All Forest Park water meters w ill be replaced with ones that come with a customer portal
By JESSICA MORDACQ Staff Reporter
Forest Park is one step closer to replacing water meters throughout the village
At the last village council meeting, commissioners unanimously approved three ordinances that move forward this year’s ef fort to replace all residential and commercial manual water meters with digital ones.
“It should be an easy transition,” Sal Stella, director of the village’s public works department, previously told the Review of the new water meters. “It’s helping my de partment as far as being more efficient.”
T he village started re placing water meters in 2000, largely targeting those that were de grading or f aulty T he re placement meters were mechanical with a wireless system, so public works employees drove around town to read the meters, but didn’t have to
See WATER METERS on pa ge 6
Monday February 24 10am-11:30am
Monday, February 24 10am-11:30am
Monday February 24 10am-11:30am
Please join us at George’s Family Restaurant in Oak Park to learn about the Oak Park Arms
Senior Living Community
Please join us at George’s Family Restaurant in Oak Park to learn about the Oak Park Arms
Senior Living Community
George’s Family Restaurant
145 S. Oak Park Ave, Oak Park 708-848-4949
Please join us at George’s Family Restaurant in Oak Park to learn about the Oak Park Arms
Location: George’s Family Restaurant
Reservations required - limited seating email: renee@oakparkarms.com or call 708-386-4040
145 S Oak Park Ave Oak Park 708-848-4949
Reservations Required (Limited Seating)
Senior Living Community
Email– Renee@oakparkarms.com or call 708-386-4040
Location:
George’s Family Restaurant 145 S Oak Park Ave Oak Park 708-848-4949
Reservations Required (Limited Seating)
Email– Renee@oakparkarms.com or call 708-386-4040
Get ready to vote in the April 2025 local election
Voters w ill decide on board members for school districts and the Park District of Forest Park
By JESSICA MORDACQ Staff Reporter
Voting is one way Forest Park residents can make their voices heard and enact change on the local level during April 2025 municipal elections.
This year’s election takes place April 1, or voters can get out early to cast a ballot in March. Residents will choose the outcome of board members for School Districts 91 and 209, and the Park District of Forest Park.
Register to vote
First-time eligible voters, those looking to change their re gistration address or anyone who wants to double check that they’re set for Election Day can do so at https:// www.cookcounty c lerkil.go v/elections/ voter-registration.
To vote in Illinois, you must turn 18 years old on or before the date of the consolidated election. You must be a United States citizen and live in your election precinct at least 30 days prior to the Election Day. You cannot be serving a jail or prison sentence and cannot have claimed the right to vote anywhere else.
For the April 1 election, voters can re gister online, in person or by mail.
With an Illinois driver’s license or state ID, you can re gister through the Illinois State Board of Elections at https://ova. elections.il.gov/ by March 16. You can also fill out a form on that website by printing and signing it and mailing it in by March 4. To re gister in person, suburban Cook
County residents can go to one of the Cook County Clerk’s locations, a village clerk, an Illinois Secretary of State’s driver’s license facility or deputy re gistrars.
Individuals wanting to re gister to vote during early voting can do so by bringing two pieces of identification, one with a current address, to their voting site. You can also re gister on Election Day at your home precinct or an Election Day Vote Center.
Early voting
Suburban Cook County voters can cast their ballot ahead of April 1 at any suburban early voting location, a list of which can be found on the Cook County Clerk’s website.
The following locations are open March 17 through 31 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., except March 23 and 30, when they’re open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
■ Pavek Community Center, 6501 31st St., Berwyn
■ Brookfield Village Hall, 8820 Brookfield Ave.
■ Cicero Community Center, 2250 S.49th Ave.
■ Cicero PSO Building, 5410 34th St., which is open the same times as above, except March 24 through 28 and on March 31, when it’s open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
■ Maywood Public Library District, 121 S. 5th Ave.
■ Oak Park Village Hall, 123 Madison St. Local voters can also apply for a mail ballot, which must be mailed by April 1 using a USPS mailbox, deposited at a designated drop site or turned in on Election Day in person.
Election Day
Voting is open for the consolidated municipal elections from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. April 1.
Forest Park voters can find their designated polling place at https://www.cookc ountyc lerkil.gov/elections/your-voter-
information.
Voting locations include:
■ Grant White School, 147 Circle Ave.
■ Garfield School, 543 Hannah Ave.
■ Howard Mohr Community Center, 7640 Jackson Blvd.
■ Park District of Forest Park, 7501 Harrison St.
■ Betsy Ross School, 1315 Marengo Ave.
■ Field Stevenson School, 925 Beloit Ave.
Who is running?
School District 91 Board Member (four open seats)
■ Steven Rummel
■ Andrea Marello
School District 209 Board Member (three open seats)
■ Arbdella Patterson
■ Candice Ross
■ Zihualpilli Hernandez
■ Jerry Jenkins
■ Rolanda Morris
■ William Fisher
■ Nicole Molinaro
■ Ebony Smith
Park District of Forest Park Board Member (two open seats)
■ Timothy Gillian
■ Sammiejo Oswalt
■ Maria (Betty) Alzamora
Why Tim Gillian is running for the park district board
He previously served as a village commissioner
and village administrator
By JESSICA MORDACQ Staff Reporter
With upcoming municipal elections in April, in the coming weeks, the Review will profile candidates running for the Park District of Forest Park’s Board of Commissioners.
The first will center Tim Gillian, who currently serves as president of the park board.
Tim Gillian has a long history in Forest Park.
He attended Proviso East High School. From the late 1970s to the mid-1990s, Gillian volunteered as an auxiliary officer for the Forest Park Police Department. During the same time, he and his brother ran a paving business that they started themselves.
Gillian’s career as an elected official started in 1995 as the village council’s commissioner of streets and public improvement. Gillian was also a Proviso Township trustee from 1999 to 2011. After 12 years as
commissioner, he was hired as village administrator in 2009 and served until 2021.
Gillian retired that year, and in late 2021, was appointed to the Park District of Forest Park’s Board of Commissioners. He’s served as president, a position that the board annually votes on, since last summer.
Gillian said there are several qualities from his time as an elected official that he hopes to bring with him to the park district board, if elected.
“Most of the problems that we see [on the park district board] are things that I’ve dealt with extensively on the village side, or even as an elected official,” Gillian said.
And he often did so without much money to work with. The village ended its last fiscal year with an $11 million deficit.
As village administrator, he balanced seven department heads, five elected officials and 15,000 residents, which he said often have competing interests.
“I juggled them all day long to keep everybody as happy as possible while still moving in the proper direction,” Gillian said.
“The village has no money, and trying to still accomplish big things with no money was always a challenge. But we did it,” Gillian said. “We still leveraged grants and all kinds of other stuf f, just like we do at the park, to get stuf f done.”
If reelected, Gillian has a few goals he’d like to accomplish.
One is having someone at the park district help with mental health resources or social services.
“I want to put a mental health person on our staf f and have open office hours so that a resident can just walk in and say, ‘I need help,’” Gillian said. “I don’t know what form that will take yet, but park districts now more than ever need to change with the community needs.”
He’d also like to start a program that offers free swim lessons to one grade of lo-
cal students at a time. They would get two free lessons at the Forest Park pool to learn about swim etiquette and basic instruction.
Both a mental health service and free swim lessons would likely require collaboration with local schools.
Finally, Gillian said he’d like to add on to the Roos Recreation Center. The park district is working with architects to create a plan to build an extension of f the back of the building’s north side. This would create more room for day camps for kids after school and in the summer.
Gillian considers the park district board’s recent successes to be adding property to its portfolio, upgrading its pool, adding pickleball courts, and redoing the pocket parks.
On the park district board, Gillian was the one who started the conversation about transfer ring the village-owned pocket parks to the park district.
“And since I’ve been on the board, we’ve completely rehabbed three of them [with] millions of dollars,” he said. “That affects day-to-day lives.”
And he hopes to continue impacting the daily lives of Forest Park residents.
“For more than 40 years, I’ve been involved,” Gillian said. “Why am I running again? I’m not done yet.”
TIM GILLIAN
Local districts set policy after Trump order allows ICE arrests in schools
Local schools have had to establish new policies to ‘protect our children’
By BRENDAN HEFFERNAN Staff Reporter
After a sweeping federal action, school districts locally and across the country have had to plan for what happens when U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents ar rive at a school’s front door.
Places including schools, hospitals, churches, playgrounds and child care centers had been considered “sensitive locations” for ICE since 2011, with federal policy preventing agents from making arrests or civil apprehensions, conducting interviews or performing searches and surveillance at those locations under most circumstances.
In the wake of the executive order, local school districts have set new policies on how they plan to handle ICE investigations on school property and how they plan to communicate with families in light of schools’ lost protective status.
Leadership at Proviso Township High School District 209 told Growing Community Media they will not allow ICE agents into schools unless the agents provide a criminal warrant signed by a judge.
“Per district policy, any federal agent, including ICE officers, must present a criminal warrant signed by a judge to gain access beyond the front office,” D209 superintendent Krish Mohip said in a prepared statement. “Without that document, they will be treated as any other visitor, and our standard visitor policies will apply. We remain committed to supporting all our students, re gardless of their immigration status.”
Forest Park School District 91 will also require a signed criminal warrant before allowing ICE agents into schools.
“ICE officers arrive at a school without a warrant, our staf f will follow strict district protocols. Non-local law enforcement, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement, are not allowed to enter our schools except when required by law and
only after consultation with district legal counsel or district leadership,” D91 spokesperson Nurys Uceta-Ramos said in a statement. “If such a situation arises, staf f are instructed to contact the district office immediately so that legal counsel or other trained personnel can determine the district’s legal obligations re garding access and student information. Confidentiality is a priority, and we work to protect the rights of all students and families.”
Oak Park and River Forest High School and Oak Park School District 97 leaders have said they will require signed court orders outlining the scope of what agents are investigating before allowing ICE agents into schools.
in investigations.
D209 also implemented a districtwide policy change at its Feb. 11 meeting requiring staf f to notify a student’s parents and make an ef fort to have the parents present at the school before allowing any immigration enforcement officer to make contact with a student.
“District 97 is firmly committed to ensuring our schools are safe and welcoming spaces for all students, families and staf f, re gardless of immigrant status,’ D97 Superintendent Ushma Shah said in a statement. “Visitors to our schools are subject to the Board of Education Visitor Policy, which requires all visitors to go through the proper screening at our building’s main offices before entering. Building and central office administrators work jointly in the event of a visit by an immigration enforcement agency. In an instance where a building is visited by such an agency without a valid court order identifying the purpose/scope of the visit, they will be directed to the administrative building at 260 Madison St. for additional assistance and to minimize disruption to the school day. We continue to monitor this landscape and are working closely with our legal team, administrators and staf f to ensure we are well-prepared if such a situation arises.”
“Any federal agent, including ICE ocers, must present a criminal warrant signed by a judge to gain access beyond the front o ce. ”
KRISH MOHIP D209 Superintendent
“This is a challenge for many of our students, and this is not a political statement but rather we want to make sure our attendance rates stay high,” Mohip said during the meeting. “We want to make sure all our students feel safe when coming to school, so I want to applaud our administrators who came in on Jan. 19, on a Sunday, to talk this through and to get trained with help from our legal team.
“This is just one more step to cement our policies to protect our children.”
More than 25% of Proviso D209 students are considered English language learners, students for whom English is not their first language and are not yet proficient in either speaking, reading or writing in English. English learners account for more than 2% of the student body at OPRF, 3.7% of the student body in Oak Park D97 and 8.5% of Forest Park D91.
Oak Park immigration law attorney Brenda Treml said the order threatens immigrant children’s ability to feel safe in school.
for med, advocating for protections, and supporting policies that ensure every child feels secure in their school environment.”
While the sensitive location policy remained in effect during his first term in of fice, President Donald Trump removed those protections with an executive order last month, just one of more than 20 executive actions the administration has taken during its first month in power aimed at sharpening immigration enforcement.
“Criminals will no longer be able to hide in America’s schools and churches to avoid arrest,” the Department of Homeland Security said in a statement following the order. “The Trump Administration will not tie the hands of our brave law enforcement and instead trusts them to use common sense.”
ICE arrested more than 8,000 immigrants for deportation during Trump’s first two weeks as president. The president has pushed the agency to arrest 1,300 people a day on average in order to deport 1 million people by the end of the year, according to NBC News.
The Illinois State Board of Education released guidance to school districts on how they should set policy in the wake of the new federal immigration enforcement guidelines. The ISBE has encouraged districts to establish uniform protocols on what sort of documentation they will require enforcement agents to provide before allowing them to enter schools.
Village of Oak Park leaders have also said that Oak Park police will not aid ICE
“The removal of the sensitive location protections af forded to schools is deeply concerning for immigrant families and school communities as a whole,” Treml said. “Even if enforcement actions do not take place, the threat alone can make students feel unsafe and hinder their ability to focus on learning. It is essential that families understand their rights so that no child’s education is disrupted by fear. The broader community can help by staying in-
The ISBE guidance also pointed to a potential point of friction in the executive order, as the 1981 U.S. Supreme Court Decision in Plyer v. Doe, which established that school districts had a responsibility to educate children re gardless of their immigration or citizenship documentation. The state warned school districts against putting in policies that require a parent to disclose their or their child’s immigration status during enrollment process so as not to violate federal law.
There are estimated to be more than 77,000 total immigrant children in Illinois, according to the American Council on Immigration. The Migration Policy initiative estimates that there are 16,000 unauthorized immigrant children under 16-yearsold in Illinois.
Elevators pass inspection at West Sub’s River Forest campus
Li s in three of the campus’ buildings had failed inspection since last March
By JESSICA MORDACQ Staff Reporter
The elevators inside West Suburban Medical Center’s River Forest campus buildings have failed several inspections over the past year – most frequently for outof-date fire extinguishers, broken emergency phones, or past-due category 1 tests that assess elevator safety.
But on Feb. 11, all elevators in the campus’ three main buildings passed inspection for the first time since last March, according to River Forest Village Administrator Matt Walsh.
On the River Forest West Suburban campus, Building A at 7411 Lake St. offers sports rehab and therapy, a pain and bariatric center, and houses the Chicago Health Medical Group. Building B at 420 William St. serves as a breast care center, provides advanced imaging, and is an occupational health center. Building C at 7420 W. Central Ave. is a center for cancer care
WATER METERS
Digital, with portal
from page 1
leave the truck.
The newest wave of water meters will be read through a radio signal from an antenna on a water tower, allowing village staf f to monitor water usage from village hall. And customers will now be able to monitor their own water usage through a customer portal.
The latest three ordinances that the village council passed re garding water meters include allowing Sensus USA to provide software to read the water meters and radio wave spectrum access; VertexOne to create, operate and maintain a water utility customer portal; and Core & Main as a point of service for the water meters’ operation, maintenance and software integration.
The latter ag reement is “for the company that we are going to use to get us the water meters and help us with the install,” said Village Administrator Rachell Entler
A Burr Ridge-based elevator inspection service analyzed all these buildings’ elevators in Feb. 2023, March and December 2024, and again this January. Ahead of the Feb. 11 inspection, both Building A’s freight and passenger elevators had failed inspection since last March. The same was true with Building B and Building C, which each have a passenger elevator.
Manoj Prasad, CEO of Resilience Healthcare, which acquired West Suburban in late 2022, said he had no insight into why the elevators were down for so long since West Suburban doesn’t own the buildings
The buildings are owned by Ramco Healthcare Holdings, the company that bought West Suburban properties to lease them to Resilience Healthcare. However, the ownership of Ramco and Resilience Healthcare are intertwined After Ramco bought the real estate at both West Sub and Chicago’s Weiss Memorial in 2022, the firm then leased the property to the newly created Resilience Health-
during her report at the end of the village council meeting.
For all three ordinances, the village council opted to waive bidding requirements and accept the proposals they got
care. A press release from 2022 re ported that Prasad and Reddy Rathnaker Patlola, owner of Ramco, were business par tners.
Over the last year, Walsh said a couple elevator repair companies have visited the River Forest buildings to fix the issues with the elevators.
Outside of Building A’s freight elevator car being down during its March 2024 inspection, all the buildings’ elevators have been in working order though they’d failed inspections, according to Walsh.
“It’s the village’s hope to not shut down elevators unless it’s a very eg re gious example,” Walsh said. He added that it often takes time to schedule repair personnel to fix the elevators. “We want to be cooperative with buildings that might be havin g i ssues with their elevators. ”
To that point, the Vi llage of Rive r Fo rest is also slow to fine owners of buildings that fail inspections
“We t ry to not i ssue citations, because ultimately our g oal is c omplianc e, ”
ects if four-fifths of the council members vote in favor.
In October, the village council gave the go ahead to request consulting services to help implement the replacement process.
from the companies. According to the village code, commissioners can waive competitive bidding requirements for proj-
They will help get the materials for the water meter re placement and help with installation.
Walsh a dded. “But if the village d oesn’t see any meaningful progr ess or responsiveness to our i nspectors or our staf f, then we have escalated to citations.”
Th at was the c ase in December, when West Suburban was found liable for a $750 fine for the elevators on i ts Rive r Fo rest c ampus after the hospital rece ived seve r al letters of violation.
“We had grow ing c oncerns that resid ents or visitors might g et stuck in those elevators without a ccess,” Walsh said of why the village took action to i ssue a citation for the elevators.
A djudication documents that we re provided to Grow ing C ommunity Media , the parent c ompany of We d nesd ay Journal and Austin Weekly News, show that Ramco Healthcare Holdings was fined $150 for weeds taller than 8 inches on it s Rive r Fo rest proper ties
Walsh said the village issued West Suburban additional citations in January, which will be heard at a March 3 adjudication.
Village staf f and the chosen consulting firm met earlier this month to kick of f the water meter replacement project. Much of the initial work will be internal and on the back end of the village-wide water meter replacement.
“Before we can even do the install, we’ll have to get our software up-to-speed and connect everything for our county,” Entler said. “It’s probably going to be a little bit before the public sees anything with the water meter project.”
While residents may see a slightly higher bill with digital water meters, they will also be able to account for every single drop with the new customer portal.
“It’s giving the customer more transparency on their end and giving them the option for alerts,” Stella previously told the Review about the customer por tal.
The portal will “eventually allow users to be able to access their water meter usage and hopefully will allow people to have a better idea of how they’re using water,” Entler said during her re port. “They won’t have to wait until we do billing to realize they may have a water leak somewhere in their house.”
Elgin proper ty robbed of $3,500 wor th of tools
By JESSICA MORDACQ Staff Reporter
On Feb. 13, police responded to Elgin Avenue after contractors for Westwork, a painting and remodeling company, called to report a burglary. The contractors told police they left the residence the previous evening and locked the doors. But when they returned the following morning, they noticed several items strewn across the first floor, including a gun case. The basement door appeared to be forced open, according to the police report. The contractors said that about $3,500 worth of tools were missing. The contractors said they would file complaints if the offender was located.
Criminal damage to property
While on patrol Feb. 7, police saw a man driving down Madison Street while using his phone and without a seatbelt. Police pulled the man over and, while they discovered his license was suspended, the man got out of his car and ignored orders to get back in it. The man repeatedly resisted police while they handcuffed him, and his breath smelled of alcohol, according to the police report. During the struggle, the man pushed off the squad car, causing a dent estimated to cost nearly $2,500 to repair. The man was charged with two counts of resisting an officer, driving under the influence of alcohol, having a suspended license, unlawful use of a cell phone, not wearing a seat belt, and criminal damage to property.
Possession of controlled substance
On Feb. 8, police were dispatched to the CTA Blue Line Forest Park stop for a battery. There, a man told police that an unknown man came up to him on the train, stole $100 from him, then punched him in the head. When police made contact with the offender, he told them he hit the man in self-defense. At the police station, officers found two bags of suspected heroin on the offender, along with paraphernalia used to ingest narcotics – but no money – according to the police report. The man told police that he was riding the train when the reported victim asked him for heroin, then continued to follow him and demand
more after the man gave him some. The offender was charged with battery, possession of a controlled substance, and possession of drug paraphernalia. When police went to Loyola Hospital to talk with the victim, he appeared to be under the influence of narcotics and told them he was homeless but the altercation had nothing to do with heroin.
Stalking
A woman came to the police station Feb. 12 to report that her ex-boyfriend was stalking her. She told police that, earlier that month, she broke up with him, and he moved to Michigan. The woman reported that her ex-boyfriend threatened suicide if she didn’t take him back, then contacted her friends and family when she blocked him. She told police that mail from her Beloit Avenue apartment’s mailbox was missing, and that she was starting to fear for her safety. The woman didn’t have a local address for her ex-boyfriend, but police infor med her about how to get an order of protection, according to the police report
Battery
A supervisor at the Chicago Bulk Mail Center came to the police department Feb. 12. He told police that one of the center’s employees returned from his break late and smelled of alcohol. But when the supervisor tried to escort him out, the man became belligerent and threatening before punching the supervisor in the face, according to the police report. At the time that the police report was filed, police had not yet located the offender
These items were obtained from Forest Park Police Department reports dated Feb. 7 - 13 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
Alternative Spanish Immersion K-12 School
Private Lessons for Music, Languages, Academic Tutoring, Theater, Voice, Audition Prep, Logic Pro recording and more!
Personalized Summer Camp
$150 off registration fee if used before April 15, 2025
winter/Spring
2025 Enrichment and Campguide
Chicago Edge Summer Camps Return for Another Exciting Summer of Soccer!
Chicago Edge Soccer Camps return this year for their 13th summer of programming with the Park District of Oak Park. The camp has become one of the most popular summer options in Oak Park with almost 700 young players aged 4 to 14 participating last year. We have a 90-minute-aday option for players aged 4 -6 that serves as a fun and engaging introduction to soccer. Players will focus on learning the fundamental skills of soccer in a positive and safe learning environment. Our 3-hour camp for players aged 6 to 14 is a great way to
sharpen your soccer skills and have FUN whether you play Travel, AYSO, or Recreational soccer.
Players will work on individual ball skills throughout the week and end each day with an exciting small-sided World Cup tournament. We have 8 weeks of summer camp all based at Taylor Park, players are welcome to sign up for one or multiple weeks. Directed by Murray Findlay and coached by the professional coaches from the Chicago Edge Soccer Club, one of Chicago’s largest youth soccer clubs and based right here in Oak Park. We hope to see you there!
An Inspiring Opportunity for Gifted Students at Dominican University
It’s true. The needs of academically gifted & talented students can easily fall through the cracks as continued priorities on testing drive schools to teach to a standardized grade level response. The phrase genius denied refers to those who will suffer a profound gap between their fullest potential and what little is asked of them, particularly when one size just doesn’t fit all.
Perhaps this is part of the reason why schooling for the gifted and neurodivergent can be a boring and isolating experience.
Ask a neuro-atypical child what it’s like to learn with peers who learn differently, and the common reply will relate to waiting. Waiting for the other students to understand; waiting to be challenged more; waiting for answers to higherlevel questions; waiting for something to inspire a desire to achieve; waiting… for someone to notice.
Summer enrichment programs for intellectually like-minded students provide inspiring opportunities for both academic and social growth. And quite often, a life defining experience. The Summer Gifted and Talented Program is hosted on the beautiful campus at Dominican University, where our classrooms are buzzing with ideas because we know that talent must be nurtured and fed to fully develop. For us, summer is the highlight of the year. It’s a time when we can feel free to be ourselves, motivated by the energy that comes with the joy of inspired learning.
Visit dom.edu/summergifted for more details about SGAT at Dominican University. Spring Registration is around the corner soon! Inspired Minds. Amazing Possibilities.
June 9th to 13th
June 16th to 20th
June 23rd to 27th
July 7th to 11th
July 14th to 18th
July 21st to 25th
July 28th to August 1st
August 4th to 8th
chicagoedgesc.com/club/summercamps
Summer Gifted and Talented Program
Summer Gifted and Talented Program
(SGAT) challenges and inspires highly motivated, academically gifted and talented students entering grades 2-8 in the fall with academic and social enrichment in Math,Science, Writing/Humanities, and Fine/ Performing Arts.
For program information, summer courses and application details, visit: www.dom.edu/summergifted
Questions?
Contact Program Director (remote): Janie Wu, jwu@dom.edu
Or SGAT Assistant (on-campus): Lauren Somers, lsomers@dom.edu
Serving the gifted and talented community since 1987.
Serving the gifted and talented community since 1987.
Dominican University’s Summer Gifted and Talented Program (SGAT) challenges and inspires highly motivated, academically gifted and talented students entering grades 2-8 in the fall with academic and social enrichment in Math, Science, Writing/Humanities, and Fine/Performing Arts.
For program information, summer courses and application details, visit: www.dom.edu/summergifted
School of Education
7900 W. Division Street, River Forest, Illinois 60305
Questions? Contact off-campus Program Director Janie Wu at jwu@dom.edu, or on-campus SGAT Assistant Janette Torres Arellano at jtorresarellano@dom.edu.
AAU & TRAVEL BASKETBALL TEAMS
Basketball - We are the original Impact Basketball in the State of proven results We are a competitive, high-level basketball program girls and have been a feeder system for over 25 years to many schools. Our program is designed to enhance the fundamental skills show them how to transition those skills into game play at a high our players have gone to play college basketball.
Boys Grades: 2nd-8th
Girls Grades: 2nd-8th
size per team: 10-12 players.
IMPACT Basketball
ositive A lternative C hoices T ogether
accompanied by an adult. Walk-in registration available on date of tryout. $25.00 online / $30.00 at the door.
AAU & TRAVEL BASKETBALL TEAMS
LOCATIONS
Boys Grades: 2nd-8th
MIDDLE SCHOOL & ELEMENTARY
IMPACT Basketball
Community Center, 8020 Madison Street, River Forest, IL
Girls Grades: 2nd-8th
AAU & TRAVEL BASKETBALL TEAMS
2nd - 4th: Friday, February 28th & March 7th 6:30pm to 8:30pm
5th - 6th Saturday, February 15th from 12:00 am to 1:30 pm
5th - 6th Friday, February 21 from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm
TRY-OUTS 2025
7th - 8th: Saturday, February 15th & 22nd from 1:30 pm to 3:00 pm
original Impact Basketball in the State of competitive, high-level basketball program system for over 25 years to many designed to enhance the fundamental skills those skills into game play at a high play college basketball. players.
C hoices T ogether
Boys Grades: 2nd-8th
Girls Grades: 2nd-8th
- 8th: Saturday, February 15th & 22nd from 3:00 pm to 4:30 pm
I ndividuals M aking P ositive A lternative C hoices T ogether
2nd - 4th: Saturday, February 15th 4:30 pm to 6:00 pm
Walk-in registration available on date of tryout. door.
MIDDLE SCHOOL & ELEMENTARY
AAU & TRAVEL BASKETBALL TEAMS
2nd - 4th: Friday, February 28th 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm
information please contact:
Executive Director jamesfoster@impactbasketball.org
Street, River Forest, IL
28th & March 7th 6:30pm to 8:30pm 15th from 12:00 am to 1:30 pm from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm
State of program to many fundamental skills a high tryout.
Maximum roster size per team: 10-12 players.
15th & 22nd from 1:30 pm to 3:00 pm
IMPACT Travel Basketball - We are the original Impact Basketball in the State of We are a competitive, high-level basketball program for boys and girls and have been a feeder system for over 25 years to many area high schools. Our program is designed to enhance the fundamental skills of players and show them how to transition those skills into game play at a high level. Many of our players have gone to play college basketball.
MIDDLE SCHOOL & ELEMENTARY
TRY-OUTS 2025
MIDDLE SCHOOL & ELEMENTARY
15th & 22nd from 3:00 pm to 4:30 pm
15th 4:30 pm to 6:00 pm
DATES + LOCATIONS
28th 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm
8:30pm pm 3:00 pm 4:30 pm
I ndividuals M aking P ositive A lternative C
Walk-in registration available on date of tryout. Tryout Fee $25.00 online / $30.00 at the door.
Boys Grades: 2nd-8th
Girls Grades: 2nd-8th
TRY-OUTS 2025
TRY-OUTS 2025
District 97 policy, distribution of information by a community group does not imply directly or indirectly, that the group’s proevent(s) and/or service(s) is sanctioned, sponsored or endorsed by the district, the Board of Education or the superintendent.”
River Forest Community Center, 8020 Madison Street, River Forest, IL
Boys Grades 2nd - 4th: Friday, February 28th & March 7th 6:30pm to 8:30pm
Boys Grades 5th - 6th Saturday, February 15th from 12:00 am to 1:30 pm
Boys Grades 5th - 6th Friday, February 21 from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm
Boys Grades 7th - 8th: Saturday, February 15th & 22nd from 1:30 pm to 3:00 pm
Boys Grades: 2nd-8th
Boys Grades: 2nd-8th
Girls Grades: 2nd-8th
Girls Grades: 2nd-8th
I ndividuals M aking P ositive A lternative C hoices T ogether
I ndividuals M aking P ositive A lternative C hoices T ogether
IMPACT Travel Basketball - We are the original Impact Basketball in the State of Illinois with proven results We are a competitive, high-level basketball program for boys and girls and have been a feeder system for over 25 years to many area high schools. Our program is designed to enhance the fundamental skills of players and show them how to transition those skills into game play at a high level. Many of our players have gone to play college basketball.
Girls Grades 5th - 8th: Saturday, February 15th & 22nd from 3:00 pm to 4:30 pm
Girls Grades 2nd - 4th: Saturday, February 15th 4:30 pm to 6:00 pm
Maximum roster size per team: 10-12 players.
Girls Grades 2nd - 4th: Friday, February 28th 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm
IMPACT Travel Basketball - We are the original Impact Basketball in the State of Illinois with proven results We are a competitive, high-level basketball program for boys and girls and have been a feeder system for over 25 years to many area high schools. Our program is designed to enhance the fundamental skills of players and show them how to transition those skills into game play at a high level. Many of our players have gone to play college basketball.
IMPACT Travel Basketball - We are the original Impact Basketball in the State of Illinois with proven results We are a competitive, high-level basketball program for boys and girls and have been a feeder system for over 25 years to many area high schools. Our program is designed to enhance the fundamental skills of players and show them how to transition those skills into game play at a high level. Many of our players have gone to play college basketball.
information by a community group does not imply directly or indirectly, that the group’s prosponsored or endorsed by the district, the Board of Education or the superintendent.”
All children must be accompanied by an adult. Walk-in registration available on date of tryout. Tryout Fee $25.00 online / $30.00 at the door.
DATES + LOCATIONS
Maximum roster size per team: 10-12 players.
For more information please contact: James Foster, Executive Director jamesfoster@impactbasketball.org 708-497-9817 www.impactbasketball.org IG@illinoisimpactbasketball
Maximum roster size per team: 10-12 players.
All children must be accompanied by an adult. Walk-in registration available on date of tryout. Tryout Fee $25.00 online / $30.00 at the door.
All children must be accompanied by an adult. Walk-in registration available on date of tryout. Tryout Fee $25.00 online / $30.00 at the door.
River Forest Community Center, 8020 Madison Street, River Forest, IL
“In
Boys Grades 2nd - 4th: Friday, February 28th & March 7th 6:30pm to 8:30pm
DATES + LOCATIONS
DATES + LOCATIONS
Boys Grades 5th - 6th Saturday, February 15th from 12:00 am to 1:30 pm
River Forest Community Center, 8020 Madison Street, River Forest, IL
Boys Grades 5th - 6th Friday, February 21 from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm
River Forest Community Center, 8020 Madison Street, River Forest, IL
Boys Grades 2nd - 4th: Friday, February 28th & March 7th 6:30pm to 8:30pm
Boys Grades 2nd - 4th: Friday, February 28th & March 7th 6:30pm to 8:30pm
Boys Grades 7th - 8th: Saturday, February 15th & 22nd from 1:30 pm to 3:00 pm
Boys Grades 5th - 6th Saturday, February 15th from 12:00 am to 1:30 pm
Boys Grades 5th - 6th Saturday, February 15th from 12:00 am to 1:30 pm
Girls Grades 5th - 8th: Saturday, February 15th & 22nd from 3:00 pm to 4:30 pm
Boys Grades 5th - 6th Friday, February 21 from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm
Boys Grades 5th - 6th Friday, February 21 from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm
Girls Grades 2nd - 4th: Saturday, February 15th 4:30 pm to 6:00 pm
Boys Grades 7th - 8th: Saturday, February 15th & 22nd from 1:30 pm to 3:00 pm
Boys Grades 7th - 8th: Saturday, February 15th & 22nd from 1:30 pm to 3:00 pm
imply directly or indirectly, that the group’s proBoard of Education or the superintendent.”
Girls Grades 5th - 8th: Saturday, February 15th & 22nd from 3:00 pm to 4:30 pm
Girls Grades 2nd - 4th: Friday, February 28th 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm
Girls Grades 5th - 8th: Saturday, February 15th & 22nd from 3:00 pm to 4:30 pm
Girls Grades 2nd - 4th: Saturday, February 15th 4:30 pm to 6:00 pm
Girls Grades 2nd - 4th: Saturday, February 15th 4:30 pm to 6:00 pm
Girls Grades 2nd - 4th: Friday, February 28th 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm
Girls Grades 2nd - 4th: Friday, February 28th 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm
For more information please contact: James Foster, Executive Director jamesfoster@impactbasketball.org
For more information please contact: James Foster, Executive Director jamesfoster@impactbasketball.org
708-497-9817
708-497-9817
www.impactbasketball.org
IG@illinoisimpactbasketball
For more information please contact: James Foster, Executive Director jamesfoster@impactbasketball.org 708-497-9817 www.impactbasketball.org IG@illinoisimpactbasketball
“In accordance with District 97 policy, distribution of information by a community group does not imply directly or indirectly, that the group’s program(s), event(s) and/or service(s) is sanctioned, sponsored or endorsed by the district, the Board of Education or the superintendent.”
“In accordance with District 97 policy, distribution of information by a community group does not imply directly or indirectly, that the group’s program(s), event(s) and/or service(s) is sanctioned, sponsored or endorsed by the district, the Board of Education or the superintendent.”
“In accordance with District 97 policy, distribution of information by a community group does not imply directly or indirectl gram(s), event(s) and/or service(s) is sanctioned, sponsored or endorsed by the district, the Board of Education or the superin
SHARKS BASKETBALL ACADEMY
Elmwood Park Rec Center
4 W Conti Pkwy Elmwood Park, IL 60707
Friday, February 28th, 2025
5:30-7:00p 4th-8th Grade Girls
Tuesday, March 4th, 2025
5:30-6:40p | 2nd-4th Grade Boys
6:40-7:50p | 5th-6th Grade Boys
7:50-9:05p | 9th-12th Grade Girls
Thursday, March 6th, 2025
5:30-6:40p | 2nd-4th Grade Boys
6:40-7:50p | 5th-6th Grade Boys
7:50-9:05p | 9th-12th Grade Girls
Melrose Park Civic Center 1000 N 25th Ave Melrose Park, IL60160
Monday, March 3rd, 2025
5:30-6:40p | 7th-8th Grade Boys
6:40-7:50p | 9th-10th Grade Boys
7:50-9:05p | 11th-12th Grade Boys
Wednesday, March 5th, 2025
5:30-6:40p | 7th-8th Grade Boys
6:40-7:50p | 9th-10th Grade Boys
7:50-9:05p | 11th-12th Grade Boys
$25 TRYOUT FEE
Season begins March 17 and ends May 18. Games will be played weekends only for a total of about 18-24 games. Practices will be held two nights per week in Elmwood Park, Melrose Park, Bellwood, and Oak Brook areas. Uniforms are ordered as needed and TEAM BACKPACK is included!
Taste the world close to home
Elmwood Park restaurant week will take you on a culinary tour
DBy RISÉ SANDERS-WEIR Contributing Reporter
o mid-winter blues have you dreaming of vacation destinations? A short trip can deliver flavors of the world when you take advantage of Dine-In Elmwood Park restaurant week, Feb. 21 to March 2. The only decision is where you want to go.
Italy is on the map, of course. After all, it’s Elmwood Park.
At Alpine Food Shop get a free soda with any sandwich purchase.
Armand’s Pizzeria serves up a $9 pizza special at lunch and dinner packs a sandwich, soup or salad and a drink for $12.
Donny G’s cheers you up with a complimentary glass of wine or beer with any meal order, as long as you can show the proper documents.
If you say the word at Jim & Pete’s you can get a $10 gift card for future dining, when you meet a $50 minimum dine-in order.
Plan your trip to Old World Pizza for their $6.50 lunch special: 2 slices with a canned drink. Their dinner offer is avail-
able all day: one large thin crust, one top ping pizza, six wings (hot, BBQ or plain) and a two-liter bottle of pop for $26.99.
Massa has a load of first-class options: your choice of pasta and a half salad sets you back only $20; panzerotti and a Pepsi, only $10; panini and five-piece polenta fry, $17; two lattes, $4; just to name a few.
Before you leave Italy, that bel paese, try Spizzico’s lunch deals. You choose from select sandwiches, fries and a drink; se lected salads, breadsticks and drink; or half a pasta order and a side salad and drink – any of those for only $9.
Chart yourself to destinations in Asia with a visit to New Star. For $20 it’s a choice of soup (wonton, hot & sour, egg drop or miso), appetizers aplenty (egg roll,
SPONSORED CONTENT
lunch special at New Star.
fried shrimp, BBQ pork, fried wontons), then decide between four different entrees (Mongolian beef, orange chicken, fried rice or New Star crunch roll). Their fond farewell is made of almond and fortune cookies.
If heading south makes you want to ditch your winter coat and dig in, Russell’s Barbeque can help. At lunch take off $4 from any one sandwich with a soup or salad. For dinner it’s $5 off rib, chicken and shrimp dinners.
A few latitudes further on the globe includes stops at Tacos 2 Go, where you buy one and get half off all dinner options: taco, torta, burrito and quesabirria.
Gringo & Blondie’s treats you right with $3 tamales and Tecate, along with daily lunch specials.
If a fine night out tickles your travel bug, Blue Fire Restaurant is your destination.
A $70 three-course dinner for two includes a wine paring and an appetizer of fried calamari or bruschetta, then a main course of pork medallions or grilled salmon, final arrive at a dessert of tiramisu or cheesecake. Two other deals run during the week: 10% off any menu item and a lunch deal of chicken shawarma and soup for $10. Sometimes exotic destinations are exhausting. You want comfort, familiarity and maybe catch the big game while you dine. Elmwood Park has you covered there
too.
Red Bottle Bar & Grill has combos that cozy up for $15: a burger and a beer, pizza and wine, or cheese or meat board and wine.
Let go of your luggage at Circle Tavern and get a free 16” two-topping pizza with the purchase of any food item. Or buy a signature entrée and get an additional food item for free.
Union Tap has got you as well. For $20 you can order soup or chili with any burger, sandwich or slice of pizza, but wait there’s more…you get a slice of cheesecake too.
Culver’s deal is non-stop. Order a value basket, dinner or salad and get $2 off, as long as you mention restaurant week.
Was it all a dream? No, these deals are real. And there is one more comfy, security blanket to snuggle under. Eggsperience lets you choose between these $12 meals:
Rocky Mountain high omelette, Tommy Boy skillet, tres leches French toast, avocado chicken sandwich or chopped salad.
“We’ve got a wealth of great dining options for you to sample in Elmwood Park,”; said Village President Angelo Saviano. “Whether you’re looking for a delicious burger and fries or a white tablecloth experience, there is something for you to try.”
More info at: elmwoodpark.org/restaurantweek
Not just Mexican cuisine! Fried chicken sandwiches • Philly cheesesteaks sandwiches • chicken wings (orange habanero, buffalo, sweet syracha) and brunch...from tres leches french toast, to Chilaquiles!
RISÉ SANDERS-WEIR
Comfy
Interim Executive Director Max Reinsdorf
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
HOLMES REVIEW
Development Manager Mary Ellen Nelligan
Circulation Manager Jill Wagner
Special Projects Manager Susan Walker
Senior Advisor Dan Haley
Board of Directors
Chair Eric Weinheimer
Treasurer Nile Wendorf Deb Abrahamson, Steve Edwards, Judy Gre n, Horacio Mendez, Charles Meyerson, Darnell Shields, 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 as a nation SHOULD be ASHAMED that 90 million of our fellow citizens did not vote in the last election.
We SHOULD feel SHAME when we read that the average American in the richest country in the world gives 2% of their disposable income to charity.
We SHOULD feel SHAME that our president, a convicted felon, proposed moving all the Palestinian residents out of Gaza against their will and turning it into a “Riviera of the Middle East.”
Conscience is the term we usually use for having an internal Jiminy Cricket in our psyche whispering what we SHOULD and SHOULD NOT do.
Freud call it our superego. AI explained to me that “the superego is a part of the human personality that controls a person’s morality and ethics. It’s one of three parts of the personality, along with the id and ego. The superego is partly conscious and internalizes the rules of society and parental conscience.
“The superego’s positive aspirations and ideals re present a person’s idealized self-image, or ego ideal. The superego’s main concern is whether an action is right or wrong. The superego can help people make decisions that move them toward their highest potential. The superego can also help people live responsibly and freely.”
Here’s the rub: Freud postulated that a second part of our psyche is the id, which counters the superego’s “I should” with a clear, strong “I want.”
Many commentators argue that we are living in a postmoder n age in which the cultural consensus is that there are no absolute ethical or even factual truths. Postmodern folks replace “right” or “wrong” with “comfortable” or “not comfortable.”
The journalistic ethical principle of “fact-checking” has been re placed with “that’s just your opinion.”
Have you ever thought about firing your conscience? It is a pain to have Jiminy Cricket on your shoulder whispering in your ear, “always let your conscience be your guide.”
Freud proposed that the human psyche is composed of three parts: the Id, who says “I want;” the Supere go, which says, “I should;” and the Ego which says, “Let’s figure this out rationally.”
When I was growing up, we would say “that’s right” or “that’s wrong.” Now I hear people explaining their choices by saying, “I’m not comfortable with that.”
What seems to be lost in the national psyche is the appreciation for the role of the superego, aka the con-
science. It seems when it comes to ethical decision-making most of us are pro-choice: don’t tell me what I should do. That’s between me and myself.
For presidents, the equivalent of an institutional conscience is the office of the inspector general, created in 1976. The role of the inspector general, according to the IG of the Federal Trade Commission, is to “prevent and detect fraud, waste, abuse, misconduct, and mismanagement in the government, and to promote economy, efficiency, and effectiveness in our agency’s operations and programs.”
President Trump finds IGs a pain in the butt. According to the AP he has already fired a dozen of them. Some commentators have even judged him to be an ethical nihilist, a person without any morals
And what if we who elect are leaders have lost our ethical compasses?
What does it tell you that President Trump fired at least 12 (and counting) inspectors general in his first three weeks in office?
The founding fathers did not trust human nature — i.e. the id and even the ego — so they created three branches of government that were supposed to check and balance each other. In other words, have one foot over the brake while the other is pressing down on the accelerator.
Francis Collings, retired Director of the Institutes of Health, has written a book titled, The Road to WisdomOn Truth, Science, Faith, and Trust, in which he argued:
“Following the upheavals of two world wars … a new philosophical movement arose … within the academic community [humanities departments] which rejected all prior ‘grand narratives’ based on reason, culture, or faith traditions. This is postmodernism.”
Postmoderns trust the ability of their ids and egos to make good decisions about direction in life.
“I think what the postmoder nists did,” Collings declared, “was truly evil.
The result of eliminating the superego/conscience from our internal processes in the name of spiritual/psychological “freedom” is the same kind of ethical relativism and chaos we are observing in government when people with a conscience like Liz Cheney are “primary-ed” for standing on their principles.
Collings offers a more hopeful path, one that believes that truth is available to all who humbly seek it: that science is a powerful method for se parating truth from falsehood in certain domains; that faith can illumine vital and transcendent truths; and that trust must be earned, partly by reco gnizing the limits of your own expertise.
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
INVITATION TO BID
VILLAGE OF NORTH RIVERSIDE
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN by the President and Board of Trustees of the Village of North Riverside, Cook County, Illinois, that sealed bids will be received for the following improvement:
2025 GREEN ALLEY IMPROVEMENTS
MWRD GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM
The proposed improvement includes the reconstruction of three (3) alley locations with Green Infrastructure improvements, consisting of: pavement removal, concrete curb removal, combination curb and gutter removal, driveway pavement removal, sidewalk removal, earth excavation, aggregate base course construction, P.C. concrete alley paving, combination concrete curb and gutter, P.C. concrete sidewalk, P.C. concrete driveway, permeable paver block installation, HMA pavement patching, restoration, and all other appurtenant construction.
Said bids will be received up to the hour of 10:00 a.m., on the 7th day of March, at the office of the Village Clerk, Village of North Riverside, 2401 S. Des Plaines Avenue, North Riverside, Illinois 60546, and will be publicly opened and read at that time.
Plans and proposal forms are available for download only from QuestCDN via the Novotny Engineering website, http:// novotnyengineering.com, “Bidding” tab, for a non-refundable charge of $40.00. Please contact Novotny Engineering (630-887-8640) to obtain the QuestCDN password. The Engineer has been authorized to refuse to issue Specifications and Proposals to any person, firm, or corporation that he or she considers to be unqualified. Proposals must be submitted on the forms provided. No Proposals will be issued to Bidders after 12:00 Noon on the 6th day of March. All proposals or bids must be accompanied by a Bid Bond, Cash, or Certified Check made payable to the Village of North Riverside in the amount of not less than five percent (5%) of the total amount of the Proposal as a guarantee that if the Proposal is accepted, a Contract will be entered into and the performance of the Contract is properly secured.
No bid shall be withdrawn after the opening of the proposals without the consent of the President and Board of Trustees of the Village of North Riverside for a period of forty-five (45) days after the scheduled time of closing bids. APPLICABLE FEDERAL REQUIREMENTS
1. Equal Employment Opportunity - as provided under 41 CFR Part 60 as amended and supplemented.
2. Davis-Bacon Act, as amended (40 U.S.C. 3141-3148) and supplemented.
3. Copeland “Anti-Kickback” Act (40 U.S.C. 3145) and as supplemented.
4. Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards Act (40 U.S.C. 3701-3708 and as supplemented.
5. Rights to Inventions Made Under a Contract or Agreement under 37 CFR § 401.2 (a).
6. Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 74017671q.) and the Federal Water
Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1251-1387), as amended.
7. Debarment and Suspension (Executive Orders 12549 and 12689)
8. Byrd Anti-Lobbying Amendment (31 U.S.C. 1352)
9. Small and Minority Businesses, Women’s Business Enterprises, and Labor Surplus Area Firms (2 C.F.R. § 200.321)
10. Domestic Preferences (2C.F.R. § 200.322)
11. Recovered Materials (2 C.F.R. § 200.323)
12. Record Retention (2 C.F.R. § 200.334)
13. Prohibition on Certain Telecommunications and Video Surveillance Services or Equipment (2 C.F.R. § 200.216)
The successful Bidder for the construction of the improvement will be required to file a Performance Bond equal to one hundred percent (100%) of the bid, with sureties to be approved by the President and Board of Trustees, which Performance Bond shall be conditioned upon proper and faithful performance by the Contractor of the work specified in accordance with the Plans and Specifications therefore, according to the time and terms and conditions of the Contract; and also that the Bidder and Contractor shall properly pay all debts incurred by the Contractor in the execution of the work, including those for labor and materials furnished.
The Contractor shall be required to furnish sufficient insurance or guaranty of indemnity to Village of North Riverside, Illinois, and the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRDGC), against any and all claims which might arise for damages to persons or property due to the negligence of the Contractor or Subcontractor(s), or their officers, agents, employees or servants, during the construction of said improvement and until the said improvement has been finally accepted as complete by the President and Board of Trustees of the Village of North Riverside, the right to reject any and all Proposals or Bids is reserved.
Dated at North Riverside, Illinois, this 19th day of March.
PRESIDENT AND BOARD OF TRUSTEES VILLAGE OF NORTH RIVERSIDE
By: Joseph Mengoni (s) President
A T T E S T:
By: Kathy Ranieri (s) Village Clerk
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION
WILMINGTON SAVINGS FUND SOCIETY, FSB, NOT IN ITS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY BUT SOLEY IN ITS CAPACITY AS OWNER TRUSTEE FOR OCWEN LOAN ACQUISTION TRUST 2023-HB1 Plaintiff, -v.-
UNKNOWN HEIRS AND DEVISEES OF RICKY WILSON, DECEASED, UNKNOWN CLAIMANTS AND LIENHOLDERS AGAINST THE ESTATE OF RICKY WILSON, DECEASED, UNKNOWN CLAIMANTS AND LIENHOLDERS AGAINST THE UNKNOWN HEIRS AND DEVISEES OF RICKY WILSON, DECEASED, UNKNOWN HEIRS AND DEVISEES OF ALLIE MAE WILSON AKA ALLIE M. WILSON, DECEASED, UNKNOWN CLAIMANTS AND LIENHOLDERS AGAINST THE ESTATE OF ALLIE MAE WILSON AKA ALLIE M. WILSON, DECEASED, UNKNOWN CLAIMANTS AND LIENHOLDERS AGAINST THE UNKNOWN HEIRS AND DEVISEES OF ALLIE MAE WILSON AKA ALLIE M. WILSON, DECEASED, BONNIE M. WILSON, JOHN LYDON, AS SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE OF RICKY WILSON, DECEASED, WILLIAM P. BUTCHER, AS SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE OF ALLIE MAE WILSON AKA ALLIE M. WILSON, DECEASED Defendants
18 CH 07072
643 S. 19TH AVENUE
MAYWOOD, IL 60153
NOTICE OF SALE
PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on December 17, 2024, an agent for The Judicial Sales Corporation, will at 10:30 AM on March 18, 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 643 S. 19TH AVENUE, MAYWOOD, IL 60153
Property Index No. 15-10-322017-0000
The real estate is improved with a single family residence. The judgment amount was $205,161.17.
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 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 HEAVNER, BEYERS & MIHLAR, LLC Plaintiff’s Attorneys, 601 E. William St., DECATUR, IL, 62523 (217) 422-1719. Please refer to file number 323264.
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.
HEAVNER, BEYERS & MIHLAR, LLC 601 E. William St. DECATUR IL, 62523 217-422-1719
Fax #: 217-422-1754
E-Mail: CookPleadings@hsbattys. com
Attorney File No. 323264
Attorney Code. 40387
Case Number: 18 CH 07072 TJSC#: 44-3268
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 # 18 CH 07072 I3260849
crushing it at CRUMBCRUSHER
ativity, and z
Chelsea Goolsby-Eberhar nut-free, gluten-free, vegan, and keto-friendly treats — plus a commitment to communit
BY RISÉ SANDERS WEIR
Contributing reporter
There’s a new place where you can have your cake and eat it too. CrumbCrusher bakery opened in January at 805 South Blvd. in Oak Park. The shop is bright, colorful and welcoming.
Sure, it is next door to Spilt Milk, but Berwynite owner and baker Chelsea Goolsby-Eberhart has a twist on baking that she feels adds to the block rather than competes with it.
“Oak Park was where I wanted to be situated with my inclusive treats,” Goolsby-Eberhart said. “We are 100% peanut and tree nut free, and we also offer other options for people who have other dietary restrictions, such as gluten-free, ve gan, sugar-free, and even some keto.”
The chef has a system for keeping every ingredient in its place in the kitchen.
“We always make sure that we handle our glutenfree things first. We make sure the kitchen is completely cleaned up and ready to prep all of our glutenfree batters,” she said.
Each morning, cases in the store are filled with freshly baked cupcakes, custom cakes, multiple flavors of croissants, and bagels – imported weekly from New York. While staring at gooey treats, like deep dish cookie pie, take notice of the color code for allergen awareness
“I developed a system based on plates. I specifically bought plates in different colors with the mindset that the gluten-free was always going to be red plate
because that was just like a No. Don’t touch. Don’t contaminate,” said Goolsby-Eberhart. Her passion for inclusion started early in her culinary jour ney
“I worked for Chicago Public Schools while I was in college, and I always would bring goodies to my class. I was the art and computer teacher. Students knew, if they were going to come to Miss Chelsea’s computer lab, they would have a snack before we started class But it got to the point where a lot of my kids had allergies. And you know, it’s kind of upsetting when you’re the only kid in the classroom who doesn’t get something. So, I vowed that I was going to crack the code on how to have inclusive treats and make sure that no one is ever left out,” said Goolsby-Eberhart. Next came a job in IT operations, but her love for baking has never flagged. While moonlighting making masks early in the Covid pandemic, Goolsby-Eberhart would include pre-packaged treats with orders Customers asked if she sold the sweets too
more like a collage, and that’s because with those, I get to incorporate technology a lot more,” Goolsby-Eberhart said. “I’ve invested in edible printers, 3D printers using sugar. If somebody tells me they want a cookie with their dog’s picture in the shape of their dog, we can make it happen.”
With the storefront open in Oak Park, the cake creator invites people in to relax and enjoy
“We love kids. We love making it a kidfriendly, mom-friendly space. I have a 7-yearold myself and there were times when I would go to places that looked friendly and inviting and colorful, and I’d get in and I’d feel so tense and awkward like I have to make sure that my kid is on his Ps and Qs ,” she said.
Customers seem to like what she is put-
ting out there.
“I was in last week. I had kids with me. erybody got something different and evrybody said theirs was really tasty,” said customer Anna Prescott. “I got a mystery box with chocolate chip cookies.”
What’s a mystery box? It’s Goolsby-Eberhart’s dedication to zero waste. For $5 or $10 you can buy a box filled with yesterday’s treats. Win-win.
The one thing that Goolsby-Eberhart says she is still working on is coffee
“If you want black coffee, I’ve got you! If you want good tea, I’m a tea snob. I’ve got an extensive tea collection,” she said.
In the shop, there is an extensive selection of packaged tea, candies, snacks, and cool school supplies that extend the animethemed vibe of the art on the walls
For CrumbCrusher to be a place for a snack, a custom cake, or a long chat with friends is just what Goolsby-Eberhart ordered.
RISÉ SANDERS WEIR
Chelsea Goolsby-Eberhart
18 Forest Park Review, February 19, 2025
Submit events and see full calendar at forestparkreview.com/events
T he Handel nual festival now entering its 26th It celebrates and his musi Evanston’s Park event is org Northway and Charles Chauncey Northway is tion, as he Inc. is “absolutely committed to assisting in bringing of artists to make the ful, one musical note at a time!
This year, Handel Week F reco gnizing Henry Griffin, 25, and Norah Lougachi, 18. Griffin and Lougachi are tw have been dedicated to their craft from a young age. to a world of new opportunities and suc cesses.
Grif fin, a rising baritone in the graduated from the Manhattan School of Music and is cu Eastman School of Music as the P. Fountain F
The Oak Pa musically rich en David Grif fin, is a Chicago Symphony Orchestra musician, and his mother, Su san Wagner Opera orchestra.
Grif fin pl and jazz ensemble when he was a student at Oak Pa School. He also studied piano with local teacher Hannah Chicago Children’s Choir for eight years. About his participation, Griffin is grateful for the oppor tunity
“I am so grateful to Dennis Northway and the Handel Week Festival for this oppor tunity to conduct these Baroque gems and to collaborate with such fantastic ar tists — in my hometown,” Grif fin said.
Grif fin has been named the Mark & Randi Ravitts Conducting Fellow for the Festival -- an honor for a gifted musician. He will conduct two pieces at the
the rise in Oak Park
ed at the 26th annual Handel Week Festival.
music study at Nor thwester n University this fall.
According to Northway, Lougachi was “the clear exceptional candidate and compelling choice” due to her “maturity of musicianship and excellent sightreading skills, along with her beautiful Soprano voice.” After she graduates in June, she plans to double major in Voice and French.
Henry Griffin and Norah Loug achi both have things in common: they will perfor m at the Handel Week Festival and graduate from their respective schools this year. As fellow Oak Park natives, it is only appropriate for the neighborhood to take pride in their hard work and dedication during this exciting time.
The festival will take place at Pilg rim Cong re gational Church, 460 Lake St. in Oak Park.
in six dif ferent choirs at her school, perfor med in the chorus of the Joffery Ballet’s Nutcrack er in Chicago, and participated in another choir under John Williams and the Boston Pops at the prestigious Tanglewood Festival.
Loug achi will sing with the Handel Week Festival Chorus at Concer t III on Sunday, March 1.
Loug achi has been awarded the Suzanne and Charles Wells Choral Scholarship from Handel Festival Week along with a scholarship toward fur ther
