Board of Health
launches mental health survey
By JESSICA MORDACQ Staff Reporter
Is there a mental health service or resource you wish there was more of in Forest Park? Put in your two cents by taking the Forest Park Board of Health’s community survey on mental health.
The questionnaire, launched earlier this month, is one of the board’s first official efforts since it was restructured in 2023.
“You have to have a goal and a task for people to know what you’re doing,” said Karen Considine, the Board of Health’s secretary. “That’s what we’re hoping to achieve with the survey, and hopefully we can come up with some good recommendations that are realistic for the village to pursue.”
The Forest Park Board of Health was founded in 2002, but became inactive before village staff decided to resurrect it over a decade later. In 2023, the mayor appointed, and the village board confirmed, new members: Chair Mishawn Purnell-O’Neal, Leah Shapiro, Susan Buss, Karen Considine and Lindsey Baish-Flynn.
But the new group was given little to go off. Considine said there were no records or details about what the previous board had completed.
“We started off with very little official directive,” Considine said, outside of the village ordinance that says the board should
See MENTAL HEALTH on pa ge 9
TODD BANNOR
Requirements
� At least 19 years of age
One of the following is required:
� Associate’s degree or higher
� 60 semester hours of coursework
� High School Diploma or GED and a score of 460 or higher on the ETS Parapro �Visit ISBE.net or email bdoolin@fpsd91.org for more information)
� Benefits include insurance, tuition reimbursement amd paid time off
� Make a difference in students’ lives
� Winter, spring & summer breaks
ECC gives inaugural awards for sustainable excellence
e Environmental Control Commission recognizes unique projects bene ting the environment
By JESSIC A MORDACQ Staff Reporter
Ever wonder what you can do to become a more environmentally sustainable member of Forest Park? If you’re looking for ideas, perhaps you’ll get some inspiration from the recipients of the Environmental Control Commission’s inaugural awards.
At the first Forest Park village council meeting of the year, the ECC handed out awards to acknowledge efforts in environmental and sustainable excellence in Forest Park. ECC Chair Scott Whitebone presented awards to Forest Park resident Kevin Orze and the Grove Midrise Condominium Association.
“I got so many emails about this individual,” Whitebone said of Orze at the meeting. “Kevin has made remarkable contributions to sustainability in our community, transforming his backyard into a thriving ecosystem.”
Whitebone said Orze has two composting systems: one where he uses lawn clippings and food scraps in his vegetable garden, and
the other where he puts dog waste on non-ed ible plants. Orze’s backyard also boasts a fis pond that supports local wildlife and serves as a water source to irrigate his garden.
Whitebone said that Orze also picks up litter throughout his neighborhood and even sold his personal vehicle so that he could take public transportation and bike more.
“Thank you, Kevin, for being a great example to your neighbors and our community,” Whitebone said before handing him a plaque that the Forest Park Arts Alliance made for the occasion.
The Grove Midrise Condominium Association, a group representing two buildings and about 140 units in west Forest Park, won its ECC award for composting efforts. In 2022, the association launched a program where they contract with WasteNot Compost, which picks up food waste and kitchen scraps from the Grove weekly.
“Participation is voluntary, but so far 25% of all the residents use it,” Whitebone said. “They’ve diverted an enormous amount of
waste [from] landfills. They have reduced odor, pests, and the Grove receives a quantity of finished compost back to work on their gardens.”
David Gulyas – chair of the GMCA Energy Solutions Commission, resident of the Grove for about six years, and a member of the ECC – accepted the award on behalf of the association.
Gulyas told the Review that, with the help of building manager Tim Davis, the Grove is also in the process of switching the buildings’ air conditioning units to heat pumps, which provide both heating and cooling while using less energy. Gulyas said that, starting last year, about 20 residents have swapped out their AC units with Energy Matters, a contractor out of Oak Park
And in 2021, the GMCA started an electric car charging program, where each midrise unit can have its own charging equipment,
Gulyas said. The association got a group deal with a contractor, and those interested can buy charging equipment at a lower cost.
Finally, the GMCA has a community solar contract with Solstice, a company that helps offset electricity in the buildings’ common areas.
Gulyas said the ECC awards are “an opportunity to really show what can be done and that people are actually doing things, instead of trying to wonder what they can do.”
With such successes at the Grove and in backyards like Orze’s, Whitebone said the ECC is pleased to continue the awards again next year
“Recognizing those in our community who are practicing sustainability is so important,” Whitebone said. “We are excited about the interest and strong candidates we received and look forward to presenting awards every year.”
Village will replace more lead pipes in coming months
Construction will start soon to install copper pipes south of I-290 between Harlem and Desplaines Avenue
By JESSICA MORDACQ Staff Reporter
As Forest Park joins the nationwide effort to remove toxic lead from drinking water, the village is planning its second phase of transitioning lead pipes to copper ones.
At the Jan.13 village council meeting, commissioners unanimously approved two agenda items involving phase two of the lead service line replacement project. The council green lighted the advertisement of bids for
the second phase, plus authorized the village to borrow funds from the Public Water Supply Loan program to finance most of the effort
The village started construction on its lead pipes about a decade ago, replacing them with copper pipes, but only from the water main to a property’s parkway. This means that many pipes between the parkway and homes are still made from lead.
The first phase of the lead service line replacement project consists of installing copper service lines from the Buffalo Box valve at the parkway to 18 inches inside buildings that are located south of Roosevelt Road, from Harlem to Beloit Avenue.
Although the first phase was scheduled to be completed by the end of last year, the bidder that the village awarded didn’t follow all of the required Illinois Environmental Protection Agency specifications and was dis-
qualified. The village has chosen a new bidder for the project and has a preconstruction meeting with them this month so that work on the service lines can start soon, according to Director of Public Works Sal Stella.
The second phase will be a continuation of the first, replacing lead service lines from the parkway into peoples’ homes. This construction will take place south of I-290, from Beloit to Des Plaines Avenue.
To fund the second phase of the project, the village has been accepted for a $3 million loan program, which is part of the IEPA. The total cost of this phase is estimated to leave the village paying about $45,000 from its own funds.
“The money is allocated for us, we just have to do our due diligence,” Stella said.
After the best bidder for the second phase is identified in about a month, approval of the bidder will go to a vote at a village council meeting. Stella said the best-case scenario is
construction for the second phase of lead service line replacement will start in late summer or early fall.
The new copper pipes that the village is installing will run next to the outdated lead lines, which contain a toxic metal that leaches into drinking water and can be harmful to children if ingested.
The City of Chicago, where Forest Park gets its drinking water, treats the water with phosphates to prevent lead pipes from breaking down. Because of this, Stella said there’s minimal lead in Forest Park’s drinking water today
Stella said the only time a Forest Parker should be concerned about ingesting toxic amounts of lead in their drinking water is if they’re visiting an abandoned property. He said, “You literally have to go into a home that’s been vacant for 6 months and take the first draw of water.”
Forest Park Environmental Control Commission Chair Scott Whitebone presents Kevin Orze and David Gulyas with Eco Awards.
Woman ips car after taking heroin, police say
By JESSICA MORDACQ Staff Reporter
On Jan. 17, police were dispatched to the intersection of Jackson and Elgin for an accident that occurred there with injuries. Police re ported that one of the cars had flipped with the driver still inside. After the fire department extracted the woman from her car, police re ported that she had
pinpointed pupils and difficulty walking before becoming unconscious. Police administered Narcan to the woman, and she was transported to Loyola University Medical Center. A witness told police that the woman drove into oncoming traffic and hit a parked vehicle, flipping her car. When police took the woman into custody at the hospital, she told them she had relapsed and consumed heroin before getting in her
car. She was charged with driving under the influence of drugs, failure to reduce speed in her vehicle, improper lane usage, and operating an uninsured car.
Disorderly conduct
Also on Jan. 17, police responded to the Forest Park Public Library to remove a man who was being aggressive toward staf f, according to the police re port. Staf f told police that the man was in the kid’s restroom for a long time. When staf f confronted the man, he started yelling and threatening to sue, police said. Library staf f told police this had previously happened with the subject, whom they suspended from using the library for a week, according to their policy, which the man violated Jan. 17. After the man yelled at police when they spoke to him, he grabbed his belongings and left. He was not charged.
Domestic battery
Police responded to the CTA Blue Line stop in Forest Park Jan. 15. A man there told them that he was at his girlfriend’s Forest Park apar tment earlier in the evening, where she pushed him down the stairs during an altercation. Though the man said he didn’t wish to sign complaints
against his gi rlfriend, he said he wanted to go to the hospital for injuries to his head and hand. He was taken to Rush Oak Park Hospital, and no one was charged.
Fraudulent check
On Jan. 14, the accounting administrator at Waldheim Cemetery re ported a fraudulent check. She told police that, the day before, she was reviewing the list of checks provided by Fifth Third Bank, where the cemetery has an account, when she saw a fraudulent check over $5,000 paid to a name that was redacted in the police re port. She said the bank put the money back in the cemetery’s account, and that she wanted to sign complaints if the offender is located.
These items were obtained from Forest Park Police Department re ports dated Jan. 14 - Jan. 17 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.
By ERIKA HOBBS Editor in chief
We’re beginning to put together our annual voters guide, something we believe
public service.
This year, we want to hear from you. From now until Feb. 7, we want to hear your questions about the upcoming municipal elections. What do you need demystified? What are you trying to understand? Which issues do you care about most?
Please email us your questions. You can email me at erika@growingcommunitymedia.org or reporter Jessica Mordacq at jessica@forestparkreview.com
We will collect these and work to answer as many of your questions as we can in our voters guide. Look for it March 12.
Fiddelke super fan readies for talk on favorite architect
ABy LACEY SIKORA Contributing Reporter
rchitect Henry Fiddelke may not be a household name in Oak Park, River Forest and Forest Park, but he designed a number of well-known mansions, including the Hales Mansion on Chicago and Oak Park Avenue, as well as municipal and commercial villages throughout the area.
On Saturday, Feb. 8, self-proclaimed Fiddelke “super fan” Michael Thomas will be sharing his knowledge of the Oak Parkbased architect in a talk at the Forest Park Baptist Church, also designed by Fiddelke. Thomas, who developed an interest in architecture over decades of living in Oak Park, said he became interested in Fiddelke when he became a member of Forest Park Baptist Church.
He said the building is inspiring.
“Upstairs, there’s a cloakroom,” he said. “It’s kind of a small room, and all the windows have this golden stained-glass color. And there are brown oak door frames and window frames. When the sun shines, those brown frames have a golden tint. They just glow.”
As an usher for the church, Thomas spent a lot of time in the cloakroom and said he was inspired by it to delve into who designed the building. When he found out it was designed as the German Baptist Church by Fiddelke, he researched the architect with the Oak Park and River Forest Historic Society and prepared a presentation for his church on Fiddelke.
Now, he’s building on that presentation to spread the message of Fiddelke to architect buffs from far and wide
See FIDDELKE on pa ge 6
PROVIDED
Interior of Forest Park Baptist Church facing the north wall.
A stained-glass window from the cloak room.
HENRY FIDDELKE
PROVIDED
FIDDELKE Architect obsessed
from page 5
Thomas, who said he’s such a super fan that he created an H.G. Fiddelke t-shirt, points to three main reasons why he is attracted to Fiddelke’s work.
“I admire his architecture. I admire his love of community. I admire his integrity. The more I learned about his personality, the more I respected him.”
Born in 1865 in Matteson, Illinois, Fiddelke began to work in the architecture offices of Joseph Silsbee in Chicago in 1885. He was later employed in the office of Jenney and Mundie before becoming a licensed architect himself. By 1894, he was working in the Oak Park office of architect Frank Ellis. Fiddelke started his own firm in Oak Park in 1895.
Thomas pointed out that Fiddelke was married to his wife for years, consistently attended church and donated the stained glass to his church, now Forest Park Baptist Church, where his funeral was held in the early 1930’s.
Fiddelke designed the State Bank of Oak Park in 1913, which stood at the corner of Marion and Lake Street. He also built the original Holmes school, although his building was razed in the 1950’s.
When Thomas contacted the Matteson Historical Society, he said he learned that
even though Fiddelke had moved away from his hometown, he designed the Matteson Village Hall in 1897. The building was destroyed in 1948.
Thomas said he likes that Fiddelke worked in a number of styles.
“There’s just a wide range, from Queen Anne to Victorian to Prairie to Tudor Revival. He was a very sophisticated architect and used lots of details like herringbone brick work or turrets.”
During his lecture, Thomas said he will discuss Fiddelke’s work with Grace Hemingway on the Hemingway boyhood home and with Flora Gill, one of Oak Park’s first women entrepreneurs.
Those who attend the lecture in person will be treated to an up-close view of another topic: the stained-glass windows at Forest Park Baptist Church. Thomas said the windows are a key part of the design of the church
“When I was taking photos of them for the lecture, the sun was coming through,” he said. “It was like a Van Gogh painting. There’s something magical about stainedglass windows. Some of them are painterly. They’re very alive, moving and vibrant.”
The lecture also will include bits pertaining to the time when the church was in the Village of Harlem, with some stories of people who lived there during those times.
Overall, Thomas said, he hopes that people will walk away with a newfound appreciation of Fiddelke the man and the architect.
“I think Fiddelke needs attention, and I
think in exploring him, you explore architecture and history. I think H.G. Fiddelke is golden.”
Thomas’ lecture takes place at 10 a.m., Saturday, Feb. 8 at Forest Park Baptist Church, 133 Harlem Avenue. The event is free, and attendees can RSVP at www.forestparkhistory.org
Fiddelke t-shirt
Mar tin Luther King Day meal packing event
The Forest Park PTO and Forest Park School District 91 org anized a Day of Service by 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.
Photos by TODD BANNOR
Participants prepare bags of pasta with tomato basil sauce.
Commissioner Maria Maxham thanks the participants.
Lake Street, Oak Park
OPINION
OUR VIEW
Mental health clarity
Forest Park’s board of health dates back to 2002. But it has an odd history of lapsing for long, quiet stretches. But now it is back after being reconstituted by the village in 2023. A fresh batch of committee members were appointed then with the challenge of figuring out just what health-related services Forest Parkers were seeking.
Focus groups early last year — with an array of public servants from police and fire, the library and schools, the community center and a Proviso Township mental health provider — led to the conclusion that mental health and addiction recovery services were needed. But in addition to a shortage of such services, there was the not-surprising conclusion that access to the services which do exist is fragmented.
This is hardly a problem exclusive to Forest Park. But it is a frustration here. Finding a way to gather up all the relevant information into an accessible space was seen as an essential need for Forest Park
The board of health has now taken that clear message and translated it into a community survey on mental health that it is asking residents to complete. The online survey went live in early January and will be open through March. The health board will then compile the responses and share the information with the community.
Major dollars from village hall are not available to create new mental health programs. But creating a coordinated platform, where available services are gathered and methods of access and requirements for payments are clear, would be a worthy project.
Progress on lead pipes
Joining communities across the state to cobble together a construction plan and payment plan to continue the ambitious re placement of lead water pipes across the village, Forest Park is taking multiple steps in a positive direction.
The work so far is focused on the area south of Roosevelt, where copper pipes have to be extended from the parkway into homes. Those pipes re placed the original lead pipes, which of course leach lead into drinking water. The next phase requires taking on a $3 million loan from the Illinois EPA. This is the plight of middle-income communities such as Forest Park across the state. Too many resources for an outright grant of state funds for the pipe replacement, but not the ability to self-fund the quite massive project.
Ag ain in this circumstance, village government continues to take prudent but necessary steps to invest in this community’s infrastructure.
Love your enemies, and those who persecute you
While you read this column, I want you to imagine Dionne Warwick singing in the background, What the world needs now is lov e, sweet lov e, It’s the only thing that there’s just too little of.
What the world needs now is love, sweet love,
No, not just for some but for ev eryone. Do you think that sentiment is naïve or do you agree we need love more than an improved economy, clean energy, voting reform, a cure for cancer …?
HOLMES
We celebrated Martin Luther King Jr Day on Monday. In a 1958 article titled, “An Experiment in Love,” he wrote, “From the beginning, a basic philosophy guided the movement. In the first days of the protest … the phrase most often heard was “Christian Love.”
King explained that this guiding philosophy later became better known as nonviolent resistance: “Christ furnished the spirit and motivation, while Gandhi furnished the method.”
I have to wonder why King’s model, which inspired so many of us to action in the 1960s, is no longer followed as the guiding star for social and political action.
What I hear more often is “I will fight,” framing our action as a battle and our opponents as the enemy.
I once asked a friend if he thought Mr. [Fred] Rogers would make a good President of the United States, and he quickly replied, “They’d crucify him,” alluding to another lover of souls who long ago was crucified — literally.
Is that why “Christian love” has gone out of favor? Is it because it doesn’t work?
Mr. Rogers was speaking to children when he sang, “I have always wanted to have a neighbor just like you. … Would you be mine? Could you be mine? Won’t you be my neighbor?”
What I hear more often today is “Not in my back yard” (NIMBY) and “I’m all for DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) in the abstract.
There’s the joke about a pastor who gave a glowing description of children on Sunday, but on Monday when he was having a cement driveway poured and children were writing things in the wet cement, he came roaring out of the parsonage cussing and swearing.
When a parishioner walked by, he said, “I love children in the abstract but I can’t stand them in the concrete!”
“Mr. Rogers’ kind of love is a fine fantasy for children,” we might protest, “but in real life, it doesn’t work that way.”
But then, I wonder, how many of us are in therapy as adults because, as the song reminds us, love is the one thing we didn’t get enough of as children?
Dr. King wasn’t a medical doctor. He ear ned his PhD in systematic theology and, in the piece mentioned at the top of this column, he pointed out that in biblical Greek there are three words, all of which are translated into English as “love.”
Eros as in physical love.
Philia or brotherly love
Agape which according to King means “understanding, redeeming good will for all.”
“In speaking of agape,” he wrote, “we are not referring to some sentimental affectionate emotion. … Agape does not begin by discriminating between worthy and unworthy people, or any qualities people possess. It begins by loving others for their sakes. Agape makes no distinction between friends and enemy.”
For mer President Barack Obama gave a speech right after his party lost the election and urged his fellow party members to let go of what he referred to as ideological purity. He used the word pluralism instead of the word love, but to me he was responding to the charge that the kind of love Mr. Rogers was promoting needed to be replaced with a more “grown up” version.
“Pluralism,” he clarified, “is not about holding hands and singing ‘Kumbaya.’ It is not about abandoning your convictions and folding when things get tough. It is about recognizing 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.”
“[It’s] being open to the fact that even the folks we disagree with most might have something that surprises us. … We have to be open to other people’s experiences … listening to these people and building relationships and understanding what their fears are.”
Here are some suggestions to read to understand rural folks:
Strangers in Their Own Land: Anger and Mourning on the American Right by Arlie Russell Hochschild
Stolen Pride: Loss, Shame, and the Rise of the Right by Sarah Smarsh
Heartland: A Memoir of Working Hard and Being Broke in the Richest Country on Earth by Wendell Berry
The Unsettling of America by Jaybar Crow
Viva destination weddings! REVIEW
My wife and I just retur ned from our first-ever destination wedding. It was held at an all-inclusive resort in Puerta Vallarta. We had previously stayed at an all-inclusive, but that had been a far different experience. At that place, we were forced to wear wristbands. Our currency was worthless, and our room number replaced our names We felt like we were losing our identities. Plus, the resort was surrounded by a wall. Outside the wall was dense jungle, so escape was futile
After settling in our room, we crossed the exercise yard to the mess hall. The buffet was bountiful but bland. I’ve had spicier nachos at the Forest Park Aquatic Center The resort also had a pool with submerged barstools. We instead tried cooling off in the Caribbean but there were so many fish, it was like swimming in an aquarium. The resort staff were smartly dressed in uniforms, while many of the guests lacked large sections of their swimsuits. I was assigned to a work crew building sandcastles The work was exhausting in the blistering
MENTAL HEALTH
Survey launched
from page 1
“make recommendations to the village council on matters pertaining to the public health of the village, including but not limited to mental and physical health.”
Through the 15 monthly meetings since it was relaunched, the board has discussed its mission and how to spend its time
“You can’t just do. You have to assess the need and get data, so we decided to focus on: What does the community want? What is the community need? What does the community see as the issues?” Considine said.
The board organized two focus groups last February and March to star t getting answers to these questions. Though they have more planned, the new board’s foray into community engagement gave them a good amount of insight to start with.
sun, with incoming waves forcing me to rebuild sections over and over
The only thing that kept me going were the tropical drinks. I drank one after another until I sank into a pina colada coma. Evry mor ning, we were ordered to report to the excursion director he offered us opportunities to escape but they were very pricey
Day after day, we endured the tropical heat, sometimes having to shift our lounge chairs to stay in the shade. At night, we were forced to march to restaurants, some of which were 15 minutes away.
One time after dinner, we returned to our room and found — this is not for the faint of heart — the room hadn’t been cleaned. I made a panicked call to the front desk to demand more beer and fresh towels. I fell asleep mumbling, “cerveza fria, mas cerveza fria.”
I was losing my language and year ned to escape. We paid the excursion woman a lot of money to leave the resort for a nearby golf course. I didn’t care what it cost if it meant getting off the sandcastle crew
For the wedding, on the other hand, we stayed at a much nicer resort. It had spectacular views of the mountains, the jungle
and the sea. It was surrounded by a wall, but we had no desire to escape. If we left our room for even a short time, it was cleaned, with a fresh supply of towels
It had a festive atmosphere with food, music and drinks everywhere we went. We enjoyed a lovely rehearsal dinner and listened to heartfelt speeches by parents and friends. The wedding was held at the beach. Everyone was well-dressed and the bride was gorgeous
We had time to lounge at the pool, where the smiling staff members brought us drinks and whatever snacks we desired. Finally, the wedding guests boarded a catamaran and went whale watching. We even swam off the boat. Some complained that the water was cold, but it was bathwater compared to Lake Michigan.
Like the other guests, we used the destination wedding for a vacation. It was the third wedding for my niece — all involving the same groom, all within a short time span. They first had a civil ceremony, followed by a lavish church wedding. The resort wedding cemented the deal.
We were treated so well at the resort; we hope to return there some day. The staff kept it immaculate and indulged our every whim
On the last day, a staff member didn’t ask for my room number. He knew my name
The focus groups were made up of representatives from the Forest Park police and fire departments, library, community center, District 91 and Ascension ProCare – a Proviso Township mental health provider.
“The theme we found from all the different stakeholders is that services can be fragmented, that people don’t always know where to go or who to call, that sometimes there are barriers to services, like how to pay for it or a waiting list,” Considine said.
Considine also mentioned that the first focus groups said there’s a gap in follow-up care. Even though people can get help in emergencies – like those experiencing mental health issues and substance use – they often have similar recurring issues they need help with down the line
Focus group participants also said there’s no one-stop shop for mental health resources.
“Pretty much every single person in the focus groups said it would be great to have one place where all of the available resources are listed with current information and details
about what they provide and how to pay for it,” Considine said. They added that it would also be helpful to have one physical space to access all these resources.
Now, the Board of Health is onto engaging residents in what resources – from crisis intervention to health maintenance – they want and where they see gaps in Forest Park’s offerings.
“We have a lot of ideas based on all of our professions and years of experience. But it doesn’t mean that’s what’s happening for everyone in Forest Park,” Considine said. “You don’t know what actions to take or recommendations to make to the village council if you don’t know what the community needs.”
The Board of Health’s mental health survey will be open until the end of March
Then, the board will analyze its collected data, hopefully by the summer
“The results of the survey are only going to be as good as the amount of data that we get,” Considine said, urging everyone to fill it out.
Take the survey at https://bit.ly/3Vnd05u
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
Board of Directors
Chair Eric Weinheimer
Treasurer Nile Wendorf Deb Abrahamson, Gary Collins, Steve Edwards, Judy Gre n, Horacio Mendez, Charles Meyerson, Darnell Shields, Sheila Solomon Audra Wilson
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PUBLIC NOTICES PUBLIC NOTICES
NOTICE OF INTENT TO BORROW FUNDS AND RIGHT TO PETITION
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that, pursuant to Ordinance Number O-01-25, adopted on January 13, 2025, the Village of Forest Park, Cook County, Illinois (the “Village”), intends to enter into a Loan Agreement with the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed
$3,000,000.00 and bearing annual interest at an amount not to exceed the maximum rate authorized by law at the time of execution of the Loan Agreement, for the purpose of paying the cost of certain improvements to the public water supply system of the Village. A complete copy of the Ordinance accompanies this Notice.
NOTICE IS HEREBY FURTHER GIVEN that if a petition signed by 1,054 or more electors of the Village (being equal to 10% of the registered voters in the Village), requesting that the question of improving the public water supply system of the Village and entering into the Loan Agreement is submitted to the Village Clerk within thirty (30) days after the publication of this Notice, the question of improving the public water supply system of the Village as provided in the Ordinance and Loan Agreement shall be submitted to the electors of the Village at the next general primary election to be held under general election law on March 17, 2026. A petition form is available from the office of the Village Clerk.
/s/ Vanessa Belmonte
Village Clerk Village of Forest Park Cook County, Illinois
ORDINANCE NO. O-01-25
AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE VILLAGE OF FOREST PARK, COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS, TO BORROW FUNDS FROM THE PUBLIC WATER SUPPLY LOAN PROGRAM
(Lead Service Line Replacement Project – Stage 2)
WHEREAS, the Village of Forest Park, Cook County, Illinois (the “Village”), operates its public water supply system (the “System”), pursuant to and in accordance with the provisions of Article VII of the Illinois Constitution, Division 139 of the Illinois Municipal Code (65 ILCS 5/11-139-1 et seq.) and the Local Government Debt Reform Act, 30 ILCS 350/1 et seq. (collectively, the “Act”); and
WHEREAS, the Mayor and Village Council of the Village (“Corporate Authorities”) have determined that it is advisable, necessary and in the best interest of the public health, safety, and welfare to improve the System by construction and installation of the following: replacement of lead water service lines (public and privately owned portion), together with any land or rights in land and all electrical, mechanical
or other services necessary, useful or advisable to the construction and installation (the “Project”), all in accordance with the plans and specifications prepared by the consulting engineers of the Village, which Project has a useful life of not less than seventy-five (75) years; and
WHEREAS, the estimated cost of construction and installation of the Project, including engineering, legal, financial and other related expenses is Three Million Forty-Five Thousand Dollars ($3,045,000.00), and there are insufficient funds on hand and lawfully available to pay these costs; and
WHEREAS, the Corporate Authorities of the Village have determined that it is advisable, necessary and in the best interest of the Village to secure a loan (the “Loan”) from the Public Water Supply Loan Program (the “Program”) of the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (“IEPA”), in the aggregate principal amount of Three Million Dollars ($3,000,000.00) to provide funds to pay a portion of the cost of the Project, with the remaining cost of the Project paid from other Village sources; and
WHEREAS, the Loan shall bear an interest rate as defined by 35 Ill. Adm. Code 663, which does not exceed the maximum rate authorized by the Bond Authorization Act, as amended, 30 ILCS 305/0.01 et seq., at the time of the issuance of the Loan; and
WHEREAS, the principal and interest payments of the Loan shall be payable semi-annually, and the Loan shall mature in twenty (20) years, which is within the period of useful life of the Project; and
WHEREAS, the Loan shall be repaid from revenues of the System (the “Dedicated Revenue Source”) and the Loan is authorized to be accepted at this time pursuant to the Act; and
WHEREAS, the Village does not have any outstanding debt obligations which encumber the Dedicated Revenue Source, but the Village has pending IEPA Loan L17-6160 which the Village will accept if the Village receives 100% forgiveness for repayment of said loan, said loan to fund Stage 1 of the Project; and WHEREAS, in accordance with the provisions of the Act, the Village is authorized to borrow funds from the Program in the aggregate principal amount of Three Million Dollars ($3,000,000.00) to provide funds to pay the costs of the Project; and
WHEREAS, in accordance with the Program, the Village is eligible to have up to 100% of the principal of the Loan forgiven by the State of Illinois; and
WHEREAS, the Loan to the Village shall be made pursuant to a loan agreement, including certain terms and conditions between the Village and the IEPA (the “Loan Agreement”).
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED by the Mayor and Village Council of the Village of Forest Park, Cook County, Illinois, as follows:
SECTION 1. INCORPORATION OF PREAMBLES. The Corporate Authorities hereby find that the recitals contained in the preambles are true and correct, and incorporate them into this Ordinance by this reference.
SECTION 2. DETERMINATION TO BORROW FUNDS. It is necessary and in the best interests of the Village to construct the Project for the public health, safety and welfare, in accordance with the plans and specifications, as described; that the System continues to be operated in accordance with the provisions of the Illinois Environmental Protection Act, 415 ILCS 5/1 et seq.; and that for the purpose of constructing the Project, it is hereby authorized that funds be borrowed by the Village in the aggregate principal amount (which can include construction period interest financed over the term of the Loan) not to exceed Three Million Dollars ($3,000,000.00), the principal of which may be forgivable up to 100% in accordance with the Program.
SECTION 3. PUBLICATION. This Ordinance, together with a Notice in the statutory form (attached hereto as Exhibit A), shall be published once within ten (10) days after passage in the Forest Park Review, a newspaper published and of general circulation in the Village, and if no petition, signed by electors numbering 10% or more of the registered voters in the Village (i.e., 1,054) asking that the question of improving the System as provided in this Ordinance and entering into the Loan Agreement therefore be submitted to the electors of the Village, is filed with the Village Clerk within thirty (30) days after the date of publication of this Ordinance and notice, then this Ordinance shall be in full force and effect. A petition form shall be provided by the Village Clerk to any individual requesting one.
SECTION 4. ADDITIONAL ORDI-
NANCES. The Corporate Authorities may adopt additional ordinances or proceedings supplementing or amending this Ordinance, providing for entering into the Loan Agreement with the IEPA, prescribing all the details of the Loan Agreement, and providing for the collection, segregation and distribution of the Dedicated Revenue Source, so long as the maximum amount of the Loan as set forth in this Ordinance is not exceeded and there is no material change in the Project or purposes described herein. Any additional ordinances or proceedings shall in all instances become effective in accordance with the Act or other applicable laws. This Ordinance, together with such additional ordinances or proceedings, shall constitute complete authority for entering into the Loan Agreement under applicable law.
However, notwithstanding the above, the Village may not adopt
additional ordinances or amendments which provide for any substantive or material change in the scope and intent of this Ordinance, including but not limited to interest rate, preference or priority of any other ordinance with this Ordinance, parity of any other ordinance with this Ordinance, or otherwise alter or impair the obligation of the Village to pay the principal and interest due on the Loan to the Program without the written consent of the IEPA.
SECTION 5. LOAN NOT INDEBTEDNESS OF THE VILLAGE. Repayment of the Loan to the IEPA by the Village pursuant to this Ordinance is to be solely from the Dedicated Revenue Source, and the Loan does not constitute an indebtedness of the Village within the meaning of any constitutional or statutory limitation. The foregoing notwithstanding, the Village is only seeking a loan for which 100% principal forgiveness or some lesser amount is available and, to the extent that principal forgiveness in an amount satisfactory to the Village is not available and provided for the Project, the Village has determined that it will not be seeking a loan for the Project.
SECTION 6. APPLICATION FOR LOAN. The Mayor of the Village is hereby authorized to make application to the IEPA for the Loan through the Program, in accordance with the loan requirements set out in 35 Ill. Adm. Code 663.
SECTION 7. ACCEPTANCE OF LOAN AGREEMENT. The Corporate Authorities hereby authorize acceptance of the offer of the Loan through the Program, including all terms and conditions of the Loan Agreement as well as all special conditions contained therein and made a part thereof by reference. The Corporate Authorities further agree that the funds obtained through the Loan shall be used solely for the purposes of the Project as approved by the IEPA in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Loan Agreement.
SECTION 8. AUTHORIZATION OF MAYOR TO EXECUTE LOAN AGREEMENT. The Mayor is hereby authorized and directed to execute the Loan Agreement with the IEPA and all such other documents as may be necessary to obtain the Loan. The Corporate Authorities may authorize by resolution a person other than the Mayor for the sole purpose of authorizing or executing any documents associated with payment requests or reimbursements from the IEPA in connection with the Loan.
SECTION 9. SEVERABILITY. If any section, paragraph, clause or provision of this Ordinance is held invalid, the invalidity of such section, paragraph, clause or provision shall not affect any of the other provisions of this Ordinance.
[REMAINDER OF PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK]
SECTION 10. REPEALER. All ordinances, resolutions, orders, or parts
PUBLIC NOTICES
thereof, which conflict with the provisions of this Ordinance, to the extent of such conflict, are hereby repealed.
ADOPTED by the Council of the Village of Forest Park, Cook County, Illinois, this 13th day of January, 2025.
AYES: Maxham, Nero, Melin-Rogovin, Voogd, Hoskins
NAYS: None
ABSENT: None
APPROVED by me this 13th day of January, 2025.
/s/ Rory E. Hoskins
Rory E. Hoskins, Mayor Attested and Filed in my office, And published in pamphlet form this 13th day of January, 2025.
/s/ Vanessa Belmonte
Vanessa Belmonte, Village Clerk
EXHIBIT A
NOTICE OF INTENT TO BORROW FUNDS AND RIGHT TO PETITION
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that, pursuant to Ordinance Number O-01-25, adopted on January 13, 2025, the Village of Forest Park, Cook County, Illinois (the “Village”), intends to enter into a Loan Agreement with the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $3,000,000.00 and bearing annual interest at an amount not to exceed the maximum rate authorized by law at the time of execution of the Loan Agreement, for the purpose of paying the cost of certain improvements to the public water supply system of the Village. A complete copy of the Ordinance accompanies this Notice.
NOTICE IS HEREBY FURTHER GIVEN that if a petition signed by 1,054 or more electors of the Village (being equal to 10% of the registered voters in the Village), requesting that the question of improving the public water supply system of the Village and entering into the Loan Agreement is submitted to the Village Clerk within thirty (30) days after the publication of this Notice, the question of improving the public water supply system of the Village as provided in the Ordinance and Loan Agreement shall be submitted to the electors of the Village at the next general primary election to be held under general election law on March 17, 2026. A petition form is available from the office of the Village Clerk.
/s/ Vanessa Belmonte Village Clerk Village of Forest Park Cook County, Illinois Published in Forest Park Review January 22, 2025
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION
Wells Fargo Bank, N.A.
Plaintiff vs. Janice D. Wordlaw; The United States of America Secretary of Housing and Urban Development; Defendant 19 CH 8575
CALENDAR 61
NOTICE OF SALE
PUBLIC NOTICE is hereby given that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure entered in the above entitled cause Intercounty Judicial Sales Corporation will on February 18, 2025, at the hour 11:00 A.M., Intercounty’s office, 120 West Madison Street, Suite 718A, Chicago, IL 60602, sell to the highest bidder for cash, the following described mortgaged real estate:
Lot 2, in N.D. Construction Company’s resubdivision of Lot 24 to 31 Both inclusive in Block 8 in Hulbert’s St. Charles Road Subdivision, Being a subdivision in the Northeast 1/4 of Section 8, Township 39 North, Range 12, East of the Third Principal Meridian According to the plat of said resubdivision recorded April 18, 1952 as Document 15321587 in Cook County, Illinois.
P.I.N. 15-08-224-037-0000.
Commonly known as 228 Granville Ave., Bellwood, IL 60104. The real estate is: single family residence. If the subject mortgaged real estate is a unit of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by subsection (g1) of Section 18.5 of the Condominium Property Act. Sale terms: At sale, the bidder must have 10% down by certified funds, balance within 24 hours, by certified funds. No refunds. The property will NOT be open for inspection.
Prospective bidders are admonished to check the court file to verify all information.
For information call Sales Department at Plaintiff’s Attorney, Manley Deas Kochalski LLC, One East Wacker Drive, Suite 1250, Chicago, Illinois 60601. (614) 220-5611. 19-025146
INTERCOUNTY JUDICIAL SALES
CORPORATION intercountyjudicialsales.com I3258496
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION
FIFTH THIRD BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Plaintiff vs. VITA WESLEY; TERRACE GARDEN CONDOMINIUMS ASSOCIATION; UNKNOWN OWNERS AND NON-RECORD CLAIMANTS
Defendant 24 CH 2300
CALENDAR 56 NOTICE OF SALE
PUBLIC NOTICE is hereby given that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure entered in the above entitled cause Intercounty Judicial Sales Corporation will on February 26, 2025, at the hour 11:00 a.m., Intercounty’s office, 120 West Madison Street, Suite 718A, Chicago, IL 60602, sell to the highest bidder for cash, the following described mortgaged real estate: 1153.
P.I.N. 15-22-405-028-1117 (new); 15-22-405-028-1069 (old). Commonly known as 1170 W. 18th St., Unit 2W, Broadview, IL 60155. The real estate is: condominium residence. The purchaser of the unit other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments and the legal fees required by subdivisions (g)(1) and (g)(4) of Section 9 of the Condominium Property Act..
Sale terms: At sale, the bidder must have 10% down by certified funds, balance within 24 hours, by certified funds. No refunds. The property will NOT be open for inspection. Prospective bidders are admonished to check the court file to verify all information.
For information call Sales Department at Plaintiff’s Attorney, Diaz Anselmo & Associates P.A., 1771 West Diehl Road, Suite 120, Naperville, IL 60563. (630) 4536960. 6722-200345 INTERCOUNTY JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION
intercountyjudicialsales.com
I3259066
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION SERVIS ONE, INC DBA BSI FINANCIAL SERVICES
Plaintiff,
-v.-
JULIE FOX, AS SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE FOR LAMONTE BATIE, JOYCE PORTIS, UNKNOWN OWNERS AND NON-RECORD CLAIMANTS, UNKNOWN HEIRS AND LEGATEES OF LAMONTE BATIE
Defendants 2023 CH 00845 612 N HILLSIDE AVE HILLSIDE, IL 60162
NOTICE OF SALE
PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on October 24, 2023, an agent for The Judicial Sales Corporation, will at 10:30 AM on February 19, 2025, at The Judicial Sales Corporation, One South Wacker, 1st Floor Suite 35R, Chicago, IL, 60606, sell at a public in-person sale to the highest bidder, as set forth below, the following described real estate: Commonly known as 612 N HILLSIDE AVE, HILLSIDE, IL 60162
Property Index No. 15-07-407016-0000
The real estate is improved with a single family residence.
The judgment amount was $262,023.29.
Sale terms: 100% of the bid amount shall be paid in certified funds immediately by the highest and best bidder at the conclusion of the sale. The certified check must be made payable to The Judicial Sales Corporation.
The subject property is subject to general real estate taxes, special assessments, or special taxes levied against said real estate and is offered for sale without any representation as to quality or quantity of title and without recourse to Plaintiff and in “AS IS” condition.
The sale is further subject to confirmation by the court.
Upon payment in full of the amount bid, the purchaser will receive a Certificate of Sale that will entitle the purchaser to a deed to the real estate after confirmation of the sale.
The property will NOT be open for inspection and plaintiff makes no representation as to the condition of the property. Prospective bidders are admonished to check the court file to verify all information. If this property is a condominium unit, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale, other than a mortgagee, shall pay the assessments and the legal fees required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/9(g)(1) and (g) (4). If this property is a condominium unit which is part of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/18.5(g-1).
IF YOU ARE THE MORTGAGOR (HOMEOWNER), YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN IN POSSESSION FOR 30 DAYS AFTER ENTRY
OF AN ORDER OF POSSESSION, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 15-1701(C) OF THE ILLINOIS MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE LAW.
You will need a photo identification issued by a government agency (driver’s license, passport, etc.) in order to gain entry into our building and the foreclosure sale room in Cook County and the same identification for sales held at other county venues where The Judicial Sales Corporation conducts foreclosure sales. For information, contact R. Elliott Halsey, KELLEY, KRONENBERG, P.A. Plaintiff’s Attorneys, 20 N CLARK STREET SUITE 1150, Chicago, IL, 60602 (312) 2168828. Please refer to file number 02207276.
THE JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION
One South Wacker Drive, 24th Floor, Chicago, IL 60606-4650 (312) 236-SALE
You can also visit The Judicial Sales Corporation at www.tjsc. com for a 7 day status report of pending sales.
R. Elliott Halsey KELLEY, KRONENBERG, P.A. 20 N CLARK STREET SUITE 1150 Chicago IL, 60602 312-216-8828
E-Mail: ehalsey@kklaw.com
Attorney File No. 02207276
Attorney ARDC No. 6283033
Attorney Code. 49848
Case Number: 2023 CH 00845
TJSC#: 45-78
NOTE: Pursuant to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, you are advised that Plaintiff’s attorney is deemed to be a debt collector attempting to collect a debt and any information obtained will be used for that purpose.
Case # 2023 CH 00845 I3259341
Owners Jess King and Will Duncan recount the journey behind this historic milestone
BY DALAL ORFALI Vibe assistant editor
Nestled in Berwyn, FitzGerald’s has been a community cor nerstone for over a century. Its legacy is now cemented after it became the first music venue in Illinois to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places Owners Will Duncan and Jess King worked toward the designation for two years.
In April 2023, King posted a vintage photo
FitzGerald’s: Berwyn’s gem named to National Register of Historic Places
of FitzGerald’s on social media, sparking an outpouring of nostalgia from patrons
“I went to the Berwyn Public Library looking for more photos,” she said. “That’s really when I discovered the full history. As I’m sitting there in the library, I’m seeing advertisements and news articles on this property going all the way back to the early 1900s, and it was just incredible.”
This revelation set the wheels in motion to nominate the ve nue for the National Re gister.
The research revealed surprising details, including FitzGerald’s connections to Prohibition-era mob activity.
“We have actual records of the mayor of Berwyn at the time—I think it was 1934—
shutting this place down because this was the hangout of one of Al Capone’s top guys, Jack McGurn,” King said. She noted that records from the Library of Congress pointed to the property’s reputation during Prohibition, joking, “No comment on bad, but it’s one of the things that surprised us the most!”
The road to historic designation wasn’t easy.
“This was not a typical nomination,” King said. “The nominations for the National Register are mostly architectural, and this stands out as a 100% cultural nomination.”
Illinois’ Board of the National Register debated the venue’s merit, but ultimately acknowledged overwhelming community support — more than 90 letters from patrons
“In the end, they did say that this place deserves to be on the National Register for its importance to people alone,” King said.
The venue was originally built as a dance hall.
“We know that for sure because it’s labeled that on a Sanborn map from the early 1900s,” King said.
During the jazz revival of the mid-20th century, FitzGerald’s became a beacon for musicians and fans alike. While specific names elude immediate recall, King promises their historical records include notable artists who graced its stage.
And during Prohibition, it became an ath-
continued from page 12
letic club before pivoting to a hunt club called “Deer Lodge,” which explains the deer heads on the walls
The couple enlisted Douglas Gilbert, an Oak Park local architect and historian, to craft a compelling application. His research cemented FitzGerald’s status as a historic site. For King and Duncan, the process was meticulous and nerve-wracking.
“The hardest part was the waiting,” Duncan acknowledged. “For two years, we were on the edge of our seats, hoping for a favorable outcome.”
Preservation has always been central to their mission, they said.
“We have done almost nothing to alter the property in any way; it sits as it was built over a hundred years ago,” Duncan said. “That’s part of this historic designation—to preserve its look, feel, and usage.”
Maintenance, like foundation and roof repairs, remains essential. Duncan noted that the designation will open doors for preservation grants and potential tax credit benefits.
But for Duncan, FitzGerald’s is more than a business venture; it’s deeply personal.
“I first came to see music here 25 years ago, and I fell in love with it,” he said.
After years in Chicago’s live music and hospitality industries, he and King took the leap when the FitzGerald family, who had run the venue for 40 years, sought to pass the torch.
“We spent 18 months deliberating,” he said. “It was what we were meant to do in our lives — to take this place over and build on the incredible legacy that had grown here, and try to keep it alive.”
Duncan noted that small clubs are important because they act as cultural incubators.
“Every great artist got their start at a small club. The Rolling Stones’ first gig was in a small club, so these are the places where true talent is developed,” he said. “They’re essential to our cultural landscape.”
King and Duncan plan to host an open house history experience on Jan. 28, inviting patrons to explore the venue’s rich legacy. They also plan an early spring community celebration to mark FitzGerald’s historic milestone with a plaque dedication.
“We have plans to invite the community and people who have helped us through this process. There will be a celebration for sure,” King said.
Na Siam: Fresh as ever with new owners
Knock and Honey Wareewanich are bringing the best of ingredients to the new Thai restaurant at North and Kenilworth
By RISÉ SANDERS-WEIR Contributing Reporter
Na Siam Restaurant — a bit of Thailand at our northern border — has new owners. But the aroma and flavors are the same at the Nor th Avenue restaurant.
Thitinant “Knock” Wareewanich and his wife bought the restaurant eight months ago. They arrived from Thailand with their two young children and a dream – an American dream to give their kids a great education and a solid start in life
The menu at Na Siam is largely the same as it was before, but the Wareewaniches are careful with the quality.
“We go to market. I mean the raw material, we order by ourself and if some part we think is not fresh enough, we just go directly to the market by ourself,” said Wareewanich
Many of Thai cuisine’s flavors benefit from this dedication to quality ingredients: basil, papaya, ginger, eggplant and others.
that to adjust,” Wareewanich said.
When they decide to introduce a new item, they take a similar approach. This is true for an item they are currently considering: Taro in coconut milk.
“We give, let the customer try, and ask them if they like that for new items that we’re going to launch,” Wareewanich said.
He said he was an educator in his homeland. His wife, Honey, is also a fashion designer. Photos and examples of her wares are on display in the restaurant’s dining room.
Their children, whom Wareewanich calls the “bosses,” are two and three years old. The presence of young eaters in their own family might be the reason for the reasonably priced kid’s combo options that comes with either crispy chicken or chicken satay, eggrolls filled with steamed broccoli, carrot and other veggies, and served with jasmine rice for only $6.95.
Customer Dennis Egolf and his wife enjoyed a lunch in the dining room recently. When Egolf ’s red curry bowl arrived, steam filled the air with the smells of good tastes to come
Their protein options range from the usual —tofu, chicken, shrimp, beef and pork —but the menu also includes duck as an option for many dishes
Appetizers are a tempting list. Spring rolls filled with a fresh collection of tofu, beansprouts, carrots and cucumber are wrapped in rice paper and served with plum sauce. Steamed Thai dumplings are served with black garlic soy sauce. And crab Rangoon pleases the American palate with crab and cream cheese inside a puff of fried wonton.
The new owners listen attentively to reactions from customers, some of whom drive from as much as 45 minutes away to dine there, according to Wareewanich
“We always ask, ‘How do you like the food?’ And if anything is in common with comments, we use
“We drive by here often and decided to try it. The soup was great, the spice levels are excellent, and the service is friendly. We’ ll be back,” Wareewanich said.
Na Siam’s menu includes all the expected dishes in a Thai restaurant: soups, like Tom Yum, curries, noodle dishes and salads. Panang curry with peanuts, coconut milk, lime leaves, veggies and a choice of protein, all served with jasmine rice, is one of the most popular curries in Thailand Wareewanich takes pride in his new role as ambassador for foods from his home, ensuring that his kitchen does not serve pre-cooked dishes to customers.
“For us, sometimes you have to wait about half an hour. Because we cook every dish fresh,” Wareewanich said. And they hope diners leave satisfied. “We are depending on word of mouth. The customer come in, eat. They go out and then they tell. That’s the way we will grow.”
e Salty Dogs per form at e Hunt Club 1954-55
All photos provided by FITZGERALD ’S NIGHTCLUB
