Wednesday Journal 010919 by Wednesday Journal

JOURNAL W E D N E S D A Y

January 9, 2019 Vol. 39, No. 23 ONE DOLLAR @oakpark @wednesdayjournal

of Oak Park and River Forest

FOIA change stirs conflict

OPRF swimmers find form Sports page 37

SOMETHING TO SAY: Chicago-based rapper Charles Donalson, also known as Dahzi, strikes a pose outside of his family’s old home on Kenilworth Avenue in Oak Park.

Village Clerk cries foul over being cut out of the loop By TIMOTHY INKLEBARGER Staff Reporter

If you want a police report about a robbery on your block or the permit history of a building in the village or practically any government document available to the public, you’re going to first file a formal request under the federal Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). But the way those requests are processed at Oak Park Village Hall was quietly changed a few days before the Christmas break, prompting a letter-writing campaign by the organization Oak Park Call to Action, See VILLAGE CLERK on page 12

SAY CONNECTS EVENT

ALEXA ROGALS/Staff Photographer

‘America to Me’ star’s wit crackles in new rap CD

By MICHAEL ROMAIN Editor

Youth take the lead

Jan. 17. Details on page 25

The 10-part documentary series America to Me, which aired last fall on Starz, plumbed the complex depths of Oak Park and River Forest High School’s long, layered struggle with race. The series was, in many ways Shakespearean in its dramatic range and pathos.

Charles Donalson, then a 16-year-old poet with a sword-sharp wit, was a Falstaffian character. Jester-like, seemingly nonchalant and somewhat aloof, Donalson is often seen on camera walking the halls with his headphones on, tuning out the maddening crowd. He often provides much-needed comic relief, but the viewer quickly learns that he is wise beyond his years. “Every activity, every assembly, every-

thing is made for white kids because this school was made for white kids, because this country was made for white kids,” Donalson, then a junior and a precocious member of OPRF’s Spoken Word Club, tells the audience. “They have to realize that some things just have to be ours.” Donalson, now 19, is currently back in See DONALSON on page 13

defy expectations. ffc.com/defy

Wednesday Journal, January 9, 2019

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Enrich Your Life in 2019

THRIVE TALKS A FREE Speaker Series: Inspiring Healthy Families Presented by Thrive Counseling Center January 31, 2019

Creating a Peaceful Family with Steven Parker, LMFT

February 21, 2019 Social Media and Technology: The Effect on Families with Heidi Hamernik, PhD and Isaac Lopez, LCSW

March 21, 2019

Caring for Family Members Living with Dementia: Navigating the Ambiguity with Darby Morhardt, PhD, LCSW

May 9, 2019

A Family Member with Mental Illness: Help, Healing and Reasons for Hope

with Marian Sassetti, MD, FAAFP

7:00 p.m. — 8:30 p.m. Oak Park Public Library, Main Library, Veterans Room 834 Lake Street, Oak Park All THRIVE TALKS are open to the public and free of charge • www.thrivecc.org/thrive-talks/

HOPE

RESILIENCE

120 South Marion Street, Oak Park, IL 60302

R EC OV E RY

(708) 383-7500

www.thrivecc.org

Wednesday Journal, January 9, 2019

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I N S I D E

R E P O R T

A collaborative calendar for River Forest River Forest will unveil a new online community calendar that merges events and activities from six taxing bodies later this month, said Jon Pape, assistant to the village administrator. “Agencies will hopefully be able to avoid schedule conflict; it’ll be an easy place to reference what’s going on,” Pape said. “If somebody’s going on to look at the park district, they might come across another event that interests them.” The calendar, which will live at RFHappenings.com, will include activities and events from the village of River Forest; District 90 schools; River Forest Township; River Forest Public Library; the Park District of River Forest; and Oak Park and River Forest High School District 200. The River Forest Collaboration Committee has been working on the project for about a year. “The committee decided to issue a survey to all River Forest residents asking, ‘What things do you want communicated to you? What have you not heard from us?’ Interest in a community calendar

received overwhelming support,” Pape said. The committee decided to go for it. Last spring, the village hired the Chicago-based Webitects development firm, at a cost of $19,240 to create the calendar. About six months later, RFHappenings. com will soon be live. Initially, the calendar will only include events from those six taxing bodies, although the committee is considering adding activities from Dominican University and Concordia University Chicago as well. To community members hoping to get their events posted on the site, Pape suggested they reach out to the organization most aligned with their activity — whether it be a community garden meeting at the park district or youth activity at the township — and ask the group to post it for them.

Nona Tepper

ALEXA ROGALS/Staff Photographer

Spring fever Mateo Villagomez-Romo, 6, left, and Victoria Villagomez-Romo, 4, of Oak Park, enjoy spring-like weather at Rehm Park on Saturday. More photos on page 16. “We named all of our children with a first name from the Old Testament and a middle name from the New Testament,” said Jeremy, who is a pastor at Armitage Baptist Church in Albany Park.

Michael Romain

Former Whole Foods co-CEO goes Rotary

First baby of 2019

West Suburban Medical Center in Oak Park celebrated its first birth of the New Year on Jan. 1, with the arrival of David Luke Crowe. Born at 7:05 a.m., Crowe weighed 7 pounds, 3 ounces and stood 19.5 inches tall (or would if he could stand). “I am definitely surprised that David

is the first baby of the New Year born at West Suburban,” Crowe’s mother, Nerissa Crowe, of Maywood, said in a statement released by hospital officials. “I usually am several weeks early.” David is the fifth child born to Nerissa and her husband, Jeremy Crowe. Their other children are Micah James, 12; Josiah Thomas, 11; Caris Lucia, 9; and Caleb Andrew, 4.

The Oak Park-River Forest Rotary Club is among three area Rotary Clubs that will host Walter Robb, the former coCEO of Whole Foods Market. The event takes place on Thursday, Jan. 10, from 6 to 8:30 p.m., at Thatcher Woods Pavilion, 8030 Chicago Ave. in River Forest (across Chicago Avenue to the north from Trailside Museum). Tickets are $25. To purchase one or more, go to Eventbrite and search “Walter Robb.” The Oak Park-River Forest Rotary is partnering with the Maywood-Proviso Rotary and the Cicero-Berwyn-Stickney club to host the prominent businessman. The moderator for the evening is Hermene Hartman, founder and editor of N’Digo magazine. According to an August 2018 Forbes article, since selling Whole Foods to Amazon, Robb “has become an investor,

Walter Robb, former co-CEO of Whole Foods Market, will be in River Forest on Thursday. mentor and adviser to the next era of food companies. One of the issues he has focused on is reducing food waste.” Robb told the magazine there “is now an appreciation that food matters. Together with technology change, media change, and a generation change, we’re at a place where we can take on the next generation of issues. One of those is using food well.”

Michael Romain

Wednesday Journal, January 9, 2019

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Jan. 9 - 16

BIG WEEK Re:cover the ’19

The Swedish Art of Death Cleaning

“Wright Brothers, Wrong Story”

Sunday, Jan. 13, 2 to 3 p.m., River Forest Library: Explore this cultural phenomenon and decluttering trend and discover how to downsize in a memorable and joyful way. A loved one wishes to inherit nice things; not all things. Learn about projects that can be started at any age. Brought in partnership with River Forest Township. 735 Lathrop Ave.

Saturday, Jan. 12, 3 to 5 p.m., Small Meeting Room, Main Library: Meet author William Hazelgrove and get a look at the true story behind the Wright brothers and their famous flights at Kitty Hawk. More: oppl.org/ calendar. 834 Lake St., Oak Park.

Foods that Fight Cancer Tuesday, Jan. 15, 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Building A, Community Room 1100, West Suburban Medical Center River Forest Campus: No single food or food component can protect against cancer, but research shows that eating the right kinds of foods can help you feel better and stay stronger. Join Jennifer Allington, MS RDN LDN, Dietician and Diabetes Prevention Program instructor from West Cook YMCA for this discussion about the importance of good nutrition as a means of fighting cancer. Also, Thursday, Jan. 17, 5 to 6 p.m., Classrooms A-D, West Suburban Medical Center, 3 Erie Court, Oak Park. Register: 844-794-4301. River Forest Campus: 7411 W. Lake St.

P.R.O.U.D. Workshop & Open Mic Thursday, Jan. 10, 5:30 to 8 p.m., Event Space, Main Library: Purposefully Reaching Our Unique Dreams (P.R.O.U.D.) Thursdays is a creative exploration workshop and open mic series for ages 13 to 25. Each session features different local artists, including poets, authors, musicians, and community organizers. Next meeting, Jan. 31. More: oppl. org/calendar. 834 Lake St., Oak Park.

Organ Recital to Welcome Interim Parish Musician Sunday, Jan. 13, 4 p.m., Grace Episcopal Church: Hear Dr. Kipp Cortez perform Prelude and Fugue in E Minor “Wedge” by J.S. Bach, Parsifal Prelude to Act I by Richard Wagner and more. Freewill offerings support restoration of the 1922 Casavant Freres pipe organ. Questions: 708-386-8036. 924 Lake St., Oak Park.

Winter Safety for Seniors Wednesday, Jan. 16, 2 to 3 p.m., Community Engagement Space, Main Library: Learn preventive measures to stay safe this winter. Presented by Dr. Marta Alvarado, director of Community Outreach at West Suburban Medical Center. More: oppl.org/calendar. 834 Lake St., Oak Park.

The Human Body: Desire & Repose

Sat., Jan. 12, 2 to 5 p.m., Unity Temple: Come explore what it means to recover in 2019, whatever that means to you, through performances, dialogue, open mic and art. A collaboration between NAMI Metro Suburban, the Addiction Recovery Team (CMHB Oak Park) and the MyHAT Team of Unity Temple (Mental Health Awareness Team). Free. More: facebook.com/ events/263636627659311. 875 Lake St., Oak Park.

Reception Friday, Jan. 11, 7 to 9 p.m., Oak Park Art League: Exhibit through Feb. 2. Questions: oakparkartleague@gmail.com. 720 Chicago Ave.

Queen Victoria – The Life of a Glorious Monarch Monday, Jan. 14, 1:15 p.m., Nineteenth Century Club: Victoria, Queen of Great Britain and sovereign of an empire, inherited the throne when she was 18. In this illustrated lecture, Leslie Goddard chronicles Victoria’s reign of 64 years. More: 708-386-2729, nineteenthcentury.org. $15, requested donation. 178 Forest Ave., Oak Park.

"They Took the Kids Last Night" Thursday, Jan. 10, 7:30 to 9 p.m., West Suburban Temple Har Zion: Join Oak Park resident and author Diane Redleaf for her first Chicago-area talk about her book on “what it means for families when child protective services makes mistakes.” Discussion follows with lawyer/anthropologist Dr. Morris Fred, lawyer/child advocate Ann Courter and Dr. James Ronayne, pediatrician. Books available for purchase. Questions: 708-927-8169. 1040 N. Harlem Ave., River Forest.

Black Minds Matter Tuesday, Jan. 15, 6 to 8 p.m., Community Engagement Space, Main Library: This series explores issues facing black males in education. This session looks at Campus Climates and Non-Cognitive Outcomes. Next up: Jan. 22, Promising Practices for Teaching and Learning. Register: oppl.org/calendar. 834 Lake St., Oak Park.

Diversity Business Mixer Saturday, Jan. 12, 10 a.m. to noon, Community Engagement Space, Main Library: Interested in starting a business or nonprofit, or expanding your resume? Learn about SCORE Chicago and how to lend your business savvy and skills to the business community. Also, explore volunteering opportunities that are available to make an impact in the business community. Register: oppl. org/calendar. 834 Lake St., Oak Park.

Holistically Healthy in 2019 Sunday, Jan. 13, 1:30 to 2:30 p.m., Community Engagement Space, Main Library: Learn the basics of naturopathic medicine, acupuncture, massage therapy, reiki and aromatherapy and how they can contribute to your health and well-being with these tips and tricks from Serenity Holistic Health Practitioners. Register: oppl.org/ calendar. 834 Lake St., Oak Park.

Wednesday Journal, January 9, 2019

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ART BEAT

Submitted photo

CHIAROSCURO: Ann Filmer (second from left) has come out of the shadows and into the light with a new home for 16th St. Theater.

16th Street has new home for season 12 By MICHELLE DYBAL

classes to youth through NBPD. Last fall, they added IMPACT, a teen arts outreach program. The new building, purchased by NBPD, hadows and Light. It’s more than the theme of Season 12 at 16th Street The- will occupy a former VFW hall built in 1959. ater. It represents the company itself, Upgraded dressing rooms and a scene shop founded by Ann Filmer, whose vision will occupy backstage space, greatly needed shines through today. The theater after making do for the past 11 years, accordcompany is likely launching the last pro- ing to Filmer. Today, boards are laid across duction in its unassuming 60-seat basement theater seats as Steven Hill, technical director, works his magic, building a set on the burrow in Berwyn. They have a building of their own, with room to spread their wings small stage. There will be two bars, which may be used for future programming, such on bustling Harlem Avenue. “This new space allows us to offer more as cabaret-style shows. IMPACT will hold opportunities to all levels of engagement,” open mics. Educational programming, such as adult classes and writing courses will be said Artstic Director Filmer. The feeling of closeness between actors offered for the first time. The new location, at 1529 S. Harlem, is and theater-goers will continue at the new scheduled to open for the Season’s venue, with seating capacity inSee “Small second show in March, Good Enough. creasing to 84. Reaching a bigger Jokes About Meanwhile, the first show of Seaaudience was one of Filmer’s Monsters,” son 12, Small Jokes About Monsters, original goals. Thursdays and opens Jan. 10. Three brothers come “We want to be a theater of enFridays, 7:30 together after their father dies. They gagement,” she said, “reflecting p.m.; Saturdays, use humor to cope, but the jokes soon the times we’re in and the things 4 and 8 p.m. and reach their limits, Filmer said. we grapple with right now, and to some Sundays, Choosing plays each season is one be for all in the community, tell3 p.m., through of her main responsibilities, one she ing diverse stories, not just one Feb. 16. Tickets/ relishes. point of view.” more: 16thstreet“I choose what I think is not being Other goals set by Filmer were theater.org/seatalked about onstage or things that making this a professional, eqson-twelve-2019. we’re struggling with as a people,” she uity company where artists are 6420 16th St., said. “And I want to have a wide range paid fairly, while keeping tickets Berwyn. of storytelling, aesthetic and tone.” affordable. The theater offers the Of the new season’s theme, she said, most affordable prices in the state, she says, with discounts given to Berwyn resi- “It won’t be dark or light all the time. It’s a dents, as well as military and low-income fam- nice reminder when things are bad and challenging, and when humans or our leaders ilies. The maximum ticket price is $22. Helping make this happen was Joe Vallez, are acting poorly, there is light and hope.” 16th Street Theater was built to engage executive director of the North Berwyn Park District (NBPD). When Filmer moved with the community, holding talk-backs on to Berwyn, she had been working in theater Thursdays and Fridays after the perforin Chicago. Filmer and her husband decided mances. Data collected by the theater shows to dedicate themselves to their new com- approximately one-third of the audience is munity by doing art where they lived. She from Berwyn, one-third from Oak Park and joined the Berwyn Arts Council and discov- a third from Chicago and beyond. Filmer spotlights thought-provoking ered the park district had just built a small theater to provide arts space for kids. Hav- works and audiences have increasingly ing experience, she proposed working with filled seats and responded. So it’s only fitNBPD to create 16th Street Theater. They ting that 16th Street Theater should emerge now operate as a nonprofit theater, offering from the shadows into the light of a permanent home.

Contributing Reporter

OPEN HOUSE January 27th from 2-4 pm

Help us celebrate 30 years of providing quality Montessori education in Oak Park. Join us and learn more about our vibrant community. Openings for Fall 2019 in Primary (3–6 years) and Elementary (6–12 years).

1988

Celebrating 30 Years

2018

1039 South East Avenue Oak Park, IL 60304 • 708.848.2662 wsms.org • facebook.com/westsuburbanmontessori WSMS_Wednesday Ad_11_20_18 Final.indd 1

11/20/18 2:19 PM

See what all the buzz is about.

OakPark.com

Wednesday Journal, January 9, 2019

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River Forest

FOOT CLINIC

7351 Lake St. (Just west of Panera Bread)

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Dr. Linda Lambert

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Wednesday Journal, January 9, 2019

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Reynolds named Oak Park police chief

Decision comes after 2018 retirement of Chief Anthony Ambrose By TIMOTHY INKLEBARGER Staff Reporter

The village of Oak Park has named LaDon Reynolds to succeed former Oak Park Police Chief Anthony Ambrose, who retired in 2018. Reynolds, a 24-year veteran of the department, will be sworn in at Oak Park Village Hall, 123 Madison St., at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 8. Oak Park Village Manager Cara Pavlicek said in a press release that the village conducted a national search to fill the position, but Reynolds “offered the ideal combination of experience, ethics and commitment to Oak Park.” “In making this important hiring decision, I was delighted to have a veteran Oak Park officer perform so well among a strong field of candidates,” Pavlicek said. “The experience, professionalism and leadership skills Chief Reynolds displayed throughout the rigorous selection process made it clear that he was the right candidate for the job.”

File photo

A NEW DAY: LaDon Reynolds succeeds Tony Ambrose and Rick Tanksley as Oak Park Chief of Police. Reynolds, 47, has served as interim chief since Ambrose took a leave of absence in April 2018, after he was diagnosed with

nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, also known as NASH. Reynolds joined the department in 1994 as

a patrol officer and rose through the ranks as a detective, sergeant and commander. He was named deputy chief in 2017. “Even before I first put on the uniform of an Oak Park police officer more than two decades ago, I knew I wanted to serve,” Reynolds said. “But in those early days I saw myself on the streets as a patrol officer who eventually might become a detective and a sergeant. “It would have been impossible then to imagine this day back then. That’s why becoming chief of the department where I learned my trade is both humbling and exhilarating.” Reynolds also has served as an adjunct professor in the criminal justice administration program at Triton College, teaching courses in law enforcement administration and police community relations. He earned a Master of Science degree in education and Bachelor of Science degree in administration of justice from Southern Illinois University. Reynolds also has graduated from the FBI National Academy, the Senior Management Institute for Police, the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board Executive Institute and the Community Leadership Program at Dominican University’s Brennan School of Business. tim@oakpark.com

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Own up • Resolve to give your dog a great year in 2019 and beyond

possibly notice small irregularities on his or her body s the New Year kicks into gear, don’t be that you may have missed. And don’t forget to tell your discouraged by the fact that you may have already vet about any behavior changes you notice. Your vet given up on your New Year’s resolutions. Who can help you decipher some of those behavioral clues needs to learn how to play the piano anyway? If you really and makes sure your dog lives a long and happy life. want to focus on doing something to better yourself this year, why not focus on your four-legged friend who’s 2. Be kind to their stomachs: As dog’s age, it gets been with you every step of the way? easier to toss them the remainder of your chickenparmesan dinner or salami-sandwich lunch but you Instead of resolving to lose weight or call your mother should always be mindful of what you give them to once a week, you can dedicate yourself to responsible eat. Feed them quality food -- hint: “12 cans for $1!” dog ownership. probably isn’t quality food -- and adjust their diet as Wait, what? It’s easy to own a dog, right? You feed them, they get less active. Also, remain vigilant about leaving let them out once in awhile and occasionally pat them food or something that smells or looks like food within on the head as they walk past the couch. But really, is that their reach. And make sure you continually fill that what you, or your dog, signed up for? water bowl. As with humans, a daily input of fresh water When you buy a dog or take one home from a shelter, with Jill will help keep your dog hydrated and healthy. At our you’re assuming a meaningful responsibility. We’ve all dog daycare and hotel we see hundreds of different Showalter had periods of time where we’ve paid less attention to types of diets prescribed and invented by vets and our dogs because of life’s unexpected curveballs. But owners. We will get into detail on food basics in an upcoming article. then we come back. Heck, we even forget our kids in the carseat 3. Keep up their appearances: The old dog with the foul breath and when we’re unloading the groceries. Unlike your children, they won’t matted fur is a cliche but the actual cliche is the owner of that dog be able to live on their own and drive themselves to and from the doctor and go shopping for food when they run out. But then again, who figures he or she no longer has to brush them on a regular basis they don’t need to be taken to soccer practice nor will they ask for the or bring them to a groomer for regular visits. It’s not just a matter of appearance, either. Dogs with longer nails often find themselves latest iPhone either. They just want to be there for you. Just one pet tangled in carpeting or clothing and no longer have the patience on the head when you walk by them and maybe a chance to lay on to bark until you come rescue them. Instead, they’ll struggle to free your feet on those cold winter nights. OK, you get it. But what do we do now? Where do we start? Going themselves and rip out a portion of their nail in the process, leaving a bloody trail for you to follow when you come home from work. Same through this year we will be exploring the elements of responsible goes for their teeth and fur. Brush their fur regularly as well as their dog ownership and how to ensure you’re keeping up with those teeth. responsibilities. I’ll go into greater detail on these basic elements in 4. Teach them social skills: Dogs aren’t automatically afraid of future columns. Let’s begin with some of the basics. 1. Don’t forget the vet: Sure, you may think you can learn all about children or cower in fear around dogs half their size. Those are behaviors that are often learned when they’re with adults who aren’t your dog’s ailments on the Internet but in reality, you should be bringing your dog into your veterinarian on a regular basis. If you’ve paying attention to the situation around them. When you have young found a vet that you trust, he or she will come to know your dog and dogs, take them for walks where they’ll encounter other dogs to

IN THE DOG HOUSE

gauge their behavior and reaction. Teach them how to walk on a leash so they can have safe trips around the park without darting off into the street to chase a squirrel. Find friends and family members they feel comfortable with so you can have that emergency sitter you might need when you have to make a late-night run to the ER or feel like eloping to Las Vegas. Bring them to dog-care facilities for playdates and overnight stays. Teach them how to sit alongside you in an outdoor cafe so you and those sitting nearby can enjoy a meal. In other words, it’s your responsibility to introduce your dogs to new social situations. 5. Give them their dignity: Treat them with care and respect at all stages of their lives. And when they get older, be sure to give them the proper respect they deserve. As difficult as it is to admit, ailing dogs often aren’t kept alive for their own benefit. Instead, it’s for the benefit of owners who aren’t ready to let go. And that’s normal. But being a responsible dog owner requires making tough decisions. A dog can’t make her own choices on how to live out her final days. But you can. Do so with an emphasis on the well-being of dog you love, not the life you dread without them. I think it was Charles Dickens who coined the phrase “it is no small thing.” If it was, he probably had a dog sitting by his side as he wrote that with his feather quill pen. Because it is no small thing. It’s a commitment that begins the day you bring them into your home and ends the day they take their last breath. You certainly didn’t adopt a dog to have them sit on your couch all day. You probably brought a dog into your home and into your life because you wanted a twoway relationship: It’s likely that your dog has kept up her end of the bargain. And it’s never too late to make sure you keep up yours. If you have specific questions go to our blog at inthedoghouse. blog or send us a question on our Facebook page at Facebook. com/In-The-Doghouse Jill Showalter owns Yuppie Puppy and Doggie Day Play in Oak Park. She has personally tended to more than 100,000 dogs since 2007 and has shared stories and advice with numerous dog owners.

Wednesday Journal, January 9, 2019

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Everyone on the ballot in Oak Park, River Forest elections No challenges to nominating petitions for trustee, school board races By TIMOTHY INKLEBARGER, NONA TEPPER & MICHAEL ROMAIN Staff Reporters

Mas Takiguchi, all faced challenges to their nominating petitions. All the candidates in that election overcame the challenge except for Masalski. The following Oak Park village trustee candidates will appear in the following order on the ballot for the election on April 2: ■ Thomas Gary (D) ■ Graham Y. Brisben

It’s a stark contrast from the election two years ago, when half a dozen trustee candidates running for local office in Oak Park had their nominating petitions challenged for technical violations. This election there were no challenges in trustee and school board races in Oak Park and River Forest. All 11 candidates for Oak Park village trustee will be on the ballot for the April 2 Consolidated Election, according to Village Clerk Vicki Scaman. In 2017, trustee candidates Glenn Brewer, Peter Barber and Emily Masalski and clerk candidates Elia Gallegos, Lori Malinski and

■ James Thompson ■ Susan Buchanan ■ Bridgett Baron ■ Tim Thomas ■ Christian Harris ■ Joshua Klayman ■ Arti Walker Peddakotla ■ James “Jim” Taglia ■ Cory J. Wesley

No challenges were filed in school board races in Oak Park, according to the Cook County Clerk’s office. All of the candidates who filed last month to run for open seats on the Oak Park and

River Forest High School District 200 Board of Education and the Oak Park Elementary Schools District 97 Board of Education have made the ballot. The field includes two incumbents, firstterm board members Sara Spivy and Fred Arkin. Board member Jennifer Cassell, who was elected to the board with Spivy and Arkin back in 2015, will not run for re-election. Other candidates include: Amanda J. Massie, Gina Harris, Ralph Martire and Victor Guarino. The five candidates running for the three open seats on the D97 board include Holly Spurlock, the current board president and the only incumbent to turn in nominating papers for re-election. Board members Jim O’Connor and Rupa Datta announced earlier this year that they did not plan to seek re-election. Other candidates include: Jung Kim, Cheree Moore, Gavin Kearney and Barika Grant. No challengers were made in River Forest, according to Village Administrator Eric Palm.

Six candidates are officially running for

the River Forest Board of Trustees race come April, when three seats will open on the board. Incumbent Michael Gibbs is seeking his third term on the board. Residents Erika Bachner; Kathleen “Katie” Brennan, chairwoman of the village’s sustainability commission; John Grant; Gregg Kuenster; and Robert O’Connell, chairman of the village’s economic development commission, are all seeking spots on the board. Eight candidates are officially running for three open seats on the River Forest School District 90 Board of Education. Incumbents Barbara Hickey and Richard Moore are again seeking election. Carol Allison Jack, Steve Lefko, Kathleen M. Avalos, Calvin Davis, Matt Hefner and Hui Kang are also seeking election to the board.

tim@oakpark.com

How Oak Park factors into R. Kelly documentary

‘Surviving R. Kelly’ forces some to relive harrowing trial By MICHAEL ROMAIN Staff Reporter

The six-hour documentary series, Surviving R. Kelly, which aired on Lifetime over three days last week, Thursday through Saturday, has caused a nationwide stir, forcing some former and current Oak Park-area residents to relive traumatic experiences. Raven Gengler played on the same middle school basketball team in Oak Park as the alleged victim in the infamous sex tape at the center of R. Kelly’s 2002 child pornography trial. Gengler recalled taking the stand at the trial as a witness who positively identified the girl in the videotape. Kelly had adamantly denied that he was the person in the video. The lewd sexual encounter, which showed a man with a striking resemblance to the singer urinating on a girl who appears to be no more than 15, had reportedly been filmed and anonymously released to the public several years before the trial started. “I just remember being terrified when I was called to the witness stand,” Gengler said in the documentary. “Here’s this person who I was great friends with, who’s a great person, and all this is happening to her now. And I was trying to help the case by giving any specific details that I thought might really, you know, seal the deal and make sure that he was found guilty.”

Photos of Gengler and the alleged victim, apparently taken inside the field house at Oak Park and River Forest High School, show up at points in the documentary. Jacques Conway — a former Oak Park detective who specialized in crimes related to juveniles, and who once worked at OPRF as a school resource officer and served on the District 200 school board — also positively identified the girl in the video as one of the young women he used to coach on the basketball team. “I picked her out as soon as I saw the video,” he said in the documentary, reflecting on his time on the witness stand during the famous singer’s trial. The R&B singer’s former protégé, Sparkle, who said her family is from Oak Park, identified the girl in the video as her niece — a budding entertainer who she had introduced to R. Kelly at the age of 12 or 13. In the documentary, Sparkle expressed regret having ever set up the meeting between her niece and the singer, and revealed that her efforts to help bring the singer to justice by speaking out about the tape ruined her career and destroyed her relationship with her family. The former protégé said she suspects her niece’s parents may have been paid off in exchange for silence, since Sparkle was the only person in her family who cooperated during the trial — a major contributing factor that resulted in the jury’s not-guilty verdict. Nearly two decades later, the verdict in the court of public opinion is still out. CONTACT: michael@oakpark.com

R. Kelly; left, Sparkle, right

Wednesday Journal, January 9, 2019

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Victims of former Fenwick priest tell their stories

Rev. William P. Farrell accused decades later by two former students By TIMOTHY INKLEBARGER Staff Reporter

It’s been nearly a half century since the late Rev. William P. Farrell walked the hallways of Fenwick High School as a teacher, counselor and spiritual guide, but the damage the ordained Dominican priest left behind persists. Decades after the alleged abuse took place, two victims from Fenwick and another young man from Minnesota targeted by Farrell have made their stories known. Farrell, who died in 1989, is one of many hundreds of priests in various Catholic orders now accused of sexually abusing minors. He was ordained into the priesthood on June 5, 1965 and taught at Bishop Lynch in Dallas prior to transferring to Fenwick, where he worked from 1967 to 1970. He was an associate pastor at Our Lady of God Parish in Edina, Minnesota, beginning in 1971 and also served at St. Albert the Great Parish in Minneapolis, before being transferred to Hammond, Louisiana, in 1973, where he served as chaplain at Southeastern Louisiana University. Farrell moved to St. Dominic’s Priory in New Orleans in 1975, where he worked parttime at Mount Carmel Academy and was a chaplain at Dominican College in New Orleans from 1976 to 1978. He has been listed as a sexual predator on Bishop-Accountability.org, a website that tracks those who have committed sexual assault within the Catholic Church. Fr. Richard Peddicord, president of Fenwick High School, said in an email that the school has not directly received any allegations of abuse by Farrell. Peddicord wrote: “Sexual abuse is a crime and a sin. We hope any victim of sexual abuse will seek the healing they deserve. Any allegation of abuse against a Dominican priest or brother should be directed to the U.S. Central Province of the Dominicans, headquartered in Chicago: (312) 2430011, office@opcentral.org.” He emphasized that “safety and security of Fenwick students” is the school’s top priority and that the school requires all employees to submit to background checks, fingerprinting and a variety of training programs to prevent and report sexual abuse. Here are two accounts of alleged abuse and one related by a friend for a classmate who has died.

Paul McLennan It was Farrell’s final year at Fenwick when he came in contact with student Paul McLennan, 64, who now lives in suburban Atlanta. He was 16 years old when he first

met Farrell. McLennan described Farrell as a “hippie priest” with long hair who smoked a pipe and moderated Fenwick’s Human Relationship Club. Farrell organized students to tutor kids on Chicago’s West Side and ran a Human Relations Day event that brought together students and organizations from different races and constituencies, McLennan said. “I don’t have all bad things to say about the man — that’s my point, which kind of makes the betrayal worse. I trusted him,” he said. Farrell took a close interest in McLennan from the start, taking him to dinner and buying him alcohol — his first drink was with Farrell at Diana’s, a Greek restaurant on Halsted, where McLennan was given Roditis wine and Ouzo, an aperitif liqueur. McLennan was a Wheaton resident and traveled an hour to get to school every day. “I was the only one from Wheaton, so I didn’t bring a lot of friends with me,” he said. McLennan described his admiration for Farrell in part because he saw the priest as a change from his abusive, alcoholic father. He described Farrell’s method as “grooming,” where a sexual predator befriends a victim and gains their trust. It was during a student trip to Minnesota in 1970 that McLennan was assaulted by Farrell, who came into his room in the middle of the night, got in his bed unclothed and solicited the teenager for sex. He declined and Farrell left, telling him that it was “OK,” McLennan said. “Like don’t feel bad you disappointed me.” McLennan said he’s grappled with the experience ever since, particularly with the severity of the assault compared to what other sexual abuse victims have suffered. “You hear these horror stories of rape and it going on for years, so how does my story compare?” he asked. “It’s not as bad as others, but it happened to me.” McLennan has advocated for exposing sexual abuse in the Catholic Church, speaking with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution newspaper for an August story responding to a Pennsylvania grand jury’s report detailing decades of sexual abuse within the church. McLennan reported the abuse to the Dominican Friars Central Province in 2017. Prior Provincial Fr. James Marchionda responded on Nov. 17 of that same year, expressing his sympathies for the assault on him and another victim, Gerald Francis Lynch. “What happened to you both was indeed, despicable, and I apologize in the name of both the Dominicans and the entire church

“We’re all on board on wanting to do that and start setting everything right,” Marchionda said, calling it a “moral obligation.” He expressed his regret about Farrell’s actions in his 2017 letter to McLennan: “I believe we are doing our best to serve those who have been abused and to prevent any further abuse on our watch, as well as in the future.” McLennan said he became more outspoken about his assault after meeting Steve Hennessey — a former Fenwick student whose late friend was allegedly sexually assaulted by Farrell at Fenwick — in an online forum for abuse victims.

Steve Hennessy

Images provided by Paul McLennan

TELLING THEIR STORIES: Rev. William Patrick Farrell (top) poses with students in a Fenwick yearbook photo from 1968. Paul McLennan (above), an alleged victim of Farrell, with his grandson in New Orleans. that you and others like you have had to bear such heavy burdens in life because of the failures of individual priests and many Catholic institutions,” Marchionda wrote. Marchionda, whose province oversees 14 Midwestern states, told Wednesday Journal in a telephone interview that he was not aware of any other incidents of sexual assault involving Farrell. He noted that like the Chicago Archdiocese, the various religious orders within the Catholic Church, such as the Dominican order, have agreed to release documents this year about credibly abused priests.

Hennessy was a student at Fenwick from 1966 to 1970. He knew Farrell well but was never subjected to sexual abuse. Hennessy got involved in the movement to expose sexualpredator priests in 2002, when he learned his friend and former Fenwick classmate, whose name is withheld at his family’s request, was diagnosed with cancer. About a year before his friend’s death in 2003, Hennessy met with his longtime friend and learned he had been sexually assaulted by Farrell when he was 16 or 17. “They would meet and visit in the reception room of the priory at the school — rooms where you could have private meetings,” Hennessy said. Sometimes Farrell would provide beer for the teenager. It was at one of these counseling sessions that Hennessy’s friend fell asleep on a couch — when he awakened he was unclothed, Hennessy said. “Farrell was in the room and [the friend] got the hell out of there,” he said. His friend told him about the incident about a year before he succumbed to cancer. “He was very angry about it and had held it to himself for quite a while; he didn’t go into a great number of details about what happened,” Hennessy said. “I, respectfully, didn’t want to delve into it.” Hennessy has since spoken to his friend’s surviving family members who confirmed that the victim had discussed the assault with them as well. “I think, as he was very ill, he wanted to process it with his family and friends,” Hennessy said. Since learning about the incident, he has taken an increased interest in the priest sexabuse scandal that has rocked the Catholic Church since the Boston Globe first began publishing stories on the issue in 2002. Hennessy began monitoring priest abuse databases online like http://www.bishopSee PRIEST ABUSE on page 11

Wednesday Journal, January 9, 2019

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Family rebuilds after Little Free Library fire

Arson suspected but no word on solving the case By TIMOTHY INKLEBARGER Staff Reporter

It’s the New Year, a time of rebirth and renewal — that might well be the theme of the Oak Park family whose Little Free Library was burned in an apparent arson in early December. The residents of a home in the 500 block of South Oak Park Avenue were awakened in the middle of the night on Dec. 6, 2018 by Oak Park police, informing them that their tiny library had been set ablaze. Resident Sarah Corbin, who helped build the library with members of her family for her mother — a former teacher and reading instructor — promised to rebuild. The new Little Free Library was erected on Dec. 30. Little Free Libraries is a nonprofit group that encourages residents to place small boxes in front of their homes that encourage people to take a book and/or leave a book. There are more than 30 Little Free Libraries at homes in Oak Park. Corbin said in a recent telephone interview that they have upgraded the structure

to a leaning-roof design, rather than the Aframe design of the original Little Free Library that got torched. And rather than just a painting of blackeyed Susans adorning the exterior of the structure, the new library has black-eyed Susans, Echinacea and Monarch butterflies. Corbin’s husband joked about putting a phoenix rising on the side of the new structure, she said. No word yet from the Oak Park police on who might have set the fire, and no video surveillance was available, Corbin said. “We don’t have anything to go on,” she said. Corbin said it’s not the only incident that has brought the family in touch with Oak Park police; the family had a package stolen from their porch about a week after the fire – its contents were bedsheets. Another package, containing socks, was stolen from her neighbor’s porch about a week after that, Corbin said. Despite the petty crime, Corbin said the story about the fire resonated with a lot of Oak Parkers. She was told the news of the fire was one of the topics discussed in a recent sermon at Unity Temple. Also, shortly after the fire, someone brought a big box of books for Corbin and

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FROM THE ASHES: Tony (left) and Joe Abboreno install the new Free Little Library after the structure was set on fire in early December. her family and left a note about learning of

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“She read the article and felt so badly

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Wednesday Journal, January 9, 2019

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

PRIEST ABUSE

Victims come forward from page 9 accountability.org/ and Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP) http://www.snapnetwork.org/. “I kept looking to see if Farrell was listed in other instances and he hadn’t been,” Hennessy said. It was through his work and the efforts of McLennan and Gerald Lynch that Farrell’s name was added to the Bishop-Accountability.org database in late 2018. It was on a SNAP website conversation forum where Hennessy found McLennan in 2017, and the two Rev. William P. Farrell began working to expose Farrell. In 2016, Hennessy discovered an article in the Owatonna (Minnesota) People’s Press newspaper about another victim.

Gerald Francis Lynch Gerald Lynch, 66, was in his early 20s when he first came into contact with Farrell in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where he served as a community leader within the Catholic Church. “He was the most spiritual person I looked up to,” Lynch said in a recent telephone interview. “He was like a second father to me.” That relationship went sideways in 1974, when Lynch and another young man were assigned to drive Farrell to Hammond, Louisiana, where he would serve as a chaplain at Southeastern Louisiana University. Lynch said he later learned that Farrell was transferred after it was discovered that he had engaged in same-sex relationships with others in the community. The assault took place while they were on the road to Louisiana, Lynch said. “Both nights he woke me up around 1:30 in the morning naked …” soliciting Lynch for sex. “I didn’t know what gay was back in those days; I was an innocent Iowa farm boy,” Lynch said. He rejected the proposition both nights but spent decades after that working through the damage. “I went back to the two coordinators (at Our Lady of God) and told them what happened, and the only thing I can remember they said was, ‘Oh, you too?’” Lynch recalled. Lynch described being confused by the response. “Was it, ‘Oh, you’re gay, too,’ or was it ‘Oh, you’re one of the victims?’” It shook the foundation of his faith. He didn’t tell the story to anyone again until he was married years later. He reported the assault to the Dominican Province in the 1990s and later received a check from the order for $2,000 to help cover the cost of counseling. “You know how far that went? Not very far,” he said, noting that he’s seen a therapist and psychiatrist for the last five years. Lynch said he has turned to poetry to help work through the pain he’s suffered and spoken out publicly about sexual abuse in the church. “There are victims out there of priest abuse who are unable, for whatever reason, to speak up and tell their truth and let people know that abuse in the church is real,” he said. tim@oakpark.com

River Forest considers new traffic measures

Plan would add 162 new crosswalks and two new crossing guards By NONA TEPPER Staff Reporter

After nearly a year of research, an associate from KLOA engineering firm presented a draft of the Safe Walking Routes to Schools survey at a village board meeting last month, recommending to trustees the addition of new stop signs, subtraction of crossing guards and much more. “The purpose of this study was to recommend a series of safe walking routes to school for students,” Eric Russell, principal at KLOA, said at the meeting. The engineering consultant studied the best routes for students to get to the three public schools in the village, the River Forest Community Center, and three parochial schools—Grace Lutheran School, St. Luke Parish School and St. Vincent Ferrer Catholic Elementary School. Russell met with River Forest District 90, parochial schools, village staff, police and parents to create the plan. Trustees agreed to table approval of the study — which would put into motion introduction of an ordinance adding the traffic control measures recommended — until a future board meeting. The village is also waiting to hear about the status of a $130,000 grant from the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) that would help fund the project, but likely won’t hear back until March, Village Administrator Eric Palm said at the Dec. 10 meeting. Then, the state will review and eventually approve the plan, which Palm said could take until October. The village aims to implement these traffic control measures before the next school year. Officials were compelled to create the survey after a third-grader was struck by a car on his way to Lincoln Elementary School in December 2017. KLOA recommended installing high-visibility, ladder-style crosswalks at 162 intersections in the village where cars currently do not have to come to a full stop, which means they are “uncontrolled”; installing a two-way stops at 14 uncontrolled intersections; one-way stop control at 21 intersections; and all-way stop control at the Vine Street and Gale Avenue intersection. The traffic firm also recommended moving two-way stop signs to Park

Avenue, from the Thomas Street in- er measures first and then monitortersection; introducing a four-way ing the situation,” Russell said of the stop at five intersections; swapping crossing guards. Street signs with LED flashers, cona yield sign for a stop sign at Vine Street and Ashland Avenue; and add- vex mirrors, better lighting under ing an enhanced crosswalk at two in- railroad viaducts and more would be tersections. KLOA also recommended added first to problem intersections. “In all cases, we recommend moniupdating the crosswalk at 61 intersectoring these improvements,” Russell tions with a reflective ladder pattern. said at the meeting. “If they prove not “I think the trustees and myself are taking a hard look at how to make to be as effective, additional measures walking to school safer,” Village Pres- can be installed. If those don’t seem ident Cathy Adduci said at the meet- to work, crossing guards can be redeing. “Yes, this is a lot of stop signs and ployed or new crossing guards can be I don’t know if I’m against all that. I installed. We recommend a stepped think it’s probably the right thing to approach to these improvements.” Russell also recommended that do. I hope that our parents and all the people who come through our town guards be reminding that their only objective is to get children know not to roll through across the street safely -the stop.” not to direct traffic -- and to Russell said he didn’t see a downside to adding try and synchronize street the new signs. crossings with other nearBut resident Steve Lefko by guards. He said crossing said KLOA didn’t create a guards would be able to see safe routes to school map, each other from the interbut just “blanketed the sections and coordinate village with stop signs.” crossings that way. After the third-grader “If they’re not coordinatwas struck by the car on ed now, we need to come up his way to school, Lefko with a better way to comstarted volunteering as a municate with each other, crossing guard. maybe training, maybe “If you add more stop walkie-talkies,” Trustee signs, do people stop more Carmela Corsini said at or do they pay less attenthe meeting. CATHY ADDUCI tion?” Lefko asked at the Russell said that walkieRF village president meeting. “As it is, we have talkies do help guards coma lot of people not stopmunicate, particularly if a ping at stop signs; maybe substitute guard was temthat’s human behavior. porarily working in a new location. Do you really stop more if Gibbs also called for the addition of you have more stop signs in town? Is warning signs to be posted near railthere any data on that?” Trustee Mike Gibbs replied that it road tracks, particularly where the was safe to assume that people would tracks curve into the forest preserve stop at the signs, since the village’s and cross sidewalks but not streets. “I’m not talking about motorized consultant said they would. “I’m fairly confident if we accept gates, I’m saying a sign that says ‘train all this, with all the signage and ev- crossing,” he said. Palm said that was erything else, our police department “something we’ll add.” At the same time KLOA is studying would be capable of performing the duties this new ordinance would now traffic signals and controls, the village require,” Gibbs said at the meeting. is also formulating a bike plan for Riv“If people don’t stop at the stop signs, er Forest, which will outline the safest there’s a negative ramification to routes for bicyclists. There is some overlap between the safest routes for their driving record.” In terms of crossing guards, KLOA both walkers and bikers, Russell said recommended them at 14 locations—12 at the meeting, and “in general, most where there already are crossing of these recommendations will imguards, and new guards at the Lake prove safety and also help bicycles.” “We did hear a lot in the surveys Street and Lathrop Avenue intersection and the Division Street and Ash- that parents wanted to be able to bike land Avenue intersection. Under this on the sidewalk,” he said. Trustees did not decide whether plan, two crossing guards would be removed from near Roosevelt Middle bikes should be permitted on the sideSchool. Parents indicated they would walk. The bike plan will remain sepalike nine new crossing guards added rate from the Safe Routes to School plan. to the village. “We recommend implementing othCONTACT: ntepper@wjinc.com

“Yes, this is a lot of stop signs and I don’t know if I’m against all that. I think it’s probably the right thing to do.”

Wednesday Journal, January 9, 2019

VILLAGE CLERK

FOIAs up dramatically from page 1 which maintains an active following on Facebook. Representatives of the village government maintain that the change largely aims to make more efficient the method for managing FOIAs in the village and better secure the privacy of those who submit them. But Village Clerk Vicki Scaman, whose office formerly served as the primary FOIA officer, tells a different story. Under the old system, most FOIAs began and ended with the clerk’s office: FOIAs were largely submitted through a form on the village’s website; the clerk’s office received the request and directed it to the proper department; the request was either filled or rejected; and the response was sent back to the clerk’s office to disburse to the requestor. FOIA requests were frequently routed to the village’s law department for review under the old system. The system put in place late last year has requests entered directly into a computer system called Laserfiche and directed to the Village Attorney’s Office for review. While the change has been positioned as merely a technical change in the village’s workflow, Scaman said cutting her office out of the process will mean more rejected FOIA requests.

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM She tells Wednesday Journal that dozens of times a year she advocates for the release of documents in cases where FOIA requests have already been denied. That independent oversight will be lost under the new system, she said. “It happens plenty,” she said. “About 30 to 50 times a year I have to have that conversation (with department heads about rejected FOIAs).” FOIA requests are rejected for a variety of reasons; the Oak Park Police Department, for example, rejects them, when the documents in question are part of an active investigation and the information is considered sensitive. But some requests are rejected inappropriately. Earlier this year, the Illinois Attorney General’s Office overturned a rejected FOIA by Oak Parker Michael O’Malley, who requested traffic numbers on Washington and Jackson boulevards and Madison Street from a study by a village contractor related to a plan for reducing the number of lanes along the commercial corridor. The village claimed that the study was exempt because it was in “preliminary draft form” but Public Access Counselor Sarah L. Pratt, in the Attorney General’s Office, saw things differently, ordering the village to release the traffic information. That’s just one example of the village’s effort to withhold information, according to Scaman. Village Manager Cara Pavlicek said the FOIA change, which was not discussed publicly at length prior to the change, was

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prompted by a staff departure in the clerk’s office in 2017. The Oak Park Board of Trustees voted to not rehire for that position and instead moved toward implementing the new technology based approach, Pavlicek said. The board adopted the 2018 budget in 2017, and village staff began work on implementing the new system. Pavlicek said the FOIA change happened days before Christmas as a soft rollout when the village receives fewer FOIA requests. Nowhere in the village code is it specified that the village clerk is designated as the primary FOIA officer, she said, adding that the village attorney has always played a role in reviewing FOIAs. Trustees James Taglia and Deno Andrews have requested that the topic be discussed at a future board meeting to get more information about the new approach. Andrews tells Wednesday Journal that he still has questions about the new system but added that “if the village clerk is cut out of the process, then that is something that we need to correct.” He said the technology based approach is necessary, though, to modernize the village’s systems. FOIA requests have increased dramatically over the last few years, and the change aims, in part, to help manage the increased number of requests. Scaman said in an email that the village received 648 FOIAs in 2016, 904 in 2017 and 1,335 in 2018. She said those numbers have gone up in part because she’s done a better job at keeping track of them.

Several trustees, as well as Oak Park Mayor Anan Abu-Taleb, already appear to be in support of the new approach. Abu-Taleb said in an interview that the new system is more efficient and better protects the privacy of those who have filed FOIA requests. He said directing FOIAs to the law department makes sense because it means fewer village employees are handling the requests. “Having a professional reviewing the requests with a legal mindset is the right choice,” he said. Abu-Taleb said those opposing the new system are spreading misinformation about the new system and “creating confusion.” Trustee Andrea Button also voiced support for the change in a telephone interview, saying that it is inaccurate to suggest that the new system will mean “less transparency or the release of fewer records.” “There is no way, whether it’s under the village attorney or the village clerk, that we can get around the law; the law is the law,” she said. One trustee, Simone Boutet, strongly opposed the change, citing the recent decision by the Illinois Attorney’s Office on the Madison Street traffic count FOIA request. “There’s no reason to take that duty away from (the clerk’s Office) because she does a good job, and she’s the right person to do this job,” Boutet said. Boutet said the change is “part of a continuing effort (by the village) to control information.” tim@oakpark.com

Wednesday Journal, January 9, 2019

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

DONALSON New releases from page 1 Oak Park, “taking a gap year,” he said. When he isn’t reading and writing, he’s working with area young people through Friday Night Place — a recreational program for Oak Park young people. On Dec. 27, Donalson released four rap songs in which he muses on race “in lesscensored ways than I did in the documentary and in most interviews.” He added that he isn’t “writing the same way I was at 16.” The album project, For Whatever You Do, (produced by Donalson and his friend Antwon Billups, who go by the names Dhazi and Twondon), earns every inch of its Parental Advisory sticker, but if the listener can endure the profanity, she’ll likely delight in Donalson’s deft ability to blend the social and the personal. “Grandma told me go to school and ask them who the Panthers is / Suburb teachers wasn’t prepared for this,” Donalson raps on “Fight the Power,” a nod to Public Enemy’s 1990 protest anthem and a radical, real-life litmus test of just how far Oak Park’s racial enlightenment extends. Donalson raps that the experience of being told “all my heroes was terrorists” by a white teacher tore his heart “to pieces,” affecting his current emotional equilibrium (“still ain’t got no peace today”). The lyric ably demonstrates how racial bias and historical ignorance in the classroom can reverberate from childhood to adulthood. Back in December, Donalson — who was born in North Lawndale and grew up in Austin before moving to Oak Park when he was 3 — sat down for an interview, during which he riffed on the content that he references in his songs, which are available on a variety of streaming platforms, including SoundCloud, Apple Music and Spotify. To listen, visit: http://hyperurl. co/v0wpoa.

ALEXA ROGALS/Staff Photographer

ALL HIS HEROES ARE TERRORISTS: Charles Donalson’s raps intertwine his personal experience growing up in an integrated suburb with searing systemic critiques that home in on the limits of white-washed conceptions of progress. people who got killed. In school, we didn’t learn about Assata Shakur. You want to know why? Because she’s still alive!

On learning about microaggressions By the third grade, I knew about slavery and the mistreatment of blacks, but in the North, we got these things called micro-aggressions (laughs). My mom introduced me to the fact that racism isn’t something that’s necessarily always shown through acts of violence by buying the first three seasons of Different Strokes, and telling me, “Watch this.” I was like, “Even though they act like they like Arnold and Willis, I think those white people are secretly scared of them.”

On being angry It is really hard to actually stand up and be serious about your anger. People definitely don’t see me as angry, but I’m angry as hell. When it comes to black men and anger — they want to make people think we’re monsters. They know that when we get angry, that’s when stuff changes. They know that about black people in general. When we get upset, stuff is going to happen.

On being told his ‘heroes are terrorists’ When I was in fourth grade, I had a teacher tell me that the Black Panthers were terrorists. I’m like 8 years old and very impres-

sionable. If you want to make change, [white people] monopolize how you’re supposed to go about doing it. This is why we read books outside of school because if I just let them teach me about Martin Luther King — don’t get me wrong, I love King. He was very, very important to where we are today — but white people weaponize nonviolence. Not only do they weaponize it, they only teach you about the

On releasing material that confronts race so candidly I’m nervous to put out the EP. It’s scary but it’s like jumping into a pool. That’s with anything in life. It’s scary, a shock when you first do it, but when you’re under the water, it’s cold but not that bad. It’s better than being above the water.

On his most consistent habits One of the best pieces of advice I got from a poet was, ‘Don’t stop writing.’ I write or read every day. If I’m not in the writing mood, I force myself to read something.

On being 19 I am a teenager while also not being a teenager, while being grown and not being grown. It literally depends on the time of day you catch me. I’m 19 and probably going through an existential life crisis [laughs].

On reality and ‘The Twilight Zone’ I’m always wondering about the concept of existence. I watch a lot of sci-fi. My activism is influenced by The Twilight Zone. Rod Serling was putting us on some straight game! Actually, I wouldn’t say activism. I’m a vessel. As far as we know, none of this stuff matters. The only thing I can really account for are my thoughts and feelings. Despite what a lot of people want you to believe, those thoughts and feelings are important; regardless of whether they’re right or wrong. If I never talk about them, I’ll never know them. That’s a realization I had watching Groundhog Day. Literally, the only thing that matters is how you treat people. CONTACT: michael@austinweeklynews.com

Wednesday Journal, January 9, 2019

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

C R I M E

Robbery at River Forest TCF bank branch

A woman demanded money from a bank teller at the TCF Bank branch inside the Jewel-Osco, 7525 W. Lake St. in River Forest, at about 10:50 a.m. on Dec. 31, according to a release from the River Forest Police Department. “There was a weapon implied,” Police Chief James O’Shea said. He declined to comment on whether any money was taken, saying the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) wanted to handle the release of that information. The FBI is

offering a reward of $1,000 for the woman’s arrest. After allegedly threatening the bank teller, the woman walked out of the bank towards Brown Avenue. Residents can call the FBI at 312-421-6700 or local police at 708-3667125 with tips.

Carjacking incidents ■ A masked man with a gun threatened a man in a car at about 5:48 p.m. on Jan. 7 on

the 500 block of Auvergne Place. The man approached the driver’s side door, pointed a handgun at the victim and then pulled on the door handle. “He told her to get out of the car and when she made a choice not to, he ran,” Police Chief James O’Shea said. The offender then ran north on Auvergne Place. O’Shea said he believes the attempted carjacking may been connected to similar incidents in Maywood and Broadview. He said detectives are working with those agencies to capture the carjacker. ■ An Oak Parker and a resident of Marietta, Georgia, were carjacked at gunpoint in the 200 block of South Oak Park Avenue at 8:20 p.m. on Jan. 4. The victims were seated inside owner’s 2012 Honda Civic, when they were approached by two by two men on both sides of the vehicle. The offender on the passenger’s side of the vehicle pointed a small, black handgun and ordered the driver out of the vehicle. The second offender similarly ordered the passenger out. The two offenders then took the car and fled northbound in the alley and eastbound on Pleasant Street. The estimated loss is $10,000. The gunman was described as black, between the ages of 18 and 25 with a thin build and wearing a dark sweatshirt with a hood and blue pants. The other offender was described as a white male between the ages of 25 and 30 with a thin build, long blonde, dirty hair and wearing a dark knit hat and dark clothing. ■ An Oak Park woman was carjacked in the 100 block of Harrison Street in Oak Park at 3:49 p.m. as she parked her car. The victim was parking her gray Pontiac Torrent in her garage, when she was approached by a man in a black coat and black pants who displayed a firearm. The offender then took the vehicle and fled in an unknown direction.

Robbery ■ An Oak Park man was assaulted and robbed at gunpoint in the vestibule area of his apartment building in the 900 block of Pleasant Street at 10:03 p.m. on Dec. 29. The victim was entering the vestibule area, when one of two offenders struck him in the head with a beer bottle. The offender then struck the victim in the head with the bottom of a silver revolver. He fell to the ground and the offenders then went through his pockets and took his wallet, keys and cell phone. The two offenders then fled in an unknown direction. The estimated loss is $425. ■ A Chicago woman was robbed at the CTA Blue Line ramp in the 800 block of South Oak Park Avenue at 2:45 p.m. on Jan. 5. The woman was exiting the train on the

ramp, when the offender grabbed her and took her iPhone 7 Plus from her hand. The offender then fled in an unknown direction. The estimated loss is $900. The offender was described as a black man between the ages of 30 and 40, 5-foot-6 to 5-foot-7, 150 to 160 pounds, with a black goatee and wearing a red, white and blue “Gucci” knit hat, a New York Yankees jacket and dark acid-washed jeans. ■ An Oak Park resident was robbed at gunpoint in the 100 block of Madison Street at 12:32 p.m. on Jan. 3. The victim was approached by a man between the ages of 26 and 28, who asked for change and a cigarette. The offender then grabbed the victim and displayed a black handgun. He searched through the victim’s pockets and took cash, a debit card and a bank receipt. The offender was described as a black man, 5-foot-9, 250 pounds, with a black beard and wearing a black zip-up hoodie, black jeans and black Nike shoes.

Burglary An Oak Park resident’s black and tan Fossil purse was stolen from the driver’s seat of her black 2018 Jeep Cherokee while she was pumping gas in the first block of Harrison Street at 7:17 p.m. on Jan. 5. The estimated loss is $230.

Cellphone stolen An Oak Park man was the victim of theft in the 900 block of Lake Street at 6:05 p.m. on Jan. 6. The victim was approached by the offender who asked to use his cellphone to call his mother. The victim agreed and the man took the victim’s iPhone 6 and fled eastbound on Lake Street. The estimated loss is $500. These items, obtained from the Oak Park and River Forest police departments, came from reports, Dec. 28, 2018 to Jan. 7, 2019, 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 Timothy Inklebarger and Nona Tepper

To run an obituary Please contact Ken Trainor by e-mail: ktrainor@wjinc.com, or fax: 708/524-0447 before Monday at noon. Please include a photo if possible.

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

Wednesday Journal, January 9, 2019

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

The Year of Equity

S P R I N G  L I K E

J A N U A R Y

W E E K E N D

A powerful conversation on equity among Wednesday Journal’s Villagers of the Year

2018 Villagers of The Year Jackie Moore OPRF school board president Villager of the Year/Oak Park

Ralph Martire River Forest D90 school board president Co-Villager of the Year/River Forest

Ed Condon District 90 school superintendent Co-Villager of the Year/River Forest

Wednesday Journal

CONVERSATIONS

Steve James “America To Me” director and producer Runner-up Villager of the Year/Oak Park & River Forest

Tuesday, January 29 n 7pm

Dominican University Performing Arts Center Plus, we will honor 38 years of previous Villagers of the Year. Our first ever reception for the extraordinary women and men we’ve recognized since 1985. Our moderator, Francis Craft, The Equity Team

RSVP to this FREE event at OakPark.com/wjconvo

ALEXA ROGALS/Staff Photographer

JANUARY THAW: (Top) Siblings Mateo Villagomez-Romo, 6, left, and Victoria VillagomezRomo, 4, of Oak Park, work the pulley system at the Rehm Park playground last Saturday as the temps climb into the mid-50s.

Wednesday Journal, January 9, 2019

Homes

NEED TO REACH US?

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

ALEXA ROGALS/Staff Photographer

AWARD WINNER: The owners of 400 Home Ave. in Oak Park were recognized with an Oak Park Historic Preservation Award for the sensitive remodeling of their Victorian home, whose front porch had been altered in the past.

Making the most of a mess Oak Park Victorian gets a new porch, and an award

By LACEY SIKORA

Contributing Reporter

t’s the stuff of most homeowners’ nightmares: a big storm and a big tree collide, with the storm coming out the winner and the house coming out the loser. New Oak Park homeowners Dan and Rachel Stark were less than thrilled when an autumn storm downed a tree right onto the porch of their 1898 Victorian on Home

Avenue. Dan, evidently more of a glass-halffull than half-empty kind of guy, chose to take the incident in stride. “It was the day before Halloween in 2017,” he said. “We actually feel lucky that it wasn’t Halloween, when our porch would have been full of trick-or-treaters. No one was hurt.” The porch was a total loss, and the Starks took the opportunity to rebuild it in a way that more closely matched the home’s origi-

nal porch. The couple had owned the home for about eight months and had been slowly researching their home’s history. “After we bought the house, we took a day off work to do research on it,” said Rachel Stark. The couple went to the Oak Park Library and then on to the Oak Park River Forest Historical Society and turned up quite a bit of information on the house. Dan remembers that the real estate listing

when he and Rachel purchased the home listed the home’s build date as 1902, a date their research proved to be a bit fuzzy. An Oak Leaves article dated October 1898 detailed a gathering held by Arthur Durant Whipple and his bride Mabel in their new home at 400 Home Ave. A newspaper advertisement dated March 1920, had those original owners listing the house for sale. See NEW PORCH on page 19

Wednesday Journal, January 9, 2019

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

1147 FOREST AVE, RIVER FOREST

731 BELLEFORTE AVE, OAK PARK

6 br, 4.1 ba $1,400,000

5 br, 4.1 ba $999,000

Pauline Sharpe 708.848.5550

Cory Kohut 708.848.5550

406 LATHROP AVE, RIVER FOREST

325 N GROVE AVE, OAK PARK

946 FERDINAND AVE, FOREST PARK

847 S KENILWORTH AVE, OAK PARK

1100 N OAK PARK AVE, OAK PARK

4 br, 3 ba $700,000

5 br, 1.1 ba $514,900

7 br, 4 ba $479,000

4 br, 1.1 ba $475,000

3 br, 2.1 ba $455,000

Jannie Earl 708.848.5550

Alice McMahon 708.848.5550

Mark Hosty 708.848.5550

Kelly Fondow 708.848.5550

Jeanette Madock 708.848.5550

Get Noticed. World-Class Marketing that moves your home from Listed to Sold. 101 N. Oak Park Avenue | 708.848.5550

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936 MARENGO AVE, FOREST PARK

1414 MARENGO AVE, FOREST PARK

812 AUGUSTA ST., OAK PARK

1170 S HUMPHREY AVE, OAK PARK

1157 GUNDERSON AVE, OAK PARK

8 br $447,500

3 br, 3.1 ba $425,000

3 br, 2 ba $425,000

4 br, 2 ba $399,000

3 br, 1.2 ba $398,902

Jeanette Madock 708.848.5550

Dorothy Gillian 708.848.5550

Pauline Sharpe 708.848.5550

Robert Hann 708.848.5550

Tabitha Murphy 708.848.5550

1142 WENONAH AVE, OAK PARK

156 N OAK PARK AVE 2H, OAK PARK

1020 RANDOLPH ST 3W, OAK PARK

7251 RANDOLPH ST B6, FOREST PARK

7432 WASHINGTON ST 602, FOREST PARK

3 br, 1 ba $375,000

2 br, 2 ba $349,000

3 br, 2 ba $320,000

2 br, 1 ba $119,900

2 br, 1.1 ba $117,500

Cory Kohut 708.848.5550

Sarah O'Shea Munoz 708.848.5550

Monica Dalton 708.848.5550

Armando Vargas 708.848.5550

Akinleye Famoyegun 708.848.5550

Wednesday Journal, January 9, 2019

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

NEW PORCH Photo research from page 17 For Dan, researching the historic newspapers proved an entertaining exercise. “If you go through these old newspapers, it’s like Facebook of that time,” he said. “There are so many details about social events, weddings and parties.” Rachel noted that all of their research was made easy by the staff of the historical society. “We made an appointment with the historical society, and the way they handle this is just awesome,” she said. “You tell them where you live, and they ask about your goals and then pull a lot of material for your visit. I’m so grateful to the people who do this. It was so helpful to us.” While some of the historic data does not include house numbers or street names, Rachel Stark noted that the historical society archivists were still able to tie in data to their house. “They do this painstaking work,” she said. “Even with no house numbers, they found pictures of our house.” Armed with a photo of the house, the Starks turned to contractor Pete Thomas of Thomas Restoration to rebuild their porch. Dan recalled that Thomas was really happy to have the historic photo to guide their plans, as the porch that had been destroyed differed quite a bit from the original structure.

“I don’t know how many times the porch had been replaced, but they’d cheaped out on the columns and changed other details,” Dan said. Thomas looked to the interior columns in the home, which are original, to provide details that the photos could not and reconstructed the porch to closely resemble the historic photo. The Starks’ restoration work recently earned them a Historic Preservation Award from the village, and Susie Trexler, Oak Park’s urban planner for historic preservation, says much of that is due to their reliance on that photo. “The awards committee was particularly impressed by the homeowners’ use of a historic photograph to restore the porch to its original appearance,” Trexler wrote in an email. “Restoration alone takes time and dedication, but using historic documentation and following through to restore details such as the fluted columns is impressive.” Dan Stark says the entire project was serendipitous in many ways. “It’s amazing that we did this research project, and that it ended up having a practical application,” he said. For Rachel, the tree falling on the porch turned out to be boon for their home, though she didn’t see it that way at first. “At first, I was so mad that this happened, but it turned into something great as the porch came along,” she said.

PHOTOS BY ALEXA ROGALS/Staff Photographer

REDO: Dan and Rachel Stark used old photographs, such as the one that accompanied a newspaper ad for the home’s sale in 1920 (top left), to restore the front porch of 400 Home Ave., replacing spindly, plain columns with more substantial, handsome Ionic, fluted columns (above and lower left) like the ones it originally had.

Historic Preservation Awards for 2019 Trexler says that the nomination period for Historic Preservation Awards for 2019 is now open and available on the village website. Nominations are open to the public, but she said that there are several qualifications that need to be met. The preservation project has to have occurred within the last five years and

should fall into one of five categories: adaptive use, new addition, rehabilitation, restoration or sustainability. Projects can be in residential or commercial buildings and do not have to be located in a historic district. Winners are chosen by a committee consisting of professionals in preservation-related fields from the greater Chicago area. Anyone with questions regarding the process can email historicpreservation@ oak-park.us.

Wednesday Journal, January 9, 2019

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

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728 N ELMWOOD AVE, OAK PARK $850,000 :: 4 bed :: 2.5 bath

1104 N ELMWOOD, OAK PARK $687,500 :: 4+ bed :: 3.5 bath

119 KEYSTONE, RIVER FOREST $805,000 :: 4 bed :: 2.5 bath

1011 FRANKLIN, RIVER FOREST $575,000 :: 3 bed :: 3.5 bath

1 GALE AVE #4A, RIVER FOREST $790,000 :: 4 bed :: 5.5 bath

Awesome newer construction, newer designer kitchen and baths. Great location - walk to train.

Classic mid-century tri-level. Awesome location.

Huge condo with over 5000 sq ft of beautifully finished space with balcony & 4 parking spaces. Walk to train.

KATHY & TONY IWERSEN 708.772.8040 708.772.8041 tonyiwersen@atproperties.com

Wednesday Journal, January 9, 2019

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Generations of Excellence since 1958

708.771.8040 • 7375 W. North Ave., River Forest DonnaAvenue Barnhisel Don Citrano 7375 West North Dan Bogojevich Julie Cliggett Anne Brennan Alisa Coghill Illinois 60305 Karen Byrne Kay Costello Kevin Calkins JoLyn Crawford 708.771.8040 Andy Gagliardo Tom Carraher Maria Cullerton

MANAGING River Forest, BROKER/OWNERS

Pat Cesario Joe Cibula

Tom Poulos

Julie Downey Kurt Fielder

Yvonne Fiszer-Steele Ramona Fox Laura Gancer Chris Garvey Lisa Grimes Dan Halperin Sharon Halperin Greg Jaroszewski

Vee Jaroszewski Noa Klima Sherree Krisco Jack Lattner Susan Maienza Charlotte Messina Vince McFadden Elizabeth Moroney

Colleen Navigato John Pappas Sue Ponzio-Pappas Rosa Pitassi Caroline Rauch Michael Roche Jenny Ruland Laurel Saltzman

Laurie Shapiro Tom Sullivan Debbie Watts George Wohlford Nancy Wohlford Randy Ernst • 773-290-0307

1140 JACKSON • RIVER FOREST OPEN SUNDAY 1-3

142 S SCOVILLE • OAK PARK OPEN SUNDAY 12-2

106 ROCKFORD • FOREST PARK OPEN SUNDAY 12-1:30

727 JACKSON • RIVER FOREST OPEN SUNDAY 1-3

SETTING A NEW STANDARD in approachable elegance, this five bedroom, 3-1/2 bath home will exceed your expectations with wide plank hardwood floors, striking lighting and custom millwork throughout. One of a kind floor plan, and three fully finished levels......................................................................................$1,250,000

CENTER OF TOWN VICTORIAN with high ceilings, four spacious levels of living in beautiful Oak Park. This 5 BR, 3-12 BA home offers a formal entry, wood burning FP, sun room, family room, eat-in kitchen. Great flow, tons of natural light & storage throughout this beauty!................................................................................... $650,000

AWARD WINNING RENOVATION of this impressive 4 bedroom, 3 full bath luxury home! Large open floor plan, designer kitchen, mud room with built-ins, huge pantry, finished basement rec room, loads of storage and three separate porches. Architect designed landscaping. ..........................................................................$639,000

EXCEPTIONAL RENOVATION in the heart of RF presents unparalleled quality and design. The quality construction continues into the rehab where not a detail has been missed throughout this thoughtfully proportioned home with 6 BRs and 5 full and 1 half bath......... ..............................................................................................$1,895,000

1217 N MARION • OAK PARK OPEN SUNDAY 1-3

34 FOREST • RIVER FOREST OPEN SUNDAY 1-3

132 DES PLAINES • FOREST PARK OPEN SUNDAY 1-3

909 BONNIE BRAE • RIVER FOREST

SPACIOUS, SOLID BRICK COLONIAL HOME situated in the middle of a quiet, cul do sac. This 4 bedroom, 3 bath, 2 powder room family home boasts beautiful stained hardwood floors throughout, marble fireplace, built-in bookshelves, three season porch. Ready to move into!.............................................................................. $485,000

GREAT RANCH HOME... Sun filled living room, eat-in kitchen, two bedrooms, one and a half bathroom, bonus room…den or 3rd bedroom. Mudroom, laundry room, finished basement. Abundant storage and a great location! Have a look and make an offer! ........... .................................................................................................$329,000

ENJOY LUXURY LIVING in this masterfully renovated home on an extra wide lot. Gutted down to the studs, this Impressive open concept home features wood floors, natural light and high-style designer finishes. 1st FL office, finished LL family room and easy access to a large deck. ...........................................................$474,000

UNIQUE QUALITY BURMA BUILT HOME with 5 bedrooms and 3 full, 2 half baths. House has many wonderful features; 2 separate office areas, hardwood floors, kitchen with all newer appliances, adjoining eating area-family room. Finished basement. Three car garage.................................................................................... $895,000

RIVER FOREST HOMES

ELEGANT, GRACIOUS HOME with 4 BRs, 2-1/2 BAs offers a large formal LR w/gas fireplace, spacious DR, hardwood floors, beautiful molding, family room, eat-in kitchen, finished lower level and whole house generator. Outside includes back deck & 3 car garage......................................$719,000 GREAT LOCATION & EASY LIVING in this single family Tri-level home on a quiet Cul-De-Sac street. Great flow for entertaining, complete with family room. MBR has an en-suite European bath. Finished lower level has a 1/2 bath, study and exercise room. Growth to make it your own. ...... $599,000

READY TO MOVE IN charming 3 bedroom home features a welcoming front porch with swing and sitting area. Home offers magnificent oak woodwork, stained glass & hardwood floors. Finished basement. Large deck & beautifully landscaped yard. Home has many extras!...... $447,500 A TRUE OP BEAUTY! Enjoy the deep park-like lot in Northwest Oak Park. Well maintained 1905 Farmhouse with 3 BR, 1-1/2 baths. In great condition!..................................................................................................... $435,000 WARM, INVITING CLASSIC OP HOME with vintage charm throughout. Double parlor LR has stained glass window, hardwood floors. DR is highlighted with beamed ceiling and built-in cabinet. Eat-in kitchen with cozy pot belly stove. Basement fam room, full bath, laundry, storage. $415,000

RARE NEW CONSTRUCTION in prime location is like no other. From the cut limestone, European detailing to the unequal foyer, it has no peers. This 7 bedroom, 7-1/2 bath home offers private office, elaborate chef’s kitchen, 10 ft ceilings, mud room, impressive lower level. .......................$2,750,000 STATELY BRICK/STONE ENGLISH STYLE HOME with 6 bedrooms and 7-1/2 baths. Features include a formal living room with limestone wood burning fireplace, dream kitchen, sun-soaked breakfast room, Smart Home ready, white oak floors, mud room, 10 ft ceilings.......................$2,750,000 BURMA BUILT BUHRKE HOUSE combines Tudor revival & chateau style architecture elements. Gorgeous décor and impeccable attention to detail and care found in house and landscaped grounds, extends to fabulous in ground pool and patios. Perfect for entertaining........................$2,399,000 STATELY LANNON STONE GEORGIAN that is move in ready with five large bedrooms, and three full baths. Large room sizes, remodeled gourmet kitchen, family room, three fireplaces , full finished basement, walk up third floor storage with 10 foot ceiling. Slate roof. Attd 2 car garage.$1,095,000 THIS HOME HAS IT ALL! Open floor plan, hardwood flooring and natural woodwork. High-end kitchen, first floor laundry area. Four large bedrooms. Large basement offers additional living space. 2-car attached garage. Tons of storage with lots of natural light throughout............................. $795,000

OAK PARK HOMES UNPRECEDENTED ESTATE in the Frank Lloyd Wright Historical district of Oak Park! This meticulously renovated 5 BR, 5 full / 2 half bath property offers exquisite details and refined finishes that boast timeless materials and over the top custom millwork. This is a showcase home!... $1,625,000 LARGE ENGLISH COUNTRY TUDOR HOME with 5 BRs, 3-1/2 BAs in the heart of Oak Park’s Historic District. Impressive home blends both old and new, with natural woodwork and the modern conveniences in a gourmet kitchen which boasts commercial grade appliances.......................$749,950 MOVE-IN READY with space for everyone! Enjoy the well thought out design of this 5 BR, 4 bath home! 1st FL includes open floor plan, kitchen/ family room combo, BR, full bath. 2nd FL features 4 BRs, 2 full baths, laundry. Finished basement with additional BR and 4th full BA... $599,900

CONDOS/TOWNHOMES/2-FLATS RIVER FOREST 1BR, 1BA. Covered rear patio................................$119,500 NEW LISTING OAK PARK 2BR, 1BA. ........................................... $239,500 OAK PARK 1BR, 1BA. Recently renovated. ...................................... $99,000 OAK PARK 1BR, 1BA. Great opportunity! ........................................ $76,000 FOREST PARK 2BR, 2BA. Generous balcony................................. $164,000 FOREST PARK 1BR, 1BA. Vintage unit. ............................................$99,500 PRICE REDUCED FOREST PARK 1BR, 1BA................................... $95,000

FOREST PARK HOMES TWO STORY BRICK & FRAME HOME w/open floor plan on first floor with slate entry & hardwood floors. Large LR, formal DR open to wood cabinet kitchen. 2nd floor has 4 BRs, 5th BR in basement. Basement is semi finished with laundry room. Large fenced in yard, 2 car garage... $349,000

WILL YOUR HOME BE READY FOR THE SPRING MARKET? Contact a Gagliardo Realty Associates Agent for a free market analysis

For more listings & photos go to GagliardoRealty.com

Wednesday Journal, January 9, 2019

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

In The Village, Realtors®

Harry Walsh, Managing Broker

Mike Becker

Oak Park • $728,800 4BR, 2.1BA Call Kyra x145

Oak Park • $725,000 4BR, 2.2BA Call Roz x112

Oak Park • $639,998 4BR, 4.1BA Call Keri x127

Oak Park • $469,000 3BR, 3BA Call Roz x112

Roz Byrne Joelle Venzera

Tom Byrne

Forest Park • $439,900 Multi unit Call Joe x117

Forest Park • $349,000 3BR, 4BA Call Harry x116

Oak Park • $424,500 2BR, 2.1BA Call Elissa x192

Berwyn • $315,000 Multi unit Call Laurie x186 Kris Sagan

Laurie Christofano

Oak Park • $269,800 3BR, 2.1BA Call Kyra x145

Elmhurst • $265,000 3BR, 2BA Call Roz x112

Linda Rooney

Marion Digre

623 N Lombard Ave, Oak Park Morgan Digre

Ed Goodwin

Forest Park • $150,000 3BR, 2BA Call Marion x111

Joe Langley

$375,000 • 3BR, 1.1BA

Oak Park • $110,000 1BR, 1BA Call Mike x120

Jane McClelland

Kyra Pych

Call Kyra x145

Keri Meacham

Mary Murphy

Steve Nasralla

Elissa Palermo

Wednesday Journal, January 9, 2019

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

1.19.19

LULA WASHINGTON DANCE THEATER Saturday January 19 7:30 p.m. Innovative and provocative performances from one of the most admired African-American contemporary dance companies in the country. Tickets starting at $35 7900 WEST DIVISION STREET RIVER FOREST, IL 60305

events.dom.edu FREE PARKING BOX OFFICE (708) 488-5000

Wednesday Journal, January 9, 2019

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

Open Sunday 1-3

Sunday, January 13, 2019

1431 Ashland, River Forest Qualified Buyers Only

ADDRESS

REALTY CO.

LISTING PRICE

TIME

3721 S. Harvey Ave, Berwyn. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices KoenigRubloff Realty Group . . . . . $175,000 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12-2 2333 S. East Ave, Berwyn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices KoenigRubloff Realty Group . . . . .$274,999 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2:30-4:30 3630 N. Odell Ave, Chicago . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Beyond Properties Realty Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $299,900 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-4 2400 Oak Park Ave, Berwyn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Baird & Warner Oak Park/River Forest. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $334,900 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4 1142 Wenonah Ave, Oak Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices KoenigRubloff Realty Group . . . . $375,000 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-3 623 N. Lombard Ave, Oak Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Re/Max In The Village . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $375,000 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1:30-3

Porte cochere w/ circular paver driveway • Grand foyer with two-story winding staircase • Cherry cabinet kitchen + highend appls • 5 spacious BRs • Master suite • 3 updated BAs • Finished basement has a rec room, game room and storage • Landscaped yard, pool • 3-car garage with coach house .....................$1,499,998

415 N. Lombard Ave, Oak Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Baird & Warner Oak Park/River Forest. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $379,900 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-4

Gabe Caporale, CRS, CRB, GRI

SINGLE FAMILY HOMES

Magnificent 6,000 sq ft home!

Managing Broker

708.473.7334 &

843 N. Humphrey Ave, Oak Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Baird & Warner Oak Park/River Forest. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $430,000 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12-2 1122 N. Harvey Ave, Oak Park. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . @properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $435,000 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-3 1016 Baldwin Ln, Oak Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Baird & Warner Oak Park/River Forest. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $450,000 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12-2 1217 N. Marion St, Oak Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Gagliardo Realty Associates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $485,000 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-3 106 Rockford Ave, Forest Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Gagliardo Realty Associates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $639,000 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-1:30 142 S. Scoville Ave, Oak Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Gagliardo Realty Associates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $650,000 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12-2:30

Serving Your Real Estate Needs Since 1971

I N T E G R I T Y

1157 Gunderson Ave, Oak Park. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices KoenigRubloff Realty Group . . . . $398,902 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12:30-2:30

732 S. Taylor Ave, Oak Park. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Baird & Warner Oak Park/River Forest. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $699,900 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12-3

R E S U LT S

1126 Clinton Ave, Oak Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Beyond Properties Realty Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $750,000 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-3

70 8 -36 6 -1 9 1 9

439 Thomas Ave, Forest Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Baird & Warner Oak Park/River Forest. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $799,000 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-4

W W W. C A P O R A L E R E A LT Y. C O M

1140 Jackson Ave, River Forest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Gagliardo Realty Associates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $1,250,000 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-3 1431 Ashland, River Forest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Caporale Realty Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $1,499,998 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-3 727 Jackson Ave, River Forest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Gagliardo Realty Associates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $1,895,000 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-3

See what all the buzz is about. CONDOS

ADDRESS

REALTY CO.

LISTING PRICE

TIME

415 S. Maple Ave. UNIT 201, Oak Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . @properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $124,000 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12-2 147 N. Euclid Ave. UNIT 307, Oak Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Beyond Properties Realty Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $599,000 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-4

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Wednesday Journal, January 9, 2019

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

SAY CONNECTS PRESENTS:

YOUTH ADVOCATING FOR CHANGE IN OUR COMMUNITY

Youth take the lead at this event. From a diverse range of local equity groups, the young people will exchange ideas & share their work to foster positive change in Oak Park & River Forest. Participant Groups: • Students Advocating for Equity (SAFE)

• South Asian Club

• Black Leadership Union (BLU)

• Future Philanthropist Program (FPP)

• ORFHS Student Body

• ASPIRA - advocacy, education and leadership development of Latinx youth

Thursday, January 17, 2019 at 7 p.m. Percy Julian Middle School Auditorium Reserve your space at oakpark.com/sayconnects

Wednesday Journal, January 9, 2019

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

Jake's Place Books

Congratulations to Jake's Place Bookstore on their opening! 142 Harrison St., Oak Park * (206) 673-1756 * jakesplacebooks.com

Among the celebrants at the ribbon cutting: Jonathan Biag, Escape Factor; Liz Holt, OPRF Chamber of Commerce; Dexter Cura, Escape Factor; Bill Fletcher, Jake's Place Bookstore; Don Moss, Jake's Place Bookstore; Vicki Scaman, Village of Oak Park; Craig Failor, Village of Oak Park; Rachel Hindery, Triton College; Mark Walden, OPRF Chamber

For your own ribbon cutting contact us on oprfchamber.org Thank You To Our Sponsors: p

Presents Ultimate Foodie Party Friday, 1/25, 5:30-9:30P @ 19th Century Club Gourmet "bites" from 50+ vendors, drinks + live music; $40/ticket, 4 tickets/$150

Tickets: Eventbrite or Oprfchamber.org/bite-nite

DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS IS FRIDAY 5 P.M.

Email Viewpoints editor Ken Trainor, ktrainor@wjinc.com

VIEWPOINTS

Wednesday Journal, January 9, 2019

Former multicultural ed director’s take on ‘America to Me’ p. 30

Which world view do you inhabit?

am mystified by America’s lack of urgency concerning the potentially existential threat posed by global warming. More than 97 percent of climate scientists agree that global warming is happening and that humans are causing it. The alarm bell has been sounding for more than 50 years. Smoking causes lung cancer. Global warming will eventually cause extinction. Yet one of our two major political parties takes the official platform position that global warming isn’t happening, or it is only temporary, or the consequences are exaggerated. Given the choice, it is apparently better to dig and burn coal than to slow the warming of the earth by using non-fossil sources of fuel. Not only is this the position of the Republicans, but their candidates got elected to the presidency, and until this past November they held both the House and Senate. Voters have been going to the polls and electing representatives who supported a preposterous position that flies in the face of the best science we have. How could this possibly be in 2018? So I did a little research, and it turns out we Americans have a lot of nutty ideas: Two-thirds of us believe that angels and demons are active in the world. At least half of us are absolutely certain that heaven exists and is ruled by a personal God, not a vague universal force. A quarter believe that vaccines cause autism and that Trump won the popular vote in 2016. A quarter believe that our previous president was the AntiChrist. A quarter believe in witches. For the math-challenged, I am talking about tens of millions of Americans. It gets crazier. According to the Pew Research Center, 42 percent of all U.S. adults believe that spiritual energy can be located in physical things like trees, mountains and crystals; 43 percent believe in psychics; 33 percent believe in reincarnation; 29 percent believe in astrology. And 62 percent of all Americans believe in at least one of these charitably-called “New Age” beliefs. Apparently, there are adults of our species who believe in reincarnation, but not astrology. Figures on belief in Santa Claus, Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy were not available. My research was perversely comforting. It would appear that I do not live in the world I thought I lived in. Millions of my fellow Americans are still living in the Middle Ages where angels, demons and spirits roam among us. Science does not exist. The Enlightenment has somehow passed them by. In our democracy, they are represented by their duly-elected representatives of the Republican Party, who endorse and promote this medieval world view. In a democracy, perhaps we really do get what we deserve. Where is Plato’s Philosopher-King or -Queen when we really need him or her? God help us — not the intercessionary one that monitors the quotidian existence of each of the 7 billion of us. Rather, the cosmic mysterious unknowable one that supports science and reality.

JOHN

HUBBUCH

The rare gift of a long-lasting friendship

aul Bouman turned 100 last August. He’s well known in our communities, especially for having joined with fellow musician Carl Schalk in founding the Bach Cantata series at Grace Lutheran Church in River Forest nearly 50 years ago. His reputation is also well established as a classroom teacher at Grace School where, among other things, he taught children to sing and built a lasting tradition of children’s choirs. Once a week I visit him at his Oak Park condo. It’s always in the afternoon. After his nap and mine. I turned 90 a few months before Paul’s 100th last summer. Think about it: When we get together once a week for a glass of wine and conversation we bring 190 years of lived experience to whatever topic is at hand. Our mutual longevity doesn’t make us better. It does makes us aware of what a rare gift a 60+ year friendship is and how good it is to enjoy, year after year. Such a gift has to do with the commonalities that all friends experience as the glue that holds people together across all kinds of barriers: mutual respect, freedom for others to enjoy other friendships, empathetic listening, honest candor, healthy boundaries, realism about what friendship can and can’t deliver, and whatever else is summed up in the saying, “Be witty if you can, be attractive if you must, but be agreeable if it kills you.” Our friendship began during our days together on the Grace Church and School staff in the mid-l950s.

DEAN

LUEKING One View

He was the organist, choir director, and seventh-grade teacher at Grace School. I was the assistant pastor who became the senior pastor. We worked together for nearly 25 years. Some pastors and teacher/musicians have been known to get caught up in turf battles. Not so with us. That doesn’t make us saints but confirms us as forgiven sinners who belong to each other because God called us and put us to work. Things worth noting about the stuff of lasting friendship as we’ve known it: ■ Each has been complementary in relating to the other’s unique gifts; i.e. each of us needs the other to get the bigger job done. ■ To know when a complimentary word is in order, offered in sincerity for work well

done. ■ To support each other when the right cause is neither popular, easy, nor without demands on time and effort. ■ To call each other to account when the impulse is to let it pass. ■ To console each other in times of grief and loss. ■ To keep a sense of humor alive and well (I once received a gift spittoon from PB). ■ To enlarge one another’s vision of the wider good by helping each other pay attention to the wider world beyond us. ■ To disallow political views, social standing, or financial disparities from getting in the way. ■ To face up to, and talk openly about, our mortality, See FRIENDSHIP on page 31

Wednesday Journal, January 9, 2019

O U R

V I E W S

Time to talk about the clerk

or well over a decade the duties and the staff of Oak Park’s village clerk have gradually been diminished. The process has occurred under multiple village boards and at least two managers. Right now, we are in the midst of another reassignment of responsibility as the elected clerk’s role in coordinating responses to Freedom of Information Act requests has been fully shifted to the law department. Vicki Scaman, coming up on two years as village clerk, is calling foul, as did her predecessor Teresa Powell. So great is the reduction of responsibilities that when Powell took office a decade ago there were 10 employees in the clerk’s office. Today there is Scaman and one colleague. When we look at the considerable roster of duties which have been reassigned, we find it hard to argue with the choices made by current and past village boards and managers. Oak Park’s village government was, over past decades, remarkably slow to adapt to technology, timid in streamlining and aligning departments. The mammoth recession of 2008 forced village hall to cut staff deeply and to rethink how to create genuine efficiencies. Hard to argue with that motivation. Any number of duties assigned to the village clerk had just been accumulating there without any particular logic. As the village cut staff and updated and consolidated software systems, various jobs fell to their logical place in the organization. The parking division took on issuing vehicle stickers; business services began to issue business licenses. The latest change is with FOIA requests which most often have wound up in the law department. Now they start there. Makes sense to us. What doesn’t make sense is the way this and some previous reductions have been handled. Too often without public discussion, too often in ways perceived as hidden. Talk to many current and former trustees and they will privately suggest consternation with the role of the clerk. We get that. But this is a state-mandated post which Oak Park long ago chose to make an elected position with a reasonable salary and benefits. It is past time to simply have an open discussion about the clerk’s position. Those who would like to eliminate it as full-time and elected should make their case. Those who believe having an elected official full-time in village hall as something of an ombudsman should make that case. Ultimately, voters would need to decide the issue via referendum. A good talk and a decisive outcome would be better than the current death-by-a-thousand-cuts method of reassigning duties.

Congratulations, Chief Reynolds

Oak Park has a new police chief and he is a familiar face and presence in our village. Deputy Chief LaDon Reynolds, a 24-year veteran of the department, was chosen to fill the post by Village Manager Cara Pavlicek. Reynolds was promoted after a national search for a chief. And while we are certain the search was legitimate, Reynolds has clearly had the inside line. And for good reason. He is a seasoned officer who has steadily risen within the ranks from a rookie patrol officer in 1994 to detective, sergeant, commander and deputy chief. Reynolds became interim police chief when Anthony Ambrose took medical leave early last year. Still a young man at 47, Reynolds has the potential to guide and shape this critical department for a long while. In our experience, he is imbued with the community policing culture brought to this department almost 30 years ago by Joe Mendrick, Rick Tanksley, and Ambrose. It is impressive that four consecutive chiefs have been promoted from inside the department. It reflects a department that is responsive, modern and honest. We offer Chief Reynolds our congratulations and respect.

V I E W P O I N T S

@ @OakParkSports

Loving our country while hating our government

overnment is Bad. Capitalism is Good. Or is it the other way around? Either way, we need more nuance. Government (federal) has never been as Bad as it is right now. And back in 2008, Capitalism was never so Bad — not since the 1920s and ’30s, anyway, when Government stepped in and proved how Good it could be. But in 1980 with the election of Ronald Reagan, we decided Government was Bad and Capitalism was Good. Regulation? Bad. Taxes? Bad. Free Market? Good. That’s been the prevailing mindset for the last 40 years. Virtually the entire country, it seems, has been drinking the Kool-Aid for two generations. “In this present crisis,” Reagan famously said during his first inaugural address, “government is not the solution to our problems; government is the problem.” In a subsequent speech he said, “The nine most terrifying words in the English language are, ‘I’m from the government and I’m here to help.’” Ratcheting up Reagan’s rhetoric, the relentless trash-talkers of conservative media turned the American people against their government. In the four decades since, most Americans, I suspect, have bought to some degree the notion that “Government is the problem and the Free Market is the solution.” As a result, by 2008, the Free Market had become far too free. Government wasn’t regulating effectively, and unregulated Capitalism, as it always does, grew reckless, then wrecked the economy. Part of the federal government’s job is to protect us from Capitalism’s worst inclinations. Economic inequality is the tell-tale sign when things are out of whack. Back in 1980 when government was officially declared Bad, the economic inequality gap was at its narrowest. Forty years later it’s at its widest and getting wider. A relatively free market can be Good. A completely free market is Bad. Effective regulation is Good. Excessive regulation is Bad. That’s the creative tension. That’s the dance. The same goes for taxes, which are, at their best, a necessary reinvestment in our people, using the people’s dollars, though hardly anyone seems to view it that way anymore. We learned during the Depression that government could be Good. It happened again under Clinton when more efficient governance turned a persistent, pernicious budget deficit into a historic surplus. Under Obama, government action saved us from another Depression and led to years of uninterrupted economic growth. But the financial industry (and its main ally, the Republican Party) never learned the lessons of the Great Economic Downturn of 2008: The need for effective regulation by good government never ends. But we no longer believe in good government. This is the fundamental contradiction of our national character: We claim to love our country, but we hate our government. Trump voters have been hurt by economic inequality. They feel left out of the American Dream. But instead of blaming bad capitalism, they blindly support the poster child of bad capitalism (and now bad government), the first president to

embody both. The first step toward restoring our faith in government is educating ourselves because Americans, by and large, don’t know squat about it. And too often that includes the people who get elected to run it. That kind of ignorance is dangerous, says author Michael Lewis in his new book The Fifth Risk, which serves as an inside guide to what our federal government does, thanks to the unsung, genuinely inspiring people who do it — or did until the willfully ignorant and incompetent took over in 2017. The book also chronicles how the new regime puts us at risk in ways no other administration ever has. But we put ourselves at risk by not understanding how our own government functions and its vast potential for improving our lives. “One day,” Lewis says, “someone will write the history of the strange relationship between the United States government and its citizens.” This book could serve as the first three chapters of that history. Here’s an example: Food stamps. You know, the program Republicans are always trying to cut or kill altogether? The average benefit is $1.40 per meal and 87% of the money goes to households containing children, the disabled or the elderly. Able-bodied adults are required to work or attend job training in order to get benefits, but the vast majority of recipients are not able-bodied adults. Private food banks distribute roughly $8 billion worth of food annually across this country. The food stamp program, meanwhile, provides $70 billion to feed Americans, which compensates for free market capitalism’s (and private charities’) insufficiencies. Since the private sector can’t — or won’t — raise all boats, government has to wade in. Did you know food stamps are administered by the Dept. of Agriculture? If not, that’s partly because our frequently misnamed federal departments don’t promote what they do, so we don’t know it’s happening. We honor our military at every turn but we dishonor the other two million federal workers — many of whom are currently furloughed while Trump uses them as bargaining pawns. Need more examples? According to Lewis, “A guy in the Energy Department (Frazer Lockhart) organized the first successful cleanup of a nuclear weapons factory, in Rocky Flats, Colorado, and brought it in 60 years early and $30 billion under budget. A woman at the Federal Trade Commission (Eileen Harrington) built the Do Not Call Registry, which spares the entire country from trillions of irritating sales pitches. A National Institutes of Health researcher (Steven Rosenberg) pioneered immunotherapy, which successfully treated previously incurable cancers. There were hundreds of fantastically important success stories in the United States government. They just never got told.” If you want to learn more about how much good the awful, good-for-nothing, always-to-be-blamed federal government has done, Google the “Partnership for Public Service.” You might be pleasantly surprised.

KEN

TRAINOR

V I E W P O I N T S D O O P E R ’ S

M E M O R I E S

A lot of buncombe from my uncles

ll of the slang words I heard when I was a kid came from my two uncles. I can’t remember hearing any slang from any other family member. Whenever we watched a boxing bout on television, the loser was called either a palooka or a canvas-kisser, and many times the boxer who was knocked out was described as having a glass jaw. However if one of the boxers was a great one like Rocky Marciano or Ezzard Charles, my uncles would say that this type of boxer could put his opponent to sleep with a one-two in an early round. My uncles had a few favorite baseball players like Ted Williams, Stan Musial, Hank Sauer, and Bob Feller. All of the sluggers could make a pitched ball fade away when they hit a home run, or in the case of Bob Feller by throwing an aspirin tablet pitch, which would cause a batter to wifferoo (swing and miss). One time my uncle Hubert made a bad stock investment, and my uncle Gene told him that he had been bamboozled by a four-flusher of a stock broker who was interested in his own wallet and cared little for his clients’. Gene had a friend who was a police officer and who often worked undercover, so Gene dubbed him shoo-fly, which was a person who worked in secret. Gene always worried, though, that his friend would have his cover blown and be bumped off. Whenever someone needed to make an apology, Hubert would say that the apologizer should say it with flowers, which to me was a sarcastic remark, and he probably meant it that way.

In the boxing world, the phrase hitting below the belt means to jab an opponent in the kidneys, which is a paralyzing blow, but when it was said by my uncles, it meant to make a nasty remark or to take unfair advantage of someone. Richie Schu lived two houses north of us, and neither one of my uncles liked him because he was a smooth-acting guy who tried to manipulate people and get them in trouble, so my uncles would refer to him as a guy who was full of buncombe (B.S.). They also referred to Richie as a huggermugger, one who creates chaos, confusion and disaster. My friend Charlie Mack was the kind of guy who told exaggerated stories, making himself the hero of every story he told. He would usually get caught because most of his facts contradicted each other, so he was known to my uncles as a poor fish (dullard) and a windie (blowhard). My uncles always reminded me to fess up to any misdeeds and to always toe the line. This was good advice, but sometimes hard to do. I got a kick out of the slang I heard from my uncles, but I never uttered any of their slang to my friends because I knew I would have sounded weird if I’d said a word like hubba-hubba whenever my buddies and I saw a pretty girl. John Stanger is a lifelong resident of Oak Park, a 1957 graduate of OPRF High School, married with three grown children and five grandchildren, and a retired English professor (Elmhurst College). Living two miles from where he grew up, he hasn’t gotten far in 78 years.

JOHN

STANGER

Wednesday Journal, January 9, 2019

W E D N E S D A Y

JOURNAL of Oak Park and River Forest

Editor and Publisher Dan Haley Senior Editor Bob Uphues Associate Publisher Dawn Ferencak Staff Reporters Michael Romain, Timothy Inklebarger, Nona Tepper Viewpoints Editor Ken Trainor Sports/Staff reporter Marty Farmer Columnists Marc Blesoff, Jack Crowe, Doug Deuchler, John Hubbuch, May Kay O’Grady, Kwame Salter, John Stanger, Stan West, Michelle Mbekeani-Wiley, Cassandra West, Doris Davenport Staff Photographer Alexa Rogals Editorial Design Manager Claire Innes Editorial Designers Jacquinete Baldwin, Javier Govea Business Manager Joyce Minich IT Manager/Web Developer Mike Risher Advertising Production Manager Philip Soell Advertising Design Manager Andrew Mead Advertising Designers Debbie Becker, Mark Moroney Advertising Director Dawn Ferencak Advertising Sales Marc Stopeck, Bill Wossow Inside Sales Representative Mary Ellen Nelligan Event Coordinator Carmen Rivera Ad Coordinator Nonna Working Circulation Manager Jill Wagner Distribution Coordinator Wakeelah Cocroft-Aldridge Front Desk Carolyn Henning, Maria Murzyn

Remembering Al Provenzano

Oak Park

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

I was sad to learn my friend Al Provenzano had gone to his final “reward” this past March [Among the many who made us who we are, News, Dec. 26]. He held court at Caputo’s in Melrose Park (the cheese market) every day at lunch. I felt privileged to have know him for the last few years and was amazed at his timeliness and age. He was a quick wit and told great stories. One of the funniest was the one he told to his guests at his 98th birthday party there on Feb. 28, 2018. It was about his recent church visit where the pastor asked everyone to stand up and forgive their enemies. Everyone stood and did so. Except Al. The pastor asked him, if he was still sitting did he mean that he had no enemies? Al answered, “Yes that is correct, Father, I don’t.” The pastor asked, “How is that possible? We all have enemies. In true Al Provenzano form, he deadpanned his reply, which brought 50 people to laughter: “I outlived the bastards.” Yes he did and was very proud of not only his war service (Purple Heart on D-Day landing and his license plate stated “WWII”) but of his longevity and his quirky birthday of Leap Day, Feb. 29, 1920. I hope you can use this story to print a correction of his age as 98, and more about what a true gem this person was.

Ken Kirsch

Chairman Emeritus Robert K. Downs

LETTER TO THE EDITOR ■ 250-word limit ■ Must include first and last names, municipality in which you live, phone number (for verification only)

Al Provenzano

‘ONE VIEW’ ESSAY ■ 500-word limit ■ One-sentence footnote about yourself, your connection to the topic ■ Signature details as at left

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

Wednesday Journal, January 9, 2019

V I E W P O I N T S

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

Assessing our commitment to diversity and equity

These artifacts were made available to the competence and diversity in Evanston and Skokie school disfter viewing all 10 episodes of Amerteachers to use in their classrooms, but even our hiring. Our belief was that, tricts) of the Minority Student ica to Me, one of the most striking more wonderful was that there was staff to in addition to excellent educaAchievement Network (MSAN). things that this series exposed was help infuse these materials into the class tional credentials, experience This is a national network of the lack of true commitment both lessons as needed. Staff were also reminded with diverse populations should school districts that have simiprevious and current District 200 about high holy days of the various religions be an important qualifying lar student demographics and and District 97 administrations have had so that major/special events and auditions characteristic for all staff being achievement gap issues. Every to diversity, equity, and addressing the would not be scheduled at those times. The hired in our schools. To achieve year, D200 and D97 would send achievement gap. These are catch-phrases Multicultural Resource Center (MCRC) adthis, some of the suggestions (ignored by delegations of staff to the national conferthat both school districts currently tout dressed cultural conflicts that arose between ences. These delegations would bring back because it is a long-held, generally accepted Dr. Collins) were to include a question about diversity on the on-line application strategies, with data to prove their successes, students, between staff members, and community value in Oak Park, from which between families and staff. For over 30 years and one in the interview process. This was which they wanted to try. Just as was shown they have continued to move away. and through at least three extensive strategic I was part of the D97 administration until not even considered. How is it that someone in America to Me at D200, there was little or planning processes, the Multicultural Educano support from the D97 administration. It I retired in 2016. I was hired in 2003 by Supt. with no experience with a diverse population program in D97 was affirmed as a very tion would be hired for any position in a was incredibly painful to see the striking John Fagan. Ever since he and his key important part of our educational program, community where a significant percentlack of administrative support for proposadministrators retired, I have been very but it was never allowed to fully function as age of the population consists of people als from some of the teachers and other disappointed with the superficial committhe community envisioned in those strategic with disabilities, black, Hispanic/Latino, staff members at D200 brought forward that ment to diversity, equity and solutions for plans. LGBTQ and diverse religions? This should would really help address these issues. the achievement gap that I saw from every Finally, under the leadership of current superintendent (including the current one). not be happening but is continuing. ■ Lack of understanding that you cannot Supt. Carol Kelley and the school board, Some of the specific issues: address equity for children of color while the MCRC collection was to be eliminated In the recent series, a teacher at D200 at the same time ignoring some of the key ■ There must be a better way to screen altogether. The Oak Park Public Library says, “It is hard to find quality teachers effects of society’s racism on the conscioussuperintendents because they come into stepped up and became the only way to save of color.” That’s a widely held belief, but ness of black children. The achievement the interview process pretending that they the collection from being completely understand, but really don’t, the destroyed. The D97 administration history of Oak Park and how serious “sold” the collection (conservative estiwe are about diversity. Once they mate of its worth was over $300,000) to are hired, they seem to revert to the the library for $10. They eliminated an standard, old strategies they used important resource that belonged to in previous districts, which do not the students and teachers of Oak Park. recognize our history as leaders in Though I’m grateful the library acdiversity nor fit the unique nature of cepted it, the MCRC collection should our community. All of the D97 superhave remained a part of our school intendents after Dr. Fagan came from other school districts — two from district. other states, where after their tenure There are unknown rules of “surwith us will pick up second, third or vival” that families who move to Oak fourth lifetime pensions. Park from other communities may not know, but need to know. In D97 some ■ Lack of administrative support suggested there should be an orientafor teachers who want to work on tion for families who move into Oak cultural competence and diversity; Park for the first time to help them and lack of administrative support understand from the very beginning for cultural competency training for that for their children to be able to all staff. It was painful watching how “compete” with their peers, they will hard the teacher in the film worked have to be very engaged in the educato get her proposal even reviewed for tional process. Some of those realities approval by the superintendent. It FILE PHOTO include: was absolutely ridiculous to see that very sincere and committed D200 ■ The fact that parents need to be a Items from the Multicultural Ed Resources Center, formerly located at Julian Middle School, are now teacher take and successfully implepresence in the schools and be advopart of the Oak Park Public Library collection. ment her ideas at another school cates for their children district while she was not allowed ■ The fact that parents must take an other school districts are doing it. I have to do it at OPRF where she teaches. It was gap between black and white students is a active supervisory role in making sure their personal knowledge that Oak Park had a also outrageous that the D200 Equity team crisis and has been for decades. Part of the children do their homework chance to hire a black male teacher who was not even allowed to meet at the school solution has to be a commitment to helping ■ The fact that in Oak Park, it’s not just the but had to meet at a private home to discuss lives in Oak Park, whose children successall students succeed by building them up children who are having problems in school fully went through both D97 and D200, who diversity and equity issues. in terms of cultural awareness, knowledge who hire tutors. Many families have tutors had over a decade of experience teaching of themselves and their history, respect for for honors students also. ■ Lack of true commitment to hiring math and was a Golden Apple winner in themselves, respect for others, and respect culturally competent staff and increasing ■ Exposure to and/or lessons in sports and Illinois. He applied at D97 and did not even from others. That was one of the important the diversity of the teaching staff. One the arts at a young age are important. get an interview! I also know of two black aspects of the MCRC. Teachers and adminisconversation highlighted in Episode 10 was ■ That there are certain Special Education male teaching assistants who worked for trators built that incredibly unique resource about how hard it is to hire black teachers. assistance plans to which their children may D97 for many years, went back to school to for over 40 years. It consisted of thousands Many strategies were proposed to the D97 be entitled. earn their teaching credentials and applied of artifacts, books, clothing, musical instruschool board to address this issue. During Socio-economic factors make addressing in D97. Did not get hired. Now they are in ments, teaching materials and museum the Collins administration, the Diversity these issues difficult to solve and there is not Chicago. We are really trying?! grade hands-on resources for children to Leadership Network was created by the necessarily any one entity to blame, but it is learn about their own as well as other culD97 Board of Education and consisted of a reality that ■ Lack of true commitment to implecommunity members, teachers and staff, as 1) participation in many summer school menting MSAN strategies that have worked tures from around the world. Students were taught about differences as well as shared well as administrators who worked togethprograms are problematic for working parin other similar school districts. D200 and traditions and practices. er to propose ways to increase the cultural ents of young children because of when and D97 were founding members (along with

LYNN ALLEN

One View

V I E W P O I N T S

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

We can’t build our way out of our tax problem

After a repeat presentation on Government Access Programming on 6GA, I could not believe what I witnessed. President Abu-Taleb’s verbal slip during the budget hearings in 2018 was interesting. He wanted to protect “consumers,” er, taxpayers. This is the problem! The village president sees us as buyers of services and “stuff,” not taxpayers. The concepts are not similar. Taxes are used to provide essential services, pay salaries, cover pensions, etc. If it is a business, then we are not making a profit (surplus). Maybe the prices are too high! In addition, a 7½ percent increase in the tax levy ($900,000) is actually going to increase another 3 to 3.5 percent (approximately 10½ percent) because of the state tax added to allow for those who do not pay their taxes. President “Tall Building” Abu Taleb’s attempt to minimize the cost to taxpayers is disingenuous. Telling taxpayers “it’s just a few dollars more” is like saying a blizzard will dump just a little more snow! In the hearing, the president showed his nastiness toward trustees Deno Andrews and Simone Boutet (who I hoped would vote no). He wants little dissension to his

ideas and to the views of the secret copresident, the village manager. What was fun to watch was Trustee Andrews and Trustee Moroney’s comments questioning the tax levy increase, the failure to draw a line in the sand as to levies going up, and to the president’s ridiculous rationalizations concerning picking the taxpayers’ pocket. In 2019, we need a board to look at taxpayers and say, “We will not increase your taxes in 2019 (which covers 2020), and we will use zero-based budgeting in all future budgets!” A few trustees seem to feel the pain we feel. The problem is, as real estate values rise, due partially to high-rises being constructed, the president wants us to think this levy is a small increase. He argues either/or: police/no police; good parks/no parks (oops, that’s another government, Mr. Abu Taleb), good/poor schools (oops, another taxing body). You do not control other governing bodies. We cannot sustain the continued tax increases, and we surely cannot build our way out of the tax problem. Let’s hope a new board finds some answers.

Robert Milstein

Wednesday Journal, January 9, 2019

The answer is term limits

As I watched the news of Alderman Edward Burke’s arrest, I was thrilled (I know, innocent until proven guilty). Then they went to commercial break and, to my amusement, a commercial featuring Michael Madigan came on. The ad says, “It’s a new day in Illinois with an agenda to put families first again. … In the fights that lie ahead, Democrats are on your side,” Madigan said. The irony of it all: The Burke case is the Illinois version of term limits. You can enrich yourself as long as you can until you’re removed from office, not by voters but by law enforcement. I wish this paper would call out our local politicians on the need for term limits (Mike Madigan squashes these referendums with a battery of lawyers every time), and not allowing elected politicians to use their law firms to enrich themselves with state business. I hope this paper takes this up, or at the very least, question state Senator Don Harmon and others before you give them space on these pages to ring the bell for Mike Madigan and tell us a fair tax will save Illinois and that it’s a new day. Oak Park

A gem of a jeweler We’re going to sincerely miss our gem, Our Park Jewelers! After over 25 years of shopping with them, I’m never going to forget how the owners, Ron, Gary, Jim & staff made us all feel as we entered and exited their establishment. Weeks before their actual closing, I was very happy to cheer them

how they are scheduled 2) participation in many extracurricular programs are too expensive for many families. It frustrating that for at least 20 years, many staff have advocated using a variety of testing measures to identify gifted students. In addition to the standardized tests, use of such non-verbal measures as the Nagliere was strongly supported. While it was never used in the way the advocates worked for, D97 did see a more diverse gifted population. Then inexplicably, the trend was reversed and the diversity in our gifted programs dropped. Two major factors relate to exposure to higher-order thinking and potential rather than early teaching by parents who want to maximize their advantage over their children’s peers. Getting a head start gets one’s children identified as “gifted” early and that label sticks with them throughout school. Not being identified in terms of potential and motivation at an early age

on and wishing them, their families and customers healthy, happy and prosperous years to come. Thank you again for all of my purchases/souvenirs for memories!

Princess Jerri Hill Oak Park

results in many missed opportunities and could impede them from meeting their full potential. Looking at the circumstances and numbers, where is the equity? I think the people in Oak Park who are committed to diversity and equity need to be more diligent in following what is going on here. We especially need to make our voices heard and make sure that board members are held accountable for the decisions they make. Perhaps there is also a place for board members to be more involved in the decisions made by the administrators they hire until the board is sure that they share these important values of our community. I greatly appreciate the attention that the America to Me series brought to the discussion about diversity and race in Oak Park. I hope the producers will do another documentary on the entire village. Lynn Allen, an Oak Park resident, was the longtime director of the Multicultural Education Resource Center in District 97.

Terry Lemley, Agent 191 North Marion Oak Park, IL 60301 Bus: 708-383-3163 Terry Lemley, Agent Terry Terry Lemley, Lemley, Agent Agent terry@terrylemley.net

191 North Marion 191191 North North Marion Marion Oak Park, IL 60301 OakOak Park, Park, IL 60301 IL 60301 Bus: 708-383-3163 Bus:Bus: 708-383-3163 708-383-3163 terry@terrylemley.net terry@terrylemley.net terry@terrylemley.net

FRIENDSHIP from page 27 i.e. the fact that we will die. Lest I imply that all these things inform our visits all the time, they of course do not. But I mention them because some of them, some of the time, do enter in to make our weekly visits more than routine. In these times in our land I wish to celebrate our friendship, and all friendships, as an antidote to the “Why Are We So Angry?” mood, which is more corrosive of human relationships than we realize. I do not claim to know all the answers to that question. I do know this from experience: Friendships matter — they matter deeply, in our nation and world. I say it gratefully, not as the obvious or the irrelevant, but as a sign of something that’s greater than either of us. What might that something be? Henry David Thoreau said it simply: “The language of friendship is not words but meaning.” Meaning for a life well lived, one that blesses rather than burdens, that gives no less than takes, that brings one to the end of any given day with a sense of satisfaction rather than a sigh of regret. Amen to that. F. Dean Lueking is pastor emeritus of Grace Lutheran Church in River Forest.

Get a new lease on Get Get aanew new Get new renters Get aanew lease lease on on lease on insurance. lease on renters renters renters renters insurance. insurance. insurance. Did you know your landlord’s insurance. insurance only covers the

Sean O’Malley

Former village trustee

building? I’m here to help DidDid you know your landlord’s Did you you know know your your landlord’s landlord’s protect your stuff. insurance only covers the thethe insurance insurance only only covers covers LET’S TALK TODAY. building? I’m here to help building? building? I’mI’m here here to help to help protect your stuff. protect protect your your stuff. stuff. LET’S TALK TODAY. LET’S LET’S TALK TALK TODAY. TODAY.

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Wednesday Journal, January 9, 2019

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

O B I T U A R I E S

Claire Bataille, 66

Founding member of Hubbard Street Dance Co. Claire Bataille, 66, died on Dec. 30, 2018 at her Oak Park home. Born on Nov. 6, 1952 in Elmhurst to Joseph and Marie (Bolvin) Bataille, she was a dancer, teacher, choreographer, Pilates instructor and studio director. She was at the forefront of the Chicago dance scene for more than 40 years. A founding member of the Hubbard Street Dance Company where she graced the stage from 1977-1992, after which she directed the Lou Conte Dance Studio until late 2018. Living as she danced, with grace, high standards, and generosity, she is mourned by a large multigenerational community of artists, friends, family, and others who learned from her and loved her dearly. Claire Bataille is survived by her sons, Isaac Sorsa and Jack Sorsa; their father, Don Sorsa; and her brothers, Abbot Vincent P. Bataille and retired Army Major General Emile Bataille (Carol). A memorial will be announced at a later date. In lieu of flowers, gifts may be sent to the “Claire Bataille Memorial Fund” at Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, 1147 Jackson, in Chicago 60607. The fund will support free training for dancers ages 17-23 who are on the cusp of professional careers. Recipients of these funds will also receive career counseling and mentorship from Hubbard Street dancers and staff.

Marguerite Healy, 78

Mother and grandmother Marguerite Rose Healy (nee Murphy) died on Jan. 2, 2019. She was born on February 4, 1940. Ms. Healy was the wife of the late Dennis J.; the mother of Dennis (Karen), William (Constance), Walter (Maureen), Marguerite (Robert) Nader, and Noreen (Daniel) Woods; the grandmother of Jack, Maggie, Noreen, Tommy, D.J., Claire, Nora, Bobby, Molly, Casey, Annie, Thomas, Kathleen, Kevin, Matthew,

Family Law Donald B. Boyd Jr. • Divorce/Wills/Trusts • Real Estate Closings • Civil Unions • LGBT Issues • Custody Visitation • Child Support Free Initial Consultation

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Erin, Michael, and William; the daughter of the late Walter and Kathleen (nee Keating) Murphy; the sister of Joanne (Charles) Planek and the late Mary Catherine (the late Roy) Hickey, Joseph, Jerry and Walter (the late Mary) Murphy; the sister-in-law of William (Barbara) Healy, Noreen (Seamus) Fleming, Eileen (Michael) O’Connell and the late Sr. Cecelia O.S.J., Margaret (the late John) Nally, Bernadette Healy, Michael (Margaret) Healy and Jerry (Eileen) Healy; and the aunt to many nieces and nephews. Visitation was held on Jan. 6, at Drechsler, Brown & Williams Funeral Home, 203 S. Marion St., Oak Park. A funeral Mass was celebrated at Ascension Church, 801 S. East Ave., Oak Park on Jan. 7, followed by interment at Queen of Heaven Cemetery in Hillside.

Leslie Brettman Jr., 67 River Forest resident

Leslie W. Brettman Jr., 67, of River Forest died on Dec. 28, 2018. A graduate of Fenwick High School and the University of Southern Mississippi, he was on Dean’s list and graduated with a LESLIE BRETTMAN JR. degree in Criminal Justice. Leslie was the son of Leslie W. Sr. and the late Colette, nee McDevitt; the brother of Kathleen Crimm, Raymond, and Allan Brettman; the uncle of Rebecca Blankenship, Gregory, and Anne Brettman; the great-uncle of Brandon, Joshua, and Maggie Colette Blankenship; and the nephew, cousin, and friend of many. Visitation was held January 3, followed by Mass at St. Luke Church, 7600 W. Lake St., River Forest. Interment was private. Memorials to Misericordia are appreciated. For information: 708-383-3191 or drechslerbrownwilliams. com.

Drechsler, Brown & Williams Funeral Home

Since 1880 Family Owned & Operated Charles Williams, Owner/Funeral Director 203 S. Marion St. Oak Park 60302 708/383-3191

W E D N E S D A Y

JOURNAL of Oak Park and River Forest

To run an obituary Please contact Ken Trainor by e-mail: ktrainor@wjinc.com, or fax: 708/467-9066 before Monday at noon. Please include a photo if possible.

Ralph Kinzel, 72 Oak Park resident

Ralph Kinzel, 72, an Oak Park resident, died peacefully on Dec. 24, 2018 after suffering from a number of illnesses for many years. He is survived by his wife, Merry (nee Skelton); his sons, James and Lawrence; his stepson, Christopher Teter; his grandchildren, Michael, Ashley, Amber, Alyssa and Nicholas; his great-grandson, Daniel; his siblings, Steven (Lynn) and Marjory (Manuel) Ayala; many nieces and nephews; and many other family members and friends. Burial will be private and a celebration of his life will be held at a later date. Arrangements were handled by Forest Park’s Woodlawn Funeral Home.

Margaret Puccini, 75

Gardener, reader, collector and master chef Margaret (Peg) Puccini (nee Bailey), 75, a longtime resident of Oak Park, died on Dec. 15, 2018 in Pineville, North Carolina where she had resided for the last three years. Born on June 4, 1943 to Mary McCreary and Martin Bailey in Danville, Illinois, she attended schools there and graduated from Southern Illinois University in 1967. She married John Puccini of Berwyn on April 13, 1968 and was active in planning events in her neighborhood and enjoyed attend-

ing her sons’ sporting events at OPRF High School. An avid gardener, collector, and reader, she epitomized what it means to be a lady — moving through the world with grace and dignity even when doing the most mundane tasks. She had a deep appreciation for the finer things and a distinct style. An immaculate hostess and master chef, she welcomed all, in every sense of the word. When you entered her home, you didn’t want to leave. She was a linchpin person for her husband and sons, her siblings, and her family in general. MARGARET She had strong opinPUCCINI ions and made them known when necessary with razor wit and a sometimes wicked sense of humor. But she was warm, kind and indefatigably generous. She gave often and took joy in the giving. Margaret Puccini is survived by her husband of 50 years, John; her sons, Jeffrey and Samuel, his wife Shelley, and grandson, Jackson Puccini; her siblings, Barbara Kessel, Martha Plog, and Martin (Buz) Bailey; and many nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews. There will be a private celebration of Peg’s life. The family appreciates memorials to St Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, www.stjude.org or to the Alzheimer Association, www.alz.org.

Wednesday Journal, January 9, 2019

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

RELIGION GUIDE Presbyterian

Check First.

First Congregational Church of Maywood

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

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

William S. Winston Pastor

ELCA, Lutheran

Good Shepherd

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

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

Lutheran—ELCA

United Lutheran Church

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

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

3:30-4:00pm

Nationwide

WJYS-TV (M-F)

6:30-7:00am

Chicago, IL.

WCIU-TV (Sun.)

10:30-11:00am

Chicago, IL.

Word Network

10:30-11:00am

Nationwide

(M-F)

www.livingwd.org www.billwinston.org

West Suburban Temple Har Zion

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

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

744 Fair Oaks Ave. Oak Park 386-4920 Sunday Schedule Christian Education for All Ages 9:00am Worship Service 10:00am

Child care available 9-11am

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

Roman Catholic

Ascension Catholic Church

www.unitedlutheranchurch.org

708/386-1576

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

Fair Oaks

Lutheran-Independent

Grace Lutheran Church

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

Grace Lutheran School

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

St. John Evangelical Lutheran Church

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

First United Methodist Church of Oak Park

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

808 S. East Ave. 708/848-2703 www.ascensionoakpark.com Worship: Saturday Mass 5:00 pm Sunday Masses 7:30, 9:00, 11 am, 5:00 pm Sacrament of Reconciliation 4 pm Saturday Taize Prayer 7:30 pm First Fridays Feb.– Dec. & Jan. 1

Rev. James Hurlbert, Pastor

Roman Catholic

St. Edmund Catholic Church

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

St. Giles Family Mass Community

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

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

Roman Catholic

St. Bernardine Catholic Church Harrison & Elgin, Forest Park

CELEBRATING OUR 107TH YEAR! Sat. Masses: 8:30am & 5:00pm SUNDAY MASSES: 8:00am & 10:30am 10:30 Mass-Daycare for all ages CCD Sun. 9am-10:15am Reconciliation: Sat. 9am & 4pm Weekday Masses: Monday–Thursday 6:30am Church Office: 708-366-0839 CCD: 708-366-3553 www.stbern.com Pastor: Fr. Stanislaw Kuca

Upcoming Religious Holidays

Jan 13 Maghi Feb 5 Chinese New Year 8 Nirvana Day Mar 4 Maha Shivaratri 5 Shrove Tuesday

Hinduism

Buddhism, Jain, Sikh Hinduism Christianity

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

Wednesday Journal, January 9, 2019

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

HOURS: 9:00 A.M.â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 5:00 P.M. MONâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;FRI

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

Deadline is Tuesday at 9:30 a.m.

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

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

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

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App Dev-Mobile sought by US Bank Natâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;l Assoc in Chicago, IL to design, test & dev SW. Req Bach/CS, CE or related tech field and 8 yrs exp. Req 4 yrs dev iOS apps w/Objective C & with Git; 2 yrs as tech lead/app architect; 5 yrs w/web techs HTML, CSS, & JavaScript; & 3 yrs in customer facing platform. Apply online www.usbank.com Req 180046606.

SYSTEMS ANALYST The Village of Oak Park is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Systems Analyst in the Information Technology Department. Applicant will need to be knowledgeable and capable to apply the principles and techniques of various programming languages, database, computer programming, on-line programming and programming documentation. Additional skillsets include systems analysis and design techniques, such as database normalization, business analysis, workflow procedure, modular programming, stored procedures, and interface with operating system. Our technology environment consists of MS-SQL & Tools, Superion OneSolution CAD/RMS, CityView Permit, Licensing & Inspections, ERSI ArcGIS, Laserfiche and web software (Java, HTML, Adobe ColdFusion and Drupal).http://www. oak-park.us/ . Interested and qualified applicants must complete a Village of Oak Park application no later than February 8, 2019.

Application Developer I sought by PLS Financial Services, Inc.: Req BS in CS, EE, or Comp Eng & 3 yrs exp. as a .Net Developer performing software devp, customization, testing, and optimization projects using C#, ASP.NET, MVC, Entity Framework, LINQ, Web API, WCF, TFS, Git, ADO.NET, IIS, JavaScript, jQuery, AJAX, HTML and CSS. Position is in Oak Brook, IL. Mail CV to: Attn: Tracie Marcus, One South Wacker Drive, Floor 36, Chicago, IL 60606. EOE. COMMUNITY RELATIONS INTERN The Village of Oak Park is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Community Relations Intern in the Community Relations Department. This is a seasonal position that will provide assistance to the Community Relations Department, provides intake and referral services for residents to community resources, assists in investigations of landlord/ tenant complaints, etc. Applicants are encouraged to visit the Village of Oak Parkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s website http:// www.oak-park.us/. Interested and qualified applicants must complete a Village of Oak Park application no later than February 8, 2019. ELECTRICIANâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S HELPER PART-TIME Part-time Electricianâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Helper. Must have own transportation. Call for more info 708-738-3848. FULL TIME MAINTENANCE PERSON Downtown Chicago company looking for full time maintenance person. Good pay & benefits. Hours: Monday thru Friday, 7:30am to 4pm. If interested please call Tony at 312-942-2686 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 Parkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s website http:// www.oak-park.us/. Interested and qualified applicants must complete a Village of Oak Park application no later than January 25, 2019.

Selling your home byÂ owner? Advertise in Wednesday Classified! Call: 708-613-3342

TEMPORARY RECEPTIONIST CPA firm in Oak Park looking to hire a temporary receptionist. Training to start as soon as possible, full-time hours until the end of April. Please send resumes to nicolehorras@ zscpa.com VISION THERAPIST (PT) Vision Therapist(PT) Late afternoon/evening hours (weekdays). Possible Saturdays. Work one on one with patients(typically children) to improve vision skills. Training provided. River Forest Optometristâ&#x20AC;&#x201C; Fax resumes to 708-771-0513. No Calls.

SUBURBAN RENTALS

OFFICE SPACE FOR RENT

2BR OAK PARK GARDEN APT 2BR Garden Apt near Longfellow School. Freshly decorated w/ hdwd floor, tiled bath and beautiful backyard. Rent includes heat, private parking, and washer/dryer on premises. $1300 plus 1 mo. security deposit. Background Check required. call 847-561-2677

OAK PARK PRIVATE OFFICE Private office (approx. 100 sf) for lease at 1100 Lake Street, Oak Park. Includes high speed Wi-Fi; coffee, tea and water service; nightly cleaning; corporate-style conference room; reception area; desk & chair. Parking in attached garage (with covered access to building) is free for first 1.5 hours or purchase monthly pass from VOP. $375/ month. Includes heat, AC, electric. Available now. Call 708-432-5703. For pictures and more info, search 6786092691 on Craigslist.

ROOMS FOR RENT AUSTIN CLEAN ROOM With fridge, micro. Nr Oak Park, Super Walmart, Food 4 Less, bus, & Metra. $116/wk and up. 773-637-5957 Large Sunny Room with fridge & microwave. Near Green line, bus, Oak Park, 24 hour desk, parking lot. $101.00 week & up. New Mgmt. 773-378-8888

SUBURBAN RENTALS

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

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

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PUBLIC NOTICES PUBLIC NOTICE INVITATION FOR BID Showalter House 324-26 N. AUSTIN BOULEVARD Proposals will be received by the Oak Park Housing Authority at 21 South Boulevard, Oak Park, IL 60302 until 2:00 p.m. local time on Wednesday, January 23rd, 2019. Bid packages received will be opened on January 25th 2019. The sealed bid will be received for the following project; Remodeling of 324-26 N. Austin Boulevard (Showalter House), Oak Park, Illinois, including selective demolition, gypsum board partitions, doors and frames, ceramic tile flooring, cabinets, counter tops, toilet fixtures, toilet accessories, light fixtures, painting and other work described in the Bid Documents. Prospective bidders must be an IDPH Licensed Lead Abatement/ Mitigation contractor or have subcontractors performing the work that are certified. Bid Documents will be available from Jerry Gawlik, Oak Park Residence Corporation, 21 South Boulevard, Oak Park, (708) 386-6061. Bidders are urged but not required to attend a pre-bid meeting at 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday, January 16th. to familiarize them with the project. Bids must be in a sealed envelope and clearly marked with job being bid. The Oak Park Housing Authority reserves the right to award the contract in its best interests, to reject any or all proposals, and to waive informalities in bidding. This project is assisted with funds received from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development. The funds are Community Development Block Grant funds administered by the Village of Oak Park and subject to Federal Regulations including Fair Labor, Lead Based Paint (24 CFR Part 35) and Equal Opportunity requirements. A Performance Bond will be required for the general contractor to whom the project is awarded if the contract sum exceeds $100,000. Jerry Gawlik Director of Property Management (630) 240-4858 Published in Wednesday Journal 1/09/2019

PUBLIC NOTICES PUBLIC NOTICE NOTICE TO BIDDERS VILLAGE OF BROOKFIELD JANUARY 9, 2019 NOTICE is hereby given by the President and Board of Trustees of the Village of Brookfield, Illinois that bid proposals will be received for the following project: 3415 MAPLE AVENUE– DEMOLITION AND ASBESTOS ABATEMENT Sealed bids will be received by mail or delivered in person up to 3:00 PM on January 22, 2019 in the Office of the Village Manager, Village of Brookfield, 8820 Brookfield Avenue, Brookfield IL 60513. Said bids will be publicly opened and read at that time. Bids delivered in person will be accepted weekdays between the hours of 9:00 A.M. and 4:00 P.M. only. Bidding documents are available for a nonrefundable fee of $20.00 from the website: www.clarkdietz. com. You may access the document by clicking on the “bidding documents” icon located at the top of the page, then selecting “browse projects” to find the “Village of Brookfield–Demolition and Asbestos Abatement-3415 Maple Avenue” bid documents. Please complete a free membership registration to Quest. Contact Clark Dietz at (630) 607-1513 if you have any questions regarding the registration or the download process. No bidding documents will be issued after 4:30 P.M. on January 16, 2019. All bid proposals offered must be accompanied by a bid bond in an amount not be less than Five Percent (5%) of the total amount of the bid or a cashier’s check or certified check, made payable to the Order of the President and Board of Trustees of the Village of Brookfield and in an amount not less than Five Percent (5%) of the total amount of the bid, as a guarantee that if the bid proposal is accepted, a contract will be entered into and the performance of the contract properly secured. No bid proposal shall be considered unless accompanied by such bid bond or check. Any bidder in doubt as to the true meaning of any part of the bidding documents may request an interpretation thereof from the Village. The bidder requesting the interpretation shall be responsible for its prompt delivery. The Contractor and Subcontractor shall comply with all regulations issued pursuant to Prevailing Wage Act (820 ILCS 130), and other applicable Federal Laws and regulations pertaining to labor standards. The Village of Brookfield reserves the rights to determine the lowest, responsive, responsible bidder, to waive irregularities, and to reject any or all bid proposals. BY ORDER THE PRESIDENT AND BOARD OF TRUSTEES VILLAGE OF BROOKFIELD, ILLINOIS Published in RB Landmark 1/09/2019

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PUBLIC NOTICES NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING CONCERNING THE INTENT OF THE BOARD OF PARK COMMISSIONERS OF THE PARK DISTRICT OF FOREST PARK, COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS TO SELL NOT TO EXCEED $600,000 GENERAL OBLIGATION LIMITED TAX PARK BONDS PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Park District of Forest Park, Cook County, Illinois (the “District”), will hold a public hearing on the 17th day of January, 2019, at 6:00 o’clock P.M. The hearing will be held in the Board Room of the Administration Building, 7501 Harrison Street, Forest Park, Illinois. The purpose of the hearing will be to receive public comments on the proposal to sell bonds of the District in an amount not to exceed $600,000 for the payment of land condemned or purchased for parks, for the building, maintaining, improving and protecting of the same and the existing land and facilities of the District and for the payment of the expenses incident thereto. By order of the President of the Board of Park Commissioners of the Park District of Forest Park, Cook County, Illinois. DATED the 27th day of December, 2018. Jackie Iovinelli Secretary, Board of Park Commissioners, Park District of Forest Park, Cook County, Illinois Published in Forest Park Review 1/9/2019

LEGAL NOTICE The Village of Oak Park will receive sealed bids at the Public Works Service Center, 201 South Boulevard, Oak Park, Illinois 60302, until 4:00 p.m. on Friday, January 18th, 2019 for the following BID 19-106 VILLAGE OF OAK PARK 2019 EMERGENCY STREET LIGHTING AND TRAFFIC CONTROL REPAIR REQUEST FOR PRICES 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 Streets Superintendent, Scott Brinkman, sbrinkman@oak-park. us or on the Village’s website http://www.oak-park.us/yourgovernment/finance-department. 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. THE VILLAGE OF OAK PARK Published in Wednesday Journal 1/9/2019

REAL ESTATE FOR SALE

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT– CHANCERY DIVISION JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION Plaintiff, -v.MARK E. HACKER, 215 MARENGO CONDOMINIUM ASSOCIATION Defendants 17 CH 06287 215 MARENGO AVE., APT 6-F FOREST PARK, IL 60130 NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on November 14, 2018, an agent for The Judicial Sales Corporation, will at 10:30 AM on February 15, 2019, at The Judicial Sales Corporation, One South Wacker Drive, CHICAGO, IL, 60606, sell at public auction to the highest bidder, as set forth below, the following described real estate: Commonly known as 215 MARENGO AVE., APT 6-F, FOREST PARK, IL 60130 Property Index No. 15-12-426-0241038. The real estate is improved with a residential condominium. The judgment amount was $114,747.29. Sale terms: 25% down of the highest bid by certified funds at the close of the sale payable to The Judicial Sales Corporation. No third party checks will be accepted. The balance in certified funds/or wire transfer, is due within twenty-four (24) hours. The subject property is subject to general real estate taxes, special assessments, or special taxes levied against said real estate and is offered for sale without any representation as to quality or quantity of title and without recourse to Plaintiff and in “AS IS” condition. The sale is further subject to confirmation by the court. Upon payment in full of the amount bid, the purchaser will receive a Certificate of Sale that will entitle the purchaser to a deed to the real estate after confirmation of the sale. The property will NOT be open for inspection and plaintiff makes no representation as to the condition of the property. Prospective bidders are admonished to check the court file to verify all information. If this property is a condominium unit, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale, other than a mortgagee, shall pay the assessments and the legal fees required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/9(g)(1) and (g)(4). If this property is a condominium unit which is part of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/ 18.5(g-1). IF YOU ARE THE MORTGAGOR (HOMEOWNER), YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN IN POSSESSION FOR 30 DAYS AFTER ENTRY OF AN ORDER OF POSSESSION, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 15-1701(C) OF THE ILLINOIS MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE LAW. You will need a photo identification issued by a government agency (driver’s license, passport, etc.) in order to gain entry into our building and the foreclosure sale room in Cook County and the same identification for sales held at other county venues where The Judicial Sales Corporation conducts foreclosure sales. For information, contact Plaintiff’s attorney: HEAVNER, BEYERS

& MIHLAR, LLC, 111 East Main Street, DECATUR, IL 62523, (217) 422-1719 Please refer to file number 2120-13570. If the sale is not confirmed for any reason, the Purchaser at the sale shall be entitled only to a return of the purchase price paid. The Purchaser shall have no further recourse against the Mortgagor, the Mortgagee or the Mortgagee’s attorney. THE JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION One South Wacker Drive, 24th Floor, Chicago, IL 60606-4650 (312) 236-SALE You can also visit The Judicial Sales Corporation at www.tjsc.com for a 7 day status report of pending sales. HEAVNER, BEYERS & MIHLAR, LLC 111 East Main Street DECATUR, IL 62523 (217) 422-1719 Fax #: (217) 422-1754 CookPleadings@hsbattys.com Attorney File No. 2120-13570 Attorney Code. 40387 Case Number: 17 CH 06287 TJSC#: 38-8963 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. I3106468

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 18, 2018, an agent for The Judicial Sales Corporation, will at 10:30 AM on January 31, 2019, at The Judicial Sales Corporation, One South Wacker Drive, CHICAGO, IL, 60606, sell at public auction to the highest bidder, as set forth below, the following described real estate: Commonly known as 209 DIVISION STREET, Oak Park, IL 60302 Property Index No. 16-05-303-0190000; 16-05-303-020-0000. The real estate is improved with a single family residence. The judgment amount was $456,818.69. 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, contact Plaintiff’s attorney: JOHNSON, BLUMBERG & ASSOCIATES, LLC, 230 W. Monroe Street, Suite #1125,

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT– CHANCERY DIVISION RMAC LENDING, LLC Plaintiff, -v.MI CASA ENTERPRISE, LTD, D’VILLEGAS, HOUSEFACTS INC. Defendants 2018 CH 10415 209 DIVISION STREET Oak Park,

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Wednesday Journal, January 9, 2019

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(708) 613-3333 • FAX: (708) 467-9066 • E-MAIL: CLASSIFIEDS@OAKPARK.COM | CLASSIFIEDS@RIVERFOREST.COM

Let the sun shine in...

Public Notice: Your right to know

In print • Online • Available to you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, every day of the year OakPark.com | RiverForest.com | PublicNoticeIllinois.com REAL ESTATE FOR SALE

REAL ESTATE FOR SALE

Chicago, IL 60606, (312) 541-9710 Please refer to file number 18-1058. THE JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION One South Wacker Drive, 24th Floor, Chicago, IL 60606-4650 (312) 236-SALE You can also visit The Judicial Sales Corporation at www.tjsc.com for a 7 day status report of pending sales. JOHNSON, BLUMBERG & ASSOCIATES, LLC 230 W. Monroe Street, Suite #1125 Chicago, IL 60606 (312) 541-9710 E-Mail: ilpleadings@johnsonblumberg.com Attorney File No. 18-1058 Attorney Code. 40342 Case Number: 2018 CH 10415 TJSC#: 38-9909 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. I3108701

tial 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 or contact Plaintiff’s attorney: CODILIS & ASSOCIATES, P.C., 15W030 NORTH FRONTAGE ROAD, SUITE 100, BURR RIDGE, IL 60527, (630) 794-9876 Please refer to file number 14-13-31429. THE JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION One South Wacker Drive, 24th Floor, Chicago, IL 60606-4650 (312) 236-SALE You can also visit The Judicial Sales Corporation at www.tjsc.com for a 7 day status report of pending sales. 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. 14-13-31429 Attorney ARDC No. 00468002 Attorney Code. 21762 Case Number: 13 CH 027299 TJSC#: 38-9058 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. I3108981

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 or contact Plaintiff’s attorney: CODILIS & ASSOCIATES, P.C., 15W030 NORTH FRONTAGE ROAD, SUITE 100, BURR RIDGE, IL 60527, (630) 794-9876 Please refer to file number 14-18-02388. THE JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION One South Wacker Drive, 24th Floor, Chicago, IL 60606-4650 (312) 236-SALE You can also visit The Judicial Sales Corporation at www.tjsc.com for a 7 day status report of pending sales. 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. 14-18-02388 Attorney ARDC No. 00468002 Attorney Code. 21762 Case Number: 2018 CH 03645 TJSC#: 38-7981 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. I3108819

GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above entitled cause Intercounty Judicial Sales Corporation will on Tuesday, February 19, 2019 at the hour of 11 a.m. in their office at 120 West Madison Street, Suite 718A, Chicago, Illinois, sell at public auction to the highest bidder for cash, as set forth below, the following described mortgaged real estate: P.I.N. 16-06-403-023. Commonly known as 815 NORTH EAST AVENUE, OAK PARK, IL 60302. The mortgaged real estate is improved with a commercial building. Sale terms: 10% down by certified funds, balance, by certified funds, within 24 hours. No refunds. The property will NOT be open for inspection. For information call Mr. Ira T. Nevel at Plaintiff’s Attorney, Law Offices of Ira T. Nevel, 175 North Franklin Street, Chicago, Illinois 60606. (312) 357-1125. 18-00922 INTERCOUNTY JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION Selling Officer, (312) 444-1122 I3109306

FUND SOCIETY, FSB, D/B/A CHRISTIANA TRUST, NOT INDIVIDUALLY BUT AS TRUSTEE FOR PRETIUM MORTGAGE ACQUISITION TRUST Plaintiff, -v.LINDA F. COLE Defendants 10 CH 36911 208 LE MOYNE PARKWAY OAK PARK, IL 60302 NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on March 13, 2017, an agent for The Judicial Sales Corporation, will at 10:30 AM on February 15, 2019, at The Judicial Sales Corporation, One South Wacker Drive, CHICAGO, IL, 60606, sell at public auction to the highest bidder, as set forth below, the following described real estate: Commonly known as 208 LE MOYNE PARKWAY, OAK PARK, IL 60302 Property Index No. 16-05-102-0290000. The real estate is improved with a single family residence. The judgment amount was $474,475.34. 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, contact Plaintiff’s attorney: HEAVNER, BEYERS & MIHLAR, LLC, 111 East Main Street, DECATUR, IL 62523, (217) 422-1719 Please refer to file number 2120-9146–FT. If the sale is not confirmed for any reason, the Purchaser at the sale shall be entitled only to a return of the purchase price paid. The Purchaser shall have no further recourse against the Mortgagor, the Mortgagee or the Mortgagee’s attorney. THE JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION One South Wacker Drive, 24th Floor, Chicago, IL 60606-4650 (312) 236-SALE You can also visit The Judicial Sales Corporation at www.tjsc.com for a 7 day status report of pending sales. HEAVNER, BEYERS & MIHLAR, LLC 111 East Main Street DECATUR, IL 62523 (217) 422-1719 Fax #: (217) 422-1754 CookPleadings@hsbattys.com Attorney File No. 2120-9146–FT Attorney Code. 40387 Case Number: 10 CH 36911 TJSC#: 38-9898 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. I3109170

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT– CHANCERY DIVISION JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION Plaintiff, -v.JOHN B. BERGEN, ANNE BERGEN A/K/A ANNE MATERN BERGEN, JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, NA, UNKNOWN OWNERS AND NONRECORD CLAIMANTS Defendants 13 CH 027299 128 S. LOMBARD AVENUE OAK PARK, IL 60302 NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on November 14, 2018, an agent for The Judicial Sales Corporation, will at 10:30 AM on February 20, 2019, at The Judicial Sales Corporation, One South Wacker Drive, CHICAGO, IL, 60606, sell at public auction to the highest bidder, as set forth below, the following described real estate: Commonly known as 128 S. LOMBARD AVENUE, OAK PARK, IL 60302 Property Index No. 16-08-303-008. 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 residen-

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT– CHANCERY DIVISION WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS TRUSTEE FOR BANC OF AMERICA ALTERNATIVE LOAN TRUST 2006-3 MORTGAGE PASS-THROUGH CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2006-3 Plaintiff, -v.GLADYS MYERS, BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., THE BOARDWALK CONDOMINIUM ASSOCIATION OF FOREST PARK, UNKNOWN HEIRS AND LEGATEES OF NELLIE A. TERRY, UNKNOWN OWNERS AND NONRECORD CLAIMANTS, TIMOTHY CONNER, CARY ROSENTHAL, AS SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE FOR NELLIE A. TERRY (DECEASED) Defendants 2018 CH 03645 235 MARENGO AVENUE #6E FOREST PARK, IL 60130 NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on October 1, 2018, an agent for The Judicial Sales Corporation, will at 10:30 AM on February 15, 2019, at The Judicial Sales Corporation, One South Wacker Drive, CHICAGO, IL, 60606, sell at public auction to the highest bidder, as set forth below, the following described real estate: Commonly known as 235 MARENGO AVENUE #6E, FOREST PARK, IL 60130 Property Index No. 15-12-434-0441069. The real estate is improved with a condo/townhouse. Sale terms: 25% down of the highest bid by certified funds at the close of the sale payable to The Judicial Sales Corporation. No third party checks will be accepted. The balance, including the Judicial Sale fee for the Abandoned Residential Property Municipality Relief Fund, which is calculated on residential real estate at the rate of $1 for each $1,000 or fraction thereof of the amount paid by the purchaser not to exceed $300, in certified funds/or wire transfer, is due within twenty-four (24) hours. No fee shall be paid by the mortgagee acquiring the residential real estate pursuant to its credit bid at the sale or by any mortgagee, judgment creditor, or other lienor acquiring the residential real estate whose rights in and to the residential real estate arose prior to the sale. The subject property is subject to general real estate taxes, special assessments, or special taxes levied against said real estate and is offered for sale without any representation as to quality or quantity of title and without recourse to Plaintiff and in “AS IS” condition. The sale is further subject to confirmation by

Attention! Home-improvement pros! Reach the people making decisions–your target demographic. Advertise here. Call 708/613-3342.

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT– CHANCERY DIVISION LOAN FUNDER LLC, SERIES 1699; Plaintiff, vs. ECHELON REALTY INVESTMENTS CORP., SERENA G.VICTOR; VILLAGE OF OAK PARK; ALFONZO AND MANGELSON GROUP, INC. AKA AAMG FINANCE; Defendants, 18 CH 5978 NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT– CHANCERY DIVISION U.S. BANK TRUST NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, NOT IN ITS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY BUT SOLELY AS OWNER TRUSTEE FOR CARISBROOK ASSET HOLDING TRUST; Plaintiff, vs. CARMELLA BROWN; SECRETARY OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT; UNKNOWN HEIRS AND LEGATEES OF CARMELLA BROWN, IF ANY; UNKNOWN OWNERS AND NON RECORD CLAIMANTS; Defendants, 17 CH 3789 NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above entitled cause Intercounty Judicial Sales Corporation will on Tuesday, February 19, 2019 at the hour of 11 a.m. in their office at 120 West Madison Street, Suite 718A, Chicago, Illinois, sell at public auction to the highest bidder for cash, as set forth below, the following described mortgaged real estate: P.I.N. 15-21-216-044-0000 Vol. 0170. Commonly known as 1523 Bristol Avenue, Westchester, IL 60154. The mortgaged real estate is improved with a single family residence. If the subject mortgaged real estate is a unit of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by subsection (g-1) of Section 18.5 of the Condominium Property Act. Sale terms: 10% down by certified funds, balance, by certified funds, within 24 hours. No refunds. The property will NOT be open for inspection. For information call Law Clerk at Plaintiff’s Attorney, The Wirbicki Law Group, 33 West Monroe Street, Chicago, Illinois 60603. (312) 3609455. W17-0106 INTERCOUNTY JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION Selling Officer, (312) 444-1122 I3109298 IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT– CHANCERY DIVISION WILMINGTON SAVINGS

EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY All real estate advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Fair Housing Act., which makes it illegal to advertise any preference, limitation or discrimination based on age, race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status or national origin, or intention to make any such preferences, limitations or discrimination. The Illinois Human Rights Act prohibits discrimination in the sale, rental or advertising of real estate based on factors in addition to those protected under federal law. This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. All persons are hereby informedthat all dwellings advertised are available on an equal opportunity basis. Restrictions or prohibitions of pets do not apply to service animals. To complain of discrimination, call HUD toll free at: 1-800-669-9777. WEDNESDAY JOURNAL Forest Park Review, Landmark

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Wednesday Journal, January 9, 2019

Future is now for Huskie swimming OPRF boys swimming team is hoping to build off last season’s success By MARTY FARMER Sports Editor

While perennial state powers Lyons Township and Hinsdale Central dominate the West Suburban Conference Silver Division, the Oak Park and River Forest High School boys swimming team might be the most intriguing story in the league. Competing with an underclassmen-laden roster in 2018, OPRF quickly became a team to watch en route to a 21st place result at the IHSA state meet. The even more encouraging news is the Huskies are back at full strength this season. “We did not graduate anybody from last year’s team which won the [Fenwick] sectional,” OPRF coach Clyde Lundgren said. “Our seniors Alex Pedraza, J.P. Rotatori and Matt Louis are doing a great job in and out of the pool providing leadership and exemplary work habits. Our hopes are pretty high for doing well in the second half of the season and on through sectionals and state.” The Huskies closed out 2018 in style, cruising to the Downers Grove South Invite championship. OPRF scored 539 points, followed by the closely bunched group of RiversideBrookfield (294), Lake Park (292) and Stagg (290) among the 10 team-field. The Huskies won six races (3 relays, 3 individual events) and finished second in three other events. Junior Will Raidt led the way with a pair of individual titles in the 200-yard freestyle (1 minute, 45.26 seconds) and the 100-yard butterfly (53.81 seconds). Raidt is an All-American swimmer who holds the OPRF record in the 200 free.

Sophomore Frank Tirone took the 50-yard freestyle title with a time of 22.65. He placed second in the 100-yard freestyle (49.64), trailing only Wheaton Co-op’s Patrick White who touched the wall at 49.45. Other top swims were turned in by sophomores Benjamin Guerrero (500-yard freestyle; 5:06.49/2nd place) and Diego Pareja (100-yard butterfly; 56.17/3rd), junior Braydon Graves (100-yard breaststroke; 1:04.26/ 3rd) and the aforementioned seniors Rotatori (200 free; 1:54.76/5th) and Pedraza (50 free; 23.39/3rd). Robert Schweig, Thomas Rotatori, Connor Song, Evan Burnham, Finn McMullen, Paolo Miler, Evan Osga and James Shorney make up the rest of a deep roster. “So far the season has gone as well as could be expected,” Lundgren said. “We have been healthy over winter break and the boys have been faithful with their attendance and commitment to training well. I would love to see the group get a little better with our underwater kicks and streamlining of walls.” In addition to winning the Downers Grove South Invite, the Huskies have dual-meet victories over Riverside-Brookfield (119-64) and conference opponents Downers Grove North (145-36) and York (112-74). Fenwick is the only team to beat OPRF (107-78) in a dual meet this season. Lundgren loves the makeup of his team. In his estimation, the Huskies’ intangibles are through the roof. “Where I’m most impressed with these boys is their maturity and not just where you see it, as in races in meets,” he said. “That part is a given because of their year-round swimming experience. “I’m proud of the way other coaches compliment them for

Photo by Don Bartecki

OPRF junior Will Raidt swimming the backstroke. their sportsmanship or if a restaurant owner is glad to have a group of them for a meal. I’ve also tried to communicate to them how proud I am of their dedication and commitment to the training, the team and each other. It’s a privilege to work with these boys.” Since half of the Huskies (8 of 16 swimmers) are underclassmen, the team appears built to last. Providing ideal preparation for the state playoffs, OPRF takes on Hinsdale Central and LTHS this month. The Huskies hit the road against Hinsdale Central on Friday, Jan. 11 and host LTHS on Friday, Jan. 18 (5 p.m. start times for both). Between these huge conference dual meets, OPRF will compete at the Riverside-Brookfield Invite on Saturday, Jan. 12. “Our aim for the second half of the season is to rehearse our championship meet swims and fine tune things so we get as many personal bests as possible,” Lundgren said. “If we do that, I like our chances to score points at state.”

FRIARS

Fast Times from page 40 the 200 free at 1:42.84. Freshman Mike Flynn also fared well in those distance races by earning fourth in the 500 free (4:47.22) and sixth in the 200 free (1:45.34). Senior Dan Lynch touched the wall at 1:01.67 in the 100-yard breaststroke for fourth. Lynch, a standout water polo player at Fenwick as well, notched 13th in the 50-yard freestyle at 22.75. Other notable swims included junior Dan Bajda (100-yard freestyle: 50.56/16th place), sophomore Pete Buinauskas (100-yard backstroke: 59.48/16th) and sophomore Connor McCarthy (200-yard individual medley: 2:03.76/9th; 100-yard butterfly: 54.55/12th). Underclassmen Will Gurski and Dylan Fu recorded times of 1:05.63 and 1:05.74 in the 100 breast, respectively, to come in 15th and 16th. Other contributing varsity swimmers this season include Alex Figus, Payton Comstock, Brian Moore and Luke Yungerman. The Friars were solid in the relays, taking fourth in the 200 medley relay, fifth in the 400 freestyle relay and seventh in the 200 freestyle relay. Fenwick produced season-best times across the board at the

Courtesy Luke McGuire

Fenwick swimmers Dan Lynch, Dylan Fu, Peter Buinauskas, Alex Figus, Payton Comstock and Will Gurski take a team photo with Balthazar at the Marquette Invite. Marquette Invite. “We are coming off one of the best Christmas break training regimens since I have been coaching at Fenwick,” McGuire said. “There was a lot of hard work from the kids in and out of the pool and lots of team bonding. We celebrated Mass on Dec. 23, we had a Secret Santa, and we went bowling. Great parents like the McCarthys and Yungermans hosted the kids at their houses between practices; other great parents brought in breakfast a few days. It

was all good.” At the Homewood-Flossmoor Invite, Fenwick bid farewell to 2018 by tying Lyons Township with 59 points apiece at the fiverace event on Dec. 27. Neuqua Valley won the title with 333 points, followed by Maine South (177), Lincoln-Way East (113.5) and then the Friars and Lions. McCarthy swam well in multiple events at H-F. He touched the wall at 2:46 in the 200 IM, good for fourth, and recorded a time of 50.67 to place seventh in the 100 free. He

also scored well in the 100 fly (56.23/11th place) and 100 back (59.85/17th). Lynch came in fifth in the 100 breast at 1:04.32. “The guys are working great together as a group,” McGuire said. “We have built some fast relays around Liam with guys likely to get individual points at the state meet.” Hutchinson, who has committed to Notre Dame, is the Friars’ top swimmer, He placed seventh in the 200 free (1:39.15, consolation final) at the 2018 state meet right behind Will Raidt, who set an OPRF school record in the prelims with a personal-best time of 1:39.12. At the Fenwick Sectional last year, Raidt (1:41.86) edged Hutchinson (1:42.10) for the title. “Having Will as a competitor and friend at sectionals and state is fun for me,” Hutchinson said. “I know we will push each other to go faster and perform as well as we can. The 200 free is always one of the most competitive events at the state meet.” Last year, The Friars went 7-4 in dual meets, placing third in the MCAC standings, won their sectional, and tied with Lake Park (19 points each) to finish 19th at state. Expectations remain high this season. “We hope to win sectionals by qualifying a bunch of guys through [to the state meet],” McGuire said. “We want to place a handful of relays and individual guys at New Trier [ the 2019 state meet site].”

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Wednesday Journal, January 9, 2019

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Friars battle the best in girls hoops Friars show their mettle against Montini and Fremd in close losses By MARTY FARMER Sports Editor

The scouting report on the Fenwick High School girls basketball team a year ago was pretty straightforward. Contain top scorers McKenzie Blaze and Kate Moore (both 1,000 point-plus career scorers), shut down the rest of the players, and a win was likely. That approach does not apply this season as Blaze and Moore have moved on to college and the Friars are scoring (and winning) by committee. Underclassmen Audrey Hinrichs and Lauren Hall have emerged as top players, their reputations reinforced by all-tourney selections at the Komaromy Classic hosted by Dundee-Crown over the Christmas break. However, Fenwick (16-6) is about a lot more than one or two players. Maggie Van Ermen, Elise Heneghan, Lily Reardon and Gianni Ortiz, among others, have made major contributions. “There’s no one player to stop. We have great scoring balance,” Fenwick coach Dave Power said. “We have four players who are very good at shooting threes and we have three or four players who are very good down low.” Fenwick faced the daunting task of playing Montini and Fremd over the weekend. The Friars’ 43-42 loss in overtime against the former on Friday, Dec. 4 ended on a controversial call. With Fenwick clinging to a 42-41 lead with 2.3 seconds left in OT, an official called a foul on the Friars with .3 seconds remaining. Mon-

tini took full advantage by sinking a pair of free throws to pull out the win. Power recalls the closing moments. “With 2.3 seconds left, I was concerned about throwing the ball inbounds underneath their basket,” Power said. “So we decided to throw it long with the idea being that even if the pass is picked off, it would be hard for Montini to get off a good shot. “We threw it long and asked our player to make sure you get a touch to start the clock,” he added. “The ball kind of caromed off and there was a rugby scrum for it. Montini took the ball and one dribble to get out of the melee when the referee called a foul with three-tenths of a second left.” Understandably, Power was not pleased with the ending. “Sometimes coaches make mistakes or players make mistakes that can lose a game,” Power said. “In this case, I feel like the referee unjustly pulled something off in there. I won’t name him and he’s been a ref for many years, but I think he had his bad day in that moment. In my opinion, it was an unjust call that should not have been called. Maybe Montini feels like they beat us but we don’t feel that way.” Heneghan (13 points), Hinrichs and Reardon (11 points each) and Hall (8 points) paced a balanced offensive attack. The Friars initially appeared to shake off their setback against the Broncos the following night against Fremd. Fenwick led 26-14 before the Vikings rallied for a 46-43 victory. Van Ermen scored 14 points, while Hinrichs and Hall finished with eight points apiece and Reardon had six points. “I think we can up our game even more, but we know we

ALEXA ROGALS/Staff Photographer

HALL BALL: Fenwick sophomore Lauren Hall makes a pass during the Friars’ 43-42 overtime loss against host Montini on Dec. 4. are right there with the top teams,” Power said. “We’re playing very good basketball right now. I’m really proud of our girls.”

Celebrate the New Year at Trattoria 225! We host parties for groups of all sizes up to 150 people Contact Bill Quick at BillQ@trattoria225.com

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Wednesday Journal, January 9, 2019

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Wednesday Journal, January 9, 2019

Future is now for Huskie swimming 37

@ @OakPark

SPORTS

Friars battle the best in girls hoops 38

Fenwick boys swimming on the mark Hutchinson and Lynch lead Friars, 8-0 in dual meets this season

By MARTY FARMER

Sports Editor

hatever happens the rest of the season (or at least until sectionals), the Fenwick High School boys swimming team owns neighborhood bragging rights

Courtesy of Luke McGuire

Fenwick swimmers Liam Hutchinson (second lane) and Mike Flynn (bottom lane) placed first and fourth, respectively, in the 500yard freestyle at the Marquette Invite over the weekend.

Wednesday Journal

over OPRF. The visiting Friars defeated the Huskies 107-78 on Dec. 4. The rivals will meet again at the Fenwick Sectional on Feb. 16. Fenwick and OPRF placed 19th and 21st, respectively, at the 2018 IHSA state meet hosted by Evanston. In addition to its signature victory against OPRF, Fenwick has momentum with an 8-0 record in dual meets and fourth-place showings at the Viking Pentathlon at Homewood-Flossmoor and the Barrington Relays. “This is also the first time we have beaten Marmion and Sandburg in duals since I became coach at Fenwick,” said Luke McGuire. “It’s just a great group of very focused kids. They are fun to coach and very invested in a ‘team’ mentality.” The Friars kicked off 2019 with a fifthplace finish at the 25th Annual Marquette Invitational in Wisconsin. Swimming at the Walter Schroeder Aquatic Center in Brown Deer, the Friars scored 185 points in a 23-team field composed largely of Wisconsin schools. Senior Liam Hutchinson, one of the top 200- and 500-yard freestyle swimmers in Illinois, won the 500 free with a time of 4 minutes, 38.68 seconds and took second in See FRIARS on page 37

Tuesday, January 29 n 7pm n Dominican University Performing Arts Center A powerful conversation on equity among Wednesday Journal’s Villagers of the Year

CONVERSATIONS

2018 Villagers of The Year

Jackie Moore OPRF school board president Villager of the Year/ Oak Park

Ralph Martire River Forest D90 school board president Co-Villager of the Year/River Forest

Ed Condon District 90 school superintendent Co-Villager of the Year/River Forest

Steve James “America To Me” director and producer Runner-up Villager of the Year/Oak Park & River Forest

Plus, we will honor 38 years of previous Villagers of the Year. Our first ever reception for the extraordinary women and men we’ve recognized since 1985.

RSVP to this FREE event at www.OakPark.com/wjconvo