 3745 Grand Boulevard , Brookfield, Illinois 60513 (PIN 15-34-421-043-0000)
Legal Description: PARCEL 3 LOT 21 AND LOT 15 (EXCEPT THE EAST 47.58 FEET THEREOF) IN BLOCK 18 IN CROSSDALE, AS SUBDIVISIN BY S.E. GROSS OF THE SOUTHEAST QUARTER OF SECTION 34, TOWNSHIP 12 EAST OF THE THIRD PRINCIPAL MERIDIAN, IN COOK COUNTY ILLINOIS. IN COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
The public is invited to attend the public hearing and present oral and/ or written comments. Written comments may be provided prior to 4:00 PM on the day of the public hearing to: Village of Brookfield, Planning and Zoning Commission c/o Libby Popovic, 8820 Brookfield Avenue, Brookfield, IL 60513, lpopovic@brookfieldil.gov, or 708485-1113. Oral or written testimony may be given during the public hearing. The application may be viewed at the Village of Brookfield Village Hall during normal business hours. Please reference PZC Case 25-03. Public hearings may be continued from time to time without further notice except as otherwise required under the Illinois Open Meetings Act. Individuals with disabilities requiring a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in any meeting should contact the Village of Brookfield (708) 485-7344 prior to the meeting. Wheelchair access is available through the front (South) entrance of Village Hall. By the Order of Chuck Grund, Planning and Zoning Commission Chairman. Published in RB Landmark January 8, 2025.
Published in RB Landmark January 8, 2025
PUBLIC NOTICE
STATE OF ILLINOIS
VILLAGE OF BROOKFIELD
Notice of Public Hearing
Village of Brookfield
Planning and Zoning Commission
January 23, 2025 at 7:00 PM
NOTICE is hereby given that the Village of Brookfield Planning and Zoning Commission will conduct a public hearing on Thursday, January 23, 2025 at 7:00 p.m. in the Edward Barcal Hall located at 8820 Brookfield Avenue, Brookfield, Illinois for the purpose of considering a request from Paul Castelbuono / Castle Motors for variations from §42- 86 Permanent Sign Regulations in order to allow a third wall sign on the property that exceeds the maximum height and sign area and an awning sign that is mounted below the minimum clearance, exceeds the 30% coverage and two lines of text maximums for property located at 9000 Ogden Avenue, Brookfield, Illinois 60513 (PINs 18-03-210-062-0000 & 1803-210-063-0000).
Legal Description: LOTS 19, 20, 21, 22, 23 AND 24 IN BLOCK 83 IN S.E. GROSS 3RD ADDITION TO GROSSDALE, BEING A SUBDIVISION OF PART OF SECTION 3, TOWNSHIP 38 NORTH, RANGE 12, EAST OF THE THIRD PRINCIPAL MERIDIAN, IN COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
The public is invited to attend the public hearing and present oral and/ or written comments. Written comments may be provided prior to 4:00 PM on the day of the public hearing to: Village of Brookfield, Planning and Zoning Commission c/o Libby Popovic, 8820 Brookfield Avenue, Brookfield, IL 60513, lpopovic@brookfieldil.gov, or 708485-1113. Oral or written testimony may be given during the public hearing. The application may be viewed at the Village of Brookfield Village Hall during normal business hours. Please reference PZC Case 25-01. Public hearings may be continued from time to time without further notice except as otherwise required under the Illinois Open Meetings Act. Individuals with disabilities requiring a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in any meeting should contact the Village of Brookfield (708) 485-7344 prior to the meeting. Wheelchair access is available through the front (South) entrance of Village Hall. By the Order of Chuck Grund, Planning and Zoning Commission Chairman. Published in RB Landmark January 8, 2025.
Published in RB Landmark January 8, 2025
LEGAL NOTICE
The Village of Oak Park will receive sealed bids from qualified contractors at the Public Works Center, 201 South Boulevard, Oak Park, Illinois 60302 Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. local time until 3:00 p.m. on Friday, January 24, 2025 for the following: Village of Oak Park 2025 Village Utility Pavement Patching Services Bid Number: 25-110 Bid documents may be obtained from the Village’s website at http://www.oakpark.us/bid. For questions, please call Public Works at (708) 358-5700 during the above hours.
