Wednesday Journal 010423

Village neighbors won’t help pay for CTA water tower removal

Transit agenc y to move ahead with teardown as Harlem Yard project stalls

By IGOR STUDENKOV Staff Reporter

The Chicago Transit Authority has made the removal of the unused water tower in its Harlem Yard a priority. But while both CTA and the village of Forest Park floated the possibility of River Forest and Oak Park sharing some of the costs, Oak Park and River Forest won’t be taking part in cost-sharing.

Located at the northeast corner of Forest Park, 1 S. Harlem Ave., the Harlem Avenue railyard is used to store and service the CTA trains at the west end of the Green Line. River Forest is located immediately north of the train embankment, and Oak Park is east of the yard, on the other side of Harlem Avenue. Complaints

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.

Cash bail reform’s a matter of principle, not data

At the stroke of midnight Sunday, Illinois was supposed to be the first state in the nation to eliminate cash bail. As of Jan. 2, however, the Chicago Tribune re por ted that Cook County’s judicial system “chugged along … in the same way it has for years” under the old rules governing pretrial proceedings.

That’s because a Kankakee County judge ruled in favor of downstate prosecutors who sued to stop the no-cash bail policy — one of the major provisions in the larger SAFE-T Act criminal justice reform bill — from taking ef fect. The lawsuit claims the state legislature violated the Illinois Constitution’s se paration of powers clause and interfered with judges’ ability to set bail.

Illinois Attor ney General Kwame Raoul has appealed the decision, and the Illinois Supreme Cour t has halted the no-cash bail policy’s implementation while they process Raoul’s appeal.

Prosecutors and other critics of cash bail refo rm have claimed that eliminating money bail will increase violent crimes despite the paucity of evidence to back up such a claim.

Last year, the Civic Federation analyzed the proposal to eliminate cash bail. It concluded that “removing money as a factor in pretrial release decisions is supported by research, best practices and national principles on bail.”

For instance, publicly available data from the Cook County Chief Judge Tim Evans’ of fice shows that, of the 70,283 people charged with felonies and released pretrial between Oct. 1, 2017 through June 30, 2021, only around 3 percent were charged with “a new violent or person crime (murder, rape, robber y, aggravated assault, assault, battery, child ne glect and other of fenses against another person),” the Civic Federation repor ted.

A re port by Loyola University Chicago that examined public safety outcomes after Cook County instituted pretrial refor ms in 2017 “aimed at reducing pretrial detention in Cook County Jail due to bond amounts that defendants were unable to pay,” concluded that the refor ms led to more people being released from bond cour t, yet no changes in the crime rate

But the data is moot because whether or not we should have cash bail isn’t about outcomes. It’s about principles Either we should base a person’s pretrial detention on their ability to pay to get out of jail as the cour t deter mines their guilt or innocence, or we shouldn’t.

Unless that is, we believe that being broke or poor makes a person more likely to commit a crime. In practice, there is no pure presumption of innocence. For instance, judges deny bail for defendants believed to be risks to society. Typically, that deter mination is based on a variety of factors. As it stands, a defendant’s ability to

pay is, de facto, one of them due to the nature of our cash bail system.

Under our cur rent system, a broke person awaiting their day in cour t for petty theft charges can spend more time in Cook County Jail (reg ardless of innocence or guilt) than a hardened murderer who can af ford to post bond. That’s fundamentally inequitable and unjust.

During a Maywood visit last month, Cook County State’s Attor ney Kim Foxx addressed the issue of cash bail reform and outlined her support for the policy

“I am suppor tive of bail refo rm,” she said. “But just because I am supportive of bail refo rm does not magically empower me to let people out of jail. … The system right now allows for you to be charged with a violent offense and write a check to go home. I find that fundamentally problematic.”

As we re por ted at the time, Foxx pointed out that Illinois cur rently has the lowest thresholds for felony shoplifting in the country. In Wisconsin, the threshold is $2,000 wor th of merchandise stolen. In Illinois, however, it’s $300.

“I’m not condoning stealing … but something is fundamentally wrong [when] our prosecutors are spending more time going after shoplifting than after

guns,” she said, adding that 2016 was “the bloodiest year since 1999,” with “somewhere around 900” homicides in Cook County, the second-largest county in the country.

“The number one referred prosecution to our Felony Review Unit wasn’t guns or murder — it was shoplifting,” Foxx said. “Seventy percent of the people in our jail in 2016 were there for nonviolent of fenses … they couldn’t af ford their bond.”

In other words, eliminating cash bail also works to reform a system that comes down heaviest on average people who may or may not have committed the pettiest indiscretions while being laden with loopholes for the most dangerous and well-connected people in society — whether you’ re the priz ed shooter of a deadly drug g ang ter rorizing the West Side of Chicago or a privileged Proud Boy terrorizing the nation’s capital.

When bail reform takes ef fect, Foxx said, if “you’ re charged with murder or a violent offense, you can’t write a check and get out. We now have to say you have to be held. There is no amount of money you can post to get out. You are a danger to the public and your danger won’t go away just because somebody said to give me $1 million. That’s what’s changing.”

CONTAC T: michael@oakpark.com

SHANEL ROMAIN/STAFF

Kim Foxx speaks dur ing a conversation at PLCCA in Maywood. From le to right: e Maywood Mayor Nathaniel George Booker, Broadv iew Mayor Katrina ompson, Bellwood Mayor Andre Harvey and PLCCA founder and Chairman Bishop Claude Porter

BIG WEEK

January 4-11

Toronzo Cannon y, Jan. 10, 7 p.m., FitzGerald’s

Illinois Libraries Present: ‘Inciting Joy:’ A Conversation With Ross Gay

Wednesday, Jan. 11, 7-8 p.m., vir tually through Illinois Libraries Present

Billy Elton: Celebrating The Music

Of Billy Joel & Elton John

Saturday, Jan. 7, 7:30 p.m., Madison Street Theater

ay, Ex-b s h packag Bluesday T e, $15 o

Ex-bus driver Toronzo Cannon is as close as you can get to a superstar in the blues world. Not only is he a commanding singer and a powerhouse guitarist, but he’s also an insightful songwriter. You’re e package here. J ust back from a tour abroad. Tuesday and hosted by DJ Tom Marker.

$10 in advance, $15 day of show, 6615 Roosevelt Road, Berw yn.

Led by Reid Spears on the piano and lead vocals, this oc tet celebrates the catalogs of two of the most in uential singer-pianists of the 70s and 80s, Billy Joel and Elton John. With diverse in uences that covered a lot of ground, plus a ton of well-known hit records. $25 at the door, 1010 Madison St., Oak Park

Latinx Author Book Cafe: ‘Illegally Yours: A Memoir ’

Tuesday, Jan. 10, 6-7 p.m., Oak Park Public Librar y

On the second Tuesday of each month, works written by Latinx authors will be discussed. In Januar y, we’ll discuss Illegally Yours: A Memoir, a funny and poignant memoir about how as a teenager, TV writer Rafael Agustin accidentally discovered he was undocumented and how that revelation turned ever ything he thought he knew about himself and his family upside down. Register now at oppl.org/calendar

The Monday Enrichment Series Presents: Our Great Lakes & Clean Water

Monday, Jan. 9, 1:15 p.m., Nineteenth Centur y Charitable Association

Joel Brammeier, of the Alliance For The Great Lakes, will provide an over view of the Lakes and the risks they face from pollution, climate change and other invasions Free, but a voluntar y $15 from non-members is appreciated, 178 Forest Ave., Oak Park

Award-winning poet Ross Gay discusses his most recent collec tion of essays, Inciting Joy. This event is made possible by Illinois Libraries Present, a statewide collaboration among 200+ public libraries

– including Oak Park Public Library – o ering highquality events for par ticipating member libraries of all sizes and budgets. Register now at bit.ly/Rossgay.

O ther worldly Reads: ‘The Hitchhiker ’s Guide to the Galax y’

Monday, Jan. 9, 7-8 p.m., Oak Park Public Librar y

This event discusses Douglas Adams’ The Hitchhiker ’s Guide to the Galax y, which chronicles the o -beat and occasionally ex traterrestrial journeys, notions, and acquaintances of galac tic traveler Ar thur Dent

In Other worldy Reads, you can enjoy a bimonthly book discussion where we alternate between science c tion and fantasy literature. Register now at oppl.org/calendar

Listing your event

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

■ Send details to Wednesday Jour nal, 141 S. Oak Park Ave., Oak Park, 60302

■ Email calendar@wjinc.com

Oak Park police investigate ‘targeted shooting’ of Chicago man

Dennis Johnson died of multiple gunshot wounds

By STACEY SHERIDAN Staff Reporter

Oak Park police are investigating the death of a 27-year-old Chicago man who was shot near an Oak Park laundromat on the night of Dec 26. Police believe the man was the victim of a “targeted shooting.”

“Targeted means the offender was seeking out a particular person,” Police Chief Shatonya Johnson explained. “It’s not a codeword for ‘gang-related.’”

Police received a report of shots fired at that address at 8:38 p.m., the day after Christmas. Dennis Johnson, of the 1300 block of North Mayfield Avenue in Chicago, was found with multiple gunshot wounds at the rear of the for mer Village Laundromat at 14 Chicago Ave., which closed per manently on Jan. 30, 2020.

Johnson was treated by Oak Park paramedics and transported to Loyola University Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at 9:23 p.m., according to the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office. A press release published by the village of

Police chief calls 1996 ‘ ower shop homicides’ a cold case

Over 30 years before Dennis Johnson’s death, 8-year-old Sukari Thomas, her mother and her aunt were fatally shot on the same stretch of Chicago Avenue While the perpetrator has not been brought to justice, there is hope the case may be solved yet.

“We still evaluate cold cases and murders are never closed,” said Oak Park Police Chief Shatonya Johnson. “We still go back and look over the evidence.”

Oak Park stated that police “have no reason to believe there is any active threat to the community at this time.”

As police are currently investigating the shooting, the chief provided few details, other than calling it “a very serious investigation.” Johnson shared that “a lot of evidence” was collected at the scene, which police “had to analyze.” Police are also collecting witness statements and doing followup work.

“So we can successfully bring closure to the family,” the chief said.

Back in 2015, Roy Burton, who owned Village Laundromat, was among the shop owners who shared concer ns with Wednesday Jour nal regarding the loss of economic vitality in the easter n section of Chicago Avenue.

The village’s lack of investment contributed to the district’s decline, as did the perception that the area was unsafe, according to Burton, who said at the time that 20 or so murders had occurred within a quarter-mile of his shop, principally on the Chicago side of Austin Boulevard, in the span of 15 years.

Those with any information regarding Johnson’s death are directed to contact the Oak Park Police Department at 708-386-3800. Anonymous tips can be provided at 708-4341636 or at oak-park.us/crimetip.

Their deaths were reportedly the result of an apparent robbery of Lady Caroline Florist, 20 W. Chicago Ave., in March of 1996. The flower shop was owned by Thomas’ mother, 39-year-old Caroline Thomas The little girl and her mother were found on the shop’s floor, along with her aunt, Malika McDougal, 45.

“This crime was disgusting, obscene — there aren’t even any words for how terrible it was,” for mer Oak Park Police Cmdr. Robert Scianna told the Chicago Tribune at the time. “We are on a mission now. Every effort will be made to find this guy. No matter what it takes, or how long it takes, this little girl’s death will not go unavenged.”

Stacey Sheridan

Expect crepes, cocktails, and vintage air a Crepas Culichi

Oak Park expansion of Berw yn creperie promises brunch, dinner and glitter

By MELISSA ELSMO Oak Park Eats Editor

For months, paper covered windows at 1101 Lake St. vated curiosity surrounding the impending arrival of Cr Culichi. When sisters and co-owners, Yency and Estefan Garcia, pulled the paper down to reveal the glittering interio interest in the downtown Oak Park newcomer exploded. sisters have grown used to people peering in the window ing pictures and popping in to say how excited they are French-Mexican eatery to open.

The restaurant, decked out in vintage furniture, boasts numerous chandeliers, a generous china cabinet, delicate floral dishware, and a dedicated photo area. A long cocktail bar beckons guests to settle in for a drink, gold champagne buckets sit next to every table and mint-hued napkins tie the sparkly aesthetic together

The space, capable of stopping passersby in their tracks, is a light and airy reflection of the sisters’ personal style -- they hand selected and placed every piece of furniture in the space giving new life to generational pieces that had special meaning to their for mer owners. The hodgepodge of salvaged pieces comes together in a bright symphony of femininity that feels refreshingly young and sets the tone for the one-of-a kind experience the Garcia sisters hope to bring to Oak Park

“A lot of customers at our Berwyn location are from Oak Park and we wanted to expand,” said Yency Garcia who credits the new location to hard work, dedication and faith. “I feel like we manifested this.”

Crepas Culichi Oak Park represents an evolution of the sisters’ Berwyn location, 2713 Ridgeland Ave. When they opened their first restaurant in April 2019, the duo, who are also in business with their mother, Yency De la Torre, took inspiration from coffee shops and crepe stands located in Mexico The Berwyn location has the same “fancy touch” and serves crepes, coffee and shakes, but the Oak Park location, with seating for 80, will include a robust cocktail program, dedicated brunch menu and specialized dinner offerings featuring sweet and savory crepes and other French-Mexican dishes

Quick bit of history — French fare took root in Mexico’s

culinary history when the French invaded the country in the mid 1800’s. Mexico eventually rid itself of its hostile French visitors but held onto the cooking techniques As a result, crepes are a vibrant and authentic part of Mexican cuisine to this day.

Diners should expect hand-milled flours to form the base for an array of crepes served at Crepas Culichi. Special flavorings are added to the flour that result in colorful batters. Rosy-hued sweet strawberry crepes, filled with indulgent chocolate mousse and house made jam, are garnished with fresh raspberries, strawberry, granola, Nutella and strawberry ice cream. Folks looking for a savory option will discover poblano crepes filled with chicken, peppers, corn and cheese.

Mixologist and co-owner, Francisco Lozano, is bringing an edgy and mature cocktail program to life at Crepas Culichi his offerings aspire to be as elaborate as the environment in which they’re served. The masculine, Monsieur, is Lozano’s interpretation of a smoked Old Fashioned made with Rebel bourbon and house-made spiced brown sugar syrup with notes of vanilla and star anise. A signature martini, made with smoky mezcal, will feature fig mar malade and fresh fig garnish. In addition to utilizing color changing ingredients like butterfly pea tea powder in drinks, cocktail lovers should anticipate garnishes including edible glitter and photo-worthy “cocktail bubbles” to make a for a memorable experienc e.

A trio of mimosas and a chipotle bloody mary are planned to satisfy brunch goers. Children and the young at heart will appreciate Crepas Culichi’s elaborately decorated milkshakes — think glitter-gar nished churro or whipped-cream topped red velvet cake shakes.

Dinner menu items will include crepe options as well as an assortment of meats, seafood and salads including filet mignon with guajillo sauce. Lozano reports that a young staff of nearly 20 is in “full training mode” and ready to bring the space to life on opening day.

The owners are critically aware of how eager people are to experience all that Crepas Culichi promises to be and they are keeping their focus on customer service After a private softopening period, the family-friendly restaurant will operate on a reservation-only basis to prevent their staff from being overwhelmed and ensure customers have a positive experience.

“We want people who visit Crepas Culichi to feel appreciated and well taken care of,” said Yency.

“We want to remain unique and stay true to what we do, but make sure people feel like they are cozy at home when they are here,” chimed in Estefany.

“We’re so excited because I really don’t think people know how amazing it is going to be,” said Yency.

Crepas Culichi is just one village inspection away from opening — the final inspection is scheduled for Jan. 4. The Garcia sisters suggest keeping an eye on Crepas Culichi’s windows for instructions on when and how to make a reservation for your first sparkly meal in Oak Park

MELISSA ELSMO/Food Editor

Yency (le ) and Estefany Garcia are the masterminds behind Crepas Culichi in Oak Park.

With real estate deal, Pipeline closes sale of West Sub Hospital

West Sub, Weiss o cially under ownership of Resilience Healthcare

By STACEY SHERIDAN Staff Reporter

Pipeline Health System, the small Californ ia b ased health care c ompany cu rrently in b ankruptcy, c ompleted i ts sale of West Suburban Medical C enter and We i ss Memorial Hospital, i ts two moneylosing Chicago area hospitals, j ust before the close of 2022.

T he d eal has b een in ne g otiations and state approval processes since last March

T he buye r is Resilience Healthcare, a newly for med entity created to purchase and operate West Sub and Weiss. Resilience took over operations at both hospitals on Dec. 2 as Pipeline looked to stem its ongoing losses. The sale of the underlying real estate and physical assets of the institutions took a bit longer to resolve.

The real estate transaction was finalized

late Dec. 29 and involved the purchase of the West Sub campus on Austin Blvd. in Oak Pa rk, its River Forest medical campus on Lake Street and Weiss Memorial properties in Chicago’s Uptown neighbor hood

Resilience Healthcare is led by health care executive Manoj Prasad and his financial par tner Rathnakar R. Patlola, who manages Ramco Healthcare Holdings. P ipeline sold the hospitals’ properties to Ramc o, f ulfilling the second p hase in the ownership transition.

“Pipeline Health is p leased to c omplete the second p hase of this change of ownershi p, and we wish all the b est for these two hospitals in the new year and in the years to c ome,” P ipeline spokesperson Jane Brust told Wednesday Jour nal.

Resilience becomes just the latest a string of owners of West Sub, now de scribed as a safety net hospital serving the West Side of Chicago and the Oak Pa area.

P ipeline re por ted that the failure close this d eal with Resilience over the summer resulted in i ts need to file for b ankruptcy.

FILE

West Suburban Hospital Medical Center

Billy Bricks Pizza broken into, again

By STACEY SHERIDAN Staff Reporter

Oak Park’s Billy Bricks Wood Fired Pizza was broken into shor tly after Christmas in the restaurant’s third burglary in about three years. While what was taken in the most recent burglary was of diminutive value, owner Ric Gruber is star ting to get both ir ritated and disappointed.

“It’s not so much what they took but they took people’s peace of mind,” he said.

For the safety of his staf f, Gruber has been in close contact with re presentatives from the company that oversees the restaurant’s security. He also had the restaurant’s locks at 128 N. Oak Park Ave. changed again.

Gruber declined to tell Wednesday Journal exactly what or how much was stolen in the latest burglary, which happened between the evening of Dec. 26 and the following mor ning. Some cash from the re gister, Gruber said, was taken and no one was working at the time The incident was all captured on the restaurant’s security cameras

“It wasn’t the most devastating blow financially,” he said.

The burglar also made a sandwich, which was a first. No other sandwiches had been made or eaten during the previous two burglaries, which happened during the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020.

“That made it kind of funny,” he said of the sandwich

What was lost in the burglary was small enough that Gruber, who is recovering from foot surgery, did not feel it necessary to file an insurance claim and have the restaurant’s premiums go up. He also thought it wasn’t worth reporting it to the police

“Honestly, I’d feel kind of bad having them come out for the small dollar amounts and fill out paperwork for something that I know there’s not going to be detectives working on,” he said. “I probably still

should have but I didn’t.”

In all three break ins, dif ferent and more creative methods were used to get inside the building and to combat beefed up security measures, according to Gruber

The sandwich-making burglar was less

destructive than the people who broke into the restaurant during lockdown. In those two incidents, both of which Gruber reported to police, the point-of-sale system was damaged because it is connected to the re gister, which had its cash drawers ripped out.

The point-of-sale system is expensive, he said, and it was dif ficult to recoup the cost of twice replacing it. Doing so was made even harder since the restaurant was not operating at its full capacity due to COVID-19 safety restrictions.

“That’s basically a month or two, at least a month, that you’re working for free,” said

Gruber.

Gruber is grateful that the burglar just took what was needed without causing any further har m and did so without compromising the safety of the restaurant’s staf f.

He told Wednesday Jour nal that he wishes he could say something that would prevent burglars from breaking into people’s homes and businesses, but he doesn’t think it would make a dif ference.

“There are a whole lot more things that are worse in the world, but to do something along these lines, you have to be in a pretty desperate and pretty sad place,” he said.

ALEX ROGALS/Sta Photographer

C ASH, AND A SANDWICH, TO GO: Billy Bricks on Oak Park Avenue was hit for the third time just a er Christmas

Burglar made himself a sandwich and took o with some cash

River Forest murals restored in shared public, private e ort

By ANNA KUSCHEL Contributing Reporter

On a hot day in the summer of 2016, Central Avenue in River Forest was more alive than usual. Crowds of children gathered near the rectangular concrete slabs under the train tracks, not far from their homebase of The Little Bits Workshop, 411 Park Ave.

Giant black and white photos the size of the rectangles were taped to the concrete The huge portraits were of famous faces from River Forest such as candy manufacturer Franklin Mars, big band leader Lawrence Welk, and radio producer “Angel” Harvey. The children approached the walls which showed a complex paint by number, with the whole puzzle creating an intricate mural.

The murals were finished in the summer of 2017. But time left them worn and in need of rehabilitation. Now they have been restored.

“There’s a level of excitement that happens org anically with a project like this,” said Liita Forsyth, 56, owner of the maker space Little Bits Workshop and leader of the youth who painted the murals “You don’t ever know which direction it will go and where it will sprout, and it’s fun to see that.”

As the years went by, the 14 faces slowly became less defined, with the colors fading as minerals in the concrete see ped through the paint. Forsyth approached the village earlier this year to ask that someone take the time to restore the murals Firefighter Paul Zipperich and his wife Julie Zipperich were recommended for the project, and recently completed the restoration of the murals While Forsyth was invested in this project it was too big an ef fort to fix by herself.

“There’s a point at which there is only so much of you, you can’t do it all,” said Forysth. “If you can involve more people and get some help, that’s wonderful.”

Village Administrator Brian Mur phy led the search effort to find an ar tist to rehabilitate the murals “I have to give full credit to Fire Chief (Thomas) Gaer tner for introducing me to Paul’s talents,” said Murphy

Murphy reached out to Gaer tner, who had the perfect suggestion for the project. “It just so happened that Paul had recently told me about the work that he and his wife Julie had been doing in the past,” said Gaer tner. “Timing is everything I guess!”

Thanks to Gaer tner’s suggestion, Paul, 53, and Julie, 52, are the ar tists behind the rehabilitation ef fort They live in the Chicagoland area, and have been mar ried for 20 years, with five children.

This is not the first ar t project they have worked on together. The Zipperich’s star ted to work to gether through house painting, which eventually led to side jobs doing murals, most recently the rehabilitation of the portraits and the Keystone Mural.

“Julie is the ar tist,” said Paul, “But I can follow directions.” To gether, they run Curious Creations Murals, which Paul says is a way of giving a name to the work they do to gether.

The Keystone Mural was dedicated to Kathleen Kurrle, an active member of the River Forest community who died of cancer. Before her passing, she asked that instead of a headstone, she could have a mural. Around 80 members of the community came to gether to paint the mural, each contributing their own piece The finished scene includes trees and flowers, people, the sun and moon, and other par ts of nature.

The Zipperich’s be g an rehabilitation work on the portraits last summer and finished the Keystone Mural in Se ptember. They volunteered their time for this project, totaling two days of work The Village of River Forest funded the project, providing $200 of supplies.

While Forsyth didn’t have any wor ries about how the rehabilitation of her murals would go, she is very happy with the final results “We lucked out with Paul and Julie,” Forsyth said. “There has to be a certain level of trust with a project like this.”

When Forsyth asked the village to find someone to restore her project, a situation occurred in which questions of the ownership of public ar t could be asked. Who is ultimately responsible for public art?

Chantal Healy, the executive director of the Chicago Public Art Group of fered some insight into how public ar t

projects work

Healy said there are dif ferent protocols in place to deter mine who is responsible for rehabilitating public ar t de pending on how the ar twork is commissioned. If the work is commissioned by a city, then the city is ultimately responsible for it.

However, if the work is commissioned by an org anization or an individual, then those par ties are responsible for it.

“Public ar t encourages public investment, and is tied to ownership in communities,” said Healy. “It can be a source of placemaking, it can be innovative, there are multiple impacts.”

Local ar tists are very excited about the impact their murals have on the community, and the impor tance of public ar t in Oak Park and River Forest.

“Public ar t allows questions to be asked and/or ideas presented to wide audiences that relate to cultural, social, and political issues,” said mural ar tist Jonathan Franklin in an email. Franklin has painted 7 murals through the Oak Park Area Ar ts Council Mini Mural Project. “The murals speak to the diversity and backgrounds of the ar tist and their range of subjects and styles.”

Lewis Lain has painted four murals through the same program. “Public ar t captures a moment in time. It can be transfor mative, it can bring social justice,” said Lain in an email. “Public art can remind us of who we are and where we have been.”

Ultimately, who is responsible for maintaining public ar t projects?

ALEX ROGALS/Sta Photographer

PIC TURE PERFEC T: Murals by the train embankment on Ce ntral Avenue in River Forest have been restored.

Discovering barrel-aged brews at One Lake

Cross-community connec tion brings boozy complexity to beers meant for sharing

By MELISSA ELSMO Oak Park Eats Editor

No matter if you order a pint of Oscar Milde, Austin Lager, or Lando, attention to detail and respect for ingredients are at the hear t of every beer brewed and served at One Lake Brewing, 1 Lake St., Oak Park But January is the ideal time to settle in with a friend to experience the evolution of One Lake’s imperial stout – Been Czar, Done That.

Been Czar, Done That is a rich, full bodied, highalcohol beer with complex notes of coffee and chocolate Unlike One Lake beers that take 10 days to fer ment, the imperial stout spends a whopping 6 months under cold fer mentation before making its way to the

tap. The recipe is inherently complicated and makes use of seven grains that are milled on-site. Shawn Stevens, lead brewer and co-owner of One Lake, is especially proud his brewery mills the grains used in all their beers Bringing in whole grains allows One Lake to brew in ways that closely mirror the style and origin of a variety of beers from around the globe

“I don’t know of many small breweries that are milling their own grains, but it makes a big dif ference in our beers,” said Stevens.

One La ke ’s “roastytoasty” Been C zar, Done Th at b oasts a 9.8% abv — imperial stouts we re historically brewed in L ondon and sent to Baltic c ountrie s and Russia. T he increased alcohol c ontent ser ve d as a preservative in the expor ted ales T hough the da rk b eer dates back as far as the 18th c entur y, it is a presentday standout at the Oak Pa rk brewer y.

True stout c onnoisseur s, however, clamor for One La ke ’s ba rrel reserve edi-

tions of this b old brew. Bar rel aging b eer elevates brewing to an ar tistic level and b oth time and patience are ke y in gre dients to realizing the f ull p otential of thi s imperial stout.

Wooden barrels can only be used once during the whiskey making process because aging dilutes the char ring on the interior of the barrel that is essential to developing proper flavor in whiskey and bourbon. T he barrels are often recycled for aging beer, but that trend is relatively new in the history of brewing. T he first barrel aged beer was produced at Goose Island in Chicago during the early nineties and has been gaining in popularity ever since.

Stevens transfers 55-g allons of finished Been Czar, Done That into tw o re purposed barrels sourced from Quincy Street Distillery, 39 E. Quincy St, Riverside. Half the stout ages in a bourbon barrel while the rest matures in a rye barrel for a full year before being bottled for purchase

“It’s hard to wait 18 months to see if its good, but it is wor th it,” said Stevens “These are fire pit beers – they are for going through slow with the people you love.”

Each recycled Quincy Street ba rrel impar ts a unique flavor to the imperial stout and St even’s decision to age in tw o dif fe rent ba rrels i llustrates the impact of the actual ba rrel on the b eer T he b eer takes on woody notes and wh is ke y or rye flavo r profiles, but the extended aging also increases the alcohol c ontent to 10.4%

and impar ts noticeable vanilla notes. Ai r exposure during the 12-month barrel aging process also imparts caramel and dried fruit flavors to the finished product. The flavor of a barrel aged beer, like red wines, will continue to evolve over time after being bottled

Been Czar, Done That barrel flights are currently on the menu at One Lake Brewing Company. The 2022 release of the stout is served alongside tastings of the recently opened 2021 bourbon and rye editions. Each of the aged beers are complex and boozy and unique unto themselves

The barrel aged edition of Been Czar, Done That has also been entered into Illinois Craft Beer Association’s Festival of Wood and Bar rel Aged Beer. One Lake joins over 160 breweries from across the country which have submitted their “rarest, most exclusive wood and barrel-aged beer” for judgment. Stevens, however, is clear barrel aging at One Lake is a passion project and he is eager for people to come in and taste what time in a barrel can do. Cheers!

■ One Lake’s 2022 imperial stout has already been put in barrels to be opened in 2023.

■ Tastings of Quincy Street Distillery’s American whiskeys are also available by the flight at One Lake.

■ The 2021-barrel aged editions of Been Czar, Done That are available now and are expected to sell out by the end of the month.

MELISSA ELSMO/Food Editor

Shaw n Stevens, lead brewer and co-owner of One Lake Brew ing, discusses the beermaking process dur ing a behind-the-scenes tour of One Lake Brew ing.

MELISSA ELSMO/Food Editor

Austin’s Bethel New Life opens new pantry amid realignment

New food hub with Amazon Fresh highlights Bethel’s emphasis on par tnerships amid downsizing that saw the nonpro t go from 350 employees to just 8

By SHANEL ROMAIN Community Narrative Reporter

Sharif Walker, the president and CEO of Bethel New Life, one of the largest social service nonprofits on the West Side, has major ambitions for the organization, which has significantly downsized over the years. Walker’s vision was on display earlier this month with the grand opening of Bethel Daily Bread, a community wellness hub pantry funded by Amazon Fresh.

The new hub, located on Bethel’s 9-acre campus at 4950 W. Thomas St. in Austin, is designed to address the immediate food insecurity issues and long-ter m health challenges of families in Austin and West Humboldt Park, Bethel officials explained in a statement. Rush University Medical Center is also a partner in the hub.

“When you define health equity, what does that mean? It’s the ability to have a healthy life, but also access to health and healthcare,” said Julia Bassett, the system manager for community health and benefit at Rush. “At Rush, we tend to provide that for our patients and we do that in our clinic but we also need to have access to health outside of our facilities.”

Ald. Emma Mitts (37th) praised Bethel New Life, Rush and Amazon Fresh for the collaboration, adding, “We need to think of those who have not and today we’re sending that message.”

Amazon representatives said the new hub pantry “functions like a traditional food pantry but also employs a community health worker who uses innovative technology to screen for unmet social and medical needs and then instantly connects families to resources and services like transportation assistance, community-based mental health care and SNAP and WIC registration to help sustain improved health.”

Rukiya Curvey Johnson, the vice president for community health equity and engagement at Rush, said the new pantry is an example of effective community collaboration.

“This is what we’re talking about when we think about how we all pull our resources together,” she said. “We can’t solve any of these issues on our own. It’s important for us to bring our partners and resources together so we can serve the community. Food is medicine.”

Lionel Triplett, a regional manager for Amazon, said the new pantry “is a unique resource” that “will be an asset to the community.”

Walker said the new pantry will help Bethel New Life grow into the organization he envisions, which is a pivot from its past. The pantry is part of a much larger plan that includes transforming part of Bethel New Life’s nine-acre Austin campus into the Mildred Wiley Wellness Hub

During an interview at a fundraiser held earlier this month at Walker’s Austin home, he outlined some structural changes the nonprofit has experienced since he took the helm nearly three years ago.

“Bethel had been off the map for some time and had been through some financial hardships,” said Walker, a program director for After School Matters for 17 years before coming to Bethel.

“In the last two years, we haven’t been able to do much,” he said. “We were active with our senior housing but that time gave us an opportunity to rethink our mission and vision and figure out how to take our programming into the next decade. How can we upgrade, and how can we look at best practices?”

Walker said Bethel once had over 350 employees before getting into financial trouble. Now, the organization is down to only eight employees, he said.

“When I got here, we had to reconsider how we do our work so that we could rebuild,” he said, adding that the nonprofit will lean on its two campuses in Austin and West Garfield Park as assets to leverage financially and programmatically.

“One of the things we figured out is, with a campus the size of ours in Austin, we can work with other community organizations that provide the wellness services that Bethel used to provide under its roof,” Walker said. “So, we partnered with these organizations. That way, we’re not assuming the risk of staffing all of these people. We really just have to manage the relationship and help with outreach and [trustbuilding].”

The proposed Mildred Wiley Wellness Hub is named after Bethel’s longtime senior director of community services, who passed away in 2019. The Hub will feature a community garden, horticenter, sunroom, educational center, gathering space, and a 10,000-square-foot health center that will expand ACCESS Health’s physical and behavioral health services programming

Walker said the nonprofit is leveraging partnerships to upgrade and refresh Bethel’s Austin campus, which is on the site of the old St. Anne’s Hospital which was built in 1902.

“A lot of the property is older and suffered from quite a bit of disinvestment,” he said, adding that the federal funding Bethel receives for its senior housing is restricted to that purpose alone and can’t be applied anywhere else That hampers the nonprofit’s ability to invest in other parts of its campus

“Many of these structures on our campus are either under-utilized because they haven’t been developed since the hospital closed, or they are so old that no investment went into them, and they had to be condemned.”

Walker said the nonprofit recently conducted an evaluation and concluded that it only needs about half of its Austin campus to service roughly 5,000 people

“We want to be able to rebuild our nine-acre campus into a vision we’re calling the Mildred Wiley Wellness Hub that will be the location of these different organizations that are doing work across the wellness spectrum,” Walker said. “Not just mental health but financial health, arts, wellness and workforce development. This campus needs to be rebuilt to provide more space for our partners to reach as many people as possible.”

Walker said that Bethel is raising money in phases, with the proposed Wiley Wellness Hub costing an estimated $4.5 million.

CONTAC T: shanel@growingcommunitymedia.org

SHANEL ROMAIN/Sta

Ald. Emma Mitts, center, helps Bethel New Life, Rush and Amazon o cials, including Bethel CEO Sharif Walker, third from right, cut the ribbon on the new food pantr y that opened in December.

Oak Park building impacted by re to be repaired

Dec.

23

re at

227

South Bl vd. caused the building’s tenants to be evacuated

By STACEY SHERIDAN Staff Reporter

The 38-unit apar tment building at 227 South Blvd. will not have to be demolished as a result of the fire that broke out two days before Christmas. Oak Park Apar tments, the rental agency that owns the building, intends to have the structure restored, hopefully within the next six months.

“I think it would be reasonable to be done in that time,” said the agency’s president, Bill Planek, who said that seven of the units were completely destroyed.

The cause of the fire is still under investig ation, but it has been deter mined that the blaze star ted in an unoccupied business space on the building’s first floor, according to Oak Park spokesperson Dan Yopchick.

Oak Park firefighters ar rived onsite at 12:23 a.m., Dec. 23, and found visible smoke coming from the vacant storefront. The flames then re por tedly spread through the walls up to the building’s second- and third-floors residences and moved to surrounding units All tenants were safely evacuated

Firefighters were out battling the blaze

in below-free zing temperatures, while the Red Cross helped keep displaced tenants safe from the cold. The nearby Oak Park Public Works Center was used as a war ming shelter for crews and residents, prior to smoke infiltrating the facility The Oak Park police, and the village’s streets, fleet and water divisions assisted during those mor ning hours, according to Yopchick.

The fire was deemed under control by 3:30 a.m., with the help of fire crews from neighboring municipalities Berwyn, Cicero, Forest Park, Nor th Riverside, Franklin Park, Broadview, Stickney and E lmwood Pa rk .

Planek praised the fire de par tment for their “heroic job” in protecting the building and those who lived inside it, as well as their speedy ar rival. One tenant told Planek she had barely hung up after calling the fire de par tment when she saw a fire engine outside the building.

“It was very, very commendable,” Planek said.

Only one person, an Oak Park firefighter, was hur t and the injury sustained was minor T he af fected firefighter has retur ned to full duty after receiving treatment at Loyola University Medical Center

“For a ter rible situation, we got a lot of

breaks that ke pt it from becoming a really hor rible situation,” said Planek.

T he building was d esigned to withhold fire, wh ich helped in preventing it from spreading to other par ts of the building, a ccording to Planek. T he walls, 14 inches thick, are brick, all the way from the b asement to the roof.

T he building has sections that Planek c alled “stacks,” wh ich are self-contained by firewalls and have their own se parate entrances with two apar tments on each floor

“The only reason fire spread to other s ides is it went up i nto the roof,” Planek explained .

In total, 36 units we re impacted by the fire with varying de grees of water and smoke d amage Seven we re c ompletely

wrecke d. T he building’s utilities we re tur ned back on by noon that day, wh ich prevented the building from c ompletely free zing up Th at would have c aused fu rther damage.

A ll of the tenants have found temporar y housing and most had rental i nsuranc e. Many of the units in the building we re o ccupied by colle ge students who had already g one home for the holidays when the fire broke out, a ccording to Planek, who said his agency is retur ning the security de p osits and rent pay ments to each of the building’s residents Oak Pa rk Ap ar tments staf f is also t rying to relocate tenants who have been displaced .

“E ve ryone seems to be managing the c risis pretty well,” said Planek. “They know nobody wanted this to happen.”

PHOTO BY MARK FISHER

ALEX ROGALS/Sta Photographer

CTA TOWER

Carter said he saw no reason to hold up the water towe r d emolition wh i le the ya rd project is in limbo.

from page 1

about the rusted water tower from all sides go back to the early 2000s, but wh i le CTA indicated it i ntends to remove it, there has been little progress.

T he transit agency previously wanted to remove the towe r as pa rt of the larger renovation of the Harlem ya rd, wh ich hasn’t seen significant modifications since it was c ompleted in 1967. But in the Nov. 17, 2022 letter to Fo rest Pa rk Mayo r Ro ry Hoskins, Oak Pa rk Vi llage President Vi cki Scaman, and Rive r Fo rest Vi llage President Cathy A dduci, CTA President Dorval Carter indicated that the water towe r will be remove d separately, p otentially speeding up the project. He also said the CTA would be willing to wo rk with all three villages to share the c osts.

But Adduci said that, wh il e Rive r Fo rest supports the removal of the towe r, they see no reason to c ontribute financially, since the towe r is n’ t on their land. S he emp hasized that her village would suppo rt Fo rest Pa rk in other ways, such as w riting the letter of suppo rt in gr ant applications. And wh il e Scaman was less categorical in the rejection, she also said Oak Pa rk should n’ t be expected to chip in financiall y.

T he Harlem railya rd was built in 19631967, after CTA raised the suburban po rtion of wh at is now the Green Line onto the cu rrent embankment. T he water towe r was initially used to supply water to fire suppression s prinklers and railca rwashing equipment. But, as the decade s wo re on, the towe r r usted and f ell i nto disuse. Over the p ast two decade s, Fo rest Pa rk and Rive r Fo rest businesses and residents have increasingly c omplained about the increasingly r usty eyesore.

T he CTA is cu rrently wo rk ing on a p lan to rebuild the entire Harlem ya rd. In hi s letter to the village head s, Carter sai d the project is n’ t ready to proceed because the CTA needs to secure f unding. As with other infrastructure projects, it is expected to be largely f unded through a c ombination of state and federal sources. But

“I directed my Infrastructure Depa rtment to prioritize the removal of the water towe r, inde p endent of the Harlem ya rd renewal project,” he wrote. “A s a result, we are cu rrently advancing a separate project for this pu rp ose.”

Carter thanked the three officials “for offering to wo rk with CTA to share in the removal c osts,” and “we look forward and welcome a partnership with you and your municipalities.”

During the Nov. 28 Fo rest Pa rk Vi llage C ouncil meeting, Hoskins d escribed the letter as a “positive development,” especially in ligh t of the development that has taken p lace along near by Desp laines Avenue.

In his Dec. 8 presentation to Fo rest Pa rk School Dist rict 91, Fo rest Pa rk Vi llage Administrator Moses Amide i said the CTA doesn’t cu rrently have the money allocated for this purp ose, so all three c ommunities may be asked to pitch in. He a dded that the money from the Brown Street Station Tax Increment Financing District may be used for this pu rp ose if the I llinoi s General A ssembly extend s the TI F, which is scheduled to expire by the end of this year

A dduci said she welcomed Carter ’s letter, but that Rive r Fo rest wo n’ t be c ontributing anything financially.

“Obviously the towe r is on Fo rest Pa rk land, and the towe r b elongs to the CTA, so Rive r Fo rest has absolutely nothing to do with the towe r i tself, other than, in our mind, it is unsightly, ” she said. “I f Mayo r Hoskins wanted to g et a gr ant from the state or somebody else, we would suppo rt his ef for ts [with a letter of suppo rt ]. ”

Scaman said any decision on the issue would be up to the Oak Pa rk Vi llage Board, but she didn’t b eli eve “that it should be the village of Oak Pa rk ’s responsibilit y. ” S he echoed A dduci ’s c omments about suppo rt ing the removal in

“I do suppo rt Mayo r Hoskins in the need to be remove d and would further suppo rt him in a dvo cating for f unds from a responsible pa rt y or p otential gr ant f unds for i ts removal,” she said. “I appreciate Mayo r Hoskins’ wo rk in seeking it s removal. ”

Registration is open for the spring season of OPYBS (Oak Park Youth Baseball Softball)! We offer t-ball, softball and baseball leagues.

There is an early bird rate of $155 for t-ball and $175 for all other leagues until January 11th. Then the regular price will be in place from January 12th through February 15th, which is $165 for t-ball and $185 for all other leagues. A late fee will be applied after February 15th.

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

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

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

A safe & smart choice.

A safe & smart choice.

A safe & smart choice.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

99% OF OUR CALEDONIA STAFF IS VACCINATED

IL

other ways

“

If Mayor Hoskins wanted to get a grant from the state or somebody else, we would support his e orts.”

CATHY ADDUCI River Forest village president

Whose eyesore is it?

Register today at OPYBS.ORG

ASSISTED LIVING

SHELTERED CARE

MEMORY CARE

CRIME

Bullet hits window

An Oak Park resident started the new year with a broken window, courtesy of someone recklessly discharging a firearm in the direction of the resident’s home. The incident occurred between 8 p.m., Dec. 31, and 11 a.m., Jan. 1, in the 500 block of North Ridgeland Avenue. A bullet struck an east-facing window, shattering it. The estimated damage caused by the bullet is unknown at this time.

Burglary

Someone broke into a home and remo copper from a bathroom sink, water heater boiler and water meter between 10 a.m., Dec. 10, and 7:56 a.m., Dec. 29.

Attempted burglar y

A male offender used a crowbar and bolt cutters to break into an Oak Park resident’s apar tment, but fled upon seeing the victim inside at 5 p.m., Dec. 28 in the 1000 block of North Austin Boulevard.

Motor vehicle theft

Someone removed a 2017 Volkswagen Golf parked in the 400 block of North Harlem Avenue between 1:45 p.m. and 2:05 p.m., Dec. 27.

Attempted motor vehicle theft

Someone broke the rear driver’s side window of a blue 2013 Hyundai Sonata and damaged the vehicle’s steering column at about 9:07 p.m., Dec. 31, in the 400 block of South Maple Avenue.

Theft

■ The catalytic converter of a beige 2020 Hyundai Elantra was cut between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., Dec. 29, in the 200 block of Nor th Oak Park Avenue.

■ Someone removed a UPS package containing a gray laptop computer delivered in the 800 block of South Harvey Avenue between 2:10 p.m. and 2:40 p.m., Dec. 30. The estimated loss is $1,995.

■ The catalytic converter of a gray 2010 Toyota Prius was cut between midnight, Dec. 29, and 10:18 a.m., Dec. 31, in the 1200 block of North Humphrey Avenue.

■ The catalytic converter of a white 2014

Toyota Prius was cut between 7 p.m., Dec. 30, and 11 a.m., Dec. 31, in the 500 block of North Belleforte Avenue.

■ The catalytic converter of a silver Toyota Prius was cut between 11:45 p.m., Dec. 30, and 2 p.m., Dec. 31, in the 200 block of Iowa Street.

■ The catalytic converter of a gray Honda Accord was cut between 9:30 p.m., Dec. 30, and 4 p.m., Dec. 31, in the 800 block of Hayes Street.

■ Two packages, which contained dog medication and contact lenses, were removed from a front porch in the 100 block of North Scoville Avenue between 5:36 p.m. and 5:38 p.m., Dec. 31.

Criminal proper ty damage

■ Someone shattered the rear passenger’s side window of a black 2020 Hyundai Elantra parked in the visitor lot of Rush Oak Park Hospital, 520 S. Maple Ave., between 10:15 p.m. and 10:20 p.m., Dec. 29.

■ The front driver’s side window of a 2017 Ford Cargo van was broken between 12:45 p.m. and 1:38 p.m., Dec. 26, in the 1000 block of North Woodbine Avenue.

These items were obtained from Oak Park Police Department reports, Dec. 27-Jan. 2, and represent a portion of the incidents to which police responded. Anyone named in these reports has only been charged with a crime and cases have not yet been adjudicated. We report the race of a suspect only when a serious crime has been committed, the suspect is still at large, and police have provided us with a detailed physical description of the suspect as they seek the public’s help in making an arrest.

Compiled by Stacey Sheridan

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

Homes

Wright Plus Housewalk tickets now on sale

Eight homes, thr

By LACEY SIKORA Contributing Reporter

The Frank Lloyd Wright Trust’s Wright Plus Housewalk returns on Saturday, May 20, 2023, with an all-Oak Park line up. Ticket sales opened Jan. 1, and now is the time to plan ahead and buy tickets before the popular event sells out.

This year’s walk will feature three residences designed or remodeled by Frank Lloyd Wright, including the Thomas and Laura Gale House (1892), the Rollin and Elizabeth Furbeck House (1897) and the Arthur and Grace Heurtley House (1902).

Five private, historic homes also included on the walk in clude the Maurice and Lillian Lowrey House (c. 1891), the Charles and Alma Schwerin House (E.E. Roberts, 1908), the Dale and Eva Bumstead House (Tallmadge & Watson, 1909), the Edward and Annie Cronwall House (James K. Cady, 1909) and the E.E. and Rossie Roberts House (E.E. Roberts, 1911.

“It’s an Oak Park walk this year. The houses are clustered on the 500,600 and 700 blocks of Fair Oaks and East and around the Home & Studio, making it easy for the guests,” said Wright Plus Co-Chair Sue Blaine

The Edward and Annie Cronwall House on East Avenue is new to Wright Plus, and Blaine says Frank Lloyd Trust researchers are already finding out new information about the house. The house is listed as the Cromwell house in vil lage records, but researchers determined that name was incor rect

omas and Laura Gale House (Frank Lloyd Wright, 1892)

FRANK LLOY D WRIGHT TRUST/JAMES CAULFIELD

Rollin and Elizabeth Furbeck House (Frank Lloyd Wright, 1897)

FRANK LLOY D WRIGHT TRUST/JAMES CAULFIELD

E.E. and Rossie Roberts House (E.E. Roberts House, 1911)

Photography

HOUSEWALK

Researchers busy

from page 15

One of the first steps researchers take to try to deter mine the original owners of the house. Blaine points out that the tract books at Cook County are all handwritten, which can make them hard to decipher Af ter looking at the census for a Cromwell the address and coming up empty, the re searcher deter mined the name was wrong

Another first-time house is the Maurice and Lillian Lowrey House on Marion Street. The Victorian home was built in 1891, and its architect is unknown.

“Lowrey was a contractor and builder,” Blaine said. “We’re not sure who the architect was, but it might have been Lowrey.”

Lowrey never lived in the house but owned it and rented it out for 30 years.

“Interestingly, his son lived in one of the apar tments in the house at one point,” said Blaine, adding that the house was a two or three-flat for much of its history.

“It’s not clear if it was built as a single-

prepping for the walk, Blaine says the researchers have already started their work. They be gin with Cook County tract books, and look into mortgages, sales and transfers. Two title researchers specialize in this early work

Guests are also curious about what the people who built the houses did for a living that allowed them to live in and build hous,

barons of an industry, and there’s a lot of information on them.”

Researchers then delve into subsequent owners, who may have been notable people themselves If the architect is someone other than Wright, researchers spend a bit of time researching the architect and their other work. The house itself is also a topic, with researchers documenting changes that have been made to the homes over the years.

While the researchers are busy nailing down details about the houses, architects and owners, other Trust volunteers are working on logistics Two or three house captains per house meet with the current homeowners and plan the routes through the house. Sometimes, furniture and carpets need to be r emoved to create pathways for guests Sometimes, parts of the house are also cordoned of f for protection.

House captains will deter mine where the stops are in each house and how long guests should spend on each stop to keep the flow

Ticket Information

Tickets to Wright Plus 2023 went on sale on Jan. 1. Housewalk tickets are $125, or $90 for Frank Lloyd Wright Trust members. Fast Pass Tickets, which allow holders to skip the line, are $600 or $565 for Trust members.

Ultimate Plus weekend packages are $2,675 or $2,525 for Trust members, while the Ultimate Saturday package is $1,375 or $1,225 for Trust members.

Complete infor mation about the walk and tickets can be found at flwright.org/wrightplus

moving. Blaine says that, typically, the architecturally interesting moments are on the first floors of the homes, which leaves the upper floors as places where guides can discuss the families or other interesting facts about the houses.

Arthur and Grace Heurtley House (Frank Lloyd

Maurice and Lillian Lowrey House (Architect unknown, 1891)

OPRF boys snap losing streak with three wins at Pontiac

Huskies rebound after opening loss to claim consolation championship

By MELVIN TATE Contributing Reporter

The Oak Park and River Forest High School boys basketball team hoped to emerge from the Pontiac Holiday Tour nament, held from Dec. 28-30, with positive momentum heading into the New Year.

Mission accomplished.

After dropping the opener to Benet Academy 78-56 on Dec 28 to extend their losing streak to five, the Huskies (6-7) ran of f three consecutive victories to claim the consolation championship

“I thought they showed a lot of fight,” said OPRF coach Phil Gary. “After losing that first g ame, they could’ve easily packed it up. But we battled back.”

In the loss to Benet, Christian Marshall had 16 points, Alex Vincent 11 points and Justin Bowen 10 points.

On Dec. 29, the Huskies snapped their skid with a 66-59 victory over Plainfield Nor th. Bowen erupted for 25 points and grabbed 12 rebounds, with Vincent adding 12 points and five rebounds for OPRF, which outscored the Tigers 53-39 over the final three quarters.

That evening, the Huskies pulled of f what likely will go down as one of the best rallies in program history. Trailing Peoria Manual by 14 entering the final quar ter, OPRF erupted for 27 points, and a basket by Bowen with 0.9 seconds left forced over time.

Rodney Mur phy’s basket with 1:14 remaining in OT was decisive in a 72-70 victory. Marshall had 24 points, Jaziah Har per 13 points, Bowen 12 points and six rebounds, and Mur phy eight points and seven rebounds.

In the consolation title g ame Dec 30, the Hus-

kies outscored West Aurora 38-22 in the second half to pull away for a 71-52 victory. Vincent had 16 points and eight rebounds, Marshall 14 points, Mur phy 12 points and nine rebounds, and Bowen nine points and 10 rebound s.

With the Huskies having played just one g ame within the West Suburban Conference’s Silver Division, there’s plenty of time for them to become a factor in the title race

“A few teams have already beaten each other up in conference, which makes it easier for us,” said Gary

Fenwick 6th at Proviso West Tourney

Fenwick High School’s boys basketball team went 2-2 and finished in sixth place at the Proviso West Holiday Tour nament held Dec. 26-29.

The Friars (9-7) lost to Kenwood 70-44 in the quar terfinals Dec 27. Darshan Thomas had 16 points and five rebounds while Ty Macariola added 12 points and Damion Por ter Jr. 11.

The next day, Por ter’s layup with 20 seconds left gave the Friars a 51-50 victory over Thor nton Fractional Nor th. Thomas had 21 points and 11 rebounds and Macariola 13 points.

“That was a great team ef fort,” Fenwick coach Tony Young said. “Everybody did something big that game.”

On Dec. 29, Fenwick lost to Hammond (Indiana) Central 56-42 in the fifth-place g ame. Porter had a team-high 14 points and five rebounds while Macariola added nine points.

The Friars played the last two g ames without J.T. Pettigrew due to knee tendinitis Sophomore Nate Marshall hasn’t played yet this year after suf fering an injury in the final week of the football season. However, Young expects both players back soon.

“When we have a chance to put it all to gether by the end of the year, I’ ll be excited,” he said. “We want to constantly get better so when the state tour nament gets her e, we’re in a position to be a threat to make a run.”

Fenw ick’s Damion Porter Jr. lays in a basket dur ing a recent game against Bulls Prep. e sophomore’s lay up w ith :20 le gave the Friars a 51-50 v ictory over TF North Dec. 28 at the Prov iso West Holiday Tournament

VIEWPOINTS

DOOPer ’s Memories: Under the Big Top p. 21

OPRF’s Project

2 demands a true racial equity assessment

There has been considerable involvement by students, faculty, administration, and the Imagine Facilities Committee in developing a long-range capital improvement proposal around athletic and academic construction at OPRF. Sadly, however, District 200 has not followed its own policies to ensure a careful, public, and transparent racial equity assessment of Project 2 — the proposed $100-125 million rebuild of the physical education facilities housed in the south end of the main building.

COMMIT TEE FOR EQUIT Y & EXCELLENCE IN EDUC ATION

We call on D200 to eng age in a genuine racial equity assessment of Project 2 prior to any decision-making around that Project.

In April of 2019, the board adopted a racial equity policy. In July of 2020, racial equity procedures, which included the requirement to utilize a Racial Equity Assessment Tool (REAT), were presented to the board. The Committee for Equity and Excellence in Education (CEEE) and other equity advocates have stressed the fundamental importance of applying the REAT as part of decision-making around major academic and capital projects. The REAT exists to ensure that equity is not just a word, but a commitment to act dif ferently.

Throughout 2022, CEEE advocated for a faithful application of REAT protocols for Project 2 to the administration, to the whole board, and to the Community Finance Committee. Finally, in early December, the administration, without prior notification or community involvement, shared a re port dated Sept. 22, 2022, on the racial equity implications of Project 2, claiming it was a fulfillment of equity procedures, including the application of the Racial Equity Assessment Tool. We strongly disagree

The administratio n’s re port on Phase 2 cate gorically fails to follow the District Racial Equity Policy and Procedures (REPP) set for th in board policy and in admin-

River Forest resident Bushra ElSaff her American and Iraqi families, want to publicly thank the members of the Ri and Police de par tments for their heroic ef saving Bushra’s life after a terrible fir

On the mor ning of March 31, 2022, Bushra was a ened by a cracking noise. She left her bedroom to in tigate and found thick smoke and a raging fire in the hallway. The heat and smok made it nearly impossible fo her to breathe, but she someho managed to move way into an adjoining room tha had a landline phone

ALI ELSAFFAR

From there she called 911 bu could only say a few the nature of the emergency. Then she lost consciousness

The 911 dispatcher was not certain if the emergenc was a fire or a burglary, so River Forest’s police and fir departments were both sent to the house. The first to arrive was a police officer who had to force open a door to gain access to the locked house. Since the of responding to a possible burglary, he was not w tective breathing equipment. As a result, he inhaled some smoke from the fire for which he was briefly hospitalized.

When it became clear that the emergenc personnel from fire departments in Forest Pa Park, Elmwood Park, River Grove, North Ri Berwyn, Cicero, and Maywood came to the scene members of the River Forest Fire Department first to enter the house.

It is hard to imagine the difficulties and dangers the firefighters faced upon entry. The heat of the fire was so intense that the house’s windows had begun to crack and were on the verge of exploding. The smoke was so thick that the light-colored interior walls were covered with what appeared to be a coat of pitch-black paint.

Despite extremely hazardous conditions and a lack of familiarity with the house, the firefighters had to search the premises because they knew that at least one person was trapped inside. And they had to act quickly, as a delay could mean the difference between life and death.

Bushra was barely breathing when the firefighters found her, and they quickly took her out of that toxic atmosphere. Once outside, however, the trauma from her exposure to smoke and heat took its toll. She stopped breathing

Fortunately, the highly trained personnel on the scene were able to rapidly administer a variety of advanced lifesaving techniques. After a few minutes, Bushra regained the ability to breathe on her own.

Once stabilized, she was transported to Loyola Hospital’s Bur n Unit, where she was diagnosed with severe

vities and hopes to retur

In the United States, expressions of appreciation for the work of first responders is so common that it is almost routine. But the actions of the emergency responders from River Forest and nearby suburbs were hardly routine

Exhibiting great skill, professionalism, and bravery, a group of people who had never met Bushra put themselves at risk in order to save her life. We are fortunate to have such professionals serving the people of River Forest, and we are profoundly grateful for their efforts.

Bushra ElSa ar Step-mother

Ali ElSa ar, Dena El Sa ar and her husband Tim Moore, Amir ElSa ar and his par tner Zahra Ali, Azhaar El-S a ar, and Nadia El-S a ar Step-children

Jamil Moore and Layla Moore Step-grandchildren

Ali al-Kur wi, Alia al-Kur wi, Hussein al-Kur wi, Yusra al-Kur wi Siblings

Thuraia and Faiq al-Bazzaz; Rafet Ramadan; Julia Snodgrass Other friends and family

Bushra ElSa ar

We welcome your opinions

West Sub’s new ow ner

Good news as 2022 closed that a final deal was made to wrap up the sale of West Suburban Hospital and Weiss Memorial to its new owners

Our interest is West Sub, the better-than-century-old health-care institution that has been integral to Oak Park, Austin and River Forest as a place of healing, a source of jobs, and, for most of its years, a critical leader in our communities.

The past 25 years have been a chaotic time, as the hospital has changed hands a half-dozen times, suffered financial tur moil as its patient base has shifted it into a “safety net” hospital status and it has forfeited any true local leadership capacity, with ownerships based most recently out of California and Texas

A sign of just how desperate the last owner, Pipeline Health, was to offload its continuing losses was the decision in early January to sign over operations of both hospitals to a new owner, Resilience Health Care, before there was even an overall agreement to purchase the real property and assets of the institutions.

That this would become a two-part deal between Resilience and the now operating-in-bankruptcy Pipeline did not seem promising

We were surprised then that on Dec. 29 Pipeline announced it had closed the sale and was wishing West Sub and Weiss, based in Chicago’s Uptown neighborhood, all the best.

With the deal complete, we now wait for Manoj Prasad, the new owner of West Sub, to become more public in explaining his plans for this vital but troubled hospital. At the time of the initial announcement last March that a deal was being negotiated, Prasad spoke publicly at the hospital about his plans to be hands-on, visible, and active in running West Sub. Staff was impressed and so were we

Now we need to hear from him again.

Mental health at OPRF

It is an imperfect program but a worthy one at Oak Pa rk and River Forest High School as the school tries to bring a focus and an outlet on student’s mental health with a monthly classroom discussion on topics related to stress and anxiety

The challenge of reaching students in a small enough setting and on a re gular basis resulted in teacher-led sessions across the school building. A result is that some teachers are actively not cut out to lead such discussions. That could result in some anxiety all by itself.

But the intention is a solid one. All indications are that postpandemic student mental health issues are high. Finding an intentional way to address those issues is brave and necessary.

OPRF should stick with this ef fort, refine it and assume that students and teachers will bring goodwill to this ongoing conversation.

As the Viewpoints editor here at Wednesday Jour nal, I’m skeptical when anyone insists something is a “fact.” I’m skeptical of the sources, and skeptical of a possible hidden agenda in pushing “facts,” especially on controversial topics.

A “fact” (the word, in my opinion, should always have quote marks around it) is at best a virtual truth about which there is general consensus. There is nearly universal consensus that the sun rises every mor ning and sets every night. What could be more obvious?

within reason KEN TRAINOR

But it’s not the sun that changes position. It’s the tur ning Earth. The rising and setting, it tur ns out, are illusions.

“Facts” have always been slippery and elusive, more so now in the Age of Social Media, and more so still in the Age of Misinformation, the Big Lie, QAnon, and the global pandemic, where “facts” that aren’t true can have deadly, widespread consequences.

Most people are trustworthy, but there are plenty of people with agendas who weaponize “facts” in order to mislead and manipulate and mobilize the easily misguided. Many others resort to misinformation in the heat of discussions on controversial issues

How does all this play out in the Viewpoints pages? In our News section, the objective is more important than the subjective. In Viewpoints, the subjective takes precedence. In Viewpoints, calling something a “fact” is actually a statement of opinion until proven otherwise

Calling it a “fact” does not make it so. Your source may be suspect. Or the “fact” may be unreliably reported, i.e. not an accurate representation of what was contained in your original source. Or it might be accurate but interpreted in a way that misrepresents the intent of the source or is used (and sometimes twisted) to draw highly questionable inferences and conclusions.

The old City News Bureau used to tell its reporters, “If your grandmother says she loves you, check it out.” That’s what I heard anyway. I would have to check it out to know if even the story is true.

“Facts” need to be checked. No easy task and very time-consuming. Our bare-bones staff is always trying to do more than we have time for, especially during deadline, which is when we put the Viewpoints section together

To check “facts,” we need to hold a submission for at least a week, maybe longer, while someone else, who is even busier than I, can check it out (being semi-retired, I only work two days a week). Those are the limitations we live with.

Our top priority has always been to get as many

submissions in print in the timeliest manner possible. That was back before social media, Trump, the pandemic, and the national reckoning on race. We now have another top priority: not letting these pages be used as a platfo rm for misinformation, intentional or unintentional. First do no har m, as Hippocrates (reportedly) said so long ago.

So we’ve had to adjust and evolve. We can’t prohibit “facts,” or “data,” but we can discourage submissions that are overly reliant on numbers, statistics, charts, etc., which may or may not be true, especially on highly controversial issues. We sometimes have to remind our letter writers that their submissions are expressions of opinion, first and foremost, not a final argument in a court of law.

If evidence is included, therefore, the source needs to be cited, preferably within the same sentence so readers can decide for themselves if it seems reliable Links can also be provided.

Ultimately, “facts” are intended to support the argument you’re making, not the other way around. Data is not as persuasive as reason. And overreliance on numbers and statistics, quoting experts who may or may not be trustworthy, combined with loose interpretation, can be a har mful combination. We’re not looking for just any opinion. We want opinions worth reading. Reason is more persuasive than emotion. There’s a place for both, but they need to be in the proper proportion: A lot more reason, a minimum of “facts” if necessary, and just enough emotion when it’s warranted That’s the for mula.

We’ve been talking for some time around here about creating a Viewpoints “policy” for this new era, but a hard-and-fast policy just isn’t realistic.

Instead, we’ll have to settle for the following flexible guidelines that will continue to evolve over time:

Flexible guidelines for submitting to Viewpoints

■ The Viewpoints section is not a court of law. It is the court of public opinion. Opinion is inherently subjective and imperfect — and frequently faulty. A little humility is in order. “Factual evidence” may make your opinion more convincing (or simply “sound” more convincing), but your job is not to “prosecute” those with whom you disagree. Honest but civil expression of opinion is more important than persuasion.

■ If you include numbers, statistics, etc., in an opinion piece, your sources (writers and publica-

DOOPER ’S MEMORIES

Under the Big Top

When I was a youngster to go to the circus with my family, either to the Medinah Temple or Chicago Stadium. I remember that be g an with a parade, and played a lively tune, circus perfor guided animals marched around the arena. The elephants wore bright or and each elephant usually had a pretty gi perched on its neck or riding on a large saddle on the elephant’s back. Horses with shiny coats would prance by heads held high and dozens of colorful costumes followed them.

As the performers passed in review, clowns made the audience laugh with their antics. Sometimes seven or eight clowns would pour out of a tiny car while others would set a toy house on fire then put it out with water from a miniature fire truck. The circuses we attended were large, so there were three rings where acts went on at the same time. In one ring, elephants stood on their hind legs and danced, and in another, trained seals balanced large rubber balls on their noses. In the third ring, trained horses galloped in a circle while riders jumped from horse to horse. I remember seeing a family of riders standing on each other’s shoulders on the backs of horses which were trotting side by side around the ring.

My family never missed a circus whenever the world famous big-cat tamer, Clyde Beatty, was performing. Mr. Beatty would enter a cage that contained three or four big cats, and the lions or tigers would leap onto their platfor ms when he cracked his whip and fired his pistol

tions, or quotes from “exper ts” and the org anizations they re present) should be cited, preferably in the same sentence (According to …). Links to your sources can also be included at the end of your submission. We don’t have enough space to run char ts

■ We also don’t have suf ficient staf f or time to do a lot of fact-checking. The more data that needs checking, the more likely your submission will be held for a week or more — or not run alto gether.

■ We value diversity of opinions, but expressions of that opinion need to be “responsible.” We will do whatever we can to avoid being used as a platfo rm for misinfor mation. We will not print conspiracy theories or expressions of support, direct or indirect, for lies propagated by those who have demonstrated their contempt for democracy, or that could lead to the loss of lives during a pandemic.

■ We reserve the right to edit pieces or not run them altogether. This is obviously a subjective call on our part, but there’s no way around that. We ask you to trust that we are not interested in practicing censorship.

■ We cannot act as “referees” in long-running dis-

loaded with blanks into the air. ned that there was always a man the cage with a rifle loaded with real bullets in case one or more cats . Beatty.

mers called aerialists climbed high erhead on rope ladders. Some of them their teeth from a rope and twirled around and around while others leaped through the air from one trapeze to another med somersaults in the air before being caught by another member of

he circus band played throughout the w, and my grandfather told me the band helped keep the different acts running on time. By playing fast or slow, or by changing songs, the band signaled the performers when to finish the various parts of their acts.

Twice when my family was visiting relatives south of Springfield, we went to a small circus that offered separate shows near the main entrance to the big top.

It was in these side shows that I saw a snake charmer, a sword swallower, and a fire eater. I also saw a bearded lady, a tattoo-ed man, and a five-legged calf

The biggest draw, though, was the menagerie. It was here that I saw fierce lions and tigers pace back and forth in their cages, elephants stick out their trunks for peanuts, and monkeys jump and climb around their cages chattering to the crowd.

Being under the Big Top to see the Greatest Show on Earth gave me chills and thrills Plus a stomach stuffed with peanuts, cotton candy, and hot dogs

putes between residents and local institutions. If you get personal, petty, indicting, and/or insulting, your submission probably won’t run.

■ We are not opposed to criticism — of us, others or local institutions — but we do not look kindly on submissions that are insensitive or har mful to entire groups of people. Our contribution to the national “reckoning on race” is to require our writers to show a level of respect, sensitivity, and equity. We are not interested in opinions, for instance, from writers who re gard people of color as inadequate or inferior and who feel a strong need to lecture them about perceived inadequacies

■ At the same time, we encourage an honest, vulnerable, humble, courageous, and sincere discussion of the dif ficult racial issues we face — as individuals, as a community, and as a nation. Is this a tall order? Yes. Is it impossible? No (in our opinion).

■ We expect, in other words, letters and essays written from the better angels of your nature.

Feel free to express your opinion about these guidelines

JOURNAL

of Oak Park and River Forest

Editor and Publisher Dan Haley

Director of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Michael Romain

Senior Editor Bob Uphues

Digital Publishing and Technology Manager Briana Higgins

Staff Repor ters Stacey Sheridan

Staff Photographers Alex Rogals, Shanel Romain

Viewpoints Editor Ken Trainor

Real Estate Editor Lacey Sikora

Big Week Editor James Porter

Columnists Marc Bleso , Jack Crowe, Doug Deuchler, Harriet Hausman, Mary Kay O’Grady, Kwame Salter, John Stanger

Design/Production Manager Andrew Mead

Editorial Design Manager Javier Govea Designer Susan McKelvey

Marketing Representatives Marc Stopeck, Lourdes Nicholls, Kamil Brady Business & Development Manager Mary Ellen Nelligan

Donor Relations Manager/Food Editor Melissa Elsmo

S ales & Digital Development Manager Stac y Coleman

Circulation Manager Jill Wagner E-MAIL jill@oakpark.com

Special Projects Manager Susan Walker

Chairman Emeritus Robert K. Downs

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Chair Judy Gre n Treasurer Nile Wendor f

Deb Abrahamson, Gary Collins, Darnell Shields, Sheila Solomon, Eric Weinheimer

About Viewpoints

Our mission is to lead educated conversation about the people, government, schools, businesses and culture of Oak Park and River Forest. As we share the consensus of Wednesday Journal’s editorial board on local matters, we hope our voice will help focus your thinking and, when need be, re you to action

In a healthy conversation about community concerns, your voice is also vital. We welcome your views, on any topic of community interest, as essays and as letters to the editor. Noted here are our stipulations for ling.

Please understand our veri cation process and circumstances that would lead us not to print a letter or essay. We will call to check that what we received with your signature is something you sent. If we can’t make that veri cation, we will not print what was sent. When, in addition to opinion, a letter or essay includes information presented as fact, we will check the reference. If we cannot con rm a detail, we may not print the letter or essay.

If you have questions, email Viewpoints editor Ken Trainor at ktrainor@wjinc.com.

LET TER TO THE EDITOR

■ 250-word limit

■ Must include rst and last names, municipality in which you live, phone number (for veri cation only)

‘ONE VIEW’ ESSAY

■ 500-word limit

■ One-sentence footnote about yourself, your connec tion to the topic

■ Signature details as at lef t

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

HOW TO REA CH US

ADDRESS

141 S. Oak Park Ave., Oak Park, IL 60302 ■ PHONE 708-524-8300

EMAIL Dan@OakPark.com ■ ONLINE www.OakPark.com

Wednesday Journal is published digitally and in print by Growing Community Media NFP

The newspaper is available on newsstands for $2.00.

A one -year subscription costs $48 within Cook County and $60 outside of Cook County

Adver tising rates may be obtained by calling our o ce. Periodical rate postage paid at Oak Park, IL (USPS 10138). Postmaster, send address correc tions to Wednesday Journal, 141 S. Oak Park Ave., Oak Park, IL 60302. © 2023 Growing Community Media, NFP.

Another season comes to a close I like this time of year because “reflection” is my jam. I neve r subscribed to the materialistic perspect ive of the Christmas/Hanukkah season. It just neve r felt right to pimp-out Jesus.

T he ar tisan I once was poured out DIY crafts a long time ago. Being super-rusty with all of that, I no longer make gift s. I do buy gifts and li ke to sur prise love d ones, but I don’ t beli eve in fighting over coveted purchases, or getting upset if something is sold out.

My gr andparents used to tell my pa rents at Christmas that all they wanted from the kids was good behavio r. Remember that? When people behave d? It was special and a gift to all.

Behaving well with intention is a rare

Behaving well with intention

g ift to find these days bu t one we can make ourselves Even our leaders could use a reminder to behave. Many billionaires enjoy rides to spac e, some make the givin g p ledge to give aw ay a lot of their wealth, and yet something as basic as food insecurity is still not resolved. That would be the ultimate Christmas-spirit gift.

EL SERUMAGA

One View

previous year s, I have crafted resolutions, this year I’m throw ing that away and be ginning a “year of intention.”

For this year of intention, I’m advocating for good behavior in the world.

and hopefully they will do the same for others and so on.

Or bullying Meghan Markle (and other women). It’s not OK. It seems to me behaving well with intention would include celebrity brands launching products using planet-friendly resources and products.

It is scary how many times I’ve heard from people this season that something f eels li ke it ’s missing from the holiday season. That being said, even though in

On the local community stage, please be nice in the grocery store parking lot. Let’s be gentle and not aggressive. I will forgive, but not tolerate. My boundaries will require mutual good behavior in order to coexist. I think we can do away with aggression for a while. Our stomachs have gorged on that these past few years.

I will be intentional about all I believe in. I will advocate for more equitable health care. I will help create a better world for myself and those around me

To solve a problem, understand the problem

Jenna Leving Jacobson makes an impassioned p lea for an “assault we apons b an” [ Support the assault weapon ban, HB 5855 , Vi ewpoints, Dec 21]. But may I remind her that this c ountry had j ust such a b an b etween 1992 and 2002. W hen it became time to renew the law, the ba n was allowe d to “sunset. ”

T he FOID Card age restriction in HB 5855 will be increased to 21 years of age but, the p eople who are creating the may hem neve r f eel any need for this gove rnment identity card. T he reason is they buy firear ms from the guy b ehind the l iquor store with a trunk f ull of guns. We entrust our young military adults with use of highly ar med drones, 50 c al. machine g uns, 3.5 inch mor tar s, but limiting their a ccess to a FOID card will make a dif ference?

T he r ule of thumb is 3% of our population c ause almost all of the pr oblems. Gun violence statistics follow

that same g eneral r ule. Any law that is p assed will be followe d by that 97% and ignored by the 3%. We have firear ms laws, ordinances and re g ulations on the b ooks now and a c our t system that ignores all of them. Th e I llinois Safe-T Act will just make this situation wo rs e.

T he i ssue of wh i te suicides is not a g un violence issue, but a mental health i ssue. People who are havin g trouble coping with i ssues will always “ find a way” and g uns just happen to be one of those ways

So here we are once again, t rying to solve a problem without understanding the problem. If we cannot define the “who” and the “why ” we will neve r g et close to a solution to g un violenc e. We seem to be taking a path li ke solving the problem of a lousy ca rp enter by givin g him a lighter hammer and shor ter nails

Simpson Oak Park

Living with intention is about what we can give. Whether to ourselves or to others, either way it will be nourishing. So I am no longer complaining. I’m just going to continue to be part of the solution in some manner.

My grandparents believed that good behavior star ts in your home or community. Being good to each other, even in disag reements, and respecting boundaries, even at family gatherings is a great practice. Let’s not violate privacy or be intrusive. We cannot take out our dissatisfaction with the wo rl d on those around us. Instead practice love and good b ehavior with intention.

EL Seruma ga is a resident of Ri v er Forest and Founder of ecovici.com

Hummus from restaurants is better

I r eally enjoyed David Hammond ’s “ode to hummus” in the Dec. 21 We d nesd ay Jour nal (“In the Holy L and , hummus stays hot”). I c ompletely ag r ee that the b est hummus is purchased in a r estaurant as o pposed to a stor e. But I’d li ke to point out that, in a ddition to Je rusalem Café, d elicious hummus is av ailable at Nor th Avenue F alafel, 6814 W. Nor th Ave. in Chicago (in the 7/11 strip mall on the cor ner of Nor th and Oak Pa rk Avenue). And you c an pa rk right in front for free! Once you’ ve tasted their hummus, I promise you’ ll neve r buy it in a store ag ain.

Judith Alexander Oak Park

from page 19

istrative procedures, and particularly fails to utilize the Racial Equity Assessment Tool. The D200 evaluation did not follow community eng agement protocols: it did not include direct involvement from the star t of racial groups har med by historic and cur rent inequities. Groups most har med by historical action and inaction were not eng aged in developing appropri-

ate research questions. They were not part of the full assessment of the advantages and disadvantages of disaggregated Project 2 components, nor were they involved in a detailed evaluation of intended and unintended consequences now and in the future, or in any consideration of alter native actions for improving racial equity.

To fur ther the district’s goals of both eliminating racial inequities in education and becoming a national model for best practices in education equity, we call on D200 to conduct a thorough, documented REAT on Project 2 by the first meeting of

the newly elected board in May 2023 or before any final decisions by the current board are made on Project 2. This REAT must follow both the letter and spirit the community intended. It must address the multiple failures of the administration’s cur rent evaluation.

Given the unprecedented size and cost of Project 2, and significant inadequacies of the re port that D200 referenced as an equity evaluation, we call on the administration to eng age a proven consultant and facilitator from Race Forward or the Gover nment Alliance for Racial Equity

to guide them in responsibly applying the REAT to Project 2.

Seeking the best available assistance will ensure that final recommendations and any alter natives are equity-supportive and that D200 is not fur ther weakening or even under mining its goal of reaching the day when education oppor tunities and outcomes are not predictable by race.

The Committee for Equity and Ex cellence in Education (CEEE) is a multi-racial group of residents from Oak Park and River Forest advocating for racial equity in District 200.

Ray

Marge Harmon, 93

Church secretar y, bookkeeper, tax prep volunteer, and wit

Marg aret H. Har mon, 93, died peacefully on Jan. 1, 2023, released from the shackles of Al zheimer’s disease Bor n on Dec 22, 1930, in Oak Park she was the young er of two daughters of James and Mary (nee Daly) Hanley.

Marge and her sister, Mary, graduated from Ascension School before each lear ned to navig ate the multiple buses that took them to Immaculata High School on Lake Shore Drive at Irving Park Road. She ear ned a bachelor’s de gree from Mundelein College, now part of Loyola University Chicago. It was through her best friend at Immaculata that she met Don Har mon, her true love, whom she mar ried in January 1964. They spent one year living the glamorous life in an apar tment on Sheridan Road, overlooking Lake Michig an. Then they made their inevitable retur n to Oak Park to star t their family, sur rounded by parents and siblings.

Don died of cancer in 1977, leaving her widowed at age 46 with three children, ages 10, 7 and 5. She raised her children in their Elmwood Avenue home without an ounce of self-pity. She said more than once that she tried so hard to fill the role of a dad that she might have forgotten how to be a mom. Not true She was more likely to be found mowing the lawn, installing a ceiling fan or stripping woodwork than cooking, knitting or decorating, but her failure to fit the era’s stereotype of a mother did nothing to lessen her kids’ view of her Eventually she went back to work as a church secretary and later a bookkee per for a series of small businesses in and around Oak Park Every January through April for roughly 20 years, she also volunteered preparing income taxes for seniors through an Oak Park Township program, happy and honored to be serving her community

Time with friends and family was the joy of her life Besides being a wonderful mother, she was a loyal “Bookie” (nickname for her bookclub friends who rarely read books but never failed to meet), a favorite aunt to 25 nieces and ne phews, and a one-of-a-kind “Gram” to her eight grand-

children. She was loved for her reliability, kindness, intelligence, strength and wit, which could make a bad day better and a good day brilliant.

Marge is survived by her son, Don, and his wife, Teresa (Teri); her daughter, Julia, and her husband, Jeff Bell; her daughter, Elizabeth (Liz), and her husband, Christopher Miller; as well as grandchildren, Don, Frances and Maggie Har mon, Daniel, Sean and Maeve Bell, and Emmet and Declan Miller. All of them — along with her nieces and ne phews and their families — celebrate her reunion with her husband and a whole generation of Har mons who ent before

Visitation will be held on Friday, Jan. 6, from 4 to 9 p.m. at The Elms Funeral Home, 7600 W. Grand Ave. (Tur n nor th at 76th Ave.), Elmwood Park. Funeral prayers will take place on Saturday, Jan. 7, at 9:15 a.m. at The Elms, before proceeding to St. Giles Catholic Church, 1045 Columbian Ave., Oak Park, for Mass at 10 a.m. Inter ment at Queen of Heaven Cemetery will be private

In lieu of flowers, a donation in Marge’s name to Trinity High School would be appreciated.

Bud Enright, 85

Loved being on the water

Harold Francis “Bud” Enright Jr., 85, died peacefully at his home in Savannah, Georgia on Se pt. 24, 2022. Bor n on Jan. 12, 1937, he met his wife Mary at a high school dance in Oak Park They attended colle ge to gether in South Bend, Indiana, Bud at the University of Notre Dame and Mary at St. Mary’s Colle ge. While at Notre Dame, he participated in NROTC, so after colle ge, he and Mary quickly wed and left the Midwest for Noank, Connecticut, where he attended submarine training school. Not long afterward, he “pinned” Pearl Harbor as his duty and they set sail for life in Hawaii. An of ficer on the USS Medre g al, he spent long weeks and months at sea. Even so, they had their four children during their time there. He was very proud of serving his country and enjoyed telling stories of his time at sea.

After the Navy, he joined IBM, opening the first of fice and serving as the first sales

re presentative in Hawaii for the company, which be g an a long and successful career in the computer industry. His success included relocation, taking them to Orinda and Santa Monica, California; Denver, Colorado; Princeton, New Jersey; Potomac, Maryland; Westport, Connecticut; Cambridge, Massachusetts; Montecito and Belvedere, California; Merrimacport, Massachusetts, and finally retirement in West Newbury Massachusetts and Savannah, Georgia.

As a young man he sang in the Paulist Choir in Chicago. In his retirement years he sang with the Immaculate Conception Choir in Newburyport, Massachusetts

He loved being on the water His children and grandchildren are graced with many memories of sunrises and sunsets with “Papa Bud” while searching for Striped Bass or Bluefish.

Bud Enright was the son of Harold and Eleanor Enright; the husband of Mary Hughes Enright; his children, Buddy (Kim), Tim (Vicky), Michael (Sara), and Malia (Brian); 11 grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.

At his and Mary’s request, there will be a private service for them at their final resting place, Cedar Grove Cemetery on the campus of Notre Dame.

omas McHugh, 60

Former Oak Park and Forest Park resident

Thomas G. McHugh, of Brookfield, 60, a for mer longtime resident of Oak Park and Forest Park, died on Dec 23, 2022. Bor n on Se pt. 10, 1962, he was the brother of Mary (late Greg) Schneider, Jo Ann (Pat) Considine, Patricia (Mark) Dobner, Peter (Liz), Patrick (Ella) and Nora (late Steve) Sobol, and the uncle of many. He was preceded in death by his parents, Bob & Tess McHugh, and his siblings, Robert (June) and Timothy McHugh.

Family and friends will be received at Conboy-Westchester Funeral Home, 10501 W. Cer mak Road, Westchester on Saturday, Jan. 7, 2022 from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. with a memorial service at 3 p.m. Inter ment is private

In lieu of flowers, memorials to the American Cancer Society (www.cancer org) are appreciated.

Class specifications are intended to present a descriptive list of the range of duties performed by employees in the class.

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

DEFINITION

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

SUPERVISION RECEIVED AND EXERCISED

Reports directly to the Information Technology Services Director.

EXAMPLE OF DUTIES:

Essential and other important duties and responsibilities may include, but are not limited to, the following:

Essential duties and responsibilities

1. Ensure that best in class customer service is provided to both internal and external customers and also embrace, support, and promote the Village’s core values, beliefs and culture.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

software and other forms of systems and data.

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

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

13. Participate in research and recommendation of technology solutions.

Other important responsibilities and duties

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

2. Participate in the preparation of various activity reports.

3. Travel and support remote facilities and partner agencies.

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

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

6. Complete projects on a timely and efficient manner.

7. Communicate effectively both orally and in writing.

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

9. Perform related duties and responsibilities as required.

QUALIFICATIONS

Knowledge of:

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

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

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

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

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

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

VB scripts.

Modern office procedures, methods and computer equipment.

Technical writing, office productivity tools and database packages.

Ability to:

Maintain physical condition appropriate to the performance of assigned duties and responsibilities, which may include the following:

- Walking, standing or sitting for extended periods of time

- Operating assigned equipment

- Lift 50 pounds of equipment, supplies, and materials without assistance

- Working in and around computer equipped vehicles

Maintain effective audio-visual discrimination and perception needed for:

- Making observations

- Communicating with others

- Reading and writing

- Operating assigned equipment and vehicles

Maintain mental capacity allowing for effective interaction and communication with others.

Maintain reasonable and predictable attendance. Work overtime as operations require.

Experience and Training Guidelines

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

Possession of a valid Illinois Driver

License is required at the time of appointment.

Vaccination against COVID-19 strongly preferred.

WORKING CONDITIONS

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

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT

The Village of Oak Park is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Administrative Assistant in the Public Health Department. This position provides a variety of responsible administrative and analytical functions; records and monitors department budget and fiscal requirements of grant-funded programs; oversight of Accounts Payable process; prepares reports and serves as a resource for computerized office applications. Applicants are encouraged to visit the Village of Oak Park’s website at http://www.oak-park.us/ jobs. Interested and qualified applicants must complete a Village of Oak Park application.

PARKING ENFORCEMENT

OFFICER

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

FINANCE COORDINATOR

The Village of Oak Park is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Finance Coordinator. The ideal candidate will perform a wide variety of responsible and complex administrative, secretarial and clerical duties for the Finance department; and will provide information and assistance to the public regarding department to which assigned. Applicants are encouraged to visit the Village of Oak Park’s website at http://www.oakpark.us/jobs.

Interested and qualified applicants must complete a Village of Oak Park application. This position is open until filled.

COMMUNITY HEALTH ADVISOR

The Village of Oak Park is seeking a qualified candidate for the position of Community Health Advisor. The professional in this position is responsible for a variety of tasks including; promoting a safe health care environment; including health education, outreach and promotion which includes disseminating information, making referrals, and counseling as well as managing caseloads, and performing a variety of tasks relative to assigned area of responsibility.

Applicants are encouraged to visit the Village of Oak Park’s website at http://www.oak-park.us/jobs. First review of applications December 19, 2022.

Shipping Manager

FULL-TIME POLICE RECORDS CLERK FOREST PARK, IL

The Forest Park Police Department, seeks a Full-Time Civilian Information Management Records Clerk reporting to the Lieutenant of the Criminal Investigations Division. Eligible candidates will be required to pass an aptitude test and an extensive background check. Qualifications include excellent organizational skills, computer skills, the ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines, good knowledge of English language, and adherence to all police department policies and procedures. Responsibilities and duties include subpoena fulfilment, evidence room duties, data entries, general office functions, report creation, and other duties as needed our assigned. Open until filled. Applications are available at Village Hall, 517 Desplaines Ave. or at www.forestpark. net and should be returned Attn: Vanessa Moritz, Village Clerk, Village of Forest Park, 517 Des Plaines Avenue, Forest Park, IL 60130. Email: vmoritz@forestpark.net

Trade Consultant – Chicago, IL: Research & consult on product imports from China, incl procedures, tariffs & taxes, & product research; conduct due diligence on potential trading partners in China; review & negotiate terms for trade contracts w/ companies in China; assess legal & fin’l risks pertaining to trade deals & advise re: alternative solutions; & liaise w/ outside counsel in both U.S. & China for contract prep’n & closing, import/export compliance, & registering int’l trademarks. Must have a bachelor’s deg in business or legal studies & be fluent in Chinese. Salary: $70,000/yr. Mail resume to: Talard Thai Inc.; ATTN: HR; 5353 N. Broadway St., Chicago, IL 60640.

HELP WANTED • NETWORK SPECIALIST

PUBLIC NOTICES PUBLIC NOTICES

PUBLIC NOTICES

LEGAL NOTICE

STATE OF ILLINOIS)

COUNTY OF COOK )ss

Circuit Court of Cook County, County Department, County Division.

In re Nicholas J. Russo and Isui Dawn Russo, Petitioner and JeanCarlo Munoz-Ordaz, Respondent, Case No. 2022COAD000505.

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

Now, therefore, unless you, the said Respondent, file your response to said Petition or otherwise make your appearance therein, in the Office of the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois, Room 802, Richard J. Daley Center, 50 West Washington Street, in the City of Chicago, Illinois, on or before January 20, 2023, default may be entered against you at any time after that day, and a judgment for Adoption entered in accordance with the prayer of said Petition.

DOROTHY A. BROWN, Clerk.

Published in Wednesday Journal

December 21, 28, 2022, January 4, 2023

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: Y22009963 on December 16, 2022. Under the Assumed Business Name of SLOAN COFFEE ROASTING with the business located at: 261 HERRICK RD, RIVERSIDE, IL 60546. The true and real full name(s) and residence address of the owner(s)/partner(s) is: MATT SLOAN 261 HERRICK RD RIVERSIDE, IL 60546, USA.

Published in RB Landmark

December 21, 28, 2022, January 4, 2023

PUBLIC NOTICE

STATE OF ILLINOIS VILLAGE OF BROOKFIELD

Notice of Public Hearing

Village of Brookfield Planning and Zoning Commission January 26, 2023, at 7:00 PM

NOTICE is hereby given that a public hearing will be held by the Planning and Zoning Commission of the Village of Brookfield on Thursday, January 26, 2023, at 7:00 PM in the Edward Barcal Hall located at 8820 Brookfield Avenue, Brookfield, Illinois to consider an application from Jeremy Camancho for a special use permit to operate a warehouse for vehicles associated with a transportation company at 8939 Ogden Avenue.

The public is invited to attend the public hearing and present oral and/ or written comments. Written comments may be provided prior to 4:00 PM on the day of the meeting to: Village of Brookfield, Planning and Zoning Commission c/o Kate Portillo, 8820 Brookfield Avenue, Brookfield, IL 60513 and at kportillo@brookfieldil.gov. Oral or written public testimony may be given during the public hearing.

The application may be viewed at the Village of Brookfield Village Hall during normal business hours. Public hearings may be continued from time to time without further notice, except as otherwise required under the Illinois Open Meetings Act.

Individuals with disabilities requiring accommodations in order to participate in any meeting may contact the Village of Brookfield at (708) 4857344 prior to the meeting. Wheelchair access is available through the front (south) entrance of Village Hall.

By the Order of Chuck Grund, Planning and Zoning Commission Chairman.

Published in RB Landmark January 4, 2023

PUBLIC NOTICES

LEGAL NOTICE

The Village of Oak Park will receive sealed Bids from qualified contractors at the Public Works Center, 201 South Blvd., Oak Park, IL 60302 Monday through Friday 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

local time until 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday January 18, 2023 for the following:

Village of Oak Park 2023 Irrigation Maintenance Bid Number: 23-107

Bid forms may be obtained from the Public Works Customer Service Center by calling 708-3585700 or by stopping by the office located at 201 South Boulevard, Oak Park, Illinois between the hours of 7:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.

Information is also available from the Forestry Superintendent, Grant Jones, gjones@oak-park. us and the Village’s website http://www.oak-park.us/bid

The Village of Oak Park reserves the right to issue proposal documents and specifications only to those vendors deemed qualified. No proposal documents will be issued after 4:00 p.m. on the working day preceding the date of proposal opening. For more information call the Public Works Service Center at 708.358.5700.

Published in Wednesday Journal January 4, 2023

REAL ESTATE FOR SALE

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION SELENE FINANCE LP Plaintiff, -v.-

LARSENIA HORTON, NEIL SMITH, ASSURANCE RESTORATION & CONSTRUTION, INC., PRAIRIE HOUSES OWNERS ASSOCIATION, UNKNOWN OWNERS AND NON-RECORD CLAIMANTS Defendants 18 CH 12736

14 DIVISION STREET, # 14 OAK PARK, IL 60302

NOTICE OF SALE

PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on December 16, 2019, an agent for The Judicial Sales Corporation, will at 10:30 AM on February 9, 2023, at The Judicial Sales Corporation, One South Wacker, 1st Floor Suite 35R, Chicago, IL, 60606, sell at a public sale to the highest bidder, as set forth below, the following described real estate:

Commonly known as 14 DIVISION STREET, # 14, OAK PARK, IL 60302 Property Index No. 16-05-127-0480000

The real estate is improved with a brown brick, three story townhouse, attached one car garage.

Sale terms: 25% down of the highest bid by certified funds at the close of the sale payable to The Judicial Sales Corporation. No third party checks will be accepted. The balance, including the Judicial Sale fee for the Abandoned Residential Property Municipality Relief Fund, which is calculated on residential real estate at the rate of $1 for each $1,000 or fraction thereof of the amount paid by the purchaser not to exceed $300, in certified funds/or wire transfer, is due within twenty-four (24) hours. No fee shall be paid by the mortgagee acquiring the residential real estate pursuant to its credit bid at the sale or by any mortgagee, judgment creditor, or other lienor acquiring the residential real estate whose rights in and to the residential real estate arose prior to the sale. The subject property is subject to general real estate taxes, special assessments, or special taxes levied against said real estate and is offered for sale without any representation as to quality or quantity of title and without recourse to Plaintiff and in “AS IS” condition. The sale is further subject to confirmation by the court.

Upon payment in full of the amount bid, the purchaser will receive a Certificate of Sale that will entitle the purchaser to a deed to the real estate after confirmation of the sale.

REAL ESTATE FOR SALE REAL ESTATE FOR SALE REAL ESTATE FOR SALE

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

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

IF YOU ARE THE MORTGAGOR (HOMEOWNER), YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN IN POSSESSION FOR 30 DAYS AFTER ENTRY OF AN ORDER OF POSSESSION, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 15-1701(C) OF THE ILLINOIS MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE LAW. You will need a photo identification issued by a government agency (driver’s license, passport, etc.) in order to gain entry into our building and the foreclosure sale room in Cook County and the same identification for sales held at other county venues where The Judicial Sales Corporation conducts foreclosure sales.

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

THE JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION

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

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

MCCALLA RAYMER LEIBERT PIERCE, LLC

One North Dearborn Street, Suite 1200 Chicago IL, 60602 312-346-9088

E-Mail: pleadings@mccalla.com Attorney File No. 20-04687IL_613739 Attorney ARDC No. 61256 Attorney Code. 61256 Case Number: 18 CH 12736 TJSC#: 42-1079

NOTE: Pursuant to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, you are advised that Plaintiff’s attorney is deemed to be a debt collector attempting to collect a debt and any information obtained will be used for that purpose. Case # 18 CH 12736 I3208765

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS

COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION

U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS TRUSTEE FOR GSAA HOME EQUITY TRUST 2006-14, ASSET-BACKED CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2006-14 Plaintiff, -v.-

ELIZABETH SMITH, LARRY E. SMITH Defendants 2018 CH 03138 646 LYMAN AVE OAK PARK, IL 60304

NOTICE OF SALE

PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on July 27, 2022, an agent for The Judicial Sales Corporation, will at 10:30 AM on January 19, 2023, at The Judicial Sales Corporation, One South Wacker, 1st Floor Suite 35R, Chicago, IL, 60606, sell at a public sale to the highest bidder, as set forth below, the following described real estate: Commonly known as 646 LYMAN AVE, OAK PARK, IL 60304 Property Index No. 16-17-114-0150000

The real estate is improved with a single family residence. Sale terms: 25% down of the highest bid by certified funds at the close of the sale payable to The Judicial Sales Corporation. No third party checks will be accepted. The balance, including the Judicial Sale fee for the Abandoned Residential Property Municipality Relief Fund, which is calculated on residential real estate at the rate of $1 for each $1,000 or fraction thereof of the amount paid by the purchaser not to exceed $300, in certified funds/or wire transfer, is due within twenty-four (24) hours. No fee shall be paid by the mortgagee acquiring the residential real estate pursuant to its credit bid at the sale or by any mortgagee, judgment creditor, or other lienor acquiring the residential real estate whose rights in and to the residential real estate arose prior to the sale. The subject property is subject to general real estate taxes, special assessments, or special taxes levied against said real estate and is offered for sale without any representation as to quality or quantity of title and without recourse to Plaintiff and in “AS IS” condition. The sale is further subject to confirmation by the court.

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

after confirmation of the sale.

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

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

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

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

For information, examine the court file, CODILIS & ASSOCIATES, P.C. Plaintiff’s Attorneys, 15W030 NORTH FRONTAGE ROAD, SUITE 100, BURR RIDGE, IL, 60527 (630) 794-9876

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

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

E-Mail: pleadings@il.cslegal.com Attorney File No. 14-18-00602 Attorney ARDC No. 00468002 Attorney Code. 21762 Case Number: 2018 CH 03138

TJSC#: 42-4547

NOTE: Pursuant to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, you are advised that Plaintiff’s attorney is deemed to be a debt collector attempting to collect a debt and any information obtained will be used for that purpose. Case # 2018 CH 03138 I3209538

Happy Holidays!

EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY

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

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: 1-800669-9777. GROWING COMMUNITY