Wednesday Journal 033022

W E D N E S D A Y

March 30, 2022 Vol. 42, No. 35 ONE DOLLAR @wednesdayjournalinc

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JOURNAL @oakpark

of Oak Park and River Forest

ACT Special Section SEE INSIDE

As Reynolds retires, Scaman looks to future of policing

Chief’s U.S. Marshal nomination still tied up in D.C. politics

By STACEY SHERIDAN and DAN HALEY Staff Reporter and Editor

While lavishing praise on retiring Oak Park Police Chief LaDon Reynolds for both his long service and his policing expertise, Village President Vicki Scaman said Monday that “we have to look at this as an opportunity for new blood and to bring about significant changes” to policing in the village.

Reynolds’ retirement from the force after 28 years of service was announced by the village government last Friday. His final day will be April 15.

Scaman said Reynolds told incoming Village Manager Kevin Jackson of his decision to leave during the two men’s first one-on-one meeting.

Jackson has announced the village will conduct a nationwide search for a new police chief.

See REYNOLDS on page 16

Journey of discovery A historic tour across America’s South REPORT BY JESSICA MACKINNON, PAGE 14 SHANEL ROMAIN/Staff Photographer

Reesheda Graham Washington (above) hosted a presentation at Brewpoint Cafe on March 21 to discuss their three-day and twonight journey this past summer through the Southern cities of Atlanta, Birmingham, Tuskegee, and Selma.

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AN ORIGINAL DOCUMENTARY SERIES ABOUT PEOPLE AND EVENTS THAT SHAPED A GREAT AMERICAN CITY

Photo: Chicago Mayor Jane Byrne, 1982. Photo: Chicago History Museum, ICHi-037841; Richard T. Kaner, photographer.

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Wednesday Journal, March 30, 2022

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Will Smith’s slap captures our moment

’m still a bit rattled, aren’t you?

Whatever you think about Will Smith’s ‘slap hear round the world,’ you have to admit that it was significant, a pop cultural moment the likes of which the world hasn’t experienced in quite a while.

For so long, America’s entertainment industrial complex has acted as an antidote to the increasing vileness and cruelty of our politics and economy (never mind the fact that never has our politics and economy been so dominated by entertainment). Hollywood is supposed to be our escape from the violence of the real world. In the last few years, though, reality and fantasy have been hard to distinguish.

This is why Will Smith’s slap is so emblematic of our contemporary moment. At first, who could believe that this was happening? Until it did. Or didn’t? There are those who are still insisting the whole thing was a hoax.

In a deep sense, I found the slap eerily, troublingly poetic. Smith has always embodied a dichotomy that is perhaps most pronounced in the hit 1990s TV show that cemented his fame, “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.” The show aired from 1990 to 1996, arguably the height of postCold War democratic capitalism and American economic and military hegemony.

Smith’s character, the eponymous and semi-biographical Will, is a troubled young Black male from the inner city, Philly, who goes to live with “his aunt and uncle in Bel-Air.” As a trope, the Fresh Prince is firmly within a lineage of troubled young Black male characters, from Jimmy Walker’s J.J., the clownish young Black male in the 1970s sitcom “Good Times,” to Theo Huxtable of the 1980s sitcom “The Cosby Show.”

In a way, “The Fresh Prince” is a unique mashup of “Good Times” and “The Cosby Show,” but for the 1990s.

It even echoes “The Jefferson’s” in its “moving on up” ethos. As a Black kid from the Philly ghetto, the Fresh

MICHAEL ROMAIN

New Deal programs premised less on Prince has to traverse and adapt to rugged individualism than on collecwhite spaces, such as the elite private tive responsibility and shared sacrischool he attends, and he often does so fice. It was a social policy approach rebelliously. premised on alleviating poverty and Unlike Sunday night, however, structural inequality by lifting up the Fresh Prince’s transgressive bit individual superstars among the poor (think of the way he wears his school rather than doing something about uniform inside out, the way his white the masses. peers, especially the boys, aspire to Smith has been so good and so his particular brand of rebellious smart for so long — such a diligent cool), plays well universally. The show and capable ambassador of the idea was a huge crossover hit and is still that the free-market will provide if something of a cult classic among millennials like myself of all races and only you work hard enough and are cultures and classes. well-behaved enough and optimisBut that was a TV character. In tic enough (just have faith) — that real life, the rite of passage into Sunday’s transgressive act seemed white spaces for elite Blacks involves untenable. respectability and merit and good The slap symbolized a betrayal of behavior, not rebellion (which was althe 1990s-era, American triumphaways the underlying tension between lism and optimism that made Smith TECHCRUNCH, CC BY 2.0, WIKIMEDIA COMMONS Will and Uncle Phil). an international superstar. And Will Smith Ironically, the real Will Smith, the the slap cut against the politics of global superstar whose light was rerespectability that put Will in the flective of, and his career underwritposition to even be that close to the ten by, the multicultural, meritocratic ethos of globalizaOscars stage in the first place. Indeed, it put Will in the tion, understood this rather well. position to do something that I don’t think any Black Smith was a rapper, but he didn’t use profanity in his person has ever done before. lyrics (Smith won the first Grammy for Best Rap PerforUntil William Caroll Smith II walked onto that global mance in 1989, the year the Berlin Wall fell). And his silstage Sunday night and slapped Chris Rock, no Black perver screen and streaming persona has always exuded the son in the history of this country had pulled the polite, Barack Obama-esque optimism in the American Dream respectable sheen off an American institution on such a mythos and a firm commitment to equality of outcomes grandiose scale and not through the politics of respect— if only you act right. ability (i.e., Ketanji Onyika Brown Jackson), but through In many ways, the “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” was the the politics of defilement (i.e., Tom Cotton). perfect cultural complement of the Third Way liberalWe are in rather uncharted territory. Smith may have ism established with the Clinton administration, which been able to do this sort of thing on TV. Doing so in “reformed” welfare and got tough on crime by hewing to real life would be a different feat. Considering just how the trifecta of “growth, opportunity and responsibility.” intertwined the two are nowadays, however, he may just Clinton and his ideological colleagues at the Democratbe able to pull it off. ic Leadership Council (DLC) preached these three tenets in order to get rid of what they felt were old-fashioned CONTACT: michael@oakpark.com

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Wednesday Journal, March 30, 2022

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

BIG WEEK March 30-April 6

KISA MARX Owner Kidcrew Adventures

KALKIDAN TESFAYE

Owner, Addis Café

NZINGHA NOMMO Owner, of Afriware Books

Aging in Place Series: Ask a Provider About Healthy Aging Wednesday, April 6, 1-2 p.m., virtually through Oak Park Public Library Duly Health and Care presents a discussion on the preventive steps you can take to contribute to a productive and healthy lifestyle. Register now at oppl.org/calendar.

MARSHANELLE DIMA ALI Owner, Dima Jewelry HORNE, APRN FNP-BC Owner, Thrive Life Wellness

Atelier + Boutique

An Evening With Women of Color Business Owners in Oak Park Thursday, March 31, 6:30-8 p.m., Main Library Veterans Room Five inspirational Oak Park women of color, who own businesses in different industries, get together to tell their stories. Topics include what motivates and inspires these local entrepreneurs, challenges to starting and sustaining a business, and advice for others looking to do the same. Panelists include Dima Ali, owner of Dima Jewelry Atelier + Boutique; Marshanelle Horne APRN FNP-BC, owner of Thrive Life Wellness Center; Kisa Marx, owner of Kisakidcare home daycare (aka Kidcrew Adventures); Nzingha Nommo, owner of Afriware Books; and Kalkidan Tesfaye, owner of Addis Café. 834 Lake St., Oak Park.

FitzGerald’s Comedy Club with Chelsea Hood Louise Glück Poetry Wednesday, April 6, 4-5 p.m., Main Library Veterans Room Kinga Lipinska will speak about the poetry and poetics of Louise Glück, winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry, the Poetry Society of America’s William Carlos Williams Award, and the Nobel Prize in Literature. Bound together by the universal themes of time and mortality and with clarity and sureness of craft, Glück’s poetry questions, explores, and finally celebrates the feast-ordeal of being alive. Register now at oppl.org/calendar.

Thursday, March 31, 8:30 p.m., FitzGerald’s This long-running Berwyn music venue is starting to make inroads into the comedy field, as well. Thursday, the famed stage will be graced by Chelsea Hood, who has spread her point of view from the House of Blues to some of the finest tractor trailers in the country. And now she’s at FitzGerald’s for less than it costs to get there. 6615 Roosevelt Road, Berwyn.

Listing your event

Spring Break Arts Workshop - Painted Rocks Wednesday, March 30, 1-3 p.m., Dole Center Studio Room Explore the world of art on gravel, as this special class proves that rocks are good for more things than skipping. $18-23, 255 Augusta Blvd., Oak Park.

Wednesday Journal welcomes notices about events that Oak Park and River Forest community groups and businesses are planning. We’ll work to get the word out if you let us know what’s happening by noon Wednesday a week before your news needs to be in the newspaper.

■ Send details to Wednesday Journal, 141 S. Oak Park Ave., Oak Park, 60302 ■ Email calendar@wjinc.com

The Importance of a Strong Resume Wednesday, April 6, 2-3 p.m., virtually through Oak Park Public Library Christopher Loverix, Chicago Federation of Labor Workers Workforce and Community Initiative, talks about how a resume should speak volumes about your experience. Register now at oppl.org/calendar.

Wednesday Journal, March 30, 2022

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Galewood group seeks resident input on Mars plant’s future Galewood Neighbors conducts a community survey to get feedback on what residents want to see replace the candy factory, which closes in 2024

By IGOR STUDENKOV Contributing Reporter

Mars International is working with Galewood Neighbors, a community organization, to get a sense of what the residents want to see happen to its longtime Galewood candy factory at 2019 N. Oak Park Ave. The company announced earlier this year that it plans to leave the facility in 2024.

Galewood Neighbors recently released an online survey on its website inviting residents from every neighborhood in the Austin community area, as well as the neighboring Montclare and Belmont Cragin communities, to rank multiple possible options for the future use of the site and submit suggestions of their own.

Galewood Neighbors President Steve Green said the survey was based on some early discussions with area organizations. The input will ultimately be used to develop a request for proposal document that they’ll utilize to select the site developer.

The Galewood plant opened in 1929, on the site of the Westward Ho golf course, next to what eventually became Metra’s Milwaukee District West line. In January, Mars announced that it will wind down operations, closing the plant for good in 2024. They indicated that they want to turn over the land to a developer supported by community members and that they would donate the property to whatever entity receives the most substantial community support.

Green said that Mars is working with

the Chicago affiliate of the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), an organization that supports community development efforts in low and moderateincome neighborhoods.

LISC Chicago previously helped create several community development plans, including the Austin Quality of Life Plan.

Green said that LISC reached out to several community organizations from Austin and Belmont Cragin, including Galewood Neighbors and the Austin Coming Together coalition, to help shape the plans and gather public input.

On Feb. 9, Galewood Neighbors held a virtual public meeting to give residents a chance to share their ideas. They also organized a Mars Closing Committee to “discuss our communities’ next steps to address the announcement of the Mars Candy Plant closing.”

The committee had its first meetings on March 16 and it currently plans to meet monthly. The event listings on Galewood Neighbors’ website includes contact information for residents who want to tune in. Green said that all the meetings have been well-attended.

Green said that the organizations had several preliminary conversations that helped shape the survey. They will hold the first of several formal meetings, which will not be open to the public, this month. Green said that he hopes to get a decent number of responses by then, but the survey will remain open for the next few weeks, so residents will still be able to provide their input.

In the survey introduction, Galewood Neighbors wrote that they hope that the process “will attract developers and/or local community organizations that will truly serve the wants and needs of the Greater West and Northwest Sides of our city.”

The link to the survey is available on the “Mars Survey” page at Galewood Neighbors’ official website, at https://galewoodneighbors.org/

CONTACT: igorst3@hotmail.com

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As Oak Parkers input sought, climate plan considers inequity Commission, consultant seek citizen input before May 31

By STACEY SHERIDAN Staff Reporter

As humankind has plundered and depleted the Earth’s natural resources over centuries, the need to address climate change has become paramount. The village of Oak Park is looking to residents for help in developing its climate plan, which will serve as a guide for the village’s future sustainability efforts to thwart climate change while prioritizing equity and community.

“Community members are incredibly resourceful, and they know their neighborhoods and their homes better than anyone could,” said Marcella Bondie Keenan, Oak Park’s sustainability coordinator. “We’re really hoping to get their input.”

The climate plan is being developed with the help of sustainability consulting firm GRAEF, with which the village board

entered into a contract worth $125,000 last September. Bondie Keenan told Wednesday Journal GRAEF has been “fantastic.”

The village’s Environment and Energy Commission is likewise assisting in the plan’s development, as is Bondie Keenan.

The deadline for community input is May 31, but there are manifold opportunities for community members to contribute. Perhaps the easiest way is through the village’s dedicated portal: http://www.oak-park.us/climateplan.

There, visitors can complete a short survey about climate change experiences and priorities, as well as share thoughts and ideas by submitting comments to the site’s interactive map. The website also has a budgeting game where visitors can decide hypothetically how to invest in climate action. Visitors can educate themselves on climate change by perusing the wide range of scientific information available on the website.

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“It is crucial that people communicate with us,” said Bondie Keenan.

One of the website’s most unique features is its do-it-yourself meeting kit. The downloadable 19-page document covers all the bases necessary to host a discussion on climate change, from planning and execution tips to follow-up instructions.

Hard copies of the guide can be picked up at village hall. The guide includes background information on the impacts of climate change, as well as provides a list of community resources and discussion questions. Once the discussion among neighbors has finished, the group’s findings can be submitted through the website or mailed to the attention of Bondie Keenan at village hall, 123 Madison St., Oak Park. The findings also be dropped off at village hall.

“It can be as low-tech as you jotting your notes down on this hardcopy,” she said. “Or it could be a hybrid thing where

we do it over Zoom, and you leave your comments on the website as you’re talking through it.”

For those who would like to host a climate change discussion but feel uncomfortable leading the conversation even with the kit, the village can provide assistance with organizing and promoting the event. Bondie Keenan or another member of the team are also available to co-facilitate the discussion.

“We’re available to help,” she said.

While climate change affects everyone, certain groups of the population are inordinately impacted. Those groups, said Bondie Keenan, include people of color, older adults, youth, individuals with disabilities, and English language learners or people who have limited English proficiency.

“They’re the people that are being centered and elevated in the plan,” said Bondie Keenan. “That is not to say that the plan

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Wednesday Journal, March 30, 2022

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM won’t address everybody’s Housing Forward, accordconcerns, but they have ing to Erik Johnson, Housunique needs that need to ing Forward’s chief develbe planned for.” opment officer. Johnson To see that the plan dicalled the session an “inrectly and meaningfully clusive process” that incortackles those needs, the porated the input of indiclimate plan development viduals who have overcome team has been meeting homelessness. with a number of local “Housing Forward was community groups that honored to facilitate the serve people in those participation of those inpopulations. Five affinity dividuals at the March 1 groups have been created, workshop,” said Johnson. one for each of the most“We believe they can offer impacted populations. The a unique perspective that community organizations enriches both the research co-host each of the groups process and the completed and meet monthly with the plan.”

GRAEF consultants. They Beyond Hunger CEO also weigh in on the plan Michele Zurakowski told itself.

Wednesday Journal the MARCELLA BONDIE KEENAN food pantry has relied on “I really believe that cliOak Park’s sustainability coordinator mate plans cannot act only its Client Advisory Counin a technical capacity or cil, which is made up of inan environmental capacdividuals who have utilized ity,” said Bondie Keenan.

Beyond Hunger services, GRAEF and Bondie to assess and shape its proKeenan are also workgrams. The expertise of ing with nonprofits Beyond Hunger and those individuals that society often overHousing Forward to talk with the clients looks has been instrumental to Beyond of those two organizations, as climate Hunger. change also presents a profound effect on “We wanted to help make sure that food supply and housing. same insight was part of this process,” “Food security is a global concern as Zurakowski said. “Especially when we weather patterns change, impacting agri- know it will make a difference for generaculture,” said Bondie Keenan. “If you are tions to come. unhoused, or your housing is unstable, The climate plan will of course include you are automatically more at risk to be scientific information, including greenimpacted by extreme weather events.” house gas accounting, which will help Beyond Hunger and Housing Forward pave the way to Oak Park becoming a clients will be participating in human- net-zero community, a goal of the village centered design sessions with GRAEF. board. But the contents of the plan are Human-centered design is a problem- meant to advance social equity in a way solving approach that identifies solu- that promotes environmental sustaintions by employing a human perspective ability, according to Bondie Keenan. throughout the problem-solving process.

“The heart of this plan is equity,” said The human-centered design sessions are Bondie Keenan. private two-hour workshops where inA draft of the plan will be given to the depth conversations take place in a safe village board in late April or early May, space. while the final plan will go before the vilThe approach was well-received by lage board for public review in June.

“The heart of this plan is equity.”

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Wednesday Journal, March 30, 2022

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OPRF students, faculty urge overhaul of athletic facilities Phase 2 envisions remaking indoor athletic spaces

By IGOR STUDENKOV Contributing Reporter

The accounts students and teachers presented at the March 24 Oak Park and River Forest High School board meeting had a lot of things in common.

Speaker after speaker decried the state of the school’s current athletic facilities, complained about crumbling, leaking ceilings, crammed classrooms, inadequate equipment and cockroaches. They also argued that the dance facilities don’t meet the classes’ current needs, and that nonbinary students deserve to have their own dedicated locker room instead of having to settle for a makeshift solution of using the girls’ athletic locker room. That entire wing of the Scoville Avenue campus, they argued, is long overdue for an upgrade, and they called for the board to approve the renovations as soon as possible.

In November 2018, the Imagine OPRF Work Group presented its recommendations to completely rebuild the athletic wing under Phase 2 of the Imagine capital plan, but those proposals weren’t acted on.

During the March 24 meeting, the heads of the group and district officials summarized the school’s current needs, echoing many of the issues the staff and faculty raised, and the board broadly agreed to restart the process. But OPRF isn’t expected to have more details and up-to-date cost estimates in place until September – which is when the board will decide whether to proceed with the improvements after all.

The preliminary recommendations called for the district to tear down existing structures east of the field house and south of Door 2, so that they can be replaced with a new four-story structure with a full basement. It would include a new multicourt gymnasium, multi-purpose rooms that can be used for dancing and classroom instruction, a new 25-yard by 40-yard swimming pool, a new weight room, new locker rooms and changing facilities, new “commons and pre-function spaces” that would include concession areas, and new and larger equipment storage areas. Unlike the current structure, the new building would have elevators, improving accessibility for people with disabilities.

FGM Architects, which handles the planning for the school’s maintained and capi-

IGOR STUDENKOV/Contributor

MAKING THEIR PITCH: Linda Carlson (foreground, right) addresses the board as Rashad Singletary (foreground, center) and Max Sakellaris (foreground, left) wait their turns to present. tal projects, estimates that Phase 2 would cost over $46.8 million. A portion of the work would overlap OPRF’s 10-year maintenance plan. Once one removes the duplications between the two, the total costs for the capital improvements and exterior estimates would be around $51.49 million.

Senior Ania Sacks was among several students who said that she appreciated her “wonderful teachers and peers” who made every gym class special and invigorating, while making no bones about many issues that detracted from the experience “About a week ago, my class was playing volleyball, and [the ball] got stuck in one the many ceiling holes,” she said. “One time, we couldn’t swim because the pool was foaming -- still not clear why. [Recently], we showed up at the pool for practice and saw a chunk of ceiling floating.”

Sacks also mentioned “gross” showers and that “cockroaches like to swim with us.”

David Andolina, a senior and a varsity athlete, said that finding space to practice is a constant issue, and that it isn’t un-

usual to see pieces of the ceiling fall when they do practice. And he reflected that, having seen other schools’ facilities, “ours is among the worst.”

“This certainly doesn’t match the commitment of our PE teachers,” Andolina said.

Senior Jessica Sloan-Cooper, a lacrosse player, reflected that listening to other students comment about the facilities made her realize how much she tended to overlook.

“We’re high-schoolers,” she added. “If something is not going good, gym is proven to de-stress you, and if we can’t even do that, that kind of sucks.”

Dance teacher Betina Dunson-Johnson, one of the several OPRF teachers who complained that they didn’t have enough space for classes, argued that the current structure fails students with mobility issues.

“Doorways are too narrow, steps and staircases are narrow and elevators are nonexistent,” she said “Our students deserve to learn in a better, safer classroom.

Every single student, every day.”

Later during the meeting, PE teachers Linda Carlson, Rashad Singletary and Max Sakellaris gave a presentation on the facilities’ conditions that echoed much of what the students said. Carlson gave a specific example of a student “who was very good at wheelchair basketball” who had to reach the third floor to play.

“Daily, two of my students would carry his wheelchair,” she said. “Eventually, a ramp was built there. In no way was it ADA-compliant.”

Carlson got choked up when she talked about the impact the lack of a genderneutral locker room has on non-binary students’ mental health.

“I can’t tell you the harm, when there are signs that still says girls bathroom,” she said. “It is still not okay that our gender non-confirming students don’t have their designated space. It’s an insult, another micro-aggression. You’re not seen, you’re not welcomed.”

Sakellaris said that outdated facilities hurt students’ ability to learn.

Lynn Kamenitsa and Mike Poirier, cochairs of the Imagine OPRF work group, echoed those criticisms. Kamenitsa said the current state of the facilities was a product of “50 years of piecemeal, shortterm problem-solving” “This is not anyone’s fault,” she said.

“This is just what happens when facilities age and usage and needs change.”

Poirier argued that rehabbing the existing facilities would cost around $10 million and wouldn’t do much to address the issues.

“Project 2 is the most cost-effective plan for holistically addressing the needs that Imagine Team identities,” he said.

During the ensuing discussion board members agreed to start the work on reviewing and updating the Imagine plan.

“It’s really nice to be addressing a concern that, as far as I can tell, goes and is held by students of all races and ethnicities, that the faculties aren’t up to snuff,” said board member Ralph Martire.

“I’m glad we’re going back to Imagine.

I’m glad we’re using that as a foundation,” said board member Fred Arkin. “Obviously, over the last 3 years, there need to be changes, but I’m glad this is getting used as a foundational element.”

Wednesday Journal, March 30, 2022

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

OPRF’s west pool to get near $1M in emergency repairs

By IGOR STUDENKOV Contributing Reporter

Oak Park and River Forest High School will spend north of $900,000 to repair its failed West Pool, the school board unanimously decided at its March 24 meeting. The repairs, focused on the pool’s west deck and wall, will extend the life of the aged pool by 4-5 years, according to engineers hired by the district.

That timeline will theoretically allow the school time to complete planning, financing and construction of Project 2 within the district’s massive Imagine OPRF capital improvement plan. The second phase will focus on indoor athletic facilities on the south end of the Scoville Avenue campus.

The school board voted last Thursday to go out to bid for the repairs to the pool. The repairs are expected to cost around $933,188.

The school closed the pool last month after McCluskey Engineering, the consulting company the board contracted to look at ways to address the 95-year-old pools’ ongoing deterioration, warned that the west pool deck deteriorated to the point where it could cause the west wall to collapse. The board and consultants agreed that the repairs are there

strictly to keep the pool going for a few more years, before the more comprehensive renovation of the school’s athletic facilities can take place. Leaving the pool closed until a full redo is complete isn’t an option, they agreed, given the demand of the school’s athletic programs and swim classes.

Ron Anderson, OPRF’s executive director of operations, said the district will go out to bid in April, with the bid results going before the board for final approval in May. Construction is expected to be completed in midAugust, in time for the start of the 2022-2023 school year.

The major issue with any pool repairs is that the pool systems are old enough to be grandfathered in. Unless the school finds a way to replace the pool equipment with the exact same equipment that is already there – which, according to FGM Architects report, would be impossible given that much of the equipment is over 40 years old – the pool would fall under current safety standards, which would require the school to undertake substantial renovations to bring everything up to code. OPRF was already planning to replace both pools as part of the second phase of the Imagine capital program, but it would

be years before that construction will begin – and at least one pool will need to be up while another pool is being replaced.

The first priority on the immediate project will be to replace the pool deck on the west side of the west pool – an issue that led to the pool’s closure in the first place.

“The west pool wall relies upon the west pool deck for some of its structural integrity,” the report stated. “A structural failure at the west pool deck could cause structural failure of the west pool wall as well.”

The repairs will also include last urgent, but still pressing repairs to the other three west pool walls and one of the east pool walls, as well as replacing two floor decks in each pool that aren’t as in bad of a shape as the west pool’s west deck, but still need attention.

The report indicated that all of those repairs would only require them to replace some piping, which would be easier to replace than other pieces of equipment and keep the pools grandfathered in.

Timothy Moritz, the senior project manager at McCluskey Engineering, told the board on March 24 that the pool wall was “obviously leaking” through concrete, and that, while “the walls are not in the immediate danger of

collapse,” they should be fixed as soon as possible. He also said that the west pool decks are “in various stages of corrosion” and “have the same leakage problems.”

John Dzarnowski, CEO of FGM Architects, who has experience repairing pools, said that he expects repairs to hold for 4-5 years, but warned that the pool systems are already beyond their useful life of 25-30 years.

Nicole Ebsen, OPRF’s athletic director, said that having only one pool is already hurting the water polo teams’ and synchronized swimming club’s ability to practice and “it would only become more difficult” if the pool remains closed next school year.

While board member Fred Arkin said he had reservations about spending “almost a million” to repair a pool that would be replaced in a few years anyway, board member Kebreab Henry argued that, given the impact of leaving it closed, repairs would be a good decision for the time being.

Henry wondered about liability issues the pool might raise. Superintendent Gregory Johnson said the pool has been drained and closed off, and even the locks were changed.

“We’ve done our best to really seclude that space in the building,” he said.

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West Side alderman seeks 11th Subcircuit judgeship Ald. Chris Taliaferro (29th), if elected, would leave seat vacant for 6 months

By IGOR STUDENKOV Contributing Reporter

Ald. Christ Taliaferro (29th) is running for judge of the Cook County Circuit Court’s 11th Subcircuit, which spans much of northwestern Chicago and several western and southwestern suburbs. If elected, his seat will become vacant for the last six months of his term.

While judicial elections tend to fly under the radar, circuit court judges preside over a wide range of legal proceedings, including divorce filings, traffic tickets, child custody hearings and criminal cases, among other things.

Once elected, judges may be appointed to a specific region or serve countywide. The current circuit court system was designed to make sure that all parts of the county, particularly minority communities, get a chance to elect judges that represent them.

Taliaferro, who has been a lawyer since

2007, said that serving as a judge would be the culmination of his legal career. He said that as an African American who has experience representing communities like Austin, he would bring something valuable to the courts.

The election comes as the fate of the new ward boundaries that would take effect during the 2023 city election remain uncertain.

If elected judge, Taliaferro would face a new map when he runs for retention. The alderman said he’s currently focused on getting elected to the new role by winning the June 28 Democratic Primary and the Nov. 8 general election.

If the alderman wins the Primary, he’ll likely win the general election by default.

Currently, there are no candidates who have registered to run as Republican or Independent. Taliaferro said that if he does win the Primary, he’ll reach out to several area stakeholders to help him choose someone to replace him as alderman. Mayor Lori Light-

foot will be responsible for appointing the replacement, but past Chicago mayors have tended to defer to the alderperson’s wishes.

The 11th Subcircuit includes most of Austin north of North Avenue, including Galewood, and much of Chicago immediately north of it.

In the suburbs, it includes Oak Park, about half of Proviso Township, including most of Maywood, and portions of several northwestern suburbs. According to the Illinois Supreme Court’s official website, the 11th Subcircuit has been vacant since 2020, when Judge Dennis McGuire declined to run for retention.

The winner of the election will take office on Dec. 10, 2022 and serve for six years. At that point, voters will decide on whether or not to retain the judge, but instances when voters chose not to retain a judge have been rare. If he’s elected judge and decides to run for retention, Taliaferro would be running in a newly mapped Subcircuit whose bound-

aries were approved earlier this year. The map won’t take effect until 2024. By then, the new 11th Subcircuit would not include Proviso Township, but would keep Oak Park and Galewood.

According to the Illinois State Board of Elections, the only other candidate running for the Democratic nomination is Aileen Bhandari, of Portage Park, who has prosecuted cases for the Cook County State’s Attorney’s office since 2002. Most recently, she served as a supervisor of the office’s Community Justice Center.

In 2020, she ran for one of the at-large circuit court judge seats, but she got the lowest number of votes out of the four candidates in that year’s Democratic primary, getting 20% of the vote.

Taliaferro served as a police officer in Austin’s 15th and 25th police districts before he was first elected alderman in 2015.

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Ald. Chris Talieferro (29th), left, in front of Austin Village Hall. graduating in 2007, Taliaferro served as an Proviso Township and Austin have large attorney at the Nexus Legal Group.

Black populations.

Taliaferro said that he has long wanted His election would also improve the cirto be a judge even before he attended law cuit court’s diversity. According to a Sept. school, because he was mentored by a judge 15, 2021 Injustice Watch report, only 20% of early in his career. After being a police of- all Circuit Court judges are black. In comficer and an attorney, he said, going into a parison, the county is about 25% black. profession that approaches the justice sysThe election of Bhandari, who has Filitem “from another lens” was pino and Indian roots, would a logical next step and “a pinalso add to the court’s divernacle of the legal profession.” sity. According to the same During his Feb 16 monthly article, only 3% of Circuit community meeting, TaliaCourt judges are Asian. ferro said that he gets choked Taliaferro said that he up thinking about leaving his respects Bhandari’s accomCity Council seat. plishments and that he hopes “I love, with all my heart, to that they would have a rebe an alderman, and it wasn’t spectful race. an easy decision for me,” he “I’ve met Ms. Bhandari, I a couple of times,” said. believe, CHRIS TALIAFERRO he said.

“I don’t know her In a recent interview, Talia29th Ward alderman very well, but I’m sure that ferro said that his past expeMs. Bhandari is very wellrience, including his experiqualified.” ence as an alderman, would Taliaferro resigned as 29th be an asset to the court.

Ward Democratic commit“I believe that, when we look at the legal system, the judicial system teeperson on March 7, because election in Cook County, I can say that I firmly bee- law doesn’t allow judicial candidates to hive that I would love to continue carrying have positions within political party orgaout the tradition of integrity, transparency nizations. The commiteepeople coordinate and certainly one of compassion and being party campaigning efforts and take part in able to understand some of the people that filling most political vacancies. Taliaferro will come before the court, and come before said that he won’t play any role in choosing his successor for Democratic committeepme as a judge,” he said.

Taliaferro added that he would be the erson. first Black judge in the 11th Subcircuit, a reality that he said is important, given that CONTACT: igorst3@hotmail.com

“I love, with all my heart, to be an alderman, and it wasn’t an easy decision for me.”

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Wednesday Journal, March 30, 2022

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Dominican students petition school to back food workers

Negotiations between food contractor, workers continue

By AZHLEY RODRIGUEZ Contributing Reporter

On Thursday, March 24, Dominican University community members and dining service staff delivered a signed petition and letter supporting dining staff from students to the college president’s office. Glena Temple, Dominican’s president, was not in at the time, but a response has been requested by those coordinating the petition.

The effort to support dining service workers and their request for affordable healthcare and better wages has sparked a movement in the Dominican University community.

Since 2015, Dominican has contracted with Quest Food Management Service to provide meals to the college community and jobs to dining and Cyber Café staff.

Over the course of the last few months, food service staff working for Quest at Dominican have expressed their need for “affordable healthcare.” That effort has the support of their local union UNITE HERE Local 1, which created the petition.

A public forum was held March 17 with about 30 students, faculty, staff, and union representatives who joined via Zoom.

Ulises Flores, a junior and president of the Undocumented Immigrant and Allyance club, said, “as the people we are, we come from working class families. This is very personal to me, and I know it’s personal to a lot of students.”

During the forum, Dan Abraham, an organizing director with UNITE HERE Local 1, reviewed a recent report called “Quest Negotiation,” and a petition with over 275 signatures to support food service staff on campus.

The petition reads: “As members of the Dominican University community, we af-

firm the dignity of the human person and express our concern for the common good.

The food workers employed by Quest are also members of our community. Food workers should be able to afford to comfortably support their families — to buy healthy food, to pay their bills, and go to the doctor whenever they need to. We call on members of our community to strongly encourage a solution which is just and humane for these workers.”

The Quest Negotiation reports that according to 18 food service staff who were surveyed at Dominican, “50% of respondents, or a member of their household, could not afford to go to the doctor. 56% of respondents, or a member of their household, could not afford their medications. 61% of respondents, or a member of their household, skipped some kind of medical service.”

Food service workers were able to speak about their experiences with Quest during the forum. Through teary eyes, they echoed the love they have for the students and the faculty on campus.

“It’s a blessing to know that there’s people here that care. From the bottom of my heart, I cherish every individual child in this school like they were my own. It’s a

UNITE HERE LOCAL 1

PHOTO BY AZHLEY RODRIGUEZ

ORGANIZING: Students share information in Parmer Hall to stay updated on President Temple’s response to their letter and signed petition. struggle, but you gotta put your game face on and keep doing it,” said Toni Jones, a cook who has been at Dominican for more than 20 years.

Workers also echoed the need for affordable healthcare and their experiences with doctors’ visits and care they cannot afford.

Nick Saccaro, president of Quest Food Management Services and leader in Quest’s daily operations, said in a statement to the Dominican Star: “Quest has offered Local 1 two insurance plans for our employees at DU, both are through Blue Cross/Blue Shield. Quest has offered to pay 85% of the health insurance premiums (and 85% of the dental and vision insurance premiums), up from our current 80% contribution. Our proposed monthly premium is slightly less than the same Blue Cross/Blue Shield plan that Dominican offers to employees – it is less than $100/month – and this is a 20%+ savings from the current premium. From day 1 of our negotiations, which started in June of 2021, we have tried to present insurance options that are aligned with the community standards and practices at Dominican, which contributes 20% towards employee premiums. As of March of 2021, the average employer paid 77% of the health insurance premium for employees according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Again, we are offering to pay 85%, and Dominican pays 80% of the health insurance premiums.”

Kenya Alexander, a pregnant food service

worker, says, “When I have my baby, I won’t even get paid maternity leave.”

Students at the forum were concerned and wanted the university to get involved.

Freshman undocumented student Jashui Zarate Torres says, “I don’t want this problem to be unsolved and still have Dominican hold itself to ‘number one school in social justice in the Midwest.’ It doesn’t make any sense to me.”

Mark Titzer, Dominican’s vice president for finance and administration and treasurer, says, “Quest pays Dominican staff and Dominican reimburses Quest. My understanding is what Quest is offering in the proposal are wage rates that are comparable with many of Dominican’s other direct hourly workers.”

President Temple submitted a statement to the Star: “Dominican University affirms the dignity of the human person and promotes the common good. Quest Food Management Services and UNITE HERE Local 1 have been negotiating a new collective bargaining agreement for Quest’s employees providing food service at Dominican University. The process is ongoing, and our expectation is that both parties are and will continue bargaining in good faith to reach a fair and sustainable contract for all that meets our community standards.”

This story first appeared in the Dominican Star newspaper and is reprinted with permission. Azhley Rodriguez is a junior at Dominican and works for the Star.

Wednesday Journal, March 30, 2022

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

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Two Sisters represents Austin during city’s Restaurant Week Chef Veah Larde brings a Taste of Nola to the Soul City Corridor

By MELISSA ELSMO Oak Park Eats Editor

Chicago Restaurant Week, organized

by Choose Chicago, is in full swing and Chef Veah Larde, owner of Two Sisters Catering and Restaurant, 4800 W. Chicago Ave., is proud to represent the Austin community during the 17-day food celebration. Through April 10, the counter-service establishment known for serving up an array of healthy southern-inspired dishes is offering a special price fixe menu of New Orleans favorites for restaurant week.

A serendipitous connection during the 2021 Chi-Town Soul Trolley Restaurant

Tour piqued Larde’s interest in restaurant week. Roz Stuttley, head of equity, diversity and inclusion at Choose Chicago was a tour guest when Larde got on the trolley to pass out samples of her vegetarian collard greens and house-made cornbread. The flavorful dishes caught Stuttley’s attention.

“Miss V is an amazing cook, and I was blown away by her food,” said Stuttley. “She is patient, kind and hospitable and I told her she just had to join my program.”

Larde was drawn to Stuttley’s positive spirit and decided that participating in the annual event might help her branch out while helping to clarify that Two Sisters is much more than a catering-focused operation. Since Larde opened her brick and mortar in April 2021 business has been “up and down” and the creative cook admits she has had trouble helping the community understand Two Sisters is in fact a carry out restaurant serving ready to eat meals to the public.

MELISSA ELSMO/Staff Photographer

Two Sisters offers healthy and affordable takes on traditional Southern fare like herb roasted chicken, turkey Salisbury steak, collard greens, and macaroni and cheese.

MELISSA ELSMO/Staff Photographer

SOUTHERN FLAIR: Veah Larde, owner of Two Sisters in Austin, is a proud participant in Chicago Restaurant Week.

Larde built a loyal following through the catering business she started 10 years ago and eventually found a home The Hatchery — a food startup incubator on Chicago’s West Side. During the pandemic, Larde capitalized on an opportunity to move her business to her current location and start serving her community hot meals daily.

“I want people to know that we are here,” said Larde. “When people think of me, they think of catering, but we are more than that.”

To entice restaurant week participants, Two Sisters is offering a menu of Louisiana favorites that meet the $25 price point required for participation. The meat lover’s plate is comprised of generous portions of chicken and andouille gumbo, fish court bouillon, red beans and rice and a red velvet cupcake. A vegetarian offering features a Southern Succotash Stew, briming with 12 vegetables including okra, lima beans, potatoes, corn and fire roasted to-

matoes.

“I have near and dear family living in New Orleans and gumbo is one of my alltime favorite New Orleans foods,” said Larde. “I am using my sister’s recipe for chicken and sausage gumbo; we don’t use any pork fat, so it is a healthier version.”

This is Larde’s first restaurant week experience, and she is prepared to bring in extra help to meet demand if needed.

Loyal fans of Two Sisters’ regular rotation of comfort food favorites like turkey meatloaf, herb baked chicken and macaroni and cheese will still be able to pick up their preferred dishes, but Larde was quick to point out several of her restaurant week offerings are good enough to earn a coveted spot in her regular recipe rotation.

Restaurant week runs from March 25 through April 10. Two Sisters is open Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Delivery is available through GrubHub and UberEats.

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Wednesday Journal, March 30, 2022

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Facing racism in U.S. history, Blacks, whites Journey Together A guided tour to historic sites across America’s South

By JESSICA MACKINNON Contributing Reporter

Last month, several local residents as well as participants from across the country, deepened their understanding of the enduring impact of systemic racism through “Journey Together,” a three-day facilitated travel experience to the South.

The participants gathered again Monday evening, March 21, online and in-person at Oak Park’s Brewpoint, 163 S. Oak Park Ave., to share their thoughts on this transformational experience.

The trip, co-organized by Reesheda Graham Washington, CEO of RGW Consulting and board chair of Race Conscious Dialogues (RCD), and Dot Lambshead Roche, founder and executive director of RCD, included sites essential to the Civil Rights Movement, such as the Martin Luther King Jr. Center and Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, AL and the Rosa Parks Museum in Montgomery, AL. Participants also walked the Edmund Pettus Bridge at sunset and visited Tuskegee University, the Freedom Riders Memorial and the Legacy Museum as well as other historic sites in the South.

The 22 participants, consisting equally of whites and people of color, were provided ample opportunity to reflect on what they saw, while traveling between cities, through evening debriefs and during communal dinners.

“The point is not just seeing the bricks and mortar of these places that were so instrumental to the Civil Rights Movement, it

is understanding that the spirit and energy in these sites, which are engrained in the DNA of Black people, created social transformation,” said Graham Washington.

“It was an intense, immersive experience — and one that was not always comfortable for white participants,” said Susan Lucci of River Forest. “But you have to allow yourself to be vulnerable, uncomfortable in order to shift your perspective. To be in community with others, particularly people of color, during this journey was an amazing experience.”

According to Graham Washington, “Journey Together” was intentionally designed to educate participants about the vastness and complexities of the Civil Rights Movement and to provide them with the agency to create the tangible social change that is still needed.

Phyllis Rubin, a member of Temple Har Zion in River Forest, shared that while

SHANEL ROMAIN/Staff Photographer

TOUR GUIDE: Attendees heard from Reesheda Graham Washington about a recent journey through the South to raise awareness of the history of racism. The next tour will take place in May.

Americas. I didn’t fully appreciate until this trip that people of color have a whole different experience of the U.S. and that, only in certain places, like Tuskegee, do they feel like they belong and are safe.

There is still so much to fight against -- and to fight for. I know that I can’t do it all — but I can do something,” she said.

As a Latina, Erika Bachner, a River Forest village trustee and a facilitator for RCD, experienced a profound reckoning during the trip.

“At the Equal Justice Initiative in Montgomery, I saw a timeline showing that Portugal and Spain were the first to bring Black bodies to the Americas. I am still processing the fact that this is part of my past. There is a responsibility that I wasn’t fully aware of before the trip,” she said.

Lambshead Roche said that since returning from the trip, she has been thinking about white solidarity and how to SHANEL ROMAIN/Staff Photographer break it, something that RCD tackles through its foundational course. she will never know what it is like to be a “Many of us who are members of the person of color, she believes that Jews and white dominant culture have great intenBlacks have more in common than many tions for moving our community to racial people might realize. After crossing the justice but we prioritize comfort over doEdmund Pettus Bridge, she lit a traditional ing the work that is needed to truly create Yahrzeit candle and recited the Kaddish justice. We have to be responsible for our prayer at the Tomb of the Unknown Slave. own learning — in ways that don’t harm “I learned that there are more than two those experiencing oppression,” she said.

Lauren Collins told the group that after the trip she felt empowered to speak up about inequities in her workplace. “The Journey offered me the opportunity to speak my own truth in front of white people without the whole room exploding,” she said.

“This journey provides a bonding experience that speaks to the power of relationship. It allows us to be present and to galvanize our work around supporting each other. This is what the Movement is about,” said Graham Washington.

You could be next The next “Journey Together” will be held May 14-16. Applications are due by April 19. White people are strongly encouraged to complete Race Conscious Dialogues’ four-part foundational course or training through RGW Consulting Inc. before applying.

This pre-training is designed to deepen awareness of identity, privilege and positionality to power and to help whites develop the tools for anti-racism work.

Another Journey will be held in July specifically for young people between the ages of 12 and 17.

For more information, visit raceconsciousdialogues.org or rgwashington. com, where you can watch a video clip of the Feb. 18-20 “Journey Together.”

Wednesday Journal, March 30, 2022

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

15

Trinity unveils renewed auditorium Renovation complete thanks to donation by longtime supporter

By F. AMANDA TUGADE Staff Reporter

For years, a group of Trinity High School alumni tried to raise money to help renovate the all-girls school’s aging auditorium. The women, who took on this project, were part of the Class of 1963, the first to graduate in the auditorium. Their plan was to sell a seat, etching the buyer’s name on it as a token of appreciation, but it didn’t catch on and placed the project on hold, said Shena Keith, vice president of institutional advancement at Trinity, 7574 Division St., River Forest.

But something happened. Almost like a “blessing out of the sky,” said Keith, who spoke to Wednesday Journal just days before the unveiling of the new auditorium on March 20.

About two years ago, administrators at Trinity were told that a woman named Alice M. Fox left a $2 million bequest to them, money that would later be used to create a scholarship fund for their seniors and repair the 50-plus-year-old auditorium.

Renovations to the auditorium, which included new carpeting, seating and a heating and cooling system, which were completed within the last year and unveiled to the community over the weekend. School officials held the ceremony Sunday, welcoming families into the new space, which seats more than 1,200 people and has been renamed the Dr. Alice M. Fox Auditorium.

But who exactly is Fox? Keith, who remembered receiving the news of Fox’s generous donation, said Fox was a woman of many talents. For starters, she was a lifelong learner, a fierce advocate for women’s education and had a long, winding career in science.

Fox, who died in March 2020 at 96 years

PROVIDED

The newly renovated Trinity High School auditorium.

old, held various degrees, including a PhD in philosophy from St. Louis University and a nursing degree from the University of Illinois at Chicago. Fox took her vows as a Sister of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary and taught at an all-women’s college. She had an interest in heart disease

and once led teams of women to help investigate the causes and treatments of heart disease, according to a school news release.

Trinity administrators discovered something else about Fox. She grew up in Chicago and attended Immaculata High School, an all-girls school on the near North Side that closed about 40 years ago. Keith said Fox was looking for another all-girls school to support, which was how she found Trinity in suburban River Forest.

“We’re incredibly grateful to have received this gift. [Fox] was an incredible woman, very generous, very smart,” Keith

said. “She’s such a great role model for our students.”

Keith said the new space is a testament to the “love and dedication and commitment” of Trinity’s students, alumni and donors. She explained that students sold chocolate bars to raise the initial funds to build the auditorium back in the early 1960s, and students from that same era returned decades later to try and refurbish it for the next generation. And now with Fox’s donation, that dream has come to fruition. A chapter closed, but the story continues.

“They’re a part of something special,” Keith said.

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Wednesday Journal, March 30, 2022

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

Chicago man charged with two Oak Park burglaries The Cook County State’s Attorney on March 23 charged 32-yearold Brandon Thomas, of Chicago, with committing two burglaries in Oak Park.

Police did not state specifically when the burglaries took place, but they occurred in the first block of Lake Street. Officers were able to track a victim’s cellphone to the 100 block of North Laramie Avenue, where police arrested Thomas who was reportedly in possession of the cellphone and other proceeds from the burglaries.

Detectives were able to obtain further evidence, including video evidence, which they presented to the state’s attorney for pursuing felony charges against Thomas.

■ Oak Park police on March 24 charged a 37-year-old Chicago man with possession of stolen property in connection with a theft from a motor vehicle that occurred Sept.

23, 2021 in the 700 block of North Humphrey Avenue.

Detectives reported the alleged

REYNOLDS

offender had used credit cards stolen from the vehicle at numerous locations shortly after the theft.

Police apprehended the man in the 700 block of North Central Avenue at about 6:20 a.m. on March 24.

■ Police responded to the 6000 of North Avenue on March 22 at about 12:25 a.m. after someone reported observing a man carrying a red bag and using some sort of “slim jim” tool pulling door handles on multiple vehicles in a parking lot and gaining entry to one car.

The offender made off with a small amount of currency after ransacking the interior of the vehicle, police said.

Purse snatching An Oak Park resident’s purse was snatched by a male offender as she was walking from her detached garage to her house at 7:05 p.m., March 22 in the 1200 block of North Elmwood Avenue.

The offender pulled up next to the victim in an older purple se-

dan with a loud exhaust, grabbed the purse from her left arm and then got back into the vehicle, which was last seen traveling westbound on LeMoyne Parkway.

The purse contained the victim’s wallet and laptop, an estimated loss of $1,000.

Motor vehicle theft ■ A black 2017 Cadillac XTS was taken from a rear lot in the 300 block of South Maple Avenue between 9 a.m. and noon, March 22.

The estimated loss is $16,000.

■ A blue 2015 Dodge Ram 1500 pickup truck was taken from a rear carport in the 400 block of South Boulevard during the overnight hours of March 22-23. The estimated loss is $20,000.

Recovered stolen auto The gray 2008 Infiniti EX35 reported stolen March 18 from the 100 block of Harrison Street in Oak Park was recovered by the

tion has been put on hold, Wednesday Journal recently reported, in a procedural move by Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark).

Scaman said she expected the political logjam in Washington will “not be long from page 1 lasting” and her understanding is that Reynolds expects to be pulled quickly into Scaman said that, under the village man- his new job once the Senate approves his ager form of government, the hiring of the nomination, so spending time with his next chief is fully under the young family now is a priority. manager’s domain. “My responScaman acknowledged that sibility is to accept that the hirReynolds’ departure comes as ing will be the manager’s job. the village board has launched We can’t micromanage.” Scaan ongoing assessment of the man lauded the work of the past police department by an outthree chiefs — Rick Tanksley, side consultant. Uncertainty Tony Ambrose and Reynolds — over Reynold’s continued role and said that, thanks to the curin the department had previrent command staff who rose up ously been discussed as a chalduring those tenures, the departlenge to the review effort. ment is in strong hands during POLICE CHIEF The review process underthe interim period.

LADON REYNOLDS way, she said, is “going to be News of Reynolds’ impending foundationally the start of departure arrives as his nominachange” in the department and in its retion to become the U.S. Marshal for Northern lationship with the community. “We will Illinois remains tangled in party politics in need to continually address our unconWashington D.C. Nominated by Illinois’ two scious biases and will need to constantly Democratic senators, a vote on the nomina- and intentionally change.”

Beginning the transition

Chicago Police Department at 8:35 a.m., March 22, and towed to the department’s impoundment lot.

Theft A flagpole and a rainbow pride flag were taken from an exterior wall of a residence in the 1100 block of South Lombard Avenue between 3:30 p.m., March 21 and 10:30 a.m., March 22. The estimated loss is $50.

The catalytic converter was cut from a white 2017 Hyundai Sonata between 8 p.m., March 20 and 12:49 p.m., March 22 in the 900 block of Highland Avenue.

Criminal property damage ■ Someone slashed three tires on a silver 2007 Ford Explorer parked in the 600 block of South Maple Avenue between 8:30 p.m., March 20 and 1 p.m., March 21.

The estimated damage is $540.

Scaman said the department has “very good people who are invested in Oak Park.” But, she added, we need to create more partnerships and collaboration related to public safety in Oak Park.

She wants the next police chief to “lead the department with people from the community.”

Reynolds’ retirement announcement came just days after Jackson arrived in the manager’s office. In the statement released by the village, Jackson praised him and stated he had been “really looking forward to getting to know [Reynolds] better.” Jackson expects the village will conduct a nationwide search to find his replacement.

For his part, Reynolds was quoted in the release saying, “Oak Park is a great place to be a police officer. The community is engaged and supportive and a community policing model has always guided my sense of service here. The village board has made sure the department has the resources needed to keep the community safe. But it is time for me to move on and let a new generation of law enforcement professionals take the lead.”

■ A black 2011 BMW was vandalized with graffiti while parked in the 800 block of Lake Street between 1 p.m., March 21 and 8 a.m., March 22.

■ A witness observed two male teens throwing large rocks at the glass door of an apartment complex in the 700 block of South Maple Avenue at 8:47 p.m., March 23.

These items, obtained from the Oak Park Police Department, came from reports through March 22 to March 25 and represent a portion of the incidents to which police responded. Anyone named in these reports has only been charged with a crime and cases have not yet been adjudicated. We report the race of a suspect only when a serious crime has been committed, the suspect is still at large, and police have provided us with a detailed physical description of the suspect as they seek the public’s help in making an arrest.

Compiled by Stacey Sheridan and Bob Uphues

The news release referenced Reynolds’ nomination to be a U.S. Marshal. The release said his retirement from the Oak Park Police Department is “not likely to be the end of Chief Reynolds’ law enforcement career.” Reynolds himself has been consistently tight-lipped regarding his nomination, despite numerous requests for information from Wednesday Journal.

Reynolds joined the Oak Park police force in 1994 as a patrol officer, rising through the ranks to become a detective, sergeant and commander. He was made deputy chief in 2017 then stepped in as interim police chief in April 2018. Reynolds officially became chief in 2019.

He expressed gratitude in the news release, stating, “I also want personally to thank Village President Vicki Scaman and members of the village board, both past and present, for their support during my long career in Oak Park. And, of course, a special thanks goes out to the men and women of the Oak Park Police Department, many of whom I have known for many years. Without their support and commitment to service, I could never have achieved so much in my career here.”

Wednesday Journal, March 30, 2022

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17

New policing response is focus of forum

Village consultant holds third of four sessions

By STACEY SHERIDAN Staff Reporter

For the past three Wednesdays, police consulting firm BerryDunn has hosted community forums for residents to share their views on how Oak Park can improve the equitability of its law enforcement. The sessions are part of a wider assessment of the village’s current policing model commissioned by the village board. Through the assessment, the village board also seeks to determine whether the village should shift established policing methods in favor of alternatives.

Alternative strategies include providing a non-police response to calls for service, a concept that has relatively recently become a major topic of conversation nationally. It was also the main topic of discussion at Oak Park’s most recent community policing meeting, held March 23 over Zoom and led by BerryDunn’s Michele Weinzetl.

“There have been various debates about which calls the police ought to consider not going to anymore, or maybe doing differently, or maybe through some other collaboration,” Weinzetl told attendees.

The non-police response tactic involves emergency operators diverting certain service calls away from police departments, such as connecting 911 callers experiencing mental health crises to clinical social workers or psychologists rather than to sworn officers.

“Some people that are in crisis are agitated by the fact that a police officer has come into the circumstance,” said Weinzetl.

As of 2022, emergency dispatchers in Illinois are required to coordinate callers seeking mental or behavioral health support to mobile mental and behavioral health resources, under the Community Emergency Services and Supports Act. The legislation is meant to reduce arrests of those with mental illnesses. The Oak Park Police Department’s partnership with Thrive Counseling Center

long predates the state law but involves officers accompanying Thrive counselors on calls.

However, non-police responses are not only limited to mental health crises, as Weinzetl pointed out; a person experiencing homelessness might be connected to a shelter organization as opposed to a law enforcement agency. This scenario prompted one meeting attendee to voice some uncertainty.

“If you’re dealing with a homeless person – and you don’t know their background at all; you don’t know what their mental condition is – I would still feel better if there were police in the background,” said Anisha, whose last name was not listed on Zoom.

Police officers would not need to be in close proximity, she clarified, but near enough that they could respond should the situation escalate. Acknowledging that there is a risk of escalation in such situations, Weinzetl told her that the likelihood of that happening can be ascertained through “a good question and answer process” with the emergency dispatcher.

While Anisha was uncertain about the safety factors of a non-police response when it comes to strangers whose mental health histories are not known, she was open to the idea.

“I think in some circumstances it could work,” she said.

Not all of those who attended the meeting warmed to the idea of a non-police response.

Bill, whose last name was also not listed on Zoom, shared his discomfort with its implementation in Oak Park. He said he could not find any benefit to a non-police response aside from the village possibly saving money on police payroll.

He also cited the rowdy funeral processions that travel through Oak Park. Last September, an Oak Park police officer shot at a vehicle involved in one of these funeral processions after it was reported one of the passengers was waving a handgun out of the vehicle. Weinzetl said that a non-police response would not be utilized under such circumstances, nor would it be used for violent criminal acts.

“This kind of process is not about stopping police response for instances that require it,” said Weinzetl.

Residents still have an opportunity to get involved in the local non-police response conversation. BerryDunn is facilitating another public forum March 31 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Barrie Center, 1011 S. Lombard Ave. Like the previous three meetings, the forum will not be recorded per the request of the BerryDunn. Representatives from BerryDunn believe recording would cause people to feel unsafe sharing their views, according to Oak Park spokesman David Powers.

ROYAL youth not participating in police strategy sessions Group’s sponsor says youth feel ‘disrespected’

By STACEY SHERIDAN Staff Reporter

Since its inception roughly four years ago, the student-led activist group Revolutionary Oak Park Youth Action League has advocated for racial equity in the community. The vocal group of teenage organizers have staged school walkouts, submitted public comments at village board meetings and protested outside municipal buildings.

Through these demonstrations, ROYAL has gained the attention of elected officials, even receiving an invitation to participate in a private community stakeholder meeting about the future of Oak Park policing – which the group declined.

Calling the invitation “an empty gesture” from the village of Oak Park, ROYAL sent a statement to Wednesday Journal stating the group would not participate in such a meeting due to the village board’s history of ignoring their requests.

“For the last 4 years we have been vocal about our experiences and demands as they relate to the punitive systems in Oak Park, especially policing,” the statement reads.

ROYAL’s statement lists the group’s demands as defunding police and reallocating those resources to fund the futures of Black youth through services and resources, ending police responses to mental health crises and wellness checks, declaring a day of recognition for people of color who were victims of police violence, and ending the expansion of police surveillance technology.

Rasheda Jackson, assistant village attorney, confirmed that ROYAL was invited

to and declined to participate in a “special targeted group meeting” held March 15 with BerryDunn, the firm contracted by the village of Oak Park to carry out an assessment of its police department. The cost of services provided in BerryDunn’s proposal amounted to $159,250.

The village board’s engagement of BerryDunn also contributed to ROYAL’s decision not to participate in the March 15 meeting as the firm employs many former police officials. “[ROYAL] can’t believe that BerryDunn would even have the audacity to ask them to participate in something like this,” said Cynthia Brito Millan, ROYAL moderator and supervisor. “The youth feel so upset, disappointed, disrespected.”

Michele Weinzetl, who is leading BerryDunn’s Oak Park assessment, has 30 years of experience working in law enforcement

and spent 17 of those years as a police chief.

Weinzetl developed the “Community CoProduction Policing” collaborative model that “transforms police agencies into a community-owned commodity,” according to the BerryDunn website.

To the members of Royal, it felt “like a slap in the face” and “really harmful” that the village board, with the exception of Trustees Arti Walker-Peddakotla and Chibuike Enyia, voted to utilize the services of former police officers to evaluate current police officers, according to Brito Millan.

She argued that the invitation wasn’t an act of true community engagement.

“It is performative,” said Brito Millan.

“If you hire cops to talk about cops, they’re going to just end up with solutions that are within that system of policing.”

F. Amanda Tugade contributed to this story.

18

Wednesday Journal, March 30, 2022

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Wednesday Journal, March 30, 2022

PROVIDED

The Vintage Home Show will feature vendors such as Hollice Childress (above), who specializes in custom doors and windows and can craft vintage reproductions (top left) of nearly any kind of millwork. Other vendors, like Elite Tile Services, specialize in old-fashioned tile work (bottom left).

Historic landmark foundation’s fundraiser goes retro Unity Temple Restoration Foundation hosts Vintage Home Show on April 9

By LACEY SIKORA

E

Contributing Reporter

veryone is used to the typical fundraisers that tends to populate the weekends of spring -- a gala including cocktails and light appetizers followed by an auction of some sorts.

Over the years, not-for-profits have gotten creative and added trivia nights or housewalks to bolster their missions. The Unity Temple Restoration Foundation (UTRF) has a new twist on the fundraising model and on April 9 is hosting a Vintage Home Show that promises to benefit home-

owners as well as the UTRF. While the event was held virtually in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this is the first time that Unity Temple can host the Vintage Home Show in person. Heidi Ruehle, executive director of UTRF, says the event fits in nicely with both Unity Temple and the broader community.

“Because of the very successful restoration that Unity Temple recently completed, and due to the fact that we’re lucky enough to have so many great professionals within our community, this kind of event makes sense here,” Ruehle said.

The event will include 20 vendors, from

tile and paint restoration experts to custom door fabricators to experts on the financial side of buying and restoring historic and architecturally significant homes.

Ruehle said that initially she thought the event would appeal to people who own older homes, because there is a very specialized expertise needed for maintaining and restoring such housing stock. She quickly realized the advice and expertise of the vendors would benefit any homeowner or building owner.

“I noticed that people are always asking for referrals: ‘Who do I talk to for old plumbing issues, storm windows, etc.?’” Ruehle said.

“A lot of people have a long list of projects and this event is a great way to get a start.”

Among the vendors is Hollice Childress, who calls himself a millworker with a focus on custom doors and windows. Childress states he can craft reproductions of just about any kind of millwork that you just can’t get at a big box store. His workshop is in the western suburbs, but he travels across the country creating doors and windows for clients.

When he was young, Childress says he spent time with his cabinet worker father See VINTAGE HOME on page 21

Wednesday Journal, March 30, 2022

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VINTAGE HOME Preserves integrity from page 19 and learned how to work with mortise-and-tenon joints on the framing. Later in life, he had a career as a mechanical designer, and he says that taught him how to reverse engineer designs.

He took his technological knowledge and applied it to his woodworking when he noticed there was a need in the marketplace for quality reproduction work.

“Instead of using a pencil and paper like they used to do, I just use modern technology,” Childress said. “I will see an issue on a computer screen before we start. It’s often easier to explain things to clients when you have an image.”

Also attending the show, is Tony Buttitta of Elite Tile Services. Buttitta specializes in historic tile restoration as well as new tile installation. Locally, he works with Oak Park’s Heritage Tile, which manufactures a historically accurate tile line produced in the same sizes and gauges as tile 100 years ago. New tile manufactured to old

COURTESY OAK BROTHERS HISTORIC RESTORATION

Tony Buttitta’s company, Elite Tile Services, specializes in the kind of hexagonal bathroom tiling found in many Oak Park homes from a century ago (lower left). Other vendors, like Oak Brothers Historic Restoration, restore architectural elements like fireplace surrounds (above), doors, trim and other elements. tile standards is a good fit for construction work in historic homes, according to Buttitta.

In Oak Park, Buttitta says he is often able to put his restoration skills to work, noting that he has methods for repairing existing historic tile that is cracked. If a tile or small section of original tile needs replacing, Buttitta can do that also, working from his stockpile of historic hexagon tile that he says was commonly used in Oak Park between 1880 and 1920.

He has worked with the Chicago Bungalow Association and says he’s happy to offer advice at the Vintage Home Show.

“I’ll give advice to anyone,” Buttitta said. “It’s important TONY BUTTITTA to me to salvage historic tile Elite Tile Services whenever possible.”

Jeff Ediger of Oak Brothers Historic Restoration will be another vendor at the show. With over 25 years of experience in restoration work, he says Oak Brothers restores interior architectural elements from wooden pieces, to doors, trim, fireplace surrounds and plaster.

“Homeowners don’t realize what they have,” Ediger said. “We can choose the most valuable element and focus on that. Sometimes it’s just thinking of a way to

“It’s important to me to salvage historic tile whenever possible.”

COURTESY ELITE TILE SERVICES

bring back some of the warmth of that wood without breaking the bank.”

He cites the case of an owner of a vintage condo with an elaborately plastered ceiling in the entry.

“They didn’t even realize what was under so many layers of paint,” he said.

Windows and doors are another key focus area. Ediger says original doors and windows are often so well incorporated into the architectural integrity of a home that they don’t stick out. Only when those subtle elements are replaced with modern replacements do homeowners realize that something is off.

Ediger says that the important aspect of his work is to help homeowners restore the beauty of their homes.

“To restore back to the original look or to enhance the original give you that foothold on beauty,” Ediger said.

Before you go The Vintage Home Show will take place at the Unity Temple, 875 Lake St. in Oak Park, on Saturday, April 9 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. General Admission tickets cost $15 and can be purchased at utrf.org/event/homeshow.

Registered guests can attend seminars, visit vendor booths and ask experts their home renovation questions, as well as enjoy self-guided tours of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Unity Temple, part of a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Proceeds from the event benefit UTRF’s mission to preserve Unity Temple and educate the public about the significance of Frank Lloyd Wright’s contribution to modern architecture.

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Wednesday Journal, March 30, 2022

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

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23

SPORTS Catholic League Hall calls for former Fenwick swim coach Luke McGuire to be inducted as athlete and coach in April

By MELVIN TATE Contributing Reporter

Former Fenwick High School boys swimming coach Luke McGuire sits on the Chicago Catholic League Hall of Fame nominating committee.

But, little did he know that when the committee met earlier this month, he would be on this year’s nominee list himself.

“It was awkward. I had to sit through the whole thing and not say a word,” said McGuire. “But I knew immediately because I was there. Being on the committee and knowing the qualifications, it’s nice to have this honor.”

McGuire, who graduated from Fenwick in 1990, is going into the Hall of Fame for his achievements as both an athlete and a coach. As an athlete, he earned All-American status while helping the Friars win a pair of 1990 IHSA state titles - one in swimming and diving and the other in water polo.

“It was fun. I had the greatest teammates, a great coach and tons of support from the parents,” McGuire said. “I’m still good friends with all the guys I swam with and they’re all coming to the induction ceremony. That’s a testament to what we did at state. We all had faith and trust in each other. We held each other accountable and were rewarded for our hard work.”

The 1990 boys swimming team did not lose a dual meet or invitational. He was part of a 400-yard freestyle relay team that still holds both the school and state meet records (3:06.83). He earned both All-State and All-American status

in the 100 freestyle, 200 medley relay and 400 freestyle relay.

For the 1990 water polo team, McGuire tallied 52 goals, 25 assists and 41 steals for the Friars, who finished 25-2 and won the first of four consecutive state championships.

“The Chicago Catholic League Hall of Fame is a great honor, and Luke is most deserving,” said Fenwick boys’ water polo coach Kyle Perry.

McGuire comes from a family that has long had success in the pool at Fenwick. His father John graduated in 1957, and his brother Matt graduated in 1982.

In addition, all three of McGuire’s children are Friars’ swimming alumni: Tommy (Class of 2013), Mickey (Class of 2016) and Molly (Class of 2018).

McGuire’s coach when he as a student-athlete was the late Dave Perry, a legend in Illinois high school swimming. Perry, who guided the Friars to three state boys swimming championships and 17 boys water polo titles (eight of them IHSA-sanctioned), encouraged McGuire to get into coaching.

“I was working at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange at the time and my kids had started club swimming at Fenwick,” McGuire said. “I slowly became involved through that, and then Dave said he needed help. I decided I liked that idea, so I went back to school and got my master’s degree and then became a teacher.”

McGuire started his Fenwick coaching career in 2006 as an assistant for boys water polo. Then in 2007, Perry handed the boys’ swimming coaching reins to McGuire.

McGuire held that position until 2020, while also continuing to assist boys water polo under Dave Perry and son,

PROVIDED

Luke McGuire Kyle Perry, who took over in 2011 after Dave passed away from cancer.

He later assisted Jack Wagner with the girls water polo team and was Renee Miller’s assistant with girls swimming. McGuire enjoyed working in an atmosphere conducive to Fenwick’s aquatics program’s success.

“When I was there, it was like one big family,” he said.

“Some people talked about the aquatics program at Fenwick being like a big cult. It was true, and it was nice to be a part of it.”

McGuire is one of 12 individuals who will be inducted into the CCL Hall of Fame April 28. The ceremony takes place at the Crystal Sky Banquet Hall in McCook at 5:30 p.m.

For more information and tickets, contact Marmion Academy Athletic Director Paul Chabura, who is also one of this year’s inductees, at pchabura@marmion.org.

OPRF girls prevail in crosstown soccer showdown Hoffman nets game winner at Huskies edge Fenwick 1-0

By MELVIN TATE Contributing Reporter

Katherine Hoffman’s goal in the 52nd minute gave Oak Park and River Forest High School the only goal it would need as the Huskies defeated crosstown rival Fen-

wick High School 1-0 in a non-conference girls soccer match at Oak Park Stadium on March 23.

Hoffman took a pass from Cate Ryan in front of the net and beat Friars goalkeeper Audrey Hinrichs.

Fenwick managed to generate several

opportunities to tie, but OPRF goalkeeper Jackie Bollinger stood strong and made a couple of nice saves. Another good chance by the Friars’ Kate Henige narrowly went wide.

OPRF (2-1) returns to action April 1 with a non-conference match at Riverside-

Brookfield High School.

Fenwick (2-1) bounced back on March 25 with a 2-0 shutout at Nazareth Academy.

Kate Henige notched her second goal of the season in the 71st minute to open the See ROUNDUP on page 24

24

Wednesday Journal, March 30, 2022

S P O R T S

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

OPRF badminton off to 1-1 start in 2022 Hoog, Jasinska look for return trip to state championships

By MELVIN TATE Contributing Reporter

Badminton is a sport that is becoming more popular in Illinois high schools, and Oak Park and River Forest High School coach Paul Wright believes it’s due to an increased dedication being shown by participants.

“We’re seeing over the last five to 10 years more girls specializing in badminton year-round,” he said. “The main thing is getting kids to feel they’re part of something and go compete. We have six to eight girls that compete or train during the offseason, and that’s helped us grow as a program.”

The Huskies are off to a 1-1 start this year, defeating Downers Grove South and losing to Hinsdale Central. OPRF also finished second at the Thornton Fractional South Invitational on March 19.

After having the last two seasons either canceled or truncated due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Wright is thrilled about OPRF having a full, normal year.

“The last two years have been hard,” he said. “The girls are super excited about getting out to see girls from other schools

ROUNDUP from page 23 scoring, and her younger sister Caroline scored her team-leading fourth goal less than three minutes later to seal the victory for the Friars.

Fenwick boys water polo wins pair After finishing sixth with two losses in the Dan Lynch Tournament on March 1719, the Fenwick boys water polo team got back on the winning track last week with a pair of Metro Catholic Aquatic Conference victories.

they haven’t seen in a year or two.”

Senior Amelia Hoog, a four-year varsity player, and sophomore Lilianna Jasinska qualified for last year’s state tournament in doubles. Wright will count on those two, along with seniors Violet Buckner and Cecilia White, to provide leadership for the Huskies.

“Amelia, Cecilia, and Violet are our captains,” he said. “The nice thing is that they remember what we did as a program when they were freshmen, and they’ve tried to connect with the others in our program. They’ve tried to create a collegial and communal feel with their teammates, and they want to create an atmosphere that encourages kids to come out.”

Wright, in his 10th season leading OPRF, believes the West Suburban Silver is one of the toughest conferences in the state with a pair of top programs in Hinsdale Central and York leading the way.

He hopes the Huskies will compete with Downers Grove North, Glenbard West and Lyons Township for a finish in the upper half of the league.

Wright also would like to see OPRF have several players competing downstate in May. “We’d like to get one or two doubles teams and at least one singles player there,” he said. “Just to qualify would show kids that if you pick up the sport in high school, you can have success if you work hard. We have two juniors, Kitty

On March 21, the Friars rolled past St. Patrick 19-6. Tim Fischer tallied five goals, while Chris Badja added four goals and Dylan Fu and Alec Posluszny each had three.

Two days later, Fenwick edged past St. Rita 16-14. Badja had six goals, Posluszny four goals and Fischer three.

The Friars (8-2, 6-0 in MCAC) will have home matches with Oakville (Missouri) on April 3 and Loyola Academy on April 4.

O’Bryan, Rill lead Friars at Top Times meet Several Fenwick track and field athletes competed in the state’s final indoor meet

PROVIDED

The OPRF badminton team includes (top row, from left) Zoe Warzecha, Sabine Roser, Teagan Moss, Lilianna Jasinska, Lucy Brownlow, (bottom row, from left) Olivia Lee, Kitty DeHaan, Cecilia White and Amelia Hoog.

DeHaan and Caroline Raduchda, that as freshmen had never played badminton before, and now they’re a viable force with the potential to go downstate.”

After a week off for spring break, the

of the season, the Illinois Top Times Challenge, on March 26 at Illinois Wesleyan University in Bloomington.

Lee O’Bryan came in third for the Friars in the 800 meters with a time of 2 minutes, 0.20 seconds. Grayden Rill finished third in the 1,600 meters in a personal-best 4:27.75, while Zac Daley was 12th in the 3,200 meters (10:04.45) and Will Shannon eighth in the triple jump (12.39 meters).

On the girls side, Bella Daley placed sixth in the 1,600 meters with a personal-best time of 5:23.01. The Friars’ 3,200 relay of Mia Menendez, Camille Nourie, Ava Martinez and Daley finished sixth in 10:24.30.

Elisabeth Braun was 11th in the triple jump with a distance of 9.87 meters.

Huskies return to match action on April 4 at Riverside-Brookfield High School and go to Lyons Township on April 5.

“Those are matches against teams we match up well with,” said Wright.

Grayden Rill

PHOTO BY DAN CHAMNESS

Wednesday Journal, March 30, 2022

DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS IS FRIDAY 5 P.M. Call Viewpoints editor Ken Trainor at 613-3310 ktrainor@wjinc.com

Church isn’t the building, but the building can be home

T

here are two church buildings for sale in Oak Park. This isn’t unusual. In addition to serving Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, I work parttime for the Metropolitan Chicago Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA).

Last year I personally oversaw the closure of two congregations. Both denominational and non-denominational churches are struggling with buildings that served a different century and dwindling finances to sustain them.

The issue of whether a building impedes or enhances ministry moved to the forefront for Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in September 2018. A new roof suddenly became an eviction notice when a fire moved quickly through the dried wood of our attic that took hundreds of thousands of gallons of water to extinguish. Pink slip from the fire department in hand, I gathered the leaders of the church. We had three days to find a worship space and a little more time to find a temporary home. Many thanks to Euclid Methodist Church for helping us land that first Sunday and for First Baptist Church who gave us a home for more than a year.

In those earliest days of determining our needs, there were questions that involved physical space: “How many Sunday School classes do we have?” “What are the needs for offices?” But the larger question was about mission.

We’d said that the church wasn’t the building, that the church was the people. So you should find church wherever you found us. But that is more easily said than done. Just like the person who can’t sit in the same pew because you don’t have the same space, everything shifted when we left the building. Nothing could be assumed. Nothing. We had been serving breakfast to high school students on late-start days, which was relatively easy when we set a table in front of the building. Do we continue that when people need to haul all the supplies from home? The answer became yes.

If you saw a group of us involved in ministry, you saw the church. We clearly saw our church involved in God’s world. Social ministry kept us grounded in our identity.

REV. KATHY NOLTE One View

See NOLTE on page 28

VIEWPOINTS

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TRAINOR

Shrubtown p. 27

The power of showing up

hen you enter the Main Branch of the Oak Park Public Library, just inside the library proper, the first words encountered are inlaid on the floor before you.

“I believe that any people’s story is every people’s story and that from stories, we can all learn something to enrich our lives.” Harriette Gillem Robinet, from her book, If You Please, President Lincoln Good words. But then Harriette and McLouis Robinet have a good word for everyone. That word is “home.”

The Robinet family was honored by the Historical Society of Oak Park-River Forest, last Thursday night, with their annual Heart of Our Villages Award, along with Carlotta Lucchesi, a paragon of involved citizenship in River Forest, who served on the elementary and high school boards as well as breaking the gender barrier to become the first female member of the River Forest Service Club.

The Historical Society could not have chosen better — or closer to the heart of who we are as intertwined communities.

My appreciation grew immensely as Carlotta was ably introduced by River Forest Village President Cathy Adduci, who considers her a mentor. But it was my happy charge to introduce the Robinets, who have long been dear to my heart.

Before the Robinets made Oak Park home in 1965, they were part of the Great Migration of African Americans, away from the awful repression of the Jim Crow South to the highly segregated and often unwelcoming North. Harriette grew up in the Washington D.C. area. Her maternal grandfather grew up a slave on Robert E. Lee’s plantation. Mac grew up in a small town in Louisiana, a place where Black families couldn’t paint their houses or buy a new car because it would make them look too uppity and put the family in danger. “I grew up,” Mac says, “where making trouble was the last thing you wanted to do.”

Harriette and Mac both had scientific backgrounds and met at Xavier University in Louisiana where they were teaching. They fell in love. Harriette got a job in her field, microbiology, in Washington. Mac landed a teaching position at the University of Illinois Chicago. Later he worked at Argonne National Laboratory for almost 40 years. They married in 1960 and started a family in 1964 with the birth of Stephen. Their next four children were adopted, Philip, Rita, Jonathan and Marsha. Then Linda was born,

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FILE 2011

MAKING OAK PARK HOME: Harriette and Mac Robinet on their porch. completing their family. A growing family needed more room than the tiny, zero-bedroom UIC staff apartment where they lived in the early ’60s. Friends suggested they look for a home in Oak Park. But Oak Park didn’t want them. At any rate the real estate industry didn’t want them here. Happily, that has since changed for people of color.

To expose the industry’s racially motivated practices, the Robinets joined the North Shore Project, which documented the unequal treatment Black couples and white couples experienced. When a Black couple asked about homes to purchase, nothing was available. When a white couple followed and asked about the same properties, they suddenly became available. Blacks in 1965 needed a white straw buyer to purchase a home for them, a necessary subterfuge to work around unjust restrictions. For Mac and Harriette, that straw buyer turned out to be Don and Joyce Beisswenger who had purchased a house on the 200 block of South Elmwood, but offered to sell it to the Robinets. There was one catch, Don said. “The police say you have to move in mid-day, mid-week, and you have to move in this week.”

That’s how the Robinet family joined the first wave of Oak Park integrators in the 1960s, along with the Registers (Don and the late Dolores) and the Reids (the late Henry and the late Sherlynn). The Robinets were received with open arms … and free appliances. Mac says they moved in with little more than a card table and a frying pan. Then one neighbor gave them a washing machine. Another donated a refrigerator. They were even gifted with a piano.

See TRAINOR on page 26

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Chief Reynolds’ resignation

aDon Reynolds is not retiring from policing. He is leaving the top post in the Oak Park Police Department by mid-April to, we believe sincerely, spend time with his young family. But that break is more in anticipation that the absurd D.C. Republican roadblock to his appointment as U.S. Marshal for Northern Illinois will eventually break loose and then he will move into a demanding job.

Meanwhile, in our view, Reynolds is also doing an honorable thing by stepping down from his lame-duck status as Oak Park’s police chief.

Two reasons that is the right thing to do: Oak Park is still at the start of what will be an ongoing process of rethinking policing in the village. The current village president and board have made a sincere promise that it will undertake a genuine review of how we police, how the police department collaborates with the community, how additional adjacent resources can be melded into public safety.

For this to work Oak Park needs a police chief in place now who will be there through, and to, the conclusion of this effort. LaDon Reynolds cannot play that role.

Secondly, Oak Park has a brand-new village manager in Kevin Jackson. He has experience in, among other topics, police reform in his previous work. He deserves the opportunity to choose his own chief to partner with him and the community in this essential work.

Waiting two months, six months, for the petulant Sen. Tom Cotton, Republican of Arkansas, to lift his hold on Reynolds nomination is too long for Oak Park and its manager.

Are we sorry to see LaDon Reynolds go? Yes and no.

On the rare occasions when we have watched Chief Reynolds engage with the public or with us, his understanding of policing is quite remarkable. Whether he is talking about policing through history, the origins of modern policing philosophy, technology in policing, race and racism in policing, it is like sitting in a postgraduate course.

But his willingness and his ability to translate all that knowledge and perspective to the community level, to be responsive to legitimate questions and concerns, well, we haven’t heard much of that.

We are hopeful that the deeply held conviction of Village President Vicki Scaman and the early signs from Manager Jackson that they want leaders within village hall to be much more visible, much more willing to engage, will result in a new police chief willing to come out of the police bunker in the basement of village hall to listen, to talk, and to share with Oak Park residents.

And we wish LaDon Reynolds the best in his new position — whenever the Senate gets around to doing its job.

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TRAINOR

Every people’s story from page 25 The neighbor next door, however, couldn’t handle the change. “Why would you want to live someplace where you’re not welcome? Now I have to leave,” she told them. She was gone in a month.

Harriette chronicled those early years in an article for Redbook Magazine, part of their “Young Mothers” series. It was published in February 1968 and titled, “I’m a Mother, Not a Pioneer.”

Turns out Harriette was both a mother and a pioneer, as became evident a couple of months later when Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in Memphis. Of all the Oak Park stories I’ve been privileged to tell in the last 30 years, it is my favorite. Here’s a portion: “Home alone with three kids, the only Black family on the block, one of the first and few in the village, her husband working 7 miles away at UIC, Harriette couldn’t help feeling vulnerable as the world around her was about to burst into flames. One can only imagine what it was like for newly arrived Black families.

“Here’s what it was like: Harriette wanted to do something instead of just feeling helpless, so she brought out their flag and put it up outside. A few hours later when she glanced out the window, almost every house on the block was flying the Stars and Stripes.”

Harriette used the Redbook article as a springboard.

She had left the workplace to stay home with the kids, and she obviously had a knack for writing and research. Between 1976 and 2003, she penned (longhand) 11 books, the first two featuring a child with disabilities as the central character. Ride the Red Cycle was inspired by their son Jonathan who has Cerebral Palsy and now lives in the Ryan Farrelly Home in Oak Park.

According to their daughter Linda, Mac was the inspiration for the father in that book, who built a number of quad-cycles and hand-cycles for his son to get about. The other nine books were works of historical fiction, beginning with Children of the Fire about the Great Chicago Fire. Harriette’s books won numerous awards, but the greater honor is that her daughter still uses them to teach her students at Beye School. For the last 17 of her 21 years in District 97, Linda has taught fourth grade — in the same classroom where she was a fourth-grader herself.

Of her books, Harriette says (on her website), “Unless we know our history, we have no perspective on life today. How can we know where we’re going, or appreciate where we are today, if we don’t know where we’re coming from?”

Of her parents, Linda says: “They have the most powerful love I have ever witnessed. Their love has always been strongly rooted in the Roman Catholic faith. Being Christian, for them, is not about being perfect but about being vulnerable, weak, and human and being called to help, to be in service to each other

first; to care for others and the planet; and that all people are God’s children. I became a teacher because of my parents. They were constantly teaching all of my brothers and sisters. They are still teaching me to this day about grace and humility and enduring love and, always, the pursuit of learning.”

Grace and humility for sure. Mac likes to downplay the significance of their contributions. “We didn’t really do anything,” he says. “We just showed up.”

Well, Mac, an old adage holds that 80% of life is just showing up, but when you’re African American from the Jim Crow South, just showing up takes a lot of nerve. As for the other 20% of life, we’re really glad you and Harriette showed up in time to join the local Citizens Committee for Human Rights and help lead Open Housing marches in the 1960s — from Stevenson Park, west on Lake Street to Downtown Oak Park, to picket and protest against those unethical real estate practices. We’re glad you lobbied the village board to pass a landmark Fair Housing Ordinance in May of 1968, one of the first in the country. We’re glad you raised six kids here, who have contributed in their own ways — two teachers, a social worker, an eBay entrepreneur, and an IT specialist at Gottlieb Hospital and longtime employee at the local library. We’re glad the two of you walked to daily Mass at St. Edmund, hand in hand, and were such active parishioners there.

We’re glad you got involved in the Oak Park Climate Action Network and also started the Repair Café nine years ago so we can keep our old appliances functioning, everything from breast pumps to chainsaws, and keep them out of landfills.

And we’re glad you made some trouble — the good kind, as John Lewis would say. When you moved in, your cranky old neighbor next door said, “Oak Park will never be the same.”

We’re particularly glad about that.

When they got here, Mac said, “Oak Park seemed like another planet” compared to every other place they had been. He also said, “This was the first place where we felt part of the community.”

Which brings us back to the story about April 4th, 1968.

Growing up here, I always thought of Oak Park as special. Hemingway, Frank Lloyd Wright and all that.

But it wasn’t until Harriette told me the story about the flags that I knew for sure.

And that’s not the end of the story. Fifty-four years after the Robinets helped make Oak Park a better place, they’re still here in the same house. And they’re still here partly because of that April day in 1968 when their neighbors demonstrated in clear terms that Oak Parkers were capable of rising above their biases and fears to become one people.

From many flags, one people.

Or as Harriette put it when she first told me this story, “That’s when I knew I was home.”

It occurred to me last Thursday that the Historical Society is one of our most important organizations.

Those who know their history tend to love their town.

And if you love your town, you try to make it a better community.

The Heart of Our Villages Award was an opportunity to say to both the Robinet and Lucchesi families: “Thanks for coming home.”

V I E W P O I N T S S H R U B T O W N

by Marc Stopeck

Wednesday Journal, March 30, 2022 W E D N E S D A Y

JOURNAL of Oak Park and River Forest

Editor and Publisher Dan Haley Senior Editor Bob Uphues Equity Editor/Ombudsman Michael Romain Digital Publishing and Technology Manager Briana Higgins Staff Reporters Stacey Sheridan, F. Amanda Tugade Staff Photographer Alex Rogals Viewpoints Editor Ken Trainor Real Estate Editor Lacey Sikora Food Editor Melissa Elsmo Columnists Marc Blesoff, Jack Crowe, Doug Deuchler, Mary Kay O’Grady, Kwame Salter, John Stanger, Stan West Design/Production Manager Andrew Mead Editorial Design Manager Javier Govea Designer Susan McKelvey Business Manager Joyce Minich Marketing Representatives Marc Stopeck, Lourdes Nicholls Development Manager Mary Ellen Nelligan Development & Sales Coordinator Stacy Coleman Circulation Manager Jill Wagner E-MAIL jill@oakpark.com Chairman Emeritus Robert K. Downs

BOARD OF DIRECTORS Chair Judy Greffin Treasurer Nile Wendorf Deb Abrahamson, Gary Collins, Darnell Shields, Sheila Solomon, Eric Weinheimer

Attacks against sex ed program harm children

As parents and caregivers of children who are past and current participants in Oak Park’s Our Whole Lives (Oak Park OWL) sexuality education program, we have been horrified to see the attacks on a facilitator of the program. Some of us have been facilitators ourselves. We choose to send our children to Oak Park OWL because we believe in comprehensive, consent-driven, holistic, and inclusive education about healthy relationships, bodily autonomy and safety, and gender and sexual identity.

We also value how this education helps children learn the values of inclusion, respect, and diversity that must be central to our community.

Disturbingly, the attacks on the facilitator were not an isolated incident; the previous week’s workshop on gender equity, organized by District 97’s DivCo, was also disrupted by hateful language and images.

We have watched with alarm as efforts driven by ignorance and disinformation, such as “Don’t Say Gay” bills, are growing.

Rather than harming children, as the facilitator was accused of for her Oak Park OWL work, she and other volunteers are protecting our children with life-saving information about the range of human experience of

gender and sexuality, making healthy choices about themselves and their bodies, and respecting the boundaries of others. The education they receive through Oak Park OWL augments and strengthens the conversations we have at home with them. Some of our children have participated multiple times because Oak Park OWL offers developmentally appropriate education for kindergarten through ninth grade.

We write not only to express support for the volunteers — many parents themselves — who run Oak Park OWL. We also call for vigilance against a minority who endanger children with their ignorance, and whose actions do not and should not reflect the inclusiveness our community values.

You can find out about upcoming classes for kids and volunteer opportunities on their website; as a nonprofit, Oak Park OWL also accepts donations.

Please join us in standing up not just for Oak Park OWL, but all children in our community and for creating a world in which all people are free to be themselves, to be safe, and to belong.

Parents and caregivers Oak Park OWL

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NOLTE

People need a place from page 25 It wasn’t just Housing Forward and Beyond Hunger, during our displacement we became newly involved in AMMPARO (Accompanying Migrant Minors with Protection, Advocacy, Representation and Opportunities), helping unaccompanied minors navigate the immigration court system, among other new ministries.

Often struggling congregations gather for an hour on Sunday and perhaps another hour during the week. The question of a building looms large. I know congregations that have loosened that tie and sold their building. That isn’t always the answer. I came across a quote after the fire, the author of which I cannot recall, “We shape buildings and then they shape us.”

If you are always renting, how are you being shaped? There is something about sacred space that is clearly designed to invoke the Divine. Yet what does the space say? I invite you to look at the stained glass of Good Shepherd and First Baptist. They both have amazing stories to tell, yet are starkly different.

I learned much from a liturgical building consultant.

Yet it wasn’t only the shape of our building that

V I E W P O I N T S caused us to rebuild; it was our community connections. Our building is a community asset. That realization redesigned the interior rebuild with fewer pews, more flexible seating, and a sanctuary-level restroom, among other things. It has been such a great joy to have homeless people resting peacefully in the basement and children hosting a benefit concert in the sanctuary. The building isn’t just our home, it is a home for others.

We’ve come to love our building even more. It hasn’t been easy. There is a lawsuit with the insurance company as they refuse the last $500,000 of our claim, which has put fundraising for an accessible entrance and elevator on hold. Just as the construction ended, the pandemic hit, which kept us out for another year.

The building is now considered home base for the ministries of Good Shepherd Lutheran. On Sunday we gather to encourage one another and be refreshed with God’s word. Those mornings when the sun shines brightly through our windows can be truly awe inspiring. The building is where we assemble “Sunshine Boxes” to bring cheer for those slogging through another pandemic year, and personal care kits for Lutheran World Relief to send to Ukraine refugees. There truly is no place like home.

But if you are looking for the church, you’ll need to see people.

Rev. Kathy Nolte is the pastor of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Oak Park.

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PROVIDED

HOMECOMING: Boy scout troop helps members lay sod as part of an Eagle Scout project in front of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church.

V I E W P O I N T S

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Can cameras make Oak Park safer?

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y thoughts on the Flock ALPR camera system: The reasons for criminal activity are many, but the most unfortunate causes are those driven by generational inequities and social disparities. What can we do to keep our communities safe while we strive to address these disparities as a society? Investing in technology seems like a cost-effective strategy to complement our efforts to address crime.

Does technology come with some inherent challenges? Yes. Does that mean we should not be considering it? Absolutely not.

The world would be a very different place if we decided to stop the use of technology as opposed to refining and maturing it over time.

This process can be scary, but cars, planes, medicines/ vaccines, and cellphones are all examples of products that have matured over time. We often forget the journey and take their current versions for granted in our lives.

I see ALPR as a technology that will evolve over time. It gives us certain capabilities that can be used and abused.

Does that mean that you don’t use and learn from that usage because we fear the abuse? No. We try to manage and mitigate the possibility of abuse through good governance, policies and procedures.

My reading, and the expert comments from our Chief Reynolds, suggests that it’s an effective investigative tool that helps (has already helped) us close criminal cases by locating and apprehending the responsible individuals quickly. Of the 29 incidents of carjacking in 2021, our detectives have recovered 28 vehicles and made 16 arrests utilizing Chicago’s ALPR technology.

While these cameras are not intended to deter crime, effective investigations and arrests resulting from their installation will act as a deterrent over time.

Two concerns have come up in my conversations with community members on this topic and they require careful consideration.

for investigative purposes. Flock could also use the data to learn and refine their algorithms and technology.

Not entirely within our control is how our data might be used by other municipalities with whom we share that data. Would that usage be consistent with our values? This is where good privacy policy, governance and oversight come in. The privacy outlined by Flock seems sufficient for already public information, and we will get to governance in a bit.

A municipality with surveillance as its goal wouldn’t need Flock cameras. Already, our digital footprint (e.g. credit cards, smart devices, social media, Google search, cellphone usage, etc.) can be stitched together to get a pretty accurate picture of our day-to-day life. In fact nothing in stored ALPR data even comes close to what is possible with the data that is already out there, which includes our PII. Our society seems unaware of — or at least accepting of — that level of monitoring of our daily life.

RAVI

PARAKKAT One View

Data, its privacy & sharing: Is data collected from the cameras shared? Who is it shared with? How will they use it? Will we become a surveillance state?

Flock collects only public domain information and does not collect private or Personally Identifiable Information (PII). In addition, Flock cannot legally sell or share the data generated by the cameras we install in Oak Park without our permission. However, they can enable our police department’s sharing of this data with other municipalities

Technology errors & bias: Should we expect some false positives with this technology? Yes. Does that mean that the system error is greater than the current human error rate? No. We are talking about using technology and human capabilities in conjunction to bring down the cumulative error rate and systemic bias. Taking one or the other, calculating the error rate, and using that to make the case against the technology is not accurate.

This technology should be used to funnel down the (COURTESY OF WWW.FLOCKSAFETY.COM) leads that then require a secondary human validation to bring down the error rate for the entire process. I truly believe that we have an opportunity to bring down error and bias. Here again, the key is good governance.

Oversight & governance So in my assessment, the fear of the technology and its possible abuse can only be addressed through a robust governance mechanism — a mechanism guided by transparency, accountability and learning based on measures and metrics. Will it be perfect when we start? No. But given a chance, we have the ability to address community safety more effectively and at a lower cost for the community.

I urge the community to give technology a chance by working through its challenges and thus live up to our progressive values by supporting progress.

Ravi Parakkat is an Oak Park village trustee.

Wednesday Journal, March 30, 2022

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Say no to Flock cameras

Flock cameras will not deter crime, nor mitigate traffic issues in Oak Park. Police Chief Reynolds has stated this clearly. This surveillance technology will not make us safer. We do not need to wait any longer to make this decision. The Oak Park Board of Trustees and Village Manager Kevin Jackson must act immediately and say no to Flock cameras in Oak Park.

Aaron McManus, Adam Paradis, Adrian Puentes, Aisha Raees, Alexandra Wills, Alicia Chastain, Amanda Jenkins, Amy Butler, Ana Garcia Doyle, Andrew Williams-Clark, Andy & Maria Pascarella, Anita Lawrence, Anna Lesser, Anna Wilson, Anne McNamee-Keels, Ashley Kiefer, Asra Syed, Austin Scherr, Brad Levy, Brittany Russell, Brynne Hovde, Caitlin Wilkes, Camile Lindsay Kumi, Carol Chapple, Carolyn Goldbeck, Cassandra Smith, Cassandra West, Cate Readling, Cedric Johnson, Celine Woznica, Charlene Cliff, Christian Brandt, Christina Dyson, Christina Loranz, Cynthia Brito, Daniel Rutan, Dave Baltmanis, Davin Pirkola, Deborah Fletcher, Denise Mcdermott, Derek Eder, Donna Villa, Dorothy F. Houlihan, Dot Roche, Dylan Stark, Elizabeth Jarpe-Ratner, Elle Morton, Ellen Edwards, Emily Neumann, Erica Garcia, Erin Hutto Sowers, Gabriela Zapata Alma, Gavin Kearney, Gillian Henke, Ginger Bencola, Greg Major, Henry Fulkerson, Jaci Devine, Jacquelyn Rodriguez, Jane Driscoll, Jason Lukehart, Jason Smith, Jason Wulkowicz, Jenna Leving Jacobson, Jennifer Ash, Jennifer Vanicek, Jessica Freiburg, Jim Schwartz, Jocelyn Meraz, John Barney, John Duffy, Joshua Vanderberg, Justin Johnson, K. Parker, Kate O’Keefe, Kate Walz, Katherine Thompson, Kathleen O’Shaughnessy, Kathryn Humphreys, Kebreab Henry, Kelley Ford, Kelly Bencola, Kevin Barnhart, Kim Jackewicz, Kimathi Johnson, Kimberly Ruffin, Krissy Baker, Laura Brentner, Laura Derks, Laura Sakiyama, Lauren Bach, Leisa Marthaler, Libbey Paul, Linda Francis, Lisa Pintado-Vertner, Lisa Rader, Liz Lukehart, Liz Thompson, Lori Portnoy, Madeline McGuire, Mak Flournoy, Marcy Grant, Margaret Fulkerson, Marie MacBain, Mary Ann Buck, Mary Bird, Matt Peytonm Maureen Russom Maya Puentes, Meg Lewis, Megan Hovde, Meghan Carter, Meghan O’Shea, Meghan Paulas, Melisa Alabsy, Michele Freiburg, Michelle Major, Mollie Hertel, Molly Wulkowicz, Muhammad Raees, Munirah Curtis, Nancy Alexander, Nathaniel Damren, Nicole Henry, Nikhil Trivedi, Noel Feeney, Pamela Euring, Patricia Duffy, Paul Goyette, Peju Oba, Rachel Weaver, Rachel Wright, Ranga Bodla, Rebecca Malinowski, Rebecca Priez, Rebecca Ward, Richa Singhal, Rick Villa, Robin Kalish, Ryan Abbott, Sara Giloth, Sarah Avendaño, Sarah Phillips, Scott Sakiyama, Sean Fulkerson, ShaRhonda Knott Dawson, Sharmili Majmudar, Shayla Bell, Shobha Mahadev, Sinead Aylward, Steve Krasinsky, Steve Loranz, Sue Humphreys, Sunil Peddakotla, Susanne Fairfax, Suzanne Feeney, Sydney Jackson, Talley Hann, Tennille Allen, Terrence Roche, Timothy Gustafson, Tina Bhaga, Tom Hoover, Twyla Blackmond Larnell, Victoria Bynum, Yoko Terretta Oak Park and Broadview

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Wednesday Journal, March 30, 2022

The Community Center and mental health

I

am thrilled that the Community Mental Health Board (CMHB) of Oak Park Township is moving its location, and mission, to the Community Recreation Center (CRC). As a person living with a mental health disorder, not only do I believe that physical and mental health are inextricably linked, but I also know that it takes work and exercise — mentally and physically — to feel good.

Our community — and our world — are suffering from the impacts of war, a pandemic, financial instability, and an overall sense of turmoil. People like me who live with a chronic mental health disorder are doing the best we can to manage our illnesses through these times. Even more people, who will never have a chronic disorder, are struggling with feelings of stagnation, despondence, and emotional exhaustion. This feeling of “languishing,” written about so eloquently by Adam Grant in his April 2021 New York Times article, is too often overlooked as society focuses on the two extremes of the mental health continuum — flourishing or crisis.

CMHB has existed for nearly 50 years because the residents of Oak Park believe that there is no health without mental health. We recognize that mental health is a continuum, and that throughout life people may need additional assistance. While we do not provide treatment directly, we assess need, build collaboration, and fund evidence-based services to give Oak Park residents the tools they need to increase their mental health outcomes.

Funded initiatives, including the collaboration between DePaul University and Elementary School District 97, help bring resources to where people are and eliminate the stigma associated with mental illness.

CMHB’s collaboration with the Park District of Oak Park is resulting in the construction of a Wellness Suite within the CRC, further increasing the visibility of mental health, substance use, and intellectual/developmental disability programs. CMHB will work with its funded (and unfunded) partners to bring education, referrals, and screenings to those who seek healthy options for the body and mind.

CMHB is especially enthusiastic to bring in youth-focused resources. In its mission to provide “A Place to Belong,” the CRC will serve as a safe space for our youth, providing free after-school access and programming between 3 and 6 p.m. During these times, the Wellness Suite will offer opportunities to our partners, including NAMI Metro Suburban, YEMBA, Thrive, DePaul, Smart Love Family Services, Opportunity Knocks, Way Back Inn, and Youth Services of Oak Park Township, among others, to bring in educational programs.

We may be languishing, given our current state of affairs, and looking for ways to improve our mood and mental health. But we do have opportunities about which we can be optimistic. The partnership between CMHB and CRC to increase mental wellness is among these positive movements.

We all have physical and mental health; it is important to exercise both so that we have ever opportunity to flourish.

Cheryl Potts, an Oak Park resident, is executive director of the Community Mental Health Board of Oak Park Township.

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One neighbor helping another, that’s Oak Park

Trumpublicans debase Supreme Court hearings

Ingo Schaefer

Senators Ted Cruz, Lindsey Graham, Josh Hawley, John Kennedy, and Mike Lee — and maybe more — are Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee who have betrayed their lofty status as lawyers first, and legislators afterward. Most of their questions directed to Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson are not lawyerly, examining her qualifications as a lawyer dedicated to the rule of law under our Constitution.

Rather, they demand that she declare herself on hot-button policy issues or conflicts that lie in the realm of politics and legislation — their area of responsibility. Kindly and gently, she has redirected the discussion to what the law says and doesn’t say, and how it is to be applied in particular cases within our judicial system. And she has consistently disclaimed any policy-making role in her past, present, and future decisions as a judge.

Bottom line: Judge Jackson is interviewing to be a Supreme Court justice, not a political candidate or appointee. To no avail. The Trumpublicans insist on scoring points that they hope will play well on television to their Trump base, to advance their prospects in upcoming elections.

Yes, sad to say, it has gone this low in today’s debased political discourse.

Board Member Nineteenth Century Charitable Association

Oak Park

When I tell friends that I live in Oak Park, often the response is, “What a great community.”

I could not agree more.

What makes a great community? One way to define it is neighbors helping neighbors. On behalf of the Nineteenth Century Charitable Association we extend a big thank-you to our new neighbor, Focus, a developer that recently purchased the building and land at the former Drechsler, Brown & Williams Funeral Home, 203 S. Marion St., Oak Park.

The community lost a stalwart neighbor, but the quick action of Focus in giving us two slightly used air-conditioners for our historical building is greatly appreciated. During the demolition, Focus, as part of their Porter project in Oak Park, extended a welcoming hand and saved the air conditioners for another community building.

Please join me in welcoming a new neighbor and thanking the Drechsler family for their service to our community

Fred Reklau

Sad little teddy bear

My television showed a war scene with a partially shredded teddy bear strewn amid the bombshattered rubble of what was once a family home in the Ukraine. As I was viewing this tragic scene, I could also see my grandchildren’s childhood teddy bear out of the corner of my eye. Still wearing its Chicago Bear’s football sweater, now tattered, our 40-year-old-plus teddy bear rests comfortably on a child’s rocking chair in our family room. The “war” it has survived involved dog chewing and children lovingly tugging at it.

As I sat in the comfort and safety of my family room, I couldn’t imagine my home and our family teddy bear being blown to fiery bits. In such horrific circumstances, what would I do? What would I save?

Where would I go? How would I get there? Everyone else around me and I would be seeking safe shelter and food. Suddenly I felt great fear. I can’t fathom such a tragedy now occurring, multiplied by millions of people. The United Nations has estimated there are over 4 million Ukrainian refugees, and

that number is increasing exponentially. Most, with only one suitcase or shopping bag in hand, have fled their homes, and are now primarily crowding into Poland, Romania, and Hungary.

This tragedy was caused by a power-mad leader, “without a soul,” willing to sacrifice human beings to satisfy his lust. I shudder to imagine what would have occurred here in the United States if Trump had been re-elected president in 2020. Undoubtedly, he’d have pressed us to be an ally of Russia.

There would have been no consolidation of NATO as Biden has accomplished. There would have been no help authorized for the independent democracy of Ukraine.

The symbol of that tattered and partially burned teddy bear on TV achingly speaks volumes. We cannot just feel sad for the Ukraine. We Americans must support the Ukrainian people, in the name of their democracy and ours, too.

Harriet Hausman River Forest

Wednesday Journal, March 30, 2022

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

Rich Gloor, Realtor and friend

G

And we did. ot the news last week that Rich Gloor had I first really met Rich died. What a fine man when Lynn Kirsch and I beand a good friend. gan running May Madness, Likely you rememan annual rite of spring on ber the Gloor Realty name Oak Park Avenue near Lake. on the bank building on Oak We were all active in The Park Avenue just north of Avenue Business Association. the Green Line. The local And what we invented as a real estate shop had been gimmick to drum up busithere for decades though ness one year when the street it had an earlier long life was torn up for construction on North Avenue in River had grown into an enormous Forest. annual street festival. Three Gloor Realty went back to stages, carnival rides, a dozen 1946. That’s when Rich’s dad restaurants, thousands of founded the business. And people, many of them teens, half the it stayed in the Gloor family for three police force. It was always overwhelming generations. In 2017, Richard C. Gloor and spectacular. sold it to Coldwell Banker.

There was Lynn, who owned the fashion I talked to Rich Jr. on Monday — did store, Rich the Realtor, Jim August from he hate it when his dad called him the Irish Shop, Val who booked the music, “Sonny Boy”? Not sure but certainly John Williams from township youth advisa term of affection. Rich Jr. reported ing us on how to keep a lid on it all. that his dad died March 23, that he And Rich was always there to do was 84, and that his death came from whatever needed to be done. That always recently diagnosed heart included breaking down issues. This all happened dozens of tables at 12:30 in Steamboat Springs, in the a.m. when we about Colorado where Rich and exhausted. It was a bonding his wife Pat retired a good experience for certain many years ago.

Rich, of course, graduatHere’s a few thoughts ed from OPRF High School. and recollections about He had his copy of the my friend. If you live in a Tabula yearbook in his desk house in Oak Park or River drawer and could tell you Forest there’s a very good the story of each kid in his chance Rich has been in it, class. As Rich Jr. reminded maybe sold it once or even me Monday, this also put his RICH GLOOR twice. He remembered dad in the middle of Oak every house in the villages.

Park’s bold, controversial He knew all the blocks and experiment with racial integration in who your new neighbors were going to the late 1960s and 1970s. be. He had a sense of these villages at a Remember, Realtors generally were granular level, at a community building not on the right side of history during level. the blockbusting, panic-peddling rapid When Mary and I were looking to sell resegregation of Chicago’s West Side. the two-flat on Taylor we had shared And there were Oak Park real estate for 17 years with my folks, we fell into leaders of the same mindset, too. So an available house a block away on being among those who led Oak Park Humphrey. The house was wonderful, toward integration during those days big and vintage. We came back with took some guts and some ability to have Rich and walked through it. Mary was in love. I was worried the place was too the long view. expensive and too big.

That’s how it came to be that Rich Rich got me in a huddle outside the Gloor sold your house twice. tiny first-floor bathroom and said, Rich Gloor is survived by his wife, “Dan, you have to buy this house. Mary Pat, and his two children, Richard C. wants it. You have to get it.”

Gloor and his daughter, Beth Shuter.

DAN HALEY

31

O B I T U A R I E S

Caroline Downs, 75 Psychotherapist

Caroline Jean Downs (Lyczak), 75, a psychotherapist and longtime resident of Oak Park, died on March 15, 2022 at Rush Medical Center. She grew up on her family’s farm outside Woodhull, Illinois, and graduated from Alwood High School. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Lawrence University in Wisconsin and a Master of Social Work degree from Smith College in Massachusetts.

She worked in Chicago as an intern and at what was then Billings Hospital at the University of Chicago. Early in her career, she provided drug and alcohol counseling to employees of U.S. Steel’s South Works plant in South Chicago. She went on to maintain a private practice on Michigan Avenue for more than 30 years and in 1987 joined the staff of Cathedral Counseling Center.

A dedicated clinician, she participated in many professional development activities and was known for her practical, pithy wisdom. Deeply devoted to her clients, many of whom remained with her for years, she was

still working at the time of her death. Her hearty laugh and wonderful cinnamon rolls will be missed.

She was committed to social justice and active in progressive politics. She met her future husband, Michael Lyczak, when both were working on the campaign of the late Rudy Lozano, who ran to become Chicago’s first Mexican-American alderman in 1982.

She also worked on Betty Van Wyk’s campaign for Oak Park Township Clerk in the mid-1980s, contributing to an upset victory.

She enjoyed reading, playing and studying piano, challenging crossword and jigsaw puzzles, and cooking and entertaining. She took a keen interest in family history and twice traveled to the island of Islay in Scotland, home of her ancestors.

Caroline and Michael were married in 1984 and later welcomed a son, Michael Benjamin Lyczak. They survive her, as does her sister, Mary Elizabeth Dickerson. She was preceded in death by two brothers, Duncan and Thomas Downs.

Services are set for 2 p.m., Saturday, April 30, at Euclid Avenue United Methodist Church, 405 S. Euclid Ave., Oak Park.

Heritage HeritageFuneral FuneralHome Home and andCrematory Crematory

Kevin Kopicki Kevin Kopicki

An affordable option An affordable option

3117 S Oak Park Ave, 3117 S Oak Park Ave, Berwyn, IL 60402 Berwyn, IL 60402 (708) 788- 7775 (708) 788- 7775

Se habla Español Se habla Español

Eric Kopicki Eric Kopicki

32 Wednesday Journal, March 30, 2022 Growing Community Media

Deadline is Monday at 5:00 p.m.

HELP WANTED POLICE RECORDS CLERK

BY PHONE: (708) 613-3333 | BY FAX: (708) 467-9066 BY E-MAIL: EMAIL@GROWINGCOMMUNITYMEDIA.ORG HOURS: 9:00 A.M.– 5:00 P.M. MON–FRI

HELP WANTED

PART-TIME FORESTRY INTERN

JANITORIAL

Part-time. 5 days per week. Evening hours 5-9. $14-16/hr to start. Job located in Morton Grove, IL. Must have own transportation.

Call Larry for more information. 773636-2505

HELP WANTED • NETWORK SPECIALIST Class specifications are intended to present a descriptive list of the range of duties performed by employees in the class.

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

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

SUPERVISION RECEIVED AND EXERCISED Reports directly to the Information Technology Services Director.

EXAMPLE OF DUTIES: Essential and other important duties and responsibilities may include, but are not limited to, the following: Essential duties and responsibilities 1. Ensure that best in class customer service is provided to both internal and external customers and also embrace, support, and promote the Village’s core values, beliefs and culture.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

software and other forms of systems and data.

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

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

13. Participate in research and recommendation of technology solutions.

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

2. Participate in the preparation of various activity reports.

3. Travel and support remote facilities and partner agencies.

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

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

6. Complete projects on a timely and efficient manner.

7. Communicate effectively both orally and in writing.

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

9. Perform related duties and responsibilities as required.

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

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

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

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

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

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

VB scripts.

Modern office procedures, methods and computer equipment.

Technical writing, office productivity tools and database packages.

Ability to: Maintain physical condition appropriate to the performance of assigned duties and responsibilities, which may include the following: - Walking, standing or sitting for extended periods of time - Operating assigned equipment - Lift 50 pounds of equipment, supplies, and materials without assistance - Working in and around computer equipped vehicles Maintain effective audio-visual discrimination and perception needed for: - Making observations - Communicating with others - Reading and writing - Operating assigned equipment and vehicles Maintain mental capacity allowing for effective interaction and communication with others.

Maintain reasonable and predictable attendance.

Work overtime as operations require.

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

Possession of a valid Illinois Driver License is required at the time of appointment.

Vaccination against COVID-19 strongly preferred.

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

PART-TIME ELECTRICIAN’S HELPER

Call contracter for more info.

708-738-3848

The Village of Oak Park is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Police Records Clerk in the Police Department.

This position will perform a wide variety of specialized clerical duties in support of the Police Department including processing and maintaining documents, correspondence and coding reports; and to provide information and assistance to the public.

Applicants are encouraged to visit the Village of Oak Park’s website at http://www. oak-park.us/jobs.

BUDGET AND REVENUE ANALYST

The Village of Oak Park is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Budget and Revenue Analyst in the Development Customer Service Department.

This position will Serve the public with professional administrative and analytical duties in the areas of budget preparation, purchasing, payroll, data analysis and process improvement. Provides, prepares and maintains records, and financial and statistical reports and analysis which assist in the Village’s ability to improve business processes and gain efficiencies through better use of technology. Budget duties include assisting in the development, analysis and application of performance measures with regard to Village services and resources; preparing, modifying, tracking and monitoring Village expenses and transfers; and conducting budget-related research and analysis. Applicants are encouraged to visit the Village of Oak Park’s website http://www.oak-park.us/jobs. Interested and qualified applicants must complete a Village of Oak Park application.

PART-TIME SEASONAL OPPORTUNITY

The Riverside Department of Public Works is seeking energetic, responsible, and motivated applicants who enjoy working outdoors. This is a parttime, seasonal position lasting from approximately May through September.

Applicants will be expected to work up to 40 hrs. per week or as scheduled by staff. Primary tasks will include, but not limited to: cutting grass, maintaining athletic fields, general facilities maintenance, flushing hydrants, reading water meters, installing water meters, assisting full-time employees, and other duties as assigned.

Applicants must be 18 years old, possess a valid Illinois driver’s license and high school diploma or equivalent. Applicants will be subject to a criminal background check, pre-employment physical and drug/alcohol screening.

Applications can be downloaded from the Village website at www.riverside. il.us or picked up at the Riverside Village Hall located at 27 Riverside Rd, Riverside, IL 60546. Completed applications should be submitted to the Riverside Village Hall or the Riverside Public Works Department, 3860 Columbus Blvd, Riverside, IL 60546. Applications will be accepted until all positions are filled. Pay rate is $15/hr.

The Village of Riverside is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

COVID-19 EPIDEMIOLOGIST

The Village of Oak Park is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Covid-19 Epidemiologist in the Public Health Department. This position will serve as a subject matter expert on communicable diseases of public health concern, including COVID-19. This position

will work on the surveillance and investigation of infectious diseases and other public health threats; rapid response to disease outbreaks including assisting the community’s emergency preparedness and response team. Applicants are encouraged to visit the Village of Oak Park’s website http://www.oak-park.us/ jobs. Interested and qualified applicants must complete a Village of Oak Park application. This position is open until filled.

PUBLIC HEALTH NURSE

The Village of Oak Park is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Public Health Nurse in the Health Department.

This position will provide professional public health nursing services including health education and promotion which includes disseminating information, making referrals, and counseling as well as managing caseloads, and performing a variety of tasks relative to assigned area of responsibility. Applicants are encouraged to visit the Village of Oak Park’s website http://www.oak-park.us/jobs.

Interested and qualified applicants must complete a Village of Oak Park application. This position is open until filled with first review of apps 2/2/22.

PARKING ENFORCEMENT OFFICER

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

Interested and qualified applicants must complete a Village of Oak Park application.

SEASONAL FARMERS’ MARKET MANAGER

The Village of Oak Park is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Seasonal Farmers’ Market Manager in the Health Department. This position manages the Oak Park Farmer’s Market including the vendors that sell directly to the public within established guidelines.

This is a part-time seasonal position with work from January-mid November and work required on Saturday’s from May through October.

Applicants are encouraged to visit the Village of Oak Park’s website at http://www. oak-park.us/jobs. Interested and qualified applicants must complete a Village of Oak Park application. Open until filled.

COMMUNITY SERVICE OFFICER

The Village of Oak Park is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Community Service Officer in the Police Department. This position will perform a variety of public service, customer service and law enforcement related duties and responsibilities that do not require the services of a sworn police officer; and to perform a variety of administrative duties. Applicants are encouraged to visit the Village of Oak Park’s website http:// www.oak-park.us/. Interested and qualified applicants must complete a Village of Oak Park application.

The Riverside Department of Public Works is seeking energetic, responsible, and motivated applicants who enjoy working outdoors. This is a part-time, Forestry intern position lasting from approximately May through September.

Applicants will be expected to work up to 40 hrs. per week or as scheduled by staff. Primary tasks will include monitoring of Village Trees for disease and insect issues, updating tree inventory records, maintaining woody and perennial plantings in parks and parkways, record keeping and administrational duties related to forestry operations, and assisting the Forester with various forestry related activities and ecological restoration.

Applicants must be 18 years old, possess a valid Illinois driver’s license and high school diploma or equivalent.

Course work and/or experience pertaining to urban forestry or a related field are desirable for the position. Applicants will be subject to a criminal background check, pre-employment physical and drug/alcohol screening.

Applications can be downloaded from the Village website at www.riverside.il.us or picked up at the Riverside Village Hall located at 27 Riverside Rd, Riverside, IL 60546. Completed applications should be submitted to the Riverside Village Hall or the Riverside Public Works Department, 3860 Columbus Blvd, Riverside, IL 60546. Applications will be accepted until all positions are filled. Pay rate is $15/hr.

The Village of Riverside is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

AGRICULTURAL TECHNICIAN I & II

The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago will be accepting applications for the following classification(s): Agricultural Technician I (Original) Agricultural Technician II (Original) Additional information regarding salary, job description, requirements, etc. can be found on the District’s website at www. districtjobs.org or call 312-751-5100.

An Equal Opportunity Employer M/F/D

EQUIPMENT OPERATOR

The Village of Oak Park is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Equipment Operator in the Public Works Department. This position will operate construction and maintenance equipment in a variety of street activities including loading, hauling, and related operations. Applicants are encouraged to visit the Village of Oak Park’s website http://www.oak-park.us/jobs. Interested and qualified applicants must complete a Village of Oak Park application. First review of applications April 4, 2022

CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION LABORER

Construction laborer wanted. Residential concrete. Must have own transportation.

Call 708-203-7132 for more info.

COVID-19 RESPONSE INTERN

The Village of Oak Park is seeking qualified candidates for the position of COVID-19 Response Intern in the Health Department. This position will perform a variety of responsible and complex professional COVID-19 response support, as well as routine documentation of related tasks in support of the Emergency Preparedness & Response Coordinator.

Applicants are encouraged to visit the Village of Oak Park’s website http://www. oak-park.us/. Interested and qualified applicants must complete a Village of Oak Park application.

COVID-19 RESPONSE COORDINATOR

The Village of Oak Park is seeking qualified candidates for the position of COVID-19 Response Coordinator in the Health Department. This position will perform a variety of responsible and complex professional COVID-19 response support, as well as routine documentation of related tasks in support of the Emergency Preparedness & Response Coordinator. Applicants are encouraged to visit the Village of Oak Park’s website http://www.oak-park.us/. Interested and qualified applicants must complete a Village of Oak Park application.

SEASONAL FARMERS’ MARKET ASSISTANT

The Village of Oak Park is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Seasonal Farmers’ Market Assistant in the Health Department. This position will provide administrative support to the Farmers’ Market Manager to allow growers and producers of food to sell directly to the public within established guidelines.

This position requires work in inclement weather conditions; some heavy lifting of up to 50 pounds; walking or standing for sustained periods of time. Applicants are encouraged to visit the Village of Oak Park’s website at http://www.oak-park.us/ jobs. Interested and qualified applicants must complete a Village of Oak Park application. Open until filled.

WATER AND SEWER SUPERVISOR

The Village of Oak Park is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Water and Sewer Supervisor in the Public Works Department. This position will plan and supervise the day-to-day operations of Water and Sewer Division field personnel, including assigning duties of personnel, equipment, and materials. Typical responsibilities include the maintenance, operation and repair of the Village water pumping, storage and distribution systems and maintenance repair of the combined sanitary/storm sewer system and providing highly responsible staff support and assistance to the Water & Sewer Superintendent and the entire public works department management team. Applicants are encouraged to visit the Village of Oak Park’s website http:// www.oak-park.us/jobs. Interested and qualified applicants must complete a Village of Oak Park application. Open until filled.

FULL TIME DELIVERY DRIVER

Local company looking for full time driver.

Must be drug free and have a valid IL DL. Must be able to lift 75lb. $14-16/hr Email resume: HR@sievertelectric.com

 

Wednesday Journal, March 30, 2022

CLASSIFIED

HELP WANTED

PUBLIC WORKS LABORER/TRUCK DRIVER

The Forest Park Public Works Department seeks a safety-oriented individual for the union position of Public Works Laborer/Truck Driver to perform a variety of manual labor tasks requiring varying skill levels. Under general supervision, the position of Public Works Laborer operates and maintains the Village’s infrastructure and buildings. This position works indoors and outdoors throughout the year in all weather conditions. The ideal candidate for this position will be one who can work as part of a team, has a strong work ethic, and is willing to learn and perform a variety of maintenance and construction related activities.

Essential job duties include but are not limited to: • Snow removal with vehicle mounted plows, skid steers, snow blowers and shovels.

• Care and maintenance of Village owned buildings and properties including mowing, weeding, trash removal, tree management and maintenance, storm drain maintenance.

• Pavement and sidewalk removal and replacement • Maintenance of traffic Signage.

• Repair of concrete and asphalt pavement • Operation of heavy duty construction equipment The individual selected for this position will be required to respond to emergencies outside of regular business hours as needed.

Experience in all construction related fields and disciplines are preferred.

Position requires a high school diploma or GED, two years Public Works or construction experience and an Illinois Commercial Driver’s License (CDL), or ability to obtain a CDL within 6 months of employment.

Position will be open until filled, however submittal by April 30, 2022 is encouraged. EOE. The application form can be found at: https://www.forestpark.net/dfp/ wp-content/uploads/2020/03/APPLICATION-FOR-EMPLOYMENT-Revised-8-8-19.pdf.

Qualified individuals interested in this position should email their application form and resume to vmoritz@forestpark. net with Public Works in the subject field.

33

BY PHONE: (708) 613-3333 BY FAX: (708) 467-9066 BY E-MAIL: EMAIL@GROWINGCOMMUNITYMEDIA.ORG MARKETPLACE

CARS WANTED

CLASSICS WANTED CLASSICS WANTED Restored or Unrestored

or Unrestored Cars &Restored Vintage Motorcycles Domestic / Cars & Vintage Motorcycles Import Cars: Mercedes, Porsche, Corvette,Cars: Ferrari’s, Domestic / Import Jaguars, Muscle Cars, Mustang & Mopars Mercedes, Porsche, Corvette, $$ Top $$ all makes, Etc.

Ferrari’s, James Jaguars,• 630-201-8122 Muscle Cars, Collector Mustang & Mopars

$$ Top $$ allWANTED makes, Etc. RENTALS & REAL ESTATE CLASSICS

Collector James Restored or Unrestored SUBURBAN RENTALS Cars630-201-8122 & Vintage Motorcycles STUDIOS, 1, 2 & 3 BR OAK PARK & Domestic / Import Cars: FOREST PARK Best Selection & Service Mercedes, Porsche, Corvette, 708-386-7355 Ferrari’s, Jaguars, Muscle Cars, MMpropMgmt.com Mustang & Mopars

$$ Top $$ all makes, Etc.

OFFICE/RETAIL SUBURBAN Collector James FOR RENT RENTALS

630-201-8122

RIVER FOREST–7777 Lake St. * 1116 sq. ft. * 1400 sq. ft. Dental Office RIVER FOREST–7756 Madison St. * 960 sq. ft.

OAK PARK–6142-44 Roosevelt Rd. * 3 & 5 room office suites FOREST PARK–7736 Madison St. *2500 sq. ft. unit Strand & & Browne Strand Browne 708-488-0011 708-488-0011

NORTH RIVERSIDE: 2BR/1BA APARTMENTS FOR RENT Overlooking Riverside Golf Club, steps to N.R. Library and beautiful Commons Park. Award-winning Riverside schools: Ames, Hauser, Riverside-Brookfield H.S. Well-maintained, NO SMOKING building. Spacious, freshly painted, new carpet/floor tiles, bath and kitchen upgrades.

Laundry on-premise, storage space in basement, off-street parking for 1 car in rear. Rent starting at $1200; heat and water included. Application/credit check required. No Pets.

Please mention this ad to receive a special incentive when calling 708-4471000 between 10 am and 5 pm, Monday through Friday.

DOWNTOWN OAK PARK 2BR APT 2BR, 1BTH apartment for rent. Hardwood floors. Renovated and freshly painted. Small, vintage building. No smoking. No pets. Parking included.

708-657-4226

HOME SERVICES

WANTED TO BUY WANTED MILITARY ITEMS: Helmets, medals, patches, uniforms, weapons, flags, photos, paperwork, Also toy soldiers – lead, plastic – other misc. toys.

Call Uncle Gary 708-522-3400 I BUY RECORDS!!

Cash for your vinyl records. Rock, Metal, Jazz, Punk, Reggae, Soul, Blues, etc. All genre’s considered. Why let your records collect dust when you can get cash for them.

Call or text 773-372-6643

GARAGE SALES Oak Park

MOVING SALE 308 WISCONSIN AVE SATURDAY APRIL 2 11AM-2PM

CLEANING SERVICES T&M Deep Cleaning Service 32 Years of Experience We go where other cleaning services don't. We get behind and underneath furniture & appliances.

Residential/Commercial HONEST • RELIABLE • THOROUGH • EFFICIENT INSURED • EXTERIOR HOUSEWASHING AVAIL.

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FLOORS KLIS FLOORING INC.

New hardwood flooring installation & pergo. Sanding, re-finishing, staining.

Low prices, insured.

Call: 773-671-4996 www.klisflooring.com

Furniture, beds, lawn equipment, dishes, and more!

YARD SALES Oak Park

HOME FURNISHINGS FOR SALE 540 HARRISON ST SATURDAY APRIL 2 NOON-2PM

Items for sale if you’re interested. Make your best offer if you like what you see.

“As is” ~ final sale only. Arrange your own pick up/delivery.

- Cabinet with drawers - 60” Table with 6 chairs - Personal desk with bench - Low level table with glass inserts - Brass stand - Rattan stand - Roll top desk

RENTALS & REAL ESTATE

SPACE FOR RENT

CEMENT

CEMENT

MAGANA

C O N C R E T E C O N S T RU C T I O N “QUALITY IS OUR FOUNDATION” ESTABLISHED IN 1987

COMMERCIAL INDUSTRIAL RESIDENTIAL

708.442.7720 '5,9(:$<6 )281'$7,216 3$7,26 67(36 &85% *877(56 6,'(:$/.6 612: 3/2:,1* 67$03(' &2/25(' $**5(*$7( &21&5(7( FREE ESTIMATES LICENSED, BONDED & INSURED

ELECTRICAL Ceiling Fans Installed

ELECTRICAL

A&A ELECTRIC

Let an American Veteran do your work

We install plugs for battery-operated vehicles We fix any electrical problem and do small jobs We install Surge Protectors • Home Re-wiring • New Plugs & Switches Added • New circuit breaker boxes • Code violations corrected Service upgrades,100-200 amp • Garage & A/C lines installed Fast Emergency Service | Residential • Commercial • Industrial Free Home Evaluations | Lic. • Bonded • Ins. • Low Rates • Free Est.

708-409-0988 • 708-738-3848 Sr. Discounts • 30 Yrs. Exp. Servicing Oak Park • All surrounding suburbs • Chicago area

HANDYMAN Mike’s Home Repair Drywall H Painting H Tile Plumbing H Electric H Floors Windows H Doors H Siding Ask Us What We Don’t Do

708-296-2060

HANDYMAN Roofing Repairs Concrete Repairs • Drywall All types of handiwork Call For Free Estimates

773-637-0692 Ask for John

HAULING BASEMENT CLEANING

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34

Wednesday Journal, March 30, 2022

CLASSIFIED

BY PHONE: (708) 613-3333 BY FAX: (708) 467-9066 BY E-MAIL: EMAIL@GROWINGCOMMUNITYMEDIA.ORG

NOVENAS

PUBLIC NOTICES

PUBLIC NOTICES NOTICE PUBLIC

PRAYER TO THE BLESSED VIRGIN (NEVER KNOWN TO FAIL) Oh, most beautiful flower of Mt. Carmel, fruitful vine, splendor of heaven, Blessed Mother of the Son of God, Immaculate Virgin, assist me in my necessity. Oh, Star of the Sea, help me and show me, herein you are my mother. Oh, Holy Mary, Mother of God, Queen of Heaven and Earth. I humbly beseech you from the bottom of my heart to suc cor in my necessity (make request). There are none that can withstand your power. Oh, show me herein you are my mother. Oh, Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee (3 times). Holy Mary, I place this prayer in your hands (3 times).

Say this prayer for three consecutive days and publish; your request will be granted. R.B.

PUBLIC NOTICE Notice is hereby given, pursuant to “An Act in relation to the use of an Assumed Business Name in the conduct or transaction of Business in the State,” as amended, that a certification was registered by the undersigned with the County Clerk of Cook County. Registration Number: Y22008741 on March 4, 2022 Under the Assumed Business Name of DIANA’S FINE THINGS with the business located at: 7512 W. MADISON ST., FOREST PARK, IL 60130. The true and real full name(s) and residence address of the owner(s)/partner(s) is: CARLITOS PEREZ 4702 S KENNETH AVE CHICAGO, IL 60632, USA

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING CONCERNING THE INTENT OF THE PRESIDENT AND BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE VILLAGE OF BROOKFIELD, COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS TO SELL NOT TO EXCEED $2,500,000GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS (WATER AND SEWER ALTERNATE REVENUE SOURCE)

NEVER FAIL NOVENA May the Sacred Heart of Jesus be praised, adored and glorified throughout the world, now and for-ever. Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, I put my trust in you. Holy Mary Mother of Jesus, pray for me. St. Theresa child of Jesus, pray for me.

St. Jude, helper of hopeless causes, pray for me and grant this favorI ask. Say this prayer 9 times a day for 9 days .R.B PRAYER TO ST. JUDE May the Sacred Heart of Jesus be adored, glorified, loved & preserved throughout the world now & forever. Sacred Heart of Jesus, pray for us. St. Jude worker of miracles, pray for us. St. Jude helper of the hopeless, pray for us. Say this prayer 9 times a day for 9 days. By the 8th day your prayer will be answered.

It has never been known to fail .Publication must be promised. Thank you Jesus.

Thank You St . Jude. R.B.

Starting a New Business?

Published in Wednesday Journal March 16, 23, 30, 2022

PUBLIC NOTICE Notice is hereby given, pursuant to “An Act in relation to the use of an Assumed Business Name in the conduct or transaction of Business in the State,” as amended, that a certification was registered by the undersigned with the County Clerk of Cook County. Registration Number: Y22008769 on March 9, 2022 Under the Assumed Business Name of THIRD EYE VEWZ PUBLISHING with the business located at: 1115 NORTH LARAMIE AVENUE, CHICAGO, IL 60651. The true and real full name(s) and residence address of the owner(s)/ partner(s) is: MARC N JOHNSON 1115 NORTH LARAMIE AVENUE, CHICAGO, IL 60651, USA. Published in Wednesday Journal March 16, 23, 30, 2022

PUBLIC NOTICE OF COURT DATE FOR REQUEST FOR NAME CHANGE STATE OF ILLINOIS, CIRCUIT COURT COOK COUNTY. Request of MIRA MERCEDESZ RAUCH Case Number 2022CONC000005 .

There will be a court date on my Request to change my name from: MIRA MERCEDESZ RAUCH to the new name of: MIRA MERCEDESZ RANAI The court date will be held: On March 28, 2022 at 1:30 pm at 50 W Washington St, Room 1202, Chicago, IL 60602, Cook County via Zoom Video Conference Meeting ID: 914 0410 9299 Password: 395850 Published in Wednesday Journal March 23, 30, April 6, 2022

PUBLIC NOTICE OF COURT DATE FOR REQUEST FOR NAME CHANGE STATE OF ILLINOIS, CIRCUIT COURT COOK COUNTY.

Publish Your Assumed Name Legal Notice in • Austin Weekly News • Wednesday Journal • Forest Park Review • Riverside/Brookfield Landmark Call the Experts Before You Place Your Legal Ad!

Call Stacy for details: 773/626-6332

Request of Hamed Aliabbasipoor Case Number 20225001309.

There will be a court date on my Request to change my name from: Hamed Aliabbasipoor to the new name of: Sam Kaplan.

The court date will be held: On May 19, 2022at 9:30AM at 10220 S 76 th Avenue, Bridgeview IL 60455, Cook County in Courtroom # 0203 Published in Wednesday Journal March 23, 30, April 6, 2022

PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Village of Brookfield, Cook County, Illinois (the “Village”), will hold a public hearing on the 11th day of April, 2022, at 6:30 o’clock P.M. The hearing will be held at the Village Hall, 8820 Brookfield Avenue, Brookfield, Illinois. The purpose of the hearing will be to receive public comments on the proposal to sell alternate bonds of the Village in the amount of not to exceed $2,500,000 to pay the costs of improving the waterworks and sewerage system of the Village, including undertaking the Village’s water meter transmission unit replacement program.

By order of the President of the Village of Brookfield, Cook County, Illinois.

DATED the 28th day of March, 2022. /s/ Brigid Weber Village Clerk,

Village of Brookfield, County, Illinois

Cook

Published in RB Landmark March 30, 2022

Let the sun shine in...

Public Notice: Your right to know In print • Online Available to you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, every day of the year • OakPark.com • RBLandmark.com • ForestParkReview.com • AustinWeeklyNews.com PublicNoticeIllinois.com

PUBLIC NOTICES

PUBLIC NOTICES

PUBLIC NOTICES

PUBLIC NOTICES

PUBLIC NOTICE NOTICE OF INTENT TO ISSUE BONDS AND RIGHT TO FILE A PETITION Notice is hereby given that pursuant to an ordinance adopted by the President and Board of Trustees of the Village of Brookfield, Cook County, Illinois (the “Village”) on March 28, 2022 (the “Ordinance”), the Village intends to issue its Waterworks and Sewerage Revenue Bonds (the “Revenue Bonds”) or, in lieu thereof, its General Obligation Bonds (Water and Sewer Alternate Revenue Source) (the “Alternate Bonds”) in the principal amount of not to exceed $2,500,000, and bearing interest per annum at not to exceed the maximum rate authorized by law at the time of the sale thereof, for the purpose of paying the costs of improving the waterworks and sewerage system of the Village (the “System”), including undertaking the Village’s water meter transmission unit replacement program. The Alternate Bonds would be payable from the net revenues of the System. If this revenue source is insufficient to pay the Alternate Bonds, ad valorem property taxes upon all taxable property in the Village without limitation as to rate or amount are authorized to be extended to pay the principal of and interest on the Alternate Bonds. A complete copy of the Ordinance follows this notice.

Notice is hereby further given that if a petition signed by 1,370 or more electors of the Village (the same being equal to 10% of the registered voters of the Village) asking that the question of improving the System, as provided in the Ordinance, and the issuance of the Revenue Bonds therefor, be submitted to the electors of the Village is filed with the Village Clerk within thirty (30) days after the date of publication of the Ordinance and this notice, an election on the proposition to issue said bonds shall be held on the 8th day of November, 2022. The Circuit Court may declare that an emergency referendum should be held prior to said election date pursuant to the provisions of Section 2A-1.4 of the Election Code of the State of Illinois, as amended (the “Election Code”).

If no such petition is filed within said thirty (30) day period, then the Village shall thereafter be authorized to issue the Revenue Bonds for the purposes hereinabove provided.

Notice is hereby further given that if a petition signed by 1,028 or more electors of the Village (being equal to the greater of (i) 7.5% of the registered voters in the Village or (ii) 200 of those registered voters or 15% of those registered voters, whichever is less) asking that the issuance of the Alternate Bonds be submitted to referendum is filed with the Village Clerk within thirty (30) days after the date of publication of the Ordinance and this notice, an election on the proposition to issue said bonds shall be held on the 8th day of November, 2022.

The Circuit Court may declare that an emergency referendum should be held prior to said election date pursuant to the provisions of Section 2A1.4 of the Election Code. If no such petition is filed within said thirty (30) day period, then the Village shall thereafter be authorized to issue the Alternate Bonds for the purposes hereinabove provided.

The forms of petitions are available to any individual requesting one from the office of the Village Clerk.

By order of the President and Board of Trustees of the Village.

Dated this 28th day of March, 2022. /s/ Brigid Weber Village Clerk, Village of Brookfield, Cook County, Illinois ORDINANCE NO.16 AN ORDINANCE authorizing the issuance of Waterworks and Sewerage Revenue Bonds of the Village of Brookfield, Cook County, Illinois, in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $2,500,000 or, in lieu thereof, General Obligation Bonds (Water and Sewer Alternate Revenue Source) in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $2,500,000 for the purpose of paying the costs of improving the waterworks and sewerage system of the Village, including undertaking the Village’s water meter transmission unit replacement program. *** WHEREAS, the Village of Brookfield, Cook County, Illinois (the “Village”), is a duly organized and existing municipality incorporated and existing under the provisions of the laws of the State of Illinois, and is now operating under the provisions of the Illinois Municipal Code, as amended (the “Code”), and for many years has owned and operated a municipally-owned combined waterworks and sewerage system (the “System”) as set forth in Division 139 of Article 11 of the Code; and WHEREAS, the President and Board of Trustees of the Village (the “Board”) has determined that it is advisable, necessary and in the best interests of the Village to pay the costs of improving the System, including undertaking the Village’s water meter transmission unit replacement program (the “Project”); and WHEREAS, the estimated costs of the Project, including legal, financial, bond discount, printing and publication costs, and other expenses, does not exceed $2,500,000 and there are insufficient funds on hand and lawfully available to pay such costs; and WHEREAS, it is necessary and for the best interests of the Village that the Project be undertaken and, in order to finance the cost of the Project it will be necessary for the Village to issue up to $2,500,000 of bonds payable from the revenues derived from the operation of the System as authorized to be issued at this time pursuant to Division 139 of Article 11 of the Code (the “Revenue Bonds”) or, in lieu thereof, up to $2,500,000 alternate bonds (the “Alternate Bonds”), being general obligation bonds payable from the net revenues of the System (the “Pledged Revenues”), as authorized to be issued at this time pursuant to the Local Government Debt Reform Act, as amended (the “Act”); and WHEREAS, if the Pledged Revenues are insufficient to pay the Alternate Bonds, ad valorem property taxes upon all taxable property in the Village without limitation as to rate or amount are authorized to be extended to pay the principal of and interest on the Alternate Bonds:

NOW, THEREFORE, Be It Ordained by the President and Board of Trustees of the Village of Brookfield, Cook County, Illinois, as follows: Section 1. Incorporation of Preambles. The Board hereby finds that all of the recitals contained in the preambles to this Ordinance are full, true and correct and does incorporate them into this Ordinance by this reference.

Section 2. Declaration of Intent.

The Board hereby declares its intention to avail of the provisions of the Code and the Act and to issue the Revenue Bonds or, in lieu thereof, the Alternate Bonds in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $2,500,000 for the purpose of paying the costs of the Project.

Section 3. Determination to Issue Bonds. It is necessary and in the best interests of the Village to undertake the Project for the public health, safety and welfare, in accordance with the estimate of costs as hereinabove described, and that for such purpose, there are hereby authorized to be issued and sold the Revenue Bonds in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $2,500,000 or, in lieu thereof, the Alternate Bonds in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $2,500,000.

Section 4. Publication. This Ordinance, together with a notice in the statutory form (the “Notice”), shall be published once within ten (10) days after passage hereof by the Board in a newspaper of general circulation in the Village, and if no petition, signed by 1,370 electors (being equal to ten percent (10%) of the number of registered voters in the Village) asking that the question of the Project, as provided in this Ordinance, and the issuance of the Revenue Bonds therefor be submitted to the electors of the Village is filed with the Village Clerk within thirty (30) days after the date of the publication of this Ordinance and the Notice, then the Revenue Bonds shall be authorized to be issued.

If no petition, signed by 1,028 electors of the Village (being equal to the greater of (i) 7.5% of the registered voters in the Village or (ii) 200 of those registered voters or 15% of those registered voters, whichever is less) asking that the issuance of the Alternate Bonds be submitted to referendum is filed with the Village Clerk within thirty (30) days after the date of the publication of this Ordinance and the Notice, then the Alternate Bonds shall be authorized to be issued.

It is expressly provided that in the event that there shall be filed with the Village Clerk in a timely manner a petition, asking that the issuance of the Revenue Bonds be submitted to referendum, the Alternate Bonds shall not be authorized to be issued until such time as the issuance of the Revenue Bonds shall have been submitted to the electors of the Village and a majority of the votes cast on such question shall have been in favor thereof.

Section 5. Additional Ordinances.

If no petition with respect to the issue of the Revenue Bonds or, in lieu thereof, the Alternate Bonds and meeting the requirements of applicable law is filed during the pe-

Published in RB Landmark, March 30, 2022

tition periods hereinabove referred to, then the Board may adopt additional ordinances or proceedings supplementing or amending this Ordinance providing for the issuance and sale of the Revenue Bonds or, in lieu thereof, the Alternate Bonds and prescribing all the details of the Revenue Bonds or, in lieu thereof, the Alternate Bonds, so long as the maximum aggregate principal amount of the Revenue Bonds or, in lieu thereof, the Alternate Bonds as set forth in this Ordinance is not exceeded and there is no material change in the Project. Such additional ordinances or proceedings shall in all instances become effective in accordance with applicable law. This Ordinance, together with such additional ordinances or proceedings, shall constitute complete authority for the issuance of the Revenue Bonds or, in lieu thereof, the Alternate Bonds, under applicable law.

Section 6. Reimbursement. None of the proceeds of the Revenue Bonds or the Alternate Bonds issued in lieu thereof will be used to pay, directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, for an expenditure that has been paid by the Village prior to the date hereof except architectural or engineering costs incurred prior to commencement of the Project or expenditures for which an intent to reimburse it as properly declared under Treasury Regulations Section 1.103-18. This Ordinance is in itself a declaration of official intent under Treasury Regulations Section 1.103-18 as to all costs of the Project paid within 60 days prior to the date hereof or on any date after the date hereof and prior to issuance of the Revenue Bonds or, in lieu thereof, the Alternate Bonds.

Section 7. Severability. If any section, paragraph, clause or provision of this Ordinance shall be held invalid, the invalidity of such section, paragraph, clause or provision shall not affect any of the other provisions of this Ordinance.

Section 8. Repealer. All ordinances, resolutions or orders, or parts thereof, in conflict with the provisions of this Ordinance are to the extent of such conflict hereby repealed.

ADOPTED by the President and Board of Trustees on March 28, 2022.

AYES: CONROY, KETCHMARK, HENDRICKS, COTE, LECLERE NAYS: NONE

ABSENT: KALUZNY

APPROVED on March 28, 2022 MICHAEL J.GARVEY President, Village of Brookfield, Cook County, Illinois

PUBLISHED in the RiversideBrookfield Landmark on March 30, 2022.

RECORDED in the Village Records on March 28, 2022.

ATTEST:

BRIGID WEBER Village Clerk, Village of Brookfield, Cook County, Illinois

Wednesday Journal, March 30, 2022

CLASSIFIED PUBLIC NOTICES PUBLIC NOTICE OF COURT DATE FOR REQUEST FOR NAME CHANGE STATE OF ILLINOIS, CIRCUIT COURT COOK COUNTY.

BY PHONE: (708) 613-3333 BY FAX: (708) 467-9066 BY E-MAIL: EMAIL@GROWINGCOMMUNITYMEDIA.ORG

PUBLIC NOTICES Given under my hand in the Town of Oak Park, County of Cook, State of Illinois, this 25 th day of March, 2022.

DaToya Burtin-Cox Oak Park Township Clerk

Request of Matthew Murdock-Barriball Case Number 20224001174.

Published in Wednesday Journal March 30, 2022

There will be a court date on my Request to change my name from: Matthew Flanigan Murdock-Barriball to the new name of: Matthew Flanigan Bariball

PUBLIC NOTICE NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING FISCAL YEAR 2023 BUDGET The Village of River Forest will hold a public hearing on Monday, April 11, 2022 at 7:00 p.m. in the 1st floor Community Room of the Village Hall, 400 Park Avenue, River Forest, Illinois concerning the Village of River Forest proposed budget for the fiscal period starting May 1, 2022 and ending April 30, 2023.

The court date will be held: On 05/17/2022 at 11:00am at 1500 Maybrook Drive, Maywood, Cook County in Courtroom # 0112 Published in RB Landmark March 23, 30, April 6, 2022

PUBLIC NOTICE Notice is hereby given, pursuant to “An Act in relation to the use of an Assumed Business Name in the conduct or transaction of Business in the State,” as amended, that a certification was registered by the undersigned with the County Clerk of Cook County. Registration Number: Y22008892 on March 28, 2022 Under the Assumed Business Name of CFC SERVICES with the business located at: 424 MARENGO AVENUE APT. 1W, FOREST PARK, IL 60130.

The true and real full name(s) and residence address of the owner(s)/partner(s) is: CELESTE ADRENA FRAZIER 424 MARENGO AVENUE APT. 1W FOREST PARK, IL 60130, USA Published in Wednesday Journal March 30, April 6, 13, 2022

PUBLIC NOTICE OAK PARK TOWNSHIP NOTICE OF ANNUAL TOWN MEETING NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN to the legal voters, residents of the Town of Oak Park, County of Cook, and State of Illinois, that the Annual Town Meeting of said Town, will take place on Tuesday, April 12, 2022,at the Oak Park Township Senior Services Center, 130 S. Oak Park Ave., in the Town of Oak Park, at thehour of 6:30 p.m., for the transaction of the business of the Town; and a Moderator having been elected, will proceed to hear and consider reports of officers, and decide on such measures as may, in pursuance of law, come before the meeting, following this agenda: I. Call to Order II. Pledge of Allegiance III. Procedures for Meeting IV. Supervisor’s Annual Financial Statements V. Election of Moderator VI. Township Year in Review: • COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH BOARD • ASSESSOR • SENIOR SERVICES • YOUTH SERVICES • GENERAL ASSISTANCE • PREVENTION SERVICES VII. Resolutions to Come Before the Electors: VIII. Public Comments IX. Adjournment All interested citizens, groups, senior citizens and organizations representing the interests of senior citizens are encouraged to attend.

Oak Park Township does not discriminate on the basis of handicapped status in the admission or access to, or employment in its programs or activities. Those needing special accommodations are asked to provide 48 hours notice.

35

A copy of the proposed budget is available for public inspection at the Village Hall during regular business hours or on the Village’s website at www.vrf.us.

For more information, please contact Finance Director Rosemary McAdams at 708-366-8500.

Published in Wednesday Journal March 30, 2022

LEGAL NOTICE The Village of Oak Park will receive sealed bids from qualified contractors at the Public Works Center, 201 South Boulevard, Oak Park, Illinois 60302 Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. local time until 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, April 13th, 2022 for the following: Village of Oak Park 2022 Surface Hot Mix Asphalt Purchase Bid Number: 22-114 Bid documents may be obtained from the Village’s website at http://www.oak-park.us/bid.

For questions, please call Public Works at (708) 358-5700 during the above hours.

Published in Wednesday Journal March 30, 2022

LEGAL NOTICE The Village of Oak Park will receive sealed bids from qualified contractors at the Public Works Center, 201 South Boulevard, Oak Park, Illinois 60302 Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. local time until 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, April 13, 2022 for the following: Village of Oak Park Spongy Moth Management Bid Number: 22-115 Bid documents may be obtained from the Village’s website at http://www.oak-park.us/bid.

For questions, please call Public Works at (708) 358-5700 during the above hours.

Published in Wednesday Journal March 30, 2022

REAL ESTATE FOR SALE

REAL ESTATE FOR SALE

REAL ESTATE FOR SALE

REAL ESTATE FOR SALE

REAL ESTATE FOR SALE

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION NATIONSTAR MORTGAGE LLC D/B/A MR. COOPER Plaintiff, -v.LATANYA WILSON A/K/A LATANYA PERKINS A/K/A LATANYA T. WILSON, 327 SOUTH WISCONSIN CONDOMINIUM ASSOCIATION Defendants 19 CH 14237 327 WISCONSIN AVENUE, UNIT 3B OAK PARK, IL 60302 NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on January 26, 2022, an agent for The Judicial Sales Corporation, will at 10:30 AM on April 27, 2022, at The Judicial Sales Corporation, One South Wacker, 1st Floor Suite 35R, Chicago, IL, 60606, sell at a public sale to the highest bidder, as set forth below, the following described real estate: Commonly known as 327 WISCONSIN AVENUE, UNIT 3B, OAK PARK, IL 60302 Property Index No. 16-07-315-023-1007 The real estate is improved with a condominium.

The judgment amount was $87,572.57.

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

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

The property will NOT be open for inspection and plaintiff makes no representation as to the condition of the property.

Prospective bidders are admonished to check the court file to verify all information.

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

IF YOU ARE THE MORTGAGOR (HOMEOWNER), YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN IN POSSESSION FOR 30 DAYS AFTER ENTRY OF AN ORDER OF POSSESSION, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 15-1701(C) OF THE ILLINOIS MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE LAW. You will need a photo identification issued by a government agency (driver’s

license, passport, etc.) in order to gain entry into our building and the foreclosure sale room in Cook County and the same identification for sales held at other county venues where The Judicial Sales Corporation conducts foreclosure sales.

For information, contact The sales clerk, LOGS Legal Group LLP Plaintiff’s Attorneys, 2121 WAUKEGAN RD., SUITE 301, Bannockburn, IL, 60015 (847) 2911717 For information call between the hours of 1pm - 3pm.. Please refer to file number 19-092068.

THE JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION One South Wacker Drive, 24th Floor, Chicago, IL 60606-4650 (312) 236-SALE You can also visit The Judicial Sales Corporation at www.tjsc.com for a 7 day status report of pending sales.

LOGS Legal Group LLP 2121 WAUKEGAN RD., SUITE 301 Bannockburn IL, 60015 847-291-1717 E-Mail: ILNotices@logs.com Attorney File No. 19-092068 Attorney Code. 42168 Case Number: 19 CH 14237 TJSC#: 42-496 NOTE: Pursuant to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, you are advised that Plaintiff’s attorney is deemed to be a debt collector attempting to collect a debt and any information obtained will be used for that purpose.

Case # 19 CH 14237 I3190817

without recourse to Plaintiff and in “AS IS” condition. The sale is further subject to confirmation by the court.

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

The property will NOT be open for inspection and plaintiff makes no representation as to the condition of the property.

Prospective bidders are admonished to check the court file to verify all information.

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

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

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

THE JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION One South Wacker Drive, 24th Floor, Chicago, IL 60606-4650 (312) 236-SALE You can also visit The Judicial Sales Corporation at www.tjsc.com for a 7 day status report of pending sales.

MCCALLA RAYMER LEIBERT PIERCE, LLC One North Dearborn Street, Suite 1200 Chicago IL, 60602 312-346-9088 E-Mail: pleadings@mccalla.com Attorney File No. 20-04687IL_613739 Attorney ARDC No. 61256 Attorney Code. 61256 Case Number: 18 CH 12736 TJSC#: 42-1079 NOTE: Pursuant to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, you are advised that Plaintiff’s attorney is deemed to be a debt collector attempting to collect a debt and any information obtained will be used for that purpose.

Case # 18 CH 12736 I3191182

closure and Sale entered in the above entitled cause Intercounty Judicial Sales Corporation will on Monday, May 2, 2022 at the hour of 11 a.m. in their office at 120 West Madison Street, Suite 718A, Chicago, Illinois, sell at public auction to the highest bidder for cash, as set forth below, the following described mortgaged real estate: P.I.N. 16-18-428-043-1032, 16-18-428043-1051and 16-18-428-043-1059.

Commonly known as 6436 Roosevelt Road, Unit 415 and P-17 and P-25, Oak Park, IL 60304.

The mortgaged real estate is improved with a condominium residence. The purchaser of the unit other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments and the legal fees required by subdivisions (g)(1) and (g)(4) of Section 9 of the Condominium Property Act. Sale terms: 10% down by certified funds, balance, by certified funds, within 24 hours. No refunds. The property will NOT be open for inspection.

For information call Law Clerk at Plaintiff’s Attorney, The Wirbicki Law Group, 33 West Monroe Street, Chicago, Illinois 60603. (312) 360-9455. W19-0997 ADC INTERCOUNTY JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION intercountyjudicialsales.com I3190604

to Plaintiff and in “AS IS” condition. The sale is further subject to confirmation by the court.

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

Where a sale of real estate is made to satisfy a lien prior to that of the United States, the United States shall have one year from the date of sale within which to redeem, except that with respect to a lien arising under the internal revenue laws the period shall be 120 days or the period allowable for redemption under State law, whichever is longer, and in any case in which, under the provisions of section 505 of the Housing Act of 1950, as amended (12 U.S.C. 1701k), and subsection (d) of section 3720 of title 38 of the United States Code, the right to redeem does not arise, there shall be no right of redemption.

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

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

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

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

MCCALLA RAYMER LEIBERT PIERCE, LLC Plaintiff’s Attorneys, One North Dearborn Street, Suite 1200, Chicago, IL, 60602. Tel No. (312) 3469088.

THE JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION One South Wacker Drive, 24th Floor, Chicago, IL 60606-4650 (312) 236SALE You can also visit The Judicial Sales Corporation at www.tjsc.com for a 7 day status report of pending sales.

MCCALLA RAYMER LEIBERT PIERCE, LLC One North Dearborn Street, Suite 1200 Chicago IL, 60602 312-346-9088 E-Mail: pleadings@mccalla.com Attorney File No. 20-06827IL Attorney ARDC No. 61256 Attorney Code. 61256 Case Number: 21 CH 01381 TJSC#: 42-447 NOTE: Pursuant to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, you are advised that Plaintiff’s attorney is deemed to be a debt collector attempting to collect a debt and any information obtained will be used for that purpose.

Case # 21 CH 01381 I3189602

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION SELENE FINANCE LP Plaintiff, -v.LARSENIA HORTON, NEIL SMITH, ASSURANCE RESTORATION & CONSTRUTION, INC., PRAIRIE HOUSES OWNERS ASSOCIATION, UNKNOWN OWNERS AND NON-RECORD CLAIMANTS Defendants 18 CH 12736 14 DIVISION STREET, # 14 OAK PARK, IL 60302 NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on December 16, 2019, an agent for The Judicial Sales Corporation, will at 10:30 AM on May 2, 2022, at The Judicial Sales Corporation, One South Wacker, 1st Floor Suite 35R, Chicago, IL, 60606, sell at a public sale to the highest bidder, as set forth below, the following described real estate: Commonly known as 14 DIVISION STREET, # 14, OAK PARK, IL 60302 Property Index No. 16-05-127-048-0000 The real estate is improved with a brown brick, three story townhouse, attached one car garage.

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

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION DEUTSCHE BANK NATIONAL TRUST COMPANY AS TRUSTEE FOR AMERICAN HOME MORTGAGE ASSETS TRUST 2006-5; MORTGAGE BACKED PASS THROUGH CERTIFICATES SERIES 2006-5; Plaintiff, vs.

KARRI L. SPILLANE; PRAIRIE PLACE AT 6436 ROOSEVELT CONDOMINIUM ASSOCIATION; ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE; UNKNOWN OWNERS AND NONRECORD CLAIMANTS; Defendants, 19 CH 14565 NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Fore-

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION WILMINGTON SAVINGS FUND SOCIETY, FSB, NOT IN ITS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY BUT SOLELY AS OWNER TRUSTEE OF THE ASPEN G3 TRUST, A DELAWARE STATUTORY TRUST Plaintiff, -v.ERIC STARKS, JUSTIN STARKS, ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, UNKNOWN OWNERS AND NON-RECORD CLAIMANTS Defendants 21 CH 01381 464 LENOX STREET OAK PARK, IL 60302 NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on January 19, 2022, an agent for The Judicial Sales Corporation, will at 10:30 AM on April 20, 2022, at The Judicial Sales Corporation, One South Wacker, 1st Floor Suite 35R, Chicago, IL, 60606, sell at a public sale to the highest bidder, as set forth below, the following described real estate: Commonly known as 464 LENOX STREET, OAK PARK, IL 60302 Property Index No. 16-06-222-0180000 The real estate is improved with a brown brick, single family residence with no garage.

Sale terms: 25% down of the highest bid by certified funds at the close of the sale payable to The Judicial Sales Corporation. No third party checks will be accepted. The balance, including the Judicial Sale fee for the Abandoned Residential Property Municipality Relief Fund, which is calculated on residential real estate at the rate of $1 for each $1,000 or fraction thereof of the amount paid by the purchaser not to exceed $300, in certified funds/or wire transfer, is due within twenty-four (24) hours. No fee shall be paid by the mortgagee acquiring the residential real estate pursuant to its credit bid at the sale or by any mortgagee, judgment creditor, or other lienor acquiring the residential real estate whose rights in and to the residential real estate arose prior to the sale.

The subject property is subject to general real estate taxes, special assessments, or special taxes levied against said real estate and is offered for sale without any representation as to quality or quantity of title and without recourse

36

Wednesday Journal, March 30, 2022

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AUSTIN FORWARD. TOGETHER. 2022 QUARTER 1

March 30, 2022

THE AUSTIN COMMUNITY PUBLISHED ITS FIRST QUALITY-OF-LIFE PLAN CALLED AUSTIN FORWARD. TOGETHER. (AFT) IN 2018.

THIS QUARTERLY PUBLICATION DESCRIBES HOW AUSTIN COMING TOGETHER (ACT) IS SUPPORTING THE COMMUNITY TO IMPLEMENT AFT AND OTHER EFFORTS.

CATALYZING COLLECTIVE IMPACT IN AUSTIN

How the community is tackling barriers to equity toward a healthy, prosperous future

COMMUNITY CAN GUIDE THE WAY PAGE 3 | SUPPORTING PLAN IMPLEMENTATION YEAR FOUR PAGE 4 A BEACON OF HOPE PAGE 7 Special thanks to these Austin Forward. Together. quality-of-life plan legacy investors:

2

Austin Weekly News • March 30, 2022

AUSTIN FORWARD. TOGETHER. 2022 QUARTER 1

Since 2010, Austin Coming Together (ACT) has facilitated collaboration to improve education and economic development outcomes in Chicago’s Austin neighborhood.

Today, we serve a network of 50+ organizations committed to improving the quality of life in the Austin community.

Our strategic plan is called Thrive 2025 and outlines how we will mobilize our resources to achieve four impact goals by the year 2025: Quality Early Learning, Safe Neighborhoods, Living Wage Careers, and Stable Housing Markets.

ACT BOARD OF DIRECTORS Officers

Reverend Reginald E. Bachus

TREASURER

Pastor, Friendship Baptist Church

Senior Director of Community Engagement & Health, West Side United

Senior Director of Strategy & Operations, West Side United

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Reginald Little

Tenisha Jones

LaDarius Curtis

CHAIR

Larry Williams

Broker, State Farm Insurance VICE-CHAIR

Darnell Shields

Angela Waller

Community & Government Relations Director, Advocate Aurora Health

Mortgage Loan Originator, Fifth Third Bank

Austin Coming Together

Dawn Ferencak

Directors

Senior Marketing Strategist, Chicago Parent

Deborah Williams-Thurmond

Sharon Morgan

SECRETARY

Bradly Johnson

Director of External Affairs, BUILD Inc.

ACT STAFF

Director of Graduate Support & Community Outreach, Catalyst Schools

Strategic Initiatives Sandra Diaz*

Leadership Darnell Shields Executive Director

Service Delivery Enhancement Manager, Austin Community Hub

Shavion Scott

Janelle Martin

Deputy Director

Hub Coordinator, Austin Community Hub

Deirdre Bates

Emone Moore

Director of Operations

Engagement Coordinator, Austin Community Hub

Andrew Born

Research & Evaluation

Dollie Sherman

Ethan Ramsay

Aaliyah Phillips

Grace Cooper

JeVon D. Moore*

Nicole Marcus

Engagement Specialist, Austin Community Hub Engagement Associate, Austin Community Hub Planning & Investment Manager, Austin Forward. Together.

ACT MEMBER ORGANIZATIONS A House in Austin

Bethel New Life

Defy Ventures Illinois

Academy of Scholastic Achievement

Beyond Hunger

Erikson Institute

BUILD Inc.

Friends of the Children

Austin Childcare Providers Network

By The Hand Club For Kids

Austin Community Family Center

Catholic Charities

Friendship Community Development Corp. of Austin

Austin Weekly News (Growing Community Media) Be Strong Families Beat the Streets Chicago Because I Care

Cara

Community Outreach & Engagement Specialist, Habilitative Systems, Inc.

Chicago Austin Youth Travel Adventures

Greater West Town Community

Chicago Community Loan Fund

Housing Forward

City of Refuge

i.c.stars

Cluster Tutoring Program

IFF

Development Project

Ruth Kimble

Founder & CEO, Austin Childcare Providers Network

Jerrod Williams

Law Clerk, Illinois Appellate Court

In Memoriam BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Jack Macnamara 1937–2020

FOUNDING BOARD CHAIR

Mildred Wiley 1955–2019

Marketing & Development

Lead Organizer, Austin Forward. Together.

Alicia Plomin*

Marketing & Development Manager

Project Coordinator, Austin Forward. Together.

Neighborhood Network Liaison

Natalie Goodin

Micro Market Recovery Program Coordinator

*Also part of the ACT Leadership Team

We’re hiring!

AustinComingTogether.org

Institute for Nonviolence Chicago

Oak Park Regional Housing Center

Stone Community Development Corporation

Jane Addams Resource Corporation

Open Books

The Catalyst Schools

PCC Community Wellness Center

The Journey Forward

Kids First Chicago KRA Westside American Job Center

Project Exploration

The North Avenue District, Inc. Towers of Excellence

Legal Aid Chicago (fka LAF)

Renaissance Social Services, Inc.

Manufacturing Renaissance

Sarah’s Inn

Mary Shyrese Daycare

VOCEL

Maryville Academy

South Austin Neighborhood Association

Mercy Housing Lakefront

St. Joseph Services

West Side Forward

New Moms

St. Leonard’s Ministries

Worldvision

OAI, Inc.

UIC Jane Addams College of Social Work Westside Health Authority

Youth Guidance

AUSTIN FORWARD. TOGETHER. 2022 QUARTER 1

Austin Weekly News • March 30, 2022

3

Community can guide the way

By Darnell Shields Executive Director, Austin Coming Together

W

e can no longer wait to address racial disparities.

Minority communities like Austin are struggling with the compounded impact of decades of disinvestment and recent crises, but fortunately, Chicago is taking steps to once again prioritize equity.

Chicago Equity Zones, “six geographic areas covering the entire city that will be led by regional organizations” to “create communitybased stakeholder coalitions to develop targeted strategies to improve community and individual wellness.”

The lead for the west region of the Healthy Chicago Equity Zones is Rush University Medical Center and West Side United who are working to reduce the racial life expectancy gap by allowing community expertise to guide the training of health professionals in community engagement.

COMMUNITY-LED IS BEST

Mayor Lightfoot and the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) declared racism a public health crisis in 2021 after data showed a 9.2-year life expectancy gap between Black and non-Black Chicagoans that had increased in the past 10 years.

In addition to focusing on health disparities, another focus should be on empowering Austin and other heavily impacted communities. When people feel heard, they have power. That power then becomes motivation to get and stay involved.

Then, to build on CDPH’s Healthy Chicago 2025 and to continue improving anti-racist policies, $9.6 million in COVID-19 relief funding was allocated to enact the Healthy

One massive effort centered around empowerment is Austin’s first quality-of-life plan called Austin Forward. Together. (AFT).

AFT is a four-time award-winning roadmap for transformation created by and for Austin to address barriers to quality of life by the end of 2024 by successfully implementing 84 total actions across seven issue areas.

The plan serves as a tool for building equity, as evidenced by its Equity with Impact Award from The Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, and the Opportunity & Empowerment Award from the American Planning Association of Illinois.

An AFT action that shows how effective even a small segment of leaders can have when they come together is the Austin Eats Initiative. As a collection of more than twenty groups, Austin Eats is strengthening Austin’s food access infrastructure by supporting the growth of food pantries, emergency food distribution, community gardens, education, culinary entrepreneurship, and more.

The plan and the projects stemming from it are prime examples of just how powerful community-led investment can be, especially for an area as historically disenfranchised as Austin.

EQUITY STARTS WITH EMPOWERMENT Austin Coming Together (ACT) was chosen to steward the AFT plan, from creation through implementation, due to our experience and expertise incorporating the perspectives of community members into our work.

ACT has advocated for systemic and equitable solutions since its inception in 2010, but now that the community has its own concrete vision in the form of the AFT plan, Austin is better positioned to take on the deeply rooted causes of the racial disparities it is facing.

In early 2021, ACT activated its Policy division of the Strategic Initiatives department. The Policy team draws on insights from ACT’s Austin Community Hub and the AFT plan to advance systemic change through capacitybuilding and organizing.

In its first year, the Policy team has met with Austin residents and stakeholders to identify which structural barriers are most urgent, researched the policy landscape in Chicago to identify opportunities that will address these barriers, and advocated for racial equity and justice within the city’s policy development processes.

As a lifelong resident and business owner, I see the immeasurable potential for Austin to be a thriving community and am dedicated to doing all I can to help achieve it.

Austin is on the path toward health equity because we are seeding collaboration and leveraging community-driven solutions along the way. However, we must ensure that new citywide policies are informed by the lessons of the past and fully integrated with racial equity.

We have made some strides, but it won’t be until access to resources becomes equitable that we will see long-term change. n

6

Austin Weekly News • March 30, 2022

AUSTIN FORWARD. TOGETHER. 2022 QUARTER 1

Economic Development

Education

Housing

Public Safety

TASK FORCE CHAIRS

TASK FORCE CHAIRS

TASK FORCE CHAIRS

TASK FORCE CHAIRS

Crystal Bell

Athena Williams

Bradly Johnson

Jerrod Williams South Austin Neighborhood Association

Plan Leaders Community Narrative TASK FORCE CHAIRS

Briana Shields

Briana Janeé Arts

Kenneth Varner Healthy Schools Campaign

Dearra Williams

Community Resident

STRATEGY LEADS

Lasondra Kern

Community Resident

Suzanne McBride Austin Talks

Michael Romain

Austin Weekly News

Alicia Plomin

Heather Sattler Community Development Consultant

STRATEGY LEADS

Spaces-n-Places

Charles Anderson Michele Clark High School

STRATEGY LEADS

Ruth Kimble

Erica Staley

Austin Childcare Providers Network

Emily Peters

Austin Childcare Providers Network

Manufacturing Renaissance Jane Addams Resource Corporation

Tina Augustus Austin Coming Together Cindy Schneider

Ella Flagg Young Elementary School (retired)

Austin Chamber of Commerce

Roxanne Charles West Side Forward

Madelyn James Pam Price

West Cook Homeownership Center

Allison McGowan

Community Resident STRATEGY LEADS

Shirley Fields Hunters Realty

Rosie Dawson

BUILD Inc.

Marilyn Pitchford Heartland Alliance

STRATEGY LEADS

Adam Alonso BUILD Inc.

Bradly Johnson BUILD Inc.

Carmen Scott-Boria BUILD Inc.

D’elegance Lane

Deborah Williams-Thurmond

Habilitative Community Stakeholder Systems Inc. STRATEGY LEADS

Deonna Hart BUILD Inc.

STRATEGY LEADS

Arnold Bearden

Gina Young

Catholic Charities

South Austin Neighborhood Association (SANA)

Aisha Oliver

Crystal Gardner

Athena Williams

Gina Young

Community Resident

Catholic Charities

Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago

Bertha Purnell

Helen Slade

Bethel New Life

West Cook Homeownership Center

BUILD Inc.

Mothers OnA Mission28

Jose Abonce

VOCEL

The Policing Project

Cata Truss

Ruby Taylor

Kids First Chicago

TASK FORCE CHAIRS TASK FORCE CHAIRS

Edwina Hamilton

Natasha Dunn

Sean Schindl

Civic Engagement

Westside Health Authority

Chicago Public Schools

Community Resident

Youth Empowerment

Taproots, Inc.

Sharif Walker

Territory NFP

INTERESTED IN JOINING AN IMPLEMENTATION TASK FORCE?

Contact ACT’s Lead Organizer, Ethan Ramsay at 630.474.4016 or eramsay@austincomingtogether.org for more information

Austin Weekly News • March 30, 2022

AUSTIN FORWARD. TOGETHER. 2022 QUARTER 1

7

A beacon of hope

By Alicia Plomin Marketing & Development Manager, Austin Coming Together

R

obert Emmet Elementary School in Chicago’s Austin community has been a bitter reminder of disinvestment in Austin since it closed in 2013. But that will soon be changing.

Austin is an incredibly resilient community that is leading its own vision for a neighborhood renaissance. An initiative born of the Austin Forward. Together.

(AFT) quality-of-life plan, called ASPIRE, is expected to spur economic growth.

The ASPIRE team is preparing to break ground on one of its key development projects, the Aspire Center for Workforce Innovation, in 2022. This will mark the beginning of a large-scale effort that will create conditions for resident empowerment, health, prosperity, and happiness.

ADDRESSING AUSTIN’S NEEDS Madison and Central is one of the most important intersections in Austin. The architecture and history of Madison Street make the site a gateway to Chicago, and Central Avenue is a spine that connects Austin’s many smaller neighborhoods.

Therefore, developing or enhancing existing assets in this densely populated area directly reflects the community’s needs.

ASPIRE is led by Austin Coming Together (ACT), Westside Health Authority (WHA), and By the Hand Club for Kids (BTH). It is a set of Initiative Projects that includes a new state-of-the-art early learning, health and recreation center called The Aspire Education & Wellness Campus; new programs and support to increase enrollment at the Austin College and Career Academy; renovation of

the vacant Emmet School into the Aspire Center for Workforce Innovation; and Aspire Housing, a multi-tiered approach to provide homeownership assistance, plus new or renovated units for sale.

As part of AFT, ASPIRE has been supported by the community for years. In fact, the Aspire Center for Workforce Innovation is one of two specific physical development focal projects identified in the AFT plan.

ANCHORING SYSTEMIC CHANGE By being part of the collective AFT vision for a powerful and highly collaborative community, ASPIRE will build the capacity of Austin to create a high quality cradle-tocareer educational system and a revitalized economy by and for Austin. Through its development, the location is primed to become the physical embodiment of “collective impact” and a vital community anchor for systemic change.

“The value of working together has been proven. An Austin renaissance is underway, sprouting from a well-tended foundation of existing plans and assets,” said Darnell Shields, Executive Director of ACT. In 2020, ASPIRE was one of six finalists for the $10 million Chicago Prize grant from The Pritzker Traubert Foundation and although not chosen as the winner, the initiative still received nearly $800K in planning and predevelopment support from the foundation and other partners. The spotlight on ASPIRE also helped to generate deep commitment towards its realization from the community and technical assistance partners like IFF and the Lamar Johnson Collaborative.

As the AFT plan made progress and grew awareness of ASPIRE’s ability to add tremendous momentum to existing efforts in Austin, the Aspire Center for Workforce Innovation was prioritized due to its potential to catalyze the development of ASPIRE’s full set of Initiative Projects.

The Aspire Center for Workforce Innovation is a massive, long-term investment that will build area capacity to: Train over 4,900 workers in programs that will increase their ability to earn a living wage over a period of 5 years.

Create 100 new living wage jobs within the first five years and anchor $28 million in investment to the targeted geography of the community area.

The Aspire Center for Workforce Innovation will transform the abandoned Emmet School into a state-of-the-art, multi-use facility that will include a:  high tech manufacturing training center for working-age youth and adults  business incubator for startups  restaurant with indoor/outdoor dining and social events  financial opportunity center  new retail bank through BMO Harris Bank  selection of other neighborhood building businesses

AUSTIN’S HUB FOR RESOURCES In conjunction with the organizations located within the Aspire Center, ACT’s

Increase the income of 500 Austinites and help 250 more acquire access to capital for business and/or property ownership by the year 2030.

Austin Community Hub and expansive member network, residents will access integrated services like income supports, financial coaching, job readiness training, and employment services to help them become financially stable and connect to the economic mainstream.

So far, $15.62 million has been raised toward the $28 million needed to actualize the Center. Construction will begin soon and is anticipated to be completed by 2023. The Aspire Center will open later that year or early 2024, along with supporting spaces for Austin residents, and will transform the corner of Madison and Central into a symbol of Austin’s potential rather than its challenges. 