Forest Park Review 051023

Council appointments turn contentious

Maxham gets top post thoug h Voogd got most votes

By IGOR STUDENKOV Staff Reporter

While village commissioners who won the highest number of votes traditionally had their pick of departments to oversee, there have been times when the village council broke with that tradition – and the May 8 meeting proved to be one of the exceptions

In the April 4 election, Commissioner Jessica Voogd received the highest number of votes. But as the council began the selection process for departments, Mayor Rory Hoskins nominated Commissioner Maria Maxham for the position as head of Accounts & Finance, saying that her professional qualifications made her better suited for the task. Voogd objected, arguing that commissioners’ professional qualifications don’t matter given that village commissioners don’t actually run their department on a day-to-day basis, and said that her record on the council made her more qualified.

The commissioner also denounced the process, saying that it was decided behind the scenes. Maxham confirmed to the Review that Hoskins offered her the position before the meeting. The mayor also said that Voogd didn’t

See COMMISSIONERS on page 7

REPORT BY TOM HOLMES, PAGE 8

Af

years, Henry Laskowski and Paul McKenna sell Starship Subs to Oak Park group

‘It’s a new day, Proviso’ as D209 sw

Board member Amanda Grant voted new board president

By AMARIS E. RODRIGUEZ Staff Reporter

A standing ovation and roars of applause accompanied the three newest members of the Proviso Township High School District 209 Board of Education as they made their way to the podium to be sworn into their seats, bringing with them pledges of a breath of fresh air and hope for the Proviso community.

During a May 4 special meeting of the school board, held at Proviso Math and Science Academy, 8601 Roosevelt Road, Forest Park, newcomers David Ocampo, Sandra Hixson, and Jennifer Barbahen took their oath of office, pledging to keep the taxpayers and students’ best interest at heart in front of a packed room of residents and community members who hope the slate mates and help restore the district.

Hixson, who received the second largest number of votes during the April 4 Consolidated Election thanked the community for its support and vote of confidence, also hoping to encourage those to go after what others might deem impossible.

“The more bricks they put on your back, the tougher your back must become,” said Hixson to an applauding audience.

Barbahen, who remained in a tight race against incumbent Theresa Kelly until the certified results were released on April 25, thanked everyone who was a supporter of the Proviso 209 United slate and shared in the vision of moving the district forward, saying she was “ready to respectfully serve.” Barbahen won the third open seat on the board with a 12-vote margin.

Kelly was not in attendance during Thursday’s reorganization of the board.

As the new members took their seats, Arbdella Patterson, who was serving as the board president, called for the nomination of a new president, who will serve a one-year term. Met with a roar of applause from the audience, Amanda Grant was nominated by Hixson and received a unanimous vote of approval from the board.

“It’s a new day Proviso, it’s a new day,” exclaimed a member of the audience.

Two members of the HBO slate also ac-

cepted nominations and will begin their time on the board with additional responsibilities. Ocampo will serve as vice president and Barbahen will serve as secretary.

Samuel Valtier re z, who had served as board secretary for the past year, declined the nomination from Ocampo to remain in the position, telling Village Free Press he was ready to dedicate more time to his family, work, and his outside responsibilities.

During her first few minutes as board president, Grant addressed the audienc proclaiming “better things are on the way for District 209.”

“We will be focused on re pairing relationships, rebuilding trust, and reclaiming the path to a brighter future and quality of education,” said Grant, barely audible ov the applause. “You will see a lot of changes coming very soon.”

Setting the schedule for next year’s board meetings, the change was seen immediately, as the board will now meet twice a month for the next year: one re gular board meeting and the other solely dedicated to community concerns, a huge shift from past meetings where public comments were held towards the end of the hours long meetings of the board, subsequently limiting public participation.

“The second one will be dedicated, for the first few months at least, to hearing the backlog of arbitrations and grievances that we have…,” said Grant. “Once we have caught up on the concerns from the students, parents and staf f of this district, we will start a round of meetings that are more community focused.”

Locations for these meetings will be rotated, ensuring the board is able to make their way throughout Proviso Township and giving access to citizen comments and citizen eng agement.

“For many, many years, what I have heard from people is that they just want to have a chance for us to listen,” Grant said.

Grant, who has publicly criticized Superintendent James Henderson for his hand in doing away with committees, also revealed they will be reinstating board committees.

Valtier re z will serve as the chair for the facilities committee, Barbahen will serve as the chair of the parent and community eng agement committee, Hixson will serve as the chair of the policy committee, and Ocampo will serve as the chair of the finance committee.

“I am a big advocate of board commit-

tees. I believe it is one of the many windows we can possibly offer to the public,” Grant said. “All board committees are open to the public and I am not just asking you, I am be gging you, show up and participate.”

To eng age and encourage citizen participation, Grant announced the establishment of a new committee, the Proviso Community Cooperation committee, made up of citizens to help serve as watchdogs on the district and the board, but also as advocates for students. The committee will be open to students, parents, and community members re gardless of experience.

“I think it has been shown that where the community has a will there’s definitely a way,” Grant said. “Each year I have seen this community get stronger and stronger and stronger and when we work together that is when we get a school district that our children deserve.”

Public comment during the meeting was welcome, with many taking to the podium to thank past serving board members as well as welcoming the fresh new faces. While the praises were high and the feeling of hope for a better future filled the room, many also expressed the need to hold the new board accountable in order for history to not be re peated.

PROVIDED

Jarrell David, a 15-year-old freshman at PMSA, encouraged the new board to remember who they are serving and who they need to fight for, the students.

“The student body was broken down, abused, and upset and we was mad as hell,” David said. “We were tired of seeing qualified teachers get dragged through the mud because elected officials couldn’t check their ego.”

David, who served as the first student board member at Lindop School District 92, said the community needs to hold the board accountable.

“The problem in minority communities today is that we don’t stay mad long enough,” David said. “We let them do what they want to do and we say ‘OK.’ It is time that we hold elected of ficials accountable.”

Proviso West teacher Carissa Gillespie expressed her love for the district as a product of Proviso herself.

“I am so glad tonight that we have a chance for change,” said Gillespie.

The next Proviso Township High School District 209 Board of Education meeting will be held on Tuesday, May 16. For more information on time and location, as meetings rotate across the three Proviso campuses, visit the district website.

New elected board members Sandra Hixson, Jennifer Barbahen, and David Ocampo were swor n as members of the Prov iso Township High School District 209 Board of Education on May 4.

BIG WEEK

Making Collage Ar t

Tuesday, May 16, 6 - 8:30 p.m., Forest Park Public Library Austin Room FPPL’s own collage artist, Christine Vilutis, will rst o er a short introduction about collage before giving over the time to your creative expression. We will provide all needed materials but participants are encouraged to bring in any paper ephemera (maps, newspapers, greeting cards, yers) that might be cut, torn and/or glued in the service of art. Copies of family photographs are also great for adding a personal narrative to any collage. Register: https://fppl.evanced.info/signup/Calendar 7555 Jackson Blvd., Forest Park.

Destination:

Illinois Libraries Present: On Being Fabulous With Jonathan Van Ness & Kristi Yamaguchi

Wednesday, May 17, 7-8 p.m., virtually through Illinois Libraries Present

Queer Eye and Getting Curious star and ice skating superfan, Jonathan Van Ness talks with his idol, Olympic Gold Medalist Kristi Yamaguchi. They’ll chat gure skating, fabulous style, and whatever else comes up! With Jonathan, you never quite know what he’ll say next. Register now at bit.ly/ OnBeingFabulous.

Ar tisans and Crafters Craf t Show

Friday, May 12, 4 - 8 p.m.; Saturday, May 13, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., Mohr Community Center

Explore and shop with local artisans and crafters from the former Women’s Exchange. 7640 Desplaines Ave., Forest Park.

La ser Motown

Saturday, May 13, 8:30 p.m., Cernan Center, Triton College

Enjoy for yourself or introduce the next generation to classics by Diana Ross & The Supremes, Mar vin Gaye, The Four Tops, Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, The Temptations, The Commodores and Stevie Wonder. 2000 North Fifth Ave., I Building, River Grove

Tabletop Games Open Play

Thursday, May 11, 4 - 5 p.m., Forest Park Public Library YS Program Room

Do you love board games? Local game-lover Maui Jones leads drop-in game play every Thursday. Stop in and see what we’re playing today. Designed for ages 8-13. 7555 Jackson Blvd., Forest Park.

Heartland History

Thursday, May 11, 7 - 8 p.m., Forest Park Public Library Austin Room

The Midwest, famed for supplying food, actually supplied so much more, including iconic images, legendary individuals, and inventions that would change the world. Cynthia Clampitt joins us to go over the remarkable and surprising history of the Midwest. 7555 Jackson Blvd., Forest Park.

Park District of Forest Park, Third Floor Admin. Bldg.

Mr. Sidney ’s high-energy class uses the latest sounds in rap, R & B and pop music together with movements in uenced by some of today’s hottest video choreographers. Hip-hop encompasses elements of pop locking, breaking, and freestyle movement, giving students the opportunity to dance outside the box and bring their own personality to each movement. Please wear gym shoes or hiphop dance shoes. Register online: https://tinyurl.com/2cbadwdf. Drop-in class $8.00. 7501 Harrison Street, Forest Park.

Listing your event in the calendar

Unexpectedly delicious tamales at Por tillo’s

By DAVID HAMMOND Oak Park Eats Blog

In Made in Chicago: Stories behind 30 Great Hometown Bites, I wrote about Chicago corn roll tamales, which are “made on a machine that extrudes the cornmeal tube with a core of lightly seasoned meat (although sometimes those darker centers seem to be just cornmeal, mixed with fat, and tinted a brownish red). The Chicago corn roll tamale is an industrial product unlike anything you’ll find in Mexico.”

Mexican tamales are some of my favorite foods in the world, but I haven’t usually enjoyed the sometimes dry and flavorless corn roll tamales unless they’ve been drowned in good-tasting chili, as they are at Parky’s in Forest Park.

Then last May 1, on our way to Forest Home Cemetery to join Wobblies and other unionists for a May Day celebration, my brother Kevin and I stopped for lunch at Por-

tillo’s in Forest Park We ordered Chicagostyle hot dogs, and Kevin got a corn roll tamale on the side (we ate them when we were kids in Portage Park).

Portillo’s version of the corn roll tamale was unexpectedly delicious! It was about twice as large as similar corn roll tamales offered by the two big Chicago companies, Supreme and Tom Tom. When I took the wrapped dogs and tamale out of the bag, it was difficult to determine which was which: the hefty corn roll tamale was about as heavy as the traditional Chicago dog.

The tamale’s yellow corn flour exterior was similar to Italian polenta, and the core seemed to contain actual meat. Portillo’s website says these tamales contain “seven secret spices,” the most prominent being cumin, common with all corn roll tamales and just fine with me

One problem I’ve sometimes had with corn roll tamales at, for instance, classic places like Johnnie’s Beef in Elmwood Park

CROP Hunger Walk

Members of Forest Park’s St. Paul ai Church start their CROP Hunger Walk and meet for ice cream at the Brown Cow a er completion on Sunday, May 7.

and Gene & Jude’s in River Grove, is that the wrapper of finely ground corn is sometimes dry and hard, like it’s been steamed and then, if unsold, refrigerated and resteamed the next day. Portillo’s tamale, on the other hand, was soft and flavorful, due to both the care in preparation (it seemed freshly steamed) and what I suspect to be a fair amount of lard or vegetable oil that made it soft and moist (though, alas, somewhat mushier than a traditional Mexican tamale).

Corn roll tamales at Portillo’s are a “side,” and at Italian beef and hot dog stands, one gets the sense that the tamale is offered as just something to fill up any remaining belly real estate after you’ve downed a more substantial entrée. The Portillo’s version, however, can stand alone: a friend of mine remarked, “There’s times I’ll go to Portillo’s and have a hot dog *with* my tamale,” the corn roll tamale taking the honored place of an entrée rather just a side.

After lunch, we went to the Haymarket Martyrs’ memorial in Forest Home Cemetery and sang a few verses of “Solidarity Forever.” The crowd was enthusiastic though sparse because, as Kevin suggested, “it’s raining and they’re union guys.” The union makes us strong … and usually keeps us dry.

DAVID HAMOND Tamale at Portillo’s.

PHOTO S BY TODD A. BANNOR/Photographer

Is Boykin back? Now eyeing run for State’s Attorney

Former county commissioner Boykin hosts town halls before deciding

By FRANCIA GARCIA HERNANDEZ Staff Reporter

Richard Boykin, who served as the 1st District Cook County commissioner from 2014 until 2018, before being unseated by Chicago’s Mayor-elect Brandon Johnson, is considering running to re place Cook

County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx. Last month, Foxx announced she will not seek a third term.

Boykin told the Austin Weekly News he “has talked to a lot of people” and heard very encouraging comments. Before announcing an official decision, Boykin plans on hosting town hall meetings across

Cook County where he wants to hear from advocacy groups, residents and victims of violence.

“I believe the best form of democracy is a bottoms-up democracy,” he said, adding he plans to listen to county residents’ concerns to “tailor” a platform that makes people feel safe.

Do you have DIABETES?

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

e key to prevention is early diagnosis of diabetes, and regular foot exams from a podiatrist. Diabetics who receive regular foot care, including paring of calluses and debridement of thick fungal toenails, are almost four times less likely

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

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

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

RICHARD BOYKIN

While he is yet to determine his bid to be Cook County’s top prosecutor, Boykin said he believes it is y to “make sure hold criminals accountable their actions bridges between the police and the commu-

” He added it is important that offenders who are arrested in a constitutional manner are promptly prosecuted, a concern he has heard from victims of violence and residents.

“The main driving force in our county is that too many people feel unsafe,” Boykin said. “They’re afraid to go downtown, they’ re afraid to take the CTA…”

He added he has heard from multiple residents that if people who have been arrested on a chargeable offense are deemed to be guilty through evidence, “they should be taken of f the streets.”

On May 12, Boykin plans to host his first town hall on Chicago’s South Side. “I want to hear from the people in Cook County what they’d like to see in the next State’s Attorney,” he said. After hosting “as many town halls as possible” all around the county, Boykin believes he’ll be in a better position to announce his intentions.

“I’m excited about the journey and I look forward to the new chapter in Cook County as it relates to the State’s Attorney and making sure that our county is a safer place.”

Dr. Linda Lambert

COMMISSIONERS Council seat shu e

from page 1

try to work with the other commissioners to get the necessary votes – something that the commissioner denied to the Review.

Hoskins nominated Commissioner Ryan Nero to be the Commissioner of Public Health & Safety, which was previously Maxham’s position, and the newly swor n-in commissioner Michelle Melin-Rogovin to be the Commissioner of Streets & Public Improvements, which was previously Nero’s position. Voogd remained in her previous position, the Commissioner of Public Property The council approved Maxham’s nomination by a 3-2 vote, with Voogd and Melin-Rogovin voting against. All other nominations were approved unanimously.

Under the Illinois Municipal Code, each village commissioner within the commissioner form of gover nment is responsible for one of five areas of gover nment, with the mayor serving as the Commissioner of Public Affairs and the remaining commissioners deciding by majority vote which ones would get the remaining positions. The position titles are set by state law, but municipalities have latitude to determine each position’s responsibilities.

While, on paper, Forest Park commissioners have broad powers over their departments, in practice, over recent years the village administrator and department directors have come to handle day-to-day operations.

The Commissioner of Accounts & Finance has traditionally been the most coveted position because, under state law and Forest Park municipal code, they not only supervise village finances, but act as Vice Mayors when mayors are either absent or incapacitated. In Forest Park, they have oversight of the Fire Department and collective bargaining negotiations

During the May 8 meeting, Hoskins asked for motions to nominate his preferred candidates, but one of the commissioners made the motion. In Maxham’s case, Nero made the motion and Maxham herself seconded.

She argued that her undergraduate degree in accounting and her past professional accounting experience made her more qualified for the job than Voogd, who ear ns her living as a motion picture set buyer and decorator

“For a long time, things were done according to the tradition, but sometimes, traditions don’t make the most sense,” said Maxham.

Voogd countered that, in her line of work, she “actively manage[s] budgets every day” and argued that, in any case, their professional qualifications don’t matter for a commissioner position.

“We aren’t applying for [Finance Director Letitia Olmsted]’s job -- we’re applying to provide oversight of this department and support to this department,” she said.

What did matter, Voogd argued, was “the actual track record” of how commissioners handled financial issues and she argued that the way she worked with Public Works Director Sal Stella to trim some items from the budget to help pay for the village-wide tree inventory should count in her favor.

Voogd also accused the rest of the council of deciding the appointments ahead of time, and questioned why Maxham would even want the position, given that improving mental health services was a major part of her campaign platform.

“This seems very pre-determined,” she said. “I knew nothing about what was going to happen today walking into this, and you all seem to, which is very disappointing.”

Maxham told the Review that Hoskins offered her the position, and that, while she was reluctant to leave Public Health & Safety, she ultimately agreed that her talents would be of better use in Accounts & Finance.

“I did say I loved the position I was at,” Maxham said. “But [Hoskins] said that, given my background, and the very trusting, respectful relationship [I had] with staff, this was the best fit.”

Melin-Rogovin told the Review that no one on the council talked to her about who would get what position, and that she had no idea she was going to be nominated to Streets and Public Improvements. In fact, she believed that, given that she got the lowest vote share of the four, she believed she would get Public Property. During the meeting, she said she came in with an open mind about who she would support for which position.

Hoskins responded to Voogd’s comments saying that it was ultimately up to the council majority to make the nominations, and that, if she didn’t secure that majority, she had no one to blame but herself

“I believe you had time to discuss your preferences with the commissioners, whether you’ve had a substantive conversation with someone or a very brief conversation with someone,” he said. “The council is prepared to vote, and part of [the commissioner’s] role is to have relationships, working relationships. And sometimes, board members don’t build suf ficient relationships. And sometimes, those board

members aren’t selected to lead.”

Voogd told the Review that she talked to Hoskins, Nero and Melin-Rogovin about being interested in the position, but that it was more about signaling her intent than trying to make it happen. Any decisions about who gets what, she said, should have taken place at a public meeting.

When Voogd raised the fact that Hoskins originally appointed Maxham to her seat and made significant contributions to her campaign, the mayor ruled her out of order.

“We’re not going to rehash conversations related to politics, we’re not going to do that,” he said.

Voogd nominated Nero for Accounts & Finance as a “compromise candidate,” but no one seconded her motion.

Hoskins then nominated Nero to Public Health & Safety, with Maxham making the motion and Nero seconding. Nero said that, while he was passionate about the infrastructure, he felt that his experience in the construction industry was an asset for the buildings and code enforcement aspects of the Department of Health & Safety. He also said that he shared Maxham’s passion for improving mental health, saying that it’s a significant concern in the construction industry.

“I think the next move logically for me would be to serve in the public health and safety,” Nero said.

Maxham told the Review that she had a conversation with Nero about continuing some of her priorities when he assumes the position, and she thought they were on the same page

Melin-Rogovin told the council that, while she didn’t know much about the departments she would be supervising, she already learned a great deal from the tour of the village facilities she got earlier, and she was eager to keep lear ning.

“I’m excited to get to work, but it would be my greatest pleasure to be in the Department of Streets and Public Improvement,” she said.

This left Voogd with her old position -which was approved without discussion.

Toward the end of the meeting, she emphasized that she had no issue with keeping the position.

“I’m thrilled to be in public property and continue the work that we started,” she said. “I’m looking forward to four more years.”

Maxham told the Review that she still supported a referendum to get rid of the commission form of gover nment, and that the current process of selecting positions doesn’t make much sense, but until the referendum happens, “We need to do the best within the confines of the system,” she said.

Mother Nature & Mother’s Day

Mother’s Day is coming up this Sunday and with spring’s early arrival in April it’s time to set roots with new plantings almost as beautiful as mom herself. Annual flowers and accents, as well as organic soils and amendments – the time is now.

Whether you are looking to add some color to your patio, front porch, or balcony, or create a sweeping mass of color in your landscape, you’ll be sure to find landscape-grade annuals that are bigger, better, and more beautiful.

But let’s not forget about other great options such as flowering shrubs, specimen ornamentals, and a plethora of perennials and flowers. With the incorporation of plants like coneflower, hyssop, beebalm, and butterfly weed, you’ll also be gifting Mother Nature with plants that promote our pollinators. After all, the more we can help our pollinators, the more beautiful our world!

A very happy Mother’s Day, to all moms out there, including the one sustaining the world around us. Our Garden Center hours for the spring are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday. We look forward to seeing and serving you!

Scott McAdam Jr.

Starship enterprise changes command

Aer 46 years, Laskowski and McKenna head into a new frontier: retirement

By TOM HOLMES Contributing Reporter

For 46 years the commanders of the Starship enterprise on Madison Street have been Henry Laskowski and Paul McKenna. Now they have announced that the iconic sub sandwich and catering shop at Madison St. will have new owner Kettlestrings Restaurant Group, headquar tered in Oak Park, will be on the “bridge” directing the business into the future.

Laskowski and McKenna met while stocking shelves at a grocery store on the Northwest Side of Chicago and became friend When they opened their sandwich shop in 1977, Laskowski was 19 and Mckenna was 21. Armed with high school degrees, $7,000 in capital, and a load of youthful optimism, they pursued their vision of making a sandwich at a reasonable price.

That goal, said McKenna, “and the prin ciple that the customer’s best interest is our best interest, are the two things that ha led to success for over four decades.”

Another asset the business novices had was a trusting relationship.

“We found out by working as stockboys,” Laskowski recalled, “that we worked very well together. We were in sync all the time from day one. We became best friends then and have stayed together all this time.”

They started out at their present location, previously a business named Custard’s Last Stand, by renting an ice machine and being given a slicer that had been in the garage of the father of one of their friends. Little by little they started buying more equipment, and eventually they bought the building.

Starting with a business model that might not work today, the young partners learned as they went along. Laskowski quipped, “We’ve been experimenting on the public ever since.”

Looking back, McKenna said, “We really didn’t have any money for advertising, so what we did was we sold everything really cheap — $1.30 for a sandwich, order of fries and a fountain pop. The word spread really fast.”

McKenna felt some panic upon learning that two other sub shops had opened up in Forest Park about the same time. Then he realized “it didn’t matter what came around us. What mattered was that as long as we controlled our costs and took care of our customers, we had nothing to worry about.”

Looking back, they also believe that when owners take care of their employees, the employees are motivated to take care of the customers. “We’ve always respected our employees’ personal time,” said McKenna. “If they have a sick kid at home and they have to take off — that kind of nur turing has really served us well over the years.”

The two also espected their wn personal

They acknowledged that the restaurant business is hard work, especially in the beginning. At first they paid themselves a salary of $50/week and after six months gave themselves a raise of $25 more.

At first they received a lot of help from their friends. One, for example, hand-painted their sandwiches on boards. They also received a boost 25 years ago from what was known as Main Street, the downtown business organization that set local business on a positive course. Art Jones, Don Offerman and Tim Gillian were singled out as being especially helpful.

Both for mer owners are looking forward to retirement. “I had a fews days off last week,” said Laskowski, “and I found plenty of things to do things around the house, playing more golf, picking up pickleball and taking more rides on my Harley.”

“What happens when you are self-employed,” McKenna added, “it’s not like a job where you punch out and you go home

I think is nice about my future is that when I want to relax I can relax.”

Both said they’re looking forward to going out to lunch at another restaurant, something they’ve been unable to do for 46 years.

New owners bring change

Changes are in the offing as new commanders take charge of Starship. For one, the restaurant will be open on Sunday. For another all three new owners have day jobs Wil Greenwald is a teacher, Rob Guenther is a lawyer, and Pete Lisnic is a financial analyst.

The three for med the Kettlestrings Restaurant Group, which owns a corner bar (Kettlestrings Taver n), a high end cocktail lounge (Kettlestrings Grove), and a pizza place (Betty’s Pizza and Pasta) all in Oak Park

Unlike McKenna and Laskowski, the new trio of owners started their first of three Oak Park establishments more as a hobby than as a means of making a living, but Lisnic says the restaurant business can be “addictive.”

Although they spend man y hours at their

restaurants, the new owners will not be inhouse as much as Lakowski and McKenna were, so their business model includes empowering lieutenants to keep the business moving forward while the owners are doing their day jobs or attending to one of the other sites.

Starship’s for mer owners like the direction the new owners are taking the business. Laskowski said would count the money with paper and pencil and commended the new entrepreneurs for taking the business digital.

Like Laskowski and McKenna, the Kettlestrings Restaurant Group does not do much traditional advertising to get the word out. “The advertising we do,” said Guenther, “tends to be more community support related. We sponsor little league teams and give money to local charities. Everything we’ve done is about being part of the community.”

The new owners also believe that treating employees with respect and care is foundational, like the for mer owners, they are concer ned about self-care

“I think part of it is that we all have a lot of irons in the fire,” Guenther said, “but we also have clear boundaries.”

TODD A. BANNOR

Henr y Laskowski and Paul McKenna started Starship Subs in 1977.

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Appetizers

Shrimp Cocktail, Fried Calamari, Focaccia Bread, Stuffed Mushrooms, Smoked Salmon

Breakfast

Assorted Egg Frittata, Sausage, Country Potatoes, Bacon, Belgian Waffles

Salads

Garden Tossed Salad, Tomato Onion & Mozzarella Salad

Entrees

Top Sirloin, Ham on the Bone, Boneless Chicken Florentine, Sausage with Roasted Red Peppers, White Fish Pomodoro, Chicken Tenders

Pasta & Risotto

Vodka Rigatom, Risotto Napoleon, Elbow Macaroni and Cheese

Sides

Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Artichoke Casserole, Assorted Vegetables

Dessert

Dessert table with Fresh Fruit and Assorted

Beverages

A

Open 12-8 pm

Make her Mother’s Day special by joining us for dinner

We will be offering only a special Mother's Day Menu of dishes lovingly prepared by Executive Chef and owner Giovanni.

Complimentary Glass of Prosecco (One For all Mothers at the table)

Seating is limited Call today to make your reservation 708-948-7576

1120 Pleasant St., Oak Park • 708-948-7576

FIND

the

Car thief steals vehicle while owner cleans it

A man in his 20s stole a black 2017 Hyundai while its owner was cleaning it.

On the afternoon of April 30, the victim drove to Crystal Car Wash, 901 Harlem Ave. At around 2:09 p.m., the victim was vacuuming his car on the passenger side when a man got in. The victim initially assumed that the man simply got into the wrong car, only to watch him drive of f. The thief raced out of the car wash lot and fled south in the alley between Harlem and Elgin avenues.

The victim said he wasn’t injured and he didn’t require medical attention – but that he would press charges if the thief is located.

Burglary of gas station

A burglar broke into the Citgo gas station at 7323 Randolph St. on May 2 at around 1:17 a.m., stealing cash and merchandise.

By the time police arrived in response to a burglar alar m, the burglar was gone. The

officers found that the burglar used a large rock to shatter the front door, After making sure the building was clear, the officers found the clerk room was broken into. The cash re gister was pulled open, and most of $780 in cash was missing. The burglar also took a box of change from the cabinet in the clerk room, which had $500 in coins.

The gas station owner confirmed that cigarettes, cigars and “other merchandise” was missing. He had no idea how much the merchandise was worth.

None of the cameras at the business worked, and there weren’ t any other cameras in the area that could have captured the incident.

Battery

A 45-year-old Chicago man was charged with battery after he got into a woman’s personal space and grabbed her buttocks as she tried to get away.

On May 3, the victim was biking near the intersection of Madison Street and Desplaines Avenue. As she dismounted at the southeast corner of the intersection, the man tried to talk to her. The victim told him to back up several times. As she got back on the bike, the man grabbed her buttocks and headed south on Desplaines Avenue.

The victim crossed the street and called the police. The officers spotted a man matching the man’s description a short distance away and detained him.

The man was charged with one count of battery. He was unable to post bail.

Catalytic converter thefts

Forest Park saw two more catalytic converter thefts from the same model car in the past two weeks.

The first theft took place overnight between April 23 to 24, but it wasn’t re ported

until May 1. The victim parked the car, a silver 2011 Hyundai Tucson, on the 7500 block of Jackson Boulevard.

The second theft happened on May 4 at the Proviso Math & Science Academy. 8601 Roosevelt Rd. The victim, a student at the school, drove her green 2011 Hyundai Tucson to school and parked it in the school parking lot. When she drove back home at around 2:45 p.m., she realized that her car sounded “ir re gular.” The victim didn’t realize what happened until she got home and asked her family members for advice.

These items were obtained from police reports filed by the Forest Park Police Department, April 30 -May 7, 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 Igor Studenkov

Now safely moving new residents to our small, wooded campus.

moving new residents to our small, wooded campus.

A safe &

A safe & smart choice.

Choosing a community you can trust has never been more difficult.

Choosing a community you can trust has never been more important.

Choosing a community you can trust has never been more difficult.

Our community has an impeccable record of safety during the COVID-19 crisis and we will stop at nothing to make sure it continues.

Our community has an impeccable record of safety during the COVID-19 crisis and we will stop at nothing to make sure it continues.

Our community has an impeccable record of safety during the COVID-19 crisis and we will stop at nothing to make sure it continues.

We would be honored for your family to be part of ours.

We would be honored for your family to be part of ours.

We would be honored for your family to be part of ours.

99% OF OUR CALEDONIA STAFF IS VACCINATED

our

OPINION Petty politics on council

OK. It is the Forest Park version of obsessive, and not helpful, insider baseball. After all, who cares which elected village commissioner gets to be “in charge” of Public Property or Accounts & Finance? The elected officials aren’t really “in charge” of specific departments anymore. Or are they?

Maria Maxham, for mer Forest Park Review editor, appointed and now elected a village commissioner, still says she wants a referendum to eliminate the nonsensical commission form of government that Forest Park clings to a century after it became obsolete. But it didn’t stop her on Monday night from benefitting when Mayor Rory Hoskins upended one of the odd traditions of the commissioner form and Maxham stepped ahead of Commissioner Jessica Voogd, the top vote getter on April 4, to become Commissioner of Accounts & Finance.

We admit we did not know that post doubles as vice mayor, standing in the wings if the mayor is unavailable or incapacitated. We also never knew Maxham has an undergraduate de gree in accounting, helpful perhaps if the full-time finance director can’t get the books to balance or the village administrator needs advice on how let a bond issue.

This is about nothing but small-town politics and petty grudges. Hoskins, it appears, doesn’t like Voogd. His comments Monday evening criticized her for failing “to build sufficient relationships.” Hoskins appears to like Maxham. After all he appointed her to the council and now has eased her into the top commissioner post.

All of this just confirms our decades-long belief that the commissioner form of government might work in one-stoplight towns south of Springfield. But for an urban suburban village just outside Chicago, it is ridiculous. All of this contentiousness on a night that ought to have been a celebration of a refreshed village council being seated only adds to the murkiness about just who is in charge of what.

Nothing like Starship

If there is a contest to name an iconic Forest Park business, we’d have to nominate Starship Subs. A great launch story dating back 46 years. An outstanding product every single time. Two longtime owners who are present and proud. And now, a happy ending as Henry Laskowski and Paul McKenna have found strong new owners as they move into retirement.

A trio of restaurant entrepreneurs out of Oak Park are the new owners at Starship. They promise to maintain the menu and the support for the staf f while modernizing a few aspects of the operation. So long as they don’t mess with the soups!

Thanks to Paul and Henry for their good work and profound commitment to Forest Park

My screed to the graduates

As I look out upon the class of 2023, I reflect upon the hope I see in each of your impossibly young faces. I see your confidence that your ascent to an adult place in the world is complete. The grownup world is yours to take and change for the better, and then to remake for your own, undoing all the injustice wrought upon it by the generations before you. And as I see the anticipation of that imminent power, the righteousness that shines forth from each of you, I have but this single thought:

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA *gasp*

AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Look, let me shave a few years of f of this dawning for you. You are going to start out with high hopes and a great deal of belief in your own potential. The world and everything in it is yours. Power! Responsibility! Excitement! Authority!

Get real. You just got on the bottom step of a stalled escalator. Be patient. Make friends with the people around you. You’ll be here a while.

That’s not to say the years you just spent in school were entirely useless. After all, to paraphrase Robert Fulghum, everything I needed to know about the world I learned in River Forest grade schools:

1. Authority will always let you down.

2. Terrible things happen for no reason.

3. Rules exist to improve life for the rule-makers and the majority, in that order. Disreg ard them accordingly.

4. People do not mature. They learn to hide immaturity better.

5. Sooner or later, the common wisdom will be proven wrong.

6. People die or move or grow or for whatever reason disappear from your life, but your life goes on.

7. Beware those purporting to act in your interest.

8. Grownups lie.

9. Authority admires independence and selfreliance only in theory.

10. “Go with the flow” means “Shut up and keep your head down”.

So at least you’ re set there. Be glad you’ re free

of school. That’s what you’ re really celebrating today. No more classes, no more books, no more parroting of educational theory and short-term memorization of trivia. By the way, I’m 48 years old, had a successful and varied 26year career, I’ve never used anything I learned in algebra, biolo gy, or chemistry anywhere in life, and no one on Earth outside school will require notecards to prove you didn’t cheat. So you can run over after the ceremony and call BS on any teachers or parents who assured you those were critical life skills. Tell them I said you could.

What I would tell you to do is reject the responsibility heaped upon you by the preceding generations. Their dirty secret is that they’re heaping it on you because they didn’t do squat with it. The Baby Boomers set out to change the world, but then decided (cor rectly) that it would be more fun to have sex, take drugs, make money, and then dump the problem on Gen X. Gen X moped about the passed buck, drank away 20 years, and left the mess for you. The Millennials are Baby Baby Boomers, and you should get ready to get very tired of them trying to complain about the good ol’ days while pretending they’re not complaining about the good ol’ days. Those demo graphics didn’t so much change the world as borrow it for a while and return it unwashed and low on gas. And now they want you to wash it and fill ’er up.

I advise you to say no. Someone will get caught when the music stops, but you don’t have to volunteer. You can stop trying to fulfill your parents’ dreams of changing the world, and instead do what they did: Make some money and have some fun. Odds are that’s what you’ re going to do anyway, y’know? I mean, every generation feels li ke they inherited a dying world from their parents and sets out to put things right, slowly realizing that the world works the way the world works, with or without their participation, and that it’s way nicer to sit in the backyard and drink beer with your friends and just make your own microscopic corner of the great big world as nice as you can.

It isn’t your responsibility to change the world. It’s your responsibility, to yourself, to be happy in it.

So get to work, Class of 2023. Let’s have some fun out there.

Dressing for success … and everything else

Let’s improve our collective quality of life by dressing better

According to a column by Kerry Folan, we are placing personal comfort above showing respect for others. Yes, we’re wearing our jammies to the store.

This is the opposite of how Americans used to dress. In olden days, people endured uncomfortable clothing, to show respect for their fellow man. Men wore suits and women wore dresses. People got dressed up for travel, for church, or to go to work. Now lawyers wear shorts to work and keep a suit handy for court appearances

At international airports, it’s easy to spot the Americans. They’re wearing sweatpants. Our son, who screens passengers for TSA, reports that most travelers from other countries look put together. They wear highend brands, while an American’s fashion statement might be a clean T-shirt.

The way people dress on public transportation has gone completely off the rails. A neighbor reported seeing a woman riding the Blue Line barefoot! I can remember when women put on white gloves for a trip downtown.

I’m not saying we should go back to starched collars and corsets but we need to draw the line somewhere. For example,

there’s a proper way to wear yoga pants. Oversized sweaters help. Speaking of that region, there’s no need to display our oxers.

Circle Lanes has a prominent sign on the front door. It reads:

“Pull Your Pants Up or Don’t ome In!!! Try to have some espect for others. No one wants to see your underwear.” There’s an asterisk that says, “Does not pply to children under 3 years of age.”

Young children should be exempt but school-age kids should be held accountable. There was nothing comfortable about Catholic school uniforms. I felt sorry for the females freezing in their plaid skirts. But the uniforms gave us a group identity and made you think twice about causing trouble while you were wearing the school colors.

Many of us dressed up last weekend to attend graduations or first communions. I recently put on a suitcoat and tie for a special occasion and felt as uncomfortable as I did in my old communion suit.

It reminded me of a church I attended where the men wore suits and the women wore dresses. They reasoned that they would dress up to see the president. Why wouldn’t they dress up to see God? But God doesn’t care what we wear and the church couldn’t attract new members. “Outsiders”

A LOOK BACK IN TIME

Mother’s Day sucked in 1951

On May 10, 1951, the Forest Park Review pages were filled with ads for flowers, chocolates and perfumes, for people to purchase to celebrate moms on Mother’s Day. This ad for the “bright new maroon and grey beauty,” the Triple-action Hoover cleaner was $87.95 (over $1,000 today adjusted for inflation) from Trage Bros. at 7440 Madison St. This vacuum was styled by Henry Dryfuss; its tripleaction cleaning principle really released the dirt and grit — “It beats, it sweeps, it cleans.” It sucked.

After the Second World War, pent-up demand for electric household appliances was at a peak. Not only were American factories able to produce goods rather than supplying military equipment, returning soldiers had brides who needed kitchen furnishings. The simple, clean, futuristic mid-century moder n movement was everywhere from Sunbeam toasters to egg cookers to a new Kalamazoo gas range to help make cooking easy and tastier, therefore making women’s lives easier.

Jill Wagner

were too intimidated by the dress code. So today these same church-goers wear jeans and shorts. Why should we be uncomfortable in church?

Or at work? Casual Fridays gave way to “business casual” for every occasion. Now we’re working from home and the only requirement during virtual meetings is not to be arrested for public nudity. Students also prefer staying home to attend virtual classes. I’m just trying to get through the day without seeing boxers, jammies or too much yoga

People have become so lax about what they wear, there’s a sign at the Forest Park Pool declaring that all patrons must wear a swimsuit. Talk about stating the obvious. But there must be people who either don’t own a swim suit or are too lazy to change into one. But there’s a worse atrocity. I’ve spoken with female staff members who are traumatized by men in speedos. I don’t think a family aquatic center is the same as the beach at St. Tropez.

Which reminds me of a joke. Someone asked 97-year-old Mel Brooks if he wore boxers or briefs. His one word re ply: “Depends.”

Sta Reporter Igor Studenkov, Francia Garcia Hernandez, Amaris Rodriguez

Senior Editor Bob Uphues

Digital Manager Stacy Coleman

Contributing Reporters Tom Holmes, John Rice, Bob Skolnik, Jackie Glosniak, Robert J. Li a

Columnists Alan Brouilette, Jill Wagner, Tom Holmes, John Rice

Big Week Editor James Porter

Design/Production Manager Andrew Mead

Editorial Design Manager Javier Govea Designer Susan McKelvey

Sales and Marketing Representatives Lourdes Nicholls, Marc Stopeck, Kamil Brady

Business & Development Manager Mary Ellen Nelligan

Circulation Manager Jill Wagner

Editor and Publisher Dan Haley

Special Projects Manager Susan Walker

Board of Directors

Chair Judy Gre n

Treasurer Nile Wendorf Deb Abrahamson, Gary Collins, Steve Edwards,Darnell Shields, Sheila Solomon, Eric Weinheimer

HOW TO REACH US

ADDRESS 141 S. Oak Park Ave., Oak Park, IL 60302 PHONE 708-366-0600 ■ FAX 708-467-9066

EMAIL forestpark@wjinc.com

CIRCULATION Jill@oakpark.com

ONLINE ForestParkReview.com

Postmaster: Please send address changes to: Forest Park Review,141 S. Oak Park Ave., Oak Park, IL 60302-2901. Periodical rate postage paid at Oak Park, IL (USPS No 0205-160)

In-county subscriptions: $34 per year. $55 for two years, $69 for three years. Out-of-county subscriptions: $42 per year.

Forest Park Review is published digitally and in print by Growing Community Media NFP. © 2023 Growing Community Media NFP.

CAT FRIENDLY

Brookfield neighborhood person needed for light housekeeping and probable future cat sitting

References a plus

Call 773-807-3402

SEASONAL FARMER’S MARKET ASSISTANT

The Village of Oak Park is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Seasonal Farmer’s Market Assistant in the Health Department. This position will provide administrative support to the Farmer’s 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.

HIRING CLEANING TECHNICIANS FOR OPPORTUNITIES IN WESTCHESTER!

Awesome Cleaning & Janitorial Services is looking for experienced cleaning technicians that are energetic, hospitable, ready to work and AWESOME!

Pay starts at $20/hr

Must be available for weekends also.

Ready to work? Contact us by email at info@awesomecjs.com.

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

LOCAL DELIVERY DRIVER

Full Time M-F

Must be able to lift 60 pounds. If interested call 708-209-1636 or email peg@berniesaw.com

Bernie’s Saw & Supply 1222 Circle Avenue Forest Park, Il. 60130

COLLECTIVE IMPACT MANAGER

The Village of Oak Park is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Collective Impact Manager in the Village Manager’s Office. Under the general direction of the Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Officer, the Collective Impact Manager will be responsible for building and assessing racial equity impact needs and developing a strategic plan to support those needs. This includes driving the initiatives focused on the Racial Equity Action Plan through community assessments, community engagement, data functions, and overall internal and external functions. Applicants are encouraged to apply online at ht tps:/ /secure.entertimeonline. com/ta/6141780.careers?ApplyToJob=537117711 or 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.

K Movers

Best prices in town! Dependable movers. Call 708-252-6354

MARKETPLACE

CARS WANTED

CLASSICS WANTED

CLASSICS WANTED

Restored or Unrestored Cars & Vintage Motorcycles

Domestic / Import Cars:

Mercedes, Porsche, Corvette, Ferrari’s, Jaguars, Muscle Cars, Mustang & Mopars

$$ Top $$ all makes, Etc.

Collector James 630-201-8122

AUTO SERVICES

PUBLIC NOTICES PUBLIC NOTICES

PUBLIC NOTICE

Notice is hereby given that the proposed Program Year (PY)

2020 Substantial Amendment to the Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG) Program Year (PY)

2020 Action Plan dated March 29, 2023, will no longer take place. The original proposal included additional funding allocations in the amount of $87,451 to be allocated for the following: 1) $78,166 for resurfacing, street lighting, and landscaping on Census Tract 8123.01 Block 2 and 2) $9,285 for alley improvements on Census Tract 8123 Block 1 and 8215.

Published in Wednesday Journal May 10, 2023

PUBLIC NOTICE

TOWNSHIP HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT 208

TIMELY AND MEANINGFUL CONSULTATION FOR PARENTS AND ADMINISTRATORS OF PRIVATE AND HOME SCHOOLED CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES

In accordance with the requirements of Section 612(a) (10) of the Federal Individuals with Disabilities Improvement Act of 2004 (“IDEA 2004”), Riverside Brookfield High School will conduct a Timely and Meaningful Consultation on Friday, May 19, 2023, at 10:00 AM at Riverside Brookfield High School, 160 Ridgewood Road, Riverside, Il 60546 The purpose of this meeting is to discuss how students with disabilities, who attend private schools or are homeschooled within the district boundaries, will be served by District 208 during the 2023-24 school year

Parents and private school administrators who would like to attend should contact Kevin Baldus, Director of Special Education, at baldusk@rbhs208.net

Zoom invitation will be forwarded prior to the meeting.

Published in RB Landmark May 10, 17, 2023

PUBLIC NOTICE River Forest School District 90

(Required by the Illinois State Board of Education)

In accordance with the requirements of Section 612(a) (10) of the Federal Individuals with Disabilities Improvement Act of 2004 (“IDEA 2004”), the River Forest School District 90 will conduct a Timely and Meaningful Consultation on Monday, May 22, 2023, at 9:30 a.m. in the District 90 Administration Offices, 7776 Lake Street, River Forest, IL. The purpose of this meeting is to discuss how students with disabilities who attend private schools or are homeschooled within the District boundaries will be served by District 90 during the 2022-2023 school year. Parents and private school administrators who would like to attend should contact Debbie Lubeck, Director of Student Services, at lubeckd@district90.org for additional information.

Published in Wednesday Journal May 10, 17, 2023

PUBLIC NOTICES

LEGAL NOTICE

HEARING DATE: May 31, 2023

TIME: 7:00 p.m. or as soon thereafter as the Agenda permits

LOCATION OF HEARING: Room 201 (Council Chambers), Oak Park Village Hall, 123 Madison Street, Oak Park, Illinois, 60302

CALENDAR NUMBER: 03-23-

DRC

APPLICANT: Christopher Bell

ADDRESS: 1128-1134 Lake Street, Oak Park, IL 60301

REQUEST: The Community Design Commission will hold a public hearing on an application filed by the Applicant, Christopher Bell, on behalf of Comedy Plex, seeking variances from the following sections of the Oak Park Sign Code relative to increasing the size of a projecting sign, allowing a portion of a projecting sign to be used as an electric sign and allowing two (2) projecting signs without public street frontage for the establishment at the premises commonly known as 1128-1134 Lake Street, Lower Level, Illinois, Property Index Number 16-07-119-015-0000

(“Subject Property”).

1. Section 7-7-15 (B) (1) (a), requiring that the maximum area of a projecting sign located within the Downtown Sign

Overlay District shall not exceed 24 square feet; whereas the proposal features a 50 square foot projecting sign on the south elevation of the building; and

2. Section 7-7-15 (B) (2), requiring one (1) projecting sign per ground floor establishment with frontage on a public street; whereas the proposal features two projecting signs with no frontage on a public street, respectively; and

3. Section 7-7-16 (3), requiring that electronic display screens are permitted as wall or window signs only, whereas the proposed electronic sign is a projecting sign at the premises commonly known as 1128-1134 Lake Street, Oak Park, IL. A copy of the application and applicable documents are on file and are available for inspection at Village Hall, Development Customer Services Department, 123 Madison Street, Oak Park, Illinois 60302, Monday through Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.

The public hearing may be adjourned by the Commission to another date without further notice by public announcement at the hearing setting forth the time and place thereo

Published in Wednesday Journal, May 10, 2023

LEGAL NOTICE

STATE OF ILLINOIS) COUNTY OF COOK )ss Circuit Court of Cook County, County Department, Domestic Relations Division.

In re the marriage of KARINA MONTOYA, Petitioner and EDER PACHECO, Respondent, Case No. 2023D003253.

The requisite affidavit for publication having been filed, notice is hereby given to you, the above named Respondent, that a Petition has been filed in the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois, by the Petitioner, for Dissolution of Marriage and for other relief; and that said suit is now pending.

Now, therefore, unless you, the said Respondent, file your response to said Petition or otherwise make your appearance therein, in the Office of the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois, Room 802, Richard J. Daley Center, 50 West Washington Street, in the City of Chicago, Illinois, on or before June 2, 2023, default may be entered against you at any time after that day, and a judgment for Dissolution of Marriage entered in accordance with the prayer of said Petition.

IRIS Y. MARTINEZ, Clerk.

Published in Wednesday Journal May 3, 10, 17, 2023

REAL ESTATE FOR SALE

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION NATIONSTAR MORTGAGE LLC

LEGAL NOTICE

This is a revised public notice, hereby giving the details that the Village of Oak Park Community Development Citizens Advisory Committee (CDCAC) will be meeting for applicant presentations, a funding recommendations determination meeting and a public comment for the upcoming Program Year (PY) 2023 project proposals submitted to the Village for federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) grant funds. PY 2023 will run from October 1, 2023 to September 30, 2024. All meetings will be held at Village Hall—123 Madison— room 101 and are as follows: Presentations, 5:30 -9:00pm on April 18, April 20 and April 25; Meeting to determine funding recommendations, 6:00pm on May 9, 2023. There will be a public hearing May 30, 2023 at 6:00pm to receive public comment on proposed funding recommendations. All meetings are open to the public and reasonable accommodations will be made for persons with disabilities and non-English speaking persons as needed. Meeting specifics are subject to change; please send a message to grants@ oak-park.us to confirm details.

Published in Wednesday Journal May 10, 2023

EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY

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

The Illinois Human Rights Act prohibits discrimination in the sale, rental or advertising of real estate based on factors in addition to those protected under federal law. This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. All persons are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised are available on an equal opportunity basis.

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

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

GROWING COMMUNITY MEDIA

Plaintiff, -v.UNKNOWN HEIRS AND LEGATEES OF YVONNE ARROYO, DECEASED, UNKNOWN OWNERS AND NON-RECORD CLAIMANTS, VICTORIAN SQUARE CONDOMINIUM ASSOCIATION, CHARLES BIBB, CLARENCE AKBAR BIBB, MARIE LESTER, DOROTHY JEAN BIBB SINGH , THOMAS QUINN, AS SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE TO YVONNE ARROYO, DECEASED

Defendants

2022 CH 08025 1135 SCHNEIDER AVENUE, UNIT 2B OAK PARK, IL 60302

NOTICE OF SALE

PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on April 11, 2023, an agent for The Judicial Sales Corporation, will at 10:30 AM on June 1, 2023, at The Judicial Sales Corporation, One South Wacker, 1st Floor Suite 35R, Chicago, IL, 60606, sell at a public sale to the highest bidder, as set forth below, the following described real estate: Commonly known as 1135 SCHNEIDER AVENUE, UNIT 2B, OAK PARK, IL 60302

Property Index No. 16-06-316-0301004, 16-06-316-030-1017, AND 1606-316-030-1018

The real estate is improved with vacant land. The judgment amount was $269,229.40.

Sale terms: 25% down of the highest bid by certified funds at the close of the sale payable to The Judicial Sales Corporation. No third party checks will be accepted. The balance, in certified funds/or wire transfer, is due within twenty-four (24) hours. The subject property is subject to general real estate taxes, special assessments, or special taxes levied against said real estate and is offered for sale without any representation as to quality or quantity of title and without recourse to Plaintiff and in “AS IS” condition. The sale is further subject to confirmation by the court.

Upon payment in full of the amount bid, the purchaser will receive a Certificate of Sale that will entitle the purchaser to a deed to the real estate after confirmation of the sale. The property will NOT be open for inspection and plaintiff makes no representation as to the condition of the property. Prospective bidders are admonished to check the court file to verify all information.

If this property is a condominium unit, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale, other than a mortgagee, shall pay the assessments and the legal fees required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/9(g)(1) and (g)(4). If this property is a condominium unit which is part of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/18.5(g-1).

IF YOU ARE THE MORTGAGOR (HOMEOWNER), YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN IN POSSESSION FOR 30 DAYS AFTER ENTRY OF AN ORDER OF POSSESSION, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 15-1701(C) OF THE ILLINOIS MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE LAW. You will need a photo identification issued by a government agency (driv-

REAL ESTATE FOR SALE REAL ESTATE FOR SALE

er’s license, passport, etc.) in order to gain entry into our building and the foreclosure sale room in Cook County and the same identification for sales held at other county venues where The Judicial Sales Corporation conducts foreclosure sales. For information, contact MANLEY DEAS KOCHALSKI LLC Plaintiff’s Attorneys, ONE EAST WACKER, SUITE 1250, Chicago, IL, 60601 (312) 651-6700. Please refer to file number 22-026600.

THE JUDICIAL SALES CORPORA-

TION

One South Wacker Drive, 24th Floor, Chicago, IL 60606-4650 (312) 236-

SALE

You can also visit The Judicial Sales Corporation at www.tjsc.com for a 7 day status report of pending sales.

MANLEY DEAS KOCHALSKI LLC

ONE EAST WACKER, SUITE 1250 Chicago IL, 60601 312-651-6700

E-Mail: AMPS@manleydeas.com

Attorney File No. 22-026600

Attorney Code. 48928

Case Number: 2022 CH 08025

TJSC#: 43-1638

NOTE: Pursuant to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, you are advised that Plaintiff’s attorney is deemed to be a debt collector attempting to collect a debt and any information obtained will be used for that purpose.

Case # 2022 CH 08025

I3218771

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION

Plaintiff, -v.MELANIE MARTIN, 300 CHICAGO CONDOMINIUM, UNKNOWN OWNERS AND NONRECORD CLAIMANTS, UNKNOWN HEIRS AND LEGATEES OF HAZEL J. ANTHONY, GERALD NORDGREN, AS SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE FOR HAZEL J. ANTHONY (DECEASED)

Defendants 2022 CH 04036 300 CHICAGO AVE 4N OAK PARK, IL 60302

NOTICE OF SALE

PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on January 17, 2023, an agent for The Judicial Sales Corporation, will at 10:30 AM on June 13, 2023, at The Judicial Sales Corporation, One South Wacker, 1st Floor Suite 35R, Chicago, IL, 60606, sell at a public sale to the highest bidder, as set forth below, the following described real estate:

Commonly known as 300 CHICAGO AVE 4N, OAK PARK, IL 60302

Property Index No. 16-05-321-0341007

The real estate is improved with a condo/townhouse.

Sale terms: 25% down of the highest bid by certified funds at the close of the sale payable to The Judicial Sales Corporation. No third party checks will be accepted. The balance, in certified funds/or wire transfer, is due within twenty-four (24) hours. The subject property is subject to general real estate taxes, special assessments, or special taxes levied against said real estate and is offered for sale without any representation as to quality or quantity of title and without recourse to Plaintiff and in “AS IS” condition. The sale is further subject to confirmation by the court.

Upon payment in full of the amount bid, the purchaser will receive a Certificate of Sale that will entitle the

purchaser to a deed to the real estate after confirmation of the sale.

The property will NOT be open for inspection and plaintiff makes no representation as to the condition of the property. Prospective bidders are admonished to check the court file to verify all information.

If this property is a condominium unit, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale, other than a mortgagee, shall pay the assessments and the legal fees required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/9(g) (1) and (g)(4). If this property is a condominium unit which is part of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/18.5(g-1).

IF YOU ARE THE MORTGAGOR (HOMEOWNER), YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN IN POSSESSION FOR 30 DAYS AFTER ENTRY OF AN ORDER OF POSSESSION, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 15-1701(C) OF THE ILLINOIS MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE LAW.

You will need a photo identification issued by a government agency (driver’s license, passport, etc.) in order to gain entry into our building and the foreclosure sale room in Cook County and the same identification for sales held at other county venues where The Judicial Sales Corporation conducts foreclosure sales.

For information, examine the court file, CODILIS & ASSOCIATES, P.C. Plaintiff’s Attorneys, 15W030 NORTH FRONTAGE ROAD, SUITE 100, BURR RIDGE, IL, 60527 (630) 7949876

THE JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION

One South Wacker Drive, 24th Floor, Chicago, IL 60606-4650 (312) 236SALE

You can also visit The Judicial Sales Corporation at www.tjsc.com for a 7 day status report of pending sales. CODILIS & ASSOCIATES, P.C. 15W030 NORTH FRONTAGE ROAD, SUITE 100 BURR RIDGE IL, 60527 630-794-5300

E-Mail: pleadings@il.cslegal.com

Attorney File No. 14-22-03237

Attorney ARDC No. 00468002 Attorney Code. 21762

Case Number: 2022 CH 04036

TJSC#: 43-1809

NOTE: Pursuant to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, you are advised that Plaintiff’s attorney is deemed to be a debt collector attempting to collect a debt and any information obtained will be used for that purpose.

Case # 2022 CH 04036

I3219832

Fresh sushi is not far away: Inari Sushi delivers great taste

Traditional Japanese cuisine gives patrons plenty of options

Staff Reporter

If you are looking for fresh ingredients, an absolute must when it comes to achieving great tasting sushi, look no further than Inari Sushi, 7428 W. North Ave., Elmwood Park.

Taking pride in using elegant garnishments and nutritious ingredients, a way to maintain tradition and honor Japanese cuisine, Inari offers a wide variety of items on their menu for takeout as well as dinein, set in a modern restaurant environment, rivaling any of the pricier sushi restaurants in the Chicagoland area.

Inari, whose name pays homage to a type of kid’s sushi in Japan made with a ball of seasoned sushi rice and wrapped in sweet and salty deep-fried tofu in the form

of a pocket, offers traditional sushi ranging from Maki, referring to “rolled” sushi rice, traditionally rolled in dry seaweed, and sashimi, a Japanese delicacy of fresh raw fish sliced into thin pieces and often accompanied by soy sauce.

The freshness of the products used can be tasted in their delicious Mango Tango. Made with spicy shrimp, avocado, cucumber, tempura and topped with tuna, mango and sweet mayo sauce, the roll, which is cut up into eight pieces, is a burst of flavor, mixing the sweetness of the fresh mango perfectly with the remaining ingredients, transporting the eater to a seaside location where fresh fish and produce can be a daily occurrence and away from the hustle and bustle of the city.

The Godzilla roll, available in traditional as well as a vegetarian option, also offers a delicious flavor combination using shrimp tempura, avocado, cream cheese, red tobiko, and sriracha sauce, topped with tempura crunch, wasabi mayo and sweet soy for a roll that is definitely worth its price. For those who might not be adventurous enough to dive into the realm of su-

shi, Inari offers a range of options that do not include raw fish. Soups and salads are available, as well as a list of appetizers to share with the table that included crab ravioli, gyoza, calamari, and steamed edamame, which was lightly dusted with sea salt and made the perfect start to the meal. Also on the menu are Poke Bowls, with your choice of either salmon and tuna or tempura tofu, Ramen, as well as bigger entrees such as chicken filet, garlic lobster tail, chicken teriyaki, and tempura udon, deep-fried shrimp and vegetable over Japanese noodle soup.

If you have room for dessert, the banana tempura, served with green tea ice cream, is the perfect palate cleanser to your meal.

Lunch specials are available daily from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., making Inari a great place for a work lunch or a quick midday friends catch-up. Inari Sushi is open Monday through Thursday 11:30 a.m. - 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m., and Sundays from 11:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.

Staff

Chicken teriyaki at Inari Sushi, served with a hearty portion on white rice and fresh vegetables.

Staff

The Godzilla and Mango Tango rolls are just some of the options for fresh sushi at Inari.

Pastas

Served with a side salad, bread & butter

Penne Alla Spizzico

With mushrooms, pancetta, & peas in our light cream sauce $14.49

Mussels Marinara

With plum tomatoes, fresh garlic, & parsley in extra virgin olive oilserved over linguine $17.99

Artichoke & Shrimp Angel Hair

In our special pesto sauce $15.99

Spinach Manicotti

(3) Stuffed with a 4-cheese spinach blend in our tomato cream sauce $13.49

Penne Alla Vodka

In our tomato vodka cream sauce $13.49

Fresh Vegetables with Angel Hair

Artichoke hearts, mushrooms, broccoli, onions, roasted red peppers, & fresh garlic in our homemade marinara sauce $13.49

Gnocchi Alla Spizzico

Potato dumplings, shrimp, black olives, & tomatoes in our special pesto cream sauce $15.99

Mostaccioli with Sundried Tomatoes

Andchopped marinated grilled chicken breast in our special pesto sauce $15.49

Linguine with Calamari

In our homemade marinara sauce $16.99

Gnocchi

Potato dumplings in our homemade marinara or meat sauce $12.49

Fettuccine Alfredo

In our homemade cheese sauce made fresh to order $14.49

Linguine Frutti Di Mare

Mussels, clams, squid, shrimp, fresh garlic, & parsley in our light plum tomato sauce $19.49

Rigatoni Primavera

Sautéed broccoli & fresh garlic in extra virgin olive oil $13.49

Lasagna

Layeredwith4 Italian cheeses topped with mozzarella, baked in our homemade marinara or meat sauce $13.49

Homemade Stuffed Shells

(5) Stuffed with a blend of 4 Italian cheeses in our homemade marinara or meat sauce $13.49

Pasta Aglio e Olio

Fresh garlic sautéed in extra virgin olive oil served over angel hair $12.49

Ravioli

Cheese or meat filled in our homemade marinara or meat sauce $13.49

Tortellini

Cheese or meat filled in our homemade marinara or meat sauce $13.49

Pasta Marinara

Your choice of mostaccioli, spaghetti, linguine, angel hair, rigatoni, or fettuccine in our homemade marinara or meat sauce $11.49

Pasta Parmigiano

Your choice of chicken, veal, or eggplant served over linguine topped with mozzarella, baked in our homemade marinara or meat sauce $16.49

Baked Cheese Rigatoni

With Ricotta & mozzarella, baked in our homemade marinara or meat $14.49

Linguine Alla Vongole

Fresh littleneck clams

Additions:

Marinated Grilled Chicken

Vegetables

Alfredo Sauce

Pizzas

crust & our special tomato sauce. Allow 45 min. bake time – cut upon request only.

Small 10” Cheese Serves 2-3 $15.39 Medium 12” Cheese Serves 3-4 $19.09 Large 14” Cheese Serves 4-5 $22.99, X-Large 16” Cheese Serves 5-6 $26.69

Ingredients

Anchovies, Artichoke Hearts, Bacon, Fresh Basil, Black Olives, CrumbledBlue Cheese, Bocconcini, Broccoli, Canadian Bacon, Capicola, Extra Cheese, Chorizo, Feta Cheese, Fresh Garlic, Hot Giardiniera, Green Olives, Green Pepper,Ground Beef, Jalapeño, Kalamata Olives, Mushroom, Onion, Pepperoni, Pineapple, Portobello Mushroom, Imported Provolone, Ricotta, Roasted Red Pepper, Sausage, Spinach, Sliced Tomato

Small +$1.59 Medium +$1.79 Large +$2.09 X-Large +$2.29, Family +$2.59 each

Double Dough, Marinated Grilled Chicken Breast, Genoa Salami, Shrimp, & Sliced

Pastas

Served with a side salad, bread & butter

Penne Alla Spizzico

With mushrooms, pancetta, & peas in our light cream sauce $14.49

Mussels Marinara

With plum tomatoes, fresh garlic, & parsley in extra virgin olive oilserved over linguine $17.99

Artichoke & Shrimp Angel Hair

In our special pesto sauce $15.99

Spinach Manicotti

(3) Stuffed with a 4-cheese spinach blend in our tomato cream sauce $13.49

Penne Alla Vodka

In our tomato vodka cream sauce $13.49

Fresh Vegetables with Angel Hair

Artichoke hearts, mushrooms, broccoli, onions, roasted red peppers, & fresh garlic in our homemade marinara sauce $13.49

Gnocchi Alla Spizzico

Potato dumplings, pesto cream sauce $15.99

Mostaccioli with Andchopped marinated $15.49

Linguine with Calamari

In our homemade marinara

Gnocchi

Potato dumplings

Fettuccine Alfredo

In our homemade cheese sauce made fresh to order

Linguine Frutti Di Mussels, clams, squid, shrimp, fresh garlic, & parsley in our light plum tomato sauce $19.49

Rigatoni Primavera

Sautéed broccoli & fresh garlic in extra virgin olive oil $13.49

Lasagna

Layeredwith4 Italian cheeses topped with mozzarella, baked in our homemade marinara or meat sauce $13.49

Homemade Stuffed Shells

(5) Stuffed with a blend of 4 Italian cheeses in our homemade marinara or meat sauce $13.49

Pasta Aglio e Olio

Fresh garlic sautéed in extra virgin olive oil served over angel hair $12.49

Ravioli

Cheese or meat filled in our homemade marinara or meat sauce $13.49

Tortellini in our homemade marinara or meat sauce $13.49

Your choice of mostaccioli, spaghetti, linguine, angel hair, rigatoni, or fettuccine in our homemade marinara or meat sauce $11.49

choice of chicken, veal, or eggplant served over linguine topped with mozzarella, our homemade marinara or meat sauce $16.49

Baked Cheese Rigatoni

With Ricotta & mozzarella, baked in our homemade marinara or meat sauce $14.49

Linguine Alla Vongole in our homemade white clam sauce $17.99

Multi-Grain Penne +$1.00, Sausage +$4.00 Meatballs (1) $+2.50 (2) Grilled Chicken Breast +$4.79, Shrimp +$4.79 Grilled Tuna +$4.19 +$.79, Baked Mozzarella +$1.89 Baked Mozzarella & Ricotta +$3.25 +$3.25 Extra Virgin Olive Oil & Garlic +$1.89 Tomato Cream Sauce Vodka Sauce +$3.25 Substitute Soup for Salad +$1.89 Extra Bread & Butter +$.45 Extra Romano Cups +$.35

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