Forest Park Review 031721

GROWING COMMUNITY MEDIA, NFP ForestParkReview.com Vol. 104, No. 11

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F O R E S T PA R K

REVIEW

St. Bernardine church will stay open PAGE 5

Serious accusations fly during D209 board meeting PAGE 9

MARCH 17, 2021

@FP_Review @ForestParkReview

D209 transition audit released, date disputed

RAIN, SHINE OR SNOW

External auditors include CFO of supt.’s former school district

Proviso East High School biology teacher Ann McElhatton breaks ground during the opening of the Proviso East Ecology Club’s new pollinator community garden on March 15.

The invitation said “rain or shine,” but instead there was snow. Read more on page 3.

By MARIA MAXHAM Editor

Last week, District 209 Superintendent James Henderson released his “100-Working Days Transition Audit Report,” which included the oft-discussed but not-yet-seen audits on which he based sweeping administrative changes at the special Feb. 27 board meeting. The report was posted to the district’s website with little fanfare.

The audit title page says it was “Reviewed on January 30, 2021,” and during the March 9 board meeting, Henderson said he had supplied it to all board members on that date.

“On Jan. 30, I provided [the audit report] to every board member,” said Henderson during the March 9 meeting. “I’m sure we did.”

But board member Claudia Medina responded that she hadn’t gotten a copy, and at the Feb. 27 board meeting, board member Amanda Grant and Medina both referenced not having seen the audit report yet.

On March 14, the Review spoke to board member Ned Wagner, who said he also had not received the audit report on Jan. 30, although at the retreat the previous day, Henderson had presented some information from the report to the board members.

According to the report, multiple data sources were used, including “observations, interviews, surveys and documents/artifacts.”

Some of the data was prepared internally, but Henderson also brought in help from Holmes County, the district in Mississippi where he formerly served as suSee D209 AUDIT on page 17

ALEX ROGALS/Staff Photographer

D91 families want district to find alternative daytime care Park district ends program to prepare for summer

By MARIA MAXHAM Editor

Some D91 parents are scrambling – and frustrated – that after spring break, free daytime remote-learning supervision will no longer be offered at the Park

IN Crime . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 THIS Big Week . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 ISSUE Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Classified . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

District of Forest Park, a service provided by the park district and paid for

by D91 when a D91 deal with the YMCA was terminated early in the school year.

The park district will continue to supervise kids through March 26, the last day of school before the district’s spring

break. Spring Break Camp is being offered from March 29 through April 1 through the park district, as well as childcare during the days of April 5 and 6, but that program will not be paid for See D91 CHILDCARE on page 7

Paper Source, with warehouse in town, files for bankruptcy

D91 parents unhappy about three-strikes rule

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Forest Park Review, March 17, 2021

Forest Park Review, March 17, 2021

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Forest Park officially receives Tree City USA designation Commissioner Voogd successfully led town through application process

dards a village must meet in order to receive national recognition, which has been around since 1976: having a tree board or department; putting into place a tree care ordinance; a community forestry program with an annual budget of at least $2 per

capita; and an Arbor Day proclamation and observance.

Forest Park’s village council voted to adopt a tree care ordinance in October 2019 and issued an official proclamation of Arbor Day at a January 2020 meeting.

By MARIA MAXHAM Editor

Forest Park has officially received the Tree City USA designation by the Arbor Day Foundation.

At the Feb. 22 village council meeting, Commissioner Jessica Voogd announced that the town has completed all the necessary steps in the process, a process Voogd has driven from the beginning, working with Village Administrator Tim Gillian, Public Works Director John Doss and village staff.

Over a year ago, in an interview in Feb. 2020, Voogd said she was interested in seeking the designation for Forest Park even before being elected as commissioner.

“I stumbled across the Tree City USA designation during my campaign [for commissioner], I read about it and wondered why we’re not a Tree City,” said Voogd at that time.

The Arbor Day Foundation lists four stan-

File photo

QUIET CELEBRATION: Last April, a bur oak tree was planted at the park on Harrison Street in honor of Arbor Day, the last step in the process of Forest Park being formally given the designation of Tree City USA.

The final step involved an official Arbor Day observance. Plans originally were for a big community event, including the involvement of Forest Park’s elementary school district and the park district, but COVID-19 prevented a large gathering.

Instead, a bur oak tree, donated by McAdam Landscaping, was planted by the public works department and the Park District of Forest Park in front of the park district’s main building on April 24, 2020.

“I’m so proud of this achievement as we work to protect and honor the impact our trees have on our village’s aesthetic health, stormwater management, and property values, just to name a few things,” Voogd said during the Feb. 22 village council meeting. “[The designation] means we’re taking action to encourage better care of our community forest,” said Voogd. “We all benefit from cleaner air, shadier streets and the aesthetic beauty a well-maintained urban forest provides. This acknowledgement of our commitment … it helps to increase public awareness of the social, economic and environmental benefits of our efforts.”

The designation, she added, is something in which the community can take pride, joining over 3,400 other Tree City communities, and it can help improve the village’s access to and success with future grant opportunities.

Rain or shine … or snow

By MARIA MAXHAM Editor

ALEX ROGALS/Staff Photographer

TO PLANT A GARDEN: The Proviso East High School Ecology Club broke ground on its new pollinator garden on March 15

The Proviso East High School Ecology Club broke ground on its brandnew pollinator garden on March 15. The invitation said “rain or shine,” but instead there was snow.

East biology teacher Ann McElhatton said during the ceremony that the garden was made possible by an Illinois Department of Natural Resources Schoolyard Habitat Action Grant. Individuals have also donated seeds and gardening equipment, she said.

“We’re very grateful for everyone bringing this together for Proviso East,” said McElhatton during the ceremony.

April 22, Earth Day, will provide another opportunity to celebrate the new garden, said McElhatton, and she invited people to follow the club at PEHS_ecology on Instagram, where names for the new garden can be suggested.

More information can also be found on the Proviso East Facebook page at facebook.com/ProvisoEastHS.

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Forest Park Review, March 17, 2021

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Visiting Ireland is coming home

n honor of St. Patrick’s Day, here is what we learned from our trip to Ireland in July 2015 to celebrate our 25th Anniversary: ■ The Irish are incredibly kind people. All the mean Irish must have moved elsewhere.

■ The driving is positively terrifying. The “best” roads have half a lane going in each direction with a 100 KM speed limit.

■ The scenery is breathtaking, even when it’s raining. It was almost overwhelming when the sun came out.

■ Irish TV is the worst I’ve ever seen, based on the fact there was a show about composting on every channel.

■ The Guinness tasted fresher and was cheaper. “Tastes great, less shillings” could be their slogan.

■ The pubs have a family-friendly atmosphere and they close around 11:30 p.m. Except for E.J. Kings, where the owner pulled the shades so the music could continue past closing time.

■ The Irish tend to be late-risers. I had difficulty finding a cup of coffee before 9 a.m.

Even the golf course was closed at this “ungodly” hour.

■ Besides full-size golf courses, Ireland has miniature courses called “Pitch and Putt.” Players are issued a pitching wedge and a putter and holes are only 50-70 yards long.

■ When you look at the natives, you will see the faces of West Side Irish families. You can identify their features as resembling some family you know.

■ The Irish people are incredibly accommodating and considerate. They booked rooms for us, made restaurant reservations and made space for us at their tables.

■ The Irish breakfast is a hearty combination of bacon, sausage, eggs and, of course, tomatoes.

■ We were befriended by a stray dog in every town we visited. As a woman commented, “The dogs walk themselves over here.”

■ There is a barrier atop the Cliffs of Moher to keep visitors from getting too close to the edge. Everyone climbs over it.

■ There is a boat tour below the cliffs that is spectacular. You can play “Pitch and Putt” while you’re waiting for the boat to sail.

■ Their newspaper headlines are not as disturbing as ours. A typical headline would read, “Van Overturned, Four Hurt.”

■ We saw things we never thought we’d see in Ireland, including palm trees, surfboards and horses running along the beach.

■ We had weather we never expected to find in Ireland, an 80-degree heat wave that made beach days delightful.

■ We never unpacked our woolen Irish sweaters and wished we had brought more pairs of shorts.

■ Many of the Irish villages reminded us of Forest Park because the pubs were within walking distance of the homes.

■ The Irish roads often have roundabouts

instead of traffic signals. Once you get used to them, they’re much better than stoplights.

■ The national sport of hurling is the fastest-paced game on grass. It combines elements of field hockey and lacrosse. An Irish woman searching for a superlative said, “Why, it’s the Guinness of sports!”

■ We found the best Irish music in Doolin, where a band member exclaimed, “The priest of Irish music is here!” He mistook me for the local priest, but I could not join them on accordion.

■ We spent an evening at Murphy’s Pub in Dingle, where I was singled out for adding an extra clap to a sing-along song. I was so infamous, everyone said, “Goodnight, John” when I left.

■ You may experience “waves of joy” in Ireland. They start in your toes and go all the way up. I was feeling several “waves” a day.

■ On our last day in Ireland, a woman we met summed up our feelings, “You have to come here to come home.”

JOHN RICE

■ John Rice is a columnist/private detective, who has seen his business and family thrive in Forest Park. He thoroughly enjoys life in the village and still gets a thrill smelling Red Hots, watching softball and strolling through cemeteries. Jrice1038@aol.com

F O R E S T PA R K

REVIEW Editor Maria Maxham Senior Editor Bob Uphues Contributing Reporters Tom Holmes, John Rice, Bob Skolnik, Jackie Glosniak, Robert J. Lifka Columnists Alan Brouilette, Jill Wagner, Tom Holmes, John Rice Food Editor Melissa Elsmo Staff Photographer Alex Rogals Design/Production Manager Andrew Mead Designers Debbie Becker, Mark Moroney Sales and Marketing Representatives Lourdes Nicholls, Marc Stopeck Sales & Development Mary Ellen Nelligan Circulation Manager Jill Wagner Publisher Dan Haley Business Manager Joyce Minich GROWING COMMUNITY MEDIA Board of Directors Chair Judy Greffin Treasurer Nile Wendorf Deb Abrahamson, Gary Collins, Darnell Shields, Sheila Solomon, Eric Weinheimer HOW TO REACH US ADDRESS 141 S. Oak Park Ave., Oak Park, IL 60302 PHONE 708-366-0600 ■ FAX 708-467-9066 EMAIL forestpark@wjinc.com CIRCULATION Jill@oakpark.com ONLINE ForestParkReview.com TWITTER @FP_Review 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: $28 per year. $42 for two years, $58 for three years.

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Forest Park Review, March 17, 2021

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St. Bernardine church will remain open, despite merger STAYING OPEN: It was announced by the Archdiocese of Chicago on March 12 that despite the merging of St. Bernardine and St. Luke parishes, both churches will remain open as worship locations. Fr. Stan Kuca, pictured here, will preside over the combined parish.

Fr. Stan Kuca will reside as pastor of combined St. Luke St. Bernardine

By MARIA MAXHAM Editor

In a much-anticipated announcement, the Archdiocese of Chicago stated March 12 that although St. Bernardine Parish in Forest Park and St. Luke Parish in River Forest are officially being combined on July 1 as part of the Renew My Church initiative, both church locations will remain open for worship and events.

The new parish will be called St. Luke St. Bernardine Parish, and the pastor overseeing the combined parish will be St. Bernardine’s current pastor Fr. Stan Kuca. St. Luke’s pastor, John Szmyd, said he won’t know until next week what his next assignment will be.

Kuca said, in the March 12 meeting, that although he’s been an ordained priest for 30 years, he’s never been in this exact situation before. He said, however, that with the support of parishioners and the archdiocese, he has confidence that the merger will be successful.

“I believe that by myself, I can do nothing,” Kuca said. But with the support of parishioners and the Archdiocese, he said he thinks “everything is going to go in a good direction.”

Kuca will oversee St. Luke School, in addition to overseeing all ministries of the parish. There will be no changes to St. Luke School.

Both sites will remain in operation, hosting a regular schedule of masses, the specifics of which will be determined by Kuca.

There will be plenty of opportunities, however, for both the Forest Park and River Forest worship groups to come together through special events.

St. Luke church has been designated the

File photo

location for the united parishes’ sacramental records.

It was announced during the meeting that beginning in 2024, three years from now, the sustainability of maintaining two locations will be revisited and discussed, giving the united parish until then to work on focusing on unification.

Whether the religious education program for Catholic children attending non-Catholic schools will be combined is a decision that will be made by Kuca.

In terms of a parish council for the new combined parish, it was declared that Kuca will, over the next few months, work on a new parish council representing parishioners from both locations.

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Forest Park Review, March 17, 2021

What’s in a name?

Ferrara wants people to know association with candy factory is years gone

By MARIA MAXHAM Editor

Nello Ferarra, owner of Ferrara Pan Fitness Factory, 1525 Circle Ave., loves owning businesses in Forest Park. Aside from the gym, his investments in town include several buildings and the Wingstop restaurant on Harlem Avenue.

“Forest Park is a wonderful place for business,” Ferrara said.

But he wants to make it clear that although he and his family owned the candy company with his last name for generations, that’s no longer the case. Recently, billboards and picketers slamming “Ferrara” or “Ferrara Pan” during a dispute between the candy company and the carpenters’ union present a risk to him and his current business, he said.

Already, he’s gotten calls from people both wondering about the protestors and his involvement (he has none, since he’s no longer associated with the candy company). And he’s worried about future impact on his gym, which bears the Ferrara name – his name.

In 2012, Ferrara said, Ferrara Pan merged with Catterton Partners, which bought a controlling interest and changed the name to Ferrara Candy Company, dropping the “Pan” from the name.

The “Pan” referred to an actual pan, the tumbler in which the candy was produced or “panned.” There were both copper hot pans with Bunsen burners and cold aluminum pans, said Ferrara, in which the soft-centered candies like Lemonheads were made.

Today, although people often still refer to the candy company as “Ferrara Pan,” the “pan” isn’t officially or legally part of its name any longer.

It’s Ferrara Candy Company, and it has branched way out from Lemonheads and Boston Baked Beans, adding offerings that include Trolli, Fun Dip, Keebler, and Little Brown Bakers, who produce Girl Scout Cookies.

In 2015, a few years after the merger, Ferrara sold his remaining interest in the can-

dy company after his father died, and since then the Ferrara family has had no connection to the company.

His father’s death had a big impact on Ferrara. It was esophageal cancer that took his life, undiagnosed until it was late stage, leaving him with only a few months.

“I always thought he could beat anything,” Ferrara said. “There was no tragedy too big. Nothing he couldn’t conquer.

And then I learned he was human.”

Ferrara’s father and grandfather, Nello said, always took care of their employees, with generations of people from the same families working at the factory. It was, he said, a family business, and not just because it was family-owned.

“The employees were family members,” he said. “Now? The employees are nothing more than numbers there.”

And that is, he said, another reason he doesn’t like the association people keep making between him and the candy factory.

Still, though, Ferrara’s brought what he learned from the factory to the gym, instilling into his students the values of hard work and dedication he learned from his grandfather and father.

“We find ways to motivate each student in different ways,” Ferrara said, akin to the way his family worked with employees at the candy company. “Each kid is different. We know how and when to tighten and loosen the screws.”

He and his trainers teach the philosophy of hard work – and life – to their students too.

“There’s a chess mindset involved in boxing,” which is a primary focus at the gym, Ferrara said. “It’s an evolving equation.”

Sometimes when he tells his students that, they complain about math class, asking why they’re forced to learn math they’ll never use.

“I tell them they’re not learning math because they’ll use those exact skills,” Ferrara said, “but because they need to develop that type of thinking.”

Ferrara Pan Fitness, which is set up with multiple bags for boxing workouts, a boxing ring for sparring, exercise equipment and an outdoor area, is open at reduced capacity.

Ferrara said they’re allowed 50 percent by health guidelines, but they like to keep it closer to 35 percent. “It’s all about the comfort level,” Ferrara said.

Local stationery store, warehouse won’t be impacted by bankruptcy, company says Paper Source to be bought by MidCap Financial

By MARIA MAXHAM Editor

Paper Source, with locations in both Oak Park and Forest Park, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on March 2, but according to Paper Source representatives, customers and operations won’t be impacted.

“There is no foreseeable impact to the product, experiences and services provided to our customers as a result of the filing.

Operations will continue as normal,” said a representative from the company in an email to the Review.

Oak Park is home to a Paper Source store at 1109 Lake St. The shop sells greeting cards, crafting supplies, wrapping paper and other items.

Since 2015, Forest Park’s Industrial Drive has been the location of an approximately 120,000 square foot Paper Source warehouse and manufacturing facility.

Paper Source is headquartered in Chicago and was founded in 1983.

In a March 2 press release, the company stated, “All Paper Source stores will remain open across the country and will continue to operate safely within applicable COVID-related guidelines. The company has ample liquidity to support ongoing operations across all channels, and to fulfill commitments to its valued employees, customers, makers and suppliers prior to a sale, which is expected to close in approximately 90 days.”

The sale is to MidCap Financial, whose stalking horse bid was accepted by Paper Source. MidCap Financial, according to the release, will “purchase substantially all of [Paper Source’s] assets. The MidCap Financial transaction also includes approximately $16.5 million in committed financing, which will be immediately available to support the company’s operations through its stores, eCommerce and wholesale businesses.”

“We are very pleased to have the full support of our lenders led by MidCap Financial,” Winnie Park, CEO of Paper Source,

said in the press release. “Today’s action represents a critical milestone in driving long-term, profitable growth and is a pivotal step forward in achieving the full potential of Paper Source as an omnichannel lifestyle brand.” She added: “The Covid-19 pandemic presented real challenges to our stores business, but this sale will help us to emerge stronger.”

The company has about 1,700 employees at its stores, Loop headquarters and Forest Park distribution center, according to Lauren Zumback in a March 2 article in the Chicago Tribune. Zumback also reported that during the pandemic, about 95 percent of Paper Source store employees were furloughed. Most have returned, and only nine positions were eliminated from the 275 corporate and warehouse employees.

But according to a March 5 Bloomberg story by Jeremy Hill, Paper Source placed unusually high orders from vendors in the months before declaring bankruptcy, and now payment for those orders are up in the air, causing those vendors, many of them small businesses, to fear they’ll be unable to make payroll or pay rent.

Park told Bloomberg that the large orders were placed to stock 27 new stores the company had acquired when the stationery chain Papyrus went out of business last year. Because of timing of their orders, Park also said, those orders will have higher priority in terms of repayment.

Park told Bloomberg in an email, “We apologize for the inconvenience this brings to the community of makers for Paper Source. This is a difficult time for the entire Paper Source community, our company and its makers. We care tremendously about our makers, especially as many of them are small business owners.”

Forest Park Review, March 17, 2021

D91 CHILDCARE

Parents looking for options from page 1

by D91. Beginning April 7, parents whose children were attending the park district during school days will have to find another solution.

The Community Center, run by Karen Dylewski, has served as the original location of district-subsidized child-care and will continue to do so. But that location is full, and the park, which pivoted and filledin when the district needed help, needs to return the attention of its staff to getting ready for summer.

Jackie Iovinelli, executive director of the Park District of Forest Park, said she was asked in September if the park district could help D91. In what seemed like a lastminute decision, Cavallo pulled out of a deal with the YMCA, leaving dozens of families with no daytime supervision for their kids.

The district reached out to the park, which scrambled to help.

“We started in September, starting as fast as we could for the families,” Iovinelli said.

She mentioned Danette Krajewski, who supervised the program and did a fantastic job figuring out all the details of putting together a program so quickly and for so many children, keeping them safe and following all guidelines.

The park district, said Iovinelli, originally planned to help the district until the end of October. They had their own programming planned. But an uptick in COVID-19 cases put a halt to their plans, and the school district still needed them. They continued caring for children and supervising remote learning until winter break.

In January, though, they needed to start planning for summer. Opening the pool.

Fixing up the grounds. Hiring and training new seasonal staff. Scheduling events.

“We had to have an end date [to daytime remote learning],” Iovinelli said. “We knew we couldn’t keep wavering and extending it.

So we decided we’d continue until the end of Spring Break.” She added: “Our staff’s been running on fumes, and we need to prepare for summer camp and other summer events.” The spaces the kids have been using since the beginning of the school year, spaces normally used as rentals for parties and events, need to be repaired and painted.

“We felt so bad, but we notified parents about a month ago that there’s an end date to the supervision we’ve been providing,” Iovinelli said.

The park will still accommodate about 15 children during the day, kids who have been attending the After School Recess program that runs from 3 to 6 p.m., Iovinelli said. But that’s a far cry from the approximately 60 kids they were serving before.

Iovinelli said they loved having the kids around and formed bonds with so many children and families, but it’s time for them to “get back to the park business.”

“There’s a certain point where we need to get back to what we do,” Iovinelli said.

During the March 11 board of education meeting, Superintendent Lou Cavallo praised both the community center and park district for stepping up to help families.

“The community center and the park district both, I will forever be grateful to them,” Cavallo said. “Most communities did not have … organizations willing to watch their kids and a school district willing to pay for it.”

Cavallo said he wanted to make it clear, though, that it wasn’t the school district’s decision to end park-district-supplied childcare. That, he said, was “a decision made by the park district … We were not part of that decision making.”

Some parents, however, think D91 should do more to find an alternative for parents whose kids have been safely cared for by the park district during the days when they’re at work.

Parent Stephanie Kevil, with a student at Betsy Ross, spoke during the March 11 board meeting to say she was unhappy with the district’s response to the park no longer offering services.

“I am very disappointed in the school district’s reaction — rather lack of reaction — to the news of the park district shutting down their school daycare supervision program. Simply put, that’s an unacceptable response,” Kevil said.

She added that in the beginning of the year, D91 set up programs, but now one won’t be available any longer.

“It just seems like you’re abdicating any kind of responsibility for the welfare of the children during the actual school day,” Kevil said. “And I think that the school district is created to educate and care for the youngest in the community, and District 91 needs to be accountable to the students and families, for planning for the students’ welfare and care during the school hours.”

Calling the daytime supervision “a lifeline for families,” Kevil suggested steps the school district could take, such as extending the current school hours and days, negotiating with the park district on the usage of one of their buildings, or finding other spaces.

Even, she said, providing a forum for parents and families to contact one another to talk about options would be helpful.

“It’s really difficult in this time of social distancing to find allies and parents and friends in the community,” Kevil said.

A group of D91 parents have put together an open letter to the district “on the need to address student supervision.”

Parents are invited to read and add their signatures.

The letter, in part states, “The District’s non-reaction to the closure of the [Park District of Forest Park] program is unacceptable because this closure concerns the safety, well-being, and academic performance of the students …We demand that you stepup and provide an action plan to deal with the effects of this closure. Caregivers and families in the [park district] program will lose over 23 hours of child supervision per week—all during regular school hours.”

The letter in its entirety can be found here: https://tinyurl.com/w65u6v4.

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Visit www.cookcountyil.gov/recovery to check your eligibility, learn about the documents needed for the application and apply.

For additional information about emergency assistance, residents of Berwyn and Oak Park can visit www.housingforward.org.

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Forest Park Review, March 17, 2021

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Shots fired on Desplaines Avenue

Police were called to the 400 block of Desplaines Avenue for reports of shots fired. A bar patron of Blueberry Hill said he heard between six and eight quick gunshots while sitting inside the establishment. He said he stepped out and saw two vehicles traveling at a high rate of speed northbound on Desplaines Avenue, then westbound on Madison Street. Officers located five spent 9mm shell casings. Despite calls to local hospitals, no gunshot victims were located.

Multiple citations for open alcohol A patron was observed leaving Mugsy’s Tavern, 7640 Madison St., with a clear plastic cup containing a liquid believed to be alcohol on March 8 at 1:56 a.m. When she saw the police, she immediately hurried to a garbage can and threw the cup away, but when stopped, she admitted liquor was in the cup.

She was given a local ordinance citation for open alcohol.

On March 12, officers observed two subjects exiting Mugsy’s, 7640 Madison St., holding clear plastic cups that contained liquid suspected to be alcohol. Officers made contact with the subjects, who were both issued local ordinance citations.

Two subjects with suspected alcohol in clear plastic cups exited Pioneer Tap, 126 Desplaines Ave., on March 13 at 1:46 a.m.

They were stopped and issued local ordinance citations for open containers.

A man on the 7500 block of Madison Street was stopped by police because he was holding a red Solo cup containing suspected alcohol. He was issued a local ordinance citation.

A man and a woman were drinking New Amsterdam Vodka and a Bud Light CherryLime Rita in the Forest Park Community Garden on March 8 at 4:19 p.m. When approached by police, both subjects refused to surrender their alcohol or provide identification to the officers. Instead, they began to walk away, hurling racial slurs at officers, according to the police report.

Backup arrived, and the subjects finally relinquished their liquor and gave their names and other identifying information to the police. They were given citations for open alcohol. The male subject “disposed of the ticket on the grass” and began to walk away. The female did the same, but then “decided to retrieve the ticket and leave the scene while continuing to scream obscenities at officers,” according to the police report.

Public urination outside bar An officer observed a subject leaving Forest Park Tap Room, 7321 Madison St., and urinating in the alley to the east on March

13 at 2:14 a.m. The man, who according to the police report seemed “extremely intoxicated,” provided his ID to the officer, then asked him to hurry “because he still had to urinate more.”

Aggravated unlawful use of weapon, among other things ■ A car with windows tinted, in violation of law, was pulled over at 100 Harlem Ave. on March 9 at 12:49 a.m. after driving through the Thornton’s parking lot without stopping for gas or to enter the store. The reporting officer noticed two red Solo cups in a cupholder in the backseat of the vehicle, as well as a 1.75-liter bottle of Remy Martin VSOP. The officer asked the driver if there were any open alcohol, drugs or firearms in the vehicle, and the driver said there were not. He denied a request to search his vehicle.

The officer asked the back-seat passenger to roll down the window and hand him the Remy Martin, which was unsealed and less than half full.

The officer then asked the driver to put his car in park, but he refused. Another squad car arrived and parked directly in front of the subject’s car to prevent him from fleeing.

The driver refused at least 11 requests from police to put his car in park. After finally doing so, he then refused at least 19 requests to step out of the vehicle. He was threatened by a taser and removed from the car by police, who then handcuffed him.

The two passengers were also asked to step out of the car, at which time police saw that the front seat passenger had been sitting on a black handgun, with one round in the chamber and 18 more in the magazine.

Suspected cannabis as well as two partially smoked “blunts” were found in the center console.

The driver was issued citations for speeding, tinted windows, illegal transportation of alcohol, and two counts of obstructing a police officer. Felony charges of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon were approved for the passenger with the gun, as well as citations issued to him for illegal transportation of alcohol and cannabis, which was in an unapproved container.

■ Police followed a car with illegally tinted windows heading west on the 7400 block of Madison Street at a rate above the speed

limit on March 13 at 2:15 a.m. Despite police activating emergency lights and sirens, the vehicle didn’t stop.

Officers followed the vehicle into Maywood, where they observed it parked in a driveway and saw three males exiting the car and running away.

One of the subjects was located by police and placed in custody. A search of his car revealed a .32 caliber revolver in plain view on the front passenger seat, a glass jar with eight plastic zip-lock bags containing suspected cannabis, and an unsealed 750 ml bottle of Remy Martin Cognac and several plastic cups.

The suspect told police he’d been at Forest Park Tap Room with friends and was on his way to get dropped off in Maywood, and the car he was in was being driven by his cousin. He said he has an active FOID card but no valid concealed carry license.

A felony charge of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon was approved. The suspect was also charged with resisting and obstructing a police officer, unlawful possession of cannabis and illegal transportation of alcohol.

Ticket issued for loud music A man driving down Madison Street on March 12 was stopped at 1:18 a.m. because his car was playing music so loud that, according to the police report, it could be heard approximately a block away. The driver was issued a local ordinance citation for loud music from a vehicle.

Gun stolen from car A Smith and Wesson M&P 9mm pistol was stolen from a car on the 1000 block of Marengo Avenue during the overnight hours between March 10 and 11. The owner reported it on the morning of March 11 when he returned to his vehicle and found the handgun missing from his vehicle, which was parked behind his residence.

These items were obtained from police reports filed by the Forest Park Police Department, March 8-14, and represent a portion of the incidents to which police responded.

Unless otherwise indicated, anybody named in these reports has only been charged with a crime. These cases have not been adjudicated.

Compiled by Maria Maxham

Forest Park Review, March 17, 2021

9

Serious accusations fly at Proviso D209 board meeting Board member calls president xenophobic and misogynistic; prez says she’s a bigot and racist

By MARIA MAXHAM Editor

D209 school board member Claudia Medina issued a letter of apology addressed to “Proviso Township Citizens,” on March 12, prompted by board president Rodney Alexander reading, at the March 9 school board meeting, an email she’d sent him a few days prior.

In Medina’s letter of apology, she called her original letter to Alexander “angry and intemperate.” But Medina said she is hurt and upset that Alexander publicly accused her of bigotry and racism, and she stands behind the questions she’s been asking about recently hired Superintendent James Henderson.

“While I stand by my outrage over the massive changes Mr. Alexander seems OK with, the language I used was abusive and inappropriate. I apologize to all who were offended by my harsh language,” wrote Medina.

She went on to say, “I do not, however, apologize to Mr. Alexander or Supt. Henderson for my pointed criticisms of their behavior, or the questions I have raised about Supt. Henderson’s past conduct” and she said that Alexander’s decision to read the email during a public board meeting was a “cheap ploy.”

During the March 9 meeting when Alexander read Medina’s letter, the public was witness to one of the most obvious displays to date of the growing friction and infighting between board members, which commenters on a Proviso Facebook group called “immature,” “embarrassing,” and “unprofessional,” though many came down hard on Medina specifically for the content and name-calling in the email Alexander read.

Others questioned whether the email should have been read in the first place.

Alexander effectively equated Medina’s email to racism, setting the stage prior to reading her email with examples of racism in the 1900s. He began by talking about the 1915 movie Birth of a Nation, in which the Ku Klux Klan was portrayed, Alexander said, “as saviors of the American culture” and “portrayed Black men as misogynistic, crazy about white women, and the Klan had to save the day.”

“The images and portrayals of Black people from that movie have been handed down since 1915. Actually before, but they really doubled down,” Alexander said. He added that there are actions that white people can take that could be deadly for a Black man.

“What does this have to do with school board stuff?” he asked, then answered by

saying he’d woken to the email from Medina on March 2.

“I’m going to read this letter, because I want you to know the truth of what we’re dealing with up here,” Alexander said and added: “I’m going to tell you 100% [Claudia Medina] is a bigot; if the person ain’t got enough power to be a racist, it’s bigotry.

And I’m gonna prove it to you. It’s a fact that this is a bigoted letter, and this person on the board is a bigot and I’m gonna prove

CLAUDIA MEDINA

it tonight.”

Alexander said his proof that Medina is a bigot is that the letter was sent only to him and board members Amanda Grant and Ned Wagner.

“She only sent it to me and the two white board members,” Alexander said.

Medina, however, said she sent it to Alexander and Grant, the two Proviso Together members and to Wagner, with whom she’d run in the past on that same slate. Board members Della Patterson and Sam Valtier-

rez are currently running on another slate, supported by Theresa Kelly, said Medina, so they weren’t included on the email. It had nothing to do with race, she said, but with previous and current alliances.

The letter begins: “You misogynistic, xenophobic, righteous liar, you perpetuated a cover up and had us hire [Supt. James] Henderson, as the Board of Education from Holmes county (Mississippi) informed you of malfeasance in Holmes County and you covered it up and lied to the board.”

The letter, demanding Alexander’s resignation, went on to say the following: “You’ve betrayed the committee and have spent nine months on your high horse. I’m going to exContinued on next page

Medina’s letter of apology: Dear Proviso Township Citizens, On Feb. 28, I forwarded an angry and intemperate letter to D209 Board President Rodney Alexander criticizing him for allowing our new superintendent to largely dismantle much of what we’ve worked to achieve the past six years.

I am writing to all of you because, while I stand by my outrage over the massive changes Mr. Alexander seems OK with, the language I used was abusive and inappropriate. I apologize to all who were offended by my harsh language.

I do not, however, apologize to Mr. Alexander or Supt. Henderson for my pointed criticisms of their behavior, or the questions I have raised about Supt.

Henderson’s past conduct.

That said, I also believe Mr. Alexander’s choice to read the letter in public during a board meeting was a cheap ploy to take attention away from my specific criticisms of how Alexander, Henderson and other board members are damaging our school district.

I also need to point out that Mr. Alexander was rude and abusive in turn, calling me a bigot and equating my letter as akin to a Ku Klux Klan type of assault on Black men.

When I was first elected six years ago, the first Latina woman ever elected to this board, it was in part to be an advocate for the voiceless. The Latino community, despite comprising 56 percent of Proviso students, felt their needs were not being met, their concerns not being heard. Racism and the “pipeline to prison” reality so many minorities have suffered are not limited to Black youth, but Brown as well. And the transformative power of coalition building and progress toward genuine equity must benefit both Brown and Black youth.

The actions of Rodney Alexander, James Henderson and those who support them are harming the interests of all Proviso students, Black and Brown, and

the staff that we count on to educate our students.

The ability of board members to do their jobs has been compromised by the Superintendent and board president, who refuse to supply information necessary for us to provide oversight and sound judgment, which we were elected to do.

Board leadership must strive for full transparency and honest flow of information. That process includes answering tough questions from the community and his board members. A transparent leader communicates at every step along the way, continually articulating why he is taking certain actions and be prepared to answer questions, provide supporting documents and explain his reasoning.

I am concerned and frustrated at Dr. James Henderson’s unwillingness to work to foster a positive, nurturing and transparent school culture. His rude and dismissive fear-based tactics are destroying the fabric of our beloved school district.

Rodney Alexander’s abuse of power is such that he feels entitled to criticize the media and an elected board member solely because the narrative he hopes to push does not align with the facts being presented in the board meeting.

Mr. Alexander feels entitled to attack me and the local paper, slandering me as a racist, shaming me during a president’s report, and doing it solely to silence my voice.

Unfortunately for Mr. Alexander, my criticisms of him, unlike his of me, are backed up by solid documentation. There is long and consistent documentation of Dr. James Henderson’s questionable, incompetent and even possibly illegal behavior at several school districts where he previously worked.

Dr. James Henderson is currently under active investigation for improper activities at his last school district in Mis-

sissippi, a district from which he resigned after just two years on very short, short notice.

Now, under Henderson’s continued autocratic incompetency, our district is faced with losing our entire business office, our entire administration, our IT department, and anyone who else who could provide oversight and raise concerns as needed.

D209’s written policy regarding the superintendent states that he or she “must be of unquestionable integrity.”

Yet I am being castigated for daring to make note of the fact that Dr. James Henderson’s integrity is currently being seriously questioned in Mississippi.

My criticisms have been called harassment and now worse, racism. The progress we made over the last 6 years, is now framed in a narrative that suggests we have failed the children. I should hope this board would value factual clarity, and not condemn those who question payments to Dr. James Henderson’s friends for work that should be done by him.

Once again, I regret that I allowed my anger at the betrayal of our students and district employees to hurt the message I wanted to send. But I was elected as a voice for the whole community, including the majority 56 percent Hispanic student population in Proviso District 209. Community members voted overwhelmingly in recent elections to ensure process transparency and equitable transformative education initiatives. I have striven to give a voice to those who have gone unheard, and mostly importantly, to foster board leadership that values integrity.

That is what drives me -- the students, the staff, the teachers and all those people who have stood behind us as we worked the past six years to repair the financial and education damage wrought by severe mismanagement of funds in previous administrations in Proviso.

10

Forest Park Review, March 17, 2021

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another.

This was not the first time board members have displayed unbecoming behavior during meetings.

And Alexander, who often quotes the from page 9 board member’s oath of office, has also expose you for the heinous human you are” hibited disrespectful behavior during board and “I will expose you for the xenophobic meetings or allows other board members to intimidator who you are. You’re not going make fun of or laugh at Medina without reto know what hit you.” percussions.

Rodney responded to that During this same March last bit with, “That sounds 9 meeting, for example, like a threat.” board member Della PatterMedina’s letter also son made a comment about called Alexander “repulMedina having “some type sive,” and Medina wrote, of mental disturbance,” and in saying how disrespectboard member Theresa Kelful he had been to a woman ly giggled audibly. from Holmes County who At the Feb. 27 meeting, allegedly reached out to AlMedina made a comment exander, “You have no consuggesting she and board cept of respecting a fellow member Amanda Grant human being or a fellow were asking for the same board member, and your reports, and Grant intermother will be so ashamed rupted, saying, “You don’t of you.” speak for me.”

Rodney peppered his Alexander turned to reading of the letter with Grant, laughing. A few secD209 BOARD PRESIDENT commentary and remindonds later, he whispered RODNEY ALEXANDER ers to the audience that a something to Kelly, and copy of the email will be they fist-bumped one another. The whisper provided to anyone who asks.

There were also multiple comments from isn’t audible.

There are many more examples of disreMedina during the reading, which prompted Alexander to bang his gavel repeatedly, spectful behavior during these and previous the two of them attempting to talk over one board meetings.

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‘Three strikes’ rule makes some D91 families call foul Superintendent says enforcing guidelines necessary to bring more kids back

By MARIA MAXHAM Editor

Some District 91 parents are upset about a new mandate communicated via email to all families with children participating in hybrid learning, a “three strikes” rule that will exclude children from hybrid learning if their parents don’t follow procedure.

Apparently, each principal wrote a slightly different email to distribute to families, but the message was the same: the consequence of failure to follow COVID-19 related safety rules will result in a student being moved back into remote-only learning.

The email to Field Stevenson parents said that two scenarios will cause a child’s forced removal from hybrid learning: “repeated failure” to wear a mask at school and being “chronically late (3 times) or absent (3 times) … after the third absence their status will be changed to remote learning.”

From the beginning of D91 schools opening their doors for hybrid learning, rules have been communicated to parents.

During the March 11 school board meeting, Supt. Louis Cavallo addressed the board and the public, stating that hybrid school “has been running very smoothly, but it’s not been easy.”

“We do understand that everyone makes mistakes,” Cavallo said. “And we have to remind people to do things correctly. But we’ve tried to be patient and help people understand what it is we’re doing.”

Cavallo said he asked the principals at each location to remind parents of what had already been communicated to them in the back-to-school plan handbook provided even prior to families making the choice between remote and hybrid learning.

Cavallo stressed that the rules are clearly stated in that handbook. “These aren’t suggestions,” Cavallo said. “These are things that

we have to follow.”

Taking temperatures is required upon entry to the school buildings, Cavallo said.

As is completion of the symptoms checklist that must be filled out each school morning ahead of time. Allowing otherwise, he said, would create a “bottleneck of everyone waiting and, on their phones, trying to do their symptoms check.”

The rules were established to keep people safe and to ensure the smooth running of the schools, and ample time has been given to families to get used to the guidelines, Cavallo said.

“After five weeks, we said now we need to start tightening up a little bit because quite frankly, some parents never [adjusted],” Cavallo said. “We can’t have that bottleneck. If we’re going to bring back more kids — our whole entire goal is to bring back more kids — we’ve got to fix some of these issues.”

If a parent or student, after weeks of being reminded, can’t follow the rules, it’s time to institute the three strikes rule, said Cavallo during the meeting. “It might be time to say look, maybe this isn’t working, maybe you need to be in remote, so that we can ensure we’re not causing an issue that’s going to cause us to not be able to bring back other kids.”

Cavallo suggested during the meeting that he had received a lot of feedback from unhappy parents regarding the “three strikes” emails sent out by principals. And during the meeting itself, several parents spoke up during the public comment section to express concern.

District 91 parent Todd Rathbun said that while he loves the school district and it’s been a great experience for his kids, he found the email “borderline offensive.” His own family, he said, struggles with running late at times, juggling children’s needs with jobs and getting out the door on time. He also he said questions whether it’s legal for the district to make such a threat.

“I also just generally question the legality of such a punishment,” Rathbun said. “I think if someone tried to enforce that and remove a kid to remote learning, it’s ample basis for a lawsuit given that this is a publicly funded tax dollar institution. I simply don’t think you can enforce that kind of thing.”

Another parent, with children in third grade and kindergarten in the district, said she, too, was unhappy with the threestrikes rule.

“First of all, have you ever tried to get a small child out the door for anything?” she asked. “Between managing breakfast, finding shoes, toothpaste and such, it’s another stressor that just adds to our day. And without a full mental breakdown of a kindergartener, you would never add a stress like a three-strike rule.”

Forest Park Review, March 17, 2021

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Forest Park Review, March 17, 2021

Do you live in Suburban Cook County and

need help paying rent and utilities

due to COVID-19?

The Cook County Emergency Rental Assistance program pays up to 12 months of missed rent and utilities payments and up to 3 months of future rent payments.

HOW CAN I APPLY? Applications open March 11, 2021, and will be accepted until April 2, 2021. Start the application process at cookcountyil.gov/recovery.

How do I know if I’m eligible? To be eligible, renters must: •

Live in suburban Cook County and rent their home (Landlords may apply on behalf of tenants)

•

Lack access to other support (e.g., don’t live in public housing or receive rental assistance from other programs)

•

Have proof of financial hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic

•

Have a household annual income at or below these requirements:

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$58,250

$65,550

$72,800

$78,650

$84,450

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Photo ID

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Social Security card (ifavailable)

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Verification of income for 2020 (e.g., recent paystubs or tax returns)

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Documentation of COVID-19 financial hardship (e.g., unemployement claims or proof of income decrease)

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For assistance with your application and language translation services, please contact the Cook County Emergency Rental Assistance Program helpline at 877-426-6515.

If you live in the City of Chicago and need rental assistance, visit chi.gov/housinghelp for more information.

You may also call Oak Park Regional Housing Center for more information: 708-848-7150

Forest Park Review, March 17, 2021

15

Mandela : Struggle For Freedom Join the Forest Park Public Library for this virtual tour with the Illinois Holocaust Museum on March 18 from 7 to 8 p.m. The history of apartheid in South Africa is traced, with Nelson Mandela as the central character. With immersive environments, such as a recreation of Mandela’s cell on Robben Island, Mandela promotes human rights with a central message: all people deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. Please register in advance at fppl.org/events. A zoom link will be sent to participants after registration and up to a day before the event.

March 17 – 24

Forest Park Shamrock Hunt Help the Park District of Forest Park turn Forest Park green (or whatever colors you choose) with a good old fashioned Shamrock Hunt! All you have to do is print and color a shamrock. Then hit the streets and see how many shamrocks you can find. A printable template is available at facebook.com/pdofp.

BIG WEEK

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Chicago Food Tour Mystery Discussion Group

On March 24 from 6:30 to 8 p.m., join the Forest Park Public Library for a virtual tour of some of the most iconic restaurants and culinary creations in Chicago, from Lou Malnati’s to Garrett’s Popcorn. Pull up a chair for some Chicago food history and nostalgia with presenter Hillary Marzec, as she takes guests on a virtual tour of classic foods, like deep-dish pizza, Chicago-style hot dogs, and Italian beef.

Join leader (and bookstore owner) Augie Aleksy for a discussion of the book “The Adventure of the Peculiar Protocols: Adapted from the Journals of John H. Watson, M.D.” on March 20 from 2 to 4 p.m. at Centuries and Sleuths, 7419 Madison St.

This program will take place over Zoom and you will receive a link the day before the event. Visit fppl.org/events for more information or to sign up.

Virtual Support from NAMI Free COVID-19 testing at Village Hall Free COVID-19 testing is available in the lower level of village hall, 517 Desplaines Ave., every Saturday and Sunday until the end of March from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

See forestpark.net for more details.

The West Metro chapter of NAMI (National Association on Mental Illness) is offering virtual support for parents and families. A support group meets via WebEx every Tuesday at 7 p.m. Sign up for WebEx, then use Meeting# 126 188 5330 and the password CONNECT. There is also a private Facebook group and phone sessions available.

Visit namimetsub.org for more information.

16

Forest Park Review, March 17, 2021

Forest Park Review, March 17, 2021

D209 AUDIT

Release date in question from page 1 perintendent.

Ernest Clark, former CFO of Holmes County Consolidated School District, was paid $7,500 by D209 for “transitional audit services” as described in the voucher detail approved by board members at the March 9 meeting.

Clark was appointed to the position of CFO in Holmes County by Henderson, according to a FOIA response to the Review provided by interim superintendent Benjamin Torrey in Holmes County.

Clark officially left the district on Dec. 17, 2020, just eight days after the Mississippi auditor released a compliance report of the district that revealed widespread financial issues. Because it was a personnel matter, said Torrey, he could not reveal whether Clark left voluntarily.

The voucher also includes a payment of $16,000 to Mississippi-based Samac Technology Networking Solutions for “internal audit review and documentation of technology.” Samac has been a district vendor for Holmes County Consolidated Schools, where Henderson previously worked.

According to D209 policy, “purchases of over $5,000, but under $25,000 … shall have the support of at least three (3) written competitive quotations” unless the services or goods are “available from only a single supplier.” In that case, they must include a statement from the administrator verifying that the vendor is “the sole source of those goods or services.”

During the March 9 board meeting, board member Medina questioned the hiring of both Clark and Samac Technologies, stating, “In Chicago, there are so many IT companies. … Why wouldn’t we want to get local people to do this?”

Board member Della Patterson pointed out that it’s not uncommon for superintendents to bring in people they’ve worked with before.

But competitive quotes from other vendors were not provided publicly during the meeting or to the Review, and no statement verifying that the vendors were the sole source were made available either.

On March 8, the Review requested, through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), either the three competitive quotes or a statement of sole purpose from the district in regard to both Ernest Clark and Samac and received a response on March 15 that the information wouldn’t be available until March 22.

The Review reached back out to the district to ask if, while waiting for the documentation, the district could simply say whether there were competitive quotes, or the vendors were considered sole-source providers.

“Please be informed that the requested information was presented publicly in the March 9 Board Meeting,” responded Henderson.

17

The Review replied, “Although the question was asked by board member Medina, and Mr. Paul Starck-King discussed the rules regarding three quotes and sole-source providers in general, no statement was made in regard to these costs specifically.

No assertion was made that there were three quotes solicited for Ernest Clark’s or Samac’s MARIA MAXHAM services, nor was a state- HIRING: A sign off the Eisenhower Expressway near 25th Avenue announces openings in D209 for teachers. ment about them being hold board retreats to work on the transfor- outage occurs.” sole-source providers made. … Did you get mation and to identify areas in which board Emergency data-breach procedures three quotes? Or are they considered sole- improvements can be made. should be developed, and cameras should source providers?”

Long term strategies and action steps be moved to be in the best places for surveilNo response was provided either via include finding ways for “a wide range of lance, according to the report. email or after leaving a phone message for stakeholders” to contribute to the new viHuman Resources Henderson around 5 p.m. on March 15. sion of the district, inviting long-term partIn suggesting the removal of payments nerships with colleges, and looking at ways The plan says, “See PowerPoint presentato Clark and Samac Technologies from the to further partnerships with organizations tion” but none is included. list of bills to be approved, Medina brought working on career readiness. up the Holmes County audit report but was Finance and Operations Technology infrastructure shut down by board President Rodney AlexRecommendations include: ander.

The technology audit is comprehensive, - Considering outsourcing security “You are out of order,” Alexander said. covering operations, network infrastruc- Restructuring the organizational chart “I will shut you down every time. It’s not ture, data security and more. Goals include to ensure more oversight in several arhappening. It’s not happening … because the examination of the current technoleas this has nothing to do with Holmes County, ogy program’s “overall ability to facilitate - Monthly account reconciliations enma’am.” sustainable innovation,” an assessment of sured by CFO Medina and Grant were the sole board the readiness of the district to bring in and - Development of a “plan for succession” members to vote against approval of the adapt to new technology, and a determinaso all positions are staffed at all times bills. Board member Sam Valtierrez was not tion of whether there is a need for additional - Development of a manual regarding inpresent for that part of the meeting. Board staff or equipment. ternal invoice process and procedures members Alexander, Patterson, Theresa “There is a concerning lack of policies, Establishment of formal review process Kelly and Wagner voted in favor. protocols, and documentation for Proviso, of work performed by architectural and The audit report identifies four areas specific to technology in general, and the engineering firms that the district should focus on: academic security of data in particular,” states the reachievement, technology infrastructure, port. “Our technology team has determined An observation made in the audit report is human resources, and finance and opera- that major administrative leadership func- that “There is a lack of oversight of account tions. tionality is missing from the technology de- reconciliations,” one of the same problems found in the Holmes County Consolidated partment.”

Academic achievement Recommendations include selecting School District in the Mississippi state audiThe report identifies the top priority as and using the same management software tor’s compliance report, in which four bank “develop[ing] a shared instructional vision throughout buildings and departments, accounts were not properly reconciled.

“There was a difference totaling instead of the current set-up that includes for the district.”

Short term strategies and action steps multiple systems, which allegedly do not ($8,251,011),” according to Mississippi state include developing a new vision statement interface well. New policies and procedures auditors, and there were three accounts not for the district, which will include “Noth- should be implemented that detail network reconciled at all. The CFO in charge while ing but the best,” a new theory of action and design, server systems and passwords for all this occurred at the Mississippi school dismajor systems, and the best practice of sup- trict was brought in by Henderson to help goals for the district.

Also included in this part of the report is a porting all systems with a back-up power audit D209’s finances.

Read the full report at pths209.org/ plan to “review how each position at the cen- supply “and redundant emergency internet tral office supports the work of schools” and failover to support the system if internet Page/5245.

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Forest Park Review, March 17, 2021

OPINION O U R

I

V I E W

What could go wrong?

f Supt. James Henderson was coming off a stunning success leading the schools in Holmes County, Mississippi, we’d find it much easier to swallow his choices to turn to individuals and vendors from that district to undertake fundamental audits of departments at the Proviso Township High Schools.

That is not the case. Henderson barely lasted two years in Mississippi. His former CFO left the district a week after the state of Mississippi unfurled a lacerating critique of the district and its financial oversight. Now Ernest Clark is getting paid $7,500 by local taxpayers here for his financial audit of this district.

We’re dubious. Who’s auditing the auditor?

Samac Technology Networking Solutions, headquartered in Holmes County, is getting paid $16,000 by local taxpayers for its audit of technology in District 209.

Oh, come on.

Chicago is filled with IT experts.

And where were the multiple bids required by board policy before the superintendent doled out this largesse? Not in evidence.

We have the FOIAs to prove it.

Now where is the skepticism of board members, especially those standing unopposed for re-election come April?

A superintendent with a checkered career arrives in a fragile district and proposes a wholesale overhaul of the hard-won progress the district has made using consultants from the checkered past.

What could go wrong?

Words have power There is blame enough to go around for the depths of flat-out trash talking that has come to represent conversation at the District 209 Proviso high schools board table. While it is an embarrassment, it is also a reflection of just how personal the divides have become at what was a model district until just recently.

Board member Claudia Medina and board President Rodney Alexander have been the most vicious and inappropriate. Via email and in over-the-top statements from the board table, each has lashed out in ways we’d never tolerate from our kids.

To her credit, Medina has issued a thorough apology. You can read it in this week’s Review. She does not withdraw her vivid criticism of Alexander or new Supt. James Henderson but she does acknowledge that her attacks are too personal.

D91 gets some credit Forest Park’s public elementary schools deserve more praise than criticism for the free care they have offered to the parents of essential workers during this damned pandemic. Since COVID-19 arrived, District 91 has paid the Community Center and the Forest Park Park District to watch over dozens of children unable to be home alone while attending remote learning classes.

Now, understandably, the park district needs to reclaim its staff and its facilities as it readies for a busier and more wide-open season of summer programs. The park district gave parents a month’s notice that its service would end after Spring Break.

We get that this situation is still hard-to-impossible for some families to navigate. Options are limited. But the school district has done its part as, perhaps, we limp toward the end of the school year.

Doilies and floss picks of the world unite

O

n the dementia unit, it is obligatory to put a lace paper doily on the table at mealtimes. This shall be placed on every table, at every mealtime, a requirement.

To some it is a symbol of corporate control lording over them, to others a small recognition of beauty.

Some argue it creates contrast to see the dish on top for the visually impaired.

To others it is a symbol of the details needed to be observed when serving food to a group of individuals whose lives literally rely on the details of meal preparation — puree, thickened liquid, mechanically soft style and awareness of allergies are all individually considered along with taste preferences.

Doily. The word itself is no onomatopoeia, completely missing the mark, sounding more like “annoy” or “hoity,” not in any way representing a beautiful, laced table dressing. It is not strange to me, but notable, that I have never seen a doily on the streets, littered about among the piles of the discarded, the temporary resting place before it is placed in a garbage receptacle.

Recently on my walks in town I have seen teams of people with neon green vests and garbage bags collecting the remains of friends’ and neighbors’ debris that has come to light as the snow has melted.

Lighters, wrappers, cups with straws, plastic bags all exposed in littered piles along the side of the road.

Removing the waste clears the community visual field to draw attention to the beauty of the flowering crocus and bright green grass. Our artful neighbors who use the litterati app are among the few enlightened to reflect on debris and transfer their displeasure to a data collection and later art.

Litter seems to be mainly a reflection of our community’s oral needs, mostly objects that have a final resting place after satisfying a nutrition or oral need in the hole in someone’s face. Taking a moment to reflect on the life of the object before it came to rest in a public space, and the life of my fellow humans before disposing of the waste, is a small practice in humility. I like to take a moment to honor them as I remove their narrative from the communal visual

experience.

It is an easy leap to imagine the life of my fellow man or woman who tossed the 50 ml bottle of Fireball, the can of Modelo, the package of flavored owl cigarillos, the Dunkin’ Donuts coffee cup, the Slurpie straw, the bag neatly tied with remains of a styrofoam plated dinner inside.

But never in all my walks have I seen a paper laced doily among the litter. I think the closest littered cousin to the doily would be the floss stick. It takes a certain level of maturity to floss, and the floss stick on the pavement represents both personal attention to detail and complete disregard for public detail. A commitment to personal gum health in a public place, a new trend, as there was a day when flossing was limited to private spaces. The traditional box of floss, with a flip top and hooked cutter, and spool of 50 yards of mint waxed floss, is far more cost-effective than a bag of less than a yard of floss strung as a bridge with a tool for picking food from between teeth, so the picks also are a symbol of wealth and success. The floss picks, the “doily” of the oral hygiene world, can be found outside of gas stations, on the sidewalk near restaurants and along the side of the road for others to enjoy.

While I can barehand a discarded water bottle, a juice box or Kit Kat wrapper, the abandoned floss stick has the privileged protective spell that goes beyond an ordinary piece of trash; these gems require a tool or a glove to be removed from our shared public space.

All litter to me is a symbol of pain, a little gift of externalized anger, a tiny act of violence, and in a way, a healthy expression of rage and disrespect.

The floss-pick litterers are the modern-day hippies with trust funds. They are like the people who wear the message “women for Trump” on their face mask. These are people not defined with shorthand labels; they are complicated and demand a little extra attention to respect their personal pain.

So, my floss-pick litterers, thank you for sharing your oral hygiene garbage with all of us in the community, and broadening my public experience; your consciousness makes a difference, just like the doily on the table does.

JILL WAGNER

Forest Park Review, March 17, 2021

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Forest Park Review, March 17, 2021 New local ads this week

WEDNESDAY

CLASSIFIED

YOUR WEEKLY AD

REACHES SIX SUBURBAN COMMUNITIES: OAK PARK, RIVER FOREST, FOREST PARK, BROOKFIELD, RIVERSIDE, NORTH RIVERSIDE, AND PARTS OF CHICAGO

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HOURS: 9:00 A.M.– 5:00 P.M. MON–FRI

Deadline is Monday at 5:00 p.m.

Please Check Your Ad: The publisher will not be responsible for more than one incorrect insertion.

Wednesday Journal Classified must be notified before the second insertion.

The newspaper reserves the right to edit or reject any advertisement.

Place your ad online anytime at: www.ForestParkReview.com/Classified/

BY PHONE: (708) 613-3333 | BY FAX: (708) 467-9066 | BY E-MAIL: CLASSIFIEDS@FORESTPARKREVIEW.COM HELP WANTED PART TIME TUTOR POSITION Flexible hours, afternoons and evenings. Monday through Thursday and possibly Saturday. Preferred background in math. Background check required.

708-447-8200 Or skillstutoringcenter@gmail.com SEASONAL FARMERS’ MARKET ASSISTANT The Village of Oak Park is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Seasonal Farmers’ Market Assistant in the Development Customer Services Department. This position will provide administrative support to the Farmers’ Market Manager to allow growers and producers of food to sell directly to the public within established guidelines. This position requires work in inclement weather conditions; some heavy lifting of up to 50 pounds; walking or standing for sustained periods of time. Applicants are encouraged to visit the Village of Oak Park’s website at http://www.oak-park.us/jobs.

Interested and qualified applicants must complete a Village of Oak Park application. Open until filled.

Village of Brookfield

Department of Public Works Position Available Seasonal Public Works Employment May - September

Applications are now being accepted from qualified individuals for seasonal public works employment.

Employment period will be from May through September. The position requires physical labor and will be in the Streets, Forestry, Water, Sewer, and Public Buildings Divisions.

Work hours are 7:00 am to 4:00 pm five days per week, with one weekend day required as part of the five day work schedule. Starting pay rate is $11.00 per hour.

Applicants must be 18 years of age and possess a valid driver’s license.

Candidates must be self-motivated and possess strong communication skills. Selected candidates will be required to pass a post-offer criminal background check, driver abstract record search, physical and drug screen with results acceptable to the Village.

Interested applicants should submit a completed employment application to the Human Resources office.

Email submissions are preferred: sdumanovic@brookfieldil.gov. You may drop off or mail your completed job application to Human Resources office, Village of Brookfield, 8820 Brookfield Avenue, Brookfield IL 60513 Fillable job applications may be found online at https://brookfieldil. gov/careers/.

The Village of Brookfield is an Equal Opportunity Employer

HELP WANTED Village of Brookfield

UTILITY BILLING CLERK

Career Opportunity:

The Village of Brookfield’s Finance Department is seeking qualified applicants for the full-time position of Utility Billing Clerk. Under the direction of the Accounting Manager, this position is responsible for the preparation and processing of monthly utility bills for the Village.

General Responsibilities:

Some of the essential responsibilities include ensuring accurate and timely utility billing; working with a third-party billing processor; collection and maintenance of residential and commercial accounts; and working closely and professionally with Village residents.

A more detailed job description can be found at https://brookfieldil.gov/ careers/.

Qualifications:

High School Diploma or GED equivalent, a valid driver’s license, a minimum of three years of general office experience, proficiency with the Microsoft Office suite, specifically Excel, and exemplary customer service skills are required. Two years of previous experience in utility billing, accounting or related activities and experience utilizing enterprise systems in a municipal setting are preferred.

An offer for this position is contingent upon the candidate’s successful completion of a criminal background check and a drug screen with results acceptable to the Village.

Salary and Benefits:

The minimum of the hiring range for this position is $48,445.60 ($23.29 per hour) and includes insurance, participation in the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund (IMRF) and all Village benefits available to full-time non-bargaining employees.

How to apply:

All interested applicants should submit a cover letter, current resume, and completed job application to the Human Resources office at the Village of Brookfield via email by the end of the day on Friday March 26th to sdumanovic@brookfieldil. gov. Career posting to remain open until filled.

URGENT HIRE: The Village would like to have someone start in this position by April 12th

WANTED TO BUY

OFFICE & RETAIL SPACE FOR RENT

WANTED MILITARY ITEMS: Helmets, medals, patches, uniforms, weapons, flags, photos, paperwork, Also toy soldiers – lead, plastic – other misc. toys.

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PETS

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While you’re away, your pets are okay . . . at home

ANTIQUE HALL TREE Antique American Hall Tree, solid oak. Excellent condition. 29”w x 78”h x 11”d, with covered shelf and mirror. $159.00.

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KENMORE WASHER & DRYER Sold as set. $100.00.

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I humbly beseech you from the bottom of my heart to succor in my necessity (make request). There are none that can withstand your power.

Oh, show me herein you are my mother. Oh, Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee (3 times). Holy Mary, I place this prayer in your hands (3 times). Say this prayer for three consecutive days and publish; your request will be granted. CAC

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22

Forest Park Review, March 17, 2021

HAULING

PUBLIC NOTICES

PUBLIC NOTICES

PUBLIC NOTICES

BASEMENT CLEANING

INVITATION TO BID

INVITATION TO BID

NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS

The Park District of Forest Park (“Park District” or “Owner”) will receive bids for the Interior painting of the Administration Building, located at the 7501 Harrison Street, Forest Park, Illinois 60130. Bid Documents, including Instructions to Bidders, Drawings, Technical Specifications, General and any Special Conditions, and Bid Forms, including required Contractor Certifications and Prevailing Wage Determination and Supersedes Notice, are available at Park District of Forest Park Administration Building, 7501 Harrison St., Forest Park, Illinois 60130 commencing on March 15, 2021 from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.

The Park District of Forest Park (“Park District” or “Owner”) will receive bids for the Administration Building Flooring Project, located at the 7501 Harrison Street, Forest Park, Illinois 60130. Bid Documents, including Instructions to Bidders, Drawings, Technical Specifications, General and any Special Conditions, and Bid Forms, including required Contractor Certifications and Prevailing Wage Determination and Supersedes Notice, are available at Park District of Forest Park Administration Building, 7501 Harrison St., Forest Park, Illinois 60130 commencing on March 15, 2021 from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Notice is hereby given by the President and Board of Trustees of the Village of River Forest, Cook County, Illinois, that sealed bids will be accepted for:

A Pre-bid Meeting will be held at Administration Building, 7501 Harrison St., Forest Park, Illinois, at 10:00 a.m. on March 22, 2021. This meeting will be used to review the Specifications and give any Bidders the opportunity to discuss any concerns with the Owner. Attendance at this meeting by all persons desiring to bid on this Project is highly recommended.

A Pre-bid Meeting will be held at Administration Building, 7501 Harrison St., Forest Park, Illinois, at 10:00 a.m. on March 22, 2021. This meeting will be used to review the Specifications and give any Bidders the opportunity to discuss any concerns with the Owner. Attendance at this meeting by all persons desiring to bid on this Project is highly recommended.

Each bid shall be placed in an opaque sealed envelope and clearly marked “Park District of Forest Park, Indoor Painting of the Administration Building.” The envelope shall be addressed and delivered to and received by the Park District at the following location: Administration Building, 7501 Harrison St., Forest Park, Illinois 60130. No responsibility shall be attached to any person for premature opening of a bid not properly identified.

Each bid shall be placed in an opaque sealed envelope and clearly marked “Park District of Forest Park, Administration Building Flooring Project.” The envelope shall be addressed and delivered to and received by the Park District at the following location: Administration Building, 7501 Harrison St., Forest Park, Illinois 60130. No responsibility shall be attached to any person for premature opening of a bid not properly identified.

Bids will be received until 10:00 a.m. April 8, 2021. Immediately thereafter, the bids will be publicly opened and read aloud. Bids received after that time or at a different location will be rejected and returned to the Bidder unopened.

Bids will be received until 10:00 a.m. April 8, 2021. Immediately thereafter, the bids will be publicly opened and read aloud. Bids received after that time or at a different location will be rejected and returned to the Bidder unopened.

The Park District of Forest Park reserves the right to waive technicalities, to accept or reject any or all bids, and/or to accept only portions of a bid and reject the remainder.

Owner will award the Contract to the lowest most responsible and responsive Bidder, as determined by Owner. In considering the Bidder’s responsibility, the Owner may evaluate, among other factors, the ability of the Bidder to provide experienced labor sufficient in numbers to timely and properly complete the services, the financial capability of the Bidder, and the performance of the Bidder on other projects

The Park District of Forest Park reserves the right to waive technicalities, to accept or reject any or all bids, and/or to accept only portions of a bid and reject the remainder.

Owner will award the Contract to the lowest most responsible and responsive Bidder, as determined by Owner. In considering the Bidder’s responsibility, the Owner may evaluate, among other factors, the ability of the Bidder to provide experienced labor sufficient in numbers to timely and properly complete the services, the financial capability of the Bidder, and the performance of the Bidder on other projects.

Bids shall not include federal excise tax or state sales tax for materials to be incorporated in, or totally consumed in the prosecution of the Work. A tax exemption certificate will be furnished by the Park District at the request of the Bidder. The Park District’s tax exemption number shall only be used by the successful Bidder for the Work of this Project.

Bids shall not include federal excise tax or state sales tax for materials to be incorporated in, or totally consumed in the prosecution of the Work. A tax exemption certificate will be furnished by the Park District at the request of the Bidder. The Park District’s tax exemption number shall only be used by the successful Bidder for the Work of this Project.

After the bid opening time, no bid shall be withdrawn or canceled for a period of sixty (60) calendar days.

After the bid opening time, no bid shall be withdrawn or canceled for a period of sixty (60) calendar days.

The Work of this Project is subject to the Illinois Prevailing Wage Act, 820 ILCS 130/0.01 et seq. A prevailing wage determination has been made by the Park District, which is the same as that determined by the Illinois Department of Labor for public works projects in Cook County. The Contract entered into for the Work will be drawn in compliance with said law and proposals should be prepared accordingly and provide for payment of all laborers, workmen, and mechanics needed to perform the Work at no less than the prevailing rate of wages (or the prevailing rate for legal holiday and overtime work) for each craft, type of worker, or mechanic.

The Work of this Project is subject to the Illinois Prevailing Wage Act, 820 ILCS 130/0.01 et seq. A prevailing wage determination has been made by the Park District, which is the same as that determined by the Illinois Department of Labor for public works projects in Cook County. The Contract entered into for the Work will be drawn in compliance with said law and proposals should be prepared accordingly and provide for payment of all laborers, workmen, and mechanics needed to perform the Work at no less than the prevailing rate of wages (or the prevailing rate for legal holiday and overtime work) for each craft, type of worker, or mechanic.

The Contractor(s) selected will also be required to comply with all applicable federal, state and local laws, rules, regulations and executive orders, including but not limited to those pertaining to equal employment opportunity.

The Contractor(s) selected will also be required to comply with all applicable federal, state and local laws, rules, regulations and executive orders, including but not limited to those pertaining to equal employment opportunity.

Direct questions to Jackie Iovinelli, Executive Director, Park District of Forest Park, jiovinelli@pdofp.org, 708-366-7500.

Direct questions to Jackie Iovinelli, Executive Director, Park District of Forest Park, jiovinelli@pdofp.org, 708-366-7500.

Published in Forest Park Review

Published in Forest Park Review

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PUBLIC NOTICES

LEGAL NOTICE The Village of Oak Park will receive sealed bids from qualified consultants at the Public Works Center, 201 South Boulevard, Oak Park, Illinois 60302 Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. local time until 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, March 31, 2020 for the following: Village of Oak Park 2021 Urban Forestry Consulting and Inspection Services Proposal Number: 21-121 Bid documents may be obtained from the Village’s website at http://www.oak-park.us/bid.

For questions, please call Public Works at (708) 358-5700 during the above hours.

Published in Wednesday Journal March 17, 2021

LEGAL NOTICE The Village of Oak Park will receive sealed bids from qualified vendors at the Public Works Center, 201 South Boulevard, Oak Park, Illinois 60302 Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. local time until 11:00 a.m. on Friday, March 26, 2021 for the following: Village of Oak Park 2021 Emergency Vehicle Equipment Bid Number: 21-123 Bid documents may be obtained from the Village’s website at http://www.oak-park.us/bid.

For questions, please call Public Works at (708) 358-5700 during the above hours.

Published in Wednesday Journal March 17, 2021

3/17/2021

3/17/2021

Public Notice: Your right to know

In print • Online • Available to you 24/7/365 ForestParkReview.com PublicNoticeIllinois.com

2021 Street Patching Program This project consists of the patching of approximately 4,050 square yards of existing, defective asphalt pavement at various locations throughout the Village, as designated by the Department of Public Works.

The bidding documents are available for download starting Monday, March 15, 2021 at: www.vrf.us/bids

PUBLIC NOTICES

PUBLIC NOTICES

PUBLIC NOTICES

NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS

PUBLIC NOTICE Notice is hereby given, pursuant to “An Act in relation to the use of an Assumed Business Name in the conduct or transaction of Business in the State,” as amended, that a certification was registered by the undersigned with the County Clerk of Cook County. Registration Number: Y21006185 on March 5, 2021 Under the Assumed Business Name of TWISTED SOU’LS CATERING with the business located at:139 HARRISON ST APT 2N, OAK PARK, IL 60304. The true and real full name(s) and residence address of the owner(s)/partner(s) is: ANTHONY BOWMAN 139 HARISON ST APT 2N, OAK PARK, IL 60304, USA

PUBLIC NOTICE Notice is hereby given, pursuant to “An Act in relation to the use of an Assumed Business Name in the conduct or transaction of Business in the State,” as amended, that a certification was registered by the undersigned with the County Clerk of Cook County. Registration Number: Y21006206 on March 11, 2021 Under the Assumed Business Name of AMERICAN DREAMS CLEANING COMPANY with the business located at:1025 PLEASANT PLACE, APT. 2G, OAK PARK, IL 60302.

The true and real full name(s) and residence address of the owner(s)/ partner(s) is: JEFFREY RUSSELL COLLINS 1025 PLEASANT PLACE APT. 2G OAK PARK, IL 60302, USA.

Notice is hereby given by the President and Board of Trustees of the Village of River Forest, Cook County, Illinois, that sealed bids will be accepted for:

Bids must be submitted by Monday, March 29, 2021 at 10:00 a.m. at:

2021 Pavement Crack Sealing Project

Public Works Department, 2nd Floor Village of River Forest 400 Park Avenue River Forest, IL 60305

The Work consists of the application of approximately 42,455 pounds of Fiber-Modified Crack Sealing to various asphalt public roadways.

The bid proposals will be publicly opened and read at that time. Proposals will be considered not only on the basis of cost, but also on past performance, experience and ability to perform the work.

The bidding documents are available for download starting Monday, March 15, 2021 at:

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 River Forest for a period of thirty (30) days after the scheduled time of the bid opening.

Bidders shall be prequalified by IDOT for: HMA Paving The Village of River Forest reserves the right in receiving these bids to waive technicalities and reject any or all bids.

Published in Wednesday Journal 3/17/2021

NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS Notice is hereby given by the President and Board of Trustees of the Village of River Forest, Cook County, Illinois, that sealed bids will be accepted for: 2021 Curb and Sidewalk Replacement Program (Various Locations) This project consists of the installation of approximately 5,000 square feet of PCC sidewalk, 175 linear feet of PCC curb/gutter, 75 square yards of driveway apron and other work incidental thereto.

The bidding documents are available for download starting Monday, March 15, 2021 at: www.vrf.us/bids Bids must be submitted by Monday, March 29, 2021 at 10:30 a.m. at: Public Works Department, 2nd Floor Village of River Forest 400 Park Avenue River Forest, IL 60305 The bid proposals will be publicly opened and read at that time. Proposals will be considered not only on the basis of cost, but also on past performance, experience and ability to perform the work.

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 River Forest for a period of thirty (30) days after the scheduled time of the bid opening.

Bidders shall be prequalified by IDOT for: Concrete Construction The Village of River Forest reserves the right in receiving these bids to waive technicalities and reject any or all bids.

Published in Wednesday Journal 3/17/2021

www.vrf.us/bids Bids must be submitted by Monday, April 5, 2021 at 10:00 a.m. at: Public Works Department, 2nd Floor Village of River Forest 400 Park Avenue River Forest, IL 60305 The bid proposals will be publicly opened and read at that time. Proposals will be considered not only on the basis of cost, but also on past performance, experience and ability to perform the work.

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 River Forest for a period of thirty (30) days after the scheduled time of the bid opening.

The Village of River Forest reserves the right in receiving these bids to waive technicalities and reject any or all bids.

Published in Wednesday Journal 3/17/2021

PUBLIC NOTICE Notice is hereby given, pursuant to “An Act in relation to the use of an Assumed Business Name in the conduct or transaction of Business in the State,” as amended, that a certification was registered by the undersigned with the County Clerk of Cook County. Registration Number: Y21006103 on February 25, 2021 Under the Assumed Business Name of ADG HANDYMAN SERVICES with the business located at: 2417 N. 75TH AVE UNIT F, ELMWOOD PARK, IL 60707. The true and real full name(s) and residence address of the owner(s)/partner(s) is: ALBERT JOSEPH DEGENOVA 2417 N. 75TH AVE UIT F, ELMWOOD PARK, IL 60707, USA Published in Wednesday Journal 3/3, 3/10, 3/17/2021

PUBLIC NOTICE Notice is hereby given, pursuant to “An Act in relation to the use of an Assumed Business Name in the conduct or transaction of Business in the State,” as amended, that a certification was registered by the undersigned with the County Clerk of Cook County. Registration Number: Y21006089 on February 25, 2021 Under the Assumed Business Name of WILSON FINANCIAL with the business located at: 1126 N. 6TH AVENUE, MAYWOOD, IL 60153.

The true and real full name(s) and residence address of the owner(s)/ partner(s) is: ALEATHA WILSON 1126 N. 6TH AVENUE, MAYWOOD, IL 60153, USA Published in Forest Park Review 3/3, 3/10, 3/17/2021

Classifieds @ForestParkReview.com

Published in Wednesday Journal 3/10, 3/17, 3/24/2021

PUBLIC NOTICE Notice is hereby given, pursuant to “An Act in relation to the use of an Assumed Business Name in the conduct or transaction of Business in the State,” as amended, that a certification was registered by the undersigned with the County Clerk of Cook County. Registration Number: Y21006062 on February 24, 2021 Under the Assumed Business Name of FIRST FINANCIAL PLUS with the business located at: 4232 EDGEWATER AVENUE, HILLSIDE, IL 60162. The true and real full name(s) and residence address of the owner(s)/partner(s) is: STEEVE KIDD 4232 EDGEWATER AVENUE, HILLSIDE, IL 60162 Published in Forest Park Review 3/10, 3/17, 3/24/2021

PUBLIC NOTICE OF COURT DATE FOR REQUEST FOR NAME CHANGE STATE OF ILLINOIS, CIRCUIT COURT COOK COUNTY. Request of Maeve Madeleine Kennedy Riordan Case Number 2021CONC000230 There will be a court date on my Request to change my name from: Maeve Madeleine Kennedy Riordan to the new name of: Rory Quinn Kennedy Riordan The court date will be held: On May 13, 2021 at 10:30 a.m. at Cook County Court Calendar 6.

Published in Wednesday Journal 3/17, 3/24, 3/31/2021

PUBLIC NOTICE Notice is hereby given, pursuant to “An Act in relation to the use of an Assumed Business Name in the conduct or transaction of Business in the State,” as amended, that a certification was registered by the undersigned with the County Clerk of Cook County. Registration Number: Y21006244 on March 12, 2021 Under the Assumed Business Name of CHAMBERS ADVERTISING with the business located at: 414 GENEVA AVE, BELLWOOD, IL 60104. The true and real full name(s) and residence address of the owner(s)/partner(s) is: FOSTER CHAMBERS, 414 GENEVA AVE, BELLWOOD, IL 60104, USA. Published in Forest Park Review 3/17, 3/24, 3/31/2021

PUBLIC NOTICE OF COURT DATE FOR REQUEST FOR NAME CHANGE STATE OF ILLINOIS, CIRCUIT COURT COOK COUNTY. Request of Mercedes De La PazBuck Case Number 20214000895 There will be a court date on my Request to change my name from: Mercedes De La Paz-Buck to the new name of: Cedes Delapaz Buck.

The court date will be held: On April 27th, 2021 at 9:30 a.m. at 1500 Maybrook Drive, Maywood, Cook County, IL in Courtroom #0111.

Published in Wednesday Journal 3/10, 3/17, 3/24/2021

Published in RB Landmark 3/17, 3/24, 3/31/2021

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Forest Park Review, March 17, 2021

INC., REALTOR

(708) 366-8989 7342 MADISON ST, FOREST PARK, ILLINOIS 60130

SOLD!

928 S. Kenilworth Ave. Oak Park ....................$275,000

SOLD!

Property has been owner occupied by the same family for 50+ years. 1st fl has spacious living rm and dining rm, kitchen and 1/2 bath. 2nd floor has three bedrooms and full bath. Stucco exterior and 2 car detached garage.

Great location in south west Oak Park. Needs some updating but livable as-is.

935 Elgin Avenue, Forest Park ........................$489,000 This is a money maker! This early 1970s brick four flat houses two one bedroom apartments on the top floor, a large three bedroom two bath apartment on the first floor, and a large two bedroom two bathroom apartment in the lower level. Tandem parking for 8 cars.

Meticulously maintained by the current owner for several decades.

The numbers work! This one really won't last long.

SOLD!

1117 Marengo Avenue, Forest Park .......................$263,500 What a great opportunity to get into Forest Park at an affordable price! This home offers four total bedrooms, two on the second floor and two on the first floor. The home is in perfect condition!

Living room, dining room, and eat in kitchen, plus a finished basement. Huge deck off the back of the house and a very large two car garage!

SOLD!

1028 Beloit Forest Park ....................$289,000 This 3 BR, 2.1 BA home has not been available in over 55 years.

It has been meticulously maintained within the same family for that time. This home offers two first floor good sized bedrooms and a large second floor master. Each floor has a full updated bathroom. The first floor living room, with it's vaulted ceilings, fill with sunlight pouring from the front foyer windows.

337 Marengo Avenue, Forest Park ......................$275,000 Fantastic location alert!! Just a stones throw from Madison Street shopping, restaurants, and night life makes this a very desirable piece of real estate! This is two flat is ready for some love and attention. Just stuck in time is all. Or a fantastic de-conversion to single family! So bring your decorating ideas, and be prepared to fall in love!

SOLD!

ONLINE and IN PERSON options for Private Lessons for Language, Music and Academic Tutoring.

In Person option for 2021.

Multi-Age K-5th Grade “Homeschool in School“ program

The Language and Music School At International Mansion 509 N. Oak Park Ave., Oak Park, IL 60302 info@internationalmansion.com • (708) 524-5252 • InternationalMansion.com

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Forest Park Review, March 17, 2021

NO MATTER WHERE YOU ARE, WE’LL HELP YOU FIND HOME. The Gillian Baker Team prides itself on expansive Experience, Expertise, and Focus on our clients – no matter where you are, we’ll help you find Home.

Whether you are a first time home buyer, interested in renovating, or looking to “rightsize,” we will meet you where you are and work with you to achieve your next goal on your homeownership journey.

Individually, we each bring a specific skill set and partner with you. Together, we bring the strength of a

Team to support you throughout the process.

We invest in our community through volunteer opportunities with the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Opportunity Knocks, 209 Together, the Forest Park Chamber of Commerce, the Forest Park Historical Society, the Animal Care League and others.

We believe that by investing in the communities we serve, we improve the connection and overall feeling of Home for you.

In 2020 alone, the GB Team sold 76 homes and $23,066,498 worth of real estate.

TESTIMONIALS “dorothy helped us find our new home and sold our current home before it officially hit the market. She helped us find a general contractor for our new home and even located a short term rental for us to bridge the gap between selling our old home and our new home being ready. Great experience, true professional.”

– 2014-2020: five star professional “april helped us in both the purchase and the sale of our home. She was patient and kind and had honest conversations with us to make sure we zeroed in on what we needed. April was able to help us navigate every single flaming hoop, was a fierce advocate, and made sure we got everything we needed. She put us in touch with people to get us involved in the community. April not only helped us buy a home, but helped us to establish some roots.”

– 2018: forest park pride award, forest park chamber of commerce

APRIL BAKER 224.715.0428 april@thegbteam.com

FACEBOOK.COM/THEGBTEAM

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D O R OT H Y G I L L I A N 708. 514.6616 dorothy@thegbteam.com

“anna helped make what could have been a stressful experience very pleasing.

Her communication skills are unmatched.

I never had to wait for a response. Anna was very informative and helped guide me through the entire home buying experience from start to finish. I knew exactly what to expect, how to prepare, and what I had to do to secure a home. This was a big investment and a whole new experience.

Thanks to Anna, I felt confident and assured that I made the right decision.

I highly recommend her!”

ANNA GILLIAN CRAMER 708.426.4349 anna@thegbteam.com

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THEGBTEAM.COM

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THEGILLIANBAKERTEAM