WednesdayJournal_011525

The vote was 7-0 against an addition proposed for Boulevard Arcade building

By LACEY SIKORA Contributing Reporter

The Oak Park Historic Preservation Commission denied a proposal last week that would add a 10-story, art deco-style addition behind the landmark Boulevard Arcade Building.

The proposal was submitted by architect John Schiess on behalf of the owner of the property at building at 1031-35 South Boulevard.

The seven members ag reed that the guidelines were not met by the proposal.

Chair Lou Garapolo said the proposal did not appear to meet nine of the 10 guidelines that the HPC

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Suburban Cook County saw 12.5% increase in homelessness in 2024

The national increase from 2023 was 18%, according to an annual HUD repor t, multiple reasons cited

By LUZANE DRAUGHON Staff Reporter

Suburban Cook County saw about a 12.5% increase in homelessness based on a January 2024 Point-in-Time Count, a re port of sheltered and unsheltered individuals experiencing homelessness on a single night.

Many factors could account for the increase, including the national shor tage of af fordable housing and wages that aren’t kee ping pace with costs of living.

For Housing Forward, a local nonprofit organization working to end homelessness in west suburban Cook County, that increase from 2023 to 2024 was about 18%, mirroring the national averag e. That means nationally, more than 770,000 individuals were experiencing homelessness in January 2024, according to NPR.

In Illinois specifically, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development re ported that there was a 116% increase in homelessness in 2024, a number that could grow again when the 2025 re port is released. And Illinois was one of 43 states, as well as the District of Columbia, to report increases in 2024.

HUD’s 2024 Annual Homelessness Assessment Re port, started in 2007, revealed that Illinois’ unhoused population grew from 11,947 in 2023 to 25,832 in 2024. Most of that increase, about 91% according to Fox 32 Chicago, was in Chicago.

T he January 2025 Point-in-Time Count will be conducted in suburban Cook County on Jan. 29. Results likely won’ t be available for several months.

“I think it’s going to increase again, unfor tunately,” said Lynda Schueler, Housing Forward’s chie f executive officer. “We’ re seeing an increase in our unsheltered counts at our agency and similarly across the continuum.”

Point-in-Time Counts

The Alliance to End Homelessness in Suburban Cook County is responsible for the Point-in-Time Counts in suburban Cook County, Schueler said.

The counts are conducted from about 7 p.m. to 1 a.m. on a single night in January. Small groups go out and attempt to count unsheltered individuals within a large service area, Schueler explained. There do tend to be “hot spots,” she said, such as train stations, emergency rooms or laundromats. Volunteers who conduct the counts give individuals they interact with a bag of basic necessities, Schueler said.

The counts are imperfect, however. Schueler explained it’s difficult to count every person who might be sleeping in a car or not in a cong re gated area, not to mention individuals who are couch surfing or lived in doubled-up situations. And the counts are only conducted on one of 365 days. That means the numbers re ported and subsequent increases could be even bigger than anyone knows.

“As alarming as the 18.1% increase over the previous year’s count is, even more alarming is the continued disproportionate number of Black individuals and households that are experiencing home-

lessness,” Schueler said, compared to white households. That’s true in Oak Park, too, she said.

What ’s causing this increase?

A significant shortage of af fordable housing units and wages that don’t keep pace with the cost of living are both key contributors to the rising homelessness in the United States, Schueler pointed out.

Nationally, Schueler said af fordable housing units are short by 7.5 million to 10 million units. In Illinois, there needs to be about 300,000 more of these units, she said.

And people are living paycheck to paycheck. Without competitive wages, it can be quite difficult to keep pace with the ever-g rowing cost of living.

Another reason for the increase could be attributed to the surge of migrants over the last two years, Schueler added. The increase can put additional pressure on homeless providers to house more individuals, leading to capacity issues in emergency bed systems.

Additionally, the loss of COVID-19 support funds has contributed to the continued increase in homelessness. During the

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Oak Park named one of 50 best places to travel worldwide

Village was the only location in Illinois to make the list

By LUZANE DRAUGHON Staff Reporter

Travel Lemming, an online travel guide, has named Oak Park one of 50 best places to travel worldwide in 2025.

The online guide names 50 best places to travel annually. Locals and expert travelers work together to compile the list and get travel information out to its more than 10 million readers, according to the website.

Oak Park is the only location in Illinois to make the list. Rachel Kapelke-Dale, a senior travel writer at Travel Lemming, called it a “gorgeous Chicagoland suburb” and “stunningly beautiful.”

“At first glance, you may think that Oak Park is nothing more than an affluent suburb of Chicago,” Kapelke-Dale writes. “But it’s so much more.”

She describes Oak Park as the birthplace of Ernest Hemingway and points out that Frank Lloyd Wright also lived and worked here. Visitors can see his historic designs and houses.

Kapelke-Dale suggests coming in the fall to participate in the Frank Lloyd Wright 5K, 10K or youth races. She lists the Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio, Ernest Hemingway Birthplace Museum, Oak Park Festival Theatre, Oak Park Conservatory botanical garden and Mills Park as places to visit.

Locals know that in addition to Wright and Hemingway, Oak Park scientist Percy Julian is a significant historical figure that brings the village pride. Julian was a famous Black chemist and entrepreneur who re gistered more than 130 chemical patents. His daughter, Faith, still lives in their East Avenue home. Oak Park approved setting aside $1 million in its 2025 budget for the preservation of the home.

Travelers looking to come to Oak Park can also look forward to a streetscape design, once completed, that’s in the works intended to honor Julian. It’ll be on Chicago Avenue between East Avenue and Austin Boulevard. The streetscape project could include gateways, banners, wayfinding signs, art or other site features.

Airbnbs are often a popular travel aid. In February 2024, the village board approved increasing taxes on transient occupancy rental units such as Airbnb to help support affordable housing ef forts. At the time, Oak Park had 120 of these rentals.

Local sites like Visit Oak Park can also provide visitors with ideas about what to do when traveling to the village. Other United States locations on the Travel Lemming top 50 list include Harbor Springs, Michig an, Grand Valley, Colorado, and Portland, Oregon. International locations span from Italy to Australia to South Africa.

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Downtown Oak Park

Oak Park library to interview candidates for executive director

By LUZANE DRAUGHON Staff Reporter

The Oak Park Public Library board, working with Koya Partners, is interviewing candidates for executive director in January.

Interim Co-Executive Directors Leigh Tarullo and Suzy Wulf have been working in the role since Joslyn Bowling Dixon, the for mer executive director, was fired in March 2024.

The library board hired Koya Partners, a nonprofit executive search firm based in Chicago, last June. The firm has a history of diverse placements of directors and library staff, according to the board.

On Dec. 23, OPPL sent an email to active library cardholders asking for input on the search. Koya Par tners created an anonymous survey asking what qualities and skills library patrons would like to have in a new executive director. The survey was open until Jan. 8.

Feedback was shared with the library executive director search committee, made up of Tarullo and library Trustees Madhurima Chakraborty, Susanne Fairfax and Theodore Foss.

During a committee meeting Friday, Trisha Sutrisno from Koya Partners said they received more than 200 responses from community members in that survey, which included five open-ended questions.

“This is a good gut check to make sure that as we’re moving into interviews, we are incorporating questions that address the things community members are most interested in,” said Amber Gomes from Koya Partners. “A lot of the things that community members said they were interested in … are things that we’ve been using to screen candidates.”

When community members were asked what they envision the top three key responsibilities of the executive director to be, the most common answers related to organizational management, community relations and staff leadership.

The top response to a question about what personal qualities an executive director should possess was competent, experienced, proven or skilled. Others included being a critical thinker, setting professional boundaries and self-awareness.

Safety for library patrons was another top concern for the community in this survey, Gomes said. That’s likely related to the shooting outside the OPPL on Lake Street Nov. 29, where Oak Park Det. Allan Reddins was killed, Fairfax pointed out.

Community members also included questions they’d like to ask candidates in the survey, many of which were similar to planned questions or good ideas for further interviews, Gomes said. Those questions included how a candidate might respond to book bans, how they demonstrate values of diversity and inclusion and how they’ll support library employees.

Koya Partners also held a virtual office hour on Jan. 8 where residents could share thoughts with the recruiting team. Sutrisno said four individuals attended, only one of whom asked questions

The library board wrote that the candidates up for interviews are “stellar.” The search committee decided Friday that nine questions for the 60-minute first-round interviews will be shared with candidates in advance. That will help prevent bias and create a “level playing field,” Fairfax said during the meeting.

Those nine questions relate to mission alignment with the library, staff leadership, development and empowerment, external community relations, library trustee collaboration and strategic leadership and organizational management.

Interviews will be conducted in closed sessions, meaning members of the public will not be able to attend. But audio recordings of the interviews are typically conducted and available for a few years after, according to Foss. Those recordings are not typically available to the public, however, unless a case is brought that is relevant to the Open Meetings Act, Chakraborty said.

Gomes and Sutrisno also asked the search committee to be prepared to answer candidate questions. Those could relate, they said, to why the position is open, what success for an executive director looks like, the biggest challenge of the role, staff morale or anticipated changes to the organization.

Second-round interviews are anticipated in early February.

Some Oak Park residents frustrated by new Field Rec Center plan

The Park District of Oak Park held a design competition for the project

By LUZANE DRAUGHON Staff Reporter

Some Oak Park residents have expressed concern and frustration about the proposed new Field Recreation Center, chosen through a Park District of Oak Park design competition.

Residents and parents of children attending Horace Mann Elementary School in northwest Oak Park said they’re unhappy with the chosen location for the new center within the park. It’s now located near the center of Field Park against the western border. But the winning designer, Patrick Brown, opted to propose rebuilding the center in the northwest corner of the park

That could lead to loss of older trees and natural green space in that area, residents said, along with potentially creating a lack of visibility throughout the park that now allows parents to watch kids play independently. Residents also said they’re worried about potential increased traf fic.

Ann Marie Buczek, director of marketing and community engagement at the PDOP, said the park district is taking all feedback into account before moving forward. Residents can share their thoughts at a meeting 7 p.m. Jan. 21 at the Mann Elementary School, 921 N. Kenilworth Ave.

The proposal

The Field Center, 935 Woodbine Ave., was built in 1926. Brown’s proposal is to re place that structure and to construct a 4,600-square-foot facility in the northwest corner of Field Park. He wants to build a “natural play area” in addition to classroom space and a performance stage. His intention is to improve pick-up and dropof f access and visibility.

Brown is founder of ORG Inc., a Chicagobased architecture studio. He was chosen

from 26 submissions in the PDOP’s design competition, originally announced in ruary 2024. A jury of architects, designers and building exper ts helped select the winner in September 2024.

Residents were able to share feedback on the proposals with judges through a QR code at the Community Recreation Center between April 26, 2024, and May 5, 2024.

But some said they weren’ t aware of the competition or the opportunity to provide feedback until after the winner was announced.

Buczek said the PDOP chose to host the feedback opportunity at the CRC to reach the most residents in one place. The competition was communicated through PDOP channels, she said, including in newsletters, on social media, in press releases and in flyers posted in Field Park and other areas.

e exterior of the Field Recreation Center.

cation and the removal of the hill and the mature trees. It almost feels like the park district … weren’ t clear on how families in this community use the park space.”

Ideally, Buczek said, it should not impede that visibility. The landscape architect has assured them, she said, that sight lines for the park would still be clear

But re gular Field Park attendees said they weren’ t aware of the competition at the time, and didn’t see flyers.

Resident concerns

Jeff Schneider, an Oak Park resident with kids who play in Field Park, said the placement of the new center is his concern, not the design itself.

“The whole thing seems like it’s being forced and pushed forward by the park district board or whoever without, really, the community’s input,” he said. “The design, as it stands, is a gorgeous-looking building, but no one likes the placement.”

The center’s new location could take away some green space and trees in the area, Schneider said. Buczek said if any trees are removed during construction, the park district will plant two in re placement.

Erin Connor, an Oak Park parent living across from Field Park, said the area is a great, safe park for families where kids can play independently. But she said the design eliminates a hill in the northwest corner that’s the “heartbeat” of the park.

“I’m not opposed to them building a new building, I’m not opposed to them using funding to do that,” she said. “It’s the lo-

Scott Drews, another longtime Oak Park resident, said he also opposes the new location for the Field Center and loss of green space in that northwest corner of the park

“It seems that losing the natural green space that is in the upper northwest corner for a building that’s double the size of the current one is a disproportionate expansion for a minimal benefit to the community,” he said.

The current building accommodates almost 30 kids, Buczek said, and there’s a waiting list of about 30 more.

Drews said the solution, in his mind, is to replace the current building in its existing location while also accommodating the increasing community demand for programming. But building a center in the new location could create a long-term impact in lack of green space.

“Why are we replacing a green space, which is inherently what a park is defined as, with a massive building and manufactured playground equipment?” he said.

Schneider also said he’s worried about safety. From any location now, he said parents can look across the park and see their children or pets playing. He said he’s worried the new location could create a blind spot. Connor echoed that concern.

Another concern is about potential increases in traffic in the area. Neighbors in that area said cars often blow through stop signs, a danger especially where kids are playing. But Buczek said the new center should not have an impact on traffic.

The idea is to increase participation in the after-school programs with a bigger Field Center, Buczek said. That means afterschool pickup congestion at Mann Elementary School could decrease, with more parents instead picking up their children later from the Field Center

“That traffic that some of the residents have talked about is the result of traffic coming and cutting through from Harlem and North [Avenue],” Buczek said, adding that the village may be conducting a traffic study in that area in 2025.

Some residents are concerned about the cost of the project, but Schneider said the park district has explained that it’s less cost effective to retrofit and upgrade the current building than building the new structure.

Drews said he’s not optimistic the PDOP will adequately respond to community concer ns.

COURTESY OF THE PARK DISTRICT OF OA K PARK

DEVELOPMENT

Just saying no

from page 1

was charged with considering. Citing the proposal’s scale, height, width, materials and façade as areas that overwhelmed the existing historic structure, he noted that the only area the proposal met the historic guidelines was in setback from the street.

Commissioner Amy Peterson noted that the massing and scale of the new building overwhelmed the existing historic structure, as did the proposed ornamentation.

Commissioner Asha Andriana said that not only were the design and scale of the proposed building overpowering for the existing building, but also that she didn’t see a compelling reason to vacate the guidelines for this development.

“We always talk about diversity in this town, especially when it comes to af fordability,” she said. “I don’t understand why

a luxury apar tment building, especially on top of this building, is something that needs to be done. As someone who lives in downtown Oak Park, all of the development around me has been luxury apar tment buildings.”

At the onset of the meeting, Village Urban Planner in Historic Preservation Atefa Ghaznawi said that since the last HPC meeting in December, during which the commission was introduced to the project, the village attorney determined that the proposed development met the requirements for a certificate of appropriateness and a COA would be required for the project to move forward.

At last week’s meeting, Schiess again introduced the project and noted that the design team had made several changes to the original proposal since the December meeting. One of these changes included reducing the height of the proposed addition from 124 feet to 115 feet. Cu rrent zoning restricts heights to 60 feet.

Schiess reiterated statements he made in December that the expiration of an historic tax freeze for the property was a driver behind the owner’s decision to build a 24unit residential unit behind the Boulevard Arcade property.

Andrew Elders, a for mer HPC commissioner and current resident of Pleasant Street, said that project did not meet the historic guidelines necessary for a certificate of appropriateness.

“It’s important to note we’re in an environment where the village board is not really supportive of historic preservation,” he added. “I can imagine this being appealed. If it’s allowed, I feel it should be limited to 60 feet in height.”

Josh Vandenberg, who is a candidate for Oak Park village trustee in the April election, was the lone commenter in support of the proposal. Citing his love for the Boulevard Arcade Building and the neighborhood, he stated that the thought the new building was “well-designed and tasteful” and entirely the right amount of density for downtown Oak Park

Others reached out to the HPC in advance of the meeting to voice their opposition to the proposal, including Kendra Parzen, advocacy manager for Landmarks Illinois. Parzen wrote in a letter to the Commission that Landmarks Illinois opposes the development and found it was not compatible with the Village of Oak Park’s architectural review guidelines.

“The proposed addition is placed at the rear of the property, in keeping with preservation best practices, but its proposed height will overpower the historic building when viewed from the street,” Parzen wrote. “The ‘dynamic uplighting’ and digital clock face will intentionally draw attention to the addition over the historic building. The metal panels proposed for the new addition are incompatible with the finish materials of the historic building.”

According to village architectural review guidelines and historic preservation ordinance, if a ce rt ificate of appropriateness is not i ssued the applicant c an submit a revised application that c onforms to the guidelines, request a public hearing before the c ommission or withdraw the application.

If the COA is denied after a public hearing, the applicant can appeal to the Village Board or, if applicable, request a public hearing before the HPC for a certificate of economic hardship.

When asked what the next steps might be for him and his client, Schiess said in an email: “We heard the HPC and the neighbors. We are considering what they said and our next steps.”

The meeting was well attended, with than a dozen individuals voicing opposition to the project, speaking against the height, design and materials of the proposal.

bert Royals, a neighbor of the proposed project and Oak Park resident since 1981, cited his experience in construction, finance and real estate when he said he was “not opposed to development, but was vehemently opposed to this project.”

Bill Bower, resident of the Opera Club on Marion Street that is adjacent to the proposed site, said that he had gathered more than 70 signatures on a petition against the proposed building. Noting that the proposfails to meet historic guidelines in size and material, he stated that it was “more befitting to a speakeasy in Pottersville than a structure in Oak Park.”

ral other concerned neighbors cited the precedent that would be set by ignoring historic guidelines, with Rick Van Dy warning of a “dangerous domino effect” that would be hard to retract if the proposal was approved.

Diane Connolly said she moved to Oak recently because of the human scale of the village and the historic neighbo hood character.

“Is one owner’s self-reported financial problem worth disre garding historical guidelines?” she asked.

River Forest needs better community engagement, residents say

‘Neighborhood Dialogues’ feedback shows a disconnect between policy and public understanding

By ROBERT J. LIFKA Contributing Reporter

Although River Forest officials said they believe they are doing a good job of communicating with residents, a presentation on key findings from the village’s neighborhood dialogues program given at the Jan. 13 Village Board meeting indicates they need to do more

As Rick Jasculca, who led the program said, “There’s a difference between communication and engagement,” especially when it applies to economic development.

Jasculca, owner of Chicago-based JT Strategic Communications, a public af fairs firm, who has lived in the village for 50 years, and James Chase, vice president at JT Strategic Communications, facilitated seven neighbor dialogue sessions that each were attended by between five and 15 residents between September and November. Six of the sessions were held in residents’ homes and the seventh in the Community Center. Five were held in the south end of

the village, the original target area for the program, with the others each held in midvillage and the nor th end.

“Right or wrong, true or not, one universal view consistently expressed at all of the dialogues is that the village has a flawed process for selecting future development concepts and developers,” Jasculca said in a memo to Matt Walsh, village administrator, and Jessica Spencer, assistant village administrator, who also attended the sessions. “And when we suggested at one dialogue that you ‘can’t completely democratize the selection of projects and developers’ because of all the complex factors that determine viability, there still was an overwhelming sense that residents must be given a significantly greater opportunity to view concepts and developer proposals much earlier in advance of public hearings and trustee voting.”

In response to a question from Trustee Bob O’Connell re garding the village’s development process and comprehensive plan, Walsh said it did not appear at the

beginning of each session that attendees understood either and that he and Spencer attempted to explain.

Walsh also endorsed a suggestion from Trustee Lisa Gillis that officials make it easier for residents who are interested to understand the comprehensive plan.

“It’s clear that residents don’t understand,” village President Cathy Adduci said. “Up front, we need more engagement with residents.”

“Residents emphasized that they are not anti-development,” Jasculca said Jan. 13. “They want to have an infor med and productive role in partnership with village leaders.

“They generally acknowledged that the village is operating under constraints of market conditions and must respond to developers’ needs but residents just want a better understanding of those issues.”

Jasculca said “virtually everyone” talked about public safety, mostly about traffic, speeding and parking, especially those living near Madison Street, Lake Street and Washington Boulevard.

Re garding the vacant property at Madison and Ashland Avenue, Jasculca said in the memo that attendees indicated a desire to see something that residents can use such as a restaurant or indoor recreation center. There also was “widespread and consistent opposition” to any sort of highrise buildings.

Re garding the stalled development project at Lake and Lathrop Avenue, he said it is “very clear” that many residents have a “trust issue” because of what happened.

“We heard ve ry few p eople express displeasure about the development c oncept at La ke and Lathrop,” he said. “But pretty much everyone who we ighed in on La ke and Lathrop pointed to wh at they b eli eve was a fl awed process for selecting a developer.”

Walsh said notes from each individual dialogue would be published on the village website this week, although all comments will be anonymous according to an ag reement with attendees to foster more open conversation.

Body camera footage in Oak Park Det. Reddins’ death released

Five clips show how the incident unfolded outside Oak Park Public Library

By LUZANE DRAUGHON and ERIKA HOBBS Staff Reporter

Oak Park has released footage from the body-worn cameras of five police officers and sergeants who were on the scene last Nov. 29, the day Det. Allan Reddins was shot and killed in the line of duty.

The five officers, including Reddins, were on the scene as Reddins defended himself from a shooter on Lake Street.

The videos show how Oak Park police approached a potential shooter and illustrate how patrols from Oak Park and nearby villages rushed to the shooting scene that was over in about five minutes.

According to police, Chicago resident Jerell Thomas entered Chase Bank on that day, where he was approached by a manager who thought he was acting suspiciously. Thomas

HOMELESSNESS

from page 3

pandemic, Schueler said, there was a significant infusion of funds keeping people in housing. But those resources aren’t there anymore.

To help diminish the increase in individuals experiencing homelessness, Schueler said increased production of af fordable housing as well as increased housing density is needed. But such projects take time to get financed and zoned.

Housing Choice Vouchers from local housing authorities are also key, Schueler said. This program, commonly known as Section 8, is a federal initiative in which a family or individual typically pays 30% of their monthly income toward rent and

FIELD CENTER

from page 6

“The decision we make now is ir reversible,” he said. “Our community deserves a thoughtful solution.”

PDOP plans

The park district held meetings in Oc-

displayed a gun and left. Oak Park police were contacted.

The earliest video begins at 9:34 a.m., and shows Reddings parking near the library while a dispatcher described Thomas as wearing “khakicolored blue jeans, white shoes walking toward Oak Park library.” Reddins and another officer, Sgt. Manny Ruiz Jr., were among the first to approach Thomas near the Oak Park Public Library on Lake Street. Ruiz asked to speak with Thomas, who asked how Ruiz is doing. Thomas started reaching into his jacket.

Reddins yelled to Thomas not to reach for his gun, saying “Don’t reach, bro. Don’t reach. Keep your hands up.” Ruiz also

utilities and a housing authority, like the Oak Park Housing Authority, pays the remainder to the property owner. Income restrictions typically apply.

“Additional rental assistance dollars are needed because that’s going to be a much quicker response to trying to get somebody from an unhoused situation to a housed situation,” she said. “That’s the most expeditious route.”

Housing Forward’s e orts

The nonprofit monitors data on the unhoused population on a re gular basis, Schueler said, analyzing trends monthly.

As of Jan. 9, 89 individuals were on Housing Forward’s waitlist for shelters.

The growing unhoused population and need for resources prompted Housing Forward to ask Oak Park for about $800,000 to

tober and December discussing the Field Center plan, hearing resident opposition. Schneider also said PDOP Executive Director Jan Arnold reached out to some attendees to discuss concerns fur ther.

Buczek said October was the first time the PDOP heard ne gative feedback about the proposal. Since then, the landscap e architect on the project was able to present potential alterations to the project.

T hose alterations could include building the new center in relatively the same

warned Thomas not to reach.

Thomas’ sister had reported to Chicago police the gun in Thomas’ possession, a .40 caliber pistol, stolen a few days prior to the shooting. Reddins backed up, pointing his gun, as Thomas walked toward him and Ruiz.

At 9:35 a.m. a gunshot was fired Reddins fell. Thomas started to flee At about that time, Oak Park Officer Michael Kelly and Sgt. Der rick Verge raced to the scene. According to a video, an officer shouts for Thomas to drop his weapon, but Thomas is heard yelling back at police

A minute later, Oak Park Officer Miguel Bar rera took cover behind a police car on Lake Street and fired four times.

Within two minutes, Verge, the last to

help expand street outreach and expedite housing matches. The village board has not yet decided how or if to provide those funds, but they could help prevent bottlenecks in the system.

At the property for merly known as The Write Inn, where Housing Forward temporarily shelters individuals and families experiencing homelessness through interim housing and medical respite, the average stay is about 100 days longer than it was in 2024, Schueler said. Now it’s upwards of 270 days, she said.

“We don’t have sufficient resources to more rapidly resolve somebody’s situation,” she said.

Their goal, Schueler said, is to rehouse people in 90 days.

“But when you don’t have those housing resources at the end, those are very difficult decisions,” she said. “We don’t want

location as the current one. But Drews said he felt Arnold and other park district officials were advocating more so for the original plan.

T he park district board will have the final say.

Another meeting on the topic is scheduled at 7 p.m. Jan. 21 at the Mann Elementary School, 921 N. Kenilworth Ave. Schneider said he’s felt li ke the PDOP response has been “‘Sorry community, we hear you, but we’re not listening to you.’”

arrive on the scene, approached the library from the east. He shot twice, striking Thomas in the leg.

After that, Thomas, who was handcuffed by police, can be seen in body camera footage on the ground with at least five officers standing in the vicinity. The police officers applied a tour niquet to his right leg and retrieved Thomas’ gun from under a nearby bench. Thomas was charged with first-de gree murder for Reddins’ death. According to ABC7 Chicago, Thomas is due back in court in March.

Reddins was honored by friends, family and colleagues during a wake and a funeral in December 2024.

Oak Park officials suggest interested parties contact the village via email at village@oak-pa rk.us for more information or to access the footage.

somebody returning back to the streets. That doesn’t resolve anything.”

And on the federal level, Schueler said she doesn’t know what could happen. Funding could be cut and less resources could mean another spike in homelessness. U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s allies have said they want to move billions in federal homelessness funding from housing to treatment for drug addiction and mental illness, according to NPR.

But those aren’t the only contributing factors to homelessness. Natural disasters, job struggles, domestic violence or loss of support systems are just a few other ways someone could come to experience homelessness.

“The entire system needs to work better together,” Schueler said. “We need to have more housing resources.”

“The biggest concern that we have is that residents perhaps don’ t feel that we’re listening, we are listening,” Buczek said. “[The board is] committed to developing a plan that meet needs of all of our community.”

It’s unclear whether or not work on the Field Center will still begin this summer, as originally planned, but Buczek said the goal is to continue along the same timeline. T he PDOP must first reach consensus on a path forward.

ALLAN REDDINS

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10. START WITH A PLAN, NOT A HEART ATTACK.

It took my husband Mike’s heart attack to force us to recognize the need for having an estate plan. Not smart. You are smarter than that. Create an estate plan today.

9. CHOOSE A NAME, DON’T PLAY THE ODDS. Mike and I played the odds, fingers crossed our kids would make it to adulthood without needing a guardian. We got lucky. Don’t leave it up to chance. Be smart, choose a guardian and write it in a will.

8. DRAFT IT, EQUAL IS NOT ALWAYS FAIR If you die without an estate plan (in Illinois) the law will divide your assets equally among your kids. The law does not care that you paid all the college tuition for your oldest child and none yet for your youngest. Be smart draft an estate plan to make things fair.

7. DRAFT IT, INHERITANCE BEGINS AT 18 The law does not care that you have a child that really, really likes fast expensive cars. Without an estate plan, that child would inherit ALL of his share of your assets at 18 years old, no questions asked. Yikes, create an estate plan today.

6. ESTATE PLANNING CAN BE SEXY It has been my experience that couples strengthen their relationship when they create an estate plan. Celebrate an anniversary by creating an estate plan.

5. BUILD PERSONAL CONNECTION

Knowing that a person legally agrees to be available for you when you need them most (at your incapacity) is comforting and increases human connection. Fight loneliness, increase connection, create an estate plan.

4. SIGN A FORM, MAKE COLLEGE EASY Our college kids are adults in the eyes of health care privacy law. Create a family estate plan with young adult health care powers of attorney and HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) privacy waivers to allow you to be informed in a child’s medical emergency.

3. PUT PROBATE COURT OUT OF BUSINESS An estate plan can eliminate the need for your family to endure the expense and headache of going to court to inherit your assets.

2. THERE IS 100% CHANCE YOU ARE GOING TO DIE SOMEDAY Be good to yourself and your family. Create an estate plan.

1. HOP A RIDE ON THE ESTATE PLANNING ESCALATOR It has never been easier to create an estate plan than today. Three meetings, two of which can be done on video, and bam, you have an estate plan!

If you are persuaded by this list to create an estate plan, contact me today.

CRIME

Burglar breaks into Amelié Café, steals co ee machines

Between 11:30 a.m. Jan. 8 and about 8 p.m. Jan. 9 someone entered Amelié Café at 103 S. Oak Park Ave. by drilling a lock on the rear door. The person stole an espresso machine, coffee bean grinder and drip coffee machine. The estimated damage and loss are $8,600.

Criminal damage to property

Between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Jan. 9, someone slashed the front passenger tire to an Oak Park resident’s 2020 Chevrolet Traverse on the 1100 block of South East Avenue. The estimated loss is $100.

Burglary

Someone broke the front passenger side window of a Hoffman Estates’ resident black 2015 Toyota Corolla around 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Jan. 6 on the 900 block of Lake Street. The person stole a projector from the floorboard of the passenger seat. The estimated loss and damage is $330.

Motor vehicle theft

Between 8:30 a.m. and 10:20 a.m. Jan. 8, someone stole an Oak Park resident’s unlocked white 2021 Toyota Sienna van on the 300 block of North Kenilworth Avenue. The estimated loss is unknown.

Retail theft

At 7:40 p.m. Jan. 9, a man stole six to eight bottles of Cazadores Tequila from the Jewel-Osco at 7036 Roosevelt Road. He was last seen walking eastbound. The estimated loss is $155.94.

Arrests

theresa.clancy@theresaclancylaw.com

■ A 50-year-old Chicago man was arrested at 11 a.m. Jan. 6 in Chicago for battery to a Cicero resident which occurred Nov. 16, 2024, on the 700 block of Van Buren Street. He was given a citation and notice to appear.

■ A 40-year-old Oak Park woman was arrested at 6:50 p.m. Jan. 6 on the 400 block of North Austin Boulevard for domestic battery to an Oak Park resident which occur red Oct. 17, 2024. She was transported to bond hearings.

■ A 55-year-old Evergreen Park man was arrested 11:12 a.m. Jan. 6 at Target at 1129 W. Lake St. for retail theft and criminal trespass. He also had an active Cook County warrant for criminal trespass. He was transported to bond hearings.

■ A 19-year-old Broadview man was arrested at 4:04 p.m. Jan. 7 in Chicago after being identified as the person who used a semi-automatic handgun in an armed robbery on the Blue Line train platform on the 700 block of South Austin Boulevard. He was held for bond hearings.

These items were obtained from Oak Park Police Department re ports dated Jan. 6 – 10 and re present a portion of the incidents to which police responded. Anyone named in these re ports has only been charged with a crime and cases have not yet been adjudicated. We re port the race of a suspect only when a serious crime has been committed, the suspect is still at large, and police have provided us with a detailed physical description of the suspect as they seek the public’s help in making an arrest.

Compiled by Luzane Draughon

IN MEMORIA M

Helen Robinson remembered as ‘mom to the community

She founded Robinson’s Ribs along with her husband, Charlie

By DEBORAH BAYLISS Contributing Reporter

Family, friends and the wider Oak Park community are mourning the loss of Robinson’s Ribs matriarch, Helen Grace Robinson who died Dec. 20.

She leaves behind her le gacy of building Robinson’s Ribs with her husband, Charlie Robinson, into the iconic brand it is today Family members said she also left an indelible imprint on generations of Oak Park residents she mentored.

Eight hundred or so family members, friends and others packed the First Baptist Church of Oak Park Jan. 3 to pay their last respects.

“She’s been a cheerleader for us, for me, for 53 years,” Charlie Robinson told the Wednesday Journal. “I have a lot of memories. We met in high school and graduated together in 1968 from Quitman County High School in Marks, Mississippi. I went to a liberal arts private colle ge in Nebraska and she went to a small colle ge, as well, in Clarksdale, Mississippi. I was on a basketball scholarship, and she was on an academic scholarship.”

The high school sweethearts, married June 5, 1971, had three children, Spencer, Cordell, and Christal Gail Robinson. They left Mississippi that same year to start a new life in Oak Park.

Following their relocation, Helen began a career at Pretzel & Stouffer Law Firm where she remained there for many years before Robinson’s Ribs’ debut in April 1983, at which point she started working at the restaurant alongside Charlie.

Despite the demanding hours working full-time at Robinson’s as she and Char-

lie worked to grow the business, Helen used her multitasking skills to make sure her family never skipped a meal and that she never missed her children’s sporting events or family outing s.

Helen also ser ve d as an E astern S tar, a charitable nonprofit associated with Masonr y.

And as an active member of First Baptist Church in Oak Park for 44 years, Helen coordinated many events and programs, including the annual Gospel Fest sponsored by Robinson’s Ribs, something that became a crowd favorite.

“It’s been a long journey, “ Charlie Robinson said. “I cherish all those memories and that’s what I live on now.”

Charlie Robinson said that about 850 guests showed up at the church last week –so many attendees that there was standing room only.

An outpouring of support was also shown on social media. Ade Onayemi, for example, shared on the Take Out 25 Face-

book page: “My condolences to Mr. Charlie Robinson and the Robinson family. Mrs. Robinson was a wonderful lady with a warm and gentle personality. She will be missed.”

Cordell Robinson, the middle-born of the three siblings, told the Wednesday Journal his mother had an impact on the Oak Park community.

“When we moved to Oak Park, I was in kindergarten,” Cordell Robinson said. “I’m 52 years old now. When we moved here, my mom became part of the community. I remember joining the First Baptist Church of Oak Park. We were probably the first Black family in the church.”

Cordell added that his mother stepped in as a mother to all of his friends.

“My friends had single mothers and didn’t have a dad around,” he said. “I had a mom and a dad around, so my mom was like a mom to all of my friends and kind of became a mom to a lot of the kids around the community.

“She was not only a mother to me, my brother and sister but to a lot of the kids who grew up in the Oak Park area and to some of the Chicago kids who worked in the restaurant. She kind of changed their thoughts and changed their lives where they could go on and do great things in their lives.”

He said that as they got older, they started working at Robinson’s Ribs, and once his mom started full-time, she was the one everyone could go to with their problems.

“I always saw somebody in my mom’s office,” Cordell recalled. “She was doing more than helping out in the business. She was the person who could calm you down and help relieve you of your pain or whatever you were going through. She definitely was the person you could talk to.”

Helen Robinson’s father, Ezra Towner, Sr., was a Baptist preacher, and her mother, Ida Mae Green Towner, a housewife who also provided for their family.

Helen Robinson is survived by five grandchildren, Brittany, Breauna, Chase, Kendall, Kennedy Grace; and great-granddaughter, Brielle; five sisters, Viola, Elizabeth, Earline, Vergia, and Joyce; and two brothers, Rev. Ezra Towner Jr. and Gary (Barnell) Towner.

She also is survived by four sisters-inlaw, Earnestine, Ann, Shirley, and Lizzie; one brother-in-law, Jimmie Robinson; special ne phew, Eric Pride; and niece, Marvis Boyd along with numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.

In a tribute to Helen, Charlie wrote: “In life I loved you dearly, in death I love you still. In my heart you hold a place no other one can fill.”

COURTESY OF THE ROBINSON FAMILY

Charlie and Helen working the grill.

COURTESY OF THE ROBINSON FAMILY

Helen Grace Robinson

(in

Tom

Tom

Call

More “I’ll be there.”

Less “Where have you been?”

As you get older, your risk of serious illness from flu, COVID-19, and RSV is

More “I’ll be there.”

As you get older, your risk of serious illness from flu, COVID-19, and RSV is higher. Vaccines bring your risks down, so you can keep showing up. vaccines.gov

More “I’ll be there.”

More “I’ll be there.”

Less “Where have you been?”

Less “Where have you been?”

Less “Where have you been?”

As you get older, your risk of serious illness from flu, COVID-19, and RSV is higher. Vaccines bring your risks down, so you can keep showing up. vaccines.gov

As you get older, your risk of serious illness from flu, COVID-19, and RSV is higher. Vaccines bring your risks down, so you can keep showing up. vaccines.gov

As you get older, your risk of serious illness from flu, COVID-19, and RSV is higher. Vaccines bring your risks down, so you can keep showing up. vaccines.gov

More “I’ll be there.”

Less “Where have you been?”

Wright Plus 2025: Annual housewalk returns to South Oak Park Homes

By LACEY SIKORA Contributing Reporter

Oak Park’s famous housewalk, Wright Plus, returns Saturday, May 17. The walk, which showcases homes designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and his contemporaries, is returning to south Oak Park for the first time since 1997.

“We’re very excited to showcase these homes that a lot of our typical guests haven’t had the chance to see,” said Christine Trevino, digital communications manager with the Frank Lloyd Wright Trust.

Trevino also said that the entrance to the Unity Temple will be included as part of the walk.

“This is a great way for guests to start their day before heading out to see the houses,” she said.

Unity Temple hours will be limited to Saturday mor ning This year’s walk includes three homes designed by Wright. The Harry and Louisa Goodrich House was designed in 1896. Wright remodeled the house in 1908. The current owners have completed a painstaking restoration of the home, which gar nered them a village Historic Preservation Award in 2015.

The William E. and Winifred Martin House was designed by Wright in 1903 for the president of the Martin

and Martin Stove Polish Company. Wright later designed a home for William’s brother Darwin Martin and the headquarters for his new company, the Larkin Company, in Buffalo, NY.

Appearing for the first time on Wright Plus is the George and Lucy Smith II House, designed by W 1898. The Shingle-style home , which Wednesday featured in August (https://ow.ly/iV8x50UCfaw) has cently been restored

Trevino said she thinks there will be a lot of interest in the Shingle style house.

“It’s been a while since we’ve had a Wright home that’s never been on the walk before,” she said. “There’s huge interest in seeing the house, and the owners have an incredible job with it.”

Also new to Wright Plus is the Samford S. and Grace Vaughn House. It is next door to the George Smith II house and was designed by E. E. Roberts in 1898.

Trevino said that the Vaughn house also was renovated.

“It’s very interesting to have two homes with recent rations right next to each other. It’s really fun to see the pair and see what it’s like to renovate historic homes like these

See WRIGHT PLUS PREVIEW on pa ge 14

FRANK LLOY D WRIGHT TRUST/JAMES CAULFIELD

William E. and Winifred Martin House (Frank Lloyd Wright, 1903)

Harr y C. and Louisa Goodrich House (Frank Lloyd Wright, 1896)

FRANK LLOY D WRIGHT TRUST/JAMES CAULFIELD George W. and Lucy Smith I House (1894)

WRIGHT PLUS PREVIE W

Hot tickets

from page 13

Two other homes are also new to Wright Plus. The E.E. and Ina Andrews House was designed by Charles E. White Jr. in 1905 in a style influenced by the Prairie style.

The John and Anna Shapcott/ John and Margaret Coumbe House was designed by E.E. Roberts in 1905, and legend has it that John and Anna Shapcott gifted the home to their daughter Margaret when she married John Coumbe.

The walk is rounded out with two more homes: the Vernon W. and Mary Skif f House designed by Nimmons & Fellows in 1909 and the George W. and Lucy Smith I House, built in 1894.

Trevino pointed out that the George Smith I House was

Wright Plus, there are many new methods available for researchers and their sources, like the Oak Park and rest History Museum.

“There’s always something new to discover about these homes,” she said, adding that Wright Plus researchers always ask the homeowners if there is something particular that they’d like to know about their home’s history.

Every year, guests travel from other states and other countries to attend Wright Plus, and Trevino said that a lot of visitors are local, too. For locals who might have glimpsed renovations and restorations while driving or local homes, Wright Plus can be the perfect time to see inside an architecturally-significant home.

“Were you curious about what was going on inside? Now’s the time.” she said.

Ticket and packages

Tickets for Wright Plus are available now at: https:// flwright.org/wright-plus.

General tickets are $130 or $95 for trust members. A limited number of Fast Pass tickets are available for $600 or $565 for Trust members. Fast pass ticket holders are given priority access to houses the day of the walk. For those looking for a fuller experience, there are two packages available. Ultimate Saturday tickets for $1,375 or $1,225 for trust members let ticket holders enjoy an entire day. Ultimate Saturday ticketholders receive fast-pass entry to the homes on the walk, a lunch at the Nineteenth Century Club in Oak Park and a dinner in an architecturally-significant home catered by an acclaimed chef Ultimate Plus Weekend packages are available for $2,675 or $2,525 for trust members. These packages include all of the perks of the Ultimate Saturday tickets, a Friday excursion to tour the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed F.B. Henderson House in Elmhurst and the Walter Burley Griffin-designed William H. Emery House, as well as a private tour of the Mayslake Peabody Estate in Oak Brook. The package also includes hotel accommodations and breakfast on Sunday following the walk.

Want to get involved?

The Trust relies on hundreds of volunteers to make the Wright Plus weekend run smoothly. If you’d like to get involved, Trevino said that there are many volunteer opportunities. A survey gauging interest will be sent out in March, and those who are interested can sign up at the Wright Plus volunteer page: https://flwright.org/support/volunteer-opportunities

George W. and Lucy Smith II House (Frank Lloyd Wright, 1898)

E.E. and Ina Andrews House (Charles E. White Jr., 1905)

DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS IS FRIDAY 5 P.M.

Call Viewpoints editor Ken Trainor at 613-3310

ktrainor@wjinc.com

Jimmy Carter’s journey of redemption

Jimmy Car ter was elected President in 1976 just one year after the U.S. was defeated in the American War in Vietnam and two years after President Nixon resigned the presidency. Carter seemed to offer the possibility of forgiveness and redemption for our tor tured American soul following the morally painful 12 years of death and destruction in Southeast Asia where over 58,000 U.S. troops and 3 million Vietnamese died. His first executive action as President was to grant amnesty to the estimated 60-100 thousand war resisters and deserters who had fled to Canada, Sweden, and other nations.

Carter exhibited qualities I admired as a teacher in the first years of my long career. He articulated a version of the Christian social gospel and demonstrated personal piety. After hesitating early in his political life to embrace the Civil Rights Movement and an end to se gregation, Carter broke with other Southern Democratic governors, including Alabama’s rabid segregationist George Wallace, and became an ally for Black freedom.

One View

The President was also a strong advocate for education, creating the Department of Education and increasing funding for the Head Start early education program for children in poverty. In brokering a lasting peace accord in 1979 between Egypt and Israel, Carter foreshadowed the inter national peace and fair election work the Carter Center would later pursue.

Unfortunately, the global goodwill so many hoped for and saw from Carter with the Egypt/Israel peace treaty did not expand while he was president. Instead, Carter accelerated the nuclear arms race with the Soviet Union, resumed the imperial side of U.S. global power, and set in motion wars and death that his successors would accelerate right to the present.

Carter initiated U.S. military suppor t for repressive governments and sur ro gate warfare in El Salvador, Nicaragua, and other Central American countries, committing tens of millions in aid and weapons to support brutally re pressive re gimes that resulted in the death of 83,000 in El Salvador and 50,000 in Nicaragua — proportionate to over 3 million deaths in the U.S. Then in the ’80s President Reagan, in violation of congressional law, secretly funded, trained, and armed the Contra Ar my to overthrow the leftist Nicaraguan gover nment — a foreign poli cy military and human rights crime, known as the Iran-Contra Scandal. In 1979, Carter proclaimed the Carter Doctrine, which aggressively protected U.S. national interests in the Middle East — especially vital oil supplies. The doctrine became the foreign poli cy consensus for American wars for the next 40 years in the Middle East and Western Asia.

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Detective Reddins made a di erence

Aprofound sadness came over me these past several weeks after the murder of Oak Park Police Detective Allan Reddins. I did not know him personally, but I know his dedication; he served the residents of Oak Park. When I first heard the news, I called all my adult children and police officers in suburban Chicago. I told them the news myself.

I found out that one of my sons had assisted Oak Park police at Loyola Hospital with the situation at the emergency room. The news was devastating.

illegal guns, ghost guns, and firearms that are legitimately owned by individuals lawfully. They are killed with weapons across the board.

One View

Growing up in the Oak Park-River Forest area, attending Saint Luke Catholic Grade School, Oak Park and River Forest High School, and eventually going on to Triton Colle ge before attending Lewis University in Romeoville, my ties to the Oak Park-River Forest area are strong.

I feel compelled to write this op-ed in honor of the 342 police officers shot in the line of duty and 52 officers killed (shot or stabbed) in the line of duty in 2024. Since my retirement as Chief of Police from Riverside, I have served as an Illinois ambassador through the National Law Enforcement Of ficers Memorial Fund in Washington D.C.; I assist departments with officer safety, wellness, and line-of-duty deaths.

Police officers are under attack in America. The number of police officers shot is on the rise; ambush shootings where police officers are the victims are skyrocketing; officers have been murdered just sitting in their squad cars; and, of course, officers are murdered in the line of duty responding to calls.

Just this past week, I’ve reached out to the Oak Park Police Department, Cook County Department of Cor rections, and the Illinois State Police, who have all lost officers killed in the line of duty this year, to see how I could personally assist them on behalf of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund. While it is incredibly sad and sometimes challenging to do volunteer work, it is work I am honored to do.

I was deeply distraught this week when the following event happened after the death of Oak Park Det. Allan Reddins. I was standing in line, ready to purchase coffee at my favorite coffee location, as I often do. The couple in front of me, two females, were openly discussing their frustration about having to wait in traffic for over 20 minutes because of Det. Reddins’ funeral procession. One of the woman said she was late to work because of it, and the other said she was tremendously inconvenienced. I could not help but let them know what the procedures are for police of ficers killed in the line of duty. I explained that whatever minor inconvenience they may have had, the funeral procession was their way to honor his service to the village of Oak Park and his life and profession.

Every officer who is sworn into service knows that there is a possibility of being shot or killed in the line of duty. However, that is remote. Or, at least, I used to think it was. The growing rate of violence directed toward police officers in the form of firearms is alarming. Without getting into a debate on gun re gulation, police officers are killed in the line of duty with stolen guns,

I did this politely, but they just blew me of f. That was a sad moment and leads me to believe that the public does not understand the profession of policing. The funeral ceremony of Det. Reddins was just one small way we could pay tribute to a man who gave his life for his community.

Oak Park has long had a re putation as a very progressive community. It is an exceedingly tricky community to police in; that is no secret. The police have many individuals, businesses, political factions, and advocates to please in Oak Park. But in this case, they all came together to

THOMAS WEITZEL

JOHN DUFFY

ALLAN REDDINS

e unhoused’s future

Less than a week from a second Trump administration, the arrival of the 2024 Point-in-Time-Count of unsheltered individuals in suburban Cook County is especially relevant. Federal support of housing initiatives for the unhoused has been strong during the Biden administration. Considerable federal funds were also available for such ef for ts through the COVID relief ef forts. Locally, the last of that money is about to be spent.

Housing support is one of those critical intersections where federal support and local solutions meet. If federal support withers under a Trump administration, the ability to bring innovative and lasting solutions to those in need will suffer greatly.

In our area, the leading provider of housing solutions across the continuum from an overnight shelter to all varieties of lasting support is Housing Forward. Lynda Schueler, chief executive officer, believes the increase in the unhoused in our specific communities is greater than the over night count from last January, captured in the wider Cook area. She pegs an increase of about 18% from 2023 to 2024 for Housing Forward’s service area, higher than the 12.5% increase reflected in the full suburban Cook re gion. That 18% would align with the re ported increase in the unhoused nationally.

We are for tunate to have an organization as resourceful as Housing Forward doing this work for our communities, and the ef fort benefits from community leaders who actively support their work. Challenging days ahead.

Betty White forever

Yes, we’re in a moment when we are more likely to send an email or a text than a first-class letter. Still and all, when it comes to being made immortal, having your image on a United States Postal Service stamp is a good way to go. Right up there with perpetual Golden Girls reruns.

Betty White, born in Oak Park in 1922, will get the full stamp treatment this spring as the USPS unveils her stamp in late March in whatever is left standing of Los Angeles. There will be a secondary event right here in Oak Park’s lovely Art Deco main post office.

The Jour nal celebrated White’s 100th birthday two years ago with an event and a special section. That’s because even though she lived here for only a short time, White claimed Oak Park as her home through her long and worthy life. She visited the village many times through the mid-1960s to spend time with her aunt and uncle and paternal grandparents who lived on the 200 block of North Taylor She considered that to be the family home.

We’re always happy to have a way to claim Betty White. Her career in TV comedy goes back to early days. Don’t overlook Life with Elizabeth. She was a hilarious presence on game shows and was married to a game show host. And her passion for saving animals was sincere and effective.

So buy a Betty White stamp and send a letter to a long-lost friend.

Living on the edge of a Black Hole

Nations make mistakes. Hopefully they learn from them. When we elected Donald Trump the first time, we f***ed up — in a big way. Electing Trump a second time is altogether different. It means we didn’t learn our lesson.

How do we live in such a country?

Like many of you, perhaps, I spent the last eight years living on the edge of my seat, the first four years hoping Trump would be thrown out of office, which he was, eventually — in 2020 by a record number of voters. Then I spent the next four years on the edge of my seat hoping the criminal would be held accountable by our system of justice. I also hoped the American people would recognize competent leadership when they experience it, and start putting their faith in gover nment again.

In the morning (or middle of the night) I read uplifting poetry from one of James Crews’ wonderful anthologies and keep a small notebook on my nightstand with a pencil for wee-hour scribblings, mostly unrelated to politics. But the other night I scribbled this:

We live in two worlds now This World and That World

In This World I find truth, meaning, kindness, understanding, hope, beauty, relevance, significance, laughter, sympathy, warmth, emotional intelligence, courage, momentary bliss, fellowship, reciprocity, equality and quality, decency, respect, re gard, consideration, partnership, mutuality, acceptance, consolation, interconnection, sharing, ministry, mission, memory, imagination, intercession, intervention, invention, and grandchildren.

I learned that if you spend too much time on the edge of your seat, you’ ll end up sitting on the floor.

My hopes proved wildly unrealistic. In contrast to the low- and no-information voters who just retur ned Trump to power, I realized I had become an “overly infor med” voter (and emotionally over-involved). So I resolved to step back. My goal from now on is to be merely an informed voter (with vastly reduced expectations for my f***ed-up country).

The first thing I did was change my radio alarm from WBEZ to WFMT. Now I wake up each morning to beautiful music. My primary source of information comes from Heather Cox Richardson’s email newsletter, Letters From An American. She is a champion of democracy who provides much-needed historical context and far more detail about current events than mainstream media. I also scan Charlie Meyerson’s excellent Public Square email aggregation of daily news items To preserve my peace of mind, I rarely click on the links, but at least I know what’s being talked about. I have little use for pundits anymore, but I do enjoy The Borowitz Report, short Onion-esque satires from political comedian Andy Borowitz, which make me laugh.

And laughter is extremely important right now.

Not all clowns are funny, though. I pay no attention to our clown-in-chief ’s latest outrages. There is nothing left to learn that we don’t already know. I have the same regard for his antics as Satchel Paige had for fried food — which he avoided because “it angries up the blood.”

All of this has helped me to calm down and reset my priorities.

With the extra time I used to devote to “infor ming” myself, I now read page-tur ners by Michael Connelly about the exploits of Harry Bosch, Renee Ballard and Mickey Haller, which provide an education in how our justice system really works (and why it doesn’t).

In That World I find a Black Hole — of power and greed — from which no light escapes.

Maybe I’m being a little hard on That World, which also includes people who are valiantly resisting the do-badders. Jack Smith should get a Presidential Medal for his efforts to bring Trump to justice I admire the stalwarts and support their efforts when and where I can, but for now, my focus is on This World, which is where most of the good happens — here and in other This Worlds around the country. Jimmy Carter’s funeral reminded us that not everyone in That World is driven by power and greed. For the past four years, in fact, That World was an active partner supporting our ef forts. But on Jan. 20, That World will begin actively working against us, so we need a strateg y for how to live on the edge of a Black Hole.

We had one job: to excise the Trump tumor from the body politic once and for all. We flat-out failed. As a nation, as individuals, as institutions, we allowed the lies to overshadow and overwhelm the truth, aided by toxic social media and abetted by compromised, corporate, billionaire-run media

No one “possesses” the whole truth, but we do know this much: Racism and misogyny must be defeated. The economic playing field must be leveled. Climate change must be reversed. Those who abuse power to enrich themselves at our expense must be held to account. And we need to do more than tell the truth. We need to live it

I also believe this: Living the truth is its own reward, and living falsehood is its own punishment. I refuse to live a life of despair, and I trust you won’t either. If you’ve got other ideas on how to cope, please share them with us. We cannot get through this alone. This nation may be f***ed up, but 75 million of us voted for the Truth over Trump

Hold fast. Stay true.

KEN TRAINOR

SHRUB TO WN by Marc Stopeck

Trump’s answer to almost ever ything

Donald Trump does not give us many memorable phrases in his speeches, but his words after he was shot last summer were exceptionally bellicose and, frankly, odd. As he was being taken from the stage, he yelled “Fight, fight!” to his followers.

I was shocked. What did he mean? Who was he talking to? What are they/we supposed to do? Fight who? Fight what? Become vigilantes? Turn on each other?

MARY KAY O’GRADY

It’s hard to pin down exactly what he meant, but we can rely on the fact that his words are almost never appropriate for the situation. They’re also in sharp contrast to the words of President Jimmy Carter’s pleas for peace, which we heard in the wake of his death. Peace. Here. There. Now. As if Carter had actually thought about it Carter would never have yelled “Fight! Fight!” or referred to the gover nor of California as Gavin “Newscum.”

Carter pulled of f one of the biggest coups in American diplomacy when he brokered the Camp David Accords between Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin. Carter’s work led to the

historic peace treaty between Israel and Egypt in 1979 and saved countless lives. He joined presidents Obama, Wilson and Teddy Roosevelt, who also won the Nobel Peace Prize for their extraordinary work.

Now one of the largest cities in America is on fire and the words “Fight! Fight!” could be appropriate, but they’re superfluous in terms of the hundreds of firefighters who are “fighting” night and day, and the residents, shocked and exhausted, fighting to stay alive and safe and housed. Instead Trump resorts to namecalling with the Gover nor of California. Where are the words of encouragement and praise from our President-elect? (Good Lord, will we ever be rid of him?)

His go-to reaction in times of crisis, as usual, is blame and mean-spiritedness. He’s blaming the Mayor of Los Angeles and the Gover nor of California for this massive Climate Change conflagration. Is he nuts? How does he sleep at night?

I find this anonymous quotation fitting: “If you feel pain, you’ re alive. If you feel other people’s pain, you’ re a human being.”

WEDNESD AY

of Oak Park and River Forest

Viewpoints Guidelines

e goal of the Viewpoints section is to foster and facilitate a community conversation and respectful dialogue. Responsible community voices are vital to community journalism and we welcome them. Space is at a premium and readers’ attention is also limited, so we ask that Viewpoints submissions be brief. Our limit for letters to the editor is 350 words. For One View essays, the limit is 500 words. Shorter is better. If and when we have su cient space, we print longer submissions, but when space is limited — as it o en is — we may ask you to submit a shorter version or hold the piece until space allows us to print it.

We reser ve the right to edit submissions. We do not have time to allow the writer to review changes before publication. We also do not have time to do more than super cial fact-checking, and because of our national epidemic of misinformation and conspiracy theories, when writers include statistical evidence to support their opinions, we require them to include the source of that information, such as credible websites, print publications, titles of articles and dates published, etc. Be as speci c as possible so that we and our readers have some way of assessing the credibility of your claims. Links may also be included for the online version. We follow the Society of Professional Journalists’ code of ethics: seek the truth and report it and minimize harm. As a result, we will do our best not to publish pieces that espouse doubtful or debunked theories, demonstrate harmful bias, or cross the line into incivility. While we will do our best not to engage in censorship, we also do not intend to be used as a platform for misinformation. Your sources for fact-checking are a critical step in keeping the discourse honest, decent and respectful.

All submissions must include your rst and last name and the municipality in which you live, plus a phone number (for veri cation only). We do not publish anonymous letters. One View essays should include a sentence at the end about who you are.

If we receive your submission by 5 p.m. on Sunday, you can expect your opinion to be included in that week’s paper (and online), space permitting.

Pieces can be submitted through our online form at oakpark.com or directly to Viewpoints editor Ken Trainor, ktrainor@wjinc.com. For the latter, we prefer attached Word les or plain tex t included in the email.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

■ 350-word limit

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

‘ONE VIEW’ ESSAY

■ 500-word limit

■ One-sentence footnote about yourself and/or your connection to the topic

■ Signature details as at left

Criteria for candidate submissions to Viewpoints

We accept commentary from political candidates in Oak Park and River Forest as well as org anizers of ballot measures in those communities

Here is what we acce pt:

Policy statements that explain a candidate’s stance on local issues This includes concrete solutions to problems and honest assessments of challenges the community faces when a candidate takes office. Claims must be based on evidence. Sources must be cited

Here is what we don’t acce pt:

Fundraising appeals.

Attacks on other candidates. Fair contrasts in approach or ideology are OK; name-calling and spurious claims are not.

Half-truths, misinformation or lies. In that vein, anything published must be based in fact and be verifiable.

Press releases.

Here are our criteria:

Due to limited print space and to create balance among candidates (or ballot measure organizers) one commentary piece may be submitted ahead of the April 1 election.

No commentary pieces will be published in print or online one week ahead of the election. The election cutof f publication date is March 19.

Each piece must be no longer than 500 words. If they are longer, an editor will return the commentary for trimming.

Writers must include links to authoritative, independent sources for any claims made.

The editor reserves the right to edit for fair ness, clarity, grammar, style and length.

We cannot guarantee a specific publication date because of space limitations and the demands of editing each commentary. If your submission meets all of the requirements, your piece will be published online and in print in a timely manner.

Please note that space in print publications is limited, so we cannot publish all candidates’ submissions on the same day. Therefore, do not wait for the final deadline — plan ahead. We will not publish candidates’ commentary after the deadline if too many were submitted during that final week for print.

T he deadline for submission is: Sunday noon in order to be included in that week’s paper.

Please send your submissions to: Viewpoints Editor Ken Trainor, ktrainor@wjinc.com

Letters of support for candidates:

Supporters of candidates are likewise limited to one letter in favor of their candidate, no longer than 300 words. Group signatures are allowed. The shor ter letters will receive higher priority as the election gets closer and space becomes more of an issue. Candidate support letters must also comply with the no-trashing-of-the-opponent rule. Claims of fact must also be accompanied by cited sources. Letters of support will be published through the last Wednesday of March. If we do not have space to publish all of the letters in print, the remainder will be posted online at oakpark.com.

Trump’s ‘shoulda, woulda, coulda’

Well, here we are just a week or so short of Trump’s second inauguration and wondering what to do next. Trump has talked a lot about what he plans to do, what he will do and how he might do it. He’s talked about being a dictator for that very first day back in of fice and starting to change everything, including rules for citizenship and voting, appointing candidates to public office and civil service, and how America should treat its neighbors and its enemies. So I decided we all need to start making decisions as to what he should, would or could do during those first days For example, we need to ask ourselves: Should Trump use recess appointments for his cabinet members? Article II, Section 3 of the U.S. Constitution says that if the House of Re presentatives and the Senate disagree “with Respect to the Time of Adjournment,” the president “may adjourn them to such Time as he shall think proper.” Could Trump get his compliant Congress to “recess” and then appoint his contested cabinet members? Should he?

JEANNE

MAT THEWS One View

Should Trump end the right of birthright citizenship? Despite both the Constitution’s 14th Amendment, which says that “all persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States,” Trump has suggested he’d use executive action to ban birthright citizenship.

Should Trump privatize much of the U.S Civil Service? Congress, back in 1883 (152 years ago), put in place an independent civil service. Trump proposed a new Schedule F at the end of his first term to empower his administration to convert merit-based positions into politically-based positions, in other words, substituting political cronies for qualified merit-based federal

employees. Currently Trump has the power to nominate people to 4,000 political positions. Could he convert thousands of other positions that today are based on merit into those “political” jobs?

Should the USA reassert control over the Panama Canal? Trump threatened to reassert U.S. control over the canal, accusing Panama of charging excessive rates.

Should Trump change the name of the mountain “Denali” in Alaska to “Mt. McKinley” (which was its original name before it was changed to Denali)?

Should Trump rescind the Biden policy that partially limited immigration officials from entering churches and synagogues to arrest illegal aliens for mass deportation?

Should Trump seize Greenland if Denmark won’t sell it to us?

Is Trump right in saying “Many Canadians are in favor of becoming the USA’s 51st state?” Should he take steps to change the statehood rules and accept Canada into the USA?

Should Trump end Daylight Savings Time? Should Trump support Elon Musk’s ef for ts to “mainstream” the ultraconservative German Alternative für Deutschland (Alternative for Germany) political party, which is called “neoNazi” by many in Ger many.

You may think many of these “shoulda, woulda, coulda” calls border on the silly and inane, but there are some serious political considerations at play and pending changes to American democracy that could be gone forever. Now is the time to consider how to politically respond to the questions Trump himself is posing to all Americans.

Jeanné Schulte Matthews is an Oak Park resident.

A plea for pet-safe ice melt

My dog, Ziggy, is a 7ish-year-old rescue who came to me two years ago with many scars marring his little body. I was told he had rarely if ever been taken for walks in his previous life and would need to be leash trained. Walks are now his absolute favorite thing. I wish to protect him from any more harm and pain, and to fill the remainder of his life with the walks he so dearly loves. Trying to walk him in the winter, though, is like navigating a minefield. It is heart-breaking to see him trying to hold up his little paws as the ice melt burns them on Oak Park sidewalks. I’ve never heard him make those sounds, and I don’t

ever want to again. I especially urge buildings near Austin Gardens to make the change, as so many of us walk our dogs there daily. Most of us are responsible pet parents who clean up after our dogs (we don’t want to step in dog poop either — same team!). We just want to walk them without pain. Please help us protect our pets and make walks enjoyable in the winter. I urge you to start using pet-safe ice melt.

The cost difference is small, yet it makes a world of difference.

Amanda Summers Oak Park

My not-so-youthful optimism

I would like to commend Manolo Avalos, who penned a letter asserting his sustained optimism about the future [Why I remain optimistic about the future, Viewpoints, Dec. 25]. As an 18-year-old attending Triton Colle ge, and an active Climate Action Network member, he seems to be headed in the right direction as far as being a potential, positive, difference-maker.

As a charter member of the Baby Boomer generation, I do wish him luck. A lot of it. Just look at where we are right now, in a country that has clearly failed my g eneration, as well as the GenX-ers, Millennials, Gen-Zs, Alphas and even those just born into Generation Beta. That may seem too cynical an assessment, but if one is old enough to understand current events in a critical-thinking manner, the present doesn’t paint a very pretty picture. The future? Anything, as always, is possible.

The near future, however, is certain: as I pen this opinion piece, we are two weeks away from allowing a convicted felon, convicted sexual assaulter, and xenophobe become President. Again! And on this Jan. 6, 2025, it is exactly four years since this person was unarguably involved in an attempted insur rection after losing the 2020 election. Yikes. Is this a nightmare? If so, when do I awake from it?

Manolo, you and others who have your eyes wide open and want to make this

country better are faced with quite a challenge in that effort. What I have stated about the person who will soon be swornin is all factual, not even the least bit a personal opinion. The fictional versions are Orwell, Huxley, even Fritz Lang.

As a Boomer who served during the Vietnam quagmire at your age, my eyes have ever since been wide open and wanting to see a smarter way to run a country with such wealth and resources and have acted to help in that desire. Rather than see things improve, well, again, look at what is coming: an administration packed with billionaires who do not even attempt to hide their intentions of destroying Social Security, Medicare, the Af fordable Care Act, the EPA, labor unions, enacting mass deportations, and even cutting veterans benefits.

Who voted for this?! We know who. Fools who, unless they are filthy rich, preferably white and male, will get nothing in return. But this is what Manolo and the 260 million or so Americans who did not vote for it are about to g et. So, buckle up Mr Avalos. Best of luck with your optimistic youthful energy

Let us hope we have nowhere to go but up from here. That’s all of what’s left of my not-so-youthful optimism.

Joseph Harrington Oak Park

from page 15

support one of their own who was murdered in the line of duty. I don’t use the word hero often, so I won’t here; the words I’ ll use for Det. Allan Reddins are: an outstanding public servant; well-respected by his peers; a man who wanted to work in Oak Park, which is evidenced by the fact that he left the Metra Police Department to come there; and probably most important, he was a good family man who always, according to those that knew him, put his family first.

It is worth noting that the offender who shot and killed Det. Reddins is a Chicago resident. I say that because Chicago violence, especially gun violence, is seeping

across the borders of Chicago into suburban Cook County, including Oak Park

There is no magical divider along Austin Boulevard that prevents crime from crossing. What needs to happen going forward is that every single Oak Park resident, as well as every resident of Illinois and across the nation, needs to remember that police officers are your neighbors, classmates, and parish members. These men and women are the civil servants who work for you.

In closing, to the members of the Oak Park Police Department and the residents of the Oak Park-River Forest area, you have my full support and always will.

Chief Thomas Weitzel retired from the Riverside Police Department in May of 2021 after 37 years in law enforcement and 13 years as Chief of Police. Opinions are his own. He can be reached at tqweitzel@outlook.com. Follow him on X @chiefweitzel.

Be sure to attend the mandatory workshop for Program Year 2025:

Hosted by the Village of Oak Park, the workshop will cover: 10 to 11 a.m. Friday, January 31

Application for funding Required attachments

Reporting requirements

Grant funding timelines

Attendance at the virtual workshop is required to apply for funding in PY2025 Email grants@oak-park.us to

Opposing the plan for Field Rec Center

As residents of the Field Rec Center area, we are fir mly against the plan of the park district to destroy the existing, architecturally-important fieldhouse and the grassy hill and its trees and gazebo and build a 5,000-square-foot building where the hill is currently located

Not only will their new building forever tur n our quiet community into a mini-Lake Street with significantly higher traffic posing danger to the Mann School children, it is an environmental disaster in the making. Oak Park is progressive, with visions of sustainability, the security of green spaces, and its urban forest. The trees provide natural cooling to combat climate change. A diverse zoolo gy live in that hill, nourishing our corner of the earth. Fur thermore, destruction of the sidewalk, parkway, and Berkshire Street will be needed to create new sewage lines! The exorbitant $3 million price tag only adds to the inability of those with moderate incomes to live in Oak Pa rk. T he park district rationale is that it needs a building for dance recitals . Yet numerous such spaces exist in the village in both the public and private sectors. Mann School, im -

mediately adjacent to the Field Center has an auditorium, as do the other District 97 schools. The Oak Pa rk-River Forest Symphony uses the OPRF High School auditorium, one of two performance spaces there.

In the private sector, Madison Street T heater has two performance spaces and c ould use the rental income to remain viable. Their spaces have state-of-the-ar t sound and light equipment and electronic suppo rt . Indeed, when Joyc e Po r ter initiated the highly successful Oak Pa rk Film Festival last year, she supported the local economy by renting space from Madison Street Theater

Three million in taxpayer dollars for a dance recital space? We’ve noted 14 existing spaces. Please either implement intergovernmental cooperation or support, rather than compete with, local private businesses. That is, use existing spaces!

The more we lear n about the park district plan, the more we are discouraged. Leave our neighborhood and the park alone!

David Susman Oak Park

Mirroring how I think

I felt like I was looking in a mirror as I was reading [What if we were conservati ve and progressi ve? Ken Trainor, Viewpoints, Jan. 8].

You gave me new words, a clear description of how I think. In my case, that means adhering to classic, historic Christian grounding while also venturing forward in a more progressive way.

Not God-in-a-box thinking, but rather a living God, always out ahead, whom we are called to follow even into surprising and sometimes challenging, uncomfortable paths It’s a real keeper! Thanks.

Fred Reklau

Oak Park

Save Field playground

The excellent letter by Jeffrey Schneider in last week’s Journal [ O pposing the Field Center relocation , Vi ewpoints, Jan. 8] touches only a few of the major issues in the pa rk district’s plan to destroy Field pl ayground ’s hill and the John S. Van Bergen fieldhouse. I will name only three

First, the Van Bergen architecturally significant fieldhouse contributes to Oak Park’s inter national reputation for architecture. Indeed, Van Bergen beat out none other than Frank Lloyd Wright for the contract to design the fieldhouse at Field playground. Architecture is our only significant tourist draw, and I demand that the park district respect our history and our heritage.

Second, the park district seems intent on destroying our property tax and sales tax base by competing with private interests. Ovation Academy, which rents space from the venerable Madison Street Theater and the Academy for Movement and Music are only two of the five private dance studios in Oak Park, which will lose clients under competition from the park district, entirely subsidized by taxpayer money.

Thre e, District 97’s Mann School is only 200 ya rds aw ay from the pl aygr ound. Why ca n’ t D97 and the Pa rk District of Oak Pa rk wo rk in the spirit of intergove r nmental c ooperation to pr ov ide space fo r the dance studio in Mann School? He p hzibah uses Mann School after school hours but their activitie s are restricted almost entirely to the lunchroom. The gy m and the large area at the south end of the school are av ailable for the danc e studio as well as on weekends and in the summer s. Save the taxp ayer s the $3,000,000 initial projected cost for the new building by wo rk in g with D97.

Consider building the new center on stilts over the large Mann School parking lot. This would provide benefits both for the teachers and staf f of Mann School as well as the park district and would save the hill, the gazebo, the tot lots, and the Van Bergen fieldhouse.

Save the fieldhouse! Save the hill! Save the gazebo! Save the tot lots! Save our taxpayer dollars!

Penelope Eger ter Oak Park

Make your vote count!

Fellow Oak Parkers,

On April 1, you’ll have the opportunity to choose responsible leadership focusing on improving daily life in Oak Park We’re supporting Ravi Parakkat for village president. When you vote Ravi you say:

No to an unnecessary tax funded $150 million village hall while delaying the urgently needed police station

Yes to prioritizing community safety and attracting $500 million in private investment

No to cutting valued services like leaf collection, and wasteful spending while dismissing resident concerns

Yes to the best cost efficient services by listening to the community before decisions are made

No to a surprise 58% pay raise for the village president, well above the

re gional norm

Yes to effective governance and service over self: Ravi pledges to donate his raise to community organizations

Say Yes to Ravi for village president.

Local elections matter — they shape our community and impact our daily lives in profound ways. Ravi brings a clear vision, relevant qualifications, proven expertise, and an unwavering focus on shaping a brighter future for Oak Park

Together, let’s build the Oak Park we all want and deserve.

Barbara Cimaglio, Mary Ann DeBruin, Sarah Spelman, Shelly Uslenghi, Michael Beyer, Bruce Files, Deepak Koppula, Larry Lamb, Robert Parks, Chris Saam, and Dean Yannias Oak Park

Support River Forest term limits Molding hearts and minds

A term limits referendum question, revised to include every River Forest Village Board elected position, will appear on the April 1 ballot. No objection was timely filed as required by state law to prevent the question from appearing on the ballot. It is with great thanks to a dedicated group of “holiday circulators” and to every River Forest resident who signed the petition that residents can vote on this binding referendum in the next consolidated election.

As readers are aware, the road to the ballot has not been without obstacles. Last August, an objector prevented a citizen-led November ballot initiative for ter m limits on the village president’s office only. The challenge to the referendum culminated in a hearing that cost the village and private citizens thousands of dollars. The referendum was defeated, based on the electoral board’s determination that the referendum question was “ambiguous.”

Many citizens responded to the dismissal of the ballot initiative by publicly requesting in Wednesday Jour nal, and by emailing each elected River Forest official, that the village board at its Dec. 16 meeting discuss and approve a term limit question by the Jan. 13 deadline to

appear on the April 1 ballot.

After a 90-minute discussion, the board took a straw poll and stymied debate (3-2) to delay drafting a referendum question into an uncertain future. Three board members and the village president suggested that the November 2026 election, two years from now — an off-year election where no River Forest elected offices would appear on the ballot — might be a good time to run a ballot initiative, thus delaying and pushing the question of f well into the future.

An expanding citizen group decided to attempt another referendum petition and collected 544 signatures during the holiday week.

Voting is one of the hallmarks of preserving democracy. River Forest residents can ensure accountability with gover nment officials through elections. Term limits open opportunities for participation in gover nment.

Vote Yes on term limits on April 1.

Deborah L. Borman, Kathy Corcos, Margie Cekander, Bridget Erfort, Bruce & Mary Beth Faland, Lucia Giudice, Corey Gimbal, Jayne Gould, Patty Henek, Bill Iannessa, Marta Kozbur, and Phyllis Rubin River

As a re gular visitor and supporter of the Oak Park Conservatory, I frequently ponder ways to elevate its profile and reach. Entering its humid and warm greenhouses, I’ll often remark, “It’s always a beautiful day here,” a hidden gem and sanctuary, especially in these colder months. The natural exhibits therein, extravagant plants and colorful plumes of avian friends, make it a place for Oak Parkers of all ages to reignite a sense of wonderment.

Previous ef for ts to increase the prominence of the conservatory have included outreach programs, hosting local events, and even a proposal to change the Oak Park Blue Line to the “Oak Park Conservatory” stop It is to these ends that I have a proposal for the park district, a way to increase profile, revenue, foot traffic, and add to the experience of all visitors: Mold-A-Rama! That’s right, Chicago’s very own automated miniature plastic factory in a box,

where you (yes, you) can operate the amazing Mold-A-Rama!

Famously featured at many of Chicago’s premiere nature and educational institutions, and recently highlighted in a special exhibit at the Museum of Science and Industry, adding a Mold-A-Rama would cement the Oak Park Conservatory as a destination for natural science education, on par with the Field Museum and Brookfield Zoo, while spreading awareness about all the conservatory has to offer.

Operating for over 60 years, there are a plethora of molds to choose from, but none as fitting as the set of parrots (which can be made grey or green). Imagine the delight and excitement at the oppor tunity to bring Sara and Skipper home with you, a keepsake to remind us all of the joys to be had, on every beautiful day, at the Oak Park Conservatory.

Alexander Papadakis Oak Park

Tour our 10-acre campus today! (708) 387- 1030

Tour our 10-acre campus today! (708) 387- 1030

Ido not like to celebrate my birthday. Friends, family, my Amazon delivery drivers everyone knows this. It’s not that I am a birthday agnostic. I do not get “birthday depression” or have the “birthday blues.” And it is definitely not a fear of aging — I am very happy to still be walking this messed-up Earth. I just don’t like the fuss and attention the day brings with it. After all, I didn’t do anything to get here; my mom did all the work. Which is why we were all trained to call her on our birthdays and say, “Thank you for having me,” which is also why I am predictably out of town during the month of March (never mind the date). My plan has worked out pretty well for the last 20 years or so … until 2024.

An anti-birthday celebration

JULIANNE WOOD

One View

My “adult” children planned a postbirthday celebration for me in the end of April (with my consent of course). Sisters, sisters-in-law, daughters, daughters-in-law, nieces — 10 of the 17 women in my family met up on a Friday night for a rolling non-birthday adventure that started at Kettlestrings Grove on Marion Street for creative craft cocktails and a few apps. From there we walked across the street to ViaClay for their Friday night “Wine-ORama.” What’s more fun than throwing a lump of clay on a fast-moving wheel during a wine tasting (courtesy of Oak Park’s Anfora Wine Merchants) after consuming

DUFFY

Carter’s humanity

from page 15

Despite Carter’s humanitarian failures while President, my spirit is uplifted because of what he did after he left the White House and how I believe he lived a life of redemption. He built homes working with Habitat for Humanity; he mediated peaceful settlements of international conflicts; and he assembled global teams of trusted officials to monitor, re port on, and ensure fair elections in highly contentious and divided places like Nicaragua, Zimbabwe, and Tunisia, and recently

a few cocktails? Nothing. It was a ton of fun and we made so many ashtrays … I did discover that I am way better at consuming martinis than creating something out of clay

But the par ty did not end at ViaClay! Since it was Friday, and pretty much everyone was ready to not go home to cranky children and spouses, we took the celebration to Robert’s Westside in Forest Park to dance the rest of my bir thday away to Hot Rocks a Rolling Stones cover band. For a while there I forgot the number of birthday years and felt like a colle ge kid again. I heard a rumor that the few party stragglers who closed down Robert’s then wandered down to Sub Tender for pizza puffs and BG Fries. But like I said, it’s only a rumor.

All birthdays are a cause for celebration, whether big or small, alone or in a crowd, here or far from here. Because after all, what’s the alternative to celebrating life? I hope to be celebrating my upcoming 2025 birthday sipping a margarita on a tropical beach somewhere, letting the day slip away quietly and calmly. Happy just to be.

In the words of the great Mae West, “You only live once but if you do it right, once is enough.”

Julianne Wood, a longtime Oak Park and River Forest resident, now resides in Elmwood Park

extended that work to elections in the U.S.

Unlike other U.S. winners of the Nobel Peace Prize, President Carter developed an active, authentic, and prophetic life for peace. In 2006 he risked his public adulation and personal well-being with perhaps the most courageous step in his journey of redemption. With publication of his book Palestine Peace Not Apartheid , Carter refused to be silent about what amounted to Palestinian ethnic cleansing in Israel. Instead, he made the case that Israel was an apartheid state; that it was unrelenting in confiscating Palestinian land, villages, and homes while further denying millions access to basic human needs in the West Bank and Gaza in ways that made peace unlikely. For this he was viciously pilloried as an antisemite, hostile to the very

e author, and guest of honor, is fourth from the right.

survival of Israel. In the face of attacks from leading Israeli supporters in the U.S., including the Democratic Party elite, Carter remained unyielding.

When our elected decision-makers tell us that the Gaza War and the genocide of Palestinians is beyond their delegated responsibility, as Oak Park village trustees did last year, ceasefire advocates refuse to yield democratic or social spaces to those demanding our silence and routinely calling us antisemitic.

While eulogizing Jimmy Carter last week, President Biden was also approving the sale of $8 billion in additional weapons for Israel and we continued to watch the unimaginable horror in Palestine, expecting each day a merciful end that does not come.

Biden and Vice President Harris leave

office next week and remain politically unwilling, but not personally incapable of acting with the political courage Carter demonstrated.

Still, I am hopeful and continue to join in the ongoing courageous and inspirational peace ef for ts of students in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Club at OPRF High School and the work of the Committee for a Just Peace in Israel and Palestine (CJPIP). As the visionary Princeton historian Eddie Glaude Jr. instructs us and ex-President Carter modeled for us, we and they are the leaders we have been looking for!

John Duffy is a member of the Committee for Equity and Ex cellence in Education and a longtime resident of the Longfellow neighborhood.

Glynne Ger vais, 86

Former VMA president, social worker

Glynne T homas Gervais, 86, died on Jan. 5, 2025, af ter a brief hospitalization. T he eldest child born to Edith and Gerald T homas, she was a cradle Catholic and attended Catholic schools in New Orleans through high school, learning French Creole and Latin from her mother and the Catholic Church. She earned her bachelor’s de gree from Roosevelt University in Chicago and her master’s de gree from the Jane Addams Colle ge of Social Work, University of Illinois Chicago. She met her husband, Paul T. Gervais, when they were juniors at Knox Colle ge in Galesburg. T hey were married on May 14, 1960 at Grace Episcopal Church in Oak Park and raised three children, Lewis, Michelle and Adrienne.

She re gularly attended Mass at St. Edmund Church

Glynne is survived by Paul, her husband of 64 years; their children, Lewis and Adrienne; their three grandchildren, Natalia, Gabrielle and Keeg an; her son-inlaw, John Smoot; many nieces and nephews and a wealth of in-laws and cousins

She was predeceased by her daughter, Michelle; her parents, Edith and Gerald; and her siblings, Joseph, Judy, Gloria, Geraldine, Elizabeth and Gerald Services are pending.

Sara Beth Janz, 29 Photographer, TV Academy volunteer

Park Temple, 1235 N. Harlem Ave. in Oak Park, followed by a private family burial. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the NATAS Chicago Foundation - Sara Janz Memorial Scholarship Fund, c/o Columbia Colle ge, Communication Dept., 33 E. Ida B. Wells Dr., Ste. 535, Chicago, IL 60605, www.tinyurl.com/ natasgive.

Arrangements were handled by Chicago Jewish Funerals - Skokie Chapel, www.cjfinfo.com.

Terr y Rice, 75 Owned Foley-Rice Cadillac

Terrence B.

T hey live d in an apar tment in Oak Pa rk until their r ent was t ripled. This forced the mixed-race c ouple to move out of Oak Pa rk . They returned 10 year s later, soon after the Fair Housing Ordinance passed

S he be g an her career as a c ase wo rker at Cook County Hospital. The majority of her career was spent working for the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services. In Se ptember 2023, she was awarded the Visionary Leader in Human Services Award by the Black Administrators in Child Welfare of Illinois. An assistant professor at the Jane Addams Colle ge of Social Work, Loyola University, and later Aurora University, she forg ed connections that spanned decades.

A for mer president of the Village Manager Association as well as chair of the Oak Park Community Development Block Grant Committee, she played significant roles with Community Response, Oak Park Community Development, St. Edmund’s Peace and Justice Committee, and Visiting Nursing Services, the Oak Park League of Women Voters, ESL tutoring for the Dominican University Literacy Center and San Jose Obrero Mission for the Homeless

She was an avid reader and gardener and loved to cook native New Orleans dishes Red Beans and Rice and Jambalaya

It is with deep sadness that share the heartbreaking news of the death of Sara Janz, 29. Her life was far too short, but her leadership, dedication and compassion will long be membered by those whose lives she touched.

The daughter of retired ABC-7 traffic/ feature re porter Roz Varon, she followed in her mom’s footsteps with tireless effor ts on behalf of the TV Academy. Sara was instrumental in founding the NATAS Chicago/Midwest Chapter’s Junior Board, reco gnizing the need for a space where younger voices could come together to create meaningful change.

A for mer NATAS Chicago Scholarship recipient, she demonstrated the kind of commitment that inspired those around her to strive for excellence, volunteering her time at countless TV Academy events. Sara was a kind and generous person who touched everyone she met with her warmth and intelligence.

She worked as a freelance photographer for Growing Community Media.

Her passing leaves a void, but her le gacy of kindness and leadership will never be forgotten. For all who knew her, Sara was a guiding light, and we are forever grateful for the time we had with her

Sara was the wife of Staf f Sergeant Darien Jackson; the daughter of Roz Varon and Edward Janz; and the sister of Amy (Neomi Luna) Janz and Brian Janz.

A funeral service was held on Jan. 7 at Oak

right. His f amily and friends will miss him dearly

Te r ry was the husband of Kathleen (née Buckley) for 50 years; the father of Jessica Richardson, Katie ( Ed) Glavinskas, Mar ga ret, and St ep hen (Colleen Kelly); papa of Emily, Jack, Madeline, B ridget, Ava, Marty, and Bea; brother of Jim ( Pat), Mi ke (Geri), Janet (Don) C ottler, Pe gg y Hennessy, and Kevin (Matthew); brother-in-law of C andy Rice ; and uncle of many nieces and ne phew s. He was preceded in death by his brother Tim, his sister Pam, and his parents Jim and Anita.

“Terry” Rice, 75, of Oak Brook, a longtime Oak Pa rker and owner of the for mer ey-Rice Cadillac d ealershi p, died on Jan. 6, 2025, sur rounded by family He live d most of his l ife in Chicago ’s western suburbs. After gr aduating from Fenwick High School (class of 1967), he attended John Ca rroll University, gr aduating in 1971. He married the love of his life, Kathy, in June of 1974. He made his living in the car business, most notably as principal d ealer of Foley-Ric e Cadillac-Oldsmobile for over 20 year s. His success was the result of hard wo rk , dedication, and a moral obligation to do right by other s.

A crosswo rd p uzzle enthusiast with a wealth of knowledge, he was not shy with o pinion or advic e, perhaps a bit stubborn but truly with a heart of g old. He was the number one f an of many, first and foremost his gr andchildren. He love d b aseb all and bled Cubbie blue. He enjoyed the g ame of g olf and friends marveled at his touch around the green. He love d rock-and-roll musi c, pl ayed it loud, and enjoyed sharing it with family, especially on cross-country road t rips. A longtime parishioner at St. Giles, he was a devoted supporter of his alma maters and charitable institutions like Misericordia His joy and warmth we re infectious He treasured the c ompany he ke pt, evid enced by a friends group c elebrating New Year ’s to g ether for 60 years and c ounting. He was not short on storie s, had incredible recall and a knack fo r nicknames. He was a rock star in his ow n

Vi sitation was held on S und ay, Jan. 12 at C onboy-Westchester Funeral Home he f uneral Mass was c elebrated on Jan. at St. Giles C hurch. I nterment took lace in Queen of Heaven Cemeter y.

In lieu of fl ower s, please consider a donation to Misericordia or your favo rit e harit y.

Ar r angements we re handled by Peter B. Kennedy & Co. Funeral Director s.

Floyd Gri th, 88

U.S. Marine

Floyd G. Griffith, 88, died in his Fanwood, New Jersey home on Jan. 8, 2024, surrounded by family. The first-born of Gerald and Edna Griffith on Nov.17, 1936 at Oak Park Hospital, he attended St. Luke School, OPRF High School, and Loras Academy before joining the U.S. Marines where he rose to the rank of sergeant. He dedicated himself to his family and his work at the Allison Cor p. in New Jersey for 40+ years. He lived a great full life, loved by his church members, neighbors, friends and family.

Widowed by Barbara Twombly and later by his second wife, Christina “Dolly” Guarnieri, his dedicated partner, Ann Dixon, cared for him until his passing.

Floyd was preceded in death by his parents, as well as his siblings Daniel and Gary Griffith. He leaves behind his children, Joseph, James (Jackie), and Dawn (Bill) Zolpe; his sibling sister, Geraldine (Jim) Born, and his brother, Robert (Mary Anne) Griffith; his grandchildren, Lauren (Raj), Anna, Will (Monica), John, and Connor; and his great-grandson, Will Jr.

A private veteran’s memorial service will be held at Rossi Funeral Home, Scotch Plains, NJ on Friday, Jan. 17 at 11 a.m. A burial ceremony at Hillside Cemetery Mausoleum to follow.

See OBITUARIES on pa ge 24

Continued from page 23

Linda Gutfeld, 75 Pediatric nurse

OBITUARIES

Jeff is survived by Patricia Bacom Optholt, his wife of 52 years; his children, Sam (Claire), Luke (Heather), Bridget (Zach), Grace (Dan) and Elizabeth; nine adoring grandchildren; his siblings, Janelle (John), and Joel (Jeannine); and many nieces and nephews. His unwavering support, friendship, and infectious laugh will be dearly missed

aka “Bop,” and was the aunt/great aunt to many nieces and nephews, forever slipping them candy, elevating her title at times to “Treat Boppy,” even with the family pups. She wore this mantle proudly

Linda Sue Gutfeld (nee Celsor), 75, of Oak Park, died on Dec. 22, 2024 in Chicago. Born Oct. 20, 1949 in Chicago, she was a pediatric nurse. Caring for those she loved was the heart of her being. Always a champion for justice, she did not hesitate to step forward when she saw people wronged or in need. She walked this Earth with grace and artistic sensibilities, a true friend and enormous love for her family

Linda was the wife of Charles Gutfeld; the mother of Max Gutfeld and Molly Gutfeld Cassell; daughter of the late Dewey and Dorothy Celsor; grandmother of Owen and Cecilia Gutfeld and Linnea Cassell; sister of George Celsor, Rae Celsor and Sheila Celsor; and the aunt of Julie Doran, Blue Orenstein, Maggie, Sarah and Lily Madsen and many nieces and nephews on the Gutfeld side Cremation was private Arrangements were handled by KuratkoNosek Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations to the Les Turner ALS Foundation, www.lesturnerals.org, would be appreciated. Online condolences, memories and photos may be shared with the family at www.KuratkoNosek.com.

Je rey Optholt, 75 Banker, biker, woodworker

Jeffrey 75, died on 2025 in Oak after a brie ness, surr by his family in 1949 in Chicag he attended Provis West High School, graduated from the University of nois Chicago a degree in a career in banking. He than spending time and tight-knit ways find him at his children and grandchildren’s events, traveling, biking and working in the woodshop

Visitation will take place on Wednesday, Jan. 15 at Peterson-Bassi Chapels, 6938 W North Ave., Chicago, IL 60707 from 5 to 8 p.m. Mass will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, Jan. 16 at Ascension Catholic Church, 808 S. East Ave., Oak Park, IL 60304. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a contribution to Opportunity Knocks at https://opportunityknocksnow.kindful.com.

Patricia Chesler, 75 Family services

Patricia Chesler (nee Mallin), died peacefull on Jan. 12, 2025 in the Oak Park home of her daughter, Deborah (Mark) Moroney. Born in Oak Park Patricia and land “Bud” Mallin on Jan. 26, 1949, she graduated from the Lady (Longwood) High School and from the University of Illinois Chicago, which she always called “Circle.” The grandma of Liam and Adam Moroney, she shared a close relationship, starting with “Grandma Mondays” when they were young, leading to long talks about movies, politics, and sports as they got older.

A gathering to celebrate and remember Pat will take place on Jan. 19, at Trattoria 225, 225 Harrison, Oak Park, from 1 to 4 p.m. Donations in Pat’s name can be made to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).

Gene Lawrence, 96

Surgeon, social justice advocate

Arthur “Gene” Lawrence, 96, die peacefully on Satur day, Nov. 23, 2024. Born on March 1928, to Walter Lawrence MD and let (Matthews) Lawrence in Chicag grew up in Ri rest, with his older brother Walter Jr. He met his soulmate Evelyn Marie King during his surgical residency Charity Hospital in New Orleans, Louisiana, where worked as a nurse. They married in 1954, lived in New Orleans and then in Germany during his service as an ar my doctor, and settled in Oak Park to raise their family. Throughout his professional life as a doctor and in all aspects of his personal life, he was committed to service and support of others and his community.

She was a voracious reader, a world class r, a lover of cinema and avid bridge er, for a time owning and operating a club (with her lifelong friend Laurie Levine). She was a dedicated public serant, leading ef for ts at the departments of Alcoholism & Substance Abuse and Children & Family Services, and leading the nor’s Task Force for Human Services rm. Later in her career, she returned to University of Illinois Chicago to supesearch on women’s mental health treatment. Her rich le gacy will live on in her example of being of service through her lifelong vocation working diligently for families, particularly women and children and those facing substance-use disorder. ondly remembered by her brothers and sisters, Dan Mallin (Donna), Kathy Rabbers, Bud Mallin (Natalie) and Melissa Colombo, she was christened by her niece as “Boppy,”

Gene was preceded in death by his son, James Patrick; his parents, Walter and Violet; his wife, Evelyn; his son-in-law, Stephen McCardell; his brother, Walter Lawrence Jr., and his sister-in-law Susan (Shryock) Lawrence. He is survived by his children, Mary Ellen (Bill), Jeff (Karen), Gene Jr. (Barbara), Susan McCardell, and John (Pam); and many beloved grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces and ne phews, and great-nieces and nephews.

A memorial Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 25 at St. Luke Catholic Church, 7600 Lake St., River Forest, IL, visitation with family beginning at 9, and private family burial at Queen of Heaven Cemetery in Hillside. A gathering to remember Gene will follow the service, 11:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., at Cheney Mansion, 220 N. Euclid Ave., Oak Park.

Donations in Gene’s memory would be welcomed by the United Negro College Fund, the American Cancer Society, or locally to Kindness Creators Intergenerational Program in Oak Park, a nonprofit preschool co-founded by his daughter-in-law, Pam Lawrence.

Eucharistic minister

Julia Mannix, 67 Attorney,

Julia D. Mannix, 67, of River Forest, died on Jan. 9, 2025. Born on June 12, 1957, to Gerald J. Mannix and Emily J. (Marinangeli) Mannix, she was the beloved ste p-daughter of Mary Schiltz.

She graduated magna cum laude from Boston Colle ge in 1979, majoring in Political Science and English, studied law at Northwestern University, graduating cum laude in 1982, then practiced law in Chicago for decades as a trial attorney. She was one of the founding partners of the law firm Davis, Mannix & McGrath.

Preternaturally capable, she excelled in sewing, knitting, crocheting and other crafts, threw outrageous parties, served her parish as a Eucharistic Minister and volunteer religious education teacher, and shared her husband with the parish so he could serve as a deacon.

For 33 years, she loved living on ThatchRoad in River Forest, where they brought up their f amily She was often on the sidelines of soccer fields, baseball diamonds and gyms throughout the state, cheering on her children and their teams Julia is survived by her husband, Robert J. Slobig; her children, Emily (Daniel) Kaminski, Brendan (Ashley) Mannix, Alannah (Thomas Edson) Mannix-Slobig, and Grace (Jeremy Stevens) MannixSlobig; her grandson, Morgan Mannix; her sisters, Ellen (James) Davidson, Colleen (John) Cates and Marin (Michael Bloomfield) Mannix; her nieces Lexe (Nate Tarvin) Davidson, Maggie (Aaron) Debow, Jackie (Analisa) Davidson, and nephews Jack Cates and Luke and Daniel Bloomfield; and her grand-nieces and -nephews James Tarvin, Elijah, Eve and Ezra Debow.

Visitation will be held at Salerno Galewood Chapel, 1827 N. Harlem Ave., Chicago, on T hursday, Jan. 16, from 4 to 8 p.m. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on F riday, Jan. 17 at St. Luke Church in River Forest at 10 a.m.

In lieu of flowers, the f amily encourages donations to Catholic Relief Services (crs.org), particularly for the hungry and those harmed by the wildfires around Los Angeles, or to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (nami.org).

T he funeral Mass will be viewable on livestream at the parish’s website, https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=7uZHvd5ma28.

SPORTS

Destiny powers Trinity past Fenw ick

Sacluti’s 10 points o the bench is the margin of victory for Blazers

By MELVIN TATE Contributing Reporter

Rivalry games, no matter the sport, are not always decided by each team’s star players. In fact, more often than not, an unsung player helps to determine the outcome.

Trinity High School basketball sophomore Destiny Sacluti does not have the name recognition teammates like Armante Dambrauskas, Sofia Flynn, Zaria Goins, and Chloe Santos enjoy. But she is an important player off the bench, and her energy and unexpected offensive production turned out to be the difference in the Blazers’ 45-35 Girls Catholic Athletic Conference Red Division victory over neighboring Fenwick, Jan. 9, at Dominican University’s Igini Sports Forum in River Forest.

“It was important that we stay composed and just play our game,” said Sacluti, who scored 10 points. “Intense games like this help prepare us for the big games, and we lear ned from our mistakes.”

Sacluti’s performance gave Trinity (13-5, 2-2 in GCAC Red) a boost, considering the struggles of Goins, who had five points and five reboun ds but fouled out late. She was appreciative.

“It just feels really good to have people

to be able to lean on in situations like that,” she said.

Trinity coach Kim Coleman said she expected Fenwick (10-10, 0-4) to bring its best effort, and was pleased with the poise her team showed down the stretch.

“We just knew we had to withstand their r un and we’d be OK,” she said. “We just played for each other and dug deep. We wanted to win and knew we could make that happen.”

Conversely, Fenwick coach Lenae Fergerson believed a sluggish start proved to be decisive in the Friars’ loss

“We didn’t start the game ready to play,” she said. “I was telling the girls there are four quarters of basketball and we probably played just one and a half, maybe two. When you do that against a team that plays four quarters, you’re not going to win.”

Trinity went on a 9-0 run, bridging the first and second quarters, that broke a 9-9 tie. The Blazers allowed Fenwick just five first-half baskets in taking a 29-17 halftime lead.

However, the F riars responded with a strong third quarter, outscoring T rinity 13-5 to draw within four points. T hen with over five minutes remaining, Fenwick trailed 38-35 and had a few chances to draw even. But the of fense took several questionable shots and committed multiple turnovers as the F riars went scoreless for the remainder of the contest.

“We had unforced errors,” Fergerson said. “Turning the ball over on inbounds plays, not grabbing rebounds, a lot of the same mis-

takes we’ve been dealing with the entire year I keep hoping that one day we can turn the page and not continue to make those same mistakes, but tonight wasn’t that night.”

Also hurting Fenwick was strong play from Santos, who scored five of her gamehigh 14 points in the fourth quarter to keep Trinity ahead

“Both Chloe and Destiny have been due for a big game, especially with Zaria in foul trouble,” Coleman said. “Zaria ’s been leading us this season, so it was nice to have others step up.”

Freshman Keyera Gamble added eight points and three rebounds and Dambrauskas six points for the Blazer s, who played without Flynn.

“She’ll be back real soon,” Coleman said. “We’ll be all right.”

Freshman Eleanor Gibson led Fenwick

with 12 points, and classmate Avani Williams added nine points and five rebounds. While the duo has brought energy to the Friars, Fergerson knows they’ll have ups and downs in their first season.

“They’re still transitioning to this level,” she said. “They’re learning how much consistency it takes on every possession. They’re making their mark and have done well, but they have a lot more to learn and understand.”

Both teams have busy weeks ahead. Trinity is at St. Ignatius on Jan. 16 and plays Westinghouse in the Women Empower ment Games at Lane Tech, Jan. 18, before hosting Plainfield South in the Trinity MLK Showcase, Jan. 20. Fenwick hosts Loyola Academy, Jan. 16, and Amundsen, Jan. 18, before playing Aurora Central Catholic at Trinity on Jan. 20.

Fenwick boys swimming and diving has new leadership

Justin Jornd is the third head coach in as many seasons

By MELVIN TATE Contributing Reporter

For the second consecutive season, the Fenwick High School boys swimming and diving team is under the guidance of a new head coach. Justin Jornd is in his debut season. He is the program’s third head coach in as many seasons. Jornd re placed

Spencer Walker who re placed for mer coach Steve Thompson, who led Fenwick the previous three seasons.

“I was eager for an opportunity to lead a program,” said Jornd. “Not having a personal connection to Fenwick and being

daunted by its storied history of swimming and diving excellence, I was apprehensive to apply. However, after meeting with [athletic director] Scott Thies and [aqu atics di-

STEVE JOHNSTON

Trinity’s Destiny Sacluti (3) during the game against Fenw ick Jan. 9, in River Forest.

e rm of Alex & Alex is on the case

Seniors Gossett, Vincent lead OPRF boys basketball

By MELVIN TATE Contributing Reporter

For the past three seasons, there has been one consistent presence for Oak Park and River High School boys basketball fans. Seniors Alex Gossett, a 6-5 forward, and Alex Vincent, a 6-9 center, are in their third year as varsity starters, and they are saving their best seasons for last.

Gossett, who made the All-Tournament Second Team at last month’s Pontiac Holiday Tournament, is averaging 20 points and seven rebounds per game. Vincent, meanwhile, who has recorded nine doubledoubles this season, is averaging 11 points and 12 rebounds per game for the Huskies (7-8, 1-2 in West Suburban Silver).

“The season has b een up and down for the team,” Gossett said, “but I have b een playing pretty well individually. I’m close to 1,000 [career] points and averaging 20 points per game, which were big goals for me.”

“What matters is that we’re getting better as a team each game and the progress has been substantial,” Vincent said. “Personally, I think I have been doing good, but I have room to improve.”

Gossett and Vincent have become good friends away from the court, and they say that is a big reason why they enjoy good chemistry at practices and g ames.

SWIMMING COACH

ird coach in 3 years

from page 25

rector] Beto Garcia, I felt it was the perfect fit. Our goals aligned, and I knew Fenwick was where I wanted to be.”

Jornd, who brings 13 years of coaching experience to Fenwick, spent the previous five seasons at Glenbrook North as an assistant coach for the Spartans’ boys team. A native of Sevierville, Tennessee, he swam for Sevier County High School, then joined the swimming club at the University of Tennessee Knoxville.

Upon graduation from Tennessee in 2012, he coached at the Tennessee School for the Deaf for four years, then moved to

“Playing with Gossett is said. “Sharing the court this long has led to being able to pl

“[Vincent] is like a brother to me on and of f the court,” Gossett said. “It’s nice knowing I have him behind me all the time.”

OPRF coach Phil Gary is appreciative of what Gossett and Vincent have meant to the program the past four seasons.

“They mean a lot honestly,” he said. “Gossett is super academically (4.6 grade point average) and is always locked-in, basketball-wise. He doesn’t miss any open gyms, conditioning or weight sessions; he’s always there and is a true leader.

“For Big Al [Vincent], the same thing,” he added. “Just the consistency and leadership they’ve brought to the program has been phenomenal. Our young guys look up

the Chicago area in 2017 and served an assistant group and senior coach for In addition to his coaching duties Fenwick, a volunteer coach at the Uni Illinois Chicago. With all the transitions the Friars have been through, Jornd was concerned program’s veterans would respond to another coaching chang have been accepting.

to them.”

For Gossett, being elite on the court and in the classroom requires balance and focus, skills he has crafted and developed.

“It’s natural at this point,” he said. “I ve pretty g ood time-management skills so it ’s neve r too overwhelming.” He has rece ived seve r al OPRF academic awards and b een inducted i nto the C um L aud e Society, crediting his parents as the reason he’s b een successful as a Huskie stuent-athlete.

“I have a g ood head on my shoulder s because of them and neve r g et too high or too low, wh ich I f eel has c aused my thletic and classroom success,” he said.

Li ke Gossett, Vi ncent attributes hi s success to c onsistent dedication on and the cour t.

“Taking care of business as a student makes it easier to be able to work hard on the court because I don’t have to worry about a bunch of other stuf f when I can just focus on what’s ahead basketballwise,” he said. “Another thing is remembering what makes basketball fun when things get hard.”

Vincent can also turn to older brother John for advice. John, a 2022 OPRF graduate, is a 6-10 forward now playing at Grinnell Colle ge in Iowa.

“Big Al and John are two opposite players,” Gary said. “John was energetic and

“I worried that the lack of stability might have discouraged the team,” Jornd said, “but they welcomed me with open

arms and embraced the new training philosophy — especially the weight room. The eteran varsity swimmers played a critical role in helping the team buy into the proam, and I’m incredibly grateful for their leadership.”

enwick has nine seniors: George Grant, Thomas Helt, Jack Kupiec, Miguel Mendez, Eddy Miljanovic, Matteo Morelli, Finnbar Munley, Thaddeus Turek, and Mark Yungerman. Juniors Michael Neumann, Posluszny, and Patrick Rhatigan, in words, “lead by example in practices and meets, consistently working hard vating their teammates.”

The Friars have received valuable contributions from freshmen Aaron Diaz, Hugo Gibson, and Sean Soriano.

“They’ve earned spots on the varsity and have stepped up to fill the gaps left by last year’s seniors,” Jornd said.

talked a lot. As much as Al is a leader who’s grown into the position, he’s still a little quiet. They’re opposites, but there’s nothing wrong with that.”

Neither Gossett nor Vincent have made colle ge commitments. Gossett has drawn interest from a few NCAA Division II and III schools but hasn’t gotten any offers yet.

“I’m mainly looking for a good academic fit,” he said. “I’m looking for a place that can satisfy my academic needs as well as harbor a basketball culture where everyone is brought in.”

Vincent received an offer from Ar myWest Point at the start of the season and also has some Division III offers. But he says no new offers have emerged.

“In a prospective school, I am looking for a place where I can get a high-quality education and surround myself with good people, not just on the basketball team but in the school as well,” he said.

Right now, the focus for both Gossett and Vincent is on the remainder of OPRF’s season. Vincent is confident that the Huskies can make a run in the second half.

“I think as we progress as a team, I will continue improving as well,” he said. “Going forward to the playoffs, we’re trying to win multiple games and be playing our best basketball of the season.”

OPRF visits Proviso West, Jan. 17, before hosting Glenbard West on Jan. 21.

Fenwick is 2-0 in dual meets, including an 100-80 victory over Oak Park and River Forest High on Dec. 10.

“We’ve also had strong performances at several invites, and are excited to tackle the rest of the schedule with the same gusto,” said Jornd.

One thing that hasn’t changed is the program’s postseason expectations. The Friars anticipate competing for the Metro Catholic Aquatic Conference championship next month and being one of the favorites at a sectional they’ll host.

“Our primary goal is to swim as fast as possible,” Jornd said. “We’re positioned for a strong finish, aiming for an undefeated dual meet record and impressive showings at conference and sectionals. The key to success lies in maintaining the grit and determination that have defined this team all season.”

ALEX GOSSET ALEX VINCENT

JUSTIN JORND

Public Notice

ADVERTISEMENT OF BIDDING

For: Cheney Mansion

Geothermal Wells Installation for the Park District of Oak Park.

Owner: Park District of Oak Park 218 Madison St., Oak Park, IL 60302

The Park District of Oak Park seeks bids for the geothermal wells installation at Cheney Mansion, 220 N. Euclid, Oak Park, IL. The Park District of Oak Park will receive sealed Bids until 10:00 am (Chicago time) on Friday, February 7th , 2025 at 218 Madison St., Oak Park, Illinois. The bidding documents and requirements will be available on the Demand Star website as of 5:00pm on Wednesday, February 7th, 2025.

A non-mandatory pre-bid walkthru of the facilities will be held on Wednesday, January 22th at 2:00 pm starting at Cheney Mansion, 220 N. Euclid, Oak Park, IL. Copies of the bidding specifications are available via the Demand Star website at: https://www. demandstar.com/app/buyers/ bids/487154/details For additional information, contact Chris Lindgren at chris. lindgren@pdop.org or 708-7252050. This service contract must adhere to the Prevailing Wage Act of 2024. Only the bids in compliance with the provisions of the bidding specifications will be considered. Minority and Women Owned businesses are strongly encouraged.

Park District of Oak Park

By: Sandy Lentz, Secretary Park District of Oak Park 218 Madison Oak Park, IL 60302

Published in Wednesday Journal January 15, 2025

Public Notice

ADVERTISEMENT OF BIDDING

For: Andersen Park Renovations for the Park District of Oak Park.

Owner: Park District of Oak Park 218 Madison St., Oak Park, IL 60302

The Park District of Oak Park seeks bids for the playground renovations at Andersen Park, 824 N. Hayes Ave.. The Park District of Oak Park will receive sealed Bids until 10:00 am (Chicago time) on Tuesday, February 11th , 2025 at 218 Madison St., Oak Park, Illinois. The bidding documents and requirements will be available on the Demand Star website as of 5:00pm on Monday, January 20th, 2025. A non-mandatory pre-bid walk-thru of the facilities will be held on Tuesday, January 28th at 11:00 am Andersen Park, 824 N. Hayes Ave., Oak Park, IL. Copies of the bidding specifications are available via the Demand Star website at: https://www. demandstar.com/app/buyers/ bids/487160/details For additional information, contact Chris Lindgren at chris.lindgren@ pdop.org or 708-725-2050. This service contract must adhere to the Prevailing Wage Act of 2024. Only the bids in compliance with the provisions of the bidding specifications will be considered. Minority and Women Owned businesses are strongly encouraged.

Park District of Oak Park

By: Sandy Lentz, Secretary Park District of Oak Park 218 Madison Oak Park, IL 60302

Published in Wednesday Journal January 15, 2025

THE LAW OFFICE OF LINDA EPSTEIN

Attorney for Petitioner 722 W. Diversey Parkway Ste. 101B Chicago, IL 60614

STATE OF ILLINOIS) COUNTY OF COOK )ss

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

In re the Marriage of: Vivian Monroe Moore, Petitioner and Harold Lewis Moore, Respondent, Case No. 2024D008815

The requisite affidavit for publication having been filed, notice is hereby given to you, Harold Lewis Moore, Respondent, that a Petition has been filed in the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois, by the Petitioner, Vivian Monroe Moore, for Dissolution of Marriage and that said suit is now pending.

Now, therefore, unless you, the said Respondent, file your response to said Petition or otherwise make your appearance therein, in the Office of the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois, Room 802, Richard J. Daley Center, 50 West Washington Street, in the City of Chicago, Illinois, on or before February 12, 2025, default may be entered against you at any time after that day, and a judgment for Dissolution of Marriage entered in accordance with the prayer of said Petition.

MARIYANA T. SPYROPOULOS, Clerk of the Circuit Court, Cook County, Illinois

Published in Wednesday Journal January 15, 22, and 29, 2025

Public Notice

Oak Park Housing Authority Request for Proposals: NSPIRE Inspections and Rent Reasonableness Determinations

The Housing Authority of the Village of Oak Park (OPHA) is requesting qualified, licensed, and insured entities to submit proposals for conducting National Standards for the Physical Inspection of Real Estate (NSPIRE) Inspections and Rent Reasonableness Determinations for its Housing Choice Voucher Program.

Interested parties may download the RFP document at https://oakparkha.org/about-opha/rfps-rfqs/ beginning Wednesday, January 15, 2025.

The terms of this notice are subject to the terms set forth in the RFP Hardcopy proposals must be received at 21 South Blvd, Oak Park, IL 60302 no later than 5:00 PM on Friday, March 14, 2025. Electronic submissions will not be accepted.

Questions regarding this RFP should be directed to LaTaunda Cobb at (708) 386-9322 Ext. 135 or via email at lcobb@oakparkrc. com no later than 5:00 PM on Friday, March 7, 2025.

The OPHA reserves the right to postpone, cancel, or reject any or all proposals, waive any informality, and terminate the RFP process if deemed in the best interests of OPHA.

Published in Wednesday Journal January 15, 2025

NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS

Notice is hereby given by the President and Board of Trustees of the Villages of River Forest and Forest Park, Cook County, Illinois, that sealed bids will be accepted for: 2025 Permeable Paver Maintenance

This project consists of 24,250 SF of permeable paver restorative maintenance and 5 sy of permeable paver removal and replacement to restore the stormwater conveyance and filtering capability of the pavement cross-section.

The bidding documents are available for download starting Thursday, January 16, 2025 at: www.vrf.us/bids

Bids must be submitted by Wednesday, February 5, 2025 at 10:00 a.m. at:

Public Works Department, 2nd Floor Village of River Forest 400 Park Avenue River Forest, IL 60305

The bid proposals will be publicly opened and read at that time. Proposals will be considered not only on the basis of cost, but also on past performance, experience and ability to perform the work.

No bid shall be withdrawn after the opening of the Proposals, without the consent of the ruling body from each participating Village, for a period of thirty (30) days after the scheduled time of the bid opening.

The Village reserves the right in receiving these bids to waive technicalities and reject any or all bids.

PUBLIC NOTICE

The Village of Oak Park will host four informational meetings on the Dr. Percy L. Julian Chicago Avenue Streetscape Project. The public is invited to attend and participate in these important discussions regarding the future of this key local infrastructure project.

Meetings will be held at the following dates, times, and locations:

Tuesday, January 28, 2025 at 7:00 PM – Beye School

Thursday, January 30, 2025 at 7:00 PM – Whittier School

Tuesday, February 4, 2025 at 7:00 PM – Beye School

Thursday, February 6, 2025 at 7:00 PM – Whittier School

For additional information or to submit comments ahead of time, please contact Brandon Crawford at BCrawford@oakpark.us

Brandon J Crawford

Assistant Village Manager – Economic Vitality Village of Oak Park 123 Madison Street, Oak Park, IL 60302 708-358-5438 (O)

Published in Wednesday Journal January 15, 2025 Published in Wednesday Journal January 15, 2025

Responses will be accepted until January 24, 2025 4 PM Central.

EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY

CANDLELIGHT CONCERTS

Candlelight Concer t Series to Illuminate Oak Park with a mesmerizing Coldplay tribute, fusing classical masterpieces and iconic pop hits

returns to Oak Park with Coldplay Tribute

By: Hector Cervantes Contributing Reporter

Fever’s enchanting Candlelight Concert series returns to the Arts Center of Oak Park from Jan. 11 to Feb. 26, featuring a Coldplay tribute performed by the Metropolis String Quartet.

The tentative program for the Coldplay tribute includes hits like “Clocks,” “Fix You,” “Paradise,” and “Yellow,” along with “Something Just Like This,” “My Universe,” and more.

Candlelight is a series of live concerts produced by Fever since 2019 to democratize the access to classical music. This innovative format offers a unique musical experience through a diverse selection of programs, catering to all tastes.

Performed by talented local musicians in iconic venues illuminated by thousands of candles, Candlelight creates an immersive and intimate atmosphere. The Candlelight brand is present in over 150 cities worldwide and has delighted millions of guests since its launch.

“Candlelight draws in a broad audience, including those who may have never considered attending a classical music concert. Audiences can connect with the masterpieces of composers like Vivaldi, Mozart and Chopin, while also enjoying fresh interpretations of popular hits from artists like Queen, ABBA, Coldplay, and Ed Sheeran,” Fever spokesperson Amanda Boucault said.

not only a testament to Chicago’s rich artistic heritage but also offers an intimate and visually stunning setting that enhances the audience’s connection to the music,” Boucault said.

Boucalt explains that a crucial aspect of Candlelight’s charm lies in venue selection, which plays a central role in creating the intimate and enchanting atmosphere that defines the experience.

“When selecting venues for Candlelight, we consider several factors: the venue’s historical significance and what it represents for the city, its accessibility to ensure convenience for attendees, and technical aspects such as the acoustics and lighting quality. The venues are deliberately chosen to transcend traditional performance spaces, providing extraordinary settings that enhance the appeal of classical music,” Boucault said.

When engaging with the community to promote these events, Fever believes engaging with the community is a cornerstone of Candlelight’s success.

“Our approach is centered on adapting the global concept to resonate with local audiences. In each city, including Chicago, we work to understand local tastes by leveraging data analysis and community feedback. This insight helps us design events that pay tribute to locally acclaimed musicians, fostering a deeper connection with the audience,” Boucalt said.

Thousands of candles illuminate the space, creating a warm and intimate atmosphere that enhances the listening experience. This visually stunning setup has captivated and amazed millions of people worldwide, proving that the uniqueness of Candlelight lies in the ambiance it creates When asked why was the Arts Center of Oak Park chosen as the venue for this specific concert, Boucault responded with because it exemplifies the perfect blend of cultural significance and architectural beauty that Candlelight seeks to highlight with its performances.

“This magnificent Neoclassical gem is

In order to balance Coldplay’s older and newer works to create a cohesive experience, Fever’s curation team regularly reviews feedback from attendees, local musicians and data analytics to update setlists, aligning with audience preferences and incorporating the latest artist releases

“Staying attuned to both audience expectations and the evolution of the artists’ music, we create dynamic and relevant programs that resonate across generations and keep each performance fresh and memorable,” Boucault said.

For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.feverup.com/m/185955.

Love and Laughs with Michelle Buteau

Star t the year with humor and romance from the comfor t of your own home.

By Dalal Or fali Vibe Assistant Editor

Illinois Libraries Present is bringing Love and Laughs with Michelle Buteau to the Forest Park Public Library this January. The show will be streamed online, with Michelle Buteau delivering her signature relationship humor—perfectly timed as the new year begins and Valentine’s Day proaches.

statewide collaboration of 213 braries, coordinates bringing nationally acclaimed speakers, authors, journalists, chef novelists, and pe for audiences. These ev for nities, make highprofile cultural and educational experiences accessible.

communities may not otherwise have an opportunity to hear them speak.”

“This is the first time Forest Park is hosting Michelle Buteau, and it’s also a first for Illinois Libraries Present,” Lavin noted.

bring in fabulous, really outstanding speakers who are beyond the ken of what any individual library could do because of speaker fees and the desirability of the speakers. So, together, we have more power,” said Skye Lavin, manager of adult services at Forest Park Public Library. Lavin explained that participating libraries sign up for a season or annual subscription to ILP’s programming.

“It’s Forest Park Public Library’s fourth season with ILP, a collaboration that has been going on for four years,” Lavin added. “They are brilliant and really popular folks that have nationwide prestige, and our patrons, our

Buteau is an actress, producer, and the creator, writer, and star of Survival of the Thickest, a Netflix series inspired by her autobio graphical book of essays with the same title. The New Jersey-born comedian, whose parents are of Caribbean descent, won the Critics’ Choice Best Comedy Special Welcome to BuAccording to the on the Public Michelle Buteau will Greta Johnsen, an interr and podcast for her 11-year tenure Nerdette podcast. Johnsen is also a contributor to podcasts such as Pop Culture Happy Hour and City Cast.

Keep an eye on ILP and Forest Park Public Library’s calendars for more events like this.

When you re gister for Love and Laughs with Michelle Buteau, you’ll receive a Zoom link to attend the show. If you’re re gistered but unable to attend live, you’ll gain access to a recording of the event, available for 30 days, offering added flexibility. This event takes place Jan. 23 at 7 p.m. You can re gister at Forest Park Public Library’s Event Calendar or directly at bit.ly/ILP_MichelleButeau.

Michelle Butea u Provided

Dry January Done Right: top spots for

By DALAL ORFALI Vibe assistant editor

Dry January is a challenge to kick off the new year away from alcohol. The behaviorchanging trend has been around since 2012, and depending on how much you used to drink before, studies have shown improvement in overall health within these first four weeks of the year if you join the challenge. Interested in joining but still want to hold a cool drink in your hand? Here is a collection of spots serving special hand-crafted mocktails.

BERWYN

Autre Monde Café

Their mocktail menu won’t let you miss out on the fun. Try Virgin Blood Orange Gimlet, N/A Gin and Tonic, and N/A Spritz.

■ 6727 W Roosevelt Rd., 708-775-8122

■ Visit www.autremondecafe.net

Fitzgerald’s

The old standby offers three spirit-free cocktails on its menu that include intriguing ingredients such as gochujang shrub and turmeric.

■ 6615 Roosevelt Rd., 708-788-2118

■ Visit www.fitzgeraldsnightclub.com

BROADVIE W

The View Restaurant

There is something for everyone in this restaurant. Take It Easy and Bad Sisters are among their mocktail collection.

■ 1701 Roosevelt Rd., 708-540-8439

■ Visit theview1701.com

FOREST PARK

Shanahan’s

Shanahan’s has the most impressi of non-alcoholic beverages that fits all tastes including N/A wine, beer and mocktails, so make sure you try the Hurricane and Hot Toddy once you’re in.

■ 7353 Madison St., 708-366-0775

■ Visit shanahans.net

Rober t’s West Side

The live music venue and neighborhood bar is offering a spicy N/A mar Travels, a drink made of lemon juic

beer, hibiscus and grenadine juice. It also offers hot cocoa.

■ 7321 Madison St., 708-689-0486

■ Visit robertswestside.com

GARFIELD PARK , CHIC AG O

Gar eld Park Conser vator y

O.k. we concede that you can’t drink here. But if you need something fun to do, the

LAGRANGE

Kama Bistro

Enjoy a traditional Mango Lassi, or go wild with the Golden Elixir made of fresh ginger and turmeric root and sweetened with agave and a hint of mint and lemon.

■ 9 LaGrange Rd., 708-352-3300

■ Visit www.kamabistro.com

K PARK

estaurant offers delicious mocktail creations with a Latin flair that our Dry January exciting. Ave., 708-358-9800 adelsol.com

rs in Oak Park are no strangers to this bright spot on Lake Street. Coueat selection of hand-craft-

Park Ave., 708-894-2253 sit www.ordercourageous.com