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W E D N E S D A Y

January 1, 2020 Vol. 39, No. 22 ONE DOLLAR @oakpark @wednesdayjournal

JOURNAL

Fenwick 3rd at Proviso

of Oak Park and River Forest

Sports, page 28

OP Park 2019 District seeks state grant for rec center YEAR IN REVIEW

IDNR program seeks applicants for up to $2.5 million in funding By IGOR STUDENKOV Contributing Reporter

Park District of Oak Park Board of Commissioners voted unanimously on Dec. 19 to give staff the go-ahead to apply for a state grant to help fund the construction of the long-discussed Oak Park community recreation center. As previously reported, the project is something the park district and several other governing bodies been discussing since 2016. The park district has already set aside $5 million in funds, has secured land via donation and has drawn up conceptual plans. If the application is successful, the state could kick in up to $2.5 million in grant funding. The Park and Recreational Facility Construction Program (PARC) is an Illinois Department of Natural Resources initiative that park districts can use to either buy land or build a facility “for public indoor/outdoor park, recreation, or conservation purposes.” The state has allocated a total of $25 million for the program for this fiscal year, so the numSee GRANT on page 11

File photo

GOING UP: The Emerson was one of three downtown Oak Park high rises which opened in 2019.

New boards, buildings and Wright defined 2019 Last year was another transformative one in the village

By TIMOTHY INKLEBARGER and STACEY SHERIDAN Contributing and Staff Reporters

Big buildings and big changes in village government were among Oak Park’s top stories in 2019, with the election of a new village board of trustees and the construction of two new high-rises in the downtown area. While those stories and others like

them (see Golub) loomed large this year, smaller news items – like the creation of the Val Camilletti Memorial Mural along the raised Union Pacific rail line on South Boulevard and the installation of a digital marquee at the classic Lake Theatre, 1022 Lake St. – also captured the attention of readers. Here’s a rundown of the top stories of the year.

E.W.S. Fashion & Craft Academy In OAK PARK IL 137 N. Oak Park Ave., Suite #105 ewsacademy.org

708 – 424 - 4397

Oak Park grows upward Oak Park’s skyline was again forever changed in 2019 with the completion of two new luxury apartment buildings – the 18-story, 265-unit Albion building, 1000 Lake St., and the 12-story, 250-unit Eleven33 building at 1133 South Blvd. See YEAR IN REVIEW on page 14

Eric W. Stiles Sr., Former Master Bespoke Tailor For Brioni, Giorgio-Armani & Polo

Wednesday Journal, January 1, 2020

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Meet the team, pictured left to right: Denise Warren, Susie Goldschmidt , Norma Mora, Rosemary Conway, Maggie Kenny, My Hanh La, Kim Adames. Not pictured: Mary Beth McIntosh

Committed to Oak Park and River Forest Byline Bank is pleased to welcome an outstanding group of experienced bankers who recently joined our Oak Park and River Forest team. Already established in our community, our new colleagues look forward to continuing their commitment to customers and support of our local Oak Park and River Forest communities. To learn more about our commitment to Oak Park and River Forest, visit bylinebank.com/oprf

ÂŠ2019 Byline Bank. Member FDIC.

Wednesday Journal, January 1, 2020

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I N S I D E

R E P O R T

Best reads of 2019 and the past decade If you’re looking to do some quality reading as the New Year dawns, the folks over at The Book Table in Oak Park have helpfully laid out not only their recommendations for the best books of 2019, but the best books of the past decade. Here are the picks:

Best of 2019 ■ “The Topeka School” by Ben Lerner ■ “The Need” by Helen Phillips ■ “Sun Cycle” by Anne Lesley Selcer ■ “A Quick & Easy Guide to Queer & Trans Identities” by Mady G & J.R. Zuckerberg ■ “Hollow Kingdom” by Kira Jane Buxton ■ “Go Ahead in the Rain” by Hanif Abdurraqib ■ “Mythos” by Stephen

Fry ■ “The New Me” by Halle Butler

Best of the Decade ■ “You Too Can Have a Body Like Mine” by Alexandra Kleeman ■ “A Constellation of Vital Phenomenon” by Anthony Marra ■ “The Uprising: On Poetry and Finance” by Franco “Bifo” Berardi ■ “My Favorite Thing Is Monsters” by Emil Ferris ■ “The Murderer’s Ape” by Jakob Wegelius ■ “Stephen Florida” by Gabe Habash ■ “Rain: A Natural & Cultural History” by Cynthia Barnett ■ “Between the World And Me” by Ta-Nehisi Coates ■ “The Sellout” by Paul Beatty

Bob Uphues

PHOTO PROVIDED

COMING SOON: Quiet Sounds of Qualia, from the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, includes OPRF grad Noah Sherman (center), who will be performing at Wire on Sunday, Jan. 5.

OPRF grad plays home turf with Quiet Sounds

See a powerhouse of young talent on Sunday, Jan. 5 from 7 to 9:45 p.m., at Wire, 6815 W. Roosevelt, Berwyn. Drummer Noah Sherman (OPRF Class of 2018) performs with his Oberlin Conservatory classmates who play improvised jazz, hip hop and R&B as Quiet Sounds of Qualia. Opening are soloists and OPRF Class of 2018 grads Joe Merkel, playing Indie Rock including original music, and Kara Jackson, performing her original music. Jackson is also the current National Youth Poet Laureate. Also performing are JALC, a jazz band made up of Aaron Kaufman Levine, Charlie Reichart Powell (both OPRF Class of 2019 grads), Leo Bukofski and Josh Ross. Tickets for this show are $8, advance; $10, at door. Tickets/more: wireismusic.com, 708-205-6640. Quiet Sounds of Qualia will also play at O’Sullivans, 7244 Madison St., Forest Park, on Saturday, Jan. 4 at 8 p.m. It is a free show, but donations accepted to help the band on their tour.

Michelle Dybal

Photo provided

Peter Jermihov directs the PaTRAM Institute Singers during a recording of “The Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom” at a church in Third Way, Ill.

A Grammy nod that’s simply divine When that megawatt crowd packs into the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Jan. 26 for the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards, one Triton music professor will be in that constellation. Peter Jermihov is nominated for a Grammy for “The Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom,” a recording which he conducted in August 2017, but released

in April. “It takes a long time,” Jermihov said of his project, which is nominated in the Best Choral Performance and Producer of the Year, Classical category. Jermihov, who is one of the 12,000 voting members of the Grammy Academy — the people who pick the Grammy award winners — said that it’s the first time he’s ever been nominated.

He said that he commissioned the composer Kurt Sander to write the liturgy after an epiphany he experienced around five years ago. “I was performing music of the great composers all my life, but at some point I just realized, they were all dead,” Jermihov said. “I wondered why in classical music there’s so little of contemporary classical music being performed.” The liturgy is an example of Russian Orthodox choral music performed in English. Jermihov said that he recorded the album in a week inside of the New Gra anica Monastery in Third Lake, Illinois. “It’s an exact replica of a church in Kosovo,” he said. “You walk in and it’s absolutely stunning, just beautiful. The whole thing is frescos about five stories

tall. Just stunning. We were in that environment for six days, six hours a day.” While inspired by sacred music, including African American spirituals, Jermihov doesn’t shy from listening to other music, as well. “One of my favorite movies this last season was a ‘Star is Born,’ and Lady Gaga really knocked it out of the park,” he said. “When [she and Bradley Cooper] sang that number together at the Oscars, I was really moved.” He’s also a fan of other genres. “My son and I listen to Metallica and a lot of metal rock and country music,” he said. “Tanya Tucker is up for an award and Reba McEntire! I’m 65, so this goes back for me.”

Michael Romain

Wednesday Journal, January 1, 2020

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The Interview Show

Fiber Fun Nights

Friday, Jan. 3, 8:30 p.m., WTTW Channel 11: Tune in to see Oak Parker Mark Bazer kick off the fifth season of his talk show on WTTW, with Abby McEnany, star/co-creator of Showtime’s Work in Progress, and David Gamble, photographer and artist, talk about “Andy Warhol’s Living Room.” Other showtimes/more: schedule.wttw.com/series/23958/The-InterviewShow.

Wednesdays, 6 to 9 p.m., Dye Hard Yarns: Head to the yarn boutique craft room to work on a project with other fiber-enthusiasts. Come for stitching, comradery and inspiration. Held weekly. More: dyehardyarns.com. 210 Harrison, Oak Park.

NAMI Family Support Group Tuesday, Jan. 7, 7 to 8:30 p.m., Third Floor, Scoville Building: This group is for relatives and others who have a loved one with a mental illness. Meet others who care and understand, get ideas that help you take care of yourself and your family, share your experiences and learn from those who have been there, and learn about brain disorders, treatment and services. Free; drop in first and third Tuesday each month. Up next, Jan 21. Brought by National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). 137 N. Oak Park Ave., Oak Park.

Animal Keeper for a Day Friday, Jan. 3, 9 to 11 a.m., Trailside Museum: Learn about animal care in this interactive experience. Ages 12+. $10. Register: 708-366-6530. 738 Thatcher Ave., River Forest

Queerios Holiday Party Saturday, Jan. 4, Noon to 4 p.m., Meeting Room, Maze Library: Queerios is a library-based meeting space for those in grades 6 to 12 in the LGBTQ+ community and their allies. Celebrate the holidays with a potluck (bring a favorite holiday dish, cookies, candy or just yourself). Also, make buttons and play a Murder Mystery game. Pizza provided. Held in partnership with OPRF High School’s A Place for All and the Rainbow Tribes of both Julian and Brooks Middle Schools. Question: jvaughn@oppl.org. 845 Gunderson Ave., Oak Park.

Jazz with Eric Schneider and Jeremy Kahn Monday, Jan. 6, 7 p.m., Oak Park Arms:

January 1- 8

Triple Treat Monday, Jan. 6, 1:15 p.m., Nineteenth Century Club: See opera baritone Bill McMurry, soprano Sarah Gartshore and pianist Lisa Kristina present a mesmerizing mix of musical highlights. $15, requested donation. 178 Forest Ave., Oak Park.

New Year’s Resolution Walk Saturday, Jan 4, 1 p.m., Trailside Museum: Start 2020 with a resolution of being active outdoors by taking a brisk guided walk on Trailside’s trails. Free. Questions: 708-366-6530. 738 Thatcher Ave., River Forest.

BIG WEEK Select Pix Tuesday, Jan. 7, 10 a.m., noon, and 7 p.m., Lake Theatre: Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am, is an intimate meditation on the legendary storyteller, which examines her life, her works and the powerful themes she confronted during her literary career. Panel discussion follows the 7 p.m. show. Playing on the third Tuesday, Jan. 21 - Linda Ronstadt: The Sound of My Voice. $8.50; $6, matinee/seniors/children. Info: classiccinemas.com. 1022 Lake St., Oak Park.

Hear Kahn on piano and Schneider on sax and clarinet. Kahn is a resident of Oak Park and has performed with Dizzy Gillespie, Joni Mitchell, Aretha Franklin, Branford Marsalis and more. Free. All welcome. More: oakparkarms. com/opa_events/eric-schneider-and-jeremy-kahn/.

SocialWorks’ Warmest Winter Now through Feb. 7, NAMI Drop-in Center, Oak Park Township, Oak Park Police Department and other locations: Help the homeless and those in need throughout the community with donations of gently used or new winter clothing. Cosponsored by the Community Mental Health Board, Riveredge Hospital and the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). Questions: 708-358-8855. More: facebook.com/events/566510324110698/. NAMI Drop-in: 814 Harrison St., Oak Park. OP Township: 105 and 130 S. Oak Park Ave., Oak Park. OP Police: 123 Madison, Oak Park.

Wednesday Journal, January 1, 2020

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ART BEAT

Righting a wrong Forgotten artist’s work adorns new edition of classic novel

For complete program descriptions, visit www.nineteenthcentury.org

Monday Afternoon Programs

By ROBERT K. ELDER

Triple Treat

Guest Author/Editor

ometimes you choose the book, sometimes it chooses you. And sometimes the weight of history makes a project impossible to ignore, when a historical injustice needs to be corrected. That’s what happened when I saw the works of Gilbert Wilson -- once an acclaimed Midwestern artist who attended the School of the Art Institute in 1928. In the 1950s, movie director John Huston called Wilson “a brilliant artist and one of America’s foremost painters,” yet, Wilson died in obscurity and poverty. I was visiting the Swope Art Museum in Terre Haute, Indiana, three years ago when a retrospective of Wilson’s Moby-Dick paintings were being displayed. Wilson, once an assistant to artist Rockwell Kent and an admirer of Diego Rivera, liked things big -- large canvases, huge ideas and towering, broad-bodied men. He believed Herman Melville’s novel “Moby-Dick” could be seen as a warning against mankind’s obsessive quest to harness the power of the atom. When I saw these massive, awe-inspiring works, I asked, “Why isn’t this a book?” Whenever I ask a question like that, I spend three to five years answering it. In this case, with publisher Hat & Beard, we published “Moby-Dick: Illustrated by Gilbert Wilson” in celebration of the lost artist’s work and Melville’s 200th birthday. The project was full of surprises. Namely, once I put up a website, people came out of the woodwork with Wilson paintings they’d found at an estate sale or thrift store (two featured in the book). Wilson was famous for giving away his work, and were it not for a scholar named Elizabeth Schultz, most of his work might have been eaten by mice in a Kentucky barn where it had been stored for decades. Just before Wilson’s death, she helped place most of his known work at the Swope. Still, many of his paintings remain unknown, uncatalogued and out in the wild. Yet another surprise -- Indiana State University professor Edward Spann wrote a full-length biography of Wilson but died before it could be published. It remained the “Great Lost Book of Indiana” for more than a decade. Now, his family entrusted me to edit and publish it. What started as one book became two, and another correction of an historical injustice. That book, “Unfinished and Unbroken: The Life of Artist Gilbert Wilson,” was released this winter with Wilson’s illus-

January 20 – 1:15 p.m. SOCIAL SCIENCE

January 6 – 1:15 p.m. MUSIC

trated “Moby-Dick.” While editing the books, the publisher and I overcame obstacles. We needed to raise money to digitize the images and, sadly, Wilson’s last living relative died during the production of the book. I found myself in the position of championing Wilson’s work after most everyone who’d admired and loved him had passed on. During his lifetime he had a lot of close calls but never universal acclaim. First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt wrote about him in her newspaper column. Pearl S. Buck sponsored an exhibition of his work in New York. Yet, fame never found Wilson. He was defiant, brilliant with a streak of independence that could be mistaken for arrogance. He was also gay and a communist during a time when both labels were dangerous. Now, however, a new generation of artists are praising him. Artists Patrick McNeil and Patrick Miller (collectively known as FAILE) put it succinctly: “The sword of history can cast a sweeping shadow over art. Some are born to be a legend in their time. For others, politics, cultural forces and chance eclipse their greatness for another generation to discover. Gilbert Wilson is finally emerging from that missing part of the landscape as one of the great American artists of his generation.” My family and I have lived in Oak Park for 12 years, a community that champions artists, writers, poets and filmmakers. I feel lucky to be counted among its citizens and spend time in its libraries. (It’s a particular thrill when I visit the Maze Library, where I can see a book I co-authored, “Hidden Hemingway,” on the shelf in the main room). It’s that kind of civic pride and engagement that inspired me to help resurrect the art of a true Midwestern master. “Moby-Dick: Illustrated by Gilbert Wilson” is available at the Book Table, 1045 Lake St. and Jake’s Place on 142 Harrison St, Oak Park. More: gilbertwilsonmobydick.com.

Baritone Bill McMurry, soprano Sarah Gartshore, and pianist Lisa Kristina present a mesmerizing mix of musical highlights. Gartshore, was recently described by the Chicago Tribune as “particularly impressive.” McMurry has more than thirty operatic roles to his credit. Lisa Kristina appeared in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Phantom of the Opera on Broadway January 13 – 1:15 p.m. LITERATURE

Cocktails, Flappers and Prohibition – Fun things I learned while writing historical fiction

Focusing on the paradoxes and social tensions around ﬂappers, gin joints and those who favored temperance, local historian and author Susanna Calkins will share how she conceived of her “Speakeasy Mysteries” set in Chicago, 1929.

The True Story of Mary Lincoln as Told by Her Sister Historical actor and author Betty Kay will present the story of the Lincolns through the eyes of Elizabeth Todd Edwards, sister of Mary Todd Lincoln. Elizabeth was among the people most closely acquainted with the Lincolns. January 27 – 1:15 p.m. SCIENCE

Molecular Engineering: Entrepreneurial Engineering at the Frontiers of Science Matthew Tirrell, Founding Dean of the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering (PME), will discuss the dynamic ﬁeld of molecular engineering and how the PME is at the forefront of engineering innovative molecular systems.

COST: $15 requested donation for non-members for each program. LUNCH: precedes Monday programs at 12 p.m., $25 for nonmembers, RSVP required –all are welcome!

Evening & Weekend Events Sunday, January 19 – 3 p.m.

Good People

by David Lindsay-Abarie Free Readers.com Director: Ray Cunha

Monday, January 27 – 7-10 p.m.

English Country Dance

English Country Dance is a social dance with a long history and a vibrant modern presence. Dances are taught and called. No partner needed, no experience necessary. Nineteenth Century Charitable Association 178 Forest Ave., Oak Park, IL 60302 708-386-2729

Wednesday Journal, January 1, 2020

Need a helping of

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New year will bring a higher minimum wage, legal marijuana

Hundreds of state laws take effect in January By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois

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

SPRINGFIELD – The state’s minimum wage will increase by $1 hourly, recreational marijuana will go on sale to those over 21 years of age, and some state taxes and licensing fees will increase when the calendar hits January. The changes are among hundreds resulting from laws passed during a busy legislative session which adjourned in early June. Minimum Wage: The minimum wage will increase by $1 to $9.25 hourly on Jan. 1, the first such increase since 2010. The wage will increase to $10 hourly in July before increasing $1 each January until it hits $15 by 2025. Marijuana Legalization: With the legalization of adult-use marijuana in the state, Illinois residents will be allowed to possess 30 grams of cannabis flower, 500 milligrams of a marijuana-infused product and five grams of cannabis concentrate. Non-residents can possess half those amounts. Consumption of marijuana will still be banned in public places, however, unless a licensed marijuana facility or certain lounges obtain local government clearance for allowing use at their facilities. Marijuana legalization will also provide for the expungement of low-level cannabis convictions and criminal records in the state, the first of which were filed in Chicago this month. New Taxes, Fees for Capital Plan: Some new taxes and fees which will help fund a multi-year $45 billion capital infrastructure plan will also take effect starting in January. Registration fees for passenger vehicles will increase to $151 from $101, while electric vehicle registration fees will increase to $251 annually from $34 every other year. The licensing fee for a trailer weighing less than 3,000 pounds will increase to $118 from $18, with every weight class above that also seeing a $100 increase. A new tax on parking garages will also take effect next month, with a 6 percent rate applied to hourly and daily garages and a 9 percent rate applied to monthly. The state will also begin taxing the value of traded-in vehicles starting after $10,000 of value, down from $20,000. Other New Laws ■ The maximum fine for a hitting a construction worker with a vehicle will increase to $25,000 from $10,000.

■ Those violating “Scott’s Law” by failing to reduce speed or change lanes when an emergency vehicle is stopped on the side of the road will see increased fines in the new year as well. The minimum fine for a first offense will increase to $250 from $100, while the minimum for a second offense will be $750. Money collected from such violations will go to a Scott’s Law Fund to produce driver education materials. The maximum fine will remain at $10,000. The law also increases the severity of violations that result in the death or harm to a first responder to a class 2 felony. ■ Passing a stopped school bus that has its “STOP” arm extended will now result in a $300 fine, up from $150 for the first offense. The second offense will cost drivers $1,000, up from $500. ■ Public locations must convert singleoccupancy restrooms into all-gender restrooms and designate them for use by no more than one person at a time, or for families or assisted use. Public locations must change exterior signage as well. ■ Public buildings will be required to have baby changing facilities in any of their public restrooms. ■ The burial benefit for a firefighter, state police or local law enforcement officer killed in the line of duty will increase to $20,000 from $10,000. ■ The Illinois Secretary of State will be required to allow applicants to choose between “male,” “female” or “nonbinary” when designating the applicant’s sex on their driver’s license or ID card. ■ Any report received by the Department of Children and Family Services alleging the abuse or neglect of a child by a person who is not the child’s parent or immediate family must immediately be referred to the appropriate local enforcement agency and state’s attorney for consideration of criminal investigation or other action. ■ Diesel trucks will be prohibited from idling for more than 10 minutes within one hour if the vehicle is within 200 feet of a residential area. ■ Graduate assistants will no longer be classified as “students,” but rather as “employees,” which grants them the right to collectively bargain. ■ Insurers in the state will be required to cover the costs of medically necessary epinephrine injectors, commonly referred to by the brand name EpiPen, for persons under 18 years old. ■ Hospitals must post information on how to enroll in health insurance through the Illinois health insurance marketplace. The Illinois Senate Democratic and Republican caucuses have each compiled lists of new laws available at their respective websites, illinoissenatedemocrats.com and senategop.state.il.us.

Wednesday Journal, January 1, 2020

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New Year New Me at the RRC Start 2020 off with a Roos Rec Center Membership! Fitness Room Membership Fees Membership

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Each member will be required to show proof of residency in order to receive the resident rate. Memberships are non-refundable and non-transferable.

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*Monthly memberships will be billed on the 1st of each month.

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**Yearly memberships must be paid in full at the time of registration.

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Resident veterans or those currently enlisted (both with ID card) receive free membership (does not include family members).

Roos Rec Center • 7329 W. Harrison St. Forest Park, IL 60130 • 708-866-7667 For more information, visit www.pdofp.org.

Wednesday Journal, January 1, 2020

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Five-story apartment complex planned for Madison Street A plan commission hearing is scheduled for Jan. 9 By STACEY SHERIDAN Staff Reporter

Developers have their sights set on Madison Street. With a plan to build a senior housing community at Madison and Euclid still under review, the plan commission will hear another Madison Street development proposal Jan. 9. Michigan Avenue Real Estate Group (MAREG) is seeking village approval to build a five-story, 48-unit apartment building at 435 to 451 Madison Street. People would enter the building on Madison Street. The vehicular entrance would be on Gunderson Avenue. The proposed complex also has 48 indoor parking spaces, as well as bicycle storage, located on the ground floor of the building. The lobby, elevator and a waste and recycling center are also located on the ground floor. The upper four floors have a combination of one- and two-bedroom units, a total of 12 units per floor. Each unit has a balcony. According to the proposal, “balconies have been located around the building so as to

Developer

plans $500,000 affordable housing donation rather than unit set aside.

Rendering submitted

MORE MADISON APARTMENTS: The transition of Madison Street from commercial to residential will continue if this project wins approval. minimize the impact on adjacent homes.” Requested zoning relief includes an increase in density from the maximum allowed 24 living units to 48 and a height increase from the zoning-mandated limit of 50 feet to 63 feet. MAREG is also asking for a decrease in on-site loading areas to zero. “They are required to have one, but they want to put it on street versus on the property,” said Oak Park Village Planner Craig Failor. “My guess is that they probably

couldn’t work it into their first-floor design because the site is the adequate size to provide for the required number of parking spaces.” Additionally, MAREG is requesting a reduction in rear yard setback from 25 feet to 7 feet. This is the first proposed development on Madison Street to come under the requirement since the passing of the inclusionary housing ordinance in March 2019, Failor said. The proposed Madison Street senior

living community, he noted, is exempt. The ordinance allows developers the choice between making 10 percent of its dwelling units affordable to renters making 60 percent of the area median income or paying into Oak Park’s affordable housing fund at a rate of $100,000 per affordable unit. According to Failor, MAREG’s plan is to pay $500,000 into Oak Park’s affordable housing fund instead of setting aside five units, 10 percent of the building’s total, for affordable housing.

Madison senior development gets more time before hearing

The proposed senior housing project will return to the plan commission Jan. 23 By STACEY SHERIDAN Staff Reporter

In a lightning-quick meeting Dec. 19, Oak Park’s Plan Commission granted a continuance request made by applicant American House, an affiliate of real estate company REDICO, for the proposed seven-story senior housing complex at 711 and 725 Madison St. Project architect John Myefski represented American House at the meeting, which lasted just under three minutes. The project first came before the commission Dec. 5. The hearing will resume Jan. 23. “We wanted time to contemplate public comment,” said Dale Watchowski, president and CEO of American House Senior Living

Communities and REDICO. Community members took to public comment regarding the project at the commission’s Dec. 5 meeting. Comments included concerns over the project’s planned height and the overall number of units. Residents also expressed a desire to have a cul-de-sac built on Wesley Avenue. Current project plans include building a cul-de-sac on Euclid Avenue. At the Dec. 5 meeting, American House agreed to return to the commission with updates Dec. 19, an extremely quick turnaround. The two-week period proved an insufficient amount of time to adequately address comments. “[American House] just weren’t ready to come back with their designs yet,” said Village Planner Craig Failor. “Two weeks is a pretty quick turnaround for all of that.” American House has not submitted any plan revisions to Failor yet, but he expects to see something mid-January before Jan. 23 commission meeting.

Rendering submitted

SENIORITY: Rendering of proposed 7-story senior living community on Madison Street.

Wednesday Journal, January 1, 2020

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Focus on development, planning and health in RF in 2019 By MARIA MAXHAM Staff Reporter

In May, River Forest trustees unanimously approved a comprehensive plan for the village, the first in more than 15 years. An extensive, 100-plus-page document, it addresses topics relevant to development, including future land use, parks and open space, corridor framework plans and more. “This is 18 months of hard work,” said Village President Cathy Adduci. “This is a great accomplishment for this board.” Last updated in 2003, the new plan specifically discussed building heights, the most debated section due not only to the nature of the discussion but the confusion surrounding the plan’s “recommended maximum building heights,” which are different from official zoning code.

Village proactive on health and safety After more than a year of effort, River Forest was named the fifth dementia-friendly community in Illinois. On Feb. 11, the designation was officially given to the village. It was an undertaking of compassion and the result of collaboration between the village, River Forest Township, Oak Park-River Forest Senior Services, and more. “It’s not just saying we understand dementia-friendly; it’s saying we support our

partners who provide supportive resources to families, the caretakers who support [those with] dementia, Alzheimer’s patients. So really it’s a community-wide support and recognition,” said Adduci. In another proactive move to protect the health of residents, the village board voted 6-0 to prohibit the sale of flavored electronic cigarette products in River Forest. Adduci said that although the state was proposing similar action at the time, she did not want the village to wait. After the vote, she thanked the trustees. “I want to thank you for being a leader,” she said to her colleagues at the village board meeting on Sept. 23.

Village trustee elections bring change The village board changed on April 2, when three newcomers – Kathleen “Katie” Brennan, Erika Bachner and Robert O’Connell were voted on to the village board of trustees. Brennan received more votes than any other candidate in the race. Bachner was second and O’Connell came in third.

River Forest ready for marijuana in 2020 With adult sales and usage of recreational marijuana becoming legal in Illinois on Jan. 1, the village of River Forest debated the pros and cons of allowing cannabis in town. Ultimately, the village trustees voted to al-

low the sale of pot, with some restrictions. Dispensaries must be located at least 100 feet from schools, churches, parks and daycare centers, and only in commercial areas. They must apply for a special use permit, and their operating hours are limited to no earlier than 10 a.m. and no later than 7 p.m.

Deer overpopulation problem spurs debate Throughout the year, trustees have heard public opinion on a possible deer culling program to control the number of deer in the area. Set to vote in November on a contract with Cook County to provide sharpshooters in three forest preserves – Thatcher Woods, G.A.R. Woods and Thomas Jefferson Woods – such a large group of residents came out to protest that the board agreed to wait on the vote. Trustees decided to form a task force to look at all the options, but at a December meeting they voted to proceed with the culling agreement and vote on it in January 2020. Adduci urged the board to vote in favor of the culling program, stating that “It’s our job, as elected officials, to ensure the health and safety of our community.”

Mediation solves David and Goliath sized problem With a strong and vocal group of resi-

dents, the leadership of Adduci and State Sen. Kimberly Lightford (4th), a deal between the village, Metra and Union Pacific (UP) was reached to address problems resulting from the UP and Metra Third Rail Expansion project. Noise and safety complaints, which were long ignored by Metra and UP, were finally addressed through a plan to help mitigate the problems created by the railroad expansion. The solution involved a sound barrier, a security fence, and a new “Acoustiblok” fence Metra will install as part of its pilot program to test the product.

Controversial senior development begins In 2019, construction began on The Sheridan at Harlem and Chicago avenues. The senior development was controversial, with many residents speaking out against it, but was approved unanimously by village trustees in Oct. 2018. The Sheridan will house 92 assisted-living and 33 memory-care service apartments. Sitting on 1.5 acres, it will have a pitched roof that will rise to 68.5 feet on the Harlem side, more than double the village’s allowable limit of 30 feet. The development, however, aligns with the town’s efforts to be dementia friendly, and it will generate substantial tax revenue for the village.

Wednesday Journal, January 1, 2020

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Noted Oak Park attorney fatally struck by pickup truck

Karen Daniel fought for the wrongly accused

Daniel, a graduate of Harvard Law School, joined the teaching faculty of the Northwestern University Center on Wrongful Convictions in 2000. Initially she worked part time for the By DAN HALEY and BOB UPHUES project but eventually became a co-diPublisher and Senior Editor rector. She retired from Northwestern in 2019 when she was Karen Daniel was an Oak named director emerita Parker and a noted attorney of the project. who spent the past 20 years According to the Chiadvocating for those wrongcago Tribune, Daniel fully convicted and jailed. planned to join the ExDaniel, 62, was killed the oneration Project at the morning of Dec. 26 as she University of Chicago walked with her dog in the in January. She was 400 block of Pleasant Street also, the newspaper near Scoville Avenue. She reported, planning to was struck by a Ford F150 KAREN DANIEL work with the Northpickup truck, which reportwestern Prison Educaedly was turning east from tion Program. Scoville Avenue onto PleasKim Foxx, Cook County state’s atant Street. Daniel was pronounced torney, issued a statement on Daniel’s dead at the scene. The driver of the truck, who has death via Twitter. She wrote, “Karen was as brilliant not yet been identified by police, is a 63-year-old Oak Park man. While the as she was caring. She was a teacher, driver passed field sobriety tests and a mentor, an advocate and an excepsubmitted to blood and urine test- tional attorney. Karen was a true being, he was cited for failure to reduce liever in justice and brought a unique speed to avoid an accident and failure spirit to this work that will be deeply missed.” to yield to a pedestrian.

ALEX ROGALS/Staff Photographer

FATALITY: Police investigate the scene of a fatal crash involving a pedestrian at Scoville and Pleasant on Dec. 26.

Season’s Greetings FROM W E D N E S D A Y

JOURNAL of Oak Park and River Forest

Wednesday Journal, January 1, 2020

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Local park districts support renewable energy initiative Oak Park, River Forest sign PlanItGreen pledge By IGOR STUDENKOV Contributing Reporter

The River Forest Park District has signed a letter of commitment to work toward switching fully to renewable energy sources -- and the Park District of Oak Park is poised to follow suit. The letter was prepared by PlanItGreen, the Oak Park River Forest Community Foundation-led initiative that works to make Oak Park and River Forest more environmentally sustainable. It reached out to several organizations in the area, including the two park districts. As the officials from both park districts emphasized, the letter isn’t binding. But both park district boards felt that it was a goal worth striving toward, so they had no issue with signing on. The River Forest Park District Board of Commissioners signed the letter during its Dec. 9 meeting, and the Park District of Oak Park Board of Commissioners signed off during its Dec. 19 meeting. The letter builds on the goals outlined in the June 2011 Environmental Sustainability Plan of Oak Park and River Forest, adjusting the goals to fit the latest data from the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. The letter outlines several goals, includ-

The Park District

of Oak Park already has solar panels at Ridgeland Common Recreation Complex, Longfellow Center, Fox Center and Oak Park Conservatory.

GRANT

‘History is positive’ from page 1 ber of projects that would actually get the funding is limited. Applications are due by Jan. 21. With the community recreation center, the park district is looking to build a facility that would provide more recreational programming and support services. It would be particularly focused on serving seniors, active adults and teens in grades six through 12. According to the Parks Foundation of Oak

File photo

FULL SOLAR: The roof at Ridgeland Common is covered with solar panels. Parks explore added sustainability options. ing identifying opportunities to add solar panels to their facilities, improving energy efficiency in their facilities and operations, switching their energy supply contracts to get all of their electricity from solar and/or wind power and developing programs to educate residents about how they can be more energy-efficient. In return, the park districts will have a say in PlanItGreen’s “strategies, programs and policies,” as well as opportunities to share “technical assistance, training, and best practice information” and help with getting grants and financial incentives. The initiative will also help the park districts get

Park website, the center would be made up of two sections. The first section will include a running track, a gymnasium and a fitness center. The second section would include “an aquatics center with indoor swimming pools for lap swim, leisure and warm water therapy.” Last summer, Wednesday Journal reported that the Oak Park Township Mental Health Board agreed to provide mental health services for teens onsite, contribute $1.5 million to cover capital expenses and lease space should the project actually go forward. Park district Executive Director Jan Arnold told the board that, if they get the grant, the park district would have 24 months to complete the project.

the word out about the projects that accomplished the letter’s goals. River Forest Park Board President Ross Roloff noted that, while there have been proposals to put solar panels on the River Forest Depot building, which serves as both a park district facility and the station house for the village Metra station, that may not be feasible. Because of the angle the solar panels would need to be at, they would only be able to put it on the platform side, which is closer to the tracks, which would mean “higher rates of vandalism.” The Park District of Oak Park already has

solar panels at Ridgeland Common Recreation Complex, Longfellow Center, Fox Center and Oak Park Conservatory. It has also installed bioswales and rain gardens at the conservatory and Austin Gardens Environmental Education Center which not only reduce flooding, but allow the park district to reuse some of the rain water. Arnold said the park district is working with its Environmental Sustainability Advisory Committee to figure out what else it can do to be more sustainable. One of the major priorities, she said, was looking for opportunities to add solar panels to more facilities and using wind power.

“We execute projects when we said we were going to do it. There hasn’t been one grant where we haven’t done exactly what we’re supposed to do.” JAN ARNOLD

Park district executive director

If successful, the park district would have to cover the initial costs out of its own funds, but would get half of the grant amount reimbursed after the project is halfway complete. It would get reimbursed for the remaining half after completion. While the park district expects that there would be plenty of competition, Diane Stanke,

the park district’s director of marketing and customer services, said that its past record using state grant funds should work in its favor. “I think our grant history is a positive for us,” she said. “We execute projects when we said we were going to do it. There hasn’t been one grant where we haven’t done exactly what we’re supposed to do.”

Wednesday Journal, January 1, 2020

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S I G N S

O F

T H E

T I M E S  P H O T O S

F R O M

2 0 1 9

5 Photos by ALEX ROGALS/Staff Photographer

1. Chosyn Grady, of Oak Park, goes down the slide, on April 6, at Longfellow Park. 2. The Lakeside Pride marching band performs on July 4, during the annual Fourth of July parade. 3.Emmett Richardson, left, and Nico Lopez-Pries, both 8 and from Oak Park, play in an inflatable slip-n-slide on June 29, during a block party on Wesley Avenue.

4. Students hold up photos in memory of black teens killed by police on Feb. 26, during the Speak Up Stand Out student walkout in Oak Park. 5. Fenwick’s Audrey Hinrichs (31) shoots the ball on Jan. 4, during a varsity basketball game against Montini in Montini’s Main Gym in Lombard. 6. Joshua Wood, of Oak Park, inside of the igloo on Feb. 1, in the backyard of his home on Superior Street in Oak Park. 7. Kids enjoy fresh cups of lemonade on Sept. 11, 2019, during the annual LemonAid

Wednesday Journal, January 1, 2020

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C R I M E

Victim escapes armed robbery attempt

Two men approached an Oak Park resident, brandished a handgun and demanded the resident turn over their property at 6:05 p.m. Dec. 20 in the 800 block of South Boulevard. The resident immediately fled toward the CTA Green Line station, while the two men fled the scene on foot southbound down the alley between Grove Avenue and Kenilworth Avenue. No loss was reported. Police describe the offenders as young black men, between the ages of 15 and 20. One of the men, about 5 feet 6 inches tall with an approximate weight of 130 pounds, wore a gray skull cap and all dark clothing. The other man was slightly taller, with an estimated height of 6 feet and weight of 150 pounds. He too wore all dark clothing but carried the handgun.

$970. ■ A person struck a woman with a stick and grabbed her red bag, which contained various credit and debit cards, a white Apple iPhone 8 and pink-purple wallet Dec. 24, between 6:13 and 6:14, in the 200 block of Lombard Avenue.

Armed Robbery

■ A person entered into an Oak Park residence through an unlocked kitchen window and stole a black MSI laptop computer from the dining room table between 8:50 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Dec. 19 in the 1000 block of Pleasant Place. Total loss is $1,300. ■ Someone broke into an Oak Park home through an unlocked rear pantry window and stole Christmas presents from the living room, jewelry from the bedroom and liquor from the front room hallway between 9 a.m.

■ Three men dressed in black with ski masks on their faces approached a Chicago resident, then the tallest man, around 6 feet tall, pulled out a black handgun and took $70 and a gold Apple iPhone 11 from the victim Dec. 20, between 5:40 and 5:50, in the 1100 block of Wesley Avenue. Three men fled on foot southbound on Wesley Avenue towards Roosevelt Road. The total loss is

Aggravated Assault ■ A man pulled out a handgun after some Forest Park residents questioned his suspicious behavior Dec. 22, between 6:45 p.m. to 6:48 p.m., in the 100 block of South Oak Park Avenue. The man then fled southbound into an alley.

Residential Burglary

and 4 p.m. Dec. 20 in the 100 block of North Humphrey Avenue. Total loss is unknown.

Motor Vehicle Burglary ■ Someone

opened an unlocked car door and stole 15 gift cards, a pair of Ray-Ban sunglasses and two bottles of metformin between 9 p.m. Dec. 24 and 9:30 a.m. Dec. 25 in the 1100 block of South Oak Park Avenue. Total loss is $1,000.

Theft ■ A man and a woman, both in their 40s, stole multiple packages from the 100 block of North Kenilworth Avenue; the couple then loaded the packages into the trunk of a white four-door sedan at 2:28 p.m. Dec. 21. The offenders then drove off southbound on Kenilworth Avenue. Total loss is $389. ■ A vehicle was stolen from the corner of Clarence Avenue and Adams Street between 8:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Dec. 20. The loss is estimated at $10,000. ■ A vehicle was stolen from the 100 block of Frank Lloyd Wright Lane between 8:15 p.m. and 8:37 p.m. Dec 22. The estimated loss is $18,100. ■ Using a key fob, a person stole a vehicle

in the 400 block of South Grove Avenue between 10 p.m. Dec. 25 and 5:30 a.m. Dec. 26. Estimated loss is $16,500.

Criminal damage to property ■ A person bent the parking gate of the Holley Court parking garage in the 1100 block of Ontario Street between 6 a.m. and 1:26 p.m. Dec. 17. The estimated damage is $1,500. ■ The gate arm on the south east side of Holley Court parking garage, 1125 Ontario St., also sustained damage Dec. 24, between 11:43 a.m. and 1:02 p.m. The total cost of the damage for that incident is unknown. ■ These items, obtained from the Oak Park Police Department, came from reports Dec. 20-27 and represent a portion of the incidents to which police responded. Anyone named in these reports has only been charged with a crime and cases have not yet been adjudicated. We report the race of a suspect only when a serious crime has been committed, the suspect is still at large, and police have provided us with a detailed physical description of the suspect as they seek the public’s help in making an arrest.

Compiled by Stacey Sheridan

In 2019, equity, protest and taxes made the news

The year was marked by two historic policies passed by D97 and D200 By MICHAEL ROMAIN Staff Reporter

The passage, and now the implementation, of two historic racial equity policies at District 97 and District 200, the removal of controversial murals and safety concerns at the middle schools, the start of major capital improvements at OPRF after years of impasse and TIFs (tax increment financing) districts created some of Wednesday Journal’s most impactful education-related news in 2019.

Racial equity In March, the District 97 school board unanimously approved a much-anticipated racial equity policy for Oak Park’s elementary schools that had been months, if not years, in the making. A month later, the District 200 school board unanimously approved a racial equity policy for Oak Park and River Forest High School. During the 2019-20 school year, administrators in both districts focused on making those policies reality. Administrators at

D200 made front page headlines when they hired a new equity director at OPRF and they created waves of public reaction that have yet to crest when they announced that starting in 2021-22, freshman will no longer be separated into college preparatory and honors course levels.

Journal in May showed that the vast majority of teachers at Brooks and Julian had serious concerns with discipline, safety and security in the middle schools. In response, D97 did not back away from behavioral measures they believe are more restorative than punitive.

‘Too white’ murals

Capital improvements finally happening at OPRF

In the spring, multiple murals deemed “too white” by local activists were removed by administrators at Brooks and Julian middle schools, prompting a conversation about whether or not racial equity measures and the activists involved in them had crossed the line. A February protest against racism planned by an African American student at OPRF that involved high schoolers who met up with middle schoolers in frigid weather to cross busy streets resulted in a minor fracas outside of village hall, the suspension of two employees at the high school and a public debate about when protest is appropriate. The mural removals and the winter protest sparked a debate among racial equity advocates about tactics and techniques.

Discipline at the middle schools A major survey obtained by Wednesday

Before Supt. Joylynn Pruitt-Adams recommended the formation of a working group to take an in-depth look at all of OPRF’s facilities, years of stalemate and tense public wrangling over what to do with the high school’s two nearly century-old swimming pools had clouded other chronic problems with the aging campus — antiquated classrooms and a serious lack of ADA-compliant features among them. In August — two years after the formation of that working group, Imagine OPRF — the D200 school board voted unanimously on a contract with Chicago-based Pepper Construction Company to oversee first-phase capital improvement projects totaling $32.6 million. The first phase work, set to start summer 2020, will include the renovation and/or relocation of dozens of classrooms, the cafeteria and the library, among other improvements that, once complete, will

define the student experience at the high school for generations to come.

Expiration of TIF districts sparks debate, backlash As 2019 closed some residents united in opposition when, instead of giving it back to the taxpayers, most local taxing bodies decided to capture the surplus revenue from the expiration of Oak Park’s Madison Street and downtown tax increment financing (TIF) districts. The pushback was directed perhaps most intensely at D97 school board members, with residents alarmed at the relative size of the numbers — the district stands to gain $5.3 million in revenue from the expired TIFs and approved a 9.7 percent increase over last year’s tax levy for residents living in the village’s TIF districts and in new property (residents everywhere else would only see a 1.9 percent increase on the D97 portion of their tax bills, district officials said). The distinction wasn’t enough for some outspoken community members who indicated that the school board’s vote to capture the TIF revenue, which D97 officials said was necessary in order to avoid even higher tax increases, will become a dominant theme in the next election. CONTACT: michael@oakpark.com

Wednesday Journal, January 1, 2020

YEAR IN REVIEW

Contentious village board from page 1

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2019

many members of the community, who subsequently aired their grievances with him in public comment at an Oct. 21 board meeting.

YEAR IN REVIEW

Frank Lloyd Wright still talk of the town

Those opposed to the high-rises scored a win in early 2019, forcing developer Golub & Co. to abandon its plans to build a 28-story luxury apartment building half a block away from the Frank Lloyd Wright masterpiece Unity Temple. Opponents argued that the high-rise would cast a shadow over Wright’s architectural treasure. The outcry prompted Oak Park village trustees to oppose the building’s height before it even made to the board table. Most surprisingly, perhaps, was the decision by pro-development Mayor Abu-Taleb to publicly disavow the plan in late 2018. “I do not envision, nor do I support, a 28-story building on this site,” Abu-Taleb said in December of last year. Following the developer’s decision in March to pull the plug on the project, Abu-Taleb lamented, “I wish we were able to find a way to say yes.”

Villagers were up in arms earlier in the year over a plan by the Frank Lloyd Wright Trust to demolish a historic home and alter another adjacent to the famed architect’s home and studio, 951 Chicago Ave., to make room for a new visitor and education center. The plan was roundly opposed by preservation advocates and unanimously rejected by the Oak Park Historic Preservation Commission, prompting the trust to abandon the proposal in early September. It’s not the only time Wright’s name was in the news this year. The late architect made international headlines in July, when Oak Park’s Unity Temple, 875 Lake St., was named one of eight Wright buildings to be designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Chicago’s Frederick C. Robie House also made the list.

Big business in the village

Arti Walker-Peddakotla

File photos

SO BIG: The Albion (above) at 1000 Lake St. in downtown Oak Park was among the high-rises – and the latest -- completed in 2019. The 19-story structure includes 265 rental units and offers such amenities as a pool, dog run, indoor/outdoor yoga stations and a coffee bar.

Susan Buchanan

New village board, new challenges Oak Park’s municipal elections took center stage this year with the most hotly contested Oak Park village board race in recent memory – 11 candidates ran for three seats, following the dissolution of Oak Park’s longstanding and once powerful Village Manager Association (VMA) in 2018. The VMA recruited and slated candidates for public office for decades and consistently saw their endorsed candidates win elections; its departure left a vacuum, opening the door to a flood of political hopefuls. Trustee James Taglia, who was appointed to the board in 2017 when a seat became vacant, retained his seat, and political newcomers Arti Walker-Peddakotla and Susan Buchanan won seats once held by Bob Tucker and Andrea Button, neither of whom

sought reelection. Just prior to leaving office, the outgoing board passed an affordable housing ordinance requiring that 10 percent of units in new construction be affordable in developments along most of the CTA el lines and on Madison Street. The ordinance also allows developers to not include affordable units and instead pay $100,000 per unit into a fund used for affordable housing projects. The new board got off to a contentious start this year at its first meeting in May, with Walker-Peddakotla criticizing the board over its unwillingness to adopt a revamped diversity statement, which declares the body’s commitment to equity and inclusion. The new language, proposed by the village’s Community Relations Commission, stated, among other things, that the board would work to “break down systems of oppression in order to seek fair opportunities and outcomes for all residents.” Walker-Peddakotla criticized the board for choosing not to put the proposed language

up for a vote and for not moving forward with an equity policy, also advanced by the commission. “Your discomfort is exactly what you need to feel because your comfort comes at my, at our expense,” she said. The issue reached a fevered pitch months later in October, when Trustee Buchanan called out white, male members of the board, stating: “Why are you arguing what is a system of oppression? You’ve never experienced one, so shut up!” Buchanan also told Oak Park Mayor Anan Abu-Taleb, who is a native of Palestine, “Your skin is white enough,” when he tried to intervene. The story went viral on the internet after being shared on the conspiracy website Infowars, resulting in threats to Buchanan, who later apologized for the outburst. Trustee Dan Moroney, one of the trustees Buchanan told to “shut up,” made multiple media appearances in the aftermath, including a spot on Dan Proft’s controversial “Morning Answer” radio show. That particular appearance landed him in hot water with

Unity Temple wasn’t the only Oak Park institution to make big news this year. Byline Bank completed its $40 million purchase of Community Bank of Oak Park and River Forest in April. And Oak Park’s oldest business, H.J. Mohr & Sons Co., closed up shop and its site went on the market for $7 million. The concrete manufacturer occupied a 3.29-acre plot of land at the intersection of Harlem and Maple for decades. The property was put up for sale after the owners rejected a proposal by the Village of Oak Park to purchase the land for $4.4 million. Another Oak Park institution that found itself under new ownership in 2019 was West Suburban Medical Center, which was sold by Dallas-based Tenet Healthcare to national hospital operator Pipeline Health. It is the fifth time the hospital has been sold since 1996.

News out of the village Buildings and businesses weren’t the only big news items this year in Oak Park. The Oak Park Police Department kicked off the year with some news of its own, swearing in LaDon Reynolds as chief of police. He succeeded Anthony Ambrose who took a leave of absence in 2018 after being diagnosed with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, also known as NASH. The village also grabbed residents’ attention in January with the reversal of a decision by Village Manager Cara Pavlicek to remove the village clerk as a first point of contact for Freedom of Information Act requests, instead sending all requests to the Village Attorney’s Office. The reversal came after residents and advocacy groups like Oak Park Call to Action called foul on the plan.

Closures and saviors The hearts of music lovers throughout

Wednesday Journal, January 1, 2020

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2019

light sometime in the near future with the news that HBO has been filming in Oak Park for it’s documentary about Oak Park native Michelle McNamara’s posthumously published book “I’ll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman’s Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer.” Oak Park may become a hot location for Hollywood types, as FX’s hit television show “Fargo” has also been filming in the village. In November, the show transformed the corner of Euclid Avenue and Randolph Street into 1950s Kansas City with beautiful antique cars with vintage Missouri license plates lining the streets.

YEAR IN REVIEW

Wednesday Journal becomes the story File photo

SHOULD I STAY OR SHOULD I GO? Shayne Blakeley and Val’s halla Records (above left) on Harrison Street won a reprieve from closing after a patron swooped in to provide a way forward. But, Winberie’s (above right) vacated its longtime perch at Lake and Oak Park at the end of December. the entire Chicago area broke and reassembled in a matter of days when beloved record store Val’s halla announced its impending closure on Facebook in early November. Then, days later, Val’s announced that the store would remain open, after a River Forest resident saved the day at the last minute. Hearts broke again in December when Oak Park staple Winberie’s announced the

restaurant would close Dec. 28. In many Facebook posts, the impassioned public bemoaned the loss of the restaurant and shared memories of good times spent there.

Oak Park gets its 15 minutes of fame Oak Park could soon be on the national stage with a lawsuit headed to the U.S. Su-

preme Court. The case comes from Laura Pekarik, owner of Courageous Bakery, 736 Lake St., who challenged Chicago’s foodtruck ordinance, which requires the vehicles to be equipped with a GPS tracker, among other things. Pekarik’s lawyer said in August, following the Illinois Supreme Court decision ruling in favor of the city in May, that the supreme court was a possibility. The village also might be back in the spot-

Finally, Oak Park’s very own independently owned newspaper, yours truly, made some news of its own this year, announcing in September its decision to begin a new era and become a non-profit organization with the establishment of Growing Community Media. The new model follows the lead of a number of news organizations across the country to encourage readers to invest in the news they consume. “Non-profit journalism is the future of journalism,” Dan Haley, Wednesday Journal Inc. publisher, wrote in September. “It is all around us and being supported by everyday people who know in their bones that life is all about community and that community needs active means to connect and grow.”

Wednesday Journal, January 1, 2020

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I N

M E M O R I A M

Remembering those we lost in 2019

James Aull IV, 80

A social justice activist, Aull’s passion was fueled by his work at the YMCA and his exposure to the needs of disadvantaged youth. He was also a founder of the Oak Park Lesbian and Gay Association and worked on its youth services projects. June 8.

Allan Baldwin, 71 A former chair of the Ernest Hemingway Foundation, Baldwin was an intrepid traveler having adventures from Mt. Everest to Antarctica. He was a skilled sailor and scuba diver. He worked in technology at both Loyola University and at University of Illinois Medical Center where he was instrumental in implementing the first electronic medical records system in the U.S. May 21.

Rev. Richard Billings, 94 Rev. Billings served as minister of Unity of Oak Park for 50 years. After serving in active duty in the Pacific during World War II, he became a fashion designer with a shop on Oak Street in Chicago. He left that behind to become an ordained Unity minister. He came to Oak Park in 1967 to head a small congregation which had purchased a fixer-upper mansion on North Euclid Avenue. From there the congregation grew to several hundred. Feb. 18.

Paul Bouman, 100 A composer and teacher, Bouman was a founder of the Bach Cantata Vespers series hosted at Grace Lutheran Church in River Forest. In his long retirement, he published over a hundred choral anthems, songs and work for organ.

Lou Cardone The longtime owner of the Onion Roll, a legendary Oak Park deli, Cardone and his brother, Johnny, owned the North Avenue spot from 1984 until 2014. He got the humor in “two Italian guys” running a Kosher deli but said a long-time cus-

tomer, “When Lou ran the Onion Roll, it was a place where people knew who you were and knew how you liked your coffee.” May 3.

Karen Daniel, 62 A respected attorney whose work focused on advocacy for prisoners wrongly convicted, Daniel was struck and killed Dec. 26 by a vehicle while out walking her dog near Pleasant Street and Scoville Avenue. A leader in the innocence movement, Daniel had worked at Northwestern University, but was due to begin work in January at the Exoneration Project at the University of Chicago. Dec. 26.

Lowell Eckberg, 84 In a long life, Eckberg played many roles including military service, teaching, social work and ministry. He served as president of the Community of Congregations, volunteered at the Housing Center, the Hemingway Birth Home and the Economy Shop. Jan. 30.

Daniel Escalona, 25 A graduate of OPRF and the University of Illinois-Champaign, Escalona studied journalism. He earned a master’s of journalism and was a freelance reporter for Wednesday Journal. He died of complications from Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. April 12.

Robert Fuller, 83 A beloved teacher at OPRF, Fuller headed the vibrant Fine Arts Department at the school for many years. An accomplished pianist and composer, Fuller brought a playful sense of humor and kindness to students at the high school.

Bernie Judge, 79 A legendary Chicago newspaper man, Judge started at the City News Bureau and went on to work for the Tribune and SunTimes and as publisher of the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin. He is a member of the Fenwick High School and Chicago Journalism hall of fame. June 12.

Christine Long, 87 A longtime Oak Parker, Long was known for her political activism on topics ranging

from ballot access to immigration and civil rights. A veteran of many political campaigns, she focused on her Polish heritage and was active in the Poland’s transition from communism to democracy. March 10.

Richard Matthies, 82 A dean at OPRF for 22 years, Matthies was also a member of the Fire and Police Commission for 10 years and worked as volunteer coordinator at Rush Oak Park Hospital. Aug. 27.

Sr. Jean Murray, 91 Sr. Jean Murray served as president of Rosary College, now Dominican University, from 1981 to 1994. She joined Rosary as a French teacher in 1961 and was later chair of the Foreign Languages Department. “There was a quiet strength about Jean Murray that defined who she was and all that she accomplished,” said Donna Carroll, current president of Dominican. Feb. 14.

John Murtagh, 75 John retired to Oak Park from Michigan after a successful career at General Motors. He moved here to b closer to children and grandchildren. He was an active volunteer on village commissions and later became a critic of some village initiatives. He was a regular commenter on Wednesday Journal’s website. Oct. 14.

Rev. Harry Parker, 66 The senior pastor at First Baptist Church of Oak Park from 1990 to 2018, Parker spoke with candor and grace about his life and his work including the illness which finally ended his life. He delivered his final sermon on Nov. 3 and titled it “My Confession.” Nov. 22.

Bobbie Raymond, 80 A foundational figure in Oak Park’s long experiment in racial integration, Raymond was the founder of the Oak Park Housing Center in 1972. She played an enormous role in all of Oak Park’s many efforts to foster racial integration in housing. After her retirement from the

housing center, her focus shifted to OPRF where she worked to resuscitate the Alumni Association turning its efforts toward providing scholarships and summer travel and learning experiences for current students without such opportunities. A well-regarded artist, Raymond exhibited her paintings and taught classes at the Oak Park Art League. May 7.

Nancy Staunton, 90 An Oak Park village trustee and active community volunteer, Staunton was known for a steady and calm approach to both her work and her family. She worked in public health, volunteered at Thrive and the Community Nursing Service. She was also an active member of the League of Women Voters. Staunton served on the village board in the late 1980s. Nov. 24.

Jon Van, 75 A science and medicine reporter for the Chicago Tribune, Van was known for clear reporting accessible to ordinary readers. He had an insatiable curiosity about how stuff works. An avid cyclist, Van commuted by bike from his Oak Park home to Tribune Tower every month of the year. July 10.

Bob Vondrasek A towering activist in the Austin neighborhood starting in the 1970s, Vondrasek was a community organizer and agitator who headed the South Austin Coalition Community Council. Active on a wide range of housing and affordability issues, Vondrasek, a white graduate of Notre Dame, won the trust of West Side black leaders and residents. April 19.

Herb Zobel, 90 An avid bicyclist, traveler and craftsman, Zobel worked to keep old buildings in good repair. An early male member of the 19th Century Club he worked on that Forest Avenue structure as well as at his longtime church home at First United on Lake Street. He was an active Boy Scout leader and was elected to the Order of the Arrow. He spent his career as an engineer at Peoples Gas. Along with his wife, Claudette, he was an early investor in Wednesday Journal. June 2.

Wednesday Journal, January 1, 2020

Homes

NEED TO REACH US?

oakpark.com/real-estate email: buphues@wjinc.com

2019: A Year in Homes We talked history, landmarks, nonprofits and more By LACEY SIKORA

Contributing Reporter

n 2019, the Wednesday Journal Homes section covered local housewalks from Wright Plus to the Parenthesis Kitchen Walk, featured locals who work in the housing arena and let readers visit a variety of homes and gardens in Oak Park and River Forest and surrounding suburbs without leaving the comfort of their own homes. Here’s a look back at some of this year’s stories.

January In January, we took a look at a Historic Preservation Award-winning renovation in Oak Park. Homeowners Dan and Rachel Stark were just getting comfortable in the Victorian on the 400 block of South Home, when a storm felled a tree, destroying much of their front porch. The couple turned to the Oak Park River Forest Historical Society to research their home’s past and architecture. Working with contractor Peter Thomas, they restored the porch to what it most likely looked like when the home was constructed in 1898.

February During February, we covered Sister House’s relocation to Oak Park. Founded in the Austin neighborhood in 1982, Sister House was originally conceived as a means of helping women make the transition from prison to life in the outside world. By the time the organization made the move in 2019 to the former convent of St. Catherine-St. Lucy Parish, the organization was focused on helping women break the cycle of addiction to alcohol and drugs.

March We took a look at a coach house-turned-single-family home in March with a story on 616 Iowa St. in Oak Park. Designed in 1911 by architect Thornton Herr, the coach house was built for the original owners of the house to its east, John and Anna Nelson. Nelson made his living selling horse blankets. Historical Society Executive Director Frank Lipo noted that what goes around comes around in observing that there is a new trend in the village to construct large coach houses behind prominent homes.

April In April, we looked across Austin Boulevard to celebrate the architecture of Frederick Schock. The neighborhood encompassing the Schock houses was planned

ALEX ROGALS/Staff Photographer

SCHOCK-ING: In April, Wednesday Journal Homes celebrated the architecture of Frederick Schock. There are four of the late-19th century architect’s designs in Austin, including his own residence (above) on Midway Park Parkway. by Oak Park developer Henry W. Austin, who began selling lots in the then-suburb of Chicago in the late 1800s. Today, the Austin Schock Historic District includes four remaining Schock-designed houses, located at 5749 and 5804 W. Race Avenue and 5804 and 5810 W. Midway Park. In 1999, the city of Chicago designated the Queen Anne and shingle-style Schock houses in Austin as historic landmarks.

May In May, Oak Park’s Maze Branch Library celebrated the return of spring with a renewed focus on its Sensory Garden. Inspired by a trip to the Chicago Botanic Garden, Children’s Librarian Shelley Harris wanted to integrate the natural world into the library’s programming. A new concrete sidewalk was poured to make the courtyard accessible to visitors in wheelchairs. The library also called on staff member Linda Miller who helped enhance sight and sound for visitors with plants of different textures, colors and scents, as well as added enhancements like wind chimes.

June In June, we covered the conversion of Oak Park’s Hales Mansion into a new home for the Language and Music School. Now known as the International Mansion, owners Maria Emilia Fermi and son Brando Crawford moved the school from its former storefront location just down the street on Oak Park Avenue. The mansion at 509 N. Oak Park Ave. had been on and off the market since 2006, when it was listed for $2.65 million. Fermi and Crawford purchased it in May 2019 for $1,575,000. The home was designed in 1903 by architect Henry G. Fiddelke for grain magnate Burton Fr. Hales and his wife, Frances. After a period of being used as housing for Jesuit priests, the house was a single-family home prior to school’s purchase. With the aid of local architect Deb McQueen, Fermi and Crawford spent the summer renovating the home to prepare for a fall opening. See YEAR IN HOMES on page 17

Wednesday Journal, January 1, 2020

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

Ascension School

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Wednesday Journal, January 1, 2020

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Wednesday Journal, January 1, 2020

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

YEAR IN HOMES from page 17

July In July, we turned to neighboring Maywood to discover a Tallmadge and Watson-designed Prairie-Style bungalow. When Berwyn police officer Loren Buchmeier and his wife, Alyse, found the home in 2011, its most recent occupants had been a family of raccoons. As a carpenter on the side, Loren thought he had what it took to rehabilitate the house, and with the help of his father, he set about saving the home. Over seven years, the Buchmeiers worked tirelessly to restore the home, known as the Henry Akin House, which was built for one of Maywood’s first mayors.

August In August, we visited Sojourner House, the first dedicated bridge housing in suburban Cook County. Located on Austin Boulevard, Sojourner House contains five separate apartments, as well as a detached coach house, and bridges the gap between homeless shelters and permanent housing for vulnerable men, women, and families facing homelessness. A combined effort of Housing Forward, Oak Park Housing Authority, MacNeal Hospital and Oak Park Residence Corporation, the house is designed to keep families together with shortterm stable housing until they can find permanent housing; to serve as an alternative to PADS shelters for people requiring accessible accommodation and to provide temporary residence for people recovering from medical treatment.

November The village awarded 408 N. Kenilworth Ave. in Oak Park landmark status in November. Homeowners Myrtle and George Mason applied for historic landmark status for the place they have called home for over 50 years. With the help of architect Jack Lesniak, they uncovered an interesting architectural history before submitting their application. Originally designed by architects Patton and Fisher, the home was later remodeled twice by Tallmadge and Watson, making it a unique example of the styles of two notable pairs of architects.

December In December, we rounded out the year, with a sneak peek at the Infant Welfare Society’s Holiday Housewalk, a personal profile of local development stalwart Tom Gallagher, the architecture of Frank DeMoney and a Christmas lights round up.

September In September, we followed the case of the missing dog tag, a mystery solved by two intrepid River Forest sleuths, George Summy and Fletcher Neri, who happened upon some rusted dog tags while digging in Neri’s backyard. With the help of Summy’s mom, Carrie, the internet and the Oak Park River Forest Historical Society, the two boys learned a lot about the tag’s original owner, Wayland Cedarquist, whose wife’s family lived near the Neri’s River Forest house when Cedarquist returned from World War II. The boys plan to return the tags to a Cedarquist relative.

October

Tom Gallagher

In October, we interviewed Lee Bey, photographer and architectural critic about his new book, “Southern Exposure: The Overlooked Architecture of Chicago’s South Side.” A former Oak Park resident, Bey worked as the architecture critic for the Sun-Times, served as the deputy chief of staff for urban planning under former Mayor Richard M. Daley and currently is a senior lecturer at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago as well as an independent consultant. His book delves into the architectural richness of the South Side, which Bey says can be overlooked in a city know for architectural greatness.

Wednesday Journal, January 1, 2020

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

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Wednesday Journal, January 1, 2020

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DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS IS FRIDAY 5 P.M. Email Viewpoints editor Ken Trainor, ktrainor@wjinc.com

Wednesday Journal, January 1, 2020

VIEWPOINTS 2 0 1 9

Taking moments for granted no way to have Lives Well Lived

Y E A R

I N

Do better in 2020 p. 24

S H R U B T O W N

by Marc Stopeck

ocumentary next up at Wabi Sabi film fest. Lives Well Lived is a documentary by Sky Bergman that celebrates the incredible wit and wisdom of adults 75 to 100 years old who are living their lives to the fullest. Encompassing over 3,000 years of experience, 40 people share their secrets and insights to living a meaningful life. Annie Dillard said, “How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives.” And the documentary is our feature as the Wabi Sabi Film Festival continues this month -- Friday, Jan. 24, 10 a.m. at the Lake Theater in downtown Oak Park. This is a film festival about aging which encourages all members of our community to embrace and respect our aging population and the transformation of our society. The Wabi Sabi Film Festival is open to everybody. Admission is $2. And the popcorn is free! The film festival is sponsored by the Village of River Forest, the Village of Oak Park, Sen. Don Harmon, Rush Oak Park Hospital, Oak Park and River Forest Townships, the River Forest Public Library, a Tribe Called Aging and Wednesday Journal. When I saw Lives Well Lived, I was reminded of a history of our country through the everyday lives of 40 people, including a Japanese mother who lived in the internment camps, an Italian father and storekeeper, a young African-American woman in the Civil Rights Movement, a young Jewish girl fleeing the Nazis and arriving in America alone, a rancher, a sculptor, a musician and many others. I was also reminded of how much I take for granted on a daily basis, those small amazing things all around me, and of how important it is to just pause, be present and appreciate. Most depictions of older people in our country, especially depictions from Hollywood, focus on the losses and problems that we face as we age. Lives Well Lived provides some balance and honesty, and does so through the words of older people themselves, through intimate memories and inspiring personal histories. As always at the Wabi Sabi Film Festival, there will be intheater discussion following the movie, facilitated by our host Elizabeth White, author of 55, Underemployed, and Faking Normal. Viewers will divide into small groups for focused sharing and then reconvene as a large group. Show up at the Lake Theater with a friend on and enjoy the dialogue and the popcorn! Lastly, I want to acknowledge the return of Sunday Night Dinner, the unique fundraiser for local not-for-profit organizations. Once again held at The Buzz Café, after a 15-year hiatus, Sunday Night Dinner will be serving upscale fare, locally sourced and crafted, to support organizations such as Kindness Creators Intergenerational Preschool, Housing Forward and Arbor West Neighbors. On Jan. 12, the recipient organization will be Growing Community Media, the new non-profit owner of Wednesday Journal. Please contact Dan Haley at Wednesday Journal for tickets. Supplies limited to 35 and they are going fast! Dan’s email is dhaley@wjinc.com.

MARC BLESOFF

See YEAR IN SHRUBTOWN on page 25

Lunch in the Automat at Marshall Field’s

hen I was a young guy, I would go to the Loop with my grandmother two or three times during summer vacations from school. We would shop at Field’s until noon, and then we would go to the Automat on State Street for lunch. My grandmother liked the Automat, because it was cheap and the food was great. The first thing we did upon entering the Automat was to exchange paper money for coins. Twenty nickels was enough money to buy a meal. My grandmother would case the place with an eagle eye until she found an empty table, and when we got to the table, she would place a book on the table so no one else would sit there. All food was behind windows that looked like post boxes, flush against a wall and framed in stainless steel. Behind those windows was a load of food choices. There were sandwiches on white and rye bread totally filled with chicken salad, ham salad and tuna salad. Other windows displayed hot dogs, beans, soup and salads. I would walk back and forth in front of the windows trying to make up my mind until grandma told me to hurry up. When I decided, I put the required number of nickels into the respective slots, and with a loud snapping noise, the windows would open, and I would reach into the openings and grab the plates and slide them onto my tray.

The windows would then shut, and in the empty places where my food had been, an exact duplicate of what I had chosen would appear, the items being replaced by a person behind the wall. Balancing my tray as I weaved through the crowded tables was an acrobatic act. When I got to our table, I carefully placed my plates and utensils on the checkered tablecloth and sat down in a well-cushioned chair. My grandmother ordered milk for me and tea for herself from a waitress. We spent about a half-hour eating and started on our journey back to Oak Park on the el. Sometimes we stopped at my grandfather’s office on Randolph Street to say hello, or my grandmother would decide that we should do more shopping, which would mean a long stop at Carson’s. Once or twice each summer, my great aunt Jane would join us for lunch and go with us to my grandfather’s office. On the days that we would visit my grandfather and Jane, we wouldn’t get home until 3 or 4 o’clock. By the time I reached eighth grade, I no longer went on the trips downtown. My grandmother went instead with my mother and they met Jane at the Automat. In spite of the extra stops for shopping and conversations of great length, my memories of going to the Automat with my grandmother were quite positive — the food was plentiful, it tasted great, and the price was right.

JOHN

STANGER

Wednesday Journal, January 1, 2020

O U R

V I E W P O I N T S

The problem is escapism

V I E W S

Do better in 2020

he year 2019 will not go down as Oak Park’s best effort. And 2020 will have to be consciously better if this village is to avoid municipal and school board elections in 2021 that are pure rancor. Here’s where Oak Park fell short in the year just ended. April’s village board election assembled a seven-member conflagration that featured a wider philosophical split than any in memory, less capacity for listening and compromise than is healthy, more fervent special issue focuses than lead to focused progress. The tensions were seen in the village government’s inexplicable failing to take decisive action on equity – a detailed plan, funding for the plan, a willingness to engage in tough conversations on race and fairness. That divide was most obvious in the inability to move a more inclusive Diversity Statement to passage without creating a national social media rage. More importantly there is still not progress on an overall plan to make equity a lens for decision-making in all the areas touched by village hall. A good place to prove our leadership has the capacity for honest talk would be a thoroughgoing discussion and analysis of policing in Oak Park. We can agree our police department has many virtues and still talk honestly about policing strategies, about the high cost of our current structure and alternative thinking on policing. The end of the Downtown and the Madison Street TIFs and the concurrent development successes in both commercial corridors ought to have been a time to celebrate – and a time for every taxing body in town to have paused property tax hikes and allowed weary taxpayers some relief. With astounding tone deafness, the two school districts, the library and the park district all grabbed every available dollar for their own, often ill-defined use. Credit to Oak Park Township and the village government for foregoing the tax grab. At a time when the schools, library and parks have accomplished so much on equity by aligning staff, elected boards and the public on making profound change to fight systemic racism, they are setting up an anti-tax election for 2021 that might undo that good work. Did not have to play out this way. Looking toward 2020, park boards in both Oak Park and River Forest will have to think hard about whether this is the moment to build new and pricey community centers. Especially as the YMCA continues its planning for a potential new facility in Melrose Park. At the same time, Oak Park Village Hall needs to think once, twice, three times about the timing of a new police station. It certainly shouldn’t happen until the wider discussion of policing takes place. And, wise minds need to join up to find a middle ground that allows the Frank Lloyd Wright Trust to build a needed Visitors Center without further frustrating neighbors in the historic district. It would be a good start if the Wright Trust got off its high horse and did some serious community building with its neighbors. Ditto Rush Oak Park Hospital as it reworks its plan for a new parking garage sitting foursquare in the middle of a residential neighborhood. There will be – if the economy stays vital – more economic development projects in both villages. The Dreschler Brown and Williams Funeral Home property on Marion Street will be a prime site. And the U.S. Bank drive up on Lake Street will not be a bank drive up forever, though more listening will bring in a project at eight stories, not 28. Oak Park and River Forest also need as aspirational vision. For us that opportunity is on bold innovation on sustainability. We have the thinkers and doers in place to do this work. Now we need our taxing bodies to embrace the possibilities. This year is the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. We surely don’t have another 50 years to squander. One last thought. Lake Street from Harlem to Euclid is going to be a full-blown construction mess this year as workers go down to the dirt for new water and sewer before repaving and streetscaping follow. If we actually believe in the power of small business, this will be the year to persevere with our local business owners.

Marijuana is legal in Illinois, beginning today. So I went back to a column I wrote that first ran on Sept. 25, 1996. I caught a lot of flak for it. People accused me of encouraging drug use. Twentythree years later, the advice, I think in retrospect, holds up pretty well. See what you think.

hen I was in college and for a few years after, I used marijuana. I mention this, first of all, to guarantee that I never try to run for public office, but also because I think we have to develop a more realistic approach to talking to our kids about drugs, and honesty is the place to start. The fact is, many parents in my generation dabbled in mind-altering drugs. The vast majority, I bet, survived that period without any lasting damage. At any rate, that’s my situation. I haven’t used marijuana in approximately 20 years [now 42 years] and if anyone offered me a joint, I would politely decline [still true]. Not because I think it’s evil or dangerous or illegal or a bad example. Mostly, I don’t do it because I don’t need the escape. Escapism is the real issue, not the means of getting there. We all have our escapes from everyday reality, some riskier than others — movies, hang-gliding, alcohol, heroin, even sex. The quotidian can get oppressive, especially if we find ourselves stuck in unsatisfying situations, but the more we go AWOL from our lives, the bigger our problem. If our chosen method of escape also causes physical and psychological damage, so much the worse. Marijuana isn’t dangerous; at any rate it’s certainly not as damaging as alcohol, and we sanction that in moderation. Demonizing marijuana and including it in our war on drugs is, ultimately, a waste of our limited resources. Legalizing it would free up manpower and money for the effort to intercept truly damaging drugs like heroin. But that’s another issue. Legal or not, marijuana will always be available, and our kids may be tempted to try it. If we tell them it’s evil, then they try it and find out it’s not, our credibility is shot. It’s really shot if they find out we tried it ourselves and now we’re exaggerating the risk. There are, however, reasons to counsel against using the drug. It isn’t like alcohol in the sense that the mental impairment gradually increases the

more you do it. If you smoke a joint, it’s going to put you in an altered state of consciousness, and that doesn’t allow you to function in ordinary reality without making you look extremely foolish. Which is probably why they used to call it “dope.” Being “stoned” is more closely akin to a mystical state. Actually, what it does is intensify the state of mind you went in with. That means the experience can be intensely positive, but also intensely negative. I found it to be a case of diminishing returns until finally, it wasn’t enjoyable at all. After a certain point, it seems, you have to earn your ecstasy. Smoking marijuana was not physically addictive, and only psychologically addictive in the sense that it provided a temptation to escape at a time when what I needed was to face my life more directly. And that temptation to escape is where we need to focus our anti-drug messages. That’s the lesson we have to relearn in the many arenas of our increasingly complex lives. There are many temptations to escape from our jobs, our marriages, the overwhelming responsibilities of being a parent. Hiding behind the message, “Just say no,” just doesn’t cut it. Our kids do need to learn how to say no, but they also need to know why they’re saying it. Experimentation is inevitable. My father, a wiser man than I, impressed me when he took me aside for “the drug talk,” and didn’t order me to abstain. He said that, whatever I might try, the most important thing was moderation. Coming from a man who practices abstinence (no nicotine, no alcohol, no caffeine), that carried a lot of weight. Moderation is a code I have adopted, but it doesn’t work with addictive substances. That’s why we should worry more about nicotine than marijuana. The more reasonable and rational we are in our arguments, the more credible we become in our anti-drug crusade.

KEN

TRAINOR

I still don’t have any interest in using recreational marijuana. But I’m glad it’s finally legal. Now that it’s more easily accessible, however, parents need to advise young adults when it comes to using it — and overusing it. Whatever prevents you from getting where you want to go in life is a problem. Excessive marijuana use, i.e. excessive escapism, will do that. It undermines us when we use it to escape our life instead of facing it head on. That part hasn’t changed.

SSEND E LETTERS TO THE EDITOR | E-MAIL: ktrainor@wjinc.com MAIL: Wednesday Journal, 141 S. Oak Park Ave., Oak Park, IL 60302

V I E W P O I N T S 2 0 1 9

Y E A R

I N

S H R U B T O W N

by Marc Stopeck

Wednesday Journal, January 1, 2020

W E D N E S D A Y

JOURNAL of Oak Park and River Forest

Editor and Publisher Dan Haley Senior Editor Bob Uphues Associate Publisher Dawn Ferencak Staff Reporters Michael Romain, Stacey Sheridan Viewpoints Editor Ken Trainor Sports/Staff reporter James Kay Columnists Marc Blesoff, Jack Crowe, Doug Deuchler, Linda Francis John Hubbuch, May Kay O’Grady, Kwame Salter, John Stanger, Stan West, Staff Photographer Alex Rogals Editorial Design Manager Claire Innes Editorial Designers Scot McIntosh Business Manager Joyce Minich IT Manager/Web Developer Mike Risher Advertising Design Manager Andrew Mead Advertising Designers Debbie Becker, Bobbi Rollins-Sanchez Advertising Director Dawn Ferencak Advertising Sales Marc Stopeck Inside Sales Representative Mary Ellen Nelligan Client Engagement Natalie Johnson Circulation Manager Jill Wagner Distribution Coordinator Wakeelah Cocroft-Aldridge Front Desk Carolyn Henning, Maria Murzyn Chairman Emeritus Robert K. Downs

About Viewpoints Our mission is to lead educated conversation about the people, government, schools, businesses and culture of Oak Park and River Forest. As we share the consensus of Wednesday Journal’s editorial board on local matters, we hope our voice will help focus your thinking and, when need be, fire you to action. In a healthy conversation about community concerns, your voice is also vital. We welcome your views, on any topic of community interest, as essays and as letters to the editor. Noted here are our stipulations for filing. Please understand our verification process and circumstances that would lead us not to print a letter or essay. We will call to check that what we received with your signature is something you sent. If we can’t make that verification, we will not print what was sent. When, in addition to opinion, a letter or essay includes information presented as fact, we will check the reference. If we cannot confirm a detail, we may not print the letter or essay. If you have questions, email Viewpoints editor Ken Trainor at ktrainor@wjinc.com.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

‘ONE VIEW’ ESSAY

■ 250-word limit

■ 500-word limit

■ Must include first and last names,

■ One-sentence footnote about yourself,

municipality in which you live, phone number (for verification only)

your connection to the topic ■ Signature details as at left

Email Ken Trainor at ktrainor@wjinc.com or mail to Wednesday Journal, Viewpoints, 141 S. Oak Park Ave., Oak Park, IL 60302 708 613 3300

V I E W P O I N T S

Wednesday Journal, January 1, 2020

Open letter to Oak Park leaders on traffic

Dear Mayor Abu-Taleb, Trustees, Ms. Scaman, and Ms. Pavlicek: The modification of the traffic pattern and 25 mph speed limit on Madison Street has resulted in slower traffic on that street and more obstacles to car traffic in the form of pedestrian crossings. This has caused drivers to opt for using Washington Boulevard, where the speed limit is 30 mph and there are fewer protected pedestrian crossings. Many of these drivers are exceeding the speed limit on that street. I am writing to strongly urge you to reduce the allowed traffic speed on Washington Boulevard from 30 to 25 miles per hour, create protected pedestrian crossings similar to those no in place on Madison Street and add speed monitors such as now present on South Oak Park Avenue and Harrison Street. Adding speed cameras on Washington Boulevard would also be a great idea as is making 25 mph the speed limit everywhere in Oak Park. I am sure you agree with me that we don’t want to have more pedestrian accidents and deaths caused by cars in this town. To this end, strict enforcement of speed limits and other traffic rules is paramount and there is considerable room for improvement on that point.

Maarten C. Bosland Oak Park

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

Puree’s, still standing after all these years A veritable slew of downtown Oak Park restaurants have come and gone during the three decades we’ve lived out here. Amazingly, of all the excellent casual dining options in downtown Oak Park, perhaps the oldest one still standing continues to offer the best dining bargains for folks with discerning palates. Across from the Lake Theater sits the venerable Puree’s Pizza and Pasta, which very well may serve the most consistently tasty soups, salads, sandwiches, and pizza anywhere in Oak Park, not just its downtown. Puree’s minestrone illustrates how delicious minestrone can be and, mixed with Puree’s lentil upon request, a unique taste treat you won’t soon forget. Pesto may seem old hat by now, but the quality of Puree’s pesto is what you’d expect at a restaurant charging $40-$50 a

plate, not in a meal costing $10-$15. Ask for the chicken pesto focaccia for a unique melt-in-your-mouth swirl of flavors in simpatico with each other. Puree’s pizzas are among the many great ones in Oak Park. Be sure to include chicken in your salad because their grilled chicken adds quite a tasty treat to the greens. At Puree’s any dish – sandwich, salad, or pasta – with chicken is a treat thanks to the unique marinade Puree uses. When we first moved here, we foolishly avoided Puree’s Pizza and Pasta because we thought it was teenage hangout. We were so very wrong, and our taste buds are grateful we wised up. You, too, won’t be disappointed.

Dan Lauber

River Forest

SEND LETTERS TO THE EDITOR | E-MAIL: mstempniak@wjinc.com MAIL: Wednesday Journal, 141 S. Oak Park Ave., Oak Park, IL 60302

Schools and taxes

When I read that TIF funds could now be used to lower the tax burden in Oak Park, I hoped that all the various taxing bodies would not hold onto the money. I felt certain that of all the taxing bodies, District 97 was the one that was certain to pass on the opportunity since, after all, it hasn’t been long since they passed a huge tax referendum. I spoke with real estate agents who said they did not want to appear unsupportive of the schools by speaking out but affirmed that the referendum had lowered housing prices and slowed housing sales. There comes a point where the taxes in a community just become more than anyone wants to handle. In addition, taxes affect rents and increasing rents have been a factor in the closing of some businesses in Oak Park. Good schools aren’t the only thing that make a community a good place to live. I hope the D97 board will reconsider this decision and I won’t have to consider moving out of the community I love.

Happy Holidays! o Growing Community Media

We’ve created a new non-profit with one purpose: to own our four respected and essential community newspapers and, then, to grow independent, sustainable journalism in our seven neighborhoods for the decades to come. That path will surely include printing newspapers and selling all the advertising we can. But we’ll add more digital reporting, more specialized beats, video, podcasts and events. And where’s this new stream of non-profit revenue coming from? From readers and donors in our seven neighborhoods who see the essential value in independent community journalism.

Partner with us. Find out more at GrowingCommunityMedia.org

Joyce Porter Oak Park

Wednesday Journal, January 1, 2020

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

O B I T U A R Y

Kathleen Sue Jesko, 75 Social worker, loved to travel

favorite bird, the cardinal. Kathleen “Kate” Sue Jesko, She is survived by her sons, 75, a longtime resident of Oak Jason and Erik; her daughtersPark, died on Dec. 22, 2019. in-law, Kristin and Taryn; her She was born Jan. 9, 1944 in grandchildren, Hunter, BranChicago to Paul and Anna Jesdon and Gillian; as well as her ko. She completed her license as brothers, Robert and Alan, and a social worker and dedicated her sister-in-law, Jan. her life to caring for others. She A visitation and memorial spent almost 30 years working service were held Dec. 28, 2019 at SHORE Community Services at Unity Temple. supporting individuals with deDonations in her memory velopmental disabilities until KATHLEEN SUE JESKO can be made to SHORE Comher retirement in 2011. As a young woman and a free spirit, munity Services Inc., 8350 Laramie Ave, Kate spent time traveling through Europe Skokie, 60077. Arrangements were handled by and the United States. She was especially fond of the English heritage and loved Drechsler, Brown & Williams Funeral reading and collecting dolls and other Home, Oak Park. memorabilia of the Tudor period of English kings and queens. Kate’s purpose in life was always focused on caring for her family and community. She served as their moral compass through both the best of times and worst. Please contact Ken Trainor by e-mail: Her mind was rarely still and she was alktrainor@wjinc.com, or fax: 708/524-0447 ways thinking of ways to make the life of before Monday at noon. other’s easier and happier. Kate’s expresPlease include a photo if possible. sion of virtue, love, responsibility and balance may best be showcased through her

To run an obituary

Time for Oak Parkers to defy and resist

It is long overdue for those with religious convictions to speak out against the administration and this president in particular. Oak Park has over 50 worshipping congregations which could join the courageous voice of Christianity Today. Speaking truth to power takes a deep breath on the stage of history proclaiming, “Enough! This immoral madness must cease!” Oak Park has been a leader in fair housing, diversity issues and, now, education and community-wide equity. We should hold a fist in the air, take a knee or join the throng who would defy and resist. Voter Registration and casting a ballot in November 2020 remain our strongest options. Happy New Year to all!

Need a helping of

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

Cynthia Breunlin Oak Park

Robert P. Gamboney Funeral Director I am there for you in your time of need. All services handled with dignity and personalized care.

Cell: 708.420.5108 • Res: 708.848.5667 I am affiliated with Peterson-Bassi Chapels at 6938 W. North Ave, as well as other chapels throughout Chicagoland.

Wednesday Journal, January 1, 2020

Huskies boys hoops place 6th at Pontiac 29

@ @OakPark

SPORTS

OPRF baseball documentary 31

SHANEL ROMAIN/Contributor

POSTER: Bryce Hopkins goes up for a dunk against Uplift HS on Dec. 27 at the Proviso West Holiday Tournament. He averaged 28.8 points per game over the course of four days.

Fenwick boys grab 3rd at Proviso tourney Hopkins ends 2019 with 44-point night By JAMES KAY Sports Editor

The Fenwick High School boys basketball team participated in the annual Proviso West Holiday tournament from Dec. 26-29, playing Larkin, Uplift, Morton and ZionBenton high schools and taking home third place honors. Fenwickâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Bryce Hopkins showcased why he is considered one of the best col-

legiate prospects in the country during his four days at Proviso West. He averaged 28.8 points per game, 13.8 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 2 blocks. He finished the tournament with a 44-point effort against Zion-Benton and a buzzer-beating three-pointer to send Fenwick into the New Year on a high note. Here is a day-by-day overview of how the tournament went down at Proviso West.

Day one: Fenwick beats Larkin 69-56 The Friars took down the Royals by getting out on the break early. Fenwick outscored Larkin 21-9 in the first quarter as Hopkins scored the first 11 points for the Fri-

ars. He finished with 28 points, 15 rebounds, 5 assists and one block (heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s averaging 23.4 points per game in his last five games). His teammate Max Reese rounded out his night with 13 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists. Fenwick controlled the momentum for most of the contest outside of one Larkin run in the second quarter that put the Royals within striking distance at 36-30. However, the Friars responded with threes from Cal Malchow and Eian Pugh (Hopkins assisted on both shots) to put Fenwick up 4432. Two transition dunks later from Hopkins and the Friars never looked back.

Day two: Friars take down Uplift 64-55 Coming off a 69-56 win over Larkin High School, Fenwick took care of business in the second round of the Proviso West Holiday Tournament against Uplift High School. Both teams struggled to generate offense in the first eight minutes of the game until the Friars used a 14-4 run in the second quarter to distance themselves from the Titans. Up 23-15 entering the second half, Hopkins and Reese collectively scored 10 points in the first three and a half minutes of the third See FRIARS on page 31

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S P O R T S

Wednesday Journal, January 1, 2020

OPRF places 6th in Pontiac Tournament Recapping three days of boys hoops By JAMES KAY Sports Editor

OPRF boys basketball participated in one of the most talent-laden tournaments in the state when it headed to Pontiac for the annual Pontiac Holiday Tournament. The Huskies dueled with Plainfield North, Bloom, Warren Township and Simeon high schools and finished in sixth place. OPRF’s Isaiah Barnes averaged 20.3 PPG while his teammate Josh Smith averaged 19.8 PPG. While it didn’t place as high as it hoped, the team gained meaningful big-moment experience—something the youth on this squad lacked before Pontiac. “I think we have shown flashes of what we could be,” said OPRF coach Matt Maloney. “With our inexperience, I really believe this tournament is going to give us some fuel going into the second half and be a coming of age experience for a lot of our players.” Here is a day-by-day overview about what went down at the tournament.

Day one: Huskies stifle Plainfield North’s comeback After allowing 31 points in the first three quarters against Plainfield North High School, the Huskies surrendered 32 points in the fourth quarter and lost their 14-point lead. They avoided the upset after Justin Cross hit converted a three-point play with 34 seconds left to put OPRF up by one. Rashad Trice followed Cross’ 3-point play with a layup with 13.4 seconds left to secure the victory. Josh Smith led the Huskies with 22 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists. Cross brought his consistent play to Pontiac and provided his team with 13 points, 10 rebounds and 2 steals. Isaiah Barnes had 14 points on 5-of-13 shooting. “We lost our composure a little bit,” said Smith on a phone call with Wednesday Journal on Dec. 26. “A win is a win, but we can’t put ourselves in a situation like that again. We can’t come out like we did in the fourth quarter when we face Bloom tomorrow or else we aren’t going to be in the game. We made some key plays at the end but we should have never lost that lead.”

Day two: Huskies fall to Bloom Riding a four-game win streak heading into the second round of the tournament, OPRF held a 15-13 lead after the first quarter against No. 1 seeded Bloom High School. However, the Huskies couldn’t build off their first quarter efforts and ended up surrendering their lead and 51 points in the second half. OPRF’s Josh Smith racked up 16 points (4-of-15 from the field) while his teammate Isaiah Barnes went for 15 points (4-of-10).

SHANEL ROMAIN/Contributor

TOP OF THE LINE: The Huskies played against some of toughest competition in the state (including No. 1 ranked Bloom) from Dec. 2628. They placed 6th in the tournament. Bloom’s Dante Maddox Jr. had himself a day with 30 points and 6 rebounds. Three other Bloom players scored in double-figures. This was the second year in a row that the Huskies lost to Bloom in the second round of the Pontiac tournament.

Day three: Huskies split double-header The Huskies journey for sixth place started at 9:30 a.m. on Dec. 28 versus Warren Township when they took down the Blue Devils 63-53. After scoring only two points in the first quarter, OPRF outscored Warren Township 61-40 the rest of the way. Smith had 25 points (9-of-14 shooting) and grabbed 4 rebounds. Cross put up 7 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 assists while Barnes had 12 points (4-of-12), 3 rebounds, and 3 assists. OPRF followed their morning matchup against Warren Township with an evening

game against Simeon. Down 20, the Huskies were able to erase Simeon’s lead to three with less than a minute left before losing 8074. Barnes went for 27 points (7-of-20 shooting) and Smith had 16 points (5-of-19). “Watching the growth of Isaiah Barnes was truly tremendous,” said Maloney. “[Against Simeon], he had such an unbelievable performance against Ahmad Bynum, who is committed to DePaul, and there were times where he put us on his back and carried us offensively.” Barnes picked up on what Simeon was trying to throw at him and took advantage of the mismatches. “I was able to get to the rim any time I wanted,” said Barnes who went 10 of 11 at the free throw line. “Coach Maloney realized that and he kept running a 1-4 low so I was driving and kicking and driving and getting

fouled. Everything was just flowing for me and we found ourselves back in the game.”

What’s next? The Huskies return to action in 2020 against Glenbard West on Jan. 10 at home. Heading into the new year, OPRF is still making small adjustments and trying to find consistency through all 32 minutes of the game. However, Barnes takes the long view with how this younger team will look come playoff time. “The losses we took are all lessons,” said Barnes on a phone call with Wednesday Journal on Dec. 28. “The season goes by fast but it is only December. Coach [Maloney] keeps telling us that he loves how we never quit and how we will look like a different team in February and March when it really matters.”

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Wednesday Journal, January 1, 2020

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

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FRIARS

Game winners from page 28 quarter to give the Friars a 31-15 cushion (they finished the quarter with a 40-28 lead). The Titans’ full court press in the fourth quarter helped shrink Fenwick’s 18-point lead to six points after Uplift’s Taijay Brown hit a layup in traffic. However, Hopkins scored five points in the last 55 seconds of the game to lift the Friars past the Titans. “The pressure shouldn’t really affect us since we practice too much on press breaks and being strong with the ball,” said Friars’ sophomore guard Trey Pettigrew. “So that is something we have to clean up but other than that we just tried to get the ball up as quick as we could, and it work out for us.” Hopkins finished with 23 points, 13 rebounds, 5 assists, 6 blocks, and 3 steals. Reese ended his night with 18 points (9-of-11 from the field), 5 rebounds and 2 steals. After a rough outing against Larkin on Dec. 26, Pettigrew bounced back and 12 points, 6 assists and 3 steals.

Day three: Morton wins in final second vs Friars The Friars took a 10-point lead in the first quarter against the Mustangs before Morton started to chip away at its deficit. In the last five minutes of the game, both teams couldn’t stretch their lead beyond two points. With 45 seconds left on the clock, Max Reese stole the ball from Morton and gave the ball to Pettigrew who found Eian Pugh in transition. He was fouled and made one of

S P O R T S

Wednesday Journal, January 1, 2020

two free throws to give the Friars a 63-61 lead. Morton drained 25 seconds off the clock before finding Trenten Nadolski underneath the basket. He went up for a layup and was fouled by Pettigrew, who was trying to recover the Friars’ broken coverage with 0.9 seconds left in the game. Nadolski completed the three-point play and the Friars lost 64-63. Assistant coach Titcus Pettigrew said after the game that Trey stood in front of the team and apologized for the foul and that, “[Trey] will learn from this experience. This is a part of the game and you need to have a short memory in sports.” Hopkins finished with 23 points, 12 rebounds and 4 assists while Pettigrew had 14 points, 2 assists and 3 steals and set the tone on offense and defense.

Day four: Hopkins’ buzz-beater sinks ZionBenton Going into the season, Fenwick basketball had an idea about what the tandem of Pettigrew and Hopkins could look like if they touched their ceilings as young prospects. Against Zion-Benton, the Friars’ duo showed everyone in the state why they should be terrified of Fenwick come playoff time. Hopkins poured in 44 points (16-of-22 shooting) to go along with 15 rebounds while Pettigrew put up 19 points (8-of-12). The Friars held an 8-point lead with 4:14 left in the game before Zion-Benton came back to tie the game. With 12.9 seconds left in the game, Peck put the game in the hands of his star. Hopkins took the ball up court, dribbled behind his back to shake off his defender, found some room at the top of the key and buried a three to win the game.

SHANEL ROMAIN/Contributor

FINDING AN OPENING: Fenwick’s David Gieser tries to break double-team against Uplift.

OPRF baseball documentary to be shown at Lake Theater 2019 Huskie season highlighted By JAMES KAY Sports Editor

On Jan. 5 at 7 p.m., Lake Theater is going to show a documentary chronicling OPRF baseball’s run to the supersectional round of the 2019 state playoffs. “Forget About Yesterday,” which is 37 minutes long, was produced by 2019 Huskie grad Jake Fine. According to Fine, there have already been 200 tickets reserved for the private event in theater seven. “Every time I watch it, I take away something new from it,” said OPRF baseball head coach Joe Parenti. “It really shows how great high school baseball is and how these guys came together as a team. One person might take one thing away from it and the next might take another thing.” Heading into last season, Parenti wanted

to take a different approach with the student manager position. Instead of having someone lug around equipment and handle scorebook responsibilities, Parenti brought in Fine to manage the team’s social media account (including creating a hype video for the squad). Going into the season, Fine didn’t plan on creating a documentary. However, after accumulating an abundance of footage that ranged from the 2018 offseason to the last game of the 2019 season, he decided to turn the expanded highlight reel into something bigger. “If you ask [Joe] Parenti, he will tell you that team was special based on how talented they were, but especially how close they were,” said Fine. “When I figured all of that out, I knew there was a story to tell no matter win or lose.” According to Fine, the 2019 team’s seniors went to elementary school together, played on the same travel teams, and hung out outside the baselines of the Main Field. There

was more to this team than what was happening in-games, which fueled Fine to get inside team huddles, batting cage sessions, and interviews with the players going over the storylines of the season as it was happening. “We put a lot of trust in him since we didn’t know what the final product was going to be or what angle he was going to take,” said Parenti. “He understood the trust between us, and we let him fly with it.” With winning the state finals in mind heading into the season, there was a chance that Fine’s behind-the-scenes work could create a distraction around the team. After some adjusting at the beginning of the season, the team learned to roll with Fine and his camera. “It kind of was weird at first, but it wasn’t a distraction,” said Parenti. “We had moments where we would laugh being in front of the camera, but Jake did a good job with interviewing and made it more like a conversation rather than a formal interview. He

just turned the camera on, and we started talking.” Fine is hoping to use the event to promote his new documentary production company, Thooosi, aimed to make multimedia content for businesses. He decided to not go to college after graduating from OPRF last spring so he could pursue being an entrepreneurial film maker. Since Fine organized the event at Lake Theater, OPRF won’t make money off ticket sales. However, Parenti is happy with how the documentary turned out and what it’ll do for his program. “I think people are going to see how Jake did a nice job, and hopefully they will leave feeling good about OPRF baseball and potentially having their kids be involved with the program,” said Parenti. “I’m excited for the kids to see it.” Since Fine hasn’t shown anyone on the 2019 team the final product, they will congregate at Lake Theater on Jan. 5 to see how Fine documented their season.

Wednesday Journal, January 1, 2020

Check First.

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

Religion Guide

First Congregational Church of Maywood

400 N. Fifth Avenue (1 block north of Lake St.) Come join us for Sunday Morning Worship at 11 am Pastor Elliot Wimbush will be preaching the message. Refreshments and fellowship follow the service. 708-344-6150 firstchurchofmaywood.org When you're looking for a place to worship the Lord, Check First.

You’re Invited to A Church for All Nations A Church Without Walls SERVICE LOCATION Forest Park Plaza 7600 W. Roosevelt Road Forest Park, IL 60130

William S. Winston Pastor

Roman Catholic

Good Shepherd

Sunday Service 7AM, 9AM & 11:15AM Believer’s Walk of Faith Broadcast Schedule (Times in Central Standard Time) Television DAYSTAR (M-F)

3:30-4:00pm

Nationwide

WJYS-TV (M-F)

6:30-7:00am

Chicago, IL.

WCIU-TV (Sun.)

10:30-11:00am

Chicago, IL.

Word Network

10:30-11:00am

Nationwide

(M-F)

www.livingwd.org www.billwinston.org

West Suburban Temple Har Zion

1040 N. Harlem Avenue River Forest Meet our Rabbi, Adir Glick Pray, learn, and celebrate with our caring, progressive, egalitarian community. Interfaith families are welcome. Accredited Early Childhood Program Religious School for K thru 12 Daily Morning Minyan Weekly Shabbat Services Friday 6:30pm & Saturday 10:00am Affiliated with United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism 708.366.9000 www.wsthz.org

188 South Oak Park Ave. Saturday Mass: 5:30 p.m. Sunday Masses: 9:00 & 11:00 a.m., 5:00 p.m. Weekday Mass: 8:30 a.m. M–F Holy Day Masses: As Announced Reconciliation: Saturday 4:15 p.m. Parish Office: 708-848-4417 Religious Ed Phone: 708-848-7220 stemund.org

Worshiping at 820 Ontario, Oak Park IL (First Baptist Church) 9:00a-Worship 10:30a-Education Hour

All are welcome. goodshepherdlc.org 708-848-4741

St. Giles Family Mass Community

Lutheran—ELCA

United Lutheran Church

409 Greenfield Street (at Ridgeland Avenue) Oak Park Holy Communion with nursery care and children’s chapel each Sunday at 9:30 a.m.

OAK PARK MEETING OF FRIENDS (Quakers) Meeting For Worship Sundays at 10:00 a.m. at Oak Park Art League 720 Chicago Ave., Oak Park Please call 708-445-8201 www.oakparkfriends.org

Roman Catholic

Ascension Catholic Church

www.unitedlutheranchurch.org

708/386-1576

(708) 697-5000 LIVE Webcast - 11:15AM Service

St. Edmund Catholic Church

ELCA, Lutheran

Lutheran-Independent

Grace Lutheran Church

7300 W. Division, River Forest David R. Lyle, Senior Pastor David W. Wegner, Assoc. Pastor Lauren Dow Wegner, Assoc. Pastor Sunday Worship, 8:30 & 11:00 a.m. Sunday School/Adult Ed. 9:45 a.m. Childcare Available

Grace Lutheran School

Preschool - 8th Grade Bill Koehne, Principal 366-6900, graceriverforest.org Lutheran-Missouri Synod

St. John Evangelical Lutheran Church

305 Circle Ave, Forest Park Sunday Worship, 9:30am Christian Education Hour 8:30am Wednesday Worship 7:00pm Wheelchair Access to Sanctuary Leonard Payton, Pastor Roney Riley, Assistant Pastor 708-366-3226 www.stjohnforestpark.org Methodist

First United Methodist Church of Oak Park

324 N. Oak Park Avenue 708-383-4983 www.firstUMCoakpark.org Sunday School for all Ages, 9am Sunday Worship, 10am Children’s Chapel during Worship Rev. Katherine Thomas Paisley, Pastor Professionally Staffed Nursery Fellowship Time after Worship

808 S. East Ave. 708/848-2703 www.ascensionoakpark.com Worship: Saturday Mass 5:00 pm Sunday Masses 7:30, 9:00, 11 am 5:00 pm at St. Edmund Church Sacrament of Reconciliation 4 – 4:45 pm Saturday Taizé Prayer 7:30 pm First Fridays Feb.– Dec. & Jan. 1 Rev. James Hurlbert, Pastor Roman Catholic

St. Bernardine Catholic Church Harrison & Elgin, Forest Park

CELEBRATING OUR 108TH YEAR! Sat. Masses: 8:30am & 5:00pm SUNDAY MASSES: 8:00am & 10:30am 10:30 Mass-Daycare for all ages CCD Sun. 9am-10:15am Reconciliation: Sat. 9am & 4pm Weekday Masses: Monday–Thursday 6:30am Church Office: 708-366-0839 CCD: 708-366-3553 www.stbern.com Pastor: Fr. Stanislaw Kuca

We welcome all to attend Sunday Mass at 10 a.m. on the St. Giles Parish campus on the second floor of the school gym, the southernmost building in the school complex at 1034 North Linden Avenue. Established in 1970, we are a laybased community within St. Giles Roman Catholic Parish. Our Mass is family-friendly. We encourage liturgically active toddlers. Children from 3 to 13 and young adults play meaningful parts in each Sunday liturgy. Together with the parish, we offer Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, a Montessori-based religious education program for children in grades K-8. For more information, go to http://www.stgilesparish.org/ family-mass-community or call Bob Wielgos at 708-288-2196.

Third Unitarian Church 10AM Sunday Forum 11AM Service Rev. Colleen Vahey thirdunitarianchurch.org (773) 626-9385 301 N. Mayfield, Chicago Committed to justice, not to a creed Upcoming Religious Holidays

Jan 1 Mary, Mother of God

Catholic Christian Feast Day of St Basil Orthodox Christian Gantan-sai (New Years) Shinto Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus Orthodox Christian 3 Vasant Panchami Hindu

To place a listing in the Religion Guide, call Mary Ellen: 708/613-3342

Wednesday Journal, January 1, 2020

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM New local ads this week

YOUR WEEKLY AD

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

WEDNESDAY

CLASSIFIED Deadline is Monday at 5:00 p.m.

HOURS: 9:00 A.M.– 5:00 P.M. MON–FRI

NEW!

Please Check Your Ad: The publisher will not be responsible for more than one incorrect insertion. Wednesday Journal Classified must be notified before the second insertion. The newspaper reserves the right to edit or reject any advertisement.

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

BY PHONE: (708) 613-3333 | BY FAX: (708) 467-9066 | BY E-MAIL: CLASSIFIEDS@OAKPARK.COM | CLASSIFIEDS@RIVERFOREST.COM HELP WANTED

HELP WANTED

ACCOUNTANT Meditech Medical Billing and Consulting, Inc. seeks Accountant. Mail resume to 240 E Lake St, #300B, Addison, IL

NETWORK SPECIALIST The Village of Oak Park is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Network Specialist in the Information Technology Department. The ideal candidate will need to be knowledgeable and capable to apply the principles 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 environments 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 fiber network, telephone, serial communication, termination, and punch-down. Telecommunications theory and technology, including VoiP, serial communication, wireless protocols, PBX, fax, voicemail and auto-attendant. Interested and qualified applicants can visit our website at http://www. oak-park.us/ for more details.

PART-TIME BUS DRIVER The Village of Forest Park has immediate opening for a responsible part-time PACE Bus Driver to transport senior citizens, disabled residents and school children. Must have a valid Illinois C Class CDL license and attend PACE training. In addition, must be physically fit and submit to criminal background check, annual physical exam and drug and alcohol testing. $12$14.00/hour DOQ. Apply in person at Howard Mohr Community Center, 7640 Jackson Blvd., Forest Park. 708-771-7737 CHILDCARE WORKER The Village of Forest Park has immediate openings for before and after school program. Part-time hours are M-F 2-6 p.m. Must be at least 18 years old, have a driver’s license and pass drug screening and background check. Apply in person at Howard Mohr Community Center, 7640 Jackson Blvd., Forest Park. 708-771-7737. CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE The Village of Oak Park is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Customer Service Representative (part-time 20 hours/week; M-F 10am-2pm) in the Public Works Department. This position provides customer service to the public by providing a variety of responsible and difficult customer service and receptionist work including high volume telephone and email communications; and to perform customer service duties with direction from the Environmental Services division including but not limited to service requests, green block party requests, refuse billing adjustments and refuse cart audits. Applicants are encouraged to visit the Village of Oak Park’s website at http://www. oak-park.us/jobs. Interested and qualified applicants must complete a Village of Oak Park application. This position is posted until January 13, 2020. PARKING RESTRICTION COORDINATOR The Village of Oak Park is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Parking Restriction Coordinator in the Development Customer Services Department. This position will plan and coordinate all activities and operations associated with the Village of Oak Park Parking Restrictions Program and provide assistance to the Parking & Mobility Services Manager and the Director of Development Customer Services in coordinating the provision of such services to the public. Applicants are encouraged to visit the Village of Oak Park’s website http://www.oakpark.us/. Interested and qualified applicants must complete a Village of Oak Park application no later than January 17, 2020.

SOFTWARE ENGINEER Apsiva, Inc. d/b/a Catsy., seeks Software Engineer. Mail resume to 505 N LaSalle Drive #300, Chicago, IL SYSTEM ANALYST Procom Enterprises, Ltd., seeks System Analyst. Mail resume to 951 Busse Road, Elk Grove Village, IL TEACHER AND TEACHER AIDE MINI ME BUNCH seeks teacher and teacher aide to enhance and expand daycare serving children ages 6 weeks to 5 years. Teacher must have at least AAS in Early Childhood Education. Minimum 1 year experience preferred in each position. Must love children and be outgoing, patient, ﬂexible. Contact 773-521-9499.

SUBURBAN REAL ESTATE NEW CONCEPT FOR MAYWOOD In this quiet residential neighborhood

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ROOMS FOR RENT AUSTIN CLEAN ROOM With fridge, micro. Nr Oak Park, Super Walmart, Food 4 Less, bus, & Metra. $116/wk and up. 773-637-5957

CITY RENTALS

ITEMS FOR SALE

APARTMENT FOR RENT 5400 W BLK GLADYS 2 bedroom apt w 1/bath 2nd ﬂoor of 2 ﬂat building in Austin area. $1200/ mo. + 1 mo. security. Avail Feb. 1. Call 773-576-5122 fredb60615@gmail.com

1999 ELIZABETH TAYLOR CLEOPATRA DOLL $70.00 Call 708-513-0087

OFFICE SPACE FOR RENT THERAPY OFFICES FOR RENT Therapy ofﬁces for rent in north Oak Park. Rehabbed building. Nicely furnished. Flexible leasing. Free parking. Free wiﬁ; Secure building; Friendly colleagues providing referrals. Shared waiting room; optional Conference. Call or email with questions. Shown on Sundays. Lee 708.383.0729 drlmadden@ameritech.net

COMMERCIAL RETAIL SPACE RETAIL SPACE–FOR LEASE A 1600 Sq Ft. Retail Space for Lease in Strip Mall: 321 S. Harlem Ave., Forest Park, IL. 60130. Vacated. Available Now. Upgraded. Formerly a Cleaners. End space. Heavy foot/road trafﬁc area. 45-Space Parking Lot! For more details: Serious Inquiries ONLY: EMAIL: poppygator@yahoo.com CALL/TEXT: PB at: (708)250-7997 OakPark.com | RiverForest.com

SUBURBAN RENTALS

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Apartment listings updated daily at:

902 S. 3RD AVENUE

CHEST OF DRAWERS & DRESSER WITH MIRROR $65.00 each. Dust proof drawers. Blonde ﬁnish. 708-848-8755 HENREDON DINING SET Henredon Aston Court carved wood oriental dining table and chairs. 4 side and 2 arm chairs. Must see! Claw foot, pedestal table. Negotiable. 773-640-3582 LENOX CHINA AUTUMN PATTERN Lenox dishes, Presidential Collection, Autumn pattern, gold trimmed w/ hand-painted beads, service for 8, $125 per 5 piece place setting. Made in USA. 773-640-3582 SCANDINAVIAN TEAK WOOD BOOKCASE Adjustable shelves. 6 ft 7 in high, 4 ft wide. Must see! $175.00 negotiable. 773-640-3582 SHEARLING COAT Brown shearling coat w/ attached hood. $149.00 708-848-8755

WANTED TO BUY WANTED MILITARY ITEMS: Helmets, medals, patches, uniforms, weapons, ﬂags, photos, paperwork, Also toy soldiers–lead, plastic–other misc. toys. Call Uncle Gary 708-522-3400

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

cat calls

Oak Park’s Original Pet Care Service – Since 1986

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A&A ELECTRIC

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

ELECTRICAL Red Star Electric

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-Residential/ Commercial Electrical Upgrades -Electrical Service/ Panel Upgrades -Electrical Vehicle Charging Stations -Standby Generators 708 722 1388 www.RedStarElectric.net

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

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FLOORS

Appliances & Furniture Removal Pickup & Delivery. 708-848-9404

KLIS FLOORING INC.

HEATING / AIR CONDITIONING

New hardwood ﬂooring installation & pergo. Sanding, re-ﬁnishing, staining. Low prices, insured. Call: 773-671-4996 www.klisflooring.com

GARAGE/ GARAGE DOOR

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HANDYMAN CURT'S HANDYMAN SERVICE Drywall Repair • Painting Fans Installed • Carpentry Trim Gutter Cleaning • Window Repair

Lost & Found, Items for Sale, and To Be Given Away ads run free in Wednesday Classified. To place your ad, call 708-613-3342

ELECTRICAL

Let an American Veteran do your work

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Find your new apartment this Saturday from 10 am – 4pm at 35 Chicago Avenue. Or call us toll free at 1-833-440-0665 for an appointment.

Ceiling Fans Installed

PETS

Daily dog exercising Complete pet care in your home )PVTF TJUUJOH t 1MBOU DBSF Bonded References

(2 blks W of 1st Ave & 1 blk N of Madison)

Reserve your own affordable 2 or 3 BR condo unit of 1000+ sq ft of living space being built on this historic site. You’ll benefit from a unique 12-year tax freeze and lower monthly living expenses from energy saving systems/appliances, and you can help design your own individual unit. Plans also include building 5 new townhomes onsite. For details Call 708-383-9223.

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ELECTRICAL

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708-488-9411 Find more homeimprovement pros on the next page!

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Happy New Year!

Wednesday Journal, January 1, 2020

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708.749.0011

PLASTERING McNulty Plastering & Stucco Co.

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WINDOWS

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Our acrylic storm window inserts will make your rooms warmer, and reduce outside noise We can make for exterior or interior or both, any size to fit your window. No need for expensive window replacement, low cost local install or DIY. Direct from manufacturer, we’re right up the street in Galewood, see our factory video. Owner is an Oak Park resident since 2008. Call for a simple, free estimate, fully guaranteed or your money back BBB A+ rating.

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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: Y19002756 on December 9, 2019 Under the Assumed Business Name of SAFE SAVINGS FOR YOU with the business located at:4003 CONGRESS STREET, BELLWOOD, IL 60104. The true and real full name(s) and residence address of the owner(s)/partner(s) is: MELISSA FENTRESS 4003 CONGRESS STREET BELLWOOD, IL 60104.

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: Y19002724 on December3, 2019 Under the Assumed Business Name of KISAKIDCARE HOME DAYCARE with the business located at:1040 N AUSTIN BLVD, OAK PARK, IL 60302. The true and real full name(s) and residence address of the owner(s)/partner(s) is: KISA ERINN MICHELLE MARX 1040 N AUSTIN BLVD OAK PARK, IL 60302.

Published in Forest Park Review 12/18, 12/25/2019, 1/1/2020

Published in Wednesday Journal 12/18, 12/25/2019, 1/1/2020

Starting a new business in 2020? Call the experts before you place your legal ad! Publish Your Assumed Name Legal Notice here. Call 708/613-3342 to advertise.

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PUBLIC NOTICES

PUBLIC NOTICE OF INTENT REQUEST FOR THE RELEASE OF FUNDS On January 9, 2020, on behalf of the Oak Park Housing Authority (OPHA), the Village of Oak Park (Village) as the Responsible Entity will request the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to release funds for 5-Year Action Plan 2017-2021 public housing Capital Fund Program costs in Oak Park, Illinois at a total cost of $906,881. Proposed work at Mills Park Tower consists of further modernization of the dwelling units in resident bathrooms, replacement of baseboard heaters, electrical/mechanical and painting/ caulking improvements, exterior water-proofing and the replacement of the building roof. An Environmental Review Record covering this activity has been made by the Village, which documents the environmental review. This Environmental Review Record (ERR) is on file at the below address and is available for public examination and copying upon request from January 2-8, 2020. The ERR is also available on the HUD Environmental Review Online System (HEROS) at: https://www.onecpd.info/environmental-review/environmentalreview-records On behalf of OPHA, the Village of Oak Park and Cara Pavlicek, in her official capacity as Village Manager, consents to accept the jurisdiction of the Federal courts if an action is brought to enforce responsibilities in relation to environmental reviews, decisionmaking, and action, and that these responsibilities have been satisfied. The legal effect of the certification

is that upon its approval, OPHA may use the Capital Fund Program funds, and HUD will have satisfied its responsibilities under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969. HUD will accept an objection of its approval of the release of funds and acceptance of the certification only if it is on one of the following bases: (a) that the certification was not in fact executed by one or both of the responsible entity’s Certifying Officers; (b) that the responsible entity has failed to make one of the two findings pursuant to Sec. 58.40 or to make the written determination required by Secs. 58.35, 58.47 or 58.53 for the project or activity, as applicable; or (c) that the recipient or other participants in the development process have committed funds, incurred costs or undertaken activities not authorized by Sec. 58.75 before release of funds and approval of the environmental certification by HUD. Objections must be prepared and submitted in accordance with the required procedure (24 CFR Part 58) and may be addressed to William Dawson III, Director, Office of Field Operation, HUD Chicago Office of Public Housing, 77 West Jackson Blvd., Suite 2414, Chicago, Illinois 60604. Objections to the release of funds based on other than those stated above will not be considered by HUD. No objection received after 5 p.m., January 24, 2020 will be considered by HUD. Cara Pavlicek, Village Manager (Certifying Officer) 123 Madison Street Oak Park, IL 60302

Published in Wednesday Journal 1/1/2020

REAL ESTATE FOR SALE

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT CHANCERY DIVISION NATIONSTAR MORTGAGE LLC D/B/A MR. COOPER Plaintiff, -v.ERNEST BROWN, MELENA ASHER, DANIELLE BRIDGES, ERNEST BROWN, III, UNKNOWN HEIRS AND LEGATEES OF VERA BROWN, UNKNOWN OWNERS AND NONRECORD CLAIMANTS, JULIE FOX, AS SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE FOR VERA BROWN (DECEASED) Defendants 2018 CH 08189 1114 NORTH AUSTIN BLVD 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 March 14, 2019, an agent for The Judicial Sales Corporation, will at 10:30 AM on January 13, 2020, at The Judicial Sales Corporation, One South Wacker Drive, CHICAGO, IL, 60606, sell at a public sale to the highest bidder, as set forth below, the following described real estate: Commonly known as 1114 NORTH AUSTIN BLVD, OAK PARK, IL 60302 Property Index No. 16-05-307-0300000 The real estate is improved with a

single family residence. Sale terms: 25% down of the highest bid by certified funds at the close of the sale payable to The Judicial Sales Corporation. No third party checks will be accepted. The balance, 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

PUBLIC NOTICES SPECIAL ASSESSMENT NOTICE Village of Brookfield Special Warrant No. 361 NOTICE is hereby given that the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois, County Department, County Division has rendered judgment for a special assessment upon property benefited by the following improvement: the public alley in the 3500 block between Forest Avenue and Prairie Avenue in the Village of Brookfield, as will more fully appear from the certified copy of the judgment on file in my office and that the warrant for the collection of this assessment is in my possession. All persons interested are hereby notified to call and pay the amount assessed at the collector’s office of the Village of Brookfield, 8820 Brookfield Avenue, Brookfield, Illinois 60513 within 30 days from the date hereof. The assessment may be paid in ten (10) equal annual installments at the rate of six percent (6%) per annum payable beginning on January 2, 2020, and on the 2nd day of January of each of the nine successive years. Each installment is to be calculated as follows: ten percent (10%) of the total amount assessed against the tax parcel of property plus interest at the rate of six (6%) percent per annum on the unpaid balance due. Dated: December 23, 2019. Doug Cooper Village Collector, Village of Brookfield Published in Landmark 01/01 and 01/08/2020

REAL ESTATE FOR SALE representation as to the condition of the property. Prospective bidders are admonished to check the court file to verify all information. If this property is a condominium unit, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale, other than a mortgagee, shall pay the assessments and the legal fees required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/9(g)(1) and (g)(4). If this property is a condominium unit which is part of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/18.5(g-1). IF YOU ARE THE MORTGAGOR (HOMEOWNER), YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN IN POSSESSION FOR 30 DAYS AFTER ENTRY OF AN ORDER OF POSSESSION, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 15-1701(C) OF THE ILLINOIS MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE LAW. You will need a photo identification issued by a government agency (driver’s license, passport, etc.) in order to gain entry into our building and the foreclosure sale room in Cook County and the same identification for sales held at other county venues where The Judicial Sales Corporation conducts foreclosure sales. For information, examine the court file, CODILIS & ASSOCIATES, P.C. Plaintiff’s Attorneys, 15W030 NORTH FRONTAGE ROAD, SUITE 100, BURR RIDGE, IL, 60527 (630) 794-9876 THE JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION

REAL ESTATE FOR SALE

One South Wacker Drive, 24th Floor, Chicago, IL 60606-4650 (312) 236SALE You can also visit The Judicial Sales Corporation at www.tjsc.com for a 7 day status report of pending sales. CODILIS & ASSOCIATES, P.C. 15W030 NORTH FRONTAGE ROAD, SUITE 100 BURR RIDGE IL, 60527 630-794-5300 E-Mail: pleadings@il.cslegal.com Attorney File No. 14-18-06406 Attorney ARDC No. 00468002 Attorney Code. 21762 Case Number: 2018 CH 08189 TJSC#: 39-7776 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 # 2018 CH 08189 I3140280

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. Where a sale of real estate is made to satisfy a lien prior to that of the United States, the United States shall have one year from the date of sale within which to redeem, except that with respect to a lien arising under the internal revenue laws the period shall be 120 days or the period allowable for redemption under State law, whichever is longer, and in any case in which, under the provisions of section 505 of the Housing Act of 1950, as amended (12 U.S.C. 1701k), and subsection (d) of section 3720 of title 38 of the United States Code, the right to redeem does not arise, there shall be no right of redemption. The property will NOT be open for inspection and plaintiff makes no representation as to the condition of the property. Prospective bidders are admonished to check the court file to verify all information. If this property is a condominium unit, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale, other than a mortgagee, shall pay the assessments and the legal fees required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/9(g)(1) and (g)(4). If this property is a condominium unit which is part of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/18.5(g-1). IF YOU ARE THE MORTGAGOR (HOMEOWNER), YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN IN POSSESSION FOR 30 DAYS AFTER ENTRY OF AN ORDER OF POSSESSION, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 15-1701(C) OF THE ILLINOIS MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE LAW. You will need a photo identification issued by a government agency (driver’s license, passport, etc.) in order to gain entry into our building and the foreclosure sale room in Cook County and the same identification for sales held at other county venues where The Judicial Sales Corporation conducts foreclosure sales. For information, examine the court file, CODILIS & ASSOCIATES, P.C. Plaintiff’s Attorneys, 15W030 NORTH FRONTAGE ROAD, SUITE 100, BURR RIDGE, IL, 60527 (630) 794-9876 THE JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION One South Wacker Drive, 24th Floor, Chicago, IL 60606-4650 (312) 236SALE You can also visit The Judicial Sales Corporation at www.tjsc.com for a 7 day status report of pending sales. CODILIS & ASSOCIATES, P.C. 15W030 NORTH FRONTAGE ROAD, SUITE 100 BURR RIDGE IL, 60527 630-794-5300 E-Mail: pleadings@il.cslegal.com Attorney File No. 14-16-08522 Attorney ARDC No. 00468002 Attorney Code. 21762 Case Number: 16 CH 009347 TJSC#: 39-7886 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 # 16 CH 009347 I3140426

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT CHANCERY DIVISION CITIZENS BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION F/K/A RBS CITIZENS, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION SUCCESSOR BY MERGER TO CHARTER ONE BANK, F.S.B SUCCESSOR BY MERGER TO HINSDALE FEDERAL BANK FOR SAVINGS Plaintiff, -v.CARL T. GROESBECK, LEIGHTON HOLDINGS, LTD., UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, UNKNOWN OWNERS AND NONRECORD CLAIMANTS Defendants 16 CH 009347 331 N. TAYLOR AVENUE 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 March 19, 2019, an agent for The Judicial Sales Corporation, will at 10:30 AM on January 31, 2020, at The Judicial Sales Corporation, One South Wacker Drive, CHICAGO, IL, 60606, sell at a public sale to the highest bidder, as set forth below, the following described real estate: Commonly known as 331 N. TAYLOR AVENUE, OAK PARK, IL 60302 Property Index No. 16-08-109-0110000 The real estate is improved with a residence. Sale terms: 25% down of the highest bid by certified funds at the close of the sale payable to The Judicial Sales Corporation. No third party checks will be accepted. The balance, 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

Wednesday Journal, January 1, 2020

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Wednesday Journal, January 1, 2020

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

REAL ESTATE FOR SALE

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT CHANCERY DIVISION BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A. AS TRUSTEE FOR MORTGAGE ASSETS MANAGEMENT SERIES I TRUST Plaintiff, -v.CHRISTINA LOCELSO, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT, UNKNOWN OWNERS AND NONRECORD CLAIMANTS, UNKNOWN HEIRS AND LEGATEES OF THERESA LOCELSO, DAMON RITENHOUSE, AS SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE FOR THERESA LOCELSO (DECEASED) Defendants 2019 CH 04850 1130 S. HARVEY AVENUE OAK PARK, IL 60304 NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on December 10, 2019, an agent for The Judicial Sales Corporation, will at 10:30 AM on January 22, 2020, at The Judicial Sales Corporation, One South Wacker Drive, CHICAGO, IL, 60606, sell at a public sale to the highest bidder, as set forth below, the following described real estate: Commonly known as 1130 S. HARVEY AVENUE, OAK PARK, IL 60304 Property Index No. 16-17-319-0130000 The real estate is improved with a residence. Sale terms: 25% down of the highest bid by certified funds at the close of the sale payable to The Judicial Sales Corporation. No third party checks will be accepted. The balance, 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. Where a sale of real estate is made to satisfy a lien prior to that of the United States, the United States shall have one year from the date of sale within which to redeem, except that with respect to a lien arising under the internal revenue laws the period shall be 120 days or the period allowable for redemption under State law, whichever is longer, and in any case in which, under the provisions of section 505 of the Housing Act of 1950, as amended (12 U.S.C. 1701k), and subsection (d) of section 3720 of title 38 of the United States Code, the right to redeem does not arise, there shall be no right of re-

demption. The property will NOT be open for inspection and plaintiff makes no representation as to the condition of the property. Prospective bidders are admonished to check the court file to verify all information. If this property is a condominium unit, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale, other than a mortgagee, shall pay the assessments and the legal fees required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/9(g)(1) and (g)(4). If this property is a condominium unit which is part of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/18.5(g-1). IF YOU ARE THE MORTGAGOR (HOMEOWNER), YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN IN POSSESSION FOR 30 DAYS AFTER ENTRY OF AN ORDER OF POSSESSION, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 15-1701(C) OF THE ILLINOIS MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE LAW. You will need a photo identification issued by a government agency (driver’s license, passport, etc.) in order to gain entry into our building and the foreclosure sale room in Cook County and the same identification for sales held at other county venues where The Judicial Sales Corporation conducts foreclosure sales. For information, examine the court file, CODILIS & ASSOCIATES, P.C. Plaintiff’s Attorneys, 15W030 NORTH FRONTAGE ROAD, SUITE 100, BURR RIDGE, IL, 60527 (630) 794-9876 THE JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION One South Wacker Drive, 24th Floor, Chicago, IL 60606-4650 (312) 236SALE You can also visit The Judicial Sales Corporation at www.tjsc.com for a 7 day status report of pending sales. CODILIS & ASSOCIATES, P.C. 15W030 NORTH FRONTAGE ROAD, SUITE 100 BURR RIDGE IL, 60527 630-794-5300 E-Mail: pleadings@il.cslegal.com Attorney File No. 14-19-01584 Attorney ARDC No. 00468002 Attorney Code. 21762 Case Number: 2019 CH 04850 TJSC#: 39-7931 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 # 2019 CH 04850 I3140848

GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on February 7, 2019, an agent for The Judicial Sales Corporation, will at 10:30 AM on January 24, 2020, at The Judicial Sales Corporation, One South Wacker Drive, CHICAGO, IL, 60606, sell at a public sale to the highest bidder, as set forth below, the following described real estate: Commonly known as 914 NORTH AUSTIN BOULEVARD UNIT #C-8, OAK PARK, IL 60302 Property Index No. 16-05-320-0401025 The real estate is improved with a condo/townhouse. Sale terms: 25% down of the highest bid by certified funds at the close of the sale payable to The Judicial Sales Corporation. No third party checks will be accepted. The balance, 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. For information, examine the court file, CODILIS & ASSOCIATES, P.C. Plaintiff’s Attorneys, 15W030 NORTH FRONTAGE ROAD, SUITE 100, BURR RIDGE, IL, 60527 (630) 794-9876 THE JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION One South Wacker Drive, 24th Floor, Chicago, IL 60606-4650 (312) 236SALE You can also visit The Judicial Sales Corporation at www.tjsc.com for a 7 day status report of pending sales. CODILIS & ASSOCIATES, P.C. 15W030 NORTH FRONTAGE ROAD, SUITE 100

BURR RIDGE IL, 60527 630-794-5300 E-Mail: pleadings@il.cslegal.com Attorney File No. 14-18-07459 Attorney ARDC No. 00468002 Attorney Code. 21762 Case Number: 2018 CH 08851 TJSC#: 39-8067 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 # 2018 CH 08851 I3141155

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. For information, HEAVNER, BEYERS & MIHLAR, LLC Plaintiff’s Attorneys, 111 East Main Street, DECATUR, IL, 62523 (217) 4221719. Please refer to file number 321472. 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. HEAVNER, BEYERS & MIHLAR, LLC 111 East Main Street DECATUR IL, 62523 217-422-1719 Fax #: 217-422-1754 E-Mail: CookPleadings@hsbattys. com Attorney File No. 321472 Attorney Code. 40387 Case Number: 18 CH 05792 TJSC#: 39-7333 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 05792 I3139989

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT CHANCERY DIVISION WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A., AS TRUSTEE FOR THE POOLING AND SERVICING AGREEMENT DATED AS OF SEPTEMBER 1, 2005 ABFC ASSET-BACKED CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2005-WMC1 Plaintiff, -v.DARYL SATCHER, MORTGAGE ELECTRONIC REGISTRATION SYSTEMS, INC., OAK PARK TERRACE CONDOMINIUM ASSOCIATION Defendants 2018 CH 08851 914 NORTH AUSTIN BOULEVARD UNIT #C-8 OAK PARK, IL 60302 NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT CHANCERY DIVISION TIAA, FSB D/B/A EVERBANK Plaintiff, -v.ROSEMARY NASH, THE 720 N. AUSTIN CONDOMINIUM Defendants 18 CH 05792 720 N. AUSTIN BLVD., UNIT 101 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 November 13, 2019, an agent for The Judicial Sales Corporation, will at 10:30 AM on February 14, 2020, at The Judicial Sales Corporation, One South Wacker Drive, CHICAGO, IL, 60606, sell at a public sale to the highest bidder, as set forth below, the following described real estate: Commonly known as 720 N. AUSTIN BLVD., UNIT 101, OAK PARK, IL 60302 Property Index No. 16-08-105-0211002 The real estate is improved with a residential condominium. The judgment amount was $100,942.18. Sale terms: 25% down of the highest bid by certified funds at the

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Wednesday Journal, January 1, 2020

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

I love working for a bank that allows me to be so involved with my family and community.” JOHN BARKIDJIJA, EVP HEAD OF CRE & SPECIALTY FINANCE, BYLINE BANK

A Community Bank for Oak Park and River Forest. John Barkidjija and his wife Vivien lived in and raised their four children in Oak Park and River Forest for 24 years. “Our first house in Oak Park was a wonderful old prairie style four square on Elmwood. After 8 years, we moved to ‘the best block in River Forest’- 800 William.” Both active in the community, John coached soccer for OPAYSO, the River Forest Park District, and the OPRF Strikers—where Vivien served as Treasurer, in addition to serving on the Board for Alcuin Montessori. “It’s very rewarding to see my career come full circle,” says John. “I started my career in Commercial Real Estate on Lake Street in River Forest, and now I get to see Byline have the opportunity to support my children’s hometown.”

To learn more about our commitment to Oak Park and River Forest, visit bylinebank.com/oprf