e planning and zoning commission approves a conditional-use permit to expand the medical o ce
By JESSICA MORDACQ Staff Reporter
Walking into Kalina Pain Institute, a 650-square-foot brick building at 334 Circle Ave., one will see a small waiting room with a check-in desk, behind which is the bathroom. To the right is a storage room and a single examination room.
Here, Jared Kalina has worked as a private solo practitioner for more than seven years with his wife, Linda Lee, who’s the office manager.
Although the medical office has served as a pillar in the community for decades, Forest Park’s zoning ordinance makes it difficult for Kalina to expand. And he’s looking to double the building’s footprint.
“We love our office space, but it is quite tight,” Kalina
See MEDICAL OFFICE on page 5
Business school seeks entrepreneurs to grow businesses to $1 M
e 5-year initiative celebrates Joseph School’s 25th anniversar y
By JESSICA MORDACQ Staff Reporter
T he Joseph Business School in Forest Park has launched a campaign to help 100,000 entrepreneurs, particularly Black and Hispanic business owners, grow their businesses to reach $1 million in revenue within the next five years.
T he initiative comes as a celebration of the accredited Christian school’s 25th anniversary last year. T he school started offering its entrepreneurship prog ram in 2023 and, since then, over 50 graduates have created million-dollar companies while at the institution.
T he school’s entrepreneurship prog ram is four-months long, and the next session starts in Februar y. It offers more than 30 specialized courses that cover marketing, sales and financial management. T he program combines business education with biblical principles and provides personal-
ized support, training and access to a network of experts to help participants grow their businesses
“We are always enhancing the prog ram to ensure our students are aware of, and take advantage of, the latest changes in technologies, modern business practices, re gulatory updates and emerging marketplace opportunities,” David Ramseur, dean of Joseph Business School’s Chicago campus, said in a written statement.
Participants don’ t need a high school diploma or colle ge de gree to apply for the entrepreneurship progr am. T he cost of the progr am is $3,525, though the school offers flexible payment plans and scholar ships from private donations.
Starting Feb. 15, those accepted into the entrepreneurship progr am’s spring session will begin hybrid classes. On Fe the online, asynchronous progr am will start. Progr ams are available in English and Spanish.
Ramseur said Joseph Business School recently conducted a study among prospective students, asking them what was kee ping them from starting or scaling their business
“I thought it would be securing capital, but they told us their biggest challenge is not knowing the right steps to take,” Ramseur said in a statement. “That concern ranked even higher than access to funding. Our progr am is designed to bridge that gap – providing entrepreneurs with a clear roadmap, expert guidance, and proven strategies to help those just start-
“The Joseph Business School believes entrepreneurialism is a key factor in any economy, and entrepreneurs’ ideas are key to any economy becoming a thriving economy,” said Joseph Business School’s President Dr. Deloris T homas in a statement.
“When you look at particularly Black and Brown communities that are underresourced and under-financed, you see a great divide as far as wealth, poverty, and violence,” T homas said. “All those things can happen when a community is underresourced. We believe we can help create
LETTER
How we strengthen our community
As we begin a new year, a time of revitalization and fresh starts, it provides a valuable opportunity to focus on our community, as well as the institutions and the vital lifelines that unite us. The Forest Park Review, our local community newspaper, published by Growing Community Media (GCM), serves as one of those key lifelines that informs, connects, and eng ages residents and readers while fostering a shared understanding of the interconnected issues that affect our lives. GCM is on the cusp of a transformation. The media landscape is evolving, and the nonprofit GCM, through its commitment to high-quality journalism, innovation, and community eng agement, has the opportunity to not just adapt but lead the way in reimagining local journalism in West Suburban Cook County. As such, the Forest Park Review, too, is growing into a dynamic space for residents to explore local politics, school news, the latest in our business community, and community events. For over 100 years (108 this Janu -
ary to be exact), the Review has covered elections, school boards, and community life, becoming an indispensable source of information, connectivity, and catalyzing community eng agement.
To limit the Review’s output to simply delivering news would be reductive and not fully account for the totality of its impact. The paper cultivates a sense of community ownership and pride by providing an outlet for diverse voices and perspectives, encouraging community residents to share their stories, opinions, and concerns, creating a local conversation that brings us together.
The Review remains a critical local component that embodies GCM’s vision for the future of community journalism, where digital innovation and traditional re porting intersect to create a truly engaging news experience. By embracing new storytelling methods and platforms and community-driven initiatives, the Review can further enhance its standing as an essential resource for Forest Park residents
and the wider re gion.
In a world becoming increasingly saturated with information and noise, the Review’s dedication to local news coverage ensures that our community’s stories remain vibrant and accessible, empowering residents, fostering connections, and shaping a more infor med and eng aged citizenry. As a nonprofit entity, GCM, and by extension the Review, leverages philanthropic support, both large and small, to fund its operations.
Now is the time to support this vital resource. A few ways to help: donate to GCM, subscribe to the Forest Park Review, eng age with its content, and share your own perspectives. And of equal importance, we need you to tell your friends, neighbors, and colleagues. To gether, we can ensure that the stories of our community continue to be told with depth, integrity, and passion.
DeRondal Bevly
Forest
Park
GCM Development Steering Committee
MEDICAL OFFICE
page 1
told the Review. “We are excited to possibly provide more space for our patients and to provide them additional care.”
He’s on his way to doing just that after the planning and zoning commission unanimously approved a conditional use permit for the addition at its meeting last week.
Kalina Pain Institute offers comprehensive pain medicine care and minimally invasive spine care. Services include trigger point injections, plus those for knee pain and spinal pain relief, as well as Botox and CBD medications. The office’s patients experience ailments such as chronic back pain, headaches, herniated discs, sciatica, and arthritis.
Some of Kalina Pain Institute’s services require X-rays, mainly those involving injections around the spine, which make up about 80% of Kalina’s injections. For these procedures, Kalina sees his patients at the Advanced Ambulatory Surgical Center in Galewood every week on Wednesdays.
With a conditional use permit, Kalina said he is hoping to add onto the back of the building, where there is a grassy yard and single-car parking pad. He wants to construct a second bathroom and a surgical suite, where he can perform injections himself
“I would love it,” Kalina said, “but the patients would love it, to do the procedure the same day,” rather than scheduling them on Wednesdays.
“The priority here is to give Dr. Kalina a little bit more room in an updated space to treat his patients,” said Director of the Department of Public Health and Safety Steve Glinke, who’s one of Kalina’s patients, at the last planning and zoning commission meeting.
Although the proposed 500-square-foot addition is only slightly larger than a two-car garage, “it does double the doctor’s workable area and adds an examination room,” Glinke said.
“I won’t have a bunch more patients coming, and there won’t be a lot more traffic,” Kalina said at last week’s commission meeting. “It’s just to create space within the building for the patients.”
Glinke said no residents dissented the proposal.
The vote will next go to the village council. Kalina needs the permit because his property doesn’t currently conform to residential zoning codes in that area.
“In the non-conforming use section of the code, which is one of the sections that we’re looking to amend, there’s a hard ‘no’ on putting an addition on a non-conforming use,” Glinke said.
This means that for Kalina to build an addition, either the non-conforming use section of the code must be rewritten –which the village is working toward in updating portions of its zoning code – or Kalina needs a conditional use permit for
Linda Lee and Dr Jared Kalina
his office. The latter is a much more straightforward route, according to Glinke, and permits Kalina to evolve and improve his property
“A hard ‘no’ on alteration of non-conforming uses, it really limits personal investment,” Glinke said. “You’re buying something that you just can’t do anything to.”
As it stands, Kalina Pain Institute is nonconfor ming on the north lot line. Glinke said the addition must be built to the bulk standards of the code, honoring the required setback distance from the lot line
Kimberlee Smith, owner of Smith Architecture in Oak Park and the architect for Kalina Pain Institute’s potential expansion, assured the commission that the addition would meet lot line requirements.
‘Like family’
Kalina’s wife, Linda Lee, works as the office manager. She’s also the daughter of Geung Goo (Michael) Lee, who died in July and was honored with a street naming in November for his legacy as a Forest Park businessman and community leader.
Lee said her dad used to come to their office twice a day, just to say “hi” or water the plants out front. She said there was one day they caught him on a ladder, painting the side of the building silver, though they didn’t ask him to. And because Geung Goo Lee was such a pillar in the community, he knew many of the patients at Kalina Pain Institute, and Kalina and
Lee regularly heard from locals how he touched their lives.
“We feel super rich, not only in memories, but what the town has given my family,” Lee said.
One of Kalina and Lee’s favorite parts about their private practice is getting to connect on a personal level with patients, in a way that larger medical offices often don’t have the capacity for.
Kalina Pain Institute visitors “start off as patients and become friends,” Lee said. “We’ve gone to [patients’] 90th birthday parties. They become like family.”
One of these relationships developed with the previous owners of the building.
Before Kalina Pain Institute opened, the building housed Dr. Arnold Clevs’ dentist practice, which he ran with his wife and office manager, Batia, for more than 50 years.
Both of Lee’s parents were Clevs’ patients. When Clevs shuttered his business in 2017, Lee’s mother suggested they meet with him to look into buying the property
The proposal seemed like it was meant to be, according to Kalina and Lee, who made a quick connection with the Clevs. Clevs is a Holocaust survivor, and Kalina is Jewish. Both have family from the same small town in Latvia.
“After meeting him, he’s like, ‘I want this place to be yours. Just give me a price,’” Kalina said. “It was more than just a property. It was like ‘we need to be here.’”
Our Community Needs Community Journalism
Upcoming presentation shares legacy of Henry Fiddelke
Less well-known than Wright, Fiddelke also le his mark on the Western suburbs
By MICHAEL BANIEWICZ Contributing Reporter
The name Henry Fiddelke may not sound as familiar as the name Frank Lloyd Wright, but like Wright, Fiddelke had an impact on architecture in Chicago’s Wester n suburbs
On Saturday, Feb. 8, local resident Michael Thomas will lead a free presentation on the career and legacy of Fiddelke, who was born in 1865, and produced various designs that live on in the neighborhoods of Forest Park, Oak Park and River Forest. These include commercial buildings found on Forest Park’s Madison Street, which date back to the late 19th century.
Some of the takeaways that Thomas hopes people will get from his presentation include a new appreciation for the architectural sophistication of Fiddelke’s work, his personal integrity and his love of community
“Something so wonderful, sitting there – it deserves attention,” Thomas said. “I think Fiddelke is a treasure, and I think his buildings are treasures in plain sight.”
Thomas said he became interested in architecture because he has an arts background. His curiosity surrounding Fiddelke began after he learned that the architect was responsible for Forest Park Baptist Church, where Thomas is a member and serves as an usher.
The design of one room in particular, the cloakroom, is what caught the attention of Thomas
“Standing in that room, the door frames and the window frames are all this rich, brown oak,” Thomas said. “Most of the windows are this amber stained glass, so when the light comes in, that amber makes that oak kind of glow.”
The stained-glass windows have a “living” quality to them when illuminated, Thomas said. Thomas’s presentation will offer the attendees an in-person view of the windows, which have the likeness of a Van Gogh painting when the light shines through, Thomas said.
“There’s something alive about stained-
glass windows,” Thomas said. “Stained-glass windows are all about light. I think Fiddelke had a real feel for light.”
It was a visceral experience for Thomas, and it is one he has worked to share with others since. After conducting his own research at the Oak Park and River Forest Historical Society Thomas curated his findings to make the presentation that will be shown in February.
The architect’s life began in Matteson in 1865. While pursuing his interests in design Fiddelke began working under the Chicago architect Joseph Silsbee in 1885. Once Fiddelke received his architecture license, he eventually moved to Oak Park with the architec Frank Ellis in 1894. The following year saw the birth of Fiddelke’s own architectural of fices in Oak Park
In 1916, Fiddelke contributed to the design of the Parkside Building on North Boulevard and the state bank in Oak Park Although it is no longer standing today, the original Homes School in Oak Park was also created by Fiddelke. The Hales mansion, the Hemingway boyhood home and the Forest Park Baptist Church were all designed by Fiddelke.
Thomas says that Fiddelke’s ability to create designs in multiple architectural styles is one of the notable attributes of his work Some of the styles that Fiddelke’s buildings included was colonial revival, second empire style, Victorian, Tudor Revival and Prairie
In addition to his impressive design choices, the presentation will also reveal the human behind the architecture. Thomas points out that Fiddelke’s buildings not only appear visually pleasing, but serve a larger purpose, such as providing a welcoming space for a diverse community.
Some of the high-profile people that Fiddelke collaborated with include Grace Hemingway for the Hemingway boyhood home and Flora Gill, who was one of the first female entrepreneurs in Oak Park.
An example of Fiddelke using his talents to serve his community include his contribution to his hometown. In 1897, Fiddelke designed the Matteson Village Hall, which was demolished in 1948.
The presentation will begin at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 8 at the Forest Park Baptist Church, located at 133 Harlem Ave. The lecture is free to the public, and attendees are encouraged to RSVP at www.forestparkhistory.org.
FOREST PARK BAPTIST CHURCH: Le : Palms window detail, south window. Right: Picture from 1903.
Break-in at Boost Mobile leaves store $100 shor
By JESSICA MORDACQ Staff Reporter
On Jan. 18, police responded to Boost Mobile on Roosevelt Road around 2 a.m. for re por ts of a burglary. According to the police re port, they found the front door shattered and a fire hydrant cap just inside the door. The business owner came to the store and re ported the offender took $100 from the cash re gister, but nothing else. T he surveillance video shows a person dressed in all black with a face mask breaking in and opening the cash re gister T he business owner told police he didn’t want to sign complaints against the offender if they were found, according to the police re port.
Criminal damage
Police arrived at Dunkin’ Donuts Jan. 18 to find that one of the business’ windows was broken. A witness told police that a man threw a piece of concrete at the window. Police located a man who matched the offender’s description and who they had multiple previous interactions with. T he suspect man told police he didn’t throw the rock. T he surveillance video didn’t capture the incident, and the witness refused to give their information and left before police could ask them to identify the potential offender, according to the police re port. No one has been charged, but a Dunkin’ Donuts employee said they would sign a complaint if the offender was identified.
Battery
On Jan. 23, police responded to the Chicago Bulk Mail Center after getting a call about a battery. The caller told police that she saw a for mer employee outside the center, and they started a verbal altercation about past issues, according to the police re port. Then, the for mer employee pushed her to the ground, and other employees had to separate them. The woman told police she wanted the incident documented, but no one has been charged yet.
On Jan. 23, an Area Wide Realty property manager came to the police department to re port that, on Jan. 7, he visited a property in the 1100 block of Lathrop Avenue to discover that copper pipes connecting to the basement’s water heater had been removed. He told police there were no signs of forced entry and that only other real estate agents had the lockbox code. He estimated the cost of the piping to be about $500 and said he would sign complaints if the offender was located, police said.
Deceptive practices
A man re ported Jan. 24 that he was scammed by Complete Roofing & Masonry LLC after hiring the company to remodel flooring and paint at a property on the 1100 block of Beloit Avenue. He told police that he found the company through Angie’s List or Google. The man sent a $2,400 security deposit Dec. 13, but no work has been done. Police called the contractor, who said he’d reimburse the man in installments, and told him so two days prior. No one has been charged.
These items were obtained from Forest Park Police Department reports dated Jan. 18 - 24 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.
More “I’ll be there.”
More “I’ll be there.”
Less “Where have you been?”
Less “Where have you been?”
More “I’ll be there.”
As you get older, your risk of serious illness from flu, COVID-19, and RSV is higher. Vaccines bring your risks down, so you can keep showing up. vaccines.gov
More “I’ll be there.”
As you get older, your risk of serious illness from flu, COVID-19, and RSV is higher. Vaccines bring your risks down, so you can keep showing up. vaccines.gov
More “I’ll be there.”
Less “Where have you been?”
Less “Where have you been?”
Less “Where have you been?”
As you get older, your risk of serious illness from flu, COVID-19, and RSV is higher. Vaccines bring your risks down, so you can keep showing up. vaccines.gov
As you get older, your risk of serious illness from flu, COVID-19, and RSV is higher. Vaccines bring your risks down, so you can keep showing up. vaccines.gov
As you get older, your risk of serious illness from flu, COVID-19, and RSV is higher. Vaccines bring your risks down, so you can keep showing up. vaccines.gov
More “I’ll be there.”
Less “Where have you been?”
As you get older, your
More “I’ll be there.”
Less “Where have you been?”
and
START STRONG, STAY STRONG
YOUR PATH TO HEALTHY AGING STARTS HERE
The Y is more than a gym. It’s a place to connect, grow, and thrive at any age. With our facilities and programs tailored for older adults, you will find everything you need to stay active, build relationships, and enjoy life to the fullest.
EXPLORE ACTIVITIES PERFECT FOR YOU:
• Aquatics Programs: Improve strength and flexibility in a low-impact environment.
• Pickleball: Join a game that’s fun, social, and great for your health.
• Walking or Indoor Track: Stay fit at your own pace in a safe and welcoming space.
• Nutrition Sessions: Learn more about healthy eating in one of our upcoming nutrition sessions.
• Virtual Programs: Explore on-demand and livestreaming wellness videos at YMCA360.
READY TO TAKE THE NEXT STEP?
TAKE A TOUR TODAY.
Stop in for a tour and we will show you all that the Y has to offer to meet your needs. Tour guides are available by reservation.
RESERVE YOUR TOUR TODAY
JOIN ONLINE TODAY.
Receive $0 Joiner Fee and 50% off your first month when you join. Join online or in person at West Cook YMCA, 255 S. Marion St., Oak Park.
JOIN ONLINE
HAVE UNITED HEALTHCARE?
Renew Active™ helps you stay fit, stay focused with a membership at no additional cost with select UnitedHealthcare® Medicare plans.
LEARN MORE
DISCOVER VITALITY AND WELLNESS AT THE WEST COOK YMCA
COMMUNITY HEALTH FOR YOU
In partnership with the Village of Oak Park, all community health programs at the West Cook YMCA are complimentary and include a membership to the West Cook YMCA for the duration of the program.
BLOOD PRESSURE SELF-MONITORING PROGRAM
Personalized one-on-one support for developing a blood pressure self-monitoring routine, tips for maintaining a healthy heart, and nutrition education seminars.
DIABETES PREVENTION PROGRAM
Help those at high risk adopt and maintain healthy lifestyles and reduce their chances of developing type 2 diabetes. Fully recognized by the CDC and proven to reduce risk of type 2 diabetes by 58%.
WEIGHT LOSS PROGRAM
Designed to help people seeking a healthier weight achieve their goals by making small, modest changes to their daily behaviors and forming sustainable healthy habits.
LEARN MORE
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HAVE YOU LIVED IN YOUR HOME FOR 30 YEARS OR MORE?
Would you like to get moving and take advantage of the super-hot real estate market? Retiree’s real estate specialist Roz Byrne of ROZ Real Estate facilitated the sale of an impressive 24 homes last year, and over half of them were the homes of seniors.
“I’ve held the Seniors Real Estate Specialist �SRES� designation since 2006,” says Roz Byrne, “My favorite group of people to serve are retirees and their families.”
Come to Roz’s upcoming appearances:
Tues April 8th at 10�30a
Ascension Casa Scalabrini in Northlake
Sat April 12th at 10�30a Oak Park Arms in Oak Park
Weds April 30th at 10�30a
Central Baptist Village in Norridge
Sat May 17th at 2pm
La Grange Pointe in La Grange
Call Roz Byrne to RSVP, or for a free consultation at 708�370�7444.
Kelly is your 30+ year experienced Oak Park based Realtor providing services to a variety of buyers and sellers, including older adults and retirees. Kelly is designated with SRES (Senior Real Estate Specialist) & ABR (Accredited Buyer Representative). She began her career in real estate in 1994 on the administrative side in River Forest, fell in love with the process and became licensed in 2001. She has been helping clients move confidently ever since. Kelly grew up in Oak Park, currently resides there and is very familiar with the surrounding areas of Chicagoland. Kelly is a full service Realtor assisting in all aspects of your move, including connecting you with related services and professionals.
Broker
30, February 27 | 1:00–3:00
Kehrein Center for the Arts | 5628 Washington Boulevard February 14 | 11:00 a.m.–1:30 p.m.
Army Freedom Center | 825 N.
OPINION
OUR VIEW
Growing entrepreneurs
Forest Park’s Jose ph Business School is a particular asset to the village. Part of the Living Word Church on Roosevelt Road, the school is a key outreach of the church and is integral to its prosperity-gospel tenets of faith.
T he school has recently marked its 25th anniversary and is doubling down on its belief in the power of entrepreneurship. It has set an audacious goal of launching 100,000 people on a path to build their own milliondollar businesses — and to accomplish this in the next five years. The enterprise is also working to raise $25 million to support the progr am and offer scholarships to those interested
Joseph’s entrepreneurship prog ram for mally be g an just in 2023. The school says in that short time frame that 50 of its grads have, in fact, star ted businesses which have reached at least $1 million in revenue.
It offers a four-month course that includes marketing, sales and financial manag ement training. It acknowledges there is some biblical framework to the progr am, and it touts an extensive network of suppor ters for its students to tur n to for advice. Neither a high school nor colle ge de gree is required to sign on.
T he school’s dean says he was sur prised that interested students have less concer n about how to raise the money needed to start a business but are intently focused on the nuts and bolts of how to launch. So that is part of what they lear n.
Joseph’s entrepreneurship ef for ts are open to all but are focused on raising up Black and Hispanic entrepreneurs.
Nestled on the lower level of the Forest Park Mall, also the home of the me gachurch, the Jose ph Business School is a unique and valued part of our village
ULiving with uncertainty
ncertainty is bad, it seems to me, if you have it good, and, conversely, uncertainty is good if you have it bad. If you have a lot to lose, change can be threatening. As the election revealed, if you have nothing to lose, change — any kind of change — can energize you.
I was sensing that in many of us — who have it pretty good if we live in this area — there was a brooding sense of uncertainty preceding the election, and now that we know who won, a new kind of uncertainty has replaced the old one
Check out the following headlines:
■ Trump’s election … has thrust the global economy into a state of uncertainty (Al Jezeera)
■ Renewable energy sector faces uncertainty (New Mexico Political Report)
■ Trump and the Consequences of Radical Uncertainty (German Marshall Fund)
HOLMES
■ Uncertainty and unpredictability about Trump’s presidency (Brookings)
■ Trump Retur n Sows Global Uncertainty (Bloomberg)
Those who seem to have the worst cases of the “uncertainty flu” are those who are news junkies. An online article in Psychology Today (3/17/20) begins with, “If you follow social media for any length of time, you might feel like going to bed and pulling the covers over your head.
“Longstanding research,” the post explains, “shows that chronic TV watchers and news followers have elevated fears because everything they see starts to feel like it’s happening outside their front door.”
In the article, Bryan Robinson, PhD, explains why uncertainty can be so troubling. “Your brain will do almost anything for the sake of certainty. And you’re hardwired to overestimate threats and underestimate your ability to handle them — all in the name of survival.”
Many sports fans know what it’s like to try to cope with uncertainty when their team is leading going into the fourth quarter or the ninth inning by thinking, “We’re going to blow the lead and lose.”
Somehow “knowing,” even if it is pessimistic and semiunrealistic, feels preferable psychologically to an uncertainty when it includes the possibility of winning
“Waiting for certainty,” wrote Dr. Robinson, “can feel like torture by a million tiny cuts. Scientists have found that job uncertainty, for example, takes a greater toll on your health than actually losing the job.”
Psychoanalyst Erich Fromm published Escape From Freedom in 1941 as Hitler was at the peak of his dictatorial power.
The German people were living through a hard time and, perhaps worse, uncertainty regarding their future.
So to ease their psychological/spiritual suffering, to find certainty in the midst of uncertainty, they traded the insecurity of their freedom for the illusion of security under a dictator who promised them that he would make Germany great again.
A word to the wise
Americans often have this “can do” attitude that produces a tendency to leap into action when there is uncertainty, and often that action is impulsive, and as Dr. Robinson cautioned, can add insult to injury.
Psychologists tell us that a normal reaction to a threat is to fight or flee. What I heard when I looked for wisdom re garding how to deal with uncertainty is that there is a third option, which is to retreat — to a place where the little child in you can feel safe and allow the adult in you to think clearly.
“Your mindset during [a] crisis is everything,” Dr Robinson concluded. “Your perspective is the most powerful thing you can control in a situation that is beyond your control. Yes, these disruptions are scary, but fear, panic, and worry are not preparation.
“They add insult to injury — another layer of stress that can compromise the immune system and paradoxically make us even more vulnerable to the virus.”
I went to AI and found, “The primary purpose of meditation is to cultivate a calm and focused state of mind … which can help reduce stress, improve concentration, enhance selfawareness, and promote overall well-being.”
Your mindset during a crisis is everything
In my church we frequently repeat verses like “even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil for you are with me.”
If we are willing to quiet ourselves and feel what we are feeling, we can get in touch with our inner child, not for the purpose of acting childishly, but to respond to what is core in us and thereby to free ourselves to be those adults in the room that we all want to be.
One of my favorite prayers goes like this: O God, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown. Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go, but only that your hand is leading us, and your love supporting us.
Amen.
Januar y 29, 2025
Editor Erika Hobbs
Sta Repor ter Jessica Mordacq
Digital Manager Stacy Coleman
Digital Media Coordinator Brooke Duncan
Assistant Editor, Ar ts & Enter tainment Dalal Or fali
Contributing Editor Donna Greene
Contributing Reporters Tom Holmes, John Rice, Jackie Glosniak, Robert J. Li a
Columnists Alan Brouilette, Jill Wagner, Tom Holmes, John Rice
Design/Production Manager Andrew Mead
Editorial Design Manager Javier Govea
Designers Susan McKelvey, Vanessa Garza
Marketing & Adver tising Associate Ben Stumpe
Senior Media Strategist Lourdes Nicholls
Business & Development Manager Mary Ellen Nelligan
Circulation Manager Jill Wagner
Publisher Dan Haley
Special Projects Manager Susan Walker
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
HOW TO REACH US
ADDRESS 141 S. Oak Park Ave., Oak Park, IL 60302 PHONE 708-366-0600 ■ FAX 708-467-9066
Postmaster: Please send address changes to: Forest Park Review,141 S. Oak Park Ave., Oak Park, IL 60302-2901. Periodical rate postage paid at Oak Park, IL (USPS No 0205-160)
In-county subscriptions: $38 per year. $70 for two years, $93 for three years. Out-of-county subscriptions: $58 per year.
That was the case with me and Dorothy Misleh. We became friends in 2014 and have spoken and written ever since. Dorothy remained young at heart even when she was 102.
I last spoke to her around Christmas 2024. She talked about donating an unused grave at Forest Home Cemetery to a family in need. She also planned to donate a child-sized Roos cedar chest to the Forest Park Historical Society.
That was Dorothy — generous to the end. She passed away on Jan. 19, 2025 after a brief stay in hospice. I’m going to miss our lively conversations and the cards she always sent me for birthdays and Christmas. Dorothy first contacted me as a member of the historical society to research the house her grandfather had built at 419 Hannah. I compiled a list of the property owners through the years and took some photographs of the exterior. In response, Dorothy made a donation to the historical society She also kept up her subscription to the Review. This is remarkable, considering she moved out of Forest Park in 1943. That year,
Dorothy moved to Miami to stay with an aunt and uncle. There she met her husband, Roger Misleh, who started a successul TV business. They had three children and the couple later etired to Ocala, Florida Dorothy liked to talk about how pleasant Florida weather was. She was also proud that Ocala was “horse country.” horoughbreds are brought from all over the world to train there. Mostly, we talked about Forest Park. She knew more about current events than most residents
I enjoyed our conversations and loved Dorothy’s young-sounding voice. She sounded like she was in her 30s. She continued to live in her own house, thanks to her daughter, Ruth Ann, who visited daily. Dorothy was active with her church and supported local organizations
In recent years, she cut back on activities but was always forward-thinking. She gave me an assignment to find out about her family plot in Forest Home Cemetery. I was assisted in my search by Forest Home’s Grace Robbins, who found the plot that was purchased by Dorothy’s dad, Loyal Nelson. She gave me its location and a survey that showed one of the four graves was empty. I
A LOOK BACK IN TIME
Art instruction in 1895
The town of Harlem, which was incorporated in 1884, included today’s Forest Park and areas of River Forest. The Harlem Post was a local German weekly newspaper for Harlem’s German population. Its first edition was published on Sept. 12, 1895. The Jan. 2, 1896 edition contained the following news about a meeting of the school board:
“Last Friday, our school board had a special meeting in order to come to a decision about offering art instruction at our schools. Based on a recommendation of the respective committee, the school board decided to adopt Prang’s system, and to start art instruction in both schools in the fourth grade. Materials necessary for the ar t instruction, which will be supplied by the Prang Educational Company, will amount to approximately $12.10 per classroom.
“The school board also decided that classes will begin on Monday, Jan. 6.”
Translated by Uli Leib
told Grace that Dorothy wished to donate the unused grave, and she gave me an Affidavit of Heirship for her to sign.
She was grateful to the Review for keeping her infor med. Her local newspaper was cutting back on its coverage, and Dorothy believed local journalism is vital, which is why she donated $25 to Growing Community Media.
Though she moved from town many years ago, Dorothy never stopped caring about Forest Park. She had wonderful memories of attending Garfield School, Middle School, and Proviso High School. She was told at the time that graduating from Proviso was the equivalent of completing freshman year of college I will miss my talks with Dorothy. I’ll miss her cards, her letters, her generous spirit. Her daughter finally cancelled the subscription to the Review. The print version of the newspaper was Dorothy’s only link because she never owned a computer Dorothy’s gifts of the grave and the hope chest are not finalized, but the process is underway. Her daughter said, “My mom was thrilled knowing they’re going to a good cause.”
I never made it to Ocala to see Dorothy. I have never seen a photo of her. But I felt her spirit.
Dorothy Misleh was the best friend I never met.
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
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
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION
FMJM RWL IV TRUST 2017-1 Plaintiff, -v.-
RONNETTA WARD A/K/A RONNETTA M WARD
Defendants
24 CH 04111
2238 SOUTH 15TH AVENUE
BROADVIEW, IL 60155
NOTICE OF SALE
PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on August 21, 2024, an agent for The Judicial Sales Corporation, will at 10:30 AM on February 28, 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 2238 SOUTH 15TH AVENUE, BROADVIEW, IL 60155
Property Index No. 15-22-201020-0000
The real estate is improved with a single family residence. Sale terms: 25% down of the highest bid by certified funds at the close of the sale payable to The Judicial Sales Corporation. No third party checks will be accepted. The balance, in certified funds/or wire transfer, is due within twenty-four (24) hours. 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 151701(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.
MCCALLA RAYMER LEIBERT PIERCE, LLC Plaintiff’s Attorneys, One North Dearborn Street, Suite 1200, Chicago, IL, 60602. Tel No. (312) 346-9088. 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.
MCCALLA RAYMER LEIBERT PIERCE, LLC
One North Dearborn Street, Suite 1200
Chicago IL, 60602 312-346-9088
E-Mail: pleadings@mccalla.com
Attorney File No. 2417337IL_1022444
Attorney Code. 61256
Case Number: 24 CH 04111
TJSC#: 44-2521
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 # 24 CH 04111 I3259829
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION
U S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS SUCCESSOR IN INTEREST TO BANK OF AMERICA NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, SUCCESSOR BY MERGER TO LASALLE BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS TRUSTEE FOR GSAMP TRUST 2007-HE2, MORTGAGE PASSTHROUGH CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2007-HE2
Plaintiff, -v.KAUNDA BUCKNER A/K/A KAUNDA K. BUCKNER, STATE OF ILLINOIS
Defendants 24 CH 2236
51 51ST AVENUE APT. 8 BELLWOOD, IL 60104
NOTICE OF SALE
PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on December 4, 2024, an agent for The Judicial Sales Corporation, will at 10:30 AM on March 5, 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 51 51ST AVENUE APT. 8, BELLWOOD, IL 60104 Property Index No. 15-08-101048-0000
The real estate is improved with a single family residence. The judgment amount was $265,925.80.
Sale terms: 25% down of the highest bid by certified funds at the close of the sale payable to The Judicial Sales Corporation. No third party checks will be accepted. The balance, in certified funds/or wire transfer, is due within twenty-four (24) hours.
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.
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 151701(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 The sales clerk, LOGS Legal Group LLP Plaintiff’s Attorneys, 2801 LAKESIDE DRIVE, SUITE 207, Bannockburn, IL, 60015 (847) 291-1717 For information call between the hours of 1pm - 3pm.. Please refer to file number 24-100769. 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.
LOGS Legal Group LLP 2801 LAKESIDE DRIVE, SUITE 207 Bannockburn IL, 60015 847-291-1717
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 # 24 CH 2236 I3259726
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.
session to session and they have come to us in a variety of ways. Some of them have been in the audience at a previous show and have approached us and said: “I want to do that.” Some of them have come through our own personal and professional networks, or they have been in another storytelling event or process that we met along the way.
Q. How crucial is it to have a safe place for women of color, and women in general to express themselves and explore these topics?
I think it’s absolutely critical for our self-protection, for our healing, for our surviving and our thriving. And especially considering the political moment that we see ourselves walking into in the future, I think they’ll still even be more critical.
Q. What is this event bringing to the community?
I think it’s bringing joy, it is bringing celebration, and it’s bringing people together in a way that has been very isolating because of this moments of uncertainty. Isolating because we are still actively recovering from all of the trauma and loss that we’ve experienced during the pandemic and post-pandemic. It is giving us an opportunity to feel unified and to celebrate each other in a way that we probably don’t get enough times to celebrate each other
Q. Are there any events coming to the west side in the future?
It just depends, you know, our relationships. One of my roles as the co-founder is to build partnerships and we continue to seek out partnerships that make sense for us, so who knows what the future brings? We do two shows a year as a collective and then, all of us individual storytellers do other things, so it just depends on where the opportunity is
More info:
SOL Collective website: chisolcollective.com/ Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/p/ SOL-Collective-Storytelling-by-Women-of-Color-100075819836151/
Oak Park’s North Avenue, bite by bite
A journey along North Avenue reveals a mix of culinary staples and fresh avors that bring Oak Park’s northern boundary to life
By RISÉ SANDERS-WEIR Contributing Reporter
Oak Park’s stretch of North Avenue is not as restaurant-filled as River Forest/ Elmwood Park’s Section, but it’s a dining destination that sometimes gets overlooked by those of us “south of the border.” Here’s a roundup of what’s new and tasty at our norther n boundary.
Heading from east to west the first restaurants on the south side of North Avenue are in a strip mall. J&J Fish has long anchored the mall with wings, catfish, gizzards aplenty.
The restaurant hosted an event for his family and friends and they have a poster of him up in the restaurant. His parents say that North Ave Falafel’s chicken shawarma wrap and Alpine Food Shop subs were his go-to treats
“It’s hilarious – at his memorial, one of his friends called him a ‘sandwich connoisseur.’ I have never been prouder,” said his father, Brian Souders.
Just past Narragansett, at the next strip mall over, China Chop Suey has stood the test of time. A new location of the locally-based chain Taco Pros is under construction in the old Surf ’s Up space.
Continuing west, at the intersection with Oak Park Avenue, Michael’s Beef House upgraded their restaurant and refreshed the menu a few years ago.
While you can still get a Chicago dog, Italian beef and many burgers, they also feature chicken and fish sandwiches and five different salads.
Passion Eats Express a Buona Beefa Rainbow Cone
The Onion Roll a
Woodbine Nor th Av e
Na Siam a
Michael’s Beef House a a Nor th Ave Falafel a Linda Michocana
Taco Pros a
Across the street in Galewood, — making one exception to the tour of the south side of the street — is another strip mall. Linda Michoacana serves ice cream and savory treats. On weekend, they add homemade tamales. Flavors are chicken and green salsa, chicken and red salsa, rajas con queso, and sweet versions. Pre-ordering is the best way to make sure you get the ones you want.
In the same mall is North Avenue Falafel. Owner Youssef Salama forged a special bond through food with Oak Park teen Hank Souders, who died recently at the age of 19.
it is still delivering Jewish deli and NY diner style treats, like hand sliced lox. Bagels are made in-house, and the ones that don’t sell are sliced, toasted, then given to customers along with butter and jelly when they settle in at a table.
Oak Park Ave.
China Chop Suey a J&J Fish a Ridgeland Narragensett
continued from page 16 c
“We brought the chocolate egg cream to Oak Park. I do not know of another diner that serves egg creams in the area, but they are a must try and very different from the Chicago Chocolate Phosphate,” said co-owner, Ryan Rosenthal.
Edging closer to Harlem, Buona Beef has been at the corner of Belleforte since 1989. It was the second location for the Buonavolanto family’s growing business. Since 2018 their ventures include Rainbow Cone ice cream. The iconic Rainbow Cone with its “slices” of chocolate, Palmer House (vanilla, cherry, walnuts), followed by pistachio and orange sherbet — has been a Chicago tradition for almost a century.
A block further on is Na Siam. New owners Knock and Honey Wareewanich came from Thailand to take over this Thai staple eight months ago. The menu includes all the Thai food basics, but they are starting to branch out into more flavors and tastes rooted in their memories of home.
“We love this area. We could see the potential of this restaurant. At first, we try not to change anything much. But we adapt the food as we get to know customers,” said Knock Wareewanich
Just past Woodbine, The Onion Roll also got a renovation refresh recently, but
Now it’s expanding. Rainbow Cone is now in six states. One of those location is at Buona on North Ave.
“We always kind of had that side dining room. Over the last several years as our business shifted a lot to online delivery, it kind of left some vacant space,” said Joe Buonavolanto III. “Rainbow Cone express version as we call it.”
Last, but not least, is the strip mall that marks the other end of our journey. Several national chains have outlets there, including a new Wing Snob location in the works. But eating local means eating with your soul and that’s what you get at Passion Eats Express. Owner and chef Shawanda Simmons says it’s “pick up and go.” You can call ahead, ordering fresh chicken wings, catfish, spaghetti. The goal for Oak Park was to reestablish that Souther n customer service. Every person that walks through the door, whether you are doing a catering order or you are just doing lunch, we want you to feel that you are part of the family.” Said Simmons. That sentiment is found all along North Avenue. These restauranteurs show a dedication to customers and fresh flavors. They don’t just have an address in Oak Park, they are a part of the community.
Harlem
East
Black History Month: A guide to events
By DALAL ORFALI Vibe Assistant Editor.
As February approaches, we’re celebrating Black History Month, dedicated to showcasing African American heritage, highlighting struggles and triumphs, and honoring the generations that paved the way toward liberation. Here’s a selection of events to help you celebrate:
AUSTIN
Struggle & Resilience
■ Saturday, March 1, at 2 p.m.
■ The Kehrein Center for the Arts, 5628 West Washington Blvd.
Enjoy a ballet performance honoring women’s empowerment and resilience. The Caged Bird Sings, in collaboration with Overshadowed and Tobin James, will resonate with the history and culture of Black and Latina women.
Black history month bingo
■ Monday, February 3, at 6:30 p.m.
■ Austin Branch 5615 W. Race Ave.
Join the Austin Branch for a fun Black History Bingo game, testing teenagers’ knowledge of Black history, with prizes to be won! This event is free and open to those aged 13 and up.
FOREST PARK
Edmonia Lewis and The Death of Cleopatra:
Uncovering the Forest Park Connection
■ Wednesday, Feb 19 at 7p.m.
■ Forest Park Public Library, 7555 Jackson Blvd.
The library hosts a talk by Amy BinnsCalvey on Edmonia Lewis, a groundbreaking African American and Native American sculptor, and her work The Death of Cleopatra. Discover its connection to Forest Park and celebrate Lewis’s life, and le gacy. Sign up on the library’s website at www.fppl.org
More Than a Month: Liberated Arts Movement
gallery opening night
■ Saturday, Feb 1 at 6 p.m.
■ Forest Park Public Library – art gallery 7555 Jackson Blvd. Forest Park
Enjoy Forest Park art gallery’s opening night in partnership with the Liberated Arts Movement. The event include perfor mances, artist talks, refreshments, and more. Re gister at www.fppl.org.
HYDE PARK
Legacy: A Black Physic ian Reckons with Rac ism in Medicine – book signing event
■ Tuesday, January 28, at 7 p.m.
■ Call & Response Books 1390 East Hyde Park Blvd.
Dr. Uché Blackstock, a physician and leader on bias in healthcare, talks about her memoir, highlighting her advocacy against healthcare inequities. Event tickets are available on Eventbrite.
OA K PARK
Black history month celebration
■ Saturday, February 08, at 11 a.m.
■ The Nineteenth Century Charitable Association 178 Forest Ave #1
The Village of Oak Park celebrates Black History Month with speakers, performers, activities, music, and refreshments. Registration available online at oak-park.us.
Living legacies & the Black history of Oak Park
■ Saturday, Feb 24, at 1 p.m.
■ Oak Park Main Library (Veterans Room) 834 Lake St.
Join an inspiring conversation is set to feature three of Oak Park’s remarkable Black elders and educators: George Bailey, Howard D. Simmons, and Betty Smitherman. Dive into the history of the community through their perspectives and their vision on the path forward. These gathering will to offer invaluable insights and reflections on Oak Park’s past, present, and future.
