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ForestParkReview.com Vol. 107, No. 30

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REVIEW JANUARY 24, 2024

YMCA expands access to swimming PAGE 5

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How love and science made Anna Gillian Cramer’s dream real

A Forest Park family has raised funds for cystic fibrosis for decades. A new drug allowed their daughter to become a mom

By JESSICA MORDACQ Contributing Reporter

Anna Gillian Cramer had always hoped that raising funds for cystic fibrosis research for decades would help combat her disease, but she never dreamed that a drug from that research would change her life.

Until it did.

Cramer, 36, was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis when she was four months old.

See LIFE GIFT on page 3

Center stage Theater looks for permanent home, page 8

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Forest Park Review, January 24, 2024

February 18

THE PACK DRUMLINE April 12 Pat Hazell’s PERMANENT RECORD April 20 Carrie Newcomer and John McCutcheon events.dom.edu

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Forest Park Review, January 24, 2024

LIFE GIFT

Unending fight from page 1 “When I was born, they told my parents my life expectancy was 15,” she said.

Her parents are Dorothy and Tim Gillian, both deeply involved Forest Parkers with roles in local government and local business. Dorothy Gillian started fundraising for the Chicago chapter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation in 1989 when her daughter was two-and-a-half. The family has raised roughly $750,000 over the years.

The degenerative genetic disease that affects the body’s lungs didn’t affect Cramer much when she was a kid in Forest Park, but Gillian knew it would someday.

“I had a pretty average, healthy childhood. I wasn’t really that sick,” Cramer, of Brookfield, said. But every two years, Gillian organized fundraisers in Forest Park, attended by extended family and locals, and donated the money to cystic fibrosis research. That fundraiser is coming up this spring.

Though Cramer regularly attended doctor’s appointments and had breathing treatments, her health began to decline when she started at the University of Kansas.

“I would get a cold or a run-of-the-mill illness that I wouldn’t really be able to fight.

I would get really run down,” Cramer said.

And the medicine to cure such illnesses had to be administered to Cramer intravenously, she said, because people with cystic fibrosis are often resistant to many antibiotics. “My sophomore year of college, I would be in the hospital for a two-week stay every six months.”

Cramer graduated in 2011 with a master’s degree in architecture and moved to Chicago to work as an architect. But four years later, she quit her job because she needed more flexibility for the day-to-day care of her cystic fibrosis.

Then in October 2019, the Food and Drug Administration approved the prescription drug Trikafta. The pill targets the cause of cystic fibrosis, a defective protein created by a genetic mutation.

Cramer said it’s unlike most medications on the market, which affect symptoms of cystic fibrosis, like the build-up of mucus in the lungs. Since Cramer started taking Trikafta in late 2019, her health has improved significantly.

She’s not alone. A 2022 study of more than 30,000 patients in the Cystic Fibrosis

Foundation’s registry found that the number of pregnancies reported by those with cystic fibrosis was 310 in 2019 – which increased over 100% to 634 in 2022.

The study said that increased pregnancies – along with a decrease in lung transplants, from 259 in 2017 to 53 in 2022 – is likely a result of Trikafta improving the lung health of those with cystic fibrosis.

But she never expected miracles. In late 2018, Cramer went to a doctor’s appointment where she was told to plan for a lung transplant the following year. Cramer had around 40% lung function and said that because of it, everything from working to having a social life was challenging.

“You kind of go along until your lungs can’t take it anymore, and then you do a double lung transplant. That is the path for many cystic fibrosis patients,” Cramer said. “I never thought that it would get to

2019, the FDA approved Trikafta. When she returned from her honeymoon, she was hospitalized over Christmas, then started taking the drug.

“Before Trikafta, my quality of life was

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ily sells properties in Forest Park. And in June 2023, she gave birth to Dottie, named after her mother.

“Kids were not in the cards because I wasn’t healthy enough.” But, she added,

PROVIDED

Today, Anna Gillian Camer celebrates the birth of her daughter.

that point, and it sort of creeped up on us.”

The day of that doctor’s appointment, Cramer’s boyfriend, the man who would become her husband, proposed.

“He said that there was nothing any doctor could say that would make him not want to marry me,” Cramer said as Gillian, seated next to her, teared up.

Two weeks before Cramer’s wedding in

very low,” Cramer said. “I coughed nonstop. I was sick nonstop. I had no energy. I was only working part-time,” as a real estate broker alongside Gillian.

Cramer said Trikafta’s effects were immediate: She stopped coughing and hasn’t needed an IV since late 2019. With Gillian, Cramer now co-owns a real estate company called the Gillian Group, which primar-

“She’s here and healthy, and so am I. I’m enjoying mom life.”

Though Trikafta has transformed her life, Cramer and her family continue fundraising for cystic fibrosis research. According to the National Library of Medicine, Trikafta helps around 70% of people with cystic fibrosis, those who have the most common genetic mutation that causes the disease.

“Not every person with cystic fibrosis is eligible to take this medication,” Cramer said. “We can’t just stop the effort because people like me have a treatment.” She added: “We’re very fortunate.”

“When you can say, ‘Wow, look at what your fundraising dollars have done for Anna and everyone else,’ it’s very cool,” Gillian said. “The research, and money that we raised over the years, has come full circle. It really worked.”

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Forest Park Review, January 24, 2024

January 24-31

BIG WEEK

Wall Organizer Embroidery Hoop Friday, Jan. 26, 9 a.m. - 9 p.m., Forest Park Public Library With just two pieces of fabric and an embroidery hoop, make your own wall organizer for your crafts or just make something to hang up.

Registration begins on Jan. 19 at 8 am. Kit pick-up begins on Jan. 26.

7555 Jackson Blvd., Forest Park.

WDCB Jazz On Madison: Alyssa Allgood Wednesday, Jan. 31, 6:30 – 10:30 p.m., Robert’s Westside An evening filled with jazz as Alyssa Allgood takes the stage.

Doors open at 6:30 p.m. with the music starting at 8 p.m. General admission tickets are available for $10 plus service fees, while reserved seating can be secured for $15 plus service fees. This event is intended for those aged 21+. 7321 Madison St., Forest Park.

Tai Chi Monday, Jan. 29, 9:30 - 10:30 a.m., Forest Park Public Library The class involves a series of movements performed in a slow gentle way. Focus on breathing and body awareness in this slow-moving form of meditation. 7555 Jackson Blvd, Forest Park.

Pop-Up Dinner with Wine Pairing Friday, Jan. 26, 6:30 to 9:15 p.m., Table and Lain For one night only Table and Lain will be a restaurant. Enjoy a curated menu that showcases the finest ingredients and flavors. Chef Louis will bring his background in Michelin-starred restaurants to the pop-up dinner in Forest Park.

7322 Madison St., Forest Park.

Feature Film Friday: ‘Into the Spider-Verse’ Friday, Jan. 26, 3 - 5 p.m., Forest Park Public Library Stop by for a fun Friday night movie. Movies are always shown on the last Friday of every month. 7555 Jackson Blvd, Forest Park.

Chicago Funk Mafia with Merry Travelers

Mini Snacks Tasting

Saturday, Jan. 27, 6:30 – 10:30 p.m., Robert’s Westside Robert’s Westside presents Chicago Funk Mafia, featuring the Merry Travelers. The doors will be open at 6:30 p.m. and music start at 8 p.m. General Admission is $12 + service fees, day-ofshow is $15 + service fees, and Reserved Seating is $60 + service fees. Don’t miss this night’s performances. This is an event for those aged 21+. 7321 Madison St., Forest Park.

Saturday, Jan. 27, 3 - 4 p.m., Forest Park Public Library Make and try some mini-snacks using sandwich cookies, fruit leather, shoestring potato chips, and jellybeans. Designed for ages 8 to 10. 7555 Jackson Blvd, Forest Park.

Forest Park Review, January 24, 2024

YMCA program brings equity and access to swim lessons New sessions of the Swim Access Program start in February; registration is now open

By AMARIS E. RODRIGUEZ Staff Reporter

The West Cook YMCA is combining its commitment to swim and water safety with promoting equity and accessibility as the new season of their Swim Access Program begins in February.

The West Cook YMCA Swim Access Program was funded through the YMCA of USA’s Strategic Initiative Fund and USA Swimming Foundation to help reduce children’s risk of drowning by teaching essential water safety skills through a swim lesson program.

Phillip Jimenez, president and CEO of West Cook YMCA, said the program was intended to target populations with a higher likelihood of not having the life skills of swimming either themselves or within their family.

“Typically, African Americans and Latino populations tend to be the ones who do not have swimming as a life skill at a higher proportion,” Jimenez said.

“They are a little bit more likely to have a drowning incident in their lifetime.”

According to the USA Swimming Foundation, in 2017, 64% of African-American children and 45% of Hispanic children have little to no swimming ability, in contrast to the 40% of Caucasian children who have little to no swimming ability.

Additionally, other factors can be at play, including socioeconomic status: About 79% of children from households with incomes less than $50,000 having little to no swimming ability.

In 2022, a parent survey conducted by Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago found that more than 26% of Black parents and more than 32% of Latino parents reported not learning to swim, compared with fewer than 4% of white parents who reported the same.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also reported that Black children ages 10 to 14 years old drown in swimming pools at rates over seven times higher than white children.

To help bring this program to communities with higher needs, Jimenez said work with local community partners to help raise awareness of the pro-

PROVIDED BY PHILLIP JIMENEZ, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF WEST COOK YMCA.

A recent Swim Access Program student and West Cook YMCA staff member are all smiles. gram’s existence including Maywood School District 89 as well as Forest Park School District 91, Oak Park Elementary School District 97, and River Forest School District 90.

“It is really about creating access to address social inequity,” Jimenez said. “By creating it as a complimentary program, targeting priority populations we are in-

creasing access to the life skill of swimming or drowning prevention.”

The YMCA will also be allocating a complementary family membership to the family for the time their child is enrolled in the program.

“It is a nice way for us to create membership and a bridge as opposed to a gatekeeper,” Jimenez said.

As parents witness their child move through the eight complimentary sessions, Jimenez said he loves seeing the “aha” moments where the realization of the growth they are experiencing becomes clear to the parents- the moments where the child is looking forward to their next class, where they move confidently into the pool, and are confidently dipping their head under the water.

“Those to us are the real indicators of success,” he said, adding that it’s important for the instructors to make the children feel comfortable, welcomed, and safe right off the bat.

The swim lessons are designed to teach drowning prevention, basic rescue skills, stroke development, and build youth confidence in and around water.

Drowning prevention can be beneficial in various situations, said Jimenez, including even the ones where the dangers might not be as obvious, like a hotel pool.

“There are many situations in the course of a young person’s journey that they can be confronted with the potential of drowning,” Jimenez said. “The goal of the Y is to help a person be safe around water.”

According to the YMCA website, 60% of youth drowning incidents occur within 10 feet of safety and 88% of children who drown are under some form of supervision. Two children die each day from drowning.

But safety is not the only benefit of swimming, said Jimenez, as the ability to swim opens the doors to many recreational opportunities, different ways to stay healthy, and even possible careers — all of which the YMCA can help play a role in their pathways.

“The idea is that if we start young then they can have a lifetime full of aquatic pathways that is really fulfilling to them,” he said.

The eight 30-minute complimentary swim lessons will be held February 10 through March 30 on Saturdays from either 11:30 a.m. - 12 p.m. or 12:10 p.m. 12:40 p.m.

Other sessions are scheduled for April, June and September.

Registration can be done online.

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Forest Park Review, January 24, 2024

Lawmakers clear path for assault weapon registration rules Some members record symbolic objection, saying rules are too vague and complicated

By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois

New permanent rules will soon go into effect spelling out how people who own assault weapons and related items that are now heavily regulated in Illinois can register them with the Illinois State Police.

The legislature’s Joint Committee on Administrative Rules voted along party lines Tuesday to let the rules go into effect, ending months of negotiations and debate between supporters of the law and gun rights advocates.

“Obviously, this is an issue where there is a difference of opinion on a partisan basis, and I think you saw that play out today,” Sen. Bill Cunningham, D-Chicago, a co-chair of the committee, told reporters after the meeting.

The rules are the result of an assault weapons ban that state lawmakers passed last year in the wake of a deadly mass shooting at an Independence Day parade in Highland Park in 2022.

That law, known as the Protect Illinois Communities Act, bans the sale, purchase, manufacture, or possession of a long list of firearms that are defined as “assault weapons,” as well as several types of attachments, large-capacity magazines and certain kinds of high-power ammunition.

Under that law, people who already owned such items before the ban took effect are allowed to keep them. But to do so legally, they were supposed to register those items with the Illinois State Police before Jan. 1.

Last fall, ISP published temporary “emergency” rules that went into effect Oct. 1, enabling people to begin filing online registrations ahead of the Jan. 1 deadline. But many gun owners, gun rights advocates, and state lawmakers pushed back against the rules, complaining that they were too vague in some areas, too complicated in others, and generally impossible to comply with.

In response, ISP held additional public hearings in October and November as it worked to craft permanent rules.

One of the concerns raised during the discussions focused on how ISP planned to collect and store information about the items people registered, and what the agency would do with that information if the law is eventually overturned as unconstitutional.

So far, the law has survived legal challenges in both state and federal courts, but the National Association for Gun Rights, which is the major plaintiff in one of the federal lawsuits, has said it plans to file an appeal with the U.S. Supreme Court within the next several weeks.

Rep. Ryan Spain, R-Peoria, who also co-chairs the committee, said Tuesday he was frustrated by the short timeframe used to adopt the new rules and by the way some issues were handled. He then offered a motion to prohibit

CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS PHOTO BY PETER HANCOCK

State Sen. Bill Cunningham, D-Chicago, speaks to reporters after the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules hearing Tuesday in Springfield. The committee objected to proposed permanent rules governing the state’s assault weapons ban, although the ban and registration requirement remains in place.

ISP from adopting the rules, arguing that the rules do not meet a requirement in state statute that they be “simple and clear” so that people and groups affected by them can understand them.

That motion failed because it needed eight votes on the 12-member committee but only received six.

Spain then made a motion to “object” to the rules on the same grounds that they were not “simple and clear.” An objection has little practical effect on the rule, except that it requires the agency to respond to the objection in writing within 90 days before the rule can take effect.

That motion, which only requires a simple majority of members taking part, passed on a 6-5 vote.

That vote allows ISP to move forward by adopting the permanent rules and enforcing them into the future. But it remains unclear how many assault weapon owners will comply with the law by registering those firearms.

According to data maintained by ISP, just under 30,000 individuals had filed registration forms ahead of the Jan. 1 deadline. Those registrations covered roughly 69,000 firearms

that fall under the ban as well as nearly 43,000 accessories.

It is not known what percentage that represents of the total number of assault weapons and banned accessories in circulation in Illinois, but many people have suggested that a large number of gun owners will refuse to comply with the registration requirement.

Cunningham, however, said he was not concerned about speculation of widespread noncompliance with the law.

“I would just repeat what I said earlier, which is the law is in place, and I would encourage people to follow the law,” he said.

Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service covering state government. It is distributed to hundreds of newspapers, radio and TV stations statewide.

It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation, along with major contributions from the Illinois Broadcasters Foundation and Southern Illinois Editorial Association.

Forest Park Review, January 24, 2024

L E T T E R

Disappointed in Ed’s Way rezoning We have lived near Ed’s Way for nine years. I am saddened about the sale of Ed’s Way and its rezoning to residential homes.

Ed and his family are beloved community members. They have been so kind to our family. This letter is not about the sale; if it’s what is best for Ed, then he deserves it. This letter is about the zoning and its intended use.

It is deeply disappointing that the village did not push harder on the realtor to find a buyer interested in building a mixed-use property. Ed’s Way served several critical functions in this community, including being a food resource for the aged, disabled, and school-aged children.

It was suggested at the rezoning hearing that these folks should “enjoy the walk”

across Roosevelt to get food at Living Fresh. This viewpoint lacks empathy and is, frankly, able-ist.

I love the idea of building more affordable housing in our neighborhood, but I do not think it should also come at the cost of our community fabric. Forest Park has the opportunity to be creative and unifying with its use of space. For example, could that space be apartments and a convenience store? We see a lot of these developments in Chicago neighborhoods. I am asking the commissioners to please put further pressure on this sale to ensure that it will be of best use for the community.

Lindsay Baish-Flynn

Thomas Avenue resident

O B I T

Bob Teets, 78

Longtime village employee Robert L. Teets Jr., 78, of Forest Park, died on Jan. 5, 2024 at Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood. Born in Cumberland, Maryland in 1945 to the late Clara and Robert L. Teets Sr., he met his wife Audrey at Proviso East High School in Maywood, and they were married on Aug. 14, 1971. Bob proudly served in the U.S. Army and was honorably discharged in October 1971. He cherished his 35+ year career with the village of Forest Park, serving as village mechanic, firefighter/inspector, and code enforcement. He retired in 2010 as director of Health and Safety.

Bob is survived by Audrey Teets, his wife of 52 years, and their children, Kristina (John) Teets-Kanzia and Robert E. Teets (Kathryn Koenig). He was preceded in death by his sisters, Eleanor (John) McNerney (2012) and Ruth Ostwall (2013).

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Tunnel to Towers Foundation. Arrangements were handled by Zimmerman Harnett Funeral Home.

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Forest Park Review, January 24, 2024

All’s well that begins well at Forest Park Theatre

The shows were successful. The Forest has worked on an impressive array of a very interesting adaptation. It is Mary That’s what founder Park Theatre website boasts that their shows, contemporary and classic, among Shelley telling the story of the writing first two productions “served over a thou- them Tom Dulack’s play about Ezra of Frankenstein. And then [in November Richard Corley hopes as sand people” each. But from the beginning, Pound, “Incommunicado,” the Russian 2023] we did this play, “Actually,” by Anna Corley wanted to do more; he dreamed of premiere of Tennessee Williams’ “Small Ziegler. This is a two-character play about he looks for a permanent a professional year-round theCraft Warnings,” Sarah [two college students who get] very drunk ater.

“That would be a wonderRuhl’s “Eurydice,” and a ver- one night and spending the night together. home for it ful thing for this community,” sion of Thornton Wilder’s And then the next morning, they have

By JACK HELBIG Contributing Reporter

Richard Corley is a man with a plan.

Three years ago, in the spring of 2021, the UIC professor and theater director founded the Forest Park Theatre, the suburb’s first professional theater company since the Circle Theater moved to Oak Park in 2010 (and then subsequently relocated in 2012 to Chicago to intermittently produce shows before fading away).

Corley began simply, with low budget outdoor productions of Shakespeare.

“Shakespeare is a brand,” Corley said.

“Free Shakespeare in the summer. People understand that. They bring their picnic.

They bring their wine. They sit outside.

And that way, you know, we introduced ourselves to the community.”

Corley was, in part, inspired by English actor and director Mark Rylance’s productions at the Globe Theatre in London, which attempted to recreate, as much as possible, the look and feel of Shakespeare’s original shows. No microphones, no sophisticated lighting, no powerful projection or sound systems.

“I saw the very first production that he did,” Corley said, “a ‘Henry V’ that was all male. And I remember thinking, this is the most radical theater in the world right now. And it’s so radical because there’s nothing, there’s no place to hide. The actor is completely naked. There’s no microphone. There’s no way you can disguise a weakness of a performance with lighting, which we do all the time.”

The Forest Park Theatre’s first production was a stripped-down “multi-racial, cross-gender” version of the Shakespeare comedy “As You Like It,” performed at the Roos Recreational Center in the summer of 2021. Their second production, “Imogen,” was Corley’s adaptation of Shakespeare’s unruly, hard to categorize play, “Cymbeline,” produced in the summer of 2022 at The Grove at Altenheim. Last summer’s play, “Measure for Measure,” was also done at The Grove at Altenheim.

he said.

“Our Town” with Andre De When Corley, and his wife, Shields and Carrie Coon. He Tanera Marshall, moved to Foralso noted that he has directest Park nine years ago, Corley ed “18 of the 36 plays of Wildid not intend to start a theater. liam Shakespeare.”

Corley had done that very early “I’ve done a ton of Shakein his career in the ‘80s in New speare, but I’ve also done a York City, where he moved after lot of world premieres. I’ve getting his BFA in acting from developed plays, I’m really University of North Carolina interested in contemporary School of the Arts. The theater playwrights and playwritwas called About Face Theatre, ing,” Corley said, adding that not affiliated with the theater while he was artistic director of the same name in Chicaat Madison Rep he did “a lot go. Running a theater is a lot of new work and a lot of clasof work; eventually, after runsical work, as well.” ning it from 1984 to 1989, Corley In 2010, Corley began teachmoved on to work at The Acting at UIC. His wife teaches ing Company (founded by the there as well. late John Houseman), where “I teach acting, I teach he was the associate producing Shakespeare. My wife is a director. After that, he became voice teacher. She teaches the artistic director at Madison voice and speech and dialects.

She works a lot in television Repertory Theater in Madison, and film. I’ve always just Wisconsin. Along the way, Corworked in the theater.” ley picked up a master’s degree At the same time, they in theatre history from Godmoved to Forest Park “basicaldard College in 1990 and an ly for convenience. We wanted MFA in directing in 2009 from to be near the blue line and get Illinois State University. to UIC pretty quickly. But then Not bad for the son of facwhen we moved out here, we tory workers – his parents were really surprised at how worked in textile mills in diverse it was in every way.

Georgia and South Carolina – who was the first in his family Economically diverse, racialto go to college. But Corley’s ly diverse, this whole commulove for theater ran deep. He nity really surprised us.” was first exposed to live theForest Park was also, Corley ater when a group of actors noticed, a community that did performed a Christmas play not have its own professional RICHARD CORLEY at his school. year-round theater. Three sea“I kind of grabbed onto that sons of successful free sumfor some reason,” Corley remer theater convinced Corley called, “and I started doing it was time to test the waters local community theater and for a year-round theater — fell in love with the theater. I directed which is why The Forest Park Theatre plays in high school and all of that.” Some initiated this past fall a reading series of high school theater kids lose the theater plays by women. bug in college; Corley’s interest only deep“We started out [in October 2023] with ened – and widened. an adaptation of Frankenstein by the Corley, over the course of his career, Scottish playwright, Rona Munro. And it’s

“I want to use this reading series as a way to get people to think very seriously about getting us a space, donating us a space, a Chicago-style storefront theater where we can do the kind of work that they’re seeing in this reading series. ”

completely different stories about what happened. The audience gets to see how the stories match up.”

“The third play, [being performed January 25 and 28]is a play called “Spay” [by Chicago playwright Madison Fiedler].

That play was done at [Chicago theater] Rivendell like a year and a half ago. I went to see it there and I just loved the play. It’s set in Appalachia. It’s about a 20-year-old woman — she’s already had a child, she’s a recovering addict, and she is pregnant again. And a woman comes to sort of help her.” “Sort of ” is the important phrase here, because, without revealing the twist, the woman has an agenda, and may not have the 20-year-old’s best interest at heart.

His future readings include AfricanAmerican playwright Angelina Weld Grimke’s rarely performed 1916 play “Rachel” (February 22 and 25), about teacher coming to grips with a disturbing past; Polly Teale’s adaptation of Jane Eyre (March 7 and 10]) and, at the end of the season, a reading of a contemporary play, Siah Berlatsky’s “Malapert Love,” about a group of people who have all fallen in love with the wrong person, written in the style of Shakespearean comedy (May 2 and 5). The play was produced last year by the Chicago-based company The Artistic Home and won a non-equity Jeff Award.

What’s next on Corley’s agenda? In August, he wants to do either Shakespeare’s “The Two Noble Kinsmen” or “All’s Well that Ends Well.” And, more importantly, he would like a permanent home for his young company.

“We need a space. We need a theater. So, I am in discussions with the mayor of Forest Park [Rory Hoskins]. We are looking at places. We are talking to people. I want to use this reading series as a way to get people to think very seriously about getting us a space, donating us a space, a Chicago-style storefront theater where we can do the kind of work that they’re seeing in this reading series. Knock on wood, that’s what I’m hoping will come out of this. “

Forest Park Review, January 24, 2024

Dressed to the nines for a cause

By all appearances, there was no bathtub gin at this Forest Park speakeasy at Scratch Public House. It was all the bee’s knees as flappers and gents from across the village turned out to support the Historical Society at its fundraiser Friday.

According to the Historical Society, Forest Park had 42 saloons when the 18th Amendment was passed to prohibit “intoxicating liquors” in the United States.

The National Prohibition Act prohibited the “manufacture, sale or transportation

of intoxicating liquors” anywhere in the country Nearly 30 Forest Park saloons closed their doors or went into another line of business after the passage of the law a century ago. On Jan. 20, 1920, the Volstead Act was passed to provide federal enforcement of the law.

Forest Park, Berwyn and Cicero, were “wet” towns, but neighboring Oak Park, River Forest, Maywood and Riverside were all “dry.” The loss to the village was steep.

Fun fact: In 1908, the Oak Leaves news-

paper reported troubles with Oak Park “roomers” loitering in their business districts. Police would tell the young fellows to “move on,” and they would – by crossing the “line” into Forest Park’s saloons. The

men were met with “doors wide open.”

Booze now runs freely in Forest Park.

And doors are still wide open.

PHOTOS BY TODD BANNOR

The Ragtime Roustabouts, Dave Eernsthausen on Tuba, trumpeter Peter Bartels and bassist David Gulyas

Top right: Maggie and Dave Hooper, April Baker, and Allison and Jeff Holtman Above: Cathy Lange and Uli Leib Left: Forest Park Historical Society Secretary Carol Gulyas and President Mark Boroughf Above: Cara Carriveau and Kimberly Adami Hasegawa

More Historical Society Fundraiser photos on page 10

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Forest Park Review, January 24, 2024

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Historical Society fundraiser from page 9

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Forest Park Review, January 24, 2024

Do you have DIABETES?

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f you do, you should know how important foot care is. Over time, diabetics risk developing foot complications. When the nerves are damaged from chronic high blood sugar, feet can become numb or painful with burning or tingling. This is called diabetic neuropathy. When diabetes affects the arteries, circulation to the legs and feet may be compromised. Either of these conditions may lead to serious problems including ulceration, even amputation.

The key to prevention is early diagnosis of diabetes, and regular foot exams from a podiatrist.

Diabetics who receive regular foot care, including paring of calluses and debridement of thick fungal toenails, are almost four times less likely

to undergo an amputation than those who do not seek treatment.

Medicare and some private insurances cover 1 pair of diabetic shoes and 3 pair of protective insoles each calendar year. Dr. Lambert has been a supplier of diabetic shoes since 2002. The shoes come in 30 different styles each for men and women. These include boots, lightweight colorful athletic shoes, and dress shoes. Even patients who are not diabetic love the look and comfort of the footwear. Diabetic socks, slippers and compression hosiery are also available.

Protecting your feet with appropriate footgear is an important aspect of preventive care for diabetics.

708.366.FOOT (3668)

Dr. Linda Lambert

7351 Lake St. (Just west of Panera Bread)

FREE PARKING (on street or lot on west side of building) Aetna, AARP, Blue Cross PPO, United Healthcare, Healthspring, Humana, Medicare Assignment, Medicare Advantage Plans & most other insurances accepted

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Forest Park Review, January 24, 2024

C R I M E

Cops smell cannabis even before pulling a car over

A 20-year-old Oak Park man speeding on Madison Street last week was ticketed for unlawfully carrying cannabis in his car.

According to police, officers noticed the car traveling 45 miles per hour in a 25-mph zone, and smelled weed wafting from the car. After they pulled the car over, they said the smell of cannabis was even stronger.

When they asked the driver about the smell, he reached into his jacket pocket and made “furtive movements” toward the passenger in the car.

Both men were asked to step out of the car. After a search, police found two ziplock bags of what was believed to be cannabis. One was stashed in the passenger side door and another in the center console. The cannabis was immediately accessible to the passenger, and it was not in an odor-proof, child-proof container, as the law requires.

One man was ticketed for possession of fewer than 10 grams of cannabis. A court date was set for March.

In an unrelated case, Forest Park police pulled a speeding Camry over last week and arrested a Berwyn man for possessing fewer than 10 grams of cannabis.

When they approached the car, they reported they could smell marijuana coming from it. After a search, police found a partially smoked blunt on the center console, and a zip-lock bag and green tube of what they believed was cannabis from the driver’s backpack.

The cannabis, they said, was immediately accessible to the passenger and it was not in an odor-proof, child-proof container.

A later test found that the man was carrying about 7.6 grams of the drug.

Attempt to rob counseling center A 62-year-old Forest Park man was arrested last week after police caught him stealing from Calm Mind Counseling on

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Roosevelt Road while the center was closed.

Police said they witnessed a man walking with his head down, moving quickly along the sidewalk toward the business about 8:29 p.m. last Friday.

Officers made a U-turn and watched the man try to get into the counseling center through the middle window. He had both hands on the window and was pushing up the glass multiple times.

They approached him as he walked away with his hands in his pockets.

Forest Park officers arrested him, and after he was read his rights, he said he was “trying to get his money” and “trying to count his money.” On further investigation, police also found footprints around the building in multiple spots.

At the station, the man told an officer that he wanted to touch the building because he has been around since the building was first constructed. He then said he did not know why he wanted to touch the building, and it was instinct.

He was charged with burglary.

Ticketed over parking dispute A Forest Park man was ticketed after video showed him annoying and threatening a neighbor over a longtime parking dispute.

Police said two men at the building on South Harlem Avenue said they’ve had a disagreement over parking in the rear of the building. Around 1:40 a.m. Saturday, one of the men, who was sleeping, awoke to his downstairs neighbor banging on the ceiling, yelling, and playing loud music in his apartment. The neighbor then came to the man’s door, banged on it and screamed and yelled at him, threatening violence if the cars weren’t moved. The interaction was captured on video.

Officers also said they witnessed the loud music and the man banging on the ceiling.

They reported he also appeared intoxicated.

The man explained he had contacted the building’s management to no avail, and while he denied threatening anyone, he admitted he was acting belligerently and playing music loudly because of the dispute.

He was issued two local ordinance citations for assault and excessive noise. A hearing was set for March.

Arrested for driving without a license A Mexican citizen who lives in Chicago was arrested last week on the 900 block of South Harlem Avenue after police pulled him over and discovered the car he was driving had a suspended registration and that he did not have a valid driver’s license.

According to police, the man said he had been in the United States for the past two years and offered a copy of his Mexican voter registration card and valid proof of insurance. The passenger in the car also did not have a driver’s license.

Police were not able to verify the man’s identity with just the voter registration card so he was taken into custody.

He was ticketed for driving without a valid license and with suspended registration.

These items were obtained from the Forest Park Police Department reports, dated Jan. 16-21, and represent a portion of the incidents to which police responded.

Anyone named in these reports has only been charged with a crime and cases have not yet been adjudicated. We report the race of a suspect only when a serious crime has been committed, the suspect is still at large, and police have provided us with a detailed physical description of the suspect as they seek the public’s help in making an arrest.

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Forest Park Review, January 24, 2024

OPINION

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Gillian family’s miracle Migrants test the depth of our commitment

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his is a story that goes straight to the heart of Forest Park. Anna Gillian Cramer, daughter of Forest Park stalwarts Dorothy and Tim Gillian, has turned up in the pages of the Review for decades. We’ve reported as she and her family first talked openly about Anna’s diagnosis of cystic fibrosis when she was only months old. And since then the Gillians have raised $750,000 for CF research through their ongoing fundraising events.

In today’s paper, Jessica Mordacq tells the exhilarating story of how that research led to development of a new drug that has transformed Anna’s life. On a path to a double lung transplant in 2018, the new drug has allowed Anna to avoid that surgery and instead regain lung function and a much more normal life.

That proved out last summer when Anna and her husband welcomed a child to the family. “Kids were not in the cards because I wasn’t healthy enough,” said Anna. “But she’s here and healthy and so am I. I’m enjoying mom life.”

The couple named their baby Dottie, in honor of Dorothy Gillian.

Forest Park has a way of embracing families in need, of pulling together for one of their own. And the Gillian family is about as rooted and generous as a Forest Park family can be.

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joke: Fr. O’Malley gave a homily at Mass on the day of the Feast of the Holy Innocents in which he praised children as being pure and good models of faith. The next day he was having a cement driveway poured, and, as kids will do, some of the parish children began writing things in the wet cement.

When the good father saw what they were doing, he stormed out of the rectory, cursing and swearing at the frightened children.

When a parishioner observed what happened she chastised her pastor saying, “Father, yesterday you spoke so glowingly about children and today you are screaming at them.”

To which Fr. O’Malley replied, “I love children in the abstract, but I can’t stand them in the concrete!”

TOM HOLMES

* * *

Forest Park Theatre’s ambitions

Forest Park again has its own local theater company. And happily, that company has an ambition to find a permanent home where it can perform year-round. Forest Park Theatre was breathed into life by Jim Corley who, during COVID, launched an outdoor performance of Shakespeare’s As You Like It. Performances have continued with summer Shakespeare and, more recently, an array of other live performance turns, including an ambitious current series of readings of plays by women.

Corley and his wife, Tanera Marshall, are both professional theater and film people who currently teach at the University of Illinois Chicago. Those gigs led them to move to Forest Park, at the end of the Blue Line, nine years ago. What they found, to their surprise, was a village that was actively diverse in all dimensions. And they found, and then built, a place for theater in Forest Park’s burgeoning and grassroots arts community.

It is not accidental that our village’s diversity and its arts community are intertwined. These are values and virtues that grow together.

It has been almost 15 years since Forest Park’s homegrown Circle Theatre left Madison Street and the village. That powerful, glorious and irreverent troupe put Forest Park on the map.

Forest Park Theatre looks to be a worthy successor.

idealistic enthusiasm, but they last only a year or two.

We live in a progressive lifestyle enclave.

We are liberal politically. Over four out of five of us voted for Biden. We are liberal in our charitable giving. In 2022 our local CROP Hunger Walk raised $127,000, ranking us number 5 of 661 CROP Walks in the nation. We are liberal in our acceptance of diverse faith communities and racial/ ethnic groups.

And yet our encounter with migrant groups has been a gauge of the depth of our commitment to the values we espouse.

We are generous with our time and treasure, up to the point where it affects our lifestyle.

Here’s a thought-provoking question: What if we as individual citizens, when creating our budgets, decided on the percentage of our annual income we wanted to spend on what I will call charities first before determining the amount for their own food, utilities, mortgage, car payments?

I mean, what if we determined that before we bought a car or a house. For example, the average household income in Forest Park is $72,827. Let’s say I decided to give 10% of my income away to causes I value. That comes to $7,300, right? And that leaves roughly $65,000 for everything else.

Now the median annual rent in Forest Park is around $1,200 a month or $14,400 a year. So $65,000 minus $14,400, if I’ve done my math right, leaves $50,600 for food, taxes, family trips, clothes, car payments, etc. Is that enough?

My wife and I know what charity fatigue feels like.

We’ve been giving money, time and above all emotional energy to our homeless couple for a long time, and it has forced us to decide what we really value.

The same is true on a community-wide basis. The influx of migrants is forcing us to determine what we really value, not just in the abstract as we debate politics after church or in the local diner, but in terms of our wallets and free time.

The campaign season is upon us. We will wax eloquently and passionately about what we value and who will best turn those values into policies, In addition to expressing our fears regarding what might happen and arguing about how to fix the immigration system, how many hours and dollars are we willing to spend on writing postcards, and door to door canvassing?

The influx of migrants to our area is forcing us to face how deep the commitment to our values really goes.

So will this upcoming campaign season.

We live in a very progressive, blue part of the country in which we love liberal ideals in the abstract. We verbally condemn xenophobia and see ourselves as welcoming migrants, especially those seeking asylum.

Yet, lately I read in Wednesday Journal, “Less than a month after Oak Park’s village board allocated $500,000 in unspent American Rescue Plan Act funding to aid asylumseekers, the village’s Emergency Operations Center has outlined protocols to send any new arrivals away.

“The Dec. 7 memorandum states that any asylum seekers who arrive in Oak Park will not be allowed to disembark from a bus and will be advised that local shelters are at capacity. The driver will be directed to continue to the city of Chicago landing zone,” One of my friends, who is a member of an Oak Park church that is hosting migrants, tells me his congregation is having trouble finding volunteers to staff the outreach ministry.

A member of my own congregation here in Forest Park is homeless, but we decided to not let him sleep in the church because he caused trouble during a previous stay and because we couldn’t get anyone to volunteer to stay overnight and monitor his behavior.

For four years my wife and I have been helping with money and friendship a formerly homeless couple now living in an apartment subsidized by Housing Forward, and it’s really starting to wear on us. Virtually everyone we know tells us that we shouldn’t be giving them money.

A staff member of L’Arche here in town told me that the assistants who live with their developmentally disabled core members often begin their time in the program with

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Forest Park Review, January 24, 2024 F O R E S T PA R K

REVIEW Editor Erika Hobbs Staff Reporter Amaris Rodriguez Digital Manager Stacy Coleman Digital Media Coordinator Brooke Duncan Contributing Reporters Tom Holmes, John Rice, Bob Skolnik, Jackie Glosniak, Robert J. Lifka Columnists Alan Brouilette, Jill Wagner, Tom Holmes, John Rice Design/Production Manager Andrew Mead Editorial Design Manager Javier Govea Designer Susan McKelvey Sales and Marketing Representatives Lourdes Nicholls, Ben Stumpe Business & Development Manager Mary Ellen Nelligan Circulation Manager Jill Wagner Publisher Dan Haley Special Projects Manager Susan Walker

I

Mind your mindfulness

’ve discovered that being mindful of what I’m doing is very helpful. For example: ■ When we’re cooking, we’ll be less likely to burn ourselves, slice a finger, or add a cup of salt, when the recipe calls for a cup of sugar.

■ When we’re driving, we can avoid speed camera tickets in Chicago parks, red-light tickets for making a right turn on red in Berwyn and getting towed for parking on the wrong side of the street during a Forest Park snowstorm.

■ When we’re getting cleaned up in the morning, we can avoid suffering as many nicks from shaving, washing our hair with cream rinse, or brushing our teeth with anti-fungal cream.

If we’re living in the moment, we won’t torment ourselves with bad memories from the past, or have as much anxiety about the future.

Aging has created a greater need for mindfulness. If our goal is to remain upright, we must focus on where we are walking, especially on snowy, icy sidewalks.

Walking mindfully can also enhance the sights and sounds we encounter. We might enjoy the song of the cardinal, admire the sky at sunset, and notice a 500-pound lawn

sculpture of a turtle. His name is Errol and he wears glasses because he’s nearsighted.

Jesus preached mindfulness.

He said, “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own” or words to that effect.

We think we can have our mind on other things, while doing simple things like closing a car door. This is why a work colleague I met was wearing a bandage. She closed it on her thumb.

Being mindful can benefit us physically, psychologically and spiritually.

Why do we need to distract ourselves from the present with our smart phones?

People think I’m crazy because I go out without my phone 90% of the time. I only carry it when I have to. I even make trips downtown to meet people — without a phone! People ask, “What if there’s an emergency?” I don’t know. So far so good.

I also take walks through the neighborhood without any need to catch up on my calls or listen to music. I just have to be careful not to bump into walkers coming at me who are staring down at their phone.

Many of us pride ourselves on being multitaskers. I was just talking to a woman who

JOHN RICE

is quite content to be a “unitasker.”

If we are mindful when parking our car, we won’t have to waste time searching for it in a parking garage. We also won’t try to open a stranger’s door because all the cars look the same.

The average American spends 4½ hours per day staring at their phone. That’s the equivalent of 65 days, two months straight of scrolling, texting and talking on their phone. My unitasker only spends four hours per week.

Many of us are addicted to smart phones, iPads and other electronic companions.

Which is why I was grateful, while heading into a restaurant, that my grandson left his iPad in the car.

If we are mindful, we’ll remember where we put our glasses.

Especially when they’re sitting on top of our head.

When we’re mindful, we will breathe in the aromas coming from Forest Park Bakery, Kribi Coffee and Starbuck’s. We will listen to the chimes from the Deagan Tower in Concordia Cemetery. We will see how often the Forest Park Fire Department springs into action every day. We will taste the delicious food and delicacies of our eateries. We will trace the inscriptions on our gravestones – if our fingers aren’t already numb from the cold.

Board of Directors

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Chair Judy Greffin Treasurer Nile Wendorf Deb Abrahamson, Gary Collins, Steve Edwards, Darnell Shields, Sheila Solomon, Eric Weinheimer HOW TO REACH US ADDRESS 141 S. Oak Park Ave., Oak Park, IL 60302 PHONE 708-366-0600 ■ FAX 708-467-9066 EMAIL forestpark@wjinc.com CIRCULATION Jill@oakpark.com ONLINE ForestParkReview.com Postmaster: Please send address changes to: Forest Park Review,141 S. Oak Park Ave., Oak Park, IL 60302-2901. Periodical rate postage paid at Oak Park, IL (USPS No 0205-160) In-county subscriptions: $34 per year. $55 for two years, $69 for three years.

Out-of-county subscriptions: $42 per year.

Forest Park Review is published digitally and in print

by Growing Community Media NFP. © 2024 Growing Community Media NFP.

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L O O K

B A C K

I N

T I M E

Only the shadows know

ighth-graders from District 91, St. John Lutheran and St. Bernardine schools took a special day to shadow business and community leaders in honor of Groundhog Day 2002. The Groundhog job-shadow day was sponsored by D91 and Superintendent Randolph Tinder, who said it gave students a chance to experience some of the professions in town. Shadowers included partnering with the Mayor, Village Clerk, Chief of Police, Fire Chief, Quitsch Florist, Forest Park National Bank, Louie’s Grill, Public Works and Ferrara Pan. Students wrote an essay explaining why they should be a shadow and selections were made to pair them up.

Jill Wagner

Photo: From the Feb. 6, 2002 Forest Park Review Archives: Students gather at the Park District after spending a morning shadowing different career professionals in town.

Forest Park Review, January 24, 2024 15

Let the sun shine in...

HOURS: 9:00 A.M.– 5:00 P.M. MON–FRI

Deadline: Monday at 5 p.m.

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Your right to know...In print • Online

BY PHONE: (708) 613-3333 | BY FAX: (708) 467-9066 BY E-MAIL: EMAIL@GROWINGCOMMUNIT YMEDIA .ORG

PUBLIC NOTICES PUBLIC NOTICE NOTICE TO BIDDERS Sealed separate bids will be received by the Board of Education, Oak Park Elementary School District 97 (the “Board”) for the following project: OAK PARK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL DISTRICT 97 SD97 – JULIAN MS GENDER NEUTRAL TOILET ROOMS OAK PARK, IL 60302 BID GROUP 1 – GENERAL TRADES, ELECTRICAL, MECHANICAL, PLUMBING Bids will be received until 2:00 p.m.

CST on Thursday, February 8, 2024, at the Oak Park Elementary School District 97 Administrative offices, 260 Madison Street, Oak Park, IL 60302, and will be read at 2:15 p.m. CST on that date. Bids shall be submitted in an opaque sealed envelope clearly marked: Oak Park Elementary School District 97 260 Madison Street, Oak Park, IL 60302 Attention: Bulley & Andrews Project: SD97 – JULIAN MS GENDER NEUTRAL TOILET ROOMS Bid Opening will be held at 2:15pm CST within the board room: Scope of work for Bid Group 1 generally includes: GENERAL TRADES, ELECTRICAL, MECHANCIAL, AND PLUMBING All bids must be submitted in accordance with the bidding instructions contained in the Bidding Documents for the project. Bid security in the form of a bid bond in an amount equal to ten percent (10%) of the base bid amount shall be submitted with the bid. Should a bid bond be submitted, the bond shall be payable to the Board of Education, Oak Park Elementary School District 97, 260 Madison Street, Oak Park, IL 60302. All documents and information required by the bidding instructions contained in the Bidding Documents for the project shall be submitted with the bid. Incomplete, late or non-conforming bids may not be accepted.

No bids shall be withdrawn, cancelled or modified after the time for opening of bids without the Board’s consent for a period of ninety (90) days after the scheduled time of bid opening.

The Bidding Documents for the project (which include the bidding instructions for the project and other related documents) will be available Friday January 19, 2024 and are available for viewing/ download online without cost or purchase on the Bulley & Andrews, LLC Google Drive, located at the following link. No username or password is required. https://drive.google.com/ drive/folders/19k -upj1_k5Y_Qo2IvAw VDuSHWladZCdZ The Board reserves the right to reject any or all bids or parts thereof, or waive

PUBLIC NOTICES

PUBLIC NOTICES

PUBLIC NOTICES

PUBLIC NOTICES

any irregularities or informalities, and to make an award that in the Board’s sole opinion is in the best interest of the District.

PUBLIC NOTICE ADVERTISEMENT OF BIDDING Request of bids for the Oak Park Conservatory Vestibule Restoration, 615 Garfield St., Oak Park.

Owner: Park District of Oak Park 218 Madison St, Oak Park, IL 60302 The Park District of Oak Park will accept sealed bids for the Oak Park Conservatory Vestibule Restoration, 615 Garfield St., Oak Park. The project consists of removal of existing glass, glazing members, doors and vestibule, furnish and install new glass glazing system and doors to match original details, new East house door and restore portico. The Park District of Oak Park will receive individual sealed Bids until 10:00 a.m. (Central time) on Wednesday, February 21, 2024, at 218 Madison St., Oak Park, IL. The bidding documents and requirements will be available on the Demand Star website as of 5:00 pm Wednesday, January 31, 2024. The Conservatory is open to view Tues- Sunday’s from 11am-3pm. A non-mandatory prebid walk-thru is scheduled for Tuesday, February 13th at 9:00 a.m. at the Conservatory at 615 Garfield St., Oak Park, IL 60304. Bid bonds will be required by bidding contractors.

Copies of the bidding specifications are available via the Demand Star website at: https://www.demandstar.com/app/ buyers/bids/438218/details For additional information, contact Chris Lindgren at chris.lindgren@pdop.org or (708) 725‑2050. Only the bids prepared in compliance with the bidding documents will be considered. This project must adhere to the Prevailing Wage Act of 2024. The Park District of Oak Park encourages minority and women owned business firms to submit bids for this project.

PUBLIC NOTICE ADVERTISEMENT OF BIDDING Request of bids for the Oak Park Dole Center Window Replacement, 255 Augusta, Oak Park.

Owner: Park District of Oak Park 218 Madison St, Oak Park, IL 60302 The Park District of Oak Park will accept sealed bids for the Oak Park Dole Center Window Replacement, 255 Augusta, Oak Park. The project consists of removal of windows, provide and install new energy efficient windows. The Park District of Oak Park will receive individual sealed Bids until 10:00 a.m. (Central time) on Thursday, February 22, 2024, at 218 Madison St., Oak Park, IL. The bidding documents and requirements will be available on the Demand Star website as of 5:00 pm Wednesday, January 31, 2024. A non-mandatory pre-bid walk-thru is scheduled for February 13th, 2024 at 9:00 a.m. at Dole Center 255 Augusta, Oak Park, IL 60302. Bid bonds will be required by bidding contractors. Copies of the bidding specifications are available via the Demand Star website at: https://www.demandstar.com/app/ buyers/bids/438307/details For additional information, contact Nelson Acevedo at Nelson.Acevedo@pdop.org or (708) 725‑2053.

Only the bids prepared in compliance with the bidding documents will be considered. This project must adhere to the Prevailing Wage Act of 2024. The Park District of Oak Park encourages minority and women owned business firms to submit bids for this project.

NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that on Tuesday 20 February 2024, at 7:00 P.M. in the Council Chambers of the Village Hall, 517 Des Plaines Avenue, Forest Park, Illinois, the Planning and Zoning Commission will conduct a public meeting to discuss a bulk of amendments to Title 9: Zoning Regulations of the Forest Park Code of Ordinance, including Chapter 3 Residential and Chapter 8 Off-Street Parking as part of a routine update to the zoning code.

The site will be available for visits by appointment to be coordinated with Bulley & Andrews, LLC. Interested parties may inspect the existing conditions. Schedule an appointment with Michael Damato of Bulley & Andrews in advance if you wish to visit the sites.

All bidders must comply with applicable Illinois Law requiring the payment of prevailing wages by all Contractors working on public works. If during the time period of work, the prevailing wage rates change, the contractor shall be responsible for additional costs without any change to the contract amount. All bidders must comply with the Illinois Statutory requirements regarding labor, including Equal Employment Opportunity Laws.

For additional information on the project, contact Michael Damato of Bulley & Andrews, LLC at mdamato@bulley. com or 847-602-9512.

Dated: 1/19/24 Michael Damato Bulley & Andrews, LLC Published in Wednesday Journal January 24, 31, February 7, 2024

PUBLIC NOTICE ADVERTISEMENT OF BIDDING Request of bids for the Oak Park Cheney Mansion Tuckpointing, 220 N. Euclid, Oak Park.

Owner: Park District of Oak Park 218 Madison St, Oak Park, IL 60302 The Park District of Oak Park will accept sealed bids for the Oak Park Cheney Mansion Tuckpointing, 220 N. Euclid, Oak Park. The project consists of removal of old failed mortar, new mortar tooled into the joints and sealer coat. The Park District of Oak Park will receive individual sealed Bids until 11:00 a.m. (Central time) on Friday, February 23, 2024, at 218 Madison St., Oak Park, IL. The bidding documents and requirements will be available on the Demand Star website as of 5:00 pm Wednesday, January 31, 2024.

A non-mandatory pre-bid walk-thru is scheduled for February 8th & 9th at 9:00 a.m. at Cheney Mansion at 220 N. Euclid, Oak Park, IL 60302. Bid bonds will be required by bidding contractors.

Copies of the bidding specifications are available via the Demand Star website at: https://www.demandstar.com/app/buyers/bids/438220/details For additional information, contact Nelson Acevedo at Nelson.Acevedo@pdop.org or (708) 725‑2053. Only the bids prepared in compliance with the bidding documents will be considered. This project must adhere to the Prevailing Wage Act of 2024. The Park District of Oak Park encourages minority and women owned business firms to submit bids for this project.

Park District of Oak Park By: Sandy Lentz, SecretaryPark District of Oak Park 218 Madison St. Oak Park, IL 60302 Published in Wednesday Journal January 24, 2024

Park District of Oak Park By: Sandy Lentz, Secretary Park District of Oak Park 218 Madison St. Oak Park, IL 60302 Published in Wednesday Journal January 24, 2024

PUBLIC NOTICES PUBLIC NOTICE OF COURT DATE FOR REQUEST FOR NAME CHANGE STATE OF ILLINOIS, CIRCUIT COURT COOK COUNTY. Request of Robert Thomas Vishneski Case Number 20234006707.

There will be a court date on my Request to change my name from: Robert Thomas Vishneski to the new name of: Robin Titania Vishneski The court date will be held: On January 30, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. via Zoom at Zoom Access Code: 914 3462 0283 Password: 988648 To access Zoom by phone call 312626-6799 then enter the Access code and password listed above.

Published in Wednesday Journal January 10, 17, 24, 2024

Park District of Oak Park By: Sandy Lentz, Secretary Park District of Oak Park 218 Madison St. Oak Park, IL 60302 Published in Wednesday Journal January 24, 2024

EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY

All real estate advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Fair Housing Act, which makes it illegal to advertise any preference, limitation or discrimination based on age, race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status or national origin, or intention to make any such preferences, limitations or discrimination.

The Illinois Human Rights Act prohibits discrimination in the sale, rental or advertising of real estate based on factors in addition to those protected under federal law.

This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. All persons are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised are available on an equal opportunity basis.

Restrictions or prohibitions of pets do not apply to service animals.

To complain of discrimination, call HUD toll free at: 1-800-669-9777.

GROWING COMMUNITY MEDIA

This meeting is held by the Village of Forest Park, 517 Des Plaines Avenue, Forest Park, Illinois.

Signed: Marsha East, Chair Planning and Zoning Commission Published in the Forest Park Review January 24, 2024

REAL ESTATE FOR SALE IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION NAVY FEDERAL CREDIT UNION; Plaintiff, vs.

DONNA EUDOVIQUE AKA DONNA D. EUDOVIQUE; UNKNOWN OWNERS AND NONRECORD CLAIMANTS; Defendants, 23 CH 7029 NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above entitled cause Intercounty Judicial Sales Corporation will on Tuesday, February 27, 2024 at the hour of 11 a.m. in their office at 120 West Madison Street, Suite 718A, Chicago, Illinois, sell at public auction to the highest bidder for cash, as set forth below, the following described mortgaged real estate: P.I.N. 15-08-409-001-0000.

Commonly known as 501 48th Avenue, Bellwood, IL 60104.

The mortgaged real estate is improved with a 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 (g-1) of Section 18.5 of the Condominium Property Act. Sale terms: 10% down by certified funds, balance, by certified funds, within 24 hours. No refunds. The property will NOT be open for inspection.

For information call The Sales Department at Plaintiff’s Attorney, Diaz Anselmo & Associates, P.A., 1771 West Diehl Road, Naperville, Illinois 60563. (630) 453-6925. 7020194122 INTERCOUNTY JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION intercountyjudicialsales.com I3236657

Available to you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, every day of the year OakPark.com RBLandmark.com ForestParkReview.com AustinWeeklyNews.com PublicNoticeIllinois.com

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Forest Park Review, January 24, 2024

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