Forest Park Review 110922

F O R E S T PA R K

ForestParkReview.com Vol. 105, No. 45

$1.00

REVIEW NOVEMBER 9, 2022

Looking for a food bank?

It’s gotten easier PAGE 7 @FP_Review @ForestParkReview

Altenheim committee plans open house, focus groups Committee hopes to complete outreach by end of 2022

By IGOR STUDENKOV Staff Reporter

The Altenheim Advisory Committee agreed to hold an open house and a table session, as well as to put together four focus groups in order to get as much input as possible on the future of the village-owned portion on the historic Altenheim retirement community site.

The committee settled on the plan during its Nov. 7 meeting, after a nearly 80-minute discussion. This built upon the feedback committee members got on Nov. 5 surveying residents at an event, their research of past plans for the site and some of their own brainstorming. The goal is to develop an “outline” of what committee members believe should be included in an eventual village-issued Request for Proposal document that would be used to solicit development proposals.

The committee agreed to have four focus groups

Ditchin’ commission?

Announcing council run, incumbent Maria Maxham pitches new village government model. See story page 13.

See ALTENHEIM on page 8

IN Big Week . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 THIS ISSUE Crime . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

John Rice: Re-airing and repairing an injustice

Alan Brouilette: Early and often, renewing my right to complain

Classified . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

PAGE 15

PAGE 14

2

Forest Park Review, November 9, 2022

Time to play GCM’s $150,000 Pyramid!

It’s about more than news.

N

ational news outlets can’t cover your local elections, restaurant openings, back to school festivities, or village and school board meetings We can. And we do.

GCM, like newsrooms across the country, has been doing more with less. Now, more than ever it is critical that Oak Park and River Forest residents make community news sources like Forest Park Review a philanthropic priority. GCM’s readersupported journalism is a vital civic service worthy of public support.

You can double the impact of your contribution through December 31. Our generous pool of MatchMakers, made up of community members like you, will match your new monthly donation for a full year or double your one-time gift, all up to $40,000.

You’ll be on your way to the winners circle when you help us reach our goal of raising $150,000.. Please make a one-time or recurring investment in community-driven journalism today.

What do these all have in common?

See below for answer

Donate for news that matters to you!

Wednesday Journal Village Free Press Forest Park Review Austin Weekly News Riverside-Brookfield Landmark

Answer: Things your local Non-for-profit newsroom does for your community.

Forest Park Review, November 9, 2022

3

New data portal shows suburban health outcomes Cook County Health Atlas shows rates of depression, substance abuse in Forest Park as officials announce $14M in grants to address the issues

By MICHAEL ROMAIN Staff Reporter

Last month, Cook County health officials announced that they’d launched a new, publicly available data portal called the Cook County Health Atlas.

The data shows nearly 1 in 5 adults in Forest Park are living with depression. The ratio is similar across Cook County. The data also shows that roughly 24 percent of adults in Forest Park reported binge drinking, defined as having at least five drinks for men and four drinks for women on occasion within the last month. That’s slightly higher than the 22 percent reported across the county. The data is from 2019, before the pandemic.

The drug overdose mortality rate from 2013 to 2017 in Forest Park was roughly 32 deaths per 100,000 people while in neighboring Oak Park it was not quite 12 deaths per 100,000 people.

On Oct. 26, Cook County officials announced that they’ll be awarding $14 mil-

lion in grant funding across four years to expand mental health and substance use prevention, treatment and support in the suburbs.

Grants will range from $250,000 to over $1 million each and are part of the Building Healthy Communities Behavioral Health Initiative, funded under the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), officials said.

“Today’s announcement demonstrates our commitment to the well-being of all Cook County residents,” said Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle in a statement. “This investment in behavioral health as part of our Building Healthy Communities Initiative ensures that we’re taking a holistic approach to healthcare that prioritizes mental health, as well as physical health.”

Applications for the grants are being accepted now through Dec. 7, and awards will be announced in January. For more information and to apply online, visit: cookcountypublichealth.org/bhcopencall/ County officials said on Oct. 12 that

the new Health Atlas allows “residents, community organizations, policymakers, researchers and public health stakeholders” access to neighborhood-level health data from over 120 suburbs in Cook County.

“In the Health Atlas, users can look at more than 100 indicators of health, and see them visualized in maps, charts, graphs and tables of health-related data that matter to them,” they added.

The public data spans six categories,

including health outcomes, health behaviors, healthcare, demographics, socioeconomic status, and physical environment, officials said.

The Cook County public health department developed the Health Atlas in collaboration with the University of Illinois at Chicago School of Public Health (UIC SPH) and Metopio, a data, analytics and visualization platform.

CONTACT: michael@austinweeklynews.com

Our Community Needs Community Journalism It’s not just about crime reports and board meetings. We also need inspiring, funny, heartwarming and, at times, heartbreaking stories about our friends, neighbors and children. Perhaps now, more than ever.

Let's build community!

Read and Support the Forest Park Review.

Partner with us.

Donate at GrowingCommunityMedia.org

Growing Community Media NFP is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization

4

Forest Park Review, November 9, 2022

November 9-16

BIG WEEK

Film Screening: ‘Dune’ Friday, Nov. 11, 1-3 p.m., Oak Park Public Library Dune is a 2021 American epic science fiction film directed by Denis Villeneuve from a screenplay by Villeneuve, Jon Spaihts, and Eric Roth. It is the first part of a two-part adaptation of the 1965 novel by Frank Herbert. Set in the distant future, the film follows Paul Atreides as his family, the noble House Atreides, is thrust into a war for the deadly and inhospitable desert planet Arrakis. Register now at oppl.org/calendar. 834 Lake St., Oak Park.

Steve Dawson & the Lucid Dreams/Course Friday, Nov. 11, 8 p.m., FitzGerald’s Interesting confluence of styles. Steve Dawson is a longtime local singer-songwriter in the Americana vein. He's joined by Course, who are described as "dreamy synth pop," bringing a touch of electronica to the proceedings. $15 - $120, 6615 Roosevelt Road, Berwyn.

The Monday Enrichment Series Presents: Writing The Past

Connecting People to Nature Yoga Journey Challenge Saturday, Nov. 12 at 12 p.m., Miller Meadow Yoga Journey Experience is an introduction into yoga and meditation and the various ways you can practice it to integrate it into your life. You will have the opportunity to experience a Chakra Balancing flow using a variety of Yoga styles to include Hatha, Vinyasa, Restorative Yoga with a Guided Meditation. To conclude with a journaling snack break before a Sound Healing Journey to send you off into the world on your own Balanced Wholistic Journey. 2175 S 1st Ave, Forest Park.

Listing your event in the calendar Forest Park Review welcomes notices about events that Forest Park community groups and businesses are planning. We’ll work to get the word out if you let us know what’s happening by noon Wednesday a

week before your news needs to be in the newspaper.

■ Send details to Wednesday Journal, 141 S. Oak Park Ave., Oak Park, 60302 ■ Email calendar@wjinc.com

Monday, Nov. 14, 1:15 p.m., Nineteenth Century Charitable Organization Five authors of historical fiction novels set in Eastern Europe present a panel discussion of their novels, their craft and their history. Erin Litteken, Gabriella Saab, Amanda McCrina, Marina Scott, and Olesya Salnikova Gilmore will be joined by moderator Debb W. Hammond. Voluntary suggested donation of $15. 178 Forest Ave., Oak Park.

Ivan Gomez Singh Saturday, Nov. 12, 9 p.m., Harlem Avenue Lounge This young Argentinian singer-guitarist plays high-powered blues rock in the Stevie Ray Vaughan/Gary Clark Jr. vein. 3701 S. Harlem, Berwyn.

Veterans Day Ceremony Friday, Nov. 11, 11:00 a.m.

All veterans, their families, and area residents are invited to attend the annual Veterans Day ceremony at Popelka Park, Thomas Ave. and Adams St. presented by the American Legion. Officers for the Forest Park police will post colors and Veteran Joe Byrnes will lead the ceremony.

Forest Park Review, November 9, 2022

5

Reforming the cash bail system Anthony’s story is a case study

By TOM HOLMES Contributing Reporter

Proponents for cash bail reform in Cook and Lake counties say the old system makes people guilty until proven innocent.

The Pretrial Fairness Act, signed into law in February of 2021, will eliminate the use of cash bail in Illinois this coming Jan. 1. State Sen. Darren Bailey, the Republican candidate for governor, is pushing for a full repeal of the law, while Gov. Pritzker, the Democratic candidate, has repeatedly said he supports the measure.

Anthony was homeless three years ago, and was moved into transitional housing by Housing Forward two years ago with his partner Kim and then into a permanent apartment in Northlake. Although life was still a struggle for Anthony, who is now approaching 40, he was off the street and seemed to be heading toward some measure of independence.

Then about year ago while driving a borrowed car, a police officer pulled him over in Northlake and asked if he knew his brake light wasn’t working. The officer was friendly, but after running his driver’s license the officer told him there was a warrant from Lake County for his arrest.

Anthony was dumbfounded. Because he had been homeless for three years, he had no mailing address and was unaware he had been charged with anything.

He was taken to Cook County Jail because he was arrested in Cook County. And that’s where, in spite of the principle

The need for reform The Pretrial Fairness Act, included in the SAFE-T Act criminal justice reform was passed January 2021.

Short for Safety, Accountability, Fairness and EquityToday, the SAFE-T Act is an initiative backed by the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus in the wake of the death of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer.

The goal of the Pretrial Fairness Act is to move away from the existing wealth-based system of pretrial detention in favor of one based on an offender’s level of risk of reoffending or fleeing prosecution.

According to Keith Grant, a Lake County public defender and Pretrial Implementation Task Force member, interviewed by The Capitol Times, said citing and releasing people who commit less serious offenses provides better outcomes, saves taxpayers money, and frees officers to remain on the beat.

“Keeping people in custody when they don’t need to be,” Grant said, “actually creates a risk of harm to the community.”

The Loyola University of Chicago’s Center for Criminal Justice Research analyzed Illinois State Police data that showed that from 2020 to 2021, individuals jailed pretrial in Illinois spent an average of 34 days incarcerated.

Source: The Capitol Times

that you’re innocent until proven guilty, he was treated like he was guilty until proven innocent.

First, bail was posted at $5,000. Anthony did not have even $50, so he was locked up in the infamous prison for five days until Lake County could pick him up.

Anthony described the jail as a house of horrors, run in effect by the gang known as the Gangster Disciples.

Because he was white, he said, and not hooked up, i.e. not affiliated with the gang, he tried to keep a low profile as he observed violence all around him. He witnessed fights between inmates every day with the guards letting them go at it.

“It was so scary,” he recalled. “I saw people getting hurt every day.”

It’s difficult to verify the details of what Anthony claims about the violence at the facility, but an Oct. 9, 2014 Chicago Tribune headline described Cook County Jail as “one of the most dangerous in the country.”

He was housed with 40 other inmates in a dormitory-style cell about 100 feet by 60 feet with three toilets, two of which were broken. “I saw cockroaches crawling around,” he said, “and some of the food I was given was moldy.”

Anthony in effect was being punished, not because he had been found guilty, but because he was poor.

After five days at the County Jail he was transported to the Lake County Jail in Waukegan. While en route he was handcuffed and chained between two other inmates. He got car sick and threw up near a huge guy who proceeded to hit him in the head with his handcuffs, knocking him out. He said he regained consciousness later with a huge welt on his head, not realizing at first where he was.

During the two days he spent at the Lake County Jail, the public defender to which he had been assigned tried to persuade the judge to release Anthony on what is called an IBond or Individual Bond by which individuals are released without paying money when they sign a statement that they will come to court. She argued that Anthony had a clean record since the warrant was issued five years ago, and was a good risk for returning for his court date.

Instead, because he had none of Anthony’s paperwork confirming what the public defender had said, the judge reduced the bond from $5000 to $500 but put Anthony on what is called pretrial supervision, which is, in effect, parole. A friend posted the bond and Anthony thought the nightmare was over.

But he said he didn’t understand what “supervision” meant, either because he did not ask or was not told or both.

Not understanding turned out to be a regular occurrence for Anthony during the past year.

What supervision meant was that Lake Co. mandated that he ■ Make random urine drops (drug screening) for which he had to pay $100 each.

■ File reports every time he went to court, which cost him between $35 and $65.

■ Pay court fees, including a case management cost of $315.

■ Take medication for his mental health issues at $26/ week together with clinic visits that cost $14 a week.

■ And if he missed a payment, which happened frequent-

FILE

With the help of Housing Forward, Kim (left) and Anthony moved from a tent near I-290 to an apartment. ly, a $75 late fee would be tacked on.

And that is only a portion of the charges assessed for all of the unfunded mandates required by “supervision.”

August was a particularly challenging month for Anthony.

He was charged a total of $4,940 for unfunded mandates, including court costs, filings, urine drops, meds, clinic, lawyer’s fees and transportation to Waukegan.

Housing Forward had provided rent-free housing for Anthony and Kim, procured Link cards for both of them for food, job leads, and occasionally money for other expenses, but they had zero funding for court costs, which led to so many late fees.

Anthony’s sources of income were limited to day labor and part-time jobs, so he was almost always short of the expenses required for supervision. He would beg his mother, who lives in Iowa, for help, but she would only occasionally come through. He also had an assortment of sympathetic friends who would give him various amounts of money — sometimes hundreds and sometimes even thousands of dollars.

The problem for these friends and also Housing Forward staff is “compassion fatigue.” Anthony reported that one Housing Forward caseworker told him that of all their clients he and Kim were “the most annoying” because of their constant pleas for financial help, and donations from friends dried up as well.

Obviously, Anthony is a supporter of no cash bail. He was being punished, he contends, by money-hungry county officials simply because he was too poor to post bond and unwilling to take the chance of going to trial without an expensive lawyer to plead his case.

The author met Anthony while he was panhandling on the ramp at Harlem and the Eisenhower Expressway. He has kept up with him for three years and done two previous stories on him and his partner Kim for the Forest Park Review. The warrant was for theft and was plea-bargained to a lesser charge and supervision. If he stays out of trouble for the rest of his supervision, his case will be cleared from his record.

6

Forest Park Review, November 9, 2022

Foundry FP, village reach settlement on liquor license citations Village to drop citations, Foundry FP owner agrees to donate to food pantry

By IGOR STUDENKOV Staff Reporter

The Village of Forest Park and Foundry FP owner Linda Cibula agreed to a settlement after the event space at 7503 Madison St. was recently cited for allowing customers to carry alcoholic drinks outdoors and allegedly not doing enough to control rowdy crowds.

Under the terms of the settlement, which were announced during a Nov. 2 Forest Park Liquor Commission hearing, Cibula agreed to donate at least $75 to the Forest Park Food Pantry, and the village agreed to dismiss the tickets. The event space owner told the Review that, while she believed she did the best she could under the circumstances, she would invest in “very expensive” security cameras and require anyone who books a party to make a $1,500 deposit that would be forfeited if police get called.

Cibula said that, as someone who lives and does business in Forest Park, she wanted

to do right by the community and try to nip the issues in the bud.

As previously reported by the Review, the village issued citations on Oct. 28 over an incident that took place at around midnight on Oct. 23. Two of the guests at event were allegedly carrying alcoholic drinks in cups as they exited and when a police officer tried to check the cups, the event escalated, leading to two arrests and another customer getting cited when he was found carrying a drink openly during the commotion.

While this is the first time Foundry FP was cited, Urban Pioneer Group, which previously operated an event space out of that building, got into trouble last year after guests got into a fight outside the building. Cibula, who owns the building, took over the event space after the Urban Pioneer lease expired.

After the citations were issued, Foundry FP’s liquor license was suspended pending the outcome of the liquor commission

hearing. While Forest Park Mayor Rory Hoskins would normally preside over those hearings in his capacity as village liquor commissioner, he had held a campaign fundraiser at Foundry FP on Oct. 20, and he recused himself. Village attorney Steve Hinton presided over the hearing instead.

During the hearing, village prosecutor Sharon O’Shea outlined the terms of the settlement, and Cibula said she agreed to it. The prosecutor said the village usually tries to reach settlements with liquor license holders the first time they get cited.

Because “the village is not in any way interested in making money off these situations,” they felt that a donation would be appropriate.

In a follow-up interview, Cibula declined to say how much she would donate.

In recent weeks, the Review received several tips suggesting that the Foundry was serving alcohol without a state liquor license. O’Shea addressed the issue during

the hearing, saying that, under state law, a liquor license holder that has a Forest Park liquor license could serve, but not sell, liquor while a state license application was pending.

Cibula said she expects the application to be approved within a week. She said that, once she gets it, she only plans to sell alcohol on major holidays such as St. Patrick’s Day. “I’m not a bar and I don’t want to be a bar,” she said.

Cibula told the Review that she was satisfied with how the hearing went.

“I thought it was very fair,” she said.

She said she plans to upgrade security and require a deposit in hopes of stopping any repeats.

“I love this community, I live in this community,” she said. “I want Forest Park to be the best it can be, so I will do whatever I can to make this business run as smooth as we can possibly do.”

O B I T U A R I E S

Patricia Petrey, 90 Forest Park resident

Patricia Ann Petrey (nee Finn), 90, of Forest Park, died on Nov. 5, 2022. Born on Aug. 31, 1932, she was the wife of the late Robert T. Petrey; the mother of Timothy (Rosemarie), Shawn (Donna), Michael (Joanne), Thomas (Cindy), and preceded in death by the late Dennis (Dawn) Petrey; the grandmother of 12 and great-grandmother of 8; the daughter of the late John P. and Cornelia (nee Rispin) Finn; sister of the late John P. (Ann), the late Martin James (Martha), the late William (Marie) and the late Edward Finn; and the aunt of many nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be held Wednesday, Nov.

9 from 3 to 8 p.m. at Zimmerman-Harnett Funeral Home, 7319 W. Madison St., Forest Park. Funeral services will be held at 9:15 a.m. Thursday, processing to St. Bernardine Catholic Church where Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Interment at Queen of Heaven Cemetery.

Michael Bloch, 56

The world’s greatest ‘gunkle’ Michael Bloch, 56, born on July 16, 1966 and raised in the Oak Park area, died suddenly on Oct. 27, 2022. Mike was humbleness, kindness, and love personified. He enjoyed working at Shaker Advertising and thought of his co-workers there

as extended family. He was the softball coordinator for the Park District of Oak Park and coached youth baseball, shared his wicked sense of humor, and, late in his life, discovered his love of cats. He was maybe the greatest “gunkle” the world has ever known, sending surprise bouncy houses to birthday parties, photographing baby Chewbacca’s cross-country journey, telling ridiculous yet captivating bedtime stories, and buying all the candy at the movies. He loved a rare steak, a White Sox game, a fantasy sports league, Indiana University basketball, and spending time with friends and family.

He is survived by his mother, Jeanne Bloch, his sisters, Shana (husband Ryan) and Jennifer (husband Peter), and his nephew and nieces Eli Bloch Garcia, Luisa Bloch Garcia, Lucy King and Cora King.

In lieu of flowers please donate to the ChadTough Defeat DIPG Foundation.

Arrangements were handled by Zimmerman-Harnett Funeral Home.

Margaret McGreal, 76

Margaret A. McGreal (nee Maloney), 76, died on Nov. 2, 2022. Born on Aug. 11, 1946, she was the mother of Laura (Jeff) Emarine and the late Thomas; the sister of Suzanne (Pat), Maureen, and Patricia; the grandmother of Chelsea, Josh and Brianna; the aunt and cousin of many; and sister of the late William.

Memorial visitation will be held on Thursday, Nov. 17 from 4 to 8 p.m. at Zimmerman-Harnett Funeral Home, 7319 W. Madison St., Forest Park.

In lieu of flowers, please feel free to support St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, https://www.stjude.org/donate.

Forest Park Review, November 9, 2022

7

Looking for a food bank? That’s gotten a lot easier Greater Chicago Food Depository’s more searchable online database critical as food costs rise, resulting in greater demand for assistance

By MICHAEL ROMAIN Contributing Reporter

The Thierer Family Foundation, an organization that helps nonprofits become more impactful through technology, announced on Oct. 25 that the Vivery platform is now available to all U.S. food banks and pantries.

The Greater Chicago Food Depository has been utilizing the platform for roughly a year and is reporting significant progress, Crain’s Chicago Business reported. The report comes during a holiday season marked by rising food costs and economic uncertainty, prompting skyrocketing demand for local pantries.

The Vivery online platform is designed “to

help people in their communities easily find and access the right food, social programs, and services nearby in the ongoing battle against food insecurity,” Thierer officials stated in a press release. Thierer developed Vivery in partnership with the Food Depository in 2020.

Anyone looking for a food bank or pantry that’s within the Greater Chicago Food Depository network can visit chicago foodbank.org, where they’ll be directed to an interactive map of locations. A recent search for food banks and pantries within five miles of Austin produced 85 results.

“Most people searching for food assistance start online,” Thierer officials stated. “Yet food banks and pantries often lack the resources to sufficiently create and maintain an accurate online presence, or use outdated search tools limited to a simple zip code or address search. Current search tools may point users to the nearest food provider, but not necessarily to the community program or resource that best fits their needs.”

A screenshot of the Greater Chicago Food Depository’s interactive map for finding free groceries or a hot meal at a food pantry, soup kitchen, shelter or mobile distribution in Chicago and Cook County.

Food Depository officials said that since replacing their old tool with Vivery more

than a year ago, they’ve seen an increase in engagement. The platform features an improved food finder map, better search filters, a Spanish language search and improved analytics, they said.

“By centering on the end user experience and having an intentional focus on analytics, we can be more responsive to the needs of our community,” said Andy Seikel, the head of Technology and Transformation for the Food Depository.

“After seeing the improvements firsthand, Vivery is that rare combination of using tech for good that is well-positioned to help food banks and pantries really move the needle to end hunger nationwide,” he said.

According to the Food Depository’s 2022 status report, 16% of Chicago area households were food insecure early this year and 22% of all households with children facing food insecurity. The Food Depository’s network of more than 700 food pantries, shelters and soup pantries served an average of roughly 350,000 people a month, the report showed.

The Westchester Food Pantry alone served about 10,000 people between January and September this year — a 74% increase over the same period in 2021, Westchester Food Pantry officials reported on their website.

“Our clients were provided with 110 tons

of food, which equates to 190,000 meals at a retail value of $1.3 million,” they said. “Each client receives nearly $400 worth of groceries, every time they come to the Pantry.”

Gaynor Hall, a spokesperson for the Food Depository, told WGN that there “is definitely an increased need” for free food, particularly as inflation remains stubbornly high.

USA Today reported on Nov. 1 that “September’s consumer price index showed a 21% annual increase in all foods,” including a nearly 19% increase in the price of canned fruits, a 17% increase for uncooked poultry, including turkey, and a 32% increase for butter and margarine.

“What we’re hearing from our partners is that inflation and rising food prices are having a negative impact on the people we serve right now,” she said. “That means people and families are struggling to get food on the table.”

Hall said the Food Depository is spending “twice as much as what we paid two years ago,” adding that they’re “adapting their strategies” as much as they can.

To access the Food Depository’s map, visit: chicagosfoodbank.org/find-food/

CONTACT: michael@oakpark.com

O B I T U A R I E S

Daniel Good, 67 A lifelong Forest Parker

Daniel Russell Good, 67, of Newport, Tennessee, died on Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2022 at home.

He was a lifelong Forest Park resident, and his father Lew was a former Forest Park chief of police. Although the last few years of his life were spent in Tennessee near his sister, nephews, daughter and son-in-law, he always considered Forest Park home, and could frequently be seen walking Madison Street to visit Louie’s Grill and Parky’s, two of his favorite spots. He worked at Duro-Test in Elk Grove Vil-

lage, and then Target in Melrose Park, until his retirement, and made lifelong friends at both companies.

Danny was a devoted father who loved spending time with his children, playing with his two chihuahuas, and watching the Bears and Blackhawks. He also enjoyed fishing, was an avid model train and toy collector, and recently began restoration on a 1957 Ford Fairlane 500 — a longtime dream of his.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Lew and Virginia Good, and his sister, Karen Good.

Survivors include his children, Russell (Megan) Good, Amanda (George Conkin) Good and Rebekah (Mauricio Polanco) Good; his sisters, Jinny Demilio, Sharon Good, and his brother, Timothy Good. Additional survivors include several nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

The family will host a Celebration of Life after Daniel is interred at Mt. Emblem Cemetery.

Cremation arrangements were handled by Costner-Maloy & Brown Funeral Home.

Mary Sue Stanton, 84 St. Luke parishioner

Mary Sue Stanton (nee Boyd), 84, died peacefully at her Forest Park home on Oct. 17, 2022.

Born on Dec. 18, 1937 in Bardwell, Kentucky to the late Joseph and the late Mable (nee Jones), she was the wife of the late James F.; the sister of Virginia “Ginny” Parchert, the late Dean Roberts, and Peggy Joe Kray; the aunt of Mona Roberts Lawrence, Kelly Parchert Drennan, Michael Parchert and the late John Roberts III and Joseph Thomas Roberts.

Memorial visitation will be held on Saturday, Nov. 12 from 10 a.m. until the funeral Mass at 11 a.m. at St. Luke Church, 7600 W. Lake St., River Forest. The Mass will be streamed live on the church’s website.

In lieu of flowers, donations to St. Jude (www.stjude.org) are appreciated. Interment at Queen of Heaven, Hillside.

Arrangements were handled by Thomas Ahern, Funeral Director.

8

Forest Park Review, November 9, 2022

ALTENHEIM What to do? from page 1 – local Realtors, residents living west of the CSX Railroad tracks, residents and businesses east of the tracks and one for members of the Forest Park Chamber of Commerce. They also planned to set dates for a late afternoon open house at the Roos Recreation Center, 7329 Harrison St., and a table session at the Forest Park Post Office, 417 Desplaines Ave., on a Saturday morning. While the committee didn’t settle on the exact dates, their goal is to get feedback from the focus groups and hold the public outreach events before the end of the year.

Around 20 people, most of them residents of the Grove condominiums adjacent to the Altenheim site, attended the meeting. Only a handful of them spoke, expressing reservations about the process and wanting to make sure that Grove residents’ opinions

11-member advisory committee to study the previous plans for the property and help the village develop a more complete plan. Muse Community Design, a Chicago-based urban planning consultant, has been contracted to guide the process.

According to the timeline shared during the Nov. 7 meeting, the committee is looking to complete public outreach by Dec. 23. During its Dec. 4 meeting, it will review sample RFPs to get a sense of what the village might put out, and work on the draft RFP during a Jan. 9, 2023 meeting.

Muse director Kindy Kruller said this timeline isn’t necessarily set in stone, and it will depend

ALEX ROGALS/Staff Photographer

Citizens discusses the Altenheim at Forest Park Village Hall.

were taken into account. While several of them said the process has been taking too long, there was also skepticism that the committee could really collect the public input it was looking for within two months, especially given colder weather and multiple national holidays distracting people.

The village currently owns the nowvacant land to the north and south of the still-operational portions of Altenheim retirement community. Commissioners Maria Maxham and Jessica Voogd formed the

on what the committee wants and what kind of feedback it will get.

On Nov. 5, committee members gathered feedback from residents taking part in the Forest Park Wine Walk. Kruller said 43 participants who identified themselves as Forest Parkers were surveyed about what they would be interested in seeing at the site. Some kind of service-related use got the largest percentage, followed by small commercial use, with some kind of a residential component and indoor community

space coming in a close third and fourth.

Tax revenue generation came in last on the list of priorities, but committee member David Gulyas noted that the two most popular priorities would be tax generators.

During the Nov. 7 meeting, each committee member talked about the feedback they got – and several said they were surprised that there were residents who never heard of the open Altenheim property or thought that its future has long since been decided.

They agreed that this made public outreach all the more important.

“There’s a lot of people who don’t know about it, or don’t know and understand the unique nature of the property,” said committee chair Marty Tellalian.

The committee decided to hold the open house at Roos because it’s near the center of the village and because it tends to be popular with Forest Parkers during the colder months. They decided to hold it on a weekday because they thought they’d get a better response from people who are heading home from work as opposed to relaxing during the weekend. Setting up a table at the post office came in response to resident suggestions.

During the public comment section,

Gene Armstrong, president of the Grove Midrise Condominium Association, said his organization would like to share a presentation of its internal surveys of Grove residents’ perspectives on the site.

“Let me put it to you this way -- there’s no group of residents that will be more impacted by what happens to Altenheim then [The Grove residents],” he said.

Leah Shapiro, a 16-year Grove resident, argued there wasn’t much point in asking “random people on the street who don’t even know what the land is” about the site’s future, and focus on people in the site’s vicinity and the “possibilities that are realistic.”

Ann Armstrong questioned the timing of the public outreach.

“You got a lot of holidays in front of you, you got the weather in front of you,” she said. “If you’re really serious about getting the public input, you gotta give a chance to the public and understand that their attention is elsewhere for the next several weeks.”

For most current information about the committee’s work, including outreach announcements, visit altenheimfp.com

Forest Park Review, November 9, 2022

Forest Park home cracks top 6 in national magazine spread Recently built townhouse on Van Buren featured in The Week

By DAN HALEY Editor and Publisher

When a national magazine publishes a two-page spread headlined Best Properties on the Market it might be unexpected that one of the six homes featured is right here in Forest Park.

But that is what Mary Ritchie, an alert Forest Park Review and The Week subscriber, told us when she called with the news.

So we looked it up. And there among homes in Woods Hole, Massachusetts; Austin, Texas; New York City; Fort Thomas, Kentucky; and Seattle — possibly trendier communities — is a new construction on home in Forest Park.

It is a three-bedroom townhouse built ilt in 2018 on Van Buren adjacent to the he Altenheim property. We’ve noticed thee place while the Review lined up forr recent St. Patrick’s Day parades. Lotss of glass, a modern twist on more tra-ditional architecture. The write-up in n the magazine notes its 9.5-foot ceilings, chef ’s kitchen, balcony, fireplace all spread across three floors.

The price? A worthy $544,000.

It is in a spread with loftier price tags — $920,000 for mountain and Puget Sound views in Seattle,

$995,000 at Woods Hole (that’s Cape Cod) for a quarter-acre and a short walk to the Martha’s Vineyard Ferry, $919,000 for a renovated ranch in Austin, and $789,000 for a genteel not-quite mansion in Fort Thomas (right near Cincy). It was built in 1856; that’s before the Civil War if you’re picking sides.

But our Forest Park prize is not the least expensive featured home. That would be the “Steal of the Week” in NYC. A one-bedroom co-op in the landmarked 1927 Prospect Tower, just a block from the United Nation Plaza. A bargain, we’d all agree, at $450,000.

Oak Park Chimney & Fireplace Services

Formerly Custom Fireplace Co. in Columbus, Ohio in 1982

INSPECTIONS • CLEANINGS REPAIRS • IMPROVEMENTS

on fireboxes, dampers, liners, gas starters & logs

CHIMNEY SWEEPING • RAIN CAPS/ SCREENS • DRAFT INCREASE

Free site visit inspection with appointment by Chris Wessels

• buckeye.chris@yahoo.com • 708-906-5027

incent V

­

­ ­ ­­

­

­ ­

­

Purchase tickets at MarionStreetTheater.org

9

10

Forest Park Review, November 9, 2022

C R I M E

THRIVE TALKS THRIVE TALKS THRIVE TALKS THRIVE TALKS THRIVETALKS TALKS THRIVE

Being Reduction Approach to BeingOnline: Online:AA Harm Reduction Approach to to Being Online: AHarm Harm Reduction Approach Technology & Social Media Use in Families Being Technology Online: A Harm Reduction Approach to Technology & Media Use in Families & Social Social Media Use in Families Being Online: Harm Reduction Approach Many parents understandably concerned about the negative impact that Technology & are Social Media Use in Families Many parents are understandably concerned about the negative impact that Being Online: AA Harm Reduction Approach to to Many parents are understandably concerned about the negative impact Many parents are media, understandably about negative impact technology, social and screen concerned exposure may have the on their children and that technology, social media, and screen exposure may Use have on in their Families children and Technology &Social Social Media that social media, and screen exposure may on their and Technology &things Media Use in Families families.

These same can also be essential tools to have help kids and technology, social media, and screen exposure may onhave theirparents children Many parents are technology, understandably concerned about the negative impact that families. These same things can also be essential tools to help kids and parents

alike connect family and peers, learn newessential skills, and express/expand their children andwith families.

These things canon also bechildren tools families.

These same things cansame also be tools toessential help kids and to parents technology,Many social media, and screen exposure may have their and alike connect with family and peers, learn new skills, and express/expand their parents are understandably concerned about negative impact Many parents are understandably concerned about thethe negative impact thatthat creativity.

Inand this Talk, parents and caregivers will learn howand to use a learn harm help kids parents alike connect with family and peers, new alike connect with family and peers, learn new skills, express/expand their creativity.

In this Talk, parents and caregivers will learn how to use a harm families. These same things can also be essential tools to help kids and parents technology, socialmedia, media, and screen exposure may have on their children technology, social and screen exposure may have on their children and and reduction framework to think critically and compassionately about their family’s reduction framework to think critically and compassionately about their family’s creativity.

In this Talk, parents and caregivers will learn how to use a harm alike connect with family and peers, learn new skills, and express/expand their skills, These and express/expand their creativity.

In this Talk, parents and families.

These samethings thingscan can also be essential tools to help and parents families. also essential tools to help kidskids andthat parents technology andsame media consumption sobe they can enact concrete changes will technology and media sowill they can enact concrete that will reduction framework toconsumption think critically and compassionately about family’s creativity. In this Talk, and caregivers learn howand to use a changes harm caregivers will learn how to uselearn alearn harm reduction framework to their think alike connect withfamily family and peers, new skills, and express/expand impact their parents families for the better. alike connect with and peers, new skills, express/expand theirtheir impact their families for the better. technology and media consumption so they can enact concrete changes that will reduction framework toand think critically and compassionately about their creativity. this parents and caregivers learn how to family’s use a harm creativity.

In parents and caregivers willwill learn how to use a harm critically compassionately about their family’s technology and media O u ru rS p eIne athis k e rTalk, :Talk, O S p a k e r : impact their families for the better. technologyreduction and media consumption socritically they can enact concrete changes that will reduction framework think critically and compassionately about their family’s framework toto think and compassionately about their family’s

consumption so they can enact concrete changes that will impact their

Nicole is a licensed clinical social worker and Nicole is can a licensed clinical social worker and impact theirtechnology for the and media consumption soso they enact concrete changes thatthat will will technology and consumption they can enact concrete changes Ofamilies ur Spe ak emedia rbetter. :better.

Practice Manager of the Chicago Center for families for the Practice Manager of the Chicago Center for impact their families for the better. impact their families for the better.

Psychotherapy. Nicole holds two Master's degrees Our Speaker:

Psychotherapy.

Nicole holds two Master's degreesand Nicole is a licensed clinical social worker from the University of Chicago. She is trained and from the University of Chicago.

She is trained and Practice Manager of the Chicago Center certified in Cognitive Behavioral Intervention Nicole is acertified licensed social worker and forfor for in clinical Cognitive Behavioral Intervention Psychotherapy.

Nicole holds two Master's isinaisSchools licensed clinical social worker and Trauma Trauma Focused CBTand (TF-degrees Nicole a licensed clinical social worker Practice Nicole Manager the (CBITS), Chicago Center for Trauma inof Schools (CBITS), Trauma Focused CBT (TFCBT), Highly Sensitive People (HSPs), is 40-hr Sexual from the University of Chicago.

She is trained and Practice Manager of the Chicago Center for Practice Manager the Chicago for Psychotherapy.

Nicole holds of two Master's CBT), Highly Sensitive People (HSPs),degrees isCenter 40-hr Sexual Assault Training certified by the Illinois Coalition Psychotherapy.

Nicole holds two Master's degrees certified in Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Psychotherapy.

Nicole holds two Master's degrees Assault Training certifiedShe by the Illinois Coalition from the University of Chicago. is trained and Against Sexual Assault (ICASA) and Resilience from thethe University of Chicago.

She is trained and and Trauma in Behavioral Schools (CBITS), Trauma Focused CBT (TFSexual Assault and Resilience from University of(ICASA) Chicago.

She isfor trained certified (formerly inAgainst Cognitive Intervention Rape Victim Advocates) and is an ADHDcertified in Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for (formerly Rape Victim Advocates) and is an ADHDCBT), Highly Sensitive People (HSPs), is 40-hr certified(CBITS), in Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Sexual Trauma inCertified Schools Trauma Focused CBT (TFServices Provider (ADHD-CCSP).

Trauma inClinical Schools (CBITS), Trauma Focused CBT (TFNicole Certified Clinical Services Provider (ADHD-CCSP).

Assault Training certified by40-hr the Illinois Coalition Trauma in Schools (CBITS), Trauma Focused CBT (TFNicoleRea, Rea,LCSW LCSW CBT), Highly Sensitive People (HSPs),(HSPs), is Sexual She is a mother of a tech-savvy non-binary 11 year Highly Sensitive People is 40-hr Sexual She is a mother of a tech-savvy non-binary 11 year Chicago Center for Psychotherapy CBT), Against (ICASA) andgames.

CBT), Highly Sensitive People (HSPs), isResilience 40-hr Sexual old whoTraining lovesSexual playing and creating video Chicago Center for Psychotherapy Assault Training certified byAssault the Illinois Coalition Assault certified by the Illinois Coalition old who loves playing and creating video games.

O Ouurr SSppeeaakkeer :r :

(formerly Rapecertified Victim Advocates) is an ADHDAssault Training by the Illinoisand Coalition Against Sexual (ICASA)(ICASA) and Resilience AgainstAssault Sexual Assault and Resilience Against Sexual Assault (ICASA)Provider and Resilience Certified Clinical Services (ADHD-CCSP).

Nicole Rea, LCSW (formerly(formerly Rape Victim and isand an is ADHDRape Advocates) Victim NOVEMBER Advocates) an 2022 ADHD10, In-person (formerly Victim and is an ADHDShe isClinical a Rape mother of NOVEMBER a Advocates) tech-savvy non-binary 11 year 10, 2022 In-person Certified Services Provider (ADHD-CCSP).

Certified Clinical Services Provider (ADHD-CCSP).

Chicago Center for Psychotherapy Nicole Rea,atLCSW 7:00 -creating 8:30 PM CT Nicole Rea, LCSW Certified Clinical Services Provider (ADHD-CCSP). the who loves playing and video games.

7:00 8:30 PM CT Nicole Rea, LCSW She old is a of mother of a tech-savvy non-binary 11 year at theShe is a mother a tech-savvy non-binary 11 year Chicago Center for Psychotherapy She is loves a mother of aand tech-savvy non-binary 11 year Oak Park Public Library Chicago Center for Psychotherapy who playing creating games.

Oak Park Public Library old who old loves playing and creating videovideo games.

Chicago Center for Psychotherapy old who loves playing and creating video games.

Veteran's Room, 2nd floor FREE EVENT Veteran's Room, 2nd floor FREE EVENT NOVEMBER 10, 2022 In-person 834 Lake St, Oak Park 834 Lake St, Oak Park NOVEMBER 10, 2022

7:00 - 8:30 PM CT

NOVEMBER 10, 2022 at the NOVEMBER 10, 2022 In-person In-person JOIN US! 7:00 - 8:30 PM CT JOIN US! at the Oak Park Public Library 7:00 8:30 PM CT at the WWW.THRIVECC.ORG | (708) 383-7500 7:00 - 8:30 PM CT at the Library WWW.THRIVECC.ORG | (708) 383-7500 Oak Park Public Veteran's Room, 2nd floor FREE EVENT Oak Park Public Library Oak Park Public Library Veteran's Room, 2nd floor FREE EVENT 834 Lake St, Oak Park Veteran's Room, 2nd floor FREE EVENT Veteran's Room, FREE EVENT 834 Lake St, Oak2nd Parkfloor 834 Lake St, Park 834Oak Lake St, Oak Park JOIN US! In-person

JOIN US! US!

WWW.THRIVECC.ORG | (708) 383-7500 JOIN WWW.THRIVECC.ORG | (708) 383-7500 JOIN US!

WWW.THRIVECC.ORG | (708) 383-7500 WWW.THRIVECC.ORG | (708) 383-7500

Need a helping of

Call Jill at (708) 524-8300 or visit ForestParkReview.com/subscribe

Chicago man flees possible scene of shooting, nearly runs over four officers

A 23-year-old Chicago man was arrested after fleeing a possible scene of a shooting and nearly running over four police officers in the process.

On Nov. 5 at 4:36 a.m., police officers responded to multiple reports of shots fired on the 1100 block of Lathrop Avenue. While canvassing the area, two officers spotted the alleged offender and another individual exit an apartment building and head toward a grey 2016 Chevrolet Cruze parked in the building parking lot. As the officers tried to stop the two to talk to them, the two men got into the vehicle, allegedly nearly hitting the two officers as they drove north on Lathrop Avenue.

As the Chevrolet kept going, it reportedly nearly hit two other officers who were checking that stretch of Lathrop Avenue for shell casings and kept going, turning east on Fillmore Street. The Chevrolet reportedly raced down the street and disregarded two stop signs. An Oak Park police patrol car called in to assist eventually stopped the alleged offender at 900 S. Harlem Ave. The search of the car revealed that the alleged offender carried four small baggies of cannabis that weren’t stored in the legally required manner. The suspect said he had a gun, and a properly stored 9-millimeter Glock-17 was found to be safely stored in a locked box in the car’s trunk. The alleged offender had a valid FOID card.

Because he allegedly nearly hit four police officers, his reckless driving and suspicion that he might be connected to the shots fired, the alleged offender was taken into custody. He said he and the passenger were visiting a friend and, when they saw the police cars and “thought he should leave the area.” The alleged offender denied hearing gun shots or seeing anything.

The alleged offender was charged with reckless driving, possessing cannabis outside an approved container, two counts of failure to yield to stop signs and four counts of aggravated assault. He was released after paying the required 10% of the $2,000 bail.

Aggravated robbery A 54-year-old Chicago man was robbed at the McDonalds at 420 Desplaines Avenue

and ended up with a head injury after he tried to catch the robber and got punched.

On Nov. 5, at 4:33 p.m., the victim was at the counter when the alleged offender came up behind him, took $270 from his pocket and threw him to the ground. The victim got up and chased after the robber. The alleged offender punched the victim in the face, causing the victim to fall backward and hit his head on the ground. When the officers got there, the victim was “bleeding profusely” from the back of his head.

Officers apprehended the alleged offender a few blocks south, near the intersection of Desplaines Avenue and Adams Street. The victim positively identified him as his attacker, and the victim was transported to Loyola Medical Center for treatment.

The alleged offender was charged with aggravated robbery and aggravated battery of a senior citizen.

Robbery Two men attempted to snatch a purse from a woman as she was exiting her car and ended up stealing a bag of clothing.

On Nov. 1 at 10:02 p.m., the victim parked her car on the 500 block of Beloit Avenue.

As she went to the front passenger seat to get her purse, two men who were wearing black face masks approached her from behind and tried to snatch the purse away.

The victim screamed and tried to get away from the suspects. The two men ended up opening the rear door of the victim’s car and grabbed a bag containing clothing purchases she planned to return. The suspects grabbed the purse and ran, heading north into the alley.

Police officers couldn’t find the suspects, and a nearby camera didn’t capture the incident. They did find the bag with all the clothing inside at 434 Beloit Ave. These items were obtained from police reports filed by the Forest Park Police Department, Oct 31 – Nov. 6, 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

Forest Park Review, November 9, 2022

Growing Community Media

11

11.18-20.22

a non-profit newsroom

Deep in the forest enchanted sprites cast spells and play tricks on four young lovers and an unsuspecting clown troupe of amateur actors.

GET TIX!

Theatre Arts Lab Series BASED ON A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM

by William Shakespeare Original Adaptation by Krista Hansen

NOVEMBER 18-20 | LUND AUDITORIUM BOX OFFICE (708) 488-5000

TICKETS $18

We’ve got YOU covered.

Donate today at

events.dom.edu ASSISTED LIVING • SHELTERED CARE • MEMORY CARE • SKILLED NURSING

ASSISTED LIVING • SHELTERED CARE • MEMORY CARE • SKILLED NURSING

Now safely moving Now safely moving new residents our new residents totoour Nowsmall, safely moving wooded campus. small, woodedtocampus. new residents our small, wooded campus.

A safe && A safe smart choice. smart A safe &choice.

smart choice.

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

Choosing a community you Our community has an can has never been Ourtrust community has an impeccable record of safety more difficult. impeccable record of safety during the COVID-19 crisis

during and andthe weCOVID-19 will stop at crisis nothing Our community has an to make we will stop at nothing to make sure it continues. impeccable record of safety sure it continues. during the COVID-19 crisis We would be honored for your family to be part of and we will stop at nothing We would be honoredours. for your to maketosure it continues. family be part of ours.

Immediate availability in our Memory Care Assisted Living Small House

We would be honored for your 99% OUR CALEDONIA family to OF be part of ours.

STAFF IS VACCINATED

2800 Des Plaines Avenue, North Riverside, IL 60546 (708) 447-5092 | CaledoniaSeniorLiving.org

2800 Des Plaines Avenue, North Riverside, IL 60546

Limited availability!

12

Forest Park Review, November 9, 2022

Time is running out to save local news

L

ocal journalism is a cornerstone of democracy and a vital source of information for communities across the country, with newsrooms covering local politics, high school sports, local business openings, cultural events, and other matters that help a community remain vibrant and connected. But the industry is facing an existential crisis because of the unyielding power of Big Tech platforms such as Google and Facebook.

With less than four weeks left in this Congress, now is the time for the Senate to pass the Journalism Competition and Preservation Act (JCPA) (S. 673 and H.R. 1735). The JCPA was favorably reported out of committee on Sept. 22 with strong bipartisan support and now must head to the floor for a vote. The JCPA will hold tech giants accountable and provide a necessary lifeline for local papers, requiring Big Tech to compensate small and local outlets for the use of their content.

Big Tech benefits tremendously from journalism content, yet they refuse to pay local publishers fairly for the journalistic content that fuels their platforms. As a result, local papers are being replaced by tech platforms using black box algorithms

designed to keep users inside their walled gardens — all while charging exorbitant ad fees — up to 70 percent of every advertising dollar.

Since 2000, U.S. newspaper circulation has dropped by half, with 31 million fewer daily newspapers in circulation in 2020.

The vast majority of U.S. counties with no regular newspaper — news deserts — are in rural areas. Despite record audiences, since news outlets transitioned to digital, revenue has drastically declined.

The tech giants have built their empires by profiting off the hard work of journalists without fairly compensating them. And as local publications struggle to stay afloat, Big Tech has only doubled down on their anticompetitive practices, further consolidating their control over the flow of information.

This is fundamentally unfair, and the JCPA will bring about much-needed change.

The JCPA will benefit small and local publishers exclusively and impose severe penalties if the tech platforms do not negotiate with them in good faith. The bill has a limited scope of six years to address a broken marketplace, while the broader competitive landscape is fixed through other legislation

and the courts. The JCPA also incentivizes publishers to hire more journalists and protects our Constitutional freedoms of speech and the press.

The bill’s scope is limited to compensation and does not allow for negotiations around up/down ranking or display — it serves only to ensure fair compensation for local news outlets. The JCPA has strict transparency requirements on the terms of each agreement reached between tech platforms and journalism providers and establishes clarity in how news outlets spend the funds they receive.

News publishers around the world are being compensated by Big Tech. Australia passed a similar policy to the JCPA, the News Media Bargaining Code, for media organizations to bargain for payment, which has produced significant revenue (billions of dollars, if translated to the U.S. market) for hundreds of publications of all sizes.

One Sydney journalism professor noted that she hadn’t seen her industry so financially robust in decades. There are so many open positions for reporters, they cannot all be filled, a signal of the improved economic health of the industry. The swift and clear

NEWS MEDIA ALLIANCE One View

successes of the Australian Code — and efforts in other countries such as Canada, the UK, European Union, and more — should serve to encourage the passage of the JCPA in the United States.

Thousands of hometown papers from across the political spectrum, as well as both Democrats and Republicans in Congress, support the JCPA. Moreover, in these highly polarized times, polling data found that 70 percent of Americans support the JCPA. The JCPA has such broad support because ultimately, it is about basic fairness.

Local papers cannot afford to endure several more years of Big Tech’s use and abuse, and time to take action is dwindling.

If Congress does not act soon, we risk allowing social media to become America’s de facto local newspaper. The Senate must advance the JCPA to the Senate floor for a vote before the end of the year to rein in Big Tech and restore fairness to local journalism — one of the most important checks and balances we have against corporate power and government corruption — before it’s too late.

The News Media Alliance is a trade association representing approximately 2,000 newspapers in the United States and Canada.

Don’t miss your chance to rock out and give back!

This year’s Beyond Hunger Fall Benefit Concert features Drive-By Truckers with Chicago artist Nathan Graham.

November 18th and 19th at Thalia Hall and Fitzgerald’s in Berwyn.

At a time when we are experiencing a 30-40% increase in participation across our programs - your support and attendance helps us manage the exponential impact of our own rising food costs just as more and more community members are picking up groceries to help feed their families.

Drive-By Truckers L to R: Jay Gonzalez, Brad Morgan, Patterson Hood, Mike Cooley, Matt Patton Photo: Brantley Gutierrez

Photo: Matt Kosterman

Mavis Staples and band, at the 2021 Beyond Hunger Benefit.

GoBeyondHunger.org/events for tickets.

A portion of your ticket is tax deductible.

Forest Park Review, November 9, 2022

13

Maxham sets six priorities as she launches candidacy Economic growth, public safety and changing form of governance on list

By IGOR STUDENKOV Staff Reporter

It’s not often that an incumbent political candidate makes repealing their elected office part of their platform.

But is one of six top priorities for incumbent Forest Park village commissioner Maria Maxham as she launches her campaign to be elected to the council in April 2023.

Maxham, a former editor of the Forest Park Review until she was appointed to fill a vacancy on the village council, believes the long established “commission form” of government is a detriment to Forest Park. Maxham said she has no preference as to what replaces it, but, if re-elected, she plans to have a public engagement process where residents will look at what forms of government neighboring villages have and select a form that would suit Forest Park best.

The form of municipal government can only be changed via a referendum. Unless someone musters enough signatures to put it on the ballot in the April election cycle, the earliest a referendum can go on the ballot in Forest Park is the April 2027 municipal election.

Other major priorities for Maxham include supporting the Forest Park Chamber of Commerce, making public engagement meetings part of the village’s decision-

making process, supporting Forest Park’s ernment common in villages throughout public school districts, investing in public the western suburbs. Most notably, each safety and working with other villages on elected commissioner serves as a head of a department – in Maxham’s case, the Deenvironmental sustainability.

Maxham said she became interested partment of Public Health & Safety.

“I really firmly believe that it’s time for in the ins and outs of the municipal government structure while serving as the Forest Park to adopt a different form of Review’s editor and lead reporter. That government,” she said. “It’s outdated, its appreciation only increased after she was inconvenient, and I can see first-hand how it creates a toxic work enviappointed village commisronment for the staff.” sioner on July 14, 2021, fillMaxham said it was “riing a vacancy created when diculous” that, under the a commissioner moved from current system, commisthe village. sioners have direct power “I think it was sort of a over department directors surprising change, but it who have more actual job exfelt very organic,” she said.

“I felt I’ve come to develop, perience than them. not just a deep understand“For me to step in and ing, but a deep love for the start dictating how [Direcvillage and appreciation for tor of Public Health & Safety the local government that Steve Glinke] should run the I’ve never had before. It has department on a day-to-day MARIA MAXHAM literally been one of the bigbasis doesn’t make sense,” gest honors of my life to Commissioner of Public Health & Safety she said, adding that “I think serve as commissioner in there a tendency for comthis town.” missioners to overstep and get involved in Because she was originally appointed, day-to-day operations.” next April will be the first time Maxham is Maxham said she doesn’t have a preferon the ballot. ence for what should replace it, because The long-standing commission form of she hasn’t done enough research on the government has several features that set topic – but she believes that the change it apart from the “manager form” of gov- should be resident-driven.

“I think we’d need to do a real deep dive, [research] how these forms of government work and figure out what’s going to be best for Forest Park,” she said. “I would do a series of town halls and have the experts come in [to answer questions].” voters choose effective the next municipal Maxham’s other major priority, one that election. she mentioned first in the interview, would Generally, the voters would be able to be to improve Forest Park’s economic vitalchoose a managerial form of governity by directing more funding and support ment, where a village manager handles to the Forest Park Chamber of Commerce. most day-to-day administrative tasks, or a She previously advocated for more Ameristrong mayor form of government, where can Recovery Plan Act (ARPA) federal the mayor can veto legislation and unilatstimulus funding to go to the chamber. erally appoint certain department heads.

“Since the village itself doesn’t have an The Illinois Municipal Code offers muleconomic development person on staff, we tiple options for how the former would be need to partner better with the Chamber structured, including whether trustees or and lean on them to do work with us,” Maxvillage council members would be elected ham said. at large, from districts, or some combinaShe is also looking to improve public tion of both. With the latter, all village engagement, citing her town hall on the council members would be elected from possibility of allowing backyard hens in wards.

Forest Park as an example of the kind of

Abandoning the commission form of government Under Section 4-10-1 of the Illinois Municipal Code, at least 25% of all registered voters who voted for mayor in the previous municipal elections must sign a petition to put the referendum on the ballot.

A separate referendum question will ask the voters what form of government they would want to establish instead. For municipalities with population under 50,000, such as Forest Park, the question can only be placed on the ballot during the same election where the village council officers are elected, so the earliest this can go before the voters is April 2027.

If the majority votes “no” in the referendum, the village will transition to whichever other form of government the

public-driven process she would like the village to engage in more.

“Sometimes, it feels like council makes decisions in a vacuum and we don’t hear feedback about the decisions until after it was made,” Maxham said. “I think engaging residents early on in an education process is really important.”

She also said that, if elected, her major priority will be to improve public safety, pushing to make sure police and fire departments have the vehicles and equipment they need, as well as continue rehabilitation of the fire station. She is also interested in building on the village’s existing relationships with Housing Forward and Night Ministry homeless services organizations, so that they can do more to help homeless individuals who pass through or camp near the Forest Park Blue Line CTA terminal. The goal, Maxham said, would be to “help those individuals get into the system, help them get medical care that they need, and help set them up with housing.”

She said, as someone who sent her kids to Forest Park School District 91 and Proviso Township High School District 209, and who reported on the later while working for the Review, she is deeply invested in the future of both districts. Maxham said she supported the Proviso 209 United slate, which is running against the current District 209 incumbents. She said that it’s “terrifying” the majority on the current board supported Supt. James Henderson, even as the district experienced teacher and bus driver shortage without demanding accountability.

“I am actively involved in campaigning to change the board, because I believe there’s a gigantic lack of transparency and poor decision-making and little to any oversight [with the current board],” Maxham said.

She believes that all elected officials in all villages within Proviso Township should be actively pushing for improvements, since the quality of the districts affects the property values.

“I think it remains one of the most pressing issues in all of Proviso,” Maxham said.

“I think the officials should be more involved. I think they should go to meetings, I think they should be aware, and make decisions on what candidates they’re going to support in the election in April.”

14

Forest Park Review, November 9, 2022

OPINION O U R

V I E W

Changing our form of government

M

aria Maxham, a Forest Park village commissioner now running for election in the April cycle, has six priorities she plans to campaign on.

We’ll get back to you about the other five because we are fully obsessed with her plan to actively work to replace Forest Park’s “commission form” of government.

Full disclosure: We’ve been advocating for replacing this version of local governance since we first learned of it 40 years ago. And Maxham, a former editor of the Review, likely heard one or two harangues around our conference table in which we specified its many deficiencies.

You have to be a bit of a local government geek to understand why this is important.

Here’s our case: Forest Park is a reasonably complex, urban suburb with an array of challenges and ambitions. It needs a modern form of governance that attracts and keeps top notch talent among its manager and department heads and has a clear organizational chart that allows professional decision-making.

That form of government, likely a village or city manager form, allows elected leaders to provide broad direction and guidance to its paid staff.

The commission form actively does the opposite. An elected mayor and four commissioners are put in direct charge of specific government departments.

That’s right. Specific commissioners run village finance or public works, or public safety. Professional department heads work not for an administrator but for a commissioner, often with no expertise in the field.

This might have worked a century ago in some farm town with 1,000 people and one traffic light. But it has long been obsolete and preposterous as a way to govern a community such as Forest Park. According to a 2011 survey by the International City/County Management Association, less than 1% of communities still have the commission form.

In an interview this week with the Review, Maxham, the commissioner of Public Health & Safety, says it’s nuts to think she would tell Steve Glinke, the veteran department head, how to run the day-to-day operations of the department.

She’s right. She’s also right to acknowledge that there are still commissioners way too involved in day-to-day operations of “their” departments.

In the decades since Forest Park finally acknowledged it needed some level of professional leadership and created a post for an administrator, it has with one exception cycled people through that post with rapidity. Talented people got fed up with the nonsense and left to build their careers elsewhere. The exception was Tim Gillian, a Forest Park lifer, former commissioner himself, best friend of the mayor, who knew how to make the creaky machine work.

There aren’t any more Gillians in the pipeline and there shouldn’t be.

We applaud Maxham for making this a pillar of her campaign, for understanding it will take time to explain the issue to residents and to get this on the ballot by April 2027.

After this long, we can wait a bit longer.

Early and often, renewing my right to complain

Y

ou’re familiar with the maxim, often cited by the tedious, “If you don’t vote you can’t complain”?

I voted. Buckle up.

Despite my right as a resident of Cook County to vote wherever I want for whoever I want, however many times I want, it has for complicated reasons been a while since I voted here.

Last Saturday I went to early vote. This option is new since the last time I did this. I’m brimming with questions. How early can one plausibly vote? I know people who would cheerfully vote party line once now and be done with it forever. Can they vote 10 years out?

Speaking of how early you can start, is the opening of early voting creeping forward a little earlier every year like Black Friday sales? Are there people who line up a couple of days out to ensure they have the first pick of the votes available? I like my elections Chicago-style, so I wonder if early voting makes the usual frauds easier or harder to commit? Do the dead vote early?

What about the folks who’re voting threefour-five times? Can all their votes be cast early or do they have to make extra trips?

Anyhow, I got there at 9 a.m. Saturday, ready to do my civic duty as fast as possible so I could get on with more pressing matters like picking up dry cleaning.

Step One: Get driver’s license scanned to ver-- … no, wait: Step One: Stand in the kind of line I’d hoped to avoid standing in by voting early.

Step Two: Get driver’s license scanned to verify identity. I was successful on that, though I did require two tries. I had to provide a signature early in the process. I did the same impatient wiggly line everybody else does when signing something with a finger on a touchscreen, and it was flagged for not matching the signature on my driver’s license. That signature, having been

made with a pen, is a bit more of an autograph-style formal “Alan Brouilette” than the line described by the gesture one makes to convey “Please bring me the check” across a crowded restaurant. We had to start again but the person behind the table was patient.

The successful presentation of ID and writing of my own name earned me a paper receipt and a microchip card. The receipt wasn’t anything of note (I had hoped for door prizes or perhaps a raffle) but the microchip card entitled me to get in a second long line. That line ended some time later with me standing in front of a large touchscreen where I encountered a lot of opportunities to offer opinions on matchups about which I knew nothing. God bless America, this is how we do things here.

I suppose I could have done some homework, but if many years in media taught me anything about the importance of voting, it is that if an election is really, really close, very few votes will count at all because the matter will be decided, contested, appealed, and decided again in court, and the centerpiece of all the court time will be the heavy implication that the voters aren’t bright enough to touch a screen or poke a hole in a piece of paper with intent and purpose.

This makes it tough to take the whole thing seriously, so I try not to stress about outcomes.

They did give me a sticker, which I appreciated, and I guess there’s something comforting in knowing that I have formally renewed my right to complain for two more years.

And really, if there’s any right I cherish it’s that one.

ALAN

BROUILETTE

Forest Park Review, November 9, 2022

F

Re-airing and repairing an injustice

orest Park playwright/ actor Kevin Bry has brought a forgotten chapter in Oak Park history to life. His play, The Ebony Streak, premiered at OPRF High School’s Little Theater on Nov. 6. It tells the poignant story of Lewis Pope who starred on the OPRF football team in 1937 when they were one of the top teams in the country.

Pope was denied the opportunity to play in a national showcase game in Miami, Florida because he was Black.

The Ebony Streak takes place in an era when reporters could use a person’s race to bestow a nickname. Lewis was the only Black student on the team. He played in the offensive backfield and was one of the team’s fastest players. His dream of playing Division I football were within reach.

Pope was born and raised in Oak Park.

His single mom, Lava Pope, worked as a domestic. They lived with her parents and Lew’s two siblings. Pope attended Whittier School and went on to OPRF where he was very popular with his fellow students.

Back then, the OPRF football team was a national powerhouse. Miami Central High School invited OPRF to play on Christmas Day in their new stadium, where the Orange

Bowl was played. Florida law prohibited their scholastic teams from competing against teams that had a Black player.

Would OPRF allow the team to play under these conditions, or decline the invitation?

Actors read letters that were sent to the high school and the local newspaper, calling on OPRF to forgo the game.

The letters came from average Oak Parkers as well as Black luminaries like Dr. Percy Julian.

OPRF even received a letter from the NAACP’s New York office urging the school not to play.

OPRF’s Principal McDaniel, though, was in favor of playing, and Football Coach Holmes told Pope he would not be traveling with his teammates to Miami. Pope was devastated but handled it graciously. He didn’t want his teammates to miss the game.

His reward was to announce the score of the game at a school assembly via tickertape. It ended in a 6-6 tie.

At graduation, Pope received the biggest applause of any student. He went on to Lincoln University, a traditional Black college in Missouri. Pope was teased there for his proper way of speaking. He transferred to the University of Iowa, where he sat out a year before he could join the football team.

Then fate intervened again — Pope was

JOHN RICE

A

L O O K

Home Guard and the War Camp Recreation Fund The Home Guard, also known as the Local Defence Volunteers, of Forest Park served the community during World War I. In November 1917, the men raised $900 in funds for the War Camp Recreation Fund, which was chaired by Henry Reich. The Forest Park Review published poems from residents, including one heralding the local heroes who answered the call to volunteer, rather than “lounge at the clubs.”

Jill Wagner

PHOTO: Forest Park’s “Home Guard” circa 1917, posing in front of the entrance to the Forest Park Amusement Park.

B A C K

I N

drafted into a segregated unit of the Army Air Force to fight in World War II. After the war, Pope moved to Boston and started a family. He also started his own businesses, which included nightclubs and restaurants. In 1996, he was invited back to OPRF to accept the high school’s Tradition of Excellence Award for being an outstanding business leader. Pope died in 1998. Based on viewing an oral history video of that Pope taped during his return visit, Bry made him the play’s narrator.

Bry also conducted research at the Historical Society of Oak Park-River Forest, where he found the letters to the newspaper and the high school. He wrote the play in 2022 and 50% of the dialogue is what the characters actually said. He received financial support to stage the play through a partnership between the historical society and the OPRF Alumni Association.

The play featured nine performers, including Bry’s son, Robert Hunter Bry, playing the “Young Lewis.” Principal McDaniel was portrayed by Frank Lipo, executive director, of the historical society. After the conclusion of the 35-minute play, five actors took the stage for a panel discussion with the audience.

There are no immediate plans to re-stage The Ebony Streak but several audience members believe it should be performed for current OPRF students.

I’m sure Lewis Pope would approve.

15

F O R E S T PA R K

REVIEW

Reporter Igor Studenkov Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Michael Romain Senior Editor Bob Uphues Digital Publishing & Technology Manager Briana Higgins Contributing Reporters Tom Holmes, John Rice, Bob Skolnik, Jackie Glosniak, Robert J. Lifka Columnists Alan Brouilette, Jill Wagner, Tom Holmes, John Rice Big Week Editor James Porter Staff Photographers Alex Rogals, Shanel Romain 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 Donor Relations Manager/Food Editor Melissa Elsmo Sales & Digital Developmement Manager Stacy Coleman Circulation Manager Jill Wagner Editor and Publisher Dan Haley Special Projects Manager Susan Walker

T I M E 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 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: $30 per year. $44 for two years, $60 for three years.

Out-of-county subscriptions: $38 per year.

Forest Park Review is published digitally and in print

by Growing Community Media NFP. © 2022 Growing Community Media NFP.

16

Forest Park Review, November 9, 2022

Growing Community Media

Deadline is Monday at 5:00 p.m.

PART-TIME ASSISTANT FACILITIES MANAGER

First United Methodist Church of Oak Park 324 N Oak Park Ave, Oak Park

BY PHONE: (708) 613-3333 | BY FAX: (708) 467-9066 BY E-MAIL: EMAIL@GROWINGCOMMUNITYMEDIA.ORG HOURS: 9:00 A.M.– 5:00 P.M. MON–FRI

HELP WANTED

HELP WANTED • NETWORK SPECIALIST Class specifications are intended to present a descriptive list of the range of duties performed by employees in the class.

Specifications are not intended to reflect all duties performed within the job.

DEFINITION To perform various network/system administration, computer support, and operational activities for the Village including computer system setup, configuration, and testing.

SUPERVISION RECEIVED AND EXERCISED Reports directly to the Information Technology Services Director.

EXAMPLE OF DUTIES: Essential and other important duties and responsibilities may include, but are not limited to, the following: Essential duties and responsibilities 1. Ensure that best in class customer service is provided to both internal and external customers and also embrace, support, and promote the Village’s core values, beliefs and culture.

2. Configure, test, and deploy network systems, such as, firewalls, routers, switches, wireless equipment, network servers and storage arrays.

3. Configure, test, and deploy system servers, such as, file, print, Internet, e-mail, database, and application servers.

4. Configure, test, and monitor server and end-user systems for security, such as, user accounts, login scripts, file access privileges, and group policy management.

5. Configure, test, and deploy end-user systems, such as, workstations, laptops, mobile devices, printers, and software.

6. Test, configure, deploy, and support security systems, such as, facility access system, video & audio system.

7. Monitor and auditing of networks, systems, and user activities to ensure security and efficiency of systems. Create scripts and reports of detail activities for regular review.

8. Perform and participate in disaster recovery activities, such as, backup procedures, data recovery, and system recovery planning.

9. Assist end-users with computer problems or queries. Troubleshoot systems as needed and meet with users to analyze specific system needs.

10. Ensure the uniformity, reliability and security of system resources including network, hardware,

software and other forms of systems and data.

11. Prepare, create and update user/technical procedure documentations and provide computer training.

12. Assemble, test, and install network, telecommunication and data equipment and cabling.

13. Participate in research and recommendation of technology solutions.

Other important responsibilities and duties 1. Train users in the area of existing, new or modified computer systems and procedures.

2. Participate in the preparation of various activity reports.

3. Travel and support remote facilities and partner agencies.

4. Operate, administer and manage the Village and Public Safety computer systems, including E-911 center, in-vehicle computer systems.

5. Prepare clear and logical reports and program documentation of procedures, processes, and configurations.

6. Complete projects on a timely and efficient manner.

7. Communicate effectively both orally and in writing.

8. Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.

9. Perform related duties and responsibilities as required.

QUALIFICATIONS Knowledge of: Principals and procedures of computer systems, such as, data communication, hierarchical structure, backups, testing and critical analysis.

Hardware and software configuration of. computers, servers and mobile devices, including computing environment of Windows Server and Desktop OS and applications, Unix/Linux OS, VMware, iOS/Android.

Network protocols, security, configuration and administration, including firewalls, routers, switches and wireless technology.

Cabling and wiring, including CAT5/6, fiber network, telephone, serial communication, termination, and punch-down.

Telecommunications theory and technology, including VoiP, serial communication, wireless protocols, PBX, analog, fax, voicemail and auto-attendant.

Principles and methods of computer programming, coding and testing, including power shell, command scripting, macros, and

VB scripts.

Modern office procedures, methods and computer equipment.

Technical writing, office productivity tools and database packages.

Ability to: Maintain physical condition appropriate to the performance of assigned duties and responsibilities, which may include the following: - Walking, standing or sitting for extended periods of time - Operating assigned equipment - Lift 50 pounds of equipment, supplies, and materials without assistance - Working in and around computer equipped vehicles Maintain effective audio-visual discrimination and perception needed for: - Making observations - Communicating with others - Reading and writing - Operating assigned equipment and vehicles Maintain mental capacity allowing for effective interaction and communication with others.

Maintain reasonable and predictable attendance.

Work overtime as operations require.

Experience and Training Guidelines Experience: Three years of network/system administration in the public or private sector, maintaining a minimum of 75 Client Workstation computers. AND Training: Possession of a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with major coursework in computer science or a related field. Certifications in Microsoft Server Administration, Networking, Applications and Cisco Networking.

Possession of a valid Illinois Driver License is required at the time of appointment.

Vaccination against COVID-19 strongly preferred.

WORKING CONDITIONS Work in a computer environment; sustained posture in a seated position for prolonged periods of time; continuous exposure to computer screens; work in and around computerized vehicles outdoor and garage facility; lifting heavy equipment, communication cabling and wiring into walls and ceilings.

ACCOUNT CLERK II

The Village of Oak Park is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Account Clerk II. This position performs a variety of accounting clerical duties involving financial record keeping and/or transactions including accounts payable and receivable and to provide a variety of accounting support to the Development Customer Services Department. Applicants are encouraged to visit the Village of Oak Park’s website http://www.oakpark.us/jobs. First review of applications November 4, 2022.

NURSERY SUPERVISOR AND CHILDCARE COORDINATOR

Unity Temple Unitarian Universalist Congregation is looking for a warm, welcoming and experienced Nursery Supervisor and Childcare Coordinator to work with the youngest among us on Sunday mornings in the nursery as well as coordinate babysitting for congregational events outside of Sunday mornings. This is one job with two different roles. As Nursery Supervisor, this person will provide a compassionate and consistent presence in caring for our babies and toddlers during the Sunday morning worship service times, supervise, train and schedule other nursery staff, maintain the nursery as a safe and clean environment, welcome and orient new families to the nursery, and build relationships with and communicate effectively with parents. The nursery hours are Sundays from 9:30–11:30am, and approximately one hour outside of Sunday morning worship service.

You can find more information about the position at https://unitytemple. org/job -postings/. To apply, send a cover letter and résumé to jobs@ unitytemple.org indicating “Nursery Supervisor / Childcare Coordinator” in the subject line.

PARKING ENFORCEMENT OFFICER

The Village of Oak Park is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Parking Enforcement Officer in the Police Department Field Services Division. This position will perform a variety of duties and responsibilities involved in the enforcement of Village parking regulations; and to provide general information and assistance to the public. Applicants are encouraged to visit the Village of Oak Park’s website http://www.oak-park.us/. Interested and qualified applicants must complete a Village of Oak Park application.

First United Methodist Church is seeking a part-time Assistant Facilities Manager to work the following hours: - Sunday mornings 8:00 AM to 1:00 PM - Two Mondays per month from 6:00 PM to 9:30 PM - Every Wednesday evening from 6:00 PM to 8:30 PM The position will also cover additional hours for weekdays and occasional weekend hours as needed.

Responsibilities of this position include: - Opening and closing procedures on Sunday mornings and at the end of other church or guest events.

- Locking and unlocking appropriate doors for each event - Overseeing the loading and unloading of bulky items through church doors - Setting up and breaking down tables - Directing guests to legal parking options - Providing security for church events - Contacting emergency medical, police or fire personnel when required - Ensuring snow removal contractors arrive in time to clean sidewalks, or removing snow on private sidewalks if needed - Accessing items in storage as needed, such as power strips, proper tape - Handling minor repairs and contacting the Facilities Manager, Trustees or directly calling contractors when necessary - On occasion there is some cleaning required of spaces used This individual must present himself/ herself to the public in a professional manner as a representative of our church.

HELP WANTED

room, and perimeter clean.

Pay is $13.00 per hour to start. The hours an attendant is on duty are 9 – 11 and 12 – 5 on weekdays, 9 – 11 and 11:30 – 4 on Saturday and Sunday. Looking for Wednesday through Sunday. If you are mechanically inclined please mention it.

Please come to 7343 Roosevelt Rd. in Forest Park to pick up an application. 708-771-2945.

Thank you Developer, Assistant Vice President Neuberger Berman Group LLC (FT; Chicago, IL; Option to work remotely w/in commutable distance from worksite). Dev enterprise data platform used to deliver biz solns. RQTS: BA deg or foreign equiv in CS, CE, EE, or rel + 5 yrs of progressively resp exp in pos’n offd, or as a S/ware Arch, or rel. Must have 5 yrs of exp w/: Dvlpg data feeds for Portfolios, Securities, Positions, Tax Lots, & Transactions across Equities, Fixed Income, & Alt Investments asset classes; Matching & mastering mkt data using Markit EDM; DB modeling & dev of MSSQL DBs using Visual Studio & SQL Server Data Tools (SSDT); Modeling data warehouse data using star & snowflake schema dsgns; Using T-SQL to create MSSQL stored procedures for implmtg data loads; Exporting data to external accting & trading systems utilizing Informatica & Markit EDM; Scheduling & orchestrating data loads utilizing Cisco Tidal; & Using Agile/Scrum framework to plan & execute dev activities. Must also have 3 yrs of exp w/: Release mgmt using Azure DevOps CI/CD pipelines; & Utilizing Git for source code mgmt. APPLY: https://nb.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/ NBCareers & Search Jobs by Job # R0007616. EOE/M/F/D/V.

  

May fill in when needed for the Facilities Manager or the Custodian This position reports to the Facilities Manager, Trustees or the Pastor as needed. Must be willing to serve on rotation for emergency response from our Burglar system or the Fire Department.

Successful completion of background checks must be completed prior to work. Covid vaccinations are required.

Pay - $20 an hour. Resumes can be sent to LKMasters47@gmail.com.

FULL TIME HELP WANTED

SPOTLESS CARWASH at 7343 Roosevelt and 7802 Madison St in Forest Park is in need of an attendant. We are looking for someone who likes to be outside and is friendly and likes people.

 

The duties are to meet and greet customers, make change, sell tokens, automatic and self serve wash instructions, keep the lot, equipment

Custom Frame Company

Clean, safe, fun work with graphic display frames that you’ll see in Wal-Marts, Verizon stores, CTA stations, all over US. Manufacturing No weekends, no evening hours, great pay and benefits.

Top rated firm, Alpina Manufacturing LLC, founded in 1992, locally owned beautiful campus in Galewood, near Mars candy, 3 blocks north of Oak Park. We build and sell display framing systems to customers nationwide including Wal-Mart, Verizon, Circle K, Hospitals, CTA.

Apply in person M-F 8am to 4pm • Alpina • 6460 W Cortland St Chicago, IL 60707 www.fastchangeframes.com

     

Forest Park Review, November 9, 2022

CLASSIFIED

BY PHONE: (708) 613-3333 BY FAX: (708) 467-9066 BY E-MAIL: EMAIL@GROWINGCOMMUNITYMEDIA.ORG

MARKETPLACE

CARS WANTED

R E N TA L S

OFFICE/RETAIL FOR RENT

CLASSICS WANTED CLASSICS WANTED Restored or Unrestored

or Unrestored Cars &Restored Vintage Motorcycles Domestic / Cars & Vintage Motorcycles Import Cars: Mercedes, Porsche, Corvette,Cars: Ferrari’s, Domestic / Import Jaguars, Muscle Cars, Mustang & Mopars Mercedes, Porsche, Corvette, $$ Top $$ all makes, Etc.

Ferrari’s, James Jaguars,• 630-201-8122 Muscle Cars, Collector Mustang & Mopars

$$ Top $$ allWANTED makes, Etc. CLASSICS WANTED TO BUY Collector James

Restored or Unrestored WANTED MILITARY ITEMS: 630-201-8122 Helmets, medals, patches, uniforms, weapons, flags, Cars & Vintage Motorcycles photos, paperwork, Also toy soldiers – lead, plastic – other misc. toys.

Domestic / Import Cars: Call Uncle Gary

Mercedes,708-522-3400 Porsche, Corvette, Ferrari’s, Jaguars, Muscle Cars, NOVENAS NOVENAS Mustang & Mopars

NEVER FAIL NOVENA May the Sacred Heart of Jesus be praised, adored and glorified throughout the world, now and for-ever. Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, I put my trust in you. Holy Mary Mother of Jesus, pray for me. St. Theresa child of Jesus, pray for me.

St. Jude, helper of hopeless causes, pray for me and grant this favorI ask.

Say this prayer 9 times a day for 9 days .R.B

$$ Top $$ all makes, Etc. Collector James

630-201-8122

PRAYER TO THE BLESSED VIRGIN (NEVER KNOWN TO FAIL) Oh, most beautiful flower of Mt. Carmel, fruitful vine, splendor of heaven, Blessed Mother of the Son of God, Immaculate Virgin, assist me in my necessity. Oh, Star of the Sea, help me and show me, herein you are my mother. Oh, Holy Mary, Mother of God, Queen of Heaven and Earth. I humbly beseech you from the bottom of my heart to suc cor 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. R.B.

HOME SERVICES

OFFICE/RETAIL FOR RENT

OAK PARK THERAPY OFFICES:

PRAYER TO ST. JUDE May the Sacred Heart of Jesus be adored, glorified, loved & preserved throughout the world now & forever.

Sacred Heart of Jesus, pray for us.

St. Jude worker of miracles, pray for us. St. Jude helper of the hopeless, pray for us. Say this prayer 9 times a day for 9 days. By the 8th day your prayer will be answered. It has never been known to fail .Publication must be promised. Thank you Jesus.

Thank You St . Jude. R.B.

17

Therapy offices available on North Avenue. Parking; Flexible leasing; Nicely furnished; Waiting Room; Conference Room.

Ideal for new practice or 2nd location.

708.383.0729 Call for an appt.

RIVER FOREST–7777 Lake St. * 1116 sq. ft. * 1400 sq. ft. Dental Office RIVER FOREST–7756 Madison St. * 960 sq. ft.

OAK PARK–6142-44 Roosevelt Rd. * 3 & 5 room office suites FOREST PARK–7736 Madison St. *2500 sq. ft. unit Strand & & Browne Strand Browne 708-488-0011 708-488-0011

SUBURBAN RENTALS STUDIOS, 1, 2 & 3 BR Best Selection & Service

OAK PARK & FOREST PARK

708-386-7355

MMpropMgmt.com FOREST PARK 3BR

3 BR 1 BA 2ND floor w/ 2 parking spaces. Central heat & air. Laundry on site.

Close to River Forest Jewel. $1700 + 1 mo security. 7544 Brown Ave. Available now!

Call 708-790-1914

FLOORS KLIS FLOORING INC.

New hardwood flooring installation & pergo. Sanding, re-finishing, staining.

Low prices, insured.

Call: 773-671-4996 • www. klisflooring.com

HANDYMAN Mike’s Home Repair Drywall H Painting H Tile Plumbing H Electric H Floors Windows H Doors H Siding Ask Us What We Don’t Do

CEMENT

CEMENT

MAGANA

C O N C R E T E C O N S T RU C T I O N “QUALITY IS OUR FOUNDATION” ESTABLISHED IN 1987

COMMERCIAL INDUSTRIAL RESIDENTIAL

708.442.7720

CURT'S HANDYMAN SERVICE

'5,9(:$<6 )281'$7,216 3$7,26 67(36 &85% *877(56 6,'(:$/.6 612: 3/2:,1* 67$03(' &2/25(' $**5(*$7( &21&5(7(

Drywall Repair • Painting Fans Installed • Carpentry Trim Gutter Cleaning • Window Repair

FREE ESTIMATES LICENSED, BONDED & INSURED

708-296-2060

Free estimates Excellent References No Job Too Small

708-488-9411

HAULING BASEMENT CLEANING Appliances & Furniture

Removal Pickup & Delivery.

773-722-6900

ELECTRICAL Ceiling Fans Installed

ELECTRICAL

A&A ELECTRIC

Let an American Veteran do your work

We install plugs for battery-operated vehicles We fix any electrical problem and do small jobs We install Surge Protectors • Home Re-wiring • New Plugs & Switches Added • New circuit breaker boxes • Code violations corrected Service upgrades,100-200 amp • Garage & A/C lines installed Fast Emergency Service | Residential • Commercial • Industrial Free Home Evaluations | Lic. • Bonded • Ins. • Low Rates • Free Est.

708-409-0988 • 708-738-3848 Sr. Discounts • 30 Yrs. Exp. Servicing Oak Park • All surrounding suburbs • Chicago area

LANDSCAPING

PAINTING

BRUCE LAWN SERVICE

CLASSIC PAINTING Fast & Neat Painting/Taping/ Plaster Repair Low Cost • 708.749.0011

Lawn Maintenance Fall Leaf Clean-Up Sodding/Slit Seeding Bush Trimming Senior Discount

brucelawns.com

708-243-0571

18

Forest Park Review, November 9, 2022

CLASSIFIED

BY PHONE: (708) 613-3333 BY FAX: (708) 467-9066 BY E-MAIL: EMAIL@GROWINGCOMMUNITYMEDIA.ORG

PUBLIC NOTICES

PUBLIC NOTICES

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: Y22009778 on October 25, 2022 Under the Assumed Business Name of SP TECH with the business located at: 1020 N DES PLAINES AVE SUITE 410, FOREST PARK, IL 60130. The true and real full name(s) and residence address of the owner(s)/partner(s) is: DELONDON C HAWTHORNE 1020 N DES PLAINES AVE SUITE 410, FOREST PARK, IL 60130

PUBLIC NOTICES LEGAL NOTICE

Published in Forest Park Review November 9, 16, 23, 2022

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: Y22009773 on October 20, 2022 Under the Assumed Business Name of INFINITE HEALING TINCTURES AND CO. with the business located at: 7000 WEST FOREST PRESERVE DR. #1061, NORRIDGE, IL 60706. The true and real full name(s) and residence address of the owner(s)/partner(s) is: TENNILLE TENARD 1543 FRANKLIN AVE UNIT B RIVER FOREST, IL 60305, USA. Published in Wednesday Journal October 26, November 2, 9, 2022

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: Y22009754 on October 18, 2022 Under the Assumed Business Name of WRAP THAT UP 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, USA Published in Wednesday Journal October 26, November 2, 9, 2022

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

In re the marriage of Allocation of ERICA KENYATTA THOMAS, Petitioner and DERRON ANDRE BARNETT, Respondent, Case No. 2022D005669.

PETITION FOR TEMPORARY AND PERMANENT SOLE ALLOCATION OF PARENTAL RESPONSIBILITIES, CHILD SUPPORT, AND CONTRIBUTION TO CHILD-RELATED EXPENSES 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 Temporary and Permanent Sole Allocation of Parental Responsibilities, Child Support, and Contribution to Child-Related Expenses; 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 November 30, 2022, default may be entered against you at any time after that day, and a judgment for Temporary and Permanent Sole Allocation of Parental Responsibilities, Child Support, and Contribution to Child-Related Expenses entered in accordance with the prayer of said Petition.

IRIS Y. MARTINEZ, Clerk.

Published in Wednesday Journal November 2, 9, 16, 2022

PUBLIC NOTICE NOTICE TO BIDDERS Sealed separate bids will be received by the Board of Education, Oak Park Elementary School District 97 (the “Board”) for the following project: OAK PARK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL DISTRICT 97 SD97 - SUMMER 2023 LIFE SAFETY WORK OAK PARK, IL 60302 BID GROUP 1 – ELECTRICAL, MECHANICAL, PLUMBING, ROOFING, GENERAL TRADES Bids will be received until 2:00 p.m.

CST on Tuesday, November 15, 2022 at the Oak Park Elementary School District 97 Administrative offices, 260 Madison Street, Oak Park, IL 60302, and will be read at 2:15 p.m. CST on that date. Bids shall be submitted in an opaque sealed envelope clearly marked: Oak Park Elementary School District 97 260 Madison Street, Oak Park, IL 60302 Attention: Bulley & Andrews Project: SD97 - SUMMER 2023 LIFE SAFETY WORK Bid Opening will be held at 2:15pm CST within the board room: Scope of work for Bid Group 1 generally includes: Electrical, Mechanical, Roofing, Plumbing &

PUBLIC NOTICES

PUBLIC NOTICES

PUBLIC NOTICES

General Trades All bids must be submitted in accordance with the bidding instructions contained in the Bidding Documents for the project. Bid security in the form of a bid bond in an amount equal to ten percent (10%) of the base bid amount shall be submitted with the bid. Should a bid bond be submitted, the bond shall be payable to the Board of Education, Oak Park Elementary School District 97, 260 Madison Street, Oak Park, IL 60302.

All documents and information required by the bidding instructions contained in the Bidding Documents for the project shall be submitted with the bid. Incomplete, late or non-conforming bids may not be accepted.

No bids shall be withdrawn, cancelled or modified after the time for opening of bids without the Board’s consent for a period of ninety (90) days after the scheduled time of bid opening.

The Bidding Documents for the project (which include the bidding instructions for the project and other related documents) will be available Thursday October 27th, 2022 and are available for viewing/download online without cost or purchase on the Bulley & Andrews, LLC One Drive, located at the following link.

No username or password is required.

Village of Oak Park PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD for the: Community Development Block Grant Program Year 2021 CONSOLIDATED ANNUAL PERFORMANCE AND EVALUATION REPORT Date of Publication: November 9, 2022 Village of Oak Park, 123 Madison Street Oak Park, IL 60302, (708) 383-6400 PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD Notice is hereby given that the Village of Oak Park Program Year 2021 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Draft Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report (CAPER) will be available for public review beginning Thursday, November 10, 2022. The CAPER is the City’s annual CDBG report to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). It will reflect the Program Year 2021 results, which began October 1, 2021 and ended September 30, 2022.

The Village of Oak Park invites comments on the CAPER. The public comment period will begin

The site will be available for visits by appointment to be coordinated with Bulley & Andrews, LLC. Interested parties may inspect the existing conditions. Schedule an appointment with Michael Damato of Bulley & Andrews in advance if you wish to visit the sites.

All bidders must comply with applicable Illinois Law requiring the payment of prevailing wages by all Contractors working on public works.

If during the time period of work, the prevailing wage rates change, the contractor shall be responsible for additional costs without any change to the contract amount. All bidders must comply with the Illinois Statutory requirements regarding labor, including Equal Employment Opportunity Laws.

For additional information on the project, contact Michael Damato of Bulley & Andrews, LLC at mdamato@bulley.com or 847-6029512.

Dated: 10/25/22 Michael Damato Bulley & Andrews, LLC Published in Wednesday Journal November 2, 9, 16 2022

Written comments can be sent to the address to the attention of Development Customer Services, CDBG Department or may be emailed to grants@oak-park.us.

Reasonable accommodations will be made for persons with disabilities and non-English speaking persons, as needed. Any public comments will be submitted with the CAPER to the Village Board and HUD.

Published in Wednesday Journal, November 9, 2022

https://tinyurl.com/ysfudxfr The Board reserves the right to reject any or all bids or parts thereof, or waive any irregularities or informalities, and to make an award that in the Board’s sole opinion is in the best interest of the District.

November 10, 2022, and end November 28, 2022 at 5:00pm CST. The report will be available by visiting the Village of Oak Park, 123 Madison Street, Oak Park, IL 60302 and at: www.oak-park.us/ cdbg.

LEGAL NOTICE The Village of Oak Park will receive proposals from qualified mechanical engineering firms to conduct a building envelope assessment and design a new geothermal system for the north fire station located at 212 Augusta in Oak Park, IL. Proposals will be accepted at the Public Works Service Center, 201 South Boulevard, Oak Park, Illinois 60302, until 10:00 a.m. local time on Friday, December 9th, 2022.

Professional Mechanical Engineering Services for The Village of Oak Park North Fire Station Geothermal Project Proposal Number: 22-133 Issuance Date: 11/9/22 There will be a pre-bid meeting at the north fire station, located at 212 Augusta, Oak Park, IL on Wednesday, November 16th, 2022 at 9:00 a.m. Bid forms may be obtained by calling 708358-5710 or by e-mailing vics@ oak-park.us between the hours of 7:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. M-F. The Village of Oak Park reserves the right to issue proposal documents and specifications only to those firms deemed qualified. No proposal documents will be issued after 4:00 p.m. on the working day preceding the date of proposal opening.

THE VILLAGE OF OAK PARK Published in Wednesday Journal November 9, 2022

Notice of Public Hearing Park District of Oak Park November 17, 2022, 7:30 p.m.

2023 Budget and Appropriation Ordinance Notice is hereby given that the Board of Commissioners of the Park District of Oak Park will conduct a public hearing concerning the adoption of the Park District’s 2023 Budget and Appropriation Ordinance on November 17, 2022 at 7:30 p.m. at the John Hedges Administration Building, 218 Madison St, Oak Park, IL, during the Board of Commissioners’ regular board meeting.

Dated: November 9, 2022 By: Commissioner Chris Wollmuth Secretary, Board of Commissioners Park District of Oak Park Published in Wednesday Journal November 9, 2022

REAL ESTATE FOR SALE

REAL ESTATE FOR SALE

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION SELENE FINANCE LP Plaintiff, -v.LARSENIA HORTON, NEIL SMITH, ASSURANCE RESTORATION & CONSTRUTION, INC., PRAIRIE HOUSES OWNERS ASSOCIATION, UNKNOWN OWNERS AND NON-RECORD CLAIMANTS Defendants 18 CH 12736 14 DIVISION STREET, # 14 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 December 16, 2019, an agent for The Judicial Sales Corporation, will at 10:30 AM on December 7, 2022, 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 14 DIVISION STREET, # 14, OAK PARK, IL 60302 Property Index No. 16-05-127-0480000 The real estate is improved with a brown brick, three story townhouse, attached one car garage.

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, including the Judicial Sale fee for the Abandoned Residential Property Municipality Relief Fund, which is calculated on residential real estate at the rate of $1 for each $1,000 or fraction thereof of the amount paid by the purchaser not to exceed $300, in certified funds/or wire transfer, is due within twenty-four (24) hours. No fee shall be paid by the mortgagee acquiring the residential real estate pursuant to its credit bid at the sale or by any mortgagee, judgment creditor, or other lienor acquiring the residential real estate whose rights in and to the residential real estate arose prior to the sale. 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.

MCCALLA RAYMER LEIBERT PIERCE, LLC Plaintiff’s Attorneys, One North Dearborn Street, Suite 1200, Chicago, IL, 60602. Tel No. (312) 346-9088.

THE JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION One South Wacker Drive, 24th Floor, Chicago, IL 60606-4650 (312) 236SALE You can also visit The Judicial Sales Corporation at www.tjsc.com for a 7 day status report of pending sales.

MCCALLA RAYMER LEIBERT PIERCE, LLC One North Dearborn Street, Suite 1200 Chicago IL, 60602 312-346-9088 E-Mail: pleadings@mccalla.com Attorney File No. 20-04687IL_613739 Attorney ARDC No. 61256 Attorney Code. 61256 Case Number: 18 CH 12736 TJSC#: 42-1079 NOTE: Pursuant to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, you are advised that Plaintiff’s attorney is deemed to be a debt collector attempting to collect a debt and any information obtained will be used for that purpose.

Case # 18 CH 12736 I3204167

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: 1-800669-9777.

GROWING COMMUNITY MEDIA

Forest Park Review, November 9, 2022

FIND YOUR

FOOD OBSESSION in the

GUIDE

to local dining!

19

20

Forest Park Review, November 9, 2022

Anything but ordinary.

You deserve a care plan that’s as one-of-a-kind as you. At the Duly Health and Care Center in Oak Park, our team of dedicated care allies help adults on Medicare discover their healthiest, happiest selves. Your Duly physician partner is ready to help you begin unlocking your extraordinary potential today.

Henish Bhansali, MD

Kristen Vealey, MD

Begin your journey to a healthier, happier you, visit dulyhealthandcare.com/OakPark or call 708-745-5744.

Oak Park 1121 South Blvd.

Homes

Property Transfers p. B8

November 9, 2022

New association aims to unite local condo boards Increased communication can solve problems, share information

By LACEY SIKORA

C

Contributing Reporter

ondominiums make up nearly 20 percent of Oak Park’s housing stock, according to the Institute for Housing Studies at DePaul University. Condominium buildings are governed by their own homeowners associations (HOA), but in general each board operates on its own without input from other similarly situated buildings.

Until recently, HOAs were left to grapple with issues on their own, often reinventing the wheel each time a problem arose or they needed to find a new service provider.

Richard Willis wants to change that.

The longtime Oak Park resident and owner of multiple condominiums recently formed the Oak Park River Forest Condominium Boards Network (OPRFCBN.) He hopes other local condo boards will join forces to share knowledge.

As the board president for a condominium association, Willis says he was inspired to form the network so associations could share information.

“I’ve found there’s no communication amongst the boards,” he said.

He says there have been multiple situations in his recent tenure that would have benefitted from crowdsourcing and shared contacts among local boards.

For example, he recalls what he describes as a “dog situation” with a neighboring building. It was a small issue that would have been readily resolved, but his board couldn’t figure out how to contact the board at the building where the fourlegged offender resided.

“It was a minor issue that would have been so much easier to coordinate across a

ALEX ROGALS/Staff Photographer

Richard Willis (above) formed the Oak Park River Forest Condominium Boards Network as a way to help condo associations navigate issues they all face without having to reinvent the wheel for each development. group,” Willis said.

He cites other instances, such as a building engineer retiring or finding an insurance company, as other examples of times it would be helpful to use a hive mind and increased experience to help out all boards in a consortium.

Willis says he was inspired to form the

board after a personal encounter. He was introduced to someone who said she was a member of a local condominium board.

Willis asked her who her building used for HVAC services and found she had a great recommendation.

While the network is just getting off the ground, he thinks that the group’s benefits

will go well beyond sharing contractor recommendations.

He sees a possibility to leverage the power of numbers in any number of transactions that condo boards take part in regularly.

See CONDO BOARDS on page B3

November 9, 2022 ■ Wednesday Journal/Forest Park Review

B1

Your house has never been just a house... it’s a home.

Our 2023 spring real estate market is closer than you think.

Is your home ready to be showcased in its best light?

Call Steve and have the buyers not just “see” your house but feel your home.

Get on the path to a successful sale.

STEVE SCHEURING Realtor & Local Expert 708.369.8043 steve.scheuring@compass.com B2 View more at OakPark.com/Real-Estate ■ November 9, 2022

Scan for Spring Market Info!

Steve Scheuring is a team of real estate agents affiliated with Compass, a licensed real estate broker and abides by federal, state and local Equal Housing Opportunity laws. 1643 North Milkwaukee Avenue, Chicago, IL 60647.

CONDO BOARDS

Group purchasing power from page B1 One area that he feels is ripe for collaboration is banking.

“Every one of these condo associations, if they’re well run, has a fair amount of money in the bank,” Willis said.

“What if we all got together and tried to get a better rate?

This would benefit all of us.”

He sees this mindset of applying to any number of services used by condo associations, from plumbing to budgeting and accounting.

“There’s a lot of benefit to group purchasing,” he said.

In the future, Willis thinks the network could negotiate with local hardware stores or big-box stores to get the same discounts that contractors receive for their large-scale purchases. He anticipates that he will do the initial legwork to make contacts with stores and hopes the network grows enough to make group collaboration the norm.

Willis says both condo boards and individual unit owners are encouraged to join. He expects that there will be a formalized agreement in place before boards can negotiate with banks or service providers, but says the group also has a more constructive purpose that can already be accessed.

The Facebook page for the group, facebook.com/OPRFCBN, is up and running and allows members to share rec-

OPRFCBN.COM

ommendations for contractors and service providers as well as ask questions of the group. Willis has also launched a website at OPRFCBN.com.

Willis thinks the utility of the group will be quickly evident.

“As people cycle on or off boards, you can lose their knowl-

edge, so we want to keep the group open to boards and individual owners,” he said.

Emphasizing the large portion of Oak Park housing that is made up of condominiums, he says that condo owners can be overlooked in decision-making of local government.

He’s hoping the OPRFCN will change that too.

Need a helping of

HISTORIC BEAUTY!

139 S GROVE, OAK PARK $1,179,000 :: 6 BED :: 4.5 BATH Majestic Victorian In Central Oak Park Historic District. Rich Architectural Detail.

KATHY & TONY IWERSEN

708.772.8040 708.772.8041 tonyiwersen@atproperties.com

Call Jill at (708) 524-8300 or visit OakPark.com/subscribe

November 9, 2022 ■ Wednesday Journal/Forest Park Review

B3

OAK PARK

RIVER FOREST

All natural woodwork & hardwood floors add to the warmth to this classic Oak Park home.

This 2,400 square foot unit has been beautifully remodeled with fine attention to detail and high quality materials.

4 BR + Office, 2 BA .........................................................................................................................................$485,000

3 BR, 2.1 BA ....................................................................................................................................................$629,000

Linda Rooney • 773-297-3473

Anne Ferri and Kim Wojack • 708-837-4142

American House 703 Madison St Oak Park (708) 622-9251

americanhouse.com/oak-park

Congratulations to American House for opening their new location on Madison Street!

Open every day for tours and to meet the wonderful staff.

To learn more or see their gorgeous new community, visit their website at americanhouse.com/oak-park or call (708) 622-9251.

B4 View more at OakPark.com/Real-Estate ■ November 9, 2022

Q+A with Andy Gagliardo

What Motivated You To Get Into Real Estate?

Most important Real Estate tip you have:

My grandmother and father started their real estate brokerage

My most important tip is to be prepared. Timing is everything in

business in 1958 so Real Estate has been in my blood from

this business for both buyers/sellers and brokers. If you are not

an early age. Helping others fulfill their lifelong dreams of

prepared you cannot react in a timely and positive way when it’s

owning a house while running my own business was always

needed most.

appealing to me. It’s great to deal with people from all facets of business careers.

Can you elaborate on the recent merging of the Gagliardo Group and Compass?

What was the highlight of 2022?

My daughter, Nicole Gagliardo, got her real estate license this year. I had her join a Compass team in the city close to where she lives. Nicole has had a very successful first year and now

To provide a bit of clarity, our group did not sell, but instead

has decided to join our Gagliardo Group. I’m very excited to

partnered with Compass. Our recent affiliation allows the

have her working with me and look forward to watching her real

Gagliardo Group greater access to real estate systems &

estate career grow. She is the fourth generation realtor in the

technology that are needed in today’s marketplace. Partnering

Gagliardo family.

The Gagliardo Group is a team of real estate agents affiliated with Compass, a licensed real estate broker and abides by federal, state and local Equal Housing Opportunity laws. 7375 W North Ave, River Forest, IL 60305.

of the Gagliardo Group

with Compass is a benefit to not only our clients, but to our brokers as well. It’s a win-win for everyone.

What makes your team unique?

How can we contact the Gagliardo Group?

The Gagliardo Group | Compass gagliardogrp.com

What makes The Gagliardo Group unique is that we have

info@gagliardogrp.com

always had some of the strongest ties in our community and

708.771.8040

now we have the capabilities of blending our local expertise with the expansive network of the Compass Chicagoland community.

November 9, 2022 ■ Wednesday Journal/Forest Park Review

B5

bairdwarner.com

Homegrown.

We make real estate easier.

®

1200 N East Avenue Oak Park | $825,000 Hannah Gillespie

324 N Taylor Avenue Oak Park | $675,000

Catherine Simon-Vobornik

1053 Troost Avenue Forest Park | $649,000 Patricia McGowan

107 Home Avenue Oak Park | $599,000 Patricia McGowan

3742 Gunderson Avenue

2109 Highland Avenue Berwyn | $355,000 The Dita Group

912 S Maple Avenue Oak Park | $325,000 Swati Saxena

Catherine Simon-Vobornik

917 S Oak Park Avenue Oak Park | $239,900 Theresa Jurgus

1040 Washington Blvd G

Berwyn | 479,000 The Dita Group

Oak Park | $169,000 Swati Saxena

1009 Bonnie Brae Pl 2B River Forest | $629,000

Kim Wojack | Anne Ferri

416 Washington Blvd Oak Park | $600,000 Michael Lennox

203 N Kenilworth Ave 2J

827 Dunlop Avenue Forest Park | $360,000 Arrick Pelton

1409 Cuyler Avenue Berwyn | $359,000 Margarita Lopez

717 Hayes Avenue Oak Park | $285,000

923 Dunlop Avenue Forest Park | $279,900 Hannah Gillespie

2410 Oak Park Avenue Berwyn | $275,000 The Dita Group

222 Washington Blvd 107

6445 18th Street 2 Berwyn | $121,000 Bill Geldes

104 S Austin Blvd 3C Oak Park | $105,000 Swati Saxena

Oak Park | $369,000 Ann Keeney

Oak Park | $159,000 Bethanny Alexander

Baird & Warner Oak Park/River Forest | 1037 Chicago Ave. Oak Park, IL 60302 | 708.697.5900 | oakpark.bairdwarner.com Source: BrokerMetrics® LLC, 1/1/2019 - 12/ 31/2019Detached and Attached only. Chicagoland PMSA

B6 View more at OakPark.com/Real-Estate ■ November 9, 2022

Opportunity

(op ‘er-too’-ni-te) noun.

Applying persistence to the possibilities.

A chance for advancement.

SINGLE FAMILY HOMES

CONDOS

Sunday, November 13 ADDRESS............................................................................. REALTY CO.......................................... LISTING PRICE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . TIME 107 Home Ave, Oak Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Baird & Warner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $599,000 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sun 11-1

ADDRESS............................................................................. REALTY CO.......................................... LISTING PRICE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . TIME 1200 N East Ave, Oak Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Baird & Warner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $825,000 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sun 12:30 -2 1053 Troost Ave, Forest Park. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Baird & Warner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $649,000 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sun 12-2 923 Dunlop Ave, Forest Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Baird & Warner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $259,000 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sun 10:30 -12

Tom Carraher redefines the essence of real estate service.

It isn’t often you find someone who has the vision and knowledge to find and create opportunities where others saw none.

Tom Carraher finds ways to help you capitalize on the myriad advantages that come from making the right move at the right time.

Call Tom Carraher at 708-822-0540 to achieve all of your real estate goals.

Tom Carraher

This Directory brought to you by

Realistic Expectation–Proven Results

mrgloans.com

Providing financing for homes in Oak Park and surrounding communities since 1989.

Conventional, FHA, and Jumbo mortgages Free Pre-approvals

6821 W. North Avenue Suite 201 Oak Park, IL 708.452.5151

Mortgage Resource Group is an Illinois Residential Mortgage Licensee.

NMLS # 207793 License # 1031

7375 W. North Ave. River Forest 708.771.8040 tomcarraher.realtor.com

November 9, 2022 ■ Wednesday Journal/Forest Park Review

B7

P R O P E R T Y

Oak Park home sells for $1,600,000

T R A N S F E R S

The following property transfers were reported by the Cook County Clerk from July 2022. Where addresses appear incomplete, for instance where a unit number appears missing, that information was not provided by the clerk.

OAK PARK ADDRESS

PRICE

SELLER

BUYER

610 Madison St 431 Linden Ave 647 Linden Ave 430 N Scoville Ave 1101 N Grove Ave 407 N Scoville Ave 528 N Cuyler Ave 914 N Kenilworth Ave 1100 N Kenilworth Ave 624 N East Ave 174 N Taylor Ave 934 Columbian Ave 426 Clinton Ave 815 Linden Ave 708 Gunderson Ave 167 N Elmwood Ave 135 S Taylor Ave 1221 Linden Ave 735 N Humphrey Ave 115 S Euclid Ave 1107 N Grove Ave 846 N Kenilworth Ave 629 Fair Oaks Ave 850 Linden Ave 417 S Humphrey Ave 944 Wesley Ave 233 S Cuyler Ave 343 S Harvey Ave 451 Greenfield St 920 N Lombard Ave 326 N Humphrey Ave 1006 S Euclid Ave 615 N Ridgeland Ave 1013 Clinton Ave 643 N Harvey Ave 229 S Lombard Ave 1211 Edmer Ave

$3,045,000 $1,700,000 $1,600,000 $1,056,000 $1,000,000 $975,000 $930,000 $839,000 $805,000 $803,000 $789,000 $785,000 $780,000 $770,000 $737,000 $700,000 $699,000 $695,000 $690,000 $675,000 $662,500 $660,000 $640,000 $635,000 $630,000 $625,000 $616,000 $612,000 $575,000 $571,500 $565,000 $550,000 $550,000 $543,000 $536,000 $530,000 $525,000

Haberkorn Co Inc - Ii Srinivas Rajesh Moser Sean M Schoenmeyer Joel Korf Sarah Well Tr Rockey Christopher D Shah Amit Jindas Behr John J Partipilo Peter Francesco Tr Andreoli Lisa Welsh Michael F Jr Brozek Christopher J Rodriguez-Nelson Caroline 815 N Linden Llc Angelini Peter M Jr Stephens Donna J Tr Summers Monte A Tr Arvanites Matthew Bear Stream Llc Sheridan Bruce Kruszynski Maureen Hegarty Tr Stirling Jerold Stukel Thomas J Tr Cater Matthew Moehlmann Jason Tr Pych Daniel J Nespeca Lisa M Gingrich Alicia J Kasons Prop Inc Deysach Seth L Lashmanov Valerii Ortega Elias Madden Daniel C Wallace Christyanna R Ortino Kathleen P Tr Heilman Emily D Wagner Mark J Tr

Ap Illinois Dev Llc Williams Rodney Hartenbower Halley Burandt Anna Gorman Robert Gerson Pablo Chapman Christopher Greene William Darley William Leonard Gupta Manya J Leung Vincent H Delpurgatorio Daniel Carson Joshua Brinkman Kacie Jay Ferrick John R Jr Geil Erica Lynn Hansen Tr Parente Abigail Lechowicz Scott Rodriguez Brian A Comm David E Frost Peter Jackson Kevin Weiner Mark Mcnulty Matthew Santella Donna Chiu Alice Niekamp Arnold Cleveland Kelly Maher Sarah Mavrelis Peter Anthony Oldani John Dsouza Edmund Lindsay Katherine Bernardin Sloane Tirotta Robichaud Julie Ann Odwyer Richard J Pokorney Thomas J

B8 View more at OakPark.com/Real-Estate ■ November 9, 2022

647 Linden Ave., Oak Park

OAK PARK ADDRESS

PRICE

SELLER

BUYER

514 S East Ave 514 S Harvey Ave 810 S Lombard Ave 532 S Ridgeland Ave 311 Wesley Ave 730 Hayes Ave 644 S Lombard Ave 1124 Gunderson Ave 1141 Linden Ave 1019 S Humphrey Ave 1117 Hayes Ave 105 Bishop Quarter Ln 808 N Humphrey Ave 740 Woodbine Ave 701 Hayes Ave 1122 S Humphrey Ave 1101 S Ridgeland Ave 253 Washington Blvd 306 N Taylor Ave 611 S Lyman Ave 414 Superior St 125 Francisco Ter 229 S Maple Ave 819 Washington Blvd 220 S Maple Ave 1182 S Cuyler Ave 831 Clinton Ave

$525,000 $520,000 $495,000 $489,000 $489,000 $484,000 $482,000 $475,000 $460,000 $455,000 $440,000 $430,000 $420,000 $413,500 $412,500 $410,000 $400,000 $375,000 $370,000 $365,000 $329,000 $325,000 $310,000 $287,500 $284,500 $280,000 $279,000

Airato Scott Hruszkewycz Stephan Lestrang Christian H Tr Bitoy Rafael C Smith Cara Lefevour Tr Ira Harth Hummel Philip T Sehic Nadan Goldberg Michael B Extr Murphy Michelle Finelli Amanda Adrian Thomas E Fitzpatrick James Gordon Mark Martin David H Tr Klette Patrick J Paice Chelsea Haynes Albert Iii Weinstein Tatiana Maria Everett Carolyn Tr Sharpe Robert C Troelstrup William Toper Gdn Daly Robert John Chicago Title Land Trust Co Tr 9716 Gertz Joshua L Grandview Cap Llc Intercounty Judicial Sales Corp

Conrin Sean Seligman Katya Michael Kyle Newton Grygo Kevin Sheffieck David M Sabarese Gregory John Alwawi Nedaa Oswald Nichole Ashley Bonzak Stephen M Gomez Daniel Ritzman Toterrence Gingrich Alicia Zavala Steffani Bajowala Reena Arensmeier Sarah Seaton Collen Joy Dawkins Russhane Redmond Michelle Jones Joshua Jack Smith Matthew Hall Casey Daniel Xavier Paez Jose F Rodriguez Babcock David Porter Fairbanks Josh Brozek Anna K Kolawole Jamiu Jkkiv Llc

P R O P E R T Y

T R A N S F E R S

OAK PARK ADDRESS

PRICE

SELLER

BUYER

122 S East Ave 1180 S Lyman Ave 227 S Maple Ave 18 Division St 426 Wisconsin Ave 949 Pleasant St 240 Flournoy St 1025 Randolph St 425 Home Ave 301 W Chicago Ave 201 S Maple Ave 1127 Erie St 414 S Elmwood Ave 938 North Blvd 426 S Lombard Ave 415 Wesley Ave 414 S Scoville Ave 660 Washington Blvd 511 N Humphrey Ave 1161 S Ridgeland Ave

$275,000 $270,000 $257,500 $246,000 $240,000 $235,000 $225,000 $205,000 $188,000 $138,500 $136,500 $127,500 $120,000 $115,000 $115,000 $105,000 $99,000 $94,000 $70,000 Unknown

Hollenbeck Pau Rodriguez Louis Briscoe Thomas A Williams-Hicks Bernadette Varadarajan Srnivasan Muccianti Edward Becker Mary Mendez Karina T Joshi Mary Rose Jones Garrett T Johnson Lauren Gorbonos Alex Mazariegos Angel Salter Lerone Barbosa Maria A De Sousa Bentefour El Hassane Hyer Brian Largenterprises Llc Fenske Michael W The Judicial Sales Corp

Blauw Amelia Grimm Lewis Claudia Maria James Latasha Johnson Carmencita D Gomez Benjamin Huzaifa Muhammad Umer Laclair Dana Marie Smyth Barbara Allen Gladys Katherine Cooper Nikish N Ceaser Geraldine R Varley Jennifer Lapapa Gregory Cantrell Jennifer Lowe Avia Ashira Kimmons Jason L Jaskiewicz-Garcia Margaret Torres Jorge Jr Sanchez Fredy Us Bk Trust Natl Assn Tr

632 Franklin Ave., River Forest

RIVER FOREST ADDRESS

PRICE

SELLER

BUYER

632 Franklin Ave 236 Forest Ave 1131 Forest Ave 1205 Monroe Ave 243 Forest Ave 601 Franklin Ave 625 Park Ave 846 Forest Ave 624 Franklin Ave 217 Ashland Ave 349 Park Ave 435 Williams St 17 Ashland Ave 8119 Lake St 407 Ashland Ave 1535 Forest Ave 7344 Lake St 414 Clinton Pl 1543 Monroe Ave 510 Bonnie Brae Pl 510 Bonnie Brae Pl 7221 W Division St

$1,360,000 $1,150,000 $1,049,000 $945,000 $928,000 $830,000 $679,000 $625,000 $575,000 $530,000 $472,500 $385,000 $332,000 $260,000 $255,000 $240,000 $215,000 $205,000 $170,000 $135,000 $120,000 $105,000

Derom Martine Tr Lee David D Saville Charles L Andersen Gene Gambill Tr Mcbrearty Elizabeth Us Bk Na Tr Sherman Ronald P Lundeen William Thomas Derom Martine Tr Eggertsen Arly W Ryan Thomas R Ii Kendal Psp Hs Llc Balint Mary C Pisani Gino Huggins Elizabeth Q Casto Michael J Mathieson Brett Jorge Joseph Irlanda Tamariz G Didonna Deborah Dillon Ann T Extr Trankina Michael

Vandervelde Amanda Carandang Lourdes Skowronski Ann Bloomberg Amanda Nyweide Matthew L Wallace Samantha Alkaraki Joseph P Toerner George P Zinni Mia Kathryn Dobson Derek D Casto Michael J Hageman Mary Lee Gordon Andrew Preffered Prop Buyers Inc Arreola Jennifer Ann Silva Miguel Filla Michael Salgado Desiree Mclean Derrick Hernandez Eloy Losik Robert Marshall Cory A

FOREST PARK ADDRESS

PRICE

SELLER

BUYER

850 Des Plaines Ave 116 Rockford Ave 1344 Elgin Ave 423 Marengo Ave 7420 Warren St 821 Marengo Ave 434 Thomas Ave 512 Ferdinand Ave 946 Ferdinand Ave 1100 Lathrop Ave 7231 Jackson Blvd 833 Beloit Ave 1038 Marengo Ave 1415 Harlem Ave 215 Marengo Ave 234 Circle Ave 7250 Dixon St 315 Des Plaines Ave 215 Marengo Ave 324 Marengo Ave 115 Marengo Ave

$1,200,000 $592,000 $550,000 $500,000 $495,000 $465,000 $460,000 $460,000 $425,000 $405,000 $380,000 $360,000 $300,000 $235,000 $227,000 $200,000 $184,500 $161,000 $159,000 $150,000 $108,000

Hatey Dillon T Holley Alan W Palomo Mauricio Kuri Emery Kay Extr West Side Remdl Llc Konstantos Ourania Thomas Gina M Sutton Nicholas A Tr Hosty Mark S Gray Nicole A Sherman Carolyn Faber Susan M Wiese Thomas Hutter Janet Extr Tang Pauline W Persico Dominick Neurauter Steven Nguyen Huong Reed Linda Chicago Title Land Trust Co Tr 2968 Guler Taunya M

Wilson Linda Alexandria Shaina Joan Kim Samuel Cho Trevino Jesse Mclean John Manor Patricia Wiebers Benjamin Dover Daniel Majicap Holdings Llc Mcelroy Caitlin Smith Benjamin M Fleet Joseph Chicago Title Land Trust Co Tr 8002389319 Delgado Hector Mirgati Signey Sutherland-Smith Curissa Cayla Hilker Camellia R White Tera Kernes Jennifer B Tipps Inv Llc Grsing Mareen

November 9, 2022 ■ Wednesday Journal/Forest Park Review

B9

20

Wednesday Journal, October 26, 2022

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

S P O N S O R E D

C O N T E N T

Hearty winter fare at Café Cubano Slow cooked lechon brings holiday feel to Restaurant Row Café Cubano’s owners Mayra and Javier Fernandez Jr. have spent 20 years building their restaurant at 7426 W. North Ave. in Elmwood Park. The extended warm weather has kept the restaurant’s outdoor patio bustling well into November and indoor dining has finally normalized much to Mayra Fernandez’s delight.

“We are staying busy because of this warm weather, and we are happy indoor dining is back,” Food Writer said Fernandez. “Things have been slowly coming back to life since the pandemic and I am happy to see people packed in here again.”

Café Cubano’s menu is winter-ready and Fernandez is eager to draw attention to the array of warming dishes the Cuban eatery takes pride in serving. The restaurant is known for comforting braised stews and homestyle meat dishes that surge in popularity during the cold winter months and especially during the holiday season.

“We are taking our focus away from sandwiches and salads and looking toward the comfort foods we are best

MELISSA ELSMO

known for,” said Fernandez. ““Nothing screams holiday more for Cubans than roasted pork!”

During the holiday season Café Cubano anticipates prepping more than 400 pounds of Cuban-style roasted pork known as lechon. Chefs use mojo, an assertive citrus and garlic marinade, to bring the classic Cuban flavors of bitter orange, oregano and cumin to the classic dish. Fernandez says Café Cubano marinates their premium pork butt in their house-made Mojo for two to three days before slow roasting the meat four to six hours.

“We know it is done when the bone comes out clean,” said Fernandez.

A regular menu item at Café Cubano, the succulent pork is served with yucca with garlic and arrzo congri, a traditional mixture of black beans and rice. The lechon meal is also a holiday favorite and preordering of this classic meal is available for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Café Cubano’s heat-and-eat meals, suited to serve 10, tend to sell out. Christmas orders should be placed by Dec. 20.

The owners learned everything about large-batch cooking from Javier Fernandez Sr. who served as a cook in the Cuban army. He was a master of high-volume cooking and used his vast experience to set up the family run restaurant for success. Fernandez cooked in the Café Cubano kitchens until 2009 and the restaurant relies on his recipes to this day.

“He was here cooking until the day he died,” said Fernandez of her beloved father-in-law. “He loved food, especially Oxtail Stew. That’s why we were serve it today. And God forbid we run out; customers love it!”

The homestyle oxtail stew and long cooking Ropa Vieja

Cuban lechon with arrzo congri and boiled yuca with garlic.

B10 View more at OakPark.com/Real-Estate ■ November 9, 2022

Cheers! Mayra Fernandez dishes about rum cocktails and the hectic holiday season at Cafe Cubano.

An assortment of rums served at Café Cubano used in tasting flights

Wednesday Journal, October 26, 2022

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

S P O N S O R E D offer warming options for diners during the winter months, but the smoked pork chops are a menu standout all year round but prove to be a cold weather favorite at Café Cubano. Cubans “tend to like smoked meats” according to Fernandez who emigrated to the United States from Cuba more than 50 years ago. A smoked pork chop must be “perfectly fried” to rise to restaurant standards and chefs at Café Cubano plate up two golden-brown chops per order.

Sides including fluffy rice, savory black beans and tender plantains round out the hearty offering. The chops look unassuming, but diners will have to resist the urge to pick the bones – the crispy edges are devilishly good.

Dine in customers at Café Cubano have come to expect a guitarist to be on site on weekend evenings.

While he mills around entertaining res-

taurant goers, Fernandez hopes to see customers enjoying a thoughtfully prepared cocktail like autumnal spiced mojitos or an adventurous rum flight.

Rum flights, featuring a trio of 1.5 ounce tastings, are gaining in popularity at Café Cubano. Spiced rum cocktails and coffee drinks are also part of the program and Fernandez is especially excited about Café Cubano’s spiced mojito. Made with dark rum, this cold weather take on a traditional summer drink is deceptively complex and comes garnished with a festive cinnamon stick.

Those who clamor for classic Cuban sandwiches and rich Chicago-style Jibaritos can still satiate their cravings all winter long at the Restaurant Row mainstay in Elmwood Park. There is something for everyone at Café Cubano!

21

C O N T E N T

A Steak Jibarito is available year-round at Café Cubano.

For more culinary delights, visit OakPark.com and click on EATS. The Ropa Vieja Jibarito is a creative blend of culinary traditions and makes use of a classic braised beef dish.

THE hot spot for Live Entertainment

Italian Specialties

Great Food Full Bar Live Music

DONNY G’S HOLIDAY CHEER! OFF SITE CATERING!

Celebrate the Holidays with us!

Christmas Eve Packag Pick up & Dine In! • 11:30am until 7:30pm Cooked or ready for your oven

FOOD FOR CHRISTMAS DAY CAN BE PICKED UP WITH INSTRUCTIONS TO HEAT ON 12/24

Fried Pork Chops are golden brown and served with rice, beans and plantains

BUY A $100 GIFT CARD, GET $125!

Call to place your order 708-456-3644 7308 W. North Avenue • Elmwood Park donnygs.com November 9, 2022 ■ Wednesday Journal/Forest Park Review

B11

REGINALD MOBLEY

KEHREIN CENTER FOR THE ARTS

A CONVERSATION & CONCERT WITH THE GRAMMY-NOMINATED AMERICAN SINGER Thursday, Nov 17, 7 PM Kehrein Center for the Arts 5628 W. Washington Blvd., Chicago

baroque.org

K E Hhis REIN Reginald Mobley discusses CENTER FOR THE ARTS career and performs Civil War-era spirituals, music by under-represented 18th- century composers, and more.

“One of the joys of seeing Mobley is hearing his beautiful alto coming out of a big, tall man who looks more like a linebacker for the Miami Dolphins.” – Palm Beach ArtsPaper

FREE EVENT PRE-REGISTER AT baroque.org/ mobleyatkehrein

KEHREIN CENTER FOR THE ARTS

FREE EVENT PRE-REGISTER AT baroque.org/ mobleyatkehrein

baroque.org/mobleyatkehrein | 312.551.1414 B12 View more at OakPark.com/Real-Estate ■ November 9, 2022 baroque.org/mobleyatkehrein | 312.551.1414