Wednesday Journal 041223

of Oak Park and River Forest

Iconic trees toppled by storm

OPRF Science Olympiad te am heads to state

Competition is back post-COVID

By AMARIS E. RODRIGUEZ Staff Reporter

It’s crunch time for the Oak Park and River Forest High School Science Olympiad team as they finalize details on projects and take practice tests before making their way to the state tournament for the fourth consecutive year.

Katie Kralik, science teacher and Science Olympiad coach at OPRF, said this year’s 15 student varsity team is composed of all grade levels. There will also be seven alternates attending the competition.

The team will head to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign for the state tournament on April 22, the first to be held in person since the COVID-19 pandemic. The Science Olympiad team, which began eight years ago at OPRF with only seven students and now ebbs and flows around 40 participants throughout the school year, had competed in the last three state tournaments virtually.

“This year, now that the state is back in-person, they have just been beyond excited that they get to go actually in-person to this competition,” said Kralik, praising her team for the hard work that has led them to compete against almost 50 other high school teams from across Illinois.

American House oak park

CELEBRATING BEING NEW IN 2022.

We’ve locked in 2022 rates for 2 years!

MOVE IN BY 4/22, GET 2022 RATES!

Make your move to American House Oak Park now through April 22, and receive 2022 rates locked-in for two years! In addition, pay only $22 for your first month’s rent AND $22 for your community fee!* April 22 is right around the corner, so call (708) 622-9251 or email oakparksales@AmericanHouse.com to schedule your tour today!

* Applies to leases signed by April 22, 2023.

Artist-turned-scribe depicts a morally complex life

‘You Should Have Known’ features elderly woman seeking justice

By JESSIC A MACKINNON Contributing Reporter

Rebecca Keller has been a visual artist almost her entire life — and has gar nered numerous accolades for her work But with the debut of her first novel, You Should Have Known, she is exploring a different creative outlet — and is already receiving positive reviews for her effort.

“I don’t know if I ever made a conscious decision to transition from one medium to another. I’ve continued making visual art. I just installed a solo exhibition at the Evanston Art Center I’ve [now] added another artistic pursuit for which you work really hard for little or no money on top of another of the same,” she said, laughing.

Keller has been a member of the faculty of the School of the Art Institute (SAIC), where she teaches in three departments — sculpture; art history, theory and criticism; and art education — for more than two decades. She has exhibited her work inter nationally and is the recipient of a Fulbright scholarship and grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, among other honors.

But she also has been writing short stories for many years — it fit into her busy life as an artist and teacher and mother But about 10 years ago, one of her short stories gave her the germ of an idea for the book that eventually became You Should Have Known.

She was interested in exploring a character with a morally complicated life — someone with a strong moral compass who steps of f the straight-and-nar row path. Her central protagonist, Frannie Greene, is such a person.

“If you look at a lot of compelling stories

where someone does something rible, but with whom we still connect, cause we sense that they are justified they are trying to get justice and is not cooperating so they are forced matters into their own hands,” K

During the course of the nov presented with the opportunity geance against someone who has stroyed her entire family Her decision errant impulse in an otherwise exemplary life. And the reader is still rooting for her While thinking about her main character, Keller also decided to focus on someone who was older — because older people, especially women, are invisible in our society. Frannie’s invisibility gives her a kind of freedom, however, because who is going to suspect an elderly lady?

Keller’s choice of setting is a major aspect of the book. Watching her own mother move into an assisted-living facility confir med Keller’s sense that it would be a great setting for a book.

“There is a reason so many books are set in semi-enclosed environments — small towns, schools, dormitories, etc.,” said Keller. “Every motivation becomes amplified, everybody knows one another, and secrets are hard to keep In an assisted-living facility, this situation is compounded by the fact that residents come in with their whole life histories, and their memories might not be accurate They are at a point in their lives where they are reflecting, with a certain amount of wisdom, but also straining at the bounds that their current situation is imposing.”

Keller had experience working in a nursing home after college and engaged with senior citizens as an educator at the Museum of Contemporary Art. As part of her research for the book, she talked with doctors, nurses and administrators at senior residences to make sure that a major plot point was realistic.

After writing the manuscript — and rewriting it twice — Keller embarked on the

jour ney of convincing an agent to promote it to a publisher. It was a rocky road, filled with lots of rejections, even though she won a Novel Slice Award for the first chapter and a work-in-progress award for an early draft

In some ways, the life of an artist prepared her for rejection.

“I was doing a lot of dating but no one was putting a ring on it. I knew what the odds were, going into it. So many excellent books never find a home, or sink like a stone. I remind my students that even the best baseball hitters fail 7 out of 10 times,” she said.

The responses that most rankled her were from agents who told her that they didn’t think they could market a book with an elderly protagonist.

“This struck me as a distinct lack of imagination. Who do they think reads books — it’s middle-aged and older women!”

Just as she was refocusing her energy on another book, she decided to submit her manuscript directly, without an agent, to Crooked Lane Press. The publisher quickly got back to her and offered her a contract in January 2022.

She was surprised at how quickly the physical aspect of the book kicked in. While she was still making a few revisions to the manuscript, she was asked for input about marketing and promotion and the design of the cover. A publicist advised that she could get Keller on Good Morning America for $40,000, an offer Keller passed up

One of the most exciting parts of the pro-

duction process, according to Keller, was the creation of the audio book.

“They sent me samples of voice auditions. It was amazing to hear professional actresses interpret these characters who had lived in my head for so long — to see how they portrayed the characters vocally. Luckily, I was really pleased with the actress they chose to read the book,” she said.

Reviews for the book have been positive. Shelf Awareness, an industry e-newsletter, referred to the book as “a beautifully drawn psychological literary thriller … explores themes of what is right and what is just.”

A reviewer for Chick Lit Central wrote that “Keller does a masterful job at weaving in all the other threads that the novel presents — immigration, sexism. racism, even religion. You Should Have Known is a compelling novel that, thematically, goes beyond the plot to ask deeper questions about the responsibilities people have to each other, and the ripple effects of their actions.”

Keller is currently on a book tour, which takes her to Iowa City later this month, and is already at work on a new novel — about an advice columnist on the brink of retirement who decides to explore what happened to several readers for whom she provided advice, and connects with someone who represents a major trauma from her past. Sounds like another fascinating character with a morally complicated life.

“You Should Have Known” is available at The Book Table in Oak Park

SARA JANZ

Rebecca Keller in Scov ille Park on April 7.

Adult Board Game & Lego Night

Wednesday, Oak Park Public Librar y er y Wednesday through July 19, the librar y will feature a night of open gaming with other board game and Lego enthusiasts

Some games and Lego sets will be provided, but bring a game and sets of your own to share or play with others. Register now at oppl.org/calendar. 834 Lake St., Oak Park.

Stress Busting For Family Caregivers

Wednesday, April 19, 10 a.m., Rush Oak Park Physicians Group

If you are a family caregiver who feels burned out and over whelmed, this nine -week course o ers skills about how to identify, prevent and cope with stress. This class will meet once a week for 90 minutes. For more information, contact Devin Andrews at 708-725-9116 or dandrews@oakparktownship. com. 7222 Cermak Rd., #200, Nor th Riverside

Abstrac ted Abstrac tions

Friday, April 14, 6:30-9:30 p.m., Oak Park Ar t League

This abstract ar t exhibit will be on display through May 11. Tonight will be an opening reception with several of the ar tists in attendance. Artists of all skill levels are invited to apply, whether you are an established ar tist or just star ting out. 720 Chicago Ave., Oak Park

Barbara Cli ord & the Shakin’ Tailfeathers

Saturday, April 15, 12 p.m., FitzGerald’s Raunchy rock & soul at the corner where rockabilly and vintage R&B meet. 6615 Roosevelt Road, Berw yn.

BIG WEEK

April 12-19

Matilda Jr.

Madison Street Theater

Friday, April 14, 7 p.m., Saturday, April 15, 3 p.m. Saturday, April 15, 7 p.m., Sunday, April 16, 11 a.m.

Friday, April 21, 7 p.m., Saturday, April 22, 3 p.m.

This ve -time Tony-Award-winning production tells the stor y of a courageous, clever girl with special powers who dreams of a better life away from cruel, spiteful adults Tickets: $8 for kids, $12 for adults

https://ovationacademy.org/shows-tickets/ 1010 Madison St, Oak Park

Idea Box: Ramadan Around the World

Through April 28, Oak Park Public Librar y

This collec tion will be on display throughout the month of Ramadan. This exhibit, displaying what brings together Muslims from di erent par ts of the world, is presented in collaboration with Dima Ali, community member and founder of Being Di erent. The exhibit is a collection of cultures that share the same faith, on display in the Main Librar y Idea Box windows. We hope you enjoy this rich and color ful cultural display. Learn more at oppl.org/calendar. 834 Lake St., Oak Park.

Listing your event in the calendar

Wednesday Jour nal 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 Jour nal, 141 S. Oak Park Ave., Oak Park, 60302

■ Email calendar@wjinc.com

Sunday, April 16, 4 p.m., FitzGerald’s Come par ty with us for our 10-year anniversar y. Featuring per formances by The Fomites, Island of Mis t Toys, The Shanks, Some of the Parts, Houseband, Showteam, and our School of Rock Oak Park sta . The music star ts at 4:30, main event sta show at 7. Adults ticket - $30. Under 18 ticket - $20. 6615 Roosevelt Road, Berw yn.

Friends to gather on anniversar y of Fair Oaks double murder

To remember the lives of Tom Johnson and Leslie Ann Jones

By STACEY SHERIDAN Staff Reporter

Thursday marks the three-year anniversary ofthe mur ders of Tom Johnson and Leslie Ann Jones, a beloved and active married couple, who were brutally stabbed in thei home in the 500 block of Fair Oaks Avenue during the heigh of COVID-19 lockdown.

In remembrance ofthe couple, who were as much known for their kindness and philanthropy as they were for thei high-profile legal careers, neighbors and friends are gather ing outside their home at 7 p.m., Thursday.

“We think about Leslie and Tom every day,” said John Gallo, the couple’s friend and neighbor. “While we’re still pained by the tragic circumstances oftheir death, that pain is far outweighed by the countless memories oftheir being our dedicated neighbors, wise counselors, and dearest of friends.”

Johnson and Jones are survived in life by their four adult sons, as well as numerous foster children. Gallo, per their request, has been acting as the family’s point person for police for close to two years now.

“I have confidence in the way the Oak Park Police Department and other investigative agencies are handling this,” he said.

The investigation into the double homicide remains open, but information to the public has been extremely limited Two years have passed since the Oak Park Police Department issued a statement regarding the status ofthe inves-

tigation. Oak Park Village Manager Kevin Jackson and Police Chief Shatonya Johnson did not respond to requests for comment.

As time passes, the sorrow felt by those who had the pleasure ofknowing Johnson and Jones has not dulled. The couple was famous in Oak Park for their welcoming hearts and their love of community. Johnson coached dozens of local kids in baseball; Jones championed public art. He served as a hearing officer for the Chicago Police Board, presiding over misconduct cases; she spent several years on the board ofHephzibah Children’s Association. Both worked to make the world a better place, in their careers and in their personal lives.

“The pain of Tom and Leslie’s loss is very real, and it is hard to believe three years have passed since we tragically lost them,” said Gallo’s wife Jeanne. “With time and by paying attention I see that Tom and Leslie live on in our community.”

Hephzibah’s “Art Heals” therapy program was founded in their memory. The program helps children in foster care express and understand their emotions through art, offering a creative outlet for the processing oftrauma. The Oak Park Area Arts Council started a scholarship program in Jones’ name, benefitting young female artists of color

“Even so, I miss them every day,” Jeanne Gallo said. Wednesday Journal has reached out to the family for comment.

PROVIDED

Tom Johnson and Leslie Ann Jones

Going in reverse, River Forest shi s Harlem tra c barriers

Village board responds to angr y neighbors

By ROBERT J. LIFKA Contributing Reporter

Residents of the northeast section of River Forest opposed to controversial modifications to streets in their neighborhood gained a partial victory April 10 when the village board voted unanimously to undo changes to Greenfield and LeMoyne streets at Harlem Avenue that were made late last year

Under the modifications, which were recommended by Traffic and Safety Commission members at their March 15 meeting, the barricades at the intersections of LeMoyne and Harlem and Greenfield and Harlem will be adjusted to allow southbound traffic on Harlem to turn right onto westbound LeMoyne and right on westbound Greenfield Eastbound traffic on LeMoyne and Greenfield still will be allowed to only turn right on to southbound Harlem.

The changes also will restore two-way traffic on LeMoyne and Greenfield west of

Harlem. The two streets had been one-way eastbound from the alley west of Harlem to Harlem. Area signage will be modified accordingly by village staff members.

As they have at village board meetings for several months, 16 residents and business operators from the northeast section of the village spoke against the modifications that were approved in October and implemented in November and December

Those changes, which affected Bonnie Brae Place, Clinton Place and William Street in addition to LeMoyne and Greenfield, were designed to address concerns raised at meetings of the traffic and safety commission and the village board over cut-through traffic from Harlem and North avenues.

Matt Walsh, acting village administrator, explained that traffic and safety commission members indicated their intent to revisit the other modifications at their meetings in Ma y and July, taking into consideration results of the village wide traffic study that is currently being taken and responses to a related resi-

dent survey that was recently completed. He also emphasized that all changes are temporary pending completion of the village wide traffic study.

The village board also voted unanimously to adopt a policy statement April 10 regarding the northeast section traffic measures to provide what village President Cathy Adduci called a “clear direction” for staff members and traffic and safety commission members moving forward.

According to the statement, “all requests for modifications to the traffic barriers and associated traffic control measures” are to be referred to and discussed by the traffic and safety commission and all modifications to the current traffic barriers and controls “will require village board action by vote at a village board meeting” following discussion and recommendations from the traffic and safety commission.

Also, the village board in the statement directed village staff members and the traffic engineering consultant firm to collect traffic

data counts at appropriate locations on William, Monroe Avenue and Division Street as part of the village wide traffic study to measure the effects of the current traffic barriers.

In response to complaints from residents and business operators over a lack of notification regarding the modifications prior to their implementation, the policy statement expands the number of those who will receive notice for all future traffic control implementations that close a road to traffic Moving forward, notice will be provided by mail to residential and commercial properties within 1,000 feet of the proposed location prior to village board consideration. Previously only those within 500 feet of the proposed location were notified.

Trustee Bob O’Connell pointed out, however, that in the case of commercial properties, such notices will be sent to building owners and not to tenants, which might prevent the message from reaching its target audience.

2023/24

Spring storm closed buildings, parks

St. Edmund, Austin Gardens took walloping from high winds

By STACEY SHERIDAN Staff Reporter

An intense spring stor m on April 4 left damage to trees, parks and notable structures across Oak Park. St. Edmund Church, 188 S. Oak Park Ave., was closed for Holy Week and when it will reopen to worshipers is unknown after decorative stonework fell both into the sanctuary and along the church’s exterior. Austin Gardens, at Forest and Ontario, was closed for a week after the stor m felled seven mature trees in this natural sanctuary. The Park District of Oak Park said the park would reopen on April 11. And the Beachy House, a Frank Lloyd Wright home, was damaged when trees on the property fell against a newly restored clay roof.

Rain and wind damage was spread across the center of Oak Park, said Rob Sproule, Oak Park’s public works director

“We were in an active response situation,” said Sproule.

The majority of the damage was focused between Division Street and the Eisenhower Expressway. Public works responded to several reports of fallen trees and large branches, Sproule told Wednesday Jour nal. All significant situations were resolved the night of the stor m before the department tur ned to more general clean up across the village

“There were some pretty significant winds!” Sproule said.

In addition to damage at St. Edmund Church, 188 S. Oak Park Ave., there was similar damage on the exterior of the for mer parish school just across Pleasant Street. That building is currently leased to The Children’s School. While both the front of the church and three sides of the school are now behind construction fencing, the progressive education school was in operation with students entering through a door off the rear alley

“We are working with local authorities and the Archdio-

age, stabilize the structure, and to protect exposed areas,” Rev. Rex Pillai and Rev. Carl Morello wrote In a letter to parishioners last week, the two local pastors, wrote that on the advice of the archdiocese and “various authorities” they will move all services to Ascension “for the time being.” A picture sent with the email revealed that some decorative stone had come through the roof of the church and landed in the center aisle of the sanctuary. There was also substantial stone debris on the south side of the church’s exterior.

Wednesday Jour nal reported last month that the Chicago Catholic Archdiocese had declined to extend a lease to the Montessori school beyond this June, citing unspecified structural issues at the school.

The Park District of Oak Park closed Austin Gardens to the public on April 4, after the strong winds struck down

gram that operate out of Austin Gardens were temporarily moved to Bar rie Center and Cheney Mansion, respectively

Austin Gardens was scheduled to reopen at about 4 p.m., April 11, after the fallen trees have been removed. All other PDOP parks continue to be open for public use.

“The safety of our residents is a top priority, so we need to make sure the space is safe before reopening,” said PDOP Executive Director Jan Ar nold

Oak Park and River Forest High School didn’t escape the stor m either. At about 2 p.m., part of the school’s air handler, the device that regulates and circulates air, was blown off its roof toward the east side of Scoville Avenue ORPF Superintendent Greg Johnson was the first to notice

“I happened to be sitting in front of a window in Dr. Johnson’s office,” said OPRF spokesperson Karin Sullivan. “Suddenly, he looked past me and exclaimed that it looked like something had blown off our building.”

The residents of a house nearby got the unwelcome surprise of having the large metal tube hit their home’s roof Their next-door neighbors didn’t get off easy either as the air handler then landed against the side of the adjacent house Fortunately, no one was injured, according to Sullivan.

TODD A. BANNOR

ROCKY ROAD: Stonework which toppled from the former St. Edmund School litters sidewalk along Pleasant Street

ANDY MEAD

ROOT CAUSE: Strong winds snapped 7 mature trees in Austin Gardens.

ST ORM D AMA GE

Storm fells beloved trees at Oak Park’s Beachy House

Falling tree damaged roof under restoration

By LACEY SIKORA Contributing Reporter

When stor ms swept through Oak Park on Tuesday, April 4, the devastation was powerful and quick. At Austin Gardens, numerous trees toppled to the ground. A few blocks away the Peter A. Beachy House, remodeled by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1906, lost two trees that were nearly as old as the house.

Homeowners Carollina Song and Alec Harris say a large catalpa tree fell on their roof, and a magnolia tree fell in the yard They aren’t sure exactly how old the trees were but estimate that both were well over 100 years old. Harris says, “I think the catalpa was almost 130 years old. It may pre-date the house.”

Harris was home when the stor m blew

through, working in the room adjacent to the tree. “I was looking out my window and saw the tree fall. Boom, it happened so fast,” he says

He ran from the room and checked on some painters who were working inside the house While he wasn’t yet sure of the scale of the fall, he says, “Let me just say, when it fell, I let out some expletives.”

Song and Harris were at the tail end of a renovation process in which they were restoring the roof to its original clay tile The project, which began over a year ago, involved reinforcing the roof and structures of the house to support over 30 pallets of tile that weighed in at 2,700 pounds each. Song notes, “It could have been catastrophic damage if the work hadn’t been finished. I guess you could file this under things could always be worse?”

The weight of the tree cracked some tiles and lowered the roof but the couple say they were lucky the roof was not punctured

the loss of trees that were important parts of their family

Harris says, “Losing those trees, it feels like a small death. Our kids are mour ning as well.”

“They’ve grown up with these trees.” Song says Harris recalls numerous family photos taken in front of the magnolia and says that it wasn’t uncommon for neighbors to take photos in front of the tree.

Greer Haseman, who grew up on the block sent an email to the block lamenting the loss of a tree that she called “the queen of magnolias.” She wrote, “So many of us who grew up here had photos taken in front of her, with her. On the first day of school, Easter, prom or just because she was the most beau-

everyone’s to enjoy.”

Song and Harris are working with insurance adjustors and have called a landscape designer who can help them plot new plantings in their yard.

Song says, “We’re just at the start of the process It’s hard because I don’t want new trees. I want those trees.”

Harris says, “The house looks naked without the trees. We know there need to be more trees for our yard.”

When the crew came to remove the trees, Song kept large sections of the catalpa. She has recently begun lear ning the art of woodworking and hopes to create some bowls from the tree that shaded their home for so many years.

ALEC HARRIS ‘Our kids are mour ning as well.’

ALEC HARRIS

‘Losing

those trees, it feels like a small de ath.’

e Children’s School hasn’t secured a new location

Despite re ports by Catholic parish, director says no new location has been finalized

By AMARIS E. RODRIGUEZ Staff Reporter

With their lease ending on June 30, The Children’s School in Oak Park is still trying to line up a new location for the next school year. That is despite reports made by the school’s current landlord at Ascension and St. Edmund Parish that a new location had been finalized.

In its April 2 bulletin, the Catholic parish announced that The Children’s School had located a property and was in the planning stage of relocation.

According to Pamela Freese, director of The Children’s School administration, that information is not entirely correct.

“In our opinion that statement is a little bit premature,” Freese said. “We are definitely still negotiating, and those negotiations are ongoing. We don’t have anything secure yet, negotiations are going on and we don’t want to jeopardize those in any way.”

In the bulletin, Rev. Rex Pillai, pastor at

Ascension and St. Edmund and Rev. Carl Morello, pastor at St. Catherine-St. Lucy and St. Giles, infor med parishioners the Chicago Archdiocese was not able to renew the lease due to “significant financial factors” that were deemed outside of their control.

Previous reports in Wednesday Journal said the physical state of the St. Edmund School was reviewed due to the upcoming

lease renewal and found the condition of the building needed an “overwhelming” investment.

Following Tuesday’s storms, The Children’s School sustained “cosmetic” damage, as reported by Freese, on the outside of the building, leading them to redirect pick-up and drop-off to the alley door until the Archdiocese performed a proper assessment to deem the entryways safe. According to Freese no injuries were reported and while one window was damaged, it was in a portion of the building the school does not use. Classes continue as scheduled.

Pillai did not respond to requests for comment regarding storm damage as well as requests responding to questions about the bulletin.

The Montessori school, which serves grades K-8, has called Oak Park home for the last five y It found itself in a tight spot following the denial of their lease renewal of the for mer St. Edmund school cese.

“It was a giant shock to us,” Freese had previously told Wednesday Journal. “We have been a tenant since 2006 and were under the impression that the lease would be renewed based on conversations with everybody that we talked with.”

According to the bulletin, senior leadership from the Archdiocese are working to help the school relocate and have identified available properties within the diocese

“Additionally, we were able to offer them an extension to their current lease through the winter break of 2023,” read the bulletin.

While Freese acknowledged there have been conversations regarding the possible extension of the lease, she said the school has not seen anything in writing, adding they have nothing for mal to respond to

“Once we have something final to announce you can bet, we will be the first to do so joyousl but it is not the right time to do eese said. “That is them giving ation is a little

7 Month Certificate of Deposit

AMARIS E. RODRIGUEZ

Children’s

Spring

time

Celebration of Contemporary Women Co m posers plus Ra n dall Thompson’s Frostiana

Wen Chin Liu, Artistic Director

Saturday April 15 w 7:30 pm St. John Lutheran Church 305 Circle Avenue Forest Park, IL Sunday April 16 w 4 pm

Grace Lutheran Church 7300 W. Division St. River Forest, IL

www.heritagechorale.com

River Forest Librar y gets a makeover

Upgrade includes a new air system, multi-purpose room and bathroom

By STACEY SHERIDAN Staff Reporter

The River Forest Public Library is undergoing a bit of construction that is temporarily inter rupting library operations to make for a better future experience. So please pardon the dust at the moment.

The project to renovate the library’s sole branch, 735 Lathrop Ave., has been in the works for about two years, according to library director Emily Compton. But the work has only just begun in earnest.

The work can be broken down into three parts, the first being the re placement of the library’s air handler, the device that re gulates the circulation of air in heating and cooling systems, which had reached

the end of its life after being in use for 30 years. The library’s new air handler, a roughly 400-square-foot piece of machinery, was craned in last Monday. It’ll be installed outside and enclosed with brick to match the rest of the library. Temporary heaters have been brought to the premises to keep people toasty while the new handler is set up.

Proper ventilation of temperate air may not pique everyone’s interest levels, but perhaps people will be more excited by the library’s new multi-purpose room and a bathroom. Both are happening as part of this renovation project.

To help pay for the renovations, the library received a $100,000 grant from the River Forest Public Library Foundation, as well as a $100,000 donation given by a library patron. The library’s capital reserve fund will cover the rest of the $574,000 project. Completion of the project is slated for late 2023 or early 2024.

See LIBRARY on pa ge 12

(Right/front) Melaina Maraldi, Children’s Services manager, and Marissa Walentschik, Children’s Services associate.

Democratic Party o cials will pick new mayor Brandon Johnson’s county board replacement

Suburban o cials hold the largest share of the votes

By IGOR STUDENKOV Staff Reporter

Once Cook County Commissioner Brandon Johnson (1st) is sworn in as Chicago mayor on May 15, Cook County Democratic Party officials will get to work choosing his successor on the Cook County board.

Under the Cook County Code of Ordinances, vacancies on the county board are filled by the members of the election committee of the political party of the person who last held that seat. The election committees are made up of committeepersons who re present Chicago wards and suburban townships within the district. The committeepersons come together as an election committee, and they can choose

any re gistered voter who lives within the district.

The re placement is chosen by a majority vote, but each committeeperson’s vote is an equivalent of the percentage of people who voted for the previous commissioner in the last election – which means that the more votes were cast in their ward or township, the more the vote is worth. The re placement will serve out the remainder of Johnson’s term, which ends in 2026.

Based on the Nov. 8, 2022 election results, the two suburban committeepersons hold a slim majority over the city committeepersons. Ald. Chris Taliafer ro (29th), who also serves as the ward committeeperson, said there are currently no firm plans for how he and other officials will approach the process, but the process will start once either Johnson is sworn in as mayor, or, if he chooses to resign from the county board beforehand, whenever he resigns. The

county code doesn’t set any time limits on how soon the vacancies are filled, but in past vacancies throughout Cook County, committeepersons tended to move quickly.

Johnson was first elected to the county board in 2018, and his district was remapped in 2022. Under the current map, the city portion includes all of Austin, most of West Garfield Park and portions of East Garfield Park, Humboldt Park and small sections of a few Northwest Side neighborhoods. The suburban portion includes all of Oak Park, Forest Park, Maywood, Bellwood, all but a small section of Broadview, about half of Westchester and small sections of Hillside and North Riverside.

In Chicago, the 1st District include significant portions of 27th, 28th, 29th and 37th wards, and relati ly small portions of 1st, 24th, 26th, 32nd and 36th wards. In the suburbs, it includes the entirety of Oak Park Township and most of Proviso

ship.

Illinois Senate President Don Harmon (39th) serves as the Oak Park committeeperson, while Cook County Clerk Karen Yarbrough serves as the Proviso Township committeeperson.

In Chicago, aldermen tend to serve as their wards’ Democratic committeepersons, and the exceptions to this rule tend to have local political connections. Michael Scott, who resigned as 24th Ward alderman in June 2022, remains 24th ward committeeperson.

Based on the amount of people who voted for Johnson in 2022, Yarbrough has a 23.44% vote share and Harmon has 28.83%. The overall suburban share is 52.27%. The nine city committeepersons collectively ha a 47.73% vote shar with Taliafer ro 13.31% of the vote, and Ald. Emma Mitts (37th) holding

11 Month Certificate of Deposit

11 Month Certificate of Deposit

Lincoln teachers use grant to bring diverse books to classrooms

Teacher duo awarded IEA Score Grant to fund their ser vice project

By AMARIS E. RODRIGUEZ Staff Reporter

Two teachers will be bringing new reading material to Oak Park’s Lincoln School as recipients of a $1,000 grant to grow community involvement. The teachers hope to help heal issues that might have stemmed from the pandemic at the District 97 elementary school at 1111 S. Grove Ave.

The Score Grant, provided by The Illinois Education Association Foundation, was awarded to Julie Byrnes and Maria Concepcion Ruiz-Haneberg. They created a project helping implement new reading materials relating to developing skills through books regarding social justice and social emotions.

Byrnes, a fifth-grade reading teacher, and Ruiz-Haneberg, who serves as a K-5 world language Spanish teacher, worked together to create a project that would involve the community, applying for the grant in January. The grant is awarded to educators who create service projects benefiting students, their families, and their communities. They were awarded the grant before Spring Break.

After brainstorming, the teachers decided to tackle the increasing need for more social emotional and social justice learn-

LIBRARY ‘Fun’

from page 10

The small mechanical room, where the library’s old air handler was stored, in the children’s space is being converted into the new multi-purpose room, which can be used by staff and patrons alike for meetings,

ing, especially following the tough recent years educators and students have faced with the COVID-19 pandemic.

“One of the main reasons [for choosing this topic] was due to COVID and all the things the students missed, social and emotional speaking. We needed to focus on that. They need that,” Ruiz-Haneberg said. “They were out of school for two years, not being able to have a normal school experience, they need a lot of support. Besides the academic part, the social and emotional [part] is very much needed.”

Currently, the teachers are working with faculty and their community, along with the Oak Park Public Library, to nar row down book titles.

“When teachers know we are working all together as a community to bring in relevant books and equip teachers in their classrooms, that is exciting and the more we can have them a part of that journey, it is going to make it a well-done project at the end,” Byrnes said.

Byrnes and Ruiz-Haneberg will bring in age and grade-appropriate books from a diverse range of topics along with a diverse group of authors. They are also trying to bring in academic resources for teachers to learn how to bring up topics.

Byrnes said they are looking into potential book sets, allowing students to bring books home to read with family, creating a full circle for learning opportunities for students.

The duo hopes to continue to collect feedback from the community and are open to

studying and programming. The conversion is a “rare” opportunity, according to Compton, because unutilized space is a hot commodity for the library, which is only about 14,400 square feet.

Internal construction work just began. It’s expected to take two months to bring the room up to code. Compton is looking forward to getting it out of the way, so the focus can be returned to the many opportunities having an extra room affords.

“I’m really glad we’re getting past the me-

by the end of this school year with hopes of being able to begin distributing the materials to teachers for the 2023-24 school year.

To be a part of the conversation, Byrnes

chanical parts,” she said. “And I’m excited to start planning for the fun stuf f.”

That “fun stuff” includes new technology, new equipment, even new furniture colors to make the space welcoming, but the room will also satisfy a greater need. The library currently only has one meeting room, which limits the library’s ability to balance patron reservations of the room while scheduling programming. With two meeting rooms, the library will also be able to offer simultaneous programs, such as one for children and

community members to reach them at jbyrnes@op97. org and mruizhaneberg@op97.org with suggestions for reading material to include in their project.

one for seniors that meet at the same time on the same days

People using the new multi-purpose room won’t have to travel far to use the restroom either as the library’s new bathroom will be conveniently situated in the children’s area, offering a closer option than the two lobby restrooms. This will surely be appreciated by the parents of kids just out of diapers.

“It’ll be really nice to have a bathroom in there,” Compton said of the children’s section.

PROVIDED BY BYRNES AND RUIZ-HANEBERG

Lincoln Elementary teachers Maria Concepcion Ruiz-Haneberg and Julie By rnes received funding for their passion project as IEA Score Grant recipients.

stu to come

Wesley, Straw, Buchanan win Oak Park village trustee seats

Taglia and Boutet fall shor

By STACEY SHERIDAN Staff Reporter

The stor my weather didn’t put a damper on the election night festivities for the three winners of the Oak Park village trustee race. Trustee Cory Wesley came in first, receiving 25.11% of votes with newcomer Brian Straw right behind him with 24.6%. Trustee Susan Buchanan hung on to her seat, winning a second ter m with 22.63%.

“It’s of ficially celebration time,” Wesley told Wednesday Jour nal.

Wesley was all smiles while celebrating among friends, family and suppor ters at Kettlestrings Tavern This is his first election win. He ran in 2019 but lost the seat to Ar ti Walker-Peddakotla by a razor-thin margin of 52 votes Wesley was appointed to the board in October to serve the remainder of Walker-Peddakotla’s ter m after she resigned.

Straw, who watched votes roll in at Spilt Milk, is a first-time candidate who lacked the name reco gnition of the other candidates. He thanked Oak Park voters for their suppor t, while sharing his eager ness to get to work

“I am incredibly grateful for the trust that Oak Park voters have put in me,” he said. “I am excited to join Cory and Susan on the village board to build an Oak Park for the next generation.”

Wednesday Jour nal also reached out to Buchanan re garding her reelection win. She told the paper earlier in the evening

that, if she lost her seat, she intended spend more time studying renewable energ y. Buchanan, hose election night par ty was at Citrine, ran on a platfor m of increasing environmental sustainability efrts.

Unlike Buchanan, however, Trustee Jim Taglia was unable to hang on to his spot on the village board. He came in in fourth place with 14.6% of votes. His campaign ef for ts dipped in the weeks leading up to the election after he suf fered a back injury. Taglia, who spent election night at home, was quick to share his suppor t for the winning candidates, stating he had “high hopes” for their leadership

“Cong ratulations to Cory, Brian and Susan on their victories,” he said. “They ran great campaigns and I wish them the best.”

After spending six years as a village trustee and another six years as a township trustee, Taglia told Wednesday Jour nal he looks forward to spending more time with his friends and family.

A request for comment was also made to for mer village trustee Simone Boutet, who came in fifth with 13.04% of votes. She spent the evening at home with family and friends.

While sharing her gratitude to all the candidates for their passion and love for Oak Park, Village President Vicki Scaman of fered her cong ratulations to the three winning candidates

“Cory, Brian and Susan will serve all residents thoughtfully and will listen to their concer ns,” she said. “I believe this is a win for Oak Park and the collective goals we will champion together.”

Like minded trio sweep to OPRF board seats

Souders, candidate most critical of OPRF leadership, places fourth

By AMARIS E. RODRIGUEZ Staff Reporter

A late aligning trio of candidates for the District 200 Oak Park and River Forest High School board of education swept three open seats on the board in the April 4 elections

Jonathan Livingston, Tim Brandhorst and Graham Brisben topped Brian Souders in the election. Souders of fered the most critical views of the current leadership of the high school expressing concer ns over finances and financing the current Project 2 capital plan.

According to unof ficial Cook County results on April 4, Livingston won the largest number of votes Livingston received 5,358 votes, putting him at 27.59%, followed by Brandhorst who received 5,285 votes, putting him at a close 27.16%. Brisben came in third with 4,842 votes, receiving 24.88% of votes

Brisben, who attended Oak Park village

trustee Susan Buchanan’s election night event, said he received cong ratulatory texts as the unof ficial results came in.

“I am grateful for the confidence that the voters have placed in me to serve on the District 200 school board and I will do my best to meet the needs of OPRF 3,400 students and their families,” Brisben said.

Souders, who came in fourth with 3,964 votes, wished the three new board members good luck in “tackling the challenges

that OPRF faces.”

The three new members will be filling seats left vacant by incumbents Gina Har ris and Ralph Mar tire, ho ste pped down after serving one ter m on the OPRF school board. Board member Sara Dixon Spivy did not seek another ter m in the election despite filing nomination petitions early in the race

High on the list on everyone’s minds would be the funding for the already approved $102 million Project 2. If the current board does not decide on how to fund the project in its upcoming board meetings, it is possible the new board members will get a say.

During a candidate for um hosted by Growing Community Media, Souders

had expressed that due to the size of the project, the decision on how to finance it should go to a referendum.

Brisben, Livingston and Brandhorst said they felt comfor table letting the board decide how to finance the project.

“I ran my campaign not just to win a seat at the board table, but to bring attention to impor tant issues re garding OPRF, such as the over taxing of residents, respecting citizens and going to referendum on major capital projects, the need for a buildable long ter m facility upgrade plan with a budg et, better communications, and a general view that the community is a vital par tner with gover nments, not an obstacle to be avoided or a bottomless wallet,” Souders said. “I hope the board, community and media consider these things in the future.”

According to the Cook County Clerk’s website, out of the 48,715 re gistered voters in Oak Park there were 8,071 ballots cast in Tuesday’s election.

tCORY WESLE Y BRIAN STRAW SUSAN BUCHANAN

JONATHAN LIVINGSTON TIM BRANDHORST GRAHAM BRISBEN

ree new members to join River Forest’s D90 school board

Incumbent Cal Davis loses reelection

By AMARIS E. RODRIGUEZ Staff Reporter

Incumbent Cal Davis lost his reelection to what would have been his final ter m as a member of the River Forest School District 90 Board of Education.

Davis came in last place with 16.64% of votes during the April 4 election.

Davis was not able to be reached for comment on Election Night.

The three open seats for board members, who will be serving four-year ter ms, have gone to Jose ph Cor tese, Eric Isenberg and Kristine Mackey

“It was a long haul, and everybody is just grateful that it ended in this way,” Mackey said. “I think there are a lot of people who were part of this election, especially parents of kids, who really believe it was time for some change and I think the voters probably reflected those feelings.”

Out of the 8,356 re gistered voters in the

Do you have DIABETES?

If you do, you should know how important foot care is. Over time, diabetics risk developing foot complications. When the nerves are damaged from chronic high blood sugar, feet can become numb or painful with burning or tingling. is is called diabetic neuropathy. When diabetes a ects the arteries, circulation to the legs and feet may be compromised. Either of these conditions may lead to serious problems including ulceration, even amputation.

e key to prevention is early diagnosis of diabetes, and regular foot exams from a podiatrist. Diabetics who receive regular foot care, including paring of calluses and debridement of thick fungal toenails, are almost four times less likely

to undergo an amputation than those who do not seek treatment.

Medicare and some private insurances cover 1 pair of diabetic shoes and 3 pair of protective insoles each calendar year. Dr. Lambert has been a supplier of diabetic shoes since 2002. e shoes come in 30 di erent styles each for men and women. ese include boots, lightweight colorful athletic shoes, and dress shoes. Even patients who are not diabetic love the look and comfort of the footwear. Diabetic socks, slippers and compression hosiery are also available.

Protecting your feet with appropriate footgear is an important aspect of preventive care for diabetics.

district, 1,571 ballots were cast, voter tur nout of 18.8%

Mackey, along side Isenberg and Cor tese, had previously expressed concer n re garding the district’s cu rent reading cu riculum and believed it is overdue for an evaluation.

“There is a lot of work to do, and I am really enthusiastic about it,” Mackey said. “I feel like it is work that won’t be grueling but will be necessary work to car ry on with all the things that are going really well and to raise a hand and review things that need a little bit of review.”

Mackey sang the praises of the newcomers who were voted in alongside her, saying that Is enberg is tied to the education world and Cor tese’s finance backg round is needed for the work ahead.

Cor tese echoed those sentiments

“I am very excited about the results but also looking forward to be ginning the work that we want to do,” Cor tese said, saying this was the first ste p in what will be a long road to serve the community.

The unof ficial Election Night results had Isenberg receiving the majority of the votes with 1,208 or 29.01%, followed by Mackey with 1,137 or 27.31%, and Cor tese in third with 1,126 or 27.04%.

The new members will be joining Stacey Williams, Nicole Thompson, Sarah Eckmann and Katie Avalos on the board of education.

“I really have a lot of respect for the people who currently serve, and I am looking forward to working with them,” Mackey said.

KRISTINE MACKE Y

ERIC ISENBERG

JOSEPH CO R TESE

7351 Lake St. (Just west of Panera Bread)

Dr. Linda Lambert

708.366.FOOT (3668) Aetna, AARP, Blue Cross PPO, United Healthcare, Healthspring, Humana, Medicare Assignment, Medicare Advantage Plans & most other insurances accepted

FREE PARKING (on street or lot on west side of building)

SCIENCE OLYMPIAD

Heading to Urbana-Champaign

from page 1

Tom Kennedy, an OPRF physics teacher, is students to experience the in-person event at U of that comes with visiting the campus, including ceremony.

“I am excited this year that OPRF students will be able to participate in that,” Kennedy said, adding he is enthused for the build events, where students are building model bridges and testing their weight capacity.

The Illinois Science Olympiad is part of an inter national org anization for med to improve the quality of science education, hoping to increase student interest and provide reco gnition for achievements in science education for both students and teachers K-12.

Kennedy, who star ted the team at OPRF, said the

will be participating in 23 dif ferent early Se ptember, including test, lab,

anatomy and physiolo gy are test a lab component, like the forensic students identifying finger prints, splatter patter ns amongst other cate goe a made-up crime.

students competing in anatomy and phystested on the respiratory, digestive, Student teams also par ticipate in this year includes “trajectory” as a the participating team is building a

vice and then they have to test it at all able to re plicate whatever distance ent judges call for that day and how accurately they hit the target,” Kralik said. included two invitational meets, g auge what they need to work on

students really do a lot of their

lear ning,” Kralik said. “The first one, I tell them we go to really get a fire lit under us, like ‘oh that is how hard I needed to study for this.’”

The team also attended a regional meet in late February, coming in third and qualifying for state

“What was really cool at that event is that every single student who was there won a medal in at least one of their events, both on varsity and junior varsity,” Kralik said, adding they won medals in 33 of the 46 events. “It was really something.”

As the competition approaches, students will be coming in every day to work on polishing up their test answers and getting those catapults to throw fur ther, but for Kralik they have also shown their skills outside of the competition.

“I am really proud of how they have come to gether as a team,” Kralik said. “I am really proud of the school spirit that they show. They want OPRF to look good when we are competing against other schools They really are concer ned with showing that we are good people, we are respectful scientists, that we cooperate, we collaborate. That to me has been an even prouder moment than the science knowledge they are g aining.”

PROVIDED BY KATIE KRALIK

CHIEVERS : e OPRF Science Oly mpiad team shows o their Regional medals at Har per College

PROVIDED BY KATIE KRALIK Elsa Waichulis and Addy Smith work on their scrambler vehicle.

“They want OPRF to look good when we are competing against other schools. They really are concerned with showing that we are good people, we are respec tful scientists, that we cooperate, we collaborate.”

KATIE KRALIK

OPRF Olympiad coach

Union e orts percolating at Oak Park Starbucks

Community, baristas show suppor t for workers and terminated organizer

By STACEY SHERIDAN Staff Reporter

There’s more than coffee brewing at the Starbucks at 711 Lake St. as workers continue pushing for unionization. The efforts, which began as a trickle last November, have poured onto the streets of Oak Park with pro-union demonstrators showing support for the baristas and their recently fired lead organizer, Amanda Carelli.

Carelli, a single mother, was fired by Starbucks last Thursday — one day after she staged a “sip-in,” a protest used by unionizing Starbucks workers to encourage customer support by buying small and tipping large A Starbucks corporate representative denied this was the cause of Carelli’s dismissal. Others, however, find the timing suspicious

“I don’t think it’s a coincidence that Amanda, who organized that on Wednesday, was then fired on Thursday,” said card-carrying Starbucks worker Nicole Deming, who set up a GoFundMe for Carelli, despite working at separate locations

Carelli, the representative said, was ter minated for an instance back in March of “unprofessional” conduct, “including the use of profane language directed at a customer.”

“This is retaliation,” Carelli said of her

iatory behavior directed toward employees interested in unionizing. Last month, a U.S National Labor Relations judge ruled that the coffee corporation had illegally fired six pro-union employees in the state of New York

Carelli recalled a different version of the incident that allegedly got her fired. She told Wednesday Jour nal a difficult customer had shouted at her and called her names, so she went into the backroom and said she could not work with that particular client. Carelli admitted she called that customer “a bitch,” but it was said behind closed doors and out of earshot of the customer In any event, the incident was a one-off that warranted a war ning, not ter mination, according to Carelli, who also said she had no prior strikes against her employment record.

Her dismissal, she believes, was purely an act of union busting.

“It was a tactic to scare my co-workers and it has not worked,” Carelli said. “It has only made my team angry.”

Several pro-union protests have occurred in the days before and since Carelli lost her job. Oak Park Village Trustee-elect Brian Straw was among those stationed outside the coffee shop on Saturday, as was Joe Carmichael, alder man of Berwyn’s 8th Ward

ahead of their union election, April 11; the election takes place after Wednesday Journal’s print deadline

“I have no personal connection to the individual employees, but I will say that union organizing built the middle class in America,” said Straw. “I believe in the power of collective bargaining to improve working conditions, both at an individual location and more broadly.”

Starbucks baristas are leading a new labor movement. Locations across the country have begun unionization to demand better treatment from the global chain, which boasts an average wage of $17.50 per hour, as well as “competitive” medical, dental and vision insurance, among other benefits offered. The problem with working as a Starbucks barista, according to both Deming and Carelli, is not the benefits offered, but the inability to qualify for them.

“They’re not staffing the store properly and we’re not getting enough hours to actually get those benefits,” Deming explained.

Carelli, who worked part-time, said she was promised about 20 to 25 hours a week when she was hired, but was scheduled for half that.

As many as 260 stores have unionized,

including Deming’s in the Bucktown neighborhood of Chicago and most recently one in Greektown. If enough employees of the 711 Lake St. Starbucks vote in favor of joining Starbucks Workers United, it’ ll become the latest addition to that growing roster.

This, Carelli believes, would be an unwelcome development to her for mer store manager, for mer district manager and the Starbucks corporation as a whole When talks of unionizing first began, Carelli remembers each employee having a private meeting with the store manager and district manager. In those meetings, the superiors reportedly told their inferiors why they should not unionize. When Carelli asked questions during her meeting, she said she was snowballed.

Any such unfriendly attitude toward labor unions was disavowed by the corporate representative who spoke to Wednesday Jour nal.

“We respect the right of all partners to make their own decisions about union representation, and we are committed to engaging in good faith collective bargaining for each store where a union has been appropriately certified,” the corporate Starbucks representative said.

DAVE PETERSON

STREET STATEMENT: Protesters gather outside the Starbucks on Lake St reet to suppor t unionization e orts.

DAVE PETERSON

NEX T STEP: Young and older protesters with yers suggesting methods of suppor t.

CRIME

Arsonists set yard waste on re

Oak Park fire fighters got an early start to the week after they were called into action past midnight on Monday to put out two separate fires. Both are considered to be acts of arson, according to the Oak Park Police Department.

At 12:51 a.m., Monday, fire fighters arrived on the 800 block of Columbian Avenue, where they extinguished a yard waste fire that had been set on a resident’s property. Prior to the fire department’s arrival, a witness saw two men laughing and running through the rear alley before noticing the flames, according to police. A wooden fence was damaged by the blaze.

While putting out that fire, fire fighters saw a second active compost fire in the rear of the 800 block of North East Avenue at 1:04 a.m. That fire was also extinguished, but a wooden fence, sports backstop netting and rubber sports mats sustained damage The total damage caused by the two fires was unknown at the time of reporting.

Aggravated robbery

An Oak Park juvenile was robbed and beaten up by three men while he was riding his bicycle to school at 11:22 a.m., April 3, in the 300 block of Cuyler Avenue. The three men, riding in a gray sedan, followed the boy then cut in front of him. When the boy stopped his bicycle, the three men got out of the car and began hitting him in the face and on his body One of the men said he was carrying a gun. The three men took the boy’s black Samsung cell phone, white Apple AirPods and his backpack, which contained a Chromebook laptop, a bottle of cologne and school supplies. The estimated loss is $1,300.

Motor vehicle theft

■ A 2018 Kia Optima was stolen in the first block of Superior Street at about 10:15 p.m., April 8. Chicago police recovered the vehicle at 3:25 a.m., April 10, in the 1600 block of South Harding Avenue, Chicago.

■ A home surveillance camera captured two men shattering the rear passenger window of a 2017 Kia Optima, which one of the men then drove off in, at 3 p.m., April 9, in the 500 block of South Lyman Avenue. The other man drove off in the black sedan that he and the other offender drove up in. The estimated loss is $13,000.

■ A 2017 Hyundai Elantra was taken between 9:30 a.m., April 4, and 6:26 a.m., April 5, in the 400 block of South Taylor Avenue. Palatine police recovered the vehicle at 2:50 p.m.,

April 5, in the 1400 block of East Wyndham Circle in Palatine

■ A 2017 Hyundai Elantra was taken between 12 p.m., April 4, and 6:40 a.m., April 5, in the 1000 block of Washington Boulevard. North Chicago police recovered the vehicle at 11:58 a.m., April 5, in the 1400 block of Greenfield Avenue in North Chicago.

■ A 2020 Dodge Charger parked in the 900 block of South Humphrey Avenue was taken between 9:30 p.m., April 3, and 4:30 p.m., April 4.

Attempted motor vehicle theft

■ A witness saw two men break the rear driver’s side window of a Hyundai Sonata, enter the vehicle and tamper with the vehicle’s fuse box at 6:51 p.m., April 9, in the first block of Washington Boulevard.

■ Someone broke the rear passenger’s side window of a 2022 Hyundai Kona then broke the vehicle’s steering column and pulled out the ignition between 3 p.m. and 3:55 p.m., April 9, in the 200 block of South Austin Boulevard. The estimated damage is $1,340.

■ Someone shattered the passenger’s side window of a 2018 Hyundai Sonata then peeled the vehicle’s steering column at about 10 p.m., April 6, in the 400 block of North Taylor Avenue.

Theft

■ The catalytic converter was cut from a 2009 Toyota Sienna parked in the 800 block of South Cuyler Avenue between 5:30 p.m., April 7, and 10 a.m., April 8.

■ The driver’s side mirror was taken of f of a 2016 Chevrolet Malibu parked in the 100 block of Garfield Street between 9:30 p.m., April 5, and 6:50 a.m., April 6.

■ A two-carat platinum tennis bracelet was taken from an Oak Park resident’s home in the 1100 block of Westgate Street between 8 a.m., Jan. 1, and 8 a.m., March 10.

These items were obtained from Oak Park Police Department re ports, April 4-10, and re present a portion of the incidents to which police responded. Anyone named in these re ports has only been charged with a crime and cases have not yet been adjudicated. We re port the race of a suspect only when a serious crime has been committed, the suspect is still at large, and police have provided us with a detailed physical description of the suspect as they seek the public’s help in making an arrest.

Compiled by Stacey Sheridan

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

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

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

A

& smart choice.

A safe & smart choice.

safe

A safe & smart choice.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

99% OF OUR CALEDONIA STAFF IS VACCINATED

Enjoy all your American favorites with a Caribbean twist at Chop’s Haus

With an extensive menu, you will not run out of flavorful options

When you are feeling hungry and can’t decide between a crispy chicken sandwich, a juicy Italian beef or mouthwatering shrimp tacos, visit Chop’s Haus, conveniently located at 1732 N. Harlem Ave., Elmwood Park.

This counter service restaurant opened late last year to bring “meals seasoned to tickle your tongue and literally dance in your mouth” to Elmwood Park.

Serving a variety of dishes flavored with a Caribbean twist, this laid-back spot is sure to please all palates. The jerk shrimp tacos are a favorite, with shrimp richly seasoned, coleslaw and cheese topped with the house’s special sauce.

Seafood lovers can also find a variety of fish and shrimp options at Chop’s Haus.

Try their deep-fried salmon tenders, catfish nuggets and fried shrimp, all served with fries and coleslaw.

Add some cheesy fries to your order for a luscious treat as the crispy fries soak up the flavorful cheesy sauce. This delicious side will pair well with their selection of sandwiches and hamburgers, including their crispy chicken sandwich seasoned with a tasty chipotle sauce.

For those who prefer meat, Chop’s Haus Italian beef sandwich is a great option. The tender beef is juicy – don’t forget to add hot peppers for a spicy twist!

To the side, enjoy one of Chop’s Haus refreshing virgin margaritas in tropical flavors like pina colada, strawberry and green watermelon.

End the meal with their selection of heavenly desserts – including favorites like brownies, cheesecake and vanilla pound cake.

With such a wide selection of flavorful options, you will certainly want to come back again.

Italian beef sandwich from Chop’s Haus

Jerk shrimp tacos are a favorite at Chop’s Haus

Oak Park Housing Authority part of foster care transition program

Vouchers for young people aging out of foster system

By LACEY SIKORA Contributing Reporter

The Oak Park Housing Authority is one of 16 national housing authorities to be awarded vouchers under a Foster Youth to Independence Initiative (FYI) targeted at youth aging out of the foster care system.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) awarded $12.9 million to public housing agencies in nine states to provide housing assistance to young adults who are transitioning out of foster care and are experiencing or at risk of experiencing homelessness.

David Pope, executive director of Oak Park Housing Authority, says HUD posted the notice of the funding opportunity last June because the department realized there was a need for this type of funding for

a population “very significantly at risk.”

Pope relied on Ken Southward, vice president for housing programs and LaTaunda Cobb, director of the housing voucher program, to help with the application.

“We put our heads to g ether and said we can do this,” Pope said.

Southward says he believes the key to OPHA’s successful application may have b een the agency’s success rate with other voucher progr ams.

OPHA par tners with Housing Fo r ward in utilizing Mainstream vouchers, wh ich are for non-elderly individuals with disabilities wh o are at risk for experiencin g homelessness as they transfer out of nursing homes. Po pe says showing h ow OPHA par tners with social service org anizations was a valuable pa rt of the application for FYI vouchers.

“We star ted looking at who we c ould par tner with, and He p hzibah i mmediately came to mind,” Po pe said. T he need for progr ams li ke the FYI

vouchers is apparent says He p hziba h Executive Director Mer ry Beth Sheets

“A b out 33% of k ids who age out of D CSF statewide end up homeless at some point,” Sheets said.

He p hzibah recently d oubled the size of i ts foster care progr am and n ow serves 200 young p eople Fo r S heets, it is impor tant to c all attention to the bar riers that those in the foster system often face

S he points out that only 3% to 4% of youth in foster care go on to higher educatio n and says this figure unconscionable. Re ga rding C ook C ounty specifically, S heets said, “Kids languish in the child welfare system here. But, the availability of foster homes is a national c risi s. People are not i nterested in fostering older teens, and even with great foster homes, k ids still age out of the system. ”

HUD awarded the Oak Pa rk Housing Authority 15 FYI vouchers, wh ich ca n be used by an individual for three year s. Po pe says that OPHA has a “strong c on-

tingent” of local landlords who are interested in wo rk in g with them, and he thinks thi s group will be happy to wo rk with the new voucher holder s.

Once a person rece ives an FYI voucher, S heets says that the three-year period will provide an o ppor tunity to “work with the young adult to help them to be self-suf ficient and ultimately to be able to rent an apar tment on their own. ”

T he vouchers will have more b enefits than meet the eye, because they aren’t j ust about providing housing to those who age out of the DCFS system at age 21.

T he vouchers will also help provide suppo rt ive services to help the them become succ essful adults.

Fo r Southward, the housing available to voucher holder s is j ust one pa rt of the suppo rt ive services that makes Oak Pa rk stand out “Oak Pa rk has so many services that help our voucher clients succeed,”

S outhward said.

Po pe b eli eves OPHA and Oak Pa rk we re awarded vouchers in a field d ominated by larger municipalities in pa rt because of the strength of Oak Pa rk as a welcoming c ommunity fo r youth aging out of the foster care system.

“How wonderful that our c ommunity is so asset rich,” Po pe said. “We have great transpor tation a ccess, we ’re employment rich, there are education o ppor tunities around the re gion, we have the ability to provide saf e housing and there are engag ement o ppor tunities in the c ommunity This allows p eople to establish and set down roots, wh ich is impo rtant for p eople who migh t have been missing thi s. ” S heets says these are impor tant point, noting , “It c an be much harder to launch and g et where you need to be without these kind of things in plac e. ”

2023/24

DAVID POPE

Executive direc tor of Oak Park Housing Authority

“About 33% of kids who age out of DCSF statewide end up homeless at some point.”

MERRY BETH SHEETS

Hephzibah executive direc tor

Sophomore sprinter leads Trinity to 6th at RB Invite

Solberg clocks personal best, placing second in 100-meter dash

By MELVIN TATE Contributing Reporter

Sophomore Zoe Solberg placed second in the 100-meter dash with a personal-best time of 13.59 seconds to lead the Trinity High School track and field team to a sixthplace finish at the Riverside-Brookfield Relays April 8 with 29 points.

Apar t from Solberg, the Blazers’ best individual showings came from freshman Molly McGreal, third in the 1,600 meters (personal-best 5:39.47) and senior Ella Miller, who was third in the 3,200 (12:55.64).

Trinity also fared well with several relays. The Blazers were runner-up in the sprint medley as Solberg, sophomore Julia Valaika, senior Myla Roy and senior Amanda McGreal combined for a time of 2:02.26.

The 1,600 relay of Amanda McGreal, Roy, Valaika, and senior Jasmine Arzuaga took third in 4:32.42, while the 3,200 relay of the Molly and Amanda McGreal, Roy and Arzuaga took fourth in 10:44.49.

“Overall, we were pleased with our for mances,” said Trinity coach Johann Gonzale z. “We had a couple of hiccups having come of f spring break and being the middle of Easter break, all things sidered we should be excited about wh expect the next couple of weeks.”

Gonzale z said the versatility developed among some of his athletes during indoor season could prove valuable spring.

“The team has experienced great success these last couple of years, and the expectations are high again,” he said. “The thing that stood out the most was having athletes ste p out of their comfort zone and compete in events they’ve never done before.”

Trinity qualified the 1,600 and 3,200 lays for last year’s IHSA Class 2A state meet. Arzuaga, Amanda McGreal, senior Laura Murphy, Roy, and Valaika, who were on those relays, are all back.

Arzuaga, a University of St. Thomas commit, made the Girls Catholic Athletic Conference all-conference cross-country team last fall.

“Myla flies under the radar but has been a big reason we’ve been successful in track,” Gonzale z said. “Jasmine is looking to bounce back from indoor conference but is ready to take the next ste p.”

Trinity High School’s Myla Roy hands the baton to Amanda McGreal on their way to a second place nish in the sprint medley relay during the Bulldog Relays on April 8 at Riverside-Brook eld High School.

Molly McGreal is coming of f a strong cross-country debut in which she qualified for the Class 2A state meet. She ke pt that momentum going in the indoor track season, when she broke the school’s freshman records in the 1,600 and 3,200 and helped break the varsity 1,600 relay indoor record “Molly and Amanda are having their last season to gether and both are of f to a great

star t,” Gonzale z said.

The strong perfor mances by Solberg and Valaika at Riverside-Brookfield don’t come as a sur prise to Gonzale z, who has high hopes for the sophomore duo.

“They’re our top sprinters and both will be in three relays looking to break the school records in those respective events,” he said.

OPRF lacrosse tops Trinity in crosstown faceo

Huskies cruise past Blazers, winning 17-4

By MELVIN TATE

Contributing Reporter

Hannah Simon scored four goals, and Grace Koch, Rachel Simon and Har per Thompson each added three as the Oak Park and River Forest High School girls lacrosse team rolled past neighborhood rival

Trinity High School 17-4 on April 5 at Oak Park Stadium.

The Huskies (3-2) are of f to a solid star t, something OPRF coach James Bor ja was hoping for.

“Our team has looked very cohesive so far,” he said. “We have many girls that are scoring threats and it’s very dif ficult to key on one specific player.”

Koch, a senior, had 55 goals last year and made the all-state second team while also gaining all-conference and all-sectional honors. Sophomore Hannah Simon also made the all-conference and all-sectional teams and scored 51 goals

OPRF also retur ns its top defender in junior Kai Cof fee and hopes to get a valuable contribution from new goalie Elizabeth

Thomason, a junior.

“The biggest goal is to play to our potential with consistency,” Bor ja said. “We’ re of f to a fast star t, but our goal is to maintain that pace and improve every day.”

After four straight losses to open the program’s 10th season, including the one to OPRF, Trinity defeated host Ver non Hills 9-6 on April 8 to notch their first win.

OPRF so ball salvages tourney with win over Fremd

4-run fth inning keys come-from-behind win over host Vikings

By MELVIN TATE

Contributing Reporter

Fenwick girls water polo

The Fenwick High School girls water polo team split a pair of home matches last week against quality competition.

SPORTS ROUNDUP

After dropping its first two g ames, the OPRF softball team finished the Fremd Tour nament on a positive note with a 10-7 victory over the host Vikings on April 8. Trailing 6-4 in the top of the fifth inning, the Huskies (7-4) erupted for four runs to take the lead. Rachel Buchta, Julia Mattiace, and Jordan Alioto had RBI singles during the rally.

Elyssa Hasapis had four hits and two RBI while Macy Callahan and Kelly Cortez each scored twice as OPRF collected 14 hits. Aria Hammerschmidt got the victory in relief, allowing a run on four hits over five innings.

Earlier in the day, the Huskies fell to Lockport 7-2. Tyler Brock went 2-for-3 at the plate, and Hasapis and Anna Topel each had solo home runs

On April 5, Hasapis went 2-for-3 with a two-run homer, but it wasn’t enough as OPRF lost to Wheaton Nor th 10-3. The Huskies host Mor ton on April 12, then go back on the road this weekend at Elmwood Park and Plainfield Nor th.

OPRF girls water polo

The Oak Park and River Forest High School girls water polo team went 2-1 in its quad tour nament April 8. In their opening match, the Huskies edged past Prospect 7-6. Tori Evans, Phyllis Kreiter, and Ellie Raidt each scored twice while Raidt and Ines Feliciano each had two assists. Ella Homrock had eight saves in goal and Zoie Se gbawu five.

In the second match, Evans and Kreiter had four goals apiece in an 11-6 OPRF victory over Waubonsie Valley

Head coach Jim Moy feels the victory is a byproduct of the work the team has put in this spring.

“We’ve looked progressively better since the first day of the season,” he said.

Trinity is led by the Smith sisters. Paige, a senior co-captain, posted a team-high 107 goals for the Blazers last year, while younger sister Rian, a sophomore, had 42 goals.

Senior Allie Ferenzi, a co-captain who missed most of last season due to injury, is a speedy midfielder Moy is happy to have back. He’s counting on the other co-captains, seniors Abby De La Cruz and Bridget Tobin, to be big contributors.

Newcomers to watch for Trinity include sophomores Natalie Arellano, Sasha Goodman, Ashlyn Lockey, and Kate Olivo along

Homrock made 11 saves and Se gbawu eight.

The Huskies dropped their final match to Sandburg 8-2. Kreiter and Raidt had a goal apiece, Homrock five saves, and Se gbawu seven saves.

with senior Delaney Bur ns

The Blazers hope to get a top-six seed in this year’s sectional and Moy believes matches with Glenbard West, Montini, Nazareth Academy, and Riverside-Brookfield will go a long way in deter mining the outcome.

“We strive to make it a memorable and historic season,” he said.

Fenwick defeats McAuley in league match

Elizab eth Winkel scored four goals and Sade Rucker three as Fenwick High School defeated Mother McAuley 10-7 in a Girls Catholic Athletic Conference match on April 5 at the Dominican Priory in

On April 6, Annie McCarthy exploded for nine goals to lead the Friars to a 15-10 victory over St. Charles North. Audrey Mason had three goals, Pam Medina two goals, Hannah Schubkegel a goal and six steals, and Emilia Nowak three saves.

On April 8 in a rematch of last year’s sectional final that Fenwick won, York got a measure of revenge with a 9-7 overtime victory. Xiomara Trejo had four goals, McCarthy two goals and Ava Gelau three steals Nowak five saves in goal for the Friars

Fenwick is busy this week with matches against New Trier, Naperville North, Lane Tech, OPRF, and Jones College Prep

Trinity softball

Eleanor F lores drove in four runs with a pair of doubles and Linnea Drever (three RBI) hit a two-run homer as Trinity High School rolled to a 19-9 victory over Elmwood Park on April 5.

Kendall Hynes went 3-for-5 with two RBI and Claire Rambasek, Grace Samatas and Sofia Samatas each drove in two runs for the Blazers (3-1), who pounded out 14 hits. On April 8, a late rally fell shor t as Trinity lost at St. Ignatius 7-5. The Blazers scored twice in the top of the seventh and had the tying run in scoring position with two outs, but Emily Rodrigue z flied out to end the game Hynes, Lia Caporale, Fiona Lundt and Tressa Scanlon each had two hits, F lores drove in two runs, and Drever scored three times

River Forest.

Lily De la Torre made six saves for the F riars, who have star ted the year 5-1. Fenwick coach Tracy Bonaccorsi believes having an experienced roster that features eight seniors has been vital to the early success.

“The senior class is my first four-year class; they were freshmen during my first year,” she said. “We’ve been to g ether for a while now and it’s b een awesome to watch them grow on and of f the lacrosse field.”

Fenwick has rece ived consistent play from senior midfielders Catherine Goode and Cate Krema (team-leading 6 assists), who are especially strong with draws Seniors Annie O’Brien and Annie Showel along with junior Molly Pondelicek have

provided a steadying defensive presence in front of De la Torre, a sophomor e goalie.

Of fensively, Winkel, a senior, leads the F riars with 19 goals. Junior Caroline Sutton has 14 goals, and Rucker, a sophomore, has 13.

“It’s been a blast so far and I’m looking forward to the second half of our season when we retur n from spring break next week,” Bonaccorsi said.

Fenwick wants to keep building momentum for the rest of the re gular season in hopes of having postseason success Bonaccorsi says g etting to the sectional title match is a major goal this spring, considering that the F riars have had early state playof f exits the past two seasons

Aria Hammerschmidt

Just hitting your stride.

Susan Bardolph, MD

Access to Duly Health and Care Oak Park for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois Medicare members

Now more than ever, it’s important to get the most out of your health care benefits and manage your health. That’s why Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois and Duly Health and Care are working together to provide benefits and services centered around patients on Medicare. At Duly Health and Care Oak Park, adults on Medicare will experience personalized relationships with Duly providers who deliver care tailored especially to their health needs, like maintaining healthy blood pressure, managing diabetes, and keeping physically strong.

Oak Park 1121 South Blvd.

Begin your journey to a healthier, happier you, call 708-745-5744 or visit: dulyhealthandcare.com/OakPark

DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS IS FRIDAY 5 P.M.

Call Viewpoints editor

Ken Trainor at 613-3310

ktrainor@wjinc.com

Growing our inner income

On April Fools’ Day, I celebrated my 99th bir thday. No fooling! The years have indeed flown by, giving me so many memories, some sweet and others I’d prefer to forget. Yet, rather than dwelling in the past and bemoaning what I’ve lost over the years, I consciously try to focus on the here and now, and yes, on the future, too.

Spring is beginning and beautiful blossoming has arrived in River Forest — flowers are bursting out of the cold ground; tiny green leaves are decorating the bare-limbed trees; and the grass is struggling to weave its miniature blades into the lawn. Bring for th another thrilling year, Mr. Spring and Mother Nature. I’m ready to celebrate the dawn of each

ry special events happening at the same time this spring. Concurrently, three major religions observed their special holidays of and Ramadan. rence offers an opportunity for us to focus on in common, rather than focus on our differences, so prevalent in this day and age. Some years ago when I traveled a great deal, I’d make an ef fort to attend religious festivals and traditional cultural events. I almost always noted much similarity. Paramount in all of them is a strong sense of community and living lives grounded in good moral values.

My parents raised me with a loving strictness, and though I didn’t have any for mal religious upbringing, the Golden Rule and good values were always expected of me. Growing up, I had the good for tune to experience a suppor tive family and many dear friend s. I even have three precious women with whom I’ve shared a close, sister-like friendship for 70+ years, and counting. What grand wealth my loving relationships have given me over this long lifetime.

I sometimes wonder what kind of upbringing someone like Trump had. Was he given moral guideposts, and if so, what led him to go so far astray? Does Trump have any close, loving friends, or only followers? Additionally, I question, what motivates good people, his followers, to accept the Trump-ite view replete with racism, hate,

Lake & Lathrop: e site, the saga

re poured. observed it: sometimes

Fov stories up and can see daily what goes on at the site — and what does not.

Progress re por ts from the village would make one think that the project is humming along. Here’s a very recent update: “March 3, 2023 - Detention system construction remains on the previously stated timeline.

The next phase is the upper parking deck.”

On April 3, all construction equipment and the portable toilets were removed from the property, reminiscent of the long hiatus in demolition of the prior building when the developers ran out of money and weren’ t paying the demolition company.

In that episode one piece of demolition equipment languished on the site for months until it was finally removed. The site was an eyesore, with stacks (and non-stacks — jumbled piles) of lumber from the old buildings. Over the past few months, one by one and

lonely columns.

At one point just a couple of days before the 2021 River Forest Village President election, a large construction machine appeared on the empty site. The day after the election it was gone, apparently back to the site from which it was borrowed for show (we suspect that this move was requested by a village personage). It never started up.

The site plan was approved by the village of River Forest in 2016. Here we are seven years later.

Meanwhile, in Oak Park the following has happened:

■ Albion Residential, Oak Park: 2018-19 – 19 stories

■ Emerson, Oak Park: 2016-18 – 20 stories

■ Eleven33, Oak Park: 2017-19 – 12 stories

■ District House, Oak Park: 2016-2018 (28 three-bedroom condos)

INCHING ALONG: Not much is happening at Lake and Lathrop.

OUR VIEWS

Spring inging Elections matter

Elections in Oak Park last week were a bit understated. Contested, yes, but not to the de gree we have seen in some recent cycles where candidates proliferated like spring daf fodils.

That said, there were notable o utcomes at both Oak Park’s village hall and at Oak Park and River Forest High School where voters moved with intention to solidify more progressive directions

At OPRF there were four candidates for the three open seats. A trio of those candidates — Graham Brisben, Jonathan Livingston and Tim Brandhorst — made a last-moment alliance around their shared views on equity and financing and swept the seats. This outcome doesn’t so much shift this board as it guarantees a continuation of an essential focus on equity in academics, culture and discipline. All in favor of that.

That said, the candidate left off the board, Brian Souders, would have brought an important perspective on this district’s long abuse of taxpayers as it ran up an obscene cash reserve that has rightly under mined trust in this institution. This will play out most immediately, we fear, in a choice by either the outgoing board or its next iteration to fore go a tax referendum to approve some portion of the funding for the massive $100 million Project 2 capital initiative.

At village hall, Village President Vicki Scaman consolidated her leadership with the re-election of Trustee Susan Buchanan, the affir mation of her mid-term appointment of Trustee Cory Wesley, and the addition of Brian Straw. Scaman endorsed that group in preference to sitting trustee Jim Taglia and for mer trustee Simone Boutet.

This new board will be fully focused on equity, sustainability and better policing. Again, we’re good to go with those priorities. But we will miss the steadying voice Taglia brought to this board as it lurched about over the past six years. And his CPA mindset will be absent as the board sorts out how to pay for these priorities. That role will need to be compensated for.

e Great Lake

This newspaper is old enough to recall the early 1980s when the Lake Theatre spent a summer trying to sell movie tickets for its single, gigantic and non-air-conditioned auditorium.

That was a neat trick for the new owners of the derelict movie palace where previous owners had not invested in either working HVAC or cleaning its very sticky floor.

Enter Willis and Shirley Johnson who spent half their lives saving and then restoring the failed movie theaters of the western suburbs. They brought The La ke way, way back and made it the hub of a resurgent Downtown Oak Park

Last week we re ported on the decision of their son, and Classic Cinemas successor, Chris Johnson to spend $700,000 to replace all the seats at The Lake with wide, warm and reclining luxury seating.

That is an investment of note as the movie palace business continues to rebound from COVID. Oak Park is lucky to have the Johnsons at the helm of The Lake

The boys of spring, still in the spring of their lives, coming to the end of third grade and their ninth year. The end of single digits. It gets increasingly more complex when you hit double digits. But they still have nine more grades before college, which Tyler regards as optional. He throws me a look and knows I don’t agree about the optional part, but I put the most positive spin I can on it. In college, you can decide on a “major,” I say, a subject you love and want to study in greater depth.

I ask what classes he might take in college. “Physics,” he says, surprising me. He thinks it could help him understand baseball better. He’s right.

They are five books into the Harry Potter series and there is plenty in those books about taking classes at Hogwarts. Much magic in that world and plenty in their world, too. All through March, my grandsons have been in leprechaun mode, wearing their green top hats and shirts. They’re part Irish and also pa leprechaun. They’ve given up on catching one, so they joined the tribe.

Tyler says leprechauns live in the largest forest in the world — which is in Ireland (who knew?) and has “self-cleaning rivers.” It’s a place where “nothing bad ever happens.”

Sounds great. Let’s go

During the cold portion of the year, our magic forest has been the Children’s section of the Wheaton Public Library. It became our sanctuary after school and dinner. I thought they would tire of it after a few weeks, but they haven’t. Plenty of other kids on hand with parents or grandparents, working on crafts or coloring seasonal shapes (shamrocks, for instance), which find their way onto large bulletin boards. Or they draw posters to illustrate the library’s seasonal themes. Also Legos and magnet tiles and other blocks for building.

But the week before St. Patrick’s Day, we have the entire place to ourselves, no other kids in sight. They were in seventh heaven — props and space and enough imagination to conjure the Leprechaun Forest.

“It’s St. Patrick’s Eve,” announces Bryce. “We’re going to have a big feast. I’m a really good cook. I could do it by magic, but it tastes better when you actually make it.”

Tyler twirls and high-steps on the dance floor, outlined with green and yellow plastic bricks.

“How do we get around?” Bryce asks. “Do we, like, ride on animals?”

Tyler, exasperated, says, “We’re leprechauns, Bryce. We walk.”

Except in Walt Disney’s Darby O’Gill and the Little People, a 60-year-old film that has become a March tradition for us, in which King Brian and the little people ride wee horses.

But this is their story and they brook no contradictions. They’ve set up a brook, in fact, with stepping stones. They call it Leprechaun Creek. It uses the Emerald Cleaning System. It’s a very clean creek. The water is almost visible

A few weeks later, during Spring Break, we find ourselves in Morton Arboretum, taking the trail to the Spruce Plot, a stand of towering evergreens, which Bryce is sure will yield a trove of pine cones for his new collection.

But the trail can’t hold them for long. Off they go into the brushless, leaf-layered, early spring woodland, traversing fallen tree trunks like balance beams and imagining, as they often do, that the blanched va,” so they must stay aloft or perish, transferring from log to log as if these tree corpses had been laid out, end-to-end, for their exploratory pleasure. Being the official witness, I am, of course, exempt from the burning peril of the lavaladen ground. Eventually we meander back to the trail (no rush, we have all day) and find our way eventually to the Spruce Plot, a cathedral of ramrod-straight pine poles several stories high, needleless until the upper reaches, as if a Christmas tree had been fitted on top, where the sun could lavish them with the necessities for photosynthesis.

e scours the ground for pine cones, while Tyler elevates with elation. “Bryce,” he said, “look up! It’s so peaceful here!” What every parent and grandparent hopes to hear when introducing offspring, or grandoffspring, to the wonders of nature.

Tyler walks with a large, knobbed stick he liberated from some wooded backlot back home. He and Bryce use it to trace stars in the soft loam of the trail whenever they spot something they want to remember for the way back.

It was definitely a moment — one of those moments you wish you could trade the rest of your life for and dwell in forever.

I wish many such moments on every parent and grandparent.

I wish many more for Tyler and Bryce.

And to their offspring … and grand-offspring. Because when you get right down to it, we’re all boys and girls of spring.

Let’s help the birds this spring

Because climate change and biodiversity loss are intertwined crises, Climate Ready Oak Park, our climate action plan, features improved biodiversity as a major goal. This includes enhancing habitat for the nearly 200 species of birds that reside here, that settle in for summer breeding, or visit for rest and recuperation during migration. While you were slee ping last night, roughly 900,000 birds flew nor th over Cook County. Migration is perilous in the best conditions, and these days, sadly, conditions are ter rible. Millions of birds die during their seasonal jour neys because of human-caused hazards, including light pollution and lack of suitable habitat They get confused and drawn off their migration paths by the urban light that floods the night sky. Spotlights capture birds in their beams and it’s difficult for them to escape. Skyglow obliterates the stars that some species use for navigation. Buildings with lit up windows invite collisions.

ADRIAN AYRES FISHER

One View

the lights or switch to task or lamp lighting that is away from the windows. Turn off indoor and outdoor lights, too, including landscape, feature, and party lights. Use timers and motion sensors so lights are only on when needed. If you’re shopping for new outdoor lights, choose “downshielded” models that light what humans need to see but that don’t spread glare horizontally or up into the sky.

WEDNESD AY JOURNAL

of Oak Park and River Forest

Editor and Publisher Dan Haley

Senior Editor Bob Uphues

Digital Manager Stacy Coleman

Senior Repor ter Stacey Sher idan

Staff Repor ters Francia Garcia Hernandez, Amaris Rodriguez

Viewpoints Editor Ken Trainor

Real Estate Editor Lacey Sikora

Big Week Editor James Porter

Once disoriented, birds use up energy frantically flying around and calling out, until they come to earth where they might crash into house windows or encounter other hazards — such as cats — and lack the energy to escape. Exhausted and hungry, if they can’t find enough protective cover or food, they might be too weakened to continue their journey to their summer breeding grounds.

Yet it’s so easy to help mitigate light pollution, whether you live in a home, apartment, or own a business. At night, especially between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m., draw blinds or curtains. Where there are no blinds, either tur n out

People with yards can do even more, by adding habitat with bird-friendly amenities. First, leave last year’s fallen leaves under trees and shrubs. That layer harbors myriad tasty bugs. It’s like an all-you-can eat buffet full of the high-energy, nutritious food that birds need. Add a birdbath, keeping it full of fresh water, and put up a bird feeder. Clean both regularly, and be aware of guidance regarding avian flu. (The latest says that songbirds are less affected.) Add native plants to your landscape, including trees and shrubs, and reduce pesticide use. You’ll be amazed at the birds that show up. Uncommon birds frequent my yard because it is full of the plants that birds are best adapted to

Situated between the natural areas of Columbus Park and Thatcher Woods, Oak Park and River Forest have great potential as prime bird real estate. When we help birds thrive, we are helping to solve the global biodiversity crisis with positive local action. It is hopeful, impactful, and easy for everyone to take part.

Adrian Ayres Fisher serv es on the board of West Cook Wild Ones and as Forest Preserve District of Cook County volunteer site stewa rd of National Grove Woods in North Ri verside.

River Forest also needs a gas leaf blower ban

The Oak Park Board of Trustees, responding to the village’s residents, has enacted a seasonal ban on the use of gas-powered leaf blowers from June 1 to Sept. 30, beginning this year, and has be gun a process to completely ban these machines by June 1, 2025. The trustees of River Forest should take similar action, starting with putting the June 1- Se pt. 30 seasonal ban into ef fect for this year.

Stacey Sheridan’s article in the March 15 Wednesday Jour nal (https://www oakpark.com/2023/03/14/ oak-park-bans-gas-powered-leaf-blowers/) lays out the brief against the use of commercial gas leaf blowers: extreme and dangerous noise, air pollutants, and greenhouse gas emissions The increasing size, noise levels, and overuse of these machines in recent years has created a quality-of-life issue, a health issue, and a sustainability issue Towns and cities (including Evanston, Glencoe, Highland Park, Lincolnwood and Winnetka in Illinois) have adopted seasonal bans like Oak Park’s.

A seasonal ban looks like an easy decision for the

River Forest trustees. The residents and trustees of Oak Park have already done a lot of hard work on this. The landscape companies are aware of the Oak Park seasonal ban and need to be ready to comply by June 1. Most of these companies work in both Oak Park and River Forest, so it makes a lot of sense to have the same rules on both sides of Harlem Avenue, and it makes communicating a River Forest ban to these companies simple and straightforward. It seems unlikely that River Forest residents would demand to keep the blower noise and fumes

As for the per manent ban, River Forest could join Oak Park and work together on the implementation questions that were noted in the WJ article. While it may not have been the case a few years ago, there are now professional-grade electric blowers and other equipment that use interchangeable battery packs, to make this feasible. Perhaps neighboring towns will join in and add more momentum.

Gary Howell Ri v er Forest

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

Design/Production Manager Andrew Mead

Editorial Design Manager Javier Govea

Designer Susan McKelvey

Marketing Representatives Marc Stopeck, Lourdes Nicholls, Kamil Brady

Business & Development Manager Mary Ellen Nelligan

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

Special Projects Manager Susan Walker

Chairman Emeritus Robert K. Downs

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Chair Judy Gre n Treasurer Nile Wendorf Deb Abrahamson, Gary Collins, Steve Edwards Darnell Shields, Sheila Solomon, Eric Weinheimer

About Viewpoints

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

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

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

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

LET TER TO THE EDITOR

■ 250-word limit

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

‘ONE VIEW’ ESSAY

■ 500-word limit

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

■ Signature details as at lef t

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

HOW TO REA CH

ADDRESS 141 S. Oak Park Ave., Oak Park, IL 60302 ■ PHONE 708-524-8300 EMAIL Dan@OakPark.com ■ ONLINE www.OakPark.com

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

The newspaper is available on newsstands for $2.00.

A one -year subscription costs $48 within Cook County and $60 outside of Cook County Adver tising rates may be obtained by calling our o ce. Periodical rate postage paid at Oak Park, IL (USPS 10138). Postmaster, send address correc tions to Wednesday Journal, 141 S. Oak Park Ave., Oak Park, IL 60302. © 2023 Growing Community Media, NFP.

Nobody wants loved ones to su er

For 13 years I had the privilege of working as a hospice nurse. I was reminded daily that everyone will reach the end oftheir life. Some will be prepared, but others will not. I have been present at peaceful deaths where the patient’s loving family and friends surrounded them. But I have also seen some horrible deaths, where the patient suffered unnecessarily because family members argued and were not on the same page.

National Healthcare Decisions Day is April 16, a day encouraging people to discuss end-of-life wishes with their loved ones and doctors. Please don’t be the one who says, “I’m not ready to think about that now.” When your family and friends need the answers to your choices for endof-life care, it will be too late for you to begin discussing them.

I did learn that there is no one correct way to die. Different people want differ-

ent things. Some people may want to receive comfort care only as long as it will improve their quality of life. Some people may want all treatments and procedures that could possibly prolong their life as long as possible. Still others may prefer to shorten their lives to avoid any discomfort or prolonged suffering. That is why we should all have access to a full range of end-of-life care options, including medical aid in dying.

We should all support the authorization ofmedical aid in dying in Illinois, as it is authorized in 10 other states and Washington D.C. This is a well-regulated care option reserved for mentally capable, terminally ill adults with a prognosis of six months or less to live Patients can request from their physician a medicine that they self-ingest, allowing them to peacefully end their suffering.

Compassion & Choices, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to educating people about end-of-life choices, can help you. Their end-of-life planning guide can be obtained at: https://tinyurl.com/ CandCtoolkit. It is time for all ofus to nor malize discussions about death and dying.

Kathy Bezinovich RN, MPH Oak Park

Allow permit-less overnight street parking

When a policy has a disproportionate impact, our progressive tendency is to create another layer of policy to reduce the harm ofthe first one. In some cases, a better approach would be to scrap the original policy that doesn’t need to be there.

Oak Park’s overnight street parking ban is a good example. The village board is considering reducing overnight permit fees for housing voucher recipients. This will create another form to complete, another demand on village staff, and will only help a small set oflower-income residents. Please don’t make an unnecessary system even more complex. Simplify, and let people park on the street overnight without a permit

I’ll address some common objections: “How will streets get cleaned and plowed?”

Other towns work it out. In Berwyn, I could park on the street overnight, and we had street sweeping every week. One side ofthe block had

no parking Thursdays, one side Fridays, no problem.

“No one will be able to find parking.”

Parking in dense areas is a pain, and it will always be an advantage to have a garage or assigned parking spot and use it. We don’t need to make parking more ofa pain with an onerous system of fees that mainly impacts lowerincome residents

“We don’t want to be a car-centric village.”

Using overnight parking fees to keep certain people from having “too many” cars is paternalistic. If you want to limit cars using fees, increase the annual vehicle permit fee that everyone has to pay.

“The village needs revenue from overnight permits and parking tickets.”

This is true and it ’s a problem. But these fees are a regressive tax on lower-income residents, and they’re not a good way to fund gover nment.

“I want my street to look ‘nice,’ and I don’t want ‘those’ people parking in front of my house.”

If we’re honest, this is the reason why some Oak Parkers support the overnight parking ban. This is not a good basis for public policy, especially in a village that says it wants to be welcoming to a wide variety of people.

Jeremy West Oak Park

What we can’t change, the younger gens w ill EL

My mother called, alar med about a re port that Artificial Intelligence (AI) can exactly mimic a person’s voice and scam loved ones. This was so alar ming, many executives for med a coalition to prevent AI progress for at least six months while problems are addressed. In the news report my mother saw, a parent received a call from what sounded just like their child, claiming to be in trouble and supposedly being threatened har m. The father was going to bring money for release of his child but the mother suggested to call the child who tur ned out to be perfectly fine

I reassured my mother that even though these are today’s hor rors, we will be OK, and though it’s yet another thing to ter rorize the average American citizen who is just trying to live their life and grow old peacefully, I have seen too many movies. When they say “Come alone,” I would be the person who calls the police and FBI immediately and shows up with a swat team positioned in the bushes with snipers because, according to the movies, those things never end well when you “come alone.”

Another preventable tragedy, the Nashville shooting, is the latest example of what is ter rorizing the average American citizen due to our lack of gun re gulation. So what is the solution at this point? T he alignment of generations and generational change.

Gen X are the edg y adults who had to raise themselves and are one part adult and one-par t angsty kid. We bore Gen Z and Millennials who have been empow ered and not acce

not want your stinking job They are creating their own jobs.

De pending on your Gen X or maybe Millennial path, you know what comes after Gen Z? Gen Alpha. Have you seen them? They are the honey badgers of the Generational kids. As Gen Z is creating organized change with the suppor t of other gens, Gen Alpha is tearing things down and creatively blowing things up. They are the feral future leaders who are protesting in their middle school and early high school years. Gen Alpha are also like your untamable cat who pops you in the face with their paw 10 times in rapid sequence, in the middle of your na They have a messy but ef fective way of going about change.

These gens, working to gether, are taking action now. This gives me hope that there will be AI reform, gun refo rm, and education reform. This is the hope I hold onto Also, when the “pandemic babies” enter the conversation, and are able to make choices, the world will fur ther change, like it or not.

It is like witnessing evolution, with many of them displaying advanced milestones. There is an org anic and cosmic plan and process already in the works through these generations. It can’t be stopped. A coalition of universal law and evolution. This is how we can move forward with a patchwork peace of mind, knowing that though it does not seem like it, issues are naturally going to being resolved.

So be at peace. If common sense does not prevail, the universe and the Age of Aquarius definitely will.

Even nicer in person

On Sunday, April 2, I went to Unity Temple to hear Considering Matthew Shepard, a choral suite, beautifully performed by the Unity Temple Choir and an instrumental ensemble, about a young homosexual man who was brutally murdered in Wyoming in 1998. I remembered being saddened by that story of brutality from several decades ago.

At the end of the service I had a sudden and forceful fall, not realizing that, at the end of a pew in the balcony, there is a step down. I landed on the wall-to-wall cement floor that characterizes Unity Temple

Several people offered to help me up but for several minutes I needed to catch my breath and attend to the side of my knee that had taken the weight of my body. One man stayed by my side and eventually helped me get up and make my way to the sanctuary floor. We exchanged names and a brief kindly visit. He offered to look for my friend who had sung in the choir but was unaware of the incident. All of this took about 15-20 minutes but I was struck by how quietly competent, patient and kind he was, not rushing to go on his way or engaging in conversation with the many people he knew.

I’ve read Wednesday Jour nal since it started and many times lear ned from or was char med by Ken Trainor’s column, but I didn’t expect to meet him quite like that.

Thank you, Ken, you are a true gentleman.

Plastic bags show disregard for the environment

On the Monday before the election, my wife and I discovered a plastic bag attached to the railing of our front ste ps Its only content was a 6 x 9-inch flyer for Susan Buchanan. We had voted early, so the flyer had no impact on our choice, but it did have a very ne gative impact on our opinion of Ms Buchanan. Claiming in that campaign piece to be in favor of “sustainability,” and touting herself as a “founding member” of the Oak Park Climate Action Network, the distribution of untold plastic bags throughout the village (when volunteers easily could have placed her message on the front porches of recipients) smacks of a careless disregard for just what she alle ges she supports.

e voters have spoken

The results of the April 4 election are a clear mandate to the District 200 high school board to make a decision about the building program and just do it already. Whether that is because the voters generally are happy with the currently favored plan or are sick and tired of the whole thing is beside the point. The candidate most in favor of giving the voters the right of final approval via referendum finished dead last by a mile

The D200 board does not and cannot balance the competing funding needs of the high school and all other civic needs. Their mandate extends only to the high school. Due to the fractionalization of local gover nments into fiefdoms, the only person who can balance the competing needs and wants of the various fiefdoms is you, the voter. You have just surrendered that control.

Lil Hohmann, Oak Park

Move OPRF forward without a referendum

The next decision about Project 2, the renovation of the OPRF High School physical education facilities, is a funding decision, not a community engagement decision.

Community engagement happened over the past seven — or truly more — years as a master plan was developed to guide upgrading the century-old facilities Community engagement happened through hundreds of hours of work by volunteers on the Imagine team and through listening sessions, student and family surveys, tours of peer institutions, meetings with teachers and staff, inventories and investigations of countless spaces in the high school — the list goes on. Even last spring, programming meetings were held to independently reconfir m the Project 2 scope to ensure the scope remains relevant.

The District 200 school board, elected by our communities, unanimously agreed with the results of this engagement and approved the Project 2 scope.

The D200 board received a fiscally responsible funding option from the Community Finance Committee that allows Project 2 to move forward now, without referendum, breaking ground in late spring 2024 and finishing by fall 2026. Approving to fund the project without referendum bonds offers a check and balance on the board and administration, encouraging fiscal responsibility by managing the budget within the standard operating tax levy versus adding a second taxpayer levy for any referendum funding.

Between now and September 2026, more than 2,400 new students will enter OPRF High School and experience the subpar facilities desperately needing renovation to meet today’s curricular needs. Current fifth-graders, who will be freshmen in the fall of 2026, were barely in preschool when the last referendum was held

Alison Welch, Oak Park and OPRF parent

If we had voted last Tuesday, we would not have voted for her If she won a seat on the village board, we hope she is more concer ned for the environment in her actions as trustee (and in her personal life) than she demonstrated in the final days of her campaign.

Charles & Debbie Pastors, Oak Park

Sooner or later, you may experience voter regret if funding for bicycle and pedestrian safety, crime, policing, equity, street repairs, K-8 education or any number of concer ns important to you gets short-changed because of the fortune consumed by the high school capital program. You will have only your vote, or failure to vote, in the board election to blame

Bob Stigger, Oak Park

Let’s build more housing, not less

Pat Healey’s letter really buried the lede [As I see our village , Viewpoints, April 5]. I have deep respect for the contributions she has made to the community over the last 50 years. However, I strongly believe that being a single-family homeowner is not a prerequisite to being an active and engaged community member To be the diverse and inclusive village Oak Park strives to be, we need a wide variety of housing types that support families and individuals with a range of incomes and lifestyles

Renters make up 54.6% of Oak Park residents, and it’s likely the vast majority of those renters live in larger multifamily buildings. These renters are not just represented by the larger high-rises downtown that get much of the attention, but by the many multi-story apartments that can be found all over the village, especially on larger thoroughfares like Washington and Jackson.

Not everyone has the ability or the desire to own and maintain an old, single-family home like the ones Oak Park are famous for — an opportunity that is becoming increasingly inaccessible in this environment of increasing home values and high mortgage rates. Maintaining a commitment to investing in multifamily housing is a critical element of Oak Park’s vision of a village that is affordable, diverse and climate resilient. Denser multifamily housing in our community

means more pedestrian activity and more eyes on the street. It means more people shopping at our local businesses and eating at our local restaurants, which could spur demand for more retail development on commercial corridors like Chicago Avenue Denser multifamily housing — especially when it is located near transit, as the cor ner of Ridgeland and Chicago certainly is — is more energy efficient, water efficient, resource efficient and climate friendly than single-family homes

The historic character of our community will not be undone by replacing vacant lots and underutilized commercial space with new housing. Neither will your property values These buildings may be a bit taller than we’re used to in order to meet moder n codes, be ADA accessible, and accommodate exciting new sustainable design options. That’s OK. Instead of leveling the same tired charges every time a new apartment development is proposed (traffic, check; oversized building, check; my property values, check; historic character, check), let’s engage around village-wide policies that can help maintain access to affordable housing; encourage walking, biking and public transit; and push the development community to incorporate sustainable building and design practices in new construction projects

And then let’s keep building more housing

Nicole Chavas, Oak Park

Recovering from a devastating re

Dear friends,

The Wednesday before last was a sad day on our farm [ Fire de vastates farmers mark et staple, Gene va Lak es Produce , News, April 5]. A devastating fire rippe d through our packing shed and mechanics shop in the early after noon hours. We’re not cer tain what exactly star ted the fire; when we came out after lunch the whole building was engulfed

Many items were lost, including our of fice, re pair shop, and the packin g area of our shed. A greenhouse full of plants also sustained severe damage and many plants were destroyed. Our losses included many of our Far mers Market supplie s, like tables, tents, pallet jack s and picking crates We also lost one tractor that was being re paired and two forklifts.

T hankfully, no one was hur t, which is by fa r the most impor tant thing, and we were able to save some of the plants in the damaged greenhouse and move them to another greenhouse before the free zing temperatures ar rived that evening. We still have many greenhouses full of plants and hope to have a full selection ready for the opening of the Far mers Market season.

Many have helped with meals, financial gifts and, most impor tantly, prayers.

HAUSMAN

Generosity of spirit

from page 25

fear, greed, and little to no concer n for their fellow Americans.

To my knowledge, the only “accomplishment” ex-president Trump can claim is that he encouraged lowering taxes for large cor porations and the super-wealthy. As an aside, recently Lindsey Graham went on Fox News requesting that folks send money to help Trump with his le g al fees. Trump happens to be among America’s wealthiest folks, with an estimated net wor th of $2.5 billion. I don’t think he needs any of our money or to dip into charity boxes. Would that

T he most powerful thing our friends can do for us is pray. Once all the insurance issues are dealt with, the cleanup and rebuilding process will take place.

We want to sincerely thank all the dedicated men and women of the local fire de par tments and their tireless ef for ts to contain the fire to only the shed, saving all our greenhouses out back and our seed supply trailer We will be forever indebted to you for your ef forts.

We plan to have a full selection for the Far mers Market. We have the equipment we need to plant the crop. But g etting coolers up and r unning and processing equipment like washers and sor ters will be a challeng e. We have a mountain in front of us, but we know, with our customers behind us, we will scale that mountain and see a bright future.

T hank you from all of us at Geneva Lakes Produce.

Scott Koster

Oak Park Farmers Market vendor

Update: A Facebook site with info about ways to volunteer and support Scott and the Gene va Lak es Farm has been set up Do tak e a look and see how you can be a part of rebuilding the far m. https://www facebook.com/groups/1320177851877024/?

ref=share_group_link

Trump lear ned what I lear ned a long time ago: that true wealth is measured in loving friendships and close family ties.

This special season of spring, as the ear th comes alive and we observe Easter, Passover, and Ramadan, is an ideal time to share our blessings and good for tune with one another. Be it a generosity of spirit or a donation to a wor thwhile cause, we feed our souls and those of others.

My dear husband used to call this personal “psyche” income … what we “ear n” by doing good for others, in deed, in spirit, or in possible financial support.

So for my 99th bir thday, I wish you all a sweet season of peace and renewal. May we all know the true riches and wealth we gain from caring for one another

And growing our psyche income.

Celebrate National Community Development Week

National Community Development Week, April 10-14, is a time to celebrate the critical role the municipal government of Oak Park plays in administerin g the federal funds that support housing and expanded economic oppor tunities for our low- to moderate-income residents

Over the past five years alone, the village has distributed nearly $8 million in federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds from the U.S. De partment of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

The many services these funds have helped suppor t through local nonprofit org anizations include public education, mental health, addiction counseling and treatment, access to fair housing, food insecurity relief, job training, assistance for the unhoused, services for victims of domestic violence and parenting education.

Beyond helping those most vulnerable in our community, CDBG progr am dollars also have helped fund local public infrastructure projects in low- to moderate-income areas, such as improving sidewalks, streets and alleys, and re placing lead water service lines

MCDEVIT T Lake & Lathrop & Limbo

from page 25

■ Porter, new apartment complex, for mer Drechsler, Brown & Williams site: 2022-23 (expected finish) – 7 stories

■ American House Oak Park, senior living: 7 stories, recently opened

■ Maeve on Madison (435 Madison): 5 stories, 42 units, begun 2022, near completion

■ Maeve on Lake, new construction east of Unity Temple: begun 2022

Vantage Oak Park, completed 2016, is not part of this list though it did take under two years to complete that 21-story building, instructive by itself

District House is a fine comparative property. It started, as you can see, in the same year as Lake-Lathrop. It has 28 condo units and a coffee shop at street level. It is, by the way, architecturally striking.

With the exception of Eleven33, which

Single- and multi-family rental rehabilitation and lead abatement also have been suppor ted by C DBG funds administered by the village. T hese investments have helped resolve serious safety code violations and improve health and safety conditions for low- to moderate-income households that call Oak Pa rk home

Allocating these critical federal funds is a major under taking. Each year, volunteers on the Community Development Citizens Advisory Committee work with village staf f to review scores of detailed applications for funding submitted by a wide range of Oak Pa rk org anizations

Funds are limited and the competition fierc e, but the outcomes make the work both rewarding and wor thwhile

So p lease join us as we celebrate National Community Development Week and the many positive impacts federal CDBG program funds have had right here in Oak Park.

Gregor y Buchanan, Andrew Cells, Anne France, Nezar Na seh, Sheena R. Urmi Sengupta, Karen Schneller, Br yan Wong Community De v elopment Citizens Advisory Committee

many of us refer to as “the Soviet Building,” the structures listed here all have architectural interest. Lake-Lathrop is woefully uninspired — an amazing thought, given that it is a village “statement” building, the only such open property in the middle of the village. One would think that the village’s planners would have insisted on eye-catching architecture for such a building opportunity. They didn’t. And don’t get me started on the local developer they chose. That’s a story all by itself

The architects for the listed buildings in Oak Park include some real Chicago heavy hitters, Hartshor ne Plunkard (Albion), Fitzgerald Associates (Emerson), and Gensler (Vantage) among them.

So will we see that “upper parking deck”? Do we have to wait for a new tranche of funding to show up? Or will this 7-year project (which, for those of us in the know, is really 10 years) come a-cropper and close down, its columns forlor n, its dirt no longer moved around?

It will be interesting, though maddening (despite the humor), to watch.

Focus on students and those things that are best

We have a shared responsibility to ensure that our children have a ccess to q uality education. Indeed, for Oak Pa rk and Rive r Fo rest high schoolers, we str ive for “those things that are b est. ” C ommunity consensus is that generations of children have had inadequate facilities at OPRF I applaud this District 200 Boar d of Education. T hey prioritized the b est i nterests of Oak Pa rk and River Fo rest’s children by under taking Project 1. Th at project allowe d, among other thing s, more tutorin g and d esperately needed classroom space moder nizations

This b oard, again acting in the b est i nterests of our children, unanimously appr oved the scop e

Can a box of water save the planet?

No, but it can make things worse.

of Project 2. Until this project is c omplete, our c ommunity ’s children will c ontinue to be disenfranchised by these unacce ptable facilities.

So much of the recent r ancor has b een on financing and gover nance options In the process, bicke ring analysts c an overlook our children. Spreadsheets and referenda may f eel li ke pr ogr ess It ’s not. Fo c us on the children.

I want to thank this b oard fo r their dedication and servic e. I enc ourage them to c onsider not only the financial b ottom line but to prioritize our ch ildren and those things that are best.

Todd Huseby Ri v er Forest

At ease with EVs

Thinking of switching to an EV (electric vehicle)? Oak Park makes it easy. Many would-be EV owners are daunted by the question of where to charge, but our community boasts a growing number of chargers in public parking facilities

With always-free charging and free parking all day Sundays, fueling your drive could cost you $0 — and cost the planet nothing in climatehar ming emissions if you use the solar-powered charging stations at The Avenue Garage, where the number of stations has grown from four to eight, and at Nor th Boulevard.

Cur rently, Oak Park’s public EV chargers are clustered near downtown, but federal and state funds will soon bring more around our community as well as across the country. Let the village know where you think charging stations should be sited locally.

With more models coming out all the time, EVs are increasingly affordable, especially with new gover nment incentives. Plus there’s also a growing pool of used EVs to choose from. (Will a conventional car purchased new today have much

If Ravi Parakkat wants to promote Takeout 25 via his boxed water product, WaterBox, that is entirely up to him, as well as for the consumers who choose to pay 99 cents for a 16.9 fluid ounce box of water

But Mr Parakkat, the executive director of Takeout 25 and WaterBox, cannot flag rantly misrepresent this boxed water product with multiple false claims. According to the Wednesday Journal article, ‘Takeout 25 launches boxed water: A bargain at 99 cents’ (Stacey Sheridan, March 17), the accompanying YouTube promo, and print on the boxed water carton itself, Mr Parakkat makes three explicitly false claims; 1) renewable paper materials, 2) 100% recyclable materials, and 3) sustainability. Let’s take a closer look at these claims

from Shasta Springs in Dunsmuir, California or Blue Springs, Hamilton, Georgia, which are 2,121 and 809 miles away from Oak Park, respectively. The fuel-based GHG emissions associated with shipping alone render this product as anything but sustainable. This is especially concer ning relative to the drinking water in Oak Park being sourced via supply pipes from freshwater Lake Michig an, a mere 7 miles away

Mr. Parakkat states that he has taken nearly two years to develop this boxed water product. If so, how is it possible that his product can be so extremely flawed from concept to point-of-sale? It is of great concer n that Mr Parakkat, a village board trustee, can be so tone deaf and misguided on issues concer ning recyclability and carbon emissions, which are also central to village sustainability policy

resale value in a decade?) Buyers must consider the typically much lower maintenance costs of EVs: They have relatively few moving par ts to wear out, and they don’t need oil changes, transmission rebuilds, belt and muf fler re placements, or state-mandated emissions tests Meanwhile, they are undeniably fun to drive — quiet and vibration-free, with ef for tlessly zippy acceleration.

Environmentally, EVs are not entirely “free” to manufacture or drive But in a nation with no plans to abandon the private automobile, they of fer a huge environmental benefit over conventional fossil-fuelpowered cars. In the face of climate disruption, we can’t af ford to let the perfect be the enemy of the good. We need an all-hands-on-deck approach to combatting climate change by electrifying everything and switching as fast as we can to sustainably sourced energ y. EVs are unquestionably part of the solution. We need to star t driving the cars of the future. They’re already here.

Mike Trenar y Oak Park

1. Renewable paper material: According to the WaterBox manufacturer’s (Emersa) website at www.waterboxllc.com, the box material is composed of paperboard (90%), polymers (6%) and aluminum (4%). None of these materials are supported by independent verification that they use recycled content or recycled materials Also, the paperboard has not been certified as recycled content material by the Forest Stewardship Council or Sustainable Forestry Initiative, as it is not labeled as such directly on the box.

2. 100% recyclable materials: As previously noted, the carton’s paperboard is integrated with polymers and aluminum. As the process to disassemble the box to enable the recycling of any of these three materials is cost prohibitive, the WaterBox carton will not be re cycled by the local single-stream waste collection service (LRS), and therefore will be processed as solid waste. In fact, if placed in an LRS Recycle container, it risks contaminating the acceptable recyclable waste.

3. Sustainability: The boxed water is sourced

Citizenship missing

I saw no mention of citizenship in Wednesday Jour nal’s March 29 story about District 97’s draft “Portrait of an Oak Park 8th Grade Graduate.” Perhaps this was just an oversight. But coupled with Oak Park’s chronically low local election turnout — less than 17% in the April election — it is cause for concer n.

I’m consistently puzzled and disappointed by how few friends and neighbors pay attention to local issues and elections. They are engaged in national news. Indeed, many are activists regarding issues like abortion rights So why the inattention to what’s happening in Oak Park? Local matters affect

Launched during the same week as the Biden administration’s approval of the massive North Slope oil drilling project in the pristine wilderness of Alaska (allowing enough oil to be drilled to release 9.2 million metric tons of carbon emissions a year), as well as the IPCC’s AR6 Synthesis Report being released with more dire climate change forecasts, Mr Parakkat’s product appears to be part of the problem, not the solution.

Sources:

Emersa WaterBox: www.waterboxllc.com

Takeout 25 launches boxed water: A bargain at 99 cents by Stacey Sheridan, Wednesday Journal, March 17, 2023, at; https://www.oakpark. com/2023/03/17/takeout-25-launches-boxed-water-a-bargain-at-99-cents/

Takeout 25 WaterBox - Soft Launch: (YouTube video, March 14, 2023) at https://www.youtube. com/watch?v=xwp-jmFTPwE

Michael Iversen, an Oak Park resident, is an architect, planner, educator, and LEED AP

them at least as much as national ones, if not more.

When I voted on April 4, a woman entered my polling place with her young son. “This is where Mommy and Daddy vote,” she said. “Someday maybe you’ll vote here too.” I was heartened to hear this, especially since the polling place was almost deserted. I was raised the same way. I can’t imagine failing to vote, and I feel sure this young man will grow up to be a consistent voter as well.

How we raise and educate our children makes a big difference in their citizenship. I loved my civics classes We read articles, valuated candidates, and debated issues. I urge D97 to include citizenship in its portrait of an ideal graduate and to begin a program of citizenship education if one does not already exist.

Judith Alexander, Oak Park

LICENSED ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PRACTITIONER

The Village of Oak Park is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Licensed Environmental Health Practitioner in the Health Department. This position will perform a variety of duties including education and enforcement activities for the promotion and protection of the public health environment. Applicants are encouraged to visit the Village of Oak Park’s website https:// www.oakpark.us/your-government/ human-resources-departments

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

SEASONAL FARMER’S MARKET ASSISTANT

The Village of Oak Park is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Seasonal Farmer’s Market Assistant in the Health Department. This position will provide administrative support to the Farmer’s 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.

HIRING CLEANING TECHNICIANS FOR OPPORTUNITIES IN WESTCHESTER!

Awesome Cleaning

HUMAN RESOURCE COORDINATOR

The Village of Oak Park is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Human Resource Coordinator in the Human Resources Department. The ideal candidate will have a high level of customer service skills, Will provide routine to complex office, clerical, and administrative tasks. 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. This position is open until filled, first review of applications will be on April 14, 2023.

POLICE RECORDS SUPERVISOR

The Village of Oak Park is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Police Records Supervisor in the Police Department. This position will manage, supervise, plan and coordinate the activities and operations of the Police Records Division Support Services Bureau, within the Police Department including records maintenance and management services; and coordinate assigned activities with other divisions, outside agencies and the general public. Applicants are encouraged to visit the Village of Oak Park’s website at http://www. oak-park.us/jobs. First review of applications will be April 21, 2023.

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

GARAGE SALE

FREE Spring Clean Give Away

You see it, you like it, you take it!

Saturday April 22nd. 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Judson Baptist Church

1252 N. Austin Blvd., Oak Park, IL 60302

CLASSICS

Restored

Pay

LOST & FOUND

Lost Earring

Found: single gold earring for pierced ears. Small, 1/2 inch, possibly a child’s. Found at northeast corner of Harlem and Lake, at curb. Call Barb at 708-771-2575. Must identify with matching earring.

The Village of Oak Park is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Customer Service Representative II in the Public Works Department. This position provides customer service to the public by providing a variety of responsible and difficult customer service and receptionist work including high volume telephone traffic; and to perform the more difficult and complex customer service duties depending on the department including but not limited to service requests, permits, parking passes, block party permits, accounts payable processing and vehicle stickers. This position is cross-trained with the other Customer Service Representative IIs in the Village. Applicants are encouraged to visit the Village of Oak Park’s website at http://www.oakpark.us/jobs. Interested and qualified applicants must complete a Village of Oak Park application. This position is posted until filled with first review April 20, 2023.

& Vintage

Cars

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

Collector James • 630-201-8122

CLASSICS

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

Collector James 630-201-8122

Domestic / Import Cars: Mercedes, Porsche, Corvette, Ferrari’s, Jaguars, Muscle Cars, Mustang & Mopars

RENTALS

OFFICE/RETAIL FOR RENT

SALON CHAIR RENTAL

$$ Top $$ all makes, Etc.

Oak park salon, chair, rental, full-time and part-time. Contact Tony for details 847-732-2595.

BEAUTIFUL 1BD, 1BA

APARTMENT TO RENT

Collector James 630-201-8122

All brand new in 2022; 700 sq ft; lots of storage; stainless steel appliances with dishwasher; quartz countertop; 2 car parking; $1300/mo; 3705 Forest Avenue Bkfield; need income 4 x rent; we follow 2-step Cook Co. leasing process; call Rich at 630272-0086

OFFICE SPACE

sq ft,$1650/monthly)

Please call 708-485-9224 ask for Linda Sokol-Francis

PUBLIC NOTICE

NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING

Attention: Parents of Homeschooled

Students

On Tuesday April 25, 2023 at 1:00pm, Forest Park Schools District 91 will conduct a meeting at the Administration Office, 424 Des Plaines Avenue, Forest Park. The purpose of this meeting is to discuss the district’s plans for providing special education services to students with disabilities and/or students that are eligible to receive Title 1 services who attend private schools and/or home schools within the district boundaries for the 2023-2024 school year. If you are the parent of a homeschooled student who has been or may be identified with a disability and/or is eligible to receive Title 1 services and you reside within the boundaries of Forest Park Schools District 91, you are urged to attend. If you have further questions pertaining to this meeting, please contact David Mekhiel, Director of Student Services, at (708) 3665700 ext 3306.

Published in Forest Park Review April 5, 12, 2023

PUBLIC NOTICES LEGAL NOTICE

STATE OF ILLINOIS)

COUNTY OF COOK )ss

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

In re the marriage of JORGE PENA, Petitioner and BEYERLY MOORE PENA, Respondent, Case No. 2023D002416.

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

Now, therefore, unless you, the said Respondent, file your Appearance and Response electronically to said Petition with the Office of the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois, on or before May 3, 2023, default may be entered against you at any time after that day, and a Judgment for Dissolution of Marriage entered in accordance with the prayer of said Petition.

IRIS Y. MARTINEZ, Clerk.

Published in Wednesday Journal April 5, 12, 19, 2023

PUBLIC NOTICE

Public Notice of Amended Budget

Notice is hereby given by the Board of Education of Riverside School District No. 96 in the Cook County, State of Illinois, that an amended budget for said school district for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2022, will be on file and available for public inspection by appointment Monday through Friday from 9 am to 3 pm starting the 16th day of April 2023, at the district’s administrative offices on 3340 South Harlem Avenue in Riverside Illinois. To schedule an appointment please email fittonj@district96.org

Notice is further given that a public hearing on said amended budget will be held at 7:00 o’clock p.m. on the 17th day of May 2023 followed immediately by the scheduled regular board meeting.

Board of Education Riverside School District No. 96 Cook County, Illinois

By: Wesley Muirhead Board Secretary

Published in RB Landmark April 12, 2023

PUBLIC NOTICE

Notice is hereby given, pursuant to “An Act in relation to the use of an Assumed Business Name in the conduct or transaction of Business in the State,” as amended, that a certification was registered by the undersigned with the County Clerk of Cook County. Registration Number: Y23010346 on March 21, 2023

Under the Assumed Business Name of FLOOFS RANDOM WORKSHOP with the business located at: 339 S TAYLOR AVE OAK PARK, IL 60302. The true and real full name(s) and residence address of the owner(s)/partner(s) is: CARSON HARRIS 339 S TAYLOR AVE OAK PARK, IL 60302

Published in Wednesday

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

VILLAGE OF OAK PARK ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS

CALENDAR NUMBER: 08-23-Z

HEARING DATE: May 3, 2023

TIME: 7:00 p.m. or as soon thereafter as the Agenda permits

LOCATION OF HEARING: Room 201 (Council Chambers), Oak Park Village Hall, 123 Madison Street, Oak Park, Illinois, 60302

APPLICATION: The Zoning Board of Appeals (“ZBA”) will conduct a public hearing on an application filed by the Applicant, Mathew Soukup and Anna Louis-Soukup, seeking a variance from Section 4.3 (Table 4-1: Residential Districts Dimensional Standards) of the Oak Park Zoning Ordinance requiring a 19’–1” front yard setback to permit construction of an open porch addition with a proposed 12’ setback, in line with the existing front setback of the residence, at the premises commonly known as 645 N. Grove Avenue, Oak Park, Illinois, Property Index Number 16-06-322-011-0000 (“Subject

Property”), in the R-2 SingleFamily Zoning District.

A copy of the application and applicable documents are on file and are available for inspection at Village Hall, Development Customer Services Department, 123 Madison Street, Oak Park, Illinois 60302, Monday through Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.

All interested persons will be given an opportunity to be heard at the public hearing. Interested persons may also sign up to participate in-person in the hearing to cross examine the applicant and its witnesses by submitting a cross-examination form or by emailing Zoning@ oak-park.us before 5:00 PM on the day prior to the public hearing.

The public hearing may be adjourned by the Board to another date without further notice by public announcement at the hearing setting forth the time and place thereof.

Published in Wednesday Journal, April 12, 2023

EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY

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

e Illinois Human Rights Act prohibits discrimination in the sale, rental or advertising of real estate based on factors in addition to those protected under federal law.

is newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. All persons are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised are available on an equal opportunity basis. Restrictions or prohibitions of pets do not apply to service animals.

To complain of discrimination, call HUD toll free at: 1-800-669-9777.

GROWING COMMUNITY MEDIA

REAL ESTATE FOR SALE

REAL ESTATE FOR SALE

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).

60606, sell at a public sale to the highest bidder, as set forth below, the following described real estate:

Commonly known as 720 N. AUSTIN BLVD, UNIT 2-SW, OAK PARK, IL 60302

Property Index No. 16-08-105-0211009

The real estate is improved with a condominium.

The judgment amount was $17,234.13.

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

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 Noah Weininger, THE WEININGER LAW FIRM LLC Plaintiff’s Attorneys, 161 North Clark St., Suite 1600, Chicago, IL, 60601 (312) 796-8850.

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.

Noah Weininger

THE WEININGER LAW FIRM LLC

161 North Clark St., Suite 1600 Chicago IL, 60601 312-796-8850

Fax #: 312-248-2550

E-Mail: nweininger@weiningerlawfirm.com

Attorney Code. 63307

Case Number: 21 CH 4185

TJSC#: 43-1440

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 4185

I3217776

Our Community Needs Community Journalism

It’s not just about crime reports and board meetings. We also need inspiring, funny, heartwarming and, at times, heartbreaking stories about our friends, neighbors and children. Perhaps now, more than ever.

Support