ForestParkReview_020525 by Wednesday Journal

Village business and licensing fees to increase

An

amended ordinance also updates the village code to address decreased revenue from ambulance service

By JESSICA MORDACQ Staff Reporter

Business and licensing fees are rising in Forest Park, along with the cost of ambulance services.

At the Jan. 27 village council meeting, commissioner unanimously passed an ordinance amending sections of the code that hike fees for business owners and ambulanc riders

The business and licensing fees are being updated the first time in more than 17 years, according to Clerk Vanessa Belmonte

This increased cost for business owners was brought up last year in a series of meetings to discuss the budg the 2025 fiscal year.

In addition to increased fees, the amended ordinanc includes a non-refundable application fee of $50 and elimi nates the prorated fee for the first year of a license. those who don’t have to obtain a license –state licensing rules exempts doctors, real estate agents and others – the See LICENSING FEES on pa ge 3

Village council passes audit for 2024 scal year

By JESSICA MORDACQ Staff Reporter

Financial statements are accurate, but village still spends more than it’s bringing in

Forest Park has passed its annual audit, which declares that the village complies with financial re porting guidelines, even though it’s operating with a deficit.

At the village council meeting Jan. 27, Joe Laudont – an audit manager at Naperville-based accounting firm Lauterbach & Amen, who worked with Forest Park Finance Director Letitia Olmsted during the process – shared his findings about the village’s finances for the 2024 fiscal year, from May 1, 2023 to April 30, 2024.

“The village has consistently received an unmodified audit opinion,” Olmsted said in an email, “which means that the re port is clean, and the financial statements are accurate and comply with financial re port-

LICENSING FEES

Boosting revenue

from page 1

village will institute a $50 annual registration fee.

The following businesses will see a business license cost up from $100 to $250: Barber and beauty shops, brokers, druggists, excavators, florists, grocery stores and markets, landscapers, laundry services, nurseries, pawnbrokers, printers and publishers, and retail stores

Other increases include a change in annual license and permit fees for the following types of businesses:

■ Advertisers, outdoors - from $50 to $250

■ Auctioneers - from $300 to $1,000 per year, and from $60 to $500 per day

■ Accessories, tires and body repair auto shops - from $125 to $300

ing guidelines.”

Per state statute, the village undergoes an audit every year.

With the audit’s completion, the village files a re port with the Illinois State Comptroller’s Office and with other local and federal agencies that require a copy and additional re porting on the village’s finances.

If the village doesn’t comply with the audit, it could be fined, receive a ding on its credit rating, or its state tax disbursements and grant funding could be withheld, Olmsted said.

At the last village council meeting, Laudont communicated three things to commissioners, according to Illinois auditing requirements.

The first is whether there were disag reements between the auditor and village management during the process. Laudont said there weren’ t any.

Laudont also shared the village’s management letter and annual financial reports.

The village’s management letter has a new recommendation for deficit net position. The net position evaluates the village’s long-term debt, capital assets, infrastructure improvements and pensions, which aren’t always reflected in its operat-

■ Car sales establishments - from $250 to $1,000

■ Billiard halls - from $150 to $200 per table

■ Boiler and heating dealers - from $50 to $200

■ Bowling alleys - from $25 to $50 per alley

■ Contractors - from $100 to $200

■ Financial institutions - from $125 to $500

■ Outdoor dining locations - from $125 to $165

■ Restaurants - from $100 to $500

■ Supermarkets - from $300 to $500 if under 10,000 square feet, and from $450 to $1,000 if over 10,000 square feet

■ Gas stations - from $100 to $500

■ Hardware stores - from $125 to $250

■ Hotels - from $1 per bedroom to $100

■ Lumber yards - from $300 to $500

■ Mall businesses - from $50 to $250 for 1,000 square feet

■ Mall carts - from $25 to $100 for 30 days

■ Manufacturers - from $125 to $1,000

■ Massage establishments - from $100 to $300

■ Nursing homes - from $300 to $1,000

■ Office supply stores - from $125 to $250

ing budget.

“Make sure that your operating budget is not surpassing what you should be accumulating in your fund balance,” Laudont said to the village council.

Forest Park has long struggled with this. At the end of the 2024 fiscal year, the village had a deficit of about $11 million.

“What the village needs is new revenue, but as a non-home rule municipality, we are limited as to what can be implemented,” Olmsted said. “But the mayor, [Village Administrator] Rachell Entler, and the commissioners continue to communicate with the state to express the challenges that the village faces financially.”

The annual financial re ports include an independent auditor’s re port, which outlines village management’s and the auditor’s responsibilities, plus the auditor’s opinion about the village’s 2024 fiscal year.

“This is the cleanest and highest form of assurance that we can provide to the village,” Laudont said at the village council meeting.

The financial re ports also contain village management’s discussion and analysis of financial activity in the 2024 financial year. A dense section of financial statements is

also included.

In the government-wide income statement, “you’ll see the overall change in net position for governmental activities was a positive $3.1 million this year,” Laudont said. Business-type activities ended the year with a positive $4.3 million.

There’s also a statement about the village’s fund balance, which increased $1.2 million.

At the end of his presentation, Laudont mentioned internal policies that the village must follow, including one for police and fire department pension funds. These pensions increased from 2023 to 2024 and remain underfunded.

“As our recommendation, continue to get in touch with your actuary to determine what the best practice is to make sure that gets fully funded,” Laudont told the village council.

There are also internal policies for funds over budget and funds not in compliance with fund balance policy.

Laudont recommended “making sure we’re continuously evaluating the operating budget for that to make sure that we’re in compliance with the fund balance policy that the village holds.”

■ Parking garages - from $3 to $10 per space for less than 25 spaces, or from $75 to $250 per space for over 25 spaces

■ Storage centers - from $125 to $350

■ Undertakers - from $150 to $250

■ Veterinary hospitals - from $125 to $500

■ Wholesale meat distributors - from $125 to $250

Businesses that were added to the village code, and their new annual license fees, include:

■ Alar m company registrations - $50

■ Cannabis dispensaries - $2,000

■ Drive-through establishments - $500

■ Long-ter m nursing homes - $1,000

■ Massage therapists - $100

■ Towing companies and storage lots - $250

Ambulance cost

Another portion of the amended ordinance aims to reduce an unintentional decrease in revenue from ambulance services.

Fiscal year 2024’s average cost per ambulance transport was $1,841. This is about a

30% decrease from the previous year.

According to Fire Chief Lindsey Hankus, the main factor of this decrease was a rise in the number for transports between fiscal year 2023, when 1,463 ambulance trips were taken, and fiscal year 2024 with 1,992 trips Medicaid fee-for-service trips increased from 522 in the 2023 fiscal year to 807 trips in the 2024 fiscal year

In a letter ahead of the last village council meeting, Hankus recommended changing the ordinance to include language that says, in cases where the Forest Park Fire Department’s Ground Emergency Medical Transportation cost report has a reduced service fee, the ambulance fees will default to the previous year’s rate to avoid revenue losses She also suggests updating the ordinance to reflect current service costs.

This includes increasing basic life support inside a village ambulance from $1,712 to $2,636. With the signed approved ordinance, advanced life support will increase from $1,922 to $2,636.

Keeping the forest in Forest Park

Planning for spring tree planting already underway; village accepting requests for new trees

By TOM HOLMES Contributing Reporter

You may be still bundled up in winter jackets and gloves, but Forest Park is getting things set for its spring plantings – and wants to hear from you now.

In the village newsletter last week, Public Works Director Sal Stella called on the public to give him suggestions on where new trees might go

Note: there are no promises, as he is quick to say, money does not grow on trees

“The Forest Park Public Works Department is taking minimal tree requests in [the spring] planting season. There are limited request amounts available, so act quickly” he said.

If you have a suggestion, email Stella at sstella@forestpark.net and request that Public Works plant a tree at no cost to you.

There are, however, several caveats involved before the request is granted

One is money. A positive response is possible only as long as funding is available. The village’s Forestry Division is funded through the village’s general operations budget.

“|We must be fiscally responsible and request a reasonable amount of funds for the division,” he said. Funds go to maintenance, tree planting, dumping fees, contracted fees, removal of large trees and parkway repairs, among other things.

In considering requests from residents, another question Stella will ask is, “Does it fit Forest Park’s Forestry Comprehensive Management Plan?” Based on arborist recommendations, the plan assures equitable and diverse distribution of trees throughout the village.

Diversity is as important in the tree population as it is among humans. Remember the scourge of Dutch Elm Disease that afflicted this country’s tree population in the last half of the 20th century and more recently the

curse of the Emerald Ash Borer?

The benefit of diversity in the tree population is that if a pandemic wiped out one species the entire urban forest would not be destroyed

“The necessity of a diverse canopy in a community,” he explained, “reduces the risk of a catastrophe, should a new disease outbreak occur on a specific species of tree.”

Stella therefore encouraged residents to understand if they do not get that maple tree they had their heart set on.

He noted that residents may request the planting of trees which do not fit the specifications of budget and the comprehensive plan but will be charged full price.

Stella is a big fan of trees as valuable assets for Forest Park for several reasons, one being aesthetic.

Many of the benefits which he notes are practical. “Trees play a crucial role in a community by improving air quality, regulating temperature, managing stormwater runoff, providing habitat for wildlife, potentially reducing energy costs, and ultimately contributing to a healthier and more sustainable environment for residents,” he said.

Proviso High Schools debut new parent engagement tool

D209 parents will now receive weekly updates on their children’s behavior and grades

By BRENDAN HEFFERNAN Contributing Reporter

Proviso Township High School District 209 has launched a new initiative school leaders hope will make it easier for parents to stay engaged with their children’s academic progress.

Last Friday, the district introduced the “BAG Report” program, a program that will send a summary highlighting each student’s behavior, attendance, and grades to parents each week. The program will keep parents updated on where their children stand on three critical components

of academic success and overall well-being, the district said.

Parents and guardians are encouraged to review the BAG Report with their children weekly to gain insights into their progress and reinforce the importance of behavior, attendance, and grades, according to the district.

D209 Superintendent Krish Mohip said this program will promote the importance of parental involvement in fostering student success.

“As a parent, staying infor med about your child’s progress is one of the most powerful ways to support their growth,” Mohip said. When we work together, we create an environment that fosters success. My commitment to your child’s future is unwavering, and I believe that by partnering as a team, we can help them achieve their best.”

The BAG Report will be delivered every Friday to students, parents and guardians with a clear snapshot of their child’s progress, according to the district.

He had some advice for future plans for redoing Madison Street.

“Whenever Madison Street gets another makeover, I suggest that they plant ornamental medium height trees that are not susceptible to road salt. The current Locust trees are growing too big for a downtown area. They have popped out the tree grates, are growing into the buildings and out into the street.”

The Public Works Director is proud of the Village’s urban forest. “The Arbor Day Foundation and Illinois Department of Natural Resources have recognized the Village of Forest Park as a Tree City USA community for five years and have given the community the Growth Award for the last four years,” he said.

He resonates with Joyce Kilmer’s poem:

I think that I shall never see.

A poem lovely as a tree.

A tree whose hungry mouth is prest Against the earth’s sweet flowing breast;

A tree that looks at God all day, And lifts her leafy arms to pray

LETTERS

What I learned at Auschwitz

I visited two Holocaust museums, one in Washington D.C. and the other in Israel in Jerusalem, so when I was fortunate enough to visit the Auschwitz camp in Poland I already had read enough and studied enough so that I could manage to go through the actual World War II camp that was featured in the news yesterday and not break down.

So acting very stoically, I started through the exhibit in the actual place where thousands of prisoners met their demise in gas chambers. At the museum was a pile of human hair cut off the still-living prisoners since the Germans thought it could be used for some device to see targets better from their bombers.

That’s when I saw it. A still perfectly braided braid of hair with a ribbon bow keeping the braid intact obviously cut off near the child’s

head. Yes, it happened. I realized that that child whose mother had also braided her hair and had placed a bit of ribbon at the end, just as my own mother had done day after day, probably died soon afterward.

That child ended up in a gas chamber whereas I was allowed to grow up. As an elderly adult, tears came and flowed for that little girl who was never able to experience a life like I had.

Prisoners today are still not being cared for properly, and unless our country continues to belong and participate in international organizations, such tragedies will continue to occur.

Let’s be mindful of past faults and not let them continue as we proceed to make America great again.

Mary Richie Forest Park

Local colleges, universities brace for Trump’s funding freeze

Concordia, Dominican and Triton all say they are on alert for future changes

By MICHAEL DRAKULICH Contributing Reporter

Officials at local colleges and universities are gearing up to determine how to protect their institutions amid a confusing Trump administration order that would have frozen billions of dollars in federal funding, including money for higher education.

For now, school officials can breathe more easily but they know it could be just a temporary re prieve

“There will be no interruption in the work that we’re doing. But we will continue to monitor the situation very closely,” said Eric Matanyi, Concordia University’s associate vice president for communications and marketing

“We’re committed to ensuring students receive the same high level of academics and continue the best possible overall college experience,” Matanyi said “We aren’t able to predict what this [Trump] administration will do. We need to focus on our students but be nimble enough to allocate resources in a way that we can continue our service to students.”

The funding freeze was announced Tuesday and rescinded Wednesday after a federal judge temporarily blocked its effective date. Had it gone into effect, it would have impacted educational institutions, non-profits and other organizations that rely on such funding.

According to a memo from the Office of Management and Budget, gover nment agencies were expected to examine which programs conflict with Trump’s recent executive orders. The memo stated that the administration was targeting “financial assistance for foreign aid, nongovernmental organizations, DEI, woke gender ideology, and the Green New Deal.

White House officials have since said that only the memo, not the effort to review federal spending, has been rescinded.

Matanyi said the OMB’s order was “vague” in its language and specifics. The university had planned an internal audit to determine the possible effects the funding freeze could have. If the audit determined the university could have been affected by the pause or that funding was at risk of being revoked completely, the university was prepared to reach out to federal officials to get more information.

Matanyi said Concordia University would continue with its audit, knowing that the Trump administration could revisit the issue. However, he said the staff would return to education as usual.

Triton College spokesperson Melissa Ramire z Cooper said the college staff regularly reviews funding sources to ensure compliance and sustainability.

“Our goal is to stay prepared for potential changes that

could impact our students and programs. This includes routine assessments of our funding structures and contingency planning to minimize service disruptions,” she said. “Triton College remains focused on providing quality education with the resources available.”

On Wednesday, Stephanie Kubas, assistant vice president at Dominican University, issued a statement: “At this time, no student services or campus activities have been impacted as a result of the potential pause on federal funding. We are monitoring the situation closely and will evaluate how future decisions may impact our community. While we can’t predict what is ahead, we remain focused on how best to support our students and employees in this changing environment. As a Catholic, Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) and Sanctuary campus, we hold steadfast to our mission of fostering a community of inclusion, compassion, and justice

for all students.”

When the funding freeze was issued on Tuesday, the OMB’s statement said agencies investigating the allocation of federal funds were to report to the Office of Management and Budget by Feb. 10 and list which programs and activities they have paused. The administration not only paused applications for federal funds, it sought to prevent distribution of funds that had already been awarded, according to the Associated Press.

However, U.S. District Judge Loren A. AliKhan, of the District of Columbia, blocked the funding freeze Tuesday, shortly before it was to take effect after several organizations filed suit. The Trump administration then rescinded the order Wednesday, in part due to public confusion as to which programs could have been affected and how long the freeze would have lasted

Triton students on campus

CRIME

Woman attempts to kill o cer with scissors, police say

By JESSICA MORDACQ Staff Reporter

Police arrived at the CTA Blue Line station in Forest Park Jan. 29 for reports of a battery. The person who called the police department told authorities that a woman hit her inside a convenience store. Police detained the woman, who tensed her body and kicked an officer to resist arrest, according to the police report She also grabbed a pair of scissors from the vest of a police officer, raised them above her head, and threatened the officer’s life, police said. According to the report, police tased the woman and placed her in custody. She was charged with three counts of resisting an officer, a count of aggravated battery, and attempted first degree murder.

Car crash

While on patrol Jan. 30, police received a hit on a vehicle approaching Harlem from I-290 that was wanted by Villa Park police for eluding officers. The driver ignored police’s attempt to pull him over, traveling about 100 miles per hour in a 55 mile-pe r-hour zone, according to the report. The car went through

a chain link fence and crashed into Forest Home Cemetery. The driver was charged for an in-state warrant, operating an uninsured car, not having a license, speeding, violating a traffic signal, improper lane usage, and eluding an officer

Assisting police or re

On Jan. 28, police responded to the CTA Forest Park Blue Line stop because a passenger was unresponsive on a train car. The person was showing clear signs of an opioid overdose, according to police. Police administered a dose of Narcan, and the person briefly became responsive before becoming unresponsive again. When the Forest Park Fire Department arrived, the person became conscious again and was taken to RUSH Oak Park Hospital.

On Feb. 2, River Forest police were waved down at Dunkin’ Donuts in Forest Park and told a man with a knife had stabbed two people. Forest Park police helped River Forest officers detain the suspect, who was inside Dunkin’ Donuts, and put him in custody. They also helped tend to one of the victims until the Forest Park Fire Department ar-

rived. The stabbing happened at 1116 South Boulevard in Oak Park, Oak Park police took over the scene.

Identity theft

On Jan. 27, a man living on Marengo Avenue reported to police that, two days prior, he noticed two charges he didn’t recognize. There was a $875 and $715 charge, both for student loans. No one has been charged.

A woman reported to police on Jan. 29 that, in November, she logged onto the ComEd app and found another account was opened in her name for an address in the 1000 block of Des Plaines Avenue, though she never lived there. ComEd closed the account but wanted over $280 from her and advised her to file a police report

In-state warrants

Police arrested a man Jan. 27 for a warrant for his arrest out of DuPage County. While on patrol, police saw a stationary car at Thorntons gas station, and checking it in the system, and found its owner had a warrant and suspended license for insurance violations,

according to the police report. Police pulled over the car in the 600 block of Harlem Avenue and arrested the man for his warrant, one count of a suspended driver’s license, and one count of operating an uninsured car. Also on Jan. 27, police were called to Walmart for a man and woman who committed retail theft at the self-checkout. Police found that the man had a serviceable warrant for failure to appear in Cook County court. He was arrested because of his warrant and for one charge of retail theft. The woman was charged with retail theft. Both were blocked from all Walmart and Sam’s Club locations for two years.

These items were obtained from Forest Park Police Department reports dated Jan. 27 through Feb. 2 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

Exciting news from the Forest Park Review

Dear Forest Park Review readers,

In 1980, when my two partners and I launched what would later become the Forest Park Review’s parent company, Growing Community Media (GCM), we dreamed of creating a local community newspaper filled with the kind of journalism we wanted to read and that our fellow residents desperately needed.

Then, as now, we set out to create a paper that provided rigorous, insightful coverage of local government; helped parents and taxpayers follow events in their local schools; connected readers and business owners to local businesses right here in our own backyard; and showcased the rich stories and strong opinions of the remarkably talented and diverse group of neighbors in the communities we call home.

Forty-five years later, I could not be prouder of all that we have accomplished along the way.

bit more time with my family while also allowing me to continue to support our team as we strive to build a strong, sustainable foundation for GCM’s future. My primary focus will be on growing our partnerships and fundraising, and I’ll also lead special projects from time to time.

Later this spring, the Board will be

As we reach that milestone, I’ve been reflecting deeply on the future—for Growing Community Media, and for me personally.

Leading this organization has been the joy and privilege of a lifetime. But I’ve come to believe that the time is right to scale back my day-to-day responsibilities and pass the baton to new leadership.

So I’m delighted to announce that, with the support of our Board of Directors, I will be moving into a new role as Senior Advisor. This will let me spend a

room.

Max has already been working with GCM to help us do a deep dive on our business management and operations, so he knows our organization, our team and our needs. Max brings a passion for community news, having previously worked at both the Tribune and the Better Government Association. He has a sharp focus and deep understanding of digital growth with a healthy respect for the value of print. He has also worked on the philanthropic side of local news. Importantly, Max is a good listener and knows well our staf f’s commitment to this work I could not be more excited for the future.

hiring a full-time Executive Director to lead the organization into its next chapter of growth, service and impact. The Executive Director title will re place the Publisher title, which better reflects the realities of our not-for-profit organization.

In the meantime, I’m pleased to announce that Max Reinsdorf will become our interim Executive Director. Effective immediately, Max will lead every aspect of our ef fort and work with all of us and our Board of Directors to sustain and grow this essential nonprofit news-

But these are not easy times for local jour nalism, as you know. Changing habits, new platfor ms and evolving business models have taken their toll on far too many local newsrooms around the country.

A community news organization is nothing without a community willing to support it —as readers, advertisers, subscribers, donors and champions. You’ve been essential to our success over these last 45 years—and you’ re critical to our future, too.

I look forward to working with our new leadership and with all of you to keep that mission alive and thriving in Forest Park.

With gratitude, Dan

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Opportunity Knocks asks village council to help build farm near Altenheim

e River Forest-based organization, which serves people of all abilities, grew food on a Maywood plot before it was sold last year

By JESSICA MORDACQ Staff Reporter

Forest Park might be getting a new garden on the village-owned property near the Altenheim – one that fosters environmental sustainability, growth and connection.

Opportunity Knocks presented the idea for its garden at the last village council meeting. The organization, launched in 2010 and based in River Forest, serves the near west suburbs, where they develop programming and collaborate with people who have different abilities, teaching them new skills and creating community

During a presentation at the start of the Jan. 27 meeting, Opportunity Knocks President Phil Carmody asked the village to con-

tenheim buildings for a farm. He suggested a 50-year lease with rent of $1 per year

“We envision an inclusive community, where all individuals experience access, presence and support,” Carmody said of the organization’s vision at the village council meeting.

“This whole OK community really changed my life, ever since I met the Carmody family,” said Georgia Hunter, a Forest Park resident who has been active with Opportunity Knocks for 15 years. “OK has impacted my life most by helping me meet new people and creating a space for me to spend time with my friends and do fun activities.”

A community farm that highlights mixedability interactions and organic agriculture would grow produce for the community and for Knockout Enterprise, which Opportunity Knocks launched in 2014. As a part of the business, participants produce Knockout Pickles, which they pickle, market and sell themselves

“Everything that we do in Enterprise is meant to create a thriving blended work environment, where people of all varieties of ability are working together to run a successful business,” Car mody said.

In 2015, Opportunity Knocks participants started growing cucumbers for Knockout

tion to landscaping and building growing beds at Knockout Farm, Opportunity Knocks composts, and catches and repurposes rainwater Hunter said that, at Knockout Farm, she is “learning how to put seeds in the soil, painting flower pots, growing vegetables, learning work skills and figuring out what our farm really needs, like veggies for catering and selling at the farmers markets.”

Last year, four farm employees harvested 1,085 pounds of food from the farm. This food is used for Knockout Pickles – sold at popups and farmers markets – but also Knockout Catering through Events By Cibula, and donated to food pantries and community fridges.

Last year, though, AV Chicago bought 50 Madison St. and told Knockout Enterprise they couldn’t return in 2025.

“I always knew that this day was coming,” Carmody said. “I think a lot of what we did to invest in the space was meant to be done in a way where we could pick it up and go someplace when this was going to happen.”

In looking at an opportunity to grow the farm and foster more community, Opportunity Knocks asked the village to consider its land just north of the Altenheim as a new location for its farm. Carmody said a farm at this location could facilitate partnerships between Opportunity Knocks, the village and those who live at the nearby Residences at the Grove.

“We’re not here to ask you for anything,” Carmody said. “We’re going to ask you to build something with us.”

“You will not find urban agriculture quite like we do it,” Carmody added. “We see many prospects for accessibility. We see a community that supports a mission. We see a community that supports green space. We see a beautiful natural landscape, a friendly village hall and friendly neighbors.”

After the village council meeting, Carmody said he learned about what potential next steps would be for opening a farm in Forest Park

He said Village Administrator Rachell Entler told him she’d reach out if the village council directed her with the next steps regarding the farm. If they do, only then will discussions about a partnership agreement between the village and Opportunity Knocks begin.

“We are optimistic that there is an opportunity to pursue this in a path that has us farming in the spring,” Carmody said. “Our

optimism was fortified by the feedback we got from the [village council] and mayor after we presented. We are perpetual optimists though, so take that for what it’s worth.”

All commissioners gave positive feedback about Carmody’s pitch following his presentation at the council meeting.

“It makes me feel really good about possibilities,” said Commissioner of Accounts and Finance Maria Maxham. “I would love to keep talking to you guys about how to make this happen.”

Commissioner of Streets and Public Improvements Michelle Melin-Rogovin – who helps find funding opportunities and writes grant applications at Northwestern University for her day job – said she could help find additional money to grow Opportunity Knock’s farm

“I think there’s lots of funding out there that we could get to support this,” Melin-Rogovin said. “It’s a very exciting prospect for an organization that has a tremendous impact in the community, and one that has touched many people.”

Commissioner of Public Health and Safety Ryan Nero agreed: “I love your mission. I’m super excited to see what you guys are going to do.”

“I really appreciate your excitement, your dedication to your mission and your organization,” said Commissioner of Public Property Jessica Voogd, “but also the willingness to reach out to the community and bring folks together.”

PROVIDED

Opportunity Knocks participants at Knockout Farm in Maywood before the land was bought last year.

PROVIDED

A look behind the scenes of Knockout Pickles, where Oppor tunity Knocks participants pickle cucumbers.

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• 708-848-7150

• info@oprhc.org

• oprhc.org/donate

Have a Heart!

February 14th

Celebrate this romantic holiday at Hemmingway’s Bistro

Valentine Weekend Dinner

Valentine Brunch

Friday & Saturday, February 14 & 15

Sunday, February 16, 11am - 3pm

*O ering ree-Course Pre x Menu, complimentary Champagne - $85

1st Course: Maine Lobster bisque or Baby Arugula salad

2nd Course: Salmon A La “Princess”, asparagus, hollandaise , caviar garnish or Beef Wellington, green bean almondine, au gratin, red wine sauce

3rd Course: Heart-shaped Chocolate Tart, toasted pistachios, rasberry coulis

Come out for the best brunch in town! Featuring live Jazz and complimentary Champagne

*Pre x and Regular Dinner Menus available, Reservations recommended Hemmingway’s Bistro • 211 N Oak Park Ave., Oak Park, IL 60302 • 708-524-0806

Valentine’s Market

at the Oak Park Conservatory

Give your Valentine a gift that Blooms!

Shop for blooming gifts from our greenhouse for your valentine or treat yourself! Order online February 1-10 or visit the Conservatory February 13 and 14 to shop in person (10:00A-4:00P).

Visit oakparkconservatory.org/valentines-market February 1-14

Locally grown and full of love, choose from blooming plants and flowers such as succulents, tropical houseplants, fresh-cut bouquets & more.

OUR VIEW

Yes to pickles

Nice to see so many Forest Park village commissioners united around finding a way to support Opportunity Knocks, the optimistic and grassroots River Forest nonprofit that supports people with different abilities.

OK, as they are called, turned up at the recent Forest Park Village Council meeting with a bold request. They’ve asked for a small corner of the village-owned Altenheim property to use as an urban farm. The initial ask is for a 50-year lease at $1 per year. As we mentioned, the group is optimistic.

Part of OK’s work over recent years has been growing produce. The group has been able to use a parcel of land further west on Madison Street in Maywood. But that site was recently sold, and the nonprofit is deter mined to find a new site that is close by, available for spring tilling, and which won’t be sold out from under them.

Some of what OK grows with its mixed-ability group of urban far mers is sold at farmers markets. But the most important product is the makings for their fabulous Knockout Pickles, which the group manufactures and sells across the area.

Opportunity Knocks has clearly knocked on the right door in coming to Forest Park. The Altenheim site is just across the street from its home in the River Forest Community Center. The land is immediately available to push up loads of cucumbers. And because, after the village’s two-plus decades of ownership of the 11 acres at Altenheim and the total inertia on making anything resembling a plan for its use, OK is virtually assured that the village of Forest Park will not sell the land out from under them.

It is a great and inexplicable failure of Forest Park’s governing leaders that, across the years, multiple mayors and oh-somany village administrators — despite active citizens pushing forward ideas and for mally appointed Blue Ribbon this-andthat committees using consultants to get this crown jewel of open space planning just right — nothing ever happens

So yes, make a deal with Opportunity Knocks. They deserve it. Everyone will feel rightly virtuous. But 50 years might be a little long for a lease. It is possible that by 2075 Forest Park will have developed an Altenheim plan that requires this little cor ner of the giant-sized parcel.

D209 connects with parents

It is a short piece in today’s Review. Nice to see Proviso Township’s District 209 high schools offering a new program that is fully focused on engaging parents in how their students are doing in school.

The weekly BAG Report will update parents and guardians on academic, attendance and behavior issues each Friday. And good to hear the new Superintendent Krish Mohip talking up the essential energy that clear engagement between parents and the school can create

This is what long overdue progress looks like

OPINION

Black history as Black stories

Iwas an exchange student at Tuskegee Institute — 3,000 Black students and 8 whites — during the spring semester of 1968. When I returned to St. Olaf — 2,000 white students and 8 Blacks — in the fall, a friend asked me what I had lear ned.

When I answered that I wasn’t sure, he replied, “Then you wasted your time.”

That bothered me for a long time. The truth was that in some ways I had learned a lot. I had taken courses in American, Negro (as it was called then) and African History. I had heard Stokely Carmichael speak live about Black Power. I had read everything from Up From Slavery by Booker T. Washington to The Autobiography of Malcolm X

HOLMES

What I thought my friend meant, however, when he asked the question was something grander and more profound than the number of Africans who had “migrated” to the U.S. as slaves in the Middle Passage

Instead of increased knowledge and expertise, what I later realized was I had brought back a lot of stories. Like this one:

I arrived on campus late at night, found a place to sleep and got up around 7, still wearing the clothes I had traveled in.

Students along the way were helpful in guiding me to the administration building, where I registered for classes When finished I asked the lady who was helping me for directions to the bookstore.

Before she could get started with my “trip tick,” she spotted a student my age walking down the hall and asked if he would show me how to get to the bookstore.

Emmanuel Harris smiled and said sure.

When we arrived at my destination, I said, “Thank you,” and he replied, “No, no, I’ll stay with you.” He then took me to his dorm where he introduced me to his friends and then accompanied me to the dining hall for dinner.

We’ve remained friends for the last 57 years, and he and his wife Jerri drove up from Indianapolis for my wedding five years ago.

We visited the two empty-nesters last year and after doing a lot of reminiscing, I told him stories about the many Black folks I had interviewed in my part-time job with the Review.

I had to smile as I admitted to Mann and Jerri that I still hadn’t figured the race thing out, but I did share that at the end of interviews with Black men and women where I felt trust had been established, I would often ask, “Are you angry?”

They always answered, “Oh sure” or “Of course” or something else but always in the affirmative. When I would say, “But you don’t seem angry,” they would respond with, “I’m not angry at you, Tom,” and then they would tell me stories.

Stories about being pulled over for “driving while black”

or how when they would approach a white woman on an Oak Park sidewalk, she would cross over the other side of the street or when entering an elevator a woman next to him would clutch her purse to her chest.

Mann and Jerri seemed pleased to lear n that I had actually been listening to the stories that the two of them could have been telling And then they told me that their adult children were not angry and how that bothered them. Their kids had grown up in a post-Civil Rights Act, integrated society

Although Mann was a resident of North Carolina, he had not been permitted to attend the university there because of his race. That’s why he was a student at an HBC when I was there. His children had never experienced overt racism like he had.

You might say that the racism their children had experienced was of a misdemeanor seriousness while what Mann and Jerri had to deal with was more of a felony.

Let me tell you another story.

Bob Sherrell has been an Oak Park resident for decades and has in some ways, like Mann and Jerri, lived both the American dream and the dream of Dr. King. He experienced racism in a more vicious, personal way. Bob was in Selma, Alabama, in fact, on Bloody Sunday, March 7, 1965 with Dr. King, John Lewis and 600 other civil rights activists. The plan, the vision was to stage a peaceful protest march from Selma to Montgomery 50 miles away.

About halfway over the Edmund Pettus Bridge, just as the march was getting started, they were met by a wall of state troopers and sheriff’s deputies wearing gas masks who pushed the marchers back and hit them with batons in the midst of clouds of tear gas.

In 2015 Bob drove down to Selma for the 50th anniversary of that violent day, and he said that I could go with him. Bob and I and 40,000 other people gathered to remember. As far as I could see, most of those gathered that day had not been born in 1965. They and I wanted to hear the story in the place where the historical event happened.

As Bob and I started the long drive back to Chicago, he asked me how the day had affected me

After listening to all of the ways I thought race relations in our country had changed, he put into words how the day had impacted him, saying, “Nothing has changed.”

Responding to the surprise he saw on my face, he explained, “Did you see how dilapidated the residential areas in Selma are? Nothing has changed, Tom.”

Objectively, both of us were right of course, but what my Black friend gave me the privilege of experiencing was his subjective reality, a reality that no Black history book could reveal with all of its data and abstract conclusions.

History books and anecdotal, personal stories are both windows into reality. I feel privileged and blessed to view Black history through both.

Executive Director Max Reinsdorf

Senior Advisor Dan Haley

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

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

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: $38 per year. $70 for two years, $93 for three years. Out-of-county subscriptions: $58 per year.

We must embrace new technology if we’re going to reach a younger audience. I lear ned this recently when it was requested that I make a YouTube video of our film “Ezra & Mike: Facing Racial Tension in Forest Park.”

The film is about a Black man named Ezra Buckner buying a home in Forest Park in 1975. His family suffered racially motivated harassment until a stranger, a white Forest Parker named Mike Chiappetta came to their rescue. Mike had a private security firm and they guarded the Buckner home for free until the Forest Park police took over

How lms can heal

een located on Madison for the ast eight years. Mike duplicated oth films and loaded them onto a flash drive

With this accomplished, I still needed someone to create the ou Tube videos to send out to the public. Our son Joe worked with the flash drive and created the videos. It can be very difficult to find a You Tube video, so he laced “Ezra & Mike” on my You Tube page, titled “The Doll with the Sad Face.”

This made it so simple, even I can find the film. I simply enter

“The Doll with the Sad Face” and two videos pop up. One is a 10-minute read from my book, which viewers can skip. The other is the documentary we completed in 2017.

members of our family. I hoped the spirit of Big Jim (my great-grandfather) could heal some of the divisions in our family, caused by divorce and other estrangements

When they watched the film, it motivated some nieces and nephews to meet at the Fire Museum of Greater Chicago, 5218 S. Western Ave., Chicago. Retired firefighter, Jack Connors and his wife Barb, opened the museum for us

Shanda Buckner, Ezra’s daughter, requested the video because she had never seen the film in its entirety. Deanna Chiappetta, Mike’s granddaughter, also requested a YouTube video that she could share with family and friends. So I found the last surviving copy of the film.

I also found the last copy of a WTTW Presentation and Dedication titled, “1910 Stockyard Fire,” which aired on Dec. 22, 2004. It’s about my great-grandfather, Fire Marshal James Horan. But that’s another story.

I brought both films to Chicago Producers, a film processing company located at 7507 Madison, Forest Park. This company has

We had started the project in 2011 and accumulated six hours of footage. Most of this footage was unusable for various reasons. We recruited Melissa Tassone, a film student from Dominican University to edit the film. We met weekly for two-hour sessions and edited the six hours down to 22 minutes

We later screened the film at local venues

But we didn’t consider reaching a wider audience until Deanna Chiappetta suggested it. Now that it’s available on You Tube, we’re presenting it as a part of Black History in Forest Park.

As for the WTTW documentary, it can also be found on You Tube. Joe sent out copies to

St. B’s Black History

Month celebration

Kristin Jones and Stacy Thomas sported their own flair for fashion as they watched a presentation on African American fashions at St. Bernardine School on Feb. 18, 1995. The assembly was part of the school’s Black History Month celebration.

St. Bernardine’s, the only Catholic school in Forest Park, operated from 1916-2013 and has a long list of successful alumni who have served their communities as adults.

Jill Wagner

My nieces and nephews had brought their children and for two hours they played on the fire apparatus. They also viewed the exhibit about Big Jim. It was inspiring to see cousins conversing again after years of separation. We’re planning another of these family reunions at the museum during spring break. In the meantime, my nephew bought a book about the Stockyard Fire and is hungry for more family history. He hopes this will lead to a revival of our annual “Rice Fest” gatherings

Deanna and Shanda believe the release of “Ezra & Mike” will also be beneficial. They think the film is especially timely with our nation so divided, politically and racially. It shows the courage it takes to reach across racial barriers

I may be an old-school columnist committed to paper and ink, but if we don’t embrace modern technology, we’re going to lose a generation of readers who will never get their news from a piece of paper.

There is a link at forestparkreview.com where readers can access the film.

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.

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 GIV-

EN 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 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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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

E-Mail: ILNotices@logs.com

Attorney File No. 24-100769

Attorney Code. 42168

Case Number: 24 CH 2236 TJSC#: 44-3175

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

local bakers in Oak Park Sweet Success

From custom cakes to cookies with a story, these bakers turned their love for baking into thriving home businesses.

By RISÉ SANDERS WEIR Contributing Reporter

While creaming butter, separating eggs and adding sugar, some local home bakers discovered a surprise: some people wanted to buy their delicious creations

And so the creative adventure began for several local bakers – but only once they developed a business plan and obtain necessary gover nment approvals to run a food operation from home.

Valentine’s Day seems an appropriate time to review the journey of four such local bakers.

Oak Parker Lillian Kong started her Lit Cake Bakery as a blog where she shared her baking techniques and used her love of literature to inspire the shapes and flavors of her treats

“I was told for years I should sell what I

made,” Kong said. While she began with weekly treat boxes, she shifted to custom orders like birthday and anniversary cakes to focus on quality and efficiency.

It is an artistic outlet, according to Kong, but “I do have to make enough to pay for ingredients, insure myself I have to make sure that I cover those at least.”

terpieces for celebrations,” Watkins said. “I love talking to someone. They tell me about their event, what they’re celebrating, the theme. Then I translate all of that into this edible piece of art.”

FOLLOW THEM ONLINE:

The business side was something Maywood resident Tanesha Watkins felt prepared for. But she said that she had to grow a thicker skin to deal with customers. There was one, for example, who agreed her cakes were the best but complained they cost the most. She responded “thank you so much for the compliment. And as you mentioned that my work looks the best, the price is reflective of the work that goes into it.”

During COVID-19, she expanded her reach to out-of-town orders sent to loved ones who couldn’t visit their families

Lit Cake Bakery: Instagram @thelitcake

Tee Tee’s Sweets: teeteessweets.com

Cookie Dad: tiktok.com/@russell.ja e.cookie.dad

Petal & Moon: petalmoonpastr y.com

Watkins’ be g an making cupcakes for her ne phew for his first birthday – he is now 22 – baking has been her full-time job now for a decade

“I am a cake and cookie artist. I create cen-

COVID inspired Oak Park’s “Cookie Dad” Russell Jaffe to reach for his oven mitts and to cook more. When Christmas 2020 rolled around, he wondered what to do with the rest of a carton of eggnog

“I remember being like, are there recipes that use eggnog? I found one for cookies and then one for frosting,” said Jaffe.

The taste was spot on, so he proudly posted on a dads’ social media group

“It actually was sort of like the closest thing I can think of to Fight Club. One of the dads, reached out. He was like can I get some of them? The next year, I did it again,”

Jaffe said. By 2023, it had become a tradition. And in 2024, he decided to make it official. Because he still has a day job, Jaffe limits his of ferings.

“I do not like expansive menus. I like a few things done really well,” Jaffe said.

Gluten-free options are an important part of that mix for the Cookie Dad

“I have a gluten allergy, a wheat allergy When I bake gluten stuff, I put on the mask and the gloves. And if I make gluten-free things, I have a whole second mixer that never touches gluten at all. I take it seriously because I live it,” said Jaffe.

Baking a cake for a child with allergies was what ramped up Oak Parker Ashley Renée Johnson’s business, Petal & Moon. She had been a pastry chef at well-known places like Somerset, then Spiaggia

“I had just gotten one of my pastries on the menu. It was this chocolate brioche with a hazelnut frangipane and some orange cream and chocolate ganache. It got on the brunch menu in February of 2020. Then everything came crashing down,” said Johnson, referring to the pandemic.

She went home and baked sourdough bread, like so many others.

“One of my customers was like, my child has all these allergies. Can you make his birthday cake? So that was the first. I posted it on my Instagram page and then it slowly snowballed,” said Johnson.

A career in kitchens led Johnson to put emphasis on ingredients. For her the more local the better.

“It just feels special because I’m connecting with the growers and the land. All those things are super important to me because even though it’s a cake, it’s still food. And

even though it’s sweet, it’s still going to nourish,” said Johnson.

She relies on Janie’s Mill flours from Illinois, growing and drying her own flowers for decorations and gathering local fruit in the summer to preserve their flavors into winter. She even gathers grapes from her

grandfather’s Oak Park backyard

All four of these bakers put their hearts into what they create. Their craft goes beyond business. For them, it’s about feeding their community and spreading love the way only a good bite of food can.

“When you go to your grandma’ or aunt’s

house. They say, ‘Do you want something to eat?’ That’s why I love doing this,” said Tanesha Watkins

Save the date for Bite the Burbs, area’s culinary event

Seize the deals and explore local restaurants Jan. 31 to Feb. 8

By DALAL ORFALI Vibe Assistant Editor

As we wrap the holiday season and dig into the bitter cold winter, a culinary event is set to heat up the west suburbs

Bite the Burbs is coming back for its second year from Jan. 31 to Feb. 8. The event brings together more than 70 local restaurants, offering you a chance to explore diverse dining options with enticing deals

Organized by Visit Oak Park, Bite the Burbs aims to energize local dining during a typically slow time of the year

Annie Coakley, executive director of Visit Oak Park, shared the inspiration behind the event, saying: “It’s a promotion to bring people in the area who would prefer to stay home and order food in to get them to go out, and we’re enticing them with some kind of a deal.”

She added: “Restaurants have a choice of

the deal that they want to provide, which is either a free appetizer with entree purchase or a free dessert with entree purchase or 15% off the check or providing a prix-fixed meal.”

While named for Oak Park, Bite the Burbs extends to Forest Park, Brookfield, La Grange, La Grange Park, Riverside and North Riverside

Coakley emphasized the event’s regional focus, saying, “We have so many interesting restaurants – not your cookie-cutter establishments. For example, we’ve included Cuban, Venezuelan and Mexican restaurants, along with unique takes on pizza like brick-oven styles.”

The timing of Bite the Burbs is strategic It coincides with Bite Nite, a food-focused fundraiser hosted by the Oak Park-River Forest Chamber on Jan. 31, creating synergy between two celebrations of local culinary art.

“We kick off the week with their event, then we have the rest of that week to get people out and explore restaurants they have tried and get a deal while they’re at it,” Coakley said.

Bite the Burbs provides an important platform for locally-owned restaurants, aiming to increase foot traffic and bolster community support

Participating restaurants were recruited through collaborations with local chambers and village economic development departments. “We are putting this promotion together. We provided them with a link to the form, and there is no cost for the restaurants to participate,” Coakley said. .

Restaurants also benefit from enhanced visibility through marketing strategies such as table tents with QR codes, posters and a user-friendly website listing all participating establishments and their deals

Feedback from last year’s event has influenced this year’s approach. “Restaurants requested more social media promotion, and we’ve increased our advertising budget,” Coakley noted. Additionally, partnerships with organizations like Yummy Food Tours and Takeout 25 have helped spread the word and elevate the event’s profile.

Reflecting on Bite the Burbs’ potential, Coakley shared her enthusiasm. “Seeing the growth from 32 restaurants to over 70

in just one year shows that this benefits restaurants and that they appreciate the work we’re putting into it on their behalf,” she said.

While future plans may include extending the event’s duration or adding interactive elements like chef demonstrations, Coakley said that feedback from participants will shape the event’s evolution. She expressed gratitude for partnerships with organizations like Takeout 25 that have helped amplify the event’s reach. “They helped us spread the word to the restaurant community that this is available for them to take advantage of,” she said. .”

Bite the Burbs is not just a celebration of food; it’s a testament to the creativity of local restaurants. Whether you’re a seasoned foodie or looking for a reason to venture out, this event promises an unforgettable culinary journey with the added value of a deal.

For more details, visit the Bite the Burbs website and check the list of participating restaurants. https://www.visitoakpark .com/bite-the-burbs-restau ra ntweek

RISÉ SANDERS WEIR

From le : Tanesha Watkins, Tee Tee’s Sweets owner; Lillian Kong, Lit Cake Baker y owner; Ashley Renée Johnson, Petal & Moon owner; Russell Ja e, Cookie Dad owner.

Submit events and see full calendar at forestparkreview.com/events

Valentine’s Day Happenings: Local events to celebrate

By ZOË TAKAKI Contributing Reporter

OA K PARK

La Notte

■ Feb. 14, 1120 Pleasant St., Oak Park

Head over to La Notte to enjoy a special Valentine’s Day menu crafted by executive chef and owner Giovanni Mancini.

Cheney Mansion

■ Feb. 15, at 6:30 p.m., 220 North Euclid Ave., Oak Park

View the Cheney Mansion decorated in lights at its Glow Valentine’s Day Dance Party. Expect dinner and dancing.

Little Gem Cafe

■ Feb. 14, 189 N. Marion St., Oak Park

Visit Little Gem Cafe for its four courses, Valentine’s Day prix-fixe menu. Choose between five diverse main courses and three tempting desserts.

Schoolhouse Kitchen + Studios

■ Feb.14 and Feb.16, at 9 a.m. and 4 a.m., 1011 Madison St., Oak Park

If you are looking for something f estive for your little ones to do this Valentine’s Day, look no further than Schoolhouse Kitchen + S tudio ’s Valentine C ooking C amp. Want a f amily activity? Indulge in i ts Valentine’s Day pizza pa rty for families .

Pleasant Home

■ Feb. 14, at 7 p.m., 217 Home Ave., Oak Park

Celebrate being single at Love Bites: An Anti-Valentine’s Day Celebration put on by the Park District of Oak Park at the Pleasant home. Expect a night of antilove ballads and fun activities.

FOREST PARK

Robert’s Westside

■ Feb. 14, at 6:30 p.m., 7321 Madison St., Forest Park

Feel neighborly love at Robert’s Westside’s King of Hearts event. The community is being asked to nominate a person who spreads the most love and joy; then they will be crowning a king or a queen while listening to the music of Jeff Mauro & The Jewel Bags and The Shams Band.

Table and Lain

■ Feb. 14 -15, at 6:30 p.m., 7322 Madison St, Forest Park

Cook a four-course romantic meal with your loved one at Table and Lain’s Valentine’s Day cooking class. From seared duck breast to a chocolate cake with gold leaf, this elevated experience will surely impress a date.

Scratch Public House

■ Feb. 15, at 12 p.m., 7505 Madison St., Forest Park

Get your gals and your dollar bills out for Valentine’s Diva Drag Brunch at Scratch Public House.

AUSTIN

Su Taqueria Thaly’s

■ Jan. 21 to Feb. 15, 3156 N. Austin Ave., Chicago

Su Ta q ueria T haly’s is the perfect spot for I nsta gr am- wo rt hy Valentine’s Day food, having all the heart-shaped snacks and love - themed drinks. Order a vitrolero (5-gallon jug) of horchata and a heart-shaped torta for a g ood meal and a good photo.

BROOKFIELD

Warm Wick Company

■ Feb. at 7 p.m., 3732 Prairie Ave., Brookfield

Cozy up with your loved one at Warm Wick Company’s Valentine’s Date Night candle-making event. Work to g ether to create a custom fra grance while enjoying hors d’oeuvres and chocolate-covered strawberries.