By LUZANE DRAUGHON Staff Reporter
Are you looking for ways to show your American spirit this Fourth of July? Luckily, events in and around Oak Park have you covered so you can rock red, white and blue in style. Events in the western Chicago suburbs include firework displays, parades, festivals and even a 5K Independence Day run for visitors and residents alike to enjoy.
Alan Brouilette: Consider our pets this 4th of July Page 13
The goal is to discuss how to prevent what o cials say is dangerous behavior during these processions
By JESSICA MORDACQ Staff Reporter
On June 7, Bernadette McLain of Forest Park was driving north on Des Plaines Avenue. But when she turned right on Jackson Boulevard, she encountered a funeral procession traveling west down the same road. Suddenly, McLain said, a big black SUV was speeding toward her, traveling the wrong direction into her lane. Far ther down the road, two other cars in the funeral procession did the same, swerving out of their lane toward McLain’s car before getting back into the procession’s line of cars.
“I was shook,” McLain said. “I was very scared.” Her experience is not unusual in Forest Park and surrounding areas, where funeral processions — typically solemn, stately occurrences — occasionally evolve to include speeding cars, vehicles that weave in and out
By LUZANE DRAUGHON Staff Reporter
Oak Park, Housing Forward and other partners are working to expand the emergency overnight shelter for unhoused r at St. Catherine – St. Lucy Rectory to the number of its beds
This emergency shelter at 38 N. Blvd. has been in operation since 2023, lowing the village board’s allocation $300,000 American Rescue Plan Act dollars for the project in December 2022.
“There’s a real sense of concern and urgency that there are individuals who are sleeping outside,” said Lynda Schueler, Housing Forward’s chief executive officer. “That is a human crisis.”
In addition to the 20 beds available now, individuals experiencing homelessness are provided dinner, breakfast, bagged lunch and basic hygiene facilities such as showers, a hard accommodation to find as evidenced by the migrant resettlement efforts. Housing Forward also employs an engagement specialist at the shelter to help unhoused residents access resources like case management and medical or legal support The shelter operates from 7 p.m. to 6:30 a.m.
A presentation on the shelter expansion was supposed to happen at the July 18 village board meeting, but was postponed to accommodate the discussion re garding funding for the Oak Park Regional Housing Center.
But there’s evidently an increasing need for support for unhoused residents in Oak Park, according to village officials. That has been determined by data collections including the Point-in-Time Count, a report of sheltered and unsheltered individuals experiencing homelessness on a single night in January, said Vanessa Matheny, special assistant to Oak Park’s village manager for community services
“I’ve noticed that there [have] been additional individuals that are not accessing shelter and part of that is because of just limitations to what shelter is available,” Matheny said.
Matheny said the ideal implementation timeline for this expansion is early fall. But Schueler said that might be a bit optimistic, as funds and sufficient staffing must be confirmed first.
So far, Housing Forward has received a commitment of $500,000 from the State of Illinois for this project, which will help address safety measures and ensure the building meets village codes. For instance, Matheny said the HVAC system and roof need to be improved, along with ensuring fire safety and Americans with Disabilities Act compliance.
Schueler said she doesn’t yet have an exact estimate for how much the work will cost, but it will likely be at least $500,000 just to reach code compliance on top of other upgrades.
The Archdiocese of Chicago, which owns and leases the space at St. Catherine – St. Lucy, and Housing Forward are also working to apply for Community Development Block Grant – Coronavirus funds through the state, at a still to-be-determined amount. Illinois recently allocated about $15 million in CDBG – Coronavirus funds for shelter constr uction.
The Archdiocese of Chicago and The Neighborhood Bridge, a local nonprofit, have also committed to raising funds for the expansion. Matheny said The Neigh-
borhood Bridge may also provide some social service out of the rectory, but that has not been finalized yet.
“We’ re really appreciative of the Archdiocese and Neighborhood Bridge continuing this partnership with Housing Forward and allowing for this to be utilized as an emergency shelter, since that is something we are missing in this community,” Matheny said.
The rectory also needs to meet zoning requirements before the expansion takes place, Matheny said. It’s zoned as a rectory, where a priest or minister would live, and needs to be zoned as a shelter, she said.
After zoning requirements are met, Schueler said, Housing Forward can utilize some unused space on the second floor to expand accommodations The rooms will be divided in use for men, women and families
That also means the dining area will no longer have to serve as a dual-purpose eating area and space for men to slee p, she said. The village is also giving Housing Forward the leftover cots from the migrant response at St. Edmund School for the emergency shelter. Now, visitors sleep on pads on the floor.
Schueler said Housing Forward and the Archdiocese of Chicago are discussing extending their lease that expires July 31 by five years. After expanding to accommodate 40 beds, Schueler said they might add more later
“We want to hunker down and stay there permanently,” Schueler said.
The shelter at St. Catherine – St. Lucy Rectory was created after the COVID-19 pandemic threw Housing Forward’s Public Action to Delivery Shelter of f balance. This model was a system where faith-based and community organizations provided overnight shelter for unhoused residents on a rotating basis, according to village officials. COVID-19 made it impossible to continue, given shelter-in-place requirements.
of Oak Park and River Forest
Editor Erika Hobbs
Digital Manager Stac y Coleman
Sta Reporters Amaris E. Rodriguez, Luzane Draughon
Viewpoints Editor Ken Trainor
Real Estate Editor Lacey Sikora
Digital Media Coordinator Brooke Duncan
Columnists Marc Bleso , Jack Crowe,
Mary Kay O’Grady, Kwame Salter, John Stanger
Shrubtown Cartoonist Marc Stopeck
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BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Chair Judy Gre n | Treasurer Nile Wendor f Deb Abrahamson, Gary Collins, Steve Edwards Darnell Shields, Sheila Solomon, Eric Weinheimer
Saturday, July 6, 10 – 11 a.m., River Forest Library - Community Room
Do you love graphic novels? Do you love telling stories? Come to our comic-making class and learn to create your own comics. For grades 2-4. Register at https://tinyurl com/mtsa6a68, 735 Lathrop Ave., River Forest
Friday, July 5, 9:30 - 11 a.m., Oak Park Public Library - Main Stop by for co ee and friendly conversation. Register at https:// tinyurl.com/ bdfxecn3, 834 Lake St., Oak Park
Friday, July 5 and Saturday, July 6, 8 - 9:30 p.m., Comedy Plex
Described by the Chicago ribune as having “a straight , pull-no-punches Joe has per formed at clubs and colleges all over ith material ranging om alcohol to sex, Kilgallon is e to rant about something the whole family can enjoy. isit comedyplex.com for tickets. 1128 Lake St., Oak Park
Thursday, July 4, 10 a.m.
Celebrate America in Oak Park at the annual Independence Day Parade. The parade begins at Longfellow Park, located at Ridgeland Avenue and Adams Street, at 10 a.m., turns east on Augusta Street, and eventually disperses near Whittier Elementary School, close to Harvey Avenue.
Monday, July 8, 9 - 9:30 a.m., River Forest Public Library - Library Lawn
Wander through our garden as you read a stor y. Stories will change on the second Monday of the month. 735 Lathrop Ave., River Forest
Tuesdays and Thursdays, July 9 - August 15, 1:30 - 3:30 p.m., Oak Park Township
July 7-13, Park District of Oak Park
Sunday, July 7, 6 - 7:30 p.m., Scoville Park
Join us for free, family-friendly entertainment. This week features Woodstreet Bloodhounds, a band that plays American roots music. 800 W. Lake St., Oak Park
FREE 6-week workshop designed for women of color to learn to eat right, manage weight, and better manage their health. Join us for exercise, nutrition counseling, and health education in a supportive environment. Registration required. Call (800)757-0202 to register. 130 S. Oak Park Ave., Oak Park
In honor of the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France, join the Park District of Oak Park in celebrating all things Olympic this week at various local facilities. Compete in many, Olympic-themed events, including taking on exciting aquatic challenges at Ridgeland Common, painting the Olympic Rings, and tasting world class grapes from France, Italy, and Greece at Cheney Mansion. Visit https://tinyurl.com/3dszt775 for more infomation on dates and times.
Wednesday, July 10, 2-3 p.m., River Forest Public Library - Barbara Hall Meeting Room, This interac tive, informative, and fun presentation explains the importance of reducing, reusing, and recycling. Learn how to create creative trash-totreasure items! Participants will even get to make and take home a sample of recycled paper. For grades K-4, registration required. Register at https://tinyurl. com/3jynzpsv, 735 Lathrop Ave., River Forest
Wednesday Jour nal welcomes notices about events that Oak Park and River Forest groups and businesses are planning. We’ ll work to get the word out if you let us know what’s happening by noon Wednesday a week before your news needs to be in the newspaper ■ Email details to calendar@wjinc.com
By LUZANE DRAUGHON Staff Reporter
The Oak Park Public Library Board of Trustees has chosen Koya Par tners to search for a replacement for for mer Executive Director Joslyn Bowling Dixon, who was fired in March
Koya Par tners is a nonprofit executive search firm based in Chicago that will present the library board with executive director candidates. The last library executive director search was only about two years ago, when Dixon was hired.
All board members — except for Madhurima Chakraborty, who abstained from the vote, saying she was not present for both candidate interviews — voted to work with Koya Par tners.
The other candidate interviewed was
Alma Advisory Group. An evaluation committee made up of three of the library board members narrowed down the eight proposed vendors to those two. Trustee Maya Ganguly was the chair of the committee, and Trustee Theodore Foss and Secretary Susanne Fairfax were the other members.
The interviews and the board’s discussion before the vote took place during closed session. The committee meeting was also not recorded, but minutes are available online.
Koya Par tners, according to the board, has a commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion that aligns with the library’s goals. The firm has a history of diverse placements of directors and library staf f.
In 2023, about 75% of placements from this vendor were people of color and 62% were women, according to the board’s statement on the search. Koya also implements implicit bias training, according to the committee meeting’s minutes.
The library board and re presentatives from Koya Par tners are expected to meet in the next two to four weeks, according to library officials, to finalize “parameters
“They have deep roots in the Chicagoland region and a strong track record of success in providing meaningful opportunities for sta and community members to participate in the search process.”
MAT THEW FRUTH president of the OPPL board
for the search process.” This could include identifying opportunities for staf f and community input, outlining a timeline for the search and creating a candidate profile.
The profile will likely require a master’s de gree in library and information science, according to the board’s statement. Koya will also seek out references for candidates and help with onboarding.
“Koya Par tners has an excellent re putation for identifying exceptional candi-
dates for leadership roles with public and academic libraries and related organizations,” said Matthew Fruth, president of the OPPL board, in the statement. “They have deep roots in the Chicagoland re gion and a strong track record of success in providing meaningful opportunities for staf f and community members to participate in the search process.”
Because Koya’s ag reement with the library board has not yet been finalized, the fee for services has not yet been determined. But the board states that “Koya’s proposal detailed a fee structure based on one-third of the total first-year compensation, including base salary and any bonuses plus a 2% administrative fee.”
Growing Community Media board member Steve Edwards is a Koya employee. He is not involved in the library candidate search
The library board is expected to give periodic updates on the search process during their re gular meetings. Deputy Director Suzy Wulf and Director of Collections Leigh Tarullo are temporarily filling the executive director role in the meantime.
By ROBERT J. LIFKA Contributing Reporter
Although eliminating the statewide tax on groceries will leave a $1 million hole in River Forest’s budget, village officials are expected to institute a local tax on groceries that would offset the loss.
“The village budget would be significantly impacted by the elimination of the grocery tax,” said Matt Walsh, village administrator. “River Forest is for tunate to have several popular grocery stores and we expect approximately $1.1 million in grocery tax revenue each year. Losing that revenue would potentially mean the reduction in services or the re placement of that revenue with other sources, which would
have a ne gative impact on taxpayers.”
River Forest is home to a Jewel Osco store and a Whole Foods Market. Whole Foods officials have already announced an expansion of the River Forest store.
“Fortunately, the state reco gnized this impact and allowed municipalities to maintain the tax,” Walsh said. “We expect the village board to consider local adoption prior to its expiration.”
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker introduced elimination of the 1% statewide grocery tax as part of his proposed $52.8 billion budg et for fiscal year 2025. Illinois lawmakers supported the move when they approved the $53.1 billion state budget. The change doesn’t take effect until Jan. 1, 2026. Local gover nments will be able to institute their own 1% tax on groceries without holding a referendum.
Eliminating the grocery tax had municipal leaders led by the Illinois Municipal
League complaining that it would hurt their budgets. State leaders were not giving anything up with the change because the tax only went to local governments. The option for municipalities to add their own tax was a compromise.
Illinois will join 37 other states that don’t
have a state grocery tax. It was the only state among the 10 most populated with a grocery tax
“Obviously the governor needed to eliminate the tax statewide,” said Cathy Adduci, village president. “The key is this is not a new tax.”
By LUZANE DRAUGHON Staff Reporter
Book lovers, DVD enthusiasts and CD listeners can find their new favorites for low prices at the Friends of the Oak Park Public Library Book Fair July 12 to 14 at 834 Lake St
The local book fair is the largest and longest-ongoing sale of its kind in the Midwest, according to Russ Glidden, president of the Friends of the OPPL board. In 2023, 41,300 books were donated, with 23,000 sold and the remainder donated
“Books bring people to gether,” Glidden said. “This is about bringing to gether the community and the library and the Friends, to get books out into the hands of the people. That’s what I’m most proud of.”
The 52nd annual book fair will take place from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. July 12, from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. July 13 and from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. July 14. From noon to 2 p.m. July 14, volunteers only will be able to snag free items. In 2023, more than 125 volunteers helped sort and sell books. Individuals from nonprofit orga-
owners can get free items, too, after the volunteers finish, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. July 14.
Hardback books will sell for $2, trade paperbacks for $1 and mass-market pa perbacks for 50 cents. Near the end of the event, everyone will be allowed to fill up bag with any items for $10 a bag. Games and puzzles are also available at the fair
The popular fundraising event’s proceeds support library programs like the Barbara Ballinger lecture series, a folk music series, and in 2023, the new pop-up libraries. 2023 revenue totaled $29,354 up by 52% from the $19,295 raised in 2022.
Those additional funds allowed for the purchase of a 3D printer and the Litebrite Wall, an interactive and colorful wall for kids at the library The top sale in 2023 was for $502, from a group of men who Glidden said were heading to the Amazon to supply books to schools.
“Our prices are so much better, [so] their money went much further,” Glidden said. More than 1,500 transactions occurred in 2023.
The book fair is largely popular among Oak Parkers, Glidden said, but visitors from other towns and even states often visit, too, given the cheap prices and wide variety. In 2020 and 2021, because of the COVID-19 pan-
Donations were accepted until June 29, and are sorted into four categories: children’s, fiction, nonfiction and for Better World Books.
Donations deemed in poorer shape or books not accepted for the sale, like textbooks, are donated to BWB, a for-profit social enterprise that sells books online to fund literacy initiatives around the world, according to its website. Any leftover books fair are donated to BWB, too, Glidden said. In 2023, about 18,000 books were donated to BWB.
year, August “Augie” Aleksy, owner enturies & Sleuths Bookstore in Forest , donated all the books he had left, as recently shut its doors. Glidden said it was about 22 boxes, which transabout 1,000 to 1,200 books, includlarge quantity of mystery and history books, two enticing categories for Oak book fair attendees
“People are just fascinated by history,” Glidden said. “If you’ re interested in history, you’ll just read anything.”
An anonymous donation of about 20 boxes, or more than 500 books, of Golden Age science fiction will appear at this year’s , too. Science fiction is another popular category, Glidden said.
“People who read science fiction are rait,” Glidden said. “These people just rush to that table, and it’s decimated within the first hour or two.”
The best-selling category in 2023, howev-
er, was children’s and teen books. Certain titles are copiously donated and demanded each year, Glidden said, including the Harry Potter series as well as the Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys series.
A first-time occurrence at the 2024 book fair will be a room devoted to special books, priced at $5 each. These art and architecture books, along with new hardbacks from popular authors and other collectables, could retail for $30 and up to $80, Glidden said.
The annual book fair will be sorted into multiple locations within the library. The community room, where volunteers sorted books, will host CDs, DVDs, games and $5 collectable books. Children’s books will be in the children’s section of the library on the first floor. Nonfiction books can be found on the second floor in the Veterans Room, and fiction books will be on the third floor
Physical books are still popular among residents and visitors who attend the book fair, Glidden said, despite inventions like Kindles and other e-readers. It’s partly generational, Glidden said, but all demo graphics enjoy purchasing books at the fair. The reasonable prices are a huge factor, too. Glidden said he personally owns about 10,000 books.
“People in Oak Park are very, very passionate about the book fair because it ’s a part of Oak Park history,” he said. “Oak Park tends to be an old-fashioned community that holds on to old-fashioned family values. And I think books embrace that concept.”
By AMARIS E. RODRIGUEZ Staff Reporter
Oak Park Elementary School District 97 has hired three new school leaders for 2024-25 school year.
The board in June approved Tamera Phillips as the new principal of Holmes Elementary School, Marianne Rehfield as the new principal of Lincoln Elementary School, and José Gamiño as the new associate principal for climate, culture, and athletics at Julian Middle School.
“We are excited for Tamera, Marianne, and Gamiño to join Team D97,” Supt. Ushma Shah said. “Each leader brings expertise and experiences that will be part of our district’s journey to universal student success. As we welcome new leaders to their roles, we are also being deliberate to plan for their smooth transition with key mentors and colleagues who know the culture of our individual school communities.”
According to district officials, the prinre selected through a process that
Phillips comes to D97 from Waterloo, Iowa, where she was the principal at Lincoln Elementary School. She holds a bachelor of arts de gree in elementary education
om Graceland University in Iowa along in teaching from Webster rsity in Missouri. She also holds a master of arts degree in school leadership from Baker University in Kansas
She has also earned an advanced studies certificate in principalship from the University of Northern Iowa.
Phillips began as a firstgrade teacher in Missouri and also worked as an instructional coach before moving into an administrative role.
“I am committed to creating an inclusive and empowering learning environment where every child feels valued, challenged, and supported to reach their full potential,” Phillips said. “I look forward to collaboration and building relationships with the staf f, students, and families to ensure that each member of our community thrives.”
after becoming the assistant principal.
Rehfield holds a bachelor of art’s de gree in elementary education from Saint Mary’s Colle ge in Indiana along with a master’s in curriculum and one in the school’s principal preparation program from Concordia University Chicago.
“The Lincoln community voiced that it was seeking a supportive and eng aging leader who will uphold its core values and traditions,” Robinson said. “Marianne has grown tremendously as an educator and administrator during her time in District 97. She has a deep understanding of core instructional practices, and we believe her expertise will be an asset as we work together to support the united programming needs of Lincoln, including our Spanish Immersion Program.”
Gamiño will be joining the district with more than 20 years in education, including as a teacher and teacher leader.
Each leader brings expertise and experiences that will be part of our distric t’s journey to universal student success.”
USHMA SHAH D97 superintendent
The district said previous Holmes’ interim principal John Hodge, who served for eight months, will work alongside the assistant superintendent of elementary schools Patrick Robinson, to “provide administrative support” during the transition.
The district said they will be posting the assistant principal position at Holmes, previously held by Rehfield, soon.
Rehfield has been committed to the district for the past 16 years, having taught at Holmes for 10 years before serving as an instructional coach. She moved into administration in 2022
A graduate of DePaul University, Gamiño holds a bachelor of art’s de gree in education as well as a master of arts de gree in educational leadership from American Colle ge of Education in Indiana.
He was serving as an English teacher at Mechinas Ner Naftali High School in Lincolnwood after working for over two decades in Chicago Public Schools, where he was a social studies teacher and served as department chair.
Gamiño has also served in leadership roles that include evening school/credit recovery coordinator, and has participated in “various school-wide initiatives” to support students and “foster an inclusive school culture,” district officials said.
“José will make a great addition to our Jayhawk family and D97 middle school team,” said Luis Fernando De León, assistant superintendent of middle schools.
“He brings a wealth of experience, dedication, and deep commitment to fostering a positive and inclusive school environment for all students,” he added. “We are thrilled to welcome him, and we look forward to the impact he will make on our school culture, climate, and community.”
By AMARIS E. RODRIGUEZ Staf
River Forest School District 90 announced Christine Gerges will serve as the interim principal of School for the upcoming school y Gerges, who for shared assistant principal lard Elementary and Lincoln Elementary School, has been with the district past 18 years of her career in education. She began as a teacher and taught years before serving as assistant principal for five years.
The D90 Board ofEducation on June 17 approved Gerges’ appointment to ser interim principal after Diane Wood Wood has served as principal of Willard Elementary since July 2014.
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Christine Gerges
Gerges has also worked on the superintendent’s leadership council, as well as mentored first-year teachers.
from the University of Illinois Chicago.
“Over the course ofthirteen years teaching at Willard, Ms. Gerges created inclusive classroom environments where students flourished academically and collaborated closely with grade level peers to improve instructional practices,” district re presentatives said in a statement.
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As an assistant principal, officials said, Gerges created strong relationships with stakeholders, as well as helped with the implementation of full-day kindergarten, assisted with the development ofstandardsbased instructional practices and re port cards, and helped establish D90’s behavioral threat assessment protocols.
“We are fortunate to have a school leader with such expertise, skill and dedication who already knows our Willard school community well, thanks to Chrstine’s 18 years ofexcellent service to District 90 Schools,” said D90 Supt. Ed Condon. “I am delighted that our school community will benefit from the tremendous experience and passion that Christine brings.”
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Gerges holds a bachelor ofarts de gree in elementary education from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, along with a master’s in educational administration from Concordia University Chicago, and a master ofarts de gree in special education
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For Gerges, the new position means she continues to be “home.”
“I often think about my first class of Wizards, who are now in their mid-twenties, and the amazing accomplishments they’ve achieved,” she said. “I am honored to suppor t this next generation of Wizards and to partner with families, faculty and staf f to continue our culture of excellence.”
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An article titled “Trustee calls problems at OP Housing Center a ‘financial quagmire’” printed in the June 26 print edition of Wednesday Journal mischaracterized comments from River Forest resident Daniel Lauber. He did not accuse any village staf f member of unfair conduct. We apolo gize for the er ror.
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from page 1
of traffic, and participants who hang out of car windows. Despite the grief that participants harbor, and the American right to assemble, the behavior can create dangerous situations for pedestrians or other drivers, officials and residents say.
Forest Park held a town hall meeting midJune to address what some say are dangerous funeral processions, and to announce the creation of a task force to discuss how to prevent them. Gover nment officials, police, funeral home directors and residents gathered at Howard Mohr Community Center to explore ways to keep people safe during processions that critics say get out of hand
“It’s been a topic long before I was elected,” La Shawn Ford told the Review. He’s been a state representative for the 8th District since 2007 and co-hosted the town hall. Ford said raucous behavior during funerals likely stems from participants being allowed to run red lights and stop signs.
“You get to be in a situation where you don’t have to follow the law,” Ford said. Ford blames readily available drugs.
“Those breaking the law are, many times, those who are drinking, popping pills, smoking marijuana and things like that,” Ford said. “They don’t understand the level of danger that they’re causing because they’re not in their right frame of mind.”
To prevent hazardous funeral processions, Ford and Forest Park Mayor Rory Hoskins will co-chair a new task force, which they announced at the town hall. The task force will likely start in August.
“The town hall was a starting point of getting several parties in the room together and bringing up the issues,” said Rachell Entler, Forest Park’s village administrator Cook County has had a task force in the past to deal with dangerous funeral proces-
from page 3
Housing Forward then shifted focus to interim housing at The Write Inn. One ongoing problem, Matheny said, is that due to the lack of af fordable housing, individuals who transition to interim housing often get
sions, the Review reported. Though former Cook County Commissioner Richard Boykin helped start the Cook County Funeral and Cemetery Violence Taskforce in March 2018, when he lost his re-election to Commissioner Brandon Johnson that November, the taskforce dissolved.
Ford said he hopes the task force will come up with recommendations to take to Springfield by the legislature’s lame duck session in January. He said state legislation is likely the solution for such funeral processions because they often travel through several municipalities, from a funeral home in one area to a cemetery in the likes of Forest Park, Maywood or Hillside
“This crosses jurisdictions,” Ford said.
While McLain avoided the swerving cars in the funeral procession she drove past, previous local encounters with processions haven’t been as uneventful.
Last June, four people were wounded from gunfire during a funeral procession traveling through Oak Park for Jamal Goings, a
33-year-old from Chicago who was reportedly connected to the Gangster Disciples
Ford said he’s heard people say that those who commit violent crimes shouldn’t have a funeral procession. He added that others want to limit the number of cars in a procession.
But funeral processions that become dangerous aren’t always gang related. And funerals cannot be made illegal, especially when everyone has their own ways of grieving, officials said.
So, they are looking at other p ossibl e solutions
At the town hall meeting, officials discussed finding funding to install more cameras at intersections so that hazardous drivers can be ticketed retroactively for breaking the law.
Forest Park uses photo enforcement for funerals now, according to Entler. The Forest Park Police Department reviews video from intersection cameras and issues citations to drivers who break the law.
But while there are cameras at intersections on Roosevelt Road, they aren’t on every street that funeral processions use.
For example, when McLain encountered the procession on Jackson Boulevard, she said she laid on her horn, then called the Forest Park Police Department when she got home.
“They just said, ‘We’ re doing what we can with cameras,’” McLain said. But she added that police told her there are no cameras on Jackson Boulevard.
A review of next year’s state budget, which Gov. J.B. Pritzker approved in early June, showed that Forest Park was appropriated hundreds of thousands of dollars for a reconstruction project on Jackson Boulevard, according to Hoskins.
“We may be able to use some of that money potentially for cameras as part of infrastructure,” Entler said.
To address the limited number of cameras, funeral directors, who lead processions, could take the streets where cameras are located. But they don’t always prefer to.
According to Entler, while village officials and residents at the town hall expressed the desire to limit funeral processions to busy Roosevelt Road, funeral directors said they prefer more residential streets like Jackson Boulevard, since there aren’t as many traffic lights that can break up a procession. Forest Park has no legislation requiring processions to take certain streets, and processions don’t need a permit to travel through municipalities, Entler said.
The Forest Park Police Department also prefers processions to use Roosevelt Road so they can activate the Opticom system that controls traffic lights for emergency vehicles, allowing cars to get through town as quickly as possible, Entler said. These measures are preferable to pulling over of fenders, according to officials.
“The police at the town hall said, ‘It’s almost best that we don’t eng age in the process and pull over a car during a procession. It could just cause more problems,’” Ford said. “So, if we can have some type of rules that funeral homes have to follow and that families have to be following as well, then that’s going to be best.”
stuck waiting to find permanent housing.
And the need for an emergency overnight shelter is still there.
At the rectory, individuals experiencing homelessness have one fixed location to come to without having to figure out where the moving shelter would be and how to get there, like before COVID-19, Schueler pointed out.
In 2023, Schueler said, about 77% of those staying at the emergency shelter
were there for only about three weeks or less before their situation was resolved, or they transitioned to interim housing. It’s mostly new visitors who come to the emergency shelter, she said.
Operations at the St. Catherine – St. Lucy Rectory do not disrupt the parish’s day-today operations, Rev. Carl Morello said, and the expansion won’t either. The rectory had been unused since around 2021, Morel-
lo said, after the last pastor staying there moved to another parish. Re purposing the space for “mission-oriented purposes,” Morello said, is what the church is about.
“[The shelter] will never eliminate [homelessness] altogether, but I think it will provide continuity,” Morello said. “It’s going to be very helpful, but obviously the problem with homelessness is bigger than anybody can really solve with a shelter.”
The village president competed in the Hyrox competition held in Nice, France
By ROBERT J. LIFKA Contributing Reporter
Most people travel to Nice, France, on the French Riviera to visit the Vieux Nice or the Promenade de Anglaise, or to experience the food, the beaches or the nightlife.
Cathy Adduci of River Forest went there last month for a workout — not just any workout, but to participate in the Hyrox World Championships, which organizers call “the world series of fitness racing.”
Athletes in all categories complete one kilometer runs interspersed with eight func-
tional workout stations – SkiErg, sled push, sled pull, burpee board jump, rowing, farmers carry, sandbag lunges and wall balls
Participants compete in age categories as single men, single women, men’s doubles, women’s doubles and mixed doubles.
Adduci, who serves as River Forest village president, and her fitness partner Ed Barth of Chicago, finished sixth in their category, mixed doubles for 60-to-69 year olds.
“It was really interesting and fun,” Adduci said, calling it “a different experience” and “tons of fun.”
She compared the competition to the Olympics, all the way down to marching in by country during the opening ceremony.
“There were 150 in the U.S. contingent from all over the country,” Adduci said. “We were the only ones from Chicago.”
She said the competition, held June 9 at Nice’s Palais des Expositions, drew 4,000 participants from around the world with
“many” from England and Germany. The competition was viewed by 10,000 paying spectators.
The Nice competition was the sixth world championship in the sport’s eight-year history and the conclusion of the 2023-24 season. Adduci and Barth qualified for the world championships at a Hyrox competition on Navy Pier in Chicago in November.
In doubles, participants have to run together, but split the functional workout stations and take it in tur ns
“We kind of mixed it up,” Adduci said. “We knew our own strengths.”
She said she was introduced to Hyrox fitness by John Hayley at Unbreakable Fitness in Forest Park, which is designated a Hyrox training center, one of 2,500 worldwide.
“I really got into it,” Adduci said., describing it as a combination of cardio-, strengthand fitness-training. “Hyrox gave me a workout goal to work toward.
pr
Adduci said she met Barth at Unbreakable fitness, describing him a “very athletic.”
S he said “love d sports” grow ing up, noting that with four brothers, she had to be athletic.
Adduci said she would compete in a Hyrox event again, noting there are local competitions “all around the U.S.”
“It was a very fun event,” she said. “It keeps you in shape.”
Hyrox was started in 2017 in Hamburg, Germany. The competition has since expanded worldwide with 175,000 participants taking part in 65 competitions in 11 different countries around the world in 2023.
“I’ve got to give a shout-out to John Hayley for doing this,” Adduci said.
In Oak Park, residents can once again celebrate Independence Day when the annual parade kicks off at 10 a.m. on July 4 from Longfellow Park at Ridgeland Avenue and Adams Street.
Parade participants will march north on Ridgeland to Augusta Street, then turn east to finish near Whittier Elementary School. While some may be disappointed by the lack of fireworks, this festive celebration will allow residents and visitors to appreciate the village’s beauty and history on what will hopefully be a bright, sunny summer day.
The village’s fireworks were canceled in 2022 after the mass shooting that took place during the Fourth of July parade in Highland Park. The fireworks in Oak Park are historically funded by local businesses or private donations. In 2023, no such donor stepped up in time for the village to coordinate an event. In 2024, village officials said no entity stepped up again.
Avenue and Kemman Avenue with exciting floats, marching bands and community members processing down the street.
After the parade, the “Par ty in the Park” at 8820 Brookfield Ave. will include live music from The Redmonds at 12:30 p.m. and Whiskeyfist at 3:30 p.m. Food and drinks from Beach Avenue BBQ will be available for purchase
At 8 p.m. July 3, a fireworks display will take place in Berwyn at the Morton West High School football stadium. The event is hosted by the World’s Largest Laundromat and is free to attend. Fireworks start after dark, but attendees might want to show up early to g et a seat.
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In Riverside, locals looking to get active before chowing down on burgers, hot dogs or ice cream at celebrations can participate in the 44th annual Independence Day 5K run at 7:15 a.m. Runners will receive goodie bags and Dri-Balance shirts. It’s $35 to participate, and runners sign up based on gender and age.
At 8:45 a.m. July 4, an Independence Day parade will start at Big Ball Park. After, a community celebration from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. will take place at Guthrie Park.
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In North Riverside, a free-to-attend parade will begin at 10 a.m. July 4 at Ninth Avenue and 26th Street, heading east to Veterans Park. At the park, a little league game will begin.
At Navy Pier, a firework show will begin at 9 p.m. July 3. Firework enthusiasts can find a spot along the lake and watch the annual show for free. Navy Pier also hosts firework shows twice a week throughout the summer.
At Soldier Field, fireworks will be on display following the Chicago Fire soccer game against the Philadelphia Union at 7:30 p.m. Tickets for the game will vary in price. At Blue Island, a parade through the uptown business district will be gin at noon. A free firework show will begin at Waterfall Park at 9 p.m.
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From 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Village Commons, kids’ entertainment and food will be available. Hello Weekend will perform from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., followed by fireworks provided by the Riverside Golf Club.
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Neighbors looking to celebrate in Brookfield can attend the Fourth of July parade and march to the “Party in the Park” on July 4 in Kiwanis Park. The parade will start at 10 a.m. on the corner of Blanchan
In Bridgeview, the Park District will host a free celebration starting at 9:15 p.m. July 3 with food trucks and a live DJ for visitors to enjoy.
Elgin’s Fourth of July parade will take place at 9:30 p.m. July 4 in Festival Park The free event will include music, food, activities and fireworks star ting at 9:20 p.m.
We gotta talk about this birthday party of yours, America.
The 4th of July, as holidays go, is fine. It’s nice to get a day of f that is, for whatever reason, too sacrosanct to “observe” on a Monday unless it falls on a Saturday or Sunday.
It’s nice to have a second midsummer holiday. There’s a whole lot of baggage to celebrating the day some people signed a piece of paper a long time ago that declared a bunch of things that applied to some people and not to other people, none of which is the point of this column.
I also enjoy cooking food on the grill. I’m not a monster.
That being said: I think, at 248, it is high time for America to outg row throwing itself the same party every year. I have basically a three-part argument for this, most of which is probably going to be reasonably appealing to an audience from Forest Park, River Forest, and Oak Park so don’t stress about reading on.
Part 1: I am no longer sure how I feel about celebrating anything by giving the sensory impression that we are taking heavy
enemy fire.Rockets’ red glare and bombs bursting in air and all that other outdated horsesh*t is a lot less funny when a firewor goes off when you’re standing on the train platform and everyone thinks, “Is this it? Is it time to take shelter? Is it some kid with black cat? If you heard the shot it didn’t hit you, right?”
I don’t know if we skipped that unit in Nation School or if we just like loud noises and the smell of cordite, but I gotta tell you I can think of better ways to celebrate then pretending that we are actually taking cannon fire.
Part 2: The risk of injuring oneself from fireworks would seem to take some of the excitement and joy out of the whole thing. Interspersed with all of the exploding around the 4th of July is a lot of sirens and some very crowded emergency rooms. Why we didn’t take Jason Pierre-Paul, the New York Giant who blew of f a good chunk of one hand a few years ago, and turn him into a national spokesman for the Why Would You
Do This To Yourself ? campaign, I no idea. You can’t buy a pack ettes without someone giving you the stinkeye, but you can a box of dynamite in your rd and declare that you’re elebrating America? C’mon. Why we just fire our automatic apons in the air jubilantly? It’s not that different.
Part 3: All right, I’m going to confess that this is the part that makes me maddest. I had to pad out the rest of the column with Parts 1 & 2 because I write about dogs often enough, but fireworks are inhumane. A decent country should not celebrate its birthday with lavish and prolonged acts of animal cruelty
The number of tranquilizers I had to pour into my friend Leia so she could survive the 4th of July weekend with anything approaching sanity — even by the standards of a Staffy — is a dose that should give anybody pause. Hunter Thompson wouldn’t take this many drugs during a couple weeks in Vegas. The de gree of misery that we visit
on beloved friends who do not have the slightest idea 1) what is going on, 2) what America is, and 3) why we celebrate its birthday by being mean to them is beyond even my ability to describe in metaphor. I understand that this is a nation that gives annual thanks for all of the blessings visited upon us by eng aging in the greatest ritual animal slaughter in the history of the world (a slaughter in which I enthusiastically and greedily participate, mind you, this is not some sort of PETA screed), but doing something entirely optional that makes dogs beyond miserable is increasingly something I find unconscionable. We’re hurting dogs, man! I should not have to coax my trembling bestie out from under the bed with cookies after a holiday weekend so we can go to the park. This is — there is no other expression for it — not OK I don’t want to be shrill with people who are setting off fireworks over their lack of safety or sense. Those frailties are their business. But I do want to go to them with video footage of cowering pets and say, “I just want you to know, this is what your ‘harmless fun’ is doing to my friend.”
By LUZANE DRAUGHON Staff Reporter
After three years in the position, Oak Park’s Public Health Director Theresa Chapple will be officially leaving her role July 12.
Chapple is taking a couple weeks of vacation now, according to village officials, and is not expected back by the time her official tenure concludes. For now, Deputy Village Manager Lisa Shelley will oversee the public health department, which celebrated its 75th anniversary this year
Dan Yopchick, the village ’s chie f communications officer, did not know if Chapple left for a new position, but she hinted to that on X, for merly known as Twitter. Chapple has about 43,000 followers on the ap p.
“I’m humbled by my next opportunity which will allow me to make an impact
at both the local and national level,” she wrote.
Chapple did not respond i mmediately to a We d nesd ay Journal request fo r c omment.
A search is underway to fill the vacancy, according to village officials.
Chapple, a governmental and applied epidemiologist, according to the village, began her role in May 2021, while Oak Park and the United States dealt with the COVID-19 pandemic. According to village officials, she supported the community’s safety during that time, overseeing one of only four certified public health departments in suburban Cook County.
The Oak Park Department of Public Health helps protect the community from preventable death, disease, illness and injury, according to a village statement. Services provided include health assessments, education, prevention care, case management and counseling.
Chapple has worked at local, state and federal health agencies. Prior to her move to Oak Park, she led the Women Health Data and Evaluation team at the Health Resources and Services Administration in Rockville, Md., Wednesd Jour nal re ported.
In the village’s statement, Village Manager Kevin Jackson said Oak Park is thankful for her contributions to the village’s public health ef forts.
“From working with the community on our pandemic response, to developing a wide-ranging immunization progr am, to heightening our response to opioid overdose prevention, providing unwavering support for asylum-seeking f ami lies in Oak Park and more, Dr. Chapple’ impact here was nothing short of significant,” Jackson said in the statement. “We wish her well as she steps back from this role in order to spend more time with her loving family.”
It’s time to test your skill eating the hard shell before the ice cream drips through the cracks
By RISÉ SANDERS-WEIR Contributing Reporter
Nothing soothes steamy summer weather like a frozen treat. There’s a new option in town at Three Spoons Ice Cream.
Located less than a block north of Ridgeland Commons pool at 133 N. Ridgeland, the new soft-serve sellers opened their doors June 24.
Every day of the week from noon to 9 p.m., vanilla, chocolate or a combo swirl will coil into cones and cups. Customization with any one of up to 16 “Flavor Burst” syrups is a possibility. Current offerings are strawberry, blue goo, chocolate, bubble gum, orange dream, green apple, black raspberry and butter pecan.
The shop’s name is a reference to the owners, Nicole and Jim Cahill’s, three daughters. All three of whom are helping get the business up and running. That younger generation is working on a digital presence (still in progress) and the more delicious tasks at the counter.
fudge, strawberry, peanut butter, caramel, turtle and brownie. Of course, they also come with whipped cream, nuts and the near-mandatory cherry on top.
Shakes and malts get creative. Eighteen different mix-ins allow for customization, or you can pick from recipes already dreamed up by the staf f with enticing names like Queen Elizabeth II, The Jimmy Boy and Luck of The Irish.
Brand-new customer Tom Carroll works nearby and has ke pt his eye out for the shop’s opening. For his first taste, he opted for the Sally’s Special shake: vanilla ice cream with strawberries, white chocolate chips and whipped cream.
“I’m usually a chocolate guy, but my co-
Dip top cones come in butterscotch, cherry and chocolate. Test your skill at eating the hard shell before the ice cream drips through cracks.
The Cahill’s expect most of their customers to come from foot traffic in the area.
“There’s so much walkability from the neighborhood, high school and from the pool,” Nicole Cahill said. “I would promise ice cream to get my kids out of the pool when they were young. I hope we’ll be an option for that, since we are so close to Ridgeland.”
Sidewalk seating has preliminary approval from the village, according to the Cahills That will be coming later this summer
The menu extends beyond iconic whirled columns of cool. Sundae sauces are hot
refreshing for a hot day,” Carroll said.
The ice cream is gluten free, as are most, if not all, of the Flavor Burst syrups (ask to have the ingredients checked to be sure). And the Cahills want to add vegan options. They also plan to listen to customer requests and modify the menu based on demand
The business will be open seasonally from April to October.
“There’s plenty of ice cream in downtown Oak Park. There’s some on the other side of town, but there’s just nothing right here,” Jim Cahill said.
By DEBORAH BAYLISS Contributing Reporter
As crimes against Black women and girls increased around her, Arewa Karen Winters said she decided she needed protection.
Although the 15th District police councilwomen had held her FOID card for 20 years, she decided it was time to get her concealed carry license. Owning a firearm was not an easy decision for Winters but she felt it was necessary.
Now, she’s working as part of a club with other women to learn about how to better protect themselves and to use and handle firearms safely through Soul Sista Shooting Club, a nationally reco gnized shooting club for Black Women with members in Illinois, Mississippi and Texas.
Soul Sista Shooting Club launched last September with confounding member Er-
isene Jefferson, a brand ambassador and instructor in training.
Winters shared what owning a firearm is like for her.
“I struggle with it because I’m terrified of guns but at the same time, I’m also terrified of what can happen to me just being in my community without one,” Winters said.
“We’ re single women moving through the South and West Side communities so it’s just a matter of safety,” Winters explained.
For Black women, protecting their own lives is existential. Research shows that the West Side communities last year re ported the most robberies in the city. A CBS2 analysis of police data also showed that in 2022, Black women were the victims in 35% of city assaults, 38% of batteries and 50% of human-trafficking cases but make up only 16% of the city’s population. As for why those women are victims, Geneva Brown, a professor of criminolo gy at DePaul University pointed out in a story published by The Root that Black women in some cases have to work late night shifts and are out at times when there’s not a lot of police presence, such as at bus stops or on the L.
Jefferson, who obtained her concealed carry license in 2020, said she has gained a sense of empowerment and safety.
“Some people look at guns as a bad thing but the gun itself is not the problem, it’s the people that have the guns,” Jefferson said. “As a concealed carry holder, we hope that we never have to use it but if the time arises, we’re prepared to use it. I started out fearful of guns but the more you grow and develop, you become more efficient in handling it.”
Winters and Jefferson obtained their shooting instructions from Aban Advantage Consulting, a consulting business founded by Chief Instructor Eric Becton, which primarily provides firearms safety and training, individual and institutional security development and emergency preparedness.
card, you would not be eligible for a conceal carry license as the state of Illinois is currently structured,” Becton explained.
Soul Sista Shooting Club aims to provide an environment of nurturing sisterhood, but it also aims to help women develop the art of handling handguns. Full wrap-around services, such as additional online courses, image-based training, medical training, emergency preparedness and total engagement of critical self-defense are offered as part of Aban’s services that the club members receive being part of Aban.
Pamela Jenkins of Oak Park said she obtained her concealed carry license and joined the club because she wanted to overcome her fear of guns and be prepared if she ever had to use it.
Becton, who has nearly three decades of firearms instruction and multiple nationally recognized instructor’s certifications said when you deal with firearms training, what you’re really dealing with is self-defense
“A FOID card is not required to take the concealed carry class, however, you should know that you are in good standing with the law and don’t have anything that would disqualify you from having a FOID card because if you’ re not eligible for a FOID
Both Becton and Winters cautioned that it’s not enough to just go out and purchase a firearm. They stressed getting the proper training and the basic fundamental things you should know, even how to carry it on your person and how to interface with the police if you’ re pulled over while carrying your firearm so that you can safely come out of that police engagement.
For class cost, and other information, contact Becton at Aban Advantage.com or at 804-453-2226.
By LUZANE DRAUGHON Staff Reporter
Fireworks, sparklers and party poppers are often handled on the Fourth of July to display colorful lightshows or excite children. But it’s important to ensure safety while partaking in the holiday with friends and family because the explosives, as innocent as they may seem, can be dangerous In 2023, about 9,700 individuals were treated in emergency rooms for firework injuries, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, and eight people died. The CPSC, an independent agency, is tasked with protecting people from injury or death as a result of consumer products, like fireworks.
According to the CPSC annual fireworks re port, injuries from fireworks have increased from 2008 to 2023. About 66% of injuries in 2023 happened in the weeks before and after the Fourth of July. In studying the four weeks surrounding the holiday in 2023, CPSC found hands and fin-
gers are injured the most time – followed by head, face and ears 22% of Teenagers ages 15 to 19 had the highest rate of these injuries last year, followe to CPSC. And about 42% of the injuries studied burns. Sparklers, for around 2,000 de grees Fahrenheit.
Additionally, CPSC tested About 18% of the selected projects had “noncompliant components,” such as fuse violations or prohibited chemicals Illinois, however, is one of only three states that ban some or all consumer firew cago. But Illinois residents can elty effects” and not firew and party poppers. Local la even sparklers are illegal.
“The safest way to view al displays,” CPSC Chair Alexander Hoehn-Saric said in a news release. “If you choose light your own, make sure you only buy legal firew from a reputable retailer.”
To stay safe this Fourth of ■ Do not let children sparklers.
See SAFETY on pa ge 18
Our beautiful 6-story building provides quality, a ordable, independent housing for seniors. e Oaks o ers studio and one-bedroom apartments, with kitchens and private bathrooms. Amenities include an award winning interior landscaped atrium, central meeting room, library, laundry facilities, computer learning center, internet access, electronic key entry system, and parking.
On-site management includes 24/7 emergency maintenance service and a senior services coordinator who is available during business hours to assist residents in accessing service
agencies and programs designed speci cally for seniors. e Oaks is owned and operated by the Oak Park Residence Corporation and is funded by the US Department of Housing and Ur-ban Development through the 202/ Section 8 Program. Monthly rent is based on the resident’s income, with individuals paying approximately 30% of their monthly income toward rent.
For more information, please visit us at www.oakparkrc.com or contact us at 708-386-5862.
A man p laced an order June 25 at the Dunki n’ Donuts at 7117 North Ave. when the employee opened the c ash drawe r. T he man j umped over the c ounter and stole money from the re gister. T he man p ushed the employee’s hands aw ay when the employee t ried to stop him. T he man then fled in a black Ch ev rolet HHR with yellow temporary tags. T he estimated loss is $500.
A man approached a Wonder Lake resident sitting in his work vehicle June 28 on the 1100 block of Wisconsin Avenue. A second man displayed a firearm. The two men then stole items from the van. The estimated loss is $1,600.
Someone got into an Oak Park resident’s backyard between June 27 and June 28 on
the 1100 block of Rossell Avenue. The person stole two outdoor chairs, two lounge seats with cushions, four pillows, two white canvas umbrellas, a loveseat with a cushion and a coffee table. The estimated loss is $4,000.
■ Someone stole a Chicago resident’s grey 2019 Jeep Grand Cherokee on June 24 on the 500 block of South Ridgeland Avenue. The estimated loss is $30,000.
■ Someone stole a Northlake resident’s black 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee on June 25 on the 1100 block of Lyman Avenue. The estimated loss is $40,000.
■ Someone shattered the front driver’s side window of an Oak Park resident’s 2014 Toyota RAV4 between June 23 and June 24 on the 800 block of South Kenilworth Av-
enue. The person ransacked the interior and stole the resident’s garage door opener. Then, the individual got into the garage and stole a blue men’s Trek bicycle and DeWalt tools. The estimated damage and loss are $2,560.
■ Someone got into an Oak Park resident’s Audi A3 through an unlocked door between June 24 and June 25 on the 100 block of South Humphrey Avenue. The person stole a black backpack containing a Microsoft Surface Pro laptop and two wallets with IDs and credit cards. The estimated loss is unknown.
■ A 41-year-old Milwaukee man was arrested for criminal trespass to property June 24 on the 1000 block of South Cuyler Avenue. He was cited and given a notice to appear in court.
■ A 60-year-old Chicago man was arrested for an active warrant out of Cook Coun-
from page 17
■ Only set of f fireworks labeled for consumer, not professional use.
■ Do not use fireworks if impaired by alcohol or drugs.
■ Keep water nearby in case.
■ Light fireworks at once, then move back quickly.
■ Do not relight or use malfunctioning fireworks. Soak them in water and throw them away
■ Do not place any body parts over a firework when lighting it.
■ Do not throw fireworks, including sparklers, at anyone.
■ To prevent trash fires, douse fireworks with water after use before throwing them out.
Officials from Loyola Medicine also recommend wearing heat-safe gloves and goggles when lighting fireworks.
“Even a split second of contact with a burning sparkler can be dangerous,” said Joshua Carson, MD, director of the Loyola Medicine Bur n Center, in a statement. “For young children, even the most innocent-seeming sparkler can cause serious burns.”
ty for possession of a controlled substance June 25 on the 400 block of Madison Street.
■ A 52-year-old man from Country Club Hills was arrested for battery to a Chicago resident June 28 on the 700 block of North Boulevard
■ A 59-year- old Chicago woman was ar rested for battery to another Chicag o resident June 29 on the 0 – 100 block of Erie Street.
These items were obtained from Oak Park Police Department re ports dated June 24 – July 1 and re present a portion of the incidents to which police responded. Anyone named in these re ports has only been charged with a crime and cases have not yet been adjudicated. We re port 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 Luzane Draughon
If there’s a traumatic injury, where fingers or part of the hand is blown of f, wrap it in gauze and place it in a plastic bag, according to Loyola Medicine. The bag should then be placed in a container with ice or cold water and the individual taken to the appropriate facility.
A burn larger than one’s palm or a burn affecting the eyes or face should be treated hastily by a local burn center, officials said. Rinse bur ns with cool water, not ice water, and cover with a dry, sterile, nonstick bandag e.
While ensuring safety during Fourth of July events, promoting sustainability is a good goal, too. Oak Park’s waste management servicer, Lakeshore Recycling Systems, of fered tips from Joy Rifkin, a LRS sustainability manager.
■ Choose reusable plates, napkins and silverware.
■ Use cups and glassware you own, especially aluminum water bottles that don’t break down.
■ Shop locally for food to reduce carbon emissions associated with transportation.
■ Send digital invitations, rather than paper ones, for parties and events.
■ Separate recycling from trash and rinse before tossing. Dirty recyclables can contaminate the entire load.
605 Linden
By LACEY SIKORA Contributing Reporter
An historic home recently hit the market in Oak Park, and along with a healthy dose of Chicagoland history and architectural provenance, the home boasts some modern amenities that are unusual in Oak Park real estate.
The home was built in 1908 for James Fletcher Skinner at 605 Linden Ave. in an area that was soon known colloquially as the Sears estates. Skinner had a direct connection to the neighborhood’s nickname.
Skinner and his wife were living in Minnesota, where Skinner operated the general store in Redwood Falls. He met Richard Sears, who ran the train station’s tele graph system while selling watches on the side.
Sears and Skinner worked together to develop a retail system that would cut out
the middleman and allow for direct transactions between producers and customers. Their collaboration resulted in the direct mail order business that Sears opened in Minneapolis.
In 1895, Sears relocated the business to Chicago and invited Skinner to come along. For a time, both men lived in Oak Park. In 1908, Skinner hired architect Charles White to build his home at what is now 605 Linden.
With more than 6,500 square feet above grade, seven fireplaces and a garage with a coach house apar tment, the home was grand for its time. Sears died in 1917 and is buried at Forest Home Cemetery. His widow later moved to California.
Today, Leigh Ann Hughes of Compass Realty’s Hughes Home Team is listing the
from page 19
house for the current owners for $1.985 million. She said that the finished basement includes more than 2,000 square feet of living space, so the home lives large with a total square footage of more than 8,600 square feet. That doesn’t include the garage apartment and the sport court.
The home is one of few local houses to have its own sport court. The heated space has a floating Maple TuffShield® ShockTower floor, and a regulation basketball hoop, making it the perfect place for the spor ts enthusiast.
The interior of the home isn’t too shabby itself. A grand entry foyer has original quarter sawn oak details and an original fireplace clad in stunning tile depicting flowing wisteria vines. Tucked behind the entry is a private office, one of many spaces suited for modern work-from-home scenarios.
The for mal living room spans the front of the house and includes another gas fireplace with stained glass windows above the mantel. A second living area and sun porch round out the multiple living spaces on the first floor.
T he walls of the dining room are clad in paneled, quarter sawn oak. T he updated kitchen has white cabinetry and a custom island. T he adjacent breakfast room has another fireplace.
“It’s a huge house, and it all flows so nicely,” Hughes said about the first floor
On the second floor, the spacious primary suite includes a large bathroom with plenty of room to spread out. In the bathroom, there are dual vanities in separate spaces that meet in a bathing area. There are also two walk-in closets.
Two bedrooms have built-in cabinetry for storage and meet in a spacious Jack-and-Jill bath with a soaking tub and separate shower. A third bedroom has an outdoor balcony and a hall bathroom. A laundry room with a wall of cabinetry is also located on the second floor
ing area with a fireplace, and could be used as a bedroom suite or upstairs den or office.
In the basement, the current owners added a home theater complete with a 158-inch projector screen, professional sound and a wet bar. The basement also includes a rec room and a weight room.
Step across the driveway to enter the original garage that has stairs to a one-bedroom, one-bathroom
full kitchen. The space could be rented or used for an au pair or visiting family.
A second garage holds the sports court.
She said that all the “un-fun” money has been spent on the home with a French drain, zoned HVAC and sprinkler system to make the house move-in ready.
“This is truly an indoor-outdoor recreation dream home,”
Our Spring Fund Drive ended at midnight Sunday. We closed out just a smidge short of our ambitious goal of $450,000 in annual revenue from our readers. That said, Growing Community Media ended our fiscal year with more dollars in reader support than ever before and with more supporters than last year.
We are grateful.
The reporters, editors, designers, photographers, freelancers in our nonprofit newsroom are smart and hardworking. Together, we tell stories that hold leaders to account, stories that explain complex issues, stories that connect and reflect these communities, stories that sometimes win awards.
Our purpose, as our name says, is to grow community. From Austin on the West Side, through Oak Park, River Forest, Forest Park and along the Des Plaines in Riverside and Brookfield, GCM’s four newspapers are rooted in these neighborhoods. And since we became a nonprofit four years ago, we are truly owned by the people in these communities.
That means we now count on our readers – in print, online and via social media – in many ways. We look for ideas and input on our coverage. And we need our readers to join as members and to be a key part of our mix of revenues. Of course, we still sell a lot of advertising and print subscriptions.
So, thank you for making this fiscal year a success and, through your support, setting us up to make our ambitious plans for the year ahead real.
Dan Haley
Erika Hobbs Publisher Editor
DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS IS FRIDAY 5 P.M.
Call Viewpoints editor
Ken Trainor at 613-3310
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One of my first insights into conscious aging was when I realized the contradiction between, on the one hand, kno and, on the other dying. Fearing and denying inevitable? What to talk about our o somebody else’s death.
buried? Have you ever talked about this with anyone? Conscious aging encourages us to have the ficult conversations sooner rather than later. Don’t wait for the crisis to hit, and certainly don’t wait until after you die! A few months ago, I planned my own 75th birthday party. I’ve started thinking about writing my own obituary. And now I am considering options for my own disposition after death.
A conventional burial includes bathing in for maldehyde (embalming), lying in a casket, and placement in a 6-footdeep hole in the ground surrounded by a well-manicured headstone garden.
A green burial aims to minimize environmental impact. There is no chemical embalming, no casket (or perhaps a biodegradable casket), the body is wrapped in a biodegradable shroud and left barefoot, and the hole in the ground is closer to 3 feet deep
A well-manicured headstone garden could have limestone or benches or even birdhouses as markers. What each of us prefers requires forethought and discussion with family and/or friends.
A common alter native to conventional or green burial is flame cremation, or reduction of body by fire. This fast-growing burial choice is an energy intense process (the equivalent of a 500-mile car trip) and includes smoke emission pollution (over 500 pounds of carbon).
Water cremation, or alkaline hydrolysis, reduces the body to a liquid form through three or four hours of gentle rocking in a potassium hydroxide and denatured alcohol bath. It uses very little energy and produces no emissions. Water cremation reduces the body to a sterile nutrient-
See MARC BLESOFF on pa ge 27
The U.S. presidential election process is deeply flawed. It is based more on cults of personality than substantial policies It is infected by financing from whomever has the deepest pockets. It is about sound bites and publicity rather than policy.
Presidential debates exemplify these flaws in the best of times. In the days of Biden versus Trump, the idea of a debate is consumed by them. Would Biden prove himself too old and senile for the job? Would Trump demonstrate his mental unfitness? Who would sling the best insults and jibes? Unfortunately, Biden’s performance was so underwhelming that he added to the chorus of people calling for him to step aside. I doubt it will happen.
The presidential debate is the most relevant event to our current culture of distraction and also the least relevant to the serious issues we are actually facing as a nation. It is a play in which both candidates get to act out their animosity and supposed differences. In fact, they are aligned on far too many policies. Both Biden and Trump support Israel’s devastating and ongoing attacks on Gaza. Both Biden and Trump support restricting the rights of asylum-seekers. Both Biden and Trump support the continuation of oil drilling on public lands.
Biden aligning himself with Trump’s policies, at one level, makes little sense. Not only is Biden adopting the policies of his Republican challenger, he is adopting policies that are unpopular with a majority of the American people. A majority of Americans wants a ceasefire in Gaza. A majority of Americans wants to maintain or increase the number of asylum-seekers we admit, not decrease it. And a majority of Americans wants a decrease in fossil fuel drilling on public lands.
But at another level, the agreement of mainstream Democrats and Republicans on these policies makes perfect sense. These are the policies that allow corporate donors to make money, either directly in the case of oil drilling, or by distracting Americans from the real source of our problems — greedy corporate elites — and diverting us to focus on the “hordes of illegals coming to take our jobs” and the “horrid terrorists trying to destroy civilization.”
These are the policies that the corporate elites want and the ones they will finance. The fact that a majority of Americans disag rees with those policies is irrelevant — unless we take action to press our politicians to act on them.
Does that action mean acknowledging that Biden, although problematic, is unquestionably better than Trump, so we pull the lever for him in November and then pressure him to adopt better policies? Does that action mean we refuse to vote for either Biden or Trump and vote for someone more clearly aligned with the policies we want? Does it mean we push Biden to step aside so another Democratic candidate can be chosen? I can see the argument for any of those courses of action.
I am not going to give my support to Biden more than four months prior to the election. I didn’t need to see him throwing down with Trump on the debate stage last week. I don’t really care that he demonstrated his chronological age of 81. I need substantive differences. I need to see him making better decisions for the American people between now and November
Jim Schwartz is an Oak Park resident, an educator, and a blogger at Entwining.org.
In the most obvious and necessary move it could make, River Forest expects to impose a 1% sales tax on groceries. That tax would replace the 1% sales tax on groceries long collected by the state of Illinois and then forwarded to local communities.
Just possible there are some political machinations at work here as Gov. J.B. Pritzker now gets credit for cutting a tax that his government never benefitted from anyhow. And local towns will take only modest heat if they educate their constituents that the new local tax will result in no hike in the cost of their groceries.
River Forest is home to what Oak Parkers affectionately call the “Big Jewel” as well as a Whole Foods and Fresh Thyme on North Avenue Collectively those stores bring in $1.1 million annually in local sales tax. Matt Walsh, village administrator, acknowledged losing that income would dent the village budget. He expects local officials to impose the local version of the tax in a timely way to avoid any shortfall. A reasonable outcome from a political maneuver.
There is a notable collaboration underway to tur n the derelict rectory at St. Catherine-St. Lucy Catholic Church into an expanded and per manent emergency shelter
We are impressed as we watch Housing Forward team up with the Neighborhood Bridge, the village of Oak Park, the Archdiocese of Chicago, the state of Illinois and Oak Park’s Catholic parishes to convert a rectory, last used to house a priest in 2021, into a 40-bed shelter for the unhoused
It was during COVID when the over night shelter model that was the basis for the early days of PADS — a rotating shelter from church to church each night over 10 months of the year. But it just would not work during a pandemic. Housing Forward pivoted to an interim housing model utilizing the Write Inn on Oak Park Avenue.
The need for emergency over night shelter, however, did not disappear as the pandemic eased. Last year, in a solution pulled out of thin air, a 20-bed shelter opened at the Austin Boulevard rectory. It was an imperfect solution in a flawed building. But it sheltered 20 worthy people each night.
Now the agency, with its collaborators, is going to build out a facility that meets zoning requirements and has adequate HVAC and disability access.
This is how Oak Park works when it works well. Thanks to each invested party.
It was perhaps the toughest job in Oak Park through the COVID pandemic. Running Oak Park’s public health department took expertise, deter mination, political savvy and some thick skin. Those were virtues Dr. Theresa Chapple brought when she was hired in May 2021. So many hard decisions on what was open and what was shuttered, plans for mass vaccinations, data collection and a calming message to a flustered community. Those were all qualities Chapple brought.
Now she is moving on with a so-far-undisclosed career move. We wish her well and offer thanks
If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs, and blaming it on you
Rudyard Kipling “If ”
Calm down.
Many supporters of democracy are in panic mode following a poor debate performance by Joe Biden last week. Hardly anyone is focusing on the poor perfor mance of Donald Trump (except for the Philadelphia Enquirer, which called for Trump to withdraw from the race. Now that’s responsible journalism!). The rest of the media is in full-blown headless hypergallop, heading for the clif f.
Panic is the flood of fear that spills over into reckless behavior. Reckless behavior leads to wreckful consequences. Calling for Joe Biden to withdraw is reckless and wreckful.
The one guy I dearly hope is not in panic mode is Joe Biden because if he leaves the race, Donald Trump will be our next president. Guaranteed. If Biden stays in the race, on the other hand, he will most likely win. No guarantees, but I like those odds much better.
The debate was definitely a setback. But panic is an all-out surrender.
Panic unhinges the brain. If you’re feeling its deadly tingle, take some deep breaths and resist rushing into hasty decisions or leaping to faulty conclusions Above all, avoid stampedes, which wreck everything in their path. When you’re in panic mode, don’t kid yourself that you’re being “rational.”
Context helps.
Did Biden do poorly in this debate because he’s too old and showing cognitive decline and therefore not up to doing the job as president? Or are there more reasonable explanations?
He’s not a good debater, particularly with a ridiculously short time-clock (We should ditch debates altogether). He didn’t do well in the 2019 Democratic debates either, under similar pressures. But anyone who has paid attention the past four years knows Biden and his administration have done an exemplary job under difficult circumstances. That’s why many of us are enthusiastic supporters. If you’re just tuning in, you missed that remarkable performance. It may be why you focus too much on his age and are wildly overreacting to a single bad debate performance.
Biden made the mistake of trying to squeeze too much into too little time. He also suffers from a lifelong stutter. He lear ned to control it for the most part, but under this kind of pressure, it was a problem. He stumbled over his words, which was proof for those who already believed he is too old and were looking
for confir mation of their bias.
Another mistake was trying to respond to Trump’s disjointed rants and ludicrous accusations — a veritable firehose of lies and distortions. As jour nalist/historian Heather Cox Richardson pointed out, Trump employed a rhetorical device called the “Gish gallop.”
“Someone throws out a fast string of lies, non-sequiturs, and specious arguments, so many that it is impossible to fact-check or rebut them,” she wrote.
“Trying to figure out how to respond makes the opponent look confused because they don’t know where to start grappling with the flood that has just hit them. It is especially effective on someone with a stutter, as Biden has.”
Yet Biden didn’t make any major gaffes, didn’t suffer mental meltdowns, and got better as the debate went along. He had plenty of stamina.
Biden’s performance didn’t prove he was too old. It proved he had the wrong strategy. Trump, meanwhile, who is content-free, logic-free, scruples-free and truth-free, could say anything he wanted and get away with it. The format is tailor-made for a con man. But suggesting Biden should withdraw as a candidate is irresponsible and incredibly naive. As Lawrence O’Donnell said on MSNBC, there is no “magical candidate” waiting in the wings to take his place, and any replacement would have to build an organization from scratch with only four months till the election, not to mention raising enormous amounts of money The last time Democrats tried that (replacing LBJ in 1968), we ended up with Richard Nixon. This time it would be Donald Trump Replacing a candidate at this point is utterly unrealistic, and the anti-democracy movement would fully exploit our desperation.
Judging by Biden’s energized performance in Raleigh, North Carolina at a rally the next day, the debate debacle may be the best thing that could have happened to him. But the only way we’ll know is if he stays in the race
If Biden pulls out and Trump wins this election, historians will not point to the debate as the cause but to the freak-out that followed. That’s what gives aid and comfort to the opposition. That’s what will rip the pro-democracy movement to shreds.
Biden can’t defeat Trump by himself. “We” are the ones who must defeat him. And “we” are the ones to blame if Trump wins. Every time we panic, we increase the odds that it will happen.
We can’t afford the luxury of fantasies about magical candidates riding to our rescue.
We cannot afford to panic.
So before you do irreparable damage to yourself and your country … Calm down.
SHRUB TO WN by Marc Stopeck
There is growing awareness of the recent village board decision to discontinue street-sweep leaf pickup and require residents to bag leaves for disposal. A petition was signed by 1,875 residents asking for an amendment to delay rollout until 2025 and a referendum empowering residents to make the final call on leaf disposal.
The community should know the board’s response to that petition, prompted by Trustee Enyia’s demonstration that he is willing to listen to the concerns of residents, courageously moving to amend, and seconded by Trustee Parakkat, who expressed concerns that there are too many unknowns, particularly with cost. His judgment was spot on, as clearly demonstrated later in the meeting when President Scaman also supported the delay.
However, the amendment was defeated, 4 to 3.
The public works director said research showed only 13 bags are needed all season for the average homeowner. He envisioned “Green Block Parties” and an ar my of volunteers for seniors, twice per season. Really?
The cost? Didn’t know. Only 50 seniors get snow assistance. A water bill credit would be given to compensate residents Who would get it? Didn’t know. Cost? Didn’t know. Could LRS revert to the old method if the amendment passed? Couldn’t guarantee it, so didn’t know. Another contractor? Probably
couldn’t find one Worth checking? Apparently not, and it was too expensive to do ourselves. End of story. Makes one wonder how it was ever possible. In the meantime, seniors who need leaf assistance should not hesitate to apply. How? Don’t know yet.
Trustee Wesley is a “million percent against a referendum … where the community tells us what to do with our leaves.” He dismissed a resident’s cost concer ns, converting the dollar amount to an equivalent number of bags. This misses the whole point: It’s labor cost, not bag cost. He announced that it was 10 p.m. and he was tired of discussion. “Let’s make the decision and deal with the consequences.”
Citizens elect the board, relinquishing their voice. Our only voice is elections because trustees Wesley, Buchanan, Straw, and Robinson aren’t interested in yours now. Vote, starting in 2025!
For video of the June 11 petition presentation, set time slider to 07:20: https://oak-park.granicus.com/player/ clip/2526?view_id=4&redirect=true
For video of the June 18 villa ge board meeting with motion to delay rollout of leaf-ba gging to 2025, set time slider to 3:28:00: https://oak-park.granicus.com/player/ clip/2533?view_id=4&redirect=true
Robert Parks, Oak Park
of Oak Park and River Forest
e goal of the Viewpoints section is to foster and facilitate a community conversation and respectful dialogue. Responsible community voices are vital to community journalism and we welcome them. Space is at a premium and readers’ attention is also limited, so we ask that Viewpoints submissions be brief. Our limit for letters to the editor is 350 words. For One View essays, the limit is 500 words. Shorter is better. If and when we have su cient space, we print longer submissions, but when space is limited — as it o en is — we may ask you to submit a shorter version or hold the piece until space allows us to print it.
We reser ve the right to edit submissions. We do not have time to allow the writer to review changes before publication. We also do not have time to do more than super cial fact-checking, and because of our national epidemic of misinformation and conspiracy theories, when writers include statistical evidence to support their opinions, we require them to include the source of that information, such as credible websites, print publications, titles of articles and dates published, etc. Be as speci c as possible so that we and our readers have some way of assessing the credibility of your claims. Links may also be included for the online version. We follow the Society of Professional Journalists’ code of ethics: seek the truth and report it and minimize harm. As a result, we will do our best not to publish pieces that espouse doubtful or debunked theories, demonstrate harmful bias, or cross the line into incivility. While we will do our best not to engage in censorship, we also do not intend to be used as a platform for misinformation. Your sources for fact-checking are a critical step in keeping the discourse honest, decent and respectful.
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Picture a photo display of the two candidates, each surrounded by pictures of top staff and advisors. President Biden’s would be smiling headshots with names and job titles beneath each. Trump’s would be mug shots with labels plastered on them — “indicted,” “convicted,” or both. His lackeys took the fall instead of the boss (except for those he pardoned on his way out, of course).
Trump’s people needed only to pledge absolute loyalty to him, just as a mob boss demands. Qualifications for jobs they held mattered little, if at all. What he wanted, they gave him, or they were gone. Skirting or flouting the law was commonplace. And the law caught up with many of them for crimes he instigated. “Gang” is the only accurate term for them.
President Biden’s people have done their jobs with no credible accusations of misdeeds, despite the crazed efforts of MAGA minions in Congress, posing as people
elected to serve the best interests of their constituents and the country at large. Our President relies on his administration’s expertise, dedication, and honor. “Team” is the term that suits them well.
In light of this contrast, pitting the two candidates in a debate against one another, one on one, bears no resemblance to how the presidency works, where the input of many leads to decisions that are carefully thought out, as long as it takes — no solo act, no two-minute sound bites, no evading the issues, no absence of fact-checking can be tolerated in the Oval Office. That’s where real governing goes on, not a TV show run amuck.
We can only hope that the second televised event (dare we even call it a “debate”?) is structured so issues are engaged substantively and false claims are called out immediately.
Can we hope?
Fred Reklau, Oak Park
The village’s climate ready plan, like just about every climate plan, aims to reduce automobile traffic and enhance bike and pedestrian trips. Of course, the presence of automobiles is a leading deterrent to more widespread non-carbon trips, so one of the main challenges is how to make non-car trips safer.
One of my favorite musicians, David Byrne, has been cycling in countless world cities on and off tour and offers some examples of new, lower speed limits in his newsletter, Reasons to be Cheerful. His staff reporters recently ran a series on the many towns and neighborhoods that have adopted 20 mile-per-hour speed limits. (“Cars Are Slowing Down in European Cities,” reasonstobecheerful.world). Twenty’s Plenty (mph), City 30 and Tempo 30 (kilometers per hour) are gaining momentum in Europe with the entire country of Wales now having a 20 mph default.
After reading the article series, I realized I knew more about the speed limit in Wales, Singapore and elsewhere than in Oak Park. What is the speed limit here?
To reduce my ignorance, I turned to the Illinois Legal Code that specifies the speed limit in Oak Park, Illinois (15-1-10: SPEED LIMITS: amlegal.com). I learned that, except for the four bordering avenues and two busy streets (Washington and Ridge-
land) the speed limit is 25 mph. That is the speed limit except for 28 exceptions that are precisely described in the Legal Code. For those 28 exceptions, which mainly border parks, the speed limit is 20 mph.
My pleasure in learning that Oak Park already has safer traffic rules in much of the village was tempered by the nagging feeling that I’m not the only one who is unsure of the speed limit when on the road I probed this question at our block party, which happened to be this past weekend. I asked seven neighbors to write down on a piece of paper Oak Park’s speed limit. Two out of the seven answered correctly, stating 25 mph, and three stated 30 mph. Assuming my block is not an outlier, most of us seem to be driving around Oak Park somewhat blind.
Although knowledge of the speed limit and its enforcement in the village are somewhat ambiguous, 20 mph or slower traffic usually means fewer fatalities and reduced noise pollution (Sustainability | Free Full-Text | Review of City-Wide 30 km/h Speed Limit Benefits in Europe, mdpi.com).
Oak Park is apparently closer to 20 mph than we think. Maybe it’s time to make it the rule rather than the exception.
Susan Subak, Oak Park
Kudos to Takeout 25 for introducing composting in Oak Park restaurants, which generate a huge amount of food-derived waste Residents on the village’s municipal waste contract already have this service available with Oak Park’s optional Compostable program. For a small monthly fee, organic waste is picked up just like trash and recyclables. Eligible items include many that cannot be composted in a backyard operation, such as bones, produce pits and skin, coffee grounds and filters, and food-soiled paper towel and cardboard, not to mention all yard waste. (As a neighbor told me, “I can’t believe all the stuff I can compost!”)
Composting diverts organic waste from landfills and cuts the climate-heating methane emissions that result from bagged organic matter rotting fast without exposure to oxygen. And it avoids the energy use, sink clogs, and burden to water purification
systems that come with sink disposal. Currently only about 25% of eligible Oak Park households take advantage of the Compostable program, but that number needs to grow to help Oak Park meet our goal of reducing emissions that are heating our planet beyond livability.
Condo owners and renters can also compost even if they’re not eligible for the village program, by contracting with a service like WasteNot, which collects and processes organic waste. The modest cost drops further as more households participate. By bringing composting to your building, your neighbors can collectively do their part to fight climate change while helping return nutrients to the soil that nourishes us all.
Composting is a small lifestyle shift with big benefits for the planet, and everyone can do it
Wendy Greenhouse, Oak Park
After living in the village of Oak Park for 25 years, it is surprising how little our voices are heard in this small community. When the Madison Street road diet was implemented, there was prompt removal of the planters and trees without warning, evidently fearing community input. There was a 5-story apartment building approved despite a 7-0 vote rejection by the Plan Commission. Now we are pushing forward with leaf-bagging, which is opposed by the majority of the village. It has been stated that the recycling service may not be able to continue leaf pickup
What we are failing to recognize is half of all the leaves on the parkway will fall into the street. There will be a need for these leaves to be picked up regardless of a leafbagging policy. In the past, there was cooperation from homeowners to rake the leaves
away from the sewers and away from curbs to assist those that take away the leaves. This mandate will put an end to that partnership. The costs quoted by the village public works director quoted a 50-cent bag cost without any mention of the yard-waste stickers that are over $3 per bag. The alleys barely allow for waste containers, let alone multiple lawn-waste bags per household. It is misleading to force through this policy due to the “danger” of raking leaves into the street.
Oak Park has high taxes and it appears that we keep reducing village services rather than improving them. It is disappointing to see our local gover nment disregard public opposition for a service that has been provided for many years.
Melinda Murray, Oak Park
It has come to my attention that Oak Park will not be doing fireworks again this year for the Fourth of July holiday. Fireworks when done safely are very fun and is a great family activity. I have so many memories of watching fireworks shows with my family and it would be nice to watch them in my own neighborhood. Fireworks are culturally important and
used to celebrate holidays like the Fourth of July. Firework events bring the community together and everyone is able to come, no matter what, as it is fun, safe, and free to do. It is overall a great experience and can bring fun to everyone. Thank you for considering bringing back the firework show in Oak Park
Noah Lennie, Oak Park
President Biden’s inability to serve another four years is evident to anyone who watched Thursday’s debate.
When speaking, Biden was nearly impossible to understand. Moreover, after Biden’s incomprehensible comments on border security, President Trump said what everyone was thinking: “I really don’t know what he said at the end of that sentence. I don’t think he knows what he said either.” Biden’s stare while he was not speaking was even worse. He looked like he was not in touch with reality. I question Biden’s ability to even serve out his remaining term.
Also, Biden lied to the American people about his disgraceful withdrawal from Afghanistan. “The truth is, I’m the only president this century that doesn’t have any troops dying anywhere in the world, like he did.” In fact, the Abbey Gate explosion on Aug. 26, 2021, saw an ISIS-K terrorist,
recently released from prison by the Taliban, detonate a bomb killing 13 American troops (1). Biden’s lie sparked outrage from the family of Staff Sgt. Darin Hoover (2) America deserves a president who will honor our fallen and keep our homeland safe. Therefore, Biden should be replaced by a real leader, President Donald Trump, this November
(1) NBC news article on the Abbey Gate attack:
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/kabulairport-bomber-was-isis-operative-freed-prison-taliban-rcna147810
(2) Family of Staff Sergeant Darin Hoover:
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/goldstar-family-speaks-out-after-biden-falselyclaims-no-troops-have-died-his-watch
Jonathan
Panton, River Forest
To the readers and avid letter writers of Wednesday Jour nal, I come to present an alternative opinion surrounding the now infamous topic of leaf-bagging in Oak Park
While there has been much deliberation about the cost of bagging leaves, the strenuous aspect of labor, and the general contempt for the residents of Oak Park displayed by the village board, I believe something is missing in the overall conversation and analysis.
I offer an argument in favor of leafbagging not because it is what the residents of Oak Park want, but because it is the policy that residents of Oak Park deserve. You deserve to have your life dictated by the trustees you have elected, and you deserve to have your voices ignored by the very same. In case you have yet to notice, the time for having your voices heard and respected is
over. Now is the time to do what you are told I hope that your time spent clearing the yard of leaves gives you an opportunity to reflect on who you voted for. I hope that every minute lost to toiling under the decrees of our feudal lords illuminates the path paved with good intentions that has led you here. And I hope that every sharp pain in your back from hauling 50-pound bags of wet leaves to the curb serves as an equally poignant reminder of how much authority you have handed over to the “leaders” who sit on the Oak Park Board of Trustees
So please, for the sake of your vanishing self-respect, continue to write letters to WJ, to give winded pleas at board meetings, and to otherwise yell into the void. You may even consider putting a sign on your front lawn. And then, after all that, you can rake those leaves.
Alex Papadakis, Oak Park
Joe Biden stumbled in one debate. At the State of the Union, he hit a home run. Now newspapers are calling on him to drop out. Why? He lost a debate to a narcissistic, unhinged liar. Good days and bad days ... he’s the nominee Trump is a convicted felon. Biden was confused during a debate. Under Biden’s leadership we have had expansive job growth, low
On June 27, two days from my penning this letter, our current president, and the president who preceded him, are scheduled to debate. There will be no third-party candidates to listen to. The last time a presidential debate did include a non-Democrat and non-Republican was 1992. That “outsider” was Ross Perot. He qualified for a spot on the stage because he happened to be extremely wealthy. With a small chunk of his bankroll, he bought enough air time to pitch his message to the public. By having that media exposure, he polled above 15%, the minimum number required to be part of any presidential debate goes What a system, eh? Want to run for president? Well, either have millions and millions of dollars to spend on ads, or you get shut out. Perot crashed that 1992 debate. He went on to get about 19% of the vote. In spite of the corporate media having nothing good to say about his platform and proposals. He was not towing the two-party line
Ah, the media. You know, the same media that gave, and continues to give, one of the two debate candidates massive
I join the chorus of residents denouncing the ill-considered decision by the village trustees to implement leaf-bagging. The majority of the trustees took the wrong lesson from an isolated incident and imposed its will on Oak Park residents without meaningful community input or consensusbuilding.
Good news: a 5-2 vote is now a 4-3 vote; one more trustee, overcoming stubbornness, will reverse the decision.
amounts of free air time, in spite of his having tried to overthrow our gover nment. In spite of his being a convicted felon (oh and much, much more proven transgressions for which more court dates await). Yeah, the corporate media
The incumbent certainly gets “free” air time too. While the convicted felon is free to psycho-babble, threaten to become a “dictator on day one,” and swear revenge on perceived enemies, the incumbent appears to be getting a free pass on fact-based criticism pertaining to the now almost nine-month-long Israel/Hamas conflict
Fact: our gover nment funds the Israel military. Fact: about 38,000 Palestinians, including about 15,000 children have died in that conflict, compared to about 1,500 Israelis.
This scheduled debate offers a Hobson’s Choice of two clearly immoral candidates Really, is this the best the country can do as far as who might get elected?
Fact: We need better choices. Much, much better choices.
Joseph Harrington, Oak Park
inking about the unthinkable
from page 23
unemployment, an infrastructure rebuild, and a return to being respected globally.
I’m sticking with President Biden and hoping the frenzy of fear ends and the Democrats put their energy behind Biden. He has ear ned our respect for his leadership. He is doing the job.
We have your back, Joe!
Robert Milstein , Oak Park
Oak Park residents will not tolerate the bad choice of trustees and will ultimately remove the recalcitrant trustees, engage in civil disobedience (magnifying the mess that the trustees have created), or take some other action.
Excuses about the LRS contract, too late to switch back to leaf collection, etc., will not be accepted. I call for another vote at the next village board meeting. Time for the remaining trustees to acknowledge the will of the people and set aside leaf-bagging Bruce Martin, Oak Park
dense liquid form, which can be given back to the Earth as a bio-stimulant. Terramation is a relatively recent natural organic reduction process based on the understanding that the earth knows how to compost. The body is placed in a container surrounded by wood chips, straw and alfalfa as well as a bacteria/fungus tea. After 2 to 4 months, it converts into about 20 cubic feet of living soil. Whatever form of disposition after death, there can be a cultural or spiritual or ceremonial element that is life-enhancing for the family or community who remain. How and where we are buried can be a holistic act of love and an act of gratitude for our vessel of life.
We can imagine how to be buried in a way that matches our values and honors life
There is a really interesting article on the C.H. Hill house in the Homes section of the June 26 edition of Wednesday Jour nal. Lots of details, engaging history, even a discussion of the soil under neath it ... but I wondered where it is, and still do. I scoured the article three times for a hint of an address, but came up empty (not a unique occurrence in the Journal, I’ve noticed). Where is it? Oak Park may be a village, but it isn’t so small that everyone knows where everything is.
The journalistic “5 Ws” are still useful, even in 2024. So please, if staff is referring to anything like a building which has a physical place in our villages, we still do need addresses, or at least the block, to orient us about where that building is. Thank you.
Marty Berg Forest Park
Oak Park, a vibrant community with a rich history, faces a critical issue: the neglect of our streets. As a resident, I am deeply concer ned about the impact this negligence has on our daily lives. In particular, the decision to clean streets only once a month, rather than weekly, has led to debris accumulation, obstructed storm drains, and compromised drainage during heavy rain
Firstly, the frequency of street cleaning needs urgent reconsideration. The signage in Oak Park indicates that streets should be cleaned weekly, yet the reality falls short of this promise. The result? Piles of leaves, branches, and other debris accumulate, posing risks to both pedestrians and drivers. During rainstorms, the clogged storm drains exacerbate flooding, creating hazardous conditions
Moreover, the recent decision to shift
responsibility for leaf collection to residents is concerning. While community involvement is commendable, it should not replace essential municipal services. We pay taxes to maintain our streets, and leaf collection is a fundamental part of that commitment. Expecting citizens to shoulder this burden is unfair and inefficient.
Historically, Oak Park has been a unique village with a caring government. However, recent developments seem to prioritize external interests over the well-being of residents. While infrastructure investments are essential, we cannot ignore the basics — clean streets, efficient drainage, and responsive local gover nance.
Using our votes at the polls should not be the way to decide such issues
it covered
Mr. Alex owned a small fruit and etabl store on Marion Street between W and North Boulevard. During the summer months, he would place cases of apples melons and other fruits and stands in front of his store.
One afternoon during the summer after my freshman year in high school, my pals Char and I were walking past Alex’s store, apples called to us. The three of us each apple, and walked briskly northward w suddenly facing the police officer who was on foot patrol, and, of course, he had seen wh The officer walked us into Alex’s stor us that we could either pay for the partially eaten apples, or we could each perform a chore for Alex, a suggestion to which Alex readily agreed We didn’t have any money, so Alex told us that one of us would sweep the back room of his store, one of us would sweep the main part of the store, and one of us would sweep the sidewalk in front of the store. I was assigned the sidewalk.
Alex gave each of us a broom and when we had finished, we bade farewell to Alex and headed to our respective homes. Yes, we learned our lesson.
My friend Ron Dibber n’s dad was a sergeant on the Oak Park Police Department, and on some Saturday nights he would be on duty at the Lake Theatre. Mr. Dibber n was a strict man who was respected by everyone I knew. When he was on duty at the theater, he would walk up and down the aisles making certain
Michelle Cordogan Oak Park
no one was talking or dropping food on the floor
One Saturday night when Ro ger and I were at the theater during the showing of Rock Around , the noise level in the theater rose to a high pitch. Suddenly the movie stopped and the lights came on, and Ron’s dad was standing on the
He spoke through a microphone, and told the audience that the movie would be canceled with no there was another outburst. The audience remained quiet for the rest of the movie
Late one winter afternoon during our sophomore year in high school, Charlie Mack and I re standing on the nor theast corner of Chicago and Oak Park avenues when Charlie said he was going to nail the next bus he saw by hitting it with a snowball. I told him the only way he could hit a bus would be if he were standing next to it. I also told him that he was crazy and went home
The next day at school, I asked him if he had nailed a bus and he said that he had a large snowball in his throwing hand, which he did not throw because he saw a police car parked on the west side of the block and he figured the police officer driving the squad car was watching him, which was probably true and Charlie’s awareness of this saved him from perfor ming an illegal act.
When we were kids, my buddies and I always felt safe because we knew our local police force had it covered — at all times and in all places
Lance M. Bolonik, 82, died on June 28, 2024, in River Forest. Born on Aug. 25, 1941, in o, he was the son Samuel and Sadie Bolonik. A kind, war m person who loved being in the company of s, he found other eople and their life exand always had a pun or ved World War II history tomes and documentaries, along with Marvel movies, TV sitcoms, and Brit-coms. He taught his kids and grandkids about the vir tues of Chicago cuisine, not least of all how to properly dress and eat a Chicago dog (Vienna Beef, dragged through the garden, no ketchup!) and Italian beef. He was partial to Gene and Jude’s in River Grove and Johnnie’s Italian Beef in Elmwood Park. His undying love for the White Sox was matched only by his disdain for the Cubs And his heart belonged not only to his wife, two daughters, and three grandsons, but to his chihuahua mix, Lucy, an endless source of joy.
A 1959 graduate of OPRF High School, he pursued a mechanical engineering degree at Purdue University and a business degree at Dominican University, where he earned both a B.S. and an M.S. He proudly served in the U.S. Navy from 1964 to 1969 as a lieutenant, piloting E1B Tracers, known as “Willy Fudds.”
He embarked on a 30-year career as a sales representative with MONY, then found joy in teaching, working as a substitute teacher at his alma mater, Roosevelt Middle School in River Forest, until April 2024.
A second-generation member of the West Suburban Temple Har Zion in River Forest, he and his family created lifelong bonds.
Lance is survived by his wife, Janet Bolonik (née Bromberg); his daughters, Kera Bolonik (Meredith Clair) and Shana Bolonik Cohen (Michael Cohen); his grandsons, Theodore Bolonik and Jack and Phineas Cohen; his sister, Cheryl Hoffman; and his nephew, Shane Hoffman (Hanna Siegel) of Washington D.C. He was predeceased by his parents
Memorial services are being planned, details to be announced soon.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Lance’s memory to the VA Hospital at Hines.
PROVIDED BY MAREK HILL
Oak Park resident Marek Hill, who graduated from Fenwick in May, looks dow n eld for a receiver during drills at the QBs 4 e Cure event in St. Charles, June 22. e event is a fundraiser for cancer research.
lends a helping
Recent Fenwick football graduate takes part in event to ght cancer
By MELVIN TATE Contributing Reporter
Marek Hill, who graduated from Fenwick High School in late May, not only has been training for his colle ge football career this summer, he’s also found time to give back to the community.
The Oak Park resident, who plans to play quarterback collegiately at Amherst Colle ge in Massachusetts, took part in the second annual QBs 4 The Cure event, June 22 at Thompson Middle School in St. Charles. Hill, along with several other current and
from page 29
recent high school quarterbacks and wide receivers participated in passing and receiving drills led by Mike Hohensee, a quar terback at the University of Minnesota and the Chicago Bears in the ’80s. He was also the head coach for the Chicago Rush of the now-defunct Arena Football League, and led the team to the 2006 AFL championship, defeating the Orlando Predators 69-61.
While receiving training and guidance from an accomplished player and coach is always nice, QBs 4 The Cure has a greater purpose: raising money for cancer research. For event creator Doug Lang, it has deep personal meaning.
“On April 11, 2023, my wife Rachel was diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer,” he said. “Ironically, she’s a career oncology RN who has treated and supported cancer patients for 20 years, but became a patient herself. Rachel was equipped, as well as possible, to forge and execute her care plan and treatment; however, myself and our four kids (Maia, Emma, Jakob, and Nate) were not so equipped.”
Lang, who coaches youth football, and his son Nate, a rising sophomore quar terback at IC Catholic Prep, decided to use what they knew best — football — as a vehicle to fight cancer. T hey partner with Cancer Smashers, a nonprofit organization that facilitates donations to the Robert H. Lurie Center for Comprehensive Cancer Research
Hill missed last year’s event due to scheduling conflicts but was determined to make it this year. In an interview with Wednesday Journal, he said it was well worth his time.
“I felt I was part of something bigger than myself,” Hill said. “I was pa rt of a great group of people who came together to support a cause. I wanted to raise awareness and do what I do … The biggest thing you can do when you have a platform like most athletes is to not be selfish, but to help people around you.”
“Marek is the first player who contacted us to get involved last year, revealing his character immediately as a young man who understands being a servant for others,” said Lang. “He’s a very humble young man too; he’s amazing.” Hill knows Hohensee through his grandfather, Ike Hill, a wide receiver for the Bears in the ’70s (Marek’s father, Tal-
madge Hill, played QB at OPRF High School in the late ’90s. Currently, he’s an assistant coach for Fenwick’s varsity). They met at a Bears alumni event, and Hohensee invited Marek to the event.
“I got to know Mr. Lang through researching the event on Twitter,” Hill said. “I got to meet some really good guys, and that was really cool. We weren’t out there to make money; we were there to raise money for those who really need it.”
Lang came away impressed with the skills Hill displayed during the drills and says that bodes well for his future.
“He’s got the mechanics, strength, and learner’s attitude,” he said. “He’s capable of making all the throws. Marek has
“He’s capable of making all the throws. Marek has an incredibly high ceiling and a very bright future.”
DOUG LANG Event coordinator
an incredibly high ceiling and a very bright future. Amherst’s got themselves a major talent coming.”
Hill, who had a prefer red walk-on offer at Northwestern University among others, said he decided to go to Amherst because it felt ideal for him.
“I really like the offensive scheme, and I’ve got a great group of guys I’m coming in with,” he said. “When I visited with my parents, they loved it, and it was just the perfect fit for me. Amherst is up there [academically] with some of the Ivy League schools, and I can’t complain at all. I’m really blessed and grateful.”
As Hill prepares to move to the Northeast next month, he looks back and is appreciative of his time at Fenwick.
“I’ll take a lot from Fenwick, most notably the work ethic instilled in me,” he said. “I’m going to take the obstacles that were thrown my way and show how I grew from them and take the academic rigors I had and use them at the next level.”
Hill’s favorite memory is being a part of the Friars’ 2021 IHSA Class 5A football state championship team. He said he learned a lot from starting quarterback Kaden Cobb, now at Howard University.
“He helped develop my game a lot,” said Hill. “I appreciate the experience.”
Hill also enjoys giving back to the community for a worthwhile cause. Last year, according to Lang, QBs 4 The Cure exceeded its fundraising goal by almost 30 percent and this year, donations are strong again.
It’s not too late to make donations; if you would like to do so, please visit qbs4thecure.com. There you can find more information about the event, as well as purchase apparel, whose proceeds also go to charity.
For more about Hohensee, please visit coachho.com.
HOURS: 9:00 A.M.– 5:00 P.M. MON–FRI
Monday at 5 p.m.
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: G24000214 on June 11, 2024 Under the Assumed Business Name of KEVIN M SHORT PUBLISHING & CONSULTING with the business located at: 1919 MAIN ST #6, MELROSE PARK, IL 60160. The true and real full name(s) and residence address of the owner(s)/partner(s) is: KEVIN MICHAEL SHORT 1919 MAIN ST #6, MELROSE PARK, IL 60160, USA.
Published in Forest Park Review June 19, 26, July 3, 2024
All real estate advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Fair Housing Act, which makes it illegal to advertise any preference, limitation or discrimination based on age, race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status or national origin, or intention to make any such preferences, limitations or discrimination.
e Illinois Human Rights Act prohibits discrimination in the sale, rental or advertising of real estate based on factors in addition to those protected under federal law.
is newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. All persons are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised are available on an equal opportunity basis. Restrictions or prohibitions of pets do not apply to service animals.
To complain of discrimination, call HUD toll free at: 1-800-6699777.
LEGAL NOTICE
Notice is hereby given that the Village of Oak Park, on behalf of Housing Forward, is applying for the final round of CDBG-CV funds in the amount of $637,166 to help fund rehabilitation activities of the St. Catherine of Sienna - St. Lucy rectory building located at 38 N. Austin, Oak Park, Il 60302, which is the site of Housing Forward’s emergency overnight shelter.
On March 27th, 2020, Congress passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) to directly address the impacts of COVID-19. As part of the CARES Act, Congress appropriated $5 billion to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for allocation to cities and states through the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program. The State of Illinois has been allocated $70,753,404 of these CARES Act CDBG funds (CDBG-CV funds). CDBG-CV funds must be utilized to prevent, prepare for, and respond to COVID-19. The grant application is available for public review and comment during business hours MondayFriday, effective July 5th to July 12th, 2024 at the Oak Park Village Hall, Neighborhood Services Department, 123 Madison; on the Village grants webpage; and at the Oak Park Public Library, Main Branch, 834 Lake Street. Reasonable accommodations will be made for persons with disabilities and non-English speaking persons, as needed.
Any comments concerning this grant application can be submitted in writing to Vanessa Matheny, Grants Manager, at grants@oak-park.us, as well as at the CDBG-CV Application Public Hearing to be held at Oak Park Village Hall, room 101, from 3:30-5:00 p.m. on July 12, 2024.
Published in Wednesday Journal July 3, 2024
PUBLIC NOTICE OF ADOPTION OF RULES AND REGULATIONSOF THE ENTRY LEVEL APPOINTMENT COMMITTEE OF THE VILLAGE OF OAK PARK, ILLINOIS
The Entry Level Appointment Committee of the Village of Oak Park, Illinois adopted Rules and Regulations for Fire Department entry level appointments on June 27, 2024. The Rules and Regulations may be obtained at the Human Resources Department, Village of Oak Park, 123 Madison Street, Oak Park, Illinois 60302 during the regular business hours of 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The Rules and Regulations shall take effect ten (10) days from the date of publication of this notice.
Published in Wednesday Journal July 3, 2024
PUBLIC NOTICE OF ADOPTION OF RULES AND REGULATIONS OF THE ENTRY LEVEL APPOINTMENT COMMITTEE OF THE VILLAGE OF OAK PARK, ILLINOIS
The Entry Level Appointment Committee of the Village of Oak Park, Illinois adopted Rules and Regulations for Police Department entry level appointments on June 27, 2024. The Rules and Regulations may be obtained at the Human Resources Department, Village of Oak Park, 123 Madison Street, Oak Park, Illinois 60302 during the regular business hours of 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The Rules and Regulations shall take effect ten (10) days from the date of publication of this notice.
Published in Wednesday Journal July 3, 2024
